cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
More is Better: The Influence of Collective Female Descriptive Representation on External Efficacy

This study tests the hypothesis that collective descriptive representation has important benefits for strengthening and legitimizing democratic society. Specifically, we test whether increased proportions of collective female descriptive representation in the statehouse and the presence of a female state executive are important to female citizens’ attitudes toward government responsiveness, or external efficacy. We hypothesize that an increase in female collective descriptive representation in the legislative and state executive branches of government will increase female citizens’ external efficacy but will be unimportant to males. We pooled American National Election Studies (ANES) data from 1988 to 1998 and used ordered probit techniques to test the hypothesis. In addition to our main independent variable of interest, our model includes state political culture, dyadic descriptive representation, dyadic substantive representation, sociodemographics, political participation, strength of partisanship, and electoral dummy variables as controls. Our results confirm that higher levels of collective female descriptive representation promote higher values of external efficacy for female citizens, suggesting that collective female descriptive representation has important benefits to a democratic society.
Chemical plant-soil relationships in tropical forests

Plant and soil samples collected from four tropical forest areas were used to examine the correlation between the chemical abundances in soil and vegetation. On fertile soils in Panama and Colombia soil concentrations of copper, manganese, cobalt and zinc were correlated with plant concentrations. Calcium, caesium, iron, lead, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and strontium concentrations were not correlated. Factor analysis of plant chemistry at nine sites showed very little commonality between sites, even of vegetation belonging to the same plant association. A copper, manganese, cobalt, zinc factor was not recognized except in one case. A similar study of plant soil correlation in Colombia supported the conclusions from Panama; for most elements there was little evidence for significant correlation between plant and soil concentrations. Analysis of plant-soil relationships on very infertile latosols with terra firme forest in the Amazon at San Carlos de Rio Negro, Venezuela and Manaus, Brazil revealed a soil effect on the statistical distributions of the elements in the plant biomass. This effect was strongest on the least fertile site at Manaus and was strongest for essential elements. The pattern of chemical distributions appears to be due to the fact that some species are capable of concentrating high levels of elements even under conditions of very low supply in the substrate.
Automatic Identification of Unsafe Bending Behavior of Construction Workers Using Real-Time Location Sensing and Physiological Status Monitoring

Nowadays, remote sensing technology allows for autonomous and remote data collection of construction resources. Data collected from various sources can be used to infer higher-level information about the entities being observed. This process, called data fusion, has been used in construction for tracking the location of material and equipment with a lack of studies on the use of data fusion for improving knowledge of workforce. This study explored the utilization of a data fusion approach for a continuous remote monitoring of construction workers’ location and health. To this end, the authors deployed non-intrusive real-time worker location sensing (RTLS) and physiological status monitoring (PSM) technology, and later, used data fusion to analyze data from these devices.
Integrating “Best of Care” Protocols into Clinicians' Workflow via Care Provider Order Entry: Impact on Quality-of-Care Indicators for Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective: In the context of an inpatient care provider order entry (CPOE) system, to evaluate the impact of a decision support tool on integration of cardiology “best of care” order sets into clinicians' admission workflow, and on quality measures for the management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. Design: A before-and-after study of physician orders evaluated (1) per-patient use rates of standardized acute coronary syndrome (ACS) order set and (2) patient-level compliance with two individual recommendations: early aspirin ordering and beta-blocker ordering. Measurements: The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated for (1) all patients with ACS (suspected for AMI at the time of admission) ( N = 540) and (2) the subset of the ACS patients with confirmed discharge diagnosis of AMI ( n = 180) who comprise the recommended target population who should receive aspirin and/or beta-blockers. Compliance rates for use of the ACS order set, aspirin ordering, and beta-blocker ordering were calculated as the percentages of patients who had each action performed within 24 hours of admission. Results: For all ACS admissions, the decision support tool significantly increased use of the ACS order set (p = 0.009). Use of the ACS order set led, within the first 24 hours of hospitalization, to a significant increase in the number of patients who received aspirin (p = 0.001) and a nonsignificant increase in the number of patients who received beta-blockers (p = 0.07). Results for confirmed AMI cases demonstrated similar increases, but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: The decision support tool increased optional use of the ACS order set, but room for additional improvement exists.
Quality of life in adult survivors greater than 10 years after pediatric heart transplantation.

Background This study assessed quality of life (QOL) in adult survivors of pediatric heart transplantation who survived ≥ 10 years after transplantation. Methods Prospective data were collected from heart transplant recipients who were aged ≥ 18 years and had survived ≥ 10 years after transplantation (transplantation between July 3, 1986, and April 4, 1997). QOL data were collected from patients using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) Health Survey. Clinical data were collected from medical records. Statistical analyses included frequencies and measures of central tendency. Results Twenty-three patients (65% men, 91% white) completed the study. At the study initiation, they were a mean age of 9.0 ± 7.1 years at transplantation, and were a mean age of 25.2 ± 5.5 years (range, 18–34 years) and a mean of 16.2 ± 3.0 years (range, 11–22 years) post-transplantation. Most were in school or working. Mean patient QOL scores from the SF-36v2 survey were 50.56 ± 0.5 (range, 27.3–68.9) for physical health and 49.88 ± 11.72 (range, 23.56–62.84) for mental health, similar to the general United States population. Late complications were frequent, including transplant coronary artery disease, 3; repeat heart transplantation, 2; post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder, 6; kidney transplantation, 5; acute late rejection, 5; and arrhythmias, 4. Conclusion This report of QOL in adult survivors of pediatric heart transplantation shows patient perception of physical and mental health is similar to the general population despite serious late complications. A multicenter study is planned to further evaluate QOL in this unique cohort.
Implantable spinal cord stimulator to treat the ischemic manifestations of thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease)

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease) is a segmental inflammatory vasculitis that involves the small-sized and medium-sized arteries, veins, and nerves. It is causally related to tobacco use. The diagnosis is usually made on the basis of the presence of distal arterial disease in individuals who smoke and in whom other disease entities have been excluded. The most effective treatment for Buerger's disease is smoking cessation. Without strict adherence to tobacco avoidance, disease progression is likely. Methods to control ischemic pain include medications, sympathectomy, or surgical revascularization. The effect of sympathectomy is unpredictable, and the chances of a successful revascularization procedure are rare because distal target vessels often are extensively diseased. Herein, we describe a patient whose condition did not respond to the usual conservative therapy but did respond dramatically to the implantation of a permanent spinal cord stimulator. Although these devices have been used for more than 20 years in various other peripheral arterial diseases, their use in Buerger's disease has been limited.
On the theory of partially inbreeding finite populations. III: Fixation probabilities under partial selfing when heterozygotes are intermediate in viability

In a previous paper by the senior author, an approximation to the probability of survival was given for a mutant, which is originally present in a single heterozygote, in a population that reproduces partly by selfing and partly by random mating. The population was assumed to be very large, but the result obtained is general with regard to the level of dominance in viability. In this paper two errors which were made in that earlier work are corrected. A general approximate expression is then derived for the probability that an allele A is fixed in a partially self fertilizing population of size N, if its initial frequency is p, selection is weak and heterozygotes with the allele are exactly intermediate in viability compared with genotypes AA and AA. A rigorous proof is given for a special case that is a generalization of the classical binomial sampling model. In this case, but not in general, the approximate fixation probability is independent of the probability of reproduction by selfing. Some implications are discussed.
Historical discharge measurements on the Middle Mississippi River, USA: no basis for ‘changing history’

This study tests the hypothesis that historical float-based discharge measurements on the Mississippi River systematically over-stated actual flood flows by 10% to > 30% relative to measurements using current meters. This assertion has been repeated over the past 25 years and recently has been used to adjust historical discharges used for flood-frequency analysis. This study tests the hypothesis above using 2150 historical discharge measurements digitized from the three principal gauging stations on the Middle Mississippi River (MMR): data that include 626 float-based discharges and 1516 meter-based discharges, including 122 paired measurements. Multiple comparative tests show that the hypothesis above cannot be supported; if anything, the float-based measurements slightly underestimate flows (not over-estimate) over a broad range of discharges up to large floods. In response to the purported data bias above (‘changing history’; Dieckmann RJ, Dyhouse GR. 1998. Changing history at St. Louis—adjusting historic flows for frequency analysis. First Federal Inter-Agency Hydrologic Modeling Conference, April 20–22, 1998. Las Vegas, NV; 4·31–4·36), historical flood discharges on the MMR have been modified, most by 10–20% and several by > 30%. These altered discharges are now being promulgated, in particular, through the Upper Mississippi River System Flow Frequency Study (UMRSFFS). New flow frequencies, flood profiles, and new flood maps from the UMRSFFS may significantly underestimate the actual flood hazard on the MMR if the original hydrologic data have been erroneously altered on the basis of an assumption of data bias. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distinct proliferative and differentiated stages of murine MC3T3‐E1 cells in culture: An in vitro model of osteoblast development

We examine clonal murine calvarial MC3T3-E1 cells to determine if they exhibit a developmental sequence similar to osteoblasts in bone tissue, namely, proliferation of undifferentiated osteoblast precursors followed by postmitotic expression of differentiated osteoblast phenotype. During the initial phase of developmental (days 1-9 of culture), MC3T3-E1 cells actively replicate, as evidenced by the high rates of DNA synthesis and progressive increase in cell number, but maintain a fusiform appearance, fail to express alkaline phosphatase, and do not accumulate mineralized extracellular collagenous matrix, consistent with immature osteoblasts. By day 9 the cultures display cuboidal morphology, attain confluence, and undergo growth arrest. Downregulation of replication is associated with expression of osteoblast functions, including production of alkaline phosphatase, processing of procollagens to collagens, and incremental deposition of a collagenous extracellular matrix. Mineralization of extracellular matrix, which begins approximately 16 days after culture, marks the final phase of osteoblast phenotypic development. Expression of alkaline phosphatase and mineralization is time but not density dependent. Type I collagen synthesis and collagen accumulation are uncoupled in the developing osteoblast. Although collagen synthesis and message expression peaks at day 3 in immature cells, extracellular matrix accumulation is minimal. Instead, matrix accumulates maximally after 7 days of culture as collagen biosynthesis is diminishing. Thus, extracellular matrix formation is a function of mature osteoblasts. Ascorbate and beta-glycerol phosphate are both essential for the expression of osteoblast phenotype as assessed by alkaline phosphatase and mineralization of extracellular matrix. Ascorbate does not stimulate type I collagen gene expression in MC3T3-E1 cells, but it is absolutely required for deposition of collagen in the extracellular matrix. Ascorbate also induces alkaline phosphatase activity in mature cells but not in immature cells. beta-glycerol phosphate displays synergistic actions with ascorbate to further stimulate collagen accumulation and alkaline phosphatase activity in postmitotic, differentiated osteoblast-like cells. Mineralization of mature cultures requires the presence of beta-glycerol phosphate. Thus, MC3T3-E1 cells display a time-dependent and sequential expression of osteoblast characteristics analogous to in vivo bone formation. The developmental sequence associated with MC3T3-E1 differentiation should provide a useful model to study the signals that mediate the switch between proliferation and differentiation in bone cells, as well as provide a renewable culture system to examine the molecular mechanism of osteoblast maturation and the formation of bone-like extracellular matrix.
Functional properties of ryanodine receptors in hippocampal neurons change during early differentiation in culture.

6-((4,4-difluoro-5,7-dimethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-propionyl)amino)hexanoic acid ryanodine (BODIPY-ryanodine) binding and Ca2+imaging were used to study the properties of ryanodine recep...
Intra-regional Equalization and Growth in Russia

Throughout the 1999–2008 growth streak, the dynamics of the economic recovery have been very uneven across Russian regions. Therefore, the determinants of regional economic growth are likely to have a strong sub-national level component. In this paper we examine the potential role played by the fiscal equalization performed by regional governments among their constituent localities. Our empirical results strongly suggest that intra-regional fiscal equalization has a substantial impact on regional growth. Specifically, we find the following policy tradeoff: one standard deviation higher level of intra-regional equalization translates into between 0.18 and 0.45 of a standard deviation lower rate of regional growth.
Risk Factors and Epidemiology of Coccidioidomycosis Demonstrated by a Case of Spontaneous Pulmonary Rupture of Cavitary Coccidioidomycosis.

A 31-year-old Hispanic male with no medical history was admitted for fevers, pleurisy, and cough after recent oral surgery and completing demolition and construction work in Juarez, Mexico. Imaging showed a 4.4 cm cavitary lesion and bilateral tree-in-bud opacities. Initial suspicion of bacterial infection confirmed with clinical improvement on culture specific antibiotics, but after discharge he returned with progression of symptoms and new dyspnea. Radiograph showed a pyopneumothorax. Chest computed tomography after thoracostomy showed worsening infiltrates and another cavitary lesion. Symptoms persisted despite addition of broad spectrum antibiotics. Surgical repair for persistent air leak was required. Weeks after discharge, cultures and serologies returned positive for Coccidioidomycosis immitis. Coccidioides species cause up to 30% of community-acquired pneumonia and incidental cavitary lesions in endemic regions. Symptoms are nonspecific yet usually involve fatigue, cough, and pleurisy. Most hosts have spontaneous resolution; however, certain demographics such as Hispanics and diabetics, later diagnosed in our patient, have higher morbidity. As seen with our patient, cavitary rupture and bronchopleural fistulas are rare occurring in 2.6% of cavitary lesions. High suspicion based on symptoms and host demographics is important to assist in early diagnosis and treatment to avoid and treat this common pathogen’s presentations.
“As palavras ficam no caminho”: Repensando a ideia de perfeição cristã em John Wesley [texto escrito em inglês]

The article explores the meaning of the concept of Christian perfection in the works of John Wesley (1703-1791), their reinterpretations over the times by Methodism and its etymological bases. Then it discusses its use in the 21st century and proposes the metaphor of Christian maturity as a contemporary expression.
Correction of enophthalmos in progressive hemifacial atrophy: a case report.

This case report describes a technique used for correction of enophthalmos secondary to progressive hemifacial atrophy (Parry-Romberg syndrome). The only previous described technique utilized an orbital floor implant, but this method was apparently only partially successful in correcting the conditions, i.e., it did not correct both the enophthalmos and the pseudoptosis that occurs secondary to intraorbital fatty atrophy. In the present technique, the periorbita was cut at two equators, the globe and anterior periorbita advanced forward, and the resulting empty spaces filled with thin slices of radiated cartilage. Both the enophthalmos and the pseudoptosis were corrected in a single operation. There were no long-term complications and the correction has been maintained 3 years postoperatively.
The Relationship Between the Pituitary Response to Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone and the Ovulatory Response to Clomiphene Citrate *†

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH), at a dose level of 10μg, was administered intravenously to 31 patients, 9 with oligomenorrhea and 22 with secondary amenorrhea. A serum luteinizing hormone level higher than 45 mIU/ml at 30 or 45 minutes after injection was considered to be a "positive response" to LH-RH. All 9 patients in the oligomenorrheic group and 11 of the 22 patients with secondary amenorrhea had a "positive" response. The patients were then treated with increasing doses of clomiphene citrate until an ovulatory dose was reached. Eight of the nine patients with oligomenorrhea ovulated with doses of up to 150mg of clomiphene daily for 5 days. Of the 11 patients in the group with secondary amenorrhea who had a "positive" response to LH-RH, 7 ovulated at a dose of 150mg (or less) of clomiphene citrate, while only 1 of the 11 patients with a "negative" response ovulated while receiving a similar dosage of clomiphene. These results suggest that a simplified LH-RH test might be of value in selecting the level of therapy for ovulation induction.
A single-chip 250 Mb/S bipolar fiber-optic receiver

A single-chip fiber-optic receiver system capable of data rates greater than 250 Mb/s (NRZ) has been designed using a Si bipolar technology referred to as ASPECT, which features polysilicon resistors, base and emitter electrodes.
Understanding the Seed-Mediated Growth of Gold Nanorods through a Fractional Factorial Design of Experiments

Since the development of simple, aqueous protocols for the synthesis of anisotropic metal nanoparticles, research into many promising, valuable applications of gold nanorods has grown considerably, but a number of challenges remain, including gold-particle yield, robustness to minor impurities, and precise control of gold nanorod surface chemistry. Herein we present the results of a composite fractional factorial series of experiments designed to screen seven additional potential avenues of control and to understand the seed-mediated silver-assisted synthesis of gold nanorods. These synthesis variables are the amount of sodium borohydride used and the rate of stirring when producing seed nanoparticles, the age of and the amount of seeds added, the reaction temperature, the amounts of silver nitrate and ascorbic acid added, and the age of the reduced growth solution before seed nanoparticles are added to initiate rod formation. This statistical experimental design and analysis method, besides determining w...
Pd-Catalyzed Conjunctive Cross-Coupling between Grignard-Derived Boron "Ate" Complexes and C(sp2) Halides or Triflates: NaOTf as a Grignard Activator and Halide Scavenger.

Catalytic enantioselective conjunctive cross-couplings that employ Grignard reagents are shown to furnish an array of nonracemic chiral organoboronic esters in an efficient and highly selective fashion. The utility of sodium triflate in facilitating this reaction is two-fold: it enables “ate” complex formation and overcomes catalytic inhibition by halide ions.
What Is Mental Health

Mental health is a state of well-being (happiness) of the mind. Modern humans are not happy with bread alone. We are happy with gourmet meals with complex flavors and tastes, perhaps with a glass of wine, served in pleasant and clean surroundings, often with good company and accompanied with music. The ingredients of this type of happiness are clearly both biological (genetic) and memetic (cultural). Happiness is the state of sustained pleasure, associated with reward, which is an emotion involving brain structures. The emotion of pleasure and reward seems associated with the dopaminergic activation of a circuitous pathway, first involving a descending medial forebrain bundle component and then involving the ascending mesolimbic ventral tegmental pathway eventually activating the dopaminergic nucleus accumbens. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex, with its extensive connections with the limbic system, may link the conscious to the unconscious and ascribe meaning to perceptions by associating them with meaningful memes. Vaillant described six models of mental health: (1) mental health as above normal, (2) mental health as positive psychology, (3) mental health as maturity, (4) mental health as social-emotional intelligence, (5) mental health as subjective well-being, and (6) mental health as resilience. All these models of mental health can be achieved when the brain achieves a democracy of competing selfplexes and memes within it.
Managing technology in firms in the service industries

Managing technology in service industry firms such as banks, insurance companies, publishers, law and accounting firms, and retail chains focuses mainly on information technology. Most of the actual equipment and software is purchased or contracted out, but some internal 'R&D' capability must be maintained for a number of compelling reasons. This paper discusses some of the issues of managing technology in the service industries and presents data from a survey of firms in a variety of service sectors.
Response of Pond‐raised Fingerling Hybrid Catfish, ♀ Ictalurus punctatus × ♂ Ictalurus furcatus, to Dietary Protein Concentrations and Sources

This study examined four experimental diets with different protein concentrations and sources for pond-raised fingerling hybrid catfish, ♀ Ictalurus punctatus × ♂ Ictalurus furcatus. A 35% protein diet with fishmeal was used as the control diet. Test diets were 32 and 28% all-plant-protein diets and a 28% protein diet with porcine meat, bone, and blood meal. Small fingerlings with a mean initial weight of 2.9 g/fish were stocked into 20 earthen ponds (0.04 ha) at a density of 172,970 fish/ha. They were fed once daily to apparent satiation for 107 d. No significant differences were observed for total diet fed, gross yield, final weight, survival, or condition factor among dietary treatments. However, fish fed the 28 and 32% all-plant-protein diets had a significantly higher feed conversion ratio than fish fed the 35% protein diet with fishmeal. There were no significant differences in chlorophyll a and nitrite concentrations in the pond water, but ponds receiving the 35% protein diet had significantly higher ammonia than those receiving 28% protein diets. Economic analysis suggested potential cost savings by using low-protein and all-plant-protein diets for hybrid catfish fingerling production.
Caribbean Soccer: Hispanoamericanismo and the Identity Politics of Fútbol in Puerto Rico, 1898–1920s

When the United States took possession of Puerto Rico in 1898, an aggressive Americanization project introduced cultural practices, including American sports. However, although Puerto Ricans incorporated U.S. sports to their sporting profile, they did so adhering to a larger Hispanic-American ideology. Although soccer, or futbol, was played in Puerto Rico during the first decades of the United States occupation, it was associated with Spain and Hispanoamericanismo. Due to this, soccer was discriminated and unpopular in a population that incorporated American sports. I argue that through soccer we see another important element in the negotiation over U.S. imperialism in Puerto Rico and in the broader expansion of Hispanoamericanismo in the early twentieth century. Despite its unpopularity, soccer's limited space within Puerto Rican sports came to symbolize a Hispanic and Latin American sport, helping to fuel broader notions of nationhood. In this regard, Puerto Rican soccer illustrates the conciliation of a colonial nation hoping to fit within Latin America, while also adopting American sports. Through Puerto Rican soccer we can observe broader cultural and political negotiations over Americanization and Hispanidad in the Spanish Caribbean and how this process can in turn help develop strong ideas of national identity.
Capecitabine and temozolomide (CAPTEM) in neuroendocrine tumor of unknown primary.

e15691Background: Better diagnostics, recognition and knowledge of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) have led to consistent growth in incidence and prevalence of the disease. Being an orphan disease, therapeutic options are limited. Scarce data exists regarding use of Capecitabine and Temozolomide (CAPTEM) in neuroendocrine tumors. There are no published data on use of CAPTEM in neuroendocrine tumors of unknown primary. NETs of unknown primary accounts for 10-15 % of NETs. Historically NETs with unknown primary are thought to be relatively aggressive, conferring a poorer prognosis. Methods: Patients with neuroendocrine tumor with unknown primary were identified from Markey Cancer Center database over a five-year period (2012-2016). Patients treated with CAPTEM regimen were analyzed for radiological response in first scan, time to progression on treatment and toxicity. IRB approval was obtained. Results: 56 patients with neuroendocrine tumors of unknown primary were identified. 12 patients were treated with CAP...
Endovascular repair of tortuous recurrent femoral-popliteal aneurysm in a patient with Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

Abstract Loeys-Dietz syndrome is a rare connective tissue disorder with widespread arterial tortuosity and aneurysms. This syndrome is most notable for its aortic disease, including aortic root dilation and aortic dissection or rupture. Although not as well studied, peripheral artery aneurysms are a prevalent concurrent manifestation and have previously been repaired with both open and endovascular approaches. There are minimal data about the durability and technical considerations of endovascular repair in this disease. We report a case of a patient who developed an extremely tortuous recurrent femoral-popliteal artery aneurysm secondary to aneurysmal degeneration around previously placed stents that was treated with an endovascular approach.
Research and Development Opportunities

A 1978 National Science Foundation (NSF) investigation found that no “key” scientific or technological breakthroughs have occurred recently or are imminent which would substantially ameliorate overall patterns of mineral usage or supply in the USA in the very short term. However, incrementtal R & D investments, if they are made soon and provide for continuity of effort, can produce supply benefits over the longer term.
Material Behavior of Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) Deduced from Molecular Modeling

Poly(vinylidene fluoride), or PVDF, is a simple fluoropolymer whose commercial applications date back to the 1940s. However, it has attracted greater industrial and scientific interest since the early 1970s when it was discovered that PVDF exhibited unusually strong piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties for a polymer, and could be rendered ferroelectric.1 These electrical properties, combined with the mechanical strength, toughness, and processability usually associated with polymeric materials, make PVDF unusual. The attractive electrical behavior of PVDF stems from the significant remnant polarization of the β-phase crystalline component of PVDF, which exhibits a noncentrosymmetric unit cell.2 Furthermore, electrical poling of films containing the β-phase crystals results in a macroscopic alignment of the crystal unit cells that is stable under zero-field conditions and gives PVDF films their ferroelectric character.
Uncertain Aspirations: Latino Students and Dropout in the United States.

Latinos are one of the fastest growing and most racially diverse students in American schools. Driven by immigration, they account for more than 24% of the kindergarten to high school population. D...
Examining the association of over-claiming with mathematics achievement

Abstract This study investigated the association of over-claiming with student achievement in mathematics from mixture modeling. We examined three competing models to find relationships between over-claiming, reported familiarity, and mathematics achievement. We then identified latent classes by use of the three variables. This latent class analysis examined the existence of subpopulations, which revealed the disguised details of the relationship between over-claiming, reported familiarity, and mathematics achievement. The results of this study represent findings from a sample of 15-year-olds across the United States ( n = 4978). Three distinct latent classes were identified. One latent class demonstrated significantly lower scores on all motivational indicators examined than the other two latent classes, suggesting disengagement in this latent class. Students from the rest two non-disengaged latent classes were considered as engaged students. Results indicate that over-claiming has a significant negative relationship with student achievement in mathematics among the engaged students. The disengaged group appears to over-claim the least. The relationships among these three latent classes provide possible explanations as to why the current literature reported mixed results regarding the relationships between over-claiming and achievement or cognitive ability.
The OsMPK15 Negatively Regulates Magnaporthe oryza and Xoo Disease Resistance via SA and JA Signaling Pathway in Rice

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play central roles in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the mechanisms by which various MAPK members regulate the plant immune response in rice remain elusive. In this article, to characterize the mechanisms, the knock-out and overexpression mutants of OsMPK15 were constructed and the disease resistance was investigated under the various fungal and bacterial inoculations. The knock-out mutant of OsMPK15 resulted in the constitutive expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes, increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggered by the pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) elicitor chitin, and significantly enhanced the disease resistance to different races of Magnaporthe oryzae and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), which cause the rice blast and bacterial blight diseases, respectively. On contrary, the expression of PR genes and ROS were down-regulated in the OsMPK15-overexpressing (OsMPK15-OE) lines. Meanwhile, phytohormones such as salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were accumulated in the mpk15 mutant lines but decreased in the OsMPK15-OE lines. The expression of SA- and JA-pathway associated genes were significantly upregulated in the mpk15 mutant, whereas it was down regulated in the OsMPK15-OE lines. We conclude that OsMPK15 may negatively regulate the disease resistance through modulating SA- and JA-mediated signaling pathway.
Institutionalizing nonprofit influences post-disaster

Abstract National emergency management agencies promote the engagement of local nonprofits in recovery management. However, large disasters benefit from the centralization of power to facilitate a rapid recovery of local capacities. Recent events, such as the 2010 Christchurch earthquake sequence and Hurricane Sandy, indicate that nonprofits struggle to navigate integration with government agencies when recovery efforts are centralized. A case study of nonprofits in Christchurch, New Zealand reveals opportunities for nonprofits to adjust their place-making strategies throughout the recovery process. Outcomes for nonprofits and the communities they serve benefit from i) setting clear priorities to reduce marginalization based on experiences from early recovery stages and ii) leveraging collective agency to conduct post-disaster place-making activities throughout long-term recovery. A scalable Nonprofit Relational Recovery Assessment for collective action is proposed to periodically evaluate the effectiveness of engagement with recovery management authorities.
Leidenfrost drop dynamics: Exciting dormant modes

Leidenfrost drops on curved substrates exhibit complex shape-change dynamics, which include polygonal modes, star modes, and a dominant large amplitude $n=2$ mode. Remarkably, two distinct modes are observed to coexist in stable synchronized resonance with harmonically related frequencies.
Basic Endoscopic Tissue Sampling Techniques and Specimen Retrieval Methods

Flexible endoscopy has become revolutionary in the examination of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It allows for adequate visualization into the lumen and has become the mainstay in obtaining tissue sampling from a variety of different organ systems. Here in we present a review of endoscopic tissue sampling instruments and the ways in which these instruments are used along the GI tract. An adequate understanding of the variety of endoscopic tools and methods for tissue biopsy is important in achieving appropriate diagnostic yield. Furthermore, organ and disease-specific screening and diagnostic protocols have been developed in order to increase the specificity and sensitivity of endoscopic tissue sampling. Endoscopy is a fundamental part of a general surgeon’s ability to make a diagnosis, screen for disease, and monitor for response to treatment and advancement of disease.
Parallelized Topological Relaxation Algorithm

Geometric problems of interest to mathematical visualization applications involve changing structures, such as the moves that transform one knot into an equivalent knot. In this paper, we describe mathematical entities (curves and surfaces) as link-node graphs, and make use of energy-driven relaxation algorithms to optimize their geometric shapes by moving knots and surfaces to their simplified equivalence. Furthermore, we design and conFigure parallel functional units in the relaxation algorithms to accelerate the computation these mathematical deformations require. Results show that we can achieve significant performance optimization via the proposed threading model and level of parallelization.
Anderson-Bernoulli localization with large disorder on the 2D lattice

We consider Anderson-Bernoulli model on $\mathbb{Z}^2$ with large disorder. Given $\bar{V}$ a large real number, define the random potential function $V:\mathbb{Z}^2 \rightarrow \left\{0,\bar{V}\right\}$ such that $\left\{V(a):a\in \mathbb{Z}^2\right\}$ is a family of i.i.d. random variables with $\mathbb{P}\left[V(a)=0\right]=\frac{1}{2}$ and $\mathbb{P}\left[V(a)=\bar{V}\right]=\frac{1}{2}$. We prove the Anderson localization of the operator $H=-\Delta+V$ outside a neighborhood of finitely many energies which has Lebesgue measure $O(\bar{V}^{-c})$ for some $c>0$.
Age inappropriate influenza vaccination in infants less than 6 months old, 2010-2018.

Abstract Background Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for persons 6 months or older and vaccination in infants less than 6 months old is a vaccine administration error. There are limited safety studies in this population, particularly among infants less than 6 weeks old. Methods We searched the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database for reports of adverse events (AEs) following influenza vaccination in infants less than 6 months old for the 2010–2018 influenza seasons. We conducted a descriptive and qualitative analysis of reports to describe AEs and identify possible risk factors. Results In total, 114 reports were identified; only 21 reported a specific AE. Pyrexia, irritability, crying and diarrhea were the most common symptoms. There were 12 reports involving newborns; the most common circumstance cited was confusion with the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine. The following risk factors were identified: (1) individuals getting vaccinated together resulting in patient mix-ups; (2) healthcare provider not verifying the patient’s information; (3) individual provider confusion due to similarities in vaccines’ packaging and names of vaccines that sound alike. Conclusions Reports identified of influenza vaccination in infants less than 6 months old indicate that vaccination errors in this age group are occurring and healthcare providers who vaccinate infants should be aware of how to prevent such events. Our study adds to the existing literature by providing valuable information regarding the general absence of serious adverse events in the case of vaccination errors associated with inadvertent influenza vaccine within this population.
Number Theory and Public-Key Cryptography.

Secret ciphers fascinate students and are an ideal subject with which to motivate them to study mathematics. Recent articles in the Mathematics Teacher, for example, have described how various types of ciphers can be taught to high school students to enhance their learning of statistics (Felt man 1979), matrices (Camp 1985), functions and their inverses (Reagan 1986), and re mainder arithmetic (Meneeley 1981). Ci phering also offers interesting examples of how so-called "pure" mathematics can be applied to real-world problems (Hilton 1984). Nowhere is the distinction between pure mathematics and the real world more dra matic than in the study of number theory. Anyone who has taught number theory, ei ther as enrichment topics to high school stu dents or as a college course, has no doubt been asked by students, "What is all this used for?" Number theory, considered the purest part of mathematics, has tradition ally been studied for its own intrinsic beauty and elegance and was thought to have little practical use. Traditional number-theory courses based on such textbooks as those by Hardy and Wright (1979) and Niven and Zuckerman (1980) followed a definition theorem-proof approach and gave few, if any, applications. Recently, however, this approach has be gun to change. Several new advances in computer science and data communication are based directly in number-theoretic con cepts. More recently published textbooks on number theory, such as those by Schroeder
Are long-term influenza vaccines possible and how do we discover them?

Influenza continues to pose a severe public health risk. In the United States, the annual economic burden of influenza is estimated to be USD 87.1 billion, USD 56 billion of which are used to treat...
Artificial Advantages: Toward a Theory of Situated AI

How can firms establish competitive advantages using artificial intelligence (AI)? Although AI is beginning to permeate business activities, our understanding of how AI can be used to create unique...
Forging O–O Bonds

The O–O bond-forming step in the oxidation of water to dioxygen is the key to how nature converts solar energy into renewable fuel, yet remains not fully understood. A recent report in Nature Chemistry from Casadevall et al. features structural characterization of a catalytically relevant elusive peroxo intermediate.
Discussion of Weight Loss Surgery in Instagram Posts: Successive Sampling Study.

Background The majority of American adults search for health and illness information on the internet. However, the quality and accuracy of this information are notoriously variable. With the advent of social media, US individuals have increasingly shared their own health and illness experiences, including those related to bariatric surgery, on social media platforms. Previous research has found that peer-to-peer requesting and giving of advice related to bariatric surgery on social media is common, that such advice is often presented in stark terms, and that the advice may not reflect patient standards of care. These previous investigations have helped to map bariatric surgery content on Facebook and YouTube. Objective This objective of this study was to document and compare weight loss surgery (WLS)-related content on Instagram in the months leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic and 1 year later. Methods We analyzed a total of 300 Instagram posts (50 posts per week for 3 consecutive weeks in late February and early March in both 2020 and 2021) uploaded using the hashtag #wls. Descriptive statistics were reported, and independent 1-tailed chi-square tests were used to determine if a post's publication year statistically affected its inclusion of a particular type of content. Results Overall, advice giving and personal responsibility for outcomes were emphasized by WLS posters on Instagram. However, social support was less emphasized. The safety, challenges, and risks associated with WLS were rarely discussed. The majority of posts did not contain references to facts from reputable medical sources. Posts published in 2021 were more likely to mention stress/hardships of living with WLS (45/150, 30%, vs 29/150, 19.3%; P=.03); however, those published in 2020 more often identified the importance of ongoing support for WLS success (35/150, 23.3%, vs 16/150, 10.7%; P=.004). Conclusions Given that bariatric patients have low rates of postoperative follow-up, yet post-operative care and yet support are associated with improved health and weight loss outcomes, and given that health content on the web is of mixed accuracy, bariatric professionals may wish to consider including an online support forum moderated by a professional as a routine part of postoperative care. Doing so may not only improve follow-up rates but may offer providers the opportunity to counter inaccuracies encountered on social media.
Planetary Exploration Rebooted! New Ways of Exploring the Moon, Mars and Beyond

In this talk, I will summarize how the NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group has been developing and field testing planetary robots for human exploration, creating automated planetary mapping systems, and engaging the public as citizen scientists.
The Importance of Colonization with Clostridium difficile on Infection and Transmission

Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) are the most common cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in the USA, accounting for 12 % of all HAIs [1]. Reasons for such an increase are unknown but may relate to antibiotic use and evolution of a new, pathogenic strain, NAP1/BI/027. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies C. difficile as one of only three organisms to be assigned a designation of an “urgent” threat level. Asymptomatic colonization with C. difficile is much more common than symptomatic CDI and has been documented to contribute to new cases of CDI. Despite this knowledge, approaches to managing and preventing transmission from asymptomatically colonized patients are lacking. Enhanced cleaning, avoidance of unnecessary antimicrobials, and use of gowns and gloves for patients with CDI are the cornerstone of C. difficile management in patients with known disease. Infection control interventions to prevent transmission from asymptomatically colonized patients have not been determined.
Solution stability of the monoclonal antibody-vinca alkaloid conjugate, KS1/4-DAVLB.

A 3-month solution stability study at 5°C of the monoclonal antibody–vinca alkaloid conjugate KS1/4-DAVLB indicated that phosphate-buffered saline solutions at pH 4.5–5.5 had little tendency to lose vinca by hydrolysis, improved vinca stability, showed acceptable physical stability, and formed minimal amounts of soluble aggregates compared to solutions at pH 6.5–7.4. Hydrolysis and aggregation with concomitant loss of stability were accelerated at 30°C throughout the pH range investigated. As determined by ELISA, the binding properties of KS1/4-DAVLB to tumor antigens were not affected by pH or temperature. A formulation suitable for initial clinical trials in cancer patients is described.
Porcine small intestine submucosal graft for endoscopic skull base reconstruction.

Background Skull base defects and encephaloceles of the sinus and nasal cavities are routinely repaired endoscopically using a variety of materials including bone, cartilage, fascia, acellular dermal allografts, and xenografts, with high success rates. However, there is a paucity of data regarding the use of porcine small intestine submucosal (SIS) grafts for endoscopic dural repair. The purpose of the current study was to review outcomes using SIS grafts in the endoscopic reconstruction of skull base defects. Methods Review of prospectively collected data regarding skull base defect repair using SIS was performed. Demographics, location, and size of skull base defect, method of repair, successful closure, and complications were recorded. Results Over 4.5 years, 155 patients (mean age 49 years) underwent 170 primary skull base repairs using porcine SIS. Etiologies included tumor (76), spontaneous (51), trauma (37), and congenital (5). The majority of repairs were in combination with a nasoseptal flap (n = 113). Average defect size (length vs width) was 13 × 10.5 mm. Success rate on first attempt was 94.7% (161/170), and all defects were effectively sealed on subsequent endoscopic revision. The average follow-up was 77 weeks. Major postoperative complications, including recurrent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (9), meningitis (1), periorbital cellulitis (1), and invasive fungal sinusitis (1), occurred in 6.4% of individuals with no long-term sequelae. Conclusion Use of porcine SIS dural graft was associated with excellent outcomes in this study and evidence presented here supports its routine use in the endoscopic closure of skull base defects.