cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A medication screening tool for cognitive aging researchers.

A Web-based medication screening tool that provides researchers with information about side effects associated with medications commonly used by older participants is described. This tool can be used for research purposes to better separate the effects of normal, healthy aging processes from the deleterious effects often associated with medication usage. Researchers can use this tool, called SMART (Screening Medications: Aging Research Taxonomy), to (a) obtain information pertaining to the cognitive, sensory, and motor side effects associated with specific medications and (b) screen medications in their research for side effect severity. The Web address for the tool is www.psychology.gatech.edu/SMART
Inversion of the HZ ratio of microseisms for S‐wave velocity in the crust

SUMMARY S-wave velocity in the shallow crust is an important controlling parameter for ground motion amplification. It is a key parameter for prediction of ground motion and thus for earthquake hazard mitigation in general. Shallow S-wave velocity structure has often been obtained from phase velocity of microtremors and microseisms. We present a new approach which directly inverts the ratio of horizontal to vertical amplitudes of microseisms which is referred to as the HZ ratio in this paper. Our approach consists of (i) isolation of Rayleigh-wave dominant portions in seismograms by using the 90-degree phase shift between horizontal and vertical component, (ii) measurement of the HZ ratios as a function of frequency and (iii) iterative inversion for S-wave velocity structure in the crust. Depth sensitivity kernels of the HZ ratios for density, P-wave velocity and S-wave velocity are derived by a numerical method. Examples of the application of this method to data in southern California show that the HZ ratio data require modification of the standard seismic velocity model in this region (Southern California Earthquake Center Community Velocity Model 3.0 or SCEC CVM) in the upper 10–15 km. The derived models show amplification of incident SH waves by factors of 2–8, relative to the prediction by the SCEC CVM. The proposed approach has promise for applications to other regions in the world because microseisms are observed everywhere in the world. The method may become even more powerful if it is combined with phase velocity data.
Development and Validation of a Web-Based Assessment Tool for the Extended Focused Assessment With Sonography in Trauma Examination

OBJECTIVES Extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (EFAST) examinations are routinely performed by emergency physicians and general surgeons as an integral part of trauma care. Although guidelines for competency in the EFAST examination exist, tools to assess competency are lacking. Our goal was to develop and validate a Web-based competency assessment tool to evaluate providers who perform the EFAST examination. METHODS A multiple-choice test regarding the performance and interpretation of the EFAST examination was developed following National Board of Medical Examiner guidelines. Five emergency physician experts with fellowship training in emergency ultrasound established face and content validity. The test was administered to emergency medicine residents and ultrasound fellows. Concurrent validity was evaluated by assessing the correlation of scores on our test with guidelines set by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) for emergency ultrasound. Scores were analyzed, and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS Sixty-three emergency medicine residents and 2 ultrasound fellows from 2 residency programs completed the assessment tool. Examinees who met ACEP guidelines scored significantly higher than those who had not: 70.4% (95% confidence interval, 67.3%-73.4%) versus 48.3% (43.2%-53.5%). Evaluation of scores showed a significant correlation between an increased level of training, participation in an ultrasound rotation, and the number of EFAST and total ultrasound examinations performed with higher test scores. However, overall test scores were lower than initially anticipated. CONCLUSIONS Use of this assessment tool for interpretation of EFAST images showed face and content validity. Score trends showed a significant correlation with existing ACEP guidelines, ultrasound experience, and the training level. Scores continued to improve with experience beyond ACEP recommended guidelines.
A systematic framework for dynamically optimizing multi-user wireless video transmission

In this paper, we systematically formulate the problem of multi-user wireless video transmission as a multi-user Markov decision process (MUMDP) by explicitly considering the users' heterogeneous video traffic characteristics, time-varying network conditions as well as, importantly, the dynamic coupling among the users' resource allocations across time, which are often ignored in existing multi-user video transmission solutions. To comply with the decentralized wireless networks' architecture, we propose to decompose the MUMDP into multiple local MDPs using Lagrangian relaxation. Unlike in conventional multi-user video transmission solutions stemming from the network utility maximization framework, the proposed decomposition enables each wireless user to individually solve its own local MDP (i.e. dynamic single-user cross-layer optimization) and the network coordinator to update the Lagrangian multipliers (i.e. resource prices) based on not only current, but also the future resource needs of all users, such that the long-term video quality of all users is maximized. This MUMDP solution provides us the necessary foundations and structures for solving multiuser video communication problems. However, to implement this framework in practice requires statistical knowledge of the experienced environment dynamics, which is often unavailable before transmission time. To overcome this obstacle, we propose a novel online learning algorithm, which allows the wireless users to simultaneously update their policies at multiple states during each time slot. This is different from conventional learning solutions, which often update the current visited state per time slot. The proposed learning algorithm can significantly improve the learning performance, thereby dramatically improving the video quality experienced by the wireless users over time. Our simulation results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed MUMDP framework as compared to conventional multi-user video transmission solutions.
Ratio control variate method for efficiently determining high-dimensional model representations.

The High-Dimensional Model Representation (HDMR) technique is a family of approaches to efficiently interpolate high-dimensional functions. RS(Random Sampling)-HDMR is a practical form of HDMR based on randomly sampling the overall function, and utilizing orthonormal polynomial expansions to approximate the RS-HDMR component functions. The determination of the expansion coefficients for the component functions employs Monte Carlo integration, which controls the accuracy of the RS-HDMR interpolation. The control variate method is an established approach to improve the accuracy of Monte Carlo integration. However, this method is often not practical for an arbitrary function f(x) because there is no general way to find the analytical control variate function h(x), which needs to be very similar to f(x). In this article, we show that truncated RS-HDMR expansions can be used as h(x) for arbitrary f(x), and a more stable iterative ratio control variate method was developed for the determination of the expansion coefficients for the RS-HDMR component functions. As the asymptotic error (standard deviation) of the estimator given by the ratio control variate method is proportional to 1/N(sample size), it is more efficient than the direct Monte Carlo integration, whose error is proportional to . In an illustration of a four-dimensional atmospheric model a few hundred random samples are sufficient to construct an RS-HDMR expansion by the ratio control variate method with an accuracy comparable to that obtained by direct Monte Carlo integration with thousands of samples. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 27: 1112–1118, 2006
An Annotation Scheme for Automated Bias Detection in Wikipedia

BiasML is a novel annotation scheme with the purpose of identifying the presence as well as nuances of biased language within the subset of Wikipedia articles dedicated to service providers. Whereas Wikipedia currently uses only manual flagging to detect possible bias, our scheme provides a foundation for the automating of bias flagging by improving upon the methodology of annotation schemes in classic sentiment analysis. We also address challenges unique to the task of identifying biased writing within the specific context of Wikipedia's neutrality policy. We perform a detailed analysis of inter-annotator agreement, which shows that although the agreement scores for intra-sentential tags were relatively low, the agreement scores on the sentence and entry levels were encouraging (74.8% and 66.7%, respectively). Based on an analysis of our first implementation of our scheme, we suggest possible improvements to our guidelines, in hope that further rounds of annotation after incorporating them could provide appropriate data for use within a machine learning framework for automated detection of bias within Wikipedia.
Service Fading of Disperse Dyestuffs by Chemical Agents Other than the Oxides of Nitrogen

An extensive trial of acetate drapery fabrics dyed with new "gas-fast" blues has shown that active agents in the atmosphere, in addition to the oxides of nitrogen, can cause fading in service. This fading is oxidative in nature. It has been reproduced by an accelerated laboratory test in which fabrics have been exposed to concentrations of ozone somewhat higher than those ordinarily found in the atmosphere. This type of fading has been designated as "O-fading."All of the disperse blue dyes and some of the reds and yellows have been found to be subject to O-fading. However, the major problem is with the blues. Anthraquinone blues are bleached by O-fading without the reddening associated with gas fading. The O-fading can be inhibited by antioxidants such as the gas-fading inhibitor diphenyl ethylene diamine and the nongas-fading inhibitor p-octyl phenol. For optimum re sistance to both forms of atmospheric fading, acetate fabrics dyed with disperse blues, including gas-fast blues, should be processed with i...
Repeated social defeat stress induces neuroinflammation and impairs hippocampal neurogenesis that differentially regulate mood and cognition

Repeated social defeat (RSD) is a murine stressor that models several key physiological, immunological, and behavioral alterations observed in humans exposed to psychosocial stress. RSD induces prolonged anxiety-like behavior associated with myeloid cell trafficking into the brain, including the hippocampus – a key area involved in neuroplasticity, behavior, and cognition. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate if the stress-induced monocyte trafficking affected hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function. Here, we show that RSD increased inflammatory mediators (IL1b, TNFa and IL-6) in the hippocampus, and enhanced microglia activation and monocyte trafficking (CD45hi) specifically in the caudal hippocampus. RSD also impaired spatial memory recall in the Barnes maze independent of anxiety-like behavior. RSD did not affect the number of proliferating neural progenitor cells and developing neurons when examined 14 hours post-RSD. However, there was a significant reduction in the number of young neurons and mature neurons when examined 10 days and 28 days post-RSD respectively. Consistent with region-specific neuroinflammation, reduction in the number of mature neurons was greater in the caudal hippocampus of the RSD mice compared to controls. The RSD-induced spatial deficits, which are rostral hippocampus-mediated, were resolved by 28 days. Social avoidance which is caudal hippocampus-mediated still persisted 28 days after stress. Thus, stress-induced neuroinflammation is associated with reduced neuroplasticity, and the stress-induced affective and cognitive deficits are differentially associated with hippocampal neurogenesis.
Investigation of isolation rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with and without multidrug resistance in medical facilities and clinical laboratories in Japan

Objectives: To perform a large-scale investigation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains with and without drug resistance in Japan. Methods: We distributed questionnaires to assess isolation rates of P. aeruginosa with and without drug resistance at medical facilities and clinical laboratories throughout Japan during the period January 2003 through June 2006. Completed questionnaires were obtained from 339 medical facilities and 4 clinical laboratories. Results: The total number of P. aeruginosa strains isolated at the medical facilities was 549 746 and that at clinical laboratories was 640 232. Strains resistant to carbapenems, fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin) and amikacin were defined as multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, and strains resistant to two of these drugs were defined as two-drug-resistant (TDR) strains. The percentage of MDR at medical facilities and clinical laboratories was 2.4% and 1.1%, respectively, and that of TDR isolates was 6.4% and 4.2%, respectively. MDR and TDR isolates were found nationwide. No MDR isolates were found at approximately one-third of the medical facilities each year. The percentages of MDR and TDR isolates increased significantly from 2003 to 2005. P. aeruginosa strains were obtained mainly from the respiratory and urinary tracts, and the percentages of MDR and TDR isolates were particularly increased in the urinary tract during these years. Conclusions: MDR P. aeruginosa was prevalent nationwide in Japan. The incidence was low, except in a limited number of facilities, but it increased significantly.
Regulatory T-Cells: Diverse Phenotypes Integral to Immune Homeostasis and Suppression

Regulatory T-cells (T(REG)) are diverse populations of lymphocytes that regulate the adaptive immune response in higher vertebrates. T(REG) delete autoreactive T-cells, induce tolerance, and dampen inflammation. T(REG) cell deficiency in humans (i.e., IPEX [Immunodysregulation, Polyendocrinopathy and Enteropathy, X-linked syndrome]) and animal models (e.g., "Scurfy" mouse) is associated with multisystemic autoimmune disease. T(REG) in humans and laboratory animal species are similar in type and regulatory function. A molecular marker of and the cell lineage specification factor for T(REG) is FOXP3, a forkhead box transcription factor. CD4(+) T(REG) are either natural (nT(REG)), which are thymus-derived CD4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+) T-cells, or inducible (i.e., Tr1 cells that secrete IL-10, Th3 cells that secrete TGF-β and IL-10, and Foxp3(+) Treg). The proinflammatory Th17 subset has been a major focus of research. T(H)17 CD4(+) effector T-cells secrete IL-17, IL-21, and IL-22 in autoimmune and inflammatory disease, and are dynamically balanced with T(REG) cell development. Other lymphocyte subsets with regulatory function include: inducible CD8(+) T(REG), CD3(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) T(REG) (double-negative), CD4(+)Vα14(+) (NKT(REG)), and γδ T-cells. T(REG) have four regulatory modes of action: secretion of inhibitory cytokines (e.g., IL-10 and TGF-β), granzyme-perforin-induced apoptosis of effector lymphocytes, depriving effector T-cells of cytokines leading to apoptosis, or inhibition of dendritic cell function. The role of T(REG) in mucosal sites, inflammation/infection, pregnancy, and cancer as well as a review of T(REG) as a modulatory target in drug development will be covered.
Managing conflict at the end of life.

Almost forgotten in the end-of-life debate is the peripheral role of law when end-of-life dilemmas arise. The law sets some limits, but within these bounds, end-of-life questions are almost always resolved in the private sphere. Dr. M. Gregg Bloche states that if and when conflict erupts, end-of-life choices shouldn't be treated as purely ethical questions, divorced from the regrets and resentments involved.
Modeling discrete bathtub and upside-down bathtub mean residual-life functions

A general modeling approach is presented that allows parametric modeling of the mean residual life so that maximum-likelihood estimation of models can be done. This will enable such parametric models to be estimated for complete discrete data as well as right-censored discrete data. A simple example is presented where the mean residual life increases, then decreases; however, the hazard rate also increases, drops suddenly at one cycle, and then increases again. Two reasonable industrial explanations of such unusual behavior are discussed. >
Transient scattering from dielectric cylinders - E-field, H-field, and combined field solutions

In this work, the problem of transient scattering by arbitrarily shaped two-dimensional dielectric cylinders is solved using the marching-on-in-time technique. The dielectric problem is approached via the equivalence principle. Three different formulations, namely, the electric field integral equation formulation, the magnetic field integral equation formulation, and the combined field integral equation formulation are considered. Numerical results are presented for two cross sections, namely, a circle and a square, and compared with inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT) techniques. In each case, good agreement is obtained with the IDFT solution.
A study of back-error propagation networks in the domain of noisy tactile impressions

The authors have designed an artificial neural system (ANS) consisting of coupled back-error propagation (BEP) networks that perform feature extraction, clustering. and categorization of tactile surface impressions. The network and its characteristics are reviewed, with particular focus on its performance in the presence of noisy input patterns. Simulation results indicate that, regarding geometry-size- and activation-constrained grey-scale patterns, the BEP classifier is sensitive to both additive low-amplitude spike noise and additive white Gaussian noise. Most of the misclassifications occur among patterns that differ only by small variations in force gradients. The network's performance gradually improves when noisy patterns are included in the training set, but indications are that large training sets or alternative error functions in BEP will be required to achieve robust performance in the tactile domain. >
A history and introduction to the algebra of conditional events and probability logic

This article is meant to serve as an introduction to the following series of papers on various aspects of conditional event algebra and probability logic. It addresses the history of the problem and gives an overview of the development of the subject and its impact on the investigation of problems within AI. >
Sexual dichromatism in the yellow-breasted chat Icteria virens: spectrophotometric analysis and biochemical basis

Sexual dimorphism or dichromatism has long been considered the result of sexual selection. However, for many organisms the degree to which sexual dichromatism occurs has been determined within the confines of human perception. For birds, objective measures of plumage color have revealed previously unappreciated sexual dichromatism for several species. Here we present an unbiased assessment of plumage dichromatism in the yellow-breasted chat Icteria virens. Chats exhibit yellow to orange throat and breast plumage that to the unaided human observer differs only subtly in color. Spectrophotometric analyses revealed that chat throat and breast feathers exhibited reflective curves with two peaks, one in the ultraviolet and one in the yellow end of the spectrum. We found differences in both the shape and magnitude of reflectance curves between males and females. Moreover, for feathers collected from the lower edge and middle of the breast patch, male plumage reflected more light in the ultraviolet and yellow wavelengths compared to females, whereas male throat feathers appeared brighter than those of females only in the ultraviolet. Biochemical analyses indicated that the plumage pigmentation consisted solely of the carotenoid all-trans lutein and we found that males have higher concentrations of plumage carotenoids than females. Feathers that were naturally unpigmented reflected more UV light than yellow feathers, suggesting a potential role of feather microstructure in UV reflectance.
Development of Binaural and Spatial Hearing

When a person hears sounds in the environment, there are several important tasks that the auditory system must accomplish, such as determining the location of sound sources and the meaning of those sources. These tasks are relevant to children who spend time every day in noisy environments, such as classrooms, and adults who have to operate in complex auditory environments. The auditory mechanisms that enable listeners to accomplish these tasks are generally thought to involve binaural processing. Acoustic information arriving at the two ears is compared at the level of the brain stem, combined and transmitted to the central auditory system for further analysis. As discussed in the text that follows, in listeners with hearing loss these mechanisms may be compromised or not fully developed.
SIRT6 deacetylates H3K18ac at pericentric chromatin to prevent mitotic errors and cellular senescence

Pericentric heterochromatin silencing at mammalian centromeres is essential for mitotic fidelity and genomic stability. Defective pericentric silencing has been observed in senescent cells, aging tissues, and mammalian tumors, but the underlying mechanisms and functional consequences of these defects are unclear. Here, we uncover an essential role of the human SIRT6 enzyme in pericentric transcriptional silencing, and we show that this function protects against mitotic defects, genomic instability, and cellular senescence. At pericentric heterochromatin, SIRT6 promotes deacetylation of a new substrate, residue K18 of histone H3 (H3K18), and inactivation of SIRT6 in cells leads to H3K18 hyperacetylation and aberrant accumulation of pericentric transcripts. Strikingly, depletion of these transcripts through RNA interference rescues the mitotic and senescence phenotypes of SIRT6-deficient cells. Together, our findings reveal a new function for SIRT6 and regulation of acetylated H3K18 at heterochromatin, and demonstrate the pathogenic role of deregulated pericentric transcription in aging- and cancer-related cellular dysfunction.
Increased sensitivity to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum induced apoptosis with mitochondrial DNA depletion

Malignant cells harbor mechanisms which allow escape from drug-induced apoptosis, and the drug-resistance phenotype can be significantly associated with resistance to programmed cell death. There is accumulating evidence that mitochondria play a role in the tumorigenic phenotype, including the relative resistance to apoptosis. Whether changes at the mitochondrial level per se, would impact on the relative sensitivity of malignant cells to undergo drug-induced apoptosis, is not know. Accordingly, we determined if depleting mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) would change the susceptibility of U937 cells to undergo apoptosis. With depletion, increases in sensitivity to cis-diamminedichoroplatinum (cisplatin)-induced apoptosis was observed. This sensitivity could be reverted to the parental phenotype by transforming the depleted cells with normal platelet mitochondria. mRNA expression of BAX, BCL2, MDR1, MRP, ERCC1 and ERCC2, putatively associated with cisplatin resistance to apoptotic death was unchanged. Inhibition of mitochondrial ATP production by oligomycin did not result in a change in ATP levels, indicating energetics were not playing a role in the observed phenotype changes. All U937 cells (with/without mtDNA) continued to respond to cisplatin by an apoptotic death. MtDNA-encoded molecules may be playing a role in the relative sensitivity of cells to undergo a cisplatin-induced apoptotic death, but may not be required for cells to undergo apoptosis per se.
LAN Data Security Management Practice

According to the practical application of the LAN in a company,this paper introduces the measures of network protection,data storage and antivirus.The method and technology,which are adopted in the data storage and backup,are described emphatically.The RAID and SAN technologies are applied to the data storage,while the TSM and SAN are applied to the data backup.
Identifying and Controlling Odor in the Municipal Wastewater Environment - Health Effects of Biosolids Odors: A Literature Review and Analysis

This report deals with whether the experience of odors, i.e., odors as sensations, from biosolids at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) causes illness. There exists no repository of information on the numbers of complainants with illness, their specific complaints, or the relationship between degree of exposure and complaints. Anecdotal reports nevertheless imply a pattern much like that associated with other industrial malodors. Any connection between odor and illness has received little note among the millions of articles in the medical literature. This state of affairs presumably exists because odors per se generate no objective signs of illness in otherwise healthy persons. However, malodors may exacerbate both symptoms and signs of illness in persons with certain chronic disorders, such as asthma and migraine. Vulnerability to such effects may vary considerably from person to person. Symptoms claimed in connection to odors from biosolids in particular seem to come from olfactory rather than chemesthetic (irritating) stimulation, a conclusion derived from calculations that concentrations of emissions of the notable contaminants from WWTPs fail to reach irritating levels even within the grounds of facilities. Any convincing deviation from this expectation would warrant serious attention. Although not inappropriate to the experience of malodors, the symptoms seem to occur via intermediate variables, such as annoyance, anxiety, and frustration. Persons who experience no such distress experience no symptoms. This may prove true for persons with existing illness, but in some cases distress may affect the illness via hormonal mechanisms. Acknowledgment that odors cause anxiety and the like should inform strategies for how to deal with reports of symptoms. Research into the connection between the composition of the emissions from WWTPs and odor character should seek to illuminate quantitative goals that engineers can seek to achieve. Finally, failure to respect the boundary between the subjective and the objective in discussions of the matter can invite flatly incorrect conclusions about the relationship between odors and illness. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series ISBN: 9781780404363 (eBooK)
New HSS-factorization and inversion algorithms with exact arithmetic for efficient direct solution of large-scale volume integral equations

A new HSS (Hierarchically Semiseparable) direct matrix solution algorithm, including both factorization and inversion, is developed for solving the volume integral equation (VIE) for large-scale electrodynamic analysis. This direct solution algorithm is exact in the sense that the matrix factorization, inversion, and solution do not involve any approximation. The HSS-representation of the VIE dense system has a controlled accuracy, by choosing the rank of admissible blocks to satisfy the prescribed accuracy. Taking into account the rank's dependence with electrical size, the resultant direct VIE solver is shown to have Ο(N) complexity in memory, O(N log N) complexity in factorization as well as inversion, and Ο(N) complexity in solution, irrespective of electrical size. Numerical experiments on large-scale scattering problems involving millions of unknowns have validated the accuracy and complexity of the proposed new direct solver. The proposed factorization and inversion algorithms are also applicable to other integral operators.
Power-efficient real-time approach to non-wear time detection for smartwatches

There is a growing interest in the use of smartwatches to collect real-time physical activity and health care data. Much of this information is useful only when the person is wearing the smartwatch. Collecting data during other times consumes precious battery life and potentially communication bandwidth to relay the information. An approach that can correctly classify temporal regions during which the watch is not worn has the obvious advantages of both improving battery life and minimize communication bandwidth. There have been several methods proposed to determine wear time using passive devices such as accelerometers. However, they are offline procedures where data are collected continuously during data collection phase and non-wear times are excluded later and before analysis. Smartwatches' computational power allow us to perform several preprocessing steps instantly and concurrently with the data collection. We propose a power-efficient and real-time approach to non-wear time detection method which is capable of providing labels for 15-sec epochs accurately (accuracies for wear time and non-wear time are 97.68% and 96.78%, respectively). We also show that detecting non-wear periods in real-time ameliorates the battery requirements by as much as 50%.
Prenatal identification of two discontinuous maternally inherited chromosome 7q36.3 microduplications totaling 507 kb including the sonic hedgehog gene in a fetus with multiple congenital anomalies

Key Clinical Message Duplications of the SHH gene, an important developmental gene, are rare. Disruption of this gene produces a variable phenotype in humans from major anomalies to isolated facial defects. This is the first reported case of a maternally inherited 507 kb discontinuous chromosome 7q36.3 microduplication resulting in duplication of SHH and nearby enhancer sequences.
Novel transcriptome assembly and comparative toxicity pathway analysis in mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) embryos and larvae exposed to Deepwater Horizon oil

The impacts of Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil on morphology and function during embryonic development have been documented for a number of fish species, including the economically and ecologically important pelagic species, mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus). However, further investigations on molecular events and pathways responsible for developmental toxicity have been largely restricted due to the limited molecular data available for this species. We sought to establish the de novo transcriptomic database from the embryos and larvae of mahi-mahi exposed to water accommodated fractions (HEWAFs) of two DWH oil types (weathered and source oil), in an effort to advance our understanding of the molecular aspects involved during specific toxicity responses. By high throughput sequencing (HTS), we obtained the first de novo transcriptome of mahi-mahi, with 60,842 assembled transcripts and 30,518 BLAST hits. Among them, 2,345 genes were significantly regulated in 96hpf larvae after exposure to weathered oil. With comparative analysis to a reference-transcriptome-guided approach on gene ontology and tox-pathways, we confirmed the novel approach effective for exploring tox-pathways in non-model species, and also identified a list of co-expressed genes as potential biomarkers which will provide information for the construction of an Adverse Outcome Pathway which could be useful in Ecological Risk Assessments.
Some thoughts on Experiencing Time

AbstractThis paper examples several arguments from Simon Prosser's book Experiencing Time. His argument against the doctrine of the specious present is applauded. His argument that even if time passes, nothing can detect the passage of time, is questioned. Also challenged are his claims that our experience represents things as enduring, rather than perduring, and represents things as having contradictory properties.
Reduced Vancomycin Susceptibility of Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Has No Significant Impact on Mortality but Results in an Increase in Complicated Infection

Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bloodstream infections (BSIs) often lead to severe complications despite the availability of effective antibiotics. It remains unclear whether elevated vancomycin MICs are associated with worse outcomes. We conducted a 2-year retrospective cohort study (n = 252) of patients with MSSA BSIs at a tertiary care hospital. We defined reduced vancomycin susceptibility (RVS) as a Microscan MIC of 2 mg/liter. All strains were genotyped (spa) and assessed for agr functionality. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the impact of RVS phenotype and strain genotype on 30-day all-cause mortality and complicated bacteremia (metastatic spread, endovascular infection, or duration ≥3 days). One-third of patients (84/252) were infected with RVS isolates. RVS Infections were more frequently associated with metastatic or embolic sites of infection (36% versus 17%, P < 0.001), and endovascular infection (26% versus 12%, P = 0.004). These infections occurred more often in patients with fewer underlying comorbidities (Charlson comorbidity index of ≥3 [73% versus 88%, P = 0.002]). Genotyping identified 127 spa-types and 14 Spa-clonal complexes (Spa-CCs). Spa-CC002 and Spa-CC008 were more likely to exhibit the RVS phenotype versus other Spa-CCs (OR = 2.2, P < 0.01). The RVS phenotype was not significantly associated with 30-day mortality; however, it was associated with complicated bacteremia (adjusted odds ratio of 2.35 [range, 1.26 to 4.37]; P = 0.007) in adjusted analyses. The association of RVS strains with complicated infection and fewer underlying comorbidities suggests the phenotype as a potential marker of strain virulence in MSSA BSIs. The RVS phenotype itself was not a significant predictor of mortality in this patient cohort. Further studies are necessary to explore this host-pathogen relationship.
Development of the Impact of Juvenile Metachromatic Leukodystrophy on Physical Activities scale.

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a rare disease with three forms based on the age at onset of signs and symptoms. The objective of this study was to develop a caregiver-reported clinical outcome assessment that measures impairments in physical functioning related to activities of daily living in patients with juvenile MLD. A targeted literature review and exploration of proprietary research, including a conceptual model, were conducted. Concept elicitation interviews were conducted to elicit additional concepts related to impairments in patients’ physical functioning with caregivers of five individuals with juvenile MLD. Based on the research review and concept elicitation interviews, the conceptual model was updated and the Impact of Juvenile Metachromatic Leukodystrophy on Physical Activities (IMPA) scale draft items were created. Cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with six additional caregivers to finalize the conceptual model and to refine the IMPA scale. Initially, 17 potentially important concepts were identified and addressed in the draft IMPA scale. Following the cognitive debriefing interviews, 15 activities/items remained: brush teeth, comb/brush hair, bathe/shower, dress self, eat, drink, use pencil/crayon, sit upright, use toilet, get on/off toilet, walk, use stairs, get in/out of bed, get in/out of chair/wheelchair, and get in/out of vehicle. Items that did not uniquely contribute to the purpose of the instrument were removed. The IMPA scale, developed according to regulatory standards, provides a means of detecting changes in activities of daily living in individuals with juvenile MLD and can hence be used in future studies to measure benefits of therapeutic interventions.
Stolen Daughters and Stolen Idols

In act 1, scene 3, Antonio readily agrees to the terms of Shylock's bond and risks a pound of his own flesh in the process. When Bassanio objects to these steep stakes – ‘I'll rather dwell in my necessity’ (1.3.152), he pleads, Antonio insists that he is more than willing to accept Shylock's unusual conditions, and feels confident in his ability to make good on the debt. Why fear not, man, I will not forfeit it; Within these two months, that's a month before This bond expires, I do expect return Of thrice three times the value of this bond. (1.3.153–6) Some critics have characterised Antonio's ready acceptance of Shylock's terms here as an indication of his Christ-like self-sacrificial qualities (in act 1, scene 1 he offers his ‘person’ as well as his ‘purse’ to Bassanio), or of a venturing economic spirit eager to accept risk, an ethos that found growing support in the later decades of the sixteenth century and well into the seventeenth. In the previous chapter, I looked to the Genesis Jacob cycle to suggest a different set of motives, arguing that Antonio exhibits an Esau-like inability to plan for future eventualities, radically discounting the future value of his own fl esh in order to supply Bassanio's ‘present wants’. Evidently Antonio feels very good about his ships’ prospects today because his friend really needs a loan today; but Shylock, in a much more Jacob-like capacity, takes the long view in calculating risk and gain, and sees that ‘ships are but boards, sailors but men’ (1.3.21). In act 2, Shylock comments on his servant Launcelot's departure from his household in a way that reflects this same prudent regard for risk, which he contrasts with Bassanio's profligacy. ‘Therefore I part with him [Launcelot], and part with him / to one that I would have him help to waste / his borrowed purse’ (2.5.48–50). Shylock's remark rings with a Jacob-like disapproval of short-term wastefulness as he bids Launcelot good riddance and bequeaths him to Bassanio, whose household he imagines squandering the very credit that he, Shylock, had just extended.
A qualitative investigation of how mothers from low income households perceive their role during family meals.

Abstract Background Having regular family meals has been shown to be protective for child dietary intake (e.g., higher intake of fruit and vegetables). Mothers appear to be most responsible for preparing family meals. Therefore, understanding how mothers perceive their roles around family meals may help identify ways in which to help more families have regular family meals. Methods United States mothers (n = 83) from the Twin Cities, Minnesota were interviewed during an in-home visit. Researchers trained in qualitative interviewing used a semi-structured approach and asked questions regarding the mothers' overall perception of their role during family meals. Interviews were coded using a mixed deductive and inductive content analysis approach. The majority of mothers were from minority and low-income households. Results Mothers described their roles during family meals as the follows: 1) Helping children make healthy choices at family meals; 2) Making the meal happen; 3) Monitoring children's food intake; 4) Managing behavior at the family meal; 5) Making the family meal atmosphere enjoyable; and 6) Facilitating conversation/communication. Two secondary research questions also emerged about the specifics of the mothers' perception of her role at family meals (i.e., How do mothers deal with fighting or arguing if it occurs at family meals? and What do mothers talk about with children at family meals?) Conclusions Results show that mothers have a large and varied role during family meals. Additionally, they are willing to put effort into family meals and want them to be enjoyable. Findings also suggest that mothers can be supported by encouraging fuller family participation in family meals and by offering mothers quality nutrition and parent feeding practice information.
Charlottesville and the alt-right: a turning point?

This article argues that education and exposure are essential tools in the fight against the alt-right movement. While the alt-right has flourished by disguising its core racist ideology, the Augus...
Multiple Attempts at Class Certification

The phenomenon of multiple attempts at class certification -- when class counsel file the same putative class action in multiple successive courts and attempt to secure an order of certification despite previous denials of the same request -- has always presented a vexing analytical puzzle. When the Supreme Court rejected one proposed solution to that problem in Smith v. Bayer, it left unresolved some of the broader questions of preclusion doctrine, federal common law, and the constraints of due process with which any satisfying approach will have to grapple.This essay was solicited as a reply to a recent article by Professor Martin Redish and Megan Kiernan. Redish and Kiernan propose a novel but unsuccessful solution to the multiple certification problem. Sorting through the problems in their Article provides a useful occasion for mapping out the shape of the multiple certification issue and the analytical terrain that any workable solution will have to navigate.
HMO data systems in population studies of access to care.

Abstract OBJECTIVES: A review of the current status of HMO data sets and their applicability to population studies of access to care. DATA SOURCES: Publications and reports based on research among different models of HMOs; reviews of HMO quality of care by national organizations; and HMO industry profiles. STUDY DESIGN: Design was a literature review of the content of HMO data sets: completeness of reporting, processing, and reporting. DATA COLLECTION: Publications and publicly available reports were reviewed. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Most HMOs are able to aggregate the number of services provided but demonstrate little ability to provide patient profiles. While their content is limited, HMO data sets are significant improvements over indemnity plan data, and where available, their accuracy in measuring health services utilization is superior to that of surveys. There are important differences among HMO delivery systems in their ability to provide useful data for population studies. CONCLUSIONS: A valuable resource, HMO data are limited by their content and the relative inaccessibility to IPAC-HMO information. This could be improved through new financial and technical support to HMOs interested in research.
PYRIDOXAL PHOSPHATE ANALOGS AND COENZYME FUNCTION IN GLYCOGEN PHOSPHORYLASE

ABSTRACT Analogs of the 5′-phosphoryl group of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate were used to test the function of this position of the coenzyme in glycogen phosphorylase. Trans-5′-phosphonomethylene-5′-deoxypyridoxal and pyridoxal in the presence of noncovalently bound phosphate analogs produce active enzyme forms. With the pyridoxal enzyme 20% of the activity of the native enzyme is seen in the presence of inorganic phosphite. Fluorophosphate with a pKa of 4.8 also activates suggesting that the dianionic form is involved. Pyrophosphate was found to be a potent competitive inhibitor of phosphite activation and glucose-1-P. One mole of pyrophosphate bound per mole of phosphorylase b monomer and suggests that the phosphoryl group of the coenzyme and substrate are in close proximity. 3-amino pyridoxal phosphate and 6-fluoropyridoxal in the presence of inorganic phosphite activate apophosphorylase b . These experiments suggest that it is unlikely that the pyridine nitrogen of the coenzyme is directly involved in the catalytic reaction. Studies with the enzymic dephosphorylation of pyridoxal phosphorylase a suggest that the 5′-position of the coenzyme is necessary for the glucose activation of the phosphorylase phosphatase reaction.
Teratogenicity of Hormones In Utero

Many drugs taken by pregnant and nursing women might affect the baby (see Hutchings, 1989). Drug teratogenicity was not a major concern until the thalidomide tragedy in the early 1960’s. The tranquilizer, produced in Germany (by Chemie Grunenthal) and improperly tested, was widely prescribed in Europe to combat “morning sickness” in pregnancy. The birth of hundreds of infants with phocomelia, poorly developed limbs (the “seal flipper” deformity), was the result. The drug sold even in the face of mounting reports of the malformation, hitherto one of the rarest. Only when the US Food and Drug Administration did not clear the drug for the US market was thalidomide banned in Europe.
Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and Review.

The biliary anastomosis remains a common site of postoperative complications in liver transplantation (LT). Biliary complications have indeed been termed the “Achilles’ heel” of LT, and while their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment have continued to evolve over the last two decades, various challenges and uncertainties persist. Here we present the case of a 33-year-old man who, 10 years after undergoing LT for idiopathic recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis, was noted to have developed pruritus and abnormalities in serum liver biochemistries during routine post-liver transplant follow-up. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a linear, 1.5 mm hyperechoic filling defect in the common bile duct; magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography demonstrated a curvilinear filling defect at the level of the choledochocholedochostomy, corresponding to the ultrasound finding, as well as an anastomotic biliary stricture (ABS). On endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC), a black tubular stricture with overlying sludge was encountered and extracted from the common bile duct, consistent with a retained 5 Fr pediatric feeding tube originally placed at the time of LT. The patient experienced symptomatic and biochemical relief and successfully underwent serial ERCs with balloon dilatation and maximal biliary stenting for ABS management. With this case, we emphasize the importance of ensuring spontaneous passage or removal of intraductal prostheses placed prophylactically at the time of LT in order to minimize the risk of chronic biliary inflammation and associated sequelae, including cholangitis and ABS formation. We also provide herein a brief review of the use of prophylactic internal transanastomotic prostheses, including biliary tubes and stents, during LT.
Management of cerebrospinal fluid disorders

Abstract Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) disorders generally result in an excess volume of CSF within the neuraxis and an increase in intracranial pressure, defined as hydrocephalus. The treatment of hydrocephalus remains surgical today with the aim of CSF diversion, but the best technique and the best assessment of adequacy of treatment remains undecided in many cases. While shunt insertion remains the mainstay of treatment, neuroendoscopic interventions such as endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) have proven successful for specific pathological conditions. Improved understanding of CSF dynamics and hydrocephalus pathophysiology together with technological advances in neuroimaging, neuronavigation and shunt hardware is leading to a more bespoke, patient-specific approach to this complex and multifactorial pathological entity. In this article we discuss the basics of our current understanding in CSF physiology, the presenting signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus and the modalities best employed to diagnose it. We also discuss treatment modalities and the tailored approach required to specific CSF disorders.