cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Challenges to Developing Forensic Assertive Community Treatment

Limited information currently exists about forensic assertive community treatment (FACT) and how it serves persons with mental illness involved with the criminal justice system. This study screened 28 forensic mental health programs to identify 12 FACT teams for site visits about their consumers, their interface with the criminal justice system, and implementation and sustainability challenges. Site visit findings were reviewed by an expert panel knowledgeable about the interface between assertive community treatment and the criminal justice system. Little consensus exists about a program model for FACT and several issues require more research to guide its further dissemination. FACT represents an opportunistic adaptation to growing numbers of justice-involved persons with mental illness but practice has outpaced the evidence base.
The 3 Untranslated Region of the Membrane-Bound IL-1R Accessory Protein mRNA Confers Tissue-Specific Destabilization

IL-1alpha and IL-1beta are proinflammatory cytokines that promote activation of intracellular signaling cascades, leading to stabilization of certain mRNAs and activation of transcription factors. IL-1R type I (IL-1RI) binds IL-1alpha and IL-1beta, and subsequent recruitment of the membrane-bound IL-1R accessory protein (mIL-1RAcP) facilitates signal transduction. Two alternatively spliced isoforms, soluble IL-1RAcP (sIL-1RAcP) and sIL-1RAcP-beta, which lack transmembrane and intracellular domains, have been described. The sIL-1RAcP and possibly sIL-1RAcP-beta can inhibit IL-1 signaling. Proportional expression of the different IL-1RAcP splice variants may be an important determinant of responsiveness to IL-1. We show that although both mIL-1RAcP and sIL-1RAcP mRNAs are widely expressed in human tissue, their relative proportions differ significantly in a tissue-specific manner. Turnover studies revealed that the sIL-1RAcP mRNA has a half-life of approximately 48 h in both the kidney cell line 293 and the hepatoma cell line HepG2. The mIL-1RAcP mRNA has a similar half-life in 293 cells, but a considerably shorter half-life of approximately 5 h in HepG2 cells. Using luciferase reporter constructs, we demonstrated that this specific destabilization of the mIL-1RAcP mRNA in the latter cell type is mediated by its 2.8-kb 3'-untranslated region. Deletion analysis further established that the cell line-specific instability does not involve AU-rich elements, but is mediated by several novel elements that appear to act independently; such elements may be recognized by proteins expressed specifically in some, but not all, tissues. These data demonstrate that the cellular capacity to respond to IL-1 is tightly regulated in a tissue-specific manner.
H2O and Ultrahigh-Pressure Subsolidus Phase Relations for Mafic and Ultramafic Systems

Experimental studies show that aqueous fluid-mediated mineralogic solution/redeposition mechanisms are orders faster than solid-solid transformations; hence the presence of a separate aqueous fluid markedly enhances reaction rates, whereas its total absence impedes mineralogic transformations. Where does this volatile component come from? For typical subduction-zone P-T trajectories, amphibole constitutes the major OH-bearing phase in most deep-seated metamorphic rocks of basaltic composition; other hydrous minerals are of minor abundance. Clinoamphiboles dehydrate at pressures of-2.0 to 2.4 GPa, but devolatilization may be delayed slightly by pressure overstepping; thus mafic blueschists and barroisitic amphibolites expel H2O at arc melt-generation depths of ∼100 km, and commonly achieve the stable eclogitic phase configuration. Serpentinized mantle beneath the oceanic crust devolatilizes at comparable conditions. Only where metagabbroic rocks are completely dry and coarse grained are low-pressure assemb...
Prevalence and correlates of potentially inappropriate prescribing among ambulatory older patients in the year 2001: Comparison of three explicit criteria

Abstract Objectives: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of prescribing potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) based on the 2002 Beers criteria among ambulatory patients aged ≫−65 years, to compare PIM prevalence rates based on the 1997 Beers criteria and Zhan criteria with the rate obtained using the 2002 Beers criteria, and to examine patient, provider, and visit characteristics associated with receiving a PIM. Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted of the year-2001 public-use data files of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The 2002 Beers criteria 1997 Beers criteria, and Zhan criteria were used to determine presence of PIMs. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify patient, visit, and provider characteristics associated with receiving a PIM. Results: A total of 7243 ambulatory visits by individualsaged ≫−65 years with ≫−1 prescription were projected to an estimated 157 million such ambulatory visits. An estimated 21 million visits (13.4%) involved PIMs based on the 2002 Beers criteria, compared with 13.9 million visits (8.8%) based on the 1997 Beers criteria and 6.6 million visits (4.2%) based on the Zhan criteria. An additional 7.2 million visits (4.6%) by eligible patients involved medications defined by the Zhan criteria as having some indications but often being misused. After adjusting for other factors, visits made in metropolitan areas (odds ratio [OR], 2.42 195% Cl, 1.14-5.12) or by referred patients (OR, 2.28 195% CI, 1.43-3.61) were more likely to involve a PIM. Compared with visits involving 1 medication, those involving 2 (OR, 2.39 [95% CI, 1.30–4.41]), 3 (OR, 7.01 [95% Cl, 3.42–14.35]), or ≫−4 medications (OR, 7.35 [95% Cl, 4.44–12.17]) were more likely to be associated with a PIM. Conclusions: Prevalence of PIMs among ambulatory patients aged ≫−65 years is high. The most frequently prescribed PIMs and positive risk factors warrant greater attention from a policy perspective.
Organization of the self-concept and the suppression of self-relevant thoughts

The rebound effect associated with thought suppression has been found following attempts at suppressing both novel stimuli and stereotypical thoughts. However, research examining the suppression of self-relevant thoughts has been less successful in demonstrating the rebound effect. A potential factor that has not yet been fully explored in research on thought suppression is how different types of distracter thoughts may influence the ability to suppress unwanted thoughts. One type of distracter that people may use while attempting to suppress unwanted self-relevant thoughts is information related to other aspects of their lives. To the extent that these other aspects are more likely to be associated in memory with the unwanted thoughts, rebound should be more likely to occur. Thus, we expected and found that people lower in self-complexity (i.e., those with fewer self-aspects that are more interrelated with one another) revealed greater rebound following thought suppression that involved self-relevant distracting thoughts than did people greater in self-complexity. Implications of these findings for thought suppression, self-complexity, depression, and the experience of affect are discussed.
Optimal profile descent with 4-D trajectory

Optimal Profile Descents or Continuous Descent Approaches enable aircraft to descend continuously from cruise altitude to the bottom of descent or an initial approach fix without level path segments. By using idle or near-idle thrust during descent, Optimal Profile Descents provide significant benefits for reducing fuel consumption and engine noise. However, to utilize Optimal Profile Descents without reducing the traffic throughput around an airport, a Required Time of Arrival is usually imposed at a metering waypoint to safely merge incoming traffic. The 4-dimensional trajectory of an Optimal Profile Descent that complies with a Required Time of Arrival is generally constructed in-flight by a Flight Management System, while taking into account up-to-date data for wind and temperature. In addition, path constraints, such as speed and altitude restrictions, are considered in the generation of the 4-dimensional trajectory. This paper presents a design, named as Optimal E∗, to construct the 4-dimensional flight trajectories for Optimal Profile Descents. Optimal E∗ uses a layered method to ensure its computational efficiency so that it can be hosted inside a Flight Management System as an embedded module. The Optimal E∗ design has been tested in a simulation environment and results show significant benefits to airliners or the Air Force in terms of reduced fuel cost and carbon emission. The simulation test results are also presented in this paper.
Yersinia enterocolitica Inhibits Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes Cellular Uptake

Yersinia enterocolitica biovar 1B employs two type three secretion systems (T3SS), Ysa and Ysc, which inject effector proteins into macrophages to prevent phagocytosis. Conversely, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium uses a T3SS encoded by Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 (SPI1) to actively invade cells that are normally nonphagocytic and a second T3SS encoded by SPI2 to survive within macrophages. Given the distinctly different outcomes that occur with regard to host cell uptake of S. Typhimurium and Y. enterocolitica, we investigated how each pathogen influences the internalization outcome of the other. Y. enterocolitica reduces S. Typhimurium invasion of HeLa and Caco-2 cells to a level similar to that observed using an S. Typhimurium SPI1 mutant alone. However, Y. enterocolitica had no effect on S. Typhimurium uptake by J774.1 or RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells. Y. enterocolitica was also able to inhibit the invasion of epithelial and macrophage-like cells by Listeria monocytogenes. Y. enterocolitica mutants lacking either the Ysa or Ysc T3SS were partially defective, while double mutants were completely defective, in blocking S. Typhimurium uptake by epithelial cells. S. Typhimurium encodes a LuxR homolog, SdiA, which detects N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) produced by Y. enterocolitica and upregulates the expression of an invasin (Rck) and a putative T3SS effector (SrgE). Two different methods of constitutively activating the S. Typhimurium SdiA regulon failed to reverse the uptake blockade imposed by Y. enterocolitica.
Elastic Wave Propagation in Media with Orthogonal Fracture Networks

Laboratory wavefront imaging experiments were performed on isotropic samples containing orthogonal fractures to determine the effect of fracture networks on elastic wave propagation. The arriving acoustic wavefront was recorded over a two-dimensional area as a function of time while the samples were subjected to bi-axial loading conditions for a range of stresses (0.4 to 8 MPa). The orthogonal fracture network formed rectangular wave guides that strongly confined the wavefront at low stresses. As the stress increased, the energy transmitted across the fractures increased because of the increase in fracture specific stiffness. Analysis of the arrival times and amplitudes determined that: (1) the stiffness of the fractures was non-uniform and (2) fracture intersections can significantly delay the propagating wavefront.
Anxiety and Interfering Thoughts

The shy person, when placed in certain social situations, displays symptoms similar to those observed in varying degrees among people who can be characterized as anxiety prone as well as those who have clinically definable anxiety syndromes. Shy people, like most anxiety-prone individuals, are not anxious all the time and do not even experience anxiety in all social situations. In familiar social situations involving nondemanding friends and family members, shy people are likely to seem at ease, participate easily in the group and even take social initiatives. However, when they find themselves with unfamiliar companions or in settings where they believe that their social behavior will be evaluated, shy people become inhibited and anxious. At these times the shy individual is likely to be preoccupied with thoughts of personal inadequacy and with the desire to withdraw from the social interaction (Jones & Russell, 1982).
FcγRIIIa-Syk Co-signal Modulates CD4+ T-cell Response and Up-regulates Toll-like Receptor (TLR) Expression

CD4(+) T-cells in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients show altered T-cell receptor signaling, which utilizes Fc-receptor γ-chain FcRγ-Syk. A role for FcγRIIIa activation from immune complex (IC) ligation and sublytic terminal complement complex (C5b-9) in CD4(+) T-cell responses is not investigated. In this study, we show that the ICs present in SLE patients by ligating to FcγRIIIa on CD4(+) T-cells phosphorylate Syk and provide a co-stimulatory signal to CD4(+) T-cells in the absence of CD28 signal. This led to the development of pathogenic IL-17A(+) and IFN-γ(high) CD4(+) T-cells in vitro. Cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TGF-β1, and IL-23 were the only requirement for the development of both populations. SLE patients CD4(+) T-cells that expressed CD25, CD69, and CD98 bound to ICs showed pSyk and produced IFN-γ and IL-17A. This FcγRIIIa-mediated co-signal differentially up-regulated the expression of IFN pathway genes compared with CD28 co-signal. FcγRIIIa-pSyk up-regulated several toll-like receptor genes as well as the HMGB1 and MyD88 gene transcripts. ICs co-localized with these toll-like receptor pathway proteins. These results suggest a role for the FcγRIIIa-pSyk signal in modulating adaptive immune responses.
Zinc homeostasis during lactation in a population with a low zinc intake

BACKGROUND There is a major increase in endogenous zinc excretion, specifically via the mammary gland, in early human lactation. Whereas fractional absorption of dietary zinc has been reported to increase in early human lactation, it is not known to what extent adaptive mechanisms may maintain zinc homeostasis, especially when dietary zinc intake is relatively low. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to quantitate major variables of zinc homeostasis during early lactation in subjects from a population whose habitual dietary zinc intake is low. DESIGN We studied 18 free-living lactating women from a rural community of northeast China whose infants were exclusively breast-fed. The subjects were studied at approximately 2 mo of lactation with use of stable isotopes of zinc and metabolic collection techniques. Milk volume was measured with use of a deuterium enrichment method. RESULTS The mean (+/-SD) secretion of zinc in milk was 2.01 +/- 0.97 mg/d, the intake of zinc was 7.64 +/- 1.61 mg/d, and the fractional absorption of zinc was 0.53 +/- 0.09, for a total daily zinc absorption of 4.00 +/- 0.71 mg/d. Endogenous zinc excretion in urine and feces was 0.30 +/- 0.10 and 1.66 +/- 0.97 mg/d, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Zinc balance, including zinc secreted in breast milk, was maintained at approximately 2 mo of lactation in women whose habitual diet was low in zinc. Homeostasis was achieved by high fractional absorption of zinc and intestinal conservation of endogenous fecal zinc.
Numerical Aid to Reduce Construction Injury Losses

In the construction industry, the rate of work-related injuries and deaths is two or more times the national rate for all industries. This paper develops a rational method which quantitatively rates construction risks, using risk scores. The scores, which are computed for each workmen’s compensation classification, are based on insurance premiums and injury cause-cost analysis. In addition the method numerically ranks the relative cost effectiveness of corrective actions which are taken to reduce risks. The cost effectiveness ranking is determined from the risk score, the cost and the degree of effectiveness of the corrective action. Use of the method can improve the efficiency of evaluating risks and allocating resources to minimize the risks. The method presented is considered only a first step. The uses, limitations, and further development of the method are presented.
Influence of health insurance coverage on outcomes in pancreatic and liver surgery

INTRODUCTION: US healthcare and insurance reform are topics of continued debate. While multiple studies have agreed that insurance coverage is an important determinant of access to care and cancer specific outcomes, data is lacking regarding effect of insurance on pancreatic and liver surgery outcomes. This study looks to identify if there were differences in surgical outcomes based on insurance coverage and other socioeconomic issues.
Long Run Consumption Growth Predictability

We document evidence of long run consumption growth predictability. We show that the news-based consumption measure developed in Matthies and Liu (2014) strongly predicts consumption growth over long horizons. The news-based measure explains up to 30 percent of the consumption growth variation at the 5 year horizon with a t-statistic significant at the 1% level. Our results are robust to alternative error and model specifications. These findings are consistent with the assumptions embedded in the Long Run Risk model. We show that alternative consumption growth predictors are not able to generate long run predictability.
A New Bioassay Unit for Evaluating Larvicides Against Blackflies

Important features of a bioassay-rearing unit suitable for laboratory evaluations of both fast-, and slow-acting blackfly ( Simulium spp.) larvicides are a flushing method for water exchange and toxicant removal and the ability of the conical section to settle heavier than water particulates. Mortalities of control late instars ranged from 0–4%. Mortality of 2nd instars (in control units) was 6–9% over a 2-wk period. Two formulations of temephos (Abate EC 4 and Procida EC 2) produced mean mortalities of 74 and 78%. respectively, in late instars of S. vittatum Zetterstedt exposed to 0.02 ppm for one h. The units require less time for daily cleaning and water exchange than the conventionally utilized jar method. The time required for water exchange in the standard jar method of rearing was over 3 times as long as that required for the new unit.
Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma in a child with hemophilia B.

Central nervous system hemorrhage is an uncommon and potentially devastating event in hemophiliacs, with an incidence of 2-8%. Intraspinal hematomas account for 8.5% of CNS hemorrhages in patients with factor VIII or IX deficiencies. Although most reported cases in this population are secondary to trauma, there are a few reports of spontaneous hemorrhage. We present a case of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) in a child with Hemophilia B, factor IX deficiency, and review the relevant management strategies.
Analysis of detection result of general chemical parameters the rural drinking water in Sanmenxia City in 2013

Objective To understand the status of the Sanmenxia rural drinking water general chemical parameters.Methods Through to 120 samples detection of Sanmenxia rural water in 2013, analysis the main data regional distribution. Results To detection 12 items of 120 water samples general chemical parameters; The total soluble solids, total hardness, sulfate, chloride and COD,means difference between in different regions has statistical significance(P= 0.000);The highest means was Shan county in first four items, Mianchi, Lushi county is low, between the means has significant statistical significance(P0.01).Conclusion Sanmenxia rural drinking water in genera chemical parameters of overall is good quality, should strengthen the monitoring of key parameters and important place.
Loss of genetic diversity as a consequence of selection in response to high pCO2.

Standing genetic variation may allow for rapid evolutionary response to the geologically unprecedented changes in global conditions. However, there is little known about the consequences of such rapid evolutionary change. Here, we measure genetic responses to experimental low and high pCO 2 levels in purple sea urchin larvae, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. We found greater loss of nucleotide diversity in high pCO 2 levels (18.61%; 900 μatm) compared to low pCO 2 levels (10.12%; 400 μatm). In the wild, this loss could limit the evolutionary capacity of future generations. In contrast, we found minimal evidence that purple sea urchin larvae physiologically respond to high pCO 2 through alternative splicing of transcripts (11 genes), despite a strong signal of alternative splicing between different developmental stages (1193 genes). However, in response to high pCO 2, four of the 11 alternatively spliced transcripts encoded ribosomal proteins, suggesting the regulation of translation as a potential response mechanism. The results of this study indicate that while the purple urchin presently may have enough standing genetic variation in response to rapid environmental change, this reservoir of resilience is a finite resource and could quickly diminish.
Psychiatry Under the Influence

This chapter starts by identifying how, in 1980, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) adopted a “disease” model when it published the third edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM III). This gave rise to two “economies of influence”—pharmaceutical money and psychiatry’s own guild interests—that biased the APA and academic psychiatry toward privileging psycho-pharmaceutical treatments. This bias led psychiatry, as an institution, to confuse the public about what had become known about the biology of mental disorders and the safety and efficacy of its drugs, to inflate diagnostic boundaries in ways that created expanded markets for psychiatric drugs and to produce biased clinical care guidelines. All of this has led to social injury, as societies have organized their care around a false narrative, which has been presented to the public as a “scientific.” There is a pressing need for societies to address the outcomes of this, which will require neutralizing the two “economies of influence” that have so biased academic psychiatry in the United States and abroad and have driven year-on-year prescribing increases.
Wave Exposure Structures Oyster Distribution on Natural Intertidal Reefs, But Not on Hardened Shorelines

Intertidal oyster reefs can protect estuarine shorelines from wave erosion and sea-level rise, and recognition of these ecosystem services has fueled global efforts to conserve and restore these reefs. Although intertidal oyster reefs are valued for attenuating wave erosion, little attention has been paid to the effects of wave exposure on their distribution. The present study characterized the role of wave exposure in determining the distribution of natural intertidal oyster reefs and of oysters on hardened shorelines (bulkhead and riprap revetments). Wave exposure was determined using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-developed Wave Exposure Model (WEMo), which integrates adjacent water depth, fetch, and processed wind information, among other variables. Field mapping of oyster reefs, defined as ≥10 oysters m−2, in Pamlico and Core sounds, North Carolina, USA, was conducted in summer 2014. Hardened shorelines and associated oyster densities were mapped for Pamlico Sound only. A narrow wave exposure threshold (~500 J m−1) was identified above which natural intertidal reefs did not occur and below which reef presence was apparently dependent on other structuring variables, such as salinity at the time of sampling and the grain size of surrounding sediments. Wave exposure was not correlated with the presence of oysters on hardened shorelines. The application of WEMo in the present study should be useful for selecting locations and materials for intertidal oyster reef restoration.
Central Poststroke Pain Syndrome

Pain is a common complication in the poststroke population. Central poststroke pain syndrome (CPSP) is a type of central neuropathic pain characterized by dysesthesia and allodynia on the side contralateral to the stroke. The quality is most commonly burning or aching, though it may also be described as lacerating or pricking. The time course is variable and can be episodic or continuous. In order to accurately diagnose CPSP, the physician must eliminate other peripheral causes of pain, ranging from musculoskeletal to rheumatologic to peripheral neuropathic (diabetes especially), and must make sure that the site of cerebral lesion is consistent with the distribution of suspected CPSP. This chapter provides a brief overview of the diagnosis and treatment of central poststroke pain syndrome.
IL-2 immunoreactive proteins in lacrimal acinar cells.

Sjogren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease primarily involving the lacrimal and salivary glands. Recent studies on the initiation of autoimmune dacryoadenitis suggest that when acinar cells from rabbit lacrimal glands are induced to express MHC Class II molecules, the ability to present processed autoantigen peptides to CD4 T cells is also induced (Guo et al., 2000). However, it is likely that the outcome of MHC Class II molecule-mediated autoantigen presentation depends on the accessory signals present in the interstitial milieu. One potential accessory factor is interleukin 2 (IL-2), which is classically produced by Thl CD4 cells.
Mechanics of point defect diffusion near dislocations and grain boundaries: A chemomechanical framework

Abstract Diffusion of point defects during irradiation is simulated via a two-way coupling between mechanical stress and defect diffusion in iron. This diffusion is based on a modified chemical potential that includes not only the local concentration of radiation-induced defects, but also the influence of the residual stress field from both the microstructure (i.e. dislocations or grain boundaries) and the eigenstrain caused by the defects themselves. Defect flux and concentration rates are derived from this chemical potential using Fick’s first and second laws. Mean field rate theory is incorporated to model the annihilation of Frenkel pairs, and increased annihilation near grain boundaries is included based on the elastic energy of each grain boundary. Mechanical equilibrium is coupled with diffusion by computing eigenstrain from point defects and adding this to the total strain. Intrinsic stresses associated with the dislocations and grain boundaries are calculated using dislocation and disclination mechanics. Through this two-way-coupled model, regions of low concentration are seen near grain boundaries, and sink efficiency is calculated for different types of microstructure. The results show that the two-way mechanical coupling has a strong influence on sink efficiency for dislocation loops. The results also suggest that misorientation is a poor metric for determining sink efficiency, with sink density and elastic energy being much more informative.
Estrogen-Related Receptors Mediate the Adaptive Response of Brown Adipose Tissue to Adrenergic Stimulation

Adrenergic stimulation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) induces acute and long-term responses. The acute adrenergic response activates thermogenesis by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation and enabling increased substrate oxidation. Long-term, adrenergic signaling remodels BAT, inducing adaptive transcriptional changes that expand thermogenic capacity. Here, we show that the estrogen-related receptors alpha and gamma (ERRα, ERRγ) are collectively critical effectors of adrenergically stimulated transcriptional reprogramming of BAT. Mice lacking adipose ERRs (ERRαγAd-/-) have reduced oxidative and thermogenic capacity and rapidly become hypothermic when exposed to cold. ERRαγAd-/- mice treated long term with a β3-adrenergic agonist fail to expand oxidative or thermogenic capacity and do not increase energy expenditure in response to norepinephrine (NE). Furthermore, ERRαγAd-/- mice fed a high-fat diet do not lose weight or show improved glucose tolerance when dosed with β3-adrenergic agonists. The molecular basis of these defects is the finding that ERRs mediate the bulk of the transcriptional response to adrenergic stimulation.
Enabling Embedded Learning and Classification implemented on SoC FPAA devices

This paper presents an embedded learning algorithm, a one-layer VMM + WTA classifier, on a Large-Scale Field Programmable Analog Array (FPAA), The technique enables opportunities for embedded, ultra-low power machine learning, techniques typically considered for large servers. A VMM + WTA single, one-layer network is a universal approximator. An on-chip learning algorithm was developed to train this physical classifier. A clustering step determines the initial weight set for ideal target and background values. Null symbols are important for the algorithm and are set from midpoints of the target values. Experimental measurements are shown for this learning classifier implemented on an SoC FPAA device.
A Contextual Analysis of Ritual Fauna and Socially Integrative Architecture in the Tonto Basin, Arizona

The frequent deposition of animals in public spaces suggests a key role in public rituals in the prehispanic U.S. Southwest. Using ethnographic evidence and large-scale analysis of faunal remains i...
Who Fears Science

What sorts of people fear scientific and technological development? This paper tests the common theory in political and social psychology that conservatives fear scientific change. Using data from 25 national cross-sectional studies of the adult population with 32,756 subjects, I find that conservatives and liberals both are more positive to scientific change than political moderates. Thus the results are inconsistent with one of the main pillars supporting the field of conservatism research.
1-Methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium methane­sulfonate

The structure of the title salt, C4H7N2+·CH3O3S−, has monoclinic (P21/n) symmetry. The 1-methyl­imidazolium cation and the methyl­sulfonate anion in the asymmetric unit are held together by a strong N—H⋯O hydrogen bond.
The influence of maternal and perinatal high-fat diet on ozone-induced pulmonary responses in offspring.

There is growing interest in understanding how maternal diet might affect the sensitivity of offspring to environmental exposures. Previous studies demonstrated that adult rat offspring (approximately 6-months-old) from dams given a high-fat diet (HFD) prior to, during, and after pregnancy displayed elevated pulmonary responses to an acute ozone (O3) exposure. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of maternal and perinatal HFD on pulmonary and metabolic responses to O3 in male and female young-adult offspring (approximately 3-month old). One-month-old F0 female Long-Evans rats commenced HFD (60% kcal from fat) or control diet (CD; 10.5% kcal from fat) and were bred on PND 72. Offspring were maintained on respective HFD or CD until PND 29 when all groups were switched to CD. The 3-months-old female and male offspring (n = 10/group) were exposed to air or 0.8 ppm O3 for 5hr/day for 2 consecutive days. Maternal and perinatal HFD significantly increased body weight and body fat % in offspring regardless of gender. Ozone exposure, but not maternal and perinatal diet, induced hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance in the offspring. Ozone-induced alterations in pulmonary function were exacerbated by maternal and perinatal HFD in both offspring genders. Pulmonary injury/inflammation markers in response to O3 exposure such as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid total protein, lactate dehydrogenase, total cells, and neutrophils were further augmented in offspring (males>females) from dams fed the HFD. Data suggest that maternal and perinatal HFD may enhance the susceptibility of offspring to O3-induced pulmonary injury and that these effects may be sex-specific.
Whole-cortex mapping of common genetic influences on depression and a social deficits dimension

Social processes are associated with depression, particularly understanding and responding to others, deficits in which can manifest as callousness/unemotionality (CU). Thus, CU may reflect some of the genetic risk to depression. Further, this vulnerability likely reflects the neurological substrates of depression, presenting biomarkers to capture genetic vulnerability of depression severity. However, heritability varies within brain regions, so a high-resolution genetic perspective is needed. We developed a toolbox that maps genetic and environmental associations between brain and behavior at high resolution. We used this toolbox to estimate brain areas that are genetically associated with both depressive symptoms and CU in a sample of 258 same-sex twin pairs from the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study (LTS). We then overlapped the two maps to generate coordinates that allow for tests of downstream effects of genes influencing our clusters. Genetic variance influencing cortical thickness in the right dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLFPC) sulci and gyri, ventral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), pre-somatic motor cortex (PreSMA), medial precuneus, left occipital-temporal junction (OTJ), parietal–temporal junction (PTJ), ventral somatosensory cortex (vSMA), and medial and lateral precuneus were genetically associated with both depression and CU. Split-half replication found support for both DLPFC clusters. Meta-analytic term search identified “theory of mind”, “inhibit”, and “pain” as likely functions. Gene and transcript mapping/enrichment analyses implicated calcium channels. CU reflects genetic vulnerability to depression that likely involves executive and social functioning in a distributed process across the cortex. This approach works to unify neuroimaging, neuroinformatics, and genetics to discover pathways to psychiatric vulnerability.
EdgeBatch: Towards AI-Empowered Optimal Task Batching in Intelligent Edge Systems

Modern Internet of Things (IoT) systems are increasingly leveraging deep neural networks (DNNs) with the goal of enabling intelligence at the edge of the network. While applying DNNs can greatly improve the accuracy of autonomous decisions and inferences, a significant challenge is that DNNs are traditionally designed and developed for advanced hardware (e.g., GPU clusters) and can not easily meet the real time requirements when deployed in a resource-constrained edge computing environment. While many systems have been proposed to facilitate deep learning at the edge, a key limitation lies in the under-utilization of the parallelizable GPU resources of edge nodes (e.g., IoT devices). In this paper, we propose EdgeBatch, a collaborative intelligent edge computing framework that minimizes the delay and energy consumption of executing DNN tasks at the edge by sharing idle GPU resources among privately owned IoT devices. EdgeBatch develops 1) a stochastic task batching mechanism that identifies the optimal batching strategy for the GPUs on IoT devices given uncertain task arrival times, and 2) a dynamic task offloading scheme that coordinates the collaboration among edge nodes to optimize the utilization of idle GPU resources in the system. We implemented EdgeBatch on a real-world edge computing testbed that consists of heterogeneous IoT devices (Jetson TX2, TX1, TK1, and Raspberry Pi3s). The results show that EdgeBatch achieved significant performance gains in terms of both the end-to-end delay and energy savings compared to the state-of-the-art baselines.
Impact of breast milk-acquired cytomegalovirus infection in premature infants: Pathogenesis, prevention, and clinical consequences?

Maternal-fetal transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV) represents the most common infectious cause of long-term neurodevelopmental disability in children. Congenital CMV (cCMV) infection is associated with microcephaly, seizure disorders, cognitive disability, developmental delay, and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Of these disabilities, SNHL is the most common, affecting approximately 10% of infants with cCMV. Although the sequelae of cCMV are well recognized, it is much less clear what long-term morbidities may occur in neonates that acquire post-natal CMV infection. Post-natal CMV (pCMV) infection is most commonly transmitted by breast-feeding, and in full-term infants is of little consequence. However, in preterm, very-low birthweight (VLBW) infants (<1500 g), pCMV can result in a severe sepsis-like syndrome, with wide-ranging end-organ disease manifestations. Although such short-term complications are well recognized among clinicians caring for premature infants, the long-term risks with respect to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes remain controversial. In this review, we provide an overview of the clinical manifestations of breast milk-acquired pCMV infection. In particular, we summarize studies that have examined-sometimes with conflicting conclusions-the risks of long-term adverse neurodevelopmental outcome in VLBW infants that acquire pCMV from breast milk. We highlight proposed preventive strategies and antiviral interventions, and offer recommendations for high-priority areas for future basic science and clinical research.
Ultrasonic Techniques for Inspecting Flat and Cylindrical Composite Specimens

Ultrasonic techniques are discussed for inspection and evaluation of flat and cylindrical composite specimens. Immersion ultrasonic techniques are described using a 5-MHz broad-band focused transducer in the pulse-echo mode. Two types of recording methods are employed, conventional pen-lift C-scanning and analog scanning, augmented with photographs of oscilloscope traces of the pulse at selected locations. The complete scanning system is described, including a fixture for scanning tubular specimens. The techniques discussed are applied to monitoring flaw growth in graphite/epoxy coupons of [(0/′45/90) s ] 2 and [0 2 /′45] 2 s layups with four types of initial flaws subjected to fully reversed spectrum fatigue loading. The flaws investigated are (1) circular hole, (2) embedded film patch, (3) internal ply gap, and (4) surface scratches. It was found that, in general, flaw growth is greater in specimens of [0/′45/90) s ] 2 layup than in those of [0 2 /′45] 2 s layup. The residual tensile strengths for the preceding specimens, determined after four lifetimes of fatigue testing, are not significantly lower than the initial strengths.
Biochemical studies on tobacco alkaloids. V. The incorporation of H3 in alkaloid biosynthesis.

Abstract The incorporation of H 3 in alkaloid biosynthesis was studied by growing Nicotiana rustica var. brasilia plants in tritiated water. The rate of H 3 incorporation was very fast in the first 2.5 hr., after which it was much slower for the remainder of the 70-hr. experiment. The relative rate of incorporation of H 3 in different classes of organic compounds was similar to that of C 14 from C 14 O 2 , except that incorporation of H 3 into the alkaloids was much more rapid. H 3 activity was detected in tobacco alkaloids 30 min. after a 1-min. exposure, whereas C 14 incorporation into the alkaloids was not detected 30 min. after 60 min. exposure. The relative changes of the H 3 specific activities of different alkaloids obtained from plants exposed for different lengths of time to tritiated water can best be explained by considering nornicotine to be a precursor of nicotine under the experimental conditions. This confirms previous results using N 15 .
Lognormal Mixture Diffusion Model

The lognormal mixture diffusion model is a diffusion model in which the asset price has a marginal density given by a known mixture of lognormal densities. Such a model is analytically tractable and can be easily used to price exotic derivatives under smile effects. Keywords: local-volatility model; lognormal-mixture density; diffusion model; tractability
Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome: clinical phenotype, diagnosis, and treatment.

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CGG repeat expansion in the premutation range (55-200) in the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene. Onset is typically in the early seventh decade, and men are principally affected. The major signs are cerebellar gait ataxia, intention tremor, frontal executive dysfunction, and global brain atrophy. Other frequent findings are parkinsonism (mild), peripheral neuropathy, psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety, and agitation), and autonomic dysfunction. The clinical presentation is heterogeneous, with individuals presenting with varied dominating signs, such as tremor, dementia, or neuropathy. Magnetic resonance imaging shows atrophy and patchy white matter lesions in the cerebral hemispheres and middle cerebellar peduncles. The latter has been designated the middle cerebellar peduncle sign, which occurs in about 60% of affected men, and is relatively specific for FXTAS. Affected females generally have less severe disease, less cognitive decline, and some symptoms different from that of men, for example, muscle pain. Management of FXTAS is complex and includes assessment of the patient9s neurological and medical deficits, treatment of symptoms, and provision of relevant referrals, especially genetic counseling. Treatment is empirical, based on anecdotal experience and on knowledge of what works for symptoms of other disorders that also exist in FXTAS. Presently, the disorder is underrecognized because the first published report was only in 2001 and because the presentation is variable and mainly consists of a combination of signs common in the elderly. However, accurate diagnosis is critical for the patient and for the family because they need education regarding their genetic and health risks.
Characterization and modeling of BiCMOS logic for low temperature operation

The results of using a closed-form analytic model for the transient response of a BiCMOS inverter to determine bipolar device requirements for acceptable BiCMOS operation at low temperatures are presented. Measurements of bipolar device parameters versus temperature for bipolar devices fabricated in a BiCMOS process are presented and combined with model predictions of gate delay dependence on these key parameters to predict how gate delay varies with temperature. The predictions are compared to BiCMOS ring oscillator measurements over the temperature range of 77 K to 350 K. It is shown that, although BiCMOS gate delay does not substantially increase until far below room temperature, operation of present BiCMOS gates at low temperatures does not yield speed advantages similar to those seen in CMOS gates. However, since this is due to poor bipolar device performance at low temperatures, it is concluded that careful optimization of critical device parameters, such as B/sub f/, for low-temperature operation holds significant promise. >
Versioning information goods with network externalities

Positive externalities characterize the consumption of a majority class of information goods and services such as software, e-mail, and online content and services including virtual communities. We show that network externality is critical for the market segmentation and product line decisions of an information goods seller. With externality, a monopoly of multiple existing products offers exactly two distinct qualities. When development costs are taken into account, the low quality is developed only if the gain in revenue due to an enlarged network exceeds the extra development costs. In particular, if developed, the low quality should be offered for free under very general conditions. Network externality itself thus can explain the market provision of free information goods by proprietary sellers from a product line design perspective.
BEM Modeling of Mufflers with Diesel Particulate Filters and Catalytic Converters

The boundary element method (BEM) is used to evaluate the transmission loss (TL) of mufflers with a catalytic converter (CC) or diesel particulate filter (DPF). The CC or DPF may be modeled as a block of bulk-reacting material, or by the �element-to-element four-pole connection� in the BEM. The four-pole parameters of the block can be measured by the two-source method. To avoid cutting a small fragile sample from the brittle filter, we perform the measurement on the entire filter block connected to a pair of transition cones. A 1-D matrix inverse procedure is used to extract the four-pole parameters of the filter itself. However, the large diameter of the cross section may not justify the 1-D theory throughout the entire setup. To alleviate this restriction, we implement a 3-D BEM optimization to fine-tune the extracted four-pole parameters. This involves using the BEM to compute the impedance matrices of the substructures, and then adopting a MATLAB optimization routine to find the optimal parameters that produce the same TL as the measured TL. In our test cases with different configurations, this procedure gives better predictions than using the 1-D matrix inverse alone.
Error assessment of the estimated coefficients obtained in system identification technique

System identification technique plays an important role in many electrical devices. In this technique, an adaptive filter models the unknown system with a finite impulse response or an infinite inverse response filter. This paper concentrates on the system identification technique based on the least squares criterion and evaluates the relationship between each estimated coefficient (obtained by the adaptive filter) and its corresponding coefficient in the unknown system. By logically classifying the variables, the amount of error between these two corresponding coefficients is evaluated and precisely expressed based on the autocorrelation lags of the input signal of the system and the coefficients of the unknown system. Also, the computed error is simplified for two particular cases in which the input signal of the system is an ideal zero-mean white Gaussian noise or a windowed (short-time) zero-mean white Gaussian noise. Experimental results provided in the simulation part verify the arithmetic expressions presented in the paper.
Assessing clinicians' management of first episode schizophrenia using clinical case vignettes

Background: Patients with first episode schizophrenia may present in a variety of clinical settings to providers who have a range of knowledge and skills. A thoughtful workup of patients with new-onset psychosis is critical, and the treatment of first episode schizophrenia differs from that of chronic psychotic disorders. Clinical case vignettes with free-form responses can be used to carefully assess whether front line practitioners provide guideline-adherent management of first episode psychosis. Methods: A clinical case vignette, presenting a patient with first episode schizophrenia, was created and administered to the attendees of a continuing medical education programme. Free-form responses to questions regarding differential diagnosis, workup, treatment and treatment duration were scored based on published practice guidelines. Response frequencies were tabulated and performance was compared among professional disciplines. Results: Sixty-two attendees completed the vignette. Though the attendees typically considered a broad differential diagnosis and appropriately initiated treatment with antipsychotics, the respondents' proposed medical workup was limited, and they prescribed antipsychotics at higher doses and for a shorter duration than recommended in the literature. The prescribers outperformed the non-prescribers on treatment questions (P = 0.006), but the two groups' performance did not signficantly differ on the assessment questions (P = 0.08). Conclusions: The front line clinicians who encounter patients with first episode schizophrenia may have significant practice gaps in the initial and follow-up care of these patients. Given the preliminary nature of this study and the debate about the optimal care for first episode psychosis, further study is needed. If such gaps are confirmed, additional educational interventions are required to align clinical management with published practice guidelines.