cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
'Feed-Forward' Tutorials, Not 'Feedback' Reviews

Too often, students become frustrated during the writing process because they feel like they are working in the dark. They are required to produce an assignment with little input from their instructor and then wait out the grading process to see if they “get it.” Weeks later, when the students have, at best, tired of the subject matter or, at worse, forgotten it entirely, rewriting feels like punishment for their lack of understanding the first time around. On the other hand, instructors – who have spent hours preparing lectures, developing in-class learning exercises, and carefully selecting readings meant to provide explicit guidance – are frustrated to find that their stack of assignments demonstrates that half the students did not “get it,” despite their efforts. The fact is, many students need substantial individual attention early in the writing process to avoid the feeling they have been set adrift in unknown seas with no one at the helm. Hamline University has attempted to address students’ need for individual direction by implementing a “feed-forward” philosophy in the first-year legal writing program, as opposed to the more tradition “feedback” approach. The first-year legal writing program provides substantial individual attention to students during the critical weeks before an assignment is due. These individual feed-forward tutorials are consistently evaluated by students as one of the greatest strengths of the program. The article takes an in-depth look at the implementation of the feed-forward approach as well as analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the philosophy.
What Have We Learned From Brain Functional Connectivity Studies in Migraine Headache

Over the past 20 years, headache syndromes, especially migraine, have benefited significantly from the knowledge gained through neuroimaging studies. This article is focused on the neuroimaging studies of the functional organization and connectivity of the migraine brain. First, data sources and the study design elements in functional neuroimaging studies of the brain connectivity in migraine headaches are discussed. Then, the article reviews the findings to date and discusses how functional connectivity studies have contributed to a better understanding of the mechanisms of the migraine disease by extending the focus from a single region or structure to a network of regions and structures and the interactions among them. Finally, the potential scenarios for the translation of connectivity knowledge to the benefit for patients are discussed.
158 A RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW OF CLINICAL CASES OF MYCOBACTERIUM MARINUM INFECTIONS ALONG THE GULF COAST

Purpose of Study Our goal is to describe clinical presentations, risk factors, management strategies and outcome for M. marinum infections among patients presenting to us from the Gulf Coast. Methods A retrospective review was performed of clinical charts of patients with M. marinum infection from 1990 through 2004. Data collected included demographics, presence or absence of immunocompromised state, site of infection, source of exposure, microbiologic and routine labs, antibiotic choice and length of therapy, and outcome information. Results There were 7 subjects identified for analysis. The mean age was 45.4 years (range 34-72); subjects were more likely to be male (86% vs 14% female), Caucasian (86% vs 14% African-American), with no underlying chronic disease (71%); only 2 of 7 (29%) were immunocompromised secondary to HIV/AIDS (1) or diabetes mellitus (1). Marine exposure accounted for 6 (86%). The majority of the patients (86%) had an infection involving the upper extremity. Three subjects (43%) had localized soft tissue infection of a finger presenting as nodules, abscess, or ulceration; four subjects (57%) had deeper involvement with tenosynovitis, tendonitis, or tenolysis of the hand. Three patients (43%) had multiple ascending nodules (“sporotrichoid disease”), and two (29%) had disseminated cutaneous involvement of multiple extremities. Surgical debridement revealed the diagnosis among 71%, and 86% received antibiotics as monotherapy or combination therapy for a mean duration of 5.6 months. The one HIV-1 subject with a resistant isolate required intravenous therapy with imipenem and amikacin for 4 months after failing a traditional oral regimen. All subjects who received antibiotics reported subsequent resolution of the infection. Among subjects with tenosynovitis/tenolysis, 50% reported significant limitation of function of the involved phalanx. Conclusion In this series of patients from the Gulf Coast region, most cases were due to inoculation of M. marinum related to marine exposure. While the majority of our patients were healthy, we describe the rare cases of a subject with HIV/AIDS and M. marinum infection and of cutaneous dissemination in an immunocompetent patient. Based upon our series, cases of M. marinum infection should respond to appropriate antimicrobial therapy.
The effect of time delay on the enhancement pattern of malignant intracranial neoplasms

We compared routine spin-echo MR images obtained 15 and 30 min after intravenous contrast medium in 85 patients with suspected intracranial tumors. The delayed images showed more extensive enhancement in the majority of cases. However, no additional lesions were shown.
Congenital posterior urethral polyps.

AbstractCongenital posterior urethral polyps are benign growths that can cause a variety of symptoms in young boys. They are pathologically distinct growths usually discovered by voiding cystourethrography. We present 5 cases of congenital posterior urethral polyps, and discuss the presentation and pathophysiological status of these lesions. These lesions must be considered in the differential diagnosis of voiding dysfunction in young boys.
Outcome After Diffuse Head Injuries and ICP Elevations

The effects of ICP elevations on outcome after diffuse lesions after head injury have been ignored until recently. The outcome measure most often used has been the GOS with ratings that are often insensitive to the state of conscious survivors.
Laser photolysis system and PCO prevention

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is the most common complication following modern cataract surgery. PCO is caused by proliferation of lens epithelial cells (LECs) that remain in the capsular bag following cataract removal. Various methods for preventing PCO by LEC removal have been developed including pharmacological treatments and mechanical methods for LEC removal. A laser photolysis system has been developed for the removal of LECs from the lens capsular bag. A modified Nd:YAG handpiece has been evaluated in human cadaver eyes to document removal of LECs. In addition, extracellular matrix glycoproteins such as laminin and fibronectin, which may play a role in the development of PCO, were shown to be removed from the lens capsular bag by the photolysis system. Preliminary clinical studies have found that the laser was successful in removing the LECs from the anterior portion of the capsular bag with subsequent clear anterior and posterior capsules in the area of treatment for 2 years. In conclusion, the Nd:YAG laser photolysis system shows promise for prevention of PCO by removal of LECs as well as removal of adhesion glycoproteins.
Picasso: Lightweight Device Class Fingerprinting for Web Clients

In this work we present Picasso: a lightweight device class fingerprinting protocol that allows a server to verify the software and hardware stack of a mobile or desktop client. As an example, Picasso can distinguish between traffic sent by an authentic iPhone running Safari on iOS from an emulator or desktop client spoofing the same configuration. Our fingerprinting scheme builds on unpredictable yet stable noise introduced by a client's browser, operating system, and graphical stack when rendering HTML5 canvases. Our algorithm is resistant to replay and includes a hardware-bound proof of work that forces a client to expend a configurable amount of CPU and memory to solve challenges. We demonstrate that Picasso can distinguish 52 million Android, iOS, Windows, and OSX clients running a diversity of browsers with 100% accuracy. We discuss applications of Picasso in abuse fighting, including protecting the Play Store or other mobile app marketplaces from inorganic interactions; or identifying login attempts to user accounts from previously unseen device classes.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to Foster Resilience in Pediatric Chronic Illness

Children with chronic illness face numerous stressors related to their condition such as coping with illness-related procedures, managing tremendous illness burden, dealing with aversive physical symptoms, and attempting to minimize the impact of their illness on their quality of life. Despite these challenges, children with chronic illnesses and their families demonstrate resilience in that the majority are able to demonstrate relatively typical levels of emotional and behavioral functioning. Psychological flexibility is a psychological construct that reflects many of the factors associated with resilience and positive coping, such as active engagement in the stressors, emotion regulation, and maintenance of developmentally expected activities. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has been shown to promote psychological flexibility in chronic illness populations. This chapter highlights the overlap between psychological flexibility and resilience, and identifies the application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to promoting those factors thought to be critical for resilience. Relevant literature is reviewed, and case vignettes are used to highlight key clinical features of ACT.
A Flexible Capacitive Normal / Shear Tactile Force Sensor

A flexible capacitive normal / shear force sensor design is presented. Fabrication on a flexible polyimide substrate allows the sensor to be molded to non-planar gripper surfaces. The ability to measure normal and shear forces will greatly advance the tactile sensing capabilities of articulated grippers. The structure of the sensor also provides the ability to integrate additional sensors into a tactile sensing system. Integration of senors to measure temperature, humidity, and hardness would provide more complete tactile information. Articulated robotic grippers require complete tactile data to facilitate the ability to sense by touch. The ability to reliably perform grasp control and object recognition is directly linked to the tacitle sensing capabilities of the gripper.
Molecular Defects in Hemophilia B

Heterogeneity among hemophilic patients was inferred from observations that plasma samples mixed from different patients would occasionally show correction of the prolonged clotting time.1 In 1952, a second or “B” type was distinguished from the more common “A” type by Aggeler et al2 and Schulman and Smith.3 Like hemophilia A, hemophilia B was inherited as an X-linked recessive disorder.4 About 20 to 25% of patients with hemophilia-have the B type, but they are otherwise clinically indistinguishable from patients with hemophilia A. The protein which lacks activity in hemophilia B patients, factor IX, is more stable than factor VIII; when plasma is clotted to serum, the majority of the factor IX molecules remain in the zymogen (precursor) form whereas factor VIII is consumed. Marked genetic heterogeneity among different families with hemophilia B was suggested from comparison of factor IX antigen levels with clotting activities. In patients from different families, specific activities were usually distinctly different.5
Green information systems use in social enterprise: the case of a community-led eco-localization website in the West Midlands region of the UK

This study examines the intention of environmentally-oriented social enterprises to continue using Green IS (an eco-localization website here) in Herefordshire located in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. The Herefordshire Greenlinks (HGL) Association is a local business community that operates primarily through the HGL Website in order to help local social enterprises find and trade local eco-friendly goods and services. It is an example of a "market-based" approach to solving social and environmental issues that is inspired by a bottom-up view of community development and eco-localization. Based on the theory of uses and gratification of media use and the new environmental paradigm, we propose a research model that outlines the various factors contributing to intention to continue using an eco-localization website. The research model and its associated hypotheses were empirically tested using a dataset generated from a survey of 83 small social enterprises. The results demonstrate the importance of three different types of gratification --- content, social and performance gratification as well as users' environmental concerns in determining the intention to continue using an eco-localization website. This study contributes to the Green IS literature by extending research to the social sector environment, and it also provides practical insight for designers of such community-led eco-localization websites.
Survivin-Driven Therapy for Leukemia.

Survivin , a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins, is widely expressed in transformed cell lines and in many different primary cancer cells, including both hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic malignancies. It is not expressed in many non-malignant adult tissues, but is essential for fetal development, as demonstrated by conventional gene-targeting experiments in mice that show embryonic lethality at day 4–6 of development. In adult cancers, including lymphoma and many epithelial carcinomas (colon, breast, gastric) the expression level of survivin, as assayed by immunohistochemical analysis and RT-PCR, correlates with overall survival. We have designed a novel gene therapy approach that takes advantage of the high expression levels of survivin in malignant cells, in which the survivin promoter is used to drive the expression of a suicide gene to kill cancer cells by programmed cell death. Our system is based on perforin-independent granzyme B cytotoxicity and therefore does not require pro-drug activation. We designated it SAGA, for survivin and granzyme apoptosis. We used Jurkat cells as an in vitro model for T-cell leukemia, and 697Bcl2 cells as a model for pre-B Bcl2-expressing leukemia, to show this approach is more efficient in killing leukemic cells than conventional chemotherapy. Jurkat cells responded to both vincristine therapy and SAGA whereas 697Bcl2 were unaffected by vincristine, but responded to SAGA. Cell growth curves of Jurkat cells and 697Bcl2 cells are shown in Figure 1. Our approach not only inhibits cell growth, but also induces apoptosis. We detected apoptotic events by Annexin V staining and by changes in mitochondrial potential, as early as 12 hours post-treatment. Rates of early apoptotic events are shown in Table 1. In addition to these events, we also documented DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation in treated cells. Cytotoxicity was clearly visible by microscopic analysis 24 hours post-treatment (Figure 2). Our results strongly suggest that survivin-driven suicide gene therapy effectively enhances cell death of leukemic blasts derived from two common sub-types of ALL, one of which expresses the potent anti-apoptotic inhibitor, Bcl-2, known to be clinically more resistant to standard therapy. Experiments evaluating the in vivo effects of SAGA in mouse leukemia models are currently underway. Cell death at 24 hours
SearchGazer: Webcam Eye Tracking for Remote Studies of Web Search

We introduce SearchGazer, a web-based eye tracker for remote web search studies using common webcams already present in laptops and some desktop computers. SearchGazer is a pure JavaScript library that infers the gaze behavior of searchers in real time. The eye tracking model self-calibrates by watching searchers interact with the search pages and trains a mapping of eye features to gaze locations and search page elements on the screen. Contrary to typical eye tracking studies in information retrieval, this approach does not require the purchase of any additional specialized equipment, and can be done remotely in a user's natural environment, leading to cheaper and easier visual attention studies. While SearchGazer is not intended to be as accurate as specialized eye trackers, it is able to replicate many of the research findings of three seminal information retrieval papers: two that used eye tracking devices, and one that used the mouse cursor as a restricted focus viewer. Charts and heatmaps from those original papers are plotted side-by-side with SearchGazer results. While the main results are similar, there are some notable differences, which we hypothesize derive from improvements in the latest ranking technologies used by current versions of search engines and diligence by remote users. As part of this paper, we also release SearchGazer as a library that can be integrated into any search page.
From ‘Truth or Dare’ to ‘Truth and Dare’

Anyone who has been at the Joint Statistics Meetings (JSM) or other professional statistics conferences will have seen dozens of sessions titled “In honor of.” Rarely are those words “In honor of” ...
Restrained shrinkage cracking of cementitious composites containing soft PCM inclusions: A paste (matrix) controlled response

Abstract The addition of phase change materials (PCMs) has been proposed as a means to mitigate thermal cracking in cementitious materials. However, the addition of PCMs, i.e., soft inclusions, degrades the compressive strength of cementitious composites. From a strength-of-materials viewpoint, such reductions in strength are suspected to increase the tendency of cementitious materials containing PCMs to crack under load (e.g., volume instability-induced stresses resulting from thermal and/or hygral deformations). Based on detailed assessments of free and restrained shrinkage, elastic modulus, and tensile strength, this study shows that the addition of PCMs does not alter the cracking sensitivity of the material. In fact, the addition of PCMs (or other soft inclusions) enhances the cracking resistance as compared to a plain cement paste or composites containing equivalent dosages of (stiff) quartz inclusions. This is because composites containing soft inclusions demonstrate benefits resulting from crack blunting and deflection, and improved stress relaxation. As a result, although the tensile stress at failure remains similar, the time to failure (i.e., macroscopic cracking) of PCM-containing composites is considerably extended. More generally, the outcomes indicate that dosages of soft(er) inclusions, and the resulting decrease in compressive strength does not amplify the cracking risk of cementitious composites.
High-resolution, mid-infrared spectroscopy with EXES and SOFIA

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) will provide new opportunities for high spectral resolution observations in the mid-infrared. To take advantage of these opportunities, we are developing EXES, the Echelon-Cross-Echelle Spectrograph. EXES will operate from 4.5 microns to 28.5 microns and achieve a velocity resolution of 3 km/s for λ < 10 μm. EXES will be a versatile instrument with three spectroscopic modes: cross-dispersed with R~105; long-slit with R~104; and long-slit with R~3000. The unique aspect of EXES is the high-resolution capability provided by a 1 meter echelon grating and a 256 by 256 low-background Si:As IBC detector. Much of the design and operation of EXES has already been validated by the performance of a very similar ground-based instrument, the Texas Echelon-Cross-Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES). We present here a summary of the EXES design and current status; a brief description of ground-based, high spectral resolution, mid-infrared results; and a look ahead to the possible science using SOFIA and EXES.
RNA sequencing identifies novel non-coding RNA and exon-specific effects associated with cigarette smoking.

Cigarette smoking is the leading modifiable risk factor for disease and death worldwide. Previous studies quantifying gene-level expression have documented the effect of smoking on mRNA levels. Using RNA sequencing, it is possible to analyze the impact of smoking on complex regulatory phenomena (e.g. alternative splicing, differential isoform usage) leading to a more detailed understanding of the biology underlying smoking-related disease. We used whole-blood RNA sequencing to describe gene and exon-level expression differences between 229 current and 286 former smokers in the COPDGene study. We performed differential gene expression and differential exon usage analyses using the voom/limma and DEXseq R packages. Samples from current and former smokers were compared while controlling for age, gender, race, lifetime smoke exposure, cell counts, and technical covariates. At an adjusted p-value <0.05, 171 genes were differentially expressed between current and former smokers. Differentially expressed genes included 7 long non-coding RNAs that have not been previously associated with smoking: LINC00599, LINC01362, LINC00824, LINC01624, RP11-563D10.1, RP11-98G13.1, AC004791.2. Secondary analysis of acute smoking (having smoked within 2-h) revealed 5 of the 171 smoking genes demonstrated an acute response above the baseline effect of chronic smoking. Exon-level analyses identified 9 exons from 8 genes with significant differential usage by smoking status, suggesting smoking-induced changes in isoform expression. Transcriptomic changes at the gene and exon levels from whole blood can refine our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the response to smoking.
Enhancing the residency interview process with the inclusion of standardised questions.

With residency interview time on us, pressure is felt by faculty to balance clinical productivity with residency candidate interviews. Residency programme invites candidates for interviews after reviewing the candidate’s credentials. The interview day is designed to allow candidates to evaluate the programme and for the programme to evaluate candidates. Beyond credentials and reputation, both sides are seeking the elusive ‘right fit’. Candidate credentials, such as the personal statement, letter of recommendation and transcripts, are available in programmes such as Oriel in the UK or ERAS (electronic residency application service) in the USA. During the interview day, candidates may observe a typical academic conference and have lunch with residents. We have increased the number of faculty interviewers in order to decrease the time commitment per person, but this leads to decreased cohesion of the interview evaluation data. Some faculty are higher scorers and others lower, and the criteria used are not always apparent. A good interviewer is able to ask questions that elicit information that is aligned with the six medical competencies; professionalism, medical knowledge, communication skills, system-based practice, practice-based learning and patient care, as well as goals and aims of the programme.1 A review of the literature suggests that many interviews are poorly structured and may actually fail due to an array of reasons, including interviewers forming an opinion about applicants before the interview begins, based mainly on applicant appearance or the interviewer monopolising the conversation.2 Structured interviews have been suggested as a way to mitigate these pitfalls.3 4 A standardised question is one that is written before the interview, is used for all candidates and is graded using a standardised grading rubric. To …
A geospatial model to quantify mean thickness of peat in cranberry bogs.

Abstract Commercial cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is cultivated on postglacial deposits of peat capped by 0.3–1 m of anthropogenic sand. Despite distinct soil layering, a general paucity of information exists on the physical properties of sand and peat in cranberry bogs. Field measurements and ground penetrating radar (GPR) were used to determine sand and peat thicknesses of 30 cranberry bogs in Massachusetts, United States. GPR-based estimates of peat volume and detailed soil maps were then used to develop a geospatial model of mean peat thickness (L*) in cranberry bogs. The model was applied to 505 cranberry bogs that covered in area of 2827 ha. Based on model results and field measurements, average sand and peat thicknesses were 0.5 and 0.9 m, respectively. For individual bogs, mean peat thickness exhibited considerable range, with deep peat (L* > 1.8 m) identified in 22% of the cranberry bogs. Peat was absent (L* = 0 m) in 26% of the cranberry bogs, which reflected modified upland or glaciolacustrine soils rather than peat. Using average thickness, nutrient concentration, and bulk density of peat and sand layers, a typical cranberry bog stores 750 Mg ha− 1 of carbon, 22,900 kg ha− 1 of nitrogen, and 790 kg ha− 1 of phosphorus. We estimate that peat stores 91% and 78% (by mass) of carbon and nitrogen in cranberry bogs, respectively. In contrast, sand stores the majority of P (78% by mass) in cranberry bogs.
RRect: A Novel Server-Centric Data Center Network with High Power Efficiency and Availability

In this paper, we propose a novel server-centric network for data centers, called RRect. Compared to existing server-centric networks, RRect provides a more graceful degradation performance in the presence of component failure. Meanwhile, RRect enjoys a linear diameter to the network order and multiple parallel paths. We present algorithms to find paths and to construct all parallel paths between any pair of servers in RRect. We also show that without using any power-aware routing algorithm, RRect behaves more power efficient in its interconnection network. To meet today's stringent high availability requirement, RRect can be configured into redundancy and failover scheme. In particular, RRect can be configured into both symmetric and asymmetric redundancy modes to cater different applications’ needs, which cannot be implemented in existing server-centric networks. Moreover, RRect gives more flexibility to adjust the network size. Given the same switches, by fine tuning the parameters, RRect provides numerous structures with different sizes, while preserving the properties of short diameter and multiple parallel paths. Our comprehensive simulations show that RRect gives much better graceful degradation performance in the presence of component failure, and RRect saves much energy in the interconnection network. Meanwhile, RRect can maintain the same performance on many critical metrics as BCube, including short diameter and excellent aggregate throughput. All these features make RRect a very empirical structure for enterprise dater center network products.
Functional Outcomes of an Interdisciplinary Outpatient Rehabilitation Program for Patients with Malignant Brain Tumors.

Abstract Background Malignant brain tumors cause significant impairments in function because of the nature of the disease. Nevertheless, patients with malignant brain tumors can make functional gains equivalent to those with stroke and traumatic brain injury in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. However, the efficacy of outpatient rehabilitation in this population has received little study. Objective To determine if an interdisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation program will improve functional outcomes in patients with malignant brain tumors. Design Nonrandomized prospective longitudinal study. Setting Six affiliated outpatient sites of one institution. Patients Forty-nine adults with malignant brain tumors were enrolled. Methods Patients received interdisciplinary therapy services, with duration determined by the therapist evaluations. The therapists scored the Day Rehabilitation Outcome Scale (DayROS) and Disability Rating Scale (DRS) on admission and discharge. The caregivers filled out the DRS at discharge, 1 month, and 3 months after discharge. Main Outcome Measurements The primary study outcome measure was the DayROS, which is a functional measure similar to the Functional Independence Measure. DRS was another functional outcome measure assessing basic self-care, dependence on others, and psychosocial adaptability. Results Forty-six of 49 enrolled patients (94%) completed the day rehabilitation program. The average length of stay was 76.9 days. There was a significant improvement in total DayROS ( P P P P P = .003) and better therapist DRS scores from admission to discharge than men ( P = .010). Conclusions Patients with malignant brain tumors can make functional gains in an interdisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation program. This level of care should be considered in this patient population. Level of Evidence II
Application of Differential Scanning Calorimetry for the Study of Phase Transitions

The identification and characterization of phase transitions in organic, inorganic and polymeric materials is of obvious and general importance. For example, the technological importance of the temperature that marks a discontinuity in the chemical or mechanical properties of a material will frequently determine the usefulness of a material for a given application. The melting point is one such temperature; however, it frequently occurs that the temperature of a solid-solid phase transition is more important in this respect.
Kalman filter based iterative learning control for discrete time MIMO systems

A new iterative learning control (ILC) algorithm for linear, time invariant, multi-input multi-output, dynamical systems in discrete time is introduced. The gain of the well known P-type ILC algorithm is updated, in every iteration, by solving a discrete Riccati equation that requires the knowledge of the first Markov parameter matrix CB of the dynamical system. The proposed Kalman Filter based learning algorithm is implementable block-wise which is similar to the, recently introduced, Luenberger observer based ILC algorithm.
Evaluation and Characterization of Probabilistic Alongwind and Crosswind Responses of Base-Isolated Tall Buildings

AbstractThe uncoupled alongwind and crosswind responses of base-isolated tall buildings with hysteretic restoring force characteristics are quantified through response time history analysis and sta...
The laugh of the pontianak: darkness and feminism in Malay folk horror

The laughing woman represents a special kind of excess and cautionary reminder of social and moral decay. With her head cast back, the open laugh of a woman is disparaged as a sign of provocation, ...
The dynamics of cell–extracellular matrix interactions, with implications for tissue engineering

Abstract The ability to perform tissue and organ replacement has led to improved patient quality of life and health care. Much of this success can be attributed to the interdisciplinary approaches to tissue engineering. Indeed, today scientists with very diverse backgrounds, including molecular, cellular, developmental, and systems biology, collaborate with bioengineers to develop tissue analogs that allow physicians to improve, maintain, and restore tissue function. Several approaches have been taken to achieve these goals. One approach involves the use of matrices containing specific cells, growth factors, and cytokines that can be used as tissue replacements. More recently, stem cell–based therapies are being implemented in conjunction with specific matrices and bioactive molecules. Continued advancement in tissue engineering is dependent upon studies investigating the basic mechanisms of the interactions between cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules during development and development-like processes such as wound healing. In this chapter, we discuss some of the key findings that led to our current understanding of how the dynamics of cell–ECM interactions contribute to cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, and programed death, all of which are important parameters to consider when preparing and using tissue analogs.
Budgetary impact from multiple perspectives of sustained antitobacco national media campaigns to reduce the harms of cigarette smoking.

Background High-intensity antitobacco media campaigns are a proven strategy to reduce the harms of cigarette smoking. While buy-in from multiple stakeholders is needed to launch meaningful health policy, the budgetary impact of sustained media campaigns from multiple payer perspectives is unknown. Methods We estimated the budgetary impact and time to breakeven from societal, all-payer, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurer perspectives of national antitobacco media campaigns in the USA. Campaigns of 1, 5 and 10 years of durations were assessed in a microsimulation model to estimate the 10 and 20-year health and budgetary impact. Simulation model inputs were obtained from literature and both pubic use and proprietary data sets. Results The microsimulation predicts that a 10-year national smoking cessation campaign would produce net savings of $10.4, $5.1, $1.4, $3.6 and $0.2 billion from the societal, all-payer, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurer perspectives, respectively. National antitobacco media campaigns of 1, 5 and 10-year durations could produce net savings for Medicaid and Medicare within 2 years, and for private insurers within 6–9 years. A 10-year campaign would reduce adult cigarette smoking prevalence by 1.2 percentage points, prevent 23 500 smoking-attributable deaths over the first 10 years. In sensitivity analysis, media campaign costs would be offset by reductions in medical care spending of smoking among all payers combined within 6 years in all tested scenarios. Conclusions 1, 5 and 10-year antitobacco media campaigns all yield net savings within 10 years from all perspectives. Multiyear campaigns yield substantially higher savings than a 1-year campaign.
Identifying Physical and Chemical Contributions to Friction: A Comparative Study of Chemically Inert and Active Graphene Step Edges.

Friction has both physical and chemical origins. To differentiate these origins and understand their combined effects, we study friction at graphene step edges with the same height and different te...
Exploring driving forces for length growth in graphene nanoribbons during chemical vapor deposition of hydrocarbons on Ge(0 0 1) via kinetic Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract Graphene grown slowly on Ge(0 0 1) using chemical vapor deposition of hydrocarbons leads to high-aspect ratio graphene nanoribbons with smooth edges and a technologically relevant band gap at room temperature; however, the driving forces leading to one-dimensional growth of such graphene crystals are not well understood. Here, we combine a lattice kinetic Monte Carlo approach based on steps in graphene growth and experimental measurements to study the growth of graphene nanoribbons via chemical vapor deposition on Ge(0 0 1). To identify potential reasons for growth of graphene as anisotropic ribbons, we study the impact of anisotropy in various growth parameters on the resulting graphene crystals. Comparing our model with experimental measurements indicates that anisotropy in the stabilization of a graphene precursor species bound to the graphene edge is the most likely reason why high aspect ratio graphene ribbons with smooth edges grow on Ge(0 0 1). Using the growth model developed here, we reproduce experimental trends in the synthesis of graphene nanoribbons on Ge(001) and arrive at an intuitive picture for their growth. These insights shed light on the driving forces governing this highly anisotropic regime of crystal growth.
Unsupervised Learning of Brain State Dynamics during Emotion Imagery using High-Density EEG

Abstract Here we assume that emotional states correspond to functional dynamic states of brain and body, and attempt to characterize the appearance of these states in high-density scalp electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings acquired from 31 participants during 1-2 hour sessions, each including fifteen 3-5 min periods of self-induced emotion imagination using the method of guided imagery. EEG offers an objective and high-resolution measurement of whatever portion of cortical electrical dynamics is resolvable from scalp recordings. Despite preliminary progress in EEG-based emotion decoding using supervised machine learning methods, few studies have applied data-driven, unsupervised decomposition approaches to investigate the underlying EEG dynamics by characterizing brain temporal dynamics during emotional experience. This study applies an unsupervised approach – adaptive mixture independent component analysis (adaptive mixture ICA, AMICA) that learns a set of ICA models each accounted for portions of a given multi-channel EEG recording. We demonstrate that 20-model AMICA decomposition can identify distinct EEG patterns or dynamic states active during each of the fifteen emotion-imagery periods. The transition in EEG patterns revealed the time-courses of brain-state dynamics during emotional imagery. These time-courses varied across emotions: “grief” and “happiness” showed more abrupt transitions while “contentment” was nearly indistinguishable from the preceding rest period. The spatial distributions of independent components (ICs) of the AMICA models showed higher similarity within-subject across emotions than within-emotion across subjects. No significant differences in IC distributions were found between positive and negative emotions. However, significant changes in IC distributions during emotional imagery compared to rest were identified in brain areas such as the left prefrontal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex, the motor cortex, and the visual cortex. The study demonstrates the feasibility of AMICA in modeling high-density and nonstationary EEG and its utility in providing data-driven insights into brain state dynamics during self-paced emotional experiences, which have been difficult to measure. This approach can advance our understanding of highly dynamical emotional processes and improve the performance of EEG-based emotion decoding for affective computing and human-computer interaction.
Long-term, active suspension of larvae by adult Leptomyrmex ants

Many animals live in nests with a complex three-dimensional structure that may significantly influence their behavior. However, the inaccessibility of nest interiors means that behavior within them often goes unobserved. The social networks of bats, for example, depend on interactions at roosting sites (Wilkinson et al. 2019), but only recently have their spatial configurations and social interactions within natural tree hollow nests been described (Ripperger et al. 2019).
Covid-19 Mutations and the Effect of Different Vaccines on Immune Memory

We traced the coronavirus classification and evolution, analyzed the Covid-19 composition and its distinguishing characteristics when compared to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Despite their close kinship, SARS-CoV and Covid-19 display significant structural differences,including 380 amino acid substitutions, and variable homology between certain open reading frames that are bound to diversify the pathogenesis and virulence of the two viral compounds. A single amino acid substitution such as replacing Aspartate (D) with Glycine (G) composes the D614G mutation that is around 20% more infectious than its predecessor 614D. The B117 variant, that exhibits a 70% transmissibility rate, harbours 23 mutants,each reflecting one amino acid exchange. We examined several globally spreading mutations, 501.V2, B1351, P1, and others, with respect to the specific amino acid conversions involved. Unlike previous versions of coronavirus, where random mutations eventually precipitate extinction, the multiplicity of over 300,000 mutations appears to have rendered Covid-19 more contagious, facilitating its ability to evade detection, thus challenging the effectiveness of a large variety of emerging vaccines. Vaccination enhances immune memory and intelligence to combat or obstruct viral entry by generating antibodies that will prohibit the cellular binding and fusion with the Spike protein, restricting the virus from releasing its contents into the cell. Developing antibodies during the innate response,appears to be the most compelling solution in light of the hypothesis that Covid-19 inhibits the production of Interferon type I, compromising adaptive efficiency to recognize the virus, possibly provoking a cytokine storm that injures vital organs. With respect to that perspective, the potential safety and effectiveness of different vaccines are evaluated and compared,including the Spike protein mRNA version, the Adenovirus DNA, Spike protein subunits, the deactivated virus genres, or, finally, the live attenuated coronavirus that appears to demonstrate the greatest effectiveness, yet,encompass a relatively higher risk.
Randomized Prospective Trial Exploring the Impact of Structured Journaling in Patients With Sarcoma on the Management of Treatment-Related Adverse Events.

PURPOSE:Treatment-related adverse events associated with systemic anticancer therapy (SACT) can deter patients with sarcoma from completing treatment. With self-monitoring, patients may be better e...
Vitamin D status is linked with plasma glutathione and cysteine thiol/disulfide redox status in adults (260.4)

Objective: Redox status and inflammation are important in the pathophysiology of numerous chronic diseases. Epidemiological studies have linked vitamin D nutriture to a number of chronic diseases. ...
NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES, COMPETITION AND CONSUMER CHOICE*

Consumers sometimes make choices that impose greater external costs on those who do not make the same choice. This paper examines how the selectivity of negative externalities in such situations affects the competitive equilibrium and the desirability of an externality-reducing public policy. Selective negative externalities create network externalities, but outcomes may differ greatly from typical network effects. Price effects may cause the imposing product's sales to decline with the size of the negative externality. Consequently, a positive competitive effect may overwhelm the externality's negative direct effects on welfare, such that a policy that enlarges the externality may improve welfare.
In the Beginning Was the Word, and the Word was Fuzzy

The World Is Awesome. The world is immense and complex, it is not easy to understand, not easy to change – but we humans have mastered it reasonably well. Because of the unstoppable progress of human knowledge, we live happier and longer lives, we travel faster, we recover faster from illnesses and accidents. During the millennia of our civilization, great geniuses provided breakthrough insights, and numerous scientists and engineers, geniuses and simply talented, translated these insights into practically useful ideas.
Reducción de la escala: el método comparativo de unidades subnacionales.

Vivimos en una era de descentralizacibn. Las tendencias prevalecientes que han caracterizado a las dos ultimas decadas en lo econbmico y en lo politico -las reformas tendientes al libre mercado y la democratizacibndesataron poderosas fuerzas centrifugas. En los paises industrialmente desarrollados, por ejemplo, las reformas tendientes a la libertad de mercado tuvieron lugar juntamente con una "revolucibn de la delegacibn del poder" que transfirib la autoridad y los recursos del gobierno central a los gobiernos locales. Llevado por la doctrina del "federalismo fiscal", el Banco Mundial y otras ONG que se ocupan del desarrollo exportaron esa revolucibn a los paises pobres, pro moviendo entusiastamente la descentralizacibn de elaboracibn de pollticas y de los servicios gubernamentales. Estas reformas descentralizadoras, combinadas con un proceso favorable a las economias abiertas desreguladas que se da en todo el mundo, socavaron la capacidad de muchos gobiernos centrales para coordinar la actividad econbmica. La Tercera Ola de la democratizacibn que surcb el planeta durante el ultimo cuarto de siglo tambibn generb poderosas presiones descentralizadoras. En paises como Rusia y Mbxico, que eran sistemas sblo nominalmente federales, la democratizacibn cambio la distribucibn del poder entre los gobiernos nacionales y los subnacionales fortaleciendo en buena medida a estos ultimos. Por otra parte, la democratizacibn estuvo asociada tanto a la "federalizacibn" de sistemas antes unitarios (v. gr., Espana) como a la quiebra de los sistemas federales (v. gr., Checoslovaquia, Yugoslavia, Unibn Sovietica). Un caso extremo de descentralizacibn es el de los paises donde el cambio de regimen politico
Glitching power reduction through supply voltage adaptation mechanism for low power array structure design

A novel supply voltage switching mechanism for reducing power dissipation of array structures is presented. With this mechanism, the supply voltage levels are successively activated by external clock signal in the direction of signal propagation. The mechanism eliminates power dissipated by the glitches while the speed of the array structure can be maintained. The mechanism is easily incorporated so that no circuit change in the existing array structure is required.
Meeting American Geriatrics Society Competencies: Are residents meeting expectations for quality care of older adults?

In order to determine how often internal medicine and family medicine residents performed specific actions related to the geriatric competencies established by the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) when caring for older hospitalized adults, a cross-sectional anonymous survey of residents at the University of North Carolina, University of Washington, Wake Forest University, Duke University, and Emory University was undertaken. Data on frequency of self-reported behaviors were analyzed, with comparisons made for different levels of training, institution, and program. A total of 375 residents responded for an overall response rate of 48%. Residents reported that they often do not demonstrate all of the AGS recommended core competencies when caring for older adults in the hospital setting. Residents report more frequently performing activities that are routinely integrated into hospital systems such as reviewing medication lists, working with an interdisciplinary team, evaluating for inappropriate bladder catheters, and evaluating for pressure ulcers. There were no consistent differences between institutions and only minor differences noted between Family Medicine and Internal Medicine residents. Operationalizing core competencies by integrating them into hospital systems' quality process indicators may prompt more consistent high-quality care and ensure systems support residents' competence.
Iterative Combinatorial Auctions: Theory and Practice

Combinatorial auctions, which allow agents to bid directly for bundles of resources, are necessary for optimal auction-based solutions to resource allocation problems with agents that have non-additive values for resources, such as distributed scheduling and task assignment problems. We introduce iBundle, the first iterative combinatorial auction that is optimal for a reasonable agent bidding strategy, in this case myopic best-response bidding. Its optimality is proved with a novel connection to primal-dual optimization theory. We demonstrate orders of magnitude performance improvements over the only other known optimal combinatorial auction, the Generalized Vickrey Auction.
The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery – By Eric Foner

The well‐known author of this book does not attempt a full biography of Abraham Lincoln but instead seeks only to trace the evolution of Lincoln's ideas and policies about slavery. His main theme i...
The WaveSaw: a flexible instrument for direct timbral manipulation

In this paper, we describe a musical controller -- the WaveSaw - for directly manipulating a wavetable. The WaveSaw consists of a long, flexible metal strip with handles on either end, somewhat analogous to a saw. The user plays the WaveSaw by holding the handles and bending the metal strip. We use sensors to measure the strip's curvature and reconstruct its shape as a wavetable stored in a computer. This provides a direct gestural mapping from the shape of the WaveSaw to the timbral characteristics of the computer-generated sound. Additional sensors provide control of pitch, amplitude, and other musical parameters.