cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improvement in Preventive Care of Young Adults After the Affordable Care Act: The Affordable Care Act Is Helping

Importance The 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) included expansion of insurance coverage for young adults and improved access to preventive care. Objective To examine the ACA’s initial effects on young adults’ receipt of preventive care. Design, Setting, and Participants Secondary data analysis using a pre-post design that compared health care use by young adults (aged 18 to 25 years) from 2009 and 2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys. Data were collected through computer-assisted personal interviews of a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized US population. Main Outcomes and Measures Differences by year in rates of receiving a routine examination in the past year, blood pressure screening, cholesterol screening, influenza vaccination, and annual dental visit. Three logistic regression models were developed to (1) compare pre-ACA (2009) and post-ACA (2011) rates of receiving preventive care and (2) determine if post-ACA increases in insurance coverage accounted for changes in preventive care rates. Model 1 was a bivariate model to determine differences in preventive care rates by year; model 2, a multivariable model adding insurance status (full-year private, full-year public, partial-year uninsured, and full-year uninsured) to determine whether insurance accounted for survey year differences; and model 3, a multivariable model adding covariates (usual source of care and sociodemographic variables) to determine whether they further accounted for differences by survey year or insurance status. Results After ACA, young adults had significantly higher rates of receiving a routine examination (47.8% vs 44.1%; P P P P P = .70). Full-year private insurance coverage increased (50.1% vs 43.4%; P P = .03; and full-year uninsured, 22.2% vs 27.1%; P P = .53). Insurance status fully accounted for the pre- and post-ACA differences in routine examination and blood pressure screening and partially accounted for year differences for cholesterol screening and annual dental visits. Covariate adjustment did not affect year differences. Conclusions and Relevance The ACA provisions appear to increase insurance coverage and receipt of preventive services among young adults. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings as other ACA provisions are implemented.
Progress and new techniques for protected-silver coatings

We describe progress in the on-going effort at the University of California Observatories Advanced Coatings Lab to develop efficient, durable silver-based coatings for telescope mirrors. We have continued to improve previously identified recipes produced with e-beam ion-assisted deposition (IAD). We have started exploring nitride adhesion and barrier layers added to or replacing layers in promising recipes. Our coating chamber now has one magnetron installed, and two more will be added shortly so we can perform direct comparisons of e-beam IAD and sputtering processes for the same recipes. We report on recent tests and findings relevant to protected-Ag coatings, including e-beam vs sputter deposited silver; our current work with nitrides; and a comparison of certain fluorides. While focused on telescope mirror coatings, we have also developed and tested two Ag-based coatings suitable for AO and for CCD-range instruments. We also report on field-testing of earlier samples that have been exposed in the dome of the 3-m telescope at Lick Observatory for a period of 2 years. Finally, we describe results of a pilot study using atomic-layer deposition (ALD), a chemical vapor deposition technique, to produce barrier layers over silver. Optical quality ALD films are smooth, conformal and have excellent uniformity and thickness control, and their barrier properties look extremely promising for protecting silver from corrosion.
Diet of mormoopid bats on the Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico

Dietary differentiation can be a key mechanism for the coexistence of syntopic species with similar niches. On the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, three species of bat from the family Mormoopidae — the Antillean ghost-faced bat (Mormoops blainvillei), sooty mustached bat (Pteronotus quadridens), and Parnell's mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii portoricensis) — are aerial insectivores that roost in the same caves. To investigate the possibility of dietary differentiation, we estimated the percent volume and percent frequency of occurrence of the orders of arthropods consumed by these three species of bat, using standard fecal analysis. We also compared dietary diversity among species, as well as the amount of dietary overlap, with respect to season and habitat. Lastly, this study used canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), a method of ordination, to assess the effects of species, sex, age, reproductive condition, season, and habitat on intraspecific differences in the diet of the Puerto Rican Mormoopidae. Eight orders of arthropods were found in the diet of these mormoopids, with Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera being major staples. The CCA revealed differences in diet among the three species, suggesting that dietary differentiation is at least one mechanism for coexistence. In addition, the variables habitat and season correlated significantly with the diet of M. blainvillei and P. quadridens, whereas habitat and sex correlated with the diet of P. p. portoricensis. Thus, our study shows dietary differences among the three species of Mormoopidae living in the same caves on Puerto Rico, as well as intraspecific differences within the diet of each species.
Examining Classroom Science Practice Communities: How Teachers and Students Negotiate Epistemic Agency and Learn Science-as-Practice

The Next Generation Science Standards and other reforms call for students to learn science-as-practice, which I argue requires students to become epistemic agents—shaping the knowledge and practice of a science community. I examined a framework for teaching—ambitious instruction—that scaffolds students’ learning of science-as-practice as they act as epistemic agents. Using a situative theoretical framework and analytical tools from science studies literature, I conducted a multicase study of five beginning teachers. I found that (a) teachers and students negotiated their roles as they decided on “what counted” as science ideas. Participants positioned some ideas as important by making discursive moves, signaling students to either work on the ideas as epistemic agents or, alternatively, to judge the information as “right” or “wrong”; (b) the participants worked to make science a “public” or “private” enterprise. The framing of science then influenced how teachers and students participated in their science practice community; (c) the negotiation of “what counted” as science ideas and the framing of science as “public” or “private” influenced (i) the percentage of students sharing ideas on the public plane, and (ii) the number of science ideas initiated and kept in play on the public plane.
Oral mucosal expression of HIV-1 receptors, co-receptors, and alpha-defensins: tableau of resistance or susceptibility to HIV infection?

The basic premise of whether transmission of HIV-1 through the oral mucosa actually occurs, and through what route, is a topic of intense interest. Our work has focused on HIV-1 receptors/co-receptors and α-defensin-1 in situ in human gingiva. Regardless of HIV-1 infection, the role that C-type lectin receptors might play in periodontal pathogenesis is of great interest. We have shown that the gingival lamina propria, when inflamed, becomes increasingly infiltrated with DC-SIGN+MR+ dermal dendritic cells (DDCs), while the inflamed epithelium shows a decrease in Langerin+ Langerhans cells (LCs). Moreover, DDCs and LCs contribute to the mature CD83+ DC pool in situ, and form immune conjugates with CD4+ T-cells in the lamina propria (Jotwani and Cutler, 2003). This raises the intriguing possibility that oral mucosal DCs may be involved in HIV-1 transfer to T-cells in situ. However, this possibility is tendered by the challenges faced by the virus in gaining access to oral mucosal immune cells, including thei...
The impossible dream of Fechner and Stevens

The idea that there is a single psychophysical function which describes how the human responds to stimulus intensity is rejected. The form of any empirical function depends upon the buried yet arbitrary assumption about how the stimuli are to be measured. Because psychophysical functions have this arbitrary basis, there can be no universal law, and further, no psychophysical function can reveal a general truth about the nervous system. The power law has been inappropriately reified; the descriptive usefulness of the power function has been incorrectly extended, perhaps because simplicity is appealing.
Helicase-primase as a target of new therapies for herpes simplex virus infections

The seminal discovery of acyclovir 40 years ago heralded the modern era of truly selective antiviral therapies and this drug remains the therapy of choice for herpes simplex virus infections. Yet by modern standards, its antiviral activity is modest and new drugs against novel molecular targets such as the helicase-primase have the potential to improve clinical outcome, particularly in high-risk patients. A brief synopsis of current therapies for these infections and clinical need is provided to help provide an initial perspective. The function of the helicase-primase complex is then summarized and the development of new inhibitors of the helicase-primase complex, such as pritelivir and amenamevir, is discussed. We review their mechanism of action, propensity for drug resistance, and pharmacokinetic characteristics and discuss their potential to advance current therapeutic options. Strategies that include combinations of these inhibitors with acyclovir are also considered, as they will likely maximize clinical efficacy.
A hybrid color-based foreground object detection method for automated marine surveillance

This paper proposes a hybrid foreground object detection method suitable for the marine surveillance applications. Our approach combines an existing foreground object detection method with an image color segmentation technique to improve accuracy. The foreground segmentation method employs a Bayesian decision framework, while the color segmentation part is graph-based and relies on the local variation of edges. We also establish the set of requirements any practical marine surveillance algorithm should fulfill, and show that our method conforms to these requirements. Experiments show good results in the domain of marine surveillance sequences.
The Interstate Migration of U.S. Immigrants: Individual and Contextual Determinants

Using data from the 1990 Public Use Microdata Sample, this article examines the sources of differentials between immigrants and natives in interstate migration in the 1985-90 period. Three sets offactors are evaluated to determine whether they account for differences between immigrants of different origins and natives: individual human capital social capital of nativity groups, and economic conditions in state of residence. The analysis shows that while human capitalfactors are the most important sources of differences between immigrants and natives in internal migration patterns, contextual dimensions associated with the social capital of nativity groups and state economic conditions also strongly influence interstate migration of immigrants. Recent research on the internal migration of immigrants in the U.S. indicates that national origin groups differ considerably from each other and from natives in their migration propensities. Bartel and Koch (1991), for instance, looked at internal migration rates for immigrant men in the 1975-80 period and found that men originating in Asia and England were two to three times as likely to migrate than men from Central and South America. Kritz and Nogle (1994) examined sources of variation in migration rates for the 17 largest nativity groups in the same period and observed that whereas only 10.8% of Mexicans migrated, 47.7% of Indians did so. The latter study also found that propensity to migrate varied considerably across immigrant groups from the same region. Kritz and Nogle showed, for example, that interstate migration rates were twice as high for
Variables Related to Sexual Coercion: A Path Model:

Using data gathered through a meta-analysis, this study tests a path model representing variables that relate to sexual coercion. Specifically, sex, attitudes toward women, past/current relationship, alcohol, coercion strategies, victim resistance, and rape justifiability were proposed and their effects examined. Results indicated that the level of actual or perceived coerciveness was a function of the level of coerciveness of the strategy, whether or not a prior relationship existed, whether alcohol was involved, if the victim resisted, if the rape was perceived as justifiable, and the attitude that person has toward women. The results suggest that determinations of whether a particular action is perceived as a rape or coerced depend on the attitudes of the person making the evaluation and the perception of the situation. Personal and social implications of these findings are discussed.
ALGAL PIGMENTS, MEIOFAUNA, AND MACROFAUNA FROM TWO EDAPHIC SALT MARSH MICROHABITATS IN GALVESTON BAY, TEXAS, USA

Small-scale spatial patterns in abundance on the salt marsh surface were examined by comparing microalgal pigment concentrations and densities of meiofauna and macrofauna between interculm and interplant microhabitats in low-elevation edge natural and created marshes of Galveston Bay, Texas, USA. The interculm microhabitat consisted of sediments located within clusters of Spartina alterniflora culms, and the interplant microhabitat was located between clusters of culms. Paired interculm and interplant sediment samples were taken from 16 marshes in both fall and spring. No significant differences were found in concentrations of chlorophyll a or pheophytin a between microhabitats. The biomass of macroorganic matter was significantly greater in the interculm microhabitat. The meiofauna was dominated by nematodes and the macrofauna by annelid worms and peracarid crustaceans. Mean densities of almost all meiofaunal and macrofaunal taxa were greater in interculm samples, although not all differences were statistically significant. No taxa had significantly greater densities in interplant samples. Although sampling techniques can affect results, these data agree with small-scale distributional data from other low-elevation, salt marsh habitats. The interculm microhabitat should be considered when sampling organisms in salt marshes, as well as the more typically sampled interplant microhabitat. The interculm microhabitat at Galveston occupied between 9.5 and 31.9% of the marsh surface.
A 2-D Navier-Stokes Solution Method With Overset Moving Grids

A simple, robust numerical algorithm to localize moving boundary points and to interpolate unsteady solution variables across 2-D, arbitrarily overset computational grids is presented. Overset grids are allowed to move in time relative to each other. The intergrid boundary points are localized in terms of three grid points on the donor grid by a directional search algorithm. The parameters of the search algorithm give the interpolation weights at the localized boundary point. The method is independent of numerical solution algorithms and may easily be implemented on any 2-D, single block flow solver to make it a multi-block, zonal solver with arbitrarily overset computational grids. Computational results and comparisons with single grid solutions are presented for flows through a compressor cascade and over an airfoil undergoing a flapping motion. Excellent agreement is obtained against the single grid solutions.Copyright © 1996 by ASME
Assessment of the Shock-Absorption Performance of a High Capacity Suspension System by Neural Networks

The objective of this study is to develop a framework using nonlinear autoregressive model process with exogenous inputs (NARX) neural networks (NNs) to identify the dynamic hysteresis of high load capacity suspension systems. Here, a vertical excitation test is used to simulate various terrains at an oscillation frequency range from 0.1Hz to 10Hz by using NARX NNs. The model results are in good agreement with suspension component oscillation responses that manifest as variations in model order selection as the excitation frequency approaches 7Hz. Furthermore, mapping the models into generalized frequency response functions (GFRFs), elucidates any unanticipated couplings between surroundings and mechanical hysteresis within the suspension. The proposed approach's systematic design procedure is advantageous because it provides a cost-efficient method that achieves precise identification of online data.
Gene Diversity in Natural Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence Populations (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

A survey of electrophoretic loci in Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence showed that 21 of 27 loci were polymorphic. Mean gene diversity at the polymorphic loci was 0.274 ± 0.051 and 0.213 ± 0.041 among all 27 loci. Gene frequencies were heterogeneous among collections of adult beetles from 14 farms in five counties in northwestern Iowa. About half the variance in gene frequencies was partitioned among farms in counties and half among the counties. Wright’s F statistics showed that most departures from random mating occurred within populations; departures from random mating among populations were insignificant. The data show much gene flow among D. barberi populations.
Geolocation of utility assets using omnidirectional ground-based photographic imagery

A process for using ground-based photographic imagery to detect and locate power distribution assets is presented. The primary feature of the system presented here is its very low cost compared to more traditional inspection methods, because the process takes place entirely in virtual space. Specifically, the system can locate assets with a precision comparable to typical GPS units used for similar purposes, and can readily identify utility assets, for example transformers, if appropriate training data are provided. Further human intervention would only be necessary in a small fraction of cases, where very high uncertainty is flagged by the system. The feasibility of the process is demonstrated here, and a path to full integration is presented.
An In-Basket Exercise for Sales Courses

(1990). An In-Basket Exercise for Sales Courses. Marketing Education Review: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 51-55.
A Longitudinal Study of IPV Victimization Among Sexual Minority Youth

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is highly prevalent among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth, little is known regarding its developmental patterns, risk factors, or health-related consequences. We examined IPV victimization in an ethnically diverse community-based convenience sample of 248 LGBT youth (aged 16-20 at study outset) who provided six waves of data across a 5-year period. Results from multilevel models indicated high, stable rates of IPV victimization across this developmental period (ages 16-25 years) that differed between demographic groups. Overall, 45.2% of LGBT youth were physically abused and 16.9% were sexually victimized by a dating partner during the study. Odds of physical victimization were 76% higher for female than for male LGBT youth, 2.46 times higher for transgender than for cisgender youth, and 2 to 4 times higher for racial-ethnic minorities than for White youth. The prevalence of physical IPV declined with age for White youth but remained stable for...
Screening of a bovine genomic library for myosin heavy-chain genes.

Restriction enzyme digests of bovine genomic DNA were hybridized against a .37-kilobase (kb) quail embryonic myosin heavy-chain (MHC) copy deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) probe; containing both translated and nontranslated regions surrounding the 3' end of the gene. These experiments revealed seven to eight different bands of hybridization, indicative of multiple genes of MHC in the bovine genome. Additionally, a bovine genomic recombinant DNA library was screened with the .37-kb probe. Of the 10(6) phage screened, 11 clones containing portions of the MHC genome were identified, and four were selected for further analyses. Characterization of these four clones was carried out by constructing partial restriction enzyme maps of the inserts using six restriction enzymes singly or in combination. Orientation of the inserts with respect to the arms of the vector and with respect to direction of transcription was determined by hybridizing the DNA fragments against either the .37-kb Pst 1 fragment of pcC128 or to the .23-kb Pst I fragment of pcC128. The .23-kb fragment is located upstream from the .37-kg fragment and contains only coding sequence. Therefore, the differential hybridization pattern of these two probes provided a means for determining the probable direction of transcription. These data provide evidence for a myosin multigene family in cattle, as well as illustrating that the organization of these genes around the 3' end is unique for each of the genes analyzed.
3D bioprinting of stem cells and polymer/bioactive glass composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

A major limitation of using synthetic scaffolds in tissue engineering applications is insufficient angiogenesis in scaffold interior. Bioactive borate glasses have been shown to promote angiogenesis. There is a need to investigate the biofabrication of polymer composites by incorporating borate glass to increase the angiogenic capacity of the fabricated scaffolds. In this study, we investigated the bioprinting of human adipose stem cells (ASCs) with a polycaprolactone (PCL)/bioactive borate glass composite. Borate glass at the concentration of 10 to 50 weight %, was added to a mixture of PCL and organic solvent to make an extrudable paste. ASCs suspended in Matrigel were ejected as droplets using a second syringe. Scaffolds measuring 10 x 10 x 1 mm3 in overall dimensions with pore sizes ranging from 100 - 300 μm were fabricated. Degradation of the scaffolds in cell culture medium showed a controlled release of bioactive glass for up to two weeks. The viability of ASCs printed on the scaffold was investigated during the same time period. This 3D bioprinting method shows a high potential to create a bioactive, highly angiogenic three-dimensional environment required for complex and dynamic interactions that govern the cell's behavior in vivo.
A real-space Green’s function method for the numerical solution of Maxwell’s equations

Author(s): Lo, B; Minden, V; Colella, P | Abstract: A new method for solving the transverse part of the free-space Maxwell equations in three dimensions is presented. By taking the Helmholtz decomposition of the electric field and current sources and considering only the divergence-free parts, we obtain an explicit real-space representation for the transverse propagator that explicitly respects finite speed of propagation. Because the propagator involves convolution against a singular distribution, we regularize via convolution with smoothing kernels (B-splines) prior to sampling based on a method due to Beyer and LeVeque (1992). We show that the ultimate discrete convolutional propagator can be constructed to attain an arbitrarily high order of accuracy by using higher-order regularizing kernels and finite difference stencils and that it satisfies von Neumann's stability condition. Furthermore, the propagator is compactly supported and can be applied using Hockney's method (1970) and parallelized using the same observation as made by Vay, Haber, and Godfrey (2013), leading to a method that is computationally efficient.
Consumer valuation of information about food safety achieved using biotechnology: Evidence from new potato products

Abstract This study focuses on the role of food labels and information for affecting consumers’ valuation of food safety achieved through application of biotechnological (biotech) methods. In 2002, potato products cooked to a high temperature were first reported to contain the human carcinogen acrylamide. Research discoveries using genetic engineering can substantially reduce carcinogenic-forming potential, and thereby increase food safety of potato products. Adult consumers from three distant regions of the U.S. were the subjects in lab auctions of potato products. They engaged in distinct rounds of bidding, first without packaged information and again after receiving information about the food safety risks and benefits of new biotech potato products. The study finds that willingness-to-pay (WTP) for these new potato products are not significantly different from conventional potato products under no information. However, exposure to a scientific perspective and scientific plus industry perspectives increases participants’ willingness-to-pay for the new potato products and reduces willingness-to-pay for conventional products. Exposure to the negative perspective on the new technology significantly reduces willingness-to-pay. Consumer valuation of the new potato products is affected by food labels, information, and consumer attributes. A consumer information program could be needed to gain consumer acceptance of these potato products or other foods that have been genetically modified to increase certain food safety dimensions.
Path to carbonization: The new silk road

Abstract. How irresistible economic development appears for the 21st centure, facing the absolute necessity of decarbonisation, is apparent in the immense project of the New Silk Road. The new giant land connections over "Turkestan" will display China's technological might, where infrastructure trumps decarbonisation. The countries linked up from Xinkiang to Istanbul are highly fossil fuel dependent already now, and much more will with a new silk highway bonanza. Keywords. COP21Treaty, GOALS I, II, III, New Silk Road, Fossil fuel dominance with some hydro power, "Turkestan", Old and New Silk Road, risks of greenhouse gases, fossil fuel dependent countries from China to Turkey. JEL. N70, O13, P28.
Association of Vitamin K Status Combined With Vitamin D Status and Lower‐Extremity Function: A Prospective Analysis of Two Knee Osteoarthritis Cohorts

Objective Vitamins K and D are important for the function of vitamin K-dependent proteins in joint tissues. It is unclear if these nutrients are mutually important to functional outcomes related to knee osteoarthritis (OA). We evaluated the association of vitamin K and D sufficiency with lower-extremity function in the Health, Aging Body Composition Knee OA Sub-study (Health ABC) and conducted a replication analysis in an independent cohort, the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI). Methods In Health ABC (60% female, 75±3 years) baseline nutrient status was measured using circulating vitamin K and 25(OH)D. Lower-extremity function was assessed using the short physical performance battery (SPPB) and usual 20-meter gait speed. In the OAI (58% female, 61±9 years), baseline nutrient intake was estimated by food frequency questionnaire. Lower-extremity function was assessed using usual 20-meter gait speed and chair stand completion time. Multivariate mixed models were used to evaluate the association of vitamin K and D status and intake with lower-extremity function over 4-5 years. Results Health ABC participants with sufficient plasma vitamin K (≥1.0 nmol/L) and serum 25(OH)D (≥50 nmol/L) generally had better SPPB scores and faster usual gait speed over follow-up (p≤0.002). In the OAI, sufficient vitamin K and vitamin D intake combined was associated with overall faster usual gait speed and chair stand completion time over follow-up (p≤0.029). Conclusion Sufficient vitamin K status combined with sufficient vitamin D status was associated with better lower-extremity function in two knee OA cohorts. These findings merit confirmation in vitamin K and D co-supplementation trials. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Identification of rat brainstem multisynaptic connections to the oral motor nuclei using pseudorabies virus: I. Masticatory muscle motor systems

Oromotor behavior results from the complex interaction between jaw, facial, and lingual muscles. The experiments in this and subsequent papers identify the sources of multisynaptic input to the trigeminal, facial, and hypoglossal motor nuclei. In the current experiments, pseudorabies virus (PRV-Ba) was injected into the jaw-opening (anterior digastric and mylohyoid) and jaw-closing muscles (masseter, medial pterygoid, and temporalis) in bilaterally sympathectomized rats. Injection volumes ranged from 2 to 21 microl with average titers of 2.8 x 10(8) pfu/ml and maximum survival times of 96 h. The labeling patterns and distributions were consistent between each of the individual muscles and muscle groups. A predictable myotopic labeling pattern was produced in the trigeminal motor nucleus (Mo 5). Transneuronally labeled neurons occurred in regions known to project directly to Mo 5 motoneurons including the principal trigeminal sensory and supratrigeminal areas, Kolliker-Fuse region, nucleus subcoeruleus, and the parvicellular reticular formation. Maximum survival times revealed polysynaptic connections from the periaqueductal gray, laterodorsal and pedunculopontine tegmental areas, and the substantia nigra in the midbrain, ventromedial pontine reticular regions including the gigantocellular region and pars alpha and ventralis in the pons and medulla, and the nucleus of the solitary tract, paratrigeminal region, and paramedian field in the medulla. Thus, the results define the structure of the multisynaptic brainstem neural circuits controlling mandibular movement in the rat.
Medical ethics and pandemic emergencies

Abstract 2018 is the 100th anniversary of an influenza epidemic that took the lives of between fifty and a hundred million people. Traditional medical ethics places the primary obligation of medical personnel on the care of individual patients. Yet in a time of pandemic emergency, the shear scope of demand for medical treatment may well make it impossible to meet both the public health needs of collective humanity and the collected needs of individual patients. Medical ethics must address this dilemma.
Muscle fibers and their synapses differentially adapt to aging and endurance training.

Abstract Background This project aimed to determine the adaptability of the neuromuscular system to the stimuli of exercise training, and aging. Methods Young adult, and aged male rats were randomly assigned to either exercise training, or sedentary control groups. Exercise training featured an 8 week program of treadmill running. At the end of the intervention period, neuromuscular function was quantified with ex vivo stimulation procedures on isolated soleus muscles. Morphological adaptations were determined by quantifying myofiber profiles (fiber size and type) of soleus muscles. Results Ex vivo procedures confirmed that rested (fresh) young muscles were significantly (P Conclusions The greater strength of young muscles has a neural, rather than a muscular focal point. The loss of strength discerned over the 5 min stimulation protocol was linked to similar fatigue-related impairments in neuromuscular transmission. The two components of the neuromuscular system, i.e. nerves and muscles, do not respond in concert to the stimulus of either aging, or exercise training.
High-frequency acoustic observations of a tidal cycle in the Connecticut River

Rivers and estuaries can be highly energetic and present a challenging environment for sonar deployment and observation. To better understand this environment, a high-frequency, wide-sector forward-looking bathymetric sonar was used to observe tidal phenomena in the lower Connecticut River in June 2017. The stationary sonar system provided Eulerian measurements of the lower estuary for a complete tidal cycle, covering a large portion of the main channel. The system was able to map the observed region and differentiate between bathymetry and non-stationary phenomena in the water column. The data highlight the difference in acoustic propagation for the different phases of the tidal cycle. Doppler processing of the data shows the motion of various subsurface features in the river. These data are compared with other observations, including simultaneous in situ point measurements of salinity, temperature and turbidity from a REMUS 100 AUV. The data from this experiment can be used to improve the understanding of acoustic propagation in riverine and estuarine environments. [Work sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.]Rivers and estuaries can be highly energetic and present a challenging environment for sonar deployment and observation. To better understand this environment, a high-frequency, wide-sector forward-looking bathymetric sonar was used to observe tidal phenomena in the lower Connecticut River in June 2017. The stationary sonar system provided Eulerian measurements of the lower estuary for a complete tidal cycle, covering a large portion of the main channel. The system was able to map the observed region and differentiate between bathymetry and non-stationary phenomena in the water column. The data highlight the difference in acoustic propagation for the different phases of the tidal cycle. Doppler processing of the data shows the motion of various subsurface features in the river. These data are compared with other observations, including simultaneous in situ point measurements of salinity, temperature and turbidity from a REMUS 100 AUV. The data from this experiment can be used to improve the understanding ...
Evaluation of a Test Method for Measuring Indoor Air Emissions from Dry-Process Photocopiers

A large chamber test method for measuring indoor air emissions from office equipment was developed, evaluated, and revised based on the initial testing of four dry-process photocopiers. Because all chambers may not necessarily produce similar results (e.g., due to differences in sink effects, temperature and humidity control, air exchange, pollutant monitoring, and measurement biases), a preliminary four-laboratory evaluation of the revised test method was conducted. To minimize variability, the evaluation used a single dry-process photocopier that was shipped to each of the four laboratories along with supplies (i.e., toner and paper). The results of this preliminary four-laboratory evaluation demonstrate that the test method was used successfully in the different chambers to measure emissions from dry-process photocopiers. Differences in chamber design and construction appeared to have had minimal effect on the results for the volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Perhaps more important than the chamber itself is the sample analysis as identified by duplicate samples that were analyzed by a different laboratory. Percent relative standard deviation (%RSD) was used to provide a simplistic view of interlaboratory precision for this evaluation. Excluding problems with suspected analytical bias observed from one of the laboratories, the precision was excellent for the VOCs with RSDs of less than 10% in most cases. Less precision was observed among the laboratories for aldehydes/ketones (RSD of 23.2% for formaldehyde). The precision for ozone emission rates among three of the laboratories was excellent (RSD of 7.9%), but emission rates measured at the fourth laboratory were much higher.
Transcriptional Regulation of VCAM-1

The recruitment of circulating leukocytes into the extravascular space is critical for immune/inflammatory responses and repair of tissue injury. The process of leukocyte adhesion and transmigration involves an ordered sequence of events involving specific endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecules (reviewed in refs. 1 and 2 and Chapters 1 and 3 of this volume). The initial interaction between leukocytes and endothelium appears to be a transient, reversible rolling of leukocytes along the vessel wall. This process is mediated by members of the selectin family present on the endothelial surface. Rolling leukocytes become activated by local factors generated by the endothelium. The activated leukocytes then stably arrest and adhere firmly to the vessel wall, an event mediated by the interaction of integrins on the surface of leukocytes with immunoglobulin gene superfamily members expressed by endothelial cells. Among these is vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), a 110 kD endothelial surface glycoprotein.3,4 VCAM-1 specifically interacts with the integrins α4β1 (VLA4) and α4β7, via its first and fourth immunoglobulin domain.5,6 The integrin counter-receptors are found on circulating monocytic leukocytes, eosinophils, and basophils, but not neutrophils.5,7 Because VCAM-1 binds a distinct subset of leukocytes, endothelial VCAM-1 expression in vivo influences the composition of leukocyte populations recruited into inflamed tissue.
Adopting New Surgical Methods: How I Do It and How I Choose: Going with the Flow

Glaucoma surgical choices are continuing to evolve toward safer options as a first-line therapy. MIGS procedures open the door for the patient who you might want to avoid filtration procedures. Avoiding blebs, flat chambers, and choroidal hemorrhage is an issue that made surgeons resistant to consider glaucoma surgery in the past. The surgery choice is based on the desired risk-to-benefit ratio. Avoiding a flat anterior chamber or bleb may be outweighed by the need to preserve the optic nerve. Where to use new procedures and how much risk to expose you and the patient to leads the surgeon to the new procedures considered.
Larger than One Probabilities in Mathematical and Practical Finance

Traditionally probability is considered as a function that takes values in the interval (0, 1). However, researchers found that negative, as well as larger than 1 probabilities could be a useful tool in making financial modeling more exact and flexible. Here we show how larger than 1 probabilities could be handy for financial modeling. First, we define and mathematically rigorously derive the properties of larger than 1 probabilities based on their frequency interpretation. We call these probabilities inflated probabilities because conventional probabilities are never larger than 1. It is transparently demonstrated that inflated probabilities emerge in various real life situations. We then explain how inflated probabilities can be applied to modeling financial options such as Caps and Floors. In trading practice, these options are typically valued in a Black-Scholes-Merton framework, which assumes a lognormal distribution for the price of underlying assets. Since negative values are not defined in the lognormal framework, negative interest rates cannot be modeled. However interest rates have been negative several times in financial practice in the past. We show that applying inflated probabilities to the Black-Scholes-Merton model implies negative interest rates. Hence with this extension, Caps and Floors with negative interest rate can be conveniently modeled closed form.
Lessons from the Computer Software Protection Debate in Japan

As in all advanced countries, the problem of computer software protection has been a major topic of academic and political debate in Japan and much legal literature has been devoted to it through numerous academic conferences and administrative reports. Although nearly all other developed countries protect computer software under existing copyright law, the Japanese debate has brought into sharp focus some fundamental policy issues. Many of these issues are worthy of more consideration than they have heretofore received in most other countries. Among them are (1) whether the protection term for programs can be shorter than that for other copyrightable works without losing important incentives for their production; (2) whether there should e distinction between the term and level of protection given to different types of programs (for example, operating systems and interface software, widely distributed applications programs for personal computers, large-scale programs whose economic value is manifested outside traditional sale and lease markets, and programs created by computer rather than by human programmer); and (3) whether it is necessary (and possible) for the legal system to recognize the apparent fact that new programs often rely heavily on existing programs by authorizing such reliance subject to payment of fair compensation. Up to the present, the voices primarily heard in the software protection debate have represented software producers, and one can understand their desire for significant levels of protection. Nevertheless, even though copyright gives much less protection than, say, patent law, the question the rest of society must ask is whether traditional copyright protection is not still both too strong and too blunt than is necessary for the healthy growth of this important new industry.
Effect of Load Weight and Starting Height on the Variability of Trunk Kinematics

Trunk kinematic variables have been used to understand the risk of low back injuries in the workplace. Variability in trunk kinematics has not been explored to the same level. In the current study,...
Sustaining Self and Others in the Teaching Profession: A Personal Perspective

This self-study uses narrative inquiry and the “best-loved self” heuristic to examine how educators sustain themselves along their career continuums. The work highlights the importance of knowledge development through human interactions in communities of knowing and asserts the value of thinking again. Hope for a better future—in whatever form it appears—is the overarching theme.
Green Criminology and Environmental Crime: Criminology That Matters in the Age of Global Ecological Collapse:

An overview of green criminology (GC) is provided. That substantial literature is not easily summarized, and here, some core issues are reviewed: defining green crimes, the scope of GC, measuring g...
2,2′‐Dipyridyl diselenide: A chemoselective tool for cysteine deprotection and disulfide bond formation

There are many examples of bioactive, disulfide-rich peptides and proteins whose biological activity relies on proper disulfide connectivity. Regioselective disulfide bond formation is a strategy for the synthesis of these bioactive peptides, but many of these methods suffer from a lack of orthogonality between pairs of protected cysteine (Cys) residues, efficiency, and high yields. Here, we show the utilization of 2,2'-dipyridyl diselenide (PySeSePy) as a chemical tool for the removal of Cys-protecting groups and regioselective formation of disulfide bonds in peptides. We found that peptides containing either Cys(Mob) or Cys(Acm) groups treated with PySeSePy in trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) (with or without triisopropylsilane (TIS) were converted to Cys-S-SePy adducts at 37 °C and various incubation times. This novel Cys-S-SePy adduct is able to be chemoselectively reduced by five-fold excess ascorbate at pH 4.5, a condition that should spare already installed peptide disulfide bonds from reduction. This chemoselective reduction by ascorbate will undoubtedly find utility in numerous biotechnological applications. We applied our new chemistry to the iodine-free synthesis of the human intestinal hormone guanylin, which contains two disulfide bonds. While we originally envisioned using ascorbate to chemoselectively reduce one of the formed Cys-S-SePy adducts to catalyze disulfide bond formation, we found that when pairs of Cys(Acm) residues were treated with PySeSePy in TFA, the second disulfide bond formed spontaneously. Spontaneous formation of the second disulfide is most likely driven by the formation of the thermodynamically favored diselenide (PySeSePy) from the two Cys-S-SePy adducts. Thus, we have developed a one-pot method for concomitant deprotection and disulfide bond formation of Cys(Acm) pairs in the presence of an existing disulfide bond.
IMPACT OF NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE ON ARRHYTHMIA RECURRENCE FOLLOWING ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ABLATION

Metabolic derangements including obesity and diabetes are associated with incident and recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF), in addition to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our study included 267 consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation, 89 of whom were diagnosed with
Unplanned Conversion from Minimally Invasive to Open Kidney Surgery: The Impact of Robotics.

Purpose: Unplanned conversion from minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to open surgery is a significant challenge, although the frequency of conversion for robotic and laparoscopic kidney surgery is n...
US Refusal to Recognize China (1949–1979)

This paper scrutinizes why the United States (US) refused to recognize the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for three decades after its foundation by Mao Zedong in 1949. The traditional national character influenced the position of the US toward the PRC, especially in light of its abhorrence of communism and its doctrine to contain its spread. For both domestic and foreign reasons, the US argued that China was not a responsible member of the world community, and thus deserved no recognition. For more than two decades, the US applied political, economic and diplomatic pressure on the United Nations to refuse the PRC the right to represent China. The situation only began to change when the Nixon administration realized how its non-recognition policy was becoming increasingly outdated and self-defeating, given China’s growing importance in international affairs. This paper will use a variety of primary and secondary sources to analyze the US policy of non-recognition of the PRC, providing the background for a better comprehension of contemporary Sino-American relations.
Clinical Predictors of Neurotoxicity After Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy.

Importance Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory hematologic malignant neoplasm causes severe neurologic adverse events ranging from encephalopathy and aphasia to cerebral edema and death. The cause of neurotoxicity is incompletely understood, and its unpredictability is a reason for prolonged hospitalization after CAR T-cell infusion. Objective To identify clinical and laboratory parameters predictive of neurotoxicity and to develop a prognostic score associated with its risk. Design, Setting, and Participants This single-center diagnostic/prognostic accuracy study was conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute from April 2015 to February 2020. A consecutive sample of all patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy with axicabtagene ciloleucel for relapsed or refractory lymphoma were assessed for inclusion (n = 213). Patients who had previously received CAR T cells or who were treated for mantle cell lymphoma were excluded (n = 9). Patients were followed up for a minimum of 30 days from the date of CAR T-cell infusion. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were measures of performance (accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve) of a diagnostic tool to predict the occurrence of CAR-associated neurotoxicity, as graded by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events criteria. Results Two hundred four patients (127 men [62.2%]; mean [SD] age, 60.0 [12.1] years) were included in the analysis, of which 126 (61.8%) comprised a derivation cohort and 78 (38.2%), an internal validation cohort. Seventy-three patients (57.9%) in the derivation cohort and 45 patients (57.7%) in the validation cohort experienced neurotoxicity. Clinical and laboratory values obtained early in admission were used to develop a multivariable score that can predict the subsequent development of neurotoxicity; when tested on an internal validation cohort, this score had an area under the curve of 74%, an accuracy of 77%, a sensitivity of 82%, and a specificity of 70% (positive:negative likelihood ratio, 2.71:0.26). Conclusions and Relevance The score developed in this study may help predict which patients are likely to experience CAR T-cell–associated neurotoxicity. The score can be used for triaging and resource allocation and may allow a large proportion of patients to be discharged from the hospital early.