cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural brain alterations associated with dyslexia predate reading onset

Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have reported reduced activation in parietotemporal and occipitotemporal areas in adults and children with developmental dyslexia compared to controls during reading and reading related tasks. These patterns of regionally reduced activation have been linked to behavioral impairments of reading-related processes (e.g., phonological skills and rapid automatized naming). The observed functional and behavioral differences in individuals with developmental dyslexia have been complemented by reports of reduced gray matter in left parietotemporal, occipitotemporal areas, fusiform and lingual gyrus and the cerebellum. An important question for education is whether these neural differences are present before reading is taught. Developmental dyslexia can only be diagnosed after formal reading education starts. However, here we investigate whether the previously detected gray matter alterations in adults and children with developmental dyslexia can already be observed in a small group of pre-reading children with a family-history of developmental dyslexia compared to age and IQ-matched children without a family-history (N = 20/mean age: 5:9 years; age range 5:1-6:5 years). Voxel-based morphometry revealed significantly reduced gray matter volume indices for pre-reading children with, compared to children without, a family-history of developmental dyslexia in left occipitotemporal, bilateral parietotemporal regions, left fusiform gyrus and right lingual gyrus. Gray matter volume indices in left hemispheric occipitotemporal and parietotemporal regions of interest also correlated positively with rapid automatized naming. No differences between the two groups were observed in frontal and cerebellar regions. This discovery in a small group of children suggests that previously described functional and structural alterations in developmental dyslexia may not be due to experience-dependent brain changes but may be present at birth or develop in early childhood prior to reading onset. Further studies using larger sample sizes and longitudinal analyses are needed in order to determine whether the identified structural alterations may be utilized as structural markers for the early identification of children at risk, which may prevent the negative clinical, social and psychological outcome of developmental dyslexia.
Analysis of the Loss in Heat and Acid Resistance during Germination of Spores of Bacillus Species

A major event in the nutrient germination of spores of Bacillus species is release of the spores' large depot of dipicolinic acid (DPA). This event is preceded by both commitment, in which spores continue through germination even if germinants are removed, and loss of spore heat resistance. The latter event is puzzling, since spore heat resistance is due largely to core water content, which does not change until DPA is released during germination. We now find that for spores of two Bacillus species, the early loss in heat resistance during germination is most likely due to release of committed spores' DPA at temperatures not lethal for dormant spores. Loss in spore acid resistance during germination also paralleled commitment and was also associated with the release of DPA from committed spores at acid concentrations not lethal for dormant spores. These observations plus previous findings that DPA release during germination is preceded by a significant release of spore core cations suggest that there is a significant change in spore inner membrane permeability at commitment. Presumably, this altered membrane cannot retain DPA during heat or acid treatments innocuous for dormant spores, resulting in DPA-less spores that are rapidly killed.
Adventures and Advances in Instructional Design Theory and Practice

Learning is fundamentally about change – persistent change in a person’s abilities, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, mental models, and skills. In the past, technology to support learning has been touted as offering many opportunities for dramatic improvements in learning. Unfortunately, many of these so-called advanced learning technologies have not resulted in substantial and sustained improvements in learning. Critical to progress in improving learning is measuring a person’s abilities, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and so on before, during, after, and long after instruction. Such assessments are rarely made in a way that can demonstrate that learning has occurred. These assessments are even more challenging when the domain of interest involves complex and ill-structured problems. In this chapter, some progress in assessing learning in complex problem domains will be described.
Suicidal ideation and self-harm in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth.

Background Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among adolescents and nonsuicidal self-harm occurs in 13%–45% of individuals within this age group, making these phenomena major public health concerns. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth particularly are at risk for engaging in these behaviors. Nevertheless, relatively little is known about the specific risk factors associated with suicidal ideation and self-harm behaviors in the population. Purpose This study provides a longitudinal evaluation of the relative contributions of general and LGBT-specific risk factors as well as protective factors to the occurrence of suicidal ideation and self-harm in an ethnically diverse sample of LGBT youth. Methods A community sample of 246 LGBT youth (aged 16–20 years) was followed prospectively over five time points at regular 6-month intervals. Participants completed a baseline structured interview assessing suicide attempt history and questionnaires measuring gender nonconformity, impulsivity, and sensation-seeking. At follow-up assessments, participants completed a structured interview assessing self-harm and questionnaires for suicidal ideation, hopelessness, social support, and LGBT victimization. Data were collected from 2007 to 2011, and HLM analyses were conducted in 2011. Results A history of attempted suicide ( p =0.05); impulsivity ( p =0.01); and prospective LGBT victimization ( p =0.03) and low social support ( p =0.02) were associated with increased risk for suicidal ideation. Suicide attempt history ( p p =0.04); female gender ( p p p p Conclusions General and LGBT-specific risk factors both uniquely contribute to likelihood of suicidal ideation and self-harm in LGBT youth, which may, in part, account for the higher risk of these phenomena observed in this population.
Exploring dependence between brain signals in a monkey during learning

Our goal is to investigate dependence between brain wave oscillations in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the hippocampus (Hc) regions of a macaque monkey during a learning association task. The classical approach to studying dependence in the spectral domain is via cross-coherence. It is computed for each frequency (or band) and identifies the frequency bands that drive the linear association between the components in a multi-variate time series. However, cross-coherence may not fully capture the complex dependence structure in brain signals such as local field potentials. In this article, we develop new tools for discovering associations between the theta (4–8 Hz) and gamma (32–50 Hz) activities at both contemporaneous blocks and lagged time blocks. We propose a class of piecewise harmonizable processes under which we give a precise definition of these dependence measures and develop simple estimators in the case where the time-series data are recorded over several replicated trials. Our analysis clearly demonstrates strong dependence between the theta and gamma oscillations in the NAc and the Hc regions of a macaque monkey during learning. Moreover, we determined the lagged dependence that differentiate the ‘correct’ responses (i.e., the monkey was able to identify the correct association) from the ‘incorrect’ responses.
Prior Cholecystokinin Exposure Sensitizes Islets of Langerhans to Glucose Stimulation

Prior, short-term exposure of isolated perifused islets to cholecystokinin (CCK8S) sensitizes them to subsequent glucose stimulation. This sensitization effect develops quickly and persists long after the removal of CCK8S from the perifusion medium. Continued binding of CCK8S to its receptor on the β-cell and the increase in glucose metabolism noted with glucose stimulation are essential for the full expression of this response. This sensitization process may play an integral role in the postulated incretin effect of the peptide.
Proof of Krishnamurthy and Bodfish's duality theorem

An alternative proof is presented, based on graphical concepts, of a duality theorem in switching theory propounded by Krishnamurthy and Bodfish.
Image segmentation and registration algorithm to collect thoracic skeleton semilandmarks for characterization of age and sex-based thoracic morphology variation

Thoracic anthropometry variations with age and sex have been reported and likely relate to thoracic injury risk and outcome. The objective of this study was to collect a large volume of homologous semilandmark data from the thoracic skeleton for the purpose of quantifying thoracic morphology variations for males and females of ages 0-100 years. A semi-automated image segmentation and registration algorithm was applied to collect homologous thoracic skeleton semilandmarks from 343 normal computed tomography (CT) scans. Rigid, affine, and symmetric diffeomorphic transformations were used to register semilandmarks from an atlas to homologous locations in the subject-specific coordinate system. Homologous semilandmarks were successfully collected from 92% (7077) of the ribs and 100% (187) of the sternums included in the study. Between 2700 and 11,000 semilandmarks were collected from each rib and sternum and over 55 million total semilandmarks were collected from all subjects. The extensive landmark data collected more fully characterizes thoracic skeleton morphology across ages and sexes. Characterization of thoracic morphology with age and sex may help explain variations in thoracic injury risk and has important implications for vulnerable populations such as pediatrics and the elderly. Thoracic skeleton semilandmarks from 343 males and females (ages 0-100) were collected.A segmentation and registration algorithm was developed for collecting semilandmarks.Between 2700 and 11,000 semilandmarks were collected from each rib and sternum.Over 55 million rib and sternum semilandmarks were collected across all subjects.The semilandmarks will be used to characterize thoracic morphology by age and sex.
The Economics of Loansharking

LOANSHARKING HAS BECOME a major source of revenue for the underworld and a major route by which crime syndicates have infiltrated legitimate businesses. When taken over by the loansharks, these businesses are used to further other criminal enterprises. Since ancient times the moneylender has played a significant role in society. His sharp practices and hard heart have been highlighted in literature. The borrower in our modern day who is in some kind of financial difficulty is not too different from his counterpart of other eras. The pressure on the borrower to obtain a loan often means he cannot quibble over terms. This being the case, the moneylender is in a position to make the most of such a situation.
Distribution of Micronutrients in Social Insects: A Test in the Termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) and the Ant Myrmica punctiventris (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Among social insects, individuals that grow or reproduce have different nutritional requirements than those that do not grow. Ants and termites have very different colony structure, and they should reveal differences in nutrient flow. Here, we show that the micronutrients calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), and zinc (Zn) levels are different among castes in termite and ant colonies. In two separate experiments, colonies of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) and the ant Myrmica punctiventris (Roger) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were divided into two equal-sized subunits. In both experiments, one subunit was fed an enriched diet containing Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn, whereas the other subunit was fed a control diet lacking these nutrients. In subunits fed the enriched diet, termite workers had higher levels of micronutrients than did soldiers, whereas ant workers had lower levels of micronutrients than did larvae. The only exceptions to this pattern were that Cu and Zn were found to be higher in termite soldiers, and Mn was found to be higher in ant workers. Our results suggest that micronutrients levels in both ants and termites match the nutritional requirements of different castes.
The German experience of professionalization: Collaboration, coordination, and professionalization

The fate and redefined role of learned professions under German fascism deserve a much fuller treatment than is possible in this broader history. Difficulties with sources remain formidable, although as this work goes to press there is hope that “openness” may also embrace some remaining German archives. The resurgence of autonomous professional groups and their development since the Nazi dictatorship will have to remain a topic for planned future publications by this author. Nevertheless, one cannot fail to indicate in a few broad strokes how the major German learned professions fared under the beginnings of fascist rule. After the Nazi “seizure of power” at the end of January 1933, the policy of “coordination” ( Gleichschaltung ) of major institutions in German society became a chief instrument of the consolidation of National Socialist control. The learned professions were also a victim (and to a certain degree the willing collaborators) in this process. It went forward at different paces, with varying degrees of thoroughness, but certainly by the end of the 1930s every last vestige of independence had, at least nominally, been stripped from the major professional groups, most already within the first year or two of the “national revolution.” Thus, the 1930s constitute a logical closing place for this book. The process of formation of autonomous national professional groups and the process of modern professionalization had, with the swift strokes of the German dictatorship, seemingly been thrown on the rubbish heap of history, along with so many other traditional institutions and ideas loathed by that professional manque, Adolf Hitler.
The uptake and localization of catecholamines in chick embryo sympathetic neurons in tissue culture.

SUMMARY The uptake of exogenous ['Hjdopamine, PHJnorepinephrine, and [ 3 H]epinephrine by dissociated chick embryo sympathetic neurons growing in tissue culture was studied by autoradiography. The neurons, growing in a medium containing nerve growth factor, rapidly and specifically took up all three catecholamines for at least 60 days, while no uptake was observed in several other cell types, including satellite cells and chick dorsal-root ganglion cells. The uptake was dependent on the concentration of the catecholamine and the duration of the pulse and was inhibited by cocaine and several sympathomimetic amines. Labelling was visualized only with fixatives which react with catecholamines to form waterinsoluble compounds. Autoradiographs showed that the label was much denser over the axons than the cell bodies. The label was distributed uniformly along the axons and did not seem to be preferentially localized at the axon terminals or varicosities which contain aggregates of dense core granules. These observations indicate that a large portion of the exogenous 3 [H]catecholamine is localized in an extragranular compartment and suggest that the differentiated function of the sympathetic neuronal cell membrane, which plays an important role in uptake, is retained after prolonged tissue culture.
Increased BK Viremia and Progression to BK-Virus Nephropathy Following High-Dose Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Acute Cellular Rejection

ABSTRACT BK virus nephropathy and cellular rejection are common causes of allograft dysfunction in renal transplant recipients. The two can be difficult to distinguish on allograft biopsy and can be present simultaneously. Management of the patient with coexistent BK infection and rejection is complicated by the conflicting ideals of decreasing immunosuppression to treat the former and increasing immunosuppression to treat the latter. The authors present the case of a 57-year-old renal transplant recipient who underwent allograft biopsy 8 weeks post-transplant for evaluation of increased serum creatinine in the setting of BK viremia (BKV). Biopsy revealed Banff classification 1b acute cellular rejection, with insufficient evidence to diagnose BK virus-associated nephropathy. The patient was administered intravenous immune globulin (IVIG), with no other changes in immunosuppressive therapy. Plasma and urine BK increased exponentially following IVIG administration, and allograft function further deteriorate...
Effect of Convection Within the Austausch Layer on the Electrical Potential Gradient in the Atmosphere

Within the exchange or austausch layer (which may extend up to 3 km) the electrical conductivity is usually low due to the limited mobility of large ions, and the electric field is high, typically 100–200 V/m. The conductivity may be higher by a factor of 2 to 6 at a relatively small altitude above this layer. Convective cells rising through the top of the exchange layer may produce a bubble of low conductive air reaching upwards into the high conductive region thus leading to a perturbation of the electric field lines. The magnitude of the induced horizontal gradients depends on the amplitude of the bubble and the change in electrical conductivity across the interface. A numerical model has been developed to describe the interaction phenomena as a quasi-static problem in electrostatics, and results have been obtained for a continuous field of convective cells as functions of bubble size and conductivity ratio. Significant distortion of the field lines is shown to be confined to within plus or minus two amplitudes of the disturbance with the largest horizontal gradients occurring near the lowest point on the interface, in the low conducting region.
How Should Clinicians Treat Patients Who Might Be Undocumented

Physicians are not obligated to report undocumented patients to immigration authorities, and beneficence demands nondiscrimination and respect for confidentiality.
Neutrino mass discovered

A team of US and Japanese physicists has obtained convincing evidence that neutrinos have mass, finally settling one of the most fundamental questions in particle physics. Results from the SuperKamiokande experiment in Japan suggest that neutrinos have a mass of 0.1 eV or greater, compared with about 0.5 MeV for the electron. The findings, reported at the Neutrino 98 meeting in Takayama, Japan and submitted to Physical Review Letters, have important implications for both cosmology and particle physics.
Dissolved organic carbon modulates mercury concentrations in insect subsidies from streams to terrestrial consumers

Mercury (Hg) concentrations in aquatic environments have increased globally, exposing consumers of aquatic organisms to high Hg levels. For both aquatic and terrestrial consumers, exposure to Hg depends on their food sources as well as environmental factors influencing Hg bioavailability. The majority of the research on the transfer of methylmercury (MeHg), a toxic and bioaccumulating form of Hg, between aquatic and terrestrial food webs has focused on terrestrial piscivores. However, a gap exists in our understanding of the factors regulating MeHg bioaccumulation by non-piscivorous terrestrial predators, specifically consumers of adult aquatic insects. Because dissolved organic carbon (DOC) binds tightly to MeHg, affecting its transport and availability in aquatic food webs, we hypothesized that DOC affects MeHg transfer from stream food webs to terrestrial predators feeding on emerging adult insects. We tested this hypothesis by collecting data over 2 years from 10 low-order streams spanning a broad DOC gradient in the Lake Sunapee watershed in New Hampshire, USA. We found that streamwater MeHg concentration increased linearly with DOC concentration. However, streams with the highest DOC concentrations had emerging stream prey and spiders with lower MeHg concentrations than streams with intermediate DOC concentrations; a pattern that is similar to fish and larval aquatic insects. Furthermore, high MeHg concentrations found in spiders show that MeHg transfer in adult aquatic insects is an overlooked but potentially significant pathway of MeHg bioaccumulation in terrestrial food webs. Our results suggest that although MeHg in water increases with DOC, MeHg concentrations in stream and terrestrial consumers did not consistently increase with increases in streamwater MeHg concentrations. In fact, there was a change from a positive to a negative relationship between aqueous exposure and bioaccumulation at streamwater MeHg concentrations associated with DOC above ~5 mg/L. Thus, our study highlights the importance of stream DOC for MeHg dynamics beyond stream boundaries, and shows that factors modulating MeHg bioavailability in aquatic systems can affect the transfer of MeHg to terrestrial predators via aquatic subsidies.
Effect of propranolol on myocardial-infarct size in a randomized blinded multicenter trial

Abstract A multicenter randomized single-blind study was performed to evaluate the effects of propranolol administered during the evolution of myocardial Infarction. Five centers enrolled a total of 269 patients, with 134 receiving propranolol and 135 placebo. Propranolol or placebo was given intravenously upon randomization (0.1 mg per kilogram of body weight) and then orally for nine days to keep the heart rate between 45 and 60 beats per minute. Less than 2 per cent of patients were treated within 4 hours after the onset of symptoms, but 50 per cent received therapy within 8 hours of onset of chest pain, and the remainder between 8 and 18 hours. The heart rates in the propranolol-treated group were significantly lower than those in the placebo group (P<0.001). Base-line characteristics, including the mean heart rate (79.6 vs. 81.3) and the left ventricular ejection fraction (49.0 vs. 49.5), were similar in the two groups. The primary end point evaluated — infarct size as estimated from plasma MB creati...
Relation between metabolic activity and cyanide inhibition in Pelomyxa carolinensis Wilson.

SummaryOxygen consumption and carbon dioxide elimination in Pelomyxa caro-linensis was ascertained by means of a Bar-croft-Warburg micro-respirometer. The total average oxygen consumption was found to be 2442 mm3, SS94 mm3, 11,664 mm3 and 26,971 mm3 per hour per million organisms (or 0.07, 0.16, 0.33, and 0.76 mm3 per hour per cubic millimeter cell substance) at 10°, 20°, 30°, and 35°C., respectively.The respiratory quotient varies directly with the temperature. It was found to be 0.45 at 10°C and 0.94 at 30°C. Consequently, carbohydrate metabolism is evidently greater at higher than at lower temperatures.Respiration is inhibited by potassium cyanide (10-4 M) and the degree of inhibition varies directly with the temperature.From the evidence presented, it can be concluded that a cytochrome-cytochrome oxidase system is the mechanism chiefly involved in oxidation of carbohydrate in Pelomyxa and that as carbohydrate metabolism is reduced in its extent, this mechanism becomes less and less active.
A longitudinal study of emotional adjustment, quality of life and adaptive function in attenuated MPS II.

Abstract Objectives The behavioral, adaptive and quality of life characteristics of attenuated mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) have not been well studied. Understanding changes over time in the attenuated phenotype may assist in helping achieve better outcomes in long-term function. This longitudinal study investigates these outcomes in relation to age, somatic disease burden, and IQ. Specifically, somatic disease burden is a major challenge for these patients, even with treatment with enzyme replacement therapy. Methods 15 patients, 10 between ages 6 and Results All but one child had hearing loss, most had joint contractures and short stature. Somatic disease burden increased with age. IQ, although normal for most, also improved with age in those under 12 years of age. Physical quality of life decreased while psychosocial quality of life increased with age. Although other adaptive skills were in the broad average range, daily living skills were low at baseline relative to normative data and decreased over time. Behavior ratings indicated improvement in attention and hyperactivity over time. No patient had severe psychopathology, but older children reported an increasing sense of inadequacy and low self-esteem on self-report, presumably due to increasing awareness of differences from peers over time. Conclusions Attenuated MPS II patients have increasing somatic disease burden and poor physical quality of life as they develop as well as decreasing self-esteem and sense of adequacy. Psychosocial quality of life, adaptive skills, and attention improve. Recognition of and intervention around these issues will be beneficial to MPS II attenuated patients who have the resources to use such assistance to improve their long-term outcomes.
FAILURE OF ETHANOL TO STIMULATE INCORPORATION OF ACETATE-1-C14 INTO HEPATIC FATTY ACIDS IN VITRO.

SummaryExperiments conducted to determine the effects of ethanol on fatty acid synthesis in liver slices indicate that ethanol, at all concentrations tested, suppresses the incorporation of labeled carbon derived from acetate-1-C14 into hepatic fatty acids in vitro. This suppression is explained as being mostly due to isotopic dilution of labeled acetyl-CoA derived from acetate-1-C14 by unlabeled ace-tyl-CoA derived from ethanol, although the inhibitory effect of ethanol on the metabolism of acetate in liver slices may also be partly responsible for this suppression.
A Better Draft: Fair Division of the Talent Pool

(1997). A Better Draft: Fair Division of the Talent Pool. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 82-88.
Roles of motor-unit recruitment in producing force variability of simulated muscle contractions.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of motor-unit recruitment on force variability by using computer simulated isometric contractions of a hand muscle (i.e., first dorsal interosseus). The force was simulated at 10 levels of excitation, ranging from 10 to 100% of maximum. Two recruitment conditions were simulated to compare the relative effect of motor-unit recruitment (MUR) on the relationship of force variability and level of force. One condition (40%MUR) recruited all motor units at 40% of the maximum excitation level, and the other (50%MUR) recruited all motor units at 50% of the maximum. The 40%MUR condition had a greater number of motor units than the 50%MUR group before the excitation level reached 50% of the maximum. The results showed that force variability increased at a faster rate before the completion of motor-unit recruitment and, thereafter, increased at a slower rate. In addition, the 40%MUR group showed greater force variability than the 50%MUR group. These data suggest th...
Trends in DataMining Applications: From Research Labs to Fortune 500 Companies

The prelims comprise: Introduction Characteristics of the Next Generation of Data-Mining Applications The Content of the Book ]]>
Low light event reconstruction simulations for an optically segmented single volume scatter camera

Dual plane neutron scatter cameras have shown promise for localizing fast neutron sources. The condition that a neutron must scatter in both planes of the camera produces low counting efficiencies. Counting efficiency can be improved using an alternative design that uses a single, optically segmented volume of scintillation material. Using Geant4, we simulated pulses from neutron elastic scatter events at different locations throughout an EJ-204 scintillator bar. We used nonlinear regression on low light pulses to determine the position along the bar where the scatter event occurred.
Hypoxia Inhibits HIV-1 Transcription.

Abstract The hypoxic response is an important component of the body's reaction to impaired tissue oxygenation associated with the anemia and vasoocclusive episodes of sickle cell disease (SCD). It has been reported that HIV infection progresses relatively slowly in patients with SCD (Am J Hematol 1998; 59:199–207). HIV-1 Tat protein promotes transcription of HIV-1 genes by inducing CDK9/cyclin T1 to phosphorylate the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase-II. Our previous studies indicate that protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) promotes Tat-induced HIV-1 transcription (J Biol Chem 2003; 278:32189–941), apparently by interacting with HIV-1 Tat, for disruption of this interaction prevents induction of transcription (J Biol Chem 2005; 280:36364–71). Recently PP1 activity was shown to be decreased in hypoxia in part through increased association of PP1 with NIPP1 (J Cell Physiol 2006 Jul 6; Epub ahead of print). We hypothesized that decreased PP1 activity during hypoxia would reduce HIV-1 transcription and viral replication, and we have obtained experimental results consistent with this hypothesis. Increased expression of nuclear inhibitor of PP1 (NIPP1) was associated with inhibition of HIV-1 transcription and viral replication. Low oxygen tension (3%–6% O2) was associated with transient inhibition of HIV-1 transcription in transfected 293T and HeLa cells. Low oxygen tension was associated with inhibition of HIV-1 transcription in CEM T cells infected with pseudotyped HIV-1 virus. We are now planning to examine the possible role of altered PP1 activity in the observed inhibition of HIV-1 transcription during hypoxia. Thus, a clinical insight from patients with SCD has pointed the way to investigating the influence of hypoxia on HIV transcription. An improved understanding of how oxygen status influences viral activation versus inactivation might open new possibilities for treatment of hidden HIV-1 reservoirs that harbor non-replicating HIV-1 virus.
Fractal features for automatic detection of dysarthria

Amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease. Difficulty articulating speech, dysarthria, is a common early symptom of ALS. Detecting dysarthria currently requires manual analysis of several different speech tasks by pathology experts. This is time consuming and can lead to misdiagnosis. Many existing automatic classification approaches require manually preprocessing recordings, separating individual spoken utterances from a repetitive task. In this paper, we propose a fully automated approach which does not rely on manual preprocessing. The proposed method uses novel features based on fractal analysis. Acoustic and associated articulatory recordings of a standard speech diagnostic task, the diadochokinetic test (DDK), are used for classification. This study's experiments show that this approach attains 90.2% accuracy with 94.2% sensitivity and 85.1% specificity.
An Overview of Finite Element Formulations in Nonlinear Solid Mechanics

The goal of this chapter is to establish a basic conceptual and notational foundation for the study of computational contact mechanics to follow. The presentation of this foundation is rather summary in nature, and it follows an incremental approach to the basic principles underlying the successful formulation of boundary value problems in nonlinear mechanics.
Dear Elementary Majors and Practicing and Beginning Elementary Teachers

This methods book takes a very practical approach to learning to teach elementary school mathematics in an emerging Age of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Kindergarten through Grade 12 CCSS in Mathematics (i.e., CCSSM) was officially released on June 2, 2010 with 45 of the 50 US states in agreement to adopt it.
Barriers to and Interest in Lung Cancer Screening Among Latino and Non-Latino Current and Former Smokers

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in Latinos. In a telephone survey, we assessed perceptions about lung cancer and awareness of, interest in, and barriers to lung screening among older current and former smokers. We compared Latino and non-Latino responses adjusting for age, sex, education, and smoking status using logistic regression models. Of the 460 patients who completed the survey (51.5% response rate), 58.0% were women, 49.3% former smokers, 15.7% Latino, with mean age 63.6 years. More Latinos believed that lung cancer could be prevented compared to non-Latinos (74.6% vs. 48.2%, OR 3.07, CI 1.89–5.01), and less worried about developing lung cancer (34.8% vs. 50.3%, OR 0.44, CI 0.27–0.72). Most participants were not aware of lung screening (44.1% Latinos vs. 34.3% Non-Latinos, OR 1.24, CI 0.79–1.94), but when informed, more Latinos wanted to be screened (90.7% vs. 67%, OR 4.58, CI 2.31–9.05). Latinos reported fewer barriers to lung screening.
Precision medicine and health disparities: The case of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Abstract Background Precision medicine has uncertain potential to address population health disparities. Purpose Case study of disparities in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Method Literature-based evaluation of ALL in African American (AA) and European American (EA) children. Findings AA children have a lower incidence of ALL than EA children, experience higher relapse rates, and are more likely to be diagnosed with poor prognostic indicators. Environmental risk exposures for ALL have small effect sizes; data are insufficient to determine their contribution to differences in incidence and prognosis. Differences in prevalence of gene variants associated with treatment response contribute to higher relapse rates in AA children. However, higher relapse rates were not seen in a care setting that eliminated out of pocket costs, used risk-directed therapy, and included rigorous case management. Discussion Unequal access to effective treatment contributes to ALL disparities. Precision medicine can help to define effective treatment for diverse patient populations.
Sociodemographic Characteristics and the Stigmatization of Prescription Opioid Addiction.

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between participants' sociodemographic characteristics and the degree to which they stigmatize people with an opioid addiction. Methods A randomized, between-subjects case vignette study (n = 2605) was conducted with a nationwide online survey. We investigated how the stigmatization toward a hypothetical individual who misused prescription opioids differed across participants' sociodemographic factors (ie, age, gender, education, race, and income). Results Our results showed that study participants who were male, white, low-income, college graduates, and younger rated the hypothetical individual with an opioid addiction with lower stigma. In addition, we showed that participant gender moderated the relationship between information given about initiation of opioid use (received prescription opioids from a doctor vs took prescription opioids from a friend) and opioid stigma perceptions. Conclusions Our results support previous findings that stigmatizing attitudes towards drug use vary across participant sociodemographic characteristics. The findings from our study provide a better understanding of how stigmatizing attitudes towards prescription opioid use differ across sociodemographic characteristics and can serve to improve negative perceptions of those with an opioid addiction.
The Mapp Way: Success through Combining the Motivational and Caring Climates

The purpose of this study was to explore one exemplar female coach’s environment to understand how various climates were enacted and incorporated into coaching practice. Using a constructivist grou...
Future Prospects for Accelerator R&D

Based on their great economic value, many current uses and state of the technology, the future of accelerators in medicine, industry, homeland security and research is assured for a long time to co...
The changing surgical treatment of breast cancer in the United States: The tipping point

The surgical management of breast cancer began to change in the middle of the last decade. The use of unilateral mastectomy decreased while the rate of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy for unilateral cancer increased sixfold from 1998 to 2011. The use of immediate breast reconstruction increased from 30% in 2005 to 45% in 2012. Four changes came together in the middle of the last decade to cause this paradigm shift in the surgical management of early breast cancer. (a) Breast MRI would be available in nearly 75% of breast imaging centers. (b) Genetic counseling would become a standard of care for patients with potential hereditary breast cancer. (c) In 2006, the FDA would approve the use of silicone-gel implants. (d) Nipple-sparing mastectomy would become a standard of care in the treatment of early breast cancer.
'Rub Him About the Temples': Othello, Disability, and the Failures of Care

Focusing on how race and disability deconstruct and expose the facades of friendship, this article explores the ethical differences in models of care in Shakespeare’s Othello. It examines the networks of care surrounding the character of Othello — particularly his interactions with Cassio — and demonstrates how, by revealing the many preten­sions and failures of relationship, the play develops a theory and praxis for ethical caring that attends to the complexity of a black and disabled character. The play, this essay argues, finally presents a solution to the problem of care in the symbolic and material web of the ancestral handkerchief.
Successful Treatment of Single Infected Calciphylaxis Lesion With Intralesional Injection of Sodium Thiosulfate at High Concentration.

Introduction Calciphylaxis is a very complicated disease that usually presents in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Treatment for calciphylaxis is not well standardized and typically involves a multidisciplinary approach. One of the common medications used in calciphylaxis treatment is sodium thiosulfate (STS). However, its intravenous injection is associated with multiple side effects. Case report The authors present a case report of an intralesional injection of STS followed by a literature review of the common treatment modalities and possible further use of intralesional injections. A 51-year-old man with ESRD on peritoneal dialysis presented with a right calf biopsy-proven calciphylaxis lesion measuring 3.1 cm x 3.9 cm. About the same time, he had Pseudomonas-associated peritoneal catheter peritonitis. The calciphylaxis lesion was treated with bimonthly intralesional injections of STS. The lesion had a complete resolution by week 9. Conclusions The authors believe a higher local concentration of STS leading to a faster resolution and requiring less frequent injections needs to be further evaluated. Following additional studies, they also propose a greater use of intralesional STS injections in a select set of patients in the future.
Anatomy of the Carotid Artery

The carotid artery provides blood supply to the brain, face and neck. The anatomy of the carotid artery forms the basis of plaque formation and, when diseased, contributes to thromboembolic stroke. A detailed knowledge of carotid artery and carotid space anatomy is essential to understand carotid pathophysiology. This chapter describes the anatomy of the carotid space, carotid artery and its branches, and internal carotid artery segmental classification. Case examples of pathology and anatomic variants one can encounter in clinical practice are provided. This framework will aid in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and treatment planning.
Space-Time Wave Packets Wave-Guided in an Unpatterned Thin Film

We demonstrate that propagation-invariant ‘space-time’ wave packets can be guided in two dimensions in an unpatterned thin optical film by relying on index-guiding in one dimension and on space-time confinement in the other.
Fetal Pulmonary Valvuloplasty in Fetuses with Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstructive Disease: Experience and Outcome of the First Five Cases in China.

The current study was to report our initial experiences of fetal pulmonary valvuloplasty (FPV) for fetuses with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) and critical pulmonary stenosis (CPS), including case selection, technical feasibility, and the effects of FPV on utero and postnatal outcome. Two fetuses with PA/IVS and three fetuses with CPS were enrolled between September 2016 and April 2018. All fetuses were with concomitant severe right ventricular dysplasia and growth arrest. Parameters of right cardiac development and hemodynamics, including tricuspid/mitral annulus ratio (TV/MV), right ventricle/left ventricle long-axis ratio (RV/LV), tricuspid valve inflow duration/cardiac cycle ratio (TVI/CC), degree of tricuspid regurgitation (TR), and blood flow direction of arterial duct and ductus venosus, were evaluated using echocardiogram. FPV was performed trans-abdominally under ultrasound guidance. Echocardiogram was performed post-FPV and every 2–4 weeks thereafter until delivery. The median gestational age at the time of FPV was 28 weeks. From technical perspective, pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty was successfully performed and the opening of pulmonary valve was improved in all fetuses in 2–4 weeks. However, progressive restenosis was observed in four fetuses with gestation advancing, and re-atresia occurred in two PA/IVS fetuses at 36th and 37th weeks’ gestation, respectively. The growth trajectories of TV/MV, RV/LV, and TVI/CC were improved in the 1st week after FPV and then slowed down along with pulmonary valve restenosis. All fetuses were born alive and underwent postnatal interventions, including pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty in three fetuses and surgical procedures in two fetuses. During follow-up, three fetuses turned to be biventricular, one became one and a half ventricular at 1-year old, and one died of neonatal infection. Although pulmonary valve restenosis might occur as gestation advancing, FPV seems to be a safe and feasible procedure to improve the growth trajectories of right heart for fetuses with PA/IVS and CPS.
Canadian Contractural Duress and Criminal Duress: "Irrational, Anomalous, Perverse, Illogical and Fundamentally Wrong" or Just Misunderstood?

The contractual and criminal bases for duress in Canada, the United States, and the Commonwealth are currently in disrepair. Contract law serves to enforce binding agreements that are reflective of our choices, but duress threatens to nullify that very purpose. In addition to the contractual basis of duress, the law of duress has developed from a criminal defense perspective, but it has been difficult to apply. Controversy surrounds the defense particularly where the threats involve the sacrifice of an innocent person. Only by examining the philosophical, historical, and current state of this defense in the civil and criminal context can one begin to repair and reformulate the defense of duress for future application. † R. v. Ruzic (1998), 41 O.R. 3d 1 (Can. Ont. C.A.), supp. reasons 165 D.L.R. (4th) 574 (Can.), (per Laskin J.A., referring to criticisms of Fish J.A. in R. v. Langlois (1993), 54 Q.A.C. 87 (Can. Que. C.A.)).  Frances E. Chapman, Assistant Professor of Legal Studies, St. Jerome‘s University, University of Waterloo, Waterloo Ontario Canada. I thank St. Jerome‘s University for its generous research support. I am much indebted to my research assistant, and former student, Melody Jahanzadeh for her unending assistance with this Article. Thank you for your expert assistance with research and editing. I would also like to thank Professor Winifred Holland for her unfaltering assistance and mentorship during my LL.M. degree, and for continuing to challenge me on all aspects of the criminal law. This Article would not have been possible without her encyclopeadic knowledge of criminal law defenses. Thank you also to Professor Sally Gunz for her support in expanding my research in this area and for her suggestion that I present this research at the Academy of Legal Studies in Business Conference in Richmond, Virginia in August 2010. Washington University Open Scholarship 216 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY GLOBAL STUDIES LAW REVIEW [VOL. 11:215
Ultimate detectivity of multiple-stage interband cascade infrared photodetectors

In this work, we theoretically demonstrate that the ultimate detectivities in multi-stage interband cascade infrared photodetector configurations are higher than what can be achieved in a conventional single-absorber detector structure in any circumstance even including where carrier diffusion length is very long. Detailed derivations are provided to analytically show that in the limit of an infinite diffusion length, the ultimate detectivity of a multiple-stage device is about 11% higher than that of an optimized single-stage device. Furthermore, how the sequence of absorber thicknesses is optimized for maximizing the detectivity is described and discussed. Insights and explanations to the results are presented to improve the understanding, clarify possible confusion with different perspectives in the technical community, and to generate more interest in the development of advanced multi-stage interband cascade infrared photodetectors for various applications.
Communication in Banking Sector: A Systematic Review

Background: Effective banking communication strengthens the relationship between customer, suppliers, stakeholders, manager, client, employees and board of directors. Banker’s experience on banking communication enhances banking system, employee’s behavior and core banking services facilities management. Banking communication improves organizational effectiveness through training, knowledge management, risk management, internal control system and data security management. In modern era, communication channel is transformed into electronic channel promoting e-banking which includes internet banking, mobile banking and e-payment system. Moreover, clerical work shifted into electronic form, which cut costs and satisfy customer. Objectives: This paper explores how banker’s experience effects on banking communication in commercial banks, which enhances their understanding level and determines effective communication in workplace. Methods: Extensive desk reviews followed by related literature werecarried out to gain better insight regarding the field of study. Findings: With the passage of time, computers and technologies have changed the traditional method of communication system. Banks are now using windows, world processing system, excel, computer operating system, DOS, database management system, data planning and database design, data security, internet, intranet, extranet service and email system which increase working performance. Conclusions: Bank managers need to understand importance of communication skills in order to increase effectiveness of internal communication between manager and employees. Implications: Commercial banks of Nepal requireto update in their communication practices and strategies in order to build proper channel which would help in communication between employees and management.