cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive genomic structural variation in the grape powdery mildew pathogen, Erysiphe necator

Powdery mildew, caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus Erysiphe necator, is an economically important disease of grapevines worldwide. Large quantities of fungicides are used for its control, accelerating the incidence of fungicide-resistance. Copy number variations (CNVs) are unbalanced changes in the structure of the genome that have been associated with complex traits. In addition to providing the first description of the large and highly repetitive genome of E. necator, this study describes the impact of genomic structural variation on fungicide resistance in Erysiphe necator. A shotgun approach was applied to sequence and assemble the genome of five E. necator isolates, and RNA-seq and comparative genomics were used to predict and annotate protein-coding genes. Our results show that the E. necator genome is exceptionally large and repetitive and suggest that transposable elements are responsible for genome expansion. Frequent structural variations were found between isolates and included copy number variation in EnCYP51, the target of the commonly used sterol demethylase inhibitor (DMI) fungicides. A panel of 89 additional E. necator isolates collected from diverse vineyard sites was screened for copy number variation in the EnCYP51 gene and for presence/absence of a point mutation (Y136F) known to result in higher fungicide tolerance. We show that an increase in EnCYP51 copy number is significantly more likely to be detected in isolates collected from fungicide-treated vineyards. Increased EnCYP51 copy numbers were detected with the Y136F allele, suggesting that an increase in copy number becomes advantageous only after the fungicide-tolerant allele is acquired. We also show that EnCYP51 copy number influences expression in a gene-dose dependent manner and correlates with fungal growth in the presence of a DMI fungicide. Taken together our results show that CNV can be adaptive in the development of resistance to fungicides by providing increasing quantitative protection in a gene-dosage dependent manner. The results of this work not only demonstrate the effectiveness of using genomics to dissect complex traits in organisms with very limited molecular information, but also may have broader implications for understanding genomic dynamics in response to strong selective pressure in other pathogens with similar genome architectures.
Verbal Mediation for Perceptual Deficits in Learning Disabilities: A Review and Suggestions

An intervening variable between perceptual deficits and academic learning — verbal mediation processes — is explored. Research reviewed, primarily that of Luria, leads to the conclusion that verbal mediational processes can compensate for perceptual learning-process deficits. Relevant teaching applications are discussed.
Synthesis and characterization of ultra-thin MgO films on Mo(100)

Abstract Ultra-thin MgO films have been synthesized under UHV conditions by evaporating Mg onto Mo(100) in various background pressure of oxygen. Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) studies show that MgO films grow epitaxially in the 200–600 K substrate temperature range with the (100) face of MgO oriented parallel to Mo(100). The one-to-one stoichiometry of the MgO films has been confirmed using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD). A typical loss pattern, characteristic of single-crystal MgO, has been obtained by high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (HREELS). At low oxygen pressures, the MgO film grows via a mechanism of island nucleation with domains that coexist with metallic Mg particles. The heat of sublimation of three-dimensional MgO islands is dependent on the oxygen pressure during growth and relates to the coordination number of the Mg cations.
Images in vascular medicine Cross-clamp injury: an unusual cause of intermittent claudication

vascular center for evaluation of limiting intermittent claudication. She gave a history of hypertension found to be secondary to renovascular disease that was initially treated with bilateral angioplasty and stenting. The procedure was uncomplicated; however, her renovascular hypertension promptly recurred. One year later, she underwent bilateral aorto-renal artery bypasssurgery. Prior to the operation, she was able to walk for 2/2 miles (4 km) and sometimes further without much limitation. Immediately following her operation, she noted reproducible symmetric bilateral thigh and calf ‘tightness’ limiting her to half a block of ambulation. Review of the preoperative angiogram revealed diffuse aorto-iliac atherosclerosis without stenosis. MR angiography revealed severe focal stenosis of the abdominal aorta superior to patent bilateral aorto-renal bypass grafts (Panel A). The distal aorta, iliac and femoral arteries were of normal caliber without stenosis. The superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is occluded at the origin Vascular Medicine 2006; 11: 173–174
Cannabis use disorders in the USA: prevalence, correlates and co-morbidity.

Background. The purpose of this study was to present 12-month and lifetime estimates of the prevalence, sociodemographic and clinical correlates, and psychiatric co-morbidity of DSM-IV cannabis abuse and dependence. Method. Data were derived from a large nationally representative survey ( n =43093) of US adults. Results. The prevalence of 12-month and lifetime DSM-IV cannabis abuse (1·1% and 7·2%) exceeded the corresponding rates of cannabis dependence (0·3% and 1·3%). Being male, Native American, widowed/separated/divorced, and residing in the West increased the odds whereas being Black, Asian or Hispanic decreased the odds of cannabis abuse and dependence. Cannabis dependence was significantly associated with low income. Ages of onset for both cannabis use disorders occurred in adolescence and the majority of individuals with these disorders remained untreated. Co-morbidity was high between cannabis use disorders and other Axis I and II disorders. Conclusions. Cannabis use disorders continue to present a widespread and serious personal and public health problem. Native Americans were found to have high rates of cannabis use disorders, warranting closer attention to the mental health needs of this subgroup. Associations between cannabis abuse and dependence and Axis I and II disorders were strong, signaling the need for more comprehensive assessment of individuals with cannabis use disorders. Further controlled treatment studies are needed, especially among co-morbid individuals, in view of growing evidence of the adverse personal, medical and societal impacts of cannabis use disorders in the USA.
Liquid‐to‐particle heat transfer in continuous tube flow: Comparison between experimental techniques

The liquid-to-particle convective heat transfer coefficient (h fp ) is a critical parameter in the design of safe continuous thermal processes for particulate foods. Three methods of measuring h fP values during continuous tube flow were compared : moving thermocouple, liquid crystal, and relative velocity. A model error analysis of the heat transfer methods (moving thermocouple and liquid crystal) indicated that measurement of the temperature and particle velocity were important sources of error. For the relative velocity method, the measurement of relative velocity, the rheological properties of the carrier medium, and thermal conductivity of the fluid were found to be most important. The liquid crystal method yielded the highest values of all techniques, largely because of the freedom of rotation allowed to particles under test conditions. The moving thermocouple and relative velocity methods yielded results that were in agreement with each other, the principal reason being the restriction of rotation in the former, and neglect of rotation in the latter. The moving thermocouple approach can be used for conservative but realistic estimation of h fp in continuous flow through holding tubes. The relative velocity method does not stand on its own, but can be used to provide a measure of verification for the other methods.
Management of Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Locally advanced Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a commonly encountered diagnosis. Historically the treatment of locally advanced NSCLC has involved radiation therapy. Clinical trials have shown a benefit to the addition of chemotherapy. In recent years studies have further defined the role of chemotherapy by provided data showing the benefit of concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy followed by consolidation with more chemotherapy. Technological advances in radiation therapy have made dose escalation feasible and the current treatment paradigm is now evolving further as dose escalation data becomes available. (J Lung Cancer 2009;8(1):1�� 7)
Tuning the Beam Shaping Section of the LAMPF Biomedical Channel

The Biomedical Channel at LAMPF is used for radiotherapy with negative pi mesons. A discussion is given of the transport properties of the beam-shaping section of the channel. Large emittance beams produced by the first section are matched to specific output requirements by tuning the last five quadrupole magnets using a combination of measurements and calculations.
Linear Hydrocarbon Producing Pathways in Plants, Algae and Microbes

Many different types of organisms synthesize hydrocarbons in nature, but for all their ubiquity, the biochemical and genetic bases for how these compounds are synthesized are not well understood. Several biochemical mechanisms have been proposed for non-isoprenoid hydrocarbon biosynthesis, most notably the head-to-head condensation and elongation-decarboxylation pathways from fatty acid precursors, but definitive characterization of these and other possible mechanisms have largely remained elusive. This review explores the possible metabolic pathways that various plant, algal, and microbial species use to synthesize linear hydrocarbons and the genetic factors that are involved in regulating those pathways.
Scene image segmentation based on Perceptual Organization

We propose a novel scene image segmentation algorithm based on Perceptual Organization. We develop a Perceptual Organization model by quantitatively incorporating a list of Gestalt laws. The Perceptual Organization model can capture the non-accidental structural relations among the constituent parts of an object. The experimental results show that our proposed method outperformed two competing image segmentation approaches and achieved good segmentation quality on various natural scene environments.
An improved human sensory subsystem function emulator

The author has developed a modular, object oriented, open-systems, multiprocessor robot control network. Biologically inspired design principles have produced an android management system which emulates human physiology and psychology. PC- compatible IEEE P996.1 bus cards form the foundation of its computer hardware. The command software and cognitive functions are realized via a byte-coded IEEE 1275-based machine- independent high-level scripting language. Data files provide the android knowledge base, personality and experience history. The motor system has a head and torso control interface, a dexterous right hand, some facial gesturing and speech synthesis. The sensory system includes biological modalities (temperature, pressure, humidity, speech recognition, vision) and non-biological (magnetic, radio, infrared, ultrasound and satellite GPS). The author improved these systems by adding several IEEE 1451.4 features (a multi-drop addressable master-slave serial network, various configurations for reading sensors and controlling actuators, and transducer electronic data sheets) for enhanced system startup and transducer interoperability. IEEE 1451.4 is a logical addition to IEEE 1275 for robotic applications.
Ornithischian dinosaur material from the Kuwajima Formation (Tetori Group: Lower Cretaceous) of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

The Kumajima Formation (Lower Cretaceous: ?Hauterivian–Barremian) of Ishikawa Prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, has yielded a diverse vertebrate fauna that includes a variety of dinosaur taxa. Her...
Critical Approaches to Fieldwork: Contemporary and Historical Archaeological Practice

Critical Approaches to Fieldwork: Contemporary and Historical Archaeological Practice. Gavin Lucas. New York: Routledge,2001. 246 pp.
Tk+/- mouse model for detecting in vivo mutation in an endogenous, autosomal gene.

Tk+/- transgenic mice were created using an embryonic stem cell line in which one allele of the endogenous thymidine kinase (Tk) gene was inactivated by targeted homologous recombination. Breeding Tk+/- parents produced viable Tk-/- knockout (KO) mice. Splenic lymphocytes from KO mice were used in reconstruction experiments for determining the conditions necessary for recovering Tk somatic cell mutants from Tk+/- mice. The cloning efficiency of KO lymphocytes was not affected by the toxic thymidine analogues 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdUrd) or trifluorothymidine (TFT), or by BrdUrd in the presence of lymphocytes from Tk+/- animals; however, it was easier to identify clones resistant to BrdUrd than to TFT when Tk+/- cells were present. Tk+/- mice were treated with vehicle or 100 mg/kg of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU), and after 4 months, the frequency of Tk mutant lymphocytes was measured by resistance to BrdUrd. The frequency of Tk mutants was 22+/-5.9x10-6 in control animals and 80+/-31x10-6 in treated mice. In comparison, the frequency of Hprt mutant lymphocytes, as measured by resistance to 6-thioguanine, was 2.0+/-1.2x10-6 in control animals and 84+/-28x10-6 in the ENU-treated mice. Analysis of BrdUrd-resistant lymphocyte clones derived from the ENU-treated animals revealed point mutations in the non-targeted Tk allele. These results indicate that the selection of BrdUrd-resistant lymphocytes from Tk+/- mice may be used for assessing in vivo mutation in an endogenous, autosomal gene.
Comparison of Risk Calculation Methods for a Culvert

A comparative study of eight different risk calculation methods has been performed on the occurrence probability of inad- equate capacity of a culvert to pass floods. The five basic risk calculation methods used in this study are the mean-value first-order second-moment method, advanced first-order second-moment method, point estimate method, Latin hypercube sampling method, and Monte Carlo simulation. Two options each for the point estimation and Monte Carlo methods are also investigated. Building upon the first four basic calculation methods, three additional methods are suggested. They are the first-order second-moment mixed mode method, generalized mixed mode method, and significant component method. Within each of the first four basic methods risks are calculated, whenever possible, using two definitions of failure parameter, i.e., ~1! the performance function Z directly as a function of all the contributing variables; and ~2! separate calculations of loading and resistance ~capacity!. Logic trees are presented to illustrate possible causes of culvert failure, the ways to account for component factors such as those from hydraulics and hydrology and to combine the component risks for total risk. Risk of inadequate flow capacity for a five-foot diameter culvert is evaluated as an example. Three sets of uncertainty data for the random variables are used; the first set data is adopted from a study in the literature, in which uncertainties from loading dominate. The second set of data is hypothetical with resistance uncertainties as the major contribution to failure; whereas in the third set, loading and resistance have about equal contributions of uncertainties. The relative errors of computed risks with respect to Monte Carlo simulation results are compared. The results show that for conditions similar to those tested, most of the methods are computationally simpler than the Monte Carlo simulation, and can be used for risk calculation. Cautions to some of the methods are remarked.
Estimating numbers of injecting drug users in metropolitan areas for structural analyses of community vulnerability and for assessing relative degrees of service provision for injecting drug users.

This article estimates the population prevalence of current injection drug users (IDUs) in 96 large US metropolitan areas to facilitate structural analyses of its predictors and sequelae and assesses the extent to which drug abuse treatment and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing are made available to drug injectors in each metropolitan area. We estimated the total number of current IDUs in the United States and then allocated the large metropolitan area total among large metropolitan areas using four different multiplier methods. Mean values were used as best estimates, and their validity and limitations were assessed. Prevalence of drug injectors per 10,000 population varied from 19 to 173 (median 60; interquartile range 42–87). Proportions of drug injectors in treatment varied from 1.0% to 39.3% (median 8.6%); and the ratio of HIV counseling and testing events to the estimated number of IDUs varied from 0.013 to 0.285 (median 0.082). Despite limitations in the accuracy of these estimates, they can be used for structural analyses of the correlates and predictors of the population density of drug injectors in metropolitan areas and for assessing the extent of service delivery to drug injectors. Although service provision levels varied considerably, few if any metropolitan areas seemed to be providing adequate levels of services.
The Impact of the 1972 Social Security Benefit Increase in Household Consumption.

This paper examines the consumption response to the 1972 Social Security benefit increase. Nominal benefits were increased by 20 percent while annual cost of living adjustments (COLAs) were contemporaneously implemented and scheduled to begin in less than three years. Taken in isolation, this benefit increase could be viewed as a large and permanent increase in real Social Security benefits. However, the prevailing high rates of inflation that were the impetus for the COLA legislation may have caused households to view the permanent real benefit increase to be substantially less than 20 percent. Using data from the 1972-73 Survey of Consumer Expenditures, the results provide a mixed picture of the consumption impact of the benefit increase. Strictly non-durable consumption increases significantly at the time of the benefit increase. However, this increase does not persist. Furthermore, the likelihood of making any purchases from an array of durable good categories does not change throughout this period.
STATISTICAL DESIGN ASPECTS OF THE NTP/HEI COLLABORATIVE STUDY ON THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CHRONIC OZONE INHALATION

AbstractThe purpose of the NTP/HEI Collaborative Study was to assess exposure- and concentration-related health effects associated with chronic exposure to ozone. Data were obtained from 164 animals specially dedicated to HEI from a standard ozone inhalation study conducted by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories for the National Toxicology Program. The study involved a number of investigators, each interested in assessing a different type of ozone-related health effect, including respiratory function, as well as structural, cellular and biochemical changes in the nose, lungs, and airways. Designing and analyzing a study with multiple investigators raises many statistical challenges. The highest design priority was that each investigator's data be individually interpretable as an independent study. This means that each investigator had to be assigned an adequate number of animals, balanced with respect to concentration level and other factors such as gender and time of sacrifice. An additional feature ...
SOME SURGICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF RETROPERITONEAL TUMORS.

Abstract A small series of 5 cases of retroperitoneal tumors in women has been presented to illustrate the large size which these tumors may attain and yet remain relatively asymptomatic. The treatment suggested has been surgical excision, even when sacrifice of major portions of the pelvic bones is necessary. It has been urged that this procedure should be a joint exploration with the orthopedic surgeons. Certain surgical difficulties are inherent in the removal of retroperitoneal lesions because of their large size and their location; major blood loss should be anticipated in all patients. Prognosis is related to the anatomic position of the tumors and, to a large degree, to the grade of the tumor. The prognosis is fair with low-grade tumors, even though they are large and complicated; high-grade lesions usually recur and eventually cause the patient's death.
Papain-like Cysteine Proteases and Their Implications in Neurodegenerative Diseases

It is apparent that most studies assessing the role of cysteine lysosomal proteases in various processes of neurodegeneration pertain to cathepsin L and cathepsin B the classical and most well characterized members of the family. With the advent of animal models for a number of neurodegenerative disorders, and the availability of high throughput analyses of gene expression it is now possible to begin assessing which members of this family of proteases participate in the establishing of various neuropathological states.
Using DEA in conjunction with designs of experiments: an approach to assess simulated futures in the Afghan educational system

This research presents an assessment of the simulated futures of the Afghan educational system. We use a hybrid analytical process combining simulation, design of experiments, and data envelopment analysis (DEA) that is capable of studying the dynamic behaviour of the Afghan educational system. By using the process, we are able to determine the critical relationships, potential futures, and unforeseen consequences of potential policies regarding primary and secondary education in Afghanistan. This research also provides insight into the use of DEA when applied to a large-scale discrete event social simulation.
Dependence of Optical Properties of Semiconductor Alloys on Long Range Order, Strain and Pressure

Many III–V semiconductor alloys exhibit spontaneous (111) alternate monolayer ordering when grown from the vapor phase. We have studied theoretically the ordering induced changes in the optical properties of the semiconductor alloys. We describe (i) the change of the band gap ΔEg and the valence band splitting ΔE12 as functions of the long range order parameter η, (ii) the consequence of coexistence of (001) epitaxial strain and (111) chemical ordering on the optical properties, (iii) optical anisotropy and spin polarization effects in the ordered alloy, (iv) theory of reflectance-difference spectroscopy in ordered alloy, and (v) the ordering-induced changes on high energy E1 and E2 transitions. Specific, experimentally testable predictions are listed in the summary section.
A Study of the Comparative Efficiency of Various Proteins in Poultry Feeding

Abstract The attempt to determine accurately the coefficient of digestibility of the protein (Nitrogen x 6.25) of various feeding stuffs with hens is complicated by the anatomical structurre of birds, in that direct separation of urine and feces is impossible. The coefficient of digestibility is, moreover, determined indirectly by measuring the amount of protein material which escapes digestion, rather than directly computing the amount digested. When chemical means of separation of feces and urine are resorted to in birds assumptions are made which are incapable of ready proof. In view of this situation, attempts have been made by Mitchell1 and the writers2 to determine the biological value of the protein of whole corn with hens. The method of determining biological values has been studied intensively with rats by Nevans3, Mitchell, Nevans and Kendall4, Mitchell and Villegas5, Mitchell6, 7, 8, 1 and by Mitchell and Carman9. As the method is applied to . . .
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) Usurps Nest of American Robins (Turdus migratorius)

ABSTRACT Interspecific nest usurpation was observed when a Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) took over the nest of an American Robin (Turdus migratorius) in Plainview, Hale County, Texas in April 2014. The nest was constructed and occupied by an American Robin, briefly shared by a Eurasian Collared-Dove over a period of 3 days, and then aggressively taken over by the collared-dove. The collared-dove pair fledged two young in May 2014. This represents a first record of interspecific nest usurpation by Eurasian Collared-Dove. Interspecific nest piracy by this invasive species has implications for songbird conservation if the behavior proves to be frequent.
Professional Learning Community Based Induction

New teachers of science (NTOS) face a myriad of challenges as they navigate those first years in the profession. Participation in an induction program can alleviate some of these challenges. An induction program, however, can take many forms. Some programs are school or district-based with varying designs to serve the general needs of all new teachers.
Commentary on the immunobiology of bladder cancer.

AbstractThis review is an attempt to integrate the conflicting studies that constitute the literature on immunobiology of bladder cancer and to indicate areas that need further investigation. It is clear that immune reactivity directed at antigens expressed on bladder cancer cells and general host immunologic competence decline with progressive tumor growth. This immunodepression correlates with patient prognosis, even within a given stage of disease. The mechanisms underlying this decline in host immune reactivity are poorly understood. A better understanding of these mechanisms may provide fundamental insight into the host-tumor relationship that possibly could be exploited for preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
CO Emission Associated with Cold Neutral Hydrogen

CO observations were compared with neutral hydrogen observations. It was found that a third of the CO clouds had H I self absorption counterparts. A statistical analysis indicates that the correlation is significant and consistent with the view that molecular clouds contain enough atomic hydrogen to noticeably affect the atomic hydrogen emission line profiles.
Some diets that meet the Dietary Goals for the United States.

Many diets could be devised to meet the Dietary Goals for the U.S. Suggested here are several approaches.
AUGER SPECTRA OF SiO2 SURFACE DEFECT CENTERS

It is shown that Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) can reveal the absolute energy level, with respect to the valence band edge, of Si dangling bond electrons in SiO 2 . A theoretical model is proposed, and the Auger electron distribution N A (E) for the L 23 VV transition band is calculated for a stoichiometric SiO 2 surface, and for a SiO x surface with unpaired, dangling bond electrons. The latter is characterized by an additional L 23 VD transition band, where D is the energy level of the unpaired electron. The theoretical N A (E) curves are compared with experimental N(E) curves for a pristine, and for an electron radiation damaged quartz surface. Good agreement with the theoretical model is obtained, if D is assumed to lie 7.2 eV above the valence band edge.
Brandeis at 100 – Influence on the 250 Legal Milestones

October 10, 2016 is the "First Monday in October" for the Supreme Court and 100 years from October 9, 1916, the first date that Louis Brandeis sat on the Court. This article highlights the ten most significant legal issues for which Brandeis is known (both as an advocate and a jurist), and tracks the connection of how a substantial number of the 250 milestones in the history of law highlighted in The Law Book, written by Michael H. Roffer, can be traced directly (or at the very least, indirectly) back to Brandeis.
Betalaines as Colorants in Dairy Products1

Color in foods is one of the most important attributes and is subject to great changes that are not easily controlled. Therefore, to control appearance of food, artificial dyes often need to be added. In recent years the safety of artificial dyes has been questioned and, as a result, their use in the future will be limited if not eliminated. It is for this reason that interest has developed in obtaining pigments from natural sources. The red beet is a rich source of pigments, which warrant investigation in dairy products. In addition, beet powder is permitted as a colorant under the 1960 Color Additive Amendment. The term betalaine refers to the class of pigments found in the beet which contains both betacyanines (red) and betaxanthines (yellow). The betanine content (major red pigment) in beets is in excess of 100 mg/100 g fresh weight and juice concentrates and powders available range in dye content between 0.2 and 1%. Use of betalaines as colorant and color stability of betalaines in yogurt, ice cream,...
Four‐year comparative effectiveness of bare‐metal and everolimus‐eluting stents in New York

Objectives To study four-year outcomes for patients receiving either bare-metal stents (BMS) or everolimus-eluting stents (EES) and to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of BMS versus EES in six “off-label” and two “high-risk” patient subgroups. Background BMS and EES (a second generation of drug-eluting stent) are used in contemporary practice to treat coronary artery disease. However, little is known about long-term comparative effectiveness between BMS and EES. Methods Using the New York State (NYS) cardiac registries, statewide hospital discharge data, the National Death Index, and the U.S. Census file, we assessed four-year outcomes of BMS versus EES in patients receiving either BMS or EES from July 2008 through December 2009. The outcomes included all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), target-lesion PCI (TLPCI), and target-vessel coronary artery bypass graft (TVCABG) surgery for a follow-up period of four years (median follow-up of 3.6 years). We compared 9,290 propensity score matched pairs with further adjustment using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Compared with patients receiving BMS, patients receiving EES had a lower rate of four-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratio : 0.58, 95% confidence interval : 0.54–0.63), AMI (AHR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.61–0.76), TLPCI (AHR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.60–0.75), and TVCABG (AHR, 0.53, 95% CI: 0.43–0.65). For “off-label” and “high-risk” subgroups, EES was associated with decreased mortality and generally better AMI, TLPCI, and TVCABG outcomes relative to BMS. Conclusions Compared with BMS use, EES use was associated with better four-year outcomes.
Quality Score that Makes You Invest

Search engines and many social advertising platforms use the so-called quality score to favor certain advertisers in their advertising auction. While the standard justification for quality scores is the need to provide discounts to advertisers with higher click-through rates, this work examines the role of quality score in enticing heterogeneous advertisers to invest in quality and its impact on ad platforms’ revenue. The results suggest that a quality score function that rewards bidders in excess of their click-through rates does increase the quality investments but in a non-monotonic way. Higher rewards of landing page quality do not necessarily mean higher investments. Furthermore, such an improvement in quality levels often comes with a sacrifice of the auction revenue despite the higher bids. While the potential revenue impact for the auctioneer depends on the bidding strategies and auction formats, there exists a quality score function that ensures increased revenues by rewarding quality improvement. Several managerial implications for both advertisers and publishers are discussed.
Examination of Routine Use of Prenatal Weight Gain Charts as a Communication Tool for Providers.

Objectives In 2009 the IOM revised prenatal weight gain guidelines. The primary purpose of this pilot study was to assess if provider education and use of prenatal weight gain charts to track weight gain and counsel patients was associated with better patient and provider knowledge and communication about the guidelines. Methods A prospective non-randomized study conducted in four OB practices (two control, two intervention). Data sources included provider surveys (n = 16 intervention, 21 control), patient surveys (n = 332), and medical records. Intervention clinics received provider education on the IOM guidelines and used patient education materials and prenatal weight gain charts to track weight gain and as a counseling tool. Comparison clinics received no education and did not use the charts or patient education information. Results More patients at intervention clinics (92.3%) reported that a provider gave them advice about weight gain, compared to patients from comparison clinics (66.4%) (p < 0.001). Intervention patients were also more likely to report satisfaction discussions with their provider about weight gain (83.1 vs. 64.3%, p = 0.007). Intervention clinic patients were more likely to have knowledge of the guidelines indicated by 72.3% reporting a target weight gain amount within the guidelines versus 50.4% of comparison patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion Provider education and use of weight gain charts resulted in higher patient reported communication about weight gain from their provider, higher patient satisfaction with those discussions, and better knowledge of the appropriate target weight gain goals.
What makes gouty inflammation so variable

Acute gout arthritis flares contribute dominantly to gout-specific impaired health-related quality of life, representing a progressively increasing public health problem. Flares can be complex and expensive to treat, partly due to the frequent comorbidities. Unmet needs in gout management are more pressing given the markedly increasing gout flare hospital admission rates. In addition, chronic gouty arthritis can cause joint damage and functional impairment. This review addresses new knowledge on the basis for the marked, inherent variability of responses to deposited urate crystals, including the unpredictable and self-limited aspects of many gout flares. Specific topics reviewed include how innate immunity and two-signal inflammasome activation intersect with diet, metabolism, nutritional biosensing, the microbiome, and the phagocyte cytoskeleton and cell fate. The paper discusses the roles of endogenous constitutive regulators of inflammation, including certain nutritional biosensors, and emerging genetic and epigenetic factors. Recent advances in the basis of variability in responses to urate crystals in gout provide information about inflammatory arthritis, and have identified potential new targets and strategies for anti-inflammatory prevention and treatment of gouty arthritis.
Understanding etiology of complex neurodevelopmental disorders: two approaches

Complex human phenotypes, such as autism, schizophrenia, and anxiety, undoubtedly partially overlap in genomic variations that predispose to or protect against these maladies. (Genetic overlap of complex phenotypes has gained increasing experimental support and is no longer just an ungrounded scientific hypothesis.) Furthermore, as yet largely unknown shared environmental factors likely tend to trigger the manifestation of more than one phenotype. Although it may seem overly ambitious to target multiple phenotypes jointly, we believe we can obtain much more information from existing data and gain new insights into individual phenotypes by modeling phenotypes jointly. My talk sketches two distinct computational approaches to this problem.
Comparing methods to address bias in observational data: statin use and cardiovascular events in a US cohort.

Background The theoretical conditions under which causal estimates can be derived from observational data are challenging to achieve in the real world. Applied examples can help elucidate the practical limitations of methods to estimate randomized-controlled trial effects from observational data. Methods We used six methods with varying design and analytic features to compare the 5-year risk of incident myocardial infarction among statin users and non-users, and used non-cardiovascular mortality as a negative control outcome. Design features included restriction to a statin-eligible population and new users only; analytic features included multivariable adjustment and propensity score matching. Results We used data from 5294 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study from 1989 to 2004. For non-cardiovascular mortality, most methods produced protective estimates with confidence intervals that crossed the null. The hazard ratio (HR) was 0.92, 95% confidence interval: 0.58, 1.46 using propensity score matching among eligible new users. For myocardial infarction, all estimates were strongly protective; the propensity score-matched analysis among eligible new users resulted in a HR of 0.55 (0.29, 1.05)-a much stronger association than observed in randomized controlled trials. Conclusions In designs that compare active treatment with non-treated participants to evaluate effectiveness, methods to address bias in observational data may be limited in real-world settings by residual bias.
Nonsedated handheld electroretinogram as a screening test of retinal dysfunction in pediatric patients with nystagmus.

Purpose To assess the feasibility, sensitivity, and specificity of nonsedated handheld cone flicker electroretinogram (ERG) as a screening tool to detect retinal dysfunction in children with nystagmus. Methods Pediatric patients at a tertiary referral center from December 2015 to July 2016 were enrolled and placed into three age-matched groups: normal, nystagmus with a retinal dystrophy, and nystagmus without a retinal dystrophy. Unsedated 30 Hz cone flicker ERG responses were obtained using a handheld device (RETeval) from both eyes of each patient using skin electrode sensors after pupillary dilation. Results A total of 71 children were enrolled; amplitudes and implicit times were successfully obtained in 65 (92%): 31 (mean age ± SD, 5.6 ± 2.7 years; range, 1-12 years) without nystagmus and 34 with nystagmus. Nystagmus patients were grouped by those with (n = 15; mean age, 8.5 ± 4.5 [range, 2-17 years) and without (n = 19; mean age, 4.3 ± 3.0 [range, 6 months-10 years]) a retinal dystrophy. The patients with retinal dystrophies had significantly smaller amplitudes and prolonged or nonmeasurable implicit times than the other two groups (P 33 ms warrants further evaluation. Conclusions Unsedated handheld cone flicker ERG is a feasible screening test that effectively detects retinal dysfunction in children with nystagmus. In conjunction with clinical findings, the test helps reduce the need for sedated ERG in children.
Engineering and physical sciences in oncology: challenges and opportunities

The principles of engineering and physics have been applied to oncology for nearly 50 years. Engineers and physical scientists have made contributions to all aspects of cancer biology, from quantitative understanding of tumour growth and progression to improved detection and treatment of cancer. Many early efforts focused on experimental and computational modelling of drug distribution, cell cycle kinetics and tumour growth dynamics. In the past decade, we have witnessed exponential growth at the interface of engineering, physics and oncology that has been fuelled by advances in fields including materials science, microfabrication, nanomedicine, microfluidics, imaging, and catalysed by new programmes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), Physical Sciences in Oncology, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Alliance for Nanotechnology. Here, we review the advances made at the interface of engineering and physical sciences and oncology in four important areas: the physical microenvironment of the tumour and technological advances in drug delivery; cellular and molecular imaging; and microfluidics and microfabrication. We discussthe research advances, opportunities and challenges for integrating engineering and physical sciences with oncology to develop new methods to study, detect and treat cancer, and we also describe the future outlook for these emerging areas.
Using rich-to-lean transitions following errors during discrete-trial instruction

ABSTRACTResearch on error correction procedures often includes the manipulation of prompting strategies or reinforcement schedules during discrete-trial instruction (DTI). We extended this research by incorporating rich-to-lean reinforcement transitions following incorrect responses with four boys diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. With the rich-to-lean error correction procedure, less-preferred reinforcers were delivered for the next two to three correct responses following an error. This condition was compared to non-differential reinforcement, in which more-preferred items were delivered for both correct responses or attempts, and a traditional differential reinforcement procedure, in which more-preferred items were delivered for correct responding and no items were delivered following attempts. The rich-to-lean condition resulted in the acquisition of the targeted skills with two of the four participants. The traditional differential reinforcement procedure was effective with three participants ...
Junctional ectopic rhythm after AVNRT ablation: An underrecognized complication.

Background Ablation is an effective treatment for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). The occurrence of junctional ectopic rhythm (JER), including junctional ectopic tachycardia, following AVNRT ablation has been described as an extremely rare phenomenon, but may be underestimated. We aimed to determine the incidence of JER following AVNRT ablation within our institution, as well as that reported in the literature via an extensive review. Methods We reviewed our adult ablation institutional experience for the occurrence of JER after AVNRT ablation from 2009 to 2016. Additionally, we conducted an extensive literature search using different databases looking for AVNRT ablation case series. The individually reported complications of these studies were reviewed, with a primary endpoint defined as the occurrence of JER shortly after AVNRT ablation. The study was approved by our institutional review board. Results Our institutional data revealed 6/126 patients (prevalence 4.8%) developed non-preexisting JER post-AVNRT ablation. Four patients were asymptomatic. Two patients had persistent symptoms lasting over a year, with one patient requiring repeat ablation. The literature review included 149 adult and pediatric studies. There were three cases of reported JER, out of a total of 37,541 patients (31,768 adults and 5,773 pediatric; prevalence 0.008%). The three JER patients were pediatric, and all required further therapeutic intervention. Conclusion JER might be an underreported complication of AVNRT ablation. It seems most often to be transient and self-limited, occurring days to weeks after ablation, but may also be debilitating, requiring more aggressive management.
Tailoring health-related messages for young adults with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

The goal was to identify factors that might affect likelihood of seeking health-related interventions for young adults with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We tested whether ACEs were associated with (1) regulatory focus (tendency toward promoting good outcomes versus preventing bad outcomes), and (2) patient activation (the intention to take active charge of one's health). We further tested whether promotion and prevention and patient activation were associated with each other and with health. Students at a public university (N = 321) completed online questionnaires assessing ACEs, regulatory focus, patient activation, and health. Greater childhood adversity showed small but significant associations with being a less activated patient and being less focused on promoting good outcomes. In contrast, greater childhood adversity had a much stronger association with focusing on preventing negative outcomes. Students with a more significant mental health history were more likely to have been exposed to childhood adversity, to be less activated patients, and to focus more on prevention. Results suggest that using a prevention focus may be effective in health messages aimed to reach individuals with high levels of ACEs. Furthermore, individuals with high levels of ACEs may benefit from interventions aimed at increasing patient activation.
Quantum Čerenkov radiation in weakly and strongly-coupled regimes

We present the time-dependent quantum electrodynamic theory of Cerenkov radiation, which reveals orders of magnitude corrections to the decay rate from the conventional theory, as well as significant modifications to the well-established Cerenkov dispersion relation.
Bīsotūn and the French Enlightenment

This study examines a little-known case of Enlightenment knowledge transmission centred on the rock-cut monument of Darius I at Bīsotūn in western Iran. It discusses a report on the monument published by the cartographer and historian Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville, which originated with the Decalced Carmelite monk Emmanuel de Saint-Albert (born Jean-Claude Ballyet); who transmitted it to Isaac Bellet, a doctor involved in secret negotiations in Constantinople; who in turn sent it to Louis, Duke d'Orleans, in Paris; who passed it on to d'Anville. The collison of scholarly interest, political service and scientific personality offers a fascinating case study of the Enlightenment ‘republic of letters’ in action.
Experimental Testing of Micro-Particles Collision

We performed experiments on the collisions of micrometer scale (200–300 μm) stainless steel (316 and 440 C) particles and studied the interaction properties and the coefficient of restitution. We used a novel experimental apparatus to enable non-contact measurements based on laser excitations/detection and high-speed photography. The colliding particles were aligned in v-shaped grooves on a silicon wafer, fabricated using anisotropic etching techniques. We used high-power lasers to excite one of the particles (striker), and to control the impact velocity with high repeatability. The motion of the striker particle was triggered by partial laser ablation of its surface. The displacements of the particles involved in the collision were recorded with a high-speed camera mounted on an optical microscope. The particle velocities were obtained from the recorded images using digital image correlation. We calibrated the setup by tracking the dynamic excitation of single particles, and tested collisions between two particles. This study introduces a new experimental approach to understand the fundamental dynamic response of micro-particle collisions, and to test the limits of validity of the Hertzian interaction law.
Psychological Differentiation in a Rural Yucatec Mayan Village

The late Herman Witkin’s theory of psychological differentiation postulates certain consequences as individuals become increasingly differentiated and integrated. The most recent summary of the theory and its development was published after Witkin’s death in 1979 (Witkin and Goodenough, 1981). A systematic review of the cross-cultural evidence has been presented by Witkin and Berry (1975). And, quite apart from the theory itself, is the “ecocultural” model developed by Berry (1976), which has been guided by (and has in turn contributed to) Witkin’s theory.