cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IMMUNOPATHOLOGY OF ORAL MUCOSAL ULCERATIVE, DESQUAMATIVE, AND BULLOUS DISEASES. SELECTIVE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Cell/cell and cell/matrix adhesion proteins are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the mucosal lining of the oral cavity. Disease processes that destroy keratinocytes or adversely affect their adhesion to one another or to the subjacent basement membrane will result in erosions, ulcerations, and desquamations. Immunologic processes that have a deleterious effect on the integrity of the epithelial/basement membrane/submucosa complex are reviewed, and current research findings with respect to pathogenesis are discussed. In particular, T-cell-mediated hypersensitivity is involved in recurrent aphthous stomatitis and lichen planus; humoral-mediated immunity to cadherin intercellular adhesion molecules is important in the process of acantholysis in pemphigus vulgaris, and genetic defects and antibody-mediated processes give rise to junctional separation in epidermolysis bullosa and mucous membrane pemphigoid, respectively. An immune complex mechanism appears to underlie the pathogenesis of erythema multiforme.
Dynamics of Planned Organizational Change: Assessing Empirical Support For A Theoretical Model

This study employed meta-analytic procedures to evaluate the potential validity of a model of planned organizational change. Hypotheses derived from this model focus on the relationships among plan...
Optimal auctions with positive network externalities

We consider the problem of designing auctions in social networks for goods that exhibit single-parameter submodular network externalities in which a bidder’s value for an outcome is a fixed private type times a known submodular function of the allocation of his friends. Externalities pose many issues that are hard to address with traditional techniques; our work shows how to resolve these issues in a specific setting of particular interest. We operate in a Bayesian environment and so assume private values are drawn according to known distributions. We prove that the optimal auction is NP-hard to approximate pointwise, and APX-hard on average. Thus we instead design auctions whose revenue approximates that of the optimal auction. Our main result considers step-function externalities in which a bidder’s value for an outcome is either zero, or equal to his private type if at least one friend has the good. For these settings, we provide a e/e + 1-approximation. We also give a 0.25-approximation auction for general single-parameter submodular network externalities, and discuss optimizing over a class of simple pricing strategies.
Self-assembly of semiconducting oxide nanowires, nanorods, and nanoribbons

We have synthesized three-dimensional self-assembled ZnO-based nanoscale heterostructures through the addition of alloying elements (In or Sn) during the vapor phase transport and condensation deposition process. Each threedimensional nanoscale heterostructure consists of a faceted nanowire core, with side branches (nanoribbons or nanorods) emanating from facets of the central nanowire core. The central nanowire core can be either ZnO, ðZnOÞ 11 In2O3 ,o r In 2O3, depending on incoming flux composition ratio. The physical mechanism of branching stems from segregation of alloying elements to facets during the growth of the nanowire core, thus creating nucleation sites for side branches. 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Teacher-Student Interaction Patterns In Bilingual and Mainstream Classrooms

Abstract Interactional styles refer to the preferred manner in which knowledge is learned and shared. Cultural differences can cause “discontinuities” among children from minority cultures who experience educational setbacks when the interactional patterns they bring from home differ from or conflict with those necessary to succeed in school. Knowing and capitalizing on the students’ preferred interactional styles can improve instruction for these students. The study was undertaken to describe and characterize the interactional patterns of newly-arrived Filipino students in the 8th grade in order to identify strategies which could be used to develop culturally-compatible teaching techniques for Ilokano-speaking Filipino students. Data used came from six videotapes bilingual and English-only lessons in social studies, observation notes and interviews with the participating teachers and students. Examination of the data showed that there are discernible patterns of teacher-student interaction in the bilingu...
Approximate entropy: a regularity statistic for assessment of intracranial pressure.

Introduction Waveform analysis of ICP and mABP provideqs important information about cerebrovascular reactivity and intracranial compliance. Traditionally spectral analysis and correlation statistics have been used despite certain limitations. Approximate entropy (ApEn) is an established measure of system regularity; which can change with pathology. This study defines a novel method for application of ApEn to the ICP/mABP waveform, and reports changing ApEn with pathophysiology in the rodent brain.
Surface plasmon enhanced infrared absorption in P3HT-based organic solar cells: the effect of infrared sensitizer (Presentation Recording)

We have theoretically and experimentally investigated the effects of Ag-grating electrode on the performance of polymer:fullerene based bulk heterojunction organic solar cells. First, an integrated numerical model has been developed, which is capable of describing both the optical and the electrical properties simultaneously. The Ag-grating patterned back electrode was then designed to enhance the absorption in sub-bandgap region of P3HT:PCBM binary devices. Laser interference lithography and metal lift-off technique were adopted to realize highly-uniform and large-area nanograting patterns. We measured almost 5 times enhancement of the external quantum efficiency at the surface plasmon resonance wavelength. However, the overall improvement in power conversion efficiency was not significant due to the low intrinsic absorption of active layer in this sub-bandgap region. We, then, investigated about the effect of surface plasmon on the ternary device of P3HT:Si-PCPDTBT:ICBA. It was demonstrated that the infrared absorption by the Si-PCPDTBT sensitizer can be substantially enhanced by matching the surface plasmon resonance to the sensitizer absorption band. Besides, we also observed an additional enhancement in the visible range which is due to the scattering effect of the gratings. An overall short-circuit current enhancement of up to 40% was predicted numerically. We have then fabricated the device by the lamination technique and observed a 30% increase in the short circuit current. Plasmon enhancement of sensitized organic solar cell presents a promising pathway to high-efficiency, broadband-absorbing polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction organic solar cells.
A Model-based Approach to Verification of Spacecraft Software using the SPIN Model Checker

Contemporary approaches to verification of embedded real-time systems, such as those fielded for deep-space science missions, are limited in their effectiveness. These approaches are typically characterized by an ad-hoc approach to test coverage and a strong reliance on system testbeds to demonstrate compliance with narrow, ill-defined success criteria. As a result of this lack of rigor, completeness of test efforts is determined not by an explicit demonstration of compliance with requirements but by informal metrics driven by schedule limitations. Furthermore, a ‘successful’ test in such a program constitutes only an existence proof of proper system behavior: it demonstrates a successful execution, but provides no assurances about the myriad possible execution traces. To address this limitation, we approach system verification by applying the technique of logic model checking, which allows formal statement of desired system properties, and provides an automatic verification tool that checks whether all system behaviors satisfy the desired properties. Model checking, however, presents its own unique challenges: (a) the system of interest must be modeled in a formalism usable by the checker, (b) the environment of interest must be modeled in a similar way, (c) properties to be verified must be formalized and expressed in the logic accepted by the checker, and (d) appropriate abstractions must be introduced to combat exponential growth of the search space as model size increases. A further complication that accompanies (a) is that as the original design changes, the model must be modified appropriately so that it faithfully represents the system. These challenges are not new; however, in the context of spacecraft system verification, there seem to be few documented instances of application of model checking to system verification. We report on experience with applying model checking to the verification of a complex fault protection scheme used on a recent robotic deep-space mission. Our approach is based on a clear division of labor between the systems engineers familiar with system design and high level properties and verification experts familiar with the modeling and verification tools being used. We describe how our approach enabled systems engineers to focus on the development of declarative, requirements-derived models while leaving the task of generating the executable specification models to the verification experts.
Forcing vine regrowth and shifting fruit ripening in a warm region to enhance fruit quality in ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.)

SummaryIn warmer regions, winegrapes ripen their fruit during the hottest portion of the growing season, producing wines of high pH, low acidity, less intense colour, and a less complex flavour. Experiments were conducted in a commercial vineyard of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ at Fresno, CA, USA in 2009, and in 2010, to determine if vines could be forced to enhance fruit quality. Forcing was conducted by hedging growing shoots to six nodes and removing summer laterals, leaves, and primary clusters between 14 – 70 d after anthesis in late-May, June, and July. Vines grown under conventional practices were used as controls. Forcing in June shifted fruit ripening from the hot (July and August) to the cool (October through early-November) portion of the growing season, a period with more hours at lower, more favourable temperatures. Fruit from the forced crop had smaller berries, a lower pH, higher acidity, and higher contents of anthocyanins, tannins, and total phenolics, compared with non-forced fruit. The yield an...
Hub-and-Spoke Conspiracies

In antitrust law, a hub-and-spoke conspiracy is a cartel in which a firm (the “hub”) organizes collusion (the “rim of the wheel” or the “rim”) among upstream or downstream firms (the “spokes”) through vertical restraints. Such a conspiracy may be illegal per se under antitrust law where the horizontal agreement among the spokes (the rim) is per se unlawful.Hub-and-spoke cartels have drawn considerable attention since the 1930s, long before the conspiracy gained its name. Their architecture reduces the need for coordination among the spokes by centralizing at least some of the cartel functions at the hub. As a result, evidence of agreement among the spokes is often found in vertical coordination between the hub and the spokes, not in horizontal coordination. Yet the question of how to use vertical relationships to infer horizontal conspiracy has proved confusing and deserves clarification. This article, explains the analysis of hub-and-spoke cartels under antitrust law, clarifies the meaning of the “rim requirement” (proof of an agreement among the spokes), and advocates that courts clearly state why and how they use vertical coordination to infer a horizontal conspiracy.
332 POROKERATOTIC ECCRINE OSTIAL AND DERMAL DUCT NEVUS SYNDROME: FURTHER CLINICAL DELINEATION OF A RARE, CONGENITAL DERMATOLOGIC CONDITION WITH SIMILAR PRESENTATION TO GOLTZ SYNDROME

Congenital atrophic plaques are an uncommon finding, observed in an asymmetric pattern with linear distribution in Goltz syndrome (focal dermal hypoplasia). We report on a patient proposed to have Goltz syndrome whose skin biopsy suggested a more appropriate diagnosis of porokeratotic eccrine ostial and dermal duct nevus syndrome (PEODDN). Our proband was a 5 month old female with congenital atrophic plaques distributed over her neck, cheek, chest, legs and perianal area in a linear fashion. She was nondysmorphic and had normal development. The diagnosis of Goltz syndrome was suggested. Subsequent evaluations for ocular defects and renal anomalies were normal, as was a routine blood karyotype. She continued to have eruptions of new lesions, leading to a skin biopsy. Histology demonstrated deep epidermal invaginations filled with a parakeratotic columns, the hallmark histologic features of PEODDN. PEODDN is a rare dermatologic condition with punctuate pits and keratotic erythematous papules on the palms and soles. More widespread truncal involvement, as was present in our patient, has been reported. There are no congenital anomalies associated with the skin lesions, in contrast to Goltz syndrome, which can have involvement of the eyes, kidneys, and extremities. PEODDN is sporadic, which also distinguishes it from Goltz syndrome, an X-linked dominant condition. Although clinical features and dermatologic findings are similar in Goltz syndrome and PEODDN, differences in systemic involvement and inheritance patterns are distinct. We suggest that the diagnosis of PEODDN be considered in all patients in whom a diagnosis of Goltz syndrome is entertained.
Report of the ALCTS CMS Collection Evaluation and Assessment Interest Group Meeting. American Library Association Midwinter Meeting, Boston, January 2016

The ALCTS CMS Collection Evaluation and Assessment Interest Group's meeting included three presentations about data visualization, demand driven acquisitions, and analyzing circulation statistics.I...
Whatever Happened to Psychiatry? The Deprofessionalization of Community Mental Health Centers

The authors describe the dichotomy in the concept of community mental health centers. One view regards the community mental health center as a service provider for underserved populations, and another holds that it is an agent of social change. Deprofessionalization of community mental health centers has resulted from this lack of clear purpose, curtailment of funds, and conflicts over authority, service delivery, and control of the centers. Deprofessionalization has led to a decline in the number of psychiatrists in community mental health centers and a potentially negative impact on the quality of patient care.
On the Marginal Standard Error Rule and the Testing of Initial Transient Deletion Methods

In the planning of steady-state simulations, a central issue is the initial transient problem, in which an initial segment of the simulation output is adversely contaminated by initialization bias. Our article makes several contributions toward the analysis of this computational challenge. To begin, we introduce useful ways for measuring the magnitude of the initial transient effect in the single replication setting. We then analyze the marginal standard error rule (MSER) and prove that MSER’s deletion point is determined, as the simulation time horizon tends to infinity, by the minimizer of a certain random walk. We use this insight, together with fluid limit intuition associated with queueing models, to generate two nonpathological examples in which at least one variant of MSER fails to accurately predict the duration of the initial transient. Our results suggest that the efficacy of a deletion procedure is sensitive to the choice of performance measure, and that the set of standard test problems on which initial transient procedures are tested should be significantly broadened.
Particle Deposition onto Enclosure Surfaces

Publisher Summary The purpose of this chapter is to provide a state-of-the-art literature review concerning particle deposition onto surfaces within an enclosed volume. The knowledge gleaned from the available scientific publications presented here can be applied to an enclosure scale as small as a spacecraft payload cavity, or as large as a cleanroom in a manufacturing/processing facility. The surfaces of interest for particles to deposit on could be walls, the floor, the ceiling, or any contamination-sensitive surfaces within an enclosed volume relevant to various engineering applications. The chapter begins with the characterization of airflow adjacent to a surface and how it relates to the core region of an enclosure. Particle deposition flux, a parameter used to evaluate the rate of deposition onto surfaces, is briefly introduced as the concept is mentioned throughout the chapter. Next, the fundamental physical processes governing the transport of particles are discussed, and the definitions of the parameters commonly reported in the literature for characterizing deposition are introduced, along with the available experimental techniques for their measurement. The dependence of particle deposition rate on particle size, airflow, and surface characteristics is examined from the existing published experimental investigations relevant to enclosures. Lastly, modeling developments for predicting the rate of particle deposition and associated experimental validations are presented.
IκBζ Regulates Human Monocyte Pro-Inflammatory Responses Induced by Streptococcus pneumoniae

Pneumococcal lung infections represent a major cause of death worldwide. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NFKBIZ gene, encoding the transcription factor IκBζ, are associated with increased susceptibility to invasive pneumococcal disease. We hence analyzed how IκBζ might regulate inflammatory responses to pneumococcal infection. We first demonstrate that IκBζ is expressed in human blood monocytes but not in bronchial epithelial cells, in response to wild type pneumococcal strain D39. D39 transiently induced IκBζ in a dose dependent manner, with subsequent induction of downstream molecules involved in host defense. Of these molecules, IκBζ knockdown reduced the expression of IL-6 and GMCSF. Furthermore, IκBζ overexpression increased the activity of IL-6 and GMCSF promoters, supporting the knockdown findings. Pneumococci lacking either pneumolysin or capsule still induced IκBζ. While inhibition of TLR1/TLR2 blocked D39 induced IκBζ expression, TLR4 inhibition did not. Blockade of p38 MAP kinase and NFκB suppressed D39 induced IκBζ. Overall, our data demonstrates that IκBζ regulates monocyte inflammatory responses to Streptococcus pneumoniae by promoting the production of IL-6 and GMCSF.
Learning first-order logic embeddings via matrix factorization

Many complex reasoning tasks in Artificial Intelligence (including relation extraction, knowledge base completion, and information integration) can be formulated as inference problems using a probabilistic first-order logic. However, due to the discrete nature of logical facts and predicates, it is challenging to generalize symbolic representations and represent first-order logic formulas in probabilistic relational models. In this work, we take a rather radical approach: we aim at learning continuous low-dimensional embeddings for first-order logic from scratch. In particular, we first consider a structural gradient based structure learning approach to generate plausible inference formulas from facts; then, we build grounded proof graphs using background facts, training examples, and these inference formulas. To learn embeddings for formulas, we map the training examples into the rows of a binary matrix, and inference formulas into the columns. Using a scalable matrix factorization approach, we then learn the latent continuous representations of examples and logical formulas via a low-rank approximation method. In experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness of reasoning with first-order logic embeddings by comparing with several state-of-the-art baselines on two datasets in the task of knowledge base completion.
Tone and accent in Oklahoma Cherokee

This has been a landmark pair of years for Cherokee linguistics, with the appearance of the first published full-length reference grammar (Montgomery-Anderson, 2015, for which see my review in WORD...
Toward Low-Cost, High-Energy Density, and High-Power Density Lithium-Ion Batteries

Reducing cost and increasing energy density are two barriers for widespread application of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. Although the cost of electric vehicle batteries has been reduced by ~70% from 2008 to 2015, the current battery pack cost ($268/kWh in 2015) is still >2 times what the USABC targets ($125/kWh). Even though many advancements in cell chemistry have been realized since the lithium-ion battery was first commercialized in 1991, few major breakthroughs have occurred in the past decade. Therefore, future cost reduction will rely on cell manufacturing and broader market acceptance. This article discusses three major aspects for cost reduction: (1) quality control to minimize scrap rate in cell manufacturing; (2) novel electrode processing and engineering to reduce processing cost and increase energy density and throughputs; and (3) material development and optimization for lithium-ion batteries with high-energy density. Insights on increasing energy and power densities of lithium-ion batteries are also addressed.
The impact of international trade on emigration in developing countries

ABSTRACTThis paper studies how international trade affects emigration in developing countries. This is a new aspect as previous studies investigated the impact of immigration on trade from host countries perspective. However, there are also reasons to believe that trade may affect the propensity to emigrate in the home countries, leading to potential brain drain in developing countries, especially given the theoretical hypothesis in Stolper–Samuelson (S–S) theorem within Heckscher–Ohlin (H–O) factor-proportion model that more educated workers are more likely to emigrate due to an increase in international trade. When low-skill abundant developing countries liberalize trade, the reward of the scarce factor (skilled labor) is reduced in these countries, but it increases in the high-skill abundant developed countries. Therefore, skilled workers in the developing countries see a strong incentive to migrate to developed countries. To test this hypothesis, this paper utilizes a panel of 133 developing countries...
Manganese-Catalyzed Sequential Hydrogenation of CO2 to Methanol via Formamide

Mn(I)-PNP pincer catalyzed sequential one-pot homogeneous CO2 hydrogenation to CH3OH by molecular H2 is demonstrated. The hydrogenation consists of two parts—N-formylation of an amine utilizing CO2 and H2, and subsequent formamide reduction to CH3OH, regenerating the amine in the process. A reported air-stable and well-defined Mn-PNP pincer complex was found active for the catalysis of both steps. CH3OH yields up to 84% and 71% (w.r.t amine) were obtained, when benzylamine and morpholine were used as amines, respectively; and a TON of up to 36 was observed. In our opinion, this study represents an important development in the nascent field of base-metal-catalyzed homogeneous CO2 hydrogenation to CH3OH.
On possible infinite bifurcation trees of period-3 motions to chaos in a time-delayed, twin-well Duffing oscillator

In this paper, bifurcation trees of period-3 motions to chaos in a periodically forced, time-delayed, twin-well Duffing oscillator are investigated. Such period-3 motions and corresponding bifurcation trees may or may not be embedded in chaos in the bifurcation trees of period-1 motions to chaos. The bifurcation trees for period-3 motions to chaos in such a time-delayed, twin-well Duffing oscillator are obtained analytically. From the finite discrete Fourier series, harmonic frequency-amplitude characteristics for period-3 to period-6 motions are analyzed. From the analytical prediction, numerical illustrations of period-3 and period-6 motions in the time-delayed, twin-well Duffing oscillator are completed. The complexity of period-3 motions to chaos in nonlinear dynamical systems is strongly dependent on the distributions and quantity levels of harmonic amplitudes. For a very slowly varying excitation, the infinite bifurcation trees of period-3 motions to chaos can be achieved once the excitation amplitude approaches to infinity.
Electron mobility in β-Ga 2 O 3 : an ensemble Monte Carlo study

Numerical simulations are performed to evaluate electron mobility in β-Ga2O3. Following scattering mechanisms were found to be important: acoustic deformation potential, ionized impurity, and polar optical phonons. In β-Ga2O3, a large primitive unit cell (containing ten atoms) leads to multiple phonon modes, which complicate the mobility calculation. Here, by restructuring an in-house ensemble Monte Carlo simulator, we were able to include and examine the effects of all relevant longitudinal optical phonon modes. For low electrical fields at 300 K, we report an electron mobility of 110 cm2/V s. Also, in the range of 150‒500 K, our simulation results match very well with the reported Hall mobility measurement data.
The Histone Demethylase LSD1 Regulates B Cell Proliferation and Plasmablast Differentiation

B cells undergo epigenetic remodeling as they differentiate into Ab-secreting cells (ASC). LSD1 is a histone demethylase known to decommission active enhancers and cooperate with the ASC master regulatory transcription factor Blimp-1. The contribution of LSD1 to ASC formation is poorly understood. In this study, we show that LSD1 is necessary for proliferation and differentiation of mouse naive B cells (nB) into plasmablasts (PB). Following LPS inoculation, LSD1-deficient hosts exhibited a 2-fold reduction of splenic PB and serum IgM. LSD1-deficient PB exhibited derepression and superinduction of genes involved in immune system processes; a subset of these being direct Blimp-1 target-repressed genes. Cell cycle genes were globally downregulated without LSD1, which corresponded to a decrease in the proliferative capacity of LSD1-deficient activated B cells. PB lacking LSD1 displayed increased histone H3 lysine 4 monomethylation and chromatin accessibility at nB active enhancers and the binding sites of transcription factors Blimp-1, PU.1, and IRF4 that mapped to LSD1-repressed genes. Together, these data show that LSD1 is required for normal in vivo PB formation, distinguish LSD1 as a transcriptional rheostat and epigenetic modifier of B cell differentiation, and identify LSD1 as a factor responsible for decommissioning nB active enhancers.
Risk Perceptions for Trauma-Related Research: An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate Student Researchers in Psychology.

The purpose of this study was to examine student researchers’ perceptions of risks associated with trauma-related research. The participants were 92 students enrolled in an introductory Research Me...
Flourishing in Student Veterans With and Without Service-Connected Disability: Psychometric Validation of the Flourishing Scale and Exploration of Its Relationships With Personality and Disability:

Veterans are an increasing population in postsecondary education. Many student veterans have disabilities affecting their well-being and success in college. This study aims to add to current knowle...
Why We Need a Music Player in Every Patient Room

Music can influence clinicians' and patients' mental states and emotions via the capacity of rhythm and tone to entrain. Entrainment can facilitate relaxation and distraction from pain and has a role to play in experiences with and in health care. In this article, we discuss the benefits of music from the perspectives of a physician and a veteran.
When Rights Work: Fragile Networks, Improbable Discourses and Unpredictable Globalizations of Law - A Contemporary Thai Case Study

This is a case study of the legal practice of a young Thai “cause lawyer.” The study joins a growing number by other scholars who are skeptical of global convergence on a single form of the “rule of law,” and who argue instead that legal development in the new states of Asia and elsewhere will be path-dependent. Though this research examines advocacy by a relatively small group of practitioners, I argue that the study, together with my other case studies of social justice practitioners challenging the authority of government in different ways, provides a window on the development of law’s authority more generally. I examine the growth of social justice advocacy by Thai lawyers over several generations, parallel developments in political and administrative institutions, and the specific actions (and discourses) that the particular lawyer and her colleagues pursue in order to make rights effective. I focus on key political events, opportunities to develop collaborative networks and their limits, the influence, over time, of many globalizations of law, and the intergenerational social construction of the lawyer’s legal advocacy techniques. In this article, I suggest that mobilizing the bureaucratic authority of the state and the slow legalization of human rights has severely limited the lawyer’s ability to fulfill the aspirations of human rights for trafficking victims. Yet, I conclude that her efforts also must be viewed through a historically informed lens which places her contribution to anchoring law in moral authority above the ordinary politics of the state outside the classic American benchmarks for social engineering through law.
Temporal Associations between Sleep and Daytime Functioning in Parkinson's Disease: A Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment.

Disruptions to mood, cognition, and other daytime functioning are common and debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), and there is evidence that sleep problems contribute to these symptom...
New York Flow Control with Deterministic En Route Capacity Constraints

In this paper, the authors examine the impact of deterministic en route capacity constraints on air traffic flows in the New York metropolitan area and the Eastern U.S. In order to mitigate demand and capacity imbalances induced by the constraints, a binary integer programming model is used to calculate optimal departure controls. By varying cost function parameters in the model, three distinct solutions are created, allowing for the exploration of the differences between how traffic flows are managed under current day operations and possible future operations. In order to test the models, 120 different scenarios are explored. The scenarios allowed for variations in the intensity and geographical location of the constraints, as well as the prioritization of the traffic flows through the constraints. Results are reported.
Functionally Overlapping Variants Control Tuberculosis Susceptibility in Collaborative Cross Mice.

ABSTRACT Host genetics plays an important role in determining the outcome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. We previously found that Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse strains differ in their susceptibility to M. tuberculosis and that the CC042/GeniUnc (CC042) strain suffered from a rapidly progressive disease and failed to produce the protective cytokine gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in the lung. Here, we used parallel genetic and immunological approaches to investigate the basis of CC042 mouse susceptibility. Using a population derived from a CC001/Unc (CC001) × CC042 intercross, we mapped four quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying tuberculosis immunophenotypes (Tip1 to Tip4). These included QTL that were associated with bacterial burden, IFN-γ production following infection, and an IFN-γ-independent mechanism of bacterial control. Further immunological characterization revealed that CC042 animals recruited relatively few antigen-specific T cells to the lung and that these T cells failed to express the integrin alpha L (αL; i.e., CD11a), which contributes to T cell activation and migration. These defects could be explained by a CC042 private variant in the Itgal gene, which encodes CD11a and is found within the Tip2 interval. This 15-bp deletion leads to aberrant mRNA splicing and is predicted to result in a truncated protein product. The ItgalCC042 genotype was associated with all measured disease traits, indicating that this variant is a major determinant of susceptibility in CC042 mice. The combined effect of functionally distinct Tip variants likely explains the profound susceptibility of CC042 mice and highlights the multigenic nature of tuberculosis control in the Collaborative Cross. IMPORTANCE The variable outcome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection observed in natural populations is difficult to model in genetically homogeneous small-animal models. The newly developed Collaborative Cross (CC) represents a reproducible panel of genetically diverse mice that display a broad range of phenotypic responses to infection. We explored the genetic basis of this variation, focusing on a CC line that is highly susceptible to M. tuberculosis infection. This study identified multiple quantitative trait loci associated with bacterial control and cytokine production, including one that is caused by a novel loss-of-function mutation in the Itgal gene, which is necessary for T cell recruitment to the infected lung. These studies verify the multigenic control of mycobacterial disease in the CC panel, identify genetic loci controlling diverse aspects of pathogenesis, and highlight the utility of the CC resource.
Students with the Most Significant Disabilities, Communicative Competence, and the Full Extent of Their Exclusion.

In this brief response to Agran et al., I provide data on the extent to which students with the most significant cognitive disabilities (i.e., those students participating in alternate assessments ...
Standardized Geomorphic Classification of Seafloor Within the United States Atlantic Canyons and Continental Margin

Accurate seafloor maps serve as a critical component for understanding marine ecosystems and guiding informed ocean management decisions. From 2004-2015, a vast region of the Atlantic Ocean continental margin offshore of the United States has been systematically mapped using multibeam sonars. This work was done in support of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Project and for baseline characterization of the Atlantic canyons, but the question remains as to the relevance of these margin-wide data sets for conservation and management decisions pertaining to these areas. This study utilized an automatic segmentation approach to initially identify landform features from the bathymetry of the region, then translated these results into complete coverage geomorphology maps of the region utilizing the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) to define geoforms. Abyssal flats make up more than half of the area (53%), with the continental slope flat class making up another 30% of the total area. Flats of any geoform class (including continental shelf flats and guyot flats) make up 83.06% of the study area. Slope classes make up a cumulative total of 13.26% of the study region (8.27% abyssal slopes, 3.73% continental slopes, 1.25% seamount slopes). While ridge features comprise only 1.82% of the total study area (1.03% abyssal ridges, 0.63 continental slope ridge, and 0.16% seamount ridges). Key benefits of the study’s semi-automated approach include computational efficiency for large datasets, and the ability to apply the same methods to large regions with consistent results.
Using Bidirectional Long Short Term Memory with Attention Layer to Estimate Driver Behavior

Driver distraction is one of the primary causes of fatal car accidents in U.S. Analyzing driver behavior using different types of data including driving data, driver status or a combination of them is an emerging machine learning solution to detect the distraction level and notify the driver. Deep learning methods such as recurrent neural networks outperform other machine learning methods in car safety applications. In this paper, we used time-sequenced driving data that we collected in eight driving contexts to measure the driver distraction level. Our RNN is also capable of detecting the type of behavior that caused distraction. We used the driver interaction with the car infotainment system as the distracting activity. Two types of LSTM networks were used including bidirectional LSTM network and attention network. We compare the performance of these two complex networks to that of the simple LSTM in estimating driver behavior. We show that our attention network outperforms the other two, while adding bidirectional LSTM networks enhanced the training process of simple LSTM network.
Investigating topics, audio representations and attention for multimodal scene-aware dialog

Abstract With the recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence(AI), Intelligent Virtual Assistants (IVA) such as Alexa and Google Home have become a ubiquitous part of every home. Currently, such IVAs are mostly audio-based, but going forward, we are witnessing a confluence of vision, speech and dialog system technologies that are enabling the IVAs to learn audio-visual groundings of utterances. This will enable agents to have conversations with users about the objects, activities and events surrounding them. As part of the 7th Dialog System Technology Challenges (DSTC7), for Audio Visual Scene-Aware Dialog (AVSD) track, we explore three main techniques for multimodal dialog: 1) exploring ‘topics’ of the dialog as an important contextual feature for scene-aware conversations, 2) investigating several multimodal attention mechanisms during response generation and 3) incorporating an end-to-end audio classification sub network(AclNet) into our architecture. We present detailed analysis of our experiments and show that our model variations outperform the baseline system presented for this task.
Optimal Selection of Basis Functions for Robust Tracking Control of Linear Systems using Filtered Basis Functions.

There is growing interest in the use of the filtered basis functions (FBF) approach for feedforward tracking control of linear systems. The FBF approach expresses the control input to the plant as a linear combination of basis functions. The basis functions are forward filtered through the plant dynamics and the coefficients of the linear combination are selected such that the tracking error is minimized. It has been demonstrated that the FBF approach is more versatile compared to other methods in the literature. However, the tracking accuracy of the FBF approach deteriorates in the presence of model uncertainty, much like it does with other feedforward control methods. But, unlike other methods, the FBF approach presents flexibility in terms of the choice of the basis functions, which can be used to improve its accuracy in the presence of model uncertainty. This paper analyzes the effect of choice of the basis functions on the tracking accuracy of FBF, in the presence of uncertainty, using the Frobenius norm of the lifted system representation of FBF's error dynamics. Based on the analysis, a methodology for optimal selection of basis functions is presented. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is demonstrated using examples. Large improvements in robustness are observed using the proposed optimal set of basis functions compared to popular basis functions, viz., B-splines, discrete cosine transform and block pulse functions.
A rapid review of stocking and marketing practices used to sell sugar‐sweetened beverages in U.S. food stores

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a primary source of added sugars in the American diet. Habitual SSB consumption is associated with obesity and noncommunicable disease and is one factor contributing to U.S. health disparities. Public health responses to address marketing-mix and choice-architecture (MMCA) strategies used to sell SSB products may be required. Thus, our goal was to identify original research about stocking and marketing practices used to sell SSB in U.S. food stores. We used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) protocol for rapid reviewing. We searched six databases and Google Scholar using key terms focused on store type and SSB products. We characterized results using an MMCA framework with categories place, profile, portion, pricing, promotion, priming or prompting, and proximity. Our search resulted in the identification of 29 articles. Most results focused on profile (e.g., SSB availability) (n = 13), pricing (e.g., SSB prices or discounts) (n = 13), or promotion (e.g., SSB advertisements) (n = 13) strategies. We found some evidence of targeted MMCA practices toward at-risk consumers and differences by store format, such as increased SSB prominence among supermarkets. The potential for systematic variations in MMCA strategies used to sell SSB requires more research. We discuss implications for public health, health equity, and environmental sustainability.
Are TIPS the “real” deal?: A conditional assessment of their role in a nominal portfolio

This paper documents predictable time-variation in the real return beta of US Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) and in the Sharpe ratios of both indexed and conventional bonds. The conditional mean and volatility of both bonds and their conditional correlation first are estimated from predetermined variables. These estimates then are used to compute conditional real return betas and Sharpe ratios. The time-variation in real return betas and the correlation between TIPS and nominal bonds coincides with major developments in the fixed-income market. One implication of this predictability is that portfolio managers can assess more efficiently the risk of investing in TIPS versus conventional bonds. Conditional Sharpe ratios indicate that over the sample period, TIPS had superior volatility-adjusted returns relative to nominal bonds. This finding is striking in view of the absence of a major inflation scare during the sample period from February 1997 through August 2001, but is loosely consistent with the possibility that TIPS elevated rather than reduced Treasury borrowing costs. On the other hand, mean–variance spanning tests indicate that TIPS did not enhance the mean–variance efficiency of diversified portfolios.
Layering, unknowing, and unlocking: Thinking beyond structure through arts-based research

While it is still disputed in some academic traditions, the potentials of artistic practice as research and arts-based research have demonstrated that creative engagement with materials, processes ...
Energy pathways modulate the resilience of stream invertebrate communities to drought.

1. While climate change is altering ecosystems on a global scale, not all ecosystems are responding in the same way. The resilience of ecological communities may depend on whether food webs are producer- or detritus-based (i.e. "green" or "brown" food webs, respectively), or both (i.e. "multi-channel" food web). 2. Food web theory suggests that the presence of multiple energy pathways can enhance community stability and resilience and may modulate the responses of ecological communities to disturbances such as climate change. Despite important advances in food web theory, few studies have empirically investigated the resilience of ecological communities to climate change stressors in ecosystems with different primary energy channels. 3. We conducted a factorial experiment using outdoor stream mesocosms to investigate the independent and interactive effects of warming and drought on invertebrate communities in food webs with different energy channel configurations. Warming had little effect on invertebrates, but stream drying negatively impacted total invertebrate abundance, biomass, richness, and diversity. 4. Although resistance to drying did not differ among energy channel treatments, recovery and overall resilience were higher in green mesocosms than in mixed and brown mesocosms. Resilience to drying also varied widely among taxa, with larger predatory taxa exhibiting lower resilience. 5. Our results suggest that the effects of drought on stream communities may vary regionally and depend on whether food webs are fueled by autochthonous or allochthonous basal resources. Communities inhabiting streams with large amounts of organic matter and more complex substrates that provide refugia may be more resilient to the loss of surface water than communities inhabiting streams with simpler, more homogeneous substrates.
Thromboelastography is a Marker for Clinically Significant Progressive Hemorrhagic Injury in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Coagulopathy in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with increased risk of poor outcomes, but accurate prediction of clinically significant progressive hemorrhagic injury (PHI) in patients with severe TBI remains a challenge. Thromboelastography (TEG) is a real-time test of whole blood coagulation that provides dynamic information about global hemostasis. This study aimed to identify differences in TEG values between patients with severe TBI who did or did not experience clinically significant PHI. This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of adult patients with severe TBI. Patients were eligible for inclusion if initial Glasgow coma scale (GCS) was ≤ 8 and baseline head computed tomography (CT) imaging and TEG were available. Exclusion criteria included receipt of hemostatic agents prior to TEG. PHI was defined as bleeding expansion on CT within 24 h associated with 2-point drop in GCS, neurosurgical intervention, or mortality within 24 h. The primary endpoint was TEG value differences between patients with and without PHI. Secondary endpoints included differences in conventional coagulation tests (CCTs) between groups. Of the 526 patients evaluated, 141 met inclusion criteria. The most common reason for exclusion was lack of baseline TEG and receipt of reversal product prior to TEG. Sixty-four patients experienced PHI in the first 24 h after presentation. K time (2.03 min vs. 1.33 min, P = 0.035) and alpha angle (65° vs. 69°, P = 0.015) were found to be significantly different in patients experiencing PHI. R time (5.25 min vs. 4.71 min), maximum amplitude (61 mm vs. 63 mm), and clot lysis at 30 min after maximum clot strength (3.5% vs. 1.7%) were not significantly different between groups. Of the CCTs, only activated partial thromboplastin time (30.3 s vs. 27.6 s, P = 0.014) was found to be different in patients with PHI. Prolonged K time and narrower alpha angle were found to be associated with developing clinically significant PHI in patients with severe TBI. Despite differences detected in alpha angle, median values in both groups were within normal reference ranges. These abnormalities may reflect pathologic hypoactivity of fibrinogen, and further study is warranted to evaluate TEG-guided cryoprecipitate administration in this patient population.
Structures of HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibody 10E8 Delineate the Mechanistic Basis of Its Multi-Peak Behavior on Size-Exclusion Chromatography

Antibody 10E8 is capable of effectively neutralizing HIV through its recognition of the membrane-proximal external region (MPER), and a suitably optimized version of 10E8 might have utility in HIV therapy and prophylaxis. However, 10E8 displays a three-peak profile on size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), complicating its manufacture. Here we show cis-trans conformational isomerization of the Tyr-Pro-Pro (YPP) motif in the heavy chain 3rd complementarity-determining region (CDR H3) of antibody 10E8 to be the mechanistic basis of its multipeak behavior. We observed 10E8 to undergo slow conformational isomerization and delineate a mechanistic explanation for effective comodifiers that were able to resolve its SEC heterogeneity and to allow an evaluation of the critical quality attribute of aggregation. We determined crystal structures of single and double alanine mutants of a key di-proline motif and of a light chain variant, revealing alternative conformations of the CDR H3. We also replicated both multi-peak and delayed SEC behavior with MPER-antibodies 4E10 and VRC42, by introducing a Tyr-Pro (YP) motif into their CDR H3s. Our results show how a conformationally dynamic CDR H3 can provide the requisite structural plasticity needed for a highly hydrophobic paratope to recognize its membrane-proximal epitope.