cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defective binding of the third component of complement (C3) to Streptococcus pneumoniae in multiple myeloma

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are at an increased risk for infections with bacteria that require opsonization with complement. Because Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequently encountered pathogen in these patients, we investigated the ability of serum from patients with MM to mediate the binding of C3b, the major opsonin of the complement system, to S. pneumoniae. S. pneumoniae types 3, 14, and 25 were chosen for study, since S. pneumoniae type 3 activates primarily the classical complement pathway (CCP), type 25 primarily the alternative complement pathway (ACP), and type 14 both pathways. S. pneumoniae were treated with normal serum or serum from 17 patients with MM, and the bound C3b was quantified with fluorescein-conjugated anti-C3 in a spectrophotofluorometric assay. Despite normal or elevated serum concentrations of C3, total hemolytic complement, and C-reactive protein in all of the MM sera, factor B in 16/17 such sera, and C4 in 14/17 MM sera studied, all 17 sera demonstrated a defect in C3b binding to type 3 (32.7% +/- 6% of normal). In addition, serum from 15/17 patients bound decreased amounts of C3b to types 14 (39.6% +/- 8%) and 25 (52.2% +/- 8%). Mixing normal serum with MM serum restored MM C3b binding activity to all three S. pneumoniae types, suggesting that the defect was related to a deficiency rather than an inhibitor of C3 activation. Although MM patients are unable to produce specific antibodies to bacterial antigens, the addition of anti-S. pneumoniae antibodies to MM serum did not enhance C3b binding to any of the S. pneumoniae types. However, when S. pneumoniae were opsonized in a mixture of MM serum and C3-depleted normal serum, C3b binding was restored to all three S. pneumoniae types, demonstrating that MM C3 functions normally in the presence of other normal serum factors. In the present studies, the MM C3b binding defect appeared to correlate with the incidence of S. pneumoniae infections. Serum from patients with a history of an S. pneumoniae infection bound significantly less C3 (20.5% +/- 4%) than those study patients without a history of an S. pneumoniae infection (55.8% +/- 8%) (p less than 0.0025). Thus, MM serum has a defect in the activation of C3, and this may contribute to the increased susceptibility of MM patients to S. pneumoniae infections.
Static and Dynamic Games

Any discussion of economic models is incomplete, if it does not contain an analysis of game theory and its various applications. This is because the models in game theory provide a substantial amount of generalization of most of the basic mathematical concepts we have so far used e.g., the concept of equilibrium, stability, saddle point and intertemporal optimum. A game may be veiwed as a team decision problem, when the different members of the team have cooperative or noncooperative (i.e. conflicting) objectives to optimize, with different or equal information structures and finite or infinite strategies to choose from. Four general ways to classify games are: (1) static or dynamic, where the latter involves intertemporal optimization by different players with strategies selected sequentially over time, (2) deterministic or stochastic, where for the latter it is assumed that there exist stochastic errors in the objective function or the constraints on the strategy choice, which may be due to incomplete information available to each player, (3) games of strategy (i.e. active game against rational opponents), or games against nature (i.e. passive game, where the opponent is viewed as nature, who is not assumed to have any motives of gain or retaliation), and (4) the three analytical forms of the game model: the extensive form, the normal form and the characteristic function form. The normal form is most frequently applied in two-person games, whereas the characteristic function form is most useful for nperson games with n greater than two.
A Relaxed Synchronization Approach for Solving Parallel Quadratic Programming Problems with Guaranteed Convergence

In this paper we present a novel numerical algorithm for efficiently solving large-scale quadratic programming problems in massively parallel computing systems. The main challenge in maximizing processor utilization is to reduce idling due to synchronization across processors. Typically, synchronization is necessary after every iteration, which prevents many numerical algorithms from scaling with number of processors. We relax this requirement by synchronizing at a lower rate, which is referred to as lazy synchronization. We show analytically and experimentally that lazy synchronization is numerically stable and converges to the same result as the conventional tightly synchronized implementation. Furthermore, the convergence speed of the proposed algorithm is faster with lazy synchronization. The numerical stability, convergence rate and the optimal rate for synchronization are analytically shown. The proposed algorithm is implemented in a 40-node distributed system in the Amazon Elastic Computing infrastructure. We show a 160 times speedup in solution time for a large-scale quadratic programming problem using a synthetic dataset. The experiments demonstrate that the use of relaxed synchronization technique reduces communication overhead in the distributed systems by 99.65% in comparison to the tightly synchronization implementation.
Investigation of Automatic Voltage Regulator for a Ship’s Synchronous Generator

This paper deals with the field current control method of a synchronous generator for ships using a compound type electronic automatic voltage regulator (AVR) in order to control output voltage of the generator. An original AVR scheme, which uses proportional–integral–differential control and pulse-width modulation scheme to control the output voltage of the compound system, is presented. The scheme of this AVR and the results from its tests, which show good static and dynamic capabilities, are adduced and described .
Methods of According Belligerent Recognition

From the preceding discussion it would appear that the phenomenon of civil war had already received considerable attention in international law, and that the doctrine of belligerent recognition was already established when the American Civil War broke out in April of 1861.1 This is correct, but that War became the classic example of the use of such recognition, and its duration and magnitude provided the experience for establishing clearly the norms relating thereto.2 In the course of the War there developed norms for dealing with problems relative to the rights of the parent government, insurgents and neutrals.3 In particular the “War Between the States” furnished ample discussion of the criteria for granting such recognition.
Geometric formulation, classification and methods for power electronic systems

A systematic approach to the formulation of continuous-time dynamic equations for switching power converters is presented. A new modeling formalism for semiconductor switches is developed as part of this approach. The general structure of the equations is investigated, and, based on a geometric interpretation of the equations, a classification scheme is proposed. Nonlinear methods for analysis and control appropriate to each class are examined. A comparison of current mode and voltage mode DC-DC power converter control is presented as an example. >
The Multiple Facets of Fuzzy Controllers: Look-up-Tables—A Special Class of Fuzzy Controllers

Look-up table (LUT) controllers are among the most widely utilized control tools in engineering practice. The reasons for their popularity include simplicity, easy to use, inexpensive hardware implementation, and strong nonlinearity and multimodal behaviors that can be formalized, in many cases, only by experimentally measured data. In a previous paper, we showed that the two-dimensional (2D) LUT controllers and one special type of two-input Mamdani fuzzy controllers are connected in that they have the identical input-output mathematical relation. We also demonstrated how to represent the LUT controllers by the fuzzy controllers. Finally, we showed how to determine the local stability of the LUT control systems. In the present work, we extend these results to the n-dimensional LUT controllers and the special type of the n-input Mamdani fuzzy controllers.
Decay of Σ−n dibaryons

We have calculated the momenta of neutrons and pion from the decay of a hypothetical Σ−n hyperfragment, including final‐state interaction between the two neutrons.
Ribosomes in platelets protect the messenger.

In this issue of Blood , [Mills et al][1] comprehensively examine ribosome-bound messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in resting and activated platelets and describe a role for the ribosome rescue factor Pelota (PELO) in regulating mRNA decay in platelets (see figure).[1][2] ![Figure][3] Ribosome
Evolution of the Apicomplexan Sugar Transporter Gene Family Repertoire

Apicomplexan protist parasites utilize host sugars transported into the parasite by sugar transporter proteins for use as an energy source. We performed a phylum-wide phylogenetic analysis of the apicomplexan sugar transporter repertoire. Phylogenetic analyses revealed six major subfamilies of apicomplexan sugar transporters. Transporters in one subfamily have undergone expansions in Piroplasma species and Gregarina niphandrodes, while other subfamilies are highly divergent and contain genes found in only one or two species. Analyses of the divergent apicomplexan subfamilies revealed their presence in ciliates, indicating their alveolate ancestry and subsequent loss in chromerids and many apicomplexans.
Normative performance on cleveland clinic concussion application for youth, high school and college athletes

Objective The utilisation of a multi-factorial approach to evaluating relevant neuro-cognitive and motor function is a critical element in effective and comprehensive concussion management. In this project, normative data were gathered utilising the Cleveland Clinic Concussion (C3) iPad Application in youth, high school and college athletes. Design Prospective normative study. Setting Field-based. Participants Pre-season C3 data were collected in more the 6,500 youth (N=607), high school (N=5415) and college (N=744) athletes; approximately 32% females. Data were collected between Fall 2014 and Spring 2015. Interventions NA. Outcome measures Neurocognitive assessment modules of C3 include information processing (simple and choice reaction time), attention and working memory (Trail Making Test) and postural stability. Balance is quantified through biomechanical processing of accelerometer and gyroscope data gathered from the iPad during performance of the BESS. Main results No gender effects were present for performance on the neurocognitive modules; however, postural stability was significantly worse for youth males compared to female peers (P Conclusions Slower neurocognitive performance in youth relative to older athletes underscores the need to utilise age appropriate normative data in the management of concussion, particularly if no baseline is acquired. The control of postural stability develops at different rates as a function of age and gender, therefore balance assessment across the injury spectrum must utilise specific age-gender normative values. Competing interests JLA, SML and SBO have authored intellectual property associated with the mobile application presented in this study.
The morning commute problem with ridesharing and dynamic parking charges

Abstract This paper studies the traffic flow patterns in a single bottleneck corridor with a dynamic ridesharing mode and dynamic parking charges. Schemes with different ridesharing payments and shared parking prices are investigated. Besides the scheme with constant parking charges and ridesharing payments, dynamic parking charges and ridesharing payments are derived to achieve congestion-free traffic in the corridor. With the dynamic ridesharing ratios, it is found that genuinely nonlinear departure rates and travel time functions can be generated in certain ridesharing cases, which was not observed in the traditional ADL model (Arnott et al., 1990) for the morning commute problems without ridesharing or with constant ridesharing ratios. Moreover, comparing different configurations of ridesharing arrangements and parking charges, the results show that constant parking charges with constant ridesharing payments may not significantly improve system performance over the traditional morning commute with solo-drivers, while dynamic parking charges with properly selected constant ridesharing payments can achieve better system performance in terms of vehicle-miles-traveled, vehicle-hours-traveled and total travel costs, by encouraging ridesharing and spreading vehicular demand over time to eliminate queuing delays.
Mild oxidation of methane to methanol or acetic acid on supported isolated rhodium catalysts

An efficient and direct method of catalytic conversion of methane to liquid methanol and other oxygenates would be of considerable practical value. However, it remains an unsolved problem in catalysis, as typically it involves expensive or corrosive oxidants or reaction media that are not amenable to commercialization. Although methane can be directly converted to methanol using molecular oxygen under mild conditions in the gas phase, the process is either stoichiometric (and therefore requires a water extraction step) or is too slow and low-yielding to be practical. Methane could, in principle, also be transformed through direct oxidative carbonylation to acetic acid, which is commercially obtained through methane steam reforming, methanol synthesis, and subsequent methanol carbonylation on homogeneous catalysts. However, an effective catalyst for the direct carbonylation of methane to acetic acid, which might enable the economical small-scale utilization of natural gas that is currently flared or stranded, has not yet been reported. Here we show that mononuclear rhodium species, anchored on a zeolite or titanium dioxide support suspended in aqueous solution, catalyse the direct conversion of methane to methanol and acetic acid, using oxygen and carbon monoxide under mild conditions. We find that the two products form through independent pathways, which allows us to tune the conversion: three-hour-long batch-reactor tests conducted at 150 degrees Celsius, using either the zeolite-supported or the titanium-dioxide-supported catalyst, yield around 22,000 micromoles of acetic acid per gram of catalyst, or around 230 micromoles of methanol per gram of catalyst, respectively, with selectivities of 60-100 per cent. We anticipate that these unusually high activities, despite still being too low for commercial application, may guide the development of optimized catalysts and practical processes for the direct conversion of methane to methanol, acetic acid and other useful chemicals.
Development of Sampling Procedures Based Upon Satellite Derived Land Cover History for the NSF Digital African Cities Project

This article discusses the sampling scheme employed by the Six Cities project to ensure that all areas of habitation have a chance of being selected, that we know what that chance is, and that we are able to critically evaluate the sampling strategy after it has been carried out. A weighting strategy that is slightly different from one used only to do research is therefore employed. The article describes a procedure for generating two kinds of random sample points for areas of change and of no change. Finally, a few simple rules for incorporating socioeconomic, demographic, and other relevant information into the sampling frame without introducing bias into the sample are discussed. Key words: sampling strategies; random sampling; sampling bias; local knowledge; Six Cities project; remote sensing; urban areas in Africa
Leaching of Nuclear Waste Glasses

Resistance to aqueous corrosion is the most important requirement of glasses designed to immobilize high level radioactive wastes. Obtaining a highly durable nuclear waste glass is complicated by the requirement that melting, homogenization, and casting be rapid and capable of remote operations and occur at temperatures generally around 1150°C in order to reduce volatilization of Cs and Ru radionuclides. Consequently, addition of large quantities of Al203, Zr02 or use of high Si02/M0+M20 ratios to improve durability; are not possible for nuclear waste glasses since such compositions increase glass viscosity and melting temperatures. In spite of these difficulties, highly corrosion resistant nuclear waste glasses have been developed with Si02 contents of less than 50 w/o.
A circular echo planar sequence for fast volumetric fMRI.

Purpose To demonstrate a circular EPI (CEPI) sequence as well as a generalized EPI reconstruction for fast fMRI with parallel imaging acceleration. Methods The CEPI acquisition was constructed using variable readout lengths and maximum ramp sampling as well as blipped-CAIPI z-gradient encoding for simultaneous multislice (SMS) and 3D volumetric imaging. A signal equation model with constant and linear phase terms was used to iteratively reconstruct images with low ghosting. Simulation, phantom, and human imaging experiments including audio/visual fMRI were performed at 3T using a 52-channel coil. Results Application of CEPI gradients with duration of 27 ms covering a 22-cm FOV at a 64 × 64 pixel resolution in SMS and 3D acquisitions resulted in images with comparable quality to those of standard Cartesian EPI. With parallel imaging techniques robust detection of BOLD fMRI activation with temporal sampling down to 275 ms was possible. The high temporal resolution enabled higher activation statistics at a penalty in increased noise and residual aliasing. The un-accelerated 3D acquisition showed large temporal instability compared with a standard 2D acquisition. Conclusion Nonuniform sampling and generalized image reconstructions can be applied to EPI acquisitions including those with blipped-CAIPI z gradients. The same gradients can be used for either SMS or 3D acquisitions providing identical coverage.
Renoportal anastomosis in liver transplantation and its impact on patient outcomes: a systematic literature review

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is commonly encountered during liver transplantation (LT). Depending on the grade of thrombosis, varied management strategies are indicated. The aims of this study are to clarify the contemporary role of renoportal anastomosis (RPA) in patients with splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT) undergoing LT and to systematically analyze all reported cases of RPA. A systematic literature search was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses statement guidelines. The study was limited to studies reported in English between January 1997 and May 2017. Only retrospective single center studies were included in the analysis. A total of 66 patients with SVT were reported to have undergone RPA during LT. Transient renal dysfunction was reported in 12 patients (18.1%), variceal hemorrhage in 2 patients (3%), early portal vein (PV) re-thrombosis in 2 patients (3%), chronic renal dysfunction in 2 patients (3%), and late PV re-thrombosis in 1 patient (1.5%). The overall patient and graft survival were each 80%. This analysis illustrates the decades-long evolution of a technique practiced across the field of transplantation. Postoperative complications and graft survival appear to be encouraging, even in the setting of SVT.
Cell Death and Liver Disease

Cell death is now reclassified into several types based on the mechanisms and morphologic phenotype. Understanding of such classifications offers insights into the pathogenesis of liver disease, as well as diagnostic or therapeutic impli cations. Apoptosis is recognized relatively easily due to its unique morphology, but lytic cell death may occur in the form of accidental necrosis, mitochondria permeability transition-driven necrosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and par thanatos. The cell may be engulfed by neighboring cells due to a loss of integrin signaling or cancer cell competition by entosis, a type of cell death. The classification also includes mechanistically termed cell death such as autophagy-depen dent cell death and lysosome-dependent cell death. These different types of cell death may occur uniquely in certain liver diseases but may coexist in the evolution of the disease. They occur in parenchymal and non-parenchymal liver cells, as well as inflammatory cells, causing distinct pathologic consequences. This review briefly covers the recently revised classifications of cell death and discusses their relevance to liver diseases of different etiologies. (Gut Liver 2020;14:20-29)
Clinical outcomes of normal pressure hydrocephalus in 116 patients: objective versus subjective assessment.

Objective Objective assessment tests are commonly used to predict the response to ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Whether subjective reports of improvement after a lumbar drain (LD) trial can predict response to VP shunting remains controversial. The goal in this study was to compare clinical characteristics, complication rates, and shunt outcomes of objective and subjective LD responders who underwent VP shunt placement. Methods This was a retrospective review of patients with NPH who underwent VP shunt placement after clinical improvement with the LD trial. Patients who responded after the LD trial were subclassified into objective LD responders and subjective LD responders. Clinical characteristics, complication rates, and shunt outcomes between the 2 groups were compared with chi-square test of independence and t-test. Results A total of 116 patients received a VP shunt; 75 were objective LD responders and 41 were subjective LD responders. There was no statistically significant difference in patient characteristics between the 2 groups, except for a shorter length of stay after LD trial seen with subjective responders. The complication rates after LD trial and VP shunting were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Similarly, there was no significant difference in shunt response between objective and subjective LD responders. The mean duration of follow-up was 1.73 years. Conclusions Reports of subjective improvement after LD trial in patients with NPH can be a reliable predictor of shunt response. The currently used objective assessment scales may not be sensitive enough to detect subtle changes in symptomatology after LD trial.
Series Compensated Line Parameters Estimation Using Synchrophasor Measurements

This paper proposes a robust approach to accurately estimate parameters for compensated lines in the presence of low-frequency oscillation (LFO) that arises in measurements during a fault close to the series capacitor. The estimation uses measurements available from phasor measurement units (PMUs) and considers both cases of transposed and untransposed lines. The robustness toward measurement errors or departures from the fundamental frequency model due to LFO present in PMU signals is introduced by exploiting the least trimmed square (LTS) estimator. The least trimmed squares is a highly robust estimator that treats the bad effects of outliers. Mutual line parameters between the phases are calculated as well. Simulations were performed with the included sensor errors, and the results show the superiority of the LTS-based estimation compared to the classical estimation using the weighted least squares. The performance of the proposed approach was also assessed with a real-time digital simulator.
Financial misreporting and peer firms' operational efficiency

We investigate the impact of financial misreporting on peer firms’ operational efficiency, defined as a firm’s efficiency in converting investments into revenues. We find that, on average, peers’ operational efficiency declines after rival firms misstate their financial performance. However, we also find that the impact of financial misreporting is not homogeneous across peer firms. The negative effect is mainly driven by non‐misstating firms that had high performance. For firms that had lower past performance, the negative effect is significantly weaker, suggesting that the perceived competition induced by misreporting has a more positive effect. In addition, we document that the effect of misreporting is influenced by peer firms’ external financing need, industry leadership status and information environment.
Analysis of Fiber-Reinforced Elastomeric Isolators

An analysis is given for the mechanical characteristics of multilayer elastomeric isolation bearings where the reinforcing elements-normally steel plates-are replaced by a fiber reinforcement. The fiber-reinforced isolator, in contrast to the steel-reinforced isolator (which is assumed to be rigid both in extension and flexure), is assumed to be flexible in extension, but completely without flexural rigidity. The influence of fiber flexibility on the mechanical properties of the fiber-rein-forced isolator, such as vertical and horizontal stiffness, is studied, and it is shown that it should be possible to produce a fiber- reinforced isolator that matches the behavior of steel-reinforced isolator. The fiber-reinforced isolator will be significantly lighter and could lead to a much less labor intensive manufacturing process.
Two Faces of Novelty: Idea Selection in Crowdsourcing Challenges

The selection of novel ideas is vital to the development of truly innovative products. Firms often turn to idea crowdsourcing challenges, in which both ideators and the seeker firms participate in the idea selection process. Yet prior research cautions that ideators and seeker firms may not select novel ideas. To address the links between idea novelty and selection, this study proposes a bi-faceted notion of idea novelty and probes the role of task structure. Novelty may be local or global, in line with information processing literature. Using semantic analyses of data on 12,079 ideas shared on OpenIDEO during 47 contests held between 2010–2017, the authors find that the selection of novel ideas differs according to the selector, the form of novelty, and the challenge task structure. The results help explain some paradoxical findings in previous studies, with key implications for both ideators and seeker firms. In particular, this research uses measures of local and global novelty, along with additional linguistic measures, to produce a predictive model that seeker firms can leverage when ideator selection metrics such as likes are unavailable.
Identifying invariant ergodic subsets and barriers to mixing by cutting and shuffling: Study in a birotated hemisphere

Mixing by cutting and shuffling can be mathematically described by the dynamics of piecewise isometries (PWIs), higher dimensional analogs of one-dimensional interval exchange transformations. In a two-dimensional domain under a PWI, the exceptional set, E[over ¯], which is created by the accumulation of cutting lines (the union of all iterates of cutting lines and all points that pass arbitrarily close to a cutting line), defines where mixing is possible but not guaranteed. There is structure within E[over ¯] that directly influences the mixing potential of the PWI. Here we provide computational and analytical formalisms for examining this structure by way of measuring the density and connectivity of ɛ-fattened cutting lines that form an approximation of E[over ¯]. For the example of a PWI on a hemispherical shell studied here, this approach reveals the subtle mixing behaviors and barriers to mixing formed by invariant ergodic subsets (confined orbits) within the fractal structure of the exceptional set. Some PWIs on the shell have provably nonergodic exceptional sets, which prevent mixing, while others have potentially ergodic exceptional sets where mixing is possible since ergodic exceptional sets have uniform cutting line density. For these latter exceptional sets, we show the connectivity of orbits in the PWI map through direct examination of orbit position and shape and through a two-dimensional return plot to explain the necessity of orbit connectivity for mixing.
Cyberbullying Perceptions and Experiences in Diverse Youth

We report results from a study that fills gaps in cyberbullying research regarding: 1) diverse youths’ cyberbullying perceptions and experiences, and 2) youths’ cyberbullying-related self-disclosure online. Our study surveyed the relationship between youths’ online self-disclosure practices and their cyberbullying experiences, finding a significant correlation between cyberbullying and the amount and type of information disclosed online. We also found racial differences in youths’ self-disclosure. Focus group discussions with LGBTQ+ youths explored these issues in more depth. We found distinctive perspectives about accountability, disclosure management, and witness-victim effects.
Health Systems Security

The security challenges faced by public health systems have some commonalities with all systems, but also some unique issues. The large amounts of sensitive data collected by public health, combined with the importance of public health to the well-being of the population, make security a crucial issue. US Homeland Security has categorized Healthcare and the Public Health Sector as one of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors.
Uncovering Outcome Disparities of β2 Adrenergic Agonists in Blacks: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Purpose Outcome differences driven by variation in Blacks' biologic response to treatment may contribute to persistent racial disparities in asthma morbidity and mortality. This review assessed systematic variation in β2 agonist treatment outcomes among Blacks compared to other groups. Methods We conducted a systematic review of studies reporting differential response to β2 agonists among Blacks, including studies identifying pharmacogenetic variants. Results Of 3158 papers, 20 compared safety or efficacy of β2 agonists among Blacks as compared with other subgroups. Six papers evaluating efficacy of short-acting β2 agonists (SABA) found similar or improved results among Blacks compared with other groups, while one small study found reduced response to SABA therapy among Blacks. Reports of safety and efficacy of long-acting β2 agonists (LABA) indicated similar results among Blacks in four papers, while four reports found reduced safety among Blacks, as compared with other groups. Four papers assessed genomic variation and relative treatment response in Blacks, with two finding significant effects of the p.Arg16Gly variant in ADRB2 on β2 agonist response and one finding significant gene-gene IL6/IL6R interaction effects on albuterol response. Conclusions Evidence suggests the potential for differences in β2 agonist outcomes among Blacks compared with other groups. This literature, however, remains small and significantly underpowered for substantive conclusions. There are notable opportunities for adequately-powered investigations exploring safety and efficacy of β2 agonists among Blacks, including pharmacogenomic modifiers of response.
Surface hopping with cumulative probabilities: Even sampling and improved reproducibility

Trajectory surface hopping simulations of photochemical reactions are a powerful and increasingly important tool to unravel complex photochemical reactivity. Within surface hopping, electronic transitions are mimicked by stochastic hops between electronic potential surfaces. Thus, statistical sampling is an inescapable component of trajectory-surface-hopping-based nonadiabatic molecular dynamics methods. However, the standard sampling strategy inhibits computational reproducibility, limits predictability, and results in trajectories that are overly sensitive to numerical parameters like the time step. We describe an equivalent approach to sampling electronic transitions within fewest switches surface hopping (FSSH) in which hops are decided in terms of the cumulative probability (FSSH-c) as opposed to the usual prescription, which is in terms of the instantaneous conditional probability (FSSH-i). FSSH-c is statistically equivalent to FSSH-i and can be implemented from trivial modifications to an existing surface hopping algorithm but has several key advantages: (i) a single trajectory is fully specified by just a handful of random numbers, (ii) all hopping decisions are independent of the time step such that the convergence behavior of individual trajectories can be explored, and (iii) alternative integral-based sampling schemes are enabled. In addition, we show that the conventional hopping probability overestimates the hopping rate and propose a simple scaling correction as a fix. Finally, we demonstrate these advantages numerically on model scattering problems.
Response to Intervention: a Rising Tide or Leaky Boat?

Will a rising tide lift all boats? Calls for reform of special education have begun to focus on ways in which it might merge more with general education, with the suggestion that bringing special education into the mainstream may benefit all students, not just those with disabilities.' This Article looks at the legal support for and growth of an educational methodology called Response to Intervention (RTI) that bridges general education and special education. RTI's use spread after it was included in the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and it has the potential to impact how educational services are provided, not just to children with disabilities, but also to other children who are falling behind in school because they are not receiving appropriately targeted educational services.
Placement stability among children in kinship and non-kinship foster placements across multiple placements

Abstract The child welfare system has focused on kinship placements, which have been found to protect against disruption. However, the existing literature has primarily studied time to disruption for a single disruption despite the fact that many children have multiple placements while in care. The current study used survival analysis to investigate whether the type of placement (kin versus non-kin) related to time to placement disruption across up to four placements. Participants included 447 youth aged 5–15 years (M = 9.94, SD = 2.40; 50.8% female) from a larger project examining the outcomes of a family finding intervention. Using survival analysis, we examined the role of a kinship placement on placement disruptions across up to four placements while controlling for demographics, externalizing behaviors upon entry into care, treatment group (family finding versus control), and kin involvement outside of the placement. Results revealed that kin placements contributed to fewer disruptions across the first three placements. Findings align with policies prioritizing kin placements and suggest that the benefits of kinship care hold even for later disruptions. Thus, caseworkers should continue to consider kinship care, even if prior kin placements have disrupted.
Incidentally found rib hemangioma: case report and discussion of management

Rib hemangioma is a rare chest wall tumor for which few reports in the literature exist to help guide treatment. The clinical presentation, radiographic findings, and treatment strategies vary in the literature, with the majority of patients undergoing surgical resection to definitively rule out malignancy. Here, we report a 23-year-old woman with an incidentally discovered rib hemangioma, who had a history of migraines, during the workup of a severe headache refractory to medical treatment. Imaging revealed a solitary, expansile tumor arising from the posterior left third rib. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a fat-containing lesion with multiple vascular flow voids, non-enhancement, and high signal intensity on the T2-weighted series. It appeared to have a honeycomb core on chest computed tomography (CT). Imaging characteristics of the lesion were consistent with an intraosseous hemangioma. The tumor was managed with upfront surgical resection without a preoperative biopsy. The case was uneventful and no complications were encountered. The patient recovered well, denied any symptoms four weeks after surgery, and a follow-up chest X-ray was unremarkable. Following resection, the pathological diagnosis was concordant with the radiographic diagnosis of a rib hemangioma. Here, we review existing literature on the rare case of a rib hemangioma with a focus on the radiographic characteristics and management. Given that radiographic features of this lesion were consistent with prior reports and surgery did not change the diagnosis, we suggest that non-operative management be considered for similar lesions, as surgical resection does not appear to reveal occult malignancy in the majority of cases.
The morphology and age of the Iapetus equatorial ridge supports an exogenic origin

Abstract Both endogenic and exogenic formation mechanisms have been proposed for the equatorial ridge on Saturn's moon Iapetus. With photogeological mapping and crater statistics, we find that the morphology of the ridge is best explained by an exogenic origin, principally by the accretion onto the moon's surface of an orbiting ring of material.
An adaptive data-driven controller for underwater manipulators with variable payload

Abstract The underwater environment poses a complex problem for developing control systems for underwater manipulators. Modeling the system is a complicated and costly process due to the highly nonlinear dynamics and the presence of unknown hydrodynamical effects. Furthermore, manipulators are usually deployed on Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) which further influence and change the dynamics of the arm. This is aggravated in underwater operations where manipulating different objects is necessary. These diverse manipulation tasks introduce external disturbances to the system and can lead to a fast degradation of the control system performance. In this article, we propose a novel adaptive controller for underwater robot manipulators that have to handle varying payloads with different masses, geometries, and buoyant forces. The proposed control strategy utilizes a data-driven model of the system in an optimal control formulation based on neural networks. Moreover, we developed an online tuning strategy, based on the adaptive interaction theory, which allows the gains of the controller to be updated online with respect to a set of performance metrics. Experiments were performed with the robotic arm manipulating a variety of payloads while mounted on both a fixed base and a free-floating vehicle. We present a number of simulated and experimental results that illustrate the benefits of the proposed strategy. In addition, a comparative study against a classical Model Predictive Control (MPC) demonstrates the benefits of our adaptive proposal.
Exploring multiple drug use by integrating mobile health and qualitative mapping methods - An individual case study

Abstract Background Multiple drug use involves particular pleasures and risks, and is disproportionately practiced by some minority and socially marginalized groups. The unique patterns, intentions, and social contexts of multiple drug use for these groups are poorly understood. Methods Our mixed method integrates geo-enabled smartphone survey data collection with a qualitative mapping interview method. This brief report presents data from one study participant to demonstrate this method's potential contributions to multiple drug use research for priority groups in different settings. Results ‘Jason's’ data revealed the interrelated dynamics within his drug use repertoire and links between his substance use to rural life as a transgender person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Cigarettes played a role in coping with acute stress from repeatedly being misgendered. Cannabis intoxication helped manage social interactions as a person with ASD, while ‘chasing’ with cigarettes calibrated cannabis intoxication. Methamphetamine use related to managing body dysmorphia in a rural context with poor access to transgender health services. Conclusion This mixed method can integrate reliable and ecologically valid assessments of multiple drug use repertoires and combination patterns with the place-embedded experiences, intersecting identities, structural barriers, and intentions related to multiple drug use for different priority groups.
The Effects of Oxytocin on Appetite Regulation, Food Intake and Metabolism in Humans

The hypothalamic peptide oxytocin and its receptor are involved in a range of physiological processes, including parturition, lactation, cell growth, wound healing, and social behavior. More recently, increasing evidence has established the effects of oxytocin on food intake, energy expenditure, and peripheral metabolism. In this review, we provide a comprehensive description of the central oxytocinergic system in which oxytocin acts to shape eating behavior and metabolism. Next, we discuss the peripheral beneficial effects oxytocin exerts on key metabolic organs, including suppression of visceral adipose tissue inflammation, skeletal muscle regeneration, and bone tissue mineralization. A brief summary of oxytocin actions learned from animal models is presented, showing that weight loss induced by chronic oxytocin treatment is related not only to its anorexigenic effects, but also to the resulting increase in energy expenditure and lipolysis. Following an in-depth discussion on the technical challenges related to endogenous oxytocin measurements in humans, we synthesize data related to the association between endogenous oxytocin levels, weight status, metabolic syndrome, and bone health. We then review clinical trials showing that in humans, acute oxytocin administration reduces food intake, attenuates fMRI activation of food motivation brain areas, and increases activation of self-control brain regions. Further strengthening the role of oxytocin in appetite regulation, we review conditions of hypothalamic insult and certain genetic pathologies associated with oxytocin depletion that present with hyperphagia, extreme weight gain, and poor metabolic profile. Intranasal oxytocin is currently being evaluated in human clinical trials to learn whether oxytocin-based therapeutics can be used to treat obesity and its associated sequela. At the end of this review, we address the fundamental challenges that remain in translating this line of research to clinical care.
Prospective Memory: An Overview and Synthesis of an Emerging Field

1. Prospective Memory: A New Research Enterprise What is a Prospective Memory Task? Scientific Study of Prospective Memory 2. Monitoring in Prospective Memory Attentional Monitoring Preparatory Attentional Processes To Monitor or Not to Monitor: When is the Question Summary 3. Spontaneous Retrieval in Prospective Remembering Costs of Prospective Memory: Always Present? Spontaneous Retrieval Spontaneous Retrieval as a Reflexive Associative Memory Process Spontaneous Noticing Summary Chapter 4. Multiprocess Theory of Prospective Memory An Advantage of the Multiprocess Theory Multiprocess Theory Parameters of the Ongoing Task Parameters of Prospective Memory Cues Importance of the Prospective Memory Task Individual Differences and Intra-Individual Differences Planning Summary 5. Storage and Retention of Intended Actions Goschke and Kuhl's Paradigm Extending the Intention Superiority Effect Retention of Intended Actions Over Time: Immune to Forgetting? Retrieval of Intentions During the Retention Interval Summary 6. Planning and Encoding of Intentions Planning Implementation Intentions Individual Differences Summary 7. Prospective Memory and Life Span Development Prospective Memory in Children Prospective Memory in Older Adults Summary and Observations 8. Cognitive Neuroscience of Prospective Memory The Neuropsychology of Prospective Memory Neuroimaging and Prospective Memory Event-Related Brain Potentials (ERPs) Summary and Future Directions 9. Prospective Memory as it Applies to Work and Naturalistic Settings General Recommendations for Improving Prospective Memory An Analysis of a Prospective Memory Failure as Possible Interventions Limitations of Generalizing to Applied and Natural Settings on the Basis of Existing Laboratory Experiments Non-laboratory Methods for Investigating Prospective Memory External Reminding Devices Summary 10. Final Thoughts
Biochemistry of the developing rat brain: VII. Changes in the ribosomal system and nuclear RNA's

Abstract Studies were initiated to determine the changes in brain pH 5 fractions, ribosomes and nuclear RNA in their role in ribosomal protein synthesis during the development of the rat. It was found that the pH 5 fractions and ribosomes from newborn and from rats up to the age of 40 days, exhibited maximal incorporation of l -[ 14 C]leucine into ribosomal protein. Similar subcellular fractions isolated from rats 50 days or older, however, showed a sharp decrease in ribosomal protein synthesis which persisted in the young adult. This decreased synthesis was due to reduced activity in both the pH 5 fractions and ribosomes. Addition of nuclear RNA enhanced ribosomal protein synthesis. Preparations from very young rat brain nuclei enhanced phenylalanine incorporation into ribosomal proteins to a greater degree than the preparations from older rats. Similarly, addition of poly U, poly A, and poly C, respectively, enhanced incorporation of l -[ 14 C]phenylalanine, l -[ 14 C]lysine, and l -[ 14 C]proline, respectively, to a greater extent into the very young brain ribosomal system than those from the older animals. Examination of nuclear RNA components by gradient centrifugation showed that in the very young brain nuclei equivalent amounts of 5-S, 16-S and 26-S RNA is present. This pattern changed during growth and in the adult brain nuclei the major components were 5 and 11 S and only very small amounts of 17 and 28 S were present. These results indicate that during the growth of the rat brain marked changes occurred in pH 5 fractions, ribosomes, and nuclear RNA which are in part responsible for reduced ribosomal protein synthesis in the adult brain in contrast to this synthesis in the very young brain.