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Research output, citation impact, and the most-cited recent papers from University of Massachusetts System (United States). Aggregated across the NobleBlocks index of 300M+ scholarly works.

Total works
712
Citations
21.0K
h-index
53
i10-index
164
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Universidad de MassachusettsUniversity of Massachusetts SystemUniversité du massachusetts

Top-cited papers from University of Massachusetts System

Review of Particle Physics
S. Navas, C. Amsler, Th. Gutsche, C. Hanhart +4 more
2024· Physical review. D/Physical review. D.2.8Kdoi:10.1103/physrevd.110.030001

The summarizes much of particle physics and cosmology. Using data from previous editions, plus 2,717 new measurements from 869 papers, we list, evaluate, and average measured properties of gauge bosons and the recently discovered Higgs boson, leptons, quarks, mesons, and baryons. We summarize searches for hypothetical particles such as supersymmetric particles, heavy bosons, axions, dark photons, etc. Particle properties and search limits are listed in Summary Tables. We give numerous tables, figures, formulae, and reviews of topics such as Higgs Boson Physics, Supersymmetry, Grand Unified Theories, Neutrino Mixing, Dark Energy, Dark Matter, Cosmology, Particle Detectors, Colliders, Probability and Statistics. Most of the 120 reviews are updated, including many that are heavily revised. The is divided into two volumes. Volume 1 includes the Summary Tables and 97 review articles. Volume 2 consists of the Particle Listings and contains also 23 reviews that address specific aspects of the data presented in the Listings. The complete (both volumes) is published online on the website of the Particle Data Group () and in a journal. Volume 1 is available in print as the . A with the Summary Tables and essential tables, figures, and equations from selected review articles is available in print, as a web version optimized for use on phones, and as an Android app. The 2024 edition of the Review of Particle Physics should be cited as: S. Navas et al. (Particle Data Group), Phys. Rev. D 110, 030001 (2024) © 2024 2024

The FERONIA Receptor Kinase Maintains Cell-Wall Integrity during Salt Stress through Ca2+ Signaling
Wei Feng, Daniel Kita, Alexis Peaucelle, Heather Cartwright +4 more
2018· Current Biology748doi:10.1016/j.cub.2018.01.023

Cells maintain integrity despite changes in their mechanical properties elicited during growth and environmental stress. How cells sense their physical state and compensate for cell-wall damage is poorly understood, particularly in plants. Here we report that FERONIA (FER), a plasma-membrane-localized receptor kinase from Arabidopsis, is necessary for the recovery of root growth after exposure to high salinity, a widespread soil stress. The extracellular domain of FER displays tandem regions of homology with malectin, an animal protein known to bind di-glucose in vitro and important for protein quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum. The presence of malectin-like domains in FER and related receptor kinases has led to widespread speculation that they interact with cell-wall polysaccharides and can potentially serve a wall-sensing function. Results reported here show that salinity causes softening of the cell wall and that FER is necessary to sense these defects. When this function is disrupted in the fer mutant, root cells explode dramatically during growth recovery. Similar defects are observed in the mur1 mutant, which disrupts pectin cross-linking. Furthermore, fer cell-wall integrity defects can be rescued by treatment with calcium and borate, which also facilitate pectin cross-linking. Sensing of these salinity-induced wall defects might therefore be a direct consequence of physical interaction between the extracellular domain of FER and pectin. FER-dependent signaling elicits cell-specific calcium transients that maintain cell-wall integrity during salt stress. These results reveal a novel extracellular toxicity of salinity, and identify FER as a sensor of damage to the pectin-associated wall.

Guidelines for Pathologic Diagnosis of Malignant Mesothelioma: 2012 Update of the Consensus Statement from the International Mesothelioma Interest Group
Aliya N. Husain, Thomas V. Colby, Nelson G. Ordóǹez, Thomas Krausz +4 more
2012· Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine465doi:10.5858/arpa.2012-0214-oa

CONTEXT: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an uncommon tumor that can be difficult to diagnose. OBJECTIVE: To provide updated practical guidelines for the pathologic diagnosis of MM. DATA SOURCES: Pathologists involved in the International Mesothelioma Interest Group and others with an interest in the field contributed to this update. Reference material includes peer-reviewed publications and textbooks. CONCLUSIONS: There was consensus opinion regarding (1) distinction of benign from malignant mesothelial proliferations (both epithelioid and spindle cell lesions), (2) cytologic diagnosis of MM, (3) key histologic features of pleural and peritoneal MM, (4) use of histochemical and immunohistochemical stains in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of MM, (5) differentiation of epithelioid MM from various carcinomas (lung, breast, ovarian, and colonic adenocarcinomas, and squamous cell and renal cell carcinomas), (6) diagnosis of sarcomatoid mesothelioma, (7) use of molecular markers in the diagnosis of MM, (8) electron microscopy in the diagnosis of MM, and (9) some caveats and pitfalls in the diagnosis of MM. Immunohistochemical panels are integral to the diagnosis of MM, but the exact makeup of panels used is dependent on the differential diagnosis and on the antibodies available in a given laboratory. Immunohistochemical panels should contain both positive and negative markers. It is recommended that immunohistochemical markers have either sensitivity or specificity greater than 80% for the lesions in question. Interpretation of positivity generally should take into account the localization of the stain (eg, nuclear versus cytoplasmic) and the percentage of cells staining (>10% is suggested for cytoplasmic membranous markers). These guidelines are meant to be a practical reference for the pathologist.

FPGA Architecture: Survey and Challenges
Ian Kuon, Russell Tessier, Jonathan Rose
2008· Foundations and Trends® in Electronic Design Automation410doi:10.1561/1000000005

Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have become one of the key digital circuit implementation media over the last decade. A crucial part of their creation lies in their architecture, which governs the nature of their programmable logic functionality and their programmable interconnect. FPGA architecture has a dramatic effect on the quality of the final device’s speed performance, area efficiency, and power consumption. This survey reviews the historical development of programmable logic devices, the fundamental programming technologies that the pro-grammability is built on, and then describes the basic understandings gleaned from research on architectures. We include a survey of the key elements of modern commercial FPGA architecture, and look toward future trends in the field.

Infant and childhood morbidity and mortality risks in archaeological populations
Alan H. Goodman, George J. Armelagos
1989· World Archaeology220doi:10.1080/00438243.1989.9980103

Abstract Infants and children are nearly universally found to be among the most vulnerable subgroups of a population. Their health can be a sensitive indicator of the health of the population as a whole. Furthermore, repeated bouts of illness during infancy and childhood, periods of rapid development, can have lasting functional effects on the individual and the group. In this paper we provide a framework for studying infant and childhood health in archaeological populations, briefly review methods for studying infant‐childhood health in skeletal remains, and provide examples of the sensitivity and adaptive significance of this segment of the population by examining infant and childhood health at Dickson Mounds, Illinois and Wadi Haifa, Sudanese Nubia. A variety of methods are available for studying infant and childhood health in archaeological groups. Taken together, these methods can provide insights into the patterns and consequences of health in prehistory.

Thaxtomin A affects CESA-complex density, expression of cell wall genes, cell wall composition, and causes ectopic lignification in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings
Volker Bischoff, Sarah Jane Cookson, Shuang Wu, Wolf‐Rüdiger Scheible
2009· Journal of Experimental Botany169doi:10.1093/jxb/ern344

Thaxtomin A, a phytotoxin produced by Streptomyces eubacteria, is suspected to act as a natural cellulose synthesis inhibitor. This view is confirmed by the results obtained from new chemical, molecular, and microscopic analyses of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings treated with thaxtomin A. Cell wall analysis shows that thaxtomin A reduces crystalline cellulose, and increases pectins and hemicellulose in the cell wall. Treatment with thaxtomin A also changes the expression of genes involved in primary and secondary cellulose synthesis as well as genes associated with pectin metabolism and cell wall remodelling, in a manner nearly identical to isoxaben. In addition, it induces the expression of several defence-related genes and leads to callose deposition. Defects in cellulose synthesis cause ectopic lignification phenotypes in A. thaliana, and it is shown that lignification is also triggered by thaxtomin A, although in a pattern different from isoxaben. Spinning disc confocal microscopy further reveals that thaxtomin A depletes cellulose synthase complexes from the plasma membrane and results in the accumulation of these particles in a small microtubule-associated compartment. The results provide new and clear evidence for thaxtomin A having a strong impact on cellulose synthesis, thus suggesting that this is its primary mode of action.

The PROMIS of Better Outcome Assessment: Responsiveness, Floor and Ceiling Effects, and Internet Administration
James F. Fries, Matthias Rose, Eswar Krishnan
2011· The Journal of Rheumatology156doi:10.3899/jrheum.110402

OBJECTIVE: Use of item response theory (IRT) and, subsequently, computerized adaptive testing (CAT), under the umbrella of the NIH-PROMIS initiative (National Institutes of Health-Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System), to bring strong new assets to the development of more sensitive, more widely applicable, and more efficiently administered patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments. We present data on current progress in 3 crucial areas: floor and ceiling effects, responsiveness to change, and interactive computer-based administration over the Internet. METHODS: We examined nearly 1000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and related diseases in a series of studies including a one-year longitudinal examination of detection of change; compared responsiveness of the Legacy SF-36 and HAQ-DI instruments with IRT-based instruments; performed a randomized head-to-head trial of 4 modes of item administration; and simulated the effect of lack of floor and ceiling items upon statistical power and sample sizes. RESULTS: IRT-based PROMIS instruments are more sensitive to change, resulting in the potential to reduce sample size requirements substantially by up to a factor of 4. The modes of administration tested did not differ from each other in any instance by more than one-tenth of a standard deviation. Floor and ceiling effects greatly reduce the number of available subjects, particularly at the ceiling. CONCLUSION: Failure to adequately address floor and ceiling effects, which determine the range of an instrument, can result in suboptimal assessment of many patients. Improved items, improved instruments, and computer-based administration improve PRO assessment and represent a fundamental advance in clinical outcomes research.

The importance of filamentous cyanobacteria in the development of oxygenic photogranules
Kim Milferstedt, Wenye Camilla Kuo-Dahab, Caitlyn S. Butler, Jérôme Hamelin +4 more
2017· Scientific Reports142doi:10.1038/s41598-017-16614-9

Abstract Microorganisms often respond to their environment by growing as densely packed communities in biofilms, flocs or granules. One major advantage of life in these aggregates is the retention of its community in an ecosystem despite flowing water. We describe here a novel type of granule dominated by filamentous and motile cyanobacteria of the order Oscillatoriales . These bacteria form a mat-like photoactive outer layer around an otherwise unconsolidated core. The spatial organization of the phototrophic layer resembles microbial mats growing on sediments but is spherical. We describe the production of these oxygenic photogranules under static batch conditions, as well as in turbulently mixed bioreactors. Photogranulation defies typically postulated requirements for granulation in biotechnology, i.e., the need for hydrodynamic shear and selective washout. Photogranulation as described here is a robust phenomenon with respect to inoculum characteristics and environmental parameters like carbon sources. A bioprocess using oxygenic photogranules is an attractive candidate for energy-positive wastewater treatment as it biologically couples CO 2 and O 2 fluxes. As a result, the external supply of oxygen may become obsolete and otherwise released CO 2 is fixed by photosynthesis for the production of an organic-rich biofeedstock as a renewable energy source.

Should oral gavage be abandoned in toxicity testing of endocrine disruptors?
Laura N. Vandenberg, Wade V. Welshons, Frederick S. vom Saal, Pierre‐Louis Toutain +1 more
2014· Environmental Health136doi:10.1186/1476-069x-13-46

For decades, hazard assessments for environmental chemicals have used intra-gastric gavage to assess the effects of 'oral' exposures. It is now widely used--and in some cases required--by US federal agencies to assess potential toxicity of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). In this review we enumerate several reasons why gavage is not appropriate for the assessment of EDCs using bisphenol A (BPA) as a main example. First, whereas human dietary exposures interact with the oral mucosa, gavage exposures avoid these interactions, leading to dramatic differences in absorption, bioavailability and metabolism with implications for toxicokinetic assumptions and models. Additionally, there are well acknowledged complications associated with gavage, such as perforation of the esophagus that diminish its value in toxicological experiments. Finally, the gavage protocol itself can induce stress responses by the endocrine system and confound the assessment of EDCs. These serious flaws have not been taken into account in interpreting results of EDC research. We propose the exploration of alternatives to mimic human exposures when there are multiple exposure routes/sources and when exposures are chronic. We conclude that gavage may be preferred over other routes for some environmental chemicals in some circumstances, but it does not appropriately model human dietary exposures for many chemicals. Because it avoids exposure pathways, is stressful, and thus interferes with endocrine responses, gavage should be abandoned as the default route of administration for hazard assessments of EDCs.

Validity and quality in action research
Allan Feldman
2007· Educational Action Research133doi:10.1080/09650790601150766

This article began as a response to the article ‘Action research as narrative: five principles for validation’ by Heikkinen, Huttunen and Syrjala, which appears in this issue of Educational Action Research. In so doing it addresses the question ‘How can we tell whether an action research study is good?’ by arguing that validity is a construct that can be used to evaluate the quality of qualitative research studies, including action research, and that, because of the moral and political aspects of action research, we are compelled to ask whether the results of our inquiries are valid. The paper also argues that we can continue to use validity in this way if we reject the extreme views of naïve realism and radical constructivism. This argument and its conclusions are then used to critique the principles that Heikkinen et al. suggest for quality in narrative forms of action research. The paper ends with additional suggestions for increasing the validity of action research studies.

On Scheduling Tasks with a Quick Recovery from Failure
Krishna Krishna, Shin
1986· IEEE Transactions on Computers119doi:10.1109/tc.1986.1676787

Multiprocessors used in life-critical real-time systems must recover quickly from failure. Part of this recovery consists of switching to a new task schedule that ensures that hard deadlines for critical tasks continue to be met. We present a dynamic programming algorithm that ensures that backup, or contingency, schedules can be efficiently embedded within the original, "primary" schedule to ensure that hard deadlines continue to be met in the face of up to a given maximum number of processor failures. Several illustrative examples are included.

Bipolar Radiofrequency Lesion Geometry: Implications for Palisade Treatment of Sacroiliac Joint Pain
Eric R. Cosman, Christian D. Gonzalez
2010· Pain Practice112doi:10.1111/j.1533-2500.2010.00400.x

Ex vivo photographic temperature mapping of bipolar radiofrequency (RF) lesions in animal tissue is performed over a wide range of electrode tip spacings, tip lengths, tip diameters, tip temperatures, and lesion times. In vivo temperature measurements collected during clinical treatment of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain corroborate those collected ex vivo. Generation of a "strip lesion" connecting two separated bipolar electrode tips is demonstrated ex vivo for tip spacings as large as 20 mm. A rounded rectangular bipolar lesion with midline dimensions 12 mm × 15 mm × 8 mm (L × W × D) is demonstrated using 10 mm parallel tip spacing, 10 mm tip lengths, 20 gauge cannulae, 90°C tip temperature, and 3-minute lesion time. Lesion length can be increased to 18 mm by using 15 mm tip lengths. Lesion width can be increased to 17 mm by using 12 mm tip spacing. The size of conventional bipolar lesions can exceed the size of lesions produced both by conventional monopolar RF (12 mm × 7 mm × 7 mm ellipsoidal) and by cooled monopolar RF as used in spinal pain management (10 mm × 10 mm × 10 mm spherical). SIJ pain is treated by placing 5 to 7 straight RF cannulae perpendicular to the dorsal sacrum and producing 4 to 6 overlapping bipolar RF lesions between the dorsal sacral foramina and the ipsilateral SIJ. This bipolar "palisade" (a defensive fence) creates a continuous lesion spanning the region through which multiple sacral lateral branch nerves travel along irregular, branching paths to reach the SIJ.

Minimum-Wage Increases and Low-Wage Employment: Evidence from Seattle
Ekaterina Jardim, Mark C. Long, Robert D. Plotnick, Emma van Inwegen +2 more
2022· American Economic Journal Economic Policy105doi:10.1257/pol.20180578

Seattle raised its minimum wage to as much as $11 in 2015 and as much as $13 in 2016. We use Washington State administrative data to conduct two complementary analyses of its impact. Relative to outlying regions of the state identified by the synthetic control method, aggregate employment at wages less than twice the original minimum—measured by total hours worked—declined. A portion of this reduction reflects jobs transitioning to wages above the threshold; the aggregate analysis likely overstates employment effects. Longitudinal analysis of individual Seattle workers matched to counterparts in outlying regions reveals no change in the probability of continued employment but significant reductions in hours, particularly for less experienced workers. Job turnover declined, as did hiring of new workers into low-wage jobs. Analyses suggest aggregate employment elasticities in the range of —0.2 to —2.0, concentrated on the intensive margin in the short run and largest among inexperienced workers. (JEL J22, J23, J24, J31, J38, R23)

Working towards legitimacy: two decades of teaching games for understanding
Linda L. Griffin, Ross Brooker, Kevin Patton
2005· Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy82doi:10.1080/17408980500340703

Abstract Time and acceptance are criterion often used to measure the legitimacy and worth of an idea. Two decades have passed since the first publications that introduced Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) as a means to conceptualize games teaching and learning. For over two decades various professionals have advocated for TGfU as a sound idea, which is built on assumptions about games education. We will outline why we believe that there is cause for celebration for TGfU as an innovation to games learning. Second, we will argue for the need to work toward legitimacy through data-based, not data-free development. Absent from current discourse are efforts to support assumptions about how students learn games while engaged in the TGfU approach. The case for legitimacy will only improve with more data-based development work. Field-based research needs to be an essential part of good development work thus leading us toward research-based practice. We should consider more programmatic research, which could be grounded in three possible robust theoretical frameworks: (a) achievement goal theory; (b) information processing; and (c) situated learning theory, which could have strong implications for games learning specifically as it relates to TGfU. Keywords: Achievement goal theoryConstructivismInformation processingTeaching Games for UnderstandingSituated learning

Processes involved in the resolution of explicit anaphors
Edward J. O’Brien, Gary E. Raney, Jason E. Albrecht, Keith Rayner
1997· Discourse Processes74doi:10.1080/01638539709544979

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to examine the processes involved in the reactivation of antecedents in response to explicit anaphors (i.e., anaphors that are both lexically and conceptually identical to an antecedent). Participants read passages containing anaphors that were either lexically and conceptually identical to a target antecedent, or passages containing anaphors that were lexically identical to but conceptually different from a target antecedent. Experiment 1 demonstrated that explicit anaphors only reactivate target antecedents when they are both lexically and conceptually identical to a target antecedent. However, as the distance between an anaphor and its antecedent increased, even an explicit anaphor did not reactivate a target antecedent. In Experiment 2, an adjective modifier was added to the anaphoric noun phrase, which increased the degree of featural overlap between the anaphoric noun phrase and the target antecedent. With the added information in the anaphoric noun phrase, distant antecedents that were not reactivated in Experiment 1 were reactivated. Results are discussed in terms of antecedent reactivation occurring through a fast‐acting passive resonance process.

Completely Faithful Modules and Self-Injective Rings
Gorô Azumaya
1966· Nagoya Mathematical Journal73doi:10.1017/s0027763000026489

A left module over a ring Λ is called completely faithful if Λ is a sum of those left ideals which are homomorphic images of M . The notion was first introduced by Morita [9], and he proved, among others, the following theorem which plays a basic role in his theory of category-isomorphisms: if a Λ-module M is completely faithful, then M is finitely generated and projective with respect to the endomorphism ring Γ of M and Λ coincides with the endomorphism ring of Λ -module M .

End Sequence Analysis Toolkit (ESAT) expands the extractable information from single-cell RNA-seq data
Alan Derr, Chaoxing Yang, Rapolas Žilionis, Alexey Sergushichev +4 more
2016· Genome Research73doi:10.1101/gr.207902.116

RNA-seq protocols that focus on transcript termini are well suited for applications in which template quantity is limiting. Here we show that, when applied to end-sequencing data, analytical methods designed for global RNA-seq produce computational artifacts. To remedy this, we created the End Sequence Analysis Toolkit (ESAT). As a test, we first compared end-sequencing and bulk RNA-seq using RNA from dendritic cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). As predicted by the telescripting model for transcriptional bursts, ESAT detected an LPS-stimulated shift to shorter 3'-isoforms that was not evident by conventional computational methods. Then, droplet-based microfluidics was used to generate 1000 cDNA libraries, each from an individual pancreatic islet cell. ESAT identified nine distinct cell types, three distinct β-cell types, and a complex interplay between hormone secretion and vascularization. ESAT, then, offers a much-needed and generally applicable computational pipeline for either bulk or single-cell RNA end-sequencing.

The Global Biogeochemical Cycle of the Rare Earth Elements
Vanessa Hatje, Johan Schijf, Karen H. Johannesson, Raissa Coelho Andrade +4 more
2024· Global Biogeochemical Cycles71doi:10.1029/2024gb008125

Abstract To improve our understanding and guide future studies and applications, we review the biogeochemistry of the rare earth elements (REE). The REEs, which form a chemically uniform group due to their nearly identical physicochemical properties, include the lanthanide series elements plus scandium (Sc) and yttrium (Y). These elements, in conjunction with the neodymium isotopes, are powerful tools for understanding key oceanic, terrestrial, biological and even anthropogenic processes. Furthermore, their unique properties render them essential for various technological processes and products. Here, we delve into the characteristics of REE biogeochemistry and discuss normalization procedures and REE anomalies. We also examine the aqueous speciation of REEs, contributing to a better understanding of their behavior in aquatic settings, including the role of neodymium isotopes. We then focus on their environmental distribution, fractionation, and controlling processes in different environmental systems across the land‐ocean continuum. In addition, we analyze sinks, sources, and the mobility of REEs, providing insights into their behavior in these environments. We further investigate the sources of anthropogenic REEs and their bioavailability, bioaccumulation, and transfer along food webs. We also explore the potential effects of climate change on the cycling, mobility and bioavailability of REEs, underlining the importance of current research in this evolving field. In summary, we provide a comprehensive review of REE behavior in the environment, from their properties and roles to their distribution and anthropogenic impacts, offering valuable insights and pinpointing key knowledge gaps.

One Drought and One Volcanic Eruption Influenced the History of China: The Late Ming Dynasty Mega‐drought
Kefan Chen, Liang Ning, Zhengyu Liu, Jian Liu +4 more
2020· Geophysical Research Letters68doi:10.1029/2020gl088124

Abstract The late Ming Dynasty Megadrought (LMDMD) (1637–1643) occurred at the end of Ming Dynasty and is the severest drought event in China in the last millennium. This unprecedented drought contributed significantly to the collapse of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, casting profound impacts on Chinese history. Here, the physical mechanism for the LMDMD is studied. Based on paleoclimate reconstructions, we hypothesize that this drought was initially triggered by a natural drought event starting in 1637 and was then intensified and extended by the tropical volcanic eruption at Mount Parker in 1641. This hypothesis is supported by the case study of the Community Earth System Model‐Last Millennium Experiment archive as well as sensitivity experiments with volcanic forcing superimposed on natural drought events. The volcano‐intensified drought was associated with a decreased land‐ocean thermal contrast, a negative soil moisture response, and a weakening and eastward retreating West Pacific Subtropical High.

Running on empty: The end of<i>dirigisme</i>in French economic leadership
Vivien A. Schmidt
1997· Modern & Contemporary France65doi:10.1080/09639489708456372

Abstract Since the early 1980s, France has transformed its pattern of economic policy‐making from a state‐led or dirigiste approach to a more market‐oriented one and generated a new set of dynamics between French business and government at regional, national, and European levels. Business has become more independent of the central state as a result of deregulation, privatisation, regional integration, and Europeanisation, more interdependent as a result of cross‐shareholdings, and more international in consequence of cross‐border mergers and acquisitions. State interventionism, where it remains, has become more circumscribed and less directive, targeting firms only in strategic areas or in trouble.