cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cultural Factors in Criminal Defense Proceedings

Anthropologists' understandings of cultural factors affecting behavior can assist in the development of criminal defenses as a basis for establishing exculpating, extenuating, and mitigating circumstances. While the cultural defense is generally not recognized as a specific defense, cultural factors are admissible within traditional defenses. This article orients anthropologists to their potential contributions in criminal defenses by reviewing the legal context for establishing the relevance of cultural factors, with specific reference to the Model Penal Code. The article also reviews case materials where the author was appointed as an expert witness to illustrate how cultural factors may serve to establish mitigating circumstances during the preliminary, guilt and penalty phases of trials.
Working together: basal ganglia pathways in action selection

Jin, Tecuapetla, and Costa combined in vivo electrophysiology with optogenetic-identification to examine firing in multiple basal ganglia nuclei during rapid motor sequences. Their results support a model of basal ganglia function in which co-activation of the direct and indirect pathways facilitate appropriate, while inhibiting competing, motor programs.
An Improved Total Hemispherical Radiometer

Abstract Modification of the Beckman and Whitley total hemispherical radiometer is described. In the improved model, the thermojunction embedded in the sensing plate is replaced by three embedded thermistors connected to associated external electrical circuitry. The modification automatically compensates for temperature -caused variations In output of the sensor thermopile and adds an emf proportional to the back radiation of the upper surface of the sensing plate (σT4. Calculated and measured values of circuit performance are found to be within 2 per cent of the desired values over a temperature range of O–50C.
The effect of portable pulsed xenon ultraviolet light after terminal cleaning on hospital-associated Clostridium difficile infection in a community hospital.

There is evidence that contamination of patient rooms from previous occupants is associated with hospital-associated Clostridium difficile infection (HA-CDI). During January 2011, the use of 2 portable pulsed xenon ultraviolet light devices (PPX-UV) to disinfect patient rooms was added to routine hospital discharge cleaning in a community hospital. In 2010, the HA-CDI rate was 9.46 per 10,000 patient-days; in 2011, the HA-CDI rates was 4.45 per 10,000 patient-days (53% reduction, P = .01). The number of deaths and colectomies attributable to hospital-associated C difficile infection also declined dramatically.
Fast parallelization of differential evolution algorithm using MapReduce

MapReduce is a promising programming model for developing distributed applications due to its superb simplicity, scalability and fault tolerance. This paper demonstrates how to apply MapReduce and the open source Hadoop framework for a quick and easy parallelization of the Differential Evolution algorithm. Instead of parallelizing the whole evolution process, our simple solution is to only apply the MR model to the fitness evaluation part, which usually consumes most of the running time. Two alternative approaches are investigated, i.e., population based and data based. Experimental results reveal that even though the population based approach is a better way, the extra cost of Hadoop DFS I/O operations and system bookkeeping overhead significantly reduces the benefits of parallelism.
ASSESSING LEADERSHIP AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS AND THEIR IMPACTS IN THE COMMUNITY

A pretest-posttest control group design was employed to assess the leadership and problem-solving skills of participants in a statewide community leadership development program. Quantitative data a...
The Relationship Between Communication Apprehension and Academic Achievement Among College Students.

A series of studies are reported which indicate that high communication apprehensives have lower academic achievement in traditional interaction-oriented educational systems than low communication apprehensives, but that no similar relationship exists in a communication-restricted educational system. Data are also reported indicating that high communication apprehensives prefer mass lecture classes over small classes while moderate and low communication apprehensives' preferences are the reverse. The implications of these results for choosing or designing instructional systems are discussed.
Designing Metacognitive Activities

Designing metacognitive activities that focus on both cognitive and social development is a theoretical and practical challenge. This balanced approach to metacognition concerns itself with many aspects of student development, ranging from academic competence to knowledge about the self-as-learner. In this article, I examine two basic approaches to supporting metacognition: (a) strategy training and (b) creation of a supprotive social environment for metacognition. There are also two kinds of content that are taught using these two approaches: (a) knowledge about a specific domain and (b) knowledge about the self-as-learner. These approaches and contents have been used frequently in metacognitive interventions over the past two decades. Each offers unique contributions to metacognitive development. However, programs that address these approaches and contents simultaneously are rare. Maintaining the coordination, on one hand, between strategy training and creating social supports, and on the other hand, between knowledge about the subject domain and knowledge about the self-as-learner, is a challenge for most design efforts in metacognition. Future design issues include: (a) developing a system approach to promote coordination among these approaches and contents; and (b) finding ways to build knowledge about the self-as-learner.
Hepatitis C Virus RNA Replication and Virus Particle Assembly Require Specific Dimerization of the NS4A Protein Transmembrane Domain

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS4A is a single-pass transmembrane (TM) protein essential for viral replication and particle assembly. The sequence of the NS4A TM domain is highly conserved, suggesting that it may be important for protein-protein interactions. To test this hypothesis, we measured the potential dimerization of the NS4A TM domain in a well-characterized two-hybrid TM protein interaction system. The NS4A TM domain exhibited a strong homotypic interaction that was comparable in affinity to glycophorin A, a well-studied human blood group antigen that forms TM homodimers. Several mutations predicted to cluster on a common surface of the NS4A TM helix caused significant reductions in dimerization, suggesting that these residues form an interface for NS4A dimerization. Mutations in the NS4A TM domain were further examined in the JFH-1 genotype 2a replicon system; importantly, all mutations that destabilized NS4A dimers also caused defects in RNA replication and/or virus assembly. Computational modeling of NS4A TM interactions suggests a right-handed dimeric interaction of helices with an interface that is consistent with the mutational effects. Furthermore, defects in NS4A oligomerization and virus particle assembly of two mutants were rescued by NS4A A15S, a TM mutation recently identified through forward genetics as a cell culture-adaptive mutation. Together, these data provide the first example of a functionally important TM dimer interface within an HCV nonstructural protein and reveal a fundamental role of the NS4A TM domain in coordinating HCV RNA replication and virus particle assembly.
Predictions for Gromov-Witten invariants of noncommutative resolutions

Abstract In this paper, we apply recent methods of localized GLSM’s to make predictions for Gromov–Witten invariants of noncommutative resolutions, as defined by e.g. Kontsevich, and use those predictions to examine the connectivity of the SCFT moduli space through complex structure deformations. Noncommutative spaces, in the present sense, are defined by their sheaves, their B-branes. Examples of abstract CFT’s whose B-branes correspond with those defining noncommutative spaces arise in examples of abelian GLSM’s describing branched double covers, in which the double cover structure arises nonperturbatively. This note will examine the GLSM for P 7 [ 2 , 2 , 2 , 2 ] , which realizes this phenomenon. Its Landau–Ginzburg point is a noncommutative resolution of a (singular) branched double cover of P 3 . Regardless of the complex structure of the large-radius P 7 [ 2 , 2 , 2 , 2 ] , the Landau–Ginzburg point is always a noncommutative resolution of a singular space, which begs the question of whether the noncommutative resolution is connected in SCFT moduli space by a complex structure deformation to a smooth branched double cover. Using recent localization techniques, we make a prediction for the Gromov–Witten invariants of the noncommutative resolution, and find that they do not match those of a smooth branched double cover, telling us that these abstract CFT’s are not continuously connected to sigma models on smooth branched double covers through complex structure deformations.
Robotic router formation - A bit error rate approach

In this paper we consider the problem of robotic router formation, where a node needs to maintain its connectivity to a fixed station by using a number of mobile routers. While most literature on this topic optimizes the formation of the routers by maximizing the Fiedler eigenvalue of the resulting graph, we take a different approach and consider the true reception quality. By following a transmission of a bit from the transmitter to the receiver, we formulate the probability of bit error of the reception as a function of the positions of the routers. Then, we formulate an optimization problem that aims at minimizing the probability of bit error in the receiver while considering the environmental constraints. We consider two cases of multihop and diversity, for which we characterize the optimum configuration under certain conditions. We show that the robotic router graph formed by considering the true reception quality may not be the same as the one found by maximizing the Fiedler eigenvalue. Furthermore, only maximizing the Fiedler eigenvalue, without considering the reception quality, can result in a performance loss.
Update on software quality of IBM System/370 products: a case study

The software quality goal at IBM, i.e., to produce zero-defect code, is discussed. An overview is presented of the software development process at IBM and how quality is viewed and measured. The five key elements that combine to achieve the quality target are phase management, defect removal/prevention, testing procedures, maintenance, and process management. >
Effect of Low Frequency Sound on Menopausal Symptoms

This research study, based on Martha Roger's conceptual model, tested whether a nursing intervention using noninvasive, low frequency sound tapes would alter menopausal symptoms. An experimental pretest-posttest design was used to collect data on 40 women. Findings include a significant decrease in frequency of symptoms, somatic symptoms and psychological symptoms. No difference was found between groups with regard to number of symptoms or psychosomatic symptoms.
Dislocation nucleation from a crack tip: A formulation based on anisotropic elasticity

The analysis of dislocation emission from a crack tip within the Peierls framework [Rice (1992) J. Mech. Phys. Solids 40, 239-271 ; Rice ef ul. (1992) Topics in Fracture und Fatigue, pp. I-58; Sun et al. (1993) Mater. Sci. Engng A170, 67-851, heretofore developed for isotropic solids, is generalized to take into account elastic anisotropy. An incipient dislocation core, represented in terms of a critical configuration at the crack tip, is determined numerically (most simply in the shear-only version of the model, but also for a combined tension-shear version that includes tension-shear coupling constrained by atomic modeling). These solutions improve upon approximations based on an effective shear stress intensity. For fee crystals and intermetallics, the nucleation event analysed is that of a set of partial dislocations emitted sequentially. The anisotropic formulation accounts for corrections as large as 30% in the critical value of the stress intensity factor for atomic decohesion, or cleavage. The anisotropic critical crack extension force for dislocation emission may be greater or less than its isotropic counterpart. For an embedded-atom-method (EAM) model of bee r-Fe, the anisotropic values can be as large as 2.4 times the isotropic ones in one crack orientation; in another crack orientation, the values are as much as 40% less than the isotropic analogs. For fee structures (EAM nickel, aluminum and Ni,Al), the difference is within a k IO-25% range. For silicon, the isotropic formulation is good, with less than a 14% difference from the anisotropic counterpart. The anisotropic effects are found to increase with a standard ratio of elastic anisotropy, and are important for predicting intrinsic ductile versus brittle response.
Traditions and alcohol use: a mixed-methods analysis.

An integrative mixed-methods analysis examined traditional beliefs as associated with beliefs about self-care during pregnancy and with alcohol abstinence among young adult women from two rural U.S.–Mexico border communities. Quantitative (measured scale) variables and qualitative thematic variables generated from open-ended responses served as within-time predictors of these health-related outcomes. A weaker belief that life is better in big cities was associated with stronger self-care beliefs during pregnancy. Also, a weaker belief that small towns offer tranquil environments was associated with total abstinence from alcohol. Regarding the Hispanic Paradox, these results suggest that a critical appreciation of cultural traditions can be protective, as this avoids stereotypical or idyllic views of urban or rural lifeways, and promotes self-protective beliefs and behaviors.
Single-molecule electronic detection using nanoscale field-effect devices

Traditionally, biomolecular systems have been studied in ensemble. While much can be determined with ensemble measurements, scientific and technological interest is rapidly moving to single-molecule techniques, which rely primarily on fluorescent markers and advanced microscopy techniques. In this paper, we describe recent work using nanoscale transistors based on carbon nanotubes as charge-sensitive detectors. We show carbon nanotubes can be used for ensemble studies through sidewall adsorption. Sensitivity can be greatly enhanced though an engineered defect in the nanotube. Biomolecular interactions are characterized by random-telegraph-noise response, which can be analyzed to study single-molecule kinetics and thermodynamics.
Layered Moment-Linear Network Models as Tools for Strategic Air Traffic Flow Management

For strategic traffic flow management, models are needed that allow NAS stakeholders to characterize the joint evolution of weather (and/or its impact on air traffic operating capabilities) in conjunction with the evolution of traffic flows. While queueing models show some promise for permitting meshed analysis of weather and traffic (including flow management initiatives), they are mathematically and computationally unwieldy when either the weather evolution or the airspace topology are modeled at realistic scale. Here, we investigate whether a new class of models known as layered moment-linear networks that approximate queueing-network models can serve as tractable albeit abstracted models for weather and traffic dynamics. As a first step toward constructing layered moment-linear models for traffic/weather, we develop a linear approximation for an M/D/1 queue with variable service rate. We evaluate the accuracy of the approximation using simulations, and then use it to analyze a traffic bottleneck that is modulated by a complex (networked) weather-propagation event.
Simulation of High-Harmonic Fast-Wave Heating on the National Spherical Tokamak Experiment

Images associated with radio-frequency heating of low-confinement mode plasmas in the National Spherical Tokamak Experiment, as calculated by computer simulation, are presented. The AORSA code has been extended to simulate the whole antenna-to-plasma heating system by including both the kinetic physics of the well-confined core plasma and a poorly confined scrape-off plasma and vacuum vessel structure. The images presented show the 3-D electric wave field amplitude for various antenna phasings. Visualization of the simulation results in 3-D makes clear that -30° phasing excites kilo-volt per meter coaxial standing modes in the scrape-off plasma and shows magnetic-field-aligned whispering-gallery type modes localized to the plasma edge.
Eating disorders in the female patient: pathophysiology and treatment strategies.

Eating disorders are common in girls and women. Two common eating disorders—anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa—have significant medical complications. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons must be cognizant of the signs, symptoms, and medical consequences of these disorders. The increased incidence of these diseases has implications in the surgical management the oral and maxillofacial surgery patient. A review of the literature and guidelines in the perioperative management of these surgical patients are presented in this article.
Conjunctival oxygen tension monitoring in emergency department patients.

Abstract Conjunctival oxygen tension (PcjO 2 ) was sequentially monitored in 96 medical and surgical patients admitted to the emergency department resuscitation suite during a 6-month period. There were 28 patients with cardiac arrest, 44 with major trauma, and 24 with severe medical problems. A total of 2,392 PcjO 2 data points were collected in these patients. In patients with cardiac arrest, PcjO 2 showed changes in physiological condition as early as or earlier than measurement of vital signs. Measurement of PcjO 2 and the finding of a PcjO 2 index (PcjO2PaO2) 2 were found with hypoxemia as well as in conditions associated with decreased cardiac output and tissue oxygen delivery. These two conditions could be distinguished by measuring PaO 2 and calculating the PcjO 2 index; a PcjO 2 index 2 index > .5 indicated hypoxemia without any compromise in cardiac output. In the group of critically ill surgical and medical patients included in this study, conjunctival oxygen monitoring provided clinically useful information not avallable from vital signs and permitted identification of physiological instability associated with abnormalities in peripheral tissue perfusion and oxygenation as early as or earlier than conventional monitoring methods.
Older Adults and Psychoanalytic Treatment: It's About Time

Abstract It has become increasingly apparent that older adults may not only benefit from psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy but may be particularly well suited to such treatment. Clinical evidence to support this is presented, including discussion of the successful psychoanalysis of a woman in her seventies. An overview of the psychoanalytic literature indicates that psychoanalytic beliefs about the feasibility of treating older patients have always been favorable, but have had difficulty gaining traction. The modern psychoanalytic literature is compatible with extra-analytic studies of aging that provide further rationale for the potential usefulness of psychoanalytically oriented interventions in the elderly population.
Chromium51 elution from hemoglobin and intact erythrocytes of adults, infants and patients with Cooley's anemia.

SummaryAccelerated rates of chromium51 elution from hemoglobin solutions containing fetal hemoglobin have been shown to be present in specimens obtained from an infant and from patients with Cooley's anemia. This acceleration has been shown to be directly related to the percent fetal hemoglobin present. Rapid rates of chromium51 elution could not be demonstrated to occur from intact labeled erythrocytes containing large amounts of fetal hemoglobin studied by the technic of dialysis.
Inter-Rater and Intra-Rater Repeatability and Reliability of EOS 3-Dimensional Imaging Analysis Software.

Abstract Background Quantifying ideal component position for the acetabulum and stem during total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been described by many methods. A new imaging method using low-dose digital stereoradiography, the EOS imaging system, is a biplanar low-dose X-ray system that allows for 3-dimensional modeling of lower limbs and semiautomated measurement of pelvic parameters and implant alignment. Methods Twenty-five patients who underwent primary THA by a single surgeon between October 2014 and December 2014 were retrospectively selected. Only patients with unilateral THA without associated spine pathologies were included, totaling 16 right hips and 9 left hips. There were 8 men and 17 women in the cohort, with a mean age of 67 years (range, 53-82). Three individuals performed measurements of pelvic parameters and implant alignment on 3 separate occasions. An interclass correlation of >0.75 was accepted as evidence of excellent agreement and a confirmation of measurement reliability. Results Before reviewing patient radiographs, 4 pelvic phantom models were analyzed using the EOS 3-dimensional software to verify accuracy. All anatomic and implant measurements performed by the 3 independent reviewers showed interobserver and intraobserver agreement with interclass correlation >0.75. Conclusion Three-dimensional modeling of hip implants with the EOS imaging system is a reasonable option for the evaluation of component position after THA.
Occupational Stress And Turnover Issues In Public Accounting: The Mediating Effects Of Locus Of Control, Social Support, And Employment Expectations

At the aggregate level, turnover costs firms in the accounting profession billions of dollars each year (Larkin 1995). Though the costs of turnover vary widely from firm to firm, one study estimates that each separation costs firms $4,000 to $8,000 in training and recruiting costs (Roth and Roth 1995). Further complicating the profession’s turnover dilemma, changing organizational structures and workforce demographics are forcing public accounting firms to update employee recruitment and retention programs. The increased importance of recruitment and retention efforts coupled with the detrimental effects of turnover have led researchers to gain a better understanding of the voluntary turnover process in public accounting. The demanding and timepressure nature of the public accounting work environment coupled with the profession’s lack of success in retaining women and minorities suggests that occupational stress may have an increasingly negative impact on the accounting profession. Through the development and testing of a behavioral-based theoretical model, this study attempts to expand our understanding of the turnover process that transpires in public accounting. The study proposes that three factors act as mediators of occupational stress and subsequently impact employee turnover. Specifically, locus of control (personality type), the perception of adequate social support (a source of additional information), and the bestowing of realistic employment expectations (knowledge acquired at hiring) are all modeled as buffers of occupational stress. Results of a path analytic procedure support the theoretical model suggesting that the aforementioned constructs could become critical components of the accounting profession’s recruitment and retention processes.
Measurement Of Quality Attributes In Accounting Education Programs: Perceptions Of Certified Public Accountants

Higher education institutions must address quality issues relating to diverse user needs. Students, their families, employers, governing boards and society in general are all interested in maintaining and improving the quality of higher education. Specific attributes of quality in higher education are difficult to define, and may vary according to the needs of user groups. This study examines quality attributes of educational programs from the perspective of one particular user group: certified public accountants (CPAs).
Disambiguating Author Names

For the first installment of the new column, “Problem Solved!,” coedited by Kelly Smith and Scott Vieira, Vieira provides the first of two columns that will look into the nature of the problem surrounding author identity and how ORCID, a registry for author identifiers, may help resolve this challenge for researchers, publishers, and other institutions. Author identity remains a challenging problem for systems tasked with managing and analyzing bibliographical resources. Additionally, researchers and research institutions need more effective tools to manage their own scholarly production.
Charged Polymer Membranes for Environmental/Energy Applications

Ion exchange membranes are used in various membrane-based processes (e.g., electrodialysis, fuel cells). Charged solute transport is largely governed by the charged groups on the polymer backbone. In this review, fundamental relationships describing salt permeability and ionic conductivity, as well as water permeability, in charged polymers are developed within the framework of the Nernst-Planck and solution-diffusion models. The influence of fixed charge groups and polymer structure on water sorption and diffusion is discussed. Current understanding of ion partitioning in charged polymers, focusing on the use of thermodynamic models (i.e., Donnan theory) to describe such phenomena, is summarized. Ion diffusivity data from the literature are interpreted using a model developed by Mackie and Meares to assess relative and absolute effects of the polymer and fixed charge groups on ion diffusivity. Furthermore, membrane requirements for several important technologies are listed. Knowledge gaps and opportunities for fundamental research are also discussed.
A naphthalimide derived fluorescent sensor for solid-phase screening of cucurbit[7]uril–guest interactions

A naphthalimide based fluorescent sensor displaying a significant increase in emission upon binding CB[7] with notable pH stability was developed and utilized in a surface-bound displacement assay for the rapid detection of CB[7] encapsulation of therapeutically relevant drug classes. Previously unknown binders with moderate to strong affinities were discovered.
Book Review of Marc Weller, Contested Statehood: Kosovo’s Struggle for Independence, Oxford University Press, 2009 (321 pp.)

How an area measuring no more than about 11,000 square kilometers could become arguably “ground zero” for the formation of post-Cold War international law is a bit of a mystery, but the province (and now country) of Kosovo, in the late twentieth/early twenty-first centuries, somehow managed to pull off that feat. In Contested Statehood: Kosovo’s Struggle for Independence Marc Weller provides the best history to date of the Kosovo crisis from the end of the Cold War up to the point that Kosovo’s independence was declared in February 2008. In its July 2009 advisory opinion on that legality of that Declaration, the International Court of Justice avoided a lengthy account of Kosovo’s contemporary history, hewing closely to just those facts and law necessary to answer the narrow question before it. As such, anyone interested in the backdrop for the Court’s advisory opinion would do well to keep Contested Statehood close at hand.
Heterojunction devices

Summary form only given. The development of heterojunction devices is reviewed. Particular attention is given to the 1963 proposal of a heterojunction laser, and to the appreciation of the merits of the lattice-matched (Al,Ga)As system and the achievement of a suitable LPE (liquid phase epitaxy) technology. Consideration is also given to developments involving molecular beam epitaxy, organometallic vapor-phase epitaxy, high electron mobility transistors, and the II-VI blue-green diode laser. >
The Beginning of Antimicrobial Therapy: Introduction of the Sulfonamides and Penicillins

Vallery-Radot's oft-cited quotation from Louis Pasteur, "In the fields of observation, chance favors only the mind that is prepared," is never more aptly applied than to Maxwell Finland, especially as illustrated by his entrance into the sulphonamide and penicillin eras. It is a matter of record that a German graduate student named Gelmo, during investigations of azo dyes, made paraaminobenzene sulphonamide or sulfanilamide in 1908. The next year Hoerlein and his staff at I.G. Farbenindustrie made dyes from these compounds which were superior for woolens because of their firm combination with
“If Nobody Gives a Shit, is it Really News?”

While a growing body of academic research explores the evolution of production practices within formal news organizations, much less attention is paid to how journalism schools are addressing the demands of the profession in the twenty-first century. Strains on the traditional routines, practices and unwritten rules of news production challenge those involved in professional development to rethink the standards and skills they prioritize as they transmit knowledge to the next generation of news workers. This paper explores some of these changes in a “learning newsroom” at one of the top journalism schools of the United States. The research is based on both qualitative and quantitative methods, including over 200 hours of ethnographic fieldwork conducted between January and June 2015, interviews with journalism graduate students and faculty members, content analyses of the articles published on the news organization’s website, and an online survey. I focus on the recent shift within my fieldsite from a “le...
Food-Based Approaches for Achieving Nutritional Adequacy with the Mediterranean, DASH, and USDA Food Patterns

It is evident that recommended dietary practices are integral for health and well-being. Several dietary patterns have been identified that promote health, including the DASH dietary pattern (DASH), the USDA food pattern (USDAFP) and the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP). The existing evidence base is most robust for the health benefits of MDP. The average American diet, as well as the typical western diet both fall short of meeting current nutrient and food-based recommendations. There have been countless calls for action to improve the American diet, and there is strong advocacy for implementing the MDP worldwide, including in the United States. Strategies for implementing the MDP in the US include shifting the fatty acid profile from saturated to unsaturated fatty acids, including portion-controlled lean protein foods such as fish and nuts, and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. The current chapter discusses specific nutrient and food-based shortfalls in the current American diet and summarizes the nutritional benefits of DASH, USDAFP and MDP.
The orofacial structures and their association with congenital abnormalities.

Certain specific alterations of craniofacial form, structure, or function are found to be associated with certain syndromes and systemic disturbances to an extent that they may be classified as cardinal features of those conditions. Because of this, it is important for the clinician to be cognizant of dysmorphologic changes of orofacial structures in order to alert him or her to consider certain specific disease entities and to rule out the involvement of other tissues and organ systems that may be syndromically related.
A note on exact calculation of the non central hypergeometric distribution

ABSTRACTDirect calculation of the non central hypergeometric (NH) distribution and its moments can present computational issues in both efficiency and accuracy. In response, several methods, both approximate and exact, for calculating the NH mean and variance have appeared in the literature. We add to this body of work, a straight-forward, exact method that is easily programed, efficient, and computationally stable. Specifically, by considering the logs of the values of the NH probability mass function (pmf) and then shifting the exponents so that, prior to normalization, the mode acquires a value of 1, concerns for overflow are eliminated.
Manual Patch-Clamp Recording for Medium-Throughput Ion Channel Drug Screening: Assay Validation by Searching for a Blocker of Nuclear Monovalent Cationic Channel

The use of manual patch-clamp recording in drug discovery is limited by ultra-low throughput. The high cost of automated patch-clamp drug screening makes it unavailable for the majority of electrophysiological laboratories. Here we propose a drug screening strategy that combines manual patch-clamp technique with a specially designed drug cocktail application algorithm. This strategy allows the testing of up to 80 compounds per experiment with the effective average rate close to 40 drugs/experiment. The drug application algorithm was validated by screening a small library of 446 compounds in just 11 manual patch-clamp experiments while searching for a blocker of nuclear monovalent cationic channel (NMCC) expressed in the inner membrane of skeletal muscle nuclei. We found that one of the drugs, D11P6H2, blocked the NMCC activity completely and irreversibly at concentrations as low as 100 nM. We concluded that this method can be useful in drug screening of medium size libraries. If combined with an automated patch-clamp system, it can further increase the productivity and lower the cost of screening significantly.
In Vitro Isolation of Malignant Cells from Small Cell Carcinomas

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the in vitro isolation of malignant cells from small cell carcinomas. It describes a study involving the assessment of the in vivo growth potential of SCCL cells after adaptation to in vitro culture to determine whether their malignant potential is retained. The tumor growth in nude athymic mice is thought to be the best measurement of such potential. The growth rates of tumors initiated from cultured SCCL cells in nude mice were evaluated to provide an in vivo model system to study factors affecting tumor cell growth. It was found that the tumor incidence was significantly greater in males than in females. This may be to the result of a difference in immune response, as the female mice demonstrated a twofold greater cell-mediated immune response to sheep red blood cells than male mice. The alterations in phenotype involve changes in the level of differentiation. The most important of these characteristics is a limited growth potential which, if present in the SCCL cells in culture, would suggest the development of a differentiated cell with a decreased capacity to divide.
Spectroscopic characterization of excited-state absorption in Co:ZnSe/ZnS crystals (Conference Presentation)

Co2+:II-VI chalcogenide (e.g. ZnSe, ZnS) crystals exhibit broad emission in the 3-4µm spectral range with absorption peaks at ~0.75µm, ~1.5µm, and ~2.9µm which can be used for excitation. Laser oscillation of Fe2+ with wavelength ~4µm has been demonstrated at 14K in Co:Fe:ZnSe/ZnS under energy transfer from Co2+ ions. However, recent efforts in obtaining laser oscillation in Co2+:ZnSe/ZnS crystals have been unsuccessful. This can potentially be explained by excited state absorption at the 4T2(F)→4T1(F) transition. In addition, the laser oscillation in Co:Fe:ZnSe/ZnS co-doped crystals was only observed at temperatures under 21K. We report measurements of Co:ZnSe/ZnS absorption and emission at room temperature and 14K as well as estimates of excited state absorption from these measurements. Also, the results of experiments showed increase of absorption at 2.94µm under alexandrite laser excitation in Co:ZnS, which could result from excited state absorption. The lifetime of induced absorption was ~100µs, which is close to the ~200µs lifetime of the 4T2 level. The model of excited state absorption at low temperature predicts strong absorption over the emission spectrum of Co2+ in ZnSe, which can explain the negative lasing results. The loss of laser oscillation in co-doped crystals with increased temperature can be explained by the broadening of excited state absorption of Co2+. The spectroscopic measurements of the excited state absorption spectrum of Co:ZnSe/ZnS will be presented at the conference.
Development of a youth-report measure of DPN symptoms: Conceptualization and content validation

Aims To develop a content valid youth-report measure of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) symptoms.
Demo abstract: Evaluating video delivery over wireless multicast

The lack of adequate support for multicast hinders the ability of WiFi to deliver high quality video in crowded areas with large number of users. In our recent papers, we presented techniques for low-overhead feedback collection and rate adaptation for WiFi multicast. In this demo, we present a platform for evaluating video delivery over multicast using these techniques. The platform does not require changes in existing 802.11 standards and we implemented it on Android devices and laptops. The platform allows evaluation of the performance of multicast feedback, rate adaptation, and video rate adaptation algorithms in various settings including mobility and external interference.
Circulating Magnetic Microbubbles for Localized Real-Time Control of Drug Delivery by Ultrasonography-Guided Magnetic Targeting and Ultrasound.

Image-guided and target-selective modulation of drug delivery by external physical triggers at the site of pathology has the potential to enable tailored control of drug targeting. Magnetic microbubbles that are responsive to magnetic and acoustic modulation and visible to ultrasonography have been proposed as a means to realize this drug targeting strategy. To comply with this strategy in vivo, magnetic microbubbles must circulate systemically and evade deposition in pulmonary capillaries, while also preserving magnetic and acoustic activities in circulation over time. Unfortunately, challenges in fabricating magnetic microbubbles with such characteristics have limited progress in this field. In this report, we develop magnetic microbubbles (MagMB) that display strong magnetic and acoustic activities, while also preserving the ability to circulate systemically and evade pulmonary entrapment. Methods We systematically evaluated the characteristics of MagMB including their pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, visibility to ultrasonography and amenability to magneto-acoustic modulation in tumor-bearing mice. We further assessed the applicability of MagMB for ultrasonography-guided control of drug targeting. Results Following intravenous injection, MagMB exhibited a 17- to 90-fold lower pulmonary entrapment compared to previously reported magnetic microbubbles and mimicked circulation persistence of the clinically utilized Definity microbubbles (>10 min). In addition, MagMB could be accumulated in tumor vasculature by magnetic targeting, monitored by ultrasonography and collapsed by focused ultrasound on demand to activate drug deposition at the target. Furthermore, drug delivery to target tumors could be enhanced by adjusting the magneto-acoustic modulation based on ultrasonographic monitoring of MagMB in real-time. Conclusions Circulating MagMB in conjunction with ultrasonography-guided magneto-acoustic modulation may provide a strategy for tailored minimally-invasive control over drug delivery to target tissues.
Second-Generation Holocaust Literature: Legacies of Survival and Perpetration

Among historical events of the 20th century, the Holocaust is unrivaled as the subject of both scholarly and literary writing. Literary responses include not only thousands of autobiographical and fictional texts written by survivors, but also, more recently, works by writers who are not survivors but nevertheless feel compelled to write about the Holocaust. Writers from what is known as the 'second generation' have produced texts that express their feeling of being powerfully marked by events of which they have had no direct experience. This book expands the commonly-used definition of 'second-generation literature,' which refers to texts written from the perspective of the children of survivors, to include texts written from the point of view of the children of Nazi perpetrators. With its innovative focus on the literary legacy of both groups, it investigates how second-generation writers employ similar tropes of stigmatization to express their troubled relationships to their parents' histories. Through readings of nine American, German, and French literary texts, Erin McGlothlin demonstrates how an anxiety with signification is manifested in the very structure of second-generation literature, revealing the extent to which the literary texts themselves are marked by the continuing aftershocks of the Holocaust. Erin McGlothlin is assistant professor of German at Washington University in St. Louis.
Risk Factors for Anal Dysplasia in Transgender Women: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Objective The aim of the study was to assess risk factors for anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and anal dysplasia among a cohort of transgender women (TGW). Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted based on electronic medical records of TGW patients seen in the University of Miami Health System between 2010 and 2016. Outcome measures included risk factors of anal dysplasia, including HIV infection, receptive anal intercourse, and smoking history. Descriptive statistical analysis and χ testing were used. Results Sixty-nine TGW patients' charts were reviewed. Patients' ages ranged from 18 to 72 (mean = 38 [15]). Twenty-two (30%) were older than 50 years; 10 (15%) were black/African descent; 20 (29%) reported a smoking history; 6 (9%) were HIV positive, and 28 (72%) among those with known partner preference (n = 39) reported male partners. Male partner preference was significantly associated with being black/African descent (p = .009) and being single (p = .048). Older age was significantly associated with HIV-positive status (p = .023). The average number of risk factors per person was 2.10 (0.97). Sixty-one years or older had the highest average number of risk factors (2.90 [0.88]). Conclusions Because rates of HIV, dangerous sexual behaviors, and other risk factors for anal dysplasia continue to persist among TGW, this study reinforces the need to increase the focus on anal health in the care of TGW and the need for further research to guide patient care and anal dysplasia screening strategies among those individuals.
Aging and the Male Reproductive System

Compared to women, men experience a more variable, gradual, and progressive decline in reproductive function as they age. Male reproductive system aging is notable for reductions in testicular secretion of testosterone; alterations in hypothalamic/pituitary regulation of testicular function; structural changes in the testis, penis, and accessory sexual glands; and alterations in sexual function, spermatogenesis, and fertility. The significance of most of these age-related changes in male reproductive physiology is unclear, although erectile dysfunction and some consequences of the age-related decline in testosterone levels may have a major negative impact on quality of life in aging men.
Waiting List Mortality and Transplant Rates for NASH Cirrhosis When Compared With Cryptogenic, Alcoholic, or AIH Cirrhosis.

BackgroundPatients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis have excellent postliver transplant survival despite having many comorbidities. We hypothesized that this could be due to a selection bias.MethodsWe analyzed the United Network for Organ Sharing data from 2002 to 2016 and compared
Acute Flaccid Myelitis - Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics, United States, August 2014 – August 2017 (P6.421)

Objective: To present national level aggregate data on Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) cases and encourage case finding among clinicians. Background: AFM is a serious but rare condition characterized by sudden onset of limb weakness. After a surge in cases temporally associated with outbreaks of acute respiratory illness (ARI) due to EV-D68 in 2014, AFM cases again increased in 2016 although reports of EV-D68-associated ARI outbreaks were limited. AFM is not nationally notifiable and case reporting is voluntary in most states. CDC relies on health departments to send information about suspected AFM patients for case classification. Design/Methods: Confirmed cases were defined as persons with acute focal limb weakness and spinal cord gray matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Clinical and laboratory characteristics from August 2014 – August 2017 were analyzed. Cases>21 years of age were excluded from analyses because of changes in case definitions in 2015. Results: A total of 293 confirmed AFM cases were reported from 44 states; 60% were male with median age of 6 years (range 3–13years). A febrile illness in the 4 weeks before symptom onset was identified for 63%. The majority of cases occurred in2014 and 2016; peak months for case reporting were in September or October. No specific geographic distribution of cases was noted for any year. Seventy-eight percent of cases had upper extremity involvement; 84% had cervical and 74% had thoracic lesions on spinal MRI images. Altered mental status was observed for19%. Although EV-D68 was detected from nasopharyngeal swabs of cases and non-cases, no pathogen was consistently detected in cerebrospinal fluid of cases in any year. Conclusions: Limited surveillance data for AFM suggests a seasonal and biannual incidence of cases. Continued surveillance and reporting of suspected AFM cases remain critical to understand and characterize this rare but serious disease. Disclosure: Dr. Ayers has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lopez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kambhampati has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rogers has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nix has nothing to disclose. Dr. Oberste has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pallansch has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sejvar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Routh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Patel has nothing to disclose.
Chapter 5 – Going Green: RNA and the Molecular Biology of Plants

Plants exhibit complex gene expression pathways and regulatory controls that are often similar to those observed in animals. Consequently, techniques that are commonly used to assay gene expression in animal cells may be used to assay the same in Plantae. The features of plant cells that distinguish them from animal cells are: the presence of a cell wall; the presence of a large fluid-filled vacuole; and the presence of chloroplasts. The increased awareness and interest in agricultural biotechnology and applications thereof have created a need for expedient isolation of high-quality RNA from vastly different plant tissues, such as leaf, root, bark, floral tissue, fruit, and cotyledon. The fibrous nature of plant tissue often requires far more aggressive measures to disrupt cells than are required for an equal starting mass of animal tissue. The important consideration for isolating plant RNA is the method for dismantling or breaking through the formidable cell wall; and these methods include pulverizing plant tissue that has been frozen in liquid nitrogen, the use of an electronic homogenizer or a Bead Beater, or a laboratory blender or similar apparatus. One of the primary complaints associated with RNA isolation from plant tissue is an unacceptably low yield, because of the plant cell wall; high concentrations of phenolics; and high concentrations of polysaccharides, waxes, and latex. The amount of RNA that is to be expected is highly dependent upon the plant species, the specific tissue, and the isolation procedure. The fact that plants are unable to move when local conditions become unfavorable makes RNA profiling of plant tissue particularly valuable, and much is to be gained by understanding the molecular biology of plants. Several contemporary lines of research include identifying the genes responsible for cold-hardiness, discerning plant molecular responses to the biotic (e.g., pathogen) and abiotic (e.g., drought) stress, and identifying genes that may lead to the cost-effective synthesis of biofuels, to name but a few examples. Plant RNA is remarkably stable when compared to the animal cell counterpart, meaning that there are often much greater opportunities for long-term storage and analysis.