cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social disparities in heart disease risk and survivor bias among autoworkers: an examination based on survival models and g-estimation

Objectives To examine gender and racial disparities in ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality related to metalworking fluid exposures and in the healthy worker survivor effect. Methods A cohort of white and black men and women autoworkers in the USA was followed from 1941 to 1995 with quantitative exposure to respirable particulate matter from water-based metalworking fluids. Separate analyses used proportional hazards models and g-estimation. Results The HR for IHD among black men was 3.29 (95% CI 1.49 to 7.31) in the highest category of cumulative synthetic fluid exposure. The HR for IHD among white women exposed to soluble fluid reached 2.44 (95% CI 0.96 to 6.22). However, no increased risk was observed among white men until we corrected for the healthy worker survivor effect. Results from g-estimation indicate that if white male cases exposed to soluble or synthetic fluid had been unexposed to that fluid type, then 1.59 and 1.20 years of life would have been saved on average, respectively. Conclusions We leveraged the strengths of two different analytic approaches to examine the IHD risks of metalworking fluids. All workers may have the same aetiological risk; however, black and female workers may experience more IHD from water-based metalworking fluid exposure because of a steeper exposure–response or weaker healthy worker survivor effect.
Stage-specific induction of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase in a T-lymphoid line upon coculture with a thymic stromal line.

Abstract We previously reported an in vitro T-cell differentiation system in which the L4 lymphoid clone was cocultured with the St3 stromal line derived from the same murine thymic tumor, 15#4T. L4 cells in L4—St3 cocultures sequentially express Thy-1 and CD4 in a manner typical of normal thymocytes. In contrast, L4 cells grown in medium alone retain their Thy-1−CD4− phenotype. We also isolated L4 subclones from the coculture with increasingly differentiated phenotypes with respect to Thy-1 and CD4. We now report induction of an additional thymocyte differentiation marker, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) in 15#4T cells (and to a lesser extent subcloned L4 cells) upon coculture with St3 stroma. Coculture of 15#4T cells with St3 stroma resulted in expression of TdT as measured by ribonuclease protection for TdT RNA and Western immunoblotting for TdT protein. Cocultured L4 cells were induced for TdT expression to a lesser degree and for a shorter period of time. The magnitude of TdT RNA induction was maximal for cell lines with the least mature differentiation phenotype (15#4T and L4: Thy-1−CD4−) and decreased proportionally for subclones with increasingly mature phenotype, e.g., L4E cells (Thy-1+CD4+). TdT protein was undetectable by Western immunoblotting and immunofluorescent staining of the L4E subclone on or off stroma. Recombination-activating gene-1 (RAG-1), which is expressed in immature thymocytes during T-cell receptor rearrangement, but suppressed in mature thymocytes, was also examined using the ribonuclease protection assay. In contrast to TdT, RAG-1 expression was suppressed by coculture with St3 cells for 15#4T and also more mature subclones, indicating regulation by a mechanism independent from TdT. The ordered induction of TdT, Thy-1, and CD4, as well as regulation of RAG-1 in the 15#4T-St3 system, supports the conclusion that this in vitro system is a valuable model for characterizing regulation of these markers in normal thymocytes.
Person-centered care planning and service engagement: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Service disengagement is a pervasive challenge the mental health care system faces. Mental health services are of little value should persons with mental illnesses continue to opt out of receiving them. Consumers attribute disengagement from care to an absence of choice in their treatment. In response, the mental health system is adopting a person-centered model, based upon recovery principles, to engage consumers more actively in their care. Person-centered care planning is a promising practice involving collaboration to develop and implement an actionable plan to assist the person in achieving personal recovery goals. This study design combines a parallel-group randomized controlled trial of community mental health organizations with qualitative methods to assess the effectiveness of person-centered care planning. Participants at 14 sites in Delaware and Connecticut will be randomized to treatment as usual or the person-centered care planning intervention. Participants will be in leadership (n = 70) or supervisory or direct care (n = 210) roles. The person-centered care planning intervention involves intensive staff training and 12 months of ongoing technical assistance. Quantitative survey data will be collected at baseline, 6 months and 12 months measuringperson-centered care planning competency and organizational factors. Consumer outcomes (engagement, medication adherence, functioning and consumer satisfaction) will be assessed by Medicaid and state-level data. Qualitative data focused on process factors will include staff and consumer interviews and focus groups. In this intent-to-treat analysis, we will use mixed-effects multivariate regression models to evaluate the differential impact of the person-centered care planning intervention on each consumer and implementation outcome as well as the extent to which clinician assessments of organizational factors are associated with the implementation outcome. Mixed methods will triangulate and strengthen the interpretation of outcomes. The aim of this study is to generate valuable guidance for state systems engaged in scale-up and transformation efforts. Targeted staff selection for training to support sustainability will serve to provide further insight into important intervention implementation strategies. Person-centered care planning has the potential to enhance the impact of all evidence-based and recovery-oriented practices and bring practice into line with the emerging national guidelines in health care reform. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02299492 ) on 21 November 2014 as New York University Protocol Record PCCP-13-9762, Person-Centered Care Planning and Service Engagement.
A Review of “The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Hip Hop—and Why It Matters”

Dr. Tricia Rose, a prominent scholar and Chair of Brown University's Department of Africana Studies, has a recently published book on hip hop titled, The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Ta...
A review of the sponge‑dwelling snapping shrimp from Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, with description of Zuzalpheus , new genus, and six new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Alpheidae)

We review the taxonomy of sponge-dwelling shrimp in the “Gambarelloides species group” within the genus Synalpheus Bate 1888, an informal but widely recognized group that is largely endemic to the western Atlantic and contains the majority of Synalpheus species in that region. The validity of most species described from the western Atlantic is reevaluated based on extensive new material from Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, and on examination of types of most described species. Twenty-eight species, including all those historically considered as part of the Gambarelloides group, are herein removed from Synalpheus and transferred to Zuzalpheus, n. gen., which is diagnosed by two synapomorphies: the dense brush of curved setae on the minor first pereopod, and the mesial lamellae on the coxae of the 3 rd pereopods. Six new species are described (Zuzalpheus dardeaui, Z. elizabethae, Z. idios, Z. kensleyi, Z. ul, Z. yano) and Z. osburni (Schmitt 1933) n. comb. is removed from synonymy with Synalpheus goodei. An identification key to all 34 species of West Atlantic Zuzalpheus is presented, as are known host associations, and color plates of most species.
SOME PECULIARITIES OF SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF LAND-BASED INORGANIC NUTRIENTS IN THE COASTAL PART OF THE BALTIC SEA

The Baltic Sea is a semi-enclosed sea with remarkable cyclonic circulation. The most attention must be paid to the local-scale factors playing the significant role in the overall figures. Fresh water inflow takes the majority of the mass budget income thus enabling local streams. The bathymetry of the Lithuanian Baltic zone is lowering gradually towards the open sea and has no significant deeps or depths. As the little exception there is a deeper basin, which stretches from the Curonian Spit until it reaches the approaches of the Southern Gotland Deep. The long-term investigations of spatial seasonal distribution of inorganic nutrients (nitrite, nitrate and orthophosphate) resulted to some regularities depending on prevailing wind scale duration and force. The results obtained during the experiment showed the complicacy of field structure. Extremely heterogeneous patterns of nutrients are formed when northern or eastern winds or breezes are prevailing. After the other wind directions significant decrease of heterogeneity was observed. Assessment showed that Curonian Lagoon water entering the Baltic Sea is enriched with dissolved inorganic nitrogen 6 times more and dissolved inorganic phosphorus concentration is higher by 2 times in comparison to the open sea values in winter. Keywords: nutrients, Curonian Lagoon, Baltic Sea, long-term data, correlation, spatial distribution, load trends. Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.070
Radiation-Induced Dedifferentiation of Head and Neck Cancer Cells Into Cancer Stem Cells Depends on Human Papillomavirus Status.

Purpose To test the hypothesis that the radiation response of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) differs and is not reflected in the radiation response of the bulk tumor populations, that radiation therapy (RT) can dedifferentiate non-stem HNSCC cells into CSCs, and that radiation-induced dedifferentiation depends on the HPV status. Methods and Materials Records of a cohort of 162 HNSCC patients were reviewed, and their outcomes were correlated with their HPV status. Using a panel of HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC cell lines expressing a reporter for CSCs, we characterized HPV-positive and HPV-negative lines via flow cytometry, sphere-forming capacity assays in vitro, and limiting dilution assays in vivo. Non-CSCs were treated with different doses of radiation, and the dedifferentiation of non-CSCs into CSCs was investigated via flow cytometry and quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction for re-expression of reprogramming factors. Results Patients with HPV-positive tumors have superior overall survival and local–regional control. Human papillomavirus–positive HNSCC cell lines have lower numbers of CSCs, which inversely correlates with radiosensitivity. Human papillomavirus–negative HNSCC cell lines lack hierarchy owing to enhanced spontaneous dedifferentiation. Non-CSCs from HPV-negative lines show enhanced radiation-induced dedifferentiation compared with HPV-positive lines, and RT induced re-expression of Yamanaka reprogramming factors. Conclusions Supporting the favorable prognosis of HPV-positive HNSCCs, we show that ( 1 ) HPV-positive HNSCCs have a lower frequency of CSCs; ( 2 ) RT can dedifferentiate HNSCC cells into CSCs; and ( 3 ) radiation-induced dedifferentiation depends on the HPV status of the tumor.
Eating disorders: current concepts

Abstract Objective: To review for the community pharmacist common eating disorders and suggest strategies for pharmacist-directed patient education. Data Source: Current literature. Data Synthesis: Women are much more likely than men to develop eating disorders, and Western culture's emphasis on thinness contributes to the prevalence of eating disorders in the United States. Regardless of the type, all eating disorders are rooted in emotions, often traced to problems during adolescence. Anorexia nervosa patients continually set and strive to obtain lower goal weights to the point that their general well-being is compromised. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by excessive eating followed by purging that is an apparent attempt to relieve the tension and guilt associated with the initial overeating. Rather than directly dealing with tension and anger, a patient suffering from binge eating overindulges in food. Most overeaters are aware that excess weight is detrimental to their health, but they cannot control their overeating behavior. Conclusion: In treating eating disorders, it is important to address patients' emotional and psychological needs as well as physical symptoms. Patients often need encouragement to seek and continue treatment, and pharmacists are in an ideal position to provide that support.
Technology-mediated engagement with nature: sensory and social engagement with the outdoors supported through an e-Trailguide

ABSTRACTThis study describes the implementation of a self-guiding mobile learning tool designed to support youths’ engagement with the natural world as they explored the flora and fauna along one nature trail at an environmental center. Using qualitative video-based data collection and analysis techniques, we conducted two design-based research study iterations that documented interactions between technology, learners, and nature. Children (N = 83) between the ages of 8 and 11 used an iPad-based e-Trailguide designed for a nature trail at a summer camp. Analyses focused on three types of engagement between the learners and the natural world that were facilitated by the e-Trailguide, which we refer to as technology-mediated engagement with nature: (a) observation, (b) pointing, and (c) tactile investigation. Alongside the development of this framework for technology–child–nature interactions, our findings also include the emergence of a learning pattern with regard to technology-mediated engagement with na...
Three conceptual units for behavior.

Three generic units for behavior are examined in terms of their background: an if-then unit for stimulus and response (S-R), a holistic unit for Kantor’s behavior segment, and an AB-because-of-C unit for Skinner’s three-term contingency. The units are distinguished in terms of their respective historical backgrounds, causal modes, advantages, and disadvantages. The ways in which these units may be compatible are discussed.
Immunofluorescent identification of human megakaryocyte colonies using an antiplatelet glycoprotein antiserum

The development of a satisfactory in vitro assay system for human megakaryocyte colony forming progenitor cells has been delayed by the lack of a suitable marker for cells of human megakaryocyte lineage. For this purpose we raised an antiserum directed against a purified human platelet glycoprotein preparation. In conjunction with indirect immunofluorescent staining of human bone marrow, this antiserum labeled only platelets, megakaryocytes, and an infrequent population of small mononuclear cells. These small mononuclear cells, not otherwise identifiable as members of the megakaryocyte series, constituted 22.9% of the total fluorescein positive nucleated bone marrow cells. This antiserum was also used to label colonies cultured from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells using a modified plasma clot technique. A mean of 123 fluorescein-labeled colonies were cloned per 10(6) mononuclear cells cultured. Granulocyte-macrophage and erythroid burst colonies did not label using this method. No augmentation of colony numbers was found with varying concentrations of erythropoietin, human embryonic kidney cell conditioned media (a source of thrombopoietin), or media conditioned by a human T lymphoblast cell line (a source of both colony stimulating and burst promoting activities). Immunofluorescent labeling for platelet glycoproteins is a convenient phenotypic marker for cells of human megakaryocyte lineage useful in the study of in vitro human megakaryocytopoiesis.
Combining chromatin immunoprecipitation and oligonucleotide tiling arrays (ChIP-Chip) for functional genomic studies

Central to systems biology are genome-wide technologies and high-throughput experimental approaches. Completion of the sequencing of the human genome as well as those of a number of other higher eukaryotes now allows for the first time the mapping of all of the cis-regulatory regions of genes as well as the details of nucleosome position and modification. One approach to achieving this goal involves chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with DNA oligonucleotide tiling arrays (ChIP-chip). This allows for the identification of genomic regions bound by a given factor, its cistrome, or harboring a given epigenomic modification through hybridization on tiling arrays covering the entire genome or specific regions of interest. This technology offers an unbiased assessment of the potential biological function of any DNA associated factor or epigenomic mark. Through integration of ChIP-chip data with complementary genome-wide approaches including expression profiling, CGH and SNP arrays, novel paradigms of transcriptional regulation and chromatin structure are emerging.
Theft From Cars in Center City Parking Facilities - A Case Study

This paper describes a problem-oriented policing project, extending over a period of more than two years, which was designed to reduce thefts from cars parked in the center city of Charlotte, North Carolina. A progressive tightening of focus led to a detailed analysis of the risks of theft, and the associated security features, in the 39 decks and 167 surface lots in the center city. This analysis showed (1) that risks of theft were much greater in lots than in decks and (2) that higher risks of theft in lots were associated with inadequate fencing, poor lighting, and the absence of attendants. These data played an important part in obtaining the agreement of lot owners and operators to make security improvements. Before most of these improvements had been made, however, thefts in the lots began to decline, possibly as the result of more focused patrolling by police and security personnel. The paper concludes with a discussion of the difficulties encountered by police in undertaking problem-oriented projects, and of ways to help them meet these difficulties.
Uncovering behavioural states from animal activity and site fidelity patterns

1.Space use by animals has important implications for individual fitness. However, resource requirements often vary throughout the course of a lifetime and are a reflection of the demands associated with daily tasks or specific life history phases, from food acquisition to reproduction, and emphasize the need to classify resource selection relative to specific behavioural states. Site fidelity is often indicative of behaviours important for individual maintenance (e.g., foraging), species’ life history (e.g., seasonal site selection), social communication (e.g., scent-marking), and species interactions (e.g., predation, competition). Thus, resolving site-fidelity patterns associated with key behaviours is essential to accurately quantify behavioural-dependent resource needs and the fitness consequences of space use. 2.We propose a novel method for identifying site-fidelity patterns in animal location data using a convex hull clustering program called rASF. We also provide a means of integrating activity as a measure of behavioural state. We demonstrate the utility of the approach in identifying cougar (Puma concolor) predation events, coyote (Canis latrans) den and rendezvous sites, and coyote territorial boundaries. 3.We parameterized rASF based on site-fidelity characteristics that best characterized the clustering behaviour of interest and estimated behavioural state from either dual-axial accelerometer data or movement trajectory statistics. When behaviour was used in conjunction with cluster-specific metrics (duration, proportion of diurnal fixes, and landscape composition), we could accurately predict prey species associated with cougar kills and differentiate pup-rearing from scent-marking sites in coyotes. 4.Site-fidelity patterns and activities associated with animal revisitation will be key to identifying the behavioural motivations behind observed patterns of space use. Our approach provides an efficient, rigorous, and repeatable means of identifying site fidelity patterns associated with specific behavioural states without the need for direct observations, which are often impossible to collect at large spatial scales and in dense habitat. As such, this framework has significant potential to inform theory in behavioural ecology while providing managers with better resolution on appropriate management targets associated with key aspects of a species’ life history. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Postmodern Culture and Political Implications

This chapter explores today’s postmodern culture that reflects a wide range of anti-Western, anti-American views and positions that reject notions of science, rationality, belief in reason, and common values. Postmodern philosophies have impacted political partisanship and voting, have ushered in identity and victim politics, favor group rights over individual rights and group interests ahead of common interests, encourage social polarization rather than unity, and limit freedom of speech. America has become a social relativistic and narcissistic society where morals and behaviors have become subjective and individual, resulting in political and social fragmentation. We are a nation of “hyphenated” Americans where group identity is more important than national affiliation, where self-concerns are more important than communal needs, and where social responsibility is a matter for government to address.
The Application of Sonographic Patterns to Risk Stratification of Thyroid Nodules

Rather than focusing on cancer risks associated with individual sonographic features, pattern recognition relies on the simultaneous presence of several features in a thyroid nodule that together will either increase or decrease suspicion for malignancy. Since 2009, several groups from individual institutions have proposed pattern classification systems, all termed Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS). Currently, three main versions of TIRADS exist, with some differences in pattern nomenclature and classification, and the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) Guidelines have recently presented an alternative pattern recognition based upon an atlas of images as has the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. These systems are promising because of the more robust reproducibility in nodule classification compared to identification of individual features. However, their clinical utility for risk of malignancy assessment depends upon both validation in other populations and, importantly, incorporating them into FNA decision-making in the broader context of the individual patient.
RESISTANCE OF A SYSTEMATIC SERIES OF SEMIPLANING TRANSOM-STERN HULLS

The results of a systematic series of small (5 ft) models of hulls typical of coastal patrol, training, or recreational powerboats are presented and discussed. Hull form parameters studied include length-to-beam ratio, displacement-length ratio, longitudinal position of the center of gravity and section shape (hard chine or round bilge). The effects of these parameters on the calm-water resistance and running attitude (sinkage and trim) over a range of speeds corresponding to waterline length Froude numbers from 0.10 to 0.60 were investigated. Experimental procedures and computer-based data acquisition and analysis methods are described. The experimental results as well as the cross-faired and nondimensionalized stillwater resistance trends are presented. Comparisons with other resistance prediction methods for hulls of the subject type are made. An example of the application of the resistance prediction to a new 108-ft yard patrol craft is included.
Induction of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species by a novel STAT3 inhibitor triggers apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant of all the gliomas, with no effective treatments. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a key role in GBM tumor growth, apoptosis inhibition, and chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Thus, targeting STAT3 in GBM appears to be promising. Our previous studies identified phospho-valproic acid (P-V), as a new STAT3 inhibitor that possesses significant anticancer efficacy in GBM models. However P-V's exact mechanism of action remains elusive. The objective of this work was to determine the mechanism on how P-V induced apoptosis in human GBM cells, particularly focusing on the effect of P-V on mitochondria. Using human GBM cell lines (LN18, U87, and U118), we explored the effects of P-V on apoptosis, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential. P-V reduced p-STAT3 levels in GBM cells, leading to a lower levels of STAT3 in the mitochondria. P-V treatment selectively increased the levels of superoxide anion in mitochondria, led to a collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential and triggered apoptosis. P-V treatment caused GBM apoptotic cell death within 24 h, as evidenced by PARP cleavage and caspase 9 activation. In conclusion, our results indicate that P-V targets the mitochondria and induces mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis.
A Case for Relaxation Methods in Large Scale Linear Programming

Abstract ln this work we investigate the thesis that relaxation methods in large scale linear programming may be computationally preferable to the revised simplex procedure with product form inversion. We conclude that, indeed, relaxation methods are desirable and should be investigated with particular emphasis on solving large scale optimization problems. We suggest some areas for future research. As an aside to the main thrust of the paper, we note that value iterative methods for solving certain large Markov decision processes appear to be computationally more attractive than linear programming procedures.
Abstract 60: Hypoxia Preserves the Quiescent Lineage Negative Phenotype of Cardiac Stem Cells Within the Niche

In stem cell-regulated organs, a subset of niches is characterized by low oxygen tension. This metabolic adaptation offers a selective advantage to stem cells favoring the preservation of their quiescent undifferentiated phenotype. The objective of this work was to determine whether in the mouse heart cardiac niches constitute a heterogeneous compartment composed of hypoxic and normoxic niches, and whether differences in O 2 concentration affect the function of c-kit-positive cardiac stem cells (CSCs).To test this possibility, we studied first the in vivo uptake of the hypoxic marker pimonidazole (PIMO), which identifies intracellular O 2 concentration 2 . With respect to cells cultured in normoxia, 1% O 2 led to upregulation of HIF1α in hCSCs which also showed lower levels of BrdU incorporation. These cellular responses were accompanied by an increase in transcripts for the stemness genes c-kit, Oct4, Nanog and Sox2, and a decrease in mRNA for myocyte and vascular genes. Apoptosis, measured by TdT labeling, did not differ in normoxic and hypoxic hCSCs. In conclusion, our data indicate that hypoxic and normoxic niches coexist in the myocardium, and that intracellular hypoxia regulates the quiescent primitive CSC phenotype.
Reaction dynamics: The view from a transition state.

Ejecting electrons from negative ions using light can create structures that very closely resemble the transition states of bimolecular reactions. Now, using this technique, trapped quantum states, or 'resonances', have been observed in a seven-atom reaction, and theory has been shown to be up to the task of capturing such complex phenomena.
Comparing dermoscopy and histological examination of normal equine skin.

Background – Dermoscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic technique that allows visualization of structures of the superficial dermis not visible with the naked eye. Hypothesis/Objectives – To assess the usefulness and applicability of dermoscopy for evaluation of healthy equine skin. Animals – Twelve healthy horses from a research herd. Methods – Five regions (cheek, lateral neck, dorsum, flank and abdomen) were examined with contact dermoscopy using both nonpolarized and polarized light at both 17‐fold and 24‐fold magnification. These findings were compared to histological features of skin biopsies cut both longitudinally and transversely. Results – Using a hand‐held dermatoscope with nonpolarized light, epidermal ridges were observed. Using polarized light, follicular openings and distinctly separate epidermal openings of sweat gland ducts were observed in some but not all individuals. Similarities were noted between histological and dermoscopic results. Conclusions – Although not ideal for visualizing many structures in the superficial dermis of healthy equine skin, dermoscopy allowed visualization of epidermal ridges, hair shafts in the infundibular portion of the hair follicles and sweat gland duct openings. Dermoscopy could potentially be useful in the evaluation of diseases affecting the sweat glands, epidermis and hair shaft.
Synthesis of Fault-Tolerant Distributed Router Configurations

Operators of modern networks require support for diverse and complex end-to-end policies, such as, middlebox traversals, isolation, and traffic engineering. While Software-defined Networking (SDN) provides centralized custom routing functionality in networks to realize these policies, many networks still deploy "legacy" control planes running distributed routing protocols like OSPF and BGP because these protocols are scalable and robust to failures. However, realization of policies by distributed control plane configurations is manual and error-prone. We present Zeppelin, a system for automatically generating policy-compliant control planes that also behave well under majority of small network failures. Zeppelin differs from existing approaches in that it uses policy-compliant paths to guide the synthesis process instead of directly generating policy-compliant configurations. We show that Zeppelin synthesizes highly resilient and policy-compliant configurations for real topologies with up to 80 routers.
Significance of studies of the avian brain from three perspectives

The avian brain has been one of the most popular subjects in neuroscience. Recent developments and findings related to avian studies from three different fields are described and their significance is discussed. These topics are: 1) paleontological discoveries indicating that birds are the successors of dinosaurs; 2) neuroanatomical findings indicating that there is a general pattern of information processing in the avian brain; and 3) an evolution hypothesis suggesting that the avian brain has neurons corresponding to those of the mammalian neocortex.
Voice games: investigation into the use of non-speech voice input for making computer games more accessible

We conducted a quantitative experiment to determine the performance characteristics of non-speech vocalization for discrete input generation in comparison to existing speech and keyboard input methods. The results from the study validated our hypothesis that non-speech voice input can offer significantly faster discrete input compared to a speech-based input method by as much as 50%. Based on this and other promising results from the study, we built a prototype system called the Voice Game Controller that augments traditional speech-based input methods with non-speech voice input methods to make computer games originally designed for the keyboard and mouse playable using voice only. Our preliminary evaluation of the prototype indicates that the Voice Game Controller greatly expands the scope of computer games that can be played hands-free using just voice, to include games that were difficult or impractical to play using previous speech-based methods.
Cost impact of the transitional care model for hospitalized cognitively impaired older adults.

AIM The goal of this study was to compare postacute care costs of three care management interventions. MATERIALS & METHODS A total of 202 hospitalized older adults with cognitive impairment received either Augmented Standard Care, Resource Nurse Care or the Transitional Care Model. The Lin method was used to estimate costs at 30 and 180 days postindex hospital discharge. RESULTS The Transitional Care Model had significantly lower costs than the Augmented Standard Care group at both 30 (p < 0.001) and 180 days (p = 0.03) and significantly lower costs than Resource Nurse Care at 30 days (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that the Transitional Care Model can reduce both the amount of other postacute care and the total cost of care compared with alternative services for cognitively impaired older adults. Clinicaltrials.gov : NCT00294307.
Initial Survey of Microplastics in Bottom Sediments from United States Waterways

Given the reported extent of microplastics in the aquatic environment, environmentally relevant exposure information for sediments dredged by the US Army Corps of Engineers will lend context to the risks posed by this contaminant during dredging. We measured the occurrence, abundance, and polymer composition of microplastics in sediments collected from nine dredged waterways and two non-dredged reference areas. The number of particles in sediment samples ranged from 162 to 6110 particles/kg dry wt., with a mean of 1636 particles/kg dry wt. Fragments were the most prevalent shape observed among the 11 study sites (100% frequency of occurrence), followed by fibers (81%), spheres (75%), foams (38%) and films (34%). Based on analyses of chemical composition of the particles using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, polyethylene:propylene was the most common polymer type observed. Consistent with results presented by other investigators, microplastic concentrations and polymer types in bottom sediments in this study were also aligned with the most widely used plastics worldwide.
Experimental Psychology and the Generosity of the Spirit

The first part of this article argues that David Brown and Gavin Hopps’ most recent book, The Extravagance of Music, makes a significant contribution to the theological scholarship on music. At the...
Trends on Predictive Control Schemes for Impedance Source Converters

This paper presents the recent trends on application of model predictive control (MPC) schemes for impedance source converters. Impedance source inverters is a class of dc/ac inverters, known as z-source/quasi-z-source (ZSI/qZSI), which can freely step up/down the source voltage. This characteristics of ZSI/qZSI make them a potential solution as a power electronic interface for grid interactive photovoltaic sources. The downside of the ZSI/qZSI is the requirement of the complex control schemes and modulation strategies to take full advantage of their features at the grid-edge. Predictive control schemes are well-suited for multi-objective control problems without requirement of modulation stage, and as a result MPC can be leveraged to take full advantages of ZSI/qZSI in reliable, robust, and simple manner. The recent uptick number of published research articles on MPC schemes for ZSI/qZSI is a solid evidence for this paradigm. This paper provides an existing survey of MPC approaches for ZSI and qZSI operating in grid-connected and islanded modes of operation. Finally, the research roadmap on this paradigm will be provided.
The relationship between fluid biomarkers and clinical outcomes in sports-related concussions: a systematic review.

The literature on fluid biomarkers for concussion has primarily focused on comparing athletes with and without a diagnosis of concussion and on examining the relationship between fluid biomarkers a...
Disease as a Politics of the Human

In Chapters 2 and 3, I demonstrated how the positions of the two major actors in the South African HIV conflict were seemingly polarised. The Treatment Action Campaign’s (TAC’s) position focused on the patent wrongs of the government position and turned to science to provide the answers to South Africa’s growing epidemic. By contrast, Mbeki and his supporters endorsed an AIDS dissident account that emphasised the role of poverty and other so-called social factors in shaping the disease in Africa. Drawing attention to the material effects of the debate’s presumed polarisation and to the shared ground it belied, the preceding chapters explored the performative role of binary oppositions — e.g. science/pseudo-science, biology/society, science/politics, agents/victims — in making the disease and its subjects. This chapter continues the deconstructive work of the book by examining another key phenomenon bound up with the politics of HIV in South Africa, the ‘human’. It explores the debate’s mobilisation of the human/nonhuman binary in terms of how it makes the disease of HIV and its ‘human’ subjects. Extending the argument made in previous chapters that the government’s and TAC’s positions were not as starkly split as most reports suggest, I identify another important commonality in their statements on HIV, namely their reliance on a Western liberal humanist conception of the human. I begin by exploring the Mbeki government’s resistance to the perceived dehumanisation of Africans in orthodox scientific discourses on HIV and its efforts to include Africans in the liberal humanist category of the human.
Machine Learning, Compression, and Image Quality

The current drive toward incorporating machine learning (ML) models within automated closed-loop workflows renews existing issues for image quality prediction; specifically, maintaining the operator-in-the-loop's trust in system operation. This paper reviews methods to assess information content in the reconstruction process to maintain trust in closed-loop workflows. We structure commonly used ML architectures in the form of Autoencoders. Auotencoders are commonly studied for image compression and reconstruction. For manual exploitation, the interpretability of an image indicates the potential intelligence value of the data. Historically, the National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (NIIRS) has been the standard for quantifying the intelligence potential based on image analysis by human observers. Empirical studies have demonstrated that spatial resolution is the dominant predictor of the NIIRS level of an image and that compression to 1 bit per pixel can maintain that NIIRS level. However, with modern ML that digests images rather than extracted features, what is the corresponding size of the latent space required to maintain the NIIRS levels? To those ends, we will operate on moderate size images, 480x480 pixels, to provide realistic generalizable estimates over those experiments against similar sprite size (< 100x100 pixels) images.
Inactivation of RNase P in Escherichia coli significantly changes post-transcriptional RNA metabolism

Ribonuclease P (RNase P), which is required for the 5'-end maturation of tRNAs in every organism, has been shown to play a limited role in other aspects of RNA metabolism in Escherichia coli. Using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), we demonstrate that RNase P inactivation affects the abundances of ~46% of the expressed transcripts in E. coli and provide evidence that its essential function is its ability to generate pre-tRNAs from polycistronic tRNA transcripts. The RNA-seq results agreed with the published data and northern blot analyses of 75/83 transcripts (mRNAs, sRNAs, and tRNAs). Changes in transcript abundances in the RNase P mutant also correlated with changes in their half-lives. Inactivating the stringent response did not alter the rnpA49 phenotype. Most notably, increases in the transcript abundances were observed for all genes in the cysteine regulons, multiple toxin-antitoxin modules, and sigma S-controlled genes. Surprisingly, poly(A) polymerase (PAP I) modulated the abundances of ~10% of the transcripts affected by RNase P. A comparison of the transcriptomes of RNase P, RNase E, and RNase III mutants suggests that they affect distinct substrates. Together, our work strongly indicates that RNase P is a major player in all aspects of post-transcriptional RNA metabolism in E. coli.
β1-receptor polymorphisms and junctional ectopic tachycardia in children after cardiac surgery.

Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) is a potentially life-threatening postoperative arrhythmia in children with specific congenital heart defects and can contribute significantly to postoperative morbidity for at-risk populations. In adults, β1-adrenergic receptor (ADRB1) and β2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) genotypes have been associated with increased risk for arrhythmias. However, their association with arrhythmia risk in children is unknown. We aimed to test associations between ADRB1 and ADRB2 genotypes and postoperative JET in patients with congenital heart defects. Children who underwent cardiac surgery were genotyped for the ADRB1 p.Ser49Gly (rs1801252; c.145A>G), p.Arg389Gly (rs1801253; c.1165C>G), ADRB2 p.Arg16Gly (rs1042713; c.46A>G), and p.Glu27Gln (rs1042714; c.79G>C) polymorphisms. The occurrence of postoperative JET was assessed via cardiologist-interpreted electrocardiograms. Genotype associations with JET were analyzed via logistic regression, adjusted for clinical variables associated with JET, with separate analysis in patients not on a β-blocker. Of the 343 children included (median age 8 months, 53% boys, 69% European ancestry), 45 (13%) developed JET. The Arg389Arg genotype was not significantly associated with JET in the overall population (odds ratio [OR] = 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.96-4.03, p = 0.064), but was nominally associated in patients not taking a β-blocker (n = 324, OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.05-4.80. p = 0.034). None of the other variants were associated with JET. These data suggest that the ADRB1 Arg389Arg genotype may predict risk for JET following cardiac surgery in pediatric patients in the absence of β-blockade. Whether treatment with a β-blocker ameliorates this association requires further research.
The Patient Experience

Patient experience is one of the most important aspects of health care. Your clinical acumen is important, but the impression you leave on your patients is equally important. Therefore it is essential to get feedback from patients and take steps to address this feedback. Several vendors are available who can streamline the process, but they may come at a steep price.
Development and Validation of Machine Learning Models for the Prediction of Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury in Children

Abstract Background : Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) is a rare finding in trauma patients. The previously validated BCVI (Denver and Memphis) prediction model in adult patients was shown to be inadequate as a screening option in injured children. We sought to improve the detection of BCVI by developing a prediction model specific to the pediatric population. Methods : The National Trauma Databank (NTDB) was queried from 2007 to 2015. Test and training datasets of the total number of patients (885,100) with complete ICD data were used to build a random forest model predicting BCVI. All ICD features not used to define BCVI (2268) were included within the random forest model, a machine learning method. A random forest model of 1000 decision trees trying 7 variables at each node was applied to training data (50% of the dataset, 442,600 patients) and validated with test data in the remaining 50% of the dataset. In addition, Denver and Memphis model variables were re-validated and compared to our new model. Results : A total of 885,100 pediatric patients were identified in the NTDB to have experienced blunt pediatric trauma, with 1,998 (0.2%) having a diagnosis of BCVI. Skull fractures (OR 1.004, 95% CI 1.003-1.004), extremity fractures (OR 1.001, 95% 1.0006-1.002), and vertebral injuries (OR 1.004, 95% CI 1.003-1.004) were associated with increased risk for BCVI. The BCVI prediction model identified 94.4% of BCVI patients and 76.1% of non-BCVI patients within the NTDB. This study identified ICD9/ICD10 codes with strong association to BCVI. The Denver and Memphis criteria were re-applied to NTDB data to compare validity and only correctly identified 13.4% of total BCVI patients and 99.1% of non BCVI patients. Conclusion : The prediction model developed in this study is able to better identify pediatric patients who should be screened with further imaging to identify BCVI.
Algebraic methods in randomness and pseudorandomness

Algebra and randomness come together rather nicely in computation. A central example of this relationship in action is the Schwartz-Zippel lemma and its application to the fast randomized checking of polynomial identities. In this thesis, we further this relationship in two ways: (1) by compiling new algebraic techniques that are of potential computational interest, and (2) demonstrating the relevance of these techniques by making progress on several questions in randomness and pseudorandomness. The technical ingredients we introduce include: (1) Multiplicity-enhanced versions of the Schwartz-Zippel lemma and the "polynomial method", extending their applicability to "higher-degree" polynomials. (2) Conditions for polynomials to have an unusually small number of roots. (3) Conditions for polynomials to have an unusually structured set of roots, e.g., containing a large linear space. Our applications include: (1) Explicit constructions of randomness extractors with logarithmic seed and vanishing "entropy loss". (2) Limit laws for first-order logic augmented with the parity quantifier on random graphs (extending the classical 0-1 law). (3) Explicit dispersers for affine sources of imperfect randomness with sublinear entropy. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Intracellular Forms of Adenovirus Deoxyribonucleic Acid I. Evidence for a Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Protein Complex in Baby Hamster Kidney Cells Infected with Adenovirus Type 12

Abstract The total intracellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from baby hamster kidney cells abortively infected with 3H-adenovirus type 12 was analyzed in dye-buoyant density gradients. Between 10 and 20% of the cell-associated radioactivity derived from viral DNA bands in a density position which is 0.043 to 0.085 g/cm3 higher than that of viral DNA extracted from purified virions. The DNA in the high-density region (HP-fraction) is almost completely absent when DNA, ribonucleic acid (RNA) or protein synthesis is chemically inhibited in separate experiments. The HP-fraction is not found when the virus does not adsorb to and enter the cell. The DNA in the HP-fraction appears as early as 2 hr after inoculation. At 2 hr after infection, the HP-fraction is present both in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. This DNA hybridizes exclusively with viral DNA and sediments at approximately the same rate in both neutral and alkaline sucrose density gradients. Electron microscopy has revealed no circular DNA molecules in this fraction. Evidence indicates that the viral DNA in the HP-fraction exists in a complex with protein and possibly RNA. The protein component of the complex is resistant to enzymatic digestion, whereas the complex is susceptible to ribonuclease treatment. Digestion with deoxyribonuclease reduces the amount of DNA found in the HP-fraction. The structure and biological function of this complex are currently being investigated.
Polyvocality and the Personae of Blackness in Early Nineteenth-Century Slavery Discourse: The Counter Memorial against African Colonization, 1816

The American Colonization Society emerged at a time when some Americans believed that a “moderate” solution to the problem of slavery could be achieved by removing free blacks to Africa. Upon announcing its formation in 1816, the society received a public rejoinder: the Counter Memorial against African Colonization. This essay explores multiple interpretations of the Counter Memorial to demonstrate the instability of colonizationists’ moderate rhetorical position. More specifically, this essay argues that the Counter Memorial suspends colonization within the uneasy and unresolved tensions manifested by competing depictions of blackness, or black personae, in American public discourse at the time.