cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploraciones morfológicas en texturas modulares. Aproximaciones desde el objet trouvé al diseño paramétrico

The results of a scan modeling are shown in addition to the study, review and discussion of architectural form. The basis for the expansion of an exploration into new morphological developments, such as the study of gradients and fragmentation processes scale in tissue formation and modular landscapes (and not just growth with relatively developed modules usually fixed sizes) are considered. They stand out as relevant and complementary notions of fragmentation and modular assembly based on units of different size and shape, in a minimalist framework of assimilation. Along with the above, cases are shown which were generated from exploring these principles applied to proposals developed by the author and students from commissions in the area of fractal geometry and Module Form Workshop City shown, related to the theme of vernacular architecture and urban fabric.
Abstract # 1745 Maternal viral infection during pregnancy elicits anti-social behavior in neonatal piglets independent of postnatal microglia cell activity

Maternal infection during pregnancy increases risk for neurodevelopmental disorders and reduced stress resilience in offspring, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. We hypothesized that piglets born from gilts infected with a respiratory virus during late gestation would exhibit aberrant microglia activity, cognitive deficits and reduced sociability. Piglets born from infected and control gilts were weaned at postnatal day (PD) 1 and assigned to two groups. Group 1 was challenged with LPS (5 μ g/kg body weight i.p.) or saline on PD 14 and tissues were collected. Group 2 was tested in a T-maze task to assess spatial learning and in a 3-chamber arena with unfamiliar conspecifics to assess social behavior from PD 14-27. Microglia (CD11b+ CD45low) isolated from group 2 piglets at PD 28 were challenged ex vivo with LPS; a subset of cells was analyzed for MHCII expression. Maternal infection did not affect offspring circulating TNF α , IL-10, or cortisol levels basally or 4 h post-LPS challenge. While performance in the T-maze task was not affected by maternal infection, both sociability and preference for social novelty were decreased in piglets from infected gilts. There was no effect of maternal infection on microglial MHCII expression or LPS-induced cytokine production. Taken together, these results suggest the reduced social behavior elicited by maternal infection is not due to aberrant microglia activity postnatally. Supported by NIH HD069899 to RWJ.
Interleukin-1-beta changes the expression of metalloproteinases in the vitreous humor and induces membrane formation in eyes containing preexisting retinal holes.

PURPOSE: Proliferative vitreoretinopathy occurs when cells migrate into the vitreous humor, where they proliferate and produce a membrane composed of extracellular matrix. Interleukin-1-beta (IL-1-beta) may be involved in these processes because it is chemotactic and mitogenic, and it stimulates metalloproteinase production. In the present study, the effects of intravitreally injected IL-1-beta on retinal membrane formation and the associated changes in metalloproteinase content of vitreous humor were examined. METHODS: Rabbit eyes were injected with IL-1-beta in a buffer, with or without the prior creation of retinal holes. Control eyes received the buffer alone or no injection, with or without retinal holes. Animals were examined by slit lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy for 1 month. Zymography was performed on a portion of vitreous humor to assess collagenase content, and the remaining tissue was subjected to histologic analysis. RESULTS: Intraocular IL-1-beta induced perilimbal vessel engorgement, keratic precipitates, synechiae, flare, lens deposits, optic disk hyperemia, and granulomatous formations that gradually subsided during the first week. Intravitreal injection of IL-1-beta in eyes with preexisting retinal holes additionally induced membrane formation. Zymographic analysis of vitreous humor from animals sacrificed 24 hours after IL-1-beta injection showed a 100-kd and a 65-kd gelatinase, whereas control vitreous humor contained predominantly a single gelatinase species of approximately 65 kd. Retinal holes did not affect IL-1-beta induction of the 100-kd gelatinase. CONCLUSIONS: IL-1-beta induces a 100-kd gelatinase in the vitreous humor and epiretinal membrane formation in eyes containing preexisting retinal holes. The presence of retinal holes and abnormal production of cytokines may lead to a cascade of events, including aberrant extracellular matrix remodeling, that result in proliferative diseases of the eye.
A Nonlinear Multi-Attribute Utility Theory

In this paper we discuss a new nonlinear Multi-Attribute Utility Function (MAUF) which is quasi-concave. Three types of information on the local scaling constants (coefficients) are defined which are partial, complete, and global. We discuss optimality and how to obtain the most preferred alternative using a partially known MAUF.
Autoimmune Liver Diseases: Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease characterized by cholestasis and destruction of the small intralobular bile ducts. It affects mainly middle-aged women. The antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) is the serological hallmark of the disease, present in ~95 % of patients. Fatigue and pruritus are the most common symptoms of PBC. They are often mild, but can be very debilitating. PBC can progress to end-stage liver disease, cirrhosis, and its consequent complications. PBC is an important risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the only drug approved for the treatment of PBC. The survival of patients with early-stage PBC who have complete response to UDCA mirrors that of the general population. PBC patients with incomplete response to UDCA are at high risk for adverse events. Clinical trials of newer agents are underway.
Large Shareholders with Diversified Equity Portfolios and Voluntary Disclosure: International Evidence

This study, using a recently available dataset that tracks investors’ equity holdings across countries, investigates the relation between the degree of large shareholders’ acquisition of equity in multiple firms (i.e., portfolio diversification) and corporate voluntary disclosures. While large shareholders are traditionally viewed as investors with sufficient resources to acquire costly private information, we posit that shareholders with more diversified portfolios have greater reliance on public disclosures owing to resource constraints. Hence, we expect these shareholders to have a stronger demand for voluntary disclosures as a less costly alternative information source. Consistent with this prediction, we find that large shareholder portfolio diversification relates positively to voluntary disclosures as measured by the incidence and the frequency of management forecasts, conference calls, analyst/investor days, and product-related announcements. Corroborating our main analysis, we document a negative impact of portfolio diversification on voluntary disclosures when the firms providing the disclosures constitute a significant portion of large shareholders’ investment portfolios. We also find that the positive relation between large shareholder portfolio diversification and voluntary disclosure is more pronounced when the firm is located in a country with a lower quality labor market. In addition, we find that firms cater to diversified large shareholders’ public information reliance by providing disclosures that elicit a stronger stock market reaction, indicating the high information content of these disclosures. Overall, our findings suggest that diversified portfolio holdings incentivize large shareholders to place greater reliance on public information and that managers respond through providing high-quality voluntary disclosures.
Kernels with prescribed surface tension & mobility for threshold dynamics schemes

Abstract We show how to construct a convolution kernel that has a desired anisotropic surface tension and desired anisotropic mobility to be used in threshold dynamics schemes for simulating weighted motion by mean curvature of interfaces, including networks of them, in both two and three dimensions. Moreover, we discuss necessary and sufficient conditions for the positivity of the kernel which, in the case of two-phase flow, ensures that the resulting scheme respects a comparison principle and implies convergence to the viscosity solution of the level set formulation of the flow. In particular, we show, in a barrier-type statement, that the kernel cannot possibly be positive unless both the mobility and the surface tension satisfy necessary conditions in three dimensions, and give a complete characterization. Among other results is a threshold dynamics scheme that is guaranteed to dissipate a non-local approximation to the interfacial energy in the fully anisotropic, multiphase setting, using the new kernel construction.
Lactobacillus paracasei metabolism of rice bran reveals metabolome associated with Salmonella Typhimurium growth reduction

AIMS This study aimed to determine the effect of a cell-free supernatant of Lactobacillus paracasei ATCC 27092 with and without rice bran extract (RBE) on Salmonella Typhimurium 14028s growth, and to identify a metabolite profile with antimicrobial functions. METHODS AND RESULTS Supernatant was collected from overnight cultures of L. paracasei incubated in the presence (LP+RBE) or absence (LP) of RBE and applied to S. Typhimurium. LP+RBE reduced 13·1% more S. Typhimurium growth than LP after 16 h (P < 0·05). Metabolite profiles of LP and LP+RBE were examined using nontargeted global metabolomics consisting of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. A comparison of LP and LP+RBE revealed 84 statistically significant metabolites (P < 0·05), where 20 were classified with antimicrobial functions. CONCLUSIONS LP+RBE reduced S. Typhimurium growth to a greater extent than LP, and the metabolite profile distinctions suggested that RBE favourably modulates the metabolism of L. paracasei. These findings warrant continued investigation of probiotic and RBE antimicrobial activities across microenvironments and matrices where S. Typhimurium exposure is problematic. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This study showed a novel metabolite profile of probiotic L. paracasei and prebiotic rice bran that increased antimicrobial activity against S. Typhimurium.
Big Data, urban governance, and the ontological politics of hyperindividualism:

Big Data’s calculative ontology relies on and reproduces a form of hyperindividualism in which the ontological unit of analysis is the discrete data point, the meaning and identity of which inheres in itself, preceding, separate, and independent from its context or relation to any other data point. The practice of Big Data governed by an ontology of hyperindividualism is also constitutive of that ontology, naturalizing and diffusing it through practices of governance and, from there, throughout myriad dimensions of everyday life. In this paper, I explicate Big Data’s ontology of hyperindividualism by contrasting it to a coconstitutive ontology that prioritizes relationality, context, and interdependence. I then situate the ontology of hyperindividualism in its genealogical context, drawing from Patrick Joyce’s history of liberalism and John Dewey’s pragmatist account of individualism, liberalism, and social action. True to its genealogical provenance, Big Data’s ontological politics of hyperindividualism ...
Ice-Nucleation Activity of Pseudomonas Syringae on Phaseolus Vulgaris Leaflets

Frost hazard to a plant canopy is a function of both the population size of ice nucleation active (INA) bacteria and the nucleation frequency (i.e., ratio of ice nuclei to INA bacteria cells) of these bacteria (Lindow et al., Plant Physiol. 70:1090, 1982). Nucleation frequency of INA bacteria in vitro is dependent on genotype, cultural conditions (e.g., medium composition, temperature during growth), and the test temperature itself. To understand the relationship between INA bacteria and frost injury, it is important to determine the nucleation frequency of these bacteria on frost sensitive plants under field conditions. The objective of this study, therefore, was to examine the relationship between population size of INA bacteria, predominantly P. syringae, on individual snap bean leaflets and the temperature at which nucleation occurred on each of those leaflets.
Transgenic Technologies and their Application to the Study of Senile Dementia

The ability to manipulate the mammalian genome through transgenic techniques is a powerful tool for behavioral neuroscientists. However, the interpretation of the behavioral consequences of such manipulations is not uncomplicated. Here demonstrate both the utility and the pitfalls inherent in these techniques through a discussion of recent advances in the elucidation of senile dementia. We show that the interpretation of the results from such studies requires the application of multiple behavioral paradigms, the data from which must be viewed holistically in order to interpret the effects of the transgenic manipulation. We also highlight the difficulties inherent in manipulating single genes and show that in order to comprehensively model complex brain-related phenomena (e.g., senile dementia), multiple (typically interactive) genetic changes are often required.
The Implicit Argument for the Basic Liberties

Most criticism and exposition of John Rawls’s political theory has focused on his account of distributive justice rather than on his support for liberalism. Because of this, much of his argument for protecting the basic liberties remains under explained. Specifically, Rawls claims that representative citizens would agree to guarantee those social conditions necessary for the exercise and development of the two moral powers, but he does not adequately explain why protecting the basic liberties would guarantee these social conditions. This gap in his argument leads to two problems. First, the Rawlsian argument for the priority of liberty would fail if the gap could not be filled. His argument would still support the protection of individual freedoms, but these freedoms would be treated like other primary goods and regulated by the difference principle. Second, without a full argument, there is not sufficient reason to favor Rawls’s left-liberal conception of the basic liberties over a more right-leaning conception that would prioritize the protection of free-market rights. To address these two problems, this paper fills in the gap in order to better explain Rawls’s full argument for egalitarian liberalism.
Dangerous Liaisons: Social Science and Law in Domestic Violence Cases

This article explores the fundamental differences between law and social science in how they ascertain truth, through examination of a popular domestic violence “typology” which is increasingly used in child custody litigation. The paper examines how courts and evaluators have used the typology to minimize or ignore a parent’s past domestic violence. It also reviews the empirical research to determine whether courts’ understandings of the typology’s “types” are empirically supported. Although the typology has been widely touted as empirically based, the research indicates significant contradictions and gaps in the research, and suggests that there is little empirical support for the key aspects of the “types” on which courts rely. The analysis demonstrates how the nuances and complexities of social science research do not transfer to litigation, resulting in simplistic labeling which often creates harmful outcomes for children. This analysis is important both to the family law and domestic violence fields, where the typology is gaining traction, and to the larger question of how social science is used in the law. The article constitutes a call to courts to step back from frequent and uncritical incorporation of social science in their legal decision-making.
Inheritance of phenotype in mammalian cells: genetic vs. epigenetic mechanisms.

Inherited phenotypic changes in cultured cells, as observed during differentiation and transformation, reflect alterations in gene expression and have both a genetic and epigenetic basis. The causes of specific changes are often difficult to define especially when observing phenomenological end points. Although such observations are an important step in defining the phenotypic changes that endure for multiple generations, it is necessary to analyze cells at the molecular level to characterize the pathways leading to changes in phenotype. Gene expression can be regulated at multiple levels, i.e., DNA structure, gene transcription, and/or posttranscriptional modifications. Four genetic mechanisms (DNA point mutations, deletion, rearrangement, and amplification) and two epigenetic mechanisms (DNA methylation and the preservation of DNA-protein complexes) can account for the majority of enduring changes observed in cultured cells. Genetic alterations in DNA sequence appear to be largely responsible for altered growth regulation associated with transformation, but there is also evidence to suggest that epigenetic mechanisms play a role in transformation. Differentiation of cultured cells is often associated with lack of growth, and has been ascribed in part to epigenetic mechanisms. However, differentiation and transformation are not mutually exclusive but may be regulated by parallel multistep pathways. Analysis of the causes underlying transformation has been complicated by the use of aneuploid cells, but it is clear that the tools for overcoming the ambiguities associated with phenomenological analysis are available.
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (Greater Trochanteric Bursitis)

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome is characterized by reproducible tenderness over the buttock and lateral aspect of the thigh. This pain syndrome, once described as trochanteric bursitis, can mimic pain generated from many sources, some of which are myofascial pain, iliotibial band (ITB) disorders, spinal pathology, and degenerative joint disease. Symptoms of this regional syndrome consist of pain in the lateral hip that may radiate down the leg to the level where the iliotibial band inserts on the proximal tibia.2 Physical exam normally elicits tenderness during palpation over the greater trochanter. Conservative measures such as physical therapy, NSAIDs, and weight loss may help relieve most of these symptoms; however, more aggressive treatment modalities such as lateral hip injections and surgical interventions may be warranted if conservative measures are not successful.
Motivating Humans: Goals, Emotions, and Personal Agency Beliefs

Rationale for Motivational Systems Theory Theoretical Foundation for Motivational Systems Theory The Living Systems Framework Defining Motivation and Its Role in Effective Human Functioning Personal Goals Directing and Organizing Behavior Through Cognitive Representations of Desired and Undesired Outcomes Personal Agency Beliefs and Emotional Arousal Processes Regulating Behavior Through the Integration of Cognition and Affect Integration of Historical and Contemporary Theories of Motivation Goals, Emotions, and Personal Agency Beliefs How to 'Motivate' People General Principles and Specific Applications to Enduring Problems in Child and Adolescent Development, Education, Business, and Counseling and Everyday Living Summary of Motivational Systems Theory
Low Frequency Eddy Currents with magnetic Saturation for In-Line Detection and Sizing of Stress Corrosion Cracks

Under previous programs for the Pipeline Research Committee, Battelle has developed and field tested a low frequency eddy current instrument for characterizing stress corrosion cracks in pipelines. While a significant improvement over conventional magnetic particle inspections, the eddy current method as it was developed in these programs is limited to use for inspections of pipelines from the outside surface. This paper examines the possibility of using this low frequency eddy current equipment to detect and size stress corrosion cracks from the interior of the pipeline by magnetically saturating the pipeline to reduce its permeability and thereby increase penetration of the eddy currents into the pipe.
Discussion Participation: Student Perceptions of Relationships Among Preparation, Participation, Comfort and Learning

Class discussion is a frequently used pedagogy, and prior research indicates that preparation for and frequency of participation in class discussion are positively and statistically significantly related to students’ comfort participating, and comfort participating is positively related to learning. In this study, 246 sophomore management accounting students responded to a survey containing open questions concerning their perceptions about class discussion. This study extends previous literature by examining students’ perceptions of the relationship between their class participation and their learning. It also examines students’ perceptions of the relationships between their preparation and their class participation, and between their preparation and their comfort participating in class discussions. The results from the qualitative analysis indicate that a substantial majority of students perceive a positive relationship between their participation and their learning. In addition, five ways in which students see participation enhancing learning emerge from this study. Students report that class discussions enhance learning by increasing engagement, helping them retain and remember information, providing confirmation of what they have learned, providing clarification and deepening their understanding especially through hands-on and application-based learning. Further, one of the significant contributions of this analysis is not only the value of one’s own participation but the reported value of other students’ comments for learning. Even though not explicitly asked about the value of other students’ comments for their learning, students who both do and do not perceive that their participation positively affects their learning voluntarily discussed the value of other students’ comments for their learning. In addition, we show that a substantial majority of students perceive and report positive relationships between their own preparation and both their participation and their comfort participating. Key outcomes achieved by their preparation – such as increased confidence with the material, increased familiarity with the material, and increased knowledge/understanding – helps them to participate more and to be more comfortable when participating. Further, preparation increases not only the quantity but the quality of participation and not only the comfort but the confidence of the participant. Knowing that students understand the relationships between learning, class participation, preparation and comfort should encourage instructors to find ways to increase all students’ participation in and preparation for class discussions.
10 – Hormonal and Nonhormonal Mechanisms of Sexual Differentiation of the Brain

The difference between male and female brains can be measured at any level­ namely, molecular, cellular, physiological, anatomical, and behavioral level. At all the levels, sex steroids have a dominant effect. The current dominance of the hormonal theory of sexual differentiation gives the impression that gonadal secretions induce all sex differences in the brain. However, in recent years, evidence has been accumulating that suggests that XX and XY brain cells are different because of cell-autonomous actions of X and Y genes. This chapter begins by discussing the X and Y chromosomes and the genes that are found in these chromosomes. It reviews the hormonal hypothesis of sexual differentiation as to how it has indirectly influenced thinking about cell-autonomous actions. The chapter also reviews the experimental paradigms and results that suggest that some sex differences in the brain may be caused by the cell-autonomous action of sex chromosome genes.
Personal Oral Infection Control, Low Birthweight, and Preterm Births in Appalachia West Virginia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction. Appalachia West Virginia has a higher prevalence of preterm and low birthweight babies than the US national prevalence. Many factors have been studied which are known to influence preterm births and low birthweight babies. There are limited interventions that are available to decrease the likelihood of preterm and low birthweight babies; however oral health and personal oral infection control may be helpful. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of limited personal oral infection control among pregnant West Virginia Appalachian women and poor birth outcomes (preterm and low birthweight babies). Methods. A secondary data analysis of data from the West Virginia Healthy Start Helping Appalachian Parents and Infants (HAPI) Project from 2005 to 2016 was conducted. The researchers determined the odds ratio of personal oral infection control with a powered toothbrush (use of the brush fewer than 13 times per week versus use of the brush 13 or more times per week) on poor birth outcomes. Results. There were 845 women who completed the oral health program within the HAPI project. In unadjusted logistic regression, women who used the powered toothbrush and brushed less frequently had greater odds of poor birth outcomes than women who brushed more frequently (odds ratio of 2.07 [1.18, 3.62] P = 0.011 for low birthweight babies; and an odds ratio of 1.78 [1.04, 3.02] P = 0.034 for preterm birth). The results remained positive but were no longer significant in adjusted analysis. Conclusion. There is a need to identify interventions that will benefit pregnant women so that their pregnancies result in healthy pregnancy outcomes.
Force Push: Exploring Expressive Gesture-to-Force Mappings for Remote Object Manipulation in Virtual Reality

This paper presents Force Push, a novel gesture-based interaction technique for remote object manipulation in virtual reality (VR). Inspired by the design of magic powers in popular culture, Force Push uses intuitive hand gestures to drive physics-based movement of the object. Using a novel algorithm that dynamically maps rich features of hand gestures to the properties of the physics simulation, both coarse-grained ballistic movements and fine-grained refinement movements can be achieved seamlessly and naturally. An initial user study of a limited translation task showed that, although its gesture-to-force mapping is inherently harder to control than traditional position-to-position mappings, Force Push is usable even for extremely difficult tasks. Direct position-to-position control outperformed Force Push when the initial distance between the object and the target was close relative to the required accuracy; however, the gesture-based method began to show promising results when they were far away from each other. As for subjective user experience, Force Push was perceived as more natural and fun to use, even though its controllability and accuracy were thought to be inferior to direct control. This paper expands the design space of object manipulation beyond mimicking reality, and provides hints on using magical gestures and physics-based techniques for higher usability and hedonic qualities in user experience.
Multifocal Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola Infection in an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) without the Presence of Skin Lesions

Abstract A 15-yr-old captive-born male Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) presented for the presence of two slow-growing subcutaneous/intramuscular masses along the dorsum. Whole-body radiographs showed two subcutaneous soft tissue masses and two soft tissue opacities within the lungs. An initial punch biopsy of one of the subcutaneous masses revealed chronic granulomatous cellulitis with intralesional fungal hyphae. During a follow-up examination, repeat biopsy of one of the subcutaneous masses confirmed Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, the causative agent of snake fungal disease, via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of fresh tissue. Additionally, cytology of one of the intracoelomic masses obtained via fine needle aspirate showed evidence of necrosis with fungal hyphae consistent with O. ophiodiicola. Given the multiorgan nature of this disease at the time of diagnosis, and the concern for a lack of therapeutic efficacy, the snake was euthanized. Antemortem cytology, histopatho...
Finger Printing of Engine Control Units by Using Frequency Response for Secure In-Vehicle Communication

The Controller Area Network (CAN) is a primary protocol for in-vehicle communication between the engine control units. However, there are certain flaws in the architecture of this protocol which induce some inherent security vulnerabilities. This paper proposes a novel idea of authenticating the CAN nodes based on the unique frequency response of each transmitter. Electrical devices leave unique signatures in the transmitted signal, which can be used to fingerprint the source. This uniqueness is imparted because of the non-uniform nature and the imperfection of the material and the design of the device. Researchers have proposed different methods for parametric uniqueness in a physical signal. The method used for fingerprinting in this paper is based on the frequency response of the engine control unit (ECU). The calculated frequency response is then used to train a classifier. Experimental results in the proposed research reveal that from the identical data transmission from different ECUs in the network, it is possible to identify the transmitter (ECU) from the frequency response. This concept can be used to design an efficient Intrusion Detection System for the CAN bus security. It is particularly efficient in detecting the spoofing attacks. The performance and the robustness of the proposed method are also discussed in detail.
Study of Bridge Demolition DOT Survey and Available Standard Specifications

There are many damaged bridges in the United States which are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete and require replacement or rehabilitation, many using accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques. Before a bridge is replaced or rehabilitated, the old structure or component needs to first be demolished. Although the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specification presents minimum bridge design requirements, there is limited information about bridge demolition available for designers and contractors in this field. More study is required to determine best practices in demolition administration and avoid further unintentional events. This study presents the results from a survey prepared and disseminated through a research effort under the Accelerated Bridge Construction University Transportation Center (ABC-UTC). This survey was sent out to all State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). The results of the survey reveal the need for additional guidance in bridge demolition administrations at a national level. According to the results of this study, contractors are the most important part of bridge demolition projects from injuries, fatalities, and responsibility point of view.
Peer Teaching Increases Knowledge and Changes Perceptions about Genetically Modified Crops in Non-Science Major Undergraduates.

The impact of cross-age peer teaching on non–science major undergraduates’ opinions, perceptions, and knowledge of genetically modified (GM) crops was examined. After teaching high school students ...
Following the 2016 Presidential Election: Positive and Negative Mood Affect and the Impetus Towards Activisim

Given the tenuousness of the U.S. presidential race and subsequent election, it appears that more individuals are becoming politically active. What remains unclear is how the current political climate has influenced citizens regarding their perceptions of feeling psychologically safe, the related mood affect, and their impetus towards activism. Additionally, the role of social media in today’s world is seemingly a key stimulus for individuals who were typically less involved in the past become more so now. Given there may be a number of reasons that individuals feel moved to engage in discourse and action that others might view as unconventional or rebellious, the intent of this study was to investigate activism and mood affect as mediated by social media use to better understand people’s motivation for becoming more socially engaged. While historically, there have been numerous movements to address perceived societal and governmental injustices, how safe individuals feel when becoming involved is still up for debate. Findings from this study showed that individuals experienced positive and negative mood affect in both the likelihood they will engage in a variety of activist behaviors in the future, as well as seeing themselves as being politically active. Furthermore, the role of social media also showed a relationship between participant’s positive and negative mood affect, as well as sense of activism, demonstrating the impact of social media on how people express their opinions today.
Parent Underestimation of Child Weight Status and Attitudes towards BMI Screening.

Author(s): Linchey, Jennifer K; King, Benjamin; Thompson, Hannah R; Madsen, Kristine A | Abstract: ObjectiveIn this study, we identify predictors of parental underestimation of child weight status and support for school-based BMI screening and reporting.MethodsParents of 3rd through 7th grade students (N = 1002) participating in The Fit Study completed mailed surveys assessing parent race/ethnicity, weight status, perception of child weight status, and preference for BMI screening and reporting.ResultsOnly 33% and 6% of parents classified their overweight child as somewhat overweight and their obese child as very overweight, respectively. Support for BMI screening was stronger among Hispanic (OR = 2.3, p l .001), Asian (OR = 3.7, p l .001), and black (OR = 2.3, p = .04) parents than white parents and weaker among overweight versus normal-weight parents (OR = 0.6, p = .01). Compared to parents of 3rd grade students, parents of older children reported less support for BMI reporting (4th grade: OR = 0.4, p = .04; 6th grade: OR = 0.3, p = .02; 7th grade: OR = 0.3, p = .03).ConclusionsParent race/ethnicity, parent weight status, and child age are associated with support for BMI screening and reporting..
Investigation of the short range order structures in sodium thioborosilicate mixed glass former glasses

Abstract The very first detailed structural examination of glasses in the sodium thioborosilicate (NTBS) mixed glass former (MGF) system is reported. As in our previous studies of MGF systems, we have fixed the ratio of the modifier, Na2S, to the total glass former (GF), BS3/2 + SiS2, and varied the ratio of the two base GFs, the pure sodium thiosilicate (NTS) and sodium thioborate (NTB) end member binary glass systems. We have found that the 0.6Na2S + 0.4[xBS3/2 + (1-x)SiS2] series with its relatively high Na2S content is continuously glass forming for all x, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, in large ~2 mm thick samples with only modest quenching was observed. Other higher and lower Na2S content glass series were investigated, but were found to be very poor glass formers and for this reason not further studied. Further, and advantageously, but not reported on here, this high Na2S content is also associated with glasses of the highest Na+ ion conductivities in either NTS or NTB binary glasses. Infrared, Raman, and 11B and 29Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) spectroscopies were used to examine the short-range order (SRO) structures present in these glasses as a function of x. As expected from this high modifier content, the predominate finding is that these glasses are comprised mostly of depolymerized SRO units that possess one or at most two bridging sulfurs (BSs). Indeed, the main SRO structures observed in these glasses are the Si0, B0, and Si1 SRO units which contain no BSs and one BS, respectively. The Si1 and B0 SRO units are those expected from the composition of the binary series of glasses studied here, namely 3Na/Si for x = 0 and 3 Na/B for x = 1, respectively. However, the Raman spectra shows clear evidence of the disproportionate sharing of the Na+ towards the Si SRO units. This creates significant fractions of Si0 units for intermediate compositions. Likewise, a very close inspection and deconvolution of the NMR spectra and careful attention to charge balance shows that, as seen in other MGF systems, other SRO units with more BS structures, such as B1, B2, and B4 SRO units are formed from the transfer of the Na2S from the NTB subsystem to the NTS subsystem. The E1Si2 unit appears to be a common SRO unit in NTS (and other alkali) glasses and consists of two Si possessing two non-bridging sulfurs (NBSs) but linked together by two BSs in an edge-sharing motif. Due to the presence of the E1Si2 units (50 mol% Na2S) in a compositional series that is nominally 60 mol% Na2S, we find that the lack of sufficient Si0 SRO units to account for the extra Na2S necessarily produces a small amount of free, unreacted Na2S,
Psychosocial maladjustment arising from workplace sexual behavior directed at adolescent workers.

Objective: The objective of the current study was to examine psychosocial maladjustment related to adolescents’ appraisals of workplace sexual behavior.Method: High school aged adolescents with for...
Telemetric monitoring of penile pressure during mating in rats after chronic spinal cord injury.

In men with a spinal cord injury (SCI), erectile function, ejaculation, and fertility are severely impaired. The present study utilized a telemetric pressure transducer implanted into the corpus ca...
Estimating the impact of insurance expansion on colorectal cancer and related costs in North Carolina: A population-level simulation analysis

Abstract Although screening is effective in reducing incidence, mortality, and costs of treating colorectal cancer (CRC), it remains underutilized, in part due to limited insurance access. We used microsimulation to estimate the health and financial effects of insurance expansion and reduction scenarios in North Carolina (NC). We simulated the full lifetime of a simulated population of 3,298,265 residents age-eligible for CRC screening (ages 50–75) during a 5-year period starting January 1, 2018, including polyp incidence and progression and CRC screening, diagnosis, treatment, and mortality. Insurance scenarios included: status quo, which in NC includes access to the Health Insurance Exchange (HIE) under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); no ACA; NC Medicaid expansion, and Medicare-for-all. The insurance expansion scenarios would increase percent up-to-date with screening by 0.3 and 7.1 percentage points for Medicaid expansion and Medicare-for-all, respectively, while insurance reduction would reduce percent up-to-date by 1.1 percentage points, compared to the status quo (51.7% up-to-date), at the end of the 5-year period. Throughout these individuals' lifetimes, this change in CRC screening/testing results in an estimated 498 CRC cases averted with Medicaid expansion and 6031 averted with Medicare-for-all, and an additional 1782 cases if health insurance gains associated with ACA are lost. Estimated cost savings – balancing increased CRC screening/testing costs against decreased cancer treatment costs – are approximately $30 M and $970 M for Medicaid expansion and Medicare-for-all scenarios, respectively, compared to status quo. Insurance expansion is likely to improve CRC screening both overall and in underserved populations while saving money, with the largest savings realized by Medicare.
A Stochastic Model for Actin Waves in Eukaryotic Cells

A stochastic model of spontaneous actin wave formation in eukaryotic cells that includes positive feedback between the actin network and filament nucleating factors on the membrane is developed and analyzed. Simulation results show that the model can produce a variety of actin network behavior depending on the conditions. Actin spots of diameter about 0.5 μm can be formed and persist for tens of seconds at low actin concentrations, and these spots may either shrink and die or grow and develop into fully-developed propagating waves. The model correctly captures the vertical profile of actin waves along line scans through wave fronts, as well as the separation between the region enclosed by circular actin waves and the external area. Our results show how the complicated actin behavior depends on the amounts and state of various membrane molecules.
Social Security and Trends in Wealth Inequality

Recent influential work finds large increases in inequality in the U.S. based on measures of wealth concentration that notably exclude the value of social insurance programs. This paper revisits this conclusion by incorporating Social Security retirement benefits into measures of wealth inequality. We find that top wealth shares have not increased in the last three decades when Social Security is properly accounted for. This finding is robust to assumptions about how taxes and benefits may change in response to system financing concerns. When discounted at the risk-free rate, real Social Security wealth increased substantially from $4.9 trillion in 1989 to $52.6 trillion in 2019. When we adjust the discount rate for long-run macroeconomic risk, this increase remains sizable, growing from over $4.0 trillion in 1989 to $41.2 trillion in 2019. Consequently, by 2019, Social Security wealth represents 59% of the wealth of the bottom 90% of the wealth distribution.
A Non-Linear GPU Performance Modeling Approach and Consolidated Linear Hardware Model Performance Evaluation of the LEAP Cluster

This document discusses the evaluation of a consolidated linear performance model of Texas State University's HPC LEAP Cluster, and the development of a non-linear model to represent the performance of the NVIDIA V100 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). The consolidated model constructed for the LEAP Cluster was evaluated by using it to compute execution times for different sizes of processes and comparing those times to the actual processes run on LEAP. The model itself is found to effectively represent the performance trends of LEAP but fail to match the actual value. The GPU's performance analysis was done by first collecting performance data then using non-linear methods to model it. The number of floating-point operations required to perform a square matrix multiplication is readily known, so the performance data was gathered by running a simple square matrix multiplication program and measuring its execution time. The size of the matrices was then used to determine the number of floating-point operations and divided by the execution time to calculate FLOPS. The final model for the GPU was generated by using a set of logarithmic functions that mapped the GPU performance to a semi-logarithmic scale of the number of floating-point operations.
NEUTRON MULTIPLICITY MEASUREMENTS FOR SPONTANEOUS FISSION OF Cf AND Fm ISOTOPES AND RELEVANCE TO NEUTRON EMISSION FOR SUPERHEAVY ELEMENTS

ABSTRACT The average neutron emission, , per fission event, the variance for neutron emission, and the neutron multiplicity distributions as a function of total kinetic energy (TKE) and mass split have been measured for the spontaneous fission of a number of californium and fermium isotopes. In contrast to isotopes of lighter elements, the fermium isotopes show decreasing neutron emission for the heavier isotopes. In the case of 257Fm, is only about one for the highest TKE events (TKE > 235 MeV). These events show a mass distribution which is narrowly symmetric. The low neutron emission may be explained on the basis of these symmetric fragments being nearly spherical due to their proximity to the doubly magic 132Sn configuration. High TKE results because of the large coulomb repulsion between the spherical fragments. The fragments have low excitation energy and relatively high neutron binding energies, and therefore, fewer neutrons are emitted. The possibility that neutron emission for spontaneous fission of superheavy elements can also be relatively low will be discussed.
Five-year outcomes of endovascular repair of complicated acute type B aortic dissections.

Abstract Objective Thoracic endovascular aortic repair is the standard of care for acute complicated type B aortic dissections, but long-term single-device outcomes are limited. Methods Fifty patients were treated with the Valiant Captivia thoracic stent graft (Medtronic Inc, Santa Rosa, Calif) for acute complicated type B aortic dissections in this prospective, nonrandomized Dissection Trial. All-cause mortality, secondary procedures, and serious adverse events were assessed, and a core lab evaluated images for aortic remodeling. Results Compliance for both clinical and imaging follow-up was 78% (18 out of 23) for the available patients at 5 years. Notable baseline characteristics were 86% of patients (43 out of 50) had malperfusion, 20% (10 out of 50) had ruptures, and 94% (46 out of 49) had DeBakey class IIIB dissections. The 5-year freedom from dissection-related mortality, secondary procedures related to the dissection, and endoleaks was 83%, 86%, and 85%, respectively. After 5 years, 89% of patients (16 out of 18) had a completely thrombosed false lumen in the stented segment of the aorta and the true lumen diameter over the length of stent graft was stable or increased for 94% of patients (16 out of 17) while the false lumen diameter was stable or decreased in 77% (13 out of 17) after 5 years. Conclusions In the Dissection Trial, patients experienced positive and sustained measures of aortic remodeling. Survival outcomes, need for secondary procedures, and adverse event rates were consistent with previous thoracic endovascular aortic repair studies. Although limitations exist with the follow-up compliance, the Valiant Captivia thoracic stent graft system was effective in the long-term management of acute complicated type B aortic dissections in this patient population with a challenging condition.
Blood, sweat, and tears: black women teacher’s organizational experiences in schools

This article examines the organizational experiences of Black women teachers in contemporary schools. This work centers Black women teachers’ voices to highlight how their organizational contexts h...
Beyond Amitriptyline: A Pediatric and Adolescent Oriented Narrative Review of the Analgesic Properties of Psychotropic Medications for the Treatment of Complex Pain and Headache Disorders

Children and adolescents with recurrent or chronic pain and headache are a complex and heterogenous population. Patients are best served by multi-specialty, multidisciplinary teams to assess and create tailored, individualized pain treatment and rehabilitation plans. Due to the complex nature of pain, generalizing pharmacologic treatment recommendations in children with recurrent or chronic pains is challenging. This is particularly true of complicated patients with co-existing painful and psychiatric conditions. There is an unfortunate dearth of evidence to support many pharmacologic therapies to treat children with chronic pain and headache. This narrative review hopes to supplement the available treatment options for this complex population by reviewing the pediatric and adult literature for analgesic properties of medications that also have psychiatric indication. The medications reviewed belong to medication classes typically described as antidepressants, alpha 2 delta ligands, mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics, anti-sympathetic agents, and stimulants.