cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utricular and Saccular Volumetry in Human Temporal Bones

Using serially sectioned human temporal bones, endolymphatic volumes of utriculus and sacculus were measured with the aid of a computer. The mean of the utricular volume was 8.187 mm3, and the saccular volume, 2.096 mm3. The former was 3.9 X the latter. The surface area of the macula utriculi was 3.271 mm2, and the macula sacculi was 2.188 mm2. The former was 1.5 X the latter. The study using pathologic temporal bones (Meniere's disease, otosclerosis, and otitis media chronica) showed that the utricular volume could indeed increase, and the saccular membrane was found to be more fragile than the utricular membrane in those diseased conditions.
Digital geometry processing with discrete exterior calculus

An introduction to geometry processing using discrete exterior calculus (DEC), which provides a simple, flexible, and efficient framework for building a unified geometry-processing platform. The course provides essential mathematical background as well as a large array of real-world examples. It also provides a short survey of the most relevant recent developments in digital geometry processing and discrete differential geometry. Compared to previous SIGGRAPH courses, this course focuses heavily on practical aspects of DEC, with an emphasis on implementation and applications.The course begins with the core ideas from exterior calculus, in both the smooth and discrete setting. Then it shows how a large number of fundamental geometry-processing tools (smoothing, parameterization, geodesics, mesh optimization, etc.) can be implemented quickly, robustly, and efficiently within this single common framework. It concludes with a discussion of recent extensions of DEC that improve efficiency, accuracy, and versatility.The course notes grew out of the discrete differential geometry course taught over the past five years at the California Institute of Technology, for undergraduates and beginning graduate students in computer science, applied mathematics, and associated fields. The notes also provide guided exercises (both written and coding) that attendees can later use to deepen their understanding of the material.
Mechanisms responsible for the positive diversity–productivity relationship in Minnesota grasslands

Speciesextinctions have spurred debate on whether interactions among few or among many species cause a positive diversity-productivity relationship in experimentally assembled grasslands. We addressed this question by quantifying the productivity of 14 species across an experimental diversity gradient in Minnesota. We found that interspecific interactions leading to coexistence and competitive displacement both determine which species overyield; i.e. are more productive at high diversity. Overyielding species were either superior N competitors (C4 grasses) or N fixers (legumes). Surprisingly, these species were not most productive in monoculture, thus, the � selectionof productive species in diverse plots did not cause the positive diversity- productivity relationship. Both positive (with legumes) and negative interspecific interactions (with C4 grasses) determined whether individual species overyielded. Foliar pathogens did not cause overyielding, although other natural enemies may be responsible. Overyielding species are not displacing underyielding species over time, implying that other diversity-promoting interactions also operate in this experiment.
Mathematical Language in Early Childhood Settings: What Really Counts?

Previous research indicates that, prior to entering kindergarten, most children are exposed to some type of formal or direct mathematics instruction. However, the type of mathematical language and the frequency of its use vary greatly in terms of its emphasis on academic content. This study investigated the types and frequency of mathematical language used in six classrooms for children ranging in age from birth to five years. The study site was a quality early childhood setting at a state university in Southwest. Results indicated that utterances pertaining to spatial relations exceeded any other type of mathematical concepts by approximately twice the frequency. In addition, there was a paucity of higher level mathematical concepts observed. These data suggest a need for enhanced attention to higher level mathematical concepts explored in early childhood settings.
Student preferences in using online learning resources

This article explores a theory of student choice in richer learning environments and presents data on how students in an online microeconomics course actually make choices about a variety of learning tools. The results allow the authors to offer some prescriptions for ways that online learning environments can be improved.
A Clinical Adverse Drug Reaction Prediction Model for Patients with Chagas Disease Treated with Benznidazole

Benznidazole (BZN) is the main trypanocidal drug used to treat Chagas disease, and the evidence supporting the benefits of BZN use during the chronic phase of the disease will favor its use in millions of individuals. However, more than 30% of patients treated with BZN may suffer adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and the development of tools to identify those patients at risk is highly desirable. In the present study, we aimed to identify predictive factors for ADRs in Chagas disease patients treated with BZN. Among 195 patients included in the study, 48.7% experienced ADRs and 31.3% had ADRs that caused BZN treatment discontinuation. Overall ADRs and ADRs that caused BZN treatment discontinuation were more common among women and in those who graduated from elementary school. Overall ADRs were also less frequent among black individuals. Based on logistic regression analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 to 5.4), graduation from elementary school (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.8), and white (OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.0 to 24.1) and mulatto (OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 28.7) races were considered to predict overall ADRs, and female sex (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.3) was considered to predict ADRs that caused BZN treatment discontinuation. Graduation from elementary school also presented a tendency to predict ADRs that caused BZN treatment discontinuation (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.9 to 3.6). The logistic regression (LR) models to predict ADRs to BZN described in this study may become important tools to minimize ADRs and improve patients' compliance and thus assist physicians treating patients with Chagas disease with BZN.
Strange Bedfellows? Common Ground on the Moral Status Question.

When does a developing human being acquire moral status? I outline three different positions based on substance ontology that attempt to solve the question by locating some morally salient event in the process of human development question. In the second section, I consider some specific empirical objections to one of these positions, refute them, and then show how similar objections and responses would generalize to the other substance-based positions on the question. The crucial finding is that all the attempts to answer the question that involve substance ontology need to appeal to dispositions. Language: en
Working for food stamps: Economic citizenship and the post-Fordist welfare state in New York City

In the United States, the number of people receiving state-subsidized food aid has risen dramatically since 2001. This increase complicates the well-worn story that the post-Fordist welfare state has been continuously cut back in the neoliberal era, indicating instead that it is expanding to subsidize poor workers’ participation in the formal labor market. In New York City, welfare office workers operationalize policies that ease access to food assistance for poor workers who can demonstrate that they are formally employed. Meanwhile, workfare programs punish the unemployed and marginal workers by making them work for food stamps. This conservative, paternalistic welfare regime commodifies labor, creates new patterns of stratification among the urban poor, and redraws the terms of economic citizenship. [welfare, poverty, citizenship, food policy, employment, social stratification, New York City]
DeepDive: Declarative Knowledge Base Construction

The dark data extraction or knowledge base construction (KBC) problem is to populate a SQL database with information from unstructured data sources including emails, webpages, and pdf reports. KBC is a long-standing problem in industry and research that encompasses problems of data extraction, cleaning, and integration. We describe DeepDive, a system that combines database and machine learning ideas to help develop KBC systems. The key idea in DeepDive is that statistical inference and machine learning are key tools to attack classical data problems in extraction, cleaning, and integration in a unified and more effective manner. DeepDive programs are declarative in that one cannot write probabilistic inference algorithms; instead, one interacts by defining features or rules about the domain. A key reason for this design choice is to enable domain experts to build their own KBC systems. We present the applications, abstractions, and techniques of DeepDive employed to accelerate construction of KBC systems.
It’s Downright Criminal

A bailout in the best or circumstances is a sticky issue. Bailouts when there has been evidence of criminal activity is yet another. It is important not to confuse the two.
Generation of long subharmonic internal waves by surface waves

Abstract A new set of Boussinesq equations is derived to study the nonlinear interactions between long waves in a two-layer fluid. The fluid layers are assumed to be homogeneous, inviscid, incompressible, and immiscible. Based on the Boussinesq equations, an analytical model is developed using a second-order perturbation theory and applied to examine the transient evolution of a resonant triad composed of a surface wave and two oblique subharmonic internal waves. Wave damping due to weak viscosity in both layers is considered. The Boussinesq equations and the analytical model are verified. In contrast to previous studies which focus on short internal waves, we examine long waves and investigate some previously unexplored characteristics of this class of triad interaction. In viscous fluids, surface wave amplitudes must be larger than a threshold to overcome viscous damping and trigger internal waves. The dependency of this critical amplitude as well as the growth and damping rates of internal waves on important parameters in a two-fluid system, namely the directional angle of the internal waves, depth, density, and viscosity ratio of the fluid layers, and surface wave amplitude and frequency is investigated.
Robust Control of Redundantly Actuated Dynamical Systems

The eigenstructure assignment scheme for robust multivariable state feedback control is extended to redundantly actuated dynamical systems. The fact that the plants that are atleast square allow for the exact assignment of an arbitrary orthonormal set of closed loop eigenvectors makes this methodology attractive for feedback controller design poorly modeled dynamical systems. For second order mechanical systems, a partial eigenstructure assignment methodology is presented which simplifies the scheme of pole assignment for real target sub-modal matrix. An optimal allocation strategy is derived for redundant control inputs to minimize an integral cost function. A novel adaptive aggregation procedure is introduced to handle problems with very high redundancy in actuation. The aggregation approach along with the eigenstructure assignment methodology is applied to the wing morphing problem. The robust redundant actuation procedure is demonstrated on a mathematical model constructed from the wind tunnel test data of the novel morphing wing model designed and developed at Texas A & M University.
The Italian Congress

When allied ministers discussed at Vienna the succession of Charles Albert to the Sardinian throne, Metternich had found himself in a highly embarrassing position. He did not dare admit his secret design to extend Habsburg hegemony over Sardinia. Realizing that anything he sponsored would be resented by France and several of the Italian states, he had tried to hide his real ambition by pretending sympathy for the Prince of Carignan. The dispossession of the heir-presumptive, he had declared, was a false policy, but Charles Felix was adamant. No one, however, was fooled by this smokescreen, and Metternich’s maneuvering became an open secret. Compelled by the protests of England, France, and Russia on behalf of the prince to take a different tack, the chancellor had abandoned his scheme to substitute the Archduke Francis IV of Modena for Charles Albert and had supported the plan of Charles Felix to replace the prince in the order of succession with his son.2
Individual Differences in Nonhuman Animals: Examining Boredom, Curiosity, and Creativity

Personality psychology has traditionally focused on the study of individual differences in human cognition and behavior. More recently, the topic of individual differences in nonhuman animal behavior has featured more prominently in biology and psychology research. The study of individual differences in nonhuman animals has important implications for ecology, conservation, comparative psychology, agriculture, and the care of animals in zoological facilities. Individual differences in animal boredom will be examined in this chapter to highlight the importance of studying variation in boredom proneness and coping styles in nonhuman animals. The negative affective state of boredom is adaptive because it serves as motivation for an individual to re-engage with the environment, a process that can involve curiosity and creativity. Future research on animal boredom should investigate the behavioral and physiological correlates of boredom at both a species and an individual level in order to expand the existing literature and contribute to the future of animal welfare.
Justice Preferences: An Experimental Economic Study in Papua New Guinea

Sociality in the human species implies the presence of remediative measures that are employed when social norms, such as fairness, are transgressed. It has been suggested that humans have a taste for “altruistic punishment,” a propensity by both affected individuals and unaffected third parties to punish norm violators even at a cost to themselves. Some researchers have further suggested that altruistic punishment is what maintains cooperation in the species. Here it is demonstrated experimentally that given a choice among punishing norm violators, compensating victims, doing both, or neither, subjects in Papua New Guinea expend resources to punish and compensate with about equal frequency. They engage somewhat less frequently in the doubly costly combined punishment-compensation option. Moreover, men have a propensity to punish norm violators whereas women have a propensity to compensate victims. It remains to be seen whether these sexually dimorphic behavioral propensities are a result of culturally inculcated sex roles in this particular society or manifestations of more general evolutionary trends. These results demonstrate that punishment is only one component of justice preferences in humans and that explanatory models of human pro-sociality need take account of humans’ tastes for justice in all of its myriad forms.
Variation in Akt protein kinases in human populations

The three Akt kinases are related proteins that are essential for normal growth and metabolic regulation and are implicated as key signaling mediators in many physiological and pathophysiological p...
Investigating the effectiveness of webinars in the adoption of proven school wellness strategies.

Objective:Recent federal legislation in the USA highlights the role schools play in student health by requiring the utilisation of wellness councils for policy development and oversight. One barrier to developing good-quality wellness policies and wellness culture is limited knowledge of resources among school professionals. This article describes an approach to webinar delivery to improve school wellness efforts.Design:Eight webinars, 30–60 minutes in length, were delivered on topics designed to enhance school wellness environments.Setting:Webinars were delivered using an online meeting software platform to school professionals, who participated from their respective school buildings remotely.Method:Webinars featured content experts for the selected topics and were promoted to school professionals and wellness organisations. Attendees were invited to participate in a post-webinar questionnaire regarding satisfaction with the session and intent to act on knowledge gained from participation.Results:Webinar...
MR imaging features of presumed retroclavicular and periscapular intermuscular vascular plexi - An observational, anatomic study.

Abstract Objective To describe MR imaging features of presumed vascular plexi in the periscapular (PSC) and retroclavicular (RC) locations. Materials/methods 443 consecutive MR studies performed as “brachial plexus” protocol (axialT1-W and sagittal STIR) were reviewed for presence, size and characteristics of PSC and RC plexi. Results Presumed PSC and RC vascular plexi were present in 10%. Both plexi more commonly occurred on the left side. Percutaneous biopsy (n = 1) yielded no vascular neoplasm. Conclusion RC and PSC vascular plexi are commonly encountered on routine brachial plexus MR imaging and may represent variant vascular networks, as they are frequently found on the contralateral asymptomatic side.
Characterization of Polymer Glasses by Sintering Techniques

The sintering of a metal, ceramic, or polymer is a useful process for fabrication. Under the influence of surface forces, alone or in combination with externally applied forces, an aggregation of particles can be densified without forming a melt. The kinetics of growth of interfaces between particles at a given temperature must reflect parameters characteristic of surface energy, material transport, and geometry. For a given transport mechanism, such as viscous flow, and a given geometry, it should be possible to characterize the parameters mentioned.
Integration of Random Fields

This chapter studies the prediction of integrals of random fields based on observations on a lattice. The goal here is not to give a full exposition of the topic (see Ritter (1995) for a more detailed treatment) but to make two specific points about properties of systematic designs. The first is that simple averages over observations from systematic designs can be very poor predictors of integrals of random fields, especially in higher dimensions. The second is that, at least for random fields that are not too anisotropic, the problem with this predictor is the simple average aspect of it, not the systematic design. These two points are of interest on their own, but they are also critical to understanding a serious flaw in an argument of Matheron (1971) purporting to demonstrate that statistical inference is “impossible” for differentiable random fields (see 6.3).
Economic Incentives for Innovation: E. coli O157:H7 in US Beef

The 1993 outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in hamburger inspired innovation in both the US public and private sectors. The Food Safety and Inspection Service in US Department of Agriculture declared E. coli O157:H7 an “adulterant” in 1994 and required meat and poultry companies to design and implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point systems to control foodborne pathogens in 1996. In response to the outbreak and new regulations, companies invented the Bacterial Pathogen Sampling and Testing Program for the hamburger patty production line as well as steam pasteurization of sides of beef at the end of the slaughter line. These innovations were profitable to the inventors. The increased pressure by regulators to control pathogens also provided incentives for pathogen control, including the incentive of sales to USDA’s National School Lunch Program. One company did not comply, had an outbreak, and sold off its beef plants.
Validation of a system of models for plutonium decorporation therapy

A recently proposed system of models for plutonium decorporation (SPD) was developed using data from an individual occupationally exposed to plutonium via a wound [from United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR) Case 0212]. The present study evaluated the SPD using chelation treatment data, urine measurements, and post-mortem plutonium activities in the skeleton and liver from USTUR Case 0269. This individual was occupationally exposed to moderately soluble plutonium via inhalation and extensively treated with chelating agents. The SPD was linked to the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 66 Human Respiratory Tract Model (HRTM) and the ICRP Publication 30 Gastrointestinal Tract model to evaluate the goodness-of-fit to the urinary excretion data and the predictions of post-mortem plutonium retention in the skeleton and liver. The goodness-of-fit was also evaluated when the SPD was linked to the ICRP Publication 130 HRTM and the ICRP Publication 100 Human Alimentary Tract Model. The present study showed that the proposed SPD was useful for fitting the entire, chelation-affected and non-affected, urine bioassay data, and for predicting the post-mortem plutonium retention in the skeleton and liver at time of death, 38.5 years after the accident. The results of this work are consistent with the conclusion that Ca-EDTA is less effective than Ca-DTPA for enhancing urinary excretion of plutonium.
The impact of cervical spinal cord atrophy on quality of life in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background Spinal cord demyelination is common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and has been linked to increased disability and progressive clinical course. Spinal cord atrophy shows an especially close relationship to MS-related physical disability, though the relationship between spinal cord lesions/atrophy and health-related quality of life (QOL) has not been explored. Methods 62 patients (53 relapsing MS, 7 secondary progressive, 2 clinically isolated syndrome) from our center underwent 3 T MRI within 30 days of clinical examination and QOL assessment. Upper cervical (C1-C3) spinal cord area (UCCA) was obtained from 3D high-resolution MPRAGE sequences (1 mm isotropic voxels). Cervical spinal cord (C1-C7) lesion count, and cervical and brain T2 hyperintense lesion volumes were calculated. Brain parenchymal fraction (BPF) was obtained from an automated segmentation pipeline. Spearman correlations were assessed between MRI and clinical data. Partial Spearman correlations adjusting for age, disease duration, and BPF assessed the independent association between MRI variables and QOL domains. Results UCCA showed an inverse relationship with age (r = −0.330, p = .009), disease duration, (r = −0.444, p Conclusion Cervical spinal cord volume is independently associated with impaired upper extremity-related QOL in patients with MS. These findings suggest specific clinical relevance of MS-related spinal cord atrophy as compared to brain or cervical spinal cord lesions, or whole brain atrophy.
Ultra-low friction of graphene/C60/graphene coatings for realistic rough surfaces

Abstract The tribological properties of the graphene/C60/graphene sandwich structure are investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. Friction coefficients are calculated for the sandwich structure, composed of graphene layers and a single C60 film layer, i.e. a {111} monolayer of a C60 face centered cubic crystal. The effect of surface roughness on the tribological properties is considered explicitly by coating a diamond surface with three different surface roughness values, 0 A, 2.5 A and 5 A. Results indicate ultra-low friction coefficients for the sandwich structure in all cases. The friction coefficients predicted are μ
Multimodality Imaging Assessment of Fabry Disease

Fabry disease is a lysosomal storage disease with a variety of cardiac manifestations. Although not specific for a diagnosis of Fabry disease, certain cardiac imaging findings may be highly suggest...
Frequency- and Power-Dependent Photoresponse of a Perovskite Photodetector Down to the Single-Photon Level

Organometallic halide perovskites attract strong interests for their high photoresponsivity and solar cell efficiency. However, there was no systematic study of their power- and frequency-dependent photoresponsivity. We identified two different power-dependent photoresponse types in methylammonium lead iodide perovskite (MAPbI3) photodetectors. In the first type, the photoresponse remains constant from 5 Hz to 800 MHz. In the second type, absorption of a single photon can generate a persistent photoconductivity of 30 pA under an applied electric field of 2.5 × 104 V/cm. Additional absorbed photons, up to 8, linearly increase the persistent photoconductivity, which saturates with the absorption of more than 10 photons. This is different than single-photon avalanche detectors (SPADs) because the single-photon response is persistent as long as the device is under bias, providing unique opportunities for novel electronic and photonic devices such as analogue memories for neuromorphic computing. We propose an avalanche-like process for iodine ions and estimate that absorption of a single 0.38 aJ photon triggers the motion of 108-9 ions, resulting in accumulations of ions and charged vacancies at the MAPbI3/electrode interfaces to cause the band bending and change of electric material properties. We have made the first observation that single-digit photon absorption can alter the macroscopic electric and optoelectronic properties of a perovskite thin film.
Statistical and Deep Learning Methods for Electric Load Forecasting in Multiple Water Utility Sites

Most of the water utilities in the U.S. consume a lot of electrical energy for water treatment and delivery. Despite being large energy consumers, priority is not given to electric load forecasting in water utilities. An accurate forecast of electric load can pave the way to shaving peak demand and reducing high electricity bills. This paper applies a popular statistical approach named Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Deep Learning techniques to forecast daily electric load over a period of a month and 15-minute moving average electric load of a day for two sites in a southern California water utility. A comparative performance of these techniques with relevant error metrics has been introduced. The electric load of a water treatment plant and a pumping station have been forecasted with these two methods. Deep Learning techniques result in better load prediction for both accounts and in both time resolutions. This allows operators to take possible appropriate actions resulting in reduced electrical demand for any given billing period.
Die Beeinflussung der Organperfusion durch Kalziumblocker und Converting-Enzyminhibitor an der herzinsuffizienten, wachen Ratte

The present study examined the regional vascular effects (radioactive microspheres) of converting-enzyme inhibition (captopril, 1mg/kg) and calcium-antagonism (diltiazem, 1 mg/kg) in a rat model of cardiac failure due to large myocardial infarction (n=18, infarct size 40% of the left ventricle) both at rest and during submaximal tread-mill exercise. Diltiazem increased renal, gastrointestinal, coronary and cutaneous blood flow at rest by 29%, 28%, 26% and 37% (p<0.05 each) and enhanced skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise by 16% (p<0.05). Captopril improved primarily renal and coronary blood flow at rest (by 59% and 23%, respectively,p<0.05) and reduced vascular resistance in the gastrointestinal bed by 25% (p<0.05) without significant effects in other circulatory beds. We conclude that the regional vascular effects elicited by converting-enzyme inhibition and calcium antagonism differ considerably in this animal model of congestive heart failure and may be clinically important. The favourable regional vascular profile of diltiazem deserves further clinical investigation.
Not all screen time is created equal: associations with mental health vary by activity and gender

Previous research on associations between screen media use and mental health produced mixed findings, possibly because studies have not examined screen activities separately or accounted for gender differences. We sought to examine associations between different types of screen activities (social media, internet, gaming, and TV) and mental health indicators separately for boys and girls. We drew from a nationally representative sample of 13–15-year-old adolescents in the UK (n = 11,427) asking about hours per day spent on specific screen media activities and four mental health indicators: self-harm behavior, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. Hours spent on social media and Internet use were more strongly associated with self-harm behaviors, depressive symptoms, low life satisfaction, and low self-esteem than hours spent on electronic gaming and TV watching. Girls generally demonstrated stronger associations between screen media time and mental health indicators than boys (e.g., heavy Internet users were 166% more likely to have clinically relevant levels of depressive symptoms than low users among girls, compared to 75% more likely among boys). Thus, not all screen time is created equal; social media and Internet use among adolescent girls are the most strongly associated with compromised mental health. Future research should examine different screen media activities and boys and girls separately where possible. Practitioners should be aware that some types of screen time are more likely to be linked to mental health issues than others.
Enamel synthesis explained

Tooth enamel, the protective outer layer of the dental crown, is the hardest and most mineralized tissue in the human body. Enamel’s unique mechanical properties arise from the hierarchical organization of inorganic and organic matter across length scales. Unlike other biomaterials, such as bone or carapace, the structure of enamel is highly conserved across species, suggesting that it confers significant evolutionary advantages (1). This universality makes enamel an ideal system to study the biomineralization processes that produce materials with properties surpassing those of many synthetic materials. In PNAS, Bai et al. (2) unveil the detailed mechanism by which the organic matter contained in enamel guides the oriented growth of the mineral phase. Further, Bai et al. (2) demonstrate how this mechanism can be replicated to grow enamel in vitro, resulting in a material with a microstructure resembling that of natural enamel. Enamel consists of over 95 wt% (carbonated) apatite, a calcium phosphate mineral that can be found in all mineralized tissues in vertebrates (3). Apatite crystals grow predominantly along their c axis, thereby displaying elongated shapes. In mammalian enamel, these elongated crystals align parallel to one another, effectively forming an enamel rod that can reach tens of micrometers in length. Between these rods, space is filled by apatite crystals whose principal direction progressively deviates from the rod axis, as shown in Fig. 1. The most distant interrod crystal is positioned at a 60° angle with respect … [↵][1]1Email: vwelborn{at}VT.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Similarities and differences in key diagnosis, treatment, and management approaches for PAH deficiency in the United States and Europe

Individuals with phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency lack an enzyme needed to metabolize the amino acid, phenylalanine. This leads to an increase of phenylalanine in the blood, which is associated with changes in cognitive and psychological functioning. Skilled clinical management is essential for preventing complications and providing comprehensive care to patients. In the last decade, the American College of Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and a group of European experts developed separate guidelines to provide recommendations for the management and care of persons with PAH deficiency. The purpose of this paper was to compare and contrast these guidelines in order to understand the different approaches to PAH deficiency care. We examined the procedures used to develop both guidelines, then evaluated key areas in PAH deficiency care which included screening, diagnostic approaches, dietary treatment (initiation and duration), ongoing phenylalanine level/ nutritional monitoring, neurocognitive screening, adherence issues in treatment, and special populations (women and maternal PKU, late or untreated PAH deficiency, and transitioning to adult services). We conducted a scoping review of four key topics in PAH deficiency care to explore recent research studies performed since the publication of the guidelines. The ACMG and European expert group identified limited numbers of high quality studies to use as evidence for their recommendations. The ACMG and European guidelines had many similarities in their respective approaches PAH deficiency care and recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, and management for persons with PAH deficiency. There were also a number of differences between the guidelines regarding the upper range for phenylalanine levels in adolescents and adults, the types of instruments used and frequency of neuropsychiatric examinations, and monitoring of bone health. Treatment adherence can be associated with a number of challenges, such as aversions to medical foods and formulas, as well as factors related to educational, social, and psychosocial issues. From the scoping review, there were many new studies addressing issues in treatment and management including new research on sapropterin adherence and increased dietary protein tolerance and pegvaliase on the reduction in phenylalanine levels and hypersensitivity reactions. In the last decade, ACMG and European experts developed comprehensive guidelines for the clinical management of phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency. The guidelines offered background and recommendations for clinical care of patients with PAH deficiency throughout the lifespan. New research evidence is available and updates to guidelines can keep pace with new developments. Evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and treatment are important for providing expert care to patients.
Robust high-dynamic-range vector magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

We demonstrate a robust, scale-factor-free vector magnetometer, which uses a closed-loop frequency-locking scheme to simultaneously track Zeeman-split resonance pairs of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. This technique offers a three-orders-of-magnitude increase in dynamic range compared to open-loop methodologies; is robust against fluctuations in temperature, resonance linewidth, and contrast; and allows for simultaneous interrogation of multiple transition frequencies. By directly detecting the resonance frequencies of NV centers oriented along each of the diamond's four tetrahedral crystallographic axes, we perform full vector reconstruction of an applied magnetic field.
May-Thurner Anatomy in Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: An Important Clinical Association

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of May-Thurner anatomy (MTA) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and identify its predictors. Background MTA is an anatomical variant characterized by compression of left common iliac vein by the overlying right iliac artery. Over time, this leads to venous intimal scarring, blood flow stasis, and the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is a known risk factor for the development of CTEPH. The prevalence of this anatomical variation in patients with CTEPH is unknown. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted in patients referred to Temple University Hospital’s cardiac catheterization laboratory for the evaluation of CTEPH between January 2016 and June 2020. Among these patients, those who underwent invasive venography were evaluated for the presence of angiographic MTA. Multivariate regression was used to identify factors associated with presence of MTA. Results A total of 193 patients with CTEPH were referred for pulmonary angiography, of whom 148 patients underwent invasive venography. MTA was identified in 44 patients (29.7%). Factors associated with the presence of MTA were lower extremity DVT (odds ratio: 3.5; 95% confidence interval: 1.58-7.8; P = 0.002), and left lower extremity post-thrombotic syndrome (odds ratio: 2.0; 95% confidence interval: 0.98-4.1; P = 0.05). Patients with MTA were more likely to undergo pulmonary thromboendarterectomy than patients without MTA (79.5% vs 58.7%; P = 0.015). Conclusions MTA is very common in patients with CTEPH. History of lower extremity DVT and or left lower extremity post-thrombotic syndrome was associated with the presence of MTA.
Image Gathering and Restoration

This chapter focuses the mathematical development begun in Chapter 2 on digital image restoration. First, Section 3.1 develops the unconstrained Wiener filter that restores the image with an interpolation lattice that is sufficiently dense to completely suppress the blurring and raster effects of the image-display process. Therefore, the resultant image has the absolute minimum mean-square restoration error (MSRE) for any given image gathering and display devices. Next, Section 3.2 extends the development to the constrained Wiener filter that allows the density of the interpolation to be constrained and, therefore, must account for the blurring and raster effects of the image-display process. Section 3.3 further extends the development to the Wiener-characteristic filter that includes a linear filter to minimize the MSRE for a particular spatial feature of the scene, such as edges and boundaries. Section 3.4, in turn, develops the small-kernel Wiener filter that allows the amount of digital processing to be constrained as well as the density of the interpolation. Finally, Section 3.5 presents the Wiener-Gaussian enhancement (WIGE) filter that combines the Wiener filter with an enhancement function that allows the user to interactively control the visual quality of the restored image.
A Review of High School Economics Textbooks

This is the first review of U.S. high school economics textbooks using the Voluntary National Content Standards as the reference. The textbooks are divided into two categories: Comprehensive and Specialty books. Both types of books are evaluated by identifying the number of pages devoted to the major concepts contained in VNCS. Most textbooks cover the content standards to some degree, but the variation in coverage is substantial. In the case of the government failure standard, the coverage is almost non-existent. The study also investigates coverage of concepts included in the NCEE Framework but excluded from the content standards. While we are hesitant to label one text superior to another based on a pagination study, the data presented should give teachers, administrators, and school districts some valuable insights into the relative emphasis each book gives to the economics content standards.
Protein kinase modulator from lobster tail muscle. I. Stimulatory and inhibitory effects of the modulator on the phosphorylation of substrate proteins by guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinases.

Abstract A heat-stable protein which modulates the activity of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases was purified from lobster tail muscle, and its properties were studied. The modulator is similar in several respects to the inhibitory factor reported by others (Appleman et al. (1969) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 116, 39; Walsh et al. (1971) J. Biol. Chem. 246, 1977) to be present in rat and rabbit skeletal muscle. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggested the presence of aggregate forms of the modulator, each of which possessed both stimulatory and inhibitory activities. A minimum molecular weight of 34,000 for the modulator was estimated by using either sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or amino acid analysis. The protein kinase modulator was shown to be a highly charged, acidic protein containing a low level of aromatic amino acid residues. p-Chloromercuribenzoate-treatment of the protein kinase modulator from lobster tail muscle caused a dramatic change in its actions on adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP)-dependent but not on guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP)-dependent protein kinase. Modulator activity was demonstrated in preparations from a wide variety of sources. However, the various preparations demonstrated considerable differences in the ratio of stimulatory to inhibitory activity. The modulator acts to alter the substrate specificity both of cyclic GMP-dependent and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases, increasing the phosphorylation of some protein substrates and decreasing that of others. It is possible that the modulator may function in vivo by regulating the activity of cyclic GMP-dependent and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases through modification of their substrate specificity.
Disciplinary decadence and the decolonisation of knowledge

In celebration of the fortieth anniversary of CODESRIA, an institution from the Global South devoted to taking responsibility for the production of social science knowledge, this article explores what it means to pursue such a task under the threat of colonial imposition at methodological and disciplinary levels, which, the author argues, carries dangers of disciplinary decadence marked by the fetishisation of method. The author offers alternatives through what he calls ‘a teleological suspension of disciplinarity, and raises the question not only of the decolonisation of knowledge but also norms.
Crónicas de una voz

Cronica regia y Alabanza del reino. Alvaro Mutis. Ediciones Catedra, Madrid, 1985, 47 pags.
Trust, Trustworthiness, and Information Sharing in Supply Chains Bridging China and the U.S.

Whether and how trust and trustworthiness differ between a collectivist society, e.g., China, and an individualistic one, e.g., the U.S., generate much ongoing scientific debate and bear significant practical values for managing cross-country transactions. We experimentally investigate how supply chain members' countries of origin -- China versus the U.S. -- affect trust, trustworthiness, and strategic information sharing behavior in a cross-country supply chain. We consider a two-tier supply chain in which the upstream supplier solicits demand forecast information from the retailer to plan production; but the retailer has an incentive to manipulate her forecast to ensure abundant supply. The levels of trust and trustworthiness in the supply chain and supplier's capability to determine the optimal production quantity affect the efficacy of forecast sharing and the resulting profits. We develop an experimental design to disentangle these three aspects and to allow for real-time interactions between geographically distant and culturally heterogeneous participants. We observe that, when there is no prospect for long-term interactions, our Chinese participants consistently exhibit lower spontaneous trust and trustworthiness than their U.S. counterparts do. We quantify the differences in trust and trustworthiness between the two countries, and the resulting impact on supply chain efficiency. We also show that Chinese individuals exhibit higher spontaneous trust towards U.S. partners than Chinese ones, primarily because they perceive that individuals from the U.S. are more trusting and trustworthy in general. This positive perception towards U.S. people is indeed consistent with the U.S. participants' behavior in forecast sharing. In addition, we quantify that a Chinese supply chain enjoys a larger efficiency gain from repeated interactions than a U.S. one does, as the prospect of building a long-term relationship successfully sustains trust and trustworthiness by Chinese partners. We advocate that companies can reinforce the positive perception of Westerners held by the Chinese population and commit to long-term relationships to encourage trust by Chinese partners. Finally, we also demonstrate that both populations exhibit similar pull-to-center bias when solving a decision problem under uncertainty (i.e., the newsvendor problem).
The International Law of Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones depicts a violent and, some might say, lawless world. Few would think that world evidences much international law. Yet, this article identifies several rules of international law observable on the show and relates them to real-world international law. Observable rules include some fundaments of the law of treaties, customary norms, and (most surprisingly) at least one humanitarian peremptory norm. These rules cover a range of subjects, including sovereignty, state responsibility, jurisdiction, immunities, and human rights. The article also discusses the special legal status of the Night’s Watch, which is governed by the most important legal “text” in Game of Thrones. Finally, the article tries to have some fun.
Integrating third party-certification with traditional computer education

Third-party, or independent certification has been receiving a lot of 'press' lately. Employers are looking for it, training agencies are pushing it, many educational institutions are looking at integrating it into their programs, and students are trying to figure out just how important it is and how to obtain it. This paper briefly considers the importance of third-party certification, and then looks at how it has been integrated into the Computer Information Technology curriculum at International College.
Winning the Microbial Battle, but Not the War

An effective immune response leads to rapid elimination of infectious agents, with seemingly little long-term impairment to the host. New findings by Morais da Fonseca et al. reveal that acute infections may result in permanent disruption of tissue homeostasis and immune dysfunction, long after clearance of a pathogen.
Blooming reduces the antioxidant capacity of dark chocolate in rats without lowering its capacity to improve lipid profiles

Dark chocolate contains high levels of antioxidants which are linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Chocolate blooming occurs after exposure to high temperatures. Although bloomed chocolate is safe for human consumption, it is not known whether or not the biological function of bloomed chocolate is affected. We hypothesized that bloomed chocolate would reduce the antioxidant potential and lipid-lowering properties of chocolate through altered expression of related genes. Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups and fed either the control (CON), regular dark chocolate (RDC), or bloomed dark chocolate (BDC) diet. After 3 weeks, serum lipid levels and antioxidant capacity were measured. Hepatic expression of key genes was determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sensory characteristics of bloomed versus regular chocolate were assessed in 28 semi-trained panelists. Rats fed RDC exhibited greater serum antioxidant capacities compared to the CON (P < .05). Antioxidant levels of BDC were not different from RDC or CON. Both RDC and BDC lowered TG compared to CON (P < .05). The rats fed RDC had higher high-density lipoprotein levels compared to the CON (P < .05). In rats given RDC, fatty acid synthase gene expression was down-regulated and low-density lipoprotein receptor transcription was up-regulated (P < .05). Sensory panelists preferred the appearance and surface smoothness of the regular chocolate compared to bloomed chocolate (P < .001). Although blooming blunted the robust antioxidant response produced by regular dark chocolate, these results suggest that bloomed dark chocolate yields similarly beneficial effects on most blood lipid parameters or biomarkers. However, regular dark chocolate may be more beneficial for the improvement of antioxidant status and modulation of gene expression involved in lipid metabolism and promoted greater sensory ratings.