cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling Spatial Covariance Using the Limiting Distribution of Spatio-Temporal Random Walks

ABSTRACTWe present an approach for modeling areal spatial covariance in observed genetic allele data by considering the stationary (limiting) distribution of a spatio-temporal Markov random walk model for gene flow. This stationary distribution corresponds to an intrinsic simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) model for spatial correlation, and provides a principled approach to specifying areal spatial models when a spatio-temporal generating process can be assumed. We apply the approach to a study of spatial genetic variation of trout in a stream network in Connecticut, USA.
Association of neighborhood crime with asthma and asthma morbidity among Mexican American children in Chicago, Illinois.

Abstract Background There is increasing evidence that neighborhood-level factors, in addition to individual-level factors, may contribute directly or indirectly to childhood asthma by affecting environmental and lifestyle factors. Exposure to neighborhood crime and violence has been associated with poor health outcomes, especially among underserved and minority populations, and its effect on respiratory health is an area of active research. Objective To examine the association of residential neighborhood crime with asthma and asthma-related outcomes among Mexican American children. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with parents of 2,023 Mexican American children. We derived measures of neighborhood (census tract) violent, property, and drug abuse crime and used multilevel generalized estimating equations to test associations of neighborhood crime counts with respiratory conditions. Results In multiple regression models, a 1-SD increase in neighborhood property crimes significantly increased the odds of lifetime asthma, lifetime wheezing, lifetime emergency department (ED) visits attributable to asthma or wheezing, and lifetime hospitalization attributable to asthma or wheezing by 25%, 18%, 44%, and 62%, respectively. A 1-SD elevation in neighborhood violent crime was positively and significantly associated with 21% and 57% higher odds of lifetime wheezing and ED visits, respectively. We also observed 13% and 44% significantly increased odds of lifetime wheezing and ED visits, respectively, for a 1-SD increase in drug abuse crime. These findings were not explained or modified by individual- and neighborhood-level covariates. Conclusion Higher neighborhood crime was associated with greater odds of asthma and asthma morbidity in Mexican American children.
The art of sleeping in wireless sensing systems

This article studies energy-aware design strategies in the context of wireless sensor networks. Sensor networks provide an efficient means to collect, analyze, and transmit environmental data. Since wireless sensor nodes are normally powered by small batteries, the performance and viability of such systems rely strongly on energy conservation. In this work, an energy-efficient scheme by which sensor nodes go to sleep periodically is proposed. The duration of a sleep interval is determined dynamically based on past observations and prior knowledge about the statistics of the stochastic process being observed. For the problem of detecting level crossings in a Poisson arrival process, dynamic programming is employed to obtain an optimal average power versus detection delay tradeoff curve. This problem serves as an illustrative example to show how a small increase in expected detection delay can result in substantial energy savings.
Concluding Commentary: Children in All Cancer Prevention Policy Decisions.

* Abbreviations: CCAV — : clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina DES — : diethylstilbesterol This interesting series of articles on Opportunities for Cancer Prevention During Early Life brings many ideas for the primary prevention of cancer in childhood, or in adults due to early life events. The economic burden not only of cancer mortality but also of lifelong morbidity among cancer survivors, as shown by Guy et al,1 raises the importance of this critical public health issue. The topics of these articles were developed during online seminars with the pioneers in this area, some of whom authored the articles. They reflect the determinants of health diagrammed so eloquently in Healthy People 2020.2 Broadly, the determinants of health outcomes are biology/genetics, the physical environment, individual behavior, the social environment, and health services. The articles have been grouped according to these categories. For example, the article by Terry and Forman3 focuses on interventions at the individual level, and the article by Massetti et al,4 focuses on interventions aimed at social determinants. Classically, mutagenesis was the first basic mechanism clearly identified for carcinogenesis, and either inherited mutations or the mutagenesis of agents, such as tobacco and radiation, were the focus. Viral infections also have long been recognized to be involved with certain cancers. Our current models for carcinogenicity recognize that, for most cancers, multiple stages are required to not only initiate the cancer but also to elude biological mechanisms for repairing DNA, immune surveillance, and other natural defenses against cancer. One carcinogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), did not neatly fit either the mutagen or viral hypotheses,5,6 and we now understand that in addition to inherited or acquired genetic susceptibilities, a basic mechanism for carcinogenesis due to … Address correspondence to Cynthia F. Bearer, MD, PhD, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, 110 South Paca St, 8th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21211. E-mail: cbearer{at}peds.umaryland.edu
Leave only Footprints? Reframing Climate Change, Environmental Stewardship, and Human Impact

AbstractCheryl Hall has argued that framing of climate change must acknowledge the sacrifices needed to reach a sustainable future. This paper builds on that argument. Although it is important to acknowledge the value of what must be sacrificed, this paper argues that current frames about the environment falsely portray humans and the environment as in a zero-sum game, and in doing so ask people to give up the wrong things (namely, their humanity and sense of self). This could undermine the public’s trust in environmentalism, and might even create a backlash against action on climate change. I propose we need alternative framing that portrays humans as a keystone species, and highlights positive human activity.
Changing Contexts for Reputation Management

This note surveys some of the shifting considerations in play as chief communications officers (CCOs) have come to see reputation as a useful umbrella concept for managing the many activities that form perceptions of their large organizations. Primary among these is the alignment of internal and external communications to achieve a coherent and consistent message. Excerpt UVA-BC-0249 Rev. Apr. 7, 2014 CHANGING CONTEXTS FOR Reputation MANAGEMENT In a letter to his son, Lord Chesterfield once advised that “the possession of all the moral virtues…is not sufficient…you must have the reputation of them also.” For corporate philanthropy as a means of good will, a corollary of this sentiment might be “Do good—and find a way to let others know about it.” As recently as 20 years ago, charitable giving, through company-sponsored foundations or employee donation campaigns, was perhaps the most direct, measurable way to influence a company's reputation. Reputation management as we know it—as a sort of cottage industry—got its start in the optimistic 1990s, as the first Reagan recession began to recede but before the dot-com bubble burst, with Charles Fombrun's groundbreaking book, Reputation. Soon after, Harris Interactive, the PR firm, began offering its reputation quotient; if companies were unsure of this intangible asset, common wisdom was that you dare not allow competitors to gain advantage in a new arena. These developments coincided with the increased promotion of annual rankings (most admired, best managed, best to work for, best for the environment) by business magazines—U.S. News & World Report initially, then Fortune in particular. As had venerable universities under similar scrutiny, corporations initially saw such rankings as stunts to sell magazines, only to turn around and dedicate resources to managing for the polls. The polls themselves have tended to be based on proprietary algorithms weighted, sometimes in unexpected ways, in several categories. As did college rankings, corporate rankings proliferated to other well-known publications. Unlike brand, reputation had no direct association with marketing nor any other business function. . . .
Metal oxide nanostructures by a simple hot water treatment

Surfaces with metal oxide nanostructures have gained considerable interest in applications such as sensors, detectors, energy harvesting cells, and batteries. However, conventional fabrication techniques suffer from challenges that hinder wide and effective applications of such surfaces. Most of the metal oxide nanostructure synthesis methods are costly, complicated, non-scalable, environmentally hazardous, or applicable to only certain few materials. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a simple metal oxide nanostructure fabrication method that can overcome all these limitations and pave the way to the industrial application of such surfaces. Here, we demonstrate that a wide variety of metals can form metal oxide nanostructures on their surfaces after simply interacting with hot water. This method, what we call hot water treatment, offers the ability to grow metal oxide nanostructures on most of the metals in the periodic table, their compounds, or alloys by a one-step, scalable, low-cost, and eco-friendly process. In addition, our findings reveal that a “plugging” mechanism along with surface diffusion is critical in the formation of such nanostructures. This work is believed to be of importance especially for researchers working on the growth of metal oxide nanostructures and their application in functional devices.
Effects of common dietary fatty acids on milk yield and concentrations of fat and fatty acids in dairy cattle

The objective of the present article was to summarise the effects of five common dietary fatty acids (C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3) on the major milk fat groups (<C16, C16 and C18). Forty published papers were reviewed to evaluate the effect of adding free fat or oil supplements rich in C16 and C18 fatty acids on the response of milk fat secretion and composition. From those 40 studies, 21 were used to investigate the effect of total dietary concentration of C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3 on milk secretion or concentrations of milk <C16, C16 and C18 fatty acid groups. The results indicated that C16 supplementation increased total milk fatty acids, mainly by increasing milk C16 yield, without affecting milk <C16 and C18 yield. Supplements rich in unsaturated fatty acid decreased total milk fatty acid by inhibiting secretion of milk fatty acids shorter than C18, with linoleic acid being the most inhibitory. Mixtures of feed fatty acid (C16:0 + C18:0 and C16:0 + C18:1) did not significantly affect total milk fatty acid yield. According to regression of milk C16 yield on dietary fatty acid, endogenous C16 contributes ~80% of total milk C16, but this proportion varies with the level and type of dietary fatty acid fed. Milk mid-infrared analysis can be used to routinely measure the presence of milk <C16 fatty acid, the concentration of which provides a good indicator of inhibition of milk fatty acid secretion. In contrast, measurement of total milk fat content is less effective as a diagnostic tool due to the masking effect of the exogenous supply of C16 and C18 dietary fatty acids.
Non-local continuum modelling of steady, dense granular heap flows

Dense granular heap flows are common in nature, such as during avalanches and landslides, as well as in industrial flows. In granular heap flows, rapid flow is localized near the free surface with the thickness of the rapidly flowing layer dependent on the overall flow rate. In the region deep beneath the surface, exponentially decaying creeping flow dominates with characteristic decay length depending only on the geometry and not the overall flow rate. Existing continuum models for dense granular flow based upon local constitutive equations are not able to simultaneously predict both of these experimentally observed features – failing to even predict the existence of creeping flow beneath the surface. In this work, we apply a scale-dependent continuum approach – the non-local granular fluidity model – to steady, dense granular flows on a heap between two smooth, frictional side walls. We show that the model captures the salient features of both the flow-rate-dependent, rapidly flowing surface layer and the flow-rate-independent, slowly creeping bulk under steady flow conditions.
NetFlowMatrix: a visual approach for analysing large NetFlow data

NetFlowMatrix is a visual analytics system design that adopts small multiple charts to help analysts monitor NetFlow data of a computer network. This design provides an overview and drill-down interactions that allow analysts to see and analyse traffic data from a computer network of thousands of computers and millions of flow records. Various network activities generate NetFlow records with different characteristics. We grouped network flow information into a matrix of cells to display aggregate flows based on payload size and flow duration. The aggregate overview method is scalable that allows the design to support much larger computer networks. To visually distinguish extreme low and high quantity of flows, we use colour shades to distinguish different scales of cells. Utilising this innovative overview design, professionals can easily identify patterns and instances, obvious or subtle, from a large number of network flows.
Development of a Test Battery for Evaluating Speech Perception in Complex Listening Environments: Effects of Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Objective To evaluate the speech-in-noise performance of listeners with different levels of hearing loss in a variety of complex listening environments. Design The quick speech-in-noise (QuickSIN)-based test battery was used to measure the speech recognition performance of listeners with different levels of hearing loss. Subjective estimates of speech reception thresholds (SRTs) corresponding to 100% and 0% speech intelligibility, respectively, were obtained using a method of adjustment before objective measurement of the actual SRT corresponding to 50% speech intelligibility in every listening condition. Results Of the seven alternative listening conditions, two conditions, one involving time-compressed, reverberant speech (TC+Rev), and the other (N0Sπ) having in-phase noise masker (N0) and out-of-phase target (Sπ), were found to be substantially more sensitive to the effect of hearing loss than the standard QuickSIN test. The performance in these two conditions also correlated with self-reported difficulties in attention/concentration during speech communication and in localizing the sound source, respectively. Hearing thresholds could account for about 50% or less variance in SRTs in any listening condition. Subjectively estimated SRTs (SRTs corresponding to 0% and 100% speech intelligibility) were highly correlated with the objective SRT measurements (SRT corresponding to 50% speech intelligibility). Conclusions A test battery that includes the TC+Rev and the N0Sπ conditions would be useful in identifying individuals with hearing loss with speech-in-noise deficits in everyday communication.
Evaluation of Story Drift under Pushover Analysis in Reinforced Concrete Moment Frames

The accurate prediction of story drift and its distribution along the height of the structure is very critical for seismic performance evaluation since the non-structural damage is directly related to the story drift. Pushover analysis is an accepted method for seismic evaluation of existing structures as well as performance-based design of new structures. Regarding assumptions and limitations in pushover analysis, there is a need to estimate the error that would affect the accuracy of story drift. This paper investigates the validity of pushover analysis to predict story drift under different lateral load patterns. For this purpose, several reinforced concrete moment frames with different heights were analyzed using pushover and nonlinear time history analyses and obtained results were compared to evaluate the error level.
Testicular sperm aspiration in men with presumed non-obstructive azoospermia: Analysis of FSH level as a predictor of successful sperm retrieval

Objective: To evaluate the sperm-retrieval rate (SRR) of testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) for men with presumed non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) without prior genetic testing or testicular biopsies and to examine the correlation of successful sperm retrieval and FSH level.Patients and Methods: The complete records of 148 azoospermic men without clinical evidence of obstructive etiologies who underwent TESA from 1999 – 2016 were reviewed. Preoperative diagnostic biopsies were not obtained and thus men with presumed NOA were defined as having no evidence of obstruction by history or physical examination. Preoperative FSH and testosterone were obtained for all patients. Two subgroups of NOA were evaluated (Group 1 with FSH > 10 IU/L and Group 2 with FSH ≤ 10).Results: Of our 148 patients, we identified 66 (45%) in Group 1 and 82 (55%) in Group 2. Sperm was successfully obtained from 19/66 (28.7%) in Group 1 and 56/82 (68%) in Group 2. Average FSH for Group 1 and Group 2 were 20.4 (10 -66) IU/L and 4.6 (1.1 – 9.4) IU/L respectively. There were no postoperative adverse events including prolonged pain, infection, hematoma, hydrocele or testicular atrophy.Conclusion: TESA appears to offer a reasonably high likelihood of viable sperm retrieval in men with NOA. Given the higher level of SRR for men with presumed NOA with normal range of FSH (≤ 10 IU/L), we recommend that TESA should be considered the initial approach to retrieve sperm in this population as it is a quicker, easier, less invasive and likely a less costly approach to micro-TESE.
TIMP-2 mediates cell surface binding of MMP-2.

In order to understand the mechanism for neoplastic cell invasion, we utilized binding studies of TIMP-2, gelatinase A and the TIMP-2/gelatinase A complex to neoplastic cells and correlated these results with their capacity to invade a matrix substrate in a modified Boyden chamber assay. Binding studies were performed on malignant human breast cancer cells and fibrosarcoma cells with rTIMP-2, rGelatinase A, and TIMP-2/gelatinase Acomplex. Competition studies of the binding characteristics of these proteins indicated that gelatinase A and gelatinase A/TIMP-2 complex bound to the surface of cells via TIMP-2. Furthermore, the localization of either latent or active protease to the surface of MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells facilitated the invasion of these neoplastic cells through a matrigel barrier. This suggests that in addition to binding this complex, these cells can activate this pro-enzyme-inhibitor complex and use this activity to facilitate cellular invasion. Moreover, their enhanced invasion was suppressed by exogenous additions of rTIMP-2. A working hypothesis and model for the role of gelatinase A/TIMP-2 complex in cellular invasion is presented.
'On' response defect in paraneoplastic night blindness with cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Response properties of rod and cone systems were assessed in a patient with an acquired form of night blindness associated with a metastatic cutaneous malignant melanoma. The night blindness, a sensation of shimmering lights, and selective reductions in the amplitudes of both rod and cone electroretinographic (ERG) b-waves were present before and after chemotherapy, confirming that this disorder was a paraneoplastic consequence of the melanoma rather than a response to chemotherapy. During ERG testing with flashes of extended duration, the cone b-wave abnormality was found to be a predominant loss of the cone ERG "on" response with relative preservation of the "off" response, similar to that observed in patients with congenital stationary night blindness. An impairment in signal transmission specific for retinal "on" pathways may be a primary defect in both of these forms of night blindness.
Cre-lox Directed Integration of Transgenes into the Tobacco Genome

Several site-specific recombination systems have been tested for genome manipulations in plants [17]. One particular application is to direct the insertion of DNA into recombination sites previously placed into the genome [2]. Because it is a commonly held belief that expression variation results from “position effects” (the random chromosome locations of transgenes), integrating DNA into a defined chromosome location is thought to reduce transgene expression variability among independent transformants. There is recent indication that this “position effect” does not account for all of the variability of transgene expression [16]. However, site-specific DNA integration remains an attractive transformation tool for additional reasons: It can produce transgenic plants that predominantly harbor single copy and precise molecules, i.e., molecules without the rearrangements and truncations frequently seen with other transformation systems [1]. To have single copy insertions may by itself eliminate one of the factors most frequently linked to multicopy associated transgene silencing [13, 18].
Extensional Relaxation Time, Pinch-Off Dynamics, and Printability of Semidilute Polyelectrolyte Solutions

Quantitative studies of capillary-driven thinning and pinch-off dynamics of semidilute polyelectrolyte solutions, and their response to extensional flows, typically encountered in drop formation applications, are relatively rare and are the focus of this contribution. Here the pinch-off dynamics and extensional rheology of two model polyelectrolytes—poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (NaPSS) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)—in two different solvents are characterized by using Dripping-onto-Substrate (DoS) rheometry. Unlike shear relaxation time that decreases with increase in concentration in the unentangled, semidilute solutions, the extensional relaxation time of PAA solutions increases with an exponent of 1/2, and the entangled semidilute solutions also exhibit a stronger concentration dependence of 3/2. In contrast, the extensional relaxation time is not measurable for the unentangled, semidilute aqueous NaPSS solutions, though entangled NaPSS solutions show concentration-dependent values. The experiments an...
Nanoelectrosprayed Liquid Jets for Evaporative Heat Transfer Enhancement

For high-performance electronics, the issue of adequate heat dissipation is a well-known problem. Reduced die sizes and increased data throughput continue to raise microprocessor heat densities and therefore necessitate improved heat removal methods in order to fully realize the increased capabilities of cutting-edge electronics. Mitigation strategies revolve around two central methods: high heat densities can be combatted by spreading and/or using improved methods of transfer to the terminal heatsink. In the case of the work presented here, the intent is to more efficiently transfer heat to the environment through the use of a 2-phase liquid-to-vapor cooling scheme through evaporation (and in some cases both boiling and evaporation) of liquid films produced on the heated surface via electrospray. Two-phase cooling takes advantage of latent heat storage in the heat transfer fluid, and the use of electrospray as the delivery method permits fine control of the impinging jet and resultantly the liquid films produced on the heated surface. Experiments were performed by electrospraying methanol from a 30 micrometer diameter fused-silica capillary onto a resistively heated 250μm by 250μm microfabricated platinum resistance temperature detector (RTD), acting as both the local heat source and the temperature sensor. It was demonstrated that convective heat transfer and evaporative mass transfer enhancements are realized through the use of electrosprayed jets as a result of gas entrainment within the spray, yielding an increase in heat and mass transfer coefficients by two orders of magnitude.
In their humble opinion: How expressions of humility affect superiors’ assessments of leadership potential in the US Army

ABSTRACTWhile leader humility has been linked to a number of positive outcomes, existing research speculates that expressions of humility may not be viewed positively in organizations with a highly directive or masculine culture – such as the military. Research has also suggested that men and women may be perceived differently when behaving humbly. A combination of four studies revealed that military superiors do take a positive view of humble behaviors in their subordinates, but it is not clear that humble leaders are viewed as having more potential than those who exhibit other positive leadership behaviors. Further, it appears that gender and humility interact to affect perceptions of leadership potential in the military, with humble men receiving more benefit from acting humbly than their female counterparts.
International service learning in the business curriculum: Toward an ethic of empathy in a global economy

Abstract In the context of business education, International Service Learning (ISL) programs introduce students to social responsibility and help them develop a sense of solidarity with individuals living in a different context from their own. But even ISL programs that strive for reciprocity and co-create projects with community partners still reinforce a microcosm of the power asymmetries present in the global economy. As an alternative to traditional ISL models involving direct service, I propose a model of ISL that eliminates the direct service component and instead emphasizes listening and learning abroad. In this model, local knowledge is expert and then students engage in advocacy in their home countries. Herein, I present a current course—Marketing for Social Change: The Uganda Project—as an example of the alternative ISL model designed to address the structural inequalities and wealth disparities brought by globalization.
Detecting breathing rates and depth of breath using LPCs and Restricted Boltzmann Machines

Abstract This paper presents the use of a Restricted Boltzmann Machine to develop an unsupervised machine learning approach to process breathing sounds to predict breathing rates and depth or length of breaths. Breath detection and monitoring has been the subject of several studies involving the health monitoring of patients on respirators. We are proposing to extend the use of non-invasive techniques to provide measures of physical exhaustion or activity. The level of activity or exhaustion could be used to prevent accidents or manage exposure to physically demanding environments such as firefighting or working underwater.
Ambient Surface Stability of Thin Film Nanocrystalline Cu3SbSe4 and Structure–Property Relationships

Nanocrystalline materials have a high surface area and hence may be significantly more reactive than their bulk counterparts under ambient conditions. This may affect device function in unexpected ...
CD4 T cell sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor (S1PR)1 and S1PR4 and endothelial S1PR2 regulate afferent lymphatic migration

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and S1P receptors (S1PRs) regulate migration of lymphocytes out of thymus to blood and lymph nodes (LNs) to efferent lymph, whereas their role in other tissue sites is not known. Here, we investigated the question of how these molecules regulate leukocyte migration from tissues through afferent lymphatics to draining LNs (dLNs). S1P, but not other chemokines, selectively enhanced human and murine CD4 T cell migration across lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). T cell S1PR1 and S1PR4, and LEC S1PR2, were required for migration across LECs and into lymphatic vessels and dLNs. S1PR1 and S1PR4 differentially regulated T cell motility and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) binding. S1PR2 regulated LEC layer structure, permeability, and expression of the junction molecules VE-cadherin, occludin, and zonulin-1 through the ERK pathway. S1PR2 facilitated T cell transcellular migration through VCAM-1 expression and recruitment of T cells to LEC migration sites. These results demonstrated distinct roles for S1PRs in comodulating T cell and LEC functions in migration and suggest previously unknown levels of regulation of leukocytes and endothelial cells during homeostasis and immunity.
An adult brain atlas reveals broad neuroanatomical changes in independently evolved populations of Mexican cavefish

Abstract A shift in environmental conditions impacts the evolution of complex developmental and behavioral traits. The Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, is a powerful model for examining the evolution of development, physiology, and behavior because multiple cavefish populations can be compared to an extant and ancestral-like surface population of the same species. Many behaviors have diverged in cave populations of A. mexicanus, and previous studies have shown that cavefish have a loss of sleep, reduced stress, an absence of social behaviors, and hyperphagia. Despite these findings, surprisingly little is known about the changes in neuroanatomy that underlie these behavioral phenotypes. Here, we use serial sectioning to generate a brain atlas of surface fish and three independent cavefish populations. Volumetric reconstruction of serial-sectioned brains confirms convergent evolution on reduced optic tectum volume in all cavefish populations tested. In addition, we quantified volumes of specific neuroanatomical loci within several brain regions, which have previously been implicated in behavioral regulation, including the hypothalamus, thalamus, and habenula. These analyses reveal an expansion of the hypothalamus across all three cavefish populations relative to surface fish, as well as subnuclei-specific differences within the thalamus and habenulae. Taken together, these analyses support the notion that changes in environmental conditions are accompanied by neuroanatomical changes in brain structures associated with behavior. This atlas provides a resource for comparative neuroanatomy of additional brain regions and the opportunity to associate brain anatomy with evolved changes in behavior.
Introducing Students to Fundamental Chemistry Concepts and Basic Research through a Chemistry of Fashion Course for Nonscience Majors

The combined lab and lecture course is designed around the themes of colorants (dyestuffs and pigments) and fibers (natural and human-made) for nonscience majors. Students dye natural and synthetic fibers with natural dyes such as turmeric, raspberries, tea, and cochineal insects as well as synthetic dyes. The students observe the colorfast properties of a dye and the changes made to a fiber during the dyeing process. Some chemical concepts introduced over the semester are light energy and color, solution chemistry, chemical bonding and bond polarity, acids and bases, and oxidizing and reducing agents. An important component of this class is introducing students to primary literature. The students, throughout the semester, read and discuss research articles on topics relevant to the coursework. The course culminates with students applying all they learned through a self-designed inquiry project. Students, in groups, write a research proposal using science research literature. At the end of the semester, the students in the lab conduct original research, which culminates with the students sharing their findings with the class in a conference-like setting. Students from two classes (N = 34) completed a SALG (student assessment of their learning gains) survey; SALG is a web-based instrument that allows students to assess their perceptions of learning gains made over the duration of the course. The students were asked about the gains they experienced from this course in collaborative work, scientific literacy skills, science attitudes, and connecting science to other situations. The students showed good gains in working in collaborative settings and knowing how to gather and use data. The students also reported a better understanding of how chemistry relates to other classes and how it can apply to other situations. The students were also taught how to critically read scientific research articles. While the improvement in critical reading was not as robust, it did indicate an improvement in the students’ understanding of how to read scientific studies. This lab and lecture course, designed to increase interdisciplinary learning at the school—particularly with the school’s fashion, marketing, and communication majors—piqued students’ interest in chemistry, improved their understanding of scientific processes, and helped them understand the role of chemistry in other subjects.
Initial evaluation of a public transportation training program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Short report

Abstract Introduction People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) including Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) often face serious transportation challenges that impede healthcare access, community participation, and employment opportunities. Travel training, which makes use of one-on-one instruction, may help people with IDD overcome transportation barriers. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a comprehensive travel training program on the travel skills of individuals with IDD. Methods Participants were a convenience sample of all individuals with IDD (n = 87) who received travel training from the Kennedy Center in 2016 and 2017. Pre- and post-test scores on the Progressive Evaluation of Travel Skills, as well as primary mode(s) of public transportation used, purpose of use, and number of training sessions were recorded in a secure database. Data was de-identified which involved a process of removing any personally identifiable information. A secondary analysis was completed to test the effect of travel training on transportation skill acquisition by using multilevel analyses. Specifically, the effects of condition (Intellectual Disability (ID) without ASD, ID and ASD, ASD without ID), time (pre-training, post-training), and condition x time interactions on transportation skill T-scores were analyzed. Results Participants were 69 men and 18 women with IDD and/or ASD (mean age = 23.6). Trainees made statistically significant gains on the competencies needed for independent travel. A significant condition x time (training) interaction was observed. Prior to training, people with ID (with and without ASD) had less developed travel skills than those with ASD (and no ID). Upon completion of the training, those with ID made larger gains in travel skills than those with ASD/no ID in which both groups had comparable skill levels. Conclusions The results of this study provide preliminary support for the use of a structured and comprehensive travel training program to improve overall travel skills needed for public transportation.
Minimizing echo and repetition times in magnetic resonance imaging using a double half‐echo k‐space acquisition and low‐rank reconstruction

Sampling k-space asymmetrically (ie, partial Fourier sampling) in the readout direction is a common way to reduce the echo time (TE) during magnetic resonance image acquisitions. This technique requires overlap around the center of k-space to provide a calibration region for reconstruction, which limits the minimum fractional echo to ~60% before artifacts are observed. The present study describes a method for reconstructing images from exact half echoes using two separate acquisitions with reversed readout polarity, effectively providing a full line of k-space without additional data around central k-space. This approach can benefit sequences or applications that prioritize short TE, short inter-echo spacing or short repetition time. An example of the latter is demonstrated to reduce banding artifacts in balanced steady-state free precession.
Distinct profiles of multiple co-occurring symptoms in patients with gastrointestinal cancers receiving chemotherapy.

Identify subgroups of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients with distinct multiple co-occurring symptom profiles and evaluate for differences among these subgroups in demographic and clinical characteristics and quality of life (QOL) outcomes. Patients with GI cancers (n = 399) completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) that was used to assess for multiple co-occurring symptoms. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subgroups of patients with distinct symptom profiles using symptom occurrence ratings. Differences in demographic and clinical characteristics and QOL outcomes among the subgroups were evaluated using parametric and nonparametric tests. All Low (36.6%), Moderate (49.4%), and All High (14.0%) classes were identified. Compared to the All Low class, patients in the other two classes were significantly younger and were more likely to report depression and back pain. Compared to the other two classes, patients in the All High class had fewer years of education and a higher number of comorbidities. Significant differences were found among the three classes for comorbidity burden and total number of MSAS symptoms (i.e., All Low Moderate > All High). A higher symptom burden was associated with poorer QOL outcomes. The first study to identify subgroups of patients with GI cancers based on distinct symptom profiles. LCA allowed for the identification of risk factors associated with a higher symptom burden. Clinicians can use this information to identify high-risk patients and develop personalized symptom management interventions.
Disparities and equity issues in electric vehicles rebate allocation

Abstract The path towards light-duty vehicle electrification promises benefits like lower costs for drivers and reduced environmental externalities for all. Incentives such as electric vehicle rebates assist with alleviating high capital costs of alternative fuel cars. We uncover distributional effects of plug-in electric vehicle rebates, focusing on a program in the State of California. We use economic attributes representative of populations of census tracts as well as data on rebates distributed to plug-in electric vehicle buyers through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project from 2010 to 2018. Horizontal and vertical equity measures are evaluated, while measurement of spatial association characterizes spatial patterns of rebates allocation across the State. We evaluate the distributional fairness of rebates allocation between income groups and disadvantaged communities. We find that rebates have been predominantly given to high income electric vehicle buyers. However, the share of rebates distributed to low-income groups and disadvantaged communities increased over time and after an income-cap policy was put into effect. Spatial analysis shows high spatial clustering effects and rebates concentration in major metropolitan regions. We reveal neighborhood effects: communities with lower median income or disadvantaged receive higher rebate amounts when these are geographic neighbors to clusters characterized as high rebate amount receivers.
Longitudinal Patterns of Strengths Among Youth with Psychiatric Disorders: A Latent Profile Transition Analysis.

A better understanding of variability in the strengths of youth with psychiatric disorders is critical as a strength-based approach can lead to recovery. This study aimed to identify subgroups of strengths among youth with mental disorders and determine whether subgroups changes were associated with mental health recovery. Youth with mental disorders (N = 2228) from a statewide database were identified in the state fiscal year of 2019. Using the latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis, we identified three strength profiles (i.e., essential, usable, and buildable). Over 90% of youth sustained or developed strengths over time. Positive transitions were associated with mental health recovery, symptom reduction, and personal recovery. Buildable strengths supported youth’s personal recovery independent of improving mental health needs. The findings suggest that subgroups of strengths may be a promising source for planning and tracking youth’s progress and guiding clinicians to more efficiently allocate community-based resources.
Signal transduction pathways in cancer development and as targets for cancer prevention.

Publisher Summary This chapter summarizes work in signal transduction pathways involved in neoplastic cell transformation and carcinogenesis, and presents strong evidence for these pathways as effective targets for chemopreventive agents. The study of the molecular mechanisms of cancer development and the action of anticancer agents in cancer prevention is discussed in this chapter. It address fundamental questions concerning the response of animal and/or human cells to carcinogens and tumor promoters, such as UV light, arsenic, TPA, and growth factors and established a series of necessary models or systems, such as the over-agar assay for cell transformation , gene knockout mice, transcription factor/luciferase promoter stably transfected cells and transgenic mice, as well as gene knockdown (siRNA) or dominant-negative mutant stably transfected cell lines. These models have been extensively utilized to examine the tumor promoter-induced signal transduction pathways and their role in cell neoplastic transformation. The chapter discusses the signal transduction networks induced by UVA, UVB and UVC, and describes the critical roles of MAP kinases at all three unique wavelengths of UV-induced signal transduction pathways. Some of the most interesting and well documented are resveratrol and components of tea, EGCG, theaflavins, and caffeine. Other potentially effective dietary compounds include inositol hexaphosphate, PEITC, ginger, and CAPE. A continuing emphasis on obtaining rigorous research data and critical analysis of those data regarding these and other food factors is vital to determine the molecular basis and long-term effectiveness and safety of these compounds as chemopreventive agents. Large-scale animal and molecular biology studies are needed to address the bioavailability, toxicity, molecular target, signal transduction pathways, and side effects of dietary factors. Clinical trials based on clear mechanistic studies are also needed to assess the effectiveness of these dietary factors in the human population.
Experimental Pragmatics: An Introduction for Philosophers

In the past several decades, psychologists and linguists have begun experimentally investigating linguistic pragmatic phenomena. They share the assumption that the best way to study the use of language in context incorporates an experimental methodology, here understood to comprise controlled studies and careful field observations. This article surveys some key projects in experimental pragmatics and relates these projects to ongoing philosophical discussions.
Simulations of Synaptic Integration in Neocortical Pyramidal Cells

Despite their electrotonic compactness, neocortical pyramidal cells cannot be considered as point neurons because of nonlinear interactions between inputs on the same dendritic branch. Using compartmental simulations, we have shown that dendritic saturation is significant for physiological levels of synaptic activation. We also show that the firing of about 10% of the total number of inhibitory synapses on a cortical pyramidal cell is sufficient to reduce and even completely suppress the firing of neurons receiving strong excitatory input. Finally, we present a reduced pyramidal cell model (9 compartments) that runs significantly faster yet faithfully reproduces the behavior of the full 400 compartment model. The reduced model will be used for future physiological network simulations.
Exchange of potassium and strontium in adult bone

The kinetics of exchange of strontium (85Sr) and potassium (42K) were studied in the mid-tibial cortical bone of 37 adult dogs. After injection of these two tracer cations and tracer-labeled albumin into the tibial nutrient artery, two types of observations were made: 1) collection of sequential venous samples to provide the outflow indicator-dilution curves and to calculate the extraction and retention at early times; and 2) detection of energy-selected gamma emissions via a detector over the tibia to give the time course of content of 42K and 85Sr in the tibia. Extractions of K+ and Sr2+ were 50 and 60% during a single transcapillary passage. More Sr2+ than K+ was retained in the first minutes. Their rates of washout over a 3-h period were similar. The interpretation is that the rate of uptake at extravascular sites is faster for Sr2+ than for K+, as is the rate of release, and that the extravascular volume of distribution for Sr2+ (adsorption sites in the interstitium or on bone) is much larger than that for K+ (intracellular).
How Developmental Psychology and Robotics Complement Each Other

Abstract : This paper presents two complementary ideas relating the study of human development and the construction of intelligent artifacts. First, the use of developmental models will be a critical requirement in the construction of robotic systems that can acquire a large repertoire of motor, perceptual, and cognitive capabilities. Second, robotic systems can be used as a test-bed for evaluating models of human development much in the same way that simulation studies are currently used to evaluate cognitive models. To further explore these ideas, two examples from the author's own work will be presented: the use of developmental models of hand-eye coordination to simplify the task of learning to reach for a visual target and the use of a humanoid robot to evaluate models of normal and abnormal social skill development.
SAAT1 is a low affinity Na+/glucose cotransporter and not an amino acid transporter. A reinterpretation.

Abstract Recently a member of the Na+/glucose (SGLT1) gene family of cotransporters was isolated from a pig renal cell line and was thought to be the neutral amino acid transporter System A. This cDNA (Kong, C. T., Yet, S. F., and Lever, J. E. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 1509-1512) encodes a 660-amino acid protein with 76% identity to SGLT1. To confirm and extend the kinetic characterization of SAAT1, we have expressed this clone in Xenopus oocytes and measured transport using both radiotracer and electrophysiological techniques. SAAT1 did not stimulate either 50 microM 2-(methylamino)isobutyrate uptake or 2-(methylamino)isobutyrate-evoked inward Na+ currents, but instead stimulated 50 microM alpha MG (alpha-methyl-D-glucopyranoside) uptake 27-fold from 2 +/- 1 pmol.h-1/oocyte (n = 9) to 55 +/- 6 pmol.h-1/oocyte (n = 9) and alpha MG-evoked inward Na+ currents (I) by up to 1000 nA/oocyte. The apparent affinity constant for alpha MG (K alpha MG 0.5) was approximately 2 mM and was independent of membrane potential from -30 to -150 mV but was voltage-sensitive between -30 and +30 mV. The relative sugar specificity for the transporter was alpha MG > or = D-glucose > D-galactose > 3-O-methyl-D-glucopyranose, L-glucose. The sugar-evoked currents were Na(+)-dependent (KNa 0.5 approximately 10 mM at -50 mV) and the Hill coefficient was 1. KNa 0.5 decreased with hyperpolarization of the membrane from -50 to -150 mV. Phlorizin inhibited the alpha MG-evoked current with apparent Ki of 18 microM at -50 mV. We conclude that the SAAT1 cDNA encodes a renal low affinity Na+(1)/glucose(1) cotransporter and propose that pig SAAT1 be renamed pSGLT2.