cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Screening adherence for colorectal cancer among immigrant Hispanic women.

Purpose : We sought to assess factors related to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening adherence among immigrant, Hispanic women in Harlem, New York City. Method : Adherence for colonoscopy and fecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening was measured among 255 women based on self-reported screening behaviors using American Cancer Society guidelines. Results : Univariate results showed that age, language of the interview (English/Spanish), years in the United States, physician recommendation for either test, marital status (living alone/living with someone), and mammography adherence were associated with CRC screening adherence ( p 's Conclusion : Among this sample, there proved to be differences between having ever been screened and adherence with a greater proportion of women having ever completed either colonoscopy and/or FOBT compared to women who were adherent (72.9% vs 58.8%). Therefore, it is important to determine factors associated with adherence, not just screening utilization, in order to design strategies to increase adherence among immigrant Hispanic women.
Law and the Lively Experiment in Colonial Rhode Island

Historians of the law of colonial America long have appreciated that each colony must be examined individually. For example, George Lee Haskins wrote in the Preface to his classic book Law and Authority in Early Massachusetts (1960) that “it is essential that the character and growth of the several colonial legal systems be studied individually and be separately described,” and Richard B. Morris opined in the Foreword to George Athan Billias’s groundbreaking collection Law & Authority in Colonial America (1965) that “no monolithic interpretation will suffice to explain the course and reception of the law in America — whether we are dealing with seventeenth-century seaboard colonies as disparate as Puritan Massachusetts and the plantation colonies of Maryland and Virginia, or the later western territories.” The instant article — the first in a series of case studies on law and the animating principles of each of the original British American colonies — explores the relationship between the animating principle of colonial Rhode Island and the colony’s laws. A perusal of the compacts of Rhode Island’s original four towns, of the Patent for Providence Plantations of 1643/4, and of the Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations of 1663 leaves no doubt about the colony’s foundational commitment to religious liberty. However, an investigation of the legal history of colonial Rhode Island reveals a number of inconsistencies in the implementation of that animating principle, especially with respect to the law’s treatment of Catholics, Jews, and Quakers. The article concludes by reconciling those inconsistencies through a famous parable authored by Rhode Island’s founder, Roger Williams.
The Behavior of Trypanosoma Lewisi During the Early Stage of the Incubation Period in the Rat

In previous experiments it was shown that when trypanosomes are injected into the peritoneal cavity of a rat they are absorbed by the lymphatic system, pass readily and uninjured through lymph nodes and appear promptly in lymph from the thoracic duct.1 It was also discovered, from concurrent experiments not heretofore reported, that following the injection of large numbers of adult trypanosomes into the body cavity of a rat the parasites may be recovered almost immediately from the peripheral blood of the animal and that they then remain in the circulating blood throughout the natural course of the infection. These early observations were of particular interest since they ran contrary both to our expectation and also to the apparently widely accepted conception of the development of trypanosomes early in the incubation period; namely, that these parasites, following their transfer to a noninfected rat, undergo a rapid process of reproduction for from 3 to 7 days somewhere in the body before their appearance in the peripheral blood. Further experiments, reported here, give added proof that this view is untenable. As will be seen, Trypanosoma lewisi, throughout the incubation period of the infection, is a parasite of the circulating blood in which multiplication first commences.
Hemoglobins in human fetuses: evidence for adult hemoglobin production after the 11th gestational week.

Hemoglobin patterns were examined in human fetuses in order to determine the onset of synthesis of adult hemoglobin in fetal red cells. In fetuses younger than 11 gestational wk, hemoglobin A could not be detected with electrophoretic techniques. A small amount of adult hemoblobin was constantly present, however, in hemolysates from fetuses older than 11 gestational wk, and it had the structural properties of adult hemoglobin A. Heterozygous fetuses had hemoglobins C and A or S and A as early as the 11th and 13th gestational wk. The findings are compatible with onset of beta hemoglobin gene action as early as the 11th gestational wk and synthesis of approximately 5% of adult hemoglobin by the end of the first and throughout the second trimester of gestation.
The principium scheme and properties analysis on hydrogen from coal gasification

Hydrogen from coal is a main means of obtaining hydrogen,and it has strategetic value to study it. The author has constituted a new technology system of hydrogen,and analysed reaction heat on gasification process. The results have indicated that the decrease of pressure and increase of temperature are favorable to the gasification. According to thermodynamics analysis results,the reaction heat of gasifying furnace and the thermal efficiency of overall system have been simulatively calculated,and results are that gas quantity of the unit raw coal is enhanced and the effective component content is higher than before in gas. Coal resources are used effectively. The system thermal efficiency has been up to 90.65%.
The Decline of the Death Penalty and the Discovery of Innocence: Innocence and the Death Penalty Debate

O n july 25, 1984, nine-year-old Dawn Hamilton went to play in the woods near her aunt's home in the Baltimore suburb of Rosedale, Maryland. When Dawn did not return, her aunt called the police. Several hours later, searchers found Dawn's body in the woods beaten, raped, and strangled. Her underwear was found hanging in a tree, and a bloody rock was found near the little girl's crushed head – a gruesome and horrifying scene. At the time, former marine Kirk Noble Bloodsworth, twenty-three, was living in Baltimore County. He had no criminal background, but fit the description of the man who two boys, ages seven and ten, said they had seen entering the woods with Dawn that day. Police arrested Bloodsworth. The principal evidence linking him to the crime was testimony by five government witnesses (including the two boys) who identified Bloodsworth as the man they had seen with Dawn soon before she disappeared. This eyewitness testimony contradicted testimony by Bloodsworth's friends that he had been at home at the time of the incident. There was no physical evidence linking Bloodsworth to the crime, but prosecutors suggested that a shoe print left near the girl's body was the same size as a pair of Bloodsworth's shoes. Prosecutors also aggressively questioned the credibility of the defense witnesses. After serving in the marines, Bloodsworth had been unemployed and spent time partying, drinking, and associating with a shifting group of friends who did not make strong character or alibi witnesses.
The Badges Program: A Self-Directed Learning Guide for Residents for Conducting Research and a Successful Peer-Reviewed Publication.

Abstract Introduction The Badges Program is a self-directed supplement to a program's research curriculum. This step-by-step resource helps medical residents to understand the resources needed to c...
Alopecia universalis in a dog with testicular neoplasia.

Objective To describe a case of testicular neoplasia and alopecia universalis in a dog, and successful treatment of the latter with ciclosporin. Animal Twelve-year-old intact male wirehaired fox terrier. Methods Castration, skin biopsy for histopathology, lymphocyte immunophenotyping and clonality analysis of the canine T-cell receptor gamma locus (TCRγ) rearrangement. Results The dog presented with symmetrical generalized alopecia. Testicular enlargement was noted which on castration was determined to be caused by bilateral interstitial cell tumours, Sertoli cell tumours and a unilateral seminoma. During the four months after castration the alopecia became more severe and widespread. Histopathology of the skin showed moderate, multifocal, mural folliculitis, peribulbar mucinosis and lymphocytic bulbitis, and targeting of anagen hair follicles. Immunophenotyping of the infiltrate showed a population of well-differentiated, small CD3-positive T lymphocytes, some expressing CD4 and others CD8. Molecular analysis revealed a polyclonal lymphocytic infiltrate, substantiating the diagnosis of alopecia areata rather than lymphoma. Treatment with ciclosporin (4.6 mg/kg) and ketoconazole (4.6 mg/kg) resulted in complete hair regrowth. Conclusion and clinical importance Ciclosporin treatment, in combination with ketoconazole, can be effective for treatment of alopecia universalis in the dog. Alopecia universalis may present with clinically noninflammatory, symmetrical, generalized alopecia, mimicking an endocrine alopecia, and skin biopsies are needed to confirm the diagnosis.
The financial contribution of the multiple sclerosis specialist.

Abstract Purpose of review: To examine the financial effect of the multiple sclerosis (MS) specialist on the academic health center (AHC). Recent findings: Using data derived from an academic MS center with respect to patient numbers and practice pattern regarding diagnostic studies and disease-modifying therapies (DMT) coupled with reasonable assumptions regarding the profit margin for tests and treatments, 1 full-time MS specialist (1 clinical full-time equivalent [cFTE]) may annually generate downstream revenue exceeding $8,000,000. If all diagnostic studies and therapies were obtained at the facility, the potential revenue generated for the facility can exceed $25,000,000 per 1 cFTE. These calculations do not include the professional net revenue generated by referrals to other professionals. Summary: With current models of reimbursement for health care, the MS specialist provides an enormous potential source of revenue for the AHC. This information is critically important in obtaining institutional support for the provision of labor-intensive MS care.
Reasons for and predictors of acute hospitalization versus elective outpatient implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation and subsequent differential clinical outcomes

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation is often an elective outpatient procedure, but previous studies have shown that approximately 30% are performed during acute hospitalizations. This study aims to identify predictors of acute hospitalization versus elective outpatient ICD implantation and evaluate differential clinical outcomes. We studied 327 first-time ICD recipients between 2011 and 2015. All patients receiving a primary prevention ICD were optimized on guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) prior to consideration for device implantation. Using multivariate logistic regression, we examined predictors of ICD implantation during acute hospitalization. Cox proportional hazard regression was used adjusting for patient characteristics to examine associations with clinical outcomes including complications, device therapy, heart failure re-admission, and death. Of all patients, 132 (40.3%) underwent ICD implantation during acute hospitalization, most frequently performed for secondary prevention (n = 76, 57.6%). The most common reason for acute hospitalization ICD implantation in primary prevention patients was an indication for pacing (n = 20, 35.7%). In multivariable adjusted models, secondary prevention indication, non-single chamber device, NYHA class IV symptoms, lower diastolic blood pressure, higher BUN, and lower hemoglobin were significant predictors of ICD implantation during an acute hospitalization. In univariate analysis, acute hospitalization ICD implantation was associated with a higher risk of heart failure re-admission (HR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.4) and mortality (HR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.1–8.0) but no difference in risk of ICD therapy (HR = 1.4, 95% CI 0.9–2.3) or adverse events (HR = 1.1, 95% CI 0.6–2.1). After multivariable adjustment for potential confounders, all outcomes were no different between acute hospitalization versus elective outpatient ICD recipients. Among first-time ICD recipients, specific clinical characteristics predicted acute hospitalization ICD implantation. After adjustment for potential confounders, acute hospitalization ICD implantation was not associated with increased risk of morbidity or mortality.
Catch energy saving opportunity (CESO), an instantaneous optimal energy management strategy for series hybrid electric vehicles

Abstract This paper introduces a new energy management (EM) strategy for series hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Series HEVs operate in charge-depletion mode and then switch to the charge-sustaining mode in which the battery state of charge (SOC) is maintained within a certain range. The proposed EM strategy in this paper is a form of adaptive equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS) that is designed for the charge-sustaining mode. The EM strategy defines soft bounds on the battery SOC and is penalized for exceeding these bounds. But, to catch energy-saving opportunities (CESOs), the EM strategy allows SOC to exceed the soft bounds. Thus, the introduced EM strategy is named ECMS-CESO. In addition, a range for the ECMS optimal equivalent factor is proposed for series HEVs. The proposed range is used in deriving the formula for calculating the adaptive equivalent factor. The main advantage of the proposed EM strategy is that ECMS-CESO can achieve close to optimal fuel economy without the need for predicting future driver demand. Since there is no need for prediction, the intensive calculations for finding the optimal control over the prediction horizon can be eliminated. Therefore, implementation of ECMS-CESO is easily feasible for real-time applications. Experimental powertrain data is collected to develop a powertrain model for a series HEV in this study. Simulation results on several drivecycles show that, on average, the fuel economy achieved by ECMS-CESO is within 6% of the maximum fuel economy. In addition, comparing ECMS-CESO with two existing adaptive ECMSs shows up to 5% improvement in fuel economy, on average.
Mapping Splicing Quantitative Trait Loci in RNA-Seq: Supplement Issue: Array Platform Modeling and Analysis (A)

BackgroundOne of the major mechanisms of generating mRNA diversity is alternative splicing, a regulated process that allows for the flexibility of producing functionally different proteins from the same genomic sequences. This process is often altered in cancer cells to produce aberrant proteins that drive the progression of cancer. A better understanding of the misregulation of alternative splicing will shed light on the development of novel targets for pharmacological interventions of cancer.MethodsIn this study, we evaluated three statistical methods, random effects meta-regression, beta regression, and generalized linear mixed effects model, for the analysis of splicing quantitative trait loci (sQTL) using RNA-Seq data. All the three methods use exon-inclusion levels estimated by the PennSeq algorithm, a statistical method that utilizes paired-end reads and accounts for non-uniform sequencing coverage.ResultsUsing both simulated and real RNA-Seq datasets, we compared these three methods with GLiMMPS, ...
Utilization of genomic testing in advanced non-small cell lung cancer among oncologists in the Veterans Health Administration.

Abstract Current national guidelines recommend genomic testing on all stage 4 non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) of adenocarcinoma histology. Mutations are most often found among young, Asian, females without a history of smoking. As these characteristics are uncommon in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patient population, we sought to understand oncologists’ decision-making processes regarding utilization of genomic testing in the VHA. We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 VHA-based medical oncologists. Interviews aimed to elicit oncologists’ experiences and decision-making processes regarding genomic testing in patients with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer with adenocarcinoma histology. Analysis was guided by principles of framework analysis. Sample size was determined by thematic saturation. We identified a wide variation in medical oncologists’ genomic testing practices. Consistent with guidelines, advanced stage and adenocarcinoma histology most often influenced practice patterns among our participants. However, patient characteristics like gender, age, smoking status, and performance status were also taken in to account by some oncologists when making testing decisions. This does not reflect a widespread adoption of national guidelines for genomic testing in the VHA. Qualitative interviews with VHA-based oncologists demonstrated that genomic testing decisions are not always consistent with current national guidelines. Efforts should be made to address modifiable barriers to genomic testing in the VHA setting.
Our science, our society.

We live in a scientific golden age. Never has the pace of discovery been so rapid, the range of achievements so broad, and the changing nature of our understanding so revolutionary. Science today has extraordinary powers. It reveals fundamental phenomena of our universe, catalyzes new technologies, powers new businesses, fosters new industries, and improves lives. This month's annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, the publisher of Science ) in Austin, Texas, celebrates this golden age. More than 10,000 scientists, students, teachers, business people, journalists, philanthropists, science enthusiasts, government officials, and others will come together to hear and discuss talks by experts on such topics as immunooncology, exoplanets, election polling, and much more. Today's advances and innovations presage a future that most of us have not yet imagined.
Odor Communication and Mate Choice in Rodents

This paper details how chemical communication is affected by ecological challenges such as finding mates. I list several conditions that affect the decision to attract mates, the decision to respond to the signals of potential mates and how the response depends on context. These mate-choice decisions and their outcomes will depend on the life history constraints placed on individuals such as their fecundity, sex, lifespan, opportunities to mate in the future and age at senescence. Consequently, the sender's decision to scent mark or self-groom as well as the receiver's choice of response represents a tradeoff between the current costs of the participant's own survival and future reproduction against that of reproducing now. The decision to scent nark and the response to the scent mark of opposite-sex conspecifics should maximize the fitness of the participants in that context.
Forecasting and future work

In the early days of severe weather forecasting in the U. S. in the 1950s and 1960s, synoptic conditions associated with severe convection in the Great Plains and to the east were identified. For example, it was noted that a strong low-level southerly jet transporting moisture northward from the Gulf of Mexico surmounted by a more westerly jet aloft were synoptic conditions that seemed to permit the development of severe convective storms. This forecasting technique is one of pattern recognition based on synoptic features.
IRON PORPHYRIN CATALYZED AIR OXIDATION OF ALDEHYDES AND ALKENES

Propionaldehyde undergoes autoxidation to propionic acid in benzene solution in the presence of millimolar quantitites of iron(III) tetraphenylporphyrin complexes. The iron prophyrin catalyst promotes oxidation of some 200 equivalents of aldehyde prior to prophyrin ring destruction that takes place over a period of hours. Addition of cyclohexene to the initial reaction mixture serves to diminish the yield of propionic acid, and produce cyclohexene oxide, 2-cyclohexene-l-ol, and 2-cyclohexen-l-one as major oxidation products. Yields of the oxide approximate those of propionic acid, and are higher than the allylic cyclohexene oxidation products. A mechanism is suggested that involves significant metal-oxo group transfer, rather than total radical chain oxidation. The manganese(III) tetraphenylporphyrin analogue also serves as an efficient catalyst.
Typologisches Denken kontra Populationsdenken

Recht unmerklich begann sich kurz nach Beginn des 19. Jahrhunderts eine neue Art des Denkens in der Biologie auszubreiten. Es wird heute meist als Populationsdenken bezeichnet. Welches seine Wurzeln waren, ist keineswegs klar, aber der Nachdruck, den Pflanzen- und Tierzuchter auf die Existenz unterschiedlicher individueller Eigenschaften legten, war zweifellos von Einflus. Der zweite wichtige Einflus scheint von der Systematik ausgegangen zu sein. Naturforscher und Sammler erkannten immer haufiger, das es innerhalb der gesammelten Tierserien individuelle Unterschiede gab genauso, wie man sie etwa bei einer Gruppe Menschen vorfindet. Das Populationsdenken verbreitete sich trotz seiner ungeheuren Bedeutung nur relativ langsam. Eine Ausnahme bildeten lediglich jene Zweige der Biologie, die sich mit naturlichen Populationen befassen.
The Bloom-Forming Macroalgae, Ulva, Outcompetes the Seagrass, Zostera marina, Under High CO2 Conditions

While multiple species of macroalgae and seagrass can benefit from elevated CO2 concentrations, competition between such organisms may influence their ultimate responses. This study reports on experiments performed with a Northwest Atlantic species of the macroalgae, Ulva, and the seagrass, Zostera marina, grown under ambient and elevated levels of pCO2, and subjected to competition with each other. When grown individually, elevated pCO2 significantly increased growth rates and productivity of Ulva and Zostera, respectively, beyond control treatments (by threefold and 27%, respectively). For both primary producers, significant declines in tissue δ13C signatures suggested that increased growth and productivity were associated with a shift from use of HCO3− toward CO2 use. When grown under higher pCO2, Zostera experienced significant increases in leaf and rhizome carbon content as well as significant increases in leaf carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, while sediments within which high CO2 Zostera were grown had a significantly higher organic carbon content. When grown in the presence of Ulva; however, above- and below-ground productivity and tissue nitrogen content of Zostera were significantly lower, revealing an antagonistic interaction between elevated CO2 and the presence of Ulva. The presence of Zostera had no significant effect on the growth of Ulva. Collectively, this study demonstrates that while Ulva and Zostera can each individually benefit from elevated pCO2 levels, the ability of Ulva to grow more rapidly and inhibit seagrass productivity under elevated pCO2, coupled with accumulation of organic C in sediments, may offset the potential benefits for Zostera within high CO2 environments.
Development and Evaluation of a New Security and Privacy Track in a Health Informatics Graduate Program: Multidisciplinary Collaboration in Education.

Background: The widespread application of technologies such as electronic health record systems, mobile health apps, and telemedicine platforms, has made it easy for health care providers to collect relevant data and deliver health care regimens. While efficacious, these new technologies also pose serious security and privacy challenges. Objective: The training program described here aims at preparing well-informed health information security and privacy professionals with enhanced course materials and various approaches. Methods: A new educational track has been built within a health informatics graduate program. Several existing graduate courses have been enhanced with new security and privacy modules. New labs and seminars have been created, and students are being encouraged to participate in research projects and obtain real-world experience from industry partners. Students in this track receive both theoretical education and hands-on practice. Evaluations have been performed on this new track by conducting multiple surveys on a sample of students. Results: We have succeeded in creating a new security track and developing a pertinent curriculum. The newly created security materials have been implemented in multiple courses. Our evaluation indicated that students (N=72) believed that receiving security and privacy training was important for health professionals, the provided security contents were interesting, and having the enhanced security and privacy training in this program was beneficial for their future career. Conclusions: The security and privacy education for health information professionals in this new security track has been significantly enhanced.
Testing for Microgeographic Effects on the Strength of Interspecific Competition

Local adaptation to an environment can vary across very fine scales—as little as a few meters in some species, kilometers in others. This divergence at microgeographic scales has been linked to dispersal ability and could be responsible for geographic variation in the strength of species interactions. For example, the spread of maladaptive traits across short distances could lead to inferior performance and local extinctions across the landscape. We utilized a model study system (headwater streams of New Hampshire) with known differences in dispersal, gene flow, and intraspecific competition to test for microgeographic variation in interspecific competition. We conducted a common garden experiment and measured survival and growth of larval Spring Salamanders from different stream reaches (fish and fishless) in response to the presence of conspecific salamanders or heterospecific Brook Trout fingerlings. We predicted that Spring Salamanders from reaches with fish would have higher competitive performance w...
Causal attributions and their impact on psychosocial functioning in head and neck cancer patient–caregiver dyads: a preliminary, longitudinal study

Purpose This longitudinal study explores causal attributions in newly diagnosed head/neck cancer (HNC) patients and their caregivers. Methods Perceptions of causal attributions and associated level of responsibility regarding each patient's HNC diagnosis at baseline (n = 72 dyads) were described and then tested as predictors of depressive symptoms, cancer worry, and perceived support 6 months later. Results When causes were reported, tobacco and alcohol use topped the list of both patients and caregivers. Three-quarters of dyads agreed about perceptions of the patients' responsibility in causing their HNC. Some dyad-level patterns of causal attribution were associated with patients' and caregivers' cancer worry (p Conclusions This preliminary study indicates that causal attributions warrant further exploration in HNC patient-caregiver dyads specifically, as well as studies of quality of life in patient-caregiver dyads more broadly considered.
Reoperative sternotomy is associated with increased early mortality after cardiac transplantation

OBJECTIVES Outcomes of cardiac transplantation in patients undergoing reoperative sternotomy are often worse than primary transplants. However, the risks imposed by a prior sternotomy, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or retransplantation have not been independently analysed. METHODS Using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database, a retrospective propensity-matched cohort analysis was performed on 14 730 patients who received a heart transplant between 2005 and 2017. Of 7365 patients who underwent a reoperative sternotomy, 4526 (61%) patients had previous cardiac surgery, 2364 (32%) patients had an LVAD and 475 (6%) patients had a previous transplant. Baseline characteristics were compared, and survival was analysed using a Cox model. RESULTS Compared to patients who underwent a primary transplant, patients with a prior sternotomy had a worse long-term survival (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in survival between patients who had an LVAD and those who had a previous cardiac operation. However, all subgroups had better survival compared to patients who underwent a retransplant (P < 0.05). On the multivariable analysis, prior sternotomy and radiation demonstrated an increased risk of death compared to primary transplants [prior cardiac surgery: hazard ratio (HR) 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.22; P = 0.001; LVAD: HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.08-1.32; P = 0.001; retransplant: HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.42-1.99; P < 0.001; radiation: HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.00-3.30; P = 0.04]. When excluding patients who died in the first year, there were no significant differences in survival between the primary transplant, prior cardiac surgery, LVAD and retransplant groups. CONCLUSIONS Prior sternotomy is a risk factor for worse survival after cardiac transplantation, mainly due to increased early postoperative mortality. A history of prior transplant confers the greatest risk compared to those who received an LVAD or had prior cardiac surgery.
Assessing Students‘ Mathematical Challenges in an Introduction to Signal Processing Course and the Effects of Cooperative Learning

Signal processing is a specialization in electrical engineering which is often considered mathematically challenging for students. It is difficult in part due to the abstract nature of the topics, extensive use of mathematical formulations and mathematical limitations and deficiencies from prior courses. Professors have often identified deficiencies related to complex numbers and signal transformations, which are key for fundamental topics such as convolution and frequency analysis. Although previous work has assessed the effects of alternative teaching methods in this course, no prior studies have focus on complex numbers and signal transformations and their related misconceptions and deficiencies. In this work, we aim to identify students‘ mathematical deficiencies by building upon prior knowledge through a series of tutorials, designed following backward design, and which followed an informal cooperative learning approach. Data was collected through pre- and post-tutorial tests and self-confidence surveys. Results showed an overall increase in performance in post-tutorial assessments as well as increased reported self-confidence. Skills that remain more challenging are those requiring plotting mathematical functions.
The role of various domains of the iron-sulfur protein in the assembly and activity of the cytochrome bc1 complex of yeast mitochondria.

Assembly studies in vitro of deletion mutants of the iron–sulfur protein into the cytochromebc 1 complex revealed that mutants localized in the extramembranous regions of the proteinwere not assembled into the complex in contrast to the efficient assembly of mutants in themembrane-spanning region. Charged amino acids located in the extramembranous α1-β4 loopand the α1 helix were mutated and expressed in yeast cells lacking the gene for the iron–sulfurprotein. Mutating the charged amino acid residues H124, E125, R146, K148, and D149 aswell as V132 and W152 resulted in loss of enzymatic activity due to the loss of iron–sulfurprotein suggesting that these amino acids are required to maintain protein stability. By contrast,no loss of iron–sulfur protein accompanied the 30–50% loss of bc 1 complex activity in mutantsof three conserved alanine residues, A86, A90, and A92, suggesting that these residues maybe involved in the proposed movement of the flexible tether of the iron–sulfur proteinduring catalysis.
Spinal Cord Toxicity from Intrathecal Chemotherapy: A Case with Clinicopathologic Correlation.

Background Myelopathy of the dorsal columns is a rare complication of intrathecal (IT) chemotherapy that occurs most frequently with IT methotrexate and cytarabine. This diagnosis is made with a combination of magnetic resonance imaging, somatosensory evoked potentials, and elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein levels, particularly myelin basic protein. Case Description A 73-year-old man with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm and known central nervous system involvement underwent standard treatment, including 5 doses of IT cytosine arabinoside. Following this, he had documented CSF clearance of disease. One year later, he developed progressive lower extremity weakness, numbness, and bowel/bladder dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging and repeat CSF analysis demonstrated recurrence, and he underwent further IT administration of methotrexate and cytarabine. CSF clearance of malignant cells was again established. However, weakness progressed to quadriplegia; loss of bowel/bladder control; and severe sensory loss, particularly vibration and proprioception. Repeat magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated high signal intensity in bilateral posterior columns. A lower thoracic spine dorsal column biopsy revealed cord destruction and diffuse macrophage infiltration with profound destruction of the neuropil. Conclusions Although dorsal column myelopathy has previously been described in association with IT chemotherapy, this has solely been diagnosed on the basis of clinical examination, electrodiagnostic criteria, radiographic findings, and CSF analysis. This case provides a pathologic evaluation of an antemortem obtained specimen revealing diffuse macrophage infiltration and profound destruction of the neuropil. Whereas the mechanism underlying spinal cord toxicity following IT chemotherapy remains largely unknown, this case demonstrates a potentially macrophage-mediated process.
Anticipating a Second Wave of Standards-Based Grading Implementation and Understanding the Potential Barriers: Perceptions of High School Principals:

As secondary school leaders consider a shift toward standards-based grading (SBG) practices, they are no doubt weighing the odds of a successful implementation process. This research followed up on...
Laminated Wallboard Panels Made with Cellulose Nanofibrils as a Binder: Production and Properties

This study explored the development and characterization of laminated wallboard panels using renewable materials for building applications. The panels are based on cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) as a binder and wood particles. Other additives included FiberLeanTM (microfibrillated cellulose/calcium carbonate composite), starch and fire retardant (boric acid/borax). These panels are also intended to address the environmental concerns of commercial gypsum boards. The manufacturing of the panels is via a wet-based process; hence no initial drying was required to remove the water from the CNF. It was found that the dosage of CNF (and/or FiberLeanTM) binder and the addition of starch had the largest impact upon the quality of the final product. The addition of starch was found more favorable in the presence of FiberLeanTM. The fire retardancy was induced by adding boric acid/borax (1:1). The burning test revealed that the panels treated with the fire retardant exhibited excellent burning properties comparable to that of gypsum board (inherently fire resistant). Interestingly, the addition of the boric acid/borax also appeared to increase the retention of starch in the system, leading to favorable mechanical properties.
Don’t Shoot the Messenger: Surgical Programs Can Do More To Keep Applicants Informed

Objective The interview process for applying to general surgery residency is burdened by a high volume of applicants, resulting in unprofessional behavior by both applicants and programs. Sharing more information regarding interview scheduling with applicants may limit fourth year medical student educational disruptions, minimized late cancellations to interview, and improve overall satisfaction with the process. Thus, we set out to determine what information is currently available to applicants. Design We used publicly accessible sources to determine what information was shared by US general surgery residency programs with applicants. Specifically, we looked at the deadline for applications, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 score cutoffs, number of interview dates available, specific interview dates, a stated policy to not offering more interviews than slots, dates when applicants can expect to be notified of interview offers, notification of decision to decline, and International Medical Graduate and visa policies. Setting This study took place at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, an academic medical center with a general surgery residency program. Participants Not applicable. Results Three hundred seventeen programs were examined. Seventy-six percent of programs specified an application deadline, 65% of programs specified a Step 1 cut-off score, 50% of programs specified a Step 2 cut-off score, 61% of programs stated a visa policy, and 50% of programs stated an International Medical Graduate policy. Twenty-five percent of programs disclosed the number of interview dates, 23% disclosed what those interview dates were. About 3.4% of programs gave interview release dates, 2.8% of programs notify applicants of decline to interview, and 0.63% of programs explicitly describe a policy of offering only as many interviews as slots available. Thirty-two percent of programs provided conflicting information. Conclusions The information available to applicants from public access sources regarding interview scheduling is minimal, unstandardized, and unreliable. Notably lacking were policies that only offer as many interviews as slots available, dates when applicants can expect to be notified of interview offers, and notification of declines. Providing such information to applicants in a standardized way may improve satisfaction with the interview scheduling process.
Use of a Latent Class Analysis in the Diagnosis of Chronic Chagas Disease in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

BACKGROUND The diversity of individuals at risk for Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the United States poses challenges for diagnosis. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared tests in the Washington Metropolitan area (WMA). METHODS In total, 1514 individuals were evaluated (1078 from Mexico, Central and northern South America [TcI-predominant areas], and 436 from southern South America [TcII/V/VI-predominant areas]). Optical density (OD) values from the Hemagen EIA and Chagatest v.3 Wiener, and categorical results of the IgG-TESA-blot (Western blot with trypomastigote excretory-secretory antigen), and the Chagas detect plus (CDP), as well as information of area of origin were used to determine T. cruzi serostatus using latent class analysis. RESULTS We detected 2 latent class (LC) of seropositives with low (LC1) and high (LC2) antibody levels. A significantly lower number of seropositives were detected by the Wiener, IgG-TESA-blot, and CDP in LC1 (60.6%, P < .001, 93.1%, P = .014, and 84.9%, P = .002, respectively) as compared to LC2 (100%, 100%, and 98.2%, respectively). LC1 was the main type of seropositives in TcI-predominant areas, representing 65.0% of all seropositives as opposed to 22.8% in TcII/V/VI-predominant areas. The highest sensitivity was observed for the Hemagen (100%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 96.2-100.0), but this test has a low specificity (90.4%, 95% CI: 88.7-91.9). The best balance between positive (90.9%, 95% CI: 83.5-95.1), and negative (99.9%, 95% CI: 99.4-99.9) predictive values was obtained with the Wiener. CONCLUSIONS Deficiencies in current FDA-cleared assays were observed. Low antibody levels are the main type of seropositives in individuals from TcI-predominant areas, the most frequent immigrant group in the United States.
Advanced vehicle systems and technologies: economic and environmental implications

Abstract The vision behind this Flying Transportation Technology is to design an economical, safe, and environmentally friendly mode of transportation system globally. Thus, this study proposed a 3D numerical simulation of external flow for a flying automobile by conducting well-designed rectangular NACA 9618 wings to fly the vehicle smoothly. Thus, to enhance its airborne capabilities, vehicle's aerodynamic traits have been modeled mathematically. Subsequently, the vehicle is being integrated with 3D k-omega turbine, which controls the fundamental flow of the maximum power point tracking control and DFIG (Doubly-fed induction generator) flow of the turbine which controls the speed of the generator in order the drive engine for operating the vehicle in the sky. Subsequently, the numerical aspect comprises of Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes equations (RANS) has been conducted in order to confirm that the vehicle is being highly functional by allowing its divergent deployments during takeoff to maximize its air performance. Interestingly, the utilization of wind during the flying process, the model has integrated wind turbines confirm that the wind recodification enables to propel the vehicle in the air precisely to fly the vehicle in the sky. Considering this technology involved in the design of the flying car, it would one of the most sophisticated inventions in modern transportation science that will not only facilitate safe transportation and save trillions of dollars annually, but will also significantly help in saving the ecosystem.
Impact of Inverter Modeling on Sub-cycle Dynamics in Grid-Connected Solar PV Systems

This paper investigates the impact of inverter modeling on the dynamics in a less than one cycle time frame (i.e., sub-cycle dynamics). Two types of inverter models (i.e., the detailed and average inverter models) are used to create the solar PV test systems for real-time electromagnetic simulation analysis. It is shown that the detailed inverter model that includes the inverter switching dynamics is more appropriate than the average inverter model for accurate sub-cycle dynamic analysis, especially important for power systems with high penetration of solar PVs. Also, increasing the system heterogeneity may reduce the severity of undesired sub-cycle transient events.
Librarians as faculty developers: Competencies and recommendations

Abstract Drawing on our experiences as academic librarians who have moved into faculty developer roles, we share our perspectives on how our library training and experience translates to highly effective collaborations supporting faculty development. We see that existing collaborations between libraries, librarians, and faculty development centers result in meaningful faculty development offerings that reach more faculty than offerings provided by libraries alone. In this article, we discuss potential collaborative roles that academic librarians and faculty development centers can play together, with a goal of higher faculty impact in mind. We take an autoethnographic approach based on our experiences working in both fields.
Galileo and the Causes

The literature on Galileo’s methodology, or, if you like, his philosophy of science, is replete with reiteration of dichotomous terms, attempting to characterize Galileo’s work, necessarily or for the most part, as an instance, of a type. The terms ‘Patonism/Aristotelianism,’ ‘Mathematical/Experimental, ‘Rationalist/Empiricist’ have been used to describe Galileo’s work. What I hope to do in this essay is to provide a way of looking at Galileo which will undercut the force of such dichotomies and which at the same time will be more faithful to the 16th- and early 17th-century traditions of methodological discussion. I hope to make plausible the claim that Galileo is in a tradition, but one which has not been sufficiently recognized and has only begun to be studied. The tradition is that of the mixed sciences, which is itself a tradition blending mathematics and physics (or natural philosophy), blending Platonic (or neo-Platonic) and Aristotelian elements, blending reason and observation. It is this tradition I shall argue that Galileo takes on from the late 16th-century thinkers and which can be seen in all his works, even in the much studied Discorsi. Indeed, in Section II of this essay I shall concentrate my analysis almost wholly upon the Discorsi as published, assuming that if I can make my case plausible for that work the rest of the Galilean corpus will come into line also.1
Surveying North American Academic Library Websites for Instructional Outreach and Delivery Reveals a Broad Range of Approaches Employed

A Review of: Yang., S. Q., & Chou, M. (2014). Promoting and teaching information literacy on the Internet: Surveying the web sites of 264 academic libraries in North America. Journal of Web Librarianship, 8(1), 88-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19322909.2014.855586 Abstract Objective – To determine the extent to which academic libraries have used the Web to market and deliver information literacy both as a service and as a concept. Design – Survey of web content. Setting – Websites of North American academic libraries. Subjects – A random sample of 264 libraries selected from Peterson’s Four-Year Colleges. Methods – The investigators reviewed and analyzed content on academic library websites by recording the presence of various types of information. Presence was recorded for the term information literacy, tutorial content, guides and tests, and delivery of information literacy instruction. The frequencies of tutorials and guides were also reported. Main Results – Approximately 65% of the libraries used their website to promote instruction, while 30% did not mention information literacy or library instruction. A wide range of terminology was used to denote library instruction, but information literacy was not highly used. Approximately 5% of libraries had no public web presence. Research guides, tutorials, or both were provided by 64% of libraries. More than 300 tutorials in a variety of formats, including Adobe Flash videos, static web pages with little or no animations, webcasts, documents, and presentations were offered by 111 libraries. The tutorials addressed general research topics, databases, concepts and technical skills, among others. Conclusion – While the majority of academic libraries sampled have incorporated information literacy and library instruction into their web presence, it is unclear why nearly one third did not mention these activities. Further study is needed to benchmark how libraries are using the Web for instruction and outreach.
Context-aware privacy design pattern selection

User-related contextual factors affect the degree of privacy protection that is necessary for a given context. Such factors include: sensitivity of data, location of data, sector, contractual restrictions, cultural expectations, user trust (in organisations, etc.), trustworthiness of partners, security deployed in the infrastructure, etc. The relationship between these factors and privacy control measures that should be deployed can be complex. In this paper we propose a decision based support system that assesses context and deduces a list of recommendations and controls. One or more design patterns will be suggested, that can be used in conjunction to satisfy contextual requirements. This is a broad solution that can be used for privacy, security and other types of requirement.