cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dependence of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Capture on Pheromone Release Rate from Laminate and Other Dispensers

Emission rates from cotton wicks baited with 1-400 μg of (+)-disparlure ranged from 7 to 2,000 ng/h at 35°C in a laboratory oven. A 100-μgdose, which is a reference in field tests, produced a rate of 470 ng/h. Release rates, residual lure contents, and captures of male gypsy moths, Lymantria dispar (L.), were correlated with duration of greenhouse aging. High male captures were obtained in tests with controlled-release, plastic laminate dispensers when the pheromone release rate was at least 30 ng/h and the residual content was at least 100 μg. These thresholds were provided by laminates aged in a greenhouse (mean low, 24.4-27.5°C; mean high, 36.7-39.1°C) for as long as 8-11 wk. Release rates from the laminates increased 3.5-fold for each 10°C increase in temperature. Several commercial dispensers with (+)-disparlure were evaluated, but the laminate design generally performed better than other designs with respect to the number of males captured.
Women’s Participation in the Facilitation of Human Smuggling: The Case of the US Southwest

ABSTRACTDespite the central role of human smuggling in irregular migration, empirical research on the practice and its facilitators has been scant. Drawing from ethnographic observations and data present in court cases, this essay explores the roles of women at providing human smuggling services in Phoenix, Arizona, which by the turn of the twenty-first century became one of the US main hubs for irregular migration. While frequently overlooked within the mainstream rhetoric of smuggling dominated by male-centred narratives of exploitation, victimisation and violence, women play fundamental roles in the facilitation of irregular migration. They recruit customers, negotiate fees and payment plans; withdraw smuggling payments from banks and wire transfer stores, care for migrants and drive or guide groups of border crossers through the desert. This essay argues, in line with recent anthropological scholarship on precarious forms of labour present under globalisation, that the facilitation of irregular migrat...
Mercury Wet Deposition and Speciated Air Concentrations from Two Urban Sites in New York State: Temporal Patterns and Regional Context

Since 2008, ambient speciated mercury (Hg) concentrations and weekly Hg wet deposition have been measured at two urban locations in New York-Rochester and New York City (borough of Bronx). These measurements were initiated to establish ambient Hg baselines ahead of anticipated emissions reductions, as well as characterize air concentrations and deposition at two different urban settings. In this paper seasonal and regional patterns in Hg wet deposition are presented, as well as seasonal, day of week and diurnal patterns in ambient Hg species at these two sites. The mean (and median) Hg concentration in precipitation was 9.56 ng/L (8.37 ng/L) at the Bronx site, and 9.95 ng/L (8.30 ng/L) at Rochester. Mean ambient air concentrations of gaseous elemental Hg (GEM), reactive gaseous Hg (RGM), and particle-bound Hg (PHM) at the Bronx and Rochester sites were 1.52 and 1.40 ng/m^3, 6.26 and 8.24 pg/m^3, and 7.96 and 13.48 pg/m^3, respectively. Conditional probability function analysis was used to examine potential source regions impacting these two sites. Using these data we were able to examine monthly and diurnal patterns in speciated ambient Hg; however, more research is needed to more fully characterize potential emission sources that impact these sites.
MB-105THE EARLY OUTCOMES OF PROTON THERAPY FOR MEDULLOBLASTOMA ON THE PEDIATRIC PROTON CONSORTIUM REGISTRY

MB-105. THE EARLY OUTCOMES OF PROTON THERAPY FOR MEDULLOBLASTOMA ON THE PEDIATRIC PROTON CONSORTIUM REGISTRY Andrew Chang1,3, Torunn Yock2, and Atman Pai3; ProCure Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Scripps San Diego Proton Therapy Center, San Diego, CA, USA INTRODUCTION: Medulloblastoma is among the most common brain tumors diagnosed in children in the United States. Post-operative cranio-spinal irradiation (CSI) is an important part of treatment regimens for the treatment of medulloblastoma. Proton therapy has demonstrated improved dosimetric advantages in CSI as compared to x-ray based radiotherapy. In the United States, medulloblastoma is one of the most common pediatric malignancies treated in proton therapy centers. The Pediatric Proton Consortium Registry (PPCR) was established as a multi-institutional registry to track and follow outcomes of pediatric patients treated with protontherapy.Weaim to evaluate the early outcomes of patients treated with proton CSI who have been enrolled on the PPCR. METHOD: The PPCR databased was queried for all patients with a diagnosis of medulloblastoma. Of the 146 patients identified, 55 patients had follow-up information at the time of the date of the data entry deadline. The average age at start of CSI for all patients was 8.7 years; 91 patients were male, and 55 female. Intent of treatment was curative for 129 patients, palliative in 2, and unrecorded in the remainder. RESULTS: At a medium follow up of 12.3 months, overall survival was 87.3%. Progression-free survival was 89.7% with local failure occurring in 6.9% and metastatic disease in 10.3%. CONCLUSION: Early outcomes from proton therapy are comparable to historic x-ray therapy outcomes. Longer follow-up is ongoing and will be needed for evaluation of the putative benefit of long-term toxicity reduction. Neuro-Oncology 18:iii97–iii122, 2016. doi:10.1093/neuonc/now076.100 #The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Constitutional Pragmatism for a Changing American Family

The Supreme Court's splintered decision in Troxel v. Granville, striking down a state court's order of visitation rights for grandparents, has been widely portrayed either as a ringing victory for parents' rights or as a bust given the Court's inability to agree on a deciding rationale. In fact, it was neither. For all its omissions and evasions, it did decide something important and its importance lies chiefly in limiting, rather than expanding, parents' rights. More clearly than in past cases, a majority of the Justices in Troxel embraced an essentially pragmatic approach to the constitutional problem of parents' rights and to family-privacy disputes more generally.
Tremorogenic Toxic Encephalopathy

A 16 year old boy who developed tremorogenic toxic encephalopathy as a result of inhalation and/or ingestion of mouldy silage containing aspergillus fumigatus, flavus and clavitus is reported from Halifax, Nova Scotia and Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
TCAD-based failure analysis and modeling of pit formation in GaN HEMTs

High field DC life testing of Gallium Nitride (GaN) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) has shown that degradation of the devices leads to the formation of morphological pits near the gate edges of the device, which have been proposed to be a cause of drain current collapse and threshold voltage shift. In order to test various proposed physical mechanisms of pit formation in GaN HEMTs, we have utilized the Silvaco ATLAS©, ATHENA© and DevEdit© TCAD software packages to create a model of pit formation in the AlGaN layer corresponding to experimental observations. The model allows for multiple theories of pit formation to be tested by correlating progressive expansion of the pit area with quantities such as vertical electric field magnitude and thermal gradients. Utilizing vertical electric field as the impetus for pit formation, along with a set pit growth rate of 10 A/iteration, the simulation shows complete drain current collapse in three iterations, corresponding to 7×103 hours of DC stress based on experimentally observed square-root growth of the pit area with time. Suggestions for further uses of the model for investigation of pit formation in GaN HEMTs are discussed in the conclusion.
Nonparametric Estimation of Production Functions

While the primary use of data envelopment analysis is the estimation of production frontiers and the subsequent measurement of efficiency, a more recent literature has been concerned with the estimation of production functions that allow observed points beyond the frontier. This could arise with noisy data for example. Banker and Maindiratta (1992) provided a foundation by extending DEA to estimate efficiency in the presence of statistical noise. The programming model estimates the frontier via maximum likelihood while constraining the production set to be convex by imposing the celebrated Afriat conditions. Since then, there have been several alternative models that have been developed. In this paper we apply several competing methodologies to estimate production functions using data from the English Premier League from 2009 to 2010.
Four Positions of Leadership in Planning, Implementing, and Sustaining Faculty Learning Community Programs

This chapter describes four new leadership areas in the development of faculty learning community programs and provides perspectives and resources that these leaders can use to engage their work.
Acute effects of resistance exercise in a depressed HIV sample: The exercise for people who are immunocompromised (EPIC) study

Abstract Depression is highly prevalent among people living with HIV (PLWH). It can negatively impact quality of life, medication adherence, and clinical progression of the disease. This study tested the effect of a single bout of bodyweight resistance exercise on affective valence and perceived activation (i.e., perceived fatigue) in PLWH with depressive symptoms. Using a within-subject design, 10 participants ages 33–61 with a Center for Epidemiologic Depression Scale (CES-D) score of ≥10 completed two 20-min randomized cross-over sessions separated by one week: (1) a 20-min bout of bodyweight resistance exercise; and (2) a 20-min informational video control. Affective valence and perceived activation were measured with the Feeling Scale and the Felt Arousal Scale, respectively. Both were administered at baseline, during exercise, immediately post, and after a 10-min delay. Changes were analyzed using repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with significance level set at 0.05. Significant differences over time were found in both affect (F = 2.63, p = 0.05) and perceived activation (F = 7.40, p
Einordnung von Personenvereinigungen zu Zwecken der Besteuerung in Deutschland

Auch das deutsche Steuerrecht befast sich mit der Frage, wie Rechtsgebilde, Organisationsformen und Personenvereinigungen steuerlich zu behandeln sind. D.h., ob sie steuerlich als eigenstandiges Steuersubjekt zu betrachten sind (intransparente Besteuerung als Korperschaft) oder, ob ihre Anteilseigner, Eigentumer oder Gesellschafter anteilig, als Steuersubjekte zu betrachten sind (transparente Besteuerung als Personengesellschaft). Das deutsche Steuerrecht unterscheidet zwischen Glaubiger-Schuldner-Verhaltnissen und Personenvereinigungen. Eine Personenvereinigung unterscheidet sich von einem Glaubiger-Schuldner-Verhaltnis dadurch, das die daran beteiligten Personen Teilhabe an den unternehmerischen Entscheidungen und am Erfolg oder Miserfolg des Unternehmens haben. Die Personenvereinigungen unterteilen sich wiederum in zwei Gruppen, namlich solchen Vereinigungen, die, wie z.B. die Personengesellschaften, bei der Einkommen- und der Vermogensteuer als solche nicht Trager einer eigenen Steuerrechtspersonlichkeit sind und Kapitalgesellschaften und ihnen gleichgestellten Rechtssubjekten, die selber Trager der Steuerpflicht sind, d.h. korperschaftsteuerpflichtig sind1.
Magnesium: An Overlooked Electrolyte.

Abstract Background Hypermagnesemia is rare and usually iatrogenic. Due to decreased renal function, older patients are generally more susceptible to hypermagnesemia than are younger patients. Because it is not one of the commonly assessed electrolytes in the blood work panel of patients, high levels are usually missed. Case Report An elderly gentleman with history of leukemia presented with complaints of shortness of breath and extreme weakness while walking. He was diagnosed with severe hypermagnesemia, but unfortunately succumbed to cardiorespiratory arrest. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Thorough history taking is crucial in evaluating weakness in elderly patients because the differential diagnosis is vast. Prompt consultation for emergent dialysis is critical to avoiding unfavorable outcomes due to electrolyte abnormalities.
Monitoring Neuronal Signal Integration by Selective Access Multifoci Multiphoton Microscopy

Our project seeks to develop technology capable of monitoring how a single neuron integrate its inputs from over 104 synapses.
CDTA: A Comprehensive Solution for Counterfeit Detection, Traceability, and Authentication in the IoT Supply Chain

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the way we live and work by increasing the connectedness of people and things on a scale that was once unimaginable. However, the vulnerabilities in the IoT supply chain have raised serious concerns about the security and trustworthiness of IoT devices and components within them. Testing for device provenance, detection of counterfeit integrated circuits (ICs) and systems, and traceability of IoT devices are challenging issues to address. In this article, we develop a novel radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based system suitable for counterfeit detection, traceability, and authentication in the IoT supply chain called CDTA. CDTA is composed of different types of on-chip sensors and in-system structures that collect necessary information to detect multiple counterfeit IC types (recycled, cloned, etc.), track and trace IoT devices, and verify the overall system authenticity. Central to CDTA is an RFID tag employed as storage and a channel to read the information from different types of chips on the printed circuit board (PCB) in both power-on and power-off scenarios. CDTA sensor data can also be sent to the remote server for authentication via an encrypted Ethernet channel when the IoT device is deployed in the field. A novel board ID generator is implemented by combining outputs of physical unclonable functions (PUFs) embedded in the RFID tag and different chips on the PCB. A light-weight RFID protocol is proposed to enable mutual authentication between RFID readers and tags. We also implement a secure interchip communication on the PCB. Simulations and experimental results using Spartan 3E FPGAs demonstrate the effectiveness of this system. The efficiency of the radio-frequency (RF) communication has also been verified via a PCB prototype with a printed slot antenna.
Extending the Independent Living Center Model to Rural Areas: Expanding Services through State and Local Efforts:

Independent living centers (ILC) provide support services to adults with physical disabilities. Originally created through federal funding, most ILC serve urban areas, leaving a large rural area an...
Video Blogs: A Qualitative and Quantitative Inquiry of Recall and Willingness to Share

In the last few years, user-generated video blogs (vlogs) have become very popular on video sharing communities and websites such as YouTube. Unboxing and Haul are a genre of video blogs on YouTube where consumers unbox a new product or display their new haul of clothes, to inform other consumers about latest product trends and fashion. Despite the increased viewership of the unboxing and haul vlogs, there is a void in understanding how much information do viewers retain from these vlogs and why and how viewers decide to share these vlogs in their social network. Our research examines how unboxing and haul vlogs influence viewers’ recall and their willingness to share these vlogs in their social network, revealing that vlogs’ usefulness, humor and involvement have a positive impact on viewers’ willingness to share. However, we did not find any relationship between willingness to share and recall. Furthermore, we qualitatively analyzed the content of viewers’ recall and the main reason of willingness to share, finding that female haul vlog viewers recall more brand names than male haul vlog viewers do and female unboxing vlog viewers pay more attention to vloggers than product information.
Association Between Patient Review of Systems Score and Somatization

Importance Somatization is a condition in which psychological distress is manifested by medically unexplained symptoms, and it is prevalent in all medical specialties, including otolaryngology. Recognition of somatization can be difficult, and there are limited methods available. Objectives To determine whether patients with somatization respond differently to the review of systems (ROS) portion of the patient interview and whether the ROS can be used to identify patients with somatization. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective review of medical records of 2120 consecutive consultations of English- or Spanish-speaking patients aged 18 to 89 years who presented to the otolaryngology clinic from January 1, 2014, to November 10, 2015, was conducted to compare how the ROS of patients with chief complaints associated with somatization (group B: globus sensation, dizziness, and tinnitus) differs from those with symptoms more often associated with objective findings (group A: nasal obstruction, hoarseness, and hearing loss); a total of 605 patients were included. Objective clinical findings after physical examination and related testing were reviewed and classified as either significant, marginal, or absent. Current or past psychiatric comorbidities were also examined. Main Outcomes and Measures Number of affirmative responses on a standardized, 69-point ROS was recorded as a ROS score (ROSS). Objective clinical findings, symptoms, and psychiatric comorbidities were recorded. Results Of the 605 patients included in the analysis, 346 (57.2%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 51.6 (15.7) years. Among patients with medically unexplained symptoms (median, 11; range, 0-39), the ROSS was higher compared with those with objective clinical findings (median, 6; range, 0-31) (median difference, 4; 95% CI, 3 to 6). Group A (hoarseness, nasal obstruction, and hearing loss: median ROSS, 6, range, 0-41) exhibited lower ROSS than group B (dizziness, globus sensation, and tinnitus: median ROSS, 9; range, 0-39) (median difference, −2; 95% CI −3 to −1). Psychiatric comorbidity (median, 10; range, 0-41) was associated with higher ROSS than patients without psychiatric comorbidity (median, 5.5; range, 0 to 36) (median difference, 5; 95% CI, 3 to 6). Conclusions and Relevance The manner in which patients respond to a standardized ROS differs in those with medically unexplained symptoms and in those with psychiatric disease. The ROS offers information beyond the actual systems review, and may be useful in the identification of somatization.
Perception of Barriers to the Diagnosis and Receipt of Treatment for Neuropsychiatric Disturbances After Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Objective To explore perceptions of barriers and facilitators to the diagnosis and receipt of treatment for neuropsychiatric disturbances (NPDs) after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Qualitative study using semistructured interviews and focus groups. Setting A clinic specializing in the treatment of TBI NPDs, an urban trauma center, and a large urban academic hospital. Participants A sample (N=33) of health care providers (n=10) who treat individuals with TBI, persons with TBI (n=18), and caregivers (n=5). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Topic guides for the interviews and focus groups were guided by previous literature, clinical experience, and the goals of the project and focused on the 3 most common TBI NPDs: depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We performed a conventional content analysis on the transcripts and grouped concepts into overall themes, incorporating feedback from stakeholders. Results Patient education, insurance, provider type, time since TBI, caregiver support, and recognition or screening for TBI NPDs were the most frequently mentioned barriers or facilitators to the diagnosis and treatment of TBI NPDs by both interview and focus group participants. We grouped these and other frequently mentioned concepts into 3 broad themes: education, access, and support. Each of these themes is explored in depth and supported with direct quotations. Conclusions This study explored patient, caregiver, and health care provider and identified barriers and facilitators to the diagnosis and receipt of treatment for TBI NPDs. Barriers included poor provider education on TBI NPDs and limited access to care due to lack of insurance, transportation, and income. Facilitators included patient education on TBI NPDs and strong caregiver support. Future studies should develop and pilot interventions aimed at quality of care that address the identified barriers and facilitators.
Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Pregnancy

To identify known teratogenic medications that may be used to treat SLE and discuss alternative therapeutics that can be used throughout pregnancy in order to manage maternal autoimmune diseases. Teratogenic immunosuppressive medications include methotrexate, mycophenolatemofetil, and cyclophosphamide. In anticipation of pregnancy, such medications should be discontinued and replaced with immunosuppressive medications including azathioprine and cyclosporine and assessed for disease stability. Pregnancy is an important aspect to women’s lives, and a diagnosis of SLE should not necessarily preclude the ability to bear children. Pregnancy outcomes among SLE women are favorable when disease is well controlled prior to conception and teratogenic medications are avoided. Several immunosuppressive therapies that are compatible with pregnancy are available to treat flares that may occur during pregnancy. Hydroxychloroquine use throughout pregnancy is associated with improved outcomes for both mother and infant. Risks of medication use need to be balanced with risks of active maternal disease.
Applications of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Hepatocytes

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are potential sources of hepatocytes for drug development and cell therapy. In vitro differentiation of iPSCs into hepatic cells has been achieved and improved during the last several years. More recently the in vivo functionality of human iPSC-derived hepatic cells at various differentiation stages has also been demonstrated. In this chapter, we describe the recent advance in human iPSC generation and hepatic differentiation technologies, the in vitro and in vivo activities of human iPSC derived hepatocytes, and discuss both basic and clinical applications of these cells including disease modeling, drug toxicity screening, drug discovery, gene therapy and cell replacement therapy.
Complications of External Fixation

External fixation has assumed an important role in damage control orthopedics. Common indications include open fractures, bridging juxta-articular fractures or dislocations, and pelvic external fixation. Complications may ensue from external fixation as with other surgical treatment. It is important for the surgeon to be aware of these potential complications and to manage them appropriately to achieve a successful outcome.
Chapter 9 Cell Signaling by Oxidants: Pathways Leading to Activation of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinases (MAPK) and Activator Protein-1 (AP-1)

Abstract Agents inducing oxidative stress activate one or more pathways of the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPK), a family of signaling proteins leading to activation of the Fos/Jun protooncogene family that comprise the Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor. Redox sensitive molecular targets usually contain highly conserved cysteine residues, and their oxidation, nitration and formation of disulfide links are crucial events in oxidant/redox signaling. Oxidation of sulfide groups in signaling proteins causes structural modifications, resulting in the exposure of active sites and protein activation. Thiol proteins such as intracellular glutathione (GSH) and thioredoxin (Trx) are of central importance in the regulated control of redox signaling pathways by reducing disulfide bridges or oxidized cysteine residues. We review here how oxidants interact with membrane receptors, other proteins, and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatases (MKPs) to activate MAPK and AP-1 regulated gene expression critical to cell differentiation, proliferation, death/apoptosis, and disease. These pathways have been studied extensively in cells in culture after exposure to H2O2, generating systems of reactive oxygen or nitrogen species (ROS/NOS), and a number of naturally occurring oxidant stresses such as chemotherapeutic drugs or airborne pollutants. The epithelial cell of the respiratory tract and inhalation models of lung injury, inflammation, carcinogenesis, and fibrogenesis have been employed by us and others to study MAPK and AP-1 activation by soluble oxidants and insoluble particulates (asbestos, silica, particulate matter or PM) inducing oxidative stress. Responses of cells to these oxidant stresses are critical to injury or repair, inflammation, and critical outcomes of disease.
T3–T4 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx Treated With Radiation Therapy Alone or Combined With Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Depending on the site and extent of disease, treatment alternatives for T3–T4 cancers include partial laryngectomy, total laryngectomy, and radiation therapy (RT) alone or combined with adjuvant chemotherapy. The prevailing treatment philosophy varies significantly from one country to another (1). Patients in the United States and Australia are usually treated surgically, which often necessitates total laryngectomy (1). In contrast, patients in Canada and Great Britain are often treated with RT alone, with surgery reserved as salvage treatment for those who experience recurrent disease. Patients treated with RT in the United States sometimes receive induction chemotherapy before RT (2). The rationale for this strategy is based on the Veterans Affairs Laryngeal Cancer Study Group trial which compared induction chemotherapy and RT (in the subset of patients who responded to chemotherapy) with initial laryngectomy and postoperative RT; survival rates were similar, and patients randomized to the induction chemotherapy arm had a higher rate of laryngeal voice preservation (3). A similar trial conducted by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) evaluated induction chemotherapy followed by RT for patients who had a complete response to treatment for advanced pyriform sinus and aryepiglottic fold malignancies (4). Patients randomized to receive induction chemotherapy had 5-yr survival rates similar to those for patients randomized to undergo initial surgery. Approximately one-third of patients who received induction chemotherapy retained their larynx. More recently, concomitant chemoradiation has gained popularity because it has been shown to improve survival compared with RT alone for patients with local-regionally advanced head and neck cancer.
A 28GHz Packaged Chireix Transmitter with Direct on-Antenna Outphasing Load Modulation Achieving 56%/38% PA Efficiency at Peak/6dB Back-Off Output Power

This paper presents a packaged 28GHz Chireix outphasing transmitter (TX) for power amplifier (PA) efficiency enhancement at peak and back-off output power (PBO). It utilizes a high-efficiency dual-feed loop antenna (DLA)-based non-isolating power combiner to realize direct on-antenna power combining and more importantly, outphasing active load modulation. The proposed Chireix TX contains two phase-shifted sub-TXs simultaneously driving a DLA on package. The TX chips are implemented in a 45nm CMOS SOI process and integrated with the DLA by flip-chip packaging. The measurements demonstrate a 56% PA drain efficiency (η D ) at saturated power (Psat), with 38% η D at 6dB PBO, achieving 1.36× efficiency enhancement over ideal Class-B operation. The high efficiency of this Chireix TX enables up to 34%/10.5dBm PA average efficiency/output power (η ave /P ave ) while amplifying 15Gb/s 64-QAM signal at 28GHz with EVM/ACLR better than −27.5dBc/-28dBc in a wireless radiation testing environment.
Genetic Modulation at the Neural Microelectrode Interface: Methods and Applications

The use of implanted microelectrode arrays (MEAs), in the brain, has enabled a greater understanding of neural function, and new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. Glial encapsulation of the device and the loss of neurons at the device-tissue interface are widely believed to reduce recording quality and limit the functional device-lifetime. The integration of microfluidic channels within MEAs enables the perturbation of the cellular pathways, through defined vector delivery. This provides new approaches to shed light on the underlying mechanisms of the reactive response and its contribution to device performance. In chronic settings, however, tissue ingrowth and biofouling can obstruct or damage the channel, preventing vector delivery. In this study, we describe methods of delivering vectors through chronically implanted, single-shank, "Michigan"-style microfluidic devices, 1⁻3 weeks, post-implantation. We explored and validated three different approaches for modifying gene expression at the device-tissue interface: viral-mediated overexpression, siRNA-enabled knockdown, and cre-dependent conditional expression. We observed a successful delivery of the vectors along the length of the MEA, where the observed expression varied, depending on the depth of the injury. The methods described are intended to enable vector delivery through microfluidic devices for a variety of potential applications; likewise, future design considerations are suggested for further improvements on the approach.
Firmer footing for ventilating and monitoring the injured lung.

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is widely considered the signature problem of critical care. From the outset, it was understood not to be a lung disease but rather, a life-threatening clinical condition provoked by diverse stimuli (1).
High-dose interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) in the treatment of advanced melanoma: The University of Pittsburgh experience.

9075 Background: IL-2 is a T-cell growth factor tested in a variety of regimens for advanced melanoma (MEL) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). High-dose IL-2 (600,000-720,000 IU/kg administered intrav...
Capillary Surfaces in Circular Cylinders

In the absence of gravity, a capillary surface within a circular cylinder will have constant mean curvature and will make a constant contact angle with the cylinder. Two types of surfaces with these properties are Delaunay surfaces and cylinders (i.e., the free surface of the liquid is another circular cylinder). Stability and energy minimality of these capillary surfaces are investigated.
Elastic Collapse Analysis of Shells Via Global-Local Approach

A two-stage global-local approach is presented for predicting the collapse behavior of shells. The first stage is that of spatial discretization wherein the shell is discretized by using finite elements (or finite differences) which cover the entire region of the shell. In the second stage the vector of unknown nodal parameters is expressed as a linear combination of small number of global functions (or basis vectors). A Rayleigh-Ritz (or Bubnov-Galerkin) technique is then used to approximate the nonlinear equations of the discretized shell by a reduced system of nonlinear algebraic equations. For the case of loading applied by means of axial end shortening, a scalar function is introduced which measures the degree of nonlinearity of the structure. Also, a quantitative measure for the error of the reduced system of equations is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed technique for predicting the collapse behavior of shells is demonstrated by means of a numerical example of the elastic collapse of a cylindrical shell with a rectangular cutout.
RFHUI: an RFID based human-unmanned aerial vehicle interaction system in an indoor environment

Abstract In this paper, we present an RF ID based h uman and u nmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) i nteraction system, termed RFHUI, to provide an intuitive and easy-to-operate method to navigate a UAV in an indoor environment. It relies on the passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to precisely track the pose of a handheld controller, and then transfer the pose information to navigate the UAV. A prototype of the handheld controller is created by attaching three or more Ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID tags to a board. A Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) RFID reader with multiple antennas is deployed to collect the observations of the tags. First, the precise positions of all the tags can be obtained by our proposed method, which leverages a Bayesian filter and channel state information (CSI) phase measurements collected from the RFID reader. Second, we introduce a singular value decomposition (SVD) based approach to obtain a 6-DOF (Degrees of Freedom) pose of the controller from estimated positions of the tags. Furthermore, the pose of the controller can be precisely tracked in a real-time manner, while the user moves the controller. Finally, control commands will be generated from the controller's pose and sent to the UAV for navigation. The performance of the RFHUI is evaluated by several experiments. The results show that it provides precise poses with 0.045 m mean error in position and 2.5 ∘ mean error in orientation for the controller, and enables the controller to precisely and intuitively navigate the UAV in an indoor environment.
Development and Initial Validation of the Constructivist Beliefs in the Career Decision-Making Scale:

Although career adaptability and constructivist beliefs both capture important aspects of career construction, previous research has predominantly focused on career adaptability and ignored the imp...
The Relations Between American Children’s Head Start Experience and Pre-Academic Skills: A Comparison With Children From a Community Group

This study used data from Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) and examined the relations between children’s Head Start exposure and their early academic skills (i.e., languag...
Considering the Role of Executive Function in Reading Comprehension: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

In the present study, we used latent variable structural equation modeling to investigate relations between oral language, decoding, and two components of executive function (cognitive flexibility and working memory) and reading comprehension in a sample of 271 native English-speaking 9.00- to 14.83-year-olds. Results of the mediation analyses indicated that both oral language and decoding fully mediated the relations between working memory and cognitive flexibility and reading comprehension. These findings suggest that executive function is likely associated with reading comprehension through its relation with decoding and oral language and provide additional support for the role of executive function in reading comprehension as a potentially crucial precursor to skilled reading.
Legends of allergy and immunology: Donald Y. M. Leung.

This issue is honoring Donald Leung, who is best known for his work in atopic dermatitis (AD), along with many other contributions in allergy and immunology. Donald was born October 1, 1949 in New York City. He received his PhD in biochemistry and MD at the University of Chicago. He subsequently went on to residency and fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston where he continued as a faculty member at Harvard Medical School until 1989. With Dr. Raif Geha, they studied the role of Th2 cells in allergic responses and he began work in Kawasaki’s disease and AD. He made many relevant discoveries regarding Kawasaki Disease including its treatment with intravenous gamma globulin treatment for which he received a ten year NHLBI MERIT award.
Anthropomorphism and its implications for advertising hotel brands

Abstract Given increased branding competition in the hotel industry, it is imperative to explore the importance of marketing communications in generating desirable customer responses. Building on previous anthropomorphism research, two experiments in this research explore the role of anthropomorphism-based communications for hotel brands. Study 1 investigates the moderating role of sociality via accommodation type, and Study 2 examines the moderating effect of effectance on the relationship between anthropomorphism and customers’ responses via appeal type. These interaction effects enhance perceived warmth, leading to customers’ higher visit intentions. Consistent with the tenets of anthropomorphism, we find anthropomorphism qualifies as an effective hotel communication strategy. Results also provide insights into when anthropomorphism-based communications become more effective in hotel advertising strategies.
Applying Mokken Scaling Techniques to Incomplete Rating Designs for Educational Performance Assessments

ABSTRACTA major challenge in the widespread application of Mokken scale analysis (MSA) to educational performance assessments is the requirement of complete data, where every rater rates every stud...
Placenta Accreta Spectrum: Correlation of MRI Parameters With Pathologic and Surgical Outcomes of High-Risk Pregnancies

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to determine whether MRI parameters of placenta accreta spectrum correlate with pathologic and surgical outcomes in high-risk pregnancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study evaluated second- and third-trimester pregnancies assessed by MRI from 2007 to the present. Women were included in the study if placental invasion was suspected on the basis of a clinical history of cesarean delivery, ultrasound findings, or both. MR images were reviewed by an experienced radiologist who was blinded to the clinical outcomes. Eighteen MRI parameters were assessed and compared with four clinical outcomes: surgical impression of invasion, need for cesarean hysterectomy, pathologic findings, and need for blood transfusion. RESULTS. Of 64 women, 43 required cesarean hysterectomy, 20 underwent cesarean delivery, and one delivered vaginally. There was no statistical difference among the women in terms of maternal age, gestational age, or the number of prior cesarean deliveries. Eight of the 18 MRI parameters assessed showed statistical significance. The five variables with the highest odds ratios were bulge (7.432), placenta previa (7.283), low-attenuation T2 linear bands (5.985), placental heterogeneity near the scar (4.384), and fibrin deposition (4.322), with additional significant variables including interruption of the bladder-serosa interface, the radiologist's interpretation of invasion, and the largest dimension of invasion. Some previously described parameters, such as the degree of maternal pelvic vascularity, were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION. MRI parameters are associated with placental invasion and correlate with the need for cesarean hysterectomy, as well as pathologic and surgical impressions of invasion. From these parameters, an organized template can be created to standardize reporting of placental invasion.
Characterizing Bismuth Doping of Colloidal Germanium Quantum Dots for Energy Conversion Applications

The numerous electronic and optoelectronic applications that rely on semiconductors require tuning their properties through doping. Germanium quantum dots (Ge QDs) were successfully doped with bism...
Machine Learning Identifies Novel Candidates for Drug Repurposing in Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract Clinical trials of novel therapeutics for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) have consumed a large amount of time and resources with largely negative results. Repurposing drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for another indication is a more rapid and less expensive option. Repurposing can yield a useful therapeutic and also accelerate proof of concept studies that ultimately lead to a new molecular entity. We present a novel machine learning framework, DRIAD (Drug Repurposing In AD), that quantifies potential associations between the pathology of AD severity (the Braak stage) and molecular mechanisms as encoded in lists of gene names. DRIAD was validated on gene lists known to be associated with AD from other studies and subsequently applied to evaluate lists of genes arising from perturbations in differentiated human neural cell cultures by 80 FDA-approved and clinically tested drugs, producing a ranked list of possible repurposing candidates. Top-scoring drugs were inspected for common trends among their nominal molecular targets and their “off-targets”, revealing a high prevalence of kinases from the Janus (JAK), Unc-51-like (ULK) and NIMA-related (NEK) families. These kinase families are known to modulate pathways related to innate immune signaling, autophagy, and microtubule formation and function, suggesting possible disease-modifying mechanisms of action. We propose that the DRIAD method can be used to nominate drugs that, after additional validation and identification of relevant pharmacodynamic biomarker(s), could be evaluated in a clinical trial.
Scientific Hypothesis-testing Strengthens Neuroscience Research

Science needs to understand the strength of its findings. This essay considers the evaluation of studies that test scientific (not statistical) hypotheses. A scientific hypothesis is a putative explanation for an observation or phenomenon; it makes (or "entails") testable predictions that must be true if the hypothesis is true and that lead to its rejection if they are false. The question is, "how should we judge the strength of a hypothesis that passes a series of experimental tests?" This question is especially relevant in view of the "reproducibility crisis" that is the cause of great unease. Reproducibility is said to be a dire problem because major neuroscience conclusions supposedly rest entirely on the outcomes of single, p valued statistical tests. To investigate this concern, I propose to (1) ask whether neuroscience typically does base major conclusions on single tests; (2) discuss the advantages of testing multiple predictions to evaluate a hypothesis; and (3) review ways in which multiple outcomes can be combined to assess the overall strength of a project that tests multiple predictions of one hypothesis. I argue that scientific hypothesis testing in general, and combining the results of several experiments in particular, may justify placing greater confidence in multiple-testing procedures than in other ways of conducting science.
Electronic and structural properties of (BxGa1-x)2O3 alloys

First-Principles DFT calculations are carried out to investigate electronic and structural properties of (BxGa1-x)2O3 alloys in both monoclinic and orthorhombic phases. Generally, the alloying with boron results in the increasing of the bandgap energy and reduction of the lattice constants of (BxGa1-x)2O3 alloys. In addition, the formation enthalpy is calculated to predict its growth feasibility. The band alignment between Ga2O3 and B2O3 is also investigated, which shows the type-II offset in monoclinic phase and type-I offset in orthorhombic phase, respectively. Our studies provide important insight regarding the potential of (BxGa1-x)2O3 alloys for III-Oxide based electronic and optoelectronic device applications.
34 Determining the association between transcriptome expression and genome methylation patterns in the aging horse tendon

Across numerous disciplines and breeds, tendinopathies in recreational and elite athletes is an ongoing issue due to inadequate therapeutics from the poor healing capacity of tendons. The structure and function of the tendon throughout development, maturation, homeostasis, aging, and injury heavily depends on the roles of the tendon proper (TP) and peritenon (PERI) cell populations in tendons. Understanding the molecular and cellular levels of the tendinopathies and the changes that the TP and PERI cell populations undergo during aging may further elucidate age-dependent alterations in tendon architecture and functionality. We hypothesize that as tendons age, the cells’ responses to the surrounding niche environment could be affected by reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) targeted methylation sites like promoters and thereby affecting gene expression. Further, we hypothesize that adolescent (0–5 year), midlife (6–14 year), and geriatric (15–27 year) tendons can be categorized based on gene expression and methylation silencing and correlate to changes in genes vital to tendon health and healing. For this study, the RNA and DNA of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) from 9 non-breed or sex specific samples for adolescent (TP, n = 3; PERI, n = 3), midlife (TP, n = 3; PERI, n = 3), and geriatric (TP, n = 3; PERI, n = 3) horses were isolated for gene expression by RNaseq and methylated residues by RRBS. The workflow for RNaseq utilized Trimmomatic, Salmon, and the R package DESeq2 to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEG) across age groups and cell type, gene ontology by PANTHER, and pathway analysis through Advaita iPathway. RRBS post-analysis used Trim Galore! and Bismark to quantify CpG islands and percent methylation. Preliminary analysis of the transcriptome showed clear separation of the TP and PERI groups regardless of age by principal component and heatmap analysis. Gene ontology and DEG showed fewer expression differences for midlife (110 DEGs) samples as compared with adolescent (978 DEGs) or geriatric (970 DEGs) in both TP and PERI. These initial findings indicate distinct transcriptomic differences in the tendon proper and peritenon cell populations, in addition to, age related changes occurring more prominenty during adolescent and geriatric compared with midlife. By combining the transcriptome and methylome analysis in horses across age, we would be able to target age-related regulations by identifying gene enrichment changes occurring with age for future therapeutics to improve tendon repair by exogenous gene products.
Transitioning into GMP-Compliance: Alternative Methods for Producing Retinal Organoids for Transplantation.

Translational Relevance Designing a GMP-compliant protocol for three-dimensional retinal organoid production is of urgent need in order to bring transplantation of hiPSC-derived retinal tissue and derived cells to clinical trials - and ultimately patient treatment - for retinal degenerative diseases.