cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unterschiede im aggressiven Verhalten der Geschlechter: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen soziobiologischer Erklärung

Die soziologische Theoriebildung hat lange Zeit die Frage vernachlassigt, welche Rolle die Geschlechtszugehorigkeit bei der Erklarung des Sozialverhaltens spielen soll. Fur zahlreiche Klassiker des Faches schien es keinen Unterschied zu machen, welchem Geschlecht die jeweiligen Akteure angehoren, wichtiger war, je nach befragter Theorie, der „subjektiv gemeinte Sinn“ einer Handlung, die zugehorige „objektive Klassenlage“ oder was immer. Hinsichtlich der hier aufgeworfenen Frage ist es wichtig sich zu verdeutlichen, das die fehlende Auseinandersetzung mit der Kategorie des Geschlechts wohl keineswegs zufallig war, sondern vielmehr einer tiefsitzenden Skepsis gegenuber allen Behauptungen einer biologischen Grundlage menschlichen Verhaltens entsprungen sein durfte. Den Klassikern der Soziologie kam es ja darauf an, sofern fur den Augenblick eine Gemeinsamkeit ihrer Ziele angenommen werden darf, das das menschliche Sozialverhalten keineswegs mehr als Ergebnis einer unwandelbaren menschlichen Natur verstanden werden sollte, wie dies die alteren Sozialphilosophen angenommen hatten, sondern die neue Disziplin setzte bei den historisch wandelbaren gesellschaftlichen Verhaltnissen an, welche auch die Verkehrsformen des Alltags in immer neue Formen gos. Im Zeitalter der Industriellen Revolution entstanden, welche die Lebensverhaltnisse der Menschen in bislang unbekanntem Masse veranderte, durfte fur die Ablehnung unwandelbarer Kausalitaten als Erklarung des Sozialverhaltens die Zustimmung einer Mehrheit der Sozialwissenschaftler erwartet werden.
What Is the Appropriate Duration of High-Dose Atorvastatin Therapy Post-Acute Coronary Syndrome?

Purpose:To determine the optimal duration of high-intensity atorvastatin therapy post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Summary:A literature review was conducted using the MEDLINE database (1966-October 2013) and employing the search terms “atorvastatin OR statins AND myocardial infarction OR acute coronary syndromes.” Clinical trials in the English language with available abstracts were used to identify potential data sources. Four major trials evaluating atorvastatin 80 mg daily after an ACS were identified. The duration of follow-up ranged from 16 weeks to a median of 4.9 years. High-dose atorvastatin regimens were associated with a reduction in coronary events but also with higher rates of drug discontinuation due to adverse reactions. The benefit of high-dose atorvastatin has been sustained for at least 5 years.Conclusion:After an ACS, high-dose atorvastatin should be continued for at least 5 years. High-dose atorvastatin demonstrated a reduction in coronary events but dose reductions and higher disconti...
The rovibrational Raman spectrum of water vapour v 1 and v 3

The OH stretching region in the Raman spectrum of water vapour has been observed and reproduced by computer simulation using rovibrational wave functions derived from the analysis of high-resolution absorption spectra. Relative intensity measurements allow the determination of the depolarization ratio and the ratio of the two non-vanishing second-order irreducible tensor components for v 1. These quantities have been combined with the literature value for the cross section of this band to calculate the principal cartesian components of the v 1 derived polarizability tensor. The cross section for the v 3 vibration was also determined, and these results are considered in terms of the bond polarizability theory.
Macrocephaly and Risk of Seizures

The epidemiology, perinatal risk factors, and major neurologic comorbidity of 42 children with hydrocephalus were studied in a community-based clinic for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities at the Institute for Child Development, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Implementation of Finite Height Levee in CaFunwave Using an Immersed Boundary Method

Hydrodynamic simulations of storm-surge waves on coastal structures are essential for coastal areas in predicting wave and flood damages. In a large scale regional model, the coastal structures, such as networks of coastal highways, floodgates and levees, are often complex in shapes. In addition, the width of those structures are smaller in size compared to the grid sizes which in the ranges of 10s to 100s meters. Therefore, in hydrodynamic simulations, it is not possible to use body fitted mesh to conform with the shapes of those networks due to the complicated shapes, and it is very expensive to resolve these small scale structures with very fine grid resolutions. The Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) allows for overcoming these difficulties with an accurate but less expensive way. Since the structures were represented by immersed boundary (IB) points which do not have to be collocated with grid points, complicates shapes structures and the structures smaller than grid resolutions can be realized, and simple Cartesian grids can be utilized without sacrificing accuracy. In a previous study by the authors, an infinite height floodgate/levee structure has been implemented using an IBM which the IB force terms were added in both u and v equations while no IB force term in z (water-elevation) equation. In this study, the height effect was added to the previous developed model. It is worth mentioning that the background flow model is a 2-D depth-averaged shallow water flow model, and the height effect is not implemented by a 3-D mesh. Instead, it is implemented by adding the IB force to the water-elevation equation. The feedback-force type of IBM was used in this study because of its superior performance on this type of simulations compared to the counterpart direct-forcing IBM as shown in the author’s previous publication. In this study, the CaFunwave package was used as the background flow solver, and the IB implementation was written into an separate function incorporated to the package. The equations solved in CaFunwave are the fully nonlinear Boussinesq-type equations, which are capable of modeling of near-shore hydrodynamics. The original model of CaFunwave is FUNWAVE-TVD. In this paper, constant height and non-constant height floodgates/levees were implemented in the simulations. Non-constant height represents broken floodgate/levee situations that parts of the structure are collapsed. The results of one constant-height gate simulation were compared to the results of a simulation that a finite height gate that was constructed directly from the topography data for validation. The floodgate/levee height and shape effects on the flows and waves were revealed from the simulation results.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Experimentelle und histologische untersuchungen der spermatophorenbildung bei der feldheuschrecke Gomphocerus rufus L. (Orthoptera, Acrididae)

The tubular spermatophore of Gomphocerus rufus L. is formed 3 to 4 minutes after the begin of copulation; it consists of various proteins which are secreted by the 16 tubules of the paired accessory glands. Selective surgical ablation of the tubules indicate, that the secretion of the accessory glands serve the following functions: determination of the shape of the spermatophore, transmission of the pressure necessary for spermatophore transfer and formation of the lumen of the spermatophore. The course of production of the spermatophore has been studied.
A Study of MOCVD-Grown Gallium Nitride Nucleation Layers on Sapphire

Nucleation layers of GaN have been deposited in an MOCVD reactor on (0001) sapphire, over a range of temperatures and layer thicknesses, using either N2 or H2 carrier gas. The layers have been found to be continuous, textured films as deposited at low temperatures (600°C), but to reorder upon annealing, segregating into nucleation sites which exhibit the normal heteroepitaxial relationship with the sapphire substrate.
A New Type of Generalized Predictive Control Based on ARMAX Model

In this paper,a new type of generalized predictive control based on ARMAX model is proposed.The internal relations between the control strategy and Model Algorithmic Control(MAC) are revealed.
Concept and Research Framework of Smart Grid "Source-Grid-Load" Interactive Operation and Control

Interaction is one of the important features of the smart grid.Existing studies on the interactive factors of the power system mainly focus on partial aspects such as source-grid coordination and interactive power consumption,to the neglect of overall thinking and systematic study of the grid operation and control in the complex environment of interaction between power supply,power grid and load.The concept and connotation of "source-grid-load" interaction is proposed.The balance capability of power generation and consumption can be improved through coordinated interaction.Based on an analysis of the challenges in realizing "source-grid-load" interaction,six study fields of smart grid "source-grid-load" interactive operation and control framework are presented,i.e.,basic theory,characteristic analysis of complex interaction,modeling of complex interaction behavior,interactive capability identification,theory and method of safe operation analysis of interactive grid,flexible interactive coordinated control strategy and technology.An overview and outlook of each field are also given by referring to its demands.
Shear Stress in Cutting

A more careful examination of the shear stress that occurred on the shear plane in metal cutting is made in this chapter. It is motivated by a need to explain the significant difference between the shear-stress and shear-strain values in orthogonal cutting data and torsional tests data.
Tuned to Terrible: A Study of Parallel Particle Advection State of the Practice

The algorithms foundational to visualization are central to the production visualization tools running at computing centers around the world and consume tremendous amounts of finite, limited resources. We believe that understanding the performance characteristics of these algorithms is critical in being good stewards of computational centers' resources. In this paper, we report initial studies on one such foundational algorithm: parallel particle advection. We have performed an extensive parameter study of the de facto standard algorithm that is commonly used in parallel production visualization tools as well as for in situ visualization environments. Our study has shown that the default parameters used in this algorithm lead to generally poor results, and identify settings that optimized performance on the system in our parameter sweep.
The risks and rewards of radiation

Timothy Jorgensen's Strange Glow relates a brief history of our dealings with radiation, tracking the most important events and profiling the most pioneering researchers in the field.
Genetic Similarity, Ethnocentrism, and Political Attitudes

The preponderance of research on the study of ethnocentrism has primarily attributed such attitudes to learned behavior. The research here advances the argument that both socialization and genetic inheritance contribute to the development of ethnocentric attitudes and behavior. This analysis employs the Minnesota Twins Political survey data consisting of 596 complete twin pairs. Using the classical twin design we employed structural equation modeling to model the covariance of twins in regards to additive genetic effects, shared-environment effects, and unique-environment effects (i.e., the classic ACE model). The findings reveal that genetic inheritance is significant in explaining the variance in genetic attitudes. Specifically, genetic inheritance explains 18% of the variance, with the overwhelming 82% being explained by the unique environment. The validity of these findings is further tested using DeFries-Fulker models, which allows us to control for authoritarianism, conservatism and education. The results reveal that genetic inheritance possesses the largest magnitude, when compared to other explanatory variables.
Nontoxic Cationic Coumarin Polyester Coatings Prevent Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Formation

The rapid increase in bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health concern. Infections arising from bacterial contamination of surgical tools, medical implants, catheters, and hospital surfaces can potentially be addressed by antimicrobial polymeric coatings. The challenge in developing such polymers for in vivo use is the ability to achieve high antimicrobial efficacy while at the same time being nontoxic to human cells. Although several classes of antimicrobial polymers have been developed, many of them cannot be used in the clinical setting due to their nonselective toxicity toward bacteria and mammalian cells. Here, we demonstrate that coumarin polyesters with cationic pendant groups are very effective against Gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Coumarin polyesters with pendant cationic amine groups were coated onto glass coverslips and tested for their antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa colonization of the surface. The results demonstrate that the cationic ...
Maternal BMI and Glycemia Impact the Fetal Metabolome.

OBJECTIVE We used targeted metabolomics to determine associations of maternal BMI and glucose levels with cord blood metabolites and associations of cord blood metabolites with newborn birth weight and adiposity in mother-offspring dyads. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Targeted metabolomic assays were performed on cord blood plasma samples from European ancestry, Afro-Caribbean, Thai, and Mexican American newborns (400 from each ancestry group) whose mothers participated in the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) Study and who had anthropometric measurements at birth. RESULTS Meta-analysis across the four cohorts demonstrated significant correlation of all cord blood metabolites analyzed with maternal fasting levels of the same metabolites at ∼28 weeks’ gestation except for triglycerides, asparagine/aspartate, arginine, and the acylcarnitine C14-OH/C12-DC. Meta-analyses also demonstrated that maternal BMI with or without adjustment for maternal glucose was associated with cord blood metabolites including the branched-chain amino acids and their metabolites as well as phenylalanine. One-hour but not fasting glucose was associated with cord blood 3-hydroxybutyrate and its carnitine ester, a medium-chain acylcarnitine, and glycerol. A number of cord blood metabolites were associated with newborn birth weight and sum of skinfolds, including a negative association of triglycerides and positive association of 3-hydroxybutyrate, its carnitine ester, and serine with both newborn outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Maternal BMI and glycemia are associated with different components of the newborn metabolome, consistent with their independent effects on newborn size at birth. Maternal BMI is associated with a newborn metabolic signature characteristic of insulin resistance and risk of type 2 diabetes in adults.
Short-term outcomes of open hip preservation surgery for symptomatic extraarticular femoroacetabular impingement.

IntroductionThe purposes of this study were to describe: (i) short-term disease-specific patient-reported outcome scores (PROMs); and (ii) factors associated with reoperation or treatment failure i...
The Impact of Temperature and Body Size on Fundamental Flight Tone Variation in the Mosquito Vector Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae): Implications for Acoustic Lures.

Aedes aegypti (L.) males use female flight tone as a means of mate localization. By playing the sound of a flying female, males can be attracted to a trap to monitor mosquito populations and the progress of transgenic male releases. However, the female flight tone used to attract males needs to be optimized to maximize trap effectiveness. The fundamental frequency of female flight tone could be influenced by both body size and ambient temperature. However, no analysis yet has considered both the effect of body size and temperature on female flight tone of Ae. aegypti. Here, we present results for both these factors by recording the sounds of free-flying and tethered females across multiple temperature environments and with females reared for small, medium, and large body sizes. We demonstrate that female fundamental frequency is highly dependent on the environmental temperature, increasing ∼8-13 Hz with each °C gain. Body size and whether a female was tethered or free-flying did not impact the relationship between frequency and temperature, although further analysis is warranted. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between flight tone and temperature, and will inform the design of male mosquito traps.
Barrier Coverage: Foundations and Design

The coverage of a wireless sensor network (WSN) characterizes the quality of surveillance that the WSN can provide. A deep understanding of the coverage is of great importance for the deployment, design, and planning of wireless sensor networks. Barrier coverage measures the capability of a wireless sensor network to detect intruders that attempt to cross the deployed region. The goal is to prevent intruders from sneaking through the network undetected. It is a critical issue for many military and homeland security applications. In this chapter we provide a comprehensive survey on the barrier coverage of wireless sensor networks. The main topics include the critical conditions and construction of barrier coverage in a 2-dimensional WSN, the barrier coverage under a line-based sensor deployment scheme, the effect of sensor mobility on barrier coverage, and the barrier coverage for a 3-dimensional underwater sensor network. For each topic we discuss the challenges, fundamental limits, and the solution for the construction of sensor barriers.
Specialty optical fiber materials and fabrication techniques for lasers

Fiber laser are intrinsically limited by numerous nonlinear phenomena. This talk described suppression approaches based on compositional engineering of the glasses from which the fibers are made. Threshold values for two parasitic phenomena, Brillouin scattering and TMI, have are shown herein to have dependencies that, at some composition or range of compositions, can be zeroed. Example glass systems are presented that satisfy these conditions. In summary, a materials approach to the mitigation of high energy laser parasitic effects is shown to be a powerful and preferred method in comparison to the present focus on waveguide design.
Experimental evolution of color preference for oviposition in Drosophila melanogaster

Preferences are the foundation of economics. Preferences are taken by economists as fixed by some implicitly biological process. In recent decades, behavioral economics has documented the divergence between the nature of human preferences and the assumptions of standard economics. In this study, we use the tool of experimental evolution to study the evolution of color preferences in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). In particular, we select for a preference for laying eggs on the color aqua. We find that the flies evolve to lay more than twice as many eggs on aqua. However, this evolution occurs entirely because the flies lay more eggs overall. The flies in this study, do not evolve to lay a higher percentage of eggs on the selected color, aqua.
Disappointing results: a call to action

We read with a great deal of enthusiasm and interest the recent article by Doyle et al . entitled “Ventilation in extremely preterm infants and respiratory function at 8 years of age” recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine (1). This well designed, cohort study examined respiratory outcomes at 8 years of age in children born extremely preterm in 3 different time periods (cohorts): 1991–1992, 1997, and 2005. The authors hypothesized that respiratory outcomes would improve from the earliest time period to the last time period, with less oxygen dependence at 36 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA) and improved lung function at 8 years of age.
Negotiating Trade: Merchant Manuals and Cross-Cultural Exchange in the Medieval Mediterranean.

This essay explores Italian mercantile perceptions of the non-western Mediterranean world during the late Middle Ages. In particular, it analyzes the corpus of merchant manuals known as pratiche della mercatura and argues that the intercultural and cross-confessional material included in these handbooks were vital components that helped facilitate trade across ethno-religious frontiers in the Arab-Turkic regions. This paper opens with an examination of the “traditional” manual genre, with particular emphasis on Francesco Pegolotti’s Libro di divisamenti di paesi (c. 1310-40). Pegolotti and other pratiche compilers proffered practical counsel on linguistic exchange, local folklore and customs, and resourceful intermediaries (dragomans) that could accommodate cultural assimilation for the trader abroad. The remainder of the essay builds on the fruitful historiographical shifts of recent years and identifies two additional manuals: Leonardo Frescobaldi’s Viaggio in Egitto(c. 1390) and Goro Dati’s Sfera(c. 1435). These texts, cascaded to a wide merchant audience, include striking language on the common theological underpinnings of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. These two authors, and specifically Dati, also highlight the complex character of the Italian merchant and reveal that economic self-interest helped construct common ground across major barriers of faith in the medieval Mediterranean.
Diverse single-amino-acid repeat profiles in the genus Cryptosporidium

Genome sequencing has greatly contributed to our understanding of parasitic protozoa. This is particularly the case for Cryptosporidium species (phylum Apicomplexa) which are difficult to propagate. Because of their polymorphic nature, simple sequence repeats have been used extensively as genotypic markers to differentiate between isolates, but no global analysis of amino acid repeats in Cryptosporidium genomes has been reported. Taking advantage of several newly sequenced Cryptosporidium genomes, a comparative analysis of single-amino-acid repeats (SAARs) in seven species was undertaken. This analysis revealed a striking difference between the SAAR profile of the gastric and intestinal species which infect mammals and one species which infects birds. In average, total SAAR length in gastric species is only 25% of the cumulative SAAR length in the genome of Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium meleagridis, species infectious to humans. The SAAR profile in the avian parasite Cryptosporidium baileyi stands out due to the presence of long asparagine repeats. Cryptosporidium baileyi proteins with repeats ⩾20 residues are significantly enriched in regulatory functions. As postulated for the related apicomplexan species Plasmodium falciparum, these observations suggest that Cryptosporidium SAARs evolve in response to selective pressure. The putative selective mechanisms driving SAAR evolution in Cryptosporidium species are unknown.
Use of 3D Human-Computer Interaction for Teaching in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction Fields

In this paper, we outline the development of SKOPE VR, a system for immersive interaction within a 3-Dimensional Virtual Reality(VR) Environment designed to teach of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) students. The paper presents the potential capacity of immersive and interactive tools for teaching and will discuss the key challenges for creating 3-D environments with embedded interactivity. Then, the solution proposed in the SKOPE-VR system will be discussed in terms of its rationale and its development process. Finally, some of the advantages of using immersive technologies for teaching future AEC professionals will be discussed.
Toward a Definition of Expertise in Medicine

The theme editor introduces a special issue focusing on the topic of expertise as it applies to the practice of medicine. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Effect of Catabolite Repression on Chemotaxis in Salmonella Typhimurium

The Chemotaxis of Salmonella typhimurium LT2-ST1, grown with different sole carbon sources toward ribose, allose, serine, aspartate, and glucose, was examined. Maximum Chemotaxis toward serine, aspartate, and glucose were unchanged with either glucose or citrate as the carbon source. The height of the peak in the ribose response curve was 25% of a standard serine response when the bacteria were grown on citrate. However, when the bacteria were grown on glucose, the ribose response was 1% of the serine standard, and when on glycerol, 5%. Chemotaxis toward allose, a competitive inhibitor of ribose Chemotaxis, was similarly affected. The amount of ribose binding protein, the receptor for ribose Chemotaxis, was determined in bacteria grown on citrate, glucose, or glycerol. The amount of ribose-binding protein released from cells grown on glucose or glycerol was appreciably less than the amount released from cells grown on citrate. These data suggest that the observed effect on ribose Chemotaxis is due to catabolite repression of ribose-binding protein and another component of the chemotactic system.
Toward a Psychobiology of Transcendence: God in the Brain

Since the time of atomists like Democritus, forerunner of Plato and Aristotle, two modes of scientific explanation have been used to fill the conceptual space between mind and brain, a dualism more grudgingly resistant to resolution than that of energy and matter. One method assumes a world of hidden realities, impenetrable, to be understood by conjecture and test, observations evaluated for their consistency with hypothetical constructs. The other requires an intuitive grasp of the essence, insightful awareness of the thing itself. The first approach defines a unification of mind and brain out of the possible; the second assumes it. Feelings about these orientations still run strong. In a recent book, the philosopher of science Sir Karl Popper expressed irritation with Plato for intermixing these two thought styles without acknowledging the intermixture, concluding that only the conjectural-test approach is valid; the other kind of knowing Popper dismissed as a “will-o-the-wisp” (Popper & Eccles, 1977).
Linear Combinations of Elliptic Logarithms

In this chapter we give the analogue for elliptic logarithms of a Baker inequality, proved for elliptic curves with complex multiplication. The first inequality of this type was given by Masser [Mas I]. We shall follow Coates—Lang [CL], giving a stronger one, with a pattern of proof which follows the original Baker arguments more closely, especially in the use of the Kummer theory.
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in Family Research

Family researchers are often interested in dynamic complex processes that are present in daily life and regular activities, occur both within and between individuals, and unfold over various periods of time. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and other approaches for intensive, real-world data collection enable researchers to collect large amounts of information in people’s natural environments. We provide an overview of the rationale and benefits of using EMA methods and discuss the types of questions in family research that can be addressed with such intensive assessment strategies. There are many design and practical issues that researchers must consider when implementing EMA studies, and a brief overview of such considerations is provided. Finally, we discuss areas in family research where we believe it may be particularly useful to incorporate EMA methods, such as in interventions.
MAYBEE'S “SIGN SOLVABILITY”

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses Maybee's sign solvability. The Lancaster Original Standard Form (LOSF) form is a triangular square matrix with positive signs above the diagonal and a negative diagonal, augmented by a final column of positive entries. All square matrices, for which all paths are positive and in which there are no positive cycles of dimension greater than one can be put in form M2 by permissible permutations and sign changes. The original LOSF is both necessary and sufficient for sign solvability if h ≪ 0, but the general Lancaster general standard form is not the most general form as it is sufficient, but not necessary, for sign solvability in cases where there are no columns without zeros.
Familial Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: Families Informing Populations.

Familial clustering of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) has been observed for nearly 6 decades. Family studies have provided seminal observations in delineating the phenotypic spectrum of WM susceptibility and confirming the importance of immunoglobulin M (IgM) monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (IgM MGUS) as a precursor condition for WM, providing the rationale for large population-based epidemiologic studies of IgM MGUS and WM, and providing both the basis and the material for ongoing genetic studies aimed at identifying WM predisposition genes. Together, these investigations may help elucidate the host factors underlying WM development.
Long-Term Assets: Intangibles

A company should measure an intangible asset at its fair value at the time of acquisition. The costs of internally developing, maintaining, or restoring intangible assets generally should be expensed as incurred (with some exceptions). Intangible assets other than goodwill may or may not be amortized depending on their useful lives to the entity: Assets with finite lives are amortized; assets with indefinite lives are not. Goodwill is not amortized.
Fueling automobility: thoughts on Lindsey B. Green-Simms’s Postcolonial Automobility: Car Culture in West Africa

Lindsey Green-Simms’s Postcolonial Automobility: Car Culture in West Africa couples pioneering analyses of canonical West African films and literature, such as Sembene Ousmane’s Xala (1975) and Ama...
Cross- vs. self-pollination in ‘Hass’ avocados growing in coastal and inland orchards of Southern California

Abstract The dynamics of pollen transfer from complimentary pollinizing avocado cultivars and pollen deposition onto and within flowers of ‘Hass’ avocado trees growing in southern California was examined. Experiments were conducted during the flowering seasons of 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006. Three commercial ‘Hass’ (an A-type avocado) orchards interplanted with complimentary, B-type cultivars were chosen in locations representing cool, humid or warm, dry “Mediterranean” conditions. Replicate cages were constructed of 40% saran shade cloth, which prevented penetration of bees and other flying insects larger than 2 mm to the ‘Hass’ flowers but permitted passage of drifting pollen. They were sown to form the rectangular cage roof, walls and floor and supported by a pipe framework. Four cages were installed over the canopies of ‘Hass’ tree branches at the humid coastal site and at the inland, dry sites during February or early March of each year. Enclosure was accomplished during floral bud development but before the beginning of floral openings. At all locations, each caged and open-pollinated partner was staged next to each other with at least two non-observed buffer trees between the pair. The conclusions of the work were that self-pollination within Stage 2 flowers was the dominant mode of pollination at all the humid, coastal and the dry, inland test sites. Moreover, it was determined that pollen transfer between cultivars was mediated by wind, and bees had a negligible role in pollen transfer despite high forage activity. Temperatures that were marginally warm enough to allow normal floral opening and closing behavior were still insufficient to allow pollen tube growth to the ovule before abscission of the flowers. These results provide the basis for understanding why growers utilizing solid block avocado plantings in some areas achieve good yields without bees.
User Privacy: A Practical Guide for Librarians

The library has become an important hub in the digital age, as the implementation of public computing programs has brought more community members into the library, where they conduct business, send...
Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer-Induced Sleep Disruption.

Sleep is essential for health. Indeed, poor sleep is consistently linked to the development of systemic disease, including depression, metabolic syndrome, and cognitive impairments. Further evidence has accumulated suggesting the role of sleep in cancer initiation and progression (primarily breast cancer). Indeed, patients with cancer and cancer survivors frequently experience poor sleep, manifesting as insomnia, circadian misalignment, hypersomnia, somnolence syndrome, hot flushes, and nightmares. These problems are associated with a reduction in the patients’ quality of life and increased mortality. Due to the heterogeneity among cancers, treatment regimens, patient populations and lifestyle factors, the etiology of cancer-induced sleep disruption is largely unknown. Here, we discuss recent advances in understanding the pathways linking cancer and the brain and how this leads to altered sleep patterns. We describe a conceptual framework where tumors disrupt normal homeostatic processes, resulting in aberrant changes in physiology and behavior that are detrimental to health. Finally, we discuss how this knowledge can be leveraged to develop novel therapeutic approaches for cancer-associated sleep disruption, with special emphasis on host-tumor interactions.
Risk of malignancy and neoplasia predicted by three molecular testing platforms in indeterminate thyroid nodules on fine-needle aspiration.

Background The management of thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology is challenging. Recently, molecular testing on fine-needle aspirates (FNAs) has been advocated to determine whether clinical follow-up or surgery is warranted for patients. Three different testing platforms were performed on aspirates from our institution (Afirma Thyroid FNA Analysis, RosettaGX Reveal, and Interpace ThyGenX/ThyraMIR). This study compares their diagnostic efficacy. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of indeterminate thyroid FNAs with correlating molecular testing over 4 years (2015-2018). The aspirates included diagnoses of follicular lesion of undetermined significance, follicular neoplasm, or suspicious for malignancy (SM). Based on cases that underwent surgical resection (Afirma, n = 37; Rosetta, n = 19; Interpace, n = 14), we calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for risk of malignancy and neoplasia. Results The three tests performed similarly when predicting risk of malignancy. They showed high sensitivity (80-100%) and NPV (90-100%) but lower specificity (10-64%) and PPV (21-44%). When assessing their value to predict neoplasia, each test had a high PPV (76-89%) but low NPV (20-33%). The sensitivity for neoplasm was intermediate to high (50-93%), and the specificity remained extremely variable (11-67%). Conclusion Overall, these molecular platforms performed similarly, displaying high NPV but low to intermediate PPV for malignancy and low NPV but high PPV for neoplasm. The risk of neoplasm is a good index for surgery, and we argue that many of the neoplasms are low-risk tumors. We endorse conservative treatment with lobectomy for cases that are indeterminate at FNA but suspicious by molecular testing.
Gold Nanorod Contrast-Enhanced Molecular Imaging of Retinal Neovascularization using Dual Photoacoustic Microscopy and Optical Coherence Tomography in Rabbits

This study evaluates the potential of gold nanorods conjugated to RGD as a molecular contrast agent for multimodal photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to visualize choroidal neovascularization in living rabbits.
Investigating EUV radiation chemistry with first principle quantum chemistry calculations

In Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, chemistry is driven by secondary electrons. A deeper understanding of these processes is vital to targeted engineering of materials. As electron interactions are non-discriminative, studying these processes directly in condensed phase with experiments is extremely challenging. Proxy experiments such as gas phase experiments and solution phase experiments are only viable to a limited subset of materials, limiting their use for large scale material screening. First principles quantum chemistry calculations have been adopted by various industries for materials development and investigation. We demonstrate that such calculations can be used to model processes involved in EUV radiation chemistry. We can reproduce experimental results and predict dose to clear with such calculations. In this article, we first demonstrate that primary electron energy spectrum can be predicted accurately. Secondly, the dynamics of a photoacid generator (PAG) upon excitation or electron attachment is studied with ab-initio molecular dynamics calculations. Thirdly, we demonstrate that electron attachment affinity is a good predictor of reduction potential and dose to clear.
South Sudanese refugee Women’s healthcare access and use: An integrative review

Abstract Background People who migrate and settle in new places encounter other people, different cultures, lifestyles, healthcare services and environments that create conditions that may impact their health in the course of their journey and during the transition to the new environment. Vulnerable populations such as refugees continue to face difficulty in navigating an ever more complex healthcare system in which resources are limited and barriers to healthcare services access are numerous. In the United States (U. S.), these barriers have been linked to the culture of refugee populations and the complexity of the healthcare system. South Sudanese women are an exemplar of a culturally unique vulnerable population with these barriers to healthcare services. Aim The purpose of this integrative review was to examine published research reports on healthcare access and use by the South Sudanese refugee women who have settled in the United States, as well as their perceptions of the influence of their culture on their access and use of healthcare. Methods Whittemore and Knafl’s integrative review method guided this analysis. Results Nine studies met the inclusion criteria (seven qualitative, two quantitative). Three main themes emerged from the review: Refugee Healthcare Access and Use, Refugee Women’s Healthcare Access and Use, and Sudanese Refugee Women’s Healthcare Access and Use. These themes confirm both women’s knowledge gaps about healthcare as well as gaps in the literature regarding the healthcare access and use of the South Sudanese refugee women who have resettled in the U. S. Conclusions This review discovered that there a is dearth of research literature about South Sudanese refugee women’s healthcare access and use in relation to their cultural perspectives.
Utility of repeated therapeutic endoscopies for pediatric esophageal anastomotic strictures.

Anastomotic stricture is a common complication of esophageal atresia (EA) repair. Such strictures are managed with dilation or other therapeutic endoscopic techniques such as steroid injections, stenting, or endoscopic incisional therapy (EIT). In situations where endoscopic therapy is unsuccessful, patients with refractory strictures may require surgical stricture resection; however, the point at which endoscopic therapy should be abandoned in favor of repeat thoracotomy is unclear. We hypothesized that increasing numbers of therapeutic endoscopies are associated with increased likelihood of stricture resection. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with EA who had an initial surgery at our institution resulting in an esophago-esophageal anastomosis between August 2005 and May 2019. Up to 2 years of post-surgery endoscopy data were collected, including exposure to balloon dilation, intralesional steroid injection, stenting, and EIT. Primary outcome was need for stricture resection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed. There were 171 patients who met inclusion criteria. The number of therapeutic endoscopies was a moderate predictor of stricture resection by ROC curve analysis (AUC = 0.720, 95% CI 0.617-0.823). With increasing number of therapeutic endoscopies, the probability of remaining free from stricture resection decreased. By Youden's J index, a cutoff of ≥7 therapeutic endoscopies was optimal for discriminating between patients who had versus did not have stricture resection, though an absolute majority of patients (≥50%) remained free of stricture resection at each number of therapeutic endoscopies through 12 endoscopies. Significant predictors of needing stricture resection by univariate regression included ≥7 therapeutic endoscopies, Foker surgery for long-gap EA, fundoplication, history of esophageal leak, and length of stricture ≥10 mm. Multivariate analysis identified only history of leak as statistically significant, though this regression was underpowered. The utility of repeated therapeutic endoscopies may diminish with increasing numbers of endoscopic therapeutic attempts, with a cutoff of ≥7 endoscopies identified by our single-center experience as our statistically optimal discriminator between having stricture resection versus not; however, a majority of patients remained free of stricture resection well beyond 7 therapeutic endoscopies. Though retrospective, this study supports that repeated therapeutic endoscopies may have clinical utility in sparing surgical stricture resection. Esophageal leak is identified as a significant predictor of needing subsequent stricture resection. Prospective study is needed.
“My own corner of loneliness:” Social isolation and place among Mexican immigrants in Arizona and Turkana pastoralists of Kenya:

This article explores the intersection of two growing health concerns: the rising incidence of loneliness and the negative health impacts of migration and displacement. To better evaluate loneliness across diverse populations, we emphasize the cultural shaping of expectations for social lives and the ways in which structural vulnerability and violence can undermine these expectations. We draw on ethnographic research with two groups of migrants: Mexican immigrants living in southern Arizona and Turkana pastoralists of Kenya who experience displacement and unpredictable mobility as a result of low intensity violence. For Mexican immigrants, feelings of loneliness intertwine with the emotions of fear, trauma, and sadness, all closely associated with social isolation. The Turkana describe loneliness associated with the loss of their animals, or the shifting social landscapes they must traverse to keep their families safe. The culturally salient experiences described by these two communities highlight the complexity of defining loneliness. Given the pace of global migration and the number of refugees and displaced persons, closer scrutiny of how cultural expectations and structural violence interact to produce feelings of loneliness seems overdue.
The Unique Challenges for Creative Small Businesses Seeking Feedback on Social Media

Social media can be an effective source of feedback on open-ended work, such as product design. Unlike large businesses with entire teams dedicated to "social," little is understood about how small business owners-constrained both in personnel and resources-leverage the benefits of direct, informal communication channels afforded by social media. Drawing on a series of design workshops and interviews with 26 small business owners at a local feminist makerspace, we report on the unique challenges small business owners experience when seeking feedback on open-ended work via social media. We found participants carefully balanced large-scale access to diverse audiences with attempts to receive reliable feedback, and they often targeted audiences narrowly to reinstate control and build trust. In addition, the small business owners in our workshop idealized building authentic relationships with their social audiences to create collectively. To do so successfully, participants detailed the extensive behind-the-scenes work required of them such as navigating blurred personal and business identities and the self-regulation necessary to continuously stay engaged and not internalize discouraging feedback.
Editorial: Stem Cells and Aging

Human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBCs) signify a potent source of stem cells that have demonstrated advantageous outcomes across a diverse array of conditions. Dr. Stefano Pluchino of the University of Cambridge has led pioneering studies on developing experimental molecular stem cell-based medicines designed to transform our understanding of the mechanisms of intercellular neuro-immune signaling into therapeutics for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other inflammation-plagued disorders, such as stroke and traumatic brain injury. Here, Dr. Steinberg of Stanford University and colleagues discuss past and current clinical trials utilizing stem cell-based therapy as a treatment for ischemic stroke.
Language of the Heart: A Student’s Perspective on Congenital Heart Defects and Volunteering

Lan Xiao Hua is a 13 year old girl from Gansu, China. She had Ventricular Septal Defect, a hole in her heart’s right ventricle. Doctors said she would be able to live to approximately 20 years of age. Xiao Hua’s family knew about her congenital heart disease (CHD) since she was 7 years old, but with the humble living they made coaxing wheat from the dry, parched land of Gansu Province, the necessary surgery expenses would have required 10 years’ worth of their income. Xiao Hua’s condition is not untreatable. Rather, CHD requires what is considered one of the simpler cardiac surgeries. Had Xiao Hua been operated on earlier, the chances of a successful surgery would have been almost 99%. After the surgery, she would have been completely normal, with few lingering symptoms. Instead, without the necessary surgery for CHD, Xiao Hua was easily exhausted by the simplest of everyday activities, such as walking. Her lips were tinted blue whenever she did any work. Even breathing was painful for her. Xiao Hua was more susceptible to transmittable diseases and caught colds frequently, a symptom of poor blood circulation. She was also shorter than other 13-year-old girls because her faulty heart contributed to stunted growth and development. Xiao Hua desperately needed the heart surgery, but she didn’t have the resources needed to obtain treatment. Lan Xiao Hua’s plight is not unusual. Congenital heart defects (CHD) are a leading cause of child mortality both worldwide and in the U.S. According to the American Heart Association, CHD is one of the most common birth defects in the U.S. (American Heart Association, 2011). Nearly two times more American children die from congenital heart disease annually than those who die from all other forms of childhood cancers combined (Children’s Heart Foundation, 2009). Whereas approximately 1% of newborns suffer from congenital heart defects in the United States, that percentage is roughly 6% in the province of Gansu, China (Gao & Yue, 2005). Many families in industrialized countries are able to afford reconstructive surgery for CHD shortly after birth. But in China’s Gansu Province, the cost of an approximately 30,000 RMB (or approximately $4000) operation is unattainable for millions of poverty-stricken Gansu residents. As a volunteer of Angel Heart International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children with CHD in China and other developing countries, I had the opportunity to meet with Gansu families who made no more than 560 RMB ($75) per year. Lan Xiao Hua’s family was one of them.