cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The identification of four histidine kinases that influence sporulation in Clostridium thermocellum

In this study, we sought to identify genes involved in the onset of spore formation in Clostridium thermocellum via targeted gene deletions, gene over-expression, and transcriptional analysis. We determined that three putative histidine kinases, clo1313_0286, clo1313_2735 and clo1313_1942 were positive regulators of sporulation, while a fourth kinase, clo1313_1973, acted as a negative regulator. Unlike Bacillus or other Clostridium species, the deletion of a single positively regulating kinase was sufficient to abolish sporulation in this organism. Sporulation could be restored in these asporogenous strains via overexpression of any one of the positive regulators, indicating a high level of redundancy between these kinases. In addition to having a sporulation defect, deletion of clo1313_2735 produced L-forms. Thus, this kinase may play an additional role in repressing L-form formation. This work suggests that C. thermocellum enters non-growth states based on the sensory input from multiple histidine kinases. The ability to control the development of non-growth states at the genetic level has the potential to inform strategies for improved strain development, as well as provide valuable insight into C. thermocellum biology.
Divergent chemokine, cytokine and β-defensin responses to gastric candidiasis in immunocompetent C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice

Previous studies of animal models of candidiasis have produced conflicting results concerning the cytokines and host defence mechanisms that are most relevant for protection against Candida infections. In this study, the host defence mechanisms evoked by two different immunocompetent murine strains following oral colonization with Candida albicans were assessed. β-Defensin (mBD1, mBD3 and mBD4), chemokine (MIP-2 and KC) and cytokine (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-15) gene expression in germ-free (gf) and C. albicans-infected (gastric) C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice was contrasted. Gf C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice expressed significantly different basal levels of mBD3, mBD4, TNF-α and IL-12 in gastric tissues; however, gf C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice were equally susceptible to intestinal colonization with C. albicans and had similar fungal burdens in gastric tissues 4 weeks after oral challenge. C57BL/6 mice responded to colonization and gastric candidiasis with increased expression of mBD1, mBD3, mBD4, TNF-α, MIP-2, KC and IL-12. Conversely, a much more specific and attenuated response was observed in Candida-infected gastric tissues from BALB/c mice. Therefore, different strains of mice that were equally susceptible to gastric candidiasis after oral challenge had divergent cytokine, chemokine and β-defensin responses. This suggests that conflicting data as to the relevance of cytokines and other host factors in murine resistance to candidiasis may be explained, at least in part, by the strain of mouse studied.
Activation of Janus Kinases During Tumorigenesis

Janus tyrosine kinases (JAKs) are important for the growth and homeostasis of a variety of normal tissues. Specifically, JAK1 and JAK2 are essential for mammalian development, and conventional knockout models in mice show that the absence of just one of these two kinases causes prenatal and postnatal lethality. Recent studies using JAK2 conditional knockout mice show that this tyrosine kinase plays key roles in mammary gland development, fertility, pancreatic β cell homeostasis, and the suppression of fatty liver disease in adult animals. Somatically acquired point mutations or structural abnormalities in the JAK2 gene contribute to various hematopoietic malignancies. In contrast, a sustained activation of JAK1 and JAK2 in solid human cancers, such as those of the breast, prostate, lung, head and neck, skin, and gastrointestinal tract, is caused mainly by alternative mechanisms. These include the epigenetic silencing of negative regulators of JAKs as well as an aberrant autocrine stimulation of growth factors such as PRL, EPO, and IL-6. In addition to the canonical pathway through Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs), JAKs are an integral part of a crosstalk with receptor tyrosine kinases and their substrates that promote the progression of solid cancers. The biological significance of JAKs within wider signaling networks, however, depends on the cell type and the stage of neoplastic progression. For example, recent studies in breast cancer models that are conditionally deficient in JAK2 show that the importance of this kinase changes during disease initiation and progression, which may have significant implications for targeting this Janus kinase in a chemopreventive or therapeutic setting.
NEOSYCHNOCOTYLE MAGGIAE, N. GEN., N. SP. (PLATYHELMINTHES: ASPIDOGASTREA) FROM FRESHWATER TURTLES IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

Neosychnocotyle maggiae, n. gen., n. sp., (Aspidogastrea) is described from the pig-nosed turtle, Carettochelys insculpta, and reported from the Victoria River red-faced turtle, Emydura victoriae, all from the Daly River, Northern Territory, Australia. Neosychnocotyle n. gen. is differentiated from all aspidogastrean genera but one by the absence of a cirrus sac. The similar Sychnocotyle also lacks a cirrus sac, but Neosychnocotyle n. gen. differs from the former genus by possessing a narrow, tapered anterior end, a ventral disk that covers the posterior end of the body, a genital pore that is displaced anteriorly, and a vas deferens that is less convoluted and less robust. Analysis of ribosomal DNA sequences demonstrates substantial sequence variability between representatives of Sychnocotyle and Neosychnocotyle maggiae, n. gen., n. sp. It is possible that this new parasite may reach sexual maturity only in C. insculpta. This is only the second aspidogastrean species reported from Australian freshwater turtles.
Which Type of Advisors Do Family Businesses Trust Most? An Exploratory Application of Socioemotional Selectivity Theory:

In this article, we introduce socioemotional selectivity theory (SEST) from psychology to the family business literature. Applying the theory to family businesses, we argue that a family business’s age influences whether it trusts family or professional business advisors most. Consistent with SEST, we find that business age relates to whether the family business emphasizes financial or socioemotional wealth more and that this wealth emphasis relates to whether family members or professional business advisors are trusted most. Based on these findings, we believe that SEST has much to offer to the study of family and nonfamily businesses.
Repetitive intermittent flow plasma exchange in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia

Abstract This report summarizes the effective treatment of severe hypercholesterolemia with repetitive intermittent flow plasma exchange (RPE), either alone or when combined with drug therapy in 3 subjects, one homozygous for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), one heterozygous for FH, and one with hypercholesterolemia secondary to biliary cirrhosis. In the subject homozygous for FH, 35 exchanges have been successfully carried out. A 40% reduction in plasma total. and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (530 and 482 to 331 and 285 mg/dl, respectively) was achieved by RPE combined with drug therapy compared to drug therapy alone. Cessation or decreased dosage of the concomitant drug therapy lead to greater amounts of cholesterol entering the intravascular compartment between exchanges, P
A Monadic Semantics for Core Curry

Abstract We give a deterministic, big-step operational semantics for the essential core of the Curry language, including higher-order functions, call-by-need evaluation, non-determinism, narrowing, and residuation. The semantics is structured in modular monadic style, and is presented in the form of an executable interpreter written in Haskell. It uses monadic formulations of state, non-determinism, and resumption-based concurrency.
First-generation holographic, grazing-incidence gratings for use in converging, extreme-ultraviolet light beams

We present two holographic recording solutions that produce gratings suitable for use at grazing incidence in the extreme ultraviolet. The rulings are formed when the interference pattern of two spherical wave fronts is recorded on a planar substrate. Each grating is designed to minimize or eliminate the dominant aberration terms in order to maximize the spectral and spatial resolution of the system. In the first design, the dominant astigmatism term in a power-series expansion of the light path function is eliminated; in the second design, the dominant comatic terms are minimized. Each grating is placed directly in a converging light beam at grazing incidence to provide high system efficiency in the extreme ultraviolet. The aberration control afforded by both recording solutions is excellent, providing detector-limited spatial and spectral resolution over much of the usable bandpass. Furthermore, the aberration control is maintained over a wide range of beam speeds and off-axis angles, thereby outperforming conventional varied line-space gratings for use in the extreme ultraviolet. We discuss the methodology used to develop the recording solutions, model and compare the performance of the gratings, and discuss possible space-based applications for these gratings.
A Review of: “Vande Berg, L., & Trujillo, N. (2008). Cancer and death: A love story in two voices.”

The American Cancer Society (2008) estimates that in 2008 approximately 1.4 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed and almost 566,000 Americans died from the disease. These statistics, however,...
Extended Foster Care for Transition-Age Youth: An Opportunity for Pregnancy Prevention and Parenting Support.

Abstract Purpose This analysis examined California county birth rate variations among girls in foster care. The objective was to generate data to assess potential intervention points tied to federal legislation extending foster care beyond age 18 years. Methods Child protection records for all adolescent girls in foster care at age 17 years between 2003 and 2007 (N = 20,222) were linked to vital birth records through 2011. The cumulative percentage of girls who had given birth by age 21 years was calculated by county and race/ethnicity. Results One in three (35.2%) adolescent girls in foster care had given birth at least once before age 21 years. Although significant birth rate variations emerged, even at the low end of the county range, more than one in four girls had given birth by age 21 years. Conclusions Child welfare systems are now charged with coordinating transitional services for foster youth beyond age 18 years. Extended foster care provides new opportunities for pregnancy prevention work and targeted parenting support.
Gastroenvironmental distress: metaphorical antecedents of the gut microbiome

The human gut has been viewed for centuries as a potential mediator of systemic disease. The theory of autointoxication, which found its clearest articulation in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, focused on altered bowel habits as the cause of widespread physical decay and advocated for the pursuit of health through regular defecation. More recently, under the banner of the microbiome, research on commensal bacteria makes a similar case for associations between alimentary dynamics and illness manifestations far outside the gastrointestinal tract. Surface distinctions between these two conceptual frameworks are apparently antipodal, the former championing emptiness and sterility, the latter abundance and restoration. Within both models, however, persists a common anxiety about the detrimental effects of civilisation on the body in relation to the natural world. As scientific understanding of the microbiome continues to mature, acknowledging the historical and moral parameters of its borrowed ecological idiom may facilitate critical distinctions between what is true and what feels like it should be.
Institutions-augmented solow model and income clubs

Growth economists still face major challenges and limitations to incorporate institutions into the standard growth framework. This article develops a simple institutions-augmented Solow growth model --that can be used in the classroom and for policy discussions --that accounts for the interactions between institutions and factor-productivity and examine the impacts of the quality of institutions on levels and growth rates of output. The institutions-augmented growth model shows that differences in the quality of institutions preclude income convergence and determine both the level and the growth rate of output per worker. The model also shows that poor institutions induce poverty traps. Furthermore, the income gap between rich and poor countries will not disappear if poor countries’ institutions do not improve relative to their rich counterpart.
VERIFICATION OF THE ANALYTICAL MODEL FOR OCEAN WAVE-SOIL-CAISSON INTERACTION

An analytical model for wave-soil-caisson interaction is verified by comparison with a finite element model and large scale experimental results. The analytical and finite element model estimates of the stresses and surface displacements of an elastic layer of finite thickness are in good agreement. The physical model experiments were conducted at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Facility at Oregon State University. A 10-ft high, 8-ft long caisson was constructed on a bedding layer overlying 1 to 3 ft of soil. The caisson was exposed to waves with heights of 0.68 to 4.4 ft with periods of 1.77 to 8.80 sec. Experimental and analytical comparisons for porewater pressure were in agreement but the displacements were quite scattered.
7.5% Optical-to-Terahertz Conversion Efficiency Offered by Photoconductive Emitters With Three-Dimensional Plasmonic Contact Electrodes

We present a photoconductive terahertz emitter that incorporates three-dimensional plasmonic contact electrodes to offer record high optical-to-terahertz power conversion efficiencies. By use of three-dimensional plasmonic contact electrodes the majority of photocarriers are generated within nanoscale distances from the photoconductor contact electrodes and drifted to the terahertz radiating antenna in a sub-picosecond time-scale to efficiently contribute to terahertz radiation. We experimentally demonstrate 105 μW of broadband terahertz radiation in the 0.1-2 THz frequency range in response to a 1.4 mW optical pump, exhibiting a record high optical-to-terahertz power conversion efficiency of 7.5%.
Application of SCADA System in Continuous Emission Monitoring System

The application of SCADA system based on PLC and configuration software in continuous emission monitoring system(CEMS) is introduced,the components and structure of this system are expounded,and the systematic design method and tips are given.
The operating room of the future.

AbstractThe operating room of the future will be designed to have peri-operative integration of all imaging capabilities. Pre-operative planning will become increasingly important, as will integrated intra-operative neuro-navigation. The operative work space will be redesigned to have robotic capabilities. Operating rooms will be isolated. Self-contained modular and robotic monitoring will become remote through improved sensors. The operating microscope will disappear. Light and magnification wil be supplied by means other than optical microscopes. [Neurol Res 1999; 21: 25–27]
Guided Pathways to Careers Four Dimensions of Structure in Community College Career-Technical Programs

Objective: Some have hypothesized that community college programs are not sufficiently structured to support student success and that students would benefit from more highly structured programs. This study examines the specific ways that structure is expressed in policy and practice at representative community colleges. Method: Using data obtained from interviews and program websites at Washington State community and technical colleges, we examine the structure of community college career-technical programs along four dimensions: program prescription, program alignment, access to information, and active advising and support. Results: We find high levels of structure on all dimensions in the allied health, computer and information science, and mechanics and repair programs. There are moderate levels of structure in the business and marketing programs. Contributions: This study documents the specific ways that community college career-technical programs are structured to support student success, and it prov...
Curriculum Mapping: A Method to Assess and Refine Undergraduate Degree Programs

Over the past several decades, there has been increasing interest in program- and university-level assessment and aligning learning outcomes to program content. Curriculum mapping is a tool that creates a visual map of all courses in the curriculum and how they relate to curriculum learning outcomes. Assessment tools/activities are often included in the curriculum map. The School of Food Science, a joint program between the Washington State Univ. and the Univ. of Idaho, recently completed a curriculum mapping and assessment exercise. The goal of this exercise was to determine the alignment of the undergraduate curriculum with program learning outcomes and the degree of student mastery of these outcomes. Curriculum learning outcomes were revised from existing learning outcomes to better align with university learning outcomes and the IFT Core Competencies. All undergraduate courses were mapped to the IFT Core Competencies, and several competencies were assessed to determine student mastery. The mapping and assessment activities revealed potential gaps and redundancies in course content, as well as student ability to meet standards for competency. The results of the mapping and assessment exercises will be used to refine the content delivered to undergraduate students in the School of Food Science, with the overall goal of increasing the quality of the education provided to these students and helping them to be more prepared for a successful career in food science.
Neurologic syndrome associated with homozygous mutation at MAG sialic acid binding site.

The MAG gene encodes myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), an abundant protein involved in axon–glial interactions and myelination during nerve regeneration. Several members of a consanguineous family with a clinical syndrome reminiscent of Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease and demyelinating leukodystrophy on brain MRI were recently found to harbor a homozygous missense p.Ser133Arg MAG mutation. Here, we report two brothers from a nonconsanguineous family afflicted with progressive cognitive impairment, neuropathy, ataxia, nystagmus, and gait disorder. Exome sequencing revealed the homozygous missense mutation p.Arg118His in MAG. This Arg118 residue in immunoglobulin domain 1 is critical for sialic acid binding, providing a compelling mechanistic basis for disease pathogenesis.
It’s Personal, It’s Not Business: The Effects of Moods on Advertisements Recall

The study of mood states is extensive in the literature, providing both consistent and contradictory findings. The question remains, however, why and how mood states affect the ability to recall advertisements presented in low involvement situations. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of mood states on the ability to recall central and peripheral cues in the low involvement situations. The contributions of the study are (1) to be the first to explain mood effects on recall ability in low involvement (to the best of author’s knowledge), (2) to identify evidence of how advertisements should be projected to maximize viewers’ information recall, and (3) to provide practitioners additional guidelines in executing marketing strategies. The results support dual processing model, but refute theory of affect-as-information. Specifically, recalls of advertisements represented in central or peripheral routes are indifferent when accompanying positive mood states. In contrast to some studies, negative mood states recall less central cues than peripheral cues. This finding is both consistent and contradictory to recent studies, rendering additional future research on negative mood state.
ALS Population Assessment of a Dynamic Stopping Algorithm Implementation for P300 Spellers

P300-based BCIs have been proposed as potential communication alternatives for individuals whose severe neuro-muscular limitations, e.g. due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), preclude their use of most commercially available assistive technologies. However, BCIs are currently limited by their relatively slower selection rates due to the significant amount of data collection required to improve the signal-to- noise ratio (SNR) of the elicited brain responses to achieve desired system accuracy levels. The conventional strategy is to average over a fixed amount of data prior to BCI decision making, an approach that might be inefficient given the inherent variation in a user’s responses during BCI use. There is need for the development of improved algorithms that can demonstrate increased performance in online testing, especially in target end-user populations. We have developed an algorithm that uses a Bayesian approach to collect only the amount of data necessary to reach a specified confidence level in the BCI’s decision based on continuous evaluation of the quality of a user’s responses. We further optimized the algorithm by incorporating statistical information about the user’s language. Results from online testing in participants with ALS demonstrate that using the Bayesian dynamic stopping algorithm resulted in a significant reduction in character selection time with minimal effect on accuracy, compared to conventional static data collection. In post-use surveys, the participants overwhelmingly preferred the dynamic stopping algorithms.
Roundtable Proposal: Authors Meet Reviewers African Americans’ Racial Resentment Toward Whites: Meaning, Measurement, and Theory

For decades now, political scientists and other scholars interested in racial attitudes have keyed in on the construct of racial resentment. According to one theory (Kinder and Sanders 1996) racial resentment combines anti-black affect and beliefs than African Americans violate traditional norms (e.g., hard work) related to individualism. An alternative theory (Wilson and Davis 2011) proposes that racial resentment is the result over frustrations about how race is used to gain unjust advantages and privileges in society. While race is the descriptor for both resentment theories the more accurate characterization is “white” resentment. And, since resentment is not bound to any single racial-ethnic group, it is reasonable to expect that African Americans also hold antagonisms toward Whites.We propose a panel that combines the presentation of a new and innovative research on “African American” racial resentment with a panel of multiple discussants who would respond to the research. The research would focus on results from multiple studies testing and validating a new African American racial resentment (AARR) scale; and the panel would respond to the research, offering thoughts and comments about the scholarship. The panel would conclude with an open question and answer period.PresentersDavid C. Wilson, University of DelawareDarren W. Davis, University of Notre DamePanelistsByron D’Aundra Orey, Jackson State UniversityCamille Burge, Villanova UniversityNyron Crawford, Temple UniversityVince Hutchings, University of MichiganCindy Kam, Vanderbilt University
Growth and physiology of a dominant understory shrub, Hamamelis virginiana, following canopy disturbance in a temperate hardwood forest

As global climatic changes increase plant susceptibility to large-scale disturbances such as drought and pathogens, understory responses to these disturbances will become increasingly important to long-term forest dynamics. To better understand understory responses to canopy disturbance, we measured changes in the growth and physiology of the dominant understory shrub, American witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana L.), in response to girdling of canopy oaks in a temperate hardwood forest of the northeastern United States. Changes in the growth and physiology of H. virginiana may be important to the regeneration of northeastern temperate forests, as this common shrub largely shapes the microenvironment for seedlings on the forest floor where it occurs. Canopy disturbance by girdling resulted in significant increases in light and soil nitrogen availability. In response to these environmental changes, basal-area growth of H. virginiana increased by an average 334%. This growth increase corresponded to significa...
Abstract A51: Notch4 acts as an oncogenic signal in pancreatic tumorigenesis

The Notch signaling network is an evolutionarily conserved intercellular signaling pathway which regulates interactions between adjacent cells. The Notch family receptor and its signaling pathways are involved in the development of numerous tissues in multicellular organisms. Recent studies from our Acvr1bflox/flox;LSL-KrasG12D;Pdx1-Cre mice suggest that Notch4 plays an oncogenic role in dictating cell fate and contributes to pancreatic tumorigenesis, particularly in the development of pancreatic intraductal papillary mucious neoplasms (IPMNs). The perinuclear localization of the activated Notch4 (but not other Notch members) intracellular domain (ICD) in the apical cytoplasm of neoplastic cells appeared to be associated with the expansion of the IPMN lesions. The unique role of Notch4 signaling pathway in IPMN development was also confirmed by unbiased RNA-Seq analyses. The deletion of Notch4 in the p16flox/flox;LSL-KrasG12D;Pdx1-Cre mice prolonged survival, further supporting its oncogenic role in pancreatic tumorigenesis. Citation Format: Wanglong Qiu, David D. Suh, Natasha M. Tsay, Simona Chadi, Adam R. Chambers, Peter A. Sims, Carrie J. Shawber, Jan Kitajewski, Helen E. Remotti, Gloria H. Su.{Authors}. Notch4 acts as an oncogenic signal in pancreatic tumorigenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care; 2016 May 12-15; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(24 Suppl):Abstract nr A51.
Risk Factors for Clinical Manifestations in Patients with Factor V Leiden and Prothrombin Gene Mutations.

Factor V Leiden (FVL) and prothrombin G20210A gene mutations are the most prevalent hereditary thrombophilias (HT). Carriers of these HT are at greater risk for developing thromboembolic events (TEE) and/or pregnancy complications (PC) compared to non-carriers, but not all carriers develop clinical manifestations. We retrospectively analyzed the risk factors (RF) for clinical manifestations of all subjects who tested positive for FVL and/or PG20210A gene mutations in our hematology clinic between January 2000 and July 2006. Symptomatic carriers (cases) and asymptomatic carriers (controls) were compared. Cases were defined as having had a TEE (venous and/or arterial) or a PC (pregnancy loss (PL), preeclampsia, abruption placenta and intrauterine growth restriction). Data analyzed included secondary RF for thrombosis, use of female hormones (FH), family history of thrombosis (FHT), and the presence of other thrombophilias. During the study period, 197 subjects were fully evaluable; 9 were excluded due to insufficient data. The clinical characteristics are shown in Table 1. Of the 85 venous thromboses (VT), 59 (69%) had DVT and/or PE, 10 (12%) had superficial thrombophlebitis, 9 (11%) intra-abdominal thrombosis, 2 (2%) cerebral VT, 2 (2%) had retinal VT and 3 (4%) had > 1 site of VT. Of the 25 arterial thromboses (AT), 11 (44%) were CVA, 7 (28%) had TIA, 6 (24%) had other AT, and 1 (4%) had an MI. Of the 52 cases with PL, 27 (52%) were early recurrent 1st trimester PL, 8 (15%) were 2nd or 3rd trimester PL, 4 (8%) had infertility and 13 (25%) had both PL and infertility. Of the 5 PC, 3 were abruption placenta, 1 preeclampsia and 1 had > 1 PC. The most common RF was the presence of > 1 secondary RF (Table 2). There was no significant difference between cases and controls regarding the use of FH, FHT, and presence of other thrombophilias. Fertility medications were used by 12 (10%) of cases vs. 1 (2%) of controls. Antiphospholipid (aPL) antibody-positivity was the most prevalent concurrent thrombophilic factor and occurred in 18 of cases (12%) vs. 2 (4%) of controls. Cases and controls were similar regarding gender, age, family history of thrombosis, and presence of other thrombophilias. In summary, fertility medications and aPL antibodies appear to be significant risk factors for clinical manifestations in cases. Larger multicenter studies are warranted to identify additional RF in carriers of these HT.
Abstract 288: Secondary Prevention Following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: The Need For a Continuum of Care

Purpose: Sustained positive outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) requires risk factor modification and secondary prevention medications. This study assessed the influence of a multidisciplinary educational program on disease understanding, motivation to reduce cardiovascular risk, and secondary prevention medication prescribing following CABG. Methods: Using a prospective, randomized, controlled design, adults undergoing CABG completed surveys at discharge, 3 months, and 12 months, assessing disease understanding and motivation to reduce cardiovascular risk. Four to six weeks after CABG, intervention subjects completed an educational program involving group discussions and individual counseling with pharmacists, dietitians, and a cardiac rehabilitation nurses. The primary endpoint was a composite score of reduced risk factors, medication use among those eligible, and awareness of prescribed medications. Secondary endpoints evaluated survey scores and medication use rates. Wilcoxon Rank Sum and Chi Square tests compared data between specific time points. Generalized estimating equations and linear contrasts of the parameter estimates compared data at the three time points. Results: The final analysis included 98 subjects (I=49, C=49). The composite score was not different between groups (I=12.8±4.5 points, C=12.7±4.9 points, p=0.9405). Improvements were noted in understanding and motivation in the entire cohort, but these changes could not be attributed to our intervention. Medication use declined at 3 and 12 months after CABG without significant differences between the groups. Conclusions: Disease understanding, motivation to reduce risk, and medication use is robust at hospital discharge but declines with time and was not improved by our intervention. These findings are concerning and warrant further study.
Virial expansion for the Tan contact and Beth-Uhlenbeck formula from two-dimensional SO(2,1) anomalies

The relationship between two-dimensional $\text{SO}(2,1)$ conformal anomalies in nonrelativistic systems and the virial expansion is explored using recently developed path-integral methods. In the process, the Beth-Uhlenbeck formula for the shift of the second virial coefficient $\ensuremath{\delta}{b}_{2}$ is obtained, as well as a virial expansion for the Tan contact. A possible extension of these techniques for higher orders in the virial expansion is discussed.
Deep neural network acceleration framework under hardware uncertainty

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are known as effective model to perform cognitive tasks. However, DNNs are computationally expensive in both train and inference modes as they require the precision of floating point operations. Although, several prior work proposed approximate hardware to accelerate DNNs inference, they have not considered the impact of training on accuracy. In this paper, we propose a general framework called FramNN, which adjusts DNN training model to make it appropriate for underlying hardware. To accelerate training FramNN applies adaptive approximation which dynamically changes the level of hardware approximation depending on the DNN error rate. We test the efficiency of the proposed design over six popular DNN applications. Our evaluation shows that in inference, our design can achieve 1.9× energy efficiency improvement and 1.7× speedup while ensuring less than 1% quality loss. Similarly, in training mode FramNN can achieve 5.0× energy-delay product improvement as compared to baseline AMD GPU.
Fatigue Performance Analysis of Pavements with RAP Using Viscoelastic Continuum Damage Theory

This paper presents the results of a study to evaluate the fatigue performance of pavements that contain RAP materials. The study is based on two different accelerated loading tests conducted in the United States. Each of these two projects has corresponding pavements with and without RAP mixtures that were constructed over the same aggregate base and subgrade and subjected to the same traffic loading and environmental conditions. The primary reason for selecting these two projects is that they exhibited opposite trends in a comparison of the fatigue cracking performance of their pavements with and without RAP. The asphalt mixtures in the test pavements were characterized using the simplified viscoelastic continuum damage model. The fatigue cracking performance of the pavements was then modeled using the characterized material properties, in situ pavement structures and traffic loads, and climate conditions in FlexPAVE™, a three-dimensional layered viscoelastic finite element program with moving load analysis. The resultant fatigue cracking performance predictions matched the field observations well. Both the simulation results and the field observations also showed that the fatigue cracking performance of the asphalt mixtures that
Protecting the Internet of medical things: A situational crime-prevention approach

The Internet of Things (IoT) is defined as a collection of identifiable things or nodes with the ability to communicate over wired or wireless communication media. Projections indicate that by 2020...
Changes in Food Insecurity and Smoking Status over Time: Analysis of the 2003 and 2015 Panel Study of Income Dynamics.

Purpose:To examine whether food insecurity longitudinally affects smoking status.Design:Population-based prospective studySetting:Data from the 2003 and 2015 Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID).P...
Epidemiology and Natural History of Chronic Liver Disease

Chronic liver diseases are prevalent around the world and their incidence and prevalence are increasing. Cirrhosis which is the end result of any chronic liver disease carries an increased risk of morbidity and mortality and is currently the 12th leading cause of death in the United States. The prognosis of patients with cirrhosis is dependent on the presence or absence of decompensating events (ascites, encephalopathy, and variceal bleeding). The rate of development of these events is variable across different disease entities and patient populations and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. Annual mortality is estimated at 1% in patients with compensated cirrhosis without clinically significant portal hypertension and 57% in patients with decompensated cirrhosis as manifested by ascites and esophageal varices. Various models are present that can help in determining disease severity and prognosis with the Child-Pugh score and the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score being the most commonly used.
Optimizing Tele-ICU Operational Efficiency Through Workflow Process Modeling and Restructuring.

Little is known on how to best prioritize various tele-ICU specific tasks and workflows to maximize operational efficiency. We set out to: 1) develop an operational model that accurately reflects tele-ICU workflows at baseline, 2) identify workflow changes that optimize operational efficiency through discrete-event simulation and multi-class priority queuing modeling, and 3) implement the predicted favorable workflow changes and validate the simulation model through prospective correlation of actual-to-predicted change in performance measures linked to patient outcomes. Setting Tele-ICU of a large healthcare system in New York State covering nine ICUs across the spectrum of adult critical care. Patients Seven-thousand three-hundred eighty-seven adult critically ill patients admitted to a system ICU (1,155 patients pre-intervention in 2016Q1 and 6,232 patients post-intervention 2016Q3 to 2017Q2). Interventions Change in tele-ICU workflow process structure and hierarchical process priority based on discrete-event simulation. Measurements and Main Results Our discrete-event simulation model accurately reflected the actual baseline average time to first video assessment by both the tele-ICU intensivist (simulated 132.8 ± 6.7 min vs 132 ± 12.2 min actual) and the tele-ICU nurse (simulated 128.4 ± 7.6 min vs 123 ± 9.8 min actual). For a simultaneous priority and process change, the model simulated a reduction in average TVFA to 51.3 ± 1.6 min (tele-ICU intensivist) and 50.7 ± 2.1 min (tele-ICU nurse), less than the added simulated reductions for each change alone, suggesting correlation of the changes to some degree. Subsequently implementing both changes simultaneously resulted in actual reductions in average time to first video assessment to values within the 95% CIs of the simulations (50 ± 5.5 min for tele-intensivists and 49 ± 3.9 min for tele-nurses). Conclusions Discrete-event simulation can accurately predict the effects of contemplated multidisciplinary tele-ICU workflow changes. The value of workflow process and task priority modeling is likely to increase with increasing operational complexities and interdependencies.
Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders

This chapter discusses the importance of identification and treatment of co-occurring psychiatric disorders and substance use disorders in the effective treatment of both disorders. A review of the main epidemiological studies provides evidence of the prevalence of these comorbid disorders in community and institutional settings. A discussion of the assessment of patients includes the timing of the evaluation to ensure that psychiatric symptoms present are not the result of the substances or their withdrawal alone. Assessment also involves evaluation of the symptom severity and environmental factors that can aid/hinder recovery, and the importance of multiple longitudinal assessments using several sources of information. Given the evidence supporting the best outcomes for integrated treatment of psychiatric and substance use disorders, the chapter explores the evidence for management of specific psychiatric disorders (i.e., mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, and eating disorders) and substance use disorders using pharmacologic and psychosocial interventions. The effectiveness of these interventions is examined in terms of reduction/abstinence of substance use, reduction of psychiatric symptoms, or both. Despite the limited high-quality evidence to evaluate treatment of individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders, we have cumulative evidence spanning three decades supporting integrated treatment of these disorders, when compared to parallel or sequential treatment.
Transient Double Diffusive Convection in A Horizontal Fluid Layer Situated on Top of A Porous Substrate

The problem of double—diffusive convection for a thermohaline system consisting of a horizontal fluid layer situated above a saturated porous bed is studied experimentally. The porous bed is constructed from 5 mm spherical glass beads. The system initially contains a linear stabilizing salt distribution and is suddenly heated uniformly from below. The evolving temperature and concentration fields were determined at various times and were used to piece together a reliable picture of the behavior of the composite layer. The presence of the porous layer was responsible for a large delay in the flow initiation near the bottom wall, resulting in a considerable temperature increase. In some cases, the fluid saturating the porous matrix remained stagnant throughout the experiment and despite the fact that a vivid flow region existed directly above the porous region. The effect of the thermal Rayleigh number, the salinity Rayleigh number and the height of the porous substrate are also investigated in the course of the present study.
Keeping an Eye on the Enemy: Laparoscopic & Robotic Retroperitoneal Entry and Ureterolysis

Study Objective Discuss the most common causes of ureteral injury during gynecological surgery. Discuss the avoidance of ureteral injury. Demonstrate, with surgical videography, traditional laparoscopic and robotic assisted laparoscopic retroperitoneal entry and ureteral identification/dissection. Design N/A Setting 6 minute surgical video reviewing traditional and robotically assisted laparoscopic techniques to identify and dissect the ureter. Patients or Participants Education for Medical Students, OB/GYN Residents, OB/GYN Fellows, and Attending Physicians. Interventions N/A Measurements and Main Results N/A Conclusion A keen understanding and knowledge of gynecological and urological anatomy plays an important role in the prevention of urinary tract injury during gynecologic surgery. The primary approach to prevention of ureteral injury is careful surgical dissection and knowledge of the position of the urinary tract structures within the surgical field.
Microalgae-blend tilapia feed eliminates fishmeal and fish oil, improves growth, and is cost viable.

Aquafeed manufacturers have reduced, but not fully eliminated, fishmeal and fish oil and are seeking cost competitive replacements. We combined two commercially available microalgae, to produce a high-performing fish-free feed for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)—the world’s second largest group of farmed fish. We substituted protein-rich defatted biomass of Nannochloropsis oculata (leftover after oil extraction for nutraceuticals) for fishmeal and whole cells of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich Schizochytrium sp. as substitute for fish oil. We found significantly better (p < 0.05) growth, weight gain, specific growth rate, and best (but not significantly different) feed conversion ratio using the fish-free feed compared with the reference diet. Fish-free feed also yielded higher (p < 0.05) fillet lipid, DHA, and protein content (but not significantly different). Furthermore, fish-free feed had the highest degree of in-vitro protein hydrolysis and protein digestibility. The median economic conversion ratio of the fish-free feed ($0.95/kg tilapia) was less than the reference diet ($1.03/kg tilapia), though the median feed cost ($0.68/kg feed) was slightly greater than that of the reference feed ($0.64/kg feed) (p < 0.05). Our work is a step toward eliminating reliance on fishmeal and fish oil with evidence of a cost-competitive microalgae-based tilapia feed that improves growth metrics and the nutritional quality of farmed fish.
Short and sweet: How glycans impact prion conversion, cofactor interactions, and cross-species transmission

Prion diseases are transmissible and incurable neurodegenerative disorders of humans and animals. Similar to other neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, prion diseases are characterized by protein aggregation in the central nervous system (CNS). The key molecular event in prion disease is the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein, PrPC, into a misfolded and aggregated conformer, PrPSc, which templates further PrPC misfolding [1]. Although this same protein misfolding event occurs in all prion diseases, affected individuals expressing identical PrPC sequences can exhibit strikingly heterogeneous clinical and pathological phenotypes. These phenotypic differences have been linked to distinct PrPSc conformations, known as strains, yet the source of prion strain diversity is incompletely understood. One potential contributor to strain diversity lies in the posttranslational modifications (PTMs) on PrPC, which add a layer of structural complexity to an otherwise highly conserved protein. PrPC is posttranslationally modified by the covalent linkage of (i) 0 to 2 N-linked glycans at positions 181 and 197 (human PrP) and (ii) a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) moiety, which anchors PrPC in the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane [2,3]. The N-linked glycans on PrPC are branched [bi- (51%), tri- (32%), or tetra-antennary (17%)] and terminally sialylated, predominantly via alpha 2,6 linkages [4–6]. While necessary for regulating protein interactions and function, PTMs can profoundly modulate the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. For example, aberrant hyperphosphorylation of tau protein leads to tau detachment from microtubules and fibrillization into neurofibrillary tangles, a pathologic hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Prion diseases are no different, and the presence of PrP PTMs can markedly alter both the disease phenotype and transmission barrier. Here we explore how PrP PTMs impact prion conversion, cross-species transmission, the neuroinflammatory response, and PrP interaction with cofactors.
Different paths to universal access: The impact of policy and regulation on broadband diffusion in the developed and developing worlds

The authors examine the broadband digital divide by analyzing the impact of policy and regulation on broadband Internet diffusion. Their multiple regression analysis shows factors that determine broadband diffusion in technologically developed countries do not necessarily have the same impact in less developed countries. They show that in technologically developed countries, there is greater broadband diffusion in countries that make a higher financial investment in information and communication technologies (ICTs), have effective governing practices at the national level, have higher levels of education, and are more urban. In technologically developing nations, a competitive telecommunications sector and higher investment in ICTs lead to greater broadband diffusion, with investment having an even larger impact in the developing world than in the developed world. In addition, stronger democratic political institutions, higher levels of national income and lower levels of income inequality increase diffusion, but the presence of a national telecommunications regulatory authority has a negative impact. These results suggest that the path to widespread availability and use of broadband requires different strategies depending on a nation's level of technological development.
Multi-Omics Analysis of Brain Metastasis Outcomes Following Craniotomy.

Background The incidence of brain metastasis continues to increase as therapeutic strategies have improved for a number of solid tumors. The presence of brain metastasis is associated with worse prognosis but it is unclear if distinctive biomarkers can separate patients at risk for CNS related death. Methods We executed a single institution retrospective collection of brain metastasis from patients who were diagnosed with lung, breast, and other primary tumors. The brain metastatic samples were sent for RNA sequencing, proteomic and metabolomic analysis of brain metastasis. The primary outcome was distant brain failure after definitive therapies that included craniotomy resection and radiation to surgical bed. Novel prognostic subtypes were discovered using transcriptomic data and sparse non-negative matrix factorization. Results We discovered two molecular subtypes showing statistically significant differential prognosis irrespective of tumor subtype. The median survival time of the good and the poor prognostic subtypes were 7.89 and 42.27 months, respectively. Further integrated characterization and analysis of these two distinctive prognostic subtypes using transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic molecular profiles of patients identified key pathways and metabolites. The analysis suggested that immune microenvironment landscape as well as proliferation and migration signaling pathways may be responsible to the observed survival difference. Conclusion A multi-omics approach to characterization of brain metastasis provides an opportunity to identify clinically impactful biomarkers and associated prognostic subtypes and generate provocative integrative understanding of disease.