cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of semantic abstractness and perceptual category in processing speech accompanied by gestures.

Space and shape are distinct perceptual categories. In language, perceptual information can also be used to describe abstract semantic concepts like a ‘rising income’ (space) or a ‘square personality’ (shape). Despite being inherently concrete, co-speech gestures depicting space and shape can accompany concrete or abstract utterances. Here, we investigated the way that abstractness influences the neural processing of the perceptual categories of space and shape in gestures. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that the neural processing of perceptual categories is highly dependent on language context. In a two-factorial design, we investigated the neural basis for the processing of gestures containing shape (SH) and spatial information (SP) when accompanying concrete (c) or abstract (a) verbal utterances. During fMRI data acquisition participants were presented with short video clips of the four conditions (cSP, aSP, cSH, aSH) while performing an independent control task. Abstract (a) as opposed to concrete (c) utterances activated temporal lobes bilaterally and the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) for both shape-related (SH) and space-related (SP) utterances. An interaction of perceptual category and semantic abstractness in a more anterior part of the left IFG and inferior part of the posterior temporal lobe indicates that abstractness strongly influenced the neural processing of space and shape information. Despite the concrete visual input of co-speech gestures in all conditions, space and shape information is processed differently depending on the semantic abstractness of its linguistic context.
The limit distribution of pure strategy Nash equilibria in symmetric bimatrix games

In a “random” symmetric bimatrix game, let X and Y represent the numbers of symmetric and asymmetric pure strategy Nash equilibria occurring, respectively. We find the probability distributions of both X and Y depending on m, the number of pure strategies for each of the two players. We show the distribution of X approaches the Poisson distribution with mean one and the distribution of ½Y approaches the Poisson distribution with mean ½ as m increases. We determine the joint distribution of X and Y and the limit distribution of X + Y. From this we see the probability of at least one pure strategy Nash equilibrium approaches 1-e-1.5 ≈.7769 as m increases. For general bimatrix games, the corresponding limit of probabilities is 1-e-1 ≈.6321. Thus in this sense, pure strategy Nash equilibria are seen to be significantly more common under the condition of symmetry than otherwise.
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THE SWEATSHOP PRACTICES OF AMERICAN MULTINATIONAL GARMENT/SHOE MAKERS/RETAILERS: IMPACTS ON THEIR STOCK PRICES

The anti-sweatshop movement burst in the American public's consciousness in the 1990s. By the late 1990s, an eclectic group of 43 American NGOs and a growing number of international organizations were engaged in the movement. But, as yet, there are no rigorous empirical studies of the impact of anti-sweatshop actions on those firms accused of relying on sweated labor. This paper addresses this lacuna by using the event study technique to empirically assess the impact of public disclosure of firms' sweatshop practices on their stock prices. The paper finds that public disclosure does indeed cause firms' stock prices to fall, sometimes substantially. This, no doubt, explains the rush by these firms to voluntary codes of conduct. The paper also shows that stock prices have reacted positively (and substantially) to the actions taken by one firm, Reebok, to adopt anti-sweatshop practices. These findings appear to confirm the wisdom of the public disclosure strategies used by the movement to get firms to change...
A ROUGH SET/FUZZY LOGIC BASED DECISION MAKING SYSTEM FOR MEDICAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract A method of performing prognostic modeling of disease states is proposed. The technique uses rough sets to extract rules from a database. The data is then reformatted into a fuzzy logic template, and a learning algorithm is used to adjust the fuzzy set membership functions. The method is applied to the POSCH problem, which looks at risk factors associated with the progression of coronary artery disease. The POSCH data has several shortcomings, including a limited number of cases, correlated inputs, as well as noise on both the inputs and outcome. The problem was to predict progression of atherosclerosis in the LAD three years after baseline based on physiologic data available at baseline. The proposed rough/fuzzy set method correctly predicted progression of atherosclerotic disease in 69% of the patients, which is statistically better than neural network, rough set and logistic models performed.
Basic Iffy Oughts

Some of the most interesting and challenging puzzles concerning the logic of ‘ought’-statements have to do with “iffy oughts” —sentences that contain an ‘if’ as well as an ‘ought’ (or appropriate equivalent terms). Each of these sentences is an iffy ought: (1) If it is his most stringent prima facie duty, then he ought to doit. (2) If she promised to come for lunch, then she should come for lunch. (3) If you want to gain a reputation for honesty, then you should give correct change. (4) If rain would make the flowers grow, then there ought to be rain.
HIV Vaccine R&D - Modeling the Path to Speedier Success

Our objectives were to estimate the time and resources needed to develop a successful HIV vaccine, and to identify opportunities for accelerating the development timeframe. Given the many parameters and uncertainties affecting success, we developed a computer simulation model of the HIV vaccine development pipeline, based on a portfolio management approach. This portfolio modeling approach was used to identify the factors most strongly affecting the pace of HIV vaccine research and development, make the best possible estimates of the magnitude and impact of these factors, and input these numbers into the computer simulation model. The model calculated the likelihood that an effective product would be developed within various time periods using the existing clinical pipeline and under three different scenarios (Status Quo, Low Improvement, and High Improvement). Model components include the number of current candidates in the pipeline, the number of candidates entering clinical trials annually, the probability that a candidate successfully moves to the next development phase, and the cost and duration of each phase. The costs of the Low and High Improvement scenarios were based on estimates of the additional investments required for applied research, clinical trials capacity, and other activities as identified by the HIV Vaccine Enterprise under its Scientific Strategic Plan. These investments were assumed to be incremental to the roughly $700 million already being spent annually on HIV vaccine R&D worldwide. The results show that investments targeting critical bottlenecks in the pipeline, made alongside changes in the organization and management of vaccine R&D, may significantly reduce the time until an effective vaccine becomes available. Under the High Improvement scenario, the model predicted a savings of anywhere from 5 to 22 years. Even under the less optimistic Low Improvement scenario, strategic investments could advance the availability of a vaccine by 3 to 17 years. As recent models of the impact of an HIV vaccine on the epidemic illustrate, having a vaccine five years sooner would translate into averting 10-15 million infections that would otherwise occur. Having a vaccine 15 or 20 years sooner would have an even larger benefit in human terms, saving many tens of millions of people from infection, illness, and premature death. Computer simulation models, although far from perfect, can estimate how improvements in specific attributes of the vaccine development pipeline can affect success. These results can suggest the relative magnitude of changes that could result, and the impact in terms of avoided HIV infections. Additional annual investments in the range of $200 to $300 million, focused on vaccine discovery and laboratory optimization and standardization, could substantially accelerate the timeline.
Anthropogenic lead as a tracer of rock varnish growth: Implications for rates of formation

Rock varnish is a thin dark coating best known from deserts, and is believed to grow extremely slowly. Varnish samples from near Socorro, New Mexico (United States), contain as much as 3.7% PbO, derived from nearby smelters operating from A.D. 1870 to 1931. Additional varnish, measuring as much as 4 μm beyond the Pb-rich layer, indicates continued growth from 1931 to 2003. Comparison with other varnish confirms that the Pb is not an artifact. Based on Pb layer thickness, and the period of smelter operation, these very young rock varnishes yield growth rates of 28–639 μm/k.y., substantially higher than previously documented fastest rates of 40 μm/k.y. These rates imply that the average 1–2 μm/k.y. rate for older varnish is not the active growth rate. Rather, it is a long-term value including periods of nondeposition, erosion, and active growth. Therefore, models of rock varnish formation should be reevaluated with consideration of much faster maximum growth rates.
Adsorption of diblock polypeptides on polystyrene latex.

The adsorption of peptides at solid/liquid interfaces is affected by peptide/surface and peptide/peptide hydrophobic and electrostatic forces. Three diblock copolypeptides and two homopeptides were adsorbed on poly(styrene) nanospheres from water, water/methanol, and water/glycerol mixtures at different pH’s to study both of these effects. Peptides with one hydrophilic (glutamic acid or lysine) and one nonpolar block (alanine) or with both hydrophilic blocks with opposite charges (glutamic acid and lysine) were chemically synthesized and used as adsorbates in this study. The amount adsorbed was determined, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to measure the adsorbed layer thickness. It was found that peptide/surface and peptide/peptide electrostatic interactions dominate the adsorption process. Hydrophobic forces also play a role, but secondary to electrostatic forces. Positively charged blocks show high affinity for the surface, whereas negatively charged blocks were excluded from it. Poly(Lys) ha...
The Lacinia in the Maxilla of the Hymenoptera

The maxilla of biting insects consists of six pieces. There is at the proximal end a two segmented cardo ( c ), which articulates the maxilla to the head capsule (Figs. 1 and 2). Attached to the distal end of the cardo there is in the cockroach (Fig. 1) a rhomboidal-shaped piece, the stipes ( s ). The stipes in the locust (Fig. 2) is also rhomboidal in outline but is limited in its articulation to the mesal portion of the cardo. There is borne at the distal end of the stipes in the cockroach a two-segmented, somewhat bent tongue-shaped piece, the galea, ( g ). The galea of the locust is also two-segmented but borne at the distal and lateral margin of the stipes. At the proximal end of the galea against the lateral margin of the stipes, there is a small sclerite, the palpifer ( p ), which bears the five segmented maxillary palpus. The proximal segment of the galea and the palpifer in the locust constitute the lateral margin of the stipes. There is borne at the distal end of the stipes on the mesal side another appendage, which bears three prominent teeth at its distal end. This is the lacinia ( la ). The arrangement of the parts in the maxillae of biting insects is for all practical purposes identical with the above description and the figures of the maxillae of the cockroach and the locust, showing two distal pieces, a lacinia on the mesal side and a galea on the lateral side, with a segmented maxillary palpus attached on or near the lateral margin at the proximal end of the galea, and is characteristic.
Methodological challenges in Mendelian randomization

We give critical attention to the assumptions underlying Mendelian randomization analysis and their biological plausibility. Several scenarios violating the Mendelian randomization assumptions are described, including settings with inadequate phenotype definition, the setting of time-varying exposures, the presence of gene-environment interaction, the existence of measurement error, the possibility of reverse causation, and the presence of linkage disequilibrium. Data analysis examples are given, illustrating that the inappropriate use of instrumental variable techniques when the Mendelian randomization assumptions are violated can lead to biases of enormous magnitude. To help address some of the strong assumptions being made, three possible approaches are suggested. First, the original proposal of Katan (Lancet. 1986;1:507-508) for Mendelian randomization was not to use instrumental variable techniques to obtain estimates but merely to examine genotype-outcome associations to test for the presence of an effect of the exposure on the outcome. We show that this more modest goal and approach can circumvent many, though not all, the potential biases described. Second, we discuss the use of sensitivity analysis in evaluating the consequences of violations in the assumptions and in attempting to correct for those violations. Third, we suggest that a focus on negative, rather than positive, Mendelian randomization results may turn out to be more reliable.
26 ADDRESSING LOW DIETARY INTAKE OF IRON OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE NAMAKKAL DISTRICT, INDIA.

Purpose of Intervention Pregnant women in the Namakkal District are undernourished, particularly in their consumption of iron. Thus, a community intervention project was designed to promote the consumption of iron-rich foods in their daily diets. Community Assessment With the help of the hospital nutritionist, focus groups with pregnant women, who are currently receiving care at Paramathi Velur Government Hospital, were organized. Also, counselors, doctors, and nutritionists were interviewed to assess the depth of counseling on nutrition for pregnant women in hospitals. A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE and local textbooks on dietetics were used as references to create an educational program on the importance of iron intake for pregnant women. Project Discussion A lack of public awareness and an under-resourced counseling program were identified as contributing to a low intake of dietary iron. Thus, a pictorial educational poster was constructed to promote local iron-rich foods. With the help of a translator, a group-counseling session was conducted to promote nutrition. The protocol for this session will be used as a model for the hospital staff to educate pregnant women on the importance of iron consumption. Conclusion Focus groups revealed the educational needs of a particular community: education regarding iron-rich foods. Public education was developed, including posters and literature for health care providers, and the effectiveness of these interventions should be evaluated.
Regulation of cardiovascular development, function and hypertension by microRNAs

The development and function of the cardiovascular system require precise temporal-spatial regulation of gene expression. Even slight perturbation of such program can cause a variety of cardiovascular defects , including congenital heart defect , cardiac hypertrophy , heart failure and hypertension. microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNA , have recently been discovered as key regulators in almost every biological process. miRNAs negatively regulate the expression of their target genes through post-transcriptional processes. Emerging evidence indicates that miRNAs significantly impact cardiovascular development and diseases. Here , we review the roles of miRNAs in the development and function of cardiovascular system and hypertension , focusing on the molecular mechanisms by which miRNAs act as " fine tuners " and " safeguards " to maintain the homeostasis and function of cardiovascular system.
Malignant neoplasia of the sex skin in 2 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

This report describes 2 cases of spontaneous malignant neoplasia within the sex skin of aged female chimpanzees. In both cases, the initial presentation resembled nonhealing traumatic wounds to the sex skin, with different degrees of infection, ulceration, and tissue necrosis. Histopathology of the lesions confirmed the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in one case and of adenocarcinoma with metastasis in the other. Advanced age and previous trauma likely contributed to the development of the neoplasias in both cases; long-term sun exposure may also have contributed to the development of the squamous cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, these 2 cases represent the first reports of sex skin neoplasia in chimpanzees.
Proceduralization for Editing 3D Architectural Models

Inverse procedural modeling discovers a procedural representation of an existing geometric model and the discovered procedural model then supports synthesizing new similar models. We introduce an automatic approach that generates a compact, efficient, and re-usable procedural representation of a polygonal 3D architectural model. This representation is then used for structure-aware editing and synthesis of new geometric models that resemble the original. Our framework captures the pattern hierarchy of the input model into a split tree data representation. A context-free split grammar, supporting a hierarchical nesting of procedural rules, is extracted from the tree, which establishes the base of our interactive procedural editing engine. We show the application of our approach to a variety of architectural structures obtained by procedurally editing web-sourced models. The grammar generation takes a few minutes even for the most complex input and synthesis is fully interactive for buildings composed of up to 200k polygons.
A comparison of methods used to populate neighborhood-based contingency tables for high-resolution forecast verification

AbstractAs high-resolution numerical weather prediction models are now commonplace, “neighborhood” verification metrics are regularly employed to evaluate forecast quality. These neighborhood approaches relax the requirement that perfect forecasts must match observations at the grid scale, contrasting traditional point-by-point verification methods. One recently proposed metric, the neighborhood equitable threat score, is calculated from 2 × 2 contingency tables that are populated within a neighborhood framework. However, the literature suggests three subtly different methods of populating neighborhood-based contingency tables. Thus, this work compares and contrasts these three variants and shows they yield statistically significantly different conclusions regarding forecast performance, illustrating that neighborhood-based contingency tables should be constructed carefully and transparently. Furthermore, this paper shows how two of the methods use inconsistent event definitions and suggests a “neighborho...
E-Cigarettes and Adolescents' Risk Status.

The prevalence of e-cigarette use was only in the low single digits a few years ago but currently reaches ≥30% among high school students, and at least half are regular users.1,2 This rapid explosion of e-cigarette use has caught the field by surprise, and researchers are scrambling to understand the implications for public health. In their paper “Adolescent Risk Behaviors and Use of Electronic Vapor Products and Cigarettes,” Demissie et al3 provide a useful new perspective on this phenomenon. The researchers showed that 16% of the adolescent population used e-cigarettes only, 3% only smoked cigarettes, and 8% were dual users (cigarettes and e-cigarettes). The good news is that 73% of the adolescent population did not use any tobacco-related product (nonusers). However, that 27% of adolescents still do is not comforting to public health researchers and advocates. Here I bring out 3 points about how this paper helps us understand how e-cigarette use is related to adolescents’ risk status overall. The pattern of results in Demissie et al3 shows that youth … Address correspondence to Thomas A. Wills, PhD, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, 701 Ilalo St, Room 528, Honolulu, HI 96813. E-mail: twills{at}cc.hawaii.edu
The role of historical costumes to create a collection of modern clothes

The article contains the definition of the suit and its special features. Formed main trends of historical costumes. Modeled in tabular form the historical evolution of costume changes in the context of artistic styles in art. Examples of the use of historical costumes today. The basic trends of the past that is renewed urgency. Mentioned national costume as a means of expressing spirituality of the nation and defined the popular use of the individual elements in creating a collection of contemporary apparel. Ante color composition costume accessory role in contemporary costume. Summed up the role of historical costumes to create a modern collection of clothes. The object of research is naturally suit its historical form. The subject of research is the process of modern costume in historical context. Keywords: historical costume, costumes evolution, trends clothes collection. У статті подано визначення поняття костюму і його особливі ознаки. Сформовано основні тенденції історичного розвитку костюмів. Відтворено у табличному вигляді історичну еволюцію костюму в контексті зміни художніх стилів у мистецтві. Наведено приклади використання історичних костюмів у наш час. Описані основні тренди минулого, які відновили актуальність зараз. Визначено значення кольору в композиції костюму, роль аксесуарів в сучасному костюмі. Згадано народний костюм як засіб вираження духовності нації та визначено популярність застосування його окремих елементів у створенні колекції сучасного одягу. Підсумовано роль історичних костюмів у створенні колекції сучасного одягу. Об'єктом дослідження закономірно стає костюм, його історичні форми. Предметом дослідження виступає процес розвитку сучасного костюму в історичному контексті. Ключові слова: історичний костюм, еволюція костюмів, тренди, колекція одягу.
Accounting for urban biogenic fluxes in regional carbon budgets.

Abstract Many ecosystem models incorrectly treat urban areas as devoid of vegetation and biogenic carbon (C) fluxes. We sought to improve estimates of urban biomass and biogenic C fluxes using existing, nationally available data products. We characterized biogenic influence on urban C cycling throughout Massachusetts, USA using an ecosystem model that integrates improved representation of urban vegetation, growing conditions associated with urban heat island (UHI), and altered urban phenology. Boston's biomass density is 1/4 that of rural forests, however 87% of Massachusetts' urban landscape is vegetated. Model results suggest that, kilogram-for-kilogram, urban vegetation cycles C twice as fast as rural forests. Urban vegetation releases (RE) and absorbs (GEE) the equivalent of 11 and 14%, respectively, of anthropogenic emissions in the most urban portions of the state. While urban vegetation in Massachusetts fully sequesters anthropogenic emissions from smaller cities in the region, Boston's UHI reduces annual C storage by > 20% such that vegetation offsets only 2% of anthropogenic emissions. Asynchrony between temporal patterns of biogenic and anthropogenic C fluxes further constrains the emissions mitigation potential of urban vegetation. However, neglecting to account for biogenic C fluxes in cities can impair efforts to accurately monitor, report, verify, and reduce anthropogenic emissions.
An Individualized Approach to The Evaluation and Management of Primary Aldosteronism

ABSTRACT Objective: With the increased emphasis on personalized and individualized medicine, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Adrenal Scientific Committee has developed a series of articles to update members on personalized medicine as it applies to adrenal diseases. Methods: We synthesized literature reviews, guidelines from professional societies, and personal experience. Results: Since Conn described primary aldosteronism (PA) over 60 years ago, debate has raged about the prevalence of PA in the hypertensive population, the wisdom of broadly screening for PA, and prudent approaches to evaluate and manage these patients. Accumulated data from multiple centers around the globe have begun to crystallize the clinical characteristics about these patients, which allows for an individualized approach before the diagnosis of PA is even established. Evidence-based criteria for screening, improved and widely available clinical assays, and validated algorithms for evaluation empower all endocrinologists to address this complex disease in an effective manner. Conclusion: Breakthroughs in the pathogenesis and evolution of PA illustrate why our thinking about this disease must remain flexible: PA is not a rare and uniform condition, but rather a common syndrome with protean manifestations. Abbreviations: A/C = cortisol-corrected aldosterone concentration; ACE = angiotensin-converting enzyme; APA = aldosterone-producing adenoma; APCC = aldosterone-producing cell cluster; ARB = angiotensin receptor blocker; ARR = aldosterone-to-renin ratio; AVS = adrenal venous sampling; CT = computed tomography; ENaC = epithelial sodium channel; GRA = glucocorticoid remediable aldosteronism; IHA = idiopathic hyperaldosteronism; LI = lateralization ratio; MR = mineralocorticoid receptor; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging; PA = primary aldosteronism; PRA = plasma renin activity; SRA = surgical remediable aldosteronism
Epiphanic and Near-Epiphanic Encounters

There are near-epiphanic events within human experience that may not register as epiphanies but may have features that echo those of epiphanies, such as intense aesthetic experience before nature’s grandeur and beauty. Cultural, mythic, and religious phenomena—beliefs, practices, and stories—may resonate with the possibility of epiphanies and thus be redolent with the aura of epiphany without themselves being epiphanic. All these may be near-epiphanic things in different ways. Participation in religious festivals and rituals may be near epiphanic and even epiphanic for some believers. In this chapter, near-epiphanic encounters are considered in contrast with epiphanic encounters, which they may approach and even merge with in some cases. We also consider deification as it was practiced in the cultures of ancient Rome and Japan and its implications for epiphanic experience, as well as the role of Satan in Western traditions and the relationship between near-epiphanic experiences of Satan or the devil and epiphanic experience of the divine.
Neobehavioristic psychotherapy: Quasihypnotic suggestion and multiple reinforcement in the treatment of a case of postinfantile dyscopresis

In both theory and practice, most forms of Behavior Therapy exclude insight as a treatment goal and even as a means to the attainment of other treatment goals. In modern behavior theory, however, the phenomena of cognition and insight are admissible and important topics for scientific inquiry. Recent studies show that learning can be dramatically facilitated by awareness. Ignoring the human capacity for insight in a psychotherapeutic system may be foolishly inefficient. These principles are clarified in an illustrative case.
Case 30-2017

A 65-year-old woman with autoimmune hepatitis presented for an evaluation for liver transplantation. Fever, hypotension, and worsening liver and renal failure developed. A blood culture revealed corkscrew-shaped gram-negative rods. A diagnosis was made.
Robotic-Assisted Ureteral Reimplantation

Ureteral injuries are a rare complication of pelvic and abdominal surgery. In many cases, the injury is not recognized intraoperatively, and patients will present several days later with flank pain, fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting. Imaging may demonstrate a ureteral obstruction or a ureteral rupture. The initial management involves urinary drainage with a ureteral stent or a percutaneous nephrostomy tube. A complete transection of the ureter can be repaired primarily within the first week after the injury. Definitive or delayed surgical repair, however, is usually performed several weeks to months later. Given advancements in laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery, ureteral injuries can now be repaired in a minimally invasive fashion without laparotomy incisions. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation is quickly becoming the gold standard for repair. In this chapter, the anatomy, etiology, and treatment of ureteral injuries will be discussed. The surgical techniques for ureteral reimplant with a psoas hitch or Boari flap are described.
Assessing Structure of Online Channel Use by American Travellers

Understanding the use of online channels for travel planning is one of the most important challenges facing destination marketing organizations (DMOs). The results of this study found that travellers tend to use a small number of online channels and that there is a strong hierarchical pattern in their use. The results also indicated that the use of online channel could help to distinguish four groups of travellers who differ in terms of demographic characteristics, information searching, product purchasing behaviour and trip expenditures. These findings provide an essential guidance regarding potential strategies for designing and implementing an effective communication programs with prospective travellers.
Management of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Patients with Heart Failure.

This paper reviews treatment options for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in patients with heart failure. We sought to identify therapies for SDB with the best evidence for long-term use in patients with heart failure and to minimize uncertainties in clinical practice by examining frequently discussed questions: what is the role of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with heart failure? Is adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) safe in patients with heart failure? To what extent is SDB a modifiable risk factor? Consistent evidence has demonstrated that the development of SDB in patients with heart failure is a poor prognostic indicator and a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality. However, despite numerous available interventions for obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea, it remains unclear what effect these therapies have on patients with heart failure. To date, all major randomized clinical trials have failed to demonstrate a survival benefit with SDB therapy and one major study investigating the use of adaptive servo-ventilation demonstrated harm. Significant questions persist regarding the management of SDB in patients with heart failure. Until appropriately powered trials identify a treatment modality that increases cardiovascular survival in patients with SDB and heart failure, a patient’s heart failure management should remain the priority of medical care.
Use of semiempirical models for calculation of B terms in MCD spectra—III

Abstract The PPP model is used to predict the MCD spectra of the doubly-charged ions of pentalene and heptalene. The excited states of the 10 π-electron ions are both related to those of naphthalene and exhibit interesting configuration pairing similar to that found in alternant hydrocarbons. Certain aspects of the results are very sensitive to the choice of parameters and to inclusion of doubly excited configurations in the PPP model. Comparison with the so far non-existent experimental data would probably be useful for testing the various proposed versions of the model.
Reflections on Education and Transformation by a Jordanian-American Scholar

I was raised in the United States (New York) by parents who had recently emigrated from Jordan. Like many immigrants they intended to return home but never did. My parents eventually decided that we were better off in the United States, particularly because of the educational opportunities. Whether we were better off in the United States is a futile question—one in which I am not particularly interested although it concerned me often in my youth as I struggled to negotiate what I experienced then as drastically distinct and competing cultural demands.
Low-Cost Obesity Interventions: The Market for Foods

Obesity accounts for medical costs and lost productivity totaling more than $100 billion per year. Two important economic factors have been forwarded to explain obesity trends. The first is that healthy, palatable foods are no longer affordable to lower-income consumers. Recent decades have seen a trend toward lower consumption of nutrient dense fruits and vegetables and increasing consumption of less expensive energy-dense foods such as added sugars, fats, and refined grains among lower socioeconomic status households. The second is that lower socioeconomic status is associated with less investment in future well-being through healthy behaviors such as good nutrition and regular exercise. Both the availability of inexpensive, convenient, high-calorie foods and the lack of a desire to eat a healthy diet may explain obesity trends. However, they imply different means of reversing these trends.Taxes and subsidies are economic policy instruments that can induce healthier diets. Advances in food production have reduced the calorie costs of sweeteners and fats well below the costs of fruits, vegetables and proteins. Aligning diets with USDA recommendations would require significant market intervention. In order to improve diet quality, policymakers need to focus on the aggregate supply of healthy and unhealthy foods. Investing in better nutrition information only shifts the supply of healthier foods toward higher-income, health conscious consumers. The most promising food consumption policy interventions focus on providing incentives to increase production of healthier foods, and modifying choice architecture to improve diet quality among myopic consumers who are less likely to select a healthy diet.
Abstract B70: Thymoquinone regulates cytochrome P450 genes involved in prostate cancer disparity

African American (AA) men have a higher incidence and greater mortality from prostate cancer (PCa) than Caucasian American (CA) men. The factor influencing the racial disparity is not clearly understood and is probably genetic variation attributed to the disease. Androgen and androgen receptor (AR) pathways have long been associated with prostate growth. Racial differences have also been found among variants of the genes of the enzymes involved in androgen biosynthesis and metabolism, such as CYP3A4, CYP3A7, and CYP17A1. Although several inhibitors are approved for CYPs genes, the major drawback of these inhibitors is they contain the steroid scaffold, which contributes to the undesirable side effects (dyspnea, edema, contusion, etc.) observed in patients. In this regard, using nonsteroid scaffolds such as natural compound acts as a more potent inhibitor and interacts more selectively with the cytochrome P450 family. In this study, our data showed the effect of natural compound thymoquinone (TQ), a constituent of Nigella sativa (black seed), on CYP3A4, CYP3A7, and CYP17A1 genes in PCa cells, and found that TQ-treated cells significantly downregulated the expression of CYP3A4, CYP3A7, and CYP17A1 in MDA PCa 2b and E006AA-hT (African American) compared to LNCaP (Caucasian) cell lines. These findings were further confirmed by flow cytometry, Western blots, and immunofluorescence. These studies suggested that TQ could be the potent inhibitor of the active sites of the cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are an important target in the treatment of PCa. Additionally, knowledge of the PCa susceptibility genes (CYPs) could be used to identify individuals at risk of developing PCa with poor outcomes for heightened screening or prevention modalities and to identify optimal treatment strategies for men of African descent. Citation Format: Santosh K. Singh, James W. Lillard, Jr., Rajesh Singh. Thymoquinone regulates cytochrome P450 genes involved in prostate cancer disparity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B70.
Pretreatment and Lipid Extraction from Wet Microalgae: Challenges, Potential, and Application for Industrial-Scale Application

The production of oil from microalgae has tremendous potential for reducing environmental problems generated using conventional fossil fuels. The present barrier for industrial-scale lipid production from algal biomass for biofuel application comes from the high extraction cost which is usually performed after drying the biomass. The lipid extraction cost can be significantly reduced if the extraction is performed directly on wet biomass. The lipid recovery from the wet biomass at the present state is very low to be competitive at large-scale application. Due to the high moisture content, a pretreatment of wet biomass is needed prior to the lipid extraction to increase the overall oil recovery. There are different pretreatments (e.g., high-pressure homogenization, ultrasound sonication, microwave irradiation, etc.) that can be used to disrupt the robust cell wall of microalgae prior to the oil extraction. Sometimes, both the pretreatment and lipid extraction can be performed using the same apparatus to reduce the overall production cost. The process economy and the cost of lipid extraction of different pretreatment methods need to be assessed carefully before considering its commercial-scale application.
Reflections on Art-Based Participatory Research with Middle School Bilingual Youth

This chapter reflects on our arts-based participatory research with Latinx middle school students and their teachers in the southeast of the United States, which took place over the course of eight years. Specifically, aligned with the overall objective of this edited volume, we share our process of first finding access to the school, deciding on how to work with our participants, how to collect and analyze data over time, and how to disseminate the work. We also explore how this approach helped (or not) to disrupt traditional power differentials in classroom action research (e.g., researcher/participant; student/teacher; and university professor/ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)teacher). To also disrupt the conventional academic format of chapters of this nature, but in line with our collaborative approach to research and teaching, we have divided our narrative into two distinct voices. Voice One provides a first-hand narrative account of our research processes and challenges. Voice Two provides meta-commentary on the narrative, drawing from qualitative literature research. We hope this format provides readers with an understanding of the different stages of our research and if and how this type of approach can be taken up and implemented in other schools and community contexts.
Single-nucleotide editing for zebra3 and wsl5 phenotypes in rice using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated adenine base editors

The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated base editing technology can efficiently generate point mutations in the genome without introducing a double-strand break (DSB) or supplying a DNA donor template for homology-directed repair (HDR). In this study, adenine base editors (ABEs) were used for rapid generation of precise point mutations in two distinct genes, OsWSL5, and OsZEBRA3 (Z3), in both rice protoplasts and regenerated plants. The precisely engineered point mutations were stably inherited to subsequent generations. These single nucleotide alterations resulted in single amino acid changes and associated wsl5 and z3 phenotypes as evidenced by white stripe leaf and light green/dark green leaf pattern, respectively. Through selfing and genetic segregation, transgene-free, base edited wsl5 and z3 mutants were obtained in a short period of time. We noticed a novel mutation (V540A) in Z3 locus could also mimic the phenotype of Z3 mutation (S542P). Furthermore, we observed unexpected non- A/G or T/C mutations in the ABE editing window in a few of the edited plants. The ABE vectors and the method from this study could be used to simultaneously generate point mutations in multiple target genes in a single transformation and serve as a useful base editing tool for crop improvement as well as basic studies in plant biology.
Competing Risk Analysis in Renal Allograft Survival: A New Perspective to an Old Problem.

BACKGROUND Graft survival after kidney transplant (KTX) is often estimated by the Kaplan-Meier (KM) method censoring for competing endpoints, primarily death. This method overestimates the incidence of graft loss. METHODS In 3157 adult KTX recipients followed for a mean of 79.2 months, we compared kidney and patient survival probabilities by KM versus competing risk analysis (CRA). These methods are extended to comparing different regression methods. RESULTS Compared with CRA, the probabilities of death and graft loss (censored for the other outcome) were substantially higher by KM. These differences increased with increasing follow-up time. Importantly, differences in graft losses were magnified in subgroups with greater probabilities of death. Among recipients with diabetes, the probabilities of graft loss at 20 years were 57% by KM and 32% by CRA, while for non-diabetes mellitus corresponding values were 44% and 35%. Similar results are noted when comparing older versus younger recipients. Finally, we find that the Fine-Gray method assumptions are violated when using age and gender as covariates and that the alternative method of Aalen-Johansen may be more appropriate. CONCLUSIONS CRA provides more accurate estimates of long-term graft survival and death, particularly in subgroups of recipients with higher rates of the competing event. Overestimation of risk by KM leads to both quantitative and qualitative misinterpretations of long-term KTX outcomes. When using regression analyses, care should be taken to check assumptions to guide the choice of appropriate method.
Interpolation filtering for intra prediction in versatile video coding

In this paper, we propose a novel interpolation of reference samples for intra prediction in Versatile Video Coding (VVC). To interpolate a predictor value between two reference samples, the method uses four nearest reference samples, as does the existing cubic filter in VVC, but with a simpler design that does not require to pre-compute the filter coefficients. We model the signal as a sum of two components, where the first component is the classical linear interpolation, and the second component is a corrective term that accounts for the change due to the two farther samples. To arrive at this model, we model the signal as a sum of two quadratic functions where each quadratic function models the signal with three adjacent samples. The corrective term is attributed to the quadratic term in the resulting model, which can be calculated on the fly. Since models based on four samples can lead to large errors at edges of objects, we propose to use a thresholding method to decide between the proposed model and the usual linear interpolation. Besides BD-rate performance gain, the advantages of the proposed method are lower complexity, no memory storage of filter coefficients, and a uniform method for both Luma and Chroma components. The proposed method applied in VTM 7.0 intra prediction results in BD-rate gains of 0.13% for Luma and 0.30% for Chroma with lower decoding complexity.
Role of grain boundaries and substrate in plastic deformation of core–shell nanostructures

The mechanical properties of metallic systems at the nanoscale can be modified by varying their structure and composition. One example of a deformation-resistant structure is a core–shell nanostructure (CSN). In the present work, we use molecular dynamics simulations to perform nanoindentation and retractions to understand plastic deformation of core–shell nanostructures. The core consists of aluminum (Al), the shell is amorphous silicon (a-Si), and the substrate is either crystalline Al or a-Si. The unique aspect of this work is that we study the deformation behavior of CSNs that contain symmetric and asymmetric grain boundaries in the core with two different orientations; comparisons are made to deformation in a CSN with a single-crystal core. Nanoindentation on CSNs with 5 nm and 10 nm core radii shows that the elastic stiffness with and without a grain boundary is similar when the substrate material is the same. Five-nanometer-core-radius CSNs with a-Si and Al substrates and an asymmetric tilt grain boundary in the core show 100% recovery from dislocation plasticity, but damage within the core leads to reduction of ~ 50% of the atoms that no longer being identified as FCC crystal structure, which makes these CSNs non-deformation-resistant. CSNs with Al substrate (5 nm and 10 nm core radii) obtained 100% recovery from plasticity and retained its crystal structure after unloading when the core is single crystal or contains a symmetric tilt grain boundary. Moreover, a single-crystal core can withstand nanoindentation to 100% of the shell thickness, whereas a symmetric tilt grain boundary core can only withstand nanoindentation about 80% of the shell thickness and still have 100% recovery from plasticity. Therefore, CSNs with single-crystal core are more reliable for deformation-resistant behavior than those that contain grain boundaries.
Strategic National Urban Forest Inventory for the United States

In response to the strategic plan required by the Agricultural Act of 2014, the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program is initiating a strategic inventory of the nation’s urban forests. The inventory is designed to provide timely and credible data on urban forests, thereby meeting an expanding need for information on trees located in communities where more than 80% of people live. The program monitors the status and trends of trees in urban settings (i.e., urban forests), enabling assessment of their composition and structure, ecosystem services and values, health, and risk from pests and disease. At full implementation with funding, resources, and partnerships in place, the program as designed would provide annual updates of urban forest conditions on approximately 68 million acres of land and for 100 of the most populous cities in the United States. The traditional forestland inventory of FIA continues and is complemented by the new urban inventory providing the means for a more complete assessment of the tree and forest resources across the United States.
Assessment of 3D-printed span change structures applied to small unmanned aerial vehicles:

An assessment of 3D-printed span-change structures is presented for determining suitability of the technology to small unmanned aerial vehicles. Materials and manufacturing technologies were used w...