cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF ARTHROPODS AND FRUITS IN FORAGING BEHAVIOR OF OMNIVOROUS TANAGERS (THRAUPIDAE): THE COMPARISON OF THREE METHODS

Abstract I quantified the foraging ecology of omnivorous Tangara tanagers with three methods commonly used in the study of foraging behavior. The relative importance of two food types, arthropods and fruits, varied largely depending on which method was used for data analyses. Arthropod foraging was more important than fruit foraging when calculated using the duration of foraging. In contrast, fruit foraging was more important when characterized by the food taken at initial observation and the total number of food items taken. This bias was probably caused by the difference in distribution and abundance of these two food types. Although numerous studies have used the frequency of initial observations to quantify bird foraging behavior, this method tends to underestimate the importance of highly rewarding but scarce food types in time budgets and tends to overestimate the same food type in the number of food items in birds' diets. Importancia Relativa de Artropodos y Frutos en el Comportamiento de Forrajeo ...
Safe Compositional Equation-based Modeling of Constrained Flow Networks

Numerous domains exist in which systems can be modeled as networks with constraints that regulate the flow of traffic. Smart grids, vehicular road travel, computer networks, and cloud-based resource distribution, among others all have natural representations in this manner. As these systems grow in size and complexity, analysis and certification of safety invariants becomes increasingly costly. The NetSketch formalism and toolset introduce a lightweight framework for constraint-based modeling and analysis of such flow networks. NetSketch offers a processing method based on type-theoretic notions that enables large scale safety verification by allowing for compositional, as opposed to whole-system, analysis. Furthermore, by applying types to the modeled networks, analysis of composite modules containing incomplete or underspecified components can be conducted. The NetSketch tool exposes the power of this formalism in an intuitive web-based graphical user interface. We describe the NetSketch formalism and tool, a translation from an instantiation of the NetSketch formalism to the equation-based modeling language Modelica, and the development of an accompanying Haskell library, HModelica, that enables the integration of NetSketch and the OpenModelica modeling platform.
Controlled Growth of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes from a Line Patterned Mesoporous Silica Template

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with controlled orientation and diameter (1-4 nm) were grown from thermally stable, highly ordered mesoporous SiO2 thin films by methane chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Controlled incorporation of Fe precursor into pore channels of the mesoporous SiO2 by a sol-gel process results in a nanostructure catalytically active for CNT growth and stable to typical CVD temperatures. Growth of CNTs starts within the mesoporous SiO2, whose pore direction and pore dimension play an important role in the orientation and diameter of the CNTs at the early stage of the growth. Lateral growth results in a parallel assembly of CNTs with controlled tube dimension from a line-micropatterned mesoporous SiO2 film fabricated by soft-lithography.
Simulating International Conflict: A Comparison of Three Approaches

More obviously than most other recent research methodologies, simulation techniques for the study of politics variously blend intuition, science, and value judgments. Such techniques range from gaming possible future international crises with professional diplomats to discussions with a wholly computerized Barry Goldwater. As dynamic but artificial realizations of political processes, simulation models lend themselves to all kinds of analyses: philosophers and policy scientists may use them to clarify goals or to invent and appraise policy alternatives, while empirically-oriented simulators seek generally to describe and explain political behavior.
Needle-Shaped Crystals: Causality and Solvent Selection Guidance Based on Periodic Bond Chains

Needle-shaped crystals, typified by aspect ratios of (1:1:100–1000) are often the steady-state growth shapes in the crystallization of active pharmaceutical ingredients from solution. Crystals with such high aspect ratio shapes are troublesome in the subsequent processing steps required in the formation of a drug product. Therefore, the ability to design crystallizations that directly avoid the formation of needles is of significant interest. In this article, a causality for the formation of needles and guidance for solvent selection based on this causality are provided. The causality presented in this article was formed based on a spiral growth model and requires the presence of a single strongest periodic bond chain within the lattice that is parallel to the direction of elongation of the crystal. The article provides a method for predicting the formation of a needle for a given solute–solvent system based on this causality. Furthermore, three case studies are provided that demonstrate good agreement be...
Coaches’ perspectives on teaching life skills to underserved South African children and youth

This study examines life skills taught by sport coaches working with children and youth in underserved areas in South Africa. A total of 19 coaches participated in five focus groups with coaches di...
Quantifying the Effects of Cell Division on Mass Redistribution Dynamics in Multicellular Clusters using Live Cell Interferometry

Cell division is a biomechanical process that both drives and responds to mechanical perturbations. For example, cell division in a confluent monolayer can induce long-range changes in surrounding cells, and the rate of endothelial cell division rate can be modulated by shear forces imposed by external flow. Conventional optical microscopy methods for measuring cell migration during and in response to cell division quantify these events in terms of length and time, or in terms of rate (change in length over time), using phase contrast or fluorescence microscopy. However, a complete mechanical profile of all biophysical parameters also requires measurement of mass, the third fundamental physical property relevant to intracellular biophysics behind length and time, excluding charge and spin which are not applicable to measurements of cell migration. Live cell interferometry (LCI) uses quantitative phase microscopy to measure cell mass, mass accumulation rate, and mass distribution within single cells or multicellular clusters. In previous work we used LCI to quantify the rate of cell migration within colonies, mass redistribution in daughter cells during mitosis, and the spatial coordination of mass motion in multicellular clusters. Here, we employ temporal autocorrelation, which measures the homogeneity of a time-dependent quantity, to measure the rate of change in colony and cell mass distributions over time. Our data show the dynamic nature of mass redistribution throughout the cell cycle and the dependence of this motion on cell division. Combined with measurements of the mass and distribution of mass within single cells or multicellular clusters, LCI therefore enables quantification of the change in energy dissipation rate due to cell division, and also provides a platform for future studies of the mechanics of cell-cell interactions.
New directions in dietary studies and heart disease: the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute sponsored Multicenter Study of Diet Effects on Lipoproteins and Thrombogenic Activity.

Although many clinical studies of dietary effects on plasma lipids and lipoproteins have been conducted during the past 30 years, significant issues remain to be clarified. Previous studies have often lacked adequate sample size and or dietary control, and the diets used have either been extreme in composition or comprised of liquid formulas. Additionally, most of the subjects studied to date have been young white males; very little is known about the relative efficacies of prudent diets in African Americans or in women. The issue of differential responsiveness to diet in pre- and post-menopausal females must also be addressed. Finally, almost nothing is known about the effects of diet on thrombotic factors and activity in humans. To address these issues, a National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute-sponsored multi-center study of the effects of varying levels of dietary saturated fat on plasma lipids, lipoproteins and thrombogenic activities is underway. It is the first of several studies to be conducted under this initiative.
Kinds of best world

L'A. s'interroge sur le concept du paradis, compris comme monde meilleur dans les differentes religions. Penser le paradis reflete differents aspects de la constitution du monde dans trois dimensions : spatiale, temporelle et causale.
Sensor Network Management Through Fitness Function Design In Multi-Objective Optimization

Multi-objective optimization can support sensor network management by taking advantage of the many degrees of freedom available in controlling the sensors. Fitness function design is the key to increasing efficient use of the sensors complete a successful mission. This paper discusses applying fitness functions to model performance parameter decisions. Performance constraints can be introduced preventing solutions with fatal performance flaws from being considered as well as decreasing run-time. Also, the system's tolerance to missing performance goals may be increased or decreased by taking advantage of the weights in goal programming equations. The swarm can be designed to reduce run-time for real-time applications as well as improving the system's performance mismatches in key areas through the introduction of limits and performance weights in the fitness function.
Motility After Small Bowel and Colonic Surgery

Surgery of the small intestine and colon is commonly performed in children for a variety of indications ranging from congenital anatomic abnormalities to need for enteral feeding access to underlying motility disorders. Under most circumstances, non-emergent operations allow time for a multidisciplinary team approach between surgeons and gastroenterologists to devise a thorough preoperative diagnostic strategy. Unfortunately, abdominal catastrophes such as malrotation with volvulus often preclude the luxury of time before surgery necessitating a strong relationship between surgeon and gastroenterologist to address the potential consequences of such an event. In both cases, the motility of the small bowel and colon remains a critical feature that often predicts the success of an operation and, most importantly, the prognosis of the patient. This chapter aims to address several of the more prevalent motility disorders observed in children after small bowel and colonic surgery.
Examples of Modeling the Process of Choice

Imagine the following situation. Two soldiers are captured by an enemy who knows that they possess important information and tries to force them to collaborate. We assume that for both soldiers the alternative ‘not to collaborate’ plays the role of the positive pole, and ‘to collaborate’ that of the negative pole. We also assume that the pressure at the moment of interrogation is so high that x 1=0, and, since the soldiers know in advance what to expect in captivity, x 2=0 as well. Within the framework of this scenario we will analyze four cases (Lefebvre, 1999).
Neuropilin-2/PlexinA3 Receptors Associate with GluA1 and Mediate Sema3F-Dependent Homeostatic Scaling in Cortical Neurons

Regulation of AMPA-type glutamate receptor (AMPAR) number at synapses is a major mechanism for controlling synaptic strength during homeostatic scaling in response to global changes in neural activity. We show that the secreted guidance cue semaphorin 3F (Sema3F) and its neuropilin-2 (Npn-2)/plexinA3 (PlexA3) holoreceptor mediate homeostatic plasticity in cortical neurons. Sema3F-Npn-2/PlexA3 signaling is essential for cell surface AMPAR homeostatic downscaling in response to an increase in neuronal activity, Npn-2 associates with AMPARs, and Sema3F regulates this interaction. Therefore, Sema3F-Npn-2/PlexA3 signaling controls both synapse development and synaptic plasticity.
Integrated photovoltaic and battery energy storage (PV-BES) systems: An analysis of existing financial incentive policies in the US

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of existing financial incentive policies in the U.S. for integrated photovoltaic and battery energy storage (PV-BES) systems. A mathematical model of PV-BES system to evaluate annual energy performance is developed in this paper. Four types of buildings (i.e., hospital, large office, large hotel, and secondary school) located in four different states, which each has their own PV and/or BES incentives, are selected and analyzed. Based on the energy performance data for each building type, the simply payback period (PBP) for the PV-BES system in different locations is calculated according to the local incentive policies. The PBP is chosen as an indicator to evaluate the effectiveness of incentive policies for different locations and building types by comparing it to the PBP for the same PV-BES systems without incentive policies. The reduction of carbon dioxide emission (CDE) due to the PV generation is also investigated since it indicates the potential to reduce the PBP for a further step when a high carbon credit is available. Furthermore, a parametric analysis is conducted to determine the sensitivity and contribution of parameters such as the capacity of the PV-BES system, the capital cost of PV module and the battery storage on the performance of the PV-BES system. Results show that for all the evaluated buildings in California and Hawaii, the existing incentive policy could reduce the PBP effectively below 10 years. However, the PBP for most of the evaluated buildings in New Jersey and New York were high even when both the PV and BES incentive policies were taken into account (approximately from 11 to 29 years).
Chinese Student Success in an Applied Academic Environment

From 2003 to 2009, five cohorts of students from the People’s Republic of China earned a Master of Public Administration degree after 6 to 12 weeks of intensive English study and were exempted from the requirement to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Although students “understood” the English words, they struggled to use the materials and understand the classroom environment. Contextual meanings, group work, speaking in class, and applications-based exercises proved difficult for the Chinese students. Further, the expectations of the American MPA program constrained the students who were not prepared to provide what the instructors expected of them until we provided what they expected of us. When faculty pay close attention to the context of their classroom, the Chinese learner can construct knowledge and succeed in an applied academic environment.
Measuring Pressure in the Diabetic Foot

Diabetic foot ulcers remain a common complication due to their multifactorial etiology. A number of advances have been made in the treatment of these chronic wounds, however, the common underlying theme of reducing pressure as paramount to healing persists as a fundamental principle. Measurement of plantar foot pressures have taken many forms, beginning with crude techniques of an ink impregnated mat and evolving into more complex computer technology employing microprocessor recording devices. These devices typically measure peak plantar pressures which are easily determined and quantifiable. What has been more difficult to evaluate, and perhaps more valuable in providing plantar tissue fatigue information and ultimately ulceration, are the shear forces on the foot. Despite this limitation, data from plantar peak pressure forces have yielded several interventions promoted for the reduction of pressures related to wound persistence. These interventions have included socks, insoles, felted foam dressings, removable cast walkers, and total contact casts, Each pressure reducing device varies in terms of effectiveness in wound healing, with total contact cast demonstrating the greatest success, but with the caveat of time intensiveness and secondary complications.
Putting It All Together: The Four Pillars of the Contemporary Diagnostic Interview

The modern child and adolescent psychiatrist is well trained, familiar, and comfortable with the use of the structured DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, APA 2013) interview style. In some contexts, an even more structured interview may be desired, and several well-validated tools are available to achieve this, including the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID) and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children: Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL ), which have both been demonstrated to have high levels of interrater and test–retest reliability. Thus, our assertion is not that these methods are invalid or unreliable; rather, they are somewhat limited when seen within the context of a contemporary two-person relational psychology model in understanding human behavior and psychopathology.
Selection for postweaning growth in inbred Hereford cattle: the Fort Keogh, Montana line 1 example

Demographic characteristics and genetic trends in birth weight and pre- and postweaning ADG were examined in a population of Hereford cattle (Line 1). Line 1 was founded largely from two paternal half-sib sires and has been selected for postweaning growth. There were pedigree records on 951 members of the base population that predated 1935, when data collection began. Numbers of records analyzed using mixed-model methodology were 4,716 birth weight, 4,427 preweaning ADG, and 3,579 postweaning ADG. Birth weight and preweaning ADG were considered to have direct and maternal genetic components. Inbreeding accumulated rapidly from 1935 to 1960 and more slowly (.22%/yr) thereafter. Any reduction in additive genetic variance due to inbreeding and selection may have been offset by a concurrent reduction in generation interval that was observed as time progressed. Expected selection differential for 365-d weight, averaged over sexes, was 31.2 kg per generation. For birth weight, annual genetic trends in direct and maternal effects were 42 +/- 3 g and 15 +/- 3 g, respectively. Annual direct and maternal genetic trends for preweaning ADG were .70 +/- .06 g/d and .63 +/- .06 g/d, respectively. Direct response in postweaning ADG was linear and equal to 5.3 +/- .6 g.d-1.yr-1. As a result, estimated breeding values of birth weight, 200-d weight, and 365-d weight increased by 3.2 kg, 14.5 kg, and 62.4 kg, respectively, from 1935 to 1989. Selection within Line 1 was effective in increasing genetic potential for growth over 13 generations. No selection plateau was observed in any of the traits examined.
Design and Numerical Analysis of an Externally Heated Geothermal Bridge Deck

In winter, ice and snow on pavement slabs and bridge decks cause serious driving conditions to motorist both in safety and ability to accelerate and clime grade. Geothermal energy has gradually emerged as a new heating source for heating bridge decks and pavements to keep bridges and roads free of snow and ice in winter. However, current geothermal bridge deicing design and studies mostly focus on new bridges that hydronic loops are embedded in concrete deck during construction phase, which is considered as internal heating. This paper presents a conceptual design and numerical analyses of external geothermal bridge deck heating that the hydronic loops are attached to the bottom of bridge deck and encapsulated in a layer of geofoam. A series of parametric analyses is performed to investigate the principles of external heating process. The controlling factors, such as ambient temperature, inlet temperature, wind speed, flow velocity, and foam thickness are considered. The results show that the temperature of the proposed external heated bridge deck can rise above freezing in mild winters through heating for at least 3 h. Limitations of the design are also discussed that the proposed heating system would be unfeasible in the area where the ambient temperature and inlet temperature are lower than −2 and 12 °C, respectively, and wind speed is higher than 6 m/s. It is also found that foam thickness slightly affects the heating process.
Affliction or Affection: The Inclusion of a Same-Sex Relationship in The Last of Us

The Last of Us is a video game that is a notable artifact of study because the creators intentionally wrote queer characters and a same-sex relationship between two teenage girls into the core of the franchise’s narrative. In examining the portrayal of these queered characters and same-sex relationship in the post-apocalyptic horror survival video game through a queer theory, this study found each of the three queered characters were written complexly with backstories and motivations. Although the representation of characters Bill, Ellie, and Riley are generally positive, foundational story narratives and interviews with voice actors weaken the efforts of the Naughty Dog video game company in producing a text that completely embraces its LGBT-friendly intentions.
Validation of Questionnaire Methods to Quantify Recreational Water Ingestion

Swimming pool water ingestion volumes are necessary for assessing infection risk from swimming. Pool water ingestion volumes can be estimated by questionnaire or measuring a chemical tracer in swimmer urine. Questionnaires are often preferred to the chemical tracer method because surveys are less time consuming, but no research exists validating questionnaires accurately quantify pool water ingestion volumes. The objective of this study was to explore if questionnaires are a reliable tool for collecting pool water ingestion volumes. A questionnaire was issued at four pool sites in Tucson, Arizona to 46 swimmers who also submitted a urine sample for analyzing cyanuric acid, a chemical tracer. Perceived ingestion volumes reported on the questionnaire were compared with pool water ingestion volumes, quantified by analyzing cyanuric acid in swimmer urine. Swimmers were asked if they swallowed (1) no water or only a few drops, (2) one to two mouthfuls, (3) three to five mouthfuls, or (4) six to eight mouthfuls. One mouthful is the equivalent of 27 mL of water. The majority (81%) of swimmers ingested 27 mL ("one mouthful") on the questionnaire. More than half (52%) of swimmers overestimated their ingestion volume. These findings suggest swimmers are over-estimating pool water ingestion because they perceive one mouthful is <27 mL. The questionnaire did not reliably collect pool water ingestion volumes and should be improved for future exposure assessment studies. Images of the ingestion volume categories should be included on the questionnaire to help swimmers visualize the response options.
Reminiscences of Steve Fienberg

My professional relationship with Steve began in the early 1990s, when I came to NISS as Associate Director and he was a member of the Board of Trustees. We sometimes disagreed, or perhaps more accurately, I failed to grasp his wisdom. Something must have worked, though, because Steve also chaired the committee that selected me to be Director of NISS. Our scientific collaboration arose in late 1990s, when I was PI, and he co-PI, on two grants from NSF's Digital Government initiative. These grants, as did the entire collaboration, stemmed from Steve's fervent belief that deep mathematics can be brought to bear on pressing personal and societal problems. The first had to do with web-based query systems now known as restricted data access systems (RDAS), and specifically with table servers. We were frontiersmen together in formulating and applying risk-utility frontiers, released table frontiers and unreleasable table frontiers. With his usual prescience, Steve knew before data breaches were daily news that privacy and confidentiality are major concerns. We wrote only a few papers together, but we exchanged sometimes wildly complementary ideas for more than twenty years. I still remember a meeting with a number of federal statistical agencies at which what I proposed as a risk measure was exactly what Steve construed as a utility measure. From the science grew a multi-year, multi-continent friendship that drew in Joyce and Senora as well. It mattered not whether the last encounter was three weeks or three years ago. Sadly, only one of the four of us now remains, but in keeping with the advice of Dr. Seuss, instead of crying because what ended, I smile because what happened.
Realization of a Just Peace and the First Question of Power

Reardon argues that the achievement of peace and justice cannot be realized without a fundamental change “in the distribution and locus of power in the world order and the global economic system”, and that a “democratic redistribution of power,” is a necessary condition for its realization (Reardon 2018).
Are we choosing wisely in elderly females with breast cancer

Abstract Background The Choosing Wisely Organization and the American College of Surgeons have issued recommendations for patients >70 with breast cancer involving screening and use of radiation therapy (RT) and sentinel lymph node biopsies (SNLB) in early stage tumors. This study evaluated compliance and implementation of these recommendations. Methods A database of patients undergoing breast cancer surgery was retrospectively queried from 2002 to 2017. Patients were divided into cohorts before and after the year of each guideline publication. Results The rate of presentation on mammography was not different before 2009 (65%) vs. after 2009 (66%). RT was given to 57% of patients with T1 ER + Her2-prior to 2013 vs. 27% after (p= Conclusion Rates of mammography detected breast cancer have not decreased but adjuvant RT and SLNB are less frequently performed in low risk breast cancer in the elderly.
A real-time system for visualizing tongue position during vowel phonation

A real-time system to estimate and visualize the position of the tongue during vowel phonation is presented. The system uses Linear Predictive Coding (LPC) to track formants F1–F3 of input speech frames. An algorithm proposed by Ladefoged et al. is used to map formants F1–F3 to tongue position [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 64, 1027 (1978)]. 2-D visualizations of the tongue are created with cubic splines, which are rendered each input frame to create a real-time animation. The proposed system could serve as a pedagogical tool for language learners and singers by providing visual feedback of the inner mechanics of the vocal tract during vowel phonation.
Visualizing the impact of chloride addition on the microscopic carrier dynamics of MAPbI3 thin films using femtosecond transient absorption microscopy.

The spatial heterogeneity of carrier dynamics in mixed halide perovskite CH3NH3PbI3−xClx thin films with a range of different chloride additions is mapped using femtosecond transient absorption microscopy (TAM). The comparison of TAM images of fibrous and granular polycrystalline CH3NH3PbI3−xClx films indicates that the impact of chloride addition on the local heterogeneity of carrier dynamics is highly dependent on the film preparation method and the resulting morphology. In addition to signals of pristine CH3NH3PbI3, CH3NH3PbI3−xClx films with a fibrous structure show long-lived excited state absorption (ESA) signals in localized, microscopic regions. The ESA signal exhibits transient absorption with a rise time of about 5 ps after the excitation pulse, indicating that these distinct micrograins have preferential carrier trapping properties. The chemical composition of these micrograins does not differ detectably from their surroundings. In contrast, in CH3NH3PbI3−xClx films with a granular structure, Cl addition does not seem to affect the charge carrier dynamics. These results provide insight into the localized effects of halide mixing and on the resulting photophysical properties of mixed halide perovskite materials on the micrometer length scale.
World-class athletic performance and genetic endowment.

Individual differences in physical performance in the sedentary state and in response to exercise training have been observed in rodent and human studies. The genomic variants underlying these genetic components are unknown. Nonetheless, without a rich genetic endowment, world-class athletic performance is out of reach.
Assessing the effectiveness of Chagas disease education for healthcare providers in the United States.

Chagas disease is a zoonotic infection caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which affects an estimated 8–11 million people globally. Chagas disease is almost always associated with poverty in rural areas and disproportionately impacts immigrants from Latin America living in the United States. Approximately 20–30% of people who are infected with Chagas disease will develop a chronic form of the infection that can be fatal if left untreated. Chagas disease is vastly underestimated in the United States, often goes undiagnosed and is not well understood by most U.S. healthcare providers. One of the most important ways at reducing barriers to improving diagnostics of Chagas disease in the U.S. is giving healthcare providers the most up-to-date information and access to leading experts. An online webinar was conducted for healthcare providers, veterinarians and public health professionals using Chagas disease expert panelists. Pre and post tests were administered to participants (n = 57) to determine the efficacy in raising awareness and to determine key focus areas for improving knowledge. A Wilcoxon rank-sum was used for non-parametric variables equivalent and for questions that assessed knowledge the McNemar’s Chi-Square test was used. There were statistically significant learning increases in multiple categories including transmission (p = <.001), clinical presentation (p = 0.016), diagnostics (p = <.001), and treatment (p = <.001). Providing easily accessible learning opportunities using validated testing and evaluations should be further developed for rural healthcare providers in the U.S. as well as healthcare providers serving under represented populations such as immigrants. There is a clear lack of knowledge and awareness surrounding Chagas disease in the United States and just by raising awareness and providing education on the topic, lives will be saved.
Failure of Complete Endothelialization of a Watchman Device 3 Years Post-Implantation.

Abstract We report an unusual case of incomplete endothelialization of the Watchman device >3 years after its implantation. Animal data suggest that device endothelialization occurs ∼45 days post-i...
Linguistic Evidence for Script Relativity

Using the universal grammar of reading and the system accommodation hypothesis (Perfetti, 2003) as theoretical frameworks, this chapter reviews a wide range of linguistic evidence that supports script relativity. Universality and specificity found according to script features are discussed with respect to the operating principle (alphabet vs. logography), psycholinguistic gran size (phoneme vs. syllable), graph configuration (linearity vs. block), symbolic representation (arbitrariness vs. iconic quality), graph complexity (traditional characters vs. simplified characters), and multi-script representation (phonogram Kana vs. Ideogram Kanji). Linguistic skills associated with reading in terms of orthography, phonology, morphology as well as cross-linguistic and cross-scriptal transfer are reviewed. Next, based on the reviewed literature, each criterion for causality from script to cognition through reading as a multifaceted cognitive activity is checked. Although the existing literature did not aim to directly test script relativity, research findings collectively suggest script effects on readers’ thought and cognition.
Nausea, Heartburn, Indigestion, Upset Stomach...Salicylate Toxicity?

Salicylates are among the oldest and most widely used medications to date. They are commonly used for their antipyretic, analgesic, and antithrombotic properties. Even though aspirin or ASA is the most well-known form of salicylate, there are many formulations that can be found over-the-counter. These include salicylic acid, methyl salicylate, and bismuth subsalicylate, which can all cause severe toxicity when ingested or absorbed through skin. In the U.S., there are greater than 20,000 salicylate exposures reported annually in the pediatric population. Majority of these exposures are related …
95332 Intestinal inflammation and altered gut microbiota associated with inflammatory bowel disease render mice susceptible to Clostridioides difficile colonization and infection

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Use of this novel murine model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and C. difficile infection (CDI) will aid in developing new clinical approaches to predict, diagnose, and treat CDI in the IBD population. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: IBD is associated with intestinal inflammation and alterations of the gut microbiota, both of which can diminish colonization resistance to C. difficile. Here, we sought to determine if IBD is sufficient to render mice susceptible to C. difficile colonization and infection in the absence of other perturbations, such as antibiotic treatment. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: C57BL/6 IL-10-/- mice were colonized with Helicobacter hepaticus to trigger colonic inflammation akin to human IBD. Control mice, not colonized with H. hepaticus, were pretreated with the antibiotic cefoperazone to render the gut microbiota susceptible to CDI. Mice were then gavaged with spores of the toxigenic C. difficile strain VPI 10463 and monitored for C. difficile colonization and disease. The fecal microbiota at the time of C. difficile exposure was profiled by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and analyzed using mothur. Statistical analyses were performed using R. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Mice with IBD harbored significantly distinct intestinal microbial communities compared to non-IBD controls at the time of C. difficile spore exposure (14 days post-IBD trigger). Mice with IBD were susceptible to persistent C. difficile colonization, while genetically identical non-IBD controls were resistant to C. difficile colonization. Concomitant IBD and CDI was associated with significantly worse clinical and intestinal disease than unaccompanied IBD. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: Patients with IBD who develop concurrent CDI experience increased morbidity and mortality. These studies in a novel mouse model of IBD and CDI emphasize the dual importance of host responses and alterations of the gut microbiota in susceptibility to C. difficile colonization and infection in the setting of IBD.
Recurrence of Pathologically Proven Papillary Fibroelastoma.

Abstract Background Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is the most common primary benign cardiac tumor. Because PFEs have the potential to embolize, they often are surgically excised. Prior studies have suggested that postoperative recurrence of PFE is rare or does not occur. We aimed to determine the rate at which PFEs recurred after surgical removal and to identify any risk factors associated with recurrence. Methods We retrospectively identified all patients from a single center with pathologically proven PFE, treated from January 1995 through December 2018. Patients were included in the study if they had an echocardiographic examination at least 1 year after surgery. We compared echocardiographic images obtained intraoperatively (after excision) and at dismissal with those of the most recent examination to assess the possibility of PFE recurrence. Results We included 98 patients in the study. The mean (SD) duration of follow-up was 5.4 (3.7) years (range, 1-17 years); the median duration of follow-up was 4.3 years (interquartile range, 1.9-7.7 years). Twelve patients (12.2%) had echocardiographically supported PFE recurrence. Three patients had the recurrent lesion surgically re-excised, and pathologic analysis showed that 2 were recurrent PFEs and 1 was a Lambl excrescence. Initial clinical presentation of stroke or transient ischemic attack was more common for the recurrence group (for the first PFE) than for the nonrecurrence group (83% vs 26%; P Conclusions Contrary to findings from previous studies, PFEs do recur after surgical excision. These findings emphasize the importance of postoperative follow-up with transesophageal echocardiography for identifying recurrent masses.
Anesthesia for Fetal Neurosurgery

Intrauterine fetal intervention is a relatively new and rapidly expanding field of surgery. The scope of fetal neurosurgery has grown considerably with the diagnostic, surgical and anesthetic advancements in the last decade. This involves a multidisciplinary team approach with careful considerations to both the maternal and fetal well-being in a highly specialized setting. Intrauterine meningomyelocele repair is the most commonly performed fetal neurosurgical intervention. In this chapter, we discuss the different surgical approaches, relevant maternal and fetal physiological considerations and the anesthetic management of the fetal meningomyelocele repair.
You Play a Sport, Right? A Persistent and Pernicious Intersectional Bias in Categorization of Students vs. Student-Athletes.

Black male students on college campuses report being frequently misperceived as student-athletes. Across three studies, we tested the role of perceivers’ racial and gendered biases in categorizatio...
Monitoring Multi-Decadal Variations of Urban Heat Island Intensity

Urban development and associated land cover transitions alter the thermal and physical properties of the land surface, resulting the temperature in urban area higher than in rural area or urban heat island (UHI). Remote sensing and land cover data is usually used to assess UHI intensity and temporal change trends. In this study, we implemented a prototype approach to characterize the UHI intensity and its spatiotemporal variation using the recently available time series of Landsat land surface temperature products and annual land change information. We analyzed land surface temperature change in urban and surrounding non-urban lands to quantify the UHI intensity and change in the Atlanta and Sioux Falls metropolitan areas of the United States. Our results suggested that the land cover type in rural areas and urban imperviousness cover determine UHI intensity and the urban land cover dynamics plays a major role in controlling temporal trend of UHI.
Sequencing and cloning of human prolylcarboxypeptidase (angiotensinase C). Similarity to both serine carboxypeptidase and prolylendopeptidase families.

Prolylcarboxypeptidase, a lysosomal serine carboxypeptidase, cleaves COOH-terminal amino acids linked to proline, as in angiotensin II and III and [des-Arg9] bradykinin. About 25% of the enzyme protein was sequenced, and the complete sequence was deduced from its human kidney cDNA. The cDNA insert contained an open reading frame of 1488 base pairs coding for a protein of 496 residues. The authentic NH2-terminal sequence matched the deduced protein sequence starting with residue 46, suggesting the presence of both a signal and propeptide. The mature enzyme (451 residues) has a calculated M(r) = 51,043, whereas the M(r) of the purified glycoprotein is 58,000, indicating 12% carbohydrate. The overall sequence identity with serine peptidases is low (10-18%), but sequences around residues of the putative catalytic triad (Ser134, Asp333, His411) are similar (30-67%) to both the serine carboxypeptidases (e.g. deamidase or lysosomal protective protein, yeast carboxypeptidase Y, and KEX1 gene product) and the prolylendopeptidase family. Thus, prolylcarboxypeptidase links these two families, suggesting an evolutionary relationship. It is inhibited (Ki = 2.6 x 10(-7) M) by benzyloxycarbonyl-Pro-prolinal, a specific inhibitor of prolylendopeptidase, another angiotensin metabolizing enzyme. Prolylcarboxypeptidase contains serine or threonine residues repeated as the 26th residue 7 out of 9 times, with identical or similar amino acids in other positions in the repeats. The KEX1 gene product contains a similar motif, with serine or threonine as every 27th residue. The importance of prolylcarboxypeptidase is strongly suggested by its presence in various organs and cells and by the substrates it cleaves.
The 1990 GM Sunrayce USA: a summary

This student design and competition event involved 32 university teams from North America which built and raced solar cars along a 1644 mile route from Florida to Michigan. General Motors was the major sponsor of the event and Chevrolet, the Department of Energy, and the Society of Automotive Engineers were cosponsors. After three days of solar car inspections and testing, the school teams began eleven days of racing. The average race day covered about 165 miles and included a mandatory pit stop at the halfway point. The solar cars were allowed two hours of solar charge before and after each race day. The universities of Michigan, Western Washington, and Maryland were the top three finishers. The race had 32 winners, as evidenced by the fact that the schools produced operating solar cars which delighted and inspired the thousands of youngsters who saw them.
Learning Opportunities in Field Practica

Abstract A study of 118 students in a Masters of Social Work program investigated learning opportunities in field practica and how they are related to indicators of student outcome. Learning opportunities included engaging in specific professional skills (engaging in specific skills, allocation of time, and numbers of client contacts) and educational learning activities such as getting conceptual frameworks or feedback on their work. Indicators of student outcome included self-evaluation of performance and satisfaction with practicum. Students completed a questionnaire about their field placements. Those who practiced specific skills more evaluated their performance as better but were not more satisfied with their practica. For educational learning activities, students given more work to do on their own evaluated their performance as better. They were more satisfied if they used more conceptual frameworks and more emphasis on both cognitive and emotional learning. Allocation of time in the practicum and n...
Abstract P240: Increased Aerobic Fitness is associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in a High Cardiovascular Disease Risk Occupational Cohort Independent of Significant Weight Loss

Background: Studies have demonstrated that improving physical fitness is associated with weight loss and improvement in cardio-metabolic risk profile. However, the effect of improvement in aerobic fitness on metabolic risk in the absence of significant weight loss in a high risk working population is poorly understood. We examined efficacy of both weight reduction and increased aerobic fitness on metabolic syndrome in an ongoing multicomponent lifestyle intervention improvement program (My Unlimited Potential (myUP)), among employees of Baptist Health South Florida (BHSF). Methods: The study population included 158 participants who had at least 2 metabolic risk factors at baseline. An advanced nurse practitioner, registered dietician, exercise physiologist, certified diabetic educator, and registered nurse met with participants to provide one-on-one counseling and fitness training. During the first 12 weeks the multidisciplinary team rigorously supervised participants. Results: Over the 12 week period, there was a significant increase in METS (median difference 2.7; IQR 1.4 to 3.4 p Conclusion: Improvements in respiratory fitness as can be seen with exercise, even in the absence of significant weight loss, is associated with significant reduction in cardiometabolic risk. In an intensive lifestyle modification interventional program aimed at CVD risk reduction, emphasis should be placed at increasing physical fitness, not only on weight loss.
Reduction of Visual Complexity in Dynamic Graphs

Graphs are used extensively in software visualization to represent both static aspects of software structure and dynamic aspects of execution-time behavior. However, for realistic subject software systems, there are far too many nodes and edges in the displayed graphs to be comprehensible to an end user. Further, for presentation of dynamics, continual change and redisplay of such large graphs is too demanding for conventional workstation computational resources. This paper poses the problem of “reduction” or “abstraction” in dynamically changing graphs, and proposes a combination of techniques that can be used to reduce the visual complexity of a graph, without obscuring the significant information that it was meant to convey. The abstract graph can be comprehended more readily and it changes far less frequently than the full graph. As well, when the abstract graph does change, it requires far less computation for layout and redisplay. These abstraction techniques are illustrated by way of examples showing their use in systems for visualization of object-oriented and multi-layer software systems.
A 4 kbit synchronous static random access memory based upon delta-doped complementary heterostructure insulated gate field effect transistor technology

Delta-doped pseudomorphic In/sub y/Ga/sub 1-y/As channel complementary heterostructure insulated gate field effect transistor (C-HIGFET) technology has been developed for LSI complementary circuits which exhibit extremely low power dissipation while maintaining the high-speed operation characteristic of III-V heterostructure FETs. Using C-HIGFET ring oscillators with 1 mu m gate lengths, a gate delay of 206 ps was obtained with a gate standby power of only 3.96 mu W/gate and a switching-power-delay product of 145 fJ/gate. The authors have also fabricated fully functional 1 K*4 static random access memories (SRAMs) using this delta-doped C-HIGFET technology. The synchronous 1 K*4 SRAMs operate at a clock frequency of 284 MHz with a total power dissipation of only 183 mW. >
Employability skills development in Greek higher education institutions (HEIs)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look at the employability skills development efforts of Greek higher education institutions (HEIs) and recommend ways to help them create the employable graduate.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on extensive secondary data analysis.Findings – It is revealed that HEIs in Greece have failed, so far, to integrate key skills into their curriculum and as a result graduates are not equipped with a range of skills designed to be of practical value in the world of work. The paper argues that there is an immediate need for policy makers to develop a national policy on key skills in HE, in order to help students secure employment, as well as help domestic firms meet their skill needs.Practical implications – The paper indicates that the role of HEIs in the country remains undermined. In this context it is suggested that a graduate apprenticeship scheme needs to be developed to prepare graduates for the world of employment and that stand‐alone modules around key...