cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensemaking and Sensegiving: An Exploratory Study of the Simultaneous “Being and Learning” of New College and University Presidents

This study examines the first year in office of newcomer executives to understand how they make sense of the ongoing stream of experience (sensemaking) while they simultaneously articulate a desired future image (sensegiving). College and university presidents, who were hired as outsiders, were interviewed to examine how they make sense of the organization while they simultaneously set forth strategic initiatives. This research advances the executive transition literature by examining the simultaneity of “being and learning” an executive role. This contrasts with stage models that have examined sequential processes. Four empirically grounded processes emerged: (a) speaking in broad, ambiguous goals and “safe harbors”; (b) holding knowledge cautiously—knowing you do not know; (c) relying on social interactions to help make sense of the organization and to give more certainty in judgments; and (d) reducing equivocality through priority setting.
Suppression of the optokinetic reflex in human infants: Implications for stable fixation and shifts of attention

The ability of 1-, 2-, and 4-month-old infants to attend to a small, stationary visual target while a large background texture moved horizontally was assessed using electrooculography. The background texture, consisting of a randomly arranged field of dots or a set of vertically oriented stripes, was effective at all ages in eliciting the optokinetic reflex (OKR), which stabilizes gaze on a moving display. When the target, consisting of a red bar, was added to the center of the moving background display, it was effective in suppressing the OKR, except in 1-month-olds. Under monocular viewing conditions, background motion in the nasal-temporal direction was ineffective in eliciting robust OKR in 1- and 2-month-olds. These same infants presented with temporal-nasal background motion showed robust OKR equal to their OKR under binocular viewing conditions. However, the 2-month-olds showed OKR suppression only half as often as they did under binocular viewing conditions, and the 1-month-olds did not show OKR suppression. The 4-month-olds showed no nasal-temporal OKR asymmetry under monocular viewing conditions, and, like the 2-month-olds, OKR suppression was present about half as often as under binocular viewing conditions.
Learning to Care at the End

The chest radiograph is stunning. Metastatic tumors appear like cotton balls, stark white opacities where there should be only black air, and the faint white brushstrokes of ribs. They tell the story before we even see the patient. Maddy is only 15, and her cancer has progressed. Our team (pediatrics residents, an attending oncologist, a nurse practitioner, and me, a third-year medical student) gazes at the image in silence. Maddy has been receiving chemotherapy for months, coming to the hospital for tune-ups when the side effects become overpowering. This time, it has become difficult to breathe. We were hoping the radiograph would simply show pneumonia. But these are cancer cells and they are multiplying rapidly. We crowd into her room for morning rounds. Maddy and her mother nod when they hear that the cancer has progressed. They are not new to this; they know her treatments and the corresponding questions. No, she has no mouth sores, but her feet feel numb. She is not surprised that her hemoglobin is low, but she doesn’t feel weak enough to need a transfusion. Maybe tomorrow. In the afternoon, the conference room fills for the weekly meeting. Residents, nurses, medical students, social workers, child life specialists, and a chaplain. As we wait for the attending physician to arrive, discussion turns to Maddy. A resident reviews this morning’s bad news. The social worker remarks that Maddy and her mother remain upbeat. After a pause a nurse speaks up: What is the prognosis? How much time is … Address correspondence to Rebecca E. MacDonell-Yilmaz, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, 593 Eddy St, Providence, RI 02903. E-mail: rmacdonellyilmaz{at}gmail.com
Complex wavelet feature extraction for video-based face recognition

A novel two dimensional complex wavelet transform (2D-CWT) for video-based face feature extraction is proposed As 2D-CWT has its merit as follows: insensitive to image pixel shift, directional selecrivity, and computation efficiency in the dual-tree structure, it turns out to be useful for face feature extraction in the video clips. In the proposed system, 2D-CWT features are extracted from the detected frontal face images and sent to an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for recognition. The comparative experiments demonstrated that the proposed feature extraction method has the better recognition performance and less computation complexity than Gabor transform with the similar algorithm structure. The good face recognition results using the proposed feature extraction method are reported
Direction of heading from image deformations

A method is proposed to compute the direction of heading from the differential changes in the angles between the projection rays of pairs of point features. These angles, the image deformations, do not depend on viewer rotation. The key problem of separating the effects of rotation from those of translation is solved at the input. Experiments show both the feasibility of the method on real images and the advantages of using deformation rather than optical flow. >
Selective coexpression of NMDAR2A/B and NMDAR1 subunit proteins in dysplastic neurons of human epileptic cortex.

Abstract NR1 and NR2 are the two gene families for the NMDA receptor. In vitro studies show that while NR2 alone is nonfunctional, NR1 alone produces weak currents to glutamate or NMDA. We previously showed by immunocytochemistry (ICC) that in normal appearing, nonepileptic human cortical neurons, only NR1 and not NR2 proteins were expressed, in contrast to the presence of both NR1 and NR2 in normal rat cortical neurons. We also showed, in dysplastic epileptic cortex, that both NR1 and NR2 were highly expressed using ICC on adjacent 30-μm sections. However, the relative coexpressions of NR1 and NR2 proteins in single neurons in single sections of human epileptic cortex were unknown. In this study, we used double-labeled immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy to examine the distribution and coexpression of subunit proteins for NR1 and NR2A/B in both nondysplastic (control comparison) and dysplastic regions of human brain resected for the treatment of intractable epilepsy (11 patients). In nondysplastic regions, cortical neurons did not have immunoreactivity (ir) for NR2A/B, whereas NR1-ir was abundant. By contrast, dysplastic neurons in the regions with epileptic cortical dysplasia showed intense NR2A/B-ir in the somata and their dendritic processes. These same NR2A/B-ir dysplastic neurons were colabeled by NR1. These results demonstrate directly that dysplastic neurons express both NR2A/B and NR1 proteins, whereas nondysplastic cortical neurons express only NR1 proteins. Selective coexpression of NR2A/B and NR1 in dysplastic neurons suggests that NR2A/B may form heteromeric NR1–NR2 coassemblies and hyperexcitability in dysplastic neurons that could contribute to focal seizure onset.
Combating dos attacks in wireless networks using lightweight key management schemes

The unique features of wireless networks lead to many attractive applications in both military and civilian operations. Wireless networking devices usually use batteries as power supply, which requires all the operations to be as efficient as possible. Since the resources such as the battery energy and wireless communication channels are critical in wireless networks, the attacker my try to disable the system operation by launching denial of service (DoS) attacks. Specifically, the attacker prevents the system from working by using up or blocking the limited resources. This dissertation includes three studies on security mechanisms to combat DoS attacks using lightweight key management schemes. The first study introduces a novel pairwise key establishment technique. It can achieve both high resilience to node compromises and high efficiency by using a small number of additional sensor nodes. This work provides the basic cryptographic building blocks for other techniques proposed in this dissertation. The second study presents two filtering techniques, a group-based filter and a key chain-based filter, to handle DoS attacks when digital signatures are used for broadcast authentication in sensor networks. Both methods are efficient for resource-constrained sensor networks and can significantly reduce the number of unnecessary signature verifications that a sensor node has to perform. The third study introduces two techniques for jamming-resistant broadcast systems, partial channel sharing and unpredictable channel assignment. Both schemes can significantly reduce the extra communication cost. The analytic and simulation results show that the proposed approaches greatly push the limit of jamming-resistant broadcast towards optimal.
Dental Hygiene Intervention to Prevent Nosocomial Pneumonias, Journal of Evidenced Based Dental Practice (2014)

Nosocomial and ventilator associated pneumonias that plague critically ill, elderly and long-term care residents could be reduced with effective oral hygiene practices facilitated collaboratively between nurses and dental hygienists. Background Nosocomial pneumonias, specifically aspiration pneumonias and ventilator-associated pneumonias in the elderly and infirm have become a major health care issue, The provision of oral care in hospital and hospital-like facilities presents challenges that can prevent patients from receiving optimal oral care One sequela can be aspiration pneumonia which ranks first in mortality and second in morbidity among all nosocomial infections. Since aspiration pneumonia is linked to the colonization of oral bacteria in dental plaque and biofilm, it is time to look for creative solutions to integrating the expertise of dental hygienists into health care teams in these institutional settings. Methods A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted regarding the etiology and prevalence of health care related pneumonias. Evidence describing the challenges and barriers that the nurses, nursing staff, and dental hygienists face in the provision of oral care in hospitals and long-term care facilities is provided. Intercollaborative solutions to providing optimal oral care in hospitals and long-term care facilities are suggested. Conclusion Dental hygienists have the expertise and practice experience to provide oral care in hospitals, long-term care and residential facilities. They can contribute to solving oral care challenges through intercollaboration with other health care team members. Yet, there are long-standing systemic barriers that must be addressed in order to provide this optimal care. Dental hygienists becoming better assimilated within the total health care team in hospital and residential facilities can positively impact the suffering, morbidity and mortality associated with aspiration pneumonias.
Final state interaction effects on γ from B-->DK

Abstract The implications of a negligible annihilation contribution in B→DK decays are reanalyzed and are shown to lead to no new constraints on the weak phase γ from color-allowed B±→DK± decays. A test of negligible annihilation is proposed in B+→D+K0 (or B + →D + K ∗0 ), and an application is presented in which γ can be determined from these processes (or corresponding B→DK ∗ decays) supplemented with isospin-related neutral B decays.
Comparison of Neutralization Rate and Agar Diffusion Methods for Intratypic Sero-Differentiation of Polioviruses.

Discussion and summaryAlthough these data are derived from examination of only 5 strains of type 1 poliovirus they are representative of the results of a larger number of similar observations(6). It is evident that when antigenic differences were detected by the agar diffusion method they were confirmed by the neutralization rate test. Thus, the results obtained with these 2 methods of determining intratypic antigenic differences would appear to be highly comparable. When these findings are considered with those of Nakano and Gelfand(4), who showed that the neutralization rate test and their modification of the method of Wecker gave similar results, it can be concluded that in spite of the potential differences, the 3 technics are in remarkable agreement.Our results are at variance with those of McBride(2) in that a clear difference could be demonstrated between the Mahoney and LSc-2ab strains, the latter being derived from the former, whereas he found no such distinction, but employed only antiserum prep...
Snowflakes in a Blizzard: Treaty Interpretation in International Investment Law

Taken as a body of treaty law, the signal characteristic of the international investment regime is its peculiar combination of pervasive similarity and relentless variation. Thousands of bilateral investment treaties have similar concerns, similar substance, similar enforcement structure, and similar terms. And yet the widely varying permutations of substantive guarantees, dispute resolution mechanics, and covered activities means that very few are exactly alike. As a result, interpreters must regularly navigate a deep tension between (on one hand) the need for individualized and contextually sensitive treatment and (on the other) the demands of a systemically sensible administrative apparatus. It is a measure of the sometimes awkward fit between the modern law of treaties and the modern law of investment protections that the latter seriously complicates at least three important aspects of the former: (1) the rules governing third-party beneficiaries; (2) the project of consistent interpretation in a decentralized system and (3) the distinction between multilateral and bilateral regimes. This paper describes how the BIT ecosystem’s peculiar combination of pervasive similarity and relentless variation -- its swirl of snowflakes in a blizzard -- plays out in each of these three areas.
Theoretical study of the structure and assembly of Janus rods.

Microscopic integral equation theory is applied to investigate the real and Fourier space structure and phase behavior of compositionally symmetric AB Janus rods that interact via hard core excluded volume interactions and competing repulsive and attractive tail potentials. If the spatial range of the latter are short and equal, chemical asymmetry results in attraction-driven assembly into a cylindrical micellar structure of spatial periodicity between one and two rods lengths. The apparent microphase spinodal ordering temperature increases with attraction range and rod length, and the microdomain coherence length strongly grows upon cooling. However, as the tail repulsion range increases significantly, the micellar morphology is destroyed and a new repulsion-driven ordering emerges at high volume fractions characterized by a much smaller spatial periodicity. We also find a tight correlation between the local attraction-induced clustering (quantified by the excess number of nearest neighbors) and the micr...
Dactinomycin: relative resistance of green monkey kidney cell cultures to its action.

SummaryThe action of dactinomycin on cellular RNA synthesis and vaccinia virus multiplication in HeLa, mouse embryo (ME), African green monkey kidney (GMK) cells in culture were compared. Approxima...
Lipoprotein Pre-Staining and Ultracentrifugal Analysis in a Density Gradient.

SummaryThe preparation and standardization of a SBB - celite slurry for lipoprotein pre-staining is described. Dye uptake is proportional to lipid concentration and may be used to estimate chylomicrons, Sf 10-400 and Sf 0-10 lipoproteins isolated by density gradient ultracentrifugation. Precipitation on celite by altering solvent polarity is an effective means for preparing highly dispersed SBB and other lipid soluble substances. A polar dye contaminant is removed from SBB by solvent precipitation.
Development of hemostasis in the fetus

The fetal hemostatic system is unique in many respects. Many coagulation proteins are expressed early in embryonic development and play roles outside of coagulation in cell proliferation and differentiation. Coagulation mRNA and protein can be detected within hepatic and endothelial cells within the first month of gestation and in fetal plasma during the third month. However, development of levels of most coagulation proteins is halted from mid-gestation until shortly before term onset of labor. The reason for this developmental arrest in plasma protein levels is unknown. The fetus demonstrates an unique balance of procoagulant, anticoagulant and fibrinolytic proteins concentrations which persists for several months postnatally. Fetal coagulation proteins are identical to adult proteins in structure and function with a few notable exceptions. Platelets are expressed early in fetal development and platelet concentrations are within the adult range by mid-gestation. Functional differences can be detected in fetal platelet function but rarely cause bleeding in the healthy fetus and newborn infant. Hemostasis in the fetus and newborn infants is functionally intact and spontaneous bleeding or clotting is rare. However, the neonatal hemostatic system appears to lack reserve capacity, and bleeding and clotting complications are common in the stressed infant, particularly the sick preterm infant.
Psychosocial functioning of severely disturbed adolescents after short-term hospitalization

Forty-two severely emotionally disturbed adolescents discharged after a brief hospitalization for an acute psychiatric episode were assigned to two groups--one for whom clinicians recommended continued intensive treatment in an inpatient, residential, or day treatment setting, even though such services were not available, and the other for whom clinicians recommended only outpatient treatment. The two groups were compared on rates of rehospitalization, self-harmful actions, and suicide attempts and on severity of problems with peers during the six months after discharge. The two groups showed significant differences only in the extent of their problems with peers.
Stereoconvergent Synthesis of Chiral Allylboronates from an E/Z Mixture of Allylic Aryl Ethers Using a 6-NHC−Cu(I) Catalyst

We present a 6-NHC−Cu(I) complex that provides α-substituted allylboronates using allylic aryl ether substrates. The method was discovered by comparison of the chemoselectivities exhibited by complexes 1a, 1b, 2, and 3. We observed that 1a preferentially reacts with electron-rich alkenes over electron-deficient alkenes. Development of an asymmetric method revealed that 1b reacts with both the E and Z isomers to provide the same absolute configuration without showing E−Z isomerization. This stereoconvergent reaction occurs with high yields (av 86%), high SN2′ selectivity (>99:1), and high ee (av 94%) and exhibits wide functional-group tolerance using pure E or Z isomer or E/Z alkene mixtures. The stereoconvergent feature enables the use of many different olefination strategies for substrate production, including cross-metathesis. Chiral allylboronates could be purified by silica gel chromatography and stored in the freezer without decomposition.
Synthesis and performance of MA/AA/AMPS scale inhibition and dispersion agent

A water-soluble MA/AA/AMPS scale inhibition and dispersion agent SY-1# was prepared by radical polymerization of maleicanhydride(MAA),acrylic acid(AA) and 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid(AMPS) in aqueous solution using H2O2-NaH2PO2 as initiator,and its performances were evaluated.The experimental results showed that SY-1# had excellent performances:(1) good thermal stability in below 100℃;(2) good properties even in high pH value of up to 10;(3) high efficiency at low dosage,such as at SY-1# concentration of 5mg/L,the CaCO3 scale inhibition efficiency up to 94.0﹪,and the ferric oxide dispersion efficien-cy up to 35.5﹪;(4) good compatibility with other oilfield chemicals.
Analysis of Specific Proteins in Prostatic Fluid for Detecting Prostatic Malignancy

AbstractIn an attempt to identify an indicator(s) specifically associated with prostatic cancer prostatic fluid was collected by rectal massage from patients with prostatic cancer, prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and from those without recognized prostatic lesions in order to measure various immunoproteins. The proteins examined were IgG, IgA, IgM, complements C3 and C4, and transferrin. Prostatic fluid samples were subjected first to Immunoelectrophoresis. Distinct differences in C3, C4 and transferrin concentrations were noted between patients with prostatic cancer and other patients. These proteins were stained heavily in the electrophoresis gels of fluid from cancer patients but were either missing or lightly stained in all other groups. These qualitative determinations were replaced subsequently by a quantitative measurement using the radial immunodiffusion technique. Results of the latter study confirmed the aforementioned observations and indicated that the levels of C3, C4 and transferri...
Thermal inactivation kinetics for Salmonella enteritidis pt30 on almonds subjected to moist-air convection heating

A traditional thermal inactivation kinetic model (D- and z-value) was modified to account for the effect of process humidity on thermal inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis PT30 on the surface of almonds subjected to moist-air heating. Raw almonds were surface inoculated to approximately 10(8) CFU/g and subjected to moist-air heating in a computer-controlled laboratory-scale convection oven. Time-temperature data were collected for 125 conditions (five dry bulb temperatures, 121 to 232 degrees C; five process humidity levels, 5 to 90% moisture by volume; and five process durations). Moisture status at the surface of the almond, rather than the humidity of the bulk air, was a primary factor controlling the rate of inactivation; therefore, the D-value could not be a simple function of process temperature. Instead, the traditional D- and z-value model was modified to account for the dynamic water status at the surface of the product under humid heating conditions. The modified model needs only the dew point temperature of the processing air and dynamic surface temperature history of the almonds during moist-air heating. The modified model was more robust and accurate than the traditional model. The accuracy of the modified model was improved by 32 to 44% (in terms of the root mean squared error [RMSE] for the model fit) when compared with the traditional model in all moist-air heating conditions. Also, the prediction error of the modified model (RMSE = 1.33 log reductions) against an independent validation data set was approximately one-half that of the traditional model (RMSE = 2.56 log reduction) in the humidity range of 5 to 90% moisture by volume.
Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics By Michael J. Lansing.

Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics By Michael J. Lansing. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015. xii + 353 pp. Illustrations, maps, notes, index. $45.00.) Although grounded in traditions of producer cooperatives and third-party insurgency, the Nonpartisan League (NPL) was neither but rather a novel political organization that promoted state ownership of banks, wheat elevators and mills, and other institutions. At its peak around 1920 the League had over 250,000 dues-paying members, mainly in North Dakota and nearby states, plus Saskatchewan and Alberta. Although much of its leadership came from the Socialist Party, Michael J. Lansing demonstrates that the League’s goal was to create a “proprietary capitalism” to compete with giant firms in the marketplace on behalf of wheat … bmcmath{at}uark.edu
Rethinking the Primary Care Workforce — An Expanded Role for Nurses

In the U.S. primary care practice of the future, the physician's role will increasingly be played by nurse practitioners, and the 150 million adults with one or more chronic conditions will receive some of their care from registered nurses functioning as care managers.
Henry Sidgwick (1838–1900)

Henry Sidgwick, the husband of educator Eleanor Mildred Sidgwick, has gone down in history as the most philosophically sophisticated of the classical utilitarians and a profound influence on Edgeworth’s hedonometry and Pigou’s welfare economics. But his legacy in both philosophy and economics is more complex, reflecting his deep agnosticism about religion, the foundations of ethics, and the future of economics. Sidgwick held that without a theistic postulate, practical reason was left in a stand-off between self-interest (egoism) and universal (utilitarian) beneficence, a ‘dualism of the practical reason’, but he nonetheless also held that the progress of civilization might lead not only to greater federalism and cosmopolitanism but also to a form of ethical socialism that could rely on the increasing beneficence of humanity.
Differential tumor and normal mucosa biomarker modulation by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition using erlotinib in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC)

6077 Background: Targeted therapy may improve the therapeutic index in locally advanced head neck cancer if differential EGFR inhibition in tumors compared to the normal mucosa is demonstrated. Bas...
Adenosine A2a Receptor Blockade Diminishes Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in a Murine Model of Bleomycin-Induced Dermal Fibrosis.

Adenosine A 2a receptor (A 2a R) stimulation promotes the synthesis of collagens I and III, and we have recently demonstrated that there is crosstalk between the A 2a R and WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. In in vitro studies, A 2a R signaling for collagen III expression was mediated by WNT/β-catenin signaling in human dermal fibroblasts; we further verified whether the crosstalk between A 2a R and Wnt/β-catenin signaling was involved in diffuse dermal fibrosis in vivo . Wnt-signaling reporter mice ( Tcf/Lef:H2B-GFP ) were challenged with bleomycin and treated with the selective A 2a R antagonist istradefylline (KW6002) or vehicle. Dermal fibrosis was quantitated and nuclear translocation of β-catenin in fibroblasts was assessed by double-staining for Green fluorescent protein or dephosphorylated β-catenin or β-catenin phosphorylated at Ser552, and vimentin. KW6002 significantly reduced skin thickness, skinfold thickness, breaking tension, dermal hydroxyproline content, myofibroblast accumulation, and collagen alignment in bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis. Also, there was increased expression of Tcf/Lef:H2B-GFP reporter in bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis, an effect that was diminished by treatment with KW6002. Moreover, KW6002 significantly inhibited nuclear translocation of Tcf/Lef:H2B-GFP reporter, as well as dephosphorylated β-catenin and β-catenin phosphorylated at Ser552. Our work supports the hypothesis that pharmacologic blockade of A 2a R inhibits the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, contributing to its capacity to inhibit dermal fibrosis in diseases such as scleroderma.
Preliminary results of tissue-engineered injection laryngoplasty material in a rabbit model.

Objectives/hypothesis Design and test a novel biomaterial for injection laryngoplasty aimed to increase the duration of effectiveness of micronized acellular dermis. Study design Animal model. Methods Injection laryngoplasty was performed in three groups (n = 5) of New Zealand White rabbits. Acellular dermis was either used alone as a control (group 1), was combined with undifferentiated stem cells (group 2), or with predifferentiated chondrocytic cells (group 3). Groups 2 and 3 were supplemented with growth factors. Animals were sacrificed 4 and 12 weeks after laryngoplasty and histologic analysis was completed. The major outcome measure was volume of tissue remaining. Results After 4 weeks, the mean volume of tissue remaining was 341 ± 89 mm3 , 295 ± 102 mm3 , and 133 ± 15 mm3 , for groups 1 to 3, respectively. At the 12-week time point, volumes were 62 ± 62 mm3 , 235 ± 35 mm3 , and 107 ± 99 mm3 . After 12 weeks, there was a significantly higher volume in group 2 compared to group 1 or 3 (P = .01, P = .04). Volumes between week 4 and week 12 were significantly lower in group 1 (P = .02), but not significantly different for groups 2 and 3 (P = .38, P = .74). Histologic evaluation revealed a robust lymphocytic infiltration in all cases as well as morphologic and immunophenotypic features suggestive of chondrogenic differentiation in a single animal. Conclusions Micronized acellular dermis combined with stem cells and growth factors showed significantly less resorption 12 weeks after injection laryngoplasty compared to micronized acellular dermis alone. Groups using novel tissue-engineered biomaterial showed a lower resorption rate over time compared with acellular dermis alone. Level of evidence NA. Laryngoscope, 128:160-167, 2018.
Direct effects of soil organic matter on productivity mirror those observed with organic amendments

Organic amendments to arable soil build soil organic matter (SOM), which can increase crop yields. However, organic amendments can influence crop yields independently of SOM by providing nutrients directly to plants. The relative importance of native organic matter versus organic amendments is not well quantified. We experimentally manipulated both organic amendments and native SOM concentrations to quantify their relative importance to crop yields. We created OM concentration gradients by (1) diluting an organic-rich A-horizon with a mineral base and (2) amending compost to the same mineral base, generating OM concentrations for both treatments of approximately 2, 4 and 8%. We grew buckwheat and measured plant productivity and a range of soil fertility variables. Higher concentrations of OM, whether native or amended, were associated with higher soil water holding capacity and nutrients, and improved soil structure. Consequently, increases in both native and amended OM were associated with strong positive but saturating impacts on productivity, though amendment effects were greater. Our results suggest that native SOM can support productivity levels comparable to those observed with organic amendments. Although our quantitative findings will likely vary for different soils and amendments, our results lend support to the idea that SOM stocks directly increase productivity.
Invited Commentary: Male Reproductive System Congenital Malformations and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent developmental disorder. Studies indicate that while ASD etiology has a genetic component, the risk is polygenic, with gene-environment interactions being likely. The prenatal period is a critical exposure window for nongenetic risk factors. Previous studies have found positive associations between congenital malformations (all types) and ASD; a few also found specific associations between genitourinary system malformations and ASD; and one study found an association between hypospadias and ASD. In the accompanying article, Rotem et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2018;187(4):656-663) describe how they conducted a comprehensive analysis focusing on the shared risk of ASD with hypospadias or cryptorchidism, using existing data from a large Israeli health services system, which afforded several advantages because of the large sample size and low attrition of the patient population. The authors conducted a careful analysis, including sensitivity analyses, to account for risk factor and case misclassifications that might have occurred had they relied solely on preexisting diagnostic codes to define exposures and outcome. They observed positive associations between both hypospadias and cryptorchidism and ASD that were independent of numerous sociodemographic and pregnancy health factors. This study advances our understanding of ASD etiology and illustrates how existing data might be used to assess some ASD risk factors.
In vivo evaluation of EGFRvIII mutation in primary glioblastoma patients via complex multiparametric MRI signature.

Background Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) is a driver mutation and potential therapeutic target in glioblastoma. Non-invasive in vivo EGFRvIII determination, using clinically acquired multiparametric MRI sequences, could assist in assessing spatial heterogeneity related to EGFRvIII, currently not captured via single-specimen analyses. We hypothesize that integration of subtle, yet distinctive, quantitative imaging/radiomic patterns using machine learning may lead to non-invasively determining molecular characteristics, and particularly the EGFRvIII mutation. Methods We integrated diverse imaging features, including the tumor's spatial distribution pattern, via support vector machines, to construct an imaging signature of EGFRvIII. This signature was evaluated in independent discovery (n = 75) and replication (n = 54) cohorts of de novo glioblastoma, and compared with the EGFRvIII status obtained through an assay based on next-generation sequencing. Results The cross-validated accuracy of the EGFRvIII signature in classifying the mutation status in individual patients of the independent discovery and replication cohorts was 85.3% (specificity = 86.3%, sensitivity = 83.3%, area under the curve [AUC] = 0.85) and 87% (specificity = 90%, sensitivity = 78.6%, AUC = 0.86), respectively. The signature was consistent with EGFRvIII+ tumors having increased neovascularization and cell density, as well as a distinctive spatial pattern involving relatively more frontal and parietal regions compared with EGFRvIII- tumors. Conclusions An imaging signature of EGFRvIII was found, revealing a complex, yet distinct macroscopic glioblastoma phenotype. By non-invasively capturing the tumor in its entirety, the proposed methodology can assist in evaluating the tumor's spatial heterogeneity, hence overcoming common spatial sampling limitations of tissue-based analyses. This signature can preoperatively stratify patients for EGFRvIII-targeted therapies, and potentially monitor dynamic mutational changes during treatment.
Illuminating the link between perceived threat and control over climate change: the role of attributions for causation and mitigation

Perceiving greater threat from climate change has been shown to positively affect beliefs about humanity’s ability to mitigate the threat. We examined two possible mediators of this paradoxical relationship utilizing data from a large socioeconomically diverse sample of the US adults (n = 1040) collected in 2015. Specifically, we predicted that attributing responsibility for either causing or mitigating climate change to government entities would bolster perceived collective control for addressing the problem. Results of structural equation modeling suggest that both types of attributions mediate the relationship between perceived threat and control over climate change, with the full model accounting for 57% of the variance in perceived collective control. Moreover, for the overall sample, attributions of responsibility for mitigating climate change emerged as a stronger mediator of perceived control than did causal attributions and as the only significant mediator among Republicans. We consider implications of these findings for understanding the role of attribution processes in public engagement on climate change and the effective communication of environmental risks.
Synchrono: An open-source framework for physics-based simulation of collaborating robots

We present an open-source framework called SYNCHRONO that enables one to use physics-based simulation to gauge how collaborating robots work together in a variety of environments. Building on top of the CHRONO dynamics engine [1], the framework provides early support for simulation of robots operating in off-road conditions, underwater, city environments, etc. In this contribution we focus on autonomous vehicles (AVs), which represent but one of the many identities that a "robot" can assume. In this context, SYNCHRONO draws on a template-based vehicle library to enable the simulation of shared-road scenarios involving wheeled and/or tracked vehicles. SYNCHRONO has early support for sensing simulation, communication simulation, and virtual environment generation for rapid prototyping of virtual scenarios; i.e., virtual worlds. Although the distributed computing paradigm embraced in SYNCHRONO allows the simulation in soft real-time of nontrivial many-robot scenarios, its strength lies in the multi-physics simulation support that enables the analysis of complex scenarios that involve rigid-body dynamics, deformable bodies, and fluid-solid interaction. The caveat is that in computationally demanding cases, e.g., mobility on granular terrain, under-water robotics, etc., SYNCHRONO does not run in real-time, which in such cases prevents its hardware-in-the-loop/human-in-the-loop use.
Está la prensa en los EE. UU. perdiendo la protección de la Primera Enmienda

Este es uno de los trabajos mas interesantes de los varios que Ronald Dworkin ha dedicado a la libertad de expresion. A la luz del analisis critico de un conjunto de casos constitucionales decididos en Estados Unidos durante la decada de 1970 y principios de los anos ochenta, Dworkin reflexiona sobre esta libertad fundamental para la comunidad politica democratica. El filosofo del derecho vuelve aqui sobre uno de los postulados mas importantes de su carrera: la necesidad de distinguir, a la hora de la reflexion constitucional, entre argumentos de principio y argumentos de politica. Entre otras cosas, usa esta distincion para advertir contra los riesgos que, para la libertad de expresion, se derivan de ciertas pretensiones de la profesion periodistica. Por ejemplo, la pretension de que la sociedad, entendida como un todo, tendria un derecho a recibir informacion, informacion cuya entrega constituye el oficio periodistico. Para Dworkin esta pretension transforma al derecho a la libertad de expresion en una cuestion de politica y no de principio. Al permitir esta transformacion, el periodismo contribuye en la practica a debilitar una libertad que dice valorar y querer reforzar
Multiple Cortical Visual Areas

Localization of function has been a fundamental problem both historically and conceptually. The subject is of special interest to students of the cerebral cortex since this tissue is not structurally divisible into parts in any obvious way. At the turn of the century, anatomists were able to divide cerebral cortex into several discrete areas using special stains (5,6). This was based on subtle differences in cell size, cell density and fiber bundles. It was also realized, in many cases, that the primary inputs to these areas arose from different afferent systems. Thus, for example, Brodmann’s area 17 was recognized on the basis of its striking lamination and was known to be the recipient of a major projection of the retina by way of the lateral geniculate. Some appreciation of the functional significance of these areas later became apparent through the use of electrophysiological techniques. By restricting the stimulus to a limited portion of the receptor surface, it was possible to map the representation of that receptor surface on the cortex. The ultimate, now classical, accomplishments here were those of Woolsey and his collaborators (25). They described two important classes of cortical representations of sensory and motor fields. First, the sensory surfaces (or motoneuron pools) were completely and singly represented in certain “primary” areas corresponding in many cases to areas defined using cytoarchitectonics by earlier workers.
Postoperative chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for elderly cervical cancer patients with positive margins, lymph nodes, or parametrial invasion.

OBJECTIVE Women with cervical cancer (CC) found to have positive surgical margins, positive lymph nodes, and/or parametrial invasion receive a survival benefit from postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) vs. radiation therapy (RT) alone. However, older women may not benefit to the same extent, as they are at increased risk of death from non-oncologic causes as well as toxicities from oncologic treatments. This study sought to evaluate whether there was a survival benefit of CRT over RT in elderly patients with cervical cancer. METHODS The National Cancer Database was queried for patients ≥70 years old with newly diagnosed IA2, IB, or IIA CC and positive margins, parametrial invasion, and/or positive nodes on surgical resection. Statistics included logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier overall survival (OS), and Cox proportional hazards modeling analyses. RESULTS Altogether, 166 patients met inclusion criteria; 62 (37%) underwent postoperative RT and 104 (63%) underwent postoperative CRT. Younger patients and those living in areas of higher income were less likely to receive CRT, while parametrial invasion and nodal involvement were associated with an increased likelihood (p<0.05 for all). There were no OS differences by treatment type. Subgroup analysis by number of risk factors, as well as each of the 3 risk factors separately, also did not reveal any OS differences between cohorts. CONCLUSION In the largest such study to date, older women with postoperative risk factor(s) receiving RT alone experienced similar survival as those undergoing CRT. Although causation is not implied, careful patient selection is paramount to balance treatment-related toxicity risks with theoretical outcome benefits.
Private Contracting and the Hidden Cost of Burden Shifting: The Case of Prison Food

Burden shifting is an increase in risk or responsibility for coworkers or clients caused by inadequate agent performance. In this study, focus group testimony from corrections officers is used to e...
Silviculture in Forested Wetlands: Summary of Current Forest Operations, Potential Effects, and Long-Term Experiments

Bottomland hardwoods (BLH) and wet mineral flats (WMF) are common forested wetlands in the southeastern U.S. coastal plain (Virginia to Texas) that are often manipulated silviculturally, yet silvicultural forest operations are infrequently reported. This document summarizes forest operations in wetlands, consolidates reviews of silvicultural effects, and summarizes long-term research. BLH typically receive lower intensity management. Forest operations involve planning silvicultural operations and adapting harvest operations to wet site conditions. Clearcutting with natural regeneration is favored for BLH, but alternative silvicultural systems may be viable options, depending on stand characteristics and landowner objectives. WMF are frequently managed intensively as pine plantations. Following clearcut harvests, WMF may be mechanically and chemically site-prepared and planted. Intermediate silvicultural operations may include chemical competition control, fertilization, prescribed burning, and thinning operations. Reviews of effects in forested wetlands indicate wet-site harvesting can cause significant soil disturbances. Long-term research on effects of harvest disturbances on BLH and WMF are limited, but indicate effects of wet site harvests are ephemeral and sites recover due to natural factors and artificial amelioration. Overall, silvicultural operations in these forested wetlands are compatible with long-term sustainability when appropriate silvicultural systems, forest operations, and forestry best management practices (BMPs) are applied.
Impact ionization in InSb studied by THz-pump-THz probe spectroscopy

We observe impact ionization and saturation of free carrier absorption in indium antimonide at 200K and 80K. We employ a novel THz-pump-THz probe scheme with up to 100 kV/cm pump fields and 100 MW/cm2 intensity.
Regional income inequality: a link to women-owned businesses

We assess how women-owned and operated businesses relate to income inequality at the community level. Using U.S. county-level data within the framework of modeling uncertainty, we employ a spatial Bayesian model averaging approach to identify which specific control variables are most consistent with the underlying data generating process for inequality. We find that higher income inequality is linked to larger shares of women-owned and managed businesses. These results are consistent with women-owned businesses being more prevalent at the extremes of the household income distribution where some women are pulled into business ownership at the lower end of the income distribution spectrum and others are driven by opportunities at the higher end of the distribution. We also found meaningful differences in the underlying control variable across our three measures of income inequality. Only a handful of control variables, such as the unemployment rate, rates of college education, and housing costs, are consistent predictors of income inequality.
The Impact of Timing of Exercise Initiation on Weight Loss: An 18-Month Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the impact of timing of exercise initiation on weight loss within a behavioral weight loss program. Methods Adults with overweight or obesity (N = 170; age 18-55 years; BMI 25-42 kg/m2 ; 83.5% women) were enrolled in an 18-month behavioral weight loss program consisting of a reduced-calorie diet, exercise, and group-based support. The standard group (STD) received a supervised exercise program (progressing to 300 min/wk of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise) during months 0 to 6. The sequential group (SEQ) was asked to refrain from changing exercise during months 0 to 6 and received the supervised exercise program during months 7 to 12. On completion of supervised exercise, both groups were instructed to continue 300 min/wk of moderate-intensity exercise for the study duration. Results At 6 months, the STD group exhibited greater reductions in body weight (-8.7 ± 0.7 kg) compared with the SEQ group (-6.9 ± 0.6 kg; P = 0.047). Between 6 and 18 months, the STD group regained more weight (2.5 ± 0.8 kg vs. 0.0 ± 0.8 kg; P = 0.02). At 18 months, there were no between-group differences in changes in weight (STD: -6.9 ± 1.2 kg; SEQ: -7.9 ± 1.2 kg), fat mass, lean mass, physical activity, or attrition. Conclusions Both immediate and delayed exercise initiation within a behavioral weight loss program resulted in clinically meaningful weight loss at 18 months. Thus, timing of exercise initiation can be personalized based on patient preference.
Foraging territoriality of the imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, in surgarcane as determined by neutron activation analysis

Imported fire ant,Solenopsis invicta Buren, colonies in weedy and weed-free Louisiana sugarcane habitats were labeled with the nonradioactive, stable-activable tracer element samarium, to be compatible with an agroecosystem in current food production. Instrumental neutron activiton analyses of samarium revealed that the ants foraged 9% of the sampling stations in weed-free areas and 6.4% of the stations in weed habitats. The significantly smaller territorial size in weedy areas was a result of more dense prey populations, which, encouraged greater ant colonization and 25% more foraging activity per unit area.S. invicta foraging activity was negatively correlated (r=−0.68; P≤0.02) with that of another ant,Paratrechina vividula.