cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of QoS adaptation capability of complex network systems

The paper formulates methods to measure the trustworthiness of a network system S under hostile environment conditions incident on S. How good is the system S in meeting the QoS expectations of applications (i.e., the QoS capability of S) is quantitatively measured — say, on a [0, 1] scale. We employ model-based assessment tools (e.g., PO-MDP) to benchmark the QoS capability by stress-testing S with artificially injected external conditions. As a case study, we describe the model-based assessment of a CDN (content distribution network). The study focuses on the placement of content caching nodes in a distribution topology for optimal performance. Security and reliability of nodes are additional factors. The extent of domain knowledge needed in the assessment tools is also highlighted, with emphasis on their reusability in different network systems.
On tap: Foodservice operators’ perceptions of a wine innovation

ABSTRACTAn online survey explored foodservice operators’ (N = 57) perceptions of wine-on-tap, a recent trend in the United States. Adopters (39.1%) considered themselves more innovative, willing to take risks, and influential on others’ opinions than nonadopters (60.9%). Foodservice operators who currently offer wine-on-tap utilized interpersonal information sources (e.g., distributors) more frequently than nonadopters. Additionally, adopters perceived wine-on-tap’s characteristics more positively than nonadopters, indicating wine-on-tap was significantly easier to use than bottled wine. Among other implications, networking stood out as an important driver of innovative behavior in the foodservice industry.
Abstract 1746: Tobacco use among US cancer survivors

Background: Combustible tobacco use is a known risk factor for several types of cancer including cancers of the head and neck, esophagus, lung, stomach, bladder, pancreas and cervix. Smokeless tobacco use is a known risk factor for cancers of the mouth, tongue, cheek, gum, and esophagus. Continued use of cigarettes, non-cigarette combustible tobacco products, or smokeless tobacco post diagnosis may interfere with treatment as well as increase the chance of developing a second malignancy. In the past, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designed targeted educational campaigns to prevent and reduce tobacco use among high-risk populations. Information on the prevalence of use among cancer survivors is vital to inform targeted smoking cessation programs. Methods: We analyzed combined data from the 2012-2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for tobacco use by cancer status among over 6,000 cancer survivors aged 18 and older. Non-cigarette combustible tobacco products include cigars, pipes, hookahs, bidis or cigarillos. Smokeless tobacco refers to tobacco products which are placed in the mouth or nose and include chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, snus (snoose), or dissolvable tobacco. Current users had used at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime— or used other non-cigarette combustible tobacco products at least once in their lifetime— and reported current use as “rarely,” “some days” or “every day.” Survey data were weighted to produce national estimates that are representative of the civilian noninstitutionalized US adult population. Differences between percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Results: More than 1 in 5 cancer survivors were current cigarette smokers. This was significantly higher than the population of persons without a cancer history. More than 1 in every 15 survivors were current users of some form of non-cigarette combustible tobacco product. However, this prevalence was not significantly different from persons without a history of cancer. The current use of smokeless tobacco products among cancer survivors (under 2%) was just over half the prevalence of that of their peers without a history of cancer. Conclusion: Tobacco use is an important modifiable risk factor for cancer- and non-cancer related morbidity and mortality of cancer survivors, yet its use remains as prevalent among survivors as among persons with no cancer history. Current cigarette use is higher among US cancer survivors compared with persons without a cancer history, and there is no significant difference in the current use of non-cigarette combustible tobacco products between both groups. Findings from this study may be used to discern differences in use of various types of tobacco products among cancer survivors and their peers without a cancer history. Citation Format: Tainya C. Clarke. Tobacco use among US cancer survivors. [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 1746.
Changes in driving performance following shoulder arthroplasty

Background: With this study, we sought to quantify perioperative changes in driving performance among patients who underwent anatomic or reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Methods: Using a driving simulator, 30 patients (20 anatomic and 10 reverse total shoulder arthroplasties) were tested preoperatively and at 2 weeks (PO2), 6 weeks (PO6), and 12 weeks (PO12) postoperatively. The total number of collisions, centerline crossings, and off-road excursions (when the vehicle traversed the lateral road edge), and scores on a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) were recorded at each driving trial. Results: The mean number of collisions increased from 5.9 preoperatively to 7.4 at PO2 and subsequently decreased to 5.6 at PO6 and 4.0 at PO12 (p = 0.0149). In addition, the number of centerline crossings decreased from 21.4 preoperatively to 16.3 at PO12 (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis of the data demonstrated that increased VAS for pain scores, older age, and less driving experience had a negative impact on driving performance. Conclusions: Driving performance returned to preoperative levels at 6 weeks after shoulder arthroplasty. By 12 weeks postoperatively, patients demonstrated improved driving performance compared with preoperative performance. On the basis of our findings, clinicians can suggest a window of 6 to 12 weeks postoperatively for the gradual return to driving. However, for patients of older age, with less driving experience, or with greater pain, a return to driving at closer to 12 weeks postoperatively should be recommended. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Analyzing variation in supplier delivery performance to prioritize supplier development efforts

The delivery performance of suppliers has significant impact on a manufacturer's ability to meet its customer delivery expectations. The concept of enhancing the ability to deliver products on time is a critical competitive strategy for a manufacturing organization. However, the focus of most supplier development efforts is primarily on the average values of the delivery performance metrics and few efforts have been conducted to investigate the variation within the supplier delivery function. It is the variability in supplier delivery performance that hampers manufacturer's competitiveness due to resulting excessive inventory, wasted resources and long lead-time. The multiple sources of this variability have made it even more profound as it is propagated over multiple parts from multiple suppliers. This paper proposes a model that utilizes simulation modeling within a bill of materials (BOM) structure to perform statistical analysis to prioritize supplier development efforts according to their impacts on manufacturer's performance. A case study is presented based on applying the proposed model to an assembly-based system.
Aero-automobility: getting there by ground and by air

Automobility and aeromobility have largely been treated as separate systems in work on the social and cultural aspects of transportation and movement. To the extent that scholars have considered th...
Murine Plasmacytoma MOPC315 as a Tool for the Analysis of Network Regulation

A great deal of what is presently known about antibody molecules, their idiotypes, and their genes has come from studies of neoplastic antibody-producing cells. Typically, such studies have used an approach in which a myeloma cell provided the investigator with large quantities of a single, specific, readily purified macromolecule, e.g., an antibody, an RNA, or an immunoglobulin gene. This strategy has been successfully used to establish the primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of antibody molecules(1–3) to develop the molecular probes that specifically detect immunoglobulin genes and RNAs,(4) and to identify the chromosomal location(5) and the molecular organization and nucleotide sequences of immunoglobulin genes.(6,7)
A phase 2 trial of INCB040093 alone or in combination with INCB039110 in patients (pts) with relapsed or refractory (r/r) classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL).

TPS8607 Background: In vitro data suggest that both the PI3K and JAK-STAT pathways contribute to tumor growth and survival in HL. Therapies that block both pathways may prove more beneficial in pts...
Comparison of tissue DNA to circulating tumor DNA in patients with brain metastases.

e13546Background: Brain metastases are often a late complication of cancer, not easily amenable to biopsy, and may contain additional molecular alterations not found in the original tumor. We sough...
Herabsetzung der Herzfrequenz und Verbesserung der Ventrikelleistung durch gekoppelte elektrische Stimulation beim Menschen

Wird der Ventrikel kurz nach Beendigung der Refraktarphase elektrisch stimuliert, so erfolgt eine sich ausbreitende Depolarisation, welche nicht zu einer effektiven zweiten Ventrikelkontraktion fuhrt. Es wurde eine Versuchsanordnung entwickelt, welche fortlaufend exakt getrennt gekoppelte elektrische Reize dem menschlichen Herzen zufuhrt. Die Ergebnisse der gekoppelten elektrischen Stimulation oder der gekoppelten Impulsgebung bei 16 Patienten werden dargestellt. Durch Verlangerung der Zeitspanne, wahrend welcher die Ventrikel gegenuber anderen Reizen refraktar sind, war es moglich, die Herzschlagfolge herabzusetzen. Eine solche Verlangsamung des Herz-schlages wurde bei 2 Patienten mit Tachykardie durchgefuhrt, bei einem Patienten bestand ein Vorhofflimmern, beim zweiten eine Vorhoftachykardie. Die gekoppelte elektrische Stimulation verbesserte weiterhin den Kontraktionszustand des Myokards. Diese Verbesserung wurde nachweisbar durch ein Ansteigen der intra ventrikularen Druckkurve, des durchschnittlichen systolischen Auswurfvolumen und des Ausmases der myokardialen Kontraktion. Sie wird erklart als eine Form der postextrasystolisch bestehenbleibenden Spannung. Im allgemeinen sank der enddiastolische Ventrikeldruck ab, regelmasige Anderungen des Minutenvolumens traten nicht auf. Die moglichen klinischen Anwendungsbereiche dieser neuen Technik werden diskutiert.
Crossborder Social Protection

Chapter 3 investigates how the provision of social security by the homeland to emigrants reincorporates them in the polity of the sending state, making them insiders rather than outsiders. It shows how the crossborder social security bureaucracy developed for the extraterritorial French population is a branch of the national social security system and how the two are imbricated in each other, allowing easy transnational membership mobility and access to services. Unlike previous studies that discuss the role of the host land in providing social security to immigrants, this chapter instead focuses on social security delivered by the homeland to emigrants as a way of upholding their citizenship rights. The chapter ends with reflections on the interface of social security with citizenship in the production of the postdiaspora condition.
Predicting Short-Term Outcome After Surgery for Primary Spinal Tumors Based on Patient Frailty.

Objective Frailty, decreased physiologic reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors beyond what is expected for normal aging, is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to develop a preoperative frailty index for patients undergoing surgery for primary spinal column tumors that predicts morbidity, mortality, and length of stay. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2002 to 2011 was used to identify patients who underwent surgery for a primary spinal tumor. The spinal tumor frailty index, consisting of 9 items, was applied to each patient. Patients were characterized as “not frail” (0), “mildly frail” (1), “moderately frail” (2), and “severely frail” (≥3). Results Inclusion criteria were met by 1589 patients. Overall major complication rate was 10.6%. Compared with patients without frailty, patients with mild (odds ratio 3.83; 95% confidence interval, 2.63–5.58), moderate (odds ratio 6.80; 95% confidence interval, 4.10–11.3), and severe frailty (odds ratio 13.05; 95% confidence interval, 6.34–26.87) had significantly increased odds of developing complications (all P Conclusions Compared with patients without frailty, patients with mild, moderate, and severe frailty had significantly increased odds of developing postoperative complications. Systematic evaluation of preoperative frailty should play a key role in decision making for patients undergoing surgery for primary spinal tumors.
Electrophysiology and density of retinal neurons in mice with a mutation that includes the Pax2 locus

Purpose The Krd mouse has a deletion in chromosome 19 that includes the Pax2 gene locus. The aim of this study was to characterize in detail how these retinas differ from normal. Methods Both electroretinographic and anatomic methods were used to assess visual function. Full-field flash electroretinograms (ERGs) and planimetric densities were obtained from Krd and control animals. Results Measurements of the ERG show that in the Krd mice, both a- and b-wave amplitudes are attenuated relative to control by amounts that vary from animal to animal. The b-wave of the ERG generally is affected more severely than the a-wave. However, there is little or no shift of the curves relating the b-wave and a-wave amplitude to the intensity of the stimulus. Also, no change in the response kinetics seems to be associated with the attenuated responses. Estimates of planimetric cell density in the outer nuclear, inner nuclear, and ganglion cell layers show significant cell losses in affected animals that are more pronounced proportionally in the inner layers. Comparisons between electrophysiological and histologic measurements made on each eye show good correlation between the reduction in the ERG components and the magnitude of cell losses. Conclusions These experiments show that the eyes of Krd mice have reduced ERGs and reduced cellular density. There is a loss of cells in all layers of the retina, but the inner layers are affected more severely. Consistent with this, the b-wave is reduced more than the a-wave. The normal functional dependency of the ERG on stimulus intensity and the normal response kinetics suggest the cellular losses are not associated with changes in cellular function.
Skeletal Muscle-Specific Deletion of MKP-1 Reveals a p38 MAPK/JNK/Akt Signaling Node That Regulates Obesity-Induced Insulin Resistance.

Stress responses promote obesity and insulin resistance, in part, by activating the stress-responsive mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), p38 MAPK, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK). Stress also induces expression of MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1), which inactivates both JNK and p38 MAPK. However, the equilibrium between JNK/p38 MAPK and MKP-1 signaling in the development of obesity and insulin resistance is unclear. Skeletal muscle is a major tissue involved in energy expenditure and glucose metabolism. In skeletal muscle, MKP-1 is upregulated in high-fat diet–fed mice and in skeletal muscle of obese humans. Mice lacking skeletal muscle expression of MKP-1 (MKP1-MKO) showed increased skeletal muscle p38 MAPK and JNK activities and were resistant to the development of diet-induced obesity. MKP1-MKO mice exhibited increased whole-body energy expenditure that was associated with elevated levels of myofiber-associated mitochondrial oxygen consumption. miR-21, a negative regulator of PTEN expression, was upregulated in skeletal muscle of MKP1-MKO mice, resulting in increased Akt activity consistent with enhanced insulin sensitivity. Our results demonstrate that skeletal muscle MKP-1 represents a critical signaling node through which inactivation of the p38 MAPK/JNK module promotes obesity and insulin resistance.
Impact of Recommender Systems on Sales Volume and Diversity

We investigate the impact of several different recommender algorithms (e.g., Amazon.com's “Consumers who bought this item also bought”), commonly used in ecommerce and online services, on sales volume and diversity, using field experiment data on movie sales from a top retailer in North America. Sales volume refers to the number of products purchased or amount of money spent by individual consumers, while sales diversity refers to the market share distribution or concentration of purchased products (e.g., niche item vs broad-appeal item). For sales volume, we show that different algorithms have differential impacts, with some widely used algorithms having no impacts. Purchase-based collaborative filtering (“Consumers who bought this item also bought”) causes a 25% lift in views and a 35% lift in the number of items purchased over the control group (no recommender) for those who purchase. In comparison, View-based collaborative filtering (“Consumers who viewed this item also viewed”) shows only a 3% lift in views and a 9% lift in the number of items purchased, albeit not statistically significant. Lastly, Recently Viewed (“Items you have recently viewed”) shows a 5% decrease in views and a 12% decrease in the number of items purchased, albeit not statistically significant. For sales diversity, we find that collaborative filtering algorithms cause individuals to discover and purchase a greater variety of products but push each individual to the same set of popular titles, leading to concentration bias at the aggregate level. For managers and policy makers, our results inform personalization, filtering, and recommender strategy in e-commerce and website design. Academically, this paper adds to the emerging but controversial topic of the impact of recommenders on sales volume and diversity for a particular set of algorithms with a field experiment.
Abstract 16235: Atrioesophageal Fistula Following Ablation Procedures for Atrial Fibrillation: A Case Series

Background: Atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) is a rare but serious adverse event of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. We reviewed 54 reported cases to characterize the clinical presentation and prognosis of this entity. Objective: To identify the clinical characteristics of AEF following ablation procedures for AF and determine the associated mortality. Methods: We performed a systematic literature search of observational cases of AEF following ablation for AF. Statistical analysis: Descriptive statistics. Results: Fifty-four cases were identified. Fever was the most common presenting symptom (n=42) followed by neurological deficits (n=27; including motor and language impairment), hematemesis (n=17); altered mental status (n=15), chest pain (n=14) and seizures (n=7). The mean presentation time after ablation procedure was 20±11 days, with a 2-60 day range. The techniques performed were: Percutaneous RFA (PRFA) in 37 cases, surgical RFA (SRFA) in 15 cases, cryothermal ablation in 1 case and HIFU in 1 case as well. CT of the chest and head (n=29; n=14 respectively) were the preferred diagnostic modalities, with multifocal infarcts consistent with air embolism (n=14) and pneumomediastinum (n=12) as the most common findings. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were given in 20 cases, although an identifiable microorganism was present in only 10 patients. Surgical repair was the therapy of choice in 25 cases, while no intervention was possible in 22 cases. At least one fatal outcome was observed after transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Overall mortality was 35% (n=19) among them 5 cases, which did not have any intervention. Conclusions: Atrioesophageal fistula in the sequence of AF ablation procedures has a grave prognosis with a high mortality. Fever of unknown origin and/or septicemia after ablation is a contraindication for TEE until AEF has been ruled out. Figure. Frequency and distribution of symptoms in atrioesophageal fistula following ablation for AF.
Part 3: Solid phase extraction of Russian VX and its chemical attribution signatures in food matrices and their detection by GC-MS and LC-MS.

Chemical attribution signatures indicative of O-isobutyl S-(2-diethylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothioate (Russian VX) synthetic routes were investigated in spiked food samples. Attribution signatures were identified using a multifaceted approach: Russian VX was synthesized using six synthetic routes and the chemical attribution signatures identified by GC-MS and LC-MS. Three synthetic routes were then down selected and spiked into complex matrices: bottled water, baby food, milk, liquid eggs, and hot dogs. Sampling and extraction methodologies were developed for these materials and used to isolate the attribution signatures and Russian VX from each matrix. Recoveries greater than 60% were achieved for most signatures in all matrices; some signatures provided recoveries greater than 100%, indicating some degradation during sample preparation. A chemometric model was then developed and validated with the concatenated data from GC-MS and LC-MS analyses of the signatures; the classification results of the model were > 75% for all samples. This work is part three of a three-part series in this issue of the United States-Sweden collaborative efforts towards the understanding of the chemical attribution signatures of Russian VX in crude materials and in food matrices.
The quest for normalcy: signifying interracial romantic alliances in ABC’s Scandal

AbstractThe objective of this analysis is to analyze the first six seasons of Scandal to examine the signification of interracial relationships within a contemporary mass-mediated (con)text where post-racialism has become part of the dominant non-diegetic discourse. More specifically, I assume a semiotic analytic frame to focus on the interracial romantic alliance between high profile DC political players, Olivia Pope and Fitzgerald Grant (aka “Olitz”). The analysis identifies four signifiers across six seasons (interracial romantic alliances as pathologically based, post-racial realities as white privilege, racial consciousness as black penalty, and interracial relational normalcy as elusive and improbable) that collectively reflect problematic representations of interracial romantic relationships characteristic of past stereotypical depictions.
Democracy, Demagogues, and Political Wisdom: Understanding Trump in the Wake of Thucydides’ History

Few characters in the classical world offer a more tempting comparison with our president than the Athenian demagogue Cleon. In post-Periclean Athens, Cleon was a leader and flatterer of the Athenian demos known for his “towering moral indignation and its accompanying boastfulness, bloodthirstiness, calumnies, lies, pretense, theft of the deeds of others, and cowardice.” Thucydides’ History, which offers the most extensive picture of Cleon’s political career, presents Periclean Athens as a moderate alternative to the dangerous democratic extremes posed by men like Cleon and his more talented and ambitious successor, Alcibiades. For Thucydides, the rhetoric of Periclean Athens corrects a vulgar nativism, to which men like Cleon and Trump are prone, and a rootless cosmopolitanism, which both men criticize. And yet, while Thucydides is critical of Cleon, his portrait of this demagogue also highlights the political virtues of Cleon’s defense of imperial Athens, one that remains rooted in a profound attachment to justice which Thucydides intends to refine.
Accuracy of Administrative Codes for Distinguishing Positive Pressure Ventilation From High-Flow Nasal Cannula.

OBJECTIVES: Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) is increasingly used in critically ill pediatric patients, despite limited data on safety and efficacy. Administrative data may be a good resource for observational studies. Therefore, we sought to assess the performance of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision procedure code for NIPPV. METHODS: Patients admitted to the PICU requiring NIPPV or heated high-flow nasal cannula (HHFNC) over the 11-month study period were identified from the Virtual PICU System database. The gold standard was manual review of the electronic health record to verify the use of NIPPV or HHFNC among the cohort. The presence or absence of a NIPPV procedure code was determined by using administrative data. Test characteristics with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were generated, comparing administrative data with the gold standard. RESULTS: Among the cohort (n = 562), the majority were younger than 5 years, and the most common primary diagnosis was bronchiolitis. Most (82%) required NIPPV, whereas 18% required only HHFNC. The NIPPV code had a sensitivity of 91.1% (95% CI: 88.2%–93.6%) and a specificity of 57.6% (95% CI: 47.2%–67.5%), with a positive likelihood ratio of 2.15 (95% CI: 1.70–2.71) and negative likelihood ratio of 0.15 (95% CI: 0.11–0.22). CONCLUSIONS: Among our critically ill pediatric cohort, NIPPV procedure codes had high sensitivity but only moderate specificity. On the basis of our study results, there is a risk of misclassification, specifically failure to identify children who require NIPPV, when using administrative data to study the use of NIPPV in this population.
Tissue/Material Interactions of Biomedical Polymers

Of major concern in the development of polymers for medication is the question of the biocompatibility of the polymeric system. We have investigated the biocompatibility of various polymers from the inflammatory response perspective utilizing an in vivo cage system. This cage system permits the quantitive determination of various components of the inflammatory response. Quanitative assays will be presented which can be used to determine the temporal variations in cell function in the inflammatory exudate that interacts with the implanted biomedical polymers or drug-polymer delivery systems. In addition, correlative, comparative, and quantitative information on the release characteristics and cellular response, adhesion and activation, that is the biocompatibility, of polymeric systems also will be presented.
Contract Review: Cognitive Bias, Moral Hazard, and Situational Pressure

This Article explores the contract drafting and review process of attorneys from a cognitive and social science perspective. Based on an understanding of the behavioral tendencies of individual attorneys as impacted by cognitive bias, moral hazard, and situational pressure, the drafting attorney may be able to secure particular transactional advantages for her client. For example, the anchoring effect, which suggests that individuals are affected by the presence by an initial value position, may explain why drafters should and do include extreme positions in their initial draft. Similarly, time pressure may affect an attorney’s review of a contract, which a drafting attorney can anticipate and exploit to her advantage by increasing contract length and complexity. The drafting attorney can also seek to take advantage of particular moral hazards that the reviewing attorney faces when representing clients, such as when the reviewing attorney is compensated on a per-transaction basis or would like to appease the client and avoid disrupting a transaction. Understanding the cognitive processes and situational influences helps explain or predict particular patterns of contracting behavior. These factors suggest significant limitations in the attorney as an effective tool in checking opportunistic behavior, both prior to and after contract formation, and undermine a positive model of the transactional attorney as a value-adding transaction cost engineer.
Transformations of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain.

A great deal of research from several laboratories, including ours, has given a picture, incomplete, to be sure, of the many reactions that combine to determine the composition of the brain lipids. These are outlined in Fig, 1, which provides an overview of the sources and metabolic transformations of the fatty acids that contribute their properties to the major phosphoglycerides and sphingolipids that form the chief structural units of the membranes that are involved in most of the properties of the brain.
Cryo-EM reveals ligand induced allostery underlying InsP3R channel gating.

Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (InsP3Rs) are cation channels that mobilize Ca2+ from intracellular stores in response to a wide range of cellular stimuli. The paradigm of InsP3R activation is the coupled interplay between binding of InsP3 and Ca2+ that switches the ion conduction pathway between closed and open states to enable the passage of Ca2+ through the channel. However, the molecular mechanism of how the receptor senses and decodes ligand-binding signals into gating motion remains unknown. Here, we present the electron cryo-microscopy structure of InsP3R1 from rat cerebellum determined to 4.1 A resolution in the presence of activating concentrations of Ca2+ and adenophostin A (AdA), a structural mimetic of InsP3 and the most potent known agonist of the channel. Comparison with the 3.9 A-resolution structure of InsP3R1 in the Apo-state, also reported herein, reveals the binding arrangement of AdA in the tetrameric channel assembly and striking ligand-induced conformational rearrangements within cytoplasmic domains coupled to the dilation of a hydrophobic constriction at the gate. Together, our results provide critical insights into the mechanistic principles by which ligand-binding allosterically gates InsP3R channel.
Personal Power and Agency When Dealing with Interactive Voice Response Systems and Alternative Modalities

In summer 2015, we conducted an exploratory study of how people in the U.S. use and respond to robot-like systems in order to achieve their needs through mediated customer service interfaces. To understand this process, we carried out three focus groups sessions along with 50 in-depth interviews. Strikingly we found that people perceive (correctly or not) that interactive voice response customer service technology is set up to deter them from pursuing further contact. And yet, for the most part, people were unwilling to simply give up on the goals that motivated their initial contact. Consequently, they had to innovate ways to communicate with the automated systems that essentially serve as gatekeepers to their desired ends. These results have implications for communication theory and system design, especially since these systems will be increasingly presented to consumers as social media affordances evolve.
Finding the “I” in “Team”: The role of groups in an individual's pursuit of calling

Abstract Extant literature on work as a calling is primarily focused on individual factors. The role of social context, particularly the groups to which individuals belong, is largely unexplored despite the importance of others in the construction of meaning and the central role of groups in the organization of work. We seek to address this conspicuous gap by exploring work groups as a rich and relevant context in which individuals engage in the evaluative experiences inherent in the pursuit of calling. In so doing, we integrate research on calling with research on social identity theory and optimal distinctiveness in groups to present a conceptual typology of groups and calling. Our typology crosses the calling dimensions of search and presence with the identity motives of belonging and distinctiveness reflected in the group context, proposing six classifications of individual experiences of calling in these social contexts. Finally, we suggest practical considerations for individuals and groups in each of these classifications to help individuals satisfy unmet needs in identity motives related to calling, and to ultimately improve success in pursuing callings.
AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTED AVERAGE CONSENSUS SCHEME VIA INFREQUENT COMMUNICATION

Distributed average consensus finds extensive applications in multi-agent systems where a group of agents are required to agree upon a common value. Motivated by the need to conserve energy for large-scale multi-agent systems, we propose an infrequent communication scheme that allows the system to reach average consensus at low energy consumption. The proposed scheme divides the original large network into two smaller sub-networks with some overlapping nodes. Agents in the two sub-networks take turns to broadcast and update their local estimates, until reaching consensus. We prove that the proposed scheme guarantees asymptotic convergence when both subnetworks are connected and have overlapping nodes. Simulations corroborate the energy saving capability of the proposed scheme.
Enhanced susceptibility to chemically induced colitis caused by excessive endosomal TLR signaling in LRBA-deficient mice.

LPS-responsive beige-like anchor (LRBA) protein deficiency in humans causes immune dysregulation resulting in autoimmunity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), hypogammaglobulinemia, regulatory T (T reg ) cell defects, and B cell functional defects, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible are incompletely understood. In an ongoing forward genetic screen for N -ethyl- N -nitrosourea (ENU)-induced mutations that increase susceptibility to dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, we identified two nonsense mutations in Lrba . Although T reg cells have been a main focus in LRBA research to date, we found that dendritic cells (DCs) contribute significantly to DSS-induced intestinal inflammation in LRBA-deficient mice. Lrba −/− DCs exhibited excessive IRF3/7- and PI3K/mTORC1-dependent signaling and type I IFN production in response to the stimulation of the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 3, TLR7, and TLR9. Substantial reductions in cytokine expression and sensitivity to DSS in LRBA-deficient mice were caused by knockout of Unc93b1 , a chaperone necessary for trafficking of TLR3, TLR7, and TLR9 to endosomes. Our data support a function for LRBA in limiting endosomal TLR signaling and consequent intestinal inflammation.
Mapping the Human Genome

Revolutionary progress in genetic theory and its applications has led to the ability to map the human genome. As with numerous other recent advances in biomedicine, these new capabilities in genetics bear the unfortunate consequence that ever new ethical problems and moral dilemmas accompany the positive fruits of scientific research. But are the ethical problems raised by the ability to map the human genome really new? Or are they variants of concerns already familiar in genetic screening and counseling, and in other areas of medicine?
A Server-based Approach for Predictable GPU Access with Improved Analysis

Abstract We propose a server-based approach to manage a general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPU) in a predictable and efficient manner. Our proposed approach introduces a GPU server that is a dedicated task to handle GPU requests from other tasks on their behalf. The GPU server ensures bounded time to access the GPU, and allows other tasks to suspend during their GPU computation to save CPU cycles. By doing so, we address the two major limitations of the existing real-time synchronization-based GPU management approach: busy waiting within critical sections and long priority inversion. We have implemented a prototype of the server-based approach on a real embedded platform. This case study demonstrates the practicality and effectiveness of the server-based approach. Experimental results indicate that the server-based approach yields significant improvements in task schedulability over the existing synchronization-based approach in most practical settings. Although we focus on a GPU in this paper, the server-based approach can also be used for other types of computational accelerators.
Photodynamics of [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Model Compounds with Bidentate Heterocyclic Ligands.

Two asymmetrically structured model compounds for the hydrogen-generating [Fe–Fe]-hydrogenase active site were investigated to determine the ultrafast photodynamics, structural intermediates, and p...
Fundamental Curriculum Change with 1-Year Pre-Clerkship Phase and Effect on Stress Associated with Residency Specialty Selection

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine recently changed from 2 pre-clerkship years (Traditional curriculum) to a 1.5-year pre-clerkship phase for one class (Hybrid curriculum) to a 1-year pre-clerkship phase (Curriculum 2.0). This study investigated the relationship between shortened pre-clerkship training and stress associated with selecting a residency field. The surveyed graduating medical student population included one cohort from the Traditional and Hybrid curricula, and the first two cohorts from Curriculum 2.0. The authors modeled recollected stress levels using a Zero-Inflated Linear Mixed Model with additional covariate and random effects adjustments. Specialty decision-related stress levels increased in the Hybrid curriculum by 10.208 points [p = 0.0115, 95% CI 2.293, 18.122] on a 0–100 point scale. Curriculum 2.0 students had an insignificant increase in stress of 4.062 points [p = 0.304, 95% CI − 3.690, 11.814] relative to the Traditional curriculum. Time since starting medical school and time when a specialty was chosen were the largest factors associated with stress. While this study only evaluated a single facet of the potential downstream effects of curricular change, these data should inspire confidence for reform efforts as a significant increase in specialty decision-related stress present in Hybrid curriculum resolved in both cohorts of Curriculum 2.0.
X-Ray and Ultraviolet Light Sensitivities of a Methyl Methanesulfonate-Sensitive Strain of Drosophila melanogaster

Genetic recombination is a multifaceted biological phenomenon with a variety of expressions on a wide range of biological systems. These expressions have in common the interaction of genetic elements to produce reorganized molecules, and this reordering process serves as a fundamental mechanism for introducing biological diversity to these systems. Radding (1973) has classified the types of recom-binational interactions observed into three general categories: general recombination, site-specific recombination, and nonhomologous recombination. Two approaches have been employed for the analysis of these genetic exchange interactions. The more classic methodology utilizes systems which focus on the analysis of recom-binational events by an examination of the exchange products of genetic interactions. More recently systematic investigations of recombinational interactions have aimed at illuminating the underlying genetic and biochemical control mechanisms (e.g. see Clark, 1973). This latter approach drew attention to the demonstrable relationship between recombination deficiency and mutagen sensitivity and suggested that mutagen sensitivity could be an effective indicator not only of deficiencies of DNA repair ability but also of abnormalities of recombination proficiency.
Monetary Policy Peri- Post Covid-19 and rise of enterprises in Nepal.

The paper analyzes the way distressed enterprises of Nepal can be kept afloat or conserved against upheaval through major amendments in the monetary policy. The narrowed business groups can be revitalized if the government would immediately impose certain leverages on monetary policies and increase the inflow of capital to make it accessible to the needy entrepreneurs. There prevail high chances for re-emergence of companies post Covid accommodating repatriated people for employment with an effective draft of the monetary plans.
Saving Lives: Recognizing and Intervening with Youth at Risk for Suicide

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth in the United States. Fortunately, substantial advances have been achieved in identifying and intervening with youth at risk. In this review, ...
Effect of particle proximity and surface properties on the response of PBX under vibration

Abstract Accidental initiation of polymer bonded explosives (PBX) may take place during manufacturing, handling or transport. The sensitivity to initiation depends on the microstructural properties of PBXs, including particle size distribution, density, initial defects, porosity, etc. Finite element simulations of a representative PBX microstructure under ultrasonic vibration are used to understand the effect of relative particle locations and distance between particles on the local temperature rise in PBXs. The simulations show that larger particles damage earlier and the behavior of the smaller particles in the microstructure largely depends on their position with respect to the larger particles and the loading boundary. The adhesion between the particles and the polymer has a direct effect on the formation of hot-spots due to friction and through local increase of compressive stresses that may cause a surge in heat generation.
Comparison of adipophilin and recently introduced PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma immunohistochemistry in the assessment of sebaceous neoplasms: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND We and others have noticed consistent staining of sebaceous glands with PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma (PRAME). We aimed to determine whether PRAME was as sensitive, specific, and interpretable as adipophilin for distinguishing sebaceous neoplasms (SNs) from other neoplasms. METHODS Twenty SNs and 32 control cases were stained for PRAME and adipophilin. Extent of staining was scored as follows: 0, no staining; 1, 50% positivity. Intensity was scored as negative, weak, moderate, or strong. A composite score was determined by adding the scores for extent and intensity. RESULTS PRAME had positive composite scores in all 20 SNs in the more differentiated areas, whereas adipophilin had positive composite scores in 19/20 cases. PRAME showed positivity in the basaloid cells in 15/16 cases, whereas adipophilin was positive in 14. Among controls, PRAME and adipophilin had positive composite scores in 3/32 cases and 6/32 cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS PRAME and adipophilin are comparable in terms of distribution and intensity for staining sebocytes. In the basaloid cells, PRAME expression is often more diffuse and easier to detect than adipophilin. In comparing the SNs to the controls, PRAME was more sensitive and more specific than adipophilin. PRAME could be used as an additional marker of sebaceous differentiation in everyday practice.
A Versatile Multichannel Instrument for Measurement of Ratiometric Fluorescence Intensity and Phosphorescence Lifetime

Optical biosensing is being actively investigated for minimally-invasive monitoring of key biomarkers both $in~ vitro$ and $in~ vivo$ . However, typical benchtop instruments are not portable and are not well suited to high-throughput, real-time analysis. This paper presents a versatile multichannel instrument for measurement of emission intensity and lifetime values arising from luminescent biosensor materials. A detailed design description of the opto-electronic hardware as well as the control software is provided, elaborating a flexible, user-configurable system that may be customized or duplicated for a wide range of applications. This article presents experimental measurements that prove the $in~ vitro$ and $in ~vivo$ functionality of the system. Such tools may be adopted for many research and development purposes, including evaluation of new biosensor materials, and may also serve as prototypes for future miniaturized handheld or wearable devices.
Jim Crow, Indian Style: The Disenfranchisement of Native Americans

This article examines the ongoing struggle of Indians to gain the right to vote and, thus, have a meaningful opportunity to fully participate in the political process. It will discuss historical and modern disenfranchisement and the continued progress toward the goal of political equality envisioned by the fifteenth amendment.
Intelligent Prediction of States in Multi-port Autonomous Reconfigurable Solar power plant (MARS)

In power electronics, prediction of states may be used for identification of faults, determination of aging of components, identification of bad data measurements, among others. Prediction of states in power electronics have broadly been based on: (a) physics-based models, (b) data-driven models, and (c) hybrid models. In this paper, data-driven approaches are presented for intelligent prediction of states in multi-port autonomous reconfigurable solar power plant (MARS) and compared. The data-set needed to train the data-driven models based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms has been identified and the trained models are evaluated under different extrapolated normal and abnormal operating conditions. The AI algorithms include nonlinear auto-regressive exogenous model (NARX), spiking neural networks (SNN), and decision tree. The models are compared and contrasted. The best model (NARX) is evaluated under different normal and abnormal operating conditions that have indicated accurate prediction.
Report by WFRRD Board President

The year 2000 was a busy and productive year for the WFRRD. I would like to take this opportunity to describe some of the highlights of the year, and to elaborate on the challenges we have identified for the future. There were 145 workshops/seminars/field days at the Wallace Foundation Learning Center in 2000, which were attended by 3,323 people. We are very proud to see the farm and the Learning Center being used to meet the needs identified for research, education, and rural development.
Appendix G: Using Gsmpl

This appendix contains sections titled: Open-Loop Transfer Function Closed-Loop Responses Saving Results Version Number Example Session Generating Analysis Plots Verification of Gardner's Stability Limits The Nyquist Plot
Chapter 11 The Madison Headwaters Elk Herd: Stability in an Inherently Variable Environment

Theme While the elk herd that winters on the northern range of Yellowstone National Park has been the subject of almost continuous investigations since the inception of the park, the elk herd that occupies the Madison headwaters area in the central portion of Yellowstone has received much less scientific attention. This is a particularly interesting population for the study of regulatory processes because the elk remain within the confines of the park year‐round and, thus, are not subjected to harvest by human hunters. Historic records also suggest that the herd was not targeted by market hunters during the 1800s nor managed by the National Park Service through intensive culling, as was common for ungulates occupying the northern range until 1968 when the Park Service adopted the natural regulation policy (Cole 1971, 1983). Hence, the dynamics of this herd have not been influenced to any appreciable extent by human manipulations other than the extirpation of wolves from the Park in the early 1900s. This portion of Yellowstone is also subjected to harsh winter conditions with periods of intense cold temperatures and deep snow pack in most years. These conditions provide an excellent opportunity to study the influence of density‐dependent and density‐independent factors and their interactions in regulating population processes in an ungulate herd. In this chapter, we present the results of an intensive demographic study of this population that was conducted just prior to the reestablishment of wolves.