cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Empirical Assessment of a Prismatic Daylight-Redirecting Window Film in a Full-Scale Office Testbed

ABSTRACTDaylight-redirecting systems with vertical windows have the potential to offset lighting energy use in deep perimeter zones. Microstructured prismatic window films can be manufactured using low-cost, roll-to-roll fabrication methods and adhered to the inside surface of existing windows as a retrofit measure or installed as a replacement insulating glass unit in the clerestory portion of the window wall. A clear film patterned with linear, 50- to 250-μm-high, four-sided asymmetrical prisms was fabricated and installed in the south-facing, clerestory low-e, clear glazed windows of a full-scale testbed facility. Views through the film were distorted. The film was evaluated in a sunny climate over a 2-year period to gauge daylighting and visual comfort performance. The daylighting aperture was small (window-to-wall ratio of 0.18) and the lower windows were blocked off to isolate the evaluation to the window film. Workplane illuminance measurements were made in the 4.6-m (15-ft)-deep room furnished as ...
Computing occlusion-free viewpoints

Methods for computing the locus of all viewpoints from which features on known polyhedral objects can be viewed in their entirety without being occluded by anything in the environment are presented. Convex and concave polyhedra with or without holes and the viewing model of perspective projection are used in this work. Based on properties of the occlusion-free and occluded loci of viewpoints, two methods for constructing these loci together with their complexity analysis are presented. In one method, a boundary representation of the occlusion-free locus is obtained. In the other, the locus of occluded viewpoints is expressed in terms of a constructive solid geometry representation that consists of a union of component solids. Implementation results are shown. >
Do public governance and the depth of financial intermediation impact the entrepreneurship?growth relationship?

The literature on entrepreneurship suggests that the impact of entrepreneurial activity on economic growth varies with the stage of economic development of a country. While entrepreneurial activity is positively associated with economic growth in rich countries, it has a negative effect poor countries. Our paper explores this implication by examining the association between entrepreneurial activity and economic growth for a sample of countries. Our econometric investigation suggests inadequate depth and development of the financial sector reduce the growth-enhancing impact of entrepreneurial activities. Surprisingly, the existence of corruption does not impede the beneficial impact of entrepreneurial activity on growth in our data set.
Use of Ethinyl Estradiol to Prevent Lactation in Puerperal Patients

Ethinyl estradiol was prepared by Inhoffen and Hohlweg1 by the replacement of the 17th carbon atom in estradiol by an ethinyl group. When given subcutaneously in oil, ethinyl estradiol and estradiol are equal in potency, but when given orally, ethinyl estradiol is 15 to 20 times as active as estradiol. Clauberg and Ustun2 reported the use of ethinyl estradiol in secondary amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea and demonstrated proliferative changes in the uterine mucosa following doses of 56 mg. of ethinyl estradiol, given over a period of 20 days. No symptoms of toxicity were reported in their series. Salmon et al.3 administered ethinyl estradiol in the form of enteric-coated tablets and in alcoholic solution to 27 patients with menopausal symptoms and morphologic evidence of estrogen deficiency (tablets, 22 patients; alcoholic solution, 5 patients). Ethinyl estradiol in the form of entericcoated tablets was found to possess high estrogenic potency when administered orally, as demonstrated by the relief of menopa...
Comparative composition of total and sn-2 fatty acids in bovine and ovine milk fat

Similar diets were fed to cattle and sheep to compare the total and the sn-2 fatty acid (FA) composition of milk fat. The study confirmed that substrate availability in the bovine and ovine mam- mary gland is a determining factor in the sn-2 FA composition. The acyltransferase that esterifies the FA at the sn-2 position is specific for FA of chain length C14 to C18 and has a reduced affinity for short chain FA in cattle and sheep. fatty acid / sn-2 / triglyceride composition / lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase
Euler characteristics of Teichmüller curves in genus two

We calculate the Euler characteristics of all of the Teichmuller curves in the moduli space of genus two Riemann surfaces which are generated by holomorphic one-forms with a single double zero. These curves are naturally embedded in Hilbert modular surfaces and our main result is that the Euler characteristic of a Teichmuller curve is proportional to the Euler characteristic of the Hilbert modular surface on which it lies. The idea is to use techniques from algebraic geometry to calculate the fundamental classes of these Teichmiiller curves in certain compactifications of the Hilbert modular surfaces. This is done by defining meromorphic sections of line bundles over Hilbert modular surfaces which vanish along these Teichmuller curves. We apply these results to calculate the Siegel-Veech constants for counting closed billiards paths in certain L-shaped polygons. We also calculate the Lyapunov exponents of the Kontsevich-Zorich cocycle for any ergodic, SL 2 (R)-invariant measure on the moduli space of Abelian differentials in genus two (previously calculated in unpublished work of Kontsevich and Zorich).
La primera entrevista en psicoterapia dinámica: formulación y validación

Antecedentes. Existe un debate intenso en relacion al modo como se debe ejecutar la primera sesion. El terapeuta puede tomar una historia detallada o simplemente permitir que el paciente lleve su propio ritmo. Objetivo. Focalizarse y refinar los conceptos y principios de la tecnica que son aplicables al primer contacto. Metodo. Estudiar la pelicula de Woody Allen "La otra mujer". Mientras se va desarrollando esta pelicula, a traves del analisis de cuatro escenas, escuchamos el material como si fuera presentado por un paciente real, y formulamos las intervenciones o hipotesis. Resultados. La decodificacion por medio del gatillo nos permite descubrir los conflictos emocionales y los problemas interpersonales que estan perturbando y la mejor manera de resolverlos. Conclusiones. El contexto adaptativo o gatillo es la realidad especifica que evoca una respuesta intrapsiquica. Es crucial reconocer la presencia de contextos adaptativos en la primera hora. En principio el terapeuta debe adoptar una actitud de escucha que tome en consideracion tanto el contenido manifiesto y la superficie de las comunicaciones del paciente como sus implicancias latentes
Role of heat shock factor-1 activation in the doxorubicin-induced heart failure in mice

Treating cancer patients with chemotherapeutics, such as doxorubicin (Dox), cause dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure because of oxidative stress. On the other hand, heat shock fact...
Food and feeding behavior of the hoplonemertean Oerstedia dorsalis

The monostiliferous nemertean Oerstedia dorsalis was collected from eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds located along the coast of New Jersey, and feeding responses to amphipods and isopods were observed in the laboratory. Tests with 46 worms showed that they fed suctorially on Ampelisca vadorum, Ampithoe longimana, Corophium acherusicum and C tuberculata. Corophiids were preferred. Upon contact with an amphipod, the proboscis is everted and strikes the prey on the ventral side, immobilizing it in a few minutes. The worm probes the sternal region with its head and everts its proboscis one or more times during the process. The exoskeleton is eventually penetrated by the head, and the stomach is everted into the hemocoel as a flattened funnel-like structure. Peristaltic undulations of the body signify the suctorial action that removes the living contents from the exoskeleton. The actual feeding process (from head penetration to removal of the head) takes about 7 min. O. dorsalis is only the third species within the Prosorhochmidae for which the feeding behavior has been documented. The other two are terrestrial species, and are also suctorial.
ASSET LIQUIDITY, CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND SECURED DEBT

This paper investigates the impact of asset liquidity on the valuation of corporate securities and the firm's financing decisions. I show that asset liquidity increases debt capacity only when bond covenants restrict the disposition of assets. By contrast, I demonstrate that, with unsecured debt, greater liquidity increases credit spreads on corporate debt and reduces optimal leverage. The model also determines the extent to which pledging assets increases firm value and relates the optimal size of the pledge to firm and industry characteristics. Finally, I show that asset liquidity and security provisions may help explain leverage ratios and credit spreads observed in practice.
Where fire stops: vegetation structure and microclimate influence fire spread along an ecotonal gradient

Positive feedbacks influenced by direct and indirect interactions between fire, vegetation, and microclimate can allow pyrophilic and pyrophobic ecosystems to co-occur in the same landscape, resulting in the juxtaposition of flammable and non-flammable vegetation. To quantify the drivers of these feedbacks, we combined measurements of vegetation, fuels, and microclimate with observations of fire spread along ecotonal gradients. We established 113 permanent transects (consisting of 532 plots), each traversing an ecotone between savanna and wetland in the Sandhills of North Carolina, USA. In each plot, we recorded cover of ten plant functional types. We collected surface fuels at a subset of our transects. We continuously monitored microclimate (nine meteorological variables) across 21 representative ecotones. Following prescribed fire, we measured fire spread along each transect. Vegetation structure and microclimate significantly predicted fire spread along the savanna-wetland ecotone. Fire spread was most influenced by vegetation structure, specifically C4 grass cover, which accounted for 67 % of the variance explained by our model. We have identified the components of the fire, vegetation, and microclimate feedback that control where fires stop under current conditions, but their control should not be considered absolute. For example, when ignited in savanna, prescribed burns continued through wetland vegetation 43 % of the time. The feedback operating within these systems may be relatively weak as compared to other savanna systems. Environmental changes may alter fire spread extent, and with it ecosystem boundaries, or even ecosystem states.
The white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor reduces the estrogenic activity of a mixture of emerging contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluent

Abstract This study investigated the removal of common emerging contaminants (ECs) and related estrogenic activity from wastewater effluent by a strain of the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor with previously unreported bioremediation potential. T. versicolor NRRL 66313 was grown in carbon-amended sterile secondary wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. Aerated batch reactors containing sterile, glucose-amended (5 g l−1) wastewater were inoculated, incubated for eight days, and then spiked with either 5 mg l−1 of 17β-estradiol (E2), or a mixture of E2, atrazine (ATZ), bisphenol A (BPA), carbamazepine (CBZ), N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET), estrone (E1), 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), oxybenzone (OBZ), and triclosan (TCS) to a final concentration of 350 μg l−1 each. Abiotic and heat-killed fungus controls were also prepared. EC and metabolite concentrations were measured over time using HPLC and Gas Chromatography coupled with Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC-TOFMS). Estrogenic activity was measured on the same samples using the Yeast Estrogen Screen. In less than 5 h, active fungi decreased the concentration of E2 from 5 mg l−1 to below detection, producing E1 as a metabolite and subsequently removing it from solution. Acting on the mixture of ECs, fungi removed BPA, E1, E2, and EE2 to a significant degree (62–100%) vs. controls (0–28%) in only 3.5 h, reducing the estrogenic activity of the mixture by 77% (vs. 4–8% for controls). After 12 h, the total reduction of estrogenic activity was greater than 98% (vs. 24–42% for controls). These results show that T. versicolor NRRL 66313 can reduce the estrogenic activity of mixtures of estrogens and BPA, which are typically the most significant contributors to the hormone disrupting activity of domestic WWTP effluent.
Structural characterization of NRAS isoform 5

It was recently discovered that the NRAS isoform 5 (20 amino acids) is expressed in melanoma and results in a more aggressive cell phenotype. This novel isoform is responsible for increased phosphorylation of downstream targets such as AKT, MEK, and ERK as well as increased cellular proliferation. This structure report describes the NMR solution structure of NRAS isoform 5 to be used as a starting point to understand its biophysical interactions. The isoform is highly flexible in aqueous solution, but forms a helix-turn-coil structure in the presence of trifluoroethanol as determined by NMR and CD spectroscopy.
INSULIN DELIVERY FROM CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL DIALYSIS BAGS USED WITH PERIDEX FILTERS

We studied the percent delivery of insulin from CAPD dialysis solution bags used with and without the Peridex bacteriological filter. The studies were done in vitro using 125I trace. labelled insul...
Coupled Opto-Electronic Oscillator with Three-Point Stabilization

We present a coupled opto-electronic oscillator architecture with independent stabilization of optical frequency and mode spacing. Decoupling the two parameters is accomplished by filtering the spectrum into three regions for generation of unique error signals.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumor markers in cutaneous melanomas: relationship to prognostic factors and outcome.

Melanoma expresses c-kit, a gastrointestinal stromal tumor marker, but has not been extensively evaluated for protein kinase C θ (PKCθ) or DOG1, and these stains have not been correlated with prognostic factors. We immunostained 62 primary cutaneous and 15 metastatic melanomas for polyclonal c-kit (pc-kit), monoclonal c-kit (mc-kit), PKCθ, and DOG1 and correlated results with prognostic parameters and survival. Of the cutaneous melanomas, 34 (55%) stained for pc-kit, 30 (48%) for mc-kit, 11 (18%) for PKCθ, and 2 (3%) for DOG1. The Breslow depth was 1.00 mm or less in 21 (68%) of 31 pc-kit+ cutaneous melanomas compared with 7 (27%) of 26 pc-kit– melanomas (P = .002). The pc-kit+ melanomas had less nodal disease (1/31 [3%] vs 9/25 [36%]; P = .001) and local recurrence (1/33 [3%] vs 6/27 [22%]; P = .021) but no statistically significant difference in the rate of distant metastases (13/32 [41%] vs 14/27 [52%]; P = .388) or survival (10/34 [29%] vs 16/39 [41%]; P = .301). We found that pc-kit correlates better with prognostic parameters than does mc-kit.
Diffusion and Adoption: the Lessons of Experience

This chapter comprises an analysis of project case-study material, with the aim of isolating the main factors that seem to account for the cases of success as well as of failure in the diffusion and adoption of improved rural technologies. The focus is on upgraded versions of traditional technologies, though a few cases fall into one or other of the alternative categories (namely, downscaling and replacement investment) described in Chapter 1. Even with this somewhat limited focus, however, the data set does not purport to be inclusive of all relevant experience. Rather, it should be viewed as the outcome of a brief, but intensive survey of the English-language literature conducted mostly during 1984.
Statistical mechanics for complex systems: On the structure of q-triplets

A plethora of natural, artificial and social complex systems exists which violate the basic hypothesis (e.g., ergodicity) of Boltzmann-Gibbs (BG) statistical mechanics.
Low frequency radiation from a finite flat plate into an acoustic fluid

The power transmitted into an acoustic fluid by a finite flat plate vibrating with low frequency is investigated. It is found that large power drops occur at certain frequencies which are identical to the null power frequencies of the equivalent periodically supported infinite plate. The power transmitted at other frequencies is considerably different between the two cases. Numerical results for steel and adiprene plates which are simply supported and in contact with water are obtained and presented graphically.
A Robust and Stateless Self-Healing Group Key Management Scheme

Self-healing group key management (GKM) is a newly appeared mechanism for secure group communication (SGC). It allows a group member to recover a lost session key from the key materials of previous and/or subsequent sessions. Self-healing is important when SGC operates under an unreliable environment where the transmission channel is failure-prone and messages may get lost/damaged during the transmission. This paper proposes a new self-healing scheme which is based on a novel concept/construction of access polynomial. Unlike the existing self healing SGC schemes, the new proposed scheme is stateless, thus, being robust. It overcomes some shortcomings existing in the existing schemes yet still possesses all the advantages of them.
Screening for colorectal cancer

This review will comprise a general overview of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We will cover the impact of CRC, CRC risk factors, screening modalities, and guideline recommendations for screening in average-risk and high-risk individuals. Based on this data, we will summarize our approach to CRC screening.
Regulations of Consumer Products

In this chapter, Zahra Meghani provides a brief overview of the regulatory framework for consumer products in the United States (US), the European Union (EU) and Japan, followed by an extended analysis of their regulation of genetically modified (GM) food. The regulatory regimes for GM food of the three regions differ substantially, but they are committed to the same model of scientific risk assessment. That paradigm assumes that risk evaluations are not influenced by any normative concerns. This chapter critiques that conception of risk assessment. It is argued that in the interest of presenting to the public an accurate account of their work, the regulatory entities of the US, the EU, and Japan should acknowledge that their risk assessment of GM food involve normative choices. Moreover, they should create open, transparent, democratic processes to include the public in the deliberations and decision-making about the values that should shape the risk evaluation of GM foods at every stage of the risk assessment process.
Examination of Human Remains Encased in Concrete: A Case Report and Review of the Literature:

While fortunately relatively uncommon, law enforcement and death investigators may encounter decedents who have been deliberately concealed in some elaborate fashion. This may involve a body buried...
Suspension Vibration Compensation Using a MEMS Microactuator in Hard Disk Drives

Abstract This paper discusses the design and fabrication of a prototype MEMS microactuator and vibration sensors, and controller design for suspension vibration compensation in disk drives. The microactuator utilizes parallel-plates actuation and comb-finger position sensing. An electrical isolation MEMS fabrication technique is utilized to increase the actuation force. An LQG method is proposed for vibration sensor location and orientation optimization. Strain sensors are fabricated by depositing polysilicon on a metal wafter. A vibration control scheme using adaptive feedforward control is formulated to cancel suspension vibration using the microactuator.
Gender differences in discharge dispositions of emergency department visits involving drug misuse and abuse-2004-2011.

Drug use-related visits to the emergency department (ED) can undermine discharge planning and lead to recurrent use of acute services. Yet, little is known about where patients go post discharge. We explored trends in discharge dispositions of drug-involved ED visits, with a focus on gender differences. We extracted data from the 2004–2011 Drug Abuse Warning Network, a national probability sample of drug-related visits to hospital EDs in the U.S. We computed weighted multinomial logistic regression models to estimate discharge dispositions over time and to examine associations between gender and the relative risk of discharge dispositions, controlling for patient characteristics. The final pooled sample included approximately 1.2 million ED visits between 2004 and 2011. Men accounted for more than half (57.6%) of all ED visits involving drug misuse and abuse. Compared with women, men had a greater relative risk of being released to the police/jail, being referred to outpatient detox or other treatment, and leaving against medical advice than being discharged home. The relative risk of being referred to outpatient detox/drug treatment than discharged home increased over time for men versus women. Greater understanding of gender-based factors involved in substance-related ED visits and treatment needs may inform discharge planning and preventive interventions.
The macroeconomic relevance of bank and nonbank credit: An exploration of U.S. data

Abstract This paper exploits the Financial Accounts of the United States to derive long time series of bank and nonbank credit to different sectors, and to examine the cyclical behavior of these series in relation to (i) the long-term business cycle, (ii) recessions and recoveries, and (iii) systemic financial crises. We find that bank and nonbank credit exhibit different dynamics throughout the business cycle. We also examine the role of bank and nonbank credit in the creation of financial interconnections and illustrate a method to conduct macro-financial stability assessments.
Improvement of postural control in individuals with multiple sclerosis after a single-session of ball throwing exercise.

Abstract Background Deficit in balance control is a common and often an initial disabling symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated the role of short-term training in improvement of anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) and its effect on subsequent control of posture in individuals with MS. Methods A pre-post feasibility study involved eight individuals with relapsing-remitting MS who participated in the laboratory tests before and after a single training session consisting of throwing a medicine ball. The outcome measures including electromyographic activity of trunk and leg muscles and center of pressure displacements were recorded and analyzed during the anticipatory and compensatory phases of postural control. Results The training resulted in enhancement of the generation of APAs seen as significantly earlier onset of leg and trunk muscle activity prior to the bilateral arm flexion task (p Conclusion The observed training-related improvements of balance control suggest that focused rehabilitation could be effective in improving postural control. Consequentially, this could enhance mobility and quality of life in the individuals with MS.
Finding meaning in eye movements.

It is easier to make sense of the visual environment if we know where to look. Eye movement measurements show just how quickly we can find the informative parts of a scene, even when we do not know what to expect.
Analysis of the degree of practically achievable superdirectivity using poynting streamline method

Streamlines of Poynting vector fields and antenna effective area shapes provide a unique way to understand the physics of a receiving superdirective antenna. Superdirectivity is implemented by expanding the effective area shape from the border of the antenna physical aperture. Considering using a resonant structure in font of an aperture antenna, under the same resonant element density, the expanded distance of the effective area shape keeps the same for different antenna aperture sizes and shapes. Based on this assumption, superdirectivity is practical for electrically small and middle size antennas and electrically large antennas with a large aspect ratio. A superdirective horn antenna with 115% aperture efficiency was experimentally demonstrated.
PV Concentrators Today and Tomorrow

The U. S. Department of Energy’s photovoltaic concentrator cell and module development program has expanded with the commencement of a significant program jointly funded with four cell and four system manufacturers. This paper reviews the status of crystalline silicon, III–V cell and concentrator module research, with emphasis being given to activities by participants in the DOE program. Also covered is a summary of the fundamental reason for pursuing the concentrator option, namely the high probability of achieving efficiency and cost targets necessary to meet competitive energy cost goals.
Monte-Carlo Simulation of Urea Electrosorption on Platinum

We report Monte Carlo simulations of a new lattice-gas model for electrochemical adsorption of urea on single-crystal Pt(100) electrodes. The simulation results agree well with those of our experiments. These include an ordered c(2×4) adsorbed urea phase and sharply peaked voltammograms which we interpret as associated with a phase transition between the c(2×4) phase for potentials on the positive side of the peak and a fully hydrogen covered (l×l) phase on the negative side.
Political discussions in the exam room.

Educating patients is an important part of practicing medicine, and, especially when health care-related legislation is changing, doctors may receive political questions from patients. They may want to have brief, prepared answers to such questions, but they should protect the clinical relationship by limiting discussions that are too long or too heated.
Remarks on the high-momentum properties of time-orderedV andA currents

Assuming a high-momentum equality of certain time-ordered products of vector and axial vector currents between low-lying states, we obtain several interesting results. Matrix elements between vacuum states lead to Weinberg-type sum rules previously obtained by others. Application to matrix elements between the vacuum and the ρ+-meson leads to information on the isovector form factors of the ρ+.
Improving Model Performance

We already explored several alternative machine learning (ML) methods for prediction, classification, clustering, and outcome forecasting. In many situations, we derive models by estimating model coefficients or parameters. The main question now is How can we adopt the advantages of crowdsourcing and biosocial networking to aggregate different predictive analytics strategies? Are there reasons to believe that such ensembles of forecasting methods may actually improve the performance (e.g., increase prediction accuracy) of the resulting consensus meta-algorithm? In this chapter, we are going to introduce ways that we can search for optimal parameters for a single ML method as well as aggregate different methods into ensembles to enhance their collective performance relative to any of the individual methods part of the meta-aggregate.
Eunomia: a Performance-Variation-Aware Fair Job Scheduler with Placement Constraints for Heterogeneous Datacenters

Due to hardware upgrades and server consolidation, it is not uncommon to witness a few generations of servers deployed in the same datacenters. As a result, variants of fair job schedulers are proposed to enforce fairness for constrained jobs that have hardware or software constraints on task placement. However, the other important characteristics resulted from server heterogeneity, performance variation, is unfortunately overlooked by state-of-art fair job schedulers with placement constraints. In this paper, we propose Eunomia, a performance-variation-aware fair job scheduler, to address the unfairness issue due to performance variation in heterogenous clusters. Eunomia introduces a key metric, called progress share, which is defined as the ratio between the accumulated task progress given the current allocation and the accumulated task progress if the user can monopolize the cluster. Eunomia aims to equalize progress share of jobs as much as possible, so as to achieve the same slowdown of jobs from different users due to resource sharing and placement constraints, regardless of performance variation. Evaluation results show that Eunomia is able to deliver better share fairness compared with state-of-art schedulers without performance loss.
The relationship between parental alcoholism and the vocational identity, occupational self-efficacy, and career decision-making status of university students

The main purpose of this study was to compare the vocational identity, occupational self-efficacy, and career decision-making status of Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACQAs) and Adult Children of Nonalcoholics. Approximately one thousand undergraduate students were administered measures of personal, social, and vocational functioning. Data were analyzed for a sample of 91 ACOAs and 180 non-ACOAs. No between-group differences in vocational functioning were found, although ACOAs reported a greater level of family dysfunction than their counterparts from nonalcoholic homes. Personal and demographic variables were modest predictors of vocational functioning for the sample as a whole. The results of this study raised questions regarding the validity of the ACOA concept. Furthermore, despite its high internal reliability, it appears that for a large number of respondents, the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) may be tapping constructs or dimensions other than those originally intended. Contemporary research needs and directions are discussed.
What's Next in Affirmative Action Jurisprudence: Fisher as Temporizing Rather than Reflecting a New-Found Consensus

In Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (Fisher II), the United States Supreme Court upheld a University of Texas affirmative action admissions policy under strict scrutiny. Various commentators celebrated the ruling as a watershed event, allegedly because it foreshadowed an era in which universities will be much freer to use affirmative action to achieve diversity. Yet, such optimism is in spite of rather than because of the opinion, which is better understood either as temporizing or as an attempt to limit but not abolish affirmative action. This article explains the current jurisprudence and how the policy endorsed in Fisher II is much more restrictive than one would think from the reactions to the decision.
Retinoblastoma regression following intra-arterial chemotherapy to the contralateral eye

Abstract Intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) has assumed a major role in the management of retinoblastoma. This targeted therapy involves the delivery of chemotherapy directly into the ophthalmic artery, minimizing systemic absorption. We report a case of retinoblastoma regression in the untreated eye following IAC to the contralateral eye.
Airway Management and Ventilator-Associated Events

Airway management techniques are aimed at reducing complications associated with artificial airways and mechanical ventilation, such as retained secretions. The impact of airway management techniques on ventilator-associated events (VAEs) varies considerably by modality. Closed-suction techniques are generally recommended but have limited, if any, impact on VAEs. Normal saline instillation during suctioning is not recommended. Devices designed specifically to remove biofilm from the inside of endotracheal tubes appear to be safe, but their role in VAE prevention is uncertain. Subglottic secretion clearance by artificial cough maneuvers is promising, but more research is needed to assess its clinical feasibility. Continuous cuff-pressure management appears to be effective in reducing microaspiration of subglottic secretions.
The extraction factor: an estimate of single kidney function in children during routine radionuclide renography with 99mtechnetium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid.

AbstractAn estimate of absolute renal function in children is described using the initial extraction of 99mtechnetium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid. The extraction factor correlates well with the glomerular filtration rate as determined by the clearance from the blood of 99mtechnetium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid with a correlation coefficient of 0.92. The normal mean extraction factor in the newborn is 1.5 per cent by each kidney, which increases to 2.5 per cent in the first year of life. The method is simple to perform and it is reproducible provided care is taken. We recommend that this procedure be included as part of the routine renal scan in children. (J. Urol., 140: 780-783, 1988)
Executive functioning in pediatric cystic fibrosis: A preliminary study and conceptual model.

Background Research has shown that broad cognitive functioning in individuals with CF is intact. Specific executive functioning (EF) deficits have been identified, however, and adults with CF report more symptoms of ADHD than the general population. EF skills are critical to the management of a complex disease like CF although studies have not adequately examined EF mechanisms in CF. This manuscript (a) described EF in a small sample of children with CF, (b) summarized relations found between EF and psychosocial variables, and (c) presented a conceptual model by which to understand EF's impact on adherence in CF. Methods Data for this preliminary study were collected from 19 children with CF and their caregivers (ages, 6-18). Caregivers completed questionnaires assessing their child's physical and mental health, their own functioning, and overall family functioning. EF was measured using a parent-report rating scale. Patient health data were collected from the electronic medical record. Results This sample did not demonstrate elevated levels of EF impairment. Worse EF was related to poor family communication/cohesion, as well as higher treatment burden, worse lung function, poorer adherence, and older age. From these findings, a preliminary model was developed describing EF in the context of CF and adherence. Conclusions Findings from this preliminary study suggest that the CF regimen and associated symptoms may overload otherwise adequate EF skills. Reducing disease burden and preventing burnout should be a focus of treatment. A better understanding of EF in CF and the impact on adherence would allow for better clinical management and effective design of interventions.
Selfish Giving: The Effect of Conditional Gifts on Donor Mindset and Charitable Donations

Non-profits regularly use conditional “thank-you” gifts to entice prospective donors to give, yet experimental evidence suggests their effects are mixed in practice. This paper uses a series of laboratory experiments to systematically test when and why thank-you gifts vary in effectiveness. We first demonstrate that although gifts often raise donations to unfamiliar or low-rated charities, many gifts had no effect or negative effects for charities that prospective donors already liked. Three additional experiments investigate the underlying mechanisms and find that the introduction of a thank-you gift shifts individuals from a prosocial mindset to a more selfish mindset, changing donation patterns. We additionally find that making gifts optional, as commonly seen in fundraising campaigns, did not change results. Altogether, these experiments suggest that small, token gifts can be effective when appealing to donors unfamiliar with the organization or their cause, such as during donor acquisition campaigns; however, these same gifts may have contrary effects on those who already favor the charity, such as recent donors. Changing to an optional gift yields similar results, likely because the gift offer still shifts the mindset with which individuals approach the decision.
Integrating climate and food policies in higher education: a case study of the University of California

Most climate change mitigation policies, including those of higher education institutions, do not include food system greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE). Yet the food system contributes ∼30% of anthro...
A Learning Progression Approach to Incorporate Climate Sustainability into Teacher Education

Research on climate sustainability investigates (1) global climate change, and (2) the natural and anthropogenic factors that affect it. In an ongoing, NSF-funded, environmental literacy project, we use a learning progression approach to study the teaching and learning of climate sustainability at the secondary school level. More specifically, we focused on promoting an environmental literacy goal in relation to climate sustainability: to use discipline-based reasoning to analyze and explain how human energy usage activities (e.g., farming, electricity usage, transportation) and natural processes (e.g., plant growth, human food consumption, dead organisms decaying) affect the carbon cycle. We conducted empirical research over a span of 6 years, engaging middle and high school science teachers from five states representing all four time zones of the country. We developed Learning Progression Frameworks (LPFs), curriculum, teacher professional development materials, and student and teacher assessments based on the LPFs. In this chapter, we provide suggestions for incorporating climate sustainability into teacher education programs. In particular, we discuss what pre-service teachers need to know in order to effectively facilitate their students’ achievement of this goal. We also provide two specific suggestions for teacher education programs: using visualization tools to promote discipline-based reasoning and using scenarios to support pre-service teachers’ understanding of students’ intuitive reasoning patterns.
Fiber Sets up the Battleground for Intestinal Prevotella

In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Galvez et al. employed metagenomic and phylogenetic analysis to systemically characterize murine Prevotella spp. Isolation of representative strains identified key fitness determinants, including arabinoxylan utilization loci, in a dominant murine colonizing strain and conserved in human gut microbiota, collectively facilitating the understanding of niches in the gut microbiota.
E-cigarette, cigarette, and cannabis use patterns as a function of sexual identity in a sample of Southern California young adults

Purpose Sexual minority young adults report greater cigarette and cannabis use. Emerging evidence suggests this trend may extend to e-cigarettes. The current study evaluated the relationship between sexual identity and prevalence of e-cigarette, cigarette, and cannabis use and whether such associations differ by gender. Methods Cross-sectional, regionally representative data of young adults (M[SD]age = 20.02 [0.60] years; n heterosexual = 1314; n bisexual = 77; n lesbian/gay = 28) from Wave III (2016) of the Southern California Children's Health Study were analyzed in 2019. Logistic regression analyses were conducted with sexual identity as the predictor and product use (never, prior, infrequent past 30-day [1-2 days], frequent past 30-day [3-5+ days]) as the outcome in separate models by substance (e-cigarettes, cigarettes, cannabis). Results Bisexual individuals were the highest-risk sub-group for nearly all outcomes, with over five times the odds of reporting frequent past 30-day use for e-cigarettes (Odds Ratio [OR]: 6.68; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 2.80, 15.9), cigarettes (OR: 5.42; 95% CI: 2.37, 12.4), and cannabis (OR: 8.43; 95% CI: 4.40, 16.1) compared to heterosexual individuals. Although the sample size for lesbian/gay participants was small, bisexual (vs. lesbian/gay) participants also had greater odds of reporting prior use of nicotine products and frequent past 30-day cannabis use. A significant sexual identity × gender interaction emerged for lifetime cigarette use, wherein bisexual (vs. heterosexual) identity was only associated with greater odds of use for females (p Conclusions Sexual minority-related disparities in substance use among young adults appear to generalize to e-cigarettes, with bisexual young adults exhibiting especially high profiles of risk.
Evaluation of the National CLAS Standards: Tips and Resources Evaluation of the National CLAS Standards: Tips and Resources , by Malcolm V. Williams , Laurie T. Martin , Lois M. Davis , Linnea Warren May and Alice Kim , The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH), 2018.

As cultural and linguistic diversity increases in the U.S., as it has for the past century, so does recognition by the health and social service fields of the urgency to respond appropriately to th...
Comparison of children receiving emergent sepsis care by mode of arrival.

Abstract Objective To determine if differences in patient characteristics, treatments, and outcomes exist between children with sepsis who arrive by emergency medical services (EMS) versus their own mode of transport (self-transport). Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) of two large children's hospitals and treated for sepsis from November 2013 to June 2017. Presentation, ED treatment, and outcomes, primarily time to first bolus and first parental antibiotic, were compared between those transported via EMS versus patients who were self-transported. Results Of the 1813 children treated in the ED for sepsis, 1452 were self-transported and 361 were transported via EMS. The EMS group were more frequently male, of black race, and publicly insured than the self-transport group. The EMS group was more likely to have a critical triage category, receive initial care in the resuscitation suite (51.9 vs. 22%), have hypotension at ED presentation (14.4 vs. 5.4%), lactate >2.0 mmol/L (60.6 vs. 40.8%), vasoactive agents initiated in the ED (8.9 vs. 4.9%), and to be intubated in the ED (14.4 vs. 2.8%). The median time to first IV fluid bolus was faster in the EMS group (36 vs. 57 min). Using Cox LASSO to adjust for potential covariates, time to fluids remained faster for the EMS group (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.12, 1.42). Time to antibiotics, ICU LOS, 3- or 30-day mortality rates did not differ, yet median hospital LOS was significantly longer in those transported by EMS versus self-transported (6.5 vs. 5.3 days). Conclusions Children with sepsis transported by EMS are a sicker population of children than those self-transported on arrival and had longer hospital stays. EMS transport was associated with earlier in-hospital fluid resuscitation but no difference in time to first antibiotic. Improved prehospital recognition and care is needed to promote adherence to both prehospital and hospital-based sepsis resuscitation benchmarks.
Use of fully covered self-expanding metal biliary stents for managing endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy related bleeding.

Background and study aims Endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy (EBS) related-bleeding is a common adverse event related to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Traditionally, endoscopic modalities such as epinephrine injection, cauterization, and balloon tamponade have been used for management. Recently, use of a fully covered self-expandable metal stent (FCSEMS) to manage EBS-related bleeding has gained popularity. However, data regarding its use are limited to small case series. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of FCSEMS placement for the treatment of EBS-related bleeding. Patients and methods All patients referred to our center from October 2014 to November 2019 who had an FCSEMS placed for EBS-related bleeding were included. FCSEMS was placed either for primary control of bleeding or after failure of other traditional endoscopic hemostasis techniques at the discretion of the endoscopist. Data was collected regarding patient demographics, procedural characteristics, clinical and technical success rates of FCSEMS, as well as adverse events. Results A total of 97 patients underwent placement of FCSEMS for EBS-related bleeding, of which 76.3 % had immediate bleeding and 23.7 % had delayed bleeding. Mean age was 67.2 years and 47.4 % were males. Seven patients who had immediate EBS-related bleeding at index ERCP underwent other endoscopic therapies prior to placement of FCSEMS for rebleeding. The technical success rate for FCSEMS placement was 100 % and the rebleeding rate was 6.2 %. Four patients with FCSEMS placement developed pancreatitis and four had stent migration. Conclusions Our findings suggest that FCSEMS is a highly effective treatment modality for managing EBS-related bleeding and has an acceptable safety profile.
Nonhematologic neoplasia in biallelic BRCA2 mutated Fanconi anemia.

10041Background: Fanconi anemia (FA) is a cancer predisposition disorder. Affected individuals do not tolerate conventional doses of chemotherapy or radiation well. Biallelic BRCA2 mutations cause ...
Visual slant misperception and the 'black-hole' landing situation.

A theory which explains the tendency for dangerously low approaches during night landing situations is presented. The two dimensional information at the pilot's eye contains sufficient information for the visual system to extract the angle of slant of the runway relative to the approach path. The analysis is depends upon perspective information which is available at a certain distance out from the aimpoint, to either side of the runway edgelights. Under black hole landing conditions, however, this information is not available, and it is proposed that the visual system use instead the only available information, the perspective gradient of the runway edgelights. An equation is developed which predicts the perceived approach angle when this incorrect parameter is used. The predictions are in close agreement with existing experimental data.
On the maximum modulus of polynomials not vanishing inside the unit circle

A well-known theorem of Ankeney and Rivlin states that if p(z) is a polynomial of degree n, such that p(z)≠0 for |z|<1, then\(\mathop {max}\limits_{\left| z \right| - R \geqslant 1} \left| {p(z)} \right| \leqslant \left( {\frac{{R^n + 1}}{2}} \right)\mathop {max}\limits_{\left| z \right| = 1} \left| {p(z)} \right|\). In this paper we improve this bound.
Low Energy INTEGRAL Positrons from eXciting Dark Matter

The origin of the e^+e^- 511 keV line observed by INTEGRAL remains unclear. The rate and morphology of the signal have prompted questions as to whether dark matter could play a role. We explore the case of dark matter upscattering in the framework of eXciting Dark Matter (XDM), where WIMPs \chi, interacting through a new dark force, scatter into excited states \chi*, which subsequently emit e^+e^- pairs when they de-excite. We numerically compute the cross sections for two Yukawa-coupled DM particles upscattering into excited states, specifically considering variations motivated by recent N-body simulations with additional baryonic physics. We find that that l>0 components of the partial-wave decomposition are often significant contributions to the total cross section and that for reasonable ranges of parameters dark matter can produce the ~10^43 e^+/s observed by INTEGRAL.
Integrating caregiver report with a systematic choice assessment to enhance reinforcer identification

To determine client preferences, we asked caregivers to rank-order, according to predicted client preference, a standard list of items and a list generated using a structured interview for caregivers, the Reinforcer Assessment for Individuals with Severe Disabilities. Systematic choice assessments were then conducted with both sets of stimuli. A concurrent operants paradigm was used to compare the reinforcing effects of the highest preference stimulus identified from each list. Results indicated that caregiver predictions of client preferences were slightly better for the set of stimuli they generated than for the standard set, and the choice assessment identified more potent reinforcers from the set of stimuli generated by the caregivers than from the standard set.