cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impacts of changing rainfall regime on the demography of tropical birds

Increasing dry season length in central Panama reduced population growth rates and viability in nearly one-third of the 20 tropical bird species investigated. Such changes are projected to alter tropical bird community structure in protected areas. Biodiversity in tropical regions is particularly high and may be highly sensitive to climate change1,2. Unfortunately, a lack of long-term data hampers understanding of how tropical species, especially animals, may react to projected environmental changes. The amount and timing of rainfall is key to the function of tropical ecosystems and, although specific model predictions differ3,4, there is general agreement that rainfall regimes will change over large areas of the tropics5,6. Here, we estimate associations between dry season length (DSL) and the population biology of 20 bird species sampled in central Panama over a 33-year period. Longer dry seasons decreased the population growth rates and viability of nearly one-third of the species sampled. Simulations with modest increases in DSL suggest that consistently longer dry seasons will change the structure of tropical bird communities. Such change may occur even without direct loss of habitat—a finding with fundamental implications for conservation planning. Systematic changes in rainfall regime may threaten some populations and communities of tropical animals even in large tracts of protected habitat. These findings suggest the need for collaboration between climate scientists and conservation biologists to identify areas where rainfall regimes will be able to plausibly maintain wildlife populations.
To Catch Them All—The (Un)intended Consequences of Pokémon GO on Mobility, Consumption, and Wellbeing

In order to better understand the effectiveness of location-based mobile games in shaping user behaviour, this study investigates the behavioural impacts of playing Pokemon GO on mobility (i.e., travel) and consumption (i.e., spending) and its effects on users’ wellbeing. Based on a survey with 405 players in the United States (US), three types of impacts were identified: sense of community (social), mobility (visitation to places), and physical activities. Two dimensions of players’ wellbeing were also identified: improved daily functions and psychosocial functions. Enjoyment of the game as well as motivation to win a battle were consistently found to affect these behavioural impacts. Additionally, these factors also increase the probability of players’ spending money on induced consumption, such as for retail, restaurants, and travel.
Management of Glaucoma

Patients with uveitis can present with a spectrum of intraocular pressures (IOPs) ranging from low to high. Using a nationwide database in Taiwan, it was estimated that 8.5 % of patients had glaucoma when uveitis was diagnosed and another 6.7 % developed glaucoma in follow-up (Hwang DK, et al. in J Glaucoma, 2013, [1]. This vision threatening complication of uveitis can occur from a variety of mechanisms. The trabecular meshwork can be the primary site of inflammation as is often seen in herpetic eye disease (Amano et al. in Am J Ophthalmol 127:721–722, 1999, [2]). Secondary obstruction of the trabecular meshwork with inflammatory cells and fibrin represents another open-angle mechanism of elevated IOP exhibited by uveitis patients. There can be pupillary block mechanisms due to 360° of posterior synechiae. With time permanent peripheral anterior synechiae can produce angle closure glaucoma. There can also be uveal effusion syndrome (such as in scleritis) with forward rotation of the iris lens diaphragm. Finally, treatment of uveitis with steroids can induce a secondary open-angle glaucoma. It is important to keep in mind that the proper treatment of uveitis can reverse the outflow pathology if treated early with approaches directed at the root cause of inflammation. Also, in some instances, there may be predisposition to either open-angle glaucoma or angle closure glaucoma independent of the uveitis.
Age Differences in Death and Suicidal Ideation in Anxious Primary Care Patients

ABSTRACTObjectives: The objective of this study was to examine age differences in the likelihood of endorsing of death and suicidal ideation in primary care patients with anxiety disorders.Method: Participants were drawn from the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management (CALM) Study, an effectiveness trial for primary care patients with panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and/or social anxiety disorder (SAD).Results: Approximately one third of older adults with anxiety disorders reported feeling like they were better off dead. Older adults with PD and SAD were more likely to endorse suicidal ideation lasting at least more than half the prior week compared with younger adults with these disorders. Older adults with SAD endorsed higher rates of suicidal ideation compared with older adults with other anxiety disorders. Multivariate analyses revealed the importance of physical health, social support, and comorbid MDD in this association.Conclusion...
Selective C(sp3)–H Monoarylation Catalyzed by a Covalently Cross-Linked Reverse Micelle-Supported Palladium Catalyst

Inert C(sp3)–H activation via ligand coordination has presented promising control over catalytic properties, specifically over mono versus diarylation of protected starting materials, demonstrated by one of us utilizing homogenous catalytic species with pyridine-based ligands [Science, 2014, 343, 1216-1220]. In this work, we illustrate the performance of a solvated micelle-supported ligand as a platform for coordination with palladium for C–H arylation. The micelle-supported ligand is one of the first applications of a micelle-supported ligand for C–H arylation, and provides a tunable support for future elaboration. The use of a spatially constrained system promoted selectivity trends influenced by both the sterics and electronics of the system, differing from the homogeneous catalyst, with high yields and selectivities.
Test Systems for Evaluating the Antitumor Activity of Nucleoside Analogues

My discussion of test systems for evaluating the antitumor activity of nucleoside analogues will be heavily influenced by what I understand to be the purpose of this NATO Advanced Study Institute, namely, to communicate current knowledge and also to provide discussion of areas of recent progress and future promise for expanding both the number and the therapeutic effectiveness of the nucleoside analogues which are some of the most useful and promising anticancer and antiviral drugs. I will be primarily concerned with drug treatment of experimental animals bearing transplantable tumors that are uniformly fatal if untreated. I will not discuss in vitro or cell culture methods, not because I don’t believe them to be useful tools for many specialized studies of nucleoside analogues and other anti-cancer drugs, but rather because one cannot effectively model the complex physiology and pharmacology of the intact tumor-bearing animal in any in vitro system. Tumor cells are mutants of normal cells, coexisting in the same host. Effective cancer chemotherapy may be defined as selective cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs for tumor cells as compared to vital normal cells in the same host such that the tumor cell population is reduced to less than the number of cells able to establish the fatal disease.
Optimization and Modelling of a CSTR Reactor Using Numerical Methods

This report deals with differential equations and how they can be used to help the chemical engineer to size and optimize a CSTR reactor. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the behavior of an elementary reaction where A forms B, in a first order reaction, to use the numerical methods of Euler and Runge Kutta to do so and to evaluate thermodynamic parameters of the reaction. These equations relate several characteristics of a fluid and for the type of specific reaction are tested to obtain the profile of Xa, Xb and γ, these being, dimensionless, that for Xa and Xb show how A is spent and B is produced and γ serves to relate the input temperature and at a certain point in the reactor. For the stationary solution, the bisection method was used to find the γ and then Xa and Xb. To solve the differential equations, the Euler and Runge-Kutta methods of the 4th order were used. From this the profiles were evaluated, and a great "sensitivity" was verified in the equations, since any change of parameters affected drastically in the iterations of the numerical methods. However, it was possible to find values for Xa, Xb and gamma that made chemical and mathematical sense for both a theoretical and a practical example (cyclopropanepropene). It was possible to evaluate the decay and ascent profiles of reagents and products using Excel as a tool, and the differential equations proposed in this study were successfully used.
Dynamic rate Erlang-A queues

The multi-server queue with non-homogeneous Poisson arrivals and customer abandonment is a fundamental dynamic rate queueing model for large-scale service systems such as call centers and hospitals. Scaling the arrival rates and number of servers arises naturally when a manager updates a staffing schedule in response to a forecast of increased customer demand. Mathematically, this type of scaling ultimately gives us the fluid and diffusion limits as found in Mandelbaum et al. (Queueing Syst 30(1):149–201, 1998) for Markovian service networks. These asymptotics were inspired by the Halfin and Whitt (Oper Res 29(3):567–588, 1981) scaling for multi-server queues. In this paper, we provide a review and an in-depth analysis of the Erlang-A queueing model. We prove new results about cumulant moments of the Erlang-A queue, the transient behavior of the Erlang-A limit cycle, new fluid limits for the delay time of a virtual customer, and optimal static staffing policies for healthcare systems. We combine tools from queueing theory, ordinary differential equations, complex analysis, cumulant moments, orthogonal polynomials, and dynamic optimization to obtain new insights about this fundamental queueing model.
Contributions Toward a Theory of Lodging

Theory building is a scholarly pursuit that requires rigor in the process of observation, classification, and then defining relationships. The first step of observation in exploring a potential the...
THE EFFECT OF ALBUMIN ON THE SIZE-LIMITING STRUCTURES DETERMINING TRANSCAPILLARY EXCHANGE

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the effect of albumin on the size-limiting structures determining transcapillary exchange. Removal of plasma proteins from the perfusate causes an increased permeability and decreased selectivity of the walls of the continuous capillaries of mammalian muscle and frog mesentery. In individually perfused capillaries of frog mesentery, it has been shown that a fivefold increase in the hydraulic conductivity of the capillary wall is reversed by the addition of albumin, γ globulin, or hemoglobin to the capillary perfusate. In a study described in the chapter, the ultrastructure of capillaries perfused without albumin was examined and no conspicuous abnormalities were found. It was shown that albumin combines reversibly with some electron-lucent component of the capillary wall to increase the frictional resistance of transcapillary channels to water and hydrophilic solutes. The hypothesis that albumen is a component of a size limiting fibrous network within transcapillary channels conforms to the experimental data obtained from the present study. The physical and chemical properties of the fibrous network must be considered in future attempts to correlate the structure and function of the capillary wall.
Discrete Predictive Analysis in Probabilistic Safety Assessment

Methods are presented for predicting future component failures for probabilistic safety assessments in the nuclear industry. Failure counts are modeled with Poisson and binomial distributions. Common cause failure (CCF) prediction is investigated, and a..
Validation of a next-generation sequencing oncology panel optimized for low input DNA.

Abstract One caveat of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based clinical oncology testing is the high amount of input DNA required. We sought to develop a focused NGS panel that could capture hotspot regions in relevant genes requiring 0.5–10 ng input DNA. The resulting Penn Precision Panel (PPP) targeted 20 genes containing clinically significant variants relevant to many cancers. One hundred twenty-three samples were analyzed, including 83 solid tumor specimens derived from FFPE. Various input quantities of DNA (0.5–10 ng) were amplified with content-specific PCR primer pools, then sequenced on a MiSeq instrument (Illumina, Inc.) via paired-end, 2 × 186 base pair reads to an average read depth of greater than 6500x. Variants were detected using an in-house analysis pipeline. Clinical sensitivity and specificity were assessed using results from our previously validated solid tumor NGS panel; sensitivity of the PPP is 96.75% (387/400 variants) and specificity is 99.9% (8427/8428 base pairs). Variant allele frequencies (VAFs) are highly concordant across both assays (r = 0.98 p
Trends in mortality and resource utilization for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the United States: 2008-2014.

Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is used as a life-sustaining measure in patients with acute or end-stage cardiac or respiratory failure. We analyzed national trends in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use and outcomes and assessed the influence of hospital demographics. Methods Adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients in the 2008–2014 National Inpatient Sample were evaluated. Patient and hospital characteristics, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation indication, mortality, and hospital costs were analyzed. Results A total 17,020 adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients were considered: 47.4% respiratory failure, 38.6% postcardiotomy, 5.5% lung transplantation, 5.5% cardiogenic shock, and 3.2% heart transplantation. Admissions rose 361% from 1,026 in 2008 to 4,815 in 2014 (P Conclusion The past decade has seen an exponential growth of ECMO extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the United States, with the fraction for respiratory failure displaying considerable growth. Overall extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients experienced substantially reduced mortality, driven by improved outcomes for postcardiotomy patients, along with a trend toward an increased risk profile. Disproportionate use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the Northeast warrants investigation of access to this technology across the United States.
Association of Clinical and Social Factors With Excess Hypertension Risk in Black Compared With White US Adults

Importance The high prevalence of hypertension among the US black population is a major contributor to disparities in life expectancy; however, the causes for higher incidence of hypertension among black adults are unknown. Objective To evaluate potential factors associated with higher risk of incident hypertension among black adults. Design, Setting, and Participants Prospective cohort study of black and white adults selected from a longitudinal cohort study of 30 239 participants as not having hypertension at baseline (2003-2007) and participating in a follow-up visit 9.4 years (median) later. Exposures There were 12 clinical and social factors, including score for the Southern diet (range, −4.5 to 8.2; higher values reflect higher level of adherence to the dietary pattern), including higher fried and related food intake. Main Outcomes and Measures Incident hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, or use of antihypertensive medications) at the follow-up visit. Results Of 6897 participants (mean [SD] age, 62 [8] years; 26% were black adults; and 55% were women), 46% of black participants and 33% of white participants developed hypertension. Black men had an adjusted mean Southern diet score of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.72 to 0.90); white men, −0.26 (95% CI, −0.31 to −0.21); black women, 0.27 (95% CI, 0.20 to 0.33); and white women, −0.57 (95% CI, −0.61 to −0.54). The Southern diet score was significantly associated with incident hypertension for men (odds ratio [OR], 1.16 per 1 SD [95% CI, 1.06 to 1.27]; incidence of 32.4% at the 25th percentile and 36.1% at the 75th percentile; difference, 3.7% [95% CI, 1.4% to 6.2%]) and women (OR, 1.17 per 1 SD [95% CI, 1.08 to 1.28]; incidence of 31.0% at the 25th percentile and 34.8% at the 75th percentile; difference, 3.8% [95% CI, 1.5% to 5.8%]). The Southern dietary pattern was the largest mediating factor for differences in the incidence of hypertension, accounting for 51.6% (95% CI, 18.8% to 84.4%) of the excess risk among black men and 29.2% (95% CI, 13.4% to 44.9%) of the excess risk among black women. Among black men, a higher dietary ratio of sodium to potassium and an education level of high school graduate or less each mediated 12.3% of the excess risk of incident hypertension. Among black women, higher body mass index mediated 18.3% of the excess risk; a larger waist, 15.2%; less adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, 11.2%; income level of $35 000 or less, 9.3%; higher dietary ratio of sodium to potassium, 6.8%; and an education level of high school graduate or less, 4.1%. Conclusions and Relevance In a mediation analysis comparing incident hypertension among black adults vs white adults in the United States, key factors statistically mediating the racial difference for both men and women included Southern diet score, dietary ratio of sodium to potassium, and education level. Among women, waist circumference and body mass index also were key factors.
Developing Conversational Natural Language Interface to a Database

In this Chapter we focus on a problem of a natural language access to a database, well-known and highly desired to be solved. We start with the modern approaches based on deep learning and analyze lessons learned from unusable database access systems. This chapter can serve as a brief introduction to neural networks for learning logic representations. Then a number of hybrid approaches are presented and their strong points are analyzed. Finally, we describe our approach that relies on parsing, thesaurus and disambiguation via chatbot communication mode. The conclusion is that a reliable and flexible database access via NL needs to employ a broad spectrum of linguistic, knowledge representation and learning techniques. We conclude this chapter by surveying the general technology trends related to NL2SQL, observing how AI and ML are seeping into virtually everything and represent a major battleground for technology providers.
Trade union mobilisation and democratic institutionalisation in the Republic of Niger

The article examines the effect of union mobilisation on democratisation in the Republic of Niger between 1990 and 2010. It focuses on the Union des syndicats des travailleurs du Niger (USTN), a le...
Behavioral Health Services for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

This chapter provides an overview of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), focusing on the importance of behavioral health professionals to be prepared to competently provide treatment to individuals with disabilities and to recognize individuals with IDD as a unique culture rather than a population that should be pathologized and treated with special care. The authors maintain that it is important for professionals to embrace this vibrant culture and become aware of the disability rights movement and how it affects the counseling relationship, that empowerment is a critical responsibility of behavioral health professionals, and that behavioral healthcare professionals need to work with individuals with disabilities and be willing to get involved in the self-advocacy movement.
Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma on multidetector CT: spectrum of disease

Urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UUT) is a relatively uncommon genitourinary malignancy, accounting for about 5-7% of urothelial tumors. The significant features of this tumor are multifocality and high rate of recurrence. Computed tomography urography (CTU) has replaced excretory urography (EU) and retrograde pyelography (RP) for imaging of upper tract urothelial carcinoma. While many studies have confirmed high sensitivity (88-100%) and specificity (93-100%) of CTU, an optimized CT protocol is of critical importance in screening, staging, and post-operative follow-up of patients (Chlapoutakis, Eur J Radiol 73(2):334-338, 2010; Caoli and Cohan, Abdom Radiol (NY) 41(6):1100-1107, 2016). The key element of the CT protocol is to have adequate distension of the collecting system with excreted contrast, to detect subtle lesions at an early stage. In this article, we discuss the background of upper urinary tract TTC, pathogenesis, CT protocol and the role of imaging in evaluation of this malignancy, staging, as well as different imaging appearances.
Inhibition of AKT Signaling Potently Inhibits the Growth of JAK and MPL-Mutant Cells in the Myeloproliferative Neoplasms In Vitro and In Vivo,

Abstract Abstract 3862 Somatic mutations in JAK2 and MPL are associated with the BCR-ABL negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF). While oral JAK2 inhibitors improve peripheral blood counts and splenomegaly, these drugs show varying effects on JAK2 mutant allele burden and do not eliminate the malignant clone in humans or in animal models of MPN. Although much of the research to date has focused on JAK/STAT signaling, other pathways downstream of the class I cytokine receptors, including PI3K/AKT and ERK are also activated in MPNs. Our hypothesis is that persistent activation of these signaling pathways contributes to the progression of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Multiple studies have shown that overexpression of activated JAK2 and MPL mutants (e.g. JAK2 V617F or MPL W515L) in primary murine bone marrow cells causes robust AKT, STAT3, and STAT5, JNK, ERK phosphorylation. To determine the extent to which these signaling pathways are involved in the disease, we cultured JAK2 V617F and MPL W515L expressing clones of the G1ME and 6133 megakaryocytic cell lines with a panel of small molecule kinase inhibitors. We discovered that inhibition of the PI3K/AKT and MAPK/JNK signaling pathways with triciribine and SP600125 respectively, potently suppressed growth of these cells by inducing G1 arrest and apoptosis. In contrast, inhibitors of Ras, ERK, Src family tyrosine kinase, and PKC failed to significantly inhibit proliferation of the JAK2 or MPL mutant expressing cells. Murine bone marrow cells transduced with MPL W515L show a dramatic expansion of megakaryocytes (CFU-MKs) and this expansion was abrogated in the presence of PI3K/AKT inhibitors suggesting a requirement for this pathway in aberrant megakaryocyte expansion. Since AKT inhibition showed the strongest effect, we assayed the activity of MK-2206, a potent and selective allosteric AKT inhibitor, on multiple models of MPNs. We discovered that MK-2206 induced proliferative arrest and apoptosis accompanied by suppression of PI3K/AKT signaling in G1ME and 6133 cells expressing MPLW515L. MK-2206 also potently inhibited liquid culture growth and colony formation of PMF patient CD34+ cells in vitro. Finally, in preliminary murine transplants experiments with MPLW515L expressing bone marrow progenitors, treatment with MK-2206 led to significant reductions in peripheral blood leukocytosis and extramedullary hematopoiesis. Together, these findings demonstrate that the PI3K/AKT axis represents a rational target for therapy in human myeloproliferative neoplasms. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Toddler affect with mothers and fathers: the importance of infant attachment

The present study examined the degree to which toddlers’ affect at 20 months during the Parent Ignore Toddler Situation (PITS), a modified still-face paradigm, with mothers and fathers was predicte...
Hybridization between Whiptail Lizards in Texas: Aspidoscelis laredoensis and A. Gularis, with Notes on Reproduction of a Hybrid

Karyotypes and allozyme data for 32 genetic loci overwhelmingly support the conclusion that Aspidoscelis laredoensis is a diploid all-female species that had a hybrid origin between A. gularis × A. sexlineatus. Comparisons of allozymes in individuals representing three mother-to-daughter generations raised in the laboratory suggest that they reproduce by parthenogenetic cloning. In addition to two previously described morphotypes (pattern classes A and B) that occur in southern Texas, we report the existence of three all-female clonal lineages based on allozymes. Individuals of at least one of these lineages occasionally hybridize in nature with males of A. gularis, producing viable and healthy triploid offspring that can grow to adulthood, one of which herself produced an offspring in the laboratory and could have represented a new, clonal triploid species. The possibility exists that cloned offspring of triploid hybrids are present in South Texas and/or northern Mexico, awaiting discovery. These would represent a new species that would appear to be very similar to A. laredoensis.
Transgender Fashion: Developing a Gender Identity Framework for ‘Transgender’ Identities

The purpose of this research is to explore gender identities anddescriptors to develop a gender identity framework to position varying termsdescribing Transgender identities. As Transgender and Queer identities havebecoming increasingly visible, in both a positive and negative light, there hasbecome a need to cater to this understudied and diverse group regardingconsumer markets. Issues commonly brought up today are the reactions andattitudes store owners and employees have towards assisting queer people whenshopping for apparel (Gordon, 2011; Mazziota, 2016). Providing atrans-accessible fashion market does not just appeal to transgenderindividuals, but also the entire LGBT community, in addition to non-LGBTindividuals that are advocates for the trans community such as friends, family,and allies (Difrancesco, 2017).
Just noticeable color difference: implications for display systems

According to MIL-HDBK-87213, the goal in full color displays is to have the color primaries widely separated and/or provide filtering such that they will stay widely separated when exposed to, and mixed with, ambient light. Modern color displays boast a phenomenal number of colors, typically based on the number of luminance (gray) levels per color sub-pixel raised to a power determined by the number of distinct color sub-pixels. Because display color should (“must” per the given handbook) be evaluated to assure that it is fully usable and aesthetically acceptable, this paper reports preliminary findings in the determination of Just Noticeable Differences (JNDs) in luminance for the red, green, and blue color primaries over a given luminance range for a particular Display Under Test (DUT).
Associations of childhood abuse and combat exposure with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in U.S. military veterans: a nationally representative study

Abstract Background Military veterans with a history of childhood abuse are at increased risk for suicidality. To date, however, little research has examined whether exposure to childhood abuse may heighten veterans’ susceptibility to the effects of combat exposure and increase risk for suicidal behavior. This study examined whether childhood abuse has an additive or interactive effect on the association between combat exposure and suicide-related outcomes in a national sample of veterans. Methods Data were from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a nationally representative survey of U.S. veterans (n = 3,157). Analyses compared veterans with/without current suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide attempts (SI/SA) on sociodemographic, military, and clinical characteristics; and examined the unique contribution of childhood physical and sexual abuse and combat exposure, and their interaction, with SI/SA. Results After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and lifetime trauma burden, a significant interaction emerged between childhood sexual abuse and combat exposure predicting SI, such that combat-exposed veterans with histories of abuse were nearly three times more likely to currently be contemplating suicide relative to those without such histories. Childhood sexual abuse predicted lifetime suicide attempt, above and beyond sociodemographic characteristics, lifetime trauma burden, and combat exposure. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. Conclusions Results indicate that childhood sexual abuse exposure may operate both independently and synergistically with combat exposure to increase risk for suicidality among veterans. Findings suggest that veterans who experience childhood sexual abuse represent a subgroup that may be especially vulnerable to experiencing suicidal ideation following combat exposure.
Identifying Clinically and Functionally Distinct Groups Among Healthy Controls and First Episode Psychosis Patients by Clustering on EEG Patterns

Objective The mismatch negativity (MMN) is considered as a promising biomarker that can inform future therapeutic studies. However, there is a large variability among patients with first episode psychosis (FEP). Also, most studies report a single electrode site and on comparing case-control group differences. Few have taken advantage of the full wealth of multi-channel EEG signals to examine observable patterns. None, to our knowledge, have used machine learning (ML) approaches to investigate neurophysiological derived subgroups with distinct cognitive and functional outcome characteristics. In this study, we applied ML to empirically stratify individuals into homogeneous subgroups based on multi-channel MMN data. We then characterized the functional, cognitive, and clinical profiles of these neurobiologically derived subgroups. We also explored the underlying low frequency range responses (delta, theta, alpha) during MMN. Methods Clinical, neurocognitive, functioning data of 33 healthy controls and 20 FEP patients were collected. 90% of the patients had 6-month follow-up data. Neurocognition, social cognition, and functioning measures were assessed using the NCCB Cognitive Battery, the Awareness of Social Inference Test, UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment, and Multnomah Community Ability Scale. Symptom severity was collected using the PANSS. MMN amplitude and single-trial derived low frequency activity across 24 frontocentral channels were used as main variables in the ML k-means clustering analyses. Results We found a consistent pattern of two distinctive subgroups. We labeled them as "better functioning" and "poorer functioning" clusters, respectively. Each subgroup can be mapped onto either better or poorer clinical, cognitive, and functioning profiles. Also, we identified two subgroups of patients: one showed improved MMN and one showed worsening of MMN over time. Patients with improved MMN had better follow-up clinical, cognitive, and functioning profile than those with worsening MMN. Among the low frequency bands, delta frequency appeared to be the most relevant to the observed MMN responses in all individuals. However, higher delta responses were not necessarily associated with a better functioning profile, suggesting that delta frequency alone may not be useful in clinical characterization. Conclusions The ML approach could be a robust tool to explore heterogeneity and facilitate the identification of neurobiological homogeneous subgroups in FEP.
In vivo neuroprotective effect of a self-assembled peptide hydrogel

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with poor intrinsic healing responses and long-term cognitive decline. A major pathological outcome of TBI is acute glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity (GME) experienced by neurons. Short peptides based on the neuroprotective extracellular glycoprotein ependymin have shown the ability to slow down the effect of GME — however, such short peptides tend to diffuse away from target sites after in vivo delivery. We have designed a self-assembling peptide containing an ependymin mimic that can form nanofibrous matrices. The peptide was evaluated in situ to assess neuroprotective utility after an acute fluid-percussion injury. This biomimetic matrix can conform to the intracranial damaged site after delivery, due its shear-responsive rheological properties. We demonstrated the potential efficacy of the peptide for supporting neuronal survival in vitro and in vivo. Our study demonstrates the potential of these implantable acellular hydrogels for managing the acute (up to 7 days) pathophysiological sequelae after traumatic brain injury. Further work is needed to evaluate less invasive administrative routes and long-term functional and behavioral improvements after injury.
Women in combat: The effects of combat exposure and gender on the incidence and persistence of posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis

Recent expansions in the roles of women in combat have prompted increased interest in the psychological toll combat exposure may have on female service members as compared to males. This study examined the interactive effects of gender and combat exposure on transitions in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic status (presence or absence of PTSD diagnosis). We used administrative data of 20,000 U.S. Army soldiers whose combat exposure was assessed after return from deployment between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2014; soldiers' PTSD diagnostic status was determined using International Classification of Diseases-9 diagnoses at four time points separated by 12 months. We used a mixed-effects logit transition model to examine the effects of combat and gender on incidence, persistence, and prevalence of PTSD diagnosis. Incidence and prevalence of PTSD diagnosis were higher among women, but persistence of PTSD diagnosis was higher in men. Higher rates of new PTSD diagnosis among women were not dependent on combat exposure, suggesting that other types of trauma may be responsible for increased rates among women. Gender differences in prevalence and persistence of PTSD diagnosis were greater among combat-exposed soldiers than among those not exposed to combat. Men maintained a PTSD diagnosis over longer periods of time than women suggesting greater PTSD persistence, and this pattern was particularly pronounced among soldiers exposed to combat. These results have implications for the recent policy changes and gender-based prevention strategies, and suggest that women in combat roles may be no more vulnerable to PTSD than are their male counterparts. Though the gender differences were small, they are indicative of healthcare utilization patterns that may be important for prevention and that warrant further exploration.
Due Processes of Governance: Terror, the Rule of Law, and the Limits of Institutional Design

The George W. Bush administration was more aggressive than most in asserting independent executive competence pursuant to the president's joint roles as commander in chief of the armed forces and as head of the executive branch. One of its legacies is that the rule of law is an unsettled matter, both intellectually and practically. While constitutional reform to provide a framework for law-based governance under emergency conditions may be required, it is unlikely to occur. Analysis should consider how to improve the design and operation of microstructures within the executive branch. This article surveys options for instituting design changes but concludes that no such option is compelling, given the requirements of good lawyering about contentious issues within the executive branch. It recommends systematic deliberation about “best practices” in executive branch lawyering—with the ambition of articulating a practical theory on the due processes of governance that encompasses the special circumstances of emergency conditions.
Physical Strength Partly Explains Sex Differences in Trait Anxiety in Young Americans.

Among the most consistent sex differences to emerge from personality research is that women score higher than men on the Big Five personality trait Neuroticism. However, there are few functionally ...
Artificial Intelligence in Acute Kidney Injury: From Static to Dynamic Models

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the development of computer systems that normally require human intelligence. In the field of acute kidney injury (AKI) AI has led to an evolution of risk prediction models. In the past, static prediction models were developed using baseline (eg, preoperative) data to evaluate AKI risk. Newer models which incorporated baseline as well as evolving data collected during a hospital admission have shown improved predicative abilities. In this review, we will summarize the advances made in AKI risk prediction over the last several years, including a shift toward more dynamic, real-time, electronic medical record-based models. In addition, we will be discussing the role of electronic AKI alerts and decision support tools. Recent studies have demonstrated improved patient outcomes through the use of these tools which monitor for nephrotoxin medication exposures as well as provide kidney focused care bundles for patients at high risk for severe AKI. Finally, we will briefly discuss the pitfalls and implications of implementing these scores, alerts, and support tools.
Experimental and numerical investigation of adding castor methyl ester and alumina nanoparticles on performance and emissions of a diesel engine

Abstract Diesel engine characteristics investigated numerically and experimentally while adding different concentrations of alumina Nano particle to the castor oil biodiesel. Experimental work conducted on single cylinder diesel engine taking into account different conditions of load. The Russian diesel-rk software is used to perform the numerical part. Three doses of Al2O3 are added to 20% CME biodiesel starting from 25 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm. Numerically it is observed that adding 25 ppm Al2O3 to 20% CME reduced BSFC by 16.66% while it was 14.86% in the experimental results. The hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) are reduced significantly compared to the case of 20%CME biodiesel. The experimental findings showed that with 25 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm of Al2O3 to biodiesel (20%CME), the opacity of smoke are decreased by 5.2%, 12%, and 17.0%. Maximum reduction in NOX is obtained for 25 ppm Al2O3 where 11% is recorded followed by 4.89% and 4.32% in case of 50 ppm and 100 ppm respectively. Best concentration of Nano addition is 25 ppm since no noticeable change is captured beyond (25) ppm for all parameters under scope. The numerical results are validated with experimental findings as well as with the results of other researchers.
The Nature of Constitutions

A nation’s political constitution consists of durable procedures and constraints that define the methods and limits of lawful governance. The procedural aspects of a constitution include the general architecture of the government—the legislature, executive, and court system—and the duties and powers of the constituent parts of government. Constitutional procedures also specify, at least in a general way, how persons are to be selected for important official positions within government and what their general responsibilities are. The constitutional procedures of a democracy include its electoral rules for selecting representatives and its procedures for making policy within the elected government. A democratic constitution may also constrain the proper domain of governance by requiring government to address certain policy issues and refrain from others. The latter are often characterized by a “bill of rights,” which stipulates areas in which private decisions or those of other levels of government are to be protected from central government intrusion.
Prospects for a test method for rating floor toppings on joist floors

A study on the current efforts to develop a test method for rating floor toppings on joist floors is carried out. An essential component of a new test procedure is a new rating that deals with low-frequency noise transmission. The results suggest that any improvement spectrum from a test method will not be applicable to all kinds of joist floors.
Evidence Law as Pragmatic Legal Rhetoric: Reconnecting Legal Scholarship, Teaching and Ethics

The three dimensions of epistemology, pedagogy, and ethics are central to the notion of pragmatic legal rhetoric as I understand and practice it. In Part I of this article, I try to define, as succinctly as possible, what I mean by “pragmatic legal rhetoric,” and argue that understanding this concept has utility not only for scholars, but also for professors of Evidence, advocacy, procedure, and, perhaps, even for law professors generally. Throughout the article, I have made a “rhetorical” choice to keep philosophical jargon to a minimum. However, if the somewhat philosophical discussion of Part I is not of interest to the reader of this article, one can easily skip to Part II, where I explain how I teach particular aspects of the Evidence course from a perspective of pragmatic legal rhetoric. In the Conclusion, I suggest the consequences of a pragmatic legal rhetoric perspective for teaching Evidence, or any law school subject.
Experimental Results of Concurrent Learning Adaptive Controllers

Commonly used Proportional-Integral-Derivative based UAV ight controllers are often seen to provide adequate trajectory-tracking performance only after extensive tuning. The gains of these controllers are tuned to particular platforms, which makes transferring controllers from one UAV to other time-intensive. This paper suggests the use of adaptive controllers in speeding up the process of extracting good control performance from new UAVs. In particular, it is shown that a concurrent learning adaptive controller improves the trajectory tracking performance of a quadrotor with baseline linear controller directly imported from another quadrotors whose inertial characteristics and throttle mapping are very di erent. Concurrent learning adaptive control uses speci cally selected and online recorded data concurrently with instantaneous data and is capable of guaranteeing tracking error and weight error convergence without requiring persistency of excitation. Flight-test results are presented on indoor quadrotor platforms operated in MIT’s RAVEN environment. These results indicate the feasibility of rapidly developing high-performance UAV controllers by using adaptive control to augment a controller transferred from another UAV with similar control assignment structure.
Systematic Modulation of Hydrogen Bond Donors in Aminoazobenzene Derivatives Provides Further Evidence for the Concerted Inversion Photoisomerization Pathway

A series of aminoazobenzene derivatives structurally related to AzoAMP-1 have been prepared and characterized by using a variety of analytical techniques. AzoAMP-1 is based on 2,2′-diaminoazobenzene with N-methylpyridine groups. The new derivatives all contain a hydrogen bond between the aniline hydrogen atom and the azo group, as well as a separate pendant functional group that could contribute an additional hydrogen-bond acceptor to an intramolecular network. A combination of photoisomerization studies and NMR spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic investigations suggest that AzoAMP-1 possesses a unique structure that prevents isomerization through the concerted inversion pathway, which cannot be reproduced with other types or arrangements of substituents. Only AzoAMQ, which contains a similar quinolone heterocycle in place of the pyridine group of AzoAMP-1, displayed somewhat similar photochemistry.
Physicochemical controls on adsorbed water film thickness in unsaturated geological media

Physicochemical Controls on Adsorbed Water Film Thickness in Unsaturated Geological Media Tetsu K. Tokunaga Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 1 Cyclotron Road, ms 70-108B Berkeley, CA 94720 tktokunaga@lbl.gov 1 of 36
Transaminase activity in coronary heart disease; determinations of serum lactic dehydrogenase, glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, and glutamic pyruvic transaminase activity.

Abstract Serial determinations of serum LDH, GOT, and GPT were performed on 40 patients with coronary heart disease. Activity in the serum of LDH and GOT correlated very well with electrocardiographic and clinical evidence of recent myocardial infarction. GPT levels did not correlate with any degree of consistency. Elevated serum LDH and GOT activities are valuable signs of myocardial necrosis in those patients presenting the Clinical and laboratory picture of acute coronary insufficiency or angina pectoris. It is suggested that elevated serum LDH and GOT levels indicate myocardial necrosis in those patients presenting the clinical and laboratory picture of coronary insufficiency or angina pectoris.
Focus on: structural and functional brain abnormalities in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Children exposed to alcohol prenatally can experience significant deficits in cognitive and psychosocial functioning as well as alterations in brain structure and function related to alcohol’s teratogenic effects. These impairments are present both in children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and in children with heavy in utero alcohol exposure who do not have facial dysmorphology required for the FAS diagnosis. Neuropsychological and behavioral studies have revealed deficits in most cognitive domains measured, including overall intellectual functioning, attention/working memory, executive skills, speed of processing, and academic skills in children and adolescents across the range of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). As with neuropsychological studies, brain-imaging studies have detected differences in brain structure related to alcohol exposure in multiple brain systems and abnormalities in the white matter that connects these brain regions. Several studies have found relationships between these morphological differences and cognitive function, suggesting some clinical significance to the structural brain abnormalities. Concentrations of neurotransmitter metabolites within the brains of prenatally exposed children also appear to be altered, and functional imaging studies have identified significant differences in brain activation related to working memory, learning, and inhibitory control in children and adolescents with FASD.
Studies on the energy metabolism of pig red cells. II. Lactate formation from free ribose and deoxyribose with maintenance of ATP.

Abstract 1. 1. In a study of the metabolism of a series of free pentoses by pig red cells, only ribose and deoxyribose broke down to form lactate and were able to maintain ATP. 2. 2. The rates of ribose and deoxyribose consumption were 0.59 and 1.02 μM/ml cells · h at a substrate concentration of 5 mM. The ratio of lactate produced to pentose consumed was 1.23 for ribose and 0.93 for deoxyribose. 3. 3. Ribose is metabolized optimally at a concentration of 3 mM, as shown by the rate of lactate formation, as well as ATP maintenance. At higher concentrations this sugar increasingly inhibits its own metabolism. 4. 4. Using the arbitrary criterion of the percent of initial ATP remaining in the cells following 8 h incubation at 38°, it is shown that maintenance of ATP is linearly related to the rate of lactate production. A metabolic rate at least 1.0 μM lactate/ml cells · h is necessary to insure maintenance of initial levels of ATP for 8 h. 5. 5. When the permeability of the cell membrane to hydrophillic solutes is increased by exposure to the polyene antibiotic, amphotericin B, increasing the amount of glucose in the medium results in an increase in the rate of lactate accumulation. Under the same conditions, this drug severely inhibits ribose metabolism at all levels of the sugar. 6. 6. In the presence of amphotericin B, ATP is rapidly depleted. Glucose can improve. ATP maintenance under these circumstances, but ribose cannot. 7. 7. Although ouabain promotes a higher level of ATP in cells exposed to amphotericin B, they do not recover their ability to utilize ribose.