cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GRADE LEVEL, SEX, AND SELECTED ASPECTS OF TEST‐WISENESS1

Measures of four selected aspects of test-wiseness (TW) were constructed for use in grades 5 through 11, and administered to students in two school systems. In each case the grade effects were significant at the .05 level, with a linear trend indicated. There was no evidence of sex, or sex by grade interaction effects.
Effects of Cold-Acclimation, Pathogen Infection, and Varying Temperatures on Insecticide Susceptibility, Feeding, and Detoxifying Enzyme Levels in Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

Abstract Infection of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), with ‘Candidatus' Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), the causal pathogen of citrus greening disease or huanglongbing, increases psyllid susceptibility to insecticides. Diaphorina citri populations in citrus occur year-round in tropical and sub-tropical habitats, and thus insecticide applications for managing this plant disease vector occur over a wide temperature range (10–40 °C). During the winter season, D. citri is occasionally exposed to periods of freezing temperatures, when temperatures fall below -6.5 °C. In this investigation, we compared insecticide susceptibility of uninfected and Las-infected D. citri at various temperatures (20–37 °C). Cold-acclimated (6 ± 1 °C) D. citri adults were less susceptible to neonicotinoid insecticides as compared with non-acclimated controls, but this trend was not observed for other insecticides tested. A positive correlation between temperature and percentage mortality caused b...
A Dynamic GIS–Multicriteria Technique for Siting the NASA–Clark Atlanta Urban Rain Gauge Network

Abstract Because Atlanta, Georgia, is a model of rapid transition from forest/agriculture land use to urbanization, NASA and other agencies have initiated programs to identify and understand how urban heat islands (UHIs) impact the environment in terms of land use, air quality, health, climate, and other factors. Atlanta's UHI may also impact the regional water cycle by inadvertent forcing of precipitating cloud systems. Yet, a focused assessment of the role of urban-induced rainfall in Atlanta has not been a primary focus of past efforts. Several observational and climatological studies have theorized that UHIs can have a significant influence on mesoscale circulations and resulting convection. Using spaceborne rain radar and a limited network of irregularly spaced, ground-based rain gauges, evidence that the Atlanta and Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, Texas, urban areas may modify cloud and precipitation development was recently found. To validate these recent satellite-based findings, it was determin...
A Multimodal Imaging Protocol, 123 I/ 99 Tc-Sestamibi, SPECT, and SPECT/CT, in Primary Hyperparathyroidism Adds Limited Benefit for Preoperative Localization

Introduction Focused parathyroidectomy in primary hyperparathyroidism (1°HPT) is possible with accurate preoperative localization and intraoperative PTH monitoring (IOPTH). The added benefit of multimodal imaging techniques for operative success is unknown.
The Nature of Political Thought

In the introduction to his readings in political philosophy, Professor Coker says, “since the time of Plato there has been, in every philosophic age, some inquiry as to the justification of political organization in general, as to the relative merits of different political forms, and as to the appropriate position and privileges of the individual as master, member, or subject of the political order of society. Why do we have political organization? What in our present condition do we owe to it? What future benefits may we properly expect to derive from it? Are its purposes characteristically manifold and changing, or are they ultimately reducible to a few limited objects or to some single end? What is its best form? Who should control it? What is its proper relation to the ideas and sentiments of the community at its basis? What spheres of individual and social life is it incompetent to enter? Philosophers and publicists of various types have sought to answer these questions in abstract terms.”If an analysis be made of the questions with which political thought has been concerned, it is found that emphasis was placed at various periods upon widely different types of problems. In the medieval period political controversy centered in the contest for supremacy between spiritual and temporal authorities; in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the dominant interest was in the contest between monarchic and democratic theories of political organization; at present, the extent of state activities has come into prominence, and the connection between political and economic interests is especially close. Besides, political conditions have changed so greatly from age to age that the same problem had quite different meanings at different periods.
Eggplant Based Software Automated Testing on Mac OS X

Automated testing is needed for applications on Macintosh platform.Eggplant is one of the automa- tion tools on Mac OS X.This tool is introduced and described a design of the Build Verification Test of an applica- tion by using this tool.Then a partial implementation of the design is given and indicated the efficiency and advan- taged of this tool.
Use of interferon in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

In a series of studies spanning 14 years, investigators from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX) documented the activity of interferon-alfa (IFN-alpha) in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Beginning with partially purified IFN-alpha, we demonstrated that this biologic compound has clinical activity against CML, that some malignancies are resistant to IFN-alpha, and that the effect is selective whereby the malignant clone can be restored to normalcy. These observations were confirmed by us and others when larger quantities of IFN-alpha became available through recombinant DNA technology (rIFN-alpha). In contrast with our experience with chemotherapy, myelosuppression was not required for cytogenetic remission; this dissociation may be the basis for the selectivity of IFN-alpha against CML. Recently, another group demonstrated that patients randomized to receive rIFN-alpha 2a survived longer than those treated with standard hydroxyurea chemotherapy. New tests are needed to identify the subset of patients most likely to benefit from IFN-alpha therapy and to distinguish cytogenetic responders who are truly cured from those with minimal residual disease.
Term intrapartum fetal death

Eighty-three term intrapartum fetal deaths were identified among 245 term fetal deaths from the Collaborative Perinatal Study. An acceptable explanation for the death was present in 43 of these cases. The most frequent causes were prolapsed cord, abruptio placentae, hydrocephalus, and uterine rupture. No satisfactory cause of death could be established in the remaining 40 fetuses. Therefore, a control group was chosen to assess selected obstetric conditions. Found to be significant were breech presentation, tight nuchal cord, premature rupture of the membranes, prolonged gestation, and a history of prior stillbirth. It is recognized that although these factors are not necessarily critical complications, they may be used to identify the term fetus at risk in labor.
Intra-aortic balloon cardiac assist: complication rates for the surgical and percutaneous insertion techniques.

A retrospective study was performed to evaluate complications with the two most common intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) insertion techniques. During a nine year period, 202 patients (51 women, 151 men) underwent IABP cardiac assist utilizing the arteriotomy surgical (103 balloons) and percutaneous (99 balloons) insertion techniques. Complications, including asymptomatic loss of pedal pulse, vascular-symptomatic, infection, or balloon rupture occurred in 22.8 per cent of patients. Of the 54 complications, 13 (24%) were asymptomatic loss of pedal pulse, 36 (66.7%) were vascular symptomatic, three (5.5%) were infection, and two (3.7%) were balloon malfunctions. The overall complication rates were 16/103 (15.5%) and 38/99 (38.3%) for the surgical and percutaneous methods, respectively (P = 0.007). Thirty two per cent (33/103) of the patients receiving IABP surgically and 24 per cent (24/99) of those receiving IABP percutaneously died in the hospital (P = 0.34); no death was directly attributable to IABP. The number of patients requiring surgical intervention or removal was not significantly different between the surgical and percutaneous methods (9 versus 18%, P = .06). While the method of IABP insertion did not significantly alter hospital mortality, a significantly greater complication rate was observed with percutaneous insertion (P = .007). This was particularly relevant to complications occurring at the time of removal of IABP.
Techniques for evaluation and quantification of pig reproductive, ingestive, and social behaviors.

A literature survey was conducted to find papers that reported pig behavior during the period 1987 to June 1990. A total of 171 papers reporting measures of pig behavior was identified. Investigators used either descriptions of behavior or they quantified behavior. Behavior was quantified by recording frequency, durations, sequences, or bouts of behavior. Sexual behavior was often recorded as an all-or-none event (e.g., they were bred or not). Feeding behavior was studied by either weighing feeders often or by operant techniques. Operant feeding devices were commonly used to study pig feeding and drinking behaviors. Social behavior was studied either as interactions among established groups or when pigs fought after grouping. In either case, behavioral frequencies or durations were often reported. A large number of papers documented studies of maternal-neonatal interactions, teat orders, and animal care issues. Only a few studies reported mechanisms controlling pig behavior. Because few studies investigated behavior-genetics or physiological mechanisms controlling pig behavior, these areas of investigation hold great opportunity for future improvements in pork production.
Starting the write way: Comparing two library scholarly development programs

How many faculty librarians have uttered the plaint, “I don’t know how to start getting published!” or similar laments about the publish-or-perish obligation? Because scholarship among academic librarians is a serious and often daunting issue, much time and energy are spent worrying about it. At institutions that require scholarly activity for tenure or for contract renewal, demands for scholarship can be problematic for junior faculty-librarians. Tenure demands are a major stressor for new academic librarians, but meeting tenure requirements is generally not addressed in library school.1 Because of this gap in library school education, it becomes the responsibility of the tenure-granting institution to meet these needs. Additionally, librarians who move from institutions that do not focus on scholarship to ones that do may feel uncomfortable with this type of writing. The differences between papers written in graduate school and writing for tenure can be intimidating; although the differences should make it easier, they often make the process more, not less, daunting.2
Oil and gas development exposure and conservation scenarios for Greater sage-grouse: Combining spatially explicit modeling with GIS visualization provides critical information for management decisions

Abstract During the last quarter-century, global demand for energy has increased by more than 60%, and a similar increase is anticipated to occur by 2030 (Raymond, Deming, & Nichols, 2007). In the U.S., oil and gas development is projected to continue across western states within sage-grouse habitat. Greater sage-grouse, recently a candidate species for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), have well documented negative responses to oil and gas disturbance. In this study, we create spatially-explicit oil and gas future development scenarios, baseline and high, and link them to sage-grouse population and habitat maps to quantify future exposure risk within Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) sage-grouse management zones (MZ) I and II. We then analyze recent land use decisions from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) along with enacted policy from the State of Wyoming to estimate how these management actions might minimize the exposure risk of sage-grouse to oil and gas development into the future. Our results show that BLM and Wyoming conservation plans could reduce the exposure of sage-grouse to oil and gas development from 15-27% to 11–17% (31–37% reduction) in MZ I and from 15-27% to 5–9% (64–68% reduction) in MZ II. Our estimates of exposure to future oil and gas development, and conservation measures designed to ameliorate those threats, represent the upper and lower extents of potential impacts within scenarios. Our work demonstrates how spatial modeling and GIS visualization can be used by managers to assess likely outcomes of conservation decisions.
Heterotopic Pancreas: Histopathologic Features, Imaging Findings, and Complications

The authors review the imaging appearances, histopathologic features, and complications of heterotopic pancreas.
The First Century of Cell Theory: From Structural Units to Complex Living Systems

In his introduction to the volume entitled The Cell and Protoplasm in 1940, the editor Forest Ray Moulton noted that the American Association for the Advancement of Science was publishing the volume as the product of a symposium, held in 1939, to celebrate the centennial of Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann’s 1838 cell theory. Because of the rich history of thinking about cells up to that time, “In a sense the Cell Theory is not new.” Yet, Moulton suggested, “In another sense the Cell Theory is always new, for every discovery respecting this primary and essential unit of living organisms, both plant and animal, has raised more questions than it has answered and has always widened the fields of inquiry.” The volume set out to show both what was already well-established and what was new.
Tg(Th-Cre)FI172Gsat ( Th-Cre ) defines neurons that are required for full hypercapnic and hypoxic reflexes.

The catecholaminergic (CA) system has been implicated in many facets of breathing control and offers an important target to better comprehend the underlying etiologies of both developmental and adult respiratory pathophysiologies. Here, we used a noninvasive DREADD-based pharmacogenetic approach to acutely perturb Tg(Th-Cre)FI172Gsat (Th-Cre)-defined neurons in awake and unrestrained mice in an attempt to characterize CA function in breathing. We report that clozapine-N-oxide (CNO)-DREADD-mediated inhibition of Th-Cre-defined neurons results in blunted ventilatory responses under respiratory challenge. Under a hypercapnic challenge (5% CO2/21% O2/74% N2), perturbation of Th-Cre neurons results in reduced fR, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] Under a hypoxic challenge (10% O2/90% N2), we saw reduced fR, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], in addition to instability in both interbreath interval and tidal volume, resulting in a Cheyne-Stokes-like respiratory pattern. These findings demonstrate the necessity of Th-Cre-defined neurons for the hypercapnic and hypoxic ventilatory responses and breathing stability during hypoxia. However, given the expanded non-CA expression domains of the Tg(Th-Cre)FI172Gsat mouse line found in the brainstem, full phenotypic effect cannot be assigned solely to CA neurons. Nonetheless, this work identifies a key respiratory population that may lead to further insights into the circuitry that maintains respiratory stability in the face of homeostatic challenges.
Xeja: A Scalable Channel-Based Multi-source Content Distribution System

Popular large-scale P2P content distribution systems employ a multi-source parallel downloading scheme to allow peers serve each other in a horde. Usually those systems rely on a central server to provide a directory service, which may become a bottleneck while the population of peers increases rapidly. We propose Xeja, a scalable P2P multi-source content distribution system to solve the problem. Xeja has a flexible channel-based distributed directory service to provide each peer an aggregate of content index automatically collected from peers who share some common interest. In addition, Xeja leverages the coordination between peers in a channel hierarchy in order to improve content availability. Simulation results show that Xeja can be built as an overlay on top of existing multi-source content distribution systems, and the distributed directory service effectively extends the available time of the entire file due to sub-seeding.
P204 The complement interference effect in HLA antibody detection in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients: A validation study of EDTA treatment in LabScreen PRA and single antigen assay

Aim The complement interfering (CI) effect has been shown to cause falsely decreased or negative result in the Luminex LabScreen assay in solid organ transplantation. Complement bound by anti-HLA antibodies blocks the access of reporting antibody to anti-HLA antibodies. Pretreatment of serum with EDTA can abolish the CI effect by chelating calcium cations required for complement complex association. Only a few studies demonstrated the CI effect in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) setting despite the fact that the presence of donor specific antibody (DSA), especially complement binding DSA, is associated with inferior engraftment and overall survival in HSCT recipients. We validated the EDTA pretreatment of serum to improve the quality of HLA antibody testing in both PRA and SAB tests using the samples from HSCT patients. Methods 21 and 20 specimens were selected and underwent PRA or SAB test with and without EDTA pretreatment, respectively. Dilution studies (1:8) were performed on all samples to verify the CI effect or other prozone effect by an alternative method. 9 SAB samples with high PRA were tested additionally with C1q test. The positive effect was defined as MFI (EDTA or Dilution) – MFI (Neat) × 1.2 ⩾ 400. Results In both SAB and PRA tests, 99–100% of the samples/beads detected with CI effect using the dilution method were confirmed by the EDTA method. In contrast, only 50–60% CI positive samples by EDTA method remained positive using Dilution method. In SAB assay, many antibodies tested negative with dilution (MFI r 2 = 0.91 vs 0.85, respectively). A lower regression slope is seen with the Dilution method (0.663) compared to that with EDTA method (1.093) due to the dilutional effect. Moreover, no significant prozone effect was observed in the non-complement binding antibodies suggested by negative C1q test. Conclusions High prevalence of CI effect was seen in the HSCT setting. Most if not all antibodies demonstrating the prozone effect were complement fixing. Compared to dilution method, EDTA treatment provides a better resolution in identifying CI effect and a single dilution is not sufficient to reveal all the CI effects.
Modeling Nonlinear MEMS Beams and the Chaotic Duffing Oscillator in SPICE

Nonlinear MEMS beams have been modeled using SPICE. This allows for the complex dynamics of MEMS resonators to be observed parallel to their supporting electronics via circuit simulation. Silicon generally provides suitably linear parameters for use in MEMS. However, nonlinearities may arise due to issues such as amplitude-frequency (A-F) effect, large displacement of the proof mass, pull-in voltage, fatigue, material or electrical parameters, process variation, simplified beam modeling and nonlinear spring constants. By modeling these effects in SPICE, the design of electronics that automatically test, calibrate, report or even mitigate these effects is aided. Single-crystal silicon is a highly linear material up until its failure, especially type . High quality factor MEMS devices may, however, be affected by even small nonlinear terms in the material's Young's modulus. Geometric deformations may also occur due to decreases in cross-sectional area of beams in reaction to stretching and loading. Spe...
Impact of Privately-Owned Level 4 CAV Technologies on Travel Demand and Energy

Abstract This study analyzes the mobility and energy impact of CAV technologies. Under different VOT, WTP and market penetration scenarios, changes in mobility in terms of VMT and average travel time, as well as changes in energy consumption are estimated. The state-of-the-art integrated activity-based modeling (ABM) and traffic simulation software POLARIS is used to model the mobility impact. Moreover, POLARIS is coupled with AUTONOMIE to analyze the resulting fuel consumption.
Postoperative Imaging in Anterior Glenohumeral Instability.

OBJECTIVE. Postoperative imaging after surgery for anterior glenohumeral instability poses a great challenge, which can be compounded by a lack of familiarity with the many different operative tech...
Application level hardware tracing for scaling post-silicon debug

We present a method for selecting trace messages for post-silicon validation of Systems-on-a-Chips (SoCs) with diverse usage scenarios. We model specifications of interacting flows in typical applications. Our method optimizes trace buffer utilization and flow specification coverage. We present debugging and root cause analysis of subtle bugs in the industry scale OpenSPARC T2 processor. We demonstrate that this scale is beyond the capacity of current tracing approaches. We achieve trace buffer utilization of 98.96% with a flow specification coverage of 94.3% (average). We localize bugs to 21.11% (average) of the potential root causes in our large-scale debugging effort.
Refrigerant Design Problem

The enumeration of large, combinatorial search spaces presents a central conceptual difficulty in molecular design. To address this difficulty, we develop an algorithm which guarantees globally optimal solutions to a mixed-integer nonlinear programming formulation for molecular design. The formulation includes novel structural feasibility constraints while the algorithm provides all feasible solutions to this formulation through the implicit enumeration of a single branch-and-reduce tree. We use this algorithm to provide the complete solution set to the refrigerant design problem posed by Joback & Stephanopoulos (1990) In addition to rediscovering CFCs, the proposed methodology identifies a number of novel potential replacements of Freon 12. All of the identified alternatives are predicted to possess thermodynamic properties that would result in a more efficient refrigeration cycle than obtained via the use of Freon 12.
Potential of the fast-growing Rhizobium fredii for use in soybean inoculum: physical and genetic characterization of the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis

We have used a soybean (Glycine max L. Merr . ) hydroponic system to s tudy host control of modulat ion by fas t -growing Rhizobium fredi i and s low-growing Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Nodules were not formed on soybean cul t ivars grown hydroponical ly that produced ineffect ive nodules when grown in vermicul i te . Nodules were formed on compatible cul t ivars by mutant s t ra ins that f ixed l i t t le or no ni t rogen. Introduct ion Hydroponic growth systems have been used to s tudy host control of nodulat ion in the soybean (Glycine max L. Merr i l l ) -Bradyrhizobium ni t rogen-f ixing symbiosis . Rals ton and Imsande (1983) developed a method for growing individual plants in l i ter f lasks of nutr ient solut ion. A s ingle inoculat ion of plants a t four weeks af ter germinat ion al lowed the synchronous development of approximately 1000 nodules per plant . They used this method to s tudy ni t ra te inhibi t ion of nodulat ion. Concentrat ions greater than or equal to 2 .0 mM n i t ra te res t r ic ted nodule development but not ni t rogen f ixat ion in nodules formed. Exposure to high levels of n i t ra te up to 8 days af ter inoculat ion blocked nodule formation. This observat ion indicated that soybean plants act ively regulated nodulat ion in this hydroponic growth system. In other words, s ignals in the environment a l tered nodule formation on plant roots . Singleton (1983) created a hydroponic growth system that placed spl i t roots from a s ingle plant in two different solut ions. Although the pr imary role of this system was to
Functional/Neural Mapping Discoveries in the Diabetic Retina: Advancing Clinical Care with the Multifocal ERG

Diabetes, now an epidemic, has devastating effects on the eye and vision. The treatments of the eye complications are currently limited to relatively advanced stages and primarily to slow down the progressive retinal vasculopathy (diabetic retinopathy). New, nonfoveal measures of early retinal function abnormalities, including neural abnormalities, could change the focus of patient research and management to a more preventative agenda. We have found that multifocal electroretinogram implicit time (mfERG IT) delays are spatially associated in the retina with sites containing nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and edema. These delays also occur, albeit to a lesser extent, in the retinas of patients with diabetes and no retinopathy. More important, we have shown that the mfERG IT, in combination with other risk factors such as blood glucose concentration and duration of diabetes, combines to provide remarkably accurate predictors of new retinopathy development at specific locations within the central 45° of the retina. Very recently, we showed that these mfERG IT delays are also predictive of the onset (initial appearance) of NPDR in adults. The importance and value of these local measures of neural retina function and health seems obvious. Understanding their relationship to systemic factors that are known to be associated with type 2 diabetes before and after the appearance of NPDR and using other known risk factors to further increase an already excellent predictive model, are the next logical research steps. Both offer promise of improved patient care and more personal patient management options.
Creating a Collective Memory of the Comfort Women in the USA

We offer a new perspective on the recent controversies surrounding the memorialization of comfort women in several American cities by shifting the focus from bilateral historical grievances and tensions between the national governments of Japan and South Korea, to the grassroots and transnational politics involved in the siting of these monuments. We find that the construction of a transnational Korean identity among the Korean diaspora in the USA, and their creation of a collective public memory of the comfort women are evidence of their growing political consciousness and engagement in American civic life, and it is notable that most of the leadership and membership of the main organizations involved are women. These women are part of the global feminist and human rights movements which advocate for the inclusion and recognition of the experiences of women during wartime and colonization. Therefore, the memorials are not only symbols of historic reconciliation and remembrance, but of the skillful and strategic organizing, activism, and leadership of Asian Americans. This article also shows how the movement is evolving through the development of educational and curricular initiatives in honor of the comfort women in the USA.
A textile architecture-based hyperelastic model for rubbers reinforced by knitted fabrics

A new anisotropic hyperelastic model has been developed to model the deformation response of a knitted-fabric-reinforced rubber composite. The composite has a sandwich structure with a fiber net layer embedded in two rubber layers. Due to the architecture of the knitted fabric, the composite demonstrates an anisotropic hyperelastic response, which is modeled through a strain energy density function that incorporates the effects of deformed rubbers and stretched fibers. The rubber is considered as a neo-Hookean material, while the knitted fabrics are modeled as cords with negligible stiffness in bending. The effect of reinforcement comes from the conservation of the total length of the fiber cords. In addition, a slack variable is proposed to account for the effect of processing-induced fabric pre-stretch or fabric slack on the resulting composite response. This novel approach enables the determination of the constitutive behavior of the composite in closed form based on the constituent rubber and fiber properties and fabric architectures. The proposed analytical model is validated through a full 3D finite element (FE) model, in which the rubber and fiber reinforcement are modeled explicitly. Since the proposed model captures the key parameters that dictate the deformation response of knitted-fabric-reinforced composites, it can be employed as an efficient modeling tool to guide the design of rubbers and fabric architectures with targeted composite performance.
Assessment of Topsoil Salvage and Seed Augmentation in the Restoration of Coastal Sage Scrub on Santa Catalina Island, California

The Catalina Island Conservancy manages over 22,000 acres of coastal (California) sage scrub (CSS) habitat off the coast of Southern California, including much of the infrastructure, roads, and recreation associated with habitat disturbance. Restoration trials were initiated to establish best management practices for roadside and disturbed site revegetation under local site conditions. Site treatments compared excavated native subsoil and surface soil (±20 cm) reapplication practices with and without seed augmentation. Evaluation of native and nonnative germinants indicated that salvaged surface soil alone may not be sufficient to restore native cover. Seeding improved native cover and reduced establishment of nonnative species on unirrigated sites. Evaluation of water potential of seedlings indicated that high-frequency irrigation may favor establishment of nonnative annual grasses. Most compelling for land managers is the indication that CSS habitats may contain a significant nonnative seed bank in spite of the composition of aboveground vegetation, such that disturbance may facilitate habitat-type conversion without seed augmentation or weed control.
Facial Expression Recognition in Ageing Adults: A Comparative Study

Facial Expression Recognition is one of the most active areas of research in computer vision. However, existing approaches lack generalizability and almost all studies ignore the effects of facial attributes, such as age, on expression recognition even though research indicates that facial expression manifestation varies with ages. Recently, a lot of progress has been made in this topic and great improvements in classification task were achieved with the emergence of Deep Learning methods. Such approaches allow to avoid classical hand designed feature extraction methods that generally rely on manual operations with labelled data. In the present work a deep learning approach that utilizes Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to automatically extract features from facial images is evaluated on a benchmark dataset (FACES), the only one present in literature that contains also labelled facial expressions performed by ageing adults. As baselines, with the aim of making a comparison, two traditional machine learning approaches using handcrafted features are evaluated on the same dataset. Our experiments show that the CNN-based approach is very effective in expression recognition performed by ageing adults, significantly improving the baseline approaches, at least with a 8% margin.
A 17-Gene Leukemia Stem Cell (LSC) Score in Adult Patients (Pts) with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Reveals a Distinct Mutational Landscape and Refines Current European Leukemianet (ELN) Genetic Risk Stratification

Introduction: Prognosis of AML pts is still poor mainly because of refractoriness to or relapse after intensive chemotherapy. High rates of relapse are also attributed to LSCs, which are a small subset of cells with acquired abnormal self-renewal capacity and increased resistance to chemotherapy. A better understanding of LSCs is critical to improve outcomes of pts with AML. Ng et al. (Nature 2016;540:433) defined a 17 stemness-associated gene score that was highly prognostic. Aims: The aim of this study was to validate the prognostic relevance of the 17-gene LSC score and explore its utility in the context of the ELN classification. We also examined gene mutations associated with the 17-gene LSC score. Methods: We analyzed a total of 934 pts [729 aged Results: A comparison of pretreatment clinical and genetic features revealed that LSChigh pts were older (P Because of differences in treatment intensity, we analyzed outcomes of younger and older pts separately. Younger pts with a LSChigh score had a lower complete remission (CR) rate (P In older pts, a LSChigh score also associated with lower CR rate (P=.004; 50% vs 72%), shorter DFS (P=.04; 3-y rates, 6% vs 17%; Figure 1C) and OS (P Conclusions: We used RNAseq expression data and applied the previously established 17-gene LSC signature to score 934 de novo AML pts. We detected distinct mutational differences between LSChigh and LSClow pts, with LSChigh pts more often carrying gene mutations associated with age-related clonal hematopoiesis (i.e., ASXL1, DNMT3A, TET2, SRSF2 and TP53 mutations). Moreover, this score, derived from the expression of stemness-associated genes, has not only a prognostic impact on its own but also in the context of the current 2017 ELN classification. Disclosures Kolitz:Magellan Health: Consultancy, Honoraria. Powell:Rafael Pharmaceuticals: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees.
An Empirical Investigation of the Acquisition of Leadership KSAs in the U.S. Army: Implications for Veterans’ Career Transitions

The U.S. Army incorporates an extensive leader development program as part of its everyday training. Servicemembers obtain a set of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) during their enlistment and maintain the attributes upon transitioning into the non-military workforce. Although employers in the U.S. argue the number one reason they choose to hire veterans is for their leadership skills, scholars have not examined the KSAs veterans believe they have acquired during their service. This manuscript presents findings from a qualitative study of ten Post-9/11 Army veterans who spoke about their leadership KSAs acquired while serving and their preparation for transitioning into the non-military workforce. Three themes: (1) difficulty articulating leadership KSAs, (2) impactful leadership behaviors, and (3) inadequate transition support were revealed through data analysis. The paper explores the linkages between U.S. Army leader development and career transitions, offers implications from the findings for organization management, and proposes directions for research in the area of veterans studies.
A locally discontinuous ALE finite element formulation for compressible phase change problems

Abstract The simulation of phase change processes that occur at high rates, like the collapse of a vapor bubble or the combustion of dense energetic materials, poses significant challenges that include strong discontinuities in select field variables at the interface, high-speed flows in at least one phase, significant role of compressibility, disparate phase rate and acoustic time scales and advection dominated processes. In this paper we present a finite element based method that addresses these challenges. The discretization is continuous everywhere except at the interface and it inherits its stability properties from both continuous and discontinuous finite element formulations like the SUPG and interior penalty methods. We track the evolution of the interface mesh and accommodate its motion in the volume by moving the mesh in accordance with an elastic analogy within an arbitrary eulerian lagrangian (ALE) framework. This motion is interspersed with a few select steps of mesh modification. We demonstrate that the proposed method has desirable discrete conservation properties and outline a proof for its stability. We also describe how this method is implemented in a finite element code within an implicit predictor-corrector time stepping scheme. Finally we apply this method to a series of phase change problems involving an energetic material, where we verify its implementation and demonstrate its utility.
Can biotechnology turn the tide on plastics

Accumulation of plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems is the predictable result of high demand for plastic functionalities, optimized production with economies of scale, and recalcitrance. Strategies are needed for end-of-life conversion of recalcitrant plastics into useful feedstocks and for transition to materials that are biodegradable, non-bioaccumulative, and non-toxic. Promising alternatives are the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a vast family of polymers amenable to decentralized production from renewable feedstocks. Establishment of a global-scale PHA-based industry will require identification of PHAs with tailored properties for use as ‘drop-in’ replacements for existing plastics; use of low-cost renewable/waste-derived feedstocks; high productivity cultures that may be genetically modified microorganisms or non-axenic mixed cultures maintained by selection pressures that favor high PHA-producing strains; and low-cost extraction/purification schemes.
TreeSolve: Rapid Error-Correction of Microbial Gene Trees

Gene tree reconstruction is an important problem in phylogenetics. However, gene sequences often lack sufficient information to confidently distinguish between competing gene tree topologies. To overcome this limitation, the best gene tree reconstruction methods use a known species tree topology to guide the reconstruction of the gene tree. While such species-tree-aware gene tree reconstruction methods have been repeatedly shown to result in vastly more accurate gene trees, the most accurate of these methods often have prohibitively high computational costs.
Designing User-Specific Soft Robotic Wearable Muscular Interfaces with Iterative Simulation

Wearable robots provide a unique opportunity for exosuits to stimulate enhanced stability and strength. The problem is creating an exoskeleton suit for users that is powerful, but lightweight, portable, and accessible for different body shapes. The actuators' position to control the suit's movement dramatically affects how much force an exoskeleton suit can exert. In this preliminary paper, we present a simulation approach for finding optimal actuation positions towards a bio-inspired exoskeleton. This modular approach leads towards custom design of actuator positioning based on bodily measurements. We discuss our approach through modeling a soft exosuit designed for upper- extremity movement.
Exhalation Delivery Systems for Application of Intranasal Corticosteroids

Background:Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common sinonasal disorder which results in significant inflammation in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Topical nasal steroids play an important ...
Humans and Technology for Inclusive Privacy and Security

Computer security and user privacy are critical issues and concerns in the digital era due to both increasing users and threats to their data. Separate issues arise between generic cybersecurity gu...
Does Resiliency Mediate the Association of Psychological Adaptability with Limitations and Pain Intensity After Upper Extremity Trauma

Abstract Background Given the influence of psychosocial factors on musculoskeletal symptoms and limitations, this study assessed if the ability of resilience (an individual's ability to adapt under stress) mediates the association of psychological adaptability with magnitude of physical limitations and pain intensity during recovery from an upper extremity injury. Methods A total of 107 patients were enrolled in this prospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study. Patients completed the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function (PROMIS PF), an 11-point ordinal measure of pain intensity, the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), and the Psychological Adaptation Scale (PAS). We used structural equation modeling to assess the mediation effect by resiliency and psychological adaptability on patient-reported disability and pain at initial assessment and after three months. Results PAS and BRS were not independently associated with PROMIS PF or pain intensity at enrollment or after three months, so it was not possible to assess if resiliency mediated the association of psychological adaptability with physical function or pain. There were no factors independently associated with resilience. Conclusion General measures of psychological adaptability and resiliency do not correlate with symptoms and limitations as well as specific measures of adaptiveness in response to nociception. Level of Evidence Prospective, longitudinal cohort study; Level II
Modern radial head arthroplasty for terrible triad fracture-dislocations: a retrospective case series with minimum 3-year follow-up

Abstract Background To report mid-term clinical outcomes after radial head arthroplasty for terrible-triad fracture dislocations. Methods Fourteen patients with terrible triad fracture dislocations treated acutely with arthroplasty and minimum 3-year follow-up. Mayo Elbow Performance Scale (MEPS) and QuickDASH scores. Results All patients achieved excellent (58%) or good (42%) results on the MEPS. Average QuickDASH score was 9.1 (range 0-25). Reoperation rate was 28%. Conclusions Acute radial head arthroplasty as a treatment for nonreconstructable radial head fractures in the setting of terrible triad elbow injuries demonstrates good midterm functional outcomes. Level of Evidence Level IV; Retrospective Case Series Study
Pseudoparalysis of parrot - Re-emergence of the great mimicker.

Abstract We present the case of a 2-month-old adopted female seeking evaluation in the pediatric emergency department due to a one-day history of decreased right arm movement and fussiness. The physical exam was largely unremarkable with the exception of decreased spontaneous movement of the right upper extremity, obvious discomfort with passive movement and subtle edema of the forearm. Because of concern for non-accidental trauma, plain films were obtained which revealed no signs of traumatic injury. Subsequently, a broader investigation ensued with infectious etiologies in mind. Laboratory evaluation demonstrated anemia, transaminitis, and elevated inflammatory markers. These abnormalities led to the consideration of congenitally acquired infections, specifically syphilis, and serologies were confirmatory. Ultimately, the infant was diagnosed with Pseudoparalysis of Parrot – a rare musculoskeletal manifestation secondary to painful syphilitic periostitis. As Emergency Medicine physicians, it is important to be aware of the growing burden of syphilis infection and reacquaint ourselves with its numerous presentations in the young infant.
Extracellular Matrix Facilitates Adaptation to Small Bowel Resection

Background: Small bowel resection (SBR) induces adaptation that is both structural (lengthened villi) and molecular (altered gene expression). The latter involves changes in nutrient, and especially lipid, processing. We previously demonstrated that intestinal extracellular matrix (ECM) can direct lineage commitment of endodermal progenitor cells toward intestinal epithelial precursors. Since ECM influences cellular gene expression, we hypothesized ECM critically affects not only …
Progression-free survival as a surrogate for overall survival: a new paradigm?

PURPOSE: In cancer, it is vital to develop and validate surrogate endpoints so that long-term and costly Phase III trials for comparing treatments can be avoided. METHODS: We propose development of a new framework for assessing surrogacy in which the surrogate endpoint is considered to be validated if two criteria are satisfied: (1) the surrogate endpoint has to have positive probability of occurring before the true endpoint, conditional on treatment group; (2) the treatment effect on the surrogate endpoint, as part of a composite outcome with the true endpoint, must be associated with the treatment effect on the true endpoint more than expected by chance. RESULTS: Applying this to two cancer clinical trial datasets, we show that complete remission is a valid surrogate for survival in acute myelogenous leukemia, and time to progression is a valid surrogate for survival in advanced colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: This new surrogacy paradigm will lead to surrogate endpoints that are composite outcomes that will occur more quickly than observing the true endpoint only. At the same time, treatment effects on these combined outcomes will be informative about those on the true endpoint.
China’s food security: past success and future challenges

The rapid growth of China’s economy – averaging 9.1% per year for the 35 years since 1978 – has many implications for China’s domestic food and agriculture sector as well for the global food system. The more the nation’s economy expands, the more food is needed to feed an ever-growing middle class with significantly different consumption patterns than when the economic reforms began. Food security for China is not merely an agricultural, economic, or public health issue, but also an important social and political issue with many domestic and international implications. This article summarizes the seminal issues related to China’s food security debate, including a brief summary of the programs and policies that most credit for the nation’s great success to date in meeting 95% of domestic grain demand. A review of production and yield data at the regional scale for the reform era from a spatial-temporal perspective comparing spatial shifts in domestic proportional production of strategic grains (rice, wheat...
Electron acceleration in a geomagnetic Field Line Resonance

[1] A hybrid MHD kinetic-electron model in dipolar coordinates is used to simulate the upward current region of a geomagnetic Field Line Resonance (FLR) system for a realistic ambient electron temperature of a keV. It is found that mirror force effects result in potential drops sufficient to accelerate electrons to energies in excess of a keV in support of field aligned currents on the order of 0.5μA/m2. The wave energy dissipated in this acceleration would completely damp an undriven FLR with an equatorial width of 0.5 RE within two resonance cycles.
Wood Durability, Protection and Preservation

Wood has three shortcomings that tend to limit its structural use: (1) it is subject to deterioration by weathering and by attack of various organisms, (2) it is combustible, and (3) it is subject to swelling and shrinking.