cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytomegalovirus colitis mimicking ischemic colitis in an immunocompetent host

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes infections in healthy individuals and compromised hosts. In compromised hosts, CMV may cause encephalitis, pneumonia, hepatitis, colitis, and so forth. In immunocompetent hosts, CMV mononucleosis is the most common clinical manifestation and CMV colitis is rare. We present a case of an 82-year-old immunocompetent man who presented with community-acquired bloody diarrhea. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed pan-colitis. His age and abdominal pains suggested ischemic colitis as the cause of his bloody diarrhea. Workup for Clostridium difficile and all enteric pathogens were negative. The patient remained febrile with abdominal pain. During the second week, he underwent sigmoidoscopy for biopsy, which revealed viral inclusions of the Cowdry owl eye inclusion bodies characteristic of CMV. CMV colitis was diagnosed in the patient; he was successfully treated with a course of oral valganciclovir and made an uneventful recovery.
Nonlinear filtering methods for harmonic retrieval

The authors address the problem of high-resolution parameter estimation of superimposed sinusoids using nonlinear filtering techniques. Six separate nonlinear filters are evaluated for the estimation of the parameters of sinusoids in white and colored Gaussian noise. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that the nonlinear filters perform very satisfactorily (close to the Cramer-Rao bound) for reasonable values of the initial estimation error. A major advantage of using nonlinear filtering methods for harmonic retrieval is that the filters can be applied to time-varying process models as well. >
Temporal changes in root growth and 15N uptake and water relations of two tussock grass species recovering from water stress

Physiological responses of Agropyron desertorum and Pseudoroegneria spicata, two common cold desert perennial tussock grass species of the North American Great Basin, were evaluated during and after a period of imposed drought in a pot study. The timing and the pattern of response of leaf water potential (Ψ1), stomatal conductance (gs), and root growth were strikingly similar in both species during and after drought. The severity of stress influenced the magnitude of Ψ1 and gs, but had little effect on the timing of these responses. Although drought inhibited total root length in prestressed plants, within 4 days after relief of drought both species showed similar increases in root growth which exceeded those of the control. Despite similarities in their root growth responses to increased soil water availability, the two grasses differed in their capacity to restore N uptake following drought. By 14 days after rewatering, N uptake in the prestressed Agropyron had recovered to levels of control plants, although both root biomass and root lenght were much less than those of the controls. This is attributed to elevated root uptake kinetics. Restoration of N uptake by prestressed Pseudoregneria was much less effective during the same period.
Student Choice, Instructor Flexibility: Moving Beyond the Blended Instructional Model

Due to the rapid increase in online course enrollments, online and blended education receives much research attention. However, a paucity of research exists for the Hybrid-Flexible (HyFlex) instructional model. This model allows students flexibility about how to participate in lecture and is geared toward providing students with educational choices and incorporating instructional technologies that mirror the personal technologies students use every day. This article outlines the development and testing of a modified HyFlex instructional model specifically designed for large, on-campus courses where students had three attendance mode choices (live online, face-to-face, or view a recorded session). To support curricular goals, the instructor implemented technology affording live lecture streaming, polling, and backchannel communication with negligible cost to students and little cost to the department. Highlighted results indicate the modified HyFlex instructional model had no negative impact on student performance in the class, both in overall learning and on individual grades. Furthermore, students greatly enjoyed the educational choices and overwhelmingly reported the incorporation of technology increased their participation in class and comprehension of course content. The authors discuss the findings, address study limitations, and offer suggestions for future HyFlex research. DOI: 10.2458/azu_itet_v1i1_miller
Exploiting Reference Frame History in H.264/AVC Motion Estimation

Motion Estimation is the most crucial and time-consuming part of the H.264/AVC video compression standard. The introduction of motion search of variable block sizes in multiple reference frames has significantly increased the computational complexity. This paper proposes a fast motion estimation algorithm, Most Used Reference First (MURF), based on the usage history of reference frames. The algorithm rearranges the search order of the reference frames based on the selection probability of the reference frames in coding the current frame. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm, when compared to the best algorithm in H.264 reference software, achieves on average 60% reduction in search points and 52% reduction in motion estimation time with comparable video quality and negligible increase in bit-rate and memory.
Expert post-processor for simulation output analysis

Abstract This paper discusses the conceptual framework and capabilities of an expert Post-Processor to aid in the analysis of simulation output data. It is proposed to handle both terminating and steady state systems and for analyzing a single system or for statistically comparing two or more systems. The various modules in it are designed to handle determination of the initial truncation point, sample size or run length, variance reduction techniques and also for performing sensitivity analysis of the system. The framework presented here is still in the conceptual stages and is designed for inclusion in the Intelligent Simulation Generator (ISG), work on which is currently being done. This is designed for use in conjunction with any simulator, irrespective of the language it uses.
Infrared and Raman spectra of MnS2

Abstract The infrared and Raman spectra of the pyrite-type crystal MnS 2 are reported. Nine of the ten optically allowed q≌0 phonons are observed. A comparison of the phonon frequencies with those of FeS 2 allows us to conclude that the electrostatic forces as well as the covalent sulfur-sulfur bonds are about the same strength in the two compounds. The short-range forces between metal and sulfur ions in the two cases, however, are quite different.
Using second generation SOPC boards for student design projects

This paper describes our recent experiences using a SOPC approach to develop laboratory design projects for undergraduate students in our electrical and computer engineering curriculum. New generation commercial FPGA based SOPC development boards with an embedded RISC processor core and CAD tools are used to support a variety of student design projects.
Reactions of N2(A3Σ u

N2(A3Σ), the lowest electronically excited state of N2, has a long and distinguished history due to its role in nitrogen discharges and the nitrogen afterglow. Recently, the production of N2(A) via photolysis and chemiluminescent reactions has been newly explored, and new facets of its reactivity have been uncovered. N2(A) is unusual, in that its deactivation probability in collision with small molecules spans many orders of magnitude, and is frequently strongly dependent on the vibrational content of N2(A). This behavior and the observed product channels can be understood in terms of a simple model for the energy transfer process. Brief comparison with reactions of related species is made.
Fungi and ionizing radiation from radionuclides

Radionuclides in the environment are one of the major concerns to human health and ecotoxicology. The explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant renewed interest in the role played by fungi in mediating radionuclide movement in ecosystems. As a result of these studies, our knowledge of the importance of fungi, especially in their mycorrhizal habit, in long-term accumulation of radionuclides, transfer up the food chain and regulation of accumulation by their host plants was increased. Micro-fungi have been found to be highly resilient to exposure to ionizing radiation, with fungi having been isolated from within and around the Chernobyl plant. Radioresistance of some fungal species has been linked to the presence of melanin, which has been shown to have emerging properties of acting as an energy transporter for metabolism and has been implicated in enhancing hyphal growth and directed growth of sensitized hyphae towards sources of radiation. Using this recently acquired knowledge, we may be in a better position to suggest the use of fungi in bioremediation of radioactively contaminated sites and cleanup of industrial effluent.
Relative action of sunscreen compounds.

Abstract A simple and rapid method of evaluating the relative screening action of sunscreen compounds is given. The optical density of a 0.1 per cent solution in a 0.1-mm. fused silica cell is measured at 3,080 Angstroms, the peak of the “Sunburn Curve.” The optical density is divided by the per cent concentration, thus reducing all values to those given by a 1 per cent solution. These values are termed the sunscreen index (S.I.) of the compounds. Values of the sunscreen index are given for 45 compounds. An example is given showing how the sunscreen index may be used to calculate what per cent of any of the compounds is needed in a given thickness of film to screen out any given per cent of the light which produces sunburn.
Plasma prolactin levels and contraception: oral contraceptives and intrauterine devices.

Abstract Blood samples were drawn from one-hundred women after they were interviewed concerning their contraceptive practices. The plasma was analyzed in duplicate for its prolactin (hPr) content. There were no significant differences in the hPr levels among women using no contraception, combination-type oral contraceptives, standard intrauterine devices or copper containing intrauterine devices. Those women using progesterone containing intrauterine devices had significantly higher plasma prolactin levels. Since standard devices do not alter prolactin levels, it is suspected that the released intrauterine progesterone might have some systemic effects.
Association of an RNA kissing complex analyzed using 2-aminopurine fluorescence

The fluorescent probe, 2-aminopurine-2′-O-methyl riboside (2-AP) has been selectively incorporated at adenosine positions in stem–loops (so called R1inv and R2inv), derived from the ColE1 plasmid encoded RNA I and RNA II transcripts, that interact to form stable loop–loop kissing complexes and bind the RNA one modulator (Rom) protein, such that fluorescence-detected stopped-flow and equilibrium methods could be used to study the detailed mechanism of this RNA–RNA interaction. Formation of loop–loop kissing complexes between R1inv and R2inv hairpins, substituted with 2-AP at positions in the complementary loops, results in a 5–10-fold fluorescence emission decrease (Fmax = 370 nm), which provides a sensitive measure for the binding reaction. The 2-AP substituted complexes are found to have equilibrium binding properties (average KD = 2.6 ± 1.7 nM) and affinity for Rom (average KD = 60 ± 24 nM) that are similar to complexes formed with equivalent unlabeled hairpins. Using stopped-flow experiments, it was found that the 2-AP probes experienced at least three different microenvironments during association of the RNA complex, thus suggesting a kinetic intermediate in the kissing pathway. In contrast, dissociation of the complex was found to fit a single exponential decay (average koff = 8.9 × 10–5 s–1). Consistent with these observations, a two-step mechanism for RNA loop–loop complex association is proposed in which the complementary loops of R1inv and R2inv first base pair to form the loop–loop helix (average k1 = 0.13 µM–1s–1) in the initial encounter reaction, and subsequently isomerize to the final tertiary fold in a second slower step (average k2 = 0.09 s–1), where the helical stacking around the junctions is optimized.
Ionic effects on the rotational dynamics of cross-bridges in myosin filaments, measured by triplet absorption anisotropy.

Abstract We have measured the rotational motion of myosin heads in synthetic thick filaments at 4 °C in the time range from 10−7 to 10 −4 seconds, by measuring transient absorption anisotropy of an eosin probe attached to a reactive sulfhydryl on the myosin head. Under conditions that result in monomeric myosin (500 mM ionic strength), the anisotropy decay is independent of pH in the range from 7.0 to 8.2 and [Mg2+]in the range from 0.1 to 10 mM; the anisotropy decays bi-exponentially with correlation times of 0.4 and 2 microseconds to a constant value of 0.016. Under more physiological conditions (115 mM ionic strength), resulting in filament formation, the anisotropy decay is sensitive to both pH and [Mg2+]. The anisotropy at pH 8.2 and 0.1 mM-Mg2+ decays with correlation times of 0.5 and 3.8 microseconds to a constant limiting anisotropy of 0.038. When the [Mg2+]is increased to 10 mM, the correlation times are 0.6 and 5.7 microseconds and the limiting anisotropy value is 0.055. Identical changes in the anisotropy decay are caused by an increase in [H+]to pH 7.0, in the presence of 0.1 mM-Mg2+. Increasing the total ionic strength to 187 mM decreases the amplitude of the cation effects. These results provide direct evidence that the rotational dynamics of myosin heads in thick filaments are influenced by physiological concentrations of cations. The results are qualitatively consistent with the proposal that these and other ionic conditions regulate transitions between “spread” and “compact” cross-bridge conformations, but the quantitative results indicate that cross-bridges undergo large-amplitude microsecond rotations even under conditions where the compact state should predominate.
Arithmetic coding for finite-state noiseless channels

The authors analyze the expected delay for infinite precision arithmetic codes, and suggest a practical implementation that closely approximates the idealized infinite precision model. >
Compromising between the proportional and constrained equal awards rules

For the problem of adjudicating conflicting claims, we define a family of two-claimant rules that offer a compromise between the proportional and constrained equal awards rules. We identify the members of the family that satisfy particular properties. We generalize the rules to general populations by requiring “consistency”: the recommendation made for each problem should be “in agreement” with the recommendation made for each reduced problem that results when some claimants receive their awards and leave. We identify which members of the two-claimant family have consistent extensions, and we characterize these extensions. Here too, we identify which extensions satisfy particular properties. Finally, we propose and study a “dual” family. JEL classification number: C79; D63; D74 Key-words: claims problems; proportional rule; constrained equal awards rule; consistency; consistent extension.
Accion's Experiences with Rural Finance in Latin America and Africa

In the past two years, ACCION has worked with several institutions in Latin America and Africa to institute or expand rural lending programs. These efforts have resulted in successful rural penetration as well as a range of microcredit products adapted for rural areas. This InSight briefly describes the experience of ACCION's affiliates and partners in rural areas and relates lessons gleaned from that experience on how urban, commercially-oriented microfinance institutions can enter rural markets.
Barriers and Facilitators of Mental Health Treatment Seeking Among Active-Duty Army Personnel

The purpose of the current two-phase study was to comprehensively identify the barriers and facilitators of mental health treatment seeking among active-duty service members. For Sample 1, focus groups were conducted with a general sample (n = 78) of United States soldiers. For Sample 2, interviews were conducted with soldiers who had sought mental health treatment (n = 32). Transcripts were coded using Atlas.ti software (Berlin, Germany), and descriptive analyses identified key themes. Factors identified by this study that have been underinvestigated in previous research included medication concerns, discomfort with discussing mental health problems, beliefs promoted by military culture, positive leader behaviors, and witnessing treatment seekers’ experiences. Common barriers included career concerns, stigma, treatment concerns, leadership problems, and practical barriers. Common facilitators included social support, leadership support, and perceived symptom severity. Findings suggest that treatment-faci...
The Effects of Feedback in Vigilance Training on Performance, Workload, Stress and Coping

Grace W. Teo, Tarah N. Schmidt, James L. Szalma, Gabriella M. Hancock, Peter A. Hancock University of Central Florida The ability to maintain vigilance in scanning the environment for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) can mean the difference between life and death for Soldiers. Although this ability to sustain attention varies among individuals, performance feedback training using knowledge of results (KR) has been found to im-prove performance. The present study builds on previous work on the influence of KR on vigilance training to investigate the efficacy of such training for improving upon performance and reducing workload and stress. Results indicated that the KR group achieved better vigilance performance than the No KR group and that the training benefits from KR persisted beyond the training phase. However, KR did not substan-tially affect perceived workload or stress response.
Radiation hybrid mapping of genes in the lithium-sensitive wnt signaling pathway.

Lithium, an effective drug in the treatment of bipolar disorder, has been proposed to disrupt the Wnt signaling pathway. To facilitate analysis of the possible involvement of elements of the Wnt pathway in human bipolar disorder, a high resolution radiation hybrid mapping (RHM) of these genes was performed. A fine physical location has been obtained for Wnt 7A, frizzled 3, 4 and 5, dishevelled 1, 2 and 3, GSK3β, axin, α-catenin, the Armadillo repeat-containing genes (δ-catenin and ARVCF), and a frizzled-like protein (frpHE) using the Stanford Human Genome Center (SHGC) G3 panel. Most of these genes were previously mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Frizzled 4, axin and frpHE did not have a previous chromosomal assignment and were linked by RHM to chromosome markers, SHGC-35131 at 11q22.1, NIB1488 at 16p13.3 and D7S2919 at 7p15.2, respectively. Interestingly, some of these genes were found to map within potential regions underlying susceptibility to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia as well as disorders of neurodevelopmental origin. This alternative approach of establishing the precise location of selected genetic components of a candidate pathway and determining if they map within previously defined susceptibility loci should help to identify plausible candidate genes that warrant further analysis through association and mutational scanning.
A Revision of the American Species of Mycodrosophila (Diptera; Drosophilidae)

General descriptions, including detailed figures of the male genitalia and wing photographs, are presented for the two described American species of Mycodrosophila, dimidiata (Loew) and projectans (Sturtevant), and for two new Nearctic and five new Neotropical species of this genus. New species are: claytonae (Florida to Ontario, west to Montana, Colorado, and Texas); stalked (Florida to Ontario, west to Texas); elegans (Panama to Brazil); brunnescens (Brazil); pseudoprojectans (Nicaragua to Colombia); neoprojectans (Honduras to Ecuador); and nigropleura (Greater Antilles, El Salvador, and Honduras).
Effectiveness of Thermal Spreaders with Convective and Radiative Cooling

The thermal spreader is relatively well-known for its engineering applications in a variety of thermal management systems, e.g., thermal control of high power density electronic components. The main function of a thermal spreader is to eliminate hot spots within electronic devices by transferring the power dissipated in these devices to the surrounding environment. A thermal spreader increases the heat transfer area thus enhancing the thermal path to the surroundings to reduce concentrated thermal power density. The objective is to maintain the temperature of the dissipating devices within the manufacturer’s specified operating temperature range, and therefore increase component reliability.
Anti-Colonial Liberalism

World community and ghetto, cosmopolis and nation, global village and strategic hamlet — these are terms that seem increasingly to belong together. The pairings are bound by a dialectic found widely in the writing of decolonisation. For Fanon, ‘it is at the heart of national consciousness that international consciousness lives and grows’; for Cabral, ‘one of the aims of cultural resistance is the development of a universal culture aiming at integration in the contemporary world and its prospects for evolution’; for the popular Nicaraguan musician Francisco Seveno, ‘to be “very Nicaraguan” is to be universal’. How does the writer account for both the many and the one — how capture a sense of the new unities while finding the allegiances on which identity thrives?
Electric-field induced F − migration in self-aligned InGaAs MOSFETs and mitigation

We report, for the first time, a prominent but fully reversible enhancement in transconductance after applying positive gate stress to self-aligned InGaAs MOSFETs. We attribute this to electric-field-induced migration of fluorine ions (F−) introduced during the RIE gate recess process. F− is known to passivate Si donors in InAlAs. In our device structure, an n-InAlAs ledge facilitates the link from the contacts to the intrinsic device. We use secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) to independently confirm that our process leads to F pile up at the n-InAlAs layer. Transmission line model (TLM) structures confirm F−-induced donor passivation. The understanding derived has lead us to redesign our InGaAs MOSFETs by eliminating n-InAlAs layers and instead use an n-InP ledge. The new device design not only exhibits greatly improved electrical stability but also record performance.
Computational methods using genome-wide association studies to predict radiotherapy complications and to identify correlative molecular processes

The biological cause of clinically observed variability of normal tissue damage following radiotherapy is poorly understood. We hypothesized that machine/statistical learning methods using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) would identify groups of patients of differing complication risk, and furthermore could be used to identify key biological sources of variability. We developed a novel learning algorithm, called pre-conditioned random forest regression (PRFR), to construct polygenic risk models using hundreds of SNPs, thereby capturing genomic features that confer small differential risk. Predictive models were trained and validated on a cohort of 368 prostate cancer patients for two post-radiotherapy clinical endpoints: late rectal bleeding and erectile dysfunction. The proposed method results in better predictive performance compared with existing computational methods. Gene ontology enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis are used to identify key biological processes and proteins that were plausible based on other published studies. In conclusion, we confirm that novel machine learning methods can produce large predictive models (hundreds of SNPs), yielding clinically useful risk stratification models, as well as identifying important underlying biological processes in the radiation damage and tissue repair process. The methods are generally applicable to GWAS data and are not specific to radiotherapy endpoints.
Incidence, Timing, and Risk Factors for Secondary Revision After Primary Revision of Traumatic Digit Amputations

Purpose Primary revision amputation is the most common treatment method for traumatic digit amputations in the United States. Few studies have reported secondary revision rates after primary revision amputation. The primary aim of our study was to identify risk factors for secondary revision within 1 year of the index procedure. Secondarily, we describe the incidence and timing of complications requiring secondary revision. Methods Our institution's emergency department (ED) database was reviewed for traumatic digit amputations over a 6-year period. Patients were reviewed for demographic characteristics, comorbidities, site of treatment (ED versus operating room), and complications requiring secondary revision. Conditional Cox Proportional Hazard regression was used to model hazard of revision within 1 year of index procedure relative to site of initial management, mechanism of injury, injury characteristics, and patient demographics. Results Five hundred and thirty-seven patients with 677 digits were managed with primary revision amputation. Five hundred and eighty-six digits (86.6%) were revised in the ED, and 91 (13.4%) in the operating room. Ninety-one digits required secondary revision, including 83 within 1 year. No increased risk of secondary revision amputation within 1 year of the index procedure was observed for patients treated in the ED compared with the operating room. Relative to crush injuries, bite and sharp laceration amputations had 4.8 times and 2.6 times increased risk of secondary revision, respectively. The index finger had a 5.3-fold increased risk of revision with the thumb as the reference digit. Work-related injuries had a 1.9-fold increased risk of secondary revision compared with non–work-related injuries. Conclusions No evidence was found indicating that traumatic digit amputations primarily revised in the ED had an increased risk of secondary revision. Patients may be counseled on the risk of secondary procedures based on the mechanism of injury, injury characteristics and demographics, as well as the timing of complications. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Amyloid fibrils induce dysfunction of hippocampal glutamatergic silent synapses

Silent glutamatergic synapses lacking functional AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionate) receptors exist in several brain regions including the hippocampus. Their involvement in the dysfunction of hippocampal glutamatergic transmission in the setting of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is unknown. This study demonstrated a decrease in the percentage of silent synapses in rats microinjected with amyloid fibrils (Aβ1-40 ) into the hippocampal CA1. Also, pairing low-frequency electric stimuli failed to induce activation of the hippocampal silent synapses in the modeled rats. Immunoblotting studies revealed a decreased expression of GluR1 subunits in the hippocampal CA1 synaptosomal preparation, indicating a potential reduction in the GluR1 subunits anchoring in postsynaptic density in the modeled rats. We also noted a decreased expression of phosphorylated cofilin, which regulates the function of actin cytoskeleton and receptor trafficking, and reduced expression of the scaffolding protein PSD95 in the hippocampal CA1 synaptosome in rats injected with Aβ1-40 . Taken together, this study illustrates dysfunction of hippocampal silent synapse in the rodent model of AD, which might result from the impairments of actin cytoskeleton and postsynaptic scaffolding proteins induced by amyloid fibrils.
Core psychopathology in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: A network analysis.

Objective The cognitive-behavioral theory of eating disorders (EDs) proposes that shape and weight overvaluation are the core ED psychopathology. Core symptoms can be statistically identified using network analysis. Existing ED network studies support that shape and weight overvaluation are the core ED psychopathology, yet no studies have estimated AN core psychopathology and concerns exist about the replicability of network analysis findings. The current study estimated ED symptom networks among people with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) and among a combined group of people with AN and BN. Method Participants were girls and women with AN (n = 604) and BN (n = 477) seeking residential ED treatment. ED symptoms were assessed with the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q); 27 of the EDE-Q items were included as nodes in symptom networks. Core symptoms were determined by expected influence and strength values. Results In all networks, desiring weight loss, restraint, shape and weight preoccupation, and shape overvaluation emerged as the most important symptoms. In addition, in the AN and combined networks, fearing weight gain emerged as an important symptom. In the BN network, weight overvaluation emerged as another important symptom. Discussion Findings support the cognitive-behavioral premise that shape and weight overvaluation are at the core of AN psychopathology. Our BN and combined network findings provide a high degree of replication of previous findings. Clinically, findings highlight the importance of considering shape and weight overvaluation as a severity specifier and primary treatment target for people with EDs.
Local and Global Shared Memory for Task Based HPC Applications on Heterogeneous Platforms

With the prevalence of multicore and manycore processors, developing parallel applications to bene?t from massively parallel resources is important. In this work, we introduce a hybrid shared memory mechanism based on a high-level task design. We implemented task scoped global shared data based on the one-sided communication feature of MPI-3 and enable users to implement and create multi-threaded tasks that can execute either on a single node or on multiple nodes. Task threads of distributed nodes can share data sets through global shared data objects using one-sided remote memory access. We ported and developed a set of benchmark applications and tested on a cluster platform. The high-level task design and hybrid shared memory help users develop and maintain parallel programs easily, and the results show that the global shared data can deliver good RMA performance; the multi-threaded task implementations perform up to 20% faster than ordinary OpenMP programs and have better scaling performance than MPI programs on multiple nodes.
Classifying and characterizing nicotine use disorder with high accuracy using machine learning and resting‐state fMRI

Cigarette smoking continues to be a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. Although the majority of smokers report making a quit attempt in the past year, smoking cessation rates remain modest. Thus, developing accurate, data-driven methods that can classify and characterize the neural features of nicotine use disorder (NUD) would be a powerful clinical tool that could aid in optimizing treatment development and guide treatment modifications. This investigation applied support vector machine-based classification to resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) data from individuals diagnosed with NUD (n = 108; 63 male) and matched nonsmoking controls (n = 108; 63 male) and multi-dimensional scaling to visualize the heterogeneity of NUD in individual smokers based on rsFC measures. Machine-based learning models identified five resting-state networks that played a role in distinguishing smokers from controls: the posterior and anterior default mode networks, the sensorimotor network, the salience network and the right executive control network. The classification method constructed classifiers with an average correct classification rate of 88.1 percent and an average area under the curve of 0.93. Compared with controls, individuals with NUD had weaker functional connectivity measures within these networks (P < 0.05, false discovery rate corrected). Further, multi-dimensional scaling visualization demonstrated that controls were similar to each other whereas individuals with NUD had less similarity to controls and to other individuals with NUD. Our findings build upon previous literature demonstrating that machine learning-based approaches to classifying rsFC data offer a valuable technique to understanding network-level differences in nicotine-related neurobiology and extend previous findings by improving classification accuracy and demonstrating the heterogeneity in resting-state networks of individuals with NUD.
Disability Identity Formation and Affirmation: The Experiences of Persons with Severe Mental Illness

This article examines the pervasive nature and extent of the debilitating sense of shame associated with disability. It then explores the emergence of disability identity, pride, and culture to challenge such shame—illustrated in personal narrative accounts of the individual and collective journeys of people coping with severe mental illness.
On Reductions of Self-Dual Yang-Mills Equations

Various symmetry reductions of the Self-Dual Yang Mills equations in which the gauge potentials depend on one space and one time variable (1+1) as well as only on one time variable (0+1) are reviewed and discussed. Specific equations which result from reduction include — the n-wave, Sine-Gordon, Kortweg deVries, Nonlinear Schrodinger and the Toda “molecule” equations in 1+1 dimensions. In 0+1 dimension we discuss the “free” and “heavy” tops and their generalizations and, a new system of equations, referred to as the Chazy top.
Nutritional value of pearl millet for lactating and growing goats

Studies were conducted to assess nutritional value of pearl millet grain (Pennisetum glaucum [L] R. Br.) for lactating and growing goats. Three complete diets containing either 40% corn, 40% pearl millet, or 40% corn and pearl millet mixed 1:1 (wt/wt) were balanced to contain 16% crude protein and 2.24 Mcal DE/kg on an air-dry basis. Forty-five does were blocked by kidding date and randomly assigned to diets for a 7-wk investigation. Feed intake and milk production were unaffected (P > .25) by treatment, and they averaged 2.86 and 2.47 kg daily, respectively. Thirty-three growing goats were blocked by sex and fed the same diets for 15 wk. Daily growth rate and feed to gain ratio were depressed (P < .05) by 25.4 and 19.0%, respectively, when corn was completely replaced with pearl millet. Digestion coefficients for DM, GE, CP, and NDF were reduced by over 10 percentage units with partial or complete replacement of corn by pearl millet. Ruminal acetate and ratio of acetate to propionate increased (P < .05) but butyrate, propionate, and ammonia were depressed (P < .05) with the pearl millet diets. Growing goats consumed 43 meals daily. They consumed 26.9, 32.6, 27.4, and 13.1% of their ration during the morning (0600 to 1200), afternoon (1200 to 1800), evening (1800 to 2400), and night (2400 to 0600), respectively. Pearl millet is a useful energy feed for mature, but not for growing, goats.
Rare or Unusual Primary Malignancies

A 53-year-old male diagnosed to have malignant urinary bladder paraganglioma (initially thought to be urothelial cell cancer), s/p radical cystectomy and chemotherapy 9 years ago is sent for a PET/CT scan. Patient was apparently well until recently when he presents with profuse diaphoresis, palpitations, flushing, weight loss and episodes of hypertensive spikes. Recurrence is noted in a biopsy of a right axillary mass.
Heating-Induced Transformations of Atmospheric Particles: Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy Study.

Environmental transmission electron microscopy was employed to probe transformations in the size, morphology, and composition of individual atmospheric particles as a function of temperature. Two d...
Distributed leadership in HE: A scaffold for cultural cloning and implications for BME academic leaders

Although participatory models of distributed leadership have gained traction across the higher education sector in the UK, it is also the case that forms of exclusion continue to defy aspirations f...
Preeclampsia and risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia in very preterm neonates.

Abstract Objective Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a severe common complication of preterm birth with considerable short and long-term consequences. As more evidence is emerging that dysregulation of angiogenesis is implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia as well as in fetal lung development, we assessed if preeclampsia is associated with development of BPD in very preterm neonates. Study design A retrospective cohort study of 308 infants born between 24+0 and 31+6 weeks of gestation in 2011 and 2012. We performed association analysis with univariable and multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for confounders. Models were additionally adjusted for intermediates, to show how an association can be disguised by over adjusting. Main outcome measure BPD was diagnosed at 36+0 weeks postmenstrual age and defined as the need for oxygen (FiO2 > 0.21) for at least 12 h per day, for more than 28 days before or at 36+0 weeks postmenstrual age, and classified as mild, moderate or severe. Results After applying our exclusion criteria, we report our primary outcome on 247 mother-neonate pairs. Fifty-nine neonates developed BPD (23.9%) which was moderate to severe in 27 of them (10.9%). Preeclampsia was associated with BPD, adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 4.22 (1.63, 10.91). However, after adjusting for additional intermediates no statistical significance remained, adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 1.87 (0.49, 7.24). Conclusion This study shows that early-onset preeclampsia is associated with development of BPD in the very preterm neonate. Part of this association is mediated by fetal growth restriction and mode of delivery.
Pre–Post Release Health in US Adult Male Convicts

AbstractThis study sought to determine whether need for healthcare and reported health status among adult men (N = 1,113) in US Federal prisons (in 12 states) changed from pre-release to 15 months ...
Synthesis and Electronic Structure of Neutral Square-Planar High-Spin Iron(II) Complexes Supported by a Dianionic Pincer Ligand.

Two square-planar high-spin FeII complexes bearing a dianionic pyridine dipyrrolate pincer ligand and a diethyl ether or tetrahydrofuran ligand were synthesized and structurally characterized, and their electronic structures were elucidated by a combined spectroscopic and computational approach. In contrast to previous examples, the S = 2 ground states of these square-planar FeII complexes do not require an overall anionic charge of the compounds or incorporation of alkali metal cations. The tetrahydrofuran complex exhibits an equilibrium between four- and five-coordinate species in solution, which was supported by 1H NMR and 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy and comparison to a structurally characterized five-coordinate pyridine dipyrrolate iron bis-pyridine adduct. A detailed computational analysis of the electronic structures of the four- and five-coordinate species via density functional theory provides insight into the origins of the unusual ground state configurations for FeII in a square-planar ligand fi...
Abstract A73: Optogenetic regulation of T cell metabolism in the tumor microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment presents significant metabolic challenges to T cells by depleting oxygen and glucose, as well as limiting the uptake of key nutrients. Therefore, T cells and tumor cells engage in fierce metabolic competition, as the demand for both oxygen and glucose in the niche is extremely high. The transition from a resting naive T cell into an activated and highly proliferative effector T cell requires substantial metabolic reprogramming from relying primarily on oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) to the rapid induction of aerobic glycolysis. However, evidence suggests that tumor infiltrating CD8 + T cells show defects in glycolytic functions. In addition, our data indicates that actively migrating effector CD8 + T cells have greater levels of OxPhos activity than stationary cells, imposing an increasing demand for oxygen during T cell migration to the tumor site. To overcome the glycolytic deficiency of the tumor-targeting T cells and boost anti-tumor effector functions at the tumor microenvironment, we developed a genetically encoded light-activated proton pump (fungal proton pump, “Mac”), namely photoactivatable OxPhos (PA-OxPhos) that is expressed in the inner mitochondrial membrane. During OxPhos, electrons enter the electron transport chain (ETC), causing protons to be pumped across the inner mitochondrial membrane to establish a proton gradient. The gradient is then used to generate ATP through complex V (CxV). Therefore, the outward proton pumping through the inner mitochondrial membrane by light stimulation of PA-OxPhos mimics the ETC function and boosts ATP generation in T cells, even in the presence of low levels of oxygen and substrates, giving T cells a metabolic competitive advantage in the tumor microenvironment. PA-OxPhos is tagged with GFP and is expressed in the mitochondria of transfected 293T cells and in activated mouse CD8 + T cells. When cells were treated with Rotenone (an inhibitor of complex I of the ETC), ATP production was decreased after 90 minutes. Importantly, light stimulation of 293T cells expressing PA-OxPhos successfully increased ATP production even in the presence of Rotenone. Our data suggests that PA-OxPhos can remotely provide a competitive metabolic advantage and boost T cell functions in the tumor microenvironment. The utilization of an alternative mechanism for ATP production in T cells could potentially dissipate the failures of T-cell-based cancer immunotherapies in destroying malignant cells of solid tumors. Citation Format: Andrea Amitrano, Brandon Walling, Kyun Do Kim, Brandon Berry, Adam Trewin, Andrew Wojtovich, Minsoo Kim. Optogenetic regulation of T cell metabolism in the tumor microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2017 Oct 1-4; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2018;6(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A73.
Scalemic 12-hydroxyambliofuran and 12-acetoxy-ambliofuran, five tetracyclic furanoditerpenes and a furanosesterterpene from Spongia sp.

Abstract Eight new compounds were isolated from a Western Australian sponge Spongia sp., including 12-hydroxyambliofuran (5), its acetate ester 6, five new tetracyclic diterpenes 7 – bd11 and the epoxyfuranosesterterpene carboxylic acid 12. Compounds 5 and 6, each isolated as a 3:1 mixture of enantiomers as determined by a modified Mosher's ester method and chiral lanthanide NMR shift studies, are rare examples of scalemic marine natural products.
Pedestrian and bicyclist behavior at Highway-Rail grade crossings: An observational study of factors associated with violations, distraction, and crossing speeds during train crossing events

Pedestrian-train collisions at highway-railroad grade crossings (HRGCs), though relatively rare events, often result in severe injuries or fatalities. In the ten year period from 2008-2017, there w...
Creating Diagnostic Assessments

The goal of this paper is to propose a new method to generate multiple-choice items that can make creating quality assessments faster and more efficient, solving a practical issue that many instructors face. There are currently no systematic, efficient methods available to generate quality distractors (plausible but incorrect options), which are necessary for multiple-choice assessments that accurately assess students’ knowledge. We propose two methods to use technology to generate quality multiple-choice assessments: (1) manipulating the mathematical problem to emulate common student misconceptions or errors and (2) disguising options to protect the integrity of multiple-choice tests. By linking options to common student misconceptions and errors, instructors can use assessments as personalized diagnostic tools that can target and modify underlying misconceptions. Moreover, using technology to generate these quality distractors would allow for assessments to be developed efficiently, in terms of both time and resources. The method to disguise the options generated would have the added benefit of preventing students from working backwards from options to solution and thus would protect the integrity of the assessment.
Exploring Acculturation and Shopping Orientations Among Hispanic Immigrants in the U.S.

Despite increased purchasing power of Hispanic immigrants in the U.S., limited studies focus on this ethnic group. This qualitative study aims to explore acculturation levels of Hispanic immigrant couples in the U.S., their general attitudes related to shopping(i.e., shopping orientation) of those consumers, and a potential relationship between acculturation levels and shopping orientation. Qualitative data were gathered by interviewing 15 Hispanic married couples who were born and raised in a Hispanic country and moved to the U.S. after the age of 18. Interviews were conducted in Spanish using purposive and snowballing sampling methods. Interview findings revealed that Hispanic immigrants maintain their original culture while adopting the host culture (i.e., integration). Hispanic immigrants’ acculturation mode reflects their shopping orientation which includes quality-conscious,price-conscious, brand-conscious, time-conscious, and recreational orientation. Findings suggest a positive association between the integrated cultural level and shopping orientation.
Regulation of autoimmune anti-platelet antibody-mediated adhesion of monocytes to platelet GPIIb/GPIIIa: effect of armed monocytes and the Mac-1 receptor.

Platelet autoantigen-autoantibody-monocyte interaction was studied by utilization of a specific monoclonal antibody (MoAb) 10E5 to trap and immobilize the GPIIb-GPIIIa complex on microtiter plates. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) or purified monocytes formed distinct morphologic clusters after incubation with immobilized antigen for 18 hours at 37 degrees C. PBMC of 18 and 19 patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ATP) formed 48 +/- 6.8 (SEM) clusters/well compared with 7.4 +/- 1.0 for control subjects, P less than .001. The number of clusters per well correlated inversely and exponentially with platelet count, r = -.8, n = 21, indicating that the GPIIb-GPIIIa autoantigen is pathophysiologically relevant. Binding of ATP PBMC to immobilized GPIIb-GPIIIa could be inhibited by F(ab')2 fragments of immunoglobulin (Ig) G of ATP patients, indicating that monocyte IgG bound to autoantigen by its F(ab')2 domain. Optimal cluster formation could be obtained with normal monocytes if preincubated with ATP IgG but not with F(ab')2 fragments of ATP IgG, indicating that ATP IgG binds to monocytes by its Fc domain. Armed monocytes (ie, normal monocytes preincubated with ATP IgG) bound to immobilized autoantigen 5.8-fold greater than normal monocytes incubated with immobilized autoantigen opsonized with ATP IgG. Armed monocyte adhesion could be inhibited 81% from 18.9 +/- 1.6 to 3.6 +/- 0.5 clusters/well by prior fixation with 0.1% formalin, whereas fixation of IgG before arming of monocytes was not inhibitory. MoAb MM41, directed against the alpha m- chain of the Mac-1 adhesive protein receptor of monocytes, inhibited cluster formation by 79%. Thus, (1) armed monocyte interaction with autoantigen is considerably more effective than monocyte interaction with opsonized autoantigen; (2) armed monocyte interaction requires specific F(ab')2-antigen recognition; and (3) monocyte-autoantigen interaction requires a secondary nonimmunologic adhesive event.