cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The large‐scale atmospheric structure accompanying New England coastal frontogenesis and associated North American east coast cyclogenesis

An eleven-case composite is constructed of the large-scale flow configuration accompanying wintertime New England coastal frontogenesis events which are associated with Atlantic coast cyclogenesis in the United States. The pre-coastal-front environment is dominated by anticyclonic activity in the lower troposphere over the eastern Great Lakes. The cold anticyclone moves eastward north of New England while slowly strengthening, and is eventually responsible for the cold south-easterly flow that participates in the developing coastal front circulation. Coastal frontogenesis commences in an increasingly favourable synoptic-scale environment for ascending motion and pressure falls with both the passage of the 500 mb ridge axis and the onset of strong 850 mb warm air advection beneath the entrance region of a broad confluence zone at 500 mb. The synoptic-scale forcing for ascent over the developing coastal front is maximized from the cyclonic shear side of the jet in the base of the 500 mb trough to the anticyclonic shear side of the jet entrance region in the downstream confluence zone. Clearly identifiable departures in both the global-scale (wavenumbers 0–3) and large synoptic-scale (wavenumbers 4–8) waves from the long term climatological mean 1000–500 mb thickness field are observed during the evolution of the Atlantic coast cyclogenesis event. The major deviations from climatology in the wavenumbers 0–3 thickness deviation fields are negative anomalies in eastern Asia, the northern Soviet Union and the United States, and positive anomalies over Alaska and Greenland. The global-scale thickness waves show substantial evolution in their transience and amplitude characteristics following the onset of the cyclogenesis event. The wavenumbers 4–8 thickness anomaly analyses reveal initially quasi-stationary amplification during the onset of cyclogenesis. As Atlantic coast cyclone development proceeds, however, a pronounced positive thickness anomaly is generated in the western Atlantic and extends into New England. Similarly, wavenumbers 4–8 thickness anomalies from eastern North America to western Europe amplify and become more progressive.
Design for testability of asynchronous sequential circuits

Asynchronous sequential circuits are becoming increasingly important with their potential for higher speed and as clock skew problems in synchronous circuits continue to persist. Modifications to asynchronous machines that will allow ease of testability are presented in this paper. The framework of checking experiments is used for evaluating the proposed design. Checking experiments, though complex, can provide a methodology for complete functional testing as well as design verification. The design techniques proposed here can be adapted for testing under the traditional stuck-at fault model as well. >
Understanding Why Team Members Won’t Share: An Examination of Factors Related to Employee Receptivity to Team-Based Rewards

Research on the effectiveness of team-based rewards (TBRs) is mixed, and empirical research regarding individual-level factors that may influence TBR receptivity is lacking. In a sample of 618 line-level employees representing 57 work teams in a Fortune 50 insurance company, the authors examined the impact of various individual-level factors such as employees’ collectivistic orientation, team-related attitudes, and justice perceptions on employee receptivity to TBRs. As predicted, the authors found that employees were generally more receptive to TBRs when they were collectivistic, preferred teams, were committed to their teams, perceived a fit between TBRs and other organizational changes, rated their teams as highly task interdependent, and perceived procedural and interactional justice. The effects of procedural and interactional justice were even stronger for employees working in teams with higher, rather than lower, levels of task interdependence. The article concludes with implications for both manag...
Deletion of Cdc42 Enhances ADAM17-Mediated Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 Shedding and Impairs Vascular Endothelial Cell Survival and Vasculogenesis

Cdc42 is a Ras-related GTPase that plays an important role in the regulation of a range of cellular functions, including cell migration, proliferation, and survival. Consistent with its critical functions in vitro, the inactivation of Cdc42 in mice has been shown to result in embryonic lethality at embryonic day 6.5 (E6.5) before blood vessel formation. To determine the role of Cdc42 in new blood vessel formation, we have generated vascular endothelial cell (EC)-specific Cdc42 knockout mice by crossing Cdc42flox/flox mice with Tie2-Cre mice. The deletion of Cdc42 in ECs caused embryonic lethality with vasculogenesis and angiogenesis defects. We observed that Cdc42 is critical for EC migration and survival but not for cell cycle progression. Moreover, we found that the inactivation of Cdc42 in ECs decreased the level of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) protein on the EC surface and promoted the production of a 75-kDa membrane-associated C-terminal VEGFR2 fragment. Using cultured primary mouse ECs and human umbilical vein ECs, we have demonstrated that the deletion of Cdc42 increased ADAM17-mediated VEGFR2 shedding. Notably, inhibition of ADAM17 or overexpression of VEGFR2 can partially reverse Cdc42 deletion-induced EC apoptosis. These data indicate that Cdc42 is essential for VEGFR2-mediated signal transduction in blood vessel formation.
Patterns of child support debt accumulation

Abstract Despite efforts to strengthen child support enforcement over the past decades, the level of unpaid child support remains high. High child support arrears create problems for families and states; however, our understanding of how arrears accumulate is limited. Using longitudinal data from Wisconsin administrative records for noncustodial fathers, this article examines patterns of the evolution of child support arrears. We develop a scheme to categorize long-term arrears changes and identify six typical trajectories of arrears evolution that distinguish the timing and pattern of changes in debt. We conclude with the implications of the results for child support policy and research.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is not related to the prognosis of cervical cancer

We analyzed the prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in a large prospective series of 90 cervical cancer patients observed for a long follow-up period. EGFR levels ranged from 0 to 52.1 fmol/mg protein, with a median value of 6.0 fmol/mg protein. Patients with an advanced stage of disease expressed lower EGFR levels than those with an early stage of disease (median values were 7.8 fmol/mg protein for patients with stage I-II and 4.2 fmol/mg protein for patients with stage III-IV, P = 0.013). There was no correlation between EGFR expression and other clinicopathological parameters analyzed. No significant relationship was shown between EGFR positivity and overall survival. No significant relationship between EGFR status and disease-free survival was observed. Cox univariate regression analysis using EGFR as a continuous variable showed that EGFR levels are not associated with the risk of disease recurrence after treatment or death (P-value not significant). Our data didn't seem to indicate a prognostic role of EGFR in cervical cancer.
Service-oriented design with aspects (SODA)

In this paper, we introduce a service-oriented design method by integrating the concept of aspects, which is called service-oriented design with aspects (SODA) in order to utilize services and aspects as fundamental and abstract elements in the design phase of software lifecycle. The service model is represented in the structural and behavior views using UML with its extension mechanism and Petri net respectively. Aspects are used to capture service-specific concerns required for delivering high-quality and user-friendly services. By weaving services and aspects, we can generate various versions of a service system as well as their Petri net based service semantics that also facilitates the verification of service design results. We exemplify a service design result of SODA by applying it to a supply-chain management application.
The role of municipal park and recreation agencies in enacting coach and parent training in a loosely coupled youth sport system

Over a decade ago, Vail and Carmichael [More than just facilities: the role of municipal recreation in community sport development, Recreation Canada, 51(1), 24–44, 1993] challenged municipal recreation providers to clarify and recognize the role they play in youth sport delivery. Similarly, more recent calls for youth sport reform have identified the municipal park and recreation agency as perhaps the key player in the youth sports delivery system in the USA [National Alliance for Youth Sports and National Recreation and Parks Association, Recommendations for Communities: National Summit on Raising Community Standards in Children's Sports, West Palm Beach, FL, National Alliance for Youth Sports, 2001]. The research suggests that volunteer coaches and youth sport parents often lack training and are unprepared for the roles that they play in the lives of youth sport participants. Because municipal park and recreation organizations often provide resources and leadership, such as facilities and programmatic ...
Cell Membrane Features

The membranes of living cells support much of the functionality of biology. From the subcellular level of organelles to the supercellular level of cell–cell interactions, membranes provide the structures necessary for biological function and organization. Many of those structural and functional features are common among membranes in bacteria, eukaryotic cells and viruses. The lipid bilayer provides the fundamental architecture and some of the properties common to all biological membranes. Membrane proteins confer a myriad of specific functions expressed by cell membranes. Plasma membranes determine the boundary of the cell and many of the interactions of the cell with its environment. Intracellular membranes compartmentalize cells into different functional units with differing internal compositions. The composition of the compartments is maintained by essential transport functions in concert with permeability control. Signal transduction is supported by membranes. Membrane fusion provides a mechanism for intracellular vesicular transport and enveloped virus entry into cells. Key concepts: The hydrophobic effect, which governs the behaviour of hydrocarbons in water, controls the structures formed by membrane lipids and membrane proteins. Many properties of membranes are conferred by fundamental properties of lipid bilayers that form the basic structure for all biological membranes. Transmembrane proteins have different organizations of amino acids in their primary sequence such that linear sequences of amino acids are available to transit the lipid bilayer. Integral membrane proteins have a portion of their mass buried in the lipid bilayer. Peripheral membrane proteins are much like soluble proteins in structure, but are bound to membranes. Much cellular function is conferred by cell membranes, including compartmentalization, transport, enzyme activity, intracellular trafficking, enveloped viral entry, signal transduction, endocytosis, phagocytosis, action potentials and RNA processing, to name a few. Specialized cell membranes have specialized functions for cells. Keywords: membrane protein; lipid bilayer; membrane transport; signal transduction; membrane fusion; plasma membrane
Cleaning mutualist or parasite? Classifying the association between the brittlestar Ophiothrix lineata and the Caribbean reef sponge Callyspongia vaginalis

Abstract Symbioses often exist along a mutualism–parasitism continuum, and the classification of any given relationship requires a careful examination of costs and benefits for both symbiont and host. It has been proposed that deposit-feeding by the obligate sponge-dwelling brittlestar Ophiothrix lineata on the surface of the tube sponge Callyspongia vaginalis may increase filtration efficiency resulting in enhanced sponge growth or reproduction while providing protection and food for the brittlestar. However, C. vaginalis produces large (0.5–1.4 mm) larvae that are brooded in chambers and released into the interior of sponge tubes year-round, and these larvae could be consumed by O. lineata . In laboratory experiments, brittlestars readily consumed sponge larvae. When larval traps were placed over sponge tubes in the field, fewer larvae per brood chamber were collected from sponge tubes containing brittlestars than sponge tubes that lacked brittlestars, supporting the hypothesis that brittlestars consume sponge larvae under natural conditions. Sponges with brittlestars exhibited no difference in growth or number of brood chambers compared to sponges without brittlestars after 8 months, indicating no positive effect of symbiont on host. Spatial and temporal variations in larval release by C. vaginalis likely decrease encounter rates of brittlestars with sponge larvae, reducing the negative impact on the sponge and helping to maintain the association. The available evidence suggests that, depending on the reproductive status of the sponge, the association between O. lineata and C. vaginalis ranges from commensalism to larval parasitism.
Experimental infection dynamics: using immunosuppression and in vivo parasite tracking to understand host resistance in an amphibian–trematode system

Although naturally occurring hosts often exhibit pronounced differences in infection and pathology, the relative importance of factors associated with host life history and immunity in explaining such patterns often remains speculative. Research in eco-immunology highlights the trade-offs between host physiology and immunity, for which natural variations in disease susceptibility offer a valuable platform to test predictions within this framework. Here, we combined use of a novel, in vivo assay for tracking parasite fate and an experimental manipulation of host immune function (via chronic corticosterone exposure) to assess the role of host immunity in regulating susceptibility of amphibian hosts to three larval trematodes: Ribeiroia ondatrae, Echinostoma trivolvis and Alaria sp. 2. Results from the in vivo parasite-tracking assay revealed marked differences in initial parasite penetration and subsequent host clearance. Relative to infections in a highly susceptible species (Pseudacris regilla), the virulent trematode R. ondatrae was -25% less successful at penetrating larvae of three hylid frog species and was cleared > 45(×) faster, such that all parasites were rapidly cleared from hylid hosts over 72 h following a Weibull distribution. Immune suppression of Hyla versicolor sharply reduced this resistance and increased infection of all three trematodes by 67 to 190%, with particularly strong increases for R. ondatrae. Diminished resistance correlated with a 62% decrease in circulating eosinophils. Correspondingly, 10 days after corticosterone exposures ended, infections declined dramatically while eosinophil levels returned to normal. In light of ongoing declines and deformities in amphibian populations, these findings have application potential for mitigating disease-driven effects.
Hybrid Reality and Location-Based Gaming: Redefining Mobility and Game Spaces in Urban Environments

Hybrid reality games and location-based mobile games use urban spaces as the game scenario and are played with the aid of mobile technologies equipped with location awareness and Internet connection. This article conceptualizes hybrid reality and location-based mobile games within the area of game studies via their three main characteristics: mobility, sociability, and spatiality. In addition, the article proposes a theoretical framework for studying these games focusing on the possible implications of transforming urban spaces in playful environments. Last, one location-based mobile game, BOTFIGHTERS, and one hybrid reality game, CAN YOU SEE ME NOW? are used as examples of how these games (a) create a new logic of game space, (b) transform the relationship between serious life and playful spaces, and (c) transform the perception of urban spaces and patterns of mobility through the city.
Modeling of Calibration Effectiveness and Blood-to-Interstitial Glucose Dynamics as Potential Confounders of the Accuracy of Continuous Glucose Sensors during Hyperinsulinemic Clamp

BACKGROUND Models of the dynamics of interstitial fluid-based continuous glucose sensors imply a variable sensor deviation from reference blood glucose (BG), depending on both sensor calibration procedure and BG dynamics. These effects could have a significant effect on the cross-interpretation of nonidentical accuracy studies. METHODS Hyperinsulinemic euglycemic and hypoglycemic clamps were performed on 39 subjects with type 1 diabetes wearing the Medtronic Continuous Glucose Monitoring System®. Sensor calibration and interstitial glucose (IG) dynamics were modeled and analyzed as potential confounders of sensor deviation from reference BG. RESULTS The mean absolute deviation (MAD) of sensor data was 20.9 mg/dl during euglycemia and 24.5 mg/dl during descent into and recovery from hypoglycemia. Computer-generated recalibration reduced MAD to 10.6 and 14.6 mg/dl, respectively. Modeling of IG dynamics reduced the MAD further to 10.0 and 10.4 mg/dl (using idiosyncratic parameters) or to 10.6 and 11.5 mg/dl (using model parameters common for all subjects), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The sensor MAD from reference is strongly influenced by the choice of calibration points. Thus, cross-experiment comparisons of sensor accuracy are likely to be heavily dependent on the employed calibration procedures. Demanding calibration points substantially differing in value was found to improve calibration effectiveness. Simulation using existing IG models and population parameters reduced the bias resulting from BG-IG dynamics.
Mixed technology of ion implantation and heteroepitaxy: ion-implanted In/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As/GaAs MESFETs

State-of-the-art FET performance with f/sub t/'s of 55 and 61 GHz has been achieved using 0.5- mu m-gate In/sub 0.1/Ga/sub 0.9/As and graded In/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As MESFETs, respectively. The material growth and device fabrication are described, and the device characteristics are reported. In comparison to the In/sub 0.1/Ga/sub 0.9/As MESFET, the graded-material MESFET shows a better Schottky gate, which is essential for device performance. This novel InGaAs MESFET is of interest for InGaAs-based circuits that are suitable, among other applications, for long-wavelength fiber-optic communication. >
Introduction to biostatistics: Part 1, basic concepts

Statistical methods commonly used to analyze data presented in journal articles should be understood by both medical scientists and practicing clinicians. Inappropriate data analysis methods have been reported in 42% to 78% of original publications in critical reviews of selected medical journals. The only way to halt researchers' misuse of statistics and improve the clinician's knowledge of statistics is through education. This is the first of a six-part series of articles intended to provide the reader with a basic, yet fundamental knowledge of common biomedical statistical methods. The series will cover basic concepts of statistical analysis, descriptive statistics, statistical inference theory, comparison of means, χ 2 , and correlational and regression techniques. A conceptual explanation will accompany discussion of the appropriate use of these techniques.
A 3-D neutron transport benchmark solution

Abstract Solutions of the one-group neutron transport equation are provided for point-beam and finite isotropic line sources in a homogeneous 3-D infinite medium with isotropic scattering. The solution is obtained via Fourier transforms and analytical/numerical inversions. The transport equation is cast into a 2-D equivalent form, which can ultimately be put in terms of a 1-D problem, thereby providing analytical leverage. The inversions use standard numerical techniques such as Gauss-Legendre quadrature and summation of infinite series. Even though the solution obtained here uses equivalent forms in fewer dimensions, it does represent a true 3-D analytical benchmark which is useful for both code verification and educational enrichment.
Governance Reforms and Growth: Some Ideas from Economic Theory

Ideas from the theory of incentives and organization are deployed to examine how some aspects of economic governance—primarily protection of property rights, enforcement of contracts, and oversight regulation—can be improved for achieving better economic growth and development. Some suggestions for reform of governance institutions in developing countries are offered.
Moral foundation priorities reflect U.S. Christians' individual differences in religiosity

Abstract The moral domains of loyalty, authority, and purity have been linked with both religion and conservatism in Moral Foundations Theory. Yet there are important individual differences in religiosity. We sought to provide a more nuanced understanding of the relations between religiosity, conservatism, and the moral foundations identified in MFT. Participants were 450 Christians who completed an online survey assessing outreaching faith, religious commitment, belief in an authoritarian God, Biblical literalism, and the prioritization of each of the five moral foundations. Conservatism and religious commitment were significant positive predictors of Loyalty. Controlling for conservatism and religious commitment, we found that Fairness was predicted by outreaching faith; Care was positively predicted by outreaching faith and negatively predicted by belief in an authoritarian God; Authority was predicted by literalism; and Purity was predicted by literalism and authoritarian God representations. Our results highlight the need to consider individual differences in religious beliefs in theorizing about moral foundations.
Modification of Akt2 by 4-hydroxynonenal inhibits insulin-dependent Akt signaling in HepG2 cells.

The production of reactive aldehydes such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) is a key component of the pathogenesis in a spectrum of hepatic diseases involving oxidative stress such as alcoholic liver disease (ALD). One consequence of ALD is increased insulin resistance in hepatocytes. To understand the effects of 4-HNE on insulin signaling in liver cells, we employed a model using hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. Previously, we have demonstrated an increase in the level of Akt phosphorylation is mediated by 4-HNE inhibition of PTEN, a direct regulator of Akt. In this work, we evaluated the effects of 4-HNE on insulin-dependent stimulation of the Akt2 pathway. We demonstrate that 4-HNE selectively leads to phosphorylation of Akt2. Although Akt2 is phosphorylated following 4-HNE treatment, the level of downstream phosphorylation of Akt substrates such as GSK3β and MDM2 is significantly decreased. Pretreatment with 4-HNE prevented insulin-dependent Akt signaling and decreased intracellular Akt activity...
Fungicide Sensitivity Assessed in Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi Isolates from Lowbush Blueberry Fields in Maine

Thompson, A. A., and Annis, S. L. 2014. Fungicide sensitivity assessed in Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi isolates from lowbush blueberry fields in Maine. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-RS-13-0127. The fungicide sensitivity in populations of Monilinia vacciniicorymbosi (Reade) Honey, the fungus that causes mummy berry, may be affected by the use of fungicides for control of this fungus. The sensitivity of M. vaccinii-corymbosi isolates from conventionally and organically managed fields and an unmanaged, wild area was determined for the fungicides propiconazole and fenbuconazole. Propiconazole has been used for more than 14 years to control mummy berry, and fenbuconazole has become more widely used in the last 4 years than previously. The baseline EC50 for isolates from the unmanaged area was significantly higher for propiconazole (0.016 µg/ml) than fenbuconazole (0.006 µg/ml). The propiconazole EC50 for isolates from conventionally managed fields (0.020 µg/ml) was significantly higher than for isolates from the unmanaged area (0.016 µg/ml), but not from the organically managed fields (0.018 µg/ml). No significant differences in the fenbuconazole EC50 were found among management types. The biennial long-term use of the fungicide propiconazole on populations of M. vaccinii-corymbosi may contribute to the development of fungicide insensitivity over time.
Honesty-credit Moral Education of College Students Based on the Economic Theory

In recent years,college students lack honesty-credit and moral status is increasing concerned by educators and the general public,this is undoubtedly reminded us college students need honesty-credit moral education.This paper starts from the economic theory,analysis the college students lack honesty-credit based on Game,explore the deeper reasons,will be combined the theory of micro-economic equilibrium theory,maximize the effectiveness of the law,the opportunity cost theories,receipts and responsibilities with the symmetric theory with honesty-credit moral education,propose the new concept of college students honesty-credit moral education.
Quantitative strength testing in ALS clinical trials

Objective: To study the attributes of quantitative strength testing using hand-held dynamometry (HHD) as an efficacy measure in 2 large phase 3 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) trials. Methods: In the phase 3 trials of ceftriaxone and dexpramipexole, 513 and 943 patients, respectively, were enrolled in double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials with planned follow-up of at least 1 year. Patients were studied every 3 months in the ceftriaxone study and every 2 months in the dexpramipexole study. Evaluators of HHD were trained and had to show evidence of adequate performance of strength testing; the testing paradigm involved testing 9 muscle groups in the upper and lower extremity bilaterally. Neither drug significantly affected any outcome measure. Strength measurements were evaluated by individual muscle and by megascores, which averaged scaled strength measures to produce an overall measure of muscle strength. Results: A measure combining rate of decline with both within- and between-patient variabilities of measurement, the coefficient of variation for rate of change, was calculated, and showed that HHD overall performed slightly less well than Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale–revised (ALSFRS-R) but better than vital capacity. Individual muscles were highly correlated to the identical muscles on the contralateral side, as well as to other muscles in the same body region. Strength decline was correlated both with ALSFRS-R and vital capacity. Conclusion: Quantitative strength testing using HHD is a reliable and reproducible measure of decline in ALS.
Electrochemical Stability Window of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids as Electrolytes for Lithium Batteries.

This paper presents the computational assessment of the electrochemical stability of a series of alkyl methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids for their use as lithium battery electrolytes. The oxidation and reduction potentials of the constituent cation and anion of each ionic liquid with respect to a Li+/Li reference electrode were calculated using density functional theory following the method of thermodynamic cycles, and the electrochemical stability windows (ESW)s of these ionic liquids were obtained. The effect of varying the length of alkyl side chains of the methylimidazolium-based cations on the redox potentials and ESWs was investigated. The results show that the limits of the ESWs of these methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids are defined by the oxidation potential of the anions and the reduction potential of alkyl-methylimidazolium cations. Moreover, ionic liquids with [PF6]− anion have a wider ESW. In addition to characterizing structure–function relationships, the accuracy of the computational...
Classical Discourse and British Imperial Identity: The Civilizing Mission

To find the earliest connections between the civilizing mission of empire as described in classical discourse and that claimed by the British in connection with their empire, we would again need to look far beyond the chronological parameters of this study. Nicholas Canny has shown how individuals such as T. Smith, E. Spenser, and J. Davies deployed the image of Rome’s civilizing mission to Britain, as a justification for their actions in colonizing Ireland in the Elizabethan period.323 But as we have seen, the notion of empire as a vehicle of civilization was much older than this: it sprang full grown and girded from the hoary brow of antiquity via the works of Virgil, Plutarch, Tacitus, and Claudian for example. Thus Thomas Smith attributed his belief in the ability of colonization and imperial expansion to spread law and order, the essential prerequisites of civilization, to the success of Rome in Britain.324 In short, classical discourse had suggested a way of conceiving of conquest, colonization, and empire that included the spread of civilization.
Making connections: Replicating and extending the utility value intervention in the classroom.

We replicated and extended prior research investigating a theoretically guided intervention based on expectancy-value theory designed to enhance student learning outcomes (e.g., Hulleman & Harackiewicz, 2009). First, we replicated prior work by demonstrating that the utility value intervention, which manipulated whether students made connections between the course material and their lives, increased both interest and performance of low-performing students in a college general education course. Second, we extended prior research by both measuring and manipulating one possible pathway of intervention effects: the frequency with which students make connections between the material and their lives. In Study 1, we measured connection frequency and found that making more connections was positively related to expecting to do well in the course, valuing the course material, and continuing interest. In Study 2, we manipulated connection frequency by developing an enhanced utility value intervention designed to increase the frequency with which students made connections. The results indicated that students randomly assigned to either utility value intervention, compared with the control condition, subsequently became more confident that they could learn the material, which led to increased course performance. The utility value interventions were particularly effective for the lowest-performing students. Compared with those in the control condition who showed a steady decline in performance across the semester, low-performing male students randomly assigned to the utility value conditions increased their performance across the semester. The difference between the utility value and control conditions for low-performing male students was strongest on the final exam (d = .76).
Empathy as an Essential Foundation to Successful Foster Parenting

Foster parents play a crucial role in providing safe and stable homes to maltreated children placed in out-of-home care and in doing so are tasked with many challenges. Understanding how foster parents are able to overcome the challenges inherent to fostering, to continue to foster children long term, and to maintain a healthy level of family functioning provides insight into key retention and recruitment efforts. Twenty foster families, all of whom had fostered over 5 years and rated as healthy functioning on the Family Assessment Device, participated in in-depth interviews to discuss the strengths their families relied on that allowed them to demonstrate resiliency. Empathy emerged as an essential foundation in the resiliency process. Foster families demonstrated empathy in three specific ways. First, was with the children they fostered, second was with the biological families of the children, and third was with the child welfare workers. Foster parents also attributed the empathy their children (fostered, adopted, and biological) demonstrated to the experience of being a foster family. The findings from this study have implications for both the child welfare workforce and foster families.
Control of power, torque, and instability drive using in-shot variable neutral beam energy in tokamaks

A first-ever demonstration of controlling power and torque injection through time evolution of neutral beam energy has been achieved in recent experiments at the DIII-D tokamak (Luxon 2002 Nucl. Fusion 42 614). Pre-programmed waveforms for the neutral beam energy produce power and torque inputs that can be separately and continuously controlled. Previously, these inputs were tailored using on/off modulation of neutral beams resulting in large perturbations (e.g. power swings of over 1 MW). The new method includes, importantly for experiments, the ability to maintain a fixed injected power while varying the torque. In another case, different beam energy waveforms (in the same plasma conditions) produce significant changes in the observed spectrum of beam ion-driven instabilities. Measurements of beam ion loss show that one energy waveform results in the complete avoidance of coherent losses due to Alfvenic instabilities. This new method of neutral beam operation is intended for further application in a variety of DIII-D experiments including those concerned with high-performance steady state scenarios, fast particle effects, and transport in the low torque regime. Developing this capability would provide similar benefits and improved plasma control for other magnetic confinement fusion facilities.
Reproductive characteristics of a coyote population before and during exploitation

The eastward expansion of coyotes (Canis latrans) has brought the species into ecosystems and landscapes different from those it historically occupied, yet little is known about the reproductive biology of coyotes in the southeastern United States or the effects of exploitation on reproduction in coyotes. Our objective was to quantify litter size, pregnancy rate, and fecundity in an essentially unexploited coyote population in South Carolina, USA and to evaluate the effect of exploitation on these parameters. We examined reproductive tracts from 235 female coyotes trapped during 2010–2012. Placental scars from coyotes trapped during 2010 indicated that prior to trapping (2009), pregnancy rates were zero for juveniles, 0.25 for yearlings, and 0.389 for adults. Litter size for adults during 2009 averaged 5.4 pups/female, resulting in fecundity of 2.1 pups/female. The number of coyotes trapped was similar among years, indicating that the population recovered following trapping each year, but it shifted toward a younger age structure during trapping. However, although pregnancy rate, litter size, and fecundity of adults all tended to increase from pre-trapping (2009) through the last trapping period (2011–2012), differences were not significant for this or any other age class. Fecundity of the population did not significantly increase during the first year of trapping (2010) but was lower during the last trapping period (2011–2012; 0.56 ± 0.15 [95% CL]) than prior to trapping (0.90 ± 0.15 [95% CL]). Thus, we observed only weak evidence for compensatory reproduction in response to trapping pressure and conclude that the increase in the juvenile component of the population was attributable primarily to immigration from neighboring areas rather than in situ reproduction. This increased representation of juveniles in the population, which rarely bred, coupled with a concurrent decrease in adults, which accounted for 59.2% of breeding, explains the reduction in population fecundity. High immigration rates as indicated herein render coyote populations extremely difficult to control. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
Masking release by combined spatial and masker-fluctuation effects in the open sound field

In a complex auditory scene, signals of interest can be distinguished from masking sounds by differences in source location [spatial release from masking (SRM)] and by differences between masker-alone and masker-plus-signal envelopes. This study investigated interactions between those factors in release of masking of 700-Hz tones in an open sound field. Signal and masker sources were colocated in front of the listener, or the signal source was shifted 90° to the side. In Experiment 1, the masker contained a 25-Hz-wide on-signal band plus flanking bands having envelopes that were either mutually uncorrelated or were comodulated. Comodulation masking release (CMR) was largely independent of signal location at a higher masker sound level, but at a lower level CMR was reduced for the lateral signal location. In Experiment 2, a brief signal was positioned at the envelope maximum (peak) or minimum (dip) of a 50-Hz-wide on-signal masker. Masking was released in dip more than in peak conditions only for the 90° signal. Overall, open-field SRM was greater in magnitude than binaural masking release reported in comparable closed-field studies, and envelope-related release was somewhat weaker. Mutual enhancement of masking release by spatial and envelope-related effects tended to increase with increasing masker level.
Trametinib in Histiocytic Sarcoma with an Activating MAP2K1 (MEK1) Mutation.

Trametinib in Histiocytic Sarcoma In a patient with treatment-refractory follicular lymphoma, a biopsy showed a histiocytic sarcoma related to the lymphoma but with an activating mutation in MAPK2....
The Emergence of Children’s Multicultural Sensitivity: An Elementary School Music Culture Project:

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to examine student outcomes of a curriculum designed to address the overlapping aims and practices of music education and multicultural education ideals i...
The acidic microclimate in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres stabilizes camptothecins.

Purpose. The camptothecin (CPT) analogue, 10-hydroxycamptothecin (10-HCPT) has been shown previously to remain in its acid-stable (and active) lactone form when encapsulated in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres (1). The purpose of this study was to determine the principal mechanism(s) of 10-HCPT stabilization.
Lab-Scale Fiber Spinning Experimental Design Cost Comparison

Many statistical experimental designs are too costly or require too much raw material to be feasible for lab-scale fiber spinning experiments. In this study a four-factor response surface design is presented to study the fiber spinning process in detail at the lab scale. The time, cost, and amount of raw material required to execute the proposed design are compared to the typical completely randomized 2 4 factorial design used in fiber spinning experiments and also to a standard four-factor response surface design. Sample fiber data as well as analysis from a typical statistical software package is provided to further demonstrate the differences between each design. By designating some treatment factors in the design as hard-to-change, split-plotting is used to reduce the time, cost, and amount of raw material required to complete the experiment. The proposed split-plot design is faster and less expensive than a typical factorial design and has the advantage of fitting a more complex second-order model to the system. When compared to a standard response surface design, the proposed split-plot design provides the same second-order modeling capabilities but reduces the cost of the experiment by 53%, the total time by 36%, and the amount of polymer required by 24%. Thus, a split-plot response surface design based on hard-to-change factors is recommended in lab-scale spinning.
Development of methods to assess the fate and effects of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1F and Cry3Bb1 proteins

Biotech crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal crystalline (Cry) proteins became commercially available in the US in 1996. In 2006, 19 million ha of Bt corn were planted worldwide, which resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of chemical insecticides that are necessary to control agricultural pests. Despite the high adoption rates of this novel insecticide, little is known about the aquatic fate of transgenic Bt proteins and their non-target effects on aquatic invertebrates despite several potential routes of transport to aquatic systems. Methods were developed to investigate the aquatic fate of transgenic Bt proteins and to determine their potential effects on non-target aquatic invertebrates. Laboratory microcosms containing pond water only, as well as pond water and sediment were used to examine the fate of the coleopteran-active Bt Cry3Bb1 protein in decomposing MON 863 corn leaf, stalk, and root. A half-life of less than three days was found for Bt Cry3Bb1 from MON 863 corn residue. No Bt Cry3Bb1 was measured in the pond water or sediment extracts of microcosms containing MON 863 corn. In an acute, static, partialrenewal toxicity test, Bt Cry3Bb1 protein from MON 863 root extracts was fed to Chironomus dilutus larvae for ten days. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in C. dilutus survival at nominal concentrations of 30 ng/mL was found, however, no effect on growth among the surviving larvae was observed.
Evaluating Self-Efficacy for HIV Disease Management Skills

Self-efficacy is an important determinant of health behavior, but little is known about how to measure self-efficacy for HIV disease management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new HIV Self-Efficacy (HIV-SE) questionnaire. The HIV-SE was developed with 34 items in six specific conceptual domains and 3 additional items assessing general management. The HIV-SE was administered to 153 HIV+ symptomatic adults receiving care in academic and community-based HIV practices. The six domains were managing mood, managing medications, managing symptoms, managing fatigue, communicating with the healthcare provider, and getting support. Internal consistency reliabilities for the six conceptual domains/subscales ranged from 0.88 to 0.97. Confirmatory factor analyses were run comparing the six-factor model, allowing the factors to be related, and a single-factor model. The results generally support the six-factor model. Based on this initial evaluation, we propose a 34-item HIV-SE with six subscales (available at http://www.ari.ucsd.edu/CFAR/Questionnaires.html) for use in evaluating interventions to improve patients' medication adherence and other disease self-management behaviors. Further psychometric evaluation should address consideration of additional domains and differentiation between the depression and the fatigue domains.
One-Dimensional Problem

This chapter presents the basic elements of plasticity theory in the context of a one-dimensional bar problem. The goals are to facilitate an understanding of the basic ideas of plasticity theory without the need for extensive tensor notations, and to provide the reader an opportunity to conduct simple manual calculations that solidify understanding of the important concepts. The chapter introduces the notions of yield function, flow rule, hardening/softening responses, convexity of a function, and the concept of plastic dissipation. To provide a balanced treatment of theory and computation, we introduce at the outset the idea of return mapping for integrating the rate-constitutive equations in one dimension.
Families and Religions

The family until now has been the social institution most closely linked to religion. Yet, the extent and direction of these ties in the modern United States have been only sporadically examined. Explanations for what religion does in family and society are found in each of the three major theoretical orientations in sociology—structural-functionalism, conflict theory, and interactionism—as well as in newer world-system theory.1 The study of religion in the past 30 years, however, has been marked by a shift from structural to personal levels of meaning, from Parsonian to interactionist frameworks. Luckmann’s “invisible religion” (1967), which locates the functions of religion in personal meanings, and Bellah’s “civil religion” (1967), the cultural backdrop of religious symbols providing new legitimation for American unity, are major instances of the new sociological approach. These have, however, been challenged for their sufficiency. Lemert (1975), for example, questioned their assumptions, in which he saw a failure to elaborate person-structure relationships. Lemert saw the need to hold onto person-and-meaning, “but now in a necessary dialectical relationship to social structure which . . . retains its capacity to convey religious meanings.” (p. 104, italics in original). Another view locates civil religion as an activist dimension of religions (e.g., the Unification Church) that appeal to community-oriented youth (Robbins, Anthony, Doucas, & Curtis, 1976).
Walking and balance outcomes for stroke survivors: A randomized clinical trial comparing body-weight-supported treadmill training with versus without challenging mobility skills

Treadmill training, with or without body-weight support (BWSTT), typically involves high step count, faster walking speed, and higher heart-rate intensity than overground walking training. The addition of challenging mobility skill practice may offer increased opportunities to improve walking and balance skills. Here we compare walking and balance outcomes of chronic stroke survivors performing BWSTT with BWSTT including challenging mobility skills. Single-blind randomized clinical trial comparing two BWSTT interventions performed in a rehabilitation research laboratory facility over 6 weeks. Participants were 18+ years of age with chronic (≥5 months) poststroke hemiparesis due to a cortical or subcortical ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke and walking speeds < 1.1 m/s at baseline. A hands-free group (HF; n = 15) performed BWSTT without assistance from handrails or assistive devices, and a hands-free plus challenge group (HF + C; n = 14) performed the same protocol while additionally practicing challenging mobility skills. The primary outcome was change in comfortable walking speed (CWS), with secondary outcomes of fast walk speed (FWS), six-minute walk distance, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores, and Activities Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scores. Significant pre-post improvement of CWS (Z = − 4.2, p ≤ 0.0001) from a median of 0.35 m/s (range 0.10 to 1.09) to a median of 0.54 m/s (range 0.1 to 1.17), but no difference observed between groups (U = 96.0, p = 0.69). Pre-post improvements across all participants resulted in reclassified baseline ambulation status from sixteen to ten household ambulators, three to seven limited community ambulators, and ten to twelve community ambulators. Secondary outcomes showed similar pre-post improvements with no between-group differences. The addition of challenging mobility skills to a hands-free BWSTT protocol did not lead to greater improvements in CWS following 6 weeks of training. One reason for lack of group differences may be that both groups were adequately challenged by walking in an active, self-driven treadmill environment without use of handrails or assistive devices. NCT02787759 Falls-based Training for Walking Post-Stroke (FBT); retrospectively registered June 1st, 2016.
Disability, Race, and the Geography of School Choice: Toward an Intersectional Analytical Framework:

School choice research has provided some initial understandings of how parents choose schools. Parents’ school options are bounded to differentiated choice sets—the menu of school options that pare...