cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid regulation of diverse cognitive functions in normal and pathological emotional states

The glucocorticoid hormone cortisol is essential for many forms of regulatory physiology and for cognitive appraisal. Cortisol, while associated with fear and stress response, is also the hormone of energy metabolism and it coordinates behavioral adaptation to the environmental and internal conditions through the regulation of many neurotransmitters and neural circuits. Cortisol has diverse effects on many neuropeptide and neurotransmitter systems thus affecting functional brain systems. As a result, cortisol affects numerous cognitive domains including attention, perception, memory, and emotional processing. When certain pathological emotional states are present, cortisol may have a role in differential activation of brain regions, particularly suppression of hippocampal activation, enhancement of amygdala activity, and dendritic reshaping in these regions as well as in the ventral prefrontal cortex. The coordinated actions of glucocorticoid regulation on various brain systems such as those implicated in emotional processing can lead to perceptual and cognitive adaptations and distortions of events that may be relevant for understanding mood disorders.
Rich Analysis and Rational Models: Inferring Individual Behavior from Infant Looking Data.

Studies of infant looking times over the past 50 years have provided profound insights about cognitive development, but their dependent measures and analytic techniques are quite limited. In the context of infants’ attention to discrete sequential events, we show how a Bayesian data analysis approach can be combined with a rational cognitive model to create a rich data analysis framework for infant looking times. We formalize (i) a statistical learning model, (ii) a parametric linking between the learning model’s beliefs and infants’ looking behavior, and (iii) a data analysis approach and model that infers parameters of the cognitive model and linking function for groups and individuals. Using this approach, we show that recent findings from Kidd, Piantadosi and Aslin (2012) of a U-shaped relationship between look-away probability and stimulus complexity even holds within infants and is not due to averaging subjects with different types of behavior. Our results indicate that individual infants prefer stimuli of intermediate complexity, reserving attention for events that are moderately predictable given their probabilistic expectations about the world.
Plant calcium oxalate crystal formation, function, and its impact on human health

Crystals of calcium oxalate have been observed among members from most taxonomic groups of photosynthetic organisms ranging from the smallest algae to the largest trees. The biological roles for calcium oxalate crystal formation in plant growth and development include high-capacity calcium regulation, protection against herbivory, and tolerance to heavy metals. Using a variety of experimental approaches researchers have begun to unravel the complex mechanisms controlling formation of this biomineral. Given the important roles for calcium oxalate formation in plant survival and the antinutrient and pathological impact on human health through its presence in plant foods, researchers are avidly seeking a more comprehensive understanding of how these crystals form. Such an understanding will be useful in efforts to design strategies aimed at improving the nutritional quality and production of plant foods.
Morphology Development Associated With Polymer Blends

Morphology development of crystallizable polymer blends has been investigated using optical microscopy, thermal analysis, and vibrational spectroscopy. The blends studied involve crystallizable polyesters of poly(hexamethylene adipate) (PHMA) and poly(hexamethylene sebacate) (PHMS) and non-crystallizable poly(propylene glycol) (PPG). Although these polyesters possess similar chemical structure, they exhibit different phase behavior. Ternary blends including a high glass transition temperature ( T g ) component were also studied. Crystallization kinetics in these blends was obtained utilizing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Micro-Raman spectroscopy capable of achieving high spatial resolution (1 μm 2 ) revealed detailed morphological differences in the phase-separated structures. This technique made possible for the first time characterization of the chemical composition of the blends and distribution of crystallites. The role of the third relative immobile component significantly changed both chemical distribution and the degree of crystallinity.
Hydrophobicity-induced pK shifts in elastin protein-based polymers.

Three polypentapeptides--poly[0.8(GVGVP), 0.2(GEGVP)], poly[0.8(GVGIP), 0.2(GEGIP)], and poly[0.75(GFGVP), 0.25(GEGVP)]--all analogues of the polypentapeptide of elastin--(Val1-Pro2-Gly3-Val4-Gly5)n or poly(VPGVG)--have been prepared to determine the effect of changing the hydrophobicity, i.e., Val1----Ile1 (I) and Val4----Phe4 (F), on the pKa and the temperature dependence of pKa of the Glu (E) residue. Shifts in pKa as large as 1.7 units are observed and the temperature dependence is much steeper for the structure-dependent proximity of the more hydrophobic Ile1 residues to the Glu4 residue. Even though this system is dominated by the inverse temperature transition of hydrophobically driven folding on raising the temperature, the effect of adding 0.15 N NaCl is to suppress the hydrophobicity-induced pKa shift.
Using Agent Control and Communication in a Distributed Workflow Information System

Agent communication has developed widely over the past decade for various types of multiple agent environments. Originally, most of this research surrounded simulation systems and inference systems. Subsequently, agents are expected to adapt to, dynamically create, and understand evolving conversation policies. This concept of agent communication is not completely necessary in some domains, especially in domains where the policy of interaction is essentially static. One such domain is that of distributed workflow management with implications into Electronic Commerce. In this domain, agents are "middle-agents" that represent the distributed components that implement each individual workflow step. By representing the component-based services of each step, multiple distributed agents can essentially manage a workflow or supply chain that spans several on-line businesses (B2B). The WARP (Workflow-Automation through Agent-Based Reflective Processes) architecture is a multi-agent architecture developed to support distributed workflow management environments where distributed components are used to implement each of the workflow steps. This paper describes a software engineering process for integrating new component-based services into a static workflow-based ontology. Furthermore, the interaction protocol and supporting implementation based on the Knowledge Query and Manipulation Language (KQML) are presented. This agent communication architecture is implemented with the latest in Sun MicroSystems' Jini technology.
Researching geoengineering: should not or could not?

Is geoengineering a feasible, sensible, or practical stopgap measure for us to have in our arsenal of potential responses to global warming? We do not know at this point and so it seems hardly contentious to claim that we should find out. I evaluate a moral argument that we should not try to find out and a methodological argument that even if we try, we cannot find out. I reject the first but end up as agnostic on the second, outlining the burden of proof that it creates for proponents of geoengineering research.
Generic Lie colour algebras

We describe a type of Lie colour algebra, which we call generic, whose universal enveloping algebra is a domain with finite global dimension. Moreover, it is an iterated Ore extension. We provide an application and show Grobner basis methods can be used to study universal enveloping algebras of factors of generic Lie colour algebras.
New Insights into PARP Inhibitors' Effect on Cell Cycle and Homology-Directed DNA Damage Repair

In preclinical and clinical studies, olaparib and veliparib are the most represented PARP inhibitors (PARPi), which mainly target homologous DNA damage repair pathway-deficient cancer cells. Their off-target effects are not fully understood, especially with regard to cell cycle and homology-directed DNA damage repair. Our objective was to comparatively evaluate olaparib and veliparib in this context and correlate our findings with their therapeutic potential. We used a well-established direct repeat GFP (DR-GFP) reporter assay in U2OS(DR-GFP) and H1299(DR-GFP) cells and measured DNA damage repair activity upon drug treatment. Olaparib-treated U2OS(DR-GFP) cells showed a dramatic decrease in DNA damage repair versus veliparib irrespective of inhibitory potency. We demonstrate that this effect was a result of olaparib's strong effect on the cell cycle. Unlike in veliparib-treated U2OS(DR-GFP) cells, in olaparib-treated cells S-phase decreased and G(2)-phase increased sharply, indicating a G(2)-phase arrest-like state and replicative stress. This was further confirmed by upregulation of p53 and p21 and accumulation of cyclin A. Lack of the same effect in p53-null H1299(DR-GFP) cells suggested that olaparib's effect is p53 related, which was confirmed in p53-depleted U2OS(DR-GFP) and p53-null HCT116 cells. Importantly, we also demonstrate that olaparib, but not veliparib, induced a robust phosphorylation of Chk1, a crucial component of the replicative stress response pathway. Our data show olaparib and veliparib differ in their off-target effects; olaparib, unlike veliparib, mitigates DNA damage repair activity via G(2) cell-cycle arrest-like effect in a p53-dependent manner. These off-target effects may add to PARPis' anticancer properties.
Long-term weight loss maintenance

There is a general perception that almost no one succeeds in long-term maintenance of weight loss. However, research has shown that approximately 20% of overweight individuals are successful at long-term weight loss when defined as losing at least 10% of initial body weight and maintaining the loss for at least 1 y. The National Weight Control Registry provides information about the strategies used by successful weight loss maintainers to achieve and maintain long-term weight loss. National Weight Control Registry members have lost an average of 33 kg and maintained the loss for more than 5 y. To maintain their weight loss, members report engaging in high levels of physical activity ( approximately 1 h/d), eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet, eating breakfast regularly, self-monitoring weight, and maintaining a consistent eating pattern across weekdays and weekends. Moreover, weight loss maintenance may get easier over time; after individuals have successfully maintained their weight loss for 2-5 y, the chance of longer-term success greatly increases. Continued adherence to diet and exercise strategies, low levels of depression and disinhibition, and medical triggers for weight loss are also associated with long-term success. National Weight Control Registry members provide evidence that long-term weight loss maintenance is possible and help identify the specific approaches associated with long-term success.
Needleless laparoscopic abdominal cerclage placement.

Abstract Study Objective To show a technique of laparoscopic interval abdominal cerclage placement with the use of a needleless mersilene tape. Design Step-by-step explanation of the technique using a surgical video. Setting Cervical insufficiency affects 1% of all pregnancies and up to 8% of those with second and early third trimester losses. The abdominal method has been used in patients with an extremely short cervix in whom the transvaginal approach is not technically possible or for those who have experienced an unsuccessful transvaginal procedure. With the introduction of the transabdominal cerclage, the fetal survival rate improved from 21% to 89%. In an attempt to decrease the surgical morbidity associated with laparotomy, there have been multiple case series and cohort studies in the literature that described the laparoscopic approach for transabdominal cerclage placement. Interventions Laparoscopic abdominal cerclage placement was performed as an interval procedure using needleless mersilene tape after meticulous skeletonization of the uterine vessels and formation of the peritoneal window. Conclusion Laparoscopic abdominal cerclage was placed without any complications, providing the patient with the benefits of minimally invasive approach. The risk of bleeding was reduced by meticulous dissection and skeletonization of uterine vessels and eliminating the use of the mersilene tape needle.
Spectroscopic and Kinetic Properties of the Molybdenum-containing, NAD+-dependent Formate Dehydrogenase from Ralstonia eutropha

We have examined the rapid reaction kinetics and spectroscopic properties of the molybdenum-containing, NAD(+)-dependent FdsABG formate dehydrogenase from Ralstonia eutropha. We confirm previous steady-state studies of the enzyme and extend its characterization to a rapid kinetic study of the reductive half-reaction (the reaction of formate with oxidized enzyme). We have also characterized the electron paramagnetic resonance signal of the molybdenum center in its Mo(V) state and demonstrated the direct transfer of the substrate Cα hydrogen to the molybdenum center in the course of the reaction. Varying temperature, microwave power, and level of enzyme reduction, we are able to clearly identify the electron paramagnetic resonance signals for four of the iron/sulfur clusters of the enzyme and find suggestive evidence for two others; we observe a magnetic interaction between the molybdenum center and one of the iron/sulfur centers, permitting assignment of this signal to a specific iron/sulfur cluster in the enzyme. In light of recent advances in our understanding of the structure of the molybdenum center, we propose a reaction mechanism involving direct hydride transfer from formate to a molybdenum-sulfur group of the molybdenum center.
Trying to Wear the White Hat: Nixon, the Media, and the Chisum -Charles Manson Imbroglio

In August 1970, President Richard Nixon blundered—and drew media fire—when he tried to score political points by contrasting John Wayne's Chisum with accused murderer Charles Manson. In this episode, both Nixon and the press acted like the complex protagonists common in Western films in the era of the New Gray West.
Examining the Sustainability of Pattern or Practice Police Misconduct Reform

Section 14141 of the Violent Crime Act of 1994 fundamentally restructures the regulation of police behavior in the United States. Since the law’s passage, dozens of police departments have undergon...
Developing Spatio-spectral Interferometry in the Lab for Far-IR Space Applications

We describe a NASA-sponsored project to develop and learn the practical limitations of wide-field spatio-spectral interferometry, a technique that will enable the acquisition of high-resolution far-IR integral field spectroscopic data with a future space-based interferometer.
Abstract 4689: Inhibition of IL-6/Jak/Stat3 signaling: a novel and potent targeting therapy for lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of death in the United States. A fraction of these tumors harbor somatic activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) leading to constitutive activation of the kinase. Targeting this pathway using a class of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) such as gefitinib or erlotinib induces significant initial responses in patients with NSCLC expressing activating EGFR mutations, however, disease progression invariably occurs in part due to the outgrowth of cancers with EGFR TKI resistant secondary mutations. There are many ongoing attempts to overcome this problem, but the current efforts are mostly focused on EGFR itself and their effectiveness remains inconclusive. The interleukin-6 (IL-6) /Jak/Stat3 signaling pathway is critical not only for inflammation and immunity, but also for oncogenesis. Stat3 is persistently activated in many human cancers, promoting tumorigenesis through the regulation of genes important for proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, angiogenesis and suppression of anti-tumor immunity. We previously determined that Stat3 is activated in mutant EGFR expressing NSCLC cell lines and primary tumors in part through autocrine upregulation of the IL-6 gene that activates the gp130/Jak signaling. In our current report, we studied the in vivo effect of inhibiting the IL-6/Jak/Stat3 signaling in EGFR TKI-resistant models of NSCLC. Our data demonstrated that Jak inhibition by a novel orally available Jak inhibitor markedly repressed in vivo growth of 3 different TKI resistant NSCLC cell lines as well as a TKI sensitive cell line. Immunohistochemical analyses of these samples revealed reduced proliferation and angiogenesis in Jak inhibitor treated tumors. In addition, administration of an IL-6R blocking antibody to xenograft tumors of a TKI resistant NSCLC cell line also achieved significant reduction in tumor growth compared to controls. We further tested the potential role of IL-6 in a transgenic murine model of TKI-resistant, mutant EGFR mediated lung cancer. Our results demonstrated mice lacking IL-6 still developed lung tumors but at a much slower rate of tumor progression compared to IL-6 expressing littermates. Additional examinations showed that mice lacking IL-6 developed tumors with papillary features compared to IL-6 expressing littermates whereas most of the tumors were of the more advanced, solid/pleiomorphic subtype. IL-6 deficient lung tumors had decreased proliferation and angiogenesis compared to tumors from wildtype littlermates. In summary, our findings lead us to hypothesize that the IL-6/Jak pathway should be considered as a novel therapeutic target for this disease, especially TKI resistant NSCLC. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4689. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4689
An in vivo screen for the luciferase transgene in zebrafish

A simple and economical large-scale in vivo screen for firefly luciferase expression in transgenic zebrafish is described. The screen is a film assay of luminescence during embryogenesis. Either luciferin substrate can be microinjected into the embryo, or the embryo can be raised in a luciferin solution. In a test of transient expression in the G0 (microinjected) generation, a construct with the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter gave higher levels of expression than three other constructs. Using the CMV promoter, injection of supercoiled or linear DNA led to approximately equivalent amounts of expression. Although G0 transient luciferase expression is high enough to be reliably screened, G1 integrated expression is either low or nonexistent, and therefore unscreenable. In the G1 and G2 generations, low-level expression was increased with application of 5-azacytidine. The fact that both transgene methylation and 5-azacytidine activation of expression occurred suggests that methylation is involved in either reducing or eliminating integrated luciferase expression. This in vivo luciferase screen may be useful for insertional mutagenesis, promoter, gene, or enhancer traps, promoter analysis, and optimization of conditions for gene transfer.
Sequence-based source tracking of Escherichia coli based on genetic diversity of β-glucuronidase

High levels of fecal bacteria are a concern for recreational waters; however, the source of contamination is often unknown. This study investigated whether direct sequencing of a bacterial gene could be utilized for detecting genetic differences between bacterial strains for microbial source tracking. A 525-nucleotide segment of the gene for beta-glucuronidase (uidA) was sequenced in 941 Escherichia coli isolates from the Clinton River-Lake St. Clair watershed, 182 E. coli isolates from human and animal feces, and 34 E. coli isolates from a combined sewer. Environmental isolates exhibited 114 alleles in 11 groups on a genetic tree. Frequency of strains from different genetic groups differed significantly (p < 0.03) between upstream reaches (Bear Creek-Red Run), downstream reaches, and Lake St. Clair beaches. Fecal E. coli uidA sequences exhibited 81 alleles that overlapped with the environmental set. An algorithm to assign alleles to different host sources averaged approximately 75% correct classification with the fecal data set. Using the same algorithm, the percent of environmental isolates assignable to humans decreased significantly between Bear Creek-Red Run (30 +/- 3%) and the beaches (17 +/- 2%) (p < 0.05). Birds accounted for approximately 50% of assignable environmental isolates. For combined sewer isolates, the same algorithm assigned 51% to humans. These experiments demonstrate differences in the frequency of different E. coli strains at different locations in a watershed, and provide a "proof in principle" that sequence-based data can be used for microbial source tracking.
‘The Book is Still Warm’: The Hogarth Press in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

Beau Brummell, by Virginia Woolf, published in 1930 by the New York firm of Rimington and Hooper, limited to 550 copies, of which 500 were for sale, had been pulled, at my request, from the bowels of the stacks of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The book was in poor condition, housed in a crumbling slipcase, its covers nearly separated from its spine. Opening the book, I swept my hand over the first, apparently blank, left-hand page. On second glance, I saw what my hand had brushed: Woolf’s signature, in her favourite purple ink.
CHAPTER 317 – Regulation of mRNA Turnover

Steady-state levels of macromolecules in cells are regulated by the balance of synthesis and breakdown. Although historically the control of mRNA levels by regulation of transcription has received the most attention, in recent years the critical role of mRNA breakdown in regulating transcript levels has been more widely appreciated. The stabilities of different transcripts can vary by several orders of magnitude under normal physiological conditions. In addition, recently there has been increased awareness of the possibility of minute-to-minute regulation of mRNA stability, just as regulation of transcription by signal transduction processes has received intense scrutiny during the past two decades. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an update on some recent research findings on rapid regulation of mRNA turnover in response to extracellular agonists in vertebrate cells.
The biological reducing agent Oxyrase improves the resuscitation of dormant Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiologic agent of Johne’s disease, a chronic intestinal disease of cattle and other ruminants. Diagnostic culture for MAP is typically unrewarding until latter stages of the disease. This may be a consequence of oxidative damage to dormant organisms, which results from culture. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of the commercial reducing agent Oxyrase® for Broth (OB) on the recovery of dormant Mycobacterium smegmatis (MS) and MAP. Dormant organisms were inoculated into medium only or that supplemented with media containing serial dilutions of OB. Growth was monitored by optical density for up to 21 days. Treatment of MAP and MS with OB led to significant increases in recovery and growth yield. However, the concentration of OB necessary to promote recovery was dependent on the number of viable organisms present in seed cultures. Mitigating oxidative damage by using OB can facilitate the recovery of dormant mycobacteria. Whether this is a direct or indirect effect has yet to be be established.
Et in Arcadia Ego: Pastoral Poetics, or Imitation as Survival in Theocritus, Virgil and Opitz

This essay contributes to debates about imitation and originality by examining how reproduction of traditional gestures serves to create textual selfhood. It suggests that synecdochic imitatio in pastoral eulogies by Theocritus, Virgil, and Opitz guarantees both literary individuality and literal survival. Conventional acts of praise in the pastoral grove call the past into the present and secure a future for poetry.
Chapter 16 – Introduction to Human Genetics∗

Advances in human genetics, and particularly the sequencing of the human genome, have greatly increased the power of both gene discovery and diagnosis and treatment of both rare and common diseases. This chapter provides a review of the basic principles of human genetics, including molecular genetics, cytogenetics, genetic transmission, and genomics. It then provides an introduction to the principles of genetic testing and major approaches to the treatment of genetic disorders. It also offers suggestions to the clinical investigator regarding the approach to phenotypic assessment in future studies of the genetic basis of a single gene and multifactorial disorders.
Assessments of the Veteran Medication Allergy Knowledge Gap and Potential Safety Improvements with the Veteran Health Information Exchange (VHIE).

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran Health Information Exchange (VHIE, formerly Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record, or VLER) had been deployed at all VA sites and used to exchange clinical information with private sector healthcare partners nationally. This paper examined VHIE’s effect on allergy documentation. Review of all inbound VHIE transactions in FY14 showed that VHIE use was associated with a nearly eight-fold increase in allergy documentation rate. Preliminary manual document review further showed that VA and partners had shared knowledge of only 38% ofpatient allergies, while VA had exclusive knowledge of another 58% ofpatient allergies, and partners had exclusive knowledge of the last 5% of patient allergies. To our knowledge, this is the first study that examined the effect of HIE on allergy documentation.
Leveraging domain knowledge in multitask Bayesian network structure learning

Network structure learning algorithms have aided network discovery in fields such as bioinformatics, neuroscience, ecology and social science. However, challenges remain in learning informative networks for related sets of tasks because the search space of Bayesian network structures is characterized by large basins of approximately equivalent solutions. Multitask algorithms select a set of networks that are near each other in the search space, rather than a score-equivalent set of networks chosen from independent regions of the space. This selection preference allows a domain expert to see only differences supported by the data. However, the usefulness of these algorithms for scientific datasets is limited because existing algorithms naively assume that all pairs of tasks are equally related. We introduce a framework that relaxes this assumption by incorporating domain knowledge about task-relatedness into the learning objective. Using our framework, we introduce the first multitask Bayesian network algorithm that leverages domain knowledge about the relatedness of tasks. We use our algorithm to explore the effect of task-relatedness on network discovery and show that our algorithm learns networks that are closer to ground truth than naive algorithms and that our algorithm discovers patterns that are interesting.
Structure of human Fe–S assembly subcomplex reveals unexpected cysteine desulfurase architecture and acyl-ACP–ISD11 interactions

In eukaryotes, sulfur is mobilized for incorporation into multiple biosynthetic pathways by a cysteine desulfurase complex that consists of a catalytic subunit (NFS1), LYR protein (ISD11), and acyl carrier protein (ACP). This NFS1–ISD11–ACP (SDA) complex forms the core of the iron–sulfur (Fe–S) assembly complex and associates with assembly proteins ISCU2, frataxin (FXN), and ferredoxin to synthesize Fe–S clusters. Here we present crystallographic and electron microscopic structures of the SDA complex coupled to enzyme kinetic and cell-based studies to provide structure-function properties of a mitochondrial cysteine desulfurase. Unlike prokaryotic cysteine desulfurases, the SDA structure adopts an unexpected architecture in which a pair of ISD11 subunits form the dimeric core of the SDA complex, which clarifies the critical role of ISD11 in eukaryotic assemblies. The different quaternary structure results in an incompletely formed substrate channel and solvent-exposed pyridoxal 5′-phosphate cofactor and provides a rationale for the allosteric activator function of FXN in eukaryotic systems. The structure also reveals the 4′-phosphopantetheine–conjugated acyl-group of ACP occupies the hydrophobic core of ISD11, explaining the basis of ACP stabilization. The unexpected architecture for the SDA complex provides a framework for understanding interactions with acceptor proteins for sulfur-containing biosynthetic pathways, elucidating mechanistic details of eukaryotic Fe–S cluster biosynthesis, and clarifying how defects in Fe–S cluster assembly lead to diseases such as Friedreich’s ataxia. Moreover, our results support a lock-and-key model in which LYR proteins associate with acyl-ACP as a mechanism for fatty acid biosynthesis to coordinate the expression, Fe–S cofactor maturation, and activity of the respiratory complexes.
Poor metacognitive awareness of belief change

When people change beliefs as a result of reading a text, are they aware of these changes? This question was examined for beliefs about spanking as an effective means of discipline. In two experiments, subjects reported beliefs about spanking effectiveness during a prescreening session. In a subsequent experimental session, subjects read a one-sided text that advocated a belief consistent or inconsistent position on the topic. After reading, subjects reported their current beliefs and attempted to recollect their initial beliefs. Subjects reading a belief inconsistent text were more likely to change their beliefs than those who read a belief consistent text. Recollections of initial beliefs tended to be biased in the direction of subjects' current beliefs. In addition, the relationship between the belief consistency of the text read and accuracy of belief recollections was mediated by belief change. This belief memory bias was independent of on-line text processing and comprehension measures, and indicates poor metacognitive awareness of belief change.
Gender Diversity on Boards in the United States, Australia, and Israel

This chapter examines gender diversity on boards in three country cases: the United States, Australia, and Israel. We begin by reviewing each country’s general background, with a focus on the economic and political landscapes, followed by the corporate governance system, political and economic life of women, and women’s presence on corporate boards. We then explore the particularities of each nation’s corporate governance framework and specific legislation concerning women on boards. Here the countries vary considerably: Israel was the first country, in 1999, to have a quota for women on the boards of state-owned companies, while the United States and Australia have comply or explain codes since 2010 and 2014 respectively. We compare and contrast the three distinct national approaches including the enabling and hindering forces, and offer some reflections of key actors in each of the three societies. We conclude with a critical reflection of the cases.
A graph theoretic approach to fast and accurate malware detection

Due to the unavailability of signatures for previously unknown malware, non-signature malware detection schemes typically rely on analyzing program behavior. Prior behavior based non-signature malware detection schemes are either easily evadable by obfuscation or are very inefficient in terms of storage space and detection time. In this paper, we propose GZero, a graph theoretic approach fast and accurate non-signature malware detection at end hosts. GZero it is effective while being efficient in terms of both storage space and detection time. We conducted experiments on a large set of both benign software and malware. Our results show that GZero achieves more than 99% detection rate and a false positive rate of less than 1%, with less than 1 second of average scan time per program and is relatively robust to obfuscation attacks. Due to its low overheads, GZero can complement existing malware detection solutions at end hosts.
Blogging my Academic Self

In the present work I apply the theory of identity to prosumption to the act of academic blogging. Prosumption refers to the blurring of production and consumption, and can have identity implications under certain conditions. I show here how the act of blogging for Cyborgology.org facilitated the prosumption of my Academic Self. This occurred as I saw my work in print, received feedback, and gained entre into an academic community. From a feminist perspective, I look critically at the role of blogging as an academic endeavor for women scholars, and by implication, scholars of underrepresented groups more generally. Engaging in blogging is highly laborious and may detract from other activities given greater weight by hiring and tenure committees. At the same time, blogs are useful avenues through which members of underrepresented groups can establish a voice and engage in public dialogue.
Why the IFC's Free, Prior, and Informed Consent Policy Doesn't Matter (Yet) to Indigenous Communities Affected by Development Projects

On May, 12, 2011, the board of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) voted to amend the IFC’s Policy and Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability to require that Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) be obtained when a project: (1) impacts lands and natural resources subject to traditional ownership or under customary use; (2) involves the relocation of indigenous peoples from lands and natural resources subject to traditional ownership or under customary use; or (3) significantly impacts on cultural resources (i) that are critical to the identity and/or cultural, ceremonial, or spiritual aspects of indigenous peoples’ lives, or (ii) the project proposes to use the cultural resources, knowledge, innovations, or practices of indigenous peoples for commercial purposes. This marks a watershed moment in international development history. After decades of wrangling and negotiations among non-governmental organizations, host countries, private industry, and development banks, there now appears to be a growing consensus that when a development project affects indigenous peoples, the project must obtain the FPIC of such affected indigenous peoples. Utilizing a case study of wind development in rural Oaxaca, Mexico, this article responds to these recent developments and argues that, despite all of the good news, FPIC may not be a panacea. In particular, this article argues that FPIC’s limitations stem from a narrow interpretation of consent. Under this narrow interpretation, consent lacks teeth and the ability to affect in any meaningful way the social and environmental risks that often accompany large projects. These risks are consistently passed on to third parties, and include the risk of displacement, environmental devastation, and diminishment of quality of life. Under the narrow interpretation that is likely to be adopted by the IFC, FPIC may be merely another linguistic turn in the long history of engagement between the developer and the developed. Rather than accept this narrow construction of FPIC, this article suggests a broader interpretation that links community engagement to a project’s contractual infrastructure. Under this approach, FPIC would allow affected indigenous communities to negotiate, ex ante, to mitigate the harm of development. The details of this negotiation would be memorialized in an “Environmental and Social Risk Agreement.” By tying certain environmental and social outcomes to potential loan defaults, for example, an FPIC-based agreement of this nature could empower communities to reject or redistribute the social and environmental risks that often accompany development. Moreover, the economic risks that often accompany unpopular projects might be curtailed, resulting in a win-win scenario for all of the parties involved in the project.
Activation of blood coagulation in Crohn's disease: Increased plasma fibrinopeptide A levels and enhanced generation of monocyte tissue factor activity

We have examined the relationships among activation of blood coagulation, generation of monocyte procoagulant activity, and clinical activity in patients with Crohn's disease. Subclinical activation of blood coagulation was measured using a radioimmunoassay for fibrinopeptide A. Fibrinopeptide A levels were strongly correlated with the level of disease activity as measured by the Crohn's disease activity index. Patients with active disease who were successfully treated either medically or surgically demonstrated a reduction of fibrinopeptide A levels. Failure of fibrinopeptide A to return to the normal range predicted an early relapse. Monocyte tissue factor generation was assessed in both unstimulated and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mononuclear cell cultures obtained from the peripheral blood of patients with Crohn's disease. A strong correlation (r = 0.89) was observed between plasma fibrinopeptide A levels and monocyte tissue factor generation. These results suggest that monocyte procoagulant generation may contribute to the activation of blood coagulation in this inflammatory bowel disease. Moreover, fibrinopeptide A levels in Crohn's disease may provide a useful quantitative measure of inflammatory activity.
Sports participation for young athletes with medical conditions: Seizure disorder, infections and single organs.

Organized and recreational sports have been shown to be an important part of growth and development in children, adolescents and young adults. In addition to the health benefits of increased physical activity, sports also provide social benefits. Pediatricians play an important role in determining if young athletes can participate in various sports and the proper equipment or precautions that are necessary. This review provides information on sports participation for athletes with specific health considerations, such as: febrile illnesses, solitary organs, seizures, and skin infections.
A Study of Cross-Polarized Sea Clutter Using the SSA2 High Frequency Approximation and the Two-Scale Model

Cross-polarized backscatter normalized radar cross section (NRCS) measurements have been of increasing interest due to their potential to improve wind speed retrievals at high wind speeds. The development of physics-based forward models for cross-polarized backscatter has been challenging due to the higher-order scattering mechanisms that contribute to this quantity. In this paper, predictions of the two-scale model (TSM) and the small slope approximation (SSA2) for cross polarized backscatter are examined to obtain insight into their relative merits. A recently introduced high frequency (HF) approximation for cross polarized backscatter under the SSA2 is also examined and compared to a similar approximation based on the TSM. The results provide guidance for the continued development of forward models for sea surface remote sensing using cross polarized backscatter.
Comparing the Visual Representations and Performance of Humans and Deep Neural Networks

Although deep neural networks (DNNs) are state-of-the-art artificial intelligence systems, it is unclear what insights, if any, they provide about human intelligence. We address this issue in the d...
Trends and patterns in the contributions to cumulative radiative forcing from different regions of the world.

Different regions of the world have had different historical patterns of emissions of carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases, and aerosols as well as different land-use changes. One can estimate the net cumulative contribution by each region to the global mean radiative forcing due to past greenhouse gas emissions, aerosol precursors, and carbon dioxide from land-use changes. Several patterns stand out from such calculations. Some regions have had a common historical pattern in which the short-term offsets between the radiative forcings from carbon dioxide and sulfate aerosols temporarily led to near-zero radiative forcing during periods of exponential emissions growth with few emission controls. This happened for North America and Europe in the mid-20th century and China in the 1990s and 2000s. However, these same periods lead to a commitment to future radiative forcing from the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that stay in the atmosphere long after the aerosols. For every region, this commitment to future radiative forcing (2018–2100) from emissions already in the atmosphere is larger than the cumulative radiative forcing to date (1900–2017). This comparison again highlights how the full radiative forcing from greenhouse gases is unmasked once the aerosol emissions are reduced to improve air quality. The relative contributions from various regions to global climate forcing depends more on the time the contributions are compared (e.g., now or 2100) and future development scenarios than on whether cumulative radiative forcing, ocean heat content, or temperature is used to compare regional contributions.
Studies on the Mechanism of Hypertriglyceridemia Induced by Oral Contraceptives

We have heard convincing evidence this morning of the alterations in plasma lipids induced by a broad range of oral contraceptive preparations. Because of the epidemiological association between atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and hyperlipoproteinemia, hypertriglyceridemia as well as hypercholesterolemia (1), and the possibility that progestational agents may therefore limit the relative immunity from atherosclerosis enjoyed by premenopausal women, we have begun to explore the mechanism of the hypertriglyceridemia of oral contraceptive therapy. These studies, then, evaluate the altered balance between triglyceride (TG) input and removal which result in a raised plasma TG concentration in women given oral progestational agents.
Absence of signatures of Weyl orbits in the thickness dependence of quantum transport in cadmium arsenide

In a Weyl orbit, the Fermi arc surface states on opposite surfaces of the topological semimetal are connected through bulk Weyl or Dirac nodes. Having a real-space component, these orbits are expected to accumulate a sample thickness dependent phase. Here, it is shown that small variations in the carrier density, in combination with the relative insensitivity of the low-field Hall data to such variations, does not allow for invoking Weyl orbits based on the thickness dependence for realistic samples.
Teaching Summary Writing to Students with Learning Disabilities via Strategy Instruction

In this single-case design study we examined the effects of a summarizing strategy on the written summaries of students with learning disabilities (LD). Three students with LD in fifth and sixth gr...
Incidence of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy within 12 weeks of starting neurotoxic chemotherapy for multiple myeloma or lymphoma: a prospective, single-center, observational study

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) may necessitate chemotherapy dose reduction, delay, or discontinuation. This pilot study tested feasibility of patient enrollment, CIPN screening, and data collection in cancer patients for a future clinical study that will assess the safety and efficacy of an intervention that may prevent CIPN. This prospective, observational, single-center, pilot study included adults with newly diagnosed lymphoma or multiple myeloma receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy. Patients were enrolled between September 2016 and February 2017. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity (FACT/GOG-Ntx) questionnaire was completed by patients at 3 time points: baseline, week 6, and week 12. The primary outcome was change in the neurotoxicity score between these time points. Of 33 patients approached for consent, 28 (85%) provided consent and were enrolled. The FACT/GOG-Ntx questionnaire was completed by 28 (100%) at baseline, 25 (89%) at week 6, and 24 (86%) at week 12. Average (standard deviation) neurotoxicity scores were 36.5 (6.6) at baseline, 34.0 (8.3) at week 6, and 30.6 (7.6) at week 12. Neurotoxicity scores changed from baseline by − 2.7 points (95% CI − 5.5 to 0.1; p = 0.061) at week 6 and − 6.0 points (95% CI − 5.6 to − 0.8; p = 0.012) at week 12. Clinically meaningful declines (decrease of > 10% from baseline) in neurotoxicity score were detected in 36% (9 of 25) at week 6 and in 67% (16 of 24) at week 12. Sixty-seven percent of patients experienced clinically significant CIPN within 12 weeks of starting chemotherapy. Feasibility metrics for enrollment, consent, CIPN assessment, and follow-up were met.
Change in neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio during immunotherapy treatment is a non-linear predictor of patient outcomes in advanced cancers.

The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is known to be prognostic for patients with advanced cancers treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), but has generally been evaluated as a single threshold value at baseline. We evaluated NLR at baseline and within first month during treatment in patients who received ICI for advanced cancer to evaluate the prognostic value of baseline and of changes from baseline to on-treatment NLR. A retrospective review of patients with advanced cancer treated with ICI from 2011 to 2017 at the Ohio State University was performed. NLR was calculated at the initiation of ICI and repeated at median of 21 days. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the initiation of ICI to date of death or censored at last follow-up. Significance of Cox proportional hazards models were evaluated by log-rank test. Calculations were performed using the survival and survminer packages in R, and SPSS. 509 patients were identified and included in the analysis. Patients with baseline and on-treatment NLR < 5 had significantly longer OS (P < 0.001). The change in NLR overtime was a predictor of OS and was observed to be non-linear in nature. This property remained statistically significant with P < 0.05 after adjusting for age, body mass index, sex, cancer type, performance status, and days to repeat NLR measurement. Patients with a moderate decrease in NLR from baseline had the longest OS of 27.8 months (95% CI 21.8–33.8). Patients with significant NLR decrease had OS of 11.4 months (95% CI 6.1–16.7). Patients with a significant increase in NLR had the shortest OS of 5.0 months (95% CI 0.9–9.1). We confirmed the prognostic value of NLR in patients with advanced cancer treated with ICIs. We found that change in NLR over time is a non-linear predictor of patient outcomes. Patients who had moderate decrease in NLR during treatment with ICI were found to have the longest survival, whereas a significant decrease or increase in NLR was associated with shorter survival. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a non-linear change in NLR over time that correlates with survival.
Presurgical Curettage Improves Accuracy for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Excision.

Background:Presurgical curettage before nonmelanoma skin cancer surgery may help delineate tumor subclinical extensions.Objective:To determine histologically whether presurgical curettage appropria...