cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Revision of the austral south american species of mortoniella (trichoptera: Glossosomatidae: Protoptilinae

Species of Mortoniella are revised for the southern part of the South American continent, including the countries of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. The M. velasquezi species group is diagnosed for the first time and the M. bilineata species group is more critically defined. Males of all species from the region, except M. armata (Jacquemart, 1963), are figured, and a key is provided for their identification. Included in the revision are 11 described species and 22 new species. Previously described species that are redescribed and figured include the following: Mortoniella albolineata Ul-mer, 1907; M. argentinica Flint, 1974; M. catarinensis (Flint, 1974); M. collegarum (Rueda & Gibon, 2008); M. guairica (Flint, 1974); M. ormina (Mosely, 1939); M. pocita (Flint, 1983); M. punensis (Flint, 1983); M. teutona (Mosely, 1939); M. unota (Mosely, 1939); and M. wygodzinskii (Schmid, 1958). Mortoniella collegarum, originally described from Bolivia and Argentina, is here reported from Chile, representing the first distributional record of Mortoniella for that country. It is assigned to the M. ormina species group. On morphological considerations, M. argentinica is removed from the M. bilineata species group and left as a species incertae sedis as to species group. Based on its overall similarity to M. argentinica, M. spinulata (Flint, 1991), from Colombia, is removed from the M. leroda species group and left as a species incertae sedis as to species group. New species of Mortoniella described here, followed by their respective areas of distribution, include, for the M. leroda species group: Mortoniella acauda (SE Brazil), M. agosta (SE Brazil), M. asym- metris (Paraguay), M. crescentis (SE Brazil), M. dolonis (SE Brazil), M. guahybae (SE Brazil), M. hystricosa (SE Brazil), M. intervales (SE Brazil), M. latispina (SE Brazil), M. longispina (SE Brazil), M. paraguaiensis (Paraguay), M. parauna (SE Brazil), M. paraunota (Argentina, SE Brazil), M. pumila (SE Brazil), M. pusilla (SE Brazil), M. truncata (SE Brazil), and M. uruguaiensis (SE Brazil, Uruguay); for the M. ormina species group: M. alicula (SE Brazil); and for the M. velasquezi species group: M. bocaina (SE Brazil), M. froehlichi (SE Brazil), and M. tripuiensis (SE Brazil). A new species unplaced as to species group is M. meloi (SE Brazil).
The anomalous seismic response of the ground at the Tarzana hill site during the Northridge 1994 southern California earthquake: A resonant, sliding block?

The Northridge, California, earthquake of 17 January 1994 (Mw = 6.7) caused widespread damage in the San Fernando valley and adjacent areas. In many places, the earthquake motion was amplified or strongly modified by the local ground response, but the most localized and extreme site effect occurred at Tarzana, a small hill of gentle topography at the northern edge of the Santa Monica mountains where strong amplification (horizontal peak acceleration of 1.82g) and other unusual site effects were recorded at a CDMG accelerograph. The anomalous site effect was con- fined to a small area 50 m in radius around the station, beyond which the ground shaking was down to its theoretically expected level. If strong ground motion can vary so much in such a small scale, microzonation of urban areas may be an impos- sible goal at worst or, at best, only reliable at those sites where ground response has previously been measured. Hence, to clearly understand the dynamic response of the ground at the Tarzana site has become an important problem in earthquake hazard assessment and microzonation. This article reports results on the characteristics of the seismic response of the Tarzana site based on the investigation of aftershock data recorded on a local array and recorded accelerograms. Preliminary results strongly suggest that the Tarzana hill is formed by an old landslide of the Modelo formation. Such a structure is consistent with the anomalous resonant behavior at COO, the observed resonant fre- quencies, and the complex body wave recordings observed throughout the local array. The results also suggest that the 1.82g peak acceleration at CO0 could have been caused by a small (Mw = 1.3) earthquake, located some 60 m from the station, generated by a downslope sliding of the hill with a maximum displacement of 4 cm over a circular area of nearly 50 m in radius. The slide was triggered by the North- ridge mainshock.
Thermistor Probe Error in an X-Band Microwave Field*

ABSTRACTThe reasonable assumption is made that a stainless steel hypodermic needle containing a thermistor does not couple with the electric field from a microwave horn antenna emitting 9.31 GHz radiation when the probe is perpendicular to the electric field vector in air or in solutions having approximately the salinity of tissue or blood. The degree of error in the measurement of temperature by the same probe in air orientated parallel to the electric field is 0.6°C. However, when used to measure temperature in 0.9%NaCl solutions the parallel thermistor probe did not interact with the microwave field in such a way as to change the temperature or to render the temperature readings inaccurate. These results provide a basis for considering that the use of metallic thermistor probes for the measurement of temperature increases produced by microwave irradiation of living tissue does not result in inaccuracies produced by probe orientation, provided the probe is below the surface of the tissue.
Orthotope Segmentale Lebertransplantation beim Kind

Grosenreduktion von Spenderorganen zur Verwendung bei kindlichen Empfangern ist zu einer klinischen Alternative in der Lebertransplantation geworden. Das technische Vorgehen wird im vorgelegten Film beschrieben: Die Spenderleber eines 67 kg schweren Mannes wird nach vollstandiger Entnahme und Perfusion zur Implantation in ein 14 kg schweres, 2-l/2jahriges Kind mit akutem Leberversagen prapariert. Die ex-situ Resektion folgt technisch einer Trisegmentektomie mit Erhaltung der linken Leberarterie, der linken Pfortader und eines kurzen Stuckes des linken Gallenganges. Die Parenchymdurchtrennung erfolgt entlang dem Lig. Teres bis zum Hilus und entlang dem Lig. Falciforme auf der Leberoberflache. Samtliche Gefasstrukturen auf der Resektionsflache werden mit Umstechungsligaturen versorgt. Die Lebervene des linken med. Segments wird als Imterponat verwendet zum Ersatz der Hohlvene des Empfangers. Die linke lat. Lebervene dient als Abflusgefas. Nach Entfernung des Empfangerorgans erfolgt die orthotope Implantation des Segments.
Influence of chronic endurance exercise training on conduit artery retrograde and oscillatory shear in older adults

With aging, there tends to be an increase in retrograde and oscillatory shear in peripheral conduit arteries of humans. Whether the increase in shear rate is due to the aging process or an effect of a less active lifestyle that often accompanies aging is unknown. Therefore, we examined whether chronic endurance exercise training attenuates conduit artery retrograde and oscillatory shear in older adults. Brachial and common femoral artery mean blood velocities and diameter were determined via Doppler ultrasound under resting conditions, and shear rate was calculated in 13 young (24 ± 2 years), 17 older untrained (66 ± 3 years), and 16 older endurance exercise-trained adults (66 ± 7 years). Brachial artery retrograde (−9.1 ± 6.4 vs. −12.6 ± 9.4 s−1; P = 0.35) and oscillatory (0.14 ± 0.08 vs. 0.14 ± 0.08 arbitrary units; P = 0.99) shear were similar between the older trained and untrained groups, whereas brachial artery retrograde and oscillatory shear were greater in older untrained compared to young adults (−5.0 ± 3.4, 0.08 ± 0.05 s−1 arbitrary units, P = 0.017 and 0.048, respectively). There was no difference between the young and older trained brachial retrograde (P = 0.29) and oscillatory (P = 0.07) shear. Common femoral artery retrograde (−6.3 ± 2.9 s−1) and oscillatory (0.21 ± 0.08 arbitrary units) shear were reduced in older trained compared to the older untrained group (−10.4 ± 4.1 and 0.30 ± 0.09 s−1 arbitrary units, both P = 0.005 and 0.006, respectively), yet similar to young adults (−7.1 ± 3.5 and 0.19 ± 0.06 s−1 arbitrary units, P = 0.81 and 0.87, respectively). Our results suggest that chronic endurance exercise training in older adults ameliorates retrograde and oscillatory shear rate patterns, particularly in the common femoral artery.
Caloric restriction, physical activity, and cognitive performance: A review of evidence and a discussion of the potential mediators of BDNF and TrkB

Lifestyle behaviours, such as eating and physical activity (PA), have been recognised as factors that may influence age-related cognitive decline. A high-fat diet and sedentary behaviour have been associated with poor cognitive performance in a variety of domains, in both animals and humans, while caloric restriction (CR) and PA are typically associated with positive outcomes. The lifestyle-associated changes in cognitive performance typically involve areas of the brain that are vulnerable to structural alterations, such as the hippocampus. Here, we frame age-related cognitive change in regard to the brain and cognitive reserve theories and discuss the potential for CR and PA interventions, independently and in combination, to affect cognitive trajectories. We provide mechanistic support for these interventions to affect cognitive performance through BDNF and its high-affinity receptor TrkB. Further, we offer suggestions for future study designs to investigate these relationships and urge researchers to b...
B-Cell Depletion Promotes Aortic Infiltration of Immunosuppressive Cells and Is Protective of Experimental Aortic Aneurysm.

Objective— B-cell depletion therapy is widely used for treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases. B cells are abundant in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA); however, it is unknown whether B-cell depletion therapy affects AAA growth. Using experimental models of murine AAA, we aim to examine the effect of B-cell depletion on AAA formation. Approach and Results— Wild-type or apolipoprotein E–knockout mice were treated with mouse monoclonal anti-CD20 or control antibodies and subjected to an elastase perfusion or angiotensin II infusion model to induce AAA, respectively. Anti-CD20 antibody treatment significantly depleted B1 and B2 cells, and strikingly suppressed AAA growth in both models. B-cell depletion resulted in lower circulating IgM levels, but did not affect the levels of IgG or cytokine/chemokine levels. Although the total number of leukocyte remained unchanged in elastase-perfused aortas after anti-CD20 antibody treatment, the number of B-cell subtypes was significantly lower. Interestingly, plasmacytoid dendritic cells expressing the immunomodulatory enzyme indole 2,3-dioxygenase were detected in the aortas of B-cell–depleted mice. In accordance with an increase in indole 2,3-dioxygenase+ plasmacytoid dendritic cells, the number of regulatory T cells was higher, whereas the expression of proinflammatory genes was lower in aortas of B-cell–depleted mice. In a coculture model, the presence of B cells significantly lowered the number of indole 2,3-dioxygenase+ plasmacytoid dendritic cells without affecting total plasmacytoid dendritic cell number. Conclusions— The present results demonstrate that B-cell depletion protects mice from experimental AAA formation and promotes emergence of an immunosuppressive environment in aorta.
Structural Maturation of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase-A Metamorphic Solution to Genomic Instability.

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT)—a critical enzyme of the viral life cycle—undergoes a complex maturation process, required so that a pair of p66 precursor proteins can develop conformationally along different pathways, one evolving to form active polymerase and ribonuclease H (RH) domains, while the second forms a non-functional polymerase and a proteolyzed RH domain. These parallel maturation pathways rely on the structural ambiguity of a metamorphic polymerase domain, for which the sequence–structure relationship is not unique. Recent nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies utilizing selective labeling techniques, and structural characterization of the p66 monomer precursor have provided important insights into the details of this maturation pathway, revealing many aspects of the three major steps involved: (1) domain rearrangement; (2) dimerization; and (3) subunit-selective RH domain proteolysis. This review summarizes the major structural changes that occur during the maturation process. We also highlight how mutations, often viewed within the context of the mature RT heterodimer, can exert a major influence on maturation and dimerization. It is further suggested that several steps in the RT maturation pathway may provide attractive targets for drug development.
Patchy Layersomes Formed by Layer-by-Layer Coating of Liposomes with Strong Biopolyelectrolytes.

Layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolytes (PEs) onto self-assembled liposomes represents an alternative to PE deposition on solid particles for the formation of hollow nanoscale capsules. This work examines how competition between PE–liposome and inter-PE interactions drives the structure and colloidal stability of layersomes. Unlike solid particles, liposomes respond to adsorbed material through lipid reorganization and changes in size and shape. This responsive nature could yield new types of layered PE structures. We show that sequential deposition of strong biopolyelectrolytes, dextran sulfate-sodium salt (DxS–) and poly-l-arginine (PA+), onto cationic liposomes in water yields the expected charge inversion behavior commonly observed for dispersed particles. However, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy results show that the layersomes formed and their PE coatings were heterogeneous. The PE coatings contained PE complexes (PECs) that were formed when an even number of layers (2 or 4) was dep...
Agroecosystem research with big data and a modified scientific method using machine learning concepts

Long-term studies of agroecosystems distributed across the North American continent are providing an extraordinary understanding of regional environmental dynamics. The new Long-Term Agro-ecosystem Research (LTAR) network (organized in 2012) has designed an explicit cross-site research program with multiple U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) experimental watersheds, ranges, and forests. Here, we report results from studies using a modified scientific method that includes learning through time that was implemented over the past five years with long-term data from USDA experimental sites in coordination with other networks. The results offer a compelling argument for the LTAR concept of combining site-based expertise with network-wide coordination and collaboration to arrive at more accurate scientific conclusions than possible from individual researchers working alone. Simply put, without site-based expertise and cross-site communication working in parallel to provide input, feedback, and refinement to each subsequent step, similar to the way machine learning works, the interpretations and conclusions of these studies would have been incomplete, if not incorrect. Further, the up-front time commitment to data processing and analytics above the time dedicated to place-based studies increased the productivity of the team and the impact of the research, unlike the common perception that cross-site research is often less efficient. In turn, this approach supported a non-traditional system of credit for co-authors based on citation impact of the journal selected as the publication outlet with less regard for author order. The LTAR network has embraced this modified scientific method in its shared research strategy and common experiment to address the problematic issues of mixed data quality across studies and sites, co-author credit, research efficiency, and scientific impact on data-intensive research. This approach can be combined with other types of collaborative and social media approaches, such as crowdsourcing, to take advantage of the wide range of expertise in the agroecological community as well as other disciplines to move science forward in the time of big data.
Proteomic Analysis of Gray Platelet Syndrome by iTRAQ Labelling and Mass Spectroscopy: A Potential New Diagnostic Strategy for Platelet Disorders.

Abstract The recent introduction of novel proteomic techniques to evaluate normal human platelet proteins and their modifications following activation may also help to elucidate the causes and improve diagnoses of platelet-related bleeding disorders. Previous studies from this and other laboratories have demonstrated the sensitivity and reliability of this new technique to detect minor changes (+/−20%) in the protein content of platelets. More than 600 proteins shared by normal platelets were identified, and >200 in platelet-derived microparticles (MPs) generated by ionophore or Thrombin Receptor Activating Peptide (TRAP) activation. As a prelude to our ultimate goal of establishing this new technology, we applied the iTRAQ method (multiplexed relative protein quantitation by mass spectrometry) in the study of two unrelated patients with the Gray Platelet Syndrome (GPS). Megakaryocytes of patients with GPS can synthesize alpha-granule proteins and enclose them within membranes. However, the membranes lack structure linked latency, and enclosed proteins leak out of the organelles before platelets are delivered to circulating blood. Thus, GPS platelets contain empty alpha-granule vacuoles instead of alpha-granules. Due to large changes in platelet properties, it was surprising to find that cytoskeletal proteins of GPS were present in similar abundance to normal platelets (i.e. in the range of 0.80–1.20). Receptor proteins showed a similar distribution. As expected, the content of most alpha-granule proteins in the platelets from the 2 GPS patients was markedly reduced, with individual protein abundance ratios of 0.10 to 0.52 compared to normal platelets. However, certain trans-membrane proteins of alpha-granules (such as vesicle-associated proteins and P-selectin) were better preserved in GPS platelets, with ratios in the range of 0.73 to 1.16 compared to normal platelets. These results showed that many structural components (such as cytoskeleton and receptor proteins) are unchanged in GPS platelets. The results support our previous data indicating that detection of a change of as little as 20% may indicate a pathological change in the platelet proteome that may impact normal function. Our results therefore demonstrate that highly sensitive methods, capable of detecting small protein changes, may be needed to fully appreciate pathological disorders. The iTRAQ technique is able to detect low level changes and may be a leading tool that can generate new insights into the molecular pathophysiology and genetic variations of platelet disorders.
Interictal network synchrony and local heterogeneity predict epilepsy surgery outcome among pediatric patients.

SummaryObjective Epilepsy is a disorder of aberrant cortical networks. Researchers have proposed that characterizing presurgical network connectivity may improve the surgical management of intractable seizures, but few studies have rigorously examined the relationship between network activity and surgical outcome. In this study, we assessed whether local and global measures of network activity differentiated patients with favorable (seizure-free) versus unfavorable (seizure-persistent) surgical outcomes. Methods Seventeen pediatric intracranial electroencephalography (IEEG) patients were retrospectively examined. For each patient, 1,200 random interictal epochs of 1-s duration were analyzed. Functional connectivity networks were constructed using an amplitude-based correlation technique (Spearman correlation). Global network synchrony was computed as the average pairwise connectivity strength. Local signal heterogeneity was defined for each channel as the variability of EEG amplitude (root mean square) and absolute delta power (μV2/Hz) across epochs. A support vector machine learning algorithm used global and local measures to classify patients by surgical outcome. Classification was assessed using the Leave-One-Out (LOO) permutation test. Results Global synchrony was increased in the seizure-persistent group compared to seizure-free patients (Student's t-test, p = 0.006). Seizure-onset zone (SOZ) electrodes exhibited increased signal heterogeneity compared to non-SOZ electrodes, primarily in seizure-persistent patients. Global synchrony and local heterogeneity measures were used to accurately classify 16 (94.1%) of 17 patients by surgical outcome (LOO test, iterations = 10,000, p < 0.001). Significance Measures of global network synchrony and local signal heterogeneity represent promising biomarkers for assessing patient candidacy in pediatric epilepsy surgery.
Yosemite Moonrises and Moonbows

Ansel Adams kept meticulous records of camera and darkroom data for each of his photographs, including the type of film, lens, filter, aperture, shutter speed, developer, paper, etc. But Adams never recorded the dates for any images, even his most famous works. How can we use astronomical and topographical analysis to determine dates for his famous Yosemite moonrise photographs?
Bioethics in Practice: Anonymous Living Donor Transplantation: Ethical or Medically Reckless?

When I was a fellow in transplantation, a patient who was being treated at our center made a plea on National Public Radio for a living donor. Donation rates at the time required many patients to wait more than a year, and the patient who made the public appeal felt that he was dying and could not
A User’s Guide to Topological Data Analysis

Topological data analysis (TDA) is a collection of powerful tools that can quantify shape and structure in data in order to answer questions from the data’s domain. This is done by representing some aspect of the structure of the data in a simplified topological signature. In this article, we introduce two of the most commonly used topological signatures. First, the persistence diagram represents loops and holes in the space by considering connectivity of the data points for a continuum of values rather than a single fixed value. The second topological signature, the mapper graph, returns a 1-dimensional structure representing the shape of the data, and is particularly good for exploration and visualization of the data. While these techniques are based on very sophisticated mathematics, the current ubiquity of available software means that these tools are more accessible than ever to be applied to data by researchers in education and learning, as well as all domain scientists.
Pmbench: A Micro-Benchmark for Profiling Paging Performance on a System with Low-Latency SSDs

Modern non-volatile memory storage devices operate significantly faster than traditional rotating disk media. Disk paging, though never intended for use as an active memory displacement scheme, may be viable as a cost-efficient cache between main memory and sufficiently fast secondary storage. However, existing benchmarks are not designed to accurately measure the microsecond-level latencies at which next-generation storage devices are expected to perform. Furthermore, full exploitation of disk paging to fast storage media will require considerations in the design of operating system paging algorithms. This paper presents pmbench – a multiplatform synthetic micro-benchmark that profiles system paging characteristics by accurately measuring the latency of paging-related memory access operations. Also presented are sample pmbench results on Linux and Windows using a consumer NAND-based SSD and a prototype low-latency SSD as swap devices. These results implicate operating system-induced software overhead as a major bottleneck for system paging, which intensifies as SSD latencies decrease.
Botulinum Toxin for Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity

Patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction suffer from detrusor overactivity (detrusor hyperreflexia), which may be combined with detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD; uncoordinated voiding). Both conditions cause high intravesical pressure and can lead to upper urinary tract damage.
Accounting education literature review (2016)

This review of the accounting education literature includes 108 articles published during 2016 in six journals: (1) Journal of Accounting Education, (2) Accounting Education, (3) Advances in Accounting Education, (4) Global Perspectives on Accounting Education, (5) Issues in Accounting Education, and (6) The Accounting Educators’ Journal. This article updates prior accounting education literature reviews by organizing and summarizing recent contributions to the accounting education literature. Articles are categorized into five sections corresponding to traditional lines of inquiry: (1) curriculum and instruction, (2) instruction by content area, (3) educational technology, (4) students, and (5) faculty. Suggestions for research in all areas are presented. Articles presenting instructional resources and cases published in the same six journals during 2016 are listed in appendices categorized by the appropriate content area.
HIERARCHICAL CONTROLS OF NUCLEOLAR SYNTHETIC FUNCTIONS

Abstract: Nucleoli of cancer cells have high rates of rRNA synthesis. A variety of controls affect the fidelity and rates of rRNA synthesis as well as the availability of rDNA. Studies on the roles of nucleolar proteins show that proteins maintaining fidelity of nucleolar transcription are soluble in 0.6 M NaC1. Of the proteins decreased with increased nucleolar activity, nucleosomal protein A24 is an interesting conjugate of ubiquitin and histone 2A susceptible to specific cleavage by a specific proteinase (Eickbush et al , Cell 9 , 785, 1977). Moment-to-moment control of rates of nucleolar rDNA readouts may be related to cytoplasmic factors such as elongation factor EF-1 which we recently found in nuclei and nucleoli.
Effect of Bacillus Calmette Guerin on the Metabolism of Alveolar Macrophages

Numerous investigations have been carried out employing in vitro studies to characterize the change in biochemical activities of phagocytes subsequent to particle uptake. Sbarra and Karnovsky [1] reported that following ingestion of polystyrene spherules, polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) doubled their rate of oxygen uptake during a 60-min incubation period. Oren et al. [2] reported that guinea pig peritoneal macrophages (PM) exhibited a tripling of their rate of oxygen uptake in a similar experiment. In contrast, they also observed that guinea pig alveolar macrophages (AM) did not appreciably demonstrate an increased rate of oxygen uptake 60 min after phagocytizing polystyrene spherules.
Electron Spin Echo and Endor Studies of Coals

Electron Nuclear Double Resonance (ENDOR) and Electron Spin Echo (ESE) techniques have been applied to the investigation of several coals. The results of these measurements are compared with analogous studies of pristine polyacetylene, composites of polyacetylene/polyethylene, and of a variety of hydrocarbon radicals. This comparison of ENDOR and ESE results provides insight into paramagnetic electron delocalization and into electron Heisenberg spin exchange interactions existing in coals.
Extremalaufgaben ohne Nebenbedingungen

Extremalaufgaben ohne Nebenbedingungen sind uns bereits im Abschn. 7.2.1 begegnet. Sie werden auch als unrestringierte Optimierungsaufgaben bezeichnet und besitzen folgende Struktur: Es ist eine Funktion (Zielfunktion) zu minimieren oder maximieren d.h. $$z = f(x) = f({x_1},{x_2}, \ldots ,{x_n}) \to \mathop {Minimum/Maximum}\limits_{{x_1},{x_2}, \ldots {x_n}}$$ wobei die Zielfunktion f (x) eine beliebige Funktion von n Variablen sein kann.
The Influence of Rural, Suburban, and Urban Student Background and School Setting Upon Psychoeducational Decisions

The influence of a student's background and setting (rural vs. suburban vs. urban, innercity) upon 383 school psychologists' diagnostic and program decisions for a case study child was investigated...
Introduction to Partial Differential Equations and Variational Formulations in Image Processing

Publisher Summary The use of partial differential equations (PDEs) and curvature driven flows in image analysis has become an interest raising research topic in the past few years. The basic idea is to deform a given curve, surface, or image with a PDE and obtain the desired result as the solution of this PDE. Sometimes, as in the case of color images, a system of coupled PDEs is used. The art behind this technique is in the design and analysis of these PDEs. Partial differential equations can be obtained from variational problems. More recently, extensive research is being done on the direct derivation of evolution equations, which are not necessarily obtained from the energy approaches. Both types of PDEs are studied in this chapter. The chapter shows the way a number of problems in image processing and computer vision can be formulated as the computation of paths or surfaces of minimal energy.
Facilitating Model-Based Control Through Software-Hardware Co-Design

This paper exemplifies the design process for legged machines capable of dynamic behaviors. In order to achieve high performance robots, it is crucial to guarantee harmonious integration between software and hardware. Hence, the development of such capable robotic platforms must address design requirements that meet the assumptions of typical model-based controllers but also respect the physical limitations of a real system. First, we show that proper hardware design choices can greatly aid the control algorithm by approximating the physical robot to the template assumptions. We include actuation and sensing design examples that allows a simple model to capture a major portion of the natural dynamic behavior of the physical machine. Results are applied to a real robot (Figure 1) and we show that the adopted methodology is able to address typical problems in legged robots such as high bandwidth force control and robustness to impact. Finally, a simple model-based balance controller that takes advantage of the fidelity of the template model to the real machine is implemented. These are examples of software-hardware codesign processes that vastly facilitate robotic control.
Can an Algorithm Reduce the Perceived Bias of News? Testing the Effect of Machine Attribution on News Readers’ Evaluations of Bias, Anthropomorphism, and Credibility:

Although accusations of editorial slant are ubiquitous to the contemporary media environment, recent advances in journalism such as news writing algorithms may hold the potential to reduce readers’...
Hydrogel-based ocular drug delivery systems: Emerging fabrication strategies, applications, and bench-to-bedside manufacturing considerations.

Abstract The physiological barriers of the eye pose challenges to the delivery of the array of therapeutics for ocular diseases. Hydrogels have been widely explored for medical applications and introduce possible solutions to overcoming the medication challenges of the ocular environment. While the innovations in drug encapsulation and release mechanisms, biocompatibility, and treatment duration have become highly sophisticated, the challenge of widespread application of hydrogel formulations in the clinic is still apparent. This article reviews the latest hydrogel formulations and their associated chemistries for use in ocular therapies, spanning from external anterior to internal posterior regions of the eye in order to evaluate the state of recent research. This article discusses the utility of hydrogels in soft contact lens, wound dressings, intraocular lens, vitreous substitutes, vitreous drug release hydrogels, and cell-based therapies for regeneration. Additional focus is placed on the pre-formulation, formulation, and manufacturing considerations of the hydrogels based on individual components (polymer chains, linkers, and therapeutics), final hydrogel product, and required preparations for clinical/commercial applications, respectively.
Organic cation transporter 3 and the dopamine transporter differentially regulate catecholamine uptake in the basolateral amygdala and nucleus accumbens.

Regional alterations in kinetics of catecholamine uptake are due in part to variations in clearance mechanisms. The rate of clearance is a critical determinant of the strength of catecholamine signaling. Catecholamine transmission in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) is of particular interest due to involvement of these regions in cognition and motivation. Previous work has shown that catecholamine clearance in the NAcc is largely mediated by the dopamine transporter (DAT), but clearance in the BLA is less DAT-dependent. A growing body of literature suggests that organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3) also contributes to catecholamine clearance in both regions. Consistent with different clearance mechanisms between regions, catecholamine clearance is more rapid in the NAcc than in the BLA, though mechanisms underlying this have not been resolved. We compared the expression of DAT and OCT3 and their contributions to catecholamine clearance in the NAcc and BLA. We found DAT protein levels were ~ 4-fold higher in the NAcc than in the BLA, while OCT3 protein expression was similar between the two regions. Immunofluorescent labeling of the two transporters in brain sections confirmed these findings. Ex vivo voltammetry demonstrated that the magnitude of catecholamine release was greater, and the clearance rate was faster in the NAcc than in the BLA. Additionally, catecholamine clearance in the BLA was more sensitive to the OCT3 inhibitor corticosterone, while clearance in the NAcc was more cocaine sensitive. These distinctions in catecholamine clearance may underlie differential effects of catecholamines on behavioral outputs mediated by these regions.
Adolescent views of civic responsibility and civic efficacy: Differences by rurality and socioeconomic status

Abstract This study examined differences in civic beliefs and efficacy for youth living in rural or city contexts and from higher or lower socioeconomic homes. Youth (N = 1847; 88.6% White; 56% female; Mage = 15.72) from a rural town (46.1%) and a mid-sized city (53.9%) completed questionnaires assessing civic beliefs (should, obligation, respect judgments) for community service, standard political, and social movement behaviors, as well as community efficacy, political knowledge efficacy, and political action efficacy. Rural youth and youth from less educated households had lower political efficacy and rated standard political activity as less important, obligatory, and worthy of social praise. Adolescents from more educated households viewed social movement involvement as more important and morally worthy. A parent education by rurality interaction indicated rural youth from less educated families endorsed lower beliefs that people should engage in standard political action. Findings highlight the importance of community and socioeconomic context for youth civic development.
Mixed feelings: How shared and unshared affect impact team creative success

Abstract We examine work on the relationship between team affect and creativity from three increasingly complex lenses. First, we review work on affective contagion and convergence, assuming homogeneity in affect among team members. However, our review clearly shows that we can no longer neglect affective diversity in teams. Team members experience different emotions for many reasons including trait affect, appraisal processes, distinct experiences, and the team context. So, second, we discuss how team members simultaneously experiencing different affective states interact to impact team creativity. Third, team members themselves are also complex entities with multiple traits, attitudes, and other attributes in addition to their affective states. We hence take an alignment approach to consider how these other attributes (e.g., personality, attitudes) interact with state affect to influence team creativity. We integrate these lenses through the affect-as-information and broaden-and-build theories of emotion and through Amabile’s creative process model. Doing so allows us to link the creativity literature with work on team composition and emergence and identify opportunities for future scholarship.
Overview and Initial Management of Cushing Syndrome

Cushing syndrome is characterized by chronic exposure to supra-physiologic glucocorticoid levels, which may be exogenous or endogenous, manifesting as a constellation of clinical symptoms and signs that vary with the severity and duration of glucocorticoid excess. When hypercortisolism is severe, it reveals itself quite distinctively. However, the pathognomonic signs and symptoms of Cushing syndrome are not always present in every individual. The clinical phenotype ranges from changes in body habitus, moon facies, central obesity, a dorsocervical fat pad, proximal muscle weakness, and easy bruising, to frank diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Cushing syndrome may additionally disturb the reproductive system (causing amenorrhea, hypogonadism, and erectile dysfunction) and may be associated with mood lability, anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. In children, glucocorticoid excess may result in statural growth failure in the setting of weight gain. The wide spectrum of manifestations can make the diagnosis particularly challenging. Available screening tests also have their caveats, which makes it fundamental to individualize diagnostic testing, depending upon each patient’s situation, including their lifestyle. It is crucial to clearly demonstrate cortisol excess before pursuing evaluation of the etiology of Cushing syndrome. Prompt diagnosis enables clinicians to tailor the management plan to the individual and to optimize therapy while preventing comorbidities that significantly impair quality of life and increase mortality.
Population genetic analyses of metagenomes reveal extensive strain-level variation in prevalent human-associated bacteria

Deep sequencing has the potential to shed light on the functional and phylogenetic heterogeneity of microbial populations in the environment. Here we present PhyloCNV, an integrated computational pipeline for quantifying species abundance and strain-level genomic variation from shotgun metagenomes. Our method leverages a comprehensive database of >30,000 reference genomes which we accurately clustered into species groups using a panel of universal-single-copy genes. Given a shotgun metagenome, PhyloCNV will rapidly and automatically identify gene copy number variants and single-nucleotide variants present in abundant bacterial species. We applied PhyloCNV to >500 faecal metagenomes from the United States, Europe, China, Peru, and Tanzania and present the first global analysis of strain-level variation and biogeography in the human gut microbiome. On average there is 8.5x more nucleotide diversity of strains between different individuals than within individuals, with elevated strain-level diversity in hosts from Peru and Tanzania that live rural lifestyles. For many, but not all common gut species, a significant proportion of inter-sample strain-level genetic diversity is explained by host geography. Eubacterium rectale, for example, has a highly structured population that tracks with host country, while strains of Bacteroides uniformis and other species are structured independently of their hosts. Finally, we discovered that the gene content of some bacterial strains diverges at short evolutionary timescales during which few nucleotide variants accumulate. These findings shed light onto the recent evolutionary history of microbes in the human gut and highlight the extensive differences in the gene content of closely related bacterial strains. PhyloCNV is freely available at: https://github.com/snayfach/PhyloCNV.
Acute Levetiracetam-Induced Thrombocytopenia in an Anticoagulated Immunocompetent Patient.

Levetiracetam (LEV) is a commonly prescribed anti-seizure medication for the prophylaxis and treatment of focal and generalized seizures. However, a few significant LEV-associated adverse effects have been reported in the literature. Here, we describe a case of significant thrombocytopenia within 24 hours of IV LEV administration for generalized seizures in an anticoagulated immunocompetent patient that completely resolved following discontinuation of the medication. Increased awareness of this uncommon thrombocytopenic side effect of LEV especially in the setting of anticoagulation is important for clinicians providing care to patients with a history of seizures due to the heightened risk of clinically significant bleeding.
Computational design of single-stranded DNA hairpin aptamers immobilized on a biosensor substrate.

Aptamer interactions with a surface of attachment are central to the design and performance of aptamer-based biosensors. We have developed a computational modeling approach to study different system designs—including different aptamer-attachment ends, aptamer surface densities, aptamer orientations, and solvent solutions—and applied it to an anti MUC1 aptamer tethered to a silica biosensor substrate. Amongst all the system designs explored, we found that attaching the anti MUC1 aptamer through the 5′ terminal end, in a high surface density configuration, and solvated in a 0.8 M NaCl solution provided the best exposure of the aptamer MUC1 binding regions and resulted in the least amount of aptamer backbone fluctuations. Many of the other designs led to non-functional systems, with the aptamer collapsing onto the surface. The computational approach we have developed and the resulting analysis techniques can be employed for the rational design of aptamer-based biosensors and provide a valuable tool for improving biosensor performance and repeatability.
Identifiability Analysis of the Human H1N1 Influenza Virus

Influenza is a significant source of morbidity and mortality both worldwide and also in the United States. In the U.S., the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates over 490,000 hospitalizations and 34,000 deaths during the 2018-2019 influenza season [2]. The objective of this research is to determine the epidemiologically important parameters of the H1N1 influenza virus such as the infection and recovery rates using mathematical modeling. Publicly available influenza incidence data from the CDC webpage was used to validate the mathematical model. The spread of the H1N1 influenza virus is modeled using the Susceptible-Infected- Recovered (SIR) compartmental model. To account for vaccination and treatment of the virus, SIVR and SITR models are considered. The models were run on the computer software MATLAB to compare the predictions of the model to the CDC data. To ensure the model’s precision, the parameters were manipulated so that the model predictions could mirror the data. It was found that the 2018 2019 season H1N1 influenza infection rate is 0.2567 per day and the recovery rate is 0.1774 per day. Finally, the identifiability of the models was analyzed through Monte Carlo Simulations, which were performed on MATLAB. The results show that the average relative errors of all the model parameters remained lower than the measurement errors. Thus, these results validate the identifiability of the epidemiological models considered in this study and the reliability of the parameter estimates.
Decision Making in Employment and Labor Arbitration

This experimental study examined the labor and employment arbitration decisions of four groups of arbitrators: (1) employment arbitrators who resolve disputes involving nonunion employees, (2) labor arbitrators who arbitrate cases in which an employee is represented by a union, (3) arbitrators in the National Academy of Arbitrators (NAA), and (4) students as a comparison of non-arbitrator decision makers with experienced arbitrators. A 2 x 2 x 4 factorial design was used, crossing arbitrator group with discipline standard and sex of the grievant. Results indicate that employment arbitrators reinstate the grievant significantly less frequently than other arbitrators; however, the findings also reveal that all arbitrators make more favorable decisions under a just-cause standard than under the newer META standard of discipline.
Design Rules, Volume 2: Chapter 3—Transaction Free Zones

In Chapter 2 we saw that the most economical locations for transactions in a task network are the so-called thin crossing points—places where transfers are easy to define, count and pay for. However, in many places in the task network, transfers of material, energy, and information are so dense and complex that the costs of treating each one as a transaction would be prohibitive. Such areas can become transaction free zones. The purpose of this chapter is to build a theory of transaction free zones within a task network. I first consider how transaction free zones are related to the economic view that a firm is a “nexus of contracts.” I then explain how transaction free zones are created and governed. I describe three types of transaction free zones: (1) corporations in which all decision rights flow from a single, central authority; (2) commons organizations which govern through consensual rule-making and monitoring; and (3) collaborative communities with open boundaries which govern through consensus and shared norms.
Ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae isolates in Geneva: serotype, antimicrobial susceptibility, and β-lactam resistance mechanisms

The purpose of this study was to analyze the molecular mechanisms of ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae isolated in Geneva, Switzerland. We investigated the association between specific patterns of amino acid substitutions in penicillin-binding protein 3 (with or without β-lactamase production) and β-lactam susceptibility. Another main focus for this study was to compare the accuracy of disk diffusion and Etest methods to detect resistance to ampicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. The antibiotic susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics of 124 H. influenzae isolates was determined by disk diffusion and Etest methods, and interpreted by European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints. Alterations in PBP3 were investigated by sequencing the ftsI gene. Of the 124 clinical isolates analyzed, ampicillin resistance was found in 36% (45 out of 124). The rate of resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was 9% and 0.8%, using EUCAST and CLSI breakpoints respectively. For the 78 β-lactamase negative ampicillin-susceptible (BLNAS) isolates for which the Etest method indicated a high degree of susceptibility (MIC ≤ 1 mg/L), the disk diffusion method revealed resistance to ampicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in 33 cases (42%). Most common amino acid substitutions were Asn526Lys and Val547Ile, followed by Asp569Ser, Ala502Val, Asp350Asn, Met377Ile, Ile449Val, and Arg517His. The patterns observed were classified into six groups (IIa, IIb, IIc, IId, III-like, and miscellaneous). Continued characterization of both invasive and respiratory H. influenzae isolates is necessary in order to observe changes in the microbiology and epidemiology of this pathogen that could lead to clinical failure when treated by empirical antibiotic therapy.