cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NIBLSE: A Network for Integrating Bioinformatics into Life Sciences Education.

To the Editor: Recent advances in high-throughput experimental methods and related computational technologies have provided life scientists with large and complex data sets. These data sets present exciting new opportunities for advancing research into the fundamental processes of living systems. However, this flood of data also presents many challenges, not the least of which is training students to examine and evaluate such data. Despite the increasing importance of bioinformatics and the fact that its interdisciplinary and process-oriented nature aligns directly with the goals of Vision and Change in Undergraduate Education: A Call to Action (American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS], 2011 ), our collective experience is that there is currently a general lack of integration of bioinformatics concepts into undergraduate education in the life sciences. As leaders of an ongoing effort to establish an extended network of educators with a goal to integrate bioinformatics into undergraduate life sciences curricula, we read with interest the recent CBE—Life Sciences Education publication by Magana et al. (2014) , which surveyed the literature on stand-alone bioinformatics education efforts. On the basis of their analysis, the authors propose three main steps toward the design of an instructional curriculum in bioinformatics using the “understanding by design” process: identification of desired learning outcomes, development of methods of assessment, and determination of best pedagogical methods. We describe here our efforts to assemble a network of like-minded bioinformatics educators both to undertake this process and to identify professional development opportunities for today’s life sciences educators. Our efforts are geared toward first forming, then growing, the Network for Integrating Bioinformatics into Life Sciences Education (NIBLSE; pronounced “nibbles”). The network began last year with the support of a Research Coordination Network Incubator grant from the National Science Foundation. The long-term goal of NIBLSE is to establish bioinformatics as an essential component of undergraduate life sciences education by creating a network of investigators to articulate a shared vision about how best to integrate bioinformatics into life sciences curricula. Our initial networking effort in April 2014 convened 26 biology and computer science faculty from diverse institutions and professionals from the private sector to explore core issues related to the long-term goal (see the Supplemental Material for the list of participants). In particular, the conference focused on how best to facilitate effective communication and enhance opportunities for collaboration by discussing current challenges and potential next steps for the 1) integration of bioinformatics into life sciences curricula; 2) assessment of bioinformatics educational resources; and 3) professional development of life sciences educators. We summarize the challenges and next steps identified by the participants at the conference in each of these areas below.
Loyalty betrayed: Jewish chaplains in the German Army during the First World War

Jewish military chaplain Bruno Italiener expressed a sentiment shared by his colleagues who spent four years tending to the religious needs of thousands of German-Jewish soldiers serving in the Imp...
Portal Hypertension Complications Are Frequently the First Presentation of NAFLD in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation Evaluation.

Introduction Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is likely to replace Hepatitis C as the leading cause of cirrhosis resulting in liver transplantation (LT) within a few years. Unfortunately, due to the lack of established guidelines for the screening of NAFLD in high-risk populations, many patients present with portal hypertension complications as their first manifestation of NAFLD require a LT evaluation. We aimed to investigate what proportion of patients who underwent LT for NAFLD-cirrhosis had knowledge of their liver disease prior to presenting with portal hypertension complications and to identify differences in clinical parameters between those with and without knowledge of preexisting NAFLD.
Fungal Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract in the Immunocompromised Host-An Update

Fungal infections are one of the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. The incidence of invasive fungal infections, including those of the gastrointestinal tract, has increased significantly as numbers of immunocompromised patients have increased. The diagnosis of fungal infections in immunocompromised patients may be particularly problematic as these patients may present with atypical clinical features. Although Candida and Aspergillus species represent the majority of fungi diagnosed in the immunocompromised patient population, other fungi are emerging as increasingly common pathogens, and this review will focus on several important emerging fungal infections in immunocompromised patients.
Multiphoton Processing Technologies for Applications in Biology and Tissue Engineering

Versatile microfabrication technologies are presented utilizing photochemistry induced by multiphoton absorption of ultra-short laser pulses. Processing novel biophotopolymers, we show how customized cell microenvironments can be fabricated mimicking the complexity of the natural extra-cellular matrix
Integrated Catalytic Process for Biomass Conversion and Upgrading to C12 Furoin and Alkane Fuel

Report herein is an integrated catalytic process for conversion and upgrading of biomass feedstocks into 5,5′-dihydroxymethyl furoin (DHMF), through self-coupling of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) via organocatalysis, and subsequently into n-C12H26 alkane fuel via metal–acid tandem catalysis. The first step of the process involves semicontinuous organocatalytic conversion of biomass (fructose, in particular) to the high-purity HMF. N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are found to catalyze glucose-to-fructose isomerization, and the relatively inexpensive thiazolium chloride [TM]Cl, a Vitamin B1 analog, catalyzes fructose dehydration to HMF of good purity (>99% by HPLC), achieving a constant HMF yield of 72% over 10 semicontinuous extraction batch runs. Crystallization of the crude HMF from toluene yields the spectroscopically and analytically pure HMF as needle crystals. The second step of the process is the NHC-catalyzed coupling of C6 HMF produced by the semicontinuous process to C12 DHMF; the most effective ...
Integrating Curriculum, Research, and Civic Engagement with the Policy Research Shop Model

On May 10 2012 three students from the Dartmouth College Policy Research Shop briefed NH Governor John Lynch on the best practices for developing a performance measurement system for the state bureaucracy, capping a ten-month co-curricular research project that included nearly thirty comparative case studies, many interviews of public officials, a thorough literature review, and the preparation of a comprehensive analysis of best practices for performance measurement in the field of public safety. These students effectively bridged the public policy curriculum, beginning with an introductory course in public policy analysis, moving into independent, but subtly mentored research, and civic engagement, culminating with a professional, non-partisan policy briefing at the highest level of state government. This paper details the co-curricular Policy Research Shop model that produced this outcome, and particularly the role of the faculty mentor, and proposes ways for its replication at other institutions with public policy programs of different sizes and levels of available funding.
Endemic emergence of cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacter: relation to prior therapy.

The “second” and “third” generation cephalosporins offer striking antimicrobial activity against a wide spectrum of Enterobacteriaceae. Nevertheless, mutants resistant to these drugs have emerged in both laboratory and clinical settings. For example, before the commercial availability of the third-generation agents, we treated three cardiac surgery patients for Enterobacter mediastinitis with aminoglycosides and high doses of cefamandole. In two, initial treatment failed due to emergence of strains that were not only resistant to cefamandole, but also to then experimental third-generation drugs. Despite such reports and in vitro studies of the mechanisms of resistance, the frequency with which broad-spectrum cephalosporin resistance develops in clinical practice is not clear. To help delineate this problem, we have reviewed our hospital's experience with Enterobacter strains resistant to newer cephalosporins (using cefamandole and cefotaxime as prototypes) and the relation of resistant strains to cephalosporin use, with special attention to our cardiac surgery patients.
Ruminal protein metabolism and intestinal amino acid utilization as affected by dietary protein and carbohydrate sources in sheep.

Eight wether lambs fitted with ruminal, duodenal, and ileal cannulas were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design to study the effects of carbohydrate and protein sources on ruminal protein metabolism and carbohydrate fermentation and intestinal amino acid (AA) absorption. Treatments were arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial. Carbohydrate sources were corn and barley; protein sources were soybean meal (SBM) and fish meal (FM). Diets contained 15.5% CP, of which 40% was supplied by SBM or FM. Corn or barley provided 39% of dietary DM that contained equal amounts of grass hay and wheat straw. Fish meal diets produced a lower (P less than .05) ruminal NH3 concentration and resulted in less CP degradation and bacterial protein flow to the duodenum than did SBM diets. Replacing SBM with FM increased (P less than .05) ruminal digestion of all fiber fractions. In addition, cellulose and hemicellulose digestibilities in the rumen tended to increase (P greater than .05) when barley replaced corn in the FM diets. Carbohydrate x protein interactions (P less than .05) were observed for OM digestion in the rumen and AA absorption in the small intestine (percentage of AA entering); these interactions were highest for the barley-FM diet. These results suggest that feeding FM with barley, which is high in both degradable carbohydrate and protein, might benefit ruminants more than feeding FM with corn, which is high in degradable carbohydrate but relatively low in degradable protein.
Pastor H.G. Weland's Latin elegy for Engelbert Kaempfer.

This article discusses the life and accomplishments of Engelbert Kaempfer (1651-1716), the German scholar, traveler, and physician, and his relationship to Pastor H.G. Weland of Lemgo. It presents the manuscript of Pastor H.G. Weland's Latin Elegy for Engelbert Kaempfer. The manuscript's form and readings are compared with the printed version of Haccius, and a first translation into a modern language (English) is published. A final section provides a brief commentary on the elegy, by addressing structure, meaning, and literary style.
Drugs of Abuse and Cardiotoxicity

This chapter features the cardiovascular toxicity profiles of the most common drugs of abuse encountered in the practice of adult cardiology and emergency medicine. Cocaine is the second most frequently used illicit drug in the United States after marijuana. Cocaine abuse is associated with chest pain, myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure, arrhythmias, and premature coronary atherosclerosis. Long-term alcohol abuse is also associated with cardiac systolic dysfunction, arrhythmias, and hypertension, but when consumed in moderation appears to confer cardiovascular health benefits. Abstinence can reverse many of these adverse effects. Opiates (particularly heroin abuse) are associated with arrhythmias and noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Amphetamine use has been associated with MI and cardiomyopathy, while cardiotoxic effects resulting from chronic marijuana (or cannabis) use are relatively infrequent. The issue of whether caffeine increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke remains controversial.
7 – Specialty fibers from polyesters and polyamides

Publisher Summary Polyesters and polyamides are the most widely used textile fibers. However, in the textile industry, some manufacturers are diversifying into specialty markets by creating a series of new products using the same machinery with minor modifications in the process or equipment. These specialty fibers are focused on high value products that are new and improved over current materials, in both existing and new applications. The specialty fibers are produced from the polymer through chemical modification. Modifiers are added at some stage of the polymerization process or during polymer extrusion. Cationic dye-able polyesters, flame retardant polyesters, and biodegradable polyesters are examples of modified polymers. Specialty fibers are born out of research and development efforts tailored to meet the application-specific needs. That is accomplished if the modifications are easy to implement, and modifiers are easily available, exhibit better performance attributes, cover wider needs, and the products are readily available to the user. This chapter discusses the special considerations at the design and manufacturing stages of the specialty fibers. Composites containing polymers, fibers, nonwovens, films, and foams are growing and demonstrating their potential to replace conventional materials.
Rapid and non–destructive detection of Pectobacterium carotovorum causing soft rot in stored potatoes through volatile biomarkers sensing

Early disease detection plays a significant role in the pre– and post–production management of specialty crops, that often are stored for several months prior to consumption. Potato is one of the most important specialty crops of the United States. However, soft rot in potatoes due to pathogenic infections during bulk storage, accounts for substantial losses to the industry. This study was aimed at assessing the applicability of an emerging technology, portable field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS), towards early detection of soft rot in potatoes during bulk storage. The FAIMS senses mobility of ions pertinent to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from inoculated tubers. In this study, potato tubers, inoculated with Pectobacterium carotovorum causing soft rot, were analyzed using FAIMS over a 30–day period in storage. Sterile water inoculated tubers were considered as healthy controls. Results suggest that FAIMS can detect soft rot as early as two days after inoculation (DAI) by effectively capturing VOCs associated with rot progression. The activity of pathogen and associated VOCs release was maximum during the second week after inoculation. A principal component analysis showed a clear distinction between the healthy and P. carotovorum inoculated tubers. Classification models, quadratic discriminant analysis and Naive Bayes with leave–one–out cross validation confirmed the validity of FAIMS response with accuracies between 83 and 100% for both healthy and P. carotovorum inoculated tubers.
Toppling Analysis of the Echo Cliffs Precariously Balanced Rock

Toppling analysis of a precariously balanced rock (PBR) can provide insight into the nature of ground motion that has not occurred at that location in the past and, by extension, can constrain peak ground motions for use in engineering design. Earlier approaches have targeted 2D models of the rock or modeled the rock–pedestal contact using spring‐damper assemblies that require recalibration for each rock. Here, a method to model PBRs in 3D is presented through a case study of the Echo Cliffs PBR. The 3D model is created from a point cloud of the rock, the pedestal, and their interface, obtained using terrestrial laser scanning. The dynamic response of the model under earthquake excitation is simulated using a rigid‐body dynamics algorithm. The veracity of this approach is demonstrated through comparisons against data from shake‐table experiments. Fragility maps for toppling probability of the Echo Cliffs PBR as a function of various ground‐motion parameters, rock–pedestal interface friction coefficient, and excitation direction are presented. These fragility maps indicate that the toppling probability of this rock is low (less than 0.2) for peak ground acceleration (PGA) and peak ground velocity (PGV) lower than 3 m/s^2 and 0.75 m/s, respectively, suggesting that the ground‐motion intensities at this location from earthquakes on nearby faults have most probably not exceeded the above‐mentioned PGA and PGV during the age of the PBR. Additionally, the fragility maps generated from this methodology can also be directly coupled with existing probabilistic frameworks to obtain direct constraints on unexceeded ground motion at a PBR’s location.
Does early onset of criminal behavior differentiate for whom serious mental illness has a direct or indirect effect on recidivism

The involvement of people with serious mental illness (SMI) with the justice system may be a direct result of their disruptive/unsafe expression of psychiatric symptoms being responded to by law enforcement. SMI may also indirectly contribute to justice involvement, through exposure to environmental and social learning processes that place people with SMI at risk for criminal behavior. This study addresses the question: For whom does SMI directly or indirectly relate to criminal behavior? Mediation and conditional effects testing were used to examine the potential of early onset of criminal behavior to distinguish those groups for whom SMI displays a direct effect or an indirect effect on criminal recidivism. This study utilized a disproportionate random sample of 379 inmates released from New Jersey Department of Corrections; 190 of whom had SMI and 189 of whom did not have SMI. Data were collected from clinical and administrative records. Results indicate that criminal risk mediated the relationship between SMI and recidivism. This indirect effect was conditioned by whether the individual had a juvenile conviction. Specifically, for early start offenders, criminal risk was positively related to recidivism while this relationship was not observed for late start offenders. Juvenile criminal onset did not condition the direct effects of SMI on recidivism. A juvenile history of criminal involvement may signal the presence of heightened criminogenic need among adults with SMI. This simple indicator could function to differentiate for clinicians those adults who are good candidates for exploring further, and targeting for amelioration, criminogenic needs to reduce further criminal involvement. (PsycINFO Database Record
Being Socially Responsible in Russia: Does it Matter to Flobal or Local Firms?

Many multinational corporations that associate their brands with social causes in developed countries do not emphasize or disclose their socially responsible actions in emerging markets. However, increasing globalization and global media are likely to make consumers aware of corporate actions regardless of whether companies engage in them in one’s country or in other parts of the world. Our goal is to assess effectiveness of cause-related green marketing by global and local firms in Russia. The study uses an experimental between-subjects design in which a company (global vs. local), a non-profit foundation supporting the cause (global, local, or none) and the social cause (global, local, or none) were manipulated.
Effect of vaccination against pneumonia on the survival of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) commingled with carrier animals

Leukotoxin producing (lkt+) members of Pasteurellaceae, particularly Mannheimia haemolytica and Bibersteinia trehalosi are important pathogens of pneumonia in bighorn sheep (BHS; Ovis canadensis), causing fatal disease. Predisposing or concurrent infection with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae enhances the severity of the disease, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Several studies have investigated the effectiveness of vaccines against lkt+ members of Pasteurellaceae in preventing fatal pneumonia in BHS. In all of these studies, however, vaccinated animals were challenged experimentally, by direct inoculation of the pathogens, rather than by natural challenge. Moreover, none has investigated the efficacy of the vaccines under conditions of concurrent infection with M. ovipneumoniae. We immunized three bighorn rams and one pregnant ewe with an experimental multivalent vaccine along with a commercial vaccine. The immunized animals were then commingled with two bighorn ewes known to be carriers of lkt+ members of Pasteurellaceae, to simulate natural infection or disease transmission. All vaccinated animals remained healthy. We then inoculated the two carrier ewes with nasal washings from domestic sheep containing M. ovipneumoniae. Within a week, all animals developed mild to moderate signs of pneumonia. While the rams died within two-three months post-inoculation (p.i.), the vaccinated ewe and her lamb died five and eight months p.i., respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that vaccination of BHS against lkt+ members of Pasteurellaceae alone can protect them from natural challenge by these pathogens. However, it may not be adequate to protect them against pneumonia compounded by concurrent infection with M. ovipneumoniae.
Ethnic Disparities in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection: African Americans and Hispanic Americans.

Chronic infection with hepatitis B affects more than 240 million persons worldwide and is a major public health concern. Despite national and global initiatives to promote hepatitis B elimination, including newborn vaccination, catch-up vaccination in adolescents and high-risk adults, screening of the blood supply, and treatment of those in need, both new infections and a reservoir of chronic infections continue to result in morbidity and mortality. As with many chronic diseases, racial and ethnic disparities are seen in hepatitis B virus infection. The goal of this review is to synthesize the data concerning the burden of hepatitis B infection in African Americans and Hispanics, two racial/ethnic groups in the United States who encounter barriers in access to care, low engagement in care, and low utilization of diagnostic and treatment services. Recent data, though sparse in certain areas, continue to suggest differences in rates of incidence and prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in African Americans, and differences in screening, specialty referral and initiation of therapy for African Americans and Hispanics. Data are lacking about differences in liver disease progression and manifestations in both African Americans and Hispanics. Disparities in hepatitis B diagnosis, disease management, treatment, and prevention remain for African Americans and Hispanics. These disparities require a commitment from governmental and public health organizations. The efforts should include increasing vaccination in those most susceptible to infection, screening those at highest risk for infection, initiating antiviral therapy in those who require it, and monitoring for liver-related complications, such as decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in the chronically infected. This multipronged approach is necessary to realize hepatitis B elimination.
What does the character of medicine as a social practice imply for professional conscientious objection

The dispute over professional conscientious objection presumes a picture of medicine as a practice governed by rules. This rule-based conception of medical practice is identifiable with John Rawls’s conception of social practices. This conception does not capture the character of medical practice as experienced by practitioners, for whom it is a sensibility or “form of life” rather than rules. Moreover, the sensibility of medical practice as experienced by physicians is at best neutral, and at worst hostile, to the demands of those who would override physician conscientious objection to the provision of currently contested services. That being so, calls for overriding physician conscientious objection are much more demanding of the medical profession than they appear in light of Rawls’s view. As such overriding may entail the forcible transformation of medicine’s form of life, the author contends that it would be more prudent to provide contested services by circumventing the medical profession than by compelling it.
Crystal structure of tetra-iso-butyl-thiuram di-sulfide.

Tetra­kis(2-methyl­prop­yl)thio­per­oxy­dicarbonic di­amide, or tetra­iso­butyl­thiuram di­sulfide, C18H36N2S4, crystallizes in a general position in the triclinic space group P-1 but shows pseudo-C2 symmetry about the di­sulfide bond. The C—S—S—C torsion angle [−85.81 (2)°] and the dihedral angle between the two NCS2 mean planes [85.91 (5)°] are within the range observed for this compound type. Multiple intra- and inter­molecular S⋯H—C close contacts appear to play a role in assisting the specific conformation of the pendant isobutyl groups and the packing arrangement of mol­ecules within the cell. Tetra­iso­butyl­thiuram di­sulfide mol­ecules of one optical configuration form sheets in the plane of the a and b axes. Inversion centers exist between adjoining sheets, which stack along the c axis and alternate in the handedness of their constituent mol­ecules.
On the Theory of Intelligent Machines

The Theory of Intelligent Machines has been formulated analytically. The functions of an Intelligent Machine are executed by Intelligent Controls. The Principle of Increasing Precision with Decreasing Intelligence is used to form a hierarchical structure of the control systems. The three levels of the Intelligent Control, e.g., the Organization, Coordination and Execution Levels are described as originally conceived. New designs as Neural-nets for the organization level and Petri-nets for the coordination level are included. Application to Intelligent Robots for space exploration has been used as examples in this work.
Signal-to-score music transcription using graphical models

We present a transcription system that takes a music signal as input and returns its musical score. Two stages of processing are used. The first employs a fundamental frequency detector and an onset detector to transform input signals into a sequence of sound events. The onset detection is inherently noisy. This paper focuses on the second stage, going from sound events to a notated score. We use a family of graphical models for this task. We allow the results of onset detection to be noisy, necessitating a search over possible segmentations of the sound events. We use a large corpus of monophonic vocal music to evaluate our system. Our results show that our approach is well-suited to the problem of music transcription. The initial onset detection reduces the number of observations and makes the system less instrument specific. The search over segmentations corrects the errors in the onset detection. Without such reasoning, these errors are magnified in subsequent rhythm transcription.
Frequent Exposure to Many Hunting Dogs Significantly Increases Tick Exposure.

Abstract Certain professionals have more exposure to animals and therefore an increased risk of zoonoses. Professional hunting dog caretakers work with upwards of 50 dogs and are exposed to zoonose...
DNA repair landscape of discordant sibling pairs from hereditary breast cancer families.

1557 Background: DNA repair plays a significant role in carcinogenesis. The aim of this study is to describe the landscape of germline DNA sequence variation among discordant sister pairs (one with...
Review of Hormone Replacement Therapy in Girls and Adolescents with Hypogonadism.

Abstract Girls with either hypo- or hypergonadotropic hypogonadism need treatment with estrogens to initiate puberty and maintain a normal hormonal milieu. The focus of this review is hormone replacement treatment in girls with hypogonadism, to initiate and progress through puberty, and to maintain a healthy hormonal milieu in women. It also addresses what is known in the literature regarding estrogen levels in girls and women, instructive cases, practical tables for reference and application, and thoughts on future directions in this area. It represents a thorough literature review with author opinions and recommendations. Girls with normal ovarian function begin puberty on average at 10.5 years old, although there is variation according to ethnicity and degree of excess weight gain. The aim of estrogen therapy to initiate puberty is to mimic normal onset and rate of progression. On the basis of the currently available literature, when a diagnosis of hypogonadism is established, we recommend initiating treatment between age 11 and 12 years of age, with dose increases approximately every 6 months until adult levels are reached. In some situations, treatment may be delayed to allow time for diagnosis or permit more time for linear growth, or address unique risks found in girls treated for various cancers or blood disorders. When adult dosing is reached, progestins are also used to protect uterine health. This can be combined sequentially, allowing regular menstruation, or combined continuously when menstrual bleeding is not preferred. Treatment is continued until the average age of menopause, again with various considerations for longer or shorter duration on the basis of risk-benefit ratios. Transdermal estrogens are considered the most physiologic replacement and theoretically might have fewer associated risks. We review what is known about risks and outcomes and areas for future research.
O14 Cultural Adaptation of a Cooking Curriculum for Burundian and Congolese Refugee Families

Background Sub-Saharan African refugees in the United States have reported low food security related to dietary acculturation issues. However, there is no existing evidence-based or culturally-tailored cooking programs to address the unique barriers to food security for this population. Objective To culturally adapt a cooking curriculum for Burundian and Congolese refugees living in the Southeastern region of the US to address their unique dietary acculturation barriers to food security. Study Design, Settings, Participants A four-phase curriculum adaptation process (information gathering [literature review, researcher informed, and formative research interviews (n = 18)], preliminary adaptation design [data incorporation and steering committee (n = 5)], pilot testing [n = 10 youth/adult dyads], and refinement) was applied to the existing evidence-based iCook 4-H curriculum using a five strategy (peripheral, evidential, linguistic, constituent-involving and sociocultural) cultural adaptation framework. Measurable Outcome/Analysis A multi-phase, two-cycle coding analytic process was completed within NVivo 12. First cycle attribute and descriptive coding, then second cycle pattern coding were applied to transcripts. Codes were organized into hierarchical maps and coding matrices for direct content analysis. Results Seventeen adaptations were made to the iCook curriculum, derived from varying combinations of four data sources (literature review, researcher informed, target population and steering committee), applying all five cultural adaptation strategies. A majority of the curriculum adaptations were derived from two or more data sources (71%) and were categorized within multiple adaptation strategies (88%). Conclusion This study provided a community-based cultural adaptation process that could be used with various populations to address unique barriers and facilitators to food security. Future studies are needed to test the new culturally adapted curriculum, to evaluate the impact on the effectiveness to improve food security status among refugees. Funding NIFA.
Obstacle Persistent Adaptive Map Maintenance for Autonomous Mobile Robots using Spatio-temporal Reasoning*

Mobile robotic systems operate in increasingly realistic scenarios even as users have increased expectations for the duration of autonomous tasks. Mobile robots face unique challenges when operating in environments that change over time, where systems must maintain an accurate representation of the environment with respect to both spatial and temporal dimensions. This paper describes a spatio-temporal technique for extending the autonomy of a mobile robot in a changing environment. This new technique called Obstacle Persistent Adaptive Map Maintenance (OPAMM) uses navigation data collected during normal operations to perform periodic self-maintenance of its environment model. OPAMM implements a probabilistic feature persistence model to predict the survival state of obstacles and update the world model. Maintaining an accurate world model is necessary for extending the long-term autonomy of robots in realistic scenarios. Results show that robots using OPAMM had localizations scores higher than other methods, thus reducing long-term localization degradation.
A Study Of The Relationship Between Stock Market Development And Economic Growth And Development For 1994 To 2003

In this paper, we discuss the relationship between the level of economic development and the size of the stock market relative to the total economic output. We find a positive relationship and statistically significant regression coefficients between gross national income per capita and total stock market capitalization to gross national income for each year from 1994 to 2003 for between seventy-eight and one hundred and two countries. A well developed stock market facilitates capital allocation in an economy which is necessary for economic growth and development and provides the large pools of funds to successful entrepreneurs needed for corporate growth.
VTA GABA Neurons at the Interface of Stress and Reward

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is best known for its robust dopaminergic projections to forebrain regions and their critical role in regulating reward, motivation, cognition, and aversion. However, the VTA is not only made of dopamine (DA) cells, as approximately 30% of cells in the VTA are GABA neurons. These neurons play a dual role, as VTA GABA neurons provide both local inhibition of VTA DA neurons and long-range inhibition of several distal brain regions. VTA GABA neurons have increasingly been recognized as potent mediators of reward and aversion in their own right, as well as potential targets for the treatment of addiction, depression, and other stress-linked disorders. In this review article, we dissect the circuit architecture, physiology, and behavioral roles of VTA GABA neurons and suggest critical gaps to be addressed.
Discontinuing amiodarone treatment prior to heart transplantation lowers incidence of severe primary graft dysfunction

BACKGROUND Recent studies have shown an increased incidence of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) in patients treated with amiodarone prior to orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). We hypothesized that discontinuation of amiodarone before OHT may lower the incidence of severe PGD. METHODS This was a single-center retrospective study of 381 adult OHT recipients between January 2010 and June 2017. Within 6 months prior to OHT, 197 did not receive amiodarone (Group 1), 142 continued amiodarone to OHT (Group 2), and 42 had amiodarone treatment discontinued before OHT (Group 3). RESULTS 53 (13.9%) participants developed severe PGD, 13 (6.6%) of which were in Group 1, 36 (25.4%) were in Group 2, and 4 (9.5%) were in Group 3 (P < .001). Multivariable analysis revealed continued amiodarone treatment to OHT (Group 2; OR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.26-10.88; P = .018) to be an independent risk factor for the development of severe PGD when Group 1 served as the reference group. Moreover, patients in Group 3 had no difference in the risk of severe PGD (OR = 0.416, 95% CI = 0.08-2.15; P = .296). CONCLUSION We found that discontinuing amiodarone treatment prior to OHT resulted a lower incidence of severe PGD.
Public Health and Climate Benefits and Trade‐Offs of U.S. Vehicle Electrification

Vehicle electrification is a common climate change mitigation strategy, with policymakers invoking co-beneficial reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and air pollutant emissions. However, while previous studies of U.S. electric vehicle (EV) adoption consistently predict CO2 mitigation benefits, air quality outcomes are equivocal and depend on policies assessed and experimental parameters. We analyze climate and health co-benefits and trade-offs of six U.S. EV adoption scenarios: 25% or 75% replacement of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, each under three different EV-charging energy generation scenarios. We transfer emissions from tailpipe to power generation plant, simulate interactions of atmospheric chemistry and meteorology using the GFDL-AM4 chemistry climate model, and assess health consequences and uncertainties using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Benefits Mapping Analysis Program Community Edition (BenMAP-CE). We find that 25% U.S. EV adoption, with added energy demand sourced from the present-day electric grid, annually results in a ~242 M ton reduction in CO2 emissions, 437 deaths avoided due to PM2.5 reductions (95% CI: 295, 578), and 98 deaths avoided due to lesser ozone formation (95% CI: 33, 162). Despite some regions experiencing adverse health outcomes, ~$16.8B in damages avoided are predicted. Peak CO2 reductions and health benefits occur with 75% EV adoption and increased emission-free energy sources (~$70B in damages avoided). When charging-electricity from aggressive EV adoption is combustion-only, adverse health outcomes increase substantially, highlighting the importance of low-to-zero emission power generation for greater realization of health co-benefits. Our results provide a more nuanced understanding of the transportation sector's climate change mitigation-health impact relationship.
Long-Term Remission with Ipilimumab/Nivolumab in Two Patients with Different Soft Tissue Sarcoma Subtypes and No PD-L1 Expression

Checkpoint inhibitor therapy has been shown to improve outcomes in multiple solid malignancies; however, data are limited in soft tissue sarcoma. We present two cases of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma of different subtypes (dedifferentiated liposarcoma and myxofibrosarcoma) with zero percent PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry who were treated with ipilimumab and nivolumab followed by maintenance nivolumab. Both patients had failed multiple lines of systemic treatment and experienced long-term remission after starting ipilimumab and nivolumab. Genetic testing revealed that no genetic mutations were found in common between the two cases. One patient received concurrent cryoablation, which may have sensitized his tumor to immunotherapy. Checkpoint inhibitor therapy may improve outcomes in soft tissue sarcoma regardless of PD-L1 status, especially when combined with cryoablation. Studies are needed to evaluate whether treatment response varies by sarcoma subtype and what molecular markers can be used to guide patient selection.
Painful Plantar Rash with Systemic Symptoms.

1. Manisha Ravi, BS* 2. Sean Ankrom, MD*,† 1. *The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 2. †Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH A 15-year-old boy with a bilateral plantar rash and an inability to bear weight 1 day after engaging in strenuous physical activity is admitted to the hospital pediatrics service. The rash consists of erythematous, blanching macules and patches with distribution along the weight-bearing aspects of the toes, soles, heels, and lateral aspects of the feet (Fig 1). It is painful and radiates along the posterior legs toward the knees. He has had 2 days of intermittent fevers (100.6°F–101.8°F). During febrile episodes, the rash becomes more erythematous and painful. Activities performed 2 days prior to admission include 6 hours of football practice, weight-lifting and cardiovascular exercise, which is more intensive than his usual routine. The patient reports a history of hyperhidrosis but denies any history of other dermatoses or vasculitis. He denies any recent travel or engagement in sexual activity. Figure 1. Multiple erythematous lesions on bilateral plantar surfaces. On physical examination, the bilateral plantar aspects of the feet are warm and exquisitely tender to palpation. There is normal range of motion of the ankle and toes. Sensation to light touch is intact. Dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses are 2+. Capillary refill is less than 2 seconds. Laboratory evaluation shows a white blood cell count of 17 K/μL (reference range: 4.5–13.5 K/μL) and a C-reactive protein level of 6.1 mg/dL (reference range: <1.2 mg/dL). Infectious evaluation, including influenza A/B antigens, Epstein-Barr virus IgM, group A streptococcus polymerase chain reaction, respiratory viral panel, human immunodeficiency virus antibodies, rapid plasma reagin, chlamydia and gonorrhea polymerase chain reaction, urinalysis, and blood cultures are unremarkable. Immunologic evaluation, including antineutrophil …
The Molecular Biology of Endothelial Cell von Willebrand Factor

von Willebrand factor, or vWf, is an adhesive plasma glycoprotein which mediates platelet attachment to areas of endothelial damage and, also, serves as a carrier for factor VIIIC, the antihemophilic factor. In the plasma, vWf is composed of a single subunit of apparent molecular weight =225 000 which is found in discrete, disulfide bonded structures ranging in size from dimers to polymers containing more than 50 subunits. Qualitative or quantitative deficencies in vWf are associated with the bleeding disorder von Willebrand’s disease, which is typified by a prolonged bleeding time in the presence of normal platelet function. In Type I vWd there is a quantitative decrease in levels of plasma vWf. In Type II vWd, of which an increasing number of subvariants have been reported, there is a qualitative alteration in vWf structure, with preferential loss of the largest multimers. Information from various studies suggests that the largest multimers are most important for the intrinsic hemostatic role of vWf, while multimers of all sizes can serve as carriers for factor VIIIC
Sliding Bubble-Pumped Motion Induced by Surface Micro-Structure in Pool Boiling of a Dielectric Fluid Under Reduced Gravity

This paper reports bubble dynamics observed during pool boiling over micro-structures with an asymmetric saw-tooth cross-section, under reduced gravity. The periodic saw-toothed ratchets etched on a silicon surface include fabricated vapor bubble nucleation sites only on the shallow slope. Reduced gravity pool boiling experiments were conducted aboard a Boeing 727 aircraft (Zero-g Inc.) carrying out parabolic maneuvers to achieve reduced gravity. The fluid used was FC-72, a highly wetting dielectric fluid used as a coolant for electronics. Under microgravity, it was observed that the bubble diameters were six times larger than in terrestrial gravity. Also, self-propelled sliding bubble motion along the surface of the saw teeth was observed in reduced gravity. The velocity of the sliding bubbles across the saw teeth, following lateral departure from the cavities, was measured to be as high as 27.4 mm/s. A model for the sliding bubble motion is proposed by attributing it to the force due to pressure differences that arise in the liquid film between the vapor bubble and the saw-toothed heated surface. The pressure difference is due to difference in the radius of curvature of the interface between the crest and trough of the saw teeth. The surface modification technique has the potential to alleviate dry out caused due to vapor blanketing of heat sources in microgravity due to negligible buoyancy forces compared to the surface tension forces.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Bulbospinal C1-adrenergic neurons: electrophysiological properties in the neonate rat.

Publisher Summary This chapter briefly summarizes data from whole cell recordings of more than 250 rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) bulbospinal C1 neurons using the thin slice approach in neonate rats (3–12 days after birth). All recordings were done at room temperature. Such studies in the neonate rat indicate that C1 adrenergic neurons have two basic characteristics that are reminiscent of other central nervous system (CNS) catecholaminergic neurons, namely a slow nonbursting pattern of discharge that is because of intrinsic properties of the neurons rather than synaptic drives and somatodendritic catecholaminergic inhibitory receptors (autoreceptors). The autoactivity of C1 cells in vitro appears because, in large part, of a persistent sodium current, which leads to slow, irregular fluctuations of the membrane potential from which action potentials are triggered. Bulbospinal C1 cells have somatodendritic α 2 -adrenergic receptors. These α 2 receptors probably contribute to the inhibition of C1 cells in vivo by low doses of clonidine and related antihypertensive agents and secondarily to the sympatholytic and hypotensive action of these agents. The presence of inhibitory α 2 -adrenergic receptors on C1 cells probably accounts for their sensitivity to low doses of clonidine in vivo . The somatodendritic receptors so far characterized on C1 cells are in well agreement with the type of synaptic inputs previously described by anatomical means (GABA, acetylcholine, substance P, angiotensin) and are reminiscent of those present on the locus ceruleus.
The determination of water in crude oil and transformer oil reference materials

The measurement of the amount of water in oils is of significant economic importance to the industrial community, particularly to the electric power and crude oil industries. The amount of water in transformer oils is critical to their normal function and the amount of water in crude oils affects the cost of the crude oil at the well head, the pipeline, and the refinery. Water in oil Certified Reference Materials (CRM) are essential for the accurate calibration of instruments that are used by these industries. Three NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) have been prepared for this purpose. The water in these oils has been measured by both coulometric and volumetric Karl Fischer methods. The compounds (such as sulfur compounds) that interfere with the Karl Fischer reaction (interfering substances) and inflate the values for water by also reacting with iodine have been measured coulometrically. The measured water content of Reference Material (RM) 8506a Transformer Oil is 12.1±1.9 mg kg−1 (plus an additional 6.2±0.9 mg kg−1 of interfering substances). The measured water content of SRM 2722 Sweet Crude Oil, is 99±6 mg kg−1 (plus an additional 5±2 mg kg−1 of interfering substances). The measured water content of SRM 2721 Sour Crude Oil, is 134±18 mg kg−1 plus an additional 807±43 mg kg−1 of interfering substances. Interlaboratory studies conducted with these oil samples (using SRM 2890, water saturated 1-octanol, as a calibrant) are reported. Some of the possible sources of bias in these measurements were identified, These include: improperly calibrated instruments, inability to measure the calibrant accurately, Karl Fischer reagent selection, and volatilization of the interfering substances in SRM 2721.
Gate dielectric scaling for high-performance CMOS: from SiO 2 to high-K

We have successfully demonstrated very high-performance PMOS and NMOS transistors with high-K/metal-gate gate stacks with the right threshold voltages for both p- and n-channels on bulk Si. We believe that high-K/metal-gate is an option for the 45 nm high-performance logic technology node.