cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two Tyrosine Residues on the α Subunit Are Crucial for Benzodiazepine Binding and Allosteric Modulation of γ-Aminobutyric Acid A Receptors

Benzodiazepines (BZs) exert their therapeutic effects in the mammalian central nervous system at least in part by modulating the activation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-activated chloride channels. To gain further insight into the mechanism of action of BZs on GABA receptors, we have been investigating structural determinants required for the actions of the BZ diazepam (dzp) on recombinant α1β2γ2 GABAA receptors. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to introduce point mutations into the α1 and γ2 GABAAreceptor subunits. Wild-type and mutant GABAA receptors were then expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes or human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells and studied using two-electrode voltage-clamp and ligand-binding techniques. With this approach, we identified two tyrosine residues on the α1 subunit (Tyr159 and Tyr209) that when mutated to serine, dramatically impaired modulation by dzp. The Y209S substitution resulted in a >7-fold increase in the EC50 for dzp, and the Y159S substitution nearly abolished dzp-mediated potentiation. Both of these mutations abolished binding of the high affinity BZ receptor antagonist [3H]Ro 15–1788 to GABAA receptors expressed in HEK 293 cells. These tyrosine residues correspond to two tyrosines of the β2 subunit (Tyr157 and Tyr205) previously postulated to form part of the GABA-binding site. Mutation of the corresponding tyrosine residues on the γ2 subunit produced only a slight increase in the EC50 for dzp (∼2-fold) with no significant effect on the binding affinity of [3H]Ro 15–1788. These data suggest that Tyr159 and Tyr209 of the α1 subunit may be components of the BZ-binding site on α1β2γ2 GABAA receptors.
Parkinsonism after a wasp sting

A 49-year-old man had mild parkinsonism after being stung by a wasp, a member of the Hymenoptera order. His clinical course was stable for 6 months after which his condition rapidly progressed to a severe akinetic-rigid syndrome with evidence, on a magnetic resonance imaging brain scan, of marked destruction of the basal ganglia. The symptoms did not respond to standard antiparkinsonian medications. Repeated courses of plasmapheresis followed by monthly intravenous infusions of immunoglobulin and long-term administration of azathioprine halted and appeared to partially reverse his deterioration. The literature on the neurologic, particularly the extrapyramidal, manifestations of stings by insects of the Hymenoptera order is reviewed and the possible pathophysiological mechanisms of injury are discussed. Hymenoptera stings should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute and chronic extrapyramidal syndromes.
A platform for evolving controllers for simulated drawing robots

We investigate the problem of evolving controllers for simulated drawing robots. We describe the primitive assembly language that we designed to use for the genome for a drawing robot in order to facilitate controller evolution, as well as the corresponding structure and execution of the decision tree phenotype it supports. Our controllers are modeled after controllers that have been evolved for video games such as Mario Bros. We present some preliminary examples of evolved controller robot drawings.
Driving under the influence (DUI) among U.S. ethnic groups

Objective: To report nationwide survey data on driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs (DUI) among U.S. ethnic groups. Methods: Data come from a probability sample of 39,250 adults 18 years of age and older interviewed by the U.S. National Household Survey on Drug Abuse in 2000. Interviews averaging 1 h in length were conducted in respondents’ homes by trained interviewers. The survey response rate was 74%. Results: Self-reported rates of DUI were highest among White men (22%), Native American/Native Alaskan men (20.8%) and men of Mixed race (22.5%). Twelve-month arrest rates for DUI were highest among men of Mixed race (5%) and Native American/Native Alaskan men (3.2%). Drinkers who DUI are more likely to be men (regardless of ethnicity), not married, consume more alcohol, and be alcohol dependent than drinkers who do not engage in alcohol-impaired driving. However, important ethnic specific predictors are also identified across the different ethnic groups.
In vitro modulation of protein kinase CK2‐mediated phosphorylation of the neuronal growth‐associated protein B‐50 (GAP‐43)

The presynaptic protein B-50 (GAP-43) is a protein kinase CK2 (CK2) substrate phosphorylated in vitro in a polylysine-dependent manner. Polylysine was compared to other basic compounds to further define characteristics of this phosphorylation. Total histone stimulated CK2 to a similar extent, but at higher concentrations than did polylysine, while spermine was without effect. Histone H2A accounted for the stimulatory effect of the mixed histone. Correlation between CK2 activity and the length of polylysine was observed. Polylysine-dependent B-50 phosphorylation was observed with both recombinant human CK2 and purified rat brain CK2. Serine/threonine phosphorylation occurred on the fragment, B-501–132, and serine phosphorylation on B-50133–226. Phosphorylation of B-50 by CK2 was inhibited by actin and calmodulin. These results suggest that local interactions between CK2, basic proteins and/or actin at the neuronal membrane and calmodulin binding may determine the phosphorylated state of B-50 at CK2 sites.
PCR with the fluorogenic DNA stain SYBR® Green I

SYBR® Green I is a sensitive stain for DNA in agarose gels (Ref. [1] ). Its enormous increase in fluorescence upon binding to double-stranded DNA has led to its use in monitoring the accumulation of product during PCR (Ref. 2 , 3 ). However, SYBR Green I inhibits unmodified PCR reactions. In this article, I show that using smaller amounts of SYBR Green I and supplementing the MgCl2 in the reaction relieves this inhibition. In addition, PCR products labeled with SYBR Green I can be easily detected in the reaction tube with a fluorescence plate reader or in unstained agarose gels after electrophoresis.
Infection of Cells with Varicella-Zoster Virus Down-Regulates Surface Expression of Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex Antigens

In vitro assays indicate that both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes are important for recognition of varicella-zoster virus (VZV)-infected cells. This study demonstrates that infection of human fibroblasts with wild-type or recombinant-derived strain Oka VZV results in down-regulation of surface expression of class I MHC heavy chains. Radioactive labeling of infected cells indicated that the amount of newly synthesized class I antigen was similar in uninfected and VZV-infected cells. In addition, immunoblotting showed that the amount of total cellular class I MHC heavy chains was unaffected by VZV infection. These results suggest that the reduction of class I heavy chains on the surface of VZV-infected cells is due to a defect in posttranslational processing. The down-regulation of class I MHC antigens in VZV-infected cells may provide a mechanism for the virus to escape the host immune response.
Special issue introduction: Sub-Saharan Africa’s agri-food system in transition

Purpose – The papers in this special issue measure the pace of change and the employment consequences of rapid ongoing transformation of Sub-Saharan Africa’s agri-food system. After quantitatively assessing the pace of change in consumer diets, a succession of papers examines the resulting change in public health, employment structure, job skill requirements and the educational challenges facing agricultural education and training (AET) institutions charged with preparing African youth with workforce skill required to succeed in the continent’s rapidly changing, rapidly growing agri-food system. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Changes in consumer demand and workforce skill needs emerge from a quantitative projection model using Living Standards Measurement Studies in half a dozen countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. Based on surveys of employers, graduates and staff at AET institutions in a range of 14 different countries, the analyses evaluate the workforce skil...
Generalized Composite Theories

The connections between the n-point spatial correlations and the effective properties are reviewed in this chapter using a well-established framework for composite theories. In this approach, these important connections are expressed as a series. Furthermore, this framework also introduces naturally the concept of a polarization tensor that serves the opposite purpose of homogenization in that it aims to describe how an imposed quantity at the high length scale is spatially distributed at the lower length scale.
Ocular Trauma and Glaucoma

Blunt or penetrating ocular trauma can result in an elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). This elevation in IOP can cause early or late glaucoma, depending on the nature of the injury. Although glaucoma associated with trauma is a multifactorial disease process, the main underlying feature is reduced aqueous humor outflow through the trabecular meshwork channels.
Coccidioidomycosis in infants: A retrospective case series

Summary Introduction In contrast to adults, coccidioidomycosis is a rare disease in infants and the mechanisms of disease acquisition are not well described in infants. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in infants in an endemic area. Methods We performed a retrospective observational study of all patients less than 12 months of age admitted to a tertiary free standing children's hospital from 2003–2012 diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis. Results Thirteen infants were hospitalized during the study period. The majority of the patients presented with upper and/or lower respiratory tract infection. The most common presenting symptoms included fever (77%), cough (61%), and respiratory distress (38%). Disseminated disease, included pericardial effusion, neck abscess, and lesions in the cerebellum, basal ganglia and left temporoparietal skull. Fluconazole was the initial, antifungal agent used. Amphotericin B was reserved for significant lung disease and disseminated cases. Failed response to fluconazole and amphotericin B were treated with a combination of voriconazole and caspofungin. Average length of treatment was 4 years. All patients survived to hospital discharge. The majority of the patients had resolution of chest radiograph and coccidiodal complement fixing antibody titers. Discussion Infant coccidioidomycosis has a non-specific presentation and can mimic common infant respiratory illnesses. In endemic areas, coccidioidomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infants with pulmonary symptoms unresponsive to conventional treatment. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Vignette 8 Introducing Dance as a Rhythmic Endurance Game

(1971). Vignette 8 Introducing Dance as a Rhythmic Endurance Game. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 42, No. 8, pp. 34-34.
Enhancements for Improved Topological Entity Identification Performance in Multi-user CAD

ABSTRACTMulti-user CAD allows designers to simultaneously work on a model, allowing designs to be realized at a much faster rate than ever before. In a replicated, simultaneous multi-user CAD system, it is critical that models be consistent between clients. A major component of model consistency is ensuring references to topological objects be the same on all clients in the same part. Previous methods are inefficient for models with a large number of faces and edges. This paper presents enhancements over previous methods which more efficiently identify faces and edges through lazy naming as well as caching and normalizing topological entity data. The implementation and results of these enhancements show significant time savings compared to an eager naming method.
Hepatitis C Virus Screening: A Review of the OraQuick Hepatitis C Virus Rapid Antibody Test.

Objective: To provide a review on the use, percent positive agreement (PPA), percent negative agreement (PNA), and implementation of using the OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test for hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening in community pharmacies in an effort to increase overall HCV screening in target populations. Data Sources: PubMed and Sagepub were searched for the following keywords: hepatitis C virus, rapid diagnostic tests, rapid assay, and rapid HCV assay. Dates searched were from January 2000 to October 2013. Study Selection: All studies including the use of the OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test were included. Data Synthesis: Sensitivity and specificity of this device are compared with several standard laboratory tests for detecting HCV antibodies. In comparing these values with the clinical “standards,” PPA and PNA are more applicable terms to describe whether the OraQuick device is an effective tool for initial screening by pharmacists. The OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test demonstrates high accuracy in p...
Morphological comparisons between two species of Blattella (Dictyoptera : Blattellidae)

Asian, Blattella asahinai Mizukubo, and German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), exhibit behavioral differences but are morphologically similar. Rcently, the Asian cockroach, has been introduced into Florida; it lives indoors and outdoors, is moving northward, and is a potential vector of disease. The German cockroach is cosmopolitan, lives indoors, has been found in food processing firms and warehouses, and is a known vector of disease. It has become a necessity in the food and pest control industry to differentiate between Asian and German cockroaches. A proper method of extermination may be developed by determining the species. The morphological differences in 4 body structures (left mandible, right tegmen, hind-wings, and cerci) that may be used to differentiate the 2 species are presented.
The Research of Cloud Computing and Its Security

Some people think that cloud computing may be the future of computer development and revolutionary change. Also,some people think that cloud computing is the concept speculation in the field of industry,and one of the schemes to gain more business for large host computer in the era of the Internet,and even a new topic created by some companies. In any case,the cloud computing is gradually warming up and quickly becomes a hot topic. Google,Microsoft,Amazon and other IT Giants have built their own cloud computing service systems. At the same time,governments,enterprises and research institutes have adopted cloud computing to address the growing computation and storage problems. Cloud computing is upon us fast. This paper mainly describes the concept of cloud computing and its security.
Experimental Study on DC Partial Discharge of HVDC Filter Capacitors

High voltage direct current(HVDC) filter capacitors may generate partial discharge owing to their original insulation defect or the insulation damages due to corrosion,vibration or damp,etc.Since partial discharge signals contain much information about insulation performance of the HVDC filter capacitor,measuring this information can help to evaluate the insulation property of the HVDC filter capacitor.This study aimed at the establishment of DC partial discharge test system for large capacitors,and conducted DC partial discharge tests to the analog capacitors with different types of defects on the basis of the partial discharge principle.By sampling data from the measuring system and post-processing,the characteristic parameter diagrams of DC partial discharge for different analog capacitors were plotted,and the discharge characteristics caused by different defects were compared.
Accuracy of ICD‐9‐CM Codes by Hospital Characteristics and Stroke Severity: Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program

Background Epidemiological and health services research often use International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐9‐CM) codes to identify patients with clinical conditions in administrative databases. We determined whether there are systematic variations between stroke patient clinical diagnoses and ICD‐9‐CM codes, stratified by hospital characteristics and stroke severity. Methods and Results We used the records of patients discharged from hospitals participating in the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program in 2013. Within this stroke‐enriched cohort, we compared agreement between the attending physician's clinical diagnosis and principal ICD‐9‐CM code and determined whether disagreements varied by hospital characteristics (presence of a stroke unit, stroke team, number of hospital beds, and hospital location). For patients with a documented National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at admission, we assessed whether diagnostic agreement varied by stroke severity. Agreement was generally high (>89%); differences between the physician diagnosis and ICD‐9‐CM codes were primarily attributed to discordance between ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA), and subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage. Agreement was higher for patients in metropolitan hospitals with stroke units, stroke teams, and >200 beds (all P <0.001). Agreement was lowest (60.3%) for rural hospitals with ≤200 beds and without stroke units or teams. Agreement was also lower for milder (94.9%) versus more‐severe (96.4%) ischemic strokes ( P <0.001). Conclusions We identified disagreements in stroke/TIA coding by hospital characteristics and stroke severity, particularly for milder ischemic strokes. Such systematic variations in ICD‐9‐CM coding practices can affect stroke case identification in epidemiological studies and may have implications for hospital‐level quality metrics.
Non-Stinging Aggressive Responses of Worker Honeybees to Hivemates, Intruder Bees and Bees Affected with Chronic Bee Paralysis

SummaryResponses of groups of worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) to bees afflicted with chronic bee paralysis, intruder bees and hivemates were compared. A test bee was introduced into a wooden cage containing 30 workers. The responses of the caged workers to the test bee were monitored for 3 min. This procedure was repeated on 5 afternoons with newly populated cages and 10 fresh test bees of each type for a total of 50 bees with paralysis, 50 intruders and 50 hivemates. Laboratory temperature was maintained at about 24·4°C. The type of response was the same for each class of test bee: (1) antennal investigation followed by (2) attacks which consisted of mild nudging, nibbling and pulling of body hair, and seizing an appendage and pulling. When an attacked bee attempted to escape, attacks appeared to become more severe. Bees with paralysis received a significantly greater response from caged bees than either hivemates or intruders on the basis of number of investigations, seconds until attack, number of at...
Polish ‘Pawns’ between nationalism and neoliberalism in British newspaper coverage of post-European Union enlargement polish immigration

The United Kingdom was one of four countries to open its labor market to Polish workers post-European Union enlargement in 2004. In this study, we analyze the articulation of discourses of neoliber...
Conductance from transmission

Our purpose in this chapter is to describe an approach (often referred to as the Landauer approach) that has proved to be very useful in describing mesoscopic transport. In this approach, the current through a conductor is expressed in terms of the probability that an electron can transmit through it. The earliest application of current formulas of this type was in the calculation of the current-voltage characteristics of tunneling junctions where the transmission probability is usually much less than unity (see J. Frenkel (1930), Phys. Rev., 36, 1604 or W. Ehrenberg and H. Honl (1931), Z. Phys., 68, 289). Landauer [2.1] related the linear response conductance to the transmission probability and drew attention to the subtle questions that arise when we apply this relation to conductors having transmission probabilities close to unity. For example, if we impress a voltage across two contacts to a ballistic conductor (that is, one having a transmission probability of unity) the current is finite indicating that the resistance is not zero. But can a ballistic conductor have any resistance? If not, where does this resistance come from? These questions were clarified by Imry [2.2], enlarging upon earlier notions due to Engquist and Anderson [2.3]. Buttiker extended the approach to describe multi-terminal measurements in magnetic fields and this formulation (generally referred to as the Landauer–Buttiker formalism) has been widely used in the interpretation of mesoscopic experiments.
Circadian variability of the initial Glasgow Coma Scale score in traumatic brain injury patients

Abstract Introduction The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is the primary method of assessing consciousness after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the clinical standard for classifying TBI severity. There is scant literature discerning the influence of circadian rhythms or emergency department (ED) arrival hour on this important clinical tool. Methods Retrospective cohort analysis of adult patients suffering blunt TBI using the National Sample Program of the National Trauma Data Bank, years 2003–2006. ED arrival GCS score was characterized by midday (10 a.m.–4 p.m.) and midnight (12 a.m.–6 a.m.) cohorts (N=24548). Proportions and standard errors are reported for descriptive data. Multivariable regressions using odds ratios (OR), mean differences ( B ), and their associated 95% confidence intervals [CI] were performed to assess associations between ED arrival hour and GCS score. Statistical significance was assessed at p Results Patients were 42.48±0.13-years-old and 69.5% male. GCS score was 12.68±0.13 (77.2% mild, 5.2% moderate, 17.6% severe-TBI). Overall, patients were injured primarily via motor vehicle accidents (52.2%) and falls (24.2%), and 85.7% were admitted to hospital (33.5% ICU). Injury severity score did not differ between day and nighttime admissions. Nighttime admissions associated with decreased systemic comorbidities (p B =−0.29 [−0.40, −0.19]). In patients who did not die in ED or go directly to surgery (N=21862), midnight-hours (multivariable OR 1.73 [1.30–2.31]) associated with increased likelihood of ICU admission; increasing GCS score (per-unit OR 0.82 [0.80–0.83]) associated with decreased odds. Notably, the interaction factor ED GCS score*ED arrival hour independently demonstrated OR 0.96 [0.94–0.98], suggesting that the influence of GCS score on ICU admission odds is less important at night than during the day. Conclusions Nighttime TBI patients present with decreased GCS scores and are admitted to ICU at higher rates, yet have fewer prior comorbidities and similar systemic injuries. The interaction between nighttime hours and decreased GCS score on ICU admissions has important implications for clinical assessment/triage.
Swing Rhythm in Classic Drum Breaks From Hip-Hop’s Breakbeat Canon

Certain recorded drum breaks, i.e., drum patterns played without other instrumentation, have achieved iconic status, largely as a result of being frequently “sampled” in other recordings. Although these highly influential drum breaks (sometimes called breakbeats) have been integral to much of the hip-hop and other music produced in recent decades, there has been little scholarly investigation of their rhythmic features. To that end, this study examined 30 classic drum breaks from the “breakbeat canon,” focusing primarily on sixteenth-note swing (a systematic delay of even-numbered sixteenth-note divisions of the pulse). Such swing was common among the examined drum breaks, though the magnitude of swing was often fairly subtle (median swing ratio = 1.2:1). In contrast to some findings regarding jazz drumming, the magnitude of swing was uncorrelated with tempo, though the ranges of both variables were somewhat constrained. Backbeat delay (a systematic delay of snare drum at even-numbered beats) was found to be frequently present at beat 2, but not at beat 4. Additionally, this study introduces a quantity called “swing density,” defined as the proportion of even-numbered divisions (at the swing level) that contain events. The importance of this quantity to the perceptual effect of swing is discussed.
An interaural-correlation-based approach that accounts for a wide variety of binaural detection data

Interaural cross-correlation-based models of binaural processing have accounted successfully for a wide variety of binaural phenomena, including binaural detection, binaural discrimination, and measures of extents of laterality based on interaural temporal disparities, interaural intensitive disparities, and their combination. This report focuses on quantitative accounts of data obtained from binaural detection experiments published over five decades. Particular emphasis is placed on stimulus contexts for which commonly used correlation-based approaches fail to provide adequate explanations of the data. One such context concerns binaural detection of signals masked by certain noises that are narrow-band and/or interaurally partially correlated. It is shown that a cross-correlation-based model that includes stages of peripheral auditory processing can, when coupled with an appropriate decision variable, account well for a wide variety of classic and recently published binaural detection data including those that have, heretofore, proven to be problematic.
Cystic fibrosis in the era of precision medicine

The treatment of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) has been transformed by the availability of drugs that target the basic chloride defect in the disease. The use of drugs that target specific molecular defects embodies the goals of precision medicine, which incorporate preventive and therapeutic strategies and takes into account differences among individuals. However, the entirety of CF care, from diagnosis to understanding the clinical phenotype and developing a therapeutic strategy, depends on taking into account individual characteristics to achieve optimal outcomes. Future therapies are likely to be even more individualized ushering in a new era of precision medicine.
Cup-to-Disc Ratio Asymmetry in U.S. Adults: Prevalence and Association with Glaucoma in the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Purpose To describe the prevalence of vertical cup-to-disc ratio (vCDR) asymmetry in U.S. adults and assess the utility of vCDR asymmetry in the diagnosis of glaucoma. Design Cross-sectional study. Participants A total of 5359 subjects aged ≥40 years from the 2005–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods Subjects completed retinal photography and had vCDR determined in both eyes, with vCDR asymmetry calculated as the absolute value of the difference between the 2 eyes. Frequency Doubling Technology perimetry was used to assess for visual field (VF) defects. Subjects were categorized as having "disc defined glaucoma" if either disc demonstrated glaucomatous features, and VF data were combined with optic disc grading to determine "disc plus field defined glaucoma." Main Outcome Measures Association between vCDR asymmetry and disc plus field defined glaucoma. Results In U.S. adults without glaucoma, the 50th, 97.5th, and 99.5th percentiles of vCDR asymmetry are 0.05, 0.19, and 0.26, respectively. Vertical cup-to-disc ratio asymmetry ≥0.20 occurs in 2.1% of U.S. adults without glaucoma. The prevalence of vCDR asymmetry ≥0.20 among white, black, and Hispanic adults without glaucoma is 2.4%, 0.7%, and 1.8%, respectively. The odds of vCDR asymmetry ≥0.20 are 1.44 times higher per 10-year increase in age (odds ratio [OR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–1.72; P P Conclusions Vertical cup-to-disc ratio asymmetry is predictive of prevalent glaucoma, but the PPV remains low even at high degrees of asymmetry. Vertical cup-to-disc ratio asymmetry should initiate a more comprehensive glaucoma workup, especially in individuals with additional risk factors, but it is not appropriate as a screening metric for glaucoma.
Evaluation of a Behavioral Self-Care Intervention for Public Health Students.

ABSTRACTBackground: Postgraduate education is recognized as a time of intense stress. Rates of anxiety and depression are elevated among graduate students, and longitudinal studies have documented increases in clinical symptoms over the course of training. Purpose: The current study was to evaluate whether an academically sponsored self-care intervention would increase engagement in health promotion activities. The primary goal was to determine whether self-care behaviors completed in the midst of a challenging academic program would prevent the worsening of student mental health. Methods: The self-care intervention included behavior change projects designed to increase health-promoting behaviors within 4 domains (nutrition, physical activity, mental health, social support). Students received incentives in the way of bonus points for maintaining health behaviors for the duration of the 12-week semester. Results: Results revealed significant increases in health-promoting behaviors. Importantly, mental heal...
SPATIAL POINCARé PLOTS AS DESCRIPTORS OF SPECKLE PATTERN SECOND-ORDER STATISTICS

It is demonstrated herein that the use of spatial Poincare plots provides an efficient means to describe short and long-range correlations in the spatial structure of the measured intensity distribution of scattered coherent fields. The intensity distribution over a row of pixels in single frames of speckle fields with varying speckle sizes was considered. Statistical descriptors from the spatial Poincare plots for these intensity data with variable lags were used to estimate the short and long-term variations in the measured intensities, and from these descriptors, the minimum speckle size in the speckle patterns was estimated. This approach yielded similar results for speckle size estimates as the more standard method of calculating the power spectral density of the intensity pattern and simultaneously provided information on the relative contributions of short-term and long-term variations in the measured intensity to the spatial structure of the scattered fields.
A young girl with severe cerebral fungal infection due to card 9 deficiency

Abstract Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), receptors of the innate immune system, are important in interaction with pathogens. Caspase Recruitment Domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9), a member of PRRs, is an intracellular adaptor protein important in fungal defense. CARD9 deficiency causes a rare primary immunodeficiency (PID) characterized by superficial and deep fungal infections. We report a 17 year-old female with a homozygous nonsense mutation in CARD9, who presented with severe cerebral fungal infection of the central nervous system. She was also found to have an heterozygous NLRP12 mutation, which may have had add-on effect on the severity of the infection.
A Review of Summarizing and Main Idea Interventions for Struggling Readers in Grades 3 through 12: 1978-2016.

This systematic review examines the effects of summarizing and main idea interventions on the reading comprehension outcomes of struggling readers in Grades 3 through 12. A comprehensive search ide...
Lyme periprosthetic joint infection in total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract Lyme arthritis, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, is a common tick-borne illness in New England and the upper Midwest. Most often, the disease affects the knee and has typically been reported as a cause of native joint infection. There has been only 1 case of Lyme periprosthetic joint infection (associated with a total knee arthroplasty) reported in the literature, and to our knowledge, no other reported cases of Lyme periprosthetic joint infections exist. In this article, we report on 2 patients diagnosed with prosthetic joint infections who were subsequently found to have Lyme prosthetic joint infections, with B burgdorferi as the infectious organism. We discuss the medical and surgical management of these patients.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of interpersonal psychotherapy for perinatal women.

Abstract Background Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has demonstrated efficacy for the prevention and treatment of perinatal depression. Previous systematic reviews have not evaluated the effects of IPT on other outcomes, most notably symptoms of anxiety and interpersonal functioning, or assessed moderators of treatment efficacy specific to IPT. Method A systematic review identified 28 studies assessing the efficacy of IPT during pregnancy or the first year postpartum. Random effects meta-analyses assessed the average change in outcomes (depression, anxiety, relationship quality, social adjustment, and social support) from pre- to post-treatment, the difference in the change in outcomes between treatment and comparison conditions, and the difference in prevalence of depressive episodes between treatment and comparison conditions. Study, intervention, and sample characteristics were evaluated as potential moderators of effect sizes. Results In prevention studies, IPT was effective for reducing depressive symptoms and the prevalence of depressive episodes. In treatment studies, IPT reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety and improved relationship quality, social adjustment and social support. Few significant moderators were identified, and results of moderation analyses were inconsistent across outcomes. Limitations There are insufficient studies to evaluate the effects of preventive IPT on anxiety and interpersonal outcomes. Analyses of potential moderators were limited by the number of studies available for subgroup comparisons. Conclusions IPT is an effective preventive intervention for perinatal depression. IPT is clearly effective for treating depressive symptoms and promising as a treatment for anxiety and improving interpersonal functioning. Further research is necessary to assess whether adaptations to IPT enhance its efficacy.
The Berkeley Dry Eye Flow Chart: A fast, functional screening instrument for contact lens-induced dryness.

Author(s): Graham, Andrew D; Lundgrin, Erika L; Lin, Meng C | Abstract: PurposeIn this article, we introduce a novel flow chart-based screening tool for the categorization of contact lens-induced dryness (CLIDE) and its impact on daily visual activities: the Berkeley Dry Eye Flow Chart (DEFC).MethodsOne hundred thirty (130) experienced soft contact lens wearers discontinued lens wear for 24 hrs, passed a baseline screening and eye health examination, completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) then were dispensed fresh pairs of their habitual lenses. After 6 hrs of wear, subjects were administered a battery of symptom questionnaires, and underwent non-invasive tear breakup time (NITBUT) measurement, grading of distortion in reflected topographer mires, grading of lens surface wettability, and a fluorescein examination of the ocular surface. Subjects returned after at least 48 hrs and repeated all assessments after 6 hrs of wear of a second fresh pair of habitual lenses.ResultsThe repeatability of the DEFC between visits was within 1%, and Limits of Agreement and Coefficient of Repeatability were comparable to those of the other CLIDE assessments. Higher DEFC score was significantly related to shorter pre-lens NITBUT, higher OSDI score, and higher Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ratings of average and end-of-day severity and frequency of dryness (all p l 0.001). For CLIDE as diagnosed based on DEFC score, the highest sensitivities and specificities were achieved by the OSDI and VAS ratings; pre-lens NITBUT exhibited good sensitivity but poor specificity. The optimum pre-lens NITBUT diagnostic threshold was found to be ≤ 2.0 sec for debilitating CLIDE, and the OSDI threshold was ≥ 11.4.ConclusionsThe DEFC provides a means of quickly categorizing CLIDE patients based on severity and frequency of symptoms, and on the degree to which symptoms impact daily life. The DEFC has several potential advantages as a CLIDE screening and monitoring tool, has good repeatability, and is significantly related to commonly employed clinical assessments for CLIDE.
Disseminated cerebral toxoplasmosis in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Abstract Infections are one of the most common causes of mortality in immunocompromised patients. In patients diagnosed with hematologic malignancies, treatment with stem cell transplants (SCT) or T-cell suppressing chemotherapy increases the risk of central nervous system (CNS) infections, of which toxoplasmosis is the most common. We report the case of a 63 year-old woman with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that presented with gait instability and visual changes. Intracranial lesions were noted on initial neuro-imaging. A rapid decline in the patient's mental status warranted an urgent biopsy of the lesions that revealed tachyzoites consistent with toxoplasmosis. In the presence of diffuse brain lesions that lack a metastatic pattern or contrast enhancement, a common approach is to perform biopsy only after a battery of non-invasive testing. This diagnostic delay may take several days, exposing the patient to a rapidly fatal infection. This report illustrates the utility of early brain biopsy in high-risk patients with hematologic malignancies and CNS lesions.
Analysis of OpenCL Support for Mobile GPUs on Android

The capabilities of mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, are increasing every year. As each system-on-a-chip (SoC) generation provides better performance while also being more energy efficient compared to its predecessors, running computationally intensive tasks on the device becomes feasible. This enables advanced image filtering, video processing and machine learning applications based on Deep Learning. The dominant platform for mobile devices is Android, running on a hugely diverse set of devices, from low-end feature phone to high-end setop box. OpenCL allows one to harness that compute power with its portable cross-platform API and language. However, while being source portable, the achievable performance is not. The different characteristics of SoCs mean that the application developer needs to take advantage of SoC-specific capabilities to achieve maximum performance. This paper presents an analysis of OpenCL adoption across Android devices that have the Twitter Android app installed. The analysis shows that most of the sampled Android devices support OpenCL but there are differences in terms of OpenCL version support, different architectures and memory models. This analysis enables software developers to make an informed decision about which OpenCL implementations to target in order to provide performance portability across different hardware manufacturers and support the largest amount of devices possible.
A novel contact model of piezoelectric traveling wave rotary ultrasonic motors with the finite volume method.

Abstract The operating principle of the piezoelectric traveling wave rotary ultrasonic motor is based on two energy conversion processes: the generation of the stator traveling wave and the rectification of the stator movement through the stator-rotor contact mechanism. This paper presents a methodology to model in detail the stator-rotor contact interface of these motors. A contact algorithm that couples a model of the stator which is discretized with the finite volume method and an analytical model of the rotor is presented. The outputs of the proposed model are the normal and tangential force distribution produced at the stator-rotor contact interface, contact length, height and shape of the stator traveling wave and rotor speed. The torque-speed characteristic of the USR60 is calculated with the proposed model, and the results of the model are compared versus the real torque-speed of the motor. A good agreement between the proposed model results and the torque-speed characteristic of the USR60 was observed.
Comparison of SQP and AL algorithms for deterministic constrained production optimization of hydrocarbon reservoirs

Abstract Reservoir production optimization involves the determination of well control settings which maximize a pre-defined reservoir production preference such as ultimate oil recovery or net present value (NPV). Honoring the nonlinear constraints, such as producer's water cut and bottom hole pressure (BHP) constraints for rate specified wells, is the most challenging part of the production optimization. This work entails a comparative study of the augmented Lagrangian (AL) and sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithms for constrained reservoir optimization. Both methods have been widely used to solve the nonlinear constrained optimization problems in the numerical optimization community. The optimization of PUNQ reservoir model is considered in order to compare the performance and robustness of the AL and the SQP, where the gradients of the objective function and nonlinear constraints are estimated using the adjoint method. The computational results showed that with properly tuned parameters and good initial points, the AL could yield a slightly higher ultimate NPV in some cases. However, the SQP generally has better performance regarding efficiency, robustness and constraints handling. For example, under the SQP generated optimal well controls, the watercut of each producer would strictly obey the constraint, while the optimal well controls generated by AL would lead some minor valuations. Moreover, an SQP-AL algorithm is also proposed to solve the constrained production optimization problem by applying the AL search direction on the convergence of SQP. The results showed that the SQP-AL algorithm is able to achieve a higher NPV with slightly more iterations compared with the SQP method.
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Methods

This chapter will outline the basic strategies involved in the rehabilitation of persons living with serious mental illnesses. In the past, most mental health professionals believed that symptoms should be ameliorated and long-term stability achieved before rehabilitation could begin. Today, as evidenced by the fact that many persons with serious mental illnesses lead full and productive lives, there is general agreement that rehabilitation should begin as soon as possible. There is also a growing body of evidence that there are many social, vocational, emotional, and psychological benefits to the rehabilitation process.
Building applications for the Android OS mobile platform: a primer and course materials

This paper has two parts: first a brief tutorial on Android OS and then we comment on our experience teaching a first offering of this material. The application in the tutorial is based on a case of reverse geo-coding (transforming a textual address to coordinates and producing its corresponding representation on a map). This example contains components normally included in a typical Android application, and although simple it is not trivial. We argue in favor of adopting a mobile programming experience in the CS curriculum. We believe students will find in Android a rich platform on which a variety of concepts, techniques, and resources can be combined to produce useful and marketable applications (a situation not often found in the CS curriculum). We provide suggestions on laboratory setups and some potential research projects.
One-Dimensional Confinement

Consider the dielectric slab waveguide1 of thickness t illustrated in Fig. 1. The waveguide is assumed to be infinitely thick in the y dimension, therefore, ∂/∂y = 0. For TE modes the longitudinal components of the electric field Ez vanishes. Substitution of Ez = 0 and ∂/∂y = 0 into Equations 67 and 68 of Chapter I relating the transverse and longitudinal components results in the following field equations.
Combining Multiple Connectomes via Canonical Correlation Analysis Improves Predictive Models

Generating models from functional connectivity data that predict behavioral measures holds great clinical potential. While the majority of the literature has focused on using only connectivity data from a single source, there is ample evidence that different cognitive conditions amplify individual differences in functional connectivity in a distinct, complementary manner. In this work, we introduce a computational model, labeled multidimensional Connectome-based Predictive Modeling (mCPM), that combines connectivity matrices collected from different task conditions in order to improve behavioral prediction by using complementary information found in different cognitive tasks. We apply our algorithm to data from the Human Connectome Project and UCLA Consortium for Neuropsychiatric Phenomics (CNP) LA5c Study. Using data from multiple tasks, mCPM generated models that better predicted IQ than models generated from any single task. Our results suggest that prediction of behavior can be improved by including multiple task conditions in computational models, that different tasks provide complementary information for prediction, and that mCPM provides a principled method for modeling such data.
Inversion of Physical Models Using L-Band Airborne SAR Data for Soil Moisture Estimates at Field Scale

L-band capability to monitor soil moisture at field scale (∼100m) is examined using ground and airborne radar data. We report the recent progress in inverting physically-based forward models for radar scattering through time-series retrieval algorithm to systematically correct for the effect of the roughness and vegetation. The retrievals are performed for various vegetation types: pasture, corn, soybean, canola, and shrub over the entire vegetation growth cycles. Various changes to the forward and retrieval algorithm per each species are summarized. Assessed over all available fields of corn, bean, pasture, and wheat, the data-cube time-series inversion has the retrieval rmse of 0.050 to 0.075 m3/m3, and the correlation of 0.5 to 0.9.
Investment-Specific Shocks and Momentum Profits

This paper explores the relationship between investment-specific shocks (i.e., technological innovations in equipment and software), firm investment, and momentum profits. Empirically, momentum profits comove positively with investment-specific shocks with a correlation coefficient of 0.32. An unconditional two-factor model, with investment-specific shocks and market excess returns as the risk factors, explains 90% of the average returns of momentum portfolios. Consistent with investment dynamics, I propose a rational explanation for momentum profits: Past winners are those who had good idiosyncratic productivity in the recent past; they initiate more investment, make greater investment commitments, and hence have a higher risk exposure to investment-specific shocks than past losers. A simple investment-based asset pricing model is developed to elaborate this story, with the key ingredients of investment commitment and investment-specific shocks. The model generates reasonably large momentum profits and investment dynamics of momentum portfolios as in the data.