cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Testing for taphonomic bias in deep time using trilobite sclerite ratios

Abstract Taphonomic sorting can be assessed directly in fossil assemblages by comparing expected and observed proportions of elements of multielement skeletons. Trilobites are model organisms for this approach because each individual possesses one cranidium (head) and one pygidium (tail). Departures from an expected 1:1 cranidia:pygidia (C/P) ratio reflect taphonomic processes such as size- or shape-sorting. We analyzed a dataset of > 16,000 secondarily silicified cranidia and pygidia from subtidal, storm-influenced facies of a highstand systems tract in the House Limestone (Lower Ordovician) in Utah. Species fall into four distinct isotaphonomic groups, which we define as sets of morphologically similar species likely to have similar responses to taphonomic processes. All isotaphonomic groups have median C/P ratios that depart significantly from expected proportions; micropygous groups show strong enrichment of cranidia in all samples, whereas isopygous groups include some pygidia-rich samples. Despite this, rank orders of abundances and C/P ratios are not correlated for any isotaphonomic group, indicating that sorting bias is not controlling abundance patterns. Cluster analysis of genus abundance data defined two biofacies, each of which included unique dominant taxa, and which characterized early and late highstand strata. The same groupings of samples were readily recognizable using ordination (non-metric multidimensional scaling). Rank orders of C/P and positions of samples along ordination axes are not correlated, so that sorting bias does not influence biofacies groupings. Rank order of species richness of samples, both before and after rarefaction also shows no correlation with C/P. The results indicate that paleoecological analysis is possible despite clear evidence of taphonomic sorting. In this case, sorting has shuffled sclerite ratios without having a significant impact on taxon abundances and species richness. However, taphonomic bias may be problematic in more proximal marine environments where frequent winnowing produces extensive sorting and differential breakage of skeletal material.
The Measure of human error: Direct and indirect performance shaping factors

The goal of performance shaping factors (PSFs) is to provide measures to account for human performance. PSFs fall into two categories—direct and indirect measures of human performance. While some PSFs such as “time to complete a task” are directly measurable, other PSFs, such as “fitness for duty,” can only be measured indirectly through other measures and PSFs, such as through fatigue measures. This paper explores the role of direct and indirect measures in human reliability analysis (HRA) and the implications that measurement theory has on analyses and applications using PSFs. The paper concludes with suggestions for maximizing the reliability and validity of PSFs.
Mumps Outbreak Among a Highly Vaccinated University Community-New York City, January-April 2014.

Background On 14 January 2014, a vaccinated student presented with parotitis. Mumps immunoglobulin M (IgM) testing was negative and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing was not performed, resulting in a missed diagnosis and the start of an outbreak at a New York City (NYC) university. Methods Mumps case investigations included patient interviews, medical records review, and laboratory testing including mumps serology and RT-PCR. Case patients were considered linked to the outbreak if they attended or had epidemiologic linkage to the university. Epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data for outbreak cases residing in NYC were analyzed. Results Fifty-six NYC residents with mumps were identified with onset between 12 January and 30 April 2014. Fifty-three cases (95%) were university students, 1 (2%) was a staff member, and 2 (4%) had epidemiologic links to the university. The median age was 20 years (range 18-37 years). All cases had parotitis. Three cases were hospitalized, including 1 of 2 cases with orchitis. Fifty-four (96%) cases had received ≥1 mumps-containing vaccine, 1 (2%) was unvaccinated due to religious exemption, and 1 (2%) had unknown vaccination status. Two of the 44 (5%) cases tested by serology were mumps IgM positive, and 27 of the 40 (68%) tested by RT-PCR were positive. Conclusions Mumps outbreaks can occur in highly vaccinated populations. Mumps should be considered in patients with parotitis regardless of vaccination status. RT-PCR is the preferred testing method; providers should not rely on IgM testing alone. High vaccination coverage and control measures likely limited the extent of the outbreak.
Gurdjieff, Art, and the Legominism of Ashiata Shiemash

Gurdjieff’s theory of art brings together several strands of thought expressed in his magnum opus Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson (1950). In particular, Gurdjieff presents art as a means for the transmission of certain ideas through history, and interpreted by properly informed individuals. In one chapter, Beelzebub’s grandson, Hassein, asks him about the meaning of “legominism.” Beelzebub describes legominism as, “one of the means existing there of transmitting from generation to generation information about certain events of long-past ages, through just those three-brained beings who are thought worthy to be and who are called initiates” (Gurdjieff 349). This article will first briefly consider Gurdjieff’s presentation of art, particularly as it reflects Gurdjieff’s notion of legominism, and the transmission of knowledge to subsequent generations. I will then focus on Ashiata Shiemash, one of the chief exemplars found in Beelzebub’s Tales that exhibits the potentialities of an authentic legominism. As I will offer, the continuing potency of Gurdjieff’s narrative is that it operates on both a deconstructive level, to destroy or wipe away the destructive notions, past and present, just as it creates a space for a more positive view of the potential for certain aspects of cultural forms, such as art and religion.
Abdominoplasty in prune belly syndrome: Modifications in Monfort technique to address variable patterns of abdominal wall weakness.

Introduction Abdominoplasty is an important component of the management of children with prune belly syndrome (PBS). While there are features of the abdominal defect in PBS which are common to all patients, there will be differences unique to each patient that should be taken into consideration in surgical planning. Specifically, we have come to realize that although the Monfort procedure assumes a symmetric pattern of abdominal wall laxity, this symmetry is rarely present. Objective The aim of this report is to describe our modifications and review our outcomes for the Monfort procedure which more completely address correction of the abdominal wall laxity including both common and uncommon features while positioning the umbilicus to a more anatomically correct position (Figure). Study design Sixteen male patients with PBS and one female pseudoprune belly syndrome patient, aged 2–9 years, were treated at our institution between 2003 and 2014. Modifications incorporated into the abdominoplasty procedure for PBS applied to this study group included: 1) use of diagnostic laparoscopy to define the topography of the abdominal wall defect, 2) initial midline rather than elliptical skin incision to defer retailoring of the skin coverage until the final step of the procedure, 3) varying the width of the central plate to correct side to side asymmetry in redundancy, 4) plication of the central plate to reduce vertical redundancy and reposition the umbilicus, and 5) plication of focal areas of fascial weakness, most often in the flank region. Results All patients have improved abdominal wall contour with a more uniform correction of areas of weakness at a mean follow-up of 5.5 years (range 18 months–11.5 years). All patients and parents indicate that they are very satisfied with the outcome of their procedures without any revisions being performed. This study is descriptive in nature and retrospective, with the patient population treated in a relatively uniform fashion that does not allow direct comparison with other techniques. Conclusions The modified Monfort procedure recognizes the pattern of abdominal muscular deficiency unique to each patient and incorporates this information into the surgical design. Figure. (A) Asymmetric laxity right > left. (B) Midline incision and extent of subcutaneous dissection delineated. (C) Full thickness flaps raised from fascial surface. (D) Central plate developed, right aspect of central plate is wider. Midline infraumbilical incision is formed. (E) Closure of infraumbilical incision shifts umbilicus inferiorly. (F, G) Excess skin removed, skin flaps brought back together in midline completes procedure. Figure options Download full-size image Download high-quality image (660 K) Download as PowerPoint slide
Dynamics Control for Operational Spacecraft

Abstract Present U.S. operational spacecraft fall into one of three categories: communications, meteorological, or navigational. With the exception of the earth-synchronous communications mission, dynamics control for these satellites has consisted only of attitude control. It is the purpose of this paper to extend dynamics control for the latter two categories of operational spacecraft to include orbit adjustment. In addition, the requirements and performance of a dynamics control system for the Earth Resources Observation Mission (a new category) are described. The need for orbit-adjustment capability for operational satellites is established, not only on the basis of future mission requirements, but also as a solution to the ground data-handling problems occasioned by many low-altitude satellites orbiting at the same time. The passive and semi-passive, or hybrid, attitude-control systems utilized in the TIROS series of meteorological satellites, and in the Transit navigation satellites, will continue to be used in the future for operational satellites. Their inherent simplicity and resultant reliability make such systems obvious selections for long-lived applications. However, the use of these techniques introduces unique propulsion-system requirements. In particular, it is shown that dual thrust levels are necessary to first cancel the booster injection errors and acquire station and, subsequently, to provide station keeping. A system configuration is described using hydrazine in a monopropellant thruster directly for high thrust and then the decomposition products in a resistojet for low thrust. The predicted performance of such a system and the dynamic response of the vehicle are analyzed. Another requirement for future operational satellites using orbit-adjustment systems is that propellant management must be accomplished in a zero-g field. A potential solution is presented using surface-tension devices. Current work in this area is reviewed.
In-situ activity of α-amylase in the presence of controlled-frequency moderate electric fields

Abstract Studies on the effects of electric fields on enzymatic activity have typically focused on post-treatment residual activity. However, information on their effects on in-situ activity is scant. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of controlled-frequency Moderate Electric Fields (MEF) on α-amylase activity. Relative α-amylase activities were measured in-situ in the presence of an electric field (1 V/cm, 1 Hz-1MHz) at 60 °C, with a zero electric field at the same temperature serving as a control treatment. Results show a significant nonthermal effect of electric field frequency on α-amylase activity, with up to 41% enhancement of the activity in the 1–60 Hz frequency window. At higher frequencies, activity was either unaffected, or slightly inhibited by the presence of the electric field. Molecular dynamics simulation results show that in the 1–60 Hz frequency window, the translational electrophoretic enzyme displacement approaches the intermolecular spacing of water. Interestingly, enzyme rotational motion transitions from oscillatory behavior to full rotation below 60 Hz. Application of higher frequencies restricts the electrophoretic displacement of the enzyme due to rapid reversal of the direction of the electric field.
Arsenic exposure and risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among U.S. adolescents and adults: an association modified by race/ethnicity, NHANES 2005-2014.

While associated with obesity, the cause of the rapid rise in prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children, which is highest among Hispanics, is not well understood. Animal experiments have demonstrated that arsenic exposure contributes to liver injury. Our objective was to examine the association between arsenic exposure and NAFLD in humans and to determine if race/ethnicity modifies the association. Urinary inorganic arsenic concentrations among those ≥12 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2014 were used to assess the cross-sectional association with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, a marker of liver dysfunction. We excluded high alcohol consumers (>4–5 drinks/day; n = 939), positive hepatitis B or C (n = 2330), those missing body mass index (n = 100) and pregnant women (n = 629) for a final sample of 8518. Arsenic was measured using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and ALT was measured using standard methods. Sampling weights were used to obtain national estimates. Due to lack of normality, estimates were log transformed and are presented as geometric means. Logistic regression models controlling for age, sex, income, and weight category estimate adjusted odd ratios (aOR) of elevated ALT by quartile of arsenic and tested for effect modification by race/ethnicity and weight. Elevated ALT was defined as >25 IU/L and >22 IU/L for boys and girls ≤17 years, respectively and >30 IU/L and >19 IU/L for men and women, respectively. Among all, aOR of elevated ALT were higher among those in the highest vs. lowest arsenic quartile (referent), 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1, 1.7) with a borderline significant interaction (p = 0.07) by race/ethnicity but not weight (p = 0.4). In analysis stratified by race/ethnicity, aOR of elevated ALT among those in the 4th quartile were higher among Mexican Americans, 2.0 (CI: 1.3, 3.1) and non-Hispanic whites only, aOR 1.4 (CI: 1.1, 1.8) despite the fact that obesity prevalence was highest among non-Hispanic blacks. Our findings demonstrate a positive association between urinary arsenic exposure and risk of NAFLD among U.S. adolescents and adults that is highest among Mexican Americans and among those obese, regardless of race/ethnicity.
Global amphibian declines have winners and losers.

Global change imperils a large swath of the planet’s biodiversity, portending a future with decreasing species richness and functioning of natural ecosystems (1). However, the effects of global change are highly variable across scales (2). For example, while the data are contentious, patterns of local stability or increases in species richness have been reported globally in plants and animals (3). However, richness alone may not be the best indicator of global change (4), as the species composition of sites and the broader pool may vary significantly in response to anthropogenic pressures. In PNAS, Nowakowski et al. (5) tackle part of this conundrum empirically, surveying worldwide the impact that habitat conversion has on abundance and community assembly in amphibians. Interestingly, habitat conversion also creates not only the expected class of “losers,” species quickly reduced in abundance or driven extinct by human activities, but also a sizeable class of “winners,” species experiencing drastic ecological gains and increasing abundance in modified landscapes. Correspondingly, winners are overrepresented in modified communities, and drive communities overall to be more similar to each other than they were in the past. Across all sites, Nowakowski et al. (5) find that 81% of species declined in abundance in converted habitats, while 19% increased. The authors find that species’ responses to habitat conversion are phylogenetically conserved, likely related to traits that affect microhabitat use. Closely related species exhibit similar responses to disturbance, even in different sites in different areas. This results in nonrandom shifts in phylogenetic community structure, homogenizing communities and decreasing overall species-richness in the global pool of biodiversity. Species with specialized life histories or narrow microhabitat requirements related to vegetation and climate decreased drastically, such as Neotropical plethodontid salamanders like Bolitoglossa (4× decrease), Old World rhacophorid treefrogs like Pseudophilautus (28×), and New World direct-developing frogs like Pristimantis (6×). … [↵][1]1Email: rpyron{at}colubroid.org. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Participation of students in University Governance: A case of Mwenge Catholic University, Tanzania

This study focused on participation of students in University governance. Specifically it was anchored on shared governance principle to interrogate the levels of student’s participation, with the view to understanding the extent to which students, as major stakeholders, have been mainstreamed in the democratization of governance in Mwenge Catholic University. Utilizing the convergent parallel design.to collect both qualitative and quantitative data, merge the data and use the results to understand the research problem. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used. Data was collected from 84 students, three deans of faculties, one director and two University administrators. The study concluded that Mwenge Catholic University recognize, both in principle and practice, the importance of students’ participation in governance processes and that the nature and level of participation of students in the governance processes in the University has been articulated and students attach high importance in their inclusion in various governance structures. The study recommends that a paradigm shift should occur in the University, concerning the handling of students’ involvement and participation in the governance process and the university should formulate specific strategies for the nurturing and entrenching of a democratic and participative culture among students as well as among all cadre of management staff.
Novel Arthroscopic Tendon Transfers for Posterosuperior Rotator Cuff Tears: Latissimus Dorsi and Lower Trapezius Transfers.

Background Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears in both the primary and the revision setting are challenging problems. There remains controversy over the ideal treatment methods for these patients. In the case of an irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tear, tendon transfers1-12 have emerged as a reliable option, with a durable outcome. The most commonly used tendon transfer options are the latissimus dorsi (LD)1-6and the lower trapezius (LT)12. Description The LD transfer is performed by first harvesting the LT tendon from the humeral shaft. It is critical to release the many adhesions to the muscle belly as well as to separate it from the teres major muscle. The tendon is then transferred intra-articularly, in an interval between the deltoid and the teres minor. The tendon is anchored arthroscopically after preparation of the anterolateral aspect of the tuberosity. The LT transfer is performed by harvesting the LT muscle and tendon off its insertion on the medial aspect of the scapular spine. It should be mobilized to maximize excursion by releasing adhesions. An Achilles tendon allograft is anchored into the anterior aspect of the greater tuberosity arthroscopically. The Achilles tendon is then secured to the LT tendon. Alternatives In addition to tendon transfer, options include:Partial or complete attempted repair13-17.Augmentation or bridging with allografts18-23.Superior capsular reconstruction24.Subacromial balloon25. Rationale There remains a paucity of literature comparing tendon transfers with alternatives. However, when considering a tendon transfer, certain principles are critical in order to achieve an optimal outcome:The recipient and transferred tendons must have similar musculotendinous excursion.The recipient and transferred tendons should have similar lines of pull.One tendon (the transferred) should be designed to replace 1 function (of the recipient).The function of the transferred tendon and muscle should be expendable without substantial donor site morbidity.The strength of the transferred muscle must be at least grade 4.When deciding between the LT and LD transfer, certain considerations should be taken into account. The LD transfer has a proven history of successfully treating massive irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff tears in studies with long-term follow-up1-6. Alternatively, although the LT transfer has only recently gained popularity, it has the advantage of "in-phase" muscle function, since the trapezius naturally contracts during shoulder external rotation. Furthermore, its line of pull almost completely mimics the infraspinatus.
Abū Zayd al-Hilālī: Trickster, Womanizer, Warrior, Shaykh

Sīrat Banī Hilāl (the Epic of the Banī Hilāl) is rooted in the 10th-century invasion of North Africa by the Banī Hilāl Bedouin tribe after they left their homeland of the Najd in the Arabian Peninsula. Told in a combination of poetry and prose similar to the style of other epic tales such as that of ‘Antar, Sayf ibn Dhī Yazin, and Dhāt al-Himmah, Sīrat Banī Hilāl is nevertheless unique in that it is the only one of the folk epics traditionally to be performed in sung verse to the accompaniment of musical instruments (rather than spoken or read aloud). It is also distinctive for being a tale that recounts the elaborate interactions among a constellation of main figures rather than being primarily about the exploits of a single hero. Among these central characters, however, one in particular deserves notice for his psychological complexity—Abū Zayd al-Hilālī, the black hero of the Banī Hilāl tribe. Abū Zayd, it is argued here, combines many of the features of the ‘classic hero’ as delineated by Otto Rank, Lord Raglan, and Joseph Campbell, as well as characteristics of the Trickster figures studied by Carl Jung, Paul Radin, M.C. Lyons, and others. He is at times the chivalrous hero, a model of manly virtues, but also capable of cunning and deceptive behavior that borders on the dishonorable, and in a few infamous scenes he kills innocent people and tells outright lies to cover his tracks, leaving modern audiences baffled and conflicted. At the same time, however, for reasons spelled out in this essay, Abū Zayd is the character with whom modern Egyptian audiences most clearly identify: a black hero denigrated for his skin color, capable of great deeds of heroism, chivalry, and religious devotion, as well as acts of an intensely transgressive nature.
Decisions for others

In ch. 4, I argued that the Other perspective was the simplest because it did not involve the emotions and goals associated with deciding. The Other perspective lets us separate the decision process from its consequences. The present chapter concerns the jump from Other decisions to Other-other decisions.
Using the Levenberg-Marquardt Method for Solutions of Inverse Transport Problems in One- and Two-Dimensional Geometries

Determining the components of a radioactive source/shield system using the system’s radiation signature, a type of inverse transport problem, is one of great importance in homeland security, materi...
A Quantitative Observational Study of Physician Influence on Hospital Costs

Physicians serve as the nexus of treatment decision-making in hospitalized patients; however, little empirical evidence describes the influence of individual physicians on hospital costs. In this study, we examine the extent to which hospital costs vary across physicians and physician characteristics. We used all-payer data from 2 states representing 15 237 physicians and 2.5 million hospital visits. Regression analysis and propensity score matching were used to understand the role of observable provider characteristics on hospital costs controlling for patient demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, clinical risk, and hospital characteristics. We used hierarchical models to estimate the amount of variation attributable to physicians. We found that the average cost of hospital inpatient stays registered to female physicians was consistently lower across all empirical specifications when compared with male physicians. We also found a negative association between physicians' years of experience and the average costs. The average cost of hospital inpatient stays registered to foreign-trained physicians was lower than US-trained physicians. We observed sizable variation in average costs of hospital inpatient stays across medical specialties. In addition, we used hierarchical methods and estimated the amount of remaining variation attributable to physicians and found that it was nonnegligible (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]: 0.33 in the full sample). Historically, most physicians have been reimbursed separately from hospitals, and our study shows that physicians play a role in influencing hospital costs. Future policies and practices should acknowledge these important dependencies. This study lends further support for alignment of physician and hospital incentives to control costs and improve outcomes.
African American women's perceptions of the meaning of support groups for improving adherence to hypertension treatment: a conceptual model

Aim To investigate the meaning of support groups and the features of these groups that African American (AA) women view as improving adherence to high blood pressure (HBP) treatment. The study generated a conceptual model to illuminate features of these groups that influence adherence of AA women to HBP treatment. Design Qualitative research. Methods Used focus groups and open-ended questions to obtain the views of 26 eligible AA women, recruited from South Los Angeles. Line-by-line review and coding of interview transcripts were done. The feedback was used to specify a conceptual model depicting the meaning of support groups. The Consolidated Criteria for the Reporting of Qualitative Research guidelines were used. Results The conceptual model depicts the meaning of support groups as information giving/knowledge sharing, emotional or psychological support, instrumental support and coaching, and facilitators and barriers to joining support groups and factors for consideration in forming these groups.
Bone Density Data from DPA to DXA and Manufacturer to Manufacturer

The extraordinary advances in bone-density technology over the past 30 years, enhancing the physician’s ability to detect and manage metabolic bone disease, have also created a dilemma as physicians have attempted to compare results obtained on early dual-photon devices with today’s dual-energy X-ray devices. As dual-energy X-ray technology has advanced, data from pencil-beam systems is now being compared with data from fan-array systems. Data from one manufacturer’s pencil-beam DXA device may need to be compared to data from another manufacturer’ s pencil-beam device. This situation is not dissimilar to circumstances created during the evolution of other types of quantitative measurement techniques used in clinical medicine. For example, the measurement of some parameter in blood may have initially been performed using one type of assay, only to be later replaced by a different assay. There may be different ranges of normal, depending on the assay, and even depending on the laboratory. Although it would be ideal for a patient being followed with a quantitative measurement technique for any reason to return year after year to the same laboratory to be tested using the same assay, this is not a reasonable expectation. In the context of bone densitometry, it is useful to have some ability to compare measurements originally made with DPA to measurements being made with DXA. In addition, the differences between the values obtained on different manufacturers’ DXA devices, with their respective reference ranges, must be appreciated.
Automated Student Assessment for Cybersecurity Courses

The need for cybersecurity knowledge and skills is constantly growing as our lives become more integrated with the digital world. In order to meet this demand, educational institutions must continue to innovate within the field of cybersecurity education and make this educational process as effective and efficient as possible. We seek to accomplish this goal by taking an existing cybersecurity educational technology and adding automated grading and assessment functionality to it. This will reduce costs and maximize scalability by reducing or even eliminating the need for human graders.
Tradeoffs in Implant Selection for Reconstructive Surgery and Adjuncts Utilized to Maximize Aesthetic Outcomes.

Background With many US Food and Drug Administration-approved cohesive gel implant styles currently available in the United States, surgeons and patients may feel overwhelmed by the implant-selection process. We discuss the relative merits of the most commonly used silicone cohesive gel implants and associated adjuncts, particularly in the reconstructive setting. Methods A literature review was conducted in PubMed to identify articles that assessed the clinical impact of differing cohesive silicone gel implants and associated adjuncts on aesthetic outcomes and complications profile. Results First, we review how the shape, cohesivity, and texture of cohesive gel implants impact breast aesthetics and complications after implant-based breast reconstruction (IBBR). Second, we review common adjuncts used in IBBR, including fat grafting and acellular dermal matrix (ADM), and we explore their roles in prepectoral IBBR. Finally, we review future directions in IBBR, including nanoscale implant surface modifications. Conclusions In the absence of data showing that shaped implants are aesthetically preferable over round implants, we turn to a risk-benefit analysis of the complication profile of each type of implant. In selecting a smooth, round cohesive silicone implant that offers a variety of cohesivity levels, the patient can enjoy the benefits of smooth shells and avoid the drawbacks of textured shells, all without sacrificing clinically significant visual aesthetics. In the era of the bioengineered breast, this remains even more true.
Isotope harvesting with Hollow Fiber Supported Liquid Membrane (HFSLM).

Abstract The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) will generate many unique isotopes of scientific interest which are retained in the primary beam dump. This work uses Hollow Fiber Supported Liquid Membrane (HFSLM) for extraction of ultra-trace concentrations of short-lived radioisotopes from the large solution volumes present in the primary beam dump loop. Part per trillion levels of 48V were successfully recovered from an aqueous solution spiked with predicted concentrations of chemically similar species, with an extraction efficiency of 71% in 60 min.
Synchrotron CT imaging of lattice structures with engineered defects

Understanding mechanical failure, crack propagation, and compressive behavior at the micrometer scale is essential for tailoring material properties for structural performance in cellular materials. Typically, modeling of traditional polymer foam materials is clouded by the lack of control in material morphology and its inherent stochastic structure. Additive manufacturing with sub-micrometer resolution provides a direct path for experimenters to specifically tailor structures needed by modelers to explicitly probe mechanical performance. Using laboratory-based 3D X-ray computed tomographic imaging (CT), the examination of deformation and damage provides a critical path to understand how these soft materials behave. Additionally, synchrotron CT yields realistic information at higher strain rates to directly validate the robustness of our finite element modeling. For this study, nanolithographic printing was employed to generate a series of engineered lattices with increasing levels of defects through the random removal of ligaments. These structures were mechanically tested and imaged with laboratory-based microCT. Additionally, synchrotron experiments were conducted in which the structures were imaged in 3D at 14 Hz during compression at a 0.4 s−1 strain rate. These 3D images show the changes in the structure as the ligaments bend, buckle and fracture in real time. This technique provides a robust framework for developing our methodologies and future exploration of engineered structures.
Spontaneous Entry into an “Offline” State during Wakefulness: A Mechanism of Memory Consolidation?

Moments of inattention to our surroundings may be essential to optimal cognitive functioning. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that humans spontaneously switch between two opposing attentional states during wakefulness-one in which we attend to the external environment (an "online" state) and one in which we disengage from the sensory environment to focus our attention internally (an "offline" state). We created a data-driven model of this proposed alternation between "online" and "offline" attentional states in humans, on a seconds-level timescale. Participants (n = 34) completed a sustained attention to response task while undergoing simultaneous high-density EEG and pupillometry recording and intermittently reporting on their subjective experience. "Online" and "offline" attentional states were initially defined using a cluster analysis applied to multimodal measures of (1) EEG spectral power, (2) pupil diameter, (3) RT, and (4) self-reported subjective experience. We then developed a classifier that labeled trials as belonging to the online or offline cluster with >95% accuracy, without requiring subjective experience data. This allowed us to classify all 5-sec trials in this manner, despite the fact that subjective experience was probed on only a small minority of trials. We report evidence of statistically discriminable "online" and "offline" states matching the hypothesized characteristics. Furthermore, the offline state strongly predicted memory retention for one of two verbal learning tasks encoded immediately prior. Together, these observations suggest that seconds-timescale alternation between online and offline states is a fundamental feature of wakefulness and that this may serve a memory processing function.
Highly-Efficient Broadband Medium Power Amplifier Design in 22nm CMOS FD-SOI for mm-Wave 5G

We present in this work a reconfigurable broadband highly-efficient medium-power power amplifier (PA) design in 22nm FD-SOI for potential millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) 5G (5th Generation) applications. The broadband PA is targeted to cover the key part of the 5G FR2 band (i.e., 24.25 to 43.5 GHz), with P OUT ~16 dBm and high power-added-efficiency (PAE) and excellent linearity. The post-layout parasitic extracted (R+C+CC) simulations performed in Calibre suggest this PA reaches max. PAE > 35% around 20 GHz, while still maintaining higher than 16% max. PAE across the entire 20 GHz – 50 GHz band. Using an LTE 64-QAM modulated 250 MHz input at 28 GHz, this design boasts an impressive simulated linearity performance with ACLR1-/ACLR1+= −36.6/−36.2 dBc at P OUT = 11.4 dBm. With the broadband, high PAE and linearity performance, this reconfigurable CMOS PA appears attractive for potential mmWave 5G applications.
Precision Measurements of the 7Be(p,gamma)8B Reaction with Radioactive Beams and the 8B Solar Neutrino Flux

The 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction is one of the major source of uncertainties in estimating the 8B solar neutrino flux and is critical for undertsanding the Solar Neutrino Problem and neutrinos. The main source of uncertainty is the existence of conflicting data with different absolute normalization. Attempts to measure this reaction rate with 7Be beams are under way by the UConn-LLN collaboration, and we discuss a newly emerging method to extract this cross section from the Coulomb dissociation of the radioactive beam of 8B. We discuss some of the issues relevant for this study including the question of the E2 contribution to the Coulomb dissociation process which was measured to be small. The Coulomb dissociation appears to provide a viable alternative method for measuring the 7Be(p,gamma)8B reaction rate, with a weighted average of the RIKEN1, RIKEN2 and GSI1 published results of S17(0) = 19.4 +/- 1.3 eV-b.
Change in Postoperative Opioid Prescribing Patterns for Oculoplastic and Orbital Procedures Associated With State Opioid Legislation.

Importance Understanding whether statewide legislation, such as the Michigan Opioid Laws, is associated with reduction in postoperative opioid prescriptions is informative in guiding future legislation. Objective To identify changes in opioid prescribing patterns for oculoplastic and orbital procedures associated with the enactment of the Michigan Opioid Laws in 2017 and 2018. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study included 3781 patients who underwent any of 10 common oculoplastic and orbital procedures between June 1, 2016, and November 30, 2019, at a tertiary care institution. Exposures From 2017 to 2018, Michigan enacted a series of laws to address the state's worsening opioid epidemic. Two major components of this legislation enacted on June 1, 2018, required prescribers to review a report of patients' opioid use history and obtain signed consent after educating patients on the use and disposal of opioids prior to prescribing. Main Outcomes and Measures Demographic information, type of surgery, type and amount of opioid prescriptions, and morphine milligram equivalent (MME) were analyzed. MME was calculated as the product of dose, quantity, and opioid-specific conversion factor for each prescription. Linear interpolation spline regression was used to evaluate the association of prescription MME with time. Results Of 3781 patients, 1614 (42.7%) were male. The mean (SD) age at the time of surgery was 63.3 (16.6) years. Of 2026 patients undergoing surgery before June 1, 2018, 1782 (88.0%) were prescribed postoperative opioids; of 1755 patients undergoing surgery after June 1, 2018, 878 (50.0%) were prescribed postoperative opioids (P < .001). There was no difference in age, sex, race/ethnicity, surgery type, or opioids prescribed between these 2 cohorts. Linear interpolation spline regression showed a decrease of 26.025 MMEs (equivalent to a 36.2% reduction of mean MME) between June 1, 2017, and September 30, 2018 (β, -1.735; 95% CI, -0.088 to -0.024; P < .001), stabilizing at a persistently reduced rate of MME prescribed through the end of the study period (October 1, 2018, to November 30, 2019; β, -0.005; 95% CI, -0.039 to 0.016; P = .42). Changes in MME in the 12 months before or 12 months after the period of legislation enactment were not identified. Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study, reduction in opioid prescriptions for oculoplastic and orbital procedures was observed during the enactment period of the Michigan Opioid Laws and appeared to be sustained through the end of the study period. Similar statewide or national legislations aimed at increasing prescriber awareness and patient education on opioid use may help curtail the prescription opioid epidemic.
A Kalirin Missense Mutation Enhances Dendritic RhoA Signaling and Leads to Regression of Cortical Dendritic Arbors Across Development

ABSTRACT Normally, dendritic size is established prior to adolescence then remains relatively constant into adulthood due to a homeostatic balance between growth and retraction pathways. However, schizophrenia is characterized by accelerated reductions of cerebral cortex gray matter volume and onset of clinical symptoms during adolescence, with reductions in layer 3 pyramidal neuron dendritic length, complexity, and spine density identified in multiple cortical regions postmortem. Nogo receptor 1 (NGR1) activation of the GTPase RhoA is a major pathway restricting dendritic growth in the cerebral cortex. We show that the NGR1 pathway is stimulated by OMGp and requires the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor, Kalirin-9 (KAL9). Using a genetically encoded RhoA sensor, we demonstrate that a naturally occurring missense mutation in Kalrn, KAL-PT, that was identified in a schizophrenia cohort, confers enhanced RhoA activitation in neuronal dendrites compared to wildtype KAL. In mice containing this missense mutation at the endogenous locus there is an adolescent-onset reduction in dendritic length and complexity of layer 3 pyramidal neurons in the primary auditory cortex. Tissue density of dendritic spines was also reduced. Early adult mice with these structural deficts exhibited impaired detection of short gap durations. These findings provide a neuropsychiatric model of disease capturing how a mild genetic vulnerability may interact with normal developmental processes such that pathology only emerges around adolescence. This interplay between genetic susceptibility and normal adolescent development, both of which possess inherent individual variability, may contribute to heterogeneity seen in phenotypes in human neuropsychiatric disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dendrites are long branching processes on neurons that contain small processes called spines that are the site of connections with other neurons, establishing cortical circuitry. Dendrites have long been considered stable structures, with rapid growth prior to adolescence followed by maintenance of size into adulthood. However, schizophrenia is characterized by accelerated reductions of cortical gray matter volume and onset of clinical symptoms during adolescence, with reductions in dendritic length present when examined after death. We show that dendrites retain the capacity for regression, and that a mild genetic vulnerability in a regression pathway leads to onset of structural impairments in previously formed dendrites across adolescence. This suggests that targeting specific regression pathways could potentially lead to new therapeutics for schizophrenia.
History of Comparative Research and Synthesis in the LTER Network

We present the historical development of cross-site/inter-site comparisons and synthesis by the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network from 1980–2015. Comparative ecosystem research began to flourish after John Brooks of the National Science Foundation (NSF) challenged the LTER community in 1986 to function as a collaborating network of sites rather than as a collection of independent sites. We traced the history over five periods defined by key events and changes that occurred. These periods were: First Steps in Founding the LTER Network from 1980–1986; Responding to Brooks’ Challenge from 1987–1995; Dealing with Institutional Instability from 1996–2000; Efforts to Plan for the Future from 2001–2010; and Implementing Parts of the Plan from 2011–2015. Early examples of cross-site research in the 1990s and 2000s were described. Comparisons of similar types of ecosystems that were characterized by similar properties such as grasslands with grassland or lakes with lakes were more common and proved easier to accomplish than did comparisons of different types of ecosystems such as lakes with deserts or forests with coastal waters. Analyses of the network’s publication history of cross-site research and synthesis pointed out that LTER sites required 15 years to work as a network but that cross-site research and synthesis increased strongly over the next 20 years. Finally, we posit that the LTER Network and NSF played an important role in helping move ecosystem sciences toward a new level of comparative analyses and syntheses across time and space.
Moving Beyond Two-Person-Per-Bedroom: Revitalizing Application of the Federal Fair Housing Act to Private Residential Occupancy Standards

New empirical evidence demonstrates that the two-person-per-bedroom standard (a common residential occupancy policy) substantially limits the housing choices of many thousands of families, especially Latinos, Asians, and extended families nationwide. The federal Fair Housing Act makes overly restrictive policies illegal, but promotion of the standard by housing providers, confusion in the courts and the enforcement practices of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have enabled the twoperson-per-bedroom standard to become dominant with a false veneer of legality. This article urges HUD to use its regulatory authority to remedy the situation and offers several solutions. And, if HUD fails to act, it encourages private plaintiffs to challenge the two-person-per-bedroom standard and provides guidance to courts in deciding these cases. INTRODUCTION I. STUCK IN THE WRONG PLACE: WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE TWO-PERSON-PERBEDROOM STANDARD? A. Background on the Federal Fair Housing Act and the Residential Occupancy Standard Problem B. Critiques of the Justifications for the Two-Person-Per-Bedroom Standard C. New Empirical Evidence Demonstrates that the Two-Person-PerBedroom Standard Discriminates in Many Housing Contexts II. THE ORIGIN AND ENTRENCHMENT OF TWO-PERSON-PER-BEDROOM AS OUR NATIONAL STANDARD: HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW WE GOT STUCK HERE ∗ Professor of Law, University of San Francisco School of Law. The following people provided helpful comments on earlier drafts of this article for which I am very grateful: Michael Allen, Chris Brancart, Anne Houghtaling, Richard Marcantonio, Rigel C. Oliveri, Mike Rawson, Robert Schwemm, Jodi Short and members of the USF School of Law faculty, especially Tristin Green and Josh Davis. Also special thanks to Rick Sander, Rich Hertz, Don Dixon, Sara Pratt and numerous practitioners including Mike Hanley and Matthew Dietz. I owe a great debt to the following USF law students who provided excellent research and other assistance for this article: Brandy Hillman-Azevedo, Kate Chatfield, Gwendolyn Harre, Christie Moore, and Peter O’Hare. Of course, any errors in this article are solely the responsibility of the author. 1 Ellen Pader, Housing Occupancy Standards: Inscribing Ethnicity and Family Relations on the Land, 19 J. ARCHITECTURAL PLAN. RES. 300, 305 (2002).
How the Federal Cause of Action Relates to Rights, Remedies, and Jurisdiction

Time and again, the U.S. Supreme Court has declared that the federal cause of action is “analytically distinct” from rights, remedies, and jurisdiction. Yet, just pages away in the U.S. Reports are other cases in which rights, remedies, and jurisdiction all hinge on the existence of a cause of action. What, then, is the proper relationship between these concepts? The goal of this Article is to articulate that relationship. This Article traces the history of the cause of action from eighteenth-century England to its modern usage in the federal courts. This history demonstrates that the federal cause of action is largely distinct from rights, closely related to (and sometimes synonymous with) remedies, and distinct from jurisdiction except where Congress instructs otherwise or the case implicates sovereign immunity. Sorting out these relationships provides several benefits, including refining the doctrine of prudential standing, clarifying the grounds for federal jurisdiction, and dispelling claims that Congress lacks power over certain causes of action. INTRODUCTION 850 I. WHERE WE ARE 854 A. The Cause of Action 854 B. The Cause of Action and Rights 856 C. The Cause of Action and Remedies 859 D. The Cause of Action and Jurisdiction 860 II. HOW WE GOT HERE 864 A. Eighteenth-Century England 864 1. Rights 866 2. Remedies 867 3. Jurisdiction 870 B. Nineteenth-Century America 871 1. Rights 871 2. Remedies 875 ∗ Professor of Law, University of Richmond School of Law. Special thanks to Chris Cotropia, Jessica Erickson, Jim Gibson, Corinna Lain, Doug Rendleman, Ben Spencer, and Kevin Walsh for their helpful comments. Prior versions of this Article were presented at a faculty workshop at Washington and Lee School of Law and at the Sixth Annual Junior Faculty Federal