cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell's intrinsic biophysical properties play a role in the systematic decrease in time-locking ability of central auditory neurons.

Abstract Studies in the vertebrates have shown that the time-locking ability of central auditory neurons decreases progressively along the ascending auditory pathway. This decrease is presumably attributed to a progressive reduction in the fidelity of synaptic transmission and an increase in the influence of synaptic inhibition along the cascade. The extent to which neurons' intrinsic biophysical properties contribute to the change in time-locking ability is unclear. We carried out whole-cell patch clamp recordings from the auditory thalamus of leopard frogs and compared their biophysical properties and time-locking abilities (determined by cell's responses to depolarizing pulse trains applied intracellularly) with those of lower auditory brainstem neurons. We found that frog thalamic neurons were homogeneous, exhibiting uniformly sustained, regular firing patterns, but not having low-threshold transient Ca 2+ current which mammal thalamic neurons generally possess. Furthermore, intrinsic biophysical properties of the thalamic neurons are such that the time-locking ability of these neurons was very poor. The homogeneity of thalamic auditory neurons is in contrast to the heterogeneity of lower auditory brainstem neurons, with different phenotypes exhibiting different time-locking abilities and with sustained-regular phenotype consistently showing the worst time-locking ability among all biophysical phenotypes. Auditory nuclei along the ascending auditory pathway showed a progressive increase in the population of sustained-regular phenotype—this corresponded to a systematic decrease in the overall time-locking ability, with neurons in the dorsal medullary nucleus showing the best, and thalamic neurons exhibiting the poorest time-locking ability, whereas neurons in the torus semicircularis displayed intermediate time-locking ability. These results suggest that the biophysical characteristics of single neurons also likely play a role in the change in temporal coding ability along the ascending auditory pathway.
Snakes and Snails and Mermaid Tails: Raising a Gender-Variant Son

This article is a first-person account of a father's journey to lovingly accept his young gender-variant son, who began to show traits and preferences more common to girls almost from birth. The dad's efforts to discover constructive parenting strategies for raising his boy are also detailed. Experiences described begin with guilt and awareness of his own difficulty in coming to terms with his son's behavior, progress toward seeking and finding support and guidance, and eventually learning to embrace his son as he is, perhaps with questions about his own liberality and apprehensions about his boy's future.
Ethical theories and moral guidance

Let the Guidance Constraint be the following norm for evaluating ethical theories: Other things being at least roughly equal, ethical theories are better to the extent that they provide adequate moral guidance. I offer an account of why ethical theories are subject to the Guidance Constraint, if indeed they are. We can explain central facts about adequate moral guidance, and their relevance to ethical theory, by appealing to certain forms of autonomy and fairness. This explanation is better than explanations that feature versions of the principle that ‘ought’ implies ‘can’. In closing, I address the objection that my account is questionable because it makes ethical theories subject not merely to purely theoretical but also to morally substantive norms.
HARVESTMEN AS COMMENSALS OF CRAB SPIDERS

Abstract Harvestmen Phalangium opilio regularly feed upon the carcasses of bees and moths discarded by crab spiders Misumena vatia Clerck 1757 hunting on flowers. I report one observation of a harvestman unsuccessfully attempting to secure a bee still being fed on by a crab spider.
Geometric parametrization of J/{psi} absorption in heavy ion collisions

We calculate the survival probability of J/{psi} particles in various colliding systems using a Glauber model. An analysis of recent data has reported a J/{psi}-nucleon breakup cross section of 6.2{plus_minus}0.7 mb derived from an exponential fit to the ratio of J/{psi} to Drell-Yan yields as a function of a simple, linearly averaged mean path length {l_angle}L{r_angle} through the nuclear medium. Our calculations indicate that, due to the nature of the calculation, this approach yields an apparent breakup cross section which is systematically lower than the actual value. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Anatomic abnormalities are common potential explanations of manometric esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction.

Background Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO) is an esophageal motility diagnosis associated with a myriad of conditions. The frequency of EGJOO attributed to anatomic causes compared to idiopathic causes is uncertain. Our study aims to identify the frequency of EGJOO and to compare these two groups. Methods We conducted a case–control study of high-resolution manometry (HRM) studies with a diagnosis of EGJOO performed at a single academic center. EGJOO cases were classified as anatomic (if any potential anatomic cause was identified) or idiopathic. Clinical and manometric characteristics of idiopathic EGJOO were compared with anatomic EGJOO cases. Key Results Criteria for EGJOO were met in 11% of HRM studies. Ancillary studies revealed 21/32 EGJOO cases had potential anatomic causes with a hiatal hernia noted in 15/21 cases of anatomic EGJOO. Idiopathic EGJOO cases met Chicago Classification criteria for hypercontractile esophagus with greater frequency than anatomic cases (p = 0.01). The mean distal contractile integral was significantly greater for idiopathic cases compared to anatomic cases (p = 0.003). Treatments used for EGJOO were varied and usually successful in alleviating symptoms. Patients with anatomic EGJOO related to a hiatal hernia who underwent an antireflux operation did not develop dysphagia postoperatively. Conclusions & Inferences EGJOO is a frequently encountered manometric diagnosis, commonly associated with anatomic abnormalities potentially explaining the EGJOO. These findings support current recommendations to pursue ancillary diagnostics to investigate cases of unexplained EGJOO. Cases of idiopathic EGJOO are more likely to have hypercontractility on HRM, possibly suggesting a primary esophageal motility disorder.
Effects of Multiple Psychological Distances on Construal Level: A Field Study of Online Reviews

Through a large-scale field study of 166,215 online restaurant reviews, we found evidence of a distance boosting effect, whereby experiencing spatial distance (i.e., authoring a review about a geographically distant restaurant, rather than proximate one) and temporal distance (i.e., authoring a review after a lengthy delay, rather than immediately) amplified consumers’ high-level construals. Although past research has explored the relationship between spatial distance, temporal distance, and construal, these effects have only been considered in isolation (on a notable range of outcomes), yet never in tandem. Our research contributes to past work by testing the effects of experiencing two dimensions of psychological distance simultaneously on construal level, and on a downstream consequence thereof: positivity. Moreover, because our data contain naturalistic observations, our research includes a wide range of temporal and spatial distances. In all, we found that the effect of each distance increases the effect (on construal and positivity) of the other distance. Metaphorically speaking, the effect of one distance is boosted by another.
Heats of formation of MHxCly (M = Si, P, As, Sb) compounds and main group fluorides from high level electronic structure calculations.

Atomization energies at 0 K and heats of formation at 0 and 298 K are predicted for the MH(x)Cl(y) compounds (M = Si, P, As, and Sb) and for a number of trivalent, tetravalent, and pentavalent fluorides (SbF(3), BiF(3), GeF(4), SnF(4), PbF(4), AsF(5), SbF(5)) from coupled cluster theory (CCSD(T)) calculations using correlation consistent basis sets and extrapolation to the complete basis set limit. Small-core, relativistic effective core potentials were used for the heavier elements (Ge, As, Sn, Sb, Pb, and Bi), including correlation of the outer core electrons. Additional scalar relativistic (for the lighter elements) and atomic spin-orbit corrections are included in order to achieve near chemical accuracy of ±1.5 kcal/mol. Vibrational zero point energies were computed from scaled harmonic frequencies at the second order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) level where possible. Agreement between theory and the available experimental data is excellent. We present a revised heat of formation of the antimony atom in the gas phase. The calculated values will be of use in predicting the behavior of chemical vapor deposition systems.
Wholesale Buying and Merchandising

GOODS well-bought are half sold." This well-worn bromide of the retailing business is equally applicable to the wholesale trade. Conformance with the precept involves the twin functions of buying and merchandising. (The broader sense of the latter term covers deciding what to buy, when to buy, how much to buy so that an adjustment will be achieved between market demand and goods available to supply it.) The performance of these functions includes
Electrodeposition and behavior of single metal nanowire probes.

This paper describes the fabrication of scanning probes with single metal nanowires (NWs) at the probe tip. The porous-template technique can produce NWs of various kinds of metals, with diameters down to 10–20 nm, which compete with multiwall carbon nanotube diameters. Metal NWs are grown by electrodeposition on the scanning probe tip. One NW can be selected to remain by focused ion beam technique. A variety of metals can be chosen as the tip material. Electric potentials of NWs at the probe tip can be measured. Single NW probes can measure surface topographies, electrode potentials, and their mechanical bending properties.
Highly Efficient Microscale Purification of Glycerophospholipids by Microfluidic Cell Lysis and Lipid Extraction for Lipidomics Profiling

This article presents a novel method for small-scale lipidomics of bacterial cells by integrating extraction of glycerophospholipids on a microchip with a nanoelectrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometer (nanoESI-Q-TOF MS/MS). The standard starting point for typical macroscale lipid analysis is a multiphase liquid-liquid extraction. Working with small populations of cells (1 to about 1000) requires a scaled down process in order to minimize dilution and facilitate the interface with microscale separation methods for sample cleanup and introduction to mass spectrometry. We have developed a microfluidic system that allows for lysis of bacterial cells, capture of lipids, and elution of captured lipids from a solid phase for microscale purification of lipids. The best on-chip extraction efficiency for glycerophospholipids was as high as 83.3% by integrating silica beads as the packing material with methanol as the eluent. A total of 10 successive measurements were evaluated indicating that the microchip packed with fresh silica beads is capable of being reused four times without any loss in the lipid extraction process. The initial screening based on high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry data along with a discovery profiling approach revealed the presence of 173 identified phospholipid species from microfluidic cell extracts. This work demonstrates the potential of incorporating microchip-based lipid extraction into cellular lipidomics research.
Influence of estradiol on alkaline phosphatase activity in the genital tract of the rat.

SummaryEstradiol causes a spectacular increase in the alkaline phosphatase activity of the genital tract of the rat. This increase is most marked in the stratified epithelium lining the lumen of the cervix, but it is also apparent in the connective tissue cells of the stroma of uterus and uterine cervix and in the circular musculature of the upper part of the genital tract.In contrast to the stratified epithelium of the cervix and of the vagina, the columnar epithelium of the uterus shows very little phosphatase activity in the presence or absence of estradiol stimulation.
Difference in Bone Mineral Density Between Young Versus Midlife Women

Background: Older age is a risk factor for low bone mineral density (BMD). Older women have been found to have lower BMD than younger women. Recent trends for decreased calcium consumption and physical activity may place younger women at greater risk than previously anticipated. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of age on BMD in young (19.1 ± 0.4 years) versus midlife (46.3 ± 0.4 years) women. Methods: BMD was assessed with the Alara MetriScan. Results: Young women had lower BMD compared to midlife women (T score: − 1.18 ± 0.78 versus 0.25 ± 0.12; P < .05), lower body weight (65.6 ± 1.6 kg versus 79.6 ± 1.9 kg, P < .001), and lower body mass index (BMI; 23.7 ± 0.6 versus 29.3 ± 0.7 kg/m2, P < .001). Discussion: Based on these data, younger women are at greater risk for loss of BMD and early onset osteoporosis than their older counterparts. Translation to Health Education Practice: Health Educators should teach that calcium and vitamin D supplementations are vital in maintain...
Characteristic of Rice Production in Heilongjiang Province and Its Effect on the Food Security of China

Starting from the status of food production and national grain demand situation,the development characteristics of rice production in Heilongjiang province in recent years,existing problems and the effective way to continuous increase rice yield were discussed.Meanwhile,the effect of rice production in Heilongjiang province on food security in China were summarized and analyzed.In view of its important influence factors of restricting the development,the corresponding solution countermeasures were proposed.
Metallurgical and Mineralogical Applications

Electron probe microanalysis is widely used in the investigation of phenomena of general metallurgical interest as well as in the study of specific materials and processes. New devices for X-ray detection and automatic data collection, increase the usefulness of the microprobe for such applications. Besides the well-known methods for qualitative and quantitative electron probe analysis, the instrument can also be used advantageously for quantitative metallography and related techniques.
A Monument to Pynchon Scholarship

Thomas Pynchon is often described as the greatest living novelist writing in English, largely on the strength of Gravity's Rainbow (1973), an encyclopedic novel of vast historical, cultural and scientific erudition, and inordinate formal complexity, experimental sophistication and linguistic vitality. At the end of the 1980s came a milestone and an anniversary in Pynchon's career. Vineland (1990), his first novel since Gravity's Rainbow, reached bookstores just before New Year's in 1989, some thirty years after the publication of his first mature fiction.
Nonlinear Diffusion-Reaction Phenomena, Burgers’ and Fisher’s Equations

Many physical phenomena are described by the interaction of convection and diffusion and also by the interaction of diffusion and reaction. From a physical point of view, the convection-diffusion process and the diffusion-reaction process are quite fundamental to describe a wide variety of problems in physical, chemical, biological, and engineering sciences. Some nonlinear, partial differential equations that model these processes provide many new insights into the question of interaction of nonlinearity and diffusion. It is well known that the Burgers equation is the simplest nonlinear model equation representing phenomena described by a balance between convection and diffusion. On the other hand, the Fisher equation is also another simplest nonlinear model equation which arises in a wide variety of problems involving diffusion and reaction.
Using digital education effectively to address students' grammar deficits

It is widely accepted that successful engineers need to write accurately and effectively about complex topics. As engineers gain professional status and increased job responsibilities, they write more often and with higher stakes. Those who cannot express themselves well using standard English face a major hurdle to their long-term professional success. Alarmingly, many of today's students come to college or graduate school without well-developed writing skills. Among the most conspicuous writing skills that are lacking are sentence-level mechanical skills (like syntax, punctuation, and other elements of grammar). Grammar education is a controversial topic among writing professionals at the college level, and many undergraduate composition courses do not identify mastery of sentence-level writing skills as a learning objective at all. The author argues that, while grammar education by itself is not a substitute for comprehensive writing instruction, there is a place for rhetorical grammar education in engineering schools. This workshop will take an interdisciplinary look at the hard questions of where grammar education fits in engineering education and which of our students are hit the hardest if we fail to help them fill the gaps in their incoming sentence-level writing abilities. The workshop explores the potential benefits of approaching the problem using digital self-instruction designed expressly for engineering students based on the expectations of experienced practicing engineers.
Effects of fosaprepitant (Fosa) administered as single dose versus two doses, on nausea/vomiting (N/V) in patients receiving multiday chemotherapy (CT) with a highly emetogenic regimen of doxorubicin and ifosafamide (AI): Randomized cross-over study.

9616 Background: AI is multi-day regimen of highly emetogenic chemotherapy, with high incidence of delayed N/V. Fosa, NK1 receptor antagonist (RA), administered IV as single dose (FDA-approved), with 5HT3RA and dexamethasone has improved the control of emesis. However, delayed N/V still remains problematic. Purpose of the study was to examine the effects of fosa administered IV on day 1 vs days 1 and 4 on N/V and the effect on ifosfamide (Ifex) and its active metabolites, due to potential drug interactions via CYP450. Methods: Sarcoma pts, planned to receive AI, were randomized 1:1 to Arm A (single- dose Fosa on day 1) or Arm B (2-doses, on days 1 and 4). Within each arm, patients were randomized to Group-1: Fosa in cycle-1 (C-1) and no Fosa in cycle-2 (C-2), and group-2: no Fosa in C-1 and Fosa in C-2. Blood samples were drawn for levels of Ifex/metabolites to be analyzed at the end of study. All pts could receive 2 doses of Fosa during cycles 3-6. Pts were monitored for N/V with daily symptom diary and ...
Target, Act, Graph (TAG): Teachers Empowering Classroom Resource Personnel in Monitoring Student Progress.

This article provides teachers in rural settings with suggestions on how to engage classroom resource personnel (i.e., volunteers, instructional assistants) in monitoring students' achievement. The...
Commuting Squares and the Classification of Finite Depth Inclusions of AFD type IIIλ Factors, λ∈(0, 1)

We give a new proof of the classification result due to Sorm Popa that a finite depth inclusion of AFD type III; factois N^Al, A^ (0, 1), with a common discrete decomposition (jV^CM00, 0} is classified, up to isomorphism, by the type II core A^ciM00 and the standard invariant of 6.
An Application of Caustics to Ultrasonic Defect Location

In this paper we describe a use of ultrasonic caustics to detect and locate defects in immersed rods and pipes.
Occurrence of Dichloroacetamide Herbicide Safeners and Co-Applied Herbicides in Midwestern U.S. Streams

Dichloroacetamide safeners (e.g., AD-67, benoxacor, dichlormid, and furilazole) are co-applied with chloroacetanilide herbicides to protect crops from herbicide toxicity. While such safeners have been used since the early 1970s, there are minimal data about safener usage, occurrence in streams, or potential ecological effects. This study focused on one of these research gaps, occurrence in streams. Seven Midwestern U.S. streams (five in Iowa and two in Illinois), with extensive row-crop agriculture, were sampled at varying frequencies from spring 2016 through summer 2017. All four safeners were detected at least once; furilazole was the most frequently detected (31%), followed by benoxacor (29%), dichlormid (15%), and AD-67 (2%). The maximum concentrations ranged from 42 to 190 ng/L. Stream detections and concentrations of safeners appear to be driven by a combination of timing of application (spring following herbicide application) and precipitation events. Detected concentrations were below known toxici...
County use of the RFP process to select joint venture developers of water-view property: a case study

Requests for Proposals (RFPs) are typically issued to solicit competitive proposals for a variety of professional services and commodities. The Baltimore County Purchasing Bureau issued 30 RFPs in fiscal year 2001 as well as 550 requests for formal and informal bids. The use of RFPs and the RFP process for choosing a land developer was creative. The fact that the property to be developed impacted the quality of life of the neighboring residents made their buy-in to the project critical. Therefore, it was prudent to include community representatives in the proposal selection process. This article identifies the unique issues on an RFP for the sale of real property rather than the purchase of services or commodities.
Just another article on Moore’s paradox, but we don’t believe that

We present counterexamples to the widespread assumption that Moorean sentences cannot be rationally asserted. We then explain why Moorean assertions of the sort we discuss do not incur the irrationality charge. Our argument involves an appeal to the dual-process theory of the mind and a contrast between the conditions for ascribing beliefs to oneself and the conditions for making assertions about independently existing states of affairs. We conclude by contrasting beliefs of the sort we discuss with the structurally similar but rationally impermissible beliefs of certain psychiatric patients.
Lay Perceptions of Healthy Eating Styles and Their Health Impacts.

Abstract Objective This study examined perceptions of healthy eating styles among US respondents to determine whether eating styles are defined as a distinct set of people's healthy eating beliefs and how different aspects of eating styles are perceived to affect health. Design In-person pile sort activities were used to identify key dimensions of healthy eating beliefs, and online surveys were used to confirm these dimensions and examine perceived health benefits of healthy eating styles. Participants The pile-sorting activity recruited 48 US participants in the Phoenix metropolitan area via social media and snowball sampling. Online surveys recruited US participants via Amazon Mechanical Turk (survey 1, n = 70; survey 2, n = 283). Analysis The researchers used an exploratory visualizing technique (multidimensional scaling) to analyze pile sort data; Property Filling (PROFIT) analysis was used to analyze online survey 1; paired sample t test and repeated-measures ANOVA were used to analyze online survey 2. Results Eating styles are a distinct set of beliefs within lay models of healthful diets (P Conclusions and Implications In addition to educating the public about choosing healthy food characteristics, health and nutrition professionals may need to address people's beliefs regarding healthy eating styles to identify gaps and misconceptions. Future research is needed to examine the relationships between such beliefs and corresponding behaviors, as well as whether these behaviors result in any health benefits.
Visual Training and Reading

(1999). Visual Training and Reading. American Orthoptic Journal: Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 23-25.
The response of commuting patterns to cross-border policy differentials: Evidence from the American Community Survey

Abstract The response of commuting patterns across state borders to policy differentials has implications for how policymakers design economic policy based on place of work, and for researchers who use contiguous geographies to estimate treatment effects of such policies. This paper investigates the response of such movements utilizing changes in cross-border differentials in the minimum wage and Earned Income Tax Credit state supplements. Specifically, effects of the minimum wage on commuting patterns are estimated for restaurant workers, high school dropouts, and teenagers. The effects of the EITC on commuting patterns are estimated for single female heads of household with children. The main results show that a $1 increase in the minimum wage differential is associated with a 0.5 to 1 percentage point increase in the probability of commuting. This is approximately a 15–25 percent increase over the mean commuting rate for the minimum wage samples of interest. Results for the EITC are less precise and show that a 0.1 increase in the phase-in rate differential is associated with an increase in commuting probability of 0.9 percentage points, a result that is not statistically different from zero. The minimum wage results are strongest along non-MSA borders.
Quasielastic scattering of 11Li and 11C from 12C at 60 MeV/nucleon.

The quasielastic scattering of the exotic halo'' nucleus {sup 11}Li on {sup 12}C has been studied at an energy of 60 MeV/nucleon and compared with that of the {ital A}=11 isobar {sup 11}C. The prediction of enhanced refraction in the former system is confirmed, as is the need for very long-range absorption. No evidence is found for an Airy minimum in the far-side scattering.
An Ecosocial Frame for Autonomous Vehicles

This paper analyses ecosocial parameters for the coming of autonomous vehicles—a subject obscured by their technological and business prospects. The world’s largest multinational digital and automo...
Nanoscale electrostatic gating of molecular transport through nuclear pore complexes as probed by scanning electrochemical microscopy

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a large protein nanopore that solely mediates molecular transport between the nucleus and cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell. There is a long-standing consensus that selective transport barriers of the NPC are exclusively based on hydrophobic repeats of phenylalanine and glycine (FG) of nucleoporins. Herein, we reveal experimentally that charged residues of amino acids intermingled between FG repeats can modulate molecular transport through the NPC electrostatically and in a pathway-dependent manner. Specifically, we investigate the NPC of the Xenopus oocyte nucleus to find that excess positive charges of FG-rich nucleoporins slow down passive transport of a polycationic peptide, protamine, without affecting that of a polyanionic pentasaccharide, Arixtra, and small monovalent ions. Protamine transport is slower with a lower concentration of electrolytes in the transport media, where the Debye length becomes comparable to the size of water-filled spaces among the gel-like network of FG repeats. Slow protamine transport is not affected by the binding of a lectin, wheat germ agglutinin, to the peripheral route of the NPC, which is already blocked electrostatically by adjacent nucleoporins that have more cationic residues than anionic residues and even FG dipeptides. The permeability of NPCs to the probe ions is measured by scanning electrochemical microscopy using ion-selective tips based on liquid/liquid microinterfaces and is analysed by effective medium theory to determine the sizes of peripheral and central routes with distinct protamine permeability. Significantly, nanoscale electrostatic gating at the NPC can be relevant not only chemically and biologically, but also biomedically for efficient nuclear import of genetically therapeutic substances.
Exciton Localization and Radiative Lifetimes in CdSeNanoplatelets

The spatial extents of CdSe nanoplatelet (NPL) excitons are investigated using transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. The bleach magnitudes of a series of NPLs with varying lateral dimensions are ...
A review on current practices and emerging technologies for sustainable management, sequestration and stabilization of mercury from gold processing streams.

Abstract This paper presents an overview of unit processes that lead to potential mercury contamination during gold processing, which can pose serious health, environmental and technical concerns. Mercury release in gold processing streams is attributed to its dissolution from mercury bearing gold ores during cyanide leaching, and its mobile nature in the subsequent stages (e.g., carbon adsorption, elution, Zn precipitation/electrowinning, and smelting) and tailing storage facilities. Although retorting prior to smelting and sulphur-impregnated carbon filters have been developed to ensure minimal mercury contamination, these methods deal with gaseous mercury which is highly toxic and still a serious threat for both the environment and workers. Moreover, spent carbon filters containing high mercury concentrations introduce a new environmental issue. Therefore, there is a demonstrated need for safer and more efficient removal and sequestration techniques. Thus, this work includes a review of mercury removal from activated carbon as well as current mercury treatment and stabilization practices including precipitation, adsorption, cementation, ion exchange and solvent extraction. In addition, emerging mercury remediation materials such as nanomaterials and bimetals with a promising potential in sustainable management, sequestration, and stabilization of mercury from aqueous media will be highlighted. In summary, the results show a high mercury removal capacity of the outlined materials and techniques (between 70 to around 100% removal). However, one of the issues that emerges from these studies is the lack of selectivity of reagents for mercury capture from aqueous solutions containing precious metals. In this regard, future studies with more focus on the selective mercury removal from activated carbon, and then its precipitation from solutions using substances with a greater adsorption capacity to mass ratio (suitable for safe disposal), are therefore recommended.
The effects of vermicompost tea on the growth and yield of lettuce and tomato in a non-circulating hydroponics system

The use of vermicompost water extracts (teas) in horticulture to increase plant growth and yield and suppress pests and diseases, is well documented. However, its utilization and effects in hydropo...
Reported CCR5-∆32 deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is explained by poor genotyping of rs62625034

Abstract In the fall of 2018, news broke about a researcher from China who had used CRISPR gene editing to cause human babies to have a deletion in the CCR5 chemokine receptor, making them resistant to HIV infection. One of the numerous ethical concerns about this study is that the deletion may have other effects. Subsequently, Nature Medicine published a Brief Communications from Wei and Nielsen concluding that homozygotes for the CCR5-∆32 deletion have a survival probability to age 76 of 83.5% compared to 86.5% and 86.4% for the heterozygotes and the other homozygote, respectively, and that observed departures from Hardy Weinberg proportions also support selection operating on this allele1. In the study, Wei and Nielsen used a proxy variant, rs62625034 in their analysis. Here, we report that the reported CCR5-∆32 deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) inferred by Wei and Nielsen can be explained by poor genotyping of rs62625034, the variant used for their analysis.
When Bigger Is Not Better: Moses the Shepherd

Leading a herd of sheep is one thing; driving a million people across a desert is another or is it? Moses is arguably the most critical leader in the Hebrew Scriptures, yet not much literature exists on his leadership from the perspective of organizational leadership theory or leadership fatigue. This chapter examines the mediating factors that led to Moses’ most critical leadership error, as well as how he bounced back from his failure. This chapter also explores the unique leadership issues that arise from a large organizational context. Finally, this chapter wrestles with the question: Is bigger better when it comes to leadership?
Abstract PD1-01: Durvalumab (MEDI4736) concurrent with nab-paclitaxel and dose dense doxorubicin cyclophosphamide (ddAC) as neoadjuvant therapy for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Background: The goal of this Phase I/II trial (NCT02489448) was to assess the safety and efficacy of concurrent durvalumab with weekly nab-paclitaxel (100 mg/m2) x 12 followed by ddAC x 4 as neoadjuvant therapy for stage I-III TNBC and to identify biomarkers of response. The primary efficacy endpoint was pathologic complete response (pCR: ypT0,is/N0). Methods: The Phase I portion of the trial assessed two dose levels of durvalumab 3 and 10 mg/kg q 2 weeks. The trial followed Simon’s two step design, with early stopping for futility if 1 % on immune and tumor cells was considered positive. Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) count was assessed on HE 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD1-01.
Improvements in well-being and cardiac metrics of stress following a yogic breathing workshop: Randomized controlled trial with active comparison.

Objective: Compare two distinct psychosocial stress-management workshops.Participants: Undergraduate and graduate students (n = 69 for analysis, completed April 2017).Methods: Participants were ran...
Software Quality Assessment for Robot Operating System.

Robot Operating System (ROS) is widely used in academia and industry, and importantly is leveraged in safety-critical robotic systems. The quality of ROS software can affect the safety and security properties of robotics systems; therefore, reliability and quality are imperative to guarantee. Source code static analysis is a key approach to formally perform software verification. We address two concerns in this paper: (1) conducting a systematic literature review study to provide a complete picture of the existing methods that analyze different aspects of ROS software, (2) performing empirical study to evaluate software properties that can influence the functionality of ROS. We leverage PMD1, an off-the-shelf static analysis tool, to conduct our empirical study over a set of ROS repositories implemented using Java. The survey analysis shows a significant shortcoming in the body of research by the lack of tailored analysis mechanisms for assessing ROS2 code and reveals that the majority of research efforts are centered around ROS1. Our empirical study shows that the Java code of ROS2 does not suffer from serious issues and the majority of the detected alerts are code style issues.
Extending the Mann‐Whitney‐Wilcoxon rank sum test to survey data for comparing mean ranks

Statistical methods for analysis of survey data have been developed to facilitate research. More recently, Lumley and Scott (2013) developed an approach to extend the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon (MWW) rank sum test to survey data. Their approach focuses on the null of equal distribution. In many studies, the MWW test is called for when two-sample t-tests (with or without equal variance assumed) fail to provide meaningful results, as they are highly sensitive to outliers. In such situations, the null of equal distribution is too restrictive, as interest lies in comparing centers of groups. In this article, we develop an approach to extend the MWW test to survey data to test the null of equal mean rank. Although not as popular as the mean and median, the mean rank is also a meaningful measure of the center of a distribution and is the same as the median for a symmetric distribution. We illustrate the proposed approach and show major differences with Lumley and Scott's alternative using both real and simulated data.
Self-regulated growth of [111]-oriented perovskite oxide films using hybrid molecular beam epitaxy

Exotic material properties and topological nontrivial surface states have been theoretically predicted to emerge in [111]-oriented perovskite layers. The realization of such [111]-oriented perovskite superlattices has been found challenging, and even the growth of perovskite oxide films along this crystallographic direction has been proven as a formidable task, attributed to the highly polar character of the perovskite (111) surface. Successful epitaxial growth along this direction has so far been limited to thin film deposition techniques involving a relatively high kinetic energy, specifically pulsed laser deposition and sputtering. Here, we report on the self-regulated growth of [111]-oriented high-quality SrVO3 by hybrid molecular beam epitaxy. The favorable growth kinetics available for the growth of perovskite oxides by hybrid molecular beam epitaxy on non-polar surfaces was also present for the growth of [111]-oriented films, resulting in high-quality SrVO3(111) thin films with residual resistivity ratios exceeding 20. The ability to grow high-quality perovskite oxides along energetically unfavorable crystallographic directions using hybrid molecular beam epitaxy opens up opportunities to study the transport properties of topological nontrivial and correlated electron systems.
Pituitary Carcinoma Diagnosis and Survival Improvement, with Affordable Care Act Correlation: A SEER Database Study

Background Pituitary carcinomas are challenging tumors to diagnose and treat due to their rarity and limited data surrounding their etiology. Traditionally, these patients have exhibited poor survival. Over the last several decades, our understanding of pituitary carcinomas has dramatically increased, and there have been recent initiatives to improve patient access to health care, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This study investigates whether there were any changes in incidence and treatment outcomes of pituitary carcinoma that correlated with these advances. Methods A retrospective case review was conducted utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database of the National Cancer Institute. Those with primary site pituitary tumors with noncontiguous metastases were identified from 1975 to 2016. Demographic data, overall, and cause-specific outcomes were obtained. The data were analyzed using SPSS to generate 5-year Kaplan–Meier curves. Results The incidence of pituitary carcinoma pre- and post-ACA was 0.31 and 2.14 diagnoses/year, respectively. This represents a significant increase (Chi-square, p Conclusion The survival for pituitary carcinoma has improved significantly which signals a change in how practitioners should counsel their patients. There is a significant surge in the number of cases in the post-ACA timeline, which suggests that improving patient access has played a part in wider recognition and treatment initiation for this disease.
Effect of Fall 2020 K-12 Instruction Types on COVID-19 Cases, Hospital Admissions, and Deaths in Illinois Counties.

Background One of the most difficult public policy decisions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has been about how to offer K-12 instruction. We sought to determine whether differences in instruction types at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year were related to differences in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in Illinois counties during the first 3 weeks of the school year. Methods We divided Illinois counties into 3 groups based on the instruction type used for a majority of K-12 students at the start of the school year: in-person, hybrid, or online-only. We used synthetic control analysis to match counties between the 3 groups. Results Both majority hybrid and majority online-only counties had significantly fewer new cases than majority in-person counties. There were no significant differences in new cases between majority hybrid counties and majority online-only counties or in new hospital admissions or deaths between any of the 3 county groups. Conclusions This paper adds to the growing scientific consensus that at least some forms of in-person K-12 instruction have not contributed significantly to the spread of the pandemic. However, our results suggest that there may be an important difference between fully in-person instruction and hybrid instruction.
Variation-Aware Methods and Models for Silicon Photonic Design-for-Manufacturability

Methods for the generation and application of process variation-aware compact models for silicon photonics are presented. Three categories of process variations are considered. First, systematic variations, including die-to-die and spatial variations, are addressed with parameterized variation-aware compact models, and demonstrated for coupled resonator optical waveguide variation impact and yield analysis. Second, methods for random variation are presented, with ensemble and adjoint-based variation modeling methods. Third, particle defects are addressed with an extension to adjoint methods, enabling efficient analysis and identification of photonic component areas that are sensitive to defects. Finally, methods for extraction of variation models using variation test chip design and measurement are presented. Together, these methods are key components toward design-for-manufacturability approaches to achieve high yield and high performance in photonic integrated circuit design.
Longitudinal Deep Truck: Deep learning and deep reinforcement learning for modeling and control of longitudinal dynamics of heavy duty trucks

Heavy duty truck mechanical configuration is often tailor designed and built for specific truck mission requirements. This renders the precise derivation of analytical dynamical models and controls for these trucks from first principles challenging, tedious, and often requires several theoretical and applied areas of expertise to carry through. This article investigates deep learning and deep reinforcement learning as truck-configuration-agnostic longitudinal modeling and control approaches for heavy duty trucks. The article outlines a process to develop and validate such models and controllers and highlights relevant practical considerations. The process is applied to simulation and real-full size trucks for validation and experimental performance evaluation. The results presented demonstrate applicability of this approach to trucks of multiple configurations; models generated were accurate for control development purposes both in simulation and the field.
The unjust distribution of urban green infrastructure is just the tip of the iceberg: A systematic review of place-based studies

Abstract Many cities are turning to greening efforts to increase resilience, but such efforts often favor privileged groups, thereby resulting in injustices. In this systematic review, we analyze 71 place-based studies of green infrastructure (GI) justice in cities worldwide. We draw from environmental justice scholarship, as well as climate and water justice literature to assess the state-of-the-art knowledge of urban GI justice. We examine the way GI is researched to improve our understanding of the types of injustices that exist in GI planning, siting, and implementation, providing rich insights into why injustices exist and pathways to address GI injustice. We find that research on GI justice in cities is growing and expanding its scope in terms of both the types of justice issues analyzed, and the groups of people excluded from the benefits of GI. We find that GI injustice stems from a history of unequal investment and non-participatory decision-making processes, where the unequal distribution of GI is only the “tip of the iceberg”. To address GI injustice around distribution, cities would have to offset a decades-long lack of investment and inclusivity in decision-making processes. Pathways to achieve GI justice point to assessing unbalanced power structures, directing continuous funding to community engagement programs and greening efforts, leveraging existing infrastructure through the multifunctionality of GI, and dedicating funding mechanisms for safety and maintenance. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research is needed to integrate the different dimensions of GI that are tailored to the community on the ground, and to monitor progress toward justice.
Growing a journal: It takes a village.

My term as the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) has come to an end. It has been a very rewarding 11 years and I feel confident that the journal is in good shape when I hand over the reins to the highly capabl...
Investigation of EMI sensor orientation and position efefcts on buried metalic target discrimination [efefcts read effects]

Near field ( ˜ 1 m) electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensing, from 10's of Hz up to 100's of kHz, has been successful in detecting subsurface metallic targets. However, the discrimination of buried unexploded ordinance (UXO) from innocuous objects still remains a challenging problem. The problem b more complicated in real field survey, when data are highly contaminated with noise and clutter. In EMI data the noise and clutter are generated from a sensor, surrounding media, sensor operation (motion and rotation) etc. Understanding and taking into account noises associated with the sensor motion and rotation are particularly important for identification and discrimination of actual UXO. To address these critical issues and to enhance of UXO identification, this paper investigates EMI scattering from a highly permeable and conducting objects subject to the state of the art of sensors using user friendly and freely available electromagnetic induction code based on the method of auxiliary sources [1]. At the end several numerical results are shown and analyzed to demonstrate the sensors rotation and shifting effects on EMI signals.
A hybrid framework of RR scheduler to ensure priority, low complexity and delay with relative fairness

In order to manage fairly the service of the queueing elements, the support of QoS with a sophisticated packet scheduling algorithms that is a part of the Fair Queuing family can be considered as essential. Two are the main parts that this work focuses; First, the Palindromic Motion (PM) algorithm that works as a timestamp (or sorted priority) scheduler keeping the flow service priority and second, the two backup flexible credit methods for adjustment of the weight which are used instead of the fixed credit method with a lower maximum weight. A feedback mechanism is used for adjusting the weight size considering the current packet size. The provisional increase of the weight is proposed by the two backup methods; the Direct Increase Weight (DIW) algorithm and the Compound Round Robin (CRR) algorithm. Advantages over recent schemes like Group Round Robin (GRR) etc are presented. Simulation experiments are provided.