cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Silicon Microphotonics: High Volume Manufacturing

Cost, Energy and Bandwidth Density system requirements are driving photonic interconnection to shorter distances and to higher levels of integration. The number of optical interconnects scales inversely with distance to the chip. Silicon Microphotonics is capable of both high volume production and high levels of integration to meet this challenge.
Micropore and Nanopore Features on Integrated Hollow Waveguides

We demonstrate the fabrication of micropore and nanopore features directly over the core of hollow antiresonant reflecting optical waveguides (ARROWs). Pores of specific size allow controlled access to test media.
Characterization of SAMs Derived from Octadecyloxyphenylethanethiols by Sum Frequency Generation

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy analyses were performed on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) formed via the adsorption of 2-(4-(octadecyloxy)phenylethanethiol (R1ArMT), 2-(3,5-bis(octadecyloxy)phenylethanethiol (R2ArMT), and 2-(3,4,5-tris(octadecyloxy)phenyl-ethanethiol (R3ArMT) on gold. SFG spectra showed that the monolayers formed were closely packed and well ordered. It was determined, using orientation analysis, that as additional octadecyloxy chains were attached to the aromatic ring the apparent methyl group tilt increased and conformational order decreased. Aromatic C–H modes exhibited in the SFG spectra suggest the aromatic rings have a C2 axis along the surface normal. Model phenylethanethiols with different symmetries along the benzene ring were synthesized and used to identify vibrational modes and the surface orientation of the alkoxyphenylethanethiols. SAMs derived from R1ArMT exhibit aromatic C–H stretching modes due to the C2v symmetry at the ring. In contrast, SAMs d...
Surface States of He 3 in Dilute He 3 -He 4 Solutions

We present in support of Andreev's model a fully microscopic calculation of the surface states of ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ in dilute ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$-${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ solutions. The surface structure of pure ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ is first determined. We find a surface tension of 0.36 dyn/cm, in good agreement with experiment. For ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ there is just one bound surface state, at an energy 1.6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K lower than the chemical potential of ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ in bulk solutions, centered on the Gibbs surface of the liquid.
R&D Strategy of Next Generation Electric Power Lightweight Torpedo in US Navy

Electrically powered torpedo has many advantages,such as low training cost,low noise,stealth,modularized battery and high reliability.Therefore,US Navy has begun to develop new generation of electrically powered lightweight torpedo in recent years,and some breakthrough has been achieved on the integrated motor propulsor(IMP)of electrically powered torpedo.This paper describes the research background and status quo of the torpedo,and analyses the advantages of IMP.On analyzing the research and development(RD) strategy of the electrically powered lightweight torpedo in US Navy,it is suggested that different power technology should be traced and developed appropriately to keep continual competitive ability,operational adaptability and training cost of new weapon should be emphasized to enhance comprehensive benefit,RD of weapon technology should be planned from the viewpoint of underwater equipment system,and universality of technology and product should be paid more attention.
Transurethral resection versus transurethral incision of the prostate. A prospective randomized study.

SUMMARY In this ongoing study, patients with an estimated prostate size of no more than 20 gm are randomized to undergo either transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or transurethral incision (TUIP) at the 6 o'clock position. To date, 93 patients have been included, and 3 months postoperatively, 80 to 90 per cent of the patients in each group reported improvement. There was also a significant decrease in symptom scores and a significant increase in maximum urinary flow rate, with great variation within each group but without difference between the groups. In both groups, there appears to be some deterioration over time. Operating time, estimated blood loss, time to catheter removal postoperatively, and duration of postoperative hospital stay were all significantly in favor of TUIP. Loss of ejaculation was reported by 37 per cent of patients after TURP and by 13 per cent after TUIP (not statistically significant). There was no difference between the groups in the need for further surgery. Therefore, TUIP is recommended as an alternative to TURP in patients with small prostates.
[A matched nested case-control study on the risk factors of metabolic syndrome among male criminal policemen].

Objective To explore the risk factors and their differences of metabolic syndrome (MS) on male criminal police,thereby provide the scientific basis to make prevention and control strategies about the metabolic syndrome for the criminal police career.Methods Based on physical examination data of criminal police in 2010,439 patients with MS (CDS) were randomly selected as cases.And as the 1:2 matched nested case-control study,878 health controls were employed,which were matched with on the basis of sex and age (±1 year).An face-to-face epidemiological investigations on the past exposure status of several possible risk factors was conducted,such as the family history of hypertension and other social economic status,as well as body height and weight,waist circumference,blood pressure,serum lipid and plasma sugar.and the data were analyzed with logistic regression.Results 1317 cases were surveyed,through single factor logistic regression analysis found that 12 factors are related to exposure.Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that six factors,such as stress events (OR=1.989,95％CI:1.467～2.696),snoring (OR=1.672,95％CI:1.218～2.294),sweets (OR=0.562,95％CI:0.412～0.766),meat and products (0R=1.494,95％CI:1.065～2.094),siting after dinner for more than 3 h (OR=1.399,95％CI:1.023～1.915).Conclusions MS has become a important public health problems among criminal police.For their professional special,a series of bad habits,unhealthy life style and psychological problems became important risk factors of MS on criminal police.Targeted prevention and control measures should be taken to reduce the incidence of MS. Key words: Police; Metabolic syndrome; Risk factors; Case-control study
Invasive placental disease: the impact of a multi-disciplinary team approach to management

AbstractPurpose: To determine the impact of a structured multi-disciplinary management strategy on clinical outcomes in women with invasive placental disease (IPD).Materials and methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive women having peripartum hysterectomies with IPD over seven years. For the most recent three years, a structured multidisciplinary team (MDT) reviewed each suspected case, created a management plan, and implemented that plan. Outcomes were compared between cases delivered prior to and after the MDT process was started.Results: There were 47 pregnancies with IPD, of which 31 (66.0%) were suspected antenatally and 40 (85.1%) had a prior uterine surgery. An MDT approach was performed in 19 (40.4%) cases. In the MDT group, there were longer operative times (260 min versus 181 min, p = 0.0001), less blood loss (1200 mL versus 2500 mL, p = 0.009), less administration of blood products (47.4% versus 85.7%, p = 0.005), and higher intraoperative lowest mean arterial pressures (MA...
Parks versus PES: evaluating direct and incentive-based land conservation in Mexico.

Protected areas (PAs) and payments for ecosystem services (PES) are the top two mechanisms available for countries to achieve international REDD agreements, yet there are few empirical comparisons of their effects. We estimate the impacts of PAs and PES on forest conservation, poverty reduction, and population change at the locality level in Mexico in the 2000s. Both policies conserved forest, generating an approximately 20–25% reduction in expected forest cover loss. PES created statistically significant but small poverty alleviation while PAs had overall neutral impacts on livelihoods. Estimates by individual policy type for the same level of deforestation risk indicate that biosphere reserves and PES balanced conservation and livelihood goals better than strict protected areas or mixed-use areas. This suggests that both direct and incentive-based instruments can be effective, and that policies combining sustainable financing, flexible zoning, and recognition of local economic goals are more likely to achieve conservation without harming livelihoods.
Immunochemical studies on blood groups: LI. A comparative study of the reaction of A1 and A2 blood group glycoproteins with human anti-A

The immunochemical properties of purified A(1) and A(2) glycoproteins have been compared to ascertain whether their antigenic determinants differ. Quantitative precipitin and complement-fixation studies using several anti-A sera as well as purified gammaG anti-A antibodies clearly showed a specificity difference. This was also supported by absorption studies: A(2) substance specifically removed antibodies reacting with A(2) substance leaving anti-A(1) activity. A(1) substance was more effective than A(2) substance in dissolving an A(1) anti-A(1)-specific precipitate. Purified gammaM anti-A hemolyzed A(1) cells more readily than A(2) cells. Inhibition studies using mono- and difucosyl type 2 A-active oligosaccharides showed that type 2 difucosyl receptors are present in A(2) substance. The structural basis for the specificity difference between A(1) and A(2) would appear to be that A(2) substances lack type 1 A determinants; this would account for the observed higher H and Le(b) activity in A(2) substances.
The Effects of Housing Status, Stability and the Social Contexts of Housing on Drug and Sexual Risk Behaviors

Research on the relationship between housing instability and HIV risk has often focused on two different conceptions of stability. In one conceptualization, housing stability is defined according to physical location with homeless or unstably housed individuals defined as those who reside in places not meant for human habitation or in emergency shelters. The other conceptualization has defined housing stability as individuals' degree of transience, often operationalized as the number of moves or evictions a person has had within a specified amount of time. Less studied has been the social context of living situation, e.g. living with other drug users, conflict over living expenses, or having to have sex in order to stay. This paper uses data from 392 low-income residents in Hartford, CT to explore how people in different housing situations-including those who are housed and homeless-experience housing stability, feelings of security in their homes, and the social context of their housing. We then explore how these varied measures of housing context affect drug use frequency and sexual risk. Results show that participants who are homeless feel more overall housing instability in terms of number of moves and negative reasons for moving. Those who were doubled up with family or friends were more likely to experience conflict over household expenses and more likely to live with drug users. Among homeless and housed, hard drug use was associated with experiencing violence in the place where they lived, perceiving greater housing stability, having moved for a positive reason, doubling up, and longer periods of homelessness, while number of moves and longer prison sentence predicted sexual risk. Among the housed, living with other drug users was associated with more hard drug use, while contributing money toward household expenses was associated with less hard drug use. Two significant interactions were associated with sexual risk among the housed. Those with longer prison sentences who lived with drug users had more sexual partners, and those with longer prison sentences who doubled up had more sex partners. Results of this study indicate that measures of housing status not often considered in the literature such as the social context of housing have significant effects on HIV risk.
Context and craving during stressful events in the daily lives of drug-dependent patients

Knowing how stress manifests in the lives of people with substance-use disorders could help inform mobile “just in time” treatment. The purpose of this paper is to examine discrete episodes of stress, as distinct from the fluctuations in background stress assessed in most EMA studies. For up to 16 weeks, outpatients on opioid-agonist treatment carried smartphones on which they initiated an entry whenever they experienced a stressful event (SE) and when randomly prompted (RP) three times daily. Participants reported the severity of stress and craving and the context of the report (location, activities, companions). Decomposition of covariance was used to separate within-person from between-person effects; r effect sizes below are within-person. Participants (158 of 182; 87%) made 1787 stress-event entries. Craving for opioids increased with stress severity (r effect = 0.50). Stress events tended to occur in social company (with acquaintances, 0.63, friends, 0.17, or on the phone, 0.41) rather than with family (spouse, −0.14; child, −0.18), and in places with more overall activity (bars, 0.32; outside, 0.28; walking, 0.28) and more likelihood of unexpected experiences (with strangers, 0.17). Being on the internet was slightly protective (−0.22). Our prior finding that being at the workplace protects against background stress in our participants was partly supported in these stressful-event data. The contexts of specific stressful events differ from those we have seen in prior studies of ongoing background stress. However, both are associated with drug craving.
Study of the Impact of Diversification on Income and Employment of the Sample House Holds of Ghaziabad and Baghpat Districts, in Western U.P.

The present study was undertaken in Baghpat and Ghaziabad district of western U.P., based on high and low productivity of major crops in the year 2006-07. Two blocks from each of these two districts were selected randomly for the study. In total 240 respondents from Ghaziabad and Baghpat district each were interviewed. It was observed during the survey that sugarcane and wheat are the predominant cropping system in these two districts of western Uttar Pradesh. Wild animals like, wild pig, blue bulls, insects and disease are major bio-physical constraints. Marketing and cost factors are major socio-economic constraints for diversification of farming system towards vegetables, fisheries, piggery, poultry etc. Majority of farmers kept dairy animals for their home consumption. Small farmers sold milk for enhancing their income to fulfill their family requirements. Crop + dairy is a major farming system in the area. Generally, farmers did not avail agriculture credit facility to diversify their farm business. In general farmers of the area were following traditional farm business. Crop + dairy is a traditional farming system. Dairy activity is taken as complimentary enterprise on the farms
Isn’t that why you were hired?

ABSTRACTHuman service organizations seek bilingual professionals to meet the social and linguistic needs of their increasingly limited English proficient (LEP) clientele. As a result, bilingual professionals often find themselves having to meet overwhelming service delivery expectations. This paper reports on a qualitative study about the work experiences of 27 court employees within a judicial system in the Eastern United States. The study found that bilingual professionals encounter challenges because of their language skills. At the intersection of these challenges are microaggressions that manifest in the judicial system, adversely affecting them professionally and personally.
Stimulation of the Locus Ceruleus Modulates Signal-to-Noise Ratio in the Olfactory Bulb

Norepinephrine (NE) has been shown to influence sensory, and specifically olfactory processing at the behavioral and physiological levels, potentially by regulating signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). The present study is the first to look at NE modulation of olfactory bulb (OB) in regards to S/N in vivo We show, in male rats, that locus ceruleus stimulation and pharmacological infusions of NE into the OB modulate both spontaneous and odor-evoked neural responses. NE in the OB generated a non-monotonic dose-response relationship, suppressing mitral cell activity at high and low, but not intermediate, NE levels. We propose that NE enhances odor responses not through direct potentiation of the afferent signal per se, but rather by reducing the intrinsic noise of the system. This has important implications for the ways in which an animal interacts with its olfactory environment, particularly as the animal shifts from a relaxed to an alert behavioral state.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Sensory perception can be modulated by behavioral states such as hunger, fear, stress, or a change in environmental context. Behavioral state often affects neural processing via the release of circulating neurochemicals such as hormones or neuromodulators. We here show that the neuromodulator norepinephrine modulates olfactory bulb spontaneous activity and odor responses so as to generate an increased signal-to-noise ratio at the output of the olfactory bulb. Our results help interpret and improve existing ideas for neural network mechanisms underlying behaviorally observed improvements in near-threshold odor detection and discrimination.
Shifting rivers and stationary ground: biogeographic history of slimy salamanders on an isolated bluff in the Mississippi River floodplain

Geographic barriers are integral to the processes of dispersal and vicariance, but some barriers, such as rivers, may vary spatiotemporally, potentially affecting biodiversity patterns in significant ways. Fountain Bluff is an isolated upland in the Mississippi River floodplain along the Illinois-Missouri border, USA. The Mississippi River presently runs on the west side of Fountain Bluff, but the course ran on the east side prior to the Illinois glacial stage (~150 000 years ago). The northern slimy salamander (Plethodon glutinosus) occurs to the east in Illinois, whereas the morphologically similar western slimy salamander (Plethodon albagula) occurs to the west in Missouri. We used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences to determine the species identity of slimy salamanders on Fountain Bluff and test whether they originated via vicariance (P. albagula) or dispersal (P. glutinosus). We found that slimy salamanders on Fountain Bluff are P. glutinosus, which supports the hypothesis that they originated via dispersal from the river bluffs ~6 km to the east. Divergence time estimates corroborated that dispersal likely occurred after the westward diversion of the Mississippi River. The shifting courses of large rivers have had important impacts on biodiversity through the creation and removal of geographic barriers as well as by facilitating passive dispersal across riverine barriers.
Promoting resilience in youth experiencing homelessness through implementation of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

ABSTRACTThis Consensual Qualitative Research study explored experiences of youth, families, and homeless liaisons to better understand how educational environments can foster resilience among youth experiencing homelessness. The purpose of the study was to provide educational stakeholders with guidance on how to actualize the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act into saturated services that promote strength, hope, and high expectations for youth experiencing homelessness. A bioecological framework was used to conceptualize the interplay of systems. Four domains emerged from participants' collective beliefs on the implementation of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: critical incidents, philosophy of services, community and school collaboration, and relationships with families. Lessons learned and implications for school practice are discussed.
Optimal hybrid power dispatch for distributed energy resources with dynamic constraints

Consider a microgrid with a hybrid collection of distributed energy resources (DERs) that include fossil, renewables and energy storage battery systems. Given the dynamic variability of the DERs in terms of power production, this paper presents an optimization approach for the optimal power dispatch in such a hybrid microgrid by taking into account amplitude and rate constraints on each DER. The constrained multi-objective power dispatch problem is solved by formulating a weighted convex optimization with penalty terms imposed to take both power dynamics and allowable energy levels of each DER into account. The paper also analyzes the weighting used in the optimization as a trade-off between the use of renewable energy, energy storage and the cost of fossil fuel to achieve power dispatch demands. The optimization approach is illustrated on the combination of a fossil and a (multi-)battery system where the State of Charge (SoC) levels of the batteries are required to stay close to each other while minimizing frequent power switching (chattering) and battery round-trip losses. Simulations results demonstrate how economic incentives can be used to formulate the optimal hybrid power dispatching between fossil and renewable resources, while battery SoCs can be balanced (converge to the same mean value) by sharing power optimally among different batteries.
Reflections: Ben Wright, Best Test Design and Knox’s Cube Test

Writing this chapter past age 80 occasions some reflections upon my life as it intersected with Ben Wright. I presented some of these thoughts at a symposium given in Ben’s honor in Chicago in April of 2003. More comments can be given here to serve a wider audience. In reflecting on past times, I do so with great fondness for Ben, and in appreciation of my long friendship with him lasting more than fifty years. Not only have I had the occasion of his friendship, we shared the collegial opportunity of writing about Rasch measurement. These activities occasioned the opportunity to meet and share a friendship with many others who also acknowledge a fondness for him.
Inhibition of norepinephrine signaling during a sensitive period disrupts locus coeruleus circuitry and emotional behaviors in adulthood

Deficits in arousal and stress responsiveness span numerous psychiatric developmental disorders including depression and anxiety. Arousal is supported by norepinephrine (NE) released from locus coeruleus (LC) neurons onto cortical and limbic areas. During development, the NE system matures in concert with increased exploration of the animal's environment. While several psychiatric medications target the LC-NE system, the possibility that its modulation during discreet developmental periods can have long-lasting consequences for mental health has not been explored. We used a pharmacogenetic strategy in mice to reversibly inhibit NE signaling during brief developmental periods to determine the long-lasting impact on adult circuits mediating emotional behavior. We also examine whether disruption of NE signaling during development results in permanent changes within the adult LC-NE system. Finally, we test whether developmental exposure to the alpha-2 receptor agonist guanfacine recapitulates the effect seen with our pharmacogenetic strategy. Our results reveal a sensitive period (postnatal days 10-21) during which alterations in NE signaling result in long-term changes in adult emotional behavior. Changes in NE signaling during this sensitive period results in changes in stress-related LC neuron activity, alterations in alpha-2 autoreceptor function, and circuit-specific molecular changes in LC-NE target regions in adulthood. Treating animals with guanfacine during the sensitive period produced similar results. Our findings indicate an early critical role for NE in sculpting brain circuits that support adult emotional function.
Lessons from the Woodshop: Cultivating Design with Living Materials

This paper describes an eighteen-month ethnography of timber framing at a tiny house construction program in Port Townsend, Washington. This case exposes the intricate, ongoing processes that define a project where people learn to imagine, create, and ultimately maintain living materials. This case sheds light on the nature and scope of interaction design with living materials, an area of growing significance to HCI scholarship on new materials, sustainable design, and digital fabrication. Drawing from this project, we distill five lessons for design with living, finite materials. We end by discussing three emerging areas for HCI: designing for material recuperation, collaborating with more-than-human actors, and approaching material properties as prototyping sites.
The Biology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

The two largest sex differences in behavior between men and women are sexual orientation and gender identity. Sexual orientation refers to the direction of sexual attraction to the same or other sex/gender. Gender identity refers to people's inner sense of maleness or femaleness. Although these phenomena are a fundamental part of human life, their underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The dominant theory is that prenatal hormones of gonadal origin play a major role in both sexual orientation and gender identity. However, a review of the evidence shows that hormones fail to explain either of these traits in the vast majority of humans. Furthermore, correlations with several parameters, including digit length ratio, handedness, fraternal birth order, and brain anatomy, do not provide clear causal etiology to masculine or feminine sexual behavior. Emerging studies on twins and the application of linkage analysis provide arguments for a genetic influence on sexual orientation and is reviewed in this chapter.
Private Pensions in International Perspective

In the mid-1990s, in response to the spreading problem of financing public pay as you go (PAYGO) pension systems across industrialized countries experiencing population aging and economic globalization, the World Bank called for a three pillar model of pension policy to avert the old age crisis (World Bank 1994). The first pillar was to consist of minimal public sector defined benefit pensions bas ed mainly on PAYGO financing; the objectives were redistribution and poverty reduction. The second was to consist of earningsrelated or occupational pensions that could have public (government subsidized) or private financing arrangements; the objective was to promote or enforce saving. The third was to consist of private individual savings, with the objective to encourage individual, voluntary saving. Diverse mixes of these three policy alternatives already existed across advanced societies but the decade following the report has been characterized by more and more policy shifts across countries with different welfare state legacies towards more private and voluntary schemes. Meanwhile, the United States pension system was already based on a three pillar structure in 1994 and has tilted towards the third pillar vigorously. This chapter will consider private pensions in an international perspective. First, the range of welfare state legacies across countries will be briefly summarized. Second, the history of private pensions in the United States will be reviewed, with an emphasis on the recent two-decade shift from defined benefit to defined contribution occupational pension plans and recent debates about privatizing a portion of its PAYGO plan. Finally, selected international comparisons of recent policy changes will be reviewed among countries facing severe population aging trends that are forcing them to privatize their systems and move retirement ages later. Paradoxically, perhaps, the three pillar system has both separated the public from the private occupational and individual sectors and made them more interdependent. In some countries the boundaries between the pillars are blurred.
Webquery: a simple web-enabled system for database management

Many existing tools support developing Web-enabled database interfaces. However, most of these tools are limited in the sense that they only work with a particular database product or Web server. In this paper, we describe WebQuery, a system for defining such interfaces that runs under any popular operating system, works with any Web server that supports CGI scripting and is compatible with many different database systems. The WebQuery system supports defining data (tables), defining queries, executing queries and updating data, all through an intuitive Web interface. Much of the complication and r77edundancy of such work is hidden from both database managers and users.
Benchmark Electronic Structure Calculations for H3O+(H2O) n, n = 0-5, Clusters and Tests of an Existing 1,2,3-Body Potential Energy Surface with a New 4-Body Correction.

We report extensive benchmark CCSD(T) Complete Basis Set (CBS) estimates of the binding energies, structures, and harmonic frequencies of H3O+(H2O)n clusters, n = 0–5, including all currently known low-lying energy isomers. These are used to test a previously reported many-body (up to 3-body interactions) CCSD(T)-based potential energy surface (PES) for the hydrated proton. A new 4-body term for the hydronium–water–water–water interactions is introduced. This term is aimed at refining the relative energies of isomers of the H3O+(H2O)n, n = 4, 5 clusters. The test results of the revised PES against the benchmark demonstrate the high accuracy of the revised PES.
Characterization of CO and NO2 exposures of ice skating rink maintenance workers

Air quality is a common concern among indoor ice rink facilities due to the use of gasoline/propane ice resurfacing equipment. Although previous studies have investigated spectator, guest, and skat...
Verification of a Robotic Ankle Exoskeleton Control Scheme for Gait Assistance in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy

Walking ability is critically important for pediatric health, well-being, and independence. Children with cerebral palsy (CP), the most prevalent cause of pediatric physical disability, often present pathological gait patterns that negatively impact walking capacity. Reduced function of the muscles surrounding the ankle joint in those with CP also greatly increases the energy cost of transport leading to reduce mobility. Ankle-foot-orthoses show limited effectiveness for clinically relevant improvement in gait mechanics, while orthopedic surgery, muscle injections and physical therapy are unable to completely restore gait function. While wearable exoskeletons hold promise for gait rehabilitation, appropriately controlling the timing and magnitude of powered assistance across individuals and conditions remains a considerable challenge. This work seeks to address this challenge through the design and initial clinical verification of a simple ankle exoskeleton control scheme designed to reduce the metabolic cost of transport during walking in an individual with CP. Preliminary experimental results from instrumented gait analysis following 5 training visits demonstrated a 45% increase in positive ankle power and a 16% reduction in net metabolic rate during walking with the exoskeleton providing powered plantar-flexion assistance compared to walking without the exoskeleton. Future work will expand this investigation to a larger cohort of individuals with CP and across additional modes of locomotion.
The Pecuniary and Nonpecuniary Costs of Powdery Mildew and the Potential Value of Resistant Grape Varieties in California

Powdery mildew (PM) is the most expensive grape disease to control and causes the greatest losses in quality and yield worldwide. Grape varieties resistant to PM are being developed, but the value of such varieties to growers in different industry segments is not yet determined. Barriers to adoption of new varieties vary by industry segment and are likely to affect the total potential benefit realized by growers. The first step in estimating the potential value of PM-resistant varieties is to establish the costs of PM management that these varieties will mitigate for each major segment of the grapegrowing industry. We used Pesticide Use Reports from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, data on pesticide application costs, and measures of environmental impact to evaluate the pecuniary and nonpecuniary costs of managing PM in California grape production. We estimate the statewide cost of PM management in 2015 at ~$239 million, of which $176 million was borne by growers of winegrapes. In addition, PM management accounted for 89% of restricted material (pesticide) applications by grapegrowers, so eliminating PM would reduce the environmental burden from disease management in grapes significantly. Using choice experiments, we evaluated the preferences of individual growers for specific varietal traits and found that winegrape growers place a high value on both the varietal name and the savings in costs from reduced application of fungicides. We conclude by discussing possible adoption scenarios for resistant varieties and the resulting benefits to the industry.
REFRACTORY ELECTRICAL STORM MANAGED WITH FREQUENT STELLATE GANGLION BLOCKS

Electrical storm (ES) is a cardiac emergency requiring management in a cardiac intensive care unit. On occasion ES can be refractory to treatments such as beta blockade, antiarrhythmics, sedation, ablation and hemodynamic support. Stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) can be a last resort temporary
Investigation of the plastic fracture of high-strength aluminum alloys

In a study of plastic fracture in five high-strength aluminum alloys (2014, 2024, 2124, 7075, and 7079), it has been shown that fracture toughness is affected primarily by the size and volume fraction of the larger (2 to 10 microms) second-phase particles. Certain of these particles crack at small plastic strains, nucleating voids which, with further plastic strain, coalesce to cause fracture. Not all second-phase particles crack at small plastic strains, and qualitative analysis of those which are primarily responsible for void nucleation shows that they contain iron or silicon or both. This result suggests that a reduction in the iron and silicon impurity content of the alloys should improve fracture toughness without loss of strength.
Liver stiffness measurement in patients with nodular regenerative hyperplasia undergoing magnetic resonance elastography

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) may mimic cirrhosis at imaging. We aim to investigate the effect of NRH on liver stiffness measurement (LSM) obtained with magnetic resonance elastography (MRE). This retrospective, Institutional Review Board-approved study included 37 subjects with NRH (Group 1) and no or minimal fibrosis (F0–F1), a control group (Group 2) made of 30 subjects with non-advanced fibrosis (F0–F2), and a control group (Group 3) made of 30 subjects with advanced fibrosis (F3–F4), all with available MRE. LSM was measured in each subject along with assessment of hepatic morphological features of cirrhosis and signs of portal hypertension. The significance of the difference in mean LSM between Group 1 and 2 and between Group 1 and 3 was evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U test. The difference in distribution of imaging features among groups was assessed using the Pearson χ2 or Fisher exact test. The mean ± SD LSM in Group 1 (3.56 ± 1.10 kPa) was significantly higher compared to Group 2 (2.91 ± 0.52 kPa, P = 0.019) and significantly lower compared to Group 3 (7.18 ± 2.08 kPa, P < 0.001). Twelve (32%) patients with NRH had LSM ≥ 4.11 kPa, and 6 (16%) patients had LSM ≥ 4.71 kPa. Surface nodularity (P = 0.032) and caudate lobe hypertrophy (P = 0.004) were more commonly visualized in Group 1 than in Group 2. At least one feature of portal hypertension was observed in 16 (43%) NRH subjects. NRH may increase the LSM obtained with MRE and may represent a confounding factor when using liver stiffness for the non-invasive diagnosis of fibrosis.
Evolution of Reproductive Behavior.

Behaviors associated with reproduction are major contributors to the evolutionary success of organisms and are subject to many evolutionary forces, including natural and sexual selection, and sexual conflict. Successful reproduction involves a range of behaviors, from finding an appropriate mate, courting, and copulation, to the successful production and (in oviparous animals) deposition of eggs following mating. As a consequence, behaviors and genes associated with reproduction are often under strong selection and evolve rapidly. Courtship rituals in flies follow a multimodal pattern, mediated through visual, chemical, tactile, and auditory signals. Premating behaviors allow males and females to assess the species identity, reproductive state, and condition of their partners. Conflicts between the “interests” of individual males, and/or between the reproductive strategies of males and females, often drive the evolution of reproductive behaviors. For example, seminal proteins transmitted by males often show evidence of rapid evolution, mediated by positive selection. Postmating behaviors, including the selection of oviposition sites, are highly variable and Drosophila species span the spectrum from generalists to obligate specialists. Chemical recognition features prominently in adaptation to host plants for feeding and oviposition. Selection acting on variation in pre-, peri-, and postmating behaviors can lead to reproductive isolation and incipient speciation. Response to selection at the genetic level can include the expansion of gene families, such as those for detecting pheromonal cues for mating, or changes in the expression of genes leading to visual cues such as wing spots that are assessed during mating. Here, we consider the evolution of reproductive behavior in Drosophila at two distinct, yet complementary, scales. Some studies take a microevolutionary approach, identifying genes and networks involved in reproduction, and then dissecting the genetics underlying complex behaviors in D. melanogaster. Other studies take a macroevolutionary approach, comparing reproductive behaviors across the genus Drosophila and how these might correlate with environmental cues. A full synthesis of this field will require unification across these levels.
The Archaeology of American Childhood and Adolescence

Children and childhoods have been a neglected topic within historical archaeology, often with a limited or only passing reference to children when a toy is uncovered at a site. However, since the 2...
Limited English Proficiency Patient Education Access Initiative

BACKGROUND: Health disparities among patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) affect quality of care, length of stay, and readmission rates. Effective communication during hospital discharges, including discharge instructions, decreases adverse events in this vulnerable population. The aim of this study is to provide partially or fully translated standardized discharge education materials for an average of 80% of LEP families by December 2018. This study is set in a 44-bed inpatient pediatric unit within an urban children’s hospital. Stakeholders include pediatric residents and attending physicians, nursing staff and interpreter services. PROBLEM: A 2016 …
Transient soundscape production: Creative and pedagogical significance for educators and practitioners

Over the past decade, there has been a steady increase of scholarly output examining the multidisciplinary, creative, and theoretical aspects of sound and music production in the recording studio and beyond (Zagorski-Thomas & Bourbon, 2020; Bennett & Bates, 2019; Hepworth- Sawyer, Hodgson, & Marrington, 2019; Thompson, 2019; Zagorski-Thomas, 2014; Frith & Zagorski-Thomas, 2012). Accordingly, a broad range of literature examines sound as a widespread cultural phenomenon (Papenburg & Schulze, 2016) and an essential source for pedagogical and ethnographic modeling in music technology education (Bell, 2018). Advances in technology make the “studio,” long viewed as a site of artistic and commercial production, available to a broader group of composers, musicians, and artists. Similarly, portable digital recorders afford sound artists and fi eld recordists an expansive range of choices to conduct soundscape research and creative practice. What emerges is a hybrid “composer- producer” identity and a studio’s function in the artistic process. This growth is the rise of an independent and transient practice in soundscape production among multidisciplinary composers and musicians. This article advocates for an updated notion of soundscape composition that integrates fi eld recordings, studio production, and collaboration from musicians representing a broad range of stylistic infl uences. Positioning the studio as a site of cultural production and creativity has implications for how soundscape production is taught to young composers. The author argues for a more inclusive, process-oriented view on both creativity and the places where musicians, composers, and producers work. The article includes a case study from the author’s recent album project, narrative analysis, concluding with a discussion on the pedagogical implications of independent soundscape production in education.
Using a simple rope-pulley system that mechanically couples the arms, legs, and treadmill reduces the metabolic cost of walking.

Emphasizing the active use of the arms and coordinating them with the stepping motion of the legs may promote walking recovery in patients with impaired lower limb function. Yet, most approaches use seated devices to allow coupled arm and leg movements. To provide an option during treadmill walking, we designed a rope-pulley system that physically links the arms and legs. This arm-leg pulley system was grounded to the floor and made of commercially available slotted square tubing, solid strut channels, and low-friction pulleys that allowed us to use a rope to connect the subject’s wrist to the ipsilateral foot. This set-up was based on our idea that during walking the arm could generate an assistive force during arm swing retraction and, therefore, aid in leg swing. To test this idea, we compared the mechanical, muscular, and metabolic effects between normal walking and walking with the arm-leg pulley system. We measured rope and ground reaction forces, electromyographic signals of key arm and leg muscles, and rates of metabolic energy consumption while healthy, young subjects walked at 1.25 m/s on a dual-belt instrumented treadmill (n = 8). With our arm-leg pulley system, we found that an assistive force could be generated, reaching peak values of 7% body weight on average. Contrary to our expectation, the force mainly coincided with the propulsive phase of walking and not leg swing. Our findings suggest that subjects actively used their arms to harness the energy from the moving treadmill belt, which helped to propel the whole body via the arm-leg rope linkage. This effectively decreased the muscular and mechanical demands placed on the legs, reducing the propulsive impulse by 43% (p < 0.001), which led to a 17% net reduction in the metabolic power required for walking (p = 0.001). These findings provide the biomechanical and energetic basis for how we might reimagine the use of the arms in gait rehabilitation, opening the opportunity to explore if such a method could help patients regain their walking ability. Trial registration: Study registered on 09/29/2018 in ClinicalTrials.gov (ID—NCT03689647).
Mechanism Design Meets Priority Design: Redesigning the Us ArmyAS Branching Process

Army cadets obtain occupations through a centralized process. Three objectives – increasing retention, aligning talent, and enhancing trust – have guided reforms to this process since 2006. West Point’s mechanism for the Class of 2020 exacerbated challenges implementing Army policy aims. We formulate these desiderata as axioms and study their implications theoretically and with administrative data. We show that the Army’s objectives not only determine an allocation mechanism, but also a specific priority policy, a uniqueness result that integrates mechanism and priority design. These results led to a re-design of the mechanism, now adopted at both West Point and ROTC. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
CEOs’ political tweets and perceived authenticity: Can expectancy violation be a pleasant surprise?

Abstract A 2 × 2 experimental study (N = 230) sought to measure the effect of CEOs tweeting on political subjects upon their perceived authenticity by examining the impact of the appropriateness and consistency of CEO messages. The experimental findings support Burgoon’s assertion that a positive expectancy violation engenders more favorable reactions than does the confirmation of an expectancy. This study testifies the CEO’s political tweets to be authentic to its name as activism as long as the company is living its purpose and stakeholders consider it as reward value to them.
Divergent Patterns of Nonprofit Financial Distress

Human service nonprofit organizations have increasingly been called upon to produce public services as governments have sought to devolve responsibility to private organizations. Just as stress tests have used accounting indicators to determine the distress of banks, this article uses measures of financial distress (Shumway 2001; Trussel and Greenlee 2004) to understand what types of human service nonprofits are facing difficulties. Joining NCCS Core Files with spatial data from the American Community Survey, I find that there is a positive relationship between financial distress and minority population. The article enters the debate as to how cutting public funding for human services may harm vulnerable communities.
Increased wound-breaking strength induced by insulin-like growth factor I in combination with insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1.

BACKGROUND Polypeptide growth factors have been shown to accelerate wound repair in rodent animal model systems. METHODS In this report, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and the combination of IGF-I plus insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP-1) were applied directly to linear incisions made through dorsal rat skin, and histologic analysis of breaking strength and hydroxyproline quantification were performed. RESULTS IGF-I alone, in contrast to transforming growth factor-beta and platelet-derived growth factor, had no effect on wound-breaking strength. However, the combination of IGF-I plus IGFBP-1 significantly increased wound-breaking strength. Wound-breaking strength was increased 33% compared with wounds treated with IGF-I alone. IGFBP-1 alone had no effect. The ability to stimulate breaking strength was dependent on posttranslation modification of IGFBP-1. Phosphorylated IGFBP-1 was without effect, whereas the dephosphorylated protein was fully biologically active. This increase in wound-breaking strength induced by the combination of IGF-I and dephosphorylated IGFBP-1 was accompanied by an 67% increase in wound hydroxyproline content, whereas the combination of IGF-I and the phosphorylated form of IGFBP-1 had no effect. CONCLUSIONS We concluded that IGF-I is a potent stimulant of incisional wound healing, but if administered without other growth factors, its effects can only be shown when it is combined with one of its specific binding proteins.