cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monoclonal Antibodies to Vitellins of Bollworm and Tobacco Budworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Biochemical and Ecological Implications

We partially characterized the antigens recognized by monoclonal antibodies raised against eggs of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and purified vitellin of Heliothis virescens (F.). Through western blot analysis following pore-limiting electrophoresis, both antibodies were shown to recognize vitellin specifically. Western blots generated following SDS-PAGE indicated that the determinant for the antibody produced to H. virescens vitellin (HVE-1) was found exclusively on the large molecular weight apoprotein of vitellin, apoVn-I. The determinant for the antibody produced to H. zea eggs (HZE-1) was not detected by western blot analysis following SDS-PAGE, indicating that its determinant was disrupted by protein denaturation. Electrophoretic analyses also indicated that the apparent molecular weights of native heliothine vitellins ranged from 472,000 to 522,000 and those of their apoproteins ranged from 164,000 to 169,000 (apoVn-I) and from 45,000 to 47,000 (apoVn-II). The species- and stage-specificities of the antibodies also was determined. The HZE-1 antibody was found to be specific for vitellin of H. zea and 2 Old World relatives, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) and Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren), but did not recognize vitellins of H. virescens, Heliothis subflexa (Grote), or 3 genera of nonheliothine noctuids. The HVE-1 antibody recognized vitellins of all Helicoverpa-Heliothis species tested, but not those of the nonheliothine noctuids. Neither antibody cross-reacted with native proteins from homogenates or hemolymph of H. zea or H. virescens larvae or pupae. Western blots of adult hemolymph indicated that the antibodies also recognized vitellogenin, vitellin's precursor.
Nest Success, Habitat Utilization and Nest-Site Selection of Long-Billed Curlews in the Columbia Basin, Oregon

Breeding ecology of Long-billed Curlews (Numenius americanus) in northcentral Oregon was studied during spring and summer, 1978-1979. Five habitats were used by territorial curlews, and habitat selection by adults with and without broods was studied. Both adults and adults with broods used habitats significantly different from availability. A preference for habitats of low vertical profile and low vertical density (plant parts/volume/ height) was observed; habitats with tall, dense shrubs or weedy annual vegetation were generally avoided. Nest density varied from 0-9 nests/40 ha. Highest nest density occurred in cheatgrass habitats. Nest success as computed by the Mayfield method was 0.69 in 1978 (n = 40) and 0.65 in 1979 (n = 61). Predators destroyed 10 (4) and 16% (10) of the nests in 1978 and 1979, respectively. Eight of 14 (57%) nests over both years were destroyed by mammalian predators; at least three (21%) were taken by crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) or magpies (Pica pica). Nest predation rate was significantly lower in annual grass habitats. Differences between nest sites and randomly selected habitats were related to vertical stratification of vegetation. Vegetative cover was important in only the bunchgrass habitat. Overall, nest sites were less complex above 5 cm than surrounding areas. Significant differences in nest-site structure between habitats were observed for five of six paired comparisons, indicating some plasticity in nest-site selection by breeding curlews.
THE SOCIAL SKILLS APPERCEPTION TEST: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

For the evaluation of social skills of adolescents, the present inquiry assessed the initial properties of the Social Skills Apperception Test, a projective test having a videotaped format. Initial results suggest favourable interjudge reliability.
Concepts for describing the interaction of two agents.

This paper reviews general concepts for understanding the effects of two or more agents. Models describing exposures to mixed fields of radiation are developed on the basis of very general postulat...
Animal Research: Collateral Issues Concerning Scientific Practice in the Context of Education

Discussions of the ethics of animal experimentation have included attacks on scientific practice, attacks that go beyond the humanitarian issues to question the enterprise of experimental psychology. Charges of pointless experiments, obvious findings, repetitious experiments, and lack of external validity reveal a misunderstanding of the aim and practice of science. These charges are considered and reasons for the apparent problems are articulated. It is concluded that students of experimental psychology should focus attention on ethical issues as a means of offsetting indifferent attitudes that may result from a tradition of analytic thinking.
THU0037 Personality Traits in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Unrecognized Predictor of Mortality

Background Psychosocial factors, such as pessimistic explanatory style, are shown to affect the course of treatments in many illnesses (Cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, Parkinson9s disease). Little is known about how pessimistic explanatory style affects rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives The aim of this study was to determine if pessimistic explanatory style altered the risk for and mortality rates of RA patients. Methods The study used a subset of patients who completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) from among a population-based cohort with incident RA in 1955–2007 and an age- and sex-matched non-RA comparison cohort. Only patients who were ≥18 and fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1987 criteria for RA were included. Pessimistic explanatory style was measured using the Optimism-Pessimism scale (PSM≥60). Logistic regression and Cox models were used to examine the associations between pessimistic explanatory style and development of RA or mortality rates. Results There were 148 RA and 135 non-RA subjects who completed the MMPI. Pessimistic explanatory style was associated with development of rheumatoid factor positive (RF+) RA (odds ratio [OR]:1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99–3.04; p=0.053 adjusted for age, sex, smoking and obesity). Among patients with RA, mortality risk adjusted for age, sex, year, smoking, and Charlson Comorbidity Index was increased with a pessimistic explanatory style (hazard ratio [HR]:2.88; 95%CI: 1.02–8.14), similar to mortality risk in RF+ RA patients (HR:2.28; 95%CI:1.10–4.73). A significant interaction between RF+ and pessimistic explanatory style indicated that having both did not confer an additive effect (p=0.037). The 10 year survival percentages were highest for those with RF-RA who were not pessimistic (93%) and were similar for patients with RF+RA who were not pessimistic (73%), those with RF-RA who were pessimistic (77%), and those who were both RF+RA and pessimistic (84%). This association did not change after adjusting for the MMPI depression scale or a history of depression prior to diagnosis of RA. Conclusions Having a pessimistic explanatory style was associated with an increased risk of developing RA and increased mortality rate in patients with RA. In these patients, the effects of RF+ and pessimistic style were not additive. The patient9s psychological state strongly affects treatment decisions and outcomes and can inform about the usefulness of mindful interventions (e.g. cognitive behavioral therapy). Understanding the explanatory style is an important step in the holistic management of disease and a vital component of integrated care. Disclosure of Interest None declared
Measurement of cortical elasticity in Drosophila melanogaster embryos using ferrofluids

Many models of morphogenesis are forced to assume specific mechanical properties of cells, because the actual mechanical properties of living tissues are largely unknown. Here, we measure the rheology of epithelial cells in the cellularizing Drosophila embryo by injecting magnetic particles and studying their response to external actuation. We establish that, on timescales relevant to epithelial morphogenesis, the cytoplasm is predominantly viscous, whereas the cellular cortex is elastic. The timescale of elastic stress relaxation has a lower bound of 4 min, which is comparable to the time required for internalization of the ventral furrow during gastrulation. The cytoplasm was measured to be ∼103-fold as viscous as water. We show that elasticity depends on the actin cytoskeleton and conclude by discussing how these results relate to existing mechanical models of morphogenesis.
Adverse life events, psychiatric history, and biological predictors of postpartum depression in an ethnically diverse sample of postpartum women.

BackgroundRace, psychiatric history, and adverse life events have all been independently associated with postpartum depression (PPD). However, the role these play together in Black and Latina women remains inadequately studied. Therefore, we performed a case–control study of PPD, including comprehensive assessments of symptoms and biomarkers, while examining the effects of genetic ancestry.MethodsWe recruited our sample (549 cases, 968 controls) at 6 weeks postpartum from obstetrical clinics in North Carolina. PPD status was determined using the MINI-plus. Psychiatric history was extracted from medical records. Participants were administered self-report instruments to assess depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and adverse life events. Levels of estradiol, progesterone, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, oxytocin, and allopregnanalone were assayed. Principal components from genotype data were used to estimate genetic ancestry and logistic regression was used to identify predictors of PPD.ResultsThis population was racially diverse (68% Black, 13% Latina, 18% European). Genetic ancestry was not a predictor of PPD. Case status was predicted by a history of major depression (p = 4.01E-14), lifetime anxiety disorder diagnosis (p = 1.25E-34), and adverse life events (p = 6.06E-06). There were no significant differences between groups in any hormones or neurosteroids.ConclusionsPsychiatric history and multiple exposures to adverse life events were significant predictors of PPD in a population of minority and low-income women. Genetic ancestry and hormone levels were not predictive of case status. Increased genetic vulnerability in conjunction with risk factors may predict the onset of PPD, whereas genetic ancestry does not appear predictive.
PReSS towards a secure smart grid: Protection recommendations against smart spoofing

Protecting the integrity of state estimates that inform the physical state of a power transmission network is vital for the safe operation. Existing methods to protect the critical state estimates in smart-grid against data spoofing attacks assume a static set of critical buses. Instead, we propose a generalized optimal protection scheme based on a prize-collecting Steiner tree formulation that captures the criticality of buses and protection cost. We argue that the criticality of buses can change over time, and present a set of optimal schemes for adaptive protection against data spoofing attacks in smart grids. Next, we note that such optimal schemes are computationally intractable and propose heuristics with polynomial time complexity. We evaluate the proposed protection schemes using simulations on publicly available transmission network datasets. Simulation results show that the proposed heuristics closely approximate the optimal results while being able to scale for large transmission networks.
CURRENT APPROACHES TO PARKINSONISM

The role of dopamine in the control of motor function is ill defined, and it is not yet possible to correlate specific dopaminergic behavioral responses in animals with clinical reactions which are either beneficial or undesirable in patients with Parkinsonism. Neither can the consequences of the altered dopaminergic sensitivity in Parkinson's disease be inferred. However, substantial advances have taken place. These include the subdivision of different categories of dopaminergic receptors, according to whether they are linked to an adenylyl cyclase or not. The therapeutic effect of dopaminergic antiparkinson agents appears to derive from stimulation of the receptor independent of adenylyl cyclase, while activation of the receptor associated with this enzyme may be deleterious. Another area of progress has been the separation of monoamine oxidase isoenzymes A and B, the latter being involved in the degradation of brain dopamine in man. These developments are leading to increased specificity of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists, together with attempts to stabilize the response to levodopa by selectively inhibiting monoamine oxidase B. While the etiology of idiopathic Parkinsonism remains obscure, accumulating observations correlate various features of the disorder with premature or accelerated aging of dopaminergic neurons. This hypothesis lacks precision, but it may constitute a stimulus for further study which could contribute to elucidating the cause and hence facilitating the prevention of the disease.
Flow cytometric method for scoring rat liver micronuclei with simultaneous assessments of hepatocyte proliferation.

The current report describes a newly devised method for automatically scoring the incidence of rat hepatocyte micronuclei (MNHEP) via flow cytometry, with concurrent assessments of hepatocyte proliferation-frequency of Ki-67-positive nuclei, and the proportion of polyploid nuclei. Proof-of-concept data are provided from experiments performed with 6-week old male Crl:CD(SD) rats exposed to diethylnitrosamine (DEN) or quinoline (QUIN) for 3 or 14 consecutive days. Non-perfused liver tissue was collected 4 days after cessation of treatment in the case of 3-day studies, or 1 day after last administration in the case of 14-day studies for processing and flow cytometric analysis. In addition to livers, blood samples were collected one day after final treatment for micronucleated reticulocyte (MN-RET) measurements. Dose-dependent increases in MNHEP, Ki-67-positive nuclei, and polyploidy were observed in 3- and 14-day DEN studies. Both treatment schedules resulted in elevated %MNHEP for QUIN-exposed rats, and while cell proliferation effects were subtle, appreciable increases to normalized liver weights were observed. Whereas DEN caused markedly higher %MNHEP when exposure was extended to two weeks, QUIN-induced MNHEP were slightly increased with protracted dosing. Parallel microscopy-based MNHEP frequencies were highly correlated with flow cytometry-based measurements (four study/aggregate R2 = 0.80). No increases in MN-RET were seen in any of the four studies. Collectively, these results suggest liver micronuclei are amenable to an automated scoring technique that provides objective analyses and higher information content relative to conventional microscopy. Additional work is needed to expand the number and types of chemicals tested, identify the most advantageous treatment schedules, and test the transferability of the method. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 59:176-187, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reducing damages from sulfoxaflor use through mitigation measures to increase the protection of pollinator species

Abstract The demise of pollinator species due to the increased use of insecticides and other factors is leading to declines in crop yields. In regulating insecticides, governments may preclude usage if it poses an unreasonable risk to the environment taking into account the economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits of its use. To meet this requirement, the registration of an insecticide often includes mitigation measures to reduce the adverse effects of its use. For the registration of sulfoxaflor in the United States, a systemic insecticide used on hundreds of crops, four mitigation measures were recommended to reduce the risk of harm to pollinator species. Yet, given the importance of pollination to food crops, governments may need to take additional steps and adopt a greater variety of measures. Through a comparison of three regulatory options for use of insecticides, we show that it may be advantageous to mitigate harm to pollinators.
Self-referenced measurement of the complete electric field of ultrashort pulses in time and space

We propose and demonstrate a technique based on Fourier-synthesis digital holography and frequency-resolved optical gating to measure the complete spatiotemporal behavior of potentially arbitrary ultrashort laser pulses.
Long-Term Outcomes Following Conventionally Fractionated Stereotactic Boost for High-Grade Gliomas in Close Proximity to Critical Organs at Risk

Purpose/Objective: High-grade glioma is the most common primary malignant tumor of the CNS, with death often resulting from uncontrollable intracranial disease. Radiation dose may be limited by the tolerance of critical structures, such as the brainstem and optic apparatus. In this report, long-term outcomes in patients treated with conventionally fractionated stereotactic boost for tumors in close proximity to critical structures are presented. Materials/Methods: Patients eligible for inclusion in this single institution retrospective review had a pathologically confirmed high-grade glioma status post-surgical resection. Inclusion criteria required tumor location within one centimeter of a critical structure, including the optic chiasm, optic nerve, and brainstem. Radiation therapy consisted of external beam radiation followed by a conventionally fractionated stereotactic boost. Oncologic outcomes and toxicity were assessed. Results: Thirty patients eligible for study inclusion underwent resection of a high-grade glioma. The median initial adjuvant EBRT dose was 50 Gy with a median conventionally fractionated stereotactic boost of 10 Gy. All stereotactic treatments were given in 2 Gy daily fractions. Median follow-up time for the entire cohort was 38 months with a median overall survival of 45 months and 5-year overall survival of 32.5%. The median freedom from local progression was 45 months, and the 5-year freedom from local progression was 29.7%. Two cases of radiation retinopathy were identified following treatment. No patient experienced toxicity attributable to the optic chiasm, optic nerve, or brainstem and no grade 3+ radionecrosis was observed. Conclusions: Oncologic and toxicity outcomes in high-grade glioma patients with tumors in unfavorable locations treated with conventionally fractionated stereotactic boost are comparable to those reported in the literature. This treatment strategy is appropriate for those patients with resected high-grade glioma in close proximity to critical structures.
Integrating Health System Preparedness and Community Resilience: Using the CMS Preparedness Rule as a Focusing Event

This commentary discusses the prospect and value of using the preparedness rule developed and implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a focal point for better integrating health system preparedness into broader community resilience efforts, whether at the local or international level. Much attention has been given to the idea that community resilience requires extensive collaboration and coordination between actors across sectors, elements that are vital to effective emergency preparedness in health care as well. To facilitate improved fiscal sustainability, the federal government has since 2012 been encouraging healthcare coalitions to pursue nonprofit status. Building such organizations for the long term will require coalitions to become more proactive in involving organizations outside of the health sector. The preparedness rule has done much to encourage more dialogue between health system actors, and we argue that this momentum should be carried forward to generate a broader discussion of the importance of health preparedness to community resilience. The value of embedding preparedness planning into larger community resilience initiatives is discussed.
Qualitative Findings from an Online Course on Machine Learning

This is a full paper in the Innovate Practice category. It reports experiences while teaching a largely online course about Machine Learning at two separate Universities. We targeted our course for a much wider than usual audience -- as “Computer Science (CS) for All,” with undergraduate non-CS majors learning the same material alongside CS majors. We discuss why the majority of the students appreciated the flexibility of online classes designed for this wide group, and how they welcomed the opportunity to learn together about a “hot” topic such as Machine Learning. We explain our handling of challenges coordinating diverse and remote teams working with realistic big data of their own interest. Moreover, we describe how we engaged students in stimulating discussions about their readings and team projects, and how we balanced keeping everyone on the same pace while providing opportunities for learning ahead. Finally, we explain how we were able to attract the non-CS majors to take a CS special topics course and how we plan to use their constructive suggestions to improve future offerings of this course.
FIR Filter Design Techniques

As we saw in section 5.3, an FIR filter is easily constrained to have one of two particularly useful properties: namely, linear-phase or linear-plus-90°-phase response corresponding to even or odd symmetry, respectively, in its impulse response. Therefore, techniques for the design of FIR filters are of considerable interest. The transformation techniques of the preceding chapter are not applicable to FIR design because, in general, they produce filters with poles, as well as zeros, and thus with infinite-duration impulse responses. The four general techniques most commonly employed for FIR design are described in this chapter.
Integrating STEM with AgLIT (Agricultural Literacy Through Innovative Technology): The Efficacy of a Project-Based Curriculum for Upper-Primary Students

Agriculture can serve as a unifying and contextualizing topic that connects science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects through similar knowledge, skills, and attitudes/beliefs (KSABs) exhibited in each. Agriculture can be an integral part of students’ primary-level curriculum, providing authentic and relevant material for STEM exploration. A technology-enhanced, project-based, STEM-integrated agriculture curriculum for fourth-grade learners was developed and implemented in a large urban school district in the northeastern U.S. Ninety-five students and four fourth-grade teachers participated in a study that sought to (1) add to the existing knowledge about the nature of upper-primary urban students’ agricultural literacy, (2) create a fully STEM-integrated agricultural literacy curriculum that educators can easily embed in existing curricula to increase literacy in agriculture and STEM fields, and (3) test the efficacy of that curriculum. The curriculum included valid and reliable pre- and posttest knowledge and attitudes instruments and eight performance tasks designed to help students prepare for a farmers’ market. The findings revealed that students in the treatment group gained knowledge and had more positive attitudes/beliefs following the curriculum’s implementation compared to a control group. Implications for creating integrated STEM and agriculture curricula using technology-enhanced, project-based learning strategies are discussed.
Barriers to and Facilitators of Weight Management in Adults Using a Meal Replacement Program That Includes Health Coaching

Purpose: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics supports meal replacement (MR) programs as an effective diet-related weight management strategy. While MR programs have been successful promoting ini...
Methodology for pad conditioning sweep optimization for advanced nodes

Abstract With increasing focus on 3D integration of devices, there is an increasing demand for polishing thick silicon dioxide films. The impact of changes in the CMP pad thickness profiles on high silicon dioxide film rates and profiles are studied. A simulator was used to predict pad thickness profiles for different pad conditioning sweeps. Subsequently, these different pad conditioning sweep profiles were used to study their impact on pad thickness profiles and material removal rates (MRR) experimentally on an Applied Materials' (AMAT) 300 mm wafer Reflexion® LK polisher. The pad thickness profiles were measured using laser confocal microscopy and AMAT's state-of-the-art full pad surface metrology tool. The difference in the pad thickness values provided by all the 3 methods was
Measuring the Influences of a STEM Enrichment Program on Middle School Girls’ Self-efficacy and Career Development

The research is an ongoing qualitative study which will explore the influences of a STEAM enrichment program on middle school girls’ self-efficacy and early stage of career development. miniGEMS program consists of a summer STEAM camp and a full year program. The summer camp is a free two-week single-sex STEAM and programming camp for middle school girls launched in 2015 at San Antonio, Texas. miniGEMS full-year program is an extension of miniGEMS summer camp. It is an all-girls robotics club sponsored by the UIW and held for middle schoolgirls at Tafolla Middle School. The goal of this STEM enrichment program is to introduce more female students into STEM fields through hands-on project-based learning experiences. In this study, the researcher utilizes miniGEMS (Girls in Engineering, Mathematics, and Science) program as a single case. The researcher will use art-based activity and interviews to collect data.
The Neural Basis for a Persistent Internal State in Drosophila Females

Abstract Sustained changes in mood or action require persistent changes in neural activity, but it has been difficult to identify and characterize the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie persistent activity and contribute to long-lasting changes in behavior. Here, we focus on changes in the behavioral state of Drosophila females that persist for minutes following optogenetic activation of a single class of central brain neurons termed pC1. We find that female pC1 neurons drive a variety of persistent behaviors in the presence of males, including increased receptivity, shoving, and chasing. By reconstructing cells in a volume electron microscopic image of the female brain, we classify 7 different pC1 cell types and, using cell type specific driver lines, determine that one of these, pC1-Alpha, is responsible for driving persistent female shoving and chasing. Using calcium imaging, we locate sites of minutes-long persistent neural activity in the brain, which include pC1 neurons themselves. Finally, we exhaustively reconstruct all synaptic partners of a single pC1-Alpha neuron, and find recurrent connectivity that could support the persistent neural activity. Our work thus links minutes-long persistent changes in behavior with persistent neural activity and recurrent circuit architecture in the female brain.
Using Natural Language Processing and Sentiment Analysis to Augment Traditional User-Centered Design: Development and Usability Study.

Background: Sarcopenia, defined as the age-associated loss of muscle mass and strength, can be effectively mitigated through resistance-based physical activity. With compliance at approximately 40% for home-based exercise prescriptions, implementing a remote sensing system would help patients and clinicians to better understand treatment progress and increase compliance. The inclusion of end users in the development of mobile apps for remote-sensing systems can ensure that they are both user friendly and facilitate compliance. With advancements in natural language processing (NLP), there is potential for these methods to be used with data collected through the user-centered design process. Objective: This study aims to develop a mobile app for a novel device through a user-centered design process with both older adults and clinicians while exploring whether data collected through this process can be used in NLP and sentiment analysis Methods: Through a user-centered design process, we conducted semistructured interviews during the development of a geriatric-friendly Bluetooth-connected resistance exercise band app. We interviewed patients and clinicians at weeks 0, 5, and 10 of the app development. Each semistructured interview consisted of heuristic evaluations, cognitive walkthroughs, and observations. We used the Bing sentiment library for a sentiment analysis of interview transcripts and then applied NLP-based latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling to identify differences and similarities in patient and clinician participant interviews. Sentiment was defined as the sum of positive and negative words (each word with a +1 or −1 value). To assess utility, we used quantitative assessment questionnaires—System Usability Scale (SUS) and Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of use (USE). Finally, we used multivariate linear models—adjusting for age, sex, subject group (clinician vs patient), and development—to explore the association between sentiment analysis and SUS and USE outcomes. Results: The mean age of the 22 participants was 68 (SD 14) years, and 17 (77%) were female. The overall mean SUS and USE scores were 66.4 (SD 13.6) and 41.3 (SD 15.2), respectively. Both patients and clinicians provided valuable insights into the needs of older adults when designing and building an app. The mean positive-negative sentiment per sentence was 0.19 (SD 0.21) and 0.47 (SD 0.21) for patient and clinician interviews, respectively. We found a positive association with positive sentiment in an interview and SUS score (s=1.38; 95% CI 0.37 to 2.39; P=.01). There was no significant association between sentiment and the USE score. The LDA analysis found no overlap between patients and clinicians in the 8 identified topics. Conclusions: Involving patients and clinicians allowed us to design and build an app that is user friendly for older adults while supporting compliance. This is the first analysis using NLP and usability questionnaires in the quantification of user-centered design of technology for older adults.
Ultra-low magnetic damping in epitaxial Li0.5Fe2.5O4 thin films

The realization of more energy efficient nanomagnetic information devices relies on the existence of magnetic insulators capable of supporting pure spin currents in the absence of a dissipative charge current. Currently, there is a limited number of thin-film magnetic insulators with low magnetic damping. Li0.5Fe2.5O4 (LFO) is well known to possess the lowest damping among the bulk spinel structure oxides, but, thus far, LFO thin films have not lived up to these expectations. Here, we demonstrate low magnetic damping (even lower than typical bulk values) and bulk magnetization in 3 nm thick epitaxial LFO thin films. At room temperature, SQUID magnetometry shows a high saturation magnetization of 320 kA/m, and broadband ferromagnetic resonance measurements yield an effective Gilbert damping parameter of 1.3 × 10 − 3, which is among the lowest reported for ferro-/ferrimagnetic films of comparable thickness. Our results show the promise of LFO as a candidate material for spin current-based spintronics.
Revisiting the Binomial Multisection Transformer [Application Notes]

Presented here is an intuitive method for synthesizing the binomial multisection quarter-wave transformer. I discovered this method while teaching an undergraduate course in microwave engineering and termed it the Z-method. I have found that, compared to the approximate method based on the theory of small reflections [1], the Z-method is easier for students to grasp. The technique employs successive geometric means for finding the characteristic impedances of a binomial multisection transformer. It can be thought of as an extension of single-section, quarter-wave transformer design.
Determining Futility - One Free-standing Children's Hospital's Experience with a Policy

Treatment which is unable to achieve the desired goal or will do no more than temporarily prolong dying is generally considered futile. The process of determining futility can be unclear and variable, presenting legal and ethical dilemmas. These dilemmas become exponentially greater if the patient and family disagree with the medical team and are requesting continued treatments and interventions. To assist with this process, some hospitals have developed futility policies. This presentation reviews the outcomes of a futility policy developed and implemented by a large …
Primary cutaneous SMARCB1-deficient carcinoma

Background SMARCB1-deficient malignancies can arise in various sites. We describe a novel primary SMARCB1-deficient carcinoma of skin (SDCS) and characterize SMARCB1 mutations in non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC). Methods Cases underwent immunophenotyping and targeted exome sequencing (MSK-IMPACT) assay interrogating somatic mutations in 468 cancer-related genes. The MSK-IMPACT database from 2014 to 2020 encompassing 55, 000 cases was searched for NMSC with SMARCB1 mutations. Results SDCS arose on the scalp of an 18-year-old woman showing homozygous SMARCB1 deletion with a LATS2 G963E variant. Another case arose on the temple of a 76-year-old man harboring a SMARCB1 W206* mutation associated with loss of heterozygosity (LOH), 59 concurrent mutations, and a UV mutation signature (UV-MS). Both tumors exhibited INI1 loss, positive CK5/6, p40, p63, and claudin-4 with negative CD34. Of 378 NMSC cases, including 370 carcinomas, 7 SMARCB1-mutated tumors were identified: 3 squamous cell, 3 Merkel cell, and one basal cell carcinoma. Six showed UV-MS. Five INI1-interrogated cases retained protein expression suggesting they were SMARCB1-proficient. Conclusions SDCS can be clinically aggressive, harbor SMARCB1 homozygous deletions or truncating SMARCB1 mutations associated with LOH, and can occur with or without UV-MS. Overall, SMARCB1 mutations in NMSC are rare with most being of undetermined significance and associated with retained INI1 and UV-MS.
The social costs of titling land: Evidence from Uganda

Abstract Why do some African landholders title their land, while others refrain from doing so? Existing explanations for the evolution of property rights focus on the costs of titling and the degree of enforcement by the state. I suggest a complementary explanation, based on the social costs of titling. In much of Africa, titling equates to removing land from customary authority, which governs multiple domains of social and economic life; actions in one domain bring costs in the others. I cast the decision to title as a coordination dilemma among a community of landholders, rather than an individual choice made in isolation. I test this theory using original survey and interview data from Uganda. A series of logit and probit estimates of data on titling are consistent with the social costs theory, dependent on model specification. Interview evidence indicates that social costs have a marginal effect on titling decisions; this is further supported with an examination of empirical implications at the country level across Africa using Afrobarometer data. The results indicate the need for more empirical tests to establish the conditions under which social costs have the greatest impact. This paper adds to our understanding of institutional change over time, as well as the persistence of customary authority in Africa.
Scalable parallel formulations of the Barnes-Hut method for n-body simulations

We present two new parallel formulations of the Barnes-Hut method. These parallel formulations are especially suited for simulations with irregular particle densities. We first present a parallel formulation that uses a static partitioning of the domain and assignment of subdomains to processors. We demonstrate that this scheme delivers acceptable load balance, and coupled with two collective communication operations, it yields good performance. We present a second parallel formulation which combines static decomposition of the domain with an assignment of subdomains to processors based on Morton ordering. This alleviates the load imbalance inherent in the first scheme. The second parallel formulation is inspired by two currently best known parallel algorithms for the Barnes-Hut method. We present an experimental evaluation of these schemes on a 256 processor nCUBE2 parallel computer for an astrophysical simulation.
The absolute returns of hedge funds

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the ability of hedge funds and funds of hedge funds to generate absolute returns using fund level data.Design/methodology/approach – The absolute return profiles are identified using properties of the empirical distributions of fund returns. The authors use both Bayesian multinomial probit and frequentist multinomial logit regressions to examine the relationship between the return profiles and fund characteristics.Findings – Some evidence is found that only some hedge funds strategies, but not all of them, demonstrate higher tendency to produce absolute returns. Also identified are some investment provisions and fund characteristics that can influence the chance of generating absolute returns. Finally, no evidence was found for performance persistence in terms of absolute returns for hedge funds but some limited evidence for funds of funds.Practical implications – This paper is the first attempt to examine the hedge fund return profiles based on the notion...
The Effect of Text Ambiguity on creating Policy Knowledge Graphs

A growing number of web and cloud-based products and services rely on data sharing between consumers, service providers, and their subsidiaries and third parties. There is a growing concern around the security and privacy of data in such large-scale shared architectures. Most organizations have a human-written privacy policy that discloses all the ways that data is shared, stored, and used. The organizational privacy policies must also be compliant with government and administrative regulations. This raises a major challenge for providers as they try to launch new services. Thus they are moving towards a system of automatic policy maintenance and regulatory compliance. This requires extracting policy from text documents and representing it in a semi-structured, machine-processable framework. The most popular method to this end is extracting policy information into a Knowledge Graph (KG). There exists a significant body of work that converts text descriptions of regulations into policies expressed in languages such as OWL and XACML and is grounded in the control-based schema by using NLP approaches. In this paper, we show that the NLP-based approaches to extract knowledge from written policy documents and representing them in enforceable Knowledge Graphs fail when the text policies are ambiguous. Ambiguity can arise from lack of clarity, misuse of syntax, and/or the use of complex language. We describe a system to extract features from a policy document that affect its ambiguity and classify the documents based on the level of ambiguity present. We validate this approach using human annotators. We show that a large number of documents in a popular privacy policy corpus (OPP-115) are ambiguous. This affects the ability to automatically monitor privacy policies. We show that for policies that are more ambiguous according to our proposed measure, NLP-based text segment classifiers are less accurate.
Blockade of audiogenic seizures by a GABA-uptake inhibitor, NO-328, in the genetically epilepsy-prone rat

Previous studies indicate that a critical audiogenic seizure (AGS) initiation mechanism in genetically epilepsy-prone rats (GEPRs) is the reduced effectiveness of exogenously applied or endogenously evoked release of GABA in inhibiting inferior colliculus (IC) neurons. NO-328 [R-(-)-l-(4,4-(3-Methyl-2-thienyl)-3-butenyl)-3-piperidine carboxylic acid], is a new anticonvulsant that selectively blocks GABA uptake. In this study, systemically administered NO-328 was effective in blocking AGS in GEPRs [ED50 of 11 (tonus), 29.5 mg/kg (wild running and clonus), 30 min post-injection. Bilateral microinjection of 40–80 nMol/side of NO-328 reduced AGS severity in GEPRs. Animals were quiescent with higher systemic or microinjected doses. These data further support the importance of the reduced effectiveness of GABA in AGS initiation in GEPRs and indicate that NO-328 is a potentially important new anticonvulsant drug.
The anemia of microgravity and recumbency: role of sympathetic neural control of erythropoietin production.

Abstract We hypothesize that reduced sympathetic stimulation of erythropoietin production may maintain the anemia which develops in virtually all space travellers. We tested this hypothesis in a human model of reduced sympathetic activity. Thirty-three patients with the Bradbury-Eggleston syndrome were divided into three groups according to their hemoglobin (Hgb) level. Patients with low Hgb had lower upright norepinephrine and lower upright renin. Patients with anemia also had inappropriately low plasma erythropoietin levels. We administered recombinant erythropoietin (Epogen) 25–50 units/kg s.c. 3 times per week and found that the anemia seen in autonomic failure could be reversed by this treatment. These results support the hypothesis that erythropoiesis is modulated by the sympathetic nervous system and that such mechanisms may also operate in the microgravity environment where sympathetic activity is reduced.
Severe Hypercalcemia as the Presenting Sign of Tuberculosis

Severe hypercalcemia due to tuberculosis (TB) is rare. We describe a case of a 25-year-old male who was found to have a serum calcium level 15.4 mg/dL at a routine appointment prompting admission. Chest imaging demonstrated hilar lymphadenopathy and airspace opacities principally involving the lingula. Multiple sputum smears were negative for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), but cultures of sputum subsequently grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Despite appropriate therapy for TB, his serum calcium failed to normalize, prompting initiation of prednisone with rapid improvement. In granulomatous diseases, including TB, inflammation is mediated in part by elevated calcitriol released from macrophages, with resulting rises in serum calcium concentrations. Glucocorticoids are commonly used as adjunctive therapy for TB meningitis and pericarditis and this case emphasizes the potential role for steroids in refractory hypercalcemia. J Med Cases. 2015;6(8):382-384 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2220w
Simulating Cut-to-Length Harvesting Operations in Appalachian Hardwoods

Cut-to-length (CTL) harvesting systems involving small and large harvesters and a forwarder were simulated using a modular computer simulation model. The two harvesters simulated were a modified John Deere 988 tracked excavator with a single grip sawhead and a Timbco T425 based excavator with a single grip sawhead. The forwarder used in the simulations was a Valmet 524 machine with 2.4-meter log bunks. Production rates and costs were examined for a wide range of even-age oak forest stand conditions. The simulation results suggest that when the tree's DBH is less than 26 cm, harvesting using the Timbco T425 is about 30% more expensive than using the John Deere 988. However, if the tree is larger than 26 cm of DBH, the unit cost of the Timbco T425 was about 8% less than that of the John Deere 988. The balanced John Deere 988 CTL system was 31% more productive and 8% more expensive than the balanced Timbco T425 CTL system in the 20 to 36 cm DBH range. General regression equations were developed for estimating the productivity and cost for the range of conditions simulated. The results should be valuable to managers, planners, and loggers considering the use of CTL systems in this region.
Current Topics in Primate Vocal Communication

Current Topics in Primate Vocal Communication. Elke Zimmermann. John D. Newman. and Uwe Jurgens. eds. New York: Plenum Press, 1995. 286 pp.
Proportional Systems in the History of Architecture: A Conversation with James S. Ackerman

In November 2010, James S. Ackerman, today the only living participant of the conference ‘De divina proportione’, which was held in Milan in 1951, sat for a video interview that was later shown at the conference ‘Proportional Systems in the History of Architecture’ in Leiden in 2011 to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Milan conference. In this interview, conducted by Matthew A. Cohen, Ackerman discusses how the study of proportional systems has changed over the past six decades, and thereby provides a unique link between the two conferences. The interview begins with Ackerman’s experiences in northern Italy at the close of World War II, and a few years later at the Milan conference. It considers prevailing twentieth-century attitudes toward proportion up to the time of the conference, and compares them with prevailing medieval and Renaissance attitudes. Ackerman then shares his thoughts on the works and legacies of Rudolf Wittkower, Le Corbusier and Colin Rowe, before exploring the influences of architectural proportional theory on architectural design, and possible relationships between proportional systems and architectural beauty. After exploring changes in the uses of proportional systems that accompanied the rise of Abstract Expressionism, the arc of the interview concludes with Ackerman’s thoughts about the future of proportional systems in light of the evolving role of the computer in architectural practice today.
Pennsylvania Statewide Winter Squash Cultivar Evaluation

Butternut, acorn, and buttercup/kabocha winter squash (Cucurbita sp.) cultivars were evaluated in a conventional system in central, southeastern, and southwestern Pennsylvania in 2010–11. Results from individual locations were used to create statewide recommendations, which are also relevant for the mid-Atlantic U.S. region. Additionally, butternut and acorn cultivars were evaluated in an organic system in central Pennsylvania. In a conventional system, butternut cultivars JWS6823, Betternut 401, Quantum, and Metro are recommended based on equal or higher marketable yield than the standard Waltham Butternut.Acorn squash cultivars thatperformedequally toor better than the standard,Tay Belle, were Table Star, Harlequin, and Autumn Delight. In the kabocha/buttercup category, ‘Sweet Mama’ and ‘Red Kuri’ had marketable yields not different from the standard ‘Sunshine’ in central and southeastern Pennsylvania. In the organic system, butternut cultivars JWS6823, Betternut 401, and Metro all had marketable yields not different from the standard Waltham Butternut. For acorn cultivars, Celebration yield did not differ from the standard Table Queen.
Array measurements and characterizations with relative velocity as a parameter

Space and time are usually treated as independent random variables with assumed ergodicity; however, dynamic sound fields are produced by moving sources in a multipath/modal sound channel. Can the velocity and range of a source be utilized in a space-time processor to increase gain, cancel noise and improve resolution? This paper summarizes experiments performed with horizontal arrays and processing which used source-receiver relative velocity as a processing variable, that is space-time processing. Results obtained in a shipping noise field showed the relative velocity acted as a filter that improved the signal-to noise ratio for sources with known relative velocity but reduced it for sources having unknown or mismatched relative velocities. A shallow water experiment conducted with a vertical array, moving source, and Hankel transform processing showed that the depth dependent horizontal wavenumber spectra were measurable when source position and velocity were known and comparable to calculated spectra in both amplitude and phase. Thus, measurement and cancellation of moving surface ships is possible and enhanced if the relative velocity is known. In addition if the region in the vicinity of the measurement array is known; the dynamic modal variations can be adaptively modeled.