cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the Adequacy of Mucosal Oxygenation in Patients with Intraluminally Located Silicone Tonomitors

An indirect method for measuring the pH in the gastrointestinal mucosa has been applied to the monitoring and evaluation of patients who are critically ill. The method depends upon the knowledge that tissues are highly permeable to CO2 and that the PCO2 of fluid instilled into the lumen of a hollow organ will equilibrate with the PCO2 of tissue fluid and cells in the superficial layers of the wall of the hollow organ [1–4]. This is true for all parts of the gut including the stomach, for the PCO2 of fluid instilled into the lumen of this hollow organ rises and falls in parallel with changes in PC02 in arterial blood [1]. The measurement of pH depends also upon the assumption that the [HCO3 −] in the wall of the organ is the same as that being belivered to it in arterial blood and upon the assumption that the pH in the tissue fluid is the same as that in plasma. The pH is calculated by substituting the measurements of PCO2 in luminal fluid and the [HCO3 −] in arterial blood in the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.
Activation of heteroallenes by coordinatively unsaturated nickel(II) alkyl complexes supported by the hydrotris(3-phenyl-5-methyl)pyrazolyl borate (TpPh,Me) ligand

Activation of sulfur containing heteroallenes by nickel(II) alkyl complexes supported by the bulky hydrotris(3-phenyl-5-methylpyrazolyl)borate (TpPh,Me) ligand is described. Exposure of TpPh,MeNiCH2Ph (1a) and TpPh,MeNiCH2Si(CH3)3 (1b) to CS2 resulted in formation of the insertion products TpPh,MeNi(η2-CS2)CH2Ph (2a) and TpPh,MeNi(η2-CS2)CH2Si(CH3)3 (2b) in moderate yields. Reaction of 1a and MeNCS produced two species in a 1:1 ratio, identified as TpPh,MeNi(η2-MeNC)CH2Ph (3) and TpPh,MeNi(η2-MeNCS)SCH2Ph (4). Isolation of the unexpected insertion product (3) prompted an investigation into the activity of 1a–b in the presence of isocyanides (i.e.tBuNC), which resulted in isolation of TpPh,MeNi(η2-tBuNC)CH2Ph (5a) and TpPh,MeNi(η2-tBuNC)CH2Si(CH3)3 (5b). Similarly, reaction of 1a with OCS led to the isolation of a rare example of a Ni(I) carbonyl species TpPh,MeNiCO (6). Alternatively, complex 6 was also formed by exposure of 1a–b to an atmosphere of CO. Isolation of the intermediate species (TpPh,MeNi(η2-CO)CH2TMS (7b) and TpPh,MeNi(CO)(C(O)R, (8a–b) with R = Ph, TMS)) shed light on the formation of such species.
Reduction and Emergence

Complexity of organization is an outstanding characteristic of the living world. There is a hierarchy of complexity that runs from atoms and molecules through cells, tissues, organs, individual organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems to the whole of life on Earth. Phenomena at one level of complexity are illuminated by the study of the component elements and underlying processes. Ontological reductionism affirms correctly that organisms consist of nothing other than atoms and molecules. Methodological reductionism erroneously asserts that the only acceptable strategy of research is to study living phenomena at increasingly lower levels of complexity, and ultimately at the level of atoms, molecules, and physical processes. Investigation of biological phenomena in terms of their significance at higher levels of complexity often contributes to understanding them. Epistemological reductionism is the unwarranted claim that the laws and theories of biology can invariably be shown to be special cases of the laws and theories of the physical sciences.
Strengthening the Lead

The answers to critical issues begin with wondering. Have you ever witnessed an event or phenomenon for instance: unusual weather patterns, war or unrest, pollution and in response posed questions such as: Why is this happening? What can be done to change this situation? What is going on? These ponderings are the beginning phase of finding solutions. In order to allow students to explore critical issues and develop insights and potential solutions, schools must advocate critical thinking and give students opportunities to figure out problems independently.
Dynamics of a seafloor-spreading episode at the East Pacific Rise

Seismic observations clarify the roles of magma pressure and tectonic stress in the development of seafloor spreading during the most recent eruption at the East Pacific Rise. Yen Tan et al. use seismic observations to investigate a mid-ocean-ridge volcanic eruption that occurred along the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise. They infer that the eruption initiated at a 5-kilometre-long melt-rich segment and that the change in static stress then promoted rupturing along at least 35 kilometres of the ridge axis, owing to the long-term build-up of tectonic stress. The authors conclude that, even at magmatically robust fast-spreading ridges, a significant portion of spreading may be due to the build-up of tectonic stress to a critical level rather than due to magma overpressure in the underlying magma lenses. Seafloor spreading is largely unobserved because 98 per cent of the global mid-ocean-ridge system is below the ocean surface. Our understanding of the dynamic processes that control seafloor spreading is thus inferred largely from geophysical observations of spreading events on land at Afar in East Africa and Iceland1. However, these are slow-spreading centres1 influenced by mantle plumes2,3. The roles of magma pressure and tectonic stress in the development of seafloor spreading are still unclear. Here we use seismic observations to show that the most recent eruption at the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise just North of the Equator initiated at a melt-rich segment about 5 kilometres long4. The change in static stress then promoted almost-concurrent rupturing along at least 35 kilometres of the ridge axis, where tectonic stress had built up to a critical level, triggering magma movement. The location of impulsive seismic events indicative of lava reaching the seafloor5 suggests that lava subsequently erupted from multiple isolated6,7 magma lenses (reservoir chambers) with variable magma ascent rates, mostly within 48 hours. Therefore, even at magmatically robust fast-spreading ridges, a substantial portion of the spreading may be due to tectonic stress building up to a critical level rather than magma overpressure in the underlying magma lenses.
A Preliminary Overview of Community Orcharding in the United States

Community orchards are a type of urban agricul­ture project bringing fruit- and nut-bearing trees and shrubs to neighborhoods across the U.S. While urban agriculture is receiving substantial attention in food studies literature, community orchards are still largely absent from academic conversations. We conducted a qualitative, inductive survey of community orchard organizations in the U.S. to establish a baseline understanding. This survey was addressed to orchard organizers and focused on two questions. First, what is driving the rise of community orcharding projects in the U.S.? Second, how are the organizations affecting local food systems? Organizations were selected to be recipients of our survey, which garnered a 42.64% response rate, if they had an Internet presence and active e-mail account; identification of survey participants was Internet-based, and as a result, little is known about orchards that do not have an Internet presence. Findings showed that commu­nity orchards are primarily established on public land, often facilitated by municipal parks and recreation departments, and range in size from pocket orchards of just a few trees to multiple acres of diverse planting. Primary motivations for beginning community orchards include concern for the environment, education, and a sense of com­munity. A preliminary understanding of this impact lies at the nexus of these final two motivations. Community orchard organizers predominately reported fruit and nuts produced in the orchard would feed residents in the geographic area immediately surrounding the site. This arrangement of public fruit and nut production and volunteer orchard manage­ment is leading to a novel form of community development that merits further research.
Perioperative Infections after Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Lead to Increased Risk of Subsequent Complications

Background Patients undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair are at risk of perioperative infections that can lead to subsequent complications. Our goal was to understand how an initial infectious complication influences the risk of subsequent complications in this cohort of patients. Methods Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database (2005–2012), we evaluated the relationship between 3 index infectious complications after open elective AAA repair (pneumonia, deep/organ surgical site infection [SSI], and urinary tract infection [UTI]) and subsequent complications. We used 5:1 propensity matching and calculated propensity score to experience to establish matching cohorts for each index complication. This score was based on preoperative variables and number of event-free days. Results There were 3,991 patients who were identified to have undergone elective open AAA repair in the ACS-NSQIP database. Postoperative index pneumonia was associated with increased risk of unplanned intubation (28.6% vs. 3.5%; odds ratio [OR], 10.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.7–17.5; P Conclusions A postoperative nosocomial infection after open AAA repair is significantly more likely to lead to serious subsequent complications. Prevention and early identification of infectious index complications and subsequent complications could allow for interventions that could decrease morbidity and mortality.
Immigrant Resentment and Voter Fraud Beliefs in the U.S. Electorate

Public beliefs about the frequency of voter fraud are frequently cited to support restrictive voting laws in the United States. However, some sources of public beliefs about voter fraud have received little attention. We identify two conditions that combine to make anti-immigrant attitudes a strong predictor of voter fraud beliefs. First, the recent growth and dispersion of the immigrant population makes immigration a salient consideration for many Americans. Second, an immigrant threat narrative in political discourse linking immigration to crime and political dysfunction has been extended to the voting domain. Using new data from a survey module in the 2014 Cooperative Congressional Election Study and the 2012 American National Election Study, we show that immigrant resentment is strongly associated with voter fraud beliefs. Widespread hostility toward immigrants helps nourish public beliefs about voter fraud and support for voting restrictions in the United States. The conditions generating this relati...
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors as Therapeutic Agents for Patients with Brain Tumors

Abstract Modification of histones by acetylation plays a key role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression, and is controlled by the balance between histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferases (HATs). The process of histone acetylation is critically important in the regulation of many cellular processes including transcription, DNA replication and repair, cell cycle progression, differentiation, and apoptosis. A variety of nonhistone proteins are also targeted by HDACs, and while the specific mechanisms are complex, increased HDAC activity generally correlates with tumorigenesis. Inhibition of HDACs represents a new strategy in cancer therapy—chromatin remodeling—which is distinct from (but potentially synergistic with) chemotherapy and radiation. Drugs that are HDAC inhibitors (HDAC-Is) were initially found to reverse malignant properties of cancer cells, then used to better understand HDAC regulation of gene expression and the molecular pathways in neoplasia. HDAC-Is can be grouped into five families: (1) short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), (2) hydroxamic acids, (3) benzamides, (4) cyclic tetrapeptides, and (5) sirtuin inhibitors. To date, valproic acid and vorinostat are the two HDAC-Is which have been most extensively studied in neuro-oncology. HDAC-Is may be used as monotherapy or in combination with other agents. Several HDAC-Is have now been approved for use in patients with cancer. This chapter provides: (1) a review of the basic principles of the molecular biology of HDACs and HDAC-Is, and (2) a summary of HDAC-I preclinical studies and clinical trials having the most relevance for brain tumor patients.
A highly accurate machine learning approach for developing wireless sensor network middleware

Despite the popularity of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) in a wide range of applications, security problems associated with them have not been completely resolved. Middleware is generally introduced as an intermediate layer between WSNs and the end user to resolve some limitations, but most of the existing middleware is unable to protect data from malicious and unknown attacks during transmission. This paper introduces an intelligent middleware based on an unsupervised learning technique called Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) algorithm. GANs contain two networks: a generator (G) network and a detector (D) network. The G creates fake data similar to the real samples and combines it with real data from the sensors to confuse the attacker. The D contains multi-layers that have the ability to differentiate between real and fake data. The output intended for this algorithm shows an actual interpretation of the data that is securely communicated through the WSN. The framework is implemented in Python with experiments performed using Keras. Results illustrate that the suggested algorithm not only improves the accuracy of the data but also enhances its security by protecting data from adversaries. Data transmission from the WSN to the end user then becomes much more secure and accurate compared to conventional techniques.
Some Traditional Theories of Justice

For Kant morality is not social but internal to the individual. Only the legal system is external and involves enforced conformity to the provisions set by the laws.1 The consent of the whole population is a condition and it must be represented as the united will. The political power is that of the collective universal will made absolute and obligatory. Societies exist in virtue of the social contract as embodied in the legislative power which must at the same time provide for maximum individual freedom.
Comparing Modes of Delivery: Classroom and On-Line (and Other) Learning.

This article shifts normative pedagogical inquiry from whether on-line education is beneficial or harmful to exploring the conditions under which one or another instructional method works best.The strengths and weaknesses of six educational modalities- lecture, collaborative learning, experiential learning, learning contracts, televised courses, and web-based learning-are examined within a conceptual framework of preferred learning styles. Conclusions include recommendations to improve practice and suggestions for future research.
Moving towards a socially responsible future: an ecological approach

Publisher Summary The Life Lab Science Program is an agriculturally based elementary science and nutrition program located at twenty urban and rural school sites throughout the state of California in the U.S. Teachers have the responsibility of educating the young in a way which will aid them in contributing to the massive changes which need to take place in our societies. An effective elementary science program is the first step in the process of creating a scientifically literate adult citizenry motivated to take part in the public policy process. Effective science education should help to produce critical thinkers capable of taking action on issues of importance to the human and ecological health of their communities, and of the world. The Life Lab Science Program has students actively inquiring into the needs of a garden, nutritional requirements of humans, and the ethical questions posed by the production and distribution of food. The size of the gardens varies at the other Life Lab schools, but the message is the same: students come to see humanity in a central role in creating and solving problems of the natural and human-made world. By relating to the environment in such a positive and productive manner, students discover the web of ties they have to their local and global communities through their interdependence with agriculture and all biological systems.
The Thin Plate Equation

The dynamic thin plate equation $$\rho w_{tt}(x,t)+D\Delta^2w(x,t)=0,\quad x\in\Omega\subseteq {\rm R}^2, t>0,$$ (8.1) was first proposed by Kirchhoff [112] to model the vibration of a thin plate subject to pure bending with small deflection. It is an important mathematical model in structural mechanics and seismology.
Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Biology, Indications, and Outcomes

Excessive rates of relapse in subsets of high-risk CR1 patients and the persistence of poor outcomes of patients after relapse highlight the need for understanding when to optimally include intensive therapies such as HCT in the treatment of ALL. This chapter will attempt to define the role of HCT in the treatment of ALL by (1) describing how to assess studies in order to determine when HCT is indicated, (2) reviewing high-risk subgroups of ALL at diagnosis and relapse, (3) outlining current indications for HCT in all phases of ALL therapy, (4) detailing optimal approaches to ALL HCT (i.e., preparative regimens, stem cell sources, MRD status pre-HCT), and (5) providing a brief overview of immunological and cell-based therapies that are beginning to be tested in high-risk ALL patients and will likely have a larger role in the near future.
Bacterial resistance to fluoroquinolones: mechanisms and patterns.

Fluoroquinolones have been used increasingly in clinical medicine in the United States since the approval of norfloxacin, the first of these agents, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1986. Approvals of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, temafloxacin, lomefloxacin, and enoxacin followed, and other fluoroquinolones are under development. Although a nonfluorinated quinolone, nalidixic acid, has been available since the 1960s, its use was limited to treatment of urinary tract infections. Because of their greater potency and spectrum of activity and their extensive tissue distribution, many of the fluoroquinolones have been used to treat a broad range of infections at different body sites. Because of economic pressures, it is likely that oral antibiotics like the fluoroquinolones will be relied on increasingly in the future.
How to Report Adverse Events Related to the Use of Energy Devices in the Operating Room

A timely and directed response by all members of the surgical team is essential whenever a medical device fails. Beyond meeting the regulatory requirements of reporting, the learning that occurs as a result of the event once disseminated will assist in improving patient outcomes and creating systems that are safer.
Atmospheric gravity wave ray tracing: Ordinary and extraordinary waves

Abstract Calculation of internal gravity-wave ray paths in the atmosphere using a general three-dimensional ray tracing computer program is discussed. To initialize a ray-path calculation, it is necessary to specify the initial values for the components of the wave vector at the source so that the dispersion relation is satisfied. For acoustic waves, or for gravity waves in the absence of wind, there is no ambiguity in determining the magnitude of the wave vector once the frequency and direction of propagation (wave-normal direction) have been specified. For gravity waves with wind, however, it is necessary to solve a quartic equation to specify the magnitude of the wavenumber. Two of the roots of the quartic reduce to the usual solutions in the absence of wind, and we designate these roots as ‘ordinary waves.’ The two new roots (whose values approach infinity as the wind speed approaches zero), we designate as ‘extraordinary waves.’ A section contrasts the properties of the different gravity wave types. Comparison with some previously published examples of ray-path calculations of gravity waves shows that those previous examples were actually extraordinary waves, but their significance was not recognized at that time. In the absence of wind, gravity waves are restricted to a fan of propagation directions centered about horizontal propagation, but asymptotic gravity waves (in the Bousinesq approximation) have a fixed propagation direction for a given frequency. In the presence of a horizontal wind, however, the wave-normal direction is restricted to a fan of directions in the upwind direction, but not in the downwind direction. The ray direction for upwind propagation has no restrictions. A short review of gravity wave theory and the gravity wave dispersion relation is included.
Microvascular blood flow velocities measured with a retinal function imager: inter-eye correlations in healthy controls and an exploration in multiple sclerosis

The retinal microcirculation has been studied in various diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS). However, inter-eye correlations and potential differences of the retinal blood flow velocity (BFV) remain largely unstudied but may be important in guiding eye selection as well as the design and interpretation of studies assessing or utilizing retinal BFV. The primary aim of this study was to determine inter-eye correlations in BFVs in healthy controls (HCs). Since prior studies raise the possibility of reduced BFV in MS eyes, a secondary aim was to compare retinal BFVs between MS eyes, grouped based on optic neuritis (ON) history and HC eyes. Macular arteriole and venule BFVs were determined using a retinal function imager (RFI) in both eyes of 20 HCs. One eye from a total of 38 MS patients comprising 13 eyes with ON (MSON) and 25 eyes without ON (MSNON) history were similarly imaged with RFI. OD (right) and OS (left) BFVs were not significantly different in arterioles (OD: 3.95 ± 0.59 mm/s; OS: 4.08 ± 0.60 mm/s, P = 0.10) or venules (OD: 3.11 ± 0.46 mm/s; OS: 3.23 ± 0.52 mm/s, P = 0.06) in HCs. Very strong inter-eye correlations were also found between arteriolar (r = 0.84, P < 0.001) and venular (r = 0.87, P < 0.001) BFVs in HCs. Arteriolar (3.48 ± 0.88 mm/s) and venular (2.75 ± 0.53 mm/s) BFVs in MSNON eyes were significantly lower than in HC eyes (P = 0.009 and P = 0.005, respectively). Similarly, arteriolar (3.59 ± 0.69 mm/s) and venular (2.80 ± 0.45 mm/s) BFVs in MSON eyes were also significantly lower than in HC eyes (P = 0.046 and P = 0.048, respectively). Arteriolar and venular BFVs in MSON and MSNON eyes did not differ from each other (P = 0.42 and P = 0.48, respectively). Inter-eye arteriolar and venular BFVs do not differ significantly in HCs and are strongly correlated. Our findings support prior observations that arteriolar and venular BFVs may be reduced in MS eyes. Moreover, this seems to be the case in both MS eyes with and without a history of ON, raising the possibility of global blood flow alterations in MS. Future larger studies are needed to assess differences in BFVs between MSON and MSNON eyes.
Cross-situational and ostensive word learning in children with and without autism spectrum disorder

Numerous experimental studies have shown that infants and children can discover word meanings by using co-occurrences between labels and objects across individually ambiguous contexts-a phenomenon known as cross-situational learning. Like typically developing children, high-functioning school aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are capable of cross-situational learning. However, it is not yet clear whether cross-situational learning is similarly available to children with ASD who are younger and show a broader range of language and cognitive abilities. Using eye-tracking methodology, the current study provided the first evidence that preschool and early school-aged children with ASD can rely on cross-situational statistics to learn new words. In fact, children with ASD learned as well as typically developing children with similar vocabulary knowledge. In both groups, the children with the highest cross-situational learning accuracy were those who showed the best familiar word processing skills. Surprisingly, children in both groups learned words equally well in the cross-situational task and an ostensive word-learning task, which presented only a single label-object pairing at a time. In combination, these results point to similarities in the word learning abilities available to typically developing children and children with ASD.
Physical Activity Increases White Matter Microstructure in Children.

Children are becoming increasingly inactive, unfit, and overweight, yet there is relatively little causal evidence regarding the effects of physical activity on brain health during childhood. The present study examined the effects of an after-school physical activity program (FITKids2) on the microstructure of white matter tracts in 7- to 9-year-old children. We measured the microstructural properties of white matter via diffusion tensor imaging in one hundred and forty-three children before and after random assignment to either a 9-month after-school physical activity program (N=76, mean age = 8.7 years) or a wait list control group (N=67, mean age = 8.7 years). Our results demonstrate that children who participated in the physical activity program showed increased white matter microstructure in the genu of the corpus callosum, with no changes in white matter microstructure in the wait list control group which reflects typical development. Specifically, children in the physical activity program showed increases in fractional anisotropy (FA) and decreases in radial diffusivity (RD) in the genu from pre- to post-test, thereby suggesting more tightly bundled and structurally compact fibers (FA) and increased myelination (RD), with no changes in estimates of axonal fiber diameter (axial diffusivity, AD). The corpus callosum integrates cognitive, motor, and sensory information between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and the white matter tract plays a role in cognition and behavior. Our findings reinforce the importance of physical activity for brain health during child development.
Practical Framework for Benchmarking and Impact Evaluation of Public Transportation Infrastructure: Case of Belo Horizonte, Brazil:

Although accessibility to opportunities is essential for good quality of life, it is strongly dependent on mobility options. This paper provides a practical framework for benchmarking and impact ev...
Adolescent-Serving Addiction Treatment Facilities in the United States and the Availability of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder.

Abstract Purpose Adolescents with opioid use disorder are less likely than adults to receive medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), yet we know little about facilities that provide addiction treatment for adolescents. We sought to describe adolescent-serving addiction treatment facilities in the U.S. and examine associations between facility characteristics and offering MOUD, leading to informed recommendations to improve treatment access. Methods This cross-sectional study used the 2017 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. Facilities were classified by whether they offered a specialized adolescent program. Covariates included facility ownership, hospital affiliation, insurance/payments, government grants, accreditation/licensure, location, levels of care, and provision of MOUD. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression compared adolescent-serving versus adult-focused facilities and identified characteristics associated with offering maintenance MOUD. Results Among 13,585 addiction treatment facilities in the U.S., 3,537 (26.0%) offered adolescent programs. Adolescent-serving facilities were half as likely to offer maintenance MOUD as adult-focused facilities (odds ratio, .53; 95% confidence interval, .49–.58), which was offered at 23.1% (816) of adolescent-serving versus 35.9% (3,612) of adult-focused facilities. Among adolescent-serving facilities, characteristics associated with increased unadjusted odds of offering maintenance MOUD were nonprofit status, hospital affiliation, accepting insurance (particularly, private insurance), accreditation, Northeastern location, or offering inpatient services. Conclusions The one-quarter of U.S. addiction treatment facilities that serve adolescents are half as likely to provide MOUD as adult-focused facilities, which may explain why adolescents are less likely than adults to receive MOUD. Strategies to increase adolescent access to MOUD may consider insurance reforms/incentives, facility accreditation, and geographically targeted funding.
A synthetic water distribution network model for urban resilience

Water distribution networks (WDN) are one of the most critical infrastructures, providing water for essential needs. However, the dearth of information on WDNs due to weak historical records, limit...
Screening and linkage to care for medical students with hepatitis B virus infection in Sierra Leone.

Abstract Purpose Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is considered a major public health concern for Sierra Leone. Although medical students are at increased occupational risk for HBV infection, little is known about the burden of HBV infection amongst medical students in Sierra Leone. Methods As part of a screening and vaccination campaign, a cross-sectional study on prevalence of HBV among medical students in Freetown was conducted in December 2019. Antigen point of care test was used for HBV screening and data on students' risk history and demographics were collected. Additionally, for students diagnosed positive with HBV, linkage to care and initial assessment data after diagnosis was collected from the HBV clinic they were linked to. Results One hundred and fifty-seven medical students (77.3%) from year three to six were screened for HBV infection. Almost all students (98.1%) had never been vaccinated against HBV and more than half (56.7%) reported a history of needle stick injuries. The prevalence of HBV infection (Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity) was 10.2% (n = 16). Among HBsAg positive students, 75% (n = 12) were successfully enrolled at chronic HBV clinic within three months of diagnosis. Only one student had evidence of liver cirrhosis and was started on treatment with Tenofovir diproxil fumarate. Conclusion The prevalence of HBV infection is high among medical students in Sierra Leone. Despite the high prevalence, most of the students linked to care had no evidence of severe liver disease.
Erratum to: A Robust Effect Size Index.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a typographical mistake in one of the main formula.
HOW BEHAVIOR of USERS IMPACTS the SUCCESS of ONLINE Q&A COMMUNITIES

What makes Question & Answer (Q&A) communities productive? In this paper, we look into how the diversity of behavioral types of agents impacts the performance of Q&A communities using different per...
Germline IKZF1 mutations and their impact on immunity: IKAROS-associated diseases and pathophysiology.

Introduction: The transcription factor IKAROS and IKAROS family members are critical for the development of lymphocyte and other blood cell lineages. Germline heterozygous IKZF1 mutations have been described in primary immunodeficiency as well as in human hematologic malignancies, affecting both B and T cells. Depending on the allelic variants of IKZF1 mutations (haploinsufficiency and dominant negative) clinical phenotypes vary from bacterial, viral, or fungal infection to autoimmune disease and malignancy.Areas covered: In this review, the authors provide an overview of genotype-phenotype correlation and clinical manifestations in patients with IKZF1 mutations. The importance of accurate diagnosis and monitoring immunological changes is also discussed for the management of these complex and rare diseases. IKZF1/IKAROS, immunodeficiency, and CVID were used as the search terms in PubMed and Google Scholar.Expert opinion: Over the past 5 years both genetic and molecular studies have unveiled surprisingly diverse roles of IKZF1 mutations in primary immunodeficiency. While an increasing number of novel IKZF1 variants are being reported, limited, and complex laboratory testing is necessary to verify the mutation's pathogenicity. Therefore, the combination of understanding mechanistic concepts and clinical and immunological follow-up is necessary to increase our knowledge of IKAROS-associated diseases.
Who Benefitted From the PyeongChang Olympic Announcement? Evidence From the South Korean Stock Market:

Understanding the market effects of Olympic host announcements is popular in academic research. Contrary to prior studies, announcing PyeongChang as the 2018 host had a positive effect on South Kor...
Nonlinear deformations of piezoelectric composite beams

Abstract This study presents large deformations of slender elastic and viscoelastic beams with multiple piezoelectric patches attached on their top and bottom surfaces. The slender beams can undergo large in-plane 2-D deformations due to electric fields applied through the piezoelectric patches and mechanical actuations. A nonlinear electro-mechanical constitutive equation is considered for the piezoelectric patches, while linear elastic and viscoelastic constitutive equations are used for the beams. Reissner’s finite-deformation beam theory is adopted in formulating the large 2-D deformation, and modified in order to incorporate the deformation due to the electric field input. For an elastic beam, closed form solutions are obtained for the deformations of the beam under electric field actuation, while a nonlinear shooting method is used to analyze the deformation of the beam under both electrical- and mechanical stimuli. For viscoelastic beams, time-dependent deformations of the beams under electric field actuations through the piezoelectric patches are solved numerically. By applying electric fields with different amplitude at different locations of patches, desired deformed shapes in active flexible beams can be achieved, which is useful for analyses and designs of active foldable systems. This study also highlights the effect of viscoelastic materials on the shape changes in foldable electro-active beams.
Quadrupolar Metal Nuclides in Bioinorganic Chemistry: Solid‐State NMR Studies

Metal ions play an important role in bioinorganic chemistry; however, following their respective chemistries is often complicated because several relevant metal ions (such as V5+, Cu1+, Zn2+, Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) are not always amenable to conventional UV/Vis or EPR spectroscopy. Rather, what we know of these metal sites has come from the characterization of the various compounds and proteins via X-ray crystallographic methods or from using surrogate metal probes for conventional spectroscopy. We discuss in some detail the solid-state NMR spectroscopic methods by which these metal nuclides can be investigated in biological systems. Vanadium and copper are examples of nuclides with a modest magnetic moment. Vanadium proteins can often be characterized by room temperature magic angle spinning (MAS) methods owing to their moderate quadrupole coupling constants yielding relatively narrow lines. Copper, on the other hand, often yields very broad resonances, i.e., >1 MHz, because of the large quadrupolar interaction. Owing to the small magnetic moment of nuclides (magnesium and zinc) and/or the breadth of their NMR resonances (copper), these nuclides are best characterized by utilizing cryogenic methods. This review develops the needed NMR methods that are essential to discuss the spectroscopy of the quadrupolar metal sites in biological environments. The authors further illustrate how the experimental results can be translated into meaningful biochemical conclusions. More often than not, the interpretation of these experimental results is strongly coupled to computational models of the active sites of the proteins of interest. The validity of such models is discussed. Keywords: Half–integer quadrupolar metal nuclei; Metalloproteins; Magic angle spinning; Quadrupole Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (QCPMG); Density Functional Theory; Quantum mechanics/ molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations
Toxic-Shock Syndrome Associated with Nasal Packing: Analogy to Tampon-Associated Illness

A pure culture of migmatoxin-producing Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the purulent nasal packing removed from a 13-year-old premenarchal girl with toxic-shock syndrome after rhinoplasty. The similarities between this case and the tampon-associated illness are examined. An increased awareness of these similarities and the identification of predisposing factors may lead to earlier detection and treatment of toxic-shock syndrome.
Alex: a computer aid for treating alexithymia

One of the principal skills that a patient in psychotherapy must acquire is to be aware of and be able to express his or her feelings and emotions. Many patients, however, especially at the beginning of their therapy, have a great deal of trouble doing this. They are able to articulate “I feel bad” but nothing more precise. One reason for this is that they may be suffering from a cognitive-affective disorder called alexithymia. This paper describes a system called Alex that we have built to help treat alexithymia. This system, currently a prototype, consists of a query processor, a pattern matcher, and a text generator written in C++.
Excitotoxicity in Huntington’s Disease

There is a large body of evidence implicating excitotoxicity in Huntington’s Disease (HD) pathogenesis. The concept that excitotoxicity might playa role was developed after the observation that kainic acid induced striatal lesions which mimic many of the neuropathologic features of HD. We and others subsequently showed that quinolinic acid lesions, which spare NADPH-diaphorase neurons, produced an improved excitotoxic model. There however is no evidence for an increase in excitatory amino acids in HD brain tissue. Subsequent studies by ourselves and others demonstrated that mitochondrial toxins could produce striatal lesions, which are mediated by excitotoxicity. A defect in energy metabolism sensitizes cells to excitatory amino acids. We found that 3-nitropropionic acid lesions produce a model of HD in both rodents and primates, which mimics not only the neuropathologic features but also the motor and cognitive deficits, which occur in HD. The development of transgenic mouse models has furthered the evidence that excitotoxicity plays a role in HD pathogenesis. Although mice with short fragments of huntingtin show resistance to excitotoxic lesions, transgenic mice with full-length huntingtin show increased sensitivity to quinolinic acid lesions. Cultured medium spiny neurons expressing full-length huntingtin with 72 repeats, also demonstrate enhanced excitotoxicity, which is abolished by NR28 subunits specific antagonists such as, ifenprodil. There is, therefore, substantial evidence that excitotoxicity plays a critical role in HD pathogenesis.
Designing Brain-Computer Interfaces for Attention-Aware Systems

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) hold great promise for improving information delivery and preserving user attention, but this promise has not yet translated to practical use. A prototype BCI that optimizes email notifications in noisy, complex environments, CARSON combines multiple measures from the brain to predict both cognitive workload and message relevancy to determine the optimum time to interrupt the user.
Properties of space-time codes for frequency selective channels and trellis code designs

This paper derives some properties of the diversity gain and the coding gain of space-time codes (STCs) for frequency selective channels. It is shown that additional diversity order can be obtained by STCs when they are employed in frequency selective channels rather than in flat fading channels. It is demonstrated that spatial dependence, correlated taps and non-uniform power delay profile will cause coding gain penalty. The optimum codes designed for spatial independence with uncorrelated taps and uniform power distribution are shown to be the optimum codes for the other channels scenarios with the same number of taps. A systematic design procedure is applied to search for the best space-time trellis code (STTC) for frequency selective channels. At an FER of 0.01, our example 16-state BPSK STTC outperforms the delay diversity code by 3.4 dB for a channel with 3 uncorrelated uniform taps. It is demonstrated that a STC designed for a channels with the maximum expected memory, will guarantee good performance if a channel with less memory is encountered.
Are male tokens bad for females? The effect of social dominance orientation on high-status tokens' evaluations of low-status members

Prior research has not given much attention to understanding how those in the numeric minority (i.e., tokens) with high social status (e.g., males) react to those with low social status (e.g., females). We draw from social dominance orientation (SDO) to better understand how male tokens' beliefs about group-based hierarchies affect their evaluation of a highly qualified female candidate. We conducted a laboratory study in which participants were placed in a selection situation and were asked to evaluate a highly qualified female candidate. We discovered a significant interaction between token status and SDO such that male tokens who were high in SDO were more likely to evaluate negatively a highly qualified female.
Extended‐range hindcasts of tropical‐origin Atlantic hurricane activity

Annual tropical storm activity in the Atlantic basin is divided into two groups: 1) all storms and 2) storms having formed exclusively from tropical disturbances. It is demonstrated that, using ordinary least-squares regression, cross-validated hindcasts of tropical storm activity from the latter group are more skillful than hindcasts of total hurricane activity. Differences in hindcast skill are above what is expected from a random reduction of the total numbers. Improvements are greatest for yearly numbers of hurricanes and hurricane days.
Visual behavior characterization for intrusion and misuse detection

As computer and network intrusions become more and more of a concern, the need for better capabilities, to assist in the detection and analysis of intrusions also increase. System administrators typically rely on log files to analyze usage and detect misuse. However, as a consequence of the amount of data collected by each machine, multiplied by the tens or hundreds of machines under the system administrator's auspices, the entirety of the data available is neither collected nor analyzed. This is compounded by the need to analyze network traffic data as well. We propose a methodology for analyzing network and computer log information visually based on the analysis of the behavior of the users. Each user's behavior is the key to determining their intent and overriding activity, whether they attempt to hide their actions or not. Proficient hackers will attempt to hide their ultimate activities, which hinders the reliability of log file analysis. Visually analyzing the users''s behavior however, is much more adaptable and difficult to counteract.
Characterization of sulfhydryl sites within bacterial cell envelopes using selective site-blocking and potentiometric titrations

Abstract In this study, a novel approach was developed to estimate the concentration and acidity constants of sulfhydryl sites within bacterial cell envelopes, and we apply the approach to compare sulfhydryl site concentrations of Bacillus licheniformis , Bacillus subtilis , Bacillus cereus , Shewanella oneidensis and Pseudomonas fluorescens . The experiments involved the selective blocking of sulfhydryl sites using a thiol-specific molecule, coupled with total site concentration comparisons of blocked and un-blocked bacterial samples by potentiometric titration measurements to determine sulfhydryl concentrations. All five species studied contained measureable concentrations of sulfhydryl sites, ranging from 16.6 ± 3.3 μmol/g for B. cereus to 33.1 ± 7.6 μmol/g for S. oneidensis . No significant difference was found between sulfhydryl site concentrations on Gram-positive species relative to those on Gram-negative bacteria. However, the proportion of sulfhydryl sites relative to the total sites on each species was the highest for the thermophilic bacterium B. licheniformis with 14 ± 3%, and the four mesophilic species exhibited an average of 8 ± 2%. All species contained sulfhydryl sites with a p K a of 9.2–9.4, but B. subtilis and P. fluorescens exhibited significant concentrations of sulfhydryl sites with much lower p K a values as well. Our results suggest that sulfhydryl sites are present in relatively low concentrations over a wide range of bacterial diversity, but that their concentrations are high enough to control the binding of metals onto bacteria under low metal-loading conditions.
Validated Proof-Producing Decision Procedures

A widely used technique to integrate decision procedures (DPs) with other systems is to have the DPs emit proofs of the formulas they report valid. One problem that arises is debugging the proof-producing code; it is very easy in standard programming languages to write code which produces an incorrect proof. This paper demonstrates how proof-producing DPs may be implemented in a programming language, called Rogue-Sigma-Pi (RSP), whose type system ensures that proofs are manipulated correctly. RSP combines the Rogue rewriting language and the Edinburgh Logical Framework (LF). Type-correct RSP programs are partially correct: essentially, any putative LF proof object produced by a type-correct RSP program is guaranteed to type check in LF. The paper describes a simple proof-producing combination of propositional satisfiability checking and congruence closure implemented in RSP.
How can fractionated radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery be used for pituitary adenomas

How can fractionated radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery be used for pituitary adenomas?
Supporting Multidisciplinary Vehicle Analysis Using a Vehicle Reference Architecture Model in SysML

Abstract To develop competitive vehicles with ever increasing complexity, automotive designers need to improve their ability to explore a broad range of system architectures efficiently and effectively. Whereas traditional vehicle systems are based on internal combustion (IC) engines, today's environmentally conscious vehicle manufacturers must consider alternatives to the IC engine- only systems such as hybrid or electric systems. To design a good vehicle, it is necessary to analyze each of these system architectures from a variety of perspectives including performance, fuel economy, or even thermal behavior. Creating all the necessary analysis models for all possible system architectures manually is very time-consuming, expensive, and error-prone. To overcome such challenges, a novel approach has been developed for partly automatically generating subsystem model templates to support the integration of analysis models in a consistent and convenient fashion. The approach starts from a Vehicle Reference Architecture (VRA) model defined in the Systems Modeling Language (OMG SysMLTM). After specialization of this VRA into a specific vehicle program model, this SysML model is automatically transformed into Modelica and Simulink templates for the corresponding analysis models. These templates embody interfaces that fit into a system-level integrated model so that individual subsystem experts can focus on modeling the physical or controls behavior of their particular subsystem without having to worry about subsequent integration issues. The subsystem template models guarantee consistency in the integration phase. The entire approach introduced in this paper is called the Vehicle Architecture Modeling Framework (VAMF), which includes the SysML VRA model, the corresponding analysis templates, and the transformation tools developed to support the approach. Throughout this paper, a specific (realistic but sanitized) vehicle program and a full pedal acceleration analysis test scenario are used as demonstration examples.