cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validating the BASC-TRS for Use With Children and Adolescents With an Educational Diagnosis of Autism

Accurate diagnosis and treatment planning for children with autism are a growing concern. This study sought to address two questions: (a) Which domains of the of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (2nd ed.) Teacher Rating Scales (BASC-TRS) are most effective in discriminating students diagnosed with higher functioning autism from children and youth who do not have a disability or psychiatric diagnosis? and (b) Are there noteworthy differences in BASC-TRS domain scores between children and adolescents with autism? The results indicated that children and adolescents with an educational diagnosis of autism were given significantly higher ratings in the domains of Developmental Social Disorders and Withdrawal and significantly lower ratings in Functional Communication. These scales appear to discriminate best between those students with autism and their nondisabled peers. In addition, the results suggest that the differences between students with autism and students without clinical problems may beco...
Re: Response to criticisms of “lung cancer case‐control study of beryllium workers” Am. J. Ind. Med. 2001. 39:133–144.

To the Editor: Dr. David Deubner et al. have criticized our nested case-control study of the association between beryllium exposure and lung cancer [Sanderson et al., 2001a]. In this study, we estimated the beryllium exposures of workers in a beryllium alloy production plant from the 1940s through the 1970s in order to conduct an exposure-response analysis. A manuscript describing how these exposure estimates were determined was published as a companion paper [Sanderson et al., 2001b]. The following are our responses to these criticisms.
A new corruption index based on individual attitudes

The aim of this paper is to propose a new corruption index based on individual attitudes referring to the European citizens. The index is defined by means of the person location parameters estimated by a partial credit model (PCM). This model is particularly suitable since the synthetic value of the interest latent variable 'Corruption Perception' is first evaluated at individual level; its estimated scores are then naturally aggregated to higher levels in order to obtain a measure at Europe and nation–wide.
Antibodies against pigeon serum proteins in pigeon breeders

Abstract Sera collected from asymptomatic pigeon breeders, from individuals with pigeon breeders' disease, and from nonbreeder controls were compared by several immunologic techniques. The sera from symptomatic individuals contained higher titers of antibodies against pigeon serum proteins as demonstrated by immunodiffusion, hemagglutination, and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. Immunoelectrophoresis of these sera revealed the presence of antibodies against some pigeon serum proteins which could not be found in the sera of asymptomatic breeders. Immunoelectrophoresis or passive cutaneous anaphylaxis appear to be the best immunologic techniques that can be used to differentiate asymptomatic from symptomatic breeders.
Validation of the alcohol use item banks from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®)

Abstract Background The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ® ) includes five item banks for alcohol use. There are limited data, however, regarding their validity (e.g., convergent validity, responsiveness to change). To provide such data, we conducted a prospective study with 225 outpatients being treated for substance abuse. Methods Assessments were completed shortly after intake and at 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. The alcohol item banks were administered as computerized adaptive tests (CATs). Fourteen CATs and one six-item short form were also administered from eight other PROMIS domains to generate a comprehensive health status profile. After modeling treatment outcome for the sample as a whole, correlates of outcome from the PROMIS health status profile were examined. Results For convergent validity, the largest correlation emerged between the PROMIS alcohol use score and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test ( r = .79 at intake). Regarding treatment outcome, there were modest changes across the target problem of alcohol use and other domains of the PROMIS health status profile. However, significant heterogeneity was found in initial severity of drinking and in rates of change for both abstinence and severity of drinking during follow-up. This heterogeneity was associated with demographic (e.g., gender) and health-profile (e.g., emotional support, social participation) variables. Conclusions The results demonstrated the validity of PROMIS CATs, which require only 4–6 items in each domain. This efficiency makes it feasible to use a comprehensive health status profile within the substance use treatment setting, providing important prognostic information regarding abstinence and severity of drinking.
Hosts and density of Lyonetia spp. (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae) mining the foliage of woody ericaceous and rosaceous plants

Hosts and density of multivoltine Lyonetia latistrigella Walsingham and L. prunifoliella Hubner were determined by sampling larvae and pupae on shoots of cultivated and wild plants in Connecticut between May and October 1989 and 1990. Other hosts were determined by rearing adults from mines of L. latistrigella, L. ledi Wocke, and L. prunifoliella collected in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and British Columbia, and by examining the literature and the collection of D. L. Wagner. L. latistrigella mined 14 ericaceous species in 5 genera; L. ledi infested 2 Rhododendron spp.; and L. prunifoliella used 5 rosaceous species in 3 genera, 2 Betula spp. (Betulaceae), and 2 Ceanothus spp. (Rhamnaceae). When several hosts were compared, die density of L. latistrigella and L. prunifoliella was highest on Rhododendron ‘P.J.M.’ in a nursery at Westbrook and on Malus domestica Borkhausen ‘Mutsu’ in an orchard at Southington, CT, respectively. At Westbrook, tlie 1st generation developed on wild plants, and later ones mostly on potted Rhododendron; leafminers apparently moved from wild to potted plants. By contrast, mining at Southington started on apple and spread to other cultivated and wild species in later generations. At the nursery and orchard, cultivated plants nearest to wild hosts had the greatest density of leafminers. In no-choice rearing, L. prunifoliella developed to adult on quince, Cydonia oblonga Miller, and on pin cherry, Prunus pensylvanica L., but not on 5 other rosaceous species. If susceptible plants in nurseries or orchards were grown further from wild hosts or if wild hosts near orchards were removed, injury caused by Lyonetia spp. might be lessened.
Enhanced Transfer of a Photocross-linking N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Analog by an O-GlcNAc Transferase Mutant with Converted Substrate Specificity

O-Linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a post-translational modification of proteins in multicellular organisms. O-GlcNAc modification is catalyzed by the O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), which transfers N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) from the nucleotide sugar donor UDP-GlcNAc to serine or threonine residues of protein substrates. Recently, we reported a novel metabolic labeling method to introduce the diazirine photocross-linking functional group onto O-GlcNAc residues in mammalian cells. In this method, cells are engineered to produce diazirine-modified UDP-GlcNAc (UDP-GlcNDAz), and the diazirine-modified GlcNAc analog (GlcNDAz) is transferred to substrate proteins by endogenous OGT, producing O-GlcNDAz. O-GlcNDAz-modified proteins can be covalently cross-linked to their binding partners, providing information about O-GlcNAc-dependent interactions. The utility of the method was demonstrated by cross-linking highly O-GlcNAc-modified nucleoporins to proteins involved in nuclear transport. For practical application of this method to a broader range of O-GlcNAc-modified proteins, efficient O-GlcNDAz production is critical. Here we examined the ability of OGT to transfer GlcNDAz and found that the wild-type enzyme (wtOGT) prefers the natural substrate, UDP-GlcNAc, over the unnatural UDP-GlcNDAz. This competition limits O-GlcNDAz production in cells and the extent of O-GlcNDAz-dependent cross-linking. Here we identified an OGT mutant, OGT(C917A), that efficiently transfers GlcNDAz and, surprisingly, has altered substrate specificity, preferring to transfer GlcNDAz rather than GlcNAc to protein substrates. We confirmed the reversed substrate preference by determining the Michaelis-Menten parameters describing the activity of wtOGT and OGT(C917A) with both UDP-GlcNAc and UDP-GlcNDAz. Use of OGT(C917A) enhances O-GlcNDAz production, yielding improved cross-linking of O-GlcNDAz-modified molecules both in vitro and in cells.
“Cost” under the Unfair Practices Act:

WL TITH the general application of price ceilings OPA has taken over the control of the retail prices of practically all consumer goods. The result is that "for the duration" state fair trade and unfair practices Acts are virtually inoperative. These laws exist in so many states, however, and their sponsorship is so widespread that it is difficult to conceive of their being forgotten when peace comes. Instead it is almost certain that they will then be supported more vigorously than ever. Small, independent merchants, having already profited from stabilized, if not from increased, prices through the virtual elimination of serious price competition will, where these acts have been enforced, rely on them again to hold prices up. Especially will this be true if the war is followed by rapidly falling prices. The Seattle trial of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., charged with using cigarettes as a "loss leader" and with selling them "below cost" is one of the latest, if indeed it is not the last, suit decided under the Unfair Practices Act in the pre-war era. In addition to whatever historical significance attaches to the time, this case is worthy of note in that it discloses the enforcement technique and the economic philosophy of the sponsors of the law and because it clarifies for the first time a significant point in the question of "cost." With similar Unfair Practices acts in more than 30 states, all set to the same pattern, many with identical wording, a court pro-
Multiresolution Dynamic Mode Decomposition

We demonstrate that the integration of the recently developed dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) with a multiresolution analysis allows for a decomposition method capable of robustly separating complex systems into a hierarchy of multiresolution time-scale components. A one-level separation allows for background (low-rank) and foreground (sparse) separation of dynamical data, or robust principal component analysis. The multiresolution DMD (mrDMD) is capable of characterizing nonlinear dynamical systems in an equation-free manner by recursively decomposing the state of the system into low-rank terms whose temporal coefficients in time are known. DMD modes with temporal frequencies near the origin (zero-modes) are interpreted as background (low-rank) portions of the given dynamics, and the terms with temporal frequencies bounded away from the origin are their sparse counterparts. The mrDMD method is demonstrated on several examples involving multiscale dynamical data, showing excellent decomposition results, ...
Academic dishonesty: An international student perspective

Academic dishonesty is a long-standing issue for faculty and administrators, yet the concern over dishonesty among international students is growing. With the changing demographics of higher education, faculty and administrators must revisit how campus policies and procedures serve all students’ needs, but especially international students, as it relates to academic dishonesty. This article explores academic dishonesty from an international student context and provides suggestions for facilitating a campus culture of academic integrity.
A Qualitative Assessment of Mismatch Between Dialysis Modality Selection and Initiation

At our institution, we have noted that end-stage renal disease patients choosing a home dialysis modality after education often initiate renal replacement therapy with in-center hemodialysis (HD) instead. We interviewed 24 such patients (23 choosing peritoneal dialysis [PD], one choosing home HD) to determine reasons for this mismatch. The most common reasons cited for not starting home dialysis were: lack of confidence/concerns about complications, lack of space or home-related issues, a feeling of insufficient education, and perceived medical or social contraindications. We propose several potential strategies to help patients start with their preferred modality.
State Crime, the Prophetic Voice and Public Criminology Activism

State crimes are, by far, the most destructive of all crimes. The use and threat to use nuclear weapons, the aerial bombardment of civilians, wars of aggression, torture, the failure to mitigate global warming and adapt to climate change ecocide, along with myriad other state-corporate crimes, fill the world with death and devastation, misery and want. This article argues that criminologists have a responsibility to act as public criminologists by speaking in the “prophetic voice” concerning these crimes and their victims, and then acting in the political arena in an attempt to control and prevent these harms. The paper briefly describes three approaches to engaging in what Belknap (Criminology 53:1–23, 2015) calls “criminology activism” on these issues. The first approach is for criminologists to counter the cultures of denial and normalization that usually cover state crimes. The second involves contesting the global corporate capitalist system and the power of the American capitalist state in an effort to achieve specific progressive policy reforms and structural changes in the global political economy. Finally, criminologists can work to enhance the democratization of the international political community and strengthen the ability of specific international legal institutions to control state crimes.
Outcome Prediction of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Data for 205 neonates from the multicenter National Institute of Child Health trial of hypothermia in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) were analyzed by using clinical and laboratory variables obtained in the NICUs within 6 hours of birth, with death or moderate/severe disability at 18-22 months or death as the outcomes.
Corrugated quantum well infrared photodetectors

Because of the high cost of HgCdTe focal plane arrays (FPAs), the quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP), which is based on the mature GaAs material system, poses as a possible lower cost alternative. Since this layered detector material is sensitive to radiation only if the optical electric field is vertical to the layers, an optical coupler is needed to redirect the normal incident light into oblique propagation. An early theoretical analysis showed a 2-dimensional cross grating can achieve a high quantum efficiency (QE) close to 100%. This optimistic prediction prompted a wide-spread use of gratings, and tens of thousands of these QWIP cameras have been produced. Despite the commercial success, the observed QE remains modest and is in the order of 5%. While this QE is adequate for many applications, the lower performance does expose the technology to the challenges from other material systems such as InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices and exclude its use in the more demanding applications such as flight navigation and fast or cold object detection and tracking.
The Constitutional Right to Organize

This paper explores the role of a worker’s right to organize into a union in constitutional law and constitutional politics. This right has been contested since workers began to claim it in the mid Nineteenth Century, but the right to organize is currently under direct attack. In 2011, the state legislatures in Wisconsin and Ohio, two states with a historically strong union tradition, both enacted measures which effectively eliminated the right to organize of most state employees. Legislatures in the historically pro-labor states of Michigan and Indiana have enacted “right to work” measures, aimed at undermining the power of private sector unions. Unions and their supporters have fought back against these measures, with limited success. What is notable is what opponents of these measures in all states have not argued – that the statutes deprive workers of the fundamental right to organize under the United States Constitution. While the right to organize is protected by statutes, including the federal National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), there is also good reason to believe that it has constitutional dimensions, based in the First and Thirteenth Amendments. This paper examines three facets of the right to organize – the right to join a union, bargain collectively, and to strike. Courts have recognized a First Amendment based the right to join a union, but they have been resistant to claims of a right to bargain collectively and to strike under the Thirteenth Amendment. However, courts do not act in a vacuum; rights often develop in constitutional politics before they are adapted by courts. This paper joins the growing body of work on popular constitutionalism, constitutional law outside the courts, which plays a crucial role in defining and developing constitutional rights. The debate over the constitutional right to organize is a particularly rich example of politics influencing rights consciousness and constitutional law. As recent developments reflect, the debate pitting the right to organize against the right to work has played out primarily not in courts, but within our constitutional culture. Underlying this debate is a struggle over the meaning of worker’s freedom. Opponents of the right to organize invoke individual autonomy, while its supporters claim that the right is necessary for true worker autonomy. The question of whether there is a constitutional right to organize hinges on the ongoing battle, in courts, and in the political realm, over collective rights in constitutional law.
The Effect of Instruction Point of View on Self-efficacy for Performing Breast Self-exams

ABSTRACTBackground: Self-efficacy is an important predictor of performing health behaviors. Purpose: We invoked varying points of view (none, first person, third person) in standard instructions for breast self-exams (BSEs) to examine whether point of view taken would impact self-efficacy for and behavioral intentions regarding BSE. Methods: One hundred twenty women took part in an experiment that included reading instructions for proper performance of BSE. Measures of constructs from several common models used to predict health behavior (theory of reasoned action, theory of planned behavior, health belief model, and health action process approach) were also included. Results: Compared to a control group who did not read about performing BSE, standard instructions and third-person instructions predicted self-efficacy but first-person instructions did not. Further, barriers to and attitudes toward performing BSE were related to self-efficacy and self-efficacy, objective risk, past BSE behavior, and attitud...
Neutron Total Cross-Section Measurements of 9Be, 10,11B, and 12,13C from 1.0 to 14 MeV Using the 9Be(d,n)10B Reaction as a “White” Neutron Source

High-resolution and high-accuracy total cross sections of 9Be, 10,11B, and 12,13C have been measured from 1.0 to 14 MeV. The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Tandem Accelerator was used to produce ...
Tax and monetary policy rules in a small open economy with disaggregated government purchases

This paper aims to evaluate the impact of tax and monetary policy rules with disaggregated government purchases on welfare, real exchange rate and business cycle in a small open economy using a new-Keynesian dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) framework. The model generate the government purchases-real exchange rate puzzle. In this sense, an increase in both government consumption and investment depreciates the real exchange rate. Moreover, the decomposed government purchases have positive impact on welfare for any policy rules. There are three mechanisms by which the decomposed government purchases depreciate the exchange rate. Firstly, the public investment improves both the marginal productivity of labour and capital stock, which have a positive impact on labour supply, private capital stock, and output. The second channel is a direct effect of the government consumption on real exchange rate through international risk sharing. The third channel is the complement relationship between private consumption and government consumption.
What Makes Muslim Women Entrepreneurs Successful? A Field Study Examining Religiosity and Social Capital in Tunisia

The present study sheds light upon critical factors that help explain the entrepreneurial success among Muslim women living in a democratic Tunisia, a Muslim-majority country considered by many to be the lone Arab Spring success story. We hypothesized that successful entrepreneurs need social capital, including the capital that comes from marriage and high levels of wasta (the Arabic concept of having personal connections with influential others). Moreover, given the lack of empirical attention paid to the role of the culture, language, and customs associated with Islam on women’s empowerment, we examine whether religiosity is related to entrepreneurial performance among Tunisian women. Data collected with 84 female entrepreneurs participating in entrepreneurship training programs across Tunisia reveal that two forms of social capital, marital status and wasta, are related to training center directors’ ratings of women entrepreneurs’ performance, suggesting that social capital is a critical asset for Muslim women entrepreneurs. Religiosity, on the other hand, had no statistically significant relationship with entrepreneurial performance. Our study contributes to research on entrepreneurship by identifying wasta as a form of social capital that may be necessary for women entrepreneurs to succeed in the Middle East and North Africa and by taking an initial step towards better understanding the empirical (and controversial) relationship between religiosity and career success among Muslim women. We recommend that training organizations supporting entrepreneurs directly assist women in the development of social capital and acknowledge, rather than ignore, that nepotism and wasta are linked to entrepreneurial success in some cultures.
The Surface Mass Balance of the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf and Ward Hunt Ice Rise, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada

This chapter chronicles the mass balance and thickness of the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf and Ward Hunt Ice Rise, Ellesmere Island, Canada (1952–2008). The surface mass balance of the ice shelf and ice rise followed the mass balance changes of other monitored Canadian Arctic glaciers, but their overall mass losses have been comparatively low due to their proximity to the Arctic Ocean. Nevertheless, thinning of the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf via surface and basal melting has reduced its structural integrity as evidenced by the large-scale breakup of its eastern section between 2008 and 2011. In this context basal melting is considerably more significant in terms of overall ice shelf thickness and stability than the associated surface mass losses. The Ward Hunt Ice Shelf cannot readily reform again unless climatic conditions deteriorate for a prolonged period of time. The other remaining Canadian Arctic ice shelves appear to be in a similar situation as open water conditions on the Arctic Ocean become more prevalent and the dynamic stresses on the ice shelves related to wind, wave, and tidal action increase. This will eventually leave the Ward Hunt Ice Rise as one of the last remnants of Peary’s ‘Glacial Fringe’ along the northern coast of Ellesmere Island, although its long-term survival is also threatened by current and predicted climatic change. A comprehensive measurement and modeling program is urgently needed to document and better understand the behaviour of these unique ice masses.
Prioritizing Otherness: The Line Between Vacuous Individuality and Hollow Collectivism

In conceptualizing social robotics it is tempting to view the social dimension as simply an additional layer, overlaid upon the motility and autonomy of individual robots. This paper problematizes such an approach, arguing instead for treating the process of interaction as, in a sense, prior to both individuality and sociality. After analyzing the notion of priority at work in claims of the form, “individuality is prior to sociality,” we turn to lacunae in enactivist approaches to sociality exemplified by the work of De Jaegher and Di Paolo. These, we argue, can only be overcome by means of an interdisciplinary appreciation of the problem of alterity .
Tailoring Spatial Coherence of Lasers for Speckle-Free Imaging

We designed and fabricated special types of lasers that provide emission with low spatial coherence and high-power per mode. Using such lasers, we demonstrated speckle-free full-field imaging in the setting of intense optical scattering.
Granular cell myoblastoma of the perianal area: report of a case.

A case of granular cell myoblastoma of the buttock is reported. It is an uncommon tumor of undetermined origin. Usually diagnosis is made after histologic examination. Although it is usually a benign growth involving the tongue or subcutaneous tissues, it can be malignant. Complete removal and long-term follow up is the approved method of treatment.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORDS | Global Expansion 300,000-8000 years ago, Africa

Genetic and fossil evidence shows that anatomically modern humans had evolved in sub-Saharan Africa by 200 ka. Archaeological evidence shows that they were also modern in behavior. By 125 ka, they were found throughout Africa and left the continent for the first time for a brief period about 100 ka. Permanent expansion out of Africa had begun by about 50 ka and was only through northeastern Africa and into Asia. The Strait of Gibraltar remained a barrier to movement until recent millennia. During past periods of aridity, modern populations in northern Africa became regionally extinct, except perhaps in the Nile Valley.
The Environing Air: A Meditation on Communications Structures in Natural Environments

Any attention paid to the positioning of telecommunications installations in natural landscapes usually relates to the aesthetic impact. However, such paraphernalia, particularly when contrasted with “natural” surroundings, invites us to think beyond the visible. Through Heidegger’s accounts of Zuhandenheit and Vorhandenheit, as well as his later articulations on Nature as it is subjected to the ordering principles of Gestell, this paper aims to highlight the overlaps of the natural and the technological worlds inhabited by communications structures, considering the relationship between the human and the natural realms, through the uncertain electromagnetic phenomena that envelops the two. The essay is underpinned by the extended phenomenological description of an encounter with such technology that includes, following Anthony J. Steinbock’s outline of a phenomenological approach that might begin with the facts of the everyday sciences, some reference to the basic concepts of physics involved in transmissions technology.
Correlated Single-Nanoparticle Calculations and Measurements

In Chap. 1, it was stated that the purpose of science is to describe the phenomena of nature. In this chapter, the question of how well can one correlate computational modeling with experiments at the nanoscale is addressed. In order to do this, experimental single-nanoparticle data (both optical responses and structural information) must be available [3, 4, 5], and a completely correlated computation and measurement must be made. This can be done by using structural information from experimental high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements (which can resolve subnanometer features and has ∼10,000 times higher magnification capabilities than optical microscopy) in an FDTD simulation, which can then be compared with experimental LSPR spectroscopy measurements of the same nanoparticle. (In addition, three-dimensional and internal crystallographic structural information can be obtained by using HRTEM via various techniques, such as electron energy loss spectroscopy and diffraction.)
Human Cancer Cells Express Slug-based Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Gene Signature Obtained in Vivo

The biological mechanisms underlying cancer cell motility and invasiveness remain unclear, although it has been hypothesized that they involve some type of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Here we show that human cancer cells express in vivo a precise multi-cancer invasion-associated gene expression signature characterized by the prominent presence of collagen COL11A1 and thrombospondin THBS2. The signature is present in the expression of all solid tumor datasets that we analyzed and includes numerous EMT markers, among them the transcription factor Slug, fibronectin, and α SMA. Using xenograft models of human cancer cells in immunocompromised mice and profiling the harvested tumors separately with species specific probes, we found that human, but not mouse, cells express most of the genes of the signature and Slug is the only upregulated EMT-inducing transcription factor. Taken together with the presence of the signature in many publicly available datasets, our results suggest that this Slug based EMT signature is produced by the cancer cells themselves in multiple cancer types, including even nonepithelial cancers such as neuroblastoma. Furthermore, we found that the presence of the signature in human xenografted cells was associated with a downregulation of adipocyte markers in the mouse tissue adjacent to the invasive tumor, suggesting contextual microenvironmental interactions when the cancer cells encounter adipocytes, as previously reported. The known and consistent gene composition of this cancer EMT signature, particularly when combined with simultaneous analysis of the adjacent microenvironment, provides unique opportunities for shedding light on the underlying mechanisms of cancer invasiveness as well as identifying potential diagnostic markers and targets for metastasis-inhibiting therapeutics.
Knowledge representation: what's important about it?

In this chapter the basic requirements for a knowledge representation scheme are examined. The nature of models and reasoning is discussed, and characteristics of various aspects of representation are outlined (including knowledge acquisition, perception, planning, and generalization). The knowledge representation language KL-One is introduced in order to clarify these notions with actual examples. Then, the expressive adequacy of a knowledge representation scheme (what it is capable of representing) is contrasted to the notational efficacy of a scheme (its actual shape and structure). Two aspects of notational efficacy receive special attention: computational efficiency (speed of inference) and conceptual efficiency (ease of representation). The chapter concludes with arguments about the role of predicate calculus in the representation of knowledge.
A comparison of interviews, focus groups, and photovoice to identify sanitation priorities and increase success of community-based sanitation systems

Addressing priorities is essential for the success of water and sanitation projects, especially in resource-limited communities. In order to quickly assess a resource-limited community's priorities and sanitation needs, sanitation implementers often rely on a single method for priority assessment without understanding its effectiveness, such as its ability to identify the greatest number of unique and most important priorities. To increase the sector's exposure to and understanding of more comprehensive and qualitative priority identification methods, this paper compares three qualitative priority identification methods: interviews, focus groups, and photovoice. Each method was used to identify community priorities (e.g., jobs, electricity) and sanitation priorities (e.g., cost, cleanliness) in twenty communities in India. A cross-case comparison of the three methods for both community and sanitation priorities found that interviews identified the greatest number of unique priorities and most important priorities. Since many respondent attributes are expected to impact a method's effectiveness, the impact of each respondent's sex and community role (leader, member, sanitation system manager) was also evaluated. Regardless of method, community members voiced more priorities, including more of the most important priorities, than community leaders or sanitation system managers. Leaders and system managers, as well as males and females, identified similar numbers of unique and most important priorities. These results are in contrast with current practice and support the use of interviews and the inclusion of community members during priority identification efforts. Environmental engineers, researchers, government agencies, and sanitation implementers can use these results to better identify priorities, which, if addressed, can increase community acceptance and ultimately minimize project failure.
The ethical conundrum: Conflicting advocacy positions in advanced heart failure therapy.

It is estimated that nearly 6.5 million Americans over the age of 20 suffer from heart failure. Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization in patients over 65 years of age, and carries with it a 5-year mortality of nearly 50%. Despite advances in medical therapy, treatment for medically refractory end-stage, advanced heart failure is limited to heart transplant, mechanical circulatory support (MCS), or palliative care only. Patient selection in advanced heart failure (AHF) therapy is complex. Not only are the patients medically complicated, but providers are biased by their individual and collective experience with similar and dissimilar patients. Clinicians caring for AHF patients balance competing clinical and ethical demands, which appropriately leads to professional debate and disagreement. These debates are constructive because they clarify ethical and professional commitments and help to ensure fair and equitable treatment of AHF patients.
Grid-Less DOA Estimation Using Sparse Linear Arrays Based on Wasserstein Distance

Sparse linear arrays, such as nested and co-prime arrays, are capable of resolving $O(M^2)$ sources using only $O(M)$ sensors by exploiting their so-called difference coarray model. One popular approach to exploit the difference coarray model is to construct an augmented covariance matrix from the sample covariance matrix. By applying common direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation algorithms to this augmented covariance matrix, more sources than the number of sensors can be identified. In this letter, inspired by the optimal transport theory, we develop a new approach to construct this augmented covariance matrix. We formulate a structured covariance estimation problem that minimizes the Bures–Wasserstein distance between the sample covariance matrix and the subsampled augmented covariance matrix, which can be either casted to a semi-definite programming problem, or directly solved using gradient-based methods. Our approach contributes to a new grid-less DOA estimation algorithm for sparse linear arrays. Numerical examples show that our approach achieves state-of-art estimation performance.
Inhibition of the her2 tyrosine kinase and characterization of a hydrophobic site near the nucleotide binding domain

Abstract A series of compounds was prepared to investigate the hydrophobic character of the HER2 receptor tyrosine kinase active site. These bisubstrate analogs contained hydrophobic moieties in place of the polar triphosphate and nucleoside fragments of the natural ATP ligand. Despite these modifications, good affinity was observed as measured by inhibition of receptor autophosphorylation.
Application of a classical trajectory model to vibrational excitation in high - energy H + + H 2 collisions

The method of distribution among quantum states of exact classical energy transfer (the DECENT model) for vibrational excitation in molecular collisions, in which three-dimensional classical trajectories are used to evaluate the quantum vibrational transition probabilities, is applied to ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ collisions at relative kinetic energies between 35 and 1000 eV. We compare the results with the experimental data of Herrero and Doering. Taking into account the scattering-angle discrimination in the experimental measurements, we find good agreement with experiment for the shapes of the energy dependence of the calculated total cross sections for individual final vibrational states and for the cross-section ratios. The absolute magnitudes of the calculated vibrational-excitation cross sections at high energies are about a factor of 2 larger than the experimental values, probably because of electronically nonadiabatic behavior ignored in the calculation, but a systematic discrepancy exists at lower energies which cannot be completely reconciled with the available experimental information.
Electrorheological Effects of Synthesized Octa-cyanopropylsilsesquioxane Cage Structure

This article introduces a new electrorheological (ER) fluid. A molecular cage structure for electrorheological applications has been synthesized, and the ER behavior of the octa-functionalized poly...
Collision Avoidance of Low Speed Autonomous Shuttles with Pedestrians

This paper is on a pedestrian collision avoidance system for low speed autonomous shuttles based on Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) communication. When pedestrians cannot be detected using line-of-sight sensors like camera, radar and LIDAR, V2P communication with the Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) enabled pedestrian smartphone is used to detect and localize them through the in-vehicle DSRC radio used for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication. The vehicle, then, either stops or, if possible, goes around the pedestrian in a socially acceptable manner using the elastic band method for locally modifying the vehicle trajectory in real time. The elastic band method of collision avoidance is modified for fast real time execution in this paper. Along with model-in-the-loop simulations, a hardware-in-the-loop simulator using an automated driving vehicle model in the high fidelity vehicle dynamics simulation program Carsim Real Time with Sensors and Traffic with two DSRC modems emulating the vehicle and pedestrian communications is introduced and used in this paper as a prerequisite to real world experiments. Both stationary and moving pedestrians are considered in the model and hardware-in-the-loop simulations. Two real world experiments are also presented to demonstrate the V2P based avoidance of crashes between low speed autonomous shuttles and pedestrians.
A Case Report on Bortezomib-Induced Bilateral Chalazion

A chalazion is a swollen bump on the eyelid that occurs when the eyelid's oil gland clogs up. Bortezomib is an FDA-approved novel agent for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Recently, there have been a few case reports on the possible association between eyelid chalazion and bortezomib therapy. We describe the case of an 87-year-old female diagnosed with MM who developed bilateral eye chalazion after being initiated on bortezomib. She was evaluated by an ophthalmologist, started on eye lubricants and antibiotic eye drops, and the bortezomib was discontinued until the resolution of the lesions was achieved. Physicians should be aware of these ocular complications of bortezomib, as early intervention can prevent worsening eyelid complications.
The Accidental Talking Head: Working with the Media During a Pandemic

Most doctoral programs do not train you to work with the media, though local and national media are the venue through which most timely information is shared with the public. This narrative offers advice on how to prepare yourself for media interviews, shares some best practices, and aims to demystify the process of audio, video, and print media contributions by public health professionals.
The role of acalabrutinib in adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The treatment landscape of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has significantly changed in the past decade. This paradigm shift is due to the introduction of novel agents to the field. The two major classes of drugs that have contributed to this dramatic evolution include the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors and BCL2 inhibitors. Ibrutinib was the first-in-class drug which was initially approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory and later for patients with treatment-naive CLL. Despite encouraging efficacy outcomes, its use has been associated with cardiovascular and gastrointestinal toxicities likely due to off-target inhibition of ITK, TEC and EGFR family kinases. The next generation of BTK inhibitors was developed to be more selective with less off-target inhibition with the prospect to improve tolerability without compromising efficacy. Acalabrutinib, a selective covalent BTK inhibitor, is a second generation BTK inhibitor. The focus of this review is on two major phase III trials that resulted in the FDA approval of acalabrutinib in 2019. The ELEVATE TN trial investigated acalabrutinib with or without obintuzumab versus chlorambucil-obinutuzumab in older and frail patients with previously untreated CLL. The ASCEND trial explored acalabrutinib versus chemoimmunotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory CLL. Both trials demonstrated superiority of the acalabrutinib-containing arms in terms of both efficacy and tolerability. Unfortunately, the availability of new generation BTK inhibitors has not resulted in mitigating the financial toxicities associated with these potentially life-long treatments.
Chromatin dynamics are constrained by loops and driven by the INO80 nucleosome remodeler

Abstract The chromosomes - DNA polymers and their binding proteins - are compacted into a spatially organized, yet dynamic, three-dimensional structure. Recent genome-wide chromatin conformation capture experiments reveal a hierarchical organization of the DNA structure that is imposed, at least in part, by looping interactions arising from the activity of loop extrusion factors. The dynamics of chromatin reflects the response of these polymers to a combination of thermal fluctuations and active processes. However, how chromosome structure and enzymes acting on chromatin together define its dynamics remains poorly understood. To gain insight into the structure-dynamics relationship of chromatin, we combine high-precision microscopy in living Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells with systematic genetic perturbations and Rouse-model polymer simulations. We first investigated the model that the activity of two loop extrusion factors, cohesin and condensin, drives chromatin dynamics. Surprisingly, deactivating cohesin or condensin increased chromatin mobility, suggesting that loop extrusion constrains rather than agitates chromatin motion. Our corresponding simulations reveal that the introduction of loops is sufficient to explain the constraining activity of loop extrusion factors, highlighting that the conformation adopted by the polymer plays a key role in defining its dynamics. We also find that the activity of the INO80 chromatin remodeler, but not the SWI/SNF or RSC complexes, is critical for ATP-dependent chromatin mobility in fission yeast. Taken together we suggest that thermal and INO80-dependent activities exert forces that drive chromatin fluctuations, which are constrained by the organization of the chromosome into loops.
Contributions of methionine to recognition of trimethyllysine in aromatic cage of PHD domains: implications of polarizability, hydrophobicity, and charge on binding

Recognition of trimethyllysine (Kme3) by reader proteins is an important regulator of gene expression. This recognition event is mediated by an aromatic cage made up of 2–4 aromatic residues in the reader proteins that bind Kme3 via cation–π interactions. A small subset of reader proteins contain a methionine (Met) residue in place of an aromatic sidechain in the binding pocket. The unique role of sulfur in molecular recognition has been demonstrated in a number of noncovalent interactions recently, including interactions of thiols, thioethers, and sulfoxides with aromatic rings. However, the interaction of a thioether with an ammonium ion has not previously been investigated and the role of Met in binding Kme3 has not yet been explored. Herein, we systematically vary the Met in two reader proteins, DIDO1 and TAF3, and the ligand, Kme3 or its neutral analog tert-butyl norleucine (tBuNle), to determine the role of Met in the recognition of the cationic Kme3. Our studies demonstrate that Met contributes to binding via dispersion forces, with about an equal contribution to binding Kme3 and tBuNle, indicating that electrostatic interactions do not play a role. During the course of these studies, we also discovered that DIDO1 exhibits equivalent binding to tBuNle and Kme3 through a change in the mechanism of binding.
The Responsible Use of Racial and Ethnic Categories in Biomedical Research: Where Do We Go from Here?

Debate over the proper use of racial and ethnic categories in biomedical research has raged in recent years. With the Human Genome Project showing that human beings are overwhelmingly alike genetically, exhibiting more genetic variation within supposed "races" than between them, many have come to doubt the scientific utility of such categories. Yet federal authorities use Directive 15 from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to mandate the continued use of such categories in research. Moreover, researchers studying health disparities argue that data collection using racial and ethnic categories is necessary to determine whether conditions and care vary by race and ethnicity. Epidemiologists also defend the use of racial and ethnic categories to understand contributors to disease such as the stress of experiencing racial prejudice and reduced access to care because of bias. A number of conflicting proposals have been offered, some to discipline and improve the use of racial and ethnic categories, and some to eliminate such categories. To make progress in this debate, the University of Minnesota’s Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences and Center for Bioethics convened a conference on "Proposals for the Responsible Use of Racial and Ethnic Categories in Biomedical Research." The conference included the lead investigator and inventor on the patent for BiDil, the first drug approved by the FDA for patients of a particular racial or ethnic group -- in this case, African-American patients with heart failure. Substantial controversy surrounds the drug and the FDA’s action. Conference participants debated the BiDil issues and more broadly considered the range of proposals for the responsible use of racial and ethnic categories in biomedical research, including proposals by researchers, journals, and federal authorities. The participants considered the constitutionality, scientific acceptability, and policy implications of those proposals. This 11-article symposium is the result, including articles by Troy Duster, Dorothy Roberts, Mildred Cho, Raj Bhopal, Gregg Bloche, Jay Cohn, Morris Foster, Rose Brewer, Margaret Winkler, Eric Lillquist, and Charles Sullivan.