cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spaced retrieval training: Support for use in mild Alzheimer’s Disease with semantic memory targets but a remaining need to extend findings to the broader dementia population and functional targets

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Oren, S., Willerton, C., & Small, J. (2014). Effects of spaced retrieval training on semantic memory in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 57, 247–270.Source of funding and declaration of interests: Funding was not reported. It was reported that none of the authors had competing interests.
The adolescent kidney donor: the right to give.

Adolescents are rapidly acquiring new medical and legal rights. One of the issues being raised in the field of organ transplantation is the ability of the adolescent to decide to give one of his bo...
Notes of the flora of serra Aracá

A new species of Tepuianthus (Tepuianthaceae) is described from Serra Araca in Amazonas, Brazil. Also discussed is the occurrence on this isolated tepui of two species of Perissocarpa (Ochnaceae). This is the first record of that genus in Brazil.
Environmental and Economic Analysis of Low Emissions Yard and Industrial Switchers

As railroads and local industries served by rail seek to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency, new technologies are being developed to serve this market. Contrary to the minimal competitive options available over the last several decades, new companies are now emerging with a variety of locomotive designs aimed at low emissions and low horsepower solutions. Some technologies involve alternative fuels (e.g. natural gas, bio-diesel, battery power, etc.), while others incorporate very low horsepower diesel engines (400hp–1000hp) in order to meet the Tier 4 regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Yet another option available to railroads and local industries is the mobile railcar mover. Typically used within railroad yard limits or on industry tracks, yard and industrial switchers and mobile railcar movers travel short distances, but must be capable of moving large loads. Subject to high forces when moving cars, these technologies must be both resilient (requiring minimal maintenance) and safe (not subject to derailment or loss of control). As the current market for yard and industrial switchers continues to expand, both railroads and local industries served by rail are placing greater emphases on the environmental and economic benefits of the emerging technologies. This paper aims to analyze the current yard and industrial switcher market and draw conclusions based on emissions data and lifecycle costs. Industrial switchers are compared with yard switchers and mobile railcar movers. Although industrial switchers are more limited in horsepower and operational versatility than yard switchers, many of the daily operations between the two are similar. Mobile railcar movers (e.g. Trackmobile® and Rail King®) offer lower initial costs as well as the versatility of both on-track and off-track movement. However, they may require additional maintenance and offer reduced tractive effort compared to locomotive technologies. As the demands on railroad yard and industry operations grow increasingly complex due to environmental regulations and economic demands, these new technologies have the potential to increase competition in the marketplace and offer improved engineering solutions. By developing a hierarchy of key requirements of yard or industry switchers, this paper provides a framework for identifying the best options available to a railroad or local industries. The scope of this paper will include a review of all options available, but will place a greater emphasis on technologies that are commercially available for wide distribution. By sampling and analyzing the current industrial market, much insight can be gained into daily operational requirements and challenges faced by this sector of the industry.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Further Properties of Compact Riemann Surfaces

Let X, Y be Riemann surfaces and f: X → Y a non-constant holomorphic map. If a ∈ X, b = f(a) and w is a local coordinate at b with w(b) = 0, we set orda(f) = ord a(w o f). The integer b(a, f) = orda(f) − 1 is called the ramification index of f at a; f is a local homeomorphism at a if and only if b(a, f) = 0.
Neuroprotection Is Technology, Not Science

All human clinical trials of neuroprotection after brain ischemia and reperfusion injury have failed. Brain ischemia is currently conceptualized as an “ischemic cascade” and therapy is directed to treating one or another element of this cascade. This approach conflates the science of cell injury with the development of neuroprotective technologies. Here we review a theory that describes the generic nonlinear dynamics of acute cell injury. This approach clearly demarcates the science of cell injury from any possible downstream technological applications. We begin with a discussion that contrasts the qualitative, descriptive approach of biology to the quantitative, mathematical approach used in physics. Next we discuss ideas from quantitative biology that underlie the theory. After briefly reviewing the autonomous theory, we present, for the first time, a non-autonomous theory that describes multiple injuries over time and can simulate pre- or post-conditioning or post-injury pharmacologics. The non-autonomous theory provides a foundation for three-dimensional spatial models that can simulate complex tissue injuries such as stroke. The cumulative theoretical formulations suggest new technologies. We outline possible prognosticative and neuroprotective technologies that would operate with engineering precision and function on a patient-by-patient basis, hence personalized medicine. Thus, we contend that a generic, mathematical approach to acute cell injury will accomplish what highly detailed descriptive biology has so far failed to accomplish: successful neuroprotective technology.
Tyrosine Kinase Activation and Conformational Flexibility: Lessons from Src-Family Tyrosine Kinases.

ConspectusProtein kinases are enzymes that catalyze the covalent transfer of the γ-phosphate of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule onto a tyrosine, serine, threonine, or histidine residue in the substrate and thus send a chemical signal to networks of downstream proteins. They are important cellular signaling enzymes that regulate cell growth, proliferation, metabolism, differentiation, and migration. Unregulated protein kinase activity is often associated with a wide range of diseases, therefore making protein kinases major therapeutic targets. A prototypical system of central interest to understand the regulation of kinase activity is provided by tyrosine kinase c-Src, which belongs to the family of Src-related non-receptor tyrosine kinases (SFKs). Although the broad picture of autoinhibition via the regulatory domains and via the phosphorylation of the C-terminal tail is well characterized from a structural point of view, a detailed mechanistic understanding at the atomic-level is lacking. Advanc...
Distributed Automatic Differentiation for Ptychography

Abstract Synchrotron radiation light source facilities are leading the way to ultrahigh resolution X-ray imaging. High resolution imaging is essential to understanding the fundamental structure and interaction of materials at the smallest length scale possible. Diffraction based methods achieve nanoscale imaging by replacing traditional objective lenses by pixelated area detectors and computational image reconstruction. Among these methods, ptychography is quickly becoming the standard for sub-30 nanometer imaging of extended samples, but at the expense of increasingly high data rates and volumes. This paper presents a new distributed algorithm for solving the ptychographic image reconstruction problem based on automatic differentiation. Input datasets are subdivided between multiple graphics processing units (GPUs); each subset of the problem is then solved either entirely independent of other subsets (asynchronously) or through sharing gradient information with other GPUs (synchronously). The algorithm was evaluated on simulated and real data acquired at the Advanced Photon Source, scaling up to 192 GPUs. The synchronous variant of our method outperformed an existing multi-GPU implementation in terms of accuracy while running at a comparable execution time.
Software export from developing nations

It is shown that software export is an attainable goal for developing nations, especially when government policies are favorable, and that the industrialized nations dominating the worldwide market can expect some serious competition. Examples of the efforts of developing nations to export software to North America and Europe are cited. >
Combating malignant astrocytes: Strategies mitigating tumor invasion

Malignant gliomas are glial-derived, primary brain tumors that carry poor prognosis. Existing therapeutics are largely ineffective and dramatically affect quality of life. The standard of care details a taxing combination of surgical resection, radiation of the resection cavity, and temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy, with treatment extending life by only an average of months (Maher et al., 2001; Stupp et al., 2005). Despite scientific and technological advancement, surgery remains the most important treatment modality. Therapeutic obstacles include xenobiotic protection conveyed by the blood-brain barrier (Zhang et al., 2015), invasiveness and therapeutic resistance of tumor cell populations (Bao et al., 2006), and distinctive attributes of secondary glioma occurrence (Ohgaki and Kleihues, 2013). While these brain malignancies can be classified by grade or grouped by molecular subclass, each tumor presents itself as its own complication. Based on all of these obstacles, new therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. These will likely emerge from numerous exciting studies of glioma biology that are ongoing and reviewed here. These show unexpected roles for ion channels, amino-acid transporters, and connexin gap junctions in supporting the invasive growth of gliomas. These studies have identified a number of proteins that may be targeted for therapy in the future.
Enhanced biochars can match activated carbon performance in sediments with high native bioavailability and low final porewater PCB concentrations.

Abstract A bench scale study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of in situ amendments to reduce the bioavailability of pollutants in sediments from a site impacted with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and cadmium. The amendments tested included fine and coarse coal-based activated carbons (AC), an enhanced pinewood derived biochar (EPB), organoclay, and coke dosed at 5% of sediment dry weight. Strong reductions in total PCB porewater concentrations were observed in sediments amended with the fine AC (94.9–99.5%) and EPB (99.6–99.8%). More modest reductions were observed for the coarse AC, organoclay, and coke. Strong reductions in porewater PCB concentrations were reflected in reductions in total PCB bioaccumulation in fresh water oligochaetes for both the fine AC (91.9–96.0%) and EPB (96.1–96.3%). Total PAH porewater concentrations were also greatly reduced by the fine AC (>96.1%) and EPB (>97.8%) treatments. EPB matched or slightly outperformed the fine AC throughout the study, despite sorption data indicating a much stronger affinity of PCBs for the fine AC. Modeling EPB and fine AC effectiveness on other sediments confirmed the high effectiveness of the EPB was due to the very low final porewater concentrations and differences in the native bioavailability between sediments. However, low bulk density and poor settling characteristics make biochars difficult to apply in an aquatic setting. Neither the EPB nor the fine AC amendments were able to significantly reduce Cd bioavailability.
Perspective: The future of quantum dot photonic integrated circuits

Direct epitaxial integration of III-V materials on Si offers substantial manufacturing cost and scalability advantages over heterogeneous integration. The challenge is that epitaxial growth introduces high densities of crystalline defects that limit device performance and lifetime. Quantum dot lasers, amplifiers, modulators, and photodetectors epitaxially grown on Si are showing promise for achieving low-cost, scalable integration with silicon photonics. The unique electrical confinement properties of quantum dots provide reduced sensitivity to the crystalline defects that result from III-V/Si growth, while their unique gain dynamics show promise for improved performance and new functionalities relative to their quantum well counterparts in many devices. Clear advantages for using quantum dot active layers for lasers and amplifiers on and off Si have already been demonstrated, and results for quantum dot based photodetectors and modulators look promising. Laser performance on Si is improving rapidly with ...
Supporting informal computer−human collaboration: the k22 kiosk platform

Spontaneous, informal gatherings among colleagues often spur greater exchanges of ideas than formal meetings. The K22 project aims to support these spontaneous collaborative interactions by embedding intelligent kiosks, small networked Intelligent Environments (IEs), in hallways, break rooms, and other informal meeting spaces. These kiosks will enable private capture and indexing of casual meetings, and permit access to relevant, context-sensitive information and agents in other IEs. This paper describes the K22 platform, and discusses challenges and design criteria associated with designing K22 applications.
Robust Detector Calibration for a Novel PET System Based on Cross-Strip CZT Detectors

In positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, high energy and spatial resolution are necessary to obtain high quality images. This paper presents a photon interaction position dependent energy calibration for a small animal PET system built with cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) crystals. 3-D-resolving CZT detection systems employ up to 103–105 read-out channels which require individual calibration due to position-varying crystal quality. This paper aims to establish an automated data processing algorithm to minimize manual intervention and guarantee consistent calibration. The algorithm analyzes the data using a two-step process with a calibration and validation step. The validation step is a spectrum analysis which utilizes a non- Gaussian shape function. The calibration step is a position dependent photopeak recovery where three different methods were studied. The analysis of the uncorrected data reveals an energy resolution of (8.4%±0.2%) FWHM at 511 keV. The best performance is achieved with the proposed processing, which yields an energy resolution of (7.0%±0.1%) FWHM at 511 keV. The robustness of the shape function used to determine the energy resolution was evaluated and was found to be superior compared to a pure Gaussian shape function. In summary, the proposed data algorithm can generate calibration parameters in a robust manner and provides a consistent calibration.
Front evaporation effects on wicking in two- and three-dimensional porous domains

We present the equations for wicking in two- and three-dimensional porous media when liquid is evaporating through the wet front using the Green--Ampt saturated capillary flow model in polar and spherical geometries. The time-dependent behavior of two-dimensional wicking influenced by front interface evaporation manifests distinctly from the influence on wicking by normal surface evaporation. This is shown in several ways; notably, the first-order effects of the front evaporation, as considered via an evaporation-capillary number, is of a lower order in the front position than normal evaporation. Furthermore, the front evaporation-induced steady states of the front position and bulk velocity vary significantly with the dimensionality of the flow expansion in the porous domain; with respect to the dimensionality, the front position decreases while the bulk velocity increases.
Suburra. La serie as "Patrimonio internazionale / International Patrimony"

This essay investigates fascinations surrounding glamorized criminals by looking at how recent Italian history and queer bodies are represented, negotiated, and received in Italy’s first made-for-Netflix series Suburra. La serie (2017 - ). In many ways, the series is a distinctly Italian production, especially in terms of the popular mafia-corruption plot that is based upon real life events. However, Suburra. La serie is a transnational production that engages viewers outside of Italy. This essay pays attention to the series’ interesting marketing strategy that flagrantly draws attention to fictional/historical consistencies, before addressing the physical allure and charisma of criminal antiheroes who appear trapped in a perpetual adolescence. Most importantly, I address how Suburra. La serie’s singularity as a transnational co-production allows for a unique representation of gender and sexuality on Italian small screens, as it marks an opening up of a mainstream space on the small screen to tell stories from the perspective of a non-normative sexual orientation. Suburra. La serie engages in a representation of queer masculinity that is distinctive in relation to Italian serial drama as a whole and especially in relation to serial dramas that depend upon sympathetic perpetrators to create relationships with viewers. As I argue, Suburra. La serie is a queer text with an address to viewers spanning continents, cultures, and languages.
Effectiveness and Accuracy of Track Tubes for Detecting Small-Mammal Species Occupancy in Southeastern Herbaceous Wetlands and Meadows

As a non-invasive approach for sampling small mammals, track tubes may be especially useful in species occupancy studies that do not require marking of individuals. However, such studies may involve significant uncertainty in identifying many tracks to species. Using 37 study sites in eastern Alabama and Tennessee, we compared relative differences in detection probabilities with track tubes vs. live traps for Peromyscus (deermice), Oryzomys palustris (Marsh Rice Rat), and Sigmodon hispidus (Hispid Cotton Rat). In analyses that ignored identification uncertainty or that used false-positive occupancy models to address this uncertainty, track tubes and live traps had similar detection probabilities. When uncertain detections were omitted from analysis, effective detectability was lower with track tubes. False-positive occupancy modeling indicated that track-identification uncertainty could not be ignored, as there was a non-zero probability of false-positive detections. False-positive occupancy designs have high relevance to track-tube studies; in addition, such studies should ensure that track identification is done under the oversight of an experienced tracker.
Experimental investigation of the removal of hydrophobic organic compounds from two Iowa soils using food grade surfactants and recovery of used surfactants

The ability of food grade aqueous surfactant solutions to remove toluene or 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene entrapped in sand and two Iowa soils was evaluated in batch and column experiments. Also, the effects that environmental conditions have on contaminant solubilization and mobilization by surfactants and the technical viability of recovering the surfactants for possible reuse were studied. Synergism between the anionic Dowfax 8390 and the nonionic T-Maz 60 was not observed. A mixture of the two was less effective than Dowfax 8390 by itself. 1,2,4-trichloroben2ene removal enhancements via microemulsifiers were less effective than that by Dowfax 8390 for a sandy soil. Food grade surfactants were suitable for surfactant-aided remediation of Fruitfield Iowa soils contaminated with toluene or 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene. Based on the experimental results, optimal range for each environmental parameters was: 1) Surfactant solution pH: 10, 2) Surfactant solution concentration; 4%(v/v), 3) Surfactant solution average temperature: 33.4°C, 4) Surfactant solution flow rate: 4mL/min, 5) Surfactant solution volume to soil weight ratio: 4. The removal of 95% of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene was obtained with optimal conditions. In addition, surfactant-assisted saturated hydraulic conductivity losses were observed experimentally and should be considered prior to in-situ surfactant remediation. Counter-current solvent extraction was investigated to determine its efficiency for used surfactant recovering. A simple counter-current extraction apparatus with a convex orifice system was used. Hexane, acetone, and methylene chloride were used as the counter-current solvent. Toluene was effectively removed from the anionic surfactant solution using methylene chloride solvent and 1,2,4trichlorobenzene was effectively removed from the anionic surfactant solution using hexane or methylene chloride. Removal of toluene was greatest at 30ml-/min of methylene chloride flow rate and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene was greatest at 10mL/min of hexane flow rate. This study suggests that counter-current solvent extraction methods may help to recycle anionic surfactant solutions used for remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater.
The Real Effects of Fed Intervention During the 1920-1921 Depression

We provide novel evidence of how discount rates affected lending and output during and after the 1920-1921 depression. Our identification strategy exploits county-level variation in access to the discount window and hand-collected data on banking and agriculture in Illinois. High discount rates decreased bank lending and forced farmers to liquidate crops at lower prices, temporarily lowering agricultural output. However, they also caused debt-to-output levels to be persistently lower, lasting into the Great Depression, and accompanied by consolidation of farms and reallocation of land. Compared to conventional wisdom, our findings suggest a less negative interpretation of the Fed’s actions during 1920-1921.
Power, competition, and the nature of history

Historians have debated whether pathways and events from the past to the present are influenced largely by contingency, the dependence of outcomes on particular prior conditions, or whether there is long-term emergent directional change. Previous arguments for predictability in evolutionary history relied on the high frequency of convergence, but the repeated evolution of widely favored adaptations need not imply long-term directionality. Using evidence from the fossil record and arguments concerning the metabolic evolution of organisms, I show here that power (total energy taken up and expended per unit time) has increased stepwise over time at ecosystem-level and global scales thanks to the ratchet-like, cumulative effects of competition and cooperation and to the disproportionate influence of powerful top competitors and opportunistic species on emergent ecosystem properties and processes. The history of life therefore exhibits emergent directionality at large ecosystem-wide scales toward greater power.
Retrospective cohort study of individuals born with low birthweight: implications for screening practices.

Background Previous studies have established an association between low birthweight (LBW) and future kidney disease, but few have explored the progression of kidney dysfunction through the pediatric years leading up through adolescence and young adulthood. Methods To better understand the temporal effects of birthweight on kidney disease progression, we conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) between LBW (<2500 grams) and normal birthweight (NBW) infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at our institution from 1992 to 2006. Results Age at follow-up ranged 1-26 years old. GFR was found to be significantly lower in participants born with LBW than those born with NBW, with a mean difference of 5.5 mL/min/1.73m2 (P < 0.01). These differences were found in the adolescent and young adult age group over 9 years of age, specifically in the extremely low birthweight group (ELBW) whose birthweight was less than 1000 grams. Conclusions We recommend screening for CKD in ELBW individuals starting at the age of 9 years old, regardless of their previous medical history.
Self-Knowledge and Emotional Development

This example of a child, not yet 3 years old, who is able to express his emotions quite eloquently, highlights several features related to the development of emotional states. First, children prior to 3 years of age are capable of understanding at least some questions pertaining to feelings (in this case, “How do you like ...?”). Second, young children are capable of making at least limited verbal replies related to feelings (in this case, “... doesn’t taste good”). Third, children recognize that feelings have a location and that this location is inside the body (in this case, the sticking out of his tongue and the use of the word taste were an indication that the location of the feeling was inside his body, specifically in his mouth).
Dworkin’s Unity of Value: An Interpretation and Defense

Ronald Dworkin’s unity of value thesis underlies his influential moral, political, and legal thought. This essay presents an interpretation of the unity thesis designed to isolate its distinctly ethical character, elaborate Dworkin’s fundamental ethical arguments for it, and to utilize this reconstruction to correct misinterpretations that, I argue, underlie recent criticism. This criticism largely depends on construing the unity thesis within a familiar dualistic meta-ethical framework according to which Dworkin’s theory of value is classified as either constructivist or realist in character. Both options, however, misapprehend the epistemological framework within which Dworkin defends value judgments in general, and therefore fail to challenge his use of that framework in defending the unity of value in particular. Correcting this oversight is essential to a proper understanding of Dworkin’s novel account of moral epistemology and of the moral and political program that his unity thesis sponsors. The paper concludes by suggesting how more profitable criticism of the unity of value might proceed.
A Structured Neonatal Parenting Elective: An Approach for Parenting Leave During Residency

Abstract Objective Pregnancy is common during residency, yet the duration of allowed paid leave is inadequate and utilizing unpaid family medical leave act (FMLA) time has financial and professional consequences. We evaluated the effectiveness of a novel parenting elective, consistent with educational goals for pediatric residents, on resident parents’ financial, academic, and family outcomes. Methods In 2010, a 2–4 week structured at-home elective of outpatient neonatal care with full pay was implemented. Data were collected from all new parents in a large academic pediatric residency from 2002 to 2018, including duration of leave, on-time graduation, choice to pursue postresidency training, and unpaid FMLA leave. Data were compared from before/after implementation and by parent type (mothers or resident partners of mothers). Results Twenty-two pregnancies occurred prior to implementation and 42 afterward. In mothers, leave duration was similar (7.9 ± 3.5 weeks before, 8.0 ± 0.3 after, P = .50) but the minimum time increased from 2 to 6 weeks and those taking ≥7 weeks increased (54% vs 96%, P = .002). Mothers using unpaid FMLA time decreased (38% vs 7%, P = .04) although on-time graduation (69% vs 93%, P = .13) and postresidency training rates were similar. Among partners, leave duration increased (0.8 ± 0.4 weeks vs 4.0 ± 1.7, P Conclusions Parenting a neonate provides learning opportunities for pediatric residents that can be encompassed in an elective consistent with training requirements. This elective improved outcomes for mothers and partners and is generalizable to any training program.
Does the solemn oath lower WTP responses in a discrete choice experiment application to solar energy

A recently offered alternative to eliminating or mitigating hypothetical bias associated with stated preference surveys is the solemn oath script. While the efficacy of solemn oath script is still ...
Impact of Delays on Constrained Online Convex Optimization

In this paper, we study constrained online convex optimization (OCO) in the presence of feedback delays. The loss/constraint functions vary with time and their feedback information is revealed to the decision maker with delays, which arise naturally in many applications due to the latency associated with computation and communication. The effects of delays are not captured by standard OCO, where feedback information is disclosed to the decision maker immediately after a decision is made. We develop a modified online saddle point algorithm for constrained OCO with feedback delays. Sublinear regret and sublinear constraint violation bounds are established for the proposed algorithm and the impact of delays on the performance of the algorithm is highlighted.
Surgical Considerations for an Awake Tracheotomy During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: The current global COVID-19 pandemic is caused by the novel coronavirus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Given that SARS-CoV-2 is highly transmissible, surgical societies have recommended that procedures with a high risk of aerosolization be avoided or delayed. However, some high-risk procedures, such as those related to head and neck malignancies, cannot always be delayed. Care must be taken during aerosol-generating procedures to minimize viral transmission as much as possible. Preoperative testing for COVID-19, limited operating room personnel, adequate personal protective equipment, and surgical technique are factors to consider for high-risk procedures. Methods: This article presents the case of an awake tracheotomy performed for a transglottic mass causing airway obstruction. Results: With detailed planning and specific techniques, the amount of aerosolization was reduced, and the procedure was performed as safely as possible. Conclusion: This case provides a template for future aerosol-generating procedures during respiratory pandemics.
Pandemics and the global environment

Dramatic, short-term improvements in the global environment have accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. Intrigued by these observations, we commissioned a series of papers for Science Advances dedicated to studies of pandemics from an environmental perspective. The first in this series is a paper by Liu et al . on the decline of nitrogen dioxide over China since the outbreak of COVID-19. Collectively, the series will explore how the Earth system as a whole – not just the human societies developed on it – is affected by pandemics like COVID-19, and how environmental conditions can influence the spread and severity of infection. The responses of governments around the world to the COVID-19 catastrophe is an ongoing, essentially uncontrolled experiment. We should not forget that this experiment is playing out in the context of another uncontrolled experiment of …
Extending Learning Opportunities: Youth Research in CTE and the Limits of a Theory of Change

In career and technical education (CTE), the vocational-academic divide continues to influence practices and policies that shape students’ experiences. Drawing on a qualitative study and retrospect...
Health service inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic among elderly people living in large urban and non-urban areas in Florida, USA.

Objective:Health inequalities were often exacerbated during the emerging epidemic. This study examined urban and non-urban inequalities in health services among COVID-19 patients aged 65 years or a...
Adjusting for Pubertal Status Reduces Overweight and Obesity Prevalence in the United States.

Objective To compare pediatric overweight and obesity prevalence among non-Hispanic white, Mexican American, and non-Hispanic black US youths before and after adjusting body mass index (BMI) for pubertal status, as assessed by Tanner stage. Study design We analyzed cross-sectional anthropometric and pubertal data from non-Hispanic white, Mexican American, and non-Hispanic black youths in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III. We developed specialized Tanner stage and chronological age-adjusted models to establish Tanner-stage adjusted BMI z-scores, which were then used to determine adjusted overweight/obesity prevalence. We compared pediatric overweight/obesity prevalence before and after pubertal status adjustment. Results Among 3206 youths aged 8-18 years (50% male; 26% non-Hispanic white, 35% Mexican American, 39% non-Hispanic black), adjusting BMI for Tanner stage significantly reduced overweight (males, from 29% to 21%; females, from 29% to 17%) and obesity (males, from 14% to 7%; females, from 11% to 5%) prevalence across all races/ethnicities. The obesity prevalence reduction was more pronounced in Mexican Americans (males, 11% reduction; females, 9% reduction) and non-Hispanic blacks (males and females, 10% reduction) compared with non-Hispanic whites (males, 6% reduction; females, 5% reduction). Similar patterns were seen in overweight prevalence. Conclusions Adjusting for pubertal status reduced the prevalence of overweight/obesity in non-Hispanic white, Mexican American, and non-Hispanic black youth. This suggests that adjusting for puberty incorporates changes otherwise not captured when only considering the age of a child. Adjusting BMI for pubertal status may be important when interpreting a youth's weight status and consideration for obesity management, as well as when interpreting pediatric overweight/obesity prevalence data.
Survey Evidence on Habit Formation: Existence, Specification, and Implication

Habit formation is a staple of macroeconomics and finance, but insufficient micro evidence has led to controversies over its existence, specification, and implication. This paper documents new and extensive micro evidence for habit formation, through survey experiments eliciting ten preference parameters informative about habit formation. The evidence suggests that habit forms both internally and externally, depreciates by around two-thirds annually, and has an about equisized welfare impact as peer effect. I also propose and implement four tests of additive and multiplicative habits and find that these ubiquitous preferences are rejected. Evidence-based simulations show that combining habit formation with peer effect could explain the Easterlin paradox.
Firm Failure, Scandal, and Employee Exit From Innovation-Driven Industries

Over 100,000 employees join innovation-driven ventures each year, many of which will fail. How does firm failure impact the subsequent career of these employees? Current research primarily focuses ...
Leaflet Folding Plasty

The repair of the prolapse mitral valve, particularly with the usual anatomic arrangement of an elongated P2 can be very simply, safely, and effectively corrected by a folding plasty. In this technique there is no resection of the valve leaflet and there is no leaflet advancement. The repair is simply a large monofilament suture which takes the edge of the elongated segment of valve and brings it back and under the valve and attaches it to the annulus, thus decreasing the prolapse P2 by half the height with one or two simple sutures. This has proven to be a very effective technique when there is an elongated P2 and no ruptured chords. The early and medium long-term results are quite satisfactory with this technique, provided of course that the usual attention is paid to an annuloplasty.
Supercomputers and VLSI: The Effect of Large Scale Integration on Computer Architecture.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the economics of mass production, the geometry of the plane, the architecture of supercomputers and VLSI (Very-large-scale integration). The chapter provides a realistic idea of how much circuitry fits on a chip. This will be done in functional or architectural terms. The single-chip microprocessor is discussed. The chapter considers the consequences of using VLSI for computer architecture. The outcome of such analysis was that the benefits of VLSI, especially low cost, do not suggest a general trend toward single-chip computers. This surprising outcome motivated a more careful analysis of both the advantages and disadvantages of the technology. The Configurable, Highly Parallel (CHIP) computer was introduced as a specific instance of VLS1-compatible architecture; it was then examined in terms of its exploitation of the benefits of VLSI and its avoidance of the liabilities. To exploit the benefits of VLSI technology and simultaneously avoid its limitations require us to replace the familiar, tested architectural structures with new, imaginative architectures.
Stigma, Social Psychology of

A person who possesses an attribute that risks their full acceptance from others is said to possess a stigma. Research on stigma has grown from a descriptive set of literature to one that more fully examines the experience of being a target of prejudice. The difference between this research and research on prejudice more generally, is that the research on the stigmatized tends to take the perspective of the person who is the target of prejudice by examining their perceptions of prejudice, the effects of prejudice on the stigmatized, and the coping mechanisms used to protect oneself from prejudice. This research has led to a broadening of our understanding of what it means to be a member of a stigmatized group and a greater understanding of prejudice.
Protecting farm land near cities: Trade-offs with affordable housing in Hawaii

In protecting farm land near cities, policy makers must balance the interests of farmers against affordable housing demands of the urban population. This article examines land use competition between agriculture and housing on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Land suitability ratings for farming and urban development are compared, and future urban expansion onto agricultural land is simulated under different land use policies. Results indicate severe tradeoffs for affordable housing if all high quality farm lands are strictly preserved. Achieving farmland protection goals will require further policy support to transform the local farm structure from plantation to diversified agriculture.
Winter Northern Hemisphere weather patterns remember summer Arctic sea‐ice extent

[1] The dramatic decline in Arctic summer sea-ice cover is a compelling indicator of change in the global climate system and has been attributed to a combination of natural and anthropogenic effects. Through its role in regulating the exchange of energy between the ocean and atmosphere, ice loss is anticipated to influence atmospheric circulation and weather patterns. By combining satellite measurements of sea-ice extent and conventional atmospheric observations, we find that varying summer ice conditions are associated with large-scale atmospheric features during the following autumn and winter well beyond the Arctic's boundary. Mechanisms by which the atmosphere “remembers” a reduction in summer ice cover include warming and destabilization of the lower troposphere, increased cloudiness, and slackening of the poleward thickness gradient that weakens the polar jet stream. This ice-atmosphere relationship suggests a potential long-range outlook for weather patterns in the northern hemisphere.
The BZLF1 Homolog of an Epstein-Barr-Related γ-Herpesvirus Is a Frequent Target of the CTL Response in Persistently Infected Rhesus Macaques

Although CD8(+) T lymphocytes targeting lytic infection proteins dominate the immune response to acute and persistent EBV infection, their role in immune control of EBV replication is not known. Rhesus lymphocryptovirus (rhLCV) is a gamma-herpesvirus closely related to EBV, which establishes persistent infection in rhesus macaques. In this study, we investigated cellular immune responses to the rhLCV BZLF1 (rhBZLF1) homolog in a cohort of rhLCV-seropositive rhesus macaques. rhBZLF1-specific IFN-gamma ELISPOT responses ranging between 56 and 3070 spot-forming cells/10(6) PBMC were detected in 36 of 57 (63%) rhesus macaques and were largely mediated by CD8(+) T lymphocytes. The prevalence and magnitude of ELISPOT responses were greater in adult (5-15 years of age) rather than juvenile macaques (<5 years of age), suggesting that rhBZLF1-specific CTL increase over time following early primary infection. A highly immunogenic region in the carboxyl terminus of the rhBZLF1 protein containing overlapping CTL epitopes restricted by Mamu-A*01 and other as yet unidentified MHC class I alleles was identified. The presence of a robust CD8(+) T lymphocyte response targeting this lytic infection protein in both rhesus macaques and humans suggests that these CTL may be important for immune control of EBV-related gamma-herpesvirus infection. These data underscore the utility of the rhLCV-macaque model for studies of EBV pathogenesis.
Oral mineralocorticoid antagonists for recalcitrant central serous chorioretinopathy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect and tolerance of oral mineralocorticoid antagonists, eplerenone and/or spironolactone, in recalcitrant central serous chorioretinopathy. METHODS: Retrospective consecutive observational case series. Primary outcome measures included central macular thickness (CMT, μm), macular volume (MV, mm(3)), Snellen visual acuity, and prior treatment failures. Secondary outcomes included duration of treatment, treatment dosage, and systemic side effects. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients with central serous chorioretinopathy were reviewed, of which 29 patients were treated with one or more mineralocorticoid antagonists. The average age of patients was 58.4 years. Sixteen patients (69.6%) were recalcitrant to other interventions prior to treatment with oral mineralocorticoid antagonists, with an average washout period of 15.3 months. The average duration of mineralocorticoid antagonist treatment was 3.9±2.3 months. Twelve patients (52.2%) showed decreased CMT and MV, six patients (26.1%) had increase in both, and five patients (21.7%) had negligible changes. The mean decrease in CMT of all patients was 42.4 μm (range, -136 to 255 μm): 100.7 μm among treatment-naive patients, and 16.9 μm among recalcitrant patients. The mean decrease in MV of all patients was 0.20 mm(3) (range, -2.33 to 2.90 mm(3)): 0.6 mm(3) among treatment-naive patients, and 0.0 mm(3) among recalcitrant patients. Median visual acuity at the start of therapy was 20/30 (range, 20/20-20/250), and at final follow-up it was 20/40 (range, 20/20-20/125). Nine patients (39.1%) experienced systemic side effects, of which three patients (13.0%) were unable to continue therapy. CONCLUSION: Mineralocorticoid antagonist treatment had a positive treatment effect in half of our patients. The decrease in CMT and MV was much less in the recalcitrant group compared to the treatment-naive group. An improvement in vision was seen only in the treatment-naive group. Systemic side effects, even at low doses, may limit its usage in some patients.
Other Ceramic Powder Fabrication Processes

This chapter is devoted to the other ceramic powder fabrication processes. These methods include spray drying, spray roasting, freeze drying, metalorganic decomposition, sol-gel synthesis, and melt and flux solidification. There are many similarities between spray drying, spray roasting, and freeze drying that start with atomization of a liquid followed by drying (and thermal decomposition) or freezing. The earliest routes for forming ceramics from sol-gel solutions involved the precipitation of metal oxide particles solutions. Sol-gel synthesis is particularly different than the precipitation because an aggregate (or polymer) network is formed. This gel can be dried (or spray dried) to form a ceramic powder. Use of sol-gel synthesis to make films and fibers has also been superficially discussed. Melt and flux synthesis is used to produce the largest ceramic powders, which are often used for abrasives. Spray drying is also a method of ceramic powder production that uses either a concentrated metal salt solution, a powder dispersion (a sol) with a polymeric binder, or a gel solution as a feed material.
Isolation of Mutations in the Drosophila Homologues of the Human Neurofibromatosis 2 and Yeast CDC42 Genes Using a Simple and Efficient Reverse-Genetic Method

Reverse genetic analysis in Drosophila has been greatly aided by a growing collection of lethal P transposable element insertions that provide molecular tags for the identification of essential genetic loci. However, because the screens performed to date primarily have generated autosomal P-element insertions, this collection has not been as useful for performing reverse genetic analysis of X-linked genes. We have designed a reverse genetic screen that takes advantage of the hemizygosity of the X chromosome in males together with a cosmid-based transgene that serves as an autosomally linked duplication of a small region of the X chromosome. The efficacy and efficiency of this method is demonstrated by the isolation of mutations in Drosophila homologues of two well-studied genes, the human Neurofibromatosis 2 tumor suppressor and the yeast CDC42 gene. The method we describe should be of general utility for the isolation of mutations in other X-linked genes, and should also provide an efficient method for the isolation of new alleles of existing X-linked or autosomal mutations in Drosophila.
Location and Orientation of the phoA Locus on the Escherichia coli K-12 Linkage Map

The order of gene loci in the phoA-phoR region of the Escherichia coli K-12 linkage map was demonstrated to be lac phoA proC phoR. The end of the phoA locus corresponding to the amino terminus of alkaline phosphatase was shown to be the end nearer proC. Translation (and transcription) of phoA is therefore in the anticlockwise direction relative to the conventional E. coli linkage map.
NF-κB pathway inhibitors preferentially inhibit breast cancer stem-like cells

Accumulating evidence indicates that breast cancer is caused by cancer stem cells and cure of breast cancer requires eradication of breast cancer stem cells. Previous studies with leukemia stem cells have shown that NF-kappaB pathway is important for leukemia stem cell survival. In this study, by using MCF7 sphere cells as model of breast cancer stem-like cells, we evaluated the effect of NF-kappaB pathway specific inhibitors on human breast cancer MCF7 sphere cells. Three inhibitors including parthenolide (PTL), pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC) and its analog diethyldithiocarbamate (DETC) were found to preferentially inhibit MCF7 sphere cell proliferation. These compounds also showed preferential inhibition in term of proliferation and colony formation on MCF7 side population (SP) cells, a small fraction of MCF7 cells known to enrich in breast cancer stem-like cells. The preferential inhibition effect of these compounds was due to inhibition of the NF-kappaB activity in both MCF7 sphere and MCF7 cells, with higher inhibition effect on MCF7 sphere cells than on MCF7 cells. PDTC was further evaluated in vivo and showed significant tumor growth inhibition alone but had better tumor growth inhibition in combination with paclitaxel in the mouse xenograft model than either PDTC or paclitaxel alone. This study suggests that breast cancer stem-like cells could be selectively inhibited by targeting signaling pathways important for breast cancer stem-like cells.