cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanometer-scale exchange interactions between spin centers in diamond

Exchange interactions between isolated pairs of spin centers in diamond have been calculated, based on an accurate atomistic electronic structure for diamond and any impurity atoms, for spin-center separations of up to 2 nm. The exchange interactions exceed dipolar interactions for spin-center separations of less than 3 nm. ${\mathrm{NV}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ spin centers, which involve two lattice sites which differ from the host, interact very differently depending on the relative orientations of the symmetry axis of the spin center and the radius vector connecting the pair. Exchange interactions between transition-metal dopants behave similarly to those of ${\mathrm{NV}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ centers. The Mn-Mn exchange interaction decays with a much longer length scale than the Cr-Cr and Ni-Ni exchange interactions, exceeding dipolar interactions for Mn-Mn separations of less than 5 nm. Calculations of these highly anisotropic and spin-center-dependent interactions provide the potential for the design of spin-spin interactions for novel nanomagnetic structures.
Systems Analysis and Partisan Realignment

Since the publication of V.O. Key’s seminal article, “A Theory of Critical Elections,” numerous scholars have worked to add theoretical depth and analytical sophistication to the study of critical elections. On the latter count, efforts have been ambitious and illuminating; on the former they largely have not. Typologies of elections and descriptions of electoral change have emerged from empirical analyses of aggregate vote data. A variety of techniques ranging from straight forwara t-tests to correlation matrices to a particularly rich analysis of variance approach have been employed to uncover patterns of electoral change. But while a good deal of descriptive, analytical headway has been made, the development of a theory of electoral change has lagged behind. What theoretical overtures have been made, generally regard critical elections both as the products of prolonged malfunctions in the political system and as the means by which the system begins to correct these malfunctions. According to this view, American electoral politics follows a cyclic dynamic. Critical elections mark the beginnings and the ends of adjoining periods (i.e., party systems) in a repeating cycle of stability, disequilibrium, and adjustment.
SKELETAL ADAPTATIONS IN TWO SPECIES OF SCELOPORUS

The species population is generally acknowledged to be a fundamental unit of evolution. The recognition of these groups and the adaptive significance of their differences are basic to the study of evolution on this level. This is a comparatively easy task in living forms but is often extremely difficult in fossil assemblages in which only the skeletal system is available for study. The study of living populations has shown that, in most instances, populations of closely related animals can be distinguished by statistical methods, even on the basis of skeletal material. The application of these techniques to fossil assemblages should enable one to separate groups that can be studied by the methods applicable to living populations. The present study is concerned with the use of regression lines to distinguish closely related species and with the determination of the adaptive significance of the differences. Two species of North American iguanid lizards, Sceloporus olivaceus and Sceleporus undulatus hyacinthinus, have been used because of the availability of information concerning the ecology and habits. This makes it possible to correlate morphology with function and ecology, and thus provide a basis for the interpretation of fossil samples. Quantitative methods useful in distinguishing species having a well defined adult size, are not adequate for the study
Doubly Threshold Graphs for Social Network Modeling

Threshold graphs are recursive deterministic network models that capture properties of social and economic interactions. One drawback of these graph families is that they have limited constrained generative attachment rules. To mitigate this problem, we introduce a new class of graphs termed Doubly Threshold (DT) graphs which may be succinctly described through vertex weights that govern the existence of edges via two inequalities. One inequality imposes the constraint that the sum of weights of adjacent vertices has to exceed a specified threshold. The second inequality ensures that adjacent vertices have a bounded difference of their weights. We provide a conceptually simple characterization and decomposition of DT graphs and analyze their forbidden induced subgraphs which we compare to those of prototypical social networks. We also present a method for performing vertex weight assignments on DT graphs that satisfy the defining constraints and conclude our exposition with an analysis of the intersection number, diameter and clustering coefficient of DT graphs.
Development of a grid-supported marker particle scheme for interfacetracking

A methodology is presented to simulate the growth and interaction of unstable fronts. Such fronts are found to be important in instabilities arising in several natural and industrial processes, such as solidification, spray dynamics, and bubble growth. The numerical simulation of such phenomena is challenging on account of the highly distorted moving boundary at which, often, curvature-dependent boundary conditions need be applied in each phase. Herein is presented a numerical technique to capture highly distorted interfaces. The interface is represented employing marker particles. Joining successive markers with circular arcs yields values of curvatures and normals on the interface. The markers are followed over an underlying cartesian grid and new marker particles are generated at each time step by an intersection procedure. The issue of mergers of interfaces is also attacked and the use of cells permits the simulation of merger-breakup processes. Thus, the method presented here, unlike previous marker particle based schemes, can handle particle depletion/accumulation and mergerbreakup issues with good accuracy. Results are presented, employing velocity functions modeled to mimic the actual instability phenomena, to demonstrate the accuracy and capability of the scheme developed. * Research Assistant ** Professor, Member AIAA Copyright @ 1993 by authors. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics with permission.
Naturalization Law, Immigration Flow and Policy

This chapter outlines the history of naturalization law and immigration policy from the founding of the United Statues until 1865. The chapter argues that the immigration public policy struggle in those early years foreshadowed the continuing struggle facing policy-makers today.
Interpolating sparse scattered data using flow information

Abstract Scattered data interpolation and approximation techniques allow for the reconstruction of a scalar field based upon a finite number of scattered samples of the field. In general, the fidelity of the reconstruction with respect to the original scalar field tends to deteriorate as the number of samples decreases. For the situation of very sparse sampling, the results may not be acceptable at all. However, if it is known that the scalar field of interest is correlated with a known flow field – as is the case when the scalar field represents the value of an oceanographic tracer that propagates under the influence of the ocean's flow – then this knowledge can be exploited to enhance the scattered data reconstruction method. One way to exploit flow field information is to use it to construct a modified notion of distance between points. Replacing the standard Euclidean distance metric with a flow-field-aware notion of distance provides a method for extending standard scattered data interpolation methods into flow-based methods that produce superior results for very sparse data. The resulting reconstructions typically have lower root-mean-square errors than reconstructions that do not use the flow information, and qualitatively they often appear physically more realistic.
Robust neurite extension following exogenous electrical stimulation within single walled carbon nanotube-composite hydrogels

Abstract The use of exogenous electrical stimulation to promote nerve regeneration has achieved only limited success. Conditions impeding optimized outgrowth may arise from inadequate stimulus presentation due to differences in injury geometry or signal attenuation. Implantation of an electrically-conductive biomaterial may mitigate this attenuation and provide a more reproducible signal. In this study, a conductive nanofiller (single-walled carbon nanotubes [SWCNT]) was selected as one possible material to manipulate the bulk electrical properties of a collagen type I-10% Matrigel™ composite hydrogel. Neurite outgrowth within hydrogels (SWCNT or nanofiller-free controls) was characterized to determine if: (1) nanofillers influence neurite extension and (2) electrical stimulation of the nanofiller composite hydrogel enhances neurite outgrowth. Increased SWCNT loading (10–100-μg/mL) resulted in greater bulk conductivity (up to 1.7-fold) with no significant changes to elastic modulus. Neurite outgrowth increased 3.3-fold in 20-μg/mL SWCNT loaded biomaterials relative to the nanofiller-free control. Electrical stimulation promoted greater outgrowth (2.9-fold) within SWCNT-free control. The concurrent presentation of electrical stimulation and SWCNT-loaded biomaterials resulted in a 7.0-fold increase in outgrowth relative to the unstimulated, nanofiller-free controls. Local glia residing within the DRG likely contribute, in part, to the observed increases in outgrowth; but it is unknown which specific nanofiller properties influence neurite extension. Characterization of neuronal behavior in model systems, such as those described here, will aid the rational development of biomaterials as well as the appropriate delivery of electrical stimuli to support nerve repair. Statement of Significance Novel biomedical devices delivering electrical stimulation are being developed to mitigate symptoms of Parkinson’s, treat drug-resistant depression, control movement or enhance verve regeneration. Carbon nanotubes and other novel materials are being explored for novel nano-neuro devices based on their unique properties. Neuronal growth on carbon nanotubes has been studied in 2D since the early 2000s demonstrating increased outgrowth, synapse formation and network activity. In this work, single-walled carbon nanotubes were selected as one possible electrically-conductive material, dispersed within a 3D hydrogel containing primary neurons; extending previous 2D work to 3D to evaluate outgrowth within nanomaterial composites with electrical stimulation. This is the first study to our knowledge that stimulates neurons in 3D composite nanomaterial-laden hydrogels. Examination of electrically conductive biomaterials may serve to promote regrowth following injury or in long term stimulation.
Becoming Employable An Ethnographic Study of Life Skills Courses in a Men’s Jail

Correctional education can have a positive influence on post-release employment. Yet barriers to employment remain significant, particularly for formerly incarcerated men of color. In this article, the authors use ethnographic methods to critically examine the underlying discourses involved in jail-based life skills courses geared to assist men in becoming “employable.” With few exceptions, life skills instructors did not address structural barriers to employment. Rather, major themes of the courses included individual responsibility, cognition, and spiritual enlightenment. The authors suggest that these life skills courses mirrored a larger correctional philosophy in keeping the focus on individual behavior rather than structural conditions.
Working with the New Functions

We’ve tried to make this User Guide as detailed as possible, to help you learn about the many advanced features of the new package. As a result, it may look like there is a lot to learn, but in fact the basics are pretty simple: to get ACS data for your own user-defined geographies, all you need to do is:
Fostering an Entrepreneurial mindset in “Digital Systems” class through a Producer-Customer model

We introduce a Producer-Customer model and use it to add an innovative portion to the “Digital Systems” course materials. In this work, we have developed and tested ten Intellectual Property (IP) cores, real products, which are either defective or improvable. A defective product does not function as it should. An improvable product works in accordance with its specification; however, it has potential for improvement. Two different directions are possible for improvements: performance or area. Students will work in the customer and then producer settings to diagnose and then resolve the issues, respectively. This work is an attempt to fulfill the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) Students Outcomes, hence help instill an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering undergraduates. We have received encouraging evaluations for our innovative work from students.
Association of sleep disordered breathing symptoms with early postoperative analgesic requirement in pediatric ambulatory surgical patients

Abstract Introduction Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) symptoms are associated with increased rates of opioid-induced respiratory depression as well as enhanced nociception. Consequently, practitioners often withhold or administer lower intraoperative doses of opioids out of concern for postoperative respiratory depression. Therefore, SDB may be a critical determinant of analgesic requirement in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). We investigated whether preoperative SDB classification was independently associated with need for PACU analgesic intervention in a cross-sectional sample of 985 children who underwent elective, painful ambulatory surgical procedures. Methods Using prospectively collected data, children aged 4–17yr were grouped into two categories based on whether or not they had symptoms of SDB. Perioperative variables were compared between the exposed and control groups using Chi-squared test for categorical or t -test for continuous variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between SDB and the odds of requiring PACU IV opioids. Results Children with preoperative SDB symptoms (N = 325) compared with the reference group of children who did not have these symptoms had higher rates of PACU analgesic intervention (47.1% vs. 37.4%; p = 0.004) and higher mean arousal pain scores (3.7 ± 3.5 vs.1.9 ± 2.9; p Conclusion These results suggest that preoperative SDB symptoms in children undergoing ambulatory surgery, exerts a significant influence on PACU pain behavior and analgesic requirement. Mechanisms underlying this enhanced pain experience deserve further elucidation.
Computational Modeling of pH-dependent gp120-CD4 Interactions in Founder and Chronic HIV Strains

Human Immunodeficiency Virus has been studied for several decades, but a consistently effective vaccine has not yet been produced. While most experimental and computational work in this area has been performed under slightly basic conditions (eg. blood/plasma), viral transmission events often occur under highly acidic conditions (eg. vaginal mucosa). Environmental pH can greatly affect protein structure and epitope exposure to either inhibit or facilitate transmission. We develop a computational pipeline for analyzing the pH sensitivity of protein-protein interactions, and use the pipeline to analyze the transmission-critical interaction between the HIV gp120 and host CD4 proteins. The interaction between gp120 and CD4 is found to be stronger at low pH for all strains tested, which is consistent with previous work and supports the accuracy of the introduced pipeline. Also, early transmitted founder (TF) strains are found to generally bind CD4 better at low pH and are more pH sensitive than systemically circulating chronic control (CC) strains.
Pathology of Cushing’s Disease

Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-producing pituitary adenomas are derived from corticotroph cells in the anterior pituitary gland. Most of them secrete excess ACTH leading to cortisol overproduction or Cushing’s disease. However, ACTH-producing pituitary tumors are heterogeneous and differ in histologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural findings as well as in clinical presentations and prognosis. In this chapter, the histopathology of ACTH-producing adenomas and their clinicopathologic correlations are described.
Solid Parahydrogen Infrared Matrix Isolation and Computational Studies of Lin-(C2H4)m Complexes.

Complexes of lithium atoms with ethylene have been identified as potential hydrogen storage materials. As a Li atom approaches an ethylene molecule, two distinct low-lying electronic states are established; one is the 2A1 electronic state (for C2v geometries) that is repulsive but supports a shallow van der Waals well and correlates with the Li 2s atomic state, and the second is a 2B2 electronic state that correlates with the Li 2p atomic orbital and is a strongly bound charge-transfer state. Only the 2B2 charge-transfer state would be advantageous for hydrogen storage because the strong electric dipole created in the Li–(C2H4) complex due to charge transfer can bind molecular hydrogen through dipole–induced dipole and dipole–quadrupole electrostatic interactions. Ab initio studies have produced conflicting results for which electronic state is the true ground state for the Li–(C2H4) complex. The most accurate ab initio calculations indicate that the 2A1 van der Waals state is slightly more stable. In con...
The Nobel Laureates’ Campaign Supporting GMOs

Abstract More than 800 million people suffer from hunger in the world. Using modern plant breeding methods to generate so-called GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), agricultural scientists have shown that crop yields and nutritional quality can be greatly improved. Many GMO varieties have been specifically developed with the aim of being resistant to pests, tolerant to drought and containing beneficial nutrients. This leads to a reduction in the use of insecticides in water and on land. If anything, the GMO varieties are safer than traditionally bred varieties because they are made in a very precise manner. However, the scientific evidence on this issue is being ignored by the Green Parties such as Greenpeace who continue to deny the science and mislead the public. 129 Nobel Laureates have joined in a campaign to convince the Green Parties and the public that they should support the use of GMOs, especially for the sake of the developing world.
Virtuosity Beyond the Call of Duty: A Reply to David Heyd

In response to David Heyd’s article concerning supererogatory actions, I will attempt to make sense of the notion that there are degrees of goodness by proposing the foundations of a theory of the good which incorporates both duty-based and virtue-based understandings of ethics. Drawing from moral philosophy as well as Christian moral theology, I will argue that a deontological framework establishes the criteria for moral decency while a virtue-based framework establishes the criteria for moral goodness. Hence, while supererogation does indeed become redundant in a strictly virtue-based paradigm of ethics, insofar as supererogatory acts would be virtuous acts on such an account, a virtue ethics concerned primarily with the good can still make room for a pragmatically inspired deontological system to be enacted as a means of managing the behaviors of all of those persons who are less than virtuous. In Christian ethics, this implies that the divine moral laws are not “right” because they are divinely commanded, as some theorists may suggest, but rather because they are the best instruments that persons can use to become good or cultivate goodness in their lifetime; they are the best tools we have on the path toward becoming Godlike or Christlike. On this interpretation, Christian ethics is not a form of divine command theory but is rather a virtue ethics that also encompasses a pragmatically and pedagogically valuable deontology within its moral purview.
Abduction as a Heuristic Constraint

Scientific research is the search for the solution to important problems facing a scientific discipline at a given time. This research draws on intellectual and technological resources provided by the scientific community, which include concepts, preferences for problems to be pursued, accepted theories and empirical information, background beliefs, a technology of manipulation and production, and a history of past research endeavors. Novel contributions to any one or more of these resources can produce the discovery of hitherto unsuspected entities, events, and processes and means of gaining and representing knowledge thereof.
Aerobic In Situ Bioremediation

As they exist naturally, almost all plumes of MTBE contain detectable concentrations of TBA. Depending on the geochemistry of the ground water containing the plume of MTBE contamination and on the presence or absence of natural anaerobic biodegradation, the MTBE plume will also contain greater or lesser amounts of TBA. Because TBA and MTBE exist together in ground water impacted by fuel spills, an aerobic biological treatment system for MTBE must also be effective against TBA.
Proofs of Theorems

We will adopt the following notational conventions. “w.l.g.” abbreviates “without loss of generality”, “r.h.s.” abbreviates “right hand side”, and “l.h.s.” abbreviates “left hand side”. Any sum over the empty set is equal to 0 and any product over the empty set is 1. R(I,J) represents a directed path from I to J. If U is an undirected path from A to B, and X and Y occur on U, then we will denote the subpath of U between X to Y as U(X,Y). T(I,J) represents a trek in T(I,J). The definitions of all technical terms in this chapter that have not been defined in Chapters 2 or 3 have been placed in a glossary following the chapter.
A Nested Model of Disability Discrimination

The courts have been confused and inconsistent in applying the ADA's reasonable accommodation model of discrimination. This paper argues that a major cause of the judicial confusion has been over-reliance on the models of discrimination developed under Title VII. The paper points out several problems with judicial attempts to adapt Title VII's comparativistic models of discrimination to disability discrimination, which demands a more individualistic analysis. In making this point, the paper outlines the features of a more complete model of disability discrimination. The central feature of the model is the reasonable accommodation analysis itself, but that feature must be nested within a broader model which, at the front end, articulates when the accommodation duty is triggered and, at the back end, articulates what consequences should flow from a violation of the duty.
Fractional order model identification using the sinusoidal input.

Abstract An output error optimization approach for identification of parsimonious fractional order models using multi-frequency sinusoids as input is proposed. The algorithm simultaneously estimates orders, parameters and the delay of simple models with fractional orders using the Gauss–Newton optimization approach. Optimization-based methods for fractional order model identification require evaluation of the sensitivity functions which include the logarithmic derivatives of the input signal. In the existing literature, central difference or similar methods are used to numerically calculate the Jacobian matrix due to difficulties with numerical simulation of the logarithmic derivatives. We assume deterministic input signals and provide analytical expressions for the logarithmic derivatives of single and multiple frequency sinusoids. Relevant mathematical derivations are presented and the analytical expressions are used to evaluate the Jacobian. Effects of noise to signal ratio, input frequency and sampling intervals are studied in simulation to demonstrate the efficacy of the method. Convergence and robustness of the method is also studied. In theory, the approach is applicable for models with large set of parameters; however, convergence of the optimization scheme needs to be addressed.
Diabetes Comorbidity Increases Risk of Postoperative Complications in Traumatic Thoracic Vertebral Fracture Repair: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis

Background Thoracic vertebral fracture repair after a traumatic injury can be associated with significant risk for postoperative complications. Surgical outcomes are further complicated by patient comorbidity, particularly diabetes mellitus. This study compared outcomes and complication rates for traumatic thoracic vertebral fracture repair in a matched sample of patients with diabetes and nondiabetic control subjects. Methods Patients with a surgical repair of a trauma-induced thoracic vertebral fracture treated from 2010 to 2015 were identified from the Trauma Quality Improvement Program database, yielding 5557 cases. Patients with comorbid diabetes were matched by propensity score matching (PSM) with patients without diabetes on age, race, and body type and were compared by postoperative complications and clinical outcomes. Results Prior to PSM, the diabetes group was older on average and had a greater proportion of patients who were obese (Ps Conclusions Diabetes comorbidity can significantly increase the risk of postoperative complications after traumatic thoracic vertebral fracture repair, which may lead to delayed recovery and greater health care–related costs. This finding is an important consideration for surgical decision-making and patient counseling on treatment options with this comorbid condition.
Face-to-Face Two-Surgeons Four-Hands Microsurgery

Over the past 10 years, Fukushima established the gold standard of operatory room configuration as two-surgeons four-hands micro-neurosurgery, using face-to-face ocular arrangement of the modern floating operating microscope. Therefore, two surgeons observe equally with three-dimensional viewing field. This two-surgeons four-hands microsurgery will facilitate any microsurgical procedure from cerebrovascular to neoplastic microsurgical events. This new strategy requires a deep understanding of the alternative surgical anatomy shifted 90°–180°, relative to the standard looking view by a single surgeon. In this two-surgeons four-hands style of microsurgery, the Fukushima-designed wide dynamic range Universal Holding System provides multiple blunt hooks for fixing the soft tissues, drip irrigation, flexible brain spatula holder, and patty board without disturbing the surgeon’s operative field. The two-operator style provides very useful educational purposes. The resident or assistant surgeon is directly involved in the operation with real-time hands-on education.
Damped Lyα Absorption from a Nearby Low Surface Brightness Galaxy

Ground-based and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images of the nearby galaxy SBS 1543+593 (z = 0.009) show it to be a low surface brightness (LSB) galaxy with a central surface brightness μB(0) = 23.2 mag arcsec-2 and scale length 0.9 h kpc, values typical for the local LSB galaxy population. The galaxy lies directly in front of the quasi-stellar object HS 1543+5921 (z = 0.807); an HST STIS spectrum of the quasar reveals a damped Lyα (DLyα) line at the redshift of the interloper with an H I column density of log N(H I) = 20.35, as well as several low-ionization metal lines with strengths similar to those found in the Milky Way interstellar medium. Our data show that LSB galaxies are certainly able to produce the DLyα lines seen at higher redshift and fuels the speculation that LSB galaxies are a major contributor to that population of absorbers.
Specialization Trend: Water Courts

Definition of property rights is not useful unless there is an enforcement system, either public or private, that backs it up. While the definition of property rights as a solution to the tragedy of the commons has been carefully analyzed in the literature, the enforcement piece has been somewhat overlooked. Water is becoming scarcer and conflict is rising. As a result, the need for an efficient and fair enforcement system is more necessary than ever due to climate change. Given the complexity of water law and the backlog in the judicial system, introducing specialization in the resolution of water cases may become necessary in many jurisdictions. Specialize enforcement takes different forms: from administrative agencies decisions to judicial decisions. This piece focuses on the judiciary, where specialization in the water and environmental arena has gained traction in recent decades in the United States and abroad. Specialization ensures faster resolution and better-quality decisions. To achieve those benefits, jurisdictions do not need to create a whole new system of courts necessarily. For example, in water, specialization in the judiciary can range from special masters assisting generalist judges in water cases or general judges who get assigned all water cases on the docket to full-fledged specialized courts. The article, first, covers how the literature has analyzed specialized tribunals across different legal areas, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Second, it establishes the need for specialized water courts and their procedural particularities. Factual and legal complexity of water disputes demands specialization both at the trial and at the appellate level. Third, it diagnoses the trend toward judicial specialization in water cases in the West of the United States and analyzes case studies of water courts in the United States and abroad, looking at both their institutional structure and their particular procedural rules. Based on this research, the paper offers a portfolio of institutional options for jurisdictions designing specialized courts. The proposals are particularly helpful to respond to the expected increase in conflicts over the allocation of natural resources due to climate change.
Functional Properties of Helicobacter pylori VacA Toxin m1 and m2 Variants

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the gastric mucosa and secretes a pore-forming toxin (VacA). Two main types of VacA, m1 and m2, can be distinguished by phylogenetic analysis. Type m1 forms of VacA have been extensively studied, but there has been relatively little study of m2 forms. In this study, we generated H. pylori strains producing chimeric proteins in which VacA m1 segments of a parental strain were replaced by corresponding m2 sequences. In comparison to the parental m1 VacA protein, a chimeric protein (designated m2/m1) containing m2 sequences in the N-terminal portion of the m region was less potent in causing vacuolation of HeLa cells, AGS gastric cells, and AZ-521 duodenal cells and had reduced capacity to cause membrane depolarization or death of AZ-521 cells. Consistent with the observed differences in activity, the chimeric m2/m1 VacA protein bound to cells at reduced levels compared to the binding levels of the parental m1 protein. The presence of two strain-specific insertions or deletions within or adjacent to the m region did not influence toxin activity. Experiments with human gastric organoids grown as monolayers indicated that m1 and m2/m1 forms of VacA had similar cell-vacuolating activities. Interestingly, both forms of VacA bound preferentially to the basolateral surface of organoid monolayers and caused increased cell vacuolation when interacting with the basolateral surface compared to the apical surface. These data provide insights into functional correlates of sequence variation in the VacA midregion (m region).
Care experiences that foster trust between parents and physicians of children with cancer

BACKGROUND Trust is a core aspect of the patient-physician relationship, especially in cancer care. We sought to examine parents' experiences with trust over the first year after a child's cancer diagnosis. PROCEDURE We conducted a prospective, questionnaire-based longitudinal cohort study of parents and physicians of children with cancer at two academic pediatric hospitals. We evaluated trust among 166 parents of children with cancer over the first year after diagnosis. Surveys were administered after diagnosis, at 4 months, and at 12 months after diagnosis. RESULTS Seventy-one percent of parents trusted the child's oncologist "completely" at baseline, as did 79% at 4 months and 77% at 12 months. At baseline, high-quality physician communication (OR 4.11 [1.78-9.51], P = .001) and information (OR 2.82 [1.29-6.16], P = .01) were associated with trust, after adjustment for parent gender, race/ethnicity, and education. Parents were less likely to trust the physician completely at 12 months if the child had experienced cancer relapse or progression (OR 0.28 [0.10-0.81], P = .02). In a mixed linear model adjusted for parent gender, race/ethnicity, education, and clustering by physician, trust was associated with high-quality communication (OR 3.40 [1.61-7.20], P = .001) and receipt of high-quality information (OR 2.48 [1.18-5.21], P = .02), and inversely associated with relapse or progression (OR 0.39 [0.17-0.92], P = 0.03); trust increased over time (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Most parents form trusting relationships with their children's oncologists. Physicians can foster trust through patient-centered communication and provision of high-quality information about a child's cancer. Poor outcomes such as relapse are a threat to trust.
Exploring visual literacy skills and dispositions through a museum-sponsored online professional development for K-12 teachers

This qualitative case study explored the experiences of two teachers participating in a visual literacy online professional development course sponsored by a state-funded art museum. As the world b...
A Moral Disengagement Investigation of How and When Supervisor Psychological Entitlement Instigates Abusive Supervision

Building on the emerging research on antecedents of abusive supervision, the current research offers an empirical investigation concerning how and when supervisor psychological entitlement instigates abusive supervision in the workplace. Specifically, drawing on social cognitive theory, we develop and test a moderated-mediation model delineating the process that prompts psychologically entitled supervisors to become abusive towards subordinates. We argue that supervisor psychological entitlement facilitates supervisor moral disengagement, which subsequently incites supervisory abusive behaviors. We also argue that supervisor moral identity (MI) and core self-evaluation (CSE) are likely to play an essential role in predicting the relationship between supervisor psychological entitlement and abusive supervision. We argue that supervisor psychological entitlement is more likely to instigate abusive supervision through moral disengagement when the magnitudes of supervisor MI and CSE are weaker. We test our theoretical model utilizing time-lagged, multisource (i.e., subordinate–supervisor dyads, N = 181) data from a variety of organizations in the United States. We find general support for our hypotheses. We discuss implications for theory and practice as well as future research avenues.
Development of the Mobile Technology Vulnerability Scale among Youth and Young Adults Living with HIV.

Introduction: Youth and young adults living with HIV (YLWH) in the US have the lowest viral suppression percentage. Lack of sufficient technology access may be correlated with HIV health outcomes in this population. Methods: We developed a Mobile Technology Vulnerability Scale (MTVS; 18 items) among 18–29-year-olds. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on baseline data (N = 79), followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of 6-month follow-up data (N = 69). Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency and test-retest reliability were examined. We also correlated the scale with self-report antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. Results: EFA yielded a single-factor solution at baseline after dropping one item. CFA at follow-up corroborated the single-factor. Cronbach’s alpha was high and MTVS was correlated with ART adherence at both time points. MTVS at baseline and 6 months were correlated. Conclusion: The 17-item MTVS scale was found to be valid and reliable and related to ART adherence.
The Combined Influence of Viscoelastic and Adhesive Cues on Fibroblast Spreading and Focal Adhesion Organization.

Tissue fibrosis is characterized by progressive extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffening and loss of viscoelasticity that ultimately impairs organ functionality. Cells bind to the ECM through integrins, where αv integrin engagement in particular has been correlated with fibroblast activation into contractile myofibroblasts that drive fibrosis progression. There is a significant unmet need for in vitro hydrogel systems that deconstruct the complexity of native tissues to better understand the individual and combined effects of stiffness, viscoelasticity, and integrin engagement on fibroblast behavior. We developed hyaluronic acid hydrogels with independently tunable cell-instructive properties (stiffness, viscoelasticity, ligand presentation) to address this challenge. Hydrogels with mechanics matching normal or fibrotic lung tissue were synthesized using a combination of covalent crosslinks and supramolecular interactions to tune viscoelasticity. Cell adhesion was mediated through incorporation of either RGD peptide or engineered fibronectin fragments promoting preferential integrin engagement via αvβ3 or α5β1. On fibrosis-mimicking stiff elastic hydrogels, preferential αvβ3 engagement promoted increased spreading, actin stress fiber organization, and focal adhesion maturation as indicated by paxillin organization in human lung fibroblasts. In contrast, preferential α5β1 binding suppressed these metrics. Viscoelasticity, mimicking the mechanics of healthy tissue, largely curtailed fibroblast spreading and focal adhesion organization independent of adhesive ligand type, highlighting its role in reducing fibroblast-activating behaviors. Together, these results provide new insights into how mechanical and adhesive cues collectively guide disease-relevant cell behaviors.
Comparison of combined positive score, Salgado TIL score, immunofluorescence and single cell RNA sequencing for predicting response to therapy

Objectives: Immune cell infiltration is associated with positive ovarian cancer prognosis and is used to predict response to emerging immunotherapies. Multiple methods are used both clinically and in research to quantify immune infiltration, but there is a lack of consensus on the best method. The objective of this study was to compare four methods of measuring immune infiltration: immunohistochemistry for PDL1 (Combined Positive Score - CPS), H&E analysis of immune infiltration (Salgado TIL score), multiparameter immunofluorescence (IHC), and single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq). This exploratory work compares these four methods and calculates associations with disease outcomes. Methods: Thirty biopsies were collected. Sections were stained with anti-PDL1 or H&E and scored by a molecular pathologist to generate CPS and Salgado TIL scores. Additional slides were stained with antibodies for CD3, CD8, CD56, CD19, FOXP3, cytokeratin, and DAPI. Whole slides were analyzed using CD3 and CD8 density to quantify infiltration. Single cell gene expression was measured using the 10x Genomics Single Cell 3’ Protocol. Sequencing was performed to a depth of at least 50,000 paired-end reads per cell. Cells were annotated using the Seurat and SingleR R packages. Correlation coefficients of immune cell infiltration estimates by the four methods were generated and visualized on scatter plots. Results: In evaluating immune cell infiltration, there was a moderate correlation between Salgado TIL scores and IHC with an R-squared value of 0.59. In evaluating T cell populations, CPS and scRNASeq did not correlate, with R-squared value of 0.0167. In our dataset, a higher CPS score was positively associated with platinum sensitivity. Conclusions: Single methodologies to estimate immune infiltration may not be sufficient to capture the complexity of the tumor microenvironment. Even though the correlation between methods was not high, it is possible that each method measures a different aspect of immune cell infiltration and the combination of methods may improve our ability to predict response to immunotherapies. Further analyses will be required to determine the biological properties that result in the different estimates.
Stable Thermally-Modulated Nanodroplet Ultrasound Contrast Agents.

Liquid perfluorocarbon-based nanodroplets are stable enough to be used in extravascular imaging, but provide limited contrast enhancement due to their small size, incompressible core, and small acoustic impedance mismatch with biological fluids. Here we show a novel approach to overcoming this limitation by using a heating–cooling cycle, which we will refer to as thermal modulation (TM), to induce echogenicity of otherwise stable but poorly echogenic nanodroplets without triggering a transient phase shift. We apply thermal modulation to high-boiling point tetradecafluorohexane (TDFH) nanodroplets stabilized with a bovine serum albumin (BSA) shell. BSA-TDFH nanodroplets with an average diameter under 300 nanometers showed an 11.9 ± 5.4 mean fold increase in echogenicity on the B-mode and a 13.9 ± 6.9 increase on the nonlinear contrast (NLC) mode after thermal modulation. Once activated, the particles maintained their enhanced echogenicity (p < 0.001) for at least 13 h while retaining their nanoscale size. Our data indicate that thermally modulated nanodroplets can potentially serve as theranostic agents or sensors for various applications of contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
Massive Pediatric Burn Injury : A ten-year review.

Advances in the care of burn injured pediatric patients has improved mortality over the last 20 years. However, massive burn injuries (50% total body surface area or greater) in pediatric patients, while overall rare, have a significant morbidity and mortality. The primary aim for this study is to analyze treatment and outcomes in massive pediatric burn injuries. A retrospective study of children with burn injuries 50% TBSA or greater who were admitted to Shriners Hospital for Children Northern California, from May 1, 2009 to May 22, 2020 was conducted. Data was collected from the electronic health records through a comprehensive chart review that included: patient demographics, past medical history, treatment interventions and outcomes. This study included 69 patients (59.4% male) with a mean age of 8.7 ± 6 years old. The median time from injury to admission was 2 (1- 4) days. 63.8% of patients were from Mexico, 34.8% were from the United States and 1 patient was from American Samoa. The median time from injury to admission was 2 (1- 4) days. Mean TBSA was 66 ± 12 %. The median TBSA of second-degree burns was 0 (0- 6)%, and the mean TBSA of third-degree burns was 60 ± 16%. 40% of patients suffered an inhalation injury and 83% of patients received a tracheostomy. The median number of days requiring ventilator assistance was 26 (12-58) days. Mean length of hospitalization was 90 ± 60 days, with 61 ± 41 days spent in the ICU. The mean number surgical procedures were 6 ± 4. The time between surgical procedures was 12 ± 6 days. The median time from admission to the first surgical procedure was 1 (0-2) day. At the first procedure, a mean 42 ± 15% TBSA of the burn injury was excised. 62% of patients received autografting (22 ± 11% TBSA) and 52% of patients received allografting (27 ± 17% TBSA) during the first procedure. For survivors, the median number of inpatient occupational therapy encounters were 143.5 (83-215) and inpatient physical therapy encounters were 139.5 (81-215). 25% of the patients included in this study died as a result of their burn injury. Multivariate regression revealed that sustaining an inhalation injury was a significant and independent predictor of death (OR- 3.4, (1.05-11 95% CI), p=0.04). Massive burn injuries in children required a very high number of surgical procedures and hospital resources. Most children who died as a result of their massive burn injury, died within the first month of admission. Inhalation independently increases the risk of dying in pediatric patients with a massive burn injury.
Understanding interannual variations of biomass burning from Peninsular Southeast Asia, part II: Variability and different influences in lower and higher atmosphere levels

Abstract A synthetic study including model, ground observation, sounding profiles, and satellite retrievals was applied to investigate the interannual variations of biomass burning from Peninsular Southeast Asia (PSEA) in terms of its emission, transport and impacts over the local and downwind areas. Study period ranged from 2006 to 2010 during March and April which was the PSEA biomass burning season. Analysis of geopotential height indicated that PSEA biomass burning plume was rapidly uplifted by the lee side trough over Yungui Plateau into free troposphere which favors the long-range transport down to East Asia (EA). Lightning data from NASA demonstrated deep convection was weak over PSEA during the burning season and it may only play a minor role for uplifting. Although PSEA biomass burning had large annual variation such as the emission in 2010 was 65% higher than that in 2008, its impact at near surface layer for CO, O3 and PM2.5 within 0–1 km height had less variability since most of the plume was uplifted into free troposphere. At lower part of free troposphere within 1 km–3 km however, impact of PSEA biomass burning at downwind areas showed consistent annual variations with the emission changes. Sounding observations demonstrated PSEA biomass burning may have almost no impact on the near surface layer O3 over Taiwan but contributed more than 30% of O3 at free troposphere within 1–6 km height during massive burning events. PSEA biomass burning also significantly affected aerosol optical depth (AOD) over EA, with the contributions ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 (25%–45% in total AOD) in 2008 to 0.2–0.6 (50%–70% in total AOD) in 2010. Our analysis indicated that although PSEA biomass burning may have relatively stable impact on air quality over EA from year to year, it will cause significant disturbance to the free troposphere over EA for both atmospheric chemistry and radiative forcing budget.
Chapter 3 Electrical Characteristics of Oocytes and Eggs

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the findings on the electrical properties of oocytes and eggs and relationships between the electrical characteristics of animal oocytes and eggs as well as the cellular events of oocyte growth, maturation, and fertilization. Oocyte growth occurs during an extended phase of meiotic prophase; the fully-grown primary oocyte is arrested at this stage. Resumption of meiosis in the primary oocyte may be triggered by sperm or by a maturation-inducing hormone. Oocyte maturation, induced by hormonal stimulation, results in a mature egg that may be arrested, depending on the species, at metaphase of the first or second meiotic division and resumption of meiosis at these stages is triggered by sperm during fertilization. In some species, meiosis is completed and sperm enter the egg at the pronuclear stage. Details are provided on ion channels in oocytes and mature eggs—action potentials in invertebrates, calcium-activated channels in amphibians, and voltage-sensitive sodium channels in amphibians and mammals. There are details on electrical characteristics of oocytes, the growing oocyte, transcellular ion currents, and maturation, on fertilization the fertilization potential and polyspermy prevention and sperm-induced ion conductances (in invertebrates and vertebrates), activation current waves, and the pathway to electrical changes at fertilization. Prolonged positive plateau phase of the fertilization potential in marine species is probably because of the opening of a Ca 2+ -activated cation conductance that in some cases may show greater selectivity for Na + over K + and other cations. The evidence presented in this chapter points to a role for Ca 2+ -activated ion conductances in marine occytes and eggs. Ca 2+ -activated ion conductances may be responsible for the fertilization potential in many species.