cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real and spurious solutions of the 8 × 8 k⋅p model for nanostructures

Quantum dot wave functions are constructed in the $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}8$ k\ensuremath{\cdot}p model from three bulk states: ${k}_{1},{k}_{2},$ and ${k}_{3}.$ We found that the $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}8$ $\mathbf{k}\ensuremath{\cdot}\mathbf{p}$ ${k}_{2}$ bulk state (far from $\ensuremath{\Gamma},$ belonging to the electon-light hole bands) does not exist in the more realistic atomistic pseudopotential calculation. As a result, $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}8$ k\ensuremath{\cdot}p nanostructure solutions which critically depend on this ${k}_{2}$ bulk state are spurious. These include the $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}8$ k\ensuremath{\cdot}p quantum dot band gap ``intrinsic'' surface states and oscillating hole states. On the other hand, if the contribution of this ${k}_{2}$ state is small and decays with increasing nanostructure size, the corresponding nanostructure state is real.
Oxidation and competitive retention of arsenic between iron- and manganese oxides

Abstract Manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) oxides are ubiquitous solids in terrestrial systems that have high sorptive capacities for many trace metals, including arsenic (As). Although numerous studies have characterized the effects of As adsorption onto Fe and Mn oxides individually, the fate of arsenic within mixed systems representative of natural environments has not been completely resolved. Here, we examine oxidation and competitive retention of As on goethite and birnessite using a Donnan reactor, where each oxide is isolated by a semi-permeable membrane through which arsenic can migrate. To initiate the Donnan reactor experiments, As(III) was simultaneously added to both chambers. Arsenic(III) injected into the birnessite chamber is rapidly oxidized to As(V) and then slowly redistributes across both chambers, while that added to the goethite chamber undergoes rapid adsorption; the adsorbed As(III) on goethite subsequently undergoes desorption and diffusion into the birnessite chamber followed by oxidation to As(V). With increased reaction time, As(V) is generated and preferentially partitioned onto goethite due to higher adsorption affinity compared to birnessite. Furthermore, the dissolved concentration of As(V) is controlled by the adsorption capacity of the goethite surface, which when saturated, leads to increased aqueous As concentrations; despite an increase in As(V) loading on birnessite with increasing initial As(III) concentration, the resulting aqueous As(V) concentration increase appreciably once the goethite surface is saturated. Our findings show that Mn oxides in soils act as a temporary sorbent of As, but operate primarily as strong oxidants responsible for transformation of As(III) to As(V), which can then strongly adsorb on the surrounding Fe oxide matrix.
Oncogenomics to Target Myeloma in the Bone Marrow Microenvironment

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an example of rapid bench-to-bedside translation in new drug development. Bortezomib and lenalidamide target the tumor cell in the bone marrow microenvironment to overcome drug resistance in laboratory and animal models; each is effective to treat relapsed and/or refractory, relapsed, and newly diagnosed MM, and both are now showing promise as maintenance therapy. Major ongoing translational research efforts include improved classification and personalized therapies; identification and validation of next-generation agents targeting the tumor cell in its microenvironment; novel immune therapies; rationally based combination therapies; and use of novel agents to delay or prevent development of active MM. This paradigm of targeting the tumor in its microenvironment has already extended median survival in MM from 3 to 7 to 8 years and has great potential to improve patient outcome in other hematologic malignancies and solid tumors as well.
Citrus abscission and Arabidopsis plant decline in response to 5‐chloro‐3‐methyl‐4‐nitro‐1H‐pyrazole are mediated by lipid signalling

The compound 5-chloro-3-methyl-4-nitro-1H-pyrazole (CMNP) is a pyrazole-derivative that induces abscission selectively in mature citrus (Citrus sinensis) fruit when applied to the canopy and has herbicidal activity on plants when applied to roots. Despite the favourable efficacy of this compound, the mode of action remains unknown. To gain information about the mode of action of CMNP, the effect of application to mature citrus fruit and Arabidopsis thaliana roots was explored. Peel contact was essential for mature fruit abscission in citrus, whereas root drenching was essential for symptom development and plant decline in Arabidopsis. CMNP was identified as an uncoupler in isolated soybean (Glycine max) mitochondria and pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplasts and an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase in citrus peel, but not an inhibitor of protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase. CMNP treatment reduced ATP content in citrus peel and Arabidopsis leaves. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities, and lipid hydroperoxide (LPO) levels increased in flavedo of citrus fruit peel and leaves of Arabidopsis plants treated with CMNP. An inhibitor of PLA2 activity, aristolochic acid (AT), reduced CMNP-induced increases in PLA2 and LOX activities and LPO levels in citrus flavedo and Arabidopsis leaves and greatly reduced abscission in citrus and delayed symptoms of plant decline in Arabidopsis. However, AT treatment failed to halt the reduction in ATP content. Reduction in ATP content preceded the increase in PLA2 and LOX activities, LPO content and the biological response. The results indicate a link between lipid signalling, abscission in citrus and herbicidal damage in Arabidopsis.
The generation of microwave phonons for studying the spin-lattice interaction*

Abstract We have produced microwave phonons and studied their interaction with paramagnetic impurity centers in quartz. Phonon packets were produced by the piezoelectric effect at the end surface of a quartz rod placed in the electric field of a re-entrant cavity. They propagated down the rod, were reflected from the opposite end, and were detected at the generating surface by the inverse effect. The amplitude envelope of the echoes consisted of a series of maxima and minima, or beats, superposed on an exponential decay. From the decay, the average lifetime of the coherent phonons was found to be 10 −5 sec. The t = 0 intercept of the envelope measured the square of the fraction of the microwave power converted into acoustic power, which was found to be smaller by a factor of 10 −3 than the computed value of 0.7 × 10 −6 . This discrepancy, together with the departure from an exponential decay, is due, principally, to interference effects arising from a slight nonparallelism of the end surfaces. The absorption of phonons by spins produced in the natural quartz by gamma irradiation from a Co 60 source was detected as a partial saturation of the spin electron paramagnetic resonance. The partial saturation, S / S 0 , was found to be 0.75 at 1.7°K, 0.75 at 4.2°K, and 0.92 at 20°K,the error in S / S 0 falling between 2 and 5 per cent. These values for S / S 0 were independent of the difference between the microwave and phonon frequencies within 20 Mc/s, and at a given temperature were independent of the microwave power. From microwave saturation measurements, the order of magnitude of the spin-lattice relaxation time T 1 was found to be greater than 3 sec at 1.7°K, 0.3 sec at 4.2°K, 3 × 10 −4 sec at 35°K, and 3 × 10 −6 sec at 77°K. The spin-resonance absorption, which was measured as a function of microwave power, saturated in such a manner as to indicate partial inhomogeneous broadening, and cross relaxation took place between the closely spaced, narrow (approximately l G wide) lines of the spectrum. These two effects prevented quantitative determination of the spinphonon transition probability.
Opinion #3: Perry Fine, MD

A summary of principles around student involvement in patient care is provided by the American Medical Association (AMA)'s Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs [1,2]. For purposes of this discussion, the term student herein includes individuals in all levels of medical training, undergraduate and postgraduate (I.E., residents, fellows, etc.). The following are currently accepted principles: 1. Patients and the public benefit from the integrated care that is provided by health care teams that include medical students. Patients should be informed of the identity and training status of any individual involved in their care, and all health care professionals share the responsibility for properly identifying themselves. Students and their supervisors should refrain from using terms that may be confusing when describing the training status of students. 2. Patients are free to choose from whom they receive treatment. When medical students are involved in the care of patients, health care professionals should relate the benefits of medical student participation to patients and should ensure that they are willing to permit such participation. Generally, attending physicians are best suited to fulfill this responsibility. 3. In instances where a patient will be temporarily …
Studies on mutagenesis and cross-protection of cauliflower mosaic virus.

SUMMARY Three strains of cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) designated NVRS, CM4-184 and PK caused respectively severe, moderate and mild reactions in turnip cv. Just Right plants and severe, mild and symptomless reactions in Brussels sprout cv. Fasolt plants. Chlorotic local lesions formed consistently in the leaves of young turnip plants when inoculated with each of the virus strains. Lesions were suitable for infectivity assay of crude and purified preparations of the virus. Three variants of the NVRS strain were isolated by single-lesion transfer after treatment of the virus with nitrous acid (pH 5.0) and two variants were obtained after treating the virus in acetate buffer at the same pH. One of the variants (designated V3) caused symptomless infection in turnip and Brussels sprout plants. In cross-protection tests, Brussels sprout plants infected symptomlessly with the PK, CM4-184 or the V3 strains, subsequently resisted infection by the severe NVRS strain.
Moral Passage: The Symbolic Process in Public Designations of Deviance

The fact of public affirmation of a norm through law and government action expresses the public worth of one sub-culture vis-a-vis others. Because different forms of deviance affect that normative status in different ways, they incur different responses from the designators. Three forms of deviance are disinguished: repentant, sick, and enemy. One form threatens the public affirmation of the norm more than another. The public definition of deviance undergoes changes from one form to another, as illustrated in issues of drinking control. Where consensus on the norm is lacking and deviants become enemies, movements for legal restrictions are most likely. It is not the frequency of deviant acts but the symbolic import of deviance for the status of the norm which is determinative of these reactions.
USE OF A SCREENING PROCEDURE FOR BLOOD UREA NITROGEN.

The results of a paper strip test for blood urea nitrogen were compared with the values obtained by automatic analysis. The short procedure satisfactorily differentiates normal from abnormal levels and can be conveniently used for emergency determinations.
Surveillance and capture: Two models of privacy

Two models of privacy issues are contrasted. The surveillance model employs visual metaphors (e.g., “Big Brother is watching") and derives from historical experiences of secret police surveillance. The less familiar capture model employs linguistic metaphors and has deep roots in the practices of applied computing through which human activities are systematically reorganized to allow computers to track them in real time. The capture model is discussed with reference to systems in numerous domains.
Assessment of Subclustering in Clusters of Galaxies

Considerable recent attention has been focused on the existence of “subclusters,” small-scale clumps of galaxies (and presumably mass) within clusters of galaxies. The importance of subclusters lies in the information they may convey concerning the formation and evolution of rich clusters of galaxies, the largest gravitationally bound structures yet discovered in the universe. A variety of methods for addressing the broad question of the existence of substructure in individual clusters, or assessing what fraction of a given sample exhibits substructure, have been recently developed and applied by a number of authors in the astrophysical literature. As might be expected, there still exists a considerable dichotomy in the interpretation of such results. This paper reviews the (rather brief) modern history of subclustering analyses and provides some critical commentary on the suitability of tests that have been used to date. The problem is then redefined in terms of the available observables; we then ask where astronomers might profitably look toward modern statistical research in future analysis.
KNO scaling in the CERN collider energy range

We discuss the consistency of KNO scaling in the CERN collider energy range with the scaling function\(\psi _a \left( x \right),q \geqslant 2,\), derived by us earlier. It is suggested that each distinctq may be connected withq loops in the leading-log approximation (LLA) of QCD.
ERYTHROID CELL GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION IN VITRO IN THE SIMULATED MICROGRAVITY ENVIRONMENT OF THE NASA ROTATING WALL VESSEL BIOREACTOR

Prolonged exposure of humans and experimental animals to the altered gravitational conditions of space flight has adverse effects on the lymphoid and erythroid hematopoietic systems. Although some information is available regarding the cellular and molecular changes in lymphocytes exposed to microgravity, little is known about the erythroid cellular changes that may underlie the reduction in erythropoiesis and resultant anemia. We now report a reduction in erythroid growth and a profound inhibition of erythropoietin (Epo)-induced differentiation in a ground-based simulated microgravity model system. Rauscher murine erythroleukemia cells were grown either in tissue culture vessels at 1 x g or in the simulated microgravity environment of the NASA-designed rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor. Logarithmic growth was observed under both conditions; however, the doubling time in simulated microgravity was only one-half of that seen at 1 x g. No difference in apoptosis was detected. Induction with Epo at the initiation of the culture resulted in differentiation of approximately 25% of the cells at 1 x g, consistent with our previous observations. In contrast, induction with Epo at the initiation of simulated microgravity resulted in only one-half of this degree of differentiation. Significantly, the growth of cells in simulated microgravity for 24 h prior to Epo induction inhibited the differentiation almost completely. The results suggest that the NASA RWV bioreactor may serve as a suitable ground-based microgravity simulator to model the cellular and molecular changes in erythroid cells observed in true microgravity.
Improving Transboundary River Basin Management by Integrating Environmental Flow Considerations

Freshwater ecosystems provide a wealth of services to humans including food and fiber, water purification, fish and wildlife habitat, tourism and recreational opportunities, shipping routes, employment, and opportunities for cultural and spiritual renewal. To provide this range of services freshwater systems depend on the cycling of water and on functioning ecological processes and species assemblages. Water management has traditionally focused on meeting the needs and desires of a growing and changing human population without due consideration to the needs and limits of our freshwater systems. It is suggested that the first priority in any freshwater allocation scheme should be to make an “ecosystem support allocation. The ESWM framework understands the flow necessary to sustain or restore the integrity of a river, assesses human influence on water flow, and identifies areas of incompatibility between people and nature to provide a foundation for next steps.
Functional Status in Older Women Diagnosed with Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Background Functional status plays an important role in the comprehensive characterization of older adults. Functional limitations are associated with an increased risk of adverse treatment outcomes, but there are limited data on the prevalence of functional limitations in older women with pelvic floor disorders. Objective The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence of functional limitations based on health status in older women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Study Design This pooled, cross-sectional study utilized data from the linked Health and Retirement Study and Medicare files from 1992 through 2008. The analysis included 890 women age ≥65 years with POP. We assessed self-reported functional status, categorized in strength, upper and lower body mobility, activities of daily living (ADL), and instrumental ADL (IADL) domains. Functional limitations were evaluated and stratified by respondents self-reported general health status. Descriptive statistics were used to compare categorical and continuous variables, and logistic regression was used to measure differences in the odds of functional limitation by increasing age. Results The prevalence of functional limitations was 76.2% in strength, 44.9% in upper and 65.8% in lower body mobility, 4.5% in ADL, and 13.6% in IADL. Limitations were more prevalent in women with poor or fair health status than in women with good health status, including 91.5% vs 69.9% in strength, 72.9% vs 33.5% in upper and 88.0% vs 56.8% in lower body mobility, 11.6% vs 0.9% in ADL, and 30.6% vs 6.7% in IADL; all P Conclusion Functional limitations, especially in strength and body mobility domains, are highly prevalent in older women with POP, particularly in those with poor or fair self-reported health status. Future research is necessary to evaluate if functional status affects clinical outcomes in pelvic reconstructive and gynecologic surgery and whether it should be routinely assessed in clinical decision-making when treating older women with POP.
Interactive effects of copper exposure and environmental hypercapnia on immune functions of marine bivalves Crassostrea virginica and Mercenaria mercenaria.

Abstract Estuarine organisms such as bivalves are commonly exposed to trace metals such as copper (Cu) and hypercapnia (elevated CO 2 levels) in their habitats, which may affect their physiology and immune function. This study investigated the combined effects of elevated CO 2 levels (∼800–2000 μatm P CO2 , such as predicted by the near-future scenarios of global climate change) and Cu (50 μg l −1 ) on immune functions of the sediment dwelling hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria and an epifaunal bivalve, the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica. Clams and oysters were exposed for 4 weeks to different CO 2 and Cu levels, and tissue Cu burdens and immune parameters were assessed to test the hypothesis that hypercapnia will enhance Cu uptake due to the higher bioavailability of free Cu 2+ and increase the immunomodulatory effects of Cu. Exposure to Cu stimulated key immune parameters of clams and oysters leading to increased number of circulating hemocytes, higher phagocytosis and adhesion ability of hemocytes, as well as enhanced antiparasitic and antibacterial properties of the hemolymph reflected in higher activities of lysozyme and inhibitors of cysteine proteases. Lysozyme activation by Cu exposure was most prominent in normocapnia (∼400 μatm P CO2 ) and an increase in the levels of the protease inhibitors was strongest in hypercapnia (∼800–2000 μatm P CO2 ), but other immunostimulatory effects of Cu were evident in all P CO2 exposures. Metabolic activity of hemocytes of clams and oysters (measured as routine and mitochondrial oxygen consumption rates) was suppressed by Cu exposure likely reflecting lower rates of ATP synthesis and/or turnover. However, this metabolic suppression had no negative effects of the studied immune functions of hemocytes such as phagocytosis or adhesion capacity. Hypercapnia (∼800–2000 μatm P CO2 ) slightly but significantly enhanced accumulation of Cu in hemocytes, consistent with higher Cu 2+ bioavailability in CO 2 -acidified water, but had little effect on cellular and humoral immune traits of clams and oysters. These findings indicate that low levels of Cu contamination may enhance immunity of estuarine bivalves while moderate hypercapnia (such as predicted by the near future scenarios of the global climate change) does not strongly affect their immune parameters.
Mixed-market and crisis mitigation: lessons from the performance of China’s ICT industry before and after the 2008 crisis

Studies of global production networks have made great strides in understanding the dominant organizations of global production but so far have only offered limited insights on mitigating risks inherited by being a part of such networks under the condition of crises in the world’s wealthiest regions. Drawing from the literature of regional resilience, this paper examines the performance of Chinese Information Communication Technology firms before and after the financial crisis of 2008 with the aim to identify differentiated impacts and the firms’ and region's ability to deal with shocks under the crisis conditions. The research looks into how market portfolios and technological levels affect firm performance based on primary data from two large-scale firm-level surveys conducted before and after the 2008 financial crisis. I found that while the 2008 crisis primarily affected demands outside China, its impacts did not stop at firms or regions specializing in export. Domestic market-oriented firms also suffe...
Cardiac catheterization on the road less traveled: navigating the radial versus femoral debate.

“… two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the ‘one less traveled' by, And that has made all the difference.” —Robert Frost ([1][1]) You are at the sign post of 2 roads. One sign reads, “quicker, easier, but with more complications.” The other reads, “more difficult, takes
Direct Electron Beam Processing Of Semiconductor Nanostructures

We used a high current density focused electron beam to modify a GaAs substrate. To avoid any oxidation or carbon contamination problem, an in-situ electron gun, combined with III-V molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) machine, was used. By changing the substrate temperature and the electron beam dwell time on each spot, different sizes of thermal irradiation marks were created. Fabricated spot-diameters in the sub-micrometer range suggest the possible utilization of this process for novel applications with the MBE growth technique.
Suicidal behavior of children: a review with implications for research and practice.

The author reviews the environmental and psychological factors associated with suicidal behavior of children aged 6-12 years; the incidence of such behavior seems to be increasing. Assessment of a child's suicide potential should focus on such issues as depression, family communication patterns, the child's concepts about death, and the state of ego functioning. The author emphasizes the need for more systematic investigations of suicidal behavior among children, more precise methods of interviewing and recognizing potentially suicidal children, and widespread education of the public about this life threatening Language: en
Review of fracture toughness test methods for ductile materials in low-constraint conditions

Abstract Fracture toughness is an important material property to describe the ability of a material containing a crack to resist fracture, and often characterized by the fracture parameters of J -integral or crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) for ductile cracks. ASTM, BSI and ISO have developed their own standard test methods for measurement of initiation toughness and resistance curves in terms of J and CTOD using bending dominant specimens. Such bending specimens are typically designed with deep cracks to maintain high constraint conditions at the crack tip so as to determine conservative fracture toughness or resistance curve for the test material. Actual cracks in pressure vessels and welds are often shallow ones and dominated by tensile forces, leading to low crack-tip constraint conditions and rising resistance curves. As a result, the standard resistance curves could be overly conservative for a shallow crack in real structures. To determine more realistic fracture toughness for ductile cracks in low-constraint conditions, many experimental and analytical methods have been developed in the recent decades. This paper presents a critical review on fracture toughness test methods for standard and non-standard specimens, including (1) ASTM, BSI and ISO standard test methods for high-constraint specimens, (2) constraint correction methods using high and low-constraint specimens for developing a family of constraint-dependent resistance curves, and (3) direct test methods for low-constraint specimens of single edge-notched tension (SENT) or shallow-cracked bending specimens. Basic concepts, test methods, estimation equations, test procedures, limitations, historical effects and recent progresses are reviewed.
Post-concussion symptoms in mild traumatic brain injury: findings from a paediatric outpatient clinic.

AbstractPurpose Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common among children and is associated with a range of symptomatology and clinical presentations. This study uses data from a paediatric outpatient TBI clinic to (1) investigate characteristics associated with more severe post-concussive symptoms and (2) examine differences in the proportion of individuals endorsing specific post-concussion symptoms based on group (e.g., sex, type of injury, and psychiatric history). Methods Data from the Children’s Hospital of Richmond’s TBI outpatient programme were analysed (N = 157). Results Gender and sports injury were associated with severity of symptoms. In addition, females endorsed a greater number of overall symptoms than males. A number of specific symptoms were found to be endorsed to a greater extent based on psychiatric history and type of injury; however, overall total number of symptoms endorsed did not differ based on these characteristics. Conclusions Findings from this study provide further evidenc...
Target Size Analysis by Radiation Inactivation: The Use of Free Radical Scavengers:

Several model systems were employed to assess indirect effects that occur in the process of using radiation inactivation analysis to determine protein target sizes. In the absence of free radical scavengers, such as mannitol and benzoic acid, protein functional unit sizes can be drastically overestimated. In the case of glutamate dehydrogenase, inclusion of free radical scavengers reduced the apparent target size from that of a hexamer to that of a trimer based on enzyme activity determinations. For glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the apparent target size was reduced from a dimer to a monomer. The target sizes for both glutamate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the presence of free radical scavengers corresponded to subunit sizes when determinations of protein by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or immunoblotting were done rather than enzyme activity. The free radical scavengers appear to compete with proteins for damage by secondary radiation products, since irradiation of these compounds can result in production of inhibitory species. Addition of benzoic acid/mannitol to samples undergoing irradiation was more effective in eliminating secondary damage than were 11 other potential free radical scavenging systems. Addition of a free radical scavenging system enables more accurate functional unit size determinations to be made using radiation inactivation analysis.
Ovine fetal metabolism during norepinephrine infusion

Although stress in fetal life not only increases fetal catecholamine concentration but also decreases fetal growth, there have been few studies that define the specific role of catecholamines in me...
Nanomechanics weighs in

We tend to associate mass with the quantity or size of an object. At the microscopic scale, however, mass measurements are a powerful tool that can provide information about the molecular and atomic composition of an object. While measurements of macroscopic masses traditionally rely on the fact that the gravitational force is directly proportional to the mass of the object, the Earth's gravitational field is too weak to produce reliable measurements of the force in the case of molecular-scale objects.
Despite the best intentions: how racial inequality thrives in good schools

By all accounts Riverview High School, a comprehensive suburban high school in the Midwest, is an excellent school. It employs well-prepared teachers, has high-quality facilities, and receives abun...
SCES2013 Summary: Experiment

During SCES2013, a broad range of materials and phenomena were discussed. Importantly, experimental reports emphasized how much progress is being made but also that much remains to be learned from the fascinating challenges posed by strongly correlated electron systems. This brief summary of experimental activities highlights a few of the many recent developments in superconductivity, couplings, emerging topics and spectroscopies.
Can Service Climate Detract from Employee Performance? The Role of Experience in Optimizing Satisfaction and Performance Outcomes

In this research, we test the curvilinear relationships between service climate perceptions and two employee performance outcomes. Specifically, we propose that while service climate can be beneficial, high levels can actually be detrimental to customer satisfaction and sales performance. Additionally, we propose that a global assessment of employee experience that captures knowledge, skills, and abilities, or KSAs, moderates these curvilinear relationships by providing a means to balance outcome goals. We test our theory using data obtained from 312 employees in a service setting, which we pair with their managers’ assessments of their sales performance as well as satisfaction ratings from their customers. Our results reveal two things: (1) an inverted U-shaped relationship between service climate and sales performance and (2) the level of experience moderates the relationship. These findings suggest that more experienced employees are better able to adjust behaviors to achieve high levels of performance than less experienced employees. Based on these results, we offer theoretical implications and applications for managerial practice.
Influence of post-insemination nutrition on embryonic development in beef heifers

Previous studies have demonstrated that a decrease in nutrition immediately following AI reduces pregnancy success in beef heifers. The objective of this experiment was to determine if nutrient restriction following AI impacted early embryonic development among non-super ovulated heifers. Beef heifers in eight replications (Rep; Rep 1; n = 14, Rep 2; n = 15, Rep 3; n = 15, Rep 4; n = 14, Rep 5; n = 15, Rep 6; n = 15, Rep 7; n = 25, Rep 8; n = 25) across two locations (UMN, SDSU) were developed in a dry-lot and fed 125% NRC requirements from weaning to timed-AI (d 0). Heifers were timed-AI to a single sire in all replications. Immediately following AI, heifers were assigned, based on age, weight, and estrous response to one of two post-AI nutritional treatments. Half the heifers in each replication continued on the pre-insemination diet, serving as the control treatment (CON) and the remaining heifers were restricted to a sub-maintenance diet (RES). At UMN, heifers in the RES treatment were fed the same diet, but intake was limited to 80% NEm, while at SDSU, DMI remained the same, but diet composition was altered with the addition of straw to reduce NEm to 50% of requirements. On d 6, single embryos were collected nonsurgically and recovered embryos (CON; n = 46, RES; n = 42) were evaluated to determine quality (grade 1–9) and stage (1–4). Embryos were then stained and evaluated to determine the number of dead cells and total blastomeres. In Reps 1 through 6, concentrations of IGF-1 were assessed on d 0 and 6 and progesterone concentrations on d 4 and 6. Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedures of SAS. There were no treatment by Rep or treatment by location interactions for any embryo parameter evaluated, thus all data were pooled. Embryo stage and quality were improved (P < 0.01) in the CON (4.4 ± 0.16, 2.2 ± 0.19, respectively) compared to RES treatment (3.7 ± 0.16, 2.9 ± 0.19, respectively). Embryos in the CON treatment had greater total blastomeres (66.9 ± 5.05; P < 0.01) and tended to have a greater percentage of live cells (P < 0.10; 80.9 ± 4.19%) compared to RES (47.9 ± 5.41; 69.7 ± 4.39%, respectively). Progesterone and IGF-1 concentrations did not differ between treatments. In summary, nutrient restriction for 6 days immediately following AI resulted in poorer quality embryos that were delayed in stage of development, suggesting that immediate changes in nutritional status after insemination can alter early embryonic development.
Covalent Modifiers: A Chemical Perspective on the Reactivity of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyls with Thiols via Hetero-Michael Addition Reactions

Although Michael acceptors display a potent and broad spectrum of bioactivity, they have largely been ignored in drug discovery because of their presumed indiscriminate reactivity. As such, a dearth of information exists relevant to the thiol reactivity of natural products and their analogues possessing this moiety. In the midst of recently approved acrylamide-containing drugs, it is clear that a good understanding of the hetero-Michael addition reaction and the relative reactivities of biological thiols with Michael acceptors under physiological conditions is needed for the design and use of these compounds as biological tools and potential therapeutics. This Perspective provides information that will contribute to this understanding, such as kinetics of thiol addition reactions, bioactivities, as well as steric and electronic factors that influence the electrophilicity and reversibility of Michael acceptors. This Perspective is focused on α,β-unsaturated carbonyls given their preponderance in bioactive ...
An independent component analysis confounding factor correction framework for identifying broad impact expression quantitative trait loci

Genome-wide expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) studies in humans have provided numerous insights into the genetics of both gene expression and complex diseases. While the majority of eQTL identified in genome-wide analyses impact a single gene, eQTL that impact many genes are particularly valuable for network modeling and disease analysis. To enable the identification of such broad impact eQTL, we introduce CONFETI: Confounding Factor Estimation Through Independent component analysis. CONFETI is designed to address two conflicting issues when searching for broad impact eQTL: the need to account for non-genetic confounding factors that can lower the power of the analysis or produce broad impact eQTL false positives, and the tendency of methods that account for confounding factors to model broad impact eQTL as non-genetic variation. The key advance of the CONFETI framework is the use of Independent Component Analysis (ICA) to identify variation likely caused by broad impact eQTL when constructing the sample covariance matrix used for the random effect in a mixed model. We show that CONFETI has better performance than other mixed model confounding factor methods when considering broad impact eQTL recovery from synthetic data. We also used the CONFETI framework and these same confounding factor methods to identify eQTL that replicate between matched twin pair datasets in the Multiple Tissue Human Expression Resource (MuTHER), the Depression Genes Networks study (DGN), the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), and multiple tissue types in the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) consortium. These analyses identified both cis-eQTL and trans-eQTL impacting individual genes, and CONFETI had better or comparable performance to other mixed model confounding factor analysis methods when identifying such eQTL. In these analyses, we were able to identify and replicate a few broad impact eQTL although the overall number was small even when applying CONFETI. In light of these results, we discuss the broad impact eQTL that have been previously reported from the analysis of human data and suggest that considerable caution should be exercised when making biological inferences based on these reported eQTL.
Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention: A Systematic Review Focusing on Veterans

Objective:Suicide rates in veteran and military populations in the United States are high. This article reviews studies of the accuracy of methods to identify individuals at increased risk of suicide and the effectiveness and adverse effects of health care interventions relevant to U.S. veteran and military populations in reducing suicide and suicide attempts.Methods:Trials, observational studies, and systematic reviews relevant to U.S. veterans and military personnel were identified in searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, and Cochrane databases (January 1, 2008, to September 11, 2015), on Web sites, and in reference lists. Investigators extracted and confirmed data and dual-rated risk of bias for included studies.Results:Nineteen studies evaluated accuracy of risk assessment methods, including models using retrospective electronic records data and clinician- or patient-rated instruments. Most methods demonstrated sensitivity ≥80% or area-under-the-curve values ≥.70 in single studies, including two st...
Glass waveguides with grating

Fabrication of high-quality glass waveguides with gratings is an important step in the use of glass in integrated optics. In this paper, some of the latest attempts in the fabrication of glass waveguides with gratings are reviewed. The design and fabrication of glass waveguides with ion-exchange and gratings are briefly described. A summary of some of the practical devices is given and the future directions are analyzed.
Redesigning Journal Clubs to Staying Current with the Literature.

Staying current with the literature is of paramount importance to the pharmacist engaged in an evidence-based clinical practice. Given the expanding roles and responsibilities of today’s pharmacists combined with exponential growth in new medical and health sciences literature, staying current has become an extremely daunting task. Traditional journal clubs have focused upon their role as a training vehicle for teaching critical reading skills to residents. However, schools of pharmacy are now required to provide instruction in biostatistics, research design, and interpretation. We present a paradigm shift in the traditional journal club model whereby a collection of periodicals is screened and a short synopsis of the pertinent articles is provided. The associated tasks for screening and presenting of the primary literature are shared among a group of clinicians and trainees with similar practice interests resulting in a more reasonable workload for the individual. This journal club method was effective in identifying a significant majority of articles judged to be pertinent by independent groups of clinicians in the same practice arenas. Details regarding the shared core practice and knowledge base elements, journal club format, identification of journals, and evaluation of the success of the journal club technique are provided.
Rapid neo-sex chromosome evolution and incipient speciation in a major forest pest

Genome evolution is predicted to be rapid following the establishment of new (neo) sex chromosomes, but it is not known if neo-sex chromosome evolution plays an important role in speciation. Here we combine extensive crossing experiments with population and functional genomic data to examine neo-XY chromosome evolution and incipient speciation in the mountain pine beetle. We find a broad continuum of intrinsic incompatibilities in hybrid males that increase in strength with geographic distance between reproductively isolated populations. This striking progression of reproductive isolation is coupled with extensive gene specialization, natural selection, and elevated genetic differentiation on both sex chromosomes. Closely related populations isolated by hybrid male sterility also show fixation of alternative neo-Y haplotypes that differ in structure and male-specific gene content. Our results suggest that neo-sex chromosome evolution can drive rapid functional divergence between closely related populations irrespective of ecological drivers of divergence.
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Realizing Delayed Intentions

Neuroscience methodologies used to understand prospective memory are being applied widely. In this chapter, we review various methods that address how people store intentions and how they share and schedule task prospective memory goals alongside other ongoing cognitive activities. A major focus is on relatively contemporary research using fMRI, PET, and ERP methodologies. Such research has focused primarily on event-based prospective memory and on the distinction between transient and sustained attentional processing associated with holding or retrieving an intention. We also address recent neuroscientific frameworks that have been developed to account for the role that various brain areas have in supporting prospective memory, including the distinction between processes involved with focal versus nonfocal prospective memory retrieval.
Methamphetamine increases HIV infectivity in neural progenitor cells

HIV-1 infection and methamphetamine (METH) abuse frequently occur simultaneously and may have synergistic pathological effects. Although HIV-positive/active METH users have been shown to have higher HIV viral loads and experience more severe neurological complications than non-users, the direct impact of METH on HIV infection and its link to the development of neurocognitive alternations are still poorly understood. In the present study, we hypothesized that METH impacts HIV infection of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) by a mechanism encompassing NFκB/SP1-mediated HIV LTR activation. Mouse and human NPCs were infected with EcoHIV (modified HIV virus infectious to mice) and HIV, respectively, in the presence or absence of METH (50 or 100 μm). Pretreatment with METH, but not simultaneous exposure, significantly increased HIV production in both mouse and human NPCs. To determine the mechanisms underlying these effects, cells were transfected with different variants of HIV LTR promoters and then exposed to METH. METH treatment induced transcriptional activity of the HIV LTR promotor, an effect that required both NFκB and SP1 signaling. Pretreatment with METH also decreased neuronal differentiation of HIV-infected NPCs in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Importantly, NPC-derived daughter cells appeared to be latently infected with HIV. This study indicates that METH increases HIV infectivity of NPCs, through the NFκB/SP1-dependent activation of the HIV LTR and with the subsequent alterations of NPC neurogenesis. Such events may underlie METH- exacerbated neurocognitive dysfunction in HIV-infected patients.
Rehabilitation and Pediatric Oncology: Supporting Patients and Families During and After Treatment

With increasing survival rates in pediatric oncology, more attention has been paid to improving physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning for individuals on and off of treatment. We highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach in providing care for pediatric oncology patients and their families. There is an emerging field of evidence to support specific interventions within the fields of physical therapy/exercise, speech/language and occupational therapy, individual and family-focused psychotherapy, cognitive remediation, medication, tele-health, and school re-entry. Much of the current research attempts to tailor interventions to oncology patients’ complex needs. Continued efforts are needed to make interventions accessible to all oncology patients and their families, particularly those with limited resources. We discuss an integrated care model for delivering rehabilitative therapies within outpatient oncology clinics, which can help mitigate the challenges this population has of consistently accessing therapeutic support.
Classification of diabetes in pregnancy: time to reassess the alphabet

The White classification is a system of alphabetically designated categories of diabetes in pregnancy based on age at onset, duration of disease, and the presence or absence of vascular complications. The original classification system underwent several revisions, each progressively increasing in detail and complexity. Individual authors and institutions have modified the classes, resulting in identically lettered classes having different definitions. Some publications make reference to the class of diabetes by letter without providing a reference defining that class. Despite a 1994 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Bulletin, which suggested that the White classification system was less helpful, publications still appear using lettered designations with and without modifications and with and without attendant definitions of terms. A clinically useful system of disease classification should consist of clearly defined, mutually exclusive, easily remembered categories. The current American Diabetes Association classification of diabetes fulfills these requirements and is applicable to diabetes during pregnancy. Adoption of such a system by the obstetrics community in verbal and written medical communication will likely enhance patient care and facilitate accurate data collection and comparison.
Human Demography and Conservation in the Apache Highlands Ecoregion, US–Mexico Borderlands

This paper explores population change and related land use in the Apache Highlands, an ecoregion that straddles the US–Mexico border. The study begins with a brief overview of Apache Highlands’ population as it has evolved over the past several centuries. Maps of more recent geographic distributions of population reveal spatial demographic patterns and help to identify causes of population change in the ecoregion. An examination of population distribution with respect to land use and areas of high biodiversity suggests relationships between population and biodiversity, including human density beyond which biodiversity is compromised under a variety of land uses. The study closes with recommendations for conservation planning and implementation with respect to population change in this ecoregion, noting the important role of protected areas to conservation but acknowledging that some impacts, such as those on fresh water, often persist regardless of protection.
The Winding Number

For any point P in the plane, and any sector with vertex at P, we can define a continuous (even C∞) angle function on the sector, although the choice is unique only up to adding integral multiples of 2π. Here angles are measured with reference to P, counterclockwise from the horizontal line to the east of P:
Comments on Barbara Starfield’s ‘Child Health and Public Policy’

In her review of the health status and plight of children in the United States during the past few years, Barbara Starfield has focused on our nation’s allocation of material resources to the care of sick children. She understands care to be the access to and the ministration of medical treatment, and the prevention of various physical and mental maladies regarding which children are at serious risk. Hence Starfield has tallied essential facts that reflect the extent of our nation’s commitment to the care of sick children. She draws conclusions from her data like: “… children who clearly need more services because of their increased health problems are at a marked disadvantage in receiving them if public policy does not provide the means to help them” ([9], p. 6); furthermore, “It seems only fair that society now consider a major public policy initiative for children” ([9], p. 8).