cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intersections of family homelessness, CPS involvement, and race in Alameda County, California

The homelessness and child protective services (CPS) systems are closely linked. This study examines the patterns and sequence of families' involvement with homeless shelters and CPS, as well as whether involvement in each system predicts involvement in the other using linked administrative records for 258 families recruited in emergency shelters in Alameda County, California. More than half of families were reported to CPS at some point, but less than one-fifth ever had a report substantiated. Reports that were uninvestigated or unfounded increased in the months leading up to shelter entry and spiked immediately afterward, but substantiations and child removals increased only later. Shelter use before study entry was associated with CPS referrals and investigations after study entry, although not with substantiated cases or child removals. However, CPS involvement before study entry was not associated with returns to shelter after study entry. These results imply that an unsubstantiated report of neglect or abuse may serve as an early warning signal for homelessness and that preventive strategies aiming to affect both homeless and child protective systems should focus on reducing homelessness. CPS workers should evaluate families' housing needs and attempt to link families to appropriate resources. Black families were disproportionately referred to CPS after shelter entry after controlling for other family characteristics, but race was not associated with substantiations of neglect or abuse or with child removals. Findings lend modest support to human decision-making and institutional explanations of racial disproportionalities in CPS involvement, especially for reporters outside of the CPS system.
The first Ladino travelogue: Moses Almosnino’s treatise on the extremes of Constantinople

In 1566–67, a renowned Sephardi rabbi of Salonica, Moses Almosnino, produced a multi-part vernacular work, a Romanized and abridged adaptation of which was published in Madrid in 1638 under the title Extremos y grandezas de Constantinopla. Since that moment, Almosnino’s multi-part and multi-genre work, eventually published in full as Cronica de los reyes otomanos, has been known as a travelogue. The third part of the full version in particular has been invariably described as a picturesque travel account of Constantinople, and its author as a keen observer. In this article, I will show that what has been taken for a trustworthy description of the Ottoman capital is, in fact, an idiosyncratic representation of this city in the form of a medieval treatise on its alleged climatic, socioeconomic, and moral extremes. Furthermore, rather than conveying Almosnino’s impressions in his own terms, this account heavily depends on several intertexts, including works by Hippocrates, Aristotle, Maimonides, Ibn Sinna, and other classical and medieval authors. As will become clear, due to its intertextuality, this work – one of the most misinterpreted in Sephardi literature – cannot be treated as a reliable source on Constantinople
COTSBots: computationally powerful, low-cost robots for Computer Science curriculums

The incorporation of robots in the Computer Science (CS) classroom can increase excitement and engagement, improve enrollment and retention, and bring relevance to a variety of study areas. Appropriately designed robots and curricular materials can serve as a tool for teaching a host of important subjects, such as mobile device programming, networking, image processing, and artificial intelligence. We believe educational experiences with robots will become an increasingly important part of a well-rounded CS education. However, we find that the majority of commercially available robots, while well-designed and appealing to other engineering disciplines are in fact overpriced, under-powered, and not well designed for the software emphasis found in CS programs. As an alternative we have used Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) design principles and student input through two directed study courses to design, build, and test robots that we believe are better suited to a CS audience. In this paper we describe our approach to affordable educational robots for CS. We provide basic designs, and give examples of several projects that can be done with them (more detailed designs and instructions are available at our website cotsbots.wordpress.com). Our hope is that this will encourage other educators to copy our designs and put cheap, computationally powerful, and educationally effective robots in the CS classroom.
Transitional justice and democratisation nexus: Challenges of confronting legacies of past injustices and promoting reconciliation within weak institutions in Kenya

Following the post-election violence (PEV) of 2007–8, which almost jettisoned the country into civil war, Kenya put in place a number of transitional justice mechanisms, such as truth telling, as a peacebuilding strategy. One of the major recommendations of Kenya’s Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) is the creation of institutions and mechanisms for peacebuilding, reconciliation, and early warning with a view towards harmonising their activities and adopting a coordinated approach. This article explicates the centrality of democratic institutional reforms in the process of reconciliation, peacebuilding, and long-term stability. In tackling the notion of national reconciliation as a central pillar in post-conf lict recovery and peacebuilding, this paper proposes that reconciliation happens within strong and properly functioning institutions of governance that are supportive of transitional justice mechanisms. Based on the transitional justice process in Kenya and building upon a view of reconciliation as a process, rather than an end, this paper argues that strengthening institutions that function within governance structures will go a long way towards placing Kenya on the path to reconciliation, national cohesion, and long term stability. Keywords : Kenya, transitional justice, democratisation, reconciliation, institutional reforms, TJRC
Nanomechanical Properties of Nanostructures and Scale Effects

Structural integrity is of paramount importance in all devices. Load applied during the use of devices can result in component failure. Cracks can develop and propagate under tensile stresses, leading to failure. Knowledge of the mechanical properties of nanostructures is necessary for the design of realistic micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS /NEMS ) and biological micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (bioMEMS/bioNEMS) devices. Elastic and inelastic properties are needed to predict deformation from an applied load in the elastic and inelastic regimes respectively. The strength property is needed to predict the allowable operating limit. Some properties of interest are hardness, elastic modulus, bending strength, fracture toughness, and fatigue strength. Many of the mechanical properties are scale dependent. Therefore, these should be measured at relevant scales. Atomic force microscopy and nanoindenters can be used to evaluate the mechanical properties of micro/nanoscale structures.
Analysis of local versus imported expanded criteria donor kidneys: A single-center experience with 497 ECD kidney transplants.

Background The value of importing expanded criteria donor (ECD) kidneys is uncertain. Methods We retrospectively reviewed our single-center experience with ECD kidney transplants (KT). Results Over 12.8 years, we performed 497 ECD KTs including 247 local and 250 imported from other donor service areas. The import ECD group had more donors (16% vs 9%) ≥ age 70, more zero human leukocyte antigen mismatches (14% vs 2%), more KTs with a cold ischemia time >30 hours (46% vs 19%), and fewer kidneys managed with pump preservation (78% vs 92%, all P≤.05) compared to the local ECD group. Mean Kidney Donor Profile Index were 80% import vs 84% local. With a mean follow-up of 55 months, actual patient and graft survival rates were 71% and 58% in import vs 76% and 58% in local ECD KTs, respectively. Death-censored graft survival rates were 70% in import vs 69% in local ECD KTs. Delayed graft function occurred in 28% import vs 23% local ECD KTs (P=NS) whereas the incidence of primary nonfunction was slightly higher with import ECD kidneys (4.8% vs 2.4%, P=.23). Conclusions Midterm outcomes are remarkably similar for import vs local ECD KTs, suggesting that broader sharing of ECD kidneys may improve utilization without compromising outcomes.
The Effects of Differentially Computed Factor Scores on Statistical Decisions

Factor scores generated via five different computational procedures were used, independently, as dependent variables in 117 univariate analyses of variance, 18 multivariate analyses of variance, 18 multiple discriminant analyses, and 14 canonical correlation analyses. Significance probabilities and their associated F ratios and chi-square. values were examined across the scoring methods to determine which of the differentially computed scores produced the smallest probability in each statistical test. Obtained frequencies (of smallest p values) were submitted to an appropriate chi-square test to contrast the effectiveness of the scoring procedures in the various statistical analyses. The results indicated no significant differences (at alpha =.05) in the observed versus expected frequencies across the five factor score algorithms in the univariate or multivariate tests. However a recurrent trend shown in the data suggests that the regressions technique may be the most effective way to compute subjects’ factor scores when they are to be subsequently used as criterion variables in statistical analyses.
Unfounded dumbfounding: How harm and purity undermine evidence for moral dumbfounding

Abstract Two paradigm-shifting ideas have gained widespread influence in current accounts of moral cognition: (a) that moral judgments are pluralistic, extending beyond domains of harm and fairness, and (b) that people’s judgments are driven primarily by intuition, such that people are “morally dumbfounded” about the reasons behind their own judgments. An ongoing debate has emerged regarding the former claim of moral pluralism, with opposing sides in disagreement about whether moral judgments are best understood as reflecting multiple moral domains vs. a single moral domain. The current analysis demonstrates that however this debate concerning pluralism is resolved, evidence of moral dumbfounding is undermined. This evidentiary basis for intuitive moral judgment is therefore not well supported, and additional evidence indicates that moral judgments are more reasoned and malleable than the dumbfounding account would allow.
Creating a World-Class Program through Training and Certification

The animal research field has gotten more sophisticated with the use of genetically engineered animals, biohazardous agents, and advanced technologies. Trained and competent personnel are a cornerstone of any animal care and use program. Individual career success is a combination of education, experience, continuing competence, professional development, and personal commitment. Integration of training and certification into programs demonstrate institutional commitment to quality research and enhance the program by providing staff with knowledge and training to address problems and situation that arise and to perform their job in a professional and effective manner. Professional development programs offered through the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science-including the AALAS Learning Library and the AALAS certification process-will be presented.
KRAS: The Critical Driver and Therapeutic Target for Pancreatic Cancer

RAS genes (HRAS, KRAS, and NRAS) comprise the most frequently mutated oncogene family in human cancer. With the highest RAS mutation frequencies seen with the top three causes of cancer deaths in the United States (lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer), the development of anti-RAS therapies is a major priority for cancer research. Despite more than three decades of intense effort, no effective RAS inhibitors have yet to reach the cancer patient. With bitter lessons learned from past failures and with new ideas and strategies, there is renewed hope that undruggable RAS may finally be conquered. With the KRAS isoform mutated in 84% of all RAS-mutant cancers, we focus on KRAS. With a near 100% KRAS mutation frequency, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is considered the most RAS-addicted of all cancers. We review the role of KRAS as a driver and therapeutic target in PDAC.
Crytotanshinone Induces the Maturation of Human Dendritic Cells through Activation of NF-kB, p38 and JNK MAPKs

Danshen or Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is often used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the treatment of a variety of diseases including cancer. Cryptotanshinone and tanshinone II are two major tanshinones isolated from the roots of Danshen. In this study, we found that cryptotanshinone, but not tanshinone II, possesses the capacity to induce maturation of human dendritic cells (DCs). Treatment of human monocyte-derived DCs with cryptotanshinone upregulated DC surface expression of costimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86) and HLA-DR, as well as DC production of proinflammatory cytokines. In addition, DCs treated with cryptotanshinone acquired the capacity to migrate in response to CCL21/SLC, suggesting the upregulation of CCR7. Cryptotanshinone treatment reduced the level of I-kBa in DCs, indicative of NF-kB activation. Cryptotanshinone also increased the levels of phosphorylated p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), but not phosphorylated Erks. Thus, cryptotanshinone can induce the maturation of human DCs through activation of NF-kB, p38 and JNK MAPKs, and may have the capacity to promote adaptive immune responses.
Trisaminohexyl isocyanurate, a urinary biomarker of HDI isocyanurate exposure.

Abstract Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI)-containing spray-paints is limited to analysis of metabolites of HDI monomer although polymeric HDI isocyanurate constitutes the predominant inhalation and skin exposure for workers in the automotive paint industry. A novel method using nanoflow ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (nano-UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) was developed to quantify trisaminohexyl isocyanurate (TAHI), a hydrolysis product of HDI isocyanurate, in the urine of spray-painters. Analytical and internal standards were synthesized in-house and weighted linear regression calibration curves were generated using spiked control urine from non-exposed persons (0.06–7.98 μg/L; N = 13; w = x−2; r = 0.998). Urine samples collected from 15 exposed workers (N = 111) were subjected to acid hydrolysis and extracted with dichloromethane, then derivatized with acetic anhydride. The derivatized product, trisacetamidohexyl isocyanurate (TAAHI), was analyzed using nano-UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The protocol was sensitive and specific for analysis of TAHI in the urine of exposed workers with a method detection limit at 0.03 μg/L. TAHI was detected in 33 of 111 urine samples and in 11 of 15 workers. This biomarker for HDI isocyanurate is critical to determine the relative potency and dose-relationships between the monomer and oligomer exposure on the development of diisocyanate induced health effects in future studies.
LinkNBed: Multi-Graph Representation Learning with Entity Linkage

Knowledge graphs have emerged as an important model for studying complex multi-relational data. This has given rise to the construction of numerous large scale but incomplete knowledge graphs encoding information extracted from various resources. An effective and scalable approach to jointly learn over multiple graphs and eventually construct a unified graph is a crucial next step for the success of knowledge-based inference for many downstream applications. To this end, we propose LinkNBed, a deep relational learning framework that learns entity and relationship representations across multiple graphs. We identify entity linkage across graphs as a vital component to achieve our goal. We design a novel objective that leverage entity linkage and build an efficient multi-task training procedure. Experiments on link prediction and entity linkage demonstrate substantial improvements over the state-of-the-art relational learning approaches.
Investigation of affecting parameters on the effective modulus and natural frequency of wavy carbon nanotubes

Abstract Wavy carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are ubiquitously present in high-aspect-ratio CNT arrays used in advanced device applications. This paper investigates the effective modulus and natural frequency of wavy CNTs that have random, sinusoidal, or helical structures. Parameters such as loading deviation angle, boundary condition, and low shear modulus are considered. It was found that loading deviation could cause 3–4 orders modulus reduction for sinusoidal and helical CNTs at small waviness ratio. In contrast, there is slight modulus enhancement by a small loading deviation for randomly wavy CNTs. By applying pined or fixed boundary condition at the loading end, the moduli of wavy CNTs may be enhanced by up to 4 orders in magnitude. As another critical parameter, low shear modulus (∼50 MPa) may cause significant modulus reduction only for helical CNTs, about 2 orders of magnitude due to large shear and torsional deformation. The natural frequencies of wavy CNTs were also computed, showing that helical CNTs generally have lower frequency than other wavy CNTs. Furthermore, very low shear modulus could result in significant frequency reduction for helical CNTs, but has limited effect on random or sinusoidal CNTs. With the high sensitivity to shear modulus, helical CNTs are thus more desirable in the electric-field-induced resonance testing used for CNT property characterization. The findings on the properties of wavy CNTs can provide fundamental guidelines for the design of CNT arrays or CNT-based composites.
Ornamental Diseases Incited by Rhizoctonia Spp.

Both multinucleate, Rhizoctonia solani, and to a much lesser extent binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. fungi cause diseases in ornamental crops grown in greenhouses, nurseries, and the landscape. This chapter includes information on some of the most important ornamental diseases, crops attacked, symptoms, pathogens, epidemiology, and a discussion of control strategies somewhat unique to ornamentals. Although Rhizoctonia spp. are primarily pathogens of ornamentals, some may be useful biological control agents for ornamental diseases (see below) and others are endophytes of orchids important for plant development (Sneh et al., 1991).
ON LETTING ADAPTIVE CONTROL BE WHAT IT IS: NONLINEAR FEEDBACK1

This talk is a tutorial presentation of a new approach to adaptive control of linear systems. In this approach we abandon the traditional linear certainty-equivalence concept and treat the control of linear plants with unknown parameters as a nonlinear problem. We develop a recursive design procedure which guarantees strict passivity of the adaptation loop. The states of the resulting adaptive system converge to a manifold whose dimension is smaller than with any previous scheme. A simulation comparison with a standard indirect linear scheme shows that the new nonlinear controller achieves superior transient performance without an increase in control effort.
Using Modeling and simulation in the Analysis and Design of Information Systems.

Abstract Structured Systems Analysis and Design (SSAD) is a methodology currently used by many data processing professionals in the analysis, design and implementation of information systems (IS). The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology to model and simulate dynamic system requirements and specifications, and to suggest the necessary enhancements to the systems notation of SSAD. The methodology and enhancements to the tools of SSAD are referred to as dynamic systems, analysis, design and evaluation (DSADE). The enhanced methodology includes experimental design and analysis of simulation runs of the models. In addition, the use of the enhancements to one of the graphical tools of SSAD, data flow diagrams (DFD), is explained. An example analysis of a banking information system illustrates the methodology and techniques.
Spontaneous Alternation Behavior and the Brain

One strategy for writing this chapter would have been to prepare an immense list of all studies linking spontaneous alternation behavior to brain lesions or drugs. Our minds thoroughly boggled, we could then have identified a few missing items in the list and agreed that further research was necessary. I believe, however, that even though there are many studies crying out to be done, it is possible to make considerable sense out of the staggering amount of evidence already in existence. The results of hundreds of alternation experiments do tell a story—two quite different stories, in fact. And these stories reveal more than why a rat turns right or left in a T maze. The alternating rat is trying to tell us how the brain works, and my intent in writing this chapter is to convey to you what the alternating rat tells me.
Gender and Its Impact on Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States, accounting for nearly half of all deaths and considerable morbidity. Data from epidemiologic studies and randomized clinical trials indicate that many of the risk factors for CVD and strategies for preventing disease are similar for men and women. However, the magnitude of their effects may differ depending on sex. For example, although the correlation of several major risk factors—cigarette smoking, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia—with coronary heart disease (CHD) is comparable in both sexes, other risk factors—such as diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, and abdominal obesity—appear to be particularly deleterious to the cardiovascular health of women. Still other exposures—such as use of oral contraceptives (OCs) and postmenopausal hormone therapy (PHT)—are obviously unique to women. This chapter reviews the main established and novel risk factors, including the inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP), and preventive strategies for CVD among women.
Language Change: Probabilistic Models

Language change is gradual and takes place at the level of the population, not just at the level of the individual. Probabilistic models of language change have attempted to account for the spread of a new variant as a result of learners' responses to a variable environment, speakers' variable behavior, and properties of the population. Aspects of change accounted for in this way include the bias of learners towards one variant, the spread of a variant from one linguistic environment to another, and the rate of spread over time.
Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of doubly trans-spanning bis(dialkyl selenide) complexes; a new route to diselenamacrocycles via alkene metathesis in metal coordination spheres

Abstract The reaction of selenium with NaBH4 and Br(CH2)6CH=CH2 (2.0 equiv each) gives the dialkyl selenide Se((CH2)6CH=CH2)2 (91% after workup) which is combined with PtCl2 (0.5 equiv, toluene) to give trans-PtCl2(Se((CH2)6CH=CH2)2)2 (10, 85%). The reaction of 10 and Grubbs' first generation catalyst yields macrocyclic (11, 60%) as a mixture of syn/anti isomers with respect to the selenium lone pairs. The reaction of 11 and Ph2Zn gives the diphenyl complex (12, 86%; mixture of isomers). When 11 is treated with H2 under conditions that hydrogenate related diphosphine complexes (5 bar, 50 °C, (Ph3P)3RhCl or PtO2, CH2Cl2), no reaction occurs. Under more forcing conditions, (8 bar, 85 °C, Pd/C, C2H5OH), 11 and 12 give the demetalated diselenamacrocycle Se(C14H28)2Se (13; 72-67%). The crystal structures of 11 and 12 show anti selenium lone pairs and trans C=C linkages; that of 13 exhibits columns of extended macrocycles.
Paraplegia After Basketball Play: A Case of Spinal Cord Infarction Secondary to Fibrocartilaginous Embolization.

ABSTRACT Pediatric emergency medicine providers must be astute at generating the differential diagnosis and performing the appropriate evaluation to promptly determine the underlying cause of new onset paraplegia. Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is a potential etiology of paraplegia in children, and fibrocartilaginous embolization is a rare underlying cause of SCI. We present an illustrative case of SCI secondary to fibrocartilaginous embolization in an otherwise healthy adolescent who developed symptoms of spinal cord dysfunction after basketball play.
Anterior Lumbar and Lumbosacral Approach: Transperitoneal

En bloc resection of specific spine lesions is associated with decreased local recurrence, improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and increased survival. Three main approaches exist for en bloc resection of spinal lesions: vertebrectomy, sagittal resection, and resection of the posterior elements. Of these, posterior vertebrectomy is often the preferred approach for centrally located lesions of the vertebral body. However, very large lesions of the vertebral body, lesions with significant anterior paravertebral extension, or lesions impinging upon major blood vessels may require an anterior/transperitoneal approach. The anterior approach allows for direct visualization of the vertebral body and surrounding structures such as the great vessels. A transperitoneal approach may be combined with posterior instrumentation in a multistage procedure. Large lesions of the vertebral body can be successfully resected en bloc using an anterior or combined anterior/posterior approach.
Mindreading as Engagement: Active Spectators and “The Strangers’ Case”

Helms argues that mindreading is an engaged process for readers and spectators, for they risk becoming implicated in the creation of characters. While much mindreading can occur automatically and unconsciously, both inference and imagination draw upon the mindreader’s own knowledge and experiences to flesh out the target of mindreading. As such, all literary characters are constructed, in part, from a mindreader’s own mind. Helms illustrates this engagement through Shakespeare’s “The Strangers’ Case,” a monologue that Shakespeare added to Munday and Chettle’s Sir Thomas More. In the monologue, Thomas More uses inference and imagination to persuade a riotous, xenophobic crowd of Londoners to lay down their weapons and adopt the perspectives of the strangers in their city. Shakespeare depicts the power of mindreading to quell strife and to promote compassionate thought.
Enterorenal Fistula as an Unusual Complication from Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy: A Case Report.

Background: This case highlights an enterorenal fistula as a rare complication from ureteroscopic lithotripsy. Case Presentation: A 56-year-old woman with significant obesity, decompensated cirrhotic and ascitic liver disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and nephrolithiasis treated with five prior ureteroscopic lithotripsies for a partial left staghorn stone presented to the emergency department (ED) with worsening left flank pain and sepsis. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast showed a large left perinephric hematoma. She underwent drain placement and during fluoroscopic imaging, there was a fistula from the left subcapsular hematoma/abscess to the proximal descending colon. The patient wished to proceed with a surgical course involving nephrectomy with hemicolectomy despite extensive counseling regarding her high mortality risk. However, because of worsening nutritional status as well as several other high-risk comorbidities, a shared decision was made with the patient to postpone the procedure. The patient was discharged to a skilled nursing facility for nutritional optimization and prehabilitation; however, she continued to decline with recurrent sepsis and cirrhosis-related complications and unfortunately passed away. Conclusion: A subscapular hematoma evolving into a perinephric abscess is a rare but known complication of ureteroscopic lithotripsy; however, this patient developed an enterorenal fistula that has yet to be reported after repeated ureteroscopy.
‘Castillo blueprint’: How young children in multilingual contexts demonstrate and extend literacy and numeracy practices in play:

Accountability mandates linked to state education standards and assessments have largely replaced play in early childhood classrooms. This approach limits educators' opportunities by preventing the...
Designing CO2-Responsive Multifunctional Nanoscale Fluids with Tunable Hydrogel Behavior for Subsurface Energy Recovery

The ability to direct subsurface fluid flow or achieve a high level of control on permeability in subsurface environments necessitates the development of tunable novel subsurface fluids. These mult...
Whole exome and whole transcriptome sequencing in melanoma patients to identify mechanisms of resistance to combined RAF/MEK inhibition.

9015 Background: The RAF inhibitors vemurafenib and dabrafenib (D) and the MEK inhibitor trametinib (T) improve survival as monotherapies in BRAF-mutant melanoma. Since clinical mechanisms of resis...
Patient Criteria for Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: Are There Exclusion Criteria?

With an increased focus on minimally invasive surgery, rapid postoperative recovery and mimicking of native knee kinematics, unicondylar knee arthroplasty has recently gained in popularity. While contraindications to this surgery have classically been defined, recent studies have raised the possibility of expanding surgical indications. This chapter will identify recent controversies in indications for unicondylar knee arthroplasty, and it will review recent data suggesting that historical indications be revisited.
Robot Sex: Social and Ethical Implications

Artificial intelligence technologies are continuously advancing. As such, all “social” robots, including sex robots, are becoming more lifelike and accessible. This book is an important addition to...
Efficient high-pass filtering with practical, high-yield X-ray transmission mirror optics

Although the concept, first demonstration, and potential applications of X-ray transmission mirrors (XTMs) were initially described over 30 years ago, only a few implementations exist in the literature. This is attributed to the unsolved challenge of a thick frame supporting a thin, reflecting membrane which does not itself block the transmitted beam. Here, we introduce a novel approach to solve this problem by employing silicon microfabrication. A robust XTM frame has been fabricated by using a novel two-step etch process, which secures the thin-film membrane without blocking the transmitted beam. Specifically, we have fabricated delicate XTM optics with 90% yield, which consist of 280-nm-thick low-stress silicon nitride membrane windows that are 1.5 mm wide and 125 mm long on silicon substrates. The XTM optics have been demonstrated to be a more efficient high-pass X-ray filter; for example, when configured for 40% transmission of 11.3 keV photons, we measure the reduction of 8.4 keV photons by a factor of 56.
Mass spectrometry based‐proteomic analysis of anisakis spp.: A preliminary study towards a new diagnostic tool

Anisakiasis is nowadays a well-known infection, mainly caused by the accidental ingestion of Anisakis larvae, following the consumption of raw or undercooked fishes and cephalopods. Due to the similarity of symptoms with those of common gastrointestinal disorders, this infection is often underestimated, and the need for new specific diagnostic tools is becoming crucial. Given the remarkable impact that MALDI-TOF MS biotyping had in the last decade in clinical routine practice for the recognition of bacterial and fungi strains, a similar scenario could be foreseen for the identification of parasites, such as nematodes. In this work, a MALDI-TOF MS profiling of Anisakis proteome was pursued with a view to constructing a first spectral library for the diagnosis of Anisakis infections. At the same time, a shotgun proteomics approach by LC-ESI-MS/MS was performed on the two main fractions obtained from protein extraction, to evaluate the protein species enriched by the protocol. A set of MALDI-TOF MS signals associated with proteins originating in the ribosomal fraction of the nematode extract was selected as a potential diagnostic tool for the identification of Anisakis spp.
Review of Ocular Injuries in Patients with Orbital Wall Fractures: A 5-Year Retrospective Analysis.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of minor and major ocular injuries in patients with orbital wall fractures at Loma Linda University Health, a level-one trauma center, to help determine the most appropriate setting for the initial dilated fundus examination by ophthalmologists. Methods A retrospective study was performed from January 2008 to January 2013 of patients diagnosed with orbital wall fracture secondary to trauma. Exclusion criteria included unknown mechanism of injury, the absence of ophthalmology consultation, or absence of imaging. Data collected included age, gender, mechanism of injury, visual acuity, and anterior/posterior segment findings. Ocular injuries were categorized as either minor or major. Results Of 567 charts reviewed, 460 met criteria and were included for analysis. In the analysis, 86.5% of patients were male, and 81.3% were Caucasian. The most common mechanism of orbital fracture was blunt injury. Visual acuity was better than 20/100 in 82.4% of patients. On chart review, 81.1% of patients were found to have either a minor injury, a major injury, or both. The most common injury was subconjunctival hemorrhage (53.5%). Globe rupture (2.9%) and vision-threatening posterior segment findings such as retinal tear and choroidal rupture (1.3%) were relatively rare. Only one retinal detachment (0.2%) was found, specifically in the setting of severe injury with concomitant globe rupture. Conclusion Knowledge of the common ocular injuries associated with orbital fractures will help emergency department (ED) physicians and ophthalmologists provide the dilated fundus exam in the most appropriate setting. The most frequent injuries identified were non-vision threatening, and visually significant posterior segment findings were relatively rare (1.3%). Thus, for the majority of patients presenting to the ED with orbital fracture, a dilated fundus exam can be performed at a later date in the outpatient clinic setting, unless urgent orbital fracture surgery is planned.
LRIG1, a regulator of stem cell quiescence and a pleiotropic feedback tumor suppressor.

LRIG1, leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains protein 1, was discovered more than 20 years ago and has been shown to be downregulated or lost, and to function as a tumor suppressor in several cancers. Another well-reported biological function of LRIG1 is to regulate and help enforce the quiescence of adult stem cells (SCs). In both contexts, LRIG1 regulates SC quiescence and represses tumor growth via, primarily, antagonizing the expression and activities of ERBB and other receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). We have recently reported that in treatment-naive human prostate cancer (PCa), LRIG1 is primarily regulated by androgen receptor (AR) and is prominently overexpressed. In castration-resistant PCa (CRPC), both LRIG1 and AR expression becomes heterogeneous and, frequently, discordant. Importantly, in both androgen-dependent PCa and CRPC models, LRIG1 exhibits tumor-suppressive functions. Moreover, LRIG1 induction inhibits the growth of pre-established AR+ and AR- PCa. Here, upon a brief introduction of the LRIG1 and the LRIG family, we provide an updated overview on LRIG1 functions in regulating SC quiescence and repressing tumor development. We further highlight the expression, regulation and functions of LRIG1 in treatment-naive PCa and CRPC. We conclude by offering the perspectives of identifying novel cancer-specific LRIG1-interacting signaling partners and developing LRIG1-based anti-cancer therapeutics and diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers.
A model-based exploratory study of sulfur dioxide dispersions from concentrated animal feeding operations in the Southeastern United States

In the Southeastern U. S. there are Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) that emit a variety of gases, including SO2. Sulfur is emitted as reduced sulfur compounds and can react in the at...
Privacy and Integrity Preserving Training Using Trusted Hardware.

Privacy and security-related concerns are growing as machine learning reaches diverse application domains. The data holders want to train with private data while exploiting accelerators, such as GPUs, that are hosted in the cloud. However, Cloud systems are vulnerable to attackers that compromise the privacy of data and integrity of computations. This work presents DarKnight, a framework for large DNN training while protecting input privacy and computation integrity. DarKnight relies on cooperative execution between trusted execution environments (TEE) and accelerators, where the TEE provides privacy and integrity verification, while accelerators perform the computation heavy linear algebraic operations.
Al-Anon Intensive Referral (AIR): A qualitative formative evaluation for implementation

Abstract Introduction The Al-Anon mutual-help program helps concerned others (COs; e.g., families, friends) of persons with excessive alcohol use. Despite widespread availability of Al-Anon meetings, participation is limited and little is known about how to best facilitate engagement. Al-Anon Intensive Referral (AIR) was developed to facilitate COs' engagement in Al-Anon and is being tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Toward the end of the recruitment for the RCT, a qualitative formative evaluation was conducted to learn about facilitators, barriers, and recommendations for AIR implementation in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment clinics. Methods Thirty-one directors and staff at ten VA and community SUD clinics were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and were thematically analyzed to identify facilitators, barriers, and recommendations for AIR implementation. Results Perceived facilitators of AIR implementation included AIR's face validity, adaptability, and alignment with staff values and skills, requiring only minimal training. Several interviewees in community settings thought AIR would fit with their current practices (e.g., family groups), and some clinics reported having sufficient staff available for delivering AIR. Perceived barriers included limited staff time, and VA clinics having limited resources for providing services to COs. Furthermore, many clients have no COs, or COs who are unwilling or unable to engage with them. Recommendations included fitting AIR within existing workflows and focusing on COs with highest readiness to receive support. Interviewees also thought AIR could be adapted to a website format or smartphone app, which may expand its reach while decreasing staff burden and cost; however, it may not be as effective and appealing to some demographic groups (e.g., older COs). Conclusions AIR has strong potential for implementation in SUD treatment settings, but clinics vary on implementation capacity. Most clinics could implement AIR partially (e.g., case-by-case basis) while clinics with sufficient capacity (e.g., staff time) could implement it more fully. These findings can also inform implementation of other interventions for concerned others.
Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Reveals Distinct Patterns of Cytotoxic Edema in Patients with Subdural Hematomas.

Subdural hematomas (SDHs) are increasingly common and can cause ischemic brain injury. Prior work has suggested that this is driven largely by vascular compression from herniation, although this wo...
Longitudinal changes in extent of late gadolinium enhancement in repaired Tetralogy of Fallot: a retrospective analysis of serial CMRs.

BACKGROUND Right ventricular (RV) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) occurs due to surgical scarring and RV remodeling, and has been shown to be associated with clinical outcomes in Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). However, it is not known if cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) LGE extent progresses over time, and therefore, it is not known if serial reassessment of LGE is necessary. We determined the rate of progression in the extent of RV LGE on serial CMR examinations in repaired TOF. METHODS Retrospective review of 127 patients after TOF repair (49% male, median age at first CMR 18.9 years (Interquartile range (IQR) 13.3,27.0) who had at least two CMRs (median follow-up duration of 4.0 years (IQR 2.1,5.9)) was performed. 84/127 patients had no interventions between serial CMRs (Group 1) while 43/127 patients had transcatheter or surgical intervention between CMRs (Group 2). The extent of RV LGE was assessed using 2 methods: a semiquantitative RV LGE score and a quantitative RV LGE extent expressed as % of RV mass. Mixed effects linear regression modeling to estimate changes in LGE over time. RESULTS RV LGE was present in all patients on the first CMR. % RV LGE extent and LGE score did not increase over time in either patient group. The mean 5 year rates of change were small and negative for both % RV LGE extent [- 2.3 (95% CI - 2.9, - 1.8, p < 0.001) in Group 1, and - 1.9 (95% CI - 3.2, - 0.7, p = 0.004) in Group 2], and RV LGE score [- 0.9 (95% CI - 1.1, - 0.6, p < 0.001) in Group 1, and - 0.5 (95% CI - 1.1, - 0.0, p = 0.047) in Group 2]. CONCLUSIONS In this serial CMR evaluation of children and adults with repaired TOF, no significant progression in the extent of RV LGE was seen on intermediate term follow-up. Given recent concerns regarding the safety of gadolinium-based contrast agents, frequent assessment of LGE may not be necessary in follow-up.
Severe OSA and Claustrophobia, Ultimately Treated with Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation

Depression and untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may often overlap. When left untreated, OSA can be associated with antidepressant treatment failure, and treatment of OSA may lead to improved mood, decreased depression and anxiety, as well as overall improvement in psychological health and quality of life. Unfortunately, OSA treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can be limited due to claustrophobia and other reasons. Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) is a novel and effective treatment approach for patients with moderate to severe OSA intolerant to CPAP. We describe a clinical case of a patient with refractory depression and untreated OSA, intolerant to CPAP, whereby HGNS was successfully used to treat OSA and substantially decrease symptoms of depression and improve quality of life measures up to 1 year post-implantation.
Disparities in COVID-19 Fatalities among Working Californians

Background: Information on the occupational distribution of COVID-19 mortality is limited. Objective: To characterize COVID-19 fatalities among working Californians. Design: Retrospective study of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 fatalities with dates of death from January 1 to December 31, 2020. Setting: California. Participants: COVID-19 accounted for 8,050 (9.9%) of 81,468 fatalities among Californians 18-64 years old. Of these decedents, 2,486 (30.9%) were matched to state employment records and classified as confirmed working. The remainder were classified as likely working (n=4,121 [51.2%]) or not working (n=1,443 [17.9%]) using death certificate and case registry data. Measurements: We calculated age-adjusted overall and occupation-specific COVID-19 mortality rates using 2019 American Community Survey denominators. Results: Confirmed and likely working COVID-19 decedents were predominantly male (76.3%), Latino (68.7%), and foreign-born (59.6%), with high school or less education (67.9%); 7.8% were Black. The overall age-adjusted COVID-19 mortality rate was 30.0 per 100,000 workers (95% confidence interval [CI], 29.3-30.8). Workers in nine occupational groups had mortality rates higher than this overall rate, including those in farming (78.0; 95% CI, 68.7-88.2); material moving (77.8; 95% CI, 70.2-85.9); construction (62.4; 95% CI, 57.7-67.4); production (60.2; 95% CI, 55.7-65.0); and transportation (57.2; 95% CI, 52.2-62.5) occupations. While occupational differences in mortality were evident across demographic groups, mortality rates were three-fold higher for male compared with female workers and three- to seven-fold higher for Latino and Black workers compared with Asian and White workers. Limitations: The requirement that fatalities be laboratory-confirmed and the use of 2019 denominator data may underestimate the occupational burden of COVID-19 mortality. Conclusion: Californians in manual labor and in-person service occupations experienced disproportionate COVID-19 mortality, with the highest rates observed among male, Latino, and Black workers.
Fictions of Justice: The International Criminal Court and the Challenge of Legal Pluralism in Sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction: the rule of law and its imbrications - justice in the making Part I. Multiple Domains of Justice: 1. Micropractices of justice making: the moral and political economy of the 'Rule of Law' 2. Crafting the victim, crafting the perpetrator: new spaces of power, new specters of justice 3. Multiple spaces of justice: Uganda, the international criminal court and the politics of inequality Part II. The Politics of Incommensurability: 4. 'Religious' and 'secular' micropractices: the religious roots of secular law, the political content of radical Islamic beliefs 5. 'The hand will go to hell': Islamic law and the crafting of the spiritual self 6. Islamic Sharia at the crossroads: human rights challenges and the strategic reworking of vernacular imaginaries.
THE MERIDIONAL FLUX OF EDDY SENSIBLE HEAT AT 700 MB IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE WINTER

The long-term geographical distribution of the Northern Hemisphere winter, meridional eddy sensible heat flux has been studied for the period 1948–1987 using 700 mb grid-averaged temperatures and geopotential heights. The flux is calculated after the manner of van Loon (1976) and the long term average is compared to the variation over the winters of the period 1976–1987. Results indicate that while the winter mean total eddy flux possesses the same general characteristics associated with the long term climatological averages, significant changes have occurred over the regions extending from western North America to east Asia. These changes appear to reflect variations in both the transient and quasi-stationary fluxes, and are associated with the Pacific North American teleconnection pattern in its positive phase.
A Review of “The Dilemma of Progressivism: How Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson Reshaped the American Regime of Self-Government”: Morrisey, Will. Lanham, MD: Roman and Littlefield Publishers 278 pp., $70.00 ISBN 978-0-7425-6074-1 Publication Date: April 2009

This book demonstrates that serious scholarship about the people and the ideas that have shaped the American regime can be both profound and timely. By looking to the past, Morrisey has uncovered t...
Electrodynamics of Convection in the Inner Magnetosphere

During the past ten years, substantial progress has been made in the development of quantitative models of convection in the magnetosphere and of the electrodynamic processes that couple that magnetosphere and ionosphere. Using a computational scheme first proposed by Vasyliunas, the convection models under consideration separate the three-dimensional problem of convection in the inner magnetosphere/ionosphere into a pair of two-dimensional problems coupled by Birkeland currents flowing between the two regions. The logic, development, and major results of the inner magnetosphere convection model are reviewed with emphasis on ionospheric and magnetospheric currents. A major theoretical result of the models has been the clarification of the relationship between the region 1/region 2 picture of field-aligned currents and the older partial ring current/tail current interruption picture of substorm dynamics.