cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A specific barrier model for the quantitative description of inhomogeneous faulting and the prediction of strong ground motion. Part II. Applications of the model

We construct an earthquake source model which provides a complete description of acceleration power spectra of direct body waves. The model is a specific form of the barrier model proposed by Aki et al. (1977). According to this specific barrier model, the fault surface is visualized as composed of an aggregate of circular cracks which represent areas of localized slip, and the strong motion is assumed to be generated by the stationary occurrence of these localized ruptures as the rupture front propagates. The acceleration power spectra of direct S waves are described by their peak value P and an effective bandwidth Δ f. P scales proportionally to the width of the causative fault and to the square of local stress drop which is proportional to the ratio of maximum slip over the barrier interval. Δ f is specified by the corner frequency and a cutoff frequency which presumably originates from fault nonelasticity and is considered to be inversely proportional to the cohesive zone size. From these spectra and an estimate of the duration of faulting, measures of strong motion intensity such as rms and maximum acceleration can be inferred. Results of the application of the model to strong motion observations of various events are reported in Part II.
Determination of Aluminum in Food by Microwave Digestion-graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

[Objective] To develop a method for determination of aluminum in food by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GAAS).[Methods] Food samples were digested by microwave,using acetylacetone as fundic- improver,then aluminum in the sample was determined by GAAS.[Results] Linear range of aluminum determination by this method was 0-140μg/L.The correlation coefficient was 0.999 4,Detection limit of this method was 5.65μg/L,and recovery rates were 91.0%-95.5%,RSD was 5.71%.[Conclusion] The developed method for determination of aluminum in food is rapid, accuracy with better sensitivity and precision.
Which better predicts mortality among older men, a prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis or vulnerability on the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13)? A retrospective cohort study

Abstract Objectives Older men with a prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis face competing mortality risks. Little is known about the prevalence of vulnerability and predictors of mortality in this population compared to men without a PCa diagnosis. We examined the predictive utility of the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13) for mortality in older men with a PCa diagnosis as compared to controls. Materials and Methods Men aged ≥65years from an urban geriatrics clinic completed the VES-13 between 2003 and 2008. Each patient with a PCa diagnosis was matched by age to five controls, resulting in 59 patients with a PCa diagnosis and 318 controls. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the association of a PCa diagnosis and vulnerability on the VES-13 with mortality. Results and Conclusions The mean age for men with a PCa diagnosis and controls was 77.9years and 76.1years, respectively. Of those with a PCa diagnosis, 74.6% had no active disease or a rising PSA only. Regardless of PCa diagnosis, vulnerable individuals on the VES-13 were more likely to die during the study period (VES-13≥3: HR=4.46, p p p =0.59; VES13≥6: HR=1.06, p =0.83). Vulnerability for men with a PCa diagnosis was more predictive of mortality. Therefore, the assessment of vulnerability is important for establishing goals of care.
Ministry of Marshall

Though the award itself is open to students with any career interest, the Marshall program, with its origins in the Foreign Office, has always had a diplomatic bent. Annual reports from the first few decades of the Scholarship were consistently peppered with accounts of government officialdom interacting with unsuspecting Marshall Scholars. From 1974: “In this time the Scholars were entertained at a reception given by Her Majesty’s Government at Lancaster House, St. James’s, where they were welcomed by the Right Hon. Baroness Tweedsmuir of Belhevie, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; they were also conducted a tour of the Houses of Parliament by Mr. C. S. A. Dobson, Librarian British–American Parliamentary Group. The welcoming functions concluded with a lunch held by the Commission at the Haberdashers’ Hall, Staining Lane, London, E.C.2 (by kind permission of the Master and Wardens of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers).”
An Extremely Rare Disorder of Somatic Mosaicism: CLOVES Syndrome.

Background:CLOVES (Congenital Lipomatous Overgrowth, Vascular malformations, Epidermal nevi Scoliosis, Skeletal, Spinal) syndrome is an extremely rare, complex, non-Mendelian genetic condition with clinical overlap to several other overgrowth syndromes.Purpose:This article shares an interesting case
“I expect to be engaged as an equal”: collegiality expectations of full-time, non-tenure-track faculty members

Nationally, non-tenure-track faculty (NTTF) represent the new majority. Efforts to move the full-time NTTF role from expendable labor to sustainable professional position have led to improvements in policy and working conditions at many institutions. Still, the profession broadly has just begun to grapple with the implications of this shifting labor market on aspects of the profession traditionally reserved for tenure system faculty, such as collegiality. In this qualitative study we use Bess’s (High Educ Handb Theory Res 8:1–36, 1992) framework of structure, culture, and behavior to analyze the collegial expectations of 38 full-time, NTTF members. Participant accounts point to a desire for parity despite differentiation, and highlight the fundamental contradictions of a professional virtue that requires the independence of faculty for it to be fully expressed.
Moving Target Defense against DDoS Attacks: An Empirical Game-Theoretic Analysis

Distributed denial-of-service attacks are an increasing problem facing web applications, for which many defense techniques have been proposed, including several moving-target strategies. These strategies typically work by relocating targeted services over time, increasing uncertainty for the attacker, while trying not to disrupt legitimate users or incur excessive costs. Prior work has not shown, however, whether and how a rational defender would choose a moving-target method against an adaptive attacker, and under what conditions. We formulate a denial-of-service scenario as a two-player game, and solve a restricted-strategy version of the game using the methods of empirical game-theoretic analysis. Using agent-based simulation, we evaluate the performance of strategies from prior literature under a variety of attacks and environmental conditions. We find evidence for the strategic stability of various proposed strategies, such as proactive server movement, delayed attack timing, and suspected insider blocking, along with guidelines for when each is likely to be most effective.
Compute Choice (Invited Talk)

In this talk, we shall discuss the question of learning distribution over permutations of n choices based on partial observations. This is central to capturing the so called "choice" in a variety of contexts: understanding preferences of consumers over a collection of products based on purchasing and browsing data in the setting of retail and e-commerce, learning public opinion amongst a collection of socio-economic issues based on sparse polling data, and deciding a ranking of teams or players based on outcomes of games. The talk will primarily discuss the relationship between the ability to learn, nature of partial information and number of available observations. Connections to the classical theory of social choice and behavioral psychology, as well as modern literature in Statistics, learning theory and operations research will be discussed.
From Deliberation to Responsibility: Ethics, Invention, and Bonhoeffer in Technical Communication

ABSTRACTTo make technical communication scholarship more reflective of the complexity of work done by such communicators, a new concept that marries recent parallel turns to ethics and invention is needed. German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a stranger to the field, offers such a concept: responsibility. It covers more explanatory ground than the most cited of ethical concepts, deliberation, and most importantly, centers ethics and invention squarely within the technical communicator’s relationship to language.
Packing chromatic number of cubic graphs

Abstract A packing k -coloring of a graph G is a partition of V ( G ) into sets V 1 , … , V k such that for each 1 ≤ i ≤ k the distance between any two distinct x , y ∈ V i is at least i + 1 . The packing chromatic number, χ p ( G ) , of a graph G is the minimum k such that G has a packing k -coloring. Sloper showed that there are 4 -regular graphs with arbitrarily large packing chromatic number. The question whether the packing chromatic number of subcubic graphs is bounded appears in several papers. We answer this question in the negative. Moreover, we show that for every fixed k and g ≥ 2 k + 2 , almost every n -vertex cubic graph of girth at least g has the packing chromatic number greater than k .
African Immigrants, Intersectionality, and the Increasing Need for Visibility in the Current Immigration Debate

Africans are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States, yet their presence receives very little attention in public discourse about immigration. In an era where America’s immigration policies have grown increasingly insular, African immigrants are particularly at risk of having measures that historically facilitated their entry into the United States, stripped away without recognition of the benefit they pose to them. This Note argues that the intersectional identity of Black African immigrants, being Black and foreign, renders them effectively invisible in the immigration debate and vulnerable to policies that affect them both due to their Blackness as well as their status as foreigners. It proposes that the Intersectionality framework can serve as a useful tool to shed light on the unique concerns of African immigrants and create policies that directly address them. Part II of this Note provides a background into the history of African immigration in the United States. Part III introduces the theory of Intersectionality and demonstrates its applicability in the immigration law Context. Finally, Part IV applies Intersectionality theory to explore the unique harms that African immigrants face in the current Immigration landscape.
New Paradigm for Translational Modeling to Predict Long-term Tuberculosis Treatment Response

Disappointing results of recent tuberculosis chemotherapy trials suggest that knowledge gained from preclinical investigations was not utilized to maximal effect. A mouse-to-human translational pharmacokinetics (PKs) - pharmacodynamics (PDs) model built on a rich mouse database may improve clinical trial outcome predictions. The model included Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth function in mice, adaptive immune response effect on bacterial growth, relationships among moxifloxacin, rifapentine, and rifampin concentrations accelerating bacterial death, clinical PK data, species-specific protein binding, drug-drug interactions, and patient-specific pathology. Simulations of recent trials testing 4-month regimens predicted 65% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55-74) relapse-free patients vs. 80% observed in the REMox-TB trial, and 79% (95% CI, 72-87) vs. 82% observed in the Rifaquin trial. Simulation of 6-month regimens predicted 97% (95% CI, 93-99) vs. 92% and 95% observed in 2RHZE/4RH control arms, and 100% predicted and observed in the 35 mg/kg rifampin arm of PanACEA MAMS. These results suggest that the model can inform regimen optimization and predict outcomes of ongoing trials.
Investigation of electron mobility and saturation velocity limits in gallium nitride using uniaxial dielectric continuum model

Here we introduce a uniaxial dielectric continuum model with temperature-dependent phonon mode frequencies to study temperature- and orientation-dependent polar-optical-phonon limited electron mobility and saturation velocity in uniaxial semiconductors. The formalism for calculating electron scattering rates, momentum relaxation rates, and rate of energy change as a function of the electron kinetic energy and incident electron angle with respect to the c-axis are presented and evaluated numerically. Electron–longitudinal-optical-phonon interactions are shown to depend weakly on the electron incident angle, whereas the electron–transverse-optical-phonon interactions around the emission threshold energy are observed to depend strongest on the electron incident angle when varied from π/4 to π/2 (with respect to the c-axis). We provide electron mobility and saturation velocity limits in different GaN crystal orientations as a function of temperature and electron concentration. At room temperature and for an e...
Race and the Dynamics of Men’s Mobility into Management from Working Class Jobs

Within the context of the “particularistic mobility thesis” we examine African American/White differences in the incidence, determinants and timing of mobility into management at a refined level, namely, when groups share similar “rank and file” and “elite blue collar” working class jobs. Findings from a Panel Study of Income Dynamics sample of men support theory and indicate that from both job categories, African Americans, relative to Whites, have lower rates of mobility, reach management through a route that is relatively formal and structured by a traditional range of stratification-based causal factors and take longer to reach management. Further, as predicted by theory, racial disadvantage experienced by African Americans are greater among those tracked from rank and file than elite blue collar jobs. Discussed are implications of the findings for understanding African American disadvantage in the American labor market on both an intra-and inter-generational basis.
Morphological Characteristics of Mating in Tarnished Plant Bug (Heteroptera: Miridae)

Tarnished plant bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae) were dissected and photographed to show the morphological characteristics of mated and unmated individuals. The presence of what appears to be a spermato...
THE HENON MAPPING IN THE COMPLEX DOMAIN

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses Henon mapping in the complex domain. There is nothing about real polynomials that is independent of the coefficients, largely because virtually all features independent of conjugation such as periodic cycles are liable to disappear as the parameters are varied. In the complex domain, the behavior is far more uniform. The boundary of Fatou–Bieberbach domain is a topological manifold, and there are infinitely many analytic embeddings into the boundary whose images are dense. The chapter describes the rates of escape for the Henon family and a program for describing mappings in the Henon family.
The Measurement and Description of Child Income and Asset Poverty in Canada

Wealth is a durable economic resource and it is typically held by individuals over the long-term. Measuring the wealth-type resources held by families, lends important information about the financial security of children. Following others, we argue that wealth provides additional information regarding child well-being, complementing traditional income-based measurements. In this paper, we extend the traditional income measure of child poverty in Canada to include wealth, by defining and presenting two measures of low-assets, or asset poverty. We present a novel estimation of child asset poverty in Canada and the first known estimation of child-level asset poverty more broadly. Focusing specifically on the measurement of asset poverty among children, we find that rates of asset poverty are two to three times as large as rates of income poverty. Prior literature highlights that higher asset levels are strongly associated with better outcomes for children, and families. The high levels of asset poverty in Canada, relative to other comparable nations, has implications for indicators of child well-being and the welfare of Canadian children.
Estimation of terrestrial FSO availability

The availability of free space optics (FSO) links remains an important question in wide-scale deployment of the technology. As with microwave links, for any given terminal design there will be a correlation between the range between nodes and the link availability. This correlation will change depending on location and season. The key variables are the atmospheric transmission and the level of scintillation, which may themselves be correlated. The Naval Research Laboratory’s Chesapeake Bay (CBD) Lasercom Test Facility (LCTF) maintains a full suite of optical instruments characterizing a path that goes 16 km across Chesapeake Bay. In addition, a 100 Mbps FSO link is continuously run to gather link quality statistics. In this work we examine data from CBD including scintillation index, transmission, and packet error rate, as well as local weather data. With this data, as well as link models, we determine to what extent we can predict the actual link availability at CBD and at other locations.
Evaluation of give kids a boost: A school-based program to increase booster seat use among urban children in economically disadvantaged areas

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a series of 1-year multifaceted school-based programs aimed at increasing booster seat use among urban children 4–7 years of age in econ...
Impact of coal mining on stream biodiversity in the US and its regulatory implications

Coal mining is a major cause of land-use change in the US, and according to the Energy Information Administration it is expected to remain a key part of the national electricity portfolio until at least 2040. It is therefore crucial to understand the environmental impact of coal mining. Although a scientific consensus has emerged that coal mining negatively affects water quality, a quantitative synthesis of biodiversity impacts is currently lacking. Here, we show that mining under current federal statutes—the 1972 Clean Water Act and the 1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act—has negative implications for freshwater biota. Streams affected by coal mining averaged one-third (32%) lower taxonomic richness and one-half (53%) lower total abundance than unmined streams, with these impacts occurring across all taxa investigated thus far (invertebrates, fish, and salamanders). Even after post-mining reclamation, biodiversity impacts persisted. Our investigation demonstrates that current US regulations are insufficient to fully protect stream biodiversity.
A consistent picture of TRPV1 activation emerges from molecular simulations and experiments

Although experimental structures of both the TRPV1 closed and open states are available, the conformational changes occurring in the pore domain and resulting in ionic conduction remain elusive. Here, we use bioinformatics analyses, molecular dynamics simulations and site-directed mutagenesis to shed light on this issue and suggest a possible molecular mechanism for TRPV1 activation. In light of our hypothesis, we re-examine the results of the previously published water accessibility and mutagenesis experiments, and analyze the newly available structures of TRP and other evolutionary related ion channels. Overall, we show that several independent lines of evidence corroborate our hypothesis, which highlights the rotation of a conserved asparagine toward the pore and the dehydration of hydrophobic cavities as key components of TRPV1 activation. Importantly, this molecular mechanism provides also a rationale for the coupling between the TRPV1 upper and lower gates.
Aortic elasticity deterioration proves intrinsic abnormality of the ascending aorta in pediatric Turner syndrome unrelated to the aortic valve morphology

Turner syndrome (TS) is a common genetic disorder in females with high incidence of ascending aortic dilatation and even dissection occurring as early as in the second decade. Known risk factors (RF) are bicuspid aortic valves (BAV), coarctation of the aorta (CoA), and arterial hypertension. Since 10% of dissections occur in patients without RF, an intrinsic aortic wall abnormality has been postulated. This study aimed to investigate the elasticity of the ascending aorta as a surrogate marker of aortic wall texture. Forty-six pediatric patients with genetically proven TS were prospectively examined for the morphology of their aortic valve, and size and elasticity indices of the adjacent aorta. Cohorts of 46 female subjects with tricuspid aortic valves (TAV) and ten non-syndromic females with BAV were investigated as separate control groups. Comparison of healthy controls with TS patients revealed significantly deteriorated elasticity indices in those with TS. Furthermore, normalized aortic dimensions were greater in TS patients, but dilatations of the ascending aorta with z-score levels above two were restricted to those with BAV (14/46). Deteriorated elasticity indices were measured in TS patients, independent of aortic dilatation, BAV, and CoA, and were comparable to those of patients with isolated, non-syndromic BAVs. By measuring elasticity levels as a surrogate for aortic wall texture, we were able to gather evidence that TS presents with an intrinsic abnormality of the ascending aorta even in patients without concomitant BAV, CoA or dilatations as early as in childhood.
Abstract 3508: Separate and combined effects of caloric restriction mimetics and autophagy inhibition on KRAS-driven pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Calorie restriction (CR) is one of the most effective dietary interventions for reducing cancer risk and progression. However, maintaining a dramatically reduced calorie intake over an extended time period is very challenging for most individuals. Thus a major effort is under way to identify mechanism-based pharmacologic approaches that mimic the anticancer effects of CR without the requirement of reduced calorie intake. We have established that CR exerts antitumor effects at least in part through altered metabolism, reduced circulating growth factors (such as insulin and IGF-1) and reduced signaling downstream of the insulin receptor and IGF-1R along the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/mTOR axis. We have previously shown CR reduced growth of KRAS-driven tumors in vivo, and the antitumorigenic effect was enhanced when combined with autophagy inhibition. Here we evaluated the effects of in vitro CR via glucose and serum modulation, as well as separate and combined effects of CR mimetics and autophagy inhibition on the KRAS-driven murine pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell line, FC1242. Glucose modulation alone via glucose restriction, metformin or AICAR treatment showed no effect on clonogenic growth of FC1242. In contrast, both cell viability and clonogenicity were significantly reduced by serum starvation, rapamycin treatment, IGF-1R/insulin receptor inhibition by BMS-754807, and sirtuin inhibition with nicotinamide, suggesting these cells are dependent on mTOR/IGF-1 signaling. The growth-suppressive effects of these CR mimetics were enhanced when combined with autophagy inhibition via chloroquine or verteporfin. Together, the study indicated the targeting of mTOR or IGF-1 signaling may most closely mimic the growth-suppressive effects of CR, and that co-treatment of these CR mimetics with autophagy inhibition may be an effective strategy for PDAC anticancer therapy. Citation Format: Xuewen Chen, Ciara H. O9Flanagan, Michael Coleman, Channing J. Der, Stephen D. Hursting. Separate and combined effects of caloric restriction mimetics and autophagy inhibition on KRAS-driven pancreatic adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3508.
Endometriotic inflammatory microenvironment induced by macrophages can be targeted by niclosamide

Endometriosis causes severe chronic pelvic pain and infertility. We have recently reported that niclosamide treatment reduces growth and progression of endometriosis-like lesions and inflammatory signaling (NFKB and STAT3) in a mouse model. In the present study, we examined further inhibitory mechanisms by which niclosamide affects endometriotic lesions using an endometriotic epithelial cell line, 12Z, and macrophages differentiated from a monocytic THP-1 cell line. Niclosamide dose dependently reduced 12Z viability, reduced STAT3 and NFKB activity, and increased both cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP. To model the inflammatory microenvironment in endometriotic lesions, we exposed 12Z cells to macrophage conditioned media (CM). Macrophages were differentiated from THP-1 cells using 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate as M0, and then M0 macrophages were polarized into M1 or M2 using LPS/IFNγ or IL4/IL13, respectively. Conditioned media from M0, M1, or M2 cultures increased 12Z viability. This effect was blocked by niclosamide, and cell viability returned to that of CM from cells treated with niclosamide alone. To assess proteins targeted by niclosamide in 12Z cells, CM from 12Z cells cultured with M0, M1, or M2 with/without niclosamide were analyzed by cytokine/chemokine protein array kits. Conditioned media from M0, M1, and/or M2 stimulated the secretion of cytokines/chemokines from 12Z cells. Production of most of these secreted cytokines/chemokines in 12Z cells was inhibited by niclosamide. Knockdown of each gene in 12Z cells using siRNA resulted in reduced cell viability. These results indicate that niclosamide can inhibit the inflammatory factors in endometriotic epithelial cells stimulated by macrophages by targeting STAT3 and/or NFKB signaling.Summary SentenceNiclosamide can inhibit the inflammatory microenvironment established between endometriotic epithelial cells and macrophages by targeting STAT3 and NFκB signaling.
Building Socio-Ecological Coviability: An Efficient Way to Combat Poverty, Reduce Inequality and Address Insecurity Risks

The proliferation of conflicts throughout the world, increasing poverty, rising inequality, and the necessity of a social cohesion require adherence to the concept of socio-ecological systems (SES). This nexus constrains policies to be conceptualized in order to face, jointly, social and ecological dimensions and coerce identified decisions to spur mutual progress towards interlinked goals. To address such challenges with the required level of comprehensiveness and urgency, researchers and decision makers must first acknowledge the linkages between social and ecological problems within a coviability perspective. In addition, they are required to offer both empirical and analytical insights to these linkages in order to implement efficient policies, which are able to tackle major problems such as poverty, inequality, and insecurity risks. Traditional approaches to poverty eradication, for instance, often disregard environmental degradation and biodiversity loss as externalities, whereas the proposed SES approach considers not only the social but also the environmental cause, thereby providing a new redefinition of wealth and its components. Thus, efforts should be complemented by implementing initiatives aimed at enhancing social well-being for all people, and by addressing the root causes of poverty through coherent, coordinated and coviable strategies. To address the aforementioned issues in this chapter, some tools adapted from economic analyses and development economics, in addition to some success stories and empirical cases, are presented.
ROLE OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN REFRACTORY CARDIOGENIC SHOCK FOLLOWING LATE PRESENTATION OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Papillary muscle rupture (PMR) is a rare but catastrophic complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A 66-year-old male with diabetes presented to an outside hospital with 5 days of nausea, vomiting, and dyspnea. EKG showed inferior ST elevations. Emergent coronary angiography showed severe
A novel mutation in chronic granulomatous disease: Treating the family, not just the patient

Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) is caused by genetic defects in the phagocyte NADPH oxidase leading to potentially severe infections with catalase positive micro-organisms. With the innate immune system being affected this disease usually presents before the age of 5 years with infections involving the skin, lung, liver or lymphnodes. Infections with specific catalase positive organisms, especially Burkholderia cepacia, Serratia, Nocardia and Chromobacterium violaceum prompt a workup for CGD in affected patients. In addition, a family history of CGD also warrants testing. The pattern of inheritance of CGD varies across geographic regions of the world and societies, with X-linked inheritance being most prevalent in the United States and Europe. Affected patients require life-long therapy with prophylactic antibiotics, antifungals, and possibly interferon-gamma. Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation is the only curative therapy known to date. Identification, diagnosis and management of patients with CGD usually involves a multi-specialty team including Pediatrics, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Hematology/Oncology and often also Pulmonology and GI/Hepatology. Frequent follow up is paramount for good outcomes; infections have to be recognized and treated promptly and often preemptively. This is challenging for most patients and their families but presents a significant barrier for patients with limited access to care, limited resources or other challenging social situations. This case report describes the difficulties of managing a family with a novel mutation and multiple affected family members in different custody arrangements. It highlights the importance of close contact and communication with the family in deciding on management and treatment options. Educating the family and patient is critical to avoid complications of the disease and allow shared decision making that ultimately leads to better outcomes.
A Meier-Gorlin Syndrome Mutation in Orc4 Causes Tissue-Specific DNA Replication Defects in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract Meier-Gorlin syndrome is a rare recessive disorder characterized by a number of distinct developmental defects, including primordial dwarfism, small ears, and small or missing patella. Genes encoding members of the origin recognition complex (ORC) and additional proteins essential for DNA replication (CDC6, CDT1, GMNN, CDC45, and MCM5) are mutated in individuals diagnosed with MGS. The primary role of ORC is to license origins during the G1 phase of the cell cycle, but it also plays roles in cilia development, heterochromatin formation, and other cellular processes. Because of its essential role in DNA replication, ORC is required for every cell division during development. Thus, it is unclear how the Meier-Gorlin syndrome mutations in ORC lead to the tissue-specific defects associated with the disease. To address this question, we have used Cas9-mediated genome engineering to generate a Drosophila melanogaster model of individuals carrying a mutation in ORC4. Like the people with Meier-Gorlin syndrome, these flies reach adulthood, but have several tissue-specific defects. Genetic analysis revealed that this allele is a hypomorph and that mutant females are sterile. We demonstrated that this sterility is caused by a failure in DNA replication. By leveraging the well-studied Drosophila system, we showed that a disease-causing mutation in orc4 disrupts DNA replication, and we propose that in individuals with MGS defects arise preferentially in tissues with a high-replication demand.
State-of-the Art in Reconstructive Palatal Surgery Techniques for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Palatal surgery serves as an alternative treatment modality to address the retropalatal airway obstruction in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, whereas the continuous positive airway pressure is considered the gold standard treatment. This article aims to review innovative palatal surgeries in terms of key surgical features and clinical outcomes. Historical, conceptual, and technique evolutions, as well as preliminary outcomes of newer palatal surgeries, are briefly summarized. Palatal surgery has evolved to the concept of hybrid reconstruction, which emphasizes more on tissue preservation, physiology driven, and functional restoration of the retropalatal airspace. Surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion (SARPE) is introduced to OSA patients with a narrower nasal floor. Palatal surgery and SARPE demonstrate clinical effectiveness in OSA patients. A bi-palatal procedure involving both the soft tissue (soft palate) and skeletal surgery (hard palate) may be feasible for selected OSA patients.
Endothelial Palmitoylation Cycling Coordinates Vessel Remodeling in Peripheral Artery Disease.

Rationale: Peripheral artery disease, common in metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus, responds poorly to medical interventions and is characterized by chronic vessel immaturity leading to lower...
PL06.1 Mathematical modelling, a luxury or a necessity in STD control?

Mathematical models of sexually transmitted disease (STD) aim to represent sexual contact networks, pathogen characteristics, and intervention activities, helping understand and quantify STD epidemics and their control. Models are, unfortunately, necessary because non-linear infectious disease dynamics combined with many interacting variables undermines intuitive understanding. It is hoped that rational decision makers will include a range of evidence, including the finding of models, in funding, planning, implementing, and evaluating STD interventions and programs. The level of detailed required for informative models that can lead to better decisions, and how models can best be included in the international, national, and local public health ecosystem are areas for attention. Questions to consider are: 1) The pros and cons of focusing resources on sub-groups within a population. This is influenced by the biology and behavior associated with the STD, along with structural context. 2) How to ensure successful implementation of interventions? Here simple cascades are being used to identify gaps in treatment and prevention. 3) What is the relative value of developing, introducing and scaling the use of specific testing, treatment and prevention products in STD programs? The epidemiological context and coverage of other interventions have profound implications here. 4) How do we design a surveillance system that provides timely and actionable data on STD epidemiology? Here again the epidemiological context matters. The history of modeling STDs provides many examples that address such questions, and models are currently influencing policy, particularly in HIV programs. However, the development and validation of models in STD epidemiology has been hampered by our inability to directly measure the sexual network via which STDs spread. Recent efforts to evaluate model performance, and advances in pathogen sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, provide avenues to improve the validity and utility of STD models as their use becomes more systematic. Disclosure No significant relationships.
THU0083 Bone mineral density measurements are suitable for rapid quantification of skeletal destruction in rats with adjuvant arthritis

Background Reduced bone mineral density [BMD] is one of the major features of arthritis in both humans and animals. In a previous study, we showed that BMD was significantly decreased in both the femorotibial (knee) and tibiotarsal (ankle) joints of male Lewis rats with mycobacteria-induced adjuvant arthritis (AdA) even though clinical inflammation was most pronounced in the ankle.1 Objectives The present experiment measured BMD in the ankles and knees of male Lewis rats with AdA to (1) define which region provides the greatest sensitivity as a rapid screen for anti-arthritic efficacy and to (2) determine the progression of chronic bone loss at these sites. Methods AdA was induced on day 0 (body weight of rats, ~100 g) by subcutaneous injection of heat-killed mycobacteria in oil; the day of AdA onset (as defined by paw swelling) was day 9. BMD was assessed in knees and ankles on days 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 25 or 35 (6 normal and 6 arthritic rats/day) using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA; Model 4500A, Hologic, Waltham, MA). Results In control rats, mean BMD for both sites increased by 20% between days 0 to 12, remained constant between days 12 to 18, and then increased again by 10% (ankle) or 25% (knee) by day 35. In AdA rats, hind paw volume relative to baseline values doubled between days 9 to 11 and then increased by another 1.5- to 2-fold to plateau on day 15. Mean knee BMD in AdA animals was 85% of control levels on day 12, fell to 75% by day 15, and ended at 55% on day 35. In contrast, mean BMD in ankles of AdA rats was comparable to control values through day 14, was 85% of controls on days 15 to 18, and decreased to 60% on days 25 and 35. Conclusion Our data indicate that BMD loss occurs earlier and to a greater degree in the knee of rats with AdA, suggesting that this joint could be a useful site for rapid quantitative screening for skeletal destruction. Reference Feige, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2000;59(Suppl I):148
Use of skimmed breast milk for an infant with a long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorder: A novel therapeutic intervention

The focus of dietary therapy for long chain fatty acid oxidation disorders (LC-FAODs) is to minimize fatty acid oxidation by avoiding fasting and providing sufficient calories. Dietary therapy involves restriction of long-chain triglycerides (LCT), and provision of medium-chain triglycerides as an alternate energy source. It is well established that the use of breast milk through the first year of a newborn's life has significant health benefits. While very few medical contraindications to breastfeeding exist, feeding an infant with a severe carnitine acylcarnitine translocase (CACT) deficiency typically requires cessation of breastfeeding as approximately 50% of the calories in human milk come from LCT. In this case report, we present the innovative and successful use of skimmed breast milk incorporated into the dietary management of an infant with severe CACT deficiency. Given the poor prognosis for individuals with severe CACT deficiency on standard dietary therapy, the use of skimmed breast milk represents an important measure to try to improve short-term and long-term outcomes. Given the many proven benefits of breast milk, this case illustrates that skimmed breast milk can be combined with appropriate fat sources to provide complete nutrition for children with severe CACT deficiency. After over 12 months on this regimen, this patient has experienced normal growth and development and has had no acute decompensations.
(Dis)ability-informed mentors support occupational performance for college students with learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders through problem-solving and a focus on strengths:

IntroductionStudents with learning disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are well represented on college campuses. However, they experience challenges to meeting occupational an...
Syphilis in pregnancy

Abstract The incidence of syphilis is rising in the UK and more cases of syphilis in pregnancy are being reported. Mother to child transmission of syphilis can result in adverse pregnancy outcomes including miscarriage, still birth, neonatal death, low birthweight, preterm birth and congenital anomalies. These adverse outcomes can be prevented by early diagnosis and prompt treatment of syphilis in pregnancy. This article provides an overview of the condition and focuses on the management during pregnancy.
Galactic Wind Effects on the Lyman-alpha Absorption in the Vicinity of Galaxies

We present predictions of Ly-alpha forest-galaxy correlations at z=3 from Eulerian simulations that include the effects of galactic winds, driven primarily by supernova explosions. Galactic winds produce expanding bubbles of shock-heated gas within ~0.5 comoving Mpc/h of luminous galaxies in the simulation, which have space density similar to that of observed Lyman break galaxies (LBGs). However, most of the low-density intergalactic gas that determines the observed properties of the Ly-alpha forest is unaffected by winds. The impact of winds on the Ly-alpha optical depth near galaxies is less dramatic than their impact on gas temperature because winds heat only a small fraction of the gas present in the turnaround regions surrounding galaxies. Hence, Ly-alpha absorption from gas outside the wind bubbles is spread out over the same velocity range occupied by the wind-heated gas. In general, Ly-alpha absorption is expected to be stronger than average near galaxies because of the high gas density. Winds result in a modest reduction of this expected increase of Ly-alpha absorption. Our predictions can be compared to future observations to detect the wind effects and infer their strength, although with the caveat that the results are still dependent on the correspondence of simulated galaxies and observed LBGs. We find that wind effects in our simulations are not strong enough to reproduce the high Ly-alpha transmission within 0.5 Mpc/h comoving of galaxies that has been suggested by recent observations; powerful galactic explosions or ejecta with hyper-escape velocities would be required, but these are unlikely to be produced by ordinary star formation and supernovae alone
Impending Trunnion Failure: An Uncommon Radiographic Presentation of Total Hip Arthroplasty Failure

Abstract Trunnionosis is emerging as an early mode of failure in conventional metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty. It is defined as wear or corrosion at the trunnion, the taper at the femoral head-neck interface. Trunnion wear can result in a variety of negative sequelae and, in severe cases, necessitate revision arthroplasty. We describe a 64-year-old man with a metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty who presented with a sensation of clunking in the hip. Initial imaging and laboratory studies were inconclusive, and the decision was made to monitor. Two years later, trunnion wear was detected on radiographs, presenting as an abnormal alignment of the femoral neck relative to the femoral head. Several case reports and series describe catastrophic total hip arthroplasty failure due to trunnionosis. However, few describe the radiographic signs of wear at the trunnion before gross failure. This early presentation is important to recognize to minimize patient morbidity and aid surgical planning.
Understanding the Brain through Aging Eyes

The eye and brain share common mechanisms of aging and disease, thus the retina is an essential source of accessible information about neurodegenerative processes occurring in the brain. Advances in retinal imaging have led to the discovery of many potential biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease, although further research is needed to validate these associations. Understanding the mechanisms of retinal disease in the context of aging will extend our knowledge of AD and may enable advancements in diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.
Internal Access Controls: Trust, but Verify

Every day seems to bring news of another dramatic and high-profile security incident, whether it is the discovery of longstanding vulnerabilities in widely used software such as OpenSSL or Bash, or celebrity photographs stolen and publicized. There seems to be an infinite supply of zero-day vulnerabilities and powerful state-sponsored attackers. In the face of such threats, is it even worth trying to protect your systems and data? What can systems security designers and administrators do?
Mechanical and surface coagulation: IV. Prevention of mechanical coagulation by surface-active additives

Abstract Previous investigations had established that a colloidal solution of hydrophobic particles becomes subject to mechanical coagulation if its stability—as measured by its behavior towards coagulating electrolyte—is reduced sufficiently. It is now shown that the reverse applies also, i.e. , a sol, subject to mechanical coagulation, cannot be coagulated by stirring, shaking, or by gas bubbles if its natural stability is increased sufficiently. The increase is brought about, in the present work, by the addition of moderately surface-active agents. If the latter promote foam formation, mechanical coagulation will be inhibited only at higher stabilizer concentration, whereas, at low ones, the effect of an increase in the water-air interface predominates and leads to a promotion of mechanical coagulation. An increase in sol stability is not the only possible method for preventing mechanical coagulation. Additives which reduce the population density of the colloid in the water-air interface also produce immunity to mechanical coagulation. An example is given. Moreover, the various possibilities of explanation existing for both the latter and former type stabilization against mechanical coagulation are discussed.
Reach maximization for social lotteries

Abstract Social influence programs promoting behavior change have shown that people are more likely to adjust their behavior when simple information on the benefits of a targeted behavior is followed by “social proof” that referent others have already adopted this behavior. We argue that the impact of such programs, in particular those that promote a pro-environmental behavior, can be enhanced with direct incentives (e.g., monetary prizes) distributed in a random manner to adopters of the favored behavior according to their efforts. We formally model “social lottery” as a type of social influence program, and solve the problem of maximizing its expected impact. A social lottery rewards the promoted behavior and distributes the incentives fairly—based mainly on the individuals’ verifiable commitment to the program (e.g., their achievements in energy-saving) as opposed to their network positions. We define “reach” as a measure of exposure of individuals to Word-of-Mouth spread of information, and explain that the impact of a social influence program on a population (the conversion rate of non-adopters to adopters) can be viewed as a direct consequence of enhancing its reach. We then introduce reach maximization as a fundamental approach to maximizing the impact of social influence programs, where the influence spread is not driven by direct diffusion and where influence is delivered over multiple rounds. We show how our methodology can be applied to design each individual round of a social lottery. Further, we illustrate how our methodology can be used to design a social lottery program for fostering energy-conscious behavior, and perform computational experiments to showcase its effectiveness and scalability.