cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Sustained and Momentary Interruption Impacts in Reliability-Based Distribution System Design

The reliability and power-quality (PQ) expectations of the power distribution system are steadily increasing. Performance-based rates and/or incentives are being put into place in order to ensure that reliability standards are being met. The distribution system planners, designers, and operators are given the task of developing system upgrades that will successfully meet these new performance goals. This is not always an easy or straightforward task, particularly in cases where a system upgrade can impact the various reliability and PQ indices in different directions. This paper develops an incremental cost-based approach to providing linkage between the sustained and momentary interruption indices. This new approach is readily implementable, and also readily adjusted to meet local performance goals. This paper also presents a case study involving a distribution feeder, and assesses the use of the method in evaluating fuse saving/fuse melting and sectionalizing switch automation upgrades on the line.
Evaluation and Optimization of FinFET Quantization Error in Porting a Design from Planar Silicon Technology

A methodology for evaluation and optimization of quantization error when porting a pre-existing planar design to FinFET technology is presented. A 52-bit adder from a general purpose processor is used to illustrate the key findings of this study.
Future Fire Probability Modeling with Climate Change Data and Physical Chemistry

Climate has a primary influence on the occurrence and rate of combustion in ecosystems with carbon-based fuels such as forests and grasslands. Society will be confronted with the effects of climate change on fire in future forests. There are, however, few quantitative appraisals of how climate will affect wildland fire in the United States. We demonstrated a method for estimating changes in fire probability based on future climate simulations of temperature and precipitation. The probability of a fire occurring in a particular climate was extracted from the Physical Chemistry Fire Frequency Model (PC2FM) and represented the rate of change in fire due to climate. Climate output data from two global climate models (GCMs) were applied to the PC2FM to estimate changes in fire probability. We calculated change in fire frequency and probabilities from the difference between current and future climates and mapped climate-forced percentage change in fire probability under each GCM for the nation at a 1.2 km 2 scale. Future fire probability estimates increased in cooler northern and high elevation regions but decreased slightly in some hotter and drier regions of the southwestern United States. Our approach’s greatest strength may be reliance on only climate data and the simple principles of physical chemistry; many other nonclimatic factors that affect fire are often difficult to predict in the distant future.
The Silence of the Lambdas: Deterring Incapacitation Research

This essay provides an economist’s perspective on criminological research into incapacitation effects on crime. Our central argument is that criminologists would do well to substantially scale back the enterprise of trying to estimate the various behavioral parameters central to a micro-level approach to measuring incapacitation effects, including the annual rate of offending outside of prison (λ) and the lengths of criminal careers. One problem with this line of research is practical: for example, mean estimates of self-reported criminal activity by incarcerated prisoners are quite sensitive to reports by the most criminally active offenders. But the larger concern is conceptual—the incapacitation effects from a given change in sentencing policy may be undermined by the possibility of replacement effects, and at the same time omit other benefits that may arise from deterrent effects on crime. A more promising approach is to identify plausibly exogenous changes in sentencing policy in order to estimate the net impact on crime from the combined effects of incapacitation, deterrence and replacement.
Depressive symptoms contribute to increased wave reflection during cold pressor test in young adult men.

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Although cardiovascular hyperactivity to stressors (e.g., cold pressor test (CPT)) is common in those with MDD, the aortic hemodynamic (AH) responses to sympatho-stimulation in healthy individuals with higher depressive scores (HDS) are not well understood. We hypothesized that individuals with HDS, compared with those with low depressive scores (LDS), would have greater changes in AH during the CPT. Methods Thirty-five male participants (mean age, 22.3 ± 0.7 years) c ompleted a self-report measure of depressive symptoms and were classified as hav ing an HDS or LDS. Radial waveforms were then obtained by means of applanation tonometry. The testing protocol consisted of a 10-minute seated rest, 5 minutes of baseline measurements, a 3-minute CPT, and a 3-minute recovery period.
Classroom Games Trading in a Pit Market

This paper describes a classroom exercise that resembles trading in the 'pit' of some financial and futures markets. Playing cards are used to induce supply and demand functions. Instructions and helpful hints are provided. The exercise facilitates an understanding and appreciation of the robustness and efficiency of the textbook model of perfect competition.
Backing Barack Because He's Black: Racially Motivated Voting in the 2008 Election*

Objective. If racial considerations influenced the outcome of the 2008 presidential election, then how did they shape the campaign, why did race matter, and for whom were such considerations important? I hypothesize that various racial attitudes exert unique influences on voters' support of Obama and that the effects of these attitudes differ by race. Methods. Using a Time Magazine poll, I distinguish between “attitudes regarding Obama's ‘Blackness’” and “opinions about race relations,” and I examine such sentiments among White and African-American respondents. Results. Regardless of race, Obama support was highest among voters who were “comfortable” with Black candidates. However, increased optimism with racial progress had no effect on Blacks' voting intentions, and it actually lowered Obama support among Whites. Conclusion. The conventional wisdom is that African Americans “backed Barack because he is Black”; I demonstrate that Obama's race mattered more to White voters than it did to Blacks.
The use of histolyn CYL in an enzyme immunoassay to detect Histoplasma capsulatum antibodies

Histolyn CYL, the yeast phase reagent, has been employed as the antigen in an enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) to detect antibody to Histoplasma capsulatum in sera from experimentally sensitized rabbits and from humans with histoplasmosis. Three different lots of Histolyn CYL were initially evaluated with respect to antibody detection in individual and pooled rabbit serum specimens. Optimal reactivity was obtained with 4.5 µg (total dry weight) per ml of lots 2 and 3 of the reagent. The optimally diluted pooled reagent detected antibody titers ranging from 1:16 to 1:8192 in 36 rabbit sera. In contrast, a marked decrease in sensitivity was evidenced when the same sera were assayed by complement fixation and immunodiffusion tests with commercially available reference reagents. Complement fixation titers ranged from 0 to 1 : 128 and immunodiffusion tests on undiluted sera were positive with only 5 specimens. Twenty-five sera from patients with acute, chronic and disseminated histoplasmosis were also assayed by the...
Nonuniformity of Potassium Ions in β-Alumina Ceramics

A nonuniform distribution of K was found in β-alumina that had been in contact with sodium polysulfide or sodium nitrate melts containing small amounts of K. Large β-alumina grains in contact with the melt had approximately the equilibrium concentration of K expected from studies on single crystals of β-alumina, but surrounding grains contained little or no K. Thus the mobility of K ions in grain boundaries in β-alumina appears to be very low. Stresses from K concentration at the ceramic surface could enhance other incipient sources of failure such as seal stresses, cracks, and other defects.
Keynote: next generation architectures can dramatically reduce the 4G deployment cycle

Summary form only given. We have been "talking" about 4G systems emerging in 2010 for many years. However, to deploy these systems in 2010, we should already know with high confidence the 4G signal processing and SoC architectures for 4G handsets. It realistically takes 2 years to develop a power-efficient, cost competitive system-on-a-chip (SoC) for a volume market. There are standards to be completed, field trials, and wide scale acceptance before a system solution becomes viable. The entire cycle is at least 5 years. But, rather than giving up on 2010 as the year for 4G, we need to continue developing the right signal processing, network protocols, and SoC architectures given our knowledge of Moore's Law, emerging tools sets, and advanced receiver technology, which together facilitate rapid time-to-market of energy efficient solutions. The market winners will quickly adapt to the emerging 4G ecosystem and will develop solutions before others. This talk provides some historical perspectives on architectures and systems evolution with the goal of providing an optimistic view that 4G is very near.
Tropical cyclone rainfall variability in coastal North Carolina derived from longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris Mill.): AD 1771–2014

Records of tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) in the USA typically begin in the mid-20th century and are insufficiently long to fully understand the natural range of TCP variability. In southeastern North Carolina, USA, we use longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) latewood chronologies from two study sites and a combined chronology as a proxy for TCP during AD 1771–2014 as the latewood growth period of June 1st–October 15th coincides with 93 % of annual TCP. We correlate latewood radial growth with TCP based on days when tropical cyclones tracked within a 223 km rain field, with the results (r = 0.71, p < 0.01) supporting the viability of this species to chronicle interannual variations in TCP for multiple centuries. Using annual latewood data during 1953–2014, we reconstruct TCP back to 1836 for the combined chronology. We creat three radial-growth groups (low, near-average, high) and find that corresponding TCP values are significantly different (p < 0.05) between groups. Low radial-growth values are a strong marker (91 % occurrence) of below-average TCP years and high radial-growth years are (73 % occurrence) also good indicators of above-average TCP years. Examination of the temporal occurrence of below- and above-average TCP years into the late 18th century indicate that a predominance of below-average TCP years occur from 1815 to 1876 that are unmatched in the historic record. The high fidelity between longleaf pine latewood growth and TCP coupled with the geographic distribution of the species throughout the southeastern USA where tropical cyclones are common suggest the utility of this species to help better understand the temporal variability of precipitation delivered via tropical cyclones.
Serum iron levels in rhesus monkeys with chronic vitamin C deficiency.

SummaryThe serum iron levels and blood picture were followed in 2 rhesus monkeys with chronic vitamin C deficiency. Hypoferremia and anemia were observed in both monkeys. The oral administration of iron alone had no influence on the hypoferremia and produced only a slight to moderate increase in the RBC and HB. Combined therapy with both iron and ascorbic acid brought about marked improvement in the hypoferremia and anemia.
Propagation of a human herpesvirus from AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma.

Background Although unique DNA sequences related to gammaherpesviruses have been found in Kaposi's sarcoma lesions, it is uncertain whether this DNA encodes a virus that is able to reproduce. Methods We isolated and propagated a filterable agent whose DNA sequences were found to be identical to those of the Kaposi's sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV). We obtained early-passage spindle cells from skin lesions of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) who had Kaposi's sarcoma and cultured them with cells of the human embryonal-kidney epithelial-cell line 293. We characterized the virus according to its effects on cellular morphology and viral replication and its appearance on electron microscopy. Results KSHV was cytotoxic to 293 cells and was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in infected cells but not uninfected ones. Cytotoxicity and positive PCR signals were consistently maintained with viral titers of 1 million per milliliter or higher for about 20 serial infections...
Immunotherapy of Murine Bladder Cancer with Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH)

Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) is a potent immunogen that is being evaluated as an immunotherapeutic alternative to BCG in the treatment of bladder cancer. In the mouse bladder tumor model (MBT2) intralesional KLH significantly reduced tumor incidence, growth rate, and mortality and exhibited antitumor activity similar to that achievable with BCG. Endotoxin contamination of KLH was not responsible for the antitumor activity, although endotoxin alone was shown to have anti-tumor activity in this animal model. Keyhole limpet hemocyanin is both safe and effective in the MBT2 model, and is an immunomodulator to consider for clinical trials.
Quantifying efficacy of workplace reinforcers: An application of behavioral economic demand to evaluate hypothetical work performance.

Behavioral economics is an approach to understanding decision making and behavior using principles of behavioral science and economics (Hursh, 1980). An area of investigation in behavioral economics includes evaluating demand for a commodity (such as drug and nondrug reinforcers), given changes in p
An evaluation of a dry-fat product as a source of supplemental energy in pig diets.

Three feeding trials (278 pigs) and one balance trial (14 pigs) were conducted to evaluate acceptance and utilization of diets containing a dry-fat product containing 90% fat. The fat was a mixture of equal parts vegetable and animal fats. In Trial 1, 4-wk-old pigs fed diets with 5% dry-fat added had average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and gain/feed (G/F) values equal to pigs fed the diet containing 4.5% liquid fat, the unprocessed equivalent to the dry-fat. Values for G/F with both diets were higher (P less than .05) than for pigs fed the unsupplemented control diet. In Trial 2, dry-fat and roasted soybeans were compared as sources of supplemental fat in diets for finishing pigs. Both were efficiently utilized, with no differences (P greater than .05) among diets. In Trial 3, diets with 0, 5 and 10% levels of added dry-fat were fed to pigs from 34 to 100 kg. Rates of gain were not affected, but ADFI decreased (P less than .05) and G/F increased (P less than .05) with increased fat level. Carcass measurements were not affected by dietary treatment, but iodine number of backfat increased (P less than .05) with dietary fat level. In Trial 4, values for grams of N absorbed and retained and megacalories of energy absorbed and metabolized did not differ (P greater than .05) between diets with 0 and 5% added dry-fat. These results show that the dry-fat product was efficiently utilized by growing and finishing pigs.
Communication and Social Behavior

This chapter focuses on communication and sexual behavior because interactions and an individual's choices associated with mate choice have a more immediate and direct effect on individual fitness than a decision or interaction in the context of other types of social behavior. Amphibians and reptiles communicate through a variety of senses: visual, chemical (nasal and vomeronasal), acoustic, and tactile. In many instances, communication involves more than one sense working together, synchronously or sequentially. Most species of amphibians and reptiles use a combination of signals during social communication. In amphibians and reptiles, limb movements, head bobs, rapid shuttling movements, and open-mouth threats comprise the most common signals. Sounds for social communication are produced by rubbing body parts together and slapping the body against surfaces such as water, although vocal sounds are most prominent. Most studied reptiles have color vision, which further suggests that color is used in communication. Social behavior is an interaction with one or more conspecifics, that is, individuals of the same species and, occasionally, among individuals of different species.
Improving the recognition of grips and movements of the hand using myoelectric signals

People want to live independently, but too often disabilities or advanced age robs them of the ability to do the necessary activities of daily living (ADLs). Finding relationships between electromyograms measured in the arm and movements of the hand and wrist needed to perform ADLs can help address performance deficits and be exploited in designing myoelectrical control systems for prosthetics and computer interfaces. This paper reports on several machine learning techniques employed to discover the electromyogram patterns present when performing 24 typical fine motor functional activities of the hand and the rest position used to accomplish ADLs. Accelerometer data is collected from the hand as an aid in identifying the start and end of movements and to help in labeling the signal data. Techniques employed include classification of 100 ms individual signal instances, using a symbolic representation to approximate signal streams, and the use of nearest neighbor in two specific situations: creation of an affinity matrix to model learning instances and classify based on multiple adjacent signal values, and using Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) as a distance measure to classify entire activity segments. Results show the patterns can be learned to an accuracy of 76.64 % for a 25 class problem when classifying 100 ms instances, 83.63 % with the affinity matrix approach with symbolic representation, and 85.22 % with Dynamic Time Warping. Classification errors are, with a few exceptions, concentrated within particular grip action groups. The findings reported here support the view that grips and movements of the hand can be distinguished by combining electrical and mechanical properties of the task to an accuracy of 85.22 % for a 25 class problem. Converting the signals to a symbolic representation and classifying based on larger portions of the signal stream improve classification accuracy. This is both clinically useful and opens the way for an approach to help simulate hand functional activities. With improvements it may also prove useful in real time control applications.
Abstract WP382: Feasibility Testing of mHealth for brainHealth: a Mobile Intervention to Support Secondary Stroke Prevention

Background: Mobile technologies provide the possibility to interact with stroke survivors in supporting risk factor self-management with much greater frequency, in real-time, and over the long-term...
Moving Beyond Population-Centric vs. Enemy-Centric Counterinsurgency

AbstractHistorically, insurgency is one of the most prevalent forms of armed conflict and it is likely to remain common in the foreseeable future. Recent experiences with counterinsurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan offer many lessons for future counterinsurgents, but the discourse on the subject continues to be mired in a traditional dichotomy pitting population-centric approaches to counterinsurgency against enemy-centric approaches. Historical analysis suggests that this traditional dichotomy is not a sufficiently nuanced way to understand or plan for such operations. Instead, discussions of counterinsurgency should focus on two dimensions: actions (use of physical force vs. political or moral actions) and targets (active insurgents vs. insurgent support). This perspective divides the space of possible counterinsurgency efforts into four quadrants, suggesting that effective counterinsurgency campaigns find a balance of effort across the four quadrants that is well matched to the specific context.
Throughput Analysis of UDP and TCP Flows in IEEE 802.11b WLANs: A Simple Model and Its Validation

In this paper we present a simple analytical model to estimate the throughput performance in IEEE 802.11 WLANs, in which inelastic traffic competes with elastic traffic. In the considered wireless network the inelastic traffic is composed of asymptotic UDP uplink flows, while the elastic traffic consists of multiple persistent TCP uplink and downlink connections. We show that it is not necessary to precisely characterize the steady-state distribution of the network contention level in order to derive the throughput performance, because the overall TCP traffic can be equivalently modeled as two saturated flows. Starting from this finding, we develop an approximate model to evaluate the throughput of the UDP and TCP connections. Comparison with simulation results demonstrates that our approximate model is accurate in predicting the TCP and UDP throughput performance over a wide range of network and traffic configurations.
A steganography system and implementation utilising pseudo random number embedding and dynamic image production with graphs

This paper proposes a new steganographic system that matches the image to the message by generating coherent noise. We utilise graphs as a means to organise the coherent noise over the message. Previous steganography methodologies are reviewed. The implementation of the proposed new system, RandSteg, is presented. The algorithms employed in the implementation system are discussed. Finally, further possibilities for research on this field are suggested.
PEComa with Transcription Factor E3 Overexpression: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge

PEComa with transcription factor E3 overexpression, most commonly through gene rearrangement, represents a biologically distinct subset of disease. We present here an illustrative case to highlight its diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in the context of potential pathogenic signaling pathways.
Invariant Kalman filter application to optical flow based visual odometry for UAVs

Optical flow based visual odometry for UAVs has become akin to wheel encoders for ground based robots. While sensors such as laser rangefinders and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers can provide measurements of a UAV's position, these sensors typically have a low bandwidth and can become degraded (e.g. GPS in urban canyons). Optical flow sensors provide a robust high bandwidth pseudo-velocity measurement by tracking the movement of a feature through a camera image and measuring the distance to that feature, typically using a sonar or a lidar sensor. Optical flow based visual odometry thus compliments low bandwidth UAV position measurements. We have previously used a simple linear measurement equation to approximate the optical flow as a pseudo-velocity measurement and were able to achieve fully autonomous mission flights without GPS both indoors and outdoors. This estimator, known as Local Position Estimator (LPE), is now part of the open source PX4 autopilot. In this work, we seek to improve the UAV's performance in terms of maximum speed and robustness by deriving an estimator using the full nonlinear measurement equations and by basing the estimator on the Invariant Extended Kalman Filter (IEKF). Through intelligent choice of the frame in which the estimator dynamics and measurement equations are linearized, the IEKF is able to reduce the fluctuations in the Kalman filter along typical vehicle trajectories and produce a more optimal estimate. We compare our previous algorithm, LPE, with our new algorithm, IEKF, using the PX4 gazebo based software in the loop simulator.
Oxytocin Modulation of Neural Circuits

Oxytocin is a hypothalamic neuropeptide first recognized as a regulator of parturition and lactation which has recently gained attention for its ability to modulate social behaviors. In this chapter, we review several aspects of the oxytocinergic system, focusing on evidence for release of oxytocin and its receptor distribution in the cortex as the foundation for important networks that control social behavior. We examine the developmental timeline of the cortical oxytocin system as demonstrated by RNA, autoradiographic binding, and protein immunohistochemical studies, and describe how that might shape brain development and behavior. Many recent studies have implicated oxytocin in cognitive processes such as processing of sensory stimuli, social recognition, social memory, and fear. We review these studies and discuss the function of oxytocin in the young and adult cortex as a neuromodulator of central synaptic transmission and mediator of plasticity.
An Improved Initialization for Low-Rank Matrix Completion Based on Rank-L Updates

Given a data matrix with partially observed entries, the low-rank matrix completion problem is one of finding a matrix with the lowest rank that perfectly fits the given observations. While there exist convex relaxations for the low-rank completion problem, the underlying problem is inherently nonconvex, and most algorithms (alternating projection, Riemannian optimization, etc.) heavily depend on the initialization. This paper proposes an improved initialization that relies on successive rank-l updates. Further, the paper proposes theoretical guarantees under which the proposed initialization is closer to the unknown optimal solution than the all zeros initialization in the Frobenius norm. To cope with the problem of local minima, the paper introduces and uses random norms to change the position of the local minima while preserving the global one. Using a Riemannian optimization routine, simulation results reveal that the proposed solution succeeds in completing Gaussian partially observed matrices with a random set of revealed entries close to the information-theoretical limits, thereby significantly improving on prior methods.
Insights into the complexity of designing for professional development networks in educational technologies: tensions between structure and agency

The preliminary results reported here are part of a larger research program aimed at identifying ways in which a specific educational computer application called StarLogo improves both student understanding of complex dynamic systems and more broadly, technology use and skills. The intent of the smaller study was to identify successes and barriers in the design and delivery of professional development activities with the explicit goal of building network capacity. Drawing on three major bodies of literature: professional development in education (cf. Howe & Stubbs), social network theory (cf. Rogers, 1995), and design research (Collins, 1999), we implemented a professional development model with the following four design features: flexibility--addressing the dynamic nature of teaching environments and individual goals; adaptiveness--attending to the situatedness of individual teaching contexts and responding to system-wide needs; building social network capacity--providing avenues for communication, collaboration and peer facilitation; and self-organization--encouraging self-reflexive metacognitive behavior with a view to enhancing teacher autonomy and empowerment.
Representations of Posets over a Field

Finite-dimensional vector spaces with finite sets of distinguished subspaces are illustrative examples of representations of finite posets. This provides a natural setting for equivalence and similarity of matrices, as demonstrated in the exercises.
Managed care: the strategic future for education in quality.

This paper discusses the needs for future education in quality assurance, assessment and improvement, particularly in relation to managed care. The pressures for increased education about quality are derived from different components of the health care system; e.g., regulatory and governmental agencies, purchasers of care, and competitors of health institutions. The content of future education in health care quality is defined in six areas: (1) organization and management; (2) health systems; (3) quality theory and methods; (4) management information systems and research; (5) governmental policy; and (6) economics and finance. Education in health care quality in these content areas is delivered at both the primary and continuing education levels by universities, professional associations and private training and development corporations. Future oriented, strategic thinking education in health care quality is needed. The pressures for education about quality, including traditional concepts of quality assurance, methodologies for quality assessment and the newer approaches to continuing quality improvement, are clearly growing stronger. This article discusses the need for education in health care quality, the content areas and levels of education and the delivery system.
A global accounting of medically significant scorpions: Epidemiology, major toxins, and comparative resources in harmless counterparts

Scorpions are an ancient and diverse venomous lineage, with over 2200 currently recognized species. Only a small fraction of scorpion species are considered harmful to humans, but the often life-threatening symptoms caused by a single sting are significant enough to recognize scorpionism as a global health problem. The continued discovery and classification of new species has led to a steady increase in the number of both harmful and harmless scorpion species. The purpose of this review is to update the global record of medically significant scorpion species, assigning each to a recognized sting class based on reported symptoms, and provide the major toxin classes identified in their venoms. We also aim to shed light on the harmless species that, although not a threat to human health, should still be considered medically relevant for their potential in therapeutic development. Included in our review is discussion of the many contributing factors that may cause error in epidemiological estimations and in the determination of medically significant scorpion species, and we provide suggestions for future scorpion research that will aid in overcoming these errors.
Marine reserves and optimal dynamic harvesting when fishing damages habitat

Marine fisheries are a significant source of protein for many human populations. In some locations, however, destructive fishing practices have negatively impacted the quality of fish habitat and reduced the habitat’s ability to sustain fish stocks. Improving the management of stocks that can be potentially damaged by harvesting requires improved understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of the stocks, their habitats, and the behavior of the harvesters. We develop a mathematical model for both a fish stock as well as its habitat quality. Both are modeled using nonlinear, parabolic partial differential equations, and density dependence in the growth rate of the fish stock depends upon habitat quality. The objective is to find the dynamic distribution of harvest effort that maximizes the discounted net present value of the coupled fishery-habitat system. The value derives both from extraction (and sale) of the stock and the provisioning of ecosystem services by the habitat. Optimal harvesting strategies are found numerically. The results suggest that no-take marine reserves can be an important part of the optimal strategy and that their spatiotemporal configuration depends both on the vulnerability of habitat to fishing damage and on the timescale of habitat recovery when fishing ceases.
Curcumin restores innate immune Alzheimer's disease risk gene expression to ameliorate Alzheimer pathogenesis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) genetics implies a causal role for innate immune genes, TREM2 and CD33, products that oppose each other in the downstream Syk tyrosine kinase pathway, activating microglial phagocytosis of amyloid (Aβ). We report effects of low (Curc-lo) and high (Curc-hi) doses of curcumin on neuroinflammation in APPsw transgenic mice. Results showed that Curc-lo decreased CD33 and increased TREM2 expression (predicted to decrease AD risk) and also increased TyroBP, which controls a neuroinflammatory gene network implicated in AD as well as phagocytosis markers CD68 and Arg1. Curc-lo coordinately restored tightly correlated relationships between these genes' expression levels, and decreased expression of genes characteristic of toxic pro-inflammatory M1 microglia (CD11b, iNOS, COX-2, IL1β). In contrast, very high dose curcumin did not show these effects, failed to clear amyloid plaques, and dysregulated gene expression relationships. Curc-lo stimulated microglial migration to and phagocytosis of amyloid plaques both in vivo and in ex vivo assays of sections of human AD brain and of mouse brain. Curcumin also reduced levels of miR-155, a micro-RNA reported to drive a neurodegenerative microglial phenotype. In conditions without amyloid (human microglial cells in vitro, aged wild-type mice), Curc-lo similarly decreased CD33 and increased TREM2. Like curcumin, anti-Aβ antibody (also reported to engage the Syk pathway, increase CD68, and decrease amyloid burden in human and mouse brain) increased TREM2 in APPsw mice and decreased amyloid in human AD sections ex vivo. We conclude that curcumin is an immunomodulatory treatment capable of emulating anti-Aβ vaccine in stimulating phagocytic clearance of amyloid by reducing CD33 and increasing TREM2 and TyroBP, while restoring neuroinflammatory networks implicated in neurodegenerative diseases.
Three-Dimensional Morphological Analysis of Sex, Age, and Symmetry of Proximal Femurs from Computed Tomography: Application to Total Hip Arthroplasty.

The success of a total hip arthroplasty is directly related to the ability of the implant to match original femoral morphology. Given this critical relationship, we characterized normal proximal femoral morphology as it relates to sex, age, and symmetry. Sixty abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scans (30 male and 30 female, ages 20-85 years old) from patients without any osseous pathology or implants were utilized. Three-dimensional models were constructed from the CT scans using Mimics v19 (Materialize). Thirteen landmarks were placed on each femur model and yielded eight morphological measurements for each femur. Medullary cavity measurements were taken superior to, at the center of, and inferior to the lesser trochanter. Morphological measurements were analyzed by sex, age group, and left versus right. A significant difference was identified between males and females for femoral head height, inferior neck length, minimum neck diameter, neck shaft angle, mediolateral medullary cavity measurement superior to the lesser trochanter and the anteroposterior at the lesser trochanter (P < 0.05). Age was found to correlate with medullary cavity measurements. As previously identified in the literature, differences with respect to the right and left femur were not of practical significance. The results show that sex is critical in determining prosthesis fit with the examined morphological measurements of the proximal femur while age is more important with respect to the medullary cavity. It is also evident that the current practice of using one femur to approximate the opposite is a viable clinical assumption. Clin. Anat., 33:731-738, 2020. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Wal-Marting of American Psychiatry: An Ethnography of Psychiatric Practice in the Late 20th Century

Object: U.S. psychiatry has been radicallyreorganized by changes in the way thepsychiatric hospital, the asylum, is funded.The imposition and internalization of costcontrol measures are major elements of thisreorganization. This paper traces the ways inwhich cost control methods associated withmanaged care have produced new ways oforganizing and patterning clinical work andclinical knowledge.
Shared neuronal bases of inhibition and economic choice in orbitofrontal cortex

ABSTRACT Economic choice and inhibition are two important elements of our cognitive repertoires that may be closely related. We and others have noted that during economic choice, options are typically considered serially; this fact provides important constraints on our understanding of choice. Notably, asynchronous contemplation means that each individual option is subject to an accept-reject decision. We have proposed that these component accept-reject decisions may have some kinship with stopping decisions. One prediction of this idea is that stopping and choice may reflect similar neural processes occurring in overlapping brain circuits. To test the idea, we recorded neuronal activity in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) Area 13 while macaques performed a stop signal task interleaved with a structurally matched choice task. Using neural network decoders, we find that OFC ensembles have overlapping codes for stopping and choice: the decoder that was only trained to identify accept vs. reject trials performed with higher efficiency even when tested on the stop trials. These results provide tentative support for the idea that mechanisms underlying inhibitory control and choice selection may be subject to theoretical unification.
Phage Communication and the Ecological Implications on Microbial Interactions, Diversity, and Function

Viruses are extraordinarily abundant on Earth, containing a vast reservoir of genetic diversity. Despite the numerical abundance of soil viruses, even the most basic aspects of their ecology are poorly investigated. We know very little concerning the spatial and temporal variability of viral abundance and diversity, rates of viral turnover/production, and host specificity. Viruses in other environments are known to modulate microbial communities and their host processes through viral-mediated cell lysis and/or lysogenic interactions. Thus, the ecological impact of viruses on the community level can depend on whether their reproduction is predominantly lytic or lysogenic. Evidence has emerged suggesting temperate viruses can modulate their reproductive effort (either lytic or lysogenic pathways) based on cell-cell, phage-cell, and phage-phage communication. In this review, recent progress in aspects of phage ecology are discussed with emphasis on phage-bacterial interactions at both molecular and community levels.
Social and physical environmental factors in daily stepping activity in those with chronic stroke.

Walking behavior in the chronic stroke population is multi-factorial. Previous work focused on the role of physical and biopsychosocial factors in understanding daily stepping post stroke. However,...
ENHANCED GLUINO BOX CONTRIBUTION TO ∊′/∊ IN SUSY

We show that in supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model gluino box diagrams can yield a large CP-violating contribution to flavor-chaging neutral current processes, which feeds into the I=2 isospin amplitude in K→ππ decays. This contribution only requires moderate mass splitting between the right-handed squarks ũR and , and persists for squark masses of order 1 TeV. Taking into account current bounds on Im from mixing, the resulting contribution to ∊′/∊ could naturally be an order of magnitude larger than the measured value.
House prices and property tax revenues during the boom and bust: Evidence from small-area estimates

Although the Great Recession put the US economy into a tailspin, we know little about how the changes in house prices influenced property tax collections. Using local‐level housing data from Zillow® matched to property tax data from 1998 to 2012, two questions are examined. First, the elasticity of property tax revenue with respect to house values is estimated. Second, the timing of this elasticity is determined. The analysis rules out that local policymakers capture the entire increase of house value in property tax revenues but unable to rule out that increases in house values are completely offset by changes in effective property tax rates. Decreases in values have an elasticity between 0.3 and 0.4 and take three years for changes in values to impact property tax revenues. While property tax collections declined, local policymakers adjusted effective millage rates such that revenues did not decline as much as home values.
Interventional Treatment of Head and Neck Pain

This chapter reviews the anatomy, procedural considerations, and evidence base for procedures commonly employed to treat head and neck pain.
Correlates and predictors of parenting self-efficacy in new fathers.

Parenting self-efficacy is a critical determinant of high-quality parenting behavior, but this aspect of parenting cognitions has been understudied for fathers. Longitudinal data from a sample of 182 fathers of firstborn infants in dual-earner families were used to assess how expectant fathers' rearing history, personality and personal characteristics, and family relationships were associated with their initial levels of parenting self-efficacy in the early postpartum period. Expectant fathers completed surveys assessing their rearing history, personality, and personal characteristics during the third trimester of pregnancy and reported on their perceptions of coparenting and parenting self-efficacy at three months postpartum. Results of hierarchical regression analyses showed that new fathers were at risk for lower parenting self-efficacy when they had greater attachment anxiety and neuroticism, believed that mothers are inherently better caretakers, and planned to use their own fathers as models for childrearing. In contrast, new fathers had greater parenting self-efficacy when they perceived their coparenting relationships with children's mothers more positively. These findings inform theory about the development of fathers' parenting cognitions and behavior and practice with expectant and new fathers, and, if replicated in a larger, more representative sample, may be used to identify expectant fathers at risk for low parenting self-efficacy and in the design of policy initiatives to enhance father-child relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Shifting seasonal patterns of water availability: ecosystem responses to an unappreciated dimension of climate change

Seasonal patterns of water availability can differ dramatically among ecosystems, with well-known consequences for ecosystem structure and functioning. Less appreciated is that climate change can shift the seasonality of water availability (e.g. to wetter springs, drier summers), resulting in both subtle and profound ecological impacts. Here we (1) review evidence that the seasonal availability of water is being altered in ecosystems worldwide, (2) explore several mechanisms potentially driving these changes, and (3) highlight the breadth of ecological consequences resulting from shifts in the seasonality of water availability. We conclude that seasonal patterns of water availability are changing globally, but in regionally specific ways requiring more rigorous and nuanced assessments of ecosystem vulnerability as well as the ecological consequences.
Computation Offloading Scheduling for Deep Neural Network Inference in Mobile Computing

The quality of service (QoS) of intelligent applications on mobile devices heavily depends on the inference speed of Deep Neural Network (DNN) models. Cooperative DNN inference has become an efficient way to reduce inference latency. In cooperative inference, a mobile device offloads a part of its inference task to cloud servers. The large communication volume usually is the bottleneck of such systems. Priory research focuses on reducing the communication volume by finding optimal partition points. We notice that the computation and communication resources on mobile devices can work in pipeline, which can hide the communication time behind computation and further reduce the inference latency. Based on the observation, we formulate the offloading pipeline scheduling problem. We aim to find the optimal sequence of DNN execution and offloading for mobile devices such that the inference latency is minimized. If we use a directed acyclic graph (DAG) to model a DNN, the complex precedence constraints in DAGs bring challenges to our problem. Notice that most DNN models have independent paths or tree structures, we present an optimal path-wise DAG scheduler and an optimal layer-wise scheduler for tree-structure DAGs. Then, we proposed a heuristic based on topological sort to schedule general-structure DAGs. The prototype of our offloading scheme is implemented on a real-world testbed, where we use Raspberry Pi as the mobile device and lab PCs as the cloud. Various DNN models are tested and our scheme can reduce their inference latencies in different network environments.
The association of urine osmolality with decreased kidney function and/or albuminuria in the United States.

BACKGROUND Decreased kidney function is commonly caused by hypovolemia. When hypovolemic, the kidney reabsorbs water resulting in concentrated urine. Osmolality is a measure of urine concentration which is more objective than self-reported fluid intake. It has a positive association with hypovolemia. However, it remains controversial whether osmolality is associated with decreased kidney function and/or albuminuria. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2009-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a standardized survey in the U.S. POPULATION Participants aged 18-70 years old with random urine osmolality were included. Osmolality was categorized as quartiles. Decreased kidney function was defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73m2 and albuminuria was defined by albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/gm. We performed multivariable regression via four sequential models. RESULTS Our study sample included 7,373 participants. The mean age was 42.9 ± 0.4 years. Overall, 51.4% were male and 67.3% were white. The mean osmolality was 603.8 mOsm/kg and 629.1 mOsm/kg in those with and without decreased eGFR and/or albuminuria, respectively. The number of cases was 610 (6.7%). The prevalence from the lowest to highest quartiles of osmolality was 116 (6.2%), 213 (8.6%), 179 (7.5%), and 102 (4.3%), respectively (p-value for trend = 0.02). The relationship between osmolality and eGFR appeared nonlinear. After adjustment for demographic, social, cardiovascular, and dietary risk factors, there was no significant association of osmolality quartiles with decreased eGFR and/or albuminuria (odds ratio [OR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56, 1.07). In sensitivity analyses, osmolality ≥ 500 mOsm/kg was associated with lower eGFR (adjusted s -1.13, 95% CI -1.98, -0.28). In pre-specified subgroup analyses, osmolality had a statistically significant negative correlation with eGFR among individuals with eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73m2, but a positive correlation among those with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2 (adjusted s -0.19, 95% CI -0.36, -0.01 versus adjusted s 0.50, 95% CI 0.05, 0.96; p-value for interaction = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS Higher osmolality was significantly associated with lower eGFR among adults with eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73m2 Future research should examine the relationship between osmolality and change in kidney function over time among adults with normal eGFR.