cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monosoonal precipitation responses of shrubs in a cold desert community on the Colorado Plateau

South-eastern Utah forms a northern border for the region currently influenced by the Arizona monosoonal system, which feeds moisture and summer precipitation into western North America. One major consequence predicted by global climate change scenarios is an intensification of monosoonal (summer) precipitation in the aridland areas of the western United States. We examined the capacity of dominant perennial shrubs in a Colorado Plateau cold desert ecosystem of southern Utah, United States, to use summer moisture inputs. We simulated increases of 25 and 50 mm summer rain events on Atriplex canescens, Artemisia filifolia, Chrysothamnus nauseosus, Coleogyne ramosissima, and Vanclevea stylosa, in July and September with an isotopically enriched water (enriched in deuterium but not 18O). The uptake of this artificial water source was estimated by analyzing hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of stem water. The predawn and midday xylem water potentials and foliar carbon isotope discrimination were measured to estimate changes in water status and water-use efficiency. At. canescens and Ch. nauseosus showed little if any uptake of summer rains in either July or September. The predawn and midday xylem water potentials for control and treatment plants of these two species were not significantly different from each other. For A. filifolia and V. stylosa, up to 50% of xylem water was from the simulated summer rain, but the predawn and midday xylem water potentials were not significantly affected by the additional summer moisture input. In contrast, C. ramosissima showed significant uptake of the simulated summer rain (>50% of xylem water was from the artificial summer rain) and an increase in both predawn and midday water potentials. The percent uptake of simulated summer rain was greater when those rains were applied in September than in July, implying that high soil temperature in midsummer may in some way inhibit water uptake. Foliar carbon isotope discrimination increased significantly in the three shrubs taking up simulated summer rain, but pre-treatment differences in the absolute discrimination values were maintained among species. The ecological implications of our results are discussed in terms of the dynamics of this desert community in response to changes in the frequency and dependability of summer rains that might be associated with a northward shift in the Arizona monsoon boundary.
Steroid determination from complex mixtures by high pressure chromatographic techniques.

The concepts described in this work emphasize the fabrication of components, the importance of partitioning supports, and an interesting ternary mobile phase system for high pressure liquid chromatography. The particular application of its utility as an analytical tool relates to quantitative determination of fluocinolone acetonide and fluocinonide from cream- or ointment-like formulations. Sensitivity of detection and resolution capability of the partitioning system for a number of related steroids are discussed in some detail.
TCP retransmission timeout algorithm using weighted medians

This letter presents a new retransmission timeout (RTO) algorithm based on recursive weighted median (RWM) filters for the transmission control protocol (TCP). The RTO algorithm utilized in current TCP implementations is Jacobson's algorithm, which is based on recursive linear filtering. While linear filters are adequate for estimation in Gaussian signal environments, the round trip time (RTT) signals filtered to determine the RTOs are often impulsive. Thus, Jacobson's algorithm is not effective in many cases. The proposed algorithm employs RWM filters that yield improved performance when operating on RTT signals with heavy tailed statistics. Simulation results show that the proposed method yields significantly tighter RTT bounds than Jacobson's method over Internet traffic with heavy tailed statistics.
Use of patient self-report oral health outcome measures in assessment of dental treatment outcomes.

Objective: To assess the sensitivity of a newly developed brief measure of oral health-related quality of life (OQOL). Methods: Self-assessed oral health and OQOL were measured in three groups of patients who had presented for either prophylaxis (n = 32), endodontic care (n = 15), or for a denture (n = 16) in a dental school setting before and after treatment. Main outcome measures included the single-item self-report of oral health (OH-1) and the 6- and 12-item versions of a new OQOL instrument. General linear modeling was used to compute means of self-reported oral health by treatment group. Results: Of the 63 patients who completed the baseline questionnaire, 44 (70 percent) returned questionnaires after treatment. The sample averaged 43 ± 15 years, 48 percent male and 55 percent with some college education. Ethnic representation included 35 percent White, 33 percent Black, and 32 percent other – mostly Latino. The mean self-reported number of teeth was 20.6. In terms of sensitivity, significant differences were observed between the treatment groups on the items assessing being upset (P < 0.05), feeling depressed (P < 0.05), and uncomfortable about the appearance of teeth or dentures (P < 0.05). However, magnitude of change, as measured by an effect size, was characterized as minimal to small in the recall and endodontic groups and borderline moderate in the denture group. Conclusion: The measure was sensitive to differences within groups, with a small to borderline magnitude of change.
Measuring Supportive Music and Imagery Interventions: The Development of the Music Therapy Self-Rating Scale.

Background Previous research has demonstrated modest benefits from music-based interventions, specifically music and imagery interventions, during cancer care. However, little attention has been paid to measuring the benefits of music-based interventions using measurement instruments specifically designed to account for the multidimensional nature of music-imagery experiences. Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the development of, and psychometrically evaluate, the Music Therapy Self-Rating Scale (MTSRS) as a measure for cancer patients engaged in supportive music and imagery interventions. Methods An exploratory factor analysis using baseline data from 76 patients who consented to participate in a music-based intervention study during chemotherapy. Results Factor analysis of 14 items revealed four domains: Awareness of Body, Emotionally Focused, Personal Resources, and Treatment Specific. Internal reliability was excellent (Cronbach alphas ranging from 0.75 to 0.88) and construct and divergent-discriminant validity supported. Conclusions The MTSRS is a psychometrically sound, brief instrument that captures essential elements of patient experience during music and imagery interventions.
Cognitive deficit in schizophrenia and its neurochemical basis.

Cognitive impairment is a central feature of schizophrenia and has been correlated with negative symptoms and impaired social functioning. There is a growing body of data suggesting that the so-called atypical antipsychotic drugs (e.g. clozapine, risperidone, and olanzapine) are better at enhancing cognitive function than traditional neuroleptics. Preclinical studies of information processing using a pre-pulse inhibition model show that the mechanism of action of both olanzapine and clozapine for cognitive enhancement may involve glutamatergic/N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonism. Using positron emission tomography, we have described the metabolic and neurochemical correlates of cognitive impairment induced by glutamatergic/NMDA antagonism. A better understanding of the underlying causes of cognitive impairment may contribute to elucidating the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and the development of more efficacious treatments for this disorder.
Risk Assessment for Low-Dose and Low-Dose-Rate Radiation

I doubt if we will come up with an answer for this assessment, but I am sure a number of you have something to say on the subject. Let me introduce it by pointing out that there have been several US National Research Council studies on the subject of assessment of risk from ionizing radiation. One is called BEIR III (the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation). It created a great deal of controversy because it represented the average view of the committee and had two dissents. One said the report was too conservative and the other said just the opposite. So perhaps it was a good average after all. A second report which has recently appeared is called FREIR (Federal Research Efforts in Ionizing Radiation). This report was wise and made no attempt to assess the risk from ionizing radiation but indicated the kinds of research that might be useful in reaching conclusions about the quantitative effects of ionizing radiation.
Aggregate and Regional Supply Functions for Ghanaian Cocoa, 1946–1962

HE main purpose of this paper is the construction of an econometric model to explain the supply of Ghanaian cocoa. There are two main points of interest: the forces which motivate the farmer to plant and the relationship between acres planted and output harvested. The latter becomes important because acreage data are not available. Once the behavioral and agronomic interconnections relative to planting and output have been determined, it should be possible to estimate the regional supply functions for Ghana since data are available by region. With the aid of covariance analysis it will then be possible to determine whether or not an aggregate function for some or all of the regions is statistically significant. Two factors which could cause dissimilar regional parameters are differences in soil quality and different age composition in the various cocoa growing areas. If the parameters are significantly different, aggregation will not be possible and an attempt will be made to explain the dissimilarities.
Enabling Military Coalition Command and Control with Interoperating Simulations

This paper reports on progress in developing standardized methods for military coalitions to interoperate command and control (C2) systems and simulations as a system-of-systems, resulting in improved functionality and timeliness for participants. Command and control systems are networked software systems that commanders, staffs, and other participants use to exchange tasking information (called Orders) and status information for situational awareness (called Reports). Simulations are useful as C2 system elements for analysis and to stimulate training and mission rehearsal. C2SIM combines the two and has particular value in a coalition environment, where each nation prefers to use its own C2 system and simulation. The paper describes NATO and SISO activities in C2SIM, the technical approach used to achieve interoperability, and examples of its success.
Aerophagia Induced Reflux in Breastfeeding Infants With Ankyloglossia and Shortened Maxillary Labial Frenula (Tongue and Lip Tie)

Background: Infants with tongue and possible lip tie often have a poor latch in which there is often an inadequate seal around the breast and disorganized swallowing. As a result, many of these infants swallow air during breastfeeding. Many of these infants suffer from symptoms of reflux. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of questionnaire/intake surveys of 1,000 infants over 5 years in private surgical practice. The inclusion of these infants was determined based on painful breastfeeding, poor lip seal, infant taking H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors. These infants underwent release of their restrictions with CO 2 laser. Results: This study shows a correlation between aerophagia in infants with short maxillary labial frenula (maxillary lip tie) and ankyloglossia and reflux. A new term has been created to describe this entity: aerophagia induced reflux (AIR). Five hundred twenty (52%) showed improvement or complete reversal of symptoms of reflux to the end point of cessation of reflux medication. Two hundred eighty-three (28.3%) had no change in reflux, and 191 (19.1%) showed post-surgical improvement in post-feed irritability and less reflux symptoms but not successfully weaned off medications. Conclusion: There appears to be a relationship between maxillary lip tie (ankyloglossia and shortened maxillary labial frenula) and AIR. Treatment of these infants with a relatively simple frenotomy procedure may reduce or eliminate reflux. As a result, many of these infants may be spared from invasive testing or medications that have been shown to have potentially significant side effects. This may change diagnostic and treatment algorithms. Int J Clin Pediatr. 2016;5(1):6-8 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/ijcp246w
The CuBot: A modular, ruggedized transport system for terrestrial and extra-planetary, multi-agent robotic systems

A great deal of interest has surfaced in recent years, in the field of robotics, with regard to heterogenous and homogenous, multi-agent robotic systems. NASA, military organizations, mining interests and search-and-rescue teams have all begun to examine the benefits of such systems. This paper will outline a proposed standard and interface for a transport system, for such robots, with the CubeSat standard in mind. Building on this idea the CuBot system will address the additional needs of a robotic system in harsh environments, extensibility and flexibility with regard to robot type and ease of integration into potiential transport vehicles.
Imaging cortical hemodynamics using visible-light optical coherence tomography

We developed visible-light optical coherence tomography to quantify the full cortical hemodynamic parameters, including blood flow, blood oxygen saturation, and microangiogram, to investigate brain functions in both wild-type and disease model mice.
Analysis of modern organizational strategic competence

So far,the contents of strategic theory are continuously enriched and have become the core of modern management theory.This paper expounds that strategic theory creates advantage competence for organizations and creates strategic plan for organizations to obtain sustainable competitive advantage.
A geometric proof of Asplund’s differentiability theorem

A geometric consequence inB of local uniform rotundity inB* is used to prove Asplund’s theorem on Frechet differentiability of convex functionals.
Grain Yield of Corn, Soybeans, and Oats as Affected by Crop Rotation and Nitrogen Fertilization for Corn

A crop rotation was started in 1984 to study the effect on crop yields of seven crop sequences and N fertilization rates for corn. Table 1 shows the sequences and N rates used since 1984. Nitrogen treatments of 0, 80, 160, and 240 lb N/acre were applied only for corn. Granulated urea was incorporated into the soil by plowing or field cultivating in the spring or fall for continuous corn and in the spring for other rotations. Oats were always undersown with alfalfa. No hay was harvested after harvesting oats, but three harvests were made in other years. Hay yields for rotation 5 (one year) and rotation 6 (two years) are not shown.
Histopathology of Meniere's disease.

Meniere’s Disease is a pathologic condition of the inner ear characterized by the presence of sudden bouts of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, and/or aural fullness. Although much has been discovered on this disease since the first description by Prosper Meniere, the pathophysiology of the events leading to the clinical symptoms of the disease is still under debate. This study aims to perform an up-to-date review on Meniere’s Disease, focusing on histopathology, pathophysiology, genetics, and causative mechanisms.
Abstract 386: Compound 21 Induces Natriuresis via Renal AT2 Receptor Activation in Male and Female Rats

Endogenous renal des-aspartyl 1 -angiotensin II (angiotensin III) activates renal proximal tubule AT 2 receptors (AT 2 Rs) and induces natriuresis via a nitric oxide-cyclic GMP signaling pathway. The present study explores the ability of highly selective non-peptide AT 2 R agonist Compound 21 (C21) to induce natriuresis. Sprague-Dawley rats (12 weeks old; male N=22; female N=18) were studied in the presence and absence of concurrent 24-h AT 1 R blockade with candesartan (CAND;0.01 mg/kg/min). Rats were anesthetized with Inactin 100 mg/kg i.p., uninephrectomized and instrumented for delivery of 3 cumulative 30-min i.v. infusions of C21 (100, 200, and 300 ng/kg/min) following a 30-min control infusion of vehicle. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured for all periods and urine Na + excretion rate (U Na V) was calculated for the control and final C21 collection periods. To determine whether the systemically induced natriuresis is mediated by renal AT 2 Rs, PD-123319 (PD), a specific AT 2 R antagonist, was infused directly into the renal cortical interstitium(20 μg/kg/min and 10 μg/kg/min for females and males, respectively) during the i.v. C21 infusions. In female rats, C21 increased U Na V from 1.5 ± 0.20 to 7.48 ± 0.95 μmol/min (P Na V from 0.46 ±0.08 to 6.21 ± 1.33 μmol/min (P 2 R activation in both male and female rats. These data suggest the potential for AT 2 R agonist therapy in hypertension.
Examining Nursing Students' Stress in an End-of-Life Care Simulation

Abstract Background This research investigated undergraduate nursing student stress in an end-of-life care simulation in psychological and physiological measures and examines the impact of simulator and learner type on stress. Method A quasi-experimental study was conducted examining psychological and physiological stress. Psychological stress was measured by using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale, form Y-1. Physiological stress was measured by heart rate and blood pressure. Results Statistically significant levels of psychological stress were noted when care was being given to the high-fidelity manikin when compared with the standardized patient ( p = .003). Active learners experienced statistically significant psychological stress than observing learners ( p = .001). Conclusions Undergraduate nursing students experienced more psychological stress than physiological stress when involved in an end-of-life care simulation and when serving as active learners.
Examining the role of trait emotional intelligence on psychiatric symptom clusters in the context of lifetime trauma

Abstract Objective This article examines the role of socio-demographic variables, lifetime trauma and trait emotional intelligence (EI) as predictors of trauma-related symptom clusters (depression, anxiety, and somatization). Method 202 adults receiving seeking psychological services at a community-based mental health clinic completed self-report questionnaires. Results Socio-demographic variables, lifetime trauma and trait EI significantly related to all outcomes, but trait EI had the largest impact. Trait EI was negatively related to the measures of psychological distress, with standardized coefficients ranging between −0.39 to −0.67. Combined, the three groups of variables explained between 28 and up to 50% of the variance in the outcomes. Conclusions These results suggest that trait EI is valuable in the prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety, and somatization symptom clusters among individuals exposed to trauma, in particular among individuals with low income and education.
VASODEPRESSOR SYNCOPE: Diagnosis and Management

When humans first rose and walked on their hind legs, they markedly increased their vulnerability to the effects of gravity on the circulatory system. The brain, the organ most susceptible to hypoxia, was placed at quite a disadvantageous location, making humans more susceptible than other animals to syncope, the clinical manifestation of reduced blood flow to the brain's reticular activating system. The challenge posed by upright posture is the vertical displacement of blood below the heart. A series of cardiovascular regulating mechanisms are activated to prevent an excessive decline in venous return and thus maintain arterial blood pressure and cerebral perfusion. In normal individuals, a carefully controlled balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic components of the autonomic nervous system allows rapid adjustments to take place and maintain near-constant cerebral perfusion. Other more subtle mechanisms, such as volume and osmotic regulation as well as release of endogenous hormones, contribute to maintenance of arterial blood pressure during prolonged standing. 41 Given the complexity of the adjustments involved, it is not surprising that dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system accounts for a large number of clinical syncopal syndromes.
User-controllable learning of location privacy policies with gaussian mixture models

With smart-phones becoming increasingly commonplace, there has been a subsequent surge in applications that continuously track the location of users. However, serious privacy concerns arise as people start to widely adopt these applications. Users will need to maintain policies to determine under which circumstances to share their location. Specifying these policies however, is a cumbersome task, suggesting that machine learning might be helpful. In this paper, we present a user-controllable method for learning location sharing policies. We use a classifier based on multivariate Gaussian mixtures that is suitably modified so as to restrict the evolution of the underlying policy to favor incremental and therefore human-understandable changes as new data arrives. We evaluate the model on real location-sharing policies collected from a live location-sharing social network, and we show that our method can learn policies in a user-controllable setting that are just as accurate as policies that do not evolve incrementally. Additionally, we highlight the strength of the generative modeling approach we take, by showing how our model easily extends to the semi-supervised setting.
Language Acquisition vs. Language Learning

Language learning is the teaching about a language (its use, its speaker, its structure), with the hope that the student will learn enough to actually be able to speak the target language. Language acquisition, in its current sense, tries to expose the student to the target language in meaningful ways so that he or she acquires the language’s structure through actual use. Language learning follows from the official language model, whereas Native American languages are taught as foreign language in their own native community. This helps to commodify the heritage language; makes studying it an artificial exercise; and occupies the time, money, and effort of the population that could be better spent in doing language acquisition and achieving real results of the revitalization of their heritage language.
The Cooperative Relationship between STAT5 and Reactive Oxygen Species in Leukemia: Mechanism and Therapeutic Potential

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are now recognized as important second messengers with roles in many aspects of signaling during leukemogenesis. They serve as critical cell signaling molecules that regulate the activity of various enzymes including tyrosine phosphatases. ROS can induce inactivation of tyrosine phosphatases, which counteract the effects of tyrosine kinases. ROS increase phosphorylation of many proteins including signal transducer and activator of transcription-5 (STAT5) via Janus kinases (JAKs). STAT5 is aberrantly activated through phosphorylation in many types of cancer and this constitutive activation is associated with cell survival, proliferation, and self-renewal. Such leukemic activation of STAT5 is rarely caused by mutation of the STAT5 gene itself but instead by overactive mutant receptors with tyrosine kinase activity as well as JAK, SRC family protein tyrosine kinases (SFKs), and Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog (ABL) kinases. Interestingly, STAT5 suppresses transcription of several genes encoding antioxidant enzymes while simultaneously enhancing transcription of NADPH oxidase. By doing so, STAT5 activation promotes an overall elevation of ROS level, which acts as a feed-forward loop, especially in high risk Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) mutant leukemia. Therefore, efforts have been made recently to target ROS in cancer cells. Drugs that are able to either quench ROS production or inversely augment ROS-related signaling pathways both have potential as cancer therapies and may afford some selectivity by activating feedback inhibition of the ROS-STAT5 kinome. This review summarizes the cooperative relationship between ROS and STAT5 and explores the pros and cons of emerging ROS-targeting therapies that are selective for leukemia characterized by persistent STAT5 phosphorylation.
Far-field acoustic subwavelength imaging and edge detection based on spatial filtering and wave vector conversion.

The resolution of acoustic imaging suffers from diffraction limit due to the loss of evanescent field that carries subwavelength information. Most of the current methods for overcoming the diffraction limit in acoustics still operate in the near-field of the object. Here we demonstrate the design and experimental realization of an acoustic far-field subwavelength imaging system. Our system is based on wave vector filtering and conversion with a transmitter at the near-field and a spatially symmetrical receiver at the far-field. By tuning geometric parameters of the transmitting/receiving pair, different spatial frequency bands can be separated and projected to the far-field. Furthermore, far-field imaging and edge detection of subwavelength objects are experimentally demonstrated. The proposed system brings new possibilities for far-field subwavelength wave manipulation, which can be further applied to medical imaging, nondestructive testing, and acoustic communication. Plasmonic effects and subwavelength scattering arrays are used in the optical domain to access subwavelength resolution imaging in the far field. Here, the authors develop an analogous strategy for far-field, subwavelength imaging at acoustic wavelengths and demonstrate edge detection of acoustic scattering objects.
Objectivity: Philosophical Aspects

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by B. Leiter, volume 16, pp 10793–10797, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Science Communication in Agriculture: The Role of the Trusted Adviser

Abstract Effective communication of science to end users can be challenging. Misinformation, misunderstanding and mistrust abound. It is imperative that the end user has an understanding and appreciation for science and how it can be applied to solve environmental problems. Scientists have a role to play in this discourse, but here it is argued that they may not be the primary communicator to stakeholders. Agriculture is an important consumer of scientific information and has a long-standing and well-developed relationship with scientists and advisers for obtaining and applying specialized scientific knowledge. Extension scientists and crop advisers are trusted sources of information for farmers. Their partnership leads to better distribution and application of research findings. Professional private crop advisers exist in many countries around the world including Africa, where one example shows how extension has played a key role in developing village residents to take on the role of science delivery. Similar models for partnering extension with community experts to deliver knowledge to residents have been successful in urban settings and provide a model that could be expanded into other disciplines.
Wideband Doherty Power Amplifier in Quasi-Balanced Configuration

A new architecture of wideband Doherty power amplifier is presented based on a quasi-balanced configuration. It is revealed that by grounding the isolation port of the branch-line quadrature coupler at the output of a balanced PA, a standard Doherty circuitry can be formed. Based on this discovery, this paper exhibits the design of wideband Doherty power amplifier using wideband standalone PAs and wideband quadrature couplers. It is further unveiled that by loading the isolation port with different reactance, an optimal Doherty behavior can be maintained across the entire frequency range. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a first-pass prototype experimentally presents desired Doherty characteristics across a wide bandwidth from 1.9 to 2.5 GHz, achieving 50–78% of peak efficiency and 43–56% of efficiency at 6-dB power back-off.
Anthocyanins—Nature’s Bold, Beautiful, and Health-Promoting Colors

Anthocyanins are among the most interesting and vigorously studied plant compounds, representing a large class of over 700 polyphenolic pigments within the flavonoid family that exist ubiquitously in the human diet. They are “nature’s colors,” responsible for providing the beautiful red-orange to blue-violet hues present in many leaves, flowers, vegetables, and fruits, especially berries. The beginning of the 21st century has witnessed a renaissance in research activities on anthocyanins in several areas, mainly related to their potential health-promoting properties and their increased use as alternatives to synthetic food colors. There is increasingly convincing scientific evidence that supports both a preventative and therapeutic role of anthocyanins towards certain chronic disease states. Many anthocyanin-based extracts and juice concentrates from crop and/or food processing waste have become commercially available as colorants and/or value-added food ingredients. There is a large and evolving peer-reviewed literature on how anthocyanin chemistry and concentration may affect their coloring properties in food. Equally as important is the food matrix, which can have large impacts on anthocyanin color expression, stability and degradation, particularly regarding the applications of anthocyanins as food colorants and their health-promoting properties. This Special Edition of Foods, titled “Anthocyanins in Foods,” presents original research that extends our understanding of these exciting and complex compounds.
A Stable Task Assignment Scheme in Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing has become a popular business development strategy that outsources self-contained small tasks to a crowd of people to solve problems that an individual or an organization cannot easily do. There are two different task assignment types in crowdsourcing platforms: the worker selected task mode and the server assigned task mode. Right now, the crowdsourcing websites only use one of them and the satisfaction of the workers and the requesters is not fully addressed. Furthermore, it is not easy for the requesters to identify qualified workers quickly. In this paper, we propose a crowdsourcing model that considers the preferences of both the requesters and workers to improve their satisfaction and thereafter benefits the crowdsourcing platform. We first put forward a ranking formula for the requesters to identify qualified workers timely based on the Bayesian inference by considering two factors: the prices the workers charge and their online reviews, and then propose a stable task assignment algorithm STA that stably matches the workers and the tasks through the stable marriage approach. Simulation results show that our proposed task assignment approach greatly improves the satisfaction of the requesters and the workers compared with the existing Hungarian method and the STA variations that only consider one factor.
Pharmacological treatment strategies for subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA).

Introduction Subependymal ependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs) occur almost exclusively in the setting of tuberous sclerosis (TSC). They are low-grade gliomas which typically produce clinical symptoms through either mass effect or hydrocephalus. As do other manifestations of tuberous sclerosis, these lesions result from mutations in either the TSC1 or the TSC2 gene. These mutations cause hyperactivation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). In view of their tendency to grow slowly, clinical symptoms usually only occur when the tumors reach a considerable size. Therapy can involve surgical resection, cerebrospinal fluid diversion, or medical therapy with an mTOR inhibitor. Areas covered Herein, the authors discuss the diagnosis, symptoms, and practical management of SEGAs as well as providing their expert opinion. Expert opinion mTOR inhibitors have largely replaced surgery as the primary modality for the management of SEGAs. Surgical treatment is largely limited to tumors that present with acute hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure. Patients with TSC should undergo periodic screening with CT or preferably MRI scans of the brain from childhood to approximately age 25 to identify SEGAs which require treatment. In addition to avoiding potential morbidity associated with surgical resection, mTOR inhibitors have the potential to improve the clinical status of tuberous sclerosis patients generally.
Large granular lymphocytosis in a cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) with a subclinical Trypanosoma cruzi infection

A 5.25-year-old cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) was found to have a marked leukocytosis due to a lymphocytosis on routine quarantine laboratory data prior to inclusion in a preclinical research study. The majority of lymphocytes were characterized as intermediate to large with round to convoluted nuclei, coarse to clumped chromatin, rare prominent nucleoli, and moderate amounts of lightly basophilic cytoplasm that frequently contained small magenta granules and/or clear vacuoles. The animal had tested negative for several viruses and other etiologic agents found in nonhuman primates 1 week prior to shipment to the research facility. However, further evaluation of the blood smear revealed rare hemoflagellates, and later testing using real-time PCR and ELISA was confirmatory for Trypanosoma cruzi (T cruzi). Trypanosoma cruzi is a zoonotic pathogen responsible for Chagas disease in people and can have negative consequences on study results when positive animals are inadvertently used for preclinical research. This case report describes a marked large granular lymphocytosis in an otherwise healthy macaque as the only indication of infection with T cruzi in an animal believed to be negative for the infection. Additionally, it highlights the diagnostic limitations of screening tests to rule out diseases in animals intended to be used in preclinical studies.
Northern Cedar Mountains Red Beds, Tooele County

Recent mapping for the Tooele 30' x 60' quadrangle geologic map revealed more information about interesting exposures of red beds cropping out in an 11-mile (18-km) swath along the northwestern flank of the Cedar Mountains (Clark and others, 2017, 2019 in review). They are unusual because such rocks are seldom preserved in northwestern Utah, an area known for thick thrust sheets of Paleozoic marine carbonate and sandstone. These rocks were first mapped by Robert Maurer for his Ph.D. dissertation on the geology of the Cedar Mountains (Maurer, 1970). He called them North Horn (?) Formation and noted the presence of fresh-water snails (Gyraulus sp.) that a paleontologist said were probably of late Paleocene or Eocene age. The North Horn Formation is considered Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian age) to Paleocene or Eocene (~70 to 60 Ma) in age. However, recent detrital zircon analysis from sandstone in the unit suggest a much older age, with the youngest grains (maximum depositional age) of 117 Ma, or Early Cretaceous, Aptian (UGS and O’Sullivan, 2017). Two samples of gray mudstone taken for fossil pollen in the unit did not produce any usable material. Inspection of these rocks by Don DeBlieux (Utah Geological Survey paleontologist) revealed no bone or other biological material at this location.
Not All Fluorination Is the Same: Unique Effects of Fluorine Functionalization of Ethylene Carbonate for Tuning Solid-Electrolyte Interphase in Li Metal Batteries.

Li metal batteries (LMBs) are crucial for electrifying transportation and aviation. Engineering electrolytes to form desired solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is one of the most promising approach...
Toward a Doctrine of Socially Responsible Marketing (SRM): A Macro and Normative-Ethical Perspective:

In this conceptual article, the authors use a macro-level analysis and normative ethical theory to delineate and to explicate a doctrine of socially responsible marketing (SRM). Applying a theory-i...
Prognostic significance of regression and mitotic rate in head and neck cutaneous melanoma.

Importance While regression is a commonly reported microscopic feature of melanoma, its prognostic significance is unclear. Objective To examine the impact of regression on sentinel node status and the likelihood of recurrence in primary cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck. Design Retrospective analysis of 191 adults who underwent surgical management for primary cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck between May 2002 and March 2019. Setting Tertiary academic center. Participants Patients appropriate for the study were identified by the Academic Health Center Information Exchange using a list of current procedural terminology codes. One hundred and ninety-one cases of invasive melanoma of the head and neck were included from 830 patients identified. Clinical features assessed for each patient included age, sex, location of primary lesion, date of diagnosis, and current disease status (alive with or without disease). Histologic features assessed were histological melanoma subtype (nodular vs non-nodular), Breslow thickness, Clark level, presence/absence of ulceration, mitotic rate per square millimeter, and regression. If applicable, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) status, date of recurrence, interval treatments, and date of death related to melanoma were recorded. Exclusion criteria included melanoma outside the anatomic parameters of head and neck, ocular or choroidal melanoma, mucosal melanoma, metastatic melanoma to the head or neck with no known primary tumor, melanoma of the head or neck with no surgical intervention, and non-melanoma skin cancers of the head and neck. Intervention/exposure Surgery for cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck. Main outcomes and measures The association between presence of regression and Breslow thickness, sentinel node status, and recurrence. Results Of the 191 patients identified, 30.9% were female and 69.1% were male with a mean age at diagnosis of 62.6 (range 20-97) years. Mean Breslow thickness was 1.2 mm in those with regression and 2.0 mm in those without regression. In patients with regression, 17.6% had a positive sentinel node, and 13.0% experienced a recurrence. In patients without regression, 26.5% had a positive sentinel node, and 31.4% experienced a recurrence. When adjusted for other factors above, regression was not associated with positive sentinel node (odds ratio [OR] = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.13-2.00) or recurrence (OR = 0.33, CI = 0.07-1.01). Mitotic rate >2 was associated with recurrence (OR = 2.71, CI = 1.11-6.75, P = .03). Conclusions and relevance Patients with presence of regression had thinner melanomas and trended toward decreased rates of sentinel node positivity and recurrence, suggesting regression may not be a negative prognostic indicator in patients with cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck.
Optimal agency contracts: The effect of vicarious liability and judicial error

Abstract Under the doctrine of vicarious liability, a deep-pocket principal is often held responsible for a third-party harm caused by a judgment-proof agent’s negligence. We analyze the incentive contract used by the principal to control the agent’s behavior when a court can make an error in determining the agent’s negligence. We show that (1) reducing the error of declaring the agent not negligent even when he was (pro-defendant or type II error) is better than reducing the error of declaring the agent negligent even when he was not (pro-plaintiff or type I error) and (2) allowing the principal to penalize the agent even when the court declares the agent not negligent improves welfare. The latter supports the argument that causing an accident (or a reliable allegation of misconduct) should be sufficient to justify a “just cause” termination of an employee.
Socialization in Commercial Breeding Kennels: The Use of Novel Stimuli to Measure Social and Non-Social Fear in Dogs.

Understanding the behavioral welfare of dogs in commercial breeding kennels (CBKs) is important for improving breeders’ management practices as well as dog welfare. In the current study, breeding dogs from CBKs were exposed to novel stimuli to evaluate their behavioral responses, with emphasis on indicators of fear. Subjects were presented with a standard stranger-approach test, a traffic cone, and a realistic dog statue. Sixty dogs were exposed to the three stimuli and behavioral responses were scored using an ethogram developed for this study. Dogs spent significantly more time investigating the environment, staying further away from the stimulus, and they took longer to approach and investigate when presented with the cone than with the dog statue or stranger (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that the cone elicited more fear-related behaviors than the dog statue and stranger. Given these results, in addition to socializing their dogs to unfamiliar people and other dogs within their kennels, commercial breeders should be encouraged to increase the exposure of their dogs to more diverse novel stimuli to reduce non-social fear and support the welfare of dogs while they reside in the kennel and when they transition to new homes.
Prelicensure nursing students’ perceptions of a rapid transition to an online learning environment

Background/Objective: The need to transition to an online learning environment secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic required prelicensure nursing educators and students to become rapidly familiar with new teaching modalities. There is insufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of, and satisfaction with, the online learning environment in prelicensure nursing education due to historic underutilization of online methods and lack of research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the experiences and satisfaction of prelicensure nursing students with regards to effective teaching modalities following a rapid transition from the traditional to online learning environment. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of data from an online survey of 215 students registered for the prelicensure nursing major at a medium sized state university in the American Midwest in the spring semester of 2020. During this semester, a rapid transition from the traditional to online learning environment occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis within this secondary study focused on a series of open-ended questions inviting students to comment on the effectiveness of, and satisfaction with, online learning, together with perceived barriers, advantages and disadvantages in the context of a rapid transition to an online learning environment during the spring semester 2020. Framework analysis was utilized for the secondary qualitative data analysis. Results: Four themes were identified in the secondary analysis of the survey responses from the primary study which appeared to shape the students’ experiences of the shift to online learning. These were: learning environment, course design and delivery, communication, and learner characteristics. Analysis of open-ended responses suggested each of these themes could be experienced by students along a continuum ranging from unfavorable to favorable. The combination of each student’s experiences along these continua appear to cumulatively impact and predict their success in the online learning environment. Conclusions: Perceptions of online learning were personal to, and differed between, individual students. Faculty can directly impact two of the themes identified: course design and delivery and communication. Individualization of the student’s learning experience through tailored course delivery and support of learning needs will aid in increased satisfaction and successful learning outcomes. Analysis of open-ended responses suggested that each of these themes could be experienced by students along a continuum ranging from unfavorable to favorable. The combination of each student’s experiences along these continua appear to cumulatively impact and predict their success in the online learning environment.
Two-Phase Processing Methods

Optimistic concurrency control is a major alternative to locking [KuRo81], but is less suitable than locking in meeting the requirements of DBMSs for high performance transaction processing [Haer84],[Moha92b]. However, there have been many prototyping efforts [Robi82], [KeTe84], [LeRo85], [MuTa85], [Room82], numerous proposals for improved algorithms [MeNa82], [Robi84], [Haer84], [PrSU86], [BCFP87], [FrRT92], and several analyses of optimistic concurrency control performance [MeNa82],[MoWo85],[RyTh87]. Optimistic concurrency control has also been applied to operations on abstract data types [Herl90].
Selling Diversity Short: An Essay Responding to Nancy Leong's Racial Capitalism

Racial Capitalism’s attempt to cast “diversity” as an impediment, perhaps the impediment, to our collective ambition to achieve racial reconciliation exposes Leong’s fundamental misapprehension of diversity in both theory and practice. Leong attempts to indict diversity for our present system of exchanging racial identity in social status markets. The problem is that the commodification of race pre-existed the rise of diversity and will likely survive long past its demise if the late Derrick Bell’s prediction about the permanence of racism holds true. Critiques of diversity are nothing new, even those from the left, but Leong does more than just assail the efficacy of diversity’s means or the legitimacy of its ends. Racial Capitalism goes beyond prior critiques in attempting to render diversity not only bereft of its instrumental value, but also laden with harmful effects. On the former point Leong’s critique is familiar even if more cynical. But the latter critique is novel and reveals the error of Leong’s assumptions about the ways in which diversity operates both conceptually and practically. The trap into which Leong falls is not an unfamiliar one. She fails to recognize how diversity’s instrumental approach to race diverges substantially from the remedial/corrective justice approach to race under affirmative action theory and practice. She critiques only some watered-down and ineffectual version of diversity. The more robust version of diversity has more instrumental value than Leong admits and less harmful effects. Rather than creating or even exacerbating the problems Leong has identified, diversity is instead endeavoring to achieve the egalitarian goals to which Leong herself says we should be aspiring, and it is producing tangible results along the way. Leong‘s theory of Racial Capitalism fails because, in essence, it sells diversity short.