cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kepler + MeDICi Service-Oriented Scientific Workflow Applications

Scientific applications are often structured as workflows that execute a series of interdependent, distributed software modules to analyze large data sets. The order of execution of the tasks in a workflow is commonly controlled by complex scripts, which over time become difficult to maintain and evolve. In this paper, we describe how we have integrated the Kepler scientific workflow platform with the MeDICi Integration Framework, which has been specifically designed to provide a standards-based, lightweight and flexible integration platform. The MeDICi technology provides a scalable, component-based architecture that efficiently handles integration with heterogeneous, distributed software systems. This paper describes the MeDICi Integration Framework and the mechanisms we used to integrate MeDICi components with Kepler workflow actors. We illustrate this solution with a workflow application for an atmospheric sciences application. The resulting solution promotes a strong separation of concerns, simplifying the Kepler workflow description and promoting the creation of a reusable collection of components available for other workflow applications in this domain.
Politesse and Public Opinion in Stendhal’s Red and Black

Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America is one of the most celebrated 19th-century explorations of the rise of democracy as a social condition. However, Tocqueville is not the only political t...
Marine meiofauna of a New York City beach, with particular reference to tardigrada

Abstract Distribution and abundance of meiofauna of a New York City beach were studied from June 1971 through January 1972. Core samples were taken from five stations along a transect running from mean high water to mean low water and to a depth of 5 cm from the surface of the substratum. Environmental variables measured included particle size distribution, temperature, salinity and interstitial water content. The substratum consists of well-sorted quartz sand, ranging from fine (0·23 mm) to coarse (0·95 mm) grades. Generally, variation of other physical factors remained at a minimum during each sampling period. Both temperature and salinity were largely influenced by adjacent offshore sea water. Organic content averaged 0·61% by weight. Nematodes were the dominant taxon, averaging 85·5% of the total meiofauna collected between June 1971 and January 1972. Highest numbers were observed during August; lowest during June. Tardigrades were the second most abundant group, comprising 6% of the total meiofauna. I observed maximum numbers of tardigrades in June and minimum numbers in September. I found two species of tardigrades, Batillipes mirus Richters 1909 and B. pennaki Marcus 1946. B. mirus was dominant during June, August and January, while B. pennaki prevailed during September and November. Other taxonomic groups comprised the remaining 8·5% of the total meiofauna.
Stratifying land use/land cover for spatial analysis of disease ecology and risk: an example using object-based classification techniques.

Landscape epidemiology has made significant strides recently, driven in part by increasing availability of land cover data derived from remotely-sensed imagery. Using an example from a study of land cover effects on hantavirus dynamics at an Atlantic Forest site in eastern Paraguay, we demonstrate how automated classification methods can be used to stratify remotely-sensed land cover for studies of infectious disease dynamics. For this application, it was necessary to develop a scheme that could yield both land cover and land use data from the same classification. Hypothesizing that automated discrimination between classes would be more accurate using an object-based method compared to a per-pixel method, we used a single Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ (ETM+) image to classify land cover into eight classes using both per-pixel and object-based classification algorithms. Our results show that the objectbased method achieves 84% overall accuracy, compared to only 43% using the per-pixel method. Producer’s and user’s accuracies for the object-based map were higher for every class compared to the per-pixel classification. The Kappa statistic was also significantly higher for the object-based classification. These results show the importance of using image information from domains beyond the spectral domain, and also illustrate the importance of object-based techniques for remote sensing applications in epidemiological studies.
The Performance of Internet Firms Following Their Initial Public Offering

We find that initial returns were more favorable for Internet initial public offerings (IPOs) than non–Internet firm IPOs. Since the demise of the Internet sector, the underpricing of Internet–firm IPOs is not significantly different from other IPOs. Initial returns of Internet firms are positively and significantly related to underwriter prestige and to pre–IPO market conditions. However, initial returns after the demise of the Internet sector are not significantly related to these characteristics. The aftermarket performance of Internet firms is initially favorable but weakens over time. Firms that experienced higher initial returns during the strong Internet cycle experience weaker aftermarket performance.
Prescribed burning and mechanical thinning effects on belowground conditions and soil respiration in a mixed-conifer forest, California

Soil respiration (RS) is a major carbon pathway from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere and is sensitive to environmental changes. Although commonly used mechanical thinning and prescribed burning can significantly alter the soil environment, the effect of these practices on RS and on the interactions between RS and belowground characteristics in managed forests is not sufficiently understood. We: (1) examined the effects of burning and thinning treatments on soil conditions, (2) identified any changes in the effects of soil chemical and physical properties on RS under burning and thinning treatments, and (3) indirectly estimated the changes in the autotrophic soil respiration (RA) and heterotrophic soil respiration (RH) contribution to RS under burning and thinning treatments. We conducted our study in the Teakettle Experimental Forest where a full factorial design was implemented with three levels of thinning, none (N), understory thinning (U), and overstory thinning (O; September to October 2000 for thin burn combination and June and July 2001 for thin only treatments) and two levels of burning, none (U) and prescribed burning (B; fall of 2001). RS, soil temperature, soil moisture, litter depth, soil total nitrogen and carbon content, soil pH, root biomass, and root nitrogen (N) concentration were measured between June 15 and July 15, 2002 at each plot. During this period, soil respiration was measured three times at each point and averaged by point. When we assumed the uniform and even contribution of RA and RH to RS in the studied ecosystem without disturbances and a linear relationship of root N content and RA, we calculated the contributions of RA to RS as 22, 45, 53, 48, and 45% in UU, UO, BN, BU, and BO, respectively. The results suggested that after thinning, RS was controlled more by RH while after burning RS was more influenced by RA. The least amount of RS variation was explained by studied factors under the most severe treatment (BO treatment). Overall, root biomass, root N concentration, and root N content were significantly (p < 0.01) correlated with soil respiration with correlation coefficients of 0.37, � 0.28, and 0.29, respectively. This study contributes to our understanding of how common forestry management practices might affect soil carbon sequestration, as soil respiration is a major component of ecosystem respiration.
Creating When You Have Less: The Impact of Resource Scarcity on Product Use Creativity

This research examines how a general sense of resource availability influences consumers’ product use creativity. The authors propose and demonstrate that the salience of resource scarcity versus abundance enhances the novelty of product use solutions in independent consumption environments. An investigation of the underlying process finds that scarcity salience activates a constraint mindset that persists and manifests itself through reduced functional fixedness in subsequent product usage contexts (i.e., makes consumers think beyond the traditional functionality of a given product), consequently enhancing product use creativity. This work advances the extant creativity literature, currently limited to examining the effects of context-specific resource constraints, by establishing a context-independent linkage between resource availability and product use creativity. Furthermore, this research contributes to the scarcity literature, which has primarily focused on investigating the quantity and frequency of consumption, by examining the impact of scarcity on the quality of consumption solutions.
Internal Pressures–External Safeguards: A Systemic Approach for Burden Reduction in the Netherlands

This chapter addresses the complementarities of culture (bottom-up) and structure (top-down) for the reduction of regulatory burdens. It specifically looks into the case of the Netherlands. Dutch policies on better regulation aim at a cultural shift and structural safeguards. It is found that besides a supportive culture within ministries, it is necessary to establish adequate structures on reducing regulatory burdens. A sole reliance on internal pressures leads to unpredictable outcomes.
Interactions: Disability, Trauma, and the Autobiography

ABSTRACTThis article responds to several calls to consider the ways disability studies and trauma studies might work synergistically with each other. Using a reading of Kenny Fries's 1997 memoir Body, Remember, I identify the socio-political tendency to devalue a disabled life when it is associated with trauma, pain, and loss as a main obstacle to connecting the two fields, and argue for the importance of studying stories in which disability, trauma, pain, and loss are present in order to locate models that counteract such a bias. The genre of life writing gives authors significant control over the construction of their images and is therefore a particularly potent venue for integrating the alternate constructions of trauma survivorship and disability into a single identity. Fries's memoir insists upon the interrelationship of the seemingly fraught alignments of disability and trauma so that they co-exist, even intertwine, as composites of his narrative and identity. In asserting their interconnectedness,...
Building a Patient-Reported Outcome Metric Database: One Hospital's Experience

Abstract Background A number of provisions exist within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that focus on improving the delivery of health care in the United States, including quality of care. From a total joint arthroplasty perspective, the issue of quality increasingly refers to quantifying patient-reported outcome metrics (PROMs). This article describes one hospital's experience in building and maintaining an electronic PROM database for a practice of 6 board-certified orthopedic surgeons. Methods The surgeons advocated to and worked with the hospital to contract with a joint registry database company and hire a research assistant. They implemented a standardized process for all surgical patients to fill out patient-reported outcome questionnaires at designated intervals. Results To date, the group has collected patient-reported outcome metric data for >4500 cases. The data are frequently used in different venues at the hospital including orthopedic quality metric and research meetings. In addition, the results were used to develop an annual outcome report. The annual report is given to patients and primary care providers, and portions of it are being used in discussions with insurance carriers. Conclusion Building an electronic database to collect PROMs is a group undertaking and requires a physician champion. A considerable amount of work needs to be done up front to make its introduction a success. Once established, a PROM database can provide a significant amount of information and data that can be effectively used in multiple capacities.
Maintaining health in foals: the role of colostrum constituents.

CHALLENGE with infectious disease is a constant threat to the health and well-being of equine neonates. Therefore, having a comprehensive understanding of the endogenous mechanisms that aid in maintaining health in young foals is essential for the equine clinician. A lack of adequate antibody ingestion results in the failure of passive transfer, a primary risk factor for the development of neonatal sepsis (Robinson and others 1993). The ingestion of colostral constituents, such as cytokine proteins as well as antibody molecules, has been demonstrated to aid immune protection in other species. In addition, the value of having an all-round understanding of equine colostral constituents relates to the fact that, once essential protective immune components have been identified, therapeutic management of septic or at-risk individuals can incorporate necessary constituents for the restoration of neonatal health and protection from infectious challenge. In a paper summarised on p 51 of this week's Veterinary Record , Secor and others (2011) report an investigation aimed at determining colostral cytokine constituents that help in maintaining health and wellbeing when consumed by foals. In particular, the investigators aimed to determine the level of colostral …
Multiple Derivatives of Compositions: Investigating Some Special Cases

A student research project is an open-ended question or set of questions that is intended to give undergraduate students experience doing "junior" mathematical research. Readers are invited to share especially interesting and fruitful examples of such projects in this section. Describe the project in a form appropriate for presentation to the student investigator (normally no more than five double-spaced pages). Include appropriate references. On a separate page list the project title, the mathematical concepts involved in its investigation, and your affiliation. Send all proposais to Irl C. Bivens. To further assist the editor in the evaluation of a project, provide a separate assessment of its difficulty and any information available about actual experience with the project. While untried projects are welcome, it should be clear that students can make genuine progress in their research.
Finite element simulated analysis in operational process for Shahe prestressing rectangular aqueduct

This paper adopt universal finite element calculation software to Shahe prestress rectangular aqueduct carry out three-dimensional finite-element analysis.Considering eight combination operating condition of the aqueduct in opera-tional process,The stress and displacement rules of aqueduct is presented.These supply certain theoretical gist for the design of prestress rectangular flume in operational process.
Some Suggestions on The Protection of Patients in Medical X-ray Diagnosis

To provide safety environment for examinees of X-Ray diagnoses,rationally control medical radiation dose,protect health and safety of the public and the next generations,according to current laws and regulations and medical radiation protection norms,Weifang Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promoted some suggestions like vigorously publicizing protection knowledge and laws and regulations,strengthening the protection awareness of radiation,improving self-management of radiation-related work units,comprehensively improving the quality of protection for workers,actively providing prevention measures for examinees,so as to let the department in charge formulate rules and regulations,strengthen protective supervision in accordance with the law,and guarantee the effective protection of the examinees.
Research of Node Localization Problem in Wireless Sensor Networks

Localization technique is one of the important general support techniques in Wireless Sensor Networks(WSN).The localization problems in WSN are classified.The process of node localization is divided four parts.On the basis of above classification and process consist,the recent representative localization algorithms are introduced and analyzed.Last,the possible directions of research in this area are pointed out.
Disparities in influenza vaccination across the United States: Variability by minority group, Asian sub-populations, socio-economic status, and health insurance coverage

Abstract Objective The aim of this study is to examine the effects of ethnicity, disaggregating Asian Indian from other Asians, health insurance coverage, and nativity on influenza vaccination rates in the United States. Study design National Health Interview Survey data (2013), collected by the National Center for Health Statistics, were analysed. Methods Multivariable regression models were used to compute estimates and 95% confidence intervals. Results Asian Indians had higher proportions of college graduate rates (mean = 0.85; CI = [0.80, 0.90]) and above-average income (mean = 0.56, CI = [0.48, 0.64]) than both Whites (mean = 0.406; CI = [0.39, 0.42]) and other Asian sub-groups, such as Chinese (mean = 0.544; CI = [0.47, 0.62]) and Filipino Americans (mean = 0.419; CI = [0.35, 0.48]). However, this higher socio-economic status did not uniformly translated into higher vaccine uptake rates. Asian Indian influenza vaccine uptake rate (mean = 0.403; CI = [0.33, 0.47]), while higher than Whites (mean = 0.366; CI = [0.36, 0.38]), were lower than Chinese (mean = 0.435; CI = [0.35, 0.52]) and Filipino Americans (mean = 0.431; CI = [0.37. 0.49]). In regression models, although Asian Indians were significantly more likely to receive the influenza vaccine than White Americans before controlling for health insurance status (OR = 1.38; CI = [1.004, 1.899]), when coverage was included, effects of race and ethnicity were eliminated (OR = 1.24; CI = [0.897, 1.705]). Conclusion Health disparities research often analyses Asians as a homogenous mass; however, the availability of disaggregated data allows researchers to parse effects leading to nuanced findings which highlight behavioural diversity within groups. Findings may inform the development of targeted interventions by public health practitioners and adjustments to polices designed to improve health insurance coverage in racial and ethnic minorities, regardless of citizenship status, leading to enhanced population health.
Epidemiology of and Risk Factors for Pancreatic Cancer

More than 27,000 people die from pancreatic cancer in this country each year. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth and fifth leading cause of cancer death in men and women, respectively, and it represents a major public health problem as well as a significant clinical challenge. Rates of pancreatic cancer in theUnited States increased threefold from 1920 to 1970 but leveled off and even declined slightly in recent years. In blacks, however, the pancreatic cancer mortality ratehas increased markedly. Although much progress has been made in the last two decades in the identification of risk factors, much epidemiologic work is needed to identify and reduce putative exposures.
Electron Transfer Reactions Between Co(III), Rh(III) and Ir(III) Complexes and Cr(II) Through Bridging Groups

In effects of the size of bridging groups and the nature of the coordinating atom on the rate of electron transfer have been investigated.
Chapter 5 – Discrete Random Variables

We continue our study of probability by introducing random variables—quantities whose values are determined by the outcome of the experiment. The expected value of a random variable is defined, and its properties are explored. The concept of variance is introduced. An important special type of random variable, known as the binomial, is studied.
Taxation, Regulation, and the Level Playing Field

One way to get the trains to run on time is to straighten the tracks. Another is to use more powerful locomotives. A less costly way — indeed, the cheapest way — is to lengthen the time allowed for the journey. In the 1920s, the trip from Chicago to New York on the Twentieth Century Limited took 15 hours; passengers got refunds if the train was late, with the amounts of the refunds scaled to the length of the delays. The same journey on Amtrak now takes 19–20 hours on the Broadway Limited — and there are no refunds if the train is late. The mileage between Chicago and New York is constant. If the trains can’t adjust to the timetables, then the timetables adjust to the trains.
Topics in Kaon Physics

In these lectures, we will treat some selected topics in the field of kaon physics. Today there is much activity in the field with about 250 experimentalists and many theorists engaged in many precise, incisive, and search oriented studies of Kaon decays. We will begin with a brief review of the properties of the kaon and follow with a discussion of “sources” (i. e., beams) of kaons that are currently used in experiments. Dynamical effects in the decays of the kaons which are important in current experiments will then be treated. This will be followed by a treatment of the KK mixing process and the phenomenon of CP non-conservation. The successful Kobayashi-Maskawa model for the weak charged current is presented and the predictions for this model in the area of CP violation are discussed.
Mineral Composition of Uroliths Obtained from Sheep and Goats with Obstructive Urolithiasis

Background Knowledge of the mineral composition of the causative urolith is important to develop preventative strategies. Advances in analytic techniques have led to detection of urolith components not previously recognized. Hypothesis/Objectives The objectives of this study were to characterize uroliths in sheep and goats structurally and clinically. We hypothesized that amorphous magnesium calcium phosphate (AMCP) would be a naturally occurring urolith type in sheep and goats. Animals Forty-nine sheep and goats presenting for obstructive urolithiasis from June 15, 2014 through June 14, 2016 were reviewed along with the demographic data of all small ruminants admitted during that same period. Methods Medical records were reviewed for demographic and historical data, and 36 uroliths obtained from these cases during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy to determine chemical composition. Results AMCP is a naturally occurring urolith type in obstructed male sheep and goats and was the most common urolith type in this study, where it occurred as a majority component with struvite (39% of uroliths) or as a pure component (11%). Pure struvite was found in 1 urolith (2%). Calcium carbonate was the second most frequent urolith with 31% of uroliths being pure calcium carbonate. Conclusions and Clinical Importance This study demonstrates that uroliths, which appear consistent with struvite, could actually be calcium-containing AMCP. Urolith analysis is critical in determining mineral content of uroliths to guide dietary recommendations for prevention.
Distinct peripheral vs mucosal T-cell phenotypes in chlamydia-infected women.

Problem Differences in circulating (peripheral) and mucosal T-cell phenotypes in chlamydia-infected women remain largely unknown. Method of study Thirteen paired mononuclear cell specimens from blood and cervicovaginal lavages collected from chlamydia-infected women were stained and analyzed using ten-color cell surface flow cytometry for T-cell distribution, activation status, homing, and T helper (Th)-associated chemokine receptors (CKRs). Results A higher proportion of genital mucosal T-cells were activated (CD38+ HLA-DR+ ) and expressed CCR5 and Th1-associated CKR CXCR3+ CCR5+ compared to peripheral T-cells, but a lower proportion of mucosal T-cells expressed homing CKR CCR7, Th-2 associated CKR CCR4, and CXCR3+ CCR4+ for both T-cell subsets. Conclusion T-cell phenotypes differed in the peripheral vs genital mucosa compartments in chlamydia-infected women. As chlamydia infects mucosal epithelial cells, the finding of a higher frequency of activated T-cells and Th-1 phenotypes in the mucosa likely reflects an adaptive immune response to infection.
Patients with Dementia Are Easily Distracted.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the middle ground between normal, age-appropriate memory impairment, and dementia. Whereas patients with MCI are able to cope with the memory deficit, those with ...
The Study of Transitions

One of the central and most controversial problems in developmental psychology is the question of continuity and discontinuity in development. Numerous empirical studies have examined this question, and many theoretical positions have been proposed (e.g., Brim & Kagan, 1980; Emde, Gaensbauer, & Harmon, 1976; Emmerich, 1968; Green-ough, this volume; Kagan, this volume; Mischel, 1968; Rutter, this volume; Sackett, Sameroff, Cairns, & Suomi, 1981; Wohlwill, 1973). Although little consensus has been reached, developmentalists of any persuasion would agree that human beings undergo a series of changes in the course of the life span. Moreover, human lives appear to be characterized by periods of relative stability and periods of marked change or transition. These transitions are thought to be the times when major reorganizations or discontinuities may occur.
Syncope: Who Needs Imaging? Who Needs Admission?

A 60-year-old man presents to the emergency department (ED) by EMS with a report of sudden collapse while running a road race. It is a hot summer day, and he was at mile 5 of a 10 K race when he suddenly collapsed. He was helped up by bystanders after a report of roughly 1 min of unconsciousness. He has scrapes on his knees and elbows from the fall to pavement but is only complaining of fatigue. He is awake and alert, with mild tachycardia, a normal blood pressure, and a normal neurological exam. His respiratory rate is normal and he is afebrile. His skin is pale and warm, with some mild sweat. He reports that he has a history of hypertension and non-insulin-dependent diabetes. He takes metformin for the latter, but cannot recall his antihypertensive medication name. EMS has started a peripheral IV en route and given him 500 cm3 of normal saline. They report that a 12 lead ECG showed sinus tachycardia without any features concerning for arrhythmia or ischemia.
Intragastric Gelation of Heated Soy Protein Isolate-Alginate Mixtures and Its Effect on Sucrose Release.

The goal of our study was to investigate the effect of alginate on in vitrogastric digestion and sucrose release of soy protein isolate (SPI) in model beverages. Model beverages containing 5% w/w SPI, 0% to 0.20% w/w alginate, and 10% w/w sucrose were prepared by heating the mixtures at 85 °C for 30 min at pH 6.0 or 7.0. Characterizations of beverages included determination of zeta potential, particle size and rheological properties. Digestion patterns and sucrose release profiles were determined during 2 hr in vitrogastric digestion using SDS‐PAGE and HPLC analysis, respectively. Increasing alginate concentration led to increased negative surface charge, particle size, as well as viscosity and pseudoplastic behavior; however, no phase separation was observed. SPI beverages formed intragastric gel during in vitrogastric digestion when the formulations contained alginate or at pH 6.0 without alginate. Formation of the intragastric gel led to delayed protein digestion and release of sucrose. Higher resistance to digestion and a slower sucrose release rate were exhibited at increased alginate concentration, and to a lesser extent, at pH 6.0. This suggests that electrostatic interaction between SPI and alginate that occurred when the beverages were under gastric condition could be responsible for the intragastric gelation. These results could potentially lead to the formulation of SPI beverages with functionality to lower postprandial glycemic response. The results could be used to design beverages or semi solid food products with altered digestion properties and lowered or slower glucose release.
What is the Helicobacter pylori Global Reinfection Rate

Since the initiation of Helicobacter pylori treatment in the 1980s, concerns have been raised that high reinfection rates might mitigate against H. pylori treatment. Reinfection has been of particular concern where primary infection rates are also high, i.e. in developing countries. In Bangladesh and Brazil, where studies have indicated high annual reinfection rates, investigators have expressed pessimism about long-term treatment benefits1,2. Even in developed countries such as the United States, however, the reinfection rate has been a concern. Given that infection with multiple strains is relatively common, the likelihood of reinfection following treatment seems particularly plausible3. If those who are actively infected can be reinfected, what is to prevent such a phenomenon in recently treated patients? Knowing the reinfection rate provides important data on natural acquisition of host immunity, providing insights into vaccine development and other immunological therapies. Moreover, from a pathophysiological standpoint, distinguishing reinfection from recrudescence of unsuccessfully treated infection permits us to better delineate the best antimicrobial strategies.
Crime in College Predicts Violent Crime in the National Football League

ABSTRACTThe relationship between past and future crime is one of the most robust findings within criminology. Yet, there have been few attempts to examine whether this linkage holds in specific emp...
VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIA: AN UNCOMMON INITIAL PRESENTATION OF SARCOIDOSIS

Sarcoidosis is a common disorder of unknown etiology that usually presents with pulmonary manifestations. Although cardiac sarcoidosis is well described in the literature, it is uncommon for arrhythmia to be a presenting manifestation of this disease. A 42-year-old female with a history of asthma
Evaluating a collaborative governance regime in renewable energy: Wind power and the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo)

Abstract The Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) illustrates the leverage that the collaborative governance regime (CGR) brings to start-up renewable energy ventures. Called Icebreaker, the effort to build the first freshwater offshore wind farm in North America demonstrates that a CGR spearheaded by committed project advocates is critical to pave the way for renewable energy projects. With construction scheduled for 2021, this case study hypothesizes that collaborative leadership is a noteworthy trailblazing method for renewable energy projects. To assess this claim, this case study applies four propositions of the collaborative leadership model (i.e., activating, framing, mobilizing, and synthesizing) and hypothesizes that a committed project steward’s capacity for synchronizing the project with existing regulatory constraints is the fifth key element of a successful CGR in the renewable energy context. Perhaps the lessons emerging from this case study will help to guide green entrepreneurs attempting to launch sustainable energy initiatives.
Staufen 1 amplifies pro-apoptotic activation of the unfolded protein response

Abstract Staufen-1 (STAU1) is an RNA binding protein that becomes highly overabundant in numerous neurodegenerative disease models, including those carrying mutations in presenilin1 (PSEN1), microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT), huntingtin (HTT), TAR DNA-binding protein-43 gene (TARDBP) or C9orf72. We previously reported that elevations in STAU1 determine autophagy defects. Additional functional consequences of STAU1 overabundance, however, have not been investigated. We studied the role of STAU1 in the chronic activation of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), a common feature among the neurodegenerative diseases where STAU1 is increased, and is directly associated with neuronal death. Here we report that STAU1 is a novel modulator of the UPR, and is required for apoptosis induced by activation of the PERK-CHOP pathway. STAU1 levels increased in response to multiple ER stressors and exogenous expression of STAU1 was sufficient to cause apoptosis through the PERK-CHOP pathway of the UPR. Cortical neurons and skin fibroblasts derived from Stau1-/- mice showed reduced UPR and apoptosis when challenged with thapsigargin. In fibroblasts from SCA2 patients or with ALS-causing TDP-43 and C9ORF72 mutations we found highly increased STAU1 and CHOP levels in basal conditions. STAU1 knockdown restored CHOP levels to normal. Taken together, these results show STAU1 overabundance reduces cellular resistance to ER stress and precipitates apoptosis.
When Physicians Say No: Predictors of Request Denial and Subsequent Patient Satisfaction.

Background: Physician denial of patient requests is associated with lower patient satisfaction. Our objective was to explore factors that influence physician request denial and patient satisfaction after request denial. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study of 1141 adult patients seen during 1319 outpatient visits with 56 primary care physicians. We measured patients9 postvisit self-report of requests and request fulfillment, visit satisfaction, sociodemographics, health status, symptom burden, life satisfaction, medical skepticism, and whether patients saw their usual physician and a faculty or resident physician. We used mixed-effects regression analyses to identify predictors of request denial and visit satisfaction among patients who had a request denied. Results: Patients made at least 1 request at 867 visits (65.7%) with at least 1 denied request reported at 182 visits (21.0%). Patients who saw their usual physician were less likely to report a request denial (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.88), and patients with the highest symptom burden (aOR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.38 to 3.55) or greater medical skepticism (aOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.78) were more likely to report request denials. After request denials, patients seeing their usual physicians reported significantly greater visit satisfaction compared with not seeing their usual physician (adjusted percentile rank in visit satisfaction: 12.4%; 95% CI, 3.5% to 21.2%). Conclusions: Approximately one fifth of visits in primary care have a denied request. Having an office visit with one9s usual physician is associated with reduced likelihood of request denial and may mitigate the adverse impacts of request denial on patient visit satisfaction.
Dim Light at Night Exposure Induces Cold Hyperalgesia and Mechanical Allodynia in Male Mice

Abstract The growing presence of artificial lighting across the globe presents a number of challenges to human and ecological health despite its societal benefits. Exposure to artificial light at night, a seemingly innocuous aspect of modern life, disrupts behavior and physiological functions. Specifically, light at night induces neuroinflammation, which is implicated in neuropathic and nociceptive pain states, including hyperalgesia and allodynia. Because of its influence on neuroinflammation, we investigated the effects of dim light at night exposure on pain responsiveness in male mice. In this study, mice exposed to four days of dim (5 lux) light at night exhibited cold hyperalgesia. Further, after 28 days of exposure, mice exhibited both cold hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. No heat/hot hyperalgesia was observed in this experiment. Altered nociception in mice exposed to dim light at night was concurrent with upregulated interleukin-6 and nerve growth factor mRNA expression in the medulla and elevated μ-opioid receptor mRNA expression in the periaqueductal gray region of the brain. The current results support the relationship between disrupted circadian rhythms and altered pain sensitivity. In summary, we observed that dim light at night induces cold hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, potentially through elevated neuroinflammation and dysregulation of the endogenous opioid system.
Bivariate Spatial Pattern between Smoking Prevalence and Lung Cancer Screening in US Counties

Objectives: Lung cancer screening (LCS) with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been a reimbursable preventive service covered by Medicare since 2015. Geographic disparities in the access to LDCT providers may contribute to the low uptake of LCS. We evaluated LDCT service availability for older adults in the United States (US) based on Medicare claims data and explored its ecological correlation with smoking prevalence. Materials and Methods: We identified providers who provided at least 11 LDCT services in 2016 using the Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data: Physician and Other Supplier Public Use File. We constructed a 30-mile Euclidian distance buffer around each provider’s location to estimate individual LDCT coverage areas. We then mapped the county-level density of LDCT providers and the county-level prevalence of current daily cigarette smoking in a bivariate choropleth map. Results: Approximately 1/5 of census tracts had no LDCT providers within 30 miles and 46% of counties had no LDCT services. At the county level, the median LDCT density was 0.5 (interquartile range (IQR): 0–5.3) providers per 1000 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, and cigarette smoking prevalence was 17.5% (IQR: 15.2–19.8%). High LDCT service availability was most concentrated in the northeast US, revealing a misalignment with areas of high current smoking prevalence, which tended to be in the central and southern US. Conclusions: Our maps highlight areas in need for enhanced workforce and capacity building aimed at reducing disparities in the access and utilization of LDCT services among older adults in the US.
Avoiding surveillance biopsy: Use of a noninvasive biomarker assay in a real life scenario

Purpose TruGraf™ blood test measures a specific gene expression signature in peripheral blood mononuclear cells for noninvasive assessment of kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with stable renal function, excluding subclinical acute rejection (subAR) with high degree of confidence. Study objective was to correlate TruGraf™ test with 6-month surveillance biopsy (SBx). Methods Prospective, single-center study of 116 consecutive KTRs with SBx performed at 6 months post-transplant..TruGraf™ done at time of SBx; results compared with histology (Banff 2017) for concordance. Results Of 116 enrollees, 26 excluded, absent biopsy (n = 17), test quality control issues (n = 9), leaving 90 KTRs-66% deceased donor kidneys, 58% African American, and 59% male. TruGraf™ result negative in 67 subjects; 54 had normal biopsy, indicating SBx could have been avoided. Eight subjects had true positive result where biopsy justified. Unnecessary biopsy would have been performed in 15 subjects with false-positive TruGraf™, and subAR missed in 13 subjects with false-negative test. In overall population of 90 patients, SBx would have been avoided in 54 (60%). Conclusions Implementation of TruGraf™ testing in a "real-world" cohort at the time of SBx identified a significant proportion of KTRs that could have avoided SBx.
Using Class Pass Intervention to Decrease Disruptive Behavior in Young Children

Previous research has shown that disruptive behavior can impair students’ academic success (Pierce et al. in Remedial Spec Educ 25:175–188, 2004, https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325040250030501 ), as well as increase teacher’s stress level (Westling in Remedial Spec Educ 31:48–63, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932508327466 ). The Class Pass Intervention (CPI) is a Tier 2 intervention designed to decrease disruptive behavior and increase academic engagement; however, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of CPI. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of CPI on disruptive behavior and academic engagement of young students who engage in disruptive behavior. This study used a non-concurrent multiple baseline design to assess experimental control. In the current study, CPI led to a decrease in disruptive behavior and an increase in academic engagement for all three participants and these levels persisted throughout schedule thinning. In addition, results of teacher and student social validity assessments indicated that the intervention was effective and easy to implement and that students preferred the intervention.
Outlier-Robust Clustering of Gaussians and Other Non-Spherical Mixtures

We give the first outlier-robust efficient algorithm for clustering a mixture of $k$ statistically separated $d$ - dimensional Gaussians ( $k$ -GMMs). Concretely, our algorithm takes input an $\epsilon$ -corrupted sample from a $k$ -GMM and outputs an approximate clustering that misclassifies at most $k^{O(k)}(\epsilon+\eta)$ fraction of the points whenever every pair of mixture components are separated by $1-\exp(-poly(k/\eta))$ in total variation distance. This is the statistically weakest possible notion of separation and allows, for e.g., clustering of mixtures with components with the same mean with covariances differing in a single unknown direction or separated in Frobenius distance. The running time of our algorithm is $d^{poly(k/\eta)}$ . Such results were not known prior to our work, even for $k=2$ . More generally, our algorithms succeed for mixtures of any distribution that satisfies two well-studied analytic assumptions - sum-of-squares certifiable hypercontractivity and anti-concentration. As an immediate corollary, they extend to clustering mixtures of arbitrary affine transforms of the uniform distribution on the $d$ -dimensional unit sphere. Even the information theoretic clusterability of separated distributions satisfying our analytic assumptions was not known and is likely to be of independent interest. Our algorithms build on the recent flurry of work relying on certifiable anti-concentration first introduced in [1], [2]. Our techniques expand the sum-of-squares toolkit to show robust certifiability of TV-separated Gaussian clusters in data. This involves giving a low-degree sum-of-squares proof of statements that relate parameter (i.e. mean and covariances) distance to total variation distance by relying only on hypercontractivity and anti-concentration.
Eating expectancies among trauma-exposed Latinx college students: The role of mindful attention

Emergent research suggests that trauma-exposed Latinx college students are a particularly at-risk group for eating-related problems. For this reason, there is a need to further understand the cogni...
A qualitative assessment of structural barriers to prenatal care and congenital syphilis prevention in Kern County, California

Congenital syphilis is the result of placental transmission from mother to fetus of Treponema pallidum. Although congenital syphilis is preventable through timely treatment, the rate of new infections in the United States (US) has increased each year since 2013, and is increasing at a noticeably greater pace in California (CA). Most research into congenital syphilis has focused on individual psychosocial and behavioral factors that contribute to maternal vulnerability for syphilis. The aim of this study was to evaluate structural barriers to prenatal care access and utilization and congenital syphilis prevention in Kern County, CA. Transcripts from 8 in-depth interviews with prenatal care providers and 5 focus group discussions with 42 pregnant and postpartum persons were examined using thematic analysis. Structural barriers experienced by pregnant and postpartum persons to prenatal care access and utilization included (1) burdens of poverty; (2) stigma around substance use in pregnancy; (3) citizenship status; (4) lack of healthcare coverage; (5) low sexual health literacy; and (6) gender inequality Structural barriers experienced by prenatal care providers in congenital syphilis prevention included (1) limited guidance on clinical management of syphilis in pregnancy; (2) decay in public health infrastructure; and (3) inadequate support for managing patients' social comorbidities. The response to congenital syphilis prevention will require an examination of the complex context of social determinants of health in which persons diagnosed with syphilis live in.
Deep Learning Model for Mortality Prediction of ICU Patients with Paralytic Ileus

Abstract Background: Paralytic Ileus (PI) patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are at significant risk of death. Prediction of at-risk patients for mortality after 24 hours of admission of ICU PI patients is important to increase the life expectancy of PI patients. Methods and Results: The proposed framework, DLMP(Deep Learning Model for Mortality Prediction of ICU Patients with PI) is a powerful deep learning model consisting of six total unique clinical lab items and two demographics as inputs to a Neural Network(NN) of only two neuron layers. Using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) dataset of 1,017 ICU PI patients, the DLMP resulted in the best prediction performance with an AUC score of 0.866. Conclusion: The proposed approach is capable of modeling the mortality of ICU patients after 24 hours admission using only six unique total clinical data and two demographics with a simple NN architecture. DLMP framework significantly improves the outcome prediction compared to the process mining and machine learning models. The proposed DLMP has the potential of allowing clinicians to create targeted interventions that reduce mortality for PI patients in an ICU setting.
Mixed stock analysis of genetic compositions of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) mixtures in Lake Michigan: hierarchical spatial heterogeneity and evidence of improving recruitment in Wisconsin spawning populations

Information regarding site occupancy of fish that migrate long distances during non-spawning periods together with estimates of recruitment trends for individual populations can be informative for ...
Geophysical Exploration for Hydrocarbons

Geophysical methods for exploring for hydrocarbons are usually subdivided into potential methods and seismic methods. Potential methods measure variations in the gravity and magnetic fields and predict the gross geologic features of a basin. Seismic methods provide detailed information on the structure and stratigraphic features of the sedimentary layers and in some cases can locate hydrocarbons directly.
WE-G-BRA-04: Common Errors and Deficiencies in Radiation Oncology Practice

Purpose: Dosimetric errors in radiotherapy dose delivery lead to suboptimal treatments and outcomes. This work reviews the frequency and severity of dosimetric and programmatic errors identified by on-site audits performed by the IROC Houston QA center. Methods: IROC Houston on-site audits evaluate absolute beam calibration, relative dosimetry data compared to the treatment planning system data, and processes such as machine QA. Audits conducted from 2000-present were abstracted for recommendations, including type of recommendation and magnitude of error when applicable. Dosimetric recommendations corresponded to absolute dose errors >3% and relative dosimetry errors >2%. On-site audits of 1020 accelerators at 409 institutions were reviewed. Results: A total of 1280 recommendations were made (average 3.1/institution). The most common recommendation was for inadequate QA procedures per TG-40 and/or TG-142 (82% of institutions) with the most commonly noted deficiency being x-ray and electron off-axis constancy versus gantry angle. Dosimetrically, the most common errors in relative dosimetry were in small-field output factors (59% of institutions), wedge factors (33% of institutions), off-axis factors (21% of institutions), and photon PDD (18% of institutions). Errors in calibration were also problematic: 20% of institutions had an error in electron beam calibration, 8% had an error in photon beam calibration, and 7% had an error in brachytherapy source calibration. Almost all types of data reviewed included errors up to 7% although 20 institutions had errors in excess of 10%, and 5 had errors in excess of 20%. The frequency of electron calibration errors decreased significantly with time, but all other errors show non-significant changes. Conclusion: There are many common and often serious errors made during the establishment and maintenance of a radiotherapy program that can be identified through independent peer review. Physicists should be cautious, particularly in areas highlighted herein that show a tendency for errors.