cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Nest Temperature to Estimate Nest Attendance of Piping Plovers

Abstract Recent technological innovations allow remote monitoring of avian nest temperature that minimizes disturbance and expense without altering clutch sizes. However, the efficacy of such techniques has not been determined for ground-nesting birds. We compared the efficacy of 2 techniques, iButton® data loggers (Maxim/Dallas Semiconductor Corp., Sunnyvale, CA) and custom-built thermocouples, to measure nest temperature of piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) relative to nest attendance at Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts, USA. Neither technique affected hatching success (U = 389.5, P = 0.874) or rates of predation of nests containing devices (P = 0.894). We estimated nest attendance successfully with thermocouples in nests as long as air and surface temperatures were <29° C and 43° C, respectively. Although iButtons could not be used to determine duration of on-bouts and off-bouts of incubating piping plovers, they were effective at determining when nests were abandoned or predated. We recomme...
The design and implementation of a dataflow language for scriptable debugging

Debugging is a laborious, manual activity that often involves the repetition of common operations. Ideally, users should be able to describe these repetitious operations as little programs. Debuggers should therefore be programmable, or scriptable. The operating environment of these scripts, however, imposes interesting design challenges on the programming language in which these scripts are written. This paper presents our design of a language for scripting debuggers. The language offers powerful primitives that can precisely and concisely capture many important debugging and comprehension metaphors. The paper also describes a pair of debuggers, one for Java and the other for Scheme, built in accordance with these principles. The paper includes concrete examples of applying this debugger to programs.
The effect of correlated variability on the accuracy of a population code

We study the impact of correlated neuronal firing rate variability on the accuracy with which an encoded quantity can be extracted from a population of neurons. Contrary to widespread belief, correlations in the variabilities of neuronal firing rates do not, in general, limit the increase in coding accuracy provided by using large populations of encoding neurons. Furthermore, in some cases, but not all, correlations improve the accuracy of a population code.
Addressing the Risk of Double Counting Emission Reductions under the UNFCCC

Avoiding double counting of emission reductions is a key policy concern to Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Double counting of emission reductions can occur when a single greenhouse gas emission reduction or removal, achieved through a mechanism issuing units, is accounted more than once towards attaining mitigation pledges. We systematically assess how double counting can occur and how it could be addressed. We identify that double issuance – the issuance of two units for the same reductions – and double claiming – the accounting of the same reductions both in a greenhouse gas inventory and in units towards attaining a mitigation pledge – are the most important forms of double counting. They can occur not only directly, but in rather indirect ways which can be challenging to identify. Addressing double counting effectively requires international coordination in three areas: accounting of units, design of mechanisms that issue units, and consistent tracking and reporting on units. While international agreement on principles for accounting and mechanism design is crucial to preventing double counting, the governance arrangements for implementation and international oversight could vary. This article discusses options and makes recommendations for rules to address double counting in two distinct periods: through 2020 and post-2020 under a potential new international climate regime.
Including the technical personnel: an alternative IP model in the development of distributed learning courses

Intellectual property and copyright policy debates in the production of online courses in higher education have focused almost exclusively on rights of faculty and administration. Yet, those online courses most likely to foster debate generally require a production team of a faculty member and technical specialists to produce. This paper suggests an alternative model for compensation that would recognize the contributions of all participants.
An Information Prescription For Health Care’s Cognitive-Disorder Problems

Perhaps not surprisingly, the two busi-ness school professors find that the structureand strategy for health care competition needto be fixed, and the primary problems involvemanagement and organization, not technologyor regulation. The authors’ basic thesis shouldbe no surprise to current and aspiring MBAs,or even casual skimmers of pop-business-strategy books: It makes more sense to setgoals and measure results than to specifymethods and try to enforce them.Once you understand the book’s basic defi-nitions and mantras and then apply some com -mon sense from the rest of the real world, you,too,mightposeasan“instapunditofhealthcare strategery.” Value represents the desiredcombination of health outcome per dollar ofcost expended. It should ultimately reflect thepreferences of customers (patients), and it isbest measured at the level of medical condi-tions over the full cycle of care (rather than fordiscrete medical care interventions).The core strength of this book is that it pro -vides an overarching guidepost and vision todirect the otherwise fragmented players andcomponents of the overall health care system.The key to improving results might involvemore information; it certainly will requirebetter information. Porter and Teisberg make apersuasive case in this regard, but their wide-ranging exploration of a host of strategies andtechniques for improving the status quo be -comes so ambitious that a clearer, practicalpath to near-term implementation remainshard to discern. They touch too briefly on thepotential for making existing sources of healthcare data, in Medicare and state all-payer sys-tems, more available and useful. They also in-sist on an all-inclusive, Securities and Ex-change Commission (SEC)–style, centralizedcommon pool information regime, whereas (atleast for transaction price information) a fu-tures-market model in which proprietary in-formation assets are owned by a trading venuemight produce data streams at lower pricesand with greater transparency than throughthe SEC model.
Structure in Molecules and Atoms

TO EXPLAIN WHY PURE SUBSTANCES COMBINE in definite proportions, Dalton about 1807 suggested that each elementary substance is made up of identical atoms and that the atoms of different substances combine in definite ratios to form molecules. The different molecules of a given compound are equivalent. Presumably, each has the same structure, the same arrangement of atoms. Both chemical and physical properties are used to elucidate this structure.
Begin with the end (user) in mind: planning for the San Diego state university campus portal

This chapter presents a case study of the campus portal planning process at San Diego State University. The authors describe the use of participative decision-making strategies that capture the voices of key stakeholders, identify their concerns and priorities, and facilitate a successful portal rollout. Data was collected from faculty, students and campus leaders through a series of focus groups, interviews and online surveys. Findings were examined in light of the literature on technology adoption and the authors' familiarity with portal initiatives at other large public universities. Participants described their vision of the ideal portal solution in terms of features, user interface and functionality. While faculty and students expressed enthusiasm about a campus portal, they also had concerns regarding training, support, reliability, security and standards. The authors make recommendations for addressing user concerns such as providing direction and leadership, segmenting the rollout, communicating the benefits and providing organizational support.
Experimental validation of a high-resolution diffuse optical imaging modality: photomagnetic imaging

We present experimental results that validate our imaging technique termed photomagnetic imaging (PMI). PMI illuminates the medium under investigation with a near-infrared light and measures the induced temperature increase using magnetic resonance imaging. A multiphysics solver combining light and heat propagation is used to model spatiotemporal distribution of temperature increase. Furthermore, a dedicated PMI reconstruction algorithm has been developed to reveal high-resolution optical absorption maps from temperature measurements. Being able to perform measurements at any point within the medium, PMI overcomes the limitations of conventional diffuse optical imaging. We present experimental results obtained on agarose phantoms mimicking biological tissue with inclusions having either different sizes or absorption contrasts, located at various depths. The reconstructed images show that PMI can successfully resolve these inclusions with high resolution and recover their absorption coefficient with high-quantitative accuracy. Even a 1-mm inclusion located 6-mm deep is recovered successfully and its absorption coefficient is underestimated by only 32%. The improved PMI system presented here successfully operates under the maximum skin exposure limits defined by the American National Standards Institute, which opens up the exciting possibility of its future clinical use for diagnostic purposes.
Tumor suppressor menin and its regulation by miR-24-1 play a key role in cholangiocarcinoma proliferation

RESULTS: The resection margins were clearly visualized. The average surgical time of group A (19.2 min) was significantly longer than group B (12.3 min) and C (13.1 min). Hemorrhage volume was less than a gauze. The average AST/ALT level 3-day postoperation were 124.2/107.6, 88.6/73.3 and 76.9/64.1 respectively. The rest of the laboratory data were close. Angiogram showed effective occlusion at the target region after the gel administration. Angiogram and necropsy showed no evidence of abnormities 3 months after the operation.
Mechanisms of chromosome banding. V. Quinacrine banding.

A series of biochemical investigations were undertaken to determine the mechanism of Q-banding. The results were as follows: 1. In agreement with previous studies, highly AT-rich DNA, such as poly(dA)-poly(dT), markedly enhanced quinacrine fluorescence while GC containing DNA quenched fluorescence. These effects persisted at DNA concentrations comparable to those in the metaphase chromosome. 2. Studies of quinacrine-DNA complexes in regard to the hypochromism of quinacrine, DNA Tm, DNA viscosity, and equilibrium dialysis, indicated the quinacrine was bound by intercalation with relatively little side binding. 3. Single or double stranded nucleotide polymers, in the form of complete or partial helices, were 1000-fold more effective in quenching than solutions of single nucleotides, suggesting that base stacking is required for quenching. 4. Studies of polymers in the A conformation, such as transfer RNA and DNA-RNA hybrids, indicated that marked base tilting does not affect the ability of nucleic acids to cause quenching or enhancement of quinacrine fluorescence. 5. Salts inhibit the binding of quinacrine to DNA. 6. Spermine, polylysine and polyarginine, which bind in the small groove of DNA, inhibited quinacrine binding and quenching, while histones, which probably bind in the large groove, had little effect. This correlated with the observation that removal of histones with acid has no effect on Q-banding. 7. Mouse liver chromatin was separated into five fractions. At concentrations of quinacrine from 2×10−6 to 2×10−5 M all fractions inhibited to varying degrees the ability of the chromatin DNA to bind quinacrine and quench quinacrine fluorescence. At saturating levels of quinacrine two fractions, the 400 g pellet (rich in heterochromatin) and a dispersed euchromatin supernatant fraction, showed a decreased number of binding sites for quinacrine. These two fractions were also the richest in non-histone proteins. 8. DNA isolated from the different fractions all showed identical quenching of quinacrine fluorescence. 9. Mouse GC-rich, mid-band, AT-rich, and satellite DNA, isolated by CsCl and Cs2SO4-Ag+ centrifugation all showed identical quenching of quinacrine fluorescence, indicating that within a given organism, except for very AT or GC-rich satellites, the variation in base composition is not adequate to explain Q-banding. — We interpret these results to indicate that: (a) quinacrine binds to chromatin by intercalation of the three planar rings with the large group at position 9 lying in the small groove of DNA, (b) most pale staining regions are due to a decrease binding of quinacrine, and (c) this inhibition of binding is predominately due to non-histone proteins.
Hydrated Proton Structure and Diffusion at Platinum Surfaces

Water-mediated hydrated proton solvation and diffusion at two types of platinum–water interfaces—namely, the Pt(111) and the Pt(100) surfaces—is investigated using reactive molecular dynamics simulations. The adsorbed water molecules on these platinum surfaces create different hydrogen-bonding networks, resulting in different proton solvation and transport behavior. Free energy calculations show that the excess proton can be stably adsorbed on the Pt(111) surface, while on the Pt(100) surface it prefers to stay at the interface between the hydrophobic layer of adsorbed water and the bulk. The hydrated excess proton can be viewed as a charge defect in the adsorbed water layer, where it diffuses with a low rate due to the slow reorientational dynamics of the adsorbed water molecules. However, the proton can sample a larger surface area by hopping between the adsorbed layer and the bulk at the Pt(111) surface.
Study on the modification of cyanate ester resin/glass fiber composites using whiskers

In order to improve interlaminar toughness of cyanate eater resin/ glass fiber composites,the effect of three kinds of whisker,i.e.aluminum borate whisker,potassium titanate whisker,calcium sulfate whisker on the toughness of the composites is studied.In addition,the influences of aluminum borate whisker on the mechanical performance and humidity resistance of the cyanate ester resin/ glass fiber composites are discussed.It is found that the three kinds of whisker can enhance their flexural strength and impact strength.Compared with other two kinds of whisker,aluminum borate whisker has better modification result.The aluminum borate whisker can also enhance the interlaminar shear strength and the humidity resistance of the composites.The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is also employed to analyze the fracture surfaces of the broken specimens.It is found that the "nailing" effect and the "retarding micro-crack growth" effect of the aluminum borate whisker are the key factors enhancing the toughness of cyanate ester resin and the interlaminar shear strength of the composites.
MIMO radar for through-wall target identification in single and two wall scenarios

MIMO radar provides improvement over traditional phased array radars for through wall imaging. By transmitting independent waveforms from a transmit array to a receive array an effective virtual array is created. This array has improved degrees of freedom over phased arrays and mono-static MIMO systems. This virtual array allows us to achieve the same effective aperture length as a phased array with less elements because the virtual array can be described as the convolution of transmit and receive array positions. In addition, data from multiple walls of the same room can be used to collect target information. If two walls are perpendicular to each other and the geometry of transmit and receive arrays is known, then data can be processed independently of each other. Since the geometry of the arrays is known, a target scene can be created where the two data sets overlap. The overlapped scene can then be processed so that image artifacts that do not correlate between the data sets can be excised. The result gives improved target detection, reduction in false alarms, robustness to noise, and robustness against errors such as improperly aligned antennas.
Impacts of the Pacific Meridional Mode on Landfalling North Atlantic tropical cyclones

This study examines the impacts of the Pacific Meridional Mode (PMM) on North Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) making landfall along the coastal US, Caribbean Islands and Mexico, and provides insights on the underlying physical mechanisms using observations and model simulations. There is a statistically significant time-lagged association between spring PMM and the August–October US and Caribbean landfalling TCs. Specifically, the positive (negative) spring PMM events tend to be followed by fewer (more) TCs affecting the coastal US (especially over the Gulf of Mexico and Florida) and the Caribbean Islands. This lagged association is mainly caused by the lagged impacts of PMM on the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the subsequent impacts of ENSO on TC frequency and landfalls. Positive (negative) PMM events are largely followed by El Nino (La Nina) events, which lead to less (more) TC geneses close to the US coast (i.e., the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea); this also leads to easterly (westerly) steering flow in the vicinity of the US and Caribbean coast, which is unfavorable (favorable) to TC landfall across the Gulf of Mexico, Florida and Caribbean Islands. Perturbation simulations with the state-of-the-art Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Forecast-oriented Low Ocean Resolution Version of CM2.5 (FLOR) support the linkage between PMM and TC landfall activity. The time-lagged impacts of spring PMM on TC landfalling activity results in a new predictor to forecast seasonal TC landfall activity along the US (especially over the Gulf of Mexico and Florida) and Caribbean coastal regions.
Facilitation in Caribbean coral reefs: high densities of staghorn coral foster greater coral condition and reef fish composition

Recovery of the threatened staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) is posited to play a key role in Caribbean reef resilience. At four Caribbean locations (including one restored and three extant populations), we quantified characteristics of contemporary staghorn coral across increasing conspecific densities, and investigated a hypothesis of facilitation between staghorn coral and reef fishes. High staghorn densities in the Dry Tortugas exhibited significantly less partial mortality, higher branch growth, and supported greater fish abundances compared to lower densities within the same population. In contrast, partial mortality, branch growth, and fish community composition did not vary with staghorn density at the three other study locations where staghorn densities were lower overall. This suggests that density-dependent effects between the coral and fish community may only manifest at high staghorn densities. We then evaluated one facilitative mechanism for such density-dependence, whereby abundant fishes sheltering in dense staghorn aggregations deliver nutrients back to the coral, fueling faster coral growth, thereby creating more fish habitat. Indeed, dense staghorn aggregations within the Dry Tortugas exhibited significantly higher growth rates, tissue nitrogen, and zooxanthellae densities than sparse aggregations. Similarly, higher tissue nitrogen was induced in a macroalgae bioassay outplanted into the same dense and sparse aggregations, confirming greater bioavailability of nutrients at high staghorn densities. Our findings inform staghorn restoration efforts, suggesting that the most effective targets may be higher coral densities than previously thought. These coral-dense aggregations may reap the benefits of positive facilitation between the staghorn and fish community, favoring the growth and survivorship of this threatened species.
Dr. Bibbo's Presidential Address on Automation in Cytology: Were Her Predictions Right, Wrong, or Somewhere in the Middle?

In 1983, Dr. Marluce Bibbo gave the Presidential Address at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cytology in Denver, CO, USA. The lecture was entitled “Analytic and Quantitative Cytology,” a field in which Dr. Bibbo was intimately involved. In the presentation, she included a summary of 30 years of work already accomplished, the present state of the art, and musings about issues encountered, potential resolutions, progress that needed to be made, and her perception of how the field needed to evolve in order to become ultimately successful as a clinical service. This commentary looks back 34 years, with observations about Dr. Bibbo's predictions and how the field of cytology automation did actually evolve in the decades following her address. New challenges are identified and possible paths forward are discussed.
Special Educator Teacher Candidate Preparation in Reading: A Statewide Examination

A majority of students recommended for special education services struggle with reading. It is therefore imperative that teachers are prepared to address the needs of these students. The purpose of this study was to examine special education teacher candidates’ beliefs, feelings of self-efficacy, and knowledge surrounding reading. Researchers surveyed teacher candidates across several pre-service special education preparation programs in a northeastern state. Findings suggest that teacher candidates believe they need additional training in reading. Implications for teacher education and future research are also provided. Subscribe to LDMJ
The time and place of cochlear implant pitch perception

It is well established that cochlear implant users can perceive pitch associated with pulse train stimulation rate, but that rate sensitivity diminishes above 300 pps. However, there have been multiple reported cases of individuals sensitive to stimulation rates well above 300 pps. Furthermore, Goldsworthy and Shannon (2014) demonstrated that sensitivity to stimulation rate could be improved through psychophysical training. The goal of the present study is to identify factors affecting rate sensitivity in cochlear implant users, including age, etiology, and duration of deafness, electrode location, stimulation mode, neural health as measured by multipulse integration, and spatial tuning as measured by forward masked thresholds. Adult cochlear implant users serve as subjects in a 3-week protocol that includes 4 hours per week of electrode psychophysics conducted in the laboratory and 30 minute daily auditory listening exercises conducted at home. Results indicate that cochlear implant users with minimal psychophysical training consistently discriminate rate differences at least as high as 800 pps. Emerging trends show a group effect with a monopolar stimulation mode and basal cochlear location benefit. We will report on the effect of the factors affecting rate sensitivity for this ongoing study.
An Evaluation of the ICON ® Mask Fixation: Curing Characteristics of the Thermoplastic Fixation and Implications for Patient Workflow.

Thermoplastic mask immobilization is used to perform hypo-fractionated treatments with the Gamma Knife ICON®. We evaluated the curing characteristics of the ICON® Nanor mask using force sensing resistors coupled with a data logging tool designed by us. For patients being treated with masks made the same day as the treatment, often in the same sitting with no removal and replacement of the patient from the treatment cradle, based on the curves 80% of the force of fixation is reached at 30 minutes. Allowing for curing over 10-15 minutes and the subsequent localizing and delivery CBCTs as well as the plan evaluation this is a reasonable time to start of therapy. For more exacting targets that are still requiring hypo-fractionation a cure period of 15 hours or greater will ensure that maximum rigidity of fixation is achieved.
Generation and evaluation of the VIIRS land surface phenology product

Abstract Vegetation phenology is widely acknowledged to be a sensitive indicator of the response of ecosystems to climate change, and phenological shifts have been shown to exert substantial impacts on ecosystem function, biodiversity, and carbon budgets at multiple scales. Therefore, long-term records of the phenology of the vegetated land surface are critical in exploring the biological response to environmental change at regional to global scales. Land surface phenology (LSP) from satellite observations has been extensively used to monitor the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems in the face of a changing climate. Here we introduce and describe the global land surface phenology (GLSP) product derived from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data at a gridded spatial resolution of 500 m. This new product will provide continuity for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) GLSP product that has been produced on an operational basis since 2001. The VIIRS GLSP algorithm uses daily VIIRS Nadir BRDF (Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function)-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) data as the primary input to calculate the two-band enhanced vegetation index (EVI2) at each 500 m pixel. The temporal EVI2 trajectory is modeled using a hybrid piecewise logistic function to track the seasonal vegetation development, detect phenological transition dates, calculate the magnitude of vegetation greenness development, and characterize the confidence of phenology detections. The VIIRS GLSP algorithm has been implemented across the contiguous United States, and the resulting phenological metrics have been evaluated through comparisons with species-specific field phenological observations, Landsat phenology retrievals, and the MODIS phenology detections. The results demonstrate that the VIIRS GLSP metrics are of high quality and are in a good agreement with the other independent satellite and field observations. The results also indicate that the uncertainty in the VIIRS GLSP retrievals is primarily associated with missing high quality observations in VIIRS EVI2 time series.
A Local Extrapolation Method for Hyperbolic Conservation Laws. I. The ENO Underlying Schemes

In this paper, we introduce a local extrapolation method (LEM) for the essentially non-oscillatory (ENO) schemes solving nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws. The method extrapolates the numerical flux of the underlying scheme so that it keeps conservativity. We use a minmod type limiter to avoid spurious oscillations. We propose a new balancing technique that preserves the symmetry of a symmetric wave that works well for a wide range of CFL numbers. We also introduce two artificial compression procedures to the LEM which yield sharp resolutions of contact discontinuities. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the method.
Unidirectional motility occurring in association with the axopodial membrane of Echinosphaerium nucleofilum

Abstract A system of rapid, unidirectional motility associated with the surface of Echinosphaerium axopodia is demonstrated using polystyrene microspheres as exogenous markers.
Mixing Business with Pleasure: Emotional Dialecticism in Objectification and Helping Behaviors

This paper investigates how an individual’s perspective on the role of emotions at work can shape employee cognitive and behavioral patterns. We introduce the notion of emotional dialecticism, whic...
Addressing the "My Students Cannot Write" Dilemma: Investigating Methods for Improving Graduate Student Writing.

Improved writing can help students in their academic and professional careers, thus this action research project examined the use of three revision strategies in a graduate course by collecting three sources of data. One-sample t-tests revealed no significant differences across paper scores. However, students indicated rough drafts and rewrites were helpful because they were able to make changes to receive a better grade. Students did not find peer reviews helpful. To help students improve their writing, faculty should train them to become effective peer reviewers and give them multiple options for revising their writing.
Biochemical but not compositional recovery of skin mucosal microbiome communities after disruption

Background The microbiomes of animals are complex communities that strongly affect the health of the hosts. Microbiomes on mucosal surfaces have the highest densities and most extensive biochemical exchanges with the hosts. Although antibiotics are potent tools to manage infections, they can disrupt the normal microbiota, causing numerous side effects. Materials and methods Taking a community ecology approach, mucosal microbiome community responses to five disruptive conditions (two broad-spectrum antibiotics, a biocide, elevated temperature, and rinsing) were analyzed. Skin of the fish Gambusia affinis was the mucosal model. Microbiome recovery was measured by culturable counts, community biochemical profiles, genetic fingerprinting, and community 16S gene sequencing (rinsing condition only). Results Following all disruptions, the total counts rose and then returned to the pre-treatment (PT) level. This overgrowth was confirmed via direct staining and community metabolic activity measurements. After rinsing, diversity decreased and one taxon dominated (family Aeromonadaceae) temporarily, the findings similar to numerous other studies with antibiotics. While the community did not return to the PT taxonomic composition, the biochemical profile did. Conclusion This suggests that the biochemical pathways in a community are important during recovery, and a return to the original composition is not required to restore original function.
Intraoperative Depth of Invasion Is Accurate in Early-Stage Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose Depth of invasion (DOI) is one predictor of nodal metastasis in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) and can facilitate the decision to complete an elective neck dissection (END) in early-stage disease with a clinically negative neck. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of DOI in intraoperative frozen specimens for T1N0 oral OCSCC. Materials and Methods To compare the accuracy of DOI in frozen versus permanent specimens, we completed a prospective, blinded study of 30 patients with cT1N0 OCSCC who presented between October 2016 and December 2017. Results DOI in frozen specimens was 96.8% accurate in predicting the need for END with a sensitivity of 90.9%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 95.2%. A strong correlation was found between DOIs in frozen and permanent specimens measured by head and neck (HN) pathologists (r = 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93 to 0.97), between HN pathologists using frozen specimens (r = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.95 to 0.99) and permanent specimens (r = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91 to 0.98), and in DOIs in frozen specimens communicated intraoperatively versus measured by HN pathologist 1 (r = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.86 to 0.97) and HN pathologist 2 (r = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.89 to 0.98). Only 1 patient who did not undergo an END based on frozen specimens was undertreated owing to upgrading of the DOI in permanent specimens. Conclusions DOI in intraoperative frozen sections has an accuracy of 96.8% and may be reliably used as a clinical tool to determine the need for END in early-stage OCSCC.
Natural hazard vulnerability quantification of offshore wind turbine in shallow water

Abstract Offshore Wind Turbines (OWTs) are prone to numerous natural hazards related to wind and wave loads, causing different levels of structural damage. This paper aims at simulating such loads acting on an OWT and performing its vulnerability analysis in the form of fragility curves. The OWT used for the analysis is 5-MW National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) baseline model in 20 m water depth. Initially, the analysis considering variability in wave characteristics was done due to computational cost by performing three different approaches: analytical approach using Morison’s Equation; Finite Element Analysis (FEA) approach; and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) tool using Fatigue, Aerodynamics, Structures, and Turbulence (FAST) approach. The results coupled with First Order Reliability Method (FORM) were used to develop wave fragility curves, indicating that the FAST approach resulted in a reasonable conservative range in the fragility curve. The FAST approach was further used to simulate wind-and-wave hazard vulnerability of the OWT. To that end, extreme loading scenarios specified by the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) Design Standard was utilized. Structural responses of the OWT captured at various locations, resulted in flexural demands at the mudline to be critical, and was used to create the multi-hazard fragility surface. This study found that the exceedance probability increased with an increase in both wind speed and wave height, especially above 12 m/s and 10 m, respectively. Through the comparison of regular and irregular wave fragility data, the significant difference in the exceedance probability was also found.
Myofibroblasts Enhance Tumor Growth in a Novel Mouse Model of Colorectal Cancer.

Abstract Background Communication between colorectal cancer and stromal cells alters the tumor microenvironment to regulate locoregional disease and cancer progression. However, colon cancer–stromal cell interactions are difficult to study in vivo. Limitations of existing animal models include the use of immunocompromised mice, the inability to genetically modify a cell population in a single organ system, or a lack of anatomic context. Our goal was to develop a novel mouse model of colorectal cancer that is capable of studying tumor-stromal cell interactions in the native colon of immune-competent mice. Methods Primary mouse myofibroblasts were isolated from the colon of C57BL/6 mice and were grown in cell culture. Genetically defined (ApcΔ/Δ; Kras G12D/+; Trp53Δ/Δ) primary mouse colon cancer cells were suspended in serum-free media (20 μL) at varying concentrations (5 × 103 to 4 × 104 cells) either alone or in combination with syngeneic myofibroblasts (2 × 105 cells). After isoflurane anesthesia, a colonoscopy was performed on immune-competent 8- to 10-week-old C57BL/6 mice with endoscopic microinjection of the cell suspension into the submucosal space of the colon wall utilizing a small animal colonoscope. Surveillance endoscopy was used to assess for tumor growth, along with histologic analysis. Tumor size is presented on a grading system based on tumor diameter relative to colon circumference. Results A total of 33 mice were injected with a survival rate of 88% (29/33). Endoscopic microinjection of colorectal cancer cells resulted in dose-dependent tumor growth in the distal mouse colon that could be assessed endoscopically without animal sacrifice. Growth curves varied depending on the concentration of injected colorectal cancer cells, with no growth at the lowest concentration of injected cells (5 × 103 cells), progressive growth over 4 wk using 1-2 × 104 cells, while the highest colorectal cancer cell concentration (4 × 104 cells) led to larger tumors at week 1 followed by a steady decline in tumor growth over the 4-wk time period. Combined microinjection of 2 × 104 colorectal cancer cells with 2 × 105 myofibroblasts resulted in much larger tumors that persisted over the 4-wk time period and which were composed primarily of colorectal cancer cells. Immunofluorescence microscopy after coinjection of colorectal cancer cells with green fluorescent protein positive myofibroblasts confirmed that the injected myofibroblasts are present and remain viable over the 4-wk time period. Conclusions Endoscopic submucosal microinjection of primary mouse colorectal cancer cells is feasible and leads to reliable and reproducible short-term growth of colon tumors in immune-competent mice. Coinjection of primary mouse colorectal cancer cells with syngeneic myofibroblasts leads to enhanced tumor growth. Coimplantation of colorectal cancer cells with syngeneic myofibroblasts provides a novel platform to study tumor-stromal interactions in the native colon of immune-competent mice.
Propensity Score Matched Analysis of Risk for Malignancies in Sickle Cell Anemia

Abstract BACKGROUND: The survival of sickle cell patients is limited as compared to the general population. The major morbidity and mortality comes from sickle cell complications including cardiovascular disease, renal failure, infections and thrombosis (Manci Br J Haematol 2013). However, literature is conflicting about risk for malignancies in this population and remains to be investigated by larger studies. Our retrospective study is aimed at studying the prevalence of different malignancies in a large cohort of hospitalized sickle cell patients in the year 2014 using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS). METHODS: Study Population: We identified hospitalized sickle cell patients in NIS using ICD-9 codes (282.5,282.6X -282.6X) for year 2014. We also identified the various malignancies through ICD-9 codes and studied the prevalence of individual malignancies in hospitalized sickle cell patients (SCD/cases) compared to a matched cohort of hospitalized patients with no sickle cell disease (No SCD/controls). Statistical Analysis: The 1:N Case-Control Matching Macro (Parsons LS et al SUGI 29) was used to match cases with controls with respect to potential confounders including age, race, gender in the ratio of 1:4. Chi Square was used to determine the difference in the proportions of individual malignancies between the two groups. P value RESULTS: We identified 117,405 hospitalized sickle cell patients in the NIS database who were matched to 469,620 controls (Table 1). A total of 1890 malignancies were found in sickle cell cohort. The prevalence of malignancies in hospitalized sickle cell patients was 1.6% as compared to 4.6% in controls (OR 0.34; range:0.30-0.38). The prevalence of all studied malignancies including hematological malignancies was lower in hospitalized sickle cell patients as compared to a matched population of hospitalized patients with no sickle cell disease (Table 2). CONCLUSION: Our study showed a lower prevalence of both solid tumors and hematological malignancies in patients with sickle cell disease as compared to matched cohorts. Future prospective cohort studies are needed to evaluate the risk of malignancies in sickle cell anemia and identify if any protective mechanisms exist against the development of malignancy in this patient population. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Ancillary Studies in the Diagnostic Evaluation of Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Context.— Large B-cell lymphoma classification has changed significantly over the decades, evolving from a purely morphologic categorization to one using sophisticated ancillary studies including m...
Undergraduate teaching assistant impact on student academic achievement

This study evaluated the impact that trained and supported undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) may have had on the academic achievement of students in the first semester of an introductory chemistry course for science and engineering majors. Framed by the concepts of Lave and Wenger’s Community of Practice and Wheeler, Martin and Suls’ Proxy Model of Social Comparison , the study used an untreated control group with dependent post-test only design. Covariates related to student academic achievement and contextual variables were also collected and used to build models for the final exam core outcome variable. Hierarchical linear models indicated that having a UTA gave students with above-average college GPA a statistically significant boost on final exam score. More importantly, having a UTA was associated with persistence into the next course in the two-semester introductory chemistry sequence, regardless of academic achievement.
Association Between Inflammatory Pathways and Phenotypes of Pulmonary Dysfunction Using Cluster Analysis in Persons Living With HIV and HIV-Uninfected Individuals.

Background Persons living with HIV (PLWH) are at risk of developing different phenotypes of chronic lung disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Mechanisms underlying these phenotypes are unclear. Objective To identify clusters of peripheral inflammatory mediators associated with pulmonary function to determine inflammatory pathways and phenotypes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in PLWH and HIV-uninfected individuals. Methods Study participants were PLWH and HIV-uninfected individuals enrolled in the Pittsburgh HIV Lung Cohort. Pulmonary function tests were performed for all participants. Chest computed tomographic scans were performed in a subset of PLWH. Plasma levels of 19 inflammatory mediators were measured by Luminex or ELISA. Clusters were identified based on the expression pattern of inflammatory mediators in PLWH and HIV-uninfected individuals, and the relationships among clinical parameters were evaluated within clusters by using cluster and network analyses. Results In PLWH, we identified a distinct cluster with higher levels of Th1, Th2, and Th17 inflammatory mediators with increased complexity of these mediators and inferred presence of pathogenic Th17 cell types. Individuals in this cluster had worse airway obstruction and more radiographic emphysema. In HIV-uninfected individuals, a cluster with high-grade systemic inflammation also had worse diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. Conclusions Inflammatory pathways associated with pulmonary dysfunction in PLWH suggest multifaceted immune dysregulation involved in different phenotypes of pulmonary dysfunction with a potential specific contribution of the Th17 pathway to airway obstruction in PLWH. Identification of these associations may help in development of treatments that could alter the course of the disease.
Pursuing innovative finance models to enable beneficial energy and water infrastructure and systems

Abstract This paper explores how large-expenditure financing programs and other funding resources can be utilized to enable effective investment in projects with energy and water co-benefits that otherwise may not be done. It identifies current and potential practices, partnerships, and arrangements that could enable various aspects of the project development process to be more effective, leading to better individual projects and more beneficial overall investment in the energy-water sector.
Corrections to “The Role of Viscosity in the Impulse Diffraction Field of Elastic Waves Induced by the Acoustic Radiation Force” and “Supersonic Shear Imaging: A New Technique for Soft Tissue Elasticity Mapping”

This article presents corrections to J. Bercoff et al. , “The role of viscosity in the impulse diffraction field of elastic waves induced by the acoustic radiation force,” IEEE Trans. Ultrason., Ferroelectr., Freq. Control , vol. 51, no. 11, pp. 1523–1536, Nov. 2004, and J. Bercoff et al. , “Supersonic shear imaging: A new technique for soft tissue elasticity mapping,” IEEE Trans. Ultrason., Ferroelectr., Freq. Control , vol. 51, no. 4, pp. 396–409, Apr. 2004.
Perioperative Considerations in Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery.

Present an overview of perioperative considerations specific to endoscopic skull base surgery necessary to maximize successful outcomes. The majority of perioperative considerations for endoscopic skull base surgery lack strong supporting evidence and frequently have varied use or implementation amongst institutions. A notable exception comes from a recent randomized controlled trial demonstrating the benefit of lumbar drainage in high-risk cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Skull base surgeons must consider a multitude of perioperative factors. While many components of perioperative management are extrapolated from related fields such as endoscopic sinus surgery or open cranial base surgery, additional high-quality studies are needed to delineate best practices specific to endoscopic skull base surgery.
Validation of Additional Approaches and Applications for Using the Continuous and Manual Sampling Devices for Raw Beef Trim

ABSTRACT In this work, the goal was to determine the efficacy of MicroTally-based sampling in scenarios commonly encountered in the commercial beef processing industry, but outside of the parameters evaluated during the initial proof-of-concept work. The data were derived from 1,650 matched samples collected from 540 individual combo bins at six commercial beef processing plants, comparing MicroTally-based sampling (continuous and manual sampling devices [CSD and MSD]) to N60 Excision and/or N60 Plus methods. Mounting a 61-cm CSD cartridge to a 30-cm-wide conveyor provided sampling that is equivalent to N60 Excision and N60 Plus methods. Mounting a CSD to a chute instead of a conveyor was equivalent to the N60 Plus sampling method. The CSD was shown to be effective for sampling when used in conjunction with a "swinging arm trim diverter" and receiving product in batch mode as opposed to continuous flow. MSD sampling of oval combo bins with trim surface area (≈0.93 m2 [≈1,439 in2]) less than 1 m2 (1,600 in2) was shown to be equivalent to the N60 Plus sample collection method. Peracetic acid applied at the end of the trim conveyor did not negatively impact pathogen index target detection of the CSD even if the samples were shipped overnight before analysis. Pathogen index targets were demonstrated to be useful tools for validating methods designed to measure pathogen prevalence. The data presented herein support equivalency criteria of within 0.5 log CFU per sample for indicator organism counts. These data collectively support various alternative applications of MicroTally-based trim sampling and the application and interpretation of alternative methods for pathogen detection. HIGHLIGHTS
Airborne UWB Radar on a Light Sport Aircraft for Polar Surveys

Polar regions are among the least known and most challenging areas of Earth in terms of their topography, water mass and transport, and accessibility. This paper shows a solution for advanced SAR capabilities on a unique light sport aircraft (LSA) platform suitable for widespread radar measurements of Polar regions. The LSA is integrated with an 8 channel 170–470 MHz ultra-wideband (UWB) radar capable of sounding Polar ice sheets and ice layers down to the bed. We designed, constructed, and tested the sub-systems, including a test of the RF electronics with a surface vehicle on the Greenland ice sheet.
Polarization and Group Cooperation

Does increased partisanship undermine the ability of politically heterogeneous groups to function and cooperate in apolitical settings? On the eve of the 2020 U.S. elections, we conducted an online experiment in which Democrats and Republicans played repeated public goods games, both with and without punishment. Absent punishment, mixed party groups are less cooperative and efficient than homogeneous groups. However, polarized groups do no worse than those in which political affiliations are unknown. We find no differences in cooperation across groups that are able to punish free-riding behavior. Thus, knowing that one is in a group with likeminded individuals can serve as a substitute for an enforcement mechanism, but polarized groups can, at some efficiency cost, achieve similar contributions when sanctions are possible.