cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cambodia under Pol Pot

Cambodia experienced a devastating genocide in the 1970s that was ignored by the international community despite post-Holocaust promises of “never again.” Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge associates manipulated ideologies of agrarian communism and self-reliant nationalism to recruit followers and exert totalitarian control over the populace. As in other genocides, the leaders divided the population into stratified groups to facilitate mass killing, with urban residents and ethnic minorities particularly at risk. As the slaughter expanded, the regime turned on itself, torturing and executing its cadres in a special high-level prison. By the time neighboring Vietnam invaded and brought an end to the killing in 1979, some two million Cambodians had died. A handful of Khmer Rouge leaders were brought to trial in a war crimes tribunal with just three convicted by 2015. Keywords: Cambodia; ethnic conflict; genocide; Maoism; war crimes
Influence of solution temperature on microstructure and corrosion behavior of 00Cr27Ni7Mo5N stainless steel

The effect of solution temperature on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of hyper duplex stainless steel 00Cr27Ni7Mo5N was studied σ phase precipitation and its effect on microstructure was analyzed by OM,SEM,EDS.Using ferric chloride immersion test,pitting potential measurement and intergranular corrosion EPR method to measure the corrosion resistance.It can be conclude,the intermetallic compound σ phase precipitateed in the range of 800-1050 ℃,leads to a sharp decrease in the corrosion resistance;contrary results were obtained with increasing the solution temperature from 1070 ℃ to 1200 ℃,the optimum solution temperature of the steel was 1100 ℃.
Live Cell Imaging in Live Animals with Fluorescent Proteins

The discovery, cloning, and characterization of GFP and related proteins of many colors have enabled live cell imaging to an unprecedented extent and resolution. Essentially, any cellular process can be imaged with a fluorescent protein. These proteins serve as genetic reporters and therefore can be used to follow cellular processes over indefinite periods in vivo as well as in vitro. The brightness and specific spectra of fluorescent proteins allow them to be imaged in vivo, using specific filters, without interference from autofluorescence. This chapter describes the development of live imaging in live animals with subcellular resolution, emphasizing the study of in vivo cell biology of cancer growth, spread, and metastasis.
A Domain-Independent Model of Open-World Reference Resolution.

The ability to ground conversational referents is a key requirement for human dialogue. This process, known as reference resolution, has received much attention from both psycholinguists seeking to understand how humans process language and computer scientists seeking to improve the performance of language-capable agents. However, the majority of previous research has focused on what we term closed-world reference resolution, in which the set of possible referents is assumed to be known a priori. In this paper we present a domainindependent model of open-world reference resolution which appropriately handles uncertain knowledge, and the results of an empirical human-subject experiment conducted to verify the model’s predictions.
The treatment of urethral stricture disease by internal urethrotomy: a clinical review.

Abstract The results of internal urethrotomy with 6 weeks of postoperative catheter drainage and antimicrobial therapy in the treatment of urethral strictures in 28 patients are presented. Satisfactory results were obtained in 68 per cent of the patients. Because of the simplicity of this technique and the good results obtained we believe that internal urethrotomy often is the best initial approach to strictures that become difficult to manage by periodic dilation.
Sensory and motor cortex function contributes to symptom severity in spinocerebellar ataxia type 6

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) is a genetic disease that causes degeneration of Purkinje cells, and recent evidence points to degeneration of Betz cells in the motor cortex. The relation between functional activity of motor cortex and symptom severity during a hand-grip motor control in vivo has not yet been investigated. This study explored both functional changes in the sensorimotor cortex and cerebellar regions and structural alterations in the cerebellum for SCA6 patients as compared to age-matched healthy controls using a multimodal imaging approach (task-based fMRI, task-based functional connectivity, and free-water diffusion MRI). Further, we tested their relation with the severity of ataxia symptoms. SCA6 patients had reduced functional activity in the sensorimotor cortex, supplementary motor area (SMA), cerebellar vermis, and cerebellar lobules I-VI (corrected P < 0.05). Reduced task-based functional connectivity between cortical motor regions (i.e., primary motor cortex and SMA) and cerebellar regions (i.e., vermis and lobules I-VI) was found in SCA6 (corrected P < 0.05). SCA6 had elevated free-water values throughout the cerebellum as compared with controls (corrected P < 0.05). Importantly, reduced functional activity in the sensorimotor cortex and SMA and increased free-water in the superior cerebellar peduncle and cerebellar lobule V were related to more severe symptoms in SCA6 (all pairs: R 2 ≥ 0.4 and corrected P < 0.05). Current results demonstrate that impaired functional activity in sensorimotor cortex and SMA and elevated free-water of lobule V and superior cerebellar peduncle are both related to symptom severity, and may provide candidate biomarkers for SCA6.
The Outcomes of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Therapy in Treatment of β Thalassemia - a Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: β thalassemia is one of the most common single gene disorders. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) from a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling donor is a curative option that minimizes the risk of graft-versus-host disease, compared to alternative donor HCT. In families that have an affected child, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) can be utilized to select an unaffected embryo that is HLA-identical. Briefly, this procedure requires in vitro fertilization, oocyte retrieval, fertilization and blastomere biopsy for preimplantation analysis and identification of unaffected HLA-identical embryos. After delivery, umbilical cord blood from the sibling donor is collected for HCT. In our institution, PGD has been pursued as a therapeutic option by families with thalassemia. The estimated cost of this uninsured procedure is $20,000 per cycle. METHODS: Families affected with β thalassemia who attempted PGD were identified and reviewed for indication, attempted cycles, successful pregnancy and transplantation outcome. RESULTS: Eight identified families affected by thalassemia underwent PGD. The diagnosis of their affected children included: 6 cases of β thalassemia major and 2 cases of transfusion dependent E β thalassemia patients. A total of 14 cycles of PGD were attempted, ranging from 1–4 attempts per family. Following successful identification of HLA-identical cells, 2 pregnancies occurred (1 early miscarriage, 1 successful delivery). This pregnancy resulted in the engraftment of a β thalassemia child. CONCLUSION: PGD including selection of HLA-identical sibling embryos is a novel, therapeutic approach for patients with β thalassemia. While this offers the possibility of recruiting a suitable donor for HCT, it is limited by significant financial and emotional burdens that it places on families affected with β thalassemia. Improvements in its efficiency and cost will make this a more viable option for affected families.
The Design of Very High Level Languages

A characterization of very high level language is given that distinguishes them from merely high level languages. Three languages, APL, SETL, and BDL, are examined to justify this characterization.
Abstract 1540: Midkine-raised oral cancer growth, migration and invasion is required for RBPJk modulation

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents 95% of all forms of head and neck cancer, and its incidence has increased by 50% during the past decade. Despite the nowadays available therapeutic managements, such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or in combination, the five-year survival rate is still improved. The current view is to present that the accumulations of genetic and epigenetic alterations in OSCC lead to the progression of cancer. Our previous study indicated that midkine, heparin-binding growth factor, was overexpressed in tumor tissues of head and neck cancer patients and its expression also correlated with poor 5-year survival. In this study, we tried to explore the biological functions and mechanisms of midkine in vitro and in vivo. Established gain-of-function of midkine in two oral cancer cell lines not only promoted cell growth by MTT, soft agar and BrdU assays, but also induced tumor growth in xenograft model. Midkine-overexpressing cells induced cell migration and invasion by wound healing and Transwell assays. Conversely, cell growth, migration and invasion were also inhibited; while endogenous midkine was abolished by midkine-mediated siRNA in oral cancer cells. By using bioinformatics, Q-RT-PCR, Western blotting, promoter assay and ChIP assay, we identified that RBP-Jk, a transcriptional factor, could bind to the promoter regions of midkine and to induce midkine expression in oral cancer cells. In the specimens of oral cancer patients, the expressions of midkine and RBP-Jk had a positive correlation by immunohistochemistry. Taken together, these results demonstrated that RBP-Jk regulates midkine expression and involves in midkine-elicited tumor formation in oral cancer. Citation Format: Tai-Jan Chiu, Yi-Ching Chen, Chang-Han Chen. Midkine-raised oral cancer growth, migration and invasion is required for RBPJk modulation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1540.
Ultrashort Courses of Breast Radiotherapy

A review of current intraoperative and ultrashort radiotherapy schedules for the treatment of breast cancer is presented. Both the promise and the pitfalls of this strategy are reviewed.
High-Frequency Oscillations

In this chapter, we will discuss three types of high-frequency oscillations (HFOs). First, hippocampal circuitry generates ripples , short bouts of HFOs, during nonrapid eye movement sleep and quiet waking. Ripples play a central role in “replaying” previously generated activity patterns and are therefore an attractive candidate for the network mechanism of memory consolidation. Second, the somatosensory cortex generates brief periods of HFOs with very high frequencies. These fast HFOs have been found in both humans and animal models. Their functional role remains mostly unclear. Third, fast ripples are associated with epilepsy. Despite the differences in their functional roles, all of these activity patterns probably require similar cellular and synaptic mechanisms for such millisecond synchronization.
A representational analysis of a temporal indeterminancy display in clinical events

This paper describes a proposition for representing temporal indeterminacy in events from clinical narratives using fuzzy sets membership functions. This approach leverages both temporal and semantic information of events and has been proved by representational analysis evaluation method. We demonstrate that membership functions' graphs can be used for representing temporal approximation and granularity of events. We also show that this approach is helpful for the construction of fine timeline of clinical events, and can be used for calculating accurate metrics for ordering events.
The Influence of Classmates on Adolescent Criminal Activities in the United States

ABSTRACTThis article examines the effect of delinquent peers on an individual’s criminal activity by leveraging quasi-experimental variation in exposure to peers, separating confounding and causal effects. In particular, we examine the role of wider peer networks (i.e., classmates) as a critical source of influence on adolescents’ delinquent behavior. Using a combined instrumental variables/fixed effects methodology, we address important methodological challenges in estimating peer effects. Results suggest that increasing the proportion of peers who engage in criminal activities by 5% will increase the likelihood an individual engages in criminal activities by 3 percentage points.
Abstract B59: Mathematical Model of Oxygen Transport in Tuberculosis Granulomas

Pulmonary granulomas—the hallmark of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection—are dense cellular lesions that, like solid tumors, often feature regions of hypoxia and necrosis partially due to limited transport of oxygen. Low oxygen in granulomas can impair the host immune response, while MTB are able to adapt and persist in hypoxic environments. Here, we used a physiologically based mathematical model of oxygen diffusion and consumption, based on models originally derived for avascular tumors, to calculate oxygen profiles within the granuloma, assuming Michaelis-Menten kinetics. An approximate analytical solution—using a priori and newly estimated parameters from experimental data in a rabbit model of tuberculosis—was able to predict the size of hypoxic and necrotic regions in agreement with experimental results from the animal model. Such quantitative understanding of transport limitations can inform future tuberculosis therapeutic strategies that may include adjunct host-directed therapies that facilitate oxygen and drug delivery for more effective treatment. Citation Format: Meenal Datta, Laura Via, Wei Chen, James Baish, Lei Xu, Clfton Barry, Rakesh Jain. Mathematical Model of Oxygen Transport in Tuberculosis Granulomas. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Engineering and Physical Sciences in Oncology; 2016 Jun 25-28; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(2 Suppl):Abstract nr B59.
Leafhoppers and planthoppers feeding on coconut palm in Jamaica

The petioles of the fronds of 45 'Jamaica Tall' variety of coconut palm, Cocos nucifera L., two to six years old, were each injected with 0.05-0.1 mCi Na232 PO4 during parts of the dry and rainy periods, January-May, 1979, at two locations in Jamaica. Approximately 10 000 leafhoppers and planthoppers were trapped on or near the injected tress by light, yellow and cone traps. The insects were autoradiographed on X-ray films, and those showing radioactivity were counted by a proportional gas counter. Twenty one species and seven genera showed radioactivity. When insects of the undergrowth were collected by a D-Vac sampler and were caged on highly radioactive leaflets of the coconut palm, 10 species and one genus were identified as feeders. Experimental controls showed that activity was due to ingestion and not to surface contamination. Numbers of radioactive insects of each species collected ranged between 1-26, with their radiation 17-235 cpm, and background 12-38 cpm. Autoradiographic intensity ranged between 1-10 on a given visual scale. Results of the survey are discussed in relation to the study of the vectors of lethal yellowing disease of coconut.
Numerical Bifurcation Analysis on a System of Coupled Crystal Oscillators

A coupled crystal oscillator system has been proposed as an alternative to GPS for precision timing applications. The system of differential equations governing the dynamics is inherently nonlinear and has 4N degrees of freedom. Even though the system is highly complex, we can provide analytic restrictions on the types of solutions by observing the dynamic symmetry of the device. In this paper we examine numerically generated bifurcation diagrams, for specific values of N, in order to illustrate which solutions predicted by the symmetry analysis exist and are stable. The results from this study allows us to better understand how the device will behave when it is constructed.
The skeletal impact of the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide

Effects of the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide on the skeleton were determined in mice. Numbers of bone marrow cells were reduced and myeloid cells were increased. Bone volume was significantly decreased with signs of inhibition of bone formation. Etoposide after pre-treatment with zoledronic acid still reduced bone but overall bone volume was higher than with etoposide alone. Chemotherapeutics target rapidly dividing tumor cells yet also impact hematopoietic and immune cells in an off target manner. A wide array of therapies have negative side effects on the skeleton rendering patients osteopenic and prone to fracture. This study focused on the pro-apoptotic chemotherapeutic agent etoposide and its short- and long-term treatment effects in the bone marrow and skeleton. Six- to 16-week-old mice were treated with etoposide (20–25 mg/kg) or vehicle control in short-term (daily for 5–9 days) or long-term (3×/week for 17 days or 6 weeks) regimens. Bone marrow cell populations and their phagocytic/efferocytic functions were analyzed by flow cytometry. Blood cell populations were assessed by CBC analysis. Bone volume and area compartments and osteoclast numbers were measured by microCT, histomorphometry, and TRAP staining. Biomarkers of bone formation (P1NP) and resorption (TRAcP5b) were assayed from serum. Gene expression in bone marrow was assessed using qPCR. Flow cytometric analysis of the bone marrow revealed short-term etoposide reduced overall cell numbers and B220+ cells, with increased marrow apoptotic (AnnexinV+PI−) cells, mesenchymal stem-like cells, and CD68+, CD45+, and CD11b+ monocyte/myeloid cells (as a percent of the total marrow). After 6 weeks, the CD68+, Gr1+, CD11b+, and CD45+ cell populations were still relatively increased in etoposide-treated bone marrow. Skeletal phenotyping revealed etoposide decreased bone volume, trabecular thickness, and cortical bone volume. Gene expression in the marrow for the leptin receptor and CXCL12 were reduced with short-term etoposide, and an increased ratio of RANKL/OPG mRNA was observed. In whole bone, Runx2 and osteocalcin gene expressions were reduced, and in serum, P1NP was significantly reduced with etoposide. Treatment with the antiresorptive agent zoledronic acid prior to etoposide increased bone volume and improved the etoposide-induced decrease in skeletal parameters. These data suggest that etoposide induces apoptosis in the bone marrow and significantly reduces parameters of bone formation with rapid reduction in bone volume. Pre-treatment with an antiresorptive agent results in a preservation of bone mass. Preventive approaches to preserving the skeleton should be considered in human clinical studies.
Praying for Rain? Water Scarcity and the Duration and Outcomes of Civil Wars

AbstractRecent anecdotal evidence from the civil wars in Somalia and Yemen suggest that water scarcity may shape the dynamics of civil wars. While a considerable body of research has examined the connection between water scarcity (such as low rainfall) and the onset of civil war, very little research has examined how water scarcity may shape the duration and outcomes of civil wars. Looking specifically at rainfall, this paper argues that changes in access to water play a key role in the duration of civil wars. As rainfall declines, there is a reduction in resources available to both the government and the rebel group, leading to a stalemate in fighting. Furthermore, this paper argues that declines in rainfall are felt more acutely by rebel groups who seek to challenge the government through conventional warfare. This paper tests these propositions using hazard models. The results provide robust support for the propositions.
The Relationship between Cerebral Vasoreactivity and Post-Concussive Symptom Severity

Abstract While pathophysiology underlying post-concussion symptom burden is unknown, data suggest that cerebrovascular dysfunction may be among the culprits. We sought to determine whether the degree of impairment in the ability of cerebrovasculature to buffer against changes in arterial gases (vasoreactivity) is associated with concussion symptoms. In 15 participants (19 ± 5 years, 1 week to 1 year post-injury) diagnosed with concussion, we assessed vasoreactivity from the slope of the linear relationship of beat-by-beat middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (transcranial Doppler ultrasound) to end-tidal CO2 during progressive increases in end-tidal CO2 (air rebreathing). Symptom burden was assessed using the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale. Subsequently, we explored the relationship between vasoreactivity and the severity of post-concussion headache and cognitive difficulties by linear models. During rebreathing, CO2 increased from 32.6 ± 1.6 to 46.8 ± 1.8 mmHg and cerebrovascular conductance (i.e., ...
Gun Ownership and Self-Serving Attributions for Mass Shooting Tragedies*

Objective Individuals develop causal narratives that help explain events, behaviors, and conditions. Individuals ascribe events and behaviors to controllable components, such as individual choice, or uncontrollable components, such as broader forces in the environment. We join attribution theory with motivated reasoning and outline how gun ownership structures perceptions of mass shootings and subsequent blame. Methods Using individual-level data from national surveys we examine the connection between causal attributions for mass shootings and gun ownership. Results Our findings suggest that firearm possession engenders self-serving attributions about the causes of gun violence and resists calls for policy changes after mass shooting. Conclusion Given the significant proportion of citizens who own guns, the prospect for policy changes that address gun-related causes of mass shootings is unlikely.
libhashckpt: hash-based incremental checkpointing using GPU's

Concern is beginning to grow in the high-performance computing (HPC) community regarding the reliability guarantees of future large-scale systems. Disk-based coordinated checkpoint/restart has been the dominant fault tolerance mechanism in HPC systems for the last 30 years. Checkpoint performance is so fundamental to scalability that nearly all capability applications have custom checkpoint strategies to minimize state and reduce checkpoint time. One well-known optimization to traditional checkpoint/restart is incremental checkpointing, which has a number of known limitations. To address these limitations, we introduce libhashckpt; a hybrid incremental checkpointing solution that uses both page protection and hashing on GPUs to determine changes in application data with very low overhead. Using real capability workloads, we show the merit of this technique for a certain class of HPC applications.
Large-Scale Neuroinformatics for In Situ Hybridization Data in the Mouse Brain

Large-scale databases of the brain are providing content to the neuroscience community through molecular, cellular, functional, and connectomic data. Organization, presentation, and maintenance requirements are substantial given the complexity, diverse modalities, resolution, and scale. In addition to microarrays, magnetic resonance imaging, and RNA sequencing, several in situ hybridization databases have been constructed due to their value in spatially localizing cellular expression. Scalable techniques for processing and presenting these data for maximum utility in viewing and analysis are key for end user value. We describe methods and use cases for the Allen Brain Atlas resources of the adult and developing mouse.
Fighting Malicious Software

Malicious software, or malware, has evolved into one of the most severe security threats on today’s Internet. Despite many years of research and development from both academia and industry, the problem is still poorly contained. In this paper, we make the case for a malware defense approach that uses expressive behavior specifications that are general enough to characterize and detect a wide variety of malicious programs. Moreover, our approach can quickly react to new malware families. To this end, the system automatically generates specifications based on the observation of the execution of malware programs. That is, the system executes and monitors new malware programs in a controlled analysis environment. Based on these observations, the system identifies behavior that reflects malicious activity. This program behavior is then automatically translated into specifications that can be used for malware detection.
Smoking Intervention With Adolescent Substance Abusers: Initial Recommendations

Recent increases in adolescent cigarette smoking have provided an impetus for developing effective youth smoking-cessation interventions. Adolescents treated for substance abuse are a particularly important target for tobacco use intervention given the high prevalence and persistence of smoking among this subgroup of youth. The few studies to date of adolescent smoking cessation have demonstrated little success in effecting change in tobacco use. In the absence of empirical evidence, recommendations for tobacco intervention with substance-abusing adolescents are proposed based on information from several sources: studies of adolescent smoking cessation, adolescent developmental considerations, issues specific to substance abusers, motivational concerns, and adult smoking-cessation techniques. An outline is provided of components to consider for inclusion in a substance-abusing adolescent smoking intervention. It is suggested that tobacco-focused interventions be incorporated as a routine part of treatment for adolescent substance abuse.
Neurocognitive Disorder Diagnoses Matter: A Brief Report on Caregiver Appraisal of Driving Ability.

Background: Age-associated neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) are associated with progressive loss of abilities for instrumental activities of daily living, including driving. This study assesses the ...
Continuous Infusion Ketamine for Adjunctive Analgosedation in Mechanically Ventilated, Critically Ill Patients.

OBJECTIVE Ketamine is an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist with emerging evidence assessing its use as a continuous infusion agent to provide concomitant analgesia and sedation. The role of ketamine as adjunctive therapy in mechanically ventilated patients is unclear. This study sought to investigate the impact of adjunctive continuous infusion ketamine on concomitant analgesic and sedative dosing while providing goal comfort in mechanically ventilated patients. METHODS This retrospective two-center intrapatient comparison study included mechanically ventilated adult ICU patients who received continuous infusion ketamine with at least one other analgesic or sedative infusion. The primary outcome assessed percent relative change in concomitant analgesic-sedative doses 24 hours after ketamine initiation. Secondary outcomes included percent of Richmond Agitation and Sedation Score (RASS) assessments at goal, adverse effects, and delirium incidence. Exploratory evaluation of independent factors associated with ketamine responders (50% or more relative reduction in analgesic-sedative dosing requirements at 24 hrs) and nonresponders (less than 50% relative reduction) was performed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS Overall, 104 patients were included. A total of 160 concomitant analgesic-sedative infusions were used in combination with ketamine, most commonly fentanyl (98 [61.3%]) and propofol (46 [28.8%]). A 20% (interquartile range [IQR] -63.6 to 0.0, p<0.001) relative reduction in total analgesic-sedative infusion pharmacotherapy was achieved at 24 hours after ketamine initiation. Analgesic and sedative infusion doses decreased at 24 hours (fentanyl: pre, 175 μg/hr [IQR 100-200 μg/hr] vs post, 125 μg/hr [IQR 50-200 μg/hr], p<0.001; propofol: pre, 42.5 μg/kg/min [IQR 20.0-60.0 μg/kg/min] vs post, 20.0 μg/kg/min [IQR 3.8-31.3 μg/kg/min], p<0.001). Median percent time within goal RASS improved after ketamine initiation (pre, 7.1% [0-40%] vs post, 25% [0-66.7%], p=0.005). No differences were observed in secondary outcomes between responders and nonresponders, except a longer non-ICU hospital length of stay in responders. Independent factors associated with ketamine response included a lower body mass index, higher starting dose of ketamine, lower severity of illness, and need for multiple concomitant analgesic-sedative infusions before initiation of ketamine. CONCLUSIONS Adjunctive continuous infusion ketamine promotes analgesic and sedative dose-sparing effects in mechanically ventilated patients while improving time spent within goal sedation range. Further prospective research is warranted.
Associations among decisional autonomy, fatigue, pain, and well-being in long-term physical disability.

OBJECTIVE Decisional autonomy-or sense of one's ability to make independent choices about one's life-is especially relevant to individuals who may feel their autonomy is limited due to physical challenges. Past work has found associations between measures of autonomy and quality of life (QoL) in individuals with disability and in older adults. However, it is less clear how decisional autonomy influences the impact of pain and fatigue severity on QoL, especially in adults aging with physical disability. This study examined the relationship of decisional autonomy to QoL and the extent to which autonomy moderates the association between symptom severity and QoL. METHOD We used hierarchical linear regression models to examine the associations between autonomy, pain and fatigue, and quality of life in a sample of individuals with long-term disability. In 2 sets of models, we examined individuals reporting some level of fatigue (n = 1,060, Mage = 62.66, SD = 11.88) and some level of pain (n = 964, Mage = 62.79, SD = 11.69). RESULTS We found that decisional autonomy significantly predicted QoL over and above other measures related to social participation. Decisional autonomy also weakly moderated the associations between fatigue and QoL and the associations between pain and QoL. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that levels of decisional autonomy may be important to QoL in individuals aging with physical limitations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Organization of dust storms and synoptic-scale transport of dust by Kelvin waves

Abstract. Based on the large-scale transport of dust driven by the winds parallel to the mountains in the Harmattan, Saudi Arabian, and Bodele Depression dust storm cases, a detailed study of the generation of Kelvin waves and its possible role in organizing these dust storms and large-scale dust transport was accomplished. For this study, observational and numerical model analyses were done in an in depth manner. For this, MERRA reanalysis data sets; WRF-simulated high-resolution variables; MODIS Aqua and Terra images; EUMETSAT images; NAAPS aerosol modeling plots; and MERRA-2 dust scattering aerosol optical depth (AOD) modeling plots, surface observations, and rawinsonde soundings were analyzed for each of these three case studies. We found that there were meso- β -scale (horizontal length scale of 20–200 km) adjustment processes resulting in Kelvin waves only in the Harmattan and the Bodele Depression cases. The Kelvin wave preceded a cold pool accompanying the air behind the large-scale cold front instrumental in the major dust storm. We find that this Kelvin wave organized the major dust storm in a narrow zone parallel to the mountains before it expanded upscale (meso- α to synoptic).
Low-Affinity Binding Sites and the Transcription Factor Specificity Paradox in Eukaryotes

Eukaryotic transcription factors (TFs) from the same structural family tend to bind similar DNA sequences, despite the ability of these TFs to execute distinct functions in vivo. The cell partly resolves this specificity paradox through combinatorial strategies and the use of low-affinity binding sites, which are better able to distinguish between similar TFs. However, because these sites have low affinity, it is challenging to understand how TFs recognize them in vivo. Here, we summarize recent findings and technological advancements that allow for the quantification and mechanistic interpretation of TF recognition across a wide range of affinities. We propose a model that integrates insights from the fields of genetics and cell biology to provide further conceptual understanding of TF binding specificity. We argue that in eukaryotes, target specificity is driven by an inhomogeneous 3D nuclear distribution of TFs and by variation in DNA binding affinity such that locally elevated TF concentration allows low-affinity binding sites to be functional.
Coordinated Control of PEV and PV-Based Storages in Residential Systems Under Generation and Load Uncertainties

Energy storage deployment in residential and commercial applications is an attractive proposition for ensuring proper utilization of solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation. Energy storage can be controlled and coordinated with PV generation to satisfy electricity demand and minimize electricity purchases from the grid. For optimal energy management, PV generation and load demand uncertainties need to be considered when designing a control method for the PV-based storage system. Another resource available at the residential level is the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) which also has bi-directional power flow capability. The charging and discharging routines of the PEV can be controlled to help reduce the energy drawn from the power grid during peak hours. In this paper, a method of coordinated optimal control between PV-based storage and PEV storage is proposed considering the stochastic nature of solar PV generation and load demand. The stochastic dual dynamic programming algorithm is employed to optimize the charge/discharge profiles of PV-based storage and PEV storage to minimize the daily household electricity purchase cost from the grid. Simulation analysis shows the advantage of the coordinated control compared to other control strategies.
A Descriptive Analysis of the Error Patterns Observed in the Fraction-Computation Solution Pathways of Students With and Without Learning Disabilities:

Developing an understanding of fractions is critical as a significant predictor for the learning progression of advanced domains; however, students face significant challenges in learning fractions...
In vivo changes in adjacent segment kinematics after lumbar decompression and fusion.

Abstract The pathogenesis of lumbar adjacent segment disease is thought to be secondary to altered biomechanics resulting from fusion. Direct in vivo evidence for altered biomechanics following lumbar fusion is lacking. This study’s aim was to describe in vivo kinematics of the superior adjacent segment relative to the fused segment before and after lumbar fusion. This study analyzed seven patients with symptomatic lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (5 M, 2F; age 65 ± 5.1 years) using a biplane radiographic imaging system. Each subject performed two to three trials of continuous flexion of their torso according to established protocols. Synchronized biplane radiographs were acquired at 20 images per second one month before and six months after single-level fusion at L4-L5 or L5-S1, or two-level fusion at L3-L5 or L4-S1. A previously validated volumetric model-based tracking process was used to track the position and orientation of vertebrae in the radiographic images. Intervertebral flexion/extension and AP translation (slip) at the superior adjacent segment were calculated over the entire dynamic flexion activity. Skin-mounted surface markers were tracked using conventional motion analysis and used to determine torso flexion. Change in adjacent segment kinematics after fusion was determined at corresponding angles of dynamic torso flexion. Changes in adjacent segment motion varied across patients, however, all patients maintained or increased the amount of adjacent segment slip or intervertebral flexion/extension. No patients demonstrated both decreased adjacent segment slip and decreased rotation. This study suggests that short-term changes in kinematics at the superior adjacent segment after lumbar fusion appear to be patient-specific.
Reaction T ( He 3 , γ ) Li 6 in the Energy Range 0.5-11 MeV

$\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray spectra from the radiative capture of $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ particles by tritons have been obtained over the energy range $0.5\ensuremath{\le}E(^{3}\mathrm{He})\ensuremath{\le}11.0$ MeV. Strong transitions were seen to the ground and first two excited states of $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$; excitation curves and angular distributions are presented. The integrated cross section for the inverse reaction $^{6}\mathrm{Li}({\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{0}, t)^{3}\mathrm{He}$ up to ${E}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}=25$ MeV is found to be 9.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.4 MeV mb. Evidence is also found for a transition to the second $T=1$ state of $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$. The results are discussed in the framework of the direct-capture model. Substantial T+$^{3}\mathrm{He}$ clustering is evident in the four observed $^{6}\mathrm{Li}$ final states.
Preoperative Anemia Treatment With Intravenous Iron in Patients Undergoing Major Orthopedic Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Introduction:Based upon the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, iron deficiency anemia is the cause of at least 20% of cases of anemia in adults over the age of 65. This is...
Use of microbially desulfurized rubber to produce sustainable rubberized bitumen

Abstract This paper examines the merits of using microbially desulfurized rubber to enhance theperformance ofbituminous pavements and promote recycling of scrap tires. To prepare microbially desulfurized rubber, we incubated crumb rubber obtained from waste tiresin medium with microbes from waste activated sludge. The concentration of sulfate was monitored during the treatment process and desulfurization was estimated to be about34%.Microbially desulfurized crumb rubber (MDR) was then added to bitumen to produce rubberized bitumen. Performance of the rubberized bitumen was compared with those of conventional crumb rubber modified (CRM) bitumen. To do so, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), inverse gas chromatography (IGC), and rheometry were utilized. Chemical analysis of rubber particles after desulfurization showed a significant reduction of the peak at 500-540 cm−1; this was attributed to the breakage of disulfide bonds after microbial desulfurization. Measurement of surface energy showed that the acid-base component of surface energy increased three times (increasing from 1.85mJ/m2 to 5.55mJ/m2) after desulfurization. Such enhancement could lead to increased interactions between rubber and bitumen reducing their separation. This was evidenced ina68% reduction inseparation indexin bitumencontaining microbially-treated (desulfurized) rubber compared to bitumen havingnon-treated rubber. In addition, study results showed a 6% increase in elastic recovery,a 27% increase in resistance to moisture diffusion,a 12.5% decrease in viscosity,a 10% increase in stiffness, and a 5% increase in stress relaxation capacity compared to bitumen's having non-treated rubber. The outcome of the study promotes resource conservation by offering a simultaneous solution for recycling of scrap tire via a low-cost bio-inspired approach while enhancing pavement performance.
45 Body composition as a predictive and prognostic biomarker in advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI)

Background Several immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have been approved for the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). There are limited predictive biomarkers for UC patients treated with ICI. In this study, we investigated the association between body composition and clinical outcomes in ICI-treated advanced UC patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of 70 ICI-treated advanced UC patients at Winship Cancer Institute from 2015–2020. Inclusion criteria was available computed tomography (CT) scans within 2 months of ICI-initiation. Baseline CT images were collected at mid-L3 and muscle and fat compartments were segmented using SliceOMatic v5.0 (TomoVision). The density of subcutaneous fat, inter-muscular fat, visceral fat, and skeletal muscle (SM) were measured and converted to indices by dividing by height(m)2 (SFI, IFI, VFI and SMI, respectively). Attenuated SM mean (Hounsfield Units) was also collected. Myosteatosis was calculated by IFI/SMI*100%. Gender-specific optimal cuts were used to dichotomize patients as high or low for each variable using OS as the primary outcome. A prognostic body composition risk score was created based on the beta coefficient from the multivariable Cox model (MVA) following best-subset variable selection. Our body composite risk score was SMI + 2*SM mean + VFI and patients were categorized as high (0–1), intermediate (2–3), or low-risk (4). Comparison of OS and PFS between the risk groups was performed via Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test. Concordance statistics (C-statistics) were used to quantify the discriminatory magnitude of the predictive model. Results Most patients (70%) were male and more than one-quarter (26%) had an ECOG PS ≥ 2. The majority received ICI in the second (46%) or third-line (21%) setting. Body composite poor-risk patients had significantly shorter OS (HR: 6.18, p Conclusions Body composition variables such as SMI, SM mean, VFI and myosteatosis may be predictive of clinical outcomes in ICI-treated advanced UC patients. Larger, prospective studies are warranted to validate this hypothesis-generating data. Acknowledgements Research reported in this publication was supported in part by the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource of Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and NIH/NCI under award number P30CA138292. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Trial Registration Not applicable Ethics Approval This retrospective study was approved by the Emory University Institutional Review Board. Consent Not applicable References Not applicable
The Athlete's Two Bodies: Reflections on the Ontology of Celebrity

This essay uses medieval political theology to reflect on the nature of the right of publicity. It observes that medieval political theorists conceptualized the king as consisting of "two bodies": the "body natural" or physical body and the "body corporate" or sovereign body. And it argues that the right of publicity likewise bifurcates the person and personality of the professional athlete.
Customer Loyalty and the Persistence of Revenues and Earnings

We use big data on customer shopping patterns to explain variation in the persistence of a company’s revenues and earnings. Using GPS location data from customers’ mobile devices that encompasses nearly 2.9 billion visits to over 1 million retail locations belonging to 285 U.S. companies, we develop new measures of customer loyalty and find that revenues and earnings are more persistent when customers are more loyal. Specifically, revenues and earnings are more persistent when customers (a) have more regular shopping patterns, (b) are repeat rather than one-time customers, (c) shop during the week rather than on weekends, and (d) spend more time in the store. We also explore implications of customer loyalty for managers, investors, and analysts. We find that capital investment increases with customer loyalty, consistent with customer loyalty being associated with less uncertain returns to capital investment. Further, we find that investors and analysts do not immediately incorporate customer loyalty into trading decisions and forecasts. Our results illustrate the value of customer data for understanding the conditions under which revenues and earnings are sustainable.
Web Applications and Maven

This chapter explains how information is sent between a browser and a server. It begins with descriptions of the request from a browser and a response from a server. Each has a format that is determined by the Hypertext Transfer Protocol [HTTP]. Basic HTML tags are introduced next, followed by HTML forms for collecting data. Data is easily passed from one page to another, but the data cannot be processed without a dynamic engine like a servlet engine. Maven is introduced as a development environment that easily incorporates a servlet engine into an application. Using Maven, a web server can be started that hosts a web application that can be compiled and run. The chapter explains markup languages, with a detailed description of the Hypertext Markup Language [HTML], which sends formatted content from the server to the browser. An important feature of HTML is its ability to easily request additional information from the server through the use of hypertext links. HTML forms are covered. These send data from the browser back to the server. Information from the form must be formatted so that it can be sent over the web. The browser and server handle encoding and decoding the data.
Gene by environment interaction mouse model reveals a functional role for 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract Mouse knockouts of Cntnap2 exhibit altered neurodevelopmental behavior and a genome-wide disruption of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). Here we examined whether adult Cntnap2 heterozygous mice (Cntnap2+/-, lacking behavioral or neuropathological abnormalities) subjected to a prenatal stress would have disruptions in brain 5hmC levels and exhibit altered behaviors similar to the knockout mice. Adult prenatally stressed Cntnap2+/- female mice showed repetitive behaviors and altered sociability, similar to the homozygote phenotype. Genomic profiling revealed disruptions in hippocampal and striatal 5hmC levels that were correlated to altered transcript levels of genes linked to these phenotypes (e.g., Reln, Dst, Trio and Epha5). Chromatin-immunoprecipitation coupled with high-throughput sequencing and hippocampal nuclear lysate pull-down data indicated that 5hmC abundance alters the binding of the transcription factor CLOCK near the promoters of differentially expressed genes (e.g., Palld, Gigyf1, and Fry), providing a mechanistic role for 5hmC (disruption of transcription factor binding) in gene regulation of developmentally important genes.
6 Year Old White Male with Recurrent Brownish Patches Around Mouth

A 6-year-old male presented with a recurrent lesion around the mouth. These lesions were frozen with liquid nitrogen therapy at his previous visit but the lesions still persisted. The patient was using the following medications at the time of service: Desonide 0.05 % topical cream.
Previously undescribed clinical and postmortem observations in non-tropical sprue; possible role of prolonged corticosteroid therapy.

Summary The classical characteristics of idiopathic sprue in a 34-year-old man were complicated by numerous episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding, by attacks of abdominal pain and rigidity and at least in one instance by intestinal perforation. The etiology of this condition which is believed to represent a new and hitherto undescribed clinical and pathologic entity as well as the possible role of cortisone and corticotropin therapy are considered.
Nutrition: The whole cereal grain is more informative than cereal fibre

A massive prospective study that assessed the association between consumption of cereals and mortality has concluded that cereal fibre is a component of whole grains that is potentially protective. This focus on cereal fibre is not fully consonant with plant and human biology and might distract from the aspect of most importance in prediction of chronic disease—the whole grain and its myriad bioactive phytochemical constituents.