cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A rare gastrointestinal manifestation of systemic primary amyloidosis

Symptomatic gastrointestinal (GI) amyloidosis is a rare manifestation of systemic amyloid light chain amyloidosis. Further, the presentation of primary GI amyloidosis without previously diagnosed systemic amyloidosis is exceptionally rare. We describe a case of a patient presenting with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss later to be diagnosed with localized GI amyloidosis from underlying multiple myeloma. Unfortunately, the GI disease was insurmountable leading to her death. Amyloidosis exerts its pathology at the level of the mucosa, soft tissue, nerves, and vascular supply of the GI tract. No specific treatments for the GI complications of amyloidosis are available and supportive measures are universally employed. GI amyloidosis is not only infrequently amenable to systemic and symptomatic treatment, but has a negative impact on both quality of life and survival.
Inherent stochasticity in phase-change memory devices

A two terminal nanoscale device showing inherent stochastic behavior can be a key enabler for a wide range of applications such as stochastic computing, machine learning and neuromorphic engineering. In this article we investigate the inherent stochasticity associated with two key attributes of phase-change memory devices, namely, threshold switching and memory switching. The physical origin of this stochasticity is traced to the differences in the atomic configurations of the amorphous phase created via the melt-quench process after each RESET operation, which is validated by simulation and experimental results. We also present experimental results for one specific application namely, a true random number generator.
Activities in dementia care: A comparative assessment of activity types

This exploratory study compares the impact of five activity types on the well-being of institutionalized people with dementia: the intergenerational art program Opening Minds through Art, art and music therapies, creative activities, non-creative activities, and no activities at all. We validated the Scripps Modified Greater Cincinnati Chapter Well-Being Observational Tool, and used that instrument to systematically observe N = 67 people with dementia as they participated in different activity types. People with dementia showed the highest well-being scores during Opening Minds through Art compared to all other activities. No significant well-being differences were found between creative activities led by licensed art/music therapist versus regular activity staff. Furthermore, no significant well-being differences were found between creative and non-creative activities that were both led by regular activity staff. Overall, people with dementia benefit from participating in activities, regardless of the ty...
Combining 2H and 13C Selective Enrichment to Probe Protein Dynamics

The dipolar interactions between 13C nuclei and the directly attached 1H nuclei offer a potentially rich set of spectroscopic monitors of the dynamical behavior of biological macromolecules. However, in contrast to the more widely exploited 1H-15N dipoles of the mainchain amide resonances of proteins, additional technical complexities have impeded the more extensive use of 13C relaxation analysis. As for the case of 15N studies, the low sensitivity of natural abundance samples have limited 13C relaxation studies to quite small highly soluble systems. On the other hand uniform enrichment introduces scalar and dipolar interactions between directly bonded 13C nuclei which confound the interpretation of the conventional pulse sequences used in relaxation analysis. Progress has been reported in the development of pulse sequences to circumvent some of the complications arising from geminal 13C nuclei,1,2 but a general solution is not yet available. An alternate approach which allows for extensive high levels of site specific enrichment with minimal occurrence of geminal 13C-13C couplings can be achieved via protein expression in bacterial strains carrying suitable metabolic lesions so as to direct the flow of isotopic label from selectively enriched carbon sources.
Fumarate hydratase expression is retained in atypical intradermal smooth muscle neoplasms and cutaneous leiomyosarcomas.

Fumarate hydratase (fumarase) is a ubiquitous enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of fumarate to S-malate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and amino acid metabolism. A subset of leiomyomas and renal cell carcinomas (RCC) demonstrate loss of function of fumarase, which may occur through mutation or deletion of the FH gene on chromosome 1q42.3-q43 in a sporadic or germline fashion. Heterozygous germline loss of function results in hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma syndrome (HLRCC). HLRCC is characterized by development of multiple pilar and uterine leiomyomas, and early development of aggressive RCCs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Measuring the impact of professional development for student-centred pedagogies: a mixed-methods study

AbstractShifts towards student-centred pedagogies require high-quality professional development to support teacher learning. Although many characteristics of effective professional development have been identified, such programmes still struggle to demonstrate successful results. This mixed-methods study investigated the development of student-centred practices in middle-school teachers in the USA in response to a programme of professional development. Participants engaged in individualized programmes of professional development built around personal action research projects. Quantitative results showed a significant decline in student-centred practices, and explanatory qualitative data indicated differences in the perception of the focus of the professional development and engagement with dissemination. Mixed analyses indicated previously unobserved similarities across participants, highlighting the difficulty of measuring the impact of professional development using only quantitative or qualitative appr...
Abstract 2508: Profiling the metabolic effects of AGI-5198 treatment on IDH1-mutated gliomas

Background: AGI-5198 (a specific IDH1mut inhibitor) inhibits the formation of D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG) typically produced in millimolar quantities by the R132H mutation of isocitrate dehydrogenase I (IDH1). AGI-5198 was found to delay growth, to promote differentiation in cells and to decrease tumor volume in IDH1-mutant (IDH1mut) mice xenographs, and as a result, has been advanced to clinical trials in humans with IDH1mut glioblastomas. However, no metabolic study of this drug has been reported to date. Here, we investigated the metabolic changes induced by AGI-5198 treatment in order to determine if the drug restores the normal metabolic status once D-2HG concentration is decreased. Methods: We treated glioma cells carrying an IDH1 mutation with 10 μM AGI-5198 for 72 h. Metabolic changes were explored using an untargeted metabolomics approach. Cell viability analysis verified that the concentration of drug does not lead to significant cell death. NMR and MS-linked metabolomics together with in vivo cell imaging using RAMAN were used. Principal component analysis was employed to explore the differences in the metabolic profiles comparing treated and untreated glioma cells. Results and Conclusions: We confirmed that AGI5198 treatment reduced D-2HG levels in the cell lines investigated, validating previous reports. Moreover, we observed a decrease in phospholipid levels upon AGI-5198 treatment, which suggests a decreased proliferative potential for these cells; of particular importance for clinical application. Our preliminary analysis also suggests that metabolites involved in one carbon metabolism are altered upon AGI-5198 treatment. This pathway provides the methyl group for the DNA methylation by DNA methylases producing a hypermethylated phenotype. Our findings suggest that combining the AGI-5198 treatment with a DNA methylase inhibitor may improve outcomes in IDH1-mutated gliomas. Citation Format: Victor Ruiz Rodado, Adrian Lita, Tyrone Dowdy, Mark R. Gilbert, Mioara Larion. Profiling the metabolic effects of AGI-5198 treatment on IDH1-mutated gliomas [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2508. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2508
Seasonal Abundance of Temnochila chlorodia (Mannerheim) (Coleoptera: Trogositidae) Collected in Western Pine Beetle Pheromone-Baited Traps in Northern California

Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) are commonly recognized as the most important mortality agent in western coniferous forests. In this study, we describe the abundance of bark beetle predators collected in multiple-funnel traps baited with exo-brevicomin, frontalin and myrcene in northern California during 2003 and 2004. A total of 32,903 Temnochila chlorodia (Mannerheim), 79 Enoclerus lecontei (Wolcott), and 12 E. sphegeus (F.) were collected. The seasonal abundance of E. lecontei and E. sphegeus was not analyzed because too few individuals were collected. In general, T. chlorodia was most abundant in late spring, but a second smaller peak in activity was observed in late summmer. Overall, the ratio of males to females was 0.82. A significant temporal effect was observed in regard to sex ratios with more males collected during later sample periods. Temnochila chlorodia flight activity patterns were similar between years, but activity was generally delayed several weeks in 2003.
The effect of furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural on butyric acid fermentation by Clostridium tyrobutyricum

BACKGROUND Potential inhibitory effects of byproducts from lignocellulosic hydrolysis process, including furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) on butyric acid fermentation by Clostridium tyrobutyricum were studied by adding furfural (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 g L−1) and HMF (0, 0.6, 1.2, 1.8 and 2.4 g L−1) separately into the xylose medium. RESULTS Increases in furfural or HMF concentration led to reduced butyric acid productivity. Delays on cell growth and xylose consumption were also noticed with increasing concentrations of furfural and HMF. Complete inhibition on C. tyrobutyricum fermentation was observed at 1.2 g L−1 of furfural, while HMF showed less severe effects that C. tyrobutyricum could tolerate up to 2.4 g L−1 of HMF. Both furfural and HMF could be metabolized by C. tyrobutyricum. CONCLUSION Furfural with concentrations higher than 0.3 g L−1 and HMF with concentrations higher than 0.6 g L−1 can significantly inhibit the butyric acid fermentation of C. tyrobutyricum and furfural had more severe effects in terms of cell growth and metabolisms.
Phase transformation kinetics in rolled U-10 wt. % Mo foil: Effect of post-rolling heat treatment and prior γ-UMo grain size

Abstract The effect of sub-eutectoid heat treatment on the phase transformation behavior in rolled U-10 wt.% Mo (U10Mo) foils was systematically investigated. The as-cast 5 mm thick foils were initially homogenized at 900 °C for 48 h and were hot rolled to 2 mm and later cold rolled down to 0.2 mm. Three starting microstructures were evaluated: (i) hot + cold-rolled to 0.2 mm (as-rolled condition), (ii) hot + cold-rolled to 0.2 mm + annealed at 700 °C for 1 h, and (iii) hot + cold-rolled to 0.2 mm + annealed at 1000 °C for 60 h. Annealing of as-rolled materials at 700 °C resulted in small grain size (15 ± 9 μm average grain size), while annealing at 1000 °C led to very large grains (156 ± 118 μm average grain size) in rolled U10Mo foils. Later the samples were subjected to sub-eutectoid heat-treatment temperatures of 550 °C, 500 °C, and 400 °C for different durations of time starting from 1 h up to 100 h. U10Mo rolled foils went through various degrees of decomposition when subjected to the sub-eutectoid heat-treatment step and formed a lamellar microstructure through a cellular reaction mostly along the previous γ-UMo grain boundaries. The least amount of cellular reaction was observed in the large-grain microstructure at all temperatures. Conversely, a substantial amount of cellular reaction was observed in both the as-rolled and the small-grain microstructure. After 100 h of heat treatment at 500 °C, the volume fraction of the lamellar phase was found to be 4%, 22%, and 82% in large-grain, as-rolled, and small-grain samples, respectively.
Design of Copper-Based Bimetallic Nanoparticles for Carbon Dioxide Adsorption and Activation.

Cu-based nanoparticles (NPs) are promising candidates for the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to useful chemicals because of their low cost. However, CO2 adsorption and activation on Cu is not feasible. In this work we demonstrate a computational framework that identifies Cu-based bimetallic NPs able to adsorb and activate CO2 based on DFT calculations. We screen a series of heteroatoms on Cu-based NPs based on their preference to occupy a surface site on the NP and to adsorb and activate CO2 . We revealed two descriptors for CO2 adsorption on the bimetallic NPs, the heteroatom (i) local d-band center and (ii) electropositivity, which both drive an effective charge transfer from the NP to CO2 . We identified the CuZr bimetallic NP as a candidate nanostructure for CO2 adsorption and showed that although the Zr sites can be oxidized because of their high oxophilicity, they are still able to adsorb and activate CO2 strongly. Importantly, our computational results are verified by targeted synthesis, characterization, and CO2 adsorption experiments that demonstrate that i) Zr segregates on the surface of Cu, ii) Zr is oxidized to form a bimetallic mixed CuZr oxide catalyst, which iii) can strongly adsorb CO2 , whereas Cu NPs cannot. Overall our work highlights the importance of the generation of binding sites on a NP surface based on (catalyst) stability and electronic structure properties, which can lead to the design of more effective CO2 reduction catalysts.
Methods and Tools for 3D Measurement of Hands and Feet

The purpose of this research was to develop a repeatable scanning protocol for the 3D scanning of hands and feet for a large anthropometric study, minimize user error, increase speed and scanning efficiency, and develop best practices to enable collaboration across multiple scanning sites. This research consisted of testing different landmark placements and tools, and the development and testing of stability/scanning platforms for the hand and foot. Landmark placements were chosen based on anthropometric landmarks that will be helpful for future glove and boot design. Various landmark tools were tested using two different types of stickers (square and round) and washable markers. These landmarking tools were used independently and together to test the visibility with color enabled scanning. Platforms were created to allow for both the comfort of the subjects and clear scans for both the foot and hand. Two of these platforms had frames (one wooden and one metal) and Plexiglas, while one was completely made of Plexiglas. Testing each piece led us to create a repeatable scanning protocol for the 3D scanning of hands and feet for future anthropometric studies across multiple scanning sites.
Does sexual dimorphism predispose dioecious riparian trees to sex ratio imbalances under climate change

Environmental changes have resulted in significant declines in native riparian forests that are comprised largely of dioecious tree taxa, including boxelder and iconic cottonwood/willow gallery forests. Dioecious species may be especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change given that they often exhibit skewed sex ratios that are reinforced by physiological and morphological specialization of each sex to specific microhabitats. A comprehensive data synthesis suggests that male individuals of boxelder and cottonwood taxa have a higher representation on dry microhabitats than females and are less physiologically sensitive to increased aridity than co-occurring females. Consequently, extreme male-biased sex ratios are possible under future climate conditions that could reduce population fitness below a sustainable threshold. Riparian willows, on the other hand, generally do not express obvious sexual dimorphism in habitat preference or physiological sensitivity to aridity. Thus, it is unclear whether climate change will impact population structure of willows in ways that parallel other dioecious riparian tree taxa. Future riparian tree restoration programs should aim to maintain future sex ratio balance that maximizes population fitness under projected hydro-climatological conditions. Recent advances in genomics will likely provide the critical tools for early sex determination in pre-reproductive trees across riparian tree species such that sex ratio balance could be targeted during initial stages of restoration, along with adaptations for drought tolerance and other key traits that are essential for survival under future conditions.
Naturalistic Observational Field Techniques for Traffic Psychology Research

Publisher Summary Naturalistic observation is a hallmark of scientific inquiry and is central to many empirical data collection efforts. There are two main strengths of this method. The first is that it taps directly into the behavior of interest and does not rely on having to interpret proxies of behaviors such as self-reports. Second, because the behaviors observed occur in natural settings, naturalistic observation has strong construct and face validity; that is, it very likely represents reality than argument that is more difficult to make with other research methods, such as a driving simulator. On the other hand, naturalistic observation as a research method has some drawbacks. The main disadvantage is generalizability. The value of naturalistic observation techniques to any area of traffic psychology is dependent on how well the study is designed and executed. A study with a flawed design will not yield results that are generalizable, and even a well-designed study will not be useful if the observational methods are not valid and reliable. Thus naturalistic observational studies require appropriate study designs, reproducible protocols, extensive observer training, and adequate resources to yield valid and generalizable results.
Argentina “Rojo Sangre”: Dictatorships Through the Lens of a Gore Film Director

The author analyzes the figures of the slasher and the serial killer in contemporary Argentine and Chilean films. He relates the importance of the slasher and gore subgenres in these particular geographical areas to the memory of the Videla and Pinochet dictatorships. Argentinean director Adrian Garcia Bogliano is studied carefully given his vast interest in the subgenres, drawing attention to his adaptations of slasher tropes in the Argentine environment.
Insights into Space Solar Cell Durability Using SPICE Simulation Seeded by Current-Voltage Characteristics Parametrized Using the Lambert W Special Function.

We developed and validated an automated routine for the fitting of I-V curve data to the single diode model according to an exact analytical solution. Our fitting routine was validated to show good noise immunity and high accuracy using simulated values from LTSPICE. We are thus able to automate parameter extraction from a dataset or arbitrary size. This parameterization allows for better simulation of performance of real cells and arrays and provides utility for a host of applications relevant to space arrays. We will use this methodology to determine the array performance of radiated cells over time, and simulate the performance of the arrays with active bypass diodes and power electronics.
Percutaneous mitral valve repair: an evolving reality

Secondary mitral regurgitation (MR), also known as functional MR, arises from changes in left ventricular geometry and function resulting in abnormal leaflet coaptation due to tethering of the mitral valve in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Secondary MR is an independent risk factor for patients with heart failure (1,2). The 2017 AHA/ACC guidelines give a class IIb recommendation (level of evidence B) to isolated surgical mitral valve repair or replacement for patients with severe secondary MR who remain symptomatic (NYHA class III or IV) despite maximum tolerated guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure (3). Meanwhile, the 2017 ESC/EACTS guidelines offer percutaneous repair as an alternative for these patients (class IIb recommendation; level of evidence C) (4). Percutaneous mitral valve repair with the use of MitraClip (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA, USA) has proven feasible, safe, and effective as an alternative for patients with severe symptomatic secondary MR and a high surgical risk in non-randomized studies (5). However, randomized data on hard clinical outcomes is lacking.
Abstract TP333: Transferred ICH Patients Are Less Frequently Screened For Illicit Drugs

Introduction: Despite the fact that illicit substance use has been associated with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), it is not standard care to perform a urine drug screen (UDS) on all patients prese...
Software Defined Machine Learning Based Anomaly Detection in Fog Based IoT Network

Adaptation of intelligent devices with smart connectivity has tremendously increased the Internet of Things (IoT) traffic. For the security of IoTs massive applications, anomaly detection in these large number of devices is resource intensive task. This anomaly detection neither can be done in a cloud where analytical applications run nor in IoT device due to its limited computation capability. The Software Defined Networking (SDN) promises better management of network due to centralized control. In this paper, we proposed a software-defined machine learning (ML) based anomaly detection framework that provides network control in two scenarios, first is cloud infrastructure, and other is collocated fog(network edge) infrastructure. We compare our work in terms of delay in cloud against a collocated fog (processing) node; furthermore, we have also evaluated both scenarios with respect to packet error rate and throughput. Moreover, we discuss that these factors are critical in attack detection and mitigation. In the end, we conclude that in machine learning based anomaly detection, fog nodes provide better computational (attack detection) results in comparison with a cloud infrastructure.
Iron availability and oxygen tension regulate the Yersinia Ysc type III secretion system to enable disseminated infection

The enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and the related plague agent Y. pestis require the Ysc type III secretion system (T3SS) to subvert phagocyte defense mechanisms and cause disease. Yet type III secretion (T3S) in Yersinia induces growth arrest and innate immune recognition, necessitating tight regulation of the T3SS. Here we show that Y. pseudotuberculosis T3SS expression is kept low under anaerobic, iron-rich conditions, such as those found in the intestinal lumen where the Yersinia T3SS is not required for growth. In contrast, the Yersinia T3SS is expressed under aerobic or anaerobic, iron-poor conditions, such as those encountered by Yersinia once they cross the epithelial barrier and encounter phagocytic cells. We further show that the [2Fe-2S] containing transcription factor, IscR, mediates this oxygen and iron regulation of the T3SS by controlling transcription of the T3SS master regulator LcrF. IscR binds directly to the lcrF promoter and, importantly, a mutation that prevents this binding leads to decreased disseminated infection of Y. pseudotuberculosis but does not perturb intestinal colonization. Similar to E. coli, Y. pseudotuberculosis uses the Fe-S cluster occupancy of IscR as a readout of oxygen and iron conditions that impact cellular Fe-S cluster homeostasis. We propose that Y. pseudotuberculosis has coopted this system to sense entry into deeper tissues and induce T3S where it is required for virulence. The IscR binding site in the lcrF promoter is completely conserved between Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis. Deletion of iscR in Y. pestis leads to drastic disruption of T3S, suggesting that IscR control of the T3SS evolved before Y. pestis split from Y. pseudotuberculosis.
High-g Capacitive Accelerometer Arrays with Low Bias Instability

Accelerometer metrics of performance include higher dynamic range, lower noise, lower bias instability and lower power. As with all systems, these trade-offs compete. Achieving large dynamic range in accelerometers drives design trade-offs of sensitivity and survivability at the high end and low noise and drift at the low end of the range. CMOS-MEMS technology enables deployment of system-on-chip designs comprising an array of hundreds of individual accelerometer cells integrated with low-noise readout circuits and on-chip temperature, stress, and scale-factor sensors to compensate drift. These systems range to 50 kg shock measurement with 3 mg bias instability and a path toward micro-g bias instability.
Stream capture and the geomorphic evolution of the Linville Gorge in the southern Appalachians, USA

Abstract The Linville River, in the Blue Ridge of North Carolina, flows across the Blue Ridge Escarpment and through Linville Gorge, a unique topographic feature within the southern Appalachians. The upper portion of the drainage effectively shifts the Eastern Continental Divide away from the escarpment crest. This shift is similar to other locations along the escarpment where streams flowing towards the Piedmont have captured drainage area from low-relief streams that drain towards the west. Here, we examine the upper Linville River for evidence of drainage captures that would have shifted drainage area away from the Toe River and into the Linville River. We used LiDAR data to reconstruct stream profiles for possible drainage pathways and examined cobble deposits near the headwaters of the North Toe River. Within those deposits on the west side of the Linville River, we found quartzite cobbles that must have been sourced from bedrock exposed only on the east side of the modern Linville River. This indicates that portions of the Linville Valley above Linville Falls historically drained to the west into the North Toe River. Headward erosion above Linville Falls resulted in downcutting and multiple stream captures. These captures more than tripled the drainage area of the Linville River, which would have significantly increased discharge downstream. This increase in discharge likely drove the geomorphic evolution of the modern Linville Gorge including resultant downcutting and associated hillslope processes and helps to explain the prominence of Linville Gorge.
Distributed Identification of Power System Network Branch Events

Online identification of power system network branches is critical in modern electric power system operation. Availability of phasor measurement units (PMUs) can be used to identify branch events. Due to complexity of the power system, a distributed cellular computational network (CCN) is proposed. Comparison of centralized and distributed neural network based power system network branch events identification is studied. IEEE 12-bus benchmark power system is simulated on real-time digital simulator platform for this study. CCN based distributed neural network approach is computationally efficient compared to centralized approach.
Examining the privacy paradox through individuals’ neural disposition in e-commerce: An exploratory neuroimaging study

Abstract Despite individuals expressing concerns for the privacy of their personal information, they act contrarily by disclosing their personal information in e-commerce transactions. This phenomenon of contradictory privacy-related decisions is referred to as the privacy paradox. Researchers have explained privacy paradox as either a rational function resultant of a calculus of costs and benefits, or due to the effects of emotions (affect), psychological deviations and cognitive biases. However, the nature of mental perceptions in privacy have not been properly examined. This study investigates the nature of mental perceptions formed in a given privacy-related situation and their influence on privacy-related decision-making in the context of e-commerce. We argue that individuals’ privacy-related decisions are based on mental perceptions formed during privacy-related situations that are both rational and emotional, as well as, interconnected with one-another. Based on the privacy calculus and the findings of neuroscience, we developed the research model and subsequently evaluated it using two within-subject experiments using an EEG device. The results of the study indicate that individuals’ privacy-related decisions tap into both executive and emotional areas of the brain, which involves assessments of risks and rewards, as well as, emotional regulation.
“Finding My Own Way:” The Lived Experience of Undergraduate Nursing Students Learning Psychomotor Skills During COVID-19

Abstract Background Little is known about how nursing students learned psychomotor skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aims What is the lived experience of undergraduate nursing students learning psychomotor skills during the COVID-19 pandemic? Methods Using a phenomenological approach, eight undergraduate nursing students were interviewed about their experiences learning psychomotor skills during the pandemic. Results Thematic analysis revealed three main themes. “Finding My Own Way” described adapting learning styles and advocacy for learning. Sub-themes included perseverance and comradery. “Learning the Skills” described modifications to skills learning. Sub-themes included grace by professors, smaller group sizes, less practice, and “my brain is split in half,” describing the challenges of giving dual attention to COVID-19 and skills learning. “Stress of the Pandemic” described the stress of quarantine, isolation and online learning. Discussion Findings of this study may help nurse educators understand the challenges of learning skills during the pandemic. Implications are discussed.
Social cognitive skills groups increase medial prefrontal cortex activity in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Few studies have examined the neural mechanisms of change following social skills interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined the neural effects of social cognitive skills groups during functional MRI (fMRI) tasks of irony comprehension and eye gaze processing in school-aged children with ASD. Verbally fluent children (ages 8-11) were randomized to social cognitive skills groups or facilitated play comparison groups. Behavioral assessments and fMRI scans were obtained at baseline and endpoint (12 weeks). During fMRI, children completed two separate tasks to engage social cognition circuitry: comprehension of potentially ironic scenarios (n = 34) and viewing emotionally expressive faces with direct or averted gaze (n = 24). Whole-brain analyses were conducted to examine neural changes following treatment. Regression analyses were also conducted to explore the relationship between neural and behavioral changes. When comparing the two groups directly, the social cognitive skills group showed greater increases in activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), implicated in theory of mind, relative to the comparison group for both irony comprehension and gaze processing tasks. Increased mPFC activity during the irony task was associated with improvement in social functioning on the Social Responsiveness Scale across both groups. Findings indicate that social cognitive skills interventions may increase activity in regions associated with social cognition and mentalizing abilities. LAY SUMMARY: Social skills groups are a common intervention for school-aged children with ASD. However, few studies have examined the neural response to social skills groups in school-aged children with ASD. Here, we report on a study evaluating neural outcomes from an empirically supported social cognitive skills training curriculum using fMRI. This study seeks to understand the effects of targeting emotion recognition and theory of mind on the brain circuitry involved in social cognition in verbally fluent children ages 8-11. Results indicate increased neural activity in the mPFC, a region considered to be a central hub of the "social brain," in children randomized to social cognitive skills groups relative to a comparison group that received a high-quality, child-directed play approach. In addition, increased activation in the mPFC during an irony comprehension task was associated with gains in social functioning across both groups from pre- to post-treatment. This is the first fMRI study of social skills treatment outcomes following a randomized trial with an active treatment condition in school-aged children with ASD.
An Approach to Improving Promotional Decisions

(1978). An Approach to Improving Promotional Decisions. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 49, No. 6, pp. 30-32.
The Grandmother Language: Writing Community Process in Jeannette Armstrong’s whispering in shadows

In whispering in shadows , Jeannette Armstrong deftly employs non-standard English phraseology to convey Okanagan perceptions of the world. The author enacts a decolonizing process in her writing, exploring ways to evoke a proximate (but ultimately limited) experience of an Okanagan orality and world view in English. Penny Jackson’s sensibilities, which synthesize perceptions of sound, colour, and linguistic images as organically interrelated, are the primary manifestation of this process. The author's symbiosis of land, language, and community produces a creative well-spring, which encourages community-centered creative practices in keeping with the metaphoric implications of En’owkin, an Okanagan conception rooted in the belief that nurturing voluntary cooperation is essential for everyday living.
Threonine Deaminase from Escherichia coli: I. PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES

Abstract A procedure has been devised for the purification of the biosynthetic l-threonine deaminase (l-threonine hydrolase, deaminating: EC 4.2.1.16) from a genetically derepressed mutant, strain TIR8, of Escherichia coli K-12. The procedure produces a purification of 400-fold relative to derepressed enzyme levels and 4000-fold relative to repressed levels. The purity of the final enzyme preparation has been determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and by sedimentation equilibrium experiments. The native enzyme, molecular weight 204,000, is a tetramer composed of four apparently identical subunits, molecular weight 51,000. When the native enzyme is resolved of its cofactor, pyridoxal 5'-monophosphate, catalytically inactive apodimers, molecular weight 102,000, are formed. Addition of pyridoxal 5'-monophosphate to the apodimers promotes reassociation to catalytically active tetramers. The kinetic data of the l-threonine deaminase reaction are similar with the pure enzyme and with partially purified preparations. l-Isoleucine is a competitive allosteric inhibitor. The enzyme exhibits cooperative homotropic interactions with respect to the substrate only in the presence of l-isoleucine. These interactions are reversed by l-valine. The enzyme exists in a pH-dependent equilibrium between two distinct and catalytically active species; a tetramer sensitive to l-isoleucine inhibition and a dimer insensitive to l-isoleucine inhibition. The tetramer is favored at pH values from 6.0 to 7.5 while at pH values from 8.5 to 10.0 the enzyme is present almost exclusively as the dimer. At pH 8.0 a mixture of the two is present.
Hormone Use and Cognitive Performance in Women of Advanced Age

See editorial comments by Dr. Sanjay Asthana on pp 316–318.OBJECTIVES: Toexploretheassociationbetweenhormonereplacement therapy (HRT) and cognitive performance in agroup of elderly women ( the role that exogenous supplementation of estrogen plays75) using a battery of well-standardized neuropsychological instruments.DESIGN: Equivalent samples from existing cohort.SETTING: Healthcare provider organization.PARTICIPANTS: All women enrolled were participants inan ongoing study of the association between HRTand theprevalence and incidence of dementia. Prescription recordswere used to establish HRTstatus. Fifty-eight users and 47nonusers of HRT participated in this substudy.MEASUREMENTS: Given previous reports that HRT hasa positive effect on verbal memory, the California VerbalLearning Test and the Logical Memory Test were used asprimary outcomes. A range of validated tests that assessother cognitive domains was also included.RESULTS: There were no signiﬁcant differences betweenusers and nonusers of HRTon any cognitive measures.CONCLUSION: Given equivalent groups of users andnonusers of HRT no support was found for the hypothesisthat use of HRT improves cognitive performance in olderwomen. J Am Geriatr Soc 52:182–186, 2004.Key words: estrogen; cognition; verbal memory; post-menopausal women
Steel Strip Construction

THE construction of aircraft by that essentially British method which employ structural members formed from thin high‐tensile steel strip rolled or drawn to corrugated sections is now admitted practically universally to be‐from the purely technical point of view—a marked advance on any alternative method of construction as a method of utilising the available materials to the best possible advantage.
APPLICATION OF THE MEMBRANE FILTER FOR THE QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF TRANSFORMATIONS WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO PHENOTYPIC EXPRESSION OF AN ERYTHROMYCIN-RESISTANCE MUTATION.

Abstract Iyer, V. N. (University of Rochester, Rochester, N.Y.). Application of the membrane filter for the quantitative study of transformations with particular reference to phenotypic expression of an erythromycin-resistance mutation. J. Bacteriol. 84:326–330. 1962.—A technique using membrane filters for quantitative studies of transformation of pneumococci is described and some possible applications discussed. This method has been found amenable to the study of the integration and phenotypic expression of an erythromycin-resistance mutation of pneumococci which is characterized by a low frequency of transformation and delayed expression. The expression of survival occurs prior to the expression of colony-forming ability in the presence of erythromycin.
Patterns of growth and metastases of induced pancreatic cancer in relation to the prognosis and its clinical implications

To understand high malignancy of pancreatic cancer, the growth and metastatic patterns of pancreatic cancer induced in Syrian hamsters were examined. In this model, induced tumors resemble the human disease morphologically, clinically, biologically, and immunologically. In the current study, primary-induced cancer and transplants of pancreatic cancer cell line (PC-1) into the SC tissue or pancreas of homologous hosts were used. In the primary-induced pancreatic cancer, perineural invasion was the most common path (88%), followed by lymphogenic (31%) or vascular (2%) metastases. Inoculation of PC-1 cells into the pancreas resulted in 100% tumor take within 3 weeks. Of 19 intrapancreatic allografts, all showed peritoneal invasion, 5 (26%) liver metastases, 3 (16%) lymph node metastases, 17 (89%) perineural invasion, and none vascular invasion. Even microscopic tumors were found to metastasize primarily via perineural spaces. It was also demonstrated, for the first time, that cancer cells take this route to reach distant tissues, including the lymph nodes. Intraductal spreading occurred in both primary cancers and intrapancreatic allografts either continuously or discontinuously. The patterns of discontinuous intraductal tumor expansion imitated tumor multicentricity. Although perineural invasion was the most common feature of primary cancer and intrapancreatic allografts, lymphatic, hepatic, and vascular invasion and metastases usually occurred in advanced cases. Environmental factors seem to influence expansion and metastases, as evidenced by differences in growth and in metastatic patterns between SC and intrapancreatic allografts.
Optimal multiband joint detection in cognitive radio networks with the Taguchi method

This paper studies multiband joint detection in cognitive radio networks with the Taguchi method. At the fusion center, linear fusion rule is adopted to collect the observations from distributed secondary users. We aim to achieve maximum aggregate throughput with limited aggregate interference. The problem is challenging due to its nonconvexity and high computational complexity to find the global optimum. Existing works attempt to convert the problem into convex optimization problem. In this paper, the Taguchi method is employed to estimate the gradient of the aggregate throughput, determine the optimal thresholds of the energy detectors and combination weights of the linear fusion rule regardless of convexity. To optimize thresholds and linear weights simultaneously, we employ newly defined variables to represent the changing ranges of detector thresholds when we search for optimal linear weights. In addition, the sensing duration is another factor to be optimized in the Taguchi method. The simulation results show that the proposed method is efficient and applicable for all classes of cognitive radio without considering convexity. The optimization performance is considerably improved. Moreover, the Taguchi method is insensitive to parameter initialization, which provides a relatively robust output. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Visual data fusion for applications of high-resolution numerical weather prediction

Non-traditional applications of scientific data challenge the typical approaches to visualization. In particular popular scientific visualization strategies fail when the expertise of the data consumer is in a different field than the one that generated the data and data from the user's domain must be utilized as well. This problem occurs when predictive weather simulations are used for a number of weather-sensitive applications. A data fusion approach is adopted for visualization design and utilized for specific example problems.
High Ability Students Who are Unpopular With Their Peers

Although previous studies have found that high ability students generally enjoy favorable peer status, few studies have investigated those high ability students who are unpopular even with peers of...
Evaluating websites for older adults: adherence to 'senior-friendly' guidelines and end-user performance

Older adults in the US are the fastest-growing demographic, and also the largest-growing group of internet users. The aim of this research was to evaluate websites designed for older adults in terms of (i) how well they adhere to 'senior-friendly' guidelines and (ii) overall ease of use and satisfaction. In Experiment I, 40 websites designed for older adults were heuristically evaluated based on their adherence to usability guidelines derived by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. In Experiment II, three websites with varying levels of guideline compliance were evaluated by older adults in a usability test. Results from this study indicate that the website most compliant with the 'senior-friendly' guidelines resulted in higher task success, but did not result in significantly better efficiency, satisfaction, or preference. These findings demonstrate the importance of using both guidelines and usability testing when designing websites for older adults.
Nephrotoxicity of paraquat in mice

The nephrotoxicity of paraquat was evaluated by estimating renal function in vitro and in vivo in surviving mice 24 hr after an LD50 (7 day) dose of the herbicide. Proximal tubular function was monitored in vitro by measuring accumulation of p-aminohippurate (PAH) and N-methylnicotinamide (NMN) into renal cortical slices. Disappearance of phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP) and [14C]-paraquat from plasma was used to monitor tubular function in intact animals. Glomerular function was approximated using disappearance of iothalamate from plasma. Renal cortical accumulation of PAH and NMN in vitro was not markedly altered following paraquat poisoning. In contrast, dramatic effects were measured in vivo. The rate of disappearance of both [14C]-paraquat and PSP from plasma was significantly reduced in poisoned mice. In contrast, the rate of disappearance of iothalamate was not affected by paraquat. However, the concentration of iothalamate was higher in the plasma of treated animals, suggesting that paraquat poisoning results in a smaller volume of distribution for iothalamate but fails to alter glomerular filtration. Thus, the functional nephrotoxicity due to paraquat appears to be restricted to the proximal nephron. Elimination of paraquat is primarily via the kidney and likely involves active secretion into the urine. Since secretion requires concentration within the cells of the proximal tubules, it follows that toxic concentrations of herbicide might be reached in this area of the nephron. Furthermore, it follows that, should toxic concentrations of paraquat be reached in the kidney, subsequent impairment of renal function would impede elimination of the drug, leading to more profound toxicity in organs other than the kidney.
Development of longitudina retraction of carotid arteries in neonatal dogs

Longitudinal retraction of carotid arteries, was examined in 105 neonatal puppies as a measure of longitudinal traction. Percent vessel retraction increased linearly with age. This was attributed to stretching of the vessels by growth and to changes in connective tissue composition. The mechanical significance of artery retraction was discussed.
In vivo induction of ovarian development in Aëdes atropalpus by a head extract from Aëdes aegypti

Aedes atropalpus is an autogenous mosquito, i.e. adult females will undergo complete oocyte maturation without the benefit of a bloodmeal. Ovarian development is completely inhibited if these animals are decapitated within 6 h of adult emergence, suggesting that a factor from the head is required for vitellogenesis to proceed. Ovarian development, including vitellin deposition, was initiated in more than 80% of the decapitated A. atropalpus females after they received an injection of an aqueous saline cell-free extract prepared from heads of non-blood-fed anautogenous A. aegypti adult females. The active factor(s) in this extract appears to be a relatively stable macromolecule(s) of between 3500 and 12,000 daltons.
Nonparametric fuzzy regression—k-NN and kernel smoothing techniques

Abstract Fuzzy regression without predefined functional form, or nonparametric fuzzy regression, is investigated. The two most basic nonparametric regression techniques in statistics, namely, k -nearest neighbor smoothing and kernel smoothing, are fuzzified and analyzed. Algorithms are proposed to obtain the best smoothing parameters based on the minimization of cross-validation criteria.
Bin Packing with Geometric Constraints in Computer Network Design

We consider the bin-packing problem with the constraint that the elements are in the plane, and only elements within an oriented unit square can be placed within a single bin. The elements are of given weights, and the bins have unit capacities. The problem is to minimize the number of bins used. Since the problem is obviously NP-hard, no algorithm is likely to solve the problem optimally in better than exponential time. We consider an obvious suboptimal algorithm and analyze its worst-case behavior. It is shown that the algorithm guarantees a solution requiring no more than 3.8 times the minimal number of bins. We can show, however, a lower bound of 3.75 in the worst case. We then generalize the problem to arbitrary convex figures and analyze a class of algorithms in this case. We also consider a generalization to multidimensional "bins," i.e., the weights of points in the plane are vectors, and the capacities of bins are unit vectors.