cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectral Analysis of TCP Flows for Defense Against Reduction-of-Quality Attacks

The RoQ (reduction-of-quality) attacks are low- rate DDoS attacks that degrade the QoS to end systems stealthily but not to deny the services completely. These attacks are more difficult to detect than the flooding DDoS attacks. This paper explores the energy distributions of Internet traffic flows in frequency domain. Normal TCP traffic flows present periodicity because of protocol behavior. Our results reveal that normal TCP flows can be segregated from malicious flows according to energy distribution properties. We discover the spectral shifting of attack flows from that of normal flows. Combining flow-level spectral analysis with sequential hypothesis testing, we propose a novel defense scheme against RoQ attacks. Our detection and filtering scheme can effectively rescue 99% legitimate TCP flows under the RoQ attacks.
A simple method for calculating Clebsch–Gordan coefficients

This paper presents a simple method for calculating Clebsch–Gordan coefficients for the tensor product of two unitary irreducible representations (UIRs) of the rotation group. The method also works for multiplicity-free irreducible representations appearing in the tensor product of any number of UIRs of the rotation group. The generalization to representations with multiplicity is straightforward and briefly discussed.
Using organizational economics to engage cultural key masters in creating change in forensic science administration to minimize bias and errors

The administration of the forensic science process falls into the hands of supervisors, local administrators, and prosecution attorneys and police agencies. In the current structure, the police and prosecution are the principal and the forensic scientists the agent. I identify changes that must be made in that relationship to eliminate biases and to determine the major obstacles that stand in the way of creating the necessary changes. I focus on the ‘middle managers’ – the supervisors and laboratory directors – as the cultural key masters. I recommend: mechanism design principles to enable laboratories to report to a board of directors, rather than the prosecutor and police; for the development of compensation plans for middle managers to build a culture of learning based on error tolerance rather than error punishment; and for the use of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to facilitate the identity changes of cultural key masters.
RAPID ASSAYS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE CULEX (CULEX) PIPIENS COMPLEX, THEIR HYBRIDS, AND OTHER SIBLING SPECIES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

Mosquitoes in the Culex (Culex) pipiens complex of species, known as vectors of periodic filariasis and deadly encephalitides, have recently emerged as important vectors of West Nile virus in the United States. Highly conserved morphology but marked differences in potential vectorial capacity require the development of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tests that unambiguously distinguish among the different species. We introduce and describe a series of PCR-based assays that use polymorphisms in the second intron of the acetylcholinesterase-2 (ace-2) locus for the identification of members of the Cx. pipiens complex (Cx. pipiens, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. p. pallens, Cx. australicus), two other species that are commonly mislabeled as Cx. pipiens (Cx. torrentium and Cx. pervigilans), as well as hybrids between Cx. pipiens and Cx. quinquefasciatus.
Analysis of sodium, potassium, calcium, and ammonium cation binding and selectivity in one- and two-armed nitrogenpivot lariat ethers

Abstract Complexation of sodium, potassium, calcium, and ammonium cations by one- and two-armed (bibracchial) lariat ethers is surveyed and analyzed. A comprehensive list of binding data determined at 25.0±0.1 °C in anhydrous methanol is presented. More than 100 new, experimentally determined (K s ) and calculated (selectivity) values especially for calcium and ammonium are presented. Both cation binding strength and selectivity are evaluated in terms of ring size, sidearm length, number and type of donor groups and other factors. Hitherto unreported divalent calcium cation binding selectivities for bibracchial lariat ethers in aqueous solution rival the cation selectivities of some cryptands. N,N′-bis(Ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-4,13-diaza-18-crown-6 exhibits a Ca2+/K+ selectivity equal to that of [2.2.1]-cryptand and a Ca2+/Na+ selectivity better than that of any cryptand. Two bibracchial systems having >NCH2CONHCHRCOOCH2CH3 sidearms (R=H, s-butyl), have shown Ca2+ over Na+ selectivity in water of ≥103. Catio...
158. Decreased vesicular monoamine transporter density in schizophrenic prefrontal cortex

A recent report has suggested decreased dopaminergic innervation to the schizophrenic prefrontal cortex, based on diminished immunocytochemical labeling of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive axons in this cortical region (Akil et al, Am J Psychiatry 156:1580–1589, 1999). To further investigate possible alterations in presynaptic aspects of dopaminergic neurotransmission in schizophrenic prefrontal cortex, we have examined the binding of the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2) ligand [3H]dihydotetrabenazine by quantitative autoradiography in sections of prefrontal cortex from a group of older subjects with schizophrenia and a comparison group of non-psychiatrically ill individuals. VMAT binding was readily identifiable in prefrontal cortex, although it was present in a homogeneous pattern with no lamina-specific pattern of distribution. Dramatic reductions (30–50%) were found in multiple divisions of the prefrontal cortex in the subjects with schizophrenia. Given past reports of no changes in the level of expression of this molecule after pharmacological treatment with antipsychotic agents, it in unlikely that this effect is secondary to antipsychotic exposure, but rather is associated with the illness itself. These results suggest that there are decreased numbers of dopamine-containing secretory vesicles in presynaptic nerve terminals in the schizophrenic prefrontal cortex, and are consistent with the hypothesis of decreased dopamine afferent innervation to this cortical region. This study adds to the growing evidence for alterations of patterns of dopaminergic innervation to cortical regions in schizophrenia, and suggests that there may be presynaptic abnormalities of dopaminergic neurotransmission in this illness.
Phase Transitions in Neural Networks

Various simulations of cortical subnetworks have evidenced something like phase transitions with respect to key parameters. We demonstrate that such transitions must indeed exist in analogous infinite array models. For related finite array models classical phase transitions (which describe steady-state behavior) may not exist, but there can be distinct qualitative changes in ("metastable") transient behavior as key system parameters pass through critical values.
Economic, Environmental and Health Implications of Enhanced Ventilation in Office Buildings

Introduction: Current building ventilation standards are based on acceptable minimums. Three decades of research demonstrates the human health benefits of increased ventilation above these minimums. Recent research also shows the benefits on human decision-making performance in office workers, which translates to increased productivity. However, adoption of enhanced ventilation strategies is lagging. We sought to evaluate two of the perceived potential barriers to more widespread adoption—Economic and environmental costs. Methods: We estimated the energy consumption and associated per building occupant costs for office buildings in seven U.S. cities, representing different climate zones for three ventilation scenarios (standard practice (20 cfm/person), 30% enhanced ventilation, and 40 cfm/person) and four different heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system strategies (Variable Air Volume (VAV) with reheat and a Fan Coil Unit (FCU), both with and without an energy recovery ventilator). We also estimated emissions of greenhouse gases associated with this increased energy usage, and, for comparison, converted this to the equivalent number of vehicles using greenhouse gas equivalencies. Lastly, we paired results from our previous research on cognitive function and ventilation with labor statistics to estimate the economic benefit of increased productivity associated with increasing ventilation rates. Results: Doubling the ventilation rate from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers minimum cost less than $40 per person per year in all climate zones investigated. Using an energy recovery ventilation system significantly reduced energy costs, and in some scenarios led to a net savings. At the highest ventilation rate, adding an ERV essentially neutralized the environmental impact of enhanced ventilation (0.03 additional cars on the road per building across all cities). The same change in ventilation improved the performance of workers by 8%, equivalent to a $6500 increase in employee productivity each year. Reduced absenteeism and improved health are also seen with enhanced ventilation. Conclusions: The health benefits associated with enhanced ventilation rates far exceed the per-person energy costs relative to salary costs. Environmental impacts can be mitigated at regional, building, and individual-level scales through the transition to renewable energy sources, adoption of energy efficient systems and ventilation strategies, and promotion of other sustainable policies.
Short-Term Climate Variations: Recent Accomplishments and Issues for Future Progress

A short nontechnical review of the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon and the associated teleconnections to higher latitudes is given. ENSO has been shown to be predictable to some degree for over a year ahead, which therefore provides a basis for skillful prediction of interannual variations in climate. The processes involved are emphasized in order to highlight the areas where future research may most profitably be directed to improve climate forecasts. This progress has been realized through the successful completion of the Tropical Oceans Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Program of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP), which has established and maintained the TOGA Observing System, developed coupled atmosphere–ocean models of the tropical Pacific Ocean, demonstrated the predictive capabilities noted above, and conducted field programs to further the understanding of physical processes. Future research will take place in the context of a developing infrastructure associated with operational cl...
Spin relaxation in normal liquid3He:T1 in the Fermi liquid (T≪TF) regime

The low-temperature (T≪T F) spin relaxation timeT 1 in normal liquid3He is calculated. First an expression forT 1 is obtained using the Landau kinetic equation, which is in terms of the perturbations of the scattering amplitudes due to nuclear dipole-dipole interactions. These perturbations are obtained using the induced interaction model, which explicitly includes the effects of many-body correlations arising from the Pauli principle. The results are in good agreement with experiment, as well as with previous calculations.
Boss Smart

This article addresses the soft skills specifically required to build good rapport with and to gain trust from our bosses. The mantras imparted include the following: our bosses expect our loyalty to them; we should share credit with our bosses for accomplishments and shoulder the blame for failures, even if our bosses contributed to the failure; we should be able to read nuances from our bosses; and we should be proactive and possess farsighted vision.
Synthetic control of isolated, single functional groups on silica surfaces.

We report control of the density of isolated, single functional groups in homogeneously mixed trichloroalkyl silanes on various silica surfaces. The functional groups are covalently bound to a silane derived from the Rink resin. This Rink-silane is reactive to any nucleophile. Control over the density of functional groups is achieved by diluting the immersion solution containing the Rink-silane with an inert silane, octadecyltrichlorsilane. The isolated nature of the functional groups is confirmed by the stochastic blinking of fluorescent single boron-dipyrromethane dyes imaged in total internal reflection geometry. The robust character of silane monolayers allows facile covalent binding and cleavage of molecular species from silica surfaces as well as general synthetic transformations to be conducted. This is shown by the covalent attachment and then cleavage of a naphthalene chromophore. This low-cost and scalable platform has great potential for use in sensing, molecular electronics, semiconductor proc...
SPORULATION OF THE BASIDIOMYCETE PACHNOCYBE FERRUGINEA IN TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS

Variations in sporulation patterns were characterized in a single-spore isolate of Pachnocybeferruginea grown in aerated and non-aerated broth, on agar plates and in aerated water. Conidial production occurred in all cultures except agar. The greatest amount of conidial production was in aerated water while the least was observed in non-aerated broth. Secondary or repeating conidia were produced in aerated water and aerated broth cultures. Basidial production varied in occurrence in different culture conditions; however, basidiocarp organization occurred only on agar plates. Basidia from agar cultures consistently produced 5-7 spores while in aerated broth basidia produced only 2-4 spores. Sporulation patterns of Pachnocybe ferruginea were compared to results of other culturing experiments involving organisms from both terrestrial and aquatic environments and the evolutionary and phylogenetic significance of gasteroid adaptations to wet environments is discussed.
Interaction of Cooking Method and Chilling Media on the Tenderness and Physical Characteristics of Broiler Breast Fillets

Abstract In each of two trials per experiment, fillets were harvested from 40 broiler carcasses 10 min postmortem (Experiment 1) or after a 4-h carcass aging period (Experiment 2). Fillets and carcasses were chilled either in tap water or a 5% solution of sodium chloride and baked or deep fat fried. Chilling in brine increased solution uptake of both fillets and carcasses, decreased drip loss associated with fillet storage prior to cooking, decreased fillet cook loss, and increased chloride ion concentration of the cooked meat. Tenderization due to brine chilling was maximized by baking (lower shear force) and most apparent in hot-boned samples (Experiment 1). Deep fat frying tended to mask tenderization effects of brine chilling by producing its own tenderization effect, especially in samples that would normally exhibit relatively low shear force values (Experiment 2). The tenderization effect of brine chilling was not totally dependent on increased water-holding capacity associated with cooked meat moisture content, but also occurred even when no significant difference in moisture content was observed.
Improved Paraffin Schedules for Plant Tissues

The two paraffin schedules here presented have produced less distortion in plant tissues than those commonly used. Both are modifications of the schedule described by Hemenway.1 Schedule A is very similar to that described by Hewitt.2 Schedule B usually causes less distortion than A but staining is not so bright as after A.
Optimal Control Strategy of Active Power in Microgrid Islanded Operation

Renewable energy access is one of the important characteristics of microgrid.For the intermittent characteristic of distributed energy such as wind power,photovoltaic cell,the strategy of suppressing the power fluctuations is put forward.Two models are built in the paper with the same objective as getting maximum profit,they are,1) only the interruptible load is considered,and 2) both the interruptible load and stand-by generators are taken into account.And the differences between the scheduling interruptible load and the user-interruptible load are also analyzed in the models.The two proposed models have been proved to be efficiency by using the case simulation test.
Ectopic Acromegaly Arising from a Pituitary Adenoma within the Bony Intersphenoid Septum of a Patient with Empty Sella Syndrome

Objective To describe the work-up and treatment of rare ectopic acromegaly caused by a biopsy-proven somatotroph pituitary adenoma located within the bony intersphenoid septum of a patient with empty sella syndrome (ESS). Methods We report the presentation, clinical course, diagnostic work-up, and lesion localization and treatment challenges encountered in a 55-year-old patient, with a brief review of relevant literature. Results A 55-year-old African-American man presented with acromegaly and ESS. Attempts to definitively localize the causative tumor were unsuccessful, though petrosal sinus sampling supported central growth hormone production and imaging suggested bone-enclosed subsellar pituitary tissue. Endoscopic endonasal transphenoidal exploration was undertaken with resection of a somatotroph pituitary microadenoma, and subsequent clinical improvement and biochemical remission. Retrospective review revealed the patient's pituitary to have been located ectopically within a unique bony intersphenoid septum. Conclusion This report describes the first known case of an ectopic pituitary adenoma located within the midline bony intersphenoid septum, which we postulate to have resulted from anomalous embryological pituitary migration. Intra-intersphenoid septal tumors should be considered in cases of apparent central acromegaly with ESS or absence of tumor tissue within the paranasal sinuses or other peripheral locations. Indexing Acromegaly, ESS, pituitary adenoma, sphenoid sinus septum.
RECENT ASPECTS OF OLEFIN SULFIDE CHEMISTRY

Abstract The three-membered heterocyclic compounds (I) are designated variously as episulfides, thiacyclopropanes, olefin sulfides or thiiranes. A comparison of the episulfides (I) with their oxygen analogs, the epoxides, is almost inevitable in view of their structural similarity and the proximity of sulfur to oxygen in the periodic table; some general statements comparing the two classes of compounds can be made. The episulfides are more prone to spontaneous polymerization than are the corresponding epoxides and are less convenient compounds to store. The desulfurization of episulfides both thermally and with a variety of reagents to give the corresponding olefins is a very common reaction; the similar deoxygenation of epoxides is possible only with a few of those reagents and then under much more vigorous conditions. The direction of ring-opening of episulfides by various reagents has been investigated to a very small extent as compared to the corresponding reactions of epoxides; it appears, however, on the basis of what is known at present, that different rules apply for the two classes of compounds with at least some of the examples that have been studied.
Detecting Inaccurate Predictions of Pediatric Surgical Durations

Accurate predictions of surgical case lengths areuseful for patient scheduling in hospitals. In pediatric hospitals, this prediction problem is particularly difficult. Predictions aretypically provided by highly trained medical staff, but thesepredictions are not necessarily accurate. We present a noveldecision support tool that detects when expert predictions areinaccurate so that these predictions can be re-evaluated. We explore several different algorithms. We provide methodologicalinsights and suggest directions of future work.
Application-driven sensing data reconstruction and selection based on correlation mining and dynamic feedback

As sensors spread across almost every industry, the Internet of Things (IoT) is going to trigger an era of big data. However, the abundance of available sensing data causes new challenges when building IoT applications. One main challenge is how to select proper data from large amount of sensing data for learning useful information efficiently. Existing approaches require developers to manage data for each specific application, which is very time consuming since the developers may not have enough knowledge about the dynamic changing data quality of different sensors. In this paper, we propose a data management middleware to learn the correlations between time series sensor data without prior knowledge. The learned correlation is then applied to select the useful sensor and reconstruct the incorrect data. To generalize the correlation models for each application, we utilize the dynamic feedback from the application to update the data selection and reconstruction. We evaluate our data management middleware in smart grids. The evaluation results show that our middleware can achieve better application performance with the help of dynamic feedback, data reconstruction and data selection.
It Feels Good to Know That Someone Cares

Introduction:Diabetes is the leading cause of death in Hispanic communities. Self-management is an important part of diabetes care, and diabetes self-management education (DSME) aims to teach the s...
Coalition Power in Epistemic Transition Systems

The paper proposes a bimodal logic that describes an interplay between coalition strategies and distributed knowledge. Unlike the existing literature, the paper assumes that a strategy must be not only executable but also verifiable. That is, the strategy of a coalition should be based only on the information distributively known by the coalition and the coalition must be able to verify the result after the strategy is executed. The main technical result of the paper is a sound and complete logical system describing all universal properties expressible in the proposed bimodal language.
Pokémon Battles as a Context for Mathematical Modeling

In this article I explore some of the underlying mathematics of Pokemon battles and describe ways that teachers at the secondary level could explore concepts of mathematical game theory in this context. I discuss various ways of representing and analyzing a Pokemon battle using game theory and conclude with an example of applying concepts of expected value and solving systems of linear equations to find a mixed-strategy Nash equilibrium.
Querying to mine clusters

There are many different types of clustering methods and techniques. Most of them have originated from the areas of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Most of the above methods and techniques do not scale. Presented in this paper is a unique method for identifying clusters of tuples in a relational database. This method, called Querying to Mine Clusters (QMC), comes from the area of databases and is scalable.
Training young researchers: Successful strategies from University of Chicago college economics

ABSTRACTThe authors summarize successes in training researchers in the University of Chicago economics program over the last 15 years. Students learn to investigate quantitative relations using models in which purposeful but constrained economic agents interact. They are shown how a productive research culture requires careful work, collegiality, and honesty. Preparing students to perform economics research is a multi-year effort, with clear sequences of ordered coursework and research practice. When advice is signaled early and often to all, motivated students heed that advice and do well. Chicago regularly puts 5 percent of its majors into top PhD programs, for a combined total of 140 over the past 15 years.
Clostridium difficile: What the surgeon needs to know

Abstract Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common nosocomial infection that all medical practitioners must be familiar with, as all patients are at risk of developing this infectious disease. Although it has long been appreciated that this infectious disease arises secondary to the development of a colonic dysbiosis, as our understanding of the microbiome has grown substantially broader, the utilization of fecal microbiota therapy for this disease has also become a widespread reality. In addition to understanding the role of the microbiome in CDI, the poor prognosis of patients with severe, complicated CDI must also be recognized by critical care providers and abdominal surgeons. Strategies to lower the threshold for surgical consultation, and guidelines to help decide when surgery is indicated, can decrease mortality for patients. This chapter reviews these issues, as well as other aspects relevant to the treatment and care of patients with CDI.
Environmental Controls of Oyster-Pathogenic Vibrio spp. in Oregon Estuaries and a Shellfish Hatchery.

Vibrio spp. have been a persistent concern for coastal bivalve hatcheries, which are vulnerable to environmental pathogens in the seawater used for rearing larvae, yet the biogeochemical drivers of oyster-pathogenic Vibrio spp. in their planktonic state are poorly understood. Here, we present data tracking oyster-pathogenic Vibrio bacteria in Netarts Bay and Yaquina Bay in Oregon, USA, as well as in adjacent coastal waters and a local shellfish hatchery, through the 2015 upwelling season. Vibrio populations were quantified using a culture-independent approach of high-throughput Vibrio-specific 16S rRNA gene sequencing paired with droplet digital PCR, and abundances were analyzed in the context of local biogeochemistry. The most abundant putative pathogen in our samples was Vibrio coralliilyticus Environmental concentrations of total Vibrio spp. and V. coralliilyticus were highest in Netarts Bay sediment samples and higher in seawater from Netarts Bay than from nearshore coastal waters or Yaquina Bay. In Netarts Bay, the highest V. coralliilyticus concentrations were observed during low tide, and abundances increased throughout the summer. We hypothesize that the warm shallow waters in estuarine mudflats facilitate the local growth of the V. coralliilyticus pathogen. Samples from larval oyster tanks in Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery, which uses seawater pumped directly from Netarts Bay, contained significantly lower total Vibrio species concentrations, but roughly similar V. coralliilyticus concentrations, than did the bay water, resulting in a 30-fold increase in the relative abundance of the V. coralliilyticus pathogen in hatchery tanks. This suggests that the V. coralliilyticus pathogen is able to grow or persist under hatchery conditions.IMPORTANCE It has been argued that oyster-pathogenic Vibrio spp. have contributed to recent mortality events in U.S. shellfish hatcheries (R. A. Elston, H. Hasegawa, K. L. Humphrey, I. K. Polyak, and C. Hase, Dis Aquat Organ 82:119-134, 2008, https://doi.org/10.3354/dao01982); however, these events are often sporadic and unpredictable. The success of hatcheries is critically linked to the chemical and biological composition of inflowing seawater resources; thus, it is pertinent to understand the biogeochemical drivers of oyster-pathogenic Vibrio spp. in their planktonic state. Here, we show that Netarts Bay, the location of a local hatchery, is enriched in oyster-pathogenic V. coralliilyticus compared to coastal seawater, and we hypothesize that conditions in tidal flats promote the local growth of this pathogen. Furthermore, V. coralliilyticus appears to persist in seawater pumped into the local hatchery. These results improve our understanding of the ecology and environmental controls of the V. coralliilyticus pathogen and could be used to improve future aquaculture efforts, as multiple stressors impact hatchery success.
Statistical Point Vortex Theories

In a paper that initiated the modern treatment of “statistical hydrodynamics,” Onsager (1949) described a point vortex-based theory of turbulence that has proven to be remarkably fruitful, if not all together perfect, and which continues to produce a lively and growing literature. Motivated largely by an attempt to explain the presence of large, isolated vortices in a wide range of turbulent flows (see the descriptive paper of McWilliams (1984))1, Onsager’s theory adopts three main assumptions: The theory is based on the inviscid Euler equations in two dimensions, thereby ignoring viscous dissipation (considered to be important at small scales) and vortex-stretching (considered to be important at all scales). The theory is based on a point vortex discretization of the Euler equations thereby producing a “vortex gas,” which, while derived from the incompressible equations of motion, behaves in many respects like a compressible system with the ability of point vortices to cluster or expand. The theory makes use of equilibrium statistical mechanics to explain asymptotic properties of turbulent flows, typically thought to be more amenable to nonequilibrium techniques able to handle large flucuations far from equilibrium.
Identification and Isolation of Human Splenic Macrophages, Lymphocytes, and Related Cells with in Situ Immunohistochemical Techniques and Countercurrent Centrifugal Elutriation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a technique for identification and isolation of spleen macrophages, lymphocytes and related cells. The analysis of tissue sections for various types of cells offers a number of advantages over the use of cell suspensions for this purpose: (1) the identification of the cell type of interest in situ allows quantitative estimates of the number of such cells per unit of tissue, (2) the application of sensitive detection techniques in situ provides a way of determining whether subsequent manipulations have altered cellular phenotype, (3) the microanatomic distribution of cells expressing a particular phenotype, especially in complex tissues. In an experiment described in the chapter, the presence of various cell membrane antigens on spleen cells was determined using monoclonal antibodies and heteroantisera together with the avidin-biotinylated horseradish peroxidase and the avidin-biotinylated glucose oxidase techniques. Elutriation was performed at 25°C. The system was sterilized by pumping 70% ethanol through the lines and by then flushing with sterile elutriation medium. The ability to obtain large numbers of splenic microphages in this manner is particularly important for experiments in which minority subpopulations are being studied.
A study of the developing relations between self-regulation and mathematical knowledge in the context of an early math intervention

Abstract Many children from low-income families who have received a generally effective pre-k math intervention nevertheless enter kindergarten behind their middle-income peers in math readiness. To better understand why, research has recently begun to examine the role of self-regulation in children’s early mathematical learning and development. The present study examined (1) the directionality of relations between mathematical knowledge and self-regulation skills, specifically inhibitory control and persistence, within the context of a two-year preschool math intervention; (2) whether participation in a math intervention had a direct impact on either inhibitory control or persistence; and (3) whether self-regulation moderates the impact of math interventions on children’s math outcomes. Participants were 526 low-income preschoolers who were participating in an efficacy study of two early math interventions. Children were assessed on early math and self-regulation skills three times over two years of preschool. Results indicated a bidirectional relation between children’s measures of delay inhibitory control and mathematical knowledge, and children’s mathematical knowledge predicted conflict inhibitory control and persistence. Participation in a math intervention had a direct impact on persistence, but self-regulation skills did not moderate the impacts of participation on either math intervention. Thus, a complex set of relations exists between self-regulation and mathematical knowledge in early childhood. This suggests that the effectiveness of early math interventions might be enhanced by concomitant interventions that target self-regulation.
Basic Needs and Fulfilling Human Potential

Maslow spends a great deal of thinking and writing about human fulfillment, including reaching one’s potential. After studying exemplars in literature and biography, as well as personal acquaintances, he described the nature of “self-actualization.” The assumption of basic needs fulfillment is that one can then focus on self-actualization. We review his description and contrast the descriptions with our ancestral context, small-band hunter-gatherer societies. Then we examine the human capabilities approach which also emphasizes adult needs. We suggest that meeting the needs of babies is fundamental to potentialities for self-actualization and human capabilities. Meeting the needs of babies means following the evolved nest for the young. To make this clear, we present a baby bill of rights.
Some Possible Futures of Openly Sharing Learning

If it is true that the present age shows a retreat from globalism in a G-Zero world, then it may be that the appeal of creating online learning contents and learning sequences for free for the betterment of others may be a non-starter. If the ecosystem is about everyone for themselves, why start in a dominated position and sure-lose strategy? This chapter asks a critical question about what the future of open sharing may look like, and why. What would be the optimal (aspirational?) scenario (s) for humanity? What are some possible futures at the macro-, meso-, and micro- scales, and why? What are ways to reconfigure incentives and disincentives for the optimal outcomes? And most importantly, how does the reader see himself or herself (or themselves) in this space into the near-future, mid-term future, and long-term future, and how do they plan to get themselves into their desirable future?
Cognitive and Motor Impairment Severity Related to Signs of Subclinical Wernicke's Encephalopathy in HIV Infection.

Background:Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is a neurological condition resulting from thiamine deficiency. Although commonly associated with alcoholism, nonalcoholic WE has been described in individuals with HIV infection, but subclinical WE may be underdiagnosed. The current study questioned whether
Diagonal Born–Oppenheimer Corrections within the Nuclear–Electronic Orbital Framework

The nuclear–electronic orbital (NEO) method treats specified nuclei, typically protons, quantum mechanically on the same level as the electrons. This approach invokes the Born–Oppenheimer separatio...
Exposures at day labor corners: using existing georeferenced data to describe features of urban environments.

Abstract Purpose Latino day laborers are male immigrants from mainly Mexico and Central America who congregate at corners, that is, informal hiring sites, to solicit short-term employment. Studies describing the occupational environment of Latino day laborers traditionally measure jobsite exposures, not corner exposures. We sought to elucidate exposures at corners by describing their demographic, socioeconomic, occupational, business, built, and physical environmental characteristics and by comparing corner characteristics with other locations in a large urban county in Texas. Methods We used multiple publicly available data sets from the U.S. Census, local tax authority, Google's Nearby Places Application Programming Interface, and Environmental Protection Agency at fine spatial scale to measure 34 characteristics of corners with matched comparison locations. Results Corners were located close to highways, high-traffic intersections, hardware and moving stores, and gas stations. Corners were in neighborhoods with large foreign-born and Latino populations, high rates of limited English proficiency, and high construction-sector employment. Conclusions Publicly available data sources describe demographic, socioeconomic, occupational, business, built, and physical environment characteristics of urban environments at fine spatial scale. Using these data, we identified unique corner-based exposures experienced by day laborers. Future research is needed to understand how corner environments may influence health for this uniquely vulnerable population.
Severity analysis for large truck rollover crashes using a random parameter ordered logit model

Large truck rollover crashes present significant financial, industrial, and social impacts. This paper presents an effort to investigate the contributing factors to large truck rollover crashes. Specific focus was placed on exploring the role of heterogeneity and the potential sources of heterogeneity regarding their impacts on injury-severity outcomes. The data used in this study contained large truck rollover crashes that occurred between 2007 and 2016 in the state of Florida. A random parameter ordered logit (RPOL) model was applied. Various driver, vehicle, roadway, and crash attributes were explored as potential predictors in the model. Their impacts were examined for the presence of heterogeneity. Interaction effects were then added to the random variables in order to detect potential sources of heterogeneity. Model results showed that the impacts of lighting conditions and driving speed had significant variation across observations, and this variation could be attributed to driver actions and driver conditions at the time of the crash, as well as driver vision obstruction. Findings from this study shed light on the direction, magnitude, and randomness of the factors that contribute to large truck rollover crashes. Findings associated with heterogeneity could help develop more effective and targeted countermeasures to improve freight safety. Driver education programs could be planned more efficiently, and advisory and warning signs could be designed in a more insightful manner by taking into account specific roadway attributes, such as sandy surfaces, downhill, curved alignment, unpaved shoulders, and lighting conditions.
Tautological Tuning of the Kostant-Souriau Quantization Map with Differential Geometric Structures

For decades, mathematical physicists have searched for a coordinate independent quantization procedure to replace the ad hoc process of canonical quantization. This effort has largely coalesced into two distinct research programs: geometric quantization and deformation quantization. Though both of these programs can claim numerous successes, neither has found mainstream acceptance within the more experimentally minded quantum physics community, owing both to their mathematical complexities and their practical failures as empirical models. This paper introduces an alternative approach to coordinate-independent quantization called tautologically tuned quantization. This approach uses only differential geometric structures from symplectic and Riemannian geometry, especially the tautological one form and vector field (hence the name). In its focus on physically important functions, tautologically tuned quantization hews much more closely to the ad hoc approach of canonical quantization than either traditional geometric quantization or deformation quantization and thereby avoid some of the mathematical challenges faced by those methods. Given its focus on standard differential geometric structures, tautologically tuned quantization is also a better candidate than either traditional geometric or deformation quantization for application to covariant Hamiltonian field theories, and therefore may pave the way for the geometric quantization of classical fields.
COVID-19 in Immunocompromised Hosts: What We Know So Far.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused significant morbidity and mortality for patients and stressed healthcare systems worldwide. The clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 among immunosuppressed patients, who are at presumed risk for more severe disease but who may also have decreased detrimental inflammatory responses, are not well characterized. We review the existing literature on COVID-19 among immunocompromised populations ranging from cancer patients and solid organ transplant recipients to patients with HIV and those receiving immunomodulatory therapy for autoimmune disease. Patients with malignancy and solid organ transplant recipients may be at increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease and death whereas for those with other types of immunocompromise, current evidence is less clear. Overall, further prospective, controlled studies are needed to determine the attributable risk of immunocompromising conditions and therapies on COVID-19 disease prognosis.
Inhibiting DDX3X Triggers Tumor-Intrinsic Type I Interferon Response and Enhances Anti-Tumor Immunity

ABSTRACT Accumulating evidence has shown that cellular double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) induce antiviral innate immune responses in human normal and malignant cancer cells. However, it is not fully understood how endogenous ‘self’ dsRNA homeostasis is regulated in the cell. Here, we show that an RNA-binding protein, DEAD-box RNA helicase 3X (DDX3X), prevents the aberrant accumulation of cellular dsRNAs. Loss of DDX3X induces dsRNA sensor-mediated type I interferon signaling and innate immune response in breast cancer cells due to abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation of dsRNAs. Dual depletion of DDX3X and a dsRNA-editing protein, ADAR1 synergistically activates the cytosolic dsRNA pathway in breast cancer cell. Moreover, inhibiting DDX3X enhances the antitumor activity by increasing tumor intrinsic-type I interferon response, antigen presentation, and tumor-infiltration of cytotoxic T cells as well as dendritic cells in breast tumors, which may lead to the development of breast cancer therapy by targeting DDX3X in combination with immune checkpoint blockade.
Changes in auditory cortical thickness following music training in children: converging longitudinal and cross-sectional results

Evidence is accumulating to suggest that music training is associated with structural brain differences in children and in adults. We used magnetic resonance imagining in two studies to investigate neuroanatomical correlates of music training in children. In study 1, we cross-sectionally compared a group of child musician (ages 9-11) matched to non-musicians and found that cortical thickness was greater in child musician in the posterior segment of the right-superior temporal gyrus (STG), an auditory association area that is involved in processing complex auditory stimuli, including pitch. We also found that thickness in the right posterior STG is related to music proficiency, however this relationship did not reach significance. In study 2, a longitudinal study, we investigated change in cortical thickness over a four-year period comparing a group of children involved in a systematic music training program with another group of children who did not have any music training. In this 2nd study we assessed both groups at the beginning of the study, prior to music training for the music group, and four years later. We found that children in the music group showed a strong trend of lower rate of cortical thinning in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus. Together, our results provide evidence that music training induces structural brain changes in school-age children and that these changes are predominantly pronounced in the right auditory association areas.
SARS-CoV2 and Co-Infections: A Review of Two Cases

COVID-19 infection caused by SARS-CoV2 virus is an acute respiratory illness which was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Usually, SARS-CoV2 infects independently and can cause spectrum of disease ranging from mild illness to severe progressive pneumonia, multiorgan dysfunction, and death; however, co-infections with other respiratory pathogens have been noted. Here, we present 2 fatal cases with co-infection, one with parainfluenza-4 virus and other co-infection/secondary infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Further studies are needed to study the effect of co-infections on morbidity and mortality of patients and establish the outcome of such infections.
Pearls, People, and Power: Pearling and Indian Ocean worlds; Octopus Crowd: Maritime history and the business of Australian pearling in its schooner age

Although the history of pearling goes back at least 7,000 years, it was not until the late eighteenth century that the fishery began to exert a stronger formative role through the interplay of loca...
International Scar Classification in 2019

Scars can be classified into immature scars and mature scars. Mature scars can be “normal,” atrophic, or hypertrophic. Keloids occur in patients with a genetic predisposition and behave differently than hypertrophic scars, although there can be a continuum in terms of appearance. The molecular mechanisms of scarring, hypertrophic scar and keloids, have been the subject of intensive research. There are still many unanswered questions.
Effects of ACE Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers and Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitors on Survival Free from Gastrointestinal Bleeding in HeartMate 3 Patients - A Marginal Structural Modeling Analysis

Purpose The HeartMate 3 (HM3) is superior to HMII in survival free from disabling stroke and pump exchange, however, rates of GIB remain high. Prior studies show a protective effect of digoxin and ACEi/ARB on risk for GIB, whereas phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) have opposite effect in HMII using Cox Proportional Hazard (PH) models with inverse probability weighting (IPW). Compared to this approach, marginal structural modeling (MSM) accounts for time-dependent confounding thereby producing results closer to true causal effect. Targeted Maximum Likelihood Estimation (TMLE) can help estimate MSM effects making minimal assumptions on data distribution. We studied the impact of outpt medications on survival free from GIB in HM3 pts using TMLE-MSM. Methods Data were retrospectively collected in HM3 pts up to 18 mo after discharge from implant and summarized in 3-mo time intervals. Medication status was defined as receiving vs. not ACEi/ARB/ARNi, PDE5i and digoxin at each time-node. Medication use was calculated by summarizing duration in days within each time node. Creatinine, potassium, INR and mean arterial pressure of each node were averaged. We fit TMLE-MSMs and compared results to IPW Cox PH models using both time variant and invariant covariates. Endpoint was survival free from GIB. Results 128 HM3 pts (60±13 y, 16% F) were studied. 5 deaths and 19 first GIB events occurred in 22 (17.2%) pts during follow up. 60 pts were exposed to ACEi/ARB/ARNi, 43 to digoxin and 39 to PDEi5. There was no effect of ACEi/ARB/ARNi, PDE5i or digoxin on the endpoint when using IPW Cox PH model. When using TMLE-MSM a statistically significant effect between ACEi/ARB/ARNi and the endpoint was observed (Table). Conclusion ACEi/ARB/ARNi improves survival free from GIB in HM3 pts using TMLE-MSM. Prospective randomized studies are needed to further test the impact of pharmacotherapy on outcomes in HM3 pts.
Surface-directed ZnGa2O4 and β-Ga2O3 nanofins coated with a non-polar GaN shell based on the Kirkendall effect

We present a novel approach for growth of surface-directed spinel ZnGa2O4 and β-Ga2O3 nanofins coated with a non-polar GaN shell. Our results show that the use of a binary compound such as core–shell nanostructures as a starting material is not necessary to promote the Kirkendall effect. Our starting materials include ZnO fins and gaseous Ga atoms under nitrogen plasma. The surface-directed ZnO fins provide a spatial confinement to the Kirkendall effect by which the Zn is exchanged with Ga via a vacancy-assisted mechanism. The results show that at a higher Ga concentration, the wurtzite ZnO fin is converted to a ZnGa2O4 cubic spinel, while a lower Ga concentration leads to monoclinic Ga2O3 fins. The fin transformation is followed by GaN shell overgrowth on the fin side walls with a non-polar surface. Within the newly formed fins, we observe uniform Kirkendall nanochannels that are laterally formed between their side walls. This method offers the opportunity of growing heterojunctions of a broad range of wide bandgap spinel materials with GaN. The predictability over surface registries of the core/shell fins and their tunable porosity are anticipated to be of significance in a wide range of applications in chemical- and electro-optical based sensing as well as high power electronics.