cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of chronic lymphocytic leukemia allows identification of epigenetically repressed molecular pathways with clinical impact

We performed a genome-wide analysis of aberrant DNA methylation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) using methylated CpG island amplification (MCA) coupled with a promoter microarray. We identified 280 potential targets of aberrant DNA methylation in CLL. These genes were located more frequently in chromosomes 19 (16%, p = 0.001), 16 (11%, p = 0.001), 17 (10%, p = 0.02) and 11 (9%, p = 0.02) and could be grouped in several functional networks. Methylation status was confirmed for 22 of these genes (SOX11, DLX1, FAM62C, SOX14, RSPO1, ADCY5, HAND2, SPOCK, MLL, ING1, PRIMA1, BCL11B, LTBP2, BNC1, NR2F2, SALL1, GALGT2, LHX1, DLX4, KLK10, TFAP2 and APP) in 78 CLL patients by pyrosequencing. As a proof of principle, we analyzed the expression of 2 genes, PRIMA1 and APP, in primary cells and of GALGT2, TFAP2C and PRIMA1 in leukemia cells. There was an inverse association between methylation and gene expression. This could be reversed by treatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine in cell lines. Treatment in a clinical trial with 5-azacitidine resulted in decreased methylation of LINE, DLX4 and SALL1 in the peripheral blood B-cells of patients with CLL. IgVH mutational status or ZAP-70 expression were not associated with specific methylation profiles. By multivariate analysis, methylation of LINE and APP was associated with shorter overall survival (p = 0.045 and 0.0035, respectively). This study demonstrates that aberrant DNA methylation is common and has potential prognostic and therapeutic value in CLL.
Examination of the Validity of Auditory Traits and Tests

In an unaided context, and in spite of obvious conceptual differences, direction and distance hearing, soft sounds hearing, and speech understanding in noise hearing are so strongly interrelated that accurate measures of a listener's particular abilities on one of these traits would be difficult to obtain, given prior knowledge of performance on at least one of the others. The tests that are commonly used to estimate a listener's hearing performance do not provide sufficiently accurate and unbiased information. Most auditory tests are heavily influenced by method-related factors that are not impacted by the trait expected to be measured by the test. Method-related variance in test scores is not related to the trait of interest, but might still provide useful information about the person being tested. If a tester must use a set of tests with small amounts of trait variance, he/she can obtain better estimates of a person's performance on the trait by: including tests that use very different measurement methods (e.g., psychophysical, self-report, and significant-other report) converting the scores from these tests into the same metric (e.g., standardized scores) and combining the scores into an overall score. Although this is informally done in most clinical situations, formal procedures and norms should be developed. In clinical trials, outcome measures with large amounts of method variance are less likely to identify treatment options that are indeed beneficial. Method variance is systematic (i.e., an individual's bias associated with a measurement method can be expected to be stable over time and consistently different from people with other method biases. Because of this, the method variance component of a person's test score cannot be expected to average out over repeated samples, nor can it be expected to be changed by a treatment designed to change performance on a trait. Observable differences between treatments are reduced by method variance in outcome measures. Acknowledgments The author thanks Robyn Cox and Will Shadish for their consultation and assistance with this project, and Ruth Bentler, Martyn Hyde, and an anonymous reviewer for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. Chris Bentler and Jason Ruyle also deserve recognition for their help entering the simulation study data.
Altered replication in human cells promotes DMPK (CTG)(n) · (CAG)(n) repeat instability.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is associated with expansion of (CTG)n · (CAG)n trinucleotide repeats (TNRs) in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of the DMPK gene. Replication origins are cis-acting elements that potentiate TNR instability; therefore, we mapped replication initiation sites and prereplication complex protein binding within the ∼10-kb DMPK/SIX5 locus in non-DM1 and DM1 cells. Two origins, ISDMPK and ISSIX5, flanked the (CTG)n · (CAG)n TNRs in control cells and in DM1 cells. Orc2 and Mcm4 bound near each of the replication initiation sites, but a dramatic change in (CTG)n · (CAG)n replication polarity was not correlated with TNR expansion. To test whether (CTG)n · (CAG)n TNRs are cis-acting elements of instability in human cells, model cell lines were created by integration of cassettes containing the c-myc replication origin and (CTG)n · (CAG)n TNRs in HeLa cells. Replication forks were slowed by (CTG)n · (CAG)n TNRs in a length-dependent manner independent of replication polarity, implying that expanded (CTG)n · (CAG)n TNRs lead to replication stress. Consistent with this prediction, TNR instability increased in the HeLa model cells and DM1 cells upon small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of the fork stabilization protein Claspin, Timeless, or Tipin. These results suggest that aberrant DNA replication and TNR instability are linked in DM1 cells.
Structural Studies of Microcrystalline Silicon Films Produced by Sputtering

A number of microcrystalline silicon films have been deposited by RF sputtering and their structure was investigated by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray scattering, SEM, TEM and IR spectroscopy. The interpretation of these results suggests that the film growth proceeds initially via amorphous island formation and that the degree of crystallization of the final film depends on subsequent solid phase crystallization during the time of growth. The size and the preferred orientation of the crystallites correlates with the columnar growth habit of the films while the rest of the amorphous matrix is shown to exhibit a considerable degree of order.
Shortest non-trivial cycles in directed surface graphs

Let G be a directed graph embedded on a surface of genus g. We describe an algorithm to compute the shortest non-separating cycle in G in O(g2 n log n) time, exactly matching the fastest algorithm known for undirected graphs. We also describe an algorithm to compute the shortest non-contractible cycle in G in gO(g)n log n time, matching the fastest algorithm for undirected graphs of constant genus.
Effects of elevated selenium concentrations on bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) in outdoor experimental streams

Replicated outdoor experimental streams were exposed to control water and 10 and 30 μg/L selenium (introduced as sodium selenite) to evaluate whether standard laboratory test results accurately predict the effects of selenium on fish in freshwater ecosystems and to evaluate effects found in field studies as reported in the literature. Effects on the survival, growth, and reproduction of bluegill sunfish and the early life stage of their progeny were the end points measured in a 356-d study. Adult bluegills exposed to 10 μg/L had survival reductions (p ≤ 0.05) during the final 98-d period, and those exposed to 30 μg/L experienced complete mortality. Adult growth was reduced at 10 μg/L during an intermediate period (p ≤ 0.05). Exposures of adults at both 30 and 10. μg/L for 40 weeks before spawning resulted in reduced embryo and larval survival and produced larvae with a high incidence of edema, lordosis, and internal hemorrhaging (not all were statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05). This study confirms that standard laboratory tests, which expose fish only through the water pathway, have underestimated the toxicity of selenium, and that 10 μg/L of selenium in the water of a natural ecosystem may adversely affect bluegills, as concluded by other investigators in several field studies.
Memorialization and Social Justice Transformation: A Case Study of the Four Missionaries Martyred in El Salvador in 1980 and How Their Mission Continues

This paper analyzes the memorialization of the four American churchwomen killed in El Salvador on December 2, 1980. The paper focuses on the memorialization process in both the United States and El Salvador from 1980 to the present, in order to establish a more comprehensive and vibrant model for memorialization and social justice transformation. The paper argues that memorialization should be more than just concrete structures and remembrances of the past and, instead, inspire current and future generations to continue the mission of peace and social justice.
Structural and Electrical Properties of Biaxially Textured YBa2Cu3O7-x Thin Films on Buffered Ni-based Alloy Substrates

Oxide high-T{sub c} superconducting wires and tapes with high critical current density (J{sub c}) are essential in future electrical power applications. Recently, YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x} (YBCO) thin films grown on Ni-based alloy tapes have attracted intense interest because of their promise for these applications. In order to achieve high J{sub c}, buffer layers are necessary for fabricating biaxially aligned YBCO thin films. In our studies, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layers were deposited on Ni-based alloy substrate by ion-beam assisted deposition, and CeO{sub 2} buffer layers were subsequently deposited on the YSZ layer by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) or electron beam evaporation. In addition, MgO layers were deposited on Ni-based alloy substrates by inclined substrate deposition. Finally, biaxially textured YBCO thin films were deposited on these buffered metallic substrates by PLD under optimized conditions. The orientation and in-plane textures of YBCO and the buffer layers were characterized by X-ray diffraction {Theta}/2{Theta} scan, {phi}-scan, and pole figure analysis. The superconductive transition features were examined by measuring inductive T{sub c} and transport J{sub c}.
Organic direct and indirect effects with post-treatment common causes of mediator and outcome

Most of the literature on direct and indirect effects assumes that there are no post-treatment common causes of the mediator and the outcome. In contrast to natural direct and indirect effects, organic direct and indirect effects, which were introduced in Lok (2016, 2020), can be extended to provide an identification result for settings with post-treatment common causes of the mediator and the outcome. This article provides a definition and an identification result for organic direct and indirect effects in the presence of post-treatment common causes of mediator and outcome. These new organic indirect and direct effects have interpretations in terms of intervention effects. Organic indirect effects in the presence of post-treatment common causes are an addition to indirect effects through multivariate mediators. Organic indirect effects in the presence of post-treatment common causes can be used e.g. 1. to predict the effect of the initial treatment if its side affects are suppressed through additional interventions or 2. to predict the effect of a treatment that does not affect the post-treatment common cause and affects the mediator the same way as the initial treatment.
Sphinx: modeling transcriptional heterogeneity in single-cell RNA-Seq

The significance of single cell transcription resides not only in the cumulative expression strength of the cell population but also in its heterogeneity. We propose a new model that improves the detection of changes in the transcriptional heterogeneity pattern of RNAseq data using two heterogeneity parameters: "burst proportion" and "burst magnitude", whose changes are validated using RNA FISH. Transcriptional "cobursting" governed by distinct mechanisms during myoblast proliferation and differentiation, is described here.
On the Relation of the Serum Ereptase (Peptidase) Titer to the Clinical Course in Pneumonia

During the course of recent years a number of investigators have emphasized the possibility that a definite relation exists between the inception of the crisis in pneumonia and the activation of the proteolytic ferments in the area involved. Edsall and Pemberton1 in particular have advanced this idea and endeavored to make the logical clinical application of hastening autolysis as a therapeutic measure in cases of delayed resolution. Later, Jobling2 studied the serum ferments and antiferment during the course of pneumonia, noting the fact that just preceding the crisis protease was demonstrable in the serum, while the antiferment began to diminish from the high titer prevalent throughout the early part of the disease. The fundamental idea underlying the several studies in this direction has been that, apart from the intoxication arising directly from and incident to the growth of the pneumococcus, toxic split products were probably absorbed from the exudate, which could be considered a mass of foreign protein undergoing slow digestion before the crisis. Active autolysis once underway, only the lower and nontoxic products of digestion would be absorbed, and the environment for the continued proliferation of the pneumococcus would become unfavorable, as Almagia3 has suggested. In this phenomenon the primary reaction is of course local and cellular, involving the liberation of sufficient leukoprotease from leukocytes to overcome the inhibiting factors. These latter are very probably the antiferment of the serum and the exudate. Of the varieties of proteolytic ferments involved in such a digestive process, the titer of the peptidase or ereptase during the course of pneumonia has not been studied. This form of enzyme activity would
Application Research on Spring Pin Locating System

This paper introduces spring pin locating system on BIW welding line,through which the conclusion that this spring pin locating system is successful in part orthogonal direction locating.
Representative Character Analysis of Steam Coal Samples in the Nation "973" Project Study

The typical and representative character of 12 typical steam coals in the "973" project of nation are analyzed based on the resources, production, region distribution, coal-forming era and coal quality characteristic. The result is shown that, these steam coal samples can represent the resources, coal quality characteristic and production situation in various regions, coal forming era and steam coal mining area.
A Multicenter Collaborative to Reduce Unnecessary Care in Inpatient Bronchiolitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Evidence-based gGuidelines for acute viral bronchiolitis recommend primarily supportive care, but unnecessary care remains well documented. Published quality improvement work has been accomplished inchildren’s hospitals, but little broad dissemination has been reported outside of those settings. We sought to use a voluntary collaborative strategy to disseminatebest practices to reduce overuse of unnecessary care in children hospitalized for bronchiolitis in community settings. METHODS: This project was aquality improvement collaborative consisting of monthly interactive webinars with online data collection and feedback. Data were collected by chart review for 2 bronchiolitis seasons, defined as January, February, and March of 2013 and 2014. Patients aged RESULTS: There were 21 participating hospitals contributing a total of 1869 chart reviews to the project, 995 preintervention and 874 postintervention. Mean use of any bronchodilator declined by 29% (P = .03) and doses per patient decreased 45% (P CONCLUSIONS: A voluntary collaborative was effective in reducing unnecessary care among a cohort of primarily community hospitals. Such a strategy may be generalizable to the settings where the majority of children are hospitalized in the United States.
Promoting reading comprehension and critical–analytic thinking: A comparison of three approaches with fourth and fifth graders

Abstract Comprehending and critically analyzing complex, content-rich text is an essential requirement of academic excellence as well as a life-long skill for students. Unfortunately, students often struggle to comprehend print and digital media, and subsequently, they are unable to complete essential tasks, such as identifying information, making inferences, examining arguments, or vetting sources. In the present study, we compared the effectiveness of three reading interventions (i.e., Quality Talk (QT), Think before reading, think While reading, think After reading (TWA), and TWA/QT Hybrid) in promoting fourth- and fifth-grade students’ reading comprehension and critical–analytic thinking. Specifically, teachers in each intervention delivered the respective instructional mini-lessons in their language arts classes and conducted weekly text-based discussions. The results suggested that the Hybrid and QT interventions were effective at promoting high-level comprehension among fourth- and fifth-grade students. Evidence supported that students participating in the Hybrid and QT interventions engaged in more critical–analytic thinking during text-based discussions than those who received the TWA intervention, as evidenced by statistically significantly greater numbers of student-generated authentic questions and elaborated explanations. The Hybrid and QT interventions were also found to effectively boost students’ oral reading fluency in both grades across two phases. Moreover, fifth-grade students who participated in the Hybrid intervention outperformed their peers from the TWA group on the post-discussion reading comprehension assessments.
A long-term ventricular assist system.

An implantable, electrically powered pump that will provide tether-free circulatory support is being developed. The blood pump consists of a seamless polyurethane sac within a polysulfone case. Bjork-Shiley Monostrut valves provide unidirectional flow. The blood sac is compressed by a pusher plate with a stroke of 1.9 cm and actuated by a brushless direct-current electric motor and motion translator. The current unit is completely sealed, and inductive coupling techniques provide the electrical energy. The system has an implantable electronic control system as well as a battery that provides 30 minutes of operation when the external coil is disconnected. During normal operation, however, the pump is powered by a portable battery pack or by house current. The unit can pump 8.5 L/min at physiologic pressures. Twenty-six animals have had circulatory support for a period of more than 1 week. The average period of pumping was 62 days; the longest was nearly 8 months. Experiments were terminated in 18 animals because of pump-related problems and in 8 because of biologically related problems. Studies to date are very encouraging and suggest that, with further refinement, a reliable 2-year assist pump that will have important clinical application can be developed.
The psychopathic personality. One of a series.

An expert at manipulating interpersonal relationships, the psychopath may attempt to misuse the relationship with the physician for his own gain. The physician should be familiar with the psychopathic personality because of the serious trouble such patients can cause him as well as others.
Ultrapore hemofiltration during extracorporeal circulation.

These studies indicate that ultrapore filters in the venous and arterial lines of patients undergoing open-heart surgery will remove large quantities of potential embolic material from the bypass-patient circuit. A single venous line filter does not remove debris formed in the oxygenating system. The arterial line filters should be changed during pumping to permit maximum removal of debris.
Numerical Analysis of Deformation of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy in Backward Extrusion with Counter Pressure

A numerical simulation on the deformation behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy during backward extrusion with counter pressure was investigated by FE software DEFORM. The results show that the steady load increases nonlinearly with the increment of counter pressure. The equivalent strain gradient decreases significantly results from the counter pressure and the unevenness in the top of wall disappeared approximately when the counter pressure is 10~15MPa. Furthermore, there are obviously shear band along the inner fillet to outer fillet of workpiece. Higher hydrostatic pressure generated with counter pressure compared that of no counter pressure leads to improve the plastic deformation limit. The damage factor is reduced significantly in the backward extrusion with counter pressure, which is beneficial to the improvement of crack.
The Demographics of Risk and Fear

Fear, a measure of our tolerance for and reaction to risk or danger, has a demographic dimension as well as a wealth dimension. Our economic security, income, wealth, and human capital all change throughout our lifetimes. In this cycle of life, we also gain knowledge, wisdom, and experiences that can guide us when faced with financial threats. This life cycle has a number of interesting aspects.
Electrically driven reversible insulator-metal phase transition in Ca 2 RuO 4

Insulator-metal transitions (IMTs) are the subject of intense fundamental and applied research including their potential applications in electronic devices like coupled relaxation oscillators [1], neuromorphic devices [2], Phase FETs [3], and RF switches [4]. A key requirement for practical device application of IMT materials is that the IMT temperature (IWr) should be greater than 358 K (85C) which is the operating temperature of electronic chips (Fig. 1). In this work, we investigate the electrically induced IMT in epitaxially grown 0.3% tensile strained Ca 2 RuO 4 thin films wherein strain engineering increases the transition temperature (Timt) to more than 550K from a bulk value of ∼357K (ΔΤ I μT >190K). Using systematic DC and transient I-V measurements, we show that the origin of the electrically induced IMT in Ca 2 RuO 4 is current induced self-heating.
Electrochemical Molecular Beams

A Summary Report to The Electrochemical Society for the 2000 Department of Energy Summer Research Fellowship.
Animals, Freedom, and the Ethics of Veganism

While moral arguments for vegetarianism have been explored in great depth, the arguments for veganism seem less clear. Although many animals used for milk and eggs are forced to live miserable lives on factory farms, it’s possible to raise animals as food resources on farms where the animals are treated more humanely and never slaughtered. Under more humane conditions, do we harm animals to use them for food? I argue that, even under humane conditions, using animals for food typically harms animals by restricting their freedom. My argument raises an important question about the extent to which animals are harmed when their freedom is restricted. On one view, it’s possible to restrict animals’ freedom without causing them harm so long as we don’t make them suffer. This view underestimates the value of freedom for animals. Even if animals aren’t made to suffer, restricting their freedom can harm them insofar as it deprives them of freely pursuing their enjoyments in life. My argument has implications for not only the ethics of using animals as food resources but also the ethics of other human uses of animals that involve restricting animals’ freedom, such as using animals in zoos and circuses. I examine these implications and also consider what we should do with farm animals if we cease using them for food.
Efficient contour representation and estimation using image segmentation and second-order B-spline descriptors

A novel algorithm is presented for segmentation and approximation of object boundaries using edge detection and periodic second-order B-splines. A rectangular region of interest containing the closed object boundary is defined. Segmentation is done and target contour is identified followed by smoothing and the extraction of geometrical properties. Iteration is minimal and the error criterion is defined as a 1-pixel tolerance band around the contour. Unlike other active contour algorithms, the order of parameterization is unsupervised and the only a priori condition is the rectangular region of interest. The computational efficiency of this algorithm surpasses that of other active contours. The experiments reported in the paper, performed on MR (Magnetic Resonance) images, illustrate the adequacy and good performance of this approach.
An Improved Dual-Polarization Radar Rainfall Algorithm (DROPS2.0): Application in NASA IFloodS Field Campaign

AbstractCompared to traditional single-polarization radar, dual-polarization radar has a number of advantages for quantitative precipitation estimation because more information about the drop size distribution and hydrometeor type can be gleaned. In this paper, an improved dual-polarization rainfall methodology is proposed, which is driven by a region-based hydrometeor classification mechanism. The objective of this study is to incorporate the spatial coherence and self-aggregation of dual-polarization observables in hydrometeor classification and to produce robust rainfall estimates for operational applications. The S-band dual-polarization data collected from the NASA Polarimetric (NPOL) radar during the GPM Iowa Flood Studies (IFloodS) ground validation field campaign are used to demonstrate and evaluate the proposed rainfall algorithm. Results show that the improved rainfall method provides better performance than a few single- and dual-polarization algorithms in previous studies. This paper also inve...
Hydrated ferric sulfate-catalyzed reactions of indole with aldehydes, ketones, cyclic ketones, and chromanones: Synthesis of bisindoles and trisindoles

Abstract Hydrated ferric sulfate [Fe2(SO4)3·xH2O] has been found to be an efficient catalyst for condensation of bisindoles or trisindoles with aliphatic or aryl aldehydes and ketones including methyl and ethyl-alkyl ketones, methyl aryl ketones, cyclic ketones, and 4-chromanones in 19–96% yields. Trisindoles and 2,2'-alkylidenebisindoles were obtained from indole-3-carbaldehydes or 3-methylindole in 72–84% yields. A total of 43 substrates was employed, giving 33 bisindoles, 3 trisindoles, and one 2:2 product; seventeen of these are new. The best results were obtained from heating ethanolic suspensions, with Fe2(SO4)3·xH2O loaded at 60 mg per mmol of electrophiles. The reaction times were typically 1–4 h, while hindered electrophiles required 8–24 h. These conditions were strong enough to promote 2:1 condensation of indole with substrates without forming higher-order byproducts, with few exceptions. This strategy features tolerance by the catalyst of a wide range of functional groups, readily available starting materials, simple operation, mild reaction conditions, and is environmentally friendly.
A comprehensive database and analysis framework to incorporate multiscale data types and enable integrated analysis of bioactive polyphenols

The development of a given botanical preparation for eventual clinical application requires extensive, detailed characterizations of the chemical composition, as well as the biological availability, biological activity, and safety profiles of the botanical. These issues are typically addressed using diverse experimental protocols and model systems. Based on this consideration, in this study we established a comprehensive database and analysis framework for the collection, collation, and integrative analysis of diverse, multiscale data sets. Using this framework, we conducted an integrative analysis of heterogeneous data from in vivo and in vitro investigation of a complex bioactive dietary polyphenol-rich preparation (BDPP) and built an integrated network linking data sets generated from this multitude of diverse experimental paradigms. We established a comprehensive database and analysis framework as well as a systematic and logical means to catalogue and collate the diverse array of information gathered...
Techniques for Detecting Reactive Oxygen Species in Pulmonary Vasculature Redox Signaling

Redox signaling plays important roles in regulating pulmonary vasculature function. Aberrant redox signaling, e.g., overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that exceeds the capability of cellular antioxidant mechanisms, has been found to alter vasculature function and remodel blood vessel structure, thus contributes to pathological processes of pulmonary vasculature. The regulation of pulmonary vasculature via ROS is a very complicated process with various biological events involved, however, the specific effect of individual ROS and the underlying mechanism still remain unclear. Most of ROS are present as free radical forms with extremely short lifetime, which makes it very difficult to detect the ROS and investigate their bioactivities. Therefore, developing specific and sensitive methods to detect ROS in complex biological system is essential for us to advance our knowledge in pulmonary vasculature regulation. In this chapter, we introduce several commonly used techniques for the detection of ROS in vitro and in vivo, including chemiluminescence-based assay, fluorescence-based assay, cytochrome c reduction method, genetically encoded fluorescent probes, as well as ESR spin trapping technique. We also discuss the advantages, limitations, and recent technical advances of each individual technique as well as their applications in pulmonary vasculature studies. We believe that technical advance in the detection of ROS will provide us with a better understanding on how to maintain normal pulmonary vasculature functions under oxidative stress.
Spectral graph theory for characterization and homogenization of grain boundary networks

Abstract Grain boundary networks (GBNs) have a profound influence on the properties of both structural and functional materials. However, existing methods to characterize their complex structure have almost universally relied upon a binary classification of GBs as either “special” or “general”, which ignores the rich and continuous spectrum of GB types and properties. Furthermore, characterizing the aggregate network structure of GBs has proven complicated, with traditional methods focusing on local structure and also relying on a binary GB taxonomy, e.g. by evaluating how many “special” or “general” boundaries meet at triple junctions or quadruple nodes. Here we develop new structural metrics for GBNs, based on spectral graph theory, that encode both global network topology and the full spectrum of constituent GB properties, enabling high-fidelity characterization of arbitrary GBNs. Using these metrics, we derive an new structure-property relation for GBN diffusivity. The dominant term in this expression provides an efficient and accurate approximation, whose corresponding spectral metrics reveal the dominant microstructural features influencing the property of interest. The spectral index of this term serves as a type of global order parameter that reveals a fundamental structural transition in GBNs. This work provides a new framework to characterize the structure of GBNs in greater generality than previously possible and facilitates the development of new defect-sensitive structure-property models.
Complex price dynamics in vertically linked cobweb markets

Abstract We enrich the traditional cobweb model by explicitly modelling interdependencies between upstream and downstream farmers in a vertically linked agricultural supply chain. Analysis of the system of nonlinear difference equations characterizing price dynamics in the underlying model reveal complex, quasi-cyclical price fluctuations around the unique equilibrium state. We show that time-delays arising from the unequal lengths of upstream and downstream production cycles have profound effects on price dynamics. From a policy perspective, we find that improvements in downstream production technology and declines in consumers’ sensitivity to prices lead to chaotic price fluctuations. Simulations under reasonable model calibrations reproduce the stylized features of actual prices, including quasi-cyclical fluctuations, positive first-order autocorrelation and fat-tailed distributions. In doing so, we address a major criticism of the theory of endogenous price fluctuations: the failure of chaotic cobweb models to replicate positively autocorrelated prices.
Influence of septic system wastewater treatment on titanium dioxide nanoparticle subsurface transport mechanisms

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are commonly incorporated into food and consumer applications to enhance a specific product aspect (i.e., optical properties). Life cycle analyses revealed ENMs can be released from products during usage and reach wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), with titanium dioxide (TiO2) accounting for a large fraction. As such, food grade (FG) TiO2, a more common form of TiO2 in wastewater, was used in this study. Nanomaterials in WWTPs have been well characterized, although the problematic septic system has been neglected. Elution and bioaccumulation of TiO2 ENMs from WTTPs in downriver sediments and microorganisms has been observed; however, little is known about mechanisms governing the elution of FG TiO2 from the septic drainage system. This study characterized the transport behavior and mechanisms of FG TiO2 particles in porous media conditions after septic waste treatment. FG and industrial grade (IG) TiO2 (more commonly studied) were introduced to septic tank effluent and low-ionic strength electrolyte solutions prior to column transport experiments. Results indicate that FG TiO2 aggregate size (200–400 nm) remained consistent across solutions. Additionally, elution of FG and IG TiO2 was greatest in septic effluent at the higher nanoparticle concentration (100 ppm). FG TiO2 was well retained at the low (2 ppm) concentration in septic effluent, suggesting that particles that escape the septic system may still be retained in drainage field before reaching the groundwater system, although eluted particles are highly stabilized. Findings provide valuable insight into the significance of the solution environment at mediating differences observed between uniquely engineered nanomaterials.
Correlates of Success in the Sociology Major

My focus in this exploratory study is on factors related to success in the sociology major. One hundred, fourteen graduating majors from a mid-sized, public university completed a self-administered questionnaire. Students reported that talking with others about the material as well as using application, real world examples, and review strategies are critical to their learning. In multiple regression analyses, there is limited evidence for a positive relationship between several interpersonal academic/study behavior variables and success. Multiple and ordinal regression analyses point to a negative relationship between age and success in the sociology major at this institution. Implications for teaching and learning in sociology and other disciplines are discussed.
Multiphoton Microscopy in Urologic Surgery

In this chapter, we describe the current status of research in multiphoton microscopy (MPM), as it pertains to its applications in urologic surgery. Specifically, we discuss how MPM fits in the general area of “optical biopsy,” which constitutes a set of imaging techniques that utilize visible or near-infrared light to allow the visualization of fresh tissue at high resolution, without the need to process it in any way. We start this chapter with an overview of specific surgical contexts where such optical biopsies might be particularly useful. We then provide a summary of the optical biopsy techniques currently available for clinical use, along with their utilities and limitations. Next, we provide a brief introduction to the basic principles of MPM and how it might overcome some of the limitations of current optical biopsy techniques. Based on the narrative summarized above, we posit that MPM may be the next step in optical biopsy during urologic surgeries, providing solutions to some of the current unmet challenges. We then provide specific examples from published and unpublished studies from our group that demonstrates the power of MPM to make accurate diagnoses in fresh (unfixed, unsectioned, unstained) human surgical tissue from urological organs (bladder, prostate, kidney, testis, and the spermatic cord). We end this chapter with a discussion of what is on the horizon in terms of in vivo imaging, device miniaturization, and the hurdles that must be overcome before MPM can be used in the operating room.
Contraception for Women with Endocrine Abnormalities

Endocrine abnormalities are linked with the reproductive system and the interplay of endogenous and exogenous hormones must be considered prior to contraceptive initiation. The most common endocrine abnormalities in reproductive-age women include hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). There are no studies of contraceptive use in women with hyperthyroidism, goiter, or hypothyroidism. Based on studies of contraceptive use in euthyroid women, current evidence suggests that all contraceptive methods can be used without restriction in women with these conditions. There are also no contraceptive methods that are contraindicated due to PCOS itself, and the USMEC does not address PCOS specifically. However, considerations that should be involved in contraceptive method selection depend on the features of the syndrome exhibited, including abnormal menstrual cycles, the effect of unopposed estrogen on the endometrium, androgenic symptoms, or obesity and insulin resistance. Overall, the benefits of contraceptive use outweigh the risks in most patients, but some women with PCOS and metabolic syndrome may have risk factors that should be considered prior to initiation or that require increased surveillance after initiation.
Fuzzy-Stochastic Information, Financial Bubbles, Systemic Risk, Creative Destruction and Rent-Seeking Society in the Schumpeterian Political Economy

The previous chapter ended up with the nature of a money-managed economy and the financial-paper game. To follow and appreciate the complexity of the financial-paper game and the corresponding rent-seeking activities, we must keep in mind that the political economy is such that the two sectors are connected to define the production-consumption process. The connection reveals itself in the framework where the financial sector’s output goes to support the real income distribution and lubricate the exchange flows of goods and services. Additionally, it provides the service of real-value storage for real-value claims through the creation of financial assets. It also provides a mode of wealth-transfers and increasing individual or group purchasing power through credit or debt creation in reconciling conflicts between the deficit and surplus spenders in the real sector. Debt creation and buying and selling of debt are simply continual transfers of real claims over commodities and services from surplus-spenders to deficit-spenders and vice versa through a complicated system of creation of financial assets or different forms of IOUs or financial instruments and complex institutions of the debt market and sub-markets for marketing different grades of risk-income profiles.
Effect of growth stage on cotton response to a sublethal concentration of dicamba.

The introduction of auxin herbicide weed control systems has led to increased occurrence of crop injury in susceptible soybeans and cotton. Off-target exposure to sublethal concentrations of dicamba can occur at varying growth stages, which may affect crop response. Field experiments were conducted in Mississippi in 2014, 2015, and 2016 to characterize cotton response to a sublethal concentration of dicamba equivalent to 1/16X the labeled rate. Weekly applications of dicamba at 35 g ae ha-1were made to separate sets of replicated plots immediately following planting until 14 wk after emergence (WAE). Exposure to dicamba from 1 to 9 WAE resulted in up to 32% visible injury, and exposure from 7 to 10 WAE delayed crop maturity. Exposure from 8 to 10 and 13 WAE led to increased cotton height, while an 18% reduction in machine-harvested yield resulted from exposure at 6 WAE. Cotton exposure at 3 to 9 WAE reduced the seed cotton weight partitioned to position 1 fruiting sites, while exposure at 3 to 6 WAE also reduced yield in position 2 fruiting sites. Exposure at 2, 3, and 5 to 7 WAE increased the percent of yield partitioned to vegetative branches. An increase in percent of yield partitioned to plants with aborted terminals occurred following exposure from 3 to 7 WAE and corresponded with reciprocal decreases in yield partitioned to positional fruiting sites. Minimal effects were observed on fiber quality, except for decreases in fiber length uniformity resulting from exposure at 9 and 10 WAE.Nomenclature: Dicamba; cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.; soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.
School Contributions to School Disorder

In this chapter we make some conservative tests of the proposition that school social organization contributes to the explanation of the level of disorder the school experiences. This undertaking is a risky one: cross-sectional measurement-based research is a weak method for making causal inferences. Nevertheless, by carefully delineating the hypothetical causal model and assessing the implications of that model, we can sort hypotheses with merit from those with little support in the data.
Sustained Increases in the Quality of Imaging Histories Provided by Ordering Providers Resulting From Multidisciplinary Collaboration and Systems Design.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to create sustained improvement in the frequency of more complete imaging histories provided with imaging examinations submitted direc...
ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes in embryonic vascular development and hypertension.

Hypertension, a chronic elevation in blood pressure, is the largest single contributing factor to mortality worldwide and the most common preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High bl...
Canada Case: Revealing Creativity and 4-C Responses

This chapter describes educators’ thoughts about creativity and accountability in Canada and probes how these align or conflict with accountability-based conceptions of creativity. This qualitative case study focused on how inhabitants at an urban Canadian university conceive creativity and accountability within the high-stakes testing era, giving rise to the pedagogic research question: Can diverse graduate students and educators in Canada discover creativity when encouraged under educational constraint? University stakeholders participating in a public institution were mostly preservice and novice inservice teachers, faculty members, and leaders. Information was gathered onsite in Toronto at a leading research university’s highly diverse education unit. Responses were stimulated from individuals and groups via interviews and an activity using the researcher’s 4-C Classroom and Activity Interview Protocol for Canada. With three classes, this semistructured, open-ended protocol was approached as an educational brainstorming activity. Rooted in the Four C Model of Creativity, the research tool uniquely offers a translation (methodological, pedagogical, and contextual) of the 4-Cs: Mini-c, Little-c, Pro-C, and Big-C. Results shed light on the 4-Cs and their relative importance, suggesting a differentiation among the creativity types. Across participant responses, two themes emerged: socially just pedagogy and educational entrepreneurialism. Striking differences between students and professors’ thinking about these complex ideas enrich the perspectives elicited on educational creativity and accountability. Reflections are offered.
Association of Alcohol Consumption and Ideal Cardiovascular Health Among South Asians: The Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Study.

Background Observational studies have shown that alcohol consumption above the recommended limit is associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD), although its association in South Asians is unclear. Less is known regarding the association between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular health (CVH), assessed by the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (LS7) health metrics among those with South Asian ancestry. Methods This analysis included 701 participants without CVD from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) cohort (2015 to 2018). Based on a personal history questionnaire, participants were divided into never, former, and current drinkers. The current drinking category was further classified into 1 to 3 drinks/wk, 4 to 7 drinks/wk, and >7 drinks/wk. The consumption of 5 or more drinks on 1 occasion in the past month was defined as binge drinking. Each LS7 component was given a point score of 0, 1, or 2. The total score was categorized into 0 to 6, 7 to 10, and 11 to 14 to represent poor, intermediate, and ideal CVH, respectively. We use multinomial logistic regression to examine the association between alcohol consumption and CVH. Results In the MASALA cohort (mean age = 59 years, 43% female), participants consuming >7 drinks/wk had the lowest mean CVH score. Compared with never drinkers, male participants consuming >7 drinks/wk were less likely to have intermediate CVH (0.44 [0.08, 0.91]) and ideal CVH (0.23 [0.03, 0.96]). Binge drinking was associated with significantly lower odds of ideal CVH compared with never drinkers. Conclusion We found evidence of an inverse association of moderate to heavy alcohol consumption and ideal CVH in South Asian men. These findings further underscore the important relationship between alcohol consumption and CVH in this unique population of South Asians.
Historians on Hamilton: how a blockbuster musical is restaging America’s past: edited by Renee Romano and Claire Bond Potter, New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers University Press, 2018, 399 pp., $27.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-0813590295

It is no secret that secondary school teachers have been using Hamilton, the Broadway phenomenon, to stimulate interest in early United States history, or that many history majors on college campus...
A coordinated scheme of electricity-gas systems and impacts of a gas system FDI attacks on electricity system

Abstract The increased penetration of natural gas-fired generation units in electricity systems calls for coordination of natural gas and electricity systems. Moreover, concerns over security of coordinated gas-electricity systems are spreading in recent years. Notably, both energy systems are vulnerable to malicious cyber-attacks. Within this context, this article (1) proposes a coordination scheme for the day-ahead schedule of natural gas and electricity systems; (2) defines a new class of false data injection (FDI) cyber-attacks on the gas demand and scheduling information of the natural gas system; and (3) investigates the impacts of such attacks on the operation of both energy systems. The coordination mechanism consists of three nested optimization problems. The natural gas system scheduling step in the mechanism is modeled as a bi-level max–min optimization problem with consideration of attacks. We use a column and constraint generation (C&CG) algorithm to solve this bi-level problem. The coordination mechanism and bi-level attack problem are examined using a case study based on the IEEE 24-node test system and a 9-node gas system, as well as a case study based on the IEEE 118-node test system and a 25-node gas system.