cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intraguild predation on Eretmocerus sp. nr. emiratus, a parasitoid of Bemisia tabaci, by three generalist predators with implications for estimating the level and impact of parasitism

Abstract Intraguild predation (IGP) is pervasive in many managed and unmanaged ecosystems and may have negative, neutral or positive effects on the biological control of pest insects. Both generalist predators and aphelinid parasitoids attack Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) Biotype B (=B. argentifolii Perring & Bellows) on cotton in the southwestern USA. Free-choice and no-choice laboratory assays were conducted to quantify prey consumption patterns and preference by three representative generalist predators, Geocoris punctipes (Say), Orius insidiosus (Say), and Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville, offered fourth instar B. tabaci nymphs and nymphs parasitized by Eretmocerus sp. nr. emiratus. All three predators showed a significant preference for larval and pupal stage parasitoids over early fourth instar nymphs, but G. punctipes and O. insidiosus were non-discriminating when offered a choice of larval parasitoids and late fourth instar nymphs. The potential implications of these observed patterns for the f...
Performance Analysis of a High Energy Colliding Beam Simulation Code on Four HPC Architectures

The high energy colliders are essential to study the inner structure of nuclear and elementary particles. A parallel particle simulation code, BeamBeam3D, has been developed and actively used to model the beam dynamics and to optimize the performance of these colliders. In this paper, we analyzed the performance characteristics of BeamBeam3D on four leading high performance computing architectures, including a massive parallel system, a commodity-based cluster, an advanced vector platform, and a novel architecture focused on low power consumption and high density. We examine how to partition the workload among the processors to effectively use the computing resources, whether these platforms exhibit similar performance bottlenecks and how to address them, whether some platforms perform substantially better than others, and finally, the implications of BeamBeam3D for the design of the next generation supercomputer architectures.
Transient stimulated Raman amplification in hydrogen

We describe the results of an extensive study of transient stimulated Raman scattering in hydrogen gas. Measurements of self-oscillation thresholds, conversion efficiency, and the dependence of small-signal amplification on the pump energy and gas pressure are presented. Strong dependence of the amplification on the self-phase modulation of the pump and seed-Stokes pulses, on their relative time of arrival at the Raman amplifier, and on the seed-Stokes pulse asymmetry has been observed. The experimental measurements are compared with theoretical predictions that are based on extensions of published transient theories to take into account the spatial and temporal profiles of the pulses as well as their phase modulation. Excellent agreement with the theory, especially with regard to the scaling of the small-signal amplification with pump-pulse energy, is obtained when all the specific characteristics of the pump and Stokes pulses are included in the calculations.
Corticosterone Levels in Adrenal Effluent Blood of Some Gallinaceous Birds.

SummaryA method is described for obtaining samples of adrenal venous blood from the bird. This allows avian species to be used for routine in vivo studies designed to assess adrenal activity by direct measurement. Levels of corticosterone, expressed as μg %, in adrenal effluent and peripheral plasma were 42.4 and 7.8 in turkeys and 34.8 and 8.6 in pheasants. In domestic fowl the values were 44.3 and 7.3 in Wisco Whites: 48.8 and 12.3 in New Hampshires, and 37.0 and 9.5 in White Rocks. ACTH (8 I.U. intravenously) increased the output of corticosterone from 29.6 to 104.6 μg % in pheasants and from 30.7 to 143.7 μg % in chickens 60 minutes after injection.
Pro- and anti-system behavior: a complementary approach to voice and silence in studies of political behavior

Theories of participation and non-participation are largely unable to capture and distinguish anti-system behavior, which ranges from deliberate silence to political violence. To better understand and measure these diverse forms of citizen participation, and to distinguish these from forms of alienation and marginalization, this article builds a new model of anti-system behavior in a way that facilitates the development of empirically observable variables and hypotheses. To do so, I draw upon sociological approaches to alienation – which examine intensities of rebellion and contestation – and combine them with the standard political scientific approach – which examines intensities of engagement based on resources. The problem, I argue, is that each approach only partially explains the motivations behind aberrant political behavior in modern democratic systems; they are in fact two sides of the same coin. I consider three cases of apparent silent citizenship: Muslims in Western Europe, Roma in Eastern Euro...
Bi-Allelic TCRα or β Recombination Enhances T Cell Development but Is Dispensable for Antigen Responses and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

Dual TCRα-expressing T cells outnumber dual TCRβ-expressing cells by ~10:1. As a result, efforts to understand how dual TCR T cells impact immunity have focused on dual TCRα expression; dual TCRβ expression remains understudied. We recently demonstrated, however, that dual TCRβ expression accelerated disease in a TCR transgenic model of autoimmune arthritis through enhanced positive selection efficiency, indicating that dual TCRβ expression, though rare, can impact thymic selection. Here we generated mice hemizygous for TCRα, TCRβ, or both on the C57BL/6 background to investigate the impact bi-allelic TCR chain recombination has on T cell development, repertoire diversity, and autoimmunity. Lack of bi-allelic TCRα or TCRβ recombination reduced αβ thymocyte development efficiency, and the absence of bi-allelic TCRβ recombination promoted γδ T cell development. However, we observed no differences in the numbers of naive and expanded antigen-specific T cells between TCRα+/-β+/- and wildtype mice, and TCR repertoire analysis revealed only subtle differences in Vβ gene usage. Finally, the absence of dual TCR T cells did not impact induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis pathogenesis. Thus, despite more stringent allelic exclusion of TCRβ relative to TCRα, bi-allelic TCRβ expression can measurably impact thymocyte development and is necessary for maintaining normal αβ/γδ T cell proportions.
Hydroxyl-rich topaz in high-pressure and ultrahigh-pressure kyanite quartzites, with retrograde woodhouseite, from the Sulu terrane, eastern China

Hydroxyl-rich topaz was recognized in thick kyanite quartzites from both high-pressure (HP) and ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) belts of the Sulu terrane, China. These quartzites contain variable proportions of quartz, kyanite, and topaz, with minor phengite, pyrite, and rutile. Some topaz grains from the UHP belt contain abundant inclusions of oriented kyanite, whereas those from the HP belt are partially replaced by woodhouseite [CaAl 3 (PO 4 )(SO 4 )(OH) 6 ]. Most topaz crystals contain 9.5 to 13.5 wt% F [0.92–1.30 atoms per formula unit (apfu)], indicating 35–55% substitution of F by OH. Such naturally occurring, hydroxyl-rich topaz has not been previously reported. Some topaz grains from the HP belt show distinct zoning: (1) decreasing F content from narrow cores (13.3–16.5 wt%) to thick rims (9.5 wt%) or (2) oscillatory zoning (9.44–12.77 wt%). Unit-cell parameters of topaz show a positive linear correlation between the OH content and a and b as well as volume. Based on our petrologic data, the experimentally determined curve of Ky + H 2 O = topaz-OH at very high pressures, and calculated OH/(OH + F) isopleths of topaz at low pressures, the topaz with X OH ~ 0.35 from the UHP belt may have formed at P-T conditions within the coesite stability field. The P-T condition of HP topaz is less well constrained; its high X OH (0.40–0.55) may have been caused by lower metamorphic temperatures and higher initial X OH in comparison with UHP topaz. Hydroxyl-rich topaz together with other hydrous minerals in UHP rocks may be important carriers of H 2 O to mantle depths of 100–200 km during continental subduction.
Pattern-Sensitive Epilepsy

The clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) findings of 73 (43 female and 30 male) patients diagnosed with pattern-sensitive epilepsy between 1950 and 1999 were evaluated at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Numerical Simulation of Polymeric Gels

Following [1], a theory for coupled fluid diffusion and large deformation is implemented as a user-element subroutine in the commercial finite element package ABAQUS. The governing equations are summarized along with details of the constitutive theory. A few numerical examples are provided to show the robustness of this methodology in both transient and steady state conditions.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
ATPS-94THIRD GENERATION mTOR INHIBITORS IN GLIOBLASTOMA

The mTOR serine-theronine kinase exists in two distinct multi-protein mTORC complexes. First generation allosteric inhibitors of mTOR (rapalogs) block mTORC1, whereas second generation mTOR kinase inhibitors (MLN128) inhibit both mTORC1 and mTORC2. Although rapalogs and mTOR kinase inhibitors are in clinical trials, rapalogs are inefficient mTORC1 blockers, while blockade of mTORC2 by mTORCi is poorly tolerated by normal cells, perhaps due to components of mTORC2 being essential genes. We synthesized and here characterize third generation mTOR kinase inhibitors that show improved efficacy in glioblastoma, tied to highly efficient blockade of mTORC1, with relative mTORC2 sparing. Compared to rapamycin, MLN128, and the AKT inhibitor MK-2206, third generation mTOR inhibitors were 10-100 fold more active as antiprolfierative agents, driving arrest in G1 without appreciable induction of apoptosis. Third generation mTOR inhibitors demonstrated efficacy in cells wild-type and mutant for PTEN, a negative regulator of PI3K signaling. We demonstrate that third generation efficiently blocked the mTORC1 targets S6K and EIF4E, and traced the increased activity of these agents mTOR inhibitors to higher affinity for mTORC1, in comparison with rapamycin and MLN128. We also demonstrated that third generation mTOR inhibitors cross the blood brain barrier. In vivo testing in orthotopic PDX models is underway, and will be discussed.
Study on health status of gas station workers and influencing factors

Objective To learn about main health abnormalities of gas station workers and possible influencing factors. Methods Health examination data and basic personal information of 266 gas station workers who had done this job for a long time were collected. Main health abnormalities and possible influencing were analyzed by SPSS software. Results Abnormal rate of blood lipid of gas station workers was 45.5%, of which abnormal rate of urine routine was 35.0%, abnormal rate of liver function was 34.2%, detection rate of fatty liver was 29.3%, abnormal(a little higher) rate of blood pressure was 10.2% and abnormal rate of blood routine was 9.0%. Rates of health abnormalities of different genders have statistically significance. According to Logistic regression analysis, males had a significantly increased risk of abnormal liver function(OR=2.81, 95%CI: 1.51-5.23), P=0.001. Abnormal blood lipid is significantly related to abnormal fatty liver and abnormal liver function and the ORs were 4.44(95%CI: 2.36-8.33) and 2.27(95%CI: 1.19-4.34) respectively. Conclusion Abnormal blood lipid, abnormal urine routine and fatty liver are common health abnormalities of gas station workers. Fatty liver is influencing factor to abnormal liver function. Male workers, abnormal blood lipid and those and fatty liver significantly increase risks of abnormal liver function.
Dexamethasone Associated ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Four Days after an Unremarkable Coronary Angiogram—Another Reason for Cautious Use of Steroids: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Drug induced myocardial infarction is a known entity with different forms of steroids linked to coronary artery disease (CAD) either through promoting its traditional risk factors, inducing coronary spasm, or by other unidentified mechanisms. Dexamethasone is known to promote an atherogenic and hypercoagulable state. We report a case of a 75-year-old woman who had ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) associated with dexamethasone use just 4 days following an angiogram showing minor luminal irregularities.
The Challenges of Measuring Human Performance in Complex Operational Environments

A panel of experienced human factors practitioners and researchers discusses the challenges encountered when measuring and quantifying human performance on the job and during system design and development. The panel, comprised of government/military researchers with expertise in human factors engineering, human systems integration, research psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, physics, systems engineering, and mechanical engineering, focuses not only on the challenges they have encountered, but also on the underlying human performance measurement issues and various approaches they have taken to address them. Understanding, measuring, evaluating and predicting factors that influence human performance is not only critical for the design of effective systems and programs of instruction, but also for overall job performance and mission effectiveness. Panelists will discuss critical factors and insights that are generalizable across a wide range of products and industry sectors as well as those th...
Measurement of surface charge transport on dielectric materials

The purpose of this paper is to describe a technique for characterizing near steady state charge transport in thin film dielectric materials under various well controlled ambient conditions. This is important because failure to achieve perfect insulation limits the performance of several sorts of devices. For example, materials used to separate layers of hybrid circuits become lossy at high ambient humidity. The spreading of charge across a surface of thermoplastic used in holography or across paper used for electrographic reproduction adds a limitation to the achievable resolution. The breakdown of high voltage insultators is also influenced by the migration of surface charges. From a direct application point of view the variation of semiconducting properties in a dielectric film can be used to sense the presence of various substances in the environment.
Fly away home

Far from being "bird brained", members of the avian family have an amazing array of techniques to help them navigate their way across vast oceans and continents. Mark Denny examines the physics of bird navigation.
In vitro experimental models of mesothelioma revisited.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a biologically unusual, highly aggressive cancer that defies current multimodality treatments. Epidemiologic data suggest that this malignancy has not abated despite increasingly strict environmental regulations on asbestos, the putative causative agent for sporadic cases. An incomplete understanding of all the factors mechanistically driving mesothelioma is largely responsible for the current lack of curative treatments. Many approaches have been employed to ascertain the step-by-step molecular events involved in mesothelioma oncogenesis including in vitro , small animal in vivo , and human experimental models; though clearly defined, druggable mechanisms still are elusive. Importantly, the foundation of the latest accepted model of tumor initiation is derived from in vitro systems. A thorough review of in vitro mesothelioma oncogenesis models may suggest further opportunities for discovery.
Dr. John Brinkley: Quack Doctor, Radio Personality, and Politician

"What a little tinkering with his character, a little more honesty here, a little more intelligence there-would have made him a real leader of men." 1 William Allen White, the famous newspaperman from Emporia never was an ardent fan of Dr. John R. Brinkley. During much of the 1930s, White, along with other news writers, newspaper owners, medical journal writers, radio men, and other various commentators, engaged in a campaign to destroy the famous "rejuvenation" doctor. Others considered Brinkley to be the greatest doctor in North America, if not the world. Brinkley indeed, could have improved on his honesty and his character. However, he was not unintelligent or backwards. On the contrary, he was one of America's first true media moguls. He had a true savoir-faire for self-promotion and understanding for the awesome possibilities of mass media marketing. Brinkley saw potential in new technologies and devised new methods to exploit them to their fullest. He used both good and bad press to further the world's knowledge of himself and his work. He pioneered mass advertising by utilizing America's modern postal system, newspaper advertisements, pamphlets, radio, and recorded media. With the same zeal that he exuded in his medical practice, he unintentionally became an innovator in radio broadcasting, modern American political campaigning, mass media advertising and "get rich quick" schemes. Much of what we are familiar with today in the world of "as seen on TV", quack medicines and cures, contemporary political campaigning and the modern day country music industry, can be traced, in part, back to Dr. John Brinkley, the goat-gland doctor.
Chapter 20 – Automotive Radar∗

Radar is becoming an important automotive technology. Automotive radar systems are the primary sensor used in adaptive cruise control and are a critical sensor system in autonomous driving assistance systems (ADAS). In ADAS, automotive radar is one of the several sensor systems for collision avoidance, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and complements vision-based camera-sensing systems. The radar technology generally used is frequency-modulated continuous-wave or FMCW radar, which is quite different from the pulse-Doppler radar. The analog and RF hardware in millimeter FMCW is much less costly than that of pulse-Doppler radar. In addition, the digital processing requirements are generally modest and can be performed in low-cost field programmable gate arrays, microprocessors with specialized acceleration engines, or specialized application-specific integrated circuits.
Integrating OpenMP into the Charm++ Programming Model

The recent trend of rapid increase in the number of cores per chip has resulted in vast amounts of on-node parallelism. These high core counts result in hardware variability that introduces imbalance. Applications are also becoming more complex themselves, resulting in dynamic load imbalance. Load imbalance of any kind can result in loss of performance and decrease in system utilization. In this paper, we propose a new integrated runtime system that adds OpenMP shared-memory parallelism to the Charm++ distributed programming model to improve load balancing on distributed systems. Our proposal utilizes an infrequent periodic assignment of work to cores based on load measurement, in combination with tasks created via OpenMP's parallel loop construct from each core to handle load imbalance. We demonstrate the benefits of using this integrated runtime system on the LLNL ASC proxy application Lassen, achieving speedups of 50% over runs without any load balancing and 10% over existing distributed-memory-only balancing schemes in Charm++.
Amino Acids: Riddles from A to Y.

The recent Food and Drug Administration approval of the use of L-glutamine for the reduction of pain episodes in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD)2 highlights the importance of familiar amino acids in new therapeutics. For example, lysine analogs are used as antifibrinolytics to stop bleeds, whereas an arginine analog is used as an antithrombotic agent. What is the mechanism of action of L-glutamine in SCD? L-glutamine has a favorable impact on the ratio of reduced to total NAD and redox potential in sickle red blood cells (RBCs) exposed to oxidative stress (1). RBCs from individuals with SCD who were treated with L-glutamine showed reduced sickling on the peripheral blood smear and were less sickled and less adherent to vascular cells than RBCs from untreated individuals (2). Oral L-glutamine also reduced endothelial adhesion of sickle RBCs to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (3). Improved redox biology might make sickle RBCs less adhesive. Both tranexamic acid and e-aminocaproic acid, which are analogs of lysine, competitively block the binding of fibrinogen and fibrin to their lysine binding sites on plasminogen, thus reducing the rate of fibrinolysis. Aprotinin, a serine protease inhibitor, has been removed from the market due …
Simultaneous Liver-Kidney Transplantation: Impact on Liver Transplant Patients and the Kidney Transplant Waiting List

The number of simultaneous liver-kidney transplants (SLKT) performed in the USA has been rising. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network implemented a new policy governing SLKT that specifies eligibility criteria for candidates to receive a kidney with a liver, and creates a kidney waitlist “safety net” for liver recipients with persistent renal failure after transplant. This review explores potential impacts for liver patients and the kidney waitlist. Factors that have contributed to the rise in SLKT including Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD)-based allocation, regional sharing for high MELD candidates, and the rising incidence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis will continue to increase the number of liver transplant candidates with concurrent renal insufficiency. The effect of center behavior based on the new policy is harder to predict, given wide historic variability in SLKT practice. Continued increase in combined liver/kidney failure is likely, and SLKT and kidney after liver transplant may both increase. Impact of the new policy should be carefully monitored, but influences beyond the policy need to be accounted for.
Stochastic Accelerated Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers with Importance Sampling

In this paper, we incorporate importance sampling strategy into accelerated framework of stochastic alternating direction method of multipliers for solving a class of stochastic composite problems with linear equality constraint. The rates of convergence for primal residual and feasibility violation are established. Moreover, the estimation of variance of stochastic gradient is improved due to the use of important sampling. The proposed algorithm is capable of dealing with the situation, where the feasible set is unbounded. The experimental results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A More Luminous Life: An Attempt at a Religiously Informed Pragmatism

A first rate test of the value of any philosophy.... Does it end in conclusions which, when they are referred back to ordinary life experiences and their predicaments, render them more significant, more luminous to us, and make our dealings with them more fruitful? John Dewey is often described in “fatherly” terms, because he took the concerns of earlier generations of American pragmatists, and brought to them the empiricism of the scientific method, thus turning a methodological corner, while preserving concrete concerns expressed in earlier generations. As early as Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the rise of Transcendentalism, pragmatism centered on seeing history as the theatre in which the person-in-society uses creative intelligence to engage and construct the world, through experimental reflection and action. Pragmatists stress the voluntaristic and instrumental views of the human person. Dewey took these concerns and read them through the lens of what he knew of scientific empiricism, considering structures, systems, and social dynamics as part of the equation, in a way not considered by pragmatists before him. He helped pragmatism to see the social context in which dreaming, envisioning, and acting took place. All human interaction could be seen in the light of these contexts, and social intelligence would enable significant human problems to be addressed. At the core of his concerns were ideas which have been the concern of pragmatists since: individual, world, social freedom, and democratic lifestyle.
Advances in the Role of the Extracellular Matrix in Development and Disease

Almost all cells in multi-cellular organisms contact, on at least one of their surfaces, an intricate meshwork of interacting extracellular molecules that constitute the extracellular matrix. The amount and type of extracellular matrix is highly variable especially during development, and is tissue dependent (1). The complexity of the molecules within the extracellular matrix is beginning to be realized with the identification of various gene families and their roles in acquired and genetic diseases. There is considerable evidence that the extracellular matrix has many structural and biological functions in tissues. Much of the information on the biological activity of the extracellular matrix has come from in vitro studies with cells grown on purified matrices and on isolated components, and from the elucidation of the role of matrix molecules in diseases (Table 1) (2–4). Many of the acquired diseases are due to autoantibodies to extracellular matrix, such as Goodpasture’s syndrome and glomerular nephritis, or to accumulation of too much or of the wrong type of matrix material, such as diabetes and arthritis. Others diseases are genetic and involve mutations and deletions, such as Ehlers-Danlos and osteogenesis imperfecta. The importance of the extracellular matix in development is confirmed with the various genetic diseases. Also the biochemistry of these molecules is beginning to be understood at the structural level and active sites have been identified using fragments, antibodies and synthetic peptides. Because of their important biological activities, some of these extracellular matrix molecules have the potential to be used therapeutically for tissue repair and possibly control of disease progression.
Design and Analysis of Hybrid Systems, with Applications to Robotic Aerial Vehicles

Decomposing complex, highly nonlinear systems into aggregates of simpler hybrid modes has proven to be a very successful way of designing and controlling autonomous vehicles. Examples include the use of motion primitives for robotic motion planning and equivalently the use of discrete maneuvers for aggressive aircraft trajectory planning. In all of these approaches, it is extremely important to verify that transitions between modes are safe. In this paper, we present the use of a Hamilton-Jacobi differential game formulation for finding continuous reachable sets as a method of generating provably safe transitions through a sequence of modes for a quadrotor performing a backflip maneuver.
A deep learning approach for 18 F-FDG PET attenuation correction

To develop and evaluate the feasibility of a data-driven deep learning approach (deepAC) for positron-emission tomography (PET) image attenuation correction without anatomical imaging. A PET attenuation correction pipeline was developed utilizing deep learning to generate continuously valued pseudo-computed tomography (CT) images from uncorrected 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET images. A deep convolutional encoder-decoder network was trained to identify tissue contrast in volumetric uncorrected PET images co-registered to CT data. A set of 100 retrospective 3D FDG PET head images was used to train the model. The model was evaluated in another 28 patients by comparing the generated pseudo-CT to the acquired CT using Dice coefficient and mean absolute error (MAE) and finally by comparing reconstructed PET images using the pseudo-CT and acquired CT for attenuation correction. Paired-sample t tests were used for statistical analysis to compare PET reconstruction error using deepAC with CT-based attenuation correction. deepAC produced pseudo-CTs with Dice coefficients of 0.80 ± 0.02 for air, 0.94 ± 0.01 for soft tissue, and 0.75 ± 0.03 for bone and MAE of 111 ± 16 HU relative to the PET/CT dataset. deepAC provides quantitatively accurate 18F-FDG PET results with average errors of less than 1% in most brain regions. We have developed an automated approach (deepAC) that allows generation of a continuously valued pseudo-CT from a single 18F-FDG non-attenuation-corrected (NAC) PET image and evaluated it in PET/CT brain imaging.
RapidScat backscatter measurement validation

Scatterometers are microwave radars deployed to estimate global wind speeds and directions over the sea surface by measuring normalized radar cross-section (σo) of the sea surface. Measured σo is determined by the sea surface roughness that is modulated mostly by wind, thus establishing a relationship between σo and wind conditions. Wind vectors are retrieved by inverting an empirical geophysical model function that relates measured σo to a wind vector (speed and direction) and radar measurement configuration (polarization, incidence, and azimuth angle). Careful scatterometer calibration is required for accurate wind retrieval. NASA’s RapidScat scatterometer operated on board the International Space Station between September 2014 and August 2016. It was a twin instrument of the legacy QuikScat scatterometer. This paper proposes a method to cross-calibrate σo measurements between the RapidScat and QuikScat, taking advantage of their overlapping orbits. The σo biases between the two instruments have been calculated from observations collected during a 19-month period between January 2015 and August 2016. Deviations from the common reference model are computed for both datasets, as a function of wind speed, relative wind direction, and incidence angles averaged over 1000 pairs of collocated QuikScat/RapidScat revolutions.
Unifying SoTL Methodology: Internal and External Validity

A broad consensus exists that the use of appropriate methods are important in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. However, methodological controversies arise around what constitutes acceptable evidence, if one needs a control group, how generalizable results must be, and other similar issues. Much SoTL work, I argue, asks questions about how much a particular treatment (innovation) caused an effect (student learning), and how the results found in one particular context can be extended outside that context (generalizability). These concepts, known as internal validity and external validity, respectively, provide a common point of departure for much scholarship on teaching and learning. This paper addresses these concepts and demonstrates how they can unite much of what divides us within the methodological realm of SoTL.
Shared reading quality assessment by parental report: preliminary validation of the DialogPR

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends shared reading beginning as soon as possible after birth to promote healthy development. Shared reading quality can strongly influence outcomes, especially in children from low-SES households. Dialogic reading is a method developed to enhance verbal interactivity and engagement through book sharing, advocated by the AAP and clinic-based programs such as Reach Out and Read. There is no brief, validated, caregiver report measure of dialogic reading or shared reading quality currently available. This cross-sectional study involved 49 healthy mother-child dyads (mean child age 4.5 yrs., SD = 0.6 yrs.) from 2 separate MRI-based studies. The DialogPR was administered by trained research coordinators following MRI, along with the READ subscale of the validated StimQ-P measure of home cognitive environment. The DialogPR consists of eight items developed in consultation with experts in early literacy, based on the PEER/CROWD dialogic reading conceptual model. Estimated reading level is 6th grade. Descriptive statistics were computed at both the item and scale levels. Modern theory Rasch methods were used to analyze all eight DialogPR items along with preliminary estimates of reliability and validity. Our combined sample involved 15 boys and 34 girls, and was diverse in terms of age, household income, and maternal education. DialogPR administration time was less than 2 min, with no problems reported. The DialogPR demonstrated strong internal consistency and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.82), and criterion-related validity with the StimQ-P READ (Spearman’s rho coefficient = 0.53). Rasch analysis revealed strong psychometric properties in terms of reliability, variability in item difficulty, and inter-item and item-measure correlations. Preliminary evidence suggests that the DialogPR may be an efficient means to assess shared reading quality and dialogic reading via caregiver report for clinical and research purposes, warranting further investigation.
Validity of the Marshall Sitting Questionnaire in people with multiple sclerosis.

This study examines the validity of the Marshall Sitting Questionnaire (MSQ) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and presents a prediction model to improve the accuracy of the MSQ estimates. Par...
Token-Distinctness and the Disjunctive Strategy

According to the Multiple Realizability Argument, a higher-level property typically has many physical realizers, so it cannot be type-identical to any one of them. This enables the non-reductive physicalist to claim that some higher-level properties are type-distinct from physical properties. The reductive physicalist can counter with the Disjunctive Strategy: nothing prevents us from type-identifying the higher-level property with the disjunction of its realizers. Developing a powers-based ontology of properties, Shoemaker (2001) and Wilson (2011) present responses to the Disjunctive Strategy, wherein higher-level property instances are token-distinct from their realizers, while instances of disjunctions are not. In this paper, I argue that such responses to the Disjunctive Strategy can be reasonably resisted, either by denying token-distinctness, or by insisting that exhaustively overlapping disjunctive properties are also token-distinct from the realizers. This secures the Disjunctive Strategy as a core component of the argument for reductive physicalism.
Imaging dynamic neuroimmune responses to LPS in tobacco smokers: a [11C]PBR28 PET study

488 Background: Tobacco smoking, a leading cause of preventable death, has complex effects on immune signaling. While nicotine is immunosuppressive, other constituents in tobacco smoke have pro-inflammatory effects. Since dysregulated neuroimmune signaling may contribute to compulsive drug use and associated comorbidities, the goal of this work was to compare neuroimmune responses in tobacco smokers and nonsmokers. This was accomplished using a [11C]PBR28 positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging paradigm consisting of a baseline scan followed by a second scan acquired after injection of the classic pro-inflammatory stimulus lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: Baseline scans were acquired in 16 tobacco smokers and 19 nonsmokers. A subset (8 smokers, 9 nonsmokers) participated in a second [11C]PBR28 scan 3 hours after administration of LPS (1 ng/kg, IV). PET scans were acquired with a High Resolution Research Tomograph (HRRT) for 120 min following injection of 520±195 MBq [11C]PBR28 with arterial blood sampling to measure the metabolite corrected input function. [11C]PBR28 distribution volumes (VT) were estimated with multilinear analysis in 9 regions of interest identified throughout the brain. Neuroimmune response was quantified as the percent change in [11C]PBR28 VT (ΔVT) after LPS administration from baseline. Separate linear mixed models compared baseline [11C]PBR28 VT between smokers and nonsmokers and [11C]PBR28 ΔVT between smokers and nonsmokers. Results: No significant differences in baseline [11C]PBR28 VT were observed between smokers and nonsmokers. However, a significant interaction of smoking status by region in neuroimmune response was identified (p=0.02), where [11C]PBR28 ΔVT was lower in smokers compared to nonsmokers in areas of striatum and cortex (post-hoc contrasts yielded p=0.02-0.04, uncorrected for multiple comparisons). For example, in frontal cortex (p=0.02), group ΔVT values were 33.0±11.7% and 51.4±15.4% for smokers and nonsmokers, respectively. Conclusions: While baseline [11C]PBR28 VT values were not significantly different between groups, the magnitude of response to LPS was significantly lower in smokers vs. nonsmokers, but only for some brain regions. These results provide evidence for impaired neuroimmune function in tobacco smokers compared to nonsmokers. These data also demonstrate, for the first time, sensitivity of PET imaging with a LPS challenge to detect significant differences between clinical groups, which may occur in a regionally specific pattern.
Target Estimation by Exploiting Low Rank Structure in Widely Separated MIMO Radar

We present a low-complexity widely separated multiple-input-multiple-output (WS-MIMO) radar that samples the signals at each of its multiple receivers at reduced rates. We process the low-rate samples of all transmit-receive chains at each receiver as data matrices. We demonstrate that each of these matrices is low rank as long as the target moves slowly within a coherent processing interval. We apply recent advances in matrix completion to recover the missing samples of each receiver signal matrix at the common fusion center. The maximum likelihood method is then employed to estimate the targets' positions and Doppler velocities. Unlike other WS-MIMO formulations based on compressed sensing, our approach recovers target parameters at reduced rates, and is gridless. Further, there is no loss of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) due to subsampling. Numerical experiments demonstrate reasonably accurate target localization at SNR of 20 dB and sampling rate reduction to 20%.
Seeking Sanctuary: Violence Against Women in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala:

This article identifies the way spaces of violence operate within gendered hierarchies in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. As migration accelerates, gender-related differences become evident. Strong push factors underlined by patriarchal power systems and hypermasculine spaces have normalized violence against women. Using data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), and local data from the three countries, this article illustrates how gender inequalities sustain the emigration of women. The study also evaluates how the interweaving of female murders has further ostracized women and forced them to flee their home countries in search of sanctuary.
A Critical Assessment of Some Recent Work on COVID-19

I tentatively re-analyze data from two well-publicized studies on COVID-19, namely the Charite "viral load in children" and the Bonn "seroprevalence in Heinsberg/Gangelt" study, from information available in the preprints. The studies have the following in common: - They received worldwide attention and arguably had policy impact. - The thrusts of their findings align with the respective lead authors' (different) public stances on appropriate response to COVID-19. - Tentatively, my reading of the Gangelt study neutralizes its thrust, and my reading of the Charite study reverses it. The exercise may aid in placing these studies in the literature. With all caveats that apply to n=2 quickfire analyses based off preprints, one also wonders whether it illustrates inadvertent effects of "researcher degrees of freedom."
Measuring fixed wing UAS networks at long range

In recent years, we have seen significant growth in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), or drones, with many applications involving extensive communication from the UAS to the ground (e.g., sensor data transmission from the UAS). Despite being a different, and significantly more challenging environment than traditional networks, there exists limited understanding of UAS networking today, and the implications for applications. In this work, we conduct a long range measurement study of modern UAS over a 2-day period collected from a fixed wing UAS system. We consider both directional and omnidirectional antennas operating with Tactical Radios at long range distances. We pay particular attention to the edge cases, where performance is more challenging. Our results provide insights into how the dynamic nature of flight, plane orientation with fixed wing UAS, and the variability of wireless networks, impacts network performance.
Pregnancy in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Women with end-stage kidney disease commonly have difficulty conceiving through spontaneous pregnancy, and many suffer from infertility. Kidney transplantation restores the impairment in fertility and increases the possibility of pregnancy. In addition, the number of female kidney transplant recipients of reproductive age has been increasing. Thus, preconception counseling, contraceptive management, and family planning are of great importance in the routine care of this population. Pregnancy in kidney transplant recipients is complicated by underlying maternal comorbidities, kidney allograft function, the effect of pregnancy on the transplanted kidney, and the effect of the maternal health on the fetus, in addition to immunosuppressive medications and their potential teratogenesis. Given the potential maternal and fetal risks, and possible complications during pregnancy, pretransplant and prepregnancy counseling for women of reproductive age are crucial, including delivery of information regarding contraception and timing for pregnancy, fertility and pregnancy rates, the risk of immunosuppression on the fetus, the risk of kidney allograft, and other maternal complications. In this article, we discuss aspects related to pregnancy among kidney transplant recipients and their management.
Comparing Time Use and Teacher Behaviors in Beginning and Advanced Middle School Band Settings: An Exploratory Study

The purpose of this study was to compare teachers’ time use and teaching behaviors including teacher talk, modeling, physical location/proximity to students, conducting, and instructional choices i...
Propagation Research with Drones: Examples and Lessons Learned

This paper provides a practical description on how to conduct propagation research using drones. The paper discusses commercial drone options appropriate for propagation research and describes readily available commercial products that can be used as payloads to make propagation measurements. The paper describes examples of drone-based research we have conducted and concludes with a discussion of lessons we have learned from this research that can be helpful to investigators considering the use of drones to study propagation.
Preserving Privacy with Federated Learning in Route Choice Behavior Modeling

While big data helps improve decision-making and model developments, it often runs into privacy concerns. An example would be retrieving drivers’ origin and destination information from smartphone ...
Fringe visibility errors resulting from dual object imaging for stellar interferometers.

Practical stellar interferometry for space domain awareness is challenged by the relative motions of orbital objects and telescope arrays that require array phasing using guide stars. An orbital object’s image sensitivity to the location and brightness of the guide star is problematic, possibly resulting in a degraded resolution or loss of image content when both objects fall within the interferometer’s field of view. We characterized an orbital object’s visibility using visibility contrast to noise ratios (CNRΔv) as a performance metric for orbital object image quality. Experimental validations included orbital object visibility measurements for dual binary pinholes that were scaled in size and brightness individually to match expected interferometer data collection scenarios. We show agreement in CNRΔv results, indicating resolvable orbital object signals during periods of collection when signal contributions from both the orbital object and guide star are present. Expanding presented results to imaging interferometers, we discuss how dual object imaging could degrade performance under the scenarios examined.
P104 Using a Common Evaluation and Data Management System to Explore Impact Across Youth Nutrition Education Programs

Objective Demonstrate aggregate and funding specific program impact. Use of Theory or Research Using common instruments across programs helps show impact on outcomes related to participants' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors (Payne & McDonald, 2015). A subset of programming used teen teachers and studies indicate teens are better able to connect with younger youth (Ripberger & Blalock, 2011; Smith, 2014). Target Audience Youth (3rd grade+) participating in 6 hours or more of nutrition and physical activity programming. Program Description Extension professionals educated youth (83% elementary audiences) across 23 counties. Settings included out-of-school time programs, community sites, schools, and youth organizations. Evaluation Methods Program evaluations were included if there was a pre/post matched program activity ID and the National 4-H Common Measures Healthy Living survey tool was used (14 pre-post items). Four groups were compared: non-grant funded (NGF), teens as teachers (TT), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed), and SNAP-Ed and TT (SNAP-Ed/TT). Significant, positive differences are reported (P Results Overall, youth (n = 1544) reported significant differences in 50% of items: planning/awareness around healthy eating and activity habits and confidence in food safety and preparation skills. NGF youth (n = 101) reported significant differences in 28% of items: planning around healthy eating and activity habits and recipe preparation confidence. TT youth (n = 871) reported significant differences in 43% of items: planning to drink the recommended amount of water, eating breakfast more, awareness of activity and screen time, and food safety practices. SNAP-Ed youth (n = 325) reported significant differences in 14% of items: awareness of screen time and recipe preparation confidence. SNAP-Ed/TT youth (n = 247) reported significant differences across 100% of items. Conclusion Using a common evaluation and centralized reporting system helped better document youth impact across funding sources. Further investigation is needed regarding feasibility of incorporating teens as teachers into more programming and how funding influences curriculum fidelity and quality of instruction. Funding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education, National 4-H Council and Walmart Foundation.
A Dire Need for Parliamentary Reform: or, the Role of Elite Fears in Britain’s Great Reform Bill of 1832

Countless historians consider the 1832 reform bill one of Britain’s most pivotal legislations in transitioning into a modern representative democracy for its undeniable impact on the country’s electoral system. The same historians, however, vary on their determination of its causes mostly from comparing major developments surrounding the bill. Parliamentary speeches tend to be neglected or presupposed which causes valuable aspects of the development to be missed. This work demonstrates that fear of revolution, launched by France and catalyzed by Bristol, by the British elite was the primary motivator for reform. It does so by focusing specifically on parliamentary debate between the pro-reform party (Whigs) and the anti-reform party (Tories), supplemented by private correspondence and other public documents. Whig M.P.s insisted Britain reform or face revolution, but Tory M.P.s downplayed any immediate threat. When massive unrest materialized at Bristol, the conversation radically shifted. Bristol exploded because the House of Lords rejected an earlier form of the bill, giving the Whig’s argument substance. Direct resistance to the bill faded as Whig urgency increased. While some contemporary and modern historians doubt the reformers’ true fear of revolution, the speeches and letters reveal that preventing disaster was the sincere objective.