cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antiepileptic drug intervention decouples electroencephalogram (EEG) signals: A case study in Unverricht-Lundborg Disease

Change in severity of myoclonus as an outcome measure of antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment in patients with Unverricht-Lundborg Disease (ULD) has been estimated by utilizing the Unified Myoclonus Rating Scale (UMRS). In this study, we measure treatment effects through EEG analysis using mutual information approach to quantify interdenpence/coupling strength among different electrode sites. Mutual information is known to have the ability to capture linear and non-linear dependencies between EEG time series with superior performance over the traditional linear measures. One subject with ULD participated in this study and 1-hour EEG recordings were acquired before and after treatment of AED. Our results indicate that the mutual information is significantly lower after taking the add-on AED for four weeks at least. This finding could lead to a new insight for developing a new outcome measure for patient with ULD, when UMRS could potentially fail to detect a significant difference.
Parameterizations for the Absorption of Solar Radiation by O2 and CO2 with Application to Climate Studies

Simple and accurate parameterizations have been developed for computing the absorption of solar radiation due to O2 and CO2. The parameterizations are based on the findings that temperature has a minimal effect on the absorption and that the one-parameter scaling can be applied to take into account the effect of pressure variation along a path. Overlapping of the absorption due to CO2 and water vapor is treated accurately in the parameterizations. Simulations with a zonally averaged multilayer energy balance model show that the absorption of solar radiation due to O2 and CO2 has a small, albeit nonnegligible, effect on climate. The global surface solar radiation is reduced by 2.2 W/sq m, and the warming of the surface temperature due to a doubled CO2 concentration is reduced by 10 percent in the Northern Hemisphere.
Electronic conductivity measurement of yttria-stabilized zirconia solid electrolytes by a transient technique

Abstract A new oxygen permeation technique is developed to measure the electronic conductivity of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). The permeation cell is a YSZ disc with an embedded Pt probe and a cavity at the center. Two porous platinum electrodes are applied on the disc surfaces. By applying a small DC bias (0.03 V) across one surface electrode and the embedded probe, oxygen is pumped into the YSZ disc and stored in the cavity. In steady state, a stable Nernst potential is developed between the cavity and the outer surfaces. The Nernst voltage is very close to the applied voltage since YSZ is essentially an ionic conductor. When the DC bias is removed, oxygen permeates out of the cavity leading to a decay of the Nernst potential. Electronic conductivity of YSZ corresponding to the ambient oxygen pressure (∼0.21 atm) is determined by analyzing the time dependence of the decay of Nernst potential. The measured electronic conductivity is in good agreement with values reported in the literature.
CKD as a Model for Improving Chronic Disease Care through Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records have the potential to improve the care of patients with chronic medical conditions. CKD provides a unique opportunity to show this potential: the disease is common in the United States, there is significant room to improve CKD detection and management, CKD and its related conditions are defined primarily by objective laboratory data, CKD care requires collaboration by a diverse team of health care professionals, and improved access to CKD-related data would enable identification of a group of patients at high risk for multiple adverse outcomes. However, to realize the potential for improvement in CKD-related care, electronic health records will need to provide optimal functionality for providers and patients and interoperability across multiple health care settings. The goal of the National Kidney Disease Education Program Health Information Technology Working Group is to enable and support the widespread interoperability of data related to kidney health among health care software applications to optimize CKD detection and management. Over the course of the last 2 years, group members met to identify general strategies for using electronic health records to improve care for patients with CKD. This paper discusses these strategies and provides general goals for appropriate incorporation of CKD-related data into electronic health records and corresponding design features that may facilitate (1) optimal care of individual patients with CKD through improved access to clinical information and decision support, (2) clinical quality improvement through enhanced population management capabilities, (3) CKD surveillance to improve public health through wider availability of population-level CKD data, and (4) research to improve CKD management practices through efficiencies in study recruitment and data collection. Although these strategies may be most effectively applied in the setting of CKD, because it is primarily defined by laboratory abnormalities and therefore, an ideal computable electronic health record phenotype, they may also apply to other chronic diseases.
Principles of Embolization

Catheter-directed embolization is one of the fundamental image-guided therapies that have helped define the specialty of interventional radiology. Modern embolization techniques can be combined with a variety of drugs, radiation, genes, and other biologic agents and delivered to virtually any desired target site for therapy. The successful interventional oncologist must be familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of the various embolic agents and materials available in clinical practice.
Promoting physical activity among women using wearable technology and online social connectivity: a feasibility study

Wearable physical activity (PA) tracking technology, which has the capacity to connect users’ PA data to online social networks, could address the need for cost-effective, scalable PA programs for women. It is not yet clear how to use wearable devices to maximize the effectiveness of evidence-based PA promotion techniques. There also is need to examine time-sensitive, within-person relationships between aspects of social networking and PA progress. The present study tested the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an online PA program that employed wearable technology, an associated social network, and the assignment of program partners. Sedentary women (n = 20, MAge = 50, MBMI = 30.9 kg/m2) used wearable devices and attended one face-to-face session that introduced evidence-based PA promotion skills (e.g. goal setting). The remainder of the six-week program emphasized online communication with PA partners and other group members. Participants completed online surveys about their social contact...
Studies on agranulocytosis. III. The reduced glutathione (GSH) content of leukocytes of normals and patients recovered from agranulocytosis.

leukopenia which result from vitamin B-12 and folic acid deficiency has been associate(l with diminished GSH values in erythrocytes.4 The unusually high incidence of agranulocvtosis induced by chlorpromazine among the mentally ill, is probably a function of the large dosage of drug administered these patients.a However, the GSH index of erythrocytes of persons with psychosis was found to he lower than that observed in normals.6 A similar abnormality in leukocytes from mentally ill patients could possibly correlate with the peculiar sensitivity of this group to agranulocytosis. In view of these observations, it seemed desirable to investigate the problem of susceptibility to agranulocytosis in terms of sulfhvdryl metabolism of leukocytes. Previous studies from this laboratory7 failed to demonstrate a block in influx of sulfur#{176} labeled L-cystine and L-methionine into leukocytes of persons susceptible to agranulocytosis in vitro and in vivo, even when chal
Rationalizing the use of functionalized poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles for dendritic cell-based targeted anticancer therapy.

Background: Delivery of PLGA (poly [D, L-lactide-co-glycolide])-based biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) to antigen presenting cells, particularly dendritic cells, has potential for cancer immunotherapy. Materials & methods: Using a PLGA NP vaccine construct CpG-NP-Tag (CpG-ODN-coated tumor antigen [Tag] encapsulating NP) prepared using solvent evaporation technique we tested the efficacy of ex vivo and in vivo use of this construct as a feasible platform for immune-based therapy. Results: CpG-NP-Tag NPs were avidly endocytosed and localized in the endosomal compartment of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Bone marrow-derived dendritic cells exposed to CpG-NP-Tag NPs exhibited an increased maturation (higher CD80/86 expression) and activation status (enhanced IL-12 secretion levels). In vivo results demonstrated attenuation of tumor growth and angiogenesis as well as induction of potent cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses. Conclusion: Collectively, results validate dendritic cells stimulatory response to C...
Integrative subcellular proteomic analysis allows accurate prediction of human disease-causing genes

Proteomic profiling on subcellular fractions provides invaluable information regarding both protein abundance and subcellular localization. When integrated with other data sets, it can greatly enhance our ability to predict gene function genome-wide. In this study, we performed a comprehensive proteomic analysis on the light-sensing compartment of photoreceptors called the outer segment (OS). By comparing with the protein profile obtained from the retina tissue depleted of OS, an enrichment score for each protein is calculated to quantify protein subcellular localization, and 84% accuracy is achieved compared with experimental data. By integrating the protein OS enrichment score, the protein abundance, and the retina transcriptome, the probability of a gene playing an essential function in photoreceptor cells is derived with high specificity and sensitivity. As a result, a list of genes that will likely result in human retinal disease when mutated was identified and validated by previous literature and/or animal model studies. Therefore, this new methodology demonstrates the synergy of combining subcellular fractionation proteomics with other omics data sets and is generally applicable to other tissues and diseases.
Müller-Weiss Syndrome: Radiological Features and the Role of Weightbearing Computed Tomography Scan.

Muller-Weiss disease (MWD) is a rare condition that results in dorsolateral collapse of the navicular associated with rotation of the talar head and subtalar varus deformity. There are also varying degrees of midfoot collapse and associated loss of the medial arch in more advanced cases. The characteristic deformities and classification have been described on weightbearing radiographs. While early stage disease can be detected on magnetic resonance imaging and bone scan, there are considerable advantages to computed tomography (CT) scanning, in particular, weightbearing CT for further evaluation of this condition. We describe the imaging findings of this condition, and present 3 cases where weightbearing CT was used in the context of MWD. This is the first time the use of weightbearing CT scan has been reported for diagnosis and treatment of this condition.Levels of Evidence: Diagnostic, Level IV: Case series
Search for the Decay η-->π 0 +e + +e -

A search has been made for the decay $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}+{e}^{+}+{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, which should be very rare if $C$ is conserved in strong and electromagnetic interactions. We have found no events consistent with this decay in a sample of $\ensuremath{\eta}$ produced in the reaction ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\Lambda}+\ensuremath{\eta}$. The upper limit for this decay, at the 90% confidence level, is $R=\frac{(\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}+{e}^{+}+{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})}{(\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\gamma}+\ensuremath{\gamma})}l0.047$.
Membrane-associated Nucleotide Sugar Reactions I. PROPERTIES OF THE FIRST ENZYME OF O ANTIGEN SYNTHESIS

Abstract Galactose-diphosphoglycosyl carrier lipid (galactose-PP-GCL) synthetase, a membrane-associated enzyme, catalyzes the first reaction in the biosynthesis of the O antigen of Salmonella typhimurium LT2. The enzyme transfers galactose-1-P from UDP-galactose to phosphoglycosyl carrier lipid (P-GCL) to form GCL-PP-Gal, a lipid-extractable product. Nucleotide exchange, specific for UDP-galactose and UMP, is a sensitive assay for this activity. With isolated active membrane preparations, the extent of the exchange reaction depends on the concentrations of UDP-galactose and UMP rather than the concentration of available endogenous P-GCL. The exchange reaction follows pseudo-first order kinetics, with an apparent Km for UDP-galactose of 2.5 x 10-5 m. The presence of MgCl2 is required for optimal activity. The association of GCL-PP-Gal synthetase and the cell membrane is disrupted by some methods of mechanical cell breakage, and fully active enzyme is released into supernatant fractions of the cell. No activity was detected in the supernatant when lysozyme-EDTA spheroplasts were fractionated. One of the enzymes of cell wall synthesis, phosphoN-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide translocase, remains membrane-associated regardless of the method of cell breakage. The translocase was shown to be localized on the cytoplasmic membrane using resolved membrane preparations of mechanically broken cells. This method of membrane resolution gave equivocal results for the localization of GCL-PP-Gal synthetase because of the release of a large part of the enzyme activity during cell breakage.
Analysis of Parboiled Rice Development in China

Parboiled rice has many merits,such as high value of nutrition,good quality,and easy for storage.This paper analyzes the condition of international parboiled rice market,the main dominances,potentiality and restricts of parboiled rice industry in China.As a conclusion,the paper points out that,China should stabilize the grain production,reduce the annual fluctuation;build up material base of parboiled rice industry,which depending on key agriculture enterprise,and heighten the level of parboiled rice process.
[ON THERAPY-RESISTANT EPILEPTICS].

Die Vergleichsuntersuchung an 170 therapieresistenten und 200 nicht therapieresistenten Anstaltsepileptikern ergibt, das bei der erhohten Krampfbereitschaft therapieresistenter Patienten ein statistisch nicht sicher zu erfassender hereditarer Faktor mitbeteiligt ist.
Learning Through Group Work in the College Classroom: Evaluating the Evidence from an Instructional Goal Perspective

Early conceptions of group work seemed easy to understand and intuitively appealing to faculty as well as relatively simple to implement. As use in the classroom and research on the process continued, ideas about learning from group work became more and more complex. In this chapter, we describe the research on instructional innovations related to group work, not from the perspective of their underlying theory, but organized by the goals that instructors are trying to reach. In particular, we structure this chapter around some fairly universal instructional goals for the postsecondary classroom: knowledge acquisition, knowledge application, knowledge creation, and disciplinary discourse acquisition.
Leigh Syndrome and Cytochrome Oxidase

Mitochondrial enzymes were studied in 5 unrelated children with neuropathologically proven subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy (Leigh syndrome) at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York.
Confronting injustice beyond borders: Palestinian identity and nonviolent resistance

ABSTRACT“Where is the Palestinian Gandhi?” is a question often asked in relation to the nature of Palestinian resistance. The question reflects a lack of accurate knowledge about Palestinian society and history, as well as a misrepresentation of the forms in which Palestinian resistance has taken place over the past few decades. Throughout their struggle for independence, Palestinians have predominantly adopted nonviolent forms of resistance. Focusing on the determinants of Palestinian support for nonviolent resistance against Israeli occupation two decades after the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, this paper lays out the historical context of nonviolence in the Palestinian political landscape. Through the use of survey data this study provides an alternative theoretical conceptualization of Palestinian popular resistance, and community resilience. The findings of this empirical study highlight the impact of self-reported identities on support for nonviolent tactics in resisting Israeli occupation.
Obtaining the solid-liquid interfacial free energy via multi-scheme thermodynamic integration: Ag-ethylene glycol interfaces

The solid-liquid interfacial free energy γsl is an important quantity in wetting, nucleation, and crystal growth. Although various methods have been developed to calculate γsl with atomic-scale simulations, such calculations still remain challenging for multi-component interfaces between molecular fluids and solids. We present a multi-scheme thermodynamic integration method that is inspired by the "cleaving-wall" method and aimed at obtaining γsl for such systems using open-source simulation packages. This method advances two aspects of its predecessor methods. First, we incorporate separate schemes to resolve difficulties when manipulating periodic boundary conditions of the supercell using open-source simulation packages. Second, we introduce a numerical approximation to obtain thermodynamic integrands for complex force fields when an analytical differentiation is not readily available. To demonstrate this method, we obtain γsl for interfaces between Ag(100) and Ag(111) and ethylene glycol (EG). These interfacial free energies mirror interfacial potential energies for each facet. We also estimate entropies of interface formation and these are consistent with theoretical predictions in signs and trends. For the Ag-EG systems, we find that the largest contribution to γsl is the free energy to create the bare metal surfaces. The second-largest contribution to γsl is from the liquid-solid interaction. This user-friendly method will accelerate investigation in a broad range of research topics, such as the thermodynamic effect of structure-directing agents in solution-phase shape-controlled nanocrystal syntheses.
Evidence for alpha-particle chain configurations in 24Mg

Abstract We have studied the strongly angular-momentum mismatched inelastic scattering reaction 12 C( 12 C, 12 C(0 2 + )) 12 C( 2 + ), using highly segmented silicon strip-detectors. A large enhancement is observed in the scattering cross section near a center-of-mass energy of 32.5 MeV, with dominant angular momenta near L=14–16 h , which could be associated with highly-deformed alpha-particle cluster configurations in 24 Mg.
Profile of Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart, and Bernard L. Feringa, 2016 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry.

Mankind has long been fascinated by the discovery and invention of new technologies and gadgetry. Often times this fascination is borne out of necessity, but in many other cases, the sometimes lifelong pursuit is that of pure intellectual curiosity. The beginning of the 19th century revealed as much when Alessandro Volta reported (1) the first electrical battery—now referred to as a Voltaic cell—using stacks of copper and zinc plates separated by a sulfuric acid electrolyte. This discovery of a constant electrical energy source later led to Hans Christian Oersted’s observation of electromagnetic fields in 1820 (2), Michael Faraday’s vertical conducting wire orbiting around a magnet in 1821 (3), and eventually Joseph Henry’s report (4), in 1831, of a small rocker actuated by reciprocating magnetic attraction and repulsion, the latter of which is considered by many to be the first electric motor. At that time, it was not clear what application Henry’s invention might fulfill, and even he admits in his manuscript to the editor that, “…the article, in its present state, can only be considered a philosophical toy…” (4). Little did Henry know at the time that his discovery would later lead to the development of more advanced electrical motors that are capable of doing work at then unfathomable scales, and ultimately would result many years later in the development of complex machinery in the form of assembly lines, elevators, and modern-day all-electric motor vehicles, to name only a few. The 2016 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry (Nobelprize.org) (Fig. 1)—namely, Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart, and Bernard L. Feringa—may be likened to that of Volta, Oersted, Faraday, and Henry in terms of how they initiated completely new areas of research, for which they have been honored with this year’s Nobel Prize, specifically for their seminal contributions to “the design and … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: jcbarnes{at}wustl.edu or chadnano{at}northwestern.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Relay-Enabled Hybrid Wireless and Powerline Communication Access Network for Smart Power Grid

As the main approach to realize intelligent electric distribution, the power line communication (PLC) technology still faces the problem of topology complexity in this field. In this article, a Hybrid Wireless–PLC-Based Relay Scheme in Access Network is proposed for smart power grid, which combines advantages of both PLC and wireless technologies to solve the problem of topology complexity. Experimental results showed that this mechanism with routing approach had better performance.
Molecular heterogeneity of localized prostate cancer: more different than alike

Over the past decade alone, advances in medical and scientific technology have exponentially increased the volume of data available to clinicians. At the forefront of this movement is next-generation sequencing (NGS), which has allowed for molecular analysis of the entire human genome in a matter of hours (1). The application of NGS to prostate cancer (PCa) has undoubtedly revolutionized our understanding of the disease and holds great promise for improving diagnostic and prognostic accuracy (2). Indeed, previous authors have described genetic changes associated with unique molecular subtypes of PCa and have demonstrated that underlying genetic signatures better predicted clinical outcomes compared to traditional factors such as tumor stage, PSA level, and Gleason score (3,4).
Compensating for Limitations in Speech-Based Natural Language Processing with Multimodal Interfaces in UAV Operation

Natural language interfaces are becoming more ubiquitous. By allowing for more natural communication, reducing the complexity of interacting with machines, and enabling non-expert users, these interfaces have found homes in numerous common products. However, these natural language interfaces still have great room for growth and development in order to better reflect human speech patterns. Intuitive speech communication is often accompanied by gestural information that is currently lacking from most speech interfaces. Exclusion of gestural data reduces a machine’s ability to interpret deictic information and understand some semantic intent. To allow for truly intuitive communication between humans and machines, a natural language interface must understand not only speech but also gestural data. This paper will outline the limitations and restrictions of some of the most popular and common speech-only natural language processing algorithms and systems in use today. Focus will be given to extra-linguistic communication aspects, including gestural information. Current research trends will then be presented that have been designed to compensate for these gaps by incorporating extra-linguistic information. The success of each of these trends will then be evaluated, as well as the hopefulness of continued investigative efforts. Additionally, a model multimodal interface will be presented that incorporates language and gesture data in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of such an interface. The gestural portion of this interface is included to compensate for some of the limitations of speech-only natural language interfaces. Combining these two types of natural language interfaces thereby works to reduce the limitations of natural language interfaces and increase their success. This presentation will discuss how the two interfaces work together and will specify how the speech interface limitations are addressed through the inclusion of a gestural system.
Biolayer interferometry predicts ELISA performance of monoclonal antibody pairs for Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2

Predicting antibody pair performance in a sandwich format streamlines development of antibody-based diagnostics and laboratory research tools, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and lateral flow immunoassays (LFAs). We have evaluated panels of monoclonal antibodies against the malarial parasite biomarker Plasmodium falciparum histidine rich protein 2 (HRP2), including 9 new monoclonal antibodies, using biolayer interferometry (BLI) and screened antibody pairs in a checkerboard ELISA. This study showed BLI predicts antibody pair ELISA performance for HRP2. Pairs that included capture antibodies with low off-rate constants and detection antibodies with high on-rate constants performed best in an ELISA format.
Hard-Core Leisure: A Conceptualization

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this research reflection is to describe a slice of serious leisure that we call hard-core leisure, which we define as a form of serious leisure that involves extraordinary commitment that is directed toward an “authentic” style of social world activity. Using examples from birdwatching, Civil War reenacting, and climbing, we explain how hard-core participants separate themselves from other participants in terms of what they believe are superior styles of participation and unusual degrees of effort, perseverance, and conduct. Too often, serious participants in any given leisure activity are seen as homogeneous in their attitudes and behavior. The concept of hard-core leisure makes problematic this assumption by bringing to light an extreme form of leisure participation.
Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes Among Older Women with HIV.

Abstract Objectives: To inform the development of HIV care strategies for older women with HIV infection, an understudied group, we compared the psychosocial, behavioral, and clinical characteristics of HIV-positive women aged ≥50 (older women) with those aged 18–49 (younger women). Methods: We examined factors among HIV-positive women in care using data from the 2009 through 2013 cycles of a nationally representative sample of HIV-positive adults in care (Medical Monitoring Project). We compared psychosocial, clinical, and behavioral factors among women aged ≥50 years at interview versus those aged <50 years. We calculated weighted frequency estimates and performed logistic regression to compute adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the comparison of characteristics among women aged ≥50 versus <50 years. Results: Of 22,145 participants, 6186 were women; 40.7% (CI 39.1–42.3) were ≥50 years, and 32.7% of older women reported being sexually active. Compared with women <50 y...
Survival outcome of ampullary and duodenal adenocarcinomas.

e14579 Background: Adenocarcinomas of the duodenum are divided into two locations: ampullary (AMP) and duodenal (DA). AMP represents 2% of all gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies and commonly present with tumor related obstruction of the common bile duct. DA is rare, and constitutes 0.4% of GI but 45% of small bowel malignancies. The literature regarding treatment and outcome of DA and AMP is very limited. The objective of this project is to evaluate the outcome for these cancers. Methods: After IRB approval, AMP and DA patients were identified from Emory University database. A chart review from July 1995 to July 2012 was conducted. Data was collected for demographic characteristics, pathology, treatment and survival.Survival rates were estimated by Kaplan Meier method and compared with Log-rank test. A Cox proportional hazard model was fitted to estimate the adjusted effect of AMP versus DA on overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 162 patients with AMP (94) and DA (68) were identified. Median age at ...
Online Serum PFOA Calculator for Adults.

Summary: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a persistent environmental contaminant that has been detected in >100 public water systems in the United States alone. A variety of epidemiological investi...
Computer Utilization in the Undergraduate Course of Business Statistics

(1974). Computer Utilization in the Undergraduate Course of Business Statistics. The Journal of Data Education: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 23-24.
Meeting the Demands of Science Reforms: A Comprehensive Professional Development for Practicing Middle School Teachers

Preparing teachers to teach science consistent with current reforms in science education is a daunting enterprise given a lack of high-quality science professional development (PD) adaptable across various contexts (Wilson 2013). This study examines the impact of a comprehensive professional development program on middle school teachers’ disciplinary content knowledge and instructional practices. In this mixed methods investigation, data sources included classroom observations, content knowledge assessments, surveys, and a range of interviews. The teachers in the program showed significant improvements in their disciplinary content knowledge and demonstrated through their enactment of a reform-based curriculum, a range of ability levels to translate their knowledge into instructional practices consistent with the principles espoused in the PD. We conclude that programs that attend to elements of effective PD identified in the literature can positively impact middle school science teachers’ enactment of reform-based science teaching. Our findings extend these elements to include the strategic engagement of school and district leadership and the provision of a safe learning space for teachers to collectively engage in reciprocal learning and critical practice. This study has worldwide implications for designing PD for science teachers and for extending our understanding of the impact of each element.
Early adolescent brain markers of late adolescent academic functioning

Academic performance in adolescence strongly influences adult prospects. Intelligence quotient (IQ) has historically been considered a strong predictor of academic performance. Less objectively explored have been morphometric features. We analyzed brain MRI morphometry metrics in early adolescence (age 12-14 years) as quantitative predictors of academic performance over high school using a naive Bayesian classifier approach with n = 170 subjects. Based on the mean GPA, subjects were divided into high (GPA ≥3.54; n = 87) and low (GPA <3.54; n = 83) academic performers. Covariance analysis was performed to look at the influence of subject demographics. We examined predictive features from the 343 available regions (surface areas, cortical thickness, and subcortical volumes) and applied 4 algorithms for selection and reduction of attributes using Weka. Cortical thickness measures performed better than surface areas or subcortical volumes as predictors of academic performance. We identified 15 cortical thickness regions most predictive of academic performance, three of which have not been described in the literature predictive of academic performance. These were in the left hemisphere fusiform, bilateral insula, and left hemisphere paracentral regions. Prediction had a sensitivity of 0.65 and specificity of 0.73 with independent validation. Follow-up independent t-test analyses between high and low academic achievers on 10 of 15 regions showed between-group significance at the p < 0.05 level. High achievers demonstrated thicker cortices than low achievers. These newly identified regions may help pinpoint new targets for further study in understanding the developing adolescent brain in the classroom setting.
Identification of diffusion coefficient in nonhomogeneous landscapes

Diffusion models have been found in various applications in the study of spatial population dynamics for modeling the species dispersal process in natural environments. Diffusion coefficient is a critical parameter in diffusion equations. In this paper, a new method for estimating the diffusion coefficient of insects is presented in terms of occupancy time and the method can produce any desired accuracy. The study of modeling biological organism movement behaviors in a nonhomogeneous landscape is critical in investigating the interplay between environmental heterogeneity and organism movements. By constructing a set of eigenvalues, we can characterize the insect biased movement when insect crosses the intersection of two different type of landscape elements. Some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the theoretical outcomes obtained in the paper.
Knowledge Management and Strategic Self-Sustainability: A Human Systems Perspective

The Bata Zlin is an example of orienting a city not about a cathedral, not about a city hall, not about the main square or a tourist center, but about the business and university core. Business provides jobs, university produces knowledge and a city becomes competitive. Nothing more is needed; all the rest is implied and will take care of itself. Jobs will be supplied, knowledge produced to attract more business – and therefore more jobs – and there will be plenty of cathedrals, tourist attractions, cultural centers and even less of municipal halls. In this chapter we describe Bata Zlin and similar knowledge and digital cities. Then we attempt to create a methodology for transforming cities and regions into job-producing knowledge and innovation enterprises. Jobs and knowledge assure life, make a city come alive, make a city a living organism. A modern city is an enterprise. To this end we present tools and definitions related to entrepreneurial university, knowledge, innovation, quality, added value and strategy – all the building blocks of a modern knowledge and innovation city.
The Clinical Use of Frozen Cadaveric Allografts in the Management of Bone Tumors: An Overview

The use of frozen cadaveric allografts has had a long but somewhat checkered history in orthopaedic oncology and traces its roots, at least in the modern world, to a report by MacEwen [15] in the latter part of the nineteenth century. In the earliest part of the current century, following a brief flurry of excitement associated with the reports of Lexer [12,13], only sporadic reports appeared in the literature. A major breakthrough occurred in the 1960s when Herndon, Chase, Curtiss, and coworkers [3, 10] demonstrated that the immune response associated with alloimplantation of even dead bone could be significantly reduced by freezing the graft. Within a short period of time, large series of cases were performed by Volkoff in the USSR [23], Ottolenghi in Argentina [19] and Parrish in the USA [20]. These initial studies, especially the long-term followup data presented by Parrish [21], supported the concept that alloimplantation had a place in tumor surgery and under certain selected circumstances could serve as the principal method of replacing a resected bony part.
Two Heads are Better than One: Using Conceptual Mapping to Analyze Proverb Meaning

There has always been an interest in how to interpret metaphorical proverbs. Recent research in cognitive science can be utilized to effectively diagram proverb meaning, especially defining the base meaning and evaluating the proverb meaning as incorporated into a larger context such as a story (i.e. blended meaning). In this article Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner’s model of conceptual blending (Fauconnier 2002) is applied and expanded to describe the process of metaphorical proverb meaning. The proverb under consideration serves as the conclusion to a Kazakh folktale. Through narrative analysis of the folktale the spaces of the proverb map can be filled in, and the base and blended meaning elucidated. Finally, there is a discussion of relevance as the process of incorporating cultural inferences which complete the meaning of the proverb both as base meaning and as blended meaning.
Taking the Distance Out of Learning for Students Through a Virtual World

With everyone’s busy schedules, more and more people are opting to study via distance education as off-campus students. This enables them to continue working and keep involved in their community and family activities without relocating. What does distance education mean to students? Traditionally it was receiving materials via the post, completing assignments, posting them back for marking and then doing an exam at the end of the semester. Nowadays, distance learning encompasses a variety of online tools received via a Learning Management System that houses them. Students now participate in discussion boards, chat rooms, blogs and group work in wikis. They listen to podcasts and view videos or presentations of the course materials. However, students are still feeling the isolation of studying by themselves. Students do not want to have to participate in residential schools, but they do want to get to know fellow students and their educator. Students who have opted to undertake their studies using the virtual world of Second Life have found many of their concerns disappear. They are able to participate from any location worldwide, from their own home, but, at the same time, get a sense of “being there”. Students feel it is like face-to-face lectures and have become good friends with their peers. Off-campus students now have the opportunity to undertake their studies “virtually on campus” without physically attending. Second Life enables distance students to study synchronously or asynchronously whilst gaining the benefits that on-campus students experience without changing their lifestyles to do so. Studying through a virtual world takes the distance out of their learning.
Forensic Psychological Assessment in Immigration Court: A Guidebook for Evidence-Based and Ethical Practice by Barton F. Evans III, Giselle A. Hass

This is Mari Amos's book review of Forensic Psychological Assessment in Immigration Court: A Guidebook for Evidence-Based and Ethical Practice.
Bariatric Surgery Is a Safe and Effective Option for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Case Series and Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background Questions remain regarding both the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including the effects of bariatric surgery on the course of disease. We report a case series from a tertiary care IBD referral center and review the existing literature regarding the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in IBD patients. Objectives Examine the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in IBD patients. Explore possible effects of weight loss on postoperative IBD course. Method We performed a retrospective review of patients at our center undergoing bariatric surgery with a concurrent IBD diagnosis, collecting baseline characteristics, surgery type, and postoperative course (including IBD outcomes and weight loss). Data from these patients were combined with available data from the existing literature to calculate standardized means with standard error, variance, and confidence intervals (CI). Results Data from 13 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery at our facility were combined with data from 8 other studies to create a study population of 101 patients. Of these, 61 had Crohn's disease, 37 ulcerative colitis, and 3 IBD-unspecified, with a mean preoperative BMI of 44.2 (95% CI 42.9-45.7). Following surgery, a mean excess weight loss of 68.4% was demonstrated (95% CI, 65.7-71.2). Of the 101 patients, 22 experienced early and 20 experienced late postoperative complications. Postoperatively, 10 patients experienced a flare of IBD, 20 remained in remission, and 7 patients were able to discontinue immunosuppressive therapy. Conclusions Based on available studies, bariatric surgery appears to be both an effective and safe option for weight loss in patients with IBD.
One-pot, three-component, sequential Michael-Michael-ring-closure reactions. Annulation of meta-dicarboxylated aromatic rings. Total synthesis of juncunol

The preparative value of one-pot, multicomponent, sequential Michael-Michael-ring-closure reactions followed by aromatization is illustrated in two ways: (1) by a multi-gram example, and (2) by a total synthesis of juncunol, an unusual vinyldihydrophenanthrene.
Maria Boa: Women, Prostitution, and the Queer Subject in Northeastern Brazil

Known as "Maria Boa," the renowned cabare owner and sex worker of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Maria de Oliveira Barros emerges in many local cultural productions. This article follows her navigation and negotiation of a complex nexus of race, class, gender, and sexual relations in the mid-twentieth century Brazilian Northeast. I utilize three examples—a contemporary cordel poem, the space of the Cabare Maria Boa, and a quadrilha dance performance—to explore how queerness is expressed through traditional, rural culture that has also traveled to cities with migration. I argue that Maria Boa serves a prism for understanding articulations of queerness in the region. Her intersectional identity negotiation is at once traditional and subversive and her story paradigmatic of the complexities of queer identity in the Brazilian Northeast.
Recommendation Rates for Physical Therapy, Lifestyle Counseling, and Pain Medications for Managing Knee Osteoarthritis in Ambulatory Care Settings: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the National Ambulatory Care Survey (2007-2015).

OBJECTIVE To describe and compare triennial rates of physicians' recommendations for physical therapy (PT), lifestyle counseling, and pain medication for knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to identify patient, physician, and practice factors associated with each treatment recommendation. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis examining data between 2007 and 2015 from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Visits to orthopedists and primary care physicians for knee OA were identified and assessed for the following: PT referral, lifestyle counseling, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) prescriptions, and narcotics prescriptions. Triennial rates for each treatment were calculated. We examined associations between patient (e.g., race, insurance), physician, and practice factors (e.g., ownership, location) and treatments prescribed using multivariate logistic regression that accounted for complex sampling design. RESULTS A total of 2,297 physician visits related to knee OA (~67 [±4] million weighted visits) were identified. For visits to orthopedists, PT and lifestyle recommendation rates declined (158 to 88 of 1,000 visits and 184 to 86 of 1,000 visits, respectively), while NSAID and narcotics prescriptions increased (132 to 278 of 1,000 visits and 77 to 236 of 1,000 visits, respectively) over time (P < 0.05). For visits to primary care physicians, there were no significant changes in rates of PT, lifestyle counseling, and narcotics prescriptions over time, while NSAIDs prescriptions increased (221 to 498 of 1,000 visits; P < 0.05). Treatment recommendations were associated with nonclinical factors, including practice type, location, and type of provider. CONCLUSION In patients with knee OA, PT and lifestyle counseling seem underutilized, while pain medication prescriptions increased during the investigated timeframe. Variation in treatment choices were associated with nonclinical factors. Future research is necessary to examine ways to improve PT and lifestyle utilization and reduce variation in care for knee OA.
[Investigation of a case of foreign imported falciparum malaria in Xilin County, Baise City].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of an imported falciparum malaria patient in Xilin County, Baise City, so as to provide the reference for improving the diagnosis and treatment of falciparum malaria patients in the future. METHODS The epidemiological and clinical data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS The patient had lived in Africa where the malaria was epidemic. The disease attacked him after his coming back home from abroad. The blood test for Plasmodium falciparum was positive. In Xilin County, no local Plasmodium infection was found from 2004 to 2016, and therefore, we concluded that this case was overseas imported. CONCLUSIONS The monitoring of overseas returnees in Xilin County should be strengthened to timely diagnose and treat the imported cases of malaria.
Negotiation Of Meaning In Communicative Tasks

The adoption of task-based teaching in Indonesia classrooms has not been widely accepted for two major grounds. First, teachers seem to cast some doubts as to what degree such an approach can contribute to their students’ language development. Second, classroom management issues, such as discipline and noise become another challenge to cope with. While these issues deserve serious attention, teachers’ unwillingness to venture the use of tasks seems to put their awareness of the learning process at stake. It is through task-based teaching, students’ language development can be nurtured. This study is an attempt to probe the benefits of using two types of communicative tasks: picture comparison and picture drawing. The study involving two female Taiwanese native speakers learning English found that the interactional mechanisms created through a task and, negotiation of meaning provided a potentially rich forum for students’ language development. There are at least two prime elements accounting for this benefit. First, the type of direct indicators employed by the student creates linguistic urgency fostering the limit of their language capacity, and the use of embedded negotiation of meaning promotes students’ active involvement. Second, one way communicative tasks, to some degree, can yield greater opportunities for students to negotiate, thus enriching acquisition. Keywords : negotiation of meaning, communicative tasks.
Mitochondrial, metagenomic, and phylogenetic analysis of the ground beetle Harpalus pensylvanicus (Coleoptera: Carabidae).

Abstract Harpalus pensylvanicus (Coloptera: Carabidae) is a weed seed predator common throughout the United States. While Carabidae is a very large group of beetles, limited genomic resources exist, especially mitochondrial genomes. This study expands research in this area by assembling and annotating the complete mitochondrial genome of H. pensylvanicus and performs phylogenetic analyses with closely related species. Further use of the metagenomic data was made to characterize microbial taxa and clusters of orthologous groups of proteins. The complete mitochondrial genome is 16,434 bp in length, AT rich, and consist of 13 protein coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and a control region. Phylogenetic analyses were congruent with the Harpalinae and Pterostichinae clade together. Microbial classification shows a predominance of Gamma- (37.77%) and Alpha-proteobacteria (33.97%).