cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recreating Hmong History: An Examination of www.youtube.com Videos

This paper examines three different videos about Hmong history that have been created and uploaded onto www.youtube.com by Hmong American students during the past three years. These videos narrate a tale of Hmong history, which mainly revolve around migration and resettlement. This paper examines different aspects of these videos, including images, written text, and oral comments by interpreting visual and vocal narratives.
Serum cholesterol levels in mood disorders associated with physical violence or suicide attempts in Taiwanese.

BACKGROUND: Many previous studies have discussed the relationships between serum cholesterol levels and depression, violence and suicide in Western countries. In this paper, the relationships between serum cholesterol levels and mood disorders, physical violence and suicide attempts in Taiwanese psychiatric inpatients were reported. METHODS: A review of medical charts over a 1-year period was carried out in a population of 213 Taiwanese psychiatric inpatients that included 61 patients with affective disorders. The collected data included age, body weight, height, and serum cholesterol levels. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the serum cholesterol levels between patients with mania and major depression, between patients with and without physical violence, or between patients who had and had not made a suicide attempt using analysis of covariance after age or body mass index adjustment. CONCLUSION: Due to the limitations of case numbers and study methods, the results need to be further clarified with larger numbers of patients and in controlled studies. Language: en
Applications of phosphorescent materials for in-vivo imaging of brain structure and function

A number of approaches have been developed for in-vivo imaging of neural function at the time scale of action potentials and at the spatial resolution of individual neurons. Remarkable results have been obtained with optogenetics, although the need for genetic modification is an important limitation of these approaches. Similarly, voltage and ion-sensitive dyes allow for optical imaging of action potentials but toxicity remains a problem. Additionally, optical techniques are often only able to be used up to a limited depth. Our preliminary work has shown that nanoparticles of common phosphorescent materials, believed to be generally non-toxic, specifically lutetium oxide and strontium aluminate, can be utilized for cellular imaging, for tomographic imaging, and that the particles can be designed to adhere to neurons. Additionally, lutetium oxide has been shown to be highly X-ray luminescent, potentially allowing for imaging deep within the brain, if the particles can be targeted properly. In ex vivo experiments, we have shown that the phosphorescence of strontium aluminate particles is significantly affected by electric fields similar in strength to those found in the vicinity of the cellular membrane of a neuron. This phenomenon is consistent with early published reports in the electroluminescence literature, namely the Gudden-Pohl effect. We will show results of the ex vivo imaging and dynamic electrical stimulation experiments. We will also show some preliminary ex vivo cell culture results, and will describe plans for future research, focusing on potential in both cell cultures and in vivo for animal models.
Examining a New “Pay-as-You-Go” Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Model: A Case Study

In the traditional community-supported agriculture (CSA) model, members “pay up-front” for a seasonal subscription to the farm and receive, in return, a weekly box of farm-fresh produce. Long-term sustainability depends on high levels of member retention and/or recruitment. Low retention rates have led some CSAs to offer non-produce items, to allow customers to choose box contents, or to use a “pay-as-you-go” model. This research aimed to provide insight into the viability of a flexible pay-as-you-go CSA by examining member characteristics, motivations for joining and maintaining membership, and dietary behavior. An anonymous e-mail-linked survey was sent to current and former J&P Organics farm CSA subscribers. A total of 536 respondents were placed into 4 groups based on ordering frequency (ranging from weekly to fewer than 1 box per month). This study’s findings strongly indicate that a flexible pay-as-you-go CSA subscription model would increase CSA subscriber membership and possibly frequency of order...
The Talking Oppression Blues

(2000). The Talking Oppression Blues. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 83-97.
A UNIQUE CAUSE OF PULMONARY ARTERY OBSTRUCTION AND SYNCOPE DURING PREGNANCY

When evaluating syncope in a young pregnant patient, the most likely causes include pulmonary embolism (PE) and cardiac arrhythmia. We present an unusual cause of syncope masquerading as PE. A 26 year old female, 14 weeks pregnant, presented with dyspnea, chest discomfort and syncope. On
Prednisone (M.S.D.) in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis; preliminary report.

SummaryThe clinical effect of Prednisone (M.S.D.) was investigated in 29 outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis. It was found that Prednisone (M.S.D.) is an effective antirheumatic drug.The side effects were not serious.
Track structure, lesion development, and cell survival.

A stochastic track-structure-dependent model is presented based on DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) interacting in a time- and distance-dependent manner, and in competition with DSB repair, to form exchange-type chromosomal aberrations. Many models of cell survival involve estimation of mean numbers of lesions per cell, which is then related to cell survival. Unless this relationship is linear, this implies that a cell responds not to the number of lesions produced in it, but to the mean number of lesions in all the exposed cells; this is clearly unrealistic, particularly for phenomena such as saturation. In contrast to such deterministic approaches, we describe a stochastic model, in which individual cells are considered and exposed to Monte Carlo-generated tracks of various radiations. The elementary sublesions produced (DSBs) diffuse, repair, or interact, forming lesions (chromosomal exchange-type aberrations) in a time- and distance-dependent manner. Results agree well with experiments for survival of ...
Impact of Laboratory Vacuum Contact Drying on Material Drying Rates and Physical Properties

In this study, the effect of different laboratory vacuum contact drying methods on the drying rates and physical properties of Lactose FastFlo 316, Avicel PH200, and an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) were investigated. The influence of various types of dryers (conical screw, tray, and rotary drying on the drying) performance of Lactose FastFlo 316 was investigated. Conical screw drying was found to produce the best drying performance, but considerable attrition and agglomeration was observed. Tray drying was found to have the poorest drying performance with the greatest degree of particle agglomeration being observed when compared to rotary and conical screw drying. The impact of the various types of dryers on the particle size and size distribution of Avicel PH200 was found to be minimal when compared to the reference. For rotary drying, the effects of drying temperature, initial moisture content, median particle size input, vacuum pressure, and rotary speed on the drying rate and particle size d...
Assessment of accuracy and precision of 3D reconstruction of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty in upright position using biplanar radiography

This study aimed to evaluate the precision and accuracy of 3D reconstruction of UKA component position, contact location and lower limb alignment in standing position using biplanar radiograph. Two human specimens with 4 medial UKAs were implanted with beads for radiostereometric analysis (RSA). The specimens were frozen in standing position and CT-scanned to obtain relative positions between the beads, bones and UKA components. The specimens were then imaged using biplanar radiograph (EOS). The positions of the femur, tibia, UKA components and UKA contact locations were obtained using RSA- and EOS-based techniques. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for inter-observer reliability of the EOS technique. The average (standard deviation) of the differences between two techniques in translations and rotations were less than 0.18 (0.29) mm and 0.39° (0.66°) for UKA components. The root-mean-square-errors (RMSE) of contact location along the anterior/posterior and medial/lateral directions were 0.84mm and 0.30mm. The RMSEs of the knee rotations were less than 1.70°. The ICCs for the EOS-based segmental orientations between two raters were larger than 0.98. The results suggest the EOS-based 3D reconstruction technique can precisely determine component position, contact location and lower limb alignment for UKA patients in weight-bearing standing position.
Abnormal bleeding in the climacteric.

SUMMARY In the perimenopausal years, we encounter a situation where the normal diminution in reproductive capacity, with its resulting disruption of the normal menstrual hormonal pattern, coincides with a very real risk of pelvic pathology. Limitation in the ability to diagnose and to treat these patients conservatively has in the past resulted in a high rate of hysterectomy. With increased understanding of the normal physiology of this stage of transition and with improved diagnostic tools, we are now able to come to a definitive diagnosis in most patients (Fig. 1). This ability to assure the diagnosis has made it much easier to counsel the patient confidently about the appropriate course of action. We will continue to encounter the problem of hysterectomy for bleeding with no histologic lesion being found. Although reviewers’ letters may be considered an unnecessary thorn in the side, the improved practice that has resulted from these efforts gives strong support to their continued activities. We can have confidence that our treatment plan evolved in a logical manner and offers our patients a high probability of benefit at justifiable risk.
Investigate the Glass Transition Temperature of Hyperbranched Copolymers with Segmented Monomer Sequence

Hyperbranched copolymers with segmented structures were synthesized using a chain-growth copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) polymerization via sequential monomer addition in one pot. Three AB2-type monomers that contained one alkynyl group (A), two azido groups (B), and one dangling group, either benzyl or oligo(ethylene oxide) (EOx, x = 3 and 7.5), were used in these CuAAC reactions. Varying the addition sequences and feed ratios of the monomers produced a variety of hyperbranched copolymers with tunable compositions, molecular weights, segmented structures, and consequently glass transition temperature (Tg). It was found that the Tg of hyperbranched copolymers was little affected by the polymer molecular weights when Mn ≥ 5000. However, the values of Tg were significantly determined by the compositions of the terminal groups and the outermost segment of the hyperbranched copolymers. The last added AB2 monomer in the polymerization formed an outermost “shell” and shielded the contributio...
Effect of Diels–Alder Reaction in C60-Tetracene Photovoltaic Devices

Developing organic photovoltaic materials systems requires a detailed understanding of the heterojunction interface, as it is the foundation for photovoltaic device performance. The bilayer fullerene/acene system is one of the most studied models for testing our understanding of this interface. We demonstrate that the fullerene and acene molecules chemically react at the heterojunction interface, creating a partial monolayer of a Diels–Alder cycloadduct species. Furthermore, we show that the reaction occurs during standard deposition conditions and that thermal annealing increases the concentration of the cycloadduct. The cycloaddition reaction reduces the number of sites available at the interface for charge transfer exciton recombination and decreases the charge transfer state reorganization energy, increasing the open circuit voltage. The submonolayer quantity of the cycloadduct renders it difficult to identify with conventional characterization techniques; we use atom probe tomography to overcome this...
Adaptation of a paradigm for examining the development of fear beliefs through the verbal information pathway in preschool-age children.

Abstract Verbal threat information has been shown to induce fear beliefs in school-age children (i.e. 6–12 years; for a review see Muris & Field, 2010). The current study adapted an existing paradigm (Field & Lawson, 2003) to examine the impact of verbal threat information on self-report and behavioral measures of fear in preschool-age children. Thirty children (aged 3–5) were provided with threat, positive, or no information about three novel Australian marsupials. There was a significant increase in fear belief for the animal associated with threat information compared to the animal associated with positive or no information. Verbal threat information did not impact behavioral avoidance in the complete sample; however, findings from an exploratory subgroup analysis excluding three-year-olds indicated that children demonstrated significant behavioral avoidance for the threat condition compared to the positive condition. These findings provide additional support for Rachman's theory of fear acquisition (1977, 1991) and suggest this paradigm may be used to examine the age at which verbal threat information becomes a relevant mode of fear acquisition for young children.
An optimal energy co-scheduling framework for smart buildings

Abstract The Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system accounts for nearly half of the energy consumption of a typical building. Additionally, the need for HVAC changes over hours and days as does the electric energy price. Level of comfort of the building occupants is, however, a primary concern, which tends to overwrite pricing. Dynamic HVAC control under a dynamic energy pricing model while meeting an acceptable level of occupants' comfort is thus critical to achieve energy efficiency in buildings in a sustainable manner. Finally, there is the possibility that the building is equipped with some renewable sources of power such as solar panels mounted on the rooftop. The presence of Hybrid Electrical Energy Storage (HEES) system in a target building would enable peak power shaving by adopting a suitable charging and discharging schedule for each Electrical Energy Storage (EES) element, while simultaneously meeting building energy efficiency and user comfort requirements. Achieving this goal requires detailed information (or predictions) about the amount of local power generation from the renewable source plus the power consumption load of the building. This paper addresses the co-scheduling problem of HVAC control and HEES system management to achieve energy-efficient smart buildings, while also accounting for the degradation of the battery state-of-health during charging and discharging operations (which in turn determines the amortized cost of owning and utilizing a battery storage system). A time-of-use dynamic pricing scenario is assumed and various energy loss components are considered, including power dissipation in the power conversion circuitry, the rate capacity effect in the batteries, and the self-discharge in the super-capacitor. A global optimization framework targeting the entire billing cycle is presented and an adaptive co-scheduling algorithm is provided to dynamically update the optimal HVAC air flow control and the HEES system management in each time slot during the billing cycle to mitigate the prediction error of unknown parameters. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm achieves up to 10% in the total electric utility cost compared with some baseline methods.
Abstract 4985: Notch1 as a key mediator in promoting advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer

The first line of treatment for men with advanced prostate cancers is androgen deprivation therapy. However, the disease commonly relapses in its lethal metastatic form referred to as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). CRPC is the primary cause of prostate cancer specific mortality in men. Current therapies including chemotherapeutic agents improve median overall survival by only few months. The mechanisms that distinguish clinically localized indolent tumors from lethal CRPC are unclear. Here we demonstrate that ectopic expression of Notch1 promotes progression to poorly differentiated carcinoma when combined with pathways that are altered in advanced disease but are insufficient to drive aggressive prostate cancer alone. Notch1 driven tumors are resistant to androgen deprivation. Transcriptional profiling reveals that these tumors display features of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, a morphological change associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis. Our study provides the first functional evidence that Notch1 signaling axis is a key mediator in promoting advanced prostate cancer and may represent a new therapeutic target for the advanced disease. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Tanya Stoyanova, Claire Faltermeier, Bryan Smith, Andrew Goldstein, Xi Zhang, Justin Drake, John Lee, Sandra Orellana, Steven Blum, Donghui Cheng, Kenneth Pienta, Jiaoti Huang, Owen Witte. Notch1 as a key mediator in promoting advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4985. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4985
The Asymmetric Nature of Decision Errors in Multi-Criteria, Satisficing Decisions

This paper centers on an asymmetry, or bias, in the accuracy of multi-criteria, conjunctive and disjunctive decisions, which originates from fundamental properties of the logical conjunction and disjunction operations. A series of Monte Carlo simulations demonstrates that, as we keep adding criteria to a multi-criteria satisficing decision rule, errors in the data produce decision errors asymmetrically. As a result, in conjunctive decisions, the probability of a false negative increases steadily while the probability of a false positive decreases. In contrast, in disjunctive decisions, as we keep adding criteria, the probability of a false positive increases while that of a false negative decreases. Take, for instance, a conjunctive business decision where the individual decision criteria do not exhibit a substantially higher probability of a false positive than a false negative. In such a decision, the probability of overlooking a bargain can be far greater than the probability of misjudging an unattractive offer to be a good one .
Relativistic Effects on Electron–Nucleus Hyperfine Coupling Studied with an Exact 2-Component (X2C) Hamiltonian

An exact 2-component (X2C) transformation of the one-electron Hamiltonian is used to transform nuclear hyperfine magnetic field operators from the 4-component Dirac picture to 2-component form. Numerical applications are concerned with hyperfine coupling constants of one-electron and many-electron atoms, as well as the HgH radical, using spin-unrestricted scalar X2C Hartree–Fock and Kohn–Sham theory. Reference data for 2-component generalized-collinear X2C calculations, including spin–orbit coupling, are also provided for selected cases. Calculations for one-electron atomic n s states with n = 1–3 show that the X2C transformed hyperfine operators give accurate hyperfine coupling constants. Kohn–Sham one-electron self-interaction errors for these states are small. The performance of the X2C transformed hyperfine operator for many-electron systems is also promising. The method is straightforward to implement in codes using spin-unrestricted (1-component) or 2-component spinor orbitals.
Thermal aging characteristics of bottom sands in acid open hearth furnaces

It may be that an understanding of the development of a liquid phase from the disordered silica upon the surface of new sand grains and the development of the liquid transition phase from crystalline quartz will lead to improved operation in acid open hearth furnaces. The existence of such liquid phase appears to have a relation to the formation of gas cavities in steel castings and possibly contributes to the phenomenon called metal penetration.
Individual response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy assessed with optical mammography in patients with breast cancer

We report an optical mammography study on eight patients with breast cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Of these eight patients, six were responders (tumor size decreased by more than 50%) and two were nonresponders (tumor size decreased by less than 50%). The goals of this study are (1) to characterize the temporal evolution of the hemoglobin concentration ([HbT]) and saturation (SO2) in breast tissue during the course of treatment in responders and non-responders, and (2) to define a quantitative index that is capable of identifying responders and nonresponders during treatment. We found that both [HbT] and SO2 decreased by a greater amount in responders than in non-responders during therapy. This result applied to both cancerous and healthy breast, but the discrimination of responders and non-responders was more significant with SO2 measurements in the cancerous breast. A cumulative response index defined in terms of SO2 measurements in the cancerous breast achieved a 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity for the identification of responders and non-responders at therapy midpoint. These results confirm the potential of optical mammography in assessing response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy during treatment, thus offering the opportunity to consider alternative options to ineffective treatment regimens.
Systems analysis of dynamic transcription factor activity identifies targets for treatment in Olaparib resistant cancer cells

The development of resistance to targeted therapeutics is a challenging issue for the treatment of cancer. Cancers that have mutations in BRCA, a DNA repair protein, have been treated with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, which target a second DNA repair mechanism with the aim of inducing synthetic lethality. While these inhibitors have shown promise clinically, the development of resistance can limit their effectiveness as a therapy. This study investigated mechanisms of resistance in BRCA-mutated cancer cells (HCC1937) to Olaparib (AZD2281) using TRACER, a technique for measuring dynamics of transcription factor (TF) activity in living cells. TF activity was monitored in the parental HCC1937 cell line and two distinct resistant cell lines, one with restored wild-type BRCA1 and one with acquired resistance independent of BRCA1 for 48 h during treatment with Olaparib. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) was used to categorize the three cell types based on TF activity, and network analysis was used to investigate the mechanism of early response to Olaparib in the study cells. NOTCH signaling was identified as a common pathway linked to resistance in both Olaparib-resistant cell types. Western blotting confirmed upregulation of NOTCH protein, and sensitivity to Olaparib was restored through co-treatment with a gamma secretase inhibitor. The identification of NOTCH signaling as a common pathway contributing to PARP inhibitor resistance by TRACER indicates the efficacy of transcription factor dynamics in identifying targets for intervention in treatment-resistant cancer and provides a new method for determining effective strategies for directed chemotherapy. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2085-2095. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Respectable Brotherhood: Young Black Men in an All-boys Charter High School

Neoliberal public school reform has revitalized efforts to open unique all-male schools for black boys. Existing research stresses how these black male academies nurture resilience but has failed to examine what makes these schools distinctive. Drawing on one year of ethnographic research, this article demonstrates how Northside Academy, an all-male charter high school, built a respectable brotherhood. Modeled after elite all-male institutions, Northside’s classics curriculum and professional uniform marked its young men as having disciplined minds and bodies, destined for college and a middle-class future. Yet to maintain legitimacy within a competitive environment, the school community drew moral boundaries between its exceptional young men and those delinquent boys most in crisis. This engaged a respectability politics where upwardly mobile black men reject their more marginalized peers for failing to reform their character. This study’s findings extend knowledge of single-sex public schools and of the...
Asymptotic Solutions of the Korteweg-deVries Equation

The long-time asymptotic solution of the Korteweg-deVries equation, corresponding to initial data which decay rapidly as |x|∞ and produce no solitons, is found to be considerably more complicated than previously reported. In general, the asymptotic solution consists of exponential decay, similarity, rapid oscillations and a “collisionless shock” layer. The wave amplitude in this layer decays as [(lnt)/t]2/3. Only for very special initial conditions is the shock layer absent from the solution.
Optimum Synthesis of Oscillating Slide Actuators for Mechatronic Applications

Abstract The oscillating-slide inversion of the slider-crank mechanism, commonly symbolized R P RR, is widely used to convert the displacement of an input linear motor (either electric, hydraulic or pneumatic), into the swing motion of a rocker. This paper discusses the optimum kinematic synthesis of the centric R P RR mechanisms for prescribed limit positions, while simultaneously satisfying either (i) minimum deviation from 90° of its transmission angle, (ii) maximum mechanical advantage, or (iii) linear correlation between the input- and output-link motions. To assist practicing engineers, step-by-step design procedures, together with performance charts and parametric design charts are also provided in the paper.
Disinfection of Acinetobacter baumannii-contaminated surfaces relevant to medical treatment facilities with ultraviolet C light.

The efficacy of ultraviolet C (UVC) light (100–280 nm) in the decontamination of three hospital-related surfaces, namely, unpainted/painted aluminum (bed railings), stainless steel (operating tables), and scrubs (laboratory coats), was investigated. Acinetobacter baumannii cells were inoculated (105 or 10 3 cells) on small coupons and dried overnight in a class II biosafety cabinet. Drying resulted in 50% loss of viability. The UVC fluence of 90 J/m2 was observed to be very effective in the decontamination of cells from all metal coupon surfaces (complete killing). However, the same fluence was ineffective in the decontamination of scrubs. The effectiveness of two other common disinfection practices, that is, 15 minutes of boiling or spraying with 70% ethanol, was investigated for the scrubs. Although ethanol treatment was ineffective, the boiling treatment was very effective (complete killing). These results establish that metal surfaces can be decontaminated with UVC irradiation and boiling treatment is effective for scrub decontamination.
The 3rd Life Church or Cybernaut versus Avatar

The avatar named Mosmax Hax is Cybernaut and Shape-shifter.1 Unable to believe in the inner thoughts of the 3rd Life Church, due to be human, one can refer to the avatars involved in this issue. The absurd manifesto of the avatars claims to be enfranchised from the mankind. The research to be presented in the paper is an equally absurd arts research on time, noise (white noise2), the Ghost in the Shell (infosphere scenario: evolutionary, hybrid, post-cyberpunk reality). In a narration, the declared intention of the avatars, met in the metaverse Second Life, where this research started, will be shown. If we accept the Eigensinn (Habermas, Intercultural Transfer and National Eigensinn, 1967) and a “consciousness of avatars”, the list of possible questions never end. Should avatars reference to data streams of the network, our mankind history, 0 and 1 as God and Devil? Or is there base layer re-ontology and Info sphere? What about migration, moral and polarity of the EULA between cybernauts and avatars?
Plasticity of intrinsic excitability

Although modern theories of memory storage have focused on enduring experience-dependent modifications of synaptic efficacy, learning paradigms, as well as patterns of electrical stimulation of neurons and neural pathways, also produce persistent changes in intrinsic neuronal excitability. These changes in intrinsic excitability are due to modifications of membrane conductances, which can be neuron wide or expressed locally in restricted membrane compartments, such as the dendrites. These intrinsic changes may function as part of the engram itself. They may also serve as adaptive mechanisms to shape the stimulus specificity of the learned response, or as mechanisms through which a neural circuit is set to a permissive state to facilitate the occurrence of synaptic modifications necessary for memory formation and retrieval.
3D Conformal RT

Optic nerve sheath meningiomas (ONSM) are rare tumors that account for 1%–2% of all meningiomas. Radiation therapy (RT) is regarded as the treatment of choice for patients with ONSM when serviceable vision is still present. Data in the literature show promising results with the use of RT for ONSM. Apart from tumor control, improvement of vision can also be observed. Before the advent of three-dimensional (3D) image-based planning, critical structures such as the optic nerves, optic chiasm, pituitary, and eyes as well as normal brain parenchyma frequently received a high dose of radiation leading to a greater risk for acute and late complications. With the use of 3D conformal RT, the tumor and those critical structures can be accurately outlined. Improved tumor coverage and sparing of critical structures can be readily achieved. The published data on the use of 3D conformal RT for ONSM documenting its efficacy and limited toxicity is sparse. Meticulous treatment planning is necessary to optimize the therapeutic ratio.
Climate change beliefs in an agricultural context: what is the role of values held by farming and non-farming groups?

Climate change in many agricultural contexts will increase tensions between farming and non-farming populations over adaptations in land use and water conservation strategies. How adequately these future tensions may be mitigated will be partially determined by each groups' beliefs about climate change. A voluminous literature shows that climate change beliefs are crucial for understanding engagement with climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, and that values motivate climate change beliefs, but the role of values remains unclear, and comparisons of farming and non-farming populations are scant. We develop a model of climate change beliefs that integrates four main motivating factors - values, political ideology, knowledge, and worldview - and we explicitly compare members of farming and non-farming populations in an agricultural watershed in the Central Great Plains, USA. Our findings highlight the role of held values in motivating climate change beliefs and point to areas of potential consensus and tension within and among members of these two groups. The results provide an empirical basis for developing future climate change engagement strategies in contexts of growing divides and conflicts among farming and non-farming groups.
Water Vapor Sorption, Diffusion, and Dilation in Polybenzimidazoles

Polybenzimidazoles (PBIs) have been investigated for use as gas separation membranes due to their thermal stability and good H2/CO2 separation performance at elevated temperatures. However, PBIs are hydrophilic, and effects of water vapor on PBI separation performance are essentially unexplored. This study investigates water sorption, diffusion, and dilation of a commercial PBI, Celazole, and a recently synthesized sulfonyl-containing PBI, TADPS-TPA. Water binds strongly to both polymers and requires elevated temperatures for removal. Water vapor sorption in Celazole follows dual-mode behavior up to unit activity, while upward concavity is observed at high activities in the TADPS-TPA sorption isotherm. Both PBIs swell significantly in water, and desorption hysteresis suggests water-induced conditioning of the PBI matrix. Model fits of dilation behavior enable estimation of partial molar volume and water-accessible fractional free volume (FFV) as a function of water activity. Water vapor diffusion coeffici...
Variation in rod spectral sensitivity of fishes is best predicted by habitat and depth

Rod spectral sensitivity data (λmax ), measured by microspectrophotometry, were compiled for 403 species of ray-finned fishes in order to examine four hypothesized predictors of rod spectral sensitivity (depth, habitat, diet and temperature). From this database, a subset of species that were known to be adults and available on a published phylogeny (n = 210) were included in analysis, indicating rod λmax values averaging 503 nm and ranging from 477 to 541 nm. Linear models that corrected for phylogenetic relatedness showed that variation in rod sensitivity was best predicted by habitat and depth, with shorter wavelength λmax values occurring in fishes found offshore or in the deep sea. Neither diet, nor the interaction of diet and habitat, had significant explanatory power. Although temperature significantly correlated with rod sensitivity, in that fishes in temperate latitudes had longer wavelength rod λmax values than those in tropical latitudes, sampling inequity and other confounds require the role of the temperature to be studied further. Together, these findings indicate that fish rod λmax is influenced by several ecological factors, suggesting that selection can act on even small differences in fish spectral sensitivity.
Tail, Tusk, and Trunk: What Different Metrics Reveal About Racial Disproportionality in School Discipline

There are substantial racial disparities in school discipline but little agreement on how best to measure them. The choice of metric can influence conclusions about the magnitude of racial discipli...
A critical assessment of exhaustivity for Negative Polarity Items: The view from Greek, Korean, Mandarin, and English

In some recent works on negative polarity, exhaustivity is posited as the single defining property of all negative polarity item (NPI) and free choice item (FCI) paradigms. Chierchia (2006; 2013), ...
The Role of Dark Money Disclosure on Candidate Evaluations and Viability

Abstract The post-Citizens United election environment has allowed more actors with deep pockets to sponsor political advertising, exposing many voters to a barrage of ads from a multitude of new g...
Optimal control strategies for hollow core ventilated slab systems

Abstract This paper evaluated potential operational cost savings associated with optimal control strategies for hollow core ventilated slab systems used to maintain indoor thermal comfort for office buildings. First, a simplified calculation method was developed to convert two-dimensional (2D) modeling of ventilated slab thermal performance to one-dimensional (1D) analysis in order to reduce computational efforts required for optimization search while maintaining acceptable accuracy level. The total energy costs were considered to identify optimal control strategies to operate ventilated slab systems to cool and heat office spaces. Penalty functions restricted the optimization search to ensure that indoor thermal comfort was maintained during occupancy periods. Then, the consecutive time block optimization (CTBO) technique was used with a genetic algorithm (GA) based search method to identify strategies that minimize the operational costs of the ventilated slab systems. A comparative analysis was carried out to evaluate the impact of ventilated slab systems’ design properties on the optimal operational cost savings. The results of the optimization analysis showed that the proposed optimal controller can achieve up to 11% cost savings to operate ventilated slab systems.
Neuroretinal rim response to transient changes in intraocular pressure in healthy non-human primate eyes

Abstract Optic nerve head (ONH) neuroretinal rim thickness, quantified as minimum rim width (BMO-MRW), is a sensitive measure for assessing early glaucomatous disease. The BMO-MRW is sensitive to transient fluctuations in intraocular pressure (IOP), but the time course over which BMO-MRW decreases and recovers with changes in IOP remains unknown. The goal of this study was to investigate the dynamics of BMO-MRW changes over 2-h periods of mild or moderate IOP elevation, and subsequent recovery, in healthy non-human primate eyes. Eight non-human primates were included in the study. For each animal, in two different sessions separated by at least 2 weeks, the anterior chamber IOP of one eye was maintained at either 25 mmHg or 40 mmHg for 2 h and, subsequently, at 10 mmHg for 2 h. For the duration of anterior chamber cannulation, optical coherence tomography (OCT) radial scans centered on the ONH were acquired every 5 min and used to quantify BMO-MRW. An exponential decay or rise to maximum function was used to determine the extent and rate of structural change. Additionally, Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) area, BMO height/displacement, and BMO-referenced anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth (BMO-ALCSD) were computed from radial scans. A circular scan was used to quantify retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and circumpapillary choroid thickness. The primary results demonstrated that the BMO-MRW changed over an extended duration, while BMO displacement was rapid and remained stable with sustained IOP. The mean maximum predicted BMO-MRW thinning following 2 h of IOP elevation was significantly related to pressure (34.2 ± 13.8 μm for an IOP of 25 mmHg vs 40.5 ± 12.6 μm for 40 mmHg, p = 0.03). The half-life for BMO-MRW thinning was 21.9 ± 9.2 min for 25 mmHg and 20.9 ± 4.2 min for 40 mmHg, not significantly different between IOP levels (p = 0.76). Subsequently, after 2 h of IOP at 10 mmHg, all animals exhibited partial recovery of BMO-MRW with similar degrees of persistent residual thinning for the two IOP levels (21.5 ± 13.7 vs 21.0 ± 12.3 μm, p = 0.88). Similar to BMO-MRW, choroid thickness exhibited gradual thinning with IOP elevation and residual thinning following IOP reduction. However, there was no significant change in BMO area or BMO-ALCSD in either experimental session. The RNFLT gradually decreased over the duration of IOP elevation, with continued decreases following IOP reduction for the 40 mmHg session, resulting in total changes from baseline of −2.24 ± 0.81 and −2.45 ± 1.21 μm for 25 and 40 mmHg, respectively (p
Factors affecting survival of California juniper in its lower elevational range in the northwestern Sonoran Desert

Juniperus californica (California juniper; Cupressaceae) occurs in a variety of habitats, including pinyon-juniper woodlands and high elevation desert scrub in the northwestern Sonoran Desert. The goal was to determine how much physiological and structural plasticity and microclimate allow J. californica to survive in desert scrub. We hypothesized that individuals in the desert scrub (Agave Hill) coped with greater water stress by limiting xylem cavitation and exhibiting greater stomatal control than individuals in the pinyon-juniper woodland (Pinyon Crest). Additionally, J. californica were expected to occur in cooler microhabitats in the desert scrub, which should have more available soil water than the surroundings. Hypotheses were tested by examining climate data, as well as the morphology, physiology, wood anatomy, and canopy and soil temperatures for individuals at both sites. Agave Hill received less rainfall and the air and soil temperatures were significantly warmer than at Pinyon Crest. Individuals were larger at Pinyon Crest than at Agave Hill; however, water relations and maximum quantum efficiency of Photosystem II did not differ between sites. Plants at Agave Hill had lower CO2 uptake in the autumn and suffered greater dieback during the study; stomatal conductance was also lower at Agave Hill. Average native xylem embolism and wood anatomy did not differ with site; however, xylem embolism did increase as plant shoot volume decreased at Agave Hill. The results indicate that J. californica exists in desert scrub by occupying washes and altering its morphology through reduced growth and dieback during stressful periods.
Ulam-Hyers-Rassias Stability and Existence of Solutions to Nonlinear Fractional Difference Equations with Multipoint Summation Boundary Condition

The purpose of this study is to acquire some conditions that reveal existence and stability for solutions to a class of difference equations with non-integer order ώ ∈ (1, 2]. The required conditions are obtained by applying the technique of contraction principle for uniqueness and Schauder’s fixed point theorem for existence. Also, we establish some conditions under which the solution of the considered class of difference equations is generalized Ulam-Hyers-Rassias stable. Example for the illustration of results is given.
Collector efficiency for hydrosol deep-bed filtration of non-Brownian particles at low and finite Reynolds numbers

Abstract Aqueous filtration systems with granular media are increasingly implemented as a unit operation for the treatment of urban waters. Many of these aqueous filtration systems are designed with coarse granular media and are therefore subject to finite granular Reynolds numbers ( R e g ). In contrast to the R e g conditions generated by such designs, current hydrosol filtration models, such as the Yao and RT models, rely on a flow solution that is derived within the Stokes limit at low R e g . In systems that are subject to these finite and higher R e g regimes, the collector efficiency has not been examined. Therefore, in this study, we develop a 3D periodic porosity-compensated face-centered cubic sphere (PCFCC) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, with the surface interactions incorporated, to investigate the collector efficiency for R e g ranging from 0.01 to 20. Particle filtration induced by interception and sedimentation is examined for non-Brownian particles ranging from 1 to 100 μm under favorable surface interactions for particle adhesion. The results from the CFD-based PCFCC model agreed well with those of the classical RT and Yao models for R e g N G * , for the initial deep-bed filtration efficiency at lower yet finite (0.01 to 20) R e g . The proposed PCFCC model has low computational cost and is extensibile from vertical to horizontal filtration at low and finite R e g .
“That is when I changed and my whole life changed”: Turning points in health perceptions among LGBTQ adults of color

This study explored turning points in health perceptions among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) adults of color living in a major US city. Turning points in health perceptions...
The Hedgehog signaling domain was acquired from a prokaryote.

The presence of well-conserved N-terminal Hh domains in several bacterial strains indicates that the metazoan Hedgehog (Hh) gene was acquired via horizontal gene transfer from bacteria. The bilaterian and cnidarian Hh proteins are rooted within the bacterial clade, while the cnidarian hedgling protein forms the outgroup. This relationship indicates that the N-terminal signaling part of the Hh proteins was acquired from a bacterium, and not from the hedgling protein.
A Hedonic Price Comparison of Manufactured and Site-Built Homes in the Non-MSA U.S.

This study used the hedonic price technique to focus on a housing characteristic that has been studied infrequently: whether a home is site-built or manufactured. Two hedonic price regression model...
Barriers and Challenges to Cervical Cancer Screening, Follow.Up, and Prevention Measures among Korean Immigrant Women in Hawaii

Objective: Despite being the fastest-growing population in the United States, Asian American women have one of the lowest cancer screening rates and the least attention given to cancer-related research. Cervical cancer screening disparities among Korean immigrant women (KIWs) in Hawaii have been reported. Methods: The qualitative ethnographic study was to explore the health barriers and challenges of cervical cancer prevention among KIWs in Hawaii. The Social Ecological Model was used to guide the study. Data were collected using individual structured interviews with 20 KIWs aged 21–65 years. The data were coded and analyzed to identify themes in exploring health barriers. Results: The findings revealed that participants (a) lacked knowledge about the U.S. health-care system; (b) lacked access; (c) had limited resources regarding cervical cancer screening communicated in Korean; (d) lacked an understanding of cultural and psychosocial beliefs on preventive care; (e) lacked female and Korean-speaking providers; and (f) experienced language barriers and limited coverage of health insurance. Conclusions: A multicomponent intervention combining individual and community-based, Internet-accessible, culturally, and linguistically appropriate approaches may enhance effective cervical cancer screening rates and positive health outcomes among KIWs in Hawaii.
101 A ketamine pathway: responding to a need for quality improvement in ketamine burst therapy

Background Ketamine is an anaesthetic agent which can be used to treat pain that is unresponsive to standard treatments. Patients are admitted to the hospice inpatient unit to receive ketamine burst therapy over a five-day period. An audit was conducted to compare current practice against standards derived from regional guidelines. Methods A retrospective case note audit was completed in July 2020 and using the controlled drugs register, 20 hospice inpatients were identified as having received ketamine burst therapy over the prior three years. The electronic case notes were subsequently analysed. Results Of the 20 patients who received ketamine, 17 (85%) completed the five-day regimen. Prior to commencing treatment, all patients had a clearly documented rationale and indication and 13 patients (65%) received counselling regarding the risks and benefits. Monitoring of respiratory rate and conscious level at baseline and during treatment was significantly below standard. Only a small proportion of patients (10%) had adequate monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate during treatment; with 4 patients (20%) having documented evidence of a significant rise in either heart rate or blood pressure. Of these, 3 received a ketamine dose alteration. Conclusion The audit findings strongly suggested that monitoring during ketamine burst therapy was suboptimal and fell below regional standards. As this posed a potential patient safety issue, the findings were presented at a local audit meeting. In response, a Ketamine Pathway was developed to enhance and standardise patient care for those receiving ketamine burst therapy. The Ketamine Pathway outlines recommendations for counselling, opioid dose reduction prior to treatment and twice daily monitoring of vital signs during treatment.It also includes a pre-populated prescription and vital sign monitoring chart. Early evaluation of the use of the Ketamine Pathway in clinical practice is encouraging and re-audit is planned for 2021.