cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Novel Approach to Knowledge Sharing in Software Systems Engineering

There are many stakeholders in the information technology (IT) domain, including the business community and software development and support staff. A high degree of collaboration and knowledge sharing is required to take a system from business concept to production implementation in complex organizations where numerous teams are involved in the software engineering process. Much of historical knowledge management strategy has a technology focus with knowledge collected, organized, and disseminated with a push or pull approach. An approach that considers common technology implementations, such as intranets, document management systems, and email, and how those can be exploited with little or no introduction of new processes or tools to promote knowledge sharing is suggested. Human and social aspects are considered fundamental to the success of a solution that leverages current technology implementations and capitalizes on the relationships that exist and are created among individuals in the context of software engineering work.
Fragmented QRS for risk prediction: picking up the pieces.

c r t c i n s q t c f v In this issue of Heart Rhythm, Das et al describe the utcomes of patients with known or suspected coronary rtery disease (CAD) based on the presence of fragmented RS on the 12-lead ECG. In this study, the investigators etrospectively analyzed the ECG’s of mostly male patients eferred for stress tests at one center over a two year period. ased on the findings that regional myocardial scar causes fragmentation of the QRS due to terminal conduction elay, they postulated that a “fragmented QRS” (defined as arious RSR’ and S notching morphologies) in an anatomic lectrocardiographic distribution would be a marker for ardiac events and all-cause mortality. Their data support hat all cause mortality and the cardiac event rate were orse for patients with fragmented QRS (fQRS). In the ultivariate analysis, fQRS was a significant incremental redictor of cardiac events to ejection fraction and abnormal yocardial perfusion imaging, but not for all-cause mortality. This study certainly establishes fQRS as a simple, widely vailable, effective, and inexpensive tool for predicting cariac events. These are highly desirable qualities for any risk tratification tool. Yet, it also raises important questions bout what the information means and how it can be used linically. These issues must be approached from both a athophysiologic and an epidemiologic perspective. The uthors note that in patients with CAD and prior infarction, QRS is related to “inhomogeneous activation of the venricles.” One might expect that abnormalities in depolarizaion would be predictive of ventricular arrhythmias and udden death. While sudden cardiac death (SCD) was inluded in the cardiac events endpoints, no specific data were rovided for this. However, figure 4 demonstrates that the reponderance of events were myocardial infarction and evascularization and that these events account for most of he differences observed related to a fQRS. It therefore eems unlikely that any difference could be demonstrated or SCD. It is therefore possible that fQRS does not predict CD; alternatively, there may have been too low an incience of SCD to detect any difference. While the authors easured the left ventricular ejection fraction and incorpo-
Assay for free and total choline activity in biological fluids and tissues of rats and man with Torulopsis pintolopessi

The sensitive, specific growth response to choline activity of the thermophilic enteric yeast Torulopsis pintolopessi enables estimation of free and bound choline activity in rat and human fluids and tissues-as little as 10 ng/ml of choline is measurable. Unlike other microbial assays, estimation of unbound (free) choline activity is not influenced by methionine or phospholipids. The method also distinguishes differences in choline activity of fluids and tissues from choline-deficient and choline-replete rats. Free and bound choline activity in blood, red blood cells, plasma, and liver from choline-deficient rats were almost 2-fold lower than from choline-supplemented animals. Free and bound choline activity in whole brain from choline-deficient rats were significantly higher (more than 2-fold). The application of the T. pintolopessi method in studying choline status in man and reasons for high choline activity in brain of choline-deficient rats are suggested. Am. J. Clin. Nuir. 31: 532-540, 1978.
Cromolyn sodium in the treatment of asthma: Coming of age in the United States

Cromolyn sodium has matured as a first-line drug in the management of asthma in the United States. New pharmacokinetic assays reveal that it exerts classic dose-response effects both in vitro and in vivo. The protective effect of cromolyn sodium is due chiefly to its ability to inhibit mediator release from mast cells, but there is considerable evidence that it may affect reflex-induced asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity. It may also reduce the number of inflammatory effector cells such as eosinophils and decrease the IgE-mediated local immune response. Two formulations are currently available in the United States: the powdered Spinhaler apparatus and a solution that can be aerosolized by a nebulizer. A metered-dose aerosol preparation containing 1 mg/drug per activation is being investigated in other parts of the world and appears to be equally as effective as the powdered and nebulized forms of cromolyn. Recent controlled studies reveal that cromolyn sodium and theophylline have equal efficacy in the first-line management of asthma, but troublesome cardiovascular and psychoneurologic side effects are often observed after theophylline therapy. If used properly, cromolyn sodium is a valuable agent in the pharmacologic treatment of asthma.
A computer program to calculate and design oligonucleotide primers from amino acid sequences

A computer program to generate oligonucleotide sequences from peptide data is presented. The program, PrimerGen, reverse-translates a peptide string into its corresponding degenerate deoxyribonucleotide counterpart, and generates sequences of oligonucleotide molecules which can be synthesized and either used as probes for hybridizations or as primers in polymerase chain reactions.
Asymptotic properties of weighted M-estimators for variable probability samples

I provide a systematic treatment of the asymptotic properties of weighted M-estimators under variable probability stratified sampling. The characterization of the sampling scheme and representation of the objective function allow for a straightforward analysis. Simple, consistent asymptotic variance matrix estimators are proposed for a large class of problems. When stratification is based on exogenous variables, I show that the unweighted M-estimator is more efficient than the weighted estimator under a generalized conditional information matrix equality. When population frequencies are known, a more efficient weighting is possible. I also show how the results carry over to multinomial sampling.
European Society of Endocrinology Clinical Guideline: Treatment of chronic hypoparathyroidism in adults

Hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is a rare (orphan) endocrine disease with low calcium and inappropriately low (insufficient) circulating parathyroid hormone levels, most often in adults secondary to thyroid surgery. Standard treatment is activated vitamin D analogues and calcium supplementation and not replacement of the lacking hormone, as in other hormonal deficiency states. The purpose of this guideline is to provide clinicians with guidance on the treatment and monitoring of chronic HypoPT in adults who do not have end-stage renal disease. We intend to draft a practical guideline, focusing on operationalized recommendations deemed to be useful in the daily management of patients. This guideline was developed and solely sponsored by The European Society of Endocrinology, supported by CBO (Dutch Institute for Health Care Improvement) and based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) principles as a methodological base. The clinical question on which the systematic literature search was based and for which available evidence was synthesized was: what is the best treatment for adult patients with chronic HypoPT? This systematic search found 1100 articles, which was reduced to 312 based on title and abstract. The working group assessed these for eligibility in more detail, and 32 full-text articles were assessed. For the final recommendations, other literature was also taken into account. Little evidence is available on how best to treat HypoPT. Data on quality of life and the risk of complications have just started to emerge, and clinical trials on how to optimize therapy are essentially non-existent. Most studies are of limited sample size, hampering firm conclusions. No studies are available relating target calcium levels with clinically relevant endpoints. Hence it is not possible to formulate recommendations based on strict evidence. This guideline is therefore mainly based on how patients are managed in clinical practice, as reported in small case series and based on the experiences of the authors.
Microbial suppression of in vitro growth of Pythium ultimum and disease incidence in relation to soil C and N availability

Experiments were designed to examine effects of the soil microbial community, C and N availability on in vitro growth of Pythium ultimum and its infection of cotton seedlings by manipulating the stage of cellulose decomposition, size and activity of microbial populations, and N availability. In comparison to the untreated control (CONT), cellulose addition alone (CELL) reduced soil nitrate by 35‐80 fold, but had no significant effect on soil ammonium. Soil microbial biomass C (SMBC) increased over 2 fold in 14 days following cellulose addition, but significantly decreased in the following 10 days due to N limitation. Addition of both cellulose and N (NCELL) resulted in sustained SMBC for 24 days and significantly reducedin vitro P. ultimumgrowth and disease incidence. In vitro growth of P. ultimumand disease severity were consistently reduced in the order: CONT > CELL > NCELL. In vitro growth of P. ultimum was lower in soils previously incubated for 24 days than in those incubated for 14 days, and was most closely correlated to cumulative soil CO2 evolution (CO2T). Correlations between P. ultimum growth rates and NO3-N or total available N were substantial (p < 0.05), but much less significant than those between the growth rates and SMBC, microbial activity measured as CO2 evolution rates or CO2T (p<0.0001). Addition of available N (NH4NO3) and C (glucose) just before the assays did not increase the in vitro growth of P. ultimum or disease severity on cotton seedlings, suggesting that time-dependent microbial processes or microbial metabolites significantly contributed to suppression ofP. ultimum growth. Abbreviations: CELL ‐ cellulose treatment, CO2R ‐ CO 2 evolution rate, CO2T ‐ cumulative CO2 evolution, CONT ‐ controls, GRP ‐in vitro growth rate of P. ultimum, NCELL ‐ cellulose plus N treatment, ORIG ‐ original soils (pre-incubated), SAFS ‐ Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems project, SMBC ‐ soil microbial biomass C, SMBN ‐ soil microbial biomass N, SOC ‐ soluble organic C, TAN ‐ total available N.
Modeling Water Transport and Swelling in Polymer Electrolyte Membranes

The swelling of polymer electrolyte membranes with water uptake can lead to the formation of defects in the deposition and drying of catalyst layers from liquid catalyst ink on fuel cell membranes. A transient, nonuniform model of water transport and the relationship between swelling and stress is needed to help understand, predict, and control these defects. We present a one-dimensional version of such a model with experimental data that partially validate it. The model shows how the application of stress changes the concentration profile in a membrane, causing a swelling gradient. The model is the foundation for the prediction of swelling-induced distortions of membrane materials in a manufacturing environment.
A comparison of energy stock return models using Pitman closeness criterion

This paper compares the performance of stock return models for firms in the energy and various other industries. Using Pitman closeness criterion, we evaluate the performance of several popular pricing models, in an effort to determine if one outperforms the others. Consistent with previous literature, a review of the models and their performance over time, indicate that the Fama–French three–factor model and the Carhart four–factor models alternate as better predictors of cross–sectional stocks returns. When the study is restricted to more recent data, the Carhart model outperforms the other models for more portfolios. Additionally, by using a shock in the energy industry, we found that the model choice is indeed sensitive to the industry.
Structural and thermodynamic analysis of compensating mutations within the core of chicken egg white lysozyme.

High resolution crystal structures have been determined for six chicken-type lysozymes that were constructed to investigate putative intermediates in the evolution of the lysozymes of modern game birds (Malcolm, B. A., Wilson, K. P., Matthews, B. W., Kirsch, J. F., and Wilson, A. C. (1990) Nature 345, 86-89). The amino acid replacements include Thr-40—-Ser, Ile-55—-Val, and Ser-91—-Thr, as well as combinations of these substitutions. Residues 40, 55, and 91 are buried within the core of chicken lysozyme. The replacements therefore involve the insertion and/or removal of methyl groups from the protein interior. The mutant proteins have normal activities, and their thermal stabilities span a range of 7 degrees C, with some variants more stable and some less stable than the naturally occurring forms. Comparison of the crystal structures shows the overall structures to be very similar, but there are differences in the packing of side chains in the region of the replacements. The x-ray coordinates were used to evaluate the repacking of side chains in the protein interior and to attempt to evaluate the contributions of the different energetic interactions toward the overall stability of each variant. The results illustrate how proteins can compensate for potentially destabilizing substitutions in different ways and underscore the importance of high resolution structural data if changes in protein thermostability due to changes in protein sequence are to be understood. The findings also suggest that protein stability can be increased by mutations that lower strain in the protein interior while maintaining total buried hydrophobic surface area.
Sphingolipids in cancer

The bioactive sphingolipids including, ceramide, sphingosine, and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) have important roles in several types of signaling and regulation of many cellular processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, senescence, angiogenesis, and transformation. Recent accumulating evidence suggests that ceramide- and S1P-mediated pathways have been implicated in cancer development, progression, and chemotherapy. Ceramide mediates numerous cell-stress responses, such as induction of apoptosis and cell senescence, whereas S1P plays pivotal roles in cell survival, migration, and inflammation. These sphingolipids with opposing roles can be interconverted within cells, suggesting that the balance between them is related to cell fate. Importantly, these sphingolipids are metabolically related through actions of enzymes including ceramidases, ceramide synthases, sphingosine kinases, and S1P phosphatases thereby forming a network of metabolically interrelated bioactive lipid mediators whose importance in normal cellular function and diseases is gaining appreciation. In this review, we summarize involvement of sphingolipids and their related enzymes in pathogenesis and therapy of cancer and discuss future directions of sphingolipid field in cancer research.
Employing shape to aid magnetic resonance brain segmentation

As part of an ongoing project for automatic segmentation of magnetic resonance (MR) brain images, the use of a psychologically and neuropsychologically motivated representation of shape is explored. Shapes are recognized and learned in a translation and scale invariant manner, and then are used to aid segmentation. Object recognition is achieved after training the system to associate observed shapes and their relative locations with an object defined by a human expert. The inspiration and current implementation of a shape recognition module are described, together with some preliminary results. >
Wave propagation in cross-linked random fiber networks

We numerically investigate the propagation of small-amplitude elastic waves in random fiber networks. Our analysis reveals that the dynamic response of the system is not only controlled by its overall elasticity, but also by the local microstructure. In fact, we find that the longest fiber-segment plays a key role in dynamics when the network is excited with waves of short wavelength. In this case, the Bloch modes are highly non-affine as the longest segments oscillate close to their resonances. Based on this observation, we predict the low frequency dispersion curves of random fiber networks.
Indonesian Rainfall Variability: Impacts of ENSO and Local Air–Sea Interaction

Relationships between Indonesian rainfall and Indo-Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and circulation anomalies are investigated using observations for 1951-97. Indonesia receives significant rainfall year-round but experiences a wet season that peaks in January and a dry season that peaks in August. Dry season rainfall anomalies are spatially coherent, strongly correlated with SST, and tightly coupled to El Nino-Southern Oscil- lation (ENSO) variations in the Pacific basin. Drought conditions typically occur during El Nino, when SSTs surrounding Indonesia are cool and the Walker circulation is weakened, resulting in anomalous surface easterlies across Indonesia. The opposite tends to occur during La Nina. Broadscale Indonesian rainfall and SST anomalies tend to not persist from the dry season into the wet season. Rainfall in the heart of the wet season tends to be uncorrelated with SST and spatially incoherent. Seasonally varying feedback between Indonesian SST, winds, and rainfall explains the growth, persistence, and coherence of the local anomalies during the dry season and their decay or change in sign once the wet season commences. During the dry season anomalous surface easterlies, remotely driven by warm SSTs in the central Pacific during El Nino, act to increase local wind speed, cooling the ocean surrounding and to the east of Indonesia and thereby increasing the anomalous SST gradient across the Pacific. Hence, local rainfall and the Walker circulation are further reduced. Once the wet season commences and the climatological surface winds across Indonesia shift from southeasterly to northwesterly, the anomalous surface easterlies now act to reduce the wind speed. The initial cold SST anomaly is damped, reducing the negative rainfall anomalies and surface easterlies. The opposite scenario occurs during La Nina. Indonesian rainfall variations during the dry season are also coupled to the development of an anomalous zonal SST gradient in the equatorial Indian Ocean. This anomalous gradient is strongly related to ENSO and is most prominent during the dry season. Once the wet season commences, the entire Indian Ocean tends to have the same-signed SST anomaly (positive during El Nino and negative during La Nina). Development and decay of this anomalous zonal SST gradient in the Indian Ocean is promoted by seasonally varying air-sea interaction in the eastern Indian Ocean in response to ENSO conditions in the Pacific. The eastern Indian Ocean SST changes are driven largely by induced surface heat flux variations (primarily changes in latent heat flux and net shortwave radiation). Biennial variations in the Indonesian region may also be induced by this seasonally varying air-sea interaction associated with ENSO.
Least Maximum Entropy and Minimum Uncertainty Coherent States

A density matrix form of the Heisenberg uncertainty relation is obtained by means of the principle of maximum entropy (PME) subject to appropriate constraints. The least maximum entropy of zero is attained for the Heisenberg equality in concordance with the known property that the equality holds for appropriate pure states and their unitary equivalents. The case when the constraints involve expectations of a quadratic form in position and momentum operators is considered in detail. A few unitary transformations of importance, namely those corresponding to rotation in phase space, squeezing, and time evolution which leave the Heisenberg equality intact are discussed. The relation of these to the appropriately defined “correlated minimum uncertainty coherent states” are also discussed.
Securing rights in the twenty-first century: A comparison of the disability and older persons' rights conventions

ABSTRACTThis article assesses the outcome of the proposed UN Convention on the Rights of Older People (CROP) by comparing its political, economic, and social contexts with those of the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The research draws on interviews with those involved in the debates, nonparticipant observation, and analysis of primary and secondary literature. The article concludes that weakness of the aging advocacy network compared to the disability network and a relatively more closed political opportunity structure negatively influence the CROP's prospects. However, many of the hurdles proponents of the CROP face are similar to those faced at the beginning of the CRPD campaign, so progress and eventual adoption are possible. By comparison with the closely related CRPD, social scientists can better understand the institutional and contextual factors that influence campaign success in the contemporary context and advocates of the CROP can better anticipate roadblocks.
Comment on a Paper by Zachariades, Navard and Logan

ABSTRACTZachariades, Navard and Logan have stated in a recent paper that the electrohydrodynamic instabilities seen in low molecular weight nematics do not occur in polymeric nematics. This seems highly unlikely in view of the many similarities between the electric field effects seen in polymeric and low molecular weight nematic phases.
An index finger exoskeleton with series elastic actuation for rehabilitation

Rehabilitation of the hands is critical for the restoration of independence in activities of daily living for individuals exhibiting disabilities of the upper extremities. There is initial evidence that robotic devices with force-control-based strategies can help in effective rehabilitation of human limbs. However, to the best of our knowledge, none of the existing hand exoskeletons allow for accurate force or torque control. In this work, we present a novel index finger exoskeleton with Bowden-cable-based series elastic actuation allowing for bidirectional torque control of the device with high backdrivability and low reflected inertia. We present exoskeleton and finger joint torque controllers along with an optimization-based offline parameter estimator. Finally, we carry out tests with the developed prototype to characterize its kinematics, dynamics, and controller performance. Results show that the device preserves the characteristics of natural motion of finger and can be controlled to achieve both exoskeleton and finger joint torque control. Finally, dynamic transparency tests show that the device can be controlled to offer minimal resistance to finger motion. Beyond the present application of the device as a hand rehabilitation exoskeleton, it has the potential to be used as a haptic device for teleoperation.
The Functional Context Method of Instruction

This is a discussion of a method of instruction designed to replace conventional methods for training radio repairmen. In traditional radio repair instruction, basic electronics has been taught as a block of instruction preceding instruction on intact equipment and maintenance operations. This approach is criticized for its failure to provide the student with meaningful and relevant contexts for the learning of basic electronics and for the obstacles it presents to the assimilation of basic electronics knowledge into maintenance skills. A new approach, entitled the functional context method, is offered as a means for avoiding these shortcomings. This is accomplished through a topic sequence wherein basic electronics is taught in the broader contexts of over-all equipment functions and maintenance operations.
Automatic Calibration of Water Quality Models for Reservoirs and Lakes

One of the most important purposes of surface water resource management is to develop predictive models to assist in identifying and evaluating operational and structural measures for improving water quality. To better understand the effects of external and internal nutrient and organic loading and the effects of reservoir operation, a model is often developed, calibrated, and used for sensitivity and management simulations. The importance of modeling and simulation in the scientific community has drawn interest towards methods for automated calibration. This paper addresses using an automatic technique to calibrate of a 2-dimensional, hydrodynamic, and water quality model CEQUAL-W2 (Cole and Wells, 2013). CEQUAL-W2 is a two-dimensional (2D) longitudinal/vertical hydrodynamic and water quality model for surface water bodies, modeling eutrophication processes such as temperature-nutrient-algae-dissolved oxygen-organic matter and sediment relationships. The numerical method used for calibration in this paper is the particle swarm optimization method developed by Kennedy and Eberhart (1995) and inspired by the paradigm of birds flocking. The objective of this calibration procedure is to choose model parameters and coefficients affecting temperature, water elevation, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients (such as NH4, NO3, and PO4). A case study is presented for the Karkheh Reservoir in Iran with a capacity of more than 5 billion cubic meters that is the largest dam in Iran with both agricultural and drinking water usages. This algorithm is shown to perform very well for determining model parameters for the reservoir water quality and hydrodynamic model. Implications of the use of this procedure for other water quality models are also shown.
Preparation of Vitrified TEM Samples for the Direct Observation of Sol and Gel Structures

Direct observation of structure in liquid phase materials is made possible by a cryo-vitrification technique in which a thin liquid sample is frozen at a high cooling rate to prevent crystallization. We have applied this technique to observe the evolution of structure in ceramic sols and gels using TEM. The sample preparation technique is described in detail and results obtained from colloidal and polymeric sols and gels are presented to show the usefulness of the technique. Artifacts arising from radiation damage and beam heating are also discussed.
EPR Crystallography of Metalloproteins and Spin-Labeled Enzymes

Virtually every known physical technique has been employed in studies of biological macromolecules. For structural determination, X-ray crystallography can furnish the most detailed information. But sometimes this complex picture is hard to interpret unambiguously. Oftentimes a very sensitive probe of a particular atom or peptide will better serve the purpose of investigation. EPR has one great advantage when employed in the analysis of chemical binding and structure, in that only the paramagnetic atom concerned and its immediate neighbors have any effect on the observed spectrum, be it theg value, hyperfine splitting (hfs), superhyperfine splitting (shfs), zero field splitting (zfs), or anisotropy. Detailed information can therefore be obtained about this atom, such as its binding and orientation, without any doubt as to which atoms or groups are associated with the absorption lines. In addition, if the EPR data are combined with other measurements, such as X-ray determination of the polypeptide chain structure, then a very powerful means is at hand to obtain the greatest details of the structure of the molecule as a whole.
Analysis of water quality inspection results of rural centralized water supply in Longchuan

Objective:To understand the water quality of rural centralized water supply,and provide scientific basis for government departments to formulate measures.Methods:According to the "Standard test method for drinking water",water samples from rural centralized water supply in wet season and dry season were detected and analyzed from 2008 to 2012.Results:Eight hundred and eight water samples were collected from 75 centralized water supply plants,the qualified rate was 16.71%.The pass rates of water in dry season and wet season were18.07% and 15.35%,respectively.While the qualified rates of treated water and peripheral water were 21.04% and 12.38% respectively.Groundwater accounted for 9.33%,and surface water accounted for 90.67%.Complete processing accounted for 13.33%,only precipitation or filtration accounted for 86.67%.Conclusion:Poor water quality and serious microbial contamination were found in centralized water supply of Longchuan county,so comprehensive measures should be taken to strengthen the hygiene supervision and regular disinfection,preventing the outbreak of water-borne communicable diseases.
Prospects for power and particle exhaust with high-temperature liquid lithium divertors

Liquid metals are sometimes considered as an alternative material for plasma-facing components in fusion reactors and experiments. Among the liquid metals, lithium has been used in a number of experimental devices and has received significant attention. A significant question is whether liquid lithium can be used in systems requiring power exhaust as is found in typical power reactor divertors or limiter surfaces. Analysis of two liquid lithium concepts indicates that the maximum surface temperature sustainable in a confinement device. Analysis of the pre-sheath potential drop indicates strong trapping is expected and that electrical contact can be maintained even in strongly ionizing target regions. This is consistent with observations in recent experimental observations.
Hospital admission rates for pediatric multiple sclerosis in the United States using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS)

Abstract Background The onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) during childhood or adolescence is increasingly recognized in the United States. Administrative databases quantify healthcare utilization as measured by hospital admissions, providing insight into the impact of MS in the pediatric population. Objective We examine the frequency of hospital admissions for pediatric MS in the US using the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database. Methods Data was extracted from the PHIS database using the ICD-9 code for MS (340.00) and reviewed to verify case ascertainment. Mean, median, and range values were determined for the number of inpatient hospitalizations per patient, number of days in the hospital, and cost of each encounter. A trend analysis was performed to evaluate the annual frequency of MS-related admissions over the study period. Results After case verification, the PHIS database extraction reported 2068 hospital inpatient encounters for 1422 unique pediatric MS patients between 2004 and 2013. The median number of hospitalizations per patient was 2 with a median hospital stay of 4 days. Admission rates for MS increased from 2.37 per 10,000 in 2004 to 4.13 per 10,000 in 2013. Conclusion The number of admissions due to pediatric MS has increased since the start of the PHIS database collection, concurrent with increased disease awareness and the establishment of dedicated pediatric MS centers.
Suitability of FFT Spectra versus DPA Period Spectra for Identification of Arousal States

To detect changes in arousal which often occurred during long duration DC MEG studies in our study of migraine, we found the present clinical method inadequate. Small fluctuations of arousal can not be quantified using the 5 stage scores available for NREM arousal states [1]. In addition, this scale is not linearly related to changes in the spectral activity observed in the MEG data. Therefore, we developed a zero crossing period measurement technique [2] with a built-in frequency selection filter (dynamic period analysis, DPA). DPA produces a period based power spectrum quantifying the dominant waveform activity recorded in a segment of data. For all subjects, changes of arousal level resulted in characteristic changes in the corresponding DPA spectra. This motivated us to apply a principal component analysis [3] to extract a set of principal component spectra for quantifying the small changes of arousal which we needed to detect. A set of DPA spectra were used in this analysis. Two principal spectral components were extracted and used to construct a single arousal parameter. Unlike clinical arousal scores (awake, stage 1, etc.), this arousal parameter is continuous and allows us to detect even small changes of arousal and quantify the associated DPA spectral changes. Because FFT methods of spectral analysis are more familiar, we attempted to construct a similar set of arousal parameters based on FFT spectra generated from sequential epochs of MEG data for these subjects. Unfortunately, the principal component analysis of these FFT spectra did not extract component spectra which described a common set of arousal changes shared by all individuals. Rather than corresponding to arousal states, the two FFT principal components primarily formed a basis for differentiating between individual subjects.
The initiation of spermatogenesis and the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium

In mice, spermatogenesis begins with the transition of undifferentiated A spermatogonia to differentiating A1 spermatogonia. This process is dependent on the action of retinoic acid that likely is provided by the Sertoli cells. In the murine testis, the initiation occurs in periodic patches along the seminiferous tubules. These patches result from localized actions of retinoic acid and constitute the basis for asynchronous spermatogenesis in adults. The appearance of these patches represents pulses or gradients of retinoic acid activity, and the remaining questions concern how these patches of retinoic acid activity are initiated and maintained. The cellular localization of defined components of the retinoic acid metabolic pathway are defined by immunocytochemistry, cell-specific gene knockouts, and RiboTag mice, but the mechanism for controlling the pulses of retinoic acid in the patches is still obscure.
Die Zahl Vier

Die Zahl 4 hat etwas Ausgeglichenes, Symmetrisches an sich. Bridge wird von vier Spielern gespielt, zwei Parchen gegen oft gemeinsam aus, und die ublichen Tische haben vier Beine. Wir werden sehen, dass die Zahl auch bei vielen anderen Dingen, seien es vier Farben, vier Reisende oder vier Ecken, ein ideales Gleichgewicht halt. Ob Sie nun gerade in einem Auto mit vier Radern fahren oder auf einem schonen viereckigen Marktplatz stehen – freuen Sie sich uber die Zahl 4.
Achieving maximum throughput and minimum delay in heterogeneous Peer-to-Peer streaming networks

In this paper, we consider a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) streaming network with two types of peers: regular peers that can contribute one unit of upload bandwidth and selfish peers that cannot contribute any upload bandwidth. This model captures a practical scenario where real-time video is needed to broadcast not only to computers connected through high-speed Internet but also to mobile devices with limited and expensive upload bandwidth. The objective is to maximize the streaming rate guaranteed to each regular or selfish peer and minimize the delay for this content to be distributed to all peers. Using random Hamiltonian cycles, we propose a P2P streaming algorithm that can achieve (1 − 1/K)2 of the optimal streaming rate and O(logN) streaming delay for any fixed constant K > 2, where N denotes the number of peers in the network.
New role of mechanical assist device as bridge to transplant: USA perspective.

Purpose of review Cardiac transplant remains the gold standard of care for patients with end-stage heart failure. Unfortunately, due to the limited availability of donor hearts in the United States, not all eligible candidates are able to be transplanted. Since the introduction of mechanical assist devices for the treatment of advanced heart failure, patients gain a significant survival benefit while awaiting transplant. With rapidly evolving technology, it is important to appreciate the advances in the current use of mechanical assist devices. Recent findings Following a comprehensive analysis of novel therapies in end-stage heart failure, there is an enhancement in quality of life and life expectancy following implantation of left ventricular (LV) assist devices (LVADs). When implanted in suitable patients as bridge-to-transplant or 'destination therapy', recipients demonstrate superior outcomes and survival compared with those who remain on optimal medical therapy. Summary The use of LV assist devices (LVADs) as bridge to transplantation has gained popularity over the last decade. It is recognized as an integral treatment modality in end-stage heart failure to those awaiting heart transplantation. When implanted in the appropriately chosen patient, it is superior to medical treatment alone and has shown noninferiority to heart transplantation while allowing for optimal functional status and preservation of end organ function.
Highlighting Some Key Concepts and Issues in IB Research

Abstract: Are you sure of the meanings of such key IB concepts as "nonmarket," "public and private ordering," "political influence" and "precipitating circumstances?" Besides, do you know when research is truly international, that firms can legitimize their own actions, that the CEOs of MNEs can have "private cabinets" and depend significantly on external intermediaries, and that reciprocal behavior which is non-contractual in nature can substitute for or complement "make, buy or ally" under certain conditions? These ambiguous concepts and unsettled issues are analyzed here with whatever evidence is at hand and in the hope that you will pick up some of the challenges presented here. Keywords: Key concepts in IB research; unsettled IB issues
Predatory birds and ants partition caterpillar prey by body size and diet breadth

The effects of predator assemblages on herbivores are predicted to depend critically on predator-predator interactions and the extent to which predators partition prey resources. The role of prey heterogeneity in generating such multiple predator effects has received limited attention. Vertebrate and arthropod insectivores constitute two co-dominant predatory taxa in many ecosystems, and the emergent properties of their joint effects on insect herbivores inform theory on multiple predator effects as well as biological control of insect herbivores. Here we use a large-scale factorial manipulation to assess the extent to which birds and ants engage in antagonistic predator-predator interactions and the consequences of heterogeneity in herbivore body size and diet breadth (i.e. the diversity of host plants used) for prey partitioning. We excluded birds and reduced ant density (by 60%) in the canopies of eight northeastern USA deciduous tree species during two consecutive years and measured the community composition and traits of lepidopteran larvae (caterpillars). Birds did not affect ant density, implying limited intraguild predation between these taxa in this system. Birds preyed selectively upon large-bodied caterpillars (reducing mean caterpillar length by 12%) and ants preyed selectively upon small-bodied caterpillars (increasing mean caterpillar length by 6%). Birds and ants also partitioned caterpillar prey by diet breadth. Birds reduced the frequency dietary generalist caterpillars by 24%, while ants had no effect. In contrast, ants reduced the frequency of dietary specialists by 20%, while birds had no effect, but these effects were non-additive; under bird exclusion, ants had no detectable effect, while in the presence of birds, they reduced the frequency of specialists by 40%. As a likely result of prey partitioning by body size and diet breadth, the combined effects of birds and ants on total caterpillar density were additive, with birds and ants reducing caterpillar density by 44% and 20% respectively. These results show evidence for the role of prey heterogeneity in driving functional complementarity among predators and enhanced top-down control. Heterogeneity in herbivore body size and diet breadth, as well as other prey traits, may represent key predictors of the strength of top-down control from predator communities.
Abstract 1563: A machine learning approach to predict platform specific gene essentiality in cancer

Loss-of-function (LOF) screenings across a set of diverse cancer cell lines has the potential to reveal novel synthetic lethal interactions, cancer-specific vulnerabilities, and guide treatment options. These were traditionally done using shRNAs, but with the recent emergence of CRISPR technology there has been a shift in methodology. The Achilles project is to date the largest cancer LOF screening effort undertaken, however we found a large amount of inconsistency between their shRNA and CRISPR-Cas9 essentiality results for the same set of cell lines. Here we characterize the differences between genes found to be essential in either CRISPR or shRNA screens. We found that certain features such as gene expression, network connectivity and conservation could accurately separate out essential genes that were found exclusively in either one of these screens. This information could be tremendously useful in understanding the differences in the CRISPR and shRNA screening results. Furthermore, one limitation with Project Achilles was that they conducted shRNA screens on 216 cell lines, but only 33 cell lines in CRISPR. Therefore we developed a model that integrates these genetic, network, and population features to predict CRISPR results from shRNA screenings, and found that our model can accurately identify CRISPR essential genes better than approaches just based on the shRNA results (p-value Citation Format: Coryandar M. Gilvary, Neel S. Madhukar, Kaitlyn M. Gayvert, David S. Rickman, Olivier Elemento. A machine learning approach to predict platform specific gene essentiality in cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1563. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1563
NLRP3 Is a Critical Regulator of Inflammation and Innate Immune Cell Response during Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an atypical bacterial respiratory pathogen known to cause a range of airway inflammation and lung and extrapulmonary pathologies. We recently reported that an M. pneumoniae-derived ADP-ribosylating and vacuolating toxin called community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin is capable of triggering NLRP3 (NLR-family, leucine-rich repeat protein 3) inflammasome activation and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion in macrophages. However, it is unclear whether the NLRP3 inflammasome is important for the immune response during M. pneumoniae acute infection. In the current study, we utilized in vitro and in vivo models of M. pneumoniae infection to characterize the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome during acute infection. M. pneumoniae-infected macrophages deficient for inflammasome components NLRP3, ASC (apoptosis speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain), or caspase-1 failed to process and secrete IL-1β. The MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway was found to be critical for proinflammatory gene expression in macrophages infected with M. pneumoniae C57BL/6 mice deficient for NLRP3 expression were unable to produce IL-1β in the airways during acute infection, and lack of this inflammatory response led to deficient immune cell activation and delayed bacterial clearance. These findings are the first to report the importance of the NLRP3 inflammasome in regulating the inflammatory response and influencing the progression of M. pneumoniae during acute infection.
Analysis of monitored ground support and rock mass response in a longwall tailgate entry

Abstract A comprehensive monitoring program was conducted to measure the rock mass displacements, support response, and stress changes at a longwall tailgate entry in West Virginia. Monitoring was initiated a few days after development of the gateroad entries and continued during passage of the longwall panels on both sides of the entry. Monitoring included overcore stress measurements of the initial stress within the rock mass, changes in cable bolt loading, standing support pressure, roof deformation, rib deformation, stress changes in the coal pillar, and changes in the full three-dimensional stress tensor within the rock mass at six locations around the monitoring site. During the passage of the first longwall, stress measurements in the rock and coal detected minor changes in loading while minor changes were detected in roof deformation. As a result of the relatively favorable stress and geological conditions, the support systems did not experience severe loading or rock deformation until the second panel approached within 10–15 m of the instrumented locations. After reaching the peak loading at about 50–75 mm of roof sag, the cable bolts started to unload, and load was transferred to the standing supports. The standing support system was able to maintain an adequate opening inby the shields to provide ventilation to the first crosscut inby the face, as designed. The results were used to calibrate modeled cable bolt response to field data, and to validate numerical modeling procedures that have been developed to evaluate entry support systems. It is concluded that the support system was more than adequate to control the roof of the tailgate up to the longwall face location. The monitoring results have provided valuable data for the development and validation of support design strategies for longwall tailgate entries.
Characterization of the facial microbiome in twins discordant for rosacea

Previously, we determined that genetic and environmental factors contributed equally towards rosacea in twins. To assess an environmental factor, we characterized the malar cheek bacterial microbiome from twins discordant for rosacea. We found no significant difference in facial microbiome alpha and beta diversity between related twins discordant for rosacea. However, the relative percentage abundance of Gordonia and Geobacillus, low-abundant genera, was positively and negatively associated with rosacea severity, respectively. Our data demonstrate a significant correlation between facial microbiome and severity of rosacea in genetically matched twins and importantly that overall microbiome composition is largely unchanged.
Risks, Returns, and Correlations for Global Private Real Estate Markets

Executive Summary.This paper attempts to provide estimates of the main inputs for constructing a global private real estate portfolio. Existing market sizes are examined in terms of both total and ...
EDISYS: A Tool for Enhancing Design Inquiry

The educational technology field’s capability to contribute to widespread educational improvement can be enhanced by redirecting and more sufficiently developing our approaches to inquiry. Several steps that can be taken include (1) embracing design as a unique and essential form of inquiry, (2) developing design inquiry systems, which integrate design and research and which embrace systems concepts and principles more fully than we have to date, and (3) developing tools/technologies for strengthening these systems and, potentially as a result, design practice, design education, and design cases. This chapter describes an example of a tool, an Enhanced Design Inquiry System (EDISYS).