cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MNGO-18SCHWANNOMA RESPONSE TO CONCURRENT TREATMENT WITH INTERFERON ALPHA FOR METASTASTIC MELANOMA: A CASE REPORT.

Non-malignant schwannomas are typically treated with surgery, radiation, or a combination of the two modalities. There is no defined role for medical therapy, though perhaps there is a need as these treatment modalities can result in neurologic deficits in this patient population. We present a case of a patient with a cerebellopontine (CP) angle tumor identified during staging for metastatic melanoma after presenting with ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia. He was treated with one month of interferon alpha for his metastatic melanoma with subsequent partial response of his CP angle tumor, though was ultimately resected given intractable trigeminal neuralgia. Interferon alpha has been studied in meningiomas, overall demonstrating moderate toxicity with limited efficacy, despite anti-proliferation activity in in-vitro studies. This case study demonstrating a partial response in a patient with schwannoma and should be considered for future studies in patients with recurrent disease after surgery and radiation or in patients where those modalities are not indicated.
Conclusions: Making Screens Make Sense for Young Children

This collection of research chapters and commentaries was organized around the myriad and intersecting roles that child factors, content attributes, and contextual features play in determining which, whether, and why young children are affected by media exposure. By considering the young child as embedded in and interacting with particular contexts (e.g., home, school, parents, siblings) while simultaneously engaging with diverse media content, a more complex and nuanced view of the impact of media in their lives begins to emerge. Although developmental scientists have argued for models that avoid “piecemeal analysis, fixed in time and space, of isolated aspects” (p. 75, Bronfenbrenner, 1944), much of the early research investigating media effects did just this. Scholars spent a great deal of time studying simple cause → effect relations (i.e., exposure → outcomes) in the absence of content at least through the first few decades of media research. In 2001, Anderson and colleagues presented a longitudinal study where specific content effects were hypothesized and tested across a variety of outcomes. Despite this advance in attending to content, other contextual influences were incorporated as covariates, a trend that continues to dominate media research today. More recently, a number of researchers have argued for more contextually sensitive models to examine who is affected by what content under which circumstances (e.g., Jordan, 2004; Linebarger & Vaala, 2010; Valkenburg & Peter, 2013; Vandewater, 2013). When such contextually sensitive models have been used, researchers have found larger effect sizes for children who were most susceptible to these contexts (e.g., Linebarger, 2015a; Linebarger, Barr, Lapierre, & Piotrowski, 2014).
Suture Forces for Closure of Transapical Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Mathematical Model.

Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized the treatment of severe aortic stenosis in intermediate, high-risk, and inoperable patients. TAVR has multiple access routes, including transfemoral (TF), transapical (TA), direct aortic (DA), axillary, transcarotid, and transcaval. The most commonly applied algorithm is a TF-first approach, where only when patients are unsuitable for TF are alternatives such as TA considered. An infrequent - but dreaded - risk is left ventricular (LV) apical bleeding from tearing or rupture with the TA approach. With burgeoning transcatheter mitral technology that requires a TA approach, the study aim was to develop a mathematical model to determine suture forces for TA closure. Methods Preoperative cine-cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to acquire three-dimensional (3D) LV geometry at end-systole and end-diastole. Endocardial and epicardial boundaries were manually contoured using MeVisLab, a surface reconstruction software. 3D surfaces of endocardium and epicardium were reconstructed, and surfaces at end-systole were used to create a 3D LV finite element (FE) mesh. TA access was mimicked by developing a 10-mm defect within the LV FE model. The LV apex was closed using a virtual suture technique in FE analysis with the application of two virtual sutures. After virtual closure, a FE analysis was performed of LV model diastolic filling and systolic contraction. Results Proof of concept was achieved to develop an LV transapical access site and perform FE analysis to achieve closure. The FE method of virtual suture technique successfully approximated the LV apical defect. The peak axial forces on virtual sutures at end-diastole and end-systole were 0.445N and 0.736N, respectively. Conclusions A LV TA access model was mathematically developed that could be used to evaluate the suture tension of the TA closure process. Further development of this approach may be useful to risk-stratify patients in the future for LV apical tearing. Video 1: Cine cardiac magnetic resonance imaging of the left ventricle. Video 2: Slow motion animation of left ventricular baseline simulation. Video 3: Animation of the virtual suturing process.
Predicting American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Breeding Distribution in an Urbanized Coastal Ecosystem Using Maximum Entropy Modeling

Abstract. Species distribution modeling has seen widespread use in ecology and conservation over the past two decades, and as a result many questions regarding the predictive capabilities of new techniques have been raised. One modeling approach that has gained popularity is Maxent, which uses presence-only data to model species distributions. Although Maxent is ordinarily used to model a species' fundamental niche at large scales (e.g., continental-scale), this technique was used to develop a predictive model for the realized niche and local breeding distribution of American Oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus) in coastal New Jersey, USA. The transferability of the predictive model to locations outside training areas was examined in an effort to locate new breeding populations in previously unsurveyed areas. Initial model validation indicated that Maxent performed well, exhibiting good discrimination ability based on analyses of both training data (AUC = 0.95) and test data (AUC = 0.91). Ground surveys ...
Provider Language Proficiency and Decision-Making When Caring for Limited English Proficiency Children and Families.

Abstract Objective To examine associations between self-assessed language ability and provision of clinical care without professional interpretation. Methods We conducted an anonymous web-based survey of pediatric residents at a large pediatric training program. Respondents self-rated their language ability, and then reported on their willingness to deliver clinical care without professional interpretation in standardized clinical scenarios. Results All pediatric residents completed the survey (n=81; 100%). Many residents (58 of the total sample) indicated at least rudimentary skills in a second language, and seven (9%) indicated they were proficient in Spanish. Eight-five percent had sometimes relied upon friends or family to communicate with parents. Most (69%) reported occasional use of Spanish-language skills to take a history or provide medical advice without the use of a professional interpreter. In contrast, in clinical scenarios where a child was believed to have a complex medical history, few residents (2.5%) felt comfortable using their language skills in the clinical encounter. Residents were willing to have their language ability assessed. Conclusions Residents still face circumstances in which care proceeds without an interpreter. Discomfort with providing care in a second language grows with the perceived complexity of care, and yet a complex condition may not be apparent when communication barriers exist. Overcoming barriers to the use of professional interpretation may improve care for LEP children.
A Hardware Accelerator for Computing an Exact Dot Product

We study the implementation of a hardware accelerator that computes a dot product of IEEE-754 floating-point numbers exactly. The accelerator uses a wide (640 or 4288 bits for single or double-precision respectively) fixed-point representation into which intermediate floating-point products are accumulated. We designed the accelerator as a generator in Chisel, which can synthesize various configurations of the accelerator that make different area-performance trade-offs.We integrated eight different configurations into an SoC comprised of RISC-V in-order scalar core, split L1 instruction and data caches, and unified L2 cache. In a TSMC 45 nm technology, the accelerator area ranges from 0.05 mm2 to 0.32 mm2, and all configurations could be clocked at frequencies in excess of 900MHz. The accelerator successfully saturates the SoC's memory system, achieving the same per-element efficiency (1 cycle-per-element) as Intel MKL running on an x86 machine with a similar cache configuration.
Peptide-Binding Nanoparticle Materials with Tailored Recognition sites for Basic Peptides.

Peptides rich in basic residues such as lysine and arginine play important roles in biology such as bacterial defense and cell penetration. Although peptide-binding materials with high sequence specificity have broad potential applications, the diverse functionalities of peptide side chains make their molecular recognition extremely difficult. By covalently capturing micelles of a doubly cross-linkable surfactant with solubilized peptide templates, we prepared water-soluble molecularly imprinted nanoparticles with high sequence specificity for basic peptides. The nanoparticles interact with the side chains of lysine and arginine through hydrogen bonds strengthened by the nonpolar environment of the micelle. They have hydrophobic pockets in their core complementary to the hydrophobic side chains in size and shape. These recognition sites allowed the micelles to bind basic biological peptides strongly in water, with tens to hundreds of nanomolar in binding affinity.
Modelization and Multimodel Control of Ship Electric Propulsion System

The ship propulsion system is a nonlinear and uncertain system. To overcome these constraints, in order to synthesize a powerful command, the multimodel control is promising. This paper deals with the modeling and multimodel control of complex uncertain systems. The approach is based on the principle of generating model bases, which can be local or generic, determined according to procedures using Kharitonov’s algebraic approach. The evaluation of the relevance of the models is ensured by means of validations calculated on line by referring to the responses of the process. Such validities are used to generate the multimodel control according to a strategy by fusion. Two fusion methods are then proposed: A merge at the level of the elementary commands and another at the level of the control parameters. This work deals with the development of a model base, as well as the synthesis of a multimodel control law. In this sense it is proposed to study the electric propulsion of ships as well as its composition. Next, we propose a technique for modeling the electric propulsion system of a ship and synthesized a multimodel control law. Finally, we will model the propulsion system based on a synchronous motor with permanent magnet and synthesize a law of control according to the multimodel approach.
Dynamics of the Interaction of RecG Protein with Stalled Replication Forks

As a guardian of the bacterial genome, the RecG DNA helicase repairs DNA replication and rescues stalled replication. We applied atomic force microscopy (AFM) to directly visualize dynamics of RecG upon the interaction with replication fork substrates in the presence and absence of SSB using high-speed AFM. We directly visualized that RecG moves back and forth over dozens of base pairs in the presence of SSB. There is no RecG translocation in the absence of SSB. Computational modeling was performed to build models of Escherichia coli RecG in a free state and in complex with the fork. The simulations revealed the formation of complexes of RecG with the fork and identified conformational transitions that may be responsible for RecG remodeling that can facilitate RecG translocation along the DNA duplex. Such complexes do not form with the DNA duplex, which is in line with experimental data. Overall, our results provide mechanistic insights into the modes of interaction of RecG with the replication fork, suggesting a novel role of RecG in the repair of stalled DNA replication forks.
Endurance Exercise Mediates Neuroprotection Against MPTP-mediated Parkinson's Disease via Enhanced Neurogenesis, Antioxidant Capacity, and Autophagy.

Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to motor dysfunction. Growing evidence has demonstrated that endurance exercise (EE) confers neuroprotection against PD. However, the exact molecular mechanisms responsible for exercise-induced protection of dopaminergic neurons in PD remain unclear. Since oxidative stress plays a key role in the degenerative process of PD. We investigated whether EE-induced neuroprotection is associated with enhanced antioxidative capacity and autophagy, using a mouse model of PD induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) administration. C57BL/6 male mice were randomly assigned to four groups: control (CON, n = 12), exercise (EXE, n = 12), MPTP (MPTP, n = 12) and MPTP + exercise (MPTP + EXE, n = 12). Our data demonstrated that while MPTP treatment impaired motor function, EE restored MPTP-induced motor deficits. Our biochemical data showed that EE-induced neuroprotection occurs in combination with multiple synergic neuroprotective pathways: (1) increased neurogenesis shown by an increase in BrdU-positive neurons; (2) diminished loss of dopaminergic neurons evidenced by upregulated tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) levels; (3) increased antioxidant capacity (e.g., CuZnSOD, CATALASE, GPX1/2, HO-1, DJ1 and PRXIII); and (4) enhanced autophagy (LC3 II, p62, BECLIN1, BNIP3, LAMP2, CATHEPSIN L and TFEB). Our study suggests that EE-induced multiple synergic protective pathways including enhanced neurogenesis, antioxidative capacity, and concordant autophagy promotion contribute to restoration of impaired dopaminergic neuronal function caused by PD. Thus, PD patients should be encouraged to actively participate in regular EE as a potent nonpharmacological therapeutic strategy against PD.
Inhibitory effects of lignin on enzymatic hydrolysis: The role of lignin chemistry and molecular weight

Abstract Lignocellulose is a promising feedstock for biofuel production, while lignin poses a grand challenge on the entire process, especially enzymatic hydrolysis. In this study, different types of lignin inhibited enzymatic hydrolysis by different mechanisms. Organosolv lignin from Loblolly pine adsorbed enzyme nonproductively and reduced the available enzyme for cellulose, therefore decreasing hydrolysis rate and ultimate sugar yield. Kraft pine lignin precipitated on the surface of cellulose, preventing it from contacting with enzyme. The molecular weight influenced the inhibition effect of lignin. Lignin of lower molecular weight could bind enzyme nonproductively and when the molecular weight increased, the steric repulsion caused by lignin deposition on cellulose became more significant. The NMR analysis revealed that lignin structural features, e.g., functional groups, S/G ratio, determined the behaviors of lignin in enzymatic hydrolysis. High content of aliphatic hydroxyl groups, or low content of carboxylic groups led to high surface hydrophobicity, increasing the adsorption between lignin and enzyme. In addition, the substrate reactivity is also an important factor that affects enzymatic hydrolysis. Cellulose with higher crystallinity exhibited slower hydrolysis rate and lower conversion. When the crystallinity index increased from 0.43 to 0.72 and 0.81, the ultimate conversion decreased from 80 to 68% and 57%, respectively.
A comparison study on the thermal effects in DBD plasma actuation and electrical heating for aircraft icing mitigation

Abstract A comparison study of a novel method of utilizing thermal effects induced by Dielectric-Barrier-Discharge (DBD) plasma actuation (i.e., DBD plasma-based method) and a conventional electrical heating method for aircraft icing mitigation was performed in an Icing Research Tunnel available at Iowa State University (i.e., ISU-IRT). A NACA0012 airfoil/wing model embedded with an AC-DBD plasma actuator and a conventional electrical film heater over the airfoil surface was tested under a typical aircraft icing condition. While a high-speed imaging system was used to record the dynamic ice accretion and transient surface water transport processes over the airfoil surface, an infrared (IR) thermal imaging system was also utilized to map the corresponding surface temperature distributions over the airfoil surface simultaneously to quantify the unsteady heat transfer and phase changing process over the ice accreting airfoil surface. It was found that, with the same power input, the DBD plasma-based method showed at least equivalent effectiveness, if not better, in preventing ice accretion over the airfoil surface, in comparison to the conventional electrical heating method. Further optimization of the DBD plasma-based method with a duty-cycle modulation was found to have a much better anti-/de-icing performance, in comparison to the conventional electrical heating method. The findings derived from the present study demonstrated the potential of a new class of anti-/de-icing strategy by leveraging the thermal effects induced by DBD plasma actuation for aircraft in-flight icing mitigation.
Theory of performance of isothermal solid-nose hotpoints boring in temperate ice

The performance of a thermal ice-drill having a smooth, solid, impervious frontal surface, termed a “solid-nose hotpoint”, is determined by the velocities, pressures, and temperatures in the thin layer of warm melt water between the hotpoint and the ice. The efficiency, the speed of penetration, the temperature of the frontal surface, and the distribution of pressure on it can be calculated from the equations of non-turbulent fluid flow. For hotpoints whose frontal surfaces are isothermal and axially symmetric, these quantities are functions of the total input of power Q of the weight W on the hotpoint, of the radius a and “shape factor” S of the frontal surface, and of the pertinent physical properties of water and ice. The calculation shows that with increasing “performance number” the efficiency E decreases and the surface temperature θ 0 increases. Thus, for example, E = 1·00 and θ 0 = 0°C. when N = 0.0 E = 0·76 and θ 0 = 48°C when N = 1.4; and E = 0·60 and θ 0 = 103°C. when N = 3.0. The coefficient Λ is a constant equal to . The shape factor S is a dimensionless number between 0 and 1 that varies according to the shape of the frontal surface, greater values of S being associated with blunter profiles (thus S = 1.0 for a plane frontal surface perpendicular to the axis). For coring hotpoints the same numerical results are obtained, but the performance number is given by where 2ϖ i a is the inside diameter of the hotpoint.
Fertilization in Dogs

Most knowledge of the basic reproductive biology of companion animals such as the dog has been derived from studies directed at developing contraceptive technologies to combat overpopulation of pets. The bitch has been used as a model in the study of some steroid hormones (El Etreby et al., 1979; Frank et al., 1979), and the male dog has been used extensively in studies of prostate function (Huggins, 1945). In addition, spermatozoa of the dog have been used in studies of sperm metabolism and motility (Wales and White, 1958; Tash et al., 1986, 1988). However, there are numerous unique aspects of canine reproductive biology that make the dog worthy of study for its own sake even though these same aspects make the use of the dog as a model for human reproductive biology questionable. Furthermore, a more complete study of fertilization in the dog is indicated by the need for effective contraceptive technology for this species (Mahi-Brown, 1986).
Thermal response of mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems to perturbations

Abstract Mid-ocean ridges are subject to episodic disturbances in the form of magmatic intrusions and earthquakes. Following these events, the temperature of associated hydrothermal vent fluids is observed to increase within a few days. In this paper, we aim to understand the rapid thermal response of hydrothermal systems to such disturbances. We construct a classic single-pass numerical model and use the examples of the 1995 and 1999 non-eruptive events at East Pacific Rise (EPR) 9°50′N and Main Endeavour Field (MEF), respectively. We model both the thermal effects of dikes and permeability changes that might be attributed to diking and/or earthquake swarms. We find that the rapid response of vent temperatures results from steep thermal gradients close to the surface. When the perturbations are accompanied by an increase in permeability, the response on the surface is further enhanced. For EPR9°50′N, the observed ~7 °C rise can be obtained for a ~50% increase in permeability in the diking zone. The mass flow rate increases as a result of change in permeability deeper in the system, and, therefore, the amount of hot fluid in the diffused flow also increases. Using a thermal energy balance, we show that the ~10 °C increase in diffuse flow temperatures recorded for MEF after the 1999 event may result from a 3–4 times increase in permeability. The rapid thermal response of the system resulting from a change in permeability also occurs for cases in which there is no additional heat input, indicating that hydrothermal systems may respond similarly to purely seismic and non-eruptive magmatic events.
Primary Biological Motivators in Food Advertisements: Energy Density and Sexual Appeals Compete for Appetitive Motivational Activation:

Energy density of food potentiates appetitive responses due to biologically driven behaviors that encourage energy conservation. Sexual stimuli potentiate appetitive responses due to biologically i...
Defining Freedom Up: The Constitution and National Character

AbstractIn the beginning, Americans got it right. They did not fall for the false choice between the comfort of the least and the potential of the best, sometimes posed as a choice between the comm...
Building and Scaling-up California Quits: Supporting Health Systems Change for Tobacco Treatment

The California Tobacco Control Program is the longest standing, publicly funded tobacco control program in the U.S. California's adult smoking rate declined from 23.7% (1989) to 11% (2016) but California still has more than 3 million smokers dispersed over 58 counties, requiring a coordinated approach to further tobacco control. Early California Tobacco Control Program success is rooted in public health policy strategies and a statewide media campaign that shifted social norms. In 2009, concepts for a coordinated approach were introduced by the California Tobacco Control Program in the state's first tobacco quit plan. The state quit plan called for public health's tobacco control programs to engage healthcare systems and insurers to work more directly with the California Smoker's Helpline (Helpline). With California's Medicaid (Medi-Cal) program expansion and the implementation of electronic medical record systems, health care plans and providers received additional support for system changes. Simultaneous with these changes, coordinated tobacco control efforts began, including California's Medi-Cal Incentives to Quit Smoking project (2012-2015). In the Medi-Cal Incentives to Quit Smoking project, safety-net providers and Medi-Cal plans were outreached and engaged to promote incentives for Medi-Cal members to utilize Helpline services. In another effort, UC Quits (2013-2015), the five University of California health systems used electronic medical record tools to promote tobacco treatments and electronic referrals to the Helpline. Now, as tobacco prevention is increasingly prioritized for quality improvement, California Tobacco Control Program is funding CA Quits, a statewide tobacco-cessation learning collaborative and technical assistance resource to promote integration of tobacco treatment services and quality improvement activities into safety-net health systems. CA Quits, in coordination with the Helpline, will connect public health departments, Medi-Cal plans, and safety-net providers to accelerate health systems change for tobacco-cessation treatment throughout the state. SUPPLEMENT INFORMATION: This article is part of a supplement entitled Advancing Smoking Cessation in California's Medicaid Population, which is sponsored by the California Department of Public Health.
Metal organic framework-derived carbon structures for sodium-ion battery anodes

Abstract Metal organic framework-derived carbons (MOFDCs) have great potential as electrochemical energy storage materials due to their large surface areas and highly tunable pore structures. In this work, two MOFDCs are tested as sodium-ion battery anode materials and their charge storage mechanisms compared. MOF5 (Zn4O(1,4-benzodicarboxylate)3) and ZIF8 (Zn(2-methylimidazole)2) were used as sacrificial templates and pyrolyzed to yield highly porous, structurally-robust carbons with high surface areas (MOF5DC and ZIF8DC). Undoped ZIF8DC was tested for the first time as a sodium-ion battery anode to enable comparison of MOFDC charge storage mechanisms based solely on carbon structure. Half-cell discharge tests at C/2 attain capacity values of 227 and 107 mAh/g for MOF5DC and undoped ZIF8DC, respectively. Cycling stability testing confirms the structural robustness of the MOFDC materials, with the anodes retaining between 84 and 89% capacity over 66 cycles. Discharge profiles for both materials indicate that the primary storage mechanism of MOF5DC and ZIF8DC anodes is adsorption at defect sites. A comparison of half-cell discharge, cycling rate, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements suggests that MOF5DC also demonstrates some nanopore filling mechanisms. A comparison of Na+ ion diffusion coefficients for MOF5DC and ZIF8DC indicates that an MOF structure with increased pore size may improve capacity and rate performance of MOFDCs as anode materials for sodium-ion battery cell applications.
Busy-Tone Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance and Detection for Ad-Hoc Networks

Busy-Tone Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance and Detection (BTMA/CAD) is introduced. BTMA/CAD integrates collision avoidance and collision detection mechanisms in ad-hoc networks of nodes with half-duplex radios by means of a single busy tone transmitted over an orthogonal narrowband channel. The throughput of BTMA/CAD is compared with that of Carrier-Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) and CSMA with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) using an analytical model. It is shown that BTMA/CAD is more efficient than CSMA and CSMA/CA in ad-hoc networks with hidden terminals.
The surrogate method — An indirect approach to compound-nucleus reactions

An indirect method for determining cross sections for reactions proceeding through a compound nucleus is presented. Exploring indirect approaches for obtaining reaction cross sections is important since a large number of reactions relevant to astrophysics cannot be measured with currently available techniques. Of particular importance are reactions involving unstable nuclei. Some applications of the Surrogate nuclear reactions method are considered and challenges that need to be addressed are outlined.
Percutaneous BCG enhances innate effector antitumor cytotoxicity during treatment of bladder cancer: a translational clinical trial

Background: Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the gold standard immunologic agent for treating patients with high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Nevertheless, relapse rates remain high and BCG unresponsive NMIBC often requires bladder removal. Preclinical data suggest that priming with percutaneous BCG vaccine could improve response to intravesical BCG. Methods: A single-arm trial (NCT02326168) was performed to study the safety, immunogenicity, and preliminary efficacy of priming. Percutaneous BCG was given 21 days prior to intravesical BCG instillation in patients (n = 13) with high-risk NMIBC. Immune responses were monitored and compared to a sequentially enrolled cohort of nine control patients receiving only intravesical BCG. The effect of BCG on natural killer (NK) and γδ T cell in vitro cytotoxicity was tested. γδ T cell subsets were determined by T cell receptor gene expression with NanoString. Results: Priming was well tolerated and caused no grade ≥3 adverse events. The 3-month disease-free rate for prime patients was 85% (target goal ≥ 75%). Priming boosted BCG-specific immunity at 3 months and increased the activation status of in vitro expanded circulating NK and γδ T cells and their cytotoxicity against bladder cancer cells through receptor NKG2D. BCG enhanced the cytotoxicity of NK and γδ T cells against K562, RT4, and UM-UC6 but not against T24, UM-UC-3, or UM-UC-14 cells. Infiltrating γδ T cell subsets identified in the bladder includes γ9δ2 and γ8δ2. Conclusions: BCG priming is safe and tolerable. Poor sensitivity to NK and γδ T cell cytotoxicity by some bladder tumors represents a potential BCG-resistance mechanism.
Perceived Student Benefits of an Undergraduate Physiological Psychology Laboratory Course.

Undergraduate research (UR) is a high-impact practice associated with many positive student outcomes. However, extending UR opportunities to all students is not practical for all psychology program...
Introduction to the Special Issue on “Social Movements and Private Environmental Governance”:

This special issue presents five articles that explore the linkages between social movements and private environmental standards that are not promulgated by governments. They draw on disciplines ra...
The Hidden Costs of Teacher Turnover

High teacher turnover imposes numerous burdens on the schools and districts from which teachers depart. Some of these burdens are explicit and take the form of recruiting, hiring, and training cost...
On the use of variable stride in convolutional neural networks

This paper explores the idea of changing the stride value in convolutional neural networks depending on the position of the pixel within the image: a smaller stride value is used when processing the center of the image, while a larger one is used for pixels close to the edges. We show several examples of image classification tasks where the proposed approach outperforms a baseline solution of same computational cost using fixed stride and several counterexamples where it does not – and explain why this is so. The proposed method has been successfully tested using several contemporary datasets and can be easily implemented and extended to other image classification tasks.
AN INSTRUCTABLE PRODUCTION SYSTEM: BASIC DESIGN ISSUES1

The full advantages of the incremental properties of production systems have yet to be exploited on a large scale. A promising vehicle for this is the task of instructing a system to solve problems in a complex domain. For this, it is important to express the instruction in a language similar to natural language and without detailed knowledge of the inner structure of the system. Instruction and close interaction with the system as it behaves are preferred over a longer feedback loop with more independent learning by the system. The domain is initially an abstract job shop. The beginning system has capabilities for solving problems, processing language, building productions, and interacting with the task environment. All parts of the system are subject to instruction. The main problem-solving strategy, which permeates all four system components, is based on means-ends analysis and goal-subgoal search. This is coupled with an explicit representation of control knowledge. The system's behavior so far is restricted to simple environmental manipulations, a number of which must be taught before more complex tasks can be done.
Genetic algorithms for focusing inside opaque media

We characterize the performance of standard and micro genetic algorithms when applied to focusing inside of an opaque media using feedback from a fluorescent guidestar particle. Using this feedback modality we find that the algorithms optimize more quickly (but to a lower enhancement) than when using reflective feedback, with the underlying mechanism being the fluorescence signal's multimodal nature and lower signal-to-noise ratio. We also find that both algorithms' performance decrease at very large numbers of bins due to decoherence effects related to a bin-dependent iteration time. To mitigate this effect we implement multithreaded functionality in the genetic algorithms and find that for our specific computer we obtain a 3.3x improvement in speed utilizing multithreading. These results demonstrate the usefulness of both algorithms for focusing inside of opaque media, which has applications in biological imaging and the study of subsurface chemical reactions in heterogeneous materials.
Do Education System Characteristics Moderate the Socioeconomic, Gender and Immigrant Gaps in Math and Science Achievement?

Using data from the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study for 45 countries, we examined the size of socioeconomic, gender, and immigrant status related gaps, and their relationships with education system characteristics, such as differentiation, standardization, and proportion of governmental spending on education. We find that higher socioeconomic status is positively and significantly associated with higher math and science achievement; immigrant students lag behind their native peers in both math and science, with first generation students faring worse than second generation; and girls show lower math performance than boys. A higher degree of differentiation makes socioeconomic gaps larger in both math and science achievement, whereas higher governmental spending reduces socioeconomic achievement gaps.
Fiber-Optic Seismology

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is an emerging technology that repurposes a fiber-optic cable as a dense array of strain sensors. This technology repeatedly pings a fiber with laser pulses, meas...
Ricci flow on K\"ahler-Einstein manifolds

In our previous paper math.DG/0010008, we develop some new techniques in attacking the convergence problems for the K\"ahler Ricci flow. The one of main ideas is to find a set of new functionals on curvature tensors such that the Ricci flow is the gradient like flow of these functionals. We successfully find such functionals in case of Kaehler manifolds. On K\"ahler-Einstein manifold with positive scalar curvature, if the initial metric has positive bisectional curvature, we prove that these functionals have a uniform lower bound, via the effective use of Tian's inequality. Consequently, we prove the following theorem: Let $M$ be a K\"ahler-Einstein manifold with positive scalar curvature. If the initial metric has nonnegative bisectional curvature and positive at least at one point, then the K\"ahler Ricci flow will converge exponentially fast to a K\"ahler-Einstein metric with constant bisectional curvature. Such a result holds for K\"ahler-Einstein orbifolds.
Simulated Eavesdropper Detection in Free-Space Optics ON-OFF Keying with Deep Learning

We use a deep learning neural network to successfully indicate when an eavesdropper is present in a free-space optics ON-OFF keying communication scheme, in which the bit stream has passed through turbulence.
Bilateral subdural hematomas and retinal hemorrhages mimicking nonaccidental trauma in a patient with D-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria

Introduction Nonaccidental trauma (NAT) is considered when pediatric patients present with intracranial injuries and a negative history of an accidental injury or concomitant medical diagnosis. The evaluation of NAT should include the consideration of possible medical causes including coagulation, hematologic, metabolic and other genetic disorders, as well as witnessed and unwitnessed accidental injuries. Case presentation We present a 7-month-old male with spells and incidental findings of bilateral subdural hematomas, retinal hemorrhages, and secondary macrocephaly, leading to investigation for NAT. Biochemical analysis showed excretion of a large amount of D-2-hydroxyglutaric in urine consistent with a biochemical diagnosis of D-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria, a rare neurometabolic disorder characterized by developmental delay, epilepsy, hypotonia, and psychomotor retardation. None of these symptoms were present in our patient at the time of diagnosis. Molecular genetic testing revealed a pathogenic splice site variant (c.685-2A>G) and a variant of uncertain significance (c.1256G>T) with evidence of pathogenicity in the D2HGDH gene, consistent with a molecular diagnosis of D-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria type I (OMIM #600721). Conclusion Since several metabolic disorders, including D-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria type I, can present solely with symptoms suggestive of NAT (subdural and retinal hemorrhages), an early metabolic evaluation by urine organic acid analysis should be included in clinical protocols evaluating NAT. A methodical and nonjudgmental approach coordinated between pediatricians and metabolic specialists is also necessary to ensure that rare genetic conditions are not overlooked to prevent devastating social, legal, and financial consequences of suspected child abuse.
Abstract P180: Hospital Readmission After Pediatric Congenital Heart Surgery: A Systematic Review And Meta-analysis Of Potential Risk Factors

Objective: Over 40,000 infants are born annually with a heart defect; 25% require surgery and of those 20% result in hospital readmissions. We sought to identify risk factors for short- and long-te...
Self-Representation, Genre, and Performativity: Dorothy Allison’s Performances Across Genres

This chapter discusses the ways that Dorothy Allison moves in and out of memory narratives and traditional storytelling. In her memoir, Two or Three Things I Know for Sure, she constructs an innovative form that challenges not only Southern stereotypes about “white trash” and lesbian identity but also narrative structures. As she “performs” traditional narrative, she also subverts that narrative by inserting explicit commentary on the constructed nature of “story.” Similarly, Allison performs motherhood. As she explores her relationship with her mother and her own potential to be a mother, she resists the definition of motherhood constructed for her by dominant culture. The chapter argues that for Allison, motherhood is a performance, one that she can “get right” in the same way that she can get the stories right. Her performance, therefore, acts as a rhetorical device to resist hegemonic discourses of motherhood. In the performing of mother—the representation of motherhood in her prose—Allison can construct the story that tells the “loved version” of her life and avoid “becom[ing] them” (38), the women who so profoundly defined her. In creating this narrative, she creates an explicit dialogue with the audience, telling readers about her performative intentions within her texts.
Correlated evolution of larval development, egg size and genome size across two genera of snapping shrimp.

Across plants and animals, genome size is often correlated with life-history traits: large genomes are correlated with larger seeds, slower development, larger body size and slower cell division. Among decapod crustaceans, caridean shrimps are among the most variable both in terms of genome size variation and life-history characteristics such as larval development mode and egg size, but the extent to which these traits are associated in a phylogenetic context is largely unknown. In this study, we examine correlations among egg size, larval development and genome size in two different genera of snapping shrimp, Alpheus and Synalpheus, using phylogenetically informed analyses. In both Alpheus and Synalpheus, egg size is strongly linked to larval development mode: species with abbreviated development had significantly larger eggs than species with extended larval development. We produced the first comprehensive dataset of genome size in Alpheus (n = 37 species) and demonstrated that genome size was strongly and positively correlated with egg size in both Alpheus and Synalpheus. Correlated trait evolution analyses showed that in Alpheus, changes in genome size were clearly dependent on egg size. In Synalpheus, evolutionary path analyses suggest that changes in development mode (from extended to abbreviated) drove increases in egg volume; larger eggs, in turn, resulted in larger genomes. These data suggest that variation in reproductive traits may underpin the high degree of variation in genome size seen in a wide variety of caridean shrimp groups more generally.
Using intensive time sampling methoNds to capture daily suicidal ideation: A systematic review

Abstract Introduction There has been an increased emphasis on understanding suicidal thoughts and behaviors as they occur in real-time, resulting in a proliferation of studies utilizing intensive time sampling methods. Given the continued growth in this area, there is a need to synthesize the feasibility of these methods in capturing suicidal ideation at the daily level, in addition to an examination of study factors that may impact suicidal ideation detection, to guide future research. Method Online databases (i.e., PsychINFO, ERIC, PubMed, MEDLINE) were systematically searched for articles published through December 2020 that assessed suicidal ideation at the daily level. Results Twenty-six articles presenting data from sixteen independent datasets met inclusion criteria. Across included articles, suicidal ideation detection ranged from approximately 1-92% of participant-completed surveys, with 18-100% of unique study participants reporting suicidal ideation during the study period. Assessment-based factors (i.e., number of daily assessments, duration of daily assessment period) did not appear to be meaningfully associated with suicidal ideation detection rates. Rather, participant characteristics (i.e., baseline suicide risk history, inclusion criteria) were better indicators of a study's ability to capture suicidal ideation at the daily level. Conclusions Findings highlights the impact of targeting participants with elevated suicide risk at study enrollment.
The human cytomegalovirus major immediate-early gene

Immediate-early genes function to regulate viral and cellular gene expression during the course of virus replication. The major immediate-early gene region of human cytomegalovirus plays a key role in affecting activation and repression of viral and cellular genes. These proteins intimately associate and/or interact with viral and cellular proteins during this process. Herein, we will discuss the current understanding of this complex gene region.
Abuse of Power: When School Personnel Bully Students

Abstract Bullying is a serious concern in our schools. Some estimates suggest that a high proportion of U.S. children have been victimized by bullying, with much of the bullying occurring in schools. This article examines the particular issue of bullying of children by school personnel. Data were gathered from a sample of school personnel in three rural public schools located within the same school district. Of the seventy school personnel who responded to the survey, twenty-five (36%) indicated they had observed other school personnel bullying students during the previous three-month period. The implications of bullying by school personnel are discussed, along with the implications for social work practice in the schools.
Opportunities for optics to silicon chips

The talk summarizes opportunities and progress in the use of optics directly with and to silicon chips.
Comparison of urinary estrogen values determined by radioimmunoassay and gas-liquid chromatography

Abstract Estrogen levels in urines of pregnant, nonpregnant, postmenopausal, and male patients were determined by a method involving gas-liquid chromatography and by radioimmunoassay. The results obtained by the two methods were compared. The correlation coefficient was 0.84 for estrone (E 1 ), 0.71 for estradiol-17β (E 2 ), and 0.83 for estriol (E 3 ).
Recurring Criminal Scripts: The Routinization of Cases Involving the Murder of a Child

This paper uses the experiences of a sociologist as an expert mitigation witness in capital murder cases that involved the death of a child. The common themes (scripts) in these cases are explored. The paper then explains why these scripts are important in mitigation work. Finally, the paper fits this research into the previous sociological literature on routines, typifications, and their function in organizations/professions handling large numbers of like clients.
CXCL10 (IFN-γ-Inducible Protein-10) Control of Encephalitogenic CD4 + T Cell Accumulation in the Central Nervous System During Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a CD4+ Th1-mediated demyelinating disease of the CNS that serves as a model for multiple sclerosis. A critical event in the pathogenesis of EAE is the entry of both Ag-specific and Ag-nonspecific T lymphocytes into the CNS. In the present report, we investigated the role of the CXC chemokine CXCL10 (IFN-γ-inducible protein-10) in the pathogenesis of EAE. Production of CXCL10 in the CNS correlated with the development of clinical disease. Administration of anti-CXCL10 decreased clinical and histological disease incidence, severity, as well as infiltration of mononuclear cells into the CNS. Anti-CXCL10 specifically decreased the accumulation of encephalitogenic PLP139–151 Ag-specific CD4+ T cells in the CNS compared with control-treated animals. Anti-CXCL10 administration did not affect the activation of encephalitogenic T cells as measured by Ag-specific proliferation and the ability to adoptively transfer EAE. These results demonstrate an important role for the CXC chemokine CXCL10 in the recruitment and accumulation of inflammatory mononuclear cells during the pathogenesis of EAE.
The use of calcium hydroxide pretreatment to overcome agglomeration of technical lignin during fast pyrolysis

Technical lignin extracted from lignocellulosic biomass melts and agglomerates when heated, making its thermal processing problematic and impeding this pathway to low-cost renewable aromatics. We have developed a simple pretreatment of technical lignin with Ca(OH)2 that made possible the continuous pyrolysis of lignin in a fluidized bed reactor to produce a phenolic-rich bio-oil. The yield of bio-oil was approximately 38 wt% for pyrolysis in the temperature range of 450 to 600 °C. Average molecular weight of bio-oil was less than 288 Da indicating that the lignin was extensively depolymerized to phenolic monomers and dimers. Char from pyrolysis of pretreated lignin was fine powder in contrast to the large agglomerates of char produced from untreated lignin. The surface area of char from pyrolysis of pretreated lignin was relatively less than for char obtained from pyrolysis of whole biomass. The melting and agglomeration behavior of lignin appears to be due to the presence of phenolic hydroxyl, carboxylic acid and aldehyde groups in lignin. Pretreatment with Ca(OH)2 reduced these functional groups by forming hydroxylcalcium phenoxides, phenolic alcohols, and phenolic carboxylate salts that inhibited agglomeration.