cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical mechanical modeling of genome-wide transcription factor occupancy data by MatrixREDUCE

Motivation: Regulation of gene expression by a transcription factor requires physical interaction between the factor and the DNA, which can be described by a statistical mechanical model. Based on this model, we developed the MatrixREDUCE algorithm, which uses genome-wide occupancy data for a transcription factor (e.g. ChIP-chip) and associated nucleotide sequences to discover the sequence-specific binding affinity of the transcription factor. Advantages of our approach are that the information for all probes on the microarray is efficiently utilized because there is no need to delineate “bound” and “unbound” sequences, and that, unlike information content-based methods, it does not require a background sequence model. Results: We validated the performance of MatrixREDUCE by inferring the sequence-specific binding affinities for several transcription factors in S. cerevisiae and comparing the results with three other independent sources of transcription factor sequence-specific affinity information: (i) experimental measurement of transcription factor binding affinities for specific oligonucleotides, (ii) reporter gene assays for promoters with systematically mutated binding sites, and (iii) relative binding affinities obtained by modeling transcription factor-DNA interactions based on co-crystal structures of transcription factors bound to DNA substrates. We show that transcription factor binding affinities inferred by MatrixREDUCE are in good agreement with all three validating methods. Availability: MatrixREDUCE source code is freely available for non-commercial use at. The software runs on Linux, Unix, and Mac OS X. Contact: Harmen.Bussemaker@columbia.edu
Free-space modules and fiber array data links for optical interconnect systems

It is generally agreed that optics is advantageous for interconnect applications requiring high speed signal propagation over distances greater than several centimeters. This is especially true when signals must be transferred between substrates. Evidence of this exists in the development of high speed VCSEL based parallel data links. One approach to increasing the capacity of these systems is to use free-space optics to provide fanout, and fiber optic arrays to transfer signals over long connection distances. In this paper we summarize the transfer and interconnect properties of free-space optical systems used in conjunction with multi-mode parallel fiber arrays, and then discuss two designs for accomplishing fanout and fiber coupling functions.
A mixed‐variable continuously deforming finite element method for parabolic evolution problems. Part II: The coupled problem of phase‐change in porous media

The conceptual framework of a least squares rate variational approach to the formulation of continuously deforming mixed-variable finite element computational scheme for a single evolution equation was presented in Part I.1 In this paper (Part II), we extend these concepts and present an adaptively deforming mixed variable finite element method for solving general two-dimensional transport problems governed by a system of coupled non-linear partial differential evolution equations. In particular, we consider porous media problems that involve coupled heat and mass transport processes that yield steep continuous moving fronts, and abrupt, discontinuous, moving phase-change interfaces. In this method, the potentials, such as the temperature, pressure and species concentration, and the corresponding fluxes, are permitted to jump in value across the phase-change interfaces. The equations, and the jump conditions, governing the physical phenomena, which were specialized from a general multiphase, multiconstituent mixture theory, provided the basis for the development and implementation of a two-dimensional numerical simulator. This simulator can effectively resolve steep continuous fronts (i.e. shock capturing) without oscillations or numerical dispersion, and can accurately represent and track discontinuous fronts (i.e. shock fitting) through adaptive grid deformation and redistribution. The numerical implementation of this simulator and numerical examples that demonstrate the performance of the computational method are presented in Part III2 of this paper.
Cognitive performance in older and middle-aged depressed outpatients and controls

Cognitive performance was assessed in older (60-75 years) and middle-aged (40-59 years) unmedicated outpatients with major depression and in healthy controls to examine potential interactive effects of age and depression. Cognitive performance was assessed from three categories of tasks: verbal, visual-spatial, and visuo-motor scanning tasks. Depressed subjects did not perform as well as controls on visuo-motor scanning tasks that included the Trail Making Tests A and B, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Likewise, the older compared to the middle-aged group was slower on the visuo-motor scanning tasks. In addition, the older group showed poorer performance on visual-spatial tasks. Neither depression nor age group effects were observed for the primarily verbal tasks. Age and depression combined in an additive (noninteractive) fashion such that the older depressed subjects performed worse than the middle-aged depressed subjects, and older and middle-aged controls, on visuo-motor scanning tasks. Language: en
Against best practice: uncertainty, outliers and local studies in educational research

Situating the quest for ‘best practice’ in education in the early ambitions of the Royal Society of London and the early history of statistics, and in insights offered by John Dewey in his 1929 Gifford and Kappa Delta Pi lectures, the paper argues for greater appreciation of the uncertainties and complexities of teaching and learning and for greater modesty in researcher claims. It contends that the quest for best practices in education needs to be tempered with the notion of better over best practice by maintaining the value of, and the need for, a greater place for outliers in research.
The Unpredictability of Some Human Choices

It is a well known rule of logic that when one tells a story and that story eventually leads to a contradiction then it follows by reductio that the story was an impossible one to begin with. But what element in our story must be rejected as impossible? Is it impossible to place two boxes before a player etc.? Surely not. The most likely candidate for rejection is the assertion which did not amount to the description of an observed fact but which we thought was based on inductive evidence, namely that the predictor is virtually infallible as evidenced by his past performance. (It will turn out in Chapter 15 that it is not the case that the proficiency of the predictor qua predictor could ever be established by any evidence.) We shall deny, then, that our so called predictor has great powers of prediction.
Design Space Exploration of RTL Datapaths Using Rent Parameter based Stochastic Wirelength Estimation

We present an assessment of a priori stochastic wire-length estimation as a viable technique for evaluating the interconnect requirements of designs explored in RTL datapath synthesis. The model estimates the wirelength requirements of a gate level netlist a priori, based on Rentian parameters extracted dynamically from RTL netlists. Experimental results indicate that the wirelength estimates of our dynamic Rent parameter extraction method are in agreement within an average of 3.96% to those obtained from designs synthesized by a commercial place-and-route tool, while offering an average speedup of 278% over physical synthesis, suggesting that stochastic wirelength estimation methods are a viable approach to guide design space exploration in high-level synthesis.
Integrating moral and social development within middle school social studies: a social cognitive domain approach

Eleven teachers and 254 urban middle-school students comprised the sample of this study examining the social and moral development outcomes of the integration of social cognitive domain theory within regular classroom instruction. Participating teachers were trained to construct and implement history lessons that stimulated students’ moral reasoning and conceptions of societal convention. In comparison with baselines and controls, teachers reduced didactic instruction and increased the proportion of class time devoted to small group discussions. Student engagement in transactive discourse significantly increased in participating classes with significantly greater post-test levels of moral reasoning, concepts of social convention, and cross-domain coordination. Student production of operational versus representational transacts through transactive discussion was associated with growth in moral and societal concepts. Teachers continued teaching lessons constructed in the project a year after the research ended.
Beneficial Effects of Propolis on Neurological Disorders

Propolis (bee glue) is a resinous natural substance gathered by worker honeybees from certain parts (buds and barks) of plants, and thus chemical composition of propolis depends on the phytogeographic characteristics of the collection site. In different habitats, bees choose different plant species as propolis sources and consequently the chemical composition of this bee product is highly variable. In spite of different chemical composition, propolis always demonstrates similar biological activities (Banskota et al. 2001). In temperate zones, propolis originates from the bud exudates of Populus species, and therefore has relatively constant qualitative composition (Greenaway et al. 1990). In tropical regions, there are no poplars, and the bees are known to find other sources of their glue (Park et al. 2002). Honeybees use propolis for the construction and repair of their hive as well as for the defense purposes. It not only contains sticky compounds coming from various plants, but also waxes and other honeybee excretions (Castaldo and Capasso 2002). Humans use propolis as a natural remedy because of its numerous health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, and immunostimulating properties (Fig. 10.1) (Banskota et al. 2001; Kujumgiev et al. 1999; Sforcin 2007; Seidel et al. 2008). In addition, propolis is used as a popular remedy and is sold in the form of capsules, as an extract, as a mouthwash, in throat lozenges, creams, and in powder form for gargling. Propolis is also claimed to be useful in cosmetics and as a constituent of health foods. Oral administration of propolis extract also results in suppression of overall weight gain in mice, the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue weight, and the increase in serum and liver triglycerides that normally result from feeding a high-fat diet to C57BL/6N mice (Koya-Miyata et al. 2009). Real-time PCR studies indicate that the antiobesity effects of propolis extract can be attributed to reduction in the expression of fatty acid synthesis genes in the liver (Koya-Miyata et al. 2009). In addition, propolis extract also inhibits body weight gain, lower blood pressure, and liver triglycerides in obesity induced by a high-fat diet. Since it is well known that accumulation of visceral adipose tissue and hyperlipidemia associated with metabolic syndrome, these studies indicate that propolis extract may prevent and mitigate metabolic syndrome caused by excessive intake of a high-fat diet, and this may involve downregulation of lipid metabolism-related gene expression (Koya-Miyata et al. 2009). Recently, propolis is being widely used in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries as a health supplement (Banskota et al. 2001).
Effect of circulating vasopressin on arterial pressure regulation in rats

It has been hypothesized that moderately increased blood levels of arginine vasopressin (AVP) contribute to the development and/or maintenance of hypertension. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats on a fixed 1 meq daily sodium intake received 10-day intravenous infusions of 0.2 and 2.0 ng.kg-1.min-1 AVP. The higher infusion rate was above the acute vasoconstrictor threshold for AVP administration and also produced a maximal antidiuretic effect. During chronic AVP administration, however, daily mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and body fluid composition were not changed, despite a maintained antidiuresis. To test the hypothesis that circulating AVP failed to cause hypertension as a result of sensitization of the baroreflex or a direct sympathoinhibitory effect of the peptide, additional experiments were performed in rats subjected to sinoaortic denervation (SAD) or ablation of the area postrema (APX). Infusion of AVP for 10 days into SAD or APX rats caused a sustained antidiuresis but did not change arterial pressure, heart rate, or body fluid composition. In all groups of rats, the depressor response to ganglionic blockade (20 mg/kg hexamethonium) was used to estimate the autonomic component of resting arterial pressure; no change in autonomic cardiovascular control was found using this method in any of the groups during AVP infusion. Long-term elevation of plasma AVP in rats, therefore, does not cause hypertension or significantly affect autonomic regulation of arterial pressure.
A market mechanism for electric distribution networks

To encourage end-users to participate in the transformation of the power grid into a more distributed, adaptive and resilient one, an efficient electricity market, especially in distribution networks, plays an important role. However, the externalities associated with the power flow and network operating constraints constitute a significant barrier to form such markets.1 Traditionally, there is a central regulator to determine locational marginal prices in order to compensate the externalities. In this paper, we present a decentralized market mechanism for a radial distribution network which internalize the externalities within private decisions. The market mechanism defines trading rules that efficiently allocate the externalities to individual bilateral transactions in the network. Specifically, we focus on the external costs associated with voltage constraints and line losses. We show that a competitive market could be established for distribution services and electricity to achieve a social optimum within a power pool.
EMERGENCE OF PERIODIC AND NONPERIODIC MOTIONS IN A BURGERS' CHANNEL FLOW MODEL

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the emergence of periodic and nonperiodic motions in a Burgers' channel flow model. Burgers proposed two mathematical models of turbulent channel flow sustained by a uniform pressure gradient. One of the models presented in the chapter describes the mean flow U interacting with disturbance velocities v and w in a channel of width h. The chapter describes the inviscid nonlinear dynamics. It highlights the dynamical behavior of the lowest-order truncated systems. There emerges an interesting succession of periodic and quasi-periodic and nonperiodic trajectories as the order of D(nt)—a sequence of truncated systems—is increased from 2 to 4. Unstable nonperiodic motion is sufficiently chaotic to develop mixing in the phase space. This is because of the trajectory instability manifested by the limited total evolution time and asymptotically decaying correlation of phase functions. From a computational standpoint, the former is the practical indicator of trajectory instability; the latter is of only theoretical interest in the absence of a long-time trajectory.
A Revision of the Noctuid Genus Bulia Walker (=Cirrhobolina Grote)(Lipidoptera)

Proboscis well developed. Male palpi very long, second segment upturned, blade-like and extending well above vertex, third segment porrect, twice as long as broad, closely scaled (Fig. 4); female palpi upturned, almost as long as in male, third segment porrect. Antennae ciliated. Male head greatly modified (Figs. 3 and 4); front specialized, with slight blunt tuberculate prominence; dorsal part of head greatly modified by a pair of sheath-like projections which project forward between the bases of the antennae, the bases of these sheaths invaginated into the head in the region between the vertex and occiput, and the vertex in front of them depressed and modified; each sheath encloses a tightly packed mass of specialized scales of two types (Fig. 5), and between the sheaths is a strong median spine (Fig. 3); a peculiar upwardly directed tuft of scales from the frontal prominence and a large pointed tuft of hairs from special scale-areas of each side dorsally hide the head modification so that only the tips of the spine and sheaths project beyond the vestiture. Female head normal, front rough and rounded out; slight tuft reaching end of second segment of palpus. Fore tibiae unarmed; mid and hind tibiae with fringe of scales; mid tibiae of male swollen and enclosing tuft of long scales. Thorax and abdomen smoothly scaled. Venation: fore wing with veins 3 and 5 from near anal angle of cell, (6 from upper angle, 7 connate from end of areole with 8+9 which are long stalked, 10 from areole, 11 from cell; hind wing with cell almost half length of wing, veins 3 and 4 connate from lower angle of cell, 5 arising very close to 4 and rapidly diverging, 6 and 7 connate from upper angle, 8 touching cell at point only.
Role of PKCα in feedback regulation of Na+transport in an electrically tight epithelium

It has long been known that Na+ channels in electrically tight epithelia are regulated by homeostatic mechanisms that maintain a steady state and allow new levels of transport to be sustained in hormonally challenged cells. Little is known about the potential pathways involved in these processes. In addition to short-term effect, recent evidence also indicates the involvement of PKC in the long-term regulation of the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) at the protein level (40). To determine whether stimulation of ENaC involves feedback regulation of PKC levels, we utilized Western blot analysis to determine the distribution of PKC isoforms in polarized A6 epithelia. We found the presence of PKC isoforms in the conventional (α and γ), novel (δ, η, and e), and atypical (ι, λ, and ζ) groups. Steady-state stimulation of Na+ transport with aldosterone was accompanied by a specific decrease of PKCα protein levels in both the cytoplasmic and membrane fractions. Similarly, overnight treatment with an uncharged amilori...
The life-cycle of three species of algal-living ostracods from brackish water

Abstract Field and laboratory data for the larval development and life-cycles of three algal-living ostracod species from the Oresund are compared. The larval development of Xestoleberis aurantia (Baird) was found to take 60 days at a temperature of 20°C and 90 days at 12-15 dc. At 10°C the larvae died after hatching. Semicytherura nigrescelis (Baird) hatched 6-8 days after egg deposition at 2024° C and 16-18 days at 10 dc. The larvae grew to maturity in 35 and 60 days, respectively. Hemicytherura cellulosa (Norman) took 10-15 days to hatch and reached maturity after another 45 days at 20-24 DC, while it took 60 days at 10°C.
Early Tibetan Plateau uplift history eludes

The elevation history of Tibet, the world's highest and most extensive plateau, offers a testing ground for ideas concerning the geodynamics of continental collision, the effect of large orogens on climate, and the interactions between the two. Included in the understanding of the evolution of
Behavior Genetics of Aging

Publisher Summary Genetic factors influence a very wide range of physical and psychological characteristics. Genetic methodologies can be divided into quantitative and molecular approaches. This chapter addresses some ways in which the two approaches may complement one another. In examining the psychology of aging, the focus is on behavioral phenotypes. The primary behavioral phenotypes that are relevant to aging are cognitive phenotypes such as memory and intelligence, personality phenotypes, psychosocial phenotypes, and pathologies such as depression and dementia. Over the course of development very different sets of genes might express themselves in a given characteristic, while the relative magnitude of genetic influences, that is, heritability, remained constant. The process of aging reflects not only the unfolding of genetically regulated developmental programs over time, but also the exposure over time of the individual (and his/her genotype) to the environment. Given that both genes and environment contribute to virtually all human characteristics, one could say that all behavior is the result of the interaction of genes and environment. The likelihood that numerous genes and environmental factors contribute to many, if not most, human characteristics and that there are likely to be complex interactions among genes and environmental factors suggests that achieving a full understanding of how genes affect the psychology of aging will be a slow, painstaking process. Advances in high-throughput techniques have paved the way for major advances in molecular genetics. These include the study of individual differences based on genotype, copy number variants (CNV), and epigenetics.
Tuning the Sawtooth Tensile Response and Toughness of Multiblock Copolymer Diamond Networks

Liquid crystalline elastomers of block copolymer chains end-linked into a diamond network have recently been shown to exhibit a sawtooth tensile response to uniaxial deformation [Macromolecules 2014, 47, 840−850], which can provide the basis to design supertough, highly stretchable materials. Molecular dynamics is used to study different chain designs that modulate the number of “teeth” and the strain-orientation dependence of the previously reported tensile response of ABA (25%–50%–25%) chains. Two chain designs with distinct tensile behaviors have been identified. First, ABA (15%–70%–15%) chains with lower backbone stiffness are found to exhibit a stress response independent of the extensional direction by virtue of morphological rearrangements occurring at low strains. Second, ABACA (20%–20%–20%–20%–20%) pentablock chains are found to exhibit a sawtooth response with twice as many “teeth” for a given strain and hence larger toughness. This architecture allows for more gradual chain unfolding events and...
On Giacomo Boni, the origins of the Forum, and where we stand today

The pioneer in excavating early sites in the Roman Forum was Giacomo Boni (b. Venice 1859; d. Rome 1925). He lived through the turbulent years when the new nation of Italy was starting to find its stride. A number of puzzles associated with his life and work, in particular the origins of the Forum, are starting to be better understood; by digging more deeply into archives in Milan, Rome and Venice, it has been possible to make gains. A conference held recently in Venice gave the opportunity to bring together the two sides of his life in Venice and Rome. In a moment, something will be said about the new perspectives that were discussed at the Convegno. Then I will turn to Boni's work in the Forum and his ideas about its origins. In the final section I will discuss briefly where the study of the origins of the Forum now stands. Returning to this question gives an opportunity to update the gains (e.g., the discovery of clay beds in the Velabrum) that have been made over the last 25 years, specific questions that remain open (the dating of the first gravel pavement of the Forum), and the work that needs to be done.
New DNA methylation markers associated with oral cancer (OC) development (dvlpt).

5524 Background: We have reported that DNA methyltransferase-3B (DNMT3B) gene expression is a strong predictor of OC dvlpt. Using high-throughput DNA methylation profiles of oral preneoplastic lesi...
Understanding ChinaAS Economic Performance

Broadly speaking, two schools of thought have emerged to interpret China's rapid growth since 1978:the experimentalist school and the convergence school. The experimentalist school attributes China's successes to the evolutionary, experimental, and incremental nature of China's reforms. Specifically, the resulting non-capitalist institutions are said to be successful in (a) agri- culture where land is not owned by the farmers; (b) township and village en- terprises (TVEs) which are owned collectively by rural communities; and (c) state owned enterprises (SOEs) where increased competition and increased wage incentive, not privatization, have been emphasized. The convergence school holds that China's successes are the result of its institutions being allowed to converge with those of non-socialist market economies, and that China's economic structure at the start of reforms is a major reason for the fast growth. China had a high population density heavily concentrated in low-wage agriculture which was favorable for labor-intensive export-led growth in other parts of East Asia. The convergence school also holds that China's gradualism results mainly from a lack of consensus over the proper course, with power divided between market reformers and old-style socialists; and that the 'inno- ative economic circumstances. Perhaps the best test of the two approaches is whether China's policy choices are in fact leading to institutions harmonized with normal market economies or to more distinctive innovations. The recent policy trend has been towards institutional harmonization rather than institutional innovation, suggesting that the government accepts that the ingredients for a dynamic market economy are already well-known.
Narrow, powerful, and public: the influence of brand breadth in the luxury market

Although the current literature in brand extensions is replete with studies in both line and category extensions, the effect of brand breadth (magnitude of the category extensions) is still yet to be thoroughly examined. Few researchers have focused on brand breadth, to suggest when to choose a narrow (vs. broad) brand extension strategy. Accordingly, no theoretical explanations support the coexistence of both narrow brands (i.e., brands with extensions in similar categories) and broad brands (i.e., brands with extensions in dissimilar categories), particularly in the luxury market. In order to provide guidelines for luxury marketers to enhance overall brand equity, we investigate conditions under which narrow brands are more strongly preferred to broad brands in the luxury market, using a total of 389 respondents recruited via Amazon M-turks and 230 university volunteers in four experiments. Findings demonstrate that narrow brands are liked more than broad brands only with consumers who feel powerful and desire status, and especially when the consumption occurs in public. Highlighting the importance of brand breadth, the current research contributes to the literature in brand extensions and luxury branding by supplying theoretical guidelines to formulate successful brand extension strategies for luxury marketers.
Tracking the parallelism of difference with ostension schemes

Abstract In this paper I develop an instrument for monolingual elicitation through ostension. I call the instrument an ostension scheme . Ostension schemes are matrices with rows to introduce pictures and columns to represent sentences. Ostension schemes have utility for monolingual elicitation of an unfamiliar language and they allow for the collection and storage of certain kinds of linguistic data in a particularly transparent fashion that does not primarily utilize translation. This transparency is due to design features which help distinguish between a sentence and its entailments or between a sentence and precizations of that sentence. The data stored on an ostension scheme allows access to the linguistic hierarchy at the level of the basic sentence. Comparison of minimal sentence pairs allows for movement within the linguistic hierarchy, from the level of the basic sentence to the level of the morpheme or the phoneme. Ostension schemes utilize a principle I call the parallelism of difference . By this principle, minimal differences in the forms of basic sentences tend to correspond to minimal differences in situations described by these sentences. I take up the problem of how to determine these minimal differences. I demonstrate how ostension schemes have been used to elicit a number of sentences from the Sakha language (Yakut) and to identify morphemes in the language, and I also provide a brief discussion of overcoming first language bias of the designer of the scheme. Finally, I consider how the rows and columns of ostension schemes interact and how this interaction facilitates elicitation. The instrument as developed here promises to be highly practical, but at the same time it is limited in the kind of language it can be used to elicit. The theoretical investigation should be useful not only by engaging in fundamental issues of language study but also by paving the way for possibly broader applications of these ostension schemes.
PRESEPTAL/ORBITAL CELLULITIS IN THE POST - H. INFLUENZAE VACCINE ERA. 984

Prior to the development of the H. influenzae vaccine, a significant number of preseptal (PS) and orbital (O) infections were associated with H. influenzae type b (HIb) bacteremia. We reviewed 134 patients (pts) with the discharge diagnosis of either PS or O cellulitis from 5/85 to 6/95. We excluded pts with an underlying immunodeficiency or significant direct trauma. There were 106 cases of PS cellulitis and 28 cases of O cellulitis. The mean age of the patients was 66 ± 50 mos. The mean age of pts with PS cellulitis was less than those with O cellulitis (56 vs 92 mos; p <.005). The youngest pt with O cellulitis was 32 mos. 133/134 pts had blood cultures (bcs). 3.8% of pts had a positive bc. 2/55 bcs were positive for HIb between 1985-90. Both were in infants with PS cellulitis (4 and 8 mos). From 1990-95 3/78 bcs were positive (S. pneumo, Group F Strep, non-typable H. influenzae); the first isolate was from a pt with PS cellulitis, the other isolates were from pts with O cellulitis. HIb has not been isolated from a pt with PS or O cellulitis since 7/87 (101 pts).
Diminishing Returns and Recursive Self Improving Artificial Intelligence

In this chapter we will examine in more detail the concept of an artificial intelligence that can improve upon itself, and show how that might not be as problematic as some researchers think. The ability for an AI to better itself over time through a process called recursive self-improvement has been considered as a promising path to creating the technological singularity. In this type of system an AI has access to its own source code and possibly even hardware, with the ability to edit both at will. This gives the AI the option to constantly improve upon itself and become increasingly intelligent. Eventually this would produce versions of the AI that are more intelligent than humans and cause us to reach the technological singularity. Researchers have speculated that this process could create an extremely dangerous situation for humanity as we get left behind in a growing intelligence gap. This chapter proposes that this gap would not be as drastic as initially thought, and that there may be natural limits on the ability for an AI to improve upon itself. Along the way we will propose that the law of diminishing returns will take effect to limit runaway intelligence. We also theorize that developing and manufacturing new hardware will introduce a latency in AI improvement that could easily be exploited to halt any dangerous situation.
Randomized phase II placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of topical pure emu oil for joint pain related to adjuvant aromatase inhibitor use in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer: JUST (Joints Under Study).

Aromatase inhibitors are standard of care in women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Published evidence demonstrates that adverse effects may have an impact on drug compliance, with arthralgias being one of the most commonly reported adverse effects. Eligible patients were postmenopausal women who had experienced arthralgia following initiation of an aromatase inhibitor. Patients who experienced arthralgias following a minimum of a 3-month treatment on the aromatase inhibitor were randomized to emu oil or placebo oil. The primary endpoint was to assess for a reduction in pain as measured by a visual analogue score after 8 weeks of treatment. Seventy-three patients comprised the intent-to-treat population, and there was no statistically significant benefit with use of EO. However, there was a statistically significant improvement in pain (visual analogue score was −1.28; p < 0.001) and Brief Pain Inventory severity score −0.88 (p < 0.001), as well as functional interference (Brief Pain Inventory interference −1.10 (p < 0.001) for the entire population following an 8-week administration of EO or placebo oil. Arthralgias, as a result of aromatase inhibitor use, may be ameliorated by the use of topical oil massaged onto the joint. Further research into interventions for this common side effect is needed.
Teachers’ Perceptions of Educational Placement Decisions for Pupils with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders:

We conducted intensive group interviews with 11 special education and 3 general education teachers regarding the educational placement of pupils with emotional or behavioral disorders. We sorted th...
An investigation of cross-linguistic transfer between Chinese and English: a meta-analysis

Cross-linguistic transfer embodies language learners’ use of linguistic knowledge of their first language to leverage the learning of a second language. The cross-linguisitc transfer between Chinese and English has been studied by scholars from different disciplines. However, variances and inconsistencies exist among prior studies regarding the investigated linguistic domains and reported results. Therefore, a meta-analysis is needed to systematically investigate the cross-linguistic transfer between Chinese and English. This meta-analysis presents research on cross-linguistic transfer between the two languages in four domains: phonological awareness, decoding skills, vocabulary, and morphological awareness. Using 33 articles conducted in different countries, our results show small to moderate levels of transfer in the above four domains. In addition, it was found that the results were moderated by geographic location of the study and participant age. Overall, the meta-analysis indicates that English and Chinese share common linguistic features that can allow for transfer in learning between the languages. Bilingual learners can benefit in educational environments that tap into these linguistic features.
Use of an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) for early identification of communication skills deficits in interns.

Introduction: There is limited information about whether OSCE during GME orientation can identify trainee communication deficits before these become evident via clinical performance evaluations.Met...
Sex of sexual partners and disordered weight control behaviors in a nationally representative sample of South Korean adolescents.

Abstract Eating disorders are a serious and life-threatening health issue associated with physical and mental health problems. Stigma associated with sexual orientation is thought to be one contributor to eating disorders symptoms in U.S. adolescents. Additional research on disordered weight control behaviors in diverse populations is needed to better understand their etiology. To examine the association of sex of sexual partners with disordered weight control behaviors among South Korean adolescents, we analyzed survey data from 67,266 adolescents, ages 12–18 years, from the 2015 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Adolescents were grouped based on self-reported sex of sexual partners. Disordered weight control behaviors included fasting, vomiting, or use of unprescribed diet pills for weight control in the past month. Among both girls and boys, those reporting partners of both sexes had higher odds and those with no sexual partners had lower odds of disordered weight control behaviors. Those with same-sex partners only were not significantly different in disordered weight control behaviors from those with other-sex partners only for girls or boys. Our findings demonstrate the need for further research identifying ways to mitigate risk for this vulnerable group.
The Informal Local: A Multi-scalar Approach to Examining Participation in Urban Renewal

Since India’s integration into international trade and finance, significant efforts to transform urban landscapes into world-class cities are underway. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Project (JNNURM), which commenced in 2006, is an important milestone in this trajectory, with its goals of investing in urban infrastructure and reforming governance to aid development. Multiple scholars have reflected on the empowerment of elite actors in urban governance and the instrumental, exigent forms of public participation in recent urban development programmes like the JNNURM. Spaces of participation are largely colonized by elite actors, allowing for anti-poor outcomes to emerge. This paper assesses this popular narrative of the JNNURM and its participation apparatus. By examining the particular history of urban development in India, and the implementation of the JNNURM in Chennai and Coimbatore, the paper points to the ways in which the urban poor did participate in the JNNURM—outside the ambit of institutionalized participation. While elite and state actors constructed the larger logic of exclusive city-making within the JNNURM, negotiations were strategically made by the poor at the scale of the local to ensure better outcomes for themselves where possible. These local negotiations complicate narratives that tend to totalize urban development projects like the JNNURM, demonstrating its vulnerability to historically contingent and informal relationships with elected officials and bureaucrats. A multi-scalar approach to examining citizen involvement may aid in a better understanding of struggles for citizenship and the possibilities for broader political transformation.
Does an Autism Spectrum Disorder Care Pathway Improve Care for Children and Adolescents with ASD in Inpatient Psychiatric Units

Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are psychiatrically hospitalized at high rates. Though specialized psychiatric units are effective, few specialized units exist. The ASD Care Pathway (ASD-CP) was developed as a scalable approach to improving care in general psychiatric units through staff training and a package of autism-specific intervention strategies. An evaluation of the effectiveness of the ASD-CP in a public hospital child psychiatric service compared 18 months (n = 17) versus 18 months (n = 20) post implementation. Average length of hospital stay decreased 40% (22.4–13.4 days) and use of crisis interventions decreased 77% (holds/restraints; 0.65/day to 0.15/day), though each result only approached statistical significance (p = 0.07; 0.057). This study provides preliminary evidence for improved outcomes after implementation of an ASD-CP.
Roque: A Game Combining Billiards and Croquet

(1957). Roque. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 28, No. 5, pp. 16-16.
Generation and Staining of Intestinal Stem Cell Lineage in Adult Midgut

Stem cell-mediated tissue repair is a promising approach in regenerative medicine. Intestinal epithelium is the most rapidly self-renewing tissue in adult mammals. Recently, using lineage tracing and molecular marker labeling, intestinal stem cells (ISCs) have been identified in Drosophila adult midgut. ISCs reside at the basement membrane and are multipotent as they produce both enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells. The adult Drosophila midgut provides an excellent in vivo model organ to study ISC behavior during aging, stress, regeneration, and infection. It has been demonstrated that Notch, Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription, epidermal growth factor receptor/mitogen-activated protein kinase, Hippo, and wingless signaling pathways regulate ISCs proliferation and differentiation. There are plenty of genetic tools and markers developed in recent years in Drosophila stem cell studies. These tools and markers are essential in the precise identification of stem cells as well as manipulation of genes in stem cell regulation. Here, we describe the details of genetic tools, markers, and immunolabeling techniques used in identification and characterization of adult midgut stem cells in Drosophila.
A DNA repair process in Escherichia coli corrects U: G and T:G mismatches to C:G at sites of cytosine methylation

Escherichia coli contains a base mismatch correction system called VSP repair that is known to correct T:G mismatches to C:G when they occur in certain sequence contexts. The preferred sequence context for this process is the site for methylation by the E. coli DNA cytosine methylase (Dcm). For this reason, VSP repair is thought to counteract potential mutagenic effects of deamination of 5-methylcytosine to thymine. We have developed a genetic reversion assay that quantitates the frequency of C to T mutations at Dcm sites and the removal of such mutations by DNA repair processes. Using this assay, we have studied the repair of U: G mismatches in DNA to C: G and have found that VSP repair is capable of correcting these mismatches. Although VSP repair substantially affects the reversion frequency, it may not be as efficient at correcting U: G mismatches as the uracil DNA glycosylase-mediated repair process.
Circadian Clock: Potential Role in Cartilage Integrity and Disruption

Circadian rhythms and clocks driven by light/dark cycles over a 24-hour period control many bodily functions. Likewise peripheral clocks generate circadian cycles, and at the cellular level circadian clock genes are involved in tissue specific functions. This report highlights articular cartilage clock genes and how their dysfunction may be implicated in osteoarthritis. To address the question of whether disruptions in cartilage clock genes are possible risk factors for osteoarthritis, research studies were examined and heir conclusions noted. While more work is needed the role of cartilage clock genes and their interaction with local cartilage tissue metabolic processes in human subjects should prove highly insightful.
Synthesis, characterization and O2 reactivity of a bioinspired cobalt(II)-catecholate complex

Abstract Inspired by the active site structure of Co-HPCD (HPCD = homoprotocatechuate 2,3-dioxygenase), in which the catechol binds to the cobalt(II) center in its monoanionic form in a bidentate fashion, we report the synthesis and characterization of [PhTttBu]Co(3,5-DBCatH) [PhTttBu = phenyltris(tertbutylthiomethyl)borate; 3,5-DBCatH = 3,5-di-tert-butyl-catecholate monoanion], the first example of a well-characterized mononuclear cobalt(II) complex of a monoanionic catecholate ligand. The net reaction of hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) occurs immediately when [PhTttBu]Co(3,5-DBCatH) is exposed to O2, generating a previously reported five-coordinate Co(II)-semiquinonate complex, [PhTttBu]Co(3,5-DBSQ) (3,5-DBSQ = 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-semiquinonate). At low temperature, O2 uptake by [PhTttBu]Co(3,5-DBSQ) was observed by electronic absorption spectroscopy. Upon warming to room temperature, [PhTttBu]Co(3,5-DBSQ) decays slowly under an O2 atmosphere releasing muconic anhydride, an intradiol cleavage product, in 16% yield as previously reported. Kinetic measurements reveal that the decay of [PhTttBu]Co(3,5-DBSQ) under excess O2 exhibits pseudo-first-order behavior. Mechanistic considerations involving Co(III)-superoxo and Co(III)-alkylperoxo intermediates are presented based on the above-mentioned data and the metal ion effect on the O2 reactivity.
Soil carbon and nitrogen eroded after severe wildfire and erosion mitigation treatments

Erosion of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) following severe wildfire may have deleterious effects on downstream resources and ecosystem recovery. Although C and N losses in combustion and runoff have been studied extensively, soil C and N transported by post-fire erosion has rarely been quantified in burned landscapes. To better understand the magnitude and temporal pattern of these losses, we analysed the C and N content of sediment collected in severely burned hillslopes and catchments across the western USA over the first 4 post-fire years. We also compared soil C and N losses from areas receiving common erosion-mitigation treatments and untreated, burned areas. The concentrations of C and N in the eroded material (0.23–0.98 g C kg−1 and 0.01–0.04 g N kg−1) were similar to those of mineral soils rather than organic soil horizons or combusted vegetation. Losses of eroded soil C and N were highly variable across sites, and were highest the first 2 years after fire. Cumulative erosional losses from untreated, burned areas ranged from 73 to 2253 kg C ha−1 and from 3.3 to 110 kg N ha−1 over 4 post-fire years. Post-fire erosion-mitigation treatments reduced C and N losses by up to 75% compared with untreated areas. Losses in post-fire erosion are estimated to be <10% of the total soil C and N combusted during severe wildfire and <10% of post-fire soil C and N stocks remaining in the upper 20 cm of mineral soil. Although loss of soil C and N in post-fire erosion is unlikely to impair the productivity of recovering vegetation, export of C and N may influence downstream water quality and aquatic ecosystems.
Post-Extubation Inhaled Nitric Oxide Therapy via High-Flow Nasal Cannula After Fontan Procedure

In 2014, our hospital introduced inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) therapy combined with high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy after extubation following the Fontan procedure in patients with unstable hemodynamics. We report the benefits of HFNC-iNO therapy in these patients. This was a single-center, retrospective review of 38 patients who underwent the Fontan procedure between January 2010 and June 2016, and required iNO therapy before extubation. The patients were divided into two groups: patients in Epoch 1 (n = 24) were treated between January 2010 and December 2013, receiving only iNO therapy; patients in Epoch 2 (n = 14) were treated between January 2014 and June 2016, receiving iNO therapy and additional HFNC-iNO therapy after extubation. There were no significant differences between Epoch 1 and 2 regarding preoperative cardiac function, age at surgery, body weight, initial diagnosis (hypoplastic left heart syndrome, 4 vs. 2; total anomalous pulmonary venous return, 5 vs. 4; heterotaxy, 7 vs. 8), intraoperative fluid balance, or central venous pressure upon admission to the intensive care unit. Epoch 2 had a significantly shorter duration of postoperative intubation [7.2 (3.7–49) vs. 3.5 (3.0–4.6) hours, p = 0.033], pleural drainage [23 (13–34) vs. 9.5 (8.3–18) days, p = 0.007], and postoperative hospitalization [36 (29–49) vs. 27 (22–36) days, p = 0.017]. Two patients in Epoch 1 (8.3%), but none in Epoch 2, required re-intubation. Our results suggest that HFNC-iNO therapy reduces the duration of postoperative intubation, pleural drainage, and hospitalization.
On the Application of Areas in the Śulbasūtras

The earliest known texts from ancient India that deal directly with mathematics are theŚulbasūtras. The Sanskrit word śulba (sometimes written śulva) means a rope or a cord, and these texts thus contain the rules of the cord, the knowledge necessary for measuring the arenas and altars used in ancient Indian rituals. Generally dated to the period between 800 and 200 b.c.e., the Śulbasūtras are important documents giving information about mathematical knowledge at an early stage in Indian history.