cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using RAD-seq to recognize sex-specific markers and sex chromosome systems.

Next-generation sequencing methods have initiated a revolution in molecular ecology and evolution (Tautz et al. ). Among the most impressive of these sequencing innovations is restriction site-associated DNA sequencing or RAD-seq (Baird et al. ; Andrews et al. ). RAD-seq uses the Illumina sequencing platform to sequence fragments of DNA cut by a specific restriction enzyme and can generate tens of thousands of molecular genetic markers for analysis. One of the many uses of RAD-seq data has been to identify sex-specific genetic markers, markers found in one sex but not the other (Baxter et al. ; Gamble & Zarkower ). Sex-specific markers are a powerful tool for biologists. At their most basic, they can be used to identify the sex of an individual via PCR. This is useful in cases where a species lacks obvious sexual dimorphism at some or all life history stages. For example, such tests have been important for studying sex differences in life history (Sheldon ; Mossman & Waser ), the management and breeding of endangered species (Taberlet et al. ; Griffiths & Tiwari ; Robertson et al. ) and sexing embryonic material (Hacker et al. ; Smith et al. ). Furthermore, sex-specific markers allow recognition of the sex chromosome system in cases where standard cytogenetic methods fail (Charlesworth & Mank ; Gamble & Zarkower ). Thus, species with male-specific markers have male heterogamety (XY) while species with female-specific markers have female heterogamety (ZW). In this issue, Fowler & Buonaccorsi () illustrate the ease by which RAD-seq data can generate sex-specific genetic markers in rockfish (Sebastes). Moreover, by examining RAD-seq data from two closely related rockfish species, Sebastes chrysomelas and Sebastes carnatus (Fig. ), Fowler & Buonaccorsi () uncover shared sex-specific markers and a conserved sex chromosome system.
Vertigo and Dizziness

Vertigo and dizziness are among the most common presenting symptoms across medical settings. The differential diagnosis is broad and includes life-threatening diseases such as stroke and cardiac arrhythmia amidst the majority with benign vestibular or medical disorders. Differentiating dangerous from benign disorders can be challenging. The traditional approach to diagnosis relies on dizziness ‘type’ (vertigo, presyncope, disequilibrium, and others) to direct diagnostic inquiry, but this approach fails to distinguish benign from dangerous causes. A new approach emphasizing ‘timing’ and ‘triggers’ for dizziness and vertigo allows rapid identification of patients at high risk for dangerous disorders that need urgent management.
Cardiac applications of PET.

Myocardial blood flow The non-invasive nature of PET and the low radiation exposure allow the measurement of absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF) in normal subjects. H2O and NH3 are the most widely used tracers for quantification of MBF.1–2 Measurements of MBF in normal volunteers both during rest and following maximal drug-induced vasodilatation are similar using either tracer.3 Both tracers have short half-lives, thus allowing repeated measurements of MBF within the same scanning session. The high reproducibility of such measurements using H2O has been clearly established.4 The ratio of absolute MBF during near-maximal vasodilatation (adenosine or dipyridamole) to resting MBF (the coronary vasodilator reserve, or CVR) permits the assessment of the functional significance of coronary stenoses in patients with CAD.2,5 CVR starts to fall when stenosis severity rises above 40% and is exhausted for stenoses ≥80%. In the absence of significant stenoses CVR mainly reflects the function of the coronary microcirculation. For instance CVR is severily blunted, in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or secondary LVH despite angiographically normal epicardial coronary arteries.6
Molecular cloning and characterization of two novel genes from hexaploid wheat that encode double PR-1 domains coupled with a receptor-like protein kinase

Hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) contains at least 23 TaPr-1 genes encoding the group 1 pathogenesis-related (PR-1) proteins as identified in our previous work. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of TaPr-1-rk1 and TaPr-1-rk2, two novel genes closely related to the wheat PR-1 family. The two TaPr-1-rk genes are located on homoeologous chromosomes 3D and 3A, respectively, and each contains a large open reading frame (7385 or 6060 bp) that is interrupted by seven introns and subjected to alternative splicing (AS) with five or six isoforms of mRNA transcripts. The deduced full-length TaPR-1-RK1 and TaPR-1-RK2 proteins (95% identity) contain two repeat PR-1 domains, the second of which is fused via a transmembrane helix to a serine/threonine kinase catalytic (STKc) domain characteristic of receptor-like protein kinases. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the two PR-1 domains of the TaPR-1-RK proteins form sister clades with their homologues identified in other monocot plants and are well separated from stand-alone PR-1 proteins, whereas the STKc domains may have originated from cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs). Reverse-transcriptase-PCR analysis revealed that the TaPr-1-rk genes are predominantly expressed in wheat leaves and their expression levels are elevated in response to pathogen attack, such as infection by barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV), and also to stress conditions, most obviously, to soil salinity. This is the first report of PR-1-CRK hybrid proteins in wheat. The data may shed new insights into the function/evolutionary origin of the PR-1 family and the STKc-mediated defense/stress response pathways in plants.
A Meta-Analysis Linking Different Environmental Strategies to Corporate Financial Performance

Past studies show mixed results regarding the relationship between corporate environmental strategy (CES) and corporate financial performance (CFP). Many of these inconsistencies are attributed to ...
Child Participation in Supplemental Security Income: Cross- and Within-State Determinants of Caseload Growth

Researchers have struggled to explain the substantial growth over recent years in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) receipt among children younger than the age of 18. Although existing studies hav...
Treatment with low dose fasudil for acute ischemic stroke in chronic hypertension

We investigated the effect of Rho kinase inhibition on changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF), brain injury and vascular function after ischemic stroke in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Chang...
11 Do firearm regulations work? evidence from the australian national firearms agreement

In 1996, following a mass shooting that killed 35 people near Port Arthur, Tasmania, the Australian government responded by promptly securing agreement from all states to implement stricter firearm regulations. The set of newly proposed firearm regulations became the National Firearms Agreement (NFA). Its goal was to achieve uniformly stricter regulations across states to minimise the likelihood of future mass shootings. The most important legislative achievements of the NFA included a federal ban on the sale, transfer, importation and ownership of certain types of long firearms, heavier restrictions on civilian ownership of all types of firearms, and a federal buyback program. This paper estimates the causal effect of the NFA on firearm and non-firearm mortality. Our main specification estimates difference-in-differences models relying on cross-sectional variation in the pre-NFA average state firearm mortality rates from 1994 to 1996. Our preferred specification suggests that the NFA decreased the total firearm mortality rate by 2.21 deaths per 1 00 000 people in a state with the average 1994–1996 pre-treatment total firearm mortality rate. This change translates into a 61% decrease in the total firearm mortality rate from pre-NFA levels. The decrease in the total firearm mortality rate emerges from 0.75 deaths per 1 00 000 people reduction in the firearm homicide rate, and 1.30 deaths per 1 00 000 people reduction in the firearm suicide rate. Overall, we demonstrate that the comprehensive Australian firearm regulations indeed contributed to a decline in firearm mortality.
The Sage and the People: The Confucian Revival in China

This is a superb volume for anyone interested in the complex developments of popular Confucianism in contemporary Chinese society. Based on ten years of meticulous empirical research, Sebastien Bil...
Management of an Entrapped Patient with a Field Amputation

Abstract Background Emergency surgical amputations are rare and resource-intensive lifesaving interventions. Most emergency medical services (EMS) lack a formal protocol to manage these high-risk but low-occurrence events. There has been limited attention in the EMS community to address this issue. Without a literature-based approach, the EMS community has been offered little guidance on managing surgical field amputations. Case Report A 38-year-old man was terminally entrapped below the waist in an industrial auger. As a last resort, the decision to initiate a field amputation was made. We outline an adaptive strategy to address the circumstances surrounding this entrapment scenario. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? A carefully preplanned protocol may lead to increased overall survivability for entrapped patients requiring emergent field amputation. Based on the lessons learned from the outcome of this case, previous cases, and a literature review, we have devised a simplified planning tool in the form of a “LIMB” mnemonic to aid EMS services in developing their own traumatic amputation protocol (TAP). “LIMB” is an acronym for: Lists of resources and equipment, Initiate TAP checklist, Manage the extrication, and Bring the patient in. The LIMB mnemonic may also be used as a checklist to assist EMS personnel in performing a field amputation. We offer rescuers a starting point to develop their own TAP capable of being executed in their own rescue environment.
Microbial biopesticides for invertebrate pests and their markets in the United States.

Abstract Microbial pesticides based on bacteria, fungi and viruses or their bioactive compounds have long been developed as alternatives for synthetic pesticides to control invertebrate pests. However, concern for environmental and human health from excessive reliance on chemical pesticides, changes in residue standards, and increased demand for organically grown produce has contributed to a considerable growth in their use in recent years. There are currently 356 registered biopesticide active ingredients in the U.S., including 57 species and/or strains of microbes or their derivatives, labelled for use against pestiferous insects, mites and nematodes. Strains of Bacillus thuringiensis for Lepidoptera remain the most popular products, but newer bacterial strains and their metabolites have been developed against a wider range of arthropods for use on fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops. Currently, ten fungal species/strains are registered against thrips, whiteflies, aphids, or other sucking pests and plant parasitic nematodes in greenhouse, nursery and field crops, while five nucleopolyhedroviruses and three granuloviruses are registered for Lepidoptera in field and greenhouse grown vegetables and ornamentals, tree fruit and nuts, forestry, and stored products. Many of these products are organic listed and most have 4 h or less reentry and no pre-harvest restrictions. Investment by multinational companies, advances in screening, industrial fermentation and storage of new microorganisms, are increasing the market share for microbials. Here, we summarize the market for microbial-based pesticides labelled for invertebrates in the U.S. We cover current uses and recent advances that further advance their use in additional markets in the coming decades.
South American Natural Ecosystems, Status of

The term ecoregion, as used in this article, refers to “natural” ecological systems, or terrestrial and aquatic areas as they were when Europeans first arrived in the New World. The original extent of natural ecoregions is presented, grouped by bioregion, major habitat type, and major ecosystem type. The definitions of these terms, given in the Glossary, are taken from Dinerstein et al . (1995) ; the rating codes are given in the footnotes to the table. Indications of the extent of remaining natural ecosystems, the threats to their continued existence, and the status of protected areas are discussed, together with priorities for conservation.
Molecular-based Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections Using Samples Previously Collected for Vaginitis Diagnosis.

Background Vaginal symptoms are a leading cause of primary care visits for women. Individuals exhibiting symptoms often receive laboratory testing based on clinic-specific standards of care. Thus, women seen at a family practice clinic might only receive a vaginitis workup, whereas those seen at a sexually transmitted diseases clinic could be more likely to receive only sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing. Methods The likelihood of STIs was assessed in women from whom samples were tested for vaginitis using a molecular diagnostic assay. Positivity rates for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis DNA, detected using the BD MAX CT/GC/TV assay, were calculated. Concordance between the BD MAX Vaginal Panel and the BD MAX CT/GC/TV assay for detection of T. vaginalis was determined. Results Women with bacterial vaginosis alone or with concurrent Candida spp infections had high rates of coinfection with sexually transmitted infections (24.4%-25.7%); samples from women who were negative for vaginitis had significantly lower positivity rates (7.9%; P < .001). Trichomonas vaginalis results were concordant between the BD MAX Vaginal Panel and the BD MAX CT/GC/TV assay in 559 of 560 samples tested. Conclusions These data suggest, as have other studies, that women with vaginitis symptoms may be at risk for an STI. Molecular testing could provide broad diagnostic coverage for symptomatic women and improve patient management, regardless of the type of clinic in which patients are treated.
Stress in the time of transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Evolution of transcatheter aortic valve design features can affect durability of the valve and requires investigation.
Health-Related Quality of Life Predicts Psychology Referral in Youth with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Abstract Purpose The current study sought to explore psychosocial data gathered from routine screening within an interdisciplinary IBD program, with two-fold aims: 1) to examine parent-child agreement across health-related quality of life domains and 2) to evaluate the differential predictive value of child and parent ratings of health-related quality of life domains on referrals for psychological services. Design and methods A convenience sample of 92 youth (ages 8–18) and their parents completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Results Children and parents showed moderate to good agreement across health-related quality of life domains. Additionally, regression analyses revealed that child and parent-proxy reports of emotional difficulties, parent report of school difficulties, and child report of physical symptoms were significantly predictive of psychology referral status. Conclusions Study findings suggest moderate to good agreement among child and parent-proxy reporters and support the shared value of both child and parent ratings of health-related quality of life in predicting psychology referrals in youth with IBD. Practice implications Routine psychosocial screening among youth with IBD can promote the early identification of emotional and behavioral needs, and family receipt of appropriate, evidence-based intervention.
Comparative analysis of p16 expression among African American and European American prostate cancer patients.

BACKGROUND Expression of p16 is increased in a number of malignancies, including prostate cancer (PCa). Recent studies in a European cohort showed that expression of p16 is correlated with expression of the TMPRSS2/ERG (T/E) fusion protein. The T/E fusion is significantly less common in PCas in African American (AA) men. Thus, it would be predicted that p16 expression should be less common in PCas in AA men. We, therefore, sought to compare the expression of p16 in benign prostate and PCas from AA and European American (EA) men. METHODS Immunohistochemistry for p16 and ERG was performed on tissue microarrays constructed from radical prostatectomies performed on AA and EA veterans. Staining was scored and the scores compared with demographic, clinical and pathological parameters. Percent of West African ancestry in the AA cohort was assessed using ancestry informative markers. RESULTS Contrary to our predictions, p16 expression was similar in the cancers in the AA and EA cohorts. Consistent with prior reports, expression of p16 was quite low in benign prostate tissues from EA patients but surprisingly was significantly higher in benign tissues from AA patients. Expression of p16 was significantly associated with a family history of PCa in AA men. In addition, p16 was associated with ERG expression in AA PCa. CONCLUSIONS While overall expression of p16 is similar in PCas from the two racial groups, the expression of p16 in benign tissues from a subset of AA men and the stronger correlation with ERG expression implies that there are different mechanisms for p16 overexpression in PCas from the two racial groups.
Family‐focused cognitive behavioral treatment for depressed adolescents in suicidal crisis with co‐occurring risk factors: a randomized trial

Background Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to test a family-focused outpatient cognitive behavioral treatment (F-CBT) protocol for depressed adolescents following psychiatric hospitalization for a suicide attempt or suicidal ideation, and who had a co-occurring risk factor (suicidal behavior prior to the index admission, nonsuicidal self-injury, and/or a substance use disorder), in a randomized Phase 2 efficacy trial. Method One hundred forty-seven adolescents (mean age = 14.91 years; 76.2% female, 85.5% White) and their families, recruited primarily from an inpatient psychiatric hospitalization program, were randomly assigned to F-CBT or enhanced treatment-as-usual (E-TAU). A suicide attempt was the primary outcome variable. Depression, suicidal ideation, and nonsuicidal self-injury are also reported here. Assessments were completed at pretreatment as well as 6, 12, and 18-months postrandomization (Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01732601). Results In the sample as a whole, rates of attempts decreased from 20% at 6 months to 9% at 12 months to 7% at 18 months. There was no evidence of a significant difference between treatment arms in rates of suicide attempts, major depressive disorder, suicidal ideation, or nonsuicidal self-injury at any of the postrandomization assessment points. Conclusions Though F-CBT was associated with reductions in suicidality, depression, and nonsuicidal self-injury, E-TAU showed an equally strong effect. Greater frequency of F-CBT treatment sessions, particularly at the start of care, and alternative approaches to transitioning to care at 12 months, may be necessary when using F-CBT with this population.
Times of Fraud

A scientist’s career is not a smooth arc but rather a series of targets and deadlines, some more necessary than others. Several forms of research misconduct are specific to and incentivized by such deadlines, making a fine-grained understanding of those professional ecologies a necessary step toward preventing misconduct.
Ultrarestrictive intraoperative intravenous fluids during pancreatoduodenectomy is not associated with an increase in post-operative acute kidney injury.

Abstract Background The amount of IV fluids sufficient to prevent post-operative acute kidney injury (AKI) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is unknown. We assessed the restrictive IOIVF use in PD on the rate of post-operative AKI, delayed gastric emptying and ileus, and pancreatic fistulas (POPF). Methods Patients who underwent PD between 2012 and 2017 were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses looked for association between pre- and intra-operative factors on AKI, ileus and POPF. Results Of 395 included patients, 97, 172, and 126 patients received less than 1000 mL (ultra-restrictive), 1000 mL to less than 2000 mL (restrictive), and 2000 mL and greater (nonrestrictive) normalized total IOIVF respectively. Of these 23 (24.2%), 34(20.4%), and 21(17.4%) developed AKI respectively, most of them mild. There was no difference in odds of developing AKI, ileus, or pancreatic fistula among fluid groups. While there was no difference in Clavien-Dindo III-IV complications, the incidence of Clavien-Dindo type I-II complications was lower in the restricted fluid groups. Discussion Restricted fluids did not lead to higher AKI rates but were associated with fewer low-grade complications.
Molecular polarizabilities as fingerprints of perturbations to water by ions and confinement.

Perturbations to water, both by ions and confining media, have been the focus of numerous experimental and theoretical studies. Yet, several open questions remain, including the extent to which such perturbations modify the structural and dielectric properties of the liquid. Here, we present a first-principles molecular dynamics study of alkali cations in water (Li+, Na+, and K+) as well as of water and LiCl and KCl solutions under confinement within carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of small diameter (1.1–1.5 nm). Our simulations support the view that the water structure is only modified locally in the presence of cations. We found that molecular polarizabilities are fingerprints of hydrogen bonding modifications, which occur at most up to the second solvation shell for all cations in bulk water. Under confinement, we found that the overall value of the molecular polarizability of water molecules near the surface is determined by the balance of two effects, which are quantitatively different in CNTs of different radii: the presence of broken hydrogen bonds at the surface leads to a decrease in the polarizabilities of water molecules, while the interaction with the CNT enhances polarizabilities. Interestingly, the reduction in dipole moments of interfacial water molecules under confinement is instead driven only by changes in the water structure and not by interfacial interactions. As expected, confinement effects on water molecular polarizabilities and dipole moments are more pronounced in the case of the 1.1 nm CNT.
[Effects of 2, 5-hexanedione on S100β of Schwann cells in rat sciatic nerves].

Objective To investigate the expression of S100β protein and mRNA of Schwann cells(SC) in sciatic nerves of 2, 5-hexanedione(HD) intoxicated rats. Methods Nine-week old SPF male Wistar rats were administered at daily dosing of 100 and 300 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection for continuous 8 weeks(five times every week). Age-matched control rats received an equivalent volume of normal saline. Ten rats in each group were sacrificed and sciatic nerves were excised for S100β determination, with excised sciatic nerves from another three rats for morphological observation through electron microscope. At the end of the exposure, the other 8-week treated animals were allowed to naturally recover for 8 weeks and sciatic nerves were excised at the end of the test. S100β protein contents were determined by immunohistochemistry method, and mRNA expression was observed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Results HD intoxication with 300 mg/kg was associated with severe neurological deficits of paralysis in hindlimbs, accompanied with evident movement gait abnormalities for 100 mg/kg dosage. The morphological abnormalities in myelin sheath of sciatic nerves were observed through electron microscope after HD-exposure. The S100β contents in 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg groups remained relatively unaffected with 92% and 79% of the control respectively after HD-intoxication, and a increase to 149%(Pl0. 05) and 119% after a recovery of 8 weeks was accompanied with. As to S100β mRNA, HD-intoxication was associated with decreased expression to 0. 65(Pl0. 05) and 0. 56 times(Pl0. 05) of the control, and 1. 46 and 0. 87 times for 8-week recovery individually. Conclusion The S100β protein and mRNA levels were influenced by HD exposure, and the result suggested that S100β might be involved in HD-induced peripheral axonopathy.
Sub-6V Operation of Split-Gate Type Charge-Trapping Nonvolatile Memory with High-k Trapping and Blocking Layers for High-Speed and HighlyReliable Embedded Flash

High-k dielectrics are implemented in a split-gate type charge-trapping nonvolatile memory (SG-CTNVM) for the first time. Owing to the split-gate structure and optimized trapping properties of HfSiO film, a memory window of 3.0 V was realized under very low ±6 V and fast 1 μs program/ 100 μs erase condition. Retention property was significantly improved by insertion of SiON film in the middle of blocking Al 2 O 3 layer. The blocking SiON layer was formed by deposition technique only, without thermal oxidation which was found to bring P/E cycling degradation.
Is Brown Holding Us Back? Moving Forward, Six Decades Later: Visionary States, Civic Locals, and Trusted Schools and Teachers

Brown v. Board of Education brought the democratic value of equality to U.S. democracy, which had previously centered primarily on popular control. Brown has not, however, resulted in actual educational equality — or universal educational quality. Developments since Brown have changed the educational landscape. While the social salience of race has evolved, economic inequality has risen dramatically. Legislative and other developments have institutionalized distrust of those who do the day-to-day work of education: public schools and the teachers within them. Demographic and economic shifts have made comprehensive preschool through post-secondary education a 21st-century imperative, while Common Core Standards represent a significant step toward defining quality K-12 education nationwide. Though we do not live in a post-racial era, we do live in a very different world than the world of Brown. For this transformed situation, we need a new vision — and new legal paradigms to support realization of that vision. The Finnish school system — ranked #1 internationally — offers insights for systemic reform. The U.S. challenge, however, is to adapt those insights to our institutional structure. We must maintain a balance between the national interest in successful education across the country, the constitutional assignment of responsibility for education to the States, and the fact that education happens locally in individual classrooms and between individual teachers and students. A national educational vision of civic innovation that embraces all students and trusts public schools and teachers points to a three-pronged strategy for moving forward. First, States define the vision and instigate negotiations with the national government for support of that vision. Second, local school districts adapt to their communities and students to fulfill the States’ vision. Third, public schools and teachers undertake the day-to-day work of building the relational trust that enables real reform; the federal government provides the additional support necessary for this work. New legal paradigms support these shifts.
Supporting Strong Transitions Remotely: Considerations and Complexities for Rural Communities During COVID-19

Transition education is a distinctive aspect of special education that extends well beyond the boundaries of the school building, engages partners from all corners of the local community, and addre...
Statistical Thermodynamics, the Third Law

So far, no effort has been made to carry out exact numerical calculation of state functions such as the entropy and internal energy. Indeed, analyses of thermodynamic state functions have focused mainly on their rates of change and interrelationships. This has happened for a reason. Without considerable help from experimental observation, thermodynamics itself does not have any convenient method to precisely calculate the entropy or even the internal energy. Often, therefore, the good offices of statistical mechanics are needed for doing the same.
B Cell Dysregulation in Common Variable Immunodeficiency Interstitial Lung Disease

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most frequently diagnosed primary antibody deficiency. About half of CVID patients develop chronic non-infectious complications thought to be due to intrinsic immune dysregulation, including autoimmunity, gastrointestinal disease, and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Multiple studies have found ILD to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in CVID. Yet, the precise mechanisms underlying this complication in CVID are poorly understood. CVID ILD is marked by profound pulmonary infiltration of both T and B cells as well as granulomatous inflammation in many cases. B cell depletive therapy, whether done as a monotherapy or in combination with another immunosuppressive agent, has become a standard of therapy for CVID ILD. However, CVID is a heterogeneous disorder, as is its lung pathology, and the precise patients that would benefit from B cell depletive therapy, when it should administered, and how long it should be repeated all remain gaps in our knowledge. Moreover, some have ILD recurrence after B cell depletive therapy and the relative importance of B cell biology remains incompletely defined. Developmental and functional abnormalities of B cell compartments observed in CVID ILD and related conditions suggest that imbalance of B cell signaling networks may promote lung disease. Included within these potential mechanisms of disease is B cell activating factor (BAFF), a cytokine that is upregulated by the interferon gamma (IFN-γ):STAT1 signaling axis to potently influence B cell activation and survival. B cell responses to BAFF are shaped by the divergent effects and expression patterns of its three receptors: BAFF receptor (BAFF-R), transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI), and B cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Moreover, soluble forms of BAFF-R, TACI, and BCMA exist and may further influence the pathogenesis of ILD. Continued efforts to understand how dysregulated B cell biology promotes ILD development and progression will help close the gap in our understanding of how to best diagnose, define, and manage ILD in CVID.
Illumination-induced modulation of conductivity and Gunn oscillation properties in epitaxial GaAs

We illuminate a gallium arsenide (GaAs) Gunn device and study the light-induced changes of Gunn oscillation properties. We observe that illumination leads to the modulation of the Gunn threshold voltage, the Gunn oscillation magnitude, and the coherency of Gunn oscillation, with the nature of the modulation being closely related to the position of illumination on the device. These effects are attributed to the generation of optically excited carriers, which results in the modulation of conductivity and the electric field profile along the device. The finite element method is used to simulate the change of the field profile of the Gunn device caused by illumination. We also report an unexpected phenomenon of Gunn oscillation property manipulation with an optical chopper. In addition, wavelength-dependent, power-dependent, and pulsed illumination measurements are performed to help with further understanding the observations.
FDC Cache: Semantics-driven Federated Caching and Querying for Big Data

To deliver business value, most data-driven enterprises and applications require data to be extracted and merged from otherwise siloed data storage platforms. FDC Cache has been designed and developed to enable the fusion and caching of data drawn from multiple small and/or Big Data stores. This capability executes a sequence of queries, wherein the results from one query may be used to constrain subsequent queries. The results of each query are linked with results from previous queries, incrementally building a cache of semantically linked data that can be used to support multiple independent data requests. FDC Cache uses Semantic Web technologies, and knowledge graphs in particular, to describe the relevant data and relationships in a computable model. This enables applications to reason over the graph, for example to dynamically retrieve targeted subsets of data comprised of previously disparate information. We have successfully applied FDC Cache to two distinct industrial use cases: (i) merging data across multiple sources to assemble information about current parts in a gas turbine, and (ii) dynamically aligning siloed data from electric grid transmission and distribution networks to an industry-standard common model, in which the cache creation time has been shown to scale sub-linearly with the number of data elements. FDC Cache has been open-sourced as part of the GE-developed open source Semantics Toolkit.
“Where My Gays At?” The Status of LGBTQ People and Queer Theory in Nonprofit Research:

This article critically examines academic scholarship in the field of nonprofit studies that pertains to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people and issues. We introduce the k...
Fostering spatial thinking skills for future citizens to support sustainable development

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) represent the consensus of the global community on the most important issues facing our planet. A major challenge is embedding the UNSDGs i...
Characterizing the Variation of Alcohol Cessation Pharmacotherapy in Primary Care.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) imposes a high mortality and economic burden. Effective treatment is available, though underutilized. Describe trends in AUD pharmacotherapy, variation in prescribing, and associated patient factors. Retrospective cohort using electronic health records from 2010 to 2019. Primary care patients from 39 clinics in Ohio and Florida with diagnostic codes for alcohol dependence or abuse plus social history indicating alcohol use. PCPs in family or internal medicine with at least 20 AUD patients. Pharmacotherapy for AUD (naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram), abstinence from alcohol, patient demographics, and comorbidities. Generalized linear mixed models were used to identify patient factors associated with prescriptions and the association of pharmacotherapy with abstinence. We identified 13,250 patients; average age was 54 years, 66.9% were male, 75.0% were White, and median household income was $51,776 per year. Over 10 years, the prescription rate rose from 4.4 to 5.6%. Patients who were Black (aOR 0.74; 95% CI 0.58, 0.94) and insured by Medicare versus commercial insurance (aOR 0.61; 95% CI 0.48, 0.78) were less likely to be treated. Higher median household income ($10,000 increment, aOR 1.06; 95% CI 1.03, 1.10) and Medicaid versus commercial insurance (aOR 1.52; 95% CI 1.24, 1.87) were associated with treatment. Receiving pharmacotherapy was associated with subsequent documented abstinence from alcohol (aOR 1.60; 95% CI 1.33, 1.92). We identified 236 PCPs. The average prescription rate was 3.6% (range 0 to 24%). The top decile prescribed to 14.6% of their patients. The bottom 4 deciles had no prescriptions. Family physicians had higher rates of pharmacotherapy than internists (OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.21, 1.85). Medications for AUD are infrequently prescribed, but there is considerable variation among PCPs. Increasing the use of pharmacotherapy by non-prescribers may increase abstinence from alcohol.
Rationale and design of the preserved versus reduced ejection fraction biomarker registry and precision medicine database for ambulatory patients with heart failure (PREFER-HF) study.

Introduction Patients with heart failure (HF) are classically categorised by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Efforts to predict outcomes and response to specific therapy among LVEF-based groups may be suboptimal, in part due to the underlying heterogeneity within clinical HF phenotypes. A multidimensional characterisation of ambulatory patients with and without HF across LVEF groups is needed to better understand and manage patients with HF in a more precise manner. Methods and analysis To date, the first cohort of 1313 out of total planned 3000 patients with and without HF has been enroled in this single-centre, longitudinal observational cohort study. Baseline and 1-year follow-up blood samples and clinical characteristics, the presence and duration of comorbidities, serial laboratory, echocardiographic data and images and therapy information will be obtained. HF diagnosis, aetiology of disease, symptom onset and clinical outcomes at 1 and 5 years will be adjudicated by a team of clinicians. Clinical outcomes of interest include all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, all-cause hospitalisation, cardiovascular hospitalisation, HF hospitalisation, right-sided HF and acute kidney injury. Results from the Preserved versus Reduced Ejection Fraction Biomarker Registry and Precision Medicine Database for Ambulatory Patients with Heart Failure (PREFER-HF) trial will examine longitudinal clinical characteristics, proteomic, metabolomic, genomic and imaging data to better understand HF phenotypes, with the ultimate goal of improving precision medicine and clinical outcomes for patients with HF. Ethics and dissemination Information gathered in this research will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Written informed consent for PREFER-HF was obtained from all participants. All study procedures were approved by the Mass General Brigham Institutional Review Board in Boston, Massachusetts and performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (Protocol Number: 2016P000339). Trial registration number PREFER-HF ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03480633.
The ocean’s nuclear energy reserve

Oceanic uranium represents a vast fuel resource that could ensure the long-term sustainability of nuclear power. A new study seeks to harness that potential by developing a bioinspired adsorbent membrane capable of capturing uranium from seawater.
Chapter 33. Malaria: A Third World Disease in Need of First World Drug Development

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of the malaria and the drug development need for this disease. Malaria remains a major health threat in the world today as it has for the last century, a major cause of death, particularly among children and women, primarily in Africa. According to a World Health Report, there are nearly 300 million new cases of malaria each year and over a million children die each year, most of them before the age of 4 years old. The economic and social burden of malaria infection and disease is also very large with estimates of nearly 40 million disability adjusted life years attributable to malaria infection. The chapter discusses concepts related to spreading of drug resistance. Need for new drug is elaborated and the biology and drug targets are explained. A discussion is presented on challenges of drug resistance in case of malaria and strategies to delay the emergence of drug resistance are reviewed. An overview of vaccine development and insecticide impregnated bednets is also presented.
The Economics of the Mega-Greenhouse Effect: A Conceptual Framework

This paper examine the economics of the mega-greenhouse effect under two scenarios. One caps total CO2 levels and the other limits annual emission rates.
Extending architectural representation in UML with view integration

UML has established itself as the leading OO analysis and design methodology. Recently, it has also been increasingly used as a foundation for representing numerous (diagrammatic) views that are outside the standardized set of UML views. An example are architecture description languages. The main advantages of representing other types of views in UML are 1) a common data model and 2) a common set of tools that can be used to manipulate that model. However, attempts at representing additional views in UML usually fall short of their full integration with existing views. Integration extends representation by also describing interactions among multiple views, thus capturing the inter-view relationships. Those inter-view relationships are essential to enable automated identification of consistency and conformance mismatches. This work describes a view integration framework and demonstrates how an architecture description language, which was previously only represented in UML, can now be fully integrated into UML.
High-numerical-aperture lens system for optical storage

We describe a new type of optical pickup for use in high-density optical storage systems. By changing a conventional pickup design to include a glass element between the objective and the disk, the transverse resolution of the system can be increased by as much as a factor of 1.5. This system is also less sensitive than conventional systems to variations in disk thickness and disk tilt. We demonstrate how the system has been used as a microscope to inspect an optical disk and describe possible design configurations for an optical pickup.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education in Engineering

In this paper, project based innovation and entrepreneurship education activities developed and implemented at Mercer University School of Engineering (MUSE) are highlighted and how MUSE promotes entrepreneurial mindset among engineering students is presented and discussed in term of curriculum development and extracurricular activities. The course sequence developed and implemented integrates elements of entrepreneurship with engineering; develops an entrepreneurial mindset in engineering students; fosters innovation and creativity in engineering disciplines; helps the students to develop business plans for the entrepreneurial design projects and compete in the annual business plan competition, and promotes new ventures creation. Selected creative student design projects are presented, analyzed, and discussed.
Transform Method of Curve Detection for Textured Image Data

The transform method for curve detection is applied to curves against a textured background. The objective is maximum scattering of the transformed texture points while preserving clustering properties for the sought after curve. Properties of the extended transform are examined under a statistical model of "grass-like" texture.
Reimer's inequality and tardos' conjecture

(MATH) Let f: {0,1}n → {0,1} be a boolean function. For e≥ 0 De(f) be the minimum depth of a decision tree for f that makes an error for ≤e fraction of the inputs χ ϵ {0,1}n. We also make an appropriate definition of the approximate certificate complexity of f, Ce(f). In particular, D0(f) and C0(f) are the ordinary decision and certificate complexities of f. It is known that $D_0(f) \leq (C_0(f))^2$. Answering a question of Tardos from 1989, we show that for all $\Ge > 0$ there exists a $\Gd' > 0$ such that for all $0 \leq \Gd 0$ is a constant independent of f. The algorithm used in the proof is modeled after those developed by R. Impagliazzo and S. Rudich for use in other problems.
Sleep duration and depressive symptoms: a gene-environment interaction.

OBJECTIVE: We used quantitative genetic models to assess whether sleep duration modifies genetic and environmental influences on depressive symptoms. METHOD: Participants were 1,788 adult twins from 894 same-sex twin pairs (192 male and 412 female monozygotic [MZ] pairs, and 81 male and 209 female dizygotic [DZ] pairs] from the University of Washington Twin Registry. Participants self-reported habitual sleep duration and depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed using quantitative genetic interaction models, which allowed the magnitude of additive genetic, shared environmental, and non-shared environmental influences on depressive symptoms to vary with sleep duration. RESULTS: Within MZ twin pairs, the twin who reported longer sleep duration reported fewer depressive symptoms (ec = -0.17, SE = 0.06, P Language: en
Hydrocarbon emissions from twelve urban shade trees of the Los Angeles, California, Air Basin

Abstract The large-scale planting of shade trees in urban areas to counteract heat-island effects and to minimize energy use is currently being discussed. Among the costs to be considered in a cost/benefit analysis of such a program is the potential for additional reactive organic compounds in the atmosphere due to emissions from these trees. In this program, 15 species of potential shade trees for the Los Angeles Air Basin were studied and emission rates were determined for 11 of these trees, with one further tree (Crape myrtle) exhibiting no detectable emissions. The emission rates normalized to dry leaf weight and corrected to 30°C were (in μg g−1 h−1), ranked from lowest to highest emission rate: Crape myrtle, none detected; Camphor, 0.03; Aleppo pine, 0.15; Deodar cedar, 0.29; Italian Stone pine, 0.42; Monterey pine, 0.90; Brazilian pepper, 1.3; Canary Island pine, 1.7; Ginkgo, 3.0; California pepper, 3.7; Liquidambar, 37; Carrotwood, 49. In addition to the emission rates per unit biomass, the biomass per tree must be factored into any assessment of the relative merits of the various trees, since some trees have higher biomass constants than others. The present data shows that there are large differences in emission rates among different tree species and this should be factored into decision-making as to which shade trees to plant. Based solely on the presently determined emission rates, the Crape myrtle and Camphor tree are good choices for large-scale planting, while the Carrotwood tree and Liquidambar are poor choices due to their high isoprene emission rates.
Specificity of Fluorometry of 5-Hydroxytryptamine by Means of Products with Ninhydrin

The specificity and relevant technical factors of the fluorometry of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) by means of its product with ninhydrin (1,2,3-indantrione) were studied in experiments with 121 test compounds and tissues from rats and cockroaches. Aromatic amines producing fluorescence capable of confusion with that from 5-HT were: a number of carboline derivatives, a few hydroxyindole congenors of 5-HT, 4-(aminomethyl)-piperidine, and 2-(2-aminoethyl)-pyridine. Comparisons of results from two different fluorometric procedures showed close correspondence with most mammalian tissues, but not for stomach, nor for cockroach tissues. More significant in the discrimination between 5-HT and the related compounds were the time and temperature-dependent fluorescence development and decay curves of incubations with ninhydrin.
Unsteady heat transfer in impulsive Falkner-Skan flows

Abstract Numerical solutions for heat transfer in the unsteady laminar boundary layer resulting from incompressible flow past an impulsively-started semi-infinite wedge are described. The motion of the wedge is steady after the impulsive start. A forced-convection thermal boundary layer is produced by the sudden imposition of a constant temperature difference between the wedge and the fluid as the motion is started. Solutions for the simultaneous development of the thermal and momentum boundary layers are obtained by a time-asymptotic finite-difference procedure. Results of calculations are presented for several wedge angles with Prandtl numbers in the intermediate range.
On the simulation of large populations of neurons

The dynamics of large populations of interacting neurons is investigated. Redundancy present in subpopulations of cortical networks is exploited through the introduction of a probabilistic description. A derivation of the kinetic equations for such subpopulations, under general transmembrane dynamics, is presented. The particular case of integrate-and-fire membrane dynamics is considered in detail. A variety of direct simulations of neuronal populations, under varying conditions and with as many as O(10(5)) neurons, is reported. Comparison is made with analogous kinetic equations under the same conditions. Excellent agreement, down to fine detail, is obtained. It is emphasized that no free parameters enter in the comparisons that are made.