cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Episodic dynamics of a sand wave field

Abstract The morphodynamics of a sand wave field in a flood-dominant channel inside Moriches Inlet was monitored for eight weeks during the summer of 2005. Bathymetric data show sand waves on average are 15 m long and 39 cm high with shallow slip faces. The sand waves remained stationary over the eight-week study. The maximum peak current speeds recorded during this study only reached 60 cm/s. This velocity was not sufficient to cause measurable sand wave migration. Analysis based on work by van Rijn suggests that the sand waves of this size would be created when the current velocity exceeds 80 cm/s, conditions not observed during this study. Water level data from Sandy Hook, NJ, and Shinnecock Inlet, NY, show that large tidal ranges occur when a drop in barometric pressure increases the elevation of high tide and strong north winds decrease the low-tide elevation. During these events the current velocity may reach 80 cm/s, which is predicted to be strong enough to produce these sand waves. This study demonstrates that high-energy, episodic events may control sand wave morphology at Moriches Inlet.
Additive Complexity and Roots of Polynomials over Number Fields and \mathfrak{p} -adic Fields

Consider any nonzero univariate polynomial with rational coefficients, presented as an elementary algebraic expression (using only integer exponents). Letting ?(f) denotes the additive complexity of f, we show that the number of rational roots of f is no more than 15 + ?(f)2(24.01)?(f)?(f)!. This provides a sharper arithmetic analogue of earlier results of Dima Grigoriev and Jean-Jacques Risler, which gave a bound of C?(f)2 for the number of real roots of f, for ?(f) sufficiently large and some constant C with 1<C<32. We extend our new bound to arbitrary finite extensions of the ordinary or p-adic rationals, roots of bounded degree over a number field, and geometrically isolated roots of multivariate polynomial systems. We thus extend earlier bounds of Hendrik W. Lenstra, Jr. and the author to encodings more efficient than monomial expansions. We also mention a connection to complexity theory and note that our bounds hold for a broader class of fields.
A top-down methodology for developing diurnal and seasonal anthropogenic heating profiles for urban areas

A generalized approach for estimating season-specific diurnal profiles of anthropogenic heating for cities is presented. Each profile consists of heat released from three components: building sector, transportation sector, and metabolism. In turn, the building sector is divided into heat released from electricity consumption and heat released from heating fuels such as natural gas and fuel oil. Each component is developed separately based on a population density formulation. The profiles are based on commonly available data resources that are mapped onto the diurnal cycle using seasonal profile functions. Representative winter and summer weekday profiles are developed and presented for six large US cities. The diurnal profiles have morning and evening peaks, with summertime maxima up to 60 W m � 2 . Anthropogenic heating in winter is generally larger, with maxima up to 75 W m � 2 . While these analyses were carried out at the city-scale the paper discusses how the same data sources could be applied at scales down to the individual census tract (or traffic analysis zone), resulting in high spatial resolution profiles and larger maxima corresponding to higher population densities in the urban core. Based on our analysis of San Francisco we find that the urban core region may have a daytime population density that is 5–10 times that of the city-scale value. Hence, the corresponding anthropogenic heating values in the urban core will be 5–10 times the magnitudes of the city-scale values presented in this paper. r 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Resistance of the Oocysts of Eimeria Tenella to Incubator Conditions

Abstract THE ease with which shells of eggs may become contaminated with the oocysts of coccidia has led many poultrymen to believe that chickens become infected with coccidia while in the incubator. Morse (1911) advocated that eggs that were to be incubated be washed with alcohol to free them from the oocysts of coccidia. Since oocysts of coccidia have been found to be very resistant to chemicals and very susceptible to drying when free from organic material (Fish 1931), hatcherymen generally have depended upon cleanliness and the natural drying of the eggs to free them from coccidia. Tyzzer (1932) and others have found that when they placed oocysts of coccidia upon the shells of incubating eggs, the oocysts did not survive the incubation period of the eggs. The incubator used by Tyzzer was not equipped with a humidifying device and the relative humidity of the incubator may have been lower than . . .
The Seeds of Catopsis (Bromeliaceae: Tillandsioideae)

Seed morphology has been an important taxonomic character for the Bromeliaceae, with three distinct seed types, naked, winged, and plumose, corresponding to the traditionally recognized subfamilies, Bromelioideae, Pitcairnioideae, and Tillandsioideae, respectively. In Tillandsioideae, the type of plumose seed appendage is used, in conjunction with other characters, to help circumscribe genera. For example, Catopsis, a genus of approximately 20 species, is characterized by having an apical coma of hairs, in contrast to Guzmania, Vriesea, and Tillandsia where seeds have a basal coma of hairs. The individual hairs, apical or basal, that comprise the plumose coma of the Tillandsioideae seeds have been assumed to be homologous structures. Scanning electron and light microscopy were used to examine the details of seed hair development in representative species of Catopsis and Tillandsia. Observations made in this study confirm published details of the basal seed hair development for Tillandsia. The apical seed hairs characteristic for Catopsis are shown to have a distinctly different ontogeny, and are judged to be synapomorphic for the genus. The apical and basal plumose seed appendages diagnostic for subfamily Tillandsioideae are analogous, but are not homologous in the ontogenetic or positional sense.
Phylogenetic distance does not predict competition in green algal communities

Biologists have held the tenet that closely related species compete more strongly with each other than with distant relatives since 1859, when Darwin observed that close relatives seldom co-occur in nature and suggested it was because they competitively exclude one another. The expectation that close relatives experience greater competition than distant relatives has become known as the “competition-relatedness hypothesis (CRH).” The CRH is predicated on the assumption that closely related species are more likely to have similar resource requirements than distant relatives, and thus, compete more strongly for limited resources. While this assumption has been popular because it is intuitive, it has also been subject to relatively little experimentation. Over the past decade, a growing number of CRH studies have arrived at divergent conclusions showing that the strength of competitive interactions can increase, decrease, or be independent of evolutionary relatedness. Most of these studies have focused on me...
The snowball effect of uncertainty in potential games

Uncertainty is present in different guises in many settings, in particular in environments with strategic interactions. However, most game-theoretic models assume that players can accurately observe interactions and their own costs. In this paper we quantify the effect on social costs of two different types of uncertainty: adversarial perturbations of small magnitude to costs (effect called the Price of Uncertainty (PoU) [3]) and the presence of several players with Byzantine, i.e. arbitrary, behavior (effect we call the Price of Byzantine behavior (PoB)). We provide lower and upper bounds on PoU and PoB in two well-studied classes of potential games: consensus games and set-covering games.
Family-based approaches: design, imputation, analysis, and beyond.

Participants in the family-based analysis group at Genetic Analysis Workshop 19 addressed diverse topics, all of which used the family data. Topics addressed included questions of study design and data quality control (QC), genotype imputation to augment available sequence data, and linkage and/or association analyses. Results show that pedigree-based tests that are sensitive to genotype error may be useful for QC. Imputation quality improved with inclusion of small amounts of pedigree information used to phase the data in evaluation of 5 commonly used approaches for imputation in samples of (typically) unrelated subjects. It improved still further when pedigree-based imputation using larger pedigrees was also added. An important distinction was made between methods that do versus do not make use of Mendelian transmission in pedigrees, because this serves as a key difference between underlying models and assumptions. Methods that model relatedness generally had higher power in association testing than did analyses that carry out testing in the presence of a transmission model, but this may reflect details of implementation and/or ability of more general methods to jointly include data from larger pedigrees. In either case, for single nucleotide polymorphism–set approaches, weights that incorporate information on functional effects may be more useful than those that are based only on allele frequencies. The overall results demonstrate that family data continue to provide important information in the search for trait loci.
Ecurrency threat modeling and hardening

In this paper I investigate the problem of providing application domain security constraints to distributed systems will maintaining high availability. This study uses the application domain of business loyalty incentives as a motivating example. The loyalty incentives are earned through electronic point and currency programs while the modeled system ensures the incentives are not vulnerable to cyber-attack. I consider five loyalty activity categories rewarded by companies to their patrons; social networking rewards, web-site browsing rewards, mobile browsing rewards and referral/social circle rewards. I document vulnerabilities with each activity category, propose and implement a solution that will ensure the activity being rewarded is the activity that is intended by the reward program.
OSBLE+: A Next-Generation Learning Management and Analytics Environment for Computing Education

In order best to support learning analytics in computing education, learning management systems (LMS) should be interfaced with computer programming environments, in which computing students spend much of their time. To this end, we have developed OSBLE+, an outgrowth of the OSBLE (Online Studio- Based Learning Environment) LMS we have been developing over the past eight years. OSBLE+ supports two innovations that make it particularly well-suited to supporting learning analytics in computing education. First, it connects to the Microsoft Visual Studio computer programming environment via a plugin that gives it access to all programming process data within Visual Studio, including edits, compilation attempts, compilation errors, debugging attempts, and run-time exceptions. This enables OSBLE+ to provide students and instructors with a visual analytics environment in which they can explore, compare, and contrast the programming activities of students in the class. Second, the plugin turns Visual Studio into a social programming environment by injecting into it a social media-style activity stream, which enables students (a) to pose and answer programming questions, and (b) to see and explore the programming activities of their peers. Students' social activities within the activity stream are sent to OSBLE+, and are subsequently included as data in the visual analytics environment. OSBLE+ is open source and freely hosted at http://plus.osble.org. While OSBLE+ presently interfaces only with Visual Studio, a plug-in for the Eclipse programming environment is under active development.
Smarter recompilation

Tichy's Smart Recompilation method can be made smarter by permitting benign type inconsistencies between separately compiled modules. This enhanced method helps the programmer to make far-reaching changes in small, manageable steps.
An Ancestral Tryptophanyl-tRNA Synthetase Precursor Achieves High Catalytic Rate Enhancement without Ordered Ground-State Tertiary Structures

Urzymes-short, active core modules derived from enzyme superfamilies-prepared from the two aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) classes contain only the modules shared by all related family members. They have been described as models for ancestral forms. Understanding them currently depends on inferences drawn from the crystal structures of the full-length enzymes. As aaRS Urzymes lack much of the mass of modern aaRS's, retaining only a small portion of the hydrophobic cores of the full-length enzymes, it is desirable to characterize their structures. We report preliminary characterization of (15)N tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase Urzyme by heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) NMR spectroscopy supplemented by circular dichroism, thermal melting, and induced fluorescence of bound dye. The limited dispersion of (1)H chemical shifts (0.5 ppm) is inconsistent with a narrow ensemble of well-packed structures in either free or substrate-bound forms, although the number of resonances from the bound state increases, indicating a modest, ligand-dependent gain in structure. Circular dichroism spectroscopy shows the presence of helices and evidence of cold denaturation, and all ligation states induce Sypro Orange fluorescence at ambient temperatures. Although the term "molten globule" is difficult to define precisely, these characteristics are consistent with most such definitions. Active-site titration shows that a majority of molecules retain ∼60% of the transition state stabilization free energy observed in modern synthetases. In contrast to the conventional view that enzymes require stable tertiary structures, we conclude that a highly flexible ground-state ensemble can nevertheless bind tightly to the transition state for amino acid activation.
Seasonal Occurrence and Number of Instars of Nemobius fasciatus, a Pest on White Clover

Nemobius fasciatus (De Geer), a cricket, may be frequently responsible for white clover stand reduction or loss in Alabama. Investigations into the life history of this insect in the Black Belt area of Alabama revealed the occurrence of 2 generations per year and 6 nymphet instars in the field.
Ultrastructure of epicuticular wax aggregates during fruit development in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.)

SummaryDevelopment of wax platelets on the surface of ‘Delicious’ (Malus domestica Borkh.) apple fruit was investigated throughout the growing season using field emission scanning electron microscopy. At 5,000 and greater, wax crystalline structures appeared to be composed of microtubules (MT), aggregates of individual MT to form single platelets, and of one or more platelets. The thickness of a single wax platelet ranged from 116–128 nm, approximately the diameter of a single MT; whereas multiple-platelet aggregates ranged in thickness from 307–428 nm. Individual platelets, multiple platelet aggregates and MT were visible throughout fruit development, as well as on different apple cultivars. Examination of the cuticle from young fruitlets (receptacle diameter = 3 mm) of ‘Chinese Crabapple’ (M. hupehensis Rehd.), which develops without trichomes, best demonstrated early platelet formation. A model for wax platelet and cuticle development on apple is proposed based on these data.
TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD: HEART TRANSPLANT (HT) RECIPIENT OUTCOMES BY AGE GROUP

Outcomes of post-HT patients in transition (13y to 24y) have not been well described. 45213 HT recipients were identified from UNOS (1987-2011) and stratified by age group (pediatric (age 24, n=38322). re-HT & lost to follow up. Survival was censored at 12y. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard
The “Graphic Experience” as Clinical Science: Thoughts on the Precordial leads of Wolferth and Wood

ABSTRACT These doctors were particularly interested in the new techniques then being developed in physiology laboratories and reasoned that medicine would advance if the techniques were applied clinically. The development of electrocardiography clearly illustrates this trend in medical care. In 1932, when the American Journal of Medical Science published “The Electrocardiographic Diagnosis of Coronary Occlusion by the Use of Chest Leads,”
Leptin constrains phospholipase C-protein kinase C-induced insulin secretion via a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent pathway.

Leptin-deficient Lepob/Lepob mice hypersecrete insulin in response to acetylcholine stimulation of the phospholipase C-protein kinase C (PLC-PKC) pathway, and leptin constrains this hypersecretion. Leptin has been reported to activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) and subsequently phosphodiesterase (PDE) to impair protein kinase A (PKA)-induced insulin secretion from cultured islets of neonatal rats. We determined if PKA-induced insulin secretion was also hyperresponsive in Islets from Lepob/Lepob mice, and if leptin impaired this pathway in islets from these mice. Additionally, the possible role for PI 3-K and PDE in leptin-induced control of acetylcholine-induced insulin secretion was examined. Stimulation of Insulin secretion with GLP-1, forskolin (an activator of adenylyl cyclase), or IBMX (an inhibitor of PDE) did not cause hypersecretion of insulin from islets of young Lepob/Lepob mice, and leptin did not inhibit GLP-1-induced insulin secretion from islets of these mice. Inhibition of PDE w...
Abstract B64: Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) irreversibly blocks cell cycle recovery independently of ATR following replicative damage by poly(ADPribose) polymerase inhibitors

PARP inhibitors kill cancer cells by trapping PARP-DNA complexes, with talazoparib the inhibitor with the highest PARP trapping activity. Genomic analyses across the 60 cancer cell lines of the National Cancer Institute (NCI-60) revealed a highly significant correlation between SLFN11 expression and sensitivity to talazoparib. The causal role of SLFN11 was established after generating four SLFN11-knockout cell lines (prostate DU145, Ewing EW8, leukemia CCRF-CEM and MOLT4) by CRISPR/Cas9 system, and finding that SLFN11 inactivation conferred high resistance to both talazoparib and olaparib. Resistance was caused neither by impaired drug penetration nor by hyperactivation of homologous recombination, as demonstrated in BRCA2-inactivated cells. SLFN11-proficient cells were irreversibly arrested in S phase by talazoparib treatment. Although ATR is the key regulator of the intra-S phase checkpoint, the addition of the ATR inhibitor (VE-821) did not release the replication arrest in SLFN11-proficient cells. By contrast, SLFN11-deficient cells treated with talazoparib reached G2, and their cell cycle and replication arrest was reversed by ATR inhibition. The combination of VE-821 with talazoparib or olaparib was highly synergistic with the greater synergy in the SLFN11-deficient cells. Our study reveals that SLFN11 acts as a novel DNA damage response gene for replicative DNA damage, and that SLFN11 inactivation, which is common in cancer cells, is a novel mechanism of resistance for PARP inhibitors, which can be mitigated by combining PARP and ATR inhibitors. Citation Format: Junko Murai, Yves Pommier. Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) irreversibly blocks cell cycle recovery independently of ATR following replicative damage by poly(ADPribose) polymerase inhibitors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr B64.
Taste and diet preferences as predictors of drug self-administration.

Several observations suggest that there may be specific, important relationships between taste/diet preferences and drug selfadministration. These include reports of: (a) differences in drug selfadministration in rats with differing baseline taste or diet preferences, (b) correlations between the intake of saccharin and the intake of alcohol, and (c) changes in drug self-administration when sweettasting solutions are provided as alternative reinforcers. In humans, there is a high comorbidity between eating disorders and drug and alcohol abuse. Further, this relationship extends to subclinical levels of each behavior. With a better under-standing of these relationships, it may be possible to use measures of diet and taste preferences, along with dietary manipulations, to predict and reduce vulnerability to drug abuse, as well as to monitor and improve current treatments for drug abuse. Animal and human studies relevant to the relationship between diet and taste preferences and drug abuse will be reviewed below, followed by a brief discussion of the possible mechanism underlying the relationship.
Perioperative and Long-term Outcomes After Carotid Endarterectomy in Hemodialysis Patients.

Importance Early landmark trials excluding dialysis patients showed carotid endarterectomy (CEA) decreased stroke risk compared with medical management. Dialysis dependence has been associated with poor outcomes after CEA in small studies, but, to our knowledge, there are no large studies evaluating outcomes of CEA in this patient group. Objective To delineate perioperative and long-term outcomes after CEA in dialysis-dependent patients in a large national database. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective review of all patients who underwent CEA in the US Renal Disease System–Medicare-matched database between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2011, was performed in June 2015. The median follow-up time was 2.5 years. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate perioperative and long-term outcomes. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes of interest were perioperative stroke, myocardial infarction and mortality, and long-term stroke and mortality. Results A total of 5142 patients were studied; 83% of whom were asymptomatic. The mean (SD) age was 68.9 (9.6) years for asymptomatic patients and 70.0 (9.1) years for symptomatic patients. The 30-day stroke rate, myocardial infarction, and mortality for the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups were 2.7% vs 5.2% ( P = .001), 4.6% vs 5.0% ( P = .69), and 2.6% vs 2.9% ( P = .61), respectively. Predictors of perioperative stroke were symptomatic status (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% CI, 1.18-3.42; P = .01), black race (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.24-4.25; P = .008), and Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.17-4.42; P = .02). Freedom from stroke and overall survival were lower in symptomatic compared with asymptomatic patients at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years (in asymptomatic vs symptomatic patients, freedom from stroke rates were 92% vs 87% at 1 year, 88% vs 83% at 2 years, 84% vs 78% at 3 years, 80% vs 73% at 4 years, and 79% vs 69% at 5 years, respectively, and overall survival rates were 78% vs 73% at 1 year, 60% vs 57% at 2 years, 46% vs 42% at 3 years, 37% vs 32% at 4 years, and 33% vs 29% at 5 years; P P P = .04), and inability to ambulate (hazard ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.25-2.62; P = .002). Predictors of long-term mortality were increasing age (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03; P P = .045), history of congestive heart failure (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.12-1.39; P P = .002). Conclusions and Relevance To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date of dialysis patients who have undergone CEA. We have shown that the risks of CEA in asymptomatic patients is high and may outweigh the benefits. The risk of CEA in symptomatic patients is also high, and it should only be offered to a small carefully selected cohort of symptomatic patients.
Using computer programming to teach undergraduates abstraction and generalization

Students have difficulty with concepts that require mathematical reasoning such as abstraction and generalization. Efforts to improve instruction often do not take into consideration how students learn. Often times the unintentional expectation communicated to the student is to mimic the behavior of the teacher. A more fruitful approach may be to consider the mental processes by which abstract concepts are acquired.
An Empirical Analysis of Local Government Social Media Communication: Models of E-government Interactivity and Public Relations

In this study we analyze the communication of local government departments on a social media platform. We analyze Facebook messages according to three models of e-government interactivity, namely: one-way push, two-way pull, and networking, which we integrate with the Excellence theory of public relations by adding the fourth model we term impression management. We conduct a content analysis on 1,472 posts of 52 distinct municipal-level departments of 16 cities across the U.S. We find that most content examined refers to one-way push communication, or the provision of information about policy or department related matters. We also find that much of the content is used for impression management or favorable publicity, which includes an attention to positive imagery and acknowledgements of appreciation toward others. Collaborative or networking type of activity is adopted less than ten percent of the time. We also explore the differences in social media communication strategies across different types of organizations and provide measures of page and content popularity. We find significant differences in strategies and suggest explanations based on a socio-technical view of technology adoption and the particularities of the organizations' missions and purposes. We end this paper with a discussion on the benefits and perils of social media government communication. We suggest that future research may fruitfully examine the factors that contribute to the different levels of interactivity that are observed in the use of these platforms by governments.
Manipulation Techniques with Potential Use in Animal Agriculture

Animal breeding is entering an exciting new era in which it will have the tools to rapidly multiply animals and to make new strains, precisely tailored to meet product and environmental demands. Many of these new tools depend on micromanipulation of embryos. The new tools include the ability to transfer new genes into the genome of domestic animals, the genetic screening of embryos by DNA marker assisted selection to directly select for genes encoding desirable traits and against genetic defects, as well as the use of embryo bisection or cloning to produce identical copies of embryos from a genetically tested high performance embryo line.
Ultrafast self-action of surface-plasmon polaritons at an air/metal interface

We investigate both theoretically and experimentally the nonlinear propagation of surface-plasmon polaritons (SPP) on a single air/metal interface. Inspired by nonlinear dielectric waveguide theory, we analytically derive a model that describes the nonlinear propagation of SPPs, thus bridging the description of plasmonic and dielectric waveguides. The model, the numerical simulations, and the experiments, which are carried out in the 100 fs regime, reveal that the SPP undergoes strong ultrafast self-action which manifests itself through self-induced absorption. Our observations are consistent with a large, bulk, third-order nonlinear susceptibility $({\ensuremath{\chi}}^{(3)})$ of gold and provide a self-consistent theory of self-action of SPPs at an air/metal interface. Experimentally, we find $\mathrm{Im}{{\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\ensuremath{-}(3)}}\ensuremath{\sim}3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}/{\mathrm{V}}^{2}$. These findings have important implications in the nonlinear physics of plasmonics and metamaterials as they provide evidence that nonlinear absorption has a significant effect on the propagation of SPPs excited by intense optical pulses. This self-action is also expected to affect the anomalous absorption of light near subwavelength structures as well as the strength of desirable nonlinear processes such as third-harmonic generation and four-wave mixing, which will inevitably compete with nonlinear absorption.
Co-editors’ introduction: Who are the transfronterizos and what can we learn from them?

Students, teachers, and researchers situated in and navigating frontera (borderland) communities are transfronteriza/os (border crossers). Each is fluent in different types of border crossings and ...
Asynchronous Pumping of a Pulsatile Ventricular Assist Device in a Pediatric Anastomosis Model

Background:Both pulsatile and continuous flow ventricular assist devices are being developed for pediatric congenital heart defect patients. Pulsatile devices are often operated asynchronously with...
Prehistoric shell beads on the Georgia coast

The prehistoric peoples living along the Georgia coast fabricated and used shell beads for millennia. Out of a number of mollusk species inhabiting the region, only a few were selected for the fabr...
New York Physicians' Perspectives and Knowledge of the State Medical Marijuana Program

Abstract Introduction: In 2014, New York (NY) became the 23rd state to legalize medical marijuana (MMJ). The purpose of this survey was to collect data about practicing NY physicians' comfort level, opinions, and experience in recommending or supporting patient use of MMJ. Materials and Methods: An anonymous web-based survey was distributed to medical societies and to academic departments in medical schools within NY. Results: A total of 164 responses were analyzed. Physician participants were primarily located in New York City and surrounding areas. The majority (71%) agreed that MMJ should be an option available to patients. Most respondents were not registered to certify MMJ in NY, but were willing to refer patients to registered physicians. Common reasons for not registering included specialty and federal status of cannabis. More than 75% reported having patients who used cannabis for symptom control, and 50% reported having patients who inquired about MMJ within the past year. Most respondents are wi...
Using spatially‐explicit capture–recapture models to explain variation in seasonal density patterns of sympatric ursids

Understanding how environmental factors interact to determine the abundance and distribution of animals is a primary goal of ecology, and fundamental to the conservation of wildlife populations. Studies of these relationships, however, often assume static environmental conditions, and rarely consider effects of competition with ecologically similar species. In many parts of their shared ranges, grizzly bears Ursus arctos and American black bears U. americanus have nearly complete dietary overlap and share similar life history traits. We therefore tested the hypothesis that density patterns of both bear species would reflect seasonal variation in available resources, with areas of higher primary productivity supporting higher densities of both species. We also hypothesized that interspecific competition would influence seasonal density patterns. Specifically, we predicted that grizzly bear density would be locally reduced due to the ability of black bears to more efficiently exploit patchy food resources such as seasonally abundant fruits. To test our hypotheses, we used detections of 309 grizzly and 597 black bears from two independent genetic sampling methods in spatially‐explicit capture–recapture (SECR) models. Our results suggest grizzly bear density was lower in areas of high black bear density during spring and summer, although intraspecific densities were also important, particularly during the breeding season. Black bears had lower densities in areas of high grizzly bear density in spring; however, density of black bears in early and late summer was best explained by primary productivity. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that smaller‐bodied, more abundant black bears may influence the density patterns of behaviorally‐dominant grizzly bears through exploitative competition. We also suggest that seasonal variation in resource availability be considered in efforts to relate environmental conditions to animal density.
Randomized trial of daily versus three-times-weekly prophylactic ganciclovir after lung and heart-lung transplantation.

Background: Cytomegalovirus is an important cause of morbidity and mortality risk after lung transplantation. Ganciclovir, when given for a period of up to 3 months after lung transplantation, has been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of cytomegalovirus. However, daily prophylaxis is associated with considerable expense, inconvenience, and morbidity risk. The goal of this study was to determine whether 3-times-weekly dosage is as effective as daily prophylaxis with ganciclovir in preventing cytomegalovirus disease. Methods: Seventy-two consecutive subjects who had either donor or recipient cytomegalovirus seropositivity were randomized to the daily group (n = 35) or the 3-times-weekly group (n = 37). All subjects received twice-daily ganciclovir treatment for 2 weeks. Thereafter, subjects received either daily or 3-times-weekly ganciclovir dosing until 90 days after transplantation. Subjects were then monitored for 28 ± 13 months to identify outcomes and complications. Results: There were no significant differences between the daily and 3-times-weekly groups with respect to survival free from cytomegalovirus infection or survival free from cytomegalovirus disease. In both groups, cytomegalovirus infection and disease frequently emerged after the termination of prophylaxis. However, in most cases the cytomegalovirus syndromes observed were mild and in many cases could be treated on an outpatient basis. There was no significant difference between the groups in the incidence of obliterative bronchiolitis or time to onset of grade 2 bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. Overall patient survival was better in the daily group, but the survival advantage did not appear to be related to a reduction in cytomegalovirus-related disease. Complications of ganciclovir prophylaxis included leukopenia in 2 subjects in the 3-times-weekly group and catheter-related sepsis in 6 subjects from each group. Conclusions: We conclude that intravenous ganciclovir given 3 times weekly for 3 months after transplantation is as effective as daily ganciclovir given for a similar time period. The 3-times-weekly dosing regimen did not result in increased infection, disease, or sequelae of cytomegalovirus infection when compared with the daily regimen.
Bioinspired, Multiscale Reinforced Composites with Exceptionally High Strength and Toughness

Nature's multiscale reinforcing mechanisms in fabricating composite armors, such as seashells, provide lessons for engineering materials design and manufacturing. However, it is still a challenge to simultaneously add both micro- and nanoreinforcements in a matrix material since nano-fillers tend to agglomerate, decreasing their reinforcing effects. In this study, we report a new type of micro/nano hybrid filler, synthesized by an unconventional cotton aided method, which has B4C microplatelet as the core and radially aligned B4C nanowires as the shell. To enhance the bonding between the B4C fillers and epoxy, the B4C micro/nano-fillers were coated with a layer of polyaniline (PANI). With a low concentration of the PANI functionalized B4C micro/nano-fillers (1 wt %), this B4C/epoxy composite exhibited an exceptional combination of mechanical properties in terms of elastic modulus (∼3.47 GPa), toughness (2026.3 kJ/m3), and fracture strain (>3.6%). An analytical mechanics model was established to show that such multiscale reinforcement design remarkably enhanced the load carrying efficiency of the B4C fillers, leading to the overall improved mechanical performance of the composites. This new design concept opens up a new path for developing lightweight, yet high-strength and tough materials with multiscale reinforcing configurations.
A case study of a precariously balanced rock, its partially exhumed corestone platform, and encasing saprock and soil

Abstract Lying between the Elsinore and San Jacinto faults, ~0.5 km SE of Roundtop, is a tonalitic corestone perched precariously on an exhumed corestone base. Such features are referred to as precariously balanced rocks (PBRs). Cosmogenic 10Be data listed in an online abstract suggest a tentative exhumation age of the PBR near Roundtop at ~35,000 years ago. The absence of PBRs adjacent to the Elsinore and San Jacinto faults implies that they were shaken free from their perches during ground shaking. Alternatively, their absence may reflect a more highly fractured and intensely weathered terrane. Because the weathering histories of PBRs have not been studied previously, we analyzed the texture, clay mineralogy, and geochemistry of the Roundtop PBR to answer several basic questions. Can the characteristics of the regolith that once encased the precariously balanced rock be reconstructed? What chemical processes operated in the regolith prior to exhumation, and are these processes still occurring? Following exhumation, did new fracture development modify the original regolith? To answer these questions, we extracted three ~1 m long cores from the PBR near Roundtop, and collected 23 saprock and 9 pebbly sandy loam samples from a trench excavated near the base of the corestone platform. Plagioclase and biotite alteration, along with the concomitant loss of Ca, Na, Sr, Ba, K, Mg, Mn, Nb, and P mass, are the primary evidence of weathering intensity within the saprock. Additionally, the presence of mostly kaolinite, and lesser quantities of mixed-layer biotite/smectite in the saprock, along with the above observations and data, point to significant fluid/rock interations during saprock development. Subsequent formation of pebbly sandy loam appears to have been accomplished primarily through pedoturbation within the uppermost portions of the underlying already weathered saprock, and produced little additional chemical weathering. Hence, our data support the general idea that Roundtop is an area of weak ground shaking, and that since current exhumation little weathering has affected this PBR locality.
Management of Xeroderma Pigmentosum

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare, autosomal recessive inherited disease of DNA repair with a high incidence of sunlight-induced cancer of the skin and eye. Approximately half of the patients have marked burning on minimal sun exposure, often resulting in severe blistering in infancy. The other XP patients do not have this exquisite photosensitivity but develop freckle-like pigmentation of the face and other sun exposed sites, frequently before 2 years of age. Overall, XP patients have a more than 10,000-fold increase in frequency of basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin with a median age of onset of less than 10 years, nearly 60 years younger than in the US general population. There is a similar high frequency of skin melanoma, but the median age is 22 years, which is 33 years younger than in the US general population. About 25% of the XP patients have progressive neurological degeneration, often first appearing as diminished deep tendon reflexes, microcephaly, and high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. Early recognition of neurological involvement permits use of hearing aids and other assistive devices. Management is based on early diagnosis, rigorous sun protection, and early detection and treatment of skin cancers. Oral retinoids have been demonstrated to prevent new skin cancers but have numerous side effects. Newer therapies such as use of topical bacterial DNA repair enzymes, correction of the DNA repair defect in cultured cells, and topical agents to increase read-through of premature stop codons are under investigation.
Developmental studies on regenerates ofCallithamnion roseum Harvey

The apical growth pattern of a diploid regenerate ofCallithamnion roseum Harvey was analyzed from microcinematographic data. Although apical cell lineage is constant, it is not followed in a rigid way, and is maintained within the limits of a well balanced regulation. From the time lapse movie data an analysis of the generated division and spatial hierarchy was also worked out. Average division rates per day do not differ significantly in main axis, and branches. Individually they increase in cell number in an arithmetic order, while the total cell output of the whole shoot grows exponentially with time. Branches appear to have two growth phases. The decreased growth rate in the second phase is probably correlated with the structural and functional differentiation of the branches, resulting in secondary branch formation. A pronounced morphogenetic effect of amino acids is reported on cell elongation, and their probable influence on branching is discussed.
Optimal Linear Detection of Signals in Cyclostationary, Linearly Modulated, Digital Communications Interference

Both economic incentives and policy trends motivate the study of spectrum sharing between radar and wireless communications as a means to mitigate spectrum scarcity. This paper proposes a novel, temporal signal processing algorithm for a radar to mitigate interference from cyclostationary, linearly modulated digital communications (LMDC) interference such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or code division multiple access (CDMA). The proposed algorithm has the form of a novel whitening filter followed by a matched filter, and as such it optimizes the statistical deflection among the class of all linear detection filters. The derived cyclostationary whitening filter has equivalent mathematical representations as: 1) the form of a multiuser detector followed by an interference canceler, and 2) a frequency-shift (FRESH) filter. Performance results indicate that the derived cyclostationary whitener can produce signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) improvements ranging from negligible to up to $\text{20 dB}$ for the parameters used in this study. The cyclostationary whitener leads to the greatest SINR improvements when the interference-plus-noise is dominated by only a few LMDC signals, such as might occur in a near-far scenario.
A Collaborative Effort: Peer Review and the History of Teacher Evaluations in Montgomery County, Maryland.

In this article, Jeremy Sullivan explores the history of teacher evaluations in Montgomery County, Maryland. He describes how, over the course of three decades, the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) established itself as a strong and powerful professional association and leveraged its power to institutionalize a more collaborative approach to teacher evaluations in the county. Drawing largely on archival data from educational organizations in Montgomery County, Sullivan shows how the MCEA and its member teachers objected to evaluation mechanisms they considered unfair and ineffective. He then outlines the process through which the MCEA worked together with administrators to develop the Peer Assisted Review program. Today this program, jointly run by MCEA and the school system, enjoys widespread support in the county and serves as an example of how teachers and their unions can partner with administrators to work together toward the goal of improving teaching and learning in public schools.
Sampling Methods for Adventive Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in a Wild Tree Host of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an invasive pest that has established in much of the United States. Adventive populations of an effective Asian egg parasitoid of H. halys, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), have been detected in several states, including Virginia, and its geographic range is expanding. Documenting changes in its distribution and abundance have thus become key research priorities. For these specific purposes, surveillance of T. japonicus over large geographic areas using sentinel H. halys egg masses may not be optimally efficient, and examination of alternative sampling tactics is warranted. In 2016, sentinel H. halys egg masses were deployed as vertical transects in the canopy of female Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae) in Virginia. A brief follow-up study in 2016 using yellow sticky traps deployed in the same trees yielded captures of T. japonicus, leading to a comparison of vertical transects of sentinel eggs and yellow sticky traps in 2017. Both methods yielded T. japonicus detections only in the middle and upper tree canopies, whereas other known H. halys parasitoids were detected in the lower, middle, or upper canopies. Based on this information, a method for deploying yellow sticky traps in the middle canopy of H. halys host trees was assessed in 2017, yielding T. japonicus captures. A comparison of estimated time inputs revealed that traps were more efficient than sentinel eggs in this regard. Results are discussed in relation to the utility of each sampling method to address specific questions about the range expansion and ecology of T. japonicus.
Two-Way Currency Trading Algorithms in the Discrete Setting

In an one-way currency trading model, a player trades all his dollars to yen with the objective of maximizing the total amount of yen got at the end of this game. Exchange rates from dollar to yen vary over time. An optimal offline algorithm trades all dollars using the highest trading rate. In the online setting, any traded yen cannot be converted back to dollars before this game terminates. Under the assumption of knowing the lower bound and the upper bound of exchange rates, as well as the trading duration beforehand, a threat-based online algorithm proposed in [5] has been proved optimal. In an two-way currency trading model, the player is allowed to trade dollars and yen back and forth over time before this game ends. In this paper, we focus on the two-way currency trading model. We re-study an optimal offline algorithm and present a one-step look-ahead optimal algorithm for this model. We further study a setting in which the number of trades cannot exceed a given number k. We provide a few optimal algorithms, analyze their running time, and show output-sensitive time bounds under this restriction for the two-way currency trading problem.
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, relationship quality, and risky alcohol use among trauma-exposed students.

Abstract Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD), in part due to the use of alcohol as a coping strategy. High quality romantic relationships can buffer individuals against risk for psychopathology; however, no studies have evaluated romantic relationship quality in risk for PTSD-AUD in non-clinical samples. The current study examined the main and interactive effects of PTSD symptoms and romantic relationship quality on alcohol consumption (i.e., past 30-day alcohol use quantity, frequency, and binge frequency) and alcohol-related consequences in a sample of 101 college students (78.2% women) with a history of interpersonal trauma (i.e., physical/sexual assault, excluding intimate partner violence) who reported being in a romantic relationship. Relationship quality significantly moderated the association between PTSD symptom severity and alcohol use quantity (B = −0.972, p = .016) and alcohol-related consequences (B = −0.973, p = .009), such that greater PTSD symptoms were associated with greater alcohol use quantity and consequences among those low, but not high, in relationship quality. The interaction between PTSD symptom severity and relationship quality in relation to binge drinking was marginally significant (B = −0.762, p = .063), and relationship quality did not significantly moderate the association between PTSD symptom severity and alcohol use frequency. The main effect of PTSD symptom severity was significantly associated with alcohol-related consequences, but no other alcohol outcomes; the main effect of relationship quality was not associated with alcohol use outcomes or consequences. High quality romantic relationships may serve as a buffer for young adults at risk for alcohol problems.