cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Hidden” Skills and Deficits in the Emergence of Autism

Autism encompasses a set of pluralistic developmental behavioral interactions that are organized into patterns that are both characteristic of the autism diagnosis and unique to the individual. We discuss three aspects underlying the development of autism: nonlinearity, cusps, and the notion of “hidden” skills and deficits. Autistic characteristics may suddenly emerge from skills previously undetected. Because these skills are necessary but not sufficient for the development of other behaviors, they can be identified as behavioral cusps. Because these skills are “hidden” (not readily observed), identifying and assessing them is a challenge to researchers and clinicians. In this paper we discuss some typical hidden skills and deficits that may contribute to the development of autistic behavior and provide examples of how they function developmentally in autism. Early detections of these skills and deficits are crucial for establishing the behavioral developmental cusps for typical development and avoiding ...
Geology – The Sensitive Science

The geosciences are inherently multisensory. Any field geologist will attest to this obvious association, but we often “lose sight” of this connection in the classroom, where it could be used to its best advantage. The National Park Service explores this relationship at Yellowstone Park's “Three Senses Trail.” More than most environments, volcanic terrains actually register on all five senses, but almost every geologic setting, when experienced intimately, stimulates all our senses. Of course, our visual perception of the world is important but not to the exclusion of our other senses, the use of which enhances the learning process. The greater the number of senses used in learning, the easier the acquisition of knowledge and the longer the period of retention. Hearing is the most underutilized of the senses. Musical selections can be used to enhance classroom activities, taping footsteps in a variety of environments challenges our powers of perception, and the “music of the earth” can be approximated wit...
Immunodeficiency Presenting as an Undiagnosed Disease

Although primary immunodeficiencies typically present with recurrent, chronic, or severe infections, autoimmune manifestations frequently accompany these disorders and may be the initial clinical manifestations. The presence of 2 or more autoimmune disorders, unusual severe atopic disease, or a combination of these disorders should lead a clinician to consider primary immunodeficiency disorders.
Variations in the medical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease among gastroenterologists.

Background and aims With expanding available treatment options and evolving understanding of the risks and benefits of medical therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there is the possibility of significant variations in treatment and outcomes. Little is known about the variation in treatment between IBD specialists and other gastroenterology (GI) physicians. Evaluating possible variations is an important first step to help address standardized care and optimize treatment. We studied the differences in use of biologics and immunomodulators in the management of IBD patients at a tertiary care hospital between IBD-trained physicians and other gastroenterologists. Methods A total of 325 IBD patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 216 patients received care with an IBD physician and 109 had other GI/non-IBD physicians as their main caregivers. Results The unadjusted use of immunomodulators (35.6% vs 16.5%, p = 0.001), biologics (45.8% vs 22.9%, p =0.001) and dual therapy (biologics and immunomodulator) (14.4% vs 3.7%, p =0.001) was significantly higher in the IBD-physician group. These differences in therapy between the two groups remained after adjusting for patient and disease characteristics. Conclusion There are significant variations in the treatment of patients with IBD by GI physicians. The use of biologics and immunomodulators is higher in GI physicians with dedicated IBD interest and training.
From the Classroom to the Boardroom: The Impact of Information Literacy Instruction on Workplace Research Skills

Since the wide-scale adoption of the ACRL Information Literacy Standards (2000), there have been numerous students who have graduated from universities that have formal library instruction programs. Currently there has been very little assessment of their post-graduate research skills or what role information literacy plays on workplace performance. [...]
Getting from Here to There: The Role of Geography in Community College Students’ Transfer Decisions

Community colleges have received renewed attention from policymakers seeking to increase college attendance and completion rates because they provide open access to postsecondary education for historically marginalized students. Yet, transfer rates from community colleges to 4-year institutions are low. Inequities in opportunity that are shaped by geography and compounded throughout childhood may restrict higher education opportunities for low-income, first-generation college students. Most studies examining how geography constrains college choice focus on high school students’ initial decisions about higher education, not community college students. We analyze the spatial distribution of community college students’ “choice sets,” the 4-year institutions that they are considering transferring to. Using qualitative interviews and geospatial analysis, we examine how these spatial patterns compare between two community-college systems in Central Texas. We find that students’ choice sets are geographically constrained, but that for many students, these zones are geographically large, suggesting that interventions and targeted outreach from universities could help students identify and select from greater range of options. Our findings have important implications for college access and completion among first-generation college students, and for policies that seek to interrupt patterns of inequity tied to location.
Comparison of four statistical and machine learning methods for crash severity prediction.

Abstract Crash severity prediction models enable different agencies to predict the severity of a reported crash with unknown severity or the severity of crashes that may be expected to occur sometime in the future. This paper had three main objectives: comparison of the performance of four statistical and machine learning methods including Multinomial Logit (MNL), Nearest Neighbor Classification (NNC), Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Random Forests (RF), in predicting traffic crash severity; developing a crash costs-based approach for comparison of crash severity prediction methods; and investigating the effects of data clustering methods comprising K-means Clustering (KC) and Latent Class Clustering (LCC), on the performance of crash severity prediction models. The 2012–2015 reported crash data from Nebraska, United States was obtained and two-vehicle crashes were extracted as the analysis data. The dataset was split into training/estimation (2012–2014) and validation (2015) subsets. The four prediction methods were trained/estimated using the training/estimation dataset and the correct prediction rates for each crash severity level, overall correct prediction rate and a proposed crash costs-based accuracy measure were obtained for the validation dataset. The correct prediction rates and the proposed approach showed NNC had the best prediction performance in overall and in more severe crashes. RF and SVM had the next two sufficient performances and MNL was the weakest method. Data clustering did not affect the prediction results of SVM, but KC improved the prediction performance of MNL, NNC and RF, while LCC caused improvement in MNL and RF but weakened the performance of NNC. Overall correct prediction rate had almost the exact opposite results compared to the proposed approach, showing that neglecting the crash costs can lead to misjudgment in choosing the right prediction method.
Immunotherapy for Other Malignancies

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated durable responses with tolerable toxicities in various advanced malignancies, and have gained FDA approval for treatments in diseases such as melanoma, lung cancer, renal cancer, and lymphoma. Recent research has focused on expanding the role of immunotherapy in multiple other solid tumor types that otherwise have very limited treatment options and a poor prognosis. The applications of immune checkpoint inhibitors in tumor types that are not yet covered in this book will be discussed, and the data from preclinical and clinical research will be reviewed here. However, given the limited space and the progressively evolving landscape of immunotherapy, this chapter is designed as an overview of the treatment options rather than a complete review of all the available trials and results. We would like to refer our readers to https://clinicaltrials.gov for the most up to date clinical trial options and status. More importantly, open discussion between patients and oncologists is highly recommended in order to formulate the most appropriate and effective treatment strategies.
Chronic exposure to high doses of selenium in the first trimester of pregnancy: Case report and brief literature review

Background Obstetricians usually prescribe supplements during pregnancy without actual indication. The use of selenium during pregnancy has increased, due to its function in several antioxidant mechanisms. Case A pregnant woman received 200,000 micrograms (μg) per day of a selenium galenic formulation, since gestational week (g.w.) 7 to 12, due to a prescription error. The patient experienced nausea, vomiting, hand and foot paresthesia, followed by fatigue, loss of fingernails and hair. The woman was referred to our Fetal and Maternal Medicine Unit for surveillance. The mother's blood selenium levels went back to normal 13 weeks after arrest and the baby was born at term, without complications. Clinical evaluation and imaging studies were normal at one month of age. Conclusion This is the first case of severe chronic selenium intoxication during the first trimester of pregnancy. In the present case, no consequences of congenital defects or pregnancy complications occurred. However, since vitamins, minerals, and food supplements may be harmful and prescription errors occur, obstetricians should avoid prescribing supplements in the absence of maternal deficiency.
Space Use and Cover Selection of Kit Foxes (Vulpes macrotis) at Their Distributional Periphery

Determining the factors that constrain the distribution of a species may have important management and conservation implications. We quantified space use and cover selection of kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) at the northern periphery of their distribution in southeastern Oregon from 2014 to 2015. We used locations from GPS‐collared foxes to estimate seasonal utilization distributions (UD) with the biased random bridge approach. We also estimated seasonal intensity distributions (ID) to identify areas with increased residence time per visit and recursion distributions (RD) to identify areas that are frequently visited. Mean 95% UD area for all foxes was 37.41 km2 during breeding and gestation, 21.44 km2 during pup-rearing, and 20.11 km2 during dispersal. Male UD area differed among seasons, where UDs during breeding and gestation (x = 37.68 km2) were larger than during dispersal (x = 18.70 km2) but not during pup-rearing (x = 21.44 km2). Our seasonal 95% UD area estimates are among the highest reported for kit foxes, suggesting peripheral areas may not meet ecological requirements as well as core areas. Second-order selection ratios revealed foxes selected desert scrub and sparsely vegetated cover across all seasons at the population level. Within 30% IDs, mean third-order selection ratios showed selection of sparse vegetation with seasonal selection of desert scrub cover. Within 30% RDs mean selection ratios showed selection of sparse vegetation and nonnative grasslands throughout the year. At all levels there was individual variation in patterns and strength of selection. We contend a heterogeneous landscape with sparsely vegetated and desert scrub cover (i.e., intensive foraging areas and den sites) mixed with grasslands (i.e., rapid foraging areas) provides suitable habitat for kit foxes. Identifying patterns of resource use and selection of this species at their distributional periphery will improve conservation strategies for the kit fox in Oregon and other portions of their range.
The Tunica Stress Conspiracy Revisited

Kisseberth (1970b) distinguishes rules in Tunica (Haas 1940) that are subject to a constraint penalizing adjacent stresses from rules that are not subject to this constraint. This distinction appears on the surface to be particularly suited to a straightforward analysis within OT (Prince & Smolensky 1993): No-Clash is ranked above constraints responsible for the rules that are subject to it and below constraints responsible for the rules that are not. The full range of relevant facts in Tunica suggest that No-Clash is only crucially dominated and violated lexically, however; postlexically, No-Clash is undominated and there are no adjacent stresses on the surface. An analysis within Stratal OT (Bermudez-Otero 1999, Kiparsky 2000) is proposed and defended.
The Common Core State Standards and Evidence-Based Educational Practices: The Case of Writing.

Although writing plays an important role in the academic, psychosocial, and economic success of individuals, typical writing instruction and assessment in the United States generally does not refle...
Simulation and the Problem of Simplification

Modern science is often described to rest on the three pillars of experiment, theory, and simulation. This is particularly true for scientific disciplines that focus on complex phenomena, such as climate change, materials and life sciences, as well as economics and political sciences. Those disciplines are characterized by problems that involve significantly more dimensions than the human brain can process (which appears to be four (Halford et al. 2005)) as well as equations that cannot be solved analytically with pen and paper. Furthermore, the variables involved cannot be treated with statistical methods, since the structural organization of the problems is not random (representing what has been referred to as “organized complexity”) Weaver (1948). In such an environment, the employment of computer simulations extends the limits of what we can possibly conceive. In a sense, they might be considered a “cognitive crutch” for our brain, while conducting a sophisticated Gedankenexperiment (cf. (Mach 1917)). However, in the scientific community, it is not clear how far simulations can to help us and at which point their usefulness is going to end. Opinions on the reliability of simulations range from “totally irrelevant for scientific progress” (often expressed in private conversations by experimentalists) to praising them as “the future of science” (as expressed by some of the most promotional simulationists). The purpose of epistemology is to clarify exactly such questions.
Street Life and High-Rise Public Housing

A remarkable and quite neglected form of street theater plays each day in the heart of the central city. It pits the coping efforts of inner-city residents against the inexorable transformation of the urban ghetto. Gradually, the old tenement neighborhood boasting a robust social life is being replaced by high-rise housing projects distinguished instead by social isolation. Jacobs (1961) describes eloquently the vivid contrast between the social vitality of the ghetto and the psychological barrenness of the new high-rise projects. The Pruitt-Igoe houses in St. Louis, which were hailed as a modern design achievement, have become notorious for their almost total failure to function effectively at a social psychological level (Rainwater, 1968; Yancy, 1971). Newman (1972) has recently documented the consistent relationship between low social cohesion and high crime level typical in high-rise public housing. Gans (1962) has concluded that too often the physical changes of urban renewal fail to substantially improve the lives of the poor.
Trichoderma polysporum selectively inhibits white-nose syndrome fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans amidst soil microbes

Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the causative fungal agent of white-nose syndrome (WNS), has led to the deaths of millions of hibernating bats in the United States of America (USA) and Canada. Efficient strategies are needed to decontaminate Pd from the bat hibernacula to interrupt the disease transmission cycle without affecting the native microbes. Previously, we discovered a novel Trichoderma polysporum (Tp) strain (WPM 39143), which inhibited the growth of Pd in autoclaved soil samples. In the present investigation, we used culture-based approaches to determine Tp-induced killing of native and enriched Pd in the natural soil of two bat hibernacula. We also assessed the impact of Tp treatment on native microbial communities by metagenomics. Our results demonstrated that Tp at the concentration of 105 conidia/g soil caused 100% killing of native Pd in culture within 5 weeks of incubation. A 10-fold higher concentration of Tp (106 conidia/g soil) killed an enriched Pd population (105 conidia/g soil). The 12,507 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs, dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota) and 27,427 bacterial OTUs (dominated by Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria) comprised the native soil microbes of the two bat hibernacula. No significant differences in fungal and bacterial relative abundances were observed between untreated and Tp-treated soil (105 Tp conidia/g soil, p ≤ 0.05). Our results suggest that Tp-induced killing of Pd is highly specific, with minimal to no impact on the indigenous microbes present in the soil samples. These findings provide the scientific rationale for the field trials of Tp in the WNS-affected hibernacula for the effective decontamination of Pd and the control of WNS.
Phase control in the colloidal synthesis of well-defined nickel sulfide nanocrystals

Morphologically well-defined colloidal nanocrystals of Ni3S4, NiS, Ni9S8, and Ni3S2 were independently prepared through a solution-phase synthesis using N,N′-disubstituted thioureas as the sulfur precursor. Synthetic control over phase and composition of the resulting colloidal nickel sulfide nanocrystals was achieved by primarily adjusting the reactivity of substituted thioureas as well as tuning the key reaction parameters of temperature and precursor ratio. In general, the more reactive N,N′-diphenyl thiourea yields more sulfur-rich phases (Ni3S4 and NiS) while less reactive N,N′-dibutyl thiourea yields sulfur-poor phases (Ni9S8 and Ni3S2). This phase control can be further tuned through the use of 1-dodecanethiol as an important secondary reactivity-directing agent. In the presence of 1-dodecanethiol, nanocrystals of more sulfur-deficient phases are prepared, while in the absence of 1-dodecanethiol, more sulfur-rich phases are prepared. Under the most sulfur-rich synthetic conditions (i.e., with N,N′-diphenyl thiourea and no thiol) a phase progression from Ni3S4 to the α-NiS and β-NiS phases was observed upon an increase in reaction temperature and sulfur-to-nickel precursor ratio. This study establishes, for the first time, a systematic evaluation of factors that simultaneously control the phase and yield well-defined nickel sulfide nanocrystals.
A novel cerebellar commissure and other myelinated axons in the Purkinje cell layer of a pond turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Parallel fibers in the molecular layer of the vertebrate cerebellum mediate slow spike conduction in the transverse plane. In contrast, electrophysiological recordings have indicated that rapid spike conduction exists between the lateral regions of the cerebellar cortex of the red-ear pond turtle (Trachemys scripta). The anatomical basis for this commissure is now examined in that species using neuronal tracing techniques. Fluorescently tagged dextrans and lipophilic carbocyanine dyes placed in one lateral edge of this nonfoliated cortex are transported across the midline of living brains in vitro and along the axonal membranes of fixed tissues, respectively. Surprisingly, the labeled commissural axons traversed the cortex within the Purkinje cell layer, and not in the white matter of the molecular layer or the white matter below the granule cell layer. Unlike thin parallel fibers that exhibit characteristic varicosities, this commissure is composed of smooth axons of large diameter that also extend beyond the cerebellar cortex via the cerebellar peduncles. Double labeling with myelin basic protein antibody demonstrated that these commissural axons are ensheathed with myelin. In contrast to this transverse pathway, an orthogonal myelinated tract was observed along the cerebellar midline. The connections of this transverse commissure with the lateral cerebellum, the vestibular nuclear complex, and the cochlear vestibular ganglia indicate that this commissure plays a role in bilateral vestibular connectivity.
Pathway to Electroconvulsive Treatment for Minors

The decision-making process of prescribing electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) to minors often extends outside of medicine. The legal arena is commonly involved in many jurisdictions, and some states have legislation governing the administration of this treatment in addition to hospital policies and regulations. Treatment failures, additional opinions, explicit consent, and legal tribunals are sometimes needed to deliver ECT to a minor in need. This article describes a process to which a provider can refer in navigating this confusing, and sometimes alien, pathway to provide ECT to his or her patient. Individual state statutes pertaining to ECT are provided.
CharmPy: A Python Parallel Programming Model

Parallel programming can be extremely challenging. Programming models have been proposed to simplify this task, but wide acceptance of these remains elusive for many reasons, including the demand for greater accessibility and productivity. In this paper, we introduce a parallel programming model and framework called CharmPy, based on the Python language. CharmPy builds on Charm++, and runs on top of its C++ runtime. It presents several unique features in the form of a simplified model and API, increased flexibility, and the ability to write everything in Python. CharmPy is a high-level model based on the paradigm of distributed migratable objects. It retains the benefits of the Charm++ runtime, including dynamic load balancing, asynchronous execution model with automatic overlap of communication and computation, high performance, and scalability from laptops to supercomputers. By being Python-based, CharmPy also benefits from modern language features, access to popular scientific computing and data science software, and interoperability with existing technologies like C, Fortran and OpenMP. To illustrate the simplicity of the model, we will show how to implement a distributed parallel map function based on the Master-Worker pattern using CharmPy, with support for asynchronous concurrent jobs. We also present performance results running stencil code and molecular dynamics mini-apps fully written in Python, on Blue Waters and Cori supercomputers. For stencil3d, we show performance similar to an equivalent MPI-based program, and significantly improved performance for imbalanced computations. Using Numba to JIT-compile the critical parts of the code, we show performance for both mini-apps similar to the equivalent C++ code.
The physical properties of meteorites

Abstract Meteorites provide vast amounts of information on the make up and history of the solar system. Physical properties are a critical component to provide this information. This is a review of the physical properties of meteorites that have been conducted over the past approximately fifty years. Since the late 1950s, the understanding of physical properties has grown greatly. The density, porosity, and magnetic susceptibilities of hundreds of meteorites have been analyzed. More is known about the mineralogical and chemical compositions of meteorites, while the physical properties have not been as well characterized. Other properties summarized are specific gravity, strength (compressive and tensile), elastic wave velocity, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, albedo, and emissivity. For most stony meteorite types the average densities, between 3 and 4 g/cm3, and porosities, below 10%, have not changed significantly over the 50 years. The compressive strengths of meteorites follow the expected trends of their material and cover a wide range from the weak Tagish Lake, 0.25 MPa, to the strong Canyon Diablo, 411 MPa. Thermal conductivity has mostly been studied from 200 to 300K, with most stony meteorites having conductivities less than 5 W/(m-K). The studies of physical properties of meteorites provide information for a better understanding of meteor behavior in the atmosphere, model characteristics of parent bodies, and effectiveness of different deflection methods for potentially hazardous objects.
Pilot study evaluating a non-titrating, weight-based anticoagulation scheme for patients on veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation:

Objective:There is no universally accepted algorithm for anticoagulation in patients on veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The purpose of this pilot study was to compare a non-titrati...
Chiral inversion and enhanced cooperative self-assembly of biosurfactant-functionalized porphyrin chromophores

A new self-assembling di-conjugated sophorolipid–(Zn)porphyrin was synthesized with a short lipid chain length connecting the porphyrin and disaccharide moieties in order to influence the self-assembled state. In dilute solution, circular dichroism measurements of the ordered molecules exhibited Cotton effects indicative of right-handed exciton-coupling; a chirality inversion compared to our previous report on (long-chain) sophorolipid–(Zn)porphyrins that formed a left-handed system. The self-assembly process was investigated by variable-temperature CD. Cooling curve profiles exhibited simultaneous evolution of net helicity and aggregation that corresponds with the cooperative assembly model. Analysis revealed a 3-fold increase in enthalpy of polymerization compared to long-chain species implying that shortening the distance between porphyrin and disaccharide moieties enhance the cooperative self-assembly. The morphology of assembled aggregates was examined by electron microscopy and showed mesoscopic cup-staked structures and nanofibrils.
Effects of sex, age, and apolipoprotein E genotype on hippocampal parenchymal fraction in cognitively normal older adults.

Abstract Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is important for timely interventions and developing new treatments. Hippocampus atrophy is an early biomarker of AD. The hippocampal parenchymal fraction (HPF) is a promising measure of hippocampal structural integrity computed from structural MRI. It is important to characterize the dependence of HPF on covariates such as age and sex in the normal population to enhance its utility as a disease biomarker. We measured the HPF in 4239 structural MRI scans from 340 cognitively normal (CN) subjects aged 59-89 years from the AD Neuroimaging Initiative database, and studied its dependence on age, sex, apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, brain hemisphere, intracranial volume (ICV), and education using a linear mixed-effects model. In this CN cohort, HPF was inversely associated with ICV; was greater on the right hemisphere compared to left in both sexes with the degree of right > left asymmetry being slightly more pronounced in men; declined quadratically with age and faster in APOE ϵ4 carriers compared to non-carriers; and was significantly associated with cognitive ability. Consideration of HPF as an AD biomarker should be in conjunction with other subject attributes that are shown in this research to influence HPF levels in CN older individuals.
Evidence for rapid gut clearance of microplastic polyester fibers fed to Chinook salmon: A tank study.

Abstract Marine and freshwater plastic pollution is a challenging issue receiving large amounts of research and media attention. Yet, few studies have documented the impact of microplastic ingestion to aquatic organisms. In the Pacific Northwest, Chinook salmon are a culturally and commercially significant fish species. The presence of marine and freshwater microplastic pollution is well documented in Chinook salmon habitat, yet no research has investigated the impacts to salmon from microplastic ingestion. The majority of the marine microplastics found in the Salish Sea are microfibers, synthetic extruded polymers that come from commonly worn clothing. To understand the potential impacts of microfiber ingestion to fish, we ran a feeding experiment with juvenile Chinook salmon to determine if ingested fibers are retained or digestion rates altered over a 10 day digestion period. The experiment was completed in two trials, each consisted of 20 control and 20 treatment fish. Treatment fish were each fed an amended ration of 12 food pellets spiked with 20 polyester microfibers and control fish were fed the same ration without added microfibers. Fish were sampled at day 0, 3, 5, 7, and 10 to assess if fibers were retained in their gastrointestinal tract and to determine the rate of digestion. Fibers for the experiment came from washing a red polyester fleece jacket in a microfiber retention bag. Fibers had a mean length of 4.98 mm. Results showed fish were able to clear up to 94% of fed fibers over 10 days. Differences in mean gastrointestinal mass were not statistically significant at any sampled time between treatment and controls, suggesting that the ingestion of microfibers did not alter digestion rates. Further work is needed to understand if repeated exposures, expected in the environment, alter digestion or food assimilation for growth.
Wild-Type Transthyretin Amyloidosis Occurring in the Ligamentum Flavum of the Cervicothoracic Spine.

Background Wild-type transthyretin amyloid (ATTRwt) has been noted to deposit in the ligamentum flavum of the spine. Prior studies have focused on ATTRwt in the lumbar region, but studies discussing its presence in other levels of the spine are lacking. We report on the presentation of patients with confirmed amyloid in the cervicothoracic regions and discuss the literature to date. Methods We retrospectively identified patients at a single institution who underwent surgery for spinal stenosis and had pathologic specimens sent for amyloidosis testing with Congo red staining. ATTRwt was confirmed by the presence of transthyretin amyloid by typing and the absence of mutations in the TTR gene sequence. A final study group of patients with ATTRwt and spinal involvement was established (n = 27). Results Of 27 patients with amyloid in the spine, 24 (89%) had amyloid present in the lumbar region, 2 (7%) had amyloid in the cervical region, and 1 (4%) had amyloid in the thoracic region. The median age at which patients in the study underwent surgery was 71 years (interquartile range: 9). Spinal stenosis was the indication for surgery in 26 of 27 (96%) patients. Surgery involved 1 or 2 spinal levels in 24 of 27 (89%) patients. Conclusions ATTRwt amyloid predominantly deposits in the lumbar region, but it can also be present in the cervical and thoracic regions. While the lumbar regions should remain a focus for evaluation of ATTRwt amyloidosis, the cervicothoracic region should not be ignored.
Scan Based Trading and Bargaining Equilibrium: A Structural Estimation of Channel Surplus

Problem Definition: Scan Based Trading (SBT) represents a type of replenishment system in which the supplier retains title until the product is scanned through checkout at the retail store by the consumer. Although SBT carries potential benefits for both parties in the supplier-retailer dyad, it may also yield asymmetric gains to these parties, particularly because SBT can impose upon suppliers greater inventory costs through shrink. We document the financial benefits in terms of channel surplus creation and allocation among parties in a vertical channel under SBT vis-a-vis the more traditional vendor-managed inventory (VMI) contracts. Academic/Practical Relevance: Although prior literature has examined inventory benefits and drawbacks from VMI and SBT contracts in retailer-supplier dyads, it has failed to offer a systematic evaluation of the relative impact of these contract forms on bargaining power and surplus in these dyads. We address this knowledge gap. Methodology: To that end, we use a methodological approach that incorporates an empirical Nash-in-Nash bargaining model, a supplementary regression, and a counterfactual simulation. Results: We find that retailer bargaining power is higher under SBT relative to VMI contracts. Moreover, the direct effects of a retailer switching from VMI to SBT regimes generate an average increase of 27% in total channel surplus, allowing the retailer and its supplier to increase their surplus by 19% and 32%, respectively. However, while the retailer’s surplus share decreases by approximately 6%, the Supplier’s increases by about 4%. We attribute the decrease in the retailer’s share to a stronger bargaining position on the supplier side based on higher supplier shrink costs. Managerial Implications: Our findings provide managers with more transparent information regarding the set of outcomes they can expect should they choose to enter into SBT contracts. This is important because we show how an outcome that has significantly hindered the adoption of SBT contracts, i.e., shrink costs, can enter into the negotiation between retailers and suppliers to optimally split the dyadic surplus of the contracts between these parties.
Xeno-free cultivation of human induced pluripotent stem cells for clinical applications

Abstract Human induced pluripotent stem cells hold the promise to revolutionize medicine in the near future. For application in medicine, human induced pluripotent stem cells must be manufactured under culture conditions that enable consistent and robust production of safe and therapeutically functional products. This chapter provides a summary of the protocols and methods exploited to culture human pluripotent stem cells to date, with an emphasis on the various xeno-free systems that enable production of cells for clinical applications. Although promising results have been generated in vitro and in preclinical animal models, so far very few human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived products have entered the clinical phase. The development and implementation of state-of-the-art culture technologies, in adherence with international manufacturing guidelines, are critical to produce clinical-grade cells for routine medical applications.
C3 complement inhibition prevents antibody-mediated rejection and prolongs renal allograft survival in sensitized non-human primates.

Sensitized kidney transplant recipients experience high rates of antibody-mediated rejection due to the presence of donor-specific antibodies and immunologic memory. Here we show that transient peri-transplant treatment with the central complement component C3 inhibitor Cp40 significantly prolongs median allograft survival in a sensitized nonhuman primate model. Despite donor-specific antibody levels remaining high, fifty percent of Cp40-treated primates maintain normal kidney function beyond the last day of treatment. Interestingly, presence of antibodies of the IgM class associates with reduced median graft survival (8 vs. 40 days; p = 0.02). Cp40 does not alter lymphocyte depletion by rhesus-specific anti-thymocyte globulin, but inhibits lymphocyte activation and proliferation, resulting in reduced antibody-mediated injury and complement deposition. In summary, Cp40 prevents acute antibody-mediated rejection and prolongs graft survival in primates, and inhibits T and B cell activation and proliferation, suggesting an immunomodulatory effect beyond its direct impact on antibody-mediated injury. Donor-specific antibodies in sensitized recipients may cause kidney transplant rejection. Here the authors show that complement component C3 inhibition prolongs graft survival by inhibiting T and B cell proliferation/activation and hence tissue injury, despite antibody levels remaining unaffected.
Structural Basis of Arrestin Selectivity for Active Phosphorylated G Protein-Coupled Receptors

Arrestins are a small family of proteins that bind G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Arrestin binds to active phosphorylated GPCRs with higher affinity than to all other functional forms of the receptor, including inactive phosphorylated and active unphosphorylated. The selectivity of arrestins suggests that they must have two sensors, which detect receptor-attached phosphates and the active receptor conformation independently. Simultaneous engagement of both sensors enables arrestin transition into a high-affinity receptor-binding state. This transition involves a global conformational rearrangement that brings additional elements of the arrestin molecule, including the middle loop, in contact with a GPCR, thereby stabilizing the complex. Here, we review structural and mutagenesis data that identify these two sensors and additional receptor-binding elements within the arrestin molecule. While most data were obtained with the arrestin-1-rhodopsin pair, the evidence suggests that all arrestins use similar mechanisms to achieve preferential binding to active phosphorylated GPCRs.
Precipitate stability in Cu-Ag-W system under high-temperature irradiation

Abstract The kinetics of precipitation was investigated in the ternary Cu alloy, Cu 83.5 Ag 15 W 1.5 during irradiation with MeV Kr ions at elevated temperatures. The alloy was prepared as a solid solution by physical vapor deposition and then irradiated at room temperature to create a high density of nano-sized W precipitates. These precipitates served as effective sinks for point defects during subsequent elevated-temperature irradiation, suppressing radiation-enhanced diffusion. As a consequence the size of the Ag precipitates formed during elevated-temperature irradiation was stabilized below 20 nm, up to temperatures in excess of 300 °C, thus significantly extending the regime for “compositional patterning” above 175 °C, found for Cu 85 Ag 15 . For higher temperature irradiations (above 400 °C), the role of the W precipitates in stabilizing the size of the Ag precipitates switched from simply acting as point-defect sinks to serving as pinning sites for the Ag precipitates. At 500 °C, the average Ag precipitate diameter is ∼30 nm compared to ∼300 nm in the Cu 85 Ag 15 binary alloy. Rate theory calculations and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are employed to illustrate how this transition takes place.
Investigation of 433MHz and 915MHz on-body wave propagations

On-body wave propagation is investigated for low medical frequencies such as 433 MHz and 915 MHz. The paper applies the ground wave and creeping wave theories to calculate the approximate path gain, both along and around a human body. The formulas contain the characteristics of the human phantom shape and tissue properties. The analytical model is validated by FEKO simulation and measurements on a human male subject.
Knowledge-Based Approaches to Quantitative Medical Image Analysis and Image-Based Decision Making

Widespread use of three-dimensional tomographic imaging scanners and other imaging modalities has revolutionized medical care as we know it today. The ever-increasing sizes of acquired data volumes are making conventional visual analysis of image data and consequent image-based decision making time consuming, tedious, and difficult to perform at the time available in busy clinical practice. The field of quantitative medical imaging, which has considerably matured in the past decade, is increasingly promising to solve many current problems that radiologists, cardiologists, orthopedists, and many other physicians are facing on a daily basis.
Analogical Reasoning and Proof Discovery

We introduce preliminary research on the problem of applying analogical reasoning to proof discovery. In our approach, the proof of one theorem is used to guide the proof of a similar theorem by suggesting analogous steps. When a step suggested by a guiding proof cannot be applied, actions are taken to bring the proofs back into correspondence, often by adding intermediate steps. Taking this approach, we have implemented a natural deduction prover which exploits analogical reasoning and has yielded some promising results in the domain of Real Analysis. We present some of these results, which include a proof of the convergence of the product of convergent sequences, using an analogous proof for the sum of convergent sequences. We also include the timing results of one experiment in which our prover's performance was compared with and without the use of analogy.
Weight gain in pregnancy and its relation to weight of infants and to length of labor

Abstract A review of the literature regarding the problems of the relation of weight gain in pregnancy to weight of offspring and length of labor is presented and the results of such literature are evaluated. A study of 500 normal primiparas is presented in which data obtained are applied to the above problems. Percentage weights have been employed, graphs have been constructed and linear correlation co-efficients calculated.
Policy Driven Business Performance Management

Business performance management (BPM) has emerged as a critical discipline to enable enterprise to manage their business solutions in an on demand fashion. BPM applications promote an adaptive means by emphasizing the ability to monitor and control both business processes and IT events. However, most BPM processes and architectures are usually linear and rigid; and once done, will be very hard to change. Hence, it does not help enterprise to create adaptive monitoring and control applications for business solutions. There is an urgent need of adaptive BPM framework to be used as a platform of developing BPM applications. This paper presents a policy based BPM framework to help enterprise to achieve on demand monitoring and control framework for business solutions.
Thermodynamic Analysis of DSC Data for Acetaminophen Polymorphs

This article provides a thermodynamic analysis of DSC data for acetaminophen polymorphic forms I and II by measurement of heat capacity. Form I is found to have lower heat capacity and free energy and hence better stability than Form II down to at least –30°C. The transition temperature below which Form II becomes more stable was determined to be less than –120°C. Form I is more stable than Form II as a consequence of its higher entropy, since its crystallographic packing arrangement is of larger energy.
Cancer Awareness Resources to go (C.A.R.T.): a project to increase access to cancer patient education at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.

Background. Being told one has cancer requires patients to understand their disease and cope with physical and emotional aspects of their illness. Methods. The Cancer Awareness Resources to go (C.A.R.T.) Planning Committee identified the need to provide cancer patients expanded access to educational materials. Results. For those patients who find it helpful to use booklets and medical pamphlets as an information source, having resources readily available on a mobile cart in a busy waiting area allows each person to retrieve the information they want at their time of need. Conclusions. This supports the individualized teaching provided by patients’ doctors, nurses, and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
Associations of adolescent cannabis use with academic performance and mental health: A longitudinal study of upper middle class youth.

BACKGROUND: There is a hypothesis that low socioeconomic status (SES) may explain the link between cannabis use and poorer academic performance and mental health. A key question, therefore, is whether adolescent cannabis use is associated with poorer academic performance and mental health in high SES communities where there is reduced potential for confounding. METHODS: Youth (n=254) from an upper middle class community were followed prospectively through the four years of high school (from age 14/15 to age 17/18). Past-year frequency of cannabis use was assessed annually. Official school records of academic performance and self-reported mental health symptoms (externalizing and internalizing symptoms) were assessed in grades 9 and 12. RESULTS: Persistent cannabis use across the four years of high school was associated with lower grade-point average (β=-0.18, p=.006), lower Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score (β=-0.13, p=.038), and greater externalizing symptoms (β=0.29, pCONCLUSIONS: Low SES cannot fully explain associations between cannabis use and poorer academic performance and mental health. Language: en
Performance optimization in signal processing systems

Techniques for optimizing the utilization of underlying computer resources with respect to a dynamic signal-processing system executing on them are discussed. An example system is used to illustrate these techniques: a structurally adaptive solution to the sonar problem, the direction-of-arrival finding problem, was implemented under the Multigraph architecture. The signal processing system runs in a distributed, parallel environment, the Multigraph execution environment. Above the executing real-time signal-processing system, a controller guides and coordinates overall goals (e.g. tracking). It also manages the available system resources, taking into account the memory and time requirements of the signal-processing algorithms and their priorities. Further, a user interface allows priorities and various operating parameters of the system to be changed dynamically. >
The ecology and phylogeny of oomycete infections in Asplanchna rotifers

Summary 1. Recently, the potential for parasites to influence the ecology and evolution of their zooplankton hosts has been the subject of increasing study. However, most research to date has focussed on Daphnia hosts, and the potential for parasites to influence other zooplankton taxa remains largely unstudied. 2. During routine sampling of zooplankton in a eutrophic lake, we observed that the rotifer Asplanchna girodi was often infected with a parasitic oomycete. Epidemics of this parasite occurred frequently, with three separate events in a single year. Prevalence at peak infection ranged from 29 to 41% and epidemics lasted from 17 to 56 days. Our data indicate that high densities of the host population are required for epidemics to occur. 3. Our morphological and molecular analyses suggest that this parasite is in the genus Pythium. Most Pythium spp. are plant pathogens, but our study supports recent work on Daphnia, suggesting that Pythium spp. are also important parasites of zooplankton. 4. As the parasite in this study was recalcitrant to cultivation, we developed an alternative method to verify its identity. Our approach used quantitative PCR to show that the ribosomal sequences identified increased with increasing density of infected hosts and, thus, were associated with the parasite. This approach should be generally applicable to other plankton parasites that are difficult to cultivate outside their hosts. 5. Infections significantly reduced host fecundity, lifespan and population growth rate. As a result of the virulence of this parasite, it is likely to influence the population ecology and evolution of its Asplanchna host, and may be a useful model system for studies on host–parasite coevolutionary dynamics.
Traumatic rupture of the pulmonary artery

Traumatic rupture of the main pulmonary artery in a surviving patient is very rare. The case history of a 37-year-old man who sustained blunt chest trauma in a motor vehicle accident is presented. A persistent, bloody right pleural effusion led to the diagnosis of a ruptured right main pulmonary artery, which was surgically repaired using cardiopulmonary bypass. Points of diagnostic interest and therapeutic decision making are discussed.