cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuous-State Models

In Chapter 6 we showed how the transient and steady-state behavior of single-feature training procedures can be analyzed by Markov chains. However in most training procedures the state space is multidimensional and the density of states is indefinitely large, thereby making finite Markov chain models inappropriate. Consider, for example, the proportional increment training procedure described by Equations (2.13) and (2.14) in Chapter 2. (In this chapter, we replace r(n) by the random variable R (n).) The augmented weight vector V(n) takes the role of a state, in the sense that the future statistical behavior of V(n + M), m ≥ 0, is completely determined from a knowledge of the present weight vector (i.e., V(n)), the constituent densities, and the training procedure. The motion of V(n) is similar to Brownian motion, as illustrated in Figure 7.1, so that the set of possible values of V(n) is infinitely dense. Thus V(n) cannot be a Markov chain in this case. Yet V(n) is a Markov process, i.e., $$P[\text{V}(n + 1)\left| {\text{V}(0), \ldots ,\text{V}(n)] = P[\text{V}(n + 1)} \right|\text{V}(n)],$$ since (a) the proportional increment training procedure generates V(n + 1) from ω(n), R(n), and V(n), (b) the statistics of R(n) depend on V(n) and ω(n), and (c) the random variables {ω(n)} are statistically independent.
Assistive Technology Instruction in Teacher Professional Development

Federal laws require teachers to understand the special needs of their students and provide the best possible education for them. However, many teachers have completed their preservice education wi...
Vulnerable Narcissism Is (Mostly) a Disorder of Neuroticism

Objective Increasing attention has been paid to the distinction between the dimensions of narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability. We examine the degree to which basic traits underlie vulnerable narcissism, with a particular emphasis on the importance of Neuroticism and Agreeableness. Method Across four samples (undergraduate, online community, clinical-community), we conduct dominance analyses to partition the variance predicted in vulnerable narcissism by the Five-Factor Model personality domains, as well as compare the empirical profiles generated by vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism. Results These analyses demonstrate that the lion's share of variance is explained by Neuroticism (65%) and Agreeableness (19%). Similarity analyses were also conducted in which the extent to which vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism share similar empirical networks was tested using an array of criteria, including self-, informant, and thin slice ratings of personality; interview-based ratings of personality disorder and pathological traits; and self-ratings of adverse events and functional outcomes. The empirical correlates of vulnerable narcissism and Neuroticism were nearly identical (MrICC = .94). Partial analyses demonstrated that the variance in vulnerable narcissism not shared with Neuroticism is largely specific to disagreeableness-related traits such as distrustfulness and grandiosity. Conclusions These findings demonstrate the parsimony of using basic personality to study personality pathology and have implications for how vulnerable narcissism might be approached clinically.
Combinatorial Aspects of Convex Polytopes

This chapter discusses some techniques that have been successful in analyzing the combinatorial aspects of convex polytopes. A convex polyhedron is a subset of ℝ d that is the intersection of a finite number of closed half-spaces. A bounded convex polyhedron is called a convex polytope. The following can be regarded as the fundamental theorem of convex polytopes: P ⊂ ℝ d is a polytope if and only if it is the convex hull of a finite set of points in ℝ d . This theorem and related results are foundational to the theory of linear programming duality, and one of the central themes of combinatorial optimization is to make this conversion for special polytopes related to specific programming problems. The problem of developing algorithms to convert from one description of a polytope to the other arises in mathematical programming and computational geometry. The second theorem states that the collection of all the faces of a polyhedron P , ordered by inclusion, is a lattice. This lattice is called the face lattice or boundary complex of P , and two polytopes are (combinatorially) equivalent if their face lattices are isomorphic. The third theorem states that the face lattices of P and P * are anti-isomorphic. Two polytopes with anti-isomorphic face lattices are said to be dual. Two important dual classes of d -polytopes are the class of simplicial d -polytopes and the class of simple d -polytopes.
Identidade Wesleyana na perspectiva de Metodistas africanos estadunidenses: uma conversa teológico-histórico-construtiva

This article presents the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, describes its contribution to and involvement in the civil right movement in the US in the fiftieth and sixtieth of the 20 th century, and introduces to the respective bibliography and discussion among social scientists and historians.
The augment effect of negative affective background on positive stimulus: Two randomized controlled trials

Based on the affective endowment-contrast theory, negative affect (NA) is hypothesized to augment positive affect (PA). Study 1 examined this contrast effect (augment effect) in a laboratory setting. Participants (n = 94) were assigned into positive, negative or neutral affective background conditions through false feedback procedure, and then a same positive stimulus was given to all participants. Results indicated that participants in negative condition experienced more feelings of PA and less NA after receiving the positive stimulus compared to the other two conditions. Study 2 investigated this augment effect under naturalistic context. Participants (n = 150) were classified into high positive, high negative, or mild positive affective background groups based on their naturally occurred affects. Then a positive manipulation was giving to all participants. Results indicated that participants in the high negative group experienced the most decrease in feelings of NA after receiving the positive manipulation. Results from the two studies provided evidence to the endowment-contrast theory, indicating that the valance of positive stimulus was augmented under negative affective background.
INFECT: INconspicuous FEC-based Trojan: A hardware attack on an 802.11a/g wireless network

We discuss the threat that hardware Trojans (HTs) impose on wireless networks, along with possible remedies for mitigating the risk. We first present an HT attack on an 802.11a/g transmitter (TX), which exploits Forward Error Correction (FEC) encoding. While FEC seeks to protect the transmitted signal against channel noise, it often offers more protection than needed by the actual channel. This margin is precisely where our HT finds room to stage an attack. We, then, introduce a Trojan-agnostic method which can be applied at the receiver (RX) to detect such attacks. This method monitors the noise distribution, to identify systematic inconsistencies which may be caused by an HT. Lastly, we describe a Wireless open-Access Research Platform (WARP) based experimental setup to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed attack and defense. More specifically, we evaluate (i) the ability of a rogue RX to extract the leaked information, while an unsuspecting, legitimate RX accurately recovers the original message and remains oblivious to the attack, and (ii) the ability of channel noise profiling to detect the presence of the HT.
String Stability Conditions of Adaptive Cruise Control Algorithms

Abstract This paper focuses on the string stability conditions for Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) systems. The constant time-headway range policy is employed and the infinity norm of range error propagation transfer function is used as a metric to evaluate string stability. Algorithms for both autonomous and non-autonomous ACC are presented and analysed. It is demonstrated that the more feedback information an ACC system can gather, the less stringent the condition for string stability is.
Differential Equations, Input Functions, Complex Exponentials, and Transfer Functions

Differential system equations describe the dynamic relationship between an input driving the system, and one of the power variables within the energetic system. We simplify, or linearize, the individual energetic element equations, in order to derive a system equation which is an ordinary differential equation with constant coefficients, a form which we can solve for the output or response function. The method of undetermined coefficients superposes or sums the response of a system into the natural or homogeneous response of the system to a disturbance to its energetic equilibrium, and the steady-state or particular response to each input driving the system. Systems with two or more independent energy storage elements yield differential system equations which may describe oscillations or vibrations. Complex numbers, complex exponentials, and Euler’s equations simplify the solution and interpretation of the response of oscillatory systems. The Laplace transformation transforms differential equations into algebraic equations, which can be expressed as multiplicative dynamic operators called transfer functions. The chapter’s appendix introduces Mathcad and MATLAB to plot the solutions or response functions.
An analysis of price responses to public information: a case study of the USDA corn crop forecasts

Crop forecast errors were defined as the differences between the five-year revised final estimates of corn production and the monthly USDA corn crop forecasts. It was found that the monthly forecast errors were normally distributed according to the Shapiro-Wilk W Statistics and Probability; An F test, based on Hotelling's T('2) statistics showed that the means of the monthly USDA corn crop forecasts were not statistically different from the five-year revised final estimates at the 5% significance level. When a nonparametric L test was employed, the accuracy of the monthly USDA corn crop forecasts was noted to improve over the reporting months, from July to December. Regression analysis revealed that the best estimate of the final crop size was the most recent month's USDA corn crop forecast;The impact of the USDA corn crop forecasts on daily cash and futures corn prices were analyzed within the framework of the supply-of-storage theory. When the inter-temporal price spreads were assumed to be a function of the number of grain-consuming animal units and the difference of the two adjacent months' USDA corn crop forecasts, the August USDA corn crop forecast was found to be the only crop forecast to influence the cash and futures prices observed on the day immediately following the day of the crop announcement. Anticipated effect of the October forecast on cash prices was present during the three days prior to the announcement while that of the November forecast on cash prices was felt during the two days prior to the announcement. Anticipated effect of these forecasts, however, was not present in futures prices;When the past price movements were introduced into the model, the results found were not significantly different from those obtained under the earlier assumption, in that only the August forecast had an impact on the cash prices and on the September and December futures prices observed in August at the 1% significance level.
Presidential Leadership: Improving Completion Rates of Latino Male Students at Texas Community Colleges.

Enrollment rates for Latino male students continue to increase at community colleges; unfortunately, compared to their other racial and/or ethnic male counterparts they are less likely to earn a college credential or degree. This qualitative study explores the narratives of six presidents at Texas community colleges designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions. We asked these presidents to describe their perceptions of their institution’s awareness and commitment to improve degree completion outcomes of Latino male students. We utilized cultural and social-cognition theories to help understand how these presidents may change or shift their institution’s efforts to address this pressing issue. Based on the findings, three key themes emerged that described how these leaders perceived their respective institution. Our findings suggest these presidents are concerned with the low completion rates for Latino male students; however, their institutions need to better align their institution's core values, mission, and culture to support educational outcomes of Latino male students. Lastly, we highlight how other community college presidents could enhance their institution’s commitment to improve degree completion rates of Latino male students.
Meteorological Influences on Tropospheric Ozone over Suburban Washington, DC

During the NASA DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) campaign conducted in July 2011 across metropolitan Washington, DC, 25 daytime ozonesondes were launched from the Howard University Beltsville Campus (HUBC), representing the highest temporal density of measurements ever taken over the region. Time-height depiction of ozone concentration reveals considerable variability near the surface and in the mid/upper troposphere. Meteorological influences are assessed using the synoptic and mesoscale information, which revealed that periodic stratospheric intrusion of ozone-rich air was the main mechanism for elevated levels in the upper troposphere. It is also shown that high concentrations of ozone prevalent in the free troposphere were due to a combination of advection and aged air masses, which accounted for over 40% of the total budget. Poor air quality episodes with high surface concentration were due local emissions of precursors and associated synoptic-scale conditions. Breaks in the elevated ozone concentrations in the boundary layer and free troposphere occurred from frontal passages and accompanying storms. In the most unusual case (26 July, 2011), the combined effect of storms followed by two frontal passages and high pressure positioned west of the region led to decrease column ozone as much as 70%. The unusually deep extent of the reduction appears to be related to the temporary cutoff of air advected from fire locations and polluted regions, which dominated the upper troposphere throughout the period.
Efficacy of curcumin for age-associated cognitive decline: a narrative review of preclinical and clinical studies

Processes such as aberrant redox signaling and chronic low-grade systemic inflammation have been reported to modulate age-associated pathologies such as cognitive impairment. Curcumin, the primary therapeutic component of the Indian spice, Turmeric (Curcuma longa), has long been known for its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity attributable to its unique molecular structure. Recently, an interest in this polyphenol as a cognitive therapeutic for the elderly has emerged. The purpose of this paper is to critically review preclinical and clinical studies that have evaluated the efficacy of curcumin in ameliorating and preventing age-associated cognitive decline and address the translational progress of preclinical to clinical efficacy. PubMed, semantic scholar, and Google scholar searches were used for preclinical studies; and clinicaltrials.gov , the Australian and New Zealand clinical trials registry, and PubMed search were used to select relevant completed clinical studies. Results from preclinical studies consistently demonstrate curcumin and its analogues to be efficacious for various aspects of cognitive impairment and processes that contribute to age-associated cognitive impairment. Results of published clinical studies, while mixed, continue to show promise for curcumin’s use as a therapeutic for cognitive decline but overall remain inconclusive at this time. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have found that curcumin can significantly decrease oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and obstruct pathways that activate transcription factors that augment these processes. Future clinical studies would benefit from including evaluation of peripheral and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of dementia and behavioral markers of cognitive decline, as well as targeting the appropriate population.
Fabrication of Thermoelectric La0.95Sr0.05CoO3 Thin Film and Seebeck Coefficient Measurement

The P-type perovskite oxides La1-x Srx CoO3 are a promising group of complex oxide thermoelectric (TE) materials because of its a higher Seebeck coefficient. In this paper, the La0.95 Sr0.05 CoO3 thin film was prepared by spin coating. A custom-made MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) based device was used to measure the voltage output and Seebeck coefficient of the thin film. The measured Seebeck coefficient of the thin film was 350 μV/K.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A contemporary, 7-year analysis of vascular injury from the war in Afghanistan.

Abstract Objective Vascular injury is a leading cause of death and disability in military and civilian trauma. Although a previous interim study defined the distribution of vascular injury during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a contemporary epidemiologic assessment has not been performed. The objective of this study was to provide a current analysis of vascular injury during the final 7 years of the war in Afghanistan, including characterization of anatomic injury patterns, mechanisms of injury, and methods of acute management. Methods The Department of Defense Trauma Registry was analyzed to identify U.S. military service members who sustained a battle-related vascular injury and survived to be treated at a surgical facility in Afghanistan between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2015. All battle-related injuries (nonreturn to duty) were used as a denominator to establish the injury rate. Mechanism and anatomic distribution of injury as well as the acute management strategies of revascularization, ligation, and use of endovascular techniques were defined. Results Of 3900 service members who sustained a battle-related injury, 685 patients (17.6%) had 1105 vascular injuries (1.6 vascular injuries per patient). Extremity trauma accounted for 72% (n = 796) of vascular injuries, followed by the torso (17%; n = 188) and cervical (11%; n = 118) regions. Lower extremity vascular injury was the most prevalent anatomic location (45%; 501/1105). Explosion with fragment penetration accounted for 70% (477/685) of injuries, whereas gunshot wounds accounted for 30% (205/685). Open repair was performed in 559 cases (57%; 554/981), whereas ligation was the initial management strategy in 40% (395/981) of cases. In addition, 374 diagnostic endovascular procedures were completed, 27 therapeutic endovascular interventions to include stent placement and angioplasty were performed and 55 inferior vena cava filters were placed. Mortality of the vascular injury cohort was 5%. Conclusions The rate of vascular injury in modern combat is higher than that reported in previous wars. Open reconstruction is performed in half of cases, although ligation is an important damage control option, especially for minor or distal vessel injuries. Angiographic techniques are increasingly being used and documented within wartime registries more than ever. Proficiency with open and endovascular methods of vascular injury management remains a critical need for the U.S. military and will require partnership with civilian institutions to attain and maintain.
Detection and measurement of free radical generation during cardiovascular injury.

It has been suggested thatduring myocardial ischemia short-lived free radicals such as superoxide (O 2 - ·), hydroxyl (·OH), or lipid peroxide (RO.) are produced. The evidence, however, of the participation of such radicals in cardiovascular injury has been, for the most part, based upon activation of lipid peroxidation and on myocardial protection provided by scavengers.1,2 Direct detection of such radicals, as might be possible by electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) has not provided conclusive identification of radicals produced during these injuries. However, spin trapping and ESR offer an indirect technique that provides the evidence necessary to confirm the involvement of these labile intermediates. Spin trapping has been applied very successfully to studies of free radical mechanisms in a variety of chemical and photochemical reactions; however, it has only recently been applied to biological systems. The majority of the spin traps being used are molecules containing a nitroso or nitrone group which, upon addition of a labile free radical, form a stable nitroxide that is easily detected by ESR.
Family Lepisosteida (Gars) as Living Fossils

Gars (Fig. 1). are primitive neopterygian fishes with elongate snout, plicidentine teeth, opisthocoelous vertebrae, heavy dermal bone retaining ganoid ornamentation, ganoid scales, a semiheterocercal tail, and fulcral scales on the median fins. The elongate snout is an ontogenetic product of ethmoid elongation and is correlated with many of the synapomorphies characterizing the family (Wiley 1976). Plicidentine teeth and opistocoelous vertebrae are also synapomorphies (Patterson 1973). The remaining characters are retained plesiomorphies.
Effect of Flow on Complex Biological Macromolecules in Microfluidic Devices

Understanding the transport, orientation, and deformation of biological macromolecules by flow is important in designing microfluidic devices. In this study, epi-fluorescence microscopy was used to characterize the behavior of macromolecules in flow in a microfluidic device, particularly how the flow affects the conformation of the molecules. The microfluidic flow path consists of a large, inlet reservoir connected to a long, rectangular channel followed by a large downstream reservoir. The flow contains both regions of high elongation (along the centerline as the fluid converges from the upstream reservoir into the channel) and shear (in the channel near the walls). Solutions of λ-DNA labeled with a fluorescent probe were first characterized rheologically to determine fluid relaxation times, then introduced into the microfluidic device. Images of the DNA conformation in the device were captured through an epi-fluorescent microscope. The conformation of DNA molecules under flow showed tremendous heterogeneity, as observed by Chu [7,12] and co-workers in pure shear and pure elongational flows. Histograms of the distribution of conformations were measured along the channel centerline as a function of axial position and revealed dramatic stretching of the molecules due to the converging flow followed by an eventual return to equilibrium coil size far downstream of the channel entry. The importance of shear was probed via a series of measurements near the channel centerline and near the channel wall. High shear rates near the channel wall also resulted in dramatic stretching of the molecules, and may result in chain scission of the macromolecules.
Cobalt-Catalyzed Hydroboration of Alkenes, Aldehydes, and Ketones

An operationally convenient and general method for hydroboration of alkenes, aldehydes, and ketones employing Co(acac)3 as a precatalyst is reported. The hydroboration of alkenes in the presence of HBpin, PPh3, and NaOtBu affords good to excellent yields with high Markovnikov selectivity with up to 97:3 branched/linear selectivity. Moreover, Co(acac)3 could be used effectively to hydroborate aldehydes and ketones in the absence of additives under mild reaction conditions. Inter- and intramolecular chemoselective reduction of the aldehyde group took place over the ketone functional group.
EFFECTS OF MEDICAID HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS ON POTENTIALLY PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATIONS

Medicaid, the jointly funded Federal-State health insurance program, accounts for 44% of spending on long-term services and supports (LTSS) in the US and is the source of health insurance for many low-income and needy Americans. The percentage of Medicaid recipients nationwide under some form of managed care has increased dramatically over the last 15 years, yet little is known on the question of whether Medicaid HMOs improve care quality for their Medicaid enrollees. This paper examines whether Medicaid HMOs reduce the incidence of potentially avoidable hospitalizations, a well-recognized indicator of the quality of outpatient care. Nationally representative data on 4,598 adults, with Medicaid coverage, ages 18 and older, drawn from the 2003–2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, are analyzed. We adopt the AHRQ’s definition of an avoidable hospitalization, and then estimate a series of logistic models for the occurrence of an avoidable hospitalization, controlling for enrollment in a Medicaid HMO, socioeconomic characteristics, and health status. The possibility of selection bias into HMOs is considered and explicitly addressed in model estimation using a propensity score method. We find that recipients in Medicaid HMOs are 1.3 times more likely to experience an avoidable hospitalization, and this result is significant at the 10% level. This estimate controls for possible self-selection into Medicaid HMOs, and it is robust to alternative estimation methods. Potentially preventable hospitalizations are more common among recipients in Medicaid HMOs, suggesting that the quality of outpatient care in Medicaid HMOs may be worse than under conventional Medicaid.
Employee Attitudes about the Impact of Visitation Dogs on a College Campus

Therapy and visitation dogs are becoming more common on college campuses to provide comfort and support to students, but little attention has been given to the concerns of faculty and staff who sha...
Spatial heterogeneity of prion gene polymorphisms in an area recently infected by chronic wasting disease

Genetic variability in the prion protein (Prnp) gene influences host susceptibility to many pathogenic prion diseases. Understanding the distribution of susceptible Prnp variants and determining factors influencing spatial genetic patterns are important components of many chronic wasting disease mitigation strategies. Here, we describe Prnp variability in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States of America, an area with a recent history of infection and low disease incidence. This population is characterized by lower rates of polymorphism and significantly higher frequencies of the more susceptible 96GG genotype compared to previously surveyed populations. The prevalence of the most susceptible genotypes at disease-associated loci did vary among subregions, indicating that populations have innate differences in genotype-dictated susceptibility.
Influence of ligand encapsulation on cobalt-59 chemical-shift thermometry

Thermometry via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would provide a powerful noninvasive window into physiological temperature management. Cobalt-59 nuclear spins demonstrate exceptional temperature dependence of their NMR chemical shifts, yet the insight to control this dependence via molecular design is lacking. We present the first systematic evidence that encapsulation of this spin system amplifies the temperature sensitivity. We tested the temperature dependence of the 59Co chemical shift (Δδ/ΔT) in a series of five low-spin cobalt(III) complexes as a function of increasing encapsulation within the 1st coordination sphere. This study spans from [Co(NH3)6]Cl3, with no interligand connectivity, to a fully encapsulated dinitrosarcophagine (diNOsar) complex, [Co(diNOsar)]Cl3. We discovered Δδ/ΔT values that span from 1.44(2) ppm °C−1 in [Co(NH3)6]Cl3 to 2.04(2) ppm °C−1 in [Co(diNOsar)]Cl3, the latter among the highest for a molecular complex. The data herein suggest that designing 59Co NMR thermometers toward high chemical stability can be coincident with high Δδ/ΔT. To better understand this phenomenon, variable-temperature UV-Vis, 59Co NMR relaxation, Raman spectroscopic, and variable-solvent investigations were performed. Data from these measurements highlight an unexpected impact of encapsulation – an increasingly dynamic and flexible inner coordination sphere. These results comprise the first systematic studies to reveal insight into the molecular factors that govern Δδ/ΔT and provide the first evidence of 59Co nuclear-spin control via vibrational means.
Antenna Switching Sequence Design for Channel Sounding in a Fast Time-Varying Channel

This paper investigates the impact of array switching patterns on the accuracy of parameter estimation of multipath components for a time division multiplexed (TDM) channel sounder. To measure fast time- varying channels, the conventional uniform array switching pattern poses a fundamental limit of the number of antennas that a TDM channel sounder can utilize. We propose a method, which is based on the simulated annealing algorithm, to find non-uniform array switching patterns for realistic antenna arrays, so that we can extend the Doppler estimation range of the channel sounder by suppressing the high sidelobes in the spatio-temporal ambiguity function. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate that the optimal switching sequence leads to significantly smaller root mean square errors of both direction of departure and Doppler. Results can be applied in both vehicle-to-vehicle and mobile millimeter wave MIMO channel measurements.
Doxorubicin Activates Ryanodine Receptors in Rat Lymphatic Muscle Cells to Attenuate Rhythmic Contractions and Lymph Flow

Doxorubicin is a risk factor for secondary lymphedema in cancer patients exposed to surgery or radiation. The risk is presumed to relate to its cytotoxicity. However, the present study provides initial evidence that doxorubicin directly inhibits lymph flow and this action appears distinct from its cytotoxic activity. We used real-time edge detection to track diameter changes in isolated rat mesenteric lymph vessels. Doxorubicin (0.5-20 μmol/l) progressively constricted lymph vessels and inhibited rhythmic contractions, reducing flow to 24.2% ± 7.7% of baseline. The inhibition of rhythmic contractions by doxorubicin paralleled a tonic rise in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in lymphatic muscle cells, which was prevented by pharmacological antagonism of ryanodine receptors. Washout of doxorubicin partially restored lymph vessel contractions, implying a pharmacological effect. Subsequently, high-speed optical imaging was used to assess the effect of doxorubicin on rat mesenteric lymph flow in vivo. Superfusion of doxorubicin (0.05-10 μmol/l) maximally reduced volumetric lymph flow to 34% ± 11.6% of baseline. Likewise, doxorubicin (10 mg/kg) administered intravenously to establish clinically achievable plasma concentrations also maximally reduced volumetric lymph flow to 40.3% ± 6.0% of initial values. Our findings reveal that doxorubicin at plasma concentrations achieved during chemotherapy opens ryanodine receptors to induce "calcium leak" from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in lymphatic muscle cells and reduces lymph flow, an event linked to lymph vessel damage and the development of lymphedema. These results infer that pharmacological block of ryanodine receptors in lymphatic smooth muscle cells may mitigate secondary lymphedema in cancer patients subjected to doxorubicin chemotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Doxorubicin directly inhibits the rhythmic contractions of collecting lymph vessels and reduces lymph flow as a possible mechanism of secondary lymphedema, which is associated with the administration of anthracycline-based chemotherapy. The inhibitory effects of doxorubicin on rhythmic contractions and flow in isolated lymph vessels were prevented by pharmacological block of ryanodine receptors, thereby identifying the ryanodine receptor family of proteins as potential therapeutic targets for the development of new antilymphedema medications.
1239. Efficacy of Preoperative Chlorhexidine Gluconate and Mupirocin in the Prevention of Orthopedic Surgical Site Infections

Background Surgical site infections (SSIs) affect 1–5% of patients undergoing surgical procedures in the United States each year and have a mortality rate of up to 75%. We sought to assess the efficacy of a bundled preoperative decolonization treatment protocol to prevent SSIs in hip, knee, or spine procedures.
PARP-1-targeted Auger emitters display high-LET cytotoxic properties in vitro but show limited therapeutic utility in solid tumor models of human neuroblastoma

The currently available therapeutic radiopharmaceutical for high-risk neuroblastoma, 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine, is ineffective at targeting micrometastases because of the low–linear-energy-transfer (LET) properties of high-energy β-particles. In contrast, Auger radiation has high-LET properties with nanometer ranges in tissue, efficiently causing DNA damage when emitted near DNA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of targeted Auger therapy in preclinical models of high-risk neuroblastoma. Methods: We used a radiolabled poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor called 125I-KX1 to deliver Auger radiation to PARP-1, a chromatin-binding enzyme overexpressed in neuroblastoma. The in vitro cytotoxicity of 125I-KX1 was assessed in 19 neuroblastoma cell lines, followed by in-depth pharmacologic analysis in a sensitive and resistant pair of cell lines. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to characterize 125I-KX1–induced DNA damage. Finally, in vitro and in vivo microdosimetry was modeled from experimentally derived pharmacologic variables. Results:125I-KX1 was highly cytotoxic in vitro across a panel of neuroblastoma cell lines, directly causing double-strand DNA breaks. On the basis of subcellular dosimetry, 125I-KX1 was approximately twice as effective as 131I-KX1, whereas cytoplasmic 125I-metaiodobenzylguanidine demonstrated low biological effectiveness. Despite the ability to deliver a focused radiation dose to the cell nuclei, 125I-KX1 remained less effective than its α-emitting analog 211At-MM4 and required significantly higher activity for equivalent in vivo efficacy based on tumor microdosimetry. Conclusion: Chromatin-targeted Auger therapy is lethal to high-risk neuroblastoma cells and has the potential to be used in micrometastatic disease. This study provides the first evidence for cellular lethality from a PARP-1–targeted Auger emitter, calling for further investigation into targeted Auger therapy.
Biomarker similarities between the saline lacustrine Eocene Green River and the Paleoproterozoic Barney Creek Formations

Abstract The Paleoproterozoic Barney Creek Formation, which is currently interpreted as a restricted, deep marine paleoenvironment, plays a disproportionate role in our understanding of Proterozoic ocean chemistry and the rise of complex life. The Barney Creek Formation hosts several unusual biomarker features, specifically its methylhopane and carotenoid signatures. Herein, we demonstrate that the saline lacustrine Eocene Green River Formation shares a similar distribution of methylhopanes and carotenoids, which is characteristic of saline lacustrine organic matter more generally. These distinct methylhopane and carotenoid patterns are not observed together in marine organic matter of any geologic age. These results imply a saline lacustrine depositional environment for the Barney Creek Formation, which agrees with earlier but now abandoned depositional models of this formation. As a result, models of Proterozoic ocean chemistry and emergence of complex life that rely on a marine Barney Creek Formation should be reexamined. Alternatively, if Paleoproterozoic marine biomarker signatures resemble those of younger saline lacustrine systems, then this must be recognized to accurately interpret geologic biomarker and paleoenvironmental records.
Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (Fortune empress of the world): Reflections of an immigrant dermatologist.

Abstract Immigration has been considered a common human behavior, but it is usually the result of severe conditions that force people to leave their countries.1 For specialized physicians that have invested years of study, training, hard work, and money to establish a successful career, the decision of leaving behind everything to start over is as difficult as for the rest of the people. Adapting to a new country requires a good deal of patience, persistence, and resilience to reinvent oneself, exploring and developing new areas, plus using knowledge and experiences previously acquired. This paper reflects the anxieties, fears, and hopes of a dermatologist driven by the dynamics of a migratory process. The reflections are framed with verses of the goddess Fortune, extracted from a medieval Codex, as a way to compare how Fortune's whims can change circumstances to keep us moving upwards and downwards during our lives.
Water–food–energy–climate nexus and technology productivity: a Nigerian case study of organic leafy vegetable production

Low agricultural productivity is a major challenge constraining food production in developing countries. Attempts at addressing the problem have resulted in the development and deployment of agricultural technologies, such as organic farming, to help boost productivity, enhance farmers’ income, and their overall livelihood conditions. The deployment of such productivity-enhancing technologies has mostly overlooked their inexplicable interconnectedness and interdependencies with nexus factors such as climate, water, and energy within the embeddings of a food production system. Through a Nigerian case study approach, this study attempts to bridge this gap by qualitatively investigating how organic leafy vegetable production (OLVP) and its anticipated outcomes can be affected by the interface of water, energy, and climate with food production. This was intended to generate exploratory insights that will help underscore why cross-sectoral linkages should be accounted for when deploying agricultural technology interventions. To achieve this objective, we conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and field visits to the farms of organic farmers in Ajibode, Ibadan, Nigeria. Results indicate that the productivity of OLVP was severely constrained by highly contextual nexus factors such as energy deficit, the water source for irrigation, changes in rainfall patterns, and temperature effect of harmattan. We concluded that location-specific nexus elements that intersect with food production should be accounted for when introducing productivity-enhancing technologies. Otherwise, the opportunity for improved agricultural productivity may remain elusive. Finally, our study shows that the nexus approach can help reveal intricately linked cross-sectoral factors that can constrain the performance of agricultural technologies.
Overprotective Parenting Mediates the Relationship Between Early Childhood ADHD and Anxiety Symptoms: Evidence From a Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study:

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often comorbid with anxiety disorders in children. Both ADHD and anxiety in childhood has been linked to overprotective parenting styles. In the c...
Coping Strategies in Sudanese Refugee Women in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya

Thirty Sudanese women currently living in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya were interviewed regarding their coping strategies in May 2011. The three central areas of discussion for the study were informal social support, the role of the womens beliefs, and formal supports in the camp and how these items contributed to coping strategies. It was found that women were limited in their emotional coping strategies by their many physical needs. Much of the focus of their discussion was around their attempts to meet these physical needs. Formal supports, in particular the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, was the primary support available and utilized by the women in the study. Beliefs in God and education were the primary means of emotional support, with little assistance from friends and family.
Adaptive Beamsteering Cognitive Radar With Integrated Search-and-Track of Swarm Targets

Adaptive beamsteering cognitive radar (AB-CRr) systems seek to improve detection and tracking performance by formulating a beam placement strategy adapted to their environment. AB-CRr builds a probabilistic model of the target environment that enables it to more efficiently employ its limited resources to locate and track targets. In this work, we investigate methods for adapting the AB-CRr framework to detect and track large target swarms. This is achieved by integrating the properties of correlated-motion swarms into both the radar tracking model and AB-CRr’s underlying dynamic probability model. As a result, a list of newly CRr-integrated contributions are enumerated: a) improved uncertainty function design, b) incorporates Mahalanobis nearest neighbors multi-target association methodology into AB-CRr, c) introduces a novel Kalman-based consolidated swarm tracking methodology with a common velocity state vector that frames targets as a correlated collection of swarm members, d) introduces an improved uncertainty growth model for updating environment probability map, e) introduces a method for incorporating estimated swarm structure and behavior into the uncertainty update model referred to as “track hinting”, and f) introduces new metrics for swarm search/detection and tracking called swarm centroid track error and swarm tracking dwell ratio. The results demonstrate that AB-CRr is capable of adapting its beamsteering strategy to efficiently perform resource balancing between target search and swarm tracking applications, while taking advantage of group structure and intra-swarm target correlation to resist large swarms overloading available resources.
Herpetofaunal community response to hurricanes Irma and Maria in Virgin Islands National Park

Disturbances are critical for maintaining environmental heterogeneity and biodiversity across landscapes. Hurricanes represent a common disturbance in the Caribbean Sea. These storms are predicted to become more frequent and severe as climate shifts. Understanding how island communities respond to disturbances is critical to their conservation. We surveyed Virgin Islands National Park located on the island of St. John in the Caribbean Sea in 2016 and 2018 to evaluate prolonged herpetofauna community response and resistance to hurricanes. These surveys occurred in March 2016, and June 2018, before and after the 2017 hurricane season, when hurricanes Irma and Maria struck St. John. Using visual encounter surveys, vocalisation surveys, and opportunistic encounters, we surveyed trails within the park through five landscape cover types pre- and post-hurricane. We used linear regression to determine differences in diversity and species richness among landscape cover types and between pre- and post-hurricane surveys and non-metric multidimensional scaling to observe associations among species and landscape cover types pre- and post-hurricane surveys. We determined that there were no significant changes in landscape cover and herpetofauna community associations before and after the 2017 hurricane season, indicating that the herpetofauna communities of Virgin Islands National Park are well adapted to hurricane-related disturbance.
Nonsurgical treatment of human benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates the nonsurgical treatment of human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Benign nodular hyperplasia of the prostate is the most common neoplastic growth in man. The results of surgical treatment for BPH are good with a low mortality, a modest number of complications, obtainment of a good functional result and with little effect on potentia. The incidence of BPH in 100 men over 45 years of age who had received testosterone propionate in the treatment of either angina pectoris or the male climacterium with the incidence in 100 age-matched controls is compared. Testosterone propionate had been administered to these patients intramuscularly in doses of 25–75 mg per week for periods varying from 3 months to 4 years. Twenty-seven treated patients showed prostatic hypertrophy, but 34 control subjects also had an enlarged prostate. It is found that when estrogen therapy was combined with the 3α-androstanediol treatment, the prostates were even larger, and the glands developed additional stromal components, which more closely resembled the type of BPH observed in humans.
TOO DUMB TO KNOW BETTER

Throughout history, three traits have commonly been stressed as characteristic of the bad woman: her irresolution. her promiscuity, and her responsibility for the downfull of others. These traits were amplified by a series of studies of “cacogenic” families which appeared between 1874 and 1926. The family studies offered seemingly scientific proof that the bad woman was the source of many social problems and an important criminal type in her own right. The process by which the family studies helped remodel the image of the bad woman is examined as are effects of that remodeling on institutionalization policy. The development of this new image of the bad woman is explained, in part, by the fact that the family studies were financed by wealthy eugenists; these sponsors stood to gain from the increased social control which, the family studies showed, was required by the cacogenic woman and her progeny.
Mechanisms of single-photon detection in rod photoreceptors.

Abstract Rod photoreceptors detect and encode incident photons exceptionally well. They collect sparse photons with high efficiency, maintain a low dark noise, and generate reproducible responses to each absorbed photon. The mechanisms involved in single-photon detection—control of the effective lifetime of a single active receptor molecule, amplification of the activity of this single molecule by a second-messenger cascade, and reliable transmission of small synaptic signals—recur throughout the nervous system. Indeed, several other sensory systems reach or approach limits set by quantization of their input signals. For example, olfactory receptors can detect single odorant molecules. Although our understanding of visual transduction and signal processing has advanced rapidly during the past 10–15 years, fundamental questions still remain: What mechanisms are responsible for the reproducibility of the rod's elementary response? What are the tradeoffs of speed and sensitivity in the transduction cascade? How are the rod single-photon responses reliably transmitted to the rest of the visual system? Future technical innovations, particularly better methods to monitor the activity of intermediate steps in transduction, will play an important role in providing answers.
Abstract T P27: Early Blood Brain Barrier Disruption in the Ischemic Core

Background: Animal models of cerebral ischemia have identified an early, reversible opening of the blood brain barrier (BBB) which is separate from the delayed secondary opening caused by neuroinflamation. A recent study found BBB disruption was frequently detected in acute ischemic stroke patients with MRI permeability imaging (Leigh et al., Stroke, 2014). Hypothesis: More severe restricted diffusion will be associated with higher degrees of BBB damage in acute ischemic stroke patients. Methods: The MRI scans of 13 acute ischemic stroke patients were analyzed. Diffusion weighted images (DWI) and perfusion weighted images (PWI) where co-registered to allow for a voxel based analysis. Blood-brain permeability images (BBPI) were generated from the PWI source images as described in the aforementioned study. Only voxels of tissue which had an apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) Results: From the 13 patients, 535 mL of brain tissue was included in the analysis. The figure shows a scatter plot and regression line of ADC value vs mean fraction of gadolinium leakage on BBPI. Univariate linear regression with ADC as the independent variable and BBPI as the dependent variable found them to be significantly correlated (p Conclusions: Early BBB damage was detected within the ischemic core of acute stroke patients. The degree of restricted diffusion was significantly correlated with the degree of BBB damage.