cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Invariant Natural Killer T Cells As Suppressors of Graft-versus-Host Disease in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells serve as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity and have been shown to play an important role in immune regulation, defense against pathogens, and cancer immunity. Recent data also suggests that this compartment of the immune system plays a significant role in reducing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in the setting of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Murine studies have shown that boosting iNKT numbers through certain conditioning regimens or adoptive transfer leads to suppression of acute or chronic GVHD. Preclinical work reveals that iNKT cells exert their suppressive function by expanding regulatory T cells in vivo, though the exact mechanism by which this occurs has yet to be fully elucidated. Human studies have demonstrated that a higher number of iNKT cells in the graft or in the peripheral blood of the recipient post-transplantation is associated with a reduction in GVHD risk, importantly without a loss of graft-versus-tumor effect. In two separate analyses of many immune cell subsets in allogeneic grafts, iNKT cell dose was the only parameter associated with a significant improvement in GVHD or in GVHD-free progression-free survival. Failure to reconstitute iNKT cells following allogeneic transplantation has also been associated with an increased risk of relapse. These data demonstrate that iNKT cells hold promise for future clinical application in the prevention of GVHD in allogeneic stem cell transplantation and warrant further study of the immunoregulatory functions of iNKT cells in this setting.
Teaching Principles of Endocrinology Using the Tobacco Hornworm

Insects provide an excellent model for examining concepts in endocrinology in the classroom. They are relatively inexpensive to rear, short-lived, and free from animal welfare regulations. Using the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) as a model, we have developed a simple laboratory experiment to demonstrate the role of hormones in development. In this experiment, students will use a readily available agonist to disrupt insect development, preventing metamorphosis. This exercise fits well into the AP lab curriculum and the NGSS LSB.1 objectives.
Low-temperature internal friction in (Co 45 Fe 45 Zr 10 ) x (Al 2 O 3 ) 100- x , Co x (CaF 2 ) 100- x , and Co x (PZT) 100- x nanocomposites

Elastic (G) and inelastic (Q –1) properties of (Co45Fe45Zr10)x(Al2O3)100–x, Cox(CaF2)100–x, and Cox(PZT)100–x (x = 23–76 at %) nanocomposites synthesized by ion-beam sputtering have been studied in the temperature interval of 170–270 K. Internal friction maxima have been found in the temperature interval of 225–245 K. It has been established that the amplitude of these maxima, which are associated with atom hopping within metallic grains, increases with the metallic-phase content.
ARMMs as a versatile platform for intracellular delivery of macromolecules

Majority of disease-modifying therapeutic targets are restricted to the intracellular space and are therefore not druggable using existing biologic modalities. The ability to efficiently deliver macromolecules inside target cells or tissues would greatly expand the current landscape of therapeutic targets for future generations of biologic drugs, but remains challenging. Here we report the use of extracellular vesicles, known as arrestin domain containing protein 1 [ARRDC1]-mediated microvesicles (ARMMs), for packaging and intracellular delivery of a myriad of macromolecules, including the tumor suppressor p53 protein, RNAs, and the genome-editing CRISPR-Cas9/guide RNA complex. We demonstrate selective recruitment of these macromolecules into ARMMs. When delivered intracellularly via ARMMs, these macromolecules are biologically active in recipient cells. P53 delivered via ARMMs induces DNA damage-dependent apoptosis in multiple tissues in mice. Together, our results provide proof-of-principle demonstration that ARMMs represent a highly versatile platform for packaging and intracellular delivery of therapeutic macromolecules.
Comparison of plume dynamics for laser ablated metals: Al and Ti

Emissive plumes from pulsed laser ablation of bulk Ti and Al from KrF laser irradiation at laser fluence up to 3.5 J/cm2 and argon background pressures of 0–1 Torr have been observed using gated intensified charged-coupled device imagery. Mass loss for Ti increases from 0.1 to 0.8 μg/pulse as pulse energy increase from 174 to 282 mJ/pulse (35–170 photons/atom) and decreases by ∼30% as pressure increases from vacuum to 1 Torr. Early plume energies are described by the free expansion velocities of 1.57 ± 0.02 and of 1.81 ± 0.07 cm/μs for Ti and Al, respectively, and up to 90% of the incoming laser energy can be attributed to the Al shock front in the mid-field. The ablation thresholds of 90 ± 27 mJ (1.12 ± 0.34 J/cm2) for Ti and 126 ± 13 mJ (1.58 ± 0.16 J/cm2) for Al also represent 30%–70% of the incident laser energy. The decrease in mass loss at higher pressures is attributed to plasma shielding of the target surface.
Dopamine D2 Receptors in Dopaminergic Neurons Modulate Performance in a Reversal Learning Task in Mice

Neuroimaging studies in animal models and human subjects have each revealed that relatively low striatal dopamine D2-like receptor binding potential is associated with poor impulse control and with vulnerability for addiction-related behaviors. These studies cannot, however, disambiguate the roles for various pools of D2 receptors found in the striatum (e.g., those expressed on medium spiny striato-pallidal neurons vs on dopamine-releasing nerve terminals) in these behavioral outcomes. To clarify the role of the latter pool, namely, D2 autoreceptors, we studied mice carrying a conditional DRD2 gene, with or without Cre-recombinase expressed under the transcriptional control of the dopamine transporter gene locus (autoDrd2-KO, n = 19 and controls, n = 21). These mice were tested for locomotor response to cocaine, and spatial reversal learning was assessed in operant conditioning chambers. As predicted, compared to control mice, autoDrd2-KO animals demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the locomotor stimulating effect of cocaine (10 mg/kg, i.p.), confirming previous research using a similar genetic model. In the spatial reversal learning task, autoDrd2-KO mice were slower to reach a learning criterion and had difficulty sustaining a prolonged nose poke response, measurements conceptually related to impaired response inhibition. Rate of learning of the initial discrimination and latencies to collect rewards, to initiate trials and to produce a response were unaffected by genetic deletion of D2 autoreceptors, discarding possible motor and motivational factors. Together, these findings confirm the role of D2 autoreceptors in reversal learning and suggest a broader involvement in behavioral inhibition mechanisms.
The effect of smoking on 30-day outcomes in elective hernia repair

Abstract Background Adverse postoperative outcomes related to smoking are well established, yet current smokers continue to be offered elective surgery in the US. It is unknown whether patients undergoing low-risk, elective procedures, who actively smoke experience increased risk of complications. We sought to determine the increased burden of complications following elective hernia repair procedures in patients identified as current smokers. Methods We identified patients undergoing elective incisional, inguinal, umbilical, or ventral hernia repair from 2011 to 2014 using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS NSQIP) database. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between current smoking and 30-day postoperative outcomes, adjusting for demographics and comorbidities. Results Of 220,629 patients who underwent elective hernia repair, 40,446 (18.3%) self-identified as current smokers within the past 12 months. Current smokers experienced an increased likelihood (Odds Ratio [95% Confidence interval]) of reoperation (OR 1.23 [95% CI 1.11–1.36]), readmission (OR 1.24 [95% CI 1.16–1.32]), and death (OR 1.53 [95% CI 1.06–2.22]). Furthermore, smokers experienced an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary, infectious, and wound complications, but there was no increased risk of requiring transfusion or of postoperative cardiac or thromboembolic events. Conclusions Current smokers were more likely to experience serious postoperative complications within 30 days. Given the volume of elective hernia surgery performed in the US, encouraging smoking cessation prior to offering elective repair could reduce postoperative complications, reoperation, readmission, and mortality.
High Order Approximation by Sublinear and Max-Product Operators Using Convexity

Here we consider quantitatively using convexity the approximation of a function by general positive sublinear operators with applications to Max-product operators. These are of Bernstein type, of Favard–Szasz–Mirakjan type, of Baskakov type, of Meyer–Koning and Zeller type, of sampling type, of Lagrange interpolation type and of Hermite–Fejer interpolation type. Our results are both: under the presence of smoothness and without any smoothness assumption on the function to be approximated which fulfills a convexity property. It follows Anastassiou (Approximation by Sublinear and Max-product Operators using Convexity, 2017, [6]).
Mainland and island populations of Coccothrinax argentata (Arecaceae): revisiting a common garden experiment in its 18th year.

Coccothrinax argentata (Arecaceae) occurs in southern Florida, both on the mainland and in the islands of the Florida Keys. However, the palms from the mainland and Keys display morphological differences that led taxonomists to recognize them as distinct species in the past. They are now treated as a single, polymorphic species, but the question remains: Are the morphological differences best explained by genetics or environment? In 1999, seedlings grown from seeds collected from different populations were planted in a common garden in a randomized plot design. In 2007, the first research was published comparing genetics based on ISSRs to morphological measurements. The research from 2007 showed evidence for a genetic explanation, but with poor resolution. Here, we present new genetic data using microsatellite regions (SSRs), in combination with morphological data from more mature palms. The results support the recognition of two taxa, which we propose at the rank of subspecies.
Individual differences in working memory capacity and search efficiency

In two experiments, we examined how various learning conditions impact the relation between working memory capacity (WMC) and memory search abilities. Experiment 1 employed a delayed free recall task with semantically related words to induce the buildup of proactive interference (PI) and revealed that the buildup of PI differentially impacted recall accuracy and recall latency for low-WMC and high-WMC individuals. Namely, the buildup of PI impaired recall accuracy and slowed recall latency for low-WMC individuals to a greater extent than what was observed for high-WMC individuals. To provide a circumstance in which previously learned information remains relevant over the course of learning, Experiment 2 required participants to complete a multitrial delayed free recall task with unrelated words. Results revealed that with increased practice with the same word list, WMC-related differences were eventually eliminated in interresponse times (IRTs) and recall accuracy, but not recall latency. Thus, despite still accumulating larger search sets, low-WMC individuals searched LTM as efficiently as high-WMC individuals. Collectively, these results are consistent with the notion that under normal free recall conditions, low-WMC individuals search LTM less efficiently than do high-WMC individuals because of their reliance on noisy temporal-contextual cues at retrieval. However, it appears that under conditions in which previously learned items remain relevant at recall, this tendency to rely on vague self-generated retrieval cues can actually facilitate the ability to accurately and quickly recall information.
Overview and Descriptive Statistics

Statistical concepts and methods are not only useful but indeed often indispensable in understanding the world around us. They provide ways of gaining new insights into the behavior of many phenomena that you will encounter in your chosen field of specialization.
Lipschitz Maps and Linearization

For the sake of reference we collect together here a more detailed discussion of some of the topics in the text. These topics, Lipschitz functions, the contraction mapping principle, and the Linearization Theorem, were all mentioned briefly in the main body of the text, but in the interest of pursuing other subjects, many instructors will not wish to cover the additional details discussed here. This is particularly true for the proof of the Linearization Theorem, which is perhaps best left to independent study by the students.
Prematurity and Failure to Thrive: The Interplay of Medical Conditions and Development

Prematurity and failure to thrive are two classic biopsychosocial conditions which present short- and long-term challenges to families and to the physical health and neuropsychological and socioemotional development of children. Prematurity is a common perinatal condition, while failure to thrive typically affects children in infancy and early childhood. Each occurs disproportionately but not exclusively in the context of poverty with associated stressors. Both conditions have the potential to profoundly impact the developing brain at vulnerable periods during neurogenesis. Fortunately, adverse consequences from both may be mitigated to varying degrees by appropriate interventions with child and family. Understanding the pathophysiology and need for multidisciplinary intervention is predicated on appreciating the developmental underpinnings of each condition. Effective treatment requires collaboration between clinicians skilled in medical differential diagnosis and treatment, developmental specialists, nutritionists, social workers, and mental health professionals.
The Hydrazine-O 2 Redox Couple as a Platform for Organocatalytic Oxidation: Benzo[c]cinnoline-Catalyzed Oxidation of Alkyl Halides to Aldehydes.

An organocatalytic oxidation platform that capitalizes on the capacity of hydrazines to undergo rapid autoxidation to diazenes is described. Commercially available benzo[c]cinnoline is shown to catalyze the oxidation of alkyl halides to aldehydes in a novel mechanistic paradigm involving nucleophilic attack, prototropic shift, and hydrolysis. The hydrolysis and reoxidation events occur readily with only adventitious oxygen and water. A survey of the scope of viable substrates is shown along with mechanistic and computational studies that give insight into this mode of catalysis.
Preventing colorectal cancer or early diagnosis: Which is best? A re-analysis of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Evidence Report.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) is the only cancer screening test to lower the risk of death compared to usual care in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We hypothesize that this unique death reduction is more attributable to prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC) than to early diagnosis. The systematic review of the 2016 US Preventive Services Task Force Evidence Report for CRC Screening was used for selection of RCT studies. A random-effects meta-analysis of five FS trials (N = 458,002) and four fecal occult blood test (FOBT) trials (N = 328,767) was performed using intention-to-screen outcomes for death, CRC incidence, and death attributed to CRC; correlation and linear regression analyses explored the relationships between these outcomes. At 10.5-11.9 years of follow-up FS reduces death (relative risk [RR], 0.975; 95% CI, 0.958-0.992 and reduces CRC incidence (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.74-0.84). Within the FS trials death reduction shows a strong linear correlation with CRC incidence reduction (r, 0.95; 95% CI 0.42-0.99). At 15.6-30.0 years of follow-up FOBT does not reduce death (RR, 1.001; 95% CI, 0.992-1.010) or CRC incidence (RR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.89-1.02) but does reduce deaths attributed to CRC (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.78-0.91). Clinical trials of screening FS display a dose-response relationship between the magnitude of CRC prevention and the magnitude of death reduction. Prevention of CRC appears to be the major (or sole) mechanism of action for death reduction by FS in clinical trials. Conversely, early diagnosis of CRC does not appear to reduce death.
Creating Presence from Absence and Sound from Silence

This provocation centers on the question, ?Donde comenzamos? Working at the tension between community and academic listening, I argue that community listening departs from individualism and mere presence as the genesis for listening. Rather, it re-situates the individual within constellations of stories, genealogies, ghosts, and hauntings. It invites, in a Derridean way, a politics of responsibility and justice towards the past, present, and future. Specifically, this provocation dares its readers in writing and rhetorical studies to take community listening seriously; to find solace both with the inability to extract and foreclose upon all knowledges and the inaccessibility for some of community listening.
Neue reaktive Hotmelts halten Spannungen aus

In vielen Bereichen industrieller Anwendungen sind heute reaktive Schmelzklebstoffe auf Basis von Polyurethanen weit verbreitet und gehoren aufgrund des ausgesprochen hohen Leistungsprofils zu den am schnellsten wachsenden Klebstoffgruppen im Markt. Bei Spannungsverklebungen erreichen reaktive Schmelzklebstoffe jedoch rasch ihre Grenzen. Fur zahlreiche Anwendungen — vor allem in sudlichen Landern mit hohen Raumtemperaturen — stellt diese Tatsache fur reaktive Schmelzklebstoffe noch immer ein Problem dar. Es ist nun gelungen, Produkte zu entwickeln, die auch bei hohen Umgebungstemperaturen nach kurzer Zeit hohe Festigkeiten aufbauen.
Association of Changes in Air Quality With Incident Asthma in Children in California, 1993-2014.

Importance Exposure to air pollutants is a well-established cause of asthma exacerbation in children; whether air pollutants play a role in the development of childhood asthma, however, remains uncertain. Objective To examine whether decreasing regional air pollutants were associated with reduced incidence of childhood asthma. Design, Setting, and Participants A multilevel longitudinal cohort drawn from 3 waves of the Southern California Children’s Health Study over a period of air pollution decline. Each cohort was followed up from 4th to 12th grade (8 years): 1993-2001, 1996-2004, and 2006-2014. Final follow-up for these data was June 2014. Population-based recruitment was from public elementary schools. A total of 4140 children with no history of asthma and residing in 1 of 9 Children’s Health Study communities at baseline were included. Exposures Annual mean community-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter less than 10 μm (PM10) and less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) in the baseline year for each of 3 cohorts. Main Outcomes and Measures Prospectively identified incident asthma, collected via questionnaires during follow-up. Results Among the 4140 children included in this study (mean [SD] age at baseline, 9.5 [0.6] years; 52.6% female [n = 2 179]; 58.6% white [n = 2273]; and 42.2% Hispanic [n = 1686]), 525 incident asthma cases were identified. For nitrogen dioxide, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for asthma was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.71-0.90) for a median reduction of 4.3 parts per billion, with an absolute incidence rate decrease of 0.83 cases per 100 person-years. For PM2.5, the IRR was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.67-0.98) for a median reduction of 8.1 μg/m3, with an absolute incidence rate decrease of 1.53 cases per 100 person-years. For ozone, the IRR for asthma was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.71-1.02) for a median reduction of 8.9 parts per billion, with an absolute incidence rate decrease of 0.78 cases per 100 person-years. For PM10, the IRR was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.82-1.07) for a median reduction of 4.0 μg/m3, with an absolute incidence rate decrease of 0.46 cases per 100 person-years. Conclusions and Relevance Among children in Southern California, decreases in ambient nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5between 1993 and 2014 were significantly associated with lower asthma incidence. There were no statistically significant associations for ozone or PM10.
Making Organizations Non-Inclusive: Mandating Gender Diversity On Corporate Boards

Two phenomena that are becoming increasingly important in U.S. corporate governance are: The lack of women representation on boards and the pressure from regulators for corporate leaders to close t...
Harnessing Bacteria That Use Light To Produce Hydrogen

Rhodopseudomonas palustris is one of several types of microorganisms that produce hydrogen gas (H2), a deceptively simple molecule consisting of two protons and two electrons. We study how R. palustris produces H2 in part because this organism so aptly illustrates the different types of data and skill sets that are required to bring a microbial metabolic property into practical use. Focused studies on specific mechanisms, broader approaches to decipher extensive biological networks, and nonbiological skills such as those needed to design and operate hydrogen-producing reactors all come into play as part of an effort to harness microbes to augment and replace unsustainable petrochemical processes.
One-Year Postpartum Mental Health Outcomes of Mothers of Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Women with substance use disorders have high incidences of psychiatric and mood disorders, which may affect their ability to cope with an infant with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), particularly one with a protracted NICU course, exacerbating symptoms of mental health disorders. We examined the incidence of mental health diagnoses in the first 12 postpartum months in mothers of an NAS infant compared to mothers of an infant without NAS. In this retrospective, cohort study, data were extracted from MarketScan® database (2005–2013). NAS newborns were identified using ICD-9 codes. Each mother of an NAS newborn was matched to a mother of a newborn without NAS on age at delivery, birth year, gestational age, NICU stay and maternal mental health diagnoses in the 9 months prior to delivery. Primary outcomes were claims for major depression, postpartum depression, anxiety, adjustment reaction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation. 338 mother-infant pairs met all inclusion/exclusion criteria and were matched 1-to-1 with controls. 245 (73%) of the NAS infants had a NICU admission. Median length of stay for these infants was 10 days compared to 3 days for infants with no NICU admission (p < 0.001). Mothers of NAS infants were more likely to have claims for major depression (33% vs. 15%, p < 0.01), postpartum depression (7% vs. 3%, p = 0.04), and anxiety (27% vs. 13%, p < 0.01). Mothers of infants with NAS have a higher incidence of mental health diagnoses in the first 12 months postpartum compared to mothers of infants without NAS.
Toward RSA-OAEP Without Random Oracles

We show new partial and full instantiation results under chosen-ciphertext security for the widely implemented and standardized RSA-OAEP encryption scheme of Bellare and Rogaway (EUROCRYPT 1994) and two variants. Prior work on such instantiations either showed negative results or settled for “passive” security notions like IND-CPA. More precisely, recall that RSA-OAEP adds redundancy and randomness to a message before composing two rounds of an underlying Feistel transform, whose round functions are modeled as random oracles (ROs), with RSA. Our main results are: Either of the two oracles (while still modeling the other as a RO) can be instantiated in RSA-OAEP under IND-CCA2 using mild standard-model assumptions on the round functions and generalizations of algebraic properties of RSA shown by Barthe, Pointcheval, and Baguelin (CCS 2012). The algebraic properties are only shown to hold at practical parameters for small encryption exponent (\(e=3\)), but we argue they have value for larger e as well. Both oracles can be instantiated simultaneously for two variants of RSA-OAEP, called “t-clear” and “s-clear” RSA-OAEP. For this we use extractability-style assumptions in the sense of Canetti and Dakdouk (TCC 2010) on the round functions, as well as novel yet plausible “XOR-type” assumptions on RSA. While admittedly strong, such assumptions may nevertheless be necessary at this point to make positive progress.
Looking Inside a Student’s Mind:Can An Analysis of Student Concept Maps Measure Changes inEnvironmental Literacy?

This study examined hand drawn concept maps from 34 students, ages 17 – 55, enrolled in a community college environmental biology class. Maps were collected three times during the semester-long course, and analyzed using graphical representation and structural analysis to determine the level of complexity at which students organized and learned the content of environmental science. Graphical changes within concept maps showed a significant increase in the number of complex network-style concept maps generated with a Chi-square analysis calculated a , which exceeds the critical value of 5.99. Structural components within concept maps measured linear increases in the number of nodes, links, and link terms or propositions used. Map components increased by 29% and 35% for nodes and links respectively, and by the end of the semester, measured a 70% increase in proposition usage. In conclusion, significant increases in map propositions and graphical complexity support how students develop skills in articulation of knowledge and demonstrate a more literate understanding of environmental science content.
Physical security design of a digital forensic lab

The physical security design of a digital forensic lab is one of the key components to ensure investigators are providing a secure environment to process and store evidence that has been entrusted ...
Left ventricular strain does not differentiate amyloidogenic profiles in at-risk individuals with TTR Val142Ile

Objectives: To identify echocardiographic signatures featuring left ventricular longitudinal strain (LS) associated with genetic risk for cardiac amyloidosis (CA) due to the TTR Val142Ile (V142I) variant in African American (AA) and Hispanic/Latinx (H/L) individuals. Background: Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (hATTR) can cause CA in 60-70% of older V142I carriers, but amyloid deposition progresses over many years. Disease-modifying therapy for CA is now available and early initiation is a priority for improving outcomes. Genomic screening programs and familial cascade genetic testing uncover pre-symptomatic V142I carriers, yet no guidelines exist for early CA detection. Methods: Exome sequencing data linked to electronic health records (EHRs) of BioMe biobank participants were queried for AA or H/L TTR- and TTR+ (V142I) subjects without hATTR diagnoses and with prior echocardiograms suitable for retrospective LS analysis. Systemic red flag features of ATTR were extracted from EHRs of TTR+ subjects. Speckle tracking echocardiography was retrospectively applied to determine global (GLS) and segmental LS. Relative apical sparing (RAS) was calculated. Results: 57 TTR+ and 46 TTR- age- and ancestry-matched subjects were included. GLS declined with age in females but not males, and was abnormal (<16%) in 18 (31.6%) TTR+ and 7 (15.2%) TTR- subjects (p = 0.066). Apical sparing was observed in 13 (22.8%) TTR+ and 11 (23.9%) TTR- subjects (p = 1.0). After adjusting for relevant demographic and echocardiographic covariates, neither GLS nor RAS was associated with TTR+ V142I status. Red flag features were not associated with GLS or RAS in TTR+ subjects. Conclusions: Neither GLS nor RAS were significantly different between TTR+ and TTR- subjects. Since >50% of TTR+ subjects were ≥ 60 years old, penetrance of CA by echocardiography among unselected V142I carriers may be lower than previously estimated. These findings indicate that surveillance for CA in individuals at increased genetic risk due to V142I should not rely solely on echocardiography, even with LS.
A Multiple Regression Assessment of the Biomineral Urease Activity from Urine Drainpipes of California Rest Areas

Clogging and odor is strongly associated with ureolytic biomineralization in waterless and low-flow urinal drainage systems in high usage settings. These blockages continue to hinder widespread waterless and low-flow urinal adoption due to subsequent high maintenance requirements and hygiene concerns. Through field observations, hypothesis testing, and multiple regression analysis, this study attempts to characterize, for the first time, the ureolytic activity of the biomineralization found in alternative technologies located at 9 State-owned restrooms. Multiple regression analysis (n = 55, df = 4, R2 = 0.665) suggests that intrasystem sampling location [Formula], annual users per rest area [Formula], and the organic/inorganic mass fraction [Formula], are statistically significant influencers of the ureolytic activity of biomineral samples (p < 0.05). Conversely, ureC gene abundance (p = 0.551), urinal type (p = 0.521) and sampling season (p = 0.956) are not significant predictors of biomineral ureolytic activity. We conclude that high concentrations of the urease alpha subunit, ureC, which can be interpreted as proxy measure of a strong, potentially ureolytic community, does not necessarily mean that the gene is being expressed. Future studies should assess ureC transcriptional activity to measure gene expression rather than gene abundance to assess the relationship between environmental conditions, their role in transcription, and urease activities. In sum, this study presents a method to characterize biomineral ureolysis and establishes baseline values for future ureolytic inhibition treatment studies that seek to improve the usability of urine collection and related source separation technologies.
3D printing fluorescent material with tunable optical properties for biomedical optics phantoms using photo-curable resins

Fluorescence imaging for surgical guidance is a proven modality that allows for visualization of fluorescent markers in numerous biological imaging applications. As the field continues to develop there is an urgent need for fluorescence-imaging standards and targets that enable system characterization, performance monitoring, and the development of analytical algorithms. 3D-printing technology has shown promise in providing biomimicking phantoms that allow simulation of realistic clinical conditions. Here, we present a comprehensive method for 3D printing fluorescent and tissue-equivalent material using photo-curable resins. We show the ability to print Indocyanine-green (ICG) equivalent material in complex shapes that would enable the evaluation of ICG-specific clinical systems. The method presented allows tuning of both the reduced scattering and absorption coefficients at multiple wavelengths, allowing for application-specific manufacturing of 3D-printed phantoms.
Similarities in joint stiffness across footwear conditions in younger and masters-aged runners

Joint stiffness has been shown to be associated with both running performance and injury. Differences in joint stiffness have been reported between footwear conditions among young runners, and betw...
Humanized Mouse Models for the Advancement of Innate Lymphoid Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapies

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a branch of the immune system that consists of diverse circulating and tissue-resident cells, which carry out functions including homeostasis and antitumor immunity. The development and behavior of human natural killer (NK) cells and other ILCs in the context of cancer is still incompletely understood. Since NK cells and Group 1 and 2 ILCs are known to be important for mediating antitumor immune responses, a clearer understanding of these processes is critical for improving cancer treatments and understanding tumor immunology as a whole. Unfortunately, there are some major differences in ILC differentiation and effector function pathways between humans and mice. To this end, mice bearing patient-derived xenografts or human cell line-derived tumors alongside human genes or human immune cells represent an excellent tool for studying these pathways in vivo. Recent advancements in humanized mice enable unparalleled insights into complex tumor-ILC interactions. In this review, we discuss ILC behavior in the context of cancer, the humanized mouse models that are most commonly employed in cancer research and their optimization for studying ILCs, current approaches to manipulating human ILCs for antitumor activity, and the relative utility of various mouse models for the development and assessment of these ILC-related immunotherapies.
CSafe: An Intelligent Audio Wearable Platform for Improving Construction Worker Safety in Urban Environments

Vehicle accidents are one of the greatest cause of death and injury in urban areas for pedestrians, workers, and police alike. In this work, we present CSafe, a low power audio-wearable platform that detects, localizes, and provides alerts about oncoming vehicles to improve construction worker safety. Construction worker safety is a much more challenging problem than general urban or pedestrian safety in that the sound of construction tools can be up to orders of magnitude greater than that of vehicles, making vehicle detection and localization exceptionally difficult. To overcome these challenges, we develop a novel sound source separation algorithm, called Probabilistic Template Matching (PTM), as well as a novel noise filtering architecture to remove loud construction noises from our observed signals. We show that our architecture can improve vehicle detection by up to 12% over other state-of-art source separation algorithms. We integrate PTM and our noise filtering architecture into CSafe and show through a series of real-world experiments that CSafe can achieve up to an 82% vehicle detection rate and a 6.90° mean localization error in acoustically noisy construction site scenarios, which is 16% higher and almost 30° lower than the state-of-art audio wearable safety works.
Anticonvulsant Primary and Secondary Prophylaxis for Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Decision Analysis

Background and Purpose: We examined the impact of 3 anticonvulsant prophylaxis strategies on quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) among patients with an incident acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We c...
Emotional Intelligence and Deception: A Theoretical Model and Propositions

Deception is pervasive in negotiations and organizations, and emotions are critical to using, detecting, and responding to deception. In this article, we introduce a theoretical model to explore the interplay between emotional intelligence (the ability to perceive and express, understand, regulate, and use emotions) and deception in negotiations. In our model, we propose that emotional intelligence influences the decision to use deception, the effectiveness of deception, the ability to detect deception, and the consequences of deception (specifically, trust repair and retaliation). We consider the emotional intelligence of both deceivers and targets, and we consider characteristics of negotiators, their interaction, and the negotiation context that moderate these relationships. Our model offers a theoretical foundation for research on emotions, emotional intelligence, and deception and identifies a potential disadvantage of negotiating with an emotionally intelligent counterpart. Though prior work has focused on the advantages of being and interacting with people high in emotional intelligence, we assert that those most likely to deceive us may also be those highest in emotional intelligence.
Monte Carlo Methods

A general problem in probability and statistical applications is the computation of an expectation of a random variable. We illustrate the use of R to compute some expectations by the Monte Carlo method. These computations are helpful in comparing sampling properties of point estimators or evaluating probabilities of coverage of interval estimators. We illustrate the use of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods in simulating from sampling distributions.
Application of Mathematical Morphology to Machine Vision

This paper gives an analysis of a variety of morphological vision procedures. The analysis is designed to illustrate the power and flexibility of mathematical morphology for the extraction of shape information from gray tone and binary images.
The Mechanism of Epstein-Barr Virus Persistence in Vivo and its Relationship to the Origins of EBV Associated Lymphoma

Epstein-Barr virus persists latently within resting memory B lymphocytes. To gain access to this compartment the virus first infects and activates a naive B cell and then drives it to differentiate into a resting memory B cell. To achieve this the virus uses four different viral latent gene transcription programs which are also expressed in EBV associated lymphomas e.g. the growth program in immunoblastic lymphoma, the default program in Hodgkin's disease and the EBNA1 only program in Burkitt's lymphoma. This suggests:
Isoreticular synthesis of 2D MOFs with rotating aryl rings

A series of isoreticular two-dimensional metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) was synthesized with group 11 metals and semirigid ligands that bind in a syn conformation. The modular synthetic approach allows the pore to be expanded based on the aryl moiety in the center of the linker from 11.0 A to 15.5 A. When there is an axis of rotation, each aryl ring can act independently as a rotating gate as a function of guest molecules. For the two aryl ring system, all three states (open/open, open/closed, and closed/closed) are observed by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD). The guest dependent nature of the aryl rings makes this two-pillared topology a logical choice for breathing MOFs.
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE POLITICAL ATTITUDES OF DEMOCRATIC VOTERS IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA

The realignment of southern voters from the Democratic to the Republican Party has sparked considerable scholarly interest. Although Oklahoma is not one of the former Confederate states, it has experienced the same partisan realignment from the Democratic to the Republican Party. The exception is the far eastern section of the state where the 2"d Congressional District is located. This research focuses on that predominantly white region and its resistance to the partisan realignment. We argue that the reason eastern Oklahoma has not realigned with the Republican Party is because of a strain of populism among the population there.
Validity of the medical record for evaluation of telephone management.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the medical record provides accurate documentation of the telephone encounter. The study was a "blinded" comparison of audiotaped telephone encounters and corresponding medical records; it was carried out in the continuity clinic of a primary care pediatric resident-training program. During their first month of rotation through the outpatient department, 17 PL-I residents received one or two calls made by a "simulated mother" using standardized scripts. Transcripts of these calls and the corresponding written medical records were rated by an examiner unaware of the resident's identity. A standardized instrument was used to measure three aspects of performance: General History Taking, Specific History Taking, and General Management. A percentage of agreement was calculated for each scale, and rating scores of audiotapes and written records were compared. Twenty-seven pairs of audiotape and written documentation were analyzed. The mean percentage of agreement between audiotapes and written records was high: 78% for General History Taking, 78% for General Management, 77% for Specific History Taking. Rating scores of the audiotape and the medical record were significantly correlated for two of the scales: General Management (r = .55, P less than .01) and Specific History Taking (r = .50, P less than .01). Most aspects of the telephone encounter were well documented in the medical record. However, several discrepancies were noted when audiotapes and medical records were compared for the presence of specific items. With the exception of the Specific History Taking scale, there was no correlation between the length of the written record and the percentage of agreement.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Investigation of effect of slot opening on fractional slot and integer slot axial flux permanent magnet machine

This research attempts to compare the effects of the slot opening on axial flux permanent magnet machines with the fractional slot concentrated winding and the integer slot toroid winding. Analytical derivations of winding function, flux linkage, and back-EMF are presented, paying special attention to the slot opening. Specific machines having 24 slots 28 poles, 24 slots 20 poles, and 84 slots 28 poles are compared. Comparison results shows that the slot opening contributes to reducing the harmonics of the back-EMF in the axial flux permanent magnet machines having fractional slot concentrated winding, while it increases harmonics of the back-EMF in the axial flux permanent magnet machines having integer slot toroid winding. Slot opening ratio considerably varies total harmonic distortion of back-EMF in axial flux permanent magnet machine with fractional slot concentrated winding while it has negligible effect on the harmonic distortion of axial flux permanent magnet machine with integer slot toroid winding.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in uncomplicated cystitis in the emergency department: is the hospital antibiogram an effective treatment guide?

Objectives The objective was to compare the rates of antimicrobial susceptibility in strains of Escherichia coli isolated from uncomplicated cystitis cases presenting to the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care center to those reported on that institution's hospital-wide antibiogram. The hypothesis was that cases of uncomplicated cystitis presenting to the ED will exhibit higher antimicrobial susceptibility than is reported by the hospital-wide antibiogram. Methods A retrospective chart review of patients who were diagnosed with uncomplicated cystitis in the ED of a large, academic tertiary care center was conducted. Due to an error in the implementation of a new electronic medical record system at this institution in 2009, all urine samples with any abnormality were reflexively sent for culture. The authors were then able to review and record the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of all cultures that grew E. coli. Exclusion criteria included fever, subsequent hospital admission, treatment of suspected pyelonephritis, receiving current cystitis treatment, male sex, indwelling catheters, recent surgery or hospitalization, or asymptomatic for cystitis. Culture isolate antimicrobial susceptibility was then compared with the hospital-wide antibiogram of the same period. Empiric treatment regimens were also recorded as secondary data. Results Greater susceptibility to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX; 80% vs. 71%), cefazolin (97% vs. 87%), and ciprofloxacin (89% vs. 73%) was found in our population than was published in the hospital antibiogram. These differences were shown to be statistically significant using Fisher's exact test (p < 0.05). A very high sensitivity to nitrofurantoin (99%), similar to the hospital antibiogram (98%), was also found. Also noted was a high rate of antimicrobial susceptibility when specific empiric treatment was initiated with TMP-SMX or ciprofloxacin: 92 and 89%, respectively. Conclusions The greater susceptibility of E. coli to TMP-SMX, cefazolin, and ciprofloxacin observed in this population supports the hypothesis that antimicrobial susceptibility rates in uncomplicated cystitis presenting to the ED are greater than those reported in the hospital-wide antibiogram. This could affect treatment guidelines by confirming that antimicrobials currently recommended for use in uncomplicated cystitis are more effective in this setting than currently reported by the hospital-wide antibiogram.
An Examination of the Relationship Between Employee Behavior/ Non-Behavior and Customer Satisfaction in Quick Service Restaurants

ABSTRACT The major objective of this research is to explore the relationship between employee behavior/non-behavior and customer satisfaction in quick service restaurants. Four behavioral components (employee reliability, employee responsiveness, employee assurance, and employee empathy) and one non-behavioral component (the physical environment) are identified. The survey questionnaire included the modified SERVQUAL instrument (Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry, 1991) in addition to questions about satisfaction. A convenience sample of 125 participants was used to collect data by frequenting selected quick service restaurants. The results identified significant positive correlations between three of the five behavior/non-behavior constructs (employee responsiveness, employee assurance, and the physical environment) with three of the four identified dimensions of customer satisfaction (satisfaction with the food, satisfaction with the task/service, satisfaction with the price, and overall satisfaction).
Use of the trauma pelvic orthotic device (T-POD) for provisional stabilisation of anterior-posterior compression type pelvic fractures: a cadaveric study

Summary Objective To demonstrate that a commercially available pelvic binder the trauma pelvic orthotic device (T-POD) is an effective way to provisionally stabilise anterior–posterior compression type pelvic injuries. Methods Rotationally unstable pelvic injuries were created in 12 non-embalmed human cadaveric specimens. Each pelvis was then stabilised first with a standard bed sheet wrapped circumferentially around the pelvis and held in place with a clamp. After recreating the symphyseal diastasis, the pelvis was stabilised with the T-POD. Reduction of the symphyseal diastasis was assessed by comparing measurements obtained via pre- and post-stabilisation AP radiographs. Results The mean symphyseal diastasis was reduced from 39.3 mm (95% CI 30.95–47.55) to 17.4 mm (95% CI −0.14 to 34.98) with the bed sheet, and to 7.1 mm (95% CI −2.19 to 16.35) with the T-POD. Conclusions Although both a circumferential sheet and the T-POD were able to decrease symphyseal diastasis consistently, only the T-POD showed a statistically significant improvement in diastasis when compared to injury measurements. In 75% of the cadaveric specimens (9 of 12), the T-POD was able to reduce the symphysis to normal (