cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
El ingreso de la gran mayoría (IGM): Una nueva medida de la desigualdad global entre países

Este articulo hace una reflexion critica sobre la pertinencia de emplear indicadores economicos, como el pib por habitante y el indice de desarrollo humano, para realizar mediciones comparativas de desarrollo entre paises. Los autores proponen un nuevo indicador: el ingreso de la gran mayoria (igm), que combina ingreso con desigualdad a partir de un ejercicio empirico de analisis de desarrollo comparativo entre paises. Los resultados obtenidos a partir de este indicador contrastan con aquellos obtenidos con el ingreso nacional neto por habitante (innph). Se comprueba que las medidas de ingreso promedio no constituyen buenas aproximaciones de los ingresos de las grandes mayorias. Se formulan asimismo propuestas de politica y senalan algunos de los aspectos de este tema que forman parte de la agenda de investigaciones futuras.
Quantification and Persuasion in Managerial Judgment

Accounting involves assigning numbers to events-quantifying them. Conventional wisdom holds that putting numbers to an argument enhances its persuasive power. However, little scholarly evidence exists to support or refute this claim, in accounting or elsewhere. In this paper, we develop an original process-based model of how quantification influences persuasion. We posit that including a high-quality quantified analysis in a proposal enhances its persuasive power by increasing both the perceived competence of the proposal preparer and the perceived plausibility that a favorable outcome could occur. However, under some conditions, quantification also encourages criticism of the details of the proposal, which potentially offsets these effects. We experimentally test implications of our model in a managerial decision setting, investigating conditions in which quantification is more and less likely to result in criticism of the quantified proposal and, thus, less and more likely to be persuasive. We also test the model, itself, using structural equations methods. Results largely support the model, which should prove of value to researchers interested in the effects of quantification on judgments and to those interested in persuasion.
CLAN LETHALS AND INTER-YEAR ALLELISM IN DEATH VALLEY DROSOPHILA PSEUDOOBSCURA'

A chromosome 2 lethal allelism rate of about 3% was found in the 1974 population of D. pseudoobscura in Death Valley, California. This rate was significantly higher than allelism rates in other Southern California populations. The Death Valley population was sampled again in 1975 and 1977, with allelism rates of 1% and 0.5%, respectively. In 1974, several lethals were in high frequencies (about 1%), a pattern that reappeared in 1975 and 1977. However, none of the lethals in high frequency one year were in high frequency another year; the particular lethal alleles present in this ephemeral population appear to be due to their random presence in the flies which refound the population every winter. The results for the Death Valley population are compared with a Japanese population of D. melanogaster in which lethals in high frequency one year are also in high frequency in succeeding years and with earlier work on chromosome 3 of D. pseudoobscura, which showed a lower lethal frequency and higher allelism rate.
Are information asymmetry and sharing good, bad, or context dependent? A meta-analytic review

Abstract Information is often distributed asymmetrically in exchange relationships, opening the door for opportunistic behaviors. Yet extant research has found that information asymmetry may decrease opportunism and increase performance in some contexts. Also contrary to expectations, information sharing has been found to decrease performance in some contexts. This study uses meta-analytic techniques to reconcile these contradictory findings. The results indicate that organizational setting, product type, market type, relationship duration, and construct operationalization can account for the inconsistent findings reported in extant research. Of particular interest: 1) information asymmetry is related negatively to performance in goods settings and positively to performance in services settings; 2) information asymmetry produces stronger deleterious effects in interorganizational (versus intraorganizational) settings; 3) information sharing generates stronger favorable effects in consumer (versus industrial) markets; and 4) the negative relationship between information sharing and opportunism is weaker in relationships that are 6 + years old.
Endothelial gaps: time course of formation and closure in inflamed venules of rats

In the rat trachea, substance P causes rapid but transient plasma leakage. We sought to determine how closely the number, morphology, and size of endothelial gaps correspond to the time course of this leakage. Endothelial gaps were examined by scanning electron microscopy (EM), by transmission EM, or by light microscopy after silver nitrate staining. Substance P-induced leakage of the particulate tracer Monastral blue peaked at 1 min but decreased with a half-life of 0.3 min. The number of silver-stained gaps also peaked at 1 min then decreased significantly more slowly (half-life 1.9 min) than the leakage. Scanning EM revealed two types of endothelial gaps, designated vertical gaps and oblique slits. Vertical gaps predominated at peak leakage, whereas oblique slits became more common as the leakage diminished. Measurements of the mean diameter of vertical gaps made by light microscopy, scanning EM, and transmission EM were all in the range of 0.36-0.47 micron. Fingerlike endothelial cell processes that appeared during gap formation became shorter as the leakage diminished (mean length: 1.44 microns at 1 min compared with 1.06 microns at 3 min after substance P), suggesting a role in gap closure. We conclude that the plasma leakage occurring immediately after an inflammatory stimulus results from the rapid formation of endothelial gaps. Multiple factors, including alterations in gap morphology, gap closure, and changes in driving force, are likely to participate in the rapid decrease in the leakage.
Sparse aperture mask for low order wavefront sensing

A high contrast is required for direct imaging of exoplanets. Ideally, the level of contrast required for direct imaging of exoplanets can be achieved by coronagraphic imaging, but in practice, the contrast is degraded by wavefront aberrations. To achieve the required contrast, low-order wavefront aberrations such as tip-tilt, defocus and coma must be determined and corrected. In this paper, we present a technique that integrates a sparse- aperture mask (SAM) with a shaped pupil coronagraph (SPC) to make precise estimates of these low-order aberrations. Starlight rejected by the coronagraph's focal plane stop is collimated to a relay pupil, where the mask forms an interference fringe pattern on a detector. Using numerical simulations, we show that the SAM can estimate rapidly varying tip-tilt errors in space telescopes arising from line-of-sight pointing oscillations as well as other higher-order modes. We also show that a Kalman filter can be used with the SAM to improve the estimation. At Princetons High Contrast Imaging Laboratory, we have recently created a testbed devoted to low-order wavefront sensing experiments. The testbed incorporates custom-fabricated masks (shaped pupil, focal plane, and sparse aperture) with a deformable mirror and a CCD camera to demonstrate the estimation and correction of low-order aberrations. Our first experiments aim to replicate the results of the SAM wavefront sensor (SAM WFS) Fourier propagation models.
I can't wait: Methods for measuring and moderating individual differences in impulsive choice.

Impulsive choice behavior occurs when individuals make choices without regard for future consequences. This behavior is often maladaptive and is a common symptom in many disorders, including drug abuse, compulsive gambling, and obesity. Several proposed mechanisms may influence impulsive choice behavior. These mechanisms provide a variety of pathways that may provide the basis for individual differences that are often evident when measuring choice behavior. This review provides an overview of these different pathways to impulsive choice, and the behavioral intervention strategies being developed to moderate impulsive choice. Because of the compelling link between impulsive choice behavior and the near-epidemic pervasiveness of obesity in the United States, we focus on the relationship between impulsive choice behavior and obesity as a test case for application of the multiple pathways approach. Choosing immediate gratification over healthier long term food choices is a contributing factor to the obesity crisis. Behavioral interventions can lead to more self-controlled choices in a rat pre-clinical model, suggesting a possible gateway for translation to human populations. Designing and implementing effective impulsive choice interventions is crucial to improving the overall health and well-being of impulsive individuals.
Provisional tables on the content of omega-3 fatty acids and other fat components of selected foods

An extensive tabulation provides provisional data on the content of omega-3 fatty acids and other lipids (cholesterol, total fat, and total saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids) in numerous seafood products (finfish, crustaceans, mollusks, fish oils) and in a variety of non-seafood foods (meats, cereals, dairy/egg products, fats and oils, legumes, nuts/seeds, vegetables). The values are based on 100 g edible portions of the raw foods, and were compiled from published revised sections of USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 8.(wz)
The Unique and Combined Effects of Apathy and Depression on Cognition in Parkinson’s Disease

BACKGROUND: Apathy and depression are associated with poor cognition in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the cognitive signature of each syndrome is not well understood. The cognitive consequences of having apathy or depression, versus apathy and depression, are also unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the unique and combined effects of apathy and depression on cognition in PD patients. METHODS: PD patients were identified from a clinical research database as having self-reported apathy (n = 21), depression (n = 11), or both (n = 43). PD patients without apathy or depression served as the Control group (n = 49). The groups were of similar age, education, disease severity, age of symptom onset, and medication status. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) compared the groups on 17 neuropsychological test scores in the domains of attention, motor and psychomotor speed, construction, language, episodic memory, and executive functioning. RESULTS: There was a significant overall effect of group: F(18,276) = 2.12, p = 0.006, &etap2 = 0.12. Univariate analyses and planned contrasts revealed medium-sized effects distinguishing only the control group and the group with both apathy and depression (&etap2 = 0.06-0.12) on measures of verbal fluency and manual, processing, and psychomotor speed. CONCLUSIONS: PD patients with apathy alone or depression alone did not perform worse than PD controls on neuropsychological tests. Patients with apathy and depression performed worse than controls, but only on speed-based measures. This suggests that apathy and depression are associated with the same or similar circuits as those of cognitive and motor speed. Language: en
Purification and Partial Characterization of a Human Hematopoietic Precursor Population

This study reports the development of an assay, the Pre-colony-forming unit (CFU) assay, which detects human hematopoietic precursors. The Pre- CFU assay is based on the observation that precursors to CFU- granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) that are undetectable in clonogenic assays differentiate into CFU-GM preferentially following treatment in suspension culture with recombinant human interleukin-1 alpha (rhIL-1 alpha) combined with rhIL-3. Using the Pre-CFU assay, hematopoietic precursors were detected in human bone marrow depleted of CFU-GM progenitors and differentiated hematopoietic elements via 4- hydroperoxycyclophosphamide treatment coupled with selection for CD34+ cells (4-HCresistant/CD34+ marrow). Additionally, the Pre-CFU assay detected recovery of hematopoiesis substantially earlier than the CFU- GM assay in primates following myeloablation with 5-fluorouracil. The Pre-CFU assay was used to asses purification of a phenotypically defined hematopoietic precursor population, the lin-CD34+ population. The lin-CD34+ population lacks detectable surface markers for T-cell, B- cell, natural killer cell, and myeloid lineage, possesses the CD34 antigen, is devoid of CFU-GM progenitors, and yields Pre-CFU assay values comparable with 4-HCresistant/CD34+ marrow. Using a combination of phenotypic analysis and Pre-CFU assay analysis, the action of rhIL-1 alpha plus rhIL-3 treatment on lin-CD34+ cells was further characterized. The data indicate that rhIL-1 alpha plus rhIL-3 treatment induces proliferation and differentiation of early hematopoietic precursors into progenitors and terminally differentiated cells, without inducing a significant expansion of the precursor population itself.
Note on the Two-Sample Problem

A recent article (Penfield & McSweeney, 1968) discussed the possible error in applying the two-sample t test to situations in which the assumptions of independence, normality, and variance equality were violated. They suggested the use of three normal scores tests and compared their use with that of the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. There is, however, an alternative procedure which can be quite useful in generating exact tests of hypotheses under randomization models. This involves the use of permutation tests (Fisher, 1925) which are very simple to define and can be effectively applied in small sample situations. In fact, many researchers are interested in permutation tests because the fixedeffects P test is often a good approximation to the permutation test. In addition, this latter statistic is not based upon the restrictive normal theory model and does provide an exact test of the hypothesis of equality of means. Basically permutation tests (also known as randomization tests) involve considering all possible arrangements of the data from an experiment. For example, consider the data from Exp. 2 of the Penfield and McSweeney article. They were studying the effect of previous experience with analogy items on a student's Miller Analogies Test score. The scores they reported for the PT group (previous training with analogies) and the NT group (no training) are given below. PT: 73, 59, 46, 68, 62 NT: 43, 38, 56
Agencies as Legislators: An Empirical Study of the Role of Agencies in the Legislative Process

The scope and power of the administrative state in implementing law is a common theme in academic discussions and judicial decisions, but the role that agencies play in drafting the laws that they implement has gone mostly unexplored. Based on interviews with fifty-four agency staff who work on legislative matters, this Article provides an unprecedented account of the role of agencies in the legislative process. The interviews reveal that agencies are deeply involved in drafting and reviewing statutory text before enactment, and show that Congress often relies heavily on agencies’ significant legislative resources and expertise. Respondents reported previously unnoticed external and structural factors that affect the agency-Congress relationship in the legislative process, and provided important insight into the ways in which agencies communicate with Congress during the legislative process. This Article argues that these findings can provide judges and scholars with more accurate assumptions about congressional intent to defer to agencies. This Article also raises new questions about the President’s and Congress’s ability to monitor and control the modern administrative state. It also shows that the legislative drafting process is more fragmented than commentators have realized, and that this fragmentation generally happens along agency lines. This Article’s findings provide a more complete account of the complexity of the legislative process and an initial framework for approaching foundational questions raised by agency involvement in this process.
Examination of Factors that Predict Academic Adjustment and Success of Community College Transfer Students in STEM at 4-Year Institutions

ABSTRACTThere are a limited number of individuals who possess the skills to fulfill the workforce demand in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in the United States. Therefore, community colleges and 4-year institutions must be able to identify academic and social factors that impact students’ participation in the areas of STEM. These institutions must also explore the possibility that these factors contribute to the high rate of students switching out of STEM fields. This study’s purpose was to develop a better understanding of the perceptions of community college transfer students who continue at a 4-year institution to determine academic and social factors that influenced their academic success in STEM. To collect the quantitative data, the Laanan-Transfer Students’ Questionnaire was utilized. The results of this study reveal that Academic Adjustment was predicted by father’s highest level of education, interaction with faculty at the community college and university, and perception as a ...
Analysis on the surveillance results of influenza virus in yunfu city in 2010

Objective:To start the epidemical regulation of the influenza in yunfu city in 2010,To investigate the prevalence of influenza and summarize the regulation of influenza activity so as to provide scientific bases for the prevention and control of disease.Methods: Throat swab specimens were collected from influenza-like cases of surveillance hospital and school very week,The nucleic acids of influenza viruses were detected by Real time PCR.Influenza viruses were isolated by MDCK cells,and Subtypes were identified by HI test or RT-PCR.Results: During 2010,a total of 2823 throat swab specimens were collected,with 441 cases identified as influenza viruses positive.The rate of detected was 9.5%.Of the 267 cases,106(39.7%) were influenza B,4(1.5%) were influenza seasonal A1(H1N1),127(47.6%) were influenza A3(H3N2),30(11.2%) were influenza pandemic A1(H1N1) virus.The peak of virus detection was from April to October.Influenza B virus and influenza A3(H3N2) virus were respective strengths from July to September.The age distribution of influenza A subtype seasonal A1(H1N1) and A3(H3N2) as well as influenza B showed the peak appeared in age 0~15,while influenza pandemic A1(H1N1) virus in age 0~ and 25~.Conclusion: The four types of influenza viruses alternated in 2010.B type Victoria series influenza virus was epidemical main strains in the first half of the year.The activity of B type Victoria series influenza has been remarkably weakened,A3(H3N2) subtype influenza virus was epidemical main strains In the second half of the year.More attention should be paid to the activity and variation of the influenza virus.
Effect of Palmitic Acid and Oleic Acid on Thermal Properties of Waxy Rice Starch

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of palmitic acid and oleic acid on thermal properties of waxy rice starch.Waxy rice starch and its complexes with palmitic acid and oleic acid were characterized by UV spectroscopy,X-ray diffractometry and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).The results showed that palmitic and oleic acid could form complexes with waxy rice starch.Palmitic acid preferentially integrated with waxy rice starch when compared with oleic acid.In the presence of larger amounts of palmitic acid and oleic acid,their complexes with waxy rice starch were formed in higher quantities,with significantly reduced absorbance.DSC studies suggested a decrease in the onset temperature,peak temperature and gelatinization enthalpy of waxy rice starch in presence of oleic acid,but a significant increase in the gelatinization enthalpy waxy rice starch/palmitic acid complex with increasing addition of palmitic acid.
Cyberbullying Identification Using Participant-Vocabulary Consistency.

With the rise of social media, people can now form relationships and communities easily regardless of location, race, ethnicity, or gender. However, the power of social media simultaneously enables harmful online behavior such as harassment and bullying. Cyberbullying is a serious social problem, making it an important topic in social network analysis. Machine learning methods can potentially help provide better understanding of this phenomenon, but they must address several key challenges: the rapidly changing vocabulary involved in cyber- bullying, the role of social network structure, and the scale of the data. In this study, we propose a model that simultaneously discovers instigators and victims of bullying as well as new bullying vocabulary by starting with a corpus of social interactions and a seed dictionary of bullying indicators. We formulate an objective function based on participant-vocabulary consistency. We evaluate this approach on Twitter and this http URL data sets and show that the proposed method can detect new bullying vocabulary as well as victims and bullies.
Machiavelli and the English Tradition

Butterfield continued his critique of anachronistic historiography in The Statecraft of Machiavelli (1940).1 Its principal themes were Machiavelli’s characteristically ahistorical use of past examples, as contrasted with the more discerning approach of Guicciardini; and the relationship between Machiavelli’s approach to history and the method of the whig historiographers. Butterfield’s intention was not only to place Machiavelli in his context, but also to gain insight into his influence on Bolingbroke and Napoleon. Consequently, the formulation and implementation of public policy were seen as reflective of the methods used to understand human history.2 Butterfield saw Machiavelli’s view of the study of history as combining with particular intensity three tendencies of his era, first of all a doctrine of‘imitation’, which conditioned Machiavelli’s attitude to the great men of the past; secondly an important thesis concerning historical recurrence, one that affected therefore the problem of the deduction of general laws from historical data; and thirdly a conviction of the superiority of the ancient world as a guide to human behaviour in the present.3
The Assurance Timeline: Building Assurance Cases for Synthetic Biology

Recent research advances in modifying and controlling DNA have created a booming field of biological engineering called synthetic biology. In synthetic biology engineers manipulate and modify living organisms to change (and produce entirely novel) functionality, which has led to new fuel sources or the ability to mitigate pollution. Synthetic biology research is also expected to lead to methods of intelligent drug delivery. In synthetic biology, designs are first built using biological programming languages and then implemented in a laboratory. These synthetic organisms can be considered living programs that will sense, respond and interact with humans while they persist in the natural environment. We argue that we should view these as safety critical devices which can be both regulated and certified. Since the synthetically engineered organisms follow a regular cycle of reproduction and replication that involves mutations, they will eventually adapt and evolve new behavior over time. In this paper we propose the use of an assurance case for synthetically engineered organisms, and present an orthogonal dimension, an assurance timeline, that can be used to reason about the dynamic, evolving aspects of these systems. We present a case study based on a real application to illustrate our ideas.
The effectiveness of visual input enhancement on the noticing and L2 development of the Spanish past tense

Textual manipulation is a common pedagogic tool used to emphasize specific features of a second language (L2) text, thereby facilitating noticing and, ideally, second language development. Visual input enhancement has been used to investigate the effects of highlighting specific grammatical structures in a text. The current study uses a quasi-experimental design to determine the extent to which textual manipulation increase (a) learners’ perception of targeted forms and (b) their knowledge of the forms. Input enhancement was used to highlight the Spanish preterit and imperfect verb forms and an eye tracker measured the frequency and duration of participants’ fixation on the targeted items. In addition, pretests and posttests of the Spanish past tense provided information about participants’ knowledge of the targeted forms. Results indicate that learners were aware of the highlighted grammatical forms in the text; however, there was no difference in the amount of attention between the enhanced and unenhanced groups. In addition, both groups improved in their knowledge of the L2 forms; however, again, there was no differential improvement between the two groups.
Dose-dependent differences in the profile of mutations induced by carcinogenic (R,S,S,R) bay- and fjord-region diol epoxides of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Chinese hamster V79 cells were exposed to a high or low concentration of the highly carcinogenic, (R,S,S,R) or the less active (S,R,R,S) bay-or fjord-region diol epoxides of benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[c]phenanthrene or dibenz[c,h]acridine. Independent 8-azaguanine-resistant clones were isolated, and base substitutions at the hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase, (hprt) locus were determined. For the three (R,S,S,R) diol epoxides studied, the proportion of mutations at AT base pairs increased as the concentration of diol epoxide decreased. Concentration-dependent differences in the mutational profile were not observed, however, for the three (S,R,R,S) diol epoxides. In studies, with V-H1 cells (a DNA repair deficient variant of V79 cells), a concentration-dependent difference in the profile of mutations for the (R,S,S,R) diol epoxide of benzo[a]pyrene was not observed. These results suggest that concentration-dependent differences in the mutational profile are dependent on an intact DNA repair system. In additional studies, we initiated mouse skin with a high or low dose of benzo[a]pyrene and promoted the mice for 26 weeks with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Papillomas were examined for mutations in the c-Ha-ras proto-oncogene. Dose-dependent differences in the profile of c-Ha-ras mutations in the tumors were observed. In summary, (i) dose-dependent differences in mutational profiles at the, hprt locus were observed in Chinese hamster V79 cells treated with several highly mutagenic and carcinogenic (R,S,S,R) bay-or fjord-region diol epoxides but not with their less active (S,R,R,S) diol epoxide enantiomers, (ii) a dose-dependent difference in the mutational profile was not observed for the (R,S,S,R) diol epoxide of benzo[a]pyrene in a DNA-repair defective V79 cell line, and (iii) a dose-dependent difference in the mutational profile in the c-Ha-ras proto-oncogene was observed in tumors from mice treated with a high or low dose of benzo[a]pyrene.
The mass-lifetime relation

In a recent “AstroNote,” I described a simple exercise on the mass-luminosity relation for main sequence stars as an example of exposing students in a general education science course of lower mathematical level to the use of quantitative skills such as collecting and analyzing data. Here I present another attempt at a meaningful experience for such students that again involves both the gathering and analysis of numerical data and comparison with accepted result, this time on the relationship of the mass and lifetimes of main sequence stars. This experiment can stand alone or be used as an extension of the previous mass-luminosity relationship experiment.
Education loans and asset building among black and Hispanic young adults

Abstract Use of education loans as a way to finance college education has grown rapidly, with minority students and their families being particularly burdened with education loan debt. Given the rising education loans and the racial/ethnic disparity in wealth accumulation, it is timely and important to examine how education loans affect the ability of future wealth building among minority households. This study examines the association between education loans and financial asset building among Black and Hispanic young adults aged 30 years by analyzing data from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. The results from a treatment–effects model indicate that having education loans is negatively related to net worth and nonfinancial assets at age 30, after controlling for respondents' demographic characteristics, years of education, and working hours. The relationship between the amount of education loans and indicators of financial balance sheets, however, is not statistically significant among the Black and Hispanic young adults with outstanding loans.
Synthesis of interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 6 in human lymphocytes is stimulated by tributyltin

Tributyltin (TBT) is a widespread environmental contaminant that is present in human blood and other tissues. It has been shown to disrupt the immune function of human natural killer (NK) cells and to alter the secretion of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines from immune cells. Secretion of both interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) from human lymphocytes can be increased dependent upon the level of TBT exposure. This study shows that the TBT-induced increases in secretion of both cytokines are due to TBT-induced increases in the synthesis of these proteins and not simply because of the release of pre-existing cytokine. Furthermore, the data indicate that these TBT-induced increases in IL-1β and IL-6 synthesis require MAP kinase signaling pathways. Additionally, elevated synthesis of IL-1β and IL-6 seen at the highest exposures to TBT (200, 200, 50 nM) were accompanied by increases in the mRNA for these cytokines. TBT-induced increases in IL-1β and IL-6 mRNAs were also shown to be dependent on MAP kinase signaling. The study suggests that TBT has the capacity to increase immune cell production of these 2 important pro-inflammatory cytokines and that this increase is in part explained by increased mRNA for the cytokines.
Special Article Pharmacological Treatment Of Acute Spinal Cord Injury: How Do We Build On Past Success?

Most acute spinal cord injuries (SCI) do not involve complete transection of the spinal cord; typically, a rim of white matter survives. The potential for neurological recovery depends on optimal preservation of the ascending and descending white matter axons and their normal myelination. Pharmacologic strategies focus on the control of secondary injury processes, primarily lipid peroxidation (LP), and the salvage of as much white matter as possible. The first effective neuroprotective agent was methylprednisolone (MP), a glucocorticosteroid that in high doses improves neurological recovery in animals and humans following acute SCI. Tirilazad is a more targeted non-glucocorticoid LP inhibitor that has been shown to be neuroprotective and has fewer side effects than MP. Future SCI therapy is likely to encompass various neuroprotective agents, including inhibitors of LP, inhibitors of the nitric oxide-derived reactive oxygen species peroxynitrite, inhibitors of calpain (which is responsible for degrading the spinal cord cytoskeleton), and inhibitors of post-traumatic apoptosis of neurons and myelin-forming oligodendroglia. In addition, neuroprotective strategies will eventually be followed by neurorestorative agents that stimulate the plasticity of surviving neural pathways, and will be used in conjunction with other neurorestorative therapies like cell transplantation and gene therapy techniques.
The impact of sudden stops in capital flows on output and investment: Selected emerging markets

Abstract. We evaluate how vulnerable the emerging markets are to sudden stops, that is, capital inflow reversals, using panel data for 12 emerging economies for the period 1976-2002 that experienced such reversals. We investigate the impact of sudden stops on the macroeconomic indicators of economic growth and investment by employing the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimation methodology. A robustness check is performed using regional groups and introducing additional control variables. We find that sudden stops have lagging, negative, and robust effect on output and investment, while the effect on investment is not always robusth. Keywords. Sudden stops, Economic growth, Capital flows, Emerging markets, GMM. JEL. E40, F32, F36, G15.
Warning against Critical Slopes in Agriculture: Comprehension of Targeted Safety Signs in a Group of Machinery Operators in Italy.

Steep slopes are the main cause of rollover incidents in agriculture. Targeted safety signs have been developed to warn machinery operators against risky slopes. However, machinery user’s manuals and road signs report information regarding slope steepness in two different ways, by using the tilt angle in degrees and the slope percentage, respectively. In this study, we investigated the comprehension of safety signs depicting critical slopes, either in degrees or as percent values in a group of Italian agricultural machinery operators while considering the possible influence of previous experience with agricultural machinery, previous incidents, and on-farm occupation. Eighteen tractor and self-propelled machinery operators were administered graphical representations of seven slope angles in a randomized order and then were asked to estimate the slope steepness as both a tilt angle and a slope percentage. The participants tended to overestimate slope steepness in degrees, whereas the opposite was true for percentages. Farmers who were previously involved in a machinery-related incident were more accurate in their estimates. The present results raise some considerations regarding the need to redesign safety communication and to promote targeted training interventions.
Teacher Effectiveness and Educational Equity

Inequalities in teacher quality may be examined using several different lenses. To better investigate the relationships between student equity and teacher quality and instructional metrics, educational inequality in student performance across countries and time was explored as (1) variation in student mathematics scores, and (2) differences in socioeconomic status using descriptive, regression, and fixed-effects techniques. Measures of teacher quality (as measured by experience, education, preparedness, time spent on teaching mathematics, and instructional alignment) appeared to have only a limited effect on aggregate or within-classroom variation in student outcomes. The results also suggest that teacher quality may be more equitable at grade four than at grade eight, as measured by differences between higher and lower socioeconomic status classrooms.
Understanding Bile Acid Signaling in Diabetes: From Pathophysiology to Therapeutic Targets

Diabetes and obesity have reached an epidemic status worldwide. Diabetes increases the risk for cardiovascular disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Primary bile acids are synthesized in hepatocytes and are transformed to secondary bile acids in the intestine by gut bacteria. Bile acids are nutrient sensors and metabolic integrators that regulate lipid, glucose, and energy homeostasis by activating nuclear farnesoid X receptor and membrane Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5. Bile acids control gut bacteria overgrowth, species population, and protect the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Gut bacteria, in turn, control circulating bile acid composition and pool size. Dysregulation of bile acid homeostasis and dysbiosis causes diabetes and obesity. Targeting bile acid signaling and the gut microbiome have therapeutic potential for treating diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Gender Differences in Longitudinal Associations Between Intimate Care, Resiliency, and Depression Among Informal Caregivers of Patients Surviving the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit.

Informal caregivers (e.g., family and friends) are at risk for developing depression, which can be detrimental to both caregiver and patient functioning. Initial evidence suggests that resiliency may reduce the risk of depression. However, gender differences in associations between multiple psychosocial resiliency factors and depression have not been examined among neuroscience intensive care unit (neuro-ICU) caregivers. We explored interactions between caregiver gender and baseline resiliency factors on depression symptom severity at baseline through 3 and 6 months post-discharge. Caregivers (N = 96) of neuro-ICU patients able to provide informed consent to participate in research were enrolled as part of a prospective, longitudinal study in the neuro-ICU of a major academic medical center. Caregiver sociodemographics and resiliency factors (coping, mindfulness, self-efficacy, intimate care, and preparedness for caregiving) were assessed during the patient’s hospitalization (i.e., baseline). Levels of depressive symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months post-discharge. Baseline depressive symptoms predicted depressive symptoms at both 3- and 6-month follow-ups, with no difference at any time point in rates of depression by gender. At baseline, greater levels of coping, mindfulness, and preparedness for caregiving were individually associated with lower levels of concurrent depression regardless of gender (ps < 0.006). The main effect of baseline coping remained significant at 3-month follow-up (p = 0.045). We observed a trend-level interaction between gender and baseline intimate care, such that among male caregivers only, high baseline intimate care was associated with lower depression at 3-month follow-up (p = 0.055). At 6-month follow-up, we observed a significant interaction between caregiver gender and baseline intimate care, such that male caregivers reporting high intimate care reported lower symptoms of depression than females reporting high intimate care (p = 0.037). Results support implementation of psychosocial resiliency interventions for caregivers of patients admitted to the neuro-ICU early in the recovery process. Male caregivers may particularly benefit from strategies focused on increasing intimate care (e.g., physical and emotional affection with their loved one) and quality of the patient-caregiver dyadic relationship.
Correlates of entry into congregate care among a cohort of California foster youth

Abstract Congregate care settings are to be used as a last resort for the placement of abused and neglected children. In the current study we identify specific child protective service experiences and mental and behavioral health characteristics that are predictive of moving from a family based foster placement to a congregate care placement. Administrative child protective service (CPS) records were used to define a population-based cohort of youth aged 12–14 years who entered into a family-based setting in California in 2012. These youth were then longitudinally followed through the duration of their placement episode to determine the proportion of youth who entered into congregate care. A Cox Proportional Hazard model was used to model correlates of transitions from the initial family-based setting into a congregate care setting. Approximately 17% of youth who started a placement in a family-based setting entered congregate care prior to the end of their foster care episode. Results from the Cox Proportional Hazard analysis found that older age, Black ethnicity/race, emotional health concerns, behavioral problems, ADHD/ADD and a history of psychiatric hospitalizations were predictive of movement into a congregate care placement. Results also indicate that youth who started their foster care episode in a non-kin placement moved into congregate care at 1.7 times the rate of youth who started their episode in a kin placement. Recent federal and state policy changes have decreased the availability of congregate care placements. Data from the current study highlight the importance of investments that (1) increase the number foster parents willing and trained to foster high risk adolescents, and (2) develop evidence-informed interventions to treat foster youth and support their foster families in an effort to maintain placement in lower levels of care.
Troubleshooting Technology in Wireless Communication Interference Source

Due to the shortcomings of wireless communication, such as poor anti-noise ability and easy to be interfered, it is necessary to analyze the interference frequency before constructing the wireless base station, find possible interference sources, and clear the interference. In order to eliminate or avoid the interference source, to avoid the interference source from affecting the overall performance of the network during the construction of the wireless private network of the State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power. Based on the actual situation of Xinjiang electric power wireless communication, this article starts with the types of interference sources, proposes interference test evaluation methods, and summarizes interference network management troubleshooting methods.
Folate Receptors' Expression in Gliomas May Possess Potential Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Opportunities.

Brain cancer effected around estimated 23 890 adults and 3540 children under the age of 15 in 2020. The chemotherapeutic agents that are already approved by the FDA for brain cancer are proving to be not highly effective because of the interference from the tumor microenvironment as well as their own toxicities. Added to this is the impedance presented by the extremely restrictive permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Targeted nanoparticulate drug delivery systems offer a good opportunity to traverse the BBB and selectively target the tumor cells. Folate receptors are found to be one of the most useful targets for drug delivery to the brain. Hence, this Mini-Review discusses the folate receptors and their application in the treatment of brain cancers using targeted nanoparticles.
Thorium amidates function as single-source molecular precursors for thorium dioxide.

We report the synthesis of four homoleptic thorium(IV) amidate complexes as single-source molecular precursors for thorium dioxide. Each can be sublimed at atmospheric pressure, with the substituents on the amidate ligands significantly impacting their volatility and thermal stability. These complexes decompose via alkene elimination to give ThO2 without need for a secondary oxygen source. ThO2 samples formed from pyrolysis of C-alkyl amidates were found to have higher purity and crystallinity than ThO2 samples formed from C-aryl amidates.
Scootin’ in the rain: Does weather affect micromobility?

Abstract The usage of shared e-scooters, dockless e-bikes, and docked bicycles are correlated with weather conditions to examine the relative impact on each mode, specifically number of trips taken, their duration, and distance. Data is obtained from the City of Austin data portal. Rain, temperature and wind conditions are obtained from NOAA and a variety of analysis methods are applied, specifically Prais-Winsten and Negative Binomial regressions as well as a Random Forest model to examine the full suite of weather variables and to avoid some of the distributional issues in the trip models. In addition, controls are included for holidays, days of the week, and special events in Austin (such as the SXSW festival); all are found to be critical control variables, with SXSW associated with large increases in trips. Results suggest that docked bicycle and e-bike usage is more sensitive to adverse weather conditions than e-scooter trips, though all are reduced in colder, rainier, and windier conditions, as well as extreme heat and high relative humidity.
Phantom rivers filter birds and bats by acoustic niche.

Natural sensory environments, despite strong potential for structuring systems, have been neglected in ecological theory. Here, we test the hypothesis that intense natural acoustic environments shape animal distributions and behavior by broadcasting whitewater river noise in montane riparian zones for two summers. Additionally, we use spectrally-altered river noise to explicitly test the effects of masking as a mechanism driving patterns. Using data from abundance and activity surveys across 60 locations, over two full breeding seasons, we find that both birds and bats avoid areas with high sound levels, while birds avoid frequencies that overlap with birdsong, and bats avoid higher frequencies more generally. We place 720 clay caterpillars in willows, and find that intense sound levels decrease foraging behavior in birds. For bats, we deploy foraging tests across 144 nights, consisting of robotic insect-wing mimics, and speakers broadcasting bat prey sounds, and find that bats appear to switch hunting strategies from passive listening to aerial hawking as sound levels increase. Natural acoustic environments are an underappreciated niche axis, a conclusion that serves to escalate the urgency of mitigating human-created noise. An experimental study finds that birds and bats avoid whitewater river noise, and that intense noise reduces bird foraging activity and causes bats to switch hunting strategies. Overlap between noise and song frequency predicts bird declines until high levels where other mechanisms appear important.
Socioeconomic Status and Survival in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To evaluate survival for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in relation to socioeconomic status. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Census Tract-level Socioeconomic Status Database (2000-2016). METHODS Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosed between 2000 and 2016 were identified. Data were stratified based on socioeconomic status, divided into three groups: group 1 being the poorest and group 3 the wealthiest. Univariate analysis as well as multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusted for individual variables was performed. RESULTS A total of 5,527 patients were included in the study, with 33% in group 1, 34% in group 2, and 33% in group 3. There was a significant difference between groups in regard to age at diagnosis, race, histologic subtype, overall stage, tumor stage, nodal stage, and whether or not they received radiation. Patients in group 1, the poorest socioeconomic status, were more likely to be young (P = .003), black (P < .0001), present with higher overall stage (P = .009), tumor stage (P = .01), and nodal stage (P = .02), and less likely to receive radiation (P = .005). In multivariate analysis, there was a significant difference in survival between the groups, with group 1 patients less likely to survive compared to group 3 (hazard ratio = 1.28; 95% CI 1.07-1.57). CONCLUSIONS Patients in the poorest socioeconomic status presented with more advanced nasopharyngeal cancer and were less likely to receive radiation when compared with individuals of higher socioeconomic status. The poorest socioeconomic status groups were less likely to survive from their disease when controlling for other variables. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 131:2719-2723, 2021.