cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the structure of glassy polymers. IV. Small‐angle x‐ray scattering from rigid polyvinyl chloride

The small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) from quenched and annealed rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has been measured using a Bonse–Hart system. After correcting for absorption, background, and beam divergence, the scattering has been placed on an absolute basis using a standard silica suspension as a reference. The scattering from annealed (6 days at 75°C) and unannealed PVC was identical within experimental error, varying with scattering angle in a manner similar to the SAXS from other amorphous polymers. The intensity decreases rapidly with increasing scattering angle over the ranges from 20 sec to 20 min. Beyond 20 min the intensity is fairly constant, decreasing only slightly with increasing angle. At the largest angles of measurement (in the range of 120 min), the measured intensity is close to the value calculated for thermal density fluctuations frozen-in at the glass transition. The angular variation of intensity is well described by the scattering from heterogeneities of various sizes and concentrations superimposed on the scattering from thermal density fluctuations. These heterogeneities range in radius from 50 to 4500 A and, assuming the crystalline excess density, the total concentration of heterogeneities is less than 0.5%. The mean-square fluctuation in density, determined from the measured intensity invariant, is also consistent with such a distribution of heterogeneities. The present SAXS results on rigid PVC are inconsistent with the presence of nodular features as representative of the bulk polymer. Rather, it is suggested that they are associated with surface effects. It is further suggested that previously indicated volume fractions of crystallinity in rigid PVC (generally in the range of 5–12%) are incorrect, and that the model of a three-dimensional network of crystallites used to explain the rheological behavior of this material should be re-examined.
Recoil studies of the interaction of 48Ca with 18–36 MeV 4He ions and 5–43 MeV 3He ions

Abstract Thin-target thick-catcher recoil experiments are described for the (α, αn), (3He, α) and (3He, p2n) reactions on neutron-excess 48Ca with 18–36 MeV 4He ions and 5–43 3He ions. Product distributions between the target and catcher foils are compared with Monte Carlo calculations assuming compound nucleus and direct interaction mechanisms. Using these comparisons the (α, αn) and (3He, α) excitation functions are broken down into their direct interaction and compound nucleus components. The direct interaction contribution to the (α, αn) reaction at 36 MeV is in the range of 20 % to 40 %. It is found that the thin-target experiments probably afford better differentiation between direct interaction and compound nucleus mechanisms than the comparable thick-target experiments.
The Work Environment of Insulating Workers

Abstract With the cooperation of the asbestos workers' union and insulating contractors, a study is being made of the environmental exposures and the health of insulating workers in the western United States. Surveys have been made in a number of work situations, including small commercial building, major industrial construction and marine operations. Major emphasis has been on exposures to asbestos-containing materials, fiber glass, cork, plastics, and adhesives. Trends in product usage are presented, as well as illustrative dust counts, based on membrane filter and impinger samples, for various components of the insulator's job, e.g., prefabrication, application, finishing, mixing and tearing out of old insulation.
Control of Polarization Phase Offset in Low Threshold Polarization Switching VCSELs

Both polarization switching and control over the angle between polarization states is demonstrated. A novel dual intracavity contacted vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser utilizing asymmetric current injection is tested. Large extinction ratios 21 dB and a record-low threshold current of 0.19 mA is achieved for such devices. Control over the phase offset between two polarization states is accomplished by rotating current injection direction relative to the axis. The phase offset between two polarization states is shown to follow a trigonometric function with maximum offsets along the and directions and minimum offsets along the and directions.
3E-3 A Comparative Study of Echo Estimation Techniques for Ultrasonic NDE Applications

In this study two different echo estimation techniques with a chirplet model are evaluated: chirplet signal decomposition based on the chirplet transform (CTSD), and the matching pursuit signal decomposition framework that employs Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MPSD). Both techniques are used to decompose backscattered signals into a linear expansion of chirplet echoes and estimate the chirplet parameters. The chirplet parameter estimation is unbiased with minimum variance, i.e., it attains analytically derived Cramer-Rao lower bounds. When applied to simulated and experimental ultrasonic signals, both algorithms perform robustly, yield accurate echo estimations and result in considerable SNR enhancements. Moreover, the MPSD algorithm outperforms the CTSD in moderate noise levels whereas the CTSD performs better than MPSD in severe noise levels. Numerical and analytical results indicate that the two presented signal decomposition algorithms are effective tools for ultrasonic signal analysis accounting for narrow-band, broadband, and symmetric, skewed, dispersive or nondispersive echoes. The present study provides guidelines which can be useful when dealing with signal analysis, pattern recognition, target sizing and material characterization
Transoral laser microsurgery for untreated glottic carcinoma

Objectives To report the oncology and functional outcomes of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) for untreated glottic carcinoma. Study Design A 2 center prospective case series analysis. Setting Academic, tertiary referral centers. Results Seventy-six patients underwent TLM. Pathologic T stages were: T1, 45 (59%); T2, 21 (28%); T3, 5 (7%); and T4, 5 (7%). Five (7%) patients had neck dissections. Five (7%) patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. Mean follow-up was 42 months. Respective T1 and T2 5-year Kaplan-Meier estimates were: local control, 90% and 93%; loco-regional control, 90% and 93%; disease specific survival, 90% and 93%; and overall survival, 94% and 93%. The average hospital stay was 2 days. Two (3%) patients experienced major complications. The overall laryngeal preservation rate was 95% (72 of 76). Conclusions TLM is a safe and effective treatment in select carcinoma of the glottic larynx. Low morbidity and mortality and short periods of hospitalization make TLM an attractive therapeutic option. Significance TLM is an emerging strategy in the treatment of laryngeal cancer.
Normal modes for Green's functions and the method of theta functions

The eigenfunctions for four types of bounded plane domains are constructed by a group-theoretic method. The group theory is then used to prove a completeness theorem and to derive a theta function transformation formula. Rapidly convergent series for the Green's functions of the Laplace operator on these domains are then constructed. Final formulas are summarized without reference to group theory.
Particle Confinement and Control in Existing Tokamaks

Measurements of particle losses relevant to plasma-wall interactions in tokamaks are reviewed. The methods commonly used to measure the confinement and loss of thermal plasma, impurity ions, suprathermal electrons and ions, and photons are compared and evaluated. Refueling and particle control techniques, including pulsed gas and pellet injection and gettering and discharge cleaning, are described.
THE GRAPTOLITE GENUS HUNNEGRAPTUS IN THE EARLY ORDOVICIAN OF TEXAS, USA

The biostratigraphically important genus Hunnegraptus is recognized for the first time in the Marathon region, West Texas, based on restudy of the type material of Didymograptus novus Berry, 1960. The late Tremadoc Hunnegraptus Zone is the oldest unequivocally recognized graptolite zone in the Marathon region, underlain by faunas with nondiagnostic adelograptids. Hunnegraptus novus (Berry) shows a sicular bitheca, dichograptid stipes, and delayed first distal dichotomies as the most important rhabdosome characteristics. Hunnegraptus Zone faunas are more widely distributed in North America than previously realized and an immensely useful discovery for biostratigraphic correlation of this late Tremadoc time interval.
Top Management Team Conflict: Understanding the Complexities and Adopting a New Approach

This paper takes a critical look at conflict in top management teams. The multiple approaches that have been taken in the investigation of conflict within this context are reviewed. However, past literature has isolated top management teams, ignored the implications of hidden conflict, and lacked a communication focus. Due to these criticisms, a political perspective towards understanding top management team conflict is advocated. This perspective highlights the validity, necessity, and importance of conflict in organizational life. More specifically, a political approach promotes the reframing of conflict through conflict orchestration and developing an awareness of the impact of personal, social, and cultural identities on conflict management. Finally, communication must take on a less superficial role if a complex understanding of top management team conflict is to be developed.
The United States and China: Collaborators or Rivals?

There is only a short list of major variables that we can deploy to understand social phenomena. For the international environment really only three: material power (military and economic), materia...
Rooted displacement: the paradox of belonging among stateless people

AbstractStateless people are noncitizens everywhere. Yet, unlike many noncitizens, they are not border crossers. Despite the majority’s physical rootedness in the countries of their birth, the stateless are nonetheless forcibly displaced. Their peculiar form of noncitizenship displaces them in situ as they lack the right to choose to belong to the specific communities within which they were born and raised. Using The Bahamas and the Dominican Republic as case studies, this article illustrates how the stateless are either forcibly cast into liminality or made to take on the nationality of a country with which they do not identify when the State can no longer tolerate their noncitizen status.
Communication Problems within Construction

Causes of interpersonal communication problems in construction companies are studied. Attempted correlations of the communication problems (overload, underload, distortion, and gatekeeping) with the communications characteristics (feedback, information processing, accuracy, modality choice, and directionality) and individual characteristics (influence, mobility aspirations, satisfaction with communication, trust, and interaction) indicate that the significant causes of these problems are feedback, modality, directionality, satisfaction with communication, interaction and underload.
Quantification of the Time and Frequency Signatures of Visual Cortical Activation in the Developing Brain: A Study with MEG and Wave-Cross Spectrogram

Our previous studies have demonstrated that Morlet-wavelet transform with an extra large sigma value could precisely determine the frequency signatures of neuromagnetic signals. Unfortunately, the increase of frequency sensitivity is associated with a decrease of temporal resolution. To solve this problem, we have developed wave-cross analysis to quantify neuromagnetic signals with both high temporal and frequency resolutions. The objective of the present study is to measure the time and frequency signatures of visual cortical activation in children using this new method. Twelve healthy children were studied with a whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) system. Visual evoked magnetic fields (VEFs) were evoked with full-field pattern-reversal checks. MEG data were transformed from time-domain to frequency domain using wave-cross spectrogram. Neuromagnetic sources were volumetrically localized with a wavelet-based beamformer. Three response peaks were identified at 73±7 ms (M75), 111±8 ms (M100) and 149±12 ms (M145). The latency of M75 and M100 decreased with age. The amplitude of M75 decreased with age while the amplitude of M100 increased with age. The amplitude ratio of M100/M75 increased significantly with age. The frequency bands up to 300 Hz have been identified. The frequency in the M73 appeared higher than M145, the later responses. In addition, the frequency signatures of the neuromagnetic signals also changed with age. The temporal and frequency signatures of the development of visual function in childhood are noninvasively quantifiable with MEG and Wave-cross. Our preliminary data have confirmed that wave-cross, a new time-frequency analysis method, could precisely determine the frequency and temporal signatures of brain activation. The results lay a foundation for quantitative identification of developmental delay and/or abnormalities of visual function in children with brain disorders.
Active Noise Control of Supersonic Impinging Jet Using Pulsed Microjets

Supersonic im~~inging jets produce a highly unsteady flowfield leading to a noisy environment with high dynamic pressure loads on nearby surfaces. In prior work, it was demonstrated that microjet injecti on along the circumference of the main jet nozzle directly into the shear layer of the main jet disrupts the feedback loop inherent in high-speed impinging jet flows, thereby significantly reducing the adverse effects produced. The microjet action was due t o steady blowing whose flow rate was either uniform along the circumference or varied using the eigenmode of the flow. While these methods yielded some successes, ulliform reduction of all operating conditions was not t o obtained. In this paper, pulsing microjet injection is chosen as a new control scheme to retain a uniform suppression of impinging jet noise. Through pulsing injection, a fairly good amount of noise reduction w ls achieved using 42% of the mass flow rate that led to the same level of noise reduction using steady microjet injection. As the duty cycle was increased, it was observed that the pulsed injection completely destroyed the distinct impinging tone for almost all heights.
Adaptive Process Control and In-Situ Diagnostics for High Temperature PEM MEA Manufacturing

The most critical step in high temperature proton exchange membrane (PEM) MEA manufacturing is sealing of the membrane between the two electrodes. This sealing process is typically conducted using a precision hydraulic thermal press. In order to achieve cost-effective high-volume MEA manufacturing, it is important to reduce the variability in MEA performance due to variations in incoming material properties and dimensions, and to reduce the unit process cycle time. This paper explains the application of real time adaptive process controls (APC) combined with effective in-situ diagnostics during the MEA sealing process to achieve greater uniformity and performance of high temperature PEM MEAs. The in-situ impedance measurement is carried out in a precision thermal press using a milliohmmeter by reading the complex impedance of the MEA at 1 kHz as the components of the MEA are sealed. This signal is then used to adjust the pressing process parameters in real time to achieve more uniform MEA performance. An experiment was carried out in an attempt to identify the impedance parameter which correlated most closely with the MEA’s future performance. Using these impedance parameters during pressing, we are able to reliably produce MEAs using the real time APC technique that perform consistently in a single cell test fixture with more than a 50% reduction in pressing time.© 2010 ASME
Single-cell states versus single-cell atlases — two classes of heterogeneity that differ in meaning and method

Recent advances have created new opportunities to dissect cellular heterogeneity at the omics level. The enthusiasm for deep single-cell profiling has obscured a discussion of different types of heterogeneity and the most-appropriate techniques for studying each type. Here, I distinguish heterogeneity in regulation from heterogeneity in lineage. Snapshots of lineage heterogeneity provide a cell atlas that catalogs cellular diversity within complex tissues. Profiles of regulatory heterogeneity seek to interrogate one lineage deeply to capture an ensemble of single-cell states. Single-cell atlases require molecular signatures from many cells at a throughput afforded by mass cytometry-based, microfluidic-based, and microencapsulation-based methods. Single-cell states are more dependent on time, microenvironment, and low-abundance transcripts, emphasizing in situ methods that stress depth of profiling and quantitative accuracy.
Growth of Metal Phthalocyanine on Deactivated Semiconducting Surfaces Steered by Selective Orbital Coupling

Using scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory, we show that the molecular ordering and orientation of metal phthalocyanine molecules on the deactivated Si surface display a strong dependency on the central transition-metal ion, driven by the degree of orbital hybridization at the heterointerface via selective p-d orbital coupling. This Letter identifies a selective mechanism for modifying the molecule-substrate interaction which impacts the growth behavior of transition-metal-incorporated organic molecules on a technologically relevant substrate for silicon-based devices.
Hey Prof, Mind If I Call You ‘Bob’?: A Study of Form-of-Address Preferences Among Marketing Students and Professors

This paper reports two studies which explore form-of-address behavior and preferences among marketing students and professors. A segment of students who prefer to address faculty on a first-name basis is identified. While unwanted first-naming may be interpreted by faculty as disrespectful, students appear to use first names to facilitate interaction with professors. Faculty who insist on using last names may be misinterpreting student motivations, contributing to negative student perceptions regarding the faculty-student relationship.
Dynamic Changes of Coagulation and Fibrinolytic Function in Children with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

Objective To explore the dynamic changes of coagulation and fibrinolytic function in children with systemic inflammatory response syndrome(SIRS) and its clinical significance.Methods Seventy-two SIRS children were divided into mild group,severe group and dead group.Twenty healthy children were selected as control group in the same period.The intravenous blood samples were taken on 1,3 and 5 days after admission to measure PLT,plasma levels of antithrombase-Ⅲ(AT-Ⅲ),D-dimer(DD),tissue plasm inogen activator(t-PA)and plasm inogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1).Results On the first day,PLT were lower in severe and dead groups(Pa0.01),and the latter was much lower(Pa0.01).On the 5th day,PLT of severe group increased,and the dead group decreased.AT-Ⅲ level were lower(P0.05) and DD levels in mild group were higher than that in control group(P0.01).The level changes of AT-Ⅲ in severe and dead groups were higher than that in mild group(Pa0.01).On the third day,AT-Ⅲ level in mild group went back to normal level.On the 5th day,AT-Ⅲ level in severe group went back to normal level.AT-Ⅲ level in dead group was persistly low.DD level in severe group decreased on the third and the 5th day.The AT-Ⅲ level of dead group increased persistly.On the first day,t-PA level was lower and PAI-1 levels higher in severe and dead groups than those in control group.t-PA and PAI-1 levels in mild group were normal on the third day,and those of severe group changed gradually.t-PA level in dead group was persistly lower.PAI-1 was persistently higher.Conclusions The coagulation disorder in SIRS children is common.The coagulation are activated,and fibrionolysis is inhibited.With SIRS developing,the disorders become more evident.Dynamic observation of PLT,AT-Ⅲ,DD,t-PA and PAI-1 are important for evaluating the clinical significance of the condition and prognosis of SIRS children.
Comparison of Result Times Between Urine and Whole Blood Point-of-care Pregnancy Testing.

Introduction: Point-of-care (POC) pregnancy testing is commonly performed in the emergency department (ED). One prior study demonstrated equivalent accuracy between urine and whole blood for one common brand of POC pregnancy testing. Our study sought to determine the difference in result times when comparing whole blood versus urine for the same brand of POC pregnancy testing. Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study at an urban, academic, tertiary care hospital comparing the turnaround time between order and result for urine and whole blood pregnancy tests collected according to standard protocol without intervention from the investigators. After the blood was collected, the nurse would place three drops onto a Beckman Coulter ICON 25 Rapid HCG bedside pregnancy test and set a timer for 10 minutes. At the end of the 10 minutes, the result and time were recorded on an encoded data sheet and not used clinically. The same make and model analyzer was also used for urine tests in the lab located within the ED. The primary outcome was the difference inmean turnaround time between whole blood in the ED and urine testing in the adjacent lab results. Concordance between samples was assessed as a secondary outcome. Results: 265 total patients were included in the study. The use of whole blood resulted in a mean time savings of 21 minutes (95% CI 16-25 minutes) when compared with urine (p<0.001). There was 99.6% concordance between results, with one false negative urine specimen with a quantitative HCG level of 81 mIU/L. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the use of whole blood in place of urine for bedside pregnancy testing may reduce the total result turnaround time without significant changes in accuracy in this singlecenterstudy.
Abstract 2811: Antioxidant compounds and their effects on ECM-detached ovarian cancer cells

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has the highest mortality rate of all gynecological cancers. Approximately 70% of all EOC patients are diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease. In these patients, ovarian cancer cells shed from the primary tumor and accumulate in ascites in the peritoneal cavity. These shed cells have shown the ability to attach and form secondary tumors throughout the peritoneal cavity, making EOC more difficult to treat. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the survival of ovarian cancer cells in ascites could lead to the development of improved chemotherapeutics aimed at eradicating this nonadhesive subset of cells and thus resulting in better survival rates of EOC patients. While non-tumorigenic epithelial cells require attachment to the extracellular matrix (ECM) for survival, ovarian cancer cells surviving in ascites gain the ability to survive in anchorage independence. Striking increases of reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated by ECM-detachment has been shown to inhibit energy production and inhibit cell viability in non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells. Consequently, neutralization of ROS with antioxidant compounds enhance ATP production and promote survival in anchorage independence. Furthermore, previous publications from our laboratory suggest that antioxidant enzymes are critical for metabolic maintenance and survival of ECM-detached breast cancer cells. While these recent studies reveal a novel role for antioxidant activity in metastatic breast cancer, antioxidant activity and its effects on ECM-detached ovarian cancer cells has yet to be unveiled. Currently, we have found that neutralization of ROS through treatment with a variety of antioxidant compounds increases metabolic efficacy in ECM-detached ovarian cancer cells. More specifically, ECM-detached SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells treated with antioxidant compounds Trolox (a vitamin E analog), Vitamin C, and Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) results in large increases in ATP levels. Given these data, we are further working to understand the mechanisms involved in this metabolic increase. In addition, we are working to understand the relationship between this increase in metabolism and survival in anchorage independence. Future studies include looking at this phenomenon in other ovarian cancer cell lines as well as using mouse xenograft studies to examine the effects of antioxidant compounds on survival of metastatic ovarian cancer cells. Citation Format: Calli A. Davison-Versagli. Antioxidant compounds and their effects on ECM-detached ovarian cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2811.
Feasibility of Gene Expression Profiling Generated from Fine Needle Aspiration from Patients with Follicular Lymphoma and Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

We tested the feasibility of performing gene expression profiling using amplified RNA from Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) obtained from lymph nodes. Twenty-four samples from patients with a diagnosis of Follicular Lymphoma (FL) or Large B-Cell Lymphoma (LBCL) were obtained after informed consent. The diagnosis were performed by two pathologists and classified into two groups (10 LBCL and 14 FL) using conventional morphology and immunophenotyping. Total RNA was extracted using RNaqueous (Ambion, Austin, TX). Total RNA (100ng /per sample) was subjected to 2 cycles of standard double-stranded cDNA synthesis using Superscript Choice System (Invitrogen, Grand Island, NY) and in vitro transcription for target amplification as per GeneChip’s Eukaryotic Small Sample Target Labeling protocol (Affymetrix, Inc, Santa Clara, CA). The biotinylated cRNA from each sample was hybridized to Affymetrix HG-U133A chips. Gene expression profiling results were first analyzed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) using a list of 146 probe sets representing 62 genes characteristic of Acivated B-Cell (ABC) or Germinal Center (GC) signature. This analysis identified 5 LBCL cases with ABC cell signature (Fig 1). Using a list of 207 probe sets representing 113 genes involved in FL transformation (K Elenitoba-Johnson, PNAS 2003), PCA analysis identified two overlapping clusters corresponding to FL and GC-DLBCL. To further improve this classification, we generated a list of 82 genes differentially expressed between FL and GC-LBCL. Using this list of genes, PCA analysis demonstrated a clear separation between FL and GC-LBCL (Fig 2). These results demonstrate that comprehensive transcription profiles can be performed in patients with NHL using RNA obtained from FNA and that one can distinguish among FL and LBCL lymphoma genetic subtypes.
NPY family of peptides in neural crest-derived tumors

NPY is an important factor in the regulation of growth of neural crest-derived tumors. The peptide both regulates proliferation of neuroendocrine tumor cells in an autocrine manner and induces tumor vascularization via its Y2 receptor-mediated effect on ECs. The overall effect of NPY is critically dependent on the tumor type and its receptor pattern. Thus, NPY and its receptors may become targets for novel, bidirectional therapies in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors, directed against both tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis.
1.4 Silver Antimicrobial Biomaterials

Silver has been used as an antimicrobial agent for thousands of years, and its use in medicine continues to the present day. Despite increased silver research over the past few decades in antimicrobial, nutraceutical, and biomaterials applications, many questions remain about the safety and efficacy of silver-containing biomaterials in human use. Silver is currently used in several different chemical and physical forms in a variety of medical devices including coated catheters, wound coverings, and endotracheal tubes. This article details the extensive use of silver in biomedical applications, reported mechanisms of antibacterial activity, toxicity to human tissues, nanomaterial properties, and future directions for silver’s use in medicine.
Sustaining Progress in Preventing Child Maltreatment: A Transformative Challenge

Developing an effective prevention response to maltreatment has long been stymied by the sheer breadth of behaviors and social conditions associated with the terms child abuse and neglect. The purpose of this chapter is to take stock of where the prevention field is at and to identify those areas that offer the richest opportunities for doing better. The chapter is not simply a review of exemplary prevention programs but rather an overview of how the field has evolved and the core issues and challenges it faces moving forward. The chapter then summarizes research in four areas which are generating the greatest interest among policy makers, practitioners, and researchers – early intervention services; investments in evidence-based practice; implementation research; and system development. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the challenges facing the field and outlines a set of promising pathways available for improving prevention’s reach and effectiveness.
Field verification of chondroitin sulfate as a putative component of chemical alarm cue in wild populations of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

Chemical characterization of damage-released alarm cues in ostariophysan fishes has lagged far behind the study of the ecological role that these cues play in behavioral decision-making of prey fishes. Chondroitin sulfate has been identified as a putative component of alarm cue based on two laboratory studies of zebrafish, Danio rerio, and the northern studfish, Fundulus catenatus. The fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas, is a model organism in the study of chemically mediated predator–prey interactions, in part because they can be studied in the laboratory and under field conditions. Here, we conducted a field experiment on wild populations of fathead minnows, to test for area avoidance of chondroitin sulfate relative to conspecific skin extract (containing alarm cues = positive control) or water (negative control). We repeated the experiment in two small lakes in central Minnesota using minnow traps containing blocks of sponge with one of the three test cues. We found that fathead minnows avoided traps chemically labeled with conspecific alarm cue more than control traps labeled with water, and that the number of minnows caught in traps labeled with chondroitin sulfate was intermediate between alarm cue traps and water traps. These data are consistent with laboratory findings that chondroitin sulfate is a component of alarm cue, but that other species-specific compounds are needed for a full behavioral response.
IoT Platform for Sports Analytics

This paper is an experience report on IoT platforms for sports analytics. In our prior work [11], we proposed iBall, a system that explores the possibility of bringing IoT to sports analytics, particularly to the game of Cricket. iBall develops solutions to track a ball's 3D trajectory and spin with inexpensive sensors and radios embedded in the ball. Towards this end, iBall performs fusion of wireless and inertial sensory data and integrates them into physics-based motion models of a ball in flight. The median ball location error is at 8cm while rotational error remains below 12° even at the end of the flight. The results do not rely on training, hence we expect the core techniques to extend to other sports like baseball, with some domain-specific modifications.
The Decker Forestry Pollution Case: Constitutional Risks When Courts Use Auer Deference to Bypass Regulatory Protections

In Decker v. Northwest Environmental Defense Center, the Supreme Court upheld the EPA’s interpretation of the agency’s own regulation regarding exemption of channeled stormwater discharges from National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements under the Clean Water Act. The Court deferred to the EPA’s interpretation under the Auer doctrine, which dictates that an administrative agency’s interpretation of its own regulation is entitled to deference unless the interpretation is plainly erroneous or inconsistent with the regulation. This Comment argues that Auer deference violates foundational separation of powers principles by allowing a governmental agency to both write and interpret the law. This power is inherently dangerous, and the ease with which it can be abused and manipulated does not bode well for the environment. Although administrative agencies possess specialized knowledge that can inform their decisionmaking, this knowledge should not give agencies a license to flaunt constitutional safeguards in the name of efficiency. The Supreme Court should have reached an opposite conclusion in Decker and should have used the case as an opportunity to overrule Auer because agencies should not be able to write and interpret the law simultaneously.
Large oligonucleotide sequences in wheat germ phenylalanine transfer ribonucleic acid. Derivation of the total primary structure.

Abstract Large oligonucleotide fragments obtained by partial digestion of wheat germ phenylalanine transfer RNA (tRNAphe) with ribonuclease T1 and pancreatic ribonuclease have been separated and characterized. The information provided by these analyses and those described in the preceding paper has permitted the derivation of the complete primary structure of tRNAphe.
Performance of the IEEE 802.11 Wireless Lan Medium Access Control Protocol Under Error and Error-Free Conditions

This research uses simulation to investigate the performance of the IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network standard considering both the behavior of the medium access control (MAC) protocol and the effect of burst errors in the channel. Throughput and queue lengths are examined for varying offered traffic, numbers of stations, frame lengths, and error probabilities. Results indicate that, independent of errors, higher network throughput is achieved if the aggregate work load is distributed over more stations, up to a point where excessive collisions due to a large number of stations dominates performance. Bit errors do reduce throughput, but their effect is coupled with frame length. For low bit error rates, the best performance is achieved using maximum size frames. However, for high bit error rates, the best performance is achieved using small frames.
Economic Consequences of Risk and Ability Disclosures: Evidence From Crowdfunding

We exploit the introduction of a "risks and challenges" (RC) section on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.com to study the role of disclosure in markets characterized by severe information asymmetries and agency frictions. Although the RC section contains voluntary and unaudited disclosures, after its addition projects with already observably risky characteristics attract fewer backers and are less likely to be funded, and project creators who respond to the prompt to discuss risks and abilities increase their non-risk disclosures and use a financing structure that accommodates greater risk. Risky projects attract relatively more backers and funding when project creators respond to the prompt, consistent with increased disclosure mitigating market frictions. Our findings suggest that crowdfunders change the types of projects they support and that project creators modify their disclosures and financing structure when prompted to consider risks.
Normal Anatomy, Digestion, Absorption

Abstract The digestive tract has anatomically distinct compartments, each with specialized secretory, digestive, absorptive, and motility functions, starting with the esophagus and ending with the large intestine. Sphincters, composed of smooth muscle and controlled by the enteric nervous system (ENS), separate individual compartments and function to prevent harmful back reflux into an upstream compartment from its downstream neighbor. Innervation by the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and ENS divisions of the autonomic nervous system governs secretory, digestive, and motility behavior in each compartment. ENS motor control is adapted to be compatible with the physiology of the smooth muscles of the muscularis externa, which displays properties of a functional electrical syncytium with rhythmicity established by interstitial cells of Cajal. The autonomic innervation acts in concert with peptidergic endocrine signaling in controlling secretion of acid and digestive enzymes in the stomach and exocrine and endocrine digestive enzymes in the small intestine. The small intestinal mucosa transports NaCl, H2CO3, H2O, and nutrients from the lumen into the blood-vasculature circulation. Fluid and electrolytes not absorbed in the small intestine are absorbed in the large intestine in its function of dehydration and storage of feces.
The New York City–New Orleans connection: Evidence from constraint ranking comparison

New York City English (NYCE) and New Orleans English (NOE) demonstrate remarkable similarity for cities located 1300 miles apart. Though the question of whether these dialects feature a shared history has fueled papers on the subject (Berger, 1980; Labov, 2007), there remain a number of issues with the historical record that prevent researchers from arriving at a consensus (Eble, 2016). This article presents linguistic evidence from constraint ranking comparisons of variable nonrhoticity and bought-raising in comparable contemporary samples of NYCE and NOE speakers. Findings demonstrate strikingly similar systems for (r), but dissimilar systems for bought-raising. We examine the results of our analyses in the context of evidence from previous comparisons of NYCE and NOE, concluding that the resemblance between the two dialects is likely due to diffusion from New York City to New Orleans, occurring in the 19th century before bought-raising emerged in either variety.
Neurobiology of Resilience: Interface Between Mind and Body

Stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders, such as major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, exact enormous socioeconomic and individual consequences. Resilience, the process of adaptation in the face of adversity, is an important concept that is enabling the field to understand individual differences in stress responses, with the hope of harnessing this information for the development of novel therapeutics that mimic the body's natural resilience mechanisms. This review provides an update on the current state of research of the neurobiological mechanisms of stress resilience. We focus on physiological and transcriptional adaptations of specific brain circuits, the role of cellular and humoral factors of the immune system, the gut microbiota, and changes at the interface between the brain and the periphery, the blood-brain barrier. We propose viewing resilience as a process that requires the integration of multiple central and peripheral systems and that elucidating the underlying neurobiological mechanisms will ultimately lead to novel therapeutic options.
Use of big data in drug development for precision medicine: an update.

Introduction: Big-data-driven drug development resources and methodologies have been evolving with ever-expanding data from large-scale biological experiments, clinical trials, and medical records ...
Intestinal lymphangiectasia: case report

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) was first described by Waldmann et al, in 1961. PIL is a rare disease with several hundred reported cases. It is rarely reported in adults because it is presumably a congenital disorder and when present in adults it typically produces a long duration of manifestation such as diarrhea, abdominal distention from ascites, and peripheral edema. This disorder is characterized by markedly dilated intestinal lymphatics, hypoproteinemia, generalized edema, lymphocytopenia hypogammaglobinemia, and immunologic anomalies. The loss of protein into the from dilated intestinal lymphatics leads to the development of hypoproteinemia in these patients and its demonstration is important in the diagnosis of intestinal lymphangiectasia. The disease can be secondary to congenital, secondary or idiopathic defects in the formation of the lymphatic ducts. In the present report, we describe a case of 15 years old female presented to our hospital with history of generalized edema, bilateral hand spasm, and diarrhea. Endoscopy of the patient revealed White spots (dilated lacteals), white nodules, and submucosal elevations were observed. Changes suggestive of the disease includes White villi and/or spots (dilated lacteals), white nodules, and submucosal elevations are observed. Xanthomata’s plaques are often visualized, there are no specific treatments for patients with PIL. treatment of patients with primary intestinal lymphangiectasia involves control of symptoms with the use of dietary, pharmaceutical, and behavioral modifications.
Stability across time of the neutrophil-lymphocyte and lymphocyte-neutrophil ratios and associations with outcomes in cardiac surgery patients

Elevated white blood cell counts and leukocyte ratios are recognized markers of systemic inflammation associated with poor surgical outcomes. We analyzed the temporal stability and prognostic value of the preoperative Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Lymphocyte-to-Neutrophil ratio (LNR) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafts and/or valve surgery. We retrospectively reviewed 558 patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery between July 2014 and December 2016, excluding patients with immunosuppressed status. The stability of NLR and LNR was evaluated using interclass correlation coefficients. The patients were dichotomized into two groups, high NLR and low NLR, based on the median value of preoperative NLR in our cohort. A logistic regression model compared preoperative NLR and LNR values to clinical outcomes, including a composite of perioperative events and mid-term mortality. We identified that NLR reliability over time was good (ICC = .592; R-squared = .351), and LNR reliability over time was excellent (ICC = .761; R-squared = .601). Furthermore, an increased duration between collection dates was not significantly correlated with increased variability in NLR (Pearson Correlation Coefficient: −.111, p = .117). On multivariate model, neither high NLR (OR = .879, p = .168) nor low LNR (OR = 3.30, p = .214) was significantly associated with a composite of perioperative events, but increased LNR was associated with lower mid-term mortality (HR .001, p = .026). Both NLR and LNR were stable over time, up to 100 days, but LNR values were more consistent compared to NLR. High LNR was significantly associated with decreased risk of mid-term mortality, and LNR showed a stronger relationship with mid-term mortality than its NLR counterpart. Both of these findings indicate that LNR may be a more useful and valuable clinical marker.
Vpr Co-assembles with Gag during HIV-1 Assembly

The HIV-1 accessory protein Vpr is packaged into new virions at a 7:1 ratio of Gag/Vpr. Previous biochemical and genetic analysis has shown that Vpr gets packaged into virions via an LXXLF motif on the p6 domain of the Gag structural polyprotein. The kinetics of Vpr packaging compared to Gag assembly was previously unknown. Here, we confirm via biochemistry and imaging that fluorescently tagged Vpr gets packaged into virus-like particles only when the LXXLF motif is intact. When the LXXLF motif is mutated, Vpr is no longer recruited to Gag assemblies. When Vpr and Gag assembly are imaged together, we see that Vpr co-assembles with a slight delay compared to Gag suggesting that Vpr is not being recruited to the membrane with Gag but is instead being recruited to actively assembling Gag.
The Perils of Leading a Democracy

Environmental characteristics can influence aging. Democracy results in higher life expectancy for its members. However, there is a lack of research that indicates the influence of democracy on its leaders. Specifically, we examine how the nature of democracy affects the perceived aging of its leaders. In this paper, we capture perceived aging via face perception. We suggest that leaders in a democracy are perceived to age more compared to those in an autocracy. Counter to the common belief that democracies are less stressful, we find that the stress of being a leader in a democracy can have adverse effects. Study 1 uses picture pairs of 268 leaders from across the world, and participants judge age difference in years between the pictures. Study 2, a controlled study, examines downstream influences on the leader's specific attributes. Results indicate that leaders appearing to age more are more likely to avoid complex decisions, to be less charismatic, and to be less inspiring.
A Survey of Rural Principals: Preferences Regarding Teacher Candidates:

Rural school principals continue to have difficulty hiring and retaining qualified teachers. Researchers have sought to determine the preferred type of preparation programs and the specific charact...
Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers’ Attitudes toward Literacy and Literacy Integration in Physical Education Settings

Incorporating literacy into physical education has been a longstanding challenge among physical educators. However, a dearth of research exists regarding the integration of literacy and physical ed...
End-of-life patterns of symptom management and cancer-directed care among Medicare beneficiaries with lung cancer: a claims-based analysis

Rather than early hospice enrollment, most Medicare beneficiaries receive “usual care” in the last months of life, outside of the hospice setting. While care intensity during the last weeks of life has been studied extensively, patterns of symptom management services (SMS) and/or cancer-directed therapies (CDT) received over a 6-month end-of-life period have not. This retrospective study used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare database to identify decedents diagnosed with lung cancer at age ≥ 66 years between January 2007 and December 2013 who survived ≥ 6 months from diagnosis. Medicare claims identified receipt of SMS and/or CDT. We created monthly indicators for care content (SMS-only, CDT-only, or both; otherwise full-month hospice or inpatient/skilled nursing). Multinomial logistic regression estimated associations between sociodemographics and comorbidity, with care content in the final month. Between 6 and 1 months before death, full-month hospice and inpatient/skilled nursing increased; CDT decreased from 31.9 to 18.5%; SMS increased from 86.6 to 97.7%. Relative to full-month hospice, the percentage of patients receiving SMS-only was higher for males, unmarried, younger age, and higher comorbidity; the percentage receiving CDT was also higher for males, unmarried, and younger age, but decreased with increasing comorbidity and over calendar time. Among lung cancer decedents observed in the outpatient, nonhospice setting, SMS receipt increased and was nearly universal as death approached. CDT diminished dramatically over the end-of-life period. Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and care setting suggest differences in care preferences or access barriers. Claims represent an important resource for characterizing end-of-life care patterns.
Risk perceptions and politics: Evidence from the covid-19 pandemic*

Politics may color interpretations of facts, and thus perceptions of risk. We find that a higher share of Trump voters in a county is associated with lower perceptions of risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Controlling for COVID-19 case counts and deaths, as Trump's vote share rises in the local area, individuals search less for information on the virus and its potential economic impacts, and engage in fewer visits to non-essential businesses. Our results suggest that politics and the media may play an important role in determining the formation of risk perceptions, and may therefore affect both economic and health-related reactions to unanticipated health crises.