cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The business case for integrated reporting: Insights from leading practitioners, regulators, and academics

Abstract Integrated reporting, a new development in the reporting landscape, seeks to concisely communicate a firm's value through a more holistic picture that integrates financial and non-financial information. This practice is in its infancy in the United States and Europe, with many firms unsure of what integrated reporting is, what its benefits are, and even how to set it up. Drawing upon transcripts from 19 unstructured panel interviews at a global symposium on the subject, we discuss the business case for integrated reporting, as well as the multitude of challenges a firm faces when beginning its integrated reporting journey. We also summarize experiences and tips from interviewees on the need for integrated thinking, the most effective use of the International Integrated Reporting Council's framework, the best way to obtain high-quality data, the ideal audience of such reports, and the options for report assurance.
Race and the Housing Cycle: Differences in Home Equity Trends Among Long-Term Homeowners

AbstractDuring the past decade, housing markets across the United States experienced dramatic upheaval. Housing prices rose rapidly throughout much of the country from 2000 until the start of 2007 and then fell sharply during the next 2 years. Many households lost substantial amounts of equity during this downturn; in aggregate, U.S. homeowners lost $7 trillion in equity from 2006 to 2009. Aggregate home equity holdings had fallen back to 2000 levels by early 2009. Whereas this intense volatility has been well documented, there remain unanswered questions about the variation in experiences across racial groups, particularly among those who purchased their homes before the boom and kept them through the collapse of the market. Did this housing market upheaval widen the already large racial and ethnic gaps in housing wealth? Using the American Housing Survey, we analyze differences in the changes in home equity experienced by homeowners of different races and ethnicities between 2003 and 2009. We focus on h...
Immunologic alterations and the pathogenesis of organ failure in the ICU

Rapid and marked alterations of innate and adaptive immunity typify the host response to systemic infection and acute inflammatory states. Immune dysfunction contributes to the development of organ failure in most patients with critical illness. The molecular mechanisms by which microbial pathogens and tissue injury activate myeloid cells and prime cellular and humoral immunity are increasingly understood. An early and effective immune response to microbial invasion is essential to mount an effective antimicrobial response. However, unchecked and nonresolving inflammation can induce diffuse vasodilation, increased capillary permeability, microvascular damage, coagulation activation, and organ dysfunction. Control of the inflammatory response to limit tissue damage, yet retain the antimicrobial responses in critically ill patients with severe infection, has been sought for decades. Anti-inflammatory approaches might be beneficial in some patients but detrimental in others. It is now clear that a state of sepsis-induced immune suppression can follow the immune activation phase of sepsis. In carefully selected patients, a better therapeutic strategy might be to provide immunoadjuvants to reconstitute immune function in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Proresolving agents are also in development to terminate acute inflammatory reactions without immune suppression. This brief review summarizes the current understanding of the fundamental immune alterations in critical illness that lead to organ failure in critical illness.
Isothermal Diffusion in the Dilute Range of the System Ca(OH)2 - H3PO4 - H2O: Theory.

The equations describing isothermal diffusion in the dilute range of the ternary system Ca(OH)2 - H3PO4 - H2O are derived in two ways, first, assuming that the components are electroneutral species and, second, considering the actual ionic species present in solution. It is shown that the two models are thermodynamically equivalent. The theory permits the calculation of the four fundamental diffusion coefficients (phenomenological coefficients) in the concentration range where the Debye-Huckel theory suffices for the calculation of ionic activity coefficients. The equations can be used to test the Onsager reciprocal relations for the diffusion process in the above system. The ionic model was used to calculate practical diffusion coefficients for the electroneutral components from the limiting equivalent conductances of the ions in solutions saturated with respect to hydroxyapatite, Ca10(OH)2(PO4)6. Large diffusion interferences, as revealed by relatively large values for the cross-terms in Dij , are predicted even for solutions with total molarity in the order of 10-5. Therefore, diffusion models based on independent fluxes of the components appear to be invalid.
From HIV diagnosis to initiation of treatment: Social transformation among people starting antiretroviral therapy in Peru.

Social support is a key, yet elusive resource for HIV patients living in poverty in Lima, Peru. Despite a greater need for health services and encouragement from others, economic restraints, stigma...
Single mothers’ home-based school involvement: a longitudinal analysis

ABSTRACTNumerous positive child outcomes are associated with parental involvement in their child's school, but the longitudinal impact of parenting stress and parent-child engagement on parental school involvement remains less understood. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 528), this study examined the impact of single mothers’ parenting stress at child age three and parental engagement at child age five on parental home-based school involvement at child age nine. Analyses were based on structural equation modeling that tested direct and indirect effects. Higher levels of single mothers’ parenting stress lowered parental engagement at age five, and higher levels of parental engagement at child age five increased home-based school involvement at child age nine. Tests of indirect effects confirmed that parental engagement mediated the relation between parenting stress and home-based school involvement.
Clinical significance of serum cortisol levels following surgery for congenital heart disease

Objective Use of hydrocortisone to treat refractory haemodynamic instability in patients recovering from surgery for congenital heart disease is common practice at many centres. We aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between total serum cortisol concentrations and haemodynamic response to this therapy. Material and methods We retrospectively reviewed patients <21 years who underwent cardiac surgery from 2011 to 2013, received hydrocortisone within 72 hours postoperatively, and had total serum cortisol measurements contemporaneous with its administration. Favourable responders were defined as patients in whom, at 24 hours after hydrocortisone initiation, either (1) systolic blood pressure was increased or unchanged and vasoactive-inotrope score was decreased or (2) systolic blood pressure increased by ⩾10% of baseline and vasoactive-inotrope score was unchanged. Variables were compared using t-tests or Mann–Whitney U tests as appropriate. Results In total, 24 patients were reviewed, with a median age of 1.4 months and range of 0.1–232 months. Among them, 14 (58%) patients responded favourably to hydrocortisone. At 24 hours, the median change in vasoactive-inotrope score was −18% in favourable responders and +31% in those who did not respond favourably, p=0.001. The mean pre-hydrocortisone total serum cortisol in favourable responders was 17.4±10.9 µg/dl compared with 46.1±44.7 µg/dl in those who did not respond favourably, p=0.03. Conclusion Total serum cortisol obtained before initiation of hydrocortisone was significantly lower in patients who responded favourably to this therapy. Total serum cortisol may therefore be helpful in identifying children recovering from cardiac surgery who may or may not haemodynamically improve with hydrocortisone.
Soybean DapA mutations encoding lysine-insensitive dihydrodipicolinate synthase

In plants, the rate-limiting step in the pathway for lysine synthesis is catalyzed by the enzyme dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DS), which is encoded by the DapA gene. We previously cloned the soybean (Glycine max cv. Century) DapA gene in Escherichia coli to express functional soybean DS protein. Like the wild-type soybean DS enzyme, the DS activity encoded by the cloned gene was extremely sensitive to feedback inhibition by micromolar concentrations of lysine. Three mutants of the soybean DapA gene were constructed using PCR: one with a single amino acid substitution at codon 104, another with a single amino acid substitution at codon 112, and a mutant containing both modifications. When expressed in E. coli, the mutant DS activities were insensitive to lysine at concentrations up to 1 mM.
Practical Synthetic Procedures for the Iron-Catalyzed Intermolecular Olefin Aminohydroxylation Using Functionalized Hydroxylamines.

A set of practical synthetic procedures for the iron-catalyzed intermolecular olefin aminohydroxylation reactions in gram scale is reported. In these transformations, a bench-stable functionalized hydroxylamine is applied as the amination reagent. This method is compatible with a broad range of synthetically valuable olefins including those that are incompatible with the existing aminohydroxylation methods. It also provides valuable amino alcohol building blocks with regio- and stereochemical arrays that are complementary to known methods.
Community Science Exemplars in SEAGrid Science Gateway

We describe the science discovered by some of the community of researchers using the SEAGrid Science gateway. Specific science projects to be discussed include calcium carbonate and bicarbonate hydrochemistry, mechanistic studies of redox proteins and diffraction modeling of metal and metal-oxide structures and interfaces. The modeling studies involve a variety of ab initio and molecular dynamics computational techniques and coupled execution of a workflows using specific set of applications enabled in the SEAGrid Science Gateway. The integration of applications and resources that enable workflows that couple empirical, semi-empirical, ab initio DFT, and Moller-Plesset perturbative models and combine computational and visualization modules through a single point of access is now possible through the SEAGrid gateway. Integration with the Apache Airavata infrastructure to gain a sustainable and more easily maintainable set of services is described. As part of this integration we also provide a web browser based SEAGrid Portal in addition to the SEAGrid rich client based on the previous GridChem client. We will elaborate the services and their enhancements in this process to exemplify how the new implementation will enhance the maintainability and sustainability. We will also provide exemplar science workflows and contrast how they are supported in the new deployment to showcase the adoptability and user support for services and resources.
Get Real: The Process of Validating Research across Racial Lines

Norman Denzin and Yvonna Lincoln (2003) introduce their edited volume, The Landscape of Qualitative Inquiry by recalling a famous picture of a White researcher studying a community in India as an example of cross-racial-research-gone-wrong. This picture also provided the cover to an important book on ethnography called Writing Culture (Clifford and Marcus, 1986). In the picture, the white anthropologist (or fill in the appropriate discipline) is sitting on a chair away from three dark-skinned people, looking in on a child, a woman hanging back in the shadows, and a man who is staring back at him while the researcher shields his White skin from the sun with a symbolically chosen white handkerchief (Denzin and Lincoln, 2003). He does not interact with the man, child, or woman whom he observes. Rather, he takes notes, the quintessential picture of the “researcher-as-expert,” or the “lone ethnographer,” and he will then be deemed the expert of this community or cultural group. It is as if the notes that he takes—White looking in on Brown (read “other”)—will be able to seemingly uncover something that those within the community would never explore or could never understand for themselves. Implied by this picture is that the separation maintained by the researcher and the subjects of his gaze is the only way that this researcher could possibly be valid.
Age, Race and Cardiovascular Outcomes in African American Veterans.

Background: In the general population, compared wtih their White peers, African Americans suffer premature all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) deaths, attributed in part to reduced access to care and lower socioeconomic status. Prior reports indicated younger (aged 35 to 44 years) African Americans had a signficantly greater age-adjusted risk of death. Recent studies suggest that in a more egalitarian health care structure than typical United States (US) health care structures, African Americans may have similar or even better CV outcomes, but the impact of age is less well-known. Methods: We examined age stratified all-cause mortality, and incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischemic stroke in 3,072,966 patients (547,441 African American and 2,525,525 White) with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)>60 mL/min/1.73m2 receiving care from the US Veterans Health Administration. Outcomes were examined in Cox models adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, kidney function, blood pressure, socioeconomics and indicators of the quality of health care delivery. Results: African Americans had an overall 30% lower all-cause mortality (P 70 years. Stroke rates did not differ by race in persons aged <70 years. Conclusions: Among patients with normal eGFR and receiving care in the Veterans Health Administration, younger African Americans had lower all-cause mortality and incidence of CHD and similar rates of stroke, independent of demographic, comorbidity and socioeconomic differences. The lower all-cause mortality persisted but attenuated with increasing age and the lower incidence of CHD ended at aged ≥80 years. The higher incidence of ischemic stroke in African Americans was driven by increasing risk in patients aged ≥70 years suggesting that the improved cardiovascular outcomes were most dramatic for younger African Americans. Ethn Dis. 2016;26(3):305-314; doi:10.18865/ed.26.3.305
Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) Simulation and Bayes Theory

Markov Chain Monte Carlo is an innovative and widely used computational methodology for an accurate estimation of a distribution, whose direct numerical evaluation is intractable. The main idea is to construct an ergodic Markov chain which is simple to simulate and has the target distribution as its invariant probability. This technique has been indispensable in the estimation of posterior distribution in Bayesian inference.
Histologic Subtype in Core Lung Biopsies of Early-Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma is a Prognostic Factor for Treatment Response and Failure Patterns After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy.

Purpose Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has emerged as an effective treatment for early-stage lung cancer. The histologic subtype of surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma is recognized as a prognostic factor, with the presence of solid or micropapillary patterns predicting poor outcomes. We describe the outcomes after SBRT for early-stage lung adenocarcinoma stratified by histologic subtype. Methods and Materials We identified 119 consecutive patients (124 lesions) with stage I to IIA lung adenocarcinoma who had undergone definitive SBRT at our institution from August 2008 to August 2015 and had undergone core biopsy. Histologic subtyping was performed according to the 2015 World Health Organization classification. Of the 124 tumors, 37 (30%) were a high-risk subtype, defined as containing a component of solid and/or micropapillary pattern. The cumulative incidences of local, nodal, regional, and distant failure were compared between the high-risk and non–high-risk adenocarcinoma subtypes using Gray's test, and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated from propensity score–weighted Cox regression models. Results The median follow-up for the entire cohort was 17 months and for surviving patients was 21 months. The 1-year cumulative incidence of and adjusted HR for local, nodal, regional, and distant failure in high-risk versus non–high-risk lesions was 7.3% versus 2.7% (HR 16.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.5-81.4), 14.8% versus 2.6% (HR 3.8; 95% CI 0.95-15.0), 4.0% versus 1.2% (HR 20.9; 95% CI 2.3-192.3), and 22.7% versus 3.6% (HR 6.9; 95% CI 2.2-21.1), respectively. No significant difference was seen with regard to overall survival. Conclusions The outcomes after SBRT for early-stage adenocarcinoma of the lung correlate highly with histologic subtype, with micropapillary and solid tumors portending significantly higher rates of locoregional and metastatic progression. In this context, the histologic subtype determined from core biopsies is a prognostic factor and could have important implications for patient selection, adjuvant treatment, biopsy methods, and clinical trial design.
Smudge Cells on Routine Blood Smear Predict Clinical Outcome in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Universally Available Prognostic Test.

Abstract Background: The prognosis of patients with early Rai and Binet stage CLL is variable. Recently developed prognostic tests (mutation status, ZAP-70, chromosome evaluation by FISH) require significant technologic expertise and are not available worldwide to most patients with CLL. Smudge cells are ruptured CLL cells appearing on a blood smear. Using a proteomic approach, we recently discovered that the cytoskeletal protein vimentin is expressed at higher levels in CLL cells with unmutated IgVH and that vimentin expression is a marker of poor prognosis in early stage CLL (Blood , 2005; 106:707). Hypothesis: Since vimentin plays an important role in the cytoskeleton and lymphocyte rigidity, we hypothesized that smudge cell formation is inversely correlated with vimentin expression and that the percentage of smudge cells may predict prognosis in CLL. Methods: We blindly reviewed the blood smears archived at the time of diagnosis of patients with untreated, early stage CLL. A total of 200 lymphocytes and smudge cells were counted per slide and results reported as percentage of total lymphocytes (intact and smudged). The percentage of smudge cells was correlated with vimentin expression measured by flow cytometry, IgVH mutation status, time to treatment (TTT), and survival. Results: Blood smears of 75 patients were reviewed. The median percentage of smudge cells was 27% (range, 4–72%). The percentage of smudge cells did not correlate with lymphocytosis (r=0.04, p=0.73) and did not change overtime for serial evaluations for individual patients (p=0.61). The percentage of smudge cells appeared to correlate inversely with vimentin expression (r = − 0.627; p = 0.0017). The percentage of smudge cells was higher in patients with mutated IgVH than in patients with unmutated IgVH (median 31% vs. median 13%, p=0.02). The percentage of smudge cells as a continuous variable correlated with both a prolonged TTT (p=0.0023) and overall survival (p=0.04). Patients with less than 30% smudge cells had a median TTT of 72.7 months. The median TTT in patients with ≥30% smudge cells was not reached (p=0.0011), Figure 1. Conclusion: A lower percentage of smudge cells is associated with unmutated IgVH status and with worse clinical outcome in early stage CLL. The percentage of smudge cells does not vary based on the magnitude of the lymphocytosis, but is patient specific and remains constant over time. Evaluation of the percentage of smudge cells on blood smears could be a universally available prognostic test for patients with early stage CLL. Download : Download high-res image (63KB) Download : Download full-size image
Tidal Modelling on IBM Microcomputers

The finite element code, QUIET, for the simulation of two-dimensional shallow water flow has been adapted from its mainframe form for use on the IBM PC, PC/XT, or AT. The model uses of the wave equation form of the continuity equation and uses isoparametric quadrilateral finite elements. All matrices solved in this explicit code are diagonal. Simulations on the southern part of the North Sea are used to illustrate the model's capability.
Increased Reporting Accuracy of Alzheimer Disease Symptoms in Caribbean Hispanic Informants.

Introduction Informant report of symptoms is essential for diagnosing and characterizing Alzheimer disease (AD). Differences in the perception and experience of dementia across ethnicities may influence informant report. Understanding such differences is critical given that among those with AD, Hispanics are disproportionately affected. Methods Cross-sectional analyses examined informant report of cognitive and functional symptoms in mild AD across white (n=107) and Caribbean Hispanic (n=71) informants. To explore its accuracy, informant report of symptoms was compared against objective measures of patient performance. Results Adjusted analyses revealed Hispanics reported more symptoms than white informants. Informant report of symptoms was inversely correlated with patients' global cognition in both ethnic groups. Only Hispanic report of symptoms was significantly associated with memory and language performance. Discussion Informant report of symptoms was associated with patients' global cognition, reflecting relatively accurate informant reports in both ethnic groups, and was stronger in Hispanics when examining memory and language. Such differences may reflect cultural caregiving practices and perceptions of dementia, having implications for diagnosis and treatment.
Weight change, obesity and risk of prostate cancer progression among men with clinically localized prostate cancer.

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of fatal prostate cancer. We aimed to elucidate the relevant timing and importance of obesity and weight change for prostate cancer progression. We identified 5,158 men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer (clinical stage T1/T2) from 1986-2012 in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Men were followed for biochemical recurrence and lethal prostate cancer (development of distant metastasis or prostate cancer-specific mortality) until 2012. Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for body mass index (BMI) at age 21, BMI at diagnosis, "long-term" weight change from age 21 to diagnosis, and "short-term" weight change over spans of 4 and 8 years preceding diagnosis. Because weight, weight change, and mortality are strongly associated with smoking, we repeated analyses among never smokers only (N=2,559). Among all patients, neither weight change nor BMI (at age 21 or at diagnosis) was associated with lethal prostate cancer. Among never smokers, long-term weight gain was associated with an increased risk of lethal disease (HR for gaining >30 pounds vs. stable weight [±10 pounds] 1.59, 95% CI, 1.01-2.50, p-trend=0.06). Associations between weight change, BMI, and lethal prostate cancer were stronger for men with BMI≥25 at age 21 compared to those with BMI<25. Weight change and obesity were not associated with an increased risk of biochemical recurrence. Our findings among never smoker men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer suggest a positive association between long-term weight gain and risk of lethal prostate cancer. Metabolic changes associated with weight gain may promote prostate cancer progression. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Surface science: Catalytic hotspots get noisy

Identifying and imaging catalytically active sites on solid surfaces is a grand challenge for science. A microscopy technique has been developed that images 'noise' to detect active sites with nanometre-scale resolution. See Letter p.74
Imaging spectrum of immunomodulating, chemotherapeutic and radiation therapy-related intracranial effects.

Objective:A wide range of treatment-related side effects result in specific neurologic symptoms and signs and neuroimaging features. Even to the most seasoned neuroradiologist, elucidating therapy-related side effects from other common mimics can be challenging. We provide a pictorial survey of some common and uncommon medication-induced and therapy-related neuroimaging manifestations, discuss pathophysiology and common pitfalls in imaging and diagnosis.Methods:A case-based review is utilized to depict scenarios on a routine basis in a general radiology or neuroradiology practice such as medication-induced posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome to the more challenging cases of pseudoprogression and pseudoregression in temozolmide and bevacizumab therapy in gliobastoma treatment protocols.Conclusion:Knowledge of the treatment-induced imaging abnormalities is essential in the accurate interpretation and diagnosis from the most routine to most challenging of clinical situations. We provide a pictorial ...
An Overview of Engineering Approaches to Improving Agricultural Animal Welfare

In this essay, we provide an overview of how production systems can be re-engineered to improve the welfare of the animals involved. At least three potential options exist: (1) engineering their environments to better fit the animals, (2) engineering the animals themselves to better fit their environments, and (3) eliminating the animals from the system by growing meat in vitro rather than on farms. The morality of consuming animal products and the conditions under which agricultural animals are maintained remain highly contentious, and when concerns about animal welfare are coupled with concerns about sustainability and global food security, the problem of welfare in animal agriculture constitutes “a wicked problem,” because it is unlikely that any proposed solution will simultaneously address all the issues of concern. In the final section of this essay, we offer some observations on how debate over reforms in animal agriculture could proceed going forward.
Acute blockade of inner ear marginal and dark cell K+ secretion: Effects on gravity receptor function

Abstract Specific pharmacological blockade of KCNQ (Kv7) channels with XE991 rapidly (within 20 min) and profoundly alters inner ear gravity receptor responses to head motion (Lee et al., 2017). We hypothesized that these effects were attributable to the suppression of K+ secretion following blockade of KCNQ1-KCNE1 channels in vestibular dark cells and marginal cells. To test this hypothesis, K+ secretion was independently inhibited by blocking the Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter (NKCC1, Slc12a2) rather than KCNQ1-KCNE1 channels. Acute blockade of NKCC1 with ethacrynic acid (40 mg/kg) eliminated auditory responses (ABRs) within approximately 70 min of injection, but had no effect on vestibular gravity receptor function (VsEPs) over a period of 2 h in the same animals. These findings show that, vestibular gravity receptors are highly resistant to acute disruption of endolymph secretion unlike the auditory system. Based on this we argue that acute suppression of K+ secretion alone does not likely account for the rapid profound effects of XE991 on gravity receptors. Instead the effects of XE991 likely require additional action at KCNQ channels located within the sensory epithelium itself.
Spiders, Computers, and Markov Chains

(1990). Spiders, Computers, and Markov Chains. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 323-326.
Links between episodic groundwater recharge rates and rainfall events classified according to stratiform-convective storm scoring: A plot-scale study in eastern Nebraska

Abstract Groundwater recharge rates emerge from complex interactions within the soil-vegetation-atmosphere system. While it is widely recognized that numerical models are able to properly simulate soil water dynamics depending on boundary forcing data, in-depth information on episodic recharge generation needs to be gained. In this study, the water balance of a heterogeneous 300 cm-deep soil profile beneath a rainfed maize agro-ecosystem in eastern Nebraska was numerically simulated in HYDRUS-1D for 12 years (2001–2012) on daily time steps. We estimated potential groundwater recharge as the downward flux simulated below maximum maize root depth (150 cm). This model was calibrated in a previous study by using direct field measurements. Simulated results indicated that annual rainfall scarcely controls the amount of annual recharge. The impact of individual storm event on recharge episodicity was assessed through iterative scenario modeling. We investigated the importance of rainfall events classified according to convective-stratiform scoring, spanning from 0 and 1, designating extremely stratiform and convective, respectively. The inequality of frequency distribution of rainfall and recharge was assessed by using the Gini coefficient. We detected relatively few significant recharge responses clustering near the 1:1 rainfall/recharge line in late winter (38% of events) and spring (only 13% of events). Generally, the recharge events are triggered by stratiform (28% of total sum) and convective (44% of total sum) precipitation events. Nonetheless, the most efficient recharge events are generated by stratiform rainfall when soil saturation increases without runoff generation. The intense convective storm events often cause saturation excess with runoff generation and mostly occur when evapotranspiration demand is high. For these two main reasons, convective storms lead to inefficient recharge rates characterized by extreme episodicity.
Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Recurrent Wheezing in Black Infants Who Were Born Preterm: The D-Wheeze Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Black infants born preterm face high rates of recurrent wheezing throughout infancy. Vitamin D supplementation has the potential to positively or negatively affect wheezing through modulation of the pulmonary and immune systems. Objective To assess the effectiveness of 2 vitamin D dosing strategies in preventing recurrent wheezing. Design, Setting, and Participants A randomized clinical trial enrolled 300 black infants born at 28 to 36 weeks’ gestation between January 2013 and January 2016 at 4 sites in the United States, and followed them up through March 2017. Randomization was stratified by site and maternal milk exposure. Interventions Patients were enrolled prior to discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit or newborn nursery and received open-label multivitamin until they were consuming 200 IU/d of cholecalciferol from formula or fortifier added to human milk, after which they received either 400 IU/d of cholecalciferol until 6 months of age adjusted for prematurity (sustained supplementation) or placebo (diet-limited supplementation). One-hundred fifty three infants were randomized to the sustained group, and 147 were randomized to the diet-limited group. Main Outcomes and Measures Recurrent wheezing by 12 months’ adjusted age was the primary outcome. Results Among 300 patients who were randomized (mean gestational age, 33 weeks; median birth weight, 1.9 kg), 277 (92.3%) completed the trial. Recurrent wheezing was experienced by 31.1% of infants in the sustained supplementation group and 41.8% of infants in the diet-limited supplementation group (difference, −10.7% [95% CI, −27.4% to −2.9%]; relative risk, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.47 to 0.94]). Upper and lower respiratory tract infections were among the most commonly reported adverse events. Upper respiratory infections were experienced by 84 of 153 infants (54.9%) in the sustained group and 83 of 147 infants (56.5%) in the diet-limited group (difference, −1.6% [95% CI, −17.1% to 7.0%]). Lower respiratory infections were experienced by 33 of 153 infants (21.6%) in the sustained group and 37 of 147 infants (25.2%) in the diet-limited group (difference, −3.6% [95% CI, −16.4% to 4.4%]). Conclusions and Relevance Among black infants born preterm, sustained supplementation with vitamin D, compared with diet-limited supplementation, resulted in a reduced risk of recurrent wheezing by 12 months’ adjusted age. Future research is needed to better understand the mechanisms and longer-term effects of vitamin D supplementation on wheezing in children born preterm. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT01601847
Mitochondrial adaptation in obesity is a ClpPicated business.

Quality control systems that maintain mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) include rescue by mitochondrial fusion, elimination of dysfunctional mitochondria by mitophagy, and degradation of damaged proteins by proteases. ClpP is an ATP‐dependent protease located in the mitochondrial matrix and mutated in Perrault syndrome, causing gonadal atrophy and hearing loss. Given that hearing loss is common in mitochondrial diseases caused by mtDNA mutations, ClpP was proposed to be part of the quality control system to maintain proper mitochondrial OXPHOS function. Two recent studies independently report that deletion of ClpP in mice protects from insulin resistance and obesity by increasing mitochondrial OXPHOS capacity and browning in gonadal white adipose tissue and mitochondrial coupling in brown adipose tissue [1], [2]. Furthermore, liver‐ and muscle‐specific deletion of ClpP has no major effects on insulin resistance. These studies reveal that ClpP might be involved in tissue‐specific mitochondrial remodeling in response to metabolic demands, rather than exclusively removing damaged proteins to maintain OXPHOS capacity.
Abstract 17006: Is White Rice Consumption a Risk for Cardiovascular Disease? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: Current proposed Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015 suggested replacing refined grains (e.g., white rice) with whole grains (e.g., brown rice) for improved health outcomes; howeve...
Exploring host -pathogen relationships through computer simulations of intracellular infection

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi CHAPTER 1. General introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 Thesis organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 The immune response to intracellular pathogen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.2.1 Innate immunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1.2.2 Antigen processing and presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.2.3 The adaptive immune response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.3 Leishmania infection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.3.1 Clinical diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.3.2 Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1.3.3 Immunology of Leishmania major . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.3.4 Treatment and vaccination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1.4 Systems biology and computer modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.4.1 The systems biology approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.4.2 Cellular automata and agent-based models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Nanotechnology for Sustainability: Energy Conversion, Storage, and Conservation

Increasing standards of living and rising population numbers are leading to inevitable increases in global energy consumption. Worldwide energy usage is on track to increase by roughly 40% in the next 20 years (Fig. 1) and to nearly double by 2050. This demand could be met, in principle, from fossil energy resources, particularly coal. However, the cumulative nature of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere demands that holding atmospheric CO2 levels to even twice their pre-anthropogenic values by midcentury will require invention, development, and deployment of schemes for carbon-neutral energy production on a scale commensurate with, or larger than, the entire present-day energy supply from all sources combined [1, 2]. In addition to the negative climate impacts associated with burning fossil fuel, significant worldwide competition for these limited resources, and increases in the prices of energy-intensive commodities like fertilizer, are likely to have significant geo­political and social consequences, making energy an issue of national security.
The Spillover Effect of the Trade War between Adversarial Dyads: Evidence from the Sino-US Investment Relationship

I built a political economy model to empirically explore the factors that could contribute to the cooperation between adversarial dyads, with special focus on the dyadic trade, dyadic FDI and their interaction. I use US-China relationship as a case study and investigate whether/how the tensions in the trade relationship between the US and China could strengthen or weaken the pacifying effect of bilateral FDI between the adversarial dyad. To empirically test my theory, I use historical data on all the adversarial dyads in the world from year 1980 to 2001 and empirically tested whether/how trade and FDI and their interactions influence adversarial states’ cooperation. I found that, with the decrease of bilateral trade, the pacifying effect of bilateral FDI strengthens for the adversarial dyads and weakens for non-adversarial dyads. I connect this with the current US-China trade war. I argue for an important role of the local governments and lobbying groups in the US in attracting Chinese FDI and promoting interstate cooperation. As bilateral FDI has become a shared constituency for the adversarial dyads, I further claim that FDI has a strong pacifying effect on the US-China cooperation in the context of trade war.
Oracle GMM estimation for misspecified models via thresholding

AbstractWe propose a thresholding generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator for misspecified time series moment condition models. This estimator has the following oracle property: its asymptoti...
Eye removal following parotid duct transposition surgery: A survey of current practice among veterinary ophthalmologists.

OBJECTIVE Identify dogs that required removal of an eye that had previously undergone a parotid duct transposition (PDT) and secondly to characterize demographics, surgical technique, and outcomes associated with it. PROCEDURE An online survey was distributed to American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) and Veterinary Ophthalmology (VOPH) listservs asking members to report the breed, reason for eye removal, time between surgeries, surgical technique, complications, and additional therapy instituted for dogs requiring removal of an eye subsequent to PDT surgery. RESULTS Sixteen dogs fit the inclusion criteria. Small breeds (<15 kg) made up 80% of the study population. Time between surgeries was <6 months (1/16), 6 to 12 months (7/16), and ≥1 year (8/16). Reasons for eye removal included: advancing corneal disease (6/16), discomfort (6/16), reaction to saliva (4/16), decreased saliva production (2/16), glaucoma (1/16), orbital neoplasia (1/16), and endophthalmitis (1/16). Surgical techniques included: transection of the parotid duct without ligation (2/16), ligation (9/16), and reversal of the PDT with reimplantation into the mouth (5/16). Complications reported were two dogs who underwent duct ligation experienced prolonged dilation of the duct that resolved with medical therapy (1/2) or without additional therapy (1/2). CONCLUSION Ligation of or reversal of the PDT with reimplantation into the mouth are appropriate adjunctive surgical techniques when removing an eye that previously underwent PDT surgery. Two dogs with nonfunctional PDT had complication-free eye removal with transection without ligation. Prolonged dilation of the duct is possible after eye removal with duct ligation and may resolve with time or medical management.
Ragone Relations for Thermal Energy Storage Technologies

The Ragone relation is a facile approach to assess and compare electro-chemical battery performance in terms of two critical performance parameters: power density and energy density. This power and energy nexus is equally relevant for thermal energy storage materials for thermal management applications that require a balance between energy storage capacity and on-demand cooling or heating rates. Here, thermal energy storage is evaluated for sensible heating and for phase-change materials (PCMs). We propose an analytic expression using a lumped mass model for thermal storage through an analogy with heat diffusion that allows for intuitive mapping of materials and components in power-energy space. In addition, a previously proposed figure-of-merit, $\eta_q$, describing the intrinsic capability of PCMs to rapidly absorb or discharge heat is placed in the context of the thermal Ragone (power-energy) relation. This figure of merit serves as a proxy for the cooling power of PCMs and single-phase materials to store thermal energy. Thus, $\eta_q$ plotted against energy density can serve graphically to illustrate performance tradeoffs between different thermal storage materials, as well as composites composed of different materials.
Educational Opportunities for Blind Children in the Developing World

For many blind youth in developing countries, where education for the general population often reaches less than half of the children, education is still a long way from being realized. However, pr...
A wearables-based approach to detect and identify momentary engagement in afterschool Makerspace programs

Abstract Educational activities and programs associated with the Maker movement, which emphasizes creation of physical and digital artifacts as part of the learning experience, are presumed to be highly engaging for youth. However, there has been limited research examining what features of Maker learning activities are associated with youth engagement. We describe a research approach using wearable electrodermal activity sensors and wearable cameras to obtain data from two afterschool programs at a community Makerspace for adolescent girls (N = 12, 13). Using data obtained from these two sources along with daily survey data, we compare what is revealed from these different data sources. We observe a moderate correlation between electrodermal activity and engagement from survey responses. We also observe that activities emphasizing personal expression elicited engagement from many youth. From the EDA data and first-person video, we also identify 23 moments when groups of participants had several concurrent EDA responses suggesting high levels momentary engagement. Key features associated with those moments were opportunities for peer socialization, interactive instructional discourse, and physical making activities when objects were being assembled and manipulated.
Spinodal Decomposition During Anion Exchange in ColloidalMn 2+ -Doped CsPbX 3 (X = Cl, Br) Perovskite Nanocrystals

Manganese(II)-doped cesium–lead–chloride (Mn2+:CsPbCl3) perovskite nanocrystals have recently been developed as promising luminescent materials and attractive candidates for white-light generation....
A woman with firm plaques on the buttocks and thighs.

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology that is capable of affecting multiple organ systems. Cutaneous manifestations of sarcoidosis are present in one-fourth of cases and commonly are the findings of disease. These findings can include macules, papules, nodules, plaques, subcutaneous nodules, ichthyosis, and lupus pernio.1 In patients with systemic sarcoidosis, the presence of foreign bodies in granulomatous cutaneous lesions is not uncommon and can drive the formation of the above cutaneous findings. This occurrence may be related to an alteration in the immune system's capacity to handle foreign material, leading to the initiation of granuloma formation.2 We present a case of cutaneous sarcoid associated with silicone injections.
Optimal D-FACTS Placement in Moving Target Defense Against False Data Injection Attacks

Moving target defense (MTD) is a defense strategy to detect stealthy false data injection (FDI) attacks against the power system state estimation using distributed flexible AC transmission system (D-FACTS) devices. However, existing studies neglect to address a fundamental yet critical issue, i.e., the D-FACTS placement, by assuming that all lines are equipped with D-FACTS devices. To tackle this problem, we first derive analytical necessary conditions and requirements on the D-FACTS placement for a complete MTD. Further, we propose sufficient conditions using a graph theory-based topology analysis to ensure that the MTD under the proposed D-FACTS placement has the maximum rank of its composite matrix, which is indicative of the MTD effectiveness. Based on the analytical conditions, we design D-FACTS placement algorithms by using the minimum number of D-FACTS devices to achieve the maximum MTD effectiveness. A novel MTD-based ACOPF model, in which the reactance of D-FACTS lines is introduced as decision variables, is proposed to find a trade-off between the system loss and the MTD effectiveness. Numerical results on 6-bus, IEEE 14-bus, and IEEE 118-bus systems show the efficacy of MTDs using the proposed D-FACTS placement algorithms in maximizing the composite matrix rank and detecting FDI attacks.
Abstract P222: Sex Moderates Treatment Effects in Integrated Behavior Therapy for Comorbid Obesity and Depression

Introduction: Obesity and depression often co-occur, especially in women. Efficacious treatments exist for both conditions, but treatment outcomes vary. Assessing sex-specific responses to integrat...
Post-truth and science identity: A virtue-based approach to science education

Post-truth trades on the corruption of argument and evidence to protect ideological commitment and social identity. We distinguish two kinds of post-truth environments, epistemic bubbles and echo c...
Textile Based Sensing Blanket for ECG Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit

Multiple designs of textile-based sensors were developed and integrated into blankets for the measurement of Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. Once the patient makes direct skin contact with the electrodes, the ECG signals are acquired and transmitted wirelessly by a wireless data acquisition unit to an associated computer for analysis, assessment and storage. A variety of designs and manufacturing methods were tested. An adult human subjects’ study was conducted to test the feasibility of these measurements as well as to test the different design types and manufacturing methods. The heart rate and Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) are comparable to the gold standard adhesive lead measurements.
Premature Rupture of Membranes with Concurrent Viral Infection

Treatment of viral infections is geared toward ameliorating maternal symptoms and minimizing perinatal transmission. Multidisciplinary teams often are required to manage sequelae due to viral diseases in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). although data are scarce regarding the antepartum management of common viruses in PPROM, essential principles may be extrapolated from national guidelines and studies in gravid patients. The well-established risks of prematurity are weighed against the often unclear risks of vertical transmission.