cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activity-Related Outcomes of Articular Cartilage Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to compare activity-based outcomes after microfracture, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), and osteochondral autograft (OAT). Design: Multiple databases were searched with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria for level III and higher studies with activity outcomes after microfracture, OAT, osteochondral allograft, and ACI. Activity-based outcomes included the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), the Tegner Score, the Cincinnati Knee scores, the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee score, the Marx activity score, and/or the rate of return-to-sport. Results: Twenty studies were included (1,375 patients). Although results were heterogeneous, significant advantages were seen for ACI and OAT as compared with microfracture in Tegner scores at 1 year (ACI vs. microfracture, P = 0.0016), IKDC scores at 2 years (ACI vs microfracture, P = 0.046), Lysholm scores at 1 year (OAT vs microfracture, P = 0.032), and Marx scores at 2 years (OAT vs microfracture, P < 0.001). The only score or time point to favor microfracture was Lysholm score at 1 year (ACI vs microfracture, P = 0.037). No other standardized outcome measures or time points were significantly different. Several studies demonstrated significantly earlier return to competition with microfracture. Overall reoperation rates were similar, but of reoperations, a higher proportion of those following ACI were unplanned with the majority of performed for graft delamination or hypertrophy. Conclusions: ACI and OAT may have some benefits over microfracture, although return-to-sport is fastest following microfracture. Heterogeneity in technique, outcome measures, and patient populations hampers systematic comparison within the current literature.
Mec1 and Tel1: an arresting dance of resection.

At sites of damage DNA is resected to enable the optimal form of repair, directed by homology. But how does the cell regulate resection while coordinating with the cell cycle? In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Clerici et al define missing links between DNA resection and cell cycle arrest during repair, showing that Mec1 can inhibit resection to subsequently activate arrest by Tel1.
A case of cough variant asthma undiagnosed for 16 years

A 64-year-old female patient presented with a 16-year history of persistent dry cough that was undiagnosed after workups at several healthcare facilities. The patient denies wheezing, shortness of breath or sputum production. Previous workups include chest imaging, transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), laryngoscopy, spirometry and bronchoscopy, all of which were unremarkable. During her current evaluation, spirometry was ordered again for the patient, which showed a post-bronchodilator improvement in the FEV1 by 13%, strongly suggestive of asthma. The patient was started on pharmacological therapy for severe persistent asthma, which led to sustained symptomatic improvement per evaluation at follow-up after 2 months. Spirometric findings, clinical presentation and resolution of symptoms with adequate therapy for asthma suggest that this is a case of cough variant asthma that went undiagnosed for several years. This case report summarizes the workup for chronic cough and how the diagnosis of cough variant asthma can be missed.
High-throughput screening for directed chemotaxis of retinal progenitor cells in 3D hydrogels

This study utilizes high-throughput screening to examine human retinal progenitor cell migration in response to biomaterial and chemokine stimuli. Degenerative diseases of the retina impact millions of people worldwide each year, with no known cure available to date. Implantation of retinal progenitor cells in animal models has shown considerable promise but is limited by extremely low (<5%) levels of integration. We hypothesize that by providing a supportive biomaterial and optimized chemokine concentrations to the subretinal space, directed migration of implanted progenitors could be achieved, aiding cell survival, integration, and differentiation postimplantation. In this work, a high-throughput screen was applied to examine retinal progenitor cell migration in response to two hydrogel compositions (collagen type I, collagen type I:10% MatrigelTM) and three growth factors implicated in migratory cascades: Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF-2), and Stromal Cell Derived Factor-1 (SDF-1). After 48 hours, the addition of EGF at various concentrations increased migration in both hydrogel compositions 1.9–2.6-fold compared to chemokine free controls. FGF-2 increased migration 1.4–2.2-fold in collagen gels, however did not impact migration in MatrigelTM composites. SDF-1 did not impact migration in MatrigelTM composites but increased migration 1.8–3.4-fold in collagen gels with a maximal response at 20 ng/mL. Progenitors penetrate farther in collagen I compared to MatrigelTM composites. These results support the significance of matrix and chemokines to induce migration towards optimizing a rational therapy for retinal degeneration.
The Effects of Non-Uniform Specimen Thickness on Thickness Determination and Elemental Quantitation with Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS)

We determined the effect of non-uniform specimen thickness underlying an electron probe on specimen thickness measurements by EELS and discussed its effect on quantitation of trace element concentrations. Our results are applicable especially, though not solely, to biological specimens, and show that if the probed area is not uniform, the specimen thickness measured by either the conventional or the fitting method could deviate from the true mean thickness by more than 30%. However, errors associated with these two methods are in the opposite directions and, consequently, the average of the two methods yields the best empirical estimate of the true mean thickness. The error due to non-uniformity of the specimen in the trace element concentration measured in typical cryosections can reach 30%, and its direction (overestimate or underestimate) depends on the methods used for calculating the concentration.
How Explicit Racial Prejudice Hurt Obama in the 2008 Election

Some commentators claim that white Americans put prejudice behind them when evaluating presidential candidates in 2008. Previous research examining whether white racism hurts black candidates has yielded mixed results. Fortunately, the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama provides an opportunity to examine more rigorously whether prejudice disadvantages black candidates. I also make use of an innovation in the measurement of racial stereotypes in the 2008 American National Election Studies survey, which yields higher levels of reporting of racial stereotypes among white respondents. I find that negative stereotypes about blacks significantly eroded white support for Barack Obama. Further, racial stereotypes do not predict support for previous Democratic presidential candidates or current prominent Democrats, indicating that white voters punished Obama for his race rather than his party affiliation. Finally, prejudice had a particularly large impact on the voting decisions of Independents and a substantial impact on Democrats but very little influence on Republicans.
Fast locks in distributed shared memory systems

Synchronization and remote memory access delays cause staggering inefficiency in most shared memory programs if run on thousands of processors. The authors introduce efficient lock synchronization using the combination of group write consistency, which guarantees write ordering within groups of processors, and eagersharing distributed memory, which sends newly written data values over fast network links whenever shared data are written locally. This fast locking method uses queue-based locks and a group root as a lock manager. Write ordering allows lock grants and releases to immediately follow final shared data writes. Most other consistency models need shared writes to be completed globally before lock release. Program execution times are much shorter using group write consistency than weak, release, or entry consistency. >
Case Studies as Minimalist Information

Case studies are evocative narrative descriptions of a specific, real-world activity, event, or problem. Case-based learning is well established in professional education (e.g., law, business, medicine) and rapidly expanding in many other disciplines. We use cases as an instructional resource in our own teaching of usability engineering. In this paper, we analyze the proposition that cases can be a minimalist-information design technique-that is, as a design technique that (1) orients information to facilitate user action, (2) anchors information in activity, (3) prevents, mitigates, and leverages error, and (4) develops user autonomy. We discuss the next steps in a research program on case-based learning and speculate on other applications of cases as minimalist information design
Comparison of utilization of preventive health care services between two racial populations.

Abstract PURPOSE: The difference in utilization of existing preventive health care services (PHCS) may be related to race. We compared the difference in use of PHCS between black and white males in Northwest Louisiana. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey regarding utilization of preventive health care services was conducted from 09/93–10/97. Approximate equal number of white and black males participated in this quota survey. RESULTS: 70% of black males said they had ever gone to the doctor for routine preventive check-up, while 79% of white males did so (p CONCLUSIONS: White males that are more likely to use PHCS as compared to African-Americans. People of higher education with a positive intent and actively seeking health information are more likely to use PHCS. The more time the doctor spends with the participant, the more likely it is the participant will come for a routine check-up. The barriers for use of PHCS are cost, having to go to different places, and being scared of the doctor.
Ask, Advise, Assist: Pediatricians and Passive Smoke Exposure

The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) how frequently pediatricians obtain a history of passive smoke exposure (PSE), (2) what type of advice regarding PSE they offer and how frequently they offer it, and (3) what methods and what assistance they believe would be useful to reduce PSE. A random sample of 1,000 US members (GEN) of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and all 724 members of the AAP sections of pulmonology, otolaryngology, and allergy (SPECS) were sent a questionnaire. Seven hundred fifty-five usable questionnaires were returned. Ninety-six percent of 321 general pediatricians obtained a PSE history at least "sometimes" but were much more likely to "always" do so when seeing a patient with asthma (87%) or recurrent otitis media (56%) than during well-child visits (41%) (p < 0.0001). Ninety-eight percent of pulmonologists and 95% of allergists "always" obtained a PSE history from parents of their asthmatic patients as compared with generalists who reported doing so 87% of the time (p = 0.0004). Fifteen percent of GEN gave specific assistance to parents with smoking cessation such as referral to an internist or family practitioner or a community agency or initiating a smoking cessation program themselves, whereas 85% gave only nonspecific advice such as, "don't smoke around the child," or "quit smoking." Reasons for not initiating a cessation program included lack of skills (38%) or time (36%) or a belief that it was "not their responsibility" (13%). Pediatricians indicated that brochures for parents that describe the hazards of PSE and contain specific information regarding how to refer to community smoking cessation programs would be of most use to them in helping parents reduce PSE to their children. Pediatricians frequently ask about PSE and advise reducing it but seldom assist parents with specific advice regarding effective methods to quit smoking.
High performance access to radio astronomy data: a case study

As CPU performance has rapidly improved, increased pressure has been placed on the performance of accessing external data in order to keep up with demand. Increasingly often the I/O subsystem and related software is unable to meet this demand and valuable CPU resources are left underutilized, while users are forced to wait longer than necessary for results. This problem is especially acute for many scientific applications which use large data sets and require high performance. The paper presents experiences with working to alleviate an I/O bottleneck in radio astronomy applications at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). It presents the model, the ExtensibLe File Systems model (ELFS), for improving both the performance of data access and the usability of access software. It then presents the current situation at NRAO, the solution, performance results and plans for future work. >
Elite-Mass Congruence, Partidocracia and the Quality of Chilean Democracy

Though Chile is often lauded for its successful democratic transi- tion and high quality democracy, there are increasing levels of citizen dissat- isfaction with the functioning of democracy. This article asks whether this dissatisfaction is due to the lack of congruence between political elites and the mass public with respect to their orientations on political and economic issues. It provides tentative support for the proposition that there is growing consensus between elites and the mass public with respect to the most im- portant issues. Rather than a lack of congruence between elites and the mass public, the paper suggests that the more likely source of citizen dissatisfac- tion is an emerging partidocracia (or a polity characterized by political party domination) which hampers the full functioning of democracy in terms of legitimacy, accountability and alternation of power. Because this domination has been produced by the interaction of an entrenched legislative election system and model of post-authoritarian partisan politics, it will be difficult to eliminate.
Complex spatial distribution and dynamics of an abundant Escherichia coli outer membrane protein, LamB

Advanced techniques for observing protein localization in live bacteria show that the distributions are dynamic. For technical reasons, most such techniques have not been applied to outer membrane proteins in Gram-negative bacteria. We have developed two novel live-cell imaging techniques to observe the surface distribution of LamB, an abundant integral outer membrane protein in Escherichia coli responsible for maltose uptake and for attachment of bacteriophage lambda. Using fluorescently labelled bacteriophage lambda tails, we quantitatively described the spatial distribution and dynamic movement of LamB in the outer membrane. LamB accumulated in spiral patterns. The distribution depended on cell length and changed rapidly. The majority of the protein diffused along spirals extending across the cell body. Tracking single particles, we found that there are two populations of LamB--one shows very restricted diffusion and the other shows greater mobility. The presence of two populations recalls the partitioning of eukaryotic membrane proteins between 'mobile' and 'immobile' populations. In this study, we have demonstrated that LamB moves along the bacterial surface and that these movements are restricted by an underlying dynamic spiral pattern.
Skew Calabi–Yau algebras and homological identities

Abstract A skew Calabi–Yau algebra is a generalization of a Calabi–Yau algebra which allows for a non-trivial Nakayama automorphism. We prove three homological identities about the Nakayama automorphism and give several applications. The identities we prove show (i) how the Nakayama automorphism of a smash product algebra A # H is related to the Nakayama automorphisms of a graded skew Calabi–Yau algebra A and a finite-dimensional Hopf algebra H that acts on it; (ii) how the Nakayama automorphism of a graded twist of A is related to the Nakayama automorphism of A ; and (iii) that the Nakayama automorphism of a skew Calabi–Yau algebra A has trivial homological determinant in case A is noetherian, connected graded, and Koszul.
Honoring diversity in intercultural mathematics education

Mathematics is often portrayed and perceived as culturally neutral, so the idea of mathematics as a subject constituting a core part of intercultural education may appear strange at first sight. In...
Subdural Hematoma in Non-accidental Head Injury

Subdural hematoma in infants and young children happens most frequently, but not exclusively, in the setting of non-accidental head injury. Irrespective of the etiology, this injury type can be associated with a variety of pathophysiologic changes, including those which appear to affect the relationship between substrate delivery and metabolic demand. The exact underpinnings and necessary conditions for these changes remain incompletely understood but appear to be specific for children during early development. This chapter will review the clinical presentation, spectrum of mechanisms, and neuroanatomic and cerebrovascular considerations for this common and often serious injury type.
Shedding of EGFR is mediated by the ERK MAP kinase pathway

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 4504 We have detected a soluble isoform of EGFR in the conditioned culture media (CCM) of the breast adenocarcinoma cell line, MDA-MB-468. Amino acids sequence analysis of tryptic digest from this EGFR soluble isoform demonstrated that it arises from proteolytic cleavage of the membrane bound receptor. In this regard, proteolytic cleavage of EGFR was recently reported in the vulvar adenocarcinoma cell line A-431 by Zhen et al. (Biochemistry Journal, 42 (18):5478-5492; 2003). We named this protein as proteolytic soluble isoform of EGFR (PI-sEGFR). We have demonstrated that the release of PI-sEGFR into the CCM of MDA-MB-468 cells is stimulated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-a), fetal bovine serum and pervanadate. Moreover, our data suggest that the action of PMA on EGFR shedding is mediated by protein kinase C (PKC). We are interested to study if the action of PKC is mediated through the ERK MAP kinase signaling cascade. In this regard, the ERK MAP kinase signaling cascade mediates the PMA and growth factor induced ectodomain shedding of many transmembrane proteins (Fan H and Derynck R. The EMBO Journal, 18 (24):6962-6972, 1999). To examine the participation of ERK MAP kinase in the EGFR shedding, MDA-MB-468 cells were incubated with the MEK inhibitor, PD 98059 in the presence and absence of PMA. The released of PI-sEGFR was assessed by immunoblot analysis and by acridinium linked immunosorbent assay (ALISA) using antibodies specific for the extracellular domain of EGFR. The inhibition of ERK by PD 98059 was examined by immunoblot analysis using phospho-specific ERK antibodies. The results of these experiments shown that PD 98059 inhibited, as expected, the activation of Erk p42-44 and abolished the PMA-induced shedding of EGFR. Together, our results suggest that the shedding of EGFR in MDA-MB-468 cells is a regulated process and that the ERK MAP kinase signaling cascade might be involved. Supported by the NIH/NCI (CA73859, and CA85133), NIH/MBRS-SCORE (2-806GM08224), and NIH/COBRE (P200RR016439).
Breaking the News: How to Communicate a Merger to Employees

The 1990s could be described as the decade of the consolidation, as some of the world's largest corporations merged. While most headlines focused on the economic impact of the unions, some attention was given to the effect on the communities involved. The mere mention of the term "mergers and acquisitions" (M&A) could send messages of misinformation or half-truths. Clarity about motives and intent, as well as timing the release of information during a merger, required strategic information management. Rumors and scuttlebutt could carry enormous negative implications for the merger-integration process. But when is the right time to tell employees about a pending merger? Who should make the announcement, and what communication channels should they use? A survey of managers conducted by the Darden School of Business explored practices that companies use to communicate internally during their merger or acquisition. This note discusses the findings and recommends best-practice communications.
Annual Variation of Stream Water Temperature

An empirical equation has been found that appears to closely fit the annual variation of temperature in a stress. This equation is a modified sine curve and gives the temperature of the stream water as a function of the day of the water year and the average annual temperature of the stream. The applicability of the equation was verified using field data for 37 different stream stations. This data was analyzed by the method of least squares, and the average index of correlation obtained was 0.979. It was observed that the annual average temperature of the streams studied did not vary appreciably from year to year. In addition, the empirical coefficients of the temperature sine curve also did not change materially from year to year. Analysis of only 12 monthly average temperatures was observed to yield almost identical results as an analysis of 365 daily temperature readings. Although all of the calculations were performed on an IBM 650 computer, this means that the required calculations can be made by hand within a reasonable time.
Counter Braids

In this extended abstract the authors summarize recent work they have done on the design of a novel counter architecture for estimating flow sizes in high-speed networks, the algorithms and the theory that goes along with it. This note will provide a description of the problem and our approach. It serves as a pointer to papers ([2] and [3]) which cover the design, the algorithms and the theory of counter braids in more detail.
Place therapies for older adults: conceptual and interventive approaches.

The study of place transitions—moves between places as well as changes occurring in environments of elders who age in place—is a relatively new, diverse research area of high relevance for adult developmentalists and gerontologists. This article explores the usefulness of a tractable model of environmental stress and proposes three potential “place therapies” that may minimize the negative impacts of place transitions upon older adults. Specifically, a transactional model of environmental stress linked to behavior setting theory is proposed for understanding both positive and negative outcomes associated with different kinds of place transitions. Three distinct “place therapies” are considered as interventions that may hold promise for preventing, ameliorating, and enriching the diverse impacts of place transitions on older adults and their environmental milieu.
Surveillance of health literacy among rural residents at Shunyi district,Beijing in 2008

Objective To study health literacy among rural residents at Shunyi district,Beijing to provide direction and guidance to work of health education in the future. Methods Household survey was conducted among rural residents with cluster random sampling method in two administrative villages of Shunyi district,using a unified questionnaire formulated by Beijing Municipal Institute for Health Education. Results Overall,18. 1 percent of rural residents in Shunyi have health literacy,42. 5 percent with basic knowledge and concepts,16. 2 percent with healthy lifestyle and behavior,and 28. 5 percent with basic health skills. About components of health literacy,69. 4 percent of rural residents have safety and first-aid literacy,48. 5 percent have scientific view of health literacy,32. 3 percent have infectious diseases prevention literacy,9. 2 percent have chronic disease prevention literacy,and 5. 8 percent with basic health-care literacy. Conclusion Overall health literacy was lower among rural residents in Shunyi district,so health education for them has a long way to go.
The dual roles of neutrophils and macrophages in inflammation: a critical balance between tissue damage and repair.

OBJECTIVE To discuss the acute phase of inflammatory response with a focus on the neutrophilic response and its role in inflammation. We discuss the relative balance between the need for inflammation to stimulate repair and the need to limit inflammation because of the additional damage it causes. DATA SOURCES We conducted a MEDLINE search from 1966 to 2005 for literature related to acute inflammation, muscle injury, and repair using combinations of the key words inflammation, neutrophil, macrophage, and cytokines. Additional literature was acquired through cross-referencing of bibliographies of articles obtained through the MEDLINE searches. DATA SYNTHESIS We reviewed more than 200 relevant articles. Although neutrophils are an important cell population in acute inflammation, few athletic trainers are familiar with the neutrophil's actions or its dichotomous role as both perpetrator of tissue damage and initiator of repair. Neutrophils dominate the early stages of inflammation and set the stage for repair of tissue damage by macrophages. These actions are orchestrated by numerous cytokines and the expression of their receptors, which represent a potential means for inhibiting selective aspects of inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Neutrophils infiltrate injured tissues but can also be present after noninjurious exercise. These cells have both specific and nonspecific defensive immune system functions that can cause tissue damage in isolation or as sequelae to other tissue injury. It might seem that limiting the action of neutrophils would be clinically beneficial, but these cells are also responsible for initiating the reparative process that is later managed by macrophages. Although achieving a therapeutic balance between limiting inflammation and stimulating repair is important, the duplicitous roles of neutrophils and macrophages in both the inflammation and healing processes create a physiologic paradox for clinicians whose goals are to limit inflammation and to stimulate healing after acute soft tissue injury.
Surface Wave Inspection of Porous Ceramics and Rocks

The most interesting feature of acoustic wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous media is the appearance of a second compressional wave, the so-called slow compressional wave, in addition to the conventional P (or fast) wave and the shear wave [1,2]. The slow compressional wave is essentially the motion of the fluid along the tortuous paths in the porous frame. This motion is strongly affected by viscous coupling between the fluid and the solid. Therefore, both the velocity and the attenuation of the slow wave greatly depend on the dynamic permeability of the porous frame. It was not until 1980, that Plona first experimentally observed the slow compressional wave in water-saturated porous ceramics at ultrasonic frequencies [3]. Only three years later, Feng and Johnson predicted the existence of a new slow surface mode on a fluid/fluid-saturated solid interface in addition to the well-known leaky-Rayleigh and true Stoneley modes [4,5]. The slow surface mode is basically the interface wave equivalent of the slow bulk mode, but there is a catch: the surface pores of the solid have to be closed so that this new mode can be observed. Otherwise, a surface vibration can propagate along the fluid/fluid-saturated porous solid interface without really moving the fluid since it can flow through the open pores without producing any significant reaction force. All previous efforts directed at the experimental observation of this new surface mode failed because of the extreme difficulty of closing the surface pores without closing all the pores close to the surface (e. g., by painting). On the other hand, it has been recently shown that surface tension itself could be sufficient to produce essentially closed-pore boundary conditions at the interface between a porous solid saturated with a wetting fluid, such as water or alcohol, and a non-wetting superstrate fluid, like air [6].
Clinical trials of amyloid-based therapies for Alzheimer's disease.

We appear to be on the brink of a new epoch of treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Compelling evidence suggests that Aβ42 secretion is the triggering event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, and that tau aggregation may be an important secondary event linked to neurodegeneration. Prophylactic administration of anti-amyloid agents designed to prevent Aβ accumulation in persons with subclinical disease is likely to be more effective than therapeutic interventions in established Alzheimer's disease. Drug development programs in Alzheimer's disease focus primarily on agents with anti-amyloid disease-modifying properties, and many different pharmacologic approaches to reducing amyloid pathology and tauopathy are being studied. Classes of therapeutic modalities currently in advanced-stage clinical trial testing include forms of immunotherapy (activeβ-amyloid immunoconjugate and human intravenous immunoglobulin), a γ-secretase inhibitor, the selective Aβ42-lowering agent R-flurbiprofen, and the anti-aggregation agent tramiprosate. Non-traditional dementia therapies such as the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), valproate, and lithium are now being assessed for clinical benefit as anti-amyloid disease-modifying treatments. Positive findings of efficacy and safety from clinical studies are necessary but not sufficient to demonstrate that a drug has disease-modifying properties. Definitive proof of disease-modification requires evidence from validated animal models of Alzheimer's disease; rigorously controlled clinical trials showing a significantly improved, stabilized, or slowed rate of decline in cognitive and global function compared to placebo; and prospectively obtained evidence from surrogate biomarkers that the treatment resulted in measurable biological changes associated with the underlying disease process.
Dwelling in Time, Dwelling in Structures: Disintegration in World Politics

DWELLING IN TIME, DWELLING IN STRUCTURES: DISINTEGRATION IN WORLD POLITICS Jan Adam Nalaskowski Old Dominion University, 2015 Director: Dr. Kurt T. Gaubatz This dissertation aims to propose a general theory of disintegration. This subject is not treated directly by some theoretical accounts and mistreated by others. European integration theories are fashioned to explain the greater integration process while gametheoretic approaches to withdrawals and secessions, even if treating disintegration directly, fail to include critically responsible factors. This dissertation offers a constructive criticism of both accounts. Since neither turning integration theories symmetrically around nor direct, game-theoretic assessment of disintegration help to provide sufficient explanation, it is suggested that the problem of symmetrical reversal and rational conduct must be revised. Disintegration fails to follow the rules suggested by symmetrical reversal of integration. Therefore, it requires independent theoretical account which would pay attention to new, unique factors. Many withdrawal and secession games include these factors but at the price of paralysis of conduct. This dissertation’s argument is that these new factors should be identified and described narratively in order to understand why this conduct becomes troublesome. It is suggested that the problem is located in uncertainty about payoffs’ value and nature. Since actors of disintegration game bargain over different issues rather than upon integration and since these issues often assume nonquantifiable values, disintegration becomes qualitatively different from integration, integration theories prove to be unfit, and game-theoretic accounts need more cautious application. Case studies introduced in three structures of analysis – states, intergovernmental organizations and the European Union – aim to test and confirm subsequent elements of the proposed theory. The constructive criticism of both integration theories and withdrawal/secession games aim to make the general theory of disintegration applicable to many different forms of political structure. As a conclusion, this dissertation points out strengths of this new account on disintegration and encourages researchers to further extend its framework. The theory can help policymakers to understand negotiations better and to learn how to accommodate the risk. Academic researchers should be able to provide reliable analyses so that public opinion is not be shaped by the fear of the unknown and misinterpreted.
TraSER: A traffic signal event-based recorder

Abstract In the past decades, the demand for high-resolution event-based traffic signal indication and detector data has increased due to the need for the collection and reporting of performance measures. This paper will first lay a groundwork for why this type of data acquisition is important, followed by the introduction of a new low-cost, user-friendly, high-resolution traffic signal event-based recorder—TraSER, with integrated video. This paper describes TraSER’s structure, operating principles, and field applications. TraSER allows researchers to be able to collect high-resolution event-based controller data at signalized intersections easily and conveniently. The paper concludes with a discussion on future expansion of TraSER.
MutS2 promotes homologous recombination in Bacillus subtilis

Bacterial MutS proteins are subdivided into two families, MutS1 and MutS2. MutS1 family members recognize DNA replication errors during their participation in the well-characterized mismatch repair (MMR) pathway. In contrast to the well-described function of MutS1, the function of MutS2 in bacteria has remained less clear. In Helicobacter pylori and Thermus thermophilus, MutS2 has been shown to suppress homologous recombination. The role of MutS2 is unknown in the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. In this work, we investigated the contribution of MutS2 to maintaining genome integrity in B. subtilis. We found that deletion of mutS2 renders B. subtilis sensitive to the natural antibiotic mitomycin C (MMC), which requires homologous recombination for repair. We demonstrate that the C-terminal small MutS-related (Smr) domain is necessary but not sufficient for tolerance to MMC. Further, we developed a CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system to test if the inducible prophage PBSX was the underlying cause of the observed MMC sensitivity. Genetic analysis revealed that MMC sensitivity was dependent on recombination and not on nucleotide excision repair or a symptom of prophage PBSX replication and cell lysis. We found that deletion of mutS2 resulted in decreased transformation efficiency using both plasmid and chromosomal DNA. Further, deletion of mutS2 in a strain lacking the Holliday junction endonuclease gene recU resulted in increased MMC sensitivity and decreased transformation efficiency, suggesting that MutS2 could function redundantly with RecU. Together, our results support a model where B. subtilis MutS2 helps to promote homologous recombination, demonstrating a new function for bacterial MutS2. IMPORTANCE Cells contain pathways that promote or inhibit recombination. MutS2 homologs are Smr-endonuclease domain-containing proteins that have been shown to function in antirecombination in some bacteria. We present evidence that B. subtilis MutS2 promotes recombination, providing a new function for MutS2. We found that cells lacking mutS2 are sensitive to DNA damage that requires homologous recombination for repair and have reduced transformation efficiency. Further analysis indicates that the C-terminal Smr domain requires the N-terminal portion of MutS2 for function in vivo. Moreover, we show that a mutS2 deletion is additive with a recU deletion, suggesting that these proteins have a redundant function in homologous recombination. Together, our study shows that MutS2 proteins have adapted different functions that impact recombination.
DiaFit: The Development of a Smart App for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity

Background: Optimal management of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity, requires patient-provider communication and proactive self-management from the patient. Mobile apps could be an effective strategy for improving patient-provider communication and provide resources for self-management to patients themselves. Objective: The objective of this paper is to describe the development of a mobile tool for patients with T2D and obesity that utilizes an integrative approach to facilitate patient-centered app development, with patient and physician interfaces. Our implementation strategy focused on the building of a multidisciplinary team to create a user-friendly and evidence-based app, to be used by patients in a home setting or at the point-of-care. Methods: We present the iterative design, development, and testing of DiaFit, an app designed to improve the self-management of T2D and obesity, using an adapted Agile approach to software implementation. The production team consisted of experts in mobile health, nutrition sciences, and obesity; software engineers; and clinicians. Additionally, the team included citizen scientists and clinicians who acted as the de facto software clients for DiaFit and therefore interacted with the production team throughout the entire app creation, from design to testing. Results: DiaFit (version 1.0) is an open-source, inclusive iOS app that incorporates nutrition data, physical activity data, and medication and glucose values, as well as patient-reported outcomes. DiaFit supports the uploading of data from sensory devices via Bluetooth for physical activity (iOS step counts, FitBit, Apple watch) and glucose monitoring (iHealth glucose meter). The app provides summary statistics and graphics for step counts, dietary information, and glucose values that can be used by patients and their providers to make informed health decisions. The DiaFit iOS app was developed in Swift (version 2.2) with a Web back-end deployed on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant-ready Amazon Web Services cloud computing platform. DiaFit is publicly available on GitHub to the diabetes community at large, under the GNU General Public License agreement. Conclusions: Given the proliferation of health-related apps available to health consumers, it is essential to ensure that apps are evidence-based and user-oriented, with specific health conditions in mind. To this end, we have used a software development approach focusing on community and clinical engagement to create DiaFit, an app that assists patients with T2D and obesity to better manage their health through active communication with their providers and proactive self-management of their diseases.
Tet38 Efflux Pump Affects Staphylococcus aureus Internalization by Epithelial Cells through Interaction with CD36 and Contributes to Bacterial Escape from Acidic and Nonacidic Phagolysosomes

We previously reported that the Tet38 efflux pump is involved in internalization of Staphylococcus aureus by A549 lung epithelial cells. A lack of tet38 reduced bacterial uptake by A549 cells to 36% of that of the parental strain RN6390. Using invasion assays coupled with confocal microscopy imaging, we studied the host cell receptor(s) responsible for bacterial uptake via interaction with Tet38. We also assessed the ability of S. aureus to survive following alkalinization of the phagolysosomes by chloroquine. Antibody to the scavenger receptor CD36 reduced the internalization of S. aureus RN6390 by A549 cells, but the dependence on CD36 was reduced in QT7 tet38, suggesting that an interaction between Tet38 and CD36 contributed to S. aureus internalization. Following fusion of the S. aureus-associated endosomes with lysosomes, alkalinization of the acidic environment with chloroquine led to a rapid increase in the number of S. aureus RN6390 bacteria in the cytosol, followed by a decrease shortly thereafter. This effect of chloroquine was not seen in the absence of intact Tet38 in mutant QT7. These data taken together suggest that Tet38 plays a role both in bacterial internalization via interaction with CD36 and in bacterial escape from the phagolysosomes.
Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Abstract Gastric outlet obstruction occurs due to obstruction at or near the pylorus or a surgically created gastroenterostomy. By far, the most common causes of gastric outlet obstruction are peptic ulcer disease and adenocarcinoma of the gastric antrum. This article discusses the causes of this condition, its clinical manifestations, and the diagnostic strategies and potential therapeutic modalities involved in treating these patients.
The role of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in inhibiting chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGS-OvCa).

11101 Background: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies. High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGS-OvCa) is often initially sensitive to platinum-based therapy, but...
A Model for Irrigation Scheduling in Container-Grown Nursery Crops Utilizing Management Allowed Deficit (MAD)

Abstract Plant growth and water use of container-grown Photinia × fraseri (Dress) were studied under varying irrigation regimes. Treatments were based on management allowed deficit (MAD) irrigation (including 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 95% MAD), which links evapotranspiration (ET) and plant available moisture in determining irrigation schedules. Plant growth was maximized under 25% MAD irrigation. Plant performance and water use were significantly reduced as moisture deficit levels in the growing medium exceeded 50% under MAD irrigation of 50%, 75% and 95%. Plant performance also tended to decrease, but plant water use increased with lower MAD treatments (i.e., 0%, 5%, 10%). The research reported provides a model for nursery managers and researchers to use MAD irrigation in determining optimum irrigation regimes to meet plant water needs and maintain maximum plant performance.
Specification of a Sample Editor

Chapter 4 introduces the basic features of editor definitions as written in the Synthesizer Specification Language (SSL). The specification used to generate the sample program editor demonstrated in Chapter 2 is explained completely. This example is sufficient to illustrate how the major components of any editor are specified in SSL.
Estimation of the daily global solar radiation based on the Gaussian process regression methodology in the Saharan climate

Accurate estimation of solar radiation is the major concern in renewable energy applications. Over the past few years, a lot of machine learning paradigms have been proposed in order to improve the estimation performances, mostly based on artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, support vector machine and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system. The aim of this work is the prediction of the daily global solar radiation, received on a horizontal surface through the Gaussian process regression (GPR) methodology. A case study of Ghardaia region (Algeria) has been used in order to validate the above methodology. In fact, several combinations have been tested; it was found that, GPR-model based on sunshine duration, minimum air temperature and relative humidity gives the best results in term of mean absolute bias error (MBE), root mean square error (RMSE), relative mean square error (rRMSE), and correlation coefficient (r) . The obtained values of these indicators are 0.67 MJ/m2, 1.15 MJ/m2, 5.2%, and 98.42%, respectively.
Acute Renal Failure due to Perirenal Hematoma Complicating Open Renal Biopsy

AbstractDiminished renal concentration and excretion of intravenous radiographic contrast medium are cardinal findings in perirenal hematoma. However, despite a high incidence of perirenal hematoma after renal biopsy acute renal failure has not been described in this setting. A case of oliguric acute renal failure owing to perirenal hematoma after open biopsy of a solitary kidney is reported.
The Medium Is the Message: Development of a Praxis-Based Comprehensive Project Model in an Advanced Generalist MSW Program.

Abstract We describe in this paper the evolving development and evaluation of a praxis-based comprehensive project model in an advanced generalist MSW program. We explain how this model provides students an effective and meaningful way to incorporate social work generalist principles into professional practice, develop expertise about specific clients and related practice issues, and foster professional growth and development. We present an overview of the model and describe its key elements, structure, process, and implementation. One student's project/process provides a case example. It demonstrates that the MSW program and comprehensive project model represent parallel processes, each contributing to the development of advanced generalist practitioners.
Reducing Interference From Misconceptions: The Role of Inhibition in Knowledge Revision

The goal of the present set of experiments was to identify the conditions under which readers evoked prepotent-response inhibition to prevent interference from reactivated misconceptions. In Experiment 1, participants with varying inhibition ability read refutation texts that addressed common misconceptions and control texts. Overall, participants read target sentences that stated the correct idea faster in the refutation texts than in the control texts, suggesting that refutation texts were sufficient to reduce interference from misconceptions and facilitate knowledge revision. In the control texts, participants with higher inhibition ability read target sentences slower than participants with lower inhibition ability, suggesting that participants with higher inhibition ability may have engaged in some extra processing to cope with the interference from misconceptions. In Experiment 2, we used a probe-verification paradigm to evaluate the extent to which readers’ misconceptions were indeed reactivated during reading of the control texts. Results showed no evidence of reactivation in the refutation texts, but misconceptions continued to be reactivated in the control texts. Taken together, these findings suggest that prepotent-response inhibition may be one means by which readers manage interference from reactivated misconceptions from prior knowledge. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)
A New Story About Teaching and Learning

AbstractResearch suggests that the world is no longer predictable and linear but rather is increasingly characterized by unrelenting volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. The convergence of these disruptive currents threatens the sustainability of contemporary classroom teaching and learning strategies. When an envisioned future and the present are in conflict, fundamental change must necessarily occur to create a new story. The dance of change in classrooms of the future will redefine the traditional role of “teacher as leader” to that of “teacher as enabler.” In tomorrow’s classrooms, the nature of students’ daily work will focus increasingly on skills and tasks that advancing technology cannot do well: higher-order critical thinking, problem solving in novel situations, creative and innovative thinking, and instructional activities that require high emotional engagement with others.
An extended Crab at TeV energies

The Crab Nebula, formed from a supernova recorded in 1054 ad, is the brightest object in the TeV (teraelectronvolt) gamma-ray sky. Measuring the extension of the gamma-ray nebula helps us to understand particle acceleration and interaction at the highest photon energies.