cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differences in Clinical and Laboratory Features for Different Genotypes of Orientia tsutsugamushi in Guangzhou, Southern China.

Abstract Purpose: To describe the genotypes distribution of Orientia tsutsugamushi, in Guangzhou, and explore differences in clinical and laboratory features among genotypes. Method: We collected blood or eschar samples of all scrub typhus cases reported in 2013 from 10 district hospitals positive for PCR. We further tested the PCR-positive samples for DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. We collected the demographic, clinical, and laboratory data by questionnaire and medical records. Result: A total of 589 samples were tested and 40 were PCR positive. Four genotypes were identified: Karp (52.2%), Kato (22.5%), Gilliam (12.5%), and TA763 (7.5%). Two new strains (ZCX90 and CHX5 strain) were previously unidentified in Guangzhou. Gilliam type cases were more likely to have continuous fever (60.0%). Only Kato genotype cases presented with splenomegaly. For laboratory features, Kato group had higher level of white blood cell count (16.44 × 1012/L) than normal range and other groups. Total bilirubin and di...
Evidence-Based Practice in the Surgical Treatment of Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Arthritis

Purpose Thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis contributes considerably to functional disability in the aging adult United States (US) population. Owing to the increasing growth in this segment of our population, its burden on health care resources will increase in the future. Variations exist in the degree of complexity and cost among different surgical treatments. We examined the national trends of the surgical treatment of thumb CMC arthritis and hypothesized that current practice patterns are not supported by evidence favoring the simpler trapeziectomy-only procedure. Methods Using a random 5%, nationally representative, sample of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries diagnosed with thumb CMC arthritis between 2001 and 2010, we used a multinomial logistic regression model to assess the association between patients' characteristics and the surgical treatment. Furthermore, we used surgeons' unique identifiers to examine how their practice preferences have changed over time. Results Our findings demonstrated an increasing trend in the utilization of trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI) from 84% in 2001 to 90% in 2010. Ninety-five percent of surgeons performed only 1 type of surgical procedure, and among those, 93% of surgeons performed only trapeziectomy with LRTI. Compared with 2001, the odds of a patient undergoing thumb CMC arthrodesis or prosthetic arthroplasty slightly increased between 2007 and 2010. Conclusions The majority of hand surgeons in the US use trapeziectomy with LRTI as the surgical treatment of choice for thumb CMC arthritis. Although clinical trials from the United Kingdom support the use of the less complex trapeziectomy-only procedure, US surgeons are still reticent to change their practice, which favors LRTI. National comparative studies are still needed to examine the effectiveness of various surgical options for the treatment of thumb CMC joint arthritis. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic II.
What Anthropologists Should Know About the New Evolutionary Synthesis

Discoveries of modern biology are forcing a re-evaluation of even the central pillars of neo-Darwinian evolution. Anthropologists study the processes and results of biological and biocultural evolution, so they must be aware of the scope and nature of these changes in biology. We introduce these changes, comment briefly on how will influence anthropology, and suggest numerous readings to introduce anthropologists to the significance and substance of the new evolutionary synthesis.
The Sahlfold Facies

Three cross sections that radiate from Storlifjellet in the western part of the area covered by Plate 1 are shown in Fig. 26; the Indre Kam formation, consisting primarily of flagstone, is drawn in black. The sections show the general forms and relative locations of the major structural complexes in southeastern Trollheimen: Svarthammer anticline, the eastern homocline, and Riar basin. Structures in the rocks east of Svarthammer anticline are distinct for the most part from structures west of the anticline, and therefore they are described in separate chapters of this book. The present chapter concentrates on structures of the sahlfold facies, which developed during an early and major stage in the formation of Riar basin.
Ethical Guidelines for Mass Trauma and Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

Issues pertaining to trauma, especially mass trauma and complex humanitarian emergencies, are explored through the lens of ethical counseling guidelines. In mass trauma, particular attention must be paid to the experiences of both survivors and counselors to enhance understanding of ethical best practices and to emphasize the importance of contextual factors in framing effective responses to trauma and humanitarian crises. Recommendations regarding ethical guidelines for counseling practice, clinical involvement, and training are offered.
The IQ Experiment

This case describes an IQ experiment in which 66 students, under the direction of their professor, used Excel to generate simulated IQs. The instructions were such that the generated IQs should have come from a normal distribution with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15. The sample average IQ, however, was 104.3. Students are asked to use their data-analysis skills to make sense of the results. The data set also contains gender (male or female) and fall section (A, B, C, D, or E) for each student, which allow for additional statistical analyses (tests of equality of means). Excerpt UVA-QA-0770 Aug. 31, 2011 The IQ Experiment In a classroom experiment, the professor instructed the class to enter the following function into Excel for the purpose of generating IQs from a normal distribution with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15: =ROUND(NORM.INV(RAND(),100,15),0) “Instruments designed to measure real IQs,” the professor had explained, “were set up to produce IQs with exactly that distribution.” . . .
Moderate aortic valve stenosis in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction-insights on prognosis and the potential role of early aortic valve replacement.

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the only definitive therapy for patients with hemodynamically significant aortic stenosis (AS), and the most pivotal issue in the longitudinal management of patients with AS is to identify the optimal timing for AVR when the benefits of the procedure most outweigh the risks.
Trustworthy design architecture: Cyber-physical system

Conventional cyber defenses require continual maintenance: virus, firmware, and software updates; costly functional impact tests; and dedicated staff within a security operations center. The conventional defenses require access to external sources for the latest updates. The whitelisted system, however, is ideally a system that can sustain itself freed from external inputs. Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), have the following unique traits: digital commands are physically observable and verifiable; possible combinations of commands are limited and finite. These CPS traits, combined with a trust anchor to secure an unclonable digital identity (i.e., digitally unclonable function [DUF] — Patent Application #15/183,454; CodeLock), offers an excellent opportunity to explore defenses built on whitelisting approach called “Trustworthy Design Architecture (TDA).” There exist significant research challenges in defining what are the physically verifiable whitelists as well as the criteria for cyber-physical traits that can be used as the unclonable identity. One goal of the project is to identify a set of physical and/or digital characteristics that can uniquely identify an endpoint. The measurements must have the properties of being reliable, reproducible, and trustworthy. Given that adversaries naturally evolve with any defense, the adversary will have the goal of disrupting or spoofing this process. To protect against such disruptions, we provide a unique system engineering technique, when applied to CPSs (e.g., nuclear processing facilities, critical infrastructures), that will sustain a secure operational state without ever needing external information or active inputs from cybersecurity subject-matter experts (i.e., virus updates, IDS scans, patch management, vulnerability updates). We do this by eliminating system dependencies on external sources for protection. Instead, all internal communication is actively sealed and protected with integrity, authenticity and assurance checks that only cyber identities bound to the physical component can deliver. As CPSs continue to advance (i.e., IoTs, drones, ICSs), resilient-maintenance free solutions are needed to neutralize/reduce cyber risks. TDA is a conceptual system engineering framework specifically designed to address cyber-physical systems that can potentially be maintained and operated without the persistent need or demand for vulnerability or security patch updates.
Fate or State: The Double Life of a Composite Chinese Spy in A Map of Betrayal

In A Map of Betrayal Ha Jin interweaves his personal experience with his historical and political concerns to create a novel based loosely on the case of Larry Wu-Tai Chin, a PRC spy who for 30 years infiltrated the CIA. The protagonist, Gary Shang, is a composite of Chin and Jin. In mapping Gary’s geographical, psychological, and linguistic odysseys, the author infuses the work with his sensibility as an accidental immigrant caught between worlds. The trope of doubling runs through the text, underscoring the themes of duplicity and self-division and creating a contrapuntal score. Thematically, the novel interrogates the relationship between the state and the individual by weighing dual national allegiances against personal loyalties and by exploring reciprocal betrayal, bilingualism, and repressed historical trauma. Structurally, it alternates between a third-person account focalized through Gary and his daughter’s first-person account, covering two historical periods, representing different generations, and orchestrating multiple national(ist) perspectives. This chapter brings out the four-way correspondences between the author Jin, the historical Chin, and the fictional Gary and his grandson Ben to show the author’s abiding concerns about the infringement of individual lives by the polity and about the psychological turmoil wrought by the vicissitudes of (im)migration.
Incomparability, entropy, and mixing dynamics

Abstract Boltzmann states are considered in a fundamentally new way, specifically their mixing character. The mixing character of these states is known to be partially ordered by majorization and thus contains information regarding their incomparability. Previously we showed that Boltzmann entropy states had a huge range in the number of incomparable states. Here we phase average incomparability across Boltzmann states. We propose the consequent function as a new state variable, complimentary to entropy, that provides new insights to Boltzmann systems. This function can be related to a traditional complexity viewpoint and so we call it average Boltzmann complexity (ABC). The evolution of Boltzmann complexity is explored via a Monte Carlo lattice dynamics approach and is shown to be consistent with the view of entropy as the arrow of time. Our report concludes with a discussion of the information contained in Boltzmann complexity and offers suggestions for further studies.
The single-molecule dye laser

This work explores the feasibility of inducing lasing action in a single dye molecule using an optical microcavity. A single-molecule light source is proposed, in which a microcavity-coupled dye molecule is pumped by multiple energy donors via an intermolecular resonance energy transfer mechanism. A quantitative model based on realistic parameters for microcavities and for organic dyes shows that stimulated emission may become dominant over spontaneous fluorescence under optimal yet technically reachable conditions, suggesting the likelihood of achieving a single-molecule lasing photon source with the proposed device. Lasing of a single dye molecule generates signals much brighter than spontaneous fluorescence, and may find applications in a wide range of fields from physics and chemistry to biology.
Automatically Discovering Euler's Identity via Genetic Programming

We show that by using machine learning techniques (genetic programming, in particular), Euler’s famous identity (V −E +F =2 ) can be automatically discovered from a limited amount of data indicating the values of V , E, and F for a small number of polyhedra—the five platonic solids. This result suggests that mechanized inductive techniques have an important role to play in the process of doing creative mathematics, and that large amounts of data are not necessary for the extraction of important regularities. Genetic programming was implemented from scratch in SML-NJ.
Sample Design in Stereology

The fundamental relations in stereology are expected value theorems that relate measurements that are made on geometric probes passed through a three dimensional microstructure and corresponding geometric properties of the three dimensional structure that the probes sample. Implementing any of these relations requires that a sample of the population of appropriate probes be produced and the appropriate measurements be made upon the set of probes in the sample. The mean value of this set of sample measurements is computed. This mean value is then taken as an estimate of the expected value of the measurement on the population of probes from which the sample set is drawn.
An Acoustic Reflectivity Method for Laterally Varying Layered Media

To compute the response of a stratified earth or sea-bed model it is often convenient to approximate the model by a stack of homogeneous plane parallel layers. The equations of motion are Fourier transformed with respect to time and Fourier-Bessel transformed with respect to the horizontal coordinates. Then one computes the exact response of the layer stack using Haskell1 matrices, or Kennett2 iteration, or the global matrix method of Schmidt3 and Jensen. Such approaches are referred to in seismology as “reflectivity methods” after the work of Fuchs and Muller4 in the early 1970’s. The Kennett2,5 form of the reflectivity method is the one that we shall generalize here. As a form of invariant imbedding it has the advantage that each layer of the model is needed only once; thus the effective dimensionality of the model is reduced by one. In our new method the earth or sea-bed is still described as a stack of plane parallel layers; however, within each layer the velocity, density, and quality factor, Q, are now functions of horizontal position x. These functions are all independent from layer to layer so any earth or sea-bed model can be parameterized in this way. The two foundations of the new method are factorization7,8 and imbedding6. Both of these topics are explored in detail elsewhere in this volume so the mathematics in this paper will be kept at a very low level. To simplify notation we treat propagation in two spatial dimensions.
Test generation for MOS circuits

Test generation for transistor switch faults is considered for nMOS combinational circuits. Examination of fault effects shows that memory and non-digital signals can result. A test strategy that accounts for MOS physical properties such as charge storage and bidirectionality is developed. Abstraction of physical effects using ternary algebra can guarantee the generation of valid tests.
The role of arterial chemoreceptors in ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia.

Mechanisms of ventilatory control responsible for increased breathing on ascent to altitude have been the object of great interest to respiratory physiologists for many generations (cf. Kellogg, 1977). On exposure to a hypoxic environment there is a time dependent progressive rise in ventilation which is commonly termed ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia (VAH). This paper will explore findings associated with VAH, but will not deal with mechanisms of ventilatory control in very long-term residents or natives of high altitude. Previously there was a strong focus on central medullary chemoreceptors as the source for increased ventilatory drive during VAH, but evidence (to be briefly reviewed below) has failed to support this view. Increasing evidence has accumulated suggesting that peripheral chemoreceptors constitute a primary site of ventilatory drive in VAH. The research findings relevant to the role of the peripheral chemoreceptors (carotid body) will be the focus of this chapter. The reader is referred to another recent review of this topic (Weil, 1991).
The utility of histopathologic characteristics of thrombi in large vessel occlusions

Consider reviewing the histopathology of retrieved thrombi from patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy. Histopathologic features of thrombi have the potential to provide a large array of information in the identification of stroke mechanism and subsequent treatment.
Genome Profiling for Aflatoxin B1 Resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Reveals a Role for the CSM2/SHU Complex in Tolerance of Aflatoxin B1-associated DNA Damage

ABSTRACT Exposure to the mycotoxin aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) strongly correlates with hepatocellular carcinoma. P450 enzymes convert AFB1 into a highly reactive epoxide that forms unstable 8,9-dihydro-8-(N7-guanyl)-9-hydroxyaflatoxin B1 (AFB1-N7-Gua) DNA adducts, which convert to stable mutagenic AFB1 formamidopyrimidine (FAPY) DNA adducts. In CYP1A2-expressing budding yeast, AFB1 is a weak mutagen but a potent recombinagen. However, few genes have been identified that confer AFB1 resistance. Here, we profiled the yeast genome for AFB1 resistance. We introduced the human CYP1A2 into ∼90% of the diploid deletion library, and pooled samples from CYP1A2-expressing libraries and the original library were exposed to 50 μM AFB1 for 20 hs. By using next generation sequencing to count molecular barcodes, we identified 85 AFB1 resistant genes from the CYP1A2-expressing libraries. While functionally diverse genes, including those that function in proteolysis, actin reorganization, and tRNA modification, were identified, those that function in post-replication DNA repair and encode proteins that bind to DNA damage were over-represented, compared to the yeast genome, at large. DNA metabolism genes included those functioning in DNA damage tolerance, checkpoint recovery and replication fork maintenance, emphasizing the potency of the mycotoxin to trigger replication stress. Among genes involved in error-free DNA damage tolerance, we observed that CSM2, a member of the CSM2(SHU) complex, functioned in AFB1-associated sister chromatid recombination while suppressing AFB1-associated mutations. These studies thus broaden the number of AFB1 resistant genes and have elucidated a mechanism of error-free bypass of AFB1-associated DNA adducts.
Direction and magnitude of natural selection on body size differ among age-classes of seaward-migrating Pacific salmon.

Due to the mediating role of body size in determining fitness, the "bigger-is-better" hypothesis still pervades evolutionary ecology despite evidence that natural selection on phenotypic traits varies in time and space. For Pacific salmon (genus Oncorhynchus), most individual studies quantify selection across a narrow range of sizes and ages; therefore, uncertainties remain concerning how selection on size may differ among diverse life histories. Here, we quantify the direction and magnitude of natural selection on body size among age-classes of multiple marine cohorts of O. nerka (sockeye salmon). Across four cohorts of seaward migrants, we calculated standardized selection differentials by comparing observed size distributions of out-migrating juvenile salmon to back-calculated smolt length from the scales of surviving, returning adults. Results reveal the magnitude of selection on size was very strong (>90th percentile compared to a database of 3,759 linear selection differentials) and consistent among years. However, the direction of selection on size consistently varied among age-classes. Selection was positive for fish migrating to sea after two years in freshwater (age 2) and in their first year of life (age 0), but negative for fish migrating after 1 year in freshwater (age 1). The absolute magnitude of selection was negatively correlated to mean ocean-entry timing, which may underpin negative selection favoring small age-1 fish, given associations between size and timing of seaward migration. Collectively, these results indicate that "bigger is not always better" in terms of survival and emphasize trade-offs that may exist between fitness components for organisms with similarly diverse migratory life histories.
High depressive symptom prevalence in dental students associated with lifestyle and well‐being characteristics

Purpose Studies show health professional students have a high prevalence of depression. Dental students are especially susceptible due to the burden of the highest debt, exposure to bloodborne pathogens and chronic pain frequency. However, few studies on depression among U.S. dental students exist. This study aims to determine: (1) the difference in depression prevalence between U.S. dental students, the general population, and medical students; and (2) demographic and lifestyle characteristics associated with depressive symptoms in dental students. Methods Researchers surveyed dental students in California in 2018 using a 36- item questionnaire. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a validated diagnostic screening tool, measured depressive symptoms suggesting clinically significant moderate to severe depression. Additionally, participants answered demographic and lifestyle characteristics questions. Data analysis included bivariable chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression. Results The response rate was 19.1%. The crude depressive symptom prevalence (27.7%) was similar to that of depression in medical students (27.2%) and higher than the U.S. population (7.7%). Bivariable analysis indicated several characteristics significantly associated (P ≤ 0.05) with moderate to severe depressive symptoms in dental students, including experience of injury/pain, financial insecurity, self-reported minority status, perception of meaningful work, and year in school. Multivariable logistic regression modeling estimated 5 well-being categories as significantly associated with higher odds of not having major depressive symptoms. Conclusions Prevalence of depressive symptoms among California dental students is similar to depression in medical students and higher than the general population. Results suggest a significant proportion of dental students experience moderate to severe depression and require accessible resources.
A pilot application of recycled discarded RO membranes for low strength gray water reclamation

Reuse of recycled RO membranes after oxidative treatment as ultrafiltration membranes promise to bring membrane filtration at par with conventional treatment processes in terms of cost-effectiveness. Although the treatment process in which discarded RO membranes are converted into ultrafiltration membranes is well documented, limited pilot data are available for their application in different filtration applications. This research gap is felt because most commercially available RO membranes are spiral, wound while the ultrafiltration membranes commonly used for water filtration applications are hollow fiber. Pilot-scale data will help to develop performance guidelines and predict fouling characteristics of different types of feed waters. In the current paper, converted RO membranes are subjected to filtration with domestic gray water as the feed source. The results show that the converted membranes performed at par with conventional filtration while also providing a consistent filtrate turbidity of < 1 NTU. The reduction in cost and physical footprints and recycling of membranes that would otherwise have ended up in landfills are added advantages that makes this an attractive proposition for gray water filtration applications.
Neuraxial Anesthesia Is Associated With Decreased Pain Scores and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Opioid Requirement Compared With General Anesthesia in Hip Arthroscopy.

Purpose We sought to identify the immediate postoperative differences in opioid use, pain scores, and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) length of stay (LOS) after hip arthroscopy related to the type of anesthesia used for the surgical procedure. Methods Patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome with labral tears by a single surgeon at an academic center between October 2017 and July 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. The primary outcome was PACU opioid administration, measured by morphine equivalents. Secondary parameters included total LOS, postincision LOS, PACU LOS, and PACU arrival/discharge pain scores. Analyses conducted were t tests, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, or χ2 tests. Results A total of 129 patients met inclusion criteria for this study; 54 male and 75 female, with an average age of 28 (±10.1) years. In total, 52 (40.3%) had general anesthesia and 77 (59.7%) had neuraxial anesthesia, including spinal, epidural, and combined spinal-epidural anesthesia, which were intermixed throughout the study period. Intraoperative and PACU opioid administration demonstrated a significant difference in medians. Neuraxial methods required a lower morphine equivalents in both the operating room (30.0 vs 53.9, P = .001) and PACU (18.2 vs 31.2, P = 0.002). Neuraxial anesthesia had lower median PACU arrival and discharge pain scores (0.0 vs. 5.0, P = .001, 3.0 vs. 4.0, P = .013). There was no statistically significant difference in postincision LOS or traction time. General anesthesia was associated with a longer PACU phase 1 time (1.0 vs 1.3 hours, P = .005). No major adverse events such as death, disability, or prolonged hospitalization occurred in either group. Conclusions Neuraxial anesthesia use in routine hip arthroscopy was associated with lower immediate postoperative pain scores, lower intraoperative and immediate postoperative opioid requirements, and may be associated with shorter anesthesia recovery time without any major adverse events when compared with general anesthesia. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Comparative Study
Novel Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning Methods to Characterize Unstructured Patient-Reported Outcomes

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate validity of natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) algorithms in identifying features of unstructured patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for child/adolescent cancer survivors vs. expert judgment as the gold standard. METHODS: A cross-section study to collect unstructured PROs from 52 survivors aged 8-17.9 years and 35 caregivers who visited a Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2016. PROs including pain interference and fatigue symptoms were reported through in-depth interviews. After verbatim transcription, analyzable sentences (i.e., meaning units) were semantically labeled by 2 content experts based on problems with physical, cognitive, or social attributes. Two NLP/ML methods were used to extract and validate the semantic features: 1) Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) and 2) Word2vec plus one of the ML methods, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and precision-recall (PR) curves evaluated the accuracy and validity of NLP/ML methods, respectively. FINDINGS: In total, 391 meaning units in pain interference and 423 in fatigue domains were labeled and analyzed. Compared to Word2vec/SVM and Word2vec/XGBoost, BERT demonstrated higher accuracy on both symptom domains, including 0.931 (95%CI=0.905, 0.957) and 0.916 (95% CI=0.887, 0.941) for problems with cognitive and social attributes on pain interference, and 0.929 (95% CI=0.903, 0.953) and 0.917 (95% CI=0.891, 0.943) for problems with cognitive and social attributes on fatigue. In addition, BERT yielded superior areas under the ROC curve for cognitive attribute on pain interference and fatigue domains (0.923 [95% CI=0.879, 0.997]; 0.948 [95% CI=0.922, 0.979]), and superior areas under the PR curve for cognitive attribute on pain interference and fatigue domains (0.818 [95% CI=0.735, 0.917]; 0.855 [95% CI=0.791, 0.930). INTERPRETATIONS: As an alternative to standard PRO surveys, collecting unstructured PROs via interviews or conversations during clinical encounters and applying NLP/ML methods can facilitate PRO assessment in cancer survivors. FUNDING STATEMENT: The research reported in this manuscript was supported by the National Cancer Institute under award numbers U01CA195547 and P30CA021765-33, and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under award number U19AR069525. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: All co-authors declare no conflict of interest. ETHICS APPROVAL STATEMENT: The research protocol was approved by St. Jude’s Institutional Review Board. Assent from survivors and consent from caregivers were obtained.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Microglia have been known to be the resident immune cells in the brain for quite some time, but their role as pathologic players in neurological infectious disease has only recently been studied. For example, microglial activation has recently been shown to be a strong driver of neurological impairment in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Studying the interactions between microglia and synaptic networks during chronic HIV infection is pivotal to understanding why normal synaptic communication is impaired and is the etiologic substrate for HIV-associated neurocognitive deficits, despite successful control of viral replication by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). In this chapter we focus on the phenomenology of these interactions and suggest that upregulation of mixed lineage kinase type 3 (MLK3) and leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) activity plays a pivotal role in microglial activation and synaptic dysfunction that give rise to HAND. We further discuss the rationale for targeting pathologic activation of these kinases in creating disease-modifying strategies for the treatment of HAND.
“Now, I Want to Teach It for Real!”: Introducing Machine Learning as a Scientific Discovery Tool for K-12 Teachers

Machine Learning (ML) is a powerful tool to unveil hidden patterns in data, unearth new insights and promote scientific discovery (SD). However, expertise is usually required to actualize the potential of ML fully. Very little has been done to begin instructing the youth of society in ML, nor utilize ML as an SD tool for the K-12 age range. This research proposes SmileyDiscovery, an ML-empowered learning environment that facilitates SD for K-12 students and teachers. We conducted a 2-session preliminary study with 18 K-12 STEM teachers. Findings confirm the effectiveness of SmileyDiscovery in supporting teachers to (1) carry out ML-empowered SD, (2) design their own curriculum-aligned SD lesson plans, and (3) simultaneously obtain a rapid understanding of k-means clustering. Design implications distilled from our study can be applied to foster more effective learning support in future systems.
Understanding the Empty Backpack: The Role of Timing in Disproportionate Special Education Identification:

Studies related to disproportionate special education identification of students from historically marginalized groups have used increasingly complex analyses to understand the interplay of factors...
Isolation and Characterization of Microsatellite Loci for Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)

Genetic variation has been difficult to detect in striped bass (Morone saxatilis). Therefore, we identified and characterized 13 microsatellite loci to provide additional genetic markers for striped bass. Microsatellites were identified by screening a striped bass genomic library or by using primers developed for European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) microsatellite loci. We found that 6 of the 13 microsatellite loci were polymorphic in DNA samples obtained from wild populations of striped bass. The number of alleles per locus varied from 3 to 12, and the observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.55 to 0.78. These results indicate that microsatellite loci provide more alleles and higher heterozygosities than other genetic markers developed for striped bass.
Biomechanical Analysis of Stacked Plating Techniques to Stabilize Distal Radial Fractures in Small Dogs

Objective— To evaluate the fatigue life of partially stacked and fully stacked (1.5/2.0 and 2.0/2.7 mm) veterinary cuttable plates (VCP) in a fracture gap model of the distal aspect of the radius. Study Design— In vitro biomechanical study. Methods— Constructs (n=4/group) were assembled for each of 8 groups using 8-hole plates (1.5/2.0 and 2.0/2.7 mm VCP) in the following configurations: unstacked; 2-hole stacked centered over the gap (COG); 4-hole stacked COG; and fully stacked. Plate(s) were secured to 2 separate polyvinylchloride pipe lengths, mounted to a mechanical testing system with a custom jig, and were loaded in axial compression for 106 cycles at 10 Hz or until failure at 6–60 N for the 1.5/2.0 mm VCP and 10–100 N for the 2.0/2.7 mm VCP. Differences in number of cycles, stiffness, and failure mode were recorded. Results— All construct failures occurred through a screw hole adjacent to the gap. Fully stacked and 4-hole stacked 1.5/2.0 and 2.0/2.7 mm VCP withstood 106 cycles. Fatigue life and stiffness of the 1.5/2.0 or 2.0/2.7 mm unstacked constructs were significantly less than the other constructs. Differences were identified in stiffness among the 1.5/2.0 mm stacked constructs and in fatigue life among the 2.0/2.7 mm VCP stacked constructs. Conclusion— Four-hole partially stacked VCP (either 1.5/2.0 or 2.0/2.7 mm) have comparable mechanical properties to fully stacked VCP. Clinical Relevance— Partial stacking of 2 holes of VCP on both sides of the fracture gap may provide sufficient strength for healing, but this premise must be tested in vivo.
Relationship between cancer and oral pemphigoid patients with antibodies to α6-integrin

Background: Mucous membrane pemphigoid is an autoimmune mucocutaneous blistering disease. A subset, known as anti-epiligrin cicatricial pemphigoid is associated with a high risk for malignancy. Oral pemphigoid (OP) is limited to the oral cavity. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between malignancy and patients with OP with antibodies to α6-integrin subunit. Methods: We determined the incidence of cancer in 72 patients with OP and compared it to the expected incidence using age and sex-specific rates of malignancy in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (NCI SEER) Registry. Results: During a mean observation period of 9.1 years (range: 2.8–40), for 70, three OP patients developed malignancies. The expected number of cancers based on the NCI SEER Registry was 8.83. The relative risk for cancer in OP patients, with autoantibodies to α6-integrin, was 0.34 (95% CI, 0.07–0.99, P < 0.05). Conclusion: It appears that patients with OP, with antibodies to α6, may have a possible reduced relative risk for developing cancer.
A comparison of the Hadley circulation in modern reanalyses

[1] Previous studies using reanalysis data suggest an intensification and poleward expansion of the tropical Hadley circulation (HC) throughout the twentieth century, yet the HC climatology and trends remain undocumented for many of the newest reanalyses. An intercomparison of eight reanalyses is presented to better elucidate the mean state variability and trends concerning HC intensity and width. Significant variability between reanalyses was found in the mean HC intensity with less variability in HC width. Certain reanalyses (e.g., ERA40 and the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis) tend to produce stronger meridional overturning, while others (National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research and Modern-Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications) are constantly weaker. The NOAA–Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences Twentieth Century Reanalysis best matched the ensemble averages with the exception of a poleward shift in the subtropical terminus. Ensemble trends regarding HC intensity and width are broadly consistent with previous work, indicating a 0.40 (0.07) × 1010 kg s−1 decade−1 intensification in the northern (southern) cell and a 1.1° decade−1 widening in the past 30 years, although some uncertainty remains regarding the intensity of the southern cell. Longer-term ensemble trends (i.e., 1958–2008) containing fewer ensemble members suggest a weaker northern cell intensification but stronger southern cell intensification and a more modest widening of the HC (i.e., 0.53° decade−1) compared to the last 30 years. Separation of the seasonally averaged stream function magnitudes by the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phase revealed a weak clustering and statistically significant strengthening of the mean circulation for El Nino compared to ENSO neutral and La Nina events for the winter cell with little difference in the summer cell intensity.
A Web-Based Knowledge Network for Supporting Emerging Internet Applications

Although the Internet and the World Wide Web technologies have gained a tremendous amount of popularity among people and organizations, the network that these technologies created is not much more than a multimedia data network. It provides tools and services for people to browse and search for data but does not provide the facilities for automatically delivering the relevant information for supporting decision-making to the right people or applications at the right time. Nor does it provide the means for users to enter and share their “knowledge” that would be useful for making the right decisions. In this work, we introduce the concept of a Web-based knowledge network, which allows users and organizations to publish, not only their multimedia data, but also their knowledge in terms of events, parameterized event filters, customizable rules and triggers that are associated with their data and application systems. Operations on the data and application systems may post events over the Internet to trigger the processing of rules defined by both information providers and consumers. The knowledge network is constructed by a number of replicable software components, which can be installed at various network sites. They, together with the existing Web servers, form a network of knowledge Web servers.
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Activation Enhances the Activities of Two Types of Ca2+-Activated K+Channels in Rat Hippocampal Astrocytes

The influence of activation of glutamate receptor (GluR) on outward K(+) current in cultured neonate rat hippocampal astrocytes was investigated. Patch-clamp analysis of K(+) channel currents in cultured astrocytes identified the existence of 71 +/- 6 and 161 +/- 11 pS single-channel K(+) currents that were sensitive to changes in voltage and [Ca(2+)](i) and blocked by external TEA but not by charybdotoxin, iberiotoxin, apamin, or 4-aminopyridine. Reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR and Northern blot analysis revealed transcripts of the Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel (K(Ca)) beta(4)-subunit (beta4) (KCNMB4) in cultured astrocytes. Expression of the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) subtypes mGluR1 and mGluR5 and the ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) subtypes iGluR1 and iGluR4 were detected by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence analysis in cultured astrocytes. The mGluR agonists L-glutamate and quisqualate increased the open state probability (NP(o)) of the 71 and 161 pS K(+) channel currents that were prevented by the mGluR receptor antagonists 1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid or L-(+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid and not by the iGluR antagonists (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo [a,d] cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate or CNQX. Activation of the two types of K(+) channel currents by mGluR agonists was attenuated by pertussis toxin and by inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) or cytochrome P450 arachidonate epoxygenase. These results indicate that brain astrocytes contain the KCNMB4 transcript and express two novel types of K(Ca) channels that are gated by activation of a G-protein coupled metabotropic glutamate receptor functionally linked to PLC and cytochrome P450 arachidonate epoxygenase activity.
Neighborhood change and the city of New York's ten‐year housing plan

Abstract This article examines neighborhood changes associated with New York City's Ten‐Year Plan—the largest municipal housing program in the United States. We examine indicators of change, in the context of two possible hypotheses about the program's impact: (1) neighborhood revitalization, including improved physical and housing market conditions, as well as gentrification, and (2) the concentration of poor and welfare‐dependent households, as well as the possibility of residential segregation by race or ethnicity. Our results present a mixed picture, with some evidence favoring both hypotheses, especially when parts of the city, particularly the South Bronx, are examined separately. Specifically, the program is associated with steep declines in the rate of boarded‐up buildings and some indications of increased home values, as well as rent burdens. However, it is also correlated with increases in maintenance deficiencies and a greater proportion of poor, single‐parent, and welfare‐dependent households,...
The Costs and Benefits of Merging Counseling Centers with Student Health Services

Abstract The last two decades have seen significant changes in organizational structures within higher education. Counseling centers are no exception and have been the target of reorganizations and mergers that often involve student health services. Outcomes of these efforts have varied; some being quite successful while others have resulted in failures and the re-creation of systems that are remarkably similar to the ones that existed in the first place. An examination of the positive and negative issues relevant to mergers and reorganizations of counseling centers can be helpful in the determination of whether or not to proceed with one. In the event the decision is made to proceed, a systematic process that encourages consideration of essential steps relevant to mergers or reorganizations can promote improved decision-making and outcomes.
Topical electrophilic nitro-fatty acids potentiate cutaneous immune responses. (MUC7P.775)

Endogenous electrophilic fatty acids mediate anti-inflammatory responses by modulating metabolic and inflammatory signal transduction reactions. In this regard, there is considerable interest in employing nitro-fatty acids and other electrophilic fatty acids for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory disorders. We evaluated nitro-oleic acid (OA-NO2) in a preclinical murine model of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) as a potential topical therapy for the treatment of ACD. In marked contrast to previous findings, topical OA-NO2 potentiated hapten-dependent inflammation inducing a sustained psoriasis-like inflammatory response characterized by psoriasiform histological features, increased angiogenesis, and an inflammatory infiltrate that included neutrophils, inflammatory monocytes, and γδ T cells. Interestingly, analysis by HPLC-MS-MS of skin from psoriasis patients revealed a significant increase in nitro-fatty acids in lesional skin compared to non-lesional skin. Overall, when applied topically to the cutaneous microenvironment nitro-fatty acids can potentiate inflammatory responses. Thus, it is paramount that a better understanding be obtained of how electrophilic fatty acid derivatives regulate cutaneous immunity due to the widespread use of fatty acids in topical creams and the abundant formation of electrophilic nitro-fatty acids during inflammation.
A Metallicity Recipe for Rocky Planets

Planets with sizes between those of Earth and Neptune divide into two populations: purely rocky bodies whose atmospheres contribute negligibly to their sizes, and larger gas-enveloped planets possessing voluminous and optically thick atmospheres. We show that whether a planet forms rocky or gas-enveloped depends on the solid surface density of its parent disk. Assembly times for rocky cores are sensitive to disk solid surface density. Lower surface densities spawn smaller planetary embryos; to assemble a core of given mass, smaller embryos require more mergers between bodies farther apart and therefore exponentially longer formation times. Gas accretion simulations yield a rule of thumb that a rocky core must be at least 2$M_\oplus$ before it can acquire a volumetrically significant atmosphere from its parent nebula. In disks of low solid surface density, cores of such mass appear only after the gas disk has dissipated, and so remain purely rocky. Higher surface density disks breed massive cores more quickly, within the gas disk lifetime, and so produce gas-enveloped planets. We test model predictions against observations, using planet radius as an observational proxy for gas-to-rock content and host star metallicity as a proxy for disk solid surface density. Theory can explain the observation that metal-rich stars host predominantly gas-enveloped planets.
From abstract qualities to concrete specification using guidance policies

This research describes a formal method for transforming abstract qualities into concrete specification in the form of policies within a multiagent system design methodology.
The Relationship Between Sociocultural Variables and Chicano and Anglo High School Student Responses on the Potency Dimension of the Semantic Differential

The potency dimension of the semantic differential was used to investigate responses of Chicano and Anglo high school students on the concepts of (a) mother, (b) father, (c) female, and (d) male. Also, the ratings of both Chicano and Anglo students were related to various sociocultural variables related to family, socioeconomic status, language usage, and citizenship. The clearest ethnic differences were observed in the subjects' ratings of father and male. There were also powerful sex differences that crosscut ethnic lines. In general, the findings indicated that males are more stereotyped in their ratings than females. Chicanos are best discriminated from Anglos on the basis of language usage. Chicanos may be discriminated on the basis of the proportion of Chicanos found in the communities where they live, viewed in relation to either the birthplace or citizenship of the head of the household. This may represent a pattern of acculturation since citizenship (U.S. or Mexican) and birthplace (U.S. or Mexic...
Total synthesis of erbstatin.

Abstract Synthesis of the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, erbstatin (1), in 36% overall yield from commercially available 2,5-dihydroxycinnamic acid is described.
Some Tsunami Characteristics Deducible from Tide Records

Abstract After an initial 40-hour “diffusion” period, the time decay of tsunami variance was found to be uniformly exponents for 28 events among eight Pacific tide stations. Thew results essentially confirm Munk's acoustic deny hypothesis except that the decay (e-folding) time (22 h) more nearly equated the ocean's normal mode transit time (21 h) than Munk's mean collision time (14 h). Relative tsunami energy, obtained by extrapolating exponential decay back to t = 0, was found to be similarly ranked among tsunamis at all stations and roughly proportional to seismic energy. A total energy estimate for the tsunami of 9 March 1957, obtained by correcting the observed energy decay at Wake Island for instrument and island response, provided normalized total energy estimates for all tsunamis that were consistent with independent estimates by Kajiura and by Aida. Similarities between power spectra computed from these time series suggests that station response is primarily linear normal-mode forcing of the conti...