cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Standardization of Clinical Immunohistochemistry Why, How, and by Whom?

2002 issue of AJCP in response to news that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is making plans to recommend a “standardized” immunohistochemical test for the KIT protein (CD117) highlighted the clash of cultures that is emerging in diagnostic surgical pathology. Largely based on the interpretation of histologic images, this profession has long relied on the individual practitioner’s inherent pattern-recognition skills, experience, and clinical acumen, attributes not easily quantifiable. However, with the introduction of techniques to identify individual molecular attributes of cells in histologic sections, surgical pathology is moving more and more into
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor and lung cancer

The leading cause of lung cancer is exposure to cigarette smoke and other environmental pollutants, which include formaldehyde, acrolein, benzene, dioxin, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs and dioxins are exogenous ligands that directly bind to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a transcription factor that activates xenobiotic metabolism, histone modification (an important step in DNA methylation) and, ultimately, tumorigenesis. In this review article we summarize the current understanding of AhR and its role in the development of lung cancer, including its influence on cell proliferation, angiogenesis, inflammation, and apoptosis.
Efficient techniques based on gate triggering for designing static CMOS ICs with very low glitch power dissipation

This paper presents a new framework called gate triggering for systematically minimizing glitch power dissipation in static CMOS ICs. It is based on the idea that glitches can be effectively minimized by triggering logic evaluation at a gate only when all of its inputs have stablized. For this purpose, to every potentially glitchy gate (or a suitable subset of such gates) is added a small amount of control logic, which, when enabled triggers logic evaluation at the gate. A clocked delay chain is employed to generate enable signals at the proper times for all gates to be triggered. We present six specific techniques based on gate triggering that differ in the type of control logic and the way it is used to control a gate. These techniques have varying effectiveness and area and timing overheads, which we analyze in detail. Application of these techniques to test circuits yields promising results.
Antibiotic resistance in long-term acute care hospitals: the perfect storm.

Objective. To examine bacterial antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use patterns in long‐term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) and to evaluate effects of antibiotic use and other hospital‐level variables on the prevalence of antibiotic resistance. Design. Multihospital ecologic study. Methods. Antibiograms, antibiotic purchasing data, and demographic variables from 2002 and 2003 were obtained from 45 LTACHs. Multivariable regression models were constructed, controlling for other hospital‐level variables, to evaluate the effects of antibiotic use on resistance for selected pathogens. Results of active surveillance in 2003 at one LTACH were available. Results. Among LTACHs, median prevalences of resistance for several antimicrobial‐organism pairs were greater than the 90th percentile value for National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance system (NNIS) medical intensive care units (ICUs). The median prevalence of methicillin resistance among Staphylococcus aureus isolates was 84%. More than 60% of patients in o...
Expanding the model: anisotropic displacement parameters in protein structure refinement.

Recent technological improvements in crystallographic data collection have led to a surge in the number of protein structures being determined at atomic or near-atomic resolution. At this resolution, structural models can be expanded to include anisotropic displacement parameters (ADPs) for individual atoms. New protocols and new tools are needed to refine, analyze and validate such models optimally. One such tool, PARVATI, has been used to examine all protein structures (peptide chains >50 residues) for which expanded models including ADPs are available from the Protein Data Bank. The distribution of anisotropy within each of these refined models is broadly similar across the entire set of structures, with a mean anisotropy A in the range 0.4–0.5. This is a significant departure from a purely isotropic model and explains why the inclusion of ADPs yields a substantial improvement in the crystallographic residuals R and Rfree. The observed distribution of anisotropy may prove useful in the validation of very high resolution structures. A more complete understanding of this distribution may also allow the development of improved protein structural models, even at lower resolution.
Frequent manual repositioning and incidence of pressure ulcers among bed-bound elderly hip fracture patients

Frequent manual repositioning is an established part of pressure ulcer prevention, but there is little evidence for its effectiveness. This study examined the association between repositioning and pressure ulcer incidence among bed-bound elderly hip fracture patients, using data from a 2004-2007 cohort study in nine Maryland and Pennsylvania hospitals. Eligible patients (n=269) were age ≥ 65 years, underwent hip fracture surgery, and were bed-bound at index study visits (during the first 5 days of hospitalization). Information about repositioning on the days of index visits was collected from patient charts; study nurses assessed presence of stage 2+ pressure ulcers 2 days later. The association between frequent manual repositioning and pressure ulcer incidence was estimated, adjusting for pressure ulcer risk factors using generalized estimating equations and weighted estimating equations. Patients were frequently repositioned (at least every 2 hours) on only 53% (187/354) of index visit days. New pressure ulcers developed at 12% of visits following frequent repositioning vs. 10% following less frequent repositioning; the incidence rate of pressure ulcers per person-day did not differ between the two groups (incidence rate ratio 1.1, 95% confidence interval 0.5-2.4). No association was found between frequent repositioning of bed-bound patients and lower pressure ulcer incidence, calling into question the allocation of resources for repositioning.
Reducing Oral Health Disparities: A Focus on Social and Cultural Determinants

Oral health is essential to the general health and well-being of individuals and the population. Yet significant oral health disparities persist in the U.S. population because of a web of influences that include complex cultural and social processes that affect both oral health and access to effective dental health care. This paper introduces an organizing framework for addressing oral health disparities. We present and discuss how the multiple influences on oral health and oral health disparities operate using this framework. Interventions targeted at different causal pathways bring new directions and implications for research and policy in reducing oral health disparities.
High Growth Rate Metal-Organic Molecular Beam Epitaxy for the Fabrication of GaAs Space Solar Cells

Realization of high quality GaAs photovoltaic materials and devices by Metal-organic Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MOMBE) with growth rates in excess of 3 microns/ hours is demonstrated. Despite high growth rates, the optimization of III/V flux-ratio and growth temperatures leads to a two dimensional layer by layer growth mode characterized by a (2×4) RHEED diagrams and strong intensity oscillations. The not intentionally doped layers exhibit low background impurity concentrations and good luminescence properties. Both n(Si) and p(Be) doping studies in the range of concentrations necessary for photovoltaic device generation are reported. Preliminary GaAs (p/n) tunnel diodes and solar cells fabricated at growth rates in excess of 31μm/h exhibit performances comparable to state of the art and stress the potential of the high growth rate MOMBE as a reduced toxicity alternative for the production of Space 111-V solar cells.
Computer algorithms in power systems: from constructive methods to truncated fractals

It is shown that nonchaotic power system models can have complicated truncated fractal basin boundary structure. A brief survey of research in power system stability over the last five years is presented. Methods for assisting in teaching the basics of the theory with simple numerical examples at the senior level or a first year graduate course in engineering are outlined using computer techniques. >
Software maintenance in distributed computer environments: system complexity versus component simplicity

The paper addresses a new area of research-distributed system software maintenance-focusing on whether and to what extent distributed computing environments directly affect software maintenance difficulty. The issue appears to depend on two diametrics of information system architectures: component simplicity and system complexity. Using a new conceptual model for information systems complexity applied to distributed computing environments, this research sought empirical quantitative and qualitative data from IS professionals to determine whether the complexity of a distributed computer system has a greater effect on software maintenance than component simplicity, and what the explanatory factors are. Results indicate the overall complexity of studied distributed systems overwhelmed the ease-of-use and simplicity of their components-increasing the overall difficulty of software maintenance. Some factors had a greater effect than others; the rate of technological change and the variety of components (particularly processors and system software) far outweighed the effects of component and transaction numbers.
Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders as Risk Factors for Attempted Suicide among Adolescents: A Case Control Study.

The objective of this research was to test substance-related and non-substance-related psychiatric disorders as predictors of attempted suicide among adolescents. Ninety-six psychiatrically disordered suicide attempters were matched one-to-one to 96 psychiatrically disordered non-attempters on age, race, gender, and the presence/absence of major depression. Conditional logistic regression was used to test psychiatric risk factors for their power to predict attempted suicide among adolescents. Bipolar disorder, cocaine use disorders, and conduct disorder were found to be predictive of attempted suicide in univariate testing. Bipolar disorder, inhalant use disorders, cocaine use disorders, and hallucinogen use disorders were found to be predictive of attempted suicide, after adjusting for all other covariates. Loglinear analyses revealed high odds ratios associated with the comorbidities of alcohol use disorder with conduct disorder and drug use disorders with conduct disorder in both groups. Higher rates of cocaine use disorder/conduct disorder, hallucinogen use disorder/conduct disorder, and alcohol use disorder/ conduct disorder were found among suicide attempters. Evaluation of these particular comorbid conditions should be part of the adolescent suicide risk assessment.
Ionizing irradiation quarantine treatment against oriental fruit moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in ambient and hypoxic atmospheres.

Oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck), is a pest of many rosaceous temperate fruits, including pomes, Malus spp., and stone fruits, Prunus spp., in much of the world. However, some areas are free of the pest, and shipments of fruit hosts from infested to noninfested areas may be regulated. Current quarantine treatments for oriental fruit moth include methyl bromide fumigation and cold storage for several weeks. Methyl bromide use is being restricted because it is a stratospheric ozone-depleting substance, and alternatives are sought. Cold is not tolerated by many hosts of oriental fruit moth. The objective of this research was to develop irradiation quarantine treatments against the pest under ambient and hypoxic storage conditions because some hosts of oriental fruit moth are stored in hypoxic atmospheres, and hypoxia is known to lessen the effects of irradiation. In ambient atmospheres, no adults emerged from 58,779 fifth instars (the most radiotolerant stage present in fruit) irradiated with a target dose of 200 Gy (195–232 Gy measured). In atmospheres flushed with nitrogen, 5.3% of adults emerged from 44,050 fifth instars irradiated with a target dose of 200 Gy (194–230 Gy measured), but they died at a faster rate than control adults and without laying eggs. A dose of 232 Gy (the maximum recorded when 200 Gy was targeted) is recommended to disinfest any fruit of oriental fruit moth under ambient and hypoxic atmospheres.
TWO RECESSIVE SUPPRESSORS OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE CHO1 THAT ARE UNLINKED BUT FALL IN THE SAME COMPLEMENTATION GROUP

ABSTRACT Phenotypic reversion of ethanolamine-requiring Saccharomyces cerevisiae cho 1 mutants is predominantly due to recessive mutations at genes unlinked to the chromosome V cho 1 locus. The recessive suppressors do not correct the primary cho 1 defect in phosphatidylserine synthesis but circumvent it with a novel endogenous supply of ethanolamine. One suppressor ( eam1 ) was previously mapped to chromosome X , and 135 suppressor isolates were identified as eam1 alleles by complementation analysis. Additional meiotic recombination studies have identified a second genetic locus, eam2 , that falls in the eam1 complementation group but maps close to the centromere of chromosome IV . Although the normal EAM1 and EAM2 alleles are fully dominant over recessive mutant alleles, their dominance fails in diploids heterozygous for defects in both genes simultaneously. The unusual complementation pattern could be explained by interaction of the gene products in formation of the same enzyme.
C1q-based tolerance mechanism in HMGB1-mediated activation of human monocytes (IRM5P.649)

C1q, a component of the classical complement pathway, is required for clearance of apoptotic cells. C1q also regulates activation of innate immune cells through engagement of C1q receptors present on the immune cell surface. C1q deficiency is highly associated with the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), a pro-inflammatory mediator, is secreted by inflammatory cells and passively released from necrotic cells. HMGB1 interacts with TLR4 and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), to augment the production of type 1 interferon and proinflammatory cytokines. Here we show that C1q inhibits HMGB1-mediated monocyte activation through cross-linking RAGE and Leukocyte-associated Ig-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1), which is an inhibitory receptor for collagen and C1q. This crosslinking causes LAIR-1 to enter lipid rafts following HMGB1 and C1q stimulation. C1q suppress HMGB-1 mediated induction of type I-interferon and pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-12 and TNF-α. Moreover, exposure of monocytes to HMGB1 and C1q together leads to upregulation of a number of anti-inflammatory molecules that might function to induce phagocytosis and to maintain monocyte quiescence. Our results suggest that C1q regulates the activation of innate immunity by HMGB1 and maintains immune homeostasis. These data are consistent with the established requirement for C1q in the prevention of autoimmunity.
Signal and information processing applications for the smart grid

This paper discusses using signal processing to assist in processing of information for the smart grid. This consists of getting information about the electrical grid and environment via sensor networks, interpreting information received via signal processing and machine learning, and then using the information to make intelligent decisions about the grid using control and optimization algorithms. The focus is on the electrical grid beyond the last substation, the distribution grid. For the smart distribution grid there is an increasing amount of distributed renewable energy sources and possible distributed storage. This necessitates gathering more information about the electrical grid, environmental data, and building energy usage. With this information we can forecast distributed renewable energy sources and develop algorithms for distributed state estimation. We can then develop demand response algorithms to control loads (e.g. appliances, thermostats, air conditioners, hot water heaters).
DRAT: An Unobtrusive, Scalable Approach to Large Scale Software License Analysis

The Apache Release Audit Tool (RAT) performs software open source license auditing and checking, however RAT fails to successfully audit today's large code bases. Being a natural language processing (NLP) tool and a crawler, RAT marches through a code base, but uses rudimentary black lists and white lists to navigate source code repositories, and often does a poor job of identifying source code versus binary files. In addition RAT produces no incremental output and thus on code bases that themselves are "Big Data", RAT could run for e.g., a month and still not provide any status report. We introduce Distributed "RAT" or the Distributed Release Audit Tool (DRAT). DRAT overcomes RAT's limitations by leveraging: (1) Apache Tika to automatically detect and classify files in source code repositories and determine what is a binary file, what is source code, what are notes that need skipping, etc. (2) Apache Solr to interactively perform analytics on a code repository and to extract metadata using Apache Tika, and finally (3) Apache OODT to run RAT on per-MIME type (e.g., C/C++, Java, Javascript, etc.) and per configurable K-file sized chunks in a MapReduce workflow. Each Mapper task is an instance of RAT running on a K-file sized per Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) type chunk (split using Tika) and each mapper produces and incremental and intermediate log file, and where the Reducer aggregates the individual log files.
The Number System in More General Scales

where 0 < ci < p-1, cp In the representation (2), our number system can be thought of as being built up by means of a basic set of "building blocks" which we shall designate o, f/ 1 f/2 f3, *.., where fo = 1, fI = P, f2 = P It is the object of this paper to consider arbitrary nondecreasing sequences of integers Ifil' O where the fi are not necessarily distinct, and determine for what sets of this type it is possible to represent every positive integer n as
Tailoring the Mechanism of the Amorphous-to-Crystalline Phase Transition of PbTiO3 via Kinetically Controlled Hydrolysis

A systematic investigation of the effects of hydrolytic conditions on the development of PbTiO3 (PTO) from amorphous metal–organic matrices is reported. Metal–organic matrices were obtained using a novel hydrolytic approach which relies on the kinetically controlled delivery of water vapor at the gas–liquid interface of a Pb–Ti alkoxide precursor. Crystallization was induced via standard thermal treatment and followed using X-ray diffraction, visible Raman spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. It was found that the mechanism of the amorphous-to-crystalline phase transition is controlled by the rate and extent of hydrolysis and polycondensation of the Pb–Ti alkoxide: faster and extended hydrolysis favors an amorphous-to-pyrochlore-to-perovskite transition, whereas slower and less extended hydrolysis favors a direct amorphous-to-perovskite transition. The rate and extent of hydrolysis were found to have a significant impact on the magnitude of the tetragonal distortion of the perovskite unit cell as well. Opt...
Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of CeyRuxIr4-xSb12 Filled Skutterudite Compounds

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) have proved to be reliable, long-lived sources of electrical power that have enabled the conduct of a number of important NASA deep space missions since 1961. Past RTGs have used two types of thermoelectric materials: PbTe/TAGS and SiGe. In an effort to further improve both the thermoelectric efficiency and specific power of the next generation of RTGs, JPL is investigating a number of potential high-efficiency, high-temperature thermoelectric materials that could operate at a hot-side temperature of up to 1275 K. Among the materials being studied are the refractory CeyRu4−xIrxSb12 filled skutterudite compounds. We have synthesized polycrystalline samples for x ≤ 1.5 by a powder metallurgy technique. Dense samples have been hot-pressed from the pre-reacted powders and characterized by a variety of techniques including electron probe microanalysis, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetic analysis. Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, Hall coefficient, and thermal conductivity measurements have been conducted on the samples from room temperature to 1275 K. Results show that the samples are phase stable up to 1275 K. The results of the transport property measurements are presented and discussed.
Size-, shape-, and orientation-dependent properties of SiC nanowires of selected bulk polytypes

SiC nanowires (NWs) designed from selected bulk polytypes are investigated using quantum mechanics-based simulations (both ab initio and semiempirical methods), and their structure–property relationships examined vis-a-vis their size, shape, and orientation. It is found that 2H–SiC NWs of hexagonal morphology oriented along the direction are the most stable ones compared to NWs designed using other bulk polytypes (e.g., 3C, 4H, or 6H) and other morphologies (round, square, rhombus, etc.) for diameters with 1 nm NWs exhibit semiconductor-like characteristics (akin to their bulk counterparts), even when their diameters approach 1 nm. On the other hand, SiC NWs designed from 3C, 4H, and 6H bulk polytypes, regardless of their morphology, exhibit gapless features for diameters less than 3.5 nm. Undoubtedly, these novel properties of SiC NWs can be exploited in the fabrication of nanoscale devices.
Cognitive Development of 4-5 years old:The Positive Impact of Appropriate Kindergarten Enrollment Age

The current study addresses the impact of kindergarten enrollment age on children's cognitive development.Data were drawn from a large-scale project and included a national representative sample of 1,391 children who had scores for cognitive scores at the age of 4,and 964 of them were followed into the next year.The method of multilevel regressions was realized using MLwiN.Different multilevel models were employed to estimate the impact of enrollment age as well as interactions between enrollment age and home learning environment.Evidence was found in the data for quadratic effects of enrollment age in predicting cognitive scores.The results also demonstrated the moderating effect of home learning environment.Implications may include the better location of preschool education resources and cautions of the different needs of children from different backgrounds.
Tissue barriers, immunosuppressive microenvironments, and privileged sites: the eye's point of view

Immune privilege exists at numerous sites in the body. It is becoming increasingly clear that privilege is extended to foreign tissues implanted at privileged sites by active regulatory mechanisms, rather than because implanted tissues are hidden from recognition by cells of the immune system. Recent experimental analysis of privilege has focused on regional tissue factors that participate in creating the privileged status. Local barriers are being more fully described, barriers that restrict, but do not prevent, afferent and efferent communication between a privileged site and the systemic immune apparatus. In addition, cytokines and mediators are being discovered at local sites, and these agents appear to create novel microenvironments that act on migrating cells of the lymphoreticular system and thereby modify both the induction and expression of immunity to antigenic materials that are introduced into, or arise within, privileged sites. This review summarizes many recent studies, and attempts to place in the broader context of systemic immunity what has been learned in the recent past about the unique forms of immunity that attend foreign tissue grafts and other types of antigenic materials placed experimentally in privileged sites. Particular emphasis is placed on reconciling (a) the requirements of various organs and tissues for immune protection against invading pathogens with (b) the vulnerability of certain organs and tissues to immunopathogenic processes that inadvertently inflict tissue injury and dysfunction.
Anatomy and address: creating medical gentlemen in eighteenth-century London.

L'anatomie evoque des images conflictuelles dans l'histoire de l'enseignement medical du XVIII e siecle, mais elle contribua pour une grande part aux progres de la chirurgie
Effect of low temperature on feeding rate of Aedes stimulans larvae and efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (H-14).

Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of low temperature (0 and 4 degrees C), vs. a high temperature (22 degrees C), on the feeding rate of Aedes stimulans larvae, and their susceptibility to Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (H-14) (B.t.i.). Third-instar Ae. stimulans slowed but did not halt feeding at 0 and 4 degrees C compared to 22 degrees C. Susceptibility of larvae, as measured by LC50 values, to B.t.i. was highest at 22 degrees C (LC50 = 0.1 ppm), and lower at 4 degrees C (LC50 = 0.2 ppm) and 0 degree C (LC50 = 0.9 ppm). The data from the feeding and susceptibility experiments suggest that decreased efficacy of B.t.i. at low temperatures may occur because the rate of larval feeding decreases. Low water temperature should be a consideration during operational applications of B.t.i. for control of larvae in cold-water habitats, such as the spring Aedes species.
Condoms: the basics and beyond.

Used properly and consistently condoms have a dual role in the prevention of STIs and unintended pregnancy. Condoms remain the only method of STI prevention and birth control available for use by the sexually active male. They are relatively inexpensive available without a prescription easy to obtain easy to carry and disposable after single use. Condoms also may prolong erection and male sexual response and reduce anxiety about STIs and pregnancy in both partners. Condoms require an erection to be applied must be applied before genital contact may reduce sensation significantly and may interfere with spontaneity when sexual activity is interrupted to put on the condom. Condoms are free of side effects except for individuals with latex allergy. Of U.S. adults 5–7% report latex allergy and these rates may reach 8–17% among hospital employees. Polyurethane condoms provide a latex-free alternative. Some individuals of either gender also may be sensitive to a specific condom lubricant and partners may need to experiment with alternative brands. (excerpt)
Confidence-based adaptive extreme response surface for time-variant reliability analysis under random excitation

Abstract Time-variant reliability analysis aims at revealing the time evolution of the reliability of an engineered system under time-dependent uncertainties that are best described by random processes. In practice, it is still a grand challenge to handle random process in time-variant reliability analysis due to the extremely high computational cost. In this work, a new adaptive extreme response surface (AERS) approach is proposed for time-variant reliability problems. With AERS, the dimensionality of a random process is first reduced to a set of standard normal variables and corresponding deterministic orthogonal functions based on spectral decomposition. As a result, the limit state function is reformulated as a function of only random variables and time. Next, Gaussian process (GP) models are constructed as surrogate models for predicting the value of limit state function at all discretized time nodes to approximate the extreme response surface. The accuracy of GP surrogate models is quantified by a confidence level measure and continuously improved through the sequential adaptive sampling. Using the GP surrogate models, time-dependent reliability is computed via Monte Carlo simulations (MCS). Two case studies are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the AERS method for time-variant reliability analysis.
Measuring and Improving the Quality of Care in Health Plans

Conference-at-a-Glance Background More than 200 health care policy-makers and researchers, clinicians, quality professionals, and other representatives of managed care organizations, government, and academia, attended the fifth annual Building Bridges conference, "The Health Dare Puzzle: Using Research to Bridge the Gap Between Perception and Reality," in Chicago, April 11–13, 1999. Sponsored by the American Association of Health Plans and the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research–and now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–these annual conferences are intended to promote research in measuring the quality and effectiveness of the services health plans provide. Selected plenary sessions from the conference are represented in this report. Keynote address "Three worthy objectives" for managed care–harmonize practice guidelines, develop evidence-based copays or price structure for drugs, and demystify medical necessity–were discussed. Plenary: A population health perspective Population-based care is designed to identify effective clinical and service interventions and ensure their efficient delivery, identify ineffective interventions and minimize their use, and monitor outcomes and change practice if outcomes are suboptimal. Yet certain questions need to be asked about how to put this strategy in place, especially Why should any individual or potential patient be willing to be treated in a population-based delivery system? The financial and scientific evidence behind prevention The concepts of scientific evidence and financial evidence for prevention were reviewed and applied in scenarios of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of selected preventive care services. Education efforts are needed to promote the use of effective interventions and encourage questioning of interventions with unproven or less important effectiveness and poor cost-effectiveness.
Resistance in persisting bat populations after white-nose syndrome invasion

Increases in anthropogenic movement have led to a rise in pathogen introductions and the emergence of infectious diseases in naive host communities worldwide. We combined empirical data and mathematical models to examine changes in disease dynamics in little brown bat ( Myotis lucifugus ) populations following the introduction of the emerging fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans , which causes the disease white-nose syndrome. We found that infection intensity was much lower in persisting populations than in declining populations where the fungus has recently invaded. Fitted models indicate that this is most consistent with a reduction in the growth rate of the pathogen when fungal loads become high. The data are inconsistent with the evolution of tolerance or an overall reduced pathogen growth rate that might be caused by environmental factors. The existence of resistance in some persisting populations of little brown bats offers a glimmer of hope that a precipitously declining species will persist in the face of this deadly pathogen. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Human influences on evolution, and the ecological and societal consequences’.
Simplified AIP-II Peptidomimetics Are Potent Inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus AgrC Quorum Sensing Receptors.

The bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus controls many aspects of virulence by using the accessory gene regulator (agr) quorum sensing (QS) system. The agr system is activated by a macrocyclic peptide signal known as an autoinducing peptide (AIP). We sought to develop structurally simplified mimetics of AIPs for use as chemical tools to study QS in S. aureus. Herein, we report new peptidomimetic AgrC receptor inhibitors based on a tail-truncated AIP-II peptide that have almost analogous inhibitory activities to the parent peptide. Structural comparison of one of these peptidomimetics to the parent peptide and a highly potent, all-peptide-derived, S. aureus agr inhibitor (AIP-III D4A) revealed a conserved hydrophobic motif and overall amphipathic nature. Our results suggest that the AIP scaffold is amenable to structural mimicry and minimization for the development of synthetic agr inhibitors.
Identifying performance bottlenecks in Hive: Use of processor counters

Distributed SQL Query Engines, like Hive, Spark, and Impala, have become the de-facto database set-up for Decision Support Systems with large database sizes. Unlike other distributed computing like graph processing and OLTP transactions, DSS queries are often CPU bound as opposed to Network I/O bound [8]. In this paper, we identify apparent anomalies in query performance on a distributed Hive database setup, comparing it to a traditional database (MySQL) system. We found MySQL is algorithmically efficient, and micro-architectural performance is affected only by the computational demands of the query. On the other-hand, Hive's generic execution framework has difficulty converting some queries into a set of MapReduce jobs, increasing algorithmic in-efficency. We describe our experience of analyzing the root causes of the performance discrepancies between the MySQL and Hive executions. JVM startup overhead and context switches are seen to be a major bottleneck in Hive executions. Hive is also seen to use a larger code footprint which stresses the memory hierarchy. In addition to using the Tez execution engine, which reuses containers across MapReduce tasks, the aforementioned costs could be reduced by running small queries together in a single session, and by forcing one process per available physical core.
Words and Emotional Work: Classification Theory’s Constructs Useful for the Analysis of Social Media Data in Terms of Gender, Race, and Sexuality

Presents constructs from classification theory and relates them to the study of hashtags and other forms of tags in social media data. Argues these constructs are useful to the study of the intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality. Closes with an introduction to an historical case study from Amazon.com.
College-going and Trajectories of Drinking from Adolescence into Adulthood:

To explore an exception to the association between educational attainment and health, this study unpacked variability in the drinking of U.S. college students by applying life course concepts to an...
Cancer Imaging in Immunotherapy

Immune therapeutics are revolutionizing cancer treatments. In tandem, new and confounding imaging characteristics have appeared that are distinct from those typically seen with conventional cytotoxic therapies. In fact, only 10% of patients on immunotherapy may show tumor shrinkage, typical of positive responses on conventional therapy. Conversely, those on immune therapies may initially demonstrate a delayed response, transient enlargement followed by tumor shrinkage, stable size, or the appearance of new lesions. New imaging response criteria such as the immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (irRECIST) and immune-related Response Criteria (irRC) are being implemented in many trials. However, FDA approval of emerging therapies including immunotherapies still relies on the current RECIST criteria. In this review, we review the traditional and new imaging response criteria for evaluation of solid tumors and briefly touch on some of the more commonly associated immunotherapy-induced adverse events.
The Open Science Cyber Risk Profile: The Rosetta Stone for Open Science and Cybersecurity

The Open Science Cyber Risk Profile (OSCRP) working group has created a document that motivates scientists by demonstrating how improving their security posture reduces the risks to their science. This effort aims to bridge the communication gap between scientists and IT security professionals and allows for the effective management of risks to open science caused by IT security threats.
Identifying Trends in Undiagnosed Diabetes in U.S. Adults by Using a Confirmatory Definition: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background A common belief is that one quarter to one third of all diabetes cases remain undiagnosed. However, such prevalence estimates may be overstated by epidemiologic studies that do not use confirmatory testing, as recommended by clinical diagnostic criteria. Objective To provide national estimates of undiagnosed diabetes by using a confirmatory testing strategy, in line with clinical practice guidelines. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey results from 1988 to 1994 and 1999 to 2014. Participants U.S. adults aged 20 years and older. Measurements Confirmed undiagnosed diabetes was defined as elevated levels of fasting glucose (≥7.0 mmol/L [≥126 mg/dL]) and hemoglobin A1c (≥6.5%) in persons without diagnosed diabetes. Results The prevalence of total (diagnosed plus confirmed undiagnosed) diabetes increased from 5.5% (9.7 million adults) in 1988 to 1994 to 10.8% (25.5 million adults) in 2011 to 2014. Confirmed undiagnosed diabetes increased during the past 2 decades (from 0.89% in 1988 to 1994 to 1.2% in 2011 to 2014) but has decreased over time as a proportion of total diabetes cases. In 1988 to 1994, the percentage of total diabetes cases that were undiagnosed was 16.3%; by 2011 to 2014, this estimate had decreased to 10.9%. Undiagnosed diabetes was more common in overweight or obese adults, older adults, racial/ethnic minorities (including Asian Americans), and persons lacking health insurance or access to health care. Limitation Cross-sectional design. Conclusion Establishing the burden of undiagnosed diabetes is critical to monitoring public health efforts related to screening and diagnosis. When a confirmatory definition is used, undiagnosed diabetes is a relatively small fraction of the total diabetes population; most U.S. adults with diabetes (about 90%) have received a diagnosis of the condition. Primary Funding Source National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Lift speed moderates the effects of muscle activity on perceived heaviness

Research has shown that perceived heaviness is a function of the ratio of muscle activity (measured by electromyogram [EMG]) to the resulting acceleration of the object. However, objects will commo...
Interactions between ectomycorrhizal fungi and chestnut blight ( Cryphonectria parasitica ) on American chestnut ( Castanea dentata ) used in coal mine restoration

Plant and fungal interactions drive successional trajectories within reforestation offering both mutualisms (ectomycorrhizal fungi [ECM]) and fungal pathogens. Appalachian forest and mine reclamation projects re-introducing American chestnut and chestnut hybrids will inevitably document the return of chestnut blight, resulting in cankers causing branch dieback and loss of photosynthetic tissue. Similar to herbivory, the loss of photosynthetic tissue may reduce ECM root colonization and cause changes in fungal species composition. To test this, 75 six-year-old established chestnut trees were selected to represent the following: (1) Healthy trees free of chestnut blight; (2) trees with cankers and 50% branch dieback; (3) trees that died prior to the fifth growing season. Each tree had a chestnut seed planted 24 cm from the base. ECM colonization of both the established parent trees (n = 50) and five-month-old seedlings (n = 64) were quantified and genera determined by fungal DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed (ITS) region. Healthier seven-year-old chestnuts trees had significantly more ECM roots than those trees infected with chestnut blight cankers. However, disease die-back on chestnut did not have an influence on community composition among the parent trees or the neighboring five month seedlings. Results also demonstrated that five-month-old seedlings neighboring healthy parent trees had greater ECM on roots (P = 0.002), were larger in size (P = 0.04), and had greater survival (P = 0.01). ECM genera such as Cortinarius, Russula and Scleroderma provided tree to seedling inoculation. ECM colonization by Cortinarius spp. resulted in larger chestnut plants and increased nitrogen foliar concentrations on the five month seedlings. It can be hypothesized that blight will aid in diversifying forest stand composition and these early ECM networks will help facilitate the survival of other native hardwoods that recruit into these sites over time.
Feminist legal archeology, domestic violence and the raced-gendered juridical boundaries of U.S. asylum law:

In 1996, a Guatemalan woman named Rody Alvarado was granted asylum in the United States but the decision was revoked three years later, triggering a controversy over border control, domestic violen...
Long-Term Effectiveness of Gross-Total Resection for Symptomatic Spinal Cord Cavernous Malformations.

Background Intramedullary spinal cord cavernous malformations (CMs) account for 5% of all CMs in the central nervous system and 5% to 12% of all spinal cord vascular lesions, yet their optimal management is controversial. Objective To identify factors associated with the clinical progression of spinal cord CMs and quantify the range of surgical outcomes. Methods Retrospective observational cohort study of 32 patients who underwent open surgical resection for spinal CMs, the majority of which presented to a dorsal or lateral pial surface, from 1996 to 2017 at a single institution. We evaluated outcomes as clinically improved, worsened, or unchanged against preoperative baseline; Frankel and Aminoff-Logue disability grades were also calculated. Results Mean age at presentation was 44.2 (range, 0.5-77 yr). Symptoms included sensory deficits (n = 26, 81%), loss of strength/coordination (n = 16, 50%), pain (n = 16, 50%), and bladder/bowel dysfunction (n = 6, 19%). Thoracic (n = 16, 50%) and cervical CMs (n = 16, 50%) were equally common, with overall mean size of 7.1 mm (range, 1-20 mm). Functional outcomes at last follow-up, compared to preoperative status for patients with >6 mo of follow-up, were improved in 6 (23%), unchanged in 19 (73%), and worsened in 1 (4%) patients. Preoperative Frankel grade and improved Frankel grade immediately following resection were strongly associated with improvement from baseline at long-term followup (P Conclusion Gross total resection of symptomatic spinal cord CMs can prevent further neurological decline. Our experience suggests excellent long-term outcomes and minimal surgical morbidity following resection.
Event triggered distributed adaptive consensus control for high-order nonlinear multi-agent systems in presence of system uncertainties

In this paper, a novel event-triggered distributed adaptive consensus control strategy has been developed for high-order nonlinear multi-agent systems (MAS) with uncertain system dynamics. Compared with most existing results, proposed approach contributes on two main aspects, i.e. 1) distributed event-triggered control has been developed for a more general high-order nonlinear MAS, and 2) The impacts from practical imperfections, e.g. system uncertainties, have been considered. Firstly, the system uncertainties are considered as bounded with a given upper bound. Through incorporating the upper bound of system uncertainties, a novel distributed event-triggered condition has been developed that can maintain the consensus of uncertain nonlinear MAS. Then, the system uncertainties are considered as unknown completely. A novel event-triggered distributed adaptive consensus control has been developed. For handling the unknown system dynamics, a series of novel distributed adaptive estimators have been designed to learn the system dynamics by using measured system data. Then, using the learnt system, the distributed event-triggered condition can be attained. Lyapunov stability analysis have been adopted to demonstrate the stability of developed novel event-triggered distributed consensus control. Eventually, simulation results are provided to verify the effectiveness of proposed designs.
The role of social media in promoting special events: acceptance of Facebook ‘events’

This study examines Facebook ‘events’ as a medium for promoting special events to consumers. This study proposes a Social Technology Acceptance Model, an extension of the TAM model, to examine the influence of trust, expected relationships and perceived enjoyment in forming consumer attitudes towards Facebook and consumers intentions to attend an event. Data was collected through an online survey administered through special event organizer’s Facebook ‘Pages’. Findings of the study suggest that users’ trust and expected relationship through Facebook had a significant effect on users’ acceptance of Facebook and their intended offline behaviour to attend the event. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Cross-Platform Support for Rapid Development of Mobile Acoustic Sensing Applications

LibAS is a cross-platform framework to facilitate the rapid development of mobile acoustic sensing apps. It helps developers quickly realize their ideas by using a high-level Matlab script, and test them on various OS platforms, such as Android, iOS, Tizen, and Linux/Win. LibAS simplifies the development of acoustic sensing apps by hiding the platform-dependent details. For example, developers need not learn Objective-C/SWIFT or the audio buffer management in the CoreAudio framework when they want to implement acoustic sensing algorithms on an iPhone. Instead, developers only need to decide on the sensing signals and the callback function to handle each repetition of sensing signals. We have implemented apps covering three major acoustic sensing categories to demonstrate the benefits and simplicity of developing apps with LibAS. Our evaluation results show the adaptability of LibAS in supporting various acoustic sensing apps and tuning/improving their performance efficiently. Developers have reported that LibAS saves them a significant amount of time/effort and can reduce up to 90% lines of code in their acoustic sensing apps.
A Content Analysis of the Portrayal of Mature Individuals in Television Commercials

This inquiry analyzed the extent to which television commercials used mature models, relative to younger models. It also analyzed the extent to which commercials portrayed the elderly in a favorable or an unfavorable manner. The study used content analysis to test twelve hypotheses. The authors arrived at conclusions relating to the depiction of mature individuals in television commercials and set forth various recommendations to advertisers, based on the analysis.