cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Test logic economic considerations in a commercial VLSI chip environment

An economic model is developed on which to base decisions regarding chiplevel design tradeoffs. The tradeoff of interest is whether to add silicon area for test logic to either facilitate use of an inexpensive tester or to reduce test time.
Comparison of goblet cell staining methods in jejunal mucosa of turkey poults.

Abstract This study compared the intestinal goblet cell density of turkey poults at 2 different ages using Alcian blue-periodic acid-Shiff (AB-PAS) and mucicarmine stains. Neutral mucins are stained with periodic acid-Shiff whereas acidic mucins are stained with Alcian blue. Mucicarmine and AB-PAS are specific to the mucins of epithelial origin. Mucicarmine has only been used for the assessment of goblet cells in human specimens, and it may have advantages for use in animals as a result of the methodological simplicity of staining as compared to AB-PAS. A mid-section of jejunum was taken from 80 turkey poults at 21 and 28 d, and fixed in 10% buffered formalin for 48 h. Each fixed tissue was dehydrated with ethanol, cleared with Sub-X, placed in paraffin wax, prepared on 2 slides, cleared and hydrated. The 2 slides were randomly assigned to 2 treatments which consisted of AB-PAS and mucicarmine stains in a completely randomized design. Goblet cell counts were taken from four villi per slide and the villus height was measured and averaged. There was no difference in the goblet cell density between the staining methods AB-PAS and mucicarmine at 21 or 28 d posthatch. These results show that both staining methods are viable for assessment of goblet cell density in turkey poults.
Anisotropic single-particle dissipative particle dynamics model

We have developed a new single-particle dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) model for anisotropic particles with different shapes, e.g., prolate or oblate spheroids. In particular, the conservative and dissipative interactions between anisotropic single DPD particles are formulated using a linear mapping from the isotropic model of spherical particles. The proper mapping operator is constructed between each interacting pair of particles at every time step. Correspondingly, the random forces are properly formulated to satisfy the fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT). Notably, the model exactly conserves both linear and angular momentum. We demonstrate the proposed model's accuracy and efficiency by applying it for modeling colloidal ellipsoids. Specifically, we show it efficiently captures the static properties of suspensions of colloidal ellipsoids. The isotropic-nematic transition in an ellipsoidal suspension is reproduced by increasing its volume fraction or the aspect ratio of ellipsoid particles. Moreover, the hydrodynamics and diffusion of a single colloidal ellipsoid (prolate or oblate with moderate aspect ratios) are accurately captured. The calculated drag force on the ellipsoid and its diffusion coefficients (both translational and rotational) agree quantitatively with the theoretical predictions in the Stokes limit.
Honokiol, an activator of Sirtuin-3 (SIRT3) preserves mitochondria and protects the heart from doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in mice

// Vinodkumar B. Pillai 1 , Abhinav Kanwal 1 , Yong Hu Fang 2 , Willard W. Sharp 2 , Sadhana Samant 1 , Jack Arbiser 3 and Mahesh P. Gupta 1 1 Department of Surgery, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA 2 Department of Medicine, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA 3 Department of Dermatology, Atlanta Veterans Administration Health Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA Correspondence to: Mahesh P. Gupta, email: // Keywords : doxorubicin, cardiac toxicity, SIRT3, Cardiac hypertrophy, cancer therapy, Pathology Section Received : September 14, 2016 Accepted : February 27, 2017 Published : March 11, 2017 Abstract Doxorubicin is the chemotherapeutic drug of choice for a wide variety of cancers, and cardiotoxicity is one of the major side effects of doxorubicin treatment. One of the main cellular targets of doxorubicin in the heart is mitochondria. Mitochondrial sirtuin, SIRT3 has been shown to protect against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. We have recently identified honokiol (HKL) as an activator of SIRT3, which protects the heart from developing pressure overload hypertrophy. Here, we show that HKL-mediated activation of SIRT3 also protects the heart from doxorubicin-induced cardiac damage without compromising the tumor killing potential of doxorubicin. Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is associated with increased ROS production and consequent fragmentation of mitochondria and cell death. HKL-mediated activation of SIRT3 prevented Doxorubicin induced ROS production, mitochondrial damage and cell death in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. HKL also promoted mitochondrial fusion. We also show that treatment with HKL blocked doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity in mice. This was associated with reduced mitochondrial DNA damage and improved mitochondrial function. Furthermore, treatments of mice, bearing prostrate tumor-xenografts, with HKL and doxorubicin showed inhibition of tumor growth with significantly reduced cardiac toxicity. Our results suggest that HKL-mediated activation of SIRT3 protects the heart from doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and represents a potentially novel adjunct for chemotherapy treatments.
Aorto-Right Ventricular Fistula Post-Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Multimodality Imaging of Successful Percutaneous Closure.

• Aorto-right ventricular fistula is a rare diagnosis and is on the spectrum of aortic periannular rupture.
Electromagnetic scattering and emission by a fixed multi-particle object in local thermal equilibrium: General formalism

Abstract The majority of previous studies of the interaction of individual particles and multi-particle groups with electromagnetic field have focused on either elastic scattering in the presence of an external field or self-emission of electromagnetic radiation. In this paper we apply semi-classical fluctuational electrodynamics to address the ubiquitous scenario wherein a fixed particle or a fixed multi-particle group is exposed to an external quasi-polychromatic electromagnetic field as well as thermally emits its own electromagnetic radiation. We summarize the main relevant axioms of fluctuational electrodynamics, formulate in maximally rigorous mathematical terms the general scattering–emission problem for a fixed object, and derive such fundamental corollaries as the scattering–emission volume integral equation, the Lippmann–Schwinger equation for the dyadic transition operator, the multi-particle scattering–emission equations, and the far-field limit. We show that in the framework of fluctuational electrodynamics, the computation of the self-emitted component of the total field is completely separated from that of the elastically scattered field. The same is true of the computation of the emitted and elastically scattered components of quadratic/bilinear forms in the total electromagnetic field. These results pave the way to the practical computation of relevant optical observables.
Fluid and kinetic simulations of plasma instabilities

Recent advances in plasma modeling have allowed development of sophisticated plasma fluid and kinetic simulation tools for a wide range of parameter regimes. This short paper presents some illustra...
Deep Scene Image Classification with the MFAFVNet

The problem of transferring a deep convolutional network trained for object recognition to the task of scene image classification is considered. An embedded implementation of the recently proposed mixture of factor analyzers Fisher vector (MFA-FV) is proposed. This enables the design of a network architecture, the MFAFVNet, that can be trained in an end to end manner. The new architecture involves the design of a MFA-FV layer that implements a statistically correct version of the MFA-FV, through a combination of network computations and regularization. When compared to previous neural implementations of Fisher vectors, the MFAFVNet relies on a more powerful statistical model and a more accurate implementation. When compared to previous non-embedded models, the MFAFVNet relies on a state of the art model, which is now embedded into a CNN. This enables end to end training. Experiments show that the MFAFVNet has state of the art performance on scene classification.
Transit Delay Estimation Using Stop-Level Automated Passenger Count Data

AbstractDespite the potential use of global positioning system (GPS) based automatic vehicle location (AVL) data in the development of reliability improvement strategies for transit systems, issues...
Victim Precipitation and the Wage Gap

Cortina, Rabelo, and Holland (2018) accurately cite the general public's overuse of victim precipitation ideologies, or the notion that victims engage in actions that directly bring about their unfortunate circumstances. These ideologies also have permeated industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology and the study of people in the workplace (e.g., women's choice in clothing leads to sexual harassment, certain target characteristics and actions incite workplace bullying). We agree with Cortina et al. that this ideology unintentionally benefits the perpetrator by placing blame and responsibility for nonoptimal workplace situations directly on the target. The field of I-O psychology needs to move away from this model of victim blaming as a remediation for workplace disparities.
Towards a Sustainable, Integrated Management of Apple Diseases

Current understandings and guidelines for sustainable, integrated management of apple diseases are reviewed, and currently effective and sustainable tactics are discussed. Disease management in apples faces several critical problems not seen in other agronomic systems. As long-lived, clonal crops, fungicides and disease resistance play crucial roles in the management of apple diseases. Unfortunately, the pressure placed on these two strategies results in the development of fungicide resistance, and breakdown of host resistance. This review discusses the major diseases of apples, their management strategies, and the problems that have developed to impact sustainable apple production. Symptoms, causal pathogens, disease cycles and management practices are reviewed for primary diseases affecting apples in spring like apple scab, powdery mildew, fire blight and rust diseases. Problems due to fungicide resistance and availability of root stocks and cultivars for exploitation of plant resistance are discussed. Applications of cultural and chemical management with predictive models are also shown. Symptoms, disease cycles and management are also reviewed for summer diseases of apple, like bitter rot, flyspeck and sooty blotch
Techniques and Tools of Modern Plant Breeding: Field Crops

Field crops of maize, wheat, rice, sorghum, barley, sugarcane, soybean, etc. are primary source of food and feed. Field crops are also a rich source of cellulosic biomass and carbohydrates for ethanol production. One of the major challenges facing agriculture today is improving the productivity of field crops in an environmentally sustainable manner. Annual climate variation causes temperature extremes, floods, and droughts which all exacerbate the vulnerability of field crops to pests and diseases. Conventional plant breeding has evolved into a molecular breeding and these modern breeding methods have enhanced the pace of crop improvement work. Plant breeders now use molecular and genetic techniques to selectively identify phenotypes and genotypes that are associated with traits of interest. Such functional genomics studies help plant breeders efficiently utilize the germplasm. Cutting edge molecular tools are now available in economically important crops as well as model plant systems. Gene expression techniques have been combined with forward and reverse genetic methods to isolate and introgress desirable alleles into breeding populations that are used to develop elite hybrid crops. This chapter focuses on modern techniques and resources that field crop scientists use to generate genetic information and efficient breeding strategies.
A geostatistical approach for mapping thematic classification accuracy and evaluating the impact of inaccurate spatial data on ecological model predictions

Spatial information in the form of geographical information system coverages and remotely sensed imagery is increasingly used in ecological modeling. Examples include maps of land cover type from which ecologically relevant properties, such as biomass or leaf area index, are derived. Spatial information, however, is not error-free: acquisition and processing errors, as well as the complexity of the physical processes involved, make remotely sensed data imperfect measurements of ecological attributes. It is therefore important to first assess the accuracy of the spatial information being used and then evaluate the impact of such inaccurate information on ecological model predictions. In this paper, the role of geostatistics for mapping thematic classification accuracy through integration of abundant image-derived (soft) and sparse higher accuracy (hard) class labels is presented. Such assessment leads to local indices of map quality, which can be used for guiding additional ground surveys. Stochastic simulation is proposed for generating multiple alternative realizations (maps) of the spatial distribution of the higher accuracy class labels over the study area. All simulated realizations are consistent with the available pieces of information (hard and soft labels) up to their validated level of accuracy. The simulated alternative class label representations can be used for assessing joint spatial accuracy, i.e., classification accuracy regarding entire spatial features read from the thematic map. Such realizations can also serve as input parameters to spatially explicit ecological models; the resulting distribution of ecological responses provides a model of uncertainty regarding the ecological model prediction. A case study illustrates the generation of alternative land cover maps for a Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) subscene, and the subsequent construction of local map quality indices. Simulated land cover maps are then input into a biogeochemical model for assessing uncertainty regarding net primary production (NPP).
Potential Mechanisms for Repartitioning of Growth by β-Adrenergic Agonists

A major goal of meat animal production is to generate efficiently an acceptable meat product as a source of protein for humans. In the last several years, there has been considerable interest in using β-adrenergic agonists to repartition growth in animals raised for meat production (Ricks et al., 1984a); oral administration of the β-adrenergic agonists clenbuterol or cimaterol to growing cattle (Ricks et al., 1984b; Hanrahan et al., 1986; Williams et al., 1986; Miller et al., 1988), chickens (Dalrymple et al., 1984a; Hanrahan et al., 1986), pigs (Dal-rymple et al., 1984b; Ricks et al., 1984a; Jones et al., 1985; Hanrahan et al., 1986; Mosher et al., 1986), and sheep (Baker et al., 1984; Beermann et al., 1985, 1986b; Thorntons et al., 1985; Hamby et al., 1986; Hanrahan et al., 1986; Bohorov et al., 1987) increases carcass muscle mass and decreases carcass fat mass. Nitrogen retention increases in calves fed clenbuterol (Williams et al., 1986). The shift toward more muscle and less fat deposition by clenbuterol led to the description of this phenomenon as repartitioning of growth and the designation of such compounds as repartitioning agents. At this time there is one experiment in very young pigs in which an adrenergic agonist did not change body composition; the reason for the negative result is unknown (Mersmann et al., 1987).
Spin-gap and two-dimensional magnetic excitations in Sr 2 IrO 4

Time-of-flight inelastic neutron scattering measurements on ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{IrO}}_{4}$ single crystals were performed to access the spin Hamiltonian in this canonical ${J}_{\mathrm{eff}}=1/2$ spin-orbital Mott insulator. The momentum of magnetic scattering at all inelastic energies measured is revealed to be $L$ independent, indicative of idealized two-dimensional in-plane correlations. We model the in-plane energy and momentum dependence of the excitations, that were measured up to $\ensuremath{\sim}80$ meV, and define a spin gap of 0.6(1) meV. Collectively, the results indicate that despite the strongly spin-orbit entangled isospins, an isotropic two-dimensional $S=1/2$ Heisenberg model Hamiltonian accurately describes the magnetic interactions, confirming a robust analogy with unconventional superconducting cuprates.
Visual Search in Amblyopia: Abnormal Fixational Eye Movements and Suboptimal Sampling Strategies

Purpose Microsaccades shift the image on the fovea and counteract visual fading. They are also thought to serve as an optimal sampling strategy while viewing complex visual scenes. The goal of our study was to assess visual search in amblyopic children. Methods Twenty-one amblyopic children with varying severity of amblyopia and 10 healthy controls were recruited. Eye movements were recorded using infrared video-oculography during amblyopic and fellow eye viewing while the subjects performed (1) visual fixation, (2) exploration of a blank scene, and (3) visual search task (spot the difference between two images). The number of correctly identified picture differences and reaction time were recorded. Microsaccade, saccades, and intersaccadic drifts were analyzed in patients without latent nystagmus (LN). Slow phase velocities were computed for patients with LN. Results Both patients with and without LN were able to spot the same number of differences but took longer during fellow eye viewing compared to controls. The ability to identify differences was diminished during amblyopic eye viewing particularly those with LN and severe amblyopia. We found reduced frequencies of microsaccades and saccades in both amblyopic and fellow eyes during fixation and visual search but not during exploration of blank scene. Across all tasks, amblyopes with LN had increased intersaccadic drifts. Conclusions Our findings suggest that deficient microsaccade and saccadic activity contributes to poorer sampling strategy in amblyopia, which is seen in both amblyopic and fellow eye. These deficits are more notable among subjects who experienced binocular decorrelation earlier in life, with subsequent development of LN.
Abnormal Fasting Glucose Increases Risk of Unrecognized Myocardial Infarctions in an Elderly Cohort.

Objectives To investigate glucose levels as a risk factor for unrecognized myocardial infarctions (UMIs). Design Cohort Setting Cardiovascular Health Study. Participants Individuals aged 65 and older with fasting glucose measurements (N=4,355; normal fasting glucose (NFG), n = 2,041; impaired fasting glucose (IFG), n = 1,706; DM: n = 608; 40% male, 84% white, mean age 72.4 ± 5.6). Measurements The relationship between glucose levels and UMI was examined. Participants with prior coronary heart disease (CHD) or UMI on initial electrocardiography were excluded. Using Minnesota codes, UMI was identified according to the presence of pathological Q‐waves or minor Q‐waves with ST‐T abnormalities. Crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, antihypertensive and lipid‐lowering medication use, total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and smoking status. Results Over a mean follow‐up of 6 years, there were 459 incident UMIs (NFG, n=202; IFG, n=183; DM, n=74). Participants with IFG were slightly more likely than those with NFG to experience a UMI (hazard ratio (HR)=1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.91–1.36, p = .30), and those with DM were more likely than those with NFG to experience a UMI (HR=1.65, 95% CI=1.25–2.13, p < .001). After adjustment HR for UMI in IFG those with IFG were no more likely than those with NFG to experience a UMI (HR=1.01, 95% CI=0.82–1.24, p = .93), whereas those with DM were more likely than those with NFG to experience a UMI (HR=1.37, 95% CI=1.02–1.81, p = .03). The 2‐hour oral glucose tolerance test was not statistically significantly associated with UMI. Conclusion Fasting glucose status, particularly in the diabetic range, forecasted UMI during 6 years of follow‐up in elderly adults. Further studies are needed to clarify the level of glucose at which risk is greater. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:43–49, 2019.
Backpack PCR: A Point-of-Collection Diagnostic Platform for the Rapid Detection of Brugia Parasites in Mosquitoes

Background Currently, molecular xenomonitoring efforts for lymphatic filariasis rely on PCR or real-time PCR-based detection of Brugia malayi, Brugia timori and Wuchereria bancrofti in mosquito vectors. Most commonly, extraction of DNA from mosquitoes is performed using silica column-based technologies. However, such extractions are both time consuming and costly, and the diagnostic testing which follows typically requires expensive thermal cyclers or real-time PCR instruments. These expenses present significant challenges for laboratories in many endemic areas. Accordingly, in such locations, there exists a need for inexpensive, equipment-minimizing diagnostic options that can be transported to the field and implemented in minimal resource settings. Here we present a novel diagnostic approach for molecular xenomonitoring of filarial parasites in mosquitoes that uses a rapid, NaOH-based DNA extraction methodology coupled with a portable, battery powered PCR platform and a test strip-based DNA detection assay. While the research reported here serves as a proof-of-concept for the backpack PCR methodology for the detection of filarial parasites in mosquitoes, the platform should be easily adaptable to the detection of W. bancrofti and other mosquito-transmitted pathogens. Methodology/Principal findings Through comparisons with standard silica column-based DNA extraction techniques, we evaluated the performance of a rapid, NaOH-based methodology for the extraction of total DNA from pools of parasite-spiked vector mosquitoes. We also compared our novel test strip-based detection assay to real-time PCR and conventional PCR coupled with gel electrophoresis, and demonstrated that this method provides sensitive and genus-specific detection of parasite DNA from extracted mosquito pools. Finally, by comparing laboratory-based thermal cycling with a field-friendly miniaturized PCR approach, we have demonstrated the potential for the point-of-collection-based use of this entire diagnostic platform that is compact enough to fit into a small backpack. Conclusions/Significance Because this point-of-collection diagnostic platform eliminates reliance on expensive and bulky instrumentation without compromising sensitivity or specificity of detection, it provides an alternative to cost-prohibitive column-dependent DNA extractions that are typically coupled to detection methodologies requiring advanced laboratory infrastructure. In doing so, this field-ready system should increase the feasibility of molecular xenomonitoring within B. malayi-endemic locations. Of greater importance, this backpack PCR system also provides the proof-of-concept framework for the development of a parallel assay for the detection of W. bancrofti.
THE MYTH (& SOME MYTHS) OF TEACHING AMERICAN CULTURE

In this paper, the author opens by noting how culture influences out attitudes, emotions, beliefs, and values in pervasive ways. She then asks how and why myths and generalizations emerge about the culture of various nation-states, regions, or even specific cocultures within these nations and regions. The simple answer is we form generalizations and develop myths to create comprehensible frameworks of comparison regarding the systems of values and beliefs held, and the codes of conduct followed by the majority of the people whose language we teach or study. We seek to create these frameworks to interconnect the teaching of culture and language, for usually language is taught as a system in (and of) itself, with its rules, exceptions, right answers and wrong answers. If culture is taught, it is usually infused into the language class in one of four common approaches. The author cites these four common approaches to teaching culture: (1) the Frankenstein Approach, (2) the 4-F Approach, (3) the Tour-Guide Approach, and (4) the “By-The-Way” Approach); she warns of the inherent risk involved in adopting any or all of these facile approaches, that risk being the creation and promulgation of cultural generalizations (even “myths”) that need tempering, and eventually revising. Referencing myths can make the teaching of culture easier, but it can create problems when reality enters the scene. As an example, the author delves into a number of myths promulgated about Americans university culture; these myths constitute sweeping generalizations that demand more greater and greater refinement and “reality checks.” The author ends with noting that “American culture” is a moving target that needs to be viewed as an evolving entity that will continue to evolve and change as geopolitical, national, and regional events surface and cause continuous change in that moving target, American cultures. Keywords: myths, approaches to teaching culture; American cultures.
The association of anxiety and depression with mortality risk among patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma undergoing nephrectomy.

617Background: Anxiety and depression are psychosocial factors which have been demonstrated to have mixed interactions with mortality across various malignancies. While these variables have been as...
East meets west in psychiatry: Yoga as an adjunct therapy for management of anxiety.

Abstract Purpose Provide yoga for coping and symptom management in a locked, adult inpatient psychiatric unit. Design Hatha yoga was offered to inpatients with mood disorders and/or psychosis 3 times per week in this evidence-based practice change project. Impact on sleep was examined using recorded sleep hours. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using 6 of the 7 symptoms recorded on the Generalized Anxiety Disorders (GAD) 7. Sustainability of benefits was examined. A self-assessment was conducted at discharge to determine acquisition of new coping skills. Results No difference in sleep hours or interruptions was noted. A statistically significant increase in the total anxiety scores (z = −1.9815, p = 0.02385) and sustainability of benefits (z = −2.0894, p = 0.03662) between the first and second yoga class were observed. A positive change from baseline in sustainability of symptoms for “less anxiety” (k = 0.108) and “more relaxed” (k = 0.083) was found. There was a significant increase in utilization of yoga (p = 0.0015) and meditation (p = 0.013) as coping mechanisms at discharge. Conclusions Adults in an acute inpatient psychiatric unit who participated in yoga practice identified yoga and meditation as newly-acquired coping mechanisms and reported significant improvement in anxiety symptoms with sustained benefits ranging from half day to full day.
Electrostatic lateral interactions drive ESCRT-III heteropolymer assembly

Self-assembly of ESCRT-III complex is a critical step in all ESCRT-dependent events. ESCRT-III hetero-polymers adopt variable architectures, but the mechanisms of inter-subunit recognition in these hetero-polymers to create flexible architectures remain unclear. We demonstrate in vivo and in vitro that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ESCRT-III subunit Snf7 uses a conserved acidic helix to recruit its partner Vps24. Charge-inversion mutations in this helix inhibit Snf7-Vps24 lateral interactions in the polymer, while rebalancing the charges rescues the functional defects. These data suggest that Snf7-Vps24 assembly occurs through electrostatic interactions on one surface, rather than through residue-to-residue specificity. We propose a model in which these cooperative electrostatic interactions in the polymer propagate to allow for specific inter-subunit recognition, while sliding of laterally interacting polymers enable changes in architecture at distinct stages of vesicle biogenesis. Our data suggest a mechanism by which interaction specificity and polymer flexibility can be coupled in membrane-remodeling heteropolymeric assemblies.
Increasing returns to scale in energy-intensive sectors and its implications on climate change modeling

Abstract Increasing returns to scale (IRS) phenomena are widely present in economies, and integrated assessment models (IAMs) for climate change generally assume constant returns to scale (CRS). This paper studies the connection between IRS in energy-intensive sectors and the regions' attitude towards climate change. In a model of detrimental (negative) externality, we proved that if some agents' activities related to externality generation exhibit IRS, their optimal target in the efficient externality provision can be very close to their inefficient non-cooperative Cournot-Nash equilibrium position. The numerical simulations in this paper confirm the analytical conclusion. The analytical results point out the potential biases of IAMs under the CRS assumption and provide a better explanation of difficulties in international climate negotiations. Finally, the paper offers some policy suggestions on climate negotiation in the presence of IRS.
Correction: Click and photo-release dual-functional nucleic acid nanostructures

Correction for 'Click and photo-release dual-functional nucleic acid nanostructures' by Vibhav A. Valsangkar et al., Chem. Commun., 2019, DOI: 10.1039/c9cc03806j.
Reverse Bohlman technique for treatment of high-grade spondylolisthesis in an adult population.

Abstract Background/aims Surgical techniques for treatment of high-grade spondylolisthesis (HGS) remain controversial. This study aims to evaluate both radiographic and clinical outcomes in patients with HGS treated with the “modified Bohlman” and Reverse Bohlman technique. Methods Review of consecutive HGS patients undergoing modified Bohlman and Reverse Bohlman at a single center from 2006 to 2018. Clinical, surgical, and radiographic data were collected. Results Six patients identified in the modified Bohlman treatment arm: and eight patients in the Reverse Bohlman group. Twelve (12) patients presented with high grade congenital spondylolisthesis at L5-S1; one patient presented with dissolution of the L5 vertebral body secondary to uncontrolled osteomyelitis that developed after a previous failed fusion; and one patient presented with iatrogenic L5-S1 spondylolisthesis after a previous L3-S1 fusion. One patient had medially placement pedicle screw and associated radiculopathy. All follow-up post = operative scans demonstrated solid fusion. Postoperatively, anterolisthesis improved from 18.3% to 10.1% (p = .0586) and the slip angle improved from 60.43° of kyphosis to 48.71° (p = .0139). No spondylolisthesis translational reduction maneuvers were attempted intraoperatively except for positioning on a sacral cushion to increase lordotic angle. Lumbar lordosis improved from 65.29 to 63.86 postoperatively. Four of our fourteen patients had long-term median follow-up of 28 months (range = 19–48 months) slip angle, percentage, and lumbar lordosis all improved from the patient’s pre-operative measurements. The improvement in slip angle was nearly statistically significant with a p-value of 0.065. Conclusions Reverse Bohlman technique for high grade spondylolisthesis is a viable option when seeking to address adjacent level instability or slip.
Artificial Intelligence Empowered Cyber Threat Detection and Protection for Power Utilities

Cyber threats have increased extensively during the last decade, especially in smart grids. Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated. Current security controls are not enough to defend networks from the number of highly skilled cybercriminals. Cybercriminals have learned how to evade the most sophisticated tools, such as Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS), and Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is almost invisible to current tools. Fortunately, the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) may increase the detection rate of IDPS systems, and Machine Learning (ML) techniques can mine data to detect different attack stages of APT. However, the implementation of AI may bring other risks, and cybersecurity experts need to find a balance between risk and benefits.
Broadband Ultrafast Dynamics of Refractory Metals: TiN and ZrN

Transition metal nitrides have recently gained attention in the fields of plasmonics, plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis, photothermal applications, and nonlinear optics because of their suitable optical properties, refractory nature, and large laser damage thresholds. This work reports comparative studies of the transient response of films of titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, and Au under femtosecond excitation. Broadband transient optical characterization helps to adjudicate earlier, somewhat inconsistent reports regarding hot electron lifetimes based upon single wavelength measurements. These pump-probe experiments show sub-picosecond transient dynamics only within the epsilon-near-zero window of the refractory metals. The dynamics are dominated by photoinduced interband transitions resulting from ultrafast electron energy redistribution. The enhanced reflection modulation in the epsilon-near-zero window makes it possible to observe the ultrafast optical response of these films at low pump fluences. These results indicate that electron-phonon coupling in TiN and ZrN is 25-100 times greater than in Au. Strong electron-phonon coupling drives the sub-picosecond optical response and facilitates greater lattice heating compared to Au, making TiN and ZrN promising for photothermal applications. The spectral response and dynamics of TiN and ZrN are only weakly sensitive to pump fluence and pump excitation energy. However, the magnitude of the response is much greater at higher pump photon energies and higher fluences, reaching peak observed values of 15 % in TiN and 50 % in ZrN in the epsilon-near-zero window.
Intervening with youth

Abstract Social skills are essential for youth well-being. Impaired social functioning, due to either acquisition or performance-based skill deficits, is associated with a range of social and emotional problems in childhood and adolescence. This chapter provides an overview of social skill training (SST) interventions designed for youth. The chapter identifies the core target skills, describes training components, and reviews several variations and implementation considerations based on the type and severity of skills deficits or other important child characteristics. A broad review of the evidence base for SST is provided, followed by examples of empirically supported intervention programs for specific populations, including youth with autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays and intellectual disabilities, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, social anxiety disorder, depression, and conduct problems and aggression.
UTX/KDM6A suppresses AP-1 and a gliogenesis program during neural differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells.

UTX/KDM6A is known to interact and influence multiple different chromatin modifiers to promote an open chromatin environment to facilitate gene activation, but its molecular activities in developmental gene regulation remain unclear. We report that in human neural stem cells, UTX binding correlates with both promotion and suppression of gene expression. These activities enable UTX to modulate neural stem cell self-renewal, promote neurogenesis, and suppress gliogenesis. In neural stem cells, UTX has a less influence over histone H3 lysine 27 and lysine 4 methylation but more predominantly affects histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation and chromatin accessibility. Furthermore, UTX suppresses components of AP-1 and, in turn, a gliogenesis program. Our findings revealed that UTX coordinates dualistic gene regulation to govern neural stem cell properties and neurogenesis–gliogenesis switch.
Clinical presentation, MRI and clinical outcome scores do not accurately predict an important meniscal tear in a symptomatic discoid meniscus

Discoid menisci can be symptomatic from instability or a tear. A torn discoid meniscus is likely to require repair to preserve meniscal function and should not be missed. This is the first study to evaluate a range of pre-operative methods to predict the likelihood of a torn discoid meniscus. A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was performed. Clinical, radiographic and operative data were reviewed. Patients were grouped based on the presence of a tear or not during surgery. All patients underwent MRI scans pre-operatively which were validated with arthroscopy findings to calculate sensitivity. All patients completed Pedi-KOOS and Pedi-IKDC pre-operative scores. There were 32 discoid menisci in 27 patients. Mean age at surgery was 10.4 years (6–16). Nineteen patients were female. Seventeen menisci were identified as torn at time of arthroscopy (53%), 15 were unstable but not torn. Clinical findings did not differentiate between the torn or unstable menisci. MRI was only 75% sensitive and 50% specific at identifying a torn discoid meniscus. There was no statistical difference between KOOS-child (n.s.) and Pedi-IKDC (n.s.) scores between the groups. MRI is neither sensitive nor specific at identifying tears in discoid menisci. There is no difference in pre-operative outcome scores for patients with a torn or unstable discoid meniscus; pre-operative PROMs are a poor predictor of a meniscal tear. This study emphasises that pre-operative tests and clinical findings are not conclusive for identifying a meniscal tear and the operating surgeon should be vigilant in identifying and repairing tears at the time of surgery. Pre-operative findings poorly correlate to arthroscopic findings and potential surgical interventions required. Patients and parents/carers should, therefore, be appropriately counselled prior to surgery that post-operative measures are dependent on intra-operative findings and not pre-operative findings in patients. III.
Biosynthesis of d-glycero-l-gluco-Heptose in the Capsular Polysaccharides of Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of food poisoning in the United States and Europe. The exterior cell surface of C. jejuni is coated with a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) that is essential for the maintenance and integrity of the bacterial cell wall and evasion of the host immune response. The identity and sequences of the monosaccharide components of the CPS are quite variable and dependent on the specific strain of C. jejuni. It is currently thought that the immediate precursor for the multiple variations found in the heptose moieties of the C. jejuni CPS is GDP-d-glycero-α-d-manno-heptose. In C. jejuni NCTC 11168, the heptose moiety is d-glycero-l-gluco-heptose. It has previously been shown that Cj1427 catalyzes the oxidation of GDP-d-glycero-α-d-manno-heptose to GDP-d-glycero-4-keto-α-d-lyxo-heptose using α-ketoglutarate as a cosubstrate. Cj1430 was now demonstrated to catalyze the double epimerization of this product at C3 and C5 to form GDP-d-glycero-4-keto-β-l-xylo-heptose. Cj1428 subsequently catalyzes the stereospecific reduction of this GDP-linked heptose by NADPH to form GDP-d-glycero-β-l-gluco-heptose. The three-dimensional crystal structure of Cj1430 was determined to a resolution of 1.85 A in the presence of bound GDP-d-glycero-β-l-gluco-heptose, a product analogue. The structure shows that it belongs to the cupin superfamily. The three-dimensional crystal structure of Cj1428 was solved in the presence of NADPH to a resolution of 1.50 A. Its fold places it into the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily. Typically, members in this family display a characteristic signature sequence of YXXXK, with the conserved tyrosine serving a key role in catalysis. In Cj1428, this residue is a phenylalanine.
A novel approach for software reliability analysis of digital instrumentation and control systems in nuclear power plants

Abstract This work presents a novel, integrated approach to the reliability analysis of digital instrumentation and control systems by incorporating Bayesian belief network (BBN), human reliability analysis (HRA), and common cause failure (CCF) modeling techniques. The Bayesian and HRA-Aided Method for the Reliability Analysis of Software (BAHAMAS) provides consideration of software development life cycle (SDLC) processes and their influence on software reliability. It is assumed that software failures can be traced to human errors in the SDLC, which can be modeled with HRA methods. Additionally, a system’s reliability can be predicted based on how its SDLC quality compares with existing similar systems. A case study demonstrates the quantification of results from a hazard analysis of a digital reactor trip system. The case study shows agreement with values reported in the literature. BAHAMAS is shown to be a flexible tool whose application is designed to conveniently incorporate with conventional probability risk assessments.
Interdisciplinary Collaborative Learning as an Alternate to In-person Laboratory Experiences for Exercise Science and Biology Undergraduate Students

The COVID-19 pandemic caused major challenges to in-person undergraduate laboratory experiences, forcing instructors to find new methods for content delivery and skills development. A spring 2020 collaborative project examining maximal oxygen consumption, lactate threshold, and effects of caffeine consumption on maximal exercise performance paired Exercise Physiology students with Human Anatomy and Physiology (A 9 laboratory sections) were divided into 31 groups of 4-5 students, with 1-3 groups assigned to each Consultant. Groups were intentionally structured to include a diversity of majors and GPAs. Students were provided with data collected in previous years. Consultants met with each group at least 3 times, serving as expert advisors to help A&P students: 1) understand VO2max and lactate threshold physiology, 2) understand VO2max and lactate threshold testing procedures, 3) develop a research question with appropriately-designed data comparisons and statistical tests, 4) analyze data from two conditions (caffeine and no caffeine), and 5) create appropriate figures, analyze results, and form conclusions based on data. The project successfully replaced a hands-on lab experience due to the Consultants? prior experience conducting and analyzing data from maximal exercise tests, as well as developing research questions based on maximal exercise testing. Consultants provided A&P students with an additional resource for success and helped instructors manage their workload during the transition to emergency online instruction. A&P students indicated the project was generally successful, although they would have preferred in-person data collection experience and more direct supervision from instructors. Consultants indicated their previous experience with protocols and content was helpful, and teaching peers reinforced their understanding. Challenges included relative timing of instruction on fundamentals of exercise testing vs. data availability, scheduling conflicts, and the sudden move to remote learning. Interdepartmental collaborative projects that pair students with prior in-person data collection experience as Consultants for peers may provide a useful alternative to in-person labs because they reinforce Consultant understanding of procedures and data analysis, build peer understanding of procedures and data analysis, and manage instructor workload.
Mitochondrial interactome quantitation reveals structural changes in metabolic machinery in failing murine heart

Advancements of cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) for structural analysis of proteins bridges the gap between purified systems and native tissue environments. Here, isobaric quantitative protein interaction reporter technology (iqPIR) was utilized to further extend XL-MS to the first system-wide comparative study of mitochondrial proteins from healthy and diseased murine hearts. The failing heart interactome includes 602 statistically significant cross-linked peptide pairs altered in the disease condition. Structural insight into ketone oxidation metabolons, OXPHOS machinery, and nucleotide transporter hybrid-conformations, support mitochondrial remodeling in failing heart while bringing forth new hypotheses for pathological mechanisms. Application of quantitative cross-linking technology in tissue provides molecular-level insight to complex biological systems difficult to model in cell culture, thus providing a valuable resource for study of human diseases.
Algebraic invariants of weighted oriented graphs

Let $$\mathcal {D}$$ be a weighted oriented graph and let $$I(\mathcal {D})$$ be its edge ideal in a polynomial ring R. We give the formula of Castelnuovo–Mumford regularity of $$R/I(\mathcal {D})$$ when $$\mathcal {D}$$ is a weighted oriented path or cycle such that edges of $$\mathcal {D}$$ are oriented in one direction. Additionally, we compute the projective dimension for this class of graphs.
The Earth is a Sphere and Rotates

The circulation of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans would be very simple, and straightforward if it were not for the planet’s shape and rotation. That revolutionary idea that the Earth was essentially a rotating sphere did not appear until the sixteenth century CE. Earlier ideas had been that the Earth was flat surrounded by a dome or spheres that held the Sun, Moon, the known planets, and stars. Later it was more generally recognized that the Earth was a globe, surrounded by those spheres. The origins of many of these ideas are lost in the depths of time, but here are some of the highlights.
Wind-Us User's Guide, Version 2.0

Wind-US is a computational platform which may be used to numerically solve various sets of equations governing physical phenomena. Currently, the code supports the solution of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations of fluid mechanics, along with supporting equation sets governing turbulent and chemically reacting flows. Wind-US is a product of the NPARC Alliance, a partnership between the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) dedicated to the establishment of a national, applications-oriented flow simulation capability. The Boeing Company has also been closely associated with the Alliance since its inception, and represents the interests of the NPARC User's Association. The "Wind-US User's Guide" describes the operation and use of Wind-US, including: a basic tutorial; the physical and numerical models that are used; the boundary conditions; monitoring convergence; the files that are read and/or written; parallel execution; and a complete list of input keywords and test options.
Growth Inhibition of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata by Methylmercury Acetate

Growth of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata was inhibited in a bacteriostatic manner by as little as 10-minus 8 M methylmercury acetate (MeHgAc) in unsupplemented synthetic liquid medium or when cells were exposed to 8.0 nm of MeHgAc per mg of cell protein in a single exposure.
A Trust-Based Access Control Model for Pervasive Computing Applications

With the rapid growth in wireless networks and sensor and mobile devices, we are moving towards an era of pervasive computing. Access control is challenging in these environments. In this work, we propose a trust based approach for access control for pervasive computing systems. Our previously proposed belief based trust model is used to evaluate the trustworthiness of users. Fine-grained access control is achieved depending on the trust levels of users. We develop a class of trust-based access control models having very formal semantics, expressed in graph theory. The models differ with respect to the features they provide, and the types of the trust constraints that they can support.