cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Epidemiology of Chest and Leg Wound Infections Following Cardiothoracic Surgery

The occurrence of wound infections following cardiothoracic surgery has significant implications. However, the epidemiology of all chest and leg wound infections is infrequently described, and the effects on morbidity, mortality, and cost of care remain undefined. We identified 182 superficial and deep chest and leg infections in 163 patients following 1,554 coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), valve, and CABG/valve procedures over 30 months. The overall infection rate was 11.7%; infections of specific sites involved in the 1,554 procedures occurred at the following rates: 3.1%, superficial chest wounds; 2.3%, deep chest wounds; 4.6%, superficial leg wounds; and 2.2%, deep leg wounds. Chest infection rates were similar for all procedures. Multiple infections occurred in 9.8% of patients and were associated with female sex, diabetes, and prolonged surgery (P < .05). Purulent drainage and fever were more common in chest infections; erythema and pain were more common in leg infections (P < .05). Staphylococcus aureus (32.9%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (27.4%), and Enterobacteriaceae (26.0%) were identified most commonly. Enterobacteriaceae were more commonly isolated from leg wounds (P < .05). Adverse outcomes included reexploration (20.9%), flap surgery (12.3%), and death (4.3%). All adverse outcomes were more commonly associated with deep chest infections (P < .05), but superficial chest and leg infections also had a substantial impact on cardiothoracic surgery-related morbidity. Studies are needed to define site-specific risk factors so that the full potential of prevention and control measures can be realized.
The Effect of van der Waals and Viscous Forces on Aerosol Coagulation

An analysis is carried out to determine the combined effect of van der Waals and viscous fluid forces on coagulation of spherical aerosol particles in the free molecular, transition, and continuum regimes. The effect of viscous forces is taken into account by modifying the particle diffusion coefficient. An asymptotic solution is substituted for the classical formulation of viscous forces. The results of free molecular and continuum regimes are then extended to the transition size range by an interpolation formula.
Unsupervised learning of visual taxonomies

As more images and categories become available, organizing them becomes crucial. We present a novel statistical method for organizing a collection of images into a tree-shaped hierarchy. The method employs a non-parametric Bayesian model and is completely unsupervised. Each image is associated with a path through a tree. Similar images share initial segments of their paths and therefore have a smaller distance from each other. Each internal node in the hierarchy represents information that is common to images whose paths pass through that node, thus providing a compact image representation. Our experiments show that a disorganized collection of images will be organized into an intuitive taxonomy. Furthermore, we find that the taxonomy allows good image categorization and, in this respect, is superior to the popular LDA model.
Imaging of Nonlaryngeal Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

The imaging and pathologic features of three cases of nonlaryngeal neuroendocrine carcinoma of the head and neck are described. Neuroendocrine carcinomas represent malignant epithelial neuroendocrine neoplasms and are classified as three types: typical carcinoid (well differentiated), atypical carcinoid (moderately differentiated), and small cell neuroendocrine (poorly differentiated) carcinomas. The CT and MR imaging features of these tumors are nonspecific. Paranasal sinus neuroendocrine carcinomas showed expansion and destruction of the sinus, whereas metastatic neuroendocrine carcinomas to an intraparotid lymph node presented as a circumscribed parotid mass on CT scans.
Detection comparisons between LWIR and MWIR polarimetric sensors

Polarimetry sensor development has been in work for some time to determine the best use of polarimetry to differentiate between manmade objects and objects made by nature. Both MWIR and LWIR Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) have been built at Raytheon Vision Systems each with exceedingly higher extinction ratios. This paper compares field imagery between MWIR and LWIR micro-grid polarimetric sensors independently and during simultaneous image collects. LWIR polarimetry has the largest polarimetric signal level and an emissive polarimetric signature which allows detection at thermal crossover and is less dependent on sun angles. Polished angled glass and metal objects are easily detected using LWIR polarimetry. While LWIR polarimetry has many advantages its resolution is not as good as MWIR. MWIR polarimetry has higher resolution than LWIR. With good sun angles plastic drums, and wet surfaces provide good polarization signatures. With poor sun angles detection can be challenging. To gain acceptance polarimetric sensors must provide intelligence signatures that are better than existing nonpolarimetric Infrared sensors. This paper shows several examples of images without polarimetric processing and identical images with MWIR and/or LWIR polarimetric fusion onto the non-polarized images to show the improvement of detection using polarimetric sensors. It is the author's belief that the fastest way to gain acceptance of polarimetric remote sensing is through field demonstration as shown in Figure 1.
Statistical Language Models for Information Retrieval

Statistical language models have recently been successfully applied to many information retrieval problems. A great deal of recent work has shown that statistical language models not only achieve superior empirical performance, but also facilitate parameter tuning and provide a more principled way, in general, for modeling various kinds of complex and non-traditional retrieval problems.
lOkV 4H-SiC PiN Diodes Designed for Improved Switching Performance using Emitter Injection Control

The switching versus forward conduction performance tradeoffs of 10 kV 4H-SiC PiN diodes are optimized using emitter injection control. Experimental results show superior switching performance with up to a 40% reduction in critical recovery parameters such as Qrr and JRP, while simulations indicate a better performance tradeoff than conventional PiN diodes in the presence of sufficiently long drift layer lifetime.
Infrared spectroscopy of stars

This paper reviews applications of IR techniques in stellar classification, studies of stellar photospheres, elemental and isotopic abundances, and the nature of remnant and ejected matter in near-circumstellar regions. Qualitative IR spectral classification of cool and hot stars is discussed, along with IR spectra of peculiar composite star systems and of obscured stars, and IR characteristics of stellar populations. The use of IR spectroscopy in theoretical modeling of stellar atmospheres is examined, IR indicators of stellar atmospheric composition are described, and contributions of IR spectroscopy to the study of stellar recycling of interstellar matter are summarized. The future of IR astronomy is also considered.
Lars and the Real Girl

The 2007 film Lars and the Real Girl challenged viewer’s expectations, not simply through its unusual premise (a man having a relationship with a doll), through its consistent refusal to resolve the plot’s various conflicts through verbal or physical violence. Instead, the plot resolves in a way consistent with what peace researcher Johan Galtung has termed positive transcendence, a means of coming to a resolution that meets the needs of all parties. Although the film’s far-fetched plot makes direct practical application of the characters’ actions unlikely, the film performs a more important role in helping to expand moviegoers’ “horizons of expectation.” By prompting its audience to accept an utterly nonviolent, nonconfrontational resolution to the central conflict of the plot, Lars and the Real Girl subverts the notion that satisfying cinematic endings must involve winners and losers. It helps make room for a greater acceptance of nonviolent resolution of problems in popular film.
Pharmacokinetics and Disposition of the Thiouracil Derivative PF-06282999, an Orally Bioavailable, Irreversible Inactivator of Myeloperoxidase Enzyme, Across Animals and Humans

The thiouracil derivative PF-06282999 [2-(6-(5-chloro-2-methoxyphenyl)-4-oxo-2-thioxo-3,4-dihydropyrimidin-1(2H)-yl)acetamide] is an irreversible inactivator of myeloperoxidase and is currently in clinical trials for the potential treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Concerns over idiosyncratic toxicity arising from bioactivation of the thiouracil motif to reactive species in the liver have been largely mitigated through the physicochemical (molecular weight, lipophilicity, and topological polar surface area) characteristics of PF-06282999, which generally favor elimination via nonmetabolic routes. To test this hypothesis, pharmacokinetics and disposition studies were initiated with PF-06282999 using animals and in vitro assays, with the ultimate goal of predicting human pharmacokinetics and elimination mechanisms. Consistent with its physicochemical properties, PF-06282999 was resistant to metabolic turnover from liver microsomes and hepatocytes from animals and humans and was devoid of cytochrome P450 inhibition. In vitro transport studies suggested moderate intestinal permeability and minimal transporter-mediated hepatobiliary disposition. PF-06282999 demonstrated moderate plasma protein binding across all of the species. Pharmacokinetics in preclinical species characterized by low to moderate plasma clearances, good oral bioavailability at 3- to 5-mg/kg doses, and renal clearance as the projected major clearance mechanism in humans. Human pharmacokinetic predictions using single-species scaling of dog and/or monkey pharmacokinetics were consistent with the parameters observed in the first-in-human study, conducted in healthy volunteers at a dose range of 20-200 mg PF-06282999. In summary, disposition characteristics of PF-06282999 were relatively similar across preclinical species and humans, with renal excretion of the unchanged parent emerging as the principal clearance mechanism in humans, which was anticipated based on its physicochemical properties and supported by preclinical studies.
Using Process Tracing to Evaluate Formal Models

Political scientists frequently use qualitative evidence to support or evaluate the empirical applicability of formal models. Despite this widespread practice in international relations and comparative politics, neither the qualitative methods literature nor research on empirically evaluating formal models systematically address the topic. This paper offers three contributions to bridge this gap. First, it demonstrates that formal models and qualitative evidence are frequently combined in current research. Second, it argues that process tracing is a valuable tool for empirically assessing models because they share a common focus on understanding causal mechanisms. The third and main contribution is to provide new guidelines for using process tracing that focus on issues specific to the modeling enterprise, illustrated with numerous examples from international relations and comparative politics. These standards establish new common ground to help political scientists use qualitative evidence more effectively to evaluate formal models.
Effect of soluble nickel on cellular energy metabolism in A549 cells.

Iron is an essential nutrient to most organisms, and is actively involved in oxygen delivery, electron transport, DNA synthesis, and many other biochemical reactions important for cell survival. We previously reported that nickel (Ni) ion exposure decreases cellular iron level and converts cytosolic aconitase (c-aconitase) to iron-regulatory proteln-1 in A549 cells (Chen H, Davidson T, Singleton S, Garrick MD, Costa M. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 206:275–287, 2005). Here, we further investigated the effect of Ni ion exposure on the activity of mitochondrial iron-sulfur (Fe-S) enzymes and cellular energy metabolism. We found that acute Ni Ion treatment up to 1 mM exhibits minimal toxicity in A549 cells. Ni ion treatment decreases the activity of several Fe-S enzymes related to cellular energy metabolism, including mitochondrial aconitase (m-aconitase), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and NADH:ublquinone oxldoreductase (complex I). Low doses of Ni ion for 4 weeks resulted in an increased cellular glycolysis and N...
Efficient primal algorithms for strictly convex quadratic programs

Two active set primal simplex algorithms for solving strictly convex quadratic programs are presented which, in their implementation, are closely related to the dual algorithm of Goldfarb and Idnani. Techniques are used for updating certain matrix factorizations that enable the algorithms to be both efficient and numerically stable in practice. One of the algorithms is based upon sufficient conditions for simultaneously dropping several constraints from the active set. It is shown how these conditions can be checked with little additional computational effort.
Capital Structure and the Cost of Capital

This article provides an intertemporal synthesis of the basic neoclassical theory of capital structure as a tradeoff between tax effects and bankruptcy costs. The latter is partially endogenized as the loss of future tax benefits and the stationary reorganization policy is considered.
Abstract 190: Hemorrhage of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations Significantly Alters Stereotactic Radiosurgery Outcomes

Introduction: Intracranial hemorrhage is simultaneously the most frequent and most debilitating manifestation of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM), but its impact on success and complications of radiosurgery has not been rigorously assessed. In this case-control study, we define the effect of prior hemorrhage on AVM radiosurgery outcomes. Methods: From a prospective, institutional database of 1400 AVM patients treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery, unruptured and ruptured AVMs were matched in a 1:1 fashion, blinded to outcome, based on patient demographics, prior embolization, AVM size (mean volume of unruptured AVMs 3.7 cm3 versus ruptured AVMs 3.5 cm3, P=0.195), Spetzler-Martin grade and radiosurgical treatment parameters (mean prescription dose for unruptured AVMs 20.9 Gy versus ruptured AVMs 21.0 Gy, P=0.837). There were 270 patients in each cohort. Matched statistical analyses were used to compare the baseline characteristics, obliteration rates, post-radiosurgery latency period hemorrhage risks, and incidences of radiation-induced changes (RIC) between the two cohorts. Results: The actuarial obliteration rates of the two cohorts were similar (unruptured AVMs: 38%, 58%, 76% at 3, 5, 10 years, respectively; ruptured AVMs: 40%, 60%, 73% at 3, 5, 10 years, respectively; P=0.592). However, for embolized AVMs, complete obliteration was more likely to be achieved in unruptured lesions (unruptured AVMs: 25%, 32%, 54% at 3, 5, 10 years, respectively; ruptured AVMs: 18%, 27%, 42% at 3, 5, 10 years, respectively; P=0.038). Prior AVM rupture resulted in a higher annual risk of post-radiosurgery latency period hemorrhage (ruptured AVMs 2.3% versus unruptured AVMs 1.1%, P=0.025) but a lower rate of cumulative and symptomatic RIC (cumulative RIC: ruptured AVMs 30.4% versus unruptured AVMs 48.9%, P<0.0001; symptomatic RIC: ruptured AVMs 7.0% versus unruptured AVMs 12.2%, P=0.041, respectively). The rates of permanent RIC were similar between the unruptured (2.2%) and ruptured (1.9%) AVM cohorts (P=0.761). Conclusion: Prior AVM rupture significantly alters the risk of latency period hemorrhage and RIC following radiosurgery. These effects should be taken into consideration with the multidisciplinary management of AVM patients.
Ribosomal Proteins of the Genus Fusarium

Analysis ofthe structural ribosomal proteins of 172 isolates of several species, varieties and formae speciales ofthe genus Fusarium indicates a high degree of conservation of these proteins within species, but considerable diversity among species. Greater similarities in ribosomal proteins are also expressed within the perfect states than between perfect states. Proteins of a world-wide collection of isolates of F. crookwellense show a high degree of intraspecies conservation of ribosomal protein on a global scale. Evidence presented indicates that ribosomal proteins provide a reliable phenotypic tool to aid in the identification of species within the genus Fusarium and provide the potential for a base to study taxonomic relationship of fungi at the species level.
Hormonal control of postnatal development of corticosteroid-binding globulin

The hormonal regulation of the ontogenic rise in serum corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) has been studied in the rat. Pups received daily injections of estrogens (either estradiol, estrone, or diethylstilbesterol, each at 0.05 microgram/g body wt) or thyroxine (0.1 microgram/g body wt) on postnatal days 2-7. When CBG binding capacity was determined on day 8, only the thyroxine-injected pups were found to have elevated CBG. This effect of thyroxine on CBG binding capacity was further studied by daily administration of the hormone (0.1 microgram.g body wt-1.day-1) between postnatal days 5-12. This caused a precocious rise in serum CBG, with CBG values 6- to 38-fold higher than euthyroid controls on days 8, 10, and 12. Conversely, in pups made hypothyroid by administration of propylthiouracil, the normal ontogenic increase in CBG was suppressed. Thyroxine replacement resulted in the reappearance of the CBG rise. These results suggest that the developmental rise in the binding capacity of CBG is independent of estradiol and estrone and instead is elicited by the rising concentrations of circulating thyroxine that normally occur in the early postnatal period.
Cavity Optomechanics on a Silicon Chip

Amplification and cooling of micromechanical motion using light will be described. Micromechanical oscillators to microwave rates, as well as progress directed towards cooling to the quantum ground state will be reviewed.
Cell-targeting antibodies in immunity to Ebola

As the 2014-15 Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa evolved from emergency to lesson, developers of both vaccines and therapeutic antibodies were left with the puzzlement of what kinds of anti-Ebola antibodies are predictably desirable in treating the afflicted, and what antibodies might account for the specific and lasting protection elicited by the more effective vaccines. The facile answer in virology is that neutralizing antibody (NAb) is desired and required. However, with Ebola and other filoviruses (as with many prior viral examples), there are multiple discordances in which neutralizing antibodies fail to protect animals, and others in which antibody-mediated protection is observed in the absence of measured virus neutralization. Explanation presumably resides in the protective role of antibodies that bind and functionally 'target' virus-infected cells, here called 'cell-targeting antibody', or CTAb. To be clear, many NAbs are also CTAbs, and in the case of Ebola the great majority of NAbs are likely CTAbs. Isotype, glycosylation, and other features of CTAbs are likely crucial in their capacity to mediate protection. Overall, results and analysis invite an increasingly complex view of antibody-mediated immunity to enveloped viruses.
Changing incidence of esophageal cancer among white women: analysis of SEER data (1992–2010)

Aim of the study To analyse trends in the incidence rates of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus (ACE and SCC, respectively) in white women between 1992 and 2010. Material and methods We used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER program to identify cases of esophageal cancer). Age adjusted incidence rates (IR) were calculated for ACE and SCC for two different time periods (1992-1996 and 2006-2010) and stratified by age, stage, and histologic type. We used joinpoint analysis to detect changes in rates between 1992 and 2010. Results Between the time periods 1992-1996 and 2006-2010, the age-adjusted incidence rates for SCC in white women decreased from 1.2/100,000 to 0.8/100,000 personyears, and for ACE it increased from 0.5/100,000 to 0.7/100,000 personyears. Similar to white men, the increase in the incidence of ACE was consistent for all stages and all age groups in white women. However, it was most pronounced in women aged 45-59 years, where the incidence of ACE (0.9/100,000 person-years) in 2006-2010 exceeded the incidence of SCC (0.6/100,000 person-years). On joinpoint regression analysis, an inflection point was seen in 1999 for ACE, indicating a slower rate of increase for ACE after 1999 (annual percentage change of 8.00 before 1999 vs. 0.88 starting in 1999). Conclusions The incidence of ACE is increasing in white women, irrespective of age or stage. Indeed, ACE is now more common than SCC in white women between 45 and 59 years of age.
The use of muscle flaps in the repair of aortic defects.

The successful repair of an infected arterial anastomosis is often hampered by the need to leave prosthetic material at the site of infection. To determine whether an aortic defect could be repaired by direct closure with a muscle flap, thereby eliminating the need for prosthetic material, we subjected 33 young pigs weighing 17 to 19 kg to a left lateral thoracotomy under sterile conditions. An aortic defect 2 cm in diameter was created in the descending thoracic aorta just distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery. In one group (n = 11), this defect was patched with a freshly harvested but devascularized segment of chest wall muscle. In another group (n = 22), the aortic defect was patched with a vascularized chest wall muscle flap. Pigs were followed for up to 12 weeks and evaluated by arteriography and postmortem examination. There were no deaths or vascular complications attributable to the muscle flap repair in any pig. Pseudointimal formation began within 24 hours postoperatively and was of comparable thickness to the original arterial wall by 12 weeks. No aneurysmal changes were noted in any animal, and normal aortic luminal dimensions were preserved despite a tripling in mean body weight over the 12 week period. The loss of flap viability appeared to offer no threat to vascular integrity, as the free muscle patches, although undergoing cell necrosis and substantial remodeling, remained intact These results demonstrate the short-term feasibility of using viable muscle flaps to patch aortic defects in situations wherein the use of prosthetic material would be undesirable.
Mitochondrial Changes Resulting from Ultrasound Irradiation

Similar and consistent mitochondrial alterations have been observed in 4 different mouse tissues after irradiation with ultrasound under the following exposure conditions and physical characteristics of the exposure equipment. It should be noted that these exposure conditions are substantially higher than those generally used clinically for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
E 0 transitions in deformed nuclei

$E0$ transitions are a sensitive indicator of structure in nuclei, reflecting shape transitional regions, deformation, and intruder states. Attention has generally focused on $E0$ transitions to the ground state or low-lying yrast levels. In this paper we look at all $E0$ transitions connecting ${0}^{+}$ states in a rather general collective model. We deduce a new selection rule and map out calculated strengths throughout the spectrum. The distributions of $E0$ strengths for several different collective structures are discussed.
Two Cases of Rhabdomyolysis (Haff Disease) After Eating Carp Fish

Unexplained rhabdomyolysis after eating fish is a rare condition caused by an unidentified toxin. Most of the incidences in the United States have been linked to consuming buffalo fish or crawfish. We present 2 cases of Haff disease in which the patients consumed grass carp as opposed to the usual suspects of buffalo fish or crawfish.
[Effect of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine on DNA synthesis. 1. In normal rabbit kidney cell cultures].

Low concentrations of 1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C) inhibit the incorporation of cytidine aimd thymidine but stimulate the incorporation of deoxycytidine into the DNA of rabbit kidney cells. This stimulation is correlated with an increase in the level of activity of deoxycytidine kinase and with a consequent increase in the intracellular pool of phosphorylated deoxycytidine derived from the nucleoside in the medium. Ara-C does not prevent the reduction of cytidine diphosphate to deoxycytidine diphosphate in rabbit kidney cells incubated in medium free of deoxycytidine. However, when small amounts of deoxycytidine are supplied to these cells, the drug is effective in inhibiting this reduction, probably as a result of an increase in the intracellular pool of deoxycytidine triphosphate and an ensuing negative feedback inhibition. In agreement with observations made with other systems, in rabbit kidney cells the inhibition of DNA synthesis by the drug can be overcome by deoxycytidine. This reversal is due primarily to a successful competition of deoxycytidine with Ara-C at the level of phosphorylation, thereby preventing the accumulation of the effective inhibitor of DNA synthesis.
Difference-frequency generation of terahertz wave and optical gain in Sb-based quantum wells pumped by near-infrared lasers

We study the terahertz (THz) wave generations arising from intersubband transitions in InGaAsInP/AlAsSb quantum wells. Difference-frequency generation and Raman-laser schemes are considered. Both approaches show promises as efficient and compact THz sources.
THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT AND NATIONAL-STATE CONFLICT: THE CASE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Why is South Carolina resisting compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993? In a case study with implications for other states challenging the implementation of the motor voter law, the author frames his analysis on the basic of a conflict between nation-centered and state-centered views of American federalism. He argues that: (1) the lingering influence of a traditional political culture (for South Carolina), (2) states' rights tendencies associated with the devolution of more authority to the states in domestic policy, (3) Republican Party hegemony for strengthening the role of states in the federal system, and (4) the general objection of subnational officials to unfunded federal mandates converge to propel South Carolina and several other states (9 of 10 led by Republican governors) to seek judicial relief under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution from what they see as the national government exploiting its authority at the expense of states.
Resident Involvement in Professional Otolaryngology Organizations: Current Trends in the United States.

Involvement by residents in professional medical organizations can enrich their training, but little data exist regarding the number and types of involvement opportunities available to otolaryngolo...
Management of road lights system using vehicular ad-hoc networks

An enormous amount of electricity is ingested in illuminating the roads and streets of many countries and states in order to avoid the Accidents and Crimes respectively. Although, Vehicles moving through these portions of roads and streets are low in rate and moves from these roads and streets over a specific time period. These parts of roads and streets are not every time engaged with vehicles. In this paper a methodology is suggested that instinctively turns off the lights for that portion of the roads and streets in which vehicles are not moving and switch on the illuminations once of that portion of roads and streets in which movement of vehicles are going to come. Rationally this method will preserve an enormous amount of electricity as well as the life of the lights. After using such method, the proposed system will instinctively supervise, control and detects the lights of roads and streets as there is viability to notice or sense the existence of vehicles, their positioning, their velocities and their directions.
Analysis of centralized vs decentralized storage systems in PV distributed generation

Due to its small environmental footprint and global accessibility, advanced renewable energy storage systems will provide a basis for future power distribution systems. Traditional energy storage systems are locally located (decentralized) within the distribution generation system which limits its utilization. In this paper, a novel centralized energy storage model for photovoltiac distributed generation systems is proposed to improve the utilization of these systems. To validate this model, a grid dependency comparison of the proposed and the current decentralized storage models is presented using various synthetic load profiles.
A syllabus of the exoskeletal defenses

This theoretical paper generalizes certain diverse forms of behavior as exoskeletal defenses—a modification or enhancement of the body that subsidizes the psychological integrity of the person. This maneuver is one of armoring the self by strengthening the body (body building, food fads), emphasizing the sexuality of the body (cosmetics, clothing, tattooing), or equipping the body with indices of invulnerability (amulets, tattoos, possessions, etc.). Exoskeletal defenses are interpreted as emerging from a perception of externality as threatening, as being consciously adopted to meet this press, and as having the advantage of being socially acceptable. They are contrasted with the classical defenses.
Nutrition Influences Caffeine-Mediated Sleep Loss in Drosophila.

Study objectives Plant-derived caffeine is regarded as a defensive compound produced to prevent herbivory. Caffeine is generally repellent to insects and often used to study the neurological basis for aversive responses in the model insect, Drosophila melanogaster. Caffeine is also studied for its stimulatory properties where sleep or drowsiness is suppressed across a range of species. Since limiting access to food also inhibits fly sleep-an effect known as starvation-induced sleep suppression-we tested whether aversion to caffeinated food results in reduced nutrient intake and assessed how this might influence fly studies on the stimulatory effects of caffeine. Methods We measured sleep and total consumption during the first 24 hours of exposure to caffeinated diets containing a range of sucrose concentrations to determine the relative influence of caffeine and nutrient ingestion on sleep. Experiments were replicated using three fly strains. Results Caffeine reduced total consumption and nighttime sleep, but only at intermediate sucrose concentrations. Although sleep can be modeled by an exponential dose response to nutrient intake, caffeine-mediated sleep loss cannot be explained by absolute caffeine or sucrose ingestion alone. Instead, reduced sleep strongly correlates with changes in total consumption due to caffeine. Other bitter compounds phenocopy the effect of caffeine on sleep and food intake. Conclusions Our results suggest that a major effect of dietary caffeine is on fly feeding behavior. Changes in feeding behavior may drive caffeine-mediated sleep loss. Future studies using psychoactive compounds should consider the potential impact of nutrition when investigating effects on sleep.
Bridging Natural and Digital Domains: Attitudes, Confidence, and Interest in Using Technology to Learn Outdoors:

Background: The current study, Project EARPOD (Engaging At-Risk Populations Outdoors, Digitally), addressed two questions: First, does the use of technology in environmental education detract from ...
Exploring Ergodicity over Frequency to Examine Small-Scale Propagation Effects

Wireless devices deployed in cluttered and reflective environments, e.g., the interior of a vehicle, have been shown to experience severe multipath conditions. A deeper understanding of such communication environments will be crucial to developing devices that can operate effectively within them. Many systems, e.g., wireless sensors for structural health monitoring, are deployed in nominally static environments. As such, temporal- based analyses may glean little insight to the variability due to arbitrary device placement or frequency of operation. In this work, we explore path loss data collected within a compact reverberation chamber, to emulate in-vehicle conditions, and apply stochastic analyses as a function of frequency. For our 2.4 GHz band data, second-order measures do not change by greater than 3 dB over a bandwidth of 50 MHz across a 500 cm² measurement area. Within this band and location, we categorize the channel as being "ergodic-like" over frequency and space.
GaSb-Based Type-I Quantum Well 3–3.5- $\mu$ m Cascade Light Emitting Diodes

Mid-infrared light emitting diodes based on cascade pumping of the type-I quantum wells were designed and fabricated. The 500- $\mu \text{m}$ -diameter mesa ten-stage devices emitted more than 2 mW of continuous wave power in a wide spectrum peaking at $3.1~\mu \text{m}$ at room temperature. More than 6 mW was obtained at 77 K. The above-mentioned output power levels were measured from an uncoated window in the substrate-side contact metallization of epi-side-down mounted emitters. The maximum output power and the device operating voltage are roughly scaled with the number of cascades in the device heterostructure. The low-current device slope efficiency per stage decreased with increasing the acceptor doping level in the layers adjacent to the active quantum wells. Increase of the number of quantum wells in each stage from one to three led to about 25% improvement of the output power at 300 K.
School Threat Assessment in the USA: Lessons Learned from 15 Years of Teaching and Using the Federal Model to Prevent School Shootings.

This article provides a brief history of the development of the federal model of school threat assessment, which was created by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education based upon findings from their empirical research on school shootings across the USA. The article reviews the major findings from that behavioral research, which demonstrates how it is possible to prevent school shootings and other targeted violence in school. The article also describes the components of this evidenced-based federal model and implementation guidance for schools and districts within the USA as well as other countries. The article concludes with the lessons learned by the authors and their colleagues in using the federal school threat assessment model to handle individual school threat cases and in training tens of thousands of other school, law enforcement, and mental health professionals how to use threat assessment to prevent school violence.
The Role of Graduate Schools of Education in Training Autism Professionals to Work with Diverse Families

Professional schools are responsible for training students in how to deliver high-quality services equitably to diverse families. This chapter describes the role of educational professionals in meeting the needs of diverse families who have children with autism and the training process needed to prepare them. We set the stage by presenting an overview of the of the increasing Latino population in Inland southern California, concomitant with the increasing numbers of children on the autism spectrum and the dire need for teachers to work with them. The chapter highlights one important area of research, student–teacher relationships, and their importance for transitioning young children with autism spectrum disorders into early schooling. In addition, there are growing numbers of individuals with autism graduating and transitioning from high school into postsecondary experiences, especially in colleges and universities. This chapter also provides the rationale for keeping university faculty abreast of autism. Finally, implications of work on autism for emerging professional roles across the disciplines of special and medical education will be proffered.
The Fair Factories Clearinghouse: Sourcing Ethics Improved Through Information Systems

Firms that outsource production to supply partners are at risk if those suppliers engage in unethical behavior. Such issues have been particularly acute in the apparel industry. If suppliers engage in unethical practices, firms may suffer brand and reputation damage, lost sales, cancelled contracts, legal penalties, lower employee morale, and more. An innovative program, originated at Reebok and expanded to become an interorganizational non-profit, the Fair Factories Clearinghouse, leverages technology to improve industry standards, lower costs, and reduce risks. The Fair Factories Clearinghouse offers an information systems-based solution that allows members to record, capture, and share audit information. This case study discuses the genesis of the FFC, the functionality and benefits of the system, and highlights an area where globally-focused technology can be used for deep and lasting social impact.
Integrin αvβ8-Mediated Activation of Transforming Growth Factor-β by Perivascular Astrocytes: An Angiogenic Control Switch

Brain hemorrhage is a severe complication of both neoplastic and nonneoplastic brain disease. Mice deficient in the αvβ8 integrin display defective brain vessel formation resulting in hemorrhage and perinatal death, but the mechanism of brain hemorrhage is unknown. Because the αvβ8 integrin is expressed by astrocytes and not expressed by endothelium, paracrine interactions between astrocytes and endothelial cells could contribute to the maintenance of brain vessel integrity. We have investigated the mechanisms underlying astrocytic-endothelial paracrine signaling and have found that integrin-mediated activation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β by astrocytes influences endothelial cell function. Thus, we identified the integrin αvβ8 in human perivascular glial cell processes surrounding developing blood vessels. Human astrocytic αvβ8 was a major cell surface receptor for latent TGF-β, and αvβ8-dependent activation of TGF-β was the major mechanism of TGF-β activation in primary cultures of astrocytes or freshly dissociated fetal brain cells. This activation of TGF-β was sufficient to inhibit endothelial migration in fibrin gels and to alter expression of genes affecting proteolytic and angiogenic pathways. Taken together, our data suggest that astrocytic αvβ8 acts as a central regulator of brain vessel homeostasis through regulation of TGF-β activation and expression of TGF-β-responsive genes that promote vessel differentiation and stabilization, most notably plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and thrombospondin-1.
The importance of N-heterocyclic carbene basicity in organocatalysis

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are versatile species that figure prominently as catalysts. Despite their widespread use in organocatalysis, studies of the relationship between the basicity of NHCs and their catalytic ability are limited. Herein we review work on both the examination of NHC basicity as well as its impact on organocatalysis. The review is divided into three main parts: an overview of NHC basicity studies, both in solution and in the gas phase; the role of basicity in Umpolung-type catalysis; and the relationship between NHC basicity and its growing role as a Bronsted base catalyst. This review is not an exhaustive catalog of all NHC catalysis, but rather focuses on work that specifically examines and discusses the effect of NHC basicity on catalyst function.
Some Legal Realism About Legal Theory

This is a brief surreply to Charles Barzun, Working for the Weekend: A Response to Kessler & Pozen, 83 U. Chi. L. Rev. Online 225 (2017), which responds to Jeremy K. Kessler & David E. Pozen, Working Themselves Impure: A Life Cycle Theory of Legal Theories, 83 U. Chi. L. Rev. 1819 (2016). Our article Working Themselves Impure concludes by calling for lawyers to take more seriously the failure of prescriptive legal theories to produce the results they once promised. When prescriptive legal theories that fail to achieve their initial, publicly stated goals nonetheless gain and sustain broad support, "external" explanations of their persistence may offer a compelling alternative to increasingly convoluted internal explanations. The former kinds of explanation cannot decisively defeat the latter, but they do give the legal community a choice. Barzun would prefer to foreclose this choice: while sociologists and political scientists might be expected to prefer a given external explanation, he submits, the puzzled lawyer "likely will (and probably should) adopt the internal account." Barzun certainly has history on his side in assuming that many in the legal community will be inclined toward internal accounts of theory persistence—believing that those prescriptive theories that enjoy long lives do so in virtue of their "intrinsic merits" or "rightness." Yet a dissenting tradition of lawyers, judges, and legal scholars, from early-twentieth-century legal realists to late-twentieth-century crits, has sought to trouble this professional panglossianism. It is our hope that Working Themselves Impure will prove useful to those who might wish to do so in the future.
Epithelial Shaping by Diverse Apical Extracellular Matrices Requires the Nidogen Domain Protein DEX-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans

The body’s external surfaces and the insides of biological tubes, like the vascular system, are lined by a lipid-, glycoprotein-, and glycosaminoglycan-rich apical extracellular matrix (aECM). aECMs are the body’s first line of defense against infectious agents and promote tissue integrity and morphogenesis, but are poorly described relative to basement membranes and stromal ECMs. While some aECM components, such as zona pellucida (ZP) domain proteins, have been identified, little is known regarding the overall composition of the aECM or the mechanisms by which different aECM components work together to shape epithelial tissues. In Caenorhabditis elegans, external epithelia develop in the context of an ill-defined ZP-containing aECM that precedes secretion of the collagenous cuticle. C. elegans has 43 genes that encode at least 65 unique ZP proteins, and we show that some of these comprise distinct precuticle aECMs in the embryo. Previously, the nidogen- and EGF-domain protein DEX-1 was shown to anchor dendrites to the C. elegans nose tip in concert with the ZP protein DYF-7. Here, we identified a new, strong loss-of-function allele of dex-1, cs201. dex-1 mutants die as L1 larvae and have a variety of tissue distortion phenotypes, including excretory defects, pharyngeal ingression, alae defects, and a short and fat body shape, that strongly resemble those of genes encoding ZP proteins. DEX-1 localizes to ZP-containing aECMs in the tissues that show defects in dex-1 mutants. Our studies suggest that DEX-1 is a component of multiple distinct embryonic aECMs that shape developing epithelia, and a potential partner of multiple ZP proteins.
The Ketogenic and Modified Atkins Diet Therapy for Children With Refractory Epilepsy of Genetic Etiology

Abstract Background The ketogenic diet is an accepted treatment modality in refractory childhood epilepsy. In this study, we analyzed the efficacy and tolerability of the ketogenic and modified Atkins diets in children with refractory epilepsy of genetic etiology and studied the effect of the diet on seizure frequency. Methods The records of children with a genetic etiology for refractory epilepsy treated with ketogenic and modified Atkins diet between September 2005 and July 2016 were reviewed. We documented age of seizure and diet onset, seizure characteristics, and specific genetic etiology. The proportion of children remaining on the diet and responder rates (greater than 50% seizure reduction) were noted at one, three, six, 12, and 24 months after diet initiation. Tolerability and safety profile were also recorded. Results Fifty-nine children with a genetic etiology (63% females, median age at diet onset 2.2 years) were initiated on the diet at our center. Fifty-three (90%) were started on a traditional ketogenic diet, whereas six started a modified Atkins diet. The adverse events at the initiation of diet were vomiting (24%), hypoglycemia (15%), and refusal to feed (11%). Three children stopped the diet before discharge because of poor compliance, severe reflux, and ketoacidosis (n = 1 each). The proportion of children remaining on the diet at one, three, six, 12, and 24 months was 95%, 86%, 69%, 64%, and 47%. The responder rates were 63%, 61%, 54%, 53%, and 41% at one, three, six, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Conclusions The ketogenic diet is an effective treatment modality in children with refractory epilepsy of genetic etiology.
Space Debris as a Weapon

We often look up to the night sky to see shooting stars, the International Space Station, and satellites streaking across the sky. There are thousands of objects orbiting Earth, and within minutes under a dark sky, both satellites and space debris can be seen with the naked eye. You can also use a sky tracker app on your cellphone held up to the night sky to see spacecraft and space debris moving across the sky. Space debris includes operating manmade spacecraft and satellites, space junk (defunct spacecraft or individual objects caused by a collision or explosion), as well as natural objects like meteoroids that orbit about the Sun.
Control wildfire-induced Microcystis aeruginosa blooms by copper sulfate: Trade-offs between reducing algal organic matter and promoting disinfection byproduct formation.

Abstract Elevated levels of nutrients due to wildfire ash input into stream waters will likely cause algal blooms. When source water is impeded by algae and requires immediate restoration, copper algaecides are usually applied. Previous studies indicate that Cu2+ can promote reactivity of dissolved organic matter in forming disinfection byproducts (DBPs). However, it is unclear that how DBP formation is changed after the treatment of post-fire algal bloom by copper algaecide. In this study Microcystis aeruginosa was cultured in the medium containing black and white ash water extracts (BE and WE) to study DBP concentrations before and after 4-days exposures to low and high copper sulfate (0.5 and 1.0 mg-Cu/L). Dissolved organic matter (DOM) was characterized by UV-VIS absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy and chlorination/chloramination-based DBP formation potential (FP) experiments. DOM concentrations and algal population in the treatments were lower than that in control, regardless of types of water extract. N-nitrosodimethylamine FP in the treatments were 4–6 times higher than the control (0.23–0.34 vs. 0.05–0.06 μg/L), while haloacetonitrile FP revealed no significant difference (132–191 vs. 167–185 μg/L). Trade-offs between reducing algal population and promoting DBP-FP were more pronounced for the solutions containing BE than WE. Low copper concentration was as effective as high concentration in inhibiting algal growth while minimizing promotion of DBP formation. The results can serve to support risk evaluations of algal population and DBP concentration when wildfire-induced algal bloom is left untreated and treated by copper algaecides.