cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear Reactor Control using Diagonal Recurrent Neural Networks

Abstract A new approach for wide-range optimal reactor temperature control using Diagonal Recurrent Neural Networks (DRNN) with adaptive learning rate scheme is presented. The draw-back of the usual feedforward neural network (FNN) is that it is a static mapping and requires a large number of neurons. The usual fixed learning rate based on empirical trial and error scheme is slow and does not guarantee convergence. The DRNN is for dynamic mapping and requires much less number of neurons and weights, and thus converges faster than FNN. Rapid convergence of this DRNN-based control system is demonstrated when applied to improve reactor temperature performance.
Clinical outcomes associated with carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) in abdominal solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients

To the Editor,In a recent report in this journal, urinary tract infections due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL) were described in kidney transplant recipients...
New Concepts of Intelligence: Their Practical and Legal Implications for Employee Selection

Publisher Summary This chapter examines concepts such as emotional intelligence, tacit knowledge, practical intelligence, competencies, and multiple intelligences for their practical and legal significance for employee selection systems in the public and private sectors. All these new theories and proposed measurement instruments pose a challenge to traditional cognitive ability tests since it is claimed that these tests are more valid and have lower adverse impact. The chapter states that many of these tests are nothing more than pop psychology. It is found that the key studies cited repeatedly by advocates of new concepts do not meet the Daubert criteria for scientific evidence. Further, studies and challenges are reviewed on the basis of use of a particular measure as a personnel selection instrument. The chapter concludes that novel concepts detract from legitimate theories of intelligence and from the development of constructs and operational tests, and provide more effective employee selection tools to meet prevailing legal challenges.
A conserved tad pilus promotes Vibrio vulnificus oyster colonization

Vibrio vulnificus has the highest death rate (>35%) and per-case economic burden ($3.3 million) of any foodborne pathogen in the United States. Infections occur via open wounds or following ingestion of contaminated seafood, most infamously oysters. We isolated a 1000th generation descendant, designated NT that exhibited increased biofilm and aggregate formation relative to its parent. We identified two significant causal changes underlying these phenotypes. First, the entire 24-kb capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis locus, which is essential for virulence but inhibits biofilm formation, had been purged from the genome. However, NT formed more extensive biofilms and aggregates than a defined cps mutant, suggesting that additional factor(s) contributed to its phenotypes. Second, the expression of a tight adherence (tad) pilus locus was elevated in NT. Deletion of the associated pilin (flp) decreased NT biofilm and aggregate formation. Furthermore, NTΔflp strains were deficient relative to NT in an oyster colonization model, demonstrating a positive correlation between the biofilm and aggregation phenotypes associated with Tad pilus production and efficient bacterial retention by feeding oysters. Despite being widely distributed in the Vibrionaceae, this is the first demonstration of a bona fide physiological role for a Tad pilus in this bacterial family.
Enhancing customers’ positive responses: Applying sensory marketing to the hotel website

AbstractSensory marketing enables visualization of intangible services, helping to promote customers’ future hotel experiences. This study investigates how sensory information, brand relationships,...
Flexibility through autonomous decision-making in robot swarms

For robot swarms to succeed in a complex world, the algorithms that support their behavior must be flexible enough to adjust to unknown and dynamic resource distributions. This research focuses on developing an algorithm that adjusts collective swarm foraging behavior to any resource distribution. We combine different solutions through a decision-making process that allows the individual, as opposed to the swarm, to dynamically decide which solution to use in its current environment. We evolve swarm foraging solutions to provide effective foraging for two extremes of resource distributions. These solutions, which are different parameterizations of a foraging algorithm, become the behaviors of each individual robot of the swarm. The individual robots make choices through a simple decision process as to which behavior to follow based only on locally sensed information. We show that the individual decision-making process increases the flexibility of the swarm, enabling it to outperform homogenous swarms in multiple distributions without prior knowledge and time-consuming optimizations for specific resource distributions.
Optimization of helical dielectric elastomer actuator with additive manufacturing

Fabrication of dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) using additive manufacturing techniques can provide an alternative solution for current manufacturing processes of DEAs that are generally inconsistent and time consuming. In addition, additive manufacturing can allow DEAs with complex geometric configurations to be realized. This study investigates analytical approaches to optimize the performance of helical dielectric elastomer actuator (HDEA) based on additive manufacturing technologies. Optimized geometric configurations tailored to additive manufacturing and proper material selection for elastomer and electrode can improve the overall performance of HDEA. Due to the absence of pre-stretch in the elastomer membranes with additive manufacturing, associated drawbacks, such as electromechanical instability, high external voltage requirement, and their alternate solutions are analyzed and discussed. The performance of HDEA are evaluated by displacement, block force, and weight-to-force ratio by varying multiple geometric parameters including membrane thickness, pitch angle, inner-toouter electrode ratio, and actuation voltage. Since the selection of materials is as important as the geometric parameters of the actuator, printable elastomer and electrode materials with dielectric and mechanical properties for HDEA are evaluated. By optimizing geometric parameters and selecting appropriate materials based on its properties, appropriate manufacturing techniques are discussed to print both dielectric elastomer and electrode layers.
Specific PTSD symptom clusters mediate the association of military sexual trauma severity and sexual function and satisfaction in female service members/veterans.

Abstract Background Sexual satisfaction and function are vastly understudied in female service members/veterans (SM/Vs). Military sexual trauma (MST) is associated with poorer sexual satisfaction and function, but the mechanism through which MST relates to sexual satisfaction and function is unknown. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most frequent diagnoses following MST, and those with poorer sexual satisfaction and function experience higher PTSD symptoms, particularly numbing and anhedonia symptom clusters. In this study, we examined which symptom clusters (re-experiencing, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood [NACM], anhedonia, dysphoric and anxious arousal) mediated the relationship between MST and sexual satisfaction and function. Method Female SM/Vs (N = 1,189) completed self-report measures of MST severity (none, harassment only, assault), PTSD, sexual satisfaction, and sexual function, as well as a demographic inventory. Results Anhedonia and dysphoric arousal fully mediated the association between assault MST and sexual satisfaction and function. NACM fully mediated the association between harassment and assault MST and sexual satisfaction. Finally, dysphoric arousal significantly mediated the association of harassment MST with sexual satisfaction and function. Limitations Data was cross-sectional and based on self-report. Conclusions The relationship between MST and sexual satisfaction and function may be mediated through specific PTSD symptom clusters. As there are no evidenced-based treatments to improve sexual satisfaction and function in female SM/Vs, additional research is needed to develop and pilot interventions. Among those with a history of MST, targeting NACM, anhedonia, and dysphoric arousal may be most effective in addressing sexual concerns.
Overlooked Aspects of the Chrysanthemum and the Sword

L'A. discute quelques themes abordes brievement par R. Benedict dans son ouvrage Le chrysantheme et le sabre et dont l'impact et la contribution a l'anthropologie sont souvent passes inapercus. Il analyse d'abord les tres courts developpements de Benedict sur les Japonais et le suicide. Il montre ensuite comment les analyses de Benedict de films japonais sont devenues une reference pour l'etude du cinema japonais. Finalement, il attire l'attention sur la collaboration entre R. Benedict et Robert Hashima, et sur la sensibilite particuliere de Benedict a la situation des americains-japonais au cours de ses recherches.
PULSED E-BEAM AND RUBY LASER ANNEALING OF ION IMPLANTED GaAs

Both laser (Q-switched ruby) and pulsed electron beam annealing (PEBA) have been used to obtain high donor concentrations (n s ≈ 1 × 10 15 cm –2 ) in Se and Te ion implanted GaAs. Non-alloyed ohmic contacts with r c ≤ 6 × 10 –6 ohm-cm 2 were formed on the Se implanted samples with no surface etching. Post anneal heating above 250°C results in a two stage loss of carriers.
Computerized GC/MS for Solving Problems in Water Pollution

ABSTRACT The transport of industrial organic chemicals from their source, into the Delaware River, through various treatment facilities, and into Philadelphia's finished drinking water was studied using water samples collected in August 1977. Solvent extraction, liquid chromatographic clean-up, and gas chromatographic mass spectrometry were used for compound separation and identification. Results confirmed discharge sources for many previously identified compounds. Furthermore, it was shown that many of these compounds circulated into Philadelphia's drinking water, and that the various water and waste treatment facilities had a minimal effect on the organic levels. For all chemicals, dilution processes were responsible for the largest reduction in organic concentrations.
SECONDARY MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ PLANNED APPROACHES FOR TEACHING STANDARD DEVIATION

Research-based guidelines for learning variation exist (e.g., Franklin et al., 2007; Garfield, delMas, & Chance, 2007), but little is known about how teachers plan to teach standard deviation, or how these plans align with recent recommendations. In this article, we survey lesson plans designed by in-service and preservice secondary mathematical teachers. We report on the accuracy, technology usage, and visual representations in the lesson plans. We consider how many elements are used, the level of conceptual development, and the mathematical nature. Findings support differences between preservice and master’s level students in education, as well as a tendency by in-service teachers to teach in alignment with prior learning experiences, despite professional development. Implications for teacher education and curricular development are offered. First published May 2018 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives
Abstract 1412: Comprehensive characterization of clock genes in human cancers

Cancer chronotherapy has been considered to optimize the balance of anti-tumor effects and toxicity. To develop cancer chronotherapy, the first crucial step is to understand the significant roles of clock genes in cancer. Circadian machinery is controlled by two main transcription auto-regulatory feedback loops, which including 14 core circadian genes. Core clock genes have at least one paralog gene may be functionally redundant in circadian regulation. Dysregulation of circadian genes promotes tumorigenesis through mechanisms that include the cell cycle, DNA damage and metabolism. However, there has been no comprehensive analysis to characterize the roles of circadian genes and circadian rhythms in tumorigenesis and to assess their potential utility in cancer chronotherapy. We determined genetic and epigenetic alterations of clock genes in human cancer, and explore clock gene clinical effect through integrative analysis, based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) profiles contained DNA, RNA, protein, epigenetic levels and clinical data. Our results suggested several clock genes may function as oncogene, such as ARNTL2, NR1D1, and NPAS2, while several other clock genes may function as tumor suppressors, such as PERs, CRYs, RORs. We revealed disruption and reprogramming of circadian rhythms across patient samples by showing significantly reduced number of genes correlated to clock genes. We further showed that transcriptional dysregulation of clock genes is strongly associated with patient survival, tumor stage and subtype. Taken together, our results provide the comprehensive analysis of clock system across different cancer types and expected outcomes will lay the groundwork for the future development of cancer chronotherapy. Citation Format: Youqiong Ye, Yu Xiang, Joseph Takahashi, Gordon Mills, Seung-Hee Yoo, Leng Han. Comprehensive characterization of clock genes in human cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1412.
Drugs in Tuberculosis and Leprosy

Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health threat with approximately 25% of the world's population infected with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Approximately 10% of these patients will develop active TB. Both TB and leprosy are known for their infectious and contagious nature and with increasing resistance patterns emerging and treatment regimens requiring a combination of products (with variable toxicity profiles, drug–drug interactions, and treatment outcomes) to combat the resistance. In this chapter, we review the 2018 literature regarding the adverse effects of medications commonly used in TB and leprosy: aminoglycosides, bedaquiline, carbapenems, clofazimine, cycloserine, dapsone, ethambutol, fluoroquinolones, isoniazid, linezolid, macrolides, pyrazinamide, para-aminosalicylic acid, polypeptides, rifamycins, terizidone, and thiacetazone.
Drug quantification in metastatic brain tumors in patients receiving bendamustine as a radiosensitizer for stereotactic radiotherapy.

e14017Background: In this Phase I study, we evaluated the ability of the DNA alkylating agent, bendamustine (BD), to serve as a radiosensitizer in patients receiving stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT)...
Pain Intensity and Tobacco Smoking Among Latinx Spanish-speaking Adult Smokers

Abstract Some research suggests that pain intensity is greater among Latinx persons compared to non-Hispanic-Whites, and that the experience of more intense pain among this group is related to poorer mental health and impairment. Yet, the degree to which pain-smoking relations generalize to Latinx smokers is unknown. The present study tested whether past-month pain intensity among adult Latinx smokers was related to cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, and problems experienced during past quit attempts. Participants were 363 Spanish-speaking Latinx daily smokers (58.7% female, Mage = 33.3 years, SD = 9.81). Consistent with prediction, current pain intensity was significantly related to greater cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for quitting, and problems experienced during past quit attempts. These novel data provide preliminary evidence that individual differences in the intensity of experienced pain in the past month is related to a range of clinically-significant smoking variables among a large sample of Latinx smokers. The findings suggest that pain intensity may be important to Latinx smokers, a group that often showcases pain-related disparities compared to other racial/ethnic groups.
Early life antecedents of positive child health among 10-year-old children born extremely preterm.

BACKGROUND To identify modifiable antecedents during pre-pregnancy and pregnancy windows associated with a positive child health at 10 years of age. METHODS Data on 889 children enrolled in the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn (ELGAN) study in 2002-2004 were analyzed for associations between potentially modifiable maternal antecedents during pre-pregnancy and pregnancy time windows and a previously described positive child health index (PCHI) score at 10 years of age. Stratification by race was also investigated for associations with investigated antecedents. RESULTS Factors associated with higher PCHI (more positive health) included greater gestational age, birth weight, multiple gestation, and medical interventions, including assisted reproduction and cervical cerclage. Factors associated with lower PCHI included correlates of lower socioeconomic status, pre-pregnancy chronic medical disorders in the mother such as pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and maternal asthma. When stratified by race, variation in significant results was observed. CONCLUSIONS Among children born extremely preterm, medical interventions and higher socioeconomic status were associated with improved PCHI, while chronic illness and high BMI in the mother is associated with lower PCHI at 10 years of age. Knowledge of such antecedent factors could inform efforts to develop interventions that promote positive child health outcomes in future pregnancies.
Ultraviolet photometry from the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory. VIII

A comprehensive ultraviolet photometric survey of the blue Ap stars was conducted in order to determine whether the close similarity, deduced from ground observations, between the blue Ap stars and normal B stars with similar UBV colors is maintained at wavelengths shortward of 3000 A. Data are presented for 24 Ap stars and 31 normal comparison standard dwarfs and giants observed by the Wisconsin Experiment Package on OAO 2. Both normal and peculiar stars were chosen, with a few exceptions, for their minimal interstellar reddening and for the absence of known bright companions. The similarity between blue Ap stars and normal B stars of similar UBV colors is not maintained in the ultraviolet. The blue Ap stars emit less ultraviolet flux than normal stars of like UBV colors. They are underluminous and cool in effective temperature for their colors.
Effective electrochemotherapy with curcumin in MDA-MB-231-human, triple negative breast cancer cells: A global proteomics study.

Abstract Curcumin (Cur), the yellow pigment of well-known turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is effective in multiple cancers including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). In combination with electrical pulses (EP), enhanced effects of curcumin (Cur + EP) are observed in TNBC cells. To gain insights into the mechanisms of enhanced anticancer effects of Cur + EP, we studied the proteins involved in the anticancer activity of Cur + EP in MDA-MB-231, human TNBC cells using high-throughput global proteomics. A curcumin dose of 50 μM was applied with eight, 1200 V/cm, 100 μs pulses, the most commonly used electrochemotherapy (ECT) parameter in clinics. Results show that the Cur + EP treatment reduced the clonogenic ability in MDA-MB-231 cells, with the induction of apoptosis. Proteomic analysis identified a total of 1456 proteins, of which 453 proteins were differentially regulated, including kinases, heat shock proteins, transcription factors, structural proteins, and metabolic enzymes. Eight key glycolysis proteins (ALDOA, ENO2, LDHA, LDHB, PFKP, PGM1, PGAM1 and PGK1) were downregulated in Cur + EP from Cur. There was a switch in the metabolism with upregulation of 10 oxidative phosphorylation pathway proteins and 8 tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle proteins in the Cur + EP sample, compared to curcumin. These results provide novel systematic insights into the mechanisms of ECT with curcumin.
Mitigation of Distribution Voltage Violations Using Single-Phase Residential Static VAr Compensators

An alternative method to support the voltage at the end of a distribution feeder using residential static VAR compensators (RSVCs) is presented. The distribution feeder and the RSVCs were modeled using OpenDSS and validated by comparing the results of measured data with the output of the model. Results show that the use of RSVCs on the low side of the service transformers is an efficient way to mitigate low- and high-voltage violations in the distribution feeder. During a one-month evaluation of the system, the results show that the use of RSVCs was able to eliminate all voltage violations below 113 V and it reduced the number of voltage violations under 114 V by 88%.
Analysis on Metric Spaces

This note is a survey of Analysis on Metric spaces, in connection with the upcoming AMS Mathematics Research Communities program in June 2020.
A Study of the Fundamental Performance Characteristics of GPUs and CPUs for Database Analytics (Extended Version).

There has been significant amount of excitement and recent work on GPU-based database systems. Previous work has claimed that these systems can perform orders of magnitude better than CPU-based database systems on analytical workloads such as those found in decision support and business intelligence applications. A hardware expert would view these claims with suspicion. Given the general notion that database operators are memory-bandwidth bound, one would expect the maximum gain to be roughly equal to the ratio of the memory bandwidth of GPU to that of CPU. In this paper, we adopt a model-based approach to understand when and why the performance gains of running queries on GPUs vs on CPUs vary from the bandwidth ratio (which is roughly 16x on modern hardware). We propose Crystal, a library of parallel routines that can be combined together to run full SQL queries on a GPU with minimal materialization overhead. We implement individual query operators to show that while the speedups for selection, projection, and sorts are near the bandwidth ratio, joins achieve less speedup due to differences in hardware capabilities. Interestingly, we show on a popular analytical workload that full query performance gain from running on GPU exceeds the bandwidth ratio despite individual operators having speedup less than bandwidth ratio, as a result of limitations of vectorizing chained operators on CPUs, resulting in a 25x speedup for GPUs over CPUs on the benchmark.
Outcomes and expanding indications for robotic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancer

Treatment of testicular cancer has made significant progress in the past decades in terms of reduction of treatment-associated morbidity and preventing over-treatment. At the forefront of this progression is utilization of the da Vinci robot to perform retroperitoneal lymph node dissections (RPLNDs) via a minimally invasive approach. The robot offers multiple potential advantages such as smaller incisions, improved 3D visualization, more precise dissection, and faster convalescence, leading to its increased usage the past several years. In this chapter, we summarize the recent progress made in robotic surgery for testicular cancer and its potential in the future. Promising preliminary data has also renewed interest in defining the role of primary RPLND in patients with seminoma, potentially sparing patients of the harmful long-term radiation and cisplatin-based chemotherapy. SEMS and PRIMETEST trials are ongoing trials that will provide significant insight into this area and potentially expand the role of robotic RPLND.
Molecular characterization of western corn rootworm pyrethroid resistance.

Background Western corn rootworm (WCR) pyrethroid resistance has been confirmed in the western US Corn Belt. Toxicological and biochemical studies indicated that multiple mechanisms of resistance might be involved in the resistance trait, such as enhanced metabolism and/or kdr target-site mutation(s) in the voltage-gated sodium channels. To characterize the mechanisms of WCR pyrethroid resistance at the molecular level, pairwise comparisons were made between RNA-Seq data collected from pyrethroid-resistant and -susceptible WCR populations. Gene expression levels and sodium channel sequences were evaluated. Results Seven transcripts exhibited significantly different expression (q ≤ 0.05) when comparing field-collected pyrethroid-resistant (R-Field) and -susceptible (S-Field) WCR populations. Three of the differentially expressed transcripts were P450s overexpressed in R-Field (9.2-26.2-fold). A higher number (99) of differentially expressed transcripts was found when comparing laboratory-derived pyrethroid-resistant (R-Lab) and -susceptible (S-Lab) WCR populations. Eight of the significant transcripts were P450s overexpressed in R-Lab (2.7-39.8-fold). This study did not detect kdr mutations in pyrethroid-resistant WCR populations. Other differentially expressed transcripts that may play a role in WCR pyrethroid resistance are discussed. Conclusion This study revealed that P450-mediated metabolism is likely to be a major mechanism of WCR pyrethroid resistance, which could affect the efficacy of other insecticides sharing similar metabolic pathways. Additionally, results suggested that although laboratory selection of a pyrethroid-resistant WCR population may help to characterize resistance mechanisms, a field-selected population provided rare and perhaps major variants corresponding to the resistance trait.
Transition to Adult Care in Youth with Epilepsy: One Center's Experience with a Transition Program and Its Integration within Telemedicine

Neurology patients often have disorders that require life-long care and ongoing treatment. The transition of pediatric neurology patients to adult neurology care, particularly in epilepsy, is an evolving concept that is recognized as important for patients and families. Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City has an established transition program that has been integrated into the neurology clinic as a part of standard care. Our experience and utilization of a transition program has provided our patients with a unique opportunity, empowering them to navigate their own care and create a seamless transition to adult neurology. Through a collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Department of Health Resources and Services Administration, we have proposed a practice model designed to create a medical home for children and youth with epilepsy in rural underserved areas of Kansas. One of the core end points of this study is transition of care for youth with epilepsy using telemedicine. In this article, we describe our experience with a transition program for epilepsy patients and describe the very early implementation of this program to a telemedicine transition program designed for underserved rural populations.
Parents, Peers, and Musical Play: Integrated Parent-Child Music Class Program Supports Community Participation and Well-Being for Families of Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder

Opportunities for meaningful community participation may influence the development and well-being of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families as well as impact how community members perceive and understand ASD. In the current study, we aimed to understand how a parent-child integrated music class program could be used to promote community participation and family well-being. Caregivers of preschoolers (2-5 years of age) with ASD and those of peer children with typical development (TD) were interviewed about their participation in a parent-child integrated music class program. Thematic analysis of interviews revealed that all caregivers viewed program participation as positive. Caregivers emphasized increasing connections within families, such as through strengthening parent-child bonds, as well as connections across families, including increased understanding of ASD and sensitivity to the experience of parenting. Many caregivers perceived the class as supporting their parenting and impacting their children's behavior in meaningful ways. Interview themes were supported by measures of caregiver and child program receipt, including questionnaires about family music engagement throughout their time in the class program and behavioral coding of children's engagement during music classes. Findings suggest that integrated community experiences such as parent-child music classes may impact whole family well-being, highlighting the value of integrated community participation experiences at the level of the family system. Parent-child music classes may provide a productive and accessible context for supporting integrated community experiences.
A Comparison of Psychopathic Trait Latent Profiles in Service Members

This study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify differing classes of psychopathic traits in a large sample of military personnel (90.7% Army National Guard) and examined how membership across profiles can be differentiated by mean scores on external correlates relevant to psychopathy and/or to military service (e.g., aggression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, impulsivity). Psychopathy was operationalized via the three-factor model of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scales (LSRP; Brinkley et al. 2008; Levenson et al. 1995). LPA revealed optimal fit for a four-profile solution. Three profiles had roughly equivalent within-profile means across the three factors, characterized by below average, average, and above/high average LSRP scores. The fourth profile emerged as qualitatively different: high on LSRP-Callous but below average on LSRP-Egocentricity and LSRP-Antisocial. The four profiles were differentiable based on their mean scores on external correlates, suggesting varied implications for externalizing and internalizing features across psychopathic trait configurations in a military sample. Implications for studying psychopathy in military and other novel samples are discussed.
Evaluation of UBE3A antibodies in mice and human cerebral organoids

UBE3A is an E3 ubiquitin ligase encoded by the neurally imprinted UBE3A gene. The abundance and subcellular distribution of UBE3A has been the topic of many previous studies as its dosage and localization has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders including Autism, Dup15q syndrome, and Angelman syndrome. While commercially available antibodies have been widely employed to determine UBE3A localization, an extensive analysis and comparison of the performance of different UBE3A antibodies has not been conducted. Here we evaluated the specificities of seven commercial UBE3A antibodies in two of the major experimental models used in UBE3A research, mouse and human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural cells and tissues. We tested these antibodies in their two most common assays, immunofluorescence and western blot. In addition, we also assessed the ability of these antibodies to capture dynamic spatiotemporal changes of UBE3A by utilizing human cerebral organoid models. Our results reveal that among the seven antibodies tested, three antibodies demonstrated substantial nonspecific immunoreactivity. While four antibodies show specific localization patterns in both mouse brain sections and human cerebral organoids, these antibodies varied significantly in background signals and staining patterns in undifferentiated human pluripotent stem cells.
The Lack of Convergence of Latin-America Compared with Cesee: Is Low Investment to Blame?

In the last few decades there has been little convergence of income levels in Latin America with those in the United States, in sharp contrast with both emerging Asia and emerging Europe. This paper argues that lack of convergence was not the result of low investment. Latin America is poorer because of lower human capital levels and lower TFP-not because of a lower capital-output ratio. Cross-country differences of TFP in turn are associated with differences in human capital, governance and business climate indicators. We demonstrate that once levels of human capital and governance are taken into account, there is strong conditional cross-country convergence. Poor countries with high levels of human capital, governance or business climate indicators converge rapidly. Poor countries without those attributes do not. We show that low investment is the result of low TFP and thus GDP growth-not the cause.
Sexual Communication in the Digital Age: Adolescent Sexual Communication with Parents and Friends About Sexting, Pornography, and Starting Relationships Online

Online sexual behaviors like sexting, viewing pornography online, and using the internet to start relationships are increasingly common among adolescents, yet research has struggled to keep pace. This study fills a gap in the sexual communication literature by examining the extent to which a sample of high school adolescents are discussing digital sexual topics with their parents and best friends compared to more traditional sexual topics (pregnancy, STDs, condoms, and abstinence). Participants were 226 U.S. high school students (M age = 16.25; 58% girls; 46% White, 25% Latino, 24% Black) who reported their digital sexual behavior and sexual communication in the past year. Rates of sexting, viewing pornography, and starting relationships online were high (89% had engaged in at least one of these behaviors; 35% engaged in all three behaviors); yet communication about these topics was generally low: only 7% of youth had discussed all three digital topics with their parents and 19% had discussed all three with their best friends. This is in contrast to nearly 50% of youth who discussed traditional topics with their parents and best friends. Patterns of communication and digital sexual behavior were similar by gender, with the exception of pornography: boys were more likely to view pornography and discuss it with friends than girls. Implications for adolescent development in the digital age are discussed.
A phase II trial of chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab in patients with advanced NSCLC previously treated with a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor: Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium BTCRC-LUN15-029.

9073Background: Chemoimmunotherapy with a platinum doublet plus a checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) is a standard of care for pts with advanced NSCLC. While some pts experience prolonged responses to init...
Predictors and clinical significance of pericardial effusions after pediatric heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND We aimed to describe the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of pericardial effusions within 6 months after pediatric heart transplantation (HT). METHODS A single-center retrospective cohort study was performed on all pediatric HT recipients from 2004 to 2018. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with pericardial effusions post-HT, and survival was compared using log-rank test. RESULTS During the study period, 97 HTs were performed in 93 patients. Fifty patients (52%) had a ≥small pericardial effusion within 6 months, 16 of which were, or became, ≥moderate in size. Pericardial drain was placed in 8 patients. In univariate analysis, larger recipient body surface area (p = .01) and non-congenital heart disease (p = .002) were associated with pericardial effusion development. Donor/recipient size ratios, post-HT hemodynamics, and rejection did not correlate with pericardial effusion development. In multivariable analysis, non-congenital heart disease (adjusted odds ratio 3.3, p = .01) remained independently associated with development of pericardial effusion. There were no significant differences in post-HT survival between patients with and without ≥small (p = .68) or ≥moderate pericardial effusions (p = .40). CONCLUSIONS Pericardial effusions are common after pediatric HT. Patients with cardiomyopathy, or non-congenital heart disease, were at higher risk for post-HT pericardial effusions. Pericardial effusions increased morbidity but had no effect on mortality in our cohort. The risk factors identified may be used for anticipatory guidance in pediatric HT.
Completing the Circle of Life: Death and Grief Among Native Americans

This chapter will discuss cultural approaches and views of death, dying, and bereavement among Native Americans. We begin by focusing on the macro including an introduction to the culture, general demographics, examples of loss and trauma, and the natural order of things. We examine differences among tribes in dealing with death and dying, traditional ways of care for and disposal of the dead, and understanding the importance and role of family members in dealing with death. We also discuss the importance placed on culture, common cultural practices, and provide a tribal-specific example of mourning practices. The current research and lack of evidence-based practices and common standards of care are discussed and a case example is provided.
Models and Measurement of Bacterial Growth Rates on Polymers

The historical investigation of the role of bacteria in disease and infection has been to study the growth of planktonic bacteria and its response to various treatments. However, as more medical devices are used inside the human body, there is increasing concern about the pathogenesis of infections associated with the surface of the implant. This includes understanding the source of infection, the development into a biofilm, and the response of the infectious organism to medical treatment. Such surface-associated bacteria are a critical concern in medicine because they appear to be recalcitrant to the conventional antibiotic therapy that has been developed to target planktonic bacteria.2,15
The Supreme Court and Vouchers: An Overview for Educators in Catholic Schools

This article provides a critical summary of the current state of the voucher question as it relates to Catholic schools. After an in-depth look at the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of the Cleveland program (Zelman v. Simmons-Harris), the authors conclude that while voucher program might be part of an overall solution for educating the urban poor, they will have limited impact on Catholic schools.
Electrochemical properties of spherical polyelectrolytes: II. Hollow sphere model for membranous vesicles

The nonlinearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation has been numerically solved to obtain the electrostatic potential inside and outside of hollow spherical shells suspended in an aqueous medium. The geometrical characteristics of the shells were chosen to correspond to those of the small (100 to 600 A radius) vesicles typically formed by sonication of phospholipids or membranes. The boundary conditions were specified using the following assumptions: (i) The shells are permeable to ions, permitting an electrochemical equilibrium to exist between the inner and outer solutions, (ii) Both inner and outer surfaces of the shell bear ionizable groups, but only the total (in plus out) degree of dissociation is given, (iii) The cell model for finite concentrations of vesicles was employed. The additional assumption of electroneutrality within the vesicles was used in most of the reported calculations. It is shown that for vesicles having radii in the range studied here, the computed results obtained with and without the electroneutrality constraint are nearly the same. The electrostatic potential was studied as a function of salt concentration, vesicle concentration, shell thickness, radius of shell, and surface area per ionizable group. The ionic distribution, activity coefficients, Δp K , and osmotic coefficient were obtained from the electrostatic potential. The degree of dissociation under all circumstances was found to be less on the inside than the outside. The average potential of the inside solution is larger in magnitude than that outside the shell at low salt and polyelectrolyte concentrations. At high salt concentration the potentials are similar inside and outside, whereas at high polyelectrolyte concentration, but low salt, the magnitude of the potential is larger outside than inside.
Rule of Law, Regulation and Growth of Mobile Telecommunications

Motivated, in part, by the new "rule of law" paradigm in development economics, we examine the role of institutions, broadly defined, on the rate of mobile network build-out. We find that the "strict" rule of law (i.e., strong protection of private contract and property) does not exhibit a statistically significant relationship with mobile network growth. More macro-level regulatory policies, however, ranging from lower tariffs, modest import controls, and lower levels of foreign ownership restriction are significant positive correlates of network growth. These findings suggest that a non-democratic regime with a "correct" set of regulatory policies might experience substantial network growth, relative to the international average - without providing strong "classical" protections of private contract and property rights. In addition, we find that corruption and state capture correlate significantly and negatively with mobile network growth. Plausibly, state capture and corruption increase the cost of doing business and these higher costs may slow growth, or preclude it altogether. Finally, examining cultural determinants of network growth, we find that our coefficient on language fractionalization is negative and significant, which implies that nations with greater language diversity experience slower network growth. Plausibly then, network growth in a numerically large, but linguistically heterogeneous, population may be smaller than predicted absent this consideration. Finally, we observe that real GDP per capita is positive and significant, a finding shared with multiple studies exploring growth rates of mobile networks, and economic development more generally.
Icosahedral packing of B12 icosahedra in boron suboxide (B6O)

Objects with icosahedral symmetry (Ih) bear a special fascination; natural examples are rare, but include radiolaria1 and virus particles (virions)2. The discovery3 of C60, a molecule in the shape of a truncated icosahedron with Ih symmetry, has aroused widespread interest. In 1962, Mackay4 described a radiating packing of spheres in Ih symmetry, in which the centres of successive shells of spheres lie on the surfaces of icosahedra. There has been extensive investigation of the conditions under which such packing might be realized in assemblies of atoms or of molecules such as C60 (ref. 5). Here we report the preparation, at high temperatures and pressures, of boron suboxide (B6O) in which the preferred form of the material is as macroscopic, near-perfect, regular icosahedra, similar to the multiply-twinned particles observed in some cubic materials. A major difference is that B6O has a rhombohedral structure that nearly exactly fits the geometrical requirements needed to obtain icosahedral twins. These icosahedral particles have a structure that can be described as a Mackay packing of icosahedral B12 units, and thus has long-ranged order without translational symmetry.
Effective thermal via and decoupling capacitor insertion for 3D system-on-package

The increased component density of a 3D system-on-package (SOP) exacerbates the thermal hotspot problem. A popular choice to mitigate the thermal issues is thermal vias (t-vias) that are used to establish thermal paths from the core of an SOP package to the heat sinks. Another major problem with SOP integration is the power supply noise coupling among various mixed signal components constituting the system. In this case, decoupling capacitors (decaps) are inserted to provide the switching currents locally. The goal of our automatic 3D SOP component placement algorithm is to determine the x/y/z location of each component while minimizing the footprint area under thermal and power supply noise constraints. In general, t-vias and decaps are typically inserted in the white space in the placement, whereas the proximity of the t-vias and decaps to the target components determines their effectiveness. Hence, our component placer considers t-via and decap insertion during the early design stage, where the component location can be flexibly changed. Related experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Laser treatment of urethral defects in geldings and stallions used as the primary treatment or in combination with a temporary subischial incision: Eight cases (2003–2011)

Summary Two geldings with haematuria and 6 stallions with haemospermia presented for evaluation between 2003 and 2011 to the Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center. Both geldings presented for haemorrhage at the end of urination. All stallions presented for evaluation of infertility following natural service or artificial insemination that was related to haemospermia. Urethroscopy identified a urethral defect in all 8 horses. Both geldings possessed a urethral rent. One stallion possessed a urethral varicosity while the remaining 5 possessed a urethral rent. Two geldings and 2 stallions received only laser treatment. The remaining 4 stallions received concurrent laser treatment with a temporary subischial incision (TSI) into the corpus spongiosum penis. All 6 stallions received 8 weeks of sexual rest after the completion of the surgical/laser treatment. Laser treatment alone was successful in resolving haematuria in one of 2 geldings. In the stallion group, all 4 horses with a urethral rent receiving laser treatment concurrent with a TSI resolved haemospermia. Of the remaining stallions, one with a urethral varicosity resolved clinical signs with only laser treatment and one stallion with a urethral rent received only laser treatment and haemospermia recurred. We conclude that laser treatment of a urethral rent in geldings can result in resolution of haematuria. Laser treatment used in combination with a TSI may result in improved success when compared to surgery alone. Laser treatment alone can result in resolution of a urethral varicosity.
An (U-Th)/He age for the shallow-marine Wetumpka impact structure, Alabama, USA

Single crystal (U-Th)/He dating was applied to 24 apatite and 23 zircon grains from the Wetumpka impact structure, Alabama, USA. This small approximately 5–7.6 km impact crater was formed in a shallow marine environment, with no known preserved impact melt, thus offering a challenge to common geochronological techniques. A mean (U-Th)/He apatite and zircon age of 84.4 ± 1.4 Ma (2σ) was obtained, which is within error of the previously estimated Late Cretaceous impact age of approximately 83.5 Ma. In addition, helium diffusion modeling of apatite and zircon grains during fireball/contact, shock metamorphism, and hydrothermal events was undertaken, to show the influence of these individual thermal processes on resetting (U-Th)/He ages in the Wetumpka samples. This study has shown that the (U-Th)/He geochronological technique has real potential for dating impact structures, especially smaller and eroded impact structures that lack impact melt lithologies.
Phase Diagram of Bismuth to 130 000 kg/cm 2 , 500°C

The phase diagram of Bi has been determined experimentally to 130 000 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ and 500\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The observations of Bridgman, and others, to 30 000 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ and 270\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C were generally verified. The new work indicates two new phases of solid Bi and several new triple points. The Bi VI\ensuremath{\rightarrow}VIII transition at room temperature and about 125 000 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ involves a sharp decrease in electrical resistance which can serve as a pressure calibration point in future work.