cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Occupational Therapy Education: At the Heart of the Profession's Future.

The advancement of occupational therapy (OT) as a respected discipline, valued service, and desirable career choice is inextricably linked to the future of occupational therapy education. Educational programs throughout the country can feel very proud of their achievements to date. Their didactic and practice-based curricula have provided occupational therapy students with a solid grounding in the behavioral and biological sciences and occupation-based theory and research, as well as in evaluative, treatment, and implementation techniques. These programs grew and responded well in the past to the call for greater numbers of qualified OT practitioners nationwide. Now, amid consolidation of programs, they must respond as effectively in preparing the next generation of practitioners to take advantage of evolving opportunities both within and beyond traditional practice settings and to successfully overcome obstacles in the marketplace. The field has already begun to respond with the move to post-baccalaureate entry level to the profession. There are new ACOTE accreditation standards that reinforce the essential elements of this graduate-level education. And, ACOTE, AOTA, and AOTF have joined forces to create workshops to assist programs to make this important transition.
Augmentation of Innate Host Defense by Expression of a Cathelicidin Antimicrobial Peptide

Antimicrobial peptides, such as defensins or cathelicidins, are effector substances of the innate immune system and are thought to have antimicrobial properties that contribute to host defense. The evidence that vertebrate antimicrobial peptides contribute to innate immunity in vivo is based on their expression pattern and in vitro activity against microorganisms. The goal of this study was to investigate whether the overexpression of an antimicrobial peptide results in augmented protection against bacterial infection. C57BL/6 mice were given an adenovirus vector containing the cDNA for LL-37/hCAP-18, a human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide. Mice treated with intratracheal LL-37/hCAP-18 vector had a lower bacterial load and a smaller inflammatory response than did untreated mice following pulmonary challenge with Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. Systemic expression of LL-37/hCAP-18 after intravenous injection of recombinant adenovirus resulted in improved survival rates following intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide with galactosamine or Escherichia coli CP9. In conclusion, the data demonstrate that expression of an antimicrobial peptide by gene transfer results in augmentation of the innate immune response, providing support for the hypothesis that vertebrate antimicrobial peptides protect against microorganisms in vivo.
Laser Chemical Vapor Deposition

Laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) is a process by which an organometallic compound in the form of a precursor gas is induced, by light or heat from a laser source, to deposit in the form of a solid on a substrate. Deposition can occur through a photolytic or pyrolytic mechanism, or a combination of both mechanisms. In photolytic LCVD, deposition occurs when the precursor gas is dissociated directly by light. The dissociation can occur over the surface (when the laser beam is parallel to the surface) or at the surface (when the beam is incident to the surface as in direct write photolysis). The deposition rate in photolytic LCVD is very low (usually in Angstroms/unit time) and is feasible for depositing thin films without heating the substrate. It has been employed for the manufacture and repair of integrated circuit interconnects (Osgood 1983; Baum 1992).
Routine Versus Catastrophic Influences on the Developing Child

Exposure to toxic stress accelerates the wear and tear on children's developing bodies and leaves a lasting mark on adult health. Prior research has focused mainly on children exposed to extreme forms of adversity, such as maltreatment and extreme neglect. However, repeated exposure to less severe, but often chronic stressors is likely to play as large, if not larger, of a role in forecasting children's future mental and physical health. New tools from neuroscience, biology, epigenetics, and the social sciences are helping to isolate when and how the foundations for adult health are shaped by childhood experiences. We are now in the position to understand how adversity, in both extreme and more mundane forms, contributes to the adult health burden and to identify features in children's families and environments that can be strengthened to buffer the effects of toxic stressors. We are also positioned to develop and implement innovative approaches to child policy and practice that are rooted in an understan...
The Calculus of Variations in Applied Aerodynamics and Flight Mechanics

Publisher Summary The calculus of variations has become increasingly popular in applied aerodynamics through the study of the optimum shapes of aircraft and missile components and flight mechanics through the study of the optimum trajectories of aircraft, missiles, and spaceships. The most general problems of the calculus of variations in one independent variable are the problems of Bolza, Mayer, and Lagrange. This chapter discusses the indirect methods of the calculus of variations with particular emphasis on the problems of Bolza, Mayer, and Lagrange. After the Euler-Lagrange equations, the corner conditions, the transversality condition, the Legendre-Clebsch condition, and the Weierstrass condition are reviewed, and the difficulties inherent to the solution of the mixed boundary-value problem are discussed in the chapter. The Legendre–Clebsch condition is a consequence of the Weierstrass condition. The use of variational techniques in applied aerodynamics is also discussed in the chapter, with particular regard to the determination of the geometry of the slender body of revolution having minimum pressure drag in Newtonian flow, as well as the two-dimensional wing having minimum pressure drag in linearized supersonic flow. The use of variational techniques in flight mechanics is reviewed with particular regard to the determination of the optimum two-dimensional paths for a rocket vehicle flying in either a vacuum or a resisting medium.
Direct access to the middle meningeal artery for embolization of complex dural arteriovenous fistula: a hybrid treatment approach

Endovascular embolization has become increasingly favored over microsurgical resection for treatment of complex dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs). However, endovascular treatment can be restricted by tortuous transarterial access and a transvenous approach is not always feasible. We present a Borden III DAVF treated by direct access to the middle meningeal artery (MMA) and Onyx embolization performed in a hybrid operating room–angiography suite. A middle-aged patient with pulsatile headaches was found to have left transverse sinus occlusion and DAVF with retrograde cortical venous drainage fed by multiple external carotid artery (ECA) feeders. Endovascular attempts via conventional transvenous and transarterial routes were unsuccessful, and the major MMA feeder was accessed directly after temporal craniotomy was performed under neuronavigation. Onyx embolization was performed; complete occlusion of the fistula was achieved. Three-month follow-up angiography showed no residual filling; the patient remains complication-free. A combined surgical–endovascular technique in a hybrid operating room–angiography suite can be an effective treatment for DAVFs complicated by inaccessible arterial and transvenous approaches.
The Role of Race/Ethnicity in Alcohol-attributable Injury in the United States

A substantial proportion of injuries worldwide are attributable to alcohol consumption, and US estimates indicate that the drinking patterns of racial/ethnic groups vary considerably. The authors reviewed evidence from 19 publications regarding racial/ethnic differences in overall alcohol-attributable injury as well as percent blood alcohol content positivity for injury deaths in the United States. They found that Native Americans evidence higher rates of alcohol-attributable motor vehicle crash fatality, suicide, and falls compared with other racial/ethnic groups; conversely, Asians evidence lower rates of alcohol-attributable injury than other racial/ethnic groups. The rate of alcohol positivity and intoxication among Hispanics is disproportionately high relative to estimates of alcohol use. Black subgroups also evidence higher rates of alcohol positivity than would be expected given estimates of alcohol use, including for alcohol positivity among drivers of fatally injured black children and homicide. These findings highlight the continued need for public health focus on Native American populations with respect to alcohol consumption and injury. Further, the disparity in alcohol-attributable injury mortality among black and Hispanic groups relative to their reported rates of alcohol consumption is an overlooked area of research. The authors review potential social determinants of racial/ethnic disparities in alcohol-attributable injuries and identify directions for further research on these patterns.
Water and Energy Balance

The hydrologic cycle, driven by solar energy, is the master cycle that drives all other ­biogeochemical cycles. This chapter describes ­ecosystem energy budgets and other controls over the hydrologic cycle.
Landschaften as Credit Purveyors—The Example of East Prussia

Landschaften were cooperative mortgage associations that emerged in Prussia after the Seven Years War (1756–1763) to support the Prussian landed nobility. Landschaften issued covered mortgage bonds, called Pfandbriefe, which helped re-capitalize the Prussian estates. Relying on mortgage data for 554 estates, this article provides a detailed look at one of these institutions—the Landschaft of East Prussia. The article offers insights into the self-selection of participants and the distribution of credit. It also gives a quantitative assessment of the economic effects of the Landschaften with respect to ownership patterns and estate size.
Systems of Particles

Here, we extend several results pertaining to a single particle to a system of particles. We start by defining the linear momentum, angular momenta, and kinetic energy for a system of particles. Next, we introduce a new concept, the center of mass C of a system of particles. A discussion of the conservation of kinematical quantities follows, which we illustrate with two detailed examples.
Ab initio investigation of helium in Y2Ti2O7: Mobility and effects on mechanical properties

Abstract Oxide nanoclusters (NCs) in nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) are known to be efficient trapping sites for the transmutation product helium. In this study, the migration barriers and potential energy surfaces of helium in Y2Ti2O7 are presented to explain the mobility of helium through oxide NCs and shed light on the accumulation of helium and the trapping mechanisms of the oxides. A complex tunnel-shaped potential energy surface is identified and gives rise to relatively large migration barriers. Subsequently, the effect of helium accumulation on the mechanical properties of Y2Ti2O7 oxide nanoclusters is investigated and it is shown that the mechanical properties of the oxide do not significantly degrade as helium accumulates.
Charging control system of electric vehicles orientating to local distribution network

A charging control system model is developed based on the characteristics of local distribution network to meet the demands of both power grid and EV(Electric Vehicle) user,which includes three modules:TOU(Time-Of-Use) charging period division module,coordinated charging module and user response evaluation module. Combined with the results of user response evaluation module,the period division module applies the methods of fuzzy cluster and curve feature identification to divide the periods of TOU charging price,based on which,the coordinated charging module manages EV charging with three control objectives:minimum customer charging fee,minimum load curve variance and earliest charging service. Simulative results indicate that,compared with the uncoordinated charging management,users' charging demand is met with the minimum charging fee and the EV charging load is reasonably shifted from daily load peak period to valley period.
Ultrasound elastography assessment of bone/soft tissue interface

We report on the use of elastographic imaging techniques to assess the bone/soft tissue interface, a region that has not been previously investigated but may provide important information about fracture and bone healing. The performance of axial strain elastograms and axial shear strain elastograms at the bone/soft tissue interface was studied ex vivo on intact and fractured canine and ovine tibias. Selected ex vivo results were corroborated on intact sheep tibias in vivo. The elastography results were statistically analyzed using elastographic image quality tools. The results of this study demonstrate distinct patterns in the distribution of the normalized local axial strains and axial shear strains at the bone/soft tissue interface with respect to the background soft tissue. They also show that the relative strength and distribution of the elastographic parameters change in the presence of a fracture and depend on the degree of misalignment between the fracture fragments. Thus, elastographic imaging modalities might be used in the future to obtain information regarding the integrity of bones and to assess the severity of fractures, alignment of bone fragments as well as to follow bone healing.
Reimbursement Related to a 90-Day Episode of Care for a One or Two-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

This article was updated on September 7, 2016, because of a previous error. On page 1381, the third column in Table V had read “Reimbursement per Patient*” and now reads “Total Reimbursement per Code*.” Additionally, the footnote for Table V had read “*The values are given as the reimbursement, with the percentage of the total reimbursement in parentheses. The total percentage from the top 5 CPT codes is 15.79%” and now reads “*The values are given as the total reimbursement for each code, with the percentage of the total reimbursement of $69,469,550 in parentheses. The total percentage from the top 5 CPT codes is 15.79%.” An erratum has been published: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2016 Oct 19;98(20):e94. Background: A bundled payment represents a single payment for services during an episode of care for a surgical procedure. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and associated 90-day costs have been suggested as a bundle amenable to such a payment structure; however, to our knowledge, there are limited available data with regard to costs related to this procedure and subsequent care. Methods: The Medicare 5% National Sample Administrative Database was used to catalog clinical and financial data associated with the day of the surgical procedure and the 90-day postoperative period for patients undergoing a one to two-level ACDF procedure from 2005 to 2012. We simultaneously queried the database for total knee replacement as a means to compare the payments and to verify the reliability of our analysis. Results: A total of 4,506 patients underwent an ACDF procedure for cervical radiculopathy. The total 90-day reimbursement was $69,469,550 or a mean cost per patient (and standard deviation) of $15,417 ± $947 (median, $15,589). As a comparison, the mean reimbursement for patients who had undergone a total knee replacement amounted to $17,451 per patient. The physician reimbursement for ACDF represented 20.42% of the total, with the surgeon receiving 18.07% of the total reimbursement. Revision surgery, readmission, and emergency department reimbursement accounted for 0.71% of the total reimbursement. Reimbursement for rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, skilled nursing facilities, and home care, represented 3.11% of the total reimbursement. There was a significant variation in reimbursement among geographic regions in the United States (p < 0.001), with the highest in the West. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first report on 90-day reimbursement per patient for one to two-level ACDF procedures in a Medicare cohort. Payments varied significantly among geographic locations. Our study provides a reimbursement benchmark for one to two-level ACDF procedures. Clarifying the payments relative to costs will help providers to understand whether a bundled payment for the ACDF procedure is economically viable.
Intellectual Capital and Business Performance of Pharmaceutical Firms in Kenya

A Book Chapter authored by Dr. James Ngari, A Faculty member in the School of Business at USIU-A
Making learning last: teachers’ long-term retention of improved nature of science conceptions and instructional rationales

ABSTRACTDespite successful attempts to improve learners’ nature of science (NOS) conceptions through explicit, reflective approaches, retention of improved conceptions is rarely addressed in research. The issue of context for NOS instruction has implications for this retention. Whether to contextualise has been the question occupying science educators’ attention. We think this question is misplaced. Instead, we build upon recent research addressing a context continuum – drawing on the strengths of both contextualised and noncontextualised NOS instruction – to improve retention. Although there are many different potential contexts for NOS instruction, this investigation focuses on science content as context. The present investigation focused on long-term retention of improved NOS conceptions and rationales for NOS instruction. Participants were all 25 teachers who completed a professional development programme (PDP) utilising a mixed contextualisation approach to NOS instruction. We classified teachers’ NO...
Phase II chemoprevention trial: Anastrozole in DCIS and early invasive hormone-receptor (HR) positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

e11562 Background: Anastrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, decreases estrogen synthesis and is therefore, an effective treatment of (HR) positive breast cancer. We hypothesized that a short course of ...
When I Fell in Love with Sports History

Abstract‘When I Fell in Love with Sports History’ is a story about mentorship, research, and a new direction for sports history. The story emphasizes the need to identify and then mentor students from underrepresented backgrounds to introduce them to sports history. Moreover, the piece examines the need for sports history scholars to use social media more to expand turn social media into an extended classroom to introduce people to sports history.
Different Strokes for the Same Folks: The Effect of Information Architectures on Social Valuations

Social evaluation platforms for products, services, workers, and organizations are ubiquitous. Scholars have studied the social determinants of these collective endeavors, tracing how attributes of...
HIPAA’s Individual Right of Access to Genomic Data: Reconciling Safety and Civil Rights

In 2014, the United States granted individuals a right of access to their own laboratory test results, including genomic data. Many observers feel that this right is in tension with regulatory and bioethical standards designed to protect the safety of people who undergo genomic testing. This commentary attributes this tension to growing pains within an expanding federal regulatory program for genetic and genomic testing. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 expanded the regulatory agenda to encompass civil rights and consumer safety. The individual access right, as it applies to genomic data, is best understood as a civil-rights regulation. Competing regulatory objectives—safety and civil rights—were not successfully integrated during the initial rollout of genomic civil-rights regulations after 2008. Federal law clarifies how to prioritize safety and civil rights when the two come into conflict, although with careful policy design, the two need not collide. This commentary opens a dialog about possible solutions to advance safety and civil rights together.
Common bean varieties demonstrate differential physiological and metabolic responses to the pathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Plant physiology and metabolism are important components of a plant response to microbial pathogens. Physiological resistance of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has been established, but the mechanisms of resistance are largely unknown. Here, the physiological and metabolic responses of bean varieties that differ in physiological resistance to S. sclerotiorum are investigated. Upon infection, the resistant bean variety A195 had a unique physiological response that included reduced photosynthesis and maintaining a higher leaf surface pH during infection. Leaf metabolomics was performed on healthy tissue adjacent to the necrotic lesion at 16, 24, and 48 hours post inoculation, and 144 metabolites were detected that varied between A195 and Sacramento following infection. The metabolites that varied in leaves included amines/amino acids, organic acids, phytoalexins, and ureides. The metabolic pathways associated with resistance included: amine metabolism, uriede-based nitrogen remobilization, antioxidant production, and bean-specific phytoalexin production. A second experiment was conducted in stems of 13 bean genotypes with varying resistance. Stem resistance was associated with phytoalexin production, but unlike leaf metabolism, lipid changes were associated with susceptibility. Taken together, the data supports a multi-faceted, physio-metabolic response of common bean to S. sclerotiorum that mediates resistance.
Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Methane Biocatalysis: Key Considerations and Potential Impacts

Biocatalysis offers the potential to utilize stranded sources of methane to make a wide range of fuels and chemicals. Environmental impacts are one set of criteria on which any new biocatalysis project will likely be judged, and it will be important to consider the environmental impacts of proposed new technologies across the entire life cycle of the new system. Life cycle assessment is a valuable tool that has been employed to evaluate and compare environmental impacts in several new bio-based fuel and chemical production systems. The considerations important in each key unit operation involved with a general methane biocatalysis system are discussed. A case study is briefly introduced to illustrate the potential impacts of key decisions that could be made across the entire life cycle of a potential methane biocatalysis system. The case study illustrates that through a combination of careful methane gas sourcing, innovative bioreactor technology, and an integrated system designed to recover and reuse non-lipid biomass, a system could be developed to produce bio-based liquid transportation fuels with clear greenhouse gas emissions benefits, in comparison to conventional diesel fuel. Opportunities to develop biorefinery systems involving production and recovery of high-value coproducts like ectoine may also shift the distribution of environmental impacts among products in significant ways, which will require careful consideration of the technical operations and regulatory regime influencing the biorefinery system.
TPCAM: Real-time traffic pattern collection and analysis model based on deep learning

Real-time, robust and reliable traffic surveillance is one of the important requirements to improve urban traffic control systems and eliminate congestions. One of the major drawbacks with the existing traffic surveillance infrastructure is the need for storing and transmitting the huge video data before processing it. In this paper, we focus to enable the intelligence of traffic system as well as eliminate the need for storing and transmitting big data. To achieve this, we propose a real-time system called traffic pattern collection and analysis model (TPCAM) that aims at collecting and generating the statistics of traffic data at intersections. The system employs deep learning models and real-time algorithms to process live traffic information on a resource constrained embedded platform. However, the achievable frame rate on the most advanced embedded systems (NVIDIA Jetson TX2) is only 3 FPS, which is too low to capture the full moving trace of the vehicles. To improve the frame rate, we further propose deep object tracking algorithm leveraging adaptive multi-modal models and make it robust to object occlusions and varying lighting conditions. Based on the deep learning based detection and tracking, we can achieve pseudo-30FPS via adaptive key frame selection.
Laser-induced photogeneration of ATP: a new approach to the study of chemical kinetics of muscle contraction

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses laser-induced photogeneration of ATP. It presents an experiment to show how ATP hydrolysis in muscle fibers is coupled to muscle contraction. A photochemical method is used in which fibers were incubated with the photo-labile compound P 3 -l-(2-nitro)phenylethyladenosine 5'-triphosphate . ATP was then released rapidly by a pulse of 347 nm irradiation from a frequency-doubled ruby laser. The most straightforward experiment with caged ATP is to measure the kinetics of relaxation of rigor muscle following the release of ATP. The cleavage kinetics of ATP can be followed by using radioactive caged ATP. Within 50 msec of releasing ATP in a muscle fiber, an amount of ADP is formed that is approximately the molar equivalent of the myosin heads in both the absence and presence of calcium ions. This burst of ADP formation is followed by slower steady-state ADP formation.
RealMothers and Good Stewards: The Ethics of Embryo Adoption

The recent debates within Roman Catholicism on heterologous embryo transfer (HET) – the practice of transferring a previously cryopreserved human embryo to the uterus of a woman who is not the genetic mother – have been surprising to both Catholics and non-Catholics. Given the Church’s position that human life has moral status from fertilization onward and her vigorous defense of human embryos against destruction in human embryonic stem cell research, support for the practice might seem assured. Yet, Catholic philosophers and moral theologians have shown that HET raises crucial concerns regarding the continued cultural commodification of human life, the meaning of human sexuality and marriage, and the nature of human personhood. Three specific areas of concern have arisen: First, whether HET is impermissible because it involves cooperation with (or the appearance of cooperation with) practices that the Church has deemed illicit (i.e., frozen embryos and the dilemma they present only exist because of the practice of in vitro fertilization – IVF). As demonstrated by the work of Brown and Eberl in this volume, however, these are not in principled arguments against the practice and do not to tell against HET in all circumstances. The remaining two positions against the morality of HET are in principled arguments: That the practice is a violation of the marital unity and exclusivity of spouses, and that becoming pregnant and gestating an adopted embryo violates a woman’s reproductive self and diminishes the meaning of motherhood. Specifically, the problem with embryo adoption – a particular form of HET in which a married couple agree to gestate and then raise whatever child(ren) are born to them – is that it “opens [a woman’s] womb to an embryo produced by strangers, and ... such an action illicitly invokes her procreative powers apart from a marital act with her husband” (Pacholczyk, this volume, p. 71). The presence of worthy intentions and even a shared commitment on the part of husband and wife to welcome anyone born of this procedure as their child(ren), does not overcome what is inherently an illicit act. These arguments are secured by appeal
Solar UV-B Radiation and Global Dimming: Effects on Plant Growth and UV-Shielding

Atmospheric aerosols and other particulates have been linked to reductions in shortwave radiation (global dimming). While much research has focused on the effects on plants caused by ambient and elevated UV-B (290 nm–320 nm), the direct effects of global dimming, and those mediated by associated changes in UV-B radiation, have not been effectively assessed. We conducted an experiment in the high-UV environment of Mauna Kea, Hawaii to compare the effects of UV-B reduction with a simulation of global dimming (accomplished with 13% shading). Using fava beans, (Vicia faba), we found that structural differences due to the treatments were minimal in this high light environment. Most surprising was the minimal effect of UV-B on plant growth given the high UV-B environment. However, both UV-B and shading significantly influenced epidermal UV transmittance, suggesting that changes that occur in secondary chemistry can affect epidermal transmittance for UV. Additional experiments suggest that the change in epidermal transmittance due to shading would most likely occur with foliage in high-shade environments. Such changes in secondary chemistry have the potential to affect herbivory, nutrient cycling, and plant response to pathogens. While there are few experimental studies that specifically address possible reductions in radiation due to global dimming, many UV reduction experiments have been conducted in recent decades. Attempts to generalize latitudinal responses from these studies, however, are frustrated by a number of factors. Chief among them are different methodologies (reduction of different UV wavebands in different experiments) and a lack of reporting UV irradiance levels.
OJIP-fluorescence parameters as rapid indicators of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedling vigor under contrasting growth temperature regimes.

Abstract Vigorous seedling growth in cotton is desirable because it minimizes the negative impact of multiple early season stresses, and seedling vigor can be impacted by early season growth temperature or cultivar. OJIP fluorescence provides rapid information on a broad range of photosynthetic component processes and may be a useful surrogate for seeding vigor, but this possibility has not been evaluated previously in cotton. To this end, a controlled environment study was conducted with six cultivars selected based on seed characteristics that are widely indicative of vigor and under two growth temperature regimes (sub-optimal = 20/15 °C day/night temperature; optimal = 30/20 °C) for the first two weeks after seed germination. Thereafter multiple whole-plant vigor assessments were conducted along with extensive OJIP-fluorescence characterization in cotyledons. Growth temperature was the primary factor influencing multiple plant responses. Specifically, all whole-plant indicators of seedling vigor were negatively impacted by sub-optimal temperature as were all photosynthetic performance indices and quantum efficiencies. By comparison, most photosynthetic structural indicators or reaction center-specific fluxes were either unaffected or positively impacted by low growth temperature, largely because PSII antenna size increased. The performance index, PIABS, and the quantum efficiency, φEo, were the most sensitive to low growth temperature and exhibited the strongest relationships with whole-plant seedling vigor. Thus, OJIP parameters incorporating intersystem electron transport beyond PSII but not additional downstream processes may represent the most useful surrogates for whole-plant seedling vigor in cotton.
Multifunctional Alleles: A novel method for the generation of “All-In-One” null and conditional alleles

The engineering of conditional alleles has evolved from simple floxing of regions of genes to more elaborate methods. Previously, we developed Conditional by Inversion (COIN), an allele design that utilizes an exon-splitting intron and an invertible genetrap-like module (COIN module) to create null alleles upon Cre-mediated inversion. Here we build upon COINs by generating a new Multifunctional Allele (MFA), that utilizes a single gene-targeting step and three site-specific recombination systems, to generate four allelic states: 1. The initial MFA (generated upon targeting) functions as a null with reporter (plus drug selection cassette) allele, wherein the gene of interest is inactivated by both inversion of a critical region of its coding sequence and simultaneous insertion of a reporter gene. MFAs can also be used as 'reverse-conditional' alleles as they are functionally wild type when they are converted to COIN alleles. 2. Null with reporter (minus drug selection cassette), wherein the selection cassette, the inverted critical region, and the COIN module are removed. 3. COIN-based conditional-null via removal of the selection cassette and reporter and simultaneous re-inversion of the critical region of the target. 4. Inverted COIN allele, wherein the COIN allele in turn is reconverted to a null allele by taking advantage of the COIN module's gene trap while simultaneously deleting the critical region.
Sorbose-resistant mutants ofNeurospora crassa do not have alteredβ(1–3)glucan synthase activity

A number of mutants ofNeurospora crassa (sor-1, sor-3, sor-4, sor-5, sor-6, sor-15, sor-T9, andpatch) were found to be resistant to the growth-inhibiting effect of sorbose.β(1–3)-Glucan synthase activity from each strain was found to be as sensitive to sorbose as wild-type enzyme activity. Four of these strains (sor-1, sor-4, sor-5, sor-T9) had altered sorbose transport; the remaining strains tested had normal sorbose transport. All of these strains (except forsor-3) were found to metabolize sorbose to glucose (and other compounds). This may explain their sorbose resistance.
Using Amazon's Mechanical Turk for Annotating Medical Named Entities.

Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (AMT) service is becoming increasingly popular in Natural Language Processing (NLP) research. In this poster, we report our findings in using AMT to annotate biomedical text extracted from clinical trial descriptions with three entity types: medical condition, medication, and laboratory test. We also describe our observations on AMT workers’ annotations.
The challenges of an in situ validation of a nonequilibrium model of heat and moisture dynamics during fires

Abstract. With the increasing frequency and severity of fire there is an increasing desire to better manage fuels and minimize, as much as possible, the impacts of fire on soils and other natural resources. Piling and/or burning slash is one method of managing fuels and reducing the risk and consequences of wildfire, but the repercussions to the soil, although very localized, can be significant and often irreversible. In an effort to provide a tool to better understand the impact of fire on soils, this study outlines the improvements to and the in-situ validation of a non-equilibrium model for simulating the coupled interactions and transport of heat, moisture and water vapor during fires. Improvements to the model eliminate two important (but heretofore universally overlooked) inconsistencies: one that describes the relationship between evaporation and condensation in the parameterization of the non-equilibrium vapor source term and the other, is the incorrect use of the apparent thermal conductivity in the soil heat flow equation. The first of these enhanced the stability and performance of the model. The second is an important improvement in the model's physical realism, but had less of an impact on the model's performance and stability than the first. The model validation uses (in-situ temperature, soil moisture, and heat flux) data obtained in a 2004 experimental slash pile burn. Important temperature dependent corrections to the instruments used for measuring soil heat flux and moisture are also discussed and assessed. Despite any possible ambiguities in the calibration the sensors or the simplicity of the parameterization of the surface heating function, the difficulties and complexities of formulating the upper boundary condition, and the obvious complexities of the dynamic response of the soil's temperature and heat flux, the model produced at least a very credible, if not surprisingly good, simulation of the observed data. This study then continues with a discussion and sensitivity analysis of some important feedbacks (some of which are well known and others that are more hypothetical) that are not included in the present (or any extant) model, but undoubtedly are dynamically influencing the physical properties of the soil in-situ during the fire and thereby modulating the behavior of the soil temperature and moisture. This manuscript concludes with a list of possible future observational and modeling studies and how they would advance the research and findings discussed here.
Lessons learned from open laryngotracheal airway resection and primary anastomosis in high risk patients.

Objective Laryngotracheal stenosis is one of the most difficult conditions treated by the Otolaryngologist. Open resection of stenosis with primary airway anastomosis is the definitive treatment for this condition. However, some patients are considered high risk candidates for open airway surgery and management and outcomes in this group have not been reported. The purpose of this investigation is to identify a series of high risk patients who underwent open laryngotracheal surgery and detail the lessons learned in regards to their post-operative course and outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study of all patients that underwent airway resection and primary anastomosis over a fifteen-year period was performed. High-risk patients, those with medical comorbidities that impair wound healing, were identified. Post-operative course, management of complications, and ultimate airway outcomes were noted. Results Seven patients fitting the high-risk category were identified. Comorbidities were poorly controlled insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (N = 4), poorly controlled hypertension (N = 4), end stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis (N = 3), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (N = 1), and history of radiation therapy (N = 1). Each patient suffered postoperative complications of varying degrees including postoperative infection (N = 1), formation of granulation tissue at the anastomotic site (N = 3), and postoperative hematoma (N = 1). Management included treatment of infection and complications. Anastomotic dehiscence was managed with tracheostomy and T-tubes. Conclusions High-risk medical comorbidities may not be absolute contraindications for open laryngotracheal resection of airway stenosis. However, this experience emphasizes the importance of preoperative medical optimization and comprehensive postoperative care.
Transrectal Ultrasound MRI-Fusion Biopsy of Perirectal Mass

This case report describes the novel use of ultrasound-guided MRI-fusion biopsy to sample an extraluminal perirectal mass. This is a 64-year-old man with a history of pT3N2b mucinous adenocarcinoma...
Getting a Diagnosis in an Abortion Storm

Determining the cause of abortions presents many problems. This is reflected in the fact that the diagnostic success of laboratories in bovine abortion is only 30-40% (1,2). The reasons for this relatively low diagnostic success are numerous. Abortion results from an event that frequently occurred weeks or months earlier. The cause, therefore, may be undetectable in the fetus at the time of abortion. The fetus is often retained in the uterus hours to days after death, and autolysis obscures lesions that are present. The placenta is often affected first and most consistently but is frequently unavailable for examination (1). The lack of relevant history, clinical signs and frequent negative necropsy findings force the diagnostician to look for every infectious agent that might be involved. Therefore, the laboratory tests for all the etiological agents frequently associated with abortion. The techniques used will vary somewhat between laboratories but will include what can be tested for within a reasonable amount of time and some degree of accuracy.
Spectrum of Somatic Cancer Gene Variations Among Adults With Appendiceal Cancer by Age at Disease Onset.

Importance The incidence of appendiceal cancer (AC) is rising, particularly among individuals younger than 50 years (early-onset AC), with unexplained etiologies. The unique spectrum of somatic cancer gene variations among patients with early-onset AC is largely undetermined. Objective To characterize the frequency of somatic variations and genomic patterns among patients with early-onset (age Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included individuals aged 18 years and older diagnosed with pathologically verified AC. Cases with clinical-grade targeted sequencing data from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2019, were identified from the international clinicogenomic data-sharing consortium American Association for Cancer Research Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange (GENIE). Data analysis was conducted from May to September 2020. Exposures Age at clinical sequencing. Main Outcomes and Measures Somatic variation prevalence and spectrum in AC patients was determined. Variation comparisons between early-onset and late-onset AC were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression with adjustment for sex, race/ethnicity, histological subtype, sequencing center, and sample type. Results In total 385 individuals (mean [SD] age at clinical sequencing, 56.0 [12.4] years; 187 [48.6%] men; 306 [79.5%] non-Hispanic White individuals) with AC were included in this study, and 109 patients (28.3%) were diagnosed with early-onset AC. Race/ethnicity differed by age at sequencing; non-Hispanic Black individuals accounted for a larger proportion of early-onset vs late-onset cases (9 of 109 [8.3%] vs 11 of 276 [4.0%];P = 0.04). Compared with patients aged 50 years or older at sequencing, patients with early-onset AC had significantly higher odds of presenting with nonsilent variations inPIK3CA,SMAD3, andTSC2(PIK3CA: odds ratio [OR], 4.58; 95% CI, 1.72-12.21;P = .002;SMAD3: OR, 7.37; 95% CI, 1.24-43.87;P = .03;TSC2: OR, 12.43; 95% CI, 1.03-149.59;P = .047). In contrast, patients with early-onset AC had a 60% decreased odds of presenting withGNASnonsilent variations compared with patients with late-onset AC (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.21-0.76,P = .006). By histological subtype, young patients with mucinous adenocarcinomas of the appendix had 65% decreased odds of variations inGNAScompared with late-onset cases in adjusted models (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.15-0.79;P = .01). Similarly, patients with early-onset nonmucinous appendiceal adenocarcinomas had 72% decreased odds of presenting withGNASvariations vs late-onset cases, although these findings did not reach significance (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.07-1.14;P = .08).GNASandTP53variations were mutually exclusive in ACs among early-onset and late-onset cases (P Conclusions and Relevance In the study, AC among younger individuals harbored a distinct genomic landscape compared with AC among older individuals. Development of therapeutic modalities that target these unique molecular features may yield clinical implications specifically for younger patients.
What are We Fighting to Reform

As in baseball, the history of war favors the home team, especially when the home team prevails. Not surprisingly, those who come in second place on the battlefield have little say in the telling of the tale. What became of the Ottoman and Austria-Hungarian Empires receives anecdotal attention, though those who live in Istanbul, Vienna and Budapest remember the Great War much like the City of Buffalo remembers Scott Norwood. So, too, will the success or failure of America’s struggle to provide universal health care be decided in the grand scheme, with little thought given to the smaller scale of unfortunate losses incurred upon the way.
Optimizing CNN using Fast Fourier Transformation for Object Recognition

This paper proposes to use Fast Fourier Transformation-based U-Net (a refined "fully convolutional networks") and perform image convolution in neural networks. Leveraging the Fast Fourier Transformation, it reduces the image convolution costs involved in the Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and thus reduces the overall computational costs. The proposed model identifies the object information from the images. We apply the Fast Fourier transform algorithm on an image data set to obtain more accessible information about the image data, before segmenting them through the U-Net architecture. More specifically, we implement the FFT-based convolutional neural network to improve the training time of the network. The proposed approach was applied to publicly available Broad Bioimage Benchmark Collection (BBBC) dataset. Our model demonstrated improvement in training time during convolution from 600 − 700 ms/step to 400–500 ms/step. We evaluated the accuracy of our model using Intersection over Union (IoU) metric showing significant improvements.
Weaving Healthy Families Program: Promoting Resilience While Reducing Violence and Substance Use.

Purpose:We examine pilot results for the culturally adapted Weaving Healthy Families (WHF) program to promote resilience and wellness while preventing substance abuse and violence among Native Amer...
The Association of Oxidative Stress and Hypoglycemia in Reduced Uterine Perfusion Rat Offspring

Background: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period. Hypoglycemia is often reported in IUGR newborns which may have permanent sequelae if severe. IUGR is commonly associated with placental insufficiency resulting in reduced transport of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, however, the exact mechanisms involved are unknown. In utero, the placenta shows increased oxidative stress in the setting of placental insufficiency and it is unclear how oxidative stress may influence the development of a hypoglycemic state in …
Intentional self-regulation among young adults: Investigating the structure of selection, optimization, and compensation among West Point Cadets

Intentional Self-Regulation (ISR)—broadly defined, goal-directed behavior—is an important skill in promoting positive and adaptive development across the life span. The Selection-Optimization-Compe...
Reduction in sample injection bias using pressure gradients generated on chip

Sample injection in microchip-based capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) frequently rely on the use of electric fields which can introduce differences in the injected volume for the various analytes depending on their electrophoretic mobilities and molecular diffusivities. While such injection biases may be minimized by employing hydrodynamic flows during the injection process, this approach typically requires excellent dynamic control over the pressure gradients applied within a microfluidic network. The current article describes a microchip device that offers this needed control by generating pressure gradients on-chip via electrokinetic means to minimize the dead volume in the system. In order to realize the desired pressure-generation capability, an electric field was applied across two channel segments of different depths to produce a mismatch in the electroosmotic flow rate at their junction. The resulting pressure-driven flow was then utilized to introduce sample zones into a CZE channel with minimal injection bias. The reported injection strategy allowed the introduction of narrow sample plugs with spatial standard deviations down to about 45 μm. This injection technique was later integrated to a capillary zone electrophoresis process for analyzing amino acid samples yielding separation resolutions of about 4-6 for the analyte peaks in a 3 cm long analysis channel.
Maternal Levels of Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) during Early Pregnancy in Relation to Preeclampsia Subtypes and Biomarkers of Preeclampsia Risk.

Background: Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been previously associated with preeclampsia, although findings are mixed with respect to the direction and magnitude of effect...