cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The RISE Framework: Using Learning Analytics to Automatically Identify Open Educational Resources for Continuous Improvement.

The RISE (Resource Inspection, Selection, and Enhancement) Framework is a framework supporting the continuous improvement of open educational resources (OER). The framework is an automated process that identifies learning resources that should be evaluated and either eliminated or improved. This is particularly useful in OER contexts where the copyright permissions of resources allow for remixing, editing, and improving content. The RISE Framework presents a scatterplot with resource usage on the x-axis and grade on the assessments associated with that resource on the y-axis. This scatterplot is broken down into four different quadrants (the mean of each variable being the origin) to find resources that are candidates for improvement. Resources that reside deep within their respective quadrant (farthest from the origin) should be further analyzed for continuous course improvement. We present a case study applying our framework with an Introduction to Business course. Aggregate resource use data was collected from Google Analytics and aggregate assessment data was collected from an online assessment system. Using the RISE Framework, we successfully identified resources, time periods, and modules in the course that should be further evaluated for improvement.
Separated Families: Barriers to Family Reunification After Deportation

This paper outlines the complexities — and unlikelihood — of keeping families together when facing, or in the aftermath of deportation. After discussing the context that limits or prevents reunific...
Identification and function of DAX-1 agonists.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 5347 Dosage sensitive sex reversal, adrenal hypoplasia congenital (AHC) critical region on the X-chromosome gene 1(DAX-1) is an orphan receptor that represses nuclear receptor/transcription factor-mediated gene expression. Mutations of DAX-1 compromise the DAX-1-dependent regulation of steroidgenic genes leading to serious genetic disorders and related health problems. DAX-1 activates silencing of several genes and Gal4-DAX-1 E-domain (207-470) chimera exhibits decreased activity compared to Gal4 alone in LNCaP prostrate cancer cells transfected with a construct (p GAL45) containing 5 tandem Gal4 response elements linked to a luciferase reporter gene. In contrast, this inhibitory response was not observed in cells transfected with Gal4-DAX-1 or chimeric constructs containing point or deletion mutants in the E-domain of DAX-1. Ligand-dependent activation of DAX-1 in LNCaP and other cancer cells was investigated using a series of 1.1-bis (3’-indolyl)-1-(substituted phenyl) methanes and among the methylene-substituted diindolylmethanes (C-DIMs) , compounds containing p-fluorophenyl (DIM-C-pPhF) and p-cyanophenyl (DIM-C-pPhCN) activated Gal4-DAX-1. The effects of these DAX-1 agonists were structure-dependent and the ortho-and meta-substituted analogs were inactive. Mammalian two hybrid studies using Gal4-coactivator and VP-DAX-1 chimeras demonstrated that only the para-substituted analogs were active and induced coactivator specific interactions with steroid receptor coactivator-1(SRC-1),SRC-2,TRAP 220 and PGC-1 but not with SRC-2,the methyltransferase CARM-1 or the corepressor SMRT. These results are consistent with the identification of C-DIM compounds as DAX-1 agonists and these compounds also activate DAX-1-dependent silencing of androgen receptor(AR) mediated transactivation without disrupting AR distribution in LNCaP cells.Current studies are investigating silencing of AR and other genes by DAX-1 -active-C-DIMs and determining the mechanisms of these inhibitory responses.
Feeding begets drinking: insights from intermittent feeding in snakes

An important question related to the survival of dehydrating animals is whether feeding provides a net gain of water - contributing postprandial free water and metabolic water - or, alternatively, whether digestion and assimilation of ingested food incur a net loss of water because of requirements for digestion and the excretion of resulting metabolic wastes. Here, I address the question whether voluntary drinking increases or decreases following the ingestion of food. Increased postprandial drinking implies that food consumption increases rather than decreases the requirement for free water, whereas decreased postprandial drinking suggests there is a net profit of water from food. Snakes are ideally suited for such inquiry because they feed intermittently, and the temporal separation of meals allows relatively clear examination of the associated patterns of pre- and postprandial drinking. Voluntary drinking associated with meal consumption was quantified during consecutive feeding trials in four species representing two families of snakes. Postprandial relative to preprandial drinking increased in all four species, indicating that eating increases the physiological requirement for water. These data add to a growing literature pointing to some generality that eating can have negative rather than positive consequences for fluid homeostasis in some dehydrating animals.
Calibration and accuracy of a numerical ray launching method for complex media

An original method-based on the discretization of the Plane Wave Spectrum (PWS)-for propagation modeling within waveguides, cavities, or structures with dielectric or conducting curved interfaces, is presented, validated and calibrated. This method use the PWS of the source fields truncated by the guide or cavity aperture. Fields at any observation point in the cavities or waveguides are expressed as a discrete sum of all contributions from ray tubes tracked within the propagation environment following the usual Geometrical Optics rules. The method is called SRT and is calibrated in contexts with multiple reflections; it is applied to waveguides with plane or curved interfaces, and it appears to be appealing in terms of numerical efficiency and precision.
A prospective investigation of the synergistic effect of change in anxiety sensitivity and dysphoria on tobacco withdrawal.

Prevailing theory and research suggests the psychological and physiological discomfort associated with tobacco withdrawal may play a formative role in the risk of cessation failure. Yet, research elucidating cognitive-affective vulnerability characteristics that contribute to increased tobacco withdrawal severity during periods of planned abstinence is highly limited. In the current study, we explored whether smokers with greater reductions of Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) and dysphoria during a smoking cessation intervention would experience less severe post-quit tobacco withdrawal. Specifically, the interactive effect of change (from pre-intervention baseline to quit-day) in AS and dysphoria in relation to post-quit withdrawal severity (quit-day through 12-weeks post-quit) was examined among treatment seeking adult smokers enrolled in a smoking cessation trial (N = 198; 55.3% female; 86.8% Caucasian; Mage = 38.8, SD =14.0). Results indicated that the interactive effect of change in AS and dysphoria was related to linear change in post-quit withdrawal symptoms. Specifically, larger reductions in AS were associated with a faster decline in the severity of withdrawal symptoms across the 12-week post-quit period only for individuals with lower (but not higher) reductions in dysphoria. Additionally, the findings indicated that reducing levels of AS and dysphoria pre-quit is broadly related to the degree of change in post-quit withdrawal symptoms. Collectively, these data suggest there is apt to be clinical merit to employing strategies to address AS and/or dysphoria to more effectively manage emergent withdrawal symptoms following smoking cessation treatment. Keywords: Anxiety sensitivity, dysphoria, smoking cessation, tobacco withdrawal
The Hidden Side of Trust: Supporting and Sustaining Leaps of Faith among Firefighters*:

Some occupations and organizations rely heavily on trust, as their members’ roles involve risk and are interdependent. Trust can emerge from two sources: knowledge or evidence that is meaningful in...
Routing and Flow Control in Virtual Circuit Networks

The concept of available bandwidth to each destination is used to establish routes and flow-control data in a virtual circuit network in which traffic requirements are relatively steady with time. A distributed algorithm to evaluate available bandwidth between any two nodes in the network is presented.
The Rule of Law(yers) - Review Essay of the Practice of Justice: A Theory of Lawyers' Ethics, by William H. Simon

Simon argues that the problem with lawyers is at the heart of what the profession calls on lawyers to do. Under what Simon calls “the Dominant View” of lawyering, lawyers do whatever is “arguably legal” for clients. Simon argues that such advocacy is likely to undercut the search for justice. Simon praises the ethical precepts of the authors of the earliest American lawyer codes, David Hoffman and George Sharswood. They argued that lawyers should assume “public responsibility and [exercise] complex normative judgment.” Simon renews Hoffman's and Sharswood's call for lawyers to seek justice. He argues that “[l]awyers should take those actions that, considering the relevant circumstances of the particular case, seem likely to promote justice.” Simon argues that lawyers should look to the law for their understanding of justice. Justice is to be found in our “legal values.” Cochran shares Simon's belief that lawyers should pursue justice, but in this essay, he discusses two problems with Simon's model. The first, which he discusses in Part II, is Simon's choice of “legal values” as the source of justice. A second problem with either incarnation of Simon's model is that it will exclude the client from participating in the resolution of many important issues that arise in the law office. In Part III, Cochran explores the authoritarian and client-centered models of lawyering. He also considers the possibility of a collaborative model of lawyer-client relations, in which the client and lawyer together wrestle with the demands of justice. Cochran concludes this essay by arguing that lawyers should seek justice in light of all of the circumstances of each case. They cannot put on blinders and assume that aggressive advocacy will yield justice. Lawyers should involve clients in the pursuit of justice.
Legacies of La Niña: North American monsoon can rescue trees from winter drought.

While we often assume tree growth-climate relationships are time-invariant, impacts of climate phenomena such as the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the North American Monsoon (NAM) may challenge this assumption. To test this assumption, we grouped ring widths (1900-present) in three southwestern US conifers into La Nina periods (LNP) and other years (OY). The 4 years following each La Nina year are included in LNP, and despite 1-2 year growth declines, compensatory adjustments in tree growth responses result in essentially equal mean growth in LNP and OY, as average growth exceeds OY means 2-4 years after La Nina events. We found this arises because growth responses in the two periods are not interchangeable: Due to differences in growth-climate sensitivities and climatic memory, parameters representing LNP growth fail to predict OY growth and vice versa (decreases in R2 up to 0.63; lowest R2 = 0.06). Temporal relationships between growth and antecedent climate (memory) show warmer springs and longer growing seasons negatively impact growth following dry La Nina winters, but that NAM moisture can rescue trees after these events. Increased importance of monsoonal precipitation during LNP is key, as the largest La Nina-related precipitation deficits and monsoonal precipitation contributions both occur in the southern part of the region. Decreases in first order autocorrelation during LNP were largest in the heart of the monsoon region, reflecting both the greatest initial growth declines and the largest recovery. Understanding the unique climatic controls on growth in Southwest conifers requires consideration of both the influences and interactions of drought, ENSO, and NAM, each of which is likely to change with continued warming. While plasticity of growth sensitivity and memory has allowed relatively quick recovery in the tree-ring record, recent widespread mortality events suggest conditions may soon exceed the capacity for adjustment in current populations.
Nonprofit Strategic Management Revisited

This article presents a review and analysis of empirically based research on strategic management in nonprofit organizations appearing in peer-reviewed journals between 1998 and 2015, and compares these findings with an earlier, similar study to determine how nonprofit use of strategic management has evolved over time. Findings suggest that determinants of strategic management have evolved beyond funder requirements to include environmental pressures to increase organizational efficiency and effectiveness, professionalize staff capacities, and respond to changing customer requirements. Nonprofits continue to use strategic management in response, and have recently adopted a wide range of for-profit strategies and practices in both strategy content and strategy performance areas. Strategic management offers both risks and rewards for nonprofits, but requires significant time, resources, and human capital that not all nonprofits readily possess. RESUME Cet article presente l’evaluation et l’analyse de recherches empirique—parues entre 1998 et 2015 dans des revues evaluees par les pairs—sur la gestion strategique d’organismes a but non lucratif. Il compare ces donnees avec une etude anterieure similaire afin de determiner comment la gestion strategique par les organismes a but non lucratif a evolue. Les resultats suggerent que les determinants de la gestion strategique ont progresse au-dela des besoins des subventionneurs, tenant compte aujourd’hui des pressions environnementales pour accroitre l’efficience et l’efficacite organisationnelles, professionnaliser le personnel et repondre aux besoins changeants de la clientele. Dans ces circonstances, les organismes a but non lucratif continuent de recourir a la gestion strategique et ont recemment adopte un vaste eventail de strategies et pratiques a but lucratif dans les domaines du contenu et de la performance strategiques. La gestion strategique, tout en posant certains risques, offre incontestablement des recompenses aux organismes a but non lucratif, mais elle requiert un temps, des ressources et une main d’oeuvre que les organismes a but non lucratif ne possedent pas forcement.
Costimulatory molecules in ocular cicatricial pemphigoid.

PURPOSE. TO examine normal and inflamed conjunctiva from patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) for the presence of costimulatory molecule CD28 and its ligands B7-1 (CD80) and B7-2 (CD86). METHODS. Conjunctival biopsy specimens from 12 patients with OCP and from five healthy persons undergoing cataract surgery were analyzed by light microscopy and immunohistochemical examination with monoclonal antibody probes for CD28, B7-1, and B7-2 molecules and for mononuclear cell subtypes. RESULTS. Epithelium of OCP conjunctiva showed more Langerhans' cells, B7-1 -positive (+) cells, and B7-2 expression (ratio of B7-2-positive cells to antigen-presenting cells). In the substantia propria, OCP specimens showed significantly increased numbers of T cells (CD3+), macrophages (CD68+), CD28+ cells, B7-2+ cells (CD86+), Langerhans' cells (CDla), and B7-1+ cells (CD80). Most of the B7-2+ cells, macrophages, and Langerhans' cells were located subepithelially. B7-2 expression was significantly higher in OCP conjunctival substantia propria compared with normal conjunctiva. CONCLUSIONS. The results of this study indicate that the expression of the costimulatory molecule B7-2 is upregulated in conjunctiva of patients with active OCP. This increased subepithelial B7-2 expression may contribute to the sustained immune activation in OCP conjunctiva. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1998;39:982-988)
Comparison of Study Activity Times for “Full” versus “Fast MRI” for Breast Cancer Screening

Abstract Purpose To optimize operations for a newly implemented abbreviated MR (AB-MR) breast cancer screening protocol, activity times were compared with the full-protocol examination. Methods Activity times from 70 AB-MR and 736 full MR screening studies were analyzed. Total study time was measured from opening to closing examinations and expected scan time by summing the time of acquisition for each imaging series for either protocol. Actual scan time was obtained from DICOM headers. Total technologist activity time was obtained by subtracting expected scan time from total study time. Technologist activity time included both scan-related and non-scan-related activities. Results The actual scan time for the AB protocol was 17.5 ± 0.5 min, compared with 28.8 ± 0.3 min (mean ± SE) for the full protocol (difference, 11.3 min; P Conclusions The realized gains in patient flow rate were lower than expected based on scan times (65%) because of increased technologist activity time for the AB-MR protocol.
The Coronavirus Surface Glycoprotein

Coronaviruses are frequently claimed to have a characteristic morphology, including the possession of a “club-shaped” surface projection or spike (S) glycoprotein. However, in common with other aspects of the coronaviruses, the group exhibits variation with respect to the shape, size, and distribution of the S protein on the virion surface. Davies and Macnaughton (1979) described the spikes of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and human coronavirus (HCV) 229E as being “tear-drop” shaped and widely spaced, whereas those of murine hepatitis virus (MHV) type 3 were mostly “cone-shaped” and closely spaced, although in some MHV-3 preparations the spikes were more bulbous. Dimensions of S vary not only among the coronaviruses but also depending on the staining procedure; following potassium phosphotungstate staining all three viruses had spikes approximately 20 nm long and 10 nm wide at the bulbous end, except for the cone-shaped spikes of MHV, which had a diameter of only 5 nm (Davies and Macnaughton, 1979). The entire S protein has been observed after solubilization and purification (Sturman et al., 1980; Cavanagh, 1983c). The nonenvelope-associated S1 subunit of the IBV S protein can become detached from the virion (Stern and Sefton, 1982a; Cavanagh and Davis, 1986).
Player-Character Congruity and Flow: An Integrative Model on Loyalty in Gaming

Brand loyalty in the gaming context takes many forms, including conscious selection of brand, intention of continuation, positive word of mouth, recommendation, or even active recruitment. As games may be played multiple times, player loyalty is essential to fostering an on-going relationship between brand and consumer. This study tested a conceptual model that integrated the theories of self-congruity and flow to demonstrate their impact on brand loyalty in the gaming industry. The model was implemented through a self-reported survey with 512 respondents. Results supported prior researchers’ findings, such as the relationships between player-character identification and flow as well as flow and loyalty. Yet, we found that ideal congruity may be a stronger indicator of loyalty as mediated through flow, while actual congruity may in fact inhibit the relationship. The results of this research provide a theoretical contribution by adding self-congruity theory to the flow and loyalty body of knowledge in the gaming space. Furthermore, the self-congruity measurement model provides an alternative measurement method to the previous player-character identification model. From a managerial perspective, the study results support an approach to game design that encourages character design suited to players’ ideal selves rather than mimicking their actual, “real world” selves.
A Small Field, High Resolution γ-Camera System dedicated to SPECT Imaging

A small field, high resolution γ -Camera system dedicated to radiopharmaceutical research and other clinical SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) applications is currently being developed in our group. The system is equipped with the 3” HAMAMATSU R2486 Position Sensitive PhotoMultiplier Tube (PSPMT) with a 16X+16Y-crossed wire anode and various pixelated and ho- mogeneous scintillation crystals. Planar images are created from the recorded charge signals by applying the resistive chain technique. The main part of this work focuses on the development of new correction methods for the improvement of the spatial resolution and the uniformity of the γ -Camera. The spatial distortion correction technique is based on lookup tables with the coordinates of reference points which are selected during the calibration phase of the system for a given set of collimator and scintillation crystal. The applied algorithm incorporates 2D-interpolation tech- niques and has been developed on a full automated graphics environment making use of the HIGZ (High Level Interface to Graphics and ZEBRA) program libraries from CERN. Both correction methods for the spatial distortion and non-uniformity have been applied to phantom images using several combinations of small capillaries filled with water solution of 99 m Tc . Comparative studies are shown on planar im- ages for different phantom geometries. The method is also extended to tomographic images and the obtained SPECT improvement in resolution is discussed.
A “Resource Curse” for Education?: Deepening Education Disparities in Pennsylvania’s Shale Gas Boomtowns

In Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale region, the recent shale gas boom profoundly reshaped communities, local institutions, and living circumstances for many residents. We focus on one particular loca...
Gatekeeping in the Dark: SEC Control over Private Securities Litigation Revisited

Companies targeted by SEC enforcement actions often face parallel private class actions under the federal securities laws based on the same underlying conduct. But when the SEC selects enforcement targets, negotiates settlements, and assesses its own performance, it is unclear whether or how the agency considers this potential “piggybacking” effect. Although the agency’s enforcement activities can have significant impacts on the flow of private litigation, the agency denies that it accounts for those potential impacts in formulating enforcement policy. The SEC is not idiosyncratic in this respect. Its practice reflects a gap in our understanding of how public agencies channel private litigation. While scholars have analyzed various deliberate and overt forms of agency “litigation gatekeeping,” and have debated the social utility of “piggyback” litigation, the capacity and incentives of agencies to deliberately channel the flow of “piggyback” litigation have not been carefully examined. This paper fills that gap. I argue that agencies like the SEC should consider the potential private litigation consequences of their enforcement activities. And I propose adjustments to the enforcement regime to integrate consideration of the “piggyback” effect in a transparent and systematic manner. For thirty years, securities regulation scholars have proposed expanding the SEC’s authority to control the flow of private securities class actions. But these proposals face significant conceptual and practical challenges and have not gained traction. This paper offers a new path forward: the SEC should make better use of its existing, inchoate authority to channel private litigation by systematically incorporating the “piggyback” effect into its enforcement decisionmaking.
Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Pregnancy

During pregnancy there are profound anatomical, hormonal, respiratory, and sleep changes that increase the risk for sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD). Untreated SRBD can lead to preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders. It can also lead to intrauterine growth retardation, premature labor, and gestational diabetes. The treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other SRBD in pregnancy can be challenging given the dynamic changes in weight, upper airway anatomy, and fluid distribution.
Handicapped Children and Computers

This article reviews the many adaptations and applications of microcomputer technology for handicapped children. The review expands Peelle's (1983) computer metaphors to include: computer as sensor...
Law and Evil: The Evolutionary Perspective, by Wojciech Zaluski.

How refreshing it is to see someone engage in a nose-to-tail approach to interdisciplinary work the way Wojceich ZaŁuski does in Law and Evil: The Evolutionary Perspective. In just 133 pages of text, including the Introduction and Epilogue, ZaŁuski successfully attempts to “reconstruct an evolutionary view of human nature and to examine through the prism of this view two legal-philosophical problems, viz. the problem of the (historical) evolution of law and the controversy between ius-naturalists (the adherents of natural law doctrine) and legal positivists.” This is a book that begins as a work of biology, morphs into legal history, and ends as philosophy, all the while using the insights of previous chapters to the lay the foundation for successive ones.
Cerebral Vasoconstriction is Not Maintained with Prolonged Hyperventilation

It is generally accepted that hyperventilation reduces ICP by reducing cerebral blood volume (CBV) through constriction of the pial and cerebral arterioles. As CO2 readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, a decreased PaCO2 is immediately reflected in a reduced PCO2 in interstitial brain fluid. This, in turn, leads to a reduction in H+ concentration in the vicinity of the cerebral blood vessels. Because the H+ ion is one of the most potent relaxants of smooth muscles of cerebral arterioles, a reduction in its concentration will lead to rapid vasoconstriction. Thus, vasoconstriction is not dependent on low CO2 and can be maintained only if the increased perivascular pH can be maintained (Kontos et al. 1977; Wahl et al. 1970). It has been shown, however, that pH in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) returns to normal during prolonged hyperventilation, despite sustained hypocapnia (Christensen 1974; Levasseur et al. 1979; McDowall and Harper 1968). The purpose of the present investigation was to examine whether the return to normal pH during prolonged hyperventilation would be accompanied by vasorelaxation.
Evolution of atomic distribution during devitrification of bulk metallic glass investigated by atom probe microscopy

Abstract Evolution of atomic distribution during devitrification of a zirconium-based bulk metallic glass, Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10.0Be22.5, was investigated using three-dimensional atom probe microscopy. Atom probe analysis showed uniform distribution of constituent elements for the as-cast alloy, with no phase separation. The metallic glass was annealed at different temperatures to study the crystallization pathways and the length scale, distribution, and morphology of the phases formed. Devitrification was found to proceed via the formation of a metastable icosahedral phase. The devitrification pathway is explained based on “strong-liquid” behavior of this alloy.
Compensation of heat load deformations using adaptive optics for the ALS upgrade: a wave optics study

A realistic wave optics simulation method has been developed to study how wavefront distortions originating from heat load deformations can be corrected using adaptive X-ray optics. Several planned soft X-ray and tender X-ray insertion-device beamlines in the Advanced Light Source upgrade rely on a common design principle. A flat, first mirror intercepts the white beam; vertical focusing is provided by a variable-line-space monochromator; and horizontal focusing comes from a single, pre-figured, adaptive mirror. A variety of scenarios to cope with thermal distortion in the first mirror are studied by finite-element analysis. The degradation of the intensity distribution at the focal plane is analyzed and the adaptive optics that correct it is modeled. The range of correctable wavefront errors across the operating range of the beamlines is reported in terms of mirror curvature and spatial frequencies. The software developed is a one-dimensional wavefront propagation package made available in the OASYS suite, an adaptable, customizable and efficient beamline modeling platform.
The Effect of a General Healthy Lifestyle Intervention Delivered Around Pregnancy on Gestational Weight Gain and Infant Growth

A life-course perspective emphasizes healthy behaviors before, during, and after pregnancy to support a multi-generational risk reduction in obesity for mothers and infants. Optimal timing, content, and dose of such interventions is not well defined. We conducted a nested cohort within a randomized trial to evaluate whether a healthy lifestyle intervention around pregnancy led to a “spill-over effect,” including a healthier rate (kg/week) of maternal gestational weight gain, and infant growth during the first year. Study enrollment began in 2012, follow-up data collection completed in 2018, and the data were analyzed in 2019. The intervention focused on healthy maternal diet and physical activity but not pregnancy weight or infant feeding. Outcome data were abstracted from electronic medical records. Of the 165 women who became pregnant, 114 enrolled in the nested cohort. The average pre-pregnancy BMI was 29.6 (SD 5.1) kg/m2. Mixed effects models suggested clinically insignificant differences in both the rate of gestational weight gain (-0.02 kg/week; 95% CI -0.09, 0.06) and the rate of infant growth (difference at 1 year: -0.002 kg/cm; 95% CI -0.009, 0.005). A behavioral intervention that focused on overall maternal health delivered in the time around pregnancy did not result in a “spill-over effect” on healthy gestational weight gain or healthy infant growth during the first year of life. This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01316653.
Visit adherence and visual acuity outcomes in patients with diabetic macular edema: a secondary analysis of DRCRnet Protocol T.

To quantify the association between visit adherence and visual acuity (VA) in diabetic macular edema (DME). This secondary analysis of the 2-year DRCRnet Protocol T study of 656 patients required one visit every 4 weeks in the first year, then at variable 4–16-week intervals in the second year. Visit adherence measured as number of missed visits, average (avg days) and longest (max days) visit interval, average (avg missed days) and longest (max missed days) unintended visit interval, and visit constancy (percentage of 3-month periods with at least 1 visit). Avg and max missed days were categorized as on time (0 days), late (> 0–60 days), and very late (> 60 days). Primary outcome was change in ETDRS VA between baseline study visit and last attended visit, using multivariate linear regression models controlling for age, gender, race, ethnicity, treatment arm, baseline VA, hemoglobin A1c, insulin use, and number of lasers and injections. Mean number of missed visits was 1.7. 616 (94%) patients had 100% visit constancy. A total of 331 (51%) patients were on time, 171 (26%) late, and 154 (23%) very late in avg missed days. Max missed days ranged 0–696 days. Adjusted, each missed visit was associated with 0.3-letter decrease (95%CI − 0.6, − 0.1, p = 0.02); being very late in avg and max missed days saw − 4.2 letters (95%CI − 6.4, − 2.0, p 4 days missed per attended visit saw 4.6 letters worse (95%CI − 7.3, − 2.0, p < 0.001). Visit adherence is associated with visual acuity outcomes in DME patients.
Fingerprints of an orbital-selective Mott phase in the block magnetic state of BaFe2Se3 ladders

Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering (RIXS) experiments on the iron-based ladder BaFe2Se3 unveiled an unexpected two-peak structure associated with local orbital (dd) excitations in a block-type antiferromagnetic phase. A mixed character between correlated band-like and localized excitations was also reported. Here, we use the density matrix renormalization group method to calculate the momentum-resolved charge- and orbital-dynamical response functions of a multi-orbital Hubbard chain. Remarkably, our results qualitatively resemble the BaFe2Se3 RIXS data, while also capturing the presence of long-range magnetic order as found in neutron scattering, only when the model is in an exotic orbital-selective Mott phase (OSMP). In the calculations, the experimentally observed zero-momentum transfer RIXS peaks correspond to excitations between itinerant and Mott insulating orbitals. We provide experimentally testable predictions for the momentum-resolved charge and orbital dynamical structures, which can provide further insight into the OSMP regime of BaFe2Se3. BaFe2Se3 is a ladder-compound that exhibits superconductivity under pressure. Using a density matrix renormalization group calculation to compare results with resonant inelastic X-ray scattering measurements, the authors conclude that this material is realized in an orbital-selective Mott phase.
Reopening America's Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Protecting Asian Students From Stigma and Discrimination

The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted a rise in stigma and discrimination against people of Asian descent in many areas in the world, including the United States1 Anti-Asian hate incidents, which have ranged from verbal attacks, refusal of service to physical assault, continue to transpire in the U S , and they put psychological and physical well-being of Asian children at increased risk Discussions toward reopening of U S schools thus far, however, seem to have exclusively included the infection-related concerns and pedagogical consequences of continued disruptions in face-to-face instructions Hence, educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders need to have plans in place to ensure that reopening of schools will be a smooth experience for students of all backgrounds © Copyright © 2020 Akiba
Addressing the Conflict Between Promoting Wellness, Perpetuating Mental Illness Stigma and Making Psychiatric Pharmacy Education Less Intense

One in five Americans has a diagnosable mental illness, and pharmacists encounter these patients daily. This commentary addresses the conflict between the profession’s wellness movement and its ongoing contribution to mental illness stigma. The need for improved pharmacist wellness is based on the profession’s risk for burnout and development of related mental illness. The presence of stigma towards patients with mental illness among pharmacists is multi-factorial and complex. Risk of those within the profession perpetuating mental illness stigma could be diminished by developing pharmacy curricula that provide greater opportunities for students to learn more completely about mental illness, how to effectively engage persons with mental illness, and how to take care of themselves, express vulnerability, and talk about mental illness. While reducing mental illness stigma through curricular revision is best achieved through in-person learning experiences, elective coursework and cocurricular activities may also help achieve this goal. Examples of evidence-based best practices are provided.
Turbulent pipe flow response to a step change in surface roughness

The long-lasting response of turbulent pipe flow to a step change in surface roughness from rough to smooth is examined. Global flow characteristics such as the pressure gradient, skin friction and mean streamwise momentum attain their equilibrium values within approximately 20 radii downstream of the step change, but the turbulent stresses are exceedingly slow to adjust to the new wall condition ( ), and they first fall below their equilibrium values before seemingly asymptoting to the full recovery state. To help understand this response, we develop a model that captures both the long development length and the second-order response of the turbulence, and we use a scale decomposition to connect the large-scale motions to the response behaviour.
El ELA 'Descubre su Trasero' (The Commonwealth Finds Its Behind)

Spanish Abstract: Comentario editorial sobre la situacion del ELA en Puerto Rico a raiz del caso decidido por el Tribunal Supremo de los Estados Unidos, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle 579 U.S. ___ (2016). English Abstract: Editorial comment on the status of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as a result of the Supreme Court decision, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle 579 U.S. ___ (2016).
Intraindividual Variability and the Effect of Acute Illness on Immune Senescence Markers

Objectives: To determine the intraindividual variability and effect of acute illness on two markers of immune senescence. Design: Cohort study with repeated measures. Setting: Clinical research center and emergency department at two academic medical centers. Participants: Seventy-three subjects aged 65 and older enrolled in three groups: chronic underlying conditions but no acute illness, acutely ill with infection (community-acquired pneumonia), and acutely ill without infection. Measurements: CD16 density on polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and the proportion of CD8+ T cells that express CD28 determined twice in the nonacutely ill group and three times (Days 0, 30, and 60) in the acute illness groups. Results: In the nonacutely ill group, PMN CD16 density demonstrated wide intraindividual variation, but there was a strong correlation for repeated measures of the percentage of CD8+ T cells expressing CD28 (correlation coefficient (r)=0.77, P<.001). Acute illness markedly affected both measures, regardless of whether the illness was due to infection; there was no correlation between measures obtained on Day 0 versus Day 30 for either immune marker. In contrast, a strong correlation existed between Day 30 and Day 60 values, particularly for CD8+/CD28+ percentage (r=0.58–0.86; P=.006 to <.001). Conclusion: The percentage of CD8+ T cells that express CD28 is a highly reproducible marker of immune senescence. Although acute illness affects this marker, 30 to 60 days of convalescence appears adequate for it to return to baseline.
Growth and compositional changes of fetal tissues in pigs

Three hundred twenty fetuses were obtained from 33 pregnant gilts (Camborough-22, Pig Improvement Co.) to determine rates of nutrient deposition in fetal tissues and to estimate nutrient requirements for fetal growth. Pregnant gilts were fed an equal amount of a gestation diet (2.0 kg/d; as-fed basis), and were slaughtered at d 0, 45, 60, 75, 90, 102, or 110 of gestation (n = 3 to 6 per day). Fetuses were dissected into carcass and individual tissues (including gastrointestinal tract, liver, lung, heart, kidney, spleen [> or = d 75]), and partial placental collection was made for chemical analysis. Fetal tissues were weighed and analyzed for DM, ash, CP, and crude fat. Regression equations were obtained to explain the weight and compositional changes of individual tissues during gestation. Weights of the fetus, carcass, gastrointestinal tract, liver, heart, lung, and kidney increased cubically (P < 0.001), whereas brain weight increased linearly (P < 0.001) as gestation progressed. Fetal protein and fat contents increased quadratically (P < 0.001) as gestation progressed (R2 = 0.906 and 0.904, respectively). Changes in fetal protein and fat contents fit a multiphasic regression that consisted of two linear equations (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.988 and P < 0.001, R2 = 0.983, respectively), indicating that protein and fat growth accelerated after d 69 of gestation. Fetal protein and fat accretions were 0.25 and 0.06 g/d (P < 0.001) before d 69 of gestation, and increased to 4.63 and 1.09 g/d (P < 0.001) after d 69 of gestation. Protein needs for tissue protein gains increased 19-fold after d 69 of gestation. Results of this study indicate that the growth of the fetus and fetal tissues occurs at different rates during gestation and support the practice of a two-phase feeding strategy (before and after approximately d 70 of gestation) for pregnant gilts.
Recent Advances in Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Inhibitors

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the recent advances made in acetyl– CoA carboxylase inhibitors. Significant progress has been made in the development of potent inhibitors of the two acetyl-CoA carboxylases (ACC) isoforms. A number of different chemotypes have been designed, some of which possess selectivity for ACC1 or ACC2. Published mouse knockout (KO) studies from two research groups, using different constructs and different backgrounds, have provided conflicting results. However, limited in vivo efficacy studies suggest that a beneficial effect may be seen in DIO mouse models of diabetes when treated with an ACC1/2 dual inhibitor, and thus ACC inhibition still remains a promising therapeutic approach. It remains to be seen whether ACC1 or ACC2 selective inhibitors will show beneficial in vivo effects and whether inhibition of ACC will be a useful treatment for metabolic disease in humans. This chapter also discusses the available data showing the efficacy of ACC inhibition in long-term studies.
Customary International Law

In order to be considered customary international law, a provision or prohibition must be (1) state practice -- evidenced by long-term, widespread compliance by many states; and (2) opinio juris -- states' belief that compliance with a standard is not merely desired, but required by international law. The persistent objector doctrine permits states that expressly and persistently object to a customary international norm from its inception to not be held to it. The essay analyzes a ten-year study completed by the International Committee of the Red Cross on customary international humanitarian law and traces a disagreement between the study's authors and legal advisors from the U.S. government over various aspects of the methodology used to identify the customary international humanitarian law. The study is instructive on the various issues that arise during the attempted classification of such norms as well as the role that governments play in the process. While governments may commit acts that violate these norms, it is not necessarily the case that they disagree with the existence of the norm. The essay concludes that even with all the difficulties involved in identifying the emergence of customary international law, courts still turn to those norms in specific conflicts, and states do accept in general that customary international law is a valid type of law.
Cooperative RF pattern matching positioning for LTE cellular systems

In this paper, cooperative positioning for Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular systems using Radio Frequency Pattern Matching (RFPM) is studied. Having the locations of users in a cellular system supports many applications such as location-based services and E911. Although Global Positioning System (GPS) can be found in every smartphone, its poor performance in indoor and dense environments encourages the development of cellular network-based solutions. Cellular localization has emerged in which the user locations can be determined by measurements obtained within the network without the aid of any external sources (e.g., GPS). Several positioning techniques have been considered in Release 9 of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) document such as Observed Time Difference Of Arrival (OTDOA) and Enhanced Cell ID (E-CID). In OTDOA, the User Equipment (UE) measures the time difference of signals from multiple eNodeBs and uses a trilateration algorithm to find its location. However, OTDOA performance can be highly degraded in rich multipath and non-line-of-sight environments particularly when there is strong interference. Hence, many companies and researchers are also evaluating other techniques such as RFPM in which the user location is estimated by comparing UE measurements with a series of reference data. RFPM is independent of line-of-sight conditions and has good performance in dense urban and indoor environments. In the current LTE networks, the UE can only communicate with eNodeBs. However, there are scenarios in which the UE is not able to communicate with a sufficient number of eNodeBs and cannot find its location without ambiguity. In this paper, a cooperative localization technique for LTE systems is proposed in which leveraging the Device-to-Device (D2D) communications protocol the UE communicates not only with eNodeBs but also with other UEs. It will be shown through computer simulations that the proposed positioning algorithm can significantly improve the positioning performance in LTE networks.
Infant development in the Zinacanteco Indians of southern Mexico.

Neonatal observations and monthly tests of development administered to southern Mexican Indian infants in the first 9 months were coupled with observations in their homes. The behavior of the neonates was strikingly different from Caucasian infants in North America. The mothering practices seemed to reinforce their quiet alertness. Despite little opportunity to practice or "learn" motor and cognitive tasks, the infants9 development paralleled that of babies in the United States, but it was delayed by 1 month. The importance of understanding genetic and innate characteristics, as well as environmental influences, in accounting for differences in development among individuals and cultures is emphasized by this paper.
Exploratory Archival Research in Syria: Practicalities, Affordability, and Advantages

This note is by a fourth year doctoral student in History who spent six weeks in Damascus and Aleppo in the summer of 2008. She describes the use of her travel funding, the benefits of conducting exploratory research prior to extended dissertation research abroad, and some logistics for travel and residency in Syria.
Bioluminescent determination of ATP using the Perkin-Elmer LS-50B & luminometer accessory

Abstract A novel luminometer accessory is described which couples an optically efficient ‘Spectralon’ ™ integrating sphere with the on-line data collection and presentation capabilities of the Perkin-Elmer LS-50B luminescence spectrometer. This provides extreme sensitivity (detection limit for ATP using the luciferase system is below lfg), visualisation of the time-course of light output and facilitates post-run data treatment. The accessory can be rapidly exchanged with other sampling accessories allowing the user to obtain information for many aspects of the life sciences.
Athletic Participation and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Investigating Sport Involvement, Self-Esteem, and Abuse Patterns for Women and Men

This study used representative, quantitative data from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and explored the relationship between young adults' sport participation and experiences of intimate partner violence victimization (IPVV) for both women and men. Past research has suggested that sports participation, especially among women, results in increased self-esteem, a prominent protective factor against experiencing IPVV. We found that sports participation was associated with a lower prevalence of experiencing IPVV, but only for women. In addition, this pattern held after controls for race, mother's education, age, number of relationships, and the hypothesized pathways of self-esteem and alcohol consumption. However, controls for the young adult's own education completely mediated the association between sports participation and IPVV. Additional analyses indicated that higher education reduced the risk of experiencing IPVV and increased the likelihood of sports participation. Nonetheless, even among women with the highest educational attainment, sports participation was associated with lower prevalence of experiencing IPVV.
Linear ranking with reachability

We present a complete method for synthesizing lexicographic linear ranking functions supported by inductive linear invariants for loops with linear guards and transitions. Proving termination via linear ranking functions often requires invariants; yet invariant generation is expensive. Thus, we describe a technique that discovers just the invariants necessary for proving termination. Finally, we describe an implementation of the method and provide extensive experimental evidence of its effectiveness for proving termination of C loops.