cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Slow recovery in desert perennial vegetation following prolonged human disturbance

Abstract Questions: How long may it take for desert perennial vegetation to recover from prolonged human disturbance and how do different plant community variables (i.e. diversity, density and cover) change during the recovery process? Location: Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA. Methods: Since protection from grazing from 1907 onwards, plant diversity, density and cover of perennial species were monitored intermittently on ten 10 m × 10 m permanent plots on Tumamoc Hill, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Results: The study shows an exceptionally slow recovery of perennial vegetation from prolonged heavy grazing and other human impacts. Since protection, overall species richness and habitat heterogeneity at the study site continued to increase until the 1960s when diversity, density and cover had been stabilized. During the same period, overall plant density and cover also increased. Species turnover increased gradually with time but no significant relation between any of the three community variables and precipitation or...
Theory of Microwave Emission by Velocity-Space Instabilities of an Intense Relativistic Electron Beam

The stability of waveguide modes in a waveguide along which is propagated an unneutralized, intense beam of relativistic electrons guided by an applied axial magnetic field is considered. It is found that the waveguide mode can interact unstably with the beam by resonating with the Doppler shifted cyclotron frequency of the beam. This instability appears to be the mechanism by which microwaves are produced in some recent experiments which are discussed.
Induction of heat-shock gene expression in postischemic pig liver depends on superoxide generation.

Background/Aims: Both hemorrhagic and cardiogenic shock are associated with hepatic shock gene expression at resuscitation. This study investigated the potential role of intravascular superoxide anion as a proximal trigger of heat shock protein gene expression. Methods: Preanesthetized pigs were subjected to 120 m of total warm hepatic ischemia. The survival model consisted of warm, total hepatic ischemia and reperfusion (with active portal-systemic bypass) followed by reperfusion and survival for 3 days. Serial hepatic biopsy samples were evaluated for the expression of heat shock protein 72 (HSP-72) messenger RNA (mRNA) by Northern and Western analysis and by in situ RNA hybridization. The possible role of intravascular O 2 − as a mediator of heat shock response was evaluated by its specific inhibition by the intravenous infusion of recombinant human superoxide dismutase (SOD). Results: Ischemia for 120 minutes followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion caused accumulation of HSP-72 mRNA. Transcripts were localized to hepatocytes. HSP-72 mRNA was detected neither following ischemia alone nor when SOD was infused for 15 minutes at reperfusion. Three days later, transcripts were not detectable, but HSP-72 protein accumulated irrespective of SOD administration. Conclusions: Warm hepatic ischemia induces the hepatocyte expression of HSP-72 at reperfusion by a mechanism that is dependent upon the superoxide anion, probably generated intravascularly. However, the transient dismutation of superoxide is insufficient to suppress subsequent accumulation of HSP-72.
GAAP/Tax Differences In Accounting For Nonqualified Employee Stock Options: The Gathering Storm

The escalating size of compensation packages to senior managers and investor disillusionment resulted in the issuance of FAS 123(R). Under the current rules, the grant date fair value of employee stock options (ESO) are expensed over the vesting period. The two primary methods used to value ESO are the Black-Scholes closed form equation and the lattice model. Several studies suggested an alternative Simple model for valuing ESO that marks the option expense to market in succeeding financial statement dates and allows for the staggered exercise dates of option holders. This approach is easy to understand, would have a low cost of implementation, and offers a superior estimate of the true cash flow effects and economic injury associated with the opportunity cost to shareholders of ESO exercise. Moreover, the Simple model would head off another threat to the legitimacy of the FASB that is unfolding in the U.S. Congress as Senator Carl Levin holds hearings on ESO in the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations to decide what to do about the multi-billion dollar gap between what companies report to stockholders as ESO expense and what they deduct on their tax returns. In addition, this gap results in highly controversial rules of accounting and reporting for the favorable impact of the deductions in the financial statements.
Domains and Superlattices in Self-Assembled Monolayers of Long-Chain Molecules

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are made up of long-chain molecules chemisorbed to a solid substrate.1,2 Pioneering investigations into fabrication methods and properties of these films1–10 have generated optimism that they may provide a practical and versatile means of creating chemically tailored surfaces. Such techniques could be used, for example, to facilitate the design of surface properties for applications such as coatings or optical devices, or as substrates for basic research involving wetting11, adhesion, lubrication or biomolecules12. This potential usefulness is, in part, due to the chemisorption of the headgroups which results in films which are more robust and possibly more well characterized than, for example, the physisorbed Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers. Alkylthiol molecules with a variety of headgroups, S(CH2)nX, have been used to form uniform, close packed and highly oriented self-assembled monolayers on gold substrates.3–10 Because the molecules are oriented, with the sulfur headgroup bound to the gold surface, the chemical characteristics of the exposed surface are dominated by the properties of the substituted tailgroup. There appear to be few defects detectable to electrochemical and wetting experiments,13,4 however, as the structures of even the simplest of these layers are probed in more detail, fairly small domains sizes, superlattice structures, and other types of nonuniformities have been reported.14,15
Advanced ESD Protection

In this chapter, several important advanced ESD protection design concepts are discussed. Modem mixed-signal and RF ICs require wide-angle considerations in ESD protection circuit design. The ESD-circuit interaction becomes an inevitable and critical issue in chip-level ESD protection design. The ESD-to-circuit influence must be considered in chip designs. Circuit malfunction due to possible accidental triggering of ESD protection structures caused by super fast RF signals emerges as a real problem. Although partial ESD protection is still acceptable in current practices, ESD protection design really desires a full-chip consideration. Basic ESD protection concepts, such as creating conducting paths, low-impedance discharging and low-voltage clamping are the basis for whole-chip ESD protection design. Finally, ESD protection design is typically applicationspecific. No portability shall be assumed in ESD protection circuit design even within the same process technology.
History and Overview

This chapter will present developments that have resulted in the current state of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Initial parts of the chapter will be on ABA and its history with autism. The chapter will conclude with a rationale for the book and potential further developments in the future.
The changing prognosis and treatment in cancer of the ovary: A report of 235 patients with primary ovarian carcinoma 1952–1961

Abstract This report of the remits of treatment of 235 case of primary cancer of the ovary seen at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City from 1952 to 1961 represents a continuation of two previous studies 1, 2 of patients seen with the same disease during 1922-1943 and 1944-1951, respectively. The most recent 5 year survival rate of 40 per cent represents a significant improvement over the 28 per cent survival rate for the two previous studies. The reports analyzes the results and concludes the improvement was not due to ea rlier diagnosis or to a more favorable distribution of cases or to chemotherapy. It concludes that the improvement was due to the more frequent use of postoperative irradiation as well as to more aggressive and more extensive surgery and that the basic concept of surgery in cancer of the ovary should be the maximum surgery possible, when necessary resorting to omentectomy, app endectomy, and resection of localized peritoneal or intestinal metastases in addition to total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.
Smile: Click! Here is Your Money! The Effect of Non-verbal Cues on Crowdfunding Success

Crowdfunding has been increasingly used by entrepreneurs to raise funds for their creative ideas. Although crowdfunding provides a platform for an easy access to more potential investors, entrepren...
Spillover Effects of Sector-Specific Renewable Energy Policies: Implications for GHG Emissions

Jointly implemented Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) with the state Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPSs) can interact in complex ways that affect the mix of renewable energy and its greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity used to meet the RPS and the mix of fossil fuels displaced as both policies compete for bioenergy for electricity generation and biofuel production. We quantify the spillover effects of the RFS on the GHG mitigation potential of the RPSs by developing a spatially explicit, dynamic, integrated model of the agricultural, electricity, and transportation sectors in the US to examine the mix of renewable electricity under the RPS, the extent to which it will be affected by the RFS and its consequences for GHG emissions from these sectors. We find that the implementation of the RFS with the RPSs results in spillover effects in two opposing directions (1) it lowers the share of bio-electricity relative to wind and increases the extent to which renewable electricity displaces natural gas instead of coal, and (2) it decreases the average carbon intensity of bioenergy by increasing the share of energy crops; the net result is 6% lower GHG savings from the two policies combined compared to the sum of the reductions that would have been achieved by each policy independently over the 2007-2030 period. Our analysis shows the importance of market-mediated effects of concurrently implemented renewable energy policies in determining the mechanisms and extent to which they lead to GHG benefits.
Portability of Exemptions

Portability of estate tax exemptions has been called the best estate tax planning idea for a surviving spouse since the unlimited marital deduction in 1981. This article explains portability, including the recent Senate testimony urging its adoption.
SIMPLIFIED AUTHOR CITATIONS FOR FUNGI AND SOME OLD TRAPS AND NEW COMPLICATIONS

Mycologia's new policy of deleting author citations for Latin names except in taxonomic papers is briefly discussed. How to shorten complicated au? thor citations for fungi by deleting the connectives per, trans, apud, in, the colon (:), and ex, together with the author or authors preceding or following those con? nectives, as permitted by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, is both described and strong? ly recommended. Mycologists face a particularly dif? ficult problem with "^x" citations. Many seemingly simple citations for names proposed between 1753 and 1832 are also quite incorrect. Multiple authors can be shortened to one author and "et al." A set of self-test problems and answers is provided. The new standardized abbreviations for authors' names are also discussed. These complicate rather than simplify citing authorities for plant and fungal taxa.
Laser Non-Uniform Heating of Moving Thin Wires Below the Biot Number Criterion of Uniform Temperature

An analytic solution is obtained for three-dimensional quasi-steady state temperature distribution during laser heating of moving thin wires. The wire moves at a constant speed through a vacuum chamber, which is back-filled with an inert gas such as argon, and a laser beam of rectangular cross-section is incident on the wire. The ambient gas provides a convection heat transfer mechanism, which yields a Biot number, Bi, for the heating process to determine whether the temperature distribution would be uniform or nonuniform in the cross-section of the wire. Generally, the criterion of Bi less than 0.1 is applied to assume spatially uniform temperature distribution in a solid. The temperature distribution is determined for different Bi numbers and the variation of the temperature in the azimuthal direction is analyzed. The method of solution involves the Fourier transform in the azimuthal direction and the Hankel transform in the radial direction for a three-dimensional quasi-steady state heat conduction equation containing an advection term that accounts for the motion of the wire. The thermal and optical properties of the material is assumed to be constant in the temperature range of this study. The heat loss due to radiation heat transfer between the wire surface and the surrounding environment is neglected due to the small laser-heated surface area. Using this model, the temperature profile is studied for different process parameters such as the incident laser power, laser beam profile, Biot number, and wire speed.
An exact formulation for ultrafast electron emission due to a dc bias and a laser field

This paper presents an analytical theory of electron emission from a metal surface subjected to an arbitrary combination of a dc electric field and a laser electric field. We solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation exactly, and show that short electron bunches may be produced by a relatively weak laser field with a strong dc bias field. Our exact solution is valid for arbitrary laser frequency and metal properties (work function and Fermi level). Various emission mechanisms, including multiphoton absorption or emission, optical or dc field emission, single-photon induced over-barrier emission, and various combinations of them, are all captured in a single formulation.
Making Public Safety Data Accessible in the Westside Atlanta Data Dashboard.

Individual neighborhoods within large cities can benefit from independent analysis of public data in the context of ongoing efforts to improve the community. Yet existing tools for public data analysis and visualization are often mismatched to community needs, for reasons including geographic granularity that does not correspond to community boundaries, siloed data sets, inaccurate assumptions about data literacy, and limited user input in design and implementation phases. In Atlanta this need is being addressed through a Data Dashboard developed under the auspices of the Westside Communities Alliance (WCA), a partnership between Georgia Tech and community stakeholders. In this paper we present an interactive analytic and visualization tool for public safety data within the WCA Data Dashboard. We describe a human-centered approach to understand the needs of users and to build accessible mapping tools for visualization and analysis. The tools include a variety of overlays that allow users to spatially correlate features of the built environment, such as vacant properties with criminal activity as well as crime prevention efforts. We are in the final stages of developing the first version of the tool, with plans for a public release in fall of 2016.
Training US health care professionals on human trafficking: where do we go from here?

Some 21 million adults and children are labor-trafficked or sex-trafficked through force, fraud, or coercion. In recognition of the interface between trafficking victims and the healthcare setting,...
Long-Term Body Weight Maintenance among StrongWomen–Healthy Hearts Program Participants

Background. The repeated loss and regain of body weight, referred to as weight cycling, may be associated with negative health complications. Given today's obesity epidemic and related interventions to address obesity, it is increasingly important to understand contexts and factors associated with weight loss maintenance. This study examined BMI among individuals who had previously participated in a 12-week, evidence-based, nationally disseminated nutrition and physical activity program designed for overweight and obese middle-aged and older women. Methods. Data were collected using follow-up surveys. Complete height and weight data were available for baseline, 12-week program completion (post-program) and follow-up (approximately 3 years later) for 154 women (response rate = 27.5%; BMI characteristics did not differ between responders and nonresponders). Results. Mean BMI decreased significantly from baseline to post-program (-0.5, P < 0.001) and post-program to follow-up (-0.7, P < 0.001). Seventy-five percent of survey respondents maintained or decreased BMI post-program to follow-up. Self-efficacy and social support for healthy eating behaviors (but not physical activity) were associated with BMI maintenance or additional weight loss. Conclusions. These findings support the durability of weight loss following participation in a relatively short-term intervention.
Comparison of two methods for transformation of Plasmodium knowlesi: Direct schizont electroporation and spontaneous plasmid uptake from plasmid-loaded red blood cells

Human infections from Plasmodium knowlesi present challenges to malaria control in Southeast Asia. P. knowlesi also offers a model for other human malaria species including Plasmodium vivax. P. knowlesi parasites can be cultivated in the laboratory, and their transformation is standardly performed by direct electroporation of schizont-infected red blood cells (RBCs) with plasmid DNA. Here we show that the efficiency of direct electroporation is exquisitely dependent on developmental age of the schizonts. Additionally, we show that transformation of P. knowlesi can be achieved without direct electroporation by using the parasite's ability to infect and take up DNA from plasmid-loaded RBCs. Transformation with plasmid-loaded RBCs does not require labor-intensive preparations of schizont-infected RBCs as for direct electroporation, and parasite damage from high voltage discharge is avoided. Further studies of the mechanism of spontaneous DNA uptake may suggest strategies for improved transformation and provide insights into the transport pathways of apicomplexans.
State Adoption of Federal Law - Legislative Abdication or Reasoned Policymaking?

Many state statutes adopt federal law as the law of that state. Although there is no question that state adoption of existing federal statutes and regulations pose no state constitutional problems, state constitutional problems do arise when a state adopts future federal statutes and regulations as they may be enacted or amended. The concern of this article is whether state legislative adoption of future federal law amounts to an unconstitutional delegation of power from state legislatures to Congress and federal agencies. The article concludes that state legislatures can constitutionally adopt future federal law but only within certain limits. The article presents a framework to analyze constitutional challenges to state legislation which adopts future federal law.
MAPK Pathway-Targeted Therapies: Care and Management of Unique Toxicities in Patients With Advanced Melanoma .

Background Agents targeting the MAPK pathway, including inhibitors of BRAF and MEK, have dramatically transformed the treatment landscape for patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma. Although generally well tolerated, targeted agents were associated with unique toxicities. . Objectives This article aims to provide nurses with an overview of the key toxicities and associated management strategies of the characteristic adverse event (AE) profile associated with agents targeting the MAPK pathway. . Methods Data from clinical trials evaluating vemurafenib, dabrafenib, trametinib, and cobimetinib were reviewed and summarized along with research on management of AEs identified in clinical trials. . Findings The key AEs associated with these agents included pyrexia and cutaneous toxicities. Other notable AEs included arthralgias, ocular toxicities, and cardiac events. Because these agents are administered until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity, nurses should be aware of management strategies to optimize treatment outcomes.
Pre-clinical toxicology evaluation of STA-4783 alone or in combination with paclitaxel in rats, mice, and dogs.

2112 STA-4783 is a novel compound that enhances anti-cancer activity of paclitaxel in animal models, and is currently in a Phase I clinical trial. The objectives for pre-clinical toxicology were to profile acute toxicity induced by STA-4783 alone and in combination with paclitaxel in rats, mice, and dogs. The pivotal studies were conducted in compliance with GLP guidelines and included STA-4783 alone and in combination with paclitaxel by bolus intravenous (i.v.) administration into rats or three hours i.v. infusion into dogs. Assessment of toxicity was based on mortality, clinical observations, body weight changes, clinical chemistry and hematology, and anatomic pathology. The LD50 of STA-4783 in rats and mice after a bolus i.v. injection was >200 mg/kg, although this dose level did cause some mortality in both rodent species. An LD50 could not be determined in dogs, as the highest dose of 37.5 mg/kg, determined by the solubility limits, did not produce mortality. Overall, rats and dogs tolerated STA-4783 at the dose of 125 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg, respectively. Throughout most of the dose ranges tested, the toxicity of the STA-4783/paclitaxel drug combination was similar to that of paclitaxel administered alone or attributed to paclitaxel based on clinical observations and macroscopic findings at necropsy consistent with paclitaxel toxicity. In summary, the studies suggest that there was no additional significant toxicity as a result of STA-4783 treatment in combination with paclitaxel in acute toxicity assessment in rats and dogs.
Bayesian Multi-SNP Genetic Association Analysis: Control of FDR and Use of Summary Statistics

Multi-SNP genetic association analysis has become increasingly important in analyzing data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and molecular quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping studies. In this paper, we propose novel computational approaches to address two outstanding issues in Bayesian multi-SNP genetic association analysis: namely, the control of false positive discoveries of identified association signals and the maximization of the efficiency of statistical inference by utilizing summary statistics. Quantifying the strength and uncertainty of genetic association signals has been a long-standing theme in statistical genetics. However, there is a lack of formal statistical procedures that can rigorously control type I errors in multi-SNP analysis. We propose an intuitive hierarchical representation of genetic association signals based on Bayesian posterior probabilities, which subsequently enables rigorous control of false discovery rate (FDR) and construction of Bayesian credible sets. From the perspective of statistical data reduction, we examine the computational approaches of multi-SNP analysis using z-statistics from single-SNP association testing and conclude that they likely yield conservative results comparing to using individual-level data. Built on this result, we propose a set of sufficient summary statistics that can lead to identical results as individual-level data without sacrificing power. Our novel computational approaches are implemented in the software package, DAP-G (https://github.com/xqwen/dap), which applies to both GWASs and genome-wide molecular QTL mapping studies. It is highly computationally efficient and approximately 20 times faster than the state-of-the-art implementation of Bayesian multi-SNP analysis software. We demonstrate the proposed computational approaches using carefully constructed simulation studies and illustrate a complete workflow for multi-SNP analysis of cis expression quantitative trait loci using the whole blood data from the GTEx project.
South Dakota Healthy Vending & Snack Bar Toolkit:

The South Dakota Healthy Vending & Snack Bar Toolkit is a document designed by the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion as part of a ...
Irreversibility in the Post-Transfusion Phase of Hemorrhagic Shock

The concept of irreversibility in shock was popularized by Wiggers (94) about two decades ago. He demonstrated that, if dogs are bled enough to create profound hypotension, early replacement of normal blood volume results in survival, while late replacement is followed by a gradual drop in blood pressure and death—despite post-treatment restoration of blood pressure to normal and a normal blood volume. Wiggers called this latter phase “normovolemic shock” and indicated that it was resistant to all modes of therapy then current. Some feel that this concept is of little use in describing clinical shock, stating (a) that human shock is rarely permitted to reach the levels used in canine experiments, (b) that no such clear-cut moment exists in clinical shock when irreversibility supervenes, and (c) that, in any case, the dog is an unacceptable model for human shock (64). However, the concept of irreversibility persists as a challenge to many investigators and appears to have outgrown the old connotations of the experimental model, reflecting instead the current state of the art. Thus, clinical shock which fails to respond to all the agents we command is irreversible.
Cohomology Theory of Finite Groups

Homology and cohomology are usually thought of as dual to one another. We have seen in Chapter III, for example, that homology has a number of formal properties and that cohomology has “dual” properties. If G is finite, however, then homology and cohomology seem to have similar properties rather than dual ones. For example, since every subgroup H of a finite group G has finite index, we have restriction and corestriction maps for arbitrary subgroups, in both homology and cohomology. For another example, the distinction between induced modules and co-induced modules disappears, so we have a single class I of G-modules (namely, the induced modules ℤG ⊗ A) with the following properties: (a) Every M ∈ I is acyclic for both homology and cohomology. (b) For every G-module M there is a module M ∈ I such that M is a quotient of M and M can be embedded in M.
Speech-language pathologists' collaboration with interpreters: Results of a current survey in California

One of the challenges of bilingual speech and language assessment, intervention, and conferencing is the effective collaboration with interpreters in such interpreted interactions when the professional does not share the same spoken language with the client. A survey of California speech-language pathologists who were members of the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA) was performed to obtain information on their training to collaborate with, experiences with, and opinions of interpreters. In addition, these professionals were surveyed about the training of the interpreters and suggestions for improvement in interpreted interactions. Findings from 229 participants indicated that: (a) Most of the speech-language pathologists had had instruction, either through university coursework and/or postgraduate presentations, about collaborating with interpreters; (b) Generally, the speech-language pathologists were satisfied with the quality of interpretation/translation; (c) Most interpreters had been trained by their work of employment and/or the speech-language pathologists; but (c) Most of the speech-language pathologists had had to work with family or family friend interpreters at some point, including some who had had to work with family members who were minors.
Archaeological Commitment to Participation from the Local to the International: Discovering the El Pilar Community

The El Pilar community is dynamic and includes proximal villages, the districts of Cayo and Peten, the nations of Belize and Guatemala, and the greater international community interested in the cultural and natural environments of the tropics. Participation at El Pilar comes from all these levels. From its first archaeological recognition in 1983, El Pilar was destined to play a role in the conservation and development of the Maya forest. Large and imposing, with monuments straddling the political boundary between Belize and Guatemala, El Pilar has a complex relationship to these different communities: it is locally linked, nationally divided, and integrated across all levels by an appreciation of the Maya forest and ancient Maya culture. Work at El Pilar has created challenges and potentials over the past three decades and has permeated local households through community outreach at primary schools and village organizations. The site is recognized for a unique brand of tourism promoting Archaeology Under the Canopy that unites traditional Maya farmers and ancient Maya settlement patterns, for the international exploration of solutions past directing a path to sustainable conservation and development.
Endogenous Serratia marcescens panophthalmitis: A case series

Abstract Purpose – Two rare and unusual cases of endogenous panophthalmitis from Serratia marcescens are presented with mechanisms for infection explored. Observations – The first patient had history of intravenous drug use (IVDU) without any medical implants. The second patient, in addition to IVDU, had a history of end-stage renal disease with upper extremity arteriovenous fistula graft infection from Serratia marcescens confirmed by wound culture. One patient had a history of licking the needles prior to IV drug injection. Clinical exam in both cases revealed light perception vision, relative afferent pupillary defect, periorbital edema with limited extraocular motility, and hypopyon in the affected eyes. Cultures from the anterior chamber aspirate were positive for Serratia marcescens in the first case and demonstrated Gram-negative rods in the second. Attempted vitreous aspiration was unsuccessful at obtaining specimens. Computed tomography demonstrated orbital fat stranding without abscess, and histopathology showed intense neutrophilic infiltration in all layers of enucleated specimen in case one. Conclusions and Importance Needle licking may be an underappreciated mechanism for endogenous endophthalmitis in intravenous drug users. This report includes the first case in the literature, to authors’ knowledge, of non-nosocomial endogenous Serratia marcescens panophthalmitis with orbital cellulitis. The second case illustrates a rare consequence of the rise in arteriovenous fistula placement and dialysis across the United States, which may predispose to future cases of endogenous Serratia marcescens endophthalmitis. This series supports previous observations of Serratia marcescens endogenous endophthalmitis exhibiting a generally poor visual prognosis.
The Molecular Composition of Soot

Soot (sometimes referred to as black carbon) is produced when hydrocarbon fuels are burned. Our hypothesis is that polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules are the dominant component of soot, with individual PAH molecules forming ordered stacks that agglomerate into primary particles (PP). Here we show that the PAH composition of soot can be exactly determined and spatially resolved by low-fluence laser desorption ionization, coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry imaging. This analysis revealed that PAHs of 239-838 Da, containing few oxygenated species, comprise the soot observed in an ethylene diffusion flame. As informed by chemical graph theory (CGT), the vast majority of species observed in the sampled particulate matter may be described as benzenoids, consisting of only fused 6-membered rings. Within that limit, there is clear evidence for the presence of radical PAH in the particulate samples. Further, for benzenoid structures the observed empirical formulae limit the observed isomers to those which are nearly circular with high aromatic conjugation lengths for a given aromatic ring count. These results stand in contrast to recent reports that suggest higher aliphatic composition of primary particles.
Interfacial Density Profiles of Polar and Nonpolar Liquids at Hydrophobic Surfaces

A density-depleted region ("gap") is known to exist between water and hydrophobic surfaces. Using X-ray reflectivity, we have observed similar gaps between hydrophobic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and four other polar liquids. For these liquids and for water, the observed electron density depletion is nonzero and is in most cases slightly greater than the depletion attributable to the layer of hydrogen atoms at the SAM surface. On the other hand, the observed X-ray reflectivity from the interfaces between SAMs and three nonpolar liquids studied can be explained either without gaps or with smaller gaps. Thus, polar liquids (including but not limited to water) stand away from even the terminal hydrogen atoms at hydrophobic surfaces, while nonpolar liquids interpenetrate the terminal region. There is no consistent correlation between the sizes of the gaps and the liquid-SAM contact angles, the relative polarities of the polar liquids, or their bulk densities.
Predicting Liver Fibrosis in the Hepatitis C Population: Concordance Analysis Between Noninvasive Scoring Systems and Percutaneous Liver Biopsy.

Background Due to the slow progression of many chronic liver diseases, including hepatitis C, it is not practical or safe to monitor disease progression by serial liver biopsies. Noninvasive laboratory scoring systems based on routine laboratory tests are appealing surrogate markers of liver fibrosis for the staging and monitoring of chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis C. Methods We explored the accuracy of three scoring systems: the fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4), the aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI score), and the aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR) in 496 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who had undergone percutaneous liver biopsy at a viral hepatitis clinic in Shreveport, Louisiana. Results For FIB-4, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for hepatic fibrosis stages ≥ 1, ≥ 2, ≥ 3, and 4 (cirrhosis) ranged from 0.74 (95% CI, 0.678 - 0.802) to 0.802 (95% CI, 0.751 - 0.854). At a cutoff value of 1.45, FIB-4 was 82% sensitive for advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis (stage 3 or 4) but was only 58% specific for these findings. Increasing the FIB-4 cutoff value to 3.25 reduced the sensitivity for detecting advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis to 39%, but this higher cutoff was 92% specific for these findings. Corresponding AUROCs for the APRI and AAR scores were inferior to FIB-4. Conclusion The FIB-4 index outperformed APRI and AAR in our HCV infected population in predicting severe fibrosis or cirrhosis.
Kinetic solvent viscosity effects reveal a protein isomerization in the reductive half-reaction of Neurospora crassa class II nitronate monooxygenase.

Abstract Nitronate monooxygenase from Neurospora crassa (NcNMO) is an FMN-dependent enzyme that oxidizes nitronates. The enzyme belongs to Group H of flavin monooxygenases. Previous biochemical and mechanistic studies on the enzyme showed that NcNMO oxidizes both anionic nitronates and neutral nitroalkanes, a feature distinguishing NcNMO from bacterial and other fungal NMOs which are active exclusively on nitronates. Recently, NMOs have been shown to oxidize propionate 3-nitronate (P3N), a toxic nitro acid present in legumes, fungi, and leaf beetles; P3N is an irreversible inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase causing anywhere from neurological disorders to death in livestock and humans. In this study, we report the first kinetic investigation of NcNMO with P3N and its conjugated acid 3-nitropropionic acid (3NPA), and a mechanistic investigation with 3NPA using kinetic solvent viscosity effects. The kcat value with P3N (300 s−1) was 7-times larger than with 3NPA and the kcat/KP3N value (1,700,000 M−1s−1) was ~500-times larger than the kcat/K3NPA value, consistent with P3N being a faster and better substrate than 3NPA. The normalized kcat and kcat/K3NPA values showed inverse hyperbolic dependences on the relative solvent viscosity, consistent with an internal isomerization of the enzyme-substrate complex. A similar inverse hyperbolic pattern of the normalized kred value for the rate constant of flavin reduction determined anaerobically in a stopped-flow spectrophotometer suggested that the internal enzyme isomerization occurs before the flavin reduction step in the reductive half-reaction.
Assessment of 2x Thru De-embedding Accuracy for Package Transmission Line DUTs

This paper examines 2x Thru de-embedding accuracy for uniform package transmission line devices under test (DUTs). Accuracy is first assessed using 3D modeled data, with and without 2x Thru impedance mismatch. The learnings from this analysis are then applied to improve the match between de-embedded measurement data and modeled data.
Plasmonic gap-enhanced Raman tag nanorods for imaging 3D pancreatic spheroids using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and darkfield microscopy.

Plasmonic gap-enhanced Raman tags (GERTs) are new emerging nanoprobes that based on their unique surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) signal can play a major role in complex imaging and detection of biological systems. GERTs are synthesized from a metal core nanostructure and layered with one or several additions of metal nanosized-layers, encasing a Raman active molecule. The advantages of GERTs are enhanced surface plasmon and electromagnetic resonance, but also inherent protection of the Raman active molecule from the environemental deterioration that could reduce their spectroscopic signatures over time. In this study, we choose in vitro 3D spheroids cultures to demonstrate these advantages. 3D spheroids mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment better than 2D culture, with abundant extracellular matrix and hypoxia inducing variability of pH and enzymatic reactions. Here, we report the use of GERTs in large pancreatic 3D spheroids (>500 m in apparent diameter) for complex penetration visualization. Our combined imaging technique of enhanced darkfield microscopy and SERS was able to identify the presence and distribution of the GERTs within the 3D spheroid structure. The distribution of GERTs 2 hours after the nanorods incubation indicated accumulation, generally in the outermost layer of the spheroids but also, more randomly, in a non-uniform patterns in deep layers of the 3D spheroids. These observations bring into question the mechanism of uptake and flow of the nanoparticles in function of their incubation time while demonstrating the promising potentials of our approach. Additionnally, SERS signal was still detectable even after 24 hrs in incubation of GRETS interaction with 3D culture indicating a stability of the Raman signal.
High-resolution estimates of tuberculosis incidence among non-U.S.-born persons residing in the United States, 2000-2016.

Abstract In the United States, new tuberculosis cases are increasingly concentrated within non-native-born populations. We estimated trends and differences in tuberculosis incidence rates for the non-U.S.-born population, at a resolution unobtainable from raw data. We obtained non-U.S.-born tuberculosis case reports for 2000–2016 from the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System, and population data from the American Community Survey and 2000 U.S. Census. We constructed generalized additive regression models to estimate incidence rates in terms of birth country, entry year, age at entry, and number of years since entry into the United States and described how these factors contribute to overall tuberculosis risk. Controlling for other factors, tuberculosis incidence rates were lower for more recent immigration cohorts, with an incidence risk ratio (IRR) of 10.2 (95 % confidence interval 7.0, 14.7) for the 1950 entry cohort compared to its 2016 counterpart. Greater years since entry and younger age at entry were associated with substantially lower incidence rates. IRRs for birth country varied between 8.86 (6.78, 11.52) for Somalia and 0.02 (0.01, 0.03) for Canada, compared to all non-U.S.-born residents in 2016. IRRs were positively correlated with WHO predicted incidence rate and negatively associated with wealth level for the birth country. Lower country wealth level was also associated with shallower declines in tuberculosis over time. Tuberculosis risks differ by several orders of magnitude within the non-U.S.-born population. A better understanding of these differences will allow more effective targeting of tuberculosis prevention efforts. The methods presented here may also be relevant for understanding tuberculosis trends in other high-income countries.
The Benefit of Focusing on Air Pollution Instead of Climate Change: How Discussing Power Plant Emissions in the Context of Air Pollution, Rather than Climate Change, Influences Perceived Benefits, Costs, and Political Action for Policies to Limit Emissions:

This experiment examines how framing power plant emissions in terms of air pollution or climate change, and in terms of health or environmental impacts, influences perceived benefits and costs of p...
Interpersonal Patterns in Social Anxiety Disorder: Predictors and Outcomes of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Given the strong associations of social anxiety disorder (SAD) with interpersonal problems and insecure attachment, this study sought to examine specific interpersonal problem domains in relation to the outcome of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for SAD. Ninety-five adults with SAD received individual CBT and completed a measure of attachment style at pretreatment, as well as measures of interpersonal problems and social anxiety at pre- and posttreatment. At baseline, social anxiety was significantly associated with overall interpersonal problems, multiple specific interpersonal problems, as well as insecure attachment. Interpersonal problems decreased significantly over the course of treatment but did not predict a reduction in social anxiety. No specific interpersonal problem predicted changes in social anxiety. The greatest changes from pre- to posttreatment were observed across avoidance-related interpersonal problems. Higher levels of secure attachment predicted lower social anxiety, but individuals with less secure attachment experienced a greater reduction in social anxiety from pre- to posttreatment. However, this interaction was significant for only one of three measures of social anxiety. Our findings suggest that although higher levels of interpersonal problems and lower levels of secure attachment predict greater social anxiety, interpersonal problems and insecure attachment do not predict poorer treatment outcome.
Circulating blood metabolite trajectories and risk of rheumatoid arthritis among military personnel in the Department of Defense Biorepository.

Objectives We sought to identify metabolic changes potentially related to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis occurring in the blood prior to its diagnosis. Methods In a US military biorepository, serum samples collected at two timepoints prior to a diagnosis of RA were identified. These were matched to controls who did not develop RA by subject age, race and time between sample collections and RA diagnosis time to stored serum samples. Relative abundances of 380 metabolites were measured using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. We determined whether pre-RA case versus control status predicted metabolite concentration differences and differences over time (trajectories) using linear mixed models, assessing for interactions between time, pre-RA status and metabolite concentrations. We separately examined pre-RA and pre-seropositive RA cases versus matched controls and adjusted for smoking. Multiple comparison adjustment set the false discovery rate to 0.05. Results 291 pre-RA cases (80.8% pre seropositive RA) were matched to 292 controls, all with two serum samples (2.7±1.6 years; 1.0±0.9 years before RA/matched date). 52.0% were women; 52.8% were White, 26.8% Black and 20.4% other race. Mean age was 31.2 (±8.1) years at earliest blood draw. Fourteen metabolites had statistically significant trajectory differences among pre-RA subjects versus controls, including sex steroids, amino acid/lipid metabolism and xenobiotics. Results were similar when limited to pre seropositive RA and after adjusting for smoking. Conclusions In this military case–control study, metabolite concentration trajectory differences in pre-RA cases versus controls implicated steroidogenesis, lipid/amino acid metabolism and xenobiotics in RA pathogenesis. Metabolites may have potential as biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets preceding RA diagnosis.
Theorizing ‘Modelling as Bridge’ Between Content and Vehicle

In this paper, a theory for facilitating modelling tasks as a bridge between modelling as content and modelling as vehicle is established. Drawing on data from a micro-ethnographic study of one classroom, I outline one teachers’ mathematical modelling practice when facilitating tasks. I examine how the teacher vacillated between elaborating on student mathematical ideas, nurturing the development of modelling as content, while simultaneously targeting curricular objectives through formalization of desired mathematical content in modelling as vehicle. Through her implementation, I identify how the teacher navigated between these two epistemological approaches to developing modelling capacity and use this analysis to establish a theory for modelling as bridge between content and vehicle.
Channel Rank Improvement in Urban Drone Corridors Using Passive Intelligent Reflectors

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques can help in scaling the achievable air-to-ground (A2G) channel capacity while communicating with drones. However, spatial multiplexing with drones suffers from rank deficient channels due to the unobstructed line-of-sight (LoS), especially in millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies that use narrow beams. One possible solution is utilizing low-cost and low-complexity metamaterial-based intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS) to enrich the multipath environment, taking into account that the drones are restricted to fly only within well-defined drone corridors. A hurdle with this solution is placing the IRSs optimally. In this study, we propose an approach for IRS placement with a goal to improve the spatial multiplexing gains, and hence to maximize the average channel capacity in a predefined drone corridor. Our results at 6 GHz, 28 GHz and 60 GHz show that the proposed approach increases the average rates for all frequency bands for a given drone corridor, when compared with the environment where there are no IRSs present, and IRS-aided channels perform close to each other at sub-6 and mmWave bands.
Based on a true story: the use of conversion stories in social movements

Movements attempt to change beliefs and behavior. Yet we know little about what happens following one of the most dramatic forms of change: movement from one side of a contentious issue to the oppo...