cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Low-maintenance Landscape Roses in Central Florida

Environmental conditions in Florida are favorable for the development and persistence of insects and diseases that affect rose (Rosa sp.) plants, necessitating periodic applications of pesticides to maintain plant appearance. In addition, nutrient-deficient and well-drained soils in Florida force gardeners to provide supplemental fertilizer and water. Landscape performance is rarely considered for the development of new rose cultivars; consequently, careful selection of cultivars adapted to local conditions is necessary to reduce maintenance. The objective of this study was to develop recommendations of own-root, low-maintenance roses among 11 old garden and modern cultivars for central Florida. Plants were provided with minimal amounts of water and fertilizer, no control for diseases and insects, and no grooming or deadheading. Weekly evaluations were performed on all plants for plant quality, flower coverage; and incidence of black spot (caused by Diplocarpon rosae), cercospora leaf spot (caused by Cercospora rosicola), and foliar damage [caused by chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis)]. Damage caused by the foliar diseases and chilli thrips were the major factors that affected plant quality, vigor, and subsequently, flower production. Differences in susceptibility to these three factors were found among cultivars, enabling the classification of the 11 cultivars as recommended, cautiously recommended, and not recommended for central Florida. After two years, ‘Mrs. B.R. Cant’ appeared to be the most suited for central Florida as plant quality and flower production were fairly constant. ‘Duchesse de Brabant’, ‘RADrazz’ (Knock Out ), and ‘Spice’ were the next best performers and are cautiously recommended for central Florida. These cultivars were minimally affected by both diseases, showing low severity of yellowing and defoliation nor a decline in flower production. ‘‘Bailey Red’’, ‘Old Blush’, ‘Belinda’s Dream’, ‘Perle d’Or’, ‘BUCbi’ (Carefree Beauty), ‘Mutabilis’, and ‘WEKcisbako’ (Home Run ) had severe defoliation, poor growth, and low vigor in this study and do not appear to be low-maintenance landscape roses for central Florida.
The Maturation of Firing Properties of Forebrain GABAergic Interneurons

GABAergic interneurons display diverse cellular morphology, connectivity, and intrinsic membrane properties, allowing different interneuron subtypes to exert unique effects on neural activity. Although cell fates may be specified much earlier, distinctive firing types emerge after migration from the ganglionic eminences as interneurons integrate into forebrain circuits. We review evidence suggesting that maturation of interneuron cell-type-specific firing properties and ion channel expression arise from the interplay between cell-autonomous gene regulatory networks as well as cell-extrinsic factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling and neural activity.
Frameworks for Shared Societies

This chapter is intended as an introduction to some of the policy and practice frameworks used to develop the capacity of an organization to contribute to a more positively shared society. It looks at some of the frameworks used for conflict analysis, objective setting, its implementation, institutional capacity building, and the monitoring and evaluation for the work. As noted by many of the authors there is no one-size-fits-all of approach, or one set of indicators that fits all in the process of developing and monitoring the work. The causes of social tensions and violence are usually very varied, and even where there are perceived similarities in causes, there are usually variations in the importance of these causes from context to context. What is important for a newly emerging diversity within a well-established democracy may be very different from what is needed in a society where decades-long exclusion of a minority, or minorities, have led to societal disruption and violence.
Quantitative Understanding of Nanoparticle Uptake in Watermelon Plants

The use of agrochemical-nutrient fertilizers has come under scrutiny in recent years due to concerns that they damage the ecosystem and endanger public health. Nanotechnology offers many possible interventions to mitigate these risks by use of nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, and nanosensors; and concurrently increases profitability, yields, and sustainability within the agricultural industry. Aerosol based foliar delivery of nanoparticles may help to enhance nanoparticle uptake and reduce environmental impacts of chemical fertilizers conventionally applied through a soil route. The purpose of this work was to study uptake, translocation, and accumulation of various gold nanostructures, 30 to 80 nm, delivered by aerosol application to a watermelon plant. Cellular uptake and accumulation of gold nanoparticles were quantified by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Observations suggested that nanoparticles could be taken up by the plant through direct penetration and transport through the stomatal opening. Observed translocation of nanoparticles from leaf to root shows evidence that nanoparticles travel by the phloem transport mechanism. Accumulation and transport of nanoparticles depend on nanoparticle shape, application method, and nature of plant tissues.
Alexander Disease Without White Matter Lesions

Seven patients with atypical Alexander disease, showing signs of medulla and spinal cord involvement and little evidence of leukoencephalopathy, are reported from University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and centers in the UK, USA, Canada, and Sweden.
Getting to know your headmeds

Administering a psychotropic med to a young patient can be an uneasy venture, but you can build your comfort level through review.
Low Vision Therapy for Glaucoma Patients

The purpose of the present article is to describe the evaluation and treatment processes for glaucoma patients with functional challenges related to their vision. Studies of glaucoma patients demonstrate a decline in the ability to perform vision-related activities. Low vision therapy has proven to have a positive impact for many of these patients. We review the most recent literature in this area and also report on the characteristics of glaucoma patients enrolled in low vision services. Glaucoma is a significant cause of visual impairment and blindness. Low vision rehabilitation complements traditional medical and surgical care by working with patients to identify losses in and improve functionality. A battery of testing to assess visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual field, psychological well-being, and ambulation is performed in order to categorize deficits in vision-related tasks. Training and education on the use of visual aids have helped many patients improve independent function.
Roadmap to the Future

Most particle accelerators today are expensive devices found only in the largest laboratories, industries, and hospitals. Using techniques developed nearly a century ago, the limiting performance of these accelerators is often traceable to material limitations, power source capabilities, and the cost tolerance of the application. Advanced accelerator conceptsa aim to increase the gradient of accelerators by orders of magnitude, using new power sources (e.g. lasers and relativistic beams) and new materials (e.g. dielectrics, metamaterials, and plasmas). Worldwide, research in this area has grown steadily in intensity since the 1980s, resulting in demonstrations of accelerating gradients that are orders of magnitude higher than for conventional techniques. While research is still in the early stages, these techniques have begun to demonstrate the potential to radically change accelerators, making them much more compact, and extending the reach of these tools of science into the angstrom and attosecond realm...
Just the “Typical College Diet”: How College Students Use Life Stages to Account for Unhealthy Eating

I performed a qualitative content analysis of 136 college students' food diary reflection papers to examine the accounts used when explaining dietary failures. In addition to common justifications (denials of injury, appeals to higher loyalties, and condemning the condemners) and excuses (denials of responsibility and postponement), diarists referred to their status as a college student and the “typical college student lifestyle” as the major reason for eating an unhealthy diet. Exploring how students use life stages to neutralize stigma adds a new temporal and context-focused dimension to studies of accounts and provides direction for potential health interventions.
Online, Interactive Tutorials Provide Effective Instruction in Science Process Skills

Explicit emphasis on teaching science process skills leads to both gains in the skills themselves and, strikingly, deeper understanding of content. Here, we created and tested a series of online, interactive tutorials with the goal of helping undergraduate students develop science process skills. We designed the tutorials in accordance with evidence-based multimedia design principles and student feedback from usability testing. We then tested the efficacy of the tutorials in an introductory undergraduate biology class. Based on a multivariate ordinary least squares regression model, students that received the tutorials are predicted to score 0.824 points higher on a 15 point science process skill assessment than their peers that received traditional textbook instruction on the same topic. This moderate but significant impact indicates that well designed online tutorials can be more effective than traditional ways of teaching science process skills to undergraduate students. We also found trends that suggest the tutorials are especially effective for non-native English speaking students. However, due to a limited sample size, we were unable to confirm that these trends occurred due to more than just variation in the sampled student group.
Models of Civic Engagement Initiatives at Louisiana State University

In this chapter, the author examines ways in which Louisiana State University enhances the civic outcomes of its undergraduate students, by increasing their civic responsibility and by encouraging them to work with others across differences. Implementing service-learning is especially urgent in a context such as Louisiana. Using data from an International Studies class, which commits students to tutoring children in public schools, the author investigates the university’s partnerships with programs such as Everybody Reads. The author draws on literature that studies the impact of service-learning projects on students, nonprofit organizations, as well as communities—and also shows how students’ gender, race, and socioeconomic status often shape students’ interactions and service-learning experiences.
Prevention and Early Detection of Emotional Disorders

The terms “emotional disorders” and “internalizing disorders” are traditionally used interchangeably for a group of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence that are primarily experienced in the form of internal distress. Although they might often affect a young person’s functioning in important life areas such as family, friends, and school, they are usually less recognized by and less visible to parents and teachers than “conduct disorders” or “externalizing disorders” (see Chap. 21).
Human recombinant histamine-releasing factor activates human eosinophils and the eosinophilic cell line, AML14-3D10

The human recombinant histamine-releasing factor (HrHRF) was previously shown to induce histamine release from human basophils from a subset of donors. The ability of HrHRF to directly induce histamine release from only certain basophils was thought to involve interaction between HrHRF and a particular kind of IgE, termed IgE(+), on the surface of these cells. Recent studies disproved the hypothesis that the IgE molecule or its high-affinity receptor, FcepsilonRI, is involved in secretion of histamine and cytokines by basophils stimulated with HrHRF. Rather, data suggest that HrHRF is a cytokine that stimulates basophils by binding to a cell-surface structure other than the IgE molecule. This report describes the effects of HrHRF on another inflammatory cell type: eosinophils from mildly allergic donors. In purified eosinophils primed with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, both tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and HrHRF induced increased secretion of interleukin (IL) 8. In addition, both HrHRF and IL-5 enhanced secretion of IL-8 stimulated by TNF-alpha. Secretion of IL-8 reached a plateau level in less than 24 hours, was inhibited by cycloheximide, and required the presence of HrHRF throughout the culture period. In some eosinophil preparations, HrHRF induced calcium mobilization that was inhibited by pertussis toxin. Additionally, HrHRF caused secretion of IL-8 from the human eosinophilic cell line, AML14-3D10, which does not possess the alpha chain of FcepsilonRI. These data provide evidence that HrHRF contributes to activation of eosinophils and thus suggest an additional role for HrHRF in the pathophysiologic mechanisms of allergic disease.
Stress-intensity factors for two symmetric corner cracks

This paper presents stress-intensity factors, calculated by a three-dimensional finite-element analysis, for shallow or deep quarter-elliptical corner cracks at the edge of a hole in a finite-thickness plate. The plate was subjected to remote uniform tension, remote bending, or simulated pin loading in the hole; a wide range of configuration parameters was investigated. To verify the accuracy of the three-dimensional finite-element models employed, convergence was studied by varying the numbers of degrees of freedom. The stress-intensity factor variations along the crack front are compared with solutions from the literature.
Aircraft Measurements of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) Using a Whole Air Sampling Technique

We present a technique for the measurement of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) from airborne and ground-based platforms, using whole air sampling followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometer and flame ionization detection. DMS measurements that were obtained during the 1999 NASA Pacific Exploratory Mission-Tropics B showed excellent agreement with independent in-flight DMS measurements, over a wide range of concentrations. The intercomparison supports two key results from this study, first that DMS can be accurately quantified based on ethane and propane per-carbon-response-factors (PCRFs), and second that DMS is stable in water-doped electropolished stainless steel canisters for at least several weeks. In addition, our sampling frequency and duration are flexible and allow detail in the vertical structure of DMS to be well captured. Sampling times as fast as 8 s were achieved and these data are suitable for DMS flux calculations using the mixed-layer gradient technique. Correlations between DMS and other marine tracers can also be readily investigated by this whole air sampling technique, because DMS is analyzed together with more than 50 simultaneously sampled hydrocarbons, halocarbons, and alkyl nitrates. The detection limit of the DMS measurements is 1 part per trillion by volume (pptv), and we conservatively estimate the accuracy to be ±20% or 3 pptv, whichever is larger. The measurement precision (1σ ) is 2–4% at high mixing ratios (> 25 pptv), and 1 pptv or 15%, whichever is larger, at low mixing ratios (<10 pptv).
THE EMOTIONAL CONTROL OF BEHAVIOR

While preparing a lecture for your class two weeks hence, you are distracted by a fly buzzing around your head and you look around for some way to get rid of the fly even though this interrupts your train of thought regarding the lecture. In contrast, if you are desperately trying to meet a deadline for a grant proposal that is due the next day, the fly is hardly noticed. However, if what is buzzing around your head is not a fly but rather a wasp, and you know from past experience that you are allergic to being stung, you interrupt your train of thought on the grant proposal in order to do something about the wasp. Your focus of attention is controlled by whatever is most important to you, and even if you are trying to deal with two or more possible events at the same time, your focus of attention at any moment tends to be on one or the other, not on both. Furthermore, even though the fly is nothing compared to the lecture, and even though the chance of being stung by the wasp is extremely slight, one’s focus of attention is greatly influenced by the momentary importance of events. But what is the process whereby important events influence behavior?
Probing the origin of highly-efficient third-harmonic generation in plasmonic nanogaps.

Plasmonic structures can precisely localize electromagnetic energy to deep subwavelength regions resulting in significant field enhancement useful for efficient on-chip nonlinear generation. However, the origin of large nonlinear enhancements observed in plasmonic nanogap structures consisting of both dielectrics and metals is not fully understood. For the first time, here we probe the third harmonic generation (THG) from a variety of dielectric materials embedded in a nanogap plasmonic cavity. From comprehensive spectral analysis of the THG signal, we conclude that the nonlinear response results primarily from the dielectric spacer layer itself as opposed to the surrounding metal. We achieved a maximum enhancement factor of more than six orders of magnitude compared to a bare gold film, which represents a nonlinear conversion efficiency of 8.78 × 10−4%. We expect this new insight into the nonlinear response in ultrathin gaps between metals to be promising for on-chip nonlinear devices such as ultrafast optical switching and entangled photon sources.
Ifi204/p204, a new piece in the sepsis puzzle.

Innate immunity is the first line of defense against microbial infection. The host cells are equipped with cellular sensors, which detect various components of microbes to mount rapid and early antimicrobial immune responses (1-3). The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane proteins, located on the cell surface or the endosome, to recognize the extracellular microbial components, and trigger pro-inflammatory and antimicrobial responses (1,3-5).
Locating newcomer students in educational research in the U.S.: a review of the literature from 2000-2017

ABSTRACTThis paper synthesises recent educational research to explore the integration experiences of newcomer students in the United States of America. The authors examine the barriers and sources ...
Luxating Inverter for an Inductive Power Transfer System

Wireless power transfer (WPT) has evolved as a viable alternative to the wired systems in many applications such as the charging of electrical vehicles. The key aspect of WPT is the operation at high frequencies, which reduces the size and cost of the system components. A suitable inverter topology (typically consisting of power semi -conductor devices) may be selected for the WPT application. However, losses in power electronic devices increase with the increased frequency of operation. Conventional inverter topologies use a MOSFET Bridge and involve an inductor/capacitor at the output to ensure zero-voltage switching or zero-current switching to reduce the switching losses. In this paper, a luxating inverter for an inductive power transfer application is explored which is based on a switched capacitor network. The experimental verification of the luxating inverter for an inductive power transfer system is presented and compared with the conventional system using an H-Bridge inverter. Results obtained using the luxating inverter topology yielded a maximum of 7% improvement in the power transfer efficiency using manual frequency control inspite of relatively large variations in coupling coefficient. The average enhancement in dc-dc efficiency using the luxating inverter over the conventional system was found to be 3%.
Direct Data-Driven Methods for Risk Limiting Dispatch

In the classical risk limiting dispatch (RLD) formulation, the system operator dispatches generators relying on information about the distribution of demand. In practice, such information is not readily available and therefore is estimated using historical demand and auxiliary information (or features) such as weather forecasts. In this paper, instead of using a separated estimation and optimization procedure, we propose learning methods that directly compute the RLD decision rule based on historical data. Using tools from statistical learning theory, we then develop generalization bounds and sample complexity results of the proposed methods. These algorithms and performance guarantees, developed for the single-bus network, are then extended to a general network setting for the uniform reserve case.
Enhancing the Effectiveness of Logic Models.

One of the most widely used communication tools in evaluation is the logic model. Despite its extensive use, there has been little research into the visualization aspect of the logic model. To asse...
Trends in management and outcomes of vascular emergencies in the nationwide inpatient sample

Summary: Background: To evaluate trends in frequency, mortality and treatment for non-traumatic vascular emergencies (VE) in the US. Methods: VE in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2005–2014) were ...
Peramine alkaloid variation in Neotyphodium-infected Arizona fescue: effects of endophyte and host genotype and environment.

We determined concentrations of peramine, the only alkaloid produced by Neotyphodium-infected (E+) Arizona fescue plants (of the four major types typically assayed in infected grasses), in a long-term field experiment. Four plant genotypes with (E+) and without (experimentally removed, E−) their respective haplotypes (two haplotypes in two plant genotypes) of Neotyphodium were grown in the field under manipulated soil moisture and nutrients. Peramine production required the presence of the endophyte; plants without their endophytes did not contain peramine. Whereas the endophyte was necessary for peramine production, levels of peramine did not vary by Neotyphodium haplotype within plant genotypes. Furthermore, peramine levels did not differ among soil moisture and nutrient treatments, and growth and reproductive measures of the host grass explained little of variation in peramine levels. Instead, peramine levels differed significantly between plant genotypes harboring the same endophyte haplotype, suggesting that plant genotype, rather than endophyte haplotype or environment, largely determines levels of peramine in Arizona fescue. The results suggest that whereas the endophyte is required for peramine production, the plant genotypic background in which the endophyte is embedded, rather than endophyte haplotype or environmental factors, mostly influences peramine levels within this population of Arizona fescue.
The synthesis of RNA which binds to oligo(dT)-cellulose by brain in vivo and in vitro.

Abstract A high proportion (about 40%) of RNA synthesized by adult rat brain in , vivo and by rat brain slices in , vitro binds to oligo(dT)-cellulose columns. This RNA had about 10 times the specific activity of the RNA which was not retained. Using 10-day old animals, a somewhat greater percentage of the labeled RNA was bound. Thus, both in , vivo and in , vitro , rat brain produces RNA's with poly(A) sequences which presumably have messenger RNA function.
HCF-1 Regulates De Novo Lipogenesis through a Nutrient-Sensitive Complex with ChREBP

Summary Carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP) is a key transcriptional regulator of de novo lipogenesis (DNL) in response to carbohydrates and in hepatic steatosis. Mechanisms underlying nutrient modulation of ChREBP are under active investigation. Here we identify host cell factor 1 (HCF-1) as a previously unknown ChREBP-interacting protein that is enriched in liver biopsies of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients. Biochemical and genetic studies show that HCF-1 is O-GlcNAcylated in response to glucose as a prerequisite for its binding to ChREBP and subsequent recruitment of OGT, ChREBP O-GlcNAcylation, and activation. The HCF-1:ChREBP complex resides at lipogenic gene promoters, where HCF-1 regulates H3K4 trimethylation to prime recruitment of the Jumonji C domain-containing histone demethylase PHF2 for epigenetic activation of these promoters. Overall, these findings define HCF-1’s interaction with ChREBP as a previously unappreciated mechanism whereby glucose signals are both relayed to ChREBP and transmitted for epigenetic regulation of lipogenic genes.
One week of continuous corticosterone exposure impairs hepatic metabolic flexibility, promotes islet β-cell proliferation, and reduces physical activity in male C57BL/6 J mice.

Abstract Clinical glucocorticoid use, and diseases that produce elevated circulating glucocorticoids, promote drastic changes in body composition and reduction in whole body insulin sensitivity. Because steroid-induced diabetes is the most common form of drug-induced hyperglycemia, we investigated mechanisms underlying the recognized phenotypes associated with glucocorticoid excess. Male C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to either 100ug/mL corticosterone (cort) or vehicle in their drinking water. Body composition measurements revealed an increase in fat mass with drastically reduced lean mass during the first week (i.e., seven days) of cort exposure. Relative to the vehicle control group, mice receiving cort had a significant reduction in insulin sensitivity (measured by insulin tolerance test) five days after drug intervention. The increase in insulin resistance significantly correlated with an increase in the number of Ki-67 positive β-cells. Moreover, the ability to switch between fuel sources in liver tissue homogenate substrate oxidation assays revealed reduced metabolic flexibility. Furthermore, metabolomics analyses revealed a decrease in liver glycolytic metabolites, suggesting reduced glucose utilization, a finding consistent with onset of systemic insulin resistance. Physical activity was reduced, while respiratory quotient was increased, in mice receiving corticosterone. The majority of metabolic changes were reversed upon cessation of the drug regimen. Collectively, we conclude that changes in body composition and tissue level substrate metabolism are key components influencing the reductions in whole body insulin sensitivity observed during glucocorticoid administration.
Targeted Vagus Nerve Stimulation does not Disrupt Cardiac Function in the Diabetic Rat

In this study, we acutely identified a target branch of the vagus nerve known as the pancreatic branch of the vagus nerve, which exclusively innervates the pancreas by applying electrical stimulus to the known cervical vagus nerve and observing compound neural action potentials at the target nerve. In a set of chronically implanted rats, the target nerve was again cuffed using an electrode and also implanted with a continuous glucose monitor. A model of type 1 diabetes (T1D) was chemically induced and hyperglycemic state confirmed. After induction, stimulation was applied to the pancreatic branch of the vagus nerve and heart rate variability measured to assess the targeted nature of the stimulation. Pancreatic vagus nerve stimulation in a diabetic model was not found to influence heart rate demonstrating the ability of targeted stimulation to be used as for organ-specific neuromodulation while minimizing side effects.
Complete Merkle Hash Trees for Large Dynamic Spatial Data

Ensuring the integrity of big (large) and dynamic geo-spatial data is essential for assuring the correctness of queries pertaining to tosuch data. Some useful tools towards ensuring integrity include strategies to compute a succinct cryptographic hash of well-structured data. An important requirement of such data structures is the property of completeness. We propose efficient data structures that satisfy this essential property for a wide variety of (geo) spatial data. We highlight how such data structures can be used as a foundation for assured execution of services (such as a map and geo-based web-services) that feed on spatial data.
A paler shade of green: implications of green product deletion on supply chains

Product management activities by operations, marketing, and finance functions have typically focused on the innovation, acquisition, growth, and management of product lines and products. The same i...
Project FORESIGHT: A ten-year retrospective.

Abstract Forensic service providers fulfill a fundamental role in a criminal justice system by providing scientific information that aids investigations and court proceedings. While the focus is often on the science aspect of these organizations, the provision is also of paramount importance. Historically, calls for more and better information about forensic laboratory performance (in essence, benchmarking) have gone unheard. Project FORESIGHT, created in 2008, filled this need through engagement with the forensic management community to build a needs-based process for providing operational data that can be used to enhance a laboratory’s performance. With over 10 years of industry data, Project FORESIGHT is the de facto standard for benchmarking forensic service provision.
Accelerating Commercialization of SiC Power Electronics

Silicon (Si) power devices have dominated power electronics due to their excellent starting material quality, ease of processing, low-cost mass production, and proven reliability. Although Si power devices continue to make significant progress, they are approaching their operational limits, primarily because of their relatively low bandgap and critical electric field, which result in high conduction and switching losses and in poor high-temperature performance. Silicon carbide (SiC) power devices are revolutionizing power electronics because of their favorable material properties, which allow for highly efficient power systems with reduced form factor and cooling requirements. Several initiatives around the world promote the adoption of SiC power electronics to exploit their energy saving and technological innovation promise. In the United States, the development of SiC crystal growth, wafer fabrication, and device processing technologies owe their beginnings to the support from a number of U.S. government programs. Initially, this work focused on proof-of-concept critical enabling technologies such as high-quality substrates, epitaxy, and unit process steps like ion-implantation, implant activation, gate oxidation, and so on. More recently, the Advanced Manufacturing Office of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and North Carolina State University formed PowerAmerica, a Manufacturing USA Institute. PowerAmerica focuses on enabling cost-effective large-scale production of wide-bandgap (WBG) devices and power electronics with the goal of increasing energy efficiency across multiple application platforms. PowerAmerica started operations in 2015 with a five-year budget of US$150 million and a mission of addressing manufacturing gaps in WBG power technology to enable high-tech job creation, technological innovation, and energy savings.
Characteristics of Youths Treated With Psychotropic Polypharmacy in the United States, 1999 to 2015.

This study investigates differences in the characteristics of US youths treated with psychotropic polypharmacy and in the psychotropic classes used in combination.
Analyzing transportation network performance during emergency evacuations: Evidence from Hurricane Irma

Abstract This paper analyzes temporal and spatial traffic patterns and assesses the performance of Florida roadways during the evacuation for Hurricane Irma (2017). Evacuation-specific performance metrics are used to characterize the performance of the roadway systems and granular analyses are conducted using RITIS probe detector data supplemented with hourly continuous counts from Florida Traffic Online. Results from this study show the disparate nature of roadway utilization during mass evacuations – while most interstates remained congested during the major evacuation period, several other highways remained underutilized, potentially due to the lack of information on roadway conditions during evacuation. On the other hand, certain roadways that were typically underutilized suffered from severe congestion and bottlenecking during the evacuation. Detail-oriented studies of this nature could serve as an important baseline to benefit future emergency and disaster planning, and traffic managements during future events of similar nature.
Phase II multi-center trial of optical coherence tomography as an adjunct to white light cystoscopy for intravesical real time imaging and staging of bladder cancer.

Abstract Background Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel imaging modality that provides microstructural information of different tissue layers using near-infrared light. This prospective, multicenter phase II trial aimed to assess the accuracy of OCT-assisted cystoscopy for bladder tumor staging. Methods Patients with primary or recurrent bladder tumors (Ta,T1) identified by outpatient cystoscopy were included. The primary objective was to assess the accuracy and positive predictive value of for determining tumor stage ≥T1 correlated by histopathology. 72 suspicious lesions from 63 patients were eligible to analyze in the study. All suspected lesions were evaluated with conventional cystoscopy, interpreted in real-time using OCT, and then resected. All results were compared to pathology. A total of 363 OCT images of tumor and normal mucosa in 25 patients were obtained to evaluate diagnostic efficacy of the computer-aided texture analysis algorithm. Results Sensitivity and specificity for predicting invasive tumors (≥ T1, n = 17) were 58.8% and 92.7% for cystoscopy, 64.7% and 100% for OCT-assisted cystoscopy, respectively. Accuracy of cystoscopy and OCT-assisted cystoscopy for predicting invasive tumor was 84.7% and 91.7% (P = 0.063), respectively. Cystoscopy and OCT-assisted cystoscopy correctly predicted T stage in 52/72 and 59/72 cases, respectively (P = 0.016). Cystoscopy missed 2 more invasive tumors than OCT-assisted cystoscopy. Cystoscopy (14.3%, 1/7) and OCT-assisted cystoscopy (28.6%, 2/7) showed relatively low sensitivity in detecting muscle invasion. Computer aided texture analysis demonstrated 75.1% sensitivity, 64.0% specificity, and 74.4% accuracy for differentiating tumor and normal urothelium. Conclusion OCT-assisted cystoscopy is a real time noninvasive and simple procedure that enhanced the accuracy of staging bladder tumors and prediction of any tumor invasion. Though the study did not meet the prespecified primary endpoint, OCT imaging is a promising adjunct to cystoscopy that may supplement intraoperative decision-making during transurethral resection of bladder tumors and additional prospective studies are warranted.
Adipocytes, Innate Immunity and Obesity: A Mini-Review

The role of adipose tissue (AT) inflammation in obesity and its multiple related-complications is a rapidly expanding area of scientific interest. Within the last 30 years, the role of the adipocyte as an endocrine and immunologic cell has been progressively established. Like the macrophage, the adipocyte is capable of linking the innate and adaptive immune system through the secretion of adipokines and cytokines; exosome release of lipids, hormones, and microRNAs; and contact interaction with other immune cells. Key innate immune cells in AT include adipocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and innate lymphoid cells type 2 (ILC2s). The role of the innate immune system in promoting adipose tissue inflammation in obesity will be highlighted in this review. T cells and B cells also play important roles in contributing to AT inflammation and are discussed in this series in the chapter on adaptive immunity.
NACK and INTEGRATOR act coordinately to activate Notch-mediated transcription in tumorigenesis

Background Notch signaling drives many aspects of neoplastic phenotype. Here, we report that the Integrator complex (INT) is a new component of the Notch transcriptional supercomplex. Together with Notch Activation Complex Kinase (NACK), INT activates Notch1 target genes by driving RNA polymerase II (RNAPII)-dependent transcription, leading to tumorigenesis. Methods Size exclusion chromatography and CBF-1/RBPJ/Suppressor of Hairless/Lag-1 (CSL)-DNA affinity fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) was used to purify Notch/CSL-dependent complexes for liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were performed to investigate transcriptional regulation of Notch target genes. Transfection of Notch Ternary Complex components into HEK293T cells was used as a recapitulation assay to study Notch-mediated transcriptional mechanisms. Gene knockdown was achieved via RNA interference and the effects of protein depletion on esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) proliferation were determined via a colony formation assay and murine xenografts. Western blotting was used to examine expression of INT subunits in EAC cells and evaluate apoptotic proteins upon INT subunit 11 knockdown (INTS11 KD). Gene KD effects were further explored via flow cytometry. Results We identified the INT complex as part of the Notch transcriptional supercomplex. INT, together with NACK, activates Notch-mediated transcription. While NACK is required for the recruitment of RNAPII to a Notch-dependent promoter, the INT complex is essential for RNAPII phosphorylated at serine 5 (RNAPII-S5P), leading to transcriptional activation. Furthermore, INT subunits are overexpressed in EAC cells and INTS11 KD results in G2/M cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and cell growth arrest in EAC. Conclusions This study identifies the INT complex as a novel co-factor in Notch-mediated transcription that together with NACK activates Notch target genes and leads to cancer cell proliferation. Video abstract.
The potential of school-based WASH programming to support children as agents of change in rural Zambian households.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions frequently assume that students who learn positive WASH behaviors will disseminate this information to their families. This is most prominent in school-based programs, which rely on students to act as “agents of change” to translate impact from school to home. However, there is little evidence to support or contradict this assumption. We conducted a quasi-experimental, prospective cohort study in 12 schools in rural, southern Zambia to measure the impact of WASH UP!, a school-based WASH program designed by the creators of Sesame Street. WASH UP! is an educational program that uses stories and interactive games to teach students in grades 1–4 about healthy behaviors, such as washing hands and using the latrine. We completed in-person interviews with grade 1 and 4 students (N = 392 and 369, respectively), their teachers (N = 24) and caregivers (N = 729) using structured surveys containing both open- and closed-ended questions. We measured changes in knowledge and whether students reported sharing WASH-related messages learned in school with their caregivers at home. Student knowledge increased significantly, but primarily among students in grade 1. Overall rates of students reporting that they shared messages from the curriculum with their caregivers rose from 7 to 23% (p < 0.001). Students in grade 4 were 5.2 times as likely as those in grade 1 to report sharing a WASH-related message with their caregivers (ARR = 5.2, 95% C.I. = (2.3, 8.9); p < 0.001). Although we measured only modest levels of student dissemination of WASH UP! messages from the school to the home, students in grade 4 showed significantly more promise as agents of change than those in grade 1. Future work should prioritize developing curricula that reflect the variability in needs, capabilities and support in the home and community among primary school students rather than a single approach for a wide range of ages and contexts.
Shearing and Growth of Five Intermountain Native Shrub Species

Abstract We investigated growth of native Intermountain West shrub species sheared yearly. Five shrub species with potential for use in naturalized landscapes and roadside reclamation, silver sage (Artemesia cana), rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), red-stem dogwood (Cornus sericea), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), and curlleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), were planted as seedlings in summer 1989. From 1991–1993, half of the plants were sheared to within 0.15 m (0.5 ft) of the ground every spring prior to or at budbreak. Crown height and crown cross-sectional area were measured every year prior to pruning. Significant shearing effects were detected in some shrubs the first year after shearing, with crown area affected more than height. Height of three species with a multistemmed habit, C. nauseosus, A. cana, and C. sericea, was unaffected by shearing both years. Crown area of all species except C. sericea was reduced by shearing. All species were able to regrow to at least 50% of the c...
Early childhood wheezers: identifying asthma in later life

Wheeze in young children is common, and asthma is the most common noncommunicable disease in children. Prevalence studies of recurrent asthma-like symptoms in children under the age of 5 years have reported that one third of children in the US and Europe are affected, and rates and severity appear to be higher in developing countries. Over the last few decades, significant research efforts have focused on identification of risk factors and predictors of wheeze and on tools to identify which children who wheeze will progress to develop asthma. We reviewed the phenotypes of childhood wheezing, genetic risk factors, environmental factors, testing/predictive indices, and primary prevention. While it is generally agreed that a complex interaction of environmental exposure and genetic susceptibility contributes to the development of asthma, limitations in predictive tools and tests restrict our ability to provide families with guidance as to whether their child with wheeze will ultimately develop asthma. Additional research is needed to clarify childhood wheeze phenotypes, to develop tools to determine which children will develop asthma, and to determine how and when to intervene. If these areas can be addressed, it would help reduce this large burden on children, families, and society.
Asynchronous Epoch Management in Replicated Databases

The paper describes a new dynamic protocol for managing replicated data. Like the existing dynamic schemes, our protocol involves reconfiguring the system dynamically to reflect failures and repairs as they occur, so that the data may be kept available for user operations even if only one replica of the data remains accessible. However, in the existing schemes, it is required for the correctness of the protocol that the system reconfiguration either run as a special transaction that competes for locks with user operations and thus can interfere with and delay the latter, or be done within the protocol for the write operation, which increases the cost of writes and makes fault tolerance of the system dependent on the rate of write operations. In contrast, our protocol allows system reconfiguration to be done asynchronously with and separately from read and write operations. Therefore, in our protocol, user operations can execute while system reconfiguration is in progress, with no interference. At the same time, the cost of write operations in our protocol remains low and the fault tolerance of the system does not depend on the rate of writes.
Electricity market power: triangulation of models and issues

This paper discusses the electricity restructuring which is the prime concern for regulators and market participants. The electricity markets are technically complex, interconnected and rapidly changing. If market power is considered as an isolated phenomenon then good market design under competitive assumptions may be required.
Structural properties and electronic structure of low-compressibility materials: β- Si 3 N 4 and hypothetical β- C 3 N 4

We present a first-principles pseudopotential study of the structural and electronic properties of \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$ and the hypothetical compound \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$. \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$, which is ${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$ in the \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$ structure, with C substituted for Si, is used as a prototype for investigating the properties of possible covalent C-N solids. The calculated lattice constant, bulk modulus, and electronic band structure of \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$ are in good agreement with experimental results. This gives support for the predicted properties of \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$. The bulk modulus of \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$ is found to be comparable to diamond, and its moderately large cohesive energy suggests that the prototype structure may be metastable. Although the crystal structure and the valencies of the constituent atoms are similar in \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$ and \ensuremath{\beta}-${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$${\mathrm{N}}_{4}$, the electronic bonding properties in these two solids are found to differ. The large core size and repulsive p pseudopotential of the second-row element, Si, results in a more ionic Si-N bond compared with a covalent C-N bond.
Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Star Clusters in NGC 1023: Evidence for Three Cluster Populations?*

Using Hubble Space Telescope images we have carried out a study of cluster populations in the nearby S0 galaxy NGC 1023. In two WFPC2 pointings we have identified 221 cluster candidates. The small distance (~9 Mpc) combined with deep F555W and F814W images allows us to reach about 2 mag below the expected turnover of the globular cluster luminosity function. NGC 1023 appears to contain at least three identifiable cluster populations: the brighter clusters show a clearly bimodal color distribution with peaks at (V-I)0 = 0.92 and at (V-I)0 = 1.15, and in addition there are a number of fainter, more extended objects with predominantly red colors. Among the brighter clusters, we find that the blue clusters have somewhat larger sizes than the red ones with mean effective radii of Re ~ 2 and Re ~ 1.7 pc, respectively. These clusters have luminosity functions (LFs) and sizes consistent with what is observed for globular clusters in other galaxies. Fitting Gaussians to the LFs of the blue and red compact clusters, we find turnover magnitudes of MTO(blue) = -7.58 and MTO(red) = -7.37 in V and dispersions of σV(blue) = 1.12 and σV(red) = 0.97. The fainter, more extended clusters have effective radii up to Re ~ 10–15 pc, and their LF appears to rise at least down to MV ~ -6, few of them being brighter than MV = -7. We suggest that these fainter objects may have a formation history distinct from that of the brighter GCs.
Masculine Status, Sexual Performance, and the Sexual Stigmatization of Women

Collegiate hookup culture advances ideas of masculinity but contradicts notions of appropriate feminine sexuality. Drawing on focus group and interview data with college students, I examine how a group of class- and race-privileged fraternity men face dilemmas as they enact a group constructed masculinity focused on sexual performance and the objectification of women. I employ a symbolic interactionist framework to illustrate how men, attentive to peer status yet anxious about the sexual stigmatization of women, draw on cultural ideas about appropriate feminine sexuality as they account for their approaches to sex and women (both with whom they interact sexually and how) along a range of intimacy—from hookups to committed relationships. I demonstrate that heterosexual interaction does not unequivocally link to masculine status and that men sometimes strive to limit the impact of casual sex or avoid it altogether.