cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EVIDENCE FOR TWO ALTERNATE STABLE STATES IN AN UNGULATE GRAZING SYSTEM

Simple models describing plant-herbivore interactions predict complex dy- namics that depend on both herbivore density and plant abundance. The predictions of such models depend critically on the functional response of herbivores to forage availability, but few field studies have examined these responses or tested the hypothesis that alternate stable states can exist in plant-herbivore systems. We examined interactions between white- tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, and a dominant forb species, Laportea canadensis,in the understory of deciduous forests by measuring the functional response of deer to this forb and by conducting exclosure experiments under different deer and forb densities. Deer consumption of Laportea, measured at the scale of a forest stand, showed a Holling Type II functional response where the proportion of stems consumed has a steeply declining monotonic relationship to stem abundance. At high deer density, the deer-forb interaction, as measured by exclosure experiments, produced two alternate stable states that depended on initial forb abundance. Exclosure experiments also identified a lower deer density at which herbivory has no detectable effect on Laportea populations. This potential for a nonmonotonic relationship between plants and herbivores has direct implications for the conservation and restoration of plant species in systems where herbivores can be managed.
El Niño, La Niña, and world coffee price dynamics

Coffee is produced in equatorial and subequatorial regions of the world, which are also most affected by El Ni˜ no Southern Oscillation (ENSO). ENSO events have a tendency to amplify weather conditions such as droughts or excess precipitation in the affected regions, resulting in production shortage or excess supply, subsequently impacting agricultural commodity prices. In this research we assess effects of ENSO events on world coffee price dynamics using the monthly data between March 1989 and December 2010. We employ smooth transition autoregression framework to examine nonlinear dynamics of ENSO and coffee prices, and illustrate the results of this research using generalized impulse-response functions. We find that ENSO events indeed have short-term impacts on coffee prices. The research findings are of interest to coffee producers and intermediaries in the coffee markets as well as researchers in the fields of environmental and development economics. JEL classifications: C32, Q11, Q54
Nonprogression of vertebral area or bone mineral content on DXA does not predict compression fractures.

Abstract The 2003 International Society for Clinical Densitometry consensus guidelines recommend exclusion of vertebral bodies for lack of increase in bone area (BA) or bone mineral content (BMC), or an unusual T-score discrepancy (>1 standard deviation [SD]) between adjacent vertebrae. It is unclear how often nonprogression in BA, BMC, and T-score discrepancies predicts abnormal vertebral morphology, such as compression fractures. We prospectively studied 101 individuals sent for clinical dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning, including 20.8% males and 79.2% females. The population was 85% Caucasian, 13% African-American, and 3% Hispanic. The mean age was 65.6 yr; 20.2% were currently on steroids and 22.7% were taking drugs for osteoporosis. All subjects underwent the usual posteroanterior (PA) spine DXA scan PA and lateral vertebral fracture analysis (VFA). The presence of vertebral compression fractures and/or scoliosis of the lumbar spine by VFA were correlated with nonprogression of area or BMC, and/or a difference of >1 SD in T-scores using Fisher's exact test. By VFA, we detected 22 lumbar compression fractures among 101 subjects, which was 16% of the population. Nonprogression of BA, BMC, and T-score discrepancy were not statistically associated with the presence of vertebral compression fracture as assessed by VFA. Thirty percent of subjects had lumbar spine scoliosis. The presence of scoliosis was significantly related to a T-score discrepancy at L1–L4.
Methodology for a Community-Based Stroke Preparedness Intervention The Acute Stroke Program of Interventions Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities Study

Background and Purpose—Acute stroke education has focused on stroke symptom recognition. Lack of education about stroke preparedness and appropriate actions may prevent people from seeking immediate care. Few interventions have rigorously evaluated preparedness strategies in multiethnic community settings. Methods—The Acute Stroke Program of Interventions Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities (ASPIRE) project is a multilevel program using a community-engaged approach to stroke preparedness targeted to underserved black communities in the District of Columbia. This intervention aimed to decrease acute stroke presentation times and increase intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator utilization for acute ischemic stroke. Results—Phase 1 included (1) enhancement of focus of emergency medical services on acute stroke; (2) hospital collaborations to implement and enrich acute stroke protocols and transition District of Columbia hospitals toward primary stroke center certification; and (3) preintervention...
Apparent molar volumes and apparent molar heat capacities of aqueous tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl sulfoxide, 1,4-dioxane, and 1,2-dimethoxyethane at temperatures from 278.15 K to 393.15 K and at the pressure 0.35 MPa

Abstract We determined apparent molar volumes Vϕ at 278.15 ⩽ (T/K) ⩽ 368.15 and apparent molar heat capacities Cp,ϕ at 278.15 ⩽ (T/K) ⩽ 393.15 at p = 0.35 MPa for aqueous solutions of tetrahydrofuran at m from (0.016 to 2.5) mol · kg−1, dimethyl sulfoxide at m from (0.02 to 3.0) mol · kg−1, 1,4-dioxane at m from (0.015 to 2.0) mol · kg−1, and 1,2-dimethoxyethane at m from (0.01 to 2.0) mol · kg−1. Values of Vϕ were determined from densities measured with a vibrating-tube densimeter, and values of Cp,ϕ were determined with a twin fixed-cell, differential, temperature-scanning calorimeter. Empirical functions of m and T for each compound were fitted to our Vϕ and Cp,ϕ results.
Adaptive equalization and its effect on error models for digitally-modulated signals

In digital communications systems using adaptive equalization traditional modulation quality analysis may not faithfully represent or predict the system performance. Adding adaptive equalization to a measuring receiver can improve the fidelity of measurements and provide other benefits for troubleshooting as well. To take maximum advantage of the benefits of adaptive equalization it is important to use a more refined conceptual model for system elements such as transmitters or modulators, and for measuring receivers as well. Such models are discussed, along with their implications and benefits. Specific reference is made to more representative measurements, new measurement and data types, and their use in various parts of the product life cycle.
Regarding the Pain of Rats: Kim Jones's Rat Piece

Animal presence unsettles practices of spectatorship and reframes assumptions about embodiment and affect in four differently exemplary animal performances, including one dating back to the 18th century. In all of them, the ethics of watching other animals, human or nonhuman, and the call for evaluation and judgment is complicated by recognition of the multiplicitous and mysterious nature of pain and pleasure.
Geoid anomalies and dynamic topography from convection in cylindrical geometry - Applications to mantle plumes on earth and Venus

A variety of evidence suggests that at least some hotspots are formed by quasi-cylindrical mantle plumes upwelling from deep in the mantle. Such plumes are modeled in cylindrical, axisymmetric geometry with depth-dependent, Newtonian viscosity. Cylindrical and sheet-like, Cartesian upwellings have significantly different geoid and topography signatures. However, Rayleigh number-Nusselt number systematics in the two geometries are quite similar. The geoid anomaly and topographic uplift over a plume are insensitive to the viscosity of the surface layer, provided that it is at least 1000 times the interior viscosity. Increasing the Rayleigh number or including a low-viscosity asthenosphere decreases the geoid anomaly and the topographic uplift associated with an upwelling plume.
Spiral Waves in Integrate-and-Fire Neural Networks

The formation of propagating spiral waves is studied in a randomly connected neural network composed of integrate-and-fire neurons with recovery period and excitatory connections using computer simulations. Network activity is initiated by periodic stimulation at a single point. The results suggest that spiral waves can arise in such a network via a sub-critical Hopf bifurcation.
Three-Dimensional (3-D) Printing: A Cost-Effective Solution for Improving Global Accessibility to Prostheses

The lack of access to prostheses is a global problem, partially caused by the high cost associated with the current manufacturing process. Three-dimensional printing is gaining use in the medical field, and one such area is prosthetics. In addition to using cost-effective materials, this technology allows for rapid prototyping, making it an efficient solution for the development of affordable prostheses. If the rehabilitation medicine community embraces this novel technology, we can help alleviate the global disparity of access to prostheses.
Multiple Drug Transport Pathways through Human P-Glycoprotein.

P-Glycoprotein (P-gp) is a plasma membrane efflux pump that is commonly associated with therapy resistances in cancers and infectious diseases. P-gp can lower the intracellular concentrations of many drugs to subtherapeutic levels by translocating them out of the cell. Because of the broad range of substrates transported by P-gp, overexpression of P-gp causes multidrug resistance. We reported previously on dynamic transitions of P-gp as it moved through conformations based on crystal structures of homologous ABCB1 proteins using in silico targeted molecular dynamics techniques. We expanded these studies here by docking transport substrates to drug binding sites of P-gp in conformations open to the cytoplasm, followed by cycling the pump through conformations that opened to the extracellular space. We observed reproducible transport of two substrates, daunorubicin and verapamil, by an average of 11–12 A through the plane of the membrane as P-gp progressed through a catalytic cycle. Methylpyrophosphate, a l...
Correction: Facilitated carbon dioxide reduction using a Zn(II) complex

Correction for ‘Facilitated carbon dioxide reduction using a Zn(II) complex’ by Elizabeth S. Donovan et al., Chem. Commun., 2016, DOI: 10.1039/c5cc07318a.
The Interdisciplinarity of Collaborations in Cognitive Science

We introduce a new metric for interdisciplinarity, based on co-author publication history. A published article that has co-authors with quite different publication histories can be deemed relatively "interdisciplinary," in that the article reflects a convergence of previous research in distinct sets of publication outlets. In recent work, we have shown that this interdisciplinarity metric can predict citations. Here, we show that the journal Cognitive Science tends to contain collaborations that are relatively high on this interdisciplinarity metric, at about the 80th percentile of all journals across both social and natural sciences. Following on Goldstone and Leydesdorff (2006), we describe how scientometric tools provide a valuable means of assessing the role of cognitive science in broader scientific work, and also as a tool to investigate teamwork and distributed cognition. We describe how data-driven metrics of this kind may facilitate this exploration without relying upon rapidly changing discipline and topic keywords associated with publications.
The Role of Scientific Societies in Advancing Seismology

Editor's Introduction: The following was an invited presentation given by Susan Newman, Executive Director of the SSA, at the IRIS “Beyond 2005: Strategies for the Future of Seismology” mini-workshop on October 3, 1997 at the IRIS headquarters in Washington, D. C. David Simpson, IRIS President, and I both felt that Susan's personal perspective, based on her 27-year association with the Society, would be of interest to those in the seismological community who did not attend the workshop, and for that reason it is published here. I have been asked to talk about the role of professional associations in supporting seismology and how individual scientists and IRIS fit into that process. Of course, there is the obvious, time-honored role for societies: providing forums for the exchange of information among our members through publications and conferences. Increasingly, however, scientific societies in all disciplines are deciding that isn't enough. If we want to...
New mode-field conversion technique in optical fiber using thermal relaxation of residual stress

For lensless in-line optical devices, thermally diffused expanded- core (TEC) fibers have been proposed by Kawakami,1 and the application of the TEC technique to isolators and the low-loss splicing of high-N.A. single-mode fibers have been actively studied.8 In a TEC fiber the mode-field diameter (MFD) is gradually increased along the fiber axis with the thermal diffusion of the dopants induced by heat treatment. However, the heating process for a dopant diffusion requires either a high temperature or a long duration. In this paper we propose and demonstrate a MFD conversion technique that uses thermal relaxation of the residual stress in the core.
Chronic methamphetamine exposure prior to middle cerebral artery occlusion increases infarct volume and worsens cognitive injury in Male mice.

Emerging evidence indicates that methamphetamine (MA) abuse can impact cardiovascular disease. In humans, MA abuse is associated with an increased risk of stroke as well as an earlier age at which the stroke occurs. However, little is known about how chronic daily MA exposure can impact ischemic outcome in either humans or animal models. In the present study, mice were injected with MA (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline once daily for 10 consecutive days. Twenty-four hours after the final injection, mice were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) for one hour followed by reperfusion. Mice were tested for novel object memory at 96 h post-reperfusion, just prior to removal of brains for quantification of infarct volume using 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium Chloride (TTC) staining. Mice treated with MA prior to tMCAO showed decreased object memory recognition and increased infarct volume compared to saline-treated mice. These findings indicate that chronic MA exposure can worsen both cognitive and morphological outcomes following cerebral ischemia.
Incorporating Technology Into the Treatment of a 17-Year-Old Female With Selective Mutism

Selective mutism (SM) is a relatively rare disorder and is most commonly found among young children. Children and adolescents presenting with SM and its associated features (e.g., social anxiety, s...
Chronic Administration of Dehydroepiandrosterone Reduces Pancreatic β-Cell Hyperplasia and Hyperinsulinemia in Genetically Obese Zucker Rats:

AbstractThe Zucker obese (fa/fa) rat is a model of hypertrophic/hyperplastic obesity. These rats develop marked hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and pancreatic β-cell hyperplasia. In the present study, chronic (22 weeks) administration of the 17-ketosteroid, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), to obese Zucker rats significantly decreased body weight, and retroperitoneal and parametrial fat pad weights. In addition, β-cell hyperplasia was reduced as well as pancreatic insulin content. DHEA treatment of lean Zucker rats also reduced body weight, fat depot weight, pancreatic islet diameter, and pancreatic insulin content. These data indicate that DHEA treatment appears to inhibit insulin synthesis and β-cell proliferation. Whether this is due to a direct effect on the pancreas or due to improvement of peripheral insulin sensitivity remains to be elucidated.
Abstract IA11: New insights into the microenvironment and metastasis

Both extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms regulate the development of the aberrant tumor organ and regulate its progression. We have used genetic and in vivo imaging techniques to study the interaction between epithelial cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment during tumor progression. Transcriptional regulation of epithelial differentiation, cell-cell interaction and motility is a key intrinsic event in tumor progression. We have investigated GATA3, a master regulator for luminal differentiation, which is lost upon malignant conversion, and found that it allows the malignant tumor cells to disseminate throughout the body. The progressing tumor cells develop in an extrinsic microenvironment rich in inflammatory cells, growth factors, angiogenesis and activated stroma that promotes neoplastic risk. All of these components communicate with each other to contribute to the aberrant tumor organ. The tumor microenvironment regulates access to therapeutics and may alter expression of drug resistance genes. To explore the relationship between microenvironment and cancer cells in drug response, we treated mouse models of mammary carcinoma with doxorubicin. Primary cancer cells isolated from different tumor sizes had the same sensitivity in 2D and 3D cultures. Live imaging confirmed that individual cancer cells in early carcinoma stages were more sensitive to doxorubicin than in earlier or later stages. Imaging intact tumors during treatment with chemotherapy revealed marked differences in drug penetration and sensitivity of cancer cells in different tumor microenvironments. The inflammatory cells modulate the tumor ecology, altering vascular permeability and responses to chemotherapy. These experiments establish that chemosensitivity is determined by cooperation between cancer cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2011 Sep 14-18; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(18 Suppl):Abstract nr IA11.
Dimethoate for Control of Western Cherry Fruit Fly on Sweet Cherry in Oregon

Dimethoate (2.67 lb AI/gal EC) was evaluated on heavily-infested backyard sweet cherry trees and in lightly infested commercial cherry orchards for control of Rhagoletis indifferens Curran. A single dilute application rates of 0.33 and 0.51 lb AI/100 gal 31–56 days pre-harvest gave excellent control during 1971–72 and 1974 field tests. Bioassay tests against adult western cherry fruit flies with several registered and nonregistered contact insecticides indicated dimethoate to be the most effective and persistent compound evaluated. Residues of dimethoate on cherries were collected 2 years and were within currently registered tolerances for this material on pome fruits. Phytotoxic effects including marginal foliage necrosis and minor defoliation in 1974 field tests were noted but are not considered serious.
Casenote: Bell Atlantic V. Twombly

On May 21, 2007 the Supreme Court reversed the unanimous decision of the Second Circuit in Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly. The Court held that allegations of parallel conduct by competitors, without more, were insufficient to state a claim for a conspiracy in violation of the Sherman Act § 1. The result had been predicted by many in the established antitrust bar and in academic circles. As an antitrust case, Twombly reaffirms the important principle from the Court's 1954 Theater Enterprises decision - repeated since in cases like Monsanto and Matsushita - that parallel conduct by competitors, even if based on shared appreciations of their interdependence, is not illegal. Twombly is also tantalizingly close - but stops short of being - the Supreme Court's first express recognition of the "plus factors" framework for circumstantial proof of a Sherman Act § 1 conspiracy. Twombly has much greater implications as a civil procedure decision. In stating that the "any state of facts" standard from the Court's 1957 Conley decision "has earned its retirement," Twombly seemingly announces a new rule for pleading that gives ground for re-evaluation of how generations of lawyers were taught to frame and respond to complaints. This case note first discusses the Twombly litigation leading up to the Court's grant of certiorari in fall 2006. It then turns to the Supreme Court's decision, discussing Justice Souter's opinion for the majority and Justice Stevens's dissent. The note then analyzes the impact of Twombly on antitrust law and on pleading practice generally.
Terrestrial Precipitation Analysis (TPA): A resource for characterizing long-term precipitation regimes and extremes

Summary 1. World-wide, climate change is altering precipitation amounts, variability and extremes (e.g. droughts), and these changes are altering ecosystem structure and function. Precipitation manipulation experiments in terrestrial ecosystems around the world have identified many consequences of altered precipitation regimes, but a lack of standardized protocols has complicated attempts to synthesize results from these studies. Thus, there is a clear need to identify standard, ecologically relevant treatments that can be more easily compared across systems. Tools that facilitate comparisons of precipitation statistics across sites would allow researchers to (1) optimize treatments for multi-site precipitation studies and (2) place past and current experiments in the context of historical precipitation patterns. 2. To address these needs, we created the Terrestrial Precipitation Analysis package. This package is comprised of the Precipitation Trends (P-Trend), Precipitation Attributes (P-Att) and Precipitation Manipulation (P-Man) tools. Combined, these web tools allow researchers to easily calculate fundamental precipitation statistics for past, present and projected future precipitation regimes for any terrestrial location in the world. 3. The P-Trend tool allows researchers to visualize and download long-term precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, and drought index records derived from a global gridded data set for any study location. The P-Att tool allows researchers to characterize the general precipitation regime (including extreme events) at any study site and obtain estimates of precipitation under a severe climate change scenario. The P-Man tool calculates the proportional change in precipitation required to achieve any level of precipitation extremity based on either long-term interpolated data or user-provided long-term, site-based precipitation records.
Predictors of medical school clerkship performance: a multispecialty longitudinal analysis of standardized examination scores and clinical assessments

Evidence suggests that poor performance on standardized tests before and early in medical school is associated with poor performance on standardized tests later in medical school and beyond. This study aimed to explore relationships between standardized examination scores (before and during medical school) with test and clinical performance across all core clinical clerkships. We evaluated characteristics of 435 students at Mayo Medical School (MMS) who matriculated 2000–2009 and for whom undergraduate grade point average, medical college aptitude test (MCAT), medical school standardized tests (United States Medical Licensing Examination [USMLE] 1 and 2; National Board of Medical Examiners [NBME] subject examination), and faculty assessments were available. We assessed the correlation between scores and assessments and determined USMLE 1 cutoffs predictive of poor performance (≤10th percentile) on the NBME examinations. We also compared the mean faculty assessment scores of MMS students vs visiting students, and for the NBME, we determined the percentage of MMS students who scored at or below the tenth percentile of first-time national examinees. MCAT scores correlated robustly with USMLE 1 and 2, and USMLE 1 and 2 independently predicted NBME scores in all clerkships. USMLE 1 cutoffs corresponding to poor NBME performance ranged from 220 to 223. USMLE 1 scores were similar among MMS and visiting students. For most academic years and clerkships, NBME scores were similar for MMS students vs all first-time examinees. MCAT, USMLE 1 and 2, and subsequent clinical performance parameters were correlated with NBME scores across all core clerkships. Even more interestingly, faculty assessments correlated with NBME scores, affirming patient care as examination preparation. USMLE 1 scores identified students at risk of poor performance on NBME subject examinations, facilitating and supporting implementation of remediation before the clinical years. MMS students were representative of medical students across the nation.
Russian Eco-Identifying System——Reconsidering and improving environment-influencing evaluation system in China

Eco-identifying system is a basic environmental administering system.On the basis of simply discussing Russian eco-identifying system,this article considers environment-influencing evaluation system in China.Thus,it puts forward the countermeasure to perfect the environment-influencing evaluation system.
Prognosis for Pathologic Stage I Non-Seminomatous Germ Cell Tumors of the Testis Managed by Retroperitoneal Lymphadenectomy

AbstractThe over-all 3, 5 and 10-year survival rate for 87 patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis undergoing retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy was 90.5 per cent. Of the 72 patients receiving no form of therapy other than retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy after operative removal of the testicular tumor the 5-year survival rate was 90.8 per cent. The 5-year survival rates for these 72 patients, calculated according to the histologic characteristics of the primary tumor, were 74.4 per cent for 18 patients with embryonal carcinoma, 93.0 per cent for 36 patients with teratocarcinoma and 100 per cent for 18 patients with teratoma. Although no advantage could be demonstrated for bilateral lymphadenectomy as opposed to unilateral dissection, it is concluded that a modified bilateral dissection should be reserved only for tumors on the left side.
Partial purification and characterization of a type 1 protein phosphatase in purified nuclei of pea plumules

We report the isolation and characterization of a protein Ser/Thr phosphatase from highly purified pea nuclei. In subnuclear fractions, more than 75% of Ser/Thr protein phosphatase activity was associated with the chromatin fraction, whereas the other 25% was in the nuclear membrane/nucleoplasmic fraction when phosphorylase a was used as a substrate. The enzyme was purified approx. 2750-fold to a specific activity of approx. 4000 nmol/min per mg. The molecular mass of the enzyme was 34 kDa as estimated by molecular sieve chromatography, and approx. 40 kDa as estimated by SDS/PAGE. The phosphatase was inhibited by okadaic acid with an IC50 of approx. 15 nM, by rabbit muscle inhibitor 2 with an IC50 of approx. 10 nM, and by microcystin-LR with an IC50 of approx. 0.05 nM. The enzyme did not require Ca2+, Mg2+ or Mn2+ for its activity; instead, these cations showed some inhibitory effects. It was inhibited by NaF or citrate but not by tartrate, molybdate or vanadate under the conditions tested. Its sensitivities towards the various phosphatase inhibitors and its substrate specificity were very similar to those characteristic of the type I Ser/Thr protein phosphatases well studied in animal systems. The enzyme was able to selectively dephosphorylate a 92 kDa nuclear protein that had been phosphorylated by one or more endogenous protein kinases.
Extrahepatic Manifestations of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection: a Review and Update

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has become an increasingly concerning global disease. While it is well known to causes a chronic hepatitis that can be largely asymptomatic until the development of cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), chronic HCV can also lead to extrahepatic manifestations (EHMs) which can contribute to further morbidity and mortality. This chapter will discuss the pathophysiology and data supporting the causal relationship between chronic HCV infection and its EHMs as well as address the influence of HCV treatment on these disorders, particularly in the age of direct-acting antiviral agents.
Temporarily Broken Gauge Symmetries in the Early Universe

A simple Higgs model is utilized to show temperature-dependent interplay of spontaneous symmetry breaking and restoration, and resonant field interchange. The sequence of vacuum phase transitions that results is a general feature of many models, the temporary vacuum symmetries that occur are of cosmological interest.
Whistler interactions with density gradients in the magnetosphere

Naturally occurring density variations of a few to tens of percent from the background are a ubiquitous feature of the magnetospheric plasma. Very-low frequency (VLF) whistler mode waves (whistlers), which have wavelengths in the middle of this range, are particularly affected by the presence of these density variations. At sub-wavelength scales, these variations are responsible for localized enhancements of wave magnetic and/or electric fields and mode conversion to electrostatic lower hybrid waves. At scales much larger than the wavelength, these variations can be responsible for guiding whistlers along the ambient magnetic field. Recently, large-amplitude whistlers have been observed in the Earth's radiation belts. Unlike the more frequently observed whistler-mode chorus, which propagates primarily parallel to the background magnetic field, these waves were found to propagate at highly oblique angles.
Atlas based 3D liver segmentation using adaptive thresholding and superpixel approaches

Traumas and illnesses can cause injury in internal organs. The liver, being the largest abdominal organ, is most likely to be injured by trauma. Currently CT scans are analyzed by radiologists to see if there is any injuries in organs; however, due to the large amounts of data and its complexity in terms of noise, intensity variations in different images and so on, visual inspection would be time consuming and prone of error. Therefore, an automated approach would be beneficial. In this paper we propose a fully automated Bayesian based method for 3D segmentation of the liver. Experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve high performance with Dice and Jaccard similarity coefficients of 93:5% and 87:9% respectively.
A Seat at the Table: How the Work of Teaching Impacts Teachers as Policy Agents

Policy reflects and shapes society's beliefs about schools, teachers, children, learning, and society, as well as the power structures embedded in our communities and decision-making processes. Although teachers may be central to the implementation of education policy, they are marginal to the design of policy agendas and text, especially around issues of teaching and learning. Their absence in the policymaking process creates a disconnect between the goals and design of education policy and the actual lived challenges of implementation. In examining the dynamics in this critical disconnect, we address the following research questions: How do institutional norms and routines affect teachers' agency in the policymaking process? Following this research question is our action question: How do we support conditions that support teachers as policy agents? We draw on qualitative data from two sites (West Virginia and Wisconsin) where K–12 teachers partnered with university researchers in a range of capacity-bui...
Circulation modeling of library book promotions

Community reading initiatives, in which a book is selected for system-wide reading and discussion, have become common in many library systems. This paper describes the initial findings in a demographic study of the ``One Book, One Chicago'' initiative by the Chicago Public Library. Using a multilevel linear model, we show that, over six recent offerings of the ``One Book'' program, the books vary widely in their uptake by library patrons at different branches, and these differences cannot be entirely explained by demographics or the library's promotional strategies. We thus motivate the next stage of our project, which is to incorporate representations of book content and reader response into the model.
An Ultrathin Single Crystalline Relaxor Ferroelectric Integrated on a High Mobility Semiconductor

The epitaxial growth of multifunctional oxides on semiconductors has opened a pathway to introduce new functionalities to semiconductor device technologies. In particular, the integration of gate materials that enable non-volatile or hysteretic functionality in field-effect transistors could lead to device technologies that consume less power, or allow for novel modalities in computing. Here we present electrical characterization of ultrathin single crystalline SrZrxTi1-xO3 (x = 0.7) films epitaxially grown on a high mobility semiconductor, Ge. Epitaxial films of SrZrxTi1-xO3 exhibit relaxor behavior, characterized by a hysteretic polarization that can modulate the surface potential of Ge. We find that gate layers as thin as 5 nm corresponding to an equivalent-oxide-thickness of just 1.0 nm exhibit a ~ 2 V hysteretic window in the capacitance-voltage characteristics. The development of hysteretic metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with nanoscale gate thicknesses opens new vistas for nanoelectronic devices.
CD4+CD28+KIR+CD11ahi T cells correlate with disease activity and are characterized by a pro-inflammatory epigenetic and transcriptional profile in lupus patients

Abstract Objective The goal of this study was to comprehensively characterize CD4+CD28+ T cells overexpressing CD11a and KIR genes, and examine the relationship between this T cell subset, genetic risk, and disease activity in lupus. Methods The size of the CD4+CD28+KIR+CD11ahi T cell subset was determined by flow cytometry, and total genetic risk for lupus was calculated in 105 female patients using 43 confirmed genetic susceptibility loci. Primary CD4+CD28+KIR+CD11ahi T cells were isolated from lupus patients or were induced from healthy individuals using 5-azacytidine. Genome-wide DNA methylation was analyzed using an array-based approach, and the transcriptome was assessed by RNA sequencing. Transcripts in the CDR3 region were used to assess the TCR repertoire. Chromatin accessibility was determined using ATAC-seq. Results A total of 31,019 differentially methylated sites were identified in induced KIR+CD11ahi T cells with >99% being hypomethylated. RNA sequencing revealed a clear pro-inflammatory transcriptional profile. TCR repertoire analysis suggests less clonotype diversity in KIR+CD11ahi compared to autologous KIR-CD11alow T cells. Similarly, primary KIR+CD11ahi T cells isolated from lupus patients were hypomethylated and characterized by a pro-inflammatory chromatin structure. We show that the genetic risk for lupus was significantly higher in African-American compared to European-American lupus patients. The demethylated CD4+CD28+KIR+CD11ahi T cell subset size was a better predictor of disease activity in young (age ≤ 40) European-American patients independent of genetic risk. Conclusion CD4+CD28+KIR+CD11ahi T cells are demethylated and characterized by pro-inflammatory epigenetic and transcriptional profiles in lupus. Eliminating these cells or blocking their pro-inflammatory characteristics might present a novel therapeutic approach for lupus.
Supporting Teachers’ Equity-Oriented Learning and Identities: A Resource-Centered Perspective

Background/ContextDespite calls for equity in education, the dominant mode of schooling reproduces hierarchies, positioning some students as bright, gifted, or fast learners and others as lazy, in ...
The Complexities of Multicultural Competence with LGBT+ Populations

This chapter explores existing challenges in describing how one achieves multicultural competence with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT+), and related populations. What it means to be multiculturally competent with this population has not been precisely defined, is still evolving, and faces several unique challenges. Our intention is to discuss some of those concerns as well as point in a direction that may help the field identify sound aspirations. Three frameworks for understanding LGBT+ issues are presented (diversity, disability, and the sacred), as well as a call for greater humility about what is known and not known regarding LGBT+ issues at present. Recommendations are made for a more nuanced understanding of multicultural competence with LGBT+ and related populations in training and practice.
Varicella breakthrough infection and effectiveness of 2-dose varicella vaccine in China.

BACKGROUND 2-dose varicella vaccination has been available in Ningbo city, China since 2014 in the private sector. This study aimed to evaluate the breakthrough varicella infection rate, and to examine overall and incremental effectiveness of 2-dose varicella vaccination among Chinese children. METHODS A retrospective investigation was done among native children born from 2008 to 2013 in active surveillance area in Ningbo, China. Between 2009 and 2016, demographic information and data on varicella vaccination were collected by Ningbo's Immunization Information System, and information of varicella infections were obtained from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. The logistic regression was conducted to estimate varicella vaccine effectiveness (VE). RESULT A total of 107,324 local children were enrolled in the cohort analysis and 95.11% of these children with no varicella disease history received at least 1-dose varicella vaccine from 2009 to 2016. The total breakthrough varicella infection rate (BVR) was 0.37% for all the vaccinated children and 0.04% for 2-dose vaccination. The annual BVR ranged from 0.01% to 0.49% for 1-dose of varicella vaccine and from 0.01% to 0.02% for 2-dose. The infection rates both in the unvaccinated children and the 1-dose children were decreasing after 2-dose vaccination implemented in 2014 (Unvaccinated: P < 0.001 for trend; 1-dose: P = 0.003 for trend). The VE against all varicella was 50.3% (95% CI: 39.8%-59.0%) for 1-dose (P < 0.001) and 98.7% (95% CI: 98.1%-99.1%) for 2-dose (P < 0.001), and the incremental VE was 97.4% (95% CI: 96.2%-98.2%) compared with 1-dose (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The 2-dose regimen provided excellent protection to prevent all varicella, and the universal 2-dose regimen of varicella vaccine should be recommended to prevent the varicella disease among children in China.
Planning Local Uniqueness: Drawing the Line between Development and Loss:

This article looks at a redevelopment conflict arising from divergent ways of addressing the perceived uniqueness of Coney Island, a historic amusement destination in Brooklyn, New York. By examini...
Corticosteroid Use for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Direct-to-Consumer Telemedicine.

Abstract Background Systemic corticosteroids are not indicated for acute respiratory tract infections yet are nonetheless prescribed in outpatient care. Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common diagnosis in direct to consumer (DTC) telemedicine. The objective of this study was to characterize use of corticosteroids for acute respiratory tract infections in this setting and assess the association between corticosteroid receipt and patient satisfaction. Methods Encounters with acute respiratory tract infection patients 18 years and older on a nationwide DTC telemedicine platform were conducted by physicians between July 2016 and July 2018. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to assess differences in the odds of corticosteroid prescription. A second mixed effects model assessed differences in patient satisfaction by corticosteroid or antibiotic receipt. Adjusted prescribing rates for individual physicians were estimated. Models included diagnoses, patient age and geographic region, physician specialty and geographic region and antibiotic prescription. Results Of the 85,972 encounters with 465 physicians, 11% resulted in a corticosteroid. The median physician prescribing rate was 4.0% (range: Conclusions Corticosteroid receipt was associated with patient satisfaction. Most physicians rarely prescribed corticosteroids, yet a small number prescribed them frequently. Identification of high prescribing physicians for educational interventions could reduce use of corticosteroids for acute respiratory tract infections.
Abstract WP68: CT Perfusion Collateral Index in Assessment of Collaterals in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A New Imaging Biomarker

Purpose: Perfusion collateral index (PCI) has been recently defined as a promising measure of collateral flow. We aim to evaluate the collateral status via CT-based PCI in association with outcome ...
Effects of Cardiac Sympathetic Neurodegeneration and PPARγ Activation on Rhesus Macaque Whole Blood miRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles.

Degeneration of sympathetic innervation of the heart occurs in numerous diseases, including diabetes, idiopathic REM sleep disorder, and Parkinson’s disease (PD). In PD, cardiac sympathetic denervation occurs in 80-90% of patients and can begin before the onset of motor symptoms. Today, there are no disease-modifying therapies for cardiac sympathetic neurodegeneration, and biomarkers are limited to radioimaging techniques. Analysis of expression levels of coding mRNA and noncoding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), can uncover pathways involved in disease, leading to the discovery of biomarkers, pathological mechanisms, and potential drug targets. Whole blood in particular is a clinically relevant source of biomarkers, as blood sampling is inexpensive and simple to perform. Our research group has previously developed a nonhuman primate model of cardiac sympathetic denervation by intravenous administration of the catecholaminergic neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). In this rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) model, imaging with positron emission tomography showed that oral administration of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist pioglitazone ( ; 5 mg/kg daily) significantly decreased cardiac inflammation and oxidative stress compared to placebo ( ). Here, we report our analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression levels over time in the whole blood of these monkeys. Differential expression of three miRNAs was induced by 6-OHDA (mml-miR-16-2-3p, mml-miR-133d-3p, and mml-miR-1262-5p) and two miRNAs by pioglitazone (mml-miR-204-5p and mml-miR-146b-5p) at 12 weeks posttoxin, while expression of mRNAs involved in inflammatory cytokines and receptors was not significantly affected. Overall, this study contributes to the characterization of rhesus coding and noncoding RNA profiles in normal and disease-like conditions, which may facilitate the identification and clinical translation of biomarkers of cardiac neurodegeneration and neuroprotection.
Developmental patterns of tobacco product and cannabis use initiation in high school.

AIMS To identify prototypical developmental patterns of tobacco product and cannabis use and co-use initiation during adolescence, and determine risk factors for and consequences of these initiation patterns. DESIGN Prospective repeated-measures cohort with eight semi-annual assessments during high school. Multiple-event process survival mixture modeling identified latent initiation classes with distinct patterns of variation in timing of use initiation of tobacco products and cannabis. We then estimated: (1) associations of baseline risk factors with membership in initiation classes and (2) differences between initiation classes in frequency of cannabis and tobacco product use at the final assessment. SETTING Ten high schools in the Los Angeles, CA, USA metropolitan area, 2013-17. PARTICIPANTS Students [1031 (45.4%) males; mean (standard deviation) age at baseline = 14.6 (0.39) years] who had never used any tobacco products or cannabis at baseline 9th grade assessment (n = 2272). MEASUREMENTS Self-report measures of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), combustible cigarette, hookah, cigar/cigarillos and cannabis use were collected at each assessment. FINDINGS Four distinct tobacco and cannabis use initiation classes were identified: (1) early and high-risk cannabis and polytobacco initiators (n = 116; 5.1%); (2) early cannabis and polytobacco initiators (n = 172; 7.6%); (3) late cannabis and e-cigarette initiators (n = 431; 19.0%); and (4) abstainers (n = 1553; 68.4%). At baseline, older age for the early and high-risk cannabis and polytobacco initiators [odds ratio (OR) = 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.10, 1.35, P < 0.001], peer cannabis use (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.23, 2.08, P < 0.001) and delinquent behavior (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.55, P = 0.004) were associated with membership in the three initiation classes (versus abstainers). Membership in the early and high-risk cannabis and polytobacco initiators class (versus three other classes) was significantly associated with increased past 30-day frequency and daily intensity of use at the final assessment (P-values < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Older age, peer cannabis use and delinquent behavior appear to be risk factors for the initiation of tobacco/cannabis product use among high school students in the Los Angeles metropolitan region. Early and higher-risk polyproduct use initiation appears to be associated with greater escalation of past 30-day and daily tobacco and cannabis use at the end of the high school.
Demagnetization Simulations of High-Power Electric Motors for Reliable Electric Aircrafts

Aerospace industry is undergoing a transformation to utilize alternative forms of propulsion including hybrid or fully electric propulsion. Multiphysics simulations are critical in reducing development cost and increasing reliability and safety of electric powertrains. In this study, a Multiphysics modeling methodology is developed and demonstrated on a permanent magnet electric motor. The motor design inspired by an automotive traction motor is modified with cooling mechanisms applicable to aircraft powertrains. A detailed electromagnetic model of the motor provides electro-mechanical metrics such as torque as well as heat losses to be utilized in a thermal CFD model. A conjugate heat transfer CFD model predicts temperature and flow distributions. A bi-directional coupling methodology between the magnetic and CFD solvers is developed that 1) increases fidelity of the Multiphysics model and 2) enables engineers to predict magnet demagnetization, both influencing reliability of electric motor designs for electric aircrafts.