cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-Modal Annotation of Quest Games in Second Life

We describe an annotation tool developed to assist in the creation of multimodal action-communication corpora from on-line massively multi-player games, or MMGs. MMGs typically involve groups of players (5--30) who control their avatars, perform various activities (questing, competing, fighting, etc.) and communicate via chat or speech using assumed screen names. We collected a corpus of 48 group quests in Second Life that jointly involved 206 players who generated over 30,000 messages in quasi-synchronous chat during approximately 140 hours of recorded action. Multiple levels of coordinated annotation of this corpus (dialogue, movements, touch, gaze, wear, etc) are required in order to support development of automated predictors of selected real-life social and demographic characteristics of the players. The annotation tool presented in this paper was developed to enable efficient and accurate annotation of all dimensions simultaneously.
Controlled steady gliding and approximate trajectory tracking for vehicles subject to aerodynamic forcing

In this paper we present a control law that yields exponential stability of steady gliding motions of the conventional take off and landing (CTOL) aircraft model. We interpret the CTOL aircraft model as an interconnected system and prove closed-loop exponential stability by constructing a Lyapunov function. We use the stability of steady gliding motions to propose a methodology for approximately tracking desired trajectories. The stabilization and tracking methods presented here are also applicable to other air and underwater vehicles subject to aerodynamic moments, and lift and drag forces. One of the attractions of tracking based on stable gliding is the very low control effort requirement compared to dynamic inversion based methods. We demonstrate the proposed method with a simulation of the CTOL aircraft model.
Controlled Thermophoresis as an Actuation Mechanism for Noncantilevered MEMS Devices

A microelectromechanical system actuator based on thermophoretic, or Knudson, forces is proposed using analytical calculations. It can potentially execute scanning or spinning motions of a body that is not mechanically attached to the reference substrate. For a silicon device of 100-mum diameter, it is calculated that it can be levitated at a distance of about 0.5 mum from a substrate and that it can execute scanning motion and use quasi-springs by laterally acting thermal forces. In this way, an engine with spinning motion of a floating body having a diameter of 200 mum with up to 5 kHz can be achieved.
Models of hydrodynamic flow in the bowhead whale filter feeding apparatus

Anatomical and behavioral analyses suggest that the filtration mechanism of bowhead and right whales (Balaenidae) is driven by hydrodynamic as well as ram hydraulic pressures. Complementary models were devised to investigate biomechanical aspects of water flow in the buccal cavity of the bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus during continuous filter feeding. A mathematical model was created to test and quantify water flow predictions with steady state hydromechanical equations; a physical model of the bowhead mouth (approximately 1/15 scale) was constructed to visualize flow processes. Both models rely on morphometric data obtained from whales harvested by Inupiat Eskimos for subsistence purposes along with information on foraging ecology (locomotor velocity, gape, etc.). Results indicate that unique features of balaenid oral construction and function (e.g. subrostral gap, orolabial sulcus, curvature of baleen, extensive mandibular rotation and lingual mobility) not only permit steady, unidirectional flow of water through the mouth, but also establish Bernoulli and Venturi effects during feeding. These hydrodynamic conditions allow balaenids to improve filtering efficiency and avoid creation of an anterior compressive wave (by increasing flow velocity and thereby reducing pressure) so that they may capture elusive prey even at slow swimming speeds.
Long-Term Survival of Inflatable Penile Prostheses: Single Surgical Group Experience with 2,384 First-Time Implants Spanning Two Decades

ABSTRACT Introduction Long-term revision-free survival, greater than 10 years has never been reported for inflatable penile prostheses. We conducted a historical prospective study to estimate 10 and 15 years survival of first time (virgin) implantations in 2,384 patients with four different models. Aim Evaluation of 10- and 15-year mechanical and overall revision-free survival of inflatable penile prostheses. Main Outcome Measures Kaplan–Meier product limit method, and comparison using the log rank test, were used to estimate the 10- and 15-year revision-free survival. Methods Data were obtained from medical records and patient interviews, entered into a computerized database, and analyzed by a third party. Information included implant type, date, revision history with date, and reason. Fourteen different inflatables were examined. Mentor Alpha 1, Mentor Alpha NB, AMS 700 CX, and AMS 700 Ultrex had usage for an extended period of time. Because of failure times being confounded as a result of prior implants, only virgin implants were examined. Results For the entire series, estimated 10-year revision-free survival for all reasons was 68.5% and the 15-year revision-free survival was 59.7%. Freedom from mechanical breakage at 10 years was 79.4%; 15 years was 71.2%. Recent mechanically enhanced models did even better. In 1992, Mentor Alpha added pump reinforcement to forestall mechanical breakage. This improved 10-year survival from 65.3% to 88.6% ( P = 0.0001). In January 2001, AMS CX added a parylene coating to the cylinders that increased 3-year mechanical survival from 88.4 to 97.9% ( P = 0.0002). Conclusions This is the first report on long-term reliability of inflatable penile prostheses. We estimated 60% of these virgin implants would survive 15 or more years without revision or extraction. Newer enhanced models are currently available, and our tracking predicts even better long-term survival for these devices. Wilson SK, Delk JR, Salem EA, and Cleves MA. Penile prostheses: Single surgical group experience with 2,384 first-time implants spanning two decades.
Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction During Early Childhood: Contributions of Parental and Child Personality Traits

Individual differences in personality play a major role for functioning in a multitude of important life domains, including one's interpersonal relationships. The present study examined the effects of parental personality and child temperament traits on dyadic parent-child interaction during early childhood. Participants were a community sample of 145 mothers, 145 fathers, and their 3- to 6-year-old children. Child traits were assessed using standardized laboratory paradigms, parents reported on their own traits, and parent-child interaction was assessed observationally. Parental positive emotionality, negative emotionality, and constraint subtraits were related to parental responsiveness; the number and type of parental bids and the quality of parental responsiveness were also a function of child positive emotionality and effortful control subtraits and, for mothers, child negative emotionality subtraits. Child traits were related to their own interaction behaviors; children higher on positive emotionality subtraits made more social bids, and children higher on effortful control subtraits made more influence attempts and fewer negative bids; child positive emotionality and effortful control subtraits were associated with higher quality child responsiveness. Findings speak to coherence in personality constructs across the life span, with comparable traits measured in adults and early childhood-aged children demonstrating remarkably consistent effects on dyadic interaction behavior.
THE USE OF MAMMARY TUMOR VIRUS (MTV)-NEGATIVE AND SINGLE-MTV MICE TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF ENDOGENOUS VIRAL SUPERANTIGENS ON THE T CELL REPERTOIRE

Most laboratory strains of mice have between two and eight endogenous superantigens. These viral superantigens (vSAGs) are coded by genes in the 3' long terminal repeats of endogenous mammary tumor viruses (Mtv's). A line of Mtv-negative mice and several lines of mice containing single Mtv's were created by inbreeding the F2 progeny of CBA/CaJ and C58/J mice, which have no Mtv integrants in common. This allowed the T cell repertoire of H-2k mice, unaffected by Mtv superantigens, as well as the effects of vSAGs upon that repertoire, to be studied. Although each individual mouse had a different mix of C58/J and CBA/CaJ background genes, the T cell repertoires of different Mtv-negative mice were very similar and were reproducible. Since the background genes did not affect the V beta repertoire, there are no super-antigens, other than those encoded by Mtv's, that differ between CBA/CaJ and C58/J. CD4 and CD8 T cells had quite different repertoires in the Mtv-negative mice because of the effects of class I and class II major histocompatibility complex molecules on positive and negative selection. vSAG3 was found to delete V beta 5 T cells, while vSAG8 deleted V beta 7 T cells, and vSAG9 deleted V beta 13 T cells in addition to their previously reported specificities. vSAG17 deletes a small proportion of CD4+ T cells bearing V beta 11 and -12. vSAG14 and -30 have little effect on the T cell repertoire and are not expressed in thymocytes and splenocytes. An endogenous superantigen that has a low avidity for a particular V beta may positively select thymocytes, leading to an increased frequency of peripheral T cells bearing the relevant V beta s. We found evidence that vSAG11 may positively select T cells bearing V beta 8.2. Our data, which analyzed the effects of seven endogenous Mtv's, showed little evidence of positive selection by any other vSAGs on T cells bearing any V beta tested, despite published reports to the contrary.
Lifetime semen production in a cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

Lifetime semen production data provide valuable insight into a species’ natural history and biology as well as information about the potential fertility of males at various life stages. An understanding of the ages of sexual maturity, peak sperm production, and gonadal senescence will contribute to the design of species management plans for captive, free-ranging, and reintroduced populations of exotic animals. To describe these life stages in the cheetah, semen was collected biweekly for 13 years from a solitary male beginning at 3 years of age. The 338 ejaculates were obtained noninvasively by artificial vagina. Ejaculate volume and sperm motility score, concentration, and normal morphology were recorded. A sperm quality index incorporating all five semen parameters was calculated to facilitate ejaculate comparisons. Polynomial regression analysis revealed a significant effect of age on volume, which increased throughout the animal’s lifetime except for a reduction between ages 10 and 12. Concentration was also significantly affected by age and increased from the age of 3 to the age of 10, then decreased. The sperm quality index revealed a significant effect of age as it increased from age 3 to age 8, then declined as the male grew older. The cheetah did not reach peak semen production until age 8 and continued to produce good quality semen for several more years. These data were somewhat unexpected, given the average cheetah life expectancy of approximately 7 years. Zoo Biol 20:359–366, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Comparison of Alternative Exchange Rate Forecasting Models

This paper compares a number of structural and times-series models on the basis of their accuracy in forecasting the A ustralian-US dollar exchange rate out of sample. Purchasing power parity, forward exchange theory, static and dynamic specifications of both the flexible price and sticky price monetary models, and univariate ARIMA models are considered in the paper. Exchange rate forecasts are generated at horizons of one to four quarters. In contrast to overseas results which support the view that the exchange rate follows a random walk, several models in this study are found to generate forecasts superior to the random walk model.
The Slope of the Loudness Function: A Puzzle

This paper deals with the slope of the loudness function considered as a sensory parameter. Shapes of individual loudness functions are examined in a measurement situation in which loudness is estimated by marking a point on a line. It is shown that such personalized loudness functions can be converted to power functions by computing zero points differing widely from listener to listener. The slopes of the computed loudness functions also differ markedly.
Writing the History of the English Bible: A Review of Recent Scholarship

In honor of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible (KJB), this article reviews recent scholarship in the growing, interdisciplinary field of the history and impact of the English Bible. Beginning with the early versions of the 16th and 17th century, the contributions of literary scholars and early modern historians are explained and assessed. While the rise of the KJB is given ample consideration, emerging work in other areas is also discussed, including Catholic biblical scholarship. In later periods, the global impact of the KJB and its subsequent decline in use is given attention, alongside newer versions both in traditional printed and online formats.
Finite-state machine embeddings for nonconcurrent error detection and identification

In digital sequential systems that operate over several time steps, a state-transition fault at any time step during the operation of the system can corrupt its state and render its future functionality useless. Such state-transition faults are usually handled by embedding the given sequential system into a larger one, in a way that preserves the state evolution and properties of the original system while enabling an external mechanism to perform checks to detect, identify and correct errors in the encoded state of this redundant system. Checking is typically performed concurrently (i.e., at the end of each time step) and can potentially cause high power consumption or an overall slowdown in the system; more importantly, concurrent checking imposes significant reliability requirements on the error-detection/identification mechanism. We develop a methodology for systematically constructing embeddings of finite-state machines so that the external mechanism can capture transient state-transition faults via checks that are performed in a nonconcurrent manner (e.g., periodically instead of every time step). More specifically, by characterizing nonconcurrent error-detecting/identifying capabilities in terms of state encoding constraints and redundant dynamics, the proposed approach can be used to construct a redundant version of the given finite-state machine (FSM) that allows the external mechanism to detect and identify errors due to past state-transition faults based on an analysis of the current, possibly corrupted FSM state. As a result, the checker in such designs can operate at a slower speed than the rest of the system which relaxes the stringent requirements on its reliability.
A Review of Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America (4th ed.)

Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America (4th ed.). E. Bonilla-Silva, Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2013, 363 pages, $20.77 (paperback), IS...
Perioperative complications in adults with a posterior mediastinal mass: a retrospective observational cohort study.

Background We studied the incidence of perioperative complications in patients presenting with a posterior mediastinal mass and the possible predictors of complications in these patients.
MR bone imaging

Bone is highly relevant to focused ultrasound therapy, both as a potential treatment target and because it interferes with treatment of other organs such as the brain. It is challenging to image cortical bone using MRI, however, due to low water density and fast signal decay in bony tissues. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging is a specialized MR technique that allows the weak, short-lived signal from cortical bone to be imaged despite these limitations. Potential applications of UTE bone imaging in MR-guided focused ultrasound include direct MR thermometry of bone heating, which is not possible using standard proton resonance shift (PRFS) techniques, and in situ skull imaging during brain treatment procedures, which could replace the separate CT scan currently required for transcranial focused ultrasound.
Post Lateral Buckling Behavior of Beams

The large deflections which occur when a uniform rectangular cantilever beam has an end load greater than the lateral buckling load are found by solving a set of three simultaneous, first-order, nonlinear, differential equations. These equations, derived through considerations of moment equilibrium, are numerically integrated using the improved Euler method from the fixed end where boundary values are known, to the free end where boundary values must initially be guessed. The integration process is repeated until the computed boundary values at the free end are sufficiently close to the guessed values. Convergence problems arise for beam cross sections which are almost square. Deflections in three directions are presented graphically as a function of the length, width, height, and lateral buckling load of the beam.
Genetic perspective on stress response and disease resistance in aquaculture.

Despite continuous progress and improvements in aquaculture technologies and husbandry techniques, fish diseases remain a major limiting factor in the fish culture industry. The aqua- culture environment exposes fish to repeated acute stress, which leads to physiological respons- es that have suppressive effects on growth, reproduction, and immune capacity. The strong link between stress and susceptibility to diseases in farm animals has long been acknowledged, and parameters of high and low stress response are associated with disease resistance in fish. Few studies on genetic aspects of immune response to stress have been conducted. The estimated heritability of several parameters of the innate immune response is mostly moderate. Quantitative trait loci have been found for different responses to stress conditions. Gene expres- sion studies show that hundreds of genes can be involved in fishes’ physiological and immuno- logical response to stress. This general response to stress is controlled by a few major genes at the top of the pathway, which activate a cascade of reactions, having a significant effect on the overall health of the fish. Selective breeding for disease resistant fish is an attractive strategy for disease prevention and several studies have reported progress in this field. However, the bio- logical pathways of stress response and disease resistance are not well characterized, and their genetic basis and control are still poorly understood. Extensive research is still needed for a bet- ter understanding of these pathways, and this should be a collaborative effort of researchers from different fields: genetics, immunology, pathology, physiology, and endocrinology.
North American Dictynid Spiders: the Bennetti Group of Amaurobius

This group of spiders, here designated as the bennetti group of Amaurobius , comprises those North American species which group around Amaurobius bennetti (Blackwall). In these species, the epigynum has a pair of large lateral lobes which converge posteriorly around a small ovoid median lobe. The male has three distinct spurs on the tibia of the palpus, at the distal end above. The more detailed characteristics of this group are as follows:
CRISPR/cas9, a novel genomic tool to knock down microRNA in vitro and in vivo

MicroRNAs are small and non-coding RNA molecules with the master role in regulation of gene expression at post-transcriptional/translational levels. Many methods have been developed for microRNA loss-of-function study, such as antisense inhibitors and sponges; however, the robustness, specificity, and stability of these traditional strategies are not highly satisfied. CRISPR/cas9 system is emerging as a novel genome editing tool in biology/medicine research, but its indication in microRNA research has not been studied exclusively. In this study, we clone CRISPR/cas9 constructs with single-guide RNAs specifically targeting biogenesis processing sites of selected microRNAs; and we find that CRISPR/cas9 can robustly and specifically reduce the expression of these microRNAs up to 96%. CRISPR/cas9 also shows an exclusive benefit in control of crossing off-target effect on microRNAs in the same family or with highly conserved sequences. More significantly, for the first time, we demonstrate the long term stability of microRNA knockdown phenotype by CRISPR/cas9 in both in vitro and in vivo models.
Cold plasma redistribution throughout geospace

The redistribution of the electrically charged cold plasma of ionospheric origin involves the equatorial, low, mid, auroral, and polar-latitude regions in a multi-step, system-wide process linking the regions of geospace. Observations with ground and space-based instruments characterize the geospace plume-regularly occurring channels of enhanced plasma density flowing at both ionospheric and magnetospheric altitudes. Convection in the SAPS channel transports the eroded material to the noontime cusp in the ionosphere and to the dayside magnetopause at high altitudes. As the fluxes of cold plume plasma traverse the cusp and enter the polar cap, they form the polar tongue of ionization. At the cusp the plume plasma provides a rich source of heavy ions for the magnetospheric injection and acceleration via the mechanisms operative on those field lines.
Going Places: Notes on a Modular Development of Knowledge about Travel.

The paper presents a formalization of a comparatively simple traveling story. The emphasis is on the development and implementation of a library of knowledge modules needed for axiomatization of journey a movement of a group of objects from one place (the origin) to another (the destination). The movement should be able to follow a predefined route, and to achieve its goal even in the presence of natural interruptions, e.g. unexpected stops. We outline a languageM for defining knowledge modules and for assembling them into a coherent knowledge base in CR-Prolog an extension of Answer Set Prolog capable of encoding rare events. The formalization generalizes theory of action by introducing a notion of activity a sequence of intended actions which can be interrupted by unexpected and unplanned events. The notion of journey presented in the paper is a special case of a more general notion of activity.
Magnetic Field Measurement of Rabbit Colonic Electrical Activity

The smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal (GI) system produces two types of electrical activity that may be detected electrically or magnetically. The slow-wave, or basic electrical rhythm (BER) is a sinusoidal type of activity that oscillates about 3 times per minute in the human stomach and 8–12 times per minute in the small intestine. The electrical response activity is a higher-frequency spiking potential that is strongly associated with segmental contractions of the bowel that propel intestinal contents along the GI tract. Our previous studies on intestinal electrical activity have shown that magnetic measurements taken outside the abdomen correlate strongly with recordings from electrodes placed on the serosal surface of the bowel, and that external magnetic measurements are superior to cutaneous electrode measurements because of the attenuation and smearing of the potential by low-conductivity layers in the abdomen [1, 2].
Max-min hybrid precoding in millimeter wave cooperative MISO systems

Technologies in millimeter wave (mmWave) communications have gained increasing attention because of its potential to provide substantially extra bandwidth. The main challenges of mmWave communications include high propagation attenuation and sparse scattering propagation channel. A promising technique to cope with propagation attenuation is to adopt antenna array, and use the hybrid transceiver architecture to exploit the array gain for lower hardware costs. On the other hand, the sparse scattering channel causes large fluctuations in link quality. Cooperative transmission is an effective approach for the link quality fluctuation problem, in which multiple Txs can transmit to the same Rx of poor receiving quality. The design of precoder for cooperative transmission in hybrid precoding architecture is crucial in improving system performance. In this paper, we propose the two-stage hybrid precoder design for cooperative multiple input single output (MISO) systems where the design goal is to ensure every Rx has good receiving quality. Because the number of Rx supported by a Tx is limited, we also propose a low computational complexity Tx-Rx pairing algorithm. Numerical results show that performances of the proposed algorithms are near-optimal, and outperform existing hybrid precoding algorithms.
Assessing Weight Gain by the 2009 Institute of Medicine Guidelines and Perinatal Outcomes in Twin Pregnancy.

Objective The objective is to estimate the impact of maternal weight gain outside the 2009 Institute of Medicine recommendations on perinatal outcomes in twin pregnancies. Study Design Twin pregnancies with two live births between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2014 delivered after 23 weeks Finger Lakes Region Perinatal Data System (FLRPDS) and Central New York Region Perinatal Data System were included. Women were classified into three groups using pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). Perinatal outcomes in women with low or excessive weekly maternal weight gain were assessed using normal weekly weight gain as the referent in each BMI group. Results Low weight gain increased the risk of preterm delivery, birth weight less than the 10th percentile for one or both twins and decreased risk of macrosomia across all BMI groups. There was a decreased risk of hypertensive disorders in women with normal pre-pregnancy weight and an increased risk of gestational diabetes with low weight gain in obese women. Excessive weight gain increased the risk of hypertensive disorders and macrosomia across all BMI groups and decreased the risk of birth weight less than 10th percentile one twin in normal pre-pregnancy BMI group. Conclusion Among twin pregnancies, low weight gain is associated with low birth weight and preterm delivery in all BMI groups and increased risk of gestational diabetes in obese women. Our study did not reveal any benefit from excessive weekly weight gain with potential harm of an increase in risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Normal weight gain per 2009 IOM guidelines should be encouraged to improve pregnancy outcome in all pre-pregnancy BMI groups.
User Surveys at the University of Washington Libraries

The University of Washington Libraries has a long-established and robust assessment programme that has delivered critical information about user needs, library and information use, importance, impact and priorities for more than 20 years. Two long running cyclical surveys, a large-scale user survey and an in-library use survey, provide the foundation for a lengthy history of evidence-based decision making and library advocacy.
Predictor Feedback: Time-Varying, Adaptive, and Nonlinear

We present a tutorial introduction to methods for stabilization of systems with long input delays—the so-called “predictor feedback” techniques. The methods are based on techniques originally developed for boundary control of partial differential equations using the “backstepping” approach. We start with a consideration of linear systems, first with a known delay and then subject to a small uncertainty in the delay. Then we study linear systems with constant delays that are completely unknown, which requires an adaptive control approach. For linear systems, we also present a method for compensating arbitrarily large but known time-varying delays. Next, we consider nonlinear control problems in the presence of arbitrarily long input delays. Finally, we close with a design for general nonlinear systems with delays that have a general dependency on the system state.
Variation in Attenuation in L1 Trabecular Bone at Different Tube Voltages: Caution Is Warranted When Screening for Osteoporosis With the Use of Opportunistic CT

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to investigate the variation in attenuation values (expressed as Hounsfield units) for L1 vertebral body trabecular bone at different tube voltages used in dual-energy CT (DECT) and to remind physicians to consider changes in attenuation values when they approach opportunistic screening for osteoporosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Consecutive patients who underwent DECT examination of the abdomen and pelvis for suspected urolithiasis were included in the study. Attenuation noted on CT of the L1 trabecular bone performed with the use of tube voltages of 80, 100, and 140 kV was recorded. The correlation between the attenuation noted when the tube voltage was 140 kV and the attenuation noted when the tube voltage was either 80 or 100 kV was calculated, and differences in the mean CT attenuation values were compared. RESULTS. The mean attenuation values from L1 trabecular bone measurement performed for 191 patients were analyzed. As expected, the mean attenuation values dec...
A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON THE PREVALANCE AND RISK FACTORS OF LYMPHOEDEMA IN CARCINOMA BREAST

Objectives: Lymphedema of the arm is a devastating complication of breast carcinoma treatment. There is a lack of research on the risk factors and methods of preventing upper limb lymphedema after breast carcinoma treatment. The aims of the study are to identify the prevalence and risk factors for upper limb lymphedema in patients attending a tertiary cancer care center in India. Methods: 199 patients who attended the outpatient department of radiotherapy of IPGMER and SSKM, after undergoing surgical treatment for breast cancer between November 2014 to May 2016 were examined for the presence of lymphedema and its risk factors were analyzed. Lymphedema was defined as being present when there is an increase of >5% sum difference in the arm circumferences measured at different levels of both the upper limbs. Results: Of the 199 patients analyzed, 85 (42.7%) patients were found to have lymphedema. The prevalence of lymphedema was 25% in those who underwent surgery alone and 54% in those who underwent chest wall radiotherapy also. Locally advanced stage of the disease, body mass index >25 kg/m2, number of lymph nodes removed during surgery, and adjuvant radiotherapy were found to be significant risk factors for the development of lymphedema. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we recommend weight reduction and more judicious axillary lymph node dissection and use of postoperative radiotherapy as methods to prevent breast cancer-associated lymphedema in the tertiary cancer care centers in India.
Proteomic Analysis of Thiol Modifications and Assessment of Structural Changes in Hemoglobin Induced by the Aniline Metabolites N-Phenylhydroxylamine and Nitrosobenzene

MS-based proteomic analysis was combined with in silico quantum mechanical calculations to improve understanding of protein adduction by N-phenylhydroxylamine (PhNHOH) and nitrosobenzene (NOB), metabolic products of aniline. In vitro adduction of model peptides containing nucleophilic sidechains (Cys, His, and Lys) and selected proteins (bovine and human hemoglobin and β-lactoglobulin-A) were characterized. Peptide studies identified the Cys thiolate as the most reactive nucleophile for these metabolites, a result consistent with in silico calculations of reactivity parameters. For PhNHOH, sulfinamides were identified as the primary adduction products, which were stable following tryptic digestion. Conversely, reactions with NOB yielded an additional oxidized adduct, the sulfonamide. In vitro exposure of human whole blood to PhNHOH and NOB demonstrated that only sulfinamides were formed. In addition to previously reported adduction of β93Cys of human Hb, two novel sites of adduction were found; α104Cys and β112Cys. We also report CD and UV-Vis spectroscopy studies of adducted human Hb that revealed loss of α-helical content and deoxygenation. The results provide additional understanding of the covalent interaction of aromatic amine metabolites with protein nucleophiles.
The Midlife Crisis Revisited

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on midlife crisis. It reexamines the concept, particularly as it emerged in the 1960s and 1970s in the social science literature. It also revisits a group of men and their families who were first studied in the early 1970s in an attempt to assess the impact of the midlife transition. Terms like “midlife crisis” and “male menopause” has been used by the so called “baby-boomers”, but they used to describe rather different narratives. Understanding midlife crises is most congruent with the specific narrative psychology perspective articulated by Gergen and Gergen. They argued that people must draw on basic narrative forms such as tragedy, romantic epic, or comedy to understand and represent their lives and, concomitantly, to reflect their identity or moral character. Midlife crisis contains a time-specific plot alteration that would characterize as a precipitant to a regressive movement—that is, movement toward a negative state.
Energy Efficiency In Computer Data Centers

ABSTRACT Computer data centers use a lot of electricity in a small space, roughly ten times that of a regular office building per SF. For a facility with both office and data center functions, it is not uncommon for 15 percent of the building area to use 70 percent of the electricity. (1) Most of the energy used in computer data centers is from the equipment itself, which is often beyond the control of energy improvement efforts. Still, the cooling systems serving these machines are substantial energy users and can usually be improved on. Effective and practical energy conservation measures for data centers are provided with the basis of the savings and estimated savings values. This information will allow the energy engineer to formulate an effective approach for proposing improvements to these facilities.
Proteomics reveals Rictor as a noncanonical TGF-β signaling target during aneurysm progression in Marfan mice.

We present the most comprehensive quantitative analysis of the ascending aortic aneurysm proteome in Marfan syndrome to date resulting in novel and potentially wide-reaching findings that expressio...
Rates of hepatitis b screening and prophylactic treatment before immunosuppressive therapy in hematological malignancies.

e18845Background: Hepatitis B (HBV) can lead to clinical hepatitis, fulminant liver failure and cirrhosis in patients (pts) receiving immunosuppressive therapy (IST). The American Society of Clinic...
Complementizer agreement with coordinated subjects in Polish

This paper examines complementizer and verbal agreement with coordinate subjects in Polish. It shows that while certain patterns are possible, others (logically equally plausible ones) are not. The possible patterns are: (i) Resolved Agreement on both the verb and the complementizer, (ii) mixed agreement (Resolved Agreement on the verb and First Conjunct Agreement on the complementizer, and (iii) sandwiched agreement (First Conjunct Agreement on the complementizer and Last Conjunct Agreement on the verb). The differences between Resolved Agreement and Single Conjunct Agreement are attributed to two distinct ways Agree can operate; either as a sequence of Singular Agree operations, or as one instance of Multiple Agree, with Multiple Agree yielding Resolved Agreement and Singular Agree requiring feature conflict resolution at PF.
IMPACT OF LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS ON ACCELERATION OF AORTIC STENOSIS: A META ANALYSIS AND META REGRESSION

Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) is the most prevalent valvular heart disease in developed countries. Despite similarities with atherosclerosis, it is still uncertain what factors determine acceleration of CAVS (aCAVS). In this meta analysis and regression we studied the impact of Lipids on
The Molecular Genetics of Conotruncal Defects

Although conotruncal defects account for approximately 16% of all types of congenital heart disease (1), little is known about the molecular genetics of these malformations. Epidemiologic studies, naturally occurring animal models and animal experimentation support a genetic contribution to this class of disorders. However, identification of specific genetic etiologies has been difficult to accomplish for several reasons. First, unlike many of the disorders discussed previously in this textbook, most probands with severe conotruncal defects have not historically survived to reproduce so that families with many affected members do not exist. Most cases of conotruncal defects appear to be sporadic rather than familial. Therefore, investigators have not been able to perform linkage analyses to identify chromosomal disease loci or genes. Second, until more recently, very little was known of the developmental pathways and specific proteins involved in conotruncal and cardiac development so that candidate genes for human disease could not be proposed. Third, most probands with a conotruncal defect have normal standard karyotypes, so clues as to where disease genes might map are also uncommon. Nonetheless, significant progress has been made recently and more discoveries are likely to be made through the analysis of genetic syndromes in which congenital heart disease is a major feature. Moreover, a multitude of genes that contribute to conotruncal development are now being identified in mammalian models. These genes begin to unravel the developmental pathways that contribute to outflow tract formation and may turn out to be disease-related in some cases. Though much work remains to be done, the prospects of understanding specific genetic etiologies of these malformations are increasing.
Scripts, religion, and ideology

Religion often determines the choice of alphabets. So do other ideological factors that have impact on religious ones—such as nationalism and Marxism. Opposition to the influence of religion led Mustafa Kemal Ataturk to switch the spelling of Turkish and Judeo-Spanish from Arabic and Hebrew letters to Latin characters. Nationalism led Romania to switch from the Cyrillic alphabet to Latin characters. Marxist regimes did not switch alphabets and writing systems but altered them. Thus, many Chinese characters were simplified by Chairman Mao. And in the Soviet Union, Yiddish words of Hebrew origin were spelled phonetically rather than traditionally, and final forms of letters were eliminated. In each of these and other cases discussed in this article, belief or identity was reflected in the writing systems of these various languages.
Topics in Global LGBTQ Health

This is a time of simultaneous urgency, promise, and injustice for sexual and gender minorities worldwide. Globally, LGBTQ populations face an HIV/AIDS epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women, higher prevalence of substance use and mental health disorders, and interpersonal violence. The granting of legal rights to LGBTQ individuals in certain countries has paved the way for improved access to health care. However, for others, access to quality health care—along with other basic human rights—remains severely limited. Many LGBTQ individuals live in societies where their relationships or certain sexual activities are criminalized and where they must suppress their identities as a matter of personal safety.
Guiding students to understand CS concepts and develop process skills with POGIL

This workshop introduces Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) to CS instructors. In a POGIL classroom, teams of 3--5 learners work on activities with a particular structure based on learning cycles. Through scripted inquiry and investigation, learners discover concepts and construct their own knowledge. Using assigned team roles and other scaffolding, learners develop process skills and individual responsibility. The teacher is not a lecturer, but an active facilitator who helps all students to be engaged and achieve the learning objectives. POGIL is an evidence-based approach, and has been shown to significantly improve student performance. Workshop participants will work through POGIL activities as students, and work through POGIL meta-activities that are designed to help teachers learn core POGIL concepts, practices, and benefits. We will share POGIL materials for a variety of CS courses and concepts. We will also invite interested attendees to participate in IntroCS-POGIL, a recently funded NSF project working to make it easier for CS faculty to adopt POGIL by disseminating high quality instructional resources and enhancing professional development practices. For more information, see http://cspogil.org and http://pogil.org, including activities for CS1, CS2, and other courses.
Oregon Parents' Perceptions of the Supportiveness of the School Environment for Their Children's Health Behaviors.

Abstract Objective To describe Oregon parents’ perceptions of their children's school regarding health behaviors; examine how perceptions vary by parent, child, and community characteristics; and identify recommendations for improving school environments. Methods Oregon parents with an elementary school–aged child completed an electronic survey. Results Over 90% of parents (n = 814) described their child's school as supportive of healthy eating and physical activity. Parents who ate ≥5 fruits/vegetables per day more often perceived their children's school as unsupportive of healthy eating (P Conclusions and Implications Parents’ suggested school improvements can inform school wellness committees’ and administrators’ quality-improvement efforts and, in turn, better support children's healthy behaviors.
Depressive Symptoms Differentially Predict Neurocognition in Latinx and Non-Hispanic White People Living with HIV.

Objectives: Depression is common in people living with HIV (PLWH) and can contribute to neurocognitive dysfunction. Depressive symptoms in PLWH are often measured by assessing only cognitive/affective symptoms. Latinx adults, however, often express depressive symptoms in a somatic/functional manner, which is not typically captured in assessments of depression among PLWH. Given the disproportionate burden of HIV that Latinx adults face, examining whether variations in expressed depressive symptoms differentially predict neurocognitive outcomes between Latinx and non-Hispanic white PLWH is essential. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 140 PLWH (71% Latinx; 72% male; mean (M) age = 47.1 ± 8.5 years; M education = 12.6 ± 2.9 years) who completed a comprehensive neurocognitive battery, Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Neurocognitive performance was measured using demographically adjusted T-scores. BDI-II domain scores were computed for the Fast-Screen (cognitive/affective items) score (BDI-FS) and non-FS score (BDI-NFS; somatic/functional items). Results: Linear regressions revealed that the BDI-NFS significantly predicted global neurocognitive function and processing speed in the Latinx group (p < .05), such that higher physical/functional symptoms predicted worse performance. In the non-Hispanic white group, the cognitive/affective symptoms significantly predicted processing speed (p = .02), with more symptoms predicting better performance. Interaction terms of ethnicity and each BDI sub-score indicated that Latinx participants with higher cognitive/affective symptoms performed worse on executive functioning. Conclusions: Depressive symptoms differentially predict neurocognitive performance in Latinx and non-Hispanic white PLWH. These differences should be considered when conducting research and intervention among the increasingly culturally and ethnically diverse population of PLWH.
Polo-like kinase 2 regulates angiogenic sprouting and blood vessel development

Angiogenesis relies on specialized endothelial tip cells to extend toward guidance cues in order to direct growing blood vessels. Although many of the signaling pathways that control this directional endothelial sprouting are well known, the specific cellular mechanisms that mediate this process remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we show that Polo-like kinase 2 (PLK2) regulates Rap1 activity to guide endothelial tip cell lamellipodia formation and subsequent angiogenic sprouting. Using a combination of high-resolution in vivo imaging of zebrafish vascular development and a human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) in vitro cell culture system, we observed that loss of PLK2 function resulted in a reduction in endothelial cell sprouting and migration, whereas overexpression of PLK2 promoted angiogenesis. Furthermore, we discovered that PLK2 may control angiogenic sprouting by binding to PDZ-GEF to regulate RAP1 activity during endothelial cell lamellipodia formation and extracellular matrix attachment. Consistent with these findings, constitutively active RAP1 could rescue the endothelial cell sprouting defects observed in zebrafish and HUVEC PLK2 knockdowns. Overall, these findings reveal a conserved PLK2-RAP1 pathway that is crucial to regulate endothelial tip cell behavior in order to ensure proper vascular development and patterning in vertebrates.
A comprehensive model of preschool through high school parent involvement with emphasis on the psychological facets

This article will review many forms of home-based parent involvement (e.g., shared reading; books at home; helping with homework; visiting museums; monitoring grades), parent beliefs (e.g., about t...
Abstract 062: Global Patterns Of Mean Systolic Blood Pressure Over Three Decades: Results From The Global Burden Of Disease 2019 Study

Background: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and its risk factors are increasing globally. We estimated global and regional mean levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP) for the Global Burden ...
Acute visual disturbance associated with hydrogen peroxide ingestion (P3.9-041)

Objective: To describe a case of visual field deficit with associated leptomeningeal enhancement in a patient with hydrogen peroxide ingestion. Background: Hydrogen peroxide has recently been promoted as a therapy for health and wellness. Neurologic complications of hydrogen peroxide ingestion are not often reported but include ischemic strokes from air emboli. Design/Methods: Case report from a tertiary care center. Results: A 40-year-old woman without significant past medical history presented with abdominal pain, hematemesis, right sided headache, and decreased visual acuity following accidental ingestion of 35% hydrogen peroxide. Her initial work up revealed pneumatosis of the stomach and mediastinum, and possible air in the portal venous system. Patient’s visual acuity worsened to complete visual loss over a few hours. She underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Subsequently, vision improved gradually, with residual left homonymous hemianopia. MRI brain with gadolinium demonstrated right hemispheric leptomeningeal enhancement and no acute infarct. Her visual field deficit continued to improve and after 24 hours, a left upper quadrantanopia remained. Further follow up was not available as patient returned to her home in another state. Conclusions: Hydrogen peroxide has been shown to dysregulate endothelial function and to alter blood-brain-barrier permeability by a variety of mechanisms including oxidative stress, tight junction disruption, and alteration in cytoskeletal organization. Ingestion of concentrated hydrogen peroxide likely altered the cerebral vasculature resulting in this patient’s visual field deficit. Disclosure: Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tong has nothing to disclose.