cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resistance to Boscalid Fungicide in Alternaria alternata Isolates from Pistachio in California

Boscalid is a new carboxamide fungicide recently introduced in a mixture with pyraclostrobin in the product Pristine for the control of Alternaria late blight of pistachio. In all, 108 isolates of Alternaria alternata were collected from pistachio orchards with (59 isolates) and without (49 isolates) prior exposure to boscalid. The sensitivity to boscalid was determined in conidial germination assays. The majority of isolates from two orchards without a prior history of boscalid usage had effective fungicide concentration to inhibit 50% of spore germination (EC50) values ranging from 0.089 to 3.435 μg/ml, and the mean EC50 was 1.515 μg/ml. Out of 59 isolates collected from an orchard with a history of boscalid usage, 52 isolates had EC50 values ranging from 0.055 to 4.222 μg/ml, and the mean EC50 was 1.214 μg/ml. However, in vitro tests for conidial germination and mycelial growth also revealed that seven A. alternata isolates, originating from the orchard exposed to boscalid were highly resistant (EC50 > 100 μg/ml) to this fungicide. Furthermore, in vitro tests showed no significant differences between wild-type and boscalid-resistant mutants in some fitness parameters such as spore germination, hyphal growth, sporulation, or virulence on pistachio leaves. Experiments on the stability of the boscalid-resistant phenotype showed no reduction of the resistance after the mutants were grown on fungicide-free medium. Preventative applications of a commercial formulation of boscalid (Endura) at a concentration which is effective against naturally sensitive isolates failed to control disease caused by the boscalid-resistant isolates in laboratory tests. To our knowledge, this is first report of field isolates of fungi resistant to boscalid.
Iterative deblending of simultaneous-source seismic data using seislet-domain shaping regularization

ABSTRACTWe used a novel iterative estimation scheme for separation of blended seismic data from simultaneous sources. The scheme is based on an augmented estimation problem that can be solved by iteratively constraining the deblended data using shaping regularization in the seislet domain. We formulated the forward modeling operator in the common-receiver domain, in which two sources were assumed to be blended using a random time-shift dithering approach. The nonlinear shaping-regularization framework offered some freedom in designing a shaping operator to constrain the model in an underdetermined inverse problem. We designed the backward operator and the shaping operator for the shaping-regularization framework. The backward operator can be optimally chosen as half of the identity operator in the two-source case, and the shaping operator can be chosen as coherency-promoting operator. The high performance deblending effect of the iterative framework was tested on three numerically blended synthetic data s...
Kit-Ligand/Stem Cell Factor Induces Primordial Follicle Development and Initiates Folliculogenesis

Initiation of folliculogenesis through the induction of primordial follicle development in the ovary has an important role in determining the fertility and reproductive fitness of most mammalian species. The factors that control this critical process are largely unknown. The hypothesis tested in the current study was that kit-ligand/stem cell factor (KL) promotes the initiation and progression of primordial follicle development in the ovary. Ovaries from 4-day-old rats were maintained in organ culture for 5 and 14 days and treated with no factor (control), recombinant kit-ligand (KL), or gonadotropins (FSH and hCG). Follicles in ovarian sections were counted and histologically classified as primordial (stage 0), early primary (stage 1), primary (stage 2), transitional (stage 3), or preantral (stage 4). Fresh ovaries from 4-day-old rats contained 68% primordial follicles (stage 0) and 32% developing follicles (stages 1-4) per section. After 5 and 14 days in culture, section from control ovaries contained approximately 41% and 55%, respectively, developing follicles (stage 1-4) per section due to spontaneous development of primordial follicles. Spontaneous primordial follicle development was completely blocked by ACK-2, a c-kit antibody that blocks KL actions. This observation suggests that endogenous KL is necessary for primordial follicle development in vitro. After 14 days of KL treatment, sections from ovaries contained 17% primordial follicles (stage 0) and 83% developing follicles (stage 1-4) per section demonstrating a dramatic induction of primordial follicle development by KL. Gonadotropins (FSH and hCG) did not induce primordial follicle development but did increase the percentage of preantral follicles (stage 4) per section. This small increase in preantral follicles in response to gonadotropins was blocked by ACK-2 suggesting that KL may in part mediate gonadotropin actions after the initiation of primordial follicle development. Ovaries contained an average of 309+/-10 follicles per section. The total number of follicles per section did not significantly vary between treatments suggesting that the effects of KL were not due to an alteration in follicle number (i.e. survival). KL appears to be one of the first factors identified to be involved in the promotion of primordial follicle development. Results suggest that KL is necessary and sufficient to induce primordial follicle development and initiate folliculogenesis.
Regional immunity in melanoma: immunosuppressive changes precede nodal metastasis

In order to characterize the degree of immunosuppression in regional immunity in patients with melanoma, we used immunohistochemistry to analyze markers of T-cell subtype and polarity, costimulation, dendritic cell maturation, monocytes, lymphatic vasculature, and angiogenesis. Specifically, we analyzed expression of CD4, CD8, CD14, CD40, CD86, CD123, HLA-DR, IL-10, LYVE, VEGFR3, and VEGF-C in lymph nodes. We compared sentinel lymph nodes with and without metastasis from patients with melanoma with both infection inflamed (reactive) and dormant human lymph nodes. There were no differences demonstrated between sentinel lymph nodes with or without metastasis from patients with melanoma in any of the markers that were tested. Both groups of sentinel lymph nodes had fewer CD8(+) T cells than either set of control nodes. Whereas the infection inflamed lymph nodes demonstrated Th2 polarity, the dormant lymph nodes demonstrated Th1 polarity. In conclusion, changes in regional immunity appeared to precede metastasis in melanoma. Whether there was tumor present in sentinel lymph nodes or not, these nodes demonstrated a marked decrease in cytotoxic T cells compared with both sets of controls. Furthermore, the control lymph nodes used for comparison can significantly impact interpretation, as the dormant and reactive lymph nodes markedly varied in their immune profiles. These immunologic changes may explain the successful metastasis of melanoma in the midst of the immune environment of the sentinel lymph node, and lend insights into the mechanisms of lymphatic metastases in other solid malignancies.
Using SysML to Automatically Generate of Failure Modes and Effects Analyses

This paper describes a method for automated generation of Failure Modes and Effects Analyses from SysML models containing block definition diagrams, internal block diagrams, state transition machines, and activity diagrams. The SysML model can be created in any SysML modeling tool and then an analysis is performed using the AltaRica language and modeling tool. An example using a simple satellite and ground user shows the approach.
Issues and recommendations regarding use of the Beck Depression Inventory

Issues concerning use of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for the self-report of depressive symptomatology are raised and considered. Discussion includes the stability of depression and the need for multiple assessment periods, specificity and the need for multiple assessment measures, and selection cut scores and the need for terminological accuracy. Recommendations for the continued use of the BDI, designed to facilitate the integration of diverse studies and improve research on self-reported depression, are provided.
Commentary: The epidemic of obesity—what's in a name?

1343–50. 24 Jakicic JM, Clark K, Coleman E et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Appropriate intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001;33:2145–56. 25 Klem ML, Wing RR, McGuire MT, Seagle HM, Hill JO. A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;66:239–46. 26 McGuire MT, Wing RR, Klem ML, Hill JO. Behavioral strategies of individuals who have maintained long-term weight losses. Obes Res 1999;7:334–41.
Real-time Monitoring of Cardiovascular Function in Rhesus Macaques Infected With Zaire ebolavirus

Nine rhesus macaques were implanted with multisensor telemetry devices and internal jugular vein catheters before being infected with Zaire ebolavirus. All animals developed viremia, fever, a hemorrhagic rash, and typical changes of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in clinical laboratory tests. Three macaques unexpectedly survived this usually lethal disease, making it possible to compare physiological parameters in lethally challenged animals and survivors. After the onset of fever, lethal illness was characterized by a decline in mean arterial blood pressure, an increase in pulse and respiratory rate, lactic acidosis, and renal failure. Survivors showed less pronounced change in these parameters. Four macaques were randomized to receive supplemental volumes of intravenous normal saline when they became hypotensive. Although those animals had less severe renal compromise, no apparent survival benefit was observed. This is the first report of continuous physiologic monitoring in filovirus-infected nonhuman primates and the first to attempt cardiovascular support with intravenous fluids.
Neuropsychological Testing in the Diagnosis of Dementia

Neuropsychological testing can play a major role in the diagnosis of dementia by documenting cognitive deficits, the key criteria for the diagnosis. Because the most common dementia diagnosis, Alzheimer's disease, focuses on memory impairment, tests to assess this domain and to detect and characterize memory deficit are well established with recognized predictive value. Other neuropsychological domains are less well characterized and there are fewer tools to assess them. One domain that has been characterized as important in a number of other dementias is executive function. Improved neuropsychological assessment and characterization of other domains, such as executive function and attention, may assist in better identifying the pathophysiology of deficits in these areas, perhaps in combination with new technologies such as functional imaging. Finally, improved assessment tools for specific cognitive domains should assist in identifying a broad range of cognitive deficits at earlier stages and ultimately lead to more effective interventions for a wider range of cognitive deficits.
INVESTIGATION OF SHIP IMPACT SCENARIOS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Ship impact is an important loading scenario for analysis and design of bridges, oil platforms, and other marine structures. Ships collision is also a very important design consideration for ship hulls. Designing structures to resist both accidental and intentional ship impact requires characterization of the impact loading history. Standard design practice relies on simplified methods to determine the impact loads, which typically consider only speed and mass of the vessel. However, ship impact is a complicated non-linear structural dynamic event that depends not just on the size and mass of the vessel, but also local stiffening pattern, location and function of the bulkheads, possible ice-strengthening classification, draft, presence of the bulbous bow, and many other factors. Neglecting these factors can lead to overestimation or underestimation of the loads, depending on a specific scenario. The discrepancies between simplified load estimates and detailed finite element analyses are investigated in this paper.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Forward-scatter and side-scatter dataset for epithelial cells from touch samples analyzed by flow cytometry

'Touch' or trace biological samples submitted to caseworking labs as evidence often contain biological material from multiple individuals which can result in mixed DNA profiles. These mixture profiles are difficult to interpret and may cause analytical bottlenecks for forensic laboratories. The data in this brief reports the variation in the relative abundance of intact epithelial cells deposited by four different donors across nine days. Touch samples were generated each day by rubbing a polypropylene tube with both hands for five minutes. Forward-scatter area (FSC-A) and side-scatter area (SSC-A) data was acquired with the BD FACSCanto™ II Analyzer. The relative abundance of different sub-populations within the FSC-A and SSC-A plots was calculated against the total number of events analyzed in each sample. Mean and standard deviation values were calculated for each donor.
Lack of unusual longevity in Vilcabamba, Ecuador.

Mortality records from the supposedly longevous population of Vilcabamba in southern Ecuador were evaluated for the period 1907 through 1979. Records from the [nearby] urban center of Loja were also recorded. These records were used to calculate life expectancy tables using a revision of the synthetic cohort method that involved reverse summation. Age at death was corrected for the prevalent age exaggeration using a regression previously established for this community. Life expectancy has increased somewhat in Vilcabamba over the past 70 years. Age exaggeration was evident in the mortality records throughout this period indicating that this behavioral pattern was not a result of recent publicity. Age exaggeration was responsible for all evidence of increased longevity in the life tables compared to U.S. values....This evidence together with the documented exaggeration in centenarians and the debunking of the demographic claims provides the final link in showing no unusual longevity in this population." (EXCERPT)
Beware of attacks from spear phishers.

Spear phishing is a new way that hackers obtain patient data. Learn how to protect your practice's records.
A Student and Teacher Watershed and Wetland Education Program: Extension to Promote Community Social-Ecological Resilience

A middle school student and teacher watershed education project supports a large wetland restoration effort. It provides community-based, science education for urban, low- income, multicultural 6th-9th grade students and their teachers. This is a bottom-up approach to extending information to the local community about the restoration. The project includes teacher workshops, teacher and student restoration/water quality fieldwork with expert guidance, scientist classroom visits, an essay contest, and research cruise. The project is an example of using place- based, participatory learning toward achieving social-ecological resilience. It is a student education project with broader, community-wide Extension goals.
Minute-MOFs: Ultrafast Synthesis of M2(dobpdc) Metal–Organic Frameworks from Divalent Metal Oxide Colloidal Nanocrystals

The material demands for metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for next-generation energy-efficient CO2 capture technologies necessitate advances in their expedient and scalable synthesis. Toward that end, the recently discovered expanded MOF-74, or M2(dobpdc), where M = divalent metal cation and dobpdc = 4,4′-dioxido-3,3′-biphenyldicarboxylate, can now be prepared in minutes via a controlled dissolution–crystallization route from divalent metal oxides as precursors. We show that the available surface area of the metal oxide plays a critical role in the precursor dissolution, which was found to be rate-limiting. Based on this understanding of the reaction trajectory, we pushed the chemical transformation to its fringe kinetic limit by configuring the metal oxide precursors as ligand-free colloidal metal oxide nanocrystals, which allowed MOF formation in less than 1 min. MOFs prepared by this strategy were highly crystalline, with BET surface areas on par with conventional multihour syntheses from metal halide s...
Relative Importance of Key Job Dimensions and Leadership Behaviors in Motivating Salesperson Work Performance

This article examines the relative importance of key job dimensions and leadership characteristics in enhancing salesperson motivation and work performance. To gain a deeper insight, the relative e...
Aerodynamics of an adaptive wing for MAVs

An adaptive airfoil wing was developed to improve the maneuverability and stability of micro air vehicles(MAVs) flying at low Reynolds numbers.The wing can be adaptively deformed by a set of compact high-efficiency crank-slider devices so that the wing provides the optimum aerodynamic efficiency at different angles of attack.Simulations and wind tunnel tests show that the adaptive wing greatly improves the MAV maneuverability and stall characteristics with better performance than conventional fixed wings.
Hospital initiatives in promoting smoking cessation: A 12-year follow-up

In the present study, the availability of smoking cessation programs (SCP) was surveyed in the same randomly selected USA hospitals in 2000 and 2012. A total of 102 USA hospitals were randomly selected for this survey. Each hospital website was searched for the topic of smoking cessation. In the second phase of the survey, the main switchboard number of each hospital was anonymously telephoned and the ‘stop smoking clinic’ was requested. The phone survey results showed that the percentage of hospital switchboard calls that were connected to a SCP remained identical at 47% in 2000 and 2012. The results for the internet availability of SCP on hospital websites improved from 30% in 2000 to 47% in 2012. There were more hospitals that added additional SCP information (27%) compared with those that removed SCP information (15%) by 2012. Among the 57% of hospitals that showed no change in internet SCP information, 22% remained positive for such information while 35% remained negative. The phone survey of hospitals showed that 47% of USA hospitals were able to connect a caller to a SCP in the years 2000 and 2012. While there was no reduction over the 12 years, there was no increase in the percentage of hospital switchboards that connected to a SCP. Availability of SCP information on hospital web sites improved to a limited extent; increasing from 30% of sites in 2000 to 47% in 2012. Providing SCP on a hospital website is easy and free, for example adding a link to QuitNet or QuitLink. The present study adds to information gathered 12 years earlier, and is unusual in being able to provide follow-up data on the same set of hospitals studied previously.
Convergence rates for direct transcription of optimal control problems using Second Derivative Methods

In this paper, Second Derivative Method (SDM) of numerical discretization is applied to optimal control problems. Convergence rates for the error between the discretized solution of SDM and the corresponding analytical solution of optimal control problems are analyzed. Illustrative examples are included to demonstrate the applicability and benefits of SDM. The comparison of the convergence rates of SDM with implicit Runge-Kutta methods (third order, 2-stage RadauIIA and fourth order, 3-stage LobattoIIIA) is also presented. Using SDM, for optimal control problems with non-stiff type of state equations, the fourth order convergence for states and second order convergence for controls is observed, while for certain stiff/oscillatory equations, it results in reduced order of convergence as observed in other approaches. Depending on the choice of optimization algorithms/platforms used, the proposed method is found to be comparable to other approaches and for certain cases, more efficient.
Management of Intracranial Neoplasms in Neurofibromatosis

Recommendations are proposed for the diagnosis and management of CNS neoplasms with NF-1 and NF-2 at the Department of Neurology, Section of Pediatric Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ; and Children’s National Medical Center, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Bandgap-Engineered Broadband Stimulated Emission in Semiconductor Quantum Dash Interband Laser

Authors demonstrate the generation of broadband stimulated emission in the postgrowth wavelength tuned InAs/InAlGaAs quantum-dash (Qdash) laser grown on InP substrate. The laser exhibits room temperature lasing wavelength coverage of up to 50 nm at center wavelength of ~1.57 mum. Despite the bandgap blue-shift of ~70 nm after Qdash intermixing process, the laser exhibits a broadband signature of lasing linewidth, which is comparable to the as-grown laser. The integrity of the material is retained after intermixing, suggesting its potential application in the fabrication of monolitically-integrated ultra-broadband semiconductor Qdash laser.
Hawaii Geothermal Project

This case history was researched during the period 1978–1979 and published in 1980.* The pilot or demonstration power plant was put on line in 1981, supplying 3.0 MW of electricity to the residents of the island of Hawaii. The Epilogue discusses increased geothermal explorations and updates the economic, environmental, and social impact analyses to 1984. Two additional factors from 1979 to 1984 are of interest: (1) the population of the state increased to slightly over 1 million, with 780,000 persons on Oahu, and (2) dependence on imported petroleum for energy in the state decreased from 99 percent to 90 percent.
Anomalous magnetic moment of the muon and neutral-current constraints in a supersymmetric SU(2)L x U(1)I3R x U(1)B-L model inspired by superstring theories.

An extension of the standard supersymmetric model, SU(2${)}_{\mathit{L}}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1${)}_{{\mathit{I}}_{3}\mathit{R}}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1${)}_{\mathit{B}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{L}}$, motivated by superstrings and baryon-number conservation is analyzed. A possible pattern of supersymmetry breaking from ${\mathrm{E}}_{6}$ and the phenomenological implications for such a model are studied. In particular it is found that the neutral currents restrict ${M}_{Z\mathcal{'}}$\ensuremath{\ge}240 GeV. Constraints on the g-2 factor of the muon are also examined.
Targeting cytokines for treatment of neuropathic pain

Background Neuropathic pain is a challenging condition often refractory to existing therapies. An increasing number of studies have indicated that the immune system plays a crucial role in the mediation of neuropathic pain. Exploration of the various functions of individual cytokines in neuropathic pain will provide greater insight into the mechanisms of neuropathic pain and suggest potential opportunities to expand the repertoire of treatment options.
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: Incidence, risk factors, diagnosis, and staging

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), a malignant proliferation of cutaneous epithelium, represents 20% to 50% of skin cancers. Although the majority of cSCCs are successfully eradicated by surgical excision, a subset of cSCC possesses features associated with a higher likelihood of recurrence, metastasis, and death. The proper identification of these aggressive cSCCs can guide additional work-up and management. In the first article in this continuing medical education series, we discuss the incidence, recurrence rates, mortality rates, and risk factors associated with cSCC and review the staging systems used to stratify patients into high- and low-risk groups. The second article in this series reviews the treatment options for cSCC, with focused attention on the management of high-stage tumors.
Global stability for a 2n+1 dimensional HIV/AIDS epidemic model with treatments

Abstract In this work, we derive and analyze a 2 n + 1 -dimensional deterministic differential equation modeling the transmission and treatment of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) disease. The model is extended to a stochastic differential equation by introducing noise in the transmission rate of the disease. A theoretical treatment strategy of regular HIV testing and immediate treatment with Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) is investigated in the presence and absence of noise. By defining R0, n, Rt, n and R t , n as the deterministic basic reproduction number in the absence of ART treatments, deterministic basic reproduction number in the presence of ART treatments and stochastic reproduction number in the presence of ART treatment, respectively, we discuss the stability of the infection-free and endemic equilibrium in the presence and absence of treatments by first deriving the closed form expression for R0, n, Rt, n and R t , n . We show that there is enough treatment to avoid persistence of infection in the endemic equilibrium state if R t , n = 1 . We further show by studying the effect of noise in the transmission rate of the disease that transient epidemic invasion can still occur even if Rt, n R t , n > 1 . A threshold criterion for epidemic invasion in the presence and absence of noise is derived. Numerical simulation is presented for validation.
Predicting Social Anxiety From Global Positioning System Traces of College Students: Feasibility Study.

Background: Social anxiety is highly prevalent among college students. Current methodologies for detecting symptoms are based on client self-report in traditional clinical settings. Self-report is subject to recall bias, while visiting a clinic requires a high level of motivation. Assessment methods that use passively collected data hold promise for detecting social anxiety symptoms and supplementing self-report measures. Continuously collected location data may provide a fine-grained and ecologically valid way to assess social anxiety in situ. Objective: The objective of our study was to examine the feasibility of leveraging noninvasive mobile sensing technology to passively assess college students’ social anxiety levels. Specifically, we explored the different relationships between mobility and social anxiety to build a predictive model that assessed social anxiety from passively generated Global Positioning System (GPS) data. Methods: We recruited 228 undergraduate participants from a Southeast American university. Social anxiety symptoms were assessed using self-report instruments at a baseline laboratory session. An app installed on participants’ personal mobile phones passively sensed data from the GPS sensor for 2 weeks. The proposed framework supports longitudinal, dynamic tracking of college students to evaluate the relationship between their social anxiety and movement patterns in the college campus environment. We first extracted the following mobility features: (1) cumulative staying time at each different location, (2) the distribution of visits over time, (3) the entropy of locations, and (4) the frequency of transitions between locations. Next, we studied the correlation between these features and participants’ social anxiety scores to enhance the understanding of how students’ social anxiety levels are associated with their mobility. Finally, we used a neural network-based prediction method to predict social anxiety symptoms from the extracted daily mobility features. Results: Several mobility features correlated with social anxiety levels. Location entropy was negatively associated with social anxiety (during weekdays, r=−0.67; and during weekends, r=−0.51). More (vs less) socially anxious students were found to avoid public areas and engage in less leisure activities during evenings and weekends, choosing instead to spend more time at home after school (4 pm-12 am). Our prediction method based on extracted mobility features from GPS trajectories successfully classified participants as high or low socially anxious with an accuracy of 85% and predicted their social anxiety score (on a scale of 0-80) with a root-mean-square error of 7.06. Conclusions: Results indicate that extracting and analyzing mobility features may help to reveal how social anxiety symptoms manifest in the daily lives of college students. Given the ubiquity of mobile phones in our society, understanding how to leverage passively sensed data has strong potential to address the growing needs for mental health monitoring and treatment.
Cholinergic and noncholinergic parasympathetic control of airway smooth muscle

In mammals, including humans, drugs that block cholinergic muscarinic receptors cause significant and, in some cases, near maximal bronchodilation [1-3]. Moreover, in animal studies, the bronchodilating effect of the anticholinergic drugs can be mimicked by sectioning the right and left vagus nerves [4,5]. Considered together, these observations support the hypothesis that the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system is the major regulator of mammalian airway smooth muscle tone.
Ferroelectric materials and their applications

1. Introduction - Characteristics of ferroelectrics. 2. Methods for measuring physical properties of ferroelectric materials. 3. Perovskite-type ferroelectrics (Part I). 4. Perovskite-type ferroelectrics (Part II). 5. Lithium niobate and lithium tantalate. 6. Ferroelectric tungsten - bronze type niobate crystals. 7. KDP family, TGS family and other water-soluble ferroelectric crystals. 8. Other ferroelectric crystal materials. 9. Organic ferroelectric materials and piezoelectric composites.
Associations of microvascular dysfunction with cardiovascular outcomes: The cardiac, endothelial function and arterial stiffness in ESRD (CERES) cohort.

INTRODUCTION Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have reduced endothelial function, but whether macro- and microvascular endothelial function correlate with baseline risk factors and cardiovascular outcomes in this population is not well understood. METHODS Among 146 participants of the Cardiac, Endothelial Function and Arterial Stiffness in ESRD (CERES) study, we evaluated macro- and microvascular endothelial dysfunction as flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and velocity time integral (VTI), respectively. We examined cross-sectional correlations of baseline characteristics, inflammatory and cardiac markers with FMD and VTI. We followed participants for the composite outcome of cardiovascular hospitalization or all-cause death over fourteen months. Cox survival analyses were adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, medications, systolic blood pressure, inflammation, high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT), and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). FINDINGS Impaired VTI was associated with older age and Black race (P < 0.05), as well as female gender, atherosclerosis, and hemodialysis (as opposed to peritoneal dialysis) (P < 0.2). Myocardial injury, measured as hs-TnT, inflammatory markers and NT-proBNP correlated with impaired VTI. In unadjusted analyses, VTI was significantly associated with the composite outcome (HR per SD VTI 0.65 [95%CI 0.45, 0.95]), but FMD was not (HR per SD FMD 0.97 [95%CI 0.69, 1.4]). When VTI was calculated as the ratio of (hyperemic VTI-baseline VTI)/baseline VTI, its association with the outcome persisted after multivariable adjustment. DISCUSSION Microvascular function was associated with higher rates of cardiovascular hospitalizations and all-cause mortality among individuals with ESRD on dialysis. Further research is needed to learn whether novel therapies that target microvascular endothelial function could improve outcomes in this high-risk population.
Racial microaggressions and black social work students: a call to social work educators for proactive models informed by social justice

With efforts to create and sustain racial diversity and inclusive practices at institutions of higher education, a corollary emphasis on proactive implementations to support students of color in th...
Changepoint detection versus reinforcement learning: Separable neural substrates approximate different forms of Bayesian inference

Abstract Adaptive behavior in even the simplest decision-making tasks requires predicting future events in an environment that is generally nonstationary. As an inductive problem, this prediction requires a commitment to the statistical process underlying environmental change. This challenge can be formalized in a Bayesian framework as a question of choosing a generative model for the task dynamics. Previous learning models assume, implicitly or explicitly, that nonstationarity follows either a continuous diffusion process or a discrete changepoint process. Each approach is slow to adapt when its assumptions are violated. A new mixture of Bayesian experts framework proposes separable brain systems approximating inference under different assumptions regarding the statistical structure of the environment. This model explains data from a laboratory foraging task, in which rats experienced a change in reward contingencies after pharmacological disruption of dorsolateral (DLS) or dorsomedial striatum (DMS). The data and model suggest DLS learns under a diffusion prior whereas DMS learns under a changepoint prior. The combination of these two systems offers a new explanation for how the brain handles inference in an uncertain environment. One Sentence Summary Adaptive foraging behavior can be explained by separable brain systems approximating Bayesian inference under different assumptions about dynamics of the environment.
Major shifts in nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre over the last 5000 years revealed by high-resolution proteinaceous deep-sea coral δ15N and δ13C records

Abstract The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) is the largest continuous ecosystem on Earth and is a critical component of global oceanic biogeochemical cycling and carbon sequestration. We report here multi-millennial-scale, sub-decadal-resolution records of bulk stable nitrogen ( δ 15 N) and carbon ( δ 13 C) isotope records from proteinaceous deep-sea corals. Data from three Kulamanamana haumeaae specimens from the main Hawaiian Islands extend the coral-based time-series back ∼5000 yrs for the NPSG and bypass constraints of low resolution sediment cores in this oligotrophic ocean region. We interpret these records in terms of shifting biogeochemical cycles and plankton community structure, with a main goal of placing the extraordinarily rapid ecosystem biogeochemical changes documented by recent coral records during the Anthropocene in a context of broader Late-Holocene variability. During intervals where new data overlaps with previous records, there is strong correspondence in isotope values, indicating that this older data represents a direct extension of Anthropocene records. These results reveal multiple large isotopic shifts in both δ 15 N and δ 13 C values similar to or larger in magnitude to those reported in the last 150 yrs. This shows that large fluctuations in the isotopic composition of export production in this region are not unique to the recent past, but have occurred multiple times through the Mid- to Late-Holocene. However, these earlier isotopic shifts occurred over much longer time intervals (∼millennial vs. decadal timescales). Further, the δ 15 N data confirm that the extremely low present day δ 15 N values recorded by deep sea corals (∼8‰) are unprecedented for the NPSG, at least within the past five millennia. Together these records reveal centennial to millennial-scale oscillations in NPSG biogeochemical cycles. Further, these data also suggest a number of independent biogeochemical regimes during which δ 15 N and δ 13 C trends were synchronous (similar to recent coral records) or distinctly decoupled. We propose that phytoplankton species composition and nutrient source changes are the dominant mechanisms controlling the coupling and de-coupling of δ 15 N and δ 13 C values, likely primarily influenced by changing oceanographic conditions (e.g., stratification vs. entrainment). The decoupling observed in the past further suggests that oceanographic forcing and ecosystem responses controlling δ 15 N and δ 13 C values of export production have been substantially different earlier in the Holocene compared to mechanisms controlling the present day system.
Physician-Assisted Suicide---Homicide or Death with Dignity?

Physician-assisted suicide is now lawful in seven states and the District of Columbia. Oregon was the first state to pass legislation allowing physicians to assist in end of life activities in 1994. Oregon’s adoption did not open the floodgates---the second adoption did not occur until 2008 when Washington followed Oregon’s lead. Then Vermont, California, Colorado, Montana, Hawaii and DC followed suit. The state statutes apply if a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness and has less than 6 months to live. This article examines the state approaches and addresses arguments supporting and opposing these statutory approaches.
Sorokin’s Amitology and Lewis’s Four Loves:Integrating Scientific and Artistic Imaginations

Taking Mangone and Dolgov’s 2019 article on Pitirim Sorokin’s “altruistic creative love” as a point of departure, I argue that Sorokin’s scientific approach could be further developed by linking it with work expressing an esthetic, artistic perspective. To illustrate, I compare Sorokin’s treatment of love, altruism, and amitology with writings by British author Clive Staples (“C.S.”) Lewis, especially The Four Loves (1960). I also draw on selected autobiographical and biographical sources, in order to illumine the development of distinctive scientific and artistic sensibilities in the two writers. In contrast to Sorokin’s application of a scientific frame of reference, including abstract variables, measurement strategies, and causal analysis, Lewis offers a treatment grounded in personal experience that has affinities with “thick description” in the social sciences, as well as auto-ethnography and Kurt Wolff’s phenomenological method of “surrender and catch.” The scientific frame yields a more detached, external knowledge, whereas the artistic produces a more immediate, interior type of knowing. I conclude that combining scientific and artistic understandings of love would accomplish part of the ambitious program that Sorokin called Integralism, while also contributing to the project of creating a “positive” sociology that Mangone and Dolgov advocate.
Invoking death: How oncologists discuss a deadly outcome.

Abstract Existing sociological research documents patient and physician reticence to discuss death in the context of a patient's end of life. This study offers a new approach to analyzing how death gets discussed in medical interaction. Using a corpus of 90 video-recorded oncology visits and conversation analytic (CA) methods, this analysis reveals that when existing parameters are expanded to look at mentions of death outside of the end-of-life context, physicians do discuss death with their patients. Specifically, the most frequent way physicians invoke death is in a persuasive context during treatment recommendation discussions. When patients demonstrate active or passive resistance to a recommendation, physicians invoke the possibility of the patient's death to push back against this resistance and lobby for treatment. Occasionally, physicians invoke death in instances where resistance is anticipated but never actualized. Similarly, death invocations function for treatment advocacy. Ultimately, this study concludes that physicians in these data invoke death to leverage their professional authority for particular treatment outcomes.
Musculoskeletal Pain Survey Outcomes in Cleft Surgeons and Orthodontists.

Objective:Determine prevalence and characteristics of musculoskeletal pain and pathology in cleft providers.Design:An IRB-exempt survey based on previously validated surveys was administered. Data ...
Racial Disparities and Diagnosis-to-Treatment Time Among Patients Diagnosed with Breast Cancer in South Carolina.

Diagnosis-to-treatment interval is an important quality measure that is recognized by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, and the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the National Quality Measures for Breast Care. The aim of this study was to assess factors related to delays in receiving breast cancer treatment. This retrospective cohort study (2002 to 2010) used data from the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry (SCCCR) and Office of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs (RFA) to examine racial differences in diagnosis-to-treatment time (in days), with adjuvant hormone receipt, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy assessed separately. Chi-square tests, and logistic regression and generalized linear models were used to compare diagnosis-to-treatment days. Black women on average received adjuvant hormone therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy 25, 8, 7, and 3 days later than their White counterparts, respectively. Black women with local stage cancer had later time to surgery (OR: 1.6; CI: 1.2–2.2) compared with White women with local stage cancer. Black women living in rural areas had higher odds (OR: 2.0; CI: 1.1–3.7) of receiving late chemotherapy compared with White women living in rural areas. Unmarried Black women also had greater risk (OR: 2.0; CI: 1.0–4.0) of receiving late radiotherapy compared to married White women. To improve timely receipt of effective BrCA treatments, programs aimed at reducing racial disparities may need to target subgroups of Black breast cancer patients based on their social determinants of health and geographic residence.
Winner-Take-All and Proportional-Prize Contests: Theory and Experimental Results

Abstract This study provides a unified framework to compare three canonical types of contests: winner-take-all contests won by the best performer, winner-take-all lotteries where probability of success is proportional to performance, and proportional-prize contests in which rewards are shared in proportion to performance. We derive equilibria and observe outcomes from each contest in a laboratory experiment. Equilibrium and observed efforts are highest in winner-take-all contests. Lotteries and proportional-prize contests have the same Nash equilibrium, but empirically, lotteries induce higher efforts and lower, more unequal payoffs. Behavioral deviations from theoretical benchmarks in different contests are caused by the same underlying attributes, such as risk-aversion and the utility of winning. Finally, we find that subjects exhibit consistent behavior across different types of contests, with subjects exerting higher effort in one contest also exerting higher effort in another contest.
A model for estimating Ag-MAR flooding duration based on crop tolerance, root depth, and soil texture data

Abstract Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge (Ag-MAR) is an emerging MAR technique that uses agricultural fields as percolation basins to recharge the underlying aquifers. Ag-MAR can be a beneficial solution for storing excess surface water, however, if not managed properly it can potentially harm the soil and crops planted on the field at the time of recharge, ultimately leading to yield loss. Root zone residence time (RZRT), defined as the duration that the root-zone can remain saturated (or nearly saturated) during Ag-MAR without crop damage, is a key factor in Ag-MAR since extended periods of saturation in the root-zone can damage crops. Here we propose a simple RZRT model for estimating a safe Ag-MAR flooding duration based on hydraulic parameters deduced from soil texture, crop tolerance to saturation, effective root depth, and critical soil water content, which is the point where soil re-aeration occurs during drainage. We tested the model with different hydraulic parameter sets and compared the results to observed data and HYDRUS simulations. Using fitted and unfitted hydraulic parameters the average error of the predicted Ag-MAR flooding duration was less than 5 h, and up to a few days, respectively. Consequently, for crops with low flooding-tolerance, the model should be used with caution, but for more tolerant crops, the model provides reasonable predictions. The model also provides a first approximation of the possible amount of water that can be applied during an Ag-MAR event. Based on the RZRT model, we evaluated the Ag-MAR potential of various crops and effective root depths for each of the USDA soil texture classes. A spreadsheet containing the RZRT model including hydraulic parameters, and crop properties is publicly available and can be used as a learning tool or to estimate Ag-MAR flooding duration for different soils. The proposed model can be easily integrated into Ag-MAR assessment tools.
The life and art of Alibert's dermatology

Abstract Jean Louis Alibert, widely considered to be the founder of French dermatology, was perhaps most well-known for two main books on dermatology during his time—the Description des maladies de la peau and the Clinique de ho pital Saint-Louis. Both volumes were exquisitely conceptualized and illustrated. This presentation provides a window through which we may view Alibert's imagery in dermatology.
Perceptions, Attitudes, and Behaviors Among Long-Term Care Nurses Using Telehealth Technology: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aims of this study were to explore attitudes, perceptions, motivations, behaviors, and beliefs among long-term care (LTC) nursing staff regarding their use of telehealth (TH) technology. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) questionnaire was adapted to create a 60-item survey instrument that was administered electronically to nursing staff of 35 rural LTC facilities. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to obtain statistics and substantive views, which were synthesized for the 30 nurses and users of telehealth technology, who responded to the survey. Analyses indicated that respondents perceived TH technology to be useful in patient care. Qualitative responses indicated some areas for improvement and value of the technology.
"X" Marks the Spot, Or Does It? An Analysis of Voter Intent Laws and Their Implications for Counting Paper Ballots

This article assesses how ambiguous/vague election laws versus specific laws could influence the counting of paper ballots. The article also provides an empirical classification scheme, based upon statutory/regulation text and pictorial examples of disputed ballots, to measure election law specificity in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
International Trade and Labor Markets: Evidence from Turkey

In the recent debate over the impact of trade reform on factor markets, it has been theoretically argued that under imperfect competition trade liberalization will lead to an increase in labor demand elasticities thus placing labor markets under increased pressure. Using Turkish plant level data spanning the course of a dramatic trade liberalization, this idea is tested. (JEL F02, F12, F13, F15)
Autonomous Wireless Sensors

Sensor nodes comprising a power source and means for communication significantly reduce the barrier to sensor deployment and enable a vast array of new applications. Power represents the most significant constraint in many applications. We discuss available power sources and the power dissipation of circuits and optical and RF communication. A solar powered node with passive optical communication has a volume of just 16mm3 and measures ambient light and acceleration. A larger unit fabricated from off-the-shelf parts and RF communication implements a self-configuring network for communicating sensor results.