cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Being blunt about marijuana: parent communication about marijuana with their emerging adult children

While research suggests that parents continue to influence students' marijuana use after matriculation to college, there is limited data examining how parents communicate about marijuana use and what impact parent marijuana communication has on college student outcomes. The aim of the current study is to investigate the types of parent marijuana messages that college students receive and the relationship between parent communication and students' marijuana attitudes and behaviors. Students (N = 506) completed a survey assessing marijuana approval, use, negative consequences, and parent communication. A factor analysis of parent communication items yielded three factors: risk communication, permissive communication, and marijuana use communication. Risk communication was the most common form of communication. In multivariate models, risk communication was associated with increased odds of a student remaining abstinent but not with frequency of marijuana use or negative consequences. Greater permissive communication was associated with more approving student attitudes, greater odds of non-abstinence, more frequent use in the past year, and more negative consequences. These findings highlight the need to consider the different types of messages parents deliver when designing interventions aimed at engaging parents in marijuana prevention efforts.
Investment Opportunities for Private REITs and RELPs Bankrupt Properties: An Empirical Examination

Executive Summary This paper provides the first large-sample evidence on privately-held real estate firm bankruptcy asset sales within Chapter 7 and 11. Section 363(f) of the Bankruptcy Code authorizes a sale of property free and clear of any interest in such property. Using a unique dataset, we find that 65.9% of private real estate investment trusts (REITs) and real estate limited partnerships (RELPs) sell assets within bankruptcy. The results reveal that RELPs are liquidated and sold more often than REITs and the REITs that survive and avoid asset sales are those that have captive relationships with a parent corporation.
What Can hiPSC-Cardiomyocytes Teach Us about Modeling Complex Human Disease Phenotypes?

Using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to predict patient-specific responses to drug treatments requires that they maintain inter-individual variability for RNA expression and recapitulate phenotypic responses in vitro. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Matsa et al. (2016) show that expression differences between hiPSC-cardiomyocytes provide a personalized drug testing platform to evaluate potential efficacy and cardiotoxicity.
Galactic stellar populations with APOGEE and Kepler

Understanding the history of baryons is key to understanding galaxy formation, as galaxies with very similar stellar mass and/or dark matter halo mass can have markedly different morphologies in their stellar light. Stars are a useful way to study this history, because properties such as their composition, age, and orbital motion can map galaxy formation and evolution. Lightcurves from the Kepler mission, both original and extended, provide asteroseismic parameters, such as Δν and νmax, and rotation periods. The high-resolution near-infrared APOGEE spectroscopic survey is observing an extensive sample of red giants and cool dwarfs in both the Kepler and K2 fields to provide composition and effective temperature measurements. These spectroscopic and seismic parameters can be combined to yield ages, important for dissecting the history of the Milky Way. Results based on this combination have already been published in the first APOKASC catalog. Among the interesting results about stellar populations so far are the presence of a large metallicity spread in the young secondary red clump population at the solar circle, the identification of young, yet α-rich stars, and the detection of a field blue straggler descendant. The K2 fields along the ecliptic will extend the possibilities of these techniques to new lines of sight in the Galaxy and provide a much more representative sample of Galactic populations with seismic and spectroscopic information.
Holistic Shape Recognition: Where-to-Look and How-to-Look

We explore the use of holistic shape matching for recognition using bottom-up image structures such as image contours, for object shape detection and segmentation. Holistic shape matching utilizes global information about object shape for matching, rather than local image features which often contain too little information to match reliably to the object model. By examining several different tasks related to object recognition, we demonstrate the value of holistic shape matching in a broad range of problems, including perceptual grouping, human pose estimation, and generic object recognition.
Procalcitonin is a Poor Predictor of Non-Infectious Fever in the Neurocritical Care Unit

Fever is a common occurrence in the Neurocritical Care Unit (NCCU). It is reported that up to 50 % of these fevers are associated with a non-infectious source. As this is a diagnosis of exclusion, a complete fever evaluation must be done to rule out infection. Procalcitonin (PCT) has been identified as a possible biomarker to distinguish infectious from non-infectious etiologies of fever. We hypothesized that PCT could be used as a predictor of infectious fever in febrile patients with intracranial hemorrhage admitted to the NCCU. A prospective observational cohort of patients admitted to a 12-bed NCCU in a tertiary-care university hospital from January 1, 2014, to October 1, 2014, was studied. Patients with intracranial hemorrhage (aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, intracerebral hemorrhage, or non-traumatic subdural hemorrhage) and fever defined as ≥101.4 °F were included. All patients had a urinalysis, chest X-ray, two sets of blood cultures, and PCT as part of their fever evaluation. Patients also had urine, sputum, CSF cultures, and Clostridium difficile toxin PCR as clinically indicated. Patients with incomplete fever evaluations were excluded. Seventy-three patients met inclusion criteria: 36 had infections identified and 37 did not. Type of intracranial hemorrhage was similar between groups. For those with identified infection, median PCT was 0.15 ng/mL (IQR 0.06–0.5 ng/mL). For those without identified infection, median PCT was 0.09 ng/mL (IQR 0.05–0.45 ng/mL), p = 0.30. Analyzing subgroups of intracranial hemorrhage patients revealed no group with a significant difference in PCT values. Patients with identified infection did have higher white blood cell counts (median 14.1 × 109/L (11.6–17.4 × 109/L) compared to those without identified infection 12 × 109/L (9.9–14.1 × 109/L), p = 0.02. Among patients with intracranial hemorrhage, PCT did not differentiate infectious fever from non-infectious fever.
Mixed CuFe and ZnFe (hydr)oxides as reactive adsorbents of chemical warfare agent surrogates.

Abstract Two sets of zinc-iron and copper-iron mixed (hydr)oxides were prepared by a simple co-precipitation method. Either nitrate or chloride was a source of the metals. The decontamination ability of the materials was tested in closed vials saturated with vapors of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) or dimethyl chlorophosphate (DMCP), a blister agent and a nerve agent surrogate, respectively. In both cases, the weight uptakes on the mixed oxides were superior to the ones reported for the pure metal oxides or hydroxides. When exposed to CEES for 5 days, zinc-iron (hydr)oxides show much higher activity than the copper-iron ones. The products of reactions in the vessel headspace were investigated by GC/MS and on the surface by FTIR. Ethyl vinylsulfide and chloromethane are the main products of the reactive adsorption of CEES and DMCP, respectively. This indicates that CEES is mainly degraded by dehydrochlorination and DMCP- by hydrolysis.
Critical Appraisal of Scientific Literature

Despite the relatively small size of our profession, there is abundant scientific literature within the field of forensic pathology. The written word does not imply truth, however, and it is vitall...
Real-time crowd safety and comfort management from CCTV images

High density pedestrian flows are a common occurrence. Pedestrian safety and comfort in high density flows can present serious challenges to organizers, businesses and safety personnel. Obtaining pedestrian density and velocity directly from Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) would significantly improve real-time crowd management. A study of high density crowd monitoring from video and its real-time application viability is presented. The video data is captured from CCTV. Both cross correlation based and optical flow based approaches are studied. Results are presented in the form of fundamental diagrams, velocity vectors and speed contours of the flow field.
Revisiting the subprime crisis: The dual mortgage market and mortgage defaults by race and ethnicity

The impacts of the foreclosure crisis have been widespread, catalyzing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and leading to dramatic declines in housing equity and wealth. However,...
Inhibition of platelet-von Willebrand factor binding to platelets by adhesion site peptides

Synthetic peptides containing the adhesion site recognition sequences present on the A alpha and gamma chains of fibrinogen were studied for their effect on the binding of endogenous platelet-von Willebrand factor (vWF) and exogenous plasma-vWf to thrombin-stimulated platelets. In agreement with previously reported data, the tetrapeptide consisting of the RGDS sequence was a more potent inhibitor of plasma-vWf binding to platelets than was the pentadecapeptide of the carboxy terminus of the fibrinogen gamma-chain (IC50 10.6 mumol/L for the RGDS tetrapeptide v 44.9 mumol/L for the gamma-chain pentadecapeptide). No apparent synergy in the inhibition of plasma-vWf binding was noted when the RGDS and gamma-chain peptides were used together (IC50 15.2 mumol/L). In contrast, the gamma-chain peptide was significantly more inhibitory than was the RGDS tetrapeptide on the binding of platelet-vWf to platelets (IC50 1.4 mumol/L for the gamma-chain pentadecapeptide v 4.5 mumol/L for the RGDS tetrapeptide, P less than .05), and there was significant synergy in the inhibition of platelet-vWf binding noted when the gamma-chain and RGDS peptides were used together (IC50 0.04 mumol/L). These results indicate that the binding of platelet-vWf to its receptor on the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex involves both the RGDS and gamma-chain recognition sites. In contrast to the results with plasma-vWf binding, the gamma-chain recognition site appears to be more important than the RGDS recognition site in platelet- vWf binding to platelets.
Producing a Vision of the Self-Governing Mother: A Study of Street-Level Bureaucrat Behavior in Coproductive Interactions

Street-level bureaucrats in social welfare programs often interact with program participants in coproductive environments where program objectives cannot be achieved without participant behavior ch...
Peperomia hobbitoides (Piperaceae), a New Species of Karstophile from the Rain Forests of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico

Abstract: Peperomia hobbitoides is described as a new species from karst rain forests of extreme southeastern Veracruz, Mexico. The new species grows directly on outcrops of karstic limestone, sprouting from corms lying in tiny soil pockets of ledges, depressions, and holes in the rock. It may be distinguished from all previously described species of Peperomia of Mexico and Central America by the combination of the small perennial corm, the broadly ovate acuminate-tipped leaves with cordate bases and campylodromous venation, and the ellipsoid fruit 1.5–2.0 times as long as thick with a distinct narrow apical appendage ca. 0.15–0.3 mm long. The herbage of the new species has a strong fragrance and flavor of fresh coriander (cilantro) and is eaten by inhabitants of the area. Peperomia hobbitoides is most similar morphologically to P. asarifolia Schltdl. & Cham. and P. bernoullii C. DC. but is easily distinguished from both.
Deep learning UI design patterns of mobile apps

User interface (UI) is one of the most important components of a mobile app and strongly influences users' perception of the app. However, UI design tasks are typically manual and time-consuming. This paper proposes a novel approach to (semi)-automate those tasks. Our key idea is to develop and deploy advanced deep learning models based on recurrent neural networks (RNN) and generative adversarial networks (GAN) to learn UI design patterns from millions of currently available mobile apps. Once trained, those models can be used to search for UI design samples given user-provided descriptions written in natural language and generate professional-looking UI designs from simpler, less elegant design drafts.
Two Sites of Heat-Induced Damage to Photosystem II

The photosynthetic apparatus of plants is particularly susceptible to damage by exposure to elevated temperatures. Heat treatment of isolated chloroplasts revealed that Photosystem II is generally the most heat-labile component, suffering loss of oxygen evolution capacity (1,2) following brief (min) exposures to temperatures elevated, but still experienced by plants in nature (40–50°C). Heat treatment of intact plant tissue reveals similar alteration of the photosynthetic apparatus(3,4). In addition to loss of PSII function, membrane disorganization results in the disconnection of LHCP from PS II centers (5). Loss of chloride has been correlated to loss of O2-evolving capacity in heated PS II (6,7). Some loss of polypeptides from heated thylakcid membranes has been reported (8). In addition to the loss of water-splitting activity, a loss of PSII reaction center function has also been observed in tissue heated in vivo (3,4) and in vitro (1,2,9). The loss of PSII reaction center function upon heat treatment is generally less severe than the loss of water-oxidizing capacity.
Input, Central And Motor Segments of Response Time in Mentally Retarded and Normal Children

Paper to: Conference on the Development of Control, Coordination and Skill in the Mentally Handicapped, NICHD, Washington, D.C., September 28-29, 1984. This paper was supported by the NICHD Grant # HD 08365. The work supported here was the result of collaboration with many people over the last ten years. I specifically wish to thank Dr. Charles Warren for his role in the initial implementation of the project and many analyses and discussions; Dr. Jorge Daruna and Bruce McDonough for analysis and discussion of the results; and Randall Cone for keeping our instrumentation functional and for much of the software for computer control and analysis.
Fixed and Random Effects in Panel Data Using Structural Equations Models

Applications of classic fixed and random effects models for panel data are common in sociology and in ASR. A primary advantage of these models is the ability to control for time-invariant omitted variables that may bias observed relationships. This paper shows how to incorporate fixed and random effects models into structural equation models(SEMs)and how to extend the standard models to a wide variety of more flexible models. For instance, a researcher can test whether a covariate's impact on the repeated measure stays the same across all waves of data; test whether the error variances should be allowed to vary over time; include lagged covariates or lagged dependent variables; estimate the covariance of the latent time-invariant variables with the observed time varying covariates; and include observed time-invariant variables in a fixed effects model. The paper explains how to take advantage of the estimation, testing, and fit assessment capabilities that are readily available for SEMs and how to reveal flaws not visible with typical assessment techniques. The paper is oriented towards applied researchers with most technical details given in the appendix and footnotes.
Progressive recruitment of contralesional cortico-reticulospinal pathways drives motor impairment post stroke.

KEY POINTS Activation of the shoulder abductor muscles in the arm opposite a unilateral brain injury causes involuntary increases in elbow, wrist and finger flexion in the same arm, a phenomenon referred to as the flexion synergy. It has been proposed that flexion synergy expression is related to reduced output from ipsilesional motor cortex and corticospinal pathways. In this human subjects study, we provide evidence that the magnitude of flexion synergy expression is instead related to a progressive, task-dependent recruitment of contralesional cortex. We also provide evidence that recruitment of contralesional cortex may induce excessive activation of ipsilateral reticulospinal descending motor pathways that cannot produce discrete movements, leading to flexion synergy expression. We interpret these findings as an adaptive strategy that preserves low-level motor control at the cost of fine motor control. ABSTRACT A hallmark of hemiparetic stroke is the loss of fine motor control in the contralesional arm and hand and the constraint to a grouped movement pattern known as the flexion synergy. In the flexion synergy, increasing shoulder abductor activation drives progressive, involuntary increases in elbow, wrist and finger flexion. The neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. Here, across 25 adults with moderate to severe hemiparesis following chronic stroke and 18 adults without neurological injury, we test the overall hypothesis that two inter-related mechanisms are necessary for flexion synergy expression: increased task-dependent activation of the intact, contralesional cortex and recruitment of contralesional motor pathways via ipsilateral reticulospinal projections. First, we imaged brain activation in real time during reaching motions progressively constrained by flexion synergy expression. Using this approach, we found that cortical activity indeed shifts towards the contralesional hemisphere in direct proportion to the degree of shoulder abduction loading in the contralesional arm. We then leveraged the post-stroke reemergence of a developmental brainstem reflex to show that anatomically diffuse reticulospinal motor pathways are active during synergy expression. We interpret this progressive recruitment of contralesional cortico-reticulospinal pathways as an adaptive strategy that preserves low-level motor control at the cost of fine motor control.
Genetic and Environmental Associations Among Executive Functions, Trait Anxiety, and Depression Symptoms in Middle Age.

Multiple executive functions (EFs) are associated with trait anxiety and depression symptoms, but it is unclear how genetic and/or environmental factors account for these associations and whether t...
Conservative management of urachal anomalies.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in management of urachal anomalies at our institution and the safety of nonoperative care. Methods Based on our experience managing urachal remnants from 2000 to 2010 (reported in 2012), we adopted a more conservative approach, including preoperative antibiotic use, refraining from using voiding cystourethrograms (VCUG), postponing surgery until at least six months of age, and considering nonoperative management. A retrospective analysis of urachal anomaly cases was conducted (2011–2016) to assess trends in practice. Charts indicating anomalies of the urachus were pulled and trends in management (nonoperative versus surgical treatment), VCUG and antibiotic use, and outcomes were reviewed. Results Data from 2000–2010 and 2013–2016 were compared. Our findings indicate care has shifted towards nonoperative management. A smaller proportion of patients from 2013–2016 was treated surgically compared to 2000–2010. Patients receiving nonoperative treatment exhibited lower rates of complication relative to surgically managed cases. VCUGs were eliminated as a diagnostic tool for evaluating urachal anomalies. Prophylactic preoperative antibiotic use was standardized. No patients with a known urachal remnant presented later with an abscess or sepsis. Conclusions We find that a shift towards nonoperative treatment of urachal anomalies did not adversely affect overall outcomes. We recommend observing minimally symptomatic patients, especially those under six months old. Study type Performance improvement. Level of evidence Level IV.
Predictive monitoring for signal temporal logic with probabilistic guarantees: poster abstract

Monitoring is an effective approach for identifying safety violations for complex cyber-physical systems. In this poster, we consider safety specifications expressed in Signal Temporal Logic (STL). STL is a logic for specifying timed properties of real-valued signals, and there has been significant work on offline and online monitoring of STL formulas on signals. Boolean monitoring techniques solve the problem of determining if a given STL formula is satisfied by a signal, while robust monitoring techniques seek to compute a quantitative degree of satisfaction of the formula. Online techniques can compute satisfaction or violation of the formula when the entire signal is not available, but existing online techniques can only provide worst-case estimates of satisfaction (or violation). In this poster, we propose algorithms to predict the satisfaction or violation of an STL formula when only partial information of a trace (i.e. its prefix) is available. The output of our algorithm is a predicted interval for the robust satisfaction value, along with a probabilistic guarantee on the correctness of the prediction. We demonstrate the utility of our approach on monitoring a safety-critical signal in the context of unmanned aerial vehicle.
Feasibility and Acceptability of Health Coaching as an Upstream Suicide Prevention Approach: A Pilot Study Among Post-9/11 Veterans

This pilot study sought to examine the feasibility and acceptability of Whole Health Coaching (WHC) among post-9/11 era veterans with indicators of suicide risk. Participants were 28 post-9/11 vete...
The solved and unresolved issues of melanoma staging: A comparison of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th versus 8th edition.

9578Background: The recently revised (AJCC) Staging Manual, 8th edition, introduced changes including removal of mitotic index and addition of the IIID substage. There is active debate on the utili...
Response: Re: Impact of a Rapid Point of Care Test for Influenza on Guideline Consistent Care and Antibiotic Use

To the Editor: We thank Yasri and Wiwanitkit for their response regarding our publication on “Impact of a Rapid Point of Care Test for Influenza on Guideline Consistent Care and Antibiotic Use.”[1][1] A cost-effective point of care test is necessary to increase guideline consistency of care.
The Original Scarlet Letter: Flyting, Green Girdles, and Medieval Order in England

In focusing on the gendered perceptions of shame in “Beowulf” and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” I argue that shame is used as a tool to maintain the social order with male characters, while female characters are used in tandem with feelings of humiliation to maintain this order, often severely limiting their agency. In both texts feelings of humiliation and shame were emotions to be utilized in displays of dominance, primarily through the act of flyting; as one man worked tirelessly to belittle the other, his own social power was increased. Shame-based tactics, like the flyte work when maintaining the social order for male characters. Queen Modthryth of “Beowulf,” however, fails at properly fulfilling her role in Anglo-Saxon society, but is not provided with a flyte to acknowledge her behavior. In contrast Lady Bertilak from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is used to test Sir Gawain’s dedication to the chivalric code, while Morgan le Fay inevitably maintains the social order in her orchestration of the Green Knight’s challenge; shame and its literary representations do not operate in the same ways for women as they do for men. Faculty Sponsor: Elizabeth E. Tavares
Sciatic nerve blocks: more proximal may not mean more complete

To the editor, Sciatic nerve blocks are commonly performed in the popliteal fossa by injecting local anesthetic at the level of the major bifurcation of the common sciatic nerve into its common peroneal and tibial branches. Injections near this branch point have the advantage that they are
Correction to: Systematic review and meta-analysis of tick-borne disease risk factors in residential yards, neighborhoods, and beyond.

Following publication of the original article [1], one of the authors, Dr. Sarah E. Bowden reported that at the time of the study she wasn’t working for the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30329–4027, USA.
Establishing a frame of reference for measuring disaster resilience

Abstract Due to the increasing occurrence of disruptions across our global society, it has become critically important to understand the resilience of different socio-economic systems, i.e., to what extent those systems exhibit the ability both to resist a disruption and to recover from one once it occurs. In order to characterize this ability, however, one must be able to quantitatively measure the relative level of resilience that a given system displays in response to a disruptive event. Such a measurement should be easily understandable and straightforward to implement, but it should also utilize a consistent frame of reference so that one can properly compare the relative performance of different systems and assess the relative effectiveness of different resilience investments. With this in mind, this paper presents an improved approach for measuring system resilience that supports better decision making by providing both consistency and flexibility across different contexts. The theoretical basis for the approach is developed first, and then its advantages and limitations are illustrated in the context of several different practical examples.
Optimized incorporation of an unnatural fluorescent amino acid affords measurement of conformational dynamics governing high-fidelity DNA replication.

DNA polymerase from bacteriophage T7 undergoes large, substrate-induced conformational changes that are thought to account for high replication fidelity, but prior studies were adversely affected by mutations required to construct a Cys-lite variant needed for site-specific fluorescence labeling. Here we have optimized the direct incorporation of a fluorescent un-natural amino acid, (7-hydroxy-4-coumarin-yl)-ethylglycine, using orthogonal amber suppression machinery in Escherichia coli. MS methods verify that the unnatural amino acid is only incorporated at one position with minimal background. We show that the single fluorophore provides a signal to detect nucleotide-induced conformational changes through equilibrium and stopped-flow kinetic measurements of correct nucleotide binding and incorporation. Pre-steady-state chemical quench methods show that the kinetics and fidelity of DNA replication catalyzed by the labeled enzyme are largely unaffected by the unnatural amino acid. These advances enable rigorous analysis to establish the kinetic and mechanistic basis for high-fidelity DNA replication.
Effects of Solidification Cooling Rates on Microstructures and Physical Properties of Fe-6.5%Si Alloys

Abstract Compared to the widely used Fe-3.2wt%Si steel, Fe-6.5wt%Si has superior electric and magnetic properties, including higher electrical resistivity, lower iron loss, higher permeability, and near zero magnetostriction. However, Fe-6.5wt%Si sheet is difficult to produce using traditional manufacturing processes as the high silicon content favors the formation of ordered phases that embrittle the material. Fortunately, these ordered phases can be suppressed if the alloy is cooled fast enough from a high temperature kinetically trapping the disordered solid solution or amorphous state. Planar flow casting is known for its rapid solidification rate. In order to consider it as a viable method to manufacture ductile Fe-6.5wt%Si sheets, the effect of cooling rate on physical properties of Fe-6.5wt%Si alloy are systematically investigated. In this work, various cooling rates are achieved by changing melt-spin wheel speeds, which significantly affect the solidification temperature profile and have profound effects on ordering, microstructures, textures, hardness, and magnetic properties. High cooling rates result in refined grains, reduced ordering, enhanced out of the plane texture, decreased hardness, and increased coercivity. This study shows a critical cooling rate at ~1.7 × 105 K/s, corresponding to a tangential wheel speed of 5-7 m/s, below which the hardness significantly increases in agreement with the sudden increase of the ordered phases that causes the material embrittlement.
Remembering Kobe Bryant as a Girl Dad: Race, Gender, and Reputation Repair

Reputational entrepreneurs act as gatekeepers of memory and manage national figures’ remembrance within a competitive field of interpretative possibilities. However, research overlooks the gendered resources that reputational entrepreneurs use to repair ruined reputations. This article examines how reputational entrepreneurs use girl dad as a commemorative device to construct a posthumous reputation for Kobe Bryant: a black male professional basketball player and accused sexual assailant. Drawing together an analysis of media reports following Kobe’s death, this article demonstrates that reputational entrepreneurs negotiated a social field where individuals frame Kobe as an athlete-and-sexual-assailant by minimizing the sexual assault accusation and magnifying his parental status. Reputational entrepreneurs use girl dad to enact a reputational strategy of transcendence that emphasizes Kobe exceeded the boundaries of sport and lingering sexual shame to achieve the social expectations that call for men to act as involved fathers. This article sheds light on how gendered meanings anchor invocations of the past and assist in the redemption of tarnished reputations.
Mutational Analysis of Redβ Single Strand Annealing Protein: Roles of the 14 Lysine Residues in DNA Binding and Recombination In Vivo.

Redβ is a 261 amino acid protein from bacteriophage λ that promotes a single-strand annealing (SSA) reaction for repair of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) breaks. While there is currently no high-resolution structure available for Redβ, models of its DNA binding domain (residues 1–188) have been proposed based on homology with human Rad52, and a crystal structure of its C-terminal domain (CTD, residues 193-261), which binds to λ exonuclease and E. coli single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB), has been determined. To evaluate these models, the 14 lysine residues of Redβ were mutated to alanine, and the variants tested for recombination in vivo and DNA binding and annealing in vitro. Most of the lysines within the DNA binding domain, including K36, K61, K111, K132, K148, K154, and K172, were found to be critical for DNA binding in vitro and recombination in vivo. By contrast, none of the lysines within the CTD, including K214, K245, K251, K253, and K258 were required for DNA binding in vitro, but two, K214 and K253, were critical for recombination in vivo, likely due to their involvement in binding to SSB. K61 was identified as a residue that is critical for DNA annealing, but not for initial ssDNA binding, suggesting a role in binding to the second strand of DNA incorporated into the complex. The K148A variant, which has previously been shown to be defective in oligomer formation, had the lowest affinity for ssDNA, and was the only variant that was completely non-cooperative, suggesting that ssDNA binding is coupled to oligomerization.
Dynamic Resource Provisioning for Iterative Workloads on Apache Spark

Apache Spark as a popular in-memory data analytic framework has been employed by various applications---such as machine learning, graph computation, and scientific computing, which benefit from the long-running process (e.g. executor) programming model to avoid system I/O overhead. Since the resource usages of long-running applications like iterative computation vary significantly over time, we find that peak demand based resource allocation policies lead to low cloud utilization in production environments. In this paper, we present a utilization aware resource provisioning approach for iterative workloads on Apache Spark (iSpark). iSpark aims to timely scale up or scale down the number of executors in order to fully utilize the allocated resources while taking the dominant factor into consideration. Testbed evaluations show that iSpark averagely improves the resource utilization of individual executors by 35.2% compared to vanilla Spark. Furthermore, we have extended iSpark to multi-tenancy cloud environments. Specifically, we extend the two-dimensional resource constraints (i.e., CPU and MeM) in iSpark to three-dimensional resource constraints (i.e., CPU, MeM and I/O) to include I/O performance in the cloud environment. Experimental results on virtual clusters with varying interferences show that iSpark with cloud extension improves the average job completion time by 68% compared to the default policy.
The genetic basis of migraine

It is customary to read that migraine with aura (associated) and without it (simple) is a multifactorial disease, in the development of which a combination of genetic factors in combination with the influence of the external environment plays a role.
The Level of Computer Use in Schools of Business

AbstractThroughout the 1980s there has been a quest for increased use of computers in university business administration programs. An analysis of previous research and a pilot study completed in 1987 consisting of a stratified random sample of university-based business schools revealed that a large proportion of business school course offerings still fail to show any reference to computer use, and a previously undefined variable may be the size of the school.
Abstract 3489: A novel investigation into chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy using iPSC-derived human neurons

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is the major dose-limiting side effect of many anti-cancer drugs including taxanes, vinca alkaloids and platinating agents. These drugs represent standard of care for common cancers, however there are no effective treatments and no means to identify patients at risk for CIPN. The mechanisms underlying CIPN have not been precisely determined and few human neuronal models to study CIPN exist. Recent technology has allowed for the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to human neurons. We have utilized genetically diverse human neurons as a model to study the effects on chemotherapy on neuronal health and on neurite morphology including neurite outgrowth, processes and branching. Upon treatment of human neurons with paclitaxel, vincristine or cisplatin (1 nM to 100 µM) for 72 hours, we identified reproducible decreases in cell median neurite process length per magnitude of drug concentration of 12-14%, 6-18% and 2-4%, respectively. No decrease in neurite length was observed with hydroxyurea, an agent that does not cause neuropathy. The morphological changes differed across drugs, with vincristine treatment showing the most dramatic effect on neurite outgrowth, paclitaxel showing an intermediate effect, and cisplatin showing no effect up to 1 µM of drug. To determine whether the model could be used for evaluation of genes important in CIPN, we used siRNA to decrease expression of TUBB2A, a gene known to be associated with paclitaxel-induced neuropathy. Transient knockdown of TUBB2A caused decreases of mean neurite process length (interaction P = 2.2 x 10-8) and total neurite outgrowth (interaction P = 1.8 x 10-10) of neurons 48 hours post-paclitaxel treatment. We are using this novel approach to screen agents that may be used to prevent or treat CIPN. Citation Format: Masaaki Komatsu, Heather E. Wheeler, Claudia Wing, Shannon Delaney, M Eileen Dolan. A novel investigation into chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy using iPSC-derived human neurons. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3489. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3489
High temperature optical fiber oxygen probe

We report on the development of an optical sensor suitable for remote monitoring of oxygen in high temperature environments. The sensor is based on /sup 3/O/sub 2/ quenching of the red emission from hexanuclear molybdenum chloride clusters. A reflection mode fiber optic probe is being developed by immobilizing Mo/sub 6/Cl/sub 12/ in a porous sol-gel matrix at the far end of a high temperature silica fiber. The sensor signal as a function of temperature was determined from in-situ spectroscopic measurements, demonstrating operation up to at least 200/spl deg/C. One of the advantages of the inorganic Mo-cluster is the lack of sensitivity to gases typically present in a coal-fired boiler due to the triplet nature of the transition from the excited to ground state.
Preprečevanje driske zaradi zdravljenja z antibiotiki s probiotiki pri otrocih

The use of antibiotics that disturb the gastrointestinal microbiota is associated with diarrhea, which occurs in up to half of treated children. Symptoms are usually mild and children do not need hospitalization. Probiotics are live microorganisms, which restore intestinal microbiota during antibiotic therapy through different mechanisms such as stimulation of immunity, secretion of anti-inflammatory factors, and production of antimicrobial substances. The use of different strains of probiotics in antibiotic-associated diarrhea was evaluated in several studies in adults but less frequently in pediatric population. They also confirmed the value of probiotics in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children, particularly Lactobacillus strain GG and Saccharomyces boulardii . The use of probiotics in childhood is safe. A proper strain must be introduced at the beginning of antibiotic treatment in a sufficient concentration.
Statistical Design of the Four-MOSFET Structure

The statistical design of the four-MOSFET structure is presented in this paper. The quantitative measure of the effect of mismatch between the four transistors on nonlinearity and offset current is provided through contours. Statistical optimization of the transistor W and L values is demonstrated. The four-MOSFET structure was fabricated through the MOSIS 2 μm process using MOS transistor Level-3 model parameters. Experimental results are included in the paper.
From the FDA, we still hear mostly thunderous silence

Lurie and colleagues’ comparison of FDA letters not approving applications for new drugs and associated public announcements from sponsors provides a valuable but rare peek behind the Food and Drug Administration’s “iron curtain.” The discussion section begins, “our analysis found that the FDA’s reasons for not approving marketing applications for new molecular entities are not being fully conveyed to the public.”1 On the basis of the …
Will 3.0-T Make Coronary Magnetic Resonance Angiography Competitive With Computed Tomography Angiography?⁎

Noninvasive coronary angiography requires the ability to image structures as small as 1.5 mm, enveloped in tissue of quite similar composition, and rapidly moving in 3 dimensions within the body. Inaccuracies of measurements on the order of a few hundred microns make the difference between accurate
If Not Us, Then Who?

“If not you, then who?” These words were spoken to me by a wise and deeply concerned mentor during a time of extreme doubt that I was experiencing as a medical intern. I was wondering whether I had anything of value at all to offer the patients under my care who were dying from far-advanced cancer. This simple but profound rhetorical rejoinder to my expressed sense of inadequacy turned me on my heel, actually and metaphorically, to return and attend to my patients as they lay dying, with conviction no longer to be demoralized by the absence of my ability to prescribe a cure but rather to be motivated to help reduce the burden imposed by their disease. Several years later, and seemingly a world apart from that linoleum-lined county hospital, I was sitting in an oak and gilded board room of a prestigious cancer center at a meeting to discuss cancer care. Upper echelon directors of the center were proudly reviewing the latest data demonstrating small but notable increases in 5-year survival rates for patients treated there with certain solid tumors. Ebullience and …
An optimal implementation of a superscalar architecture

This paper describes an ongoing research effort at the High Density Electronics Center (HiDEC) and the University of Arkansas for developing optimal system designs based on Multichip Module (MCM) technology. This research effort is focused on developing a high performance superscalar processor architecture designed for use in an MIMD parallel architecture. The architectural tradeoffs performed for developing the superscalar architecture are discussed, including the partitioning of functionality in order to take advantage of the high density, high bandwidth I/O capabilities of MCMs. Results of an analysis study are also presented, showing the performance increase of the optimal MCM based design compared to a traditionally packaged RISC architecture.
Livability and Transportation on Indian Reservations

Few resources exist that address the livability and sustainability of rural and Tribal communities. In order to improve transportation safety and other transportation issues in these communities, they need programs that meet their specific needs and culture and the ability to sustain these programs. This paper identifies the many programs that address livability and sustainability. It identifies the challenges Tribes face in providing opportunities and quality living options. This paper endeavors to identify a framework for transportation strategies to give rural and Tribal communities the tools for increased livability. Each Tribe has different goals and priorities that would affect how they define livability. Transportation is a large factor in improving quality of life and economic opportunities in rural and Tribal communities. Roadway safety is a primary goal among Native Americans in their efforts to improve life among their people with high fatality rates among their young people which is attributed to crashes due to alcohol, lack of seatbelt use, speeding and roadway conditions. Keywords: Livability, Indian reservations, transportation, safety, rural ----------------------------------------------------------- Resume Il existe peu de ressources concernant la viabilite et la perennite des communautes tribales. Afin d'ameliorer la securite des transports et de pallier les aux autres problemes de transports dans ces communautes, elles ont besoin de programmes qui repondent a leurs besoins particuliers et a leurs cultures ainsi que la capacite de maintenir ces programmes. Cet article identifie les differents programmes qui repondent aux besoins de viabilite et de perennite. Il identifie les defis auxquels les tribus font face en offrant des opportunites et des options de qualite de vie. Cet article s'efforce d'identifier un cadre pour des strategies de transports afin de donner des outils aux communautes tribales et rurales pour ameliorer leur viabilite. Chaque tribu a differents objectifs et priorites qui pourraient affecter la maniere de definir la viabilite. Les transports sont un facteur preponderant dans l'amelioration de la qualite de vie et dans les opportunites economiques des communautes rurales et tribales. La securite routiere est un objectif premier parmi les Amerindiens dans leurs efforts d'amelioration de leur qualite de vie, du fait de hauts taux d'accident mortels chez les jeunes causes par l'alcool, le non-usage de la ceinture de securite, les exces de vitesse et les conditions de la route.
Rethinking the rapid sequence induction in obstetrics

Summary The use of general anaesthesia for caesarean delivery is decreasing, leading to less experience during anaesthesia training. Pregnant women have been known to be at higher risk for aspiration and difficult intubation. Rapid sequence induction is an integral dogma in the induction of general anaesthesia although several components of this process remain controversial. This review addresses several aspects, including the evidence for rapid sequence induction, use of cricoid pressure, choice of induction agent, use of succinylcholine, use of rocuronium with sugammadex for emergency neuromuscular blockade reversal and issues with opioid utilisation prior to delivery. The efficacy and safety of rapid sequence induction would be addressed.
Metal Transfer and Arc Plasma in Gas Metal Arc Welding

This article analyzes the transient complex heat transfer and fluid flow in molten metal and arc plasma during the gas metal arc welding process. The model predicts the formation, growth, detachment, and transfer of droplets from the tip of a continuously fed electrode under the influences of several competing forces including gravity, electromagnetic force, arc pressure, plasma shear stress, and surface tension. Simulations were conducted for five different current levels to study the effects of current on the distributions of temperature, velocity, pressure, and current density in the droplet and/or the arc plasma. Agreement between the simulated results and published experimental data was obtained.
A Life-Threatening Condition at Birth: Maternal Distress One Year After

Background and Aims: In newborns, life-threatening conditions may cause long lasting parental reactions. The stress experienced by parents due to early separation and hospitalization may alter their response to the infant. Our prospective study aimed to evaluate maternal stress one year after the birth of newborns hospitalized for high risk condition. Methods: Mothers of newborn babies hospitalized at birth because of severe prematurity < 32 weeks GA (PT), major congenital malformations (MCM) or severe congenital hearth disease (CHD) were asked to fill the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) one year after delivery. In the same assessment child neuropsychological development was evaluated by Bayley Scale (Bayley-III). We analyzed correlations between the PSI-SF scores and diagnosis, length of hospital stay, neurodevelopmental outcome, genetic syndrome, mother's education and socioeconomic status by t-Test and linear regression analysis (p< 0.05). Results: 121 mothers and 129 children (41 PT, 39 MCM, 49 CHD) were recruited in the study. Mothers obtained a mean PSI-SF total score within normal range. 17% of mothers had at least one subscale in the pathological range (above 85° centile). Level of parenting stress was significantly correlated with length of hospital stay, child motor development and maternal education. Conclusions: One year after delivery the vast majority of mothers showed parenting stress within normal range regardless of the medical risk condition of the newborn. According to our data risk factors for increased parenting stress at one year seem to be lower maternal educational level, abnormal motor development and length of hospitalization.