cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of electrochemical migration and moisture adsorption on the reliability of metallized ceramic substrates

Data presented here have resulted from an extensive investigation into fundamental mechanisms involved in electrochemical migration and dendrite growth on metallized ceramic substrates. Significant new results are presented, and pertinent data from previous studies are outlined to provide a comprehensive, coherent analysis of the complex process of electrochemical migration. A number of critical issues are addressed including formation of an absorbed moisture layer and the effect of humidity on the thickness and conductivity of this layer. Migration has been quantified by examining dendrite morphology and dendrite growth rates. Morphology and growth rates are nearly identical for immersion tests in both bulk and thin layer electrolytes, but is quite different in absorbed layers of moisture. Immersion tests are still useful in determining the effects of solution variables that would be difficult or impossible to quantify in adsorbed moisture layers. In addition the maximum velocity theory for predicting dendrite growth rates can be used for predicting general trends, but requires further refinement for more precise predictions. Clearly the most important parameters affecting reliability are the adsorption of moisture combined with surface contamination.
Fear of Personal Aging and Subjective Weil-Being in Later Life

This study examined the relationships among situational factors, fear of personal aging, and subjective well-being in a probability sample of 595 Alabamians, aged 55 and older, using regression analysis. Of the variables employed, fear of aging was found to be the best predictor of subjective well-being.
Laboratory Colonization of Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Four biting midges have been colonized. Culicoides arakawae (Arakawa), C. schultzei (Enderlein), Forcipomyia (Lasiohelea) taiwana (Shiraki), and Atrichopogon rostratus (Winnertz) completed 6–7, 5–6, 6–7 and 20–21 laboratory generations, respcctively. The medium for Culicoides larvae consists of yeastblood agar cake mixed with distilled water, and the medium for Forcipomyia and Atrichopogon larvae consists of yeast and laterite. The rearing conditions and life cycles for these species arc described.
Probing the surface calcium binding sites of melanosomes using molecular rulers.

Melanosomes have the capacity to bind significant concentrations of calcium, suggesting there are surface binding sites that enable cations to access the interior of fully pigmented melanosomes. The surface of melanosomes is known to contain significant concentrations of carboxylate groups which likely are the initial biding sites for calcium, but their arrangement on the surface of the melanosome is not known. In various calcium proteins, a bidentate coordination by two carboxylate groups is the most common structure. In this study, we determine the distance between neighboring surface carboxylic acid groups by examining the binding of a series of diamines +H3N(CH2)mNH3+ (m = 1–5) to melanosomes isolated from the ink sacs of Sepia officinalis and bovine choroid tissue. Of these amines, ethylenediamine (m = 2) shows optimal bidentate binding, revealing a narrow distribution of distances between neighboring carboxylic acid groups, ∼480 pm, similar to that found in proteins for calcium binding motifs involv...
Commodifying Collaborative Research

The commodification controversy is posited as a conflict between the users and creators of information products over modifying intellectual property law in the face of technological change. Commodification is said to help creators because it establishes a market for their work - a market that generates monetary incentives to innovate, measures consumer demand for new works, and facilitates information exchange. Since modern technologies of reproduction and dissemination make the public-goods character of information products more salient, it is argued that a new law is needed in order to maintain the level of exclusivity creators previously enjoyed. At the same time, however, commodification is thought to harm users because it makes it more difficult for them to acquire knowledge. Enhancing legal and technological means for privatization is therefore questioned as going beyond the mere maintenance of exclusivity, instead allowing rights holders to charge for works that formerly fell into the public domain, price discriminate, and impose all sorts of new restrictions on use. Lost in this debate is the effect of technology on the ways that information and cultural goods are actually produced, particularly on the extent to which individual creativity has been replaced by collaborative effort. In fact, the artist starving in a garret, the scientist madly experimenting in the garage, and the reclusive professor burning midnight oil are all rapidly becoming myths. In a world of increasing technical complexity and intensifying specialization, interdisciplinary investigation has become crucial to progress. With the globalization of the marketplace comes a need for multicultural input into product development. As private financing for technological start-ups increases (and public funding of basic research withers), economic factors prompt new alignments within the innovation industries. At the same time, digitization and the Internet facilitate interchange and present fresh artistic and scholarly opportunities. This new world is characterized by such phenomena as chain art, interactive websites, multi-authored scientific articles, as well as corporate joint ventures and university distance learning initiatives. As production methods have become increasingly complex, claims for creative recognition have also blossomed. By drawing attention to their contributions, graduate students, dramaturgs, statisticians, reviewers, editors, and the like have transformed social understanding of information production. Works that might once have been seen as individually created must now be viewed as the product of collaboration. This essay looks at the special challenges that commodification presents to participants in collaborative projects and examines the disjuncture between current U.S. intellectual property law and the issues of importance to collaborators. It ends with suggestions on the ways in which the law might be improved.
Handbook of anthropology in business: Rita Denny and Patricia Sunderland, Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press, 2014, 837 pp., $55.00, ISBN 978-1-61132-172-2

Rita Denny and Patricia Sunderland are long-time collaborators on projects, including Doing Anthropology in Consumer Research (Left Coast Press, 2007), which is considered a seminal work in the fie...
Surfactant-stabilized oil separation from water using ultrafiltration and nanofiltration

Abstract The treatment of oily wastewater containing well-stabilized oil emulsions remains a challenge. As gravity-based separation methods cannot effectively remove emulsified oil droplets with sizes below 10 µm, water polishing steps need to be applied to reduce the organic load of the treated effluent. Membrane-based separation processes ensure high permeate quality, but are prone to fouling when treating oily wastes. Surfactants play an important role in producing well-stabilized oil emulsions, but there has been limited work on the effect of surfactants on membrane fouling. To fundamentally understand the surfactant effect on fouling, we studied the fouling of model oil (hexadecane) emulsions stabilized by anionic, cationic and nonionic surfactants in a crossflow filtration system using either ultrafiltration (UF) or nanofiltration (NF) membranes. For this, we investigated the impact of membrane surface and emulsion properties on the different fouling mechanisms observed in our experiments. UF filtration experiments revealed that emulsions stabilized with cationic surfactant quickly fouled negatively charged UF membranes due to electrostatic attraction, while anionic and non-ionic surfactants stabilized emulsions experienced less fouling. In NF filtration tests, membranes exhibited exponential fouling when filtrating all types of surfactant stabilized emulsions. Permeate quality confirms that the NF process achieves better rejection of surfactants than the UF process. However, cationic surfactants are able to pass through NF membranes because of their positive charge. When salt is added to the water, electrostatic forces collapse, and the differences between the surfactants are quenched. Our experimental results combined with theoretical calculations reveal that initial membrane fouling by emulsified oil drops is dominated by a cake layer formation. However, once a critical pressure drop across the cake layer is achieved, membrane wetting occurs, which results in irreversible membrane fouling in both UF and NF.
Preliminary results from Laguna Minucúa: a potentially annually resolved record of climate and environmental change for the past ∼5000 years in the Mixteca Alta of Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract Despite several decades of research focusing on prehispanic human ecology, debate continues over the impact of climatic and anthropogenic landscape change on human populations in Mesoamerica. One problem in identifying the cause of this change is the lack of high-resolution paleo-environmental data from many regions. The southern Mexican highlands, in particular, have yielded few paleoenvironment data, yet have a rich and diverse cultural history. The sedimentary record from Laguna Minucua, located within the Sierra Madre del Sur, Oaxaca, offers an exceptional opportunity to address human and environmental interactions in the region. Minucua is a small (∼0.25 ha), currently shallow pond with no apparent inlets or outlets. We retrieved two sediment cores from the site (3.5 m and 5.6 m long). The cores are highly laminated. Core chronology was developed with paleomagnetic secular variation data and compared with couplet counts and limited radiometric measurements. These data indicate that the Minucua record at least spans the last ∼4500 ± 100 years. We discuss preliminary results that assess long-term environmental change for the region through examination of geochemical and magnetic susceptibility data. In particular, we discuss in more detail a 500 year time slice which encompasses the period known as the “Classic Collapse.” The record indicates overall dry conditions but with two extended wet periods experienced between 1160 and 1120 cal yr BP and 1060–1000 cal yr BP We place our findings in the context of current archaeological and paleoclimatological research in Oaxaca.
Stretchable Capacitive Sensors of Torsion, Strain, and Touch Using Double Helix Liquid Metal Fibers

Soft and stretchable sensors have the potential to be incorporated into soft robotics and conformal electronics. Liquid metals represent a promising class of materials for creating these sensors because they can undergo large deformations while retaining electrical continuity. Incorporating liquid metal into hollow elastomeric capillaries results in fibers that can integrate with textiles, comply with complex surfaces, and be mass produced at high speeds. Liquid metal is injected into the core of hollow and extremely stretchable elastomeric fibers and the resulting fibers are intertwined into a helix to fabricate capacitive sensors of torsion, strain, and touch. Twisting or elongating the fibers changes the geometry and, thus, the capacitance between the fibers in a predictable way. These sensors offer a simple mechanism to measure torsion up to 800 rad m−1—two orders of magnitude higher than current torsion sensors. These intertwined fibers can also sense strain capacitively. In a complementary embodiment, the fibers are injected with different lengths of liquid metal to create sensors capable of distinguishing touch along the length of a small bundle of fibers via self-capacitance. The three capacitive-based modes of sensing described here may enable new sensing applications that employ the unique attributes of stretchable fibers.
An investigation of the relationship between autonomic dysreflexia and intrathecal baclofen in patients with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To study the relationship between autonomic dysreflexia and intrathecal baclofen in patients with spinal cord injury.Design: Retrospective chart review.Setting: Inpatient and outpatient acute rehabilitation facility.Participants: Thirty-four subjects.Interventions: We reviewed patients’ medical records to ascertain the presence of symptomatic autonomic dysreflexia (AD) prior to and after implantation of an intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pump for spasticity in spinal cord injury patients. We recorded risk factors for autonomic dysreflexia including kidney and bladder stones, heterotopic ossification (HO), and ischial / sacral pressure ulcers.Outcome Measures: Presence of autonomic dysreflexia pre and post-intrathecal baclofen pump placement, presence of risk factors associated with autonomic dysreflexia including (1) kidney or bladder stones, (2) heterotopic ossification, and (3) pressure ulcers.Results: Of the 34 subjects, 25 (73.5%) experienced AD prior to ITB pump placement and only 2 (5.9%) afte...
Developmental regulation and localization of carnitine palmitoyltransferases (CPTs) in rat brain.

While the brain's high energy demands are largely met by glucose, brain is also equipped with the ability to oxidize fatty acids for energy and metabolism. The brain expresses the carnitine palmitoyltransferases (CPTs) that mediate carnitine-dependent entry of long-chain acyl-CoAs into the mitochondrial matrix for β-oxidation – CPT1a and CPT2 located on the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes, respectively. Their developmental profile, regional distribution and activity as well as cell type expression remain unknown. We determined that brain CPT1a RNA and total protein expression were unchanged throughout post-natal development (PND0, PND7, PND14, PND21 and PND50); however, CPT2 RNA peaked at PND 21 and remained unchanged through PND50 in all regions studied (cortex, hippocampus, midbrain, and cerebellum). Both long-chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase (ACADL) and medium acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (ACADM) showed a similar developmental profile to CPT2. Acylcarnitines, generated as result of CPT1a activity, significantly increased with age and peaked at PND21 in all brain regions, concurrent with the increased expression of enzymes involved in mitochondrial β-oxidation. The CPT system is highly enriched in vivo in hippocampus and cerebellum, relative to cortex and midbrain, and is exclusively present in astrocytes and neural progenitor cells, while absent in neurons, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. Using radiolabeled oleate, we demonstrate regional differences in brain fatty acid oxidation that may be blocked by the irreversible CPT1a inhibitor etomoxir. This study contributes to the field of knowledge of brain cell-specific metabolic pathways, which are important for understanding normal brain development and aging, as well as pathophysiology of neurological diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Topological Properties of the International Trade Network Using Modified Measures

ABSTRACTThis article modifies several social network analysis measures to get a more accurate picture of the topology of international trade. Modifications improve estimations of actual network relationships by avoiding leaving out any trade links, considering directionality of trade, recognizing product-level networks and differences in relative importance of countries, products, and links by weighing the measures. These methods are adopted to modify measures of reciprocity, multiplexity, clustering, degree, betweenness, and closeness centrality. Changes in the trade network over the most recent dozen years are analyzed and several observations are made about trends.
CONDITIONS AND OBJECTIVES OF AFRICAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the conditions and objectives of African economic development. A fundamental objective of the new African nations has been the achievement of appreciable rates of economic growth with the transfer of political, economic, and financial control to Africans. The similarities in the factors responsible for the economic backwardness of most African countries are greater than the differences and it is possible to analyze their economic problems with a considerable degree of generalization. In all African countries, there is a critical, pervasive need for an expanded and more effective educational and training process—particularly in the primary and secondary schools—to overcome the overwhelming prejudices against manual work. A peculiar characteristic of the dual economies of Africa has been that a large part of the income earned in Africa was not spent in Africa but siphoned off to foreign countries. The conflicts of policy between the government and the central bank are inevitable at all stages of economic development but are especially serious in newly-developing countries.
Optical molecular imaging-guided radiation therapy part 1: Integrated x-ray and bioluminescence tomography.

Purpose X-ray CT faces challenges in differentiating tumors from surrounding healthy tissues. A bioluminescence tomography (BLT) system which can directly reconstruct the internal luminescent tumors, was developed and integrated with CT system to accurately guide radiation dose delivery. Methods The BLT system, employing a lens-coupled CCD camera, was physically registered with an onboard cone beam CT system in an image-guided small animal arc radiation treatment system (iSMAART). The onboard CT provides animal anatomy and accurate surface contour used to construct the three-dimensional mesh for the BLT reconstruction. Bioluminescence projections were captured from multiple angles, once every 90° rotation. The BLT reconstruction was performed on an orthotopic prostate tumor model to evaluate its robustness and accuracy in locating and delineating bioluminescent tumors. The location and volume of the tumor identified from iodinated contrast CT was used to validate the BLT performance. Phantom experiment was also conducted to confirm the precision of BLT-guided radiation. Results The BLT was able to accurately locate the bioluminescent tumors with < 0.5 mm error. The tumor volume in BLT was significantly correlated with that in the iodinated contrast CT (R2 = 0.81, P < 0.001). Phantom experiments further validated that BLT can be used to guide radiation with submillimeter accuracy. Conclusion Together with CT, BLT can provide precision radiation guidance and robust tumor volume assessment in small animal cancer research.
Performance characteristics of serum C4 and FGF19 measurements to exclude the diagnosis of bile acid diarrhoea in IBS-diarrhoea and functional diarrhoea.

SummaryBackground The serum biomarkers, elevated 7αC4 (C4) and decreased FGF19, have been proposed as screening tests for bile acid diarrhoea. Aim To analyse prevalence, specificity and reproducibility of fasting C4 and FGF19 in identifying bile acid diarrhoea in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with predominant diarrhoea or functional diarrhoea (summarised as IBS-D). Methods We prospectively studied fasting serum C4 and FGF19 in 101 IBS-D patients; we reviewed data from 37 of the 101 patients with prior fasting serum C4 and FGF19 and from 30 of the 101 patients with prior faecal bile acids per 48 hours. We compared results with normal values (C4 ≥52.5 ng/mL [n=184], FGF-19 ≤61.7 pg/mL [n=50]). We used Spearman correlation and Bland-Altman plots to appraise reproducibility. Results Among the 101 patients, there was a negative correlation between serum C4 and FGF19 (Rs=−.342, P=.0005). Bile acid diarrhoea was diagnosed in 10 patients based on elevated serum C4 levels (mean 23.5±23.1 [SD] ng/mL) and 21 patients based on decreased FGF19 levels (121.6±84.2 pg/mL). With replicate tests in patients with stable IBS-D, 78% of C4 and 70% of FGF19 measurements remained concordant, with 3% and 11% respectively consistently positive for bile acid diarrhoea in the 101 patients. Compared to 48 hours faecal bile acids, specificity for C4 and FGF19 was 83% and 78%, respectively. Bland-Altman plots demonstrated greater reliability of C4 than FGF19. Conclusions Among 101 patents with IBS-D, fasting FGF19 and C4 levels had good specificity and negative predictive value, suggesting utility as screening tests to exclude bile acid diarrhoea.
Qualitative Studies of Infant and Young Child Feeding in Lower-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Dietary Patterns

Continued high rates of both under- and over-nutrition in low- and low-middle-income countries highlight the importance of understanding dietary practices such as early and exclusive breastfeeding, and dietary patterns such as timely, appropriate complementary feeding—these behaviors are rooted in complex cultural ecologies. A systematic review and synthesis of available qualitative research related to infant and young child dietary patterns and practices from the perspective of parents and families in low income settings is presented, with a focus on barriers and facilitators to achieving international recommendations. Data from both published and grey literature from 2006 to 2016 was included in the review. Quality assessment consisted of two phases (Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) guidelines and assessment using GRADE-CERQual), followed by synthesis of the studies identified, and subsequent thematic analysis and interpretation. The findings indicated several categories of both barriers and facilitators, spanning individual and system level factors. The review informs efforts aimed at improving child health and nutrition, and represents the first such comprehensive review of the qualitative literature, uniquely suited to understanding complex behaviors leading to infant and young child dietary patterns.
An Embedded Wireless Temperature Sensor for Orthopedic Implants

A wireless and passive (battery free) temperature sensor that can be embedded inside an orthopedic implant, such as an interference screw, was developed. The sensor is based on an inductive–capacitive–resistive resonant circuit that is inductively powered so the temperature at the implant can be measured wirelessly. A potential application of this sensor is to monitor internal wound temperature for the diagnosis of local infection at the implant site. Infections pose a significant risk to patients, who receive orthopedic implants, often lead to adverse conditions including implant failure, tissue necrosis, and amputation. Current approaches for diagnosing orthopedic implant-associated infections, such as blood tests, radiographic imaging, and histological study are slow, tedious, and nonspecific. In recent years, thermographic imaging has been used to monitor local temperature at the external surgical site as a means to detect infection, but its applications are limited to surface or near-surface wounds. The described sensor will serve as an useful research tool to investigate using temperature as an indication of deep-tissue orthopedic implant infection. When fully developed, this sensor may also improve orthopedic care by allowing simple, early detection of infection at an implant site. This paper describes the design and fabrication of the sensor, as well as characterizes its performance. Experimental results indicate the temperature response of the sensor is reproducible within the tested range of 30–42 °C.
Getting College-Ready during State Transition toward the Common Core State Standards.

BackgroundAs of 2016, 42 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Tens of millions of students across the country completed high school before their ...
Canine superficial chronic corneal epithelial deficits (SCCEDs)

Spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects or ‘SCCED’ lesions are superficial corneal ulcers that occur most commonly in middle-aged, usually large breed dogs, although they may be seen in any ...
Evaluation and Treatment of Extremity Metastatic Disease

Metastases can occur as part of the natural progression of a variety of malignancies and their mode of spread, manner of presentation, and prognosis are as variable as their primary sources. The ultimate goal of musculoskeletal treatment of skeletal metastases is to get the patient in question back to his or her previous level of function as soon as possible. Skeletal metastases are seldom life threatening and their treatment will rarely render someone cured of their primary disease. Nevertheless, involvement of a musculoskeletal specialist as a part of the multidisciplinary approach can and very often does provide significant improvement in patients’ qualities of life. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the evaluation of a patient with suspected metastatic disease involving the musculoskeletal system and their pre-, intra-, and post surgical management as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Foot-And-Mouth Disease and International Development

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the Foot-And-Mouth disease (FMD). The eradication of FMD is feasible at both the national and regional levels, and examples of both can be provided. At the national level, countries that have completed eradication programs during recent times include Indonesia, Chile, and Uruguay. Examples of regional successes are the campaigns in Western and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, and in South America the Hemispheric Eradication Program has already freed the southernmost part of the subcontinent from FMD with or without vaccination. The 1996 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Expert Consultation on transboundary animal diseases concluded that although global eradication of FMD was not a realistic short-term objective, international efforts should be made to promote the progressive control of this disease on a regional basis. The endemically or sporadically infected countries––which are located mainly in the south––generally face total embargoes on the export of their live animals and fresh meat to the FMD-free countries in the north. When endemically or sporadically infected countries have managed to gain acceptance for some of their products, they have done so by agreeing to incorporate expensive safeguards, such as the deboning of carcasses. Apart from causing trade restrictions, FMD severely reduces the productivity of the meat and milk industries in the endemically and sporadically infected countries.
Heat Dissipation from Artificial Hearts: Characterizing Tissue Responses and Defining Safe Levels

Mechanical artificial hearts generate heat, imposing unprecedented biomedical problems. Experiments were conducted in calves to study the effects of chronic heating and the mechanisms of the adaptation response, and to determine the safe levels for device-tissue interfacial temperatures. Electric heat sources which dissipated three different levels of constant heat flux (0.04, 0.06, or 0.08 W/cm2) were implanted adjacent to lung and muscle for up to seven weeks. The tissue temperatures were continuously monitored at the heater surface and 1, 3, and 7 mm from the surface. Correlating the local tissue temperatures with histologic features, the safe upper limit was identified to be 43°C, or 4°C above the body temperature. There were significant differences in tissue temperatures between the lung and muscle at all distances and with all three fluxes (P = 0.0001), reflecting a higher blood perfusion in the lung tissue. With the highest heat flux of 0.08 W/cm2, and the resultant initial surface temperature of 42.8°C ± 0.9°C, the lung showed no sign of tissue damage or necrosis, while the muscle, with a surface temperature of 45.3°C ± 2.2°C, was necrotic to a distance of 18.1mm and 3.0mm from the surface at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. By the seventh week this muscle necrosis was totally replaced by fibrosis. Gradual decreases in the surface temperatures with the two higher heat fluxes and enhanced angiogenesis have suggested that the tissues adapt to chronic heating by increased perfusion. The expression of heat shock proteins by the tissue repair cells in the tissue capsule also suggests that cellular adaptation to heating is occurring.
Ant colony optimization (ACO) meta-heuristic solving the vehicle scheduling problem (VSP)

Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) is a branch of a newly developed form of artificial intelligence called swarm intelligence. Swarm intelligence is a technique that studies the collective behavior of a decentralized system made up by a population of simple agents interacting locally with each other and with their environment. Ant Colony algorithms have been applied successfully to Combinatorial Optimization Problems. In this paper we focus on the definition and minimization of the objective function of the VSP using the Diversified Form of the Ant Colony System algorithm (DFACS). The algorithm DFACS was implemented for an eight node-city graph with respective demands.
Understanding the impact of magnesium stearate variability on tableting performance using a multivariate modeling approach.

AbstractThe objective of this research is to understand how the properties of magnesium stearate (MgSt) affect product performance in a quantitative manner using a multivariate modeling approach. I...
Across time and space: Hormonal variation across temporal and spatial scales in relation to nesting success.

Abstract There is a renewed interest in investigating individual variation in hormone levels in relation to fitness metrics, as hormones act as mediators of life-history trade-offs. Hormone concentrations, however, are labile, responding to both internal and external stimuli, so the relationship between hormones and fitness can be non-consistent. One explanation of this inconsistent relationship is that a single hormone sample may not be representative of individual phenotypes in a free-living species. We addressed this issue by repeatedly sampling a free-living population of mountain white-crowned sparrows, Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha, for baseline and stress-induced corticosterone (cort) and testosterone (T) across different stages of the breeding season. We measured (co)variation using three different methods, taking into account inter- and intra-individual variances, to determine whether hormone levels and the stress response are repeatable. We documented the temporal (over 3 months) and spatial (home-range) variation of individual hormone phenotypes and investigated how these components related to nesting success. At the population level, we found significant repeatability in male stress-induced cort concentrations but no repeatability in male or female baseline cort or male T concentrations. Using a new metric of intra-individual variance focusing on the stress response (profile repeatability), we found a wide range of variance scores, with most individuals showing high variation in their stress response. Similarly, we found a low level of repeatability of the reaction norm intercept and slope for the stress response across different life-history stages. Males with higher concentrations of stress-induced cort had more central home-ranges. Males with higher body condition had larger home-ranges; however, home-range size did not relate to male hormone concentrations or nesting success. We also did not find any significant relationship between variation in hormone levels and nesting success. We recommend that future studies combine both physiological and environmental components to better understand the relationship between hormones and fitness.
Education and the Meritocratic Recruitment of Bureaucrats

Do merit-based recruitment policies encourage individuals to climb socioeconomic ladders? We provide evidence from historical Taiwan, where elite bureaucrats were recruited through a civil service examination. Quotas for successful candidates were set based on the 1948 populations of individuals’ native provinces in mainland China, resulting in highly preferential quotas for certain groups. This system was abruptly replaced in 1962 by a uniform admissions policy. We leverage this variation to study the impacts of differential access to elite bureaucratic posts. We find that the additional incentives created by preferential quotas increased human capital accumulation and resulted in better long-run economic outcomes.
Aortic root replacement with bicuspid valve reimplantation: Are outcomes and valve durability comparable to those of tricuspid valve reimplantation?

Abstract Objectives To assess intermediate-term outcomes of aortic root replacement with valve-sparing reimplantation of bicuspid aortic valves (BAV), compared with tricuspid aortic valves (TAV). Methods From January 2002 to July 2017, 92 adults underwent aortic root replacement with BAV reimplantation and 515 with TAV reimplantation at the Cleveland Clinic. Balancing-score matching based on 28 preoperative variables yielded 71 well-matched BAV and TAV pairs (77% of possible pairs) for comparison of postoperative mortality and morbidity, longitudinal echocardiogram data, aortic valve reoperation, and survival. Results In the BAV group, 1 hospital death occurred (1.1%); mortality among all reimplantations was 0.2%. Among matched patients, procedural morbidity was low and similar between BAV and TAV groups (1 stroke in TAV group; renal failure requiring dialysis, 1 patient each; red cell transfusion, 25% each). Five-year results: Severe aortic regurgitation was present in 7.4% of the BAV group and 2.9% of the TAV group (P = .7); 39% of BAV and 65% of TAV patients had none. Higher mean gradients (10 vs 7.4 mm Hg; P = .001) and left ventricular mass index (111 vs 101 g/m2; P = .5) were present in BAV patients. Freedom from aortic valve reoperation was 94% in the BAV group and 98% in the TAV group (P = .10), and survival was 100% and 95%, respectively (P = .07). Conclusions Both BAV and TAV reimplantations can be performed with equal safety and good midterm outcomes; however, the constellation of higher gradients, less ventricular reverse remodeling, and more aortic valve reoperations with BAV reimplantations raises concerns requiring continued long-term surveillance.
Effect of confinement of SIA cluster diffusion by impurities on radiation defect accumulation due to 14 MeV neutrons in tungsten

Abstract Impurities acting as traps reduce the self-interstitial atom (SIA) cluster mobility, thereby increasing recombination and, in turn, enhancing radiation-resistance of polycrystalline materials. However, at elevated temperatures, depending on SIA-trap (impurity) binding energy, SIA clusters may trap and detrap (detach) numerous times. In tungsten, SIA clusters of all sizes glide one-dimensionally (1D) along their Burgers vector direction. This can result in detrapped SIA clusters to retrace their original 1D path, confining their 1D-glide between traps. However, SIA clusters can change the direction of their 1D-glide by overcoming a rotation barrier and impurities or solutes are known to reduce this barrier. A lower rotation barrier can result in detrapped SIA clusters to diffuse in a random 1D direction, effectively leading to 3D (net-3D) diffusion. Here we investigate the effect of two cases of SIA diffusion, namely the confined-1D diffusion and the net-3D diffusion, on the damage accumulation in polycrystalline tungsten under 14 MeV neutron irradiation using the object kinetic Monte Carlo method. Simulations were performed using cascade debris obtained from molecular dynamics simulations with primary knock-on atom (PKA) energies corresponding to 14 MeV neutrons. In the simulations with net-3D diffusion, SIA clusters of all sizes diffuse in a random 1D direction after the clusters detrap. While for the confined 1D diffusion case, clusters larger than size 5 retain their original direction of 1D glide. In both types of simulations, trapped vacancies are assumed to be permanently immobilized. Unexpectedly, the damage accumulation was lower with confined 1D diffusion than that with net-3D. We present a systematic comparison of the influence of the two cases of SIA diffusion on the radiation damage accumulation as a function of dose rate, detrapping barrier, and impurity concentration at 1025 K.
The state of the art in scale inhibitor squeeze treatment

The mechanistic understanding of the reactions that govern the inhibitor retention and release, modeling, and the state-of-the-art innovation in squeeze treatment are reviewed. The retention and release are governed by (1) the amount of calcite that can dissolve prior to inhibitor-induced surface poisoning; (2) calcite surface poisoning after ~ 20 molecular layers of surface coverage by the adsorbed inhibitors to retard further calcite dissolution; (3) less base, $${\text{CO}}_{3}^{2 - }$$ , is released into the aqueous solution; (4) formation of the more acidic inhibitor precipitates; (5) phase transformation and maturation of the more acidic inhibitor precipitates; and (6) dissolution of the less soluble crystalline inhibitor precipitates. The trend to advance squeeze technologies is through (1) enhancing scale inhibitor retention, (2) optimizing the delivery of scale inhibitors to the target zone, and (3) improving monitoring methods. Lastly, a prototype yardstick for measuring the squeeze performance is used to compare the squeeze life of 17 actual squeeze treatments. Even though the various squeeze treatments appear to be different, all published squeeze durations can be rated based on the normalized squeeze life per unit mass of inhibitors.
Insights from single particle spectroscopy of plasmonic nanostructures

A surface plasmon in a metal nanoparticle is the coherent oscillation of the conduction band electrons leading to both absorption and scattering as well as strong local electromagnetic fields. The plasmon is tunable through nanoparticel size and shape, as well as via nanoparticle interactions on different length scales that support near- and far-field coupling. Chemical synthesis and assembly of nanostructures are able to tailor plasmonic properties that are, however, typically broadened by ensemble averaging. Single particle spectroscopy together with correlated imaging is capable of removing heterogeneity in size, shape, and assembly geometry and furthermore allows one to separate absorption and scattering contributions. This talk describes how heterogeneity in crystal structure in a distribution of aluminum nanoparticles determines the damping of coherent lattice oscillations that are launched by ultrafast laser excitation.
Impact of body mass index on opioid consumption in lumbar spine fusion surgery

Abstract Background in the United States from 1999 to 2000 through 2017–2018, the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5 to 42.4%, while the prevalence of severe obesity nearly doubled. In lumbar spine surgery, obesity is associated with increased complications, worse perioperative outcomes, and higher costs. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and opioid consumption in patients undergoing lumbar spine fusion surgery. We hypothesized that obese patients would require more opioids postoperatively. Methods retrospective review of 306 patients who underwent one- or two-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery between 2016 and 2020. Patients were stratified by BMI as follows: normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), obese I (30.0–34.9 kg/m2), and obese II–III (≥ 35.0 kg/m2). Patient demographics and preoperative characteristics were compared across BMI cohorts using one-way ANOVA and chi-square analysis. Patients with prior history of opioid use were excluded. Primary outcome measure was postoperative opioid consumption. Secondary outcomes included operative time, length of stay (LOS), discharge destination, and 30-day re-encounter rates. Outcomes were analyzed using multivariable linear regression adjusted for potential confounders. Results of 306 total patients, 17.3% were normal weight, 39.9% were overweight, 25.5% were obese I, and 17.3% were obese II–III. Obesity was associated with longer operative times and length of stay (p Conclusion obesity is associated with longer operative times, longer LOS, and increased consumption of postoperative opioids. This should be considered when counseling patients preoperatively prior to lumbar spine fusion procedures.
Does Mandatory Diversion to Drug Treatment Eliminate Racial Disparities in the Incarceration of Drug Offenders? An Examination of CaliforniaAS Proposition 36

Like other states, minorities are disproportionately represented in the California's state prison system, particularly for drug offenses. Unlike other states, California has had a policy of mandatory diversion to drug treatment for non-violent drug offenders since mid-2001 (Proposition 36). Using a rich dataset including current and prior criminal charges from 1995 through 2005 in California, we examine whether disparities in court dispositions to prison and drug treatment between White and Blacks male drug offenders are explained by observable case and criminal justice characteristics. We estimate the extent to which remaining observable disparities are affected by Proposition 36. We find that Black and White male drug offenders differ considerably on covariates, but by weighting on the inverse of a nonparametric estimate of the propensity score, we can compare Blacks to Whites that are on average equivalent on covariates. Unadjusted disparities in the likelihood of being sentenced to prison are substantially reduced by propensity score weighting. Proposition 36 reduces the likelihood of prison overall, but not differentially for Blacks. By contrast, racial disparity in diversion to drug treatment is not reduced by propensity score weighting. There is some evidence that Proposition 36 increased diversion for Blacks.
Disease avoidance: A predictor of sexist attitudes toward females

Infectious disease poses a threat to reproductive fitness. However, the costs associated with infectious disease are often greater for females than males. Sexist attitudes toward females may have in part emerged from disease-avoidance concerns, in order to decrease infectious disease threat and promote reproductive success for females (and males indirectly). Across three studies, disease-avoidance tendencies were positively correlated with benevolent sexism (perceiving females as pure and in need of protection). Hostile sexism, or more traditional negative attitudes toward females, was inconsistently related to disease avoidance. Furthermore, right-wing authoritarianism partially accounted for the relation between disease avoidance and benevolent sexism, whereas right-wing authoritarianism fully accounted for the relation between disease avoidance and hostile sexism. By encouraging traditional sex roles and restricting female sexual behavior, benevolent sexism may reduce infectious disease threat in females, while maintaining positive relations between the sexes (unlike hostile sexism), which is important for reproduction.
Signals that Distinguish Noncoding RNA Scaffolds from mRNAs

At the fission yeast pericentromeric DNA repeats, nascent noncoding transcripts act as scaffolds for the siRNA-programmed RITS complex, which then recruits histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation an...
Biomechanics of Ligaments: From Molecular Biology to Joint Function

Ligaments are highly specialized connective tissues that connect bones and transfer forces to mediate smooth movement of diarthrodial joints during normal activities. They also limit excessive displacements between the bones at high external loads. Ruptures of ligaments due to excessively high loads experienced during sports and accidents can upset the dynamic balance between the mobility and stability of a joint and result in abnormal kinematics. This can potentially cause damage to other soft tissues of the joint and eventually lead to pain, morbidity and osteoarthritis.
Does Exergaming Influence Physical Activity in Third-Grade Physical Education?

Nearly 20% of children in the United States today are overweight and barely participate in physical activity. Shayne, Fogel, Miltenberger, and Koehler (2012) examined whether a video game form of p...
Programming sensor networks with state-centric services

This paper presents the uDSSP (“micro DSSP”) programming model which simplifies the development of distributed sensor network applications that make use of complex in-network processing. Using uDSSP, an application is composed of state-centric services. These services interact by accessing the state of other services or by subscribing to changes of that state. uDSSP supports heterogeneous networks that consist of PCs, resource-rich sensor nodes, and resource-limited nodes with just a few kilobytes of RAM. The evaluation uses a non-trivial application to compare it to Abstract Regions and Tenet.
New directions in information theoretic security: Benefits of bidirectional signaling

The past decade has witnessed significant effort towards establishing reliable and information theoretically secure rates in communication networks, taking advantage of the properties of the communication medium. Such efforts include those in the wireless medium where simultaneous transmissions and the ensuing interference can prove advantageous from an information theoretic secrecy point of view. With the goal of obtaining a secrecy rate that scales with transmit power, structured signaling with simultaneous favorable signal alignment at the legitimate receiver(s) and unfavorable signal alignment at the eavesdropper(s) has proven particularly useful in multi-terminal Gaussian channels. Many challenges remain however in realizing the vision of absolute security provided by the wireless physical layer including handling more realistic models. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of the state of the art, the forward look and argue for an additional asset that could be utilized for secrecy, i.e., bidirectional signaling. Taking the bidirectional wiretap channel as an example, Gaussian signaling is demonstrated to be as good as structured signaling from the degrees of freedom point of view, while observed to be performing better with finite transmit power. Moreover, taking bidirectional signals explicitly into account for encoding performs even better and provides a way forward to synergistically combine physical layer based secrecy and encryption.
Monacyclinones, New Angucyclinone Metabolites Isolated from Streptomyces sp. M7_15 Associated with the Puerto Rican Sponge Scopalina ruetzleri

During an investigation of new actinomycete species from Caribbean sponges for novel bioactive natural products, frigocyclinone (1), dimethyldehydrorabelomycin (3) and six new angucyclinone derivatives were isolated from Streptomyces sp. strain M7_15 associated with the sponge Scopalina ruetzleri. Of these, monacyclinones A–B (4–5) contain the core ring structure of dehydrorabelomycin (2) with the aminodeoxysugar found in frigocyclinone (1). Monacyclinone C (6) is a hydroxylated variant of frigocyclinone (1) and monacyclinone D (7) is a Baeyer Villiger derivative of (6) which also exists as the open chain hydrolysis product monacyclinone E (8). Monacyclinone F (9) contains two unique epoxide rings attached to the angucyclinone moiety and an additional aminodeoxysugar attached through an angular oxygen bond. All structures were confirmed through spectral analyses. Activity against rhabdomycosarcoma cancer cells (SJCRH30) after 48 h of treatment was observed with frigocyclinone (1; EC50 = 5.2 µM), monacyclinone C (6; 160 µM), monacyclinone E (8; 270 µM), and monacyclinone F (9; 0.73 µM). The strongest bioactivity against rhabdomycosarcoma cancer cells and gram-positive bacteria was exhibited by compound 9, suggesting that the extra aminodeoxysugar subunit is important for biological activity.