cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a breast cancer genetic counseling knowledge questionnaire

Women who undergo genetic counseling concerning their increased risk of developing breast cancer confront large quantities of complex information in a short period of time. Clinical reports have suggested that many women may not retain what they learned during counseling. A validated questionnaire to measure their knowledge, however, is lacking. In this study, we describe the development and validation of a questionnaire to assess knowledge of information typically included in genetic counseling for breast cancer. Items were empirically derived from detailed content analyses of actual genetic counseling sessions. The instrument's content validity was high, as evidenced by high levels of independent interrater agreement (0.93) on items. Subsequent data reduction and confirmatory factor analytic techniques yielded a highly reliable (alpha = 0.92) 27-item Breast Cancer Genetic Counseling Knowledge Questionnaire (BGKQ). Direct comparison of this questionnaire to a scale previously developed in the literature (BCHK; [Breast Cancer Res. Treat. 53 (1999) 69]) supported the utility of the new questionnaire for evaluation of knowledge after counseling. Compared to non-counseled groups (n = 45), women who had undergone genetic counseling (n = 28) scored significantly higher (P < 0.0001) on the BGKQ, but not on the other questionnaire, establishing the BGKQ's criterion validity. The BGKQ may, thus, provide a useful clinical and research tool for assessing knowledge of information provided during genetic counseling and exploring the potential impact of distress on knowledge, as well as the impact of knowledge on screening behaviors.
How Society Makes Itself: The Evolution of Political and Economic Institutions

How Society Makes Itself: The Evolution of Political and Economic Institutions. By Howard Sherman. Armonk, NY, M.E. Sharpe, 2005, pp. xi, 236. ISBN 0-7656-1652-1, $24.95 paperback. This book covers...
Multiuser/MIMO Doubly Selective Fading Channel Estimation Using Superimposed Training and Slepian Sequences

We consider doubly selective multiuser/multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) channel estimation and data detection using superimposed training. The time- and frequency-selective fading channel is assumed to be well described by a discrete prolate spheroidal basis expansion model (DPS-BEM) using Slepian sequences as basis functions. A user-specific periodic (nonrandom) training sequence is arithmetically added (superimposed) at low power to each user's information sequence at the transmitter before modulation and transmission. A two-step approach is adopted, where, in the first step, we estimate the channel using only the first-order statistics of the observations. In this step, however, the unknown information sequence acts as interference, resulting in a poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We then iteratively reduce the interference in the second step by employing an iterative channel-estimation and data-detection approach, where, by utilizing the detected symbols from the previous iteration, we sequentially improve the multiuser/MIMO channel estimation and symbol detection. Simulation examples demonstrate that, without incurring any transmission data rate loss, the proposed approach is superior to the conventional time-multiplexed (TM) training for uncoordinated users, where the multiuser interference in channel estimation cannot be eliminated and is competitive with the TM training for coordinated users, where the TM training design allows for multiuser-interference-free channel estimation.
GRAZING SYSTEMS, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSES, AND GLOBAL CHANGE

▪ Abstract Managed grazing covers more than 25% of the global land surface and has a larger geographic extent than any other form of land use. Grazing systems persist under marginal bioclimatic and edaphic conditions of different biomes, leading to the emergence of three regional syndromes inherent to global grazing: desertification, woody encroachment, and deforestation. These syndromes have widespread but differential effects on the structure, biogeochemistry, hydrology, and biosphere-atmosphere exchange of grazed ecosystems. In combination, these three syndromes represent a major component of global environmental change.
Thermoregulation in the primitively eusocial paper wasp, Polistes dominulus

Regulation of wing muscle temperature is important for sustaining flight in many insects, and has been well studied in honeybees. It has been much less well studied in wasps and has never been demonstrated in Polistes paper wasps. We measured thorax, head, and abdomen temperatures of inactive Polistes dominulus workers as they warmed after transfer from 8 to ~25°C ambient temperature, after removal from hibernacula, and after periods of flight in a variable temperature room. Thorax temperature (T th) of non-flying live wasps increased more rapidly than that of dead wasps, and T th of some live wasps reached more than 2°C above ambient temperature (T a), indicating endothermy. Wasps removed from hibernacula had body region temperatures significantly above ambient. The T th of flying wasps was 2.5°C above ambient at T a = 21°C, and at or even below ambient at T a = 40°C. At 40°C head and abdomen temperatures were both more than 2°C below T a, indicating evaporative cooling. We conclude that P. dominulus individuals demonstrate clear, albeit limited, thermoregulatory capacity.
Understanding inertial and frequency response of wind power plants

The objective of this paper is to analyze and quantify the inertia and frequency responses of wind power plants with different wind turbine technologies (particularly those of fixed speed, variable slip with rotor-resistance controls, and variable speed with vector controls). The fundamental theory, the operating range, and the modifications needed for the wind turbine to contribute to the inertial and primary frequency response during the frequency drop will be presented in this paper. We will demonstrate practical approaches to allow variable slip and speed wind turbines to contribute inertia to the host power system grid. The approaches are based on the inclusion of frequency error and the rate of change of frequency signals in the torque control loop and pitch control actions for wind speeds below and above its rated value. Detailed simulation models in the time domain will be conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the approaches.
Methacholine inhalation challenge studies.

Methacholine sensitivity has become a valuable and widely used technique for studying the irritability of the airways. Asthmatics are lOOto l,OOO-fold more sensitive than normal subjects to various mediators such as methacholine (P-acetyl methacholine).‘-” This degree of sensitivity has been used to define asthma and also as a genetic marker.l The methacholine responsiveness may be determined by 1 of 2 methods: (1) by determining dose-response curves to increasing concentrations of methacholine while keeping the number of breaths and the volume of methacholine inhaled constant” and (2) by determining dose-response curves by keeping the concentration constant while increasing the number of inhalations of methacholine.” The first method is currently being used more widely and has been recommended by the American Academy of Allergy to provide a standard and uniform method. It is described in detail elsewhere.” The second method has been used since 1962 and has been the basis for a number of short-term and long-term studies. We have recently compared both of these methods to determine the short-term reliability of each method. The dose-response curves and thus the degree of bronchial sensitivity were determined in 19 subjects in a randomized 4-way crossover study. Each subject was challenged twice by each method at 1-wk intervals. The short-term reproducibility for both methods was good (r = 0.934 and 0.942). The correlation between methods was also significant (r =0.953). The various pulmonary function parameters that can be evaluated during an inhalation challenge are numerous and include the FVC, FEV,, SG,,,, FEF,,-,,, PEFR, flow volume loops, etc. The easiest and the most widely used currently is the FEV,, which is the minimum requirement for comparison of responses as recommended by the Standardization Committee, j
Loss of circadian clock accelerates aging in neurodegeneration-prone mutants

Circadian clocks generate rhythms in molecular, cellular, physiological, and behavioral processes. Recent studies suggest that disruption of the clock mechanism accelerates organismal senescence and age-related pathologies in mammals. Impaired circadian rhythms are observed in many neurological diseases; however, it is not clear whether loss of rhythms is the cause or result of neurodegeneration, or both. To address this important question, we examined the effects of circadian disruption in Drosophila melanogaster mutants that display clock-unrelated neurodegenerative phenotypes. We combined a null mutation in the clock gene period (per01) that abolishes circadian rhythms, with a hypomorphic mutation in the carbonyl reductase gene sniffer (sni1), which displays oxidative stress induced neurodegeneration. We report that disruption of circadian rhythms in sni1 mutants significantly reduces their lifespan compared to single mutants. Shortened lifespan in double mutants was coupled with accelerated neuronal degeneration evidenced by vacuolization in the adult brain. In addition, per01 sni1 flies showed drastically impaired vertical mobility and increased accumulation of carbonylated proteins compared to age-matched single mutant flies. Loss of per function does not affect sni mRNA expression, suggesting that these genes act via independent pathways producing additive effects. Finally, we show that per01 mutation accelerates the onset of brain pathologies when combined with neurodegeneration-prone mutation in another gene, swiss cheese (sws1), which does not operate through the oxidative stress pathway. Taken together, our data suggest that the period gene may be causally involved in neuroprotective pathways in aging Drosophila.
A different perspective on quality.

Evaluation of physicians in the credentialing processes of hospitals has generally been viewed as focused upon whether the physicians will provide services to patients at the appropriate level of professional performance and will not engage in disruptive behavior at the institution. Three measures-exclusive contracting, medical staff planning, and exclusive credentialing-have been employed, singly or in combination, at many hospitals to restrict or to deny medical staff appointments and clinical privileges to professionally qualified and competent physicians. Because the hospitals have articulated links, when employing these restrictive measures in making credentialing decisions, to the public's interest in their being able to provide good quality services to the communities they serve, the hospitals have usually been successful in litigation brought by physicians who have been denied staff appointment or specific clinical privileges.
The Effect of Spoilers on the Enjoyment of Short Stories.

Recent research has provided evidence that the information provided before a story—a spoiler—may increase the enjoyment of that story, perhaps by increasing the processing fluency experienced during reading. In one experiment, we tested the reliability of these findings by closely replicating existing methods and the generality of these findings by using different stories. We also examined the role of processing fluency in the effect of spoilers by measuring reading time. Finally, we examined the influence of spoilers presented mid-story, after a reader has had a chance to get invested in the story. We found that spoilers presented before a story reduced enjoyment, whereas those presented mid-story had no discernable effect. The difference between our findings and those in the literature are discussed with respect to types of spoilers as well as potentially critical methodological factors.
SPSP Phase III Recruiting, Selecting, and Developing Secure Power Systems Professionals. Individual and Team Performance Guidelines

The Secure Power Systems Professional Phase III final report was released last year which an appendix of Individual and Team Performance Guidelines. This new report is that appendix broken out as a standalone document to assist utilities in recruiting and developing Secure Power Systems Professionals at their site.
Characterizing node orderings for improved performance

High Performance Computing (HPC) job performance can vary because of location in the HPC system interconnect. Contiguous and compact allocations of compute nodes for parallel jobs is ideal but infeasible once other jobs have been placed. Reasonable performance of parallel jobs has been achieved with non-contiguous job placement in 3D-torus HPC systems using allocation strategies based on an ordered, one-dimensional sequence of nodes. Ordering of this list is an inexpensive way to incorporate topological information into the placement decision. With several orderings from which to choose - and others that could be created - what is the basis for choosing one ordering over others? Can the choice be made with out expensive, time-consuming benchmarks?A method is described in this paper for the evaluation of node orderings for grid and torus interconnects based on a measure of job compactness at locations throughout the ordering. Several node orderings are evaluated for actual HPC systems across three sizes. Results suggest visually compelling guidance on the choice of node ordering. The choice is dependent not only on system size but may also be dependent on typical job sizes. Some orderings can be seen to be a consistently poor choice regardless of job size; most orderings are seen to be better only for a range of job sizes. Rarely an ordering is consistently better over the full range of job sizes - but only for a certain size and shape of system interconnect. Finally, the various node orderings were compared against a sequence of placements from a month of actual use on a large HPC system. Indications are that this evaluation method provides a cost-effective way to evaluate orderings and thereby provide generally improved job performance on HPC systems.
Micro-Indentation and Micro-Scratch Tests on Sub-Micron Carbon Films

Micro-indentation and micro-scratch techniques were used to characterize the hardness and the adhesion strength of 0.11 μm thick sputtered carbon f-ilms on Silicon substrates. Hardness depth profiles and critical loads were measured using a microindenter under indentation and scratch testing modes, respectively. The carbon film with 6 mtorr argon sputtering pressure shows better practical adhesion (or higher critical load) and slightly higher hardness. The indentation fracture phenomenon observed on the 30 mtorr film is closely related to its poor adhesion. The failure mechanism will also be discussed.
Hootman et al. Respond

We are glad that Roberts found our article informative, and we appreciate her clinical experience insights. Increasing awareness and knowledge of arthritis and other rheumatic conditions among health care professionals is critical. Because of the dearth of rheumatologists in some parts of the country and the predicted workforce shortages to come,1 we must rely on primary care providers to recognize and initiate treatment of many patients with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions. As we stated,2 early recognition and appropriate treatment is particularly important for persons with systemic and inflammatory types of rheumatic disease. Although no disease-modifying treatments are yet available for osteoarthritis, instituting lifestyle changes such as exercise and weight-loss management early in the disease course can prevent pain and disability in the long term. There are several ongoing initiatives that can provide much needed rheumatology training resources for health care providers. The American College of Rheumatology has developed two online training programs for health care professionals treating patients with rheumatic diseases. The Fundamentals of Rheumatology Course3 targets office staff, nurses, medical assistants, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, and focuses on the multifaceted care and management of rheumatic disease patients. The Advanced Rheumatology Course4 (three tracks: pediatric, adult, and combined) targets physicians, fellows-in-training, advance practice nurses, and physician assistants, and focuses on building competence in caring for persons with various rheumatic diseases. There is good evidence of arthritis’ effects on costs, morbidity, quality of life, and interference with recommended interventions for other diseases5 that supports Roberts’ suggestion that arthritis should be considered equally with heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma in health care and public health initiatives. We have seen small changes in funding for public health efforts in arthritis (the Centers for Disease Control [CDC] arthritis funding increased from $10 million in 1999 to $14 million in 2012), and the CDC has also received separate congressional funding for lupus registries. Arthritis-specific objectives were included for the first time in Healthy People 20106 and were expanded in Healthy People 2020.7 Most recently, arthritis was listed as one of nine exemplar conditions in the Institute of Medicine report Living Well with Chronic Illness: A Call for Public Health Action.8 These initiatives are helping to raise the visibility of arthritis as an important public health problem.
Robust treatment comparison based on utilities of semi-competing risks in non-small-cell lung cancer.

ABSTRACTA design is presented for a randomized clinical trial comparing two second-line treatments, chemotherapy versus chemotherapy plus reirradiation, for treatment of recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer. The central research question is whether the potential efficacy benefit that adding reirradiation to chemotherapy may provide justifies its potential for increasing the risk of toxicity. The design uses two co-primary outcomes: time to disease progression or death, and time to severe toxicity. Because patients may be given an active third-line treatment at disease progression that confounds second-line treatment effects on toxicity and survival following disease progression, for the purpose of this comparative study follow-up ends at disease progression or death. In contrast, follow-up for disease progression or death continues after severe toxicity, so these are semi-competing risks. A conditionally conjugate Bayesian model that is robust to misspecification is formulated using piecewise exponential ...
Whole-Genome Sequencing and Disability in the NICU: Exploring Practical and Ethical Challenges

Clinical whole-genome sequencing (WGS) promises to deliver faster diagnoses and lead to better management of care in the NICU. However,several disability rights advocates have expressed concern that clinical use of genetic technologies may reinforce and perpetuate stigmatization of and discrimination against disabled persons in medical and social contexts. There is growing need, then, for clinicians and bioethicists to consider how the clinical use of WGS in the newborn period might exacerbate such harms to persons with disabilities. This article explores ways to extend these concerns to clinical WGS in neonatal care. By considering these perspectives during the early phases of expanded use of WGS in the NICU, this article encourages clinicians and bioethicists to continue to reflect on ways to attend to the concerns of disability rights advocates, foster trust and cooperation between the medical and disability communities, and forestall some of the social harms clinical WGS might cause to persons with disabilities and their families.
The nongroup market as one element of a broader coverage-expansion strategy.

ABSTRACT: Effective health insurance provides financial protection and access to services that maintain and improve health. Such coverage is difficult to obtain in the nongroup market, however, bec...
Renal hypoplasia and dysplasia in infants with posterior urethral valves.

AbstractThe morphology of 22 kidneys and the urinary tracts in 12 children who died of severe but incomplete urethral obstruction owing to posterior urethral valves showed many variations in structure. The dilatation of the calices and the thinness of the parenchyma may be explained on the basis of atrophy from back pressure of obstruction and reflux but the etiology of variants, such as asymmetrical kidney morphologies, the occurrence of near normal renal parenchyma in some kidneys exhibiting all the ureteral and caliceal stigmas of severe obstruction and the high incidence of renal dysplasia, was not clear.The position of the ureteral orifices was known and available for this study, and the structure of the kidneys, using suitable methods of quantifying glomerular populations and dysplasia, was assessed for comparison and correlates. The renal morphology in these cases correlated with the position of the ureteral orifice, which in turn relates to the site of origin of the ureteral bud from the wolffian ...
Experiments with Two Crossed Treatment Factors

When there are two treatment factors to be examined, their interaction needs to be considered too. In this chapter, the meaning of interaction is explained in detail. For completely randomized designs, the cell-means model and two analysis of variance models are presented together with the checking of model assumptions. Least squares parameter estimates are derived and formulas for methods of multiple comparison of treatments are given. Tests for the presence of interactions and significance of main-effects are developed, and analysis of variance tables (ANOVA) are presented. The chapter also discusses calculation of sample sizes. The analysis of experiments with one observation per treatment combination is discussed based on orthogonal contrasts. The concepts introduced in this chapter are illustrated through a real experiment and with the use of SAS and R software.
Can we prevent childhood asthma before birth? Summary of the VDAART results so far.

When VDAART was launched, we assumed the effects of vitamin D were confined to the alveolar stage of lung development, i.e. the third trimester. Fetal lung expression data and a demonstration that ...
Adolescent Communal Narcissism and Peer Perceptions

Objective: The present study extended recent work on communal narcissism to a sample of at-risk adolescents. Although narcissism is widely considered an agentic personality construct, Gebauer and colleagues (Gebauer, Sedikides, Verplanken, & Maio, 2012) demonstrated the existence and utility of a communal narcissism construct in adults. The extent to which this variant of narcissism applies to adolescents is not yet known. Because communal narcissism (e.g., feeling that one is the most helpful, is a great influence on others, will bring about world peace) may actually be aversive to others, we investigated the associated self- and peer-perceptions of adolescent communal narcissism. Method: Participants were 136 adolescents (104 males, 32 females, 52.2% White, 42.2% Black, 5.6% Other) aged 16-19, who were attending a 22-week residential program together. Participants completed self-report measures of narcissism and interpersonal behavior, as well as a peer nomination procedure. Results: Self-reported communal narcissism was significantly related to self-reported prosocial behavior but was associated with peer-reported aggression, similar to the findings for non-pathological narcissism, which is considered agentic. Conclusions: Adolescent communal narcissism appears to be tied to negative peer perceptions. The implications for understanding the interpersonal consequences of adolescent grandiosity in communal domains are discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with Child-Pugh class B.

e14683 Background: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a promising therapeutic modality in hepatocelular carcinoma (HCC). A Phase I trial was conducted at Indiana University (IU) in patients with Child Pugh Class (CPC) A and B. Based on our results, patients with CPC-B patients with score <=7 continued enrollment in the phase II. We now present an interim analysis for this patient population. Methods: 14 patients with HCC with liver cirrhosis, CPC-B, were treated with SBRT in a Phase I-II trial at IU. All patients were scheduled to receive five fractions, 800 cGy per fraction (total dose 4000 cGy), 1-2 fractions per week. Dose was prescribed to the 80-90% isodose line covering the planning target volume (PTV). A modified RECIST criterion was used to determine local failure. Demographics, clinical variables, treatment –related toxicities within 90 days of end of treatment, and local control (LC) at 6 and 12 months were tabulated. Progression Free Survival (PFS), Time to Progression (TTP), and Overall ...
From ETOH to FAB: the medicalization of therapy for pit viper envenomation.

Man has encountered snakes since the beginning of time. Our fascination with snakes has been manifested by their being both loathed and worshipped. This report will document the progress in medical treatment of victims of pit viper envenomation over time (Table 1). I will refer to medicalization as the process of a human condition progressing from one that essentially did not involve the medical profession to that of a high involvement with modern clinical science. Many human conditions that we accept as having medical implications have not always been so. Two hundred years ago, childbirth was the sole purview of midwives and there were practically no recognized medical aspects of this event and certainly no specialty of obstetrics. More recently, we have seen medicalization of alcoholism, drug addiction, obesity, personality disorders, and a host of environmental and occupational aspects of medicine. That man and snakes have had a stressed relationship is alluded to in the Bible. It is only seventeen verses after the creation of man and two verses after the creation ofwoman that mankind in the Garden of Eden had the first encounter with "the most subtle of all beasts" [Genesis 3:1]. This confrontation with the reptile was the original sin, a mere three chapters into the Bible. For every ancient representation of snakes as evil there is at least an equal depiction of snakes as highly revered. One of the first cultures to do this was that of the ancient Egyptians. Their principal deity, Ra, was adorned with a hoop-like device depicting a snake. The Romans used a snake in the form of the caduceus which was the serpent-staff of Mercury. Similarly, the symbol of medicine, the staff ofAesculapius, consists of a snake intertwined around the staff. Of interest this staff-snake motif may reflect the magical staff that Moses used in the wilderness in Exodus. Moses was commanded to "make a poisonous serpent and set it on a pole; everyone who was bitten shall look at it
Voluntary reduction of force variability via modulation of low-frequency oscillations.

Visual feedback can influence the force output by changing the power in frequencies below 1 Hz. However, it remains unknown whether visual guidance can help an individual reduce force variability voluntarily. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to determine whether an individual can voluntarily reduce force variability during constant contractions with visual guidance, and whether this reduction is associated with a decrease in the power of low-frequency oscillations (0-1 Hz) in force and muscle activity. Twenty young adults (27.6 ± 3.4 years) matched a force target of 15% MVC (maximal voluntary contraction) with ankle dorsiflexion. Participants performed six visually unrestricted contractions, from which we selected the trial with the least variability. Following, participants performed six visually guided contractions and were encouraged to reduce their force variability within two guidelines (±1 SD of the least variable unrestricted trial). Participants decreased the SD of force by 45% (P 0.2). The decrease in force variability was associated with decreased low-frequency oscillations (0-1 Hz) in force (R 2 = 0.59), which was associated with decreased low-frequency oscillations in EMG bursts (R 2 = 0.35). The reduction in low-frequency oscillations in EMG burst was positively associated with power in the interference EMG from 35 to 60 Hz (R 2 = 0.47). In conclusion, voluntary reduction of force variability is associated with decreased low-frequency oscillations in EMG bursts and consequently force output. We provide novel evidence that visual guidance allows healthy young adults to reduce force variability voluntarily likely by adjusting the low-frequency oscillations in the neural drive.
Using Telemetry to Monitor Movements and Habitat Use of Cultured and Wild Juvenile Winter Flounder in a Shallow Estuary

Home ranges, dispersal patterns, and habitat associations of juvenile winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) were studied using acoustic tags and three tracking systems in the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary in New Hampshire, USA. This is the first study that we know of to use electronic tags on juvenile winter flounder, and on flatfish ≤ 19 cm.
Minimization of inhomogeneous biharmonic eigenvalue problems

Abstract Biharmonic eigenvalue problems arise in the study of the mechanical vibration of plates. In this paper, we study the minimization of the first eigenvalue of a simplified model with clamped boundary conditions and Navier boundary conditions with respect to the coefficient functions which are of bang-bang type (the coefficient functions take only two different constant values). A rearrangement algorithm is proposed to find the optimal coefficient function based on the variational formula of the first eigenvalue. On various domains, such as square, circular and annular domains, the region where the optimal coefficient function takes the larger value may have different topologies. An asymptotic analysis is provided when two different constant values are close to each other. In addition, a symmetry breaking behavior is also observed numerically on annular domains.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for irisin

Skeletal muscle may communicate with pancreatic beta cells through irisin, a muscle-derived hormone that promotes beta cell survival and insulin release.
Optoelectronics: Letting photons out of the gate.

The unique photoresponse of a porous silicon nanowire can be harnessed to make a highly efficient photon-gated transistor with an on–off ratio comparable to that of a conventional electronic switch.
What undermines solidarity? Four approaches and their implications for contemporary political theory

Solidarity is crucial for realizing justice, securing public goods, and reducing domination. Yet there have been few theoretical studies of its threats and vulnerabilities. In this paper I fill thi...
Disorders and Mechanisms of Ectopic Calcification

Several monogenic disorders are characterized by abnormal soft tissue mineralization. Human disorders of ectopic calcification can be caused by: (1) abnormal extracellular nucleotide metabolism, leading to adenosine or pyrophosphate deprivation; (2) excessive pyrophosphate export causing deposition in the joint space; (3) decreased FGF23 action producing excess inorganic phosphate, which in turn leads to an increased calcium-phosphate product; (4) abnormal phosphate homeostasis or PDGFRβ signaling leading to ectopic brain calcification; (5) decreased activity of a known protein inhibitor of calcification; or (6) an excessive innate immune response against nucleic acids, such as viral particles or double-stranded RNA. We review the clinical manifestations, animal models, and pathogenesis of these disorders, characterized by a disrupted balance between known promoters and inhibitors of calcification. Knowledge of the homeostatic mechanisms regulating soft tissue mineral balance provides insight into the pathogenesis of common non-Mendelian etiologies of calcification, with the hope of improved therapeutic strategies.
Selective soil bacteria to manage downy brome, jointed goatgrass, and medusahead and do no harm to other biota

Abstract Downy brome (cheatgrass, Bromus tectorum L., DB), jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica L., JG), and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae L. Nevski, MH) are annual invasive grass weeds that reduce cereal yields in cropland, negatively impact plant diversity, wildlife habitat, and forage potential in rangeland, and fuel wildfires. Methodical and comprehensive screening and selection of soil microbial populations identified cold-loving, weed-suppressive bacteria that had exclusive selectivity and did not harm other plants, even in stressed conditions. These weed-suppressive bacteria were further selected to contain benign, non-antagonist traits that minimized any negative effect on the general microbial populations, aquatic invertebrates, and insects. Three strains were selected for field studies across Washington State from east with 508 mm annual precipitation to west with 152 mm annual precipitation. Weed inhibition only occurred when bacteria were applied in the late fall or early winter to cool, moist soil (
The Information in Relations in Biology, or The Unexamined Relation Is Not Worth Having

Designing good relations is a challenge, as is using them consistently in the context of constructing knowledge representations. Further, the ability to generate and use relations effectively is a feature that clearly distinguishes between good and poor biology students. Fortunately, the SemNet software makes it possible for teachers to diagnose individual student problems in creating and using relations and to provide pencil and paper exercises to build missing skills. Assignments for students engaged in generating or using computer-based knowledge representations are significantly more powerful, in our opinion, when they are designed to prompt student thinking about using and applying knowledge to solve problems rather than to organize textbook knowledge in a relatively inert format. Finally, there are many problems in knowledge representation strategies for science students that remain to be solved.
Point Defects in GaAs

In the last five years, rapid progress has been made in the identification of electrically active defects in GaAs and related compounds. Part of this progress is due to the application of spectroscopic experimental techniques sensitive to defect symmetries, such as electron paramagnetic resonance, which has been successfully used to identify a large number of defects in silicon. State-of-the art calculations of low-symmetry defect configurations have also been instrumental in this progress, demonstrating that metastability of defects in covalent crystals can be due to isolated point defects which undergo a symmetry-breaking lattice relaxation. In this paper we discuss the microscopic identity and new results concerning the electronic properties of some of the most important defects in GaAs and related compounds.
An investigation into the properties of ternary and binary cement pastes containing glass powder

The properties of binary and ternary cement pastes containing glass powder (GP) were examined. Hydration at early age was evaluated using semi-adiabatic calorimetry and at late ages using non-evaporable water content and thermogravimetric analysis. The transport characteristic was assessed by measuring electrical resistivity. The binary paste with slag showed the highest hydration activity compared to the binary pastes with GP and fly ash (FA). The results indicated that the pozzolanic behavior of the binary paste with GP was less than that of the binary pastes with slag or FA at late ages. An increase in the electrical resistivity and compressive strength of the binary paste with GP compared to other modified pastes at late ages was observed. It was shown that GP tends to increase the drying shrinkage of the pastes. Ternary pastes containing GP did not exhibit synergistic enhancements compared to the respective binary pastes.
Corpora Amylacea in Aging and Alzheimer’s Brain: Immunolocalization of Chondroitin Sulfate and Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans

Corpora amylacea (CA) are spherical bodies, varying in diameter (10–100 microns), which accumulate in the brain during normal aging and in a number of diseases. At the ultrastructural level CA contain masses of randomly oriented short linear fibrillar structures (14). In many instances the complete CA granule is surrounded by glial filaments. The presence of CA in the brain has been recognized for over a century, however its definite composition and source of origin is relatively unknown. CA tend to accumulate in subependymal, subpial and perivascular regions and are very prominent in the olfactory tract during normal senescence. Early investigations into the nature of CA suggested the presence of glucose polymers, maltose (15) and other types of carbohydrates (1), with small amounts of protein (15). A more recent study using various lectins to stain CA suggested the presence of D-glucose, D-mannose, D-galactose, alpha-L-fucose and N-acetylgalactosamine (12). In addition use of a monoclonal antibody to the glycosaminoglycan moiety of a keratan sulfate proteoglycan demonstrated (at the light microscopic level) that CA contains antigenic sites for keratan sulfate proteoglycans (12).
La nulidad como un medio de tutela precontractual en el Código Civil chileno: configuración, modalidad de ejercicio y eventual concurrencia con la resolución por incumplimiento

The possibility of conceiving the nullity as a pre-contractual remedy in Chilean Civil Code exploring its relationship with termination, analyzing it´s articulation and exercise modality and explores its possible confluence with the resolution for non-compliance with the purpose of illustrating to the creditor the pertinence and convenience to choose it and determine if provides a symmetrical protection than the resolution.
Training Classifiers to Identify TCP Signatures in Scientific Workflows

Identifying network anomalies is an important mea- sure to ensure reliability and quality of data transfers among facilities. Scientific workflows in particular heavily rely on good network performance to ensure their smooth executions. In this paper, we present a lightweight classifier system that is able to recognize anomalous TCP transfers. Using random forest trees and labeled data sets, we evaluate the classifier with real workflow transfers for ground truth data. Our studies reveal that various TCP congestion algorithms behave differently in anomalous conditions. We show that training classifiers on these separately can aid detection in network performance deterioration. Results reveal that our classifiers are able to better predict anomalous flows for TCP Reno and Hamilton compared to Cubic and BBR, due to the manner how their congestion control algorithms handle the anomalies.
A critical review of published approaches to nanoscale thermal radiation

Radiative heat transfer across nanoscale-thick layers attracts considerable attention because of its importance for modern technology, and also because of the evidence that conventional methods of radiative heat transfer fail at such small scales. This paper analyzes several approaches to this problem that have been proposed since the late 1960s when the first adaptations of the classical Stefan–Boltzmann law of radiative heat transfer to smaller scales were presented. It is shown that while all authors agree that thermal radiation is described by Maxwell’s equations for electrodynamics, the methods of these studies drifted from deductive reasoning based on these equations toward heuristic guesses. This paper identifies critical points of several of these previous studies that are responsible for the lack of a suitable theory of radiative heat transfer across nanoscale layers despite almost 50 years of effort. Among these points are: (1) attempts to describe heat transfer using statistical distributions that are limited to equilibrium systems that cannot produce any heat flux; (2) application of the so-called fluctuation–dissipation theorem when its conditions are not satisfied; (3) the failure to distinguish between different kinds of evanescent fields; (4) an unjustified assumption that resonant surface waves can transfer heat by tunneling.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Are Associated with Greater Delay Discounting of Condom-Protected Sex and Money

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with increased risk of detrimental life outcomes. Recent research also indicates that ADHD is associated with sexual risk behavior, such as unprotected sex. Some risky sexual behaviors may be driven, in part, by preference for immediate rewards, referred to as delay discounting, which is prominent in etiological models of ADHD. Therefore, the present study examined the effect of delay on preference for both monetary and sexual outcomes in adults with many ADHD symptoms (both on and off medication) and with fewer ADHD symptoms. Online participants (N = 275; n = 161 males, n = 114 females) completed a monetary delay discounting task, assessing preference for smaller sooner versus larger delayed hypothetical money, and the Sexual Delay Discounting Task, assessing preference for condom use in hypothetical casual sex scenarios based on delay until condom availability. Those with greater ADHD symptoms discounted delayed monetary outcomes as well as delayed condom-protected sex (i.e., preferred sooner money rewards and immediate unprotected sex) significantly more than those with fewer symptoms; however, no effect of current medication use was found across monetary or sexual delay discounting among those with greater ADHD symptoms. This study is the first to demonstrate the relation between ADHD symptoms and reduced condom-use likelihood. Increased discounting of delayed condom-protected sex might constitute one mechanism of risky sexual behavior among individuals with ADHD symptoms. Interventions geared toward increasing condom use in situations in which condoms may otherwise be unavailable, may mitigate risky sexual behaviors and their associated harms in this population.
Shadow Credit and the Devolution of Consumer Credit Regulation

Shadow credit is trending. Shadow credit has all the essential attributes of regular credit except that it is unregulated. It operates in a world in which products and services that look, act, and feel like credit products are deemed to be something that is not actually credit. This legal sidestep is accomplished either by passing industry-friendly legislation or by tweaking the shadow credit product just enough to not be defined as credit, but “something else.” That “something else” is often called a “lease,” an “advance,” or in the case of Afterpay, simply a “service”. At its essence, however, it is still credit. More and more shadow credit products are popping up to take the place of actual credit products. The purpose of avoiding being “credit” is to avoid consumer credit regulation. We see this trend among purveyors of rent-to-own household goods, rent-to-own real estate, employer payday advances, buy-now-pay-later services like Afterpay, income sharing agreements in higher education finance, and even bail bonds, all of which seek to avoid complying with usury laws or interest rate caps, Article 9 of the U.C.C., the federal Truth in Lending Act, and all other consumer credit protection laws. While some of these products are helpful to consumers or at least not particularly harmful, some are deeply predatory. They can operate outside the law. For example, classic rent-to-own contracts that were historically used for household goods are now being used in housing contracts in vulnerable Native American communities. Emerging shadow credit products are testing the limits of what should be permitted in rent-to-own contracts and similar financing tools. The trend toward shadow credit has the capacity to derail our entire consumer credit regulation system
A ReRAM Memory Compiler with Layout-Precise Performance Evaluation

This paper presents, for the first time, a design automation methodology to generate 1T-1R based Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM) arrays with layout-precise performance evaluation. A ReRAM memory compiler is developed and demonstrated on this basis with the ability to account for the unique peripheral circuits devoted to improving performance of ReRAM devices. Given target specifications (e.g. memory capacity, operating frequency), the compiler generates ReRAM sub-arrays and constructs area/power-optimized arrays with performance/power models for evaluation and design space exploration (DSE). The tool is demonstrated with ReRAM device models and 65nm CMOS technology.
Flame Structure Characterization in a Dual-Mode Scramjet Using Hydroxyl Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence

The flame front of a premixed ethylene–air turbulent flame in a high-speed flowfield was imaged using hydroxyl radical (OH) planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF). An electrically heated continuo...
Adenoviral vector vaccine platforms in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Adenoviral vectors have been explored as vaccine agents for a range of infectious diseases, and their ability to induce a potent and balanced immune response made them logical candidates to apply to the COVID-19 pandemic. The unique molecular characteristics of these vectors enabled the rapid development of vaccines with advanced designs capable of overcoming the biological challenges faced by early adenoviral vector systems. These successes and the urgency of the COVID-19 situation have resulted in a flurry of candidate adenoviral vector vaccines for COVID-19 from both academia and industry. These vaccines represent some of the lead candidates currently supported by Operation Warp Speed and other government agencies for rapid translational development. This review details adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccines currently in human clinical trials and provides an overview of the new technologies employed in their design. As these vaccines have formed a cornerstone of the COVID-19 global vaccination campaign, this review provides a full consideration of the impact and development of this emerging platform.