cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anesthetic Modulation of Auditory Perception: Linking Cellular, Circuit, and Behavioral Effects

The cortical effects of general anesthetics are well characterized at the molecular, synaptic, cellular, and network levels, and several prominent endpoints of anesthetic agents are likely mediated by actions in cerebral cortex, including amnesia and loss of consciousness. However, the links between these different levels of effects and the behavioral endpoints to which they likely contribute are not well understood. Here, we present work from our lab and others’ on the effects of the general anesthetic isoflurane on auditory cortex and sensory processing. Our goal is to create an experimental and theoretical framework for understanding how the effects of isoflurane on synaptic physiology, network firing activity, and sensory processing may be related and may yield insights into the normal functioning of the brain.
Hypergravity effects on normal and avulsed developing avian radii.

Rhode Island red female chicks were subjected to complete closed fracture of the right radius at 2 weeks post-hatching. The animals were allowed to heal for 1 week at either earth-gravity or 2-G-hypergravity state with control and estrogen-injected groups. Intact and fractured radial length, weight, average epiphysial-diaphysial diameters, and length, width, and weight of healing fracture callus were measured. Daily 2000 IU estrogen administration for 7 d increased intact radial length. Estrogen augments the effects of the 2-G state by inhibiting growth and depleting the mass of both intact and fractured radii and by decreasing the average distal epiphysial diameter of fractured bones. Animals exposed to the hypergravity state without hormonal treatment showed decreased fractured radial length, weight, and smaller proximal epiphysial diameters. The measurable parameters of the fracture callus (width, length, and weight) were depressed by the hypergravity state regardless of whether the animal was untreated or supplemented with estrogen.
Issues of validity in actigraphic sleep assessment.

Objectives The Standards of Practice Committee of the American Sleep Disorders Association has supported the use of actigraphy in the assessment of sleep disorders. Pollak et al disagree. The objective of this paper is to identify and critically evaluate several theoretic and methodologic issues that are central to these divergent views regarding the valid use of actigraphy for sleep assessment. Design Critical review, analysis, and comment. Setting N/A. Patients/participants N/A. Interventions N/A. Measurements and results N/A. Conclusions (1) Coefficients of the validity of actigraphy exceed those associated with common medical tests and the best psychological tests. (2) Reasons why actigraphy should be held to a substantially higher empirical standard than common medical tests and the best psychological tests have yet to be advanced. (3) Differences between actigraphy and polysomnography are not random and can be reduced. (3a) Sleep onset is a gradual rather than a discrete process. Actigraphy keys on an earlier phase of the sleep-onset process than does polysomnography, resulting in systematic rather than random differences. (3b) A sleep switch device can be used to substantially increase the accuracy of sleep-onset times. (3c) The residual unreliability of polysomnographic data explains a portion of the differences between actigraphy and polysomnography. Actigraphy cannot be expected to agree more completely with polysomnography than polysomnography does with itself. (4) Complete agreement between actigraphy and polysomnography has been presumed, but achieving such a limit is theoretically impossible. Some lower maximum agreement limit should be identified. (5) Conclusions that actigraphy is not an accurate sleep-wake indicator and that it is inappropriate to infer sleep from actigraphy data are not supported by the findings. Conclusions reached, including caveats, by the Standards of Practice Committee remain supported.
Financial Reporting Uniformity: Its Relation to Comparability and Its Impact on Financial Statement Users

We develop a Compustat-based financial statement account uniformity measure based on the presentation of common financial statement line items. We define uniformity using a Jaccard similarity index where a firm’s non-missing Compustat data items are compared to a prototypical firm for that industry-year. We emphasize the conceptual difference between uniformity and comparability, and our tests do not show a significant association between uniformity and output-based accounting comparability. However, we find that the association between account uniformity and comparability becomes positive in high R&D firms, while it becomes negative in firms with higher managerial discretion. We demonstrate that our uniformity measure is positively associated with analyst coverage and analyst forecast accuracy, and negatively associated with analyst forecast dispersion, consistent with financial statement account uniformity being related to information processing efficiencies. Furthermore, we partition our uniformity measure into separate income statement and balance sheet components. We find that income statement uniformity is associated with higher forecast accuracy and lower forecast dispersion, while balance sheet uniformity is associated with greater analyst coverage.
Classification of drilling stick slip severity using machine learning

Abstract Rate of penetration (ROP) is a key metric used to monitor the success of drilling a well. It is directly affected by drilling vibrations since excessive vibrations result in a reduction of ROP. Vibration modeling and monitoring is a complex process often requiring many simplifying assumptions that may not always generalize to different BHAs, reservoirs, geology and formations. Therefore, it would be desirable to minimize drill string vibrations using data driven models using readily available drilling data. The hypothesis tested is the classification of stick slip severity due to drilling vibrations using open source machine learning algorithms. The stick slip index (SSI) – measuring the severity of stick slip due to drilling vibrations – is classified as low or high using machine learning classification algorithms such as logistic regression, support vector machines, random forests, gaussian mixture models and discriminant analysis. Each algorithm was evaluated based on classification accuracy, F-1 score and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The random forest algorithm outperforms other algorithms with an average accuracy of 90% (F-1 score of 0.91 and AUC score of 0.89). The classification model can then be used within a ROP optimization model (or framework) to determine optimal operation parameters which do not result in stick-slip conditions while drilling addressing a serious limitation of previously published ROP optimization papers.
Melanated Millennials and the Politics of Black Hair

Objective This research employs the phenotypic prototypicality framework to makes a connection between African‐American voters' perceptions of African‐American women candidates' appearances and candidate evaluations in contests with limited information. The primary focus is on the candidates' skin tone and hair texture. Methods The data consist of a convenience sample of 672 African‐American students from a Historically Black University in the Deep South. An experimental research design was employed to test whether African‐American candidates who possessed phenotypes that mirrored the prototypical African American were perceived differently when compared to those with more Eurocentric features. Each subject was randomly exposed to a stimulus that consisted of a brief campaign platform and an image of a light or dark woman donning either straight hair, twist outs or dreadlocks. Those subjects in the control group were exposed to an image of a dark male with short hair. Results African‐American students found the dark candidates to be more attractive when compared to their lighter counterparts, regardless of hairstyles. Candidates who possessed the prototypical Afrocentric appearance (i.e., dark skin and/or textured hair) were found to be more supportive of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, progressive policies and were perceived to be more hardworking, when compared to their lighter counterparts. Light‐skinned women, regardless of hairstyles, were perceived to be less supportive of Black Nationalist views. Conclusion The findings here run counter to the conventional wisdom associated with colorism, whereby African Americans have been deemed to possess self‐hatred by possessing a more positive bias toward women with a lighter hue and straight hair. In recent years, due to such events as police shootings of unarmed African‐Americans and the Black Lives Matter movement, Black Millennials have become more aware of the oppression and discrimination faced by many African Americans. This heightened level of consciousness, in tandem with the fact that they were born during an era when natural hairstyles were being popularized, has led them to embrace the aesthetic revolution that includes appreciating their melanated skin and kinky hair.
Associations of wildfire smoke PM2.5 exposure with cardiorespiratory events in Colorado 2011-2014.

Abstract Background Substantial increases in wildfire activity have been recorded in recent decades. Wildfires influence the chemical composition and concentration of particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5). However, relatively few epidemiologic studies focus on the health impacts of wildfire smoke PM2.5 compared with the number of studies focusing on total PM2.5 exposure. Objectives We estimated the associations between cardiorespiratory acute events and exposure to smoke PM2.5 in Colorado using a novel exposure model to separate smoke PM2.5 from background ambient PM2.5 levels. Methods We obtained emergency department visits and hospitalizations for acute cardiorespiratory outcomes from Colorado for May–August 2011–2014, geocoded to a 4 km geographic grid. Combining ground measurements, chemical transport models, and remote sensing data, we estimated smoke PM2.5 and non-smoke PM2.5 on a 1 km spatial grid and aggregated to match the resolution of the health data. Time-stratified, case-crossover models were fit using conditional logistic regression to estimate associations between fire smoke PM2.5 and non-smoke PM2.5 for overall and age-stratified outcomes using 2-day averaging windows for cardiovascular disease and 3-day windows for respiratory disease. Results Per 1 μg/m3 increase in fire smoke PM2.5, statistically significant associations were observed for asthma (OR = 1.081 (1.058, 1.105)) and combined respiratory disease (OR = 1.021 (1.012, 1.031)). No significant relationships were evident for cardiovascular diseases and smoke PM2.5. Associations with non-smoke PM2.5 were null for all outcomes. Positive age-specific associations related to smoke PM2.5 were observed for asthma and combined respiratory disease in children, and for asthma, bronchitis, COPD, and combined respiratory disease in adults. No significant associations were found in older adults. Discussion This is the first multi-year, high-resolution epidemiologic study to incorporate statistical and chemical transport modeling methods to estimate PM2.5 exposure due to wildfires. Our results allow for a more precise assessment of the population health impact of wildfire-related PM2.5 exposure in a changing climate.
Now Arriving: Surgical Trainees From Generation Z.

OBJECTIVE To provide an overview of the Generation Z, compare and contrast Generation Z with previous generations, and present information on how to best educate members of Generation Z. DESIGN Literature review. SETTING Not applicable. PARTICIPANTS Not applicable. RESULTS Historical events and societal trends as well as changes in parenting style has resulted in unique characteristics for Generation Z. The most significant influence on this generation has been the wide-spread use of the smart phone. While this device has great educational potential, it also presents a real risk with digital foot prints influencing residency selection and evolution of mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS The characteristics of Generation Z such accountability, emphasis on achievement and dedication to long-term goals makes them different from previous generations.
Mentoring when you don't have time to mentor

In my position as a faculty member at Brigham Young University (BYU), I served for ten years as the dean of my college. Mentoring of students is a highly valued activity at BYU, so I had reasons to promote strong mentoring in the college, as well as to seek to mentor students myself—both graduate and undergraduate. However, there really is not any time in the job description to devote towards mentoring, so how does one try to mentor effectively? This paper will review some of my experiences, as well as principles I learned while in the dean’s office to help me try to be an effective mentor—principles that can actually extend to all mentoring situations. I will also share some initiatives that were undertaken by the college to try and promote better mentoring throughout the college.In my position as a faculty member at Brigham Young University (BYU), I served for ten years as the dean of my college. Mentoring of students is a highly valued activity at BYU, so I had reasons to promote strong mentoring in the college, as well as to seek to mentor students myself—both graduate and undergraduate. However, there really is not any time in the job description to devote towards mentoring, so how does one try to mentor effectively? This paper will review some of my experiences, as well as principles I learned while in the dean’s office to help me try to be an effective mentor—principles that can actually extend to all mentoring situations. I will also share some initiatives that were undertaken by the college to try and promote better mentoring throughout the college.
Protection of mice against experimental cryptococcosis using glucan particle-based vaccines containing novel recombinant antigens.

Abstract Meningitis due to Cryptococcus neoformans is responsible for upwards of 180,000 deaths worldwide annually, mostly in immunocompromised individuals. Currently there are no licensed fungal vaccines, and even with anti-fungal drug treatment, cryptococcal meningitis is often fatal. Our lab previously demonstrated vaccination with recombinant cryptococcal proteins delivered in glucan particles (GPs) protects mice against an otherwise lethal infection. The aim of the present study was to discover additional cryptococcal antigens affording vaccine-mediated protection. Sixteen proteins, each with evidence of extracellularity, were selected for in vivo testing based on their abundance in protective alkaline extracts of an acapsular C. neoformans strain, their known immunogenicity, and/or their high transcript level during human infection. Candidate antigens were recombinantly expressed in E. coli, purified and loaded into GPs. BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice received three subcutaneous injections of GP-based vaccine, and survival was assessed for 84 days following a lethal orotracheal challenge with strain KN99. As with our six published GP-vaccines, we saw differences in overall protection between mouse strains such that BALB/c mice typically demonstrated better survival than C57BL/6 mice. From these studies, we identified seven new proteins which, when administered as GP-vaccines, protect BALB/c and/or C57BL/6 mice against cryptococcal infection. With these results, we expand the pool of novel protective antigens to eleven proteins and demonstrate the potential for selection of highly transcribed extracellular proteins as vaccine targets. These screens highlight the efficacy of GP-subunit vaccines and identify promising antigens for further testing in anti-cryptococcal, multi-epitope vaccine formulations.
Effect of Surgeon Factors on Long-Term Patient-Reported Outcomes After Breast-Conserving Therapy in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

The effect of surgeon factors on patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes after breast-conserving therapy (BCT) is unknown and may help patients make informed care decisions. We performed a survey study of women aged ≥ 67 years with non-metastatic breast cancer diagnosed in 2009 and treated with guideline-concordant BCT, to determine the association of surgeon factors with patient-reported outcomes. The treating surgeon was identified using Medicare claims, and surgeon factors were identified via the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. The primary outcome was patient-reported cosmetic satisfaction measured by the Cancer Surveillance and Outcomes Research Team (CanSORT) Satisfaction with Breast Cosmetic Outcome instrument, while secondary outcomes included BREAST-Q subdomains. All patient, treatment, and surgeon covariables were included in a saturated multivariable linear regression model with backward elimination applied until remaining variables were p < 0.1. Of 1650 women randomly selected to receive the questionnaire, 489 responded, of whom 289 underwent BCT. Median age at diagnosis was 72 years and the time from diagnosis to survey was 6 years. The mean adjusted CanSORT score was higher for patients treated by surgical oncologists than patients treated by non-surgical oncologists (4.01 [95% confidence interval [CI] 3.65–4.38] vs. 3.53 [95% CI 3.28–3.77], p = 0.006). Similarly, mean adjusted BREAST-Q Physical Well-Being (91.97 [95% CI 86.13–97.80] vs. 83.04 [95% CI 80.85–85.22], p = 0.006) and Adverse Radiation Effects (95.28 [95% CI 91.25–99.31] vs. 88.90 [95% CI 86.23–91.57], p = 0.004) scores were better among patients treated by surgical oncologists. Specialized surgical oncology training is associated with improved long-term patient-reported outcomes. These findings underscore the value of specialized training and may be useful to patients choosing their care team.
Sex-specific effects of developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls on neuroimmune and dopaminergic endpoints in adolescent rats.

Abstract Exposure to environmental contaminants early in life can have long lasting consequences for physiological function. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of ubiquitous contaminants that perturb endocrine signaling and have been associated with altered immune function in children. In this study, we examined the effects of developmental exposure to PCBs on neuroimmune responses to an inflammatory challenge during adolescence. Sprague Dawley rat dams were exposed to a PCB mixture (Aroclor 1242, 1248, 1254, 1:1:1, 20 μg/kg/day) or oil control throughout pregnancy, and adolescent male and female offspring were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 50 μg/kg, ip) or saline control prior to euthanasia. Gene expression profiling was conducted in the hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex, striatum, and midbrain. In the hypothalamus, PCBs increased expression of genes involved in neuroimmune function, including those within the nuclear factor kappa b (NF-κB) complex, independent of LPS challenge. PCB exposure also increased expression of receptors for dopamine, serotonin, and estrogen in this region. In contrast, in the prefrontal cortex, PCB exposure blunted or induced irregular neuroimmune gene expression responses to LPS challenge. Moreover, neither PCB nor LPS exposure altered expression of neurotransmitter receptors throughout the mesocorticolimbic circuit. Almost all effects were present in males but not females, in agreement with the idea that male neuroimmune cells are more sensitive to perturbation and emphasizing the importance of studying both male and female subjects. Given that altered neuroimmune signaling has been implicated in mental health and substance abuse disorders that often begin during adolescence, these results highlight neuroimmune processes as another mechanism by which early life PCBs can alter brain function later in life.
Associations Between Season, Processing Plant, and Hide Cleanliness Scores with Prevalence and Concentration of Major Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli on Beef Cattle Hides

The objectives of this study were (1) to estimate the prevalence and concentration of the seven major Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and...
Roadmap to Help Develop Personalized Targeted Treatments for Autism as a Disorder of the Nervous Systems

There is a disconnect between the clinical behavioral definition of autism and the genomic science that this definition largely informs and steers. But the digital sensor revolution paired with open access to genomics data has the potential to bridge the gap between these two layers of knowledge. Here we use the SFARI genes module and interrogate the human genome upon removing those genes. We then compare the remaining genes9 expression on tissues responsible for brain, heart and organs function to its counterpart in well-known neurological disorders of genetic origins. Despite clinical criteria emphasizing a behavioral definition of Autism, over a neurological one, here we find convergence between Autism and the neurological disorders. Tissues involved in motor control, emotions and memory are the most affected by the removal of the SFARI Autism genes. Congruent with this picture, the Ataxias, Parkinson9s disease and Fragile X share 76.9% of the most affected tissues, including those related to motor control and autonomic function, while mitochondria disorder share 61.5% with autism. Together, these results offer a new roadmap to help diagnosis and personalized targeted treatments of autism. They underscore Autism as an objectively quantifiable disorder of the nervous systems.
Covariance-Free TDOA/FDOA-Based Moving Target Localization for Multi-Static Radar

In this paper, we consider the problem of estimating the location and velocity of a non-cooperative moving target using a multi-static radar, which consists of a set of spatially distributed sensors in listening mode. The moving target may be transmitting, or reflecting, a source signal that is assumed to be unknown and modeled as a deterministic process. We develop a computationally efficient two-step approach to solve the localization problem. The first step finds the time difference of arrival (TDOA) and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA) estimates for each sensor with respect to a reference sensor by using a 2-dimensional Fast Fourier transform, and the second step employs an iterative reweighted least square (IRLS) approach with a varying weighting matrix to determine the target location and velocity. While most existing TDOA/FDOA-based methods require knowledge of the covariance matrix of the TDOA and FDOA estimates, which is usually unknown in practice, our proposed IRLS approach is covariance matrix-free. Numerical results show that the IRLS approach has a lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) threshold compared with a recent TDOA/FDOA-based method, especially when the target is considerably farther away from some sensors than others.
Remarkable Accuracy of an O(N6) Perturbative Correction to Opposite-Spin CCSD: Are Triples Necessary for Chemical Accuracy in Coupled Cluster?

The focus of this work is OS-CCSD-SPT(2), which is a second-order similarity transformed perturbation theory correction to opposite spin coupled cluster singles doubles, where in the latter the same-spin amplitudes are removed and the opposite-spin ones are solved self-consistently. OS-CCSD-SPT(2) is free of empirical parameters, has an instrinsic scaling of O(N6), and makes no use of triples. We demonstrate that, for non-multireference molecules, OS-CCSD-SPT(2) produces relative energies whose accuracy is significantly higher than what is generally expected of a triples-free model. For example, using PBE0 orbitals in the reference, OS-CCSD-SPT(2) exhibits a mean absolute deviation (MAD) of 1.13 kcal/mol with respect to CCSD(2F) benchmark values for the non-multireference subset of W4-08 atomization energies (cf. a MAD > 6.5 kcal/mol for CCSD) and a MAD of 0.68 kcal/mol for the energies of reactions generated from the W4-08 molecules. These MADs are reduced to 0.61 and 0.63 kcal/mol, respectively, by a simple one-parameter spin-component scaling of the OS-CCSD-SPT(2) same-spin correlation energy. OS-CCSD is also naturally amenable to higher order corrections: the associated third-order correction, OS-CCSD-SPT(3), which does involve connected triples and quadruples, exhibits a MAD of 0.44 kcal/mol for the same atomization-energy benchmark.
Unleashing Immunotherapy by Targeting Cancer Stem Cells.

Summary In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Jia et al. (2020) identify residual cancer stem cells (CSCs) as a mechanism of immunotherapy resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Remarkably, targeting this population of CSCs can be exploited to potentiate immunotherapy and reduce tumor recurrence and metastasis.
Design, characterization, and application of elemental 2D materials for electrochemical energy storage, sensing, and catalysis

Elemental 2D materials have emerged as promising candidates for electrochemical applications that require miniaturized devices and superior performance. These atomically thin materials are derived primarily from bulk-layered materials that consist of strong in-plane covalent bonding and weak interlayer van der Waals bonding. Their large surface areas, high degrees of variability in structure, and electronic properties make them distinctly superior for energy storage systems (ESSs). This review introduces elemental 2D nanomaterials and describes their properties and electrochemical applications such as gas sensing, catalysis, and ESS. This paper also highlights promising routes for the synthesis and characterization of elemental 2D materials.
Attitudes toward people with dementia among communication science and disorders students.

The purpose of this study was to: 1) explore attitudes among Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) students toward people with dementia, 2) investigate factors that might be associated with th...
Sleep and next-day negative affect and suicidal ideation in borderline personality disorder.

Sleep disturbance is associated with elevated suicidal ideation and negative affect. To date, however, no study has investigated the temporal relationship between sleep and suicidality among those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). This preregistered (https://osf.io/4vugk) study tested whether nightly sleep (self-reported sleep duration, sleep onset latency, and subjective sleep quality) represents a (within-person) short-term risk factor for affective dysregulation and increases in suicide risk from day-to-day, as well as whether between-person differences in sleep, negative affect, and suicidality were associated. We used a 21-day ecological momentary assessment protocol in a sample of 153 people diagnosed with BPD, 105 of which had a history of serious suicide attempts, and 52 healthy controls (N = 4076 days). We found a within-person association between worse subjective sleep quality and greater next-day negative affect. At the between-person level, we found positive relationships between sleep latency and suicidal ideation, and a negative association between subjective sleep quality and negative affect. BPD severity did not significantly moderate the strength of any within-person associations, although BPD was positively associated with average levels of suicidal ideation, sleep latency, and negative affect, and negatively related to subjective sleep quality. These findings suggest that the association of sleep with suicidal ideation and BPD exists largely at the between-persons rather than the within-person level. Disturbed sleep, therefore, seems to largely coincide, rather than specifically contribute to, the exacerbation of suicidal crises in BPD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Yeats and Theosophy

Acknowledgments Introduction: A "Philosophy... Logical and Boundless": The Esoteric Life and Thought of W.B. Yeats Chapter One: Setting "A Boy's Turbulent Days" to Rest: Mastering Passionate Youth through an Occult Pastoral Chapter Two: Yeats's Hermetic Nationalism: From Mosada to Cathleen Ni Houlihan Chapter Three: Rewording Madness and Testing a Philosophy: The Ellis-Yeats Works of William Blake Chapter Four: Strategic Celticism: Folklore, Theosophy, and Identity Conclusion: Yeats's Biography and Blavatsky: The Poet and the Pythoness Notes Bibliography Index
VI Photometry of Nearby Globular Clusters: M3, M5, M13, and M92

(V, V - I) color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) are presented for the four nearby globular clusters M3, M13, M5, and M92. These clusters span the range -1.3 > [Fe/H] > -2.3, and the new CMDs are intended for use as templates against which to compare the outer halo clusters observed with Hubble Space Telescope F555W and F814W filters. The calibration to the system of Landolt appears to be secure to 1%–2%. Comparing M3 with M13, it seems unlikely that the clusters differ in age by the 2–3 Gyr required to explain the difference in their horizontal-branch (HB) morphology purely as an age effect. If the HB difference is to be attributed to a single agent, we propose that a difference in Y of ~0.05 (with M13 having the larger Y) would most economically explain the differences in the main-sequence turnoff and HB morphology between the clusters.
A Marketing Approach to Evaluation: Four Lessons for Evaluators from the Honda Motor Company.

Abstract Evaluators can learn valuable lessons from the Honda Motor Company in how to improve evaluation products and impact. The success of Honda over the last 20 years can be traced to their investing in sound market research, creating a top-notch production capability, “building a better mousetrap,” and selling their product aggressively. Despite the obvious differences between evaluation and automobile sales, evaluators can adopt a similar “marketing approach” to their work. This article describes how one evaluation office has applied the marketing lessons of Honda and offers specific examples of how others can replicate this approach.
ICED: Videogames in the Battle Between the Citizen and the Human

ICED, which stands for “I Can End Deportation,” is a videogame released in 2008 by the human rights organization Breakthrough. The game places the player in the social and legal environments faced by undocumented immigrants in contemporary New York. This article presents ICED as a type of popular solution to the challenge of using videogames for meaningful social criticism and analyzes its mode of production as the key source for this popular potential. The creators use design techniques and gaming tactics common in virtual worlds to create a humanitarian game that problematizes the idea of free will. Instead of making free will a tool for progressing in the game, ICED uses roaming to create a frustrating game experience. This frustration is an affective lesson about undocumented immigration and the social and legal environment that casts individuals in a world void of freedom and some basic human rights.
Resonances in positron-atom scattering

Theoretical studies of atomic resonances involving positrons will be discussed in this talk. Investigations on resonances in positron-hydrogen scattering below various hydrogen and positronium thresholds are reviewed, as well as resonances in positronalkali and e+-He+ scattering. Resonance phenomena in other atomic systems involving positrons will also be discussed. These systems include positronium ions Ps−, positronium molecules Ps2, and positronium hydride PsH.
Narrow Spectral Range Objective-Prism Technique Applied to a Search for Small Magellanic Cloud Members

The Magellanic Clouds are exceptional galaxies for the study of massive stars and other luminous objects, because they are close and seen in directions where the galactic interstellar extinction is relatively low. In addition the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is of special interest because of the possible peculiar effects that its low metal abundance, compared to the Solar neighbourhood, may have on the evolution of its stellar population. Consequently, a search for the most luminous SMC members has been the subject of many studies. Among the different means used to detect SMC members, the wide field cameras equipped with objective prisms, Grisms or Grenses have played a prominent part. The method consists of selecting stellar objects showing high luminosity or typical spectral features. Such surveys have been especially successful in detecting SMC Ha emission-line objects (Henize, 1956; Lindsay, 1961), OB and blue supergiant stars (Sanduleak, 1968, 1969), planetary nebulae (Sanduleak et al., 1978; Sanduleak and Pesch, 1981) or carbon and late M-type stars (Blanco et al., 1980).
Methodological Considerations in the Analysis of Classroom Interaction in Community College Trigonometry

We report analyses of classroom interaction in trigonometry classes taught at an American community college focusing on two dimensions: the mathematical novelty of questions that instructors and students ask and the interactional moves that the instructors use to encourage student involvement in the lesson. The analyzed lessons were particularly challenging because existing frameworks for analyzing classroom behavior did not account for the cases in which the delivery mode was lecture. We discuss the analytical strategies we used and show data to illustrate how they help us in capturing the complexity of classroom interaction and differences between instructors when lecture is the primary mode of instructional delivery. We conclude with suggestions for further work.
Small-ventricle neuroendoscopy for pediatric brain tumor management.

Object The use of intraventricular endoscopy to achieve diagnosis or to resect accessible intraventricular or paraventricular tumors has been described in the literature in both adults and children. Traditionally, these techniques have not been used in patients with small ventricles due to the perceived risk of greater morbidity. The authors review their experience with the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic brain tumor management in children with small ventricles. Methods Between July 2002 and December 2009, 24 children with endoscopically managed brain tumors were identified. Radiological images were reviewed by a radiologist blinded to study goals and clinical setting. Patients were categorized into small-ventricle and ventriculomegaly groups based on frontal and occipital horn ratio. Surgical success was defined a priori and analyzed between groups. Trends were identified in selected subgroups, including complications related to pathological diagnosis and surgeon experience. Results Six children h...
The process of violence risk assessment: A review of descriptive research

In the past decade, research on violence risk assessment has aimed to establish empirically validated risk factors. Although a number of papers have reviewed what clinicians should use when assessing violence risk (prescriptive research), less attention has been devoted to what clinicians actually do when assessing violence risk in practice (descriptive research). In this paper, three areas of descriptive research on the process of violence risk assessment are reviewed: cue utilization, clinical reliability, and clinician decision-making. Implications for the transfer and implementation of risk assessment technology into clinical practice are discussed. It is maintained that research at the interface of prescriptive and descriptive studies is needed in order to facilitate development of decision-making models that have both empirical validation and clinical utility.
Disrupted functional connectivity of cerebellar default network areas in attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasingly understood as a disorder of spontaneous brain-network interactions. The default mode network (DMN), implicated in ADHD-linked behaviors including mind-wandering and attentional fluctuations, has been shown to exhibit abnormal spontaneous functional connectivity (FC) within-network and with other networks (salience, dorsal attention and frontoparietal) in ADHD. Although the cerebellum has been implicated in the pathophysiology of ADHD, it remains unknown whether cerebellar areas of the DMN (CerDMN) exhibit altered FC with cortical networks in ADHD. Here, 23 adults with ADHD and 23 age-, IQ-, and sex-matched controls underwent resting state fMRI. The mean time series of CerDMN areas was extracted, and FC with the whole brain was calculated. Whole-brain between-group differences in FC were assessed. Additionally, relationships between inattention and individual differences in FC were assessed for between-group interactions. In ADHD, CerDMN areas showed positive FC (in contrast to average FC in the negative direction in controls) with widespread regions of salience, dorsal attention and sensorimotor networks. ADHD individuals also exhibited higher FC (more positive correlation) of CerDMN areas with frontoparietal and visual network regions. Within the control group, but not in ADHD, participants with higher inattention had higher FC between CerDMN and regions in the visual and dorsal attention networks. This work provides novel evidence of impaired CerDMN coupling with cortical networks in ADHD and highlights a role of cerebro-cerebellar interactions in cognitive function. These data provide support for the potential targeting of CerDMN areas for therapeutic interventions in ADHD.
LINEAR ANALYSIS OF SOIL DECOMPOSITION: INSIGHTS FROM THE CENTURY MODEL

All terrestrial ecosystem models track the decay of soil organic matter (SOM). Most current models use SOM modules that closely follow the Century model, a powerful but complicated model of decomposition and other terrestrial ecosystem processes that was originally designed for temperate grasslands but has since been extended to many terrestrial ecosystems. Using the linearity property of Century’s SOM model, we can simplify it to a set of differential equations with little loss of generality. The simplified model can estimate the equilibrium state of the Century model in closed form, or, using a numerical algorithm, can reproduce its seasonal patterns; it also gives us a framework for making SOM models less complex and producing parsimonious, statistically defensible models of decomposition processes in terrestrial ecosystems.
Regioselectivity of taxoid-O-acetyltransferases: heterologous expression and characterization of a new taxadien-5α-ol-O-acetyltransferase☆☆☆

In addition to the anticancer drug Taxol, yew (Taxus) species produce a large variety of other taxane diterpenoids which differ mainly in the type of acyl and aroyl groups appended to the many hydroxyl functions on the taxane core; acetate esters are particularly common. Taxol bears an acetate at C10 and another at C4 thought to originate by intramolecular migration of a C5 acetate function in the process of oxetane ring formation, but many other naturally occurring taxoids bear acetate groups at C1, C2, C7, C9, and C13, in addition to C5 and C10. cDNAs encoding a taxoid 5α-O-acetyltransferase (taxadien-5α-ol as substrate) and a taxoid 10β-O-acetyltransferase (10-deacetylbaccatin III as substrate) have been acquired from a recently isolated family of Taxus acyl/aroyltransferase clones. To explore the origins of other acetylated taxoids, the group of recombinant Taxus acyltransferases was investigated with a range of polyhydroxylated taxoids as substrates. From this survey, a new acetyltransferase clone (denoted TAX19) was identified that was capable of acetylating taxadien-5α-ol with activity comparable to that of the previously identified 5α-O-acetyltransferase (clone TAX1). However, when these two recombinant enzymes were presented with taxadien-triol and tetraol substrates, they exhibited different regiospecificities. The TAX1 enzyme preferentially acetylates the “northern” hemisphere hydroxyls at C9 and C10, whereas the TAX19 enzyme preferentially acetylates the “east–west” pole positions at C5 and C13. The TAX1 enzyme possesses the lowest KM value with taxadien-5α-ol (an early pathway metabolite) as substrate, with much higher KM values for the polyhydroxylated taxoid substrates, whereas the TAX19 enzyme possesses lower KM values (than the TAX1 transferase) for all taxoid substrates tested. These results suggest that both TAX1 and TAX19 acyltransferases may function at the early C5 acetylation step of taxoid metabolism, and that the TAX19 acyltransferase, because of its broader specificity for polyhydroxylated taxoids, may also function later in metabolism and be responsible for the production of many other acetylated taxoids.
Calculating diffraction-limited point spread functions for large segmented telescopes

We present techniques for Fourier analysis of the diffraction-limited optical performance of large-aperture astronomical telescopes. We use combinations of Fast Fourier Transform, Discrete Fourier Transform, and Fourier interpolation algorithms as well as the symmetry properties of the segmented mirrors to achieve full calculation of the diffraction pattern in a computationally-efficient manner. We discuss the implementation and results of these techniques in the context of a 15-meter segmented-mirror telescope design for the Large Atacama Telescope.
Inflammation, Psychiatric Symptoms, and Opioid Use Are Associated With Pain and Disability in Patients With Cirrhosis

Background & Aims Cirrhosis is associated with significant pain and disability, the etiologies of which are poorly understood. We investigated whether the pain and disability in patients with cirrhosis are associated with systemic inflammation and psychiatric symptoms. Methods In a prospective study, we recruited 193 patients with cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus infection, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or alcohol from the hepatology clinic at the University of Pittsburgh. Patients were assessed using the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Pain Disability Index. Serum samples were collected and markers of inflammation were measured using standardized Luminex assays (Milipore, St. Charles, MO). We evaluated factors associated with pain, pain-related disability, and chronic opioid use by using multivariable regression models. Results Pain was reported by 79% of patients, pain-related disability was reported by 75%, and depression and/or anxiety was reported by 47%; the average Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was 12 ± 5. Serum samples from 58% percent of patients had increased levels of C-reactive protein. Opioids were prescribed for 30% of patients with pain. In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with pain included younger age (odds ratio [OR]/y, 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90–0.99), serum level of interleukin 6 (OR per pg/L, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.09–2.58), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score (OR/point, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.07–1.24), and etiology (hepatitis C virus infection vs alcohol: OR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.27–11.11). Disability scores were related significantly to psychiatric symptoms (incidence rate ratio [IRR]/point, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02–1.05), prescription opioid use (IRR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.14–1.94), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (IRR/point, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.0001–1.05), level of C-reactive protein (IRR per mg/dL, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02–1.24), and pain severity (IRR/point, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.08–1.32). Conclusions Pain and disability are common among patients with cirrhosis, and are associated with inflammation, psychiatric symptoms, and opioid use, which potentially are modifiable. Although opioids are used commonly to treat pain, psychiatric symptoms and inflammation also might be treatment targets in this population.
Fluorocarbon dielectrics via hot filament chemical vapor deposition

Abstract Fully dense fluorocarbon films can have dielectric constants ( κ ) of less than 2.0. By eliminating the use of plasma excitation, hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) permits the deposition of porous fluorocarbon films having even lower dielectric constants. HFCVD also offers the ability to tailor film chemistry. Linear –CF 2 – chain structures can be specifically initiated, producing well-defined functional groups at the chain ends and film growth rates in excess of 1 μm/min. Selectively copolymerization with other monomers is also possible via HFCVD. The HFCVD process can be scaled up for deposition onto large diameter substrates.
Prediction of presence of hippocampal sclerosis from intracarotid amobarbital procedure memory asymmetry scores and epilepsy onset age

Identification of the pathological status of the hippocampus prior to surgery is important since the absence of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) carries risks to memory function following anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL). We studied 62 patients undergoing ATL (31 L, 31 R) for intractable epilepsy of temporal lobe origin in whom no pathology was identified apart from HS. An intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP) was performed as part of the preoperative evaluation. All patients were left hemisphere dominant for language. IAP memory testing was according to the protocol of Loring. We examined IAP memory asymmetry scores at four levels of difference ( or =2, > or =4, > or =6) as a function of the presence (HS+) or absence (HS-) of HS. A logistic regression analysis was performed with HS+ as the dependent variable, and age at onset of epilepsy, age at time of surgery, gender, side of surgery and significant IAP memory asymmetry as independent variables. At each level of memory asymmetry, onset age and memory asymmetry were the only predictors of HS+. Younger age at onset was associated with HS+. Curves were constructed showing probability of HS+ for age at onset for each level of asymmetry. These can be used to predict the likelihood of presence of HS based on age at onset of epilepsy and the IAP memory asymmetry score. It is concluded that IAP memory asymmetry scores reflect the functional and pathological status of the hippocampus, and greater asymmetry increases the probability of finding HS in the resected hippocampus.