cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Tragedy of TRIPS

This Article argues that sound intellectual property policy requires not only that the policymaker establish an appropriate incentive for invention but also that the policymaker determine how the cost of that incentive should be distributed across various classes of consumers. It is the distributive dimension of intellectual property policy that makes existing international institutions such an unsound mechanism for determining global rules for intellectual policy--the policymakers are simply not able to make the appropriate kinds of decisions. I suggest some ways in which institutional structures can be modified to achieve a better balance.
Are Minority Preferences Necessary? Another Look at the Radio Broadcasting Industry

The fate of minority preference programs is one of the major civil rights policy questions that will be determined in the 1990s. The merits of these minority preference programs have become increasingly controversial; debate has raged in the media, in the legislatures, and in the courts.1 Proponents claim that these policies are responsible for tremendous progress in minority employment and business ownership and therefore are necessary to reverse entrenched patterns of racial discrimination that the marketplace has failed to ameliorate.2 Critics argue that the programs are overbroad and superfluous since there is no evidence of specific discrimination.
Arsenic release metabolically limited to permanently water-saturated soil in Mekong Delta

Microbial reduction of arsenic-bearing iron oxides releases arsenic into groundwater in Asia. Laboratory and field studies in the Mekong Delta reveal that arsenic release is limited to near-surface sediments of permanently saturated wetlands.
Forced Atmospheric Teleconnections during 1979–2014

AbstractForced atmospheric teleconnections during 1979–2014 are examined using a 50-member ensemble of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations subjected to observed variations in sea surface temperatures (SSTs), sea ice, and carbon dioxide. Three primary modes of forced variability are identified using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the ensemble mean wintertime extratropical Northern Hemisphere 500-hPa heights. The principal component time series of the first and second modes are highly correlated with Nino-3.4 and trans-Nino (TNI) SST indices, respectively, indicating mostly tropical sources. Their impacts are largely confined to the Pacific–North American (PNA) sector. The leading mode describes the canonical atmospheric teleconnection associated with El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) resembling the tropical/Northern Hemisphere pattern. The second mode describes a wave train resembling the classic PNA pattern resulting from atmospheric sensitivity to ENSO asymmetry an...
National Party Division and Divisive State Primaries in U.S. Presidential Elections, 1948–2012

In presidential nomination campaigns, individual state primaries and a national competition take place simultaneously. The relationship between divisive state primaries and general election outcomes is substantially different in presidential campaigns than in single-state campaigns. To capture the full impact of divisiveness in presidential campaigns, one must estimate both the impact of national party division (NPD) and the impact of divisive primaries in individual states. To do so, we develop a comprehensive model of state outcomes in presidential campaigns that incorporates both state-level and national-level controls. We also examine and compare several measures of NPD and several measures of divisive state primaries found in previous research. We find that both NPD and divisive state primaries have independent and significant influence on state-level general election outcomes, with the former having a greater and more widespread impact on the national results. The findings are not artifacts of statistical techniques, timeframes or operational definitions. The results are consistent—varying very little across a wide range of methods and specifications.
Sugar Beet Diseases: Cercospora Leaf Spot

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) was first commercially processed in 1802 in Cunern, now Germany, and since that time has become a provider of 25 % of the world’s sucrose requirement. Cercospora beticola causes Cercospora leaf spot which is one of the most damaging foliar fungal pathogens of sugar beet especially in warm and humid growing areas. Crop rotation, incorporation of infected plant debris, use of partially resistant varieties, and timely application of fungicides are combined to manage C. beticola. Fungicides are critical for disease control in areas where the pathogen is endemic. Most classes of fungicides have been used to control C. beticola; however, prolonged use and sometimes overuse have resulted in the pathogen developing resistance and rendering the fungicide ineffective in the field. In Minnesota and North Dakota, the United States, the use of different modes of action in a rotation program and/or fungicide mixtures comprising different modes of action in rotation always with different chemistries has contributed to successful control of the disease over the past 15 years, a reduction in the number of fungicide applications, and savings in fungicide use of $14 million annually compared to the last epidemic in 1998.
An interfacial mechanism for cloud droplet formation on organic aerosols

Accurate predictions of aerosol/cloud interactions require simple, physically accurate parameterizations of the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity of aerosols. Current models assume that organic aerosol species contribute to CCN activity by lowering water activity. We measured droplet diameters at the point of CCN activation for particles composed of dicarboxylic acids or secondary organic aerosol and ammonium sulfate. Droplet activation diameters were 40 to 60% larger than predicted if the organic was assumed to be dissolved within the bulk droplet, suggesting that a new mechanism is needed to explain cloud droplet formation. A compressed film model explains how surface tension depression by interfacial organic molecules can alter the relationship between water vapor supersaturation and droplet size (i.e., the Kohler curve), leading to the larger diameters observed at activation.
Two new Hemiascomycetes: Pichia crossotarsi and P. microspora.

Two new fungi were found in association with the ambrosia beetle Crossotarsus wollastoni Chapman from Kakanakote, Mysore, India. They are perhaps an auxiliary source of nutrition to the insect. Bot...
Towards high-fidelity aerospace design in the age of extreme scale supercomputing (Invited)

Aerospace engineers have always been leading in the field of design using computational simulations. We design vehicles that go fast, fly high, and operate in extreme conditions. Because computation can help reduce expensive tests that physically simulate these extreme conditions, we benefit from computational simulation and design. This is why successful aerospace companies and agencies, such as NASA, have always been leading and investing in research and development of computational tools for simulation and design. Aerospace engineers have been leading contributors to computational tools and technology. NASA, for example, led the ICASE program which produced significant advance Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods. Advance in CFD revolutionized many aspects of aerospace engineering, including how commercial jets are designed. It helped reduce the cost of testing wing designs in wind tunnels when designing new airplanes. For example, Boeing had to test 77 wing designs when designing the 757 in late 1970s. By mid 1990s, it only needed to test 11 wing designs when designing the 737-NG. Our investment in computational simulation and design, including CFD, has paid back. Despite decades of progress, computational simulation and design, including CFD, is far from reaching its limit. High fidelity CFD simulations, in particular, may change the world of aerospace engineering in the near future. In 2014, NASA completed the CFD Vision 2030 Study: A Path to Revolutionary Computational Aerosciences. The Vision 2030 study highlighted the enormous potential of simulations and design based on high-fidelity CFD. High fidelity CFD includes Large Eddy Simulations (LES), wall-modeled LES, and hybrid RANS-LES. These unsteady simulations can capture more aerospace-relevant flow physics, work for complex geometries, and are becoming increasingly reasonable in terms of computational cost. Some of those leading the CFD Vision 2030 study predict that aerospace engineers will be using these high-fidelity simulations in the design, almost in real time. Computational simulations would be most useful if they are reliable enough to be trusted, and fast enough to be applied in real-time design. If this is achieved, it might become as easy to design and test aerospace components virtually as to design and test as bicycle components. They would not only accelerate aerospace design and development cycles, reduce the cost, but also may spawn a culture of unprecedented innovation in aerospace engineering.
Teaching Stimulus Control via Class-Wide Multiple Schedules of Reinforcement in Public Elementary School Classrooms.

In elementary school classrooms, students commonly recruit teacher attention at inappropriately high rates or at inappropriate times. Multiple schedule interventions have been used to teach stimulu...
TIPPERS: A privacy cognizant IoT environment

IoT environments are important and challenging application domains for privacy studies, for two reasons: data collection about people is nearly invisible, and IoT environments typically do not support interfaces that allow users to specify their privacy preferences or to control the personal data collection practices of the environment. It is also well known that IoT environments present rich challenges in managing privacy choices. We present two systems that will support powerful mechanisms to embed and test a diverse set of privacy technologies in an IoT environment in a large School building.
SURGICAL TREATMENT OF HIATAL HERNIA.

Indications for surgical treatment of hiatal hernia are persistent symptoms after a trial of medical therapy, continued bleeding as a result of esophagitis or gastritis, stenosis of the esophagus, and incarceration of the hernia. The objectives, return of the displaced viscera to their normal position and restoration of competence of the esophagogastric junction, can be accomplished by the abdominal or the thoracic route but the approach may be dictated by other disease states that must also be corrected. In a series of 234 patients with hiatal hernia operated on by the transthoracic approach, mortality was less than 1 per cent and the recurrence rate less than 4 per cent.
Geospatial analysis of desalination in the US – An interactive tool for socio-economic evaluations and decision support

In the United States, desalination has considerably expanded since the 1950s, reaching a daily production capacity of 2 BGD (billion gallons per day) with around 1336 operating plants as of 2013 (GWI, 2013). Despite this continuous growth, a steady increase in desalination investments and growing demand for water, research on geospatial representation of desalination plants and their characteristics over time does not exist or is very limited. This paper aims at filling this gap by developing interactive 5D and 6D geospatial models and a multi-dimensional analysis of desalination trends in the time span 1950–2013. The analysis shows that desalination plants are located mainly on the East and West Coast of the United States, with Florida, California, and Texas leading in the national desalination sector. Despite the geographical proximity to the sea, most of the plants use brackish groundwater due to economic factors related to the desalination process itself and the disposal of the highly saline byproduct – brine. The models can be used both for educational and interdisciplinary research purposes and help with determining socio-economic viability of establishing prospective desalination plants in different regions in the future. They can also help support decision makers in solving emergency questions related to water shortages and preparing for long-term water scarcity in different US regions.
Study of community structure and seasonal fluctuation of rats in Nanchang

Objective To determine the population distribution and seasonal fluctuation of rats in Nanchang city.Methods Night trapping and powder trace were employed to survey the rat density in different settings over four years.Results The rodent densities were 1.24% and 5.96% by night-trapping and powder trace,respectively.Two peaks of rat density were found to begin from March and September.Rattus norvegicus,R.tanezumi and Mus musculus accounted for 35.62%,23.84% and 33.38% in the captured rats.R.norvegicus in residential areas accounted for 56.99%.R.norvegicus and M.musculus in special industries accounted for 49.84% and 27.54%,respectively.M.musculus and R.tanezumi in rural villages accounted for 45.71% and 30.48%,respectively.Conclusion The rodent density in Nanchang was relatively high with obvious seasonal fluctuation.The dominant species had shifted from R.norvegicus to M.musculus,and different dominant species were found in varying environments.
Variations in the Profiles of Radioprotective Eicosanoids

A variety of eicosanoids and their analogs protect tissues, in vivo, from ionizing radiation. Although the specific mechanism(s) remain elusive, comparative studies of clasśes of eicosanoids suggest that there are differences in protective characteristics. Protective PGs of the E-series were dependent upon glucocorticoids (GCs). In contrast, protection by the PGI2 analog iloprost (Schering AG, Berlin) or LTC4 was independent of GCs. When radiosensitivity was measured after multiple injections of E-series eicosanoids, there was a decrease or a plateau of protection similar to a single dose. Protection in animals given iloprost continued to increase with each dose. These data suggests that at least two separate pathways lead to eicosanoid-induced radioprotection.
Föderale Regelungsbefugnisse für Verbandsklagerechte im Tierschutzrecht

Angesichts der bisherigen Gesetzgebung in einigen und der aktuellen Gesetzgebungsaktivitaten in anderen Bundeslandern, angesichts aber auch der Ablehnung eines tierschutzrechtlichen Verbandsklagerechts auf Bundesebene untersucht der Beitrag die die Frage, wem im Bundesstaat die Gesetzgebungskompetenz fur die Einfuhrung einer Verbandsklage im Tierschutzrecht zusteht.
Near-field optically driven Brownian motors (Conference Presentation)

Brownian ratchets are of fundamental interest in fields from statistical physics to molecular motors. The realization of Brownian ratchets in engineered systems opens up the potential to harness thermal energy for directed motion, with applications in transport and sorting of nanoparticles. Implementations based on optical traps provide a high degree of tunability along with precise spatiotemporal control. Near-field optical methods provide particular flexibility and ease of on-chip integration with other microfluidic components. Here, we demonstrate the first all-optical, near-field Brownian ratchet. Our approach uses an asymmetrically patterned photonic crystal and yields an ultra-stable trap stiffness of 253.6 pN/nm-W, 100x greater than conventional optical tweezers. By modulating the laser power, optical ratcheting with transport speed of ~1 micron/s can be achieved, allowing a variety of dynamical lab-on-a-chip applications. The resulting transport speed matches well with the theoretical prediction.
Dataset of eye disease-related proteins analyzed using the unfolding mutation screen.

A number of genetic diseases are a result of missense mutations in protein structure. These mutations can lead to severe protein destabilization and misfolding. The unfolding mutation screen (UMS) is a computational method that calculates unfolding propensities for every possible missense mutation in a protein structure. The UMS validation demonstrated a good agreement with experimental and phenotypical data. 15 protein structures (a combination of homology models and crystal structures) were analyzed using UMS. The standard and clustered heat maps, and patterned protein structure from the analysis were stored in a UMS library. The library is currently composed of 15 protein structures from 14 inherited eye diseases including retina degenerations, glaucoma, and cataracts, and contains data for 181,110 mutations. The UMS protein library introduces 13 new human models of eye disease related proteins and is the first collection of the consistently calculated unfolding propensities, which could be used as a tool for the express analysis of novel mutations in clinical practice, next generation sequencing, and genotype-to-phenotype relationships in inherited eye disease. Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data (ISA-Tab format)
Abstract LB-058: Novel interactions of the RAS oncoprotein

Approximately 30% of all cancers harbor activating mutations in the RAS family of small GTPase proteins, making it one of the most common oncogenic aberrations in humans. Normal RAS proteins (H, K or N-RAS) localize to the inner cell membrane and transduce extracellular growth signals by cycling between an “active” GTP-bound state and “inactive” GDP-bound state, through interactions with various “GTPase activating proteins” (GAPs) that promote RAS mediated GTP hydrolysis. Oncogenic mutants of RAS lose their catalytic activity or association with the GAP proteins, resulting in constitutively active GTP-bound state that signals through direct interactions with effector kinases like RAF and PI3K and activate the MEK/ERK and/or Akt, leading to activation of hallmark cancer pathways including growth factor independence, uncontrolled cell proliferation, evasion of apoptosis and immune responses, increased metabolism as well as metastases. Although RAS is the most frequently mutated gene driving multifarious pathways of oncogenesis, our knowledge of protein interactions involving RAS proteins have been largely limited to RAS binding domains in RAF/PI3K/RalGDS. Targeting mutant RAS proteins or its direct effectors, or pathways activated by RAS effectors remains a challenging endeavor for treating RAS driven cancers. Towards the goal of a thorough understanding of RAS biology through a comprehensive identification of its interactors, we performed IP-Mass Spectrometric analysis of pan-RAS immunoprecipitates from multiple cell lines. Interestingly in our experiments, apart from the well-known interactor RAF, we found evidence of several novel RAS interacting proteins, including many with DNA and RNA binding motifs. Our study validates these findings through cell-free protein interaction analyses and explores the possible biological effects of these novel RAS interactions in mutant KRAS driven cellular transformation. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Sunita Shankar, Rohit Malik, Vishal Kothari, Yasuyuki Hosono, Sethuramasundaram Pitchiaya, Shanker Kalyana-Sundaram, Anastasia Yocum, June Escara-Wilke, Harika Gundlapalli, Krishnapriya Chinnaswamy, Matthew Shuler, Anton Poliakov, Xiaoju Wang, Vishalakshi Krishnan, Yasmine White, Ari Firestone, Xuhong Cao, Saravana M. Dhanasekaran, Jeanne Stuckey, Gideon Bollag, Kevin Shannon, Nils G. Walter, Chandan Kumar-Sinha, Arul Chinnaiyan. Novel interactions of the RAS oncoprotein. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-058. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-058
Risks associated with use of stimulant medications in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and cardiomyopathy: a case-control study.

Abstract Objectives Stimulant medications are indicated in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who experience sleepiness despite optimal control of sleep-disordered breathing. The safety of stimulant medications in patients with OSA and co-morbid cardiomyopathy is unknown. We performed a case-control study to assess cardiovascular outcomes and mortality risk associated with stimulant use in this group of patients. Methods A total of 162 subjects with OSA and cardiomyopathy were identified. Subjects who used stimulant medications for ≥1 month were designated as cases. Age-and-sex-matched controls not taking these medications were randomly chosen from the same cohort. Outcomes assessed were mortality, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and pacemaker insertion. Results Twenty-two cases and 44 controls were included in the analyses. Mean age was 62.6 ± 15 years, 72% were male. Median duration of medication use was 27 months (range 1–98). There were four deaths among cases versus eight among controls. Four cases had a pacemaker and six had an ICD inserted, compared to six and eight respectively in the control group. Age (p = 0.01) and positive airway pressure (PAP) compliance (p = 0.01), but not stimulant medication use (p = 1.00) were associated with mortality on univariate analysis. In multiple logistic regression analyses accounting for body mass index, apnea–hypopnea index/respiratory disturbance index, PAP compliance, ejection fraction and duration of follow up, use of stimulant medication was not associated with mortality (p = 0.50), pacemaker (p = 0.20) or ICD (p = 0.90) implantation. Conclusions Stimulant medications were not associated with elevated risk of mortality, pacemaker or ICD implantation in this case-control study, even after accounting for multiple confounders.
Declines in Sexual Frequency among American Adults, 1989–2014

American adults had sex about nine fewer times per year in the early 2010s compared to the late 1990s in data from the nationally representative General Social Survey, N = 26,620, 1989–2014. This was partially due to the higher percentage of unpartnered individuals, who have sex less frequently on average. Sexual frequency declined among the partnered (married or living together) but stayed steady among the unpartnered, reducing the marital/partnered advantage for sexual frequency. Declines in sexual frequency were similar across gender, race, region, educational level, and work status and were largest among those in their 50s, those with school-age children, and those who did not watch pornography. In analyses separating the effects of age, time period, and cohort, the decline was primarily due to birth cohort (year of birth, also known as generation). With age and time period controlled, those born in the 1930s (Silent generation) had sex the most often, whereas those born in the 1990s (Millennials and iGen) had sex the least often. The decline was not linked to longer working hours or increased pornography use. Age had a strong effect on sexual frequency: Americans in their 20s had sex an average of about 80 times per year, compared to about 20 times per year for those in their 60s. The results suggest that Americans are having sex less frequently due to two primary factors: An increasing number of individuals without a steady or marital partner and a decline in sexual frequency among those with partners.
Redox and Spectroscopic Properties of Iron Porphyrin Nitroxyl in the Presence of Weak Acids

The spectroelectrochemistry and voltammetry of Fe(OEP) (NO) in the presence of substituted phenols was studied. Cyclic voltammetry showed that two closely spaced waves were observed for the reduction of Fe(OEP) (NO) in the presence of substituted phenols. The first wave was a single electron reduction under voltammetric conditions. The second wave was kinetically controlled, multielectron process. Visible spectroelectrochemistry of Fe(OEP) (NO) in the presence of substituted phenols showed that three species were present during the electrolysis. Additional spectroscopic studies indicated that the two reduction species were Fe(OEP) (HNO) and Fe(OEP)(H2NOH). The Fe(OEP) (HNO) species, which can be generated chemically, was stable over a period of hours. Additional acid did not lead to further protonation. Proton NMR spectroscopy confirmed the Fe(OEP) (HNO) species could be deprotonated under basic conditions. The third species, Fe(OEP)(H2NOH), was generated by the further reduction of the chemically generat...
T regulatory cells are critical for the maintenance, anamnestic expansion and protection elicited by vaccine-induced CD8 T cells

T regulatory (Treg) cells are critical for preventing autoimmunity and suppressing immune responses during cancer and chronic infection. However, the role of Treg cells in the generation of vaccine-induced immune memory remains ill-defined. Using the mouse model of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection, we demonstrate that transient absence of Treg cells during effector to memory CD8 T-cell transition results in a permanent impairment in the maintenance, function and recall capacity of CD8 T cells. Memory CD8 T cells in mice that were transiently depleted of Treg cells exhibited defective up-regulation of memory markers with a significant decrease in polyfunctionality. However, Treg-depleted mice showed no significant change in CD4 T-cell responses, and antibody levels relative to control. Altogether, this study evaluates the role of Treg cells in the formation of immune memory and demonstrates an important role for Treg cells in promoting memory CD8 T-cell differentiation and vaccine-induced immune protection against intracellular pathogens.
Doxorubicin caused cardiotoxicity is reduced by Didox, a unique ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor, with enhanced anticancer activity

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 4758 Doxorubicin is the lead member of the class of anthracyclines having antitumor activity against hematological and solid cancers, and plays a prominent role in breast cancer therapy. Long term cardiomyopathy hinders clinical use of anthracyclines. The total dosage of Doxorubicin in treatment protocols is limited because of this concern. The prevailing thesis is that Doxorubicin injures the heart by generating damaging free radicals through iron-catalyzed redox cycling. Didox is a unique ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor possessing free radical scavenging and iron chelating properties while exhibiting anticancer activity on its own. Therefore Didox was tested to see if it could decrease Doxorubicin toxicity without reducing its anticancer activity. The cardioprotective effects of Didox were assessed in the rat, using a Langendorff model of heart perfusion. Acute Doxorubicin treatment caused nearly a 50% reduction in cardiac function, as monitored by Rate Pressure Product. Adding Didox to the Doxorubicin treatment preserved cardiac function. The presence of free radicals induced by Doxorubicin, as measured by EPR spin trapping, showed that Didox inclusion produced more than an 80% reduction in the Doxorubicin-induced DMPO-OH signal intensity. Chronic Doxorubicin toxicity studies were performed by weekly single dose i.v. injections of Doxorubicin or Doxorubicin + Didox. The progression of cardiomyopathy was monitored using echocardiography. After 8 weeks of treatment, Doxorubicin treated animals demonstrated marked cardiomyopathy as evidenced by fractional shortening. Also chronic administration of Doxorubicin resulted in greater than 50% decrease in left ventricular function as measured by RPP, but Didox offered more than 40% restoration. Also, we examined the effect of Didox and the classical ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor, hydroxyurea, as well as Zinecard, the iron chelator used clinically, to protect against cardiotoxicity in the mammary (16/c) mouse tumor model singly and in combination with Doxorubicin. Both Doxorubicin and the ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors had antitumor activity when used alone, producing a modest increase in survival over the untreated group. However, when Doxorubicin was combined with the ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors, there was a significant (greater than additive) enhancement of the anticancer activity. These results further support our premise that a free radical scavenger can be used in conjunction with Doxorubicin to decrease its cardiotoxicity and not impede its antitumor activity, and in the case of Didox and other ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors may even enhance it. Therefore Didox has the potential to be a valuable addition to combination cancer treatment protocols that contain an anthracycline such as Doxorubicin.
Fresnel zone plate light field spectral imaging

This paper discusses computational modeling and experimental demonstration of a Fresnel zone light field spectral imaging system. This type of system couples an axial dispersion binary diffractive optic with a light field detector design providing a snapshot spectral imaging capability. The computational model was validated experimentally and provides excellent predictions of potential system capabilities. Additionally, the experimentally demonstrated prototype was able to digitally refocus monochromatic images by wavelength across greater than a 100 nm bandwidth. Through simulation, the demonstrated system was approximated to have a full range from ∼400 to 800 nm at close to a 15-nm spectral sampling interval. We also demonstrated experimentally the capability of resolving between and processing two different spectral signatures in a single snapshot. The type of system demonstrated here offers substantial new capability as an optically simple, snapshot spectral imager. The experimental proof of concept and computational model set the stage for further development of these types of systems.
Disease stage-dependent relationship between diffusion tensor imaging and electrophysiology of the visual system in a murine model of multiple sclerosis

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is commonly used to evaluate white matter integrity in multiple sclerosis (MS), but the relationship between DTI measures and functional changes during disease remains ambiguous. Using a mouse model of MS, we tested the hypothesis that DTI measures would correlate to the visual evoked potential (VEPs) dynamically at different disease stages. In vivo DTI, gadolinium-enhanced T1WI (Gd-T1WI) and VEPs were performed in 5 control and 25 mice after 2–12 weeks of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). DTI indices, including fractional anisotropy (FA), axial and radial diffusivities (AD and RD), and Gd-T1WI enhancement, were measured in the optic nerve and tract (ON and OT), which were compared with measured VEPs. Gd-T1WI showed a 3- to 4-fold enhancement over controls beginning after 2 weeks of EAE. Across the time course, we found progressive reductions in FA and increases in RD with increases in VEP latency and reductions in amplitude. Significant correlations between DTI (FA and RD) and VEP evolved; in control/early asymptomatic EAE mice, both FA and RD were highly correlated with VEP latency (but not amplitude), while in late EAE, both DTI indices were highly correlated with VEP amplitude (but not latency). DTI measures FA and RD are associated to VEP latency in early stages of EAE but associated to VEP amplitude in later stages, suggesting that the patterns of DTI related to the functional decline may depend on the stage of disease progression.
Global river slope: A new geospatial dataset and global-scale analysis

Abstract A rivers’ longitudinal gradient (i.e. slope) is a key parameter in fluvial hydrology, hydraulics, and geomorphology. It affects a multitude of fluvial variables such as flow velocity and sediment transport. Limitations in river slope data, both its availability and accuracy, constrain the fidelity of fluvial modeling, particularly at larger or global scales. Traditional slope calculation algorithms cannot accurately predict river slopes as these are based on cell-by-cell calculation, which is only suitable for hillslopes and small mountainous streams. This paper presents a methodology for calculating global river slope and a procedure to upscale it for relatively coarse resolution, suitable for global scale modeling. The methodology is based on a simple principle of calculating slope from elevation depression over the length of a river segment, which is automated to allow global scale calculations. Version 1.0 of the Global River-Slope (GloRS) geospatial dataset is introduced and shown to be a step improvement over a previous product (NHDplus for the contiguous United States) and compares favorably to observed slope data collected from the literature. Statistical analysis of Earth’s continents and large basins highlights interesting spatial trends. A semi-empirical regression analysis between basin-average river slope and other basin-scale parameters show that terrain slope accounts for 67% of the variability in basin-average river slope, with average discharge, sediment load and basin temperature contributing additional improvements to global predictions of 3%, 4%, and 3%, respectively.
Towards Automated Record Keeping, Interfaces for the Capture of Records of Business Processes

In June 1996, the National Archives of Canada issued its Guideline on the Management of Electronic Records in the Electronic Work Environment to all Canadian federal government institutions. Part of the Guideline contained a vision of automated record keeping in which records would be captured automatically based on the incorporation of record keeping rules in the design of automated work processes. As an illustration of this concept, the National Archives developed a demonstration prototype based on a project management work process situated within one of the operational activities of the department. This paper provides an overview of the prototype and an outline of both the lessons learned and the outstanding questions that have emerged concerning the feasibility of building an electronic work environment reflecting automated record keeping.
Weight estimation among multi-racial/ethnic infants and children aged 0-5·9 years in the USA: simple tools for a critical measure.

Objective In resource-constrained facilities or during resuscitation, immediate paediatric weight estimation remains a fundamental challenge. We aimed to develop and validate weight estimation models based on ulna length and forearm width and circumference measured by simple and portable tools; and to compare them against previous methods (advanced paediatric life support (APLS), Theron and Traub-Johnson formulas). Design Cross-sectional analysis of anthropometric measurements. Four ulna- and forearm-based weight estimation models were developed in the training set (n 1016). Assessment of bias, precision and accuracy was examined in the validation set (n 457). Setting National Children's Study-Formative Research in Anthropometry (2011-2012). Subjects Multi-racial/ethnic infants and children aged l6 years (n 1473). Results Developed Models 1-4 had high predictive precision (R 2=0·91-0·97). Mean percentage errors between predicted and measured weight were significantly smaller across the developed models (0·1-0·7 %) v. the APLS, Theron and Traub-Johnson formulas (-1·7, 9·2 and -4·9 %, respectively). Root-mean-squared percentage error was overall smaller among Models 1-4 v. the three existing methods (range=7·5-8·7 v. 9·8-13·3 %). Further, Models 1-4 were within 10 and 20 % of actual weight in 72-87 and 95-99 % of the weight estimations, respectively, which outperformed any of the three existing methods. Conclusions Ulna length, forearm width and forearm circumference by simple and portable tools could serve as valid and reliable surrogate measures of weight among infants and children aged l6 years with improved precision over the existing age- or length-based methods. Further validation of these models in physically impaired or non-ambulatory children is warranted.
Do outcomes in emergency general surgery vary for minority patients based on surgeons' racial/ethnic case mix?

Abstract Background We hypothesized that Black and Hispanic patients undergoing Emergency General Surgery (EGS) with surgeons who treat higher proportions of minority patients will experience better outcomes. Methods Using the Florida State Inpatient Database (2010–2014), we performed multivariable regression to assess complications in patients undergoing EGS as a function of patient race and the proportion of Black, Hispanic, or White patients treated by the surgeon during the study period. Analyses were clustered by hospital and adjusted for patient age, comorbidities, sex, insurance, and hospital-level variables. Results 5471 surgeons were distributed across 204 hospitals. Of the 520,024 patients included, 67% were White, 16.5% were Black, and 14.2% were Hispanic. For non-White patients undergoing EGS, the increased likelihood of sustaining a complication relative to White patients (OR 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–1.11) decreased when treated by surgeons whose caseload consisted of higher proportions of Black/Hispanic patients (aOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.78–0.99). Conclusion Black patients undergoing EGS are at higher risk for experiencing complications when treated by surgeons whose caseload consists of higher proportions of White patients.
Plane-wave scattering by an ellipsoid composed of an orthorhombic dielectric-magnetic material with arbitrarily oriented constitutive principal axes

The extended boundary condition method can be formulated to study plane-wave scattering by an ellipsoid composed of an orthorhombic dielectric-magnetic material whose relative permittivity dyadic is a scalar multiple of its relative permeability dyadic when the constitutive principal axes are arbitrarily oriented with respect to the shape principal axes. Known vector spherical wave functions are used to represent the fields in the surrounding matter-free space. After deriving closed-form expressions for the vector spherical wave functions for the scattering material, the internal fields are represented as superpositions of those vector spherical wave functions. The unknown scattered-field coefficients are related to the known incident-field coefficients by a transition matrix. The total scattering and absorption efficiencies are highly affected by the orientation of the constitutive principal axes relative to the shape principal axes, and the effect of the orientational mismatch between the two sets of principal axes is more pronounced as the electrical size increases. The dependence of the total scattering efficiency, but not of the absorption efficiency, on the angle of rotation about a shape principal axis can be predicted qualitatively from the variation of a scalar function with respect to the angle of rotation. The total scattering and absorption efficiencies do not depend on the polarization state of incident plane wave when the scattering material is impedance-matched to free space. The polarization state of the incident plane wave has a more discernible effect on the total scattering and absorption efficiencies for ellipsoids compared to spheres.
Retrospective study of the efficacy of oral potassium supplementation in cats with kidney disease.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the effect of three oral potassium supplements (potassium gluconate tablets [PGT], potassium gluconate granules [PGG] and potassium citrate granules [P...
Imaging the dynamic recruitment of monocytes to the blood–brain barrier and specific brain regions during Toxoplasma gondii infection

Brain infection by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii in mice is thought to generate vulnerability to predation by mechanisms that remain elusive. Monocytes play a key role in host defense and inflammation and are critical for controlling T. gondii However, the dynamic and regional relationship between brain-infiltrating monocytes and parasites is unknown. We report the mobilization of inflammatory (CCR2+Ly6Chi) and patrolling (CX3CR1+Ly6Clo) monocytes into the blood and brain during T. gondii infection of C57BL/6J and CCR2RFP/+CX3CR1GFP/+ mice. Longitudinal analysis of mice using 2-photon intravital imaging of the brain through cranial windows revealed that CCR2-RFP monocytes were recruited to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) within 2 wk of T. gondii infection, exhibited distinct rolling and crawling behavior, and accumulated within the vessel lumen before entering the parenchyma. Optical clearing of intact T. gondii-infected brains using iDISCO+ and light-sheet microscopy enabled global 3D detection of monocytes. Clusters of T. gondii and individual monocytes across the brain were identified using an automated cell segmentation pipeline, and monocytes were found to be significantly correlated with sites of T. gondii clusters. Computational alignment of brains to the Allen annotated reference atlas [E. S. Lein et al., Nature 445:168-176 (2007)] indicated a consistent pattern of monocyte infiltration during T. gondii infection to the olfactory tubercle, in contrast to LPS treatment of mice, which resulted in a diffuse distribution of monocytes across multiple brain regions. These data provide insights into the dynamics of monocyte recruitment to the BBB and the highly regionalized localization of monocytes in the brain during T. gondii CNS infection.
On Sparse Complex Gaussian Graphical Model Selection

We consider the problem of estimating the conditional independence graph (CIG) of a sparse, high-dimensional proper complex-valued Gaussian graphical model (CGGM). A p-variate CGGM associated with an undirected graph with p vertices is defined as the family of complex Gaussian distributions that obey the conditional independence restrictions implied by the edge set of the graph. The focus of this paper is on theoretical analysis of a recently proposed graphical lasso approach based on an $\ell_{1} -$penalized log-likelihood objective function to estimate the sparse inverse covariance matrix. Sufficient conditions for consistency and sparsistency of the inverse covariance estimator are provided.
The General Symptom Questionnaire-30 (GSQ-30): A Brief Measure of Multi-System Symptom Burden in Lyme Disease.

Introduction: The multi-system symptoms accompanying acute and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome pose a challenge for time-limited assessment. The General Symptom Questionnaire (GSQ-30) was developed to fill the need for a brief patient-reported measure of multi-system symptom burden. In this study we assess the psychometric properties and sensitivity to change of the GSQ-30. Materials and Methods: 342 adult participants comprised 4 diagnostic groups: Lyme disease (post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, n = 124; erythema migrans, n = 94); depression, n = 36; traumatic brain injury, n = 51; healthy, n = 37. Participants were recruited from clinical research facilities in Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York. Validation measures for the GSQ-30 included the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 for depression and anxiety, visual analog scales for fatigue and pain, the Sheehan Disability Scale for functional impairment, and one global health question. To assess sensitivity to change, 53 patients with erythema migrans completed the GSQ-30 before treatment and 6 months after 3 weeks of treatment with doxycycline. Results: The GSQ-30 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.95). The factor structure reflects four core domains: pain/fatigue, neuropsychiatric, neurologic, and viral-like symptoms. Symptom burden was significantly associated with depression (rs = 0.60), anxiety (rs = 0.55), pain (rs = 0.75), fatigue (rs = 0.77), functional impairment (rs = 0.79), and general health (rs = −0.58). The GSQ-30 detected significant change in symptom burden before and after antibiotic therapy; this change correlated with change in functional impairment. The GSQ-30 total score significantly differed for erythema migrans vs. three other groups (post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, depression, healthy controls). The GSQ-30 total scores for traumatic brain injury and depression were not significantly different from post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. Conclusions and Relevance: The GSQ-30 is a valid and reliable instrument to assess symptom burden among patients with acute and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome and is sensitive in the detection of change after treatment among patients with erythema migrans. The GSQ-30 should prove useful in clinical and research settings to assess multi-system symptom burden and to monitor change over time. The GSQ-30 may also prove useful in future precision medicine studies as a clinical measure to correlate with disease-relevant biomarkers.
How Noninnocent Spectator Species Improve the Oxygen Reduction Activity of Single-Atom Catalysts: Microkinetic Models from First-Principles Calculations

Graphene-based single-atom catalysts are promising alternatives to platinum-based catalysts for fuel cell applications. Different transition metals have been screened using electronic structure met...
Die Schlacht am Schwarzwasser

Seefeuer ist in Westeros vermutlich die Waffe mit der grosten Zerstorungskraft – nach den Drachen naturlich. Es ist explosiv, klebt an Dingen, kann auf Wasser brennen und ist grun. Angeblich kann es sogar Holz, Stein und Stahl zum Schmelzen bringen.
A Situation Enabled Framework for Energy-Efficient Workload Offloading in 5G Vehicular Edge Computing

Cloud based vehicular edge computing is a promising technology to deliver quality of services for accessing public cloud from vehicles. As in-vehicle computers (e.g. onboard Android devices) are typically energy and resource constrained, they need to operate energy-efficiently. Due to the high cost in building sustainable infrastructure to support vehicular edge computing systems, edge services must also operate with high energy-efficiency for better acceptability and applicability in the market place. In this paper, we present a novel situation-enabled framework to enhance energy-efficiency of both in-vehicle computer applications and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) services. The framework consists of three components. First, we collect a user's in-vehicle driving situation data and use the data to train Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) deep learning model. The model is used to predict the user's future situation, determine whether the requested application is allowable, and manage the allowable application pertaining to the predicted situation. Second, from vehicles to MEC servers, we optimize the energy consumption in request routing. Third, a Breadth First Search (BFS) based offloading algorithm to coordinate the placement of servers in the MEC servers to save the energy consumption in the server pool. Implementation of LSTM on top of a situation model and simulation of the vehicular edge offloading have been conducted to validate the energy efficiency of the proposed framework. The results show that the performance of our proposed offloading algorithm can be at par with the most aggressive energy saving variant.
Soil-Weathered CuO Nanoparticles Compromise Foliar Health and Pigment Production in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea).

In this study, spinach plants exposed to fresh/unweathered (UW) or weathered (W) copper compounds in soil were analyzed for growth and nutritional composition. Plants were exposed for 45 days to fr...