cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rethinking the benefits and pitfalls of leader–member exchange: A reciprocity versus self-protection perspective

Existing literature assumes employees sharing high-quality relationships with supervisors hold advantageous positions over their peers under the leader–member exchange model. We propose environmental conditions limit the generalizability of this logic. Our framework is based on the idea that certain environments threaten the cycle of resource exchange and reciprocity, a foundational assumption in existing leader–member exchange models. To demonstrate this effect, we integrate social exchange and self-regulation theories to define four generalized environmental conditions we label appetitive alignment, appetitive misalignment, aversive misalignment and aversive alignment. We discuss accompanying propositions including both theoretical and practical implications of a contextualized leader-member exchange model to help future researchers anticipate when the benefits associated with high-quality leader–member relations and the pitfalls of low-quality relationships are attenuated by the environment.
Effects of spike-time dependent plasticity on deep brain stimulation of the basal ganglia for treatment of Parkinson's disease

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the basal ganglia is a widely used and effective treatment for patients with medication-refractory Parkinson's disease (PD). However, tuning the stimulation parameters to maximize therapy while minimizing side effects is performed mostly through a trial and error approach, consuming time and energy of both clinician and patient [1]. As such, there is a need for a systematic, engineering based approach to improve patient outcomes. Current theories of DBS mechanisms propose that DBS suppresses pathological oscillations (15-35 Hz) that dominate the basal ganglia by suppressing information flow [2,3]. However, effects of DBS are not instant, often taking minutes or more before an effect is seen [4]. This time scale suggests DBS may induce a change in network architecture through synaptic plasticity, destabilizing oscillations in the network. Recently, a new approach to DBS called "Coordinated Reset" appears to take advantage of this phenomenon, resulting in therapeutic benefits that last from hours to days [5,6]. We hypothesize that if beta oscillations are indeed responsible for Parkinsonian signs, then the dissipation and return of these oscillations should follow a time course similar to that of the symptoms themselves. We use a computational network model of PD with emergent pathological 34 Hz oscillation developed by Hahn & McIntyre [7] to test the effects of DBS on the basal ganglia, implemented with spike-time dependent plasticity (STDP) as described by Badoual et al. [8]. Preliminary results show that with the introduction of STDP, pathological beta oscillations dissipate over time after the onset of DBS stimulation in computational models. This work suggests that it may be possible to tune stimulation settings to take advantage of long term plasticity effects in DBS to improve patient outcomes.
Metabolic studies in chest trauma

By means of a volumetric respirometer, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were measured in 15 patients with chest trauma who required mechanical ventilation. From the primary measurements, respiratory quotient, daily energy balance, and cumulative energy balance were calculated. There was a moderate increase in metabolic rate, which generally returned to normal during the first week after trauma. A late increase in oxygen consumption was associated with sepsis, large energy deficit, and death in three patients. Carbon dioxide overload caused by excessive feeding caused difficulty in weaning three patients from the ventilator. Measurement of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production is helpful in the management of patients with chest trauma and respiratory failure.
PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FIELD: Air Transportation: An Environmental Paradox

Commercial air transportation has long since lost its luster as the sophisticated, intelligent way to move around the nation or across the globe, yet that reality has little to do with aviation's controversial impact on the environment. Flying has largely deteriorated into an affordable ordeal, made bearable only by the allure of the destination, or the family, friends, and business associates at the other end. Cheap air travel is a paradox that is seemingly becoming more politically incorrect by the day. Its detractors are not lacking for ammunition, and aviation's unique environmental issues only make matters worse.
Analysis of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic situation in Yibin City

Objective To understand the epidemic situation of AIDS in Yibin city. Methods AIDS epidemic data from 1992 to 2013 in Excel were analyzed with the descriptive epidemiological method. Results The total reported numbers of death from human immunodeficiency virus( HIV / AIDS) carriers in this period were 2 236 and 630,respectively. Among which,1 526 had HIV infection and 421 died,710 were AIDS patients and 209 died. The male-to-female ratio was 2. 49: 1.People aged between 20 and 49 constituted the majority,occupying 63. 51%. The prevalence increased year by year for fifty years and older,accounting for 32. 42%. The majority had careers as peasants or housekeepers or were unemployed. There are 2 043 locally registered in the census,which took up 91. 37%. Sexual contact was the main route of AIDS transmission,accounting for 89. 67%. Conclusion The AIDS epidemic situation is on the rise,and is noted for rapid growth by its propagation from the high-risk group to ordinary people. Comprehensive control measures should be implemented to prevent the epidemic from spreading further. Methods,for instance,could include reinforcement on public health education and intervention for the high-risk population,early discovery of infected people,and reduction of mother-to-child transmission.
Brain network changes and memory decline in aging.

One theory of age-related cognitive decline proposes that changes within the default mode network (DMN) of the brain impact the ability to successfully perform cognitive operations. To investigate this theory, we examined functional covariance within brain networks using regional cerebral blood flow data, measured by 15O-water PET, from 99 participants (mean baseline age 68.6 ± 7.5) in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging collected over a 7.4 year period. The sample was divided in tertiles based on longitudinal performance on a verbal recognition memory task administered during scanning, and functional covariance was compared between the upper (improvers) and lower (decliners) tertile groups. The DMN and verbal memory networks (VMN) were then examined during the verbal memory scan condition. For each network, group differences in node-to-network coherence and individual node-to-node covariance relationships were assessed at baseline and in change over time. Compared with improvers, decliners showed differences in node-to-network coherence and in node-to-node relationships in the DMN but not the VMN during verbal memory. These DMN differences reflected greater covariance with better task performance at baseline and both increasing and declining covariance with declining task performance over time for decliners. When examined during the resting state alone, the direction of change in DMN covariance was similar to that seen during task performance, but node-to-node relationships differed from those observed during the task condition. These results suggest that disengagement of DMN components during task performance is not essential for successful cognitive performance as previously proposed. Instead, a proper balance in network processes may be needed to support optimal task performance.
Southern Europe’s Coming Plagues: Vector-Borne Neglected Tropical Diseases

New social and environmental forces, including economic downturns, climate change, and human migrations from the Middle East and North Africa, are merging into a “perfect storm” to promote the widespread emergence of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Southern Europe.
Comparing backstories of a Socially Assistive Robot exercise buddy for adolescent youth

We describe a study that compares two types of backstories, fictional and realistic, of an autonomous Socially Assistive Robot (SAR) exercise buddy in a four-session exercise intervention with overweight adolescents aged 11–14. We find a positive participant response to the robot as an exercise buddy and a trend toward increased intrinsic motivation for physical activity post-intervention. We do not find differences in ratings of the two backstories or between pre- and post-intervention measures of physical activity enjoyment and activity level.
Causal counterfactuals are not interventionist counterfactuals

In this paper I present a limitation to what may be called strictly-interventionistic causal-model semantic theories for subjunctive conditionals. And I offer a line of response to Briggs’ (Philos Stud 160:139–166, 2012) counterexample to Modus Ponens—given within a strictly-interventionistic framework—for the subjunctive conditional. The paper also contains some discussion of backtracking counterfactuals and backtracking interpretations. The limitation inherent to strict interventionism is brought out via a class of counterexamples. A causal-model semantics is strictly interventionistic just in case the procedure it gives for evaluating a subjunctive conditional requires making the values of the variables implicated in the antecedent independent from the values of the parents of these antecedent variables. Most causal-model semantic theories that have gained attention are strictly interventionistic.
Catalytic Conversion of Glucose Micropyrolysis Vapors in Methane—using Isotope Labeling to Reveal Reaction Pathways

Current biomass deoxygenation technologies require large quantities H2. Gaseous hydrogen is not a naturally-occurring raw material and is largely produced industrially via natural gas/methane steam reforming. Due to its high thermodynamic stability, direct use of methane as a hydrogen-donor for deoxygenation of complex oxygenates has not yet been demonstrated. Using catalytic pyrolysis studies performed at 700oC with isotope labeled methane and glucose over Ni, Pt, Mo, and Ga impregnated HZSM-5 (Si/Al ratio 30), here we show that methane, in fact, could be used as a direct hydrogen donor for deoxygenation reactions. The amount of aromatic hydrocarbons produced increased primarily in the presence of Mo (125% increase), and to a lesser degree, Pt (50% increase), and Ni (22% increase) impregnated ZSM-5 catalysts in a methane environment. Based on the metal present, results indicate the occurrence of distinct and concurrent reactions to various degrees: methane (steam) reforming and oxygenate dehydration reaction; independent aromatization of methane and oxygenates; and an intriguing methane oxygenate cross-coupling reaction where both hydrogen and carbon from methane ending up in resultant deoxygenated aromatic products. This technique paves way for the direct use of methane/natural gas for deoxygenation reactions critical to biorefining.
Energy Efficient Algorithms for Real-Time Traffic Over Fading Wireless Channels

This paper studies the problem of using minimum power to provide satisfactory performance for real-time applications over unreliable and fading wireless channels. We demonstrate that this problem can be formulated as a linear programming problem. However, this formulation involves exponentially many constraints, and many parameters are either unavailable or difficult to compute, which makes it infeasible to employ standard techniques to solve the linear programming problem. Instead, we propose a simple online algorithm for this problem. We prove that our algorithm provides satisfactory performance to all real-time applications, and the total power consumption can be made arbitrarily close to the theoretical lower bound. Furthermore, our algorithm has very low complexity and does not require knowledge of many parameters in the linear programming problem, including the distributions of channel qualities. We further extend our algorithm to address systems where real-time applications and non-real-time ones coexist. We demonstrate that our algorithm achieves both low total power consumption and high utility for each non-real-time client while satisfying the performance requirements of real-time clients. Simulation results further provide some insights in setting important parameters of our algorithms, and demonstrate that our algorithm indeed achieves a significant reduction in power consumption.
The Design and Implementation of the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health

Introduction Since 2001, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (HRSA MCHB) has funded and directed the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) and the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN), unique sources of national and state-level data on child health and health care. Between 2012 and 2015, HRSA MCHB redesigned the surveys, combining content into a single survey, and shifting from a periodic interviewer-assisted telephone survey to an annual self-administered web/paper-based survey utilizing an address-based sampling frame. Methods The U.S. Census Bureau fielded the redesigned NSCH using a random sample of addresses drawn from the Census Master Address File, supplemented with a unique administrative flag to identify households most likely to include children. Data were collected June 2016–February 2017 using a multi-mode design, encouraging web-based responses while allowing for paper mail-in responses. A parent/caregiver knowledgeable about the child’s health completed an age-appropriate questionnaire. Experiments on incentives, branding, and contact strategies were conducted. Results Data were released in September 2017. The final sample size was 50,212 children; the overall weighted response rate was 40.7%. Comparison of 2016 estimates to those from previous survey iterations are not appropriate due to sampling and mode changes. Discussion The NSCH remains an invaluable data source for key measures of child health and attendant health care system, family, and community factors. The redesigned survey extended the utility of this resource while seeking a balance between previous strengths and innovations now possible.
Site-Specific Doping of Mn2+ in a CdS-Based Molecular Cluster

The synthesis and characterization of a CdS-based molecular cluster, [Cd10S4(SPh)16]4– (Cd10), with site-specific substitution of Cd2+ with Mn2+ impurities are reported. The formation of the Cd10 cluster from the smaller [Cd4(SPh)10]2– (Cd4) cluster involves a metastable intermediate cluster, [Cd8S(SPh)16]2– (Cd8), that is detected by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). To account for this unexpected intermediate, we propose a complex equilibrium between Cd4, Cd8, and Cd10 exists that we exploit to introduce Mn2+ impurities at both core and surface cation sites of the Cd10 lattice. We demonstrate through two synthetic procedures that differ only in the sequence in which Mn2+ is introduced to the reaction dictates its speciation in the cluster. Introducing dopants at an early stage of the synthesis prevents full conversion of Cd8 to Cd10; however, it yields core doped Cd10 clusters. Addition of Mn2+ ions after the preparation of Cd10 yields only surface doped clusters. The composition of th...
A modified algorithm for the management of ureteral calculi: 100 consecutive cases.

AbstractWe treated 100 consecutive ureteral calculi requiring intervention with a previously described algorithm. There were 16 ureteropelvic junction, and 18 upper, 22 mid and 44 lower ureteral calculi. Treatment was by a stent and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in 10 ureteropelvic junction, 10 upper ureteral and 3 mid ureteral calculi, ureteroscopy and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in 6 upper and 6 mid ureteral calculi, and ureteroscopy alone in 5 ureteropelvic junction, 2 upper and 12 mid ureteral calculi. All 44 lower ureteral calculi were treated successfully by ureteroscopy. Of the 100 patients studied 98 were treated by endourological methods (extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or ureteroscopy), while 2 required an operation (1 with a ureteropelvic junction calculus and 1 with a mid ureteral calculus). Over-all, 100 patients required a total of 125 procedures to accomplish successful stone removal.An algorithm is developed in which lower ureteral calculi are treated by ureteroscop...
Total-Ionizing-Dose Effects on Al/SiO 2 Bimorph Electrothermal Microscanners

Total-ionizing-dose effects on electrothermal micro- scanners are investigated using 10-keV X-rays and 14.3-MeV oxygen ions. The corresponding changes in mechanical displacement are measured using an optical microscope. Applied dc voltage and/or radiation-induced charging lead to changes in the vertical position and resistance of the structures. Radiation-induced changes in the vertical position and resistance and postirradiation recovery or superrecovery of these quantities are sensitive to dc biases applied during and/or after irradiation. Simple electrostatic and computational models are qualitatively consistent with observed trends in device response.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEUROLOGIC DISEASE, ACUTE SUN SENSITIVITY, AND POST-ULTRAVIOLET COLONY-FORMING ABILITY IN XERODERMA PIGMENTOSUM

ABSTRACT Neurological abnormalities and acute sun sensitivity are two clinical abnormalities associated with xeroderma pigmentosum which are not present in every patient. When we measured the ability of 24 xeroderma pigmentosum strains to divide and form colonies after ultraviolet irradiation, we found that the strains most sensitive to the ultraviolet light were derived from patients who had an early onset of neurological abnormalities, less sensitive strains were from patients with a later onset, and the most resistant strains were from patients without neurological abnormalities. Moreover, the most sensitive strains were also from patients with histories of acute sun sensitivity. These results suggest that functionally effective DNA repair is required to prevent both premature death of human neurons and acute sun sensitivity.
Komplexe Systeme und Nichtlineare Dynamik in Natur und Gesellschaft

Komplexe dynamische Systeme und Chaostheorie werden derzeit erfolgreich in verschiedenen Bereichen der Naturwissenschaften untersucht. Im Zeitalter von Globalisierung und Vernetzung werden aber auch Chaos und Komplexitat unserer weltweiten sozialen, okonomischen und okologischen Probleme entdeckt. Das gemeinsame methodische Thema ist die fachubergreifende Modellierung komplexer Systeme, deren Dynamik durch Nichtlinearitat bestimmt ist. Computersimulationen und Computerexperimente erweisen sich dabei als unverzichtbar. Allerdings sind unterschiedliche Interpretationen und Mesvoraussetzungen zu beachten, um der jeweiligen Eigendynamik von physikalischen, chemischen, biologischen, psychischen und sozialen Systemen gerecht zu werden. Der folgende Beitrag gibt dazu eine Einfuhrung und zeigt zugleich, wie die Beitrage dieses Buches vernetzt sind.
Surface displacements due to an underground explosion

A simple solution to the problem of the surface displacements on an elastic half-space caused by an underground explosion is presented. The analysis is based on deriving the transient case for a point source from the steady state point source and then proceeding to the case of a finite spherical cavity by means of a retarded potential. Theoretical values of maximum displacement compare favorably with measured values from the underground test shot Rainier, a nuclear explosion of Operation Plumbob.
Time-Based Location Prediction Technique for Wireless Cellular Networks

In this paper, we are introducing a time-based location prediction technique for wireless cellular networks. This technique is based on a two dimensional sequence mining algorithm. We have taken concepts of data partitioning methods and modified SPADE algorithm (Sequential PAttern Discovery using Equivalence classes), which has been implemented over a mining model known as mining mobile sequential patterns, and called Dynamic MobileSPADE algorithm. This algorithm mines for mobile sequential patterns based on dynamic-length item sets. In mining for mobile sequential patterns in a mobile environment, we use base stations ID data from a dataset constructed by the reality mining project at the MIT. Experiments were conducted to study and evaluate the performance of the proposed techniques. The experimental results show that the proposed technique is promising and it can be used effectively to predict future locations of mobile users with high accuracy using the generated mobile sequential patterns.
A Rational Basis Review That Warrants Strict Scrutiny: The First Circuit’s Equal Protection Analysis in Massachusetts v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

On May 31, 2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Massachusetts v. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services held Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. In doing so, the court declined to extend heightened scrutiny to sexual preference classifications and instead relied on a more searching form of rational basis review. This Comment argues that the First Circuit’s equal protection analysis is flawed because it purports to apply Supreme Court precedent, but fails to do so faithfully. It also argues that the court could have reached the same result and more effectively insulated its holding from attack by designating sexual orientation a suspect or quasi-suspect classification.
CORRELATION OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS WITH SYMPTOMS IN HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY PATIENTS

Clinic visits and echocardiography exams are integral for the follow-up of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Guidelines suggest annual or bi-annual assessment, but the yield and utility of this approach has not been studied. We included all SHaRe HCM registry patients >18 years,
The Once and Present Standard Model of Elementary Particle Physics

There are many theories that have resided these last fifty years within the hazy mist we have been calling the Standard Model (SM) of elementary particles. An attempt is made here to construct a coherent description of the SM today, because only precisely articulated theories can be targeted for annihilation, corroboration, and alteration. To this end it is useful to categorize the facts, mysteries and myths that together build a single conception of the SM. For example, it is argued that constructing a myth for how neutrinos obtain mass is useful for progress. We also advocate for interpreting the cosmological constant, dark matter, baryogenesis, and inflation as four “mysteries of the cosmos” that are indeterminate regarding new particles or interactions, despite a multitude of available particle explanations. Some history of the ever-changing SM is also presented to remind us that today’s SM is not our parents’ SM, nor will it likely be our children’s SM.
Feasibility and reproducibility of shear wave elastography in pediatric cranial ultrasound

Head ultrasound (US) is commonly used to evaluate the neonatal brain but may be limited by its lack of sensitivity and specificity. Ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) might provide additional information to conventional gray-scale imaging. To assess whether SWE of brain parenchyma can be (1) successfully performed at a large academic medical center where US technologists perform the majority of examinations and (2) used to detect intracranial pathology. Pediatric patients undergoing head ultrasound underwent simultaneous SWE examination. We included normal examinations (n=70) and those with intracranial pathology (n=8) for analysis. We analyzed inter-reader variability and examination success rates and assessed the stiffness of white matter and deep gray nuclei in normal and pathological states across multiple gestational age groups. Average gestational age of the term, pre-term and extreme pre-term groups were 38.4±1.2 weeks, 29.0±3.7 weeks and 28.3±3.1 weeks, respectively. Overall examination success rate was 79.5%. We observed a decrease in the SWE examination time from the first month (5.9±3.7 min) to the second month (4.1±1.7 min; P=0.01). Forty-one repeat examinations were performed on 14 children by different technologists, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.91. Mean stiffness in the periventricular white matter was lower than in the deep gray nuclei in all gestational age groups: term group (1.3 m/s vs. 1.5 m/s, P<0.001), pre-term (1.3 m/s vs. 1.4 m/s P=0.12), and extremely preterm group (1.2 m/s vs. 1.4 m/s, P=0.001). Mean stiffness for the deep gray nuclei differed between the term (1.5±0.3 m/s) and pre-term (1.4±0.2 m/s) groups (P<0.01). No significant differences in white matter stiffness were seen in relation to gestational age. Infants with large intraparenchymal hemorrhage had increased white matter stiffness (1.3±0.1 m/s) and deep gray nuclei stiffness (1.6±0.2 m/s) compared to full-term infants with normal head ultrasounds. These differences approached statistical significance with P=0.09 and P=0.06, respectively. We demonstrated that SWE performed by pediatric sonography technologists is reproducible. We found differences in stiffness between deep gray nuclei and periventricular white matter across multiple age groups.
A Dual-Functioning 5ʹ-PPP-NS1shRNA that Activates a RIG-I Antiviral Pathway and Suppresses Influenza NS1

Retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) is a cytosolic pathogen sensor that is crucial against a number of viral infections. Many viruses have evolved to inhibit pathogen sensors to suppress host innate immune responses. In the case of influenza, nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) suppresses RIG-I function, leading to viral replication, morbidity, and mortality. We show that silencing NS1 with in-vitro-transcribed 5′-triphosphate containing NS1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) (5′-PPP-NS1shRNA), designed using the conserved region of a number of influenza viruses, not only prevented NS1 expression but also induced RIG-I activation and type I interferon (IFN) expression, resulting in an antiviral state leading to inhibition of influenza virus replication in vitro. In addition, administration of 5′-PPP-NS1shRNA in prophylactic and therapeutic settings resulted in significant inhibition of viral replication following viral challenge in vivo in mice with corresponding increases of RIG-I, IFN-β, and IFN-λ, as well as a decrease in NS1 expression.
Gender and quality of life in bladder cancer.

464Background: Quality of life among cancer survivors has been shown to vary by gender. Our objective was to evaluate differences in generic and bladder cancer-specific quality of life (QOL) based ...
Electrophysiological characterization of human distal colon epithelium isolated using a novel technique.

Electrophysiological studies of human colonic epithelia traditionally have been hampered by the lack of tissue availability and by poor tissue quality. Human colonic epithelium is usually obtained surgically from individuals with underlying disease, while surgery itself can injure or alter the resected tissue. As a result, a wide range in electrophysiological parameters is reported in previous studies of human colonic epithelium. Such factors may also account for differences in measurements between humans and the few other species studied. We therefore devised a novel and rapid endoscopic technique, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), that allows for the removal and study of intestinal mucosal epithelium from normal volunteers. Using EMR we rapidly (7.2 ± 2.4 min) isolated surgical-sized epithelial sheets from the distal colon (1.4 ± 0.4 by 1.3 ± 0.4 cm) that were readily mounted in a 0.64-cm2 Ussing chamber. We observed stable resistance (289 ± 30 Ω ⋅ cm2), potential difference (1.6 ± 0.6 mV), and ISC (24 ± 9 μA/cm2) for at least 90 min, after which all experiments were terminated. Exposure to carbachol increased ISC 2.2 ± 0.5-fold, while forskolin increased ISC 4.4 ± 0.5-fold. These data show that the electrophysiological characteristics of the human distal colon removed by EMR more closely approximate values reported for other mammals than when removed using other techniques. Thus EMR represents a significant advance over traditional techniques for isolating human tissues and will increase the availability of this tissue for future studies.
Un-DRESSing Lithium: A Pediatric Case of Lithium Induced Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome

Introduction: Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome represents a severe, autoimmune mediated drug reaction that requires emergent medical attention and treatment. However, making the clinical diagnosis and identifying the offending agent can be challenging. The estimation of occurrence varies from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 10,000 and is most commonly associated with anticonvulsants, even in the pediatric population. While severe, the variable clinical presentation, late onset, and infrequent complication of common therapies, makes diagnosis difficult and may delay appropriate treatment. Lithium is …
CHD4 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression as a Coactivator of Hypoxia-Inducible Factors

Recruitment of RNA polymerase II to hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) target genes under normoxia is a prerequisite for HIF-mediated transactivation. However, the underlying mechanism of this recruitment remains unknown. Here we report that chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 4 (CHD4) physically interacts with α and β subunits of HIF1 and HIF2 and enhances HIF-driven transcriptional programs to promote breast cancer progression. Loss of HIF1/2α abolished CHD4-mediated breast tumor growth in mice. In breast cancer cells under normoxia, CHD4 enrichment at HIF target gene promoters increased RNA polymerase II loading through p300. Hypoxia further promoted CHD4 binding to the chromatin via HIF1/2α, where CHD4 in turn enhanced recruitment of HIF1α, leading to HIF target gene transcription. CHD4 was upregulated and correlated with HIF target gene expression in human breast tumors; upregulation of CHD4 and other known HIF coactivators in human breast tumors was mutually exclusive. Furthermore, CHD4 was associated with poor overall survival of patients with breast cancer. Collectively, these findings reveal a new fundamental mechanism of HIF regulation in breast cancer, which has clinical relevance. SIGNIFICANCE: This study identifies CHD4 as a HIF coactivator and elucidates the fundamental mechanism underlying CHD4-mediated HIF transactivation in breast tumors.
A Minimum Principle-Based Algorithm for Energy-Efficient Eco-Driving of Electric Vehicles in Various Traffic and Road Conditions

This paper presents an optimization algorithm for energy-efficient driving of electric vehicles. The algorithm is based on Pontryagin's Minimum Principle by considering the driving mission as an optimal control problem. On a planned route, diverse application cases may occur due to various physical traits such as powertrain (e.g., switching between motor and generator operation), environmental variations (e.g., terrain grade change), traffic laws (e.g., speed limits), and safety concerns (e.g., headway to the leading vehicle). The proposed algorithm handles these real-world challenges by considering the perturbation to the system dynamics and the constraints to the control and state variables.
Empirical Performance Analysis of MMRTG Power Production and Decay

MMRTG is the only flight qualified radioisotope power system available for use by NASA. Recently, telemetry from the first flight unit (F1) was analyzed to obtain a performance prediction at 17 years of life. Despite this analysis, it is difficult to have high confidence in a life prediction from a single system. In this paper, measurements from the MMRTG engineering unit (EU) will be analyzed to improve confidence in the F1 power predictions. The EU has experienced multi-year life testing under two different conditions: simulated thermal vacuum and diurnal cycle testing similar to F1 conditions on Mars. Analysis of the EU thermal data indicates that the unit is experiencing a steady increase in hot junction temperature, which is most likely due to a concurrent decrease in thermal conductivity. Power analysis indicates that temporary degradation mechanisms play a major role in the degradation rate of MMRTG. These mechanisms produce different rates at different temperatures, but once they reach completion, the total degradation will be the same. In other words, units operated at cooler temperatures will have higher power early in life, but all units should produce similar power late in life. EU power data was adjusted to account for the differences between EU and F1 operational conditions. These results provide a prediction of power out to the end-of-design life (EODL) at 17 years after fueling. Results from the simulated thermal vacuum data predict a monthly average EODL power of $75.2\pm 0.4$ . We, while the diurnal cycle data predicts $76.0\pm 0.4$ . We These results are very similar to the 75.2 We prediction previously provided for F1. The EU was also placed into conditions equal to F1 10.0 years after fueling. In this F1 simulation test, the EU produced an average 90.1 We, which is similar to the 89.7 We monthly average produced by F1. These results suggest that the EU is a very good indicator for the degradation behavior of F1. In addition, the fact that two different MMRTG units produce similar performance and degradation results significantly increases confidence in the F1 predictions, suggesting that F1 could be a leading indicator of performance for other MMRTG flight units. While the EU appears to be a good predictor of flight unit performance, it is important to note that the EU has experienced significantly more physical and thermal stresses compared to a flight unit. This makes a statistical comparison of EU and F1 difficult. In addition, it is possible that the EU may produce anomalous behavior when the unit experiences conditions outside the nominal flight envelope.
Characteristics of Non-Spine Musculoskeletal Ambulatory Care Visits in the United States, 2009-2016.

BACKGROUND Despite the enormous economic and societal impact of musculoskeletal disorders, detailed data on the patient demographics and visit characteristics of nonspine musculoskeletal ambulatory care are sparse. Such data are essential to inform policymakers on population health needs and to justify health care resource allocation. OBJECTIVE To determine the demographic, patient, and visit characteristics of adult musculoskeletal ambulatory clinic visits, with the exception of spine visits, in the United States. DESIGN Survey/registry. SETTING National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2009 to 2016. PATIENTS The NAMCS was designed to capture information regarding the provision and use of ambulatory medical care services in the United States. Nonfederally employed office-based physicians reported data for this survey from 2009 to 2016. INTERVENTIONS None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Average annual estimated number (in 100 000s), Average annual estimated rate of ambulatory care musculoskeletal visits per 100 U.S. adults. RESULTS During 2009 to 2016, the leading cause of musculoskeletal visits was knee symptoms (15.3 million annually from 2009 to 2010, 14.0 million annually from 2011 to 2012, 12.5 million annually from 2013 to 2014, and 12.4 million annually from 2015 to 2016). Musculoskeletal visits were most frequent in patients that were 45 to 64 years of age (40.4% to 43.6% of visits were for patients 45 to 64 years of age depending on body region). Orthopedic surgeons conducted more musculoskeletal visits than any other physician specialty for all body regions. Among body regions, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were ordered most commonly for patients with shoulder (total visits in 100 000 ± standard error [SE] 47.00 ± 0.21; 12.5% of total visits for shoulders) and knee symptoms (61.85 ± 0.15; 11.4% of total visits for knees). Opioid and opioid analgesic combinations (9.2% to 14.8% of visits) were most commonly prescribed in visits related to hip complaints. CONCLUSIONS Visits were most frequent for knee symptoms and in patients of working age groups, which likely affects work productivity. Orthopedic surgeons were the most common provider specialty. Opioid medications were prescribed most commonly for patients with hip symptoms, which may highlight an area for potential intervention given the ongoing opioid crisis.
España después del 15M: editado por Jorge Cagiao y Conde e Isabelle Touton, Madrid, Los Libros de la Catarata, 2019, 256 pp., 18€ (tapa blanda), ISBN13 978-8490977354

“Ojala vivas en tiempos interesantes”, dice el dicho, que es mas bien una maldicion. Lo saben de primera mano quienes deciden mapear lo ocurrido en las dos ultimas decadas, y especialmente los acon...
Evaluating Top-k Selection Queries

In many applications, users specify target values for certain attributes, without requiring exact matches to these values in return. Instead, the result to such queries is typically a rank of the \top k" tuples that best match the given attribute values. In this paper, we study the advantages and limitations of processing a top-k query by translating it into a single range query that traditional relational DBMSs can process eciently. In particular, we study how to determine a range query to evaluate a top-k query by exploiting the statistics available to a relational DBMS, and the impact of the quality of these statistics on the retrieval eciency of the resulting scheme.
Consumer Risk Perceptions and Marketing Strategy: The Case of Genetically Modified Food

New technologies are hitting the marketplace every day. In trying to make sense of these new technologies, consumers perceive a series of risks and benefits of consumption and use those perceptions to form product judgments. One way for managers to mitigate organizational related risk is to understand how consumers perceive consumption-related risk. To illustrate this point, the case of genetically modified (GM) food is examined and a series of focus groups is conducted in which participants examined different product labels that either framed the technology as a benefit gained or as a risk avoided. The results indicate that consumers do indeed form very different product evaluations based on how the new technology is framed, but these evaluations vary based on the level of the consumers’ preexisting knowledge. This study provides support for the contention that a better understanding of consumer risk perceptions is an important first step in developing marketing strategies for new technology-oriented products. C
More on Mortgage Transfer Mysteries

Predatory mortgage lending issues appear to have died down momentarily, at least as far as reported state and federal appellate litigation indicates, but questions about the transfers of those mortgages in the secondary market seem to be growing markedly. Three issues ago, I wrote on Aceves v U.S. Bank (2011) 192 CA4th 218, 120 CR3d 507, where one of the issues was whether the new trustee had been properly substituted in by the new lender. See Mixed Messages on Mortgage Foreclosures, 34 CEB RPLR 54 (Mar. 2011). Then, two issues ago, I covered Gomes v Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (2011) 192 CA4th 1149, 121 CR3d 819, which held that our statutory provisions permitting trustee sales to be conducted by “any authorized agent” of the beneficiary eliminate most debtor challenges as to how the loan documents got to the foreclosing party. See Challenges to California Foreclosures Based on MERS Transfers, 34 CEB RPLR 87 (May 2011). Then, last issue, I commented on Ferguson v Avelo Mortgage, LLC (2011) 195 CA4th 1618, 126 CR3d 586, which—indirectly—upheld the effectiveness of a transfer through MERS although it involved only the deed of trust and not the note. See The Editor’s Take, 34 CEB RPLR 143 (July 2011). Now, in this issue, there are three more cases involving those issues. What keeps the topic from being monotonous is that the rulings are always new and different—and often scary.
Biomechanical correlates of psychological differentiation in female athletes.

Abstract Witkin's conceptualization of the perceptual-cognitive ability known as field-dependence-independence was investigated in terms of an hypothesized relationship to sport skill performance style. The volleyball service, as performed by female, varsity, volleyball athletes (N = 12) was fragmented through cinematographic techniques into 16 biomechanical variables. These variables were correlated with achievement on the group hidden figures test (a paper and pencil instrument) which was operationally defined in this study as field-dependence-independence. Stepwise multiple regression and ANOVA were utilized to describe the relationship between these psychological and biomechanical elements of human motor behavior. The findings appear to be in agreement with Witkin's contention that performance on perceptual tasks which contain a disembedding aspect relate significantly to a subject's position on the field-dependence-independence continuum.
Inhibition of the cAMP Pathway Decreases Early Long-Term Potentiation at CA1 Hippocampal Synapses

Long-term potentiation (LTP) has several different phases, and there is general agreement that the late phase of LTP requires the activation of adenylyl cyclase (AC) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). In contrast, several studies indicate that the early LTP is not affected by interfering with the cAMP pathway. We have further tested the role of the cAMP pathway in early LTP using several types of inhibitors. Bath application of the PKA inhibitor H89 suppressed the early LTP induced by a single tetanus. Similarly, the LTP induced by a pairing protocol was decreased by postsynaptic intracellular perfusion of the peptide PKA inhibitor PKI(6-22) amide. The decrease of LTP produced by these inhibitors was evident immediately after induction. These results indicate that PKA is important in early LTP, that its locus of action is postsynaptic, and that it does not act merely by enhancing the depolarization required for LTP induction. The failure of some other inhibitors of the cAMP pathway to affect the early phase of LTP might be attributable to the saturation of some step in the cAMP pathway during a tetanus. In agreement with this hypothesis we found that application of the AC inhibitor SQ 22536 by itself did not affect the early phase of LTP, but did produce a reduction if the cAMP pathway was already attenuated by the PKA inhibitor H89. Our analysis of the results of genetic modifications of the cAMP pathway, especially the work on AC knock-outs, indicates that the genetic data are generally consistent with the pharmacological results showing the importance of this pathway in early LTP.
Atrial Tachycardias After Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Manifest Different Waveform Characteristics: Implications for Characterizing Tachycardias.

ECG Waveform Analysis in Atrial Tachycardias Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation patients often manifest atrial tachycardias (AT) with atypical ECG morphologies that preclude accurate localization and mechanism. Diagnostic maneuvers used to define ATs during electrophysiology studies can be limited by tachycardia termination or transformation. Additional methods of characterizing post-AF ablation ATs are required. Methods and Results We evaluated the utility of noninvasive ECG signal analytics in postablation AF patients for the following features: (1) Localization of ATs (i.e., right vs. left atrium), and (2) Identification of common left AT mechanisms (i.e., focal vs. macroreentrant). Atrial waveforms from the surface ECG were used to analyze (1) spectral organization, including dominant amplitude (DA) and mean spectral profile (MP), and (2) temporospatial variability, using temporospatial correlation coefficients. We studied 94 ATs in 71 patients who had undergone prior pulmonary vein isolation for AF and returned for a second ablation: (1) right atrial cavotricuspid-isthmus dependent (CTI) ATs (n = 21); (2) left atrial macroreentrant ATs (n = 41) and focal ATs (n = 32). Right CTI ATs manifested higher DAs and lower MPs than left ATs, indicative of greater stability and less complexity in the frequency spectrum. Left macroreentrant ATs possessed higher temporospatial organization than left focal ATs. Conclusions Noninvasively recorded atrial waveform signal analyses show that right ATs possess more stable activation properties than left ATs, and left macroreentrant ATs manifest higher temporospatial organization than left focal ATs. Further prospective analyses evaluating the role these novel ECG-derived tools can play to help localize and identify mechanisms of common ATs in AF ablation patients are warranted.
A Review of “The Active/Ethical Professional: A Framework for Responsible Educators.”

Michael G. Gunzenhauser's The Active/Ethical Professional is comprised of eight chapters containing sections of four of his previously published articles on high-stakes testing and teacher ethics. ...
Effect of CDR3 Sequences and Distal V Gene Residues in Regulating TCR–MHC Contacts and Ligand Specificity

The mature T cell repertoire has the ability to orchestrate immunity to a wide range of potential pathogen challenges. This ability stems from thymic development producing individual T cell clonotypes that express TCRs with unique patterns of Ag reactivity. The Ag specificity of TCRs is created from the combinatorial pairing of one of a set of germline encoded TCR Vα and Vβ gene segments with randomly created CDR3 sequences. How the amalgamation of germline encoded and randomly created TCR sequences results in Ag receptors with unique patterns of ligand specificity is not fully understood. Using cellular, biophysical, and structural analyses, we show that CDR3α residues can modulate the geometry in which TCRs bind peptide-MHC (pMHC), governing whether and how germline encoded TCR Vα and Vβ residues interact with MHC. In addition, a CDR1α residue that is positioned distal to the TCR-pMHC binding interface is shown to contribute to the peptide specificity of T cells. These findings demonstrate that the specificity of individual T cell clonotypes arises not only from TCR residues that create direct contacts with the pMHC, but also from a collection of indirect effects that modulate how TCR residues are used to bind pMHC.
The Population Geography of Belgian Africa

(1954). The Population Geography of Belgian Africa. Annals of the Association of American Geographers: Vol. 44, No. 2, pp. 163-193.
Health literacy and colorectal cancer knowledge and awareness among African-American males

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the USA; however, the American Cancer Society estimates that as many as half of these deaths could be eliminated with annual CRC screenings. African-American males are less likely to participate in CRC screening when compared to white males. Despite the evidence that adult and health literacies are important variables in understanding racial/ethnic differences in health status and health-related knowledge of diseases, few studies have examined the impact of health literacy on knowledge and awareness of CRC among minorities. In April 2006, the Urban Health and Wellness Center at the University of Michigan-Flint collaborated with a faith-based organization to implement a study aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness of CRC among African-American males. Researchers conducted a series of health education workshops on CRC, assessed the health literacy of participants, and examined the correlation between health literacy and self-report...