cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust, variable bit-rate coding using entropy-biased codebooks

The authors demonstrate the use of a differential vector quantization (DVQ) architecture for the coding of digital images. An artificial neural network is used to develop entropy-biased codebooks which yield substantial data compression without entropy coding and are very robust with respect to transmission channel errors. Two methods are presented for variable bit-rate coding using the described DVQ algorithm. In the first method, both the encoder and the decoder have multiple codebooks of different sizes. In the second, variable bit-rates are achieved by using subsets of one fixed codebook. The performance of these approaches is compared, under conditions of error-free and error-prone channels. Results show that this coding technique yields pictures of excellent visual quality at moderate compression rate. >
Music Activities for Lemonade in Winter

Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money is a children’s book about math; however, when sharing it in the music classroom, street cries and clapping games emerge. Jenkins’ and Karas’ book provides a springboard to lessons addressing several music elements, including form, tempo, and rhythm, as well as cultural connections. Related general music activities for students in Grade 3 and older are described.
An architectural model for the bladderwort Utricularia gibba (Lentibulariaceae)1

Abstract Members of the aquatic plant genus Utricularia have extremely modified vegetative morphology, which includes absence of roots and lack of a clear distinction between leaves and stems. In this study, the vegetative morphology, anatomy and growth pattern of Utricularia gibba (L.), a common species in the southern Florida Everglades, was analyzed to determine general developmental patterns and establish a basic model for growth of this species. Specimens were collected from different habitats in southern Florida during both the wet and dry seasons. Light and scanning electron microscopy were used to quantify anatomical and morphological characteristics. Utricularia gibba has a shoot apical meristem that produces repeating developmental units, each of which consists of a stolon bearing dichotomously branched leaf-like structure that supports the traps. These structures may subtend one or more axillary buds that can grow out to form additional stolons or inflorescences. The inflorescence produces aeri...
Effects of growth hormone administration in human obesity

SHADID, SAMYAH AND MICHAEL D. JENSEN. Effects of growth hormone administration in human obesity. Obes Res. 2003;11:170 –175. Objective: To summarize the reports in the literature regarding the effect of growth hormone (GH) treatment of obesity. Research Methods and Procedures: Clinical trials of GH treatment of obese adults were reviewed and summarized. Specifically, information regarding the effects of GH on body fat and body fat distribution, glucose tolerance/insulin resistance, and adverse consequences of treatment were recorded. Results: GH administered together with hypocaloric diets did not enhance fat loss or preserve lean tissue mass. No studies provided strong evidence for an independent beneficial effect of GH on visceral adiposity. In all but one study, glucose tolerance during GH treatment suffered relative to placebo. Conclusion: The bulk of studies indicate little or no beneficial effects of GH treatment of obesity despite the low serum GH concentrations associated with obesity.
Integrating Nonadditive Genomic Relationship Matrices into the Study of Genetic Architecture of Complex Traits

The study of genetic architecture of complex traits has been dramatically influenced by implementing genome-wide analytical approaches during recent years. Of particular interest are genomic prediction strategies which make use of genomic information for predicting phenotypic responses instead of detecting trait-associated loci. In this work, we present the results of a simulation study to improve our understanding of the statistical properties of estimation of genetic variance components of complex traits, and of additive, dominance, and genetic effects through best linear unbiased prediction methodology. Simulated dense marker information was used to construct genomic additive and dominance matrices, and multiple alternative pedigree- and marker-based models were compared to determine if including a dominance term into the analysis may improve the genetic analysis of complex traits. Our results showed that a model containing a pedigree- or marker-based additive relationship matrix along with a pedigree-based dominance matrix provided the best partitioning of genetic variance into its components, especially when some degree of true dominance effects was expected to exist. Also, we noted that the use of a marker-based additive relationship matrix along with a pedigree-based dominance matrix had the best performance in terms of accuracy of correlations between true and estimated additive, dominance, and genetic effects.
Perfluorocarbon NVX-108 increased cerebral oxygen tension after traumatic brain injury in rats

Abstract Background Hypoxia is a critical secondary injury mechanism in traumatic brain injury (TBI), and early intervention to alleviate post-TBI hypoxia may be beneficial. NVX-108, a dodecafluoropentane perfluorocarbon, was screened for its ability to increase brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO 2 ) when administered soon after TBI. Methods Ketamine-acepromazine anesthetized rats ventilated with 40% oxygen underwent moderate controlled cortical impact (CCI)-TBI at time 0 (T0). Rats received either no treatment (NON, n =8) or 0.5 ml/kg intravenous (IV) NVX-108 (NVX, n =9) at T15 (15 min after TBI) and T75. Results Baseline cortical PbtO 2 was 28±3 mm Hg and CCI-TBI resulted in a 46±6% reduction in PbtO 2 at T15 ( P P =0.013) were found when comparing either absolute or percentage change of PbtO 2 to post-injury (mixed-model ANOVA) suggesting that administration of NVX-108 increased PbtO 2 above injury levels while it remained depressed in the NON group. Specifically in the NVX group, PbtO 2 increased to a peak 143% of T15 ( P =0.02) 60 min after completion of NVX-108 injection (T135). Systemic blood pressure was not different between the groups. Conclusion NVX-108 caused an increase in PbtO 2 following CCI-TBI in rats and should be evaluated further as a possible immediate treatment for TBI.
Hi, Welcome to the Hotel California

The United States spends billions of dollars for global broadcasting. The money is used to internationalize American values, particularly in the Middle East. A Hollywood approach of song and dance has been designed to win the hearts and minds of young Muslims. Is it working?
The Impact of Hurricanes on Wages and Employment: The Case of Louisiana

The shortcomings of a commonly used technique, difference in difference, have recently been addressed with Generalized Difference in Difference (GDD) method. This study relaxes some of the restrictions of GDD and utilizes hurricanes as exogenous shocks to determine their impact on wages and employment in three different industries (construction, manufacturing, and leisure & hospitality) in Louisiana from 2001 to 2010. The results suggest that the hurricanes have a significant adverse effect on wages in construction and leisure & hospitality sectors. During the time period studied, the parishes that are directly hit by a hurricane suffer a 6 percent drop in wages in leisure and hospitality sector while the neighboring parishes suffer 5 percent drop in construction sector.
Approaches to defect characterization, mitigation, and reduction

Abstract Ever since its inception in the late 1980s, chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) has been the pivotal enabling process in the manufacturing of integrated circuits (IC). Whether it is for front-end-of-the-line (FEOL) applications such as shallow trench isolation (STI) and metal gate, or back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) such as Cu interconnects or through-silicon via (TSV), CMP is the terminal step that completes a process module. As a consequence, the defects observed after CMP have direct impacts on the yield and reliability of the devices and circuits. Provided the nature of CMP process described above and its heavy usage of consumables, CMP-related defects are complicated in nature. Not only does CMP generate defects from its own process and consumables involved, but it also reveals the defects not detected and removed from all the up-stream process steps. In addition, the tolerance and specification for post CMP defect density will only become more stringent as the device dimension continues to decrease with shrinking design ground rule. For example, in the 7 nm technology node, the width of Cu interconnects in the thin wire levels is only around 24 nm, which is smaller than the diameter of abrasive nano particles in most CMP slurries. The presence of any post-CMP defects of equal or greater size on the Cu surface poses serious concern for yield loss. As a consequence, the characterization, mitigation, and reduction of CMP-related defects are among the most important yet challenging tasks in IC manufacturing. In this chapter, CMP defects will be categorized by their formation mechanism. The roles of consumables and processes in the generation of CMP defects will be discussed. The characterization of defects and the strategies to mitigate and reduce these defects will be elaborated. The chapter will be organized according to the following index:
The amplidyne

This article explains the characteristics and operating principles of the amplidyne generator by comparison with a conventional d-c generator. The fact that the amplidyne possesses the requirements for a perfect electric regulator, high amplification and fast speed of response, is emphasized, and several applications are described which illustrate the amplidyne's versatility.
Empirical earthquake probabilities from observed recurrence intervals

Abstract The probability p that a given fault segment will rupture within a specified time T following the preceding rupture is evaluated empirically from a sample of observed recurrence intervals for that fault segment. All that is assumed is that the probability of rupture within the specified time interval is the same for all rupture cycles on that segment. Suppose that m of the n observed recurrence intervals correspond to cycles in which rupture occurred within the interval T following the preceding earthquake. The probability density that rupture in the current cycle will also fall within the interval T following the most recent earthquake is then given by the beta distribution P ( p | m, n ) = {( n + 1)!/[ m !( n − m !]} p m (1 − p ) n − m . The best estimate of the desired probability p is 〈 p 〉 = ( m + 1)/( n + 2), and a measure of the breadth of the distribution is the standard deviation σ = [〈 p 〉 (1 − 〈 p 〉)/( n + 3)] 1/2 . Because it is unlikely that the number n of observed recurrence intervals will be much greater than 10, the probability generally will not be defined more closely than ±0.2. Moreover, increasing n decreases the uncertainty only very slowly.
Focus on Technology: Alleviating the Digital Divide in the United States

Technology can enhance learning in various ways. Well-designed multimodal e-books, for example, help children improve in reading comprehension, as the sound, animation, and images usually included ...
Evidence-Based Decision-Making 4: Development and Limitations of Clinical Practice Guidelines

Clinical practice guidelines are systematically developed statements to assist practitioners and patients reach appropriate health care decisions. If developed properly, clinical practice guidelines assimilate and translate an abundance of evidence published on a daily basis into practice recommendations and, in doing so, reduce the use of unnecessary or harmful interventions, and facilitate the treatment of patients to achieve maximum benefit and minimum risk at an acceptable cost. Traditionally, clinical practice guidelines were consensus-based statements, often riddled with expert opinion. It is now recognized that clinical practice guidelines should be developed according to a transparent process involving principles of bias minimization and systematic evidence retrieval and review, with a focus on patient-relevant outcomes. The process for the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical practice guidelines is reviewed in this chapter.
Nous Sommes Branches' Fashion, Connectivity, and Muslimhood in Niger

Dress, young men in Niger often claim, is about self-expression, not conformity to religious or cultural norms. Although they identify as Muslim, many young men—regardless of whether they are religiously observant - eschew “Islamic” attire to adopt mass-produced Western clothing. In contrast to the previous generation for whom dress signaled a specific Muslim affiliation, they often dismiss the notion that dress is an index of religious identity. Wearing Islamic dress doesn’t make one a Muslim, they claim when feeling the need to defend themselves against accusations of religious laxity. Acutely aware that their expectations of social mobility are imperiled by the country’s continued economic decline, they draw on the world of fashion as a resource for enhancing themselves and distinguishing themselves from their supposedly poorer, less cosmopolitan counterparts. In this paper I consider how Nigerien youth, and young men in particular, harness fashion to claim distinction and cope with social exclusion. I examine how they draw on the semiotic power of dress to carve a place for themselves in the world at a time when Niger’s media-saturated, globally inflected cultural economy encourages people to imagine alternative ways of being Muslim.
A web accessible modeling tool for fisheries

Many salt marsh restoration and creation projects have been implemented in the Galveston Bay System during the past 20 years. Salt marshes have many valuable functions for the surrounding habitat and the animals living there. Some of these functions include physical functions such as protecting shorelines from erosion, stabilizing deposits of dredged material, dampening flood effects, trapping water-born sediments, and serving as nutrient reservoirs. Biological functions include acting as tertiary water treatment systems to rid coastal waters of contaminants, serving as nurseries for many juvenile fish and shellfish species, serving as habitat for various wildlife species, and providing plant material for the base of a detritus-based food web. Each year more marshes are being built, and yet very little information is available concerning the success of past restoration projects. In an effort to assist the Fishery Ecology Branch (FEB) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Galveston Laboratory monitor created marshes and obtain information concerning their success [1]. A prototype project to map and monitor these marsh habitats was undertaken. Further, a prediction model of the density and population of different fishery species in Galveston Bay was developed.
Neutrality and Utility

(1990). Neutrality and Utility. Canadian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 215-240.
Polyploidy in species populations.

Polyploidy in populations of well-differentiated plant species is now widely recognized (1,2). Most reports, however, are limited to a few individuals from one or several populations and thereby illustrate only a fraction of the extant genomic diversity in most species. They rarely purport populational dynamics involving Polyploidy as an evolutionary process. Nevertheless, there are recent notable exceptions and these will be utilized freely in this review of Polyploidy within species populations.
Prospects for Expansion of Industrial and Consumer Uses of Microwaves

The present trends in industrial and consumer uses of microwaves are reviewed with the special purpose of assessing potential hazards of microwave radiation. The particular interest in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is related to its property of optimum coupling of energy to macroscopic objects of human interest. A survey of sources shows that electron tubes, though mature in technology, will continue to be the main sources of microwave power. There will be a large growth in low power solid-state sources, however, for a growing number of low-power applications. The biggest growth market in noncommunications type of microwave applications is that of consumer microwave ovens. A long list of industrial applications is reviewed and a few are selected for favorable expectations in market growth. The potential for microwave radiation hazards in this entire field is considered small and under strict control by government regulations. As an aid in perspective the amount of typically radiated energy is compared to the radiated energy of deliberate microwave radiators in society. The problem of incidental interference, as exemplified by that of cardiac pacemakers is distinguished from direct biological hazards and is shown to require standards on device susceptibility. With appropriate relation of personnel exposure to emission of microwave sources a high degree of safety is expected for microwave products and systems directed toward industrial and consumer use.
Fetal surgery for myelomeningocele: current clinical practice and translational research.

Introduction The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) showed that prenatal repair of myelomeningocele (MMC) resulted in better neurological outcomes than postnatal closure but was, by necessity, associated with higher rates of obstetrical complications. Fetoscopic MMC repair has been explored as an alternative to reduce complications of the open approach used in MOMS. This review summarizes the trends in fetoscopic and open fetal repair of MMC. Evidence acquisition We searched PubMed and Embase® for studies on fetal repair of MMC published since the completion of the MOMS trial. Evidence synthesis Fetoscopic MMC repair was temporarily halted in the United States (US) prior to the initiation of the MOMS trial. The German Center for Fetal Surgery has reported the largest series of fetoscopic MMC repair. The other largest series is the Brazilian Cirurgia Endoscopica para Correcao Antenatal da Meningomielocele (CECAM) trial. Both groups demonstrate the feasibility of minimally invasive fetal MMC repair, but also report high rates of premature rupture of membranes, preterm births, and persistent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage that requires postnatal revision of the MMC repair. In addition, these groups have yet to report long term cognitive, behavioral, and functional outcomes of fetoscopic MMC repair. Conclusions The fetoscopic approach to fetal MMC repair is a promising alternative to the open approach if preterm birth and persistent CSF leakage can be overcome.
Virus-Bacteria Interactions: An Emerging Topic in Human Infection

Bacteria and viruses often occupy the same niches, however, interest in their potential collaboration in promoting wellness or disease states has only recently gained traction. While the interaction of some bacteria and viruses is well characterized (e.g., influenza virus), researchers are typically more interested in the location of the infection than the manner of cooperation. There are two overarching types of bacterial-virus disease causing interactions: direct interactions that in some way aid the viruses, and indirect interactions aiding bacteria. The virus-promoting direct interactions occur when the virus exploits a bacterial component to facilitate penetration into the host cell. Conversely, indirect interactions result in increased bacterial pathogenesis as a consequence of viral infection. Enteric viruses mainly utilize the direct pathway, while respiratory viruses largely affect bacteria in an indirect fashion. This review focuses on some key examples of how virus-bacteria interactions impact the infection process across the two organ systems, and provides evidence supporting this as an emerging theme in infectious disease.
Application of Adverse Outcome Pathways to U.S. EPA’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program

Background: The U.S. EPA’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) screens and tests environmental chemicals for potential effects in estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormone pathways, and it i...
(Desperately) Seeking Service Leadership in Academic Libraries: An Analysis of Dean and Director Position Advertisements

ABSTRACTGiven the continual rate of change in academic libraries, the increasing accountability in higher education and the call to contribute to learning outcomes, career success, and lifelong learning, leadership that is responsive to the service mission is critical to their success and evolution. However, as has been consistently stated in the literature, there is a leadership vacuum. The pursuit of leadership, as evidenced by job advertisements, is representative of this lack of attention to a service leadership ethic. This study examines library dean and director position descriptions and advertisements from 2011 to 2015 for elements of the service leadership model. Analysis indicates that most leadership posting for academic libraries attend to traditional library experience and management skills, rather than service leadership attributes. Examples of framing positions based on the service leadership model are also provided.
Marginal Structural Models

In many applications, one would like to estimate the effect of a treatment or exposure on various subpopulations. For example, one may be interested in these questions: What is the effect of an antidepressant medication on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) score for those who enter a study with severe depression, and for those who enter with moderate depression? What is the effect of a cancer therapy for those who test positive for overexpression of a particular gene and for those who test negative for overexpression of that gene? What is the impact of low adherence to antiretroviral therapy on viral load for HIV-positive individuals who have just achieved viral suppression and for those who have maintained continuous viral suppression for 1 year?
Introduction, Cancellation, and Future Promise of Medicare Cardiac Episode Payment Models.

#### POLICY STATEMENT TITLE #### ORGANIZATION #### RELEASE DATE Payment reform is a tool to improve the quality and consistency of patient care while also reducing unnecessary costs. Cardiovascular disease draws attention for new payment models primarily because it accounts for >$200 billion in annual spending.1 One such model, Advancing Care Coordination through Episode Payment Models (EPM), was an initiative of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These episode payments, also known as bundled payments, were designed to increase coordination, reduce unwarranted variation, and incentivize value-oriented care for patients with coronary artery disease. Providers would have been incentivized with an episode payment linked to specific quality benchmarks. However, after the change in administration in 2017, mandatory EPMs were first delayed and then cancelled. Here, we will focus on the design of the proposal, as well as factors that ultimately prevented implementation. Finally, we will review the future potential for the re-emergence of EPMs. Originally, the EPM structure was to be implemented July 1, 2017, in phases from 2017 to 2021.2 After the change in administration after the November 2016 election, CMS extended the initiation date of the EPM to January 1, 2018, to allow time to review the policy for modifications.3 In August 2017, CMS proposed a rule to cancel the EPM.4 Enrollees in the initiative would have been hospitals in 98 metropolitan statistical areas, selected randomly from 293 eligible metropolitan statistical areas. Acute care hospitals within these metropolitan statistical areas would continue to receive fee-for-service payments for services beginning with an initial hospitalization for an acute myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass surgery and extending 90 days after discharge. At year end, fee-for-service claims …
Weapons design policy impedes test ban

Two letters accompanying this article take opposing positions on a central issue in the debate on a comprehensive nuclear test ban agreement: is continued nuclear testing necessary to ensure the reliability of the US nuclear stockpile. Hans Bethe and cosigners say it is not; Roger Batzel and Donald Kerr, speaking for the nuclear weapons design laboratories, claim that continued testing is absolutely essential. The debate is a replay of one that occurred seven years ago, with similar positions being argued by some of the same adversaries. What makes this debate difficult to understand - and may account for its recurrence - is that either side's argument can be valid, depending on the underlying assumptions. The generally overlooked fact is that the weapons laboratories are now operating under the deliberate assumption that continued nuclear testing will always be possible and are designing weapons accordingly. This policy is being pursued by the laboratories despite the widespread agreement, even among many weapons designers, that weapons can be designed so that they do not need repeated nuclear testing. Indeed, it is apparent that the current weapons design approach represents a reversal of the policy in effect at least until 1971.
Before They Were Ties: Predicting the Value of Brand-New Connections:

Complementing and extending prior studies on the value of existing work relationships, this study examines whether we can predict the value of brand-new ties before people ever meet. We examine thi...
Cyclic Nucleotides, Arachidonic Acid, and Polyamines in the Pathophysiology of Inflammatory Proliferative Skin Diseases

Psoriasis is a multifactorial genetic disease (Watson et al., 1972) in which a major feature is an exaggerated epidermal proliferation. Various disorders in immunodermatology such as allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis have increases of normal epithelial proliferation as a major feature of the lesion. At least at the level of current understanding, there is reason to assume that many of the described abnormal mechanisms in psoriatic epithelium will also be present in hyperplastic epidermis in general. This chapter will cover mechanisms of proliferation, using psoriasis as a model, with the idea that the knowledge may well pertain to epidermis stimulated to proliferate by immune injury.
Macroeconomic Implications of the Earned Income Tax Credit

Changes in the monthly pattern of Earned Income Tax Credit disbursements over the last two decades identify a large macroeconomic consumption response from EITC checks. This paper recovers a large and significant MPC out of EITC disbursements based on an array of macroeconomic data and econometric specifications. Point estimates of the contemporaneous consumption response average 0.7 and do not attribute a disproportionate share of consumption to durable goods. Results are consistent with other empirical findings that consumption is excessively sensitive to income, and they suggest that the EITC is a much more effective fiscal stimulus tool than broad–based tax refunds.
Regulatory Framework for Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carrier Trials

Oxygen therapeutics (OT) consist of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) and fluorocarbons. They have been developed to deliver oxygen (O2) to tissues, mainly for treatment of shock due to blood loss. These products are being developed in order to treat blood loss when red blood cells are not available, as may occur on the battlefield or in civilian life when trauma occurs.
The Representation and Processing of Participant Role Information

Various attempts to characterize the representation of verb argument structure and participant role information are discussed and evaluated. It is concluded that the representation of verb argument structure and participant role information must include both situation-based prototypical role-filler information, as suggested by McRae et al.'s (Language and Cognitive Processes: Special Issue on Lexical Representations in Sentence Processing, 12, 137–176, 1997) verb-specific concept view, and more abstract, semantic role and role property information, as suggested by Koenig et al. (Cognition, 89, 67–103, 2003) lexical encoding hypothesis. Two questions about processing of these two aspects of participant role information are then posed: (1) Are both of aspects of participant role information automatically activated? and (2) How do these aspects of participant role information influence online sentence comprehension? Based on evidence from Su (When is semantic priming automatic? Instrument and location participant role priming as a case study, Unpublished doctoral dissertation 2013), it is concluded that situation-based prototypical role-filler information is not automatically activated by verbs. Evidence regarding the automatic activation of more abstract semantic role property information from sentence processing studies is less direct and not conclusive. Three ways in which these two aspects of participant role information might influence online language comprehension are then discussed. In particular, the role of participant role information in guiding syntactic attachment decisions, integrating constituents such as WH fillers into sentence representations, and anticipating the mention of participant role fillers is examined. It is concluded that both aspects of participant role information may influence all three processes, but when and how they are used during online comprehension may vary as a function of task demands, the comprehender’s goals, and referential contexts.
Role of the pancreas in the pathogenesis of circulatory shock.

Several toxic factors have been proposed as mediators of irreversibility in circulatory shock (6, 17, 29, 48, 57). Most, however, have not been enthusiastically received because their participation in the pathophysiology of the shock state remains unsupported by convincing evidence and no factor has been isolated. Recently, a myocardial depressant factor (MDF) has been isolated from the plasma of both experimental animals (30) and man (42) in a variety of shock states, including hemorrhagic (9, 32, 54), endotoxic (55), cardiogenic (23), bowel ischemic (20, 37), burn (2), and pancreatitis (35) shock.
Detection of Age-Related Macular Degeneration by Portable Optical Coherence Tomography Operated by Nonexpert Personnel: Potential Use for Screenings:

Purpose:The purpose of this study is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of detecting age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) operated by n...
Matter effects in the D 0 − D 0 ¯ system

We discuss the impact of matter effects in the D{sup 0}-{ovr D{sup 0}} system. We show that such effects could, in principle, be measured, but that they cannot be used to probe the mass difference x{sub D} or the lifetime difference y{sub D}. This occurs because the mixing effects and the matter effects decouple at short times. We also comment briefly on the B systems.
Effects of Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) invasion on decomposition and litter-dwelling invertebrates in Southeastern U.S. floodplain forests

Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) is one of the most problematic invasive plants in many parts of the world where it often dominates the shrub layer in riparian forests. We aimed to evaluate the role of privet invasion on litter inputs, rates of litter decomposition and litter-dwelling arthropods in the Southeastern United States. To do this we: (1) evaluated the relative contribution of privet to total litter-fall, (2) compared breakdown of artificial leaves (filter paper) in plots which had or had not been subjected to experimental privet removal, and (3) compared litter breakdown and arthropod communities among the following litter types: (a) native sweetgum, (b) invasive Chinese privet, and (c) a mixed sweetgum–privet litter treatment. Privet accounted for 10% of annual litter-fall at our study sites and leaf fall phenology differed from native species. Filter paper decomposed about twice as quickly in reference compared to removal plots but there were no differences between plot types in litter decomposition. This difference may relate to flooding during the litter bag experiment. In both plot types, privet litter decomposed faster than sweetgum or mixed litter but there were no differences in decay rates between the latter two litter types, suggesting that sweet gum may slow the rate of decomposition in mixed bags. There were no differences among litter or plot types in invertebrate community composition or overall abundances, but detritivores were marginally more abundant in the reference plots. Our findings suggest that flooding may affect the impact of privet invasion on litter decay rates and associated invertebrate communities.
Global Elucidation of Self-Consistent Field Solution Space Using Basin Hopping.

Reliable global elucidation of (subsets of) self-consistent field solutions is required for continued development and application of computational approaches that utilize these solutions as reference wavefunctions. We report the derivation and implementation of a stochastic approach to perform global elucidation of self-consistent field solutions by exploiting the connection between global optimization and global elucidation problems. We discuss the design of the algorithm through combining basin-hopping search algorithms with a Lie algebraic approach to linearize self-consistent field solution space, while also allowing preservation of desired spin-symmetry properties of the wavefunction. The performance of the algorithm is demonstrated on minimal basis C2v H4 due to its use as a model system for global self-consistent field solution exploration algorithms. Subsequently, we show that the model is capable of successfully identifying low-lying self-consistent solutions of benzene and NO2 with polarized double-zeta and triple-zeta basis sets and examine the properties of these solutions.
Isolation and Education During a Pandemic: Novel Telehealth Approach to Family Education for a Child With New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes and Concomitant COVID-19

A multidisciplinary team, including pediatric endocrinologists, certified diabetes care and education specialists (CDCESs), registered dietitians, psychologists, and social workers is recommended to provide comprehensive medical care and education for children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and their families. Diabetes education can be delivered in an ambulatory setting (home or clinic) or in the hospital inpatient setting (1,2). The standard of care at our pediatric institution, Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) in Houston, is hospital admission for all children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes requiring insulin therapy for safe medication management and education. The child, parent(s), and other caregivers receive in-person comprehensive diabetes education by our multidisciplinary team that occurs over ∼2 days before hospital discharge. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has abruptly affected many aspects of human life, including health care delivery. Concurrent new-onset type 1 diabetes and COVID-19 in a pediatric patient pose a unique challenge for the diabetes care and education team. In this case report, we present a child with new-onset type 1 diabetes and concomitant COVID-19 who was admitted to a Special Isolation Unit (SIU). Rather than our usual in-person pediatric diabetes education, we implemented a novel telehealth approach in an effort to limit the risk of virus transmission to staff and preserve personal protective equipment (PPE), while still achieving the goal of comprehensive new-onset diabetes education. A previously healthy, 10-year-old girl presented to a telehealth visit with her pediatrician with a 2-week history of cough, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, and vomiting in the setting of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) positivity in immediate family members. She was immediately sent to the TCH Emergency Center because of concern that she had COVID-19 that would require a higher level of care. Upon arrival, her review of systems was also positive for polyuria, polydipsia, and unintentional weight loss …
Hands-On Exercise in Environmental Structural Geology Using a Fracture Block Model

A scale analog model of an actual fractured rock reservoir was developed to demonstrate the relative utility of structural methods in predicting groundwater flow directions. Students performed several standard structural analyses directly on the fracture block rather than paper copies of fracture maps as in standard exercises. They predicted flow directions from these exercises. Then they performed tests to determine actual flow direction(s) by injecting dye into the water and tracking its course through the block. Comparison between the results of the structural methods and the flow tests allowed students to appreciate the complexities of fracture flow and utility of each of the methods. Because many of the graduates are employed in the environmental industry in the area, the exercise is decidedly pragmatic and kept the interest and even enthusiasm of the students throughout.
Serrated Polyposis Syndrome: an Update and Review of the Literature

We present an overview on enhancing the identification of patients with serrated polyps (SPs) and serrated polyposis syndrome (SPS), and provide an update on the prevalence and risk of advanced neoplasia in SPS. We finally share recommendations on the endoscopic management of SPS patients and surveillance of first-degree relatives. Detection of patients with SPS can be enhanced by recognizing the clinical criteria; tracking cumulative lifetime size, number, and location of SPs; and designing automated processes to track those polyps. The clinical criteria for SPS were revised in 2019 and provide a framework to risk-stratify patients with SPs who are at a substantially high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and require aggressive, yet personalized colonoscopy surveillance. SPS remains underdiagnosed. Automated systems to identify patients with SPS have been shown to increase SPS detection earlier than a clinician. New data suggest that after clearance, a surveillance interval of 1–3 years appears safe and associated with a low risk of interval CRC.
Efficacy of Home Anticonvulsant Administration for Second-Line Status Epilepticus Treatment

Objective To investigate whether receiving a second-line anticonvulsant medication that is part of a patient9s home regimen influences outcomes in benzodiazepine-refractory convulsive status epilepticus. Methods Using the Established Status Epilepticus Treatment Trial data, allocation to a study drug included in the patient9s home anticonvulsant medication regimen was compared to receipt of an alternative second-line study medication. The primary outcome was cessation of clinical seizures with improved consciousness by 60 minutes after study drug initiation. Secondary outcomes were seizure cessation adjudicated from medical records and adverse events. We performed inverse probability of treatment-weighted (IPTW) logistic regressions. Results Of 462 patients, 232 (50%) were taking 1–2 of the 3 study medications at home. The primary outcome was observed in 39/89 (44%) patients allocated to their home medication vs 76/143 (53%) allocated to a nonhome medication (IPTW odds ratio [OR] 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39–1.14). The adjudicated outcome occurred in 37/89 (42%) patients vs 82/143 (57%), respectively (IPTW OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.30–0.89). There was no interaction between study levetiracetam and home levetiracetam and there were no differences in adverse events. Conclusion There was no difference in the primary outcome for patients who received a home medication vs nonhome medication. However, the retrospective evaluation suggested an association between receiving a nonhome medication and seizure cessation. Classification of Evidence This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with refractory convulsive status epilepticus, use of a home second-line anticonvulsant compared to a nonhome anticonvulsant did not significantly affect the probability of stopping seizures.
Abstract 2612: Personalized cancer risk and prevention: analysis of risk factors for specific cancers and integration into cancer risk assessment paradigms

Cancer risk assessment is performed generally in relation to assessment of the safety of new medical products or environmental exposures, especially when DNA modification is a factor. The risk assessment paradigms used for products subject to regulatory review are independent of specific cancers, multiple exposures, and individual risk factors. A default cancer risk assessment for regulatory review includes “uncertainty factors” to account for differential susceptibility and other variables involved in extrapolating from experimental systems to human risk. However, there is a growing amount of evidence that suggests differing risk for different types of cancer as well as the importance of combinations of risk factors not limited to genetic or environmental effects. In the era of personalized medicine and cancer genomics, can we begin to assess personalized cancer risk, instead of overall cancer risk? What models would assist in this paradigm shift? There are several cancers for which specific genetic, environmental, viral and other associations have been established and could be used in personalized cancer risk assessments, including colon, liver, and lung cancer. A search was conducted on PubMed for available literature on epidemiology, genetic susceptibility, and risk factors associated with the major types of cancer, including ~25 pathological types of cancer in 17 different organs. Risk factors associated with each included chemical exposures and tobacco, as well as genetic, epigenetic, microbial, viral, dietary, exercise, and other factors known for involvement in the development of cancer in humans. The diversity of cancers and evidence for specific risk factors is summarized. Common risk factors, including smoking and obesity, are supplemented with a substantial set of individual, often non-overlapping risk factors for diverse cancers. Surprisingly, little evidence was found that genetic-environmental interactions are significant risk factors for most cancers. From this assessment we can begin to ask whether and for what cancers a personalized risk approach seems feasible. Disclaimer: The findings and conclusions in this presentation are those of the authors and should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy. Citation Format: Rosalie K. Elespuru, Catherine Fischer. Personalized cancer risk and prevention: analysis of risk factors for specific cancers and integration into cancer risk assessment paradigms [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2612.
Paramyxovirus replication induces the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway and mesenchymal transition via the IRE1α-XBP1s arm of the unfolded protein response

The paramyxoviridae, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and murine respirovirus are enveloped, negative-sense RNA viruses that are the etiological agents of vertebrate lower respiratory tract infec...
Status Report on the Characterization of Re-Refined Lubricating Base Oils

The National Bureau of Standards has been working on the development of test procedures for recycled petroleum oils since 1976. The first phase involved development and evaluation of tests for characterizing used oil recycled as burner fuel, and has been completed. The second phase, on re-refined motor oil, involves development of a set of test procedures capable of monitoring the quality, consistency, and additive response of re-refined lubricating oil basestocks. Cooperative efforts include the ASTM/NBS Basestock Consistency Study (involving both re-refined and virgin lubricating oil basestocks), a study of engine deposits with the U. S. Army Fuel and Lubricants Research Laboratory, and micro-oxidation test research at Pennsylvania State University. This paper describes the current status of this program, and includes representative data obtained on re-refined oils.
Oculomotor Control in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

OCULOMOTOR CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE George T. Gitchel Jr., Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009 Paul Wetzel Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering. There have been few studies investigating the eye movement behavior of Parkinson’s disease patients during fixation. This study objectively measured the eye movements of 36 patients with Parkinson’s disease, and 20 age matched controls. Stimuli consisted of ten standardized text passages first organized by Miller and Coleman (9). In addition, subjects followed a randomly displaced step jump target motion. Pendular nystagmus was found in all Parkinson’s subjects, with an average frequency of 7.44 Hz. Saccadic peak velocity and duration along the main sequence were not statistically different from controls. A slower rate of reading was also noted in the Parkinson’s group in terms of characters per minute, but with no more regressions than normal. Rate of square wave jerks was also found to be normal. This suggests that the hallmark feature of eye movements in Parkinson’s disease is a pendular nystagmus during fixation, and all saccadic activity to be normal.
The Teacher as Leader: Effect of Teaching Behaviors on Class Community and Agreement.

This article examines the effects of teaching behaviors in online university classes, focusing on the agreement among class members. Literature on group leaders’ effects on group agreement about workplace climate is reviewed. Hypotheses are generated about the effects that teachers of online courses, as class leaders, have on both the level and agreement about the community of inquiry. They are tested with a sample of 874 students in 126 online courses. The aggregate class level and strength of agreement about the teaching presence have significant effects on the level and agreement about cognitive presence and social presence. Although the aggregate levels and agreement about community of inquiry are related, different patterns emerge. The paper explores the interaction effects of level and agreement, finding that in classes with high levels of teaching presence, the higher the agreement about teaching presence, the higher the agreement about cognitive and social presence especially for classes reporting stronger levels of cognitive and social presence. In classes with lower levels of teaching presence, agreement has a different effect.
Expressing Structural Properties as Language Constructs

A program should document its organization and decisions about the programming process. Since the programmer's thinking about programming and program organization continually evolves, languages inevitably prove unable to state these decisions in a precise and adequate fashion. Macro systems could provide a convenient way to extend a language with such statements, if they had more structure than traditional C- and Lisp-style macros provide. With our system, McMicMac, designers can express a variety of specifications as language constructs, including program representations of design patterns, high-level recursive programming operators, and collaboration-based design mechanisms. Unlike traditional macro systems, McMicMac offers a simple yet powerful means for describing specifications, prevents unintentional name clashes, provides feedback in terms of the programmer's source, and has modular mechanisms for managing specifications. We have implemented and used McMicMac to define several groups of extensions.