cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new method for comparing experiments and measuring information

A statistical experiment can consist of taking a sample. Often, statistics are formed that are based on the sample data. Two different experiments can yield two different statistics. Under certain conditions, we can compare these statistics by comparing the experiments. A statistic that summarizes an entire data set without losing any information about the family of distributions or the model is a sufficient statistic. Sometimes it may be desirable to use a statistic that, though not sufficient, does summarize the data set somewhat. How much information will we lose? How can we compare two statistics that are not sufficient in terms of the amount of information they provide? A new method for comparing experiments and measuring information is introduced. The new method is used to evaluate the expected efficiency of a statistic in discriminating between any two values of the parameter as compared to a sufficient statistic. This new method can be self-calibrated to give this expected efficiency a meaningful ...
Suppression of Tak1 Promotes Prostate Tumorigenesis

Over 30% of primary prostate cancers contain a consensus deletion of an approximately 800 kb locus on chromosome 6q15.1. The MAP3K7 gene, which encodes TGF-β Activated Kinase-1 (Tak1), is a putative prostate tumor suppressor gene within this region whose precise function remains obscure. In this study, we investigated the role of Tak1 in human and murine prostate cancers. In 50 well-characterized human cancer specimens, we found that Tak1 expression was progressively lost with increasing Gleason grade, both within each cancer and across all cancers. In murine prostate stem cells and Tak1-deficient prostatic epithelial cells, Tak1 loss increased proliferation, migration, and invasion. When prostate stem cells attenuated for Tak1 were engrafted with fetal urogenital mesenchyme, the histopathology of the grafts reflected the natural history of prostate cancer leading from prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia to invasive carcinoma. In the grafts containing Tak1-suppressed prostate stem cells, p38 and JNK activity was attenuated and proliferation was increased. Together, our findings functionally validate the proposed tumor suppressor role of Tak1 in prostate cancer.
Parenting Book Recommendations for Commonly Encountered Pediatric Issues

Parenting books offer a variety of information and advice for parents on subjects they frequently encounter; however, the recommendations of books are dependent on the author and different books offer conflicting advice on the same subjects. In addition, some of the information presented is not concordant with current American Academy of Pediatrics policy statements and recent medical literature. It is important for pediatricians to be aware of the information parents are obtaining from different sources so that they can address areas where erroneous advice is potentially being given. Pediatricians will then be able to discuss discrepancies with parents and give them recommendations based on current research and recommendations.
Coincidence spectra of the 92Mo(d, np)92Mo reaction

Abstract Two-parameter spectra taken for deuterons incident on 92Mo exhibit directly the analogue of the d 5 2 ground state and s 1 2 first excited state of 93Mo as an intermediate state in the target plus proton system.
Activation-increasing properties of task performance.

The present study examined the notion that task performance serves as a source of physiological activation in the work setting. Specifically, it is proposed that individuals performing highly in terms of both quantity and quality of performance will demonstrate higher levels of physiological activation than lower performing participants. 120 undergraduate students in psychology performed a clerical editing task after which pulse rate was taken as a measure of physiological activation. The results support the effects of task performance on activation.
A self-adaptive goal-oriented hp-finite element method with electromagnetic applications. Part II: Electrodynamics

Abstract We present the formulation, implementation, and applications of a self-adaptive, goal-oriented, hp-Finite Element (FE) Method for Electromagnetic (EM) problems. The algorithm delivers (without any user interaction) a sequence of optimal hp-grids. This sequence of grids minimizes the error in a prescribed quantity of interest with respect to the problem size, and it converges exponentially in terms of the relative error in a user-prescribed quantity of interest against the CPU time, including problems involving high material contrasts, boundary layers, and/or several singularities. The goal-oriented refinement strategy is an extension of a fully automatic, energy-norm based, hp-adaptive algorithm. We illustrate the efficiency of the method with 2D numerical simulations of Maxwell’s equations using both H1-conforming (continuous) elements and H(curl)-conforming (Nedelec edge) elements. Applications include alternate current (AC) resistivity logging instruments in a borehole environment with steel casing for the assessment of rock formation properties behind casing. Logging instruments, steel casing, and rock formation properties are assumed to exhibit axial symmetry around the axis of a vertical borehole. For the presented challenging class of problems, the self-adaptive goal-oriented hp-FEM delivers results with 5–7 digits of accuracy in the quantity-of-interest.
The existence of value functions of stochastic differential games for unbounded stochastic evolution

Considers a two-player, zero-sum stochastic differential game with unbounded dynamics in an infinite dimensional Hilbert space. The authors prove that the upper and lower value functions of the game are viscosity solutions of the upper and lower value Bellman-Isaacs equations respectively and that they satisfy the dynamic programming principle. It then follows that the differential game has value if the Isaacs condition holds.
Univariate Random Variables

These are real-valued functions X defined on a probability space, taking on a finite or countably infinite number of values {x1,x2, …}. They can be described by a discrete density function $${p_X}(x) = \mathbb{P}(X = x)$$ .
Distributed energy resources in electricity markets: The price droop mechanism

Distributed energy resources (DER), including small-scale generation, renewable energy technologies, and demand response, are disadvantaged with respect to central generating facilities as a consequence of being excluded from regional energy and ancillary services markets. This paper proposes a price-based open-loop control signal to facilitate significantly increasing DER penetration in the power system by coordinating their participation in electricity markets while also maintaining the local system energy balance. The proposed signal introduces the concept of “price droop” that is based upon the concepts of frequency droop and own price elasticity. The use of this signal is demonstrated in a variety of scenarios with DER in a microgrid operating in islanded mode.
Toward a scalable concurrent architecture for real-time processing of stochastic control and optimization problems

Reports on the development of a scalable multiple-instruction multiple-data (MIMD) concurrent architecture which is intended to serve as an effective alternative for solving stochastic differential and optimization systems. This architecture has in turn motivated the application of group theory and invariance analysis to acquire further insights in understanding the original problem. The speed-up ratios attained by this architecture can realistically justify its potential deployment in certain real-time applications. A case study related to real-time stochastic control and optimization serve to illustrate this possibility. >
In vitro susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to isoquinoline alkaloids from Sanguinaria canadensis and Hydrastis canadensis

Methanol extracts of the rhizomes of Sanguinaria canadensis, and the roots and rhizomes of Hydrastis canadensis, two plants used traditionally for the treatment of gastrointestinal ailments, were screened for in vitro antibacterial activity against 15 strains of Helicobacter pylori. The rhizome extracts, as well as a methanol extract of S. canadensis suspension-cell cultures inhibited the growth of H. pylori in vitro, with a MIC50 range of 12.5-50.0 microg/ml. Three isoquinoline alkaloids were identified in the active fraction. Sanguinarine and chelerythrine, two benzophenanthridine alkaloids, inhibited the growth of the bacterium, with an MIC50 of 50.0 and 100.0 microg/ml, respectively. Protopine, a protopine alkaloid, also inhibited the growth of the bacterium, with a MIC50 of 100 microg/ml. The crude methanol extract of H. canadensis rhizomes was very active, with an MIC50 of 12.5 microg/ml. Two isoquinoline alkaloids, berberine and beta-hydrastine, were identified as the active constituents, and having an MIC50 of 12.5 and 100.0 microg/ml, respectively.
Participatory diagramming in social work research: Utilizing visual timelines to interpret the complexities of the lived multiracial experience

The purpose of this article is to present an illustrative example of the analytic potential of image-based research in social work. Insight gained from a qualitative research study that used a nove...
A Modest Proposal to Meet an Urgent Need

EIGHTY years ago this society of scholars, now numbering more than twelve thousand teachers, writers, and friends of history and steadily growing, was brought into being by a handful of imaginative and creative teachers. They were conscious of the gathering momentum of the revolution in science. They would be the vanguard of a new and similar thrust under the banners of reason. They would seek truth by a disciplined study of men and institutions in their passage through time, as Darwin studied coral reefs. The standards they raised and to which they swore allegiance were, of course, as old as Herodotus and as explicit as Lucian of Samosata, who said long ago:
CELLULAR IMMUNOABSORBENTS IN TRANSPLANTATION IMMUNITY SPECIFIC IN VITRO DELETION AND RECOVERY OF MOUSE LYMPHOID CELLS SENSITIZED AGAINST ALLOGENEIC TUMORS

Mouse lymphoid cells, sensitized against tumor allografts, can be deprived of the immunoreactive cells by in vitro absorption with specific fibroblast monolayers. Populations of lymphocytes so depleted are less effective in retarding tumor growth in vivo and in lysing tumor cells in vitro. Moreover, the adsorbed immunoreactive cells can be recovered specifically and are subsequently efficient in inhibiting tumor growth in vivo and in killing tumor cells in vitro. Further evidence is presented for the suggestion that the destruction of target cells in vitro by sensitized lymphoid cells is truly representative of the mode of destruction of grafted cells in vivo.
Communications and the Internet: Facebook, E-Mail, and Beyond

Ethical issues arise with the use of communicating over the Internet, whether by e-mail, social networking sites, or linking and commenting through static web pages. This article addresses all these issues.
Human Spermatozoa and Temperature: The Elephant in the Room

Men are notable for low sperm production, relative to that of other large mammals, and often inferior morphology and motility of their spermatozoa. The extent to which temperature plays a role in this picture has been a moot point. However, animal experiments suggest that an increased scrotal temperature of approximately +4°C brought by inguinal clothing has a negative impact on the germinal epithelium and on the epididymis in man. In two animal species with inguinal testes, their transposition to the abdomen, raising the testis temperature by a modest approximate 1.5°C brought reduced sperm production and abnormalities of spermiogenesis (distorted sperm nuclei, shared acrosomes), a picture seen commonly in man alongside morphologically normal spermatids. Reflection of the scrotal epididymis to the abdomen in laboratory animals did not inhibit sperm maturation there, but the consequences of this for other epididymal parameters are mirrored in several features seen in man. In addition to the typically puny form of the human cauda, these include often rapid epididymal sperm transit, rapid capacitation in vitro, a poor sperm reserve (as reflected in the steep decline in sperm numbers in successive ejaculates), and not least, the cauda's failure to maintain the viability of spermatozoa there (reflected in both their mixed potential for motility and the negative outcome of abstinence). Because the number of competent spermatozoa inseminated relates to prompt fertilization and/or incidence of pregnancy in some animal models, the negative effects of scrotal temperature may be an important factor in the need for an average of approximately five cycles of unprotected intercourse in order to establish pregnancy in human females.
Adaptive Gaussian mixture learning in distributed particle filtering

We consider the problem of adaptive Gaussian mixture learning in posterior-based distributed particle filtering, in which posteriors are approximated as Gaussian mixtures for wireless communication. We develop a hierarchical clustering algorithm to learn from weighted samples a Gaussian mixture with an adaptively determined number of components. Different from existing work, the proposed algorithm embeds a kernel density estimation-based clustering algorithm in each recursive step of hierarchical clustering to adaptively split a cluster. We use the hierarchical clustering result as an initial guess for the expectation-maximization algorithm to obtain a local maximum likelihood solution. Numerical examples show that the proposed method leads to higher accuracy in distributed particle filtering and is more efficient in both computation and communication than other methods.
Report from OSTIV Congress XXXI

The Congress was held at the site of the World Gliding Championships in Uvalde TX USA during August 2012. Here summaries of all events can be found; from the opening ceremony to the closing dinner.
Discussant Remarks on 'Mysticism and Politics in Voegelin's Philosophy'

Discussant remarks on three papers on the Eric Voegelin Society Panel, "Mysticism and Politics in Voegelin's Philosophy"
Rome, the dystopian city: Entropic aesthetics in Fellini’s Toby Dammit and Roma and Pasolini’s Petrolio

This article focuses on the emergence of a dystopian imagery of Rome in Fellini’s Toby Dammit and Roma and in Pasolini’s Petrolio. In these films and novel, the cohabitation of vernacular and moder...
Surrogate Constraints in Integer Programming

Abstract We present an improved algorithm for generating surrogate constraint multipliers that constitues a hybrid approach based on integrating different procedures proposed earlier by Glover and by Gavish and Pirkul. We demonstrate the validity of the new procedure, give a numerical illustration, and report computational outcomes showing the effectiveness of the procedure in generating surrogate constraints for 240 multiple constraint knapsack problems drawn from an earlier study by Gavish and Pirkul.
Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with a series of C6-C14 alkenes at 299 +/- 2 K.

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with the C6−C14 2-methyl-1-alkenes and the C6−C10 trans-2-alkenes have been measured at 299 ± 2 K and atmospheric pressure of air using a relative rate technique. The rate constants obtained (in units of 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1) were as follows: 2-methyl-1-pentene, 5.67 ± 0.21; 2-methyl-1-hexene, 6.50 ± 0.11; 2-methyl-1-heptene, 6.71 ± 0.21; 2-methyl-1-octene, 7.02 ± 0.16; 2-methyl-1-nonene, 7.28 ± 0.21; 2-methyl-1-decene, 7.85 ± 0.26; 2-methyl-1-undecene, 7.85 ± 0.21; 2-methyl-1-dodecene, 7.96 ± 0.26; 2-methyl-1-tridecene, 8.06 ± 0.37; trans-2-hexene, 6.08 ± 0.26; trans-2-heptene, 6.76 ± 0.32; trans-2-octene, 7.23 ± 0.21; trans-2-nonene, 7.54 ± 0.16; and trans-2-decene, 7.80 ± 0.26, where the indicated errors are two least-squares standard deviations and do not include the uncertainty associated with the rate constant for the reference compound α-pinene. Our data show that the rate constants for the reactions of OH radicals with 2-methyl-1-alkene...
Optical Nanoscopy: FPALM Breaks the Diffraction Limit

Localization microscopy methods image many small subsets of single molecules, determine the coordinates of each molecule by localization, and combine data from many molecules to create a fluorescence image of the sample with resolution (10-40 nm) significantly better than the diffraction-limited resolution. Biological applications of such methods are presented.
A Type of Dynamic Seal Device Suitable for the Situation of Planet Motion Rotator

TA type of dynamic seal device suitable for the situation of planet motion rotator, is introduced from respects of structure, working principle, design details.
Sulfation and glucuronidation of acetaminophen by cultured hepatocytes reproducing in vivo sex-differences in conjugation on Matrigel and type 1 collagen.

The sulfate and glucuronide conjugation of acetaminophen (APAP) by hepatocytes cultured on Matrigel or type 1 collagen was compared to APAP metabolism in vivo. The metabolic fate of low (15 mg/kg), medium (125 mg/kg), and high (300 mg/kg) doses of APAP injected intraperitoneally were determined in male and female rats. Males excreted more APAP as the sulfate conjugate than females, which correlated with the twofold greater APAP sulfotransferase activity in the male vs. females (301±24 vs. 156±18 pmol · mg−1 protein · min−1). Also, as sulfate conjugation became saturated, there was a dose-related shift in APAP metabolism from sulfate to glucuronide conjugation in both sexes. After death, the livers of the same animals were perfused with collagenase and the hepatocytes cultured in modified Waymouth’s medium on either Matrigel or rat-tail collagen, with various doses of APAP (0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mM). Sex differences in APAP sulfation and glucuronidation persisted in culture for up to 4 days, with sulfation predominating in the male similar to in vivo. With increasing APAP concentration (dose), there was a saturation of sulfate conjugation and a shift to glucuronidation as observed in vivo. Sex differences in APAP sulfation and glucuronidation were no longer significant by Day 4 in culture. Sulfation, and to a lesser extent, glucuronidation, were more stable on Matrigel than collagen. We concluded that APAP metabolism of freshly isolated hepatocytes could replicate in vivo sex differences in conjugation, and that Matrigel was superior to collagen as substrate.
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down: The Love–Death Dialectic in Story and Song

In this article, we examine the love–death dialectic through a mosaic of story and song. Layering personal narrative and musical chronicles about love, life, and death—from the heroic to the tediou...
Optimal Mechanisms for Combinatorial Auctions and Combinatorial Public Projects via Convex Rounding

We design the first truthful-in-expectation, constant-factor approximation mechanisms for NP-hard cases of the welfare maximization problem in combinatorial auctions with nonidentical items and in combinatorial public projects. Our results apply to bidders with valuations that are nonnegative linear combinations of gross-substitute valuations, a class that encompasses many of the most well-studied subclasses of submodular functions, including coverage functions and weighted matroid rank functions. Our mechanisms have an expected polynomial runtime and achieve an approximation factor of 1 − 1/e. This approximation factor is the best possible for both problems, even for known and explicitly given coverage valuations, assuming P ≠ NP. Recent impossibility results suggest that our results cannot be extended to a significantly larger valuation class.Both of our mechanisms are instantiations of a new framework for designing approximation mechanisms based on randomized rounding algorithms. The high-level idea of this framework is to optimize directly over the (random) output of the rounding algorithm, rather than the usual (and rarely truthful) approach of optimizing over the input to the rounding algorithm. This framework yields truthful-in-expectation mechanisms, which can be implemented efficiently when the corresponding objective function is concave. For bidders with valuations in the cone generated by gross-substitute valuations, we give novel randomized rounding algorithms that lead to both a concave objective function and a (1 − 1/e)-approximation of the optimal welfare.
People Like Us: Shaping Newcomer Acceptance in Rural Boomtown Communities and Schools

Rapidly growing rural communities may experience many forms of disruptions, jeopardizing residents’ place attachment and identity. This qualitative case study uses the boomtown and newcomer/oldtimer literatures to examine how schools shape the local ‘us-versus-them’ discourse. Data for this research include interviews with community members (n=27) and interviews and observations of K–12 school staff (n=14). Findings indicate boomtown residents and teachers strengthened their place identity and attributed place disruptions and risks to newcomers, inhibiting their acceptance. Administrators’ planning decisions and teachers’ pedagogy in practice shaped this discourse. Teachers reinforced newcomer resistance by presenting them as symbols of disruption and risk which threatened their traditional rural community identity. ------------------------------------------------------------ Resume Les communautes qui grandissent rapidement peuvent subir plusieurs formes de perturbations, compromettant l'identite et l'attachement au lieu d'habitation des residents. Cette etude de cas qualitative utilise l'essor et la litterature des nouveaux arrivants et des anciens pour examiner dans quelle mesure les ecoles faconnent le discours local " eux contre nous". Les donnees de cette recherche inclut les entrevues de membres de la communaute (n=27) ainsi que les entrevues et observations du personnel de l'ecole elementaire M-12. Les resultats indiquent que l'essor des residents et des enseignants a renforce l'identite au lieu d'habitation et a attribue aux nouveaux arrivants des perturbations et des risques lies au lieu d'habitation, empechant ainsi leur acceptation. Les decisions de planification des administrateurs et la pedagogie pratiquee par les enseignants ont faconne ce discours. Les enseignants ont renforce la resistance envers les nouveaux arrivants en les presentant comme un symbole de perturbation et de risque qui menacait leur identite traditionnelle rurale communautaire.
Abstract IA21: Cancer and the LGBT community

In response to the clear and persistent trends the elimination of cancer-related health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities has been a national public health priority. For the first time Healthy People 2020, the nation9s roadmap for improving the health of Americans, also includes sexual minorities as population of priority. Although precise data on cancer rates among lesbians are lacking, evidence suggests that sexual minority status may contribute to excess risk for the development of certain types of cancers, including breast cancer, anal cancer, lung cancer and cancers associated with HIV/AIDS. The causes of these disparities are complex and likely influenced by the same factors that drive cancer disparity rates among African American and other underserved populations. These factors include poor continuity of care; socioeconomic factors, such as lack of adequate insurance coverage; medical mistrust; cultural and emotional factor; and providers9 unintentional bias and inadequate cultural competency. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss risk factors for cancer disparities among LGBT individuals and to describe existing cancer risk reduction interventions targeted toward this community. Citation Format: Alicia K. Matthews. Cancer and the LGBT community. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA21.
Phase Acrobatics: The Influence of Excitonic Resonance and Gold Nonresonant Background on Heterodyne-Detected Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation Emission.

We show how heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation (HD-VSFG) spectroscopy can discriminate between the excitonic and monomeric properties of a helical, nanotube molecular aggregate by monitoring the phase of the VSFG emission associated with different polarization configurations. By keeping track of the “phase acrobatics” associated with the added phase of the nonresonant SFG emission of gold as well as that of the double-resonance conditions achieved when the SF frequency is resonant with an electronic exciton transition, we discover that for aggregates of tetra(sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TSPP) the PPP-polarized spectra exhibit double-resonance conditions while SSP-polarized spectra exhibit resonance only with the ground-state vibration. Along with observed shifts in the vibrational frequency, intensity differences, and sign flips in the imaginary second-order susceptibility, χs,Im(2), we conclude that PPP-polarized HD-VSFG spectra reflect the delocalized, excitonic nature of the molecu...
Quantitative susceptibility mapping-based cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen mapping with minimum local variance.

Purpose The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) mapping method based on its minimum local variance (MLV) without vascular challenge using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and cerebral blood flow (CBF). Methods Three-dimensional multi-echo gradient echo imaging and arterial spin labeling were performed in 11 healthy subjects to calculate QSM and CBF. Minimum local variance was used to compute whole-brain CMRO2 map from QSM and CBF. The MLV method was compared with a reference method using the caffeine challenge. Their agreement within the cortical gray matter (CGM) was assessed on CMRO2 and oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) maps at both baseline and challenge states. Results Mean CMRO2 (in µmol/100 g/min) obtained in CGM using the caffeine challenge and MLV were 142 ± 16.5 and 139 ± 14.8 µmol/100 g/min, respectively; the corresponding baseline OEF were 33.0 ± 4.0% and 31.8 ± 3.2%, respectively. The MLV and caffeine challenge methods showed no statistically significant differences across subjects with small ( < 4%) biases in CMRO2 and OEF values. Conclusions Minimum local variance–based CMRO2 mapping without vascular challenge using QSM and arterial spin labeling is feasible in healthy subjects. Magn Reson Med 79:172–179, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Pyoderma Gangrenosum after Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Breast Reconstruction: Systematic Review and Case Report.

BACKGROUND Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare skin disorder of the neutrophilic dermatoses spectrum that can mimic wound infections in surgical patients. PG after breast surgery has been reported but in limited amounts in autologous breast reconstruction patients. We present the first case of PG after a delayed bilateral deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction in the setting of systemic disease along with a systematic review. METHODS PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Science were systematically searched to obtain cases of PG after autologous breast reconstruction. Sixty articles were identified but only 16 were relevant to this study. RESULTS Systemic disease was present in 2 patients (13%). Wound onset occurred typically 5 days after surgery. Fever and/or leukocytosis was observed in 10 patients (63%). Wound cultures were positive in 2 patients (13%). Donor-site wounds were present in 9 patients (56%). Bilateral breast wounds were present in 67% of bilateral cases. Debridement was performed in 10 cases (63%). Skin graft or substitute was performed in 6 cases (38%). Resection of autologous flap was performed in 3 cases (19%). All patients were treated with systemic steroids (81%) and/or immunosuppressive medications (50%). Complete wound healing occurred by 4 months on average. CONCLUSION If early ulcerative wounds develop at multiple sites after autologous breast reconstruction with worsening after debridement and antibiotic therapy, then PG should be considered. It is imperative that an early diagnosis and subsequent treatment with steroids and/or immunosuppressive medications be initiated so further surgical procedures, flap loss, and scarring can be minimized.
Childhood maltreatment severity and alcohol use in adult psychiatric inpatients: The mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties.

Abstract Objective Emotion regulation difficulties are a potentially key mechanism underlying the association between childhood maltreatment and alcohol use in adulthood. The current study examined the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in the association between childhood maltreatment severity (i.e., Childhood Trauma Questionnaire total score) and past-month alcohol use severity, including alcohol consumption frequency and alcohol-related problems (i.e., number of days of alcohol problems, ratings of “bother” caused by alcohol problems, ratings of treatment importance for alcohol problems). Method Participants included 111 acute-care psychiatric inpatients (45.0% female; Mage = 33.5, SD = 10.6), who reported at least one DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder Criterion A traumatic event, indexed via the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. Participants completed questionnaires regarding childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation difficulties, and alcohol use. Results A significant indirect effect of childhood maltreatment severity via emotion regulation difficulties in relation to alcohol use severity (β = 0.07, SE = 0.04, 99% CI [0.01, 0.21]) was documented. Specifically, significant indirect effects were found for childhood maltreatment severity via emotion regulation difficulties in relation to alcohol problems (β's between 0.05 and 0.12; all 99% bootstrapped CIs with 10,000 resamples did not include 0) but not alcohol consumption. Conclusion Emotion regulation difficulties may play a significant role in the association between childhood maltreatment severity and alcohol outcomes. Clinical implications are discussed.
Degradation of fluorinated polyoxadiazole in wet acidic media

Abstract The chemical degradation of poly(2,5-(4,4’-(hexafluoropropylidene)diphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole) (F-POD) was studied in wet acidic media using a variety of analytical techniques. It was found that in aqueous acidic solution, F-POD degradation increased with higher acidity (lower pH) and can reach levels of up to 20% in mild acidic conditions (pH 5.5). Furthermore, residual water present in chloroform was found to be capable of inducing degradation in the fluorinated polymer as well. A mechanistic explanation of the hydrolysis is proposed, which implicates the electron withdrawing effect of the hexafluoroisopropylidene group in the oxadiazole ring opening. The initially linear polymer is suggested to be transformed into a bi- or three-dimensional polymer (i.e., a branched or cross-linked structure) due to the attack of 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring by carboxylic hydrazide, causing a considerable loss of its solubility in organic solvents. Finally, we demonstrate that F-POD is susceptible to cross-link via relatively simple chemistry.
Patient and Hospital Factors That Lead to Adverse Outcomes in Hospitalized Elders

Hospitalization is a sentinel event in the life of an older person. Despite appropriate treatment for the reason for admission to the hospital, older adults suffer high rates of hospitalization-associated disability (HAD) and other complications such as delirium, falls, and pressure ulcers with long-term consequences. HAD carries a poor prognosis for further disability, nursing home placement, and increased mortality and confers significant costs to patients, families, and society. Patients at risk for HAD can be identified and hospital processes of care that contribute to HAD are well known. The Acute Care for Elders (ACE) model of care addresses both patient and hospital-level risk factors and has demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing HAD, improving patient satisfaction, while reducing costs compared to usual care. The ACE model of care achieves the triple aim of improving care, improving patient satisfaction, and reducing costs.
Secretion-mediated STAT3 activation promotes self-renewal of glioma stem-like cells during hypoxia.

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) include the most common and the most aggressive primary brain tumor of adults and children. Despite multimodality treatment, most high-grade gliomas eventually recur and are ultimately incurable. Several studies suggest that the initiation, progression, and recurrence of gliomas are driven, at least partly, by cancer stem-like cells. A defining characteristic of these cancer stem-like cells is their capacity to self-renew. We have identified a hypoxia-induced pathway that utilizes the Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1α (HIF-1α) transcription factor and the JAK1/2-STAT3 (Janus Kinase 1/2 - Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3) axis to enhance the self-renewal of glioma stem-like cells. Hypoxia is a commonly found pathologic feature of HGGs. Under hypoxic conditions, HIF-1α levels are greatly increased in glioma stem-like cells. Increased HIF-1α activates the JAK1/2-STAT3 axis and enhances tumor stem-like cell self-renewal. Our data further demonstrate the importance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) secretion for this pathway of hypoxia-mediated self-renewal. Brefeldin A and EHT-1864, agents that significantly inhibit VEGF secretion, decreased stem cell self-renewal, inhibited tumor growth, and increased the survival of mice allografted with S100β-v-erbB/p53−/− glioma stem-like cells. These agents also inhibit the expression of a hypoxia gene expression signature that is associated with decreased survival of HGG patients. These findings suggest that targeting the secretion of extracellular, autocrine/paracrine mediators of glioma stem-like cell self-renewal could potentially contribute to the treatment of HGGs.
Experimental effects of acute exercise on episodic memory acquisition: Decomposition of multi-trial gains and losses.

Abstract Objective Research demonstrates that acute exercise may enhance retention of multi-trial episodic memories. Previous work has examined the effects of exercise on the mean level of memory recall. However, no study has examined whether exercise can influence the acquisition of new items, which was the purpose of this experiment. Methods Using a randomized controlled trial design, participants (young adults; Mage = 22 yrs) completed either a high-intensity bout of treadmill exercise for 15-min (n = 22) or sat (n = 22) prior to completing a multi-trial episodic memory task. This task involved recalling 15 words for six successive trials, as well as after a 20-min delay (Trial 7). The performance on the multiple trials was categorized into gains (items not recalled on Trial n that were recalled on Trial n + 1) and losses (items recalled on Trial n that were not recalled on Trial n + 1). Results The exercise group recalled more words on Trial 6 (11.4 vs. 9.7; P = 0.009) and after the 20-min delay (10.9 vs. 9.4; P = 0.01). The exercise group (vs. control) had a smaller proportion of losses from Trial 3–4 (10.4% vs. 20.3%; P = 0.04) and had a greater proportion of gains from Trial 5–6 (38.5% vs. 14.8%; P = 0.01). Conclusions The exercise-induced multi-trial memory effect may be influenced by greater item gains.
SimCalc and the Networked Classroom

This chapter describes five major categories of learning activity designs which span a range of possibilities for leveraging the combined representation and communications infrastructure (Hegedus and Moreno-Armella, 2009) of classroom network technologies. These five activity structures, including mathematical performances, participatory aggregation, generative activities, small groups, and participatory simulations, have emerged over the past fifteen years from work both within the SimCalc project and in several independent lines of inquiry among researchers in the Kaput Center network. We present examples of each activity structure, and draw on Roschelle and Teasley’s (1995) framework for examining computer-mediated collaborative problem solving in order to assess developments in the study of group-centered learning that have been enabled by this research.
Role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in CDDO-Me-mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells

CDDO-Me, an oleanane synthetic triterpenoid has shown strong antitumorigeic activity towards diverse cancer cell types including colorectal cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated the role of free radicals in the growth inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing activity of CDDO-Me in colorectal cancer cells lines. Results demonstrated that CDDO-Me potently inhibited the growth of colorectal cancer cells and pretreatment of cancer cells with small-molecule antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) completely blocked the growth inhibitory activity of CDDO-Me. CDDO-Me caused the generation of reactive oxygen species, which was inhibited by NAC and mitochondrial chain 1 complex inhibitors DPI and rotenone. CDDO-Me induced apoptosis as demonstrated by the cleavage of PARP-1, activation of procaspases -3, -8, and -9 and mitochondrial depolarization and NAC blocked the activation of these apoptosis related processes. Furthermore, induction of apoptosis by CDDO-Me was associated with the inhibition of antiapoptotic/ prosurvival Akt, mTOR and NF-kappaB signaling proteins and the inhibition of these signaling molecules was blocked by NAG. Together these studies provided evidence that CDDO-Me is a potent anticancer agent, which imparts growth inhibition and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells through the generation of free radicals.
Title: Ultra-high throughput multiplexing and sequencing of >500 bp amplicon regions on the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform

Amplification, sequencing and analysis of the 16S rRNA gene affords characterization of microbial community composition. As this tool has become more popular and amplicon-sequencing applications have grown in the total number of samples, growth in sample multiplexing is becoming necessary while maintaining high sequence quality and sequencing depth. Here, modifications to the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform are described which produce greater multiplexing capabilities and 300 bp paired-end reads of higher quality than produced by the current Illumina MiSeq platform. To improve the feasibility and flexibility of this method, a 2-Step PCR amplification protocol is also described that allows for targeting of different amplicon regions, thus improving amplification success from low bacterial bioburden samples.
Light Aircraft Crash Safety Program

NASA is embarked upon research and development tasks aimed at providing the general aviation industry with a reliable crashworthy airframe design technology. The goals of the NASA program are: reliable analytical techniques for predicting the nonlinear behavior of structures; significant design improvements of airframes; and simulated full-scale crash test data. The analytical tools will include both simplified procedures for estimating energy absorption characteristics and more complex computer programs for analysis of general airframe structures under crash loading conditions. The analytical techniques being developed both in-house and under contract are described, and a comparison of some analytical predictions with experimental results is shown.
Side-port Needles for Stellate Ganglion Block

When a standard hypodermic needle is used to perform a stellate ganglion block, it is necessary to withdraw it 2 to 3 mm after bony contact with the transverse process of C6 or C7 so that the injectate is deposited superficial to the longus colli muscle into the fascial plane that contains the stellate ganglion. This study evaluates a 22-gauge side-port needle to perform a stellate ganglion block. Since this needle has a side-port 2 to 4 mm proximal to the needle tip, it was found that, with the needle resting on the C6 transverse process, the local anesthetic solution was discharged superficial to the longus colli muscle into the correct fascial plane to produce stellate ganglion block. Using criteria established by the authors, the success rate with a side-port needle was 95% in 58 blocks performed on patients where diagnostic stellate blocks were clinically indicated. Observations included the presence of Horner9s syndrome, change in skin temperature on the ipsilateral upper extremity, and, in some subjects, the effect of block on the ipsilateral and contralateral psychogalvanic skin reflex. The authors feel this needle has advantages over standard hypodermic needles for performing stellate ganglion block.
[Un]becoming a Resource: Translating the Nature of Civets in Indonesia

The development of the civet coffee industry in Indonesia has drawn critical attention to how humans and civets live together in the shadow of the global coffee trade. Since 2006, coffee producers ...
Regeneration of Visual Pigments from their Low-temperature Photoproducts

UNDER the above title Bridges has recently published an article which describes experiments said to be “in marked disagreement with the picture of the bleaching process” we have proposed1. We should like to comment briefly.
Risk-reducing Bilateral Salpingo-oophorectomy: Assessing the Incidence of Occult Ovarian Cancer and Surgeon Adherence to Recommended Practices.

STUDY OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the incidence of ovarian cancer diagnosed at the time of risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in a large cohort of patients with a BRCA mutation. In addition, we aimed to determine the adherence to the recommended practices for performing a risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy as described by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology. We sought to determine if adherence differed by the type of training (i.e., gynecologic oncologists vs benign gynecologists). DESIGN Descriptive, retrospective analysis. SETTING Academic medical center. PATIENTS Two hundred sixty-nine patients with a known BRCA mutation. INTERVENTIONS Prophylactic risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy performed either by a gynecologic oncologist or a benign gynecologist between July 2007 and September 2018. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Among 269 patients who underwent risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomies, 220 procedures were performed by gynecologic oncologists, and 49 were performed by benign gynecologists. Washings were not performed in 5% of the procedures performed by gynecologic oncologists and 37% of the procedures performed by benign gynecologists (p <.001). Complete serial sectioning of the adnexa was not performed in 12% of the procedures performed by oncologists, and 13% of the procedures performed by benign gynecologists (p = .714). There were 8 cases (2.9%) of tubal or ovarian cancer diagnosed within this cohort. Of these cases, only 3 (1.1%) were diagnosed at the time of surgery and met the criteria for conversion to a staging procedure. CONCLUSION Because the incidence of ovarian cancer diagnosis at the time of risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is low and is often not diagnosed at the time of surgery owing to the presence of only microscopic disease, it may not be necessary for gynecologic oncologists to exclusively perform these procedures. However, this study also revealed that when this procedure is performed by benign gynecologic surgeons, some of the recommended practices are not routinely followed. If general gynecologic surgeons are to routinely perform risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomies, it is important to promote better adherence to these practices.
Leadership and the Problem of Bogus Empowerment

In the late 1990s, empowerment was a popular buzz word, especially in the popular management literature. I was skeptical of the idea because it often appeared to be another way to make the organizations seem democratic, or it was selective empowerment, which meant employees could make decisions, as long as they were the decisions that management wanted. Giving employees power, has ethical connotations. In Kantian terms, it shows respect for their autonomous will and demonstrates a high level of trust that employees will use their knowledge, skill, and judgment to serve the good of the organization. Authentic empowerment gives employees real discretion. Pretending to give employees power, but not actually doing so, is what I call bogus empowerment. For employees, it can be insulting, degrading, demoralizing, and a waste of time. My exploration of empowerment led me to the work of some of the great sociologists of the twentieth century such as C. Wright Mills, David Riesman, and Philip Rieff. Their commentaries on American culture are still relevant today, as a means of understanding the tension between individual freedom and the restrictions that employers place on it at work.
Reliable cryo-EM resolution estimation with modified Fourier shell correlation

A modified Fourier shell correlation (mFSC) methodology is introduced that is aimed at addressing two fundamental problems that mar the use of the FSC: the strong influence of mask-induced artifacts on resolution estimation and the lack of assessment of FSC uncertainties stemming from the inability to determine the associated number of degrees of freedom. It is shown that by simply changing the order of the steps in which the FSC is computed, the correlations induced by masking of the input data can be eliminated. In addition, to further reduce artifacts, a smooth Gaussian window function is used to outline the regions of reciprocal space within which the mFSC is computed. Next, it is shown that the number of degrees of freedom (ndf) of the system is approximated well by combining the ndf associated with the Gaussian window in reciprocal space with further reduction of the ndf owing to the use of the mask in real space. It is demonstrated through the application of the mFSC to both single-particle and helical structures that the mFSC yields reliable, mask-induced artifact-free results as a result of the introduced modifications. Since the adverse effect of the mask is eliminated, it also becomes possible to compute robust local resolutions both per voxel of a 3D map as well as, in a newly developed approach, per functional subunit, segment or even larger secondary element of the studied complex.
Swinging on the Pendulum: Shifting Views of Justice in Human Subject Research

Federal policies on human subjects research have undergone a progressive transformation. In the early decades of the twentieth century, federal policies largely relied on the discretion of investigators to decide when and how to conduct research. This approach gradually gave way to policies that augmented investigator discretion with externally imposed protections. We may now be entering an era of even more stringent external protections. Whether the new policies effectively absolve investigators of personal responsibility for conducting ethical research, and whether it is wise to do so, remains to be seen.
"I feel as if I'm lying to them": Exploring Lesbian Muslims' Experiences of Rejection, Support, and Depression.

The current exploratory study utilized a mixed-methods design to study 18 lesbian Muslims’ mental health in relation to familial and online social support (M Age = 24, Sd = 9). Due to the threat of...
Cushing’s Syndrome

Cushing’s syndrome is a constellation of signs and symptoms due to chronic glucocorticoid excess. Glucocorticoids have far-reaching effects that are not only seen within the body but also seen externally affecting the integumentary system. This chapter will review the pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical cutaneous manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of Cushing’s syndrome.