cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teaching Cognitive Bias in a Hurry: Single-Session Workshop Approach for Psychiatry Residents and Students.

Abstract Introduction Diagnostic ambiguity is commonplace in psychiatric practice. With limited etiological understanding behind the illnesses that we treat, it can be a daunting task to diagnostic...
Mujer y cine en América Latina: proyectando una visión alternativa de la nación

This exploration of the relation between women's cinema and Latin American cinemas, begins by interrogating the categories of national cinema, Latin American cinema, and women's cinemas, in order to transcend the geopolitical, linguistic, and colonialist and industrial market logics that have created these categories. Departing from questions such as: what feminist film analytics is adequate for articulating women's perspectives in new formations of world cinema?, I argue for the utility of the discourse of intersectionality as an analytics for films by women which present an alternative vision of the nation.
Grouped random parameters bivariate probit analysis of perceived and observed aggressive driving behavior: A driving simulation study

Abstract This paper uses driving simulation data and surveys conducted in 2014 and 2015 in Buffalo, NY, to study the factors that affect perceived (self-reported, based on surveys) and observed (as measured, based on driving simulation experiments) aggressive driving behavior. Perceived and observed aggressive driving behavior are likely to share unobserved characteristics. To simultaneously account for this cross-equation error correlation, and for unobserved heterogeneity and panel data effects, a grouped random parameters bivariate probit model is estimated. The results control and account for a number of socio-demographic, driving experience and exposure, and behavioral and other characteristics. The findings reveal that different variables play in how aggressive driving behavior is perceived and observed, and the results imply that some drivers may perceive their driving behavior as non-aggressive when it is aggressive (or the opposite). The grouped random parameters bivariate probit model results are compared to their univariate probit, full information maximum likelihood bivariate probit, bivariate probit model with random effects, and random parameters bivariate probit model counterparts, and the results reveal the statistical superiority of the former, in terms of explanatory power, model fit, and forecasting accuracy.
Temperature dependence of quantum-wire intermediate-band solar cells

This work investigates the performance of an intermediate band solar cell (IBSC) structure based on InGaAs/GaAs lateral quantum wires under elevated temperature. Un-optimized structures using the same quantum wire based IB material have demonstrated an increase in solar conversion efficiency in comparison with reference GaAs P-I-N diode devices. In order to further understand the physics behind this increase, an optimized structure was developed and characterized. The External Quantum Efficiencies (EQE) of doped and Un-doped samples have been measured using these optimized designs. We present here the results of varying both applied bias and temperature on the EQE of these IBSC devices to highlight the advantages of such a structure.
Racial disparities in financial outcome among older adults with cancer: Analysis of the Health and Retirement Study.

3Background: Financial hardship from cancer is often attributed to high costs of care, but the relationship of out-of-pocket (OOP) medical burden to racial disparities seen in financially distresse...
Convergent Validity of the Sharpened Romberg

ABSTRACTAim: The purpose of the study was to examine the convergent validity of the Sharpened Romberg (SR) as a measure of balance for older adults. Methods: 100 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and older performed the SR with eyes open and closed, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up-and-Go (TUG), and 10-Meter Walk. Results: The SR eyes open was strongly correlated with the BBS and TUG and moderately correlated with the 10-Meter Walk. For the eyes open test, 73 participants completed 30 s; 19 less than 30 s; and 8 could not attain the position, with significant group differences for all measures. Those who stood for 30 s had better scores than the other two groups in the BBS, TUG, and 10-Meter Walk. Conclusions: The SR eyes open is a valid balance test. Inability to complete the SR eyes open test indicates that further balance testing is warranted.
Molecular signatures of human melanocortin receptors for ligand binding and signaling

Human melanocortin receptors (hMCRs) belong to the seven-transmembrane (TM) domain proteins. There are five hMCR subtypes and each of these receptor subtypes has different patterns of tissue expression and physiological function. The endogenous agonists for hMCRs are α-, β-, and γ-MSH and ACTH and endogenous antagonists are Agouti and AGRP which are the only known naturally occurring antagonists for the receptors. These peptides have their own profiles regarding the relative potency for specific hMCR subtype. Extensive studies have been performed to examine the molecular basis of the hMCRs for different ligand binding affinity and potency. Studies indicate that natural ligand α-MSH utilizes conserved amino acid residues for MCR specific binding (orthosteric binding) while synthetic ligands utilize non-conserved amino acid residues for receptor subtype specific binding (allosteric binding). ACTH is the only endogenous agonist for hMC2R and more amino acid residues at hMC2R are required for ACTH binding and signaling. HMCR computer modeling provides the detailed information of ligand and MCR interaction. This review provides the latest understanding of the molecular basis of the hMCRs for ligand binding and signaling. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Melanocortin Receptors - edited by Ya-Xiong Tao.
Sustainability in the University Student's Mind: Are University Endorsements, Financial Support, and Programs Making a Difference?

ABSTRACT Despite the increasing awareness that sustainability is an issue needing ongoing attention, and despite millions of dollars spent yearly at universities to promote sustainable behaviors, previous research has found college students have primarily a unidimensional understanding of what sustainability encompasses. The current research sought to understand the depth of students' sustainability knowledge at one of the nation's “greenest” campuses and what implications this finding may have on future educational efforts. A representative sample of 779 students at a public liberal arts university were asked to define the term “sustainability” via an open-ended survey question. The survey also assessed students' knowledge of a dedicated on-campus sustainability office and preferred information sources and message channels. Definitions encompassing maintaining the status quo were the most prevalent, followed by definitions stating that sustainability had an environmental component. The least mentioned co...
Enhancing Cross Cultural Communication In The Marketing Classroom: A Case Approach

The importance of effective communication skills in the workplace is widely documented and recognized as a success factor in many fields of endeavor. As the workplace becomes more diverse and more global in nature, the ability to communicate across cultures is gaining in importance. A class exercise in which Panamanian educators and US students cross-interviewed each other is discussed with regard to its perceived impact on the communication process and on its ability to enlighten students on shopping behaviors of persons from another culture.
Futurology - an inexact science

The author discusses the record of futurologists, problems they face in forecasting, and points to certain of the many developments they failed to predict.
Scholarly and Best Practices in Assessment.

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) 2016 Accreditation Standards advocates for innovative instructional methods and enhanced assessment of learning outcomes.[1][1] Assessment of outcomes related to interprofessional education (IPE) including teamwork and collaboration, respect
Network Effects in Contagion Processes: Identification and Control

In this paper, we study the problem of identifying network effects in contagion processes and present an application to the propagation of influenza in the United States. In particular, using data on the evolution of infections over time, the travel intensity between states as well as environmental conditions we first provide a framework to identify the true network effect of traveling between states. Any identification strategy in this context needs to handle the following challenges: the reflection problem and the time correlation problem. The reflection problem arises from the observation that when sampling from the contagion process is frequent (in our case, weekly), the (potential) endogenous network effect cannot be discriminated from the correlation effect (such as that due to similar environmental conditions). The time-correlation effect stems from the observation that contagion processes are naturally characterized by correlation across different lags. We propose an instrumental variable approach, based on a spatiotemporally lagged versions of the observed data, and we show that our approach effectively tackles the aforementioned issues both theoretically and through a series of robustness checks. Finally, we use our estimates to propose and evaluate the performance of intervention and control policies, illustrating the benefits of network-based interventions.
Equine idiopathic hemorrhagic cystitis: Clinical features and comparison with bladder neoplasia

Background A new syndrome of hematuria in horses has been documented. Hypothesis/objectives Hemorrhagic cystitis is a novel cause of stranguria and hematuria in horses. This syndrome may be difficult to differentiate from bladder neoplasia because they share several clinical features. Animals Eleven horses with idiopathic hemorrhagic cystitis and 7 horses with bladder neoplasia. Methods Retrospective cohort study. Results Hemorrhagic cystitis was detected on cystoscopy of affected horses, with hemorrhagic and thickened apical bladder mucosa. Clinical signs and endoscopic appearance of the bladder resolved within 3-8 weeks. Histopathology of bladder mucosal biopsy specimens featured neutrophilic and hemorrhagic cystitis. Histopathology was suggestive of dysplasia or neoplasia in 3 horses with hemorrhagic cystitis, yet the horses experienced complete resolution, suggesting that small biopsy specimens obtained by endoscopy can be difficult to interpret. Horses with bladder neoplasia had lower hematocrits, were older, more likely to be female, and more likely to have a mass detected on ultrasonographic examination of the bladder than horses with hemorrhagic cystitis syndrome. Conclusions and clinical importance Hemorrhagic cystitis represents a novel differential diagnosis for horses with hematuria, and is associated with a favorable prognosis. Although histopathology may suggest a neoplastic process, affected horses should be monitored cystoscopically, because complete resolution of hemorrhagic cystitis occurs. The cause of this disease is unknown, and warrants investigation.
Sexual misconduct and enactment.

Sexual misconduct remains a significant problem in the behavioral health professions. Although it is tempting to view sexual misconduct as perpetrated by “bad” clinicians against patients who are “victims,” this is an oversimplification of a complex problem. In this article, the author explores the psychoanalytic concept of enactment as a mechanism that can lead well-meaning clinicians to engage in sexual misconduct; defines enactment and differentiates it from near neighbor phenomena; uses case examples to illustrate how enactments may lead to sexual misconduct or may offer opportunities to deepen and enhance psychotherapeutic work; and offers recommendations for prevention of sexual misconduct.
Examining Variability in Superintendent Community Involvement

This study examined the extent to which four independent variables (age, gender, education level, and district type) accounted for variability in superintendent community involvement. Two covariates associated with levels of community involvement (disposition toward community involvement and district enrollment) were infused to assess the impact of the independent variables. Analysis revealed that the model accounted for 8% of the variance as indicated both by R 2 and by adjusted R 2 . Given the number of respondents (1,867), this is considered a medium effect having practical implications in the applied setting. Among the four independent variables, only a single main effect (district type) was found.
Molecular Transformation of Plant Biopolymers in High P-T Conditions

Experimental heating of plant tissues (350 °C, 700 bars) generated a resistant non-hydrolysable aliphatic macromolecule similar to that comprising organic matter in ancient sediments and fossil leaves. Comparison of the products derived from such heating of different pre-treated plant tissues clearly demonstrates that solvent-extractable and hydrolysable lipids are precursors of the generated macromolecular material. Thus, these experiments indicate that labile alkyl compounds can be a source of the insoluble aliphatic component of fossil organic matter in the absence of a resistant aliphatic precursor (e.g. cutan) in the living organism.
Surgical treatment of cardiac pheochromocytomas.

The development at our institution of the radiopharmaceutical 131-I-metaiodobenzylguanidine has permitted for the first time scintigraphic localization of pheochromocytomas. By the use of this scan in combination with contrast-enhanced computed tomography, intrapericardial pheochromocytomas have been demonstrated in eight patients at our hospital during the past 2 years. Four of these patients have been operated upon by us, and each was found to have a pheochromocytoma arising from the heart (left atrium in three and interventricular groove at the aortic root in one). While in one patient it was possible to “shell” the tumor away from the left atrial wall without cardiopulmonary bypass, in the remaining patients, bypass and cardioplegia were required to resect the pheochromocytomas without inducing fife-threatening intraoperative hypertension and cardiac arrhythmias. One patient required coronary artery reconstruction and two, excision of the posterior left atrial wall with pericardial replacement One of these latter two patients died intraoperatively of uncontrollable hemorrhage. The three remaining patients are well and normotensive after more than 1 year of follow-up. Cardiac pheochromocytomas should not be approached as typical posterior mediastinal tumors, or as they are in the abdomen, with the expectation that they will “shell away” from contiguous structures. Cardiopulmonary bypass should be available, and resection of involved myocardium may be necessary for complete removal.
Assays for Ion Transport in Insect Tissues

Ion transport across the cell lipid membrane occurs via ion channels, carriers, and pumps, thereby changing membrane potential. Ion channels are proteins which traverse the lipid bilayer, and in excitable tissues they are either voltage gated or chemically gated. Examples of the former are the voltage-sensitive Na+, K+, and Ca2+ channels of nerve cells, axons, and muscles, which are activated by membrane depolarization. The chemically gated ionic channels are parts of, or associated with, neurotransmitter receptors and are opened upon binding of an activator to the receptor. Examples are the cation channels of the nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor and glutamate receptor and the anion channel of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor. A carrier molecule shuttles across the membrane carrying ions across. A good example is the catecholamine and choline carriers in the presynaptic nerve ending membrane. Ions passing through channels or carried by carriers move along their electrochemical gradients, whereas pumps, such as the Na+-K+-ATPase, shuttle ions across the membranes against their concentration gradient, and use the energy produced from ATP hydrolysis for this active transport. The term “ionophore” was introduced to describe the action of antibiotics either as cyclic carriers (e.g., valinomycin) or linear channel formers (e.g., endomethacin). It has also been used to describe the ionic channels of the nicotinic acetylcholine and the GABA, but it is advisable not to use it for such a purpose so as to minimize confusion.
Carrier Dynamics and Interactions for Bulklike Photoexcitation of Colloidal Indium Arsenide Quantum Dots

The remarkable photonic and photochemical properties of colloidal quantum dots (QD) depend critically on the dynamics of carrier interactions and relaxation. Despite their importance, a quantitativ...
A smartphone-based system for fluorescence polarization assays

This paper demonstrates the use of a smartphone-based sensor for fluorescence polarization (FP) analysis of biomolecules. The FP detection can rapidly sense ligand-analyte bindings by measuring molecule mobility, and thus, FP-based assays have been widely used for rapid diagnostics in clinics. Here, we implemented the FP detection apparatus using a 3D-printed compact holder and the built-in camera of a smartphone. The system offers accurate measurements of the degree of polarization by simultaneously detecting the fluorescence intensities parallel and perpendicular to the polarization of the excitation. The fluorescence signal of the sample is excited by a laser or light-emitting diode and separated by a polarization beam cube depending on the polarization. Parallel and perpendicular polarized emissions are projected onto two different regions of the sensor chip in the smartphone camera. A custom software app was developed to count the average intensity in the areas of interest and compute the degree of polarization. We validated the system by measuring the polarization of dye molecules dissolved in solutions with different viscosities. As an example of biomolecule sensing, a competitive FP immunoassay of Prostaglandin E2 was demonstrated using the developed system and exhibited the limit of detection of 1.57 ng/mL. The smartphone-based FP assay platform can also be implemented for the detection of toxins, disease biomarkers, and pathogens in resource-limited settings.
New pathogenic insights inform therapeutic target development for renal osteodystrophy

In an ancillary analysis of cross-sectional observational studies of bone health in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), Evenepoel et al. reported that subjects with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) had a unique phenotype in their renal osteodystrophy. ADPKD caused resistance to parathyroid hormone (PTH) producing lower turnover states and preservation of cortical bone mineral density. PTH resistance was probably produced by increased osteocyte sclerostin levels, which is regulated by mechanical loading sensed through primary cilia sensory function affected by mutation in PKD1 and PKD2.
Frequency of DNA end joining in trans is not determined by the predamage spatial proximity of double-strand breaks in yeast

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are serious genomic insults that can lead to chromosomal rearrangements if repaired incorrectly. To gain insight into the nuclear mechanisms contributing to these rearrangements, we developed an assay in yeast to measure cis (same site) vs. trans (different site) repair for the majority process of precise nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). In the assay, the HO endonuclease gene is placed between two HO cut sites such that HO expression is self-terminated upon induction. We further placed an additional cut site in various genomic loci such that NHEJ in trans led to expression of a LEU2 reporter gene. Consistent with prior reports, cis NHEJ was more efficient than trans NHEJ. However, unlike homologous recombination, where spatial distance between a single DSB and donor locus was previously shown to correlate with repair efficiency, trans NHEJ frequency remained essentially constant regardless of the position of the two DSB loci, even when they were on the same chromosome or when two trans repair events were put in competition. Repair of similar DSBs via single-strand annealing of short terminal direct repeats showed substantially higher repair efficiency and trans repair frequency, but still without a strong correlation of trans repair to genomic position. Our results support a model in which yeast cells mobilize, and perhaps compartmentalize, multiple DSBs in a manner that no longer reflects the predamage position of two broken loci.
Prevalence of the sternalis muscle in a sample of routinely dissected human cadavers.

Sternalis muscle is an uncommon muscle head attaching between the sternoclavicular joint superiorly and the costal cartilage near the xiphoid process. In this study, 36 cadavers (18 male, 18 female) were obtained through the Anatomical Board of the State of Florida and complete, routine musculoskeletal dissection was performed while adhering to all relevant laws and practices. Two examples of the sternalis muscle belly (5%) were identified, one in a black male and one a white female. The sternalis muscles were bilateral in both cases and each was formed of a single muscle belly. The superior attachments were continuous with the sternal attachment of sternocleidomastoid, and the inferior attachments connected to the costal cartilages. Sternalis did not cross the midline and the T2–T5 anterior intercostal neurovasculature associated closely with the muscle belly. In the female, a well-formed unilateral chondrocoracoideus muscle was apparent with a branch from the medial pectoral nerve closely associated on the deep surface. No other abnormalities in the chest, axilla, or brachial plexus were noted on either cadaver, and the pectoralis major and minor muscles were normally formed and innervated in both cases. This study supports other evidence in the literature that indicates the sternalis muscle has an average prevalence in the population of approximately 5%, and it appears across race and sex. Education about this structure is important for radiologists, surgeons, and doctors of physical therapy that may be involved in treatment and post-surgical rehabilitation of this region.
ECMarker: Interpretable machine learning model identifies gene expression biomarkers predicting clinical outcomes and reveals molecular mechanisms of human disease in early stages

Gene expression and regulation, a key molecular mechanism driving human disease development, remains elusive, especially at early stages. The increasing amount of genomics data gathered from patients allows for better understanding of gene regulatory mechanisms that occur during disease development at a system level. However, integrating such a large amount of population data is still a challenging task. To address this, we developed an interpretable machine learning model, ECMarker, to predict gene expression biomarkers and regulatory networks specific for disease stages such as early cancer. In particular, ECMarker was built on the semi-restricted Boltzmann machine, a machine learning model with multiple hierarchical layers. This model allows one to directly model and prioritize gene interactions for the classification of clinical phenotypes, revealing potential gene regulatory networks (GRNs) for various cancer stages. We applied ECMarker to the gene expression data of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Unlike the state-of-the-art machine learning methods designed for classification only, ECMarker not only achieved an accuracy of 85.9% for classification but also predicted a lung cancer GRN that is highly consistent with previous findings. Additionally, ECMarker has clear clinical interpretability as it is able to prioritize biomarker genes for early lung cancer that can predict survival rates of early cancer patients (p-value < 0.0035). Finally, we identified a number of drugs currently in clinical use for late stages (e.g., Navitoclax, Cyclopamine and Erlotinib) with effects on these early cancer biomarker genes, suggesting potential novel insights on early cancer medicine. ECMarker is also general purpose for other disease types and available as an open-source tool at https://github.com/daifengwanglab/tools.
On the kinematics of scalar iso-surfaces in decaying homogeneous, isotropic turbulence

ABSTRACTScalar iso-surfaces have been used to describe many interface problems in turbulence, such as flame surfaces in turbulent reacting flows and turbulent/non-turbulent interfaces. In this pape...
Targeting MYC-driven replication stress in medulloblastoma with AZD1775 and gemcitabine

MYC-driven medulloblastomas are highly aggressive childhood tumors with dismal outcomes and a lack of new treatment paradigms. We identified that targeting replication stress through WEE1 inhibition to suppress the S-phase replication checkpoint, combined with the attenuation of nucleotide synthesis with gemcitabine, is an effective strategy to induce apoptosis in MYC-driven medulloblastoma that could be rapidly translated into early phase clinical trials in children. Attenuation of replication stress is a key component of MYC-driven oncogenesis. Previous studies revealed a vulnerability in MYC medulloblastoma through WEE1 inhibition. Here, we focused on elucidating combinations of agents to synergize with WEE1 inhibition and drive replication stress toward cell death. We first analyzed WEE1 expression in patient tissues by immunohistochemistry. Next, we used high-throughput drug screens to identify agents that would synergize with WEE1 inhibition. Synergy was confirmed by in vitro live cell imaging, ex vivo slice culture models, and in vivo studies using orthotopic and flank xenograft models. WEE1 expression was significantly higher in Group 3 and 4 medulloblastoma patients. The WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 synergized with inhibitors of nucleotide synthesis, including gemcitabine. AZD1775 with gemcitabine suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis. Ex vivo modeling demonstrated efficacy in Group 3 medulloblastoma patients, and in vivo modeling confirmed that combining AZD1775 and gemcitabine effectively suppressed tumor growth. Our results identified a potent new synergistic treatment combination for MYC-driven medulloblastoma that warrants exploration in early phase clinical trials.
Metal-insulator transitions in degenerate Hubbard models and AxC60.

Analytic results for Mott-Hubbard metal-insulator transitions in N-fold degenerate Hubbard models are obtained using the Gutzwiller approximation. It is found that for any commensurate filling with integer (x) electrons per site, there exists a metal-insulator transition at the critical correlation energy ${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{c}}$(N,x)={[ \ensuremath{\surd}x(2N-x+1) + \ensuremath{\surd}(x+1)(2N-x) ${]}^{2}$/(2N-x)}\ensuremath{\Vert}\ensuremath{\epsilon}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}(x)\ensuremath{\Vert}, where \ensuremath{\epsilon}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} is the energy per particle in the absence of correlation. ${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{c}}$ increases with x reaching the maximum at the half filling x=N. Therefore, it is possible for a system to be metallic at half filling and insulating away from half filling. This provides an explanation for the unusual metal-insulator transitions observed in fullerides ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$.
How do spinopelvic parameters influence patient-reported outcome measurements after lumbar decompression?

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND CONTEXT Spinopelvic parameters indicative of sagittal imbalance include a pelvic tilt (PT) greater than 20° and a mismatch between pelvic incidence (PI) and lumbar lordosis (LL) greater than 10°. However, unlike in fusion surgery, the relationship between spinopelvic parameters and patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs) in patients undergoing lumbar decompression surgery for neurologic symptoms is less clear. PURPOSE To determine whether PROMs are affected by the amount of residual (postoperative) PI-LL mismatch or PT in patients undergoing one- to three-level lumbar decompression surgeries. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study (Level of Evidence: III). PATIENT SAMPLE Patients undergoing between one to three levels of lumbar decompression surgery at a single, academic institution. OUTCOME MEASURES PROMs—including the PCS-12, MCS-12, ODI, and VAS Back and Leg pain scores—and radiographic measurements of spinopelvic parameters. METHODS Patients were separated into groups based on a postoperative PI-LL mismatch of ≤10° or >10° and a postoperative PT RESULTS A total of 167 patients were included, with 27 patients in the PI-LL>10° group and 91 patients in the PT≥20° group. All groups exhibited significant improvement after surgery for each PROM included (p 10° and PT≥20° were not significant predictors of worse outcomes for any measured PROM. CONCLUSIONS Patients with postoperative measurements PI-LL>10° and PT≥20° without instability had similar PROMs at 1 year after limited lumbar decompression when compared to patients without a spinopelvic mismatch.
Reader Response: AAN Position Statement: Ethical Issues in Clinical Research in Neurology

In their update to the AAN's statement on research ethics, Tolchin et al.1 provided a thoughtful consideration of how to do clinical research but say little about when or why to conduct a randomized clinical trial (RCT). The 7-step criteria put forward by Emanuel et al.2—and on which the statement is based—speaks to this issue indirectly, but we suggest going even further. The AAN statement provides a valuable opportunity to mandate that the ethical justification for neurologic RCTs be explicit and codified. Specifically, we have proposed that RCTs be conducted only if there is uncertainty surrounding a clear hypothesis as explicitly demonstrated through a systematic review.3 Moreover, we have shown this standard is rarely met.4 We believe this issue is of pressing importance, especially in the era of COVID-19. For example, medicine has been challenged by unfounded claims about the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19,5 which has provoked calls for RCTs. Researchers have responded: a search of [clinicialtrials.gov][1] reveals 133 active or upcoming trials. Are all these trials necessary? Are any? Hydroxychloroquine has significant risks. Without transparent and codified standards for determining when RCTs should be performed, patients will suffer from being recruited into useless, redundant, or harmful trials. [1]: http://clinicialtrials.gov
The Coming Archival Crisis: How Ephemeral Video Disappears Protest Journalism and Threatens Newsreels of Tomorrow

Today’s Black Lives Matter movement is mediated largely by fortuitous smartphone witnesses and dedicated mobile journalists, who post precious footage to social media platforms that are designed to...
Near-Field MIMO-ISAR Millimeter-Wave Imaging

Multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) millimeterwave (mmWave) sensors for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and inverse SAR (ISAR) address the fundamental challenges of cost-effectiveness and scalability inherent to near-field imaging. In this paper, near-field MIMO-ISAR mmWave imaging systems are discussed and developed. The rotational ISAR (R-ISAR) regime investigated in this paper requires rotating the target at a constant radial distance from the transceiver and scanning the transceiver along a vertical track. Using a 77GHz mmWave radar, a high resolution three-dimensional (3-D) image can be reconstructed from this two-dimensional scanning taking into account the spherical near-field wavefront. While prior work in literature consists of single-input-single-output circular synthetic aperture radar (SISO-CSAR) algorithms or computationally sluggish MIMO-CSAR image reconstruction algorithms, this paper proposes a novel algorithm for efficient MIMO 3-D holographic imaging and details the design of a MIMO R-ISAR imaging system. The proposed algorithm applies a multistatic-to-monostatic phase compensation to the R-ISAR regime allowing for use of highly efficient monostatic algorithms. We demonstrate the algorithm's performance in real-world imaging scenarios on a prototyped MIMO R-ISAR platform. Our fully integrated system, consisting of an mechanical scanner and efficient imaging algorithm, is capable of pairing the scanning efficiency of the MIMO regime with the computational efficiency of single pixel image reconstruction algorithms.
Mapping Out Autoimmunity Control in Primary Immune Regulatory Disorders

There is a growing understanding of the clinical overlap between primary immune deficiency and autoimmunity. An atypical or treatment-refractory clinical presentation of autoimmunity may in fact signal an underlying congenital condition of primary immune dysregulation (an inborn error of immunity). Detailed profiling of the family history is critical in the diagnostic process and must not be limited to the occurrence of frequent or atypical infections, but additionally should include inquiries into chronic forms of autoimmunity, hyperinflammation, and malignancy. A genetic and a functional diagnostic approach are complementary and nonoverlapping methods of identifying and validating an inborn error of immunity. Extended immune phenotyping of both affected and unaffected family members may provide insight into disease mode of inheritance, penetrance, and secondary inherited or environmentally acquired modifiers. Clinical care of a family with an inborn error of immunity may require local and national expertise in addition to cross-disciplinary care from the disciplines of pediatrics and internal medicine. Physician communication across subspecialties as well as distinct medical institutes can facilitate the appropriate disclosure of genetic testing results toward their prompt incorporation into patient care. Targeted immunomodulation based directly on genetic and functional immune phenotyping has the potential to reduce unnecessary immunosuppression and provide more exacting therapeutic benefit to our patients.
Impact of Treatment on Vestibular Schwannoma-Associated Symptoms: A Prospective Study Comparing Treatment Modalities.

ObjectiveThe degree to which various treatment modalities modify vestibular schwannoma (VS)–associated symptoms has received limited attention. The purpose of this study was to determine how differ...
Lifetime prediction method for moisture-induced degradation of glass-to-glass solar cell modules using spatially distributed diode model

Abstract A Glass-to-Glass (G2G) CuInxGa1-xSe2 (CIGS) solar cell module is a promising thin-film solar technology; however, it is highly sensitive to moisture-induced degradation. Many studies have been conducted on the lifetime prediction model of this technology. However, none of these studies considered the spatial effects of moisture propagation on degradation. This study introduced a novel method, the spatially distributed diode model (SDDM), and predicted the lifetime of G2G CIGS solar modules for moisture-induced degradation. We analyzed the diffusion of spatial moisture concentration on the CIGS solar modules and estimated the model parameters using degradation data. The proposed method can predict the lifetime of any size or shape of G2G CIGS module for moisture-induced degradation. Furthermore, the method can be used to envision a possible longer lifetime for the solar modules depending on the selection of physical appearance of the modules and installation location.
Martha Ann Brown’s Books “Unbound”

Reflect, if you will, on two libraries forming at the same time in nineteenth-century Worcester, Massachusetts, separated by only a seven-minute walk. The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), a rese...
Verification and dissection of one quantitative trait locus for grain size and weight on chromosome 1 in rice.

Grain size and weight are the key traits determining rice quality and yield and are mainly controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTL). In this study, one minor QTL that was previously mapped in the marker interval of JD1009-JD1019 using the Huanghuazhan/Jizi1560 (HHZ/JZ1560) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, qTGW1-2, was validated to regulate grain size and weight across four rice-growing seasons using twenty-one near isogenic line (NIL)-F2 populations. The twenty-one populations were in two types of genetic background that were derived from the same parents HHZ and JZ1560. Twelve F9, F10 or F11 NIL-F2 populations with the sequential residual heterozygous regions covering JD1009-RM6840 were developed from one residual heterozygote (RH) in the HHZ/JZ1560 RIL population, and the remaining nine BC3F3, BC3F4 or BC3F5 NIL-F2 populations with the sequential residual heterozygous regions covering JD1009-RM6840 were constructed through consecutive backcrosses to the recurrent parent HHZ followed with marker assistant selection in each generation. Based on the QTL analysis of these genetic populations, qTGW1-2 was successfully confirmed to control grain length, width and weight and further dissected into two QTLs, qTGW1-2a and qTGW1-2b, which were respectively narrowed down to the marker intervals of JD1139-JD1127 (~ 978.2-kb) and JD1121-JD1102 (~ 54.8-kb). Furthermore, the two types of NIL-F2 populations were proved to be able to decrease the genetic background noise and increase the detection power of minor QTL. These results provided an important basis for further map-based cloning and molecular design breeding with the two QTLs in rice.
The Influence of Rapid Diagnosis of Streptococcal Infection on Pharyngitis and Rheumatic Fever

Pharyngitis is the most common of human infections. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 30–40 million physician visits each year are prompted by “sore throats”. A recent survey of pediatricians revealed that throat cultures were performed during 14.4% of patient visits (14). Moreover, an incalculably high number of patients endure throat infection without ever seeking medical attention.
Abuse of Psychiatric Legal Defenses Revisited: Mandatory Psychiatric Student Withdrawal

Insanity defenses and competency to stand trial have had a history of abuse in forensic psychiatry. Currently Pavela has proposed a procedure for mandatory withdrawal from universities of students with psychiatric problems. Students can be removed who either meet criteria for being incompetent to stand “trial” or meet criteria for the McNaghten insanity “defense” after breaking even a minor university rule. By being forced to withdraw, they can receive worse than the maximum penalty for the offense. An alternative procedure is proposed which makes the disciplinary process primary for withdrawal of all students and does not abuse psychiatric “defenses.” Withdrawal of students who violate rules should occur only because the behavior itself warrants it. Psychiatric explanations should be reserved for possible mitigation in a role analogous to that in a criminal trial. Consultation between mental health professionals and university administrators also is recommended to help in understanding problem situations and behavior.
A Case Study: Detecting Counselor Reflections in Psychotherapy for Addictions using Linguistic Features.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a goal-oriented psychotherapy, employed in cases such as addiction, which helps clients (i.e., patients) explore and resolve their ambivalence about the problem at hand in a dialog setting. Measuring the counselor’s proficiency with MI has typically been assessed via behavioral coding a time consuming, non-technological approach. This paper examines a computational approach to assessing the quality of MI. Specifically, we focus on a particular aspect of the counselor behavior – reflections – believed to be a critical indicator of MI therapy quality. We automatically tag reflection instances in a maximum entropy Markov modeling framework using several linguistic features with rich contextual information obtained from the session transcripts. We achieve an Fscore of over 80% while gaining insight about the information sources as perceived by the trained annotators.
Tissue plasminogen activator-assisted surgical excision of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration: a randomized, double-masked trial.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether lysing subretinal fibrin with tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) before excising subfoveal choroidal neovascularization improves visual acuity in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Design: Randomized, double-masked trial. Participants: Eighty eyes fo 80 patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration were studied. Intervention: Each eye underwent pars plana vitrectomy and received a subretinal injection of t-PA or balanced salt solution (BSS) before the neovascular membrane was excised. Preoperative and postoperative protocol refraction, ophthalmic examination, color photography, and fluorescein angiography were performed in all 80 eyes. Main Outcome Measures: Visual acuity and fluorescein angiographic evidence of leakage after 1 year. Results: Visual acuity did not differ between the t-PA group (n = 40) and the BSS group (n = 40), and median best-corrected visual acuity was 20/320 for both groups ( P = 0.38). Changes in visual acuity from baseline were also equal, with a median loss of 1 line in each group ( P = 0.78). Patients whose initial visual acuity was 20/250 or less were more likely to improve by 2 or more lines ( P = 0.01) and less likely to lose 2 or more lines ( P P = 0.02) and less likely to lose 2 or more lines ( P P = 0.78). Conclusions: With current surgical techniques, the use of t-PA before surgical excision of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization is of no visual or anatomic benefit to patients with age-related macular degeneration.
Extinction patterns in the avifauna of the Hawaiian islands

Through the continuing accumulation of fossil evidence, it is clear that the avifauna of the Hawaiian Islands underwent a large-scale extinction event around the time of Polynesian arrival. A second wave of extinctions since European colonization has further altered this unique avifauna. Here I present the first systematic analysis of the factors characterizing the species that went extinct in each time period and those that survived in order to provide a clearer picture of the possible causal mechanisms. These analyses were based on mean body size, dietary and ecological information and phylogenetic lineage of all known indigenous, non-migratory land and freshwater bird species of the five largest Hawaiian Islands. Extinct species were divided into ‘prehistoric’ and ‘historic’ extinction categories based on the timing of their last occurrence. A model of fossil preservation bias was also incorporated. I used regression trees to predict probability of prehistoric and historic extinction based on ecological variables. Prehistoric extinctions showed a strong bias toward larger body sizes and flightless, ground-nesting species, even after accounting for preservation bias. Many small, specialized species, mostly granivores and frugivores, also disappeared, implicating a wide suite of human impacts including destruction of dry forest habitat. In contrast, the highest extinction rates in the historic period were in medium-sized nectarivorous and insectivorous species. These differences result from different causal mechanisms underlying the two waves of extinction.
Multidimensional Recommender Systems: A Data Warehousing Approach

In this paper, we present a new data-warehousing-based approach to recommender systems. In particular, we propose to extend traditional two-dimensional user/item recommender systems to support multiple dimensions, as well as comprehensive profiling and hierarchical aggregation (OLAP) capabilities. We also introduce a new recommendation query language RQL that can express complex recommendations taking into account the proposed extensions. We describe how these extensions are integrated into a framework that facilitates more flexible and comprehensive user interactions with recommender systems.
Color-based road sign detection and tracking

This paper describes a general framework for the detection and tracking of traffic and road signs from image sequences using only color information. The approach consists of two independent parts. In the first we use a set of Gaussian distributions that model each color for detecting road and traffic signs. In the second part we track the targets detected in the first step over time. Our approach is tested using image sequences with high clutter that contain targets with the presence of rotation and partial occlusion. Experimental results show that the proposed system detects on average 97% of the targets in the scene in near real-time with an average of 2 false detections per sequence.
The magnetic field in the heliosheath

The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) behaves in a reasonably well-understood manner between the Sun and the heliospheric termination shock. At the shock, the azimuthal field is amplified by a factor of four (for a strong shock) and undergoes secular amplification in the heliosheath until the flow is fully turned into the downstream direction and has reached its asymptotic state in the distant heliotail. This amplification may lead to important MHD effects that can cause the shock to be closer to the Sun than otherwise expected. Here we further examine whether there are important MHD effects in the heliosheath. We do this by calculating the kinematic compression of the magnetic field in the heliosheath using an analytic incompressible flow model of the dynamics downstream of the shock. We conclude that it is likely that MHD effects are important in the heliosheath in a narrow cone about the upstream direction.
Mechanistically significant diastereoselection in the sulfoximine inhibition of carboxypeptidase A.

The diastereomers of L-alpha-[ [S-(2-phenylethyl)sulfonimidoyl]methyl]benzenepropanoic acid bind differentially to carboxypeptidase A. These putative transition state-analogue inhibitors show unique and interpretationally significant pH dependences for Ki, as well as for the visible absorption spectra of their E.I complexes in the case of the cobalt-substituted enzyme. From the geometry of the enzymically preferred isomer, it may be concluded that the mechanism of peptide scission by the enzyme entails addition of a nucleophile to the si face of the bound-substrate prochiral carboxamide linkage. New interpretational constraints on the mode of action of the enzyme are thereby imposed.
Moisture Interactions in Light-Frame Housing: A Review

Though airchange or infiltration can significantly affect energy use, altering interior moisture can influence energy use as well as other performance characteristics. An assessment of the moisture interaction is made as related to health and comfort of the occupants, fire safety, durability and maintainability, and design and construction of light-frame housing. A discussion of significant interactions includes shortcomings and recommendations.
A strategy for oxygen conditioning at high altitude: comparison with air conditioning

Large numbers of people live or work at high altitude, and many visit to trek or ski. The inevitable hypoxia impairs physical working capacity, and at higher altitudes there is also cognitive impairment. Twenty years ago oxygen enrichment of room air was introduced to reduce the hypoxia, and this is now used in dormitories, hotels, mines, and telescopes. However, recent advances in technology now allow large amounts of oxygen to be obtained from air or cryogenic oxygen sources. As a result it is now feasible to oxygenate large buildings and even institutions such as hospitals. An analogy can be drawn between air conditioning that has improved the living and working conditions of millions of people who live in hot climates and oxygen conditioning that can do the same at high altitude. Oxygen conditioning is similar to air conditioning except that instead of cooling the air, the oxygen concentration is raised, thus reducing the equivalent altitude. Oxygen conditioning on a large scale could transform living and working conditions at high altitude, where it could be valuable in homes, hospitals, schools, dormitories, company headquarters, banks, and legislative settings.