cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantifying Cartilage Contact Modulus, Tension Modulus, and Permeability With Hertzian Biphasic Creep

This paper describes a new method, based on a recent analytical model (Hertzian biphasic theory (HBT)), to simultaneously quantify cartilage contact modulus, tension modulus, and permeability. Standard Hertzian creep measurements were performed on 13 osteochondral samples from three mature bovine stifles. Each creep dataset was fit for material properties using HBT. A subset of the dataset (N = 4) was also fit using Oyen's method and FEBio, an open-source finite element package designed for soft tissue mechanics. The HBT method demonstrated statistically significant sensitivity to differences between cartilage from the tibial plateau and cartilage from the femoral condyle. Based on the four samples used for comparison, no statistically significant differences were detected between properties from the HBT and FEBio methods. While the finite element method is considered the gold standard for analyzing this type of contact, the expertise and time required to setup and solve can be prohibitive, especially for large datasets. The HBT method agreed quantitatively with FEBio but also offers ease of use by nonexperts, rapid solutions, and exceptional fit quality (R2 = 0.999 ± 0.001, N = 13).
Constructionist Gaming Beyond the Screen: Middle School Students' Crafting and Computing of Touchpads, Board Games, and Controllers

Approaches to constructionist gaming---students making their own games for learning through programming---have mostly focused on screen designs. Hybrid crafting approaches that integrate crafts with digital components can extend game making beyond the screen and provide new opportunities for learning about computational concepts, skills, and perspectives. In this paper, we report on a series of workshops with middle school students (ages 11-14 years) who used Makey Makey, Play Doh, textiles and other materials to craft touchpads, augmented board games, and wearable controllers for their Scratch games. We examined students' approaches to computing and crafting in their onscreen and off screen designs. We discuss in which ways constructionist gaming can benefit from extending their designs into the physical world and what moving constructionist gaming beyond the screen has to offer for K-12 programming instruction.
Further Tests of the Effect of Food Plants on the Migratory Grasshopper

Nineteen single-plant and four 2-plant diets were compared for effect on the nymphal development and adult size of the migratory grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes (F.), in laboratory tests at Tempe, Ariz., in 1954. All the plants except two, head lettuce, Lactuca sativa L., and spectaclepod, Dithyrea wislinzeni Engelm., grew as weeds in nearby alfalfa fields. No nymphs survived to the adult stage on an exclusive diet of bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; careless weed, Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.; or sea purslane, Trianthema portulacastrum L. Considering survival, rate of growth, and size of the grasshoppers, the best diets were desertmustard, Sisymbrium irio L.; common sowthistle, Sonchus oleraceus L.; prickly lettuce, Lactuca scariola L.; and a mixture of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., and lettuce. Very poor single-plant diets that produced low percentages of small, slow-growing grasshoppers were: alfalfa; burclover, Medicago hispida Gaertn.; russianthistle, Salsola kali L.; nettleleaf goosefoot, Chenopodium murale L.; and Australian saltbush, Atriplex semibaccata R. Br. Alternating a poor food plant with a good one gave results almost as good as those obtained with the good food plant exclusively. A diet of 2 poor food plants gave much better results than did either of the plants alone. Weedy alfalfa fields probably provide adequate diets for nymphal development of the migratory grasshopper.
The Theory of Ultra-Coarse-Graining. 2. Numerical Implementation.

The increasing interest in the modeling of complex macromolecular systems in recent years has spurred the development of numerous coarse-graining (CG) techniques. However, many of the CG models are constructed assuming that all details beneath the resolution of CG degrees of freedom are fast and average out, which sets limits on the resolution of feasible coarse-grainings and on the range of applications of the CG models. Ultra-coarse-graining (UCG) makes it possible to construct models at any desired resolution while accounting for discrete conformational or chemical changes within the CG sites that can modulate the interactions between them. Here, we discuss the UCG methodology and its numerical implementation. We pay particular attention to the numerical mechanism for including state transitions between different conformations within CG sites because this has not been discussed previously. Using a simple example of 1,2-dichloroethane, we demonstrate the ability of the UCG model to reproduce the multico...
On Li Gou, the Expert Confucian Scholar of One Age

Li Gou, together with Hu yuan, Qujiang Xiu, Fan Zhongyian and Wang Anshi etc. in early Song, were expert Confucian scholars of one age with wide knowledge. The prerequisite of an expert Confucian scholar wao to grasp the thought of Confucianiem deeply and use it thoroughly. The highest realm of an expert Confucian scholar was very wise and the doctrine of the mean. As an expert Confucian scholar of one age Li Gou was specially sensitive to practical problems. His political essays of "Making Country Rich", "Making Army Strong" and "Reassuring People" etc. showed his progressive thought to reform social reality "yilun" was the basis of his thought and had the tendency of teleology. "Conventum" and "Charge" became dialectical harmmony by LiGou. But he paid more attention to "Change" and was against "Convention", "Lilun" was the core of his thought and expounded the idea of a perfect social system and order His "Li" had both ontology′s category of value and harmonious category of function. So it had double meanings.
Renal Transplantation from Living Related Donor after Excision of Angiomyolipoma of the Donor Kidney

A 44-year-old woman with end stage renal disease underwent living related renal transplantation after planned partial nephrectomy of the donor kidney for angiomyolipoma.
Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta: Science and Technology Cooperation

Science and technology, and innovation in particular, have become a critical concern of policymakers and politicians. Throughout Asia, there has been a concerted effort, through national and subnational policies, to improve technological capabilities and to create an environment of technological entrepreneurship. These policies, of course, differ by location, but there is a degree of convergence as all of the economies in the region expand financial and institutional support for small and medium-sized enterprises; foster university-industry linkages and promote university start-ups; and build cooperative agreements between state labs and private industry.
Pagetoid Spitz nevi: clinicopathologic characterization of a series of 12 cases.

Background Pagetoid Spitz nevus is an uncommon Spitz nevus variant characterized by a predominantly intraepidermal proliferation of single epithelioid melanocytes. Recognition of this variant is important to avoid misdiagnosis as melanoma. Methods We reviewed and characterized 12 pagetoid Spitz nevi diagnosed at a tertiary care institution over the past 25 years. Results All patients were female and average age at biopsy was 34 years. Clinically, 83% (10 out of 12) were located on an extremity and all were ≤ 6 mm in diameter. Histologically, pagetoid Spitz nevi were characterized by individual intraepidermal epithelioid melanocytes mostly confined to the lower half of the epidermis. Most displayed epidermal hyperplasia, eosinophilic bodies and melanocytes with minimal pleomorphism. All displayed melanoderma and at least mild dermal inflammation. Conclusions This represents the largest series of pagetoid Spitz nevi characterized to date. Although most clinicopathologic characteristics in our series correlated with those previously described, novel findings included occurrence in middle-aged adults, occurrence above the waist and demonstration of melanoderma in all lesions. Presence of dermal inflammation and melanoderma may contribute to atypical clinical appearance leading to biopsy despite their small clinical size. Recognition of these additional novel histologic features may aid dermatopathologists in distinguishing pagetoid Spitz nevi from melanoma.
Unsteady steady-states: central causes of unintentional force drift

We applied the theory of synergies to analyze the processes that lead to unintentional decline in isometric fingertip force when visual feedback of the produced force is removed. We tracked the changes in hypothetical control variables involved in single fingertip force production based on the equilibrium-point hypothesis, namely the fingertip referent coordinate (R FT) and its apparent stiffness (C FT). The system’s state is defined by a point in the {R FT; C FT} space. We tested the hypothesis that, after visual feedback removal, this point (1) moves along directions leading to drop in the output fingertip force, and (2) has even greater motion along directions that leaves the force unchanged. Subjects produced a prescribed fingertip force using visual feedback and attempted to maintain this force for 15 s after the feedback was removed. We used the “inverse piano” apparatus to apply small and smooth positional perturbations to fingers at various times after visual feedback removal. The time courses of R FT and C FT showed that force drop was mostly due to a drift in R FT toward the actual fingertip position. Three analysis techniques, namely hyperbolic regression, surrogate data analysis, and computation of motor-equivalent and non-motor-equivalent motions, suggested strong covariation in R FT and C FT stabilizing the force magnitude. Finally, the changes in the two hypothetical control variables {R FT; C FT} relative to their average trends also displayed covariation. On the whole, the findings suggest that unintentional force drop is associated with (a) a slow drift of the referent coordinate that pulls the system toward a low-energy state and (b) a faster synergic motion of R FT and C FT that tends to stabilize the output fingertip force about the slowly drifting equilibrium point.
Tensile-strained GeSn photodetectors with conformai nitride stressor

Applying tensile strain with silicon nitride is demonstrated to improve the responsivity of germanium-tin (Ge 1−x Sn x ) PIN photodetectors at longer wavelengths. Such external stressor films show promise for extending the application of Ge 1−x Sn x optoelectronic devices into the mid-infrared range.
Evolution and Progress

The process of evolution appears as obviously progressive. The earliest organisms on Earth were no more complex than today's bacteria. Three billion years later, their descendants include orchids, ants, fish, reptiles, birds, and, of course, humans. But some evolutionary lineages are not progressive at all. Today's bacteria are no more advanced than their ancestors of 2 or 3 billion years ago. More than 99% of all species that ever lived became extinct, which was, of course, not progressive for those species . Change, evolution , and direction are concepts related to progress . Progress implies that advance has occurred in some respect. General or universal progress is that which has occurred in all historical sequences of a particular domain of reality. Particular progress is that which occurs in some but not all historical sequences of a domain of reality. Writings about biological progress have involved much disputation concerning whether the notion of progress belongs in the realm of scientific discourse, what criterion of progress is best, and whether progress has indeed taken place in the evolution of life.
Die Renaissance des Epos im romantischen Fresko

If the nineteenth century is correctly seen as an age when a new acute historical awareness reshaped the cultural sensibility, then it is no small irony that in the age of the history, history painting was in crisis. One reaction to this crisis is the subject of this paper. Focusing on one of the Nazarenes' most enchanting fresco projects, the decoration of the Casino Massimo in Rome after major epics by Dante, Tasso, and Ariosto, it traces the reworking and redefinition of history in paiting by the German Nazarenes. In so doing, it examines the transformation of history painting into symbolic representation, and maps out the narrative structures, aesthetic strategies, and amalgamation of temporalities that carried this process and were produced in the process.
Smart-Grid Optimization Using A Capacitated Transshipment Problem Solver

Creating an autonomous, self-healing electrical grid is one of the most important challenges facing electric-energy providers. Such a system, known as the “smart grid,” must interweave a multitude of systems, both software and hardware, in order to form a complete solution that is capable of meeting the requirements outlined by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). According to the DOE [LSC05], “It is a colossal task. But it is a task that must be done.”
The Ontology of Hope in Dark Times

This essay explores the possibility of hope in dark times. It considers comic and tragic visions of hope in several major writers. In an effort to follow Hannah Arendt's advice to understand a pred...
Exploration of TMR fault masking with persistent threads on Tegra GPU SoCs

Low-power, high-performance, System-on-Chip (SoC) devices, such as the NVIDIA Tegra K1 and Tegra X1, have many potential uses in aerospace applications. Fusing ARM CPUs and a large GPU, Tegra SoCs are well suited for image and signal processing. However, fault masking and tolerance on GPUs is relatively unexplored for harsh environments. With hundreds of GPU cores, a complex caching structure, and a custom task scheduler, Tegra SoCs are vulnerable to a wide range of single-event upsets (SEUs). Triple-modular redundancy (TMR) provides a strong basis for fault masking on a wide range of devices. GPUs pose a unique challenge to a typical TMR implementation. NVIDIA's scheduler assigns tasks based on available resources, but the scheduling process is not publicly documented. As a result, a malfunctioning core could be assigned the same block of code in each TMR module. In this case, a fault could go undetected, impacting the resulting data with an error. Likewise, an upset in the scheduler or cache could have an adverse impact on data integrity. In order to mask and mitigate upsets in GPUs, we propose and investigate a new method that features persistent threading and CUDA Streams with TMR. A persistent thread is a new approach to GPU programming where a kernel's threads run indefinitely. CUDA Streams enable multiple kernels to run concurrently on a single GPU. Combining these two programming paradigms, we remove the vulnerability of scheduler faults, and ensure that each iteration is executed concurrently on different cores, with each instance having its own copy of the data. We evaluate our method with an experiment that uses a Sobel filter applied to a 640×480 image on an NVIDIA Tegra X1. In order to inject faults to verify our method, a separate task corrupts a memory location. Using this simple injector, we are able to simulate an upset in a GPU core or memory location. From this experiment, our results confirm that using persistent threading and CUDA Streams with TMR masks the simulated SEUs on the Tegra X1. Furthermore, we provide performance results to quantify the overhead with this new method.
Impact of shared decision making on asthma quality of life and asthma control among children.

Objective: Few studies have examined the effectiveness of shared decision making (SDM) in clinical practice. This study evaluated the impact of SDM on quality of life and symptom control in children with asthma. Methods: We conducted a prospective 3-year study in six community-based practices serving a low-income patient population. Practices received training on SDM using an evidence-based toolkit. Patients aged 2–17 with a diagnosis of asthma were identified from scheduling and billing data. At approximate 6-month intervals, patients completed a survey consisting of the Mini Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (range 1–7) and the control domain of the Pediatric Asthma Therapy Assessment Questionnaire (range 0–7). We used propensity scores to match 46 children receiving SDM to 46 children receiving usual care with decision support. Included children had completed a baseline survey and at least one follow-up survey. Random coefficient models incorporated repeated measures to assess the ...
A Transformation-Based Multi-Area Dynamic Economic Dispatch Approach for Preserving Information Privacy of Individual Areas

As the growing interconnection of regional electricity grids and the large-scale integration of renewable energy demand for effective coordination among multiple areas, the multi-area dynamic economic dispatch (MA-DED) problem has been studied for exploring coordinated optimal operations to achieve overall energy security and economic efficiency. However, due to political and technical challenges, a centralized solution to MA-DED is unlikely to be practically feasible. In turn, decomposition schemes have been applied for solving MA-DED in a distributed manner so as to avoid disclosing commercially sensitive information of individual areas to others. In recognizing computational challenges of distributed approaches, this paper discusses a transformation-based MA-DED approach, which masks each area’s private information in the objective and constraints of MA-DED by privately generated and held random matrices. Strategies of using additional slack variables and redundant constraints are also discussed to further disguise system scale of each area from being disclosed. More importantly, optimal solutions to the original MA-DED problem, including tie-line power flows, dispatches of generators and loads, and locational marginal prices, can be retrieved from solutions of the transformed problem. Numerical studies show effectiveness of the proposed approach for guaranteeing the same optimal MA-DED solution, while preserving information privacy of individual areas. Moreover, the proposed approach presents significant computational benefits over distributed approaches, especially for multi-area systems with larger numbers of tie-lines and more complicated connection topologies of areas.
An approach to matching fingerprints using cryptographic one-way hashes

Password-based systems authenticate users with cryptographic one-way hashes without storing plaintext passwords. The method prevents a hacker from reversing the hashes and hacking into individual accounts easily. Biometric data cannot be reproduced with 100% accuracy. Therefore, the hashing technique has yet to be utilised directly to secure biometric data. Instead, biometric system manages biometric data in two ways. The first is to store original biometric templates in encrypted formats. However, real-time decryption is required upon authentication during which decrypted data can be stolen. The second is to transform original templates such that matching can be done directly in the transformed domain. However, the requirement of similarity-preserving transformation makes the transformed templates vulnerable to reverse engineering. In this paper we propose a novel approach of transforming fingerprint templates, with which matching can be conducted using cryptographic one-way hashes. Our testing results indicate its feasibility.
Riparian bird density decline in response to biocontrol of Tamarix from riparian ecosystems along the Dolores River in SW Colorado, USA

Biocontrol of invasive tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) in the arid Southwest using the introduced tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda elongata) has been hypothesized to negatively affect some breeding bird species, but no studies to date have documented the effects of beetle-induced defoliation on riparian bird abundance. We assessed the effects of tamarisk defoliation by monitoring defoliation rates, changes in vegetation composition, and changes in density of six obligate riparian breeding bird species at two sites along the Dolores River in Colorado following the arrival of tamarisk beetles. We conducted bird point counts from 2010 to 2014 and modeled bird density as a function of native vegetation density and extent of defoliation using hierarchical distance sampling. Maximum annual defoliation decreased throughout the study period, peaking at 32–37% in 2009–2010 and dropping to 0.5–15% from 2011–2014. Stem density of both tamarisk and native plants declined throughout the study period until 2014. Density of all bird species declined throughout most of the study, with Song Sparrow disappearing from the study sites after 2011. Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Yellow Warbler densities were negatively related to defoliation in the previous year, while Lazuli Bunting exhibited a positive relationship with defoliation. These findings corroborate earlier predictions of species expected to be sensitive to defoliation as a result of nest site selection. Tamarisk defoliation thus had short-term negative impacts on riparian bird species; active restoration may be needed to encourage the regrowth of native riparian vegetation, which in the longer-term may result in increased riparian bird density.
La discreta apostasía religiosa en "La plaza del Diamante" de Mercè Rodoreda

El presente articulo analiza las estrategias esgrimidas por Merce Rodoreda para expresar el repudio hacia el dogma catolico en su celebrada novela La placa del Diamant (1962). Estudio el significado de los rituales, referencias simbolicas y alusiones a arquetipos miticos de nuestra cultura y religion para relacionarlo con la vision negativa que su protagonista tiene de una etica religiosa, la cristiana, que promueve la obediencia, humillacion y el sacrificio en la mujer. La profunda ansia de inconformidad y de intenso rechazo de cuanto representa la Iglesia, su legado religioso, sus dogmas e instituciones da lugar a una alternativa moral mas autentica, profunda y humana, cuyo proposito principal es sugerir que el vinculo moral de mayor importancia no es el que existe entre ser humano y Dios, sino entre dos seres que se aman, se respetan y se apoyan mutuamente. Analizo tambien los mecanismos desplegados por la autora para ofuscar su heterodoxia religiosa ante los censores oficiales de la Espana franquista.
Which perspective of institutional change best fits empirical data? An agent-based model comparison of rational choice and cultural diffusion in invasive plant management

There are multiple theories regarding how institutions change over time, but institutional change is often difficult to study and understand in practice. Agent-based modeling is known as a technique to explore emergent phenomena resulting from the micro level activities and interactions between heterogeneous agents and between agents and the environment. Such models allow researchers to investigate theories which may otherwise be difficult to examine. We present a theoretically driven agent-based model to explore two perspectives on institutional change, rational choice and cultural diffusion, in the context of invasive plant management in Chitwan, Nepal. The Chitwan region is grappling with the spread of the invasive mile-a-minute weed, Mikania micrantha (Mikania). We focus on understanding which perspective of institutional change better fits empirical survey data on Mikania management. We find that rational choice is an unlikely candidate for institutional change in Chitwan and that the social learning and imitation mechanism modeled in the cultural diffusion perspective better replicates empirical patterns. Additionally, the model reveals that the percentage of agents adopting the best practice removal method is not as influential in reducing Mikania as the initial amount of Mikania removed. This result indicates that it may be useful to conduct an empirical assessment varying the initial amount of Mikania removed to understand the management implications for successful removal of Mikania in Chitwan and elsewhere.
Genetic Algorithms and Fuzzy Systems

The integration of genetic algorithms with fuzzy systems is newer and less well explored than the combining of genetic algorithms or fuzzy logic with neural networks. The pioneering work in this area starts around 1989 and much of the initiative is due to Charles Karr. The most promising application area for the short term is the use of genetic algorithms to improve fuzzy logic controllers. This is an emerging field in which important work has proven the usefulness in some areas, but further studies will explore additional creative ways of integration.
Effectiveness of recruitment and retention strategies in a pregnant adolescent nutrition intervention study

AIM To report the methodological strategies used to recruit and retain pregnant adolescents into a nutrition-focused intervention study. BACKGROUND An important step to meeting the developmental and healthcare needs of pregnant adolescents is to conduct high-quality research studies that generate reliable and accurate data. However, recruitment and retention of pregnant adolescents into research are challenging and time intensive. DESIGN A quasi-experimental, one-group, pre, post, 6-week postintervention repeated measures study was conducted among inner-city pregnant adolescents. METHOD Study participants' nutrition knowledge, eating habits, and personal self-efficacy were measured prior to pregnant adolescents' participation in the workshop, immediately after the intervention and 6-weeks following the intervention. A total of four workshops were conducted over 14 months from 2014-2015. RESULTS Gatekeepers were influential in recruitment efforts due to trusting relationship they had with study participants. The use of texting reminders and pregnant adolescent-related incentives that included gift bags and baby items were also effective recruitment and retention strategies. Despite designing the recruitment strategies and using a developmentally tailored workshop, based on empirical evidence gleaned from pregnant adolescents that was modified to meet study participant's schedules, an adequate sample was unable to be recruited and retained for this study. CONCLUSION High-quality research studies that generate reliable and accurate data are essential in meeting the developmental and healthcare needs of pregnant adolescents. A major barrier in developing evidence-based care practices to promote the health of these young mothers and their children involves recruiting and retaining them in research studies.
Relationship between intraglottal geometry, vocal tract constriction, and glottal flow during phonation of a canine larynx

Hypothesis: The rapid reduction of the glottal volume flow rate, which usually occurs in normal phonation during the closing of the vocal folds, is measured by a quantity known as the maximum flow declination rate (MFDR). Our preliminary work highly suggests that intraglottal flow separation vortices (FSV), which form near the superior aspect of the divergent folds during closing, can directly affect MFDR. In this project, we hypothesize that the strength of the vortices is highly correlated with higher MFDR, larger divergence angles and stronger FSV. Methodology: We use particle image velocimetry to measure the strength of the FSV as well as the intraglottal pressures during phonation in four excised canine larynges with an attached mechanical vocal tract. Two vocal tract models are used, one with a false fold gap of 7 mm, one with a gap of 3 mm. Results: Stronger FSV (measured by vorticity) are correlated with glottic efficiency, larger glottal divergence angles and/or with decreased distance between the false folds. Conclusion: We show correlation of the strength of the FSV with different variables. These data are currently being used to validate computational flow structure models. These computational models then can be used to determine causation.Hypothesis: The rapid reduction of the glottal volume flow rate, which usually occurs in normal phonation during the closing of the vocal folds, is measured by a quantity known as the maximum flow declination rate (MFDR). Our preliminary work highly suggests that intraglottal flow separation vortices (FSV), which form near the superior aspect of the divergent folds during closing, can directly affect MFDR. In this project, we hypothesize that the strength of the vortices is highly correlated with higher MFDR, larger divergence angles and stronger FSV. Methodology: We use particle image velocimetry to measure the strength of the FSV as well as the intraglottal pressures during phonation in four excised canine larynges with an attached mechanical vocal tract. Two vocal tract models are used, one with a false fold gap of 7 mm, one with a gap of 3 mm. Results: Stronger FSV (measured by vorticity) are correlated with glottic efficiency, larger glottal divergence angles and/or with decreased distance between th...
What we (Should) Talk about when we Talk about Deep Brain Stimulation and Personal Identity

A number of reports have suggested that patients who undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) may experience changes to their personality or sense of self. These reports have attracted great philosophical interest. This paper surveys the philosophical literature on personal identity and DBS and draws on an emerging empirical literature on the experiences of patients who have undergone this therapy to argue that the existing philosophical discussion of DBS and personal identity frames the problem too narrowly. Much of the discussion by neuroethicists centers on the nature of the threat posed by DBS, asking whether it is best understood as a threat to personal identity, autonomy, agency, or authenticity, or as putting patients at risk of self-estrangement. Our aim in this paper is to use the empirical literature on patients’ experiences post-DBS to open up a broader range of questions - both philosophical and practical, and to suggest that attention to these questions will help to provide better support to patients, both before and after treatment.
2'-O-[2-[N,N-(dialkyl)aminooxy]ethyl]-modified antisense oligonucleotides.

Oligonucleotides with two novel modifications, 2‘-O-{2-[N,N-(dimethyl)aminooxy]ethyl} (2‘-O-DMAOE) and 2‘-O-{2-[N,N-(diethyl)aminooxy]ethyl} (2‘-O-DEAOE), have been synthesized. These modifications...
De Novo Protein Design for Novel Folds using Guided Conditional Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Networks (gcWGAN)

Abstract Motivation Facing data quickly accumulating on protein sequence and structure, this study is addressing the following question: to what extent could current data alone reveal deep insights into the sequence-structure relationship, such that new sequences can be designed accordingly for novel structure folds? Results We have developed novel deep generative models, constructed low-dimensional and generalizable representation of fold space, exploited sequence data with and without paired structures, and developed ultra-fast fold predictor as an oracle providing feedback. The resulting semi-supervised gcWGAN is assessed with the oracle over 100 novel folds not in the training set and found to generate more yields and cover 3.6 times more target folds compared to a competing data-driven method (cVAE). Assessed with structure predictor over representative novel folds (including one not even part of basis folds), gcWGAN designs are found to have comparable or better fold accuracy yet much more sequence diversity and novelty than cVAE. gcWGAN explores uncharted sequence space to design proteins by learning from current sequence-structure data. The ultra fast data-driven model can be a powerful addition to principle-driven design methods through generating seed designs or tailoring sequence space. Availability Data and source codes will be available upon request. Contact yshen@tamu.edu Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Ensuring Reliable Monte Carlo Estimates of Network Properties

The literature in social network analysis has largely focused on methods and models which require complete network data; however there exist many networks which can only be studied via sampling methods due to the scale or complexity of the network, access limitations, or the population of interest is hard to reach. In such cases, the application of random walk-based Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods to estimate multiple network features is common. However, the reliability of these estimates has been largely ignored. We consider and further develop multivariate MCMC output analysis methods in the context of network sampling to directly address the reliability of the multivariate estimation. This approach yields principled, computationally efficient, and broadly applicable methods for assessing the Monte Carlo estimation procedure. In particular, with respect to two random-walk algorithms, a simple random walk and a Metropolis-Hastings random walk, we construct and compare network parameter estimates, effective sample sizes, coverage probabilities, and stopping rules, all of which speaks to the estimation reliability.
Characteristics and Incidence of Concussion Among a US Collegiate Undergraduate Population

Importance Concussion on university campuses is a significant health problem. Characterizing the incidence of concussion on college campuses may inform education and resource allocation policy at student health care centers. Objectives To establish a measure of concussion incidence among collegiate undergraduate students and to describe characteristics associated with concussion incidence, including sex, cause, and month. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective cohort study included data from 3 academic years from August 2015 to April 2018 at a large, public university in the United States. Participants included any undergraduate student or varsity athlete who was diagnosed with at least 1 concussion during the academic year. Exposures Sport- and non–sport-related activities of undergraduate students. Main Outcomes and Measures Concussion diagnosis. Results Among 954 undergraduate students from the general undergraduate population with at least 1 concussion, including 502 men and 452 women, 1020 concussions were diagnosed in 3 academic years. During 2 academic years, a total of 80 concussions occurred among the varsity athlete population, including 26 men and 54 women. Overall, concussion incidence among both the general undergraduate population and varsity athletes was 132.4 (95% CI, 123.2-142.0) concussions per 10 000 students. Men sustained concussions at a rate of 126.1 (95% CI, 114.1-139.0) concussions per 10 000 students and women sustained concussions at a rate of 140.0 (95% CI, 126.2-155.3) concussions per 10 000 students for the 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018 academic years. Concussion incidence peaked in August at the start of the academic year and the rate of non–sport-related concussions (81.0 [95% CI, 73.9-88.7] concussions per 10 000 students for academic years 2016-2017 and 2017-2018) was higher than the rate of sport-related concussions (51.5 [95% CI, 49.5-57.7] concussions per 10 000 students for academic years 2016-2017 and 2017-2018). Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study found concussions to be common among this US collegiate population. While concussion is often associated with sport, the incidence of non–sport-related concussion was higher than that of sport-related concussion throughout the academic year. Additional research is warranted to determine if this incidence measure among undergraduate students is generalizable to other university populations.
Nature and kinetics of extracellular peptidases in subsurface sediments of the White Oak River estuary, NC

Abstract Microbial communities inhabiting subsurface sediments contain abundant heterotrophs, which oxidize organic matter to obtain carbon and energy. Subsurface sediments contain very low concentrations of bioavailable compounds, and it is not clear what fraction of sedimentary organic matter heterotrophs are able to access. To gain a more mechanistic understanding of heterotrophy in subsurface sediments of the White Oak River, NC, we examined the genetic potential for extracellular peptidase production encoded within metagenome-assembled genomes, and experimentally assayed the kinetics of a wide range of extracellular peptidases in bulk sediments. We identified genes coding for at least 15 classes of extracellular peptidases and observed enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of 11 different peptidase substrates. Potential activities (Vmax) of extracellular peptidases decreased downcore, but cell-specific Vmax was relatively constant and similar to values observed in seawater phytoplankton blooms. Half-saturation constants also decreased downcore, and the relative contribution of enzymes relevant to degraded organic matter increased with increasing depth. Together, these results suggest a subsurface community that accesses organic matter using mechanisms that are basically similar to those in surface environments, but which is adapted to the highly degraded organic matter that is present in the subsurface.
Interpreting functional analysis outcomes using automated nonparametric statistical analysis

Current methods employed to interpret functional analysis data include visual analysis and post-hoc visual inspection (PHVI). However, these methods may be biased by dataset complexity, hand calculations, and rater experience. We examined whether an automated approach using nonparametric rank-based statistics could increase the accuracy and efficiency of functional analysis data interpretation. We applied Automated Nonparametric Statistical Analysis (ANSA) to a sample of 65 published functional analyses for which additional experimental evidence was available to verify behavior function. Results showed that exact behavior function agreement between ANSA and the publications authors was 83.1%, exact agreement between ANSA and PHVI was 75.4%, and exact agreement across all 3 methods was 64.6%. These preliminary findings suggest that ANSA has the potential to support the data interpretation process. A web application that incorporates the calculations and rules utilized by ANSA is accessible at https://ansa.shinyapps.io/ansa/.
Glucagon stimulates gluconeogenesis by INSP3R1-mediated hepatic lipolysis

Although it is well-established that reductions in the ratio of insulin to glucagon in the portal vein have a major role in the dysregulation of hepatic glucose metabolism in type-2 diabetes1–3, the mechanisms by which glucagon affects hepatic glucose production and mitochondrial oxidation are poorly understood. Here we show that glucagon stimulates hepatic gluconeogenesis by increasing the activity of hepatic adipose triglyceride lipase, intrahepatic lipolysis, hepatic acetyl-CoA content and pyruvate carboxylase flux, while also increasing mitochondrial fat oxidation—all of which are mediated by stimulation of the inositol triphosphate receptor 1 (INSP3R1). In rats and mice, chronic physiological increases in plasma glucagon concentrations increased mitochondrial oxidation of fat in the liver and reversed diet-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. However, these effects of chronic glucagon treatment—reversing hepatic steatosis and glucose intolerance—were abrogated in Insp3r1 (also known as Itpr1)-knockout mice. These results provide insights into glucagon biology and suggest that INSP3R1 may represent a target for therapies that aim to reverse nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and type-2 diabetes. A role and mechanism of action are identified for INSP3R1 in the stimulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis and mitochondrial oxidation by glucagon, suggesting that INSP3R1 may be a target for ameliorating dysregulation of hepatic glucose metabolism.
Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Personal Retrospective

Six patients from 1975 to 1981 were treated by cryotherapy for active retinopathy and prematurity. One eye was treated, leaving the second eye as a control. Cryotherapy was applied just posterior to the demarcation line, under direct observation and utilizing the cataract probe. Conclusions from this experience are that in order to be effective, cryotherapy must be performed comparatively early in Stage III. Unfortunately, this would lead to treatment of many cases that would spontaneously regress. Treatment of late Stage III, rapidly progressive cases is not impressive.
Protein-losing Enteropathy Due to Inferior Vena Cava Stenosis in a Liver Transplant Recipient.

Inferior vena cava (IVC) stenosis is an uncommon complication of liver transplantation (LT) and is seen in <3% of all LTs. We describe a novel presentation of IVC stenosis in a liver transplant recipient resulting in protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) and treated successfully with stent placement across the stenosis with subsequent resolution of symptoms.
Endometriosis is a chronic systemic disease: clinical challenges and novel innovations

Endometriosis is a common disease affecting 5-10% of women of reproductive age globally. However, despite its prevalence, diagnosis is typically delayed by years, misdiagnosis is common, and delivery of effective therapy is prolonged. Identification and prompt treatment of endometriosis are essential and facilitated by accurate clinical diagnosis. Endometriosis is classically defined as a chronic, gynaecological disease characterised by endometrial-like tissue present outside of the uterus and is thought to arise by retrograde menstruation. However, this description is outdated and no longer reflects the true scope and manifestations of the disease. The clinical presentation is varied, the presence of pelvic lesions is heterogeneous, and the manifestations of the disease outside of the female reproductive tract remain poorly understood. Endometriosis is now considered a systemic disease rather than a disease predominantly affecting the pelvis. Endometriosis affects metabolism in liver and adipose tissue, leads to systemic inflammation, and alters gene expression in the brain that causes pain sensitisation and mood disorders. The full effect of the disease is not fully recognised and goes far beyond the pelvis. Recognition of the full scope of the disease will facilitate clinical diagnosis and allow for more comprehensive treatment than currently available. Progestins and low-dose oral contraceptives are unsuccessful in a third of symptomatic women globally, probably as a result of progesterone resistance. Oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists constitute an effective and tolerable therapeutic alternative when first-line medications do not work. The development of GnRH antagonists has resulted in oral drugs that have fewer side-effects than other therapies and has allowed for rapid movement between treatments to optimise and personalise endometriosis care. In this Review, we discuss the latest understanding of endometriosis as a systemic disease with multiple manifestations outside the parameters of classic gynaecological disease.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy In Vivo

Diagnostic techniques based on optical spectroscopy have the potential to link biochemical and morphological properties of tissues to individual patient care. In particular, these techniques are fast, noninvasive, and quantitative. Furthermore, they can be used to elucidate key tissue features, such as cellular metabolic rate, vascularity, intravascular oxygenation, and alterations in tissue morphology. These tissue features can be interpreted to shed light on a variety of clinical problems, such as precancerous and cancerous growth and atherosclerosis. The goal of this article is to review development and application of optical spectroscopy in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible (VIS) spectral regions, as a diagnostic tool in clinical applications. Particular emphasis is placed on steady-state UV/VIS fluorescence spectroscopy for the detection of precancers and cancers, in vivo.
Anti-Social Norms, Risky Behavior

To understand how boards can serve as both managers and creators of risk, a prerequisite would be to have a satisfactory framework within which to conceptualize board behavior. Unfortunately, such a basic structure is lacking. This chapter explores this curious anomaly and proposes that the intersection of boards and risk can only be understood through a counter-intuitive application of sociological norms. Only once existing misconceptions are set aside can reform follow. The argument is structured in three parts. Part I explores the limitations of conventional models: neoclassical economics, industrial organization (IO), and institutional economics. It also explores why the behavioral project - whether expressed through behavioral economics or organizational behavior (OB) - is incomplete. Based on the notion of "organizational behavioral economics," Part II then proposes a structure within with to understand board behavior using the concept of norms. Finally, Part III presents suggestions for reform, with an emphasis on enhancements to corporate and criminal law.
A Deep Q-Learning Dynamic Spectrum Sharing Experiment

We report results of an experiment in applying deep Q-learning for dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) in the Alleys of Austin scenario from the DARPA Spectrum Collaboration Challenge. This scenario mimics mobile operations in an urban environment by up to five squads (teams) of soldiers. Each team operates its own wireless network. We consider teamwise– distributed DSS, where there is no central agent to coordinate spectrum usage across teams, but spectrum usage within each team is coordinated by a single member of that team. The spatial distributions of the soldiers creates opportunities for spatial reuse by certain subsets of the teams, and our experiment is set up to evaluate whether the deep Q-learning algorithm can discover and take advantage of these opportunities. The results show that deep Q-learning is able to take advantage of spatial reuse and that doing so results in better performance than a fair-share, disjoint spectrum allocation among the teams.
The War on Drugs in Afghanistan: Another Failed Experiment with Interdiction

Following the start of the war on terror in 2001, U.S. policymakers determined that winning the war on drugs in Afghanistan was necessary for winning the war on terror. Yet despite spending $8.4 billion on drug interdiction in Afghanistan since 2002, opium production has grown substantially. We examine the failures of the U.S.-led war on drugs in Afghanistan using the tools of economics. By driving the opium economy into the black market, the war on drugs has fostered regime uncertainty, resulted in the violent cartelization of the drug industry, empowered the Taliban insurgency, and contributed to corruption. The U.S. experience in Afghanistan has broader implications for international drug and terrorism policy.
A Feature-Based Machine Learning Agent for Automatic Rice and Weed Discrimination

Rice is an important crop utilized as a staple food in many parts of the world and particularly of importance in Asia. The process to grow rice is very human labor intensive. Much of the difficult labor of rice production can be automated with intelligent and robotic platforms. We propose an intelligent agent which can use sensors to automate the process of distinguishing between rice and weeds, so that a robot can cultivate fields. This paper describes a feature-based learning approach to automatically identify and distinguish weeds from rice plants. A Harris Corner Detection algorithm is firstly applied to find the points of interests such as the tips of leaf and the rice ear, secondly, multiple features for each points surrounding area are extracted to feed into a machine learning algorithm to discriminate weed from rice, last but not least, a clustering algorithm is used for noise removal based on the points position and density. Evaluation performed on images downloaded from internet yielded very promising classification result.