cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exercise-induced changes in circulating growth factors with cyclic variation in plasma estradiol in women.

Hornum, Mette, Dan M. Cooper, Jo Anne Brasel, Alina Bueno, and Kathy E. Sietsema. Exercise-induced changes in circulating growth factors and cyclic variation in plasma estradiol in women.J. Appl. P...
An Observational Study of the Upper-Tropospheric Vorticity Fields in GATE Cloud Clusters

Abstract A large-amplitude asymmetric vorticity couplet has been observed in the upper troposphere near a lame cloud cluster in GATE (GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment) on 5 September 1974. The couplet consists of a cyclonic center to the north of the cluster and an anticyclonic center to the south. The couplet is a result of the deceleration of the upper-tropospheric easterly winds in a region near the center of the cluster. These features also appear on a composite of large slow-moving clusters occurring during Phase 3 of GATE. Vorticity budget analysis shows that the couplets are produced by subcluster-scale process and, to a lesser degree, by cluster-scale twisting. On the basis of this finding and on the basis of the three-dimensional structure of horizontal momentum fields, it is suggested that a part of the deceleration producing the couplet is a result of momentum redistribution by subcluster-scale circulations (such as cumulonimbi or mesoscale cloud lines). The composite wind fields of the large ...
Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Activity in the 10–11 June 1985 Mesoscale Convective System Observed during the Oklahoma–Kansas PRE-STORM Project

Abstract As part of the field program for the Oklahoma–Kansas PRE-STORM Project conducted in May–June 1985, a network of electromagnetic direction-finders was deployed to locate and detect the polarity of cloud-to-ground (CG) lighting flashes associated with Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs). We present an analysis of such data for the 10–11 June MCS. This storm consisted of a line of convective cells trailed by an 80 km wide stratiform precipitation region. Data from the lightning strike locating network, along with both conventional and Doppler radar data, are analyzed over a significant portion of the storm's lifetime to examine the relationship between the storm precipitation structure and the position and polarity of the lighting activity. The majority of the negative CG activity is located in the convective precipitation region. The frequency of negative CG activity is highest around the period of most intense convective rainfall. Positive CG activity is mainly confined to the trailing stratiform ...
ECHOING ANTIDUMPING CASES Regulatory competitors, imitation and cascading protection

This paper analyses how an antidumping procedure in one country may lead to identical procedures targeting similar products originating from the same countries under other foreign antidumping statutes. The concept of 'echoing' protection is elaborated to describe the phenomenon of contingent protection in one country followed by similar protective behavior abroad. We find that 'echoing' antidumping is significant in Canada, Europe and the United States, three big users of antidumping law. We then provide several documented explanations for that phenomenon. Channels of transmission of echoing antidumping examined in this paper include multinational enterprises attempting to monitor the antidumping process in the countries where they are located; exports flows diverted by an antidumping proceeding becoming subject to another complaint in the market where they end up; and suits filed in imitation of successful foreign competitors.
Chronic skin lesions in a construction worker.

Diagnosis: multibacillary cutaneous tuberculosis. Examination of shave biopsy samples obtained from the le sions revealed multiple granulomas and acid-fast bacilli (Figures 1 and 2). Nucleic acid amplification testing (Gen-Probe) of the shave biopsy specimens had results that were positive for My cobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB), and cultures from the biopsy site were positive for the same organism. Three sputum samples were obtained for fluorochrome stain, despite normal chest radiograph and computed tomography findings. Al though sputum samples had negative acid-fast bacilli smear results, MTB was isolated after cultures were incubated for 2 weeks. The patient was treated with rifampin, isoniazid, pyr azinamide, and ethambutol. Cutaneous tuberculosis is an uncommon presentation of tu
Western Farm Areas in Two World Wars

ABRIEF analysis of the financial and economic structure of several Western and Midwestern farm states during the period of World War I as compared with World War II affords an interesting study in contrasts which has basic significance for national agricultural policy. This is a case study of ten states in which agriculture is the principal industry. The area was chosen more or less arbitrarily. It is approximately coterminous with the boundaries of the Ninth and Tenth Federal Reserve Districts, and includes the states of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. It should be noted that these states include the so-called Dust Bowl area where some of the nation's most severe agricultural distress occurred during the 'twenties and 'thirties. At the end of World War I American farmers stood in an apparently enviable position. Much of the nation's greatness had been built on her abundant agricultural production, and in World War I just ended, the industry had demonstrated its key position in the economy. America's principal contribution to the allied cause had come from her farms. Farmers had benefited correspondingly. Prices of all farm products were far higher than they had ever been before. Farmers were better supplied with equipment than ever before. Inventories of livestock were large and expanding. Bank deposits in farm areas were the highest on record. And what seemed most encouraging to large numbers of farmers was the great and unprecedented increase in the value of their farms. Yet, in spite of these apparent advantages, agriculture soon encountered a severe depression. The hardship and losses did not end with the upturn in general business conditions which soon followed the depression of 1920-1921. Agriculture remained relatively depressed throughout the prosperous 'twenties. Then, with the Great Depression of the 1930's a bad situation became worse and the farm problem soon approached the proportions of a catastrophe. In spite of numerous government aids and palliatives, American agriculture enjoyed only a limited recovery during the 'thirties. At the beginning of World War II the basic problem of over-produc-
The face of cancer in the United States.

Geographic analysis of cancer mortality data in the U.S. reveals a surprising variety of patterns. Among them a southern coastal clustering of high lung cancer rates in white males high oral cancer rates in rural southern females a pronounced excess of bladder cancer deaths among whites in certain areas. Field studies reveal sometimes surprising etiologic correlations. Data are from a variety of official sources and are presented in a series of maps. (EXCERPT)
ReaxFF Reactive Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Functionalized Poly(phenylene oxide) Anion Exchange Membrane

Three functionalized poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) anion exchange membranes (AEMs), PPO–trimethylamine (PPO–TMA), PPO–dimethylbutylamine (PPO–DMBA), and PPO–dimethyloctylamine (PPO–DMOA), at two hydration levels (λ = 8.3 and 20.8) have been studied by ReaxFF reactive molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulations reveal that with increasing hydration the microstructures of membrane swell and water molecules are more likely to form a channel, which improves the diffusion of hydroxide ion (OH–). Our study of OH– diffusion demonstrates that PPO–TMA hydrated membrane provides the biggest diffusion constant at the high hydration level. However, from comparison of the structural and dynamical properties of the three membranes at the same water content, it is found that when one methyl group of quaternary ammonium center is replaced by a long alkyl chain group, the hydrophobic effects block the OH– approaching nitrogen, resulting in a lower rate of degradation and an improved alkaline stability of PPO–DMOA hydrat...
A Generalized Spatial Measure for Resilience of Microbial Systems.

The emergent property of resilience is the ability of a system to recover an original function after a disturbance. Resilience may be used as an early warning system for significant or irreversible community transition, i.e., a community with diminishing or low resilience may be close to catastrophic shift in function or an irreversible collapse. Typically, resilience is quantified using recovery time, which may be difficult or impossible to directly measure in microbial systems. A recent study in the literature showed that under certain conditions, a set of spatial-based metrics termed recovery length, can be correlated to recovery time, and thus may be a reasonable alternative measure of resilience. As a limitation, however, this spatial metric of resilience is useful only for step-change perturbations. Building upon the concept of recovery length, we propose a more general form of the spatial metric of resilience that can be applied to any shape of perturbation profiles (i.e., a sharp or smooth gradient). We termed this new spatial measure “perturbation-adjusted spatial metric of resilience” (PASMORE). We demonstrate the applicability of the proposed metric using a mathematical model of a microbial mat.
Chrysomya Spp., Old World Blow Flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Recently Established in the Americas

Three species of Old World blow flies have recently become established in Brazil and one other species in Costa Rica. These species feed on decaying animal matter and have been implicated in myiasis of man and animals. These facts are publicized and additional records are given that indicate that the flies have made their entry into the Western Hemisphere many times and that at least one species has progressed northwards as far as southern Mexico.
Junior-for-senior announcements: A study of the role of inside ownership

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the role of inside ownership in explaining announcement period stock returns for 455 junior-for-senior transactions. We find that returns are more negative for firms with higher inside ownership percentages. Returns become even more negative for firms in which insiders are expected to be decreasing their ownership percentages.
Two new species of Oregodasys (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida: Thaumastodermatidae) from Carrie Bow Cay, Belize with ultrastructural observations of the epidermal glandular system

This study represents the first report of Gastrotricha from the coast of Belize. Two new species of Oregodasys (Macrodasyida: Thaumastodermatidae) are described from sublittoral sediments around the island of Carrie Bow Cay in the Belizean barrier reef complex. Oregodasys norenburgi sp. nov. is unique in the possession of paired red ocelli and in the quantity and distribution of lateral and posterior adhesive tubes. Oregodasys katharinae sp. nov. is allied with species that possess ventrolateral cirri in the posterior body region, but is distinguished based on the quantity of cirri and adhesive tubes and the bipartite structure of the caudal organ. Ultrastructural analysis of the bodywall of O. katharinae sp. nov. reveals a highly glandular epithelium covered by a bilayered cuticle consisting of a thin exocuticle and thicker endocuticle containing electron-dense elements. At least three types of papillae are present beneath the cuticle: blunt papillae, triangle-shaped papillae, and sensory papillae. The sensory papillae are two-part structures consisting of a porous epidermal cell and a monociliated epidermal cell. The ultrastructure of blunt papillae was not examined, but triangular papillae are formed from neck-like extensions of underlying glandulocytes and contain a pore to the external environment. Insunk glandulocytes are present between the various papillae and have an elongate neck that extends between epidermal cells. All glandulocytes contain a variety of membrane-bound secretory vesicles with a wide range of staining characteristics, from electron lucent to electron dense.
Irrigating Urban Agriculture with Harvested Rainwater: Case Study in Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Considered at the global scale, urbanization forms the principal source of landscape change. Worldwide, urban areas are increasing in size, both in land area and in population, causing losses of vegetated lands, increases in impervious surface cover, and increased demands on existing infrastructure and upon municipal services such as water and waste management. Urbanization, by reducing vegetative cover and increasing impervious surfaces, alters hydrologic cycles by reducing infiltration, increasing runoff volume and rates, lowering groundwater tables, decreasing evapotranspiration, and creating precipitation anomalies. Urban greenspaces are recognized as providing environmental benefits, including reduced stormwater runoff, increased evapotranspiration, and increased subsurface infiltration, which, in turn, raise groundwater tables. Urban agriculture forms a greenspace that can provide these environmental benefits, among others, in addition to contributing to food security for local populations. This chapter provides an overview of urban agriculture and its potential benefits. Then, we provide a case study based upon the City of Roanoke, Virginia, USA. We identify areas of existing urban agriculture using aerial imagery. We discuss land available for potential new urban agricultural sites. From aerial images and city geospatial data, we identify and calculate roof areas that can be used to capture rainwater. Then using precipitation data and equations identified from the literature, we calculated amounts of rainwater that could be harvested to provide irrigation water for these locations. Finally, we discuss reductions that could occur in stormwater runoff and greenhouse gas emissions if harvested rainwater were used instead of municipal water supplies. Additionally, we discuss future research areas for urban agriculture and rainwater harvesting.
Geographies of U.S. Police Militarization and the Role of the 1033 Program

Concerns about police militarization have become an important public policy issue since the aggressive police response to the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri, where police officers used military-style equipment to confront protestors. This event was a stark visual reminder that many U.S. police departments have used federal programs to acquire surplus military equipment, including weapons, armored vehicles, and body armor. We explore the geographies and histories of one the most important programs, called 1033, which supplies police with military equipment under the rationale of prosecuting the War on Drugs. We show that the legal blurring of the police and the military has been ongoing for decades at the national scale but this has resulted in an uneven landscape of police militarization at the county scale. We also investigate one of the most common global arguments for why police become militarized, which is the presence of Special Weapons and Tactics-style paramilitary teams, finding little suppor...
Improving Course Assessment via Web-based Homework

Higher education increasingly relies on course assessment; however, it is challenging to cover all course and assessed content. Homework has been linked to increased student performance and may be a solution to covering or reinforcing key course and assessed concepts. Instructor time and resources are limited, making additional grading challenging. Moreover, using feedback on homework to improve student performance is time sensitive with many faculty, challenged to timely return homework feedback. Web-based tools may assist with the aforementioned issues; however, research on the effects of homework, paper-based versus web-based homework, and online learning tools is inconsistent. The goal of this research is to improve assessment via web-based homework while requiring minimal instructor effort and time. The hypothesis is stated as employing web-based homework will improve scores on student performance as measured by a university course assessment. The web-based homework occurs via the implementation of discussion boards in multiple undergraduate courses in the college of business of a mid-size regional university. Results indicate discussion boards can be used to effectively improve student performance as measured by assessment.
THE NEED FOR AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE DESIGN OF EARTH-SHELTERED ENVIRONMENTS: THE ROLE OF THE INTERIOR DESIGNER

ABSTRACT Up to now, the design of earth-sheltered environments both, in practice and in education, has been centering primarily around the resolution of functional issues with respect to energy conservation. Geotechnical, engineering, and architectural concerns are the major areas of problem resolution. Yet the acceptance of earth-sheltered environments by the broader public will be tested on the opportunity they provide for increased livability in addition to energy conservation. This notion includes the issues of the interior environment as it is interchangeable in design with the site and architecture. Three morphological zones need to be established and draw design attention from an interdisciplinary perspective involving the user, the designer, and representatives from the development and construction industries. These zones, representative of the nature of earth-sheltered environments, are: 1) Site/Building Zones; 2) Transitional Zones; 3) Interior Zones. Key variables falling within these zones need to be addressed equally. Interior designers face a professional challenge and, with increasing sensitivity to the nature of the problem, need to participate in all design decisions in order to increase the livability of earth-sheltered environments.
The Development and use of Novel Precursors for Photolytic Deposition of Dielectric Films

The use of ultra-violet light in the deposition of electronic materials from the gas phase is a rapidly emerging technology. Many of the conventional MOCVD precursors that are available however do not absorb light strongly at wavelengths above 200nm and it is, therefore, often necessary to resort to wave lengths of less than 200nm, where most organic materials have significant absorptions. An alternative approach is to synthesize precursors containing chromophores which specifically absorb at wavelengths that are more easily accessible. We have used this approach to produce a number of precursors, for the deposition of A12O3, with photo-absorption in the 240nm to 300nm range. Basing our work on aluminium tri-isoproxide it has been possible to substitute one of the isopropoxide groups with a β-diketonate group, which forms a six-membered conjugated ring with the aluminium atom. Depending on the nature of the λ-diketonate, these components have absorptions in the 230-320mm range, with molar extinction coefficients in excess of 10,000 at λmax. The low temperature deposition of A1203 for some of these compounds in the presence of UY light from a high pressure Mercury Xenon arc lamp (with a large spectral output between 260 and 320nm) and the frequency doubled line of an argon ion laser (257nm) is discussed.
Fault-Tolerant and Deterministic Flight-Software System For a High Performance CubeSat

We describe the design and implementation of a complete flight-software operating system OS for a high-performance CubeSat carrying a third-party payload. This CubeSat's mission is to carry out res...
Picoplankton contribution to biogenic silica stocks and production rates in the Sargasso Sea

Picocyanobacteria in the Sargasso Sea accumulate significant amounts of Si, a finding which questions how we interpret previous regional measurements of biogenic silica (bSi) production and the role of diatoms in the open ocean. The picoplankton (<3-µm cells) contributed a measurable, and at times significant, proportion of both the total bSi standing stock and its rate of production. The 100-m integrated bSi stock and bSi production rate in the <3 µm size fraction averaged 14% and 16%, respectively, of the total. At some stations, specific rates of bSi production in the <3-µm cells were up to three-fold higher than for larger cells. But among all stations and depths, the two size fractions had statistically indistinguishable specific-production rates (~0.35 d-1). The estimated contributions of Synechococcus alone to the 100-m integrated bSi stock and bSi production in cells <3 µm were 15% and 55%, respectively, suggesting that half of bSi production in this small size fraction could be sustained by Synechococcus, but a majority of the bSi was not associated with living Synechococcus. Our results suggest picoplankton have a small but persistent regional contribution to bSi stocks, which is masked by a dynamic bSi pool driven by larger cells. While a significant fraction of bSi production is attributable to picoplankton, their contributions are likely to have been included in previous analyses, making prior regional budgets still relevant. However, our understanding of the factors controlling regional bSi production and our interpretations of particulate matter elemental ratios (e.g. Si:C) may require revision.
Delegation and Administrative Lobbying in Rule-Making

We explore the determinants of market regulation with an analysis of the policy-making process in which the legislature delegates authority to an executive agency and special interests can lobby the executive agency. We discuss how the mere threat of administrative lobbying by the industry may be sufficient to induce the agency to set policies preferred by the industry. Our analysis also shows that policy conflict, the difference between the legislature’s preferred policy and the agency’s implemented policy, is increasing in the agency’s vulnerability to lobbying but decreasing in the interest group’s lobbying cost when the legislature prefers more extreme policies. Administrative lobbying either amplifies or mitigates the conflict between the legislature and the agency. Relatedly, our analysis shows that the “ally principle” does not hold and the legislature prefers an agency that is slightly more biased against the industry. The legislature delegates greater discretion to the agency when policy uncertainty is higher, when policy conflict between the legislature and the agency is a lower, and when administrative lobbying mitigates the policy conflict between legislature and agency.
Value-Based Care and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation

The purpose of this study is to summarize published literature on health-care quality, and value-based principles in musculoskeletal (MSK) medicine as it relates to physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) practitioners. This review specifically focuses on spine care as a case example. Related policy and practice issues and future research needs will also be discussed. Results of a recent study on the effects of required PM&R consultation prior to surgical evaluation for low back pain management contradicted the conclusions of a previous landmark study on a similar topic. Physiatrists involved in musculoskeletal care need to be aware of the shift in focus from volume of care to value-based care. Clinical registries and practice guidelines are increasingly available, practical to use, and should be utilized to improve quality of care provided to patients with MSK disorders. Continuous improvements in quality of care provided and cost savings will drive upward the value of MSK care delivered. Future research in MSK care outcomes needs to evaluate not only effectiveness and efficacy but also cost and value.
Hybrid Encryption for Securing SharedPreferences of Android Applications

Most mobile applications generate local data on internal memory with SharedPreference interface of an Android operating system. Therefore, many possible loopholes can access the confidential information such as passwords. We propose a hybrid encryption approach for SharedPreferences to protect the leaking confidential information through the source code. We develop an Android application and store some data using SharedPreference. We produce different experiments with which this data could be accessed. We apply Hybrid encryption approach combining encryption approach with Android Keystore system, for providing better encryption algorithm to hide sensitive data.
Suramin as an archetypical compound in the development of growth factor antagonists for inhibition of genitourinary tumors.

Suramin is one of the first synthetic chemotherapeutic agents to be discovered that was clinically effective against a human parasite. The road to its discovery began in 1899 when Paul Ehrlich was appointed director of the Institute for Experimental Therapy in Frankfurt, a time in which the German chemical industry was synthesizing many compounds, including a large number of synthetic dyes. One such dye, trypan red, was shown to cure trypanosomiasis in mice in 1904, the first time a parasitic infection was cured with a chemotherapeutic agent. Trypanosomes that excluded the dye were resistant [1].
DIFFERENTIAL GEOMETRIC METHODS IN NONLINEAR PROGRAMMING

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the differential geometric methods in nonlinear programming. It focuses on robust methods for nonlinear constrained optimization, which can produce convergence from a very poor initial estimate of the optimal solution. The chapter presents a differential geometric method to obtain robust algorithms without resorting to the penalty-type approach. It highlights a generic class of feasibility-improving gradient acute projection methods and their Levemberg–Marquardt-type modification used for solving the general nonlinear constrained minimization problems. Each method in this class is an amalgamation of a generalized gradient projection method and a generalized Newton–Raphson method that, respectively, take care of reducing the value of the objective function and satisfying constraint equations at the same time. The class of the methods contains various new methods such as the second-order feasibility-improving GRG method and many of the existing methods. The concept of various generalized inverses and related projectors facilitates geometric interpretation of the methods in the class.
The Potential and Limits of Death Penalty Commissions as Tools for Reform: Applying Lessons from Illinois and New Jersey to Understand the California Experience

In 2004, the California legislature established the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice, an independent commission charged with reviewing the administration of the state death penalty system, identifying systemic failings, and recommending legislative and administrative measures to address those failings. In its June 2008 final report, the Commission emphatically declared the California death penalty system “dysfunctional.” Although the Commission found flaws of constitutional magnitude endemic to the system, it failed to recommend alternatives – such as replacing the death sentence with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, or narrowing the list of special circumstance factors that render a criminal defendant eligible for the death sentence – that would strike at the root of the problems. Instead, the Commission recommended maintaining the current system and implementing a number of costly legislative, executive, and administrative reforms. California was not the first state to establish an independent commission to review the death penalty. More than fifteen states have created commissions tasked with reviewing and recommending fixes to state death penalty systems.
Die Entwicklung der modernen Führung

Ursprunglich war ein Fuhrer derjenige, der den Weg zeigte, auf dem die anderen folgten. Er fuhrte in dem schlichten Sinne, das er eine Tatigkeit verrichtete, die von seinen Nachfolgern getreu kopiert werden konnte. In diesem Sinne kann jemand andere auf einem Weg durch die Landschaft fuhren. Dieser Typus der Fuhrung hat noch kaum organisierende Funktion. Der Fuhrer ist ein Vorbild, dem man folgt. Es ist zweifelhaft, ob wir ein reines Beispiel solcher primitiven Fuhrerschaft in irgend einer, wenn auch noch so einfachen Gesellschaft finden konnen. Jedoch nahert sich mancher Fuhrer diesem Typus, und tatsachlich fehlt das Element der Nachahmung nur selten ganz. In einer kleinen industriellen Gruppe, wie z. B. der Relaisgruppe, gewinnt dasjenige Mitglied der Gruppe ein Ubergewicht uber die anderen, das neben anderen Fahigkeiten eine ausergewohnliche Geschicklichkeit bei der Arbeit entwickelt, welche die anderen ebenfalls erreichen mochten. Zeigt die Gruppe Interesse an ihrer Arbeit, dann wird derjenige der naturliche Fuhrer sein, der seine Arbeit nach dem Urteil der Gruppe am besten ausfuhrt. Jedenfalls wird der Fuhrer einer der besseren Arbeiter sein. Befindet sich die Gruppe in heftiger Opposition zu ihrer Betriebsleitung, wird sie dieser entgegenzuarbeiten versuchen. Dann wird der erfolgreiche Aufwiegler der Fuhrer, oder, treffender gesagt, der Radelsfuhrer der Guppe sein.
Deficient post-ictal cardiorespiratory compensatory mechanisms mediated by the periaqueductal gray may lead to death in a mouse model of SUDEP.

Abstract Post-ictal cardiorespiratory failure is implicated as a major cause of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in patients. The DBA/1 mouse model of SUDEP is abnormally susceptible to fatal seizure-induced cardiorespiratory failure (S-CRF) induced by convulsant drug, hyperthermia, electroshock, and acoustic stimulation. Clinical and pre-clinical studies have implicated periaqueductal gray (PAG) abnormalities in SUDEP. Recent functional neuroimaging studies observed that S-CRF resulted in selective changes in PAG neuronal activity in DBA/1 mice. The PAG plays a critical compensatory role for respiratory distress caused by numerous physiological challenges in non-epileptic individuals. These observations suggest that abnormalities in PAG-mediated cardiorespiratory modulation may contribute to S-CRF in DBA/1 mice. To evaluate this, electrical stimulation (20 Hz, 20–100 μA, 10 s) was presented in the PAG of anesthetized DBA/1 and C57BL/6 (non-epileptic) control mice, and post-stimulus changes in respiration [inter-breath interval (IBI)] and heart rate variability (HRV) were examined. The post-stimulus period was considered analogous to the post-ictal period when S-CRF occurred in previous DBA/1 mouse studies. PAG stimulation caused significant intensity-related decreases in IBI in both mouse strains. However, this effect was significantly reduced in DBA/1 vis-a-vis C57BL/6 mice. These changes began immediately following cessation of stimulation and remained significant for 10 s. This time period is critical for initiating resuscitation to successfully prevent seizure-induced death in previous DBA/1 mouse experiments. Significant post-stimulus increases in HRV were also seen at ≥60 μA in the PAG in C57BL/6 mice, which were absent in DBA/1 mice. These data along with previous neuroimaging findings suggest that compensatory cardiorespiratory modulation mediated by PAG is deficient, which may be important to the susceptibility of DBA/1 mice to S-CRF. These observations suggest that correcting this deficit pharmacologically or by electrical stimulation may help to prevent S-CRF. These findings further support the potential importance of PAG abnormalities to human SUDEP.
Microbiota control acute arterial inflammation and neointimal hyperplasia development after arterial injury

Background The microbiome has a functional role in a number of inflammatory processes and disease states. While neointimal hyperplasia development has been linked to inflammation, a direct role of the microbiota in neointimal hyperplasia has not yet been established. Germ-free (GF) mice are an invaluable model for studying causative links between commensal organisms and the host. We hypothesized that GF mice would exhibit altered neointimal hyperplasia following carotid ligation compared to conventionally raised (CONV-R) mice. Methods Twenty-week-old male C57BL/6 GF mice underwent left carotid ligation under sterile conditions. Maintenance of sterility was assessed by cultivation and 16S rRNA qPCR of stool. Neointimal hyperplasia was assessed by morphometric and histologic analysis of arterial sections after 28 days. Local arterial cell proliferation and inflammation was assessed by immunofluorescence for Ki67 and inflammatory cell markers at five days. Systemic inflammation was assessed by multiplex immunoassays of serum. CONV-R mice treated in the same manner served as the control cohort. GF and CONV-R mice were compared using standard statistical methods. Results All GF mice remained sterile during the entire study period. Twenty-eight days after carotid ligation, CONV-R mice had significantly more neointimal hyperplasia development compared to GF mice, as assessed by intima area, media area, intima+media area, and intima area/(intima+media) area. The collagen content of the neointimal lesions appeared qualitatively similar on Masson’s trichrome staining. There was significantly reduced Ki67 immunoreactivity in the media and adventitia of GF carotid arteries 5 days after ligation. GF mice also had increased arterial infiltration of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages compared to CONV-R mouse arteries and a reduced proportion of mature neutrophils. GF mice had significantly reduced serum IFN-γ-inducible protein (IP)-10 and MIP-2 5 days after carotid ligation, suggesting a reduced systemic inflammatory response. Conclusions GF mice have attenuated neointimal hyperplasia development compared to CONV-R mice, which is likely related to altered kinetics of wound healing and acute inflammation. Recognizing the role of commensals in the regulation of arterial remodeling will provide a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of restenosis and support strategies to treat or reduce restenosis risk by manipulating microbiota.
FES and Motor Assisted Cycling to Track Power and Cadence to Desired Voluntary Bounds

Abstract Cycling is a common rehabilitation exercise for people recovering from neurological impairments. Both functional electrical stimulation (FES) and a motor can assist a person in pedaling a cycle, and by switching amongst multiple muscle groups and a motor, a human-cycle system can track a desired power and cadence. However, with motivation to maximize physiological effects, the person should contribute volitionally as much as possible and be assisted only when necessary, which can be done by limiting cadence assistance to outside a desired region. Torque tracking to a single value is desired so that the muscle is being sufficiently exercised. In this paper, a human contributing torque through FES and volition works alongside an electric motor to instantaneously track cadence to a desired region and discretely track torque to a known bound for all time. Lyapunov methods are used to prove the stability of the switched system.
Adolescent understandings of disability labels and social stigma in school

AbstractFrequent discussion in the field of disability research focuses knowledge on rehabilitation for students with disabilities. However, lacking is a focus on student identity development in th...
A new oxoanion: [IO]3- containing I(V) with a stereochemically active lone-pair in the silver uranyl iodate tetraoxoiodate(V), Ag4(UO2)4(IO3)2(IO4)2O2 .

The hydrothermal reaction of elemental Ag, or water-soluble silver sources, with UO3 and I2O5 at 200 °C for 5 days yields Ag4(UO2)4(IO3)2(IO4)2O2 in the form of orange fibrous needles. Single-cryst...
Cost Variation in Temporizing External Fixation of Tibial Plateau Fractures.

BACKGROUND Rising health care expenditures and declining reimbursements have generated interest in providing interventions of value. The use of external fixation is a commonly used intermediate procedure for the staged treatment of unstable fractures. External fixator constructs can vary in design and costs based on selected component configuration. The objective of this study was to evaluate cost variation and relationships to injury and noninjury characteristics in temporizing external fixation of tibial plateau fractures. We hypothesize that construct costs are highly variable and present no noticeable patterns with both injury and noninjury characteristics. METHODS A retrospective review of tibial plateau fractures treated with initial temporizing external fixation between 2010 and 2016 at 2 Level I trauma centers was conducted. Fracture and patient characteristics including age, body mass index, AO/OTA classification, and Schatzker fracture classification were observed with construct cost. In addition, injury-independent characteristics of surgeon education, site of procedure, and date of procedure were evaluated with construct cost. Factors associated with cost variation were assessed using nonparametric comparative and goodness-of-fit regression tests. RESULTS Two hundred twenty-one patient cases were reviewed. The mean knee spanning fixator construct cost was $4947 (95% confidence interval = $4742-$5152). The overall range in construct costs was from $1848 to $11,568. The mean duration of use was 16.4 days. No strong correlations were noted between construct cost and patient demographics (r = 0.02), fracture characteristics (r = 0.02), or injury-independent characteristics (r = 0.10). Finally, there was no significant difference between constructs of traumatologists and other orthopaedic surgeon subspecialists (P = 0.12). CONCLUSIONS Temporizing external fixation of tibial plateau is a high-cost intervention per unit of time and exhibits massive variation in the mean cost. This presents an ideal opportunity for cost savings by reducing excessive variation in implant component selection. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III. Retrospective Cohort.
Effects of Silica-Based CimeXa and Drione Dusts Against Lone Star Tick (Ixodida: Ixodidae) on Cattle

Ixodid ticks vector pathogens of humans, livestock, and wildlife, and occur in tropical and temperate regions worldwide. We used the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Ixodida: Ixodidae), as a model for other ixodid species, including the southern cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini) (Ixodida: Ixodidae). We assessed the lethality of CimeXa, an inert silica-based desiccant dust, and Drione, a silica-based desiccant dust with pyrethrin and piperonyl butoxide (PBO), against A. americanum larvae and nymphs on calves. CimeXa was highly lethal to larvae released onto shaved calf skin 72–96 h previously, and moderately toxic to nymphs. It did not affect immature life stages treated after they began feeding because desiccation was offset by ingestion of blood. Being inert, CimeXa can protect cattle from infestation before feeding occurs for a potentially indefinite period of time. Drione killed immatures within 24 h when released on treated skin and when applied to feeding ixodids because of the pyrethrin and PBO (PBO will also reduce resistance to pyrethrin if it develops). When CimeXa was applied to calves with the hair intact, ≈90% and ≈70% of A. americanum larvae and nymphs, respectively, were killed within 24 h and Drione killed 100% of each life stage. Drione also prevented and drastically reduced egg production and hatching. While CimeXa protects against infestation by immatures, Drione will also control ticks that are feeding. When pyrethrin and PBO in Drione eventually degrade, the silica aerogel carrier can continue to protect against infestation indefinitely.
Traffic-based automatic detection of browser fingerprinting

Fingerprinting has been widely adopted by first- and third-party websites for the purpose of online tracking. It collects properties of operating systems, browsers, and even the hardware, for generating unique identifiers for visitors on websites. However, fingerprinting has raised both privacy and security concerns. In this paper, we present a traffic-based fingerprinting detection framework, FPExcavator. By analyzing the difference on values carried in outgoing requests from different browsers and machines, FPExcavator detects possible identifiers, as the generated fingerprints, in request header and payload. We implemented FPExcavator with OpenStack, Java, and some command scripts, and evaluated it on 100 websites in a lab setting and 100 websites selected from real-world. FPExcavator achieved 100% detection accuracy rate on 100 testing websites and 99% detection accuracy rate on 100 real-world websites. Meanwhile, it identified 12 new online tracking domains that have not been reported by previous research work. The evaluation results demonstrate that FPExcavator is useful and effective.
Applying a Developmental Lens to Educational Game Designs for Preschoolers

Preschool-aged learners process information differently from older individuals, making it critical to design digital educational games that are tailored to capitalize on young children's learning capabilities. This in-depth literature synthesis connects features of digital educational game design - including visuals, feedback, scaffolding challenge, rewards, and physical interactions to how young children learn. Preschoolers' interests and abilities (e.g., limited attention-span, early reading skills, etc.) are different than older users. As such, developmental science should be used to guide the design of educational games from aesthetic decisions that capture preschoolers' initial interest (e.g., meaningful characters) to carefully select end-of-game rewards (e.g., leveling up). This article connects learning and developmental science research to the design of digital educational games, offering insights into how best to design games for young users and how to select developmentally appropriate games for children.
Cell Engineering with Functional Poly(oxanorbornene) Block Copolymers

Cell-based therapies are gaining prominence in treating a wide variety of diseases and using synthetic polymers to manipulate these cells provides an opportunity to impart function that could not be achieved using solely genetic means. Herein, we describe the utility of functional block copolymers synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) that can insert directly into the cell membrane via the incorporation of long alkyl chains into a short polymer block leading to non-covalent, hydrophobic interactions with the lipid bilayer. Furthermore, we demonstrate that these polymers can be imbued with advanced functionalities. A photosensitizer was incorporated into these polymers to enable spatially controlled cell death by the localized generation of 1 O2 at the cell surface in response to red-light irradiation. In a broader context, we believe our polymer insertion strategy could be used as a general methodology to impart functionality onto cell-surfaces.
Measure What Matters: Lessons for Strategic Implementation in Psychosocial Oncology

Healthcare systems have historically underemphasized psychosocial care for patients with serious illnesses, meaning that clinicians and researchers in psychosocial oncology face considerable challe...
Aorto-bifemoral Graft in a Patient with Horseshoe Kidney

Direct aortic reconstruction for aortoiliac occlusive disease in the presence of a horseshoe kidney was performed following a failed crossover femoral-femoral graft with satisfactory outcome.
Prognostic impact of high stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTIL) in the absence of pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) in early stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

583Background: Pathologic complete response is an excellent surrogate for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in TNBC. High sTIL is associated with improved pCR rates in TNBC. Rec...
Persistent effects of fire severity on ponderosa pine regeneration niches and seedling growth

Abstract Several recent studies have documented how fire severity affects the density and spatial patterns of tree regeneration in western North American ponderosa pine forests. However, less is known about the effects of fire severity on fine-scale tree regeneration niche attributes such as understory plant composition and cover, surface fuel abundance, and soil properties, or how these attributes in turn affect regenerating ponderosa pine growth. Using 1-m2 plots centered on 360 ponderosa pine seedlings that regenerated naturally after the Pumpkin Fire in 2000 in Arizona, we quantified regeneration niche attributes 13 years post-fire and measured their associations with seedling growth 11–16 years post-fire. Plots were established in a) unburned, b) moderate-severity, and two types of high-severity (100% tree mortality) burns, either c) adjacent to residual live forest edges (high-severity edge plots), or d) >200 m from any residual live trees (high-severity interior plots). We found that all burned plots had greater understory plant species richness, percent cover of forbs, exotic plants and coarse wood, as well as higher soil pH, sand and gravel content, and lower soil clay content compared to unburned plots. High-severity burn plots had the greatest total understory plant and shrub cover, the most herbaceous fine fuel biomass, and tended to have the highest soil nitrogen content compared to other burn severity classes. Ponderosa pine growth (i.e., stem diameter at root collar (DRC) and length of terminal leader) was lowest in the unburned compared to burned plots, and ponderosa pine terminal leader growth was consistently greater in the high-severity edge plots compared to other severities. Finally, niche characteristics such as overstory tree canopy cover (−), soil phosphate (+), and cover of coarse wood (+), forbs (+), and the native grasses, mountain muhly (+) and squirreltail (−), were important explanatory variables of ponderosa pine growth. Exotic plant cover did not have a negative association with ponderosa pine growth. These results suggest that if ponderosa pine seeds can disperse and germinate, and if seedlings can survive the first few critical years after germination, then low overstory canopy cover and abundant forbs or coarse wood may be associated with increased growth rates. Alternatively, forbs may be responding to the same site benefits as the seedling; and abundant forbs, coarse wood, and fine fuels might also put seedlings at increased risk of mortality from subsequent fire, at least until they are taller and more fire resistant.
Automated Bystander Detection and Anonymization in Mobile Photography

As smartphones have become more popular in recent years, integrated cameras have seen a rise in use. This trend has negative implications for the privacy of the individual in public places. Those who are captured inadvertently in others’ pictures often have no knowledge of being included in a photograph nor have any control over how the photos of them might be distributed. To address this growing issue, we propose a novel system for protecting the privacy of bystanders captured in public photos. A fully automated approach to accurately distinguish the intended subjects of photos from strangers is first explored. To accurately distinguish these subjects and bystanders, we develop a feature-based classification approach utilizing entire photos. Additionally, we consider the privacy-minded case of only utilizing local face images with no contextual information from the original image by developing a convolutional neural network-based classifier. Considering the face to be the most sensitive and identifiable portion of a bystander, both classifiers are utilized to form an estimation of facial feature locations which can then be obfuscated to protect bystander privacy. We implement and compare three methods of facial anonymization: black boxing, Gaussian blurring, and pose-tolerant face swapping. To validate and explore the viability of these anonymization methods, a comprehensive user survey is conducted to understand the difference in appeal and viability between them.