cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Service Differentiation Mechanism Via Cooperative Medium Access Control Protocol

Providing differentiated Quality of Service (QoS) levels is an important challenge for wireless ad hoc networks and wireless LANs when applications have diverse performance requirements. The IEEE 802.11e MAC protocol can provide a Dynamic MAC by assigning different AIFSs, contention window expansion factors (PFs), and (CW min , CW max ) pairs for different classes and can provide a Static MAC by adjusting the durations of AIFSs based on priority levels [Aad01]. In this paper, we propose a novel and efficient service differentiation mechanism via the C-MAC. In our protocol, each node will change its backoff counter based on both its own packet’s priority level and the priority level of the transmitted packet. The simulation results indicate that the Static MAC provides a service differentiation at the expense of significant goodput degradation when the amount of high priority class traffic is low. On the other hand, the Dynamic MAC fails to prevent low priority classes accessing the channel resulting in significant high priority class goodput degradation when the network load is high. However, our mechanism always provides an efficient service differentiation mechanism and high goodput with a small goodput degradation.
Cognitive Load Measurement in a Virtual Reality-Based Driving System for Autism Intervention

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder with enormous individual and social cost. In this paper, a novel virtual reality (VR)-based driving system was introduced to teach driving skills to adolescents with ASD. This driving system is capable of gathering eye gaze, electroencephalography, and peripheral physiology data in addition to driving performance data. The objective of this paper is to fuse multimodal information to measure cognitive load during driving such that driving tasks can be individualized for optimal skill learning. Individualization of ASD intervention is an important criterion due to the spectrum nature of the disorder. Twenty adolescents with ASD participated in our study and the data collected were used for systematic feature extraction and classification of cognitive loads based on five well-known machine learning methods. Subsequently, three information fusion schemes—feature level fusion, decision level fusion and hybrid level fusion—were explored. Results indicate that multimodal information fusion can be used to measure cognitive load with high accuracy. Such a mechanism is essential since it will allow individualization of driving skill training based on cognitive load, which will facilitate acceptance of this driving system for clinical use and eventual commercialization.
Interrogation of single nucleotide polymorphisms in gnd provides a novel method for molecular serogrouping of clinically important Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) targeted by regulation in the United States, including the "big six" non-O157 STEC and STEC O157.

Abstract Escherichia coli O157:H7 has frequently been associated with foodborne infections and is considered an adulterant in raw non-intact beef in the U.S. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) belonging to serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 (known as the “big six” non-O157) were estimated to cause > 70% of foodborne infections attributed to non-O157 serogroups in the U.S., as a result, these six serogroups have also been targeted by regulation in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to develop a rapid and high-throughput molecular method to group STEC isolates into seven clinically important serogroups (i.e., O157 and the “big six” non-O157 serogroups) targeted by regulation in the U.S. by interrogating single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in gnd. A collection of 195 STEC isolates, including isolates belonging to O157:H7 (n = 18), O26 (n = 21), O45 (n = 19), O103 (n = 24), O111 (n = 24), O121 (n = 23), O145 (n = 21), and ten other STEC serogroups (n = 45), was assembled and characterized by full gnd sequencing to identify informative SNPs for molecular serogrouping. A multiplex SNP typing assay was developed to interrogate twelve informative gnd SNPs by single base pair extension chemistry and used to characterize the STEC isolate collection assembled here. SNP types were assigned to each isolate by the assay and polymorphisms were confirmed with gnd sequence data. O-serogroup-specific SNP types were identified for each of the seven clinically important STEC serogroups, which allowed the differentiation of these seven STEC serogroups from other non-O157 STEC serogroups. Although serogroups of the “big six” non-O157 STEC and O157:H7 contained multiple SNP types per O-serogroup, there were no overlapping SNP types between serogroups. Our results demonstrate that molecular serogrouping of STEC isolates by interrogation of informative SNPs in gnd represents an alternative to traditional serogrouping by agglutination for rapid and high-throughput identification of clinically important STEC serogroups targeted by regulation for surveillance and epidemiological investigations.
Full-Term Small-for-Gestational-Age Newborns in the U.S.: Characteristics, Trends, and Morbidity.

Objectives The magnitude, characteristics, and morbidity of term (≥37 weeks gestation) newborns that are small-for-gestational-age (SGA) in the U.S. are underexplored. We sought to examine characteristics and trends for SGA-coded term newborns in the U.S. Methods Data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationally representative database of hospital stays in the U.S. from 2002 to 2011. Term, singleton newborns with SGA codes were identified and examined over the study period. Demographic characteristics were compared for term newborns according to presence of SGA codes using χ2 tests. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated to compare morbidities between the two groups, adjusting for relevant demographic and clinical variables. Results In 2011, 15 per 1000 term newborns in the U.S. were coded as SGA, a 29.9 % increase since 2002. Compared with other term newborns, SGA term newborns were significantly (p < 0.05) more likely to be female, receive public insurance, and reside in lower income zip codes. Comorbidities, including perinatal complications, metabolic disorders, central nervous system diseases, infection, and neonatal abstinence syndrome were more common among SGA-coded term newborns. These newborns also had higher odds of in-hospital death (OR = 3.0 95 % confidence interval: 2.0, 4.4), longer mean length of stay (3.7 vs. 2.3 days, p < 0.001), and higher mean hospital charges ($12,621 vs. $5012, p < 0.001). Conclusions for practice Term newborns coded as SGA have higher morbidity, mortality, and incur higher hospital charges than other term newborns. More research is needed to understand causes of SGA so its incidence and effects can be reduced.
Developmentally Associated Gene Expression in Rabbit Vascular Smooth Muscle CeLLS

The basic process of blood vessel development is not well understood. It is known that vessel formation is initiated by the aggregation of endothelial precursors (angioblasts) as well as by the invasion of endothelial cells into existing tissue.1 Subsequently, there is recruitment of cells from the surrounding mesenchyme that give rise to smooth muscle cells (SMCs).2,3 Additionally, in medium and large vessels, there is first continued proliferation of SMCs, organization of these cells into distinct layers separated by elastic laminae, and eventual cessation of growth.4,3,5,6 This last phase of blood vessel development, which we have termed “developmental maturation,” defines the transition of SMCs from a proliferative to a contractile phenotype. Research interest in this phase of vascular development arise from the morphological and biochemical similarities that have been noted between fetal SMCs and SMCs in atherosclerotic plaques.7,8,9,10,11,12 These similarities have led to the suggestion that SMCs in atherosclerosis and hypertension may recapitulate certain aspects of earlier developmental events.9,13 To permit a critical analysis of this possibility, it is crucial that we obtain a better understanding of the developmental events associated with the transition of SMCs from a proliferative to a quiescent phenotype. As a first step toward this goal, we have compared these two populations of SMCs and have identified genes that are specifically expressed in the fetal SMC population and not in the adult SMCs.
Adverse Childhood Experiences among American Indian/Alaska Native Children: The 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health

We examined parent-reported adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and associated outcomes among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children aged 0-17 years from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health. Bivariate and multivariable analyses of cross-sectional data on 1,453 AI/AN children and 61,381 non-Hispanic White (NHW) children assessed race-based differences in ACEs prevalence and differences in provider-diagnosed chronic emotional and developmental conditions, health characteristics, reported child behaviors, and health services received as a function of having multiple ACEs. AI/AN children were more likely to have experienced 2+ ACEs (40.3% versus 21%), 3+ ACEs (26.8% versus 11.5%), 4+ ACEs (16.8% versus 6.2%), and 5+ ACEs (9.9% versus 3.3%) compared to NHW children. Prevalence rates for depression, anxiety, and ADHD were higher among AI/AN children with 3+ ACEs (14.4%, 7.7%, and 12.5%) compared to AI/ANs with fewer than 2 ACEs (0.4%, 1.8%, and 5.5%). School problems, grade failures, and need for medication and counseling were 2-3 times higher among AI/ANs with 3+ ACEs versus the same comparison group. Adjusted odds ratio for emotional, developmental, and behavioral difficulties among AI/AN children with 2+ ACEs was 10.3 (95% CI = 3.6-29.3). Race-based differences were largely accounted for by social and economic-related factors.
The carotenoid Bixin found to exhibit the highest measured carotenoid oxidation potential to date consistent with its practical protective use in cosmetics, drugs and food.

Abstract The electrochemical oxidation potentials of cis bixin correspond to the production of the carotenoid radical cation, Car + and dication Car++. The oxidation is a two-electron process with oxidation potentials at ~0.94 and ~1.14 V vs SCE (reference to ferrocene at 0.528 V) in THF. These potentials are higher than that of symmetrical canthaxanthin at 0.775 V and 0.972 V and for β-carotene at 0.634 V and 0.605 V respectively. The second oxidation potential for canthaxanthin is higher by 0.20 V than the first. Similar difference is observed for bixin. In contrast, the second oxidation potential for β-carotene is lower by 30 mV than that of the first. Reduction potentials were found to occur at ~−0.69 and ~−1.22 V vs SCE. The lifetime of the radical cation of cis bixin, Car +, is short and decays rapidly at ambient temperature. The suggested scavenging ability of cis bixin towards reactive oxidative oxygen species is estimated to be 44. On the other hand, that of β-carotene, symmetrical canthaxanthin and the dicyano substituted carotenoid which exhibit oxidation potentials of 0.634 V, 0.775 V and 0.833 V vs SCE were measured to be 0.64, 1.96 and 23.60 respectively. The non-reversible electrochemical measurements suggest the tendency for bixin to react with trace amounts of reactive oxygen species ( OH, O2− , OOH).
GraphFlow: Workflow-based big graph processing

We introduce GraphFlow, a big graph framework that is able to encode complex data science experiments as a set of high-level workflows. GraphFlow combines the Spark big data processing platform and the Galaxy workflow management system to offer a set of components for graph processing using a novel interaction model for creating and using complex workflows. GraphFlow contributes an easy-to-use interface and scalable algorithms for big graph analytics. We demonstrate GraphFlow use in large social network analysis with several case studies.
A systematic review of satisfaction with teledermatology

BackgroundThe two most commonly used modalities of teledermatology (TD) are store-and-forward (SF) and live–interactive (LI) TD. Existing studies have not compared these tools with respect to patie...
Theistic consubstantialism and omniscience

According to theistic consubstantialism, the universe and God are essentially made of the same stuff. If theistic consubstantialism is correct, then God possesses the essential power to have knowledge de se of the contents of the mind of every conscious being internal to God. If theistic consubstantialism is false, then God lacks this essential property. So either God is essentially corporeal and possesses greater essential epistemic powers than God would have otherwise or God is essentially incorporeal and has a diminished range of essential epistemic powers. In light of this dilemma, I argue that theists should accept theistic consubstantialism.
Notes on the Fauna of the Chipola Formation- XVII on the Presence of Clementia (Egesta) Grayi Dall

In 1900 Dall figured “Clementia Grayi Dall" from the "Oligocene of Oak Grove sands" (1900, pl. 37, fig. 12) and in 1903 (p. 1236) described it briefly but gave no indication as to its relative abundance. In 1926 [Sept. 20] Gardner repeated Dall's description and republished his original illustration (p. 154, pl. 24, fig. 6).
The Physiology of Menstruation

Only humans, closely related primates, some species of bats, and elephant shrews visibly menstruate. The processes that drive the monthly maturation, slough, and renewal of the endometrium that results in menses are ultimately orchestrated by a complex interaction of hormones, tissues, and molecular signaling, all designed to ensure the possibility of securing a pregnancy should a timely mating occur. Menstrual pain and excessive menstrual bleeding are both extremes of a normal continuum. Understanding their development requires a familiarity with the processes that create the normal menstrual cycle. This discussion will focus primarily on the uterus, leaving many of nuances of the complex interactions of the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovary to others.
T Cell Repertoire Maturation Induced by Persistent and Latent Viral Infection Is Insufficient to Induce Costimulation Blockade Resistant Organ Allograft Rejection in Mice

CD28:CD80/86 pathway costimulation blockade (CoB) with the CD80/86-specific fusion protein CTLA4-Ig prevents T cell-mediated allograft rejection in mice. However, in humans, transplantation with CoB has been hampered by CoB-resistant rejection (CoBRR). CoBRR has been attributed in part to pathogen-driven T cell repertoire maturation and resultant heterologous alloreactive memory. This has been demonstrated experimentally in mice. However, prior murine models have used viral pathogens, CoB regimens, graft types, and/or antigen systems atypically encountered clinically. We therefore sought to explore whether CoBRR would emerge in a model of virus-induced memory differentiation designed to more closely mimic clinical conditions. Specifically, we examined mouse homologs of clinically prevalent viruses including murine polyomavirus, cytomegalovirus, and gammaherpesvirus 68 in the presence of clinically relevant maintenance CoB regimens using a fully MHC-mismatched, vascularized allograft model. Infected mice developed a significant, sustained increase in effector memory T cells consistent with that seen in humans, but neither developed heterologous alloreactivity nor rejected primarily vascularized heterotopic heart transplants at an increased rate compared with uninfected mice. These results indicate that memory acquisition alone is insufficient to provoke CoBRR and suggest that knowledge of prior latent or persistent viral infection may have limited utility in anticipating heterologous CoB-resistant alloimmunity.
State homophobia? India’s shifting UN positions on LGBTQ issues

Why has India adopted contradictory policies with regard to LGBTQ rights at the UN? From 2004 to 2010, India consistently supported draft language for a UN resolution to allow a Special Rapporteur ...
TiO2 Nanotube Arrays: Application to Hydrogen Sensing

In this chapter we consider application of TiO2 nanotube arrays to hydrogen gas sensing. Hydrogen, a combustible, widely used industrial gas has great potential for use as a carbon-free chemical fuel. The use of hydrogen, or where hydrogen is an undesired contaminant, requires a monitor suitable for detection of meaningful concentrations. Furthermore, quantification of ppm – ppb hydrogen gas concentrations has medical relevance as an indicator of lactose intolerance [1–3], fructose malabsorption [4–8], microbial activity [9], bacterial growth [10–12], fibromyalgia [13], diabetic gastroparesis [14–16], and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) [17–21]. The pathogenesis of neonatal NEC results in the production of hydrogen gas, which accumulates as bubbles in the sub-mucosal area of the bowel wall [18]. Hydrogen is absorbed into the blood stream and excreted transcutaneously, as well as via the lungs into the exhaled breathe [19–21]. For monitoring of NEC in pre-term infants, it appears a clinically useful hydrogen sensor must be capable of detecting transcutaneous hydrogen at levels of approximately 25 ppm to 1 ppm, while the sensitivity of the infants’ skin requires the use of unheated sensors.
Weaning Pigs at an Early Age Decreases Cellular Immunity

An experiment involving 118 pigs was conducted to evaluate the influence of weaning pigs at four different ages on in vivo and in vitro cell-mediated immunity. One-half of each litter was weaned at 2, 3, 4 or 5 wk of age; the other one-half remained with the sow as nonweaned controls. Phytohemagglutinin skin-test responses were determined on all pigs. Blastogenic responses of mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte cultures were determined before and after weaning. The intradermal response to phytohemagglutinin was reduced (P less than .001) in pigs weaned when 2 or 3 wk old and was suppressed (P less than .05) in those weaned when 4 wk old. In vivo cellular immunity was not altered by weaning in 5-wk-old pigs. The capability of lymphocytes to undergo blastogenesis in response to phytohemagglutinin was decreased in pigs weaned at 2 and 3 wk of age (P less than .001 and P less than .01, respectively). Pokeweed mitogen-stimulated blastogenesis was lower (P less than .01) in pigs weaned at 2 wk of age. Mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte blastogenesis was similar (P greater than .10) in control pigs and those weaned when 5 wk old. These data suggested that weaning pigs when younger than 5 wk old causes physiological changes detrimental to cellular immune reactivity. Those changes could alter disease susceptibility in young pigs.
Theory to Practice in Administrator Preparation: An Evaluation Study.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of a field-based doctoral program in educational administration on linking theory and research to the Improvement of practice. Specifically, the study evaluates the degree and ways in which doctoral student field-based projects and studies completed as an Integral part of the University 01 Utah's field-based Ed.D. program have resulted in program or policy changes in schools or other education-related agencies. This evaluation of the theory-practice emphasis in the University 01 Utah's Ed.O. program suggests that the program is successfully meeting its central program ob­ jective. Study data indicate that approximately -one-half to two-thirds of student proj­ ects resulted tn some sort of poHcy or program change in educational practice. Proj­ ects that resulted in change in local schools, districts or other education-related agencies tended to be either policy adoptions addressing legal and/or personnel administration concerns or instructional program implementations for students and staff. Factors that enhanced the lik.elihood of a project resulting in a policy or pro· gram change were: 1) the student's familiarity with relevant problems of practice; 2) the degree to which students worked closely with other organizat!onal employees in developing and refining the project; and 3) the utility and conceptual/analytical qual· ity of the proposal itself.
Influence of Prefabricated Vertical Drains on the Seismic Performance of Structures Founded on Liquefiable Soils

AbstractPrefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) are commonly used to mitigate the liquefaction hazard and its consequences. However, the influence of enhanced drainage on the response and performance ...
Automated Detection of High Frequency Oscillations in Human Scalp Electroencephalogram

High frequency oscillations (HFOs) > 80 Hz are a promising biomarker of epileptic tissue. Recent evidence has shown that spontaneous HFOs can be recorded from the scalp, but detection of these electrographic events remains a challenge. Here, we modified a simple automatic detector, used originally for intracranial EEG (iEEG) recordings, to detect ripples and fast ripples in scalp EEG. We analyzed scalp EEG recordings of seven subjects and validated our detector and artifact rejection algorithm via visual review. Of the candidate events marked by the detector, 40% and 60% were confirmed to be ripples and fast ripples, respectively, by human visual review, making this algorithm suitable for supervised detection. Detected HFOs occurred at a rate of <1/min in most channels, and the average duration was 47 and 24 ms for ripples and fast ripples, respectively. The simplicity of the algorithm, with only a single parameter, enables the consistent application of automatic detection across recording modalities, and it could therefore be a tool for the assessment and localization of epileptic activity.
Alexander Houses x 7: Steel Prefab in the Low Desert

ABSTRACT: In an age of increasing globalization, there is a rising need for affordable, livable and humane sub- and non-urban housing. The intent of this research is to uncover the principles, strategies, methods and material means of the Alexander Houses, seven mid-century modern houses in the low desert of the Coachella Valley in California, in an effort to re-establish novel solutions for addressing the need for durable, low-maintenance, economical and inspired housing. KEYWORDS: Prefabrication, Steel, Housing, Modern
Roles of Extracellular Vesicles in High-Grade Gliomas: Tiny Particles with Outsized Influence

High-grade gliomas, particularly glioblastomas (grade IV), are devastating diseases with dismal prognoses; afflicted patients seldom live longer than 15 months, and their quality of life suffers immensely. Our current standard-of-care therapy has remained essentially unchanged for almost 15 years, with little new therapeutic progress. We desperately need a better biologic understanding of these complicated tumors in a complicated organ. One area of rejuvenated study relates to extracellular vesicles (EVs)-membrane-enclosed nano- or microsized particles that originate from the endosomal system or are shed from the plasma membrane. EVs contribute to tumor heterogeneity (including the maintenance of glioma stem cells or their differentiation), the impacts of hypoxia (angiogenesis and coagulopathies), interactions amid the tumor microenvironment (concerning the survival of astrocytes, neurons, endothelial cells, blood vessels, the blood-brain barrier, and the ensuing inflammation), and influences on the immune system (both stimulatory and suppressive). This article reviews glioma EVs and the ways that EVs manifest themselves as autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine factors in proximal and distal intra- and intercellular communications. The reader should note that there is much controversy, and indeed confusion, in the field over the exact roles for EVs in many biological processes, and we will engage some of these difficulties herein.
Underreporting of Hepatitis B and C virus infections - Pennsylvania, 2001-2015.

Context In Pennsylvania, reporting of viral hepatitis B (HBV) and viral hepatitis C (HCV) infections to CDC has been mandated since 2002. Underreporting of HBV and HCV infections has long been identified as a problem. Few reports have described the accuracy of state surveillance case registries for recording clinically-confirmed cases of HBV and HCV infections, or the characteristics of populations associated with lower rates of reporting. Objective The primary objective of the current study is to estimate the proportion of HBV and HCV infections that went unreported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDoH), among patients in the Geisinger Health System of Pennsylvania. As a secondary objective, we study the association between underreporting of HBV and HCV infections to PDoH, and the select patient characteristics of interest: sex, age group, race/ethnicity, rural status, and year of initial diagnosis. Design Per medical record review, the study population was limited to Geisinger Health System patients, residing in Pennsylvania, who were diagnosed with a chronic HBV and/or HCV infection, between 2001 and 2015. Geisinger Health System patient medical records were matched to surveillance records of confirmed cases reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDoH). To quantify the extent that underreporting occurred among the Geisinger Health System study participants, we calculated the proportion of study participants that were not reported to PDoH as confirmed cases of HBV or HCV infections. An analysis of adjusted prevalence ratio estimates was conducted to study the association between underreporting of HBV and HCV infections to PDoH, and the select patient characteristics of interest. Results Geisinger Health System patients living with HBV were reported to PDoH 88.4% (152 of 172) of the time; patients living with HCV were reported to PDoH 94.6% (2,257 of 2,386) of the time; and patients who were co-infected with both viruses were reported to PDoH 72.0% (18 of 25) of the time. Patients living with HCV had an increased likelihood of being reported if they were: less than or equal to age 30 vs ages 65+ {PR = 1.2, [95%CI, (1.1, 1.3)]}, and if they received their initial diagnosis of HCV during the 2010–2015 time period vs the 1990–1999 time period {PR = 1.08, [95%CI, (1.05, 1.12)]}. Conclusion The findings in this study are promising, and suggests that PDoH has largely been successful with tracking and monitoring viral hepatitis B and C infections, among persons that were tested for HBV and/or HCV. Additional efforts should be placed on decreasing underreporting rates of HCV infections among seniors (ages 65 and over), and persons who are co-infected with HBV and HCV.
Contributions to the Problem of equisingularity

The general problem which we propose in these lectures is the following: given an irreducible subvariety W of the singular locus of an algebraic (or algebroid) variety V and given a simple point Q of W, give a precise meaning to the following intuitive statement: “the singularity which V has at the point Q is ‘not worse’ than (or is ‘of the same type’ as) the singularity which V has at the general point of W”. We briefly phrase this statement as follows: “V is equisingular along W, at Q.” It is understood that we require the solution to consist not merely of some plausible definition and some reasonable consequences, but above all of a body of criteria of various nature (algebro-geometric, topological and differentio-geometric) and of the proofs of equivalence of these various criteria.
Contrasting effects of host identity, plant community, and local species pool on the composition and colonization levels of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community in a temperate grassland.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs) are important plant symbionts, but we know little about the effects of plant taxonomic identity or functional group on the AMF community composition. To examine the effects of the surrounding plant community, of the host, and of the AMF pool on the AMF community in plant roots, we manipulated plant community composition in a long-term field experiment. Within four types of manipulated grassland plots, seedlings of eight grassland plant species were planted for 12 wk, and AMFs in their roots were quantified. Additionally, we characterized the AMF community of individual plots (as their AMF pool) and quantified plot abiotic conditions. The largest determinant of AMF community composition was the pool of available AMFs, varying at metre scale due to changing soil conditions. The second strongest predictor was the host functional group. The differences between grasses and dicotyledonous forbs in AMF community variation and diversity were much larger than the differences among species within those groups. High cover of forbs in the surrounding plant community had a strong positive effect on AMF colonization intensity in grass hosts. Using a manipulative field experiment enabled us to demonstrate direct causal effects of plant host and surrounding vegetation.
Abstract 076: Sex Difference in the Effects of Dopamine D2 Receptor Specific Deletion in the Renal Proximal Tubules of Mice

Dopamine receptor D2 (D2R) plays a significant role in kidney function by maintaining normal blood pressure (BP) and preventing renal inflammation and injury. D2R silencing in the mouse kidney incr...
Canopy parkour: movement ecology of post-hatch dispersal in a gliding nymphal stick insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)

For flightless arboreal arthropods, to move from understory toward tree canopies is cognitively and energetically expensive, because various vegetational structures form complex three-dimensional landscapes with air gaps. The exposure to predation and environmental perturbations in the canopy space further obstruct the movement process. How to effectively move through the canopy space thus requires effective navigation tactics and movement skills. In the Australian stick insect Extatosoma tiaratum, the first instar nymphs hatch on the forest floor and disperse toward tree canopies in the daytime. Here, we address the movement ecology of dispersal in the E. tiaratum nymphs under controlled laboratory conditions. We found the newly hatched nymphs ascend with high endurance, accomplishing 100+ m within 60 minutes. Their navigation toward open canopies is generally directed by negative gravitaxis, positive phototaxis and tactic response to vertically oriented contrast patterns. We also found nymphal E. tiaratum use directed jumping to cross air gaps and respond to tactile stimulations and potential threat with self-dropping reflexes, actions which both lead to aerial descent. In sum, the post-hatch dispersal in E. tiaratum consists of various visually mediated movements both on vegetational structures and in air, within which context gliding is an effective mechanism for height recovery after predator- and perturbation-induced descent. These results further support the fundamental role of a diurnal temporal niche, in addition to spatial niche, to the evolution of gliding in wingless arboreal invertebrates.
Racial/Ethnic Inequities in Access to High-Quality Dialysis Treatment in Chicago: Does Neighborhood Racial/Ethnic Composition Matter?

Blacks and Hispanics face a higher incidence rate of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and tend to experience poorer access to quality health care compared with Whites. Income, education, and insurance coverage differentials are typically identified as risk factors, but neighborhood-level analyses may provide additional insights. We examine whether neighborhood racial composition contributes to racial/ethnic inequities in access to high-quality dialysis care in Chicago. Data are drawn from the United States Renal Data System merged to the ESRD Quality Incentive Program file and the American Community Survey (2005–2009) for facility and neighborhood characteristics (N = 2797). Outcomes included (1) spatial access (travel time to dialysis facilities) and (2) realized access (actual use of quality care). Neighborhood racial/ethnic composition was categorized into four types: predominantly White, Black, and Hispanic neighborhoods, and racially integrated neighborhoods. Blacks lived closer to a dialysis facility but traveled the same distance to their own dialysis compared with Whites. Hispanics had longer travel time to any dialysis than Whites, and the difference between Hispanics and Whites became no longer significant after adjusting for neighborhood racial/ethnic composition. Blacks and Hispanics had better access to a high-quality facility if they lived in integrated neighborhoods (OR = 1.85 and 3.77, respectively, p < 0.01) or in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of their own race/ethnicity (OR = 1.68 for Blacks in Black neighborhoods and 1.92 for Hispanics in Hispanic neighborhoods, p < 0.05) compared with Whites in predominantly White neighborhoods. Expanding opportunities for Blacks and Hispanics to gain access to racially integrated and minority neighborhoods may help alleviate racial/ethnic inequities in access to quality care among kidney disease patients.
Chapter 11 – Community Policing and Special Populations

Publisher Summary The community policing has profound changes on the police in terms of their treatment of various groups. Community policing results in the direct communication between the police and the public to ensure that all constituent groups are considered and serviced. The potential benefits from community policing far outweigh its potential problems. Many groups, often those who suffer the highest rates of victimization, are literally disenfranchised from the American political system, and community policing is the most appropriate way for the police to identify these individuals and groups and to attempt to bring them back into the system. For example, the homeless do not have a fixed address so they generally are not represented in the political system, juveniles are too young, and many immigrants have no vote and are too fearful to become involved in the political process. Community policing as a political modality allows such individuals to have input into the government and receive some measure of services. Community policing's ability to involve the disenfranchised and to reach out to groups who are reluctant to contact the police offers everyone in the community grass-roots input into the police process. Police departments and police officers must recognize the existence of diverging cultures. Police officers must be trained in understanding and dealing with different types of people. This may include training on customs as well as language. This is not to limit the police responsibility to ethnic or national cultures; the poor, the homeless, and other disadvantaged groups represent cultures with distinct sets of values and living conditions that must be understood by the police officers. Police departments must embody the philosophy of multi-culturalism and service throughout the agency.
Opposing Wnt and JAK-STAT signaling gradients define a stem cell domain by regulating spatially patterned cell division and differentiation at two borders

Many adult stem cells are maintained as a community by population asymmetry, wherein stochastic actions of individual cells collectively result in a balance between stem cell division and differentiation. We have used Drosophila Follicle Stem Cells (FSCs) as a paradigm to explore the extracellular niche signals that define a stem cell domain and organize stem cell behavior. FSCs produce transit-amplifying Follicle Cells (FCs) from their posterior face and quiescent Escort Cells (ECs) to their anterior. Here we show that JAK-STAT pathway activity, which declines from posterior to anterior, dictates the pattern of divisions over the FSC and EC domains, promotes more posterior FSC locations and conversion to FCs, while opposing EC production. A Wnt pathway gradient of opposite polarity promotes more anterior FSC locations and EC production and opposes FC production. Promotion of both FSC division and conversion to FCs by JAK-STAT signaling buffers the effects of genetically altered pathway activity on FSC numbers and balances the four-fold higher rate of differentiation at the posterior face of the FSC domain with a higher rate of FSC division in the most posterior layer. However, genetic elimination of Wnt pathway activity exacerbated elevated FC production resulting from increased JAK-STAT pathway activity, leading to rapid FSC depletion despite high rates of division. The two pathways combine to define a stem cell domain through concerted effects on FSC differentiation to ECs (high Wnt, low JAK-STAT) and FCs (low Wnt, high JAK-STAT) at each end of opposing signaling gradients, further enforced by quiescence at the anterior border due to declining JAK-STAT pathway activity.
An Approach to Analyze Longitudinal Zero-Inflated Microbiome Count Data Using Two-Stage Mixed Effects Models

The developments of powerful next-generation technologies provide valuable resources for investigating the human microbiome. In particular, it has been of great interest to study the longitudinal changes in the microbiome and its association with risk factors and clinical outcomes (e.g., longitudinal oral microbiome abundance and oral mucositis). The challenges of such analysis include the zero-inflated microbial abundance counts data and the correlation among the longitudinal abundance counts collected across different time points within the same patient. The current approaches for longitudinal zero-inflated microbiome abundance data focused on testing the covariate-taxon associations (i.e., time-varying abundance as the dependent variable), but ignored the taxon-outcome associations (i.e., non-time-varying clinical outcome as the dependent variable). To address this question, we proposed a two-stage mixed effects model for analyzing zero-inflated longitudinal data and the clinical outcome of interest. In this model, the longitudinal microbial abundance count data are first modeled as a function of time using the zero-inflated negative binomial mixed effects model, and at the second stage, the summaries of the temporal patterns (e.g., random intercepts and slopes) are used in the regression models (e.g., linear, accelerate failure time) to assess their associations with the outcome. Simulations showed that the two-stage mixed effects model can provide accurate estimations for the regression coefficients of the association between the longitudinal trend of microbial abundance and the outcome. We applied the proposed approach to the study of longitudinal patterns in oral microbial abundance and oral mucositis in the patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Modeling and Analysis of Mood Dynamics in the Bipolar Spectrum

This article introduces a nonlinear ordinary differential equation model of mood dynamics for disorders on the bipolar spectrum. Motivated by biopsychosocial findings, the model characterizes mood as a 2-D state corresponding to manic and depressive features, enabling the representation of most diagnoses of bipolar and depressive disorders. We perform a mathematical analysis of conditions for the mood to stabilize to euthymia and discuss its psychotherapeutic implications. Furthermore, a computational analysis applied to pharmacotherapy depicts a mechanism that results in a switch from depression to mania when the bipolar disorder was misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder, and an antidepressant is administered without a mood stabilizer. This work innovates by offering a concise representation of most features of mood disorders in existing mathematical models, providing a framework for studying dynamics in the bipolar spectrum.
Conservative Management of Traumatic Optic Neuropathy Secondary to Lateral Orbital Wall Fracture.

PURPOSE To inform rural healthcare providers about the early identification and management of traumatic optic neuropathy (TON). Specifically, we seek to legitimize expectant management as a viable approach to such cases. OBSERVATIONS A 27-year-old female with direct posterior compressive TON with associated visual field and visual acuity deficit was managed expectantly without steroids or surgical intervention. In four months, her visual acuity improved from 20/400 to 20/50. CONCLUSTION AND IMPORTANCE Although steroids and surgery have been common practice for treatment of TON, there is insufficient evidence to support their use in all cases. Existing research supports expectant management as a viable option. This could prove especially useful in rural settings where resources and surgical subspecialists are limited.
Media Modeling and Budgeting at Dmi

A marketing director applies a scientific/quantitative approach to understanding and optimizing his company's marketing spending decisions. His hypotheses include the concepts of diminishing returns on spending, a results ceiling, carryover, and differential effectiveness. His team develops a mathematical formula that provides parameter estimates resulting from fitting the model to the three years of regional and national data. He must then decide how to apply the data to maximize media spending. A student Excel spreadsheet is available. Excerpt UVA-M-0791 Rev. Nov. 7, 2011 Media Modeling and Budgeting at DMI Direct Marketing Insurance (DMI) was known worldwide for its scientific/quantitative approach to understanding and pricing auto insurance risks. Many people in the DMI organization thought this same approach might be useful in understanding and optimizing marketing spending decisions. In three regions of the United States, DMI had assembled weekly data on media spending in five separate categories together with the number of prospects (potential customers requesting a quote either over the phone or using the web) the spending generated. There were a host of insights the company hoped a careful analysis of these data would provide. Before turning the data over to the company's analysis group, DMI regional marketing manager Phil Phariso decided to articulate some strongly held hypotheses about the nature of the relationship between impressions and results. For the purposes of this analysis, Phariso declared that “results” meant getting people to request a quote for auto insurance by phone or Internet. Exhibit 1 lists the hypotheses Phariso and his group generated. . . .
Political Participation Amid Mass Incarceration

Contact with the carceral state—ranging from police stops to prison time—is a frequent experience in the United States, particularly in communities marginalized on the basis of race and class. In r...
Adjoint-based estimation and control of spatial, temporal and stochastic approximation errors in unsteady flow simulations

Abstract The ability to estimate various sources of numerical error and to adaptively control them is a powerful tool in quantifying uncertainty in predictive simulations. This work attempts to develop reliable estimates of numerical errors resulting from spatial, temporal and stochastic approximations of fluid dynamic equations using a discrete adjoint approach. Each source of error is isolated and the accuracy of the error estimation is verified. When applied to unsteady flow simulations of vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT), the procedure demonstrates good recovery of discretization errors to provide accurate estimate of the objective functional. The framework is then applied to a VAWT simulation with inherent stochasticity and is confirmed to effectively estimate errors in computing statistical quantities of interest. The ability to use these stochastic error estimates as a basis for adaptive sampling is also presented. Predictive science is typically constrained by finite computational resources and this work demonstrates the viability of adjoint-based approaches to budget available computational resources to effectively pursue uncertainty quantification.
Teaching with Ignatius: Justice in Pedagogical Practice

Jesuit institutions are ranked among America’s best colleges and universities according to the 2013 results by US News and World Report. With such accolades, our community might frame the recognition as an opportunity for greater challenge as we collectively aspire to provide better access to meaningful education with the vision of furthering the Jesuit mission and educating men and women for others. The goal of this paper was to consider a new “sweet spot” at the intersection of service-learning, graduate education and online learning at Jesuit business schools, continuing the integration of excellence in both tradition and innovation. We propose a new research stream that may add to the work of Van Hise and Porco in pursuing a better understanding of and an opportunity to expand the distinctiveness of Jesuit business education. Our work concludes with an invitation to participate in research to enhance the existing service-learning, graduate, and online distinctive competencies in Jesuit institutions and extend our students’ sense of “solidarity for the real world” and choices to “perceive, think, judge, choose and act for the rights of others, especially the disadvantaged and the oppressed.”
Petri Nets, Configuration Structures and Higher Dimensional Automata

In this talk, translations between several models of concurrent systems are reviewed c.q. proposed. The models considered capture causality, branching time, and their interplay, and these features are preserved by the translations. To the extent that the models are intertranslatable, this yields support for the point of view that they are all different representations of the same phenomena. The translations can then be applied to reformulate any issue that arises in the context of one model into one expressed in another model, which might be more suitable for analysing that issue. To the extent that the models are not inter-translatable, my investigations are aimed at classifying them w.r.t. their expressiveness in modelling phenomena in concurrency. The results are summarised in the figure at the end of this paper.
Symmetries and Integrals in Mechanics

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of symmetries and integrals in mechanics. The literature of Hamiltonian mechanics has several special theorems dealing with Hamiltonian systems that admit additional integrals in involution. Two examples are: (1) If a Hamiltonian system admits p additional independent integral in involution, then the algebraic multiplicity of + 1 as a characteristic multiplier of a periodic solution is greater than or equal to 2( p + 1); and (2) the integration of a Hamiltonian system of n degrees of freedom that admits p independent integrals in involution can be reduced to the integration of a Hamiltonian system of n − p degrees of freedom with p parameters and additional quadratures. After restating (2) in modern terminology, these theorems are generalized by dropping the assumption that the integrals are in involution.