cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of sex-specific stimuli on ovarian maturation in primary and secondary reproductives of the dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis

It was hypothesized that female primary and secondary reproductives of the termite Zootermopsis angusticollis Hagen require sex-specific stimuli from a reproductive male to trigger ovarian maturation. To test this hypothesis, experimental laboratory colonies were established that contained female primary or secondary reproductives nesting: alone; with a male; with a female; and with three third- to fourth-instar larvae. Following colony initiation, we measured changes in body mass, ovariole number and fecundity over 60 days. Results indicate that the reproductive maturation of female primaries was promoted by contact with a male but inhibited by the presence of another female. Secondary females were not affected by the presence of another reproductive, regardless of sex, but the development of reproductive competency of primary females appeared to depend on male-specific stimulation. Reliance on male-female interaction to induce female reproductive development may ensure that the resources of newly dealate females are not wasted on producing larvae that would have a poor chance of surviving in the absence of a male. By contrast, secondary females maturing within established colonies are likely to have a mate and immediate assistance with non-reproductive tasks, and therefore do not delay ovarian maturation and reproduction until they perceive male-specific stimuli. These results demonstrate that male-specific stimuli affect only the reproductive development of primary females, and suggest that the degree to which primary and secondary females depend on mate assistance may have shaped their physiological responses to the presence of a reproductive male.
Regulation of Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule Expression in an Experimental Model of Cerebral Malaria

Objective:Plasmodium falciparummalaria in humans and animal models of this disease have revealed changes in the infected host that are consistent with a systemic inflammatory response. Although it has been proposed that endothelial cell adhesion molecules (CAM) contribute to the adhesive interactions of Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes and immune cells with vascular endothelial cells, ECAM expression has not been systematically studied in Plasmodium-infected animals. Methods:In this study, the dual radiolabeled monoclonal antibody method was used to quantify the expression of different ECAMs (ICAM-1, VCAM-1, P-selectin, E-selectin) in different regional vascular beds of Plasmodium bergheiANKA-inffected mice (PbA), a well-recognized model of human cerebral malaria. The roles of T lymphocytes and certain cytokines (TNF-α, IL-12, IFN-γ) in mediating the infection-induced expression of ICAM-1 and P-selectin were assessed by using relevant mutant mice. Results:Wild-type (WT) mice exhibited highly significant i...
Do weekly quizzes improve student performance on general biology exams

117 ,ncouraging students to study on a regular basis is one of the great challenges of large lecture courses, yet keeping abreast is essential if a student is to avoid feeling overwhelmed at exam time. One solution may be to motivate students to study smaller units of knowledge on a more frequent basis, e.g., for weekly quizzes. In addition, if the quiz format is different from exam format, students may feel less disadvantaged than in a multiple-choice-only course.
Development of the Convergent Themes of Neuroendocrinology

It is an honor to be included among those considered to have contributed to the development of neuroendocrinology. Although I have always thought of myself as a physiologist interested in the control and integration of body functions, I am pleased to be also a neuroendocrinologist. During my time I have had many interests and at least some of them represent the major themes which have resulted in the establishment of this new discipline. A discussion of the history of neuroendocrinology requires some description of these contributory interests responsible for its development and a definition of neuroendocrinology.
Electronic Trap Defects in Y2O3:Eu and (Y,Gd)2O3:Eu X-Ray Scintillators

Detailed properties of the defects and energy transfers responsible for afterglow in transparent sintered ceramic Y2O3:Eu and (Y,Gd)2O3:Eu based scintillators have been determined by transient thermoluminescence ('TL) and spectral measurements of afterglow emission. X-ray excited TTL spectra between 150 K and 350 K reveal 4 defect transitions for 3 mole percent Eu. Adequate modeling of this data requires for each defect transition a trap depth energy, an attempt-to-escape frequency, a broadened density of trap state energies, and a trap filling frequency. These defect parameters have been determined and can be used to predict afterglow dependence on time after excitation shut-off, exposure time, and temperature. The afterglow emission spectra at all temperatures are characteristic of Eu under S6 site-selective UV excitation of these rare-earth C-type structure scintillators. This indicates that states associated with the Eu activator on the S6 site are the terminal states upon thermal release of trapped charge carriers.
Timelike geodesics of a modified gravity black hole immersed in an axially symmetric magnetic field

We investigate the dynamics of a neutral and a charged particle around a black hole in modified gravity immersed in a magnetic field. Our focus is on the scalar-tensor-vector theory as modified gravity. We are interested in exploring the conditions on the energy of the particle under which it can escape to infinity after collision with another neutral particle in the vicinity of the black hole. We calculate the escape velocity of particle orbiting in the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) after the collision. We study the effects of modified gravity on the dynamics of particles. Further, we discuss how the presence of a magnetic field in the vicinity of a black hole affects the motion of the orbiting particle. We show that the stability of ISCO increases due to the presence of a magnetic field. It is observed that a particle can go arbitrarily close to the black hole due to the presence of a magnetic field. Furthermore, ISCO for a black hole is more stable as compared with a Schwarzschild black hole. We also discuss the Lyapunov exponent and the effective force acting on the particle in the presence of a magnetic field.
Assessing the 21st Century After-School Program and the Educational Gains of LEP Participants: A Contextual Approach

This study examines math and English standardized test score progress of students who participated in the 21st century program across 2 years of involvement with a focus on the learning trajectories of limited English proficiency (LEP) students. We find that math and English scores are highly associated with the school and program type—even within a single school district. LEP participants are the furthest behind but have the highest gains compared to other participants. Results vary based on the type of outcome (math or reading), the type of activity (academic or enrichment), and the grade level (elementary or middle school).
The Sensitivity of SeaWiFS Ocean Color Retrievals to Aerosol Amount and Type

As atmospheric reflectance dominates top-of-the-atmosphere radiance over ocean, atmospheric correction is a critical component of ocean color retrievals. This paper explores the operational Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) algorithm atmospheric correction with approximately 13 000 coincident surface-based aerosol measurements. Aerosol optical depth at 440 nm (AOD(sub 440)) is overestimated for AOD below approximately 0.1-0.15 and is increasingly underestimated at higher AOD; also, single-scattering albedo (SSA) appears overestimated when the actual value less than approximately 0.96.AOD(sub 440) and its spectral slope tend to be overestimated preferentially for coarse-mode particles. Sensitivity analysis shows that changes in these factors lead to systematic differences in derived ocean water-leaving reflectance (Rrs) at 440 nm. The standard SeaWiFS algorithm compensates for AOD anomalies in the presence of nonabsorbing, medium-size-dominated aerosols. However, at low AOD and with absorbing aerosols, in situ observations and previous case studies demonstrate that retrieved Rrs is sensitive to spectral AOD and possibly also SSA anomalies. Stratifying the dataset by aerosol-type proxies shows the dependence of the AOD anomaly and resulting Rrs patterns on aerosol type, though the correlation with the SSA anomaly is too subtle to be quantified with these data. Retrieved chlorophyll-a concentrations (Chl) are affected in a complex way by Rrs differences, and these effects occur preferentially at high and low Chl values. Absorbing aerosol effects are likely to be most important over biologically productive waters near coasts and along major aerosol transport pathways. These results suggest that future ocean color spacecraft missions aiming to cover the range of naturally occurring and anthropogenic aerosols, especially at wavelengths shorter than 440 nm, will require better aerosol amount and type constraints.
Seasonal Wing Loading and the Ontogeny of Flight in Phyllostomus hastatus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)

We measured postnatal changes in wing morphology and flight capability in free-ranging Phyllostomus hastatus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). Area of wing, wingspan, and aspect ratio increased until volancy, while wing loading reached its lowest values at and after weaning. Young began to fly in their 7th week, when wing area, aspect ratio, and wingspan had reached 84, 95, and 89%, respectively, of values for adult females. Foraging time increased as young achieved volancy. Estimates of flight speed and power requirements from theoretical predictions yield flight speeds that are lowest around weaning, power requirements that increase consistently, and a cost of transport that decreases to a constant level at weaning. Thus, wing morphology of young may function to maximize maneuverability and minimize energy requirements during the vulnerable period of first flight. Wing loading of adult females fluctuated greatly with seasonal changes in body mass. Wing loading of nonreproductive females, a factor of their greater wing area and lower body mass, was significantly lower than in males. An upper limit on the ability to accomodate increased mass may affect wing morphology in this species.
A Proof of Weierstrass's Theorem

(1934). A Proof of Weierstrass's Theorem. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 309-312.
A snare in time—adding a safety mechanism to the Amplatzer Septal Occluder

Delivery cable/attachment of the Amplatzer Septal Occluder holds the device at a suboptimal angle relative to the plane of the atrial septum prior to release A small gooseneck snare tightened on the hub can maintain flexible control of the device after release of the delivery cable This technique can improve safety of delivery in difficult cases if you think ahead.
Study on Acidizing Fluid Leak-off in Carbonate Acid Fracturing

The leak-off mechanism in the course of acid fracturing is analyzed, the various common methods controlling acidizing fluid leak-off are put forward from such two aspects as acidizing fluid system and acid fracturing technology, acidizing fluid leak-off has considerable influence on the results of acid fracturing design, the acidizing fluid filtration model is still an important composite part in acid fracturing design, but the model of accurately calculating adding fluid leak-off is still in the midst of uninterrupted perfection, usually the ordinary model of fracturing fluid is used in the acid fracturing design, the domestic and overseas scholars' study about the model of calculating aciding fluid leak-off is introduced.
Research of Alarm Standardization for Power Communication Network Management System

With the increasing extension of the electric power communication network scale, the gradual integration of information and communication professional and the establishment of the provincial centralized monitoring and dispatching system, there are some great challenges to management and maintenance of the communication network. Specially, the operation and maintenance management are facing with the contradiction between an increasing alarm monitoring process and a limited workers. This paper normalizes various isomers of original alarm information to form standardized alarm information by alarm standardization.Further, several methods for shielding and compressing invalid alarms, such as invaliding alarms, marking engineering alarms and integrating alarm correlation, are applied to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of the alarm information and to upgrade the normalization and refinement of alarm diagnosis and fault management.
Early stage phase separation in ternary alloys: A test of continuum simulations

Abstract Phase separation in the γ − γ ’ alloy 5.2%Al–14.2%Cr-Ni at 873.15 K has been investigated by three-dimensional phase-field simulations, employing a model where both thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were experimentally verified. 510 individual nuclei corresponding to a density of 10 24 m −3 were introduced in accordance with classical nucleation theory, and the microstructural evolution was simulated up to a time of 32 h. The microstructural evolution was characterized, and regimes were identified according to the dominant mechanisms for microstructural evolution, where the final regime was found to be a coarsening regime obeying well-known power laws for the particle density and the average γ ’ particle radius. The evolution of the volume-averaged composition of the particles was found to follow a complicated trajectory, while the composition of individual particles were found to depart significantly from the average. The simulations were compared to experimental results from the literature based on atom probe tomography, and in general good qualitative correspondence was found, albeit with quantitative differences. These are discussed in terms of the assumptions inherent to the phase-field model, and by extension to most common continuum models of diffusive phase transformations.
Kinetic Analysis of Crystallization in Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 Glass Ceramics

The crystallization mechanisms for Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP) glass ceramics were studied using thermophysical property characterization techniques. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed two separate exothermic events that were ascribed to the initial growth and growth to coherency of a dendritic phase. It was found that the commonly used Johnson-Mehl-Avrami is not a suitable kinetic model for this material. Rather, the Sestak-Berggren (SB) autocatalytic kinetic model was used to analyze the DSC data and the activation energy for initial growth (259 kJ/mol) and coherency (272 kJ/mol) was calculated using isoconversional methods. The calculated parameters for the SB model were used to compare experimental and calculated values for heat flow during the crystallization of LATP and good fits were found for both exothermic events.
Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the distal femoral diaphysis: a case report and review of the literature

Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the bone is an extremely rare condition with few examples reported in the literature. We present the case of a 34-year-old male who presented with a lesion in the distal femur with initial imaging features consistent with Ewing sarcoma. Histologically, the lesion consisted of atypical pleomorphic polygonal rhabdomyoblasts demonstrating focal desmin and myogenin expression. A diagnosis of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma was rendered. Despite systemic treatment and surgery, this patient experienced a rapidly progressive disease course. We believe this is only the second report in the orthopedic literature of a case of primary pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the bone. The key imaging, pathologic, and clinical findings are discussed.
Prognositc Factors and Survival in Patients with Hypocellular Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Development of a Disease Specific Prognostic Score.

Abstract 3819 Poster Board III-755 Background Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a heterogeneous group of bone marrow disorders characterized by dysplastic changes in the myeloid lineages, ineffective hematopoiesis, and an increased risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In most cases, bone marrow is hyperceulluar but in 10 to 20% of cases, bone marrow can be hypocellular (defined as Methods In order to improve the prognostic assessment and to better understand the natural history of hypoplastic MDS, we analyzed the associations between disease characteristics and survival in 253 cases of hypocellular MDS presented to MDACC between 1993 and 2007. This is the largest study so far on patients with hypocellular MDS. We also compared the presenting characteristic and survival between these patients and a group of patients with hyper/normocelluar MDS (n=1725) during the same time period. Results Patients with hypocellular MDS usually presented with more significant thrombocytopenia (p 600 IU/l). In this model, each characteristic has a score of 1. A new prognostic model based on these factors could classify this group of patients into three risk categories independent of IPSS score. Patients with low risk (n= 66; scores 0-1) had a median survival of 30 months, and 2-year/3-year survival of 62%/44%. Patients with intermediate risk (n=44; score 2) had a median survival of 19.4 months, and 2-year/3-year survival of 43%/20%. Patients with high risk disease (n= 59; scores 3-5) had a median survival of 7.3 months, and 2-year/3-year survival of 12%/6%. When this new prognostic model was applied to test group (n=84), the median survival was 55.7, 13.5 and 8.6 months (p Conclusions Here, we proposed a new simple prognostic model that allows to predict prognosis in patients with hypocellular MDS. Analysis of prognostic factors in patients with hypocellular MDS may help us understand the biology of the disease, and develop risk-adapted therapies for this group of patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Analytical Models of High-Speed RLC Interconnect Delay for Complex and Real Poles

Continuous shrinking of the size of CMOS technology leads to extremely fast devices, but the resulting interconnect structures impose so many parasitic effects that the advantage of extremely scaled and ultrahigh-speed transistors would be completely overshadowed if appropriate remedial steps are not taken. This requires an accurate and efficient estimation of interconnect parasitics and analysis of their impact on integrated circuit performance. This paper proposes a new delay model for RLC interconnect networks in CMOS technology based on a second order approximate transfer function. The proposed modeling approach includes all possible scenarios (complex poles, real poles, and double poles) in the interconnect model. Simulation results show that the proposed delay model is almost independent of the ratio of ${V}_{\mathrm { {out}}} / V_{\mathrm { {in}}}$ , and the driver resistance has significant impact on the delay. The simulation results also show that the real pole model provides better accuracy and is much faster than the complex pole model. This observation would help to optimize the values of interconnect parasitics for faster operation.
Against Miracles as Law-Violations: A Neo-Aristotelian Approach

Miracles are commonly understood in the way David Hume defined them: as violations of the laws of nature. I argue, however, that the conjunction of Hume’s definition with a neo-Humean view of the laws of nature yields objectionable consequences. In particular, the two jointly imply that some miracles are logically impossible. A better way of thinking about miracles, I suggest, is on a neo-Aristotelian metaphysics. On that view, the laws of nature contain built-in ceteris paribus clauses that allow for the possibility of external influences in the natural world. Miracles, understood as instances of external, divine influence, would therefore neither violate the laws of nature nor be instances of those laws. In this respect, neo-Aristotelians have an advantage over neo-Humeans in providing a coherent account of miracles.
Path and amount of dextral fault slip in the Eastern California shear zone across the central Mojave Desert

New total fault slip estimates for the central Mojave Desert portion of the Eastern California shear zone support through-going dextral shear of ∼18 km that is transferred northward to the Garlock fault. The Eastern California shear zone accommodates ∼25% of the plate-boundary shear, with the transversely oriented Garlock fault forming its northern boundary with the Walker Lane belt. Total fault slip estimates for the major faults in the central Mojave Desert were determined using detailed geologic mapping supplemented with aeromagnetic data. Offset data for the Blackwater fault show a consistent 1.8 ± 0.1 km of dextral slip along 55 km of strike length, and they indicate that slip initiated at or after 3.8 Ma. The faults adjacent to the Blackwater fault have dextral slip of: 4.8 ± 0.3 km (Harper Lake fault); 2.9 ± 0.5 km (Mount General fault); 1.0 ± 0.7 km (Lockhart fault); and 3.2 ± 0.3 and 0.53 ± 0.05 km (Paradise fault). These slip data augment published data for the central Mojave Desert and allow evaluation of the strain path in the central Mojave Desert, showing consistent along-strike, through-going dextral slip. Contractional and extensional step-overs in the central Mojave Desert accommodate a change from focused slip in the southern central Mojave Desert to a wider and more dispersed fault system northward with a shift in the locus of dextral shear westward. We interpret these changes in the fault system to be a response to the Garlock fault, which inhibits through-going faulting but allows through-going dextral shear via clockwise deflection of its trace.
Effects of shell thickness on the electric field dependence of exciton recombination in CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots

Here we examine the effects of shell thickness on the photophysical properties of CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) in an electric field. Photoluminescence (PL) of QDs in an applied electric field is observed to decrease markedly with increasing shell thickness, with a thick-shelled (4.9 nm shell) sample exhibiting an order of magnitude greater PL suppression than a thin-shelled sample (1.25 nm shell) with the same core.
Online Education: The How, Who, Where and When

Undergraduate students completed an online tutorial to investigate the impact of the method of presentation on performance, the relationship between personality characteristics and performance, and where and when students complete the tutorial. Performance on the posttest was not significantly different whether students reviewed the animated video or recorded PowerPoint presentation, but performance improved in both conditions from the pretest scores. Contrary to expectation, personality was not related to performance on the posttest. Students generally completed the tutorial in a private space such as a bedroom or dorm room and there was no specific time of day when students were more likely to complete the tutorial. These data suggest that the method of presenting the tutorial might be less important than the use of elaborative inquiry to focus the students’ attention onto critical aspects of the material and to have students think critically about the subject matter. In addition, it is possible that th...
Plato and His Predecessors

The Sophists were the first Greeks to study language systematically, although pretheoretical ideas about language can be found in earlier authors. The Sophists speculated on the creation of language by early humans, and on the ‘correctness of names’ – that is, how to make words fit their objects as well as possible. They also worried about how falsehood and, in one case, how reference is possible. Plato's reflections on language often build on the Sophists' ideas, but also transform and reject them. In particular, he advances beyond them in explaining falsehood by showing that language does not consist solely of names.
Introductory Remarks, Session VI

A useful distinction has already been made between processes of aging and diseases of aging. The present session is devoted to several diseases of aging that may provide insights into broader mechanisms of aging processes. Three of the papers address the significance of disorders featuring apparently accelerated rates of aging—more particularly Hutchinson-Gilford progeria and Werner’s syndrome. The presentations of Dr. Brown and Dr. Salk will inquire into the extent that these rare conditions reflect authentic exaggeration of certain aging events as distinct from only mimicking them. Dr. Gracy will examine the molecular basis for protein errors in progeric fibroblasts and its relevance to aging in normal tissues. The mechanism he proposes—accumulation of deamidated forms through failure of proteolysis—should be juxtaposed to the conformational changes previously suggested by Dr. Rothstein.
Feasibility and acceptability of technology-based caregiver engagement strategies delivered in a summertime childhood obesity prevention intervention: results from an internal pilot of the Camp NERF (Nutrition, Education, Recreation, and Fitness) study.

The most efficacious childhood obesity prevention interventions have involved caregivers directly or indirectly. Due to the high reliance on technology, research examining technological intervention approaches is warranted, particularly during the summer when parents may be more difficult to engage and the risk for excess weight gain among children is high. The feasibility and acceptability of a multi-component childhood obesity prevention intervention incorporating a caregiver component utilizing technology-based approaches—texting and social media—was explored. This was an internal pilot of the Camp Nutrition Education Recreation and Fitness (NERF) study, a group RCT for school-age children coupled to the USDA Summer Food Service Program. Feasibility and acceptability of the technology caregiver engagement component were assessed via process outcomes (participation rates) and in-depth interviews. Participants (n = 37) were 91.9% female, 91.8% Black, 58.7% low-income, and 75.0% overweight/obese. Participation rates in texting and social media were 62.2% and < 3%, respectively. Themes emerged from the in-depth interviews were texting provides connection; desire more involvement with program; fear social media privacy intrusion. Results will be used to inform changes to technology-based caregiver engagement strategies to be tested in future interventions. Clinical Trials, NCT02908230 /09-19-2016. Registered 20 September 2016
In support of goals-of-care discussions in shared decision making – An extended response to the rejoinders

I am indebted to my colleagues – Larry Cripe and Richard Frankel, Martin Richards, Peter Scalia and Glyn Elwyn, and Angus Clarke – for the time they have taken to pose questions and offer comments that challenge and support my essay on the relationship between goals of care, concepts of health, and shared decision making (Kaldjian 2017). I am also grateful for the opportunity to respond (at some length!) to many of the issues raised, some of which are conceptual, some empirical, and some practical. Because most of the concerns relate to goals of care and shared decision making, it is to aspects of these topics that I will devote most of my attention.
Neoplastic plasma cells with azurophilic crystalline inclusions mimicking promyelocytes.

![Figure][1] A 70-year-old man with a history of treated immunoglobulin G (IgG)–κ plasma cell myeloma was referred to our institution for continuation of care. A preliminary differential cell count demonstrated 10% promyelocytes and 2% plasma cells. The second review of Wright-stained bone
REPETITIVE HEAD IMPACTS IN YOUTH FOOTBALL: DESCRIPTION AND RELATIONSHIP TO WHITE MATTER STRUCTURE:

Background:A growing body of evidence has suggested that repetitive head impacts (RHIs) in collision sports produce changes in white matter tracts of athletes as detected by diffusion tensor imagin...
Local Government Fiscal Health: Comparing Self‐Assessments to Conventional Measures

Municipal fiscal condition is typically assessed using objective financial indicators, but little is understood about how local officials subjectively evaluate their own fiscal health. Using both qualitative and quantitative approaches to analyze survey data from Michigan, we explore how local officials conceptualize fiscal health and compare self‐assessments with conventional financial indicators. The results reveal that local officials emphasize long‐run issues and external stressors, but the relative importance of different factors varies depending on whether they report high or low fiscal stress. We suggest that self‐assessments may be a useful supplement to conventional objective measures in capturing “true” fiscal health.
Evolutionary biology: The path to sociality.

A comparative analysis traces the trajectory of change in social organization among primates and establishes a firm foundation for modelling the origins of social complexity. See Letter p.219 Despite long-standing interest in explaining and describing diversity in primate social grouping patterns, the evolutionary history of primate sociality has received little attention. Recent advances in statistical methods allow trait changes to be explicitly modelled on phylogenetic trees and competing evolutionary hypotheses to be tested. Shultz et al. use Bayesian comparative phylogenetic methods to test competing theories for the evolution of social behaviour in primates. They conclude that large groups evolved directly from solitary foraging, with pair living and single-male harems being subsequently derived from the large groups. The shift from nocturnal to diurnal living is linked to the origin of sociality.
The forearm fillet flap: ‘spare parts’ reconstruction for forequarter amputations*

Radical forequarter amputation is often performed for recurrent proximal extremity tumors. A free forearm fillet flap is used to provide excellent coverage of the resultant defect without donor site morbidity. Use of a free flap from the distal portion of the extremity with proximal tumor burden is safe and effective.
An Efficient Method for Discovering Functionally Important Motifs in a Group of Protein Structures

Discovery of recurring structural motifs in a group of protein structures is key to many biomedical research and applications. In contrast to sequence motifs, structural motifs are more difficult to discover and the process demands more computational power. To date, a commonly used approach for discovering structural motifs shared by a pair of proteins is to represent protein structures as graphs, and then to find common maximal cliques using the product graph of the original graphs. In this approach, a maximal clique in the product graph corresponds to a common maximal clique shared by the original graphs. However, this method encounters computational challenge when the graph sizes are large. The challenge becomes even more daunting when the task is to find recurring spatial motifs shared by a group of protein structures, where many protein pairs need to be considered. To address this problem, we present an improved clique-based method that can quickly discover functionally important structural motifs shared by a group of proteins. The method achieves improved speed through exploiting the facts that functionally important residues are highly conserved and the graph edges that form a structural motif exist in all proteins that have the structural motif. Therefore, we filtered out non-conserved residues and edge types that are missing in some proteins. Since the edges of protein graphs are associated with continuous lengths, we developed a fast method to categorize edge types and find out edge types that exist in all proteins. The efficacy of the method was demonstrated by applying it to discover the catalytic triad motif on a set of protein structures that contain the motif. The results showed that the method could discover the catalytic triad motif with an improved speed, and at the same time the method reported much fewer biologically insignificant cliques, which allowed for a recursive approach to precisely discover functionally important spatial motifs shared by a group of protein structures.
Multiple actin networks coordinate mechanotransduction at the immunological synapse

Activation of naive T cells by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) is an essential step in mounting an adaptive immune response. It is known that antigen recognition and T cell receptor (TCR) signaling depend on forces applied by the T cell actin cytoskeleton, but until recently, the underlying mechanisms have been poorly defined. Here, we review recent advances in the field, which show that specific actin-dependent structures contribute to the process in distinct ways. In essence, T cell priming involves a tug-of-war between the cytoskeletons of the T cell and the APC, where the actin cytoskeleton serves as a mechanical intermediate that integrates force-dependent signals. We consider each of the relevant actin-rich T cell structures separately and address how they work together at the topologically and temporally complex cell-cell interface. In addition, we address how this mechanobiology can be incorporated into canonical immunological models to improve how these models explain T cell sensitivity and antigenic specificity.
Estradiol Increases Microglial Response to Lipopolysaccharide in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus during the Peripubertal Sensitive Period in Female Mice.

Sensitive periods are times of development during which the effects of experience are unusually strong and long lasting. The peripubertal period has emerged as one such sensitive period, and a single administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during this time reduces hormone-induced sexual behavior in adult female mice. During periods of high synaptic turnover, maturation, and elimination, as occurs during this sensitive period, microglia are particularly active. Estradiol also regulates microglial numbers, morphology, and activation. In addition, a good deal of evidence suggests that estradiol may confer this vulnerability to the effects of a stressor during the peripubertal period. Therefore, we investigated the effects of estradiol on microglial morphology, cytokine levels, and the sickness response to LPS. Estradiol levels were manipulated by implanting an estradiol-filled Silastic™ capsule (or oil-filled control) in ovariectomized mice or by administering the aromatase inhibitor, formestane (or oil control), to ovary-intact mice. We found that: (1) estradiol elevates basal microglial Iba1 immunoreactivity in the VMH, (2) LPS induces higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the presence of estradiol, and (3) LPS causes hypothermia in the presence of estradiol. Taken together, these data suggest that estradiol enhances the effect of LPS during the pubertal sensitive period.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The experience of trauma or extreme stressors, including immunostressors, during the peripubertal period can lead to marked and pervasive alterations of behavior. The underlying mechanisms contributing to this vulnerability during the peripubertal period are not understood. Microglia have emerged as a candidate through which stress might impact neurodevelopment and subsequently behaviors. Few studies have investigated how the developmental changes in levels of estrogens during the peripubertal period influence the microglia. Here, we find that exposure to estradiol during the peripubertal period enhances the microglial response to an immune challenge. These findings suggest a mechanism through which estradiol may confer vulnerability to an immunostressor during the sensitive, peripubertal period.
An Eye Tracking Approach to Understanding Misinformation and Correction Strategies on Social Media: The Mediating Role of Attention and Credibility to Reduce HPV Vaccine Misperceptions

This study uses an unobtrusive eye tracking approach to examine understudied psychological mechanisms – message attention and credibility – when people are exposed to misinformation and correction ...
Current developments in the combination therapy of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma

Therapy for patients with multiple myeloma has improved dramatically over the past decade following the introduction of novel agents and combinations across the disease spectrum. When relapse or re...
Flow in work teams: The role of emotional regulation, voice, and team mindfulness

In a team environment, team members’ emotional regulation, voice, and team mindfulness may foster their flow experience. This research empirically explored the relationship among the three possible antecedents of flow: two individual-level antecedents, emotional regulation and voice; and a team-level antecedent, team mindfulness. Using temporal separated survey data from two points (two weeks apart) with a sample of 452 individuals, 112 work teams from a medium-sized enterprise, I found that team members who were good at regulating emotions and making suggestions more frequently reported higher team mindfulness and flow. Team mindfulness was also found to be positively correlated with flow.
Visual and Statistical Methods to Calculate Intercoder Reliability for Time-Resolved Observational Research:

While calculating intercoder reliability (ICR) is straightforward for text-based data, such as for interview transcript excerpts, determining ICR for naturalistic observational video data is much m...
Empirical Measurement of Performance Maintenance of Gradient Boosted Decision Tree Models for Malware Detection

Important for effective, real-world machine learning (ML) or artificial intelligence (AI)-based malware detection systems is that models demonstrate both high discriminative performance at time of training and also demonstrate a high level of performance maintenance over time subsequent to training. That is, it is desirable that the models have a slow rate of performance decline over time as they encounter previously unseen malware threats. The study of malware detection model empirical performance maintenance on real-world data sets has not been widely addressed despite significant work on ML-based malware detection in general. In this work, we evaluate performance maintenance characteristics of models using a large, one million instance malware-goodware dataset spanning executables collected over one year in duration. Based on the outperformance of gradient boosted decision tree-based models, we investigate this category of model further and demonstrate models with performance and performance maintenance superior to that demonstrated in the previous ML-based malware detection literature. Given the large size of the dataset of real-world executables utilized, the insights into model performance maintenance may have valuable implications for real-world ML-based malware detection systems.
Energy-optimal reconfiguration of satellite formation flying in the presence of uncertainties

Abstract In this study, a two-step control methodology is developed for energy-optimal reconfiguration of satellites in formation in the presence of uncertainties or external disturbances. First, based on a linear deterministic system model, an optimal control law is analytically determined such that a satellite maneuvers from an initial state to a final state relative to another satellite. The structure of this optimal solution is predetermined and simply given by a linear combination of the fundamental matrix solutions associated with the original equations of relative motion. Only the coefficients are to be determined to satisfy given initial and final conditions. In the second step, an uncertain nonlinear formation system is considered and a robust adaptive controller is designed to compensate for the effects of uncertainties or disturbances that the formation system may encounter. Although the control strategy is inspired by sliding mode control, it produces smooth control signals, thereby avoiding chattering. Also, an adaptation law is added such that the uncertainty or disturbance effects are effectively and quickly eliminated without a priori information about them. The combination of these two controllers guarantees that the satellite accurately tracks the optimal path in the unknown environment. Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed two-step control methodology, in which a satellite formation is optimally reconfigured under unknown environmental disturbances.
Medicaid Prevalence and Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Access Disparities.

OBJECTIVE To examine how variation in the size of the local Medicaid population moderates Medicaid-to-private treatment access differentials for women with opioid use disorder (OUD). DATA SOURCES County-level information on total Medicaid enrollment combined with randomized field experiment data from ten diverse states that used a simulated patient (audit) methodology to examine buprenorphine providers' appointment granting behavior. STUDY DESIGN We used multiple regression modeling approaches to capture the moderating influence of Medicaid prevalence on differences in the likelihood of receiving an insurance-covered appointment between Medicaid and privately insured female patients. DATA EXTRACTION Completed calls to buprenorphine treatment providers. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We find a 0.37 percentage point (p value <0.01) narrowing of the Medicaid-to-private access gap with each one percentage point increase in the local insured population on Medicaid. There is effectively no difference in the likelihood of being granted an insurance-covered appointment across the two payer groups in the top tercile of Medicaid penetration. CONCLUSIONS When Medicaid is a common source of insurance within the local population, buprenorphine providers are much less likely to discriminate between Medicaid and privately insured prospective patients. Efforts to enhance equitable access across patient groups are perhaps best targeted where Medicaid prevalence is lower. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Assessment of the Influence of Enhanced UV-B on Marine Primary Productivity

A simple model, utilizing recent data, is used to estimate the potential impact of increased UV-B on aquatic primary productivity. The model is then utilized to emphasize major uncertainties in our present predictive capabilities. These (generally non-linear) uncertainties, which are much larger than the current linear conclusions drawn from our simple model, include: (1) the identification and quantification of the relevant photoprocesses and their biological weighting functions as well as the limitation of l4C techniques as currently and routinely used; (2) the possibility of community structure change, due to increased UV-B stress, and the consequent potential for tropodynamic changes in the food chain; (3) the influence of water column mixing on the determination of biologically effective doses and photosynthetically available radiant energy incident on and available to phytoplankton.
Performance and reliability study and exploration of nand flash-based solid state drives

The research that stems from my doctoral dissertation focuses on addressing essential challenges in developing techniques that utilize solid-state memory technologies (with emphasis on NAND flash memory) from device, circuit, architecture, and system perspectives in order to exploit their true potential for improving I/O performance in high-performance computing systems. These challenges include not only the performance quirks arising from the physical nature of NAND flash memory, e.g., the inability to modify data in-place, read/write performance asymmetry, and slow and constrained erase functionality, but also the reliability drawbacks that limits solid state drives (SSDs) from widely deployed. To address these challenges, I have proposed, analyzed, and evaluated the I/O scheduling schemes, strategies for storage space virtualization, and data protection methods, to boost the performance and reliability of SSDs.
Automated High-level Verification Against Clocked Algorithmic Specifications

Abstract We present a new method for automated verification of a circuit against an algorithmic specification where clock statements are used to indicate the scheduling of operations. We use a representation of the circuit and its specification where each data path register is treated as a unit, as in high-level synthesis. Therefore, in contrast with BDD-based methods, the time it takes to verify a circuit is independent of the width of the data path. We have been able to verify the Tamarack-3 microprocessor without any user guidance in 34 seconds, including parsing and compilation, on an IBM RS/6000 workstation.
Multiple objective Evolution Strategies using Data Envelopment Analysis

Often in science and engineering we are faced with complicated nonlinear problems in optimization that involve simultaneously minimizing or maximizing various non-commensurate quantities. For example, a basic task in design engineering or technology management is to balance suitable measures of performance against the cost. We present a simplified approach for performing multiple objective optimization by combining standard single objective Evolution Strategies with Data Envelopment Analysis. This latter method employs linear programming to compute an L1 distance of a given solution from the Pareto frontier defined by the evolving population of solutions, or from a related frontier defined by DEA. This quantity is then used in a fitness function. Real variable linear programs must be solved for the optimization of convex problems, while the solution of mixed integer linear programs is required to optimize general non-convex problems. This hybrid method yields highly converged results with good coverage of the Pareto frontier when applied to a standardized suite of multiple objective problems. Several current applications will be discussed that employ a massively parallel program (MOES) written in C and MPI that runs on supercomputers. This material was assigned a clearance of CLEARED, Case Number 88ABW-2015-0638.
Restoring DIC microscopy images from multiple shear directions

Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy is a non-destructive imaging modality that has been widely used by biologists to capture microscopy images of live biological specimens. However, as a qualitative technique, DIC microscopy records specimen's physical properties in an indirect way by mapping the gradient of specimen's optical path length (OPL) into the image intensity. In this paper, we propose to restore DIC microscopy images by quantitatively estimating specimen's OPL from a collection of DIC images captured from multiple shear directions. We acquire the DIC images by rotating the specimen dish on the microscope stage and design an Iterative Closest Point algorithm to register the images. The shear directions of the image dataset are automatically estimated by our coarse-to-fine grid search algorithm. We develop a direct solver on a regularized quadratic cost function to restore DIC microscopy images. The restoration from multiple shear directions decreases the ambiguity among different individual restorations. The restored DIC images are directly proportional to specimen's physical measurements, which is very amenable for microscopy image analysis such as cell segmentation.