cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing Dating Experiences Among African American Emerging Adults.

This study examined sociocultural factors that impact dating and sexual experiences of heterosexual African American undergraduate college students attending a historically Black institution in the Southeastern United States. Specifically, mate availability and relationship involvement were analyzed to document students’ experiences, and how these influences may be associated with sexual decision making and behavior. Data from nine focus groups (N = 57) were aggregated and four subthemes were identified: competition among women, acceptability of mates, high prevalence of casual relationships, and lowered expectations for commitment. Power dynamics emerged as a contributing factor to the types of relationship involvement, sexual decision-making, and behavior among participants. The importance of prevention programs focusing on situational and cultural variables is highlighted. Additionally, implications for professionals working with emerging adults to consider the impact of the gender ratio imbalance, and...
Crowding the Market: Is There Room for Antitrust in Market Manipulation Cases?

This article analyses the current debate surrounding the role of antitrust in recent market manipulation matters domestically. Despite the anti-competitive nature of this activity, there are several difficulties and inconsistencies that must be addressed. In particular, a stronger definition for market manipulation that captures a wide array of activity must be adopted. Next, it is also important to have a general understanding of the different laws and regulations used to combat market manipulation and how they have been applied in recent cases. This article also recommends an antitrust-based framework for analyzing current market manipulation cases like LIBOR and FX. Finally, this article addresses some of the difficulties with applying antitrust law, including regulatory overlap and the pushback against private enforcement efforts.
Lethal Prostate Cancer in the PLCO Cancer Screening Trial

The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial randomized men to usual care or annual prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for 6 yr and digital rectal examination for 4 yr. This trial found no difference between the intervention and usual care arms of the study in the primary end point of prostate cancer (PCa)-specific mortality. The PLCO trial results have had a major impact on health policy and the rate of PSA screening in the United States. We analyzed the 13-yr screening and outcomes data from the 151 participants who died of PCa in the screening arm of the trial to better understand how randomization to screening failed to prevent PCa death in these men. We found that of these men, 81 (53.6%) either were never screened as part of the trial or had an initial positive screen. Only 17 (11.3%) of those who died reached year 6 of the trial with a PSA <4.0 ng/ml. The men who died in the screening arm were also older at study entry than the average PLCO participant (66 vs 62 yr; p < 0.001). Our analysis should inform the interpretation of the PLCO trial and provide insight into future trial design.
Influence of phase change of dispersed-phase particle in SRM chamber on throat insert erosion

For analyzing less erosion loss phenomena of throat insert in an erosion test motor with the high energy propellant compared with that of normal HTPB propellant,the heat transfer and phase change of dispersed-phase particles in the chamber were simulated by means of Euler-Lagrangian method,and a theoretical explanation was given.The results show that about 40% of the dispersed-phase particles at high temperature(4 000 K) evaporate,and most of particles are exhausted from the nozzle;The phase change of dispersed-phase particles can make not only the erosion of throat insert reduced,but parameters of the chamber such as temperature non-uniformly distributed.
An Analysis of Causes for Social Stability under Great Gap between Income Differences

China's Gini coefficient is beyond 0.4,an internationally recognized alarming figure but no social instability is caused.On the contrary,China's economy consistently advances.An analysis of the causes finds that China's multidimensional national situations lead to this result.At the same time,howev- er,her income difference is really great,and Chinese government must take measures to reduce the gap be- tween income differences.
Structural Brain Mapping

Brain mapping plays an important role in neuroscience and medical imaging fields, which flattens the convoluted brain cortical surface and exposes the hidden geometry details onto a canonical domain. Existing methods such as conformal mappings didn’t consider the anatomical atlas network structure, and the anatomical landmarks, e.g., gyri curves, appear highly curvy on the canonical domains. Using such maps, it is difficult to recognize the connecting pattern and compare the atlases. In this work, we present a novel brain mapping method to efficiently visualize the convoluted and partially invisible cortical surface through a well-structured view, called the structural brain mapping. In computation, the brain atlas network (“node” - the junction of anatomical cortical regions, “edge” - the connecting curve between cortical regions) is first mapped to a planar straight line graph based on Tutte graph embedding, where all the edges are crossing-free and all the faces are convex polygons; the brain surface is then mapped to the convex shape domain based on harmonic map with linear constraints. Experiments on two brain MRI databases, including 250 scans with automatic atlases processed by FreeSurfer and 40 scans with manual atlases from LPBA40, demonstrate the efficiency and efficacy of the algorithm and the practicability for visualizing and comparing brain cortical anatomical structures.
Images in clinical medicine. Porphyria cutanea tarda.

Figure 1. Porphyria cutanea tarda. Water-soluble porphyrins from a liver-biopsy specimen from a patient with porphyria cutanea tarda show pink fluorescence under a Wood's light (405 nm). The biopsy specimen (short arrow) was preserved in saline solution to prevent desiccation and then transferred to a piece of gauze. Drops of saline containing fluorescing water-soluble porphyrins, including uroporphyrin (8-carboxylporphyrin) and 7-carboxylporphyrin, stain the gauze pink around the specimen and elsewhere (long arrow).
Therapeutic Potential of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mycolic Acid Transporter, MmpL3

In recent years, whole-cell-based screens for novel small molecule inhibitors active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in culture followed by the whole-genome sequencing of spontaneous resistant mutants have identified multiple chemical scaffolds thought to kill the bacterium through the inactivation of the mycolic acid transporter, MmpL3. Consistent with the fact that MmpL3 is required for the formation of the mycobacterial outer membrane, we have conclusively shown in this study, using conditionally regulated knockdown mutants, that mmpL3 is required for the replication and viability of M. tuberculosis, both under standard laboratory growth conditions and during the acute and chronic phases of infection in mice. Speaking for the vulnerability of this target, silencing mmpL3 had a rapid bactericidal effect on actively replicating cells in vitro and reduced by 3 to 5 logs in less than 4 weeks the bacterial loads of acutely and chronically infected mouse lungs, respectively. Depletion of MmpL3 further rendered M. tuberculosis hypersusceptible to MmpL3 inhibitors. The exquisite vulnerability of MmpL3 at all stages of the infection establishes this transporter as an attractive new target with the potential to improve and shorten current drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis chemotherapies.
Jews in the United States

Estimated between 5.4 and 6.7 million people, the Jewish population of the United States is the world's largest outside of Israel. The population has grown and diversified through successive waves of immigration, largely from Europe, but increasingly from the Middle East and Latin America. Jewish Americans have organized themselves to create an extensive network of synagogues, philanthropies, policy organizations, and nonprofit agencies in order to conduct communal affairs. Although American Jews have been categorized variously as a race, an ethnicity, a religion, and a polity, the fact that none of these terms fits precisely highlights the conceptual limitations of these categories. Keywords: ethnicity; immigration; religion
Flow and water temperature affect reproduction and recruitment of a Great Plains cyprinid

Conservation of stream fishes requires an understanding of how their reproduction and recruitment are affected by environmental conditions. Flow regulation and habitat loss in North American Great Plains streams threaten many native fishes, including pelagic-broadcast spawning cyprinids. Pelagic-broadcast spawning by flathead chub (Platygobio gracilis), a species declining throughout much of its extensive range, began after temperatures exceeded 15 °C in Fountain Creek, Colorado (USA), despite different annual flows. Alternatively, streamflow patterns controlled recruitment of juveniles because high-magnitude summer flows (spikes) reduced abundance of larvae hatched just prior to or during such events. Juvenile recruitment was highest for larvae hatched just after summer flow spikes occurred or during stable base flow periods. Understanding environmental conditions suitable for reproduction as well as subsequent recruitment should inform conservation actions, especially in flow-altered streams, and improv...
High-temperature static strain langasite SAWR sensor: Temperature compensation and numerical calibration for direct strain reading

Abstract Strain sensing for extreme environments such as aerospace, power generation, and industrial applications require robust sensors capable of sustaining the targeted high-temperatures, while maintaining a stable sensor response. Current technologies face challenges regarding device or system size, complexity, operational temperature, or dynamic range. Surface acoustic wave resonator (SAWR) sensors fabricated on langasite (LGS) using Pt-alloy based electrodes are capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1000 °C, have a small footprint, are battery-free, and can be wirelessly interrogated, thus presenting themselves as a promising technology for harsh-environment strain sensing. This paper presents direct SAWR strain sensor readings up to 114 μe on a constant stress beam between 24 °C and 400 °C. In order to obtain the direct strain reading at high-temperature, a finite element method (FEM) numerical model was developed. The FEM model was compared to measurements performed using a room temperature commercial sensor, and revealed correlation between the measured and modeled strain data close to unity. At elevated temperatures, the SAWR frequency measurements were calibrated using the developed FEM model adapted for operation at high-temperatures, due to the absence of a reliable high-temperature static strain sensor. A temperature compensation scheme was employed to mitigate temperature-strain cross-sensitivity, and Savitzky-Golay signal processing filtering employed to improve signal detection. Ceramic Al2O3-based epoxy was used to attach the sensor to the targeted constant stress beam fixture, and −41 Hz/μe sensitivity was obtained at 400 °C. The sensor fabrication, calibration and measurements reported in this work illustrates the capability of LGS based SAW resonators to perform as high-temperature harsh-environment static strain sensors.
Rolling contact fatigue in refurbished case carburized bearings

Abstract This paper presents a continuum damage mechanics-based elastic-plastic FE model developed to quantify the rolling contact fatigue (RCF) life of refurbished bearings made from case carburized steel. Using the model developed for this investigation, case carburized steel fatigue performance was compared to that of through hardened steels. To simulate the characteristics of case carburized steel, a series of micro-indentation tests was performed to determine the hardness gradient and the case depth for the case carburized 8620 steel. The hardness gradient in the material was modeled by changing the yield strength as a function of depth. Therefore, the finite element modeling approach employed the von Mises plasticity-based model with kinematic hardening to incorporate the effect of material plasticity. Furthermore, the residual stress distribution resulting from the carburization process was modeled by modifying the damage evolution law. In order to simulate the refurbishing process, damage accumulation was calculated for a set number of fatigue cycles with the original bearing geometry. A layer of the original surface was then removed, but the fatigue damage accumulated prior to refurbishing was preserved. The refurbished geometry was then subjected to additional fatigue cycles until the damage was detected. The model as developed also accounts for the effects of topological randomness in the material microstructure through the use of Voronoi tessellations. The model was used to compare the RCF lives of refurbished bearings made from through hardened and case carburized bearing steel at contact pressures ranging from 2 to 3.5 GPa. The number of fatigue cycles prior to the refurbishing and the depth of material removal were varied to analyze their influence on refurbished life. It was found that greater regrinding depth (more than 0.5 times the half-width) and more fatigue cycles prior to refurbishing enhanced the total fatigue life of refurbished bearings. The model predicted that the ratio of the total RCF life of refurbished bearing to that of unrefurbished bearing is more for through hardened bearings than case carburized bearings with case depth of 500 μm. This is as expected, because in through hardened steel there is no case, so material properties are not affected by refurbishing. In the case hardened bearing steel, however, the refurbishing process removes part of the hardened case region and exposes the softer core to stress which reduces the fatigue performance of the refurbished bearing. Since this effect diminishes as the case depth increases; the increase in the fatigue life after refurbishing was larger for case carburized bearings with case depth of 1000 μm than through hardened bearings.
Home of the Brave: African American Novels, 1940s– 1960s

Writing from Barcelona, in a letter to Charlotte Osgood Mason, Claude McKay foretold the death of the New Negro Renaissance: “The Negro renaissance movement in America seems a hopeless mess to me. – I cannot help being frank. – If I were in touch with any of the young aspiring Negro artists I'd rather advise them to get as far away as possible from it.” In speaking of the “so-called leaders” of the movement he observes, “They have no real idea of what they want to do – what they can get in an artistic form from this life of the Negro. They were much more interested in the opinions of a few white persons of authority – even though these were lacking in the fine aesthetic spirit of appreciation.” Langston Hughes was the only writer who escaped criticism, because McKay felt he had “big stuff” in him (February 1930, ALP 164-99, 16). In “Recent Negro Fiction,” Ralph Ellison characterized the New Negro fiction of the 1920s and 1930s as “timid of theme” and “technically backward.” For him, the 1940s showed a stronger grasp of American reality, avoiding the precious exoticism of earlier work (my italics, Ellison's term). Ellison reflects a consensus that the 1940s was a repudiation of New Negro ideologies grounded in an over-reliance on white patronage and the preciousness of uniquely primitive black art. His use of the term American is instructive, because though many viewed the 1940s–1960s as ushering in traditions of protest, the period also produced a championing of American sociopolitical structures broadly, while criticizing the denial of blacks a place within these. Many changes occurred that affected the shaping and emphasis of the novel. For one, coalitions such as the National Negro Congress that brought together civil rights and labor organizations became preferred forums eclipsing salons like the Dark Tower. Organized by John P. Davis, a professor at Howard and presided over by A. Philip Randolph, organizer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the congress created networking opportunities for writers and thinkers of the 1940s. Richard Wright chaired the panel, “Negro Artists and Writers in the Changing Social Order,” and in attendance were Langston Hughes and Margaret Walker.
Abstract 3125: Therapeutic implications of mTORC1 and mTORC2 inhibitors in genetically heterogeneous glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor, which is characterized by marked intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity in receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) genes. Aberrations in the RTK/PI3K/Akt pathways in GB leads to an abnormal signaling pathway of mechanistic target of Rapamycin (mTOR). mTOR exists in two distinct complexes, namely, mTORC1 and mTORC2, which are involved in regulation of cell survival, growth, and motility. In this investigation, we test the hypothesis that the genetic heterogeneity of GBM cells and its stem cells with respect to the expression of EGFR and/or PDGFRα may define the treatment efficacy of RTK inhibitors with or without PI3K/ mTOR inhibitors. We demonstrated that GB tumors over-expressed PDGFRα and EGFR at range of 80% and 30%, respectively, with varying degree of overlap. Combined treatment with the inhibitors of PDGFRα (AC 710) or EGFR (gefitinib), with or without inhibitors of mTORC1 (rapamycin) or mTORC1/2 (Torin1 and Torin 2), led to suppression of cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell migration and drug resistance in GB cells to varying degrees that correlated with EGFR or PDGFRα expression. Downstream signaling pathway substrates of mTORC 1 and 2, namely pS6k and pAkt, respectively, were suppressed by combined treatments of RTK and mTORC1/2 inhibitors. Furthermore, GB stem cell self-renewal and growth was also suppressed with combined treatments. The combination of AC710 plus mTORC1/2 inhibitor, Torin2, was the most effective. These findings underscore the usefulness of determining PDGFRα and EGFR status when considering viable PI3K/mTOR inhibitors for targeted treatment of GB. Citation Format: Anubhav G. Amin, Arthur Wang, Alex Braun, Michael Tobias, Raj Murali, Meena Jhanwar-Uniyal. Therapeutic implications of mTORC1 and mTORC2 inhibitors in genetically heterogeneous glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3125. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3125
ATP Synthesis in Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation

I would like to tell you about some recent work done at the Enzyme Institute on a chemical reaction mechanism for the ATP synthesis part of mitochondrial oxidative-phosphorylation. This work was carried out by Dr. Jerome McLick and myself, and is called the KORMAN-McLICK mechanism for mitochondrial ATP synthesis(1).
The price of an egg: oocyte donor compensation in the US fertility industry

Market-based health services have arisen out of major transformations in US healthcare in the last several decades. This study addresses pricing in the human egg donation market – an under-explored...
k-ε Computations of Flow and Heat Transfer in Plane Oblique Impinging Jets

A k-e model of turbulence was applied to obtain the solution of flow and heat transfer in an incompressible, plane, turbulent jet impinging obliquely on a flat surface. The numerical computation was for the case of a = 70°, H/D = 30 ~ 50, Re = 25000 ~ 120000, and constant wall temperature boundary condition. The results of computation including the stagnation-point shift, friction coefficient, and Nusselt Number are in good agreement with available data. Algebraic equations that relate the friction coefficient and Nusselt Number with Reynolds Number and H/D were obtained.
Convolutions of Vector Fields-III: Amenability and Spectral Properties

Although this is a continuation of the previous two parts, it may be studied independently of my earlier work (1980, 2001) and the necessary results will be briefly restated. An extended early section motivates the problems from a finite state space to the general case via a discussion of random walks, or equivalently convolution operators and their structural analysis. This naturally leads to a study of the latter operators on certain function spaces and function algebras. It also shows a need to consider the (algebraic) structure of the state space of random walks, namely an analysis of the underlying locally compact groups and the dependence on the spectral analysis of the associated convolution operators on function spaces built on them. In the nonabelian group case (of the state space of the walks) the analysis is intimately related to amenability of the group, which is the range or state space of the random walk.
21-CM Observations of 3 C 286

Les observations VLB de la raie 21 cm en absorption decalee vers le rouge dans le QSO 3C 286 montre que le gaz s’etend, dans une zone ≥ 0.01” avec une variation de vitesse de 3kms -1 . Ces observations rejettent l’hypothese d’une enveloppe de gaz poussee par les photons emis, mais ne sont pas inconsistantes avec une absorption par une galaxie sur la ligne de visee.
Random Isogeometric Analysis for Modeling Seepage in Unsaturated Soils

AbstractThis study proposes a new probabilistic framework, random isogeometric analysis (RIGA), combining isogeometric analysis (IGA) and random fields to numerically simulate seepage in unsaturate...
CHIMERIC TOXINS CONTAINING FRAGMENT A FROM DIPHTHERIA TOXIN

Fragment A from diphtheria toxin (DTA) was coupled through a disulfied bridge to lectins (coneanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin), heterologous toxin B moieties (ricin toxin B chain and the B protomer of cholera toxin), and antibody directed against cell surface antigens. With the exception of the DTA-riein B conjugate, all conjugates were toxic, with ID 50 (24) in the range of 0.3 nM to 4 nM. Properties and potential uses of each of these conjugates are described. In particular, a toxic conjugate between surface antigens may prove useful in therapy of certain types of cancer.
Mobilizing the "State Papers" of Empire: John Bruce, Early Modernity, and the Bureaucratic Archives of Britain.

This article examines John Bruce's vision of the bureaucratic archives of the British state and empire at the end of the eighteenth century. As Historiographer to the East India Company and Keeper of State Papers in the 1790s and early 1800s, Bruce used the archives of corporate and state government as sources of bureaucratic knowledge to justify and plan imperial and domestic policy. In this way, Bruce deployed a strategy of governance by the authority of "state papers," rooted in early modern political practice, across imperial and domestic government. The demise of Bruce's influence signaled the waning of this role of the archive as a technology of governance in Britain during the nineteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Management of an Immature Necrotic Permanent Molar with Apical Periodontitis Treated by Regenerative Endodontic Protocol Using Calcium Hydroxide and MM-MTA: A Case Report with Two Years Follow Up.

Traditionally, immature teeth diagnosed with necrotic pulp and periapical periodontitis were treated by apexification with long-term calcium hydroxide or in one session with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) or Biodentine apical plug. However, these teeth become fragile and susceptible to root fracture. Regenerative endodontic procedure is a new therapeutic approach that promotes continuation of root growth in immature necrotic teeth potentially preventing root fracture. Only few case reports have shown the success of this procedure on molar cases. The current case report demonstrates a regeneration of a lower first molar with necrotic pulp and chronic apical abscess treated with Micro Mega-MTA (MM-MTA), a new endodontic biomaterial that has not been described previously. Calcium hydroxide was used as an intracanal medicament for two weeks. Next, calcium hydroxide was removed and after blood clot creation, MM-MTA® was placed over it. Apical healing and continuation of root growth were evident at nine months follow-up. CBCT at two years follow-up confirmed apical closure and complete healing. This case shows that a regenerative endodontic procedure for management of an immature necrotic permanent molar is feasible and can be successfully done using Ca(OH)2 and MM-MTA.
Diagnosis and Management of Borderline Hip Dysplasia and Acetabular Retroversion

Borderline hip dysplasia and acetabular retroversion are common radiographic findings in young individuals with and without hip pain. Orthopaedic surgeons should be knowledgeable about the radiographic findings, diagnosis, and appropriate nonsurgical and surgical treatment of these conditions. Borderline hip dysplasia is generally defined by a lateral center edge angle of Wiberg from 20 to 25° (some define as 18–25°) and is a cause of joint microinstability. The degree of soft tissue laxity can have significant implications for joint stability in patients with borderline hip dysplasia. The most common presenting symptoms are groin pain and lateral hip pain. Acetabular retroversion is defined by radiographic findings of crossover sign, ischial spine sign, and posterior wall sign. Individuals with symptomatic retroversion have a clinical presentation consistent with impingement, groin pain with flexion activities, and less commonly lateral hip pain. Physical therapy has been shown to improve symptoms in a subset of individuals with these conditions. There are multiple recent publications about arthroscopic treatment of patients with borderline hip dysplasia. These reports generally find that good short-term outcomes can be expected when using arthroscopic techniques that include labral preservation/repair and capsular plication. There are limited reports of periacetabular osteotomy as a treatment for borderline hip dysplasia. Publications focusing specifically on surgical treatment of acetabular retroversion are also infrequent. Periacetabular osteotomy has been shown to have superior long-term clinical outcomes to surgical hip dislocation with anterior rim trimming in patients with all three radiographic findings of retroversion. Arthroscopic treatment has been shown to have good short-term outcomes. Future work in the areas of borderline hip dysplasia and acetabular retroversion should focus on reporting long-term clinical follow-up of these surgical treatments and using computation techniques as a tool to determine appropriate surgical and nonsurgical treatment for each individual patient.
Palmar/plantar approach for radiographic-guided injection of the equine distal interphalangeal joint collateral ligament insertion

There are limited radiographic-guided injection techniques of the insertion of the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) collateral ligaments. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a palmar/plantar radiographic-guided injection of the collateral ligament insertion in cadavers. Fifty limbs were used to develop the technique and 24 additional limbs were used to evaluate accuracy. An 18 G, 9 cm spinal needle was placed in the depression between the palmar digital neurovascular bundle and arch of the ungular cartilage with dorsodistal advancement towards the distal phalanx collateral fossa. Radiographs verified ideal needle location on the proximal border of the distal phalanx at the collateral fossa. Dye was injected. Hoof walls were partially removed and collateral ligaments were dissected with needles in place to determine needle and dye location. Accuracy of needle placement into the insertion of the DIPJ collateral ligament was 41/48 (85 per cent), with lower accuracy of dye within the ligament (34/48; 71 per cent). Dye entered the DIPJ in 2/48 injections, but dye entered periligamentous structures in 22/48 (46 per cent) injections. A palmar/plantar radiographic-guided injection of the insertion of the DIPJ collateral ligament had high accuracy rate with low injection rate of the DIPJ in cadavers.
Re-Engineering RNA Molecules into Therapeutic Agents.

ConspectusEfforts to chemically modify nucleic acids got underway merely a decade after the discovery of the DNA double helix and initially targeted nucleosides and nucleotides. The origins of three analogues that remain staples of modification strategies and figure prominently in FDA-approved nucleic acid therapeutics can be traced to the 1960s: 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-RNA (2′-F RNA), 2′-O-methyl-RNA (2′-OMe RNA), and the phosphorothioates (PS-DNA/RNA). Progress in nucleoside phosphoramidite-based solid phase oligonucleotide synthesis has gone hand in hand with the creation of second-generation (e.g., 2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)-RNA, MOE-RNA) and third-generation (e.g., bicyclic nucleic acids, BNAs) analogues, giving rise to an expanding universe of modified nucleic acids. Thus, beyond site-specifically altered DNAs and RNAs with a modified base, sugar, and/or phosphate backbone moieties, nucleic acid chemists have created a host of conjugated oligonucleotides and artificial genetic polymers (XNAs). The search for ...
A Synthesized Algorithm for Interactive Consistency

We revisit the interactive consistency problem introduced by Pease, Shostak and Lamport. We first show that their algorithm does not achieve interactive consistency if faults are transient, even if faults are non-malicious. We then present an algorithm that achieves interactive consistency in the presence of non-malicious, asymmetric and transient faults, but only under an additional guaranteed delayed ack assumption. We discovered our algorithm using an automated synthesis technique that is based on bounded model checking and QBF solving. Our synthesis technique is general and simple, and it is a promising approach for synthesizing distributed algorithms.
Trauma Informed: The Intersection of Fear, Trauma, Aggression, and a Path to Healing

This chapter outlines the neurobiology of fear and connects “fear that never turns off” to trauma (fear acquisition through fear conditioning). The impact of untreated and unrecognized trauma impacts on brain and behavior is thoughtfully explored. Trauma-informed practices like mindfulness can help the brain heal from trauma. Studies on the benefits of mindfulness are emphasized.
Changes in growing season in the Northeastern United States

Changes in growing season length (GSL) are of concern for agricultural, phenological, economic, epidemiological, and bioclimatological reasons. This research identifies spatial and temporal changes...
Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of the Esophagus

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is widely used in the esophagus for the management of precancerous and early superficial cancers. This is routinely performed in the management of patients with Barrett’s-related dysplasia and early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and in patients with squamous cell dysplasia and early cancer. EMR is recommended for all visible and nodular lesions, allowing for an accurate diagnosis of the grade of dysplasia. This resection method has been widely shown to be a safe and effective resection method, and various EMR techniques exist for the resection within the esophagus. The development of quality metrics for EMR will be crucial in the changing healthcare landscape, and standardized training programs will be necessary for its safe and effective use.
Tick Size Pilot Program and the Information Structure of US Stock Markets

We evaluate the information structure of US markets after the implementation of the SEC tick pilot program. We find significant changes in the information structure of the market conditioned on the market fee structure. Maker-taker market volume flow increases in informational efficiency while inverted and dark markets remain unchanged for the first two pilot groups. In the third pilot group, inverted volume flow drops in informational efficiency while dark markets increase. Maker-taker volume efficiency remains constant for group 3 firms. Our analysis based on intermarket sweep orders and non-sweep orders on these markets indicates that ISO’s are the primary driver of changes in the information structure of markets. Our results indicate the implementation of the trade-at rule may harm price discovery.
Ras acts as a molecular switch between two forms of consolidated memory in Drosophila

Long-lasting, consolidated memories require not only positive biological processes that facilitate long-term memories (LTM) but also the suppression of inhibitory processes that prevent them. The mushroom body neurons (MBn) in Drosophila melanogaster store protein synthesis-dependent LTM (PSD-LTM) as well as protein synthesis-independent, anesthesia-resistant memory (ARM). The formation of ARM inhibits PSD-LTM but the underlying molecular processes that mediate this interaction remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the Ras→Raf→rho kinase (ROCK) pathway in MBn suppresses ARM consolidation, allowing the formation of PSD-LTM. Our initial results revealed that the effects of Ras on memory are due to postacquisition processes. Ras knockdown enhanced memory expression but had no effect on acquisition. Additionally, increasing Ras activity optogenetically after, but not before, acquisition impaired memory performance. The elevated memory produced by Ras knockdown is a result of increased ARM. While Ras knockdown enhanced the consolidation of ARM, it eliminated PSD-LTM. We found that these effects are mediated by the downstream kinase Raf. Similar to Ras, knockdown of Raf enhanced ARM consolidation and impaired PSD-LTM. Surprisingly, knockdown of the canonical downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinase did not reproduce the phenotypes observed with Ras and Raf knockdown. Rather, Ras/Raf inhibition of ROCK was found to be responsible for suppressing ARM. Constitutively active ROCK enhanced ARM and impaired PSD-LTM, while decreasing ROCK activity rescued the enhanced ARM produced by Ras knockdown. We conclude that MBn Ras/Raf inhibition of ROCK suppresses the consolidation of ARM, which permits the formation of PSD-LTM.
What's happened in MOOC Posts Analysis, Knowledge Tracing and Peer Feedbacks? A Review.

Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Educational Data Mining (EDM) are two important parts of online educational environment with the former being a centralised web-based information systems where the learning content is managed and learning activities are organised (Stone and Zheng,2014) and latter focusing on using data mining techniques for the analysis of data so generated. As part of this work, we present a literature review of three major tasks of EDM (See section 2), by identifying shortcomings and existing open problems, and a Blumenfield chart (See section 3). The consolidated set of papers and resources so used are released in this https URL. The coverage statistics and review matrix of the survey are as shown in Figure 1 & Table 1 respectively. Acronym expansions are added in the Appendix Section 4.1.
Modulation of hippocampal brain networks produces changes in episodic simulation and divergent thinking

Prior functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies indicate that a core network of brain regions, including the hippocampus, is jointly recruited during episodic memory, episodic simulation, and divergent creative thinking. Because fMRI data are correlational, it is unknown whether activity increases in the hippocampus, and the core network more broadly, play a causal role in episodic simulation and divergent thinking. Here we employed fMRI-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to assess whether temporary disruption of hippocampal brain networks impairs both episodic simulation and divergent thinking. For each of two TMS sessions, continuous θ-burst stimulation (cTBS) was applied to either a control site (vertex) or to a left angular gyrus target region. The target region was identified on the basis of a participant-specific resting-state functional connectivity analysis with a hippocampal seed region previously associated with memory, simulation, and divergent thinking. Following cTBS, participants underwent fMRI and performed a simulation, divergent thinking, and nonepisodic control task. cTBS to the target region reduced the number of episodic details produced for the simulation task and reduced idea production on divergent thinking. Performance in the control task did not statistically differ as a function of cTBS site. fMRI analyses revealed a selective and simultaneous reduction in hippocampal activity during episodic simulation and divergent thinking following cTBS to the angular gyrus versus vertex but not during the nonepisodic control task. Our findings provide evidence that hippocampal-targeted TMS can specifically modulate episodic simulation and divergent thinking, and suggest that the hippocampus is critical for these cognitive functions.
Efficacy of daratumumab + SOC versus SOC in myeloma induction regimens, by risk-stratification: Meta-analysis of phase III randomized control trials.

e20512Background: Addition of daratumumab, a CD38 monoclonal antibody, to standard of care (SOC) myeloma induction regimens resulted in deeper responses. Phase 3 trials comparing daratumumab + SOC ...
Parking Solution for WKU: Car Counting with OpenCV

Parking pains cost US drivers $95.7 billion annually due to the costs of search times, overpayment, and parking fines. These issues extend to college campuses, where parking can be especially troublesome. Western Kentucky University (WKU) is no exception. New dorms opened in 2018, further worsening the parking situation. Though smart parking solutions are becoming more common, the smart parking market is dominated by companies that use expensive sensors and proprietary software. The objective of this research project was to investigate computer vision as an alternative smart parking solution for WKU. Computer vision is underutilized in the smart parking industry, but it can be a more cost-effective and versatile method for capturing data. For this study, a car counting system was deployed at Cherry Lot on the WKU campus to monitor the lot occupancy count (number of cars/other vehicles in the parking lot). Data was successfully collected from 9:00am to 4:00pm for seven days. This research is a contribution to open source, and it serves as a foundation for collecting and mining transportation data at WKU to improve campus life.
Advanced Signal Processing for Decision Making and Decision-Fusion Software Systems for Aircraft Structural Health Monitoring

Tracking the structure health status of the aircraft fleet is one of the important factors for improving safety in the aviation industry. US Airforce Research Lab is working hard to develop technology to monitor the structural health status of aircraft before and after takeoff. This technology is called Structural Health Monitoring or Structural Health Management (SHM), and uses advanced signal processing techniques. The advantages of this include improving the technology and safety factors of the aircraft by increasing the robustness of the aircraft structure as well as reduce the cost of the labor maintenance. This research paper focuses on developing a software system that is capable of detecting a crack in the aircraft structure at an early stage. Also, the developed software will be used to estimate the crack lengths within 90% accuracy. The developed software uses the Matlab environment for all algorithms developed: calculating and finding the crack, and estimating the crack length. Artificial Intelligent (AI) techniques such as fuzzy logic and neural networks are used to support the decision regarding the length of the crack. Also, developed decision fusion frameworks are designed to increase the accurate percentage rate of the decision making results. The results obtained from this research are compared with the baseline developed by The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Finally, the results of this research along with the capabilities of using advanced signal processing integrated with AI, show that the calculations for the crack and the crack length produce very acceptable results using a real data gathered by AFRL. Also, the percentage average error performance analysis of the developed software's system algorithms is provided in the research paper.
The Monitoring and Advisory Functions of Corporate Boards: Theory and Evidence

I develop and test a model of the two primary functions of the board of directors of a public corporation: monitoring and advising management. The model shows that higher advising intensity is associated with lower monitoring quality and higher agency costs. To test the model, I use the number of independent directors who are at the same time executive board members of other corporations as an empirical proxy for the board’s advising intensity. I test and find evidence for the validity of this empirical proxy, by contrasting the corporate policies independent executives (IEs) choose for their own firms with those they advocate as outside directors. Consistent with the predictions of the model, I find that IEs are associated with proxies for higher agency costs. I also find that IEs are positively, significantly, and causally associated with firm performance. Finally, I argue that the significant relation between IEs and firm performance is due to the scarcity of IEs, and use the passage of Sarbanes-Oxley Act as a natural experiment to demonstrate the validity of this argument.
A better approach to managing COVID-19 and its effects.

In the COVID-19 pandemic, treatment of the virus, prevention of its spread, and dealing with its secondary effects on the economy and society have been left to the states and local governments, businesses and other public and private institutions, with the federal government furnishing only feeble support to the primary responders. I argue that COVID-19 is a national disaster, and as such, the federal government should have mounted a massive response under the auspices of the National Response Framework and the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. During my 30-year career administering federal disaster assistance, I worked throughout the United States and its territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean. I participated in many imaginative uses of the federal disaster authorities and programs to address serious and unique problems faced by people and their local, state, or territorial governments. During my disaster relief career, the nation never faced a disaster impacting every geographic area and segment of society as COVID-19 has. While the 9/11 attacks shocked the nation, the destruction was restricted to small areas of two cities, and the nation-wide cessation of air travel and other business and social disruptions were short-lived. More than ever before, the extent and severity of the disastrous effects of COVID-19 called for maximal engagement of the National Response Framework to mobilize the combined resources of the country to overcome multiple problems of astounding complexity.
InGaN/GaN Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes on Silicon with Coalesced GaN Nanowire Buffer Layer

We demonstrate InGaN/GaN quantum dot light-emitting diodes on silicon substrates with a planar buffer layer formed by coalescing GaN nanowires. The GaN buffer layer and the light-emitting diode het...
Glycocalyx crowding with synthetic mucin mimetics strengthens interactions between soluble and virus-associated lectins and cell surface glycan receptors

Abstract Membrane-associated mucins protect epithelial cell surfaces against pathogenic threats by serving as non-productive decoys that capture infectious agents and clear them from the cell surface and by erecting a physical barrier that restricts their access to target receptors on host cells. However, the mechanisms through which mucins function are still poorly defined due to a limited repertoire of tools available for tailoring their structure and composition in living cells with molecular precision. Using synthetic glycopolymer mimetics of mucins, we modeled the mucosal glycocalyx on red blood cells (RBC) and evaluated its influence on lectin (SNA) and virus (H1N1) adhesion to endogenous sialic acid receptors. The glycocalyx inhibited the rate of SNA and H1N1 adhesion in a size- and density-dependent manner, consistent with current view of the mucins as providing a protective shield against pathogens. Counterintuitively, increasing density of the mucin mimetics enhanced the retention of bound lectins and viruses. Careful characterization of SNA behavior at the RBC surface using a range of biophysical and imaging techniques revealed lectin-induced crowding and reorganization of the glycocalyx with concomitant enhancement in lectin clustering, presumably through the formation of a more extensive glycan receptor patch at the cell surface. Our findings indicate that glycan-targeting pathogens may exploit the biophysical and biomechanical properties of mucins to overcome the mucosal glycocalyx barrier. Significance Like other animal hosts, humans are constantly challenged by pathogens. This has led to an evolution of physical barriers coating all mucosal tissues, which are most vulnerable to infection. An important part of this defense is a dense brush of large proteins, called mucins, which are heavily decorated with sugars and keep pathogens at bay. Deciphering how pathogens overcome the mucin barrier is necessary to understand early stages of infection and to develop more effective treatments. By artificially installing the mucin-like shield on the surfaces of cells using synthetic sugar-bearing polymers, we have discovered a new physical mechanism by which proteins and viruses can exploit this barrier to more strongly adhere to their targets.
Building a statewide consortium to advance interprofessional practice and education: Lessons from the lone star state

Abstract Founded in 2015, the Texas Interprofessional Education (IPE) Consortium has made significant headway in a relatively short time toward reaching the vision of becoming a state and national model of inter-institutional collaboration around interprofessional education and practice to innovate healthcare education, enhance the patient experience, and improve individual and population health outcomes. The Texas IPE Consortium is a community of practice (CoP) committed to longitudinal and sustainable programming dedicated to curricular development around IPE to improve statewide outcomes for students, faculty, and preceptors. The Texas IPE Consortium exemplifies how collaborative leadership can leverage shared knowledge, best practices, and experiences toward ensuring that learners consistently receive high-quality interprofessional training. Greater alignment and consensus of health professions educational priorities and experiences across a state or region could amplify the power of IPE. By intentionally working together across institutions and community practice agencies, new levels of collaborative performance can be achieved.