cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiation damage tolerant nanomaterials

Designing a material from the atomic level to achieve a tailored response in extreme conditions is a grand challenge in materials research. Nanostructured metals and composites provide a path to this goal because they contain interfaces that attract, absorb and annihilate point and line defects. These interfaces recover and control defects produced in materials subjected to extremes of displacement damage, impurity implantation, stress and temperature. Controlling radiation-induced-defects via interfaces is shown to be the key factor in reducing the damage and imparting stability in certain nanomaterials under conditions where bulk materials exhibit void swelling and/or embrittlement. We review the recovery of radiation-induced point defects at free surfaces and grain boundaries and stabilization of helium bubbles at interphase boundaries and present an approach for processing bulk nanocomposites containing interfaces that are stable under irradiation.
Deployment of a Reinforcement Backbone Network with Constraints of Connection and Resources

In recent years, we have seen a surge of interest in enabling communications over meshed wireless networks. Particularly, supporting peer-to-peer communications over a multi-hop wireless network has a big potential in enabling ubiquitous computing. However, many wireless nodes have limited capabilities, for example, sensor nodes or small handheld devices. Also, the end-to-end capacity and delay degrade significantly as the path length increases with the number of network nodes. In these scenarios, the deployment of a backbone network could potentially facilitate higher performance network communications. In this paper, we study the novel Reinforcement Back-bone Network (RBN) deployment problem considering the practical limitation in the number of available backbone nodes and enforcing backbone network connectivity. We propose an iterative and adaptive (ITA) algorithm for efficient backbone network deployment. In addition, in order to provide the performance bound, we redefine and solve the problem by implementing the Generic Algorithm. Finally, we present our simulation results under various settings and compare the performance of the proposed ITA algorithm and the generic algorithm. Our study indicates that the proposed ITA algorithm is promising for deploying a connected RBN with a limited number of available backbone nodes.
Was verstehen wir unter rational

Dem Wort Unsicherheit wird in einem spateren Abschnitt eine prazise Bedeutung gegeben werden. Vorlaufig wollen wir es im selben Sinn verwenden wie in der Alltagssprache. Wir sagen, wir sind unsicher, wenn wir nicht wissen, was zu tun ist.
Judicial Impartiality and the Regulation of Judicial Election Campaigns

Approximately eighty percent of America's state judges are elected for office. In an effort to prevent the politicization of these judicial elections, many American states, including Minnesota, forbade judicial candidates from announcing their views on "disputed legal or political issues" during their election campaign. In Republican Party of Minnesota v. White (536 U.S. 765, 122 S.Ct. 2528 [2002]) the U.S. Supreme Court declared the Minnesota regulation an unconstitutional abridgement of the Freedom of Speech. Since Minnesota claimed that the regulation was important for the preservation of judicial impartiality, the Court undertook an analysis of that notion. The opinion offered three different definitions of judicial impartiality, and then rejected Minnesota's claim in regard to each. This paper offers a critical analysis of the opinion, showing that the Court's examination of the notion of judicial impartiality was superficial and misguided.
Making software-defined networks semantic

This position paper identifies the increasing role of the controller in radios and radio networks. The paper defines wireless software-defined networks. A new cognitive radio ontology is proposed that is a hierarchical abstract description of the communication/networking scenario, RF devices, policies, and tasks. Radio protocols can also be described in a similar way. The ontology provides awareness and supports reasoning by the controller and applies to any RF device. Directions for future work are also briefly discussed.
De Facto Parents and the Unfulfilled Promise of the New Principles

Alternative families - those that do not fit the classic nuclear family model - have been the focus of legal reform over the last twenty years. The American Law Institute has produced model legislation recognizing de facto parents as holders of some limited rights. To some this is a more flexible regime that would benefit non-nuclear families, in particular lesbian families. This article critiques the ALI draft, demonstrating that its promise is largely illusory.
Tricuspid Valve Group B Streptococcal Endocarditis Following Elective Abortion

Streptococcus agalactiae, a group B streptococcus, has been a well-known cause of postpartum and postabortion endocarditis since the preantibiotic era. Streptococcus agalactiae is capable of infecting normal valves and usually produces left-sided disease. We describe a 30-year-old woman who developed tricuspid valve endocarditis due to S. agalactiae. Excision of the valve and a 4-week course of therapy with vancomycin resulted in cure.
Dielectric Barrier Discharge Control and Flow Acceleration Enhancement by Diode Surface

The development of actuator methods for introducing momentum into flows near surfaces will have important applications for separation control, lift enhancement, and drag reduction. Due to the vast range of conditions encountered during flight, the ideal actuator should be robust, easily employed wherever actuation is needed, have a fast response time, have negligible power requirements, be flush mounted and provide effective actuation for a large range of flow fields. The offset surface dielectric barrier discharge actuator (SDBD) features many of these requirements, but the conventional sinusoidal or nanosecond pulsed SDBD is limited to relatively weak induced velocities that are unable to provide useful actuation of some flow fields. These limitations may be eliminated by a new type of dielectric barrier discharge, the semiconducting surface dielectric barrier discharge (SSDBD). This device operates with high repetition rate nanosecond pulses and suppresses velocity cancellation effects associated with backward breakdown by providing a return current path inside the surface itself. This new device is still in its infancy; however, initial measurements presented here demonstrate backward breakdown suppression.
Monkey Pathogenicity of Various Strains of Murine Poliomyelitis Virus. II. Experiments with Col. SK-MM Group.

Conclusion1) Col-SK, MM, High Lansing and EMC virus, harvested from remote rodent passages, produce typical poliomyelitis in m-tracerebrally infected cynomolgus monkeys. 2) Two strains of highly virulent Theiler virus, GDVII and FA, are non-pathogenic for cynomolgus monkeys, 3) The Col-SK-MM group of virus can be carried in cynomolgus monkeys only for a limited number of passages. 4) Judging from serological and biological characteristics, monkey passage fails to bring about a permanent conversion of Col-SK virus into Y-SK virus.
Clinical performance expectations: using the "you-attitude" communication approach

Clinical rotations can be very stressful for nursing students, particularly novice students. Clinical course objectives are normally written from the viewpoint of the faculty, using a specialized professional language that is unfamiliar to the new nursing student. The author discusses use of a communication approach, the You-Attitude, that considers and reflects the viewpoint of the reader and may be able to reduce student anxiety and help them better achieve course objectives.
Towards improving software security by using simulation to inform requirements and conceptual design

In this article we illustrate the use of modeling and simulation early in the system life-cycle to improve security and reduce costs. The models that we develop for this illustration are inspired by problems in reliability analysis and supervisory control, for which similar models are used to quantify failure probabilities and rates. In the context of security, we propose that models of this general type can be used to understand trades between risk and cost while writing system requirements and during conceptual design, and thereby significantly reduce the need for expensive security corrections after a system enters operation.
Inhibition of chloride induced destruction of silver coated glass bead conductive circuits

Conductive circuits formulated from silver coated glass beads and a binder resin occasionally fail when exposed to moderate heat and high humidity in a test simulating a tropical climate. The failure appears as a dark area on the circuit where the silver has been converted to a non-conducting form. We have identified one cause of this failure.
Longing for the other or espousing constructed gender? The role of colonial nostalgia in Debrot's Dutch Caribbean Novella

Colonial nostalgia figures prominently as a subject of post-colonial literature. Often defined in terms of absorbing, contaminating or retarding the desired liberation process of current or former colonies, colonial nostalgia is rarely viewed in the broader context of post-colonial studies as a positive, constructive intellectual influence. The question remains, however, whether or not the literary depiction of and identification with the colonial mindset is tantamount to "writing without a future." Could not colonial nostalgia, instead, point to a healthy and productive relationship between colonizer and colonized? How does the modern Dutch variant of colonial nostalgia compare with and differ from what is purportedly evident in the literatures of other colonial powers and so often the object of post-colonial criticism? A comparison of Cola Debrot’s treatment of colonial nostalgia in his short story Mijn zuster de negerin (My Black Sister) with other, similar literary handlings of the same subject should help shed light on whether or not the Dutch variety of colonial nostalgia is unique or typical in its approach and possible effect. This investigation looks more generally into the special status of the Netherlands as a colonial power that remains attractive to its post-colonial "subjects" and into how the post-colonial lands remain particularly attractive to the Netherlands. Finally, interesting connections can be made to recent observations about Franz Kafka’s European variety of colonial nostalgia.
Revealing Surface Modifications of Potassium-Fluoride-Treated Cu(In,Ga)Se2: A Study of Material Structure, Chemistry, and Photovoltaic Performance

The effects of alkali post-deposition treatments and device properties for polycrystalline thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se2 have been investigated. It is reported that these surface treatments lead to differences in interface chemistry and device properties. The behavior of defects in the space charge region as a function of different growth parameters is investigated by correlative analytical microscopy. The latter combines electron microscopy based imaging, Kelvin probe force microscopy, and atom probe tomography. Alkali treatments lead to copper depletion and consequent sharpening of the compositional profiles, and the measured electric potential differences of exposed Cu(In1–x,Gax)Se2 surfaces. Measurable differences in resistivity and potential have also been observed, which are expected to relate to the improved open-circuit voltage, fill-factor, and device efficiency. This study frames one perspective as to why post-deposition alkaline treatments lead to copper depletion, a mildly n-type semiconductor interface, and higher efficiency for a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film photovoltaic device.
NAD(P)H-FLIM and FRET Imaging of Pancreatic Islet Oscillations Reveals Novel Activators of Mitochondrial Respiratory Complex I in the Setting of Obesity

We assessed the effects of overnutrition and obesity on pancreatic islets using fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of NAD(P)H, which provides spatial maps of free and bound coenzyme. NAD(P)H lifetime decays were analyzed by fitting and phasor analyses. We observed a stark increase in the lifetime of bound NAD(P)H in glucose-stimulated islets from obese (ob/ob) mice (2533±16 ps, n=15) relative to wild-type controls (2728±11 ps, n=16, P<0.0001). Lifetime image segmentation showed that the observed changes in NAD(P)H utilization and processing affected multiple cellular compartments, including the mitochondria. Based on the reported lifetime of NADH-bound respiratory Complex I (5700 ps), we hypothesized that Complex I activation could account for this effect. Surprisingly, both Complex I inhibitors and Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) inhibitors had similar effects on the FLIM signature, suggesting that Cdk1 acts on Complex I; this was confirmed using oxygen consumption measurements to directly measure flux through Complex I, as well as by direct detection of Complex I phosphorylation at Cdk1 consensus sites. Four different optical reporters were then used to quantify the effect of Complex I activation on the dynamic oscillations in β-cell NAD(P)H, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), ATP/ADP, and cytosolic Ca2+. The glucose-dependence of each of these parameters, assessed by oscillatory plateau fraction, was correspondingly reduced by Cdk1 blockade. We conclude that the Cdk1-Complex I pathway is activated as a compensatory mechanism to meet the increased metabolic demands placed on pancreatic β-cells in obese animals, and that untargeted NAD(P)H-FLIM fingerprinting has the potential to identify precise molecular changes in the pancreatic islet metabolic pathways.
On integrating spatial and temporal considerations into the economic theory of clubs

Two models were constructed which provide examples of how spatial and temporal considerations might be integrated into the economic theory of clubs. The first model deals with fire suppression districts, and the second model with man-made recreational facilities such as tennis courts;The model of fire suppression districts considers the effects of detection and reporting time, queuing time, travel time, and service time on expected utility. In particular, the impact of changing district size on queuing and travel time was assessed. Equilibrium district sizes were determined for each level of cost per-person, and then a particular level of cost per-person was chosen based on the median voter theorem. A restricted form of the model which assumed risk neutrality and a linear relationship between fire damage and time was constructed, and simulations of this model were run. The simulations indicated that the expansion path was such that at higher levels of cost per-person, the absolute size of the equilibrium district declined. The simulations were also used to examine the effects of changes in population density, service time, alarm frequency, wealth, and costs;The recreational facilities model incorporates two of the same considerations as the fire suppression model, namely, queuing and travel time. However, it was recognized that while everyone has a potential need for fire suppression services, individuals differ considerably with respect to their desire for recreational facilities. Utility was defined as a function of time spent at the recreational facility, other leisure time, and all other goods. Equilibrium sized districts for each level of cost per-person were determined, and again the median voter theorem was invoked to obtain an equilibrium level of cost per-person.
Biological Effects Versus Health Effects: An Investigation of the Genotoxicity of Microwave Radiation

At the present time, two distinct questions demand our attention. First, are microwave radiation exposures harmful to human health? Second, are extremely low frequency electric or magnetic field exposures harmful to human health? As we explore each of these questions, it is important that we consider the available information at three levels: A. Is there a biological effect under the defined exposure conditions? B. If there is a biological effect, is it hazardous to animals or to humans? C. If there is an adverse effect on the health of humans, what is the (human) risk factor?
Effects of intrauterine contraception on the vaginal microbiota

Abstract Objectives There have been conflicting reports of altered vaginal microbiota and infection susceptibility associated with contraception use. The objectives of this study were to determine if intrauterine contraception altered the vaginal microbiota and to compare the effects of a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) and a levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on the vaginal microbiota. Study design DNA was isolated from the vaginal swab samples of 76 women using Cu-IUD ( n =36) or LNG-IUS ( n =40) collected prior to insertion of intrauterine contraception (baseline) and at 6 months. A third swab from approximately 12 months following insertion was available for 69 (Cu-IUD, n =33; LNG-IUS, n =36) of these women. The V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA-encoding gene was amplified from the vaginal swab DNA and sequenced. The 16S rRNA gene sequences were processed and analyzed using the software package mothur to compare the structure and dynamics of the vaginal bacterial communities. Results The vaginal microbiota from individuals in this study clustered into 3 major vaginal bacterial community types: one dominated by Lactobacillus iners, one dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus and one community type that was not dominated by a single Lactobacillus species. Changes in the vaginal bacterial community composition were not associated with the use of Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS. Additionally, we did not observe a clear difference in vaginal microbiota stability with Cu-IUD versus LNG-IUS use. Conclusions Although the vaginal microbiota can be highly dynamic, alterations in the community associated with the use of intrauterine contraception (Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS) were not detected over 12 months. Implications We found no evidence that intrauterine contraception (Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS) altered the vaginal microbiota composition. Therefore, the use of intrauterine contraception is unlikely to shift the composition of the vaginal microbiota such that infection susceptibility is altered.
Outcomes After Sleeve Lung Resections Versus Pneumonectomy in the United States.

Background The current national trends, practice patterns, and outcomes after sleeve resection compared with pneumonectomy in the United States are not known. In addition, whether hospital sleeve-to-pneumonectomy (S:P) ratios are a valid marker of hospital quality is unclear. We describe practice patterns and evaluate the utility of the S:P ratio. Methods We identified all patients (N = 23,964) undergoing sleeve resection (n = 1,713) or pneumonectomy (n = 22,251) in the National Cancer Data Base between 1998 and 2012 at 644 hospitals. We used propensity score matching to compare short-term outcomes and overall survival between pneumonectomy and sleeve resection. We grouped hospitals into S:P ratio quintiles and used multilevel modeling to analyze hospital-level outcomes. Results There has been a 1% yearly increase in sleeve resection rates, with wide variation in hospital S:P ratios (middle quintile, 1:12; range, 1:38 to 1:3). After propensity score matching, differences in age, clinical T and N stage, and the incidence of main bronchus tumors were negligible among other variables. Sleeve resections were associated with lower 30-day (1.6% vs 5.9%; p p p = 0.244) or 90-day mortality (11.9% vs 12.2%; p = 0.308) or same-hospital readmission rates (3.7% vs 4.3%; p = 0.523). Conclusions Compared with pneumonectomy, sleeve resections are associated with improved short-term outcomes and improved overall survival. However, hospital S:P ratios were not associated with better risk-adjusted outcomes and thus may not be a valid quality measure.
Mapping Culturally Relevant Pedagogy into Teacher Education Programs: A Critical Framework

Background/ContextTeacher education programs are charged with the daunting task of preparing the next generation of teachers. However, the extant literature has documented that teacher education pr...
La rentabilidad de la esclavitud en el Choco, 1680 -1810

Mediante el uso de diferente datos estadisticos relacionados con los costos y produccion de las cuadrillas de negros en el Choco se muestra como la esclavitud era alli altamente rentable hasta la decada de 1780 en que el descenso en la produccion de oro disminuye la rentabilidad y obliga a reajustes por parte de los esclavistas.
Wilson Confidence Intervals for Binomial Proportions With Multiple Imputation for Missing Data

We present a Wilson interval for binomial proportions for use with multiple imputation for missing data. Using simulation studies, we show that it can have better repeated sampling properties than ...
STUDIES OF THE SELECTIVITY AND MECHANISMS OF INTRACELLULAR PROTEIN DEGRADATION

Abstract: Proteins within cells vary widely in their rates of degradation. These rates appear to have evolved to regulate flow of substrates through metabolic pathways. Protein half-lives in vivo correlate with their sensitivity to various proteases in vitro . In mammalian tissues, proteins with acidic isoelectric points are degraded more rapidly than neutral or basic ones. Isoelectric point and subunit molecular weight are independent factors influencing protein degradative rates.
Patient-Reported Breast Density Awareness and Knowledge after Breast Density Legislation Passage.

Rationale and Objectives To determine awareness and knowledge of breast density and breast density legislation among women receiving routine mammography following passage of Massachusetts breast density legislation. Materials and Methods A survey assessing breast density awareness and knowledge was administered to all women receiving screening mammography over two separate 1-week periods at an academic medical center following implementation of mandatory breast density notification. Survey questions queried sociodemographic factors, breast density knowledge, legislation awareness, and medical decision-making intent. Results Of 1000 survey recipients, 338 (33.8%) returned their survey. Most women were surprised (207/338; 61.2%) to receive their breast density notification letter and unaware (302/338; 89.9%) of newly implemented breast density legislation. The majority (185/338; 54.7%) of survey respondents self-reported having dense breasts. Only 61.1% (113/185) of women with dense breasts reported that their personal breast density increased breast cancer risk, while only 60.0% (78/130) of women with non dense breasts reported that their personal breast density did not increase breast cancer risk. Significant differences between women with dense and nondense breasts were observed related to intention to follow-up with a health practitioner (118/185; 63.8% vs. 66/130; 50.8%, p = 0.03) and views on necessity of supplemental screening based on personal breast density (83/185; 45.1% vs. 20/130; 15.4%, p Conclusions Despite implementation of state breast density laws since 2009, confusion and misinformation about breast density persists among women receiving mammography screening. Innovative tools that more effectively inform patients, may be required to improve communication and patient understanding about breast density and subsequent breast care management.
Ramelteon is Not Associated With Improved Outcomes Among Critically Ill Delirious Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background Delirium commonly affects critically ill patients and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Some studies have suggested that ramelteon may prevent delirium, but ramelteon's impact on treating delirium is unknown. Objective To compare outcomes of critically ill delirious patients treated with ramelteon versus those who were not. Methods Retrospective cohort study of 322 intensive care unit patients stratified based on ramelteon exposure after a nonnegative Confusion Assessment Method-ICU score. Main outcomes Primary outcomes were hours alive without delirium or coma and likelihood of delirium-coma resolution. Secondary outcomes were ventilator-free hours, likelihood of extubation, and mortality. Results Hazard ratios for delirium-coma resolution, extubation, and 10-day mortality were 1.05 (95% confidence interval 0.54–2.01), 1.20 (95% confidence interval 0.47–3.03), and 0.31 (95% confidence interval 0.07–1.32), respectively. Median delirium-coma free hours did not differ between ramelteon exposed and unexposed patients. Median ventilator-free hours were higher in the ramelteon group, however, ramelteon was administered postextubation in 92% of cases. Conclusions Ramelteon was not associated with increased likelihood of delirium-coma resolution, extubation, or changes in mortality.
Opportunities in Functional Genomics: A Primer on Lab and Computational Aspects

As computational and sequencing technologies continue to flourish, the barrier for those interested in complementing traditional ecological and physiological studies with functional genomics is easier to overcome. Here, an overview of transcriptome sequencing and DNA methylation analyses in shellfish is provided, primarily for those with fundamental interests and training in a different domain. The approaches covered here can provide valuable information on how organisms respond to their environment and also be used to evaluate evolutionary relationships. First, biological and technological background is provided, highlighting studies in shellfish that have applied these approaches. This is followed by practical methods and tools for conducting this work at the laboratory bench and in front of a computer. In an effort to provide educational resources and the ability to update computational and analytical resources as they become available, a supplementary repository for this work has been created and is available at https://github.com/sr320/fun-gen.
Prevalence and predictors of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempts, in first-year college students with ADHD.

Objective. The present study evaluated the prevalence of past suicidal ideation (SI), plan, and attempt in college students with ADHD (N = 102) compared to a matched control (N = 102). Predictors o...
Sex wars, SlutWalks, and carceral feminism

In recent years, scholars have identified a political formation that mobilizes the emancipatory energies of feminism in the service of the expansion of the carceral state. ‘Carceral feminism,’ as it has come to be known, is often portrayed by these scholars as a product of feminist-conservative convergence. Here, I argue that the rise of the SlutWalk movement suggests a more complex genealogy for carceral feminism. By situating SlutWalk in the historico-theoretical context of feminism’s sex wars, I reveal the carceral–feminist impulses roiling beneath its progressive ‘sex-positive’ surface. With its tendency to reduce sexual freedom to expressive freedom, valorize conventional forms of femininity and (hetero)sexuality, and promote a fundamentally carceral paradigm of sexual freedom, the SlutWalk movement, I argue, is descended from anti-censorship/pro-sex feminism, a liberal-feminist hybrid that emerged out of the convergence of sex-radical feminism and liberalism during the sex wars. When viewed in this light, SlutWalk no longer appears as a sign that feminism’s ‘pleasure’ and ‘danger’ factions have negotiated a long-awaited ‘sex-detente.’ Rather, it stands as a testament to the extent to which feminism’s once radical aspirations in the domain of sexual politics have been supplanted by a tepid, heteronormative, and disquietingly carceral liberal project.
Intentional or Not: Teamwork Learning at Primary Care Clinics

Primary care teamwork has been shown to increase satisfaction and decrease stress for physicians but the impact of outpatient teamwork for primary care residents’ learning has not been described. This study aimed to understand the role of teamwork in residents’ learning during and after the establishment of teams. Interviews with 37 primary care residents addressed their experiences at outpatient clinic, including their perceptions about whether team-based care affected their educational experience. Using qualitative thematic analysis, transcripts were coded to identify themes about teamwork and learning, both positive and negative. Residents described learning both about and through teamwork at continuity clinic, despite variation in the speed and extent of initial integration into teams. As residents learned how to work on a team, they realized the importance of face-to-face time together and trusting one another. Team members also taught residents about the clinical system and social aspects of patient care, as well as some procedural skills, which led them to understand how teamwork can improve patient care and efficiency. Finally, residents learned, through both optimal and suboptimal first-hand team experiences, to see team-based care as a model for future primary care practice. While integrating residents into primary care teams, educators should consider the potential value of teamwork as an intentional learning method. Team members, beyond the preceptor, can offer valuable instruction, and team-based workplace learning prepares residents to use teamwork to optimize care for patients.
RE: Ryan, Toomey, Diaz, and Russell (2018).

Dear Editor, I write to express both agreement and some concerns with the recent article by Ryan, Toomey, Diaz, and Russell (2018). I concur and applaud Ryan et al. for their emphasis on the critic...
Soil macroinvertebrates alter the fate of root and rhizosphere carbon and nitrogen in a turfgrass lawn

Abstract Soil invertebrates, especially larger macroinvertebrates, move soil, fragment organic matter and change resource accessibility for soil microorganisms. Macroinvertebrates also affect the formation and turnover of aggregates, which are important controls of soil organic matter dynamics because they physically protect organic matter from degradation and influence many belowground processes ranging from microbial activity to nutrient sorption and water flow. We still lack a complete understanding of how different soil invertebrate functional groups affect the incorporation of root derived carbon and nitrogen into belowground pools. We assessed the effects of macroinvertebrates on soil aggregate abundance and composition and quantified the fate of organic matter derived from roots using a two-year macroinvertebrate exclusion-based field mesocosm study coupled with stable isotope labeling in a turfgrass lawn ecosystem. We hypothesized that macroinvertebrates change soil aggregates dynamics by increasing macroaggregates and decreasing microaggregates and enhancing the incorporation of root-derived organic matter into macroaggregates. We found that within the turfgrass root zone, macroinvertebrates increased the proportion of macroaggregates and decreased free microaggregates. In addition, macroinvertebrates increased carbon and nitrogen incorporation into macroaggregates, microaggregates and coarse particulate organic matter, detected via isotopic enrichment of those soil fractions. We found that macroinvertebrates affect the fate of recently fixed root- and rhizodeposit-derived organic matter in a turfgrass lawn ecosystem, and particularly its incorporation into soil aggregates, similar to findings in forest and agricultural systems.
Rectal Conditions: Stage IV Rectal Cancer

Rectal cancer commonly metastasizes to the liver, and treatment depends on the extent of liver and rectal disease. Systemic therapy can be used to facilitate resection of initially unresectable metastases as well as downsize a locally advanced rectal primary tumor. There are advantages to resecting the primary tumor and the metastasis simultaneously. However, if a threatened mesorectal margin remains after systemic therapy, liver surgery can be performed first, followed by chemoradiation and then rectal resection. If a complete clinical response is achieved in the primary tumor, a nonoperative approach can be considered in select cases.
Chronic Neurobehavioral Impairments and Decreased Hippocampal Expression of Genes Important for Brain Glucose Utilization in a Mouse Model of Mild TBI

Glucose is an essential cellular fuel for maintaining normal brain functions. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) decreases brain glucose utilization in both human and experimental animals during the acute or subacute phase of TBI. It remains unclear as to how the damages affect brain glucose utilization and its association with persistent neurobehavioral impairments in the chronic phase of mild TBI (mTBI). Accordingly, we compared expression of selected genes important to brain glucose utilization in different brain regions of mice during the chronic phase in mTBI vs. sham operated mice. These genes included hexokinase-1 (HK1), phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), capillary glucose transporter (Glut-1), neuron glucose transporter (Glut-3), astrocyte lactate transpor1 (MCT-1), neuron lactate transporter (MCT-2), lactate receptor (GPR81), and Hexokinase isoform-2 (HK2). Young adult male C57BL/6J mice were brain injured with repetitive closed-head concussions. Morris water maze (MWM), elevated plus maze (EPM), and neurological severity score test (NSS) were performed for evaluation of mice neurobehavioral impairments at 2, 4, and 6 months post mTBI. Two days after completion of the last behavioral test, the frontal cortex, hippocampus, brainstem, hypothalamus, and cerebellum were collected for gene expression measurements. The expression of the mRNAs encoding PK, and PDH, two critical enzymes in glucose metabolism, was decreased at all-time points only in the hippocampus, but was unchanged in the brainstem, hypothalamus, and cortex in mTBI mice. mTBI mice also exhibited the following behavioral alterations: (1) decreased spatial learning and memory 2, 4, and 6 months after the injury, (2) increased proportion of time spent on open vs. closed arms determined by EPM, and (3) accelerated reduction in motor activity observed at 4 months, two months earlier than observed in the sham group, during the EPM testing. There were no significant differences in NSS between injury and sham groups at any of the three time points. Thus, mTBI in male mice led to persistent decreased hippocampal expression of mRNAs that encode critical glucose utilization related enzymes in association with long-term impairments in selected neurobehavioral outcomes.
A novel agent-based model for tsunami evacuation simulation and risk assessment

Tsunami evacuation is an effective way to save lives from the near-field tsunami. Realistic evacuation simulation can provide valuable information for accurate evacuation risk assessment and effective evacuation planning. Agent-based modeling is ideal for tsunami evacuation simulation due to its capability of capturing the emergent phenomena and modeling the individual-level interactions among agents and the agents’ interactions with the environment. However, existing models usually neglect or simplify some important factors and/or mechanisms in tsunami evacuation. For example, uncertainties in seismic damages to the transportation network are not probabilistically considered (e.g., by simply removing the damaged links (roads/bridges) from the network). Typically a relatively small population (i.e., evacuees) is considered (due to computational challenges) while neglecting population mobility. These simplifications may lead to inaccurate estimation of evacuation risk. Usually, only single traffic mode (e.g., on foot or by car) is considered, while pedestrian speed adjustment and multi-modal evacuation (e.g., on foot and by car) are not considered concurrently. Also, pedestrian–vehicle interaction is usually neglected in the multi-modal evacuation. To address the above limitations, this study proposes a novel and more realistic agent-based tsunami evacuation model for tsunami evacuation simulation and risk assessment. Uncertainties in seismic damages to all links in the transportation network as well as uncertainties in other evacuation parameters are explicitly modeled and considered. A novel and more realistic multi-modal evacuation model is proposed that explicitly considers the pedestrian–vehicle interaction, walking speed variability, and speed adjustment for both the pedestrian and car according to traffic density. In addition, several different population sizes are used to model population mobility and its impact on tsunami evacuation risk. The proposed model is applied within a simulation-based framework to assess the tsunami evacuation risk assessment for Seaside, Oregon.
Educating behavior clinicians in a community behavior care center for children with autism spectrum disorder: Medication administration a pilot study in the United States:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted developmental disability requiring specialized supports. Due to the growing diagnoses of ASD, the demand for behavior treatment centers has also gro...
Comparative assessments of indel annotations in healthy and cancer genomes with next-generation sequencing data.

Insertion and deletion (indel) is one of the major variation types in human genomes. Accurate annotation of indels is of paramount importance in genetic variation analysis and investigation of their roles in human diseases. Previous studies revealed a high number of false positives from existing indel calling methods, which limits downstream analyses of the effects of indels on both healthy and disease genomes. In this study, we evaluated seven commonly used general indel calling programs for germline indels and four somatic indel calling programs through comparative analysis to investigate their common features and differences and to explore ways to improve indel annotation accuracy. In our comparative analysis, we adopted a more stringent evaluation approach by considering both the indel positions and the indel types (insertion or deletion sequences) between the samples and the reference set. In addition, we applied an efficient way to use a benchmark for improved performance comparisons for the general indel calling programs We found that germline indels in healthy genomes derived by combining several indel calling tools could help remove a large number of false positive indels from individual programs without compromising the number of true positives. The performance comparisons of somatic indel calling programs are more complicated due to the lack of a reliable and comprehensive benchmark. Nevertheless our results revealed large variations among the programs and among cancer types. While more accurate indel calling programs are needed, we found that the performance for germline indel annotations can be improved by combining the results from several programs. In addition, well-designed benchmarks for both germline and somatic indels are key in program development and evaluations.
Principles of Epithelial Transport

This chapter provides a general overview of epithelium and transport in epithelial tissues. It is intended to be an introduction to those new in the field or an outline of what to teach to beginning students. Most of the general principles introduced here are described in detail in later chapters of this book. Epithelial transport is an ideal subject for teaching basic biological concepts (for example, electrical and chemical gradients) and for correcting common misconceptions that students develop, such as the idea that only the classic excitable tissues of nerve and muscle generate electrical signals. The chapter begins with an introduction to the structure and function of epithelial cells and tissues. It then considers the various mechanisms by which substances cross plasma membranes. The final sections examine various patterns of transport across epithelia and explain how to teach general principles of transport using compartmental models.
Do Majority Black Districts Limit BlacksA Representation? The Case of the 1990 Redistricting

Conventional wisdom and empirical academic research conclude that majority Black districts decrease Black representation by increasing conservatism in Congress. However, this research generally suffers from three limitations: 1) too low a level of aggregation 2) lack of a counterfactual and 3) failure to account for the endogeneity of the creation of majority minority districts. I compare congressional delegations of states that during the 1990 redistricting were under greater pressure to create majority minority districts with those under lesser pressure in a difference-in-difference framework. I find no evidence that the creation of majority minority districts leads to more conservative House delegations. In fact point estimates indicate that states that increased their share of majority Black districts saw their delegations grow increasingly liberal. I find similar results for majority Latino districts in the southwest. Thus I find no evidence for the common view that majority minority districts decrease minority representation in Congress.
Immunohistochemical ALK Expression in Granular Cell Atypical Fibroxanthoma: A Diagnostic Pitfall for ALK-Rearranged Non-neural Granular Cell Tumor.

ABSTRACT Atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) is a neoplasm that most commonly occurs on sun-damaged skin of the head and neck in elderly patients and that usually exhibits indolent clinical behavior with complete excision. The granular cell variant of AFX demonstrates overlapping histopathologic features with dermal non-neural granular cell tumor (NNGCT), which typically arises on the extremities of young to middle aged adults with rare reports of regional metastasis. A subset of NNGCT harbors ALK rearrangements and expresses ALK by immunohistochemistry. Here, we present 2 cases of granular cell AFX occurring on the scalp of males aged 73 and 87 with ALK expression by immunohistochemistry and no evidence of an ALK rearrangement on fluorescence in situ hybridization, representing a diagnostic pitfall for NNGCT.
High Donor Inotrope Requirements are Associated with Significantly Diminished Post-Transplant Outcomes

Purpose Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a potentially fatal complication following heart transplantation and careful donor selection is key to reducing its incidence. This study investigated whether high-dose inotropic requirements in donors predicts short-term post-transplant survival and allograft function. Methods A retrospective review of the United Network for Organ Sharing database assessed the impact of donor inotropy on post-transplant outcomes. Univariate and adjusted multivariable regression first evaluated the impact of inotropy at a global scale on a combined primary outcome of primary graft dysfunction (PGD), mortality or re-transplant at 90 days. Inotropy was then further stratified by high- and low-dose support. Definition of high-dose was >10 mcg/kg/min for dopamine, >0.5 mcg/kg/min for epinephrine and >19 mcg/kg/min for dobutamine. Regression analyses were again performed to assess the impact of inotropic dose on post-transplant outcomes. Results 6230 donors required inotropic support (890 high-dose and 5,340 low-dose). Inotropy at a global scale was not predictive of poor outcomes. After stratifying by degree of support, high-dose inotropic support conferred worse outcomes relative to low-dose support (HR 1.34, p=0.03). Adjusted multivariable regression again demonstrated high-dose inotropy as independently predictive of worse outcomes (HR 1.43, p=0.02). Conclusion High-dose inotropic donor support is predictive of poor graft function and mortality following heart transplantation. Caution should be taken when considering these organs, particularly in patients already at risk for PGD.
Users Want Diverse, Multiple, and Personalized Behavior Change Support: Need-Finding Survey.

Behavior change research usually takes a theory-driven or application-specific approach. We took a user-centered view of real-world user needs and conducted a survey with 53 participants to investigate the overall behavior change goals and support preferences of everyday users. Our survey revealed three key themes. First, individual users have multiple behavior change goals, desired context types for behavior change reminders, and desired activities for self-tracking. Second, users have diverse and personalized desired actions, implementations, contexts, and reminders for their behavior change goals, as well as diverse preferences for behavior change support features and sensors. Third, users want to set custom personalized goals, reminder contexts, reminder messages, and even train custom machine learning models. Thus, users want multiple, diverse, and personalized behavior change support in the real world. We suggest a ‘convergence with connection and customization’ approach to meet the diverse, multiple, and personalized behavior change needs of everyday users.
Pandemic Resilience: What We Can Learn from a Rural Liberian Village’s Response to Ebola

From 2014–2016 Ebola ravaged the West African country of Liberia. With an already weak health infrastructure, Ebola quickly impeded Liberia’s health and medical communities. Exploring narratives from rural Liberian villages this chapter explores the impact a pandemic can have on communities and individuals. Throughout the lived experience themes of local knowledge, network and relationships, mental outlook, and communication emerge in Liberian narratives. Ultimately these narratives lead to acknowledging the importance of identifying challenges and understanding the role of communication in developing resilience before rather than during pandemics.
A probabilistic approximate logic for neuro-symbolic learning and reasoning

Abstract As witnessed by recent advances in deep learning technologies, neural network models of very high complexity have been successfully applied in many data-rich domains. Challenges remain, however, if the amount of training data is severely limited, which is often the case due to the cost of acquiring such data or due to interest in systems that are constantly evolving thereby imposing natural limits on how much data can be collected. The core hypothesis explored in this paper is that data (to some degree) can be substituted by domain knowledge, not only addressing the limited data problem but also offering potential improvements in data-rich settings. For the representation of suitable domain theories, we propose Probabilistic Approximate Logic (PALO) to deal with the natural uncertainty associated with such representations and also to serve as a foundation for a new class of neuro-symbolic architectures, in which both neural and symbolic computations can be peacefully and synergistically integrated. Utilizing TensorFlow and Maude as neural and symbolic frameworks, respectively, we discuss our prototypical implementation of PALO in what we call the Logical Imagination Engine (LIME). By means of a small toy example, we convey a glimpse of its capabilities, but we also briefly discuss some real-world applications and how it may serve as a prototypical framework to explore a broader range of neuro-symbolic strategies in the future.