cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thiourea-catalysed ring opening of episulfonium ions with indole derivatives by means of stabilizing non-covalent interactions

Arylpyrrolidino amidothiourea catalysts are shown to catalyse the enantioselective ring-opening of episulfonium ions by indole derivatives. Catalysis and enantioinduction are achieved by selective transition-state stabilization of the major pathway in the rate- and selectivity-determining step through a network of attractive anion-binding, cation–π and hydrogen-bonding interactions between the catalyst and the reacting partners.
SIR-C data quality and calibration results

The SIR-C/X-SAR imaging radar took its first flight on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in April 1994 and flew for a second time in October 1994. This multifrequency radar has fully polarimetric capability at L- and C-band, and a single polarization at X-band (X-SAR). The Endeavour missions were designated the Space Radar Laboratory-1 (SRL-1) and -2 (SRL-2). Calibration of polarimetric L- and C-band data for all the different modes SIR-C offers is an especially complicated problem. The solution involves extensive analysis of pre-flight test data to come up with a model of the system, analysis of in-flight test data to determine the antenna pattern and gains of the system during operation, and analysis of data from over fourteen calibration sites distributed around the SIR-C/X-SAR orbit track. The SRL missions were the first time a multifrequency polarimetric imaging radar employing a phased array antenna has been flown in space. Calibration of SIR-C data products involved some unique technical problems given the complexity of the radar system. In this paper, the approach adopted for calibration of SIR-C data is described and the calibration performance of the data products is presented. >
Regional Consequences of Structural Changes in the National and International Division of Labor

This paper argues that for the past two decades regional scientists have not been successful in anticipating structural changes in the spatial division of labor. A major reason has been the excessive emphasis placed on static analytic constructs based on city sizes and systems of cities. A more instructive approach would analyze the dynamic interrelations among the three functional levels through which changes in the division of labor operate, that is, workplaces, business organization, and spatial systems. The product cycle, the manufacturing process cycle, and a more broadly conceived view of regional production processes are considered in this context.
Compact CT/SPECT small-animal imaging system

We have developed a dual-modality CT/SPECT imaging system for small-animal imaging applications. The X-ray system comprises a commercially available micro-focus X-ray tube and a CCD-based X-ray camera. X-ray transmission measurements are performed based on cone-beam geometry. Individual projections are acquired by rotating the animal about a vertical axis in front of the CCD detector. A high-resolution CT image is obtained after reconstruction using an ordered subsets-expectation maximization (OS-EM) reconstruction algorithm. The SPECT system utilizes a compact semiconductor camera module previously developed in our group. The module is mounted perpendicular to the X-ray tube/CCD combination. It consists of a 64 /spl times/ 64 pixellated CdZnTe detector and a parallel-hole tungsten collimator. The field of view is 1 square inch. Planar projections for SPECT reconstruction are obtained by rotating the animal in front of the detector. Gamma-ray and X-ray images are presented of phantoms and mice. Procedures for merging the anatomical and functional images are discussed.
Abstract WP369: Doctorate of Nursing Practice-led Transitions of Care Model for Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack

Background and Purpose: The chances of experiencing a second event are significantly increased in those with recent stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Gaps in care due to the movement of pa...
On the Derivation of the Differential Equations of Linear Shallow Shell Theory

Given that derivations of linear shallow shell theory depend on (1) geometric shallowness assumptions and (2) static shallowness assumptions it is the purpose of the present discussion to verify the less obvious validity of the second set of assumptions through the application of an iterative procedure. The result of this justification includes the observation that additional steps of the iterative procedure will be meaningful only in conjunction with simultaneous iterative improvements in regard to the geometric shallowness assumption.
Susan McHargue Dadres, Mona Hersh-Cochran, and David J. Molina, eds.: Economics from the Dismal Science to the Moral Science: The Moral Economics of Kendall P. Cochran

Institutional economists, social economists, and especially mainstream economists should read this delightful and informative collection of the works of Kendall P. Cochran. If you are an institutio...
AB43. Tuning stem cells with mechanobiological signaling

For the stem cell activation, it has been demonstrated that biological signaling plays a critical role in regulating stem cell fate, such as the soluble stem cell niche signals (growth factors and cytokines), while recent evidence confirms that regulation of stem cell fate by these soluble factors is strongly influenced by the coexisting insoluble adhesive, mechanical, and topological cues inherently contained. These insoluble biophysical cues can be sensed and transduced into intracellular biochemical and functional responses by stem cells, a process known as mechanotransduction. Importantly, these mechanotransduction processes can couple with many other potent growth-factor-mediated signaling pathways to regulate mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) fate. Scientists have attempted to drive stem cell fate through the use of chemistry (traditional biological signaling) for decades. The results obtained on stem cell dynamics with Low energy shock wave add further evidence on the feasibility of using a physical energy to drive stem cell growth and fate, and may pave new way to regenerative treatments performed without the need of stem cell transplantation. It has been reported that that mechanical force activated Wnt signaling and MyoD/Myf5 promoter were regulated by transcriptional factors from Wnt/Frizzled pathway. How the mechanical signals convert into biological signaling is not well understood now. The mechanical signals cellular transduction was consisted of two-phase procedures: cell membrane phase and nuclear phase. For the cell membrane phase, there are three components on cell membrane act as the mechanical-sensor, including the Stretch-activated ion channels (SACs), G-protein and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), and Integrin. Under the mechanical force, the cell membrane were stretched and compressed, where the three mechanical sensors were activated followed by series cellular signaling pathways activated. The nucleus phase is very quick response and almost occurred at the same time as cell membrane phase. The mechanical signals transduced into cell nucleus in five us through the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) in cell cytoplasm consisted by intergrin, laminin, dystrophin, talin, actin filaments, nesprin and SUN. The LINC connected to the Scaffold Matrix Attachment Region (SMAR) within DNA chromatin loops. It is reported that more than 97 genes were regulated by SMRA, including HSP70 (GRP78/BiP), one of the chaperone for unfolding protein response. Three major cellular signaling pathways were activated by mechanical signals directly, including Stretch-activated ion channels (SACs) cellular signaling pathway, G-protein and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) cellular signaling pathway, and Integrin/Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) cellular signaling pathway. The cross-talk among those cellular signaling pathways resulted the activation of PKC, Rho/ROCK, Ras, PIP3, MAPK, Akt pathways, and Wnt/Frizzled pathway. Importantly, the Wnt/ Frizzled pathway is the stem cell “Switch” for quiescent or activation.
SP0181 Detrimental effects of interferon alpha on angiogenesis

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have up to a 50-fold increased risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Traditional CV risk factors seem to be less important predictors of CV events than the presence of active SLE. Indeed, immune dysregulation characteristic of lupus appears to play the dominant role in atherogenesis. While both SLE-specific and non-specific mechanisms have been proposed to play a prominent role in the induction of premature vascular damage in this disease, the exact etiology remains unclear. We have proposed that an imbalance between vascular damage and repair likely induced by Interferon-α and other type I Interferons could play a prominent role in the induction of accelerated atherosclerosis in SLE. Our group and others have recently elucidated the potential role that these cytokines play in the development and progression of premature atherosclerotic disease in SLE and, potentially, in other autoimmune diseases. We have recently described some of the pathways by which IFN-alpha has deleterious effects on angiogenesis in endothelial progenitor cells and circulating angiogenic cells. Strong evidence pointing to a deleterious role of type I IFNs in aberrant vasculogenesis and atherothrombosis has recently been described by our group. More recently, a novel role for aberrant neutrophils in the development of vascular damage and abnormal vascular repair in SLE has emerged. The recent description of a distinct subset of proinflammatory neutrophils isolated from lupus patients which induces vascular damage and synthesizes type I Interferons has shed new light into a potentially important cell subset implicated in endothelial damage. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
History of reptile placentology II: WilhelmHaacke’s 1885 account of lizard viviparity

Abstract As viewed from a modern perspective, Wilhelm Haacke’s 19th century research on Australian lizards of the genus Tiliqua made significant contributions to our understanding of viviparity and placentation in squamate reptiles. He recognized the close structural relationship between the fetal membranes and the uterus through which maternal support of the embryos is accomplished. He also described the placental vasculature, the vestigial nature of the eggshell, and the lack of an egg tooth in viviparous embryos, and challenged the traditional concept of “ovoviviparity.” In recognizing that viviparity had evolved independently in reptiles and mammals, Haacke’s work foreshadowed the outpouring of research on comparative placentation of the past 50 years.
Study properties and optimization of sweet potato amylodextrins prepared in acid-alcohol media

Sweet potato starch was hydrolyzed at 79～81℃ by various acid concentration(2%,4%,6%),solvent media(75% EtOH,85% EtOH,95% EtOH) and acid treatment period(1～5h).The changes of DE(dextrose equivalent),viscidity,granular shape and the degree of hydrolysis were investigated.The result showed that the degree of hydrolysis augment as the acid concentration increased at the same alcohol concentration(85% or 95%).Viscidity of hydrolyze amylodextrin was lower than it was original corn starch.Starches hydrolyzed in 2%,4%,6% did not show granular shape changes.In 75% and 85% ethanol medium,the DE of amylodextrin was lower than it was in 95% ethanol medium.Determine DE confirm optimization of acid hydrolysis.The acid hydrolysis conditions were give as follows: acid concentration 6%,solvent media 95% EtOH,temperature 3h.
Pediatric hernias and hydroceles : the urologist's perspective

Pediatric inguinal hernias and hydroceles are due to incomplete or abnormal obliteration of the processus vaginalis. Surgical correction of these conditions is the most common surgical procedure performed on young children. The embryology, anatomy, evaluation, and management of pediatric inguinal hernias and hydroceles are reviewed. A thorough understanding of these topics will aid with the sometimes difficult decisions encountered in the care of these patients.
Performance of a Twin Cold Finger Gifford-McMahon Cryocooler

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a means of providing the necessary electrical isolation between the current leads through the use of a twin-cold-finger Gifford McMahon cryocooler which has been fabricated and run through initial performance tests. In this approach, heat is carried from the cold finger to the warm end of the GM cooler via the internal helium gas, while the electrical isolation is built in to the structure of the cooler itself. A pure metal to metal contact is allowed between each cold finger and their respective current leads - thus eliminating the previous thermal resistance, and the electrical insulation within the body of the cryocooler has no influence on the means of transferring the heat away via the helium gas. The internal structure of the GM cooler is designed to avoid an electrical breakdown in the helium gas.
Why is age such an important independent prognostic factor in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Despite the use of similar intensive chemotherapy regimens, adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) exhibit a strikingly inferior outcome when compared to children. Mirroring this difference in prognosis, childhood and adult ALL exhibit distinctive age-related differences in potential etiologic factors and underlying biology. Childhood ALL mostly occurs in industrialized countries, with a unique peak in incidence between the ages of 2 and 8 years. It is associated with features conferring a favorable response to therapy, including early pre-B cell disease and a hyperdiploid karyotype or a cryptic t(12;21) translocation. The lymphoblasts of childhood ALL appear to arise in a developmental compartment that is poised for apoptotic death and are particularly sensitive to glucocorticoids, antimetabolites, and other cytotoxic agents. In contrast, adult ALL commonly possesses the poor-prognosis Philadelphia chromosome and Is often drug-resistant. A far higher proportion of adults with ALL present with high initial white blood cell count and high-risk immunophenotypes, and exhibit a slow induction of remission with greater therapy-related toxicity. Improved supportive care measures with current intensive therapies and the development of novel leukemia-targeted blotherapies will be required to improve the cure rates of adults with ALL.
Organ Donation and the Divine Lien in Talmudic Law

This book offers a new theory of property and distributive justice derived from Talmudic law, illustrated by a case study involving the sale of organs for transplant. Although organ donation did not exist in late antiquity, this book posits a new way, drawn from the Talmud, to conceive of this modern means of giving to others. Our common understanding of organ transfers as either a gift or sale is trapped in a dichotomy that is conceptually and philosophically limiting. Drawing on Maussian gift theory, this book suggests a different legal and cultural meaning for this property transfer. It introduces the concept of the 'divine lien', an obligation to others in need built into the definition of all property ownership. Rather than a gift or sale, organ transfer is shown to exemplify an owner's voluntary recognition and fulfilment of this latent property obligation.
The Need for Quality Improvement in Behavioral Health

Psychiatric disorders are prevalent conditions that affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide (World Health Organization, 2004). Although rates vary depending on the definition used, epidemiological research suggests that nearly 50 % of individuals will at some point in their lives meet diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric condition from among anxiety, mood, substance use, and impulse control disorders (Kessler et al., 2005). Each year, an estimated 26.2 % of adults (Kessler, Chiu, Demler, & Walters, 2005) and between 6.1 % and 40.3 % of children and adolescents (Kessler et al., 2012; Roberts, Attkisson, & Rosenblatt, 1998) experience at least one psychiatric disorder, with more than 40 % of these individuals also suffering from other comorbid conditions.
The Decline of the Death Penalty and the Discovery of Innocence: The Rise and Fall of a Public Policy

I n chapter 6, we demonstrate powerful framing effects on aggregate public opinion – specifically, how the innocence frame led to a slow but steady and cumulatively important decrease in public support for the death penalty over the last decade. In that chapter, our focus is fine-grained; we use quarterly data to measure short- as well as long-term opinion responsiveness to the shifting foci of media attention. In doing so, we eliminate counterexplanations for the decline in death penalty support that we have observed since the mid-1990s; in particular, neither executions nor exonerations help to explain this change. Homicides and the cascade of attention paid to the new innocence frame together explain the decline in support for the death penalty. The changes in public opinion that we note in Chapter 6 are not spectacular; many people continue to view the death penalty in the same way they always have. All members of the public have not been affected by the innocence frame, and the survey questions about the topic tend to elicit, we think, relatively general or generic reactions to the issue. We will see here that public policy and the behaviors of juries have been much more greatly affected by the innocence frame than aggregate public opinion. Further, even the modest shifts in public opinion that we document in Chapter 6 have a powerful impact on public policy. In this sense, public opinion itself contributes to the positive feedback mechanisms that are at the heart of an attention cascade.
Evaluation of shoulder joint kinematics and muscle activity during geared and standard manual wheelchair mobility

Manual wheelchairs often lead to reduced independent function and an increase in shoulder pain and injuries. Geared manual wheelchairs may be a promising alternative that reduces the biomechanical demands of the shoulder needed for tasks such as propulsion on ramps and carpeted floors, while maximizing function and participation. To investigate the effects of geared manual wheelchair mobility during demanding tasks such as ramp ascent, six able-bodied subjects were evaluated in this study. Subjects were asked to propel both standard and geared manual wheelchairs on a tiled level floor and on a wheelchair ADA ramp. Shoulder muscle activity and glenohumeral joint kinematics were investigated. The results indicated that using geared manual wheelchair wheels did not alter the shoulder joint kinematics, but notably affected peak and integrated shoulder muscle activity. Muscle activity results normalized by stroke distance, indicated that using geared manual wheelchairs could decrease anterior deltoid, pectoralis major and infraspinatus muscle activity during ramp ascending, but on level floor infraspinatus muscle activity may increase. These results could have clinical implications for determining the types of functional mobility tasks for which geared manual wheelchairs are beneficial.
Redox-Responsive Polysulfide-Based Biodegradable Organosilica Nanoparticles for Delivery of Bioactive Agents

Design and development of silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) with a controlled degradation profile promises effective drug delivery with a predetermined carrier elimination profile. In this research, we fabricated a series of redox-responsive polysulfide-based biodegradable SiO2 NPs with low polydispersity and with variations in size (average diameters of 58 ± 7, 108 ± 11, 110 ± 9, 124 ± 9, and 332 ± 6 nm), porosity, and composition (disulfide vs tetrasulfide bonds). The degradation kinetics of the nanoparticles was analyzed in the presence of 8 mM glutathione (GSH), mimicking the intracellular reducing condition. Results indicate that porosity and core composition play the predominant roles in the degradation rate of these nanoparticles. The 108 nm mesoporous disulfide-based nanoparticles showed the highest degradation rate among all the synthesized nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that nonporous nanoparticles undergo surface erosion, while porous nanoparticles undergo both surf...
A Delay Differential Model of Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements with Convergent Properties

Abstract An algorithm for steady-state tracking control is developed to compensate the modified version of a model proposed by Robinson et. al. for the smooth pursuit eye movement system, when a target acquires a constant velocity. Acceleration-saturation is introduced into the model to account for the nonlinear relationships observed by interpreting properties of the eye movement curves. The model accounts for two stimuli to the smooth pursuit eye movement system: image motion velocity and position error. Computer simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model.
A Multidimensional Lexicon for Interpersonal Stancetaking

The sociolinguistic construct of stancetaking describes the activities through which discourse participants create and signal relationships to their interlocutors, to the topic of discussion, and to the talk itself. Stancetaking underlies a wide range of interactional phenomena, relating to formality, politeness, affect, and subjectivity. We present a computational approach to stancetaking, in which we build a theoretically-motivated lexicon of stance markers, and then use multidimensional analysis to identify a set of underlying stance dimensions. We validate these dimensions intrinscially and extrinsically, showing that they are internally coherent, match pre-registered hypotheses, and correlate with social phenomena.
Horizontal and vertical variability of observed soil temperatures

Two datasets of soil temperature observations collected at Norman, Oklahoma, USA, were analysed to study horizontal and vertical variability in their observations. The first dataset comprised 15-min resolution soil temperature observations from 20 September 2011 to 18 November 2013 in seven plots across a 10-m transect. In each plot, sensors were located at depths of 5, 10, and 30 cm. All seven plots observed fairly consistent maximum soil temperature observations during the spring, fall, and winter months. Starting in late May, the observed spread in soil temperatures across the 10-m transect increased significantly until August when the observed spread in temperatures decreased. The range of observed minimum soil temperature was more consistent year-round at the shallower depths, but showed similar patterns to the maximum soil temperature ranges at deeper depths. The second dataset comprised 15-min resolution soil temperature observations from 20 November 2013 to 1 December 2015 in a single plot at the same location as the first dataset. Soil temperature sensors were placed every 2 cm from the surface down to 40 cm deep to study the vertical variability in soil temperature measurements (focusing on a winter and a summer case). Both winter and summer conditions showed that the temperature differences between depths behaved logarithmically with the shallower depths having larger differences than deeper depths.
Abstract 194: Spontaneous Spinal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Mayo Clinic Case Series

Background: Spontaneous spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SSAH) is a rare but serious condition that can lead to a variety of medical complications. Methods: Using the Mayo Clinic Rochester database,...
What matters most - what parents model or what parents eat?

Abstract Purpose Parents have a strong influence on their children's eating habits; however, researchers struggle to identify which food parenting practices to recommend. This study examined the influence of parents modeling of healthy eating (“parent role modeling”) and parents' actual food intake (“parent dietary intake”) on child diet quality, and explored whether these practices work together to influence children's diets. Methods Baseline data from a larger intervention trial were used for this analysis. The sample included parents of preschool-age children from households with at least one overweight parent. The Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire was used to assess parent modeling of healthy eating (“healthy modeling”). Three days of dietary recalls were used to collect parents' report of their own intake and their children's intake (excluding food at child care). Associations between parent healthy modeling and parent intake of healthy and unhealthy foods were explored using Pearson correlations. Associations between parent healthy modeling and parent Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score on child HEI score were examined with linear regression. Additionally, the interaction between parent healthy modeling and HEI score on child HEI score was tested. Results Parent healthy modeling was significantly correlated with parent intake of healthy foodsLinear regression showed a significant association between parent modeling and child HEI score, even after controlling for parent diet (β = 3.08, SE = 0.87, p Conclusions Parents' healthy modeling is an important practice in influencing children's diet quality, possibly more so than the quality of parents' diets.
Research Update: Ab initio study on resistive memory device optimization trends: Dopant segregation effects and data retention in HfO2−x

Segregation energy trends and their charge state dependence were established for Group II to Group VI substitutional metal dopants in HfO2 using density functional theory. Corroborating the segregation energy with dopant-oxygen bond lengths and charge state stability, strong effects are predicted for Group II and Group III p-type dopants, which can easily reverse their segregation trend due to −2 charge state preference. Transitions between segregation and isolation may occur around 1.5 eV above the valence band maximum, with the exception of Al, which remains barely stable in its segregated form. In Al-doped HfOx, the switching characteristics of filaments formed near Al dopants show subtle changes and the OFF state data retention is degraded. A comprehensive assessment on configurational Al-VO interaction, charge state dependence, and migration energy changes points to the fact that to achieve OFF state data retention improvements, it will be necessary to engineer the filament interaction with Al to stabilize configurations that favor vacancy filament dissolution. Another mode of failure can result from subsequent charge trapping during the operation of the device, which ultimately prohibits the filament dissociation.
Intimations of Citizenship: Repressions and Expressions of Equal Citizenship in the Era of Jim Crow

On first blush the Jim Crow Era may seem an odd place to locate anything meaningful about democratic, equal citizenship and the promise of the fourteenth amendment. This article argues to the contrary. The period of Jim Crow, in its negation of democratic citizenship, in fact reveals import aspects about the nature of democratic citizenship. This occurred in two ways. First, whites who implemented white supremacy implicitly understood that freedom and citizenship manifest themselves in a multiplicity of spheres, which is why white supremacists sought to subordinate blacks not just politically but across all social spheres. Second, the resistance to comprehensive subordination revealed the multiplicity of the spirit of freedom and equality in actions and arguments African Americans. African Americans created spaces of democratic citizenship within the dominant culture of subordination. This article suggests that, in studying both the implementation of white supremacy and the resistance to it, we can learn more about how equal and democratic citizenship can be affirmed and implemented rather than negated, and also about the role of law as a tool for both subordination and resistance.
Vignin diversity in wild and cultivated taxa of Vigna unguiculata (L.) walp. (fabaceae)

Eighty-one cultivated and 55 wild accessions were characterized using one- and two-dimensional isoelectric focusing (1D and 2D IEF)/SDS-PAGE and immuno-detection techniques to examine genetic diversity present within cultivated and wild taxa inVigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. Twenty-seven unique banding patterns were identified in the vignin (or Gl) fraction of the major seed storage proteins. These patterns were controlled by at least four interacting genes, two of which were tightly linked and a third which also may be linked. Due to the tremendous amount of variation in these wild taxa it is not possible to make definitive statements about either the taxonomic or geographic distribution of vignin types. These results give no final answer to the identity of the progenitor of cowpea or the center of domestication, but do pose some interesting questions to be asked as the genetic relationships among the wild and cultivated taxa in this species are unraveled.
Vagina: Diseases and Treatment

The diseases and anomalies of the vagina are varied and have widespread and long-lasting implications. Early in life much attention is given to the function of the urinary tract while later in life menstruation, sexual function, and fertility become more significant issues. As such, developing approaches to these diseases must take into account both the urinary and reproductive concerns as well as the two disparate time frames. The surgeon has to perform reconstructions and orchestrate therapies that will be feasible in infancy and create a reasonable lifestyle as a functional adult.
The Battle Over IP

Ownership and control over the Intellectual Property Rights (IP) of the AO Instrumentarium has a long tradition. Given the fact that the AO created valuable products that are, or can be, sources of wealth, it should come as no surprise that over the years various interest groups have debated the question of who should control this accumulated IP.
The impact of proactive rounding on rapid response team calls: an observational study.

ABSTRACTBackground: Rapid response teams (RRTs) improve mortality by intervening in the hours preceding arrest. Implementation of these teams varies across institutions.Setting and Design: Our heal...
In States That Border Mexico, Cesarean Rates Were Highest For Hispanic Women Living In Border Counties In 2015.

Hispanic women living on the US-Mexico border have had higher cesarean delivery rates than other Hispanic women in the US. Using birth certificate and other data, we compared cesarean rates among H...
Cosmogenic Cl-36 surface exposure dating of late Quaternary glacial events in the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica

Geomorphic evidence of past glaciation, such as U-shaped valleys, aretes, glacial lakes, and moraines, is preserved in the highland surrounding Cerro Chirripo in the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Previous work to establish a glacial chronology has focused on relative age dating of moraines and on radiocarbon dating of basal lake sediments to infer the timing of deglaciation. We used cosmogenic 36Cl surface exposure dating to constrain the ages of moraines within two formerly glaciated valleys, the Morrenas and Talari valleys. Forty-nine boulder samples were processed and measured from four moraine complexes in the Morrenas Valley and two moraine complexes in the Talari Valley. The exposure ages of these samples indicate a major glacial event occurred in this area from ~25 to 23 ka, broadly synchronous with the global last glacial maximum. Our results also indicate periods of glacial retreats and standstills from the deglacial period to the Early Holocene (~16–10 ka) before the complete disappearance of glaciers in this highland. These findings provide important insights into the glacial chronology and paleoclimate of tropical America.
Addressing Insider Threat through Cost-Sensitive Document Classification

Most organizations use computerized security systems to manage and protect their confidential information. While security is mostly concerned with prevention of attacks from outsiders, security breaches by insiders have recently gained increasing attention from the security community. In this chapter, we describe a cost-sensitive document classification scheme which forms the basis for determining the legitimacy of confidential access by insiders. Our scheme enforces compliance with the “need to know” security principle, namely that the requests for access are authorized only if the content of the requested information is relevant to the requester’s current information analysis project. First, we formulate such content-based authorization, i.e., whether to accept or reject access requests as a binary classification problem. Second, we implement this problem in a costsensitive learning framework in which the cost caused by incorrect decision is different according to the relative importance of the error types; false positive and false negative. In particular, the cost for a false positive (i.e., accepting a security violating request) is considered more expensive than that of false negative (i.e., rejecting a valid request). The former is a serious security problem because confidential information, which should not be revealed, can be accessed. We experimentally compared various costsensitive classifiers with conventional error-minimizing classifiers. Our results indicate that costing using logistic regression showed the best performance, in terms of the smallest cost paid, the lowest false positive rate, and the relatively low false negative rate.
The Relationship of Dopamine Agonist-Induced Rotation to Firing Rate Changes in the Basal Ganglia Output Nuclei

Pharmacological manipulations of brain dopamine (DA) systems modify motor behavior. Current models of basal ganglia function predict that dopamine agonist-induced motor activation, such as rotation or stereotypic behavior, is mediated by decreases in activity in the output nuclei of the basal ganglia, the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNPR) and entopeduncular nucleus (EPN), brought about by activation of striatal DA receptors. These decreases in activity are thought to lead to disinhibition in motor thalamocortical and tectofugal circuits. Electrophysiology has provided some support for these models: in animals with nigrostriatal lesions, the D1/D2 agonist apomorphine or high doses of the partial D1 agonist SKF 38393 cause decreases in firing rate in most neurons of the SNPR19,20 or the primate homolog of the EPN.3
Physical Activity and Subsequent Risk of Hospitalization With Peripheral Artery Disease and Critical Limb Ischemia in the ARIC Study.

Background Whether physical activity is a determinant of peripheral artery disease (PAD) remains unclear. We therefore assessed the association of physical activity (amount and intensity) with subs...
BENEFICENCE, COMPANIONSHIP AND FINANCES AS MOTIVATORS FOR PARTICIPATION IN INTERGENERATIONAL HOME SHARING

In January 2019, the UC Berkeley Retirement Center began piloting Berkeley Home Match (BHM), a program that matches graduate students who need affordable housing with retirees who live near campus and have an extra room. BHM seeks to address affordable housing challenges for retirees and students while creating meaningful relationships. While some data exists for home sharing programs, less is known about the motivators and outcomes of retirees and students participating in these programs. In addition to decreasing the financial burden of housing, Social Exchange Theory suggests the built-in reciprocity of intergenerational home sharing may facilitate meaningful relationships. The purpose of this program evaluation was to understand the motivating factors for participation in a University-based home sharing program. Applicants (N=35) rated factors that influenced their decision to participate using a 7-point scale (1=“Not Influential”, 7=“Very Influential”). On average, homeowners (N=6) rated “helping a student” 5.2, “income” 5.2, and “companionship” 3.6, while home seekers (N=29) rated “helping an older adult” 5.03, “rent price” 6.1, and “companionship” 4.76. Surprisingly, ratings for “helping a student” and “helping a senior” were the same or close to ratings for “income” and “rent prices,” suggesting beneficence could be a key motivator and interdependence a mechanism for relationship development. Additionally, students’ rating for “companionship” was higher than expected, indicating an openness to the relationship. These findings as well as other factors impacting home matching will be discussed, including participant demographics, reduced housing cost, housing characteristics, and long-term program feasibility.
Linking chemical precursors to the synthesis of erythritol tetranitrate

Abstract Erythritol tetranitrate (ETN) is a homemade explosive with high explosive performance which can easily be synthesized using widely available chemical precursors. Ascertaining the manner in which ETN is synthesized and being able to trace the ETN back to its precursor materials may aid in the forensic identification. As a proof of concept, seven different types of ETN were synthesized with laboratory grade materials as well as commercially available chemicals from the hardware store and grocery store. The seven different types of solid ETN and the reaction quenches were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to probe the different classes of ETN and reaction quenches. Several PLS-DA models were produced with the seven different types of ETN and quenches having their own classification, ETN and quenches based on their acid source, and ETN and the quenches based on their nitrate source. Regardless of which classification manner was used, there were no differences found between the different types of ETN or their reaction quenches. Moreover, it is demonstrated that there is inherent variability in the synthesis of ETN making HPLC an unreliable method to determine the source of the synthesis materials. Elemental impurities were measured in seven solid ETN samples and their reaction quenches by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). No differences were found between the solid ETN samples, but there were trace metals found in the reaction quenches which were found to be identifiers of the source material.
Interaction of Fertilizer Phosphorus Rate and Placement/Timing on Potatoes

Field experiments were conducted in Wisconsin for 3 years on irrigated sandy and silt loam soils in an attempt to better calibrate potato phosphorus (P) needs and to determine which of several P fertilizer placements/timings were best for crop yield and quality or could improve P fertilizer use efficiency. In 2 of 3 years at both locations, positive yield and tuber quality responses were seen with phosphate rates ranging from 45 to 200 kg P2O5 ha−1 on the sand and 124 kg > 224 kg P2O5 ha−1 on the silt loam. Row placement improved P fertilizer use efficiency on the sand but not on the silt loam. In-season P applications improved plant P concentrations, but did not always result in tuber yield or quality responses, although this method may be effective as a rescue treatment. Early season (~35 days after emergence, dae) petiole P analysis was useful for predicting P sufficiency with a critical level of 0.35% P. Later sampling (> 50 dae) did not adequately separate responsive from non-responsive treatments. Based on this research, row-placed P at modest rates (about 100 kg P2O5 ha−1) is recommended on sandy soils, whereas on the medium-textured soil all placement/timings performed similarly except the in-season treatment. A higher rate was needed (~160 kg P2O5 ha−1) on this soil to optimize yield and quality.
Four years of continuous use of soil-biodegradable plastic mulch: impact on soil and groundwater quality

Abstract There is an increased interest in the use of soil-biodegradable plastic mulch due to limited disposal options for conventional polyethylene mulch. However, information about the impact of continuous use of soil-biodegradable plastic mulch on the environment is limited. Here, we show the effects on soil and groundwater quality from the use of soil-biodegradable plastic mulches for crop production for four consecutive seasons. Two soil-biodegradable plastic mulch products were assessed at two locations (Knoxville, TN and Mount Vernon, WA) having different climates (humid subtropical and cool Mediterranean), with cellulosic-paper mulch, polyethylene mulch, and no-mulch included as control treatments. Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties were first assessed in the spring of 2015 (prior to any field operations), and then a few days after harvest in the fall of 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Water samples were collected in the fall of 2018 from lysimeters installed at 55-cm depth and analyzed for nutrient composition. Compared to the no-mulch treatment, the soil-biodegradable plastic mulches and polyethylene mulch increased the soil aggregate stability (by 6–16%) and water infiltration rate (by 10–12%) by protecting the soil surface from disturbance. Residual nitrate and nitrite under the plastic mulch after harvest were lower than under no-mulch (by 4.1 kg ha−1 to 7.3 kg ha−1) due to increased yield and associated enhanced nutrient uptake. However, plastic mulching, especially the polyethylene mulch, reduced soil microbial activity, measured as burst CO2-C by 6 g kg−1 day−1 to 54 kg−1 day−1, but had no effect on extractable organic carbon concentrations nor specific extracellular enzyme activity rates. Within the four-year period, the soil-biodegradable plastic mulches had overall positive effects on soil and groundwater quality, except for reduced burst microbial respiration, which was more pronounced in Mount Vernon.
Molecular mechanisms for environmentally induced plasticity in the positioning of meiotic recombination at hotspots

Abstract In meiosis, Spo11/Rec12-initiated homologous recombination is clustered at hotspots that regulate its frequency and distribution across the genome. Intriguingly, the intensities and positions of recombination hotspots can change dramatically in response to intracellular and extracellular conditions, and can display epigenetic memory. Here, using the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we reveal mechanisms for hotspot plasticity. We show that each of six hotspot-activating proteins (transcription factors Atf1, Pcr1, Php2, Php3, Php5, Rst2) is rate-limiting for promoting recombination at its own DNA binding site, allowing each class of hotspot to be regulated independently by agonistic and antagonistic signals. We also discovered that the regulatory protein-DNA complexes can establish a recombinationally poised epigenetic state before meiosis. Notably, Atf1 and Pcr1 controlled the activation of DNA sequence-dependent hotspots to which they do not bind; and they do so by regulating the expression of other hotspot-activating proteins. Thus, while each transcription factor activates its own class of DNA sequence-dependent hotspots directly in cis, cross-talk between regulatory networks modulates in trans the frequency and positioning of recombination at other classes of DNA sequence-dependent hotspots. We posit that such mechanisms allow cells to alter the frequency distribution of meiotic recombination in response to metabolic states and environmental cues.
Design of High-frequency Resonant Inverter for Capacitive Wireless Power Transfer

This paper presents a novel approach to design a resonant inverter for capacitive wireless power transfer (CPT). CPT, transmitting energy via electric coupling between conducting plates, draws lots of attention because of lighter weight and more compact size than inductive wireless power transfer (IPT) using magnetic fields. This paper proposes a class Φ 2 inverter topology in a small air-gap CPT system to mitigate misalignments in the coupling capacitors. The output capacitor of the load network in the class Φ 2 inverter operates as not only a dc block but also a coupling capacitor in the CPT system. The flexible design process of a class Φ 2 inverter to select the capacitor allows us to maintain high efficiency with any misalignment between coupling capacitors. We also explore different dielectric materials to achieve high capacitance values for coupling capacitors. We present experimental measurements of the capacitors and the push-pull inverter with the measured values of the coupling capacitors. The system’s nominal output power was 330 W with a 90% efficiency at an input voltage of 50 V. With the misalignments up to 5 cm, the efficiency is almost constant, 90%, while the capacitance of the coupling plates varies from 6.32 nF to 5.24 nF.
'Justice X, Dissenting': A Citation-Network Approach to Mapping Judicial Ideology

Appellate judges prefer some outcomes over others. We can tell because we see them disagree with one another regularly, both within a given a case and across a run of cases. Scholars, both in political science and law, have used various techniques to quantify judges’ policy preferences and chart those preferences, both across judge and through time. The Martin-Quinn score is a prominent example. But appellate judges don’t simply vote. They also write, justifying their judgments. When writing for a majority, the authoring judge must accommodate her partners in the majority, dropping or adding text (including citations) to keep the majority together. When writing a dissent or concurrence, by contrast, the judge can write simply to explain, without accommodation, how she views the issues in the case. Indeed, given that dissenting or concurring triggers varied costs, the chance to justify one’s analysis without compromise is perhaps the main benefit to writing a dissent or concurrence at all. Can we map an appellate judge’s ideological preferences in a way that harnesses the information these separate opinions provide? Citation network analysis is a promising way to do so. In this project, I gather the citation data (to earlier Supreme Court opinions) from all of Justice Scalia’s and Justice Thomas’s dissenting and concurring opinions on the Supreme Court, through the end of the October 2019 Term in July 2020, and then measure and map the resulting citation and co-citation networks, across all opinions and parsing concurrences from dissents. Justices Scalia and Thomas are an especially apt pair of justices to study in this way for three reasons: (a) as of 2020 they served for a similar period of years; (b) they have both dissented and concurred at similarly high rates, generating rich citation networks; and (c) they were each one another’s closest ideological fellow-traveler using scores like M-Q , making any differences between them revealed by citation-network analysis that much more informative. In summary: Justice Scalia sought mainly to reshape judicial power. Justice Thomas, by contrast, has sought mainly to reshape legislative power, including by enhancing state legislative power.
Searching for a MicroFEWs nexus in Alaska

Expanding renewable energy sources in remote rural Alaska villages promises to improve sustainability and resilience. What happens to the food–energy–water nexus when critical resources are abundant public goods?