cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Twin Priming: A Proposed Mechanism for the Creation of Inversions in L1 Retrotransposition

The human genome contains >500,000 L1 sequences (International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium 2001), yet only 3000–5000 are full-length elements. One reason for the relative paucity of full-length elements is that older L1 elements have become fragmented by insertion of other retrotransposons or by genomic rearrangements. Another reason is that full-length elements are potentially more detrimental to the genome than shorter elements and may be eliminated by negative selection (Boissinot et al. 2001). However, the main reason that L1 sequences are usually not full-length is a consequence of the mechanism of L1 retrotransposition. L1 elements are members of the non-long terminal repeat (nonLTR) retrotransposon family. NonLTR retrotransposons encode a protein with both endonuclease and reverse transcriptase (RT) activity (Malik et al. 1999), and are thought to integrate by a coupled reverse transcription/integration process called target primed reverse transcription (TPRT) (Fig. ​(Fig.1A;1A; Luan et al. 1993). During TPRT, the endonuclease cleaves one strand of DNA at its target site, producing a free 3′-hydroxyl at the DNA nick. After the retrotransposon RNA anneals at the break, the RT uses the RNA as a template and the 3′-hydroxyl as a primer to perform reverse transcription. The remaining steps of TPRT include cleavage of the second DNA strand, integration of the cDNA, and completion of DNA synthesis. Upon the completion of TPRT, a copy of the original retrotransposon is integrated at a new genomic location and is flanked by target site duplications (TSDs). Figure 1 Target primed reverse transcription and twin priming. (A) This is a schematic of target primed reverse transcription (TPRT), based on in vitro studies of the R2 element from Bombyx mori (Luan et al. 1993). TPRT involves the following steps: (1) Cleavage ... The 5′ ends of most L1 elements in the genome are either truncated or both inverted and truncated. Truncation has been hypothesized to occur because of low processivity by the L1 reverse transcriptase. If the RT disassociates from the RNA template before the completion of reverse transcription, then the resultant insertion will be truncated at the 5′ end. More difficult to explain are the inversions, which always involve both truncation and inversion of the 5′ end of the molecule. For example, if the sequence of the L1 RNA is 5′-A-B-C-D-E-3′, then the sequence of the insertion may be 5′-C-B-D-E-3′. The point of inversion may contain a deletion, duplication, or neither. A model of L1 inversion has been proposed previously, but it does not account for all of the L1 inversion structures found in the genome and it is not consistent with the data found in the present study of L1 inversion (Hutchison et al. 1989). We performed an analysis of inversion-containing L1 insertions in the human genome database, and from this analysis we created a model of L1 inversion. We propose that inversion is a consequence of the L1 TPRT process, and suggest a mechanism, twin priming, that creates L1 inversions.
Increase of accuracy and noise immunity for neutron gamma methods of borehole elemental analysis

Summary form only given. An effective approach to the solution of inverse problems of neutron gamma methods of borehole elemental analysis has been demonstrated. This approach makes it possible to increase by 4-10 times the accuracy of quantitative interpretation as compared with the standard procedure of taking into account interferences by correction means. >
X-ray characterization of silicon on insulator substrates

An examination of the surface silicon layer of SOI substrates was made using X-ray double crystal rocking curve (XDCRC) and reflection topographic analysis (XRT). The original intent was to examine dislocations in SOI substrates-SIMOX, and BESOI (bond and etchback silicon-on-insulator). The properties of the superficial or surface silicon layer were characterized with reflection topography for the three SOI technologies, and these results were correlated with crystal quality measured by XDCRC. Reflection topography did not reveal surface imperfection, defects, or dislocations in SIMOX or BESOI, but XRT revealed the transmission of substrate strain or warpage into the surface silicon layer for all SOI samples. Rocking curves confirmed the high quality of the surface silicon layer. >
Glucose variability is an independent predictor of mortality in hospitalized patients treated with total parenteral nutrition.

Objective: Hyperglycemia is associated with increased mortality in critically ill patients treated with total parenteral nutrition (TPN). The role of glucose variability (GV) in predicting outcomes in these patients is not known.Methods: This retrospective study included medical and surgical patients receiving TPN in a community teaching hospital. GV was calculated by standard deviation (SD) of blood glucose (BG) values and by mean BG daily (Δ)change (daily max - daily minimum).Results: A total of 276 medical and surgical patients (mean age: 51 ± 18 years), 19% with a history of diabetes mellitus (DM), and 74% with intensive care unit (ICU) admission were treated with TPN. During TPN, the mean daily BG was 142.9 ± 33 mg/dL; frequencies of hypoglycemia <70 and <40 mg/dL were 41% and 3%, respectively; and hospital mortality was 27.2%. The mean GV by SD was 38 ± 21 mg/dL and by mean (D) change 58 ± 34 mg/dL. GV was significantly higher in deceased patients (SD: 48 ± 25 vs. 34 ± 18 mg/dL and Δ change: 75 ± 39...
3-D reconstruction and measurement of microtubules from multiple angle-total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy

Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy excites a thin evanescent field which theoretically decays exponentially. Each TIRF image is actually the projection of a 3-D volume and hence cannot alone produce an accurate localization of structures in the z-dimension, however, it provides greatly improved axial resolution for biological samples. Multiple angle-TIRF microscopy allows controlled variation of the incident angle of the illuminating laser beam, thus generating a set of images of different penetration depths with the potential to reconstruct the 3-D volume of the sample. With the ultimate goal to quantify important biological parameters of microtubules, we present a method to reconstruct 3-D position and orientation of microtubules based on multi-angle TIRF data, as well as experimental calibration of the actual decay function of the evanescent field at each angle after taking into consideration the effect of point spread function, quantum efficiency and photon collection efficiency.
Molecular Pathology of Skin Neoplasms of the Head and Neck

Context.— Skin neoplasms include the most common malignancies affecting humans. Many show an ultraviolet (UV)–induced pathogenesis and often affect the head and neck region. Objective.— To review l...
An Enchanting Abundance of Types: Nietzsche’s Modest Unity of Virtue Thesis

This paper makes two main assumptions. First, Nietzsche was a perfectionist. By this I mean that he thought that the only intrinsic good is the realization of human nature. This is an interpretation of Nietzsche that has found some resonance recently in the work of Thomas Hurka, among others. Second, Nietzsche believed that people have character traits, and that part of what it takes to realize human nature is to develop and act from particular character traits. This is also an interpretation that has found some uptake in recent Nietzsche scholarship.
La huella de las Sumas de historia troyana en la Confessio Amantis castellana

Some classical stories recounted in the Confesion del amante , the 15 th -century Castilian version of John Gower’s Confessio Amantis carried out by Juan de Cuenca, deviate remarkably from the Livro do amante, the Portuguese text Cuenca used as a basis for his translation. I show here that the changes in these stories can be traced to the Sumas de historia troyana and consider why they were rewritten, taking into account the literary, cultural, and political context in which the Castilian translator worked.
Hypertension pharmacogenomics: in search of personalized treatment approaches

Cardiovascular and renal diseases are associated with many risk factors, of which hypertension is one of the most prevalent. Worldwide, blood pressure control is only achieved in ∼50% of those treated for hypertension, despite the availability of a considerable number of antihypertensive drugs from different pharmacological classes. Although many reasons exist for poor blood pressure control, a likely contributor is the inability to predict to which antihypertensive drug an individual is most likely to respond. Hypertension pharmacogenomics and other 'omics' technologies have the potential to identify genetic signals that are predictive of response or adverse outcome to particular drugs, and guide selection of hypertension treatment for a given individual. Continued research in this field will enhance our understanding of how to maximally deploy the various antihypertensive drug classes to optimize blood pressure response at the individual level. This Review summarizes the available literature on the most convincing genetic signals associated with antihypertensive drug responses and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Future research in this area will be facilitated by enhancing collaboration between research groups through consortia such as the International Consortium for Antihypertensives Pharmacogenomics Studies, with the goal of translating replicated findings into clinical implementation.
Stable explicit stepwise marching scheme in ill-posed time-reversed viscous wave equations

The numerical computation of ill-posed, nonlinear, multidimensional initial value problems presents considerable difficulties. Conventional stepwise marching schemes for such problems, whether explicit or implicit, are necessarily unconditionally unstable and result in explosive noise amplification. Following previous work on backward parabolic equations, this paper develops and analyses a stabilized explicit marching scheme for ill-posed time-reversed viscous wave equations. The method uses easily synthesized linear smoothing operators at each time step to quench the instability. Smoothing operators based on positive real powers p of the negative Laplacian are helpful, and can be realized efficiently on rectangular domains using FFT algorithms. The stabilized explicit scheme is unconditionally stable, marching forward or backward in time, and can be applied to nonlinear viscous wave equations by simply lagging the nonlinearity at the previous time step. However, the smoothing operation at each step leads...
Two New Species of Water Molds

Since the publication of my third new species of Achlyaf in I912 a continued study of the occurrence and periodicity of the Saprolegniaceae in Chapel Hill, has discovered two other new and remarkable forms of that family. The first of these was met with as long ago as March, I9II, and it has been found twenty-five times since. Pure cultures on various media, generally from a single spore, have been kept under observation for over three years. So puzzling is the form that after preparing a description of it in I912 it was decided to continue collections and experiments for another year before publication. The difficulty arises from the fact that our plant combines in a most confusing manner the characters of both Achlya and Saprolegnia, and a rigid interpretation of these genera as at present defined would exclude it from both. As the formation of a new
Enhanced Spatial Resolution During Locomotion and Heightened Attention in Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

We do not fully understand how behavioral state modulates the processing and transmission of sensory signals. Here, we studied the cortical representation of the retinal image in mice that spontaneously switched between a state of rest and a constricted pupil, and one of active locomotion and a dilated pupil, indicative of heightened attention. We measured the selectivity of neurons in primary visual cortex for orientation and spatial frequency, as well as their response gain, in these two behavioral states. Consistent with prior studies, we found that preferred orientation and spatial frequency remained invariant across states, whereas response gain increased during locomotion relative to rest. Surprisingly, relative gain, defined as the ratio between the gain during locomotion and the gain during rest, was not uniform across the population. Cells tuned to high spatial frequencies showed larger relative gain compared with those tuned to lower spatial frequencies. The preferential enhancement of high-spatial-frequency information was also reflected in our ability to decode the stimulus from population activity. Finally, we show that changes in gain originate from shifts in the operating point of neurons along a spiking nonlinearity as a function of behavioral state. Differences in the relative gain experienced by neurons with high and low spatial frequencies are due to corresponding differences in how these cells shift their operating points between behavioral states. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT How behavioral state modulates the processing and transmission of sensory signals remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the mean firing rate and neuronal gain increase during locomotion as a result in a shift of the operating point of neurons. We define relative gain as the ratio between the gain of neurons during locomotion and rest. Interestingly, relative gain is higher in cells with preferences for higher spatial frequencies than those with low-spatial-frequency selectivity. This means that, during a state of locomotion and heightened attention, the population activity in primary visual cortex can support better spatial acuity, a phenomenon that parallels the improved spatial resolution observed in human subjects during the allocation of spatial attention.
Using partitions and superstrings for lossless compression of pattern databases

We present an algorithm for compressing pattern databases (PDBs) and a method for fast random access of these compressed PDBs. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our technique by compressing two 6-tile sliding-tile PDBs by a factor of 12 and a 7-tile sliding-tile PDB by a factor of 24.
Internet resilience in Ashburn, Virginia

Internet infrastructure is highly distributed among different private and public sector entities. Although networks using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) are highly resistant to failures — especially when multiple paths from sender to receiver exist - they have the potential to fail if a concentration of high-capacity routes between a particular sender and receiver become unavailable. The geographic locality of such a large quantity of data centers and network routes in the Ashburn, Virginia, area makes this concentration a concern. Internet access is increasingly becoming a dependency for critical infrastructure services. The New York Times recently published an article on the vulnerabilities and importance of the physical infrastructure that the Internet comprises. [1] As critical infrastructure owner/operators, government agencies, and the public are becoming more aware of its physical vulnerabilities, the necessity of studying and improving the resilience of Internet infrastructure to physical threats and vulnerabilities is growing.
Potential for Gene Flow from Cultivated Wheat to Weedy Relatives in the Great Plains of North America

Common or bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), introduced to North America, has become a stable and often dominant component of agricultural systems in the semi-arid western portion of the Great Plains and Intermountain regions of North America. To date, transgenic (GMO) wheats have not been deployed in this region. Concern over potential loss of export markets has been the primary factor in restricting, to date, use of GMO wheat. An additional factor has been concern over possible outcrossing between cultivated wheat and weedy relatives, with potential establishment of transgenes in naturalized populations. Throughout the Great Plains, common wheat grows in close proximity to introduced, and often permanently established, populations of the related species Triticum cylindricum (=Aegilops cylindrica, jointed goat-grass), Secale cereale (rye) and Elytrigia intermedia (=Agropyron intermedium, intermediate wheat grass). While hybrids can be produced between wheat and both rye and intermediate wheat grass, and both have been used as sources of genes for wheat improvement, naturally occurring hybrids are rare, always sterile, and unlikely to serve as bridges for gene flow. Jointed goat-grass, however, is more closely related to wheat, and natural hybrids are quite common. Common wheat is an allohexaploid containing the A, B and D genomes. Jointed goat-grass is an allotetraploid, and carries the C and D genomes. Thus, in F1 hybrids between the two species, there are seven common chromosomes, which will pair at meiosis and allow for limited fertility as a female parent. Male (pollen) fertility in such hybrids is, however, low or non-existent. Still, seed may be formed if pollen arrives from either wheat or jointed goat-grass populations. Thus, potential bridges for gene flow exist. A survey of more than 60 naturalized populations of jointed goat-grass has been conducted using genes encoding the wheat seed storage proteins known as high-molecular-weight glutenins and gliadins. To date, no evidence for transfer and permanent establishment of these genes in goat-grass populations has been uncovered. A survey during the 2003 season did reveal the presence of natural hybrids in 10% of observed populations; however, no seed was recovered from these hybrid plants. Jointed goat-grass is naturalized over a wide expanse of agricultural land in western North America. Even if successful, seed set by natural F1 hybrids is a rare event, the potential for gene flow from wheat remains a possibility, and will require continuous monitoring to adequately assess the risk of such events.
20. Psychobiology of Cumulative Trauma: Hair Cortisol as a Risk Marker for Stress Exposure

Childhood trauma (CT) is associated with long-lasting alterations of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and elevated risk for stress exposure in adulthood. Although HPA alterations are p...
Image processing for x-ray inspection of pistachio nuts

A review is provided of image processing techniques that have been applied to the inspection of pistachio nuts using X-ray images. X-ray sensors provide non-destructive internal product detail not available from other sensors. The primary concern in this data is detecting the presence of worm infestations in nuts, since they have been linked to the presence of aflatoxin. We describe new techniques for segmentation, feature selection, selection of product categories (clusters), classifier design, etc. Specific novel results include: a new segmentation algorithm to produce images of isolated product items; preferable classifier operation (the classifier with the best probability of correct recognition P c is not best); higher-order discrimination information is present in standard features (thus, high-order features appear useful); classifiers that use new cluster categories of samples achieve improved performance. Results are presented for X-ray images of pistachio nuts; however, all techniques have use in other product inspection applications.
A Rare Transition from Pemphigus Vulgaris to Pemphigus Foliaceus Following Rituximab Therapy Confirmed by Antidesmoglein ELISA

Introduction: The phenotypic expression of pemphigus subtypes is mediated by differences in desmoglein (DSG) autoantibody profiles, a concept that is demonstrated in rare cases of transition between pemphigus subtypes. Diagnosis of transition is made on the basis of changes in classic phenotypic expression in conjugation with changes in immunofluorescence and/or antidesmoglein ELISA. Case Description: We report a 54-year-old male with a history of severe mucocutaenous pemphigus vulgaris (PV) brought into remission by treatment with systemic steroids and adjuvant rituximab infusions who re-presented approximately 1 year following steroid discontinuation with new crusted erosions covering the upper trunk and proximal extremities and notable absence of mucosal involvement. Antidesmoglein ELISA profile revealed an isolated rise in DSG-1 antibodies. Previous antidesmoglein ELISA profiles showed dual elevation in both DSG-1 and DSG-3 antibodies during active PV and absence of both DSG-1 and DSG-3 during disease remission. Discussion: The current case describes a rare transition from PV to pemphigus foliaceus (PF) following rituximab therapy as suspected clinically by classic phenotypic expression and confirmed serologically by antidesmoglein ELISA. This is only the second reported case of pemphigus transition following rituximab adjuvant therapy, and there are less than thirty cases of PV to PF transition reported in the literature. There is currently not a satisfactory explanation for the autoantibody shifting that is observed in transition between pemphigus types.
Histamine and Migraine.

Background Histamine is an ancient “tissue amine” preceding multicellular organisms. In the central nervous system (CNS), its fibers originate solely from the tuberomammillary nucleus and travel throughout the brain. It is mainly responsible for wakefulness, energy homeostasis, and memory consolidation. Recently, several studies suggest a potential role of histamine in migraine pathogenesis and management. Methods Narrative review of current literature regarding histamine and migraine. Results Histamine plays a crucial role in migraine pathogenesis: sustaining the neurogenic inflammation pathway. Interaction between mast cells (MC) and calcitonin-gene related protein (CGRP) results in sensitization of trigeminal afferents and trigeminal ganglia (TG). Histamine binds with differing affinities to four different histaminergic G-protein coupled receptors, activating protein kinases, or triggering calcium release with subsequent mode of actions. Histamine 1 receptor (H1R) and histamine 2 receptor (H2R) antagonists are frequently used for the treatment of allergy and gastric acid secretion, respectively, but their antagonism is probably ineffective for migraine. Histamine 3 receptor (H3R) and histamine 4 receptor (H4R) have a threefold higher affinity than H1R/H2R for histamine and are found almost exclusively on neurons and immune tissues, respectively. H3R acts as an autoreceptor or as a heteroreceptor, lowering the release of histamine and other neurotransmitters. This is a potential target for anti-nociception and anti-neurogenic inflammation. To date, several small clinical trials using low dose histamine or Nα-methylhistamine have demonstrated migraine prophylactic efficacy, probably via H3R or other undetermined pathways. Conclusion The histamine system interacts with multiple regions in the CNS and may hypothetically modulate the migraine response. Low dose histamine may be a promising option for migraine prevention.
Associations Between Neighborhood Environment, Health Behaviors, and Mortality

Introduction Considering the joint association of neighborhood socioeconomic environment and individual-level health behaviors with health outcomes may help officials design effective disease prevention strategies. This study evaluates the joint influences of neighborhood socioeconomic environment and individual health behaviors on mortality in a cohort primarily comprising people with low individual-level SES. Methods The prospective Southern Community Cohort Study includes 77,896 white and African American participants recruited in the years 2002–2009; 55% of participants had a household income Results Living in a neighborhood with the greatest socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with higher all-cause mortality in both men (hazard ratio=1.41, 95% CI=1.27, 1.57) and women (hazard ratio=1.77, 95% CI=1.57, 2.00). Associations were attenuated after adjustment for individual-level SES and major risk factors (hazard ratio for men=1.09, 95% CI=0.98, 1.22, and hazard ratio for women=1.26, 95% CI=1.12, 1.42). The dose–response association between neighborhood disadvantage and mortality was less apparent among smokers. Nevertheless, individuals who lived in disadvantaged neighborhoods and had the unhealthiest lifestyle scores experienced the highest mortality. Conclusions Disadvantaged neighborhood socioeconomic environments are associated with increased mortality in a cohort of individuals of low SES. Positive individual-level health behaviors may help negate the adverse effect of disadvantage on mortality.
Automated video interview judgment on a large-sized corpus collected online

Online video-based job interviews are becoming very popular in the screening of potential employees. In this study, we collected a corpus of 1891 monologue job interview videos (63 hours in duration) from 260 online workers. These videos were annotated for personality traits and hiring recommendation score by experts from a major assessment company. We proposed a unified method of automatic analysis that consists of using clustering to convert continuous audio/video analysis output to discrete pseudoword documents, and then applying modern text classification methods to process speech content, prosody and facial expressions. Our experiments showed that using what the interviewees say (i.e., spoken text), we can predict their personality traits such as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability with an F-measure of 0.8 or better, while we get an F-measure of 0.6 in predicting hiring recommendation score. Prosody and facial expressions added limited usefulness on interview judgments and need further investigation.
Can an influence graph driven by outage data determine transmission line upgrades that mitigate cascading blackouts

We transform historically observed line outages in a power transmission network into an influence graph that statistically describes how cascades propagate in the power grid. The influence graph can predict the critical lines that are historically most involved in cascading propagation. After upgrading these critical lines, simulating the influence graph suggests that these upgrades could mitigate large blackouts by reducing the probability of large cascades.
Against Pied Piping in LF

In this paper, I will examine the claim that islands containing wh-expressions in Japanese are raised in LF by Pied Piping. I will show that none of the arguments that has been presented for this hypothesis holds. I will argue that all the facts purported to support the hypothesis, and all the counter-examples that I will present in this paper, can be accounted for by assuming that wh-expressions in situ and quantified NPs are not raised in LF.
Validation of a PMU-based fault location identification method for smart distribution network with photovoltaics using real-time data

A fault location (FL) identification method for smart distribution network is presented and validated using a digital real-time simulator (DRTS). The method can accurately identify the FL in a distribution network in the presence of distributed generation (DG). This method is based on state estimation (SE) algorithm which uses real-time data from simulated phasor measurement units (PMUs), placed in the distribution network. SE needs the fault currents of the generators and voltage measurements of an optimal number of nodes to perform the FL algorithm. The method was validated using the IEEE 37 node test feeder with DGs. PMUs are placed on the real-time model of the system. The real-time model was implemented on a DRTS which streams phasor data over the Internet using C37.118 protocol. OpenPDC is used to collect real-time PMU data coming from the DRTS. Microsoft SQL is used as a database management server to store data coming from OpenPDC. In the last step of the FL process, data stored in OpenPDC is fed into a FL identification algorithm to locate the fault. Both balanced and unbalanced fault types are applied to different nodes and an accurate estimation of the FL (over 90% of the cases) is achieved.
The wealth of ecosystems: How invisible hands «organism autonomy, biodiversity, connectivity» mold biological and environmental fitness in the economy of nature

Abstract Adam Smith’s classic, The Wealth of Nations (Smith, 1776), laid down the foundations for free-market, and later growth, economics. Goals, resources, currencies, labor, and skills in human enterprise all have parallels in the economy of nature: ▪ Self-interested people have counterparts in survival-driven species; ▪ Opportunities and markets are reflected in resource and habitat niches; ▪ Division of labor is expressed in role niches and biodiversity; ▪ Persistence of economic growth is matched in that of biological growth; ▪ Growth in money-flow mirrors matter- and energy-flow in ecosystems; ▪ Capital accumulation as monetary profit in economics is expressed as the standing stocks of natural capital in ecology; and finally, ▪ Smith’s invisible hand, generating “greatest goods for the greatest many”, finds specificity in the utility theory and mathematics of ecology’s network environ analysis. These parallels, and the fact that man is a part of nature also, suggest the same laws direct both ecology and economics. This paper summarizes the Janus Hypothesis (Patten, 2016) as a candidate theory determining natural (and human) economics. The hypothesis holds that three relational “ABC”s— a utonomy, b iodiversity, and c onnectivity—self-organize to maximize biological and environmental fitness in the transactional economy of nature. Applicability to human economics is axiomatic.
Fruits of colonialism: The production of mangoes as commodities in northern Haiti:

After the 2010 earthquake, many stakeholders in Haiti and across the globe worked together to increase Haitian mango harvest for export, ostensibly as a way to improve people’s lives. To date, howe...
Revolutionizing Cancer Immunology: The Power of Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies

It has long been appreciated that tumors are diverse, varying in mutational status, composition of cellular infiltrate, and organizational architecture. For the most part, the information embedded in this diversity has gone untapped due to the limited resolution and dimensionality of assays for analyzing nucleic acid expression in cells. The advent of high-throughput, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies that measure nucleic acids, particularly at the single-cell level, is fueling the characterization of the many components that comprise the tumor microenvironment (TME), with a strong focus on immune composition. Understanding the immune and nonimmune components of the TME, how they interact, and how this shapes their functional properties requires the development of novel computational methods and, eventually, the application of systems-based approaches. The continued development and application of NGS technologies holds great promise for accelerating discovery in the cancer immunology field.
Autism in Vietnam: Knowledge, Training, and Communication Barriers among Professionals, Educators, and Caregivers.

This investigation examines knowledge of autism, training in autism, and communication among professionals, general educators, and caregivers. The development of educational services for st...
Thyroxine and treatment of hypothyroidism: seven decades of experience.

Hypothyroidism is one of the most common endocrine disorders, affecting as much as 10% of the global population. There is a rich cultural milieu of treatment history and interventions dating as far back as 2 millennia. Chinese cretins were treated with sheep thyroid in the 6th century. In 1890, transplanted animal thyroid tissue resulted in a prompt clinical response in a myxedematous patient, and in 1891 injections of sheep thyroid were reported. One year later, the oral administration of fresh sheep thyroid glands was noted to be effective. Within a few years, the danger of over-dosage with extracts was recognized and dosing guidance indicated a low dose start and gradual increase as required based on symptoms. Orally ingested extracts became widespread and by 1914 thyroxine had been crystallized. In 1927, thyroxine, was synthesized as an acid, limiting oral absorption. Finally a sodium salt of thyroxine was introduced in 1949. These synthetic preparations were then made available for clinical use. Prior to 1970, extracts and combination therapy with synthetic LT4 and LT3 were standard replacement until the peripheral deiodinase-mediated T4 to T3 conversion documented the endogenous generation of T3 from LT4 in athyreotic subjects. This resulted in advocacy for patients previously treated with combinations and desiccated thyroid be transitioned to l-thyroxine monotherapy. The determination of the optimal dose has evolved such that now a general recommendation for replacement dosage of LT4 is 1.6–1.7 mcg/kg/day. Thyroid hormone extracts were established prior to the FDA’s establishment in 1906, and when the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic act of 1938 enhanced the FDA’s regulatory authority. In 1997, FDA declared LT4 products to be new drugs subject to regulation and quickly a pharmacokinetic process to determine interchangeability among approved LT4 products ensued. Differences in bioavailability of 12.5% or more may be considered therapeutically equivalent and therefore such products interchangeable. To assure refill to refill consistency, all levothyroxine sodium products now meet a 95–105% potency specification throughout their labeled shelf-lives. Seventy years after Kendall’s great achievement in isolating thyroxine, we have thyroxine products with precise amounts of synthetic hormone that meet demanding regulations to assure high product quality, predictable bioavailability given its narrow therapeutic range, and now are left with potential variance in the therapeutic efficacy among different preparations.
Reactor Facility Operational State Classification Using Gas Effluents and Radiation Measurements

Inferring the operational state of a reactor facility, using measurements from an independent in-situ monitoring system, is critical to the assessment of its compliance to agreements. We consider the problem of inferring the on/off operational state of a facility by using gas effluents and radiation measurements collected at the reactor’s off-gas ventilation stack and within its surrounding area. Effluent release concentrations of three noble gases, namely, Ar-41, Cs-138, and Xe-138, are collected inside the ventilation stack and provided every four hours. Gamma spectra is recorded every second by a radiation detector located about 100 meters offset from the stack, which is affected by weather and nearby conditions. We study classifiers based on the correlation coefficient (CC) method [1] applied to individual modalities and their combinations. We implement CC classifiers using ground truth measurements collected over 2 operational cycles of High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in year 2017.
Bayesian inverse estimation of urban CO2 emissions: Results from a synthetic data simulation over Salt Lake City, UT

Top-down, data-driven models possess ample power to improve the accuracy of bottom-up carbon dioxide (CO2) emission inventories, and more work is needed to explore the merger of top-down and bottom-up estimates to better inform the metrics used to monitor global CO2 fluxes. Here we present a Bayesian inverse modeling framework over Salt Lake City, Utah, which utilizes available CO2 emission inventories to establish a synthetic data simulation aimed at exploring model uncertainties. Prescribing a high-resolution, urban-scale data product (Hestia) as the “true” emissions in the model, we combine prior emissions with an atmospheric transport model to derive modeled afternoon CO2 enhancements at six monitoring sites within the Salt Lake Valley during the month of September 2015. A global high-resolution gridded emissions data product (ODIAC) is used as the prior, and objective uncertainty structures are defined for both the a priori estimates and the transport model-data relationship which consider non-negligible spatial and temporal covariances. Optimized (posterior) emissions over the Salt Lake Valley agree closely with the assumed “true” emissions during afternoon times, while results including unconstrained times (e.g. night-time) lack such agreement. Both spatial and temporal correlations of prior errors were found to be necessary for obtaining a robust posterior estimate. Model sensitivity analyses are performed, which examine correlation length and time scales, model-data mismatch error, and measurement site network variability. Through these analyses, one measurement site is identified as being particularly prone to introducing bias into posterior emissions due to influences from a nearby point source. Increasing model-data mismatch error at this site is shown to reduce bias in the posterior without significantly compromising agreement with monthly averaged true emissions.
Long-term research and hierarchical models reveal consistent fitness costs of being the last egg in a clutch.

Maintenance of phenotypic heterogeneity in the face of strong selection is an important component of evolutionary ecology, as are the consequences of such heterogeneity. Organisms may experience diminishing returns of increased reproductive allocation as clutch or litter size increases, affecting current and residual reproductive success. Given existing uncertainty regarding trade-offs between the quantity and quality of offspring, we sought to examine the potential for diminishing returns on increased reproductive allocation in a long-lived species of goose, with a particular emphasis on the effect of position in the laying sequence on offspring quality. To better understand the effects of maternal allocation on offspring survival and growth, we estimated the effects of egg size, timing of breeding, inter- and intra-annual variation, and position in the laying sequence on gosling survival and growth rates of black brant Branta bernicla nigricans breeding in western Alaska from 1987 to 2007. We found that gosling growth rates and survival decreased with position in the laying sequence, regardless of clutch size. Mean egg volume of the clutch a gosling originated from had a positive effect on gosling survival (β = 0.095, 95% CRI: 0.024, 0.165) and gosling growth rates (β = 0.626, 95% CRI: 0.469, 0.738). Gosling survival (β = -0.146, 95% CRI: -0.214, -0.079) and growth rates (β = -1.286, 95% CRI: -1.435, -1.132) were negatively related to hatching date. These findings indicate substantial heterogeneity in offspring quality associated with their position in the laying sequence. They also potentially suggest a trade-off mechanism for females whose total reproductive investment is governed by pre-breeding state.
Packetless data transmission through pattern exclusive coding

Abstract Fifth Generation (5G) communication systems will accommodate various kinds of data. There are two important problems in the 5G protocol, which have not been studied in depth. The first problem is the co-existence of heterogeneous communication standards; the second issue is to fuse information from different sources, for example, in cognitive communications. A new coding scheme, namely pattern exclusive codes (PECs), is proposed in this paper to resolve these two problems by inserting specific patterns (designated substrings) within data payloads to combine or fuse information streams from different sources. These patterns can be deemed as the frame cursors to mark the beginning and the end of a data string such that the frame-length field in a regular packet can be removed thereby. With the help of our proposed PECs, the packetless data transmission is feasible in the 5G communications. Moreover, the patterns can also serve as the identification sequences for users. Finally, crucial communication-performance related metrics regarding PECs, including peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) and coding efficiency, are investigated in this paper.
Urate-Lowering Therapy and Chronic Kidney Disease Progression.

The prevalence and severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been increasing for decades. Because of its tremendous financial and health burden, both to persons and to health systems, mitigation...
Care Churn - Why Keeping Clinic Doors Open Isn't Enough to Ensure Access to Abortion.

Care Churn Restrictions and nonregulatory factors may cause fluctuations in the availability of abortion services, even when clinics remain open continuously. Such shifts are highly disruptive for ...
Late Cardiac Tamponade 4 Years After Total Artificial Heart Implantation

Cardiac tamponade after ventricular assist device or total artificial heart implantation can typically occur within days or weeks after surgery. This report describes the case of a woman who presented over 4 years after SynCardia 70cc total artificial heart implantation, with physiology consistent with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction. The cause was initially attributed to device membrane failure based on the device console waveform; however, during operative exploration, a large amount of proteinaceous exudate was surrounding the device and causing the obstruction. This report illustrates how tamponade can result years after device implantation, secondary to porosity of the outflow grafts.
Hydrogen sulfide affects the performance of a methanogenic bioelectrochemical system used for biogas upgrading

Abstract Methanogenic bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) can convert carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) and may be used for anaerobic digester biogas upgrading. However, the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a common biogas component, on BES performance is unknown. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the effect of H2S addition to the cathode headspace on BES performance at a range of initial gas-phase H2S concentrations (0-6% v/v), as well as its effect on the anode and cathode microbial communities. As the initial cathode headspace H2S increased from 0 to 2% (v/v), biocathodic CH4 production increased by two-fold to 3.56 ± 0.36 mmol/L-d, due to dissolved H2S transport from the cathode to the anode where H2S was oxidized. Elemental sulfur and sulfate were H2S oxidation products detected in the anode. Above 3% initial cathode headspace H2S, biocathodic CH4 production declined due to inhibition. A phylotype most closely related to Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus dominated the cathode archaeal communities. In the sulfide-amended BES, a phylotype similar to the exoelectrogen Ochrobactrum anthropi was enriched in both the anode and cathode, whereas phylotypes related to sulfate-reducing and sulfur oxidizing Bacteria were detected in the bioanode. Thus, sulfide transport and oxidation in the anode play an important role in methanogenic BESs treating sulfide-bearing biogas.
Marginally stable thermal equilibria of Rayleigh-Bénard convection

We study Boussinesq convection by computing marginally-stable mean temperature profiles for various Ra which are thermal equilibria of the quasilinear equations. We find these marginally-stable thermal equilibria by solving one-dimensional eigenvalue problems and allowing the mean temperature to evolve according to diffusion and advection by the eigenmodes. The mode amplitudes are chosen such that the mean temperature maintains marginally stability. We find that multiple marginally-stable modes become important for Ra g 10${}^{6}$, and Nu ~ Ra${}^{1/3}$ up to our maximum Ra = 10${}^{9}$.
Intensive phototherapy and oxidant-antioxidant status in infants with jaundice.

Abstract Objective Conventional phototherapy converts unconjugated bilirubin to its oxidation products and consequently causes oxidative stress with lipid peroxidation products. New devices that deliver intensive phototherapy are efficacious in treating severe hyperbilirubinemia and minimizing the need for exchange transfusions. However, the oxidative stress status when using these devices has not been explored. Therefore, we aimed to study the impact of using intensive phototherapy on the oxidant-antioxidant status in severely jaundiced neonates. Study design This prospective case-control study included term newborns admitted with severe hyperbilirubinemia managed with intensive phototherapy. Baseline oxidant-antioxidant concentrations were compared to healthy controls and re-measured after 8 h of intensive phototherapy exposure. Results The study included 40 cases with severe jaundice and 40 non-jaundiced apparently normal controls. Total serum bilirubin at enrollment was 23.4 ± 4.2 mg/dl that significantly decreased after 8 h of therapy to 15.4 ± 3.4 mg/dl (p Conclusions Although efficacious, intensive phototherapy was associated with increased oxidative stress. The clinical correlates for harms related to such oxidative stress need further studying.
The Changing Role and Responsibilities of a Chairman—Letters

To the Editor.— I enjoyed the article by Robert L. Brent in Pediatrics (1992;90:50-57) on the changing role and responsibilities of chairmen. The article is a "must read" for anyone contemplating the job—and for anyone who used to have the job (like me). As usual Dr Brent has shown the insight we have all admired for years. Keep up the good work.
Die Schaffung einer Verfassung als politischer Prozeß

Als man einem gewissen Senator aus dem amerikanischen Suden zu bedenken gab, eine von ihm verteidigte Masnahme sei verfassungswidrig, erwiderte er: „Wenn die Verfassung zwischen mich und die Tugend der weisen Frauen von Sudkarolina tritt, so sage ich: Zum Teufel mit der Verfassung!“ Autokraten und Revolutionare aller Zeiten haben stets in ahnlichem Ton gesprochen. Dadurch bekunden sie ihre gemeinsame Gegnerschaft gegen alle Schranken, die dem politischen und staatlichen Handeln gesetzt sind. Als politischer Prozes last sich die Verfassung in Analogie zu den Regeln eines Spieles beschreiben, die das „fair play“ gewahrleisten. Dies ist der Sinn des Wortes Verfassung oder Konstitution in seiner funktionellen Bedeutung, im Gegensatz zu seiner rechtlichen, historischen und philosophischen Bedeutung. Die Wissenschaft von der Politik, die den Prozes der verfassungsmasigen Gestaltung einer staatlichen Ordnung untersucht, mus die Methode studieren, mittels derer dem politischen und staatlichen Handeln wirksame Schranken auferlegt und diese aufrechterhalten werden konnen. Wie wirken derartige Schranken ? Man darf sich nicht irrefuhren lassen durch die vielen Bedeutungen, in denen das Wort „Konstitution“ oder Verfassung verwendet wird.
SOCIAL SERVICES Programs and Protection for Children and Youth: Provide Opportunity for Administrative Hearing Prior to Listing Suspected Child Abusers on Registry

The Act amends the statutory requirements for notice to individuals suspected of child abuse by providing, upon request, an administrative hearing prior to placing their names of the state child abuse registry maintained by the Georgia Department of Human Resourcesr Division of Family and Child Services. The Act renames the child abuse registry as the lChild Protective Services Information System.r Additionally, the Act amends the definition of lchild abuser and adds a comprehensive definition of lsexual abuse.r The Act permits district attorneys to use registry information in criminal proceedings, so long as the information is otherwise admissible. Lastly, the Act gives named individuals access to information about their registry classification, date of inclusion and other relevant details.