cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
'I am Trying to Believe': Dystopia as Utopia in the Year Zero Alternate Reality Game

A major symptom of postmodernity is the loss of utopian energy, of which the popularity of dystopian cultural production is evident. The dystopian genre, however, is cautionary, and thus utopian. Associated is the influence of technology on post-utopian culture—although it has been viewed pessimistically, technology allows for new ways of telling dystopian stories. One such mode of telling dystopian stories is the Alternate Reality Game (ARG), a narrative, multi-media game, using several different technologies that puts the player in a fictional reality. One ARG that exemplifies the idea of dystopia as having utopian energy is Nine Inch Nails’ Year Zero , which shows that technology can have utopian energy, offering new ways of telling dystopian stories such as via the ARG, thus locating some utopian energy in postmodern culture through the form’s culturally critical structure and interactive nature, which equals a call to action against the dystopian nature of contemporary society.
Reconstruction of the Biogeographical History of Malesherbiaceae

Malesherbiaceae are xerophytic plants of Chile, Peru, and Argentina. The 24 species of the only genus,Malesherbia, live in a variety of arid habitats in the Pacific coastal desert and adjacent Andes of Peru, Chile, and neighboring Argentina. Taxa with distributions in both Peru and Chile are rare; for this reason the family provides an excellent case study for the biogeography of this region of western South America.
Selection at the amino acid level can influence synonymous codon usage: implications for the study of codon adaptation in plastid genes.

A previously employed method that uses the composition of noncoding DNA as the basis of a test for selection between synonymous codons in plastid genes is reevaluated. The test requires the assumption that in the absence of selective differences between synonymous codons the composition of silent sites in coding sequences will match the composition of noncoding sites. It is demonstrated here that this assumption is not necessarily true and, more generally, that using compositional properties to draw inferences about selection on silent changes in coding sequences is much more problematic than commonly assumed. This is so because selection on nonsynonymous changes can influence the composition of synonymous sites (i.e., codon usage) in a complex manner, meaning that the composition biases of different silent sites, including neutral noncoding DNA, are not comparable. These findings also draw into question the commonly utilized method of investigating how selection to increase translation accuracy influences codon usage. The work then focuses on implications for studies that assess codon adaptation, which is selection on codon usage to enhance translation rate, in plastid genes. A new test that does not require the use of noncoding DNA is proposed and applied. The results of this test suggest that far fewer plastid genes display codon adaptation than previously thought.
A 52-Year-Old HIV-Positive Man with Abdominal Pain

case presentation A 52-year-old African American man with untreated AIDS and active intravenous drug abuse presented with a three-day history of bilateral upper abdominal pain radiating to the back, which was associated with loss of appetite and generalized weakness. There was no fever or night sweats, and no vomiting, diarrhea, dysuria or hematuria. He denied cough, shortness of breath or chest pain. He also denied nasal congestion or headache. Physical examination showed a cachectic middle-age man. Vital signs included temperature of 98.4°F (36.9°C), blood pressure 123/76 mmHg, heart rate 83 beats/min and a respiratory rate of 18 breaths/min. His lungs were clear to auscultation and his heart examination revealed normal heart sounds with no murmurs or gallops. Abdominal palpation revealed tenderness in the right upper quadrant and right costovertebral angle. He exhibited no rashes or lymphadenopathy. Laboratory results revealed a white blood cell count of 3.3×109/L with absolute neutrophil count of 2×109/L and hemoglobin level of 96 g/L. The patient’s CD4 cell count was 20 cells/μL and HIV viral load was >105 copies/mL. Urine showed pyuria and a high leukocyte esterase level, but no hematuria. His serum creatinine level was 106.08 μmol/L. The patient was started empirically on meropenem, but his symptoms persisted. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed normal ejection fraction and no valvular abnormalities or vegetations. Urine and blood cultures were negative. A computed tomography (CT) scan (Figure 1) and CT-guided biopsy were performed (Figure 2). What is your diagnosis?
Immunochemical Probes of Ubiquitin Pool Dynamics

The mechanism originally proposed for the ubiquitin (Ub)-dependent degradative pathway1 can be represented by the following minimum kinetic model2: $$ {\text{protein + Ub}}protein - Ub{\text{amino acids + Ub}} $$ in which k form is the bulk rate constant for Ub-protein ligation, k dis the rate constant for disassembly of Ub-protein conjugates, and k deg the rate constant for the net multistep process by which conjugates are degraded to free amino acids with the liberation of functional Ub. Since degradation is a multistep process probably catalyzed by several distinct proteases, k deg refers only to the rate-limiting step, which could vary with different protein substrates. The contribution of ATP·Mg in the model is grouped into the term for k form since the intracellular concentration of the nucleotide is saturating with respect to the conjugation reaction.3 A second ATP·Mg term can be grouped into k deg for cases where the ATP-dependent protease4,5 of the pathway is rate limiting.* For simplicity, the model neglects the characteristic processive nature of Ub ligation by which multiubiquitinated proteins are formed, suggesting strong positive cooperation.1 Nonetheless, the model illustrates the salient features of the pathway: the catalytic role of Ub in protein degradation and the partitioning of Ub conjugates between alternate fates of disassembly and degradation.
On the Origin of Sugar Selectivity by DNA Polymerases

Gene replication and transcription are the core biological processes. These processes are catalyzed by DNA and RNA polymerases. These two types of polymerases show different selectivity on the substrate based on the presence of an extra 2’ hydroxyl group on the ribose sugar. DNA polymerases adopt deoxyribose nucleotides (dNTP) while RNA polymerases adopt ribose nucleotides (rNTP). Currently, the general consensus for the sugar discrimination mechanism observed in many nucleotide polymerases is that the highly conserved tyrosine/phenylalanine residues play a critical role. For example, Y416 in RB69 DNA polymerase blocks the bulkier 2’ OH on the ribose sugar in rNTP [Yang et al. 2002 Biochem]. However, it is often easy for proteins to avoid such steric clashes by moving the associated residues away which does not cost a lot of energy. Such hypothesis can be explicitly tested by calculating the actual energetic terms. In this study, we examined the steric gate hypothesis by free energy perturbation (FEP) calculation based on alchemistic mutational pathway from rNTP to dNTP in RB69 DNA polymerase. As a result, our FEP calculation does support the steric gate mechanism although we also observes a moderate electrostatic contributions as well. Interestingly, the distance between 2’ OH and the side chain of the Y416 during our simulation was further than observed in the original structure which alleviates the exaggerated steric clash. We will also use this opportunity to introduce our water flooding approach which improved our results as a result of using better structures with efficiently and optimally inserted water molecules in the protein site.
Convective heating of solid propellant during ignition

A pattern search optimization procedure is used to deduce from test data on the solid rocket boosters of the Space Shuttle the convective heat transfer coefficients between the igniter and main motor combustion gases and the surface of the solid propellant by utilizing a spatial and temporal ignition transient analysis. The 'best' convective coefficients are found which will minimize the overall deviation of the analytical prediction from the ignition transient test data. Computationally, this is achieved by treating the motor in such a way that only four optimization variables must be determined. The resulting coefficients greatly improve the prediction capabilities of the ignition transient analysis for the Space Shuttle SRM.
Toward a Diachronic Analysis of Congress

This article assesses the status of diachronic research on the United States Congress. A literature review reveals a lack of truly diachronic studies, but a wealth of insightful and useful historical and contemporary studies. Drawing on organization theory, a research approach designed to facilitate and improve diachronic analysis is put forward. A major focus of the approach is on the ways in which environmental factors—both fixed and variable—shape the operations and performance of Congress. In addition, problems and strategies in analyzing the impacts of Congress on the wider political system are examined. The concluding section presents a research agenda for political scientists interested in applying diachronic analysis to the study of Congress.
Demographic change in northwestern New Spain.

The process of Spanish colonization in Northwestern New Spain, here roughly defined as Sonora and the Californias, set into motion a complex set of factors that contributed to demographic change; absolute population decline among the Indian groups involved, the growth of a largely mestizo settler population, and a number of different types of social and economic interactions between the two populations. Scholars in recent years have debated the causes and the nature of change. Alfred Crosby established a framework for the debate in his provocative book entitled The Columbian Exchange , which discusses, as the sub-title implies, the consequences of interaction between the Old and New Worlds after 1492. In a recent study Henry Dobyns elaborated on one of Crosby's principal themes, the introduction and impact of Euro-Asiatic diseases, and prepared a chronology of epidemics between the sixteenth and early twentieth centuries that affected Native American populations. Dobyns applied his “epidemic mortality” model to Florida and calculated both a high contact population and the rate of population loss due to each of the major epidemics. The model when applied to all of North America has major implications for our understanding of the course of Native American history. In a recent bibliographic article historical demographer Shelia Johansson cast doubt on the high contact population estimates and the degree of demographic collapse.
Monolayer properties of fatty acids

Abstract The properties of monolayers spread at the air-water interface were measured for saturated, unsaturated, and hydroxy fatty acids, differing in the type and degree of unsaturation, geometric isomerism, and position of unsaturated and hydroxy groups. Surface vapor pressures, reflecting the equilibrium between “gaseous” and “liquid” monolayer states were determined, as were the free energies of compression, ΔF c , from essentially infinite dilution (100,000 A 2 /molecule) to the area per molecule, A e at the equilibrium spreading pressure, π e . Surface vapor pressures and free energies of compression for saturated and unsaturated fatty acids with a double bond, or bonds, change in a manner expected because of chain-chain interactions. Hydroxy and acetylenic acids produce relatively high surface vapor pressures, despite their tendency for strong chain-chain interaction. It is concluded that chain-water interactions are very significant for the acetylenic and hydroxy acids and less so for the saturated and ethylenic acids.
Depressed Heart Rate Variability is Associated with Abnormal EEG, MRI, and Death in Neonates with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Objective Asphyxia can lead to autonomic nervous system dysfunction, including depressed heart rate variability (HRV). We tested the hypothesis that low HRV is associated with adverse short-term outcomes of abnormalities on electroencephalogram (EEG) and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and death in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Study Design Neonates undergoing hypothermia therapy for HIE underwent monitoring of HRV. HRV in the first day after birth and after hypothermia and rewarming (days 4–7) were analyzed in relation to death and severity of abnormal findings on EEG and MRI. Results A total of 37 neonates had data available in the first 24 hour after birth and 67 had data days 2 to 7. Depressed HRV was significantly associated with adverse outcomes of death or moderate-to-severe abnormalities on EEG or MRI. In the first 24 hours, the odds ratio (OR) of one or more adverse outcomes for every 10-millisecond decrease in HRV was 3.19 (95% CI, 1.3–7.8; p = 0.01). HRV improved over time but low HRV remained significantly associated with adverse outcomes days 4 to 7 (OR, 2.72; CI, 1.32–5.61; p Conclusions Monitoring HRV, which is reflected in the heart rate characteristic index, may provide useful adjunct information on the severity of brain injury in infants with HIE.
Abstract 2601: ROCK1 as a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer

ROCK1, or Rho-associated coiled coil-containing protein kinase 1, is a multifunctional member of the AGC (protein kinase A/G/C) kinase family that has been implicated in the modulation of stress-fiber assembly, cell-cell adhesion, cell contraction, apoptosis, cytokinesis, and in the migration and invasion of multiple cell types. Increased ROCK1 expression has been observed in a number of pathological conditions, including cancer. We identified a low frequency (4/34) amplification of the ROCK1 gene locus at chromosome 18q11.1 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) patient tissue samples by aCGH analysis. We therefore hypothesized that ROCK1 might play an important role in pancreatic cancer progression, and may serve as a suitable target in pancreatic cancer treatment. Consistent with findings in other tumor types, we observed increased expression of ROCK1 in pancreatic epithelial cells relative to the surrounding stromal cells, or adjacent normal pancreatic ductal cells, in an immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of a pancreatic cancer tissue array. In our study, 76% (53/70) of tumor samples exhibited 2+ or greater (scale 0-3+) in staining intensity by IHC analysis, versus 40% (19/47) of adjacent normal tissue samples (P Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2601. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2601
High P-T phase relations and stability of a (21)-hydrous clinopyribole in the system K2O-Na2O-CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O: An experimental study to 18 GPa

Phase relations and stability of a mixed-chain (21)-hydrous clinopyribole [(21)-MHP] were investigated using a multi-anvil apparatus in the P-T range 5-18 GPa and 1100-1600 °C in a simplified KNCMASH-system. (21)-MHP is stable in the range 7-16 GPa and 1100-1400 °C, and coexists with clinopyroxene + sodic phase X ′ potassic richterite ′ aenigmatite-structured phase. Its breakdown products are sodic phase X + melt and Na-rich garnet + aenigmatite-structured phase toward high T (13 GPa/1600 °C) and P (18 GPa/1250 °C). In the KNCMASH-system investigated, the stability fields of potassic richterite and (21)-MHP only overlap between 7 and 10 GPa, and the P-stability of (21)-MHP exceeds that of potassic richterite by at least 3 GPa. The composition of (21)-MHP can be described as a combination of 1 potassic richterite + 2 omphacitic clinopyroxene K(Na 2 Ca 2 )(Mg 6 Al)Si 1 2 O 3 4 (OH) 2 with variable degrees of Al 2 Mg - 1 Si - 1 -exchange and NaSiCa - 1 Al - 1 -exchange component dependent upon P and T. At P >10 GPa, both (21)-MHP and coexisting clinopyroxene contain excess Si compared with the ideal clinopyroxene, and (21)-MHP stoichiometries with up to 2.09 Si/6 O atoms and 12.4 Si/33 O atoms + stoichiometric (OH) respectively. This silica excess is attributed to the presence of V I Si as Na(Mg 0 . 5 Si 0 5 )Si 2 O 6 component in clinopyroxene and within the pyroxene-like slabs of (21)-MHP. A TEM analysis of (21)-MHP synthesized at 10 GPa/125 °C shows a regular alternation of single- and double-tetrahedral chains without evidence for stacking disorder. Potential factors responsible for the unusually high P-T stability of (21)-MHP compared to all MHPs known so far are: (1) the fact that the unit-cell volume of (21)-MHP is 1.5% smaller than that of an equivalent mixture of potassic richterite + omphacite; (2) an Na-rich bulk composition that enables the presence of V I Si-bearing clinopyroxene in solid-solution within the single-chain slabs of (21)-MHP; and (3) the availability of K to completely fill the large A-sites of the (21)-MHP structure. The results of this study demonstrate that mixed-chain hydrous pyriboles represent a new class of high-pressure silicate structures capable of storing water and alkali-elements under upper mantle P-T conditions. However, their stability is restricted to K-Na-rich bulk compositions.
Sharp Subcritical and Critical Trudinger-Moser Inequalities on ℝ 2 $\mathbb {R}^{2}$ and their Extremal Functions

In this paper, we study on \(\mathbb {R}^{2}\) some new types of the sharp subcritical and critical Trudinger-Moser inequality that have close connections to the study of the optimizers for the classical Trudinger-Moser inequalities. For instance, one of our results can be read as follows: Let 0 ≤ β < 2, p ≥ 0, α ≥ 0. Then $$\sup_{\left\Vert \nabla u\right\Vert_{2}^{2}+\left\Vert u\right\Vert_{2} ^{2}\leq1}\left\Vert u\right\Vert_{2}^{p}{\int}_{\mathbb{R}^{2}}\exp\left( \alpha\left( 1-\frac{\beta}{2}\right) \left\vert u\right\vert^{2}\right) \left\vert u\right\vert^{2}\frac{dx}{\left\vert x\right\vert^{\beta}}<\infty $$ if and only if α < 4π or α = 4π, p ≥ 2. The attainability and inattainability of these sharp inequalties will be also investigated using a new approach, namely the relations between the supremums of the sharp subcritical and critical ones. This new method will enable us to compute explicitly the supremums of the subcritical Trudinger-Moser inequalities in some special cases. Also, a version of Concentration-compactness principle in the spirit of Lions ( Lions, I. Rev. Mat. Iberoam. 1(1) 145–01 1985) will also be studied.
Effect of level and source of dietary selenium on concentrations of thyroid hormones and immunoglobulins in beef cows and calves.

Our objective was to determine the effect of level and chemical form of dietary selenium on productivity of beef cows, concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) in plasma, and immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) in plasma and colostrum of cows. Pregnant cows (n = 60) were randomly allocated among four dietary treatments of 20, 60, or 120 ppm Se as selenite and 60 ppm as selenomethionine from selenized yeast (SeY) in salts offered free-choice. Treatments began 90 d prepartum and continued through the second parturition. Treatments did not affect the final body weights of cows or birth weights or weaning weights of calves. At parturition, cows given salt with 20 ppm Se as selenite had lower (P < . 05) concentrations of Se in blood than cows with access to higher-Se salts. Treatments affected (P < .01) the concentration of T3 and the ratio of T3:T4 in plasma of cows. The concentration of T3 in plasma of cows with access to salt with 20 ppm Se was 14% lower than that in cows supplemented with 60 ppm Se as selenite or SeY. Plasma IgG in cows and calves, colostrum, and Se concentrations in colostrum, casein, and whey were lowest (P < .01) for cows given salt with only 20 ppm Se. Thus, salts with concentrations of 60 and 120 ppm Se improved measures of Se status in cows and calves. Consideration should be given to the concentrations of T3 and IgG when determining the nutritional requirements for Se in cattle.
Antidepressant-Sensitive Norepinephrine Transporters: Structure and Regulation

Publisher Summary The antidepressant-sensitive norepinephrine transporter (NET) has been cloned from multiple species, including humans. The human NET (hNET) gene encodes a 617-amino acid polypeptide believed to span the plasma membrane 12 times with intracellular NH2 and COOH termini. Expression of the original hNET isolate confers antidepressant-sensitive NET on nonneuronal cells. Although hNET glycosylation is not known to be regulated, this modification enhances catalytic function and protein stability. Once inserted in the plasma membrane, hNET is exposed to the transmembrane sodium gradient that the transporter uses to catalyze NE uptake. Extracellular chloride also facilitates uptake of NE and intracellular potassium may offer further stimulation, although evidence that potassium is countertransported is lacking. In addition, hNET supports NE-gated channel states that may allow NE to translocate hNET at high rates when synaptic concentrations are increased.
Paraplejía y cuadriplejía

E n este texto , el termino paraplejia se utiliza para referirse a una debilidad parcial o completa de ambas piernas y el termino cuadriplejia indica una debilidad parcial o completa de los cuatro miembros, eliminando asi la necesidad de los terminos paraparesia y cuadriparesia . Muchas de las entidades descritas con detalle en este capitulo son anomalias de la medula espinal. Una misma alteracion medular puede producir paraplejia o cuadriplejia, dependiendo de la localizacion de la lesion, y ello justifica que ambos cuadros se estudien juntos en este capitulo.
Upper Cervical Spine Loading Simulating a Dynamic Low-Speed Collision Significantly Increases the Risk of Pain Compared to Quasi-Static Loading With Equivalent Neck Kinematics

Dynamic cervical spine loading can produce facet capsule injury. Despite a large proportion of neck pain being attributable to the C2/C3 facet capsule, potential mechanisms are not understood. This study replicated low-speed frontal and rear-end traffic collisions in occiput-C3 human cadaveric cervical spine specimens and used kinematic and full-field strain analyses to assess injury. Specimens were loaded quasi-statically in flexion and extension before and after dynamic rotation of C3 at 100 deg/s. Global kinematics in the sagittal plane were tracked at 1 kHz, and C2/C3 facet capsule full-field strains were measured. Dynamic loading did not alter the kinematics from those during quasi-static (QS) loading, but maximum principal strain (MPS) and shear strain (SS) were significantly higher (p = 0.028) in dynamic flexion than for the same quasi-static conditions. The full-field strain analysis demonstrated that capsule strain was inhomogeneous, and that the peak MPS generally occurred in the anterior aspect and along the line of the C2/C3 facet joint. The strain magnitude in dynamic flexion continued to rise after the rotation of C3 had stopped, with a peak MPS of 12.52 ± 4.59% and a maximum SS of 5.34 ± 1.60%. The peak MPS in loading representative of rear-end collisions approached magnitudes previously shown to induce pain in vivo, whereas strain analysis using linear approaches across the facet joint was lower and may underestimate injury risk compared to full-field analysis. The time at which peak MPS occurred suggests that the deceleration following a collision is critical in relation to the production of injurious strains within the facet capsule.
An MCMC-MRF Algorithm for Incorporating Spatial Information in IMS Proteomic Data Processing

It is desirable to not only identify the peaks of the mass spectra but also to study relations among them using the spatial information for the entire imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) data cube. In this paper, we incorporate spatial information in IMS data analysis using Markov random field (MRF) and optimize classification accuracy with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. First, we discuss the necessity of incorporating spatial information in IMS data analysis and give a brief introduction to MRF and its background. Then, we develop the MCMC-MRF computation framework using MCMC sampling and the Ising model, which is the simplest MRF, as prior information to optimize IMS data classification accuracy. The method to estimate parameters using training data is also discussed. Finally, we use test data to test the performance of this model under different definitions of neighboring system. The experiment results show that the MCMC-MRF model can improve IMS data classification accuracy effectively, and the more realistically the neighboring system is defined, the better classification result will be.
Traversing the Barriers to Using Big Data in Understating How High School Students Design

The context of this paper is a “large learner data” project that seeks to respond to existing challenges by introducing educational data mining and learning analytics into K-12 engineering design research. To probe deeply into student learning, we are developing and refining computational techniques to analyze large process analytics datasets generated through a CAD-based software, Energy3D, that logs design process data as students complete an assigned design challenge, such as a net-zero energy efficient building. We are combining these process analytics with demographic data and pre/post-tests of science and design knowledge. In this paper, we revisit three illustrative research cases to reflect on our experiences and lessons learned with navigating big data, generating useful data visualizations, and integrating process analytics with traditional performance assessment methods to relate design actions to knowledge and learning outcomes.
All the “RAGE” in lung disease: The receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) is a major mediator of pulmonary inflammatory responses

The receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) is a pro-inflammatory pattern recognition receptor (PRR) that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous inflammatory diseases. It was discovered in 1992 on endothelial cells and was named for its ability to bind advanced glycation endproducts and promote vascular inflammation in the vessels of patients with diabetes. Further studies revealed that RAGE is most highly expressed in lung tissue and spurred numerous explorations into RAGE's role in the lung. These studies have found that RAGE is an important mediator in allergic airway inflammation (AAI) and asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute lung injury, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. RAGE has not yet been targeted in the lungs of paediatric or adult clinical populations, but the development of new ways to inhibit RAGE is setting the stage for the emergence of novel therapeutic agents for patients suffering from these pulmonary conditions.
Mentoring New Water Resources Professionals on Engineering Ethics

Engineers maintaining high level of ethical standards is important to society and to the respective profession. We serve as the technical experts on behalf of society and with that role comes significant responsibilities. There are many causes for engineers to make unethical decisions, i.e., placing profit above protection of the public. Such reasons, for example, overbooked schedules, the unethical conduct of business associates, doing the “right thing” would cause a lot of trouble, and the pursuit of fame and fortune above all, etc. There are some common ethical dilemmas that new professionals may face: the acceptance of gifts from vendors or contractors, the billing of labor hours to unrelated project, and the inadequate reviewing of design work. New professions may lack the experience and abilities to successfully handle ethical dilemmas early in their careers. Mentoring new professionals, related to ethical standards may have a long-lasting effect on individuals who are new in the engineering profession. Experienced engineers bring vast knowledge in discussions on how to resolve ethical dilemmas. A key aspect to being a successful mentor is to thoroughly understand the Code of Ethics. If an engineer’s decision are highly supported by the Code of Ethics then it is much more likely that his(her) conduct will be more appropriate and acceptable.
Editorial: AI Education for the World

Education in AI is critical to the success of the scientific and technological enterprise of AI. Today, the AI community is exploring new pedagogies and technologies to help make AI education more accessible, affordable, and achievable. This issue of AI Magazine on AI Education, coedited by Michael Wollowski, Todd Neller, and James Boerkoel, presents articles that explore some of these goals.
Chronic Alterations in Systemic Immune Function after Traumatic Brain Injury

There is a compelling link between severe brain trauma and immunosuppression in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although acute changes in the systemic immune compartment have been linked to outcome severity, the long-term consequences of TBI on systemic immune function are unknown. Here, adult male C57Bl/6 mice underwent moderate-level controlled cortical impact (CCI) or sham surgery, and systemic immune function was evaluated at 1, 3, 7, 14, and 60 days post-injury. Bone marrow, blood, thymus, and spleen were examined by flow cytometry to assess changes in immune composition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, phagocytic activity, and cytokine production. Bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) from sham and 60-day CCI mice were cultured for immune challenge studies using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) models. Acutely, TBI caused robust bone marrow activation and neutrophilia. Neutrophils and monocytes exhibited impairments in respiratory burst, cytokine production, and phagocytosis; in contrast, ROS levels and pro-inflammatory cytokine production were chronically elevated at 60 days post-injury. Cultures of BMDMs from chronic CCI mice demonstrated defects in LPS- and IL-4-induced polarization when compared with stimulated BMDMs from sham mice. TBI also caused thymic involution, inverted CD4:CD8 ratios, chronic T lymphopenia, greater memory conversion, increased T cell activation, impaired interferon γ induction, and chronically elevated Th1 cytokine and ROS production. Collectively, our in-depth phenotypic and functional analyses demonstrate that TBI induces widespread suppression of innate and adaptive immune responses after TBI. Moreover, at chronic time points, TBI mice exhibit hallmarks of accelerated immune aging, displaying chronic deficits in systemic immune function.
Spatial and temporal variations of thaw layer thickness and its controlling factors identified using time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography and hydro-thermal modeling

Abstract Quantitative understanding of controls on thaw layer thickness (TLT) dynamics in the Arctic peninsula is essential for predictive understanding of permafrost degradation feedbacks to global warming and hydrobiochemical processes. This study jointly interprets electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) measurements and hydro-thermal numerical simulation results to assess spatiotemporal variations of TLT and to determine its controlling factors in Barrow, Alaska. Time-lapse ERT measurements along a 35-m transect were autonomously collected from 2013 to 2015 and inverted to obtain soil electrical resistivity. Based on several probe-based TLT measurements and co-located soil electrical resistivity, we estimated the electrical resistivity thresholds associated with the boundary between the thaw layer and permafrost using a grid search optimization algorithm. Then, we used the obtained thresholds to derive the TLT from all soil electrical resistivity images. The spatiotemporal analysis of the ERT-derived TLT shows that the TLT at high-centered polygons (HCPs) is smaller than that at low-centered polygons (LCPs), and that both thawing and freezing occur earlier at the HCPs compared to the LCPs. In order to provide a physical explanation for dynamics in the thaw layer, we performed 1-D hydro-thermal simulations using the community land model (CLM). Simulation results showed that air temperature and precipitation jointly govern the temporal variations of TLT, while the topsoil organic content (SOC) and polygon morphology are responsible for its spatial variations. When the topsoil SOC and its thickness increase, TLT decreases. Meanwhile, at LCPs, a thicker snow layer and saturated soil contribute to a thicker TLT and extend the time needed for TLT to freeze and thaw. This research highlights the importance of combination of measurements and numerical modeling to improve our understanding spatiotemporal variations and key controls of TLT in cold regions.
Effects of deposition temperature on microstructure of laminated (SiC-C) matrix composites

The microstructure of fiber-reinforced laminated SiC-C matrix composites has been studied using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) techniques. Different regions of the composites were found to exhibit microstructural differences due to the temperature gradient imposed during composite fabrication by the forced-flow thermal-gradient chemical vapor infiltration process. The matrix layers of alternating Carbon and SiC were found to be thicker but less clearly defined in the higher-temperature regions than in the lower-temperature regions. This feature was found to be more pronounced with increasing distance from the fiber surface. The medium temperature region was found to represent the intermediate point in the microstructural development of this composite. Possible qualitative explanations for the observed microstructural differences are suggested in the context of the temperature gradient and other process parameters employed.
Beyond March 4

We are immersed in one of the most significant revolutions in man’s history. The force that drives this revolution is not social dissension or political ideology, but relentless exploitations of scientific knowledge. There is no prospect that this revolution will subside; on the contrary, it will continue to transform profoundly our modes of living and dying. That many of these transformations have been immeasurably beneficial goes without saying. But, as with all revolutions, the technological revolution has released destructive forces, and our society has failed to cope with them. Thus we have become addicted to an irrational and perilous arms race, and we are unable to protect our natural environment from destruction.
Influence of Resonant Frequency Shifts on Superradiant Damping

The interaction between two electric dipoles p → 1 and p → 2 at position r → 1 and r → 2, analyzed at frequency kc, is [1] $$\begin{array}{l} v = - {e^{ikr}}[\left( {{{\vec p}_1} \cdot {{\vec p}_2} - \hat r \cdot {{\vec p}_1}\,\hat r \cdot {{\vec p}_2}} \right)\frac{{{k^2}}}{r}\\ + \left( {{{\vec p}_1} \cdot {{\vec p}_2} - 3\hat r \cdot {{\vec p}_1}\,\hat r \cdot {{\vec p}_2}} \right)\left( {\frac{{ik}}{{{r^2}}} - \frac{1}{{{r^3}}}} \right)]\\ = \frac{1}{{{r^3}}}\left( {{{\vec p}_1} \cdot {{\vec p}_2} - 3\hat r \cdot {{\vec p}_1}\,\hat r \cdot {{\vec p}_2}} \right) - \frac{{{k^2}}}{{2r}}\left( {{{\vec p}_1} \cdot {{\vec p}_2} - \hat r \cdot {{\vec p}_1}\,\hat r \cdot {{\vec p}_2}} \right)\\ - \frac{2}{3}\,i\,{k^3}\,{{\vec p}_1} \cdot {{\vec p}_2} + 0\left[ r \right]\\ where\,{{\vec r}_1} - {{\vec r}_2} = r\hat r. \end{array}$$
Language and Attention: Reading Wirth Reading Snyder Reading Dōgen

ABSTRACTJason Wirth's Mountains, Rivers, and the Great Earth: Reading Gary Snyder and Dōgen in an Age of Ecological Crisis challenges complacency in two significant ways. First, it performs a commitment to philosophy as creative and capacious practice in contrast to orthodoxies or technical provincialisms. Second, it disrupts unreflective usages of “wealth” and “development” as inherently economic in developing a compelling argument about the way that spiritual poverty informs contemporary ecological pathology. In this review, I present six key claims in Wirth's text and offer unfolding thoughts in response.
On the Selection of Stress Parameters for Hybrid/Mixed Finite Elements

Rationales for selection of stress parameters of hybrid/mixed finite elements are discussed in some details. Specific guidelines are then given for choosing appropriate stress terms in conjunction with the assumed displacement field. The primary considerations are: suppression of kinematic deformation modes and a favorable constraint index for application to limiting cases. Four different elements are used to illustrate the suggested guidelines.
How Should Physicians Care for Dying Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

We discuss physician aid in dying, euthanasia, and other dimensions of palliative care decision making and define relevant terms raised by this case of a dying patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Washington State who is unable to self-administer a lethal prescription. We then present a concrete framework that clinicians can directly apply when faced with difficult cases such as this one. We outline how exploring motivations, obtaining informed consent, defining goals, and examining alternatives can help guide physicians like the one in this case. We conclude by summarizing one way in which physicians might balance these issues while still remaining within the constraints of the law.
Richard III: England's Most Controversial King. By Chris Skidmore. (New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 2017. Pp. xxii, 432. $29.99.)

From 2 June 1484, Silesian knight Niclas von Popplau was granted a series of meetings with King Richard III. His notes give a highly particularized account of the character and behavior of Richard ...
Genre fusion: a new approach to history, fiction, and memory in contemporary Spain

Sara J. Brenneis’s Genre Fusion: A New Approach to History, Fiction, and Memory in Contemporary Spain is a valuable and innovative addition to the large corpus of scholarly work on literary represe...
Autoregressive Statistical Modeling of a Peru Margin Multi-proxy Holocene Record Shows Correlation Not Causation, Flickering Regimes and Persistence

Correlation does not necessarily imply a causation, but in climatology and paleoclimatology, correlation is used to identify potential cause-and-effect relationships because linking mechanisms are difficult to observe. Confounding by an often unknown outside variable that drives the sets of observables is one of the major factors that lead to correlations that are not the result of causation. Here we show how autoregressive (AR) models can be used to examine lead-lag relationships—helpful in assessing cause and effect—of paleoclimate variables while addressing two other challenges that are often encountered in paleoclimate data: unevenly spaced data and switching between regimes at unknown times. Specifically, we analyze multiple paleoclimate proxies, sea surface temperature (SST), C37, $$ \delta^{15} N $$ , and %N from the central Peru margin to find their correlations and changes in their variability over the Holocene epoch. The four proxies are sampled at high-resolution from the same core but are not synchronously sampled at all possible locations. The multidimensional records are treated as evenly spaced data with missing values, and the missing values are filled by the Kalman filter expected values. We employ hidden Markov models (HMM) and autoregressive HMM (AR-HMM) to address the potential that the degree of variability and the correlations between these proxies change over time. The HMM, which is not autoregressive, shows instantaneous correlations between observables in two regimes. However, our investigation of lead-lag relationships using the AR-HMM shows that the cross-correlations do not indicate a causal link. Each of the four proxies has predictability on decadal timescales, but none of the proxies is a good predictor of any other proxy, so we hypothesize that a common unobserved variable—or a set of variables—is driving the instantaneous relationships among these four proxies. These findings suggest that the variability at this site is remotely driven by processes such as those causing the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), rather than locally driven by processes such as upwelling influences on temperature and vertical mixing of nutrients.
Investigation Into the Effects of Using Normal Distribution Theory Methodology for Likert Scale Patient-Reported Outcome Data From Varying Underlying Distributions Including Floor/Ceiling Effects.

Abstract Objectives Utilization of parametric or nonparametric methods for testing Likert scale data is often debated. This 2-part simulation study aims to investigate the sampling distribution of various Likert scale distributions (including floor/ceiling effects) and analyze the effectiveness of using parametric versus nonparametric tests with varying sample sizes. Methods We simulated populations from parametric distributions binned into Likert scales. In study 1, replicates were sampled from each distribution with sizes ranging from 5 to 150 observations, calculating means with simulated 95% CIs at each sample size. In study 2, floor/ceiling effects were introduced such that the proportion of patients responding with the lowest rating varied from approximately 40% to 90%. Two-sample tests were then conducted for the 90% floor effect distribution against all other floor distributions to determine effectiveness of parametric versus nonparametric methods via 2-sided pooled t tests and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Coverage of the difference in means, realized P values, relative efficiency, measures of agreement in direction, and conclusion of tests were plotted by sample size. Results The sampling distributions of the 1-sample means and SDs for most distributions converged quickly to Gaussian, with 95% coverage. One- and 2-sample t tests of the mean demonstrated acceptable coverage, type I error, and agreement. Conclusions Simulations confirm that the sampling distribution of the mean rapidly approaches normality and appropriate tests provide adequate coverage and type I error. Two-sample t tests demonstrate appropriateness and increased statistical power gained by using parametric over nonparametric approaches, suggesting t tests should be implemented with few restrictions.
Nursing analysis of pelvic floor muscle function assessment and rehabilitation after delivery

Objective To investigate the level of pelvic floor muscle function and its related factors in pregnancy and childbirth for the female patients. Methods A total of 169 outpatients medical records were collected who visited the Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation Clinic, Postpartum Rehabilitation Center in our hospital from January 2014 to December 2014. Results There were 135 women (75.0%) showing symptoms associated with pelvic floor dysfunction during the inquiry. 167 patients showed different degrees of pelvic floor muscle function damage under receiving the pelvic floor muscle function evaluation. Maternal times, newborn birth body mass and fetal position affected maternal pelvic floor muscle function damage degree. Whether to choose the pelvic floor muscles biofeedback therapy was impacted by three factors: the increasing of body mass during pregnancy, whether experienced stress urinary incontinence and the time when received postpartum pelvic floor muscle function assessment. Conclusions Many maternal experience postpartum pelvic floor muscle function damage which has not gained awareness. It should be reinforced that health education and guidance on strengthening the pelvic floor muscles to female patients in pregnancy. Key words: Nursing; Rehabilitation; Pelvic floor muscle function evaluation
The pursuit of mechanism of action: uncovering drug complexity in TB drug discovery.

Whole cell-based phenotypic screens have become the primary mode of hit generation in tuberculosis (TB) drug discovery during the last two decades. Different drug screening models have been developed to mirror the complexity of TB disease in the laboratory. As these culture conditions are becoming more and more sophisticated, unraveling the drug target and the identification of the mechanism of action (MOA) of compounds of interest have additionally become more challenging. A good understanding of MOA is essential for the successful delivery of drug candidates for TB treatment due to the high level of complexity in the interactions between Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and the TB drug used to treat the disease. There is no single “standard” protocol to follow and no single approach that is sufficient to fully investigate how a drug restrains Mtb. However, with the recent advancements in -omics technologies, there are multiple strategies that have been developed generally in the field of drug discovery that have been adapted to comprehensively characterize the MOAs of TB drugs in the laboratory. These approaches have led to the successful development of preclinical TB drug candidates, and to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of Mtb infection. In this review, we describe a plethora of efforts based upon genetic, metabolomic, biochemical, and computational approaches to investigate TB drug MOAs. We assess these different platforms for their strengths and limitations in TB drug MOA elucidation in the context of Mtb pathogenesis. With an emphasis on the essentiality of MOA identification, we outline the unmet needs in delivering TB drug candidates and provide direction for further TB drug discovery.
Donna Marie Norris, MD: Improving Landscapes for Children and Families in Forensic Psychiatry

A major part of forensic psychiatry's work is focused on framing stories about individuals who find their lives, for one reason or another, suddenly linked to the legal system. How did the story's subject come to terms with the choice offered by the poet Robert Frost in his early 20th-century poem
Determinants of Participation and Outcomes in A Cause Marketing Event: A Laddering Approach

While a rich stream of studies has emerged to understand customer identification at the brand level, this topic has not been addressed from an event marketing perspective. Secondly, although the co...
SE—Structures and Environment: Effects of Solids Separation and Time on the Production of Odorous Compounds in Stored Pig Slurry

Fresh pig faeces were separated into seven di!erent liquid portions with particle size ranges (2)0, (1)4, (1)0, (0)5, (0)25, (0)15, and (0)075 mm, respectively. Separation was achieved by consecutive sieving of the fresh pig manure through a series of seven American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) standard wire screen sieves with openings of 2)0, 1)4, 1)0, 0)5, 0)25, 0)15 and 0)075 mm. The separated manure fractions were stored at an ambient temperature of approximately 203C in Plexiglas columns (91 cm deep and 15 cm in diameter) to simulate storage in under-#oor or in other types of holding pits. The results indicated that although solid}liquid separation was found to reduce production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5 ) regarded as odour precursors, this technique might not signi"cantly reduce odour nuisances from swine facilities unless particles smaller than 0)075 mm are separated from the liquids. Inverse linear correlations were observed between total solids (TS) and total volatile solids (TVS) with both BOD 5 and VFAs and therefore their respective levels could also be used to quantify the potential of odour nuisances in stored pig manure. ( 2002 Silsoe Research Institute