cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting the stimulation effectiveness using pre-stimulation neural states via optogenetic activation of the medial septum glutamatergic neurons modulating the hippocampal neural activity

In this study, we explored the role of pre-stimulation neural states on the effectiveness of optogenetic stimulation. Optogenetic stimulation was applied to the medial septum glutamatergic neurons to modulate the hippocampal neural activity in a rat tetanus toxin seizure model. The hippocampal local field potential was recorded using a multi electrode array in an awake and behaving rat. Optical stimulation with a 465nm light source was applied at 35Hz in a 20 seconds off / 20 seconds on pattern with simultaneous recording from the hippocampus. Both the baseline and the stimulation period recordings were divided into 2 second segments and used for the further analysis. In the first experiment, a support vector machine (SVM) model classified the neural states by using spectral features between 0 and 50Hz. 447 out of 545 segments (82.02%) were correctly labeled as ‘Baseline’ while only 326 out of 544 (59.93%) segments from the stimulation period were correctly labeled as ‘Stimulation.’ As the ratio of mislabels is significantly higher for the stimulation period (chi-squared, p<0.01), we concluded that the stimulation was not always effective. In the second experiment, an SVM model predicted the stimulation effectiveness using the spectral features of the pre-stimulation segments. The classification result shows that 63.7% of the pre-stimulation segments correctly predicted the stimulation effectiveness. These findings suggest that the prediction of the stimulation effectiveness may improve the stimulation efficacy by implementing a state-based stimulation protocol.
An Introduction on Phase-Change Memories

The phase-change memory (PCM), also called ovonic unified memory (OUM) or phase-change RAM (PCRAM), is an emerging nonvolatile semiconductor technology based on thermally induced phase transitions of a thin-film chalcogenide material. PCM relies on a resistance change to store data permanently. However, the historical origin of the PCM concept that dates back in the 1970s and the research efforts specifically devoted to this technology by semiconductor industries set them apart from the larger class of emerging memory technologies based on resistance variation and usually referred to as resistive RAM (ReRAM).
Correlates of physical function among stroke survivors: an examination of the 2015 BRFSS

Abstract Objectives To identify the characteristics of stroke survivors with poor physical function. Study design Cross-sectional. Methods Secondary data analyses were performed with the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data set. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions were employed to determine the correlates of poor physical function in stroke survivors. Self-reported difficulty with walking and stairs was used as a proxy for physical function. Characteristics such as age, race, sex, difficulty doing errands alone, difficult dressing or bathing alone, health care coverage, time since last routine checkup, and reported financial difficulty with regard to health care access were examined as contributing factors to physical function. Results Approximately half of all stroke survivors reported having difficulty with walking and stairs (50.3%). As expected, the odds of reporting difficulty with walking and stairs were higher among stroke survivors aged 40 years and above (p Conclusions There were racial/ethnic disparities in physical function. Specifically, blacks/ African Americans had a 5.6% increase in the odds of reporting difficulty with walking and stairs than whites. Moreover, Hispanics reported significantly fewer problems than whites. Overall, similar sociocultural patterns in non-stroke and stroke populations were observed in this study.
Alcohol and Other Substance Misuse

Recently, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) published the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) with simplified diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), eliminating the terms “abuse” and “dependence” and providing for a general estimate of severity, from mild to severe, based on the number of symptom criteria endorsed by the patient (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). As this change in criteria is relatively new, it is not yet widely reflected in how alcohol and drug use disorders are defined in the literature. Much of the current research on alcohol and other drug use is based on diagnostic criteria from the fourth edition of the DSM (American Psychiatric Association, 2000), which defined substance abuse as a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress occurring within a 12-month period, as manifested by one or more criteria related to negative consequences of use, including negative impact on major life roles, use in dangerous situations (e.g., driving), legal problems, and social and interpersonal problems. Dependence is defined in the DSM-IV as a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress occurring within a 12-month period, as manifested by three or more criteria including tolerance, withdrawal, using more or for longer than intended, and a persistent desire to use or unsuccessful efforts to cut down. The relationship between DSM-IV and DSM-5 disorders is not exact, but substance abuse is comparable to substance use disorder, mild subtype, whereas substance dependence is similar to the moderate to severe subtype.
Origin and roles of oxygen impurities in hexagonal boron nitride epilayers

Photoluminescence emission spectroscopy and electrical transport measurements have been employed to study the origin and roles of oxygen impurities in hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) epilayers grown on sapphire substrates. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity revealed the presence of a previously unnoticed impurity level of about 0.6 eV in h-BN epilayers grown at high temperatures. The results suggested that in addition to the common nitrogen vacancy (VN) shallow donors in h-BN, oxygen impurities diffused from sapphire substrates during high temperature growth also act as substitutional donors (ON). The presence of ON gives rise to an additional emission peak in the photoluminescence spectrum, corresponding to a donor-acceptor pair recombination involving the ON donor and the CN (carbon occupying nitrogen site) deep level acceptor. Moreover, due to the presence of ON donors, the majority charge carrier type changed to electrons in epilayers grown at high temperatures, in contrast to typical h-BN epilayers which naturally exhibit “p-type” character. The results provided a more coherent picture for common impurities/defects in h-BN as well as a better understanding of the growth mediated impurities in h-BN epilayers, which will be helpful for finding possible ways to further improve the quality and purity of this emerging material.
Evaluation of the efficacy of rezafungin, a novel echinocandin, in the treatment of disseminated Candida auris infection using an immunocompromised mouse model

Background Multiple cases of Candida auris infection have been reported with high mortality rates owing to its MDR nature. Rezafungin (previously CD101) is a novel echinocandin with enhanced stability and pharmacokinetics that achieves high plasma drug exposure and allows for once weekly dose administration. Objectives Evaluate the efficacy of rezafungin in the treatment of disseminated C. auris infection using a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis. Methods Mice were immunosuppressed 3 days prior to infection and 1 day post-infection. On the day of infection, mice were inoculated with 3 × 107C. auris blastospores via the tail vein. Mice were randomized into four groups (n = 20): rezafungin at 20 mg/kg, amphotericin B at 0.3 mg/kg, micafungin at 5 mg/kg and a vehicle control. Treatments were administered 2 h post-infection. Rezafungin was given additionally on days 3 and 6 for a total of three doses, while the remaining groups were treated every day for a total of seven doses. Five mice from each group were sacrificed on days 1, 4, 7 and 10 of the study. Kidneys were removed from each mouse to determine the number of cfu for each respective day. Results Rezafungin had significantly lower average log10 cfu/g of tissue compared with amphotericin B- and vehicle-treated mice on all days when kidneys were harvested. Additionally, rezafungin-treated mice had significantly lower average log10 cfu/g of tissue compared with micafungin-treated mice on day 10. Conclusions Our findings show that rezafungin possesses potent antifungal activity against C. auris in a disseminated model of candidiasis.
Mechanism of fasting-induced suppression of acetaminophen glucuronidation in the rat

Acetaminophen overdosage, taken either as a suicidal gesture or as an accidental poisoning, is a significant clinical entity and one that appears to be growing in incidence. Results from a recent study have shown that the percentage of total drug-related deaths associated with acetaminophen in England and Wales rose dramatically from 3.8% in 1973 to 21% in 1980; further, the number of acetaminophen-associated deaths was the highest of all drug-related deaths for the years 1978 to 1980 (1). Thus there is a need to define more clearly the reasons for differences in patient responsiveness and to develop new treatment regimens to decrease the severity of liver failure.
Response to Y-90 microspheres radiation segmentectomy or lobectomy in primary and metastatic liver tumors

1085 Learning Objectives 1. Discuss what SIRS-spheres treatment is intended for, its mechanism of action, and the clinical benefits it provides to appropriate patients. 2. Illustrate how effective delivery of the Y-90 microspheres to the segment(s) or lobe of the liver with malignant disease is evaluated. 3. Demonstrate the treatment effects to the diseased portions of the liver. SIRS-sphere therapy has been found to be a safe and beneficial treatment option (improving therapy response and prolonging life) for patients with liver metastases (and without significant other metastases) from colorectal cancer that are unresectable or resistant to standard chemotherapy regimens. Also there are promising findings regarding patients with primary liver cancers (that has advanced past stages that can be treated with resection but is not widely metastatic). By delivering Y-90 microspheres to tumor foci within the liver via the appropriate branches of the hepatic artery, high-energy beta radiation emitted by the radiotracer induces tumor death locally via direct radiation effects and through cross-firing mechanisms. This results in radiation segmentectomy/lobectomy. We wish to show the successful administration of radiotracer and radiation segmentectomy/lobectomy via SIRS-spheres at our institution through the following methods: 1. Demonstrating proper delivery of radiotracer to the affected segment(s)/lobe of the liver by displaying congruency in areas of uptake in the liver on the pretherapy MAA scan and the intratherapy Bremsstrahlung scan. 2. Analyzing serum tumor markers and imaging studies performed at our institution including pre- and post-therapy serum cancer marker levels and pre- and post-therapy MRI and/or CT and/or PET/CT scans to demonstrate response to therapy
Strategic and Dynamic Temporal Weighting for Perceptual Decisions in Humans and Macaques.

Abstract Perceptual decision-making is often modeled as the accumulation of sensory evidence over time. Recent studies using psychophysical reverse correlation have shown that even though the sensory evidence is stationary over time, subjects may exhibit a time-varying weighting strategy, weighting some stimulus epochs more heavily than others. While previous work has explained time-varying weighting as a consequence of static decision mechanisms (e.g., decision bound or leak), here we show that time-varying weighting can reflect strategic adaptation to stimulus statistics, and thus can readily take a number of forms. We characterized the temporal weighting strategies of humans and macaques performing a motion discrimination task in which the amount of information carried by the motion stimulus was manipulated over time. Both species could adapt their temporal weighting strategy to match the time-varying statistics of the sensory stimulus. When early stimulus epochs had higher mean motion strength than late, subjects adopted a pronounced early weighting strategy, where early information was weighted more heavily in guiding perceptual decisions. When the mean motion strength was greater in later stimulus epochs, in contrast, subjects shifted to a marked late weighting strategy. These results demonstrate that perceptual decisions involve a temporally flexible weighting process in both humans and monkeys, and introduce a paradigm with which to manipulate sensory weighting in decision-making tasks.
Reducing infusion wait time: An initiative to increase early signing of medication orders by providers at a comprehensive cancer center.

123Background: Many factors contribute to long wait times for oncology patients on the day of their infusion appointment. At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), one of the main causes of delay to ...
Multiple sclerosis risk factors contribute to onset heterogeneity

Abstract Background The phenotypic presentation of multiple sclerosis (MS) may predict long-term outcomes and little is known about factors contributing to heterogeneity at MS onset. Given temporality, it is likely MS risk factors also influence presentation of the disease near onset. Methods Using a retrospective cross-sectional study of MS cases, we investigated: age of onset (AOO), number of impaired functional domains (NIFDs), time to second relapse (TT2R), and early relapse activity (ERA). Machine learning variable selection was applied to epidemiologic data for each outcome, followed by multivariable regression models. The models were further adjusted for HLA-DRB1*15:01 carrier status and a MS genetic risk score (GRS). The TT2R and ERA analyses were restricted to relapsing remitting MS cases. Results HLA-DRB1*15:01, GRS, and smoking were associated with earlier AOO. Cases who were male, obese, had lower education, or had primary progressive MS were older at onset. For NIFDs, those with relapsing remitting MS and of lower SES had increased NIFDs. Among relapsing remitting cases, those who were older at onset, obese, and had polyfocal presentation had shorter TT2R, while ERA was greater among those younger at onset and who were obese. Conclusion Individual characteristics including age, genetic profiles, obesity, and smoking status contribute to heterogeneity in disease presentation and modulate early disease course evolution.
Trends in Geographic Rates of HIV Diagnoses Among Black Females in the United States, 2010-2015.

Abstract Background: HIV diagnoses among females in the United States declined 22% from 2010 to 2015, including a 27% decline in diagnoses among black females. Despite this progress, disparities pe...
The affective negotiation of slum tourism: City Walks in Delhi

Tore Holst’s new book opens with the fact that residents of the Global North and South rarely encounter one another in tourism. When residents of the north travel south for holiday, most often the ...
The Lover’s Voice

During my more intensive writing sessions at a local bakery, I am surrounded by sounds. My most creative periods tend to be in the morning. It seems as if my muses leave me around 2:00 pm, so I make sure to set aside at least an hour of writing every morning. The morning crowd at the bakery contains a set of regular patrons gathered in small little groups. The conversation in these morning groups tends to be quite casual. After having listened to their words and studied their gestures on numerous occasions, it appears as if the conversations are about the previous day’s events or some local issue. The largest group, usually about ten older gentlemen, are typically located near the middle of the bakery. A smaller group of women sit themselves near the window and occasionally find themselves conversing about the people walking by the windows. Finally, the third group sits near my favorite writing spot. I try to locate myself off to the far side of the bakery. Away from windows and the central area of the bakery, my choice of writing location is based on minimizing visual and auditory distractions. This third group sits behind me, and their conversations are focused on religion. A dedicated Bible group, they meet almost daily to quietly discuss issues regarding their most recent readings.
High Accuracy Photogrammetric Determinations Using Image Deformation Corrections

This paper summarizes considerations related to the use of photogrammetric procedures for the surveying of cadastral boundaries and for the densification of control point nets. It gives an overview...
Convergence of Two Internal Mean Flow Solutions for Spinning Rocket Motors

In this work, two mathematical procedures are used to derive the incompressible mean flow profile in a simulated solid rocket motor that is modeled as a spinning right-cylindrical porous tube. The ...
Solidarity Within and Across Workplaces: How Cross-Workplace Coordination Affects Earnings Inequality

The post–World War II period of wage compression provides a strong contrast to the last forty years of rising inequality. In this article, I argue that inequality was previously constrained by pay coordination that spanned multiple workplaces. Cross-workplace coordination practices range from multi-employer bargaining agreements to informal employer collusion. To quantify the influence of these practices on inequality, I draw on establishment-level Bureau of Labor Statistics microdata from 1968 to 1977. Inequality between workplaces did not increase during the 1970s and inequality was lower among workers likely to be covered by cross-workplace coordination. Unionization, large establishments, and pension provision reduced inequality across workplaces, not only among coworkers within workplaces. These findings indicate that cross-workplace coordination mitigated inequality during the postwar period of egalitarian economic growth.
Shake table tests of special concentric braced frames under short and long duration earthquakes

Abstract Several long duration and subduction earthquakes recently took place in different locations such as Chile (2015, 2014, and 2010), Japan (2011), China (2008), and Indonesia (2004). These earthquakes motivate the need to prepare for a possible long-duration, large-magnitude earthquake in the Cascadia subduction zone along the Pacific Northwest Coast of the United States. Although earthquake duration is expected to affect the response of structures and damage accumulation, current seismic design specifications do not consider duration effects. One reason might be the lack of sufficient experimental research to better understand the effect of the duration on structural performance. In this paper, an experimental program was conducted to investigate the influence of earthquake duration on structural response of steel special concentric braced frames (SCBFs). Three identical 1/2-scale one-story one-bay SCBFs with chevron brace configuration were tested on one of the University of Nevada, Reno shake tables under unidirectional short and long duration earthquakes. The overall objective was to investigate whether the duration of earthquake have an effect on the collapse capacity of SCBFs dictated by brace rupture. Test results showed that the earthquake duration affects the structural performance of SCBFs and can cause a premature failure, i.e. lower displacement capacity, because it is directly related to the low cycle fatigue life of the braces. The experimental data provided here can be used to verify fatigue damage and degradation numerical models for capturing duration effects, and support initiatives to incorporate the duration effect in future seismic design provisions and performance-based assessment frameworks.
Friend, Foe or Both? Immune Activity in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is marked by the presence of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), neuronal death and synaptic loss, and inflammation in the brain. AD research has, in large part, been dedicated to the understanding of Aβ and NFT deposition as well as to the pharmacological reduction of these hallmarks. However, recent GWAS data indicates neuroinflammation plays a critical role in AD development, thereby redirecting research efforts toward unveiling the complexities of AD-associated neuroinflammation. It is clear that the innate immune system is intimately associated with AD progression, however, the specific roles of glia and neuroinflammation in AD pathology remain to be described. Moreover, inflammatory processes have largely been painted as detrimental to AD pathology, when in fact, many immune mechanisms such as phagocytosis aid in the reduction of AD pathologies. In this review, we aim to outline the delicate balance between the beneficial and detrimental aspects of immune activation in AD as a more thorough understanding of these processes is critical to development of effective therapeutics for AD.
Towards Rehabilitation Smart Habitats: Designing for North American Opossum Joeys

Wildlife rehabilitation involves caring for sick, injured, and orphaned non-domesticated native animals to re-release into the wild. While rehabilitators face similar hurdles as animal shelters such as limited funding and technology challenges, wildlife rehabilitation requires minimal human contact to ensure a successful reintroduction to the wild. However, the animals cared for require frequent monitoring and tending for health concerns. In this paper we document our process and design considerations for a smart habitat unique for the American opossum, a common intake at a local rehabilitation center, to limit human interaction while monitoring animal health. Our process includes interviews with volunteers and participatory observation, resulting in specifications of future design work for the American opossum.
Chapter 10 – Desertification

Publisher Summary Desertification is the diminution or destruction of the biological potential of land and can ultimately lead to desert-like conditions. It is an aspect of the widespread deterioration of ecosystems under the combined pressure of adverse and fluctuating climate and excessive exploitation. Such pressure has diminished or destroyed the biological potential for multiple purposes at a time when increased productivity is needed to support growing populations in the quest for development. Desertification produces many changes in the ecosystems of a region and is recognized primarily by the physical changes in the environment, including the reduction of plant cover, soil loss, loss of soil organic matter, deposition of sand bodies, and increased run-off. In extreme cases, desertification can result in marked reduction in vegetative cover and loss of soil by water and wind erosion. Not all desertified regions suffer a loss of primary productivity. Human activities that alter the ocean–atmosphere interactions, that change atmospheric and stratospheric chemistry, and that alter land surface–atmosphere interactions directly affect regional climates around the world. One of the major biological challenges of the 21st century is the resolution of the relationship between the diversity of organisms in ecosystems and the long-term behavior of those ecosystems. There are four prevalent hypotheses concerning this relationship: the diversity–stability hypothesis, the rivet hypothesis, the redundancy hypothesis, and the idiosyncratic response hypothesis.
The Impact of a Structured Protocol on Graduate Student Perception of Online Asynchronous Discussions

Instructors of online courses face unique challenges to ensure student interaction with course material. Sometimes, even the most exciting content is insufficient in an attempt to engage students. Online, asynchronous discussions offer promise as a means to increase student-to-student and student-to-content interaction and, ultimately, student satisfaction with online courses. The modification of structured discussion protocols designed for use in face to face environments offers instructors of online courses an efficient method of adding purpose and structure to asynchronous discussions. This research employed a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent group design to examine students' perception of asynchronous discussion before and after applying a structured discussion protocol that included a clear statement of purpose, directions for participation, and a grading rubric. Results from the data analysis indicated that student perception of online asynchronous discussions improved when a structure was added. Results also showed a lower level of dissatisfaction when discussions were structured.
Application of the Weathering Framework: Intersection of Racism, Stigma, and COVID-19 as a Stressful Life Event among African Americans

The disproportionate impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on African American communities necessitates an increased focus on the intersectional roles of racism, stigma, and other social determinants of health in influencing disease and mortality risk. The Weathering Framework is applied to demonstrate the dynamic interrelationships between these factors and to conceptualize COVID-19 as a stressful life event that will have profound health implications over the life course for African Americans. Recommendations for population health research, interventions and policies aimed at reducing COVID-19 incidence and mortality, and mitigation of the long-term impacts of the pandemic on communities of color are discussed.
Rituximab therapy for a severe case of pretibial myxedema.

Pretibial myxedema (PTM) (thyroid dermopathy) is a known manifestation of Graves disease (GD), commonly presenting as localized, circumscribed, or infiltrated plaques over the pretibial areas. PTM is present in up to 4.3% of GD patients and in 15% of patients with Graves ophthalmopathy.1 Rituximab (RTX) has shown potential to become a novel therapy for the treatment of severe cases of Graves ophthalmopathy in recent years; however, it is not well-documented for the treatment of PTM.2 We present a case of a patient with severe PTM refractory to systemic, intralesional, and topical corticosteroid therapy and compression, who showed a rapid and sustained response when treated with RTX in addition to topical corticosteroids under occlusion. The objective markers of improvement included a reduction in calf and ankle measurements, loss of swelling of the fingers and toes, and a reduction in thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TSHR-ab). Since receiving 4 RTX infusions over the course of 2 years, she has continued to exhibit sustained improvement. This case supports the use of RTX in patients with severe PTM not responsive to standard therapy including compression and high potency corticosteroids.
Isolated Third Nerve Palsy as a Rare and Solo Presentation of Internal Carotid Artery Dissection in a Young Female - a Surprising Finding in the Angiogram.

Internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) is a known but uncommon cause of ischemic stroke among young and middle-aged patients. A common presentation includes ipsilateral headache, unilateral oculosympathetic palsy (partial Horner syndrome), or ischemic stroke but some reported cases present with less common manifestations, such as lower cranial nerve syndrome (IX, X, XI, XII). However, third cranial nerve palsy is an extremely rare presentation of ICAD. We present a case of ICAD with pseudoaneurysm presenting with third nerve palsy, with ptosis, outward deviation, and binocular diplopia, emphasizing the importance of considering ICAD as a differential diagnosis in patients with third nerve palsy due to the anatomical proximity of ICA to third nerve within the cavernous sinus.
Utilization and Outcomes of Cholecystostomy and Cholecystectomy in Patients Admitted With Acute Cholecystitis: A Nationwide Analysis

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to report national utilization trends and outcomes after percutaneous cholecystostomy, cholecystectomy, or no intervention among patients admitted to hospitals with acute cholecystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried from 2005 to 2014. Admissions were identified and stratified into treatment groups of percutaneous cholecystostomy, cholecystectomy, and no intervention on the basis of International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, codes. Outcomes, including length of stay, inpatient mortality, and complications including hemorrhage and bile peritonitis, were identified. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify mortality risk by treatment type after adjustment for baseline comorbidities and risk of mortality. RESULTS. Among 2,550,013 patients (58.6% women, 41.4% men; mean age, 55.9 years) admitted for acute cholecystitis over the study duration, 73,841 (2.9%) patients underwent percutaneous cholecystostomy, 2,005,728 (78.7%) underwent cholecystectomy, and 459,585 (18.0%) did not undergo either procedure. Use of percutaneous cholecystostomy increased from 2985 procedures in 2005 to 12,650 in 2014. The percutaneous cholecystostomy cohort had a higher mean age (70.6 years) than the other two groups (cholecystectomy, 53.8 years; no intervention, 62.5 years), a higher mean comorbidity index (cholecystostomy, 3.74; cholecystectomy, 1.77; no intervention, 2.65), and a higher mean risk of mortality index (cholecystostomy, 2.88; cholecystectomy, 1.45; no intervention, 2.07) (p < .05). Unadjusted inpatient all-cause mortality was 10.1% in the percutaneous cholecystostomy, 0.8% in the cholecystectomy, and 5.2% in the no intervention cohorts. After adjustment for baseline mortality risk, percutaneous cholecystostomy (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.76-0.81) and cholecystectomy (odds ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.41-0.43) were associated with reduced mortality compared with no intervention. CONCLUSION. Use of percutaneous cholecystostomy is increasing among patients admitted with acute cholecystitis. After adjustment for baseline comorbidities, percutaneous cholecystostomy is associated with improved odds of survival compared with no intervention.
COVID vaccines: time to confront anti-vax aggression.

Halting the spread of the coronavirus will require a high-level counteroffensive against new destructive forces. Halting the spread of the coronavirus will require a high-level counteroffensive against new destructive forces.
Nutrition Education Toolbox for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Diet has been shown to influence disease activity in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Modification of dietary intake is the most commonly used lifestyle intervention in HS, and patients frequently report HS improvement after implementing dietary changes. Providing nutrition education may be perceived as not feasible within the time constraints of an outpatient office visit, and many physicians may also not feel equipped to do this. In addition, most insurances have limited coverage for nutrition visits. However, dietary changes may be employed as a low-cost adjunctive treatment option that can be combined with conventional medical treatment to mitigate HS symptoms. Though dietary modification has been increasingly recognized as a commonly used and influential factor in HS management, there is no comprehensive HS nutritional guide. Herein, we provide tools for both physicians and patients to facilitate evidence-based nutrition education in HS through collaboration with dermatologists specializing in HS, a registered dietitian, and a culinary specialist.
Widespread cis- and trans-regulatory evolution underlies the origin, diversification, and loss of a sexually dimorphic fruit fly pigmentation trait

Changes in gene expression are a prominent feature of morphological evolution. These changes occur to hierarchical gene regulatory networks (GRNs) of transcription factor genes that regulate the expression of trait-building differentiation genes. While changes in the expression of differentiation genes are essential to phenotypic evolution, they can be caused by mutations within cis-regulatory elements (CREs) that drive their expression (cis-evolution) or within genes for CRE-interacting transcription factors (trans-evolution). Locating these mutations remains a challenge, especially when experiments are limited to one species that possesses the ancestral or derived phenotype. We investigated CREs that control the expression of the differentiation genes tan and yellow, the expression of which evolved during the gain, modification, and loss of dimorphic pigmentation among Sophophora fruit flies. We show these CREs to be necessary components of a pigmentation GRN, as deletion from Drosophila melanogaster (derived dimorphic phenotype) resulted in lost expression and lost male-specific pigmentation. We evaluated the ability of orthologous CRE sequences to drive reporter gene expression in species with modified (Drosophila auraria), secondarily lost (Drosophila ananassae), and ancestrally absent (Drosophila willistoni) pigmentation. We show that the transgene host frequently determines CRE activity, implicating trans-evolution as a significant factor for this trait's diversity. We validated the gain of dimorphic Bab transcription factor expression as a trans-change contributing to the dimorphic trait. Our findings suggest an amenability to change for the landscape of trans-regulators and begs for an explanation as to why this is so common compared to the evolution of differentiation gene CREs.
Design of peptides with high affinity binding to a monoclonal antibody as a basis for immunotherapy.

Abstract About half of the US population is sensitized to one or more allergens, as found by a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The most common treatment for seasonal allergic responses is the daily use of oral antihistamines, which can control some of the symptoms, but are not effective for nasal congestion, and can be debilitating in many patients. Peptide immunotherapy is a promising new approach to treat allergic airway diseases. The small size of the immunogens cannot lead to an unwanted allergic reaction in sensitized patients, and the production of peptides with sufficient amounts for immunotherapy is time- and cost-effective. However, it is not known what peptides are the most effective for an immunotherapy of allergens. We previously produced a unique monoclonal antibody (mAb) E58, which can inhibit the binding of multiple groups of mAbs and human IgEs from patients affected by the major group 1 allergens of ragweed (Amb a 1) and conifer pollens (Jun a 1, Cup s 1, and Cry j 1). Here, we demonstrated that a combined approach, starting from two linear E58 epitopes of the tree pollen allergen Jun a 1 and the ragweed pollen allergen Amb a 1, and residue modifications suggested by molecular docking calculations and peptide design could identify a large number of high affinity binding peptides. We propose that this combined experimental and computational approach by structural analysis of linear IgE epitopes and peptide design, can lead to potential new candidates for peptide immunotherapy.
Josephson Coupling through a Magnetic Impurity

We analyze nonperturbatively the behavior of a Josephson junction in which two BCS superconductors are coupled through an Anderson impurity. We recover earlier perturbative results which found that a $\ensuremath{\delta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\pi}$ phase difference is preferred when the impurity is singly occupied and the on-site Coulomb interaction is large. We find a novel intermediate phase in which one of $\ensuremath{\delta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0$ and $\ensuremath{\delta}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\pi}$ is stable while the other is metastable, with the energy $E(\ensuremath{\delta})$ having a kink somewhere in between. As a consequence of the kink, the $I\ensuremath{-}V$ characteristics of the junction are modified at low voltages.
Exploring Cross-Device Web Use on PCs and Mobile Devices

In this paper, we explore whether sharing a user's web browsing activity across their computing devices can make it easier to find and access web sites on a mobile device. We first surveyed 175 smartphone users about their web use across multiple devices. We found that users shared web information between devices, but generally used cumbersome manual methods to do so. In a second study, we tracked the web sites visited by 14 participants on their PC and mobile phone, and used experience-sampling surveys to determine whether sharing sites across devices would be useful. We found that participants visited many of the same sites on both their mobile device and PC, and that participants were interested in viewing additional sites from their PC on their mobile device. Our results suggest that automatically sharing web activity information between devices has potential to improve the usability of the mobile web.
Basu on Survey Sampling

Fifty years ago at a large scientific conference a statistician and a probabilist happen to set down together for lunch. In the ensuing small talk the probabilist admitted to knowing nothing about statistics and ask for a brief introduction to the subject. His companion outlined the common scenario of a company receiving a shipment of 1,000 widgets and selecting 20 of them at random to be tested. He then explained how the number of defective widgets in the sample could be used to make inferences about the state of the remaining 980 widgets in the shipment. The probabilist thought about this for a minute and then remarked, “I do not understand how knowledge about the 20 sampled units can tell me anything about the remaining 980 unsampled units.” It is easy to forget how nonintuitive it is to claim that learning the observed values of the units in a sample, selected by random sampling, translates to knowledge about the unobserved values of the units remaining in the population.
Neonatal Mortality of Elk in Areas with and without Grizzly Bears

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) may support the densest populations of elk in North America, and a diverse community of large carnivores that prey on elk. From 1984 to 1996, the Jackson elk herd doubled in size exceeding its winter population objective of 11,000 elk by nearly 7,000 animals (Smith and Anderson 1998). In and adjacent to Grand Teton National Park (GTNP), mortality of neonatal elk averaged 15% annually during 1990-1992 (Smith and Anderson 1996). Predation by black bears and coyotes, when calves were less than 4 weeks of age, caused 68% of neonatal mortality. Calves killed by mountain lions were more than 4 months old. Except for hunting, predation was the largest source of mortality of radioÂ­collared elk from birth through adulthood. After 1992, grizzly bear activity on federal cattle grazing allotments in eastern GTNP and the adjacent Spread Creek drainage of the Bridger-Teton National Forest (the East Study Area or East SA) markedly increased as did cattle losses to bears. Personnel of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department attributed 26 cattle losses (25 calves, 1 cow) in the East SA in 1993 to grizzly bear predation (Wyoming Game and Fish Department 1995). The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission, which compensates cattle producers for losses due to grizzly predation, initiated a study in 1994 to quantify the proportion of cattle losses in the East SA due to grizzly predation. One grizzly bear documented killing cattle each year, was captured and euthanized in GTNP in 1996. Grizzly bears are opportunistic omnivores that consume both plant and animal foods (Blanchard et al. 1992). Grizzly bear predation on elk calves less than 4 weeks of age was the primary cause of mortality of calves and a major factor regulating the size of Yellowstone National Park's northern elk herd (Singer et al. 1997). Smith and Anderson (1996) found no evidence of grizzly predation on Jackson elk during 1990-1992. However, mid-summer calf:cow ratios of elk in the Spread Creek area of eastern GTNP declined after 1993. We initiated this study in 1997 to compare causes of elk calf mortality in the grizzly-occupied East SA and the relatively grizzly-free area of GTNP west of the Snake River (West SA). The objectives were to: determine: 1) if grizzly bears were preying on elk calves, 2) whether such mortality was compensatory or additive to other sources of mortality, 3) if changes in neonatal mortality altered the harvestable surplus of elk from the Jackson elk herd for hunters, and 4) any influence of environmental factors, and physiological status on survival of elk neonates.
Session 4: Overview

The papers in this session both address the behavior of persistent object stores in response to the applications they are intended to support.
COMMENTS ON CORONAL HEATING

Mechanism of coronal heating in which helium ions contribute to the heating by settling downward through the hydrogen
Music and Spirituality—Introduction

Across time and geography people have known the power of music for evoking the gods and acquiring spiritual insight. [...]
Secure Computation of the k th -Ranked Element

Given two or more parties possessing large, confidential datasets, we consider the problem of securely computing the k th -ranked element of the union of the datasets, e.g. the median of the values in the datasets. We investigate protocols with sublinear computation and communication costs. In the two-party case, we show that the k th -ranked element can be computed in log k rounds, where the computation and communication costs of each round are O(log M), where log M is the number of bits needed to describe each element of the input data. The protocol can be made secure against a malicious adversary, and can hide the sizes of the original datasets. In the multi-party setting, we show that the k th -ranked element can be computed in log M rounds, with O(s log M) overhead per round, where s is the number of parties. The multi-party protocol can be used in the two-party case and can also be made secure against a malicious adversary.
CAD/CAM integration via skeleton-based modeling

The authors present an efficient parallel thinning algorithm for extracting both the medial surface and the medial axis (skeleton) of a three-dimensional object constructed using a geometric solid modeler. First, the object is converted into its voxel model using a ray tracing and filling scheme. A new Euler table is derived to ensure the invariance of the Euler characteristic. An octree data structure of 3*3*3 lattice points is constructed to examine the local connectivity. By preserving the Euler characteristic and the connectivity, the algorithm drastically reduces noisy branches in the skeleton. Pre- and post-processors are used to remove additional noise spurs. A noise-free skeleton model is constructed. The model has useful applications in linking CAD and CAM such as in casting and forging defect analysis. >
Distributed Algorithms for Minimum Cost Multicast with Network Coding in Wireless Networks

We adopt the network coding approach to achieve minimum-cost multicast in interference-limited wireless networks where link capacities are functions of the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). Since wireless link capacities can be controlled by varying transmission powers, minimum-cost multicast must be achieved by jointly optimizing network coding subgraphs with power control and congestion control schemes. To address this, we design a set of node-based distributed gradient projection algorithms which iteratively adjust local control variables so as to converge to the optimal power control, coding subgraph, and congestion control configuration. We explicitly derive the scaling matrices required in the gradient projection algorithms for fast, guaranteed global convergence, and show how the scaling matrices can be computed in a distributed manner.
An energy and mortality impact assessment of the urban heat island in the US

Abstract Increased summer energy use and increased summer heat related mortality are the two most cited detrimental impacts of the urban heat island (UHI). An assessment of these impacts was made that considered the annual impact of the UHI, not just the summer impact. It was found that in north of the US there was a net decrease in energy use from the UHI, as heating energy reductions were larger than the increase in cooling energy. In the south there was a net energy increase from the UHI. The impact of the UHI on heat related deaths was an estimated increase of 1.1 deaths per million people. The impact of the UHI on cold related deaths was an estimated decrease of 4.0 deaths per million people. These estimates are caveated by the acknowledgement that compounding factors influence mortality. Hypothermia related death rates were three times higher in rural areas than urban areas. This is surprising as the homeless population is usually considered the most at risk, yet they mostly live in urban areas.
SYNAPTOPHYSIN IS PHOSPHORYLATED IN RAT CORTICAL SYNAPTOSOMES TREATED WITH BOTULINUM TOXIN A

Abstract Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of neuronal proteins have been implicated in regulation of synaptic transmission. Studies were performed to determine if synaptophysin was phosphorylated or dephosphorylated during exposure of synaptosomes to botulinum toxin A (BoTX/A). Cholinergic-enriched synaptosomes were preincubated in the presence of 3 H-choline to label newly synthesized acetylcholine ( 3 H-ACh). This was followed by incubation with low or high potassium to stimulate release of newly synthesized 3 H-ACh. BoTX/A inhibited total Ach release by 15–19% and inhibited release of newly synthesized 3 H-ACh by 35%. A 165% increase in synaptophysin phosphorylation occurred in a dose-dependent manner over a range of doses (0.2 nM, 2 nM, 20 nM, 100 nM) of BoTX/A. When 4-Aminopyridine was added to synaptosomes that were BoTX/A treated, synaptophysin was dephosphorylated to control levels. Synaptosomes incubated with BoTX/A exhibited an inhibition of potassium stimulated ACh release and an increase in synaptophysin phosphorylation. Synaptophysin phosphorylation may be involved in inhibition of acetylcholine release.
Can phishing be foiled

The article describes the anti-phishing research led by Lorrie Faith Cranor, associate professor and director of the Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University. The starting point of her research was understanding the critical human factors that phishers exploit for criminal gain. That knowledge is helping researchers in her group develop better ways of educating Internet users and design software that is more effective in detecting phishing attempts.
Enforcing Patient Preferences: Linking Payment for Medical Care to Informed Consent

The legal and ethical doctrine of informed consent is well accepted in modern medicine. Nonetheless, medical interventions sometimes take place in the absence of informed consent, particularly in the case of life-sustaining medical procedures. These procedures ordinarily are reimbursed by third-party payers. This article proposes as a strategy to ensure greater attention to patient preferences in medical decision making that financial reimbursement for each medical service be linked to a requirement of valid patient (or surrogate) consent to the service involved. Utilization review bodies could monitor informed consent in the same way that other aspects of necessity, appropriateness, and quality are now monitored. ( JAMA . 1989;261:1935-1938)