cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Androgen Quantitation in Prostate Cancer Tissue Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Prostate cancer that recurs after androgen deprivation therapy is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in North American men. Clinical and experimental evidences indicate that the development of recurrent prostate cancer is dependent on re-activation of the androgen receptor signaling pathway. Androgen is required for androgen receptor translocation to the nucleus, interaction with androgen response elements, expression of target genes, and prostate cancer cell proliferation. The intra-tissue and serum testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels are important biomarkers to monitor androgen deprivation therapy efficacy in prostate cancer and recurrent prostate cancer. We have measured testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in procured recurrent prostate cancer specimens using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The measured androgen levels are sufficient to activate androgen receptor and suggest that the recurrent prostate cancer microenvironment is capable of intracrine androgen biosynthesis.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with brain atrophy and hypometabolism in the ADNI cohort

Objective: We investigated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as a risk factor for brain atrophy and glucose hypometabolism in older adults with or at risk of cognitive impairment. Methods: Participants with the T2DM were identified from the Alzheimer9s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI-1/GO/2 cohorts). Analysis of covariance models were used to compare participants with and without T2DM, controlling for potential confounding factors. Results: Whole brain volume and whole brain [ 18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake were significantly different as a function of T2DM status, independent of baseline clinical diagnosis. On post hoc analysis, a lower whole brain volume was seen in participants with both mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and T2DM (n = 76) compared with participants who had MCI but not T2DM (n = 747; p = 0.009). Similarly, mean FDG uptake in gray matter and white matter was lower in participants with both MCI and T2DM (n = 72) than in participants with MCI without T2DM (n = 719; p = 0.04). Subsequent regional analysis revealed that the decreased FDG uptake in participants with both MCI and T2DM was mainly manifested in 3 brain regions: frontal lobe, sensory motor cortex, and striatum. Conclusions: T2DM may accelerate cognition deterioration in patients with MCI by affecting glucose metabolism and brain volume.
Defining the Task

Settlers brought from Britain to the eastern shores of the United States several ideas of property and democracy that caused important problems. In the 1830s, Alexis de Tocqueville noted three tendencies among the settlers that threatened to destroy the benefits of democracy and the environment. They were individualism, materialism, and conformity. By the 1970s, the concept of ecology changed from a scientific term into a moral critique that urged people to restrain those tendencies. The process was difficult. Some critics argued that democratic governments were less effective in enacting conservation policies than authoritarian ones.
SU‐G‐BRC‐04: Collimator Angle Optimization in Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy

Purpose: Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) has revolutionized radiation treatment by decreasing treatment time and monitor units, thus reducing scattered and whole body radiation dose. As the collimator angle changes the apparent leaf gap becomes larger which can impact plan quality, organ at risk (OAR) sparing as well as IMRT QA passing rate which is investigated. Methods: Two sites (prostate and head and neck) that have maximum utilization of VMAT were investigated. Two previously treated VMAT patients were chosen. For each patient 10 plans were created by maintaining constant optimization constraints while varying collimator angles from 0-90 deg at an interval of 10 degrees for the first arc and the appropriate complimentary angle for the second arc. Plans were created with AAA algorithm using 6 MV beam on a Varian IX machine with Millennium 120 MLC. The dose-volume histogram (DVH) for each plan was exported and dosimetric parameters (D98, D95, D50, D2) as well homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) were computed. Each plan was validated for QA using ArcCheck with gamma index passing criteria of 2%/2 mm and 3%/3 mm. Additionally, normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) for each OAR was computed using Uzan-Nahum software. Results: The CI values for both sites had no impact as target volume coverage in every collimator angle were the same since it was optimized for adequate coverage. The HI which is representative of DVH gradient or dose uniformity in PTV showed a clear trend in both sites. The NTCP for OAR (brain and cochlea) in H&N plan and (bladder and rectum) in prostate plan showed a distinct superiority for collimator angles between 15-30 deg. The gamma passing rates were not correlated with angle. Conclusion: Based on CI, HI, NTCP and gamma passing index, it can be concluded that collimator angles should be maintained within 15–30 deg.
EVs to Reduce Dependence on Imported Oil: Challenges and Lessons from Maui

Hawaii’s geographic isolation and historical dependence on imported fossil fuels are the primary cause of its residents having to pay the highest energy prices in the USA. To reduce oil dependence in transportation, the State of Hawaii introduced EV-friendly policies (in 2009) and financial incentives (in 2010) for an early adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (EV) and deployment of associated charging infrastructure. In 2011, University of Hawaii Maui College led a consortium of grant and cost-share partners to plan for mass EV deployment for Maui County in a 2-year project called “Maui Electric Vehicle Alliance.” The “planning” involved regular meetings and discussions among stakeholders, continuous outreach and education, and learning through implementation. An organized group of stakeholders acting as a central repository of information and coordinator of EV-related events while providing opportunities to educate and engage the community is essential to building confidence in this new EV technology and cultivating a change of driver attitude and behavior.
The icosahedral quasiperiodic tiling and its self-similarity

We investigate a 3-dimensional analogue of the Penrose tiling, a class of 3-dimensional aperiodic tilings whose edge vectors are the vertex vectors of a regular icosahedron. It arises by an equivariant orthogonal projection of the unit lattice in euclidean 6-space with its natural representation of the icosahedral group, given by its action on the 6 icosahedral diagonals (with orientation). The tiling has a canonical subdivision by a similar tiling (“deflation”). We give an essentially local construction of this subdivision, independent of the actual position inside the tiling. In particular we show that the subdivisions of the edges, faces and tiles (with some restriction) are unique.
Parity, coronary heart disease and mortality in the old order Amish

Abstract Background and aims Prior data on the association between parity and mortality are limited by the presence of sociodemographic confounders including cultural norms of parity. Our objective was to determine the association between parity and mortality in the Amish, a socioeconomically homogenous group with large numbers of children per family. Methods We conducted a population-based cohort study among 518 Old Order Amish women enrolled in a cardiovascular awareness program. The mean length of follow-up for mortality was 13.52 years. We determined the adjusted associations between parity and obesity, prevalent coronary heart disease and mortality. Results The mean number of total births per woman was 6.7 ± 3.6 with a mode of 8. No significant association was observed between parity and all-cause mortality when adjusted for age (HR 1.00 per additional birth; 95% CI 0.96–1.05; p = 0.85) or in multivariate analysis (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.95–1.05; p = 0.95). There was also no association of parity in age- or multivariable adjusted models with prevalent diabetes, hypertension or coronary heart disease. Despite the lack of effect of parity on mortality, a significant association of ten or more births was observed with higher body mass index (BMI) compared to the referent group of 8–9 total births. Conclusions In a highly homogeneous population with high rates of parity, no association between overall mortality and parity was observed. Ten or more births were significantly associated with a higher BMI but not with overall mortality.
The Arab Gulf States after Oil: Deploying Windfalls for Sustainable Development

This article examines the geographical dimensions of path dependence and path creation in oil economies. Existing frameworks in economics and political science suffer from a number of geographical limitations, which this article addresses by adapting recent frameworks developed in economic geography. In particular, the article studies the conditions under which oil windfalls might be deployed to promote the formation of more sustainable, post-oil sources of economic growth. This is accomplished by examining the development experiences and diversification efforts of the Arab Gulf states.
Inflammatory responses, matrix remodeling, and re‐epithelialization after fractional CO2 laser treatment of scars

Background and Objective Fractional CO2 laser therapy has been used to improve scar pliability and appearance; however, a variety of treatment protocols have been utilized with varied outcomes. Understanding the relationship between laser power and extent of initial tissue ablation and time frame for remodeling could help determine an optimum power and frequency for laser treatment. The characteristics of initial injury caused by fractional CO2 laser treatment, the rates of dermal remodeling and re-epithelialization, and the extent of inflammation as a function of laser stacking were assessed in this study in a porcine scar model. Materials and Methods Full-thickness burn wounds were created on female Red Duroc pigs followed by immediate excision of the eschar and split-thickness autografting. Three months after injury, the resultant scars were treated with a fractional CO2 laser with 70 mJ of energy delivered as either a single pulse or stacked for three consecutive pulses. Immediately prior to laser treatment and at 1, 24, 96, and 168 hours post-laser treatment, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), erythema, and microscopic characteristics of laser injury were measured. In addition, markers for inflammatory cytokines, extracellular matrix proteins, and re-epithelialization were quantified at all time points using qRT-PCR. Results Both treatments produced erythema in the scar that peaked 24 hours after treatment then decreased to basal levels by 168 hours. TEWL increased after laser treatment and returned to normal levels between 24 and 96 hours later. Stacking of the pulses did not significantly increase the depth of ablated wells or extend the presence of erythema. Interleukin 6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were found to increase significantly 1 hour after treatment but returned to baseline by 24 hours post laser. In contrast, expression of transforming growth factor β1 and transforming growth factor β3 increased slowly after treatment with a more modest increase than interleukin 6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Conclusions In the current study, the properties of the ablative zones were not directly proportional to the total amount of energy applied to the porcine scars with the use of triple stacking, resulting in only minor increases to microthermal zone (MTZ) depth and width versus a single pulse. Re-epithelialization and re-establishment of epidermal barrier function were observed in laser treated scars by 48 hours post therapy. Finally, many of the inflammatory genes up-regulated by the laser ablation returned to baseline within 1 week. As a whole, these results suggest that microthermal zones created by FXCO2 treatment re-epithelialize rapidly with the inflammatory response to the laser induced injury largely resolved within 1 week post treatment. Further study is needed to understand the relationship between laser stacking and MTZ properties in human scars in order to evaluate the clinical applicability of the stacking technique. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
NONHEREDITARY IDIOPATHIC FOVEAL RETINOSCHISIS ASSOCIATED WITH NEW-ONSET PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY.

Purpose To present a case of idiopathic foveal retinoschisis in a patient with new-onset proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Methods Single case report. Results A 64-year-old African American man with Type 2 diabetes mellitus presented for a routine annual diabetic eye examination with mildly blurred vision at near and distance in the right eye. Fluorescein angiography demonstrated optic nerve leakage consistent with neovascularization of the disk but no leakage on or around the macula in the right eye. Optical coherence tomography demonstrated peripapillary macular retinoschisis within the outer plexiform layer without optic disk pit, epiretinal membrane, or diabetic tractional membrane. He underwent pan-retinal photocoagulation in the right eye; his acuity and schisis remained unchanged at 6-month follow-up. Conclusion This is the first reported case of idiopathic acquired macular schisis with new-onset nontractional proliferative diabetic retinopathy in the same eye.
Matrix Profile VI: Meaningful Multidimensional Motif Discovery

Time series motifs are approximately repeating patterns in real-valued time series data. They are useful for exploratory data mining and are often used as inputs for various time series clustering, classification, segmentation, rule discovery, and visualization algorithms. Since the introduction of the first motif discovery algorithm for univariate time series in 2002, multiple efforts have been made to generalize motifs to the multidimensional case. In this work, we show that these efforts, which typically attempt to find motifs on all dimensions, will not produce meaningful motifs except in the most contrived situations. We explain this finding and introduce mSTAMP, an algorithm that allows meaningful discovery of multidimensional motifs. Beyond producing objectively and subjectively meaningful results, our algorithm has a host of additional advantages, including being much faster, requiring fewer parameters and supporting streaming data. We demonstrate the utility of our mSTAMP-based motif discovery framework on domains as diverse as audio processing, industry, and sports analytics.
Ruling before the Law: The Politics of Legal Regimes in China and Indonesia

How do legal systems actually operate outside of Western European or North American liberal democracies? To understand law and legal institutions globally, we must go beyond asking if countries comply with idealized, yet under-theorized, rule of law principles to determine how they work in practice. Examining legal regimes across different areas of criminal and civil law in both urban and rural China and Indonesia during distinct periods from 1949 to the present, William Hurst offers a new way of understanding how cases are adjudicated (and with what implications) across authoritarian, developing, post-colonial, and newly democratizing settings. This is the first systematic comparative study of the world's largest Communist and majority-Muslim nations, and the most comprehensive scholarly work in many years on the micro-level workings of either the Chinese or Indonesian legal system at the grassroots, based on a decade of research and extensive fieldwork in multiple Indonesian and Chinese provinces.
Neoadjuvant sipuleucel-T in localized prostate cancer: Effects on immune cells within the prostate tumor microenvironment.

2564 Background: Sipuleucel-T is an FDA-approved autologous cellular immunotherapy for patients with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). To ...
Doing Right: Connectedness Problem Solving and Negotiation

We discuss individual and multiagent (group) problem solving and negotiation. We consider connectedness, a dynamic subjective relation experience of consciousness involving awareness/qualia experience – as cognition, emotion, social, conation, holistic, etc. We develop Connectedness Problem Solving and Negotiation (CPSN) for doing right meaning defining/solving a validated “right” problem/solution, as discussed in the chapter. The validated solution constitutes right action. CPSN is effected through Evolutionary Systems Design (ESD), a game-theory based, general formal systems-spirituality modeling/design framework for problem solving and negotiation implemented by computer technology. By systems-spirituality here we mean that in systems modeling/design of problem solving/negotiation, an agent can represent an evolving system of purposes and their relations (the ESD evolving problem representation) from the lowest-level action to the highest purpose(s) that could be spiritual. A negotiation agreement requires multiagent agreement on the solution/action to be taken. Agents may be natural or artificial. The chapter focuses mostly on human agents. Chapters in this Handbook by Martinovski on emotion in negotiation; Lewis, and Kersten and Lai on computer technology relate to our work here.
Effects of Refrigerated and Frozen Storage on Holder-Pasteurized Donor Human Milk: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background: Pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) is the recommended feeding alternative for preterm infants when mother's own milk is not available. Use of PDHM in United States neonatal ho...
The Incentive Effects of the Minnesota Fiscal DisparitiesProgram on Tax Policy in Minnesota

In this work, we provide a theoretical analysis and empirical evidence of the incentive effects of the tax base sharing program on property tax rates set by municipalities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. We identify two incentive effects generated by this program: the equalization base effect and the revenue matching effect, and test their combined impact on local property tax rates. Our empirical analysis shows that cities and townships respond to the combined impact of these two effects by raising their property tax rates while counties and school districts do not.
Modeling indicates efficient vaccine-based interventions for the elimination of hepatitis C virus among persons who inject drugs in metropolitan Chicago.

Abstract Background and aims Persons who inject drugs (PWID) are at highest risk for acquiring and transmitting hepatitis C (HCV) infection. The recent availability of oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy with reported cure rates >90% can prevent HCV transmission, making HCV elimination an attainable goal among PWID. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently proposed a 90% reduction in HCV incidence as a key objective. However, given barriers to the use of DAAs in PWID, including cost, restricted access to DAAs, and risk of reinfection, combination strategies including the availability of effective vaccines are needed to eradicate HCV as a public health threat. This study aims to model the cost and efficacy of a dual modality approach using HCV vaccines combined with DAAs to reduce HCV incidence by 90% and prevalence by 50% in PWID populations. Methods We developed a mathematical model that represents the HCV epidemic among PWID and calibrated it to empirical data from metropolitan Chicago, Illinois. Four medical interventions were considered: vaccination of HCV naive PWID, DAA treatment, DAA treatment followed by vaccination, and, a combination of vaccination and DAA treatment. Results The combination of vaccination and DAAs is the lowest cost-expensive intervention for achieving the WHO target of 90% incidence reduction. The use of DAAs without a vaccine is much less cost-effective with the additional risk of reinfection after treatment. Vaccination of naive PWID alone, even when scaled-up to all reachable PWID, cannot achieve 90% reduction of incidence in high-prevalence populations due to infections occurring before vaccination. Similarly, the lowest cost-expensive way to halve prevalence in 15 years is through the combination of vaccination and DAAs. Conclusions The modeling results underscore the importance of developing an effective HCV vaccine and augmenting DAAs with vaccines in HCV intervention strategies in order to achieve efficient reductions in incidence and prevalence.
The effect of annealing on the impact fragmentation of a pure aluminum reactive material

Reactive materials are otherwise inert solids designed to generate combustion energy upon dynamic impact via fragmentation and combustion. We show that the impact fragmentation of a prototypical aluminum reactive material is very sensitive to mild annealing. Cold isostatically pressed compacts of micrometer-scale Al powder were annealed at 200 °C and launched through thin plates or into thick steel targets, where they fragmented heavily before being recovered in a soft-catch medium. Though the heat treatment causes no sintering, grain growth, or recrystallization, it has a significant effect on the fragment distribution. The distribution can be tuned from brittle power-law behavior to one with a clear characteristic size. The effect is presumed to arise from dislocation recovery, affecting interlocking of Al particles during the multiaxial stress loading of impact. A similar material made partially with aluminum alloy powder does not show this extreme sensitivity to annealing. This strong variation in impact fragmentation is particularly important for reactive materials, which rely on the production of fine fragments for efficient combustion.
Ineffective Antibiotic Prophylaxis: An Unusual Presentation of Infective Endocarditis with Insights into the Appropriateness of Prophylaxis.

The practice of antibiotic prophylaxis for the prevention of infective endocarditis (IE) has undergone a major paradigm shift over the past few decades. From the earlier practice of antibiotic prophylaxis for all patients undergoing dental procedures, since 2006, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines have now narrowed down the indications to use it only in patients at high risk for IE. A true concern for antibiotic resistance remains eminent when used without appropriate indications. Through this case presentation of IE and the associated preceding use of antibiotics, we take this opportunity to explain the appropriateness of prophylaxis in patients from different risk groups. We also shed some light on alternative, effective, and, yet, harmless measures for the prevention of IE in patients at low risk.
Chapter 25 – Liver transplantation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of liver transplantation, factors affecting the outcome of transplantation, evaluation of candidates for liver transplantation, and timing of transplantation. The recipient is likely to have one or more life-threatening complications in the perioperative or early postoperative period. Carefully supervised life-long immunosuppressive therapy is required. Close medical and surgical supervision is necessary to minimize complications. Lack of donor livers matched for size, blood group, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) status remains a major difficulty with the increasing requirement for liver transplantation. The majority of pediatric recipients are less than 2 years of age. Another important limiting factor is scarcity of intensive care facilities and trained nursing staff. Contraindications for transplantation are in a state of constant flux as medical and surgical advances overcome particular problems. At present metastatic malignancy, intractable extrahepatic sepsis, particularly fungal and permanent neurological damage, are considered absolute contraindications. Relative contraindications include complex congenital heart disease, major intra-abdominal vascular anomalies, advanced renal or lung disease and severe short bowel syndrome..
Black and unarmed: statistical interaction between age, perceived mental illness, and geographic region among males fatally shot by police using case-only design.

Abstract Purpose We examine whether the race and armed status interact to modify the risk of being fatally shot by police within categories of civilian age and mental illness status, and U.S. region. Methods Data are from The Washington Post online public-use database of all U.S. police-involved shooting deaths. The sample includes black and white males with known armed status who were killed from 1/1/2015 through 12/31/2019 (n = 3090). A case-only design is used to assess multiplicative interaction using adjusted logistic regression. Results The fully adjusted interaction estimate is null (SOR = 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.55–1.04). However, adjusted estimates within strata show that the risk of being armed versus unarmed when fatally shot is smaller for black than white males older than 54 years (SOR = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.06–0.65), those showing mental illness signs (SOR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.26–0.98), and those killed in the South (SOR = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.33–0.83), and that the risk is greater in the Midwest (SOR = 2.42; 95% CI = 1.11–5.26). Notably, there is no black-white difference in armed status among younger age groups (SOR≈0.89). Conclusion The race and armed status may interact leaving black males at a higher risk of being unarmed than white males when fatally shot by police among those older than 54 years, mentally impaired, and residing in the South. Causal interaction suggests a lower risk for unarmed blacks in the Midwest. Researchers should further explore the utility of the case-only design to study social-environmental interaction.
Physical Mechanism Behind the Toroidal Multipoles

In this chapter, we presented a set of calculations for the radiation intensity, angular momentum loss, and recoil force of the most general type of source, in terms of electric, magnetic, and toroidal multipole moments. In these calculations, we considered a set of studies based on radii of any multipolarity and an arbitrary time dependence. The results are articulated in terms of time derivatives of the multipole moments and mean radii of the associated distributions. To that end, we recalled the equations for the description of electromagnetic multipoles as well as dynamic toroidal moments from Chap. 2. Besides, we employed the classical electrodynamics framework to obtain the rate of angular momentum loss of a time-dependent toroidal dipole, which was derived by Radescu and Vlad (Phys Rev E 57(5):6030, 1998); Radescu and Vaman (Phys Rev E 65:046609, 2002), in connection with a forced precession of the toroidal dipole around a particular axis.
Precision Measurements of the Semileptonic Charm Decays D0 → π-ℓ+ν and D0 → K-ℓ+ν

We investigate the decays D0 → π-l+ν and D0 → K-l+ν, where l is e or μ, using approximately 7 fb-1 of data collected with the CLEO III detector. We find . Fits to the kinematic distributions of the data provide parameters describing the form factor of each mode. Combining the form factor results and R0 gives .
There is no I in Escape: Using an Escape Room Simulation to Enhance Teamwork and Medication Safety Behaviors in Nursing Students:

Background.Nurse educators are challenged to develop simulation activities that will engage interest and help baccalaureate nursing students administer medications safely. Students must be able to ...
Spatially resolved transcriptomics in neuroscience.

One major challenge in neuroscience is to gain a systematic understanding of the extraordinary diversity of brain cell types and how they contribute to brain function. Spatially resolved transcriptomics holds unmatched promise in unraveling the organization of brain cell types and their relationship with connectivity, circuit dynamics, behavior and disease. Here we discuss neuroscience applications of various spatially resolved transcriptomics methods, as well as technical challenges that need to be overcome to realize their full potentials.
High-throughput and dosage-controlled intracellular delivery of large cargos by an acoustic-electric micro-vortices platform

ABSTRACT Intracellular delivery of cargos for cell engineering plays a pivotal role in transforming medicine and biomedical discoveries. Recent advances in microfluidics and nanotechnology have opened up new avenues for efficient, safe, and controllable intracellular delivery, as they improve precision down to the single-cell level. Based on this capability, several promising micro- and nanotechnology approaches outperform viral and conventional non-viral techniques in offering dosage-controlled delivery and/or intracellular delivery of large cargos. However, to achieve this level of precision and effectiveness, they are either low in throughput, limited to specific cell types (e.g., adherent vs. suspension cells), or complicated to operate with. To address these challenges, here we introduce a versatile and simple-to-use intracellular delivery microfluidic platform, termed Acoustic-Electric Shear Orbiting Poration (AESOP). Hundreds of acoustic microstreaming vortices form the production line of the AESOP platform, wherein hundreds of thousands of cells are trapped, permeabilized, and mixed with exogenous cargos. Using AESOP, we show intracellular delivery of a wide range of molecules (from 6kbp) with viabilities over 80% and comparable delivery efficiencies, but also is an order of magnitude higher in throughput, compatible with both adherent and suspension cell lines, and simple to operate.
Exploring Land Value Taxation as a Means of Mitigating Greater Boston's Housing Affordability Crisis

Like many coastal American metropolitan areas flush with high-paying jobs characteristic of twenty-first century innovation economies, Greater Boston is grappling with skyrocketing housing costs and a shortage of affordable housing stock. Although the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and City of Boston have implemented a panoply of initiatives to address the housing crisis, the situation continues to worsen. Meanwhile, after nearly a half-century of disinterest in land value taxation (LVT) as a policy tool to foster equitable urban development, local municipalities and regional authorities across the United States have once again started studying LVT as a means to counter rapidly rising rents and worsening urban sprawl. This note argues that, in theory, LVT could mitigate the prodigious upwards climb of housing costs in Greater Boston, especially around new transit corridors, while also providing alternative sources of financing for new affordable housing development. However, implementing LVT in Greater Boston would likely face significant political pushback as well as various challenges under the Massachusetts Constitution. As a result, the feasibility of LVT implementation in Greater Boston remains uncertain, although LVT has overcome similar hurdles in Pennsylvania. In the interim, current efforts to speed up the production of new housing should be prioritized. To that end, this Note highlights examples from peer metropolitan areas from which Greater Boston could learn.
Increasing temporal variance leads to stable species range limits

Abstract What prevents populations of a species from adapting to the novel environments outside the species’ geographic distribution? Previous models highlighted how gene flow across spatial environmental gradients determines species expansion vs. extinction and the location of species range limits. However, space is only one of two axes of environmental variation — environments also vary in time, and we know temporal environmental variation has important consequences for population demography and evolution. We used an individual based evolutionary model to explore how temporal stochasticity in environmental conditions influences the spread of populations across a spatial environmental gradient. We find that temporal stochasticity greatly alters our predictions for range dynamics compared to temporally static environments. When temporal variance is equal across the landscape, the fate of species (expansion vs. extinction) is determined by the interaction between the degree of temporal autocorrelation in environmental fluctuations and the steepness of the spatial environmental gradient. When the magnitude of temporal variance changes across the landscape, stable range limits form where this variance becomes large enough to prevent local population adaptation and persistence. These results illustrate the pivotal influence of temporal stochasticity on the likelihood of populations colonizing novel habitats and the location of species range limits.
Interpersonal Networks in Organizations: Cognition, Personality, Dynamics, and Culture

This book brings a social networks perspective to bear on topics of leadership, decision-making, turnover, organizational crises, organizational culture, and other major organizational behavior topics. It offers a new direction for organizational behavior theory and research by drawing from social network ideas. Across diverse research topics, the authors pursue an integrated focus on social ties both as they are represented in the cognitions of individuals and as they operate as constraints and opportunities in organizational settings. The authors bring their 20 years worth of research experience together to provide a programmatic social network approach to understanding the internal functioning of organizations. By focusing a distinctive research lens on interpersonal networks, they attempt to discover the keys to the whole realm of organizational behavior through the social network approach.
A structural approach to the study of viral immune evasion mechanisms (TECH1P.850)

Mouse cytomegalovirus encodes immunoevasin proteins that interfere with MHC-I antigen presentation to CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. Members of the m02-m16 family contribute to viral survival and infectivity. One member of this family, m04/gp34, binds MHC-I molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum and accompanies them to the cell surface, while the related m06 binds and directs MHC-I to endosomes. Biochemical evidence suggests that m04 counters MHC-retaining functions of other viral proteins. Despite many genetic and functional studies, the structural basis of immunoevasin specificities and functions is poorly understood, due largely to difficulty in cocrystallization of these proteins with their ligands. There is no identifiable amino acid homology of any member of this family to any protein structure available. To bypass this structural bottleneck, we have developed a new technology that combines sparse datasets recorded from Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy with sophisticated Rosetta macromolecular modeling methods. We apply this approach to determine the structure of the m04 core domain and its interactions with the H2-Dd MHC-I molecule. m04 has a novel Ig-like fold, with long loops providing a flexible scaffold for MHC-I binding. This study provides insight into a key site on MHC-I “discovered” by the virus and helps us to understand the function of m04 with respect to T and NK cell MHC recognition.
Development of an autonomous multi-rotor copter for collecting atmospheric data near the ground

Vertical profiling of atmospheric data for the first several hundred meters above ground level is a powerful mechanism by which environmental scientists conduct research and development. Accurate measurements of atmospheric variables such as wind, temperature, and relative humidity, are essential to the many applications of this type of environmental research. The current methods of taking measurements by free-flying or tethered balloons can be inconsistent and unreliable. Beyond the scientific implications, balloons are also unpractical for large research projects that demand multiple profiles at high spatial and temporal resolution. Free-flying balloons and the attached sensors are often not recovered after use, and they can be costly to replace. Tethered balloons can be reused, but the cost of helium as well as the time and work required to operate make them undesirable for repetitive observation. The purpose of this project is to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can collect atmospheric data for the purpose of generating vertical profiles of the first several hundred meters above the ground. This overall goal for the project includes not only the development of the vehicle itself, but also a data collection system and a mechanism for users to interface with the data both during and after data collection. The system is designed to be pre-programmable and autonomous, providing researchers the precision and control required to generate accurate profiles of the lower atmosphere. It will also be reusable, offering a clear advantage over the traditional balloons, and customizable to fit varying research needs. The system in its current form is a hexacopter built on the open source ArduCopter platform. It is outfitted with an extensive sensor package to measure wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, and pressure. Data are logged directly to an onboard SD card, and additionally transmitted wirelessly to a laptop ground station when the vehicle is in use. When this team took control of the project, much of the hardware was already in place. As such, the team’s efforts this past scholastic year were 1) the development of a robust information system that will allow users to both see the data in real-time in a useful format and easily manage and process the data after they are measured, and 2) further stabilization of the copter’s flight while hovering at a fixed altitude. In its final form, the copter and its counterpart information system will provide environmental scientists with a powerful tool that will both simplify and augment the process of low-altitude atmospheric research.
Using transformative boundary objects to create critical engagement in science: A case study

Teachers are increasingly faced with questions of how to teach the students in diverse classrooms in ways that are responsive to their experiences outside of the classroom. This paper presents a case study of how one 6th-grade teacher in a midwestern city enacts the Choice, Control, and Change (C3) curriculum, a curriculum based on the concept of dynamic equilibrium (energy in/energy out) in science-rich and culturally relevant ways. We analyze how she used what we call “transformative boundary objects” to leverage students' cultural knowledge and experiences of food and activity practices and systems to support the learning community in (a) developing an awareness of and trying on the norms and practices of science and (b) legitimizing the values, discourses, and practices of their everyday lives, the first two tenets of Ladson-Billings (1995a, 1995b) culturally relevant teaching, to transform the traditional discourses and practices of school science. We particularly focus on Ladson-Billings third tenet, (c), the development of critical consciousness, showing how the teacher uses transformative boundary objects to transform science learning into a context where traditional boundaries between students lives and school science are blurred, and a critical consciousness about how the food system works and its connections to their everyday food choices is supported. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 1–31, 2012
Transient state isoelectric focusing. Digital measurement of zone position, zone area, segmental pH gradient, and isoelectric point as a function of time.

Transient state isoelectric focusing (TRANSIF) is a kinetic method which offers quantitative information about relevant parameters pertaining both to methodological aspects and to the physical characterization of amphoteric molecules. TRANSIF data are obtained with an improved scanning isoelectric focusing assembly coupled to an on-line digital data acquisition and processing system which is used to continuously record changes in peak position (x), peak area, segmental pH gradient (Δ(pH)Δx), and isoelectric point (pI) of proteins during focusing. This improved apparatus has made it feasible to follow the temporal stability of an isoelectric focusing system in a quantitative fashion.
Outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.

Background The incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is increasing in the pediatric population. Pediatric recipients of solid organ transplantation (SOT) may be at a higher risk for CDI in part because of chemotherapy and prolonged hospitalization. Methods We utilized data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database to study the incidence and outcomes related to CDI as a complicating factor in pediatric recipients of SOT. Results Our results demonstrate that hospitalized children with SOT have increased rates of infection, with the greatest risk for younger children with additional comorbidities and severe illness. The type of transplanted organ affects the risk for CDI, with the lowest incidence observed in renal transplant patients. Conclusion The occurrence of CDI in the pediatric SOT population contributes to a greater length of stay and higher hospital charges. However, CDI is not an independent predictor of increased in- hospital mortality in these patients.
Membrane Potential as the Sum of Ionic and Metabolic Components

The resting potential of a molluscan neuron can be separated experimentally into two components: one which depends on ionic gradients and permeabilities in accordance with the Goldman equation, and a second which depends on the electrogenicity of active sodium transport.
The Asynergistic Nature of Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia

This article reviews issues on motor, acoustic, and linguistic patterns to support the concept of developmental verbal dyspraxia as an asynergistic disorder of communication.
A Comparative Theoretical and Computational Study on Robust Counterpart Optimization: I. Robust Linear Optimization and Robust Mixed Integer Linear Optimization

Robust counterpart optimization techniques for linear optimization and mixed integer linear optimization problems are studied in this paper. Different uncertainty sets, including those studied in literature (i.e., interval set; combined interval and ellipsoidal set; combined interval and polyhedral set) and new ones (i.e., adjustable box; pure ellipsoidal; pure polyhedral; combined interval, ellipsoidal, and polyhedral set) are studied in this work and their geometric relationship is discussed. For uncertainty in the left hand side, right hand side, and objective function of the optimization problems, robust counterpart optimization formulations induced by those different uncertainty sets are derived. Numerical studies are performed to compare the solutions of the robust counterpart optimization models and applications in refinery production planning and batch process scheduling problem are presented.
Is Parceling Really Necessary? A Comparison of Results From Item Parceling and Categorical Variable Methodology

This study examined the efficacy of 4 different parceling methods for modeling categorical data with 2, 3, and 4 categories and with normal, moderately nonnormal, and severely nonnormal distributions. The parceling methods investigated were isolated parceling in which items were parceled with other items sharing the same source of variance, and distributed parceling in which items were parceled with items influenced by different factors. These parceling strategies were crossed with strategies in which items were either parceled with similarly distributed or differently distributed items, to create 4 different parceling methods. Overall, parceling together items influenced by different factors and with different distributions resulted in better model fit, but high levels of parameter estimate bias. Across all parceling methods, parameter estimate bias ranged from 20% to over 130%. Parceling strategies were contrasted with use of the WLSMV estimator for categorical, unparceled data. Results based on this es...
Towards quantitative depth-profile analysis using laser-induced plasma spectroscopy: investigation of galvannealed coatings on steel

Abstract Laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS) is applied to depth-profile analysis, with the particular goal of examining how LIPS depth profiles can be fully calibrated. For this purpose, we concentrate on the representative case of galvannealed coatings on steel (i.e. annealed zinc-coated steel). In particular, a method is proposed wherein the second derivative of the zinc intensity profile enables the determination of the coating/substrate interface position. Calibration for the major elements (iron and zinc) is based on a non-linear relationship between the iron-to-zinc line intensity ratio and the iron-to-zinc concentration ratio. Quantitative depth profiles of three elements (Al, Fe and Zn) are obtained for two galvannealed samples. The iron profiles are found to be in broad agreement with those obtained by transmission electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry.
Safe Design Suggestions for Vegetated Roofs

Extracted text; Rooftop vegetation is becoming increasingly popular because of its environmental benefits and its ability to earn green-building certification credits. With the exception of one international guideline, there is little mention of worker safety and health in vegetated-roof codes and literature. Observations and field investigations of 19 vegetated roofs in the United States revealed unsafe access for workers and equipment, a lack of fall-protection measures, and other site-specific hazards. Design for safety strategies and the integration of life-cycle safety thinking with green-building credits systems are the preferred methods to reduce risk to workers on vegetated roofs. Design suggestions have been developed to add to the body of knowledge. The findings complement several National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) construction and prevention through design (PtD) goals and are congruent with NIOSH’s Safe Green Jobs initiative. Organizations that install and maintain vegetated roofs can utilize the findings to understand hazards, take precautions, and incorporate safety into their bids The published version of this article is available here: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000500
The Use of Serum Albumin for Further Classification of Stage III Non–Oat Cell Lung Cancer and Its Therapeutic Implications

The use of the preadmission serum albumin level for predicting survival was evaluated in 81 patients with Stage III disease, 59 with unresectable and 22 with resectable primary tumors. A serum albumin of less than 3.4 gm/dl in a patient with unresectable Stage III disease indicates a poor prognosis with an accuracy that supersedes that obtained from a clinical assessment of the anatomical extent of disease. Seventeen of the 22 patients with resectable Stage III disease had a preadmission level of albumin of 3.4 gm/dl or greater. The median survival was 20.5 months, which was statistically longer than 9.9 months for 12 patients with unresectable Stage III M0 disease and an albumin level of 3.4 gm/dl or greater (p less than 0.05). Five of the 22 patients who underwent resection had a preadmission albumin level of less than 3.4 gm/dl. The median survival for these patients was 9.7 months compared with 20.5 months for those with a level of 3.4 gm/dl or greater. These findings suggest that resection of Stage III disease in patients with an albumin level of 3.4 gm/dl or greater prolongs survival. Another group of 5 patients with resectable Stage III disease and an albumin level of less than 3.4 gm/dl were force-fed an elemental diet while undergoing a regimen of preoperative radiation therapy. There was no improvement in survival, and 3 died of the disease prior to resection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Pelvic endometriosis mimicking advanced ovarian cancer : presentation with pleural effusion, ascites, and elevated serum CA 125 level

Two patients with clinical complications of endometriosis mimicking stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer are described. One had bilateral pleural effusions, ascites, and a serum CA 125 level of 440 U/ml. The other had a right-sided pleural effusion and a large abdominal mass.