cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxicity of Insecticides to Adult Microplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Topical application of 14 insecticides to the adult parasitoid Microplitis croceipes (Cresson) (mean weight ± SE = 5.8 ± 0.1 mg) showed that certain compounds were tolerated by the wasp. No dosage/mortality response was obtained for chlordimeform, diflubenzuron, or thiodicarb because concentrations >2,500 ng per insect were insoluble in acetone. Of the remaining 11 compounds, the organophosphate insecticide methyl parathion-EPN was most toxic (LD50 = 13.2 ng per insect), while the pyrethroid insecticide fenvalerate was least toxic (LD50 = 939.9 ng per insect). The carbamate methomyl (LD50 = 404.9 ng per insect) and the pyrethroid flucythrinate (LD50 = 397.2 ng per insect) had similar LD50’s. LD50’s(nanograms per insect) for the remaining insecticides were chlorpyrifos, 21.7; azinphosmethyl, 25.5; malathion, 52.1; sulprofos, 136.8; permethrin, 203.1; toxaphene, 246.1; and dicrotophos, 308.7. These results support the hypothesis that unusually high rates of parasitism in the field are the result of the use of pyrethroid rather than organophosphorous insecticides.
Flexible conformai antennas

Flexible conformai antennas have wide application possibilities provided that they are small and flexible so that they can be conformally placed on the surfaces associated with the specific applications. Certain applications may also require small size compact antennas operational at relatively low microwave frequencies. Various antenna configurations including the Composite Right/Left-Handed (CRLH) transmission lines (TL) are presented as possible flexible antennas. These antennas are implemented by converting the standard planar conventional antenna geometries to slotted lines forms. Two CRLH antennas combined to provide the flexible configurations are simulated using various circular curvatures.
Stochastic Games for Power Grid Protection Against Coordinated Cyber-Physical Attacks

Due to the global reliance on the power grid, coordinated cyber-physical attacks on its critical infrastructure can lead to disastrous human and economic losses. In this paper, a stochastic game-theoretic approach is proposed to analyze the optimal strategies that a power grid defender can adopt to protect the grid against coordinated attacks. First, an optimal load shedding technique is devised to quantify the physical impacts of coordinated attacks. Taking these quantified impacts as input parameters, the interactions between a malicious attacker and the defender are modeled using a resource allocation stochastic game. The game is shown to admit a Nash equilibrium and a novel learning algorithm is introduced to enable the two players to reach their equilibrium strategies while maximizing their respective minimum rewards in a sequence of stages. The convergence of the proposed algorithm to a Nash equilibrium point is proved and its properties are studied. Simulation results of the stochastic game model on the WSCC 9-bus system and the IEEE 118-bus system are contrasted with those of static games, and show that different defense resources owned lead to different defense strategies.
Determination of soil fungicide quintozene in lettuce by capillary gas chromatography

Objective:To develop a sensitive method for the determination of soil fungicide quintozene residue in lettuce by capillary gas chromatography.Methods:After the sample was extracted with acetone/hexane(10:90,v/v) and cleaned up with H2SO4,the chromatographic separation was performed on a DB-5 capillary column(30 m×0.32 mm×0.25 μm) and detection was carried out by a micro electron capture detector.Results:The linear range was 5.0～150.0 ng/ml and the limit of quantification was 0.5 μg/kg for quintozene.The regression equation was Y=252.4X-37.1 with a coefficient of determination(r=0.9992).The extraction recoveries were between 87.5%～91.2%,the RSD was less than 5.3%.Conclusion:This method is simple,rapid and sensitive with satisfactory recoveries and reproducibility.
Ising anyons in frustration-free Majorana-dimer models

Dimer models have long been a fruitful playground for understanding topological physics. Here, we introduce a class, termed Majorana-dimer models, wherein bosonic dimers are decorated with pairs of Majorana modes. We find that the simplest examples of such systems realize an intriguing, intrinsically fermionic phase of matter that can be viewed as the product of a chiral Ising theory, which hosts deconfined non-Abelian quasiparticles, and a topological p_x−ip_y superconductor. While the bulk anyons are described by a single copy of the Ising theory, the edge remains fully gapped. Consequently, this phase can arise in exactly solvable, frustration-free models. We describe two parent Hamiltonians: one generalizes the well-known dimer model on the triangular lattice, while the other is most naturally understood as a model of decorated fluctuating loops on a honeycomb lattice. Using modular transformations, we show that the ground-state manifold of the latter model unambiguously exhibits all properties of the Ising×(p_x−ip_y) theory. We also discuss generalizations with more than one Majorana mode per site, which realize phases related to Kitaev's 16-fold way in a similar fashion.
A Statistical Comparative Assessment of Face and Hand Transplantation Outcomes to Determine Whether Either Meets the Standard of Care Threshold.

Background:Hand and face transplantation has established itself as a clinical option for certain reconstructive problems. The purpose of this study was to carry out a rigorous statistical analysis of all hand and face transplantations to determine whether hand and/or face transplantation is the stan
The Figures Readers Make: Interpretive Plots in Reader-Oriented Criticism

The term ‘reader-oriented criticism’ has been loosely used to bracket a variety of approaches (phenomenological criticism, reception theory, reader-response, poststructuralist critiques of interpretation) that have foregrounded reading as a sociocultural, interested activity. In a more restricted sense, the term designates a characteristic Anglo-American direction in literary education, starting with the pioneering work of I.A. Richards and Louise M. Rosenblatt in the aesthetics of response, and concluding with the current poststructuralist, feminist, and psychological contributions to the problematics of ‘reading’. Despite its theoretical diffuseness and eclecticism, borrowing freely from phenomenology, hermeneutics, psychoanalysis, transactional psychology, semiotics, this pragmatic orientation in literary studies is structured by a dominant plot: ‘Crudely summarised, the point of departure in each story is always a dissatisfaction with formalist principles, and a recognition that the practice of supposedly impersonal and disinterested reading is never innocent and always infected by suppressed or unexamined presuppositions. By refocusing attention on the reader instead of the text as the source of literary meaning, a new field of inquiry is opened up’.1
Conditional Inference in Two-Stage Adaptive Experiments via the Bootstrap

We study two-stage adaptive designs in which data accumulated in the first stage are used to select the design for a second stage. Inference following such experiments is often conducted by ignoring the adaptive procedure and treating the design as fixed. Alternative inference procedures approximate the variance of the parameter estimates by approximating the inverse of expected Fisher information. Both of these inferential methods often rely on normal distribution assumptions in order to create confidence intervals. In an effort to improve inference, we develop bootstrap methods that condition on a non-ancillary statistic that defines the second stage design.
Plasma Endothelin-1 and Leukocyte Microparticles Increase during Pain Episode in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease.

During sickle cell-related pain episode, there is increased inflammation and decreased tissue perfusion as compared to baseline. Endothelin-1 may contribute to vasoconstriction. In addition, cell derived microparticles (C-MP) are membrane particles released during activation or apoptosis of cells such as platelets (PMP), leukocytes (LMP), red cells (RMP), and endothelium (EMP) and are emerging as biomarkers for inflammation and thrombosis. We investigated differences in blood counts, plasma endothelin-1, and cell-derived microparticles (C-MP) during steady state and pain crisis in 10 subjects with sickle cell disease (8 SS, 1 SC, and 1 S-beta thalassemia+; mean age 15.8 years± 4.6, range 6–20). C-MPs were measured by flow cytometry in platelet-poor plasma using fluorescent monoclonal antibodies: LMP by CD45, RMP by anti-glycophorin, PMP by CD31+/CD41+, and EMP by CD62E, or CD51, or CD31+/CD41−. Plasma endothelin-1 was measured by ELISA. White cell counts from hemoglobin SS individuals increased consistently during a vasoocclusive episode from a mean baseline WBC of 8817±2424 to 12,520 ± 4205 (p=0.03) during the pain episode, for a mean change of 4400±2525. There were no significant changes in hemoglobin or platelet count. PMP was normal at baseline, but there was a tendency to have lower levels during pain episodes. On the other hand, red cell microparticles (RMP) in 7 of 10 patients (those with total hemoglobin <11 g/dl) were elevated, suggesting that hemolytic anemia is associated with increased number of RMP in both steady state and during vaso-occlusion. Regarding EMP, about half had elevations of EMP31 and EMP51 regardless of baseline or pain. EMP62E was normal in nearly all assays. LMP were normal at baseline, but all increased during pain (p=0.03), and in 3 of 10 patients the levels were abnormally high compared to control data, suggesting leukocyte activation during vaso-occlusion. Four of 9 subjects showed elevation of plasma endothelin-1 with mean elevation of 22±14 pg/ml during pain episode. However, 5 had normal levels as compared to control (<0.78 pg/ml). Of the 4 patients who had elevations in the plasma endothelin-1 during the vasoocclusive event, 3 normalized their levels (steady state samples were performed 2, 3, and 3 months) after the pain episode. One patient who had the steady-state sample done just 2 weeks after the pain episode had decreased the level, but still was elevated compared to control value. All patients who had elevation of plasma endothelin were experiencing severe pain. We observed that patients with mild pain or those who were receiving ketorolac as analgesic had normal plasma endothelin-1. Our preliminary data suggest that during a sickle-related pain episode, there is leukocyte activation evident by increased white cell count and leukocyte microparticles. Furthermore, plasma endothelin level may correlate with pain severity and may be affected by medication.
Current Trends in Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Surgery Among Newly Trained Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Introduction Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstructions are being performed with an increasing annual incidence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in UCL surgery among recently trained orthopaedic surgeons. Methods The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons (ABOS) database was used to identify all UCL reconstructions from 2004 to 2013. Procedures were identified by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and verified by International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes. Data on surgeon fellowship, practice location, concomitant surgical procedures, and complications were collected. Results One hundred sixty-four UCL reconstructions were performed by 133 ABOS Part II candidates. The annual incidence increased from 1.52 to 3.46 cases per 10,000 (P = 0.042). Reconstructions were most commonly performed by surgeons with fellowship training in sports medicine (65.9%), hand and upper extremity (18.9%), and shoulder and elbow (9.1%). Most reconstructions were performed in isolation (57.3%), or with ulnar nerve transposition (32.9%) or elbow arthroscopy (9.8%). Concomitant elbow arthroscopy rates decreased significantly (P = 0.022). Complications occurred in 9.8% of cases, although the rates did not significantly change (P = 0.466). Conclusions UCL reconstructions are being performed with increasing frequency. Concomitant procedure rates remained the same, although arthroscopy was less commonly performed. Complication rates did not change considerably over the observed period. Further study of the surgical trends and associated long-term outcomes is warranted. Level of evidence Level IV.
Least-Squares and Stochastic Gradient Algorithms Have the Same Convergence Rate Order

Abstract This paper presents novel results on the almost sure convergence of the stochastic gradient based self-turning controller. The main focus of the paper is to evaluate convergence rate of the parameter estimates. It is proved that, surprisingly, this rale has the same order as the best one established for the least-squares algorithm, and it is the same as that in the laws of iterated logarithm. Although we consider the case of self-tuning controllers, presented results can easily be extended to some other adaptive processes.
PEDF expression affects retinal endothelial cell proangiogenic properties through alterations in cell adhesive mechanisms

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis. Although various ocular cell types including retinal endothelial cells (EC) produce PEDF, we know very little ab...
ON THE ROLE OF HYDROXYLIC AND N-METHYL GROUPS IN THE INTERACTION OF PHENYLETHYLAMINES WITH MONOAMINE OXIDASE TYPES A AND B

Introduction of either N-methyl,β-hydroxyl, or meta-hydroxyl groups into phenylethylamine (PEA) converts this biogenic amine from an almost pure B-type substrate of rat liver mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (MAO) into a partial A-type substrate. This shift is accompanied by changes in free energies of binding of these substrates to the enzyme. Largest difference is found for the binding of β-hydroxyphenylethylamine to the two types. The results reveal some marked differences in the morphology and molecular forces operating at the active site of A and B types of MAO.
Prolongations of tensor fields and connections to tangent bundles I – General theory –

Publisher Summary Using the notion of complete lift it is shown that G structures as a pseudo-Riemannian structure, an almost complex structure and a symplectic structure on M induce similar structures on the tangent bundle T(M). An unexpected but perhaps more interesting result is that each pseudo-Riemannian (resp. affine) symmetric space structure on M induces a pseudo-Riemannian (resp. affine) symmetric space structure on T(M). This suggests a method of producing a large class of affine symmetric spaces. The chapter considers A be a local algebra of the form A=R+I where R is the field of real numbers and I is the maximal ideal of A such that dim I k =0 for some k. A successful generalization of the theory to A(M) furnishs a useful tool for the differential geometry of higher order contact and yield a large number of affine symmetric spaces.
Treatment with a Catalytic Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Mimetic Improves Liver Steatosis, Insulin Sensitivity, and Inflammation in Obesity-Induced Type 2 Diabetes

Oxidative stress and persistent inflammation are exaggerated through chronic over-nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle, resulting in insulin resistance. In type 2 diabetes (T2D), impaired insulin signaling leads to hyperglycemia and long-term complications, including metabolic liver dysfunction, resulting in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The manganese metalloporphyrin superoxide dismustase (SOD) mimetic, manganese (III) meso-tetrakis (N-ethylpyridinium-2-yl) porphyrin (MnP), is an oxidoreductase known to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decrease pro-inflammatory cytokine production, by inhibiting nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation. We hypothesized that targeting oxidative stress-induced inflammation with MnP would assuage liver complications and enhance insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mouse model of T2D. During 12 weeks of feeding, we saw significant improvements in weight, hepatic steatosis, and biomarkers of liver dysfunction with redox modulation by MnP treatment in HFD-fed mice. Additionally, MnP treatment improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, while reducing serum insulin and leptin levels. We attribute these effects to redox modulation and inhibition of hepatic NF-κB activation, resulting in diminished ROS and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. This study highlights the importance of controlling oxidative stress and secondary inflammation in obesity-mediated insulin resistance and T2D. Our data confirm the role of NF-κB-mediated inflammation in the development of T2D, and demonstrate the efficacy of MnP in preventing the progression to disease by specifically improving liver pathology and hepatic insulin resistance in obesity.
One-Factor Designs and the Analysis of Variance

We begin this and subsequent chapters by presenting a real-world problem in the design and analysis of experiments on which at least one of the authors consulted. At the end of the chapter, we revisit the example and present analysis and results. The appendices will cover the analysis using statistical packages not covered in the main text, where appropriate. As you read the chapter, think about how the principles discussed here can be applied to this problem.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumor Associated Macrophages: Clinical Translation

Purpose: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in malignant tumors have been linked to tumor aggressiveness and represent a new target for cancer immunotherapy. As new TAM-targeted immunotherapies are entering clinical trials, it is important to detect and quantify TAM with noninvasive imaging techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine if ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI can detect TAM in lymphomas and bone sarcomas of pediatric patients and young adults.Experimental Design: In a first-in-patient, Institutional Review Board-approved prospective clinical trial, 25 pediatric and young adult patients with lymphoma or bone sarcoma underwent ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI. To confirm ferumoxytol enhancement, five pilot patients (two lymphoma and three bone sarcoma) underwent pre- and postcontrast MRI. Subsequently, 20 patients (10 lymphoma and 10 bone sarcoma) underwent ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI 24 to 48 hours after i.v. injection, followed by tumor biopsy/resection and macrophage staining. To determine if ferumoxytol-MRI can differentiate tumors with different TAM content, we compared T2* relaxation times of lymphomas and bone sarcomas. Tumor T2* values of 20 patients were correlated with CD68+ and CD163+ TAM quantities on histopathology.Results: Significant ferumoxytol tumor enhancement was noted on postcontrast scans compared with precontrast scans (P = 0.036). Bone sarcomas and lymphomas demonstrated significantly different MRI enhancement and TAM density (P < 0.05). Within each tumor group, T2* signal enhancement on MR images correlated significantly with the density of CD68+ and CD163+ TAM (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI is immediately clinically applicable and could be used to stratify patients with TAM-rich tumors to immune-targeted therapies and to monitor tumor response to these therapies. Clin Cancer Res; 24(17); 4110-8. ©2018 AACR.
Unitary Groups, Unitary Steinberg Groups, and Unitary K-Groups

This chapter presents a theory of unitary groups over rings parallel to that which Chapter 1 develops for the linear groups. We will introduce the concept of a form ring which will allow for the definition of generalized quadratic forms. The unitary groups — i.e. isometry groups—of these generalized quadratic forms contain as special cases all the usual classical groups. They include in fact the linear groups of Chapter 1. However the proofs of the central theorems of this chapter make important use of the linear results already established. Therefore from a practical point of view, this approach will include all the classical groups, with the exception of the linear groups, under a single umbrella.
Lasix® (Hoechst-Roussel)

Lasix, an anthranilic acid derivative, is a potent diuretic. It inhibits the reabsorption of sodium and chloride at both the proximal and distal tubules and also at the loop of Henle.
Interrupted right-sided aortic arch.

Abstract Incomplete development of a right-sided interrupted aortic arch has not, to our knowledge, been recorded in the literature. We present a case of a 6-day-old neonate delivered at 37 weeks' gestation with an incomplete right-sided aortic arch. The anomaly was repaired with a 1-step surgical approach and the patient was discharged from the hospital. We propose a classification system for right-sided interrupted aortic arch based on that of the more common left-sided interruption.
Show me the money: Toward an economic model for a cost-benefit analysis of employee engagement interventions

The purpose of this paper is to reconcile various theoretical directions in employee engagement with self-determination theory (SDT) as a unifying framework and introduce an inter-disciplinary employee engagement economics model based on SDT.,Two studies were conducted applying a T1/T2 intervention study design. Study 1 examined the causal relationship between an organizational intervention and employee engagement with n=367 employees from a European pharmaceuticals company using both survey and actual performance data. Study 1 results were used as input data for study 2 which tested the employee engagement economics model by calculating the pre-/post-economic value added and return on investment (ROI) for the intervention.,Study 1 results showed a significant positive impact of the SDT-based intervention on both self-reported and actual employee engagement. Study 2 converted study findings into pre-/post-economic considerations putting an economic dollar value on achieved employee engagement gains and calculating an ROI in relation to the cost incurred.,The present results support SDT as a unifying theory for employee engagement and the proposed employee engagement economics model as strategic decision-making tool for planning and evaluating the economics of employee engagement interventions.,This research supports a shift in corporate focus from “people as cost” to “people as values” proposing a systematic, value-based, strategic management approach to employee engagement based on cost-benefit analysis.,This is the first research to contribute an empirical economic model for employee engagement interventions to literature. It is based on the first reconciliation of engagement literature identifying SDT as a unifying framework. Finally, for the first time, this work identifies subjective vitality as a measure for engagement and contributes a definition for disengagement to literature.
Local Event Forecasting and Synthesis Using Unpaired Deep Graph Translations

Local rare event forecasting and synthesis on networks are highly useful for emergence management. For example, synthesizing traffic congestion and disease diffusion over the road network and disease-contact network respectively of specific geo-locations is highly important for transportation planning and disease outbreaks intervention. This task requires to learn how the events of congestion or disease "translate" the graph patterns from source mode (e.g., without event) to target mode (e.g., with event) based on historical data for some locations. Then it needs to apply such "translation" upon a source-mode graph pattern in a new location's network, in order to estimate and foresee what it will look like in target-mode in this location.Such task is called graph translation, which is an analogy and generalization to image and text translation. Similar to the situations in image and text translation, paired training data, which consists of pairs of source-mode graph and its corresponding target-mode, will usually not be available. In this work, we propose an approach for learn the translation of graphs from source-mode to target-mode such that the generated target-mode is indistinguishable from the distribution of the real target-mode using an adversarial loss. Because there is no paired training data, we also learn an inverse translation from target-mode to source-mode and couple these two translation mappings through cycle consistency loss. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real-world application data demonstrate that the proposed approaches is capable of generating graphs close to real target graphs. Case studies on the synthesized networks have also been illustrated and analyzed to show the reasonableness of the generated target-mode graphs.
Borderline intellectual functioning: an update.

Purpose of reviewBorderline intellectual functioning (BIF) is a descriptive v-code that is often used, especially in forensic settings, as if it were a full-fledged disorder. Various historical and other aspects of this classification are reviewed, and commentary is made on the question of whether t
Fugitive Democracy: And Other Essays

The essays collected from various articles and book chapters in Sheldon Wolin’s Fugitive Democracy are, in his determination, concerned with contemporary figures of political theory and with democr...
Associations between chemosensory function, sweet taste preference, and the previous night’s sleep in non-obese males

Abstract There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that sleep influences chemosensory perception. Males and females differ in neural responses to chemosensory function as well as average sleep duration, suggesting the possibility of sex differences regarding relationships between sleep and chemosensory perception. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to characterize relationships between sleep and chemosensory function in males. Secondary analyses compared responses to females from an earlier study. A total of 51 non-obese (BMI 0.05). Participants grouped into shorter sleep groups and low REM + SWS preferred significantly greater sucrose concentrations than those in longer and high REM + SWS groups (P = 0.0420, 0.0039, respectively). Multiple regression analysis indicated that REM alone was the best predictor of sweet taste preference, and that TST alone was the best predictor of odor identification score. While the best predictors for preferred sweet taste concentration differed between males and females, no differences in preferred sucrose concentration were observed.
Allele-Specific Gene Regulation by Kdm6a

KDM6A demethylates the repressive histone mark H3K27me3 and thus plays an important role in developmental gene regulation. KDM6A level is female-biased due to escape from X inactivation, suggesting that this protein may play a role in sex differences. Here, we report that maternal and paternal alleles of a subset of mouse genes are differentially regulated by KDM6A. Knockouts of KDM6A in male and female embryonic stem cells derived from F1 hybrid mice result in preferential downregulation of maternal alleles of a number of genes implicated in development, whereas upregulated genes show no allelic preference. A subset of maternally expressed imprinted genes expressed in ovary or placenta –the Meg3-Rian cluster, Xlr cluster and Phlda2- are dependent on KDM6A for expression. Downregulated maternal but not paternal alleles demonstrate a loss of chromatin accessibility, but without the expected changes in H3K27me3 levels, which increase only on downregulated paternal alleles. These results illustrate parent-of-origin mechanisms of gene regulation by KDM6A, consistent with both histone demethylation-dependent and -independent effects.
Architectural Approach to Level Design: Second edition

Written by a game developer and professor trained in architecture, An Architectural Approach to Level Design is one of the first books to integrate architectural and spatial design theory with the field of level design. It explores the principles of level design through the context and history of architecture. Now in its second edition, An Architectural Approach to Level Design presents architectural techniques and theories for you to use in your own work. The author connects architecture and level design in different ways that address the practical elements of how designers construct space and the experiential elements of how and why humans interact with that space. It also addresses industry issues like how to build interesting tutorial levels and how to use computer-generated level design systems without losing the player-focused design of handmade levels. Throughout the text, you will learn skills for spatial layout, evoking emotion through gamespaces, and creating better levels through architectural theory. FEATURES Presents case studies that offer insight on modern level design practices, methods, and tools Presents perspectives from industry designers, independent game developers, scientists, psychologists, and academics Explores how historical structures can teach us about good level design Shows how to use space to guide or elicit emotion from players Includes chapter exercises that encourage you to use principles from the chapter in digital prototypes, playtesting sessions, paper mock-ups, and design journals Bringing together topics in game design and architecture, this book helps you create better spaces for your games. Software independent, the book discusses tools and techniques that you can use in crafting your interactive worlds.
How do we do this: learning how to teach socioscientific issues

Socioscientific Issues (SSI) provide a strong framework for engaging students and teachers in meaningful and relevant scientific discourse in the development of functional scientific literacy. However, while most teachers recognize the value of introducing students to SSI, they themselves have limited knowledge of SSI and often lack the confidence and support to teach these issues. For this study, the SSI framework provided a lens for exploring and understanding how 24 pre-service and in-service teachers navigated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum to incorporate SSI into their classroom practice. The following questions guided our inquiry: (a) In what ways, if any, do practicing elementary classroom teachers’ notions of SSI, with particular attention to reducing carbon dioxide, change before and after completion of a STEM and Society course? (b) To what extent do practicing elementary teachers’ change their implementation of SSI in their lessons and classroom instruction? The findings of this study showed positive views of teaching controversial and complex case-based issues. The reasons our teachers provided included raising environmental awareness, teaching social responsibility, and teachers’ interest on SSI topics. Our findings also supported development of the cultural issues component of SSI that we can attribute to teachers’ field experiences in Pennsylvania, USA and in Sicily, Italy, which included shifts on teachers’ perceived cultural practices, reducing carbon dioxide, and teaching of SSI in their classrooms. Our study can potentially provide useful resources for developing STEM education programs and courses with research-based content and methods for introducing new contexts to elementary science teachers.
Slow Magic Angle Sample Spinning: A Non- or Minimally Invasive Method for High-Resolution 1 H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Metabolic Profiling

High-resolution (1)H magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), using a sample spinning rate of several kilohertz or more (i.e., high-resolution magic angle spinning (hr-MAS)), is a well-established method for metabolic profiling in intact tissues without the need for sample extraction. The only shortcoming with hr-MAS is that it is invasive and is thus unusable for non-destructive detections. Recently, a method called slow MAS, using the concept of two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, has emerged as an alternative method for non- or minimally invasive metabolomics in intact tissues, including live animals, due to the slow or ultra-slow sample spinning used. Although slow MAS is a powerful method, its applications are hindered by experimental challenges. Correctly designing the experiment and choosing the appropriate slow MAS method both require a fundamental understanding of the operation principles, in particular the details of line narrowing due to the presence of molecular diffusion. However, these fundamental principles have not yet been fully disclosed in previous publications. The goal of this chapter is to provide an in-depth evaluation of the principles associated with slow MAS techniques by emphasizing the challenges associated with a phantom sample consisting of glass beads and H(2)O, where an unusually large magnetic susceptibility field gradient is obtained.
Exploring Tough Love Communication in Parents’ Relationships with Their Young Adult Children

Communication between parents and their young adult children serves as an important foundation for healthy development and successful socialization. When communicating support, parents may struggle...
Reproductive state-dependent plasticity in the visual system of an African cichlid fish

Abstract Visual communication is used widely across the animal kingdom to convey crucial information about an animals' identity, reproductive status, and sex. Although it is well-demonstrated that auditory and olfactory sensitivity can change with reproductive state, fewer studies have tested for plasticity in the visual system, a surprising detail since courtship and mate choice behaviors in many species are largely dependent on visual signals. Here, we tested for reproductive state-dependent plasticity in the eye of the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni using behavioral, gene expression, neural activation, and electrophysiology techniques. Males court ovulated females more intensely than gravid females, and ovulated females were more responsive to male courtship behaviors than gravid females. Using electroretinography to measure visual sensitivity in dark-adapted fish, we revealed that gravid, reproductively-ready females have increased visual sensitivity at wavelengths associated with male courtship coloration compared to non-gravid females. After ovulation was hormonally induced, female's spectral sensitivity further increased compared to pre-injection measurements. This increased sensitivity after hormone injection was absent in non-gravid females and in males, suggesting an ovulation-triggered increase in visual sensitivity. Ovulated females had higher mRNA expression levels of reproductive neuromodulatory receptors (sex-steroids; gonadotropins) in the eye than nonovulated females, whereas males had similar expression levels independent of reproductive/social state. In addition, female mate choice-like behaviors positively correlated with expression of gonadotropin system receptors in the eye. Collectively, these data provide crucial evidence linking endocrine modulation of visual plasticity to mate choice behaviors in females.
Highly-reactive haloester surface initiators for ARGET ATRP readily prepared by radio frequency glow discharge plasma

New surface initiators for ARGET ATRP (activators regenerated by electron transfer atomic transfer radical polymerization) have been prepared by the plasma deposition of haloester monomers. Specifically, methyl 3-bromopropionate (M3BP), methyl 2-chloropropionate, and ethyl 2-fluoropropionate (E2FP) were plasma deposited onto glass discs using RF glow discharge plasma. This technique creates surface coatings that are resistant to delamination and rich in halogen species making them good candidates for surface initiators for ARGET ATRP. Of all the plasma polymerized surface coatings, M3BP showed the highest halogen content and was able to grow 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) polymer brushes on its surface via ARGET ATRP in as little as 15 min as confirmed by XPS. Surprisingly, E2FP, a fluoroester, was also able to grow HEMA polymer brushes despite fluorine being a poor leaving group for ARGET ATRP. The versatility of RF glow discharge plasma offers a clear advantage over other techniques previously used to immobilize ARGET ATRP surface initiators.
Making Voices: The Gendering of Pitch Correction and The Auto-Tune Effect in Contemporary Pop Music

This article is an examination of contemporary practices of pitch correction and what is called the Auto-Tune effect (TATE) on pop music voices. I argue that the split initiated by digital pitch correction softwares, which came to market in 1998, of the labor of precise pitch from the labor of singing more generally leaves in its wake a redoubled emphasis on the supposed truth of emotional delivery. Yet pitch corrected and Auto-Tuned voices are not understood to sound emotion in the same way, and instead rely upon and often reproduce hearings of voices as gendered and raced. I examine the status of pitch correction softwares (PCS) and the sometimes blunt, sometimes subtle ways they intersect with the statuses of marked identity and embodied vocality. These intersections inform ways of knowing emotion, creating epistemic relationships between emotion, body, voice, and work. Drawing on fieldwork conducted between 2014 and 2018 in Los Angeles and New York, I engage the specifics of the gendered labor involved creating pop voices, and the implications of the reality of that labor on the potentials the pop “cyborg” voice.
Adaptive Scheduling for Multi-Task Learning.

To train neural machine translation models simultaneously on multiple tasks (languages), it is common to sample each task uniformly or in proportion to dataset sizes. As these methods offer little control over performance trade-offs, we explore different task scheduling approaches. We first consider existing non-adaptive techniques, then move on to adaptive schedules that over-sample tasks with poorer results compared to their respective baseline. As explicit schedules can be inefficient, especially if one task is highly over-sampled, we also consider implicit schedules, learning to scale learning rates or gradients of individual tasks instead. These techniques allow training multilingual models that perform better for low-resource language pairs (tasks with small amount of data), while minimizing negative effects on high-resource tasks.
Nonsurgical radiologic intervention for management of abdominal wall endometriosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis:

Objective:To describe reported outcomes of nonsurgical radiologic interventions for abdominal wall endometriosis in comparison with surgery where available.Data sources:A systematic search of Ovid ...
Exstrophy-Epispadias Complex

The bladder exstrophy complex represents a spectrum of severe congenital malformations which range from epispadias, an isolated penile abnormality, to classic cloacal exstrophy, one of the most severe abnormalities compatible with life. In this chapter the authors have provided an extract of the expertise developed in the treatment of this conditions at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital following the centralisation of the treatment of exstrophy in the UK in 1999.
ABO blood type: a window into the genetics of acute respiratory distress syndrome susceptibility

The genetic factors that determine a patient's risk for developing the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain understudied. In this issue of the JCI, Reilly and colleagues analyzed data from three cohorts of critically ill patients and observed an association between the ABO allele A1 and the onset of moderate-severe ARDS. This association was most notable in patients with non-pulmonary sepsis (an indirect, vasculature-targeted mechanism of lung injury) and persisted in patients who lacked epithelial expression of the A antigen, suggesting an endothelial mechanism of A1-associated ARDS susceptibility. Critically ill patients with blood type A had increased circulating concentrations of endothelium-derived glycoproteins such as von Willebrand factor and soluble thrombomodulin, and marginal lungs from blood type A donors were less likely to recover function during ex vivo perfusion. These findings implicate A antigen glycosylation of endothelial cells as a critical, genetically determined risk factor for indirect lung injury that may contribute to the mechanistic heterogeneity of ARDS.
How income inequality influenced personal decisions on disaster preparedness: A multilevel analysis of homeowners insurance among Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico

Abstract Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico with massive winds and damaged more than 1/3 of its occupied homes. To achieve home recovery, Homeowners insurance (HI), provides an important financial resource for rebuilding and repairing. Yet, it is not known which factors determine the likelihood of homeowners adopting HI prior to such disasters. This study examines how individual income and community income inequality influenced personal decisions to adopt HI by homeowners suffering damage from Hurricane Maria. Using Individual Assistance Housing data collected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (N = 265,807), we employed four nested multi-level logistic regressions to estimate household probabilities of having HI. First, our simplest random-intercept model found significant variation in HI adoption probabilities across 881 census tracts. Second, when adding individual household and housing characteristics, households with higher incomes were significantly more likely to adopt HI. Third, the addition of income inequalities in terms of Gini quartile ranges showed that relative to the lowest range, households in the three higher-range census tracts were less likely to adopt HI. Finally, the addition of a possible interaction between income and income inequality showed that income inequality significantly influenced the relationship between income and HI adoption behavior. Specifically, income inequality played different roles for poor and rich: impeding HI adoption behavior for low-income households while facilitating such a behavior for high-income households. Policy formulation should consider public-private partnerships to address HI affordability for those low-income households most vulnerable to housing damage.
Development and evaluation of polycaprolactone based docetaxel nanoparticle formulation for targeted breast cancer therapy

The present study describes the preparation, characterization, and applications of newly developed polymeric poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL)/pluronic F108 nanoparticles, loaded with anticancer drug, and near infrared (NIR) dye for assessing the localization in the breast cancer model system. Docetaxel and NIR dye, “1,1′-dioctadecyl- 3,3,3′,3′- tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (DiR)” loaded, poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL)/pluronic F108–based nanoparticles were formulated by nanoprecipitation method. This formulation was then characterized using various physicochemical methods including size distribution, zeta potential, surface morphology, drug entrapment efficiency, loading capacity, differential scanning calorimetry, in vitro release, and kinetics are performed. In vitro cell proliferative studies of human breast cancer BT-474 cells were carried out to evaluate the anticancer efficacy of the nanoparticles. The role of pluronic F108 was also evaluated in cell uptake of the nanoparticles. Drug- and NIR dye–loaded nanoparticles localization at tumor site were studied using noninvasive infrared dye imaging. The optimized nanoparticle formulation had a particle size of 100–300 nm, poly dispersity index of 0.156 and zeta potential of − 7.37 mV ± 4.93 mV. Drug release from the nanoparticle system followed Higuchi kinetics, suggesting diffusion mediated drug release. DSC studies suggest that the drug is either in amorphous or disordered crystalline state in the nanoparticle formulation. The increased accumulation of the PCL/ F108 nanoparticles in vivo suggests its potential as a superior targeted drug delivery system.
The Impact of Bariatric Surgery Compared to Metformin Therapy on Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a leading cause of infertility among women of reproductive age. The interplay between hyperinsulinemia and obesity results in many of the reproductive and hormonal changes seen in PCOS including abnormal menses, infertility, and pregnancy loss. While bariatric surgery has been found to be an effective treatment strategy for morbid obesity, its role in the management of PCOS-related infertility compared to standard therapy (metformin) is less clear. To assess the impact of bariatric surgery on pregnancy outcomes in women with PCOS compared to metformin therapy in a systematic review and meta-analysis. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to August 2019. Studies that reported quantitative data on pregnancy outcomes on women of reproductive age with PCOS with at least a 3-month follow-up and a minimum of 5 or more sample size were included. The primary outcome was pregnancy rate, expressed as an event rate and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Ten studies with a total of 587 patients were included in the final analyses (Metformin: 5 studies, n = 192; Bariatric surgery (BS): 5 studies (2 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 2 sleeve gastrectomy, 1 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass + sleeve gastrectomy), n = 186). The average time to follow-up was 18.25 months (range 3–36) with a shorter time to follow-up in the metformin group compared to the bariatric surgery group (Metformin: 11.2 vs BS: 24.5 months). While metformin increased the likelihood of pregnancy compared to placebo or non-surgical interventions (OR = 3.08, 95% CI 1.29–7.37, p = 0.01), the pregnancy rate after bariatric surgery was greater than metformin (34.9%, 95% CI 0.20–0.53 vs 17.1%, 95% CI 0.12–0.23, p = 0.026 for the difference). Additionally, there was a trend to a greater improvement in menstrual irregularity in the bariatric group compared to the metformin group with a reduction of 92% in the bariatric cohort compared to a reduction of 54% in the metformin cohort, but the data was limited. Bariatric surgery appears to be a more effective treatment strategy for patients with PCOS and class 3 obesity compared to metformin alone. Women with PCOS and infertility should consider bariatric surgery for weight loss and improvement in pregnancy outcomes.
Dairy Herd Facilities Designed for Efficient Production

The major physical components of a dairy design are milking, feeding, treatment and waste-disposal facilities. These must be designed and located to provide animal comfort in combination with effective traffic and movement within the system for efficient day-to-day operation. The design of dairy components and complete systems depend upon certain management practices these will vary by climatic condition and herd size. Personal preference by individual dairymen may also influence the final selection of dairy design. Two major considerations in dairy design are cow comfort and reduce labor costs. Cow comfort usually means dairy design which modifies the environment for the cow to improve production (milk and production). This would include shade for cattle in a hot climate or a partial enclosed barn for protection from cold and wind in a cold climate. This paper will briefly deal with milking, feeding and waste-disposal of dairy design. A more detailed discussion of treatment facilities will be included.