cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The microflora of the human ileum and intrabdominal colon: results of direct needle aspiration at surgery and evaluation of the technique.

Abstract The microflora of the terminal ileum, cecum, and transverse colon was defined in 10 patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy by direct needle aspiration of the bowel; the results were compared with the microbial counts in the feces. Facultative bacteria and obligate anaerobes were generally 2 to 4 logs more frequent in the feces than in the intra-abdominal colon. The microbial counts in the transverse colon and cecum were similar. The terminal ileum harbored a relatively sparse flora, contrasting with the large concentrations of microorganisms on the other side of the ileocecal valve. Studies in dogs revealed that the needle aspiration technique could obtain reproducible samples for bacteriologic study that differed by less than 1 log from direct intraluminal specimens. The addition of nonabsorbable markers to the diluting fluid used for aspirating bowel contents somewhat increased the accuracy of the method.
The Council and the Court: Law and Politics in the Rise of the International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court is the most significant development in international justice of the 21st century. The UN Security Council is the most powerful institution in the international legal order. This review essay explores the complex and often contentious relationship between these two bodies via an examination of David Bosco’s excellent recent book, Rough Justice: The International Criminal Court in a World of Power Politics (Oxford 2014). The ICC has over 120 member states, but only two permanent members of the Security Council. We explain the uneven and unusual evolution of the relationship between law and politics with regard to the ICC, and we explore the difficult balance struck between the imperatives of justice on the one hand and, in Bosco’s words, “a turbulent world where power matters” on the other. We describe and analyze how the Council has used — and ignored — the Court when it decides to. Finally, we conclude with some concrete and implementable recommendations for a stronger Council-Court relationship.
Penfield Library Electronic Reserves Initiative: A Primer for Electronic Reserves Service

Abstract The State University of New York College at Oswego's Electronic reserve program has been established as a successful highly popular service offered to the university community. The following article chronicles the birth pangs of the service and provides an example of a Docutek supported Electronic reserve service implementation and first year operation.
Abstract 3081: Crosstalk between Runx2 regulatory network and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in breast cancer cells

The Runt-related transcription factor Runx2 is essential for skeletal development but is also aberrantly expressed in several cancers (e.g., breast, prostate and osteosarcoma) where it promotes cell migration, invasive and growth properties of cancer cells. The phosphatidylinositol 3′ kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway is linked to Runx2-dependent skeletogenesis, however, the mechanisms of Runx2 role in PI3K-Akt signaling in breast cancers, and its implication in cancer progression remains under investigated. To mechanistically determine the function of Runx2 in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced PI3K/Akt signaling and concomitantly ensuing downstream signaling events, we modulated Runx2 expression levels in immortalized normal MCF-10A and invasive MDA-MB-231 cells via lentiviral vector-mediated gene delivery. The Runx2 over-expression in EGF-stimulated MCF-10A cells increased the cellular response towards PI3K inhibitor LY294002 as indicated by a decline in Akt (Serine 473) phosphorylation (pAkt) levels. This effect could be restored by Runx2 suppression indicating the specificity of Runx2 function in Akt regulation. In MDA-MB-231 cells, Runx2 over-expression and, surprisingly, suppression profoundly inhibited pAkt suggesting that a threshold level of Runx2 is required for phosphorylation of Akt. The Runx2-mediated decline in pAkt was completely reversed by the Runx2-DNA binding mutant over-expression indicating that Runx2 DNA binding domain is essential for Akt inhibition. To further dissect the mechanism of Runx2-mediated regulation of pAkt levels in MDA-MB-231 cells, we examined the protein levels of phosphatases and kinases associated with PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These analyses revealed that PH domain and leucine rich repeat protein phosphatase 1 (PHLPP1) levels were directly responsive to Runx2. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies showed Runx2 recruitment on the proximal promoter of PHLPP1 suggesting that Runx2 mediates its effect on Akt activity, in part by regulating PHLPP1 expression. Furthermore, Runx2 overexpression increased nuclear translocation of a forkhead box transcription factor FoxO1, a downstream molecule of PI3K/Akt signaling indicating an indirect Runx2 affect on FoxO1 transcriptional activity in MDA-MB-231 cells as examined by western blot analysis and immunofluorescence studies. Together, our results identified clinically relevant and novel mechanisms of Runx2 regulatory network in PI3K/Akt signaling pathway that could have important consequences in targeting breast cancer-associated cell survival and invasive properties. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3081. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3081
Autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control of Large Parafoils

** Under the Joint Precision Airdrop System program, a Draper Laboratory autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) software package that enables precision payload airdrop delivery using large parafoils has been developed in prototype form and succe ssfully flight tested. The modular software design is structured to accommodate parafoil airdrop systems for payloads ranging from under 2,000 lb to over 30,000 lb. The initial GN&C software implementation has been demonstrated on the Para -Flite Dragonfl y 10,000 lb -class parafoil using an Airborne Guidance Unit (AGU) provided by Wamore, Inc. and an avionics package provided by RoboTek. Among the primary avionics selection criteria was low component cost, resulting in use of a processor with very limited data throughput capability. To accommodate the processor limits, the Guidance algorithm includes table driven trajectory data that guides the parafoil through precision final -descent maneuvers while imposing very limited processor throughput burden. The GN&C algorithms and associated mission planning software have also been incorporated into the Precision Airdrop System laptop personal computer. This accommodates easy, in the field, ground loading of the GN&C software onto the AGU and enables PADS update s of the airdrop system mission files during flight of the carrier aircraft to the airdrop release point. The details of the GN&C design and flight test results to date are discussed.
On Combining the Hyperviscosity and Immersed-Boundary Methods

The combination of the hyperviscosity method with the immersed-boundary method is explored. It was found necessary to apply a second-order filter to the conserved variables at the grid points in the solid domain for stability. Initial results for oneand two-dimensional compressible flow problems are reported. For shock waves reflected from solid walls, the isobaric fix treatment is combined with immersed-boundary method. the combined method gives good overall results for the shock-wave diffraction around a cylinder.
Diagnostic performance of major depression disorder case-finding instruments used among mothers of young children in the United States: A systematic review

Abstract Introduction Growing recognition of the interrelated negative outcomes associated with major depression disorder (MDD) among mothers and their children has led to renewed public health interest in the early identification and treatment of maternal MDD. Healthcare providers, however, remain unsure of the validity of existing case-finding instruments. We conducted a systematic review to identify the most valid maternal MDD case-finding instrument used in the United States. Methods We identified articles reporting the sensitivity and specificity of MDD case-finding instruments based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) by systematically searching through three electronic bibliographic databases, PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE, from 1994 to 2014. Study eligibility and quality were evaluated using the Standards for the Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy studies and Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies guidelines respectively. Results Overall, we retrieved 996 unduplicated articles and selected 74 for full-text review. Of these, 14 articles examining 21 different instruments were included in the systematic review. The 10 item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Postpartum Depression Screening Scale had the most stable (lowest variation) and highest diagnostic performance during the antepartum and postpartum periods (sensitivity range: 0.63–0.94 and 0.67–0.95; specificity range: 0.83–0.98 and 0.68–0.97 respectively). Greater variation in diagnostic performance was observed among studies with higher MDD prevalence. Limitation Factors that explain greater variation in instrument diagnostic performance in study populations with higher MDD prevalence were not examined. Discussion Findings suggest that the diagnostic performance of maternal MDD case-finding instruments is peripartum period-specific.
A Method for Determination of Exogenous Total Sugar in Dried Sea Cucumber

An analytical method was established for identifying exogenous sugar in dried sea cucumber.An easy and feasible method was applied to extract total sugar from dried sea cucumber,and then the total sugar was determined to discriminate if exogenous sugar was added.In the present study,the optimal concentration of extraction solvent,extraction time,temperature,and solid-liquid ratio were explored.The results showed that the optimal conditions for extracting sugar from dried sea cucumber were determined as extraction at 40 ℃ for 60 min with shaking using 80% ethanol as the extraction at a solid/solvent ratio of 1:50(g/mL).Phenol-sulfuric acid method was used to measure the extracted exogenous total sugar.The linear range of this method was 0–80 mg/L.The tested sample had good stability within 1 h and the precision of the method met the analytical requirements with RSD less than 2%.Average recoveries from spiked samples of unsalted and salted dried sea cucumber ranged from 82.97% to 98.68%,with standard deviation between 1.38% and 3.45%.This method is simple,stable and precise,and can be used to identify exogenous sugar in dried sea cucumber without affecting endogenous polysaccharides.
The effects of peer relational victimization on social cognition: Rejection attribution bias or a more generalized sensitivity to social pain?

This study tested two possible ways that being relationally victimized may affect social cognition. Victims may develop a rejection attribution bias (i.e., experiencing social pain by engaging in cue distortion and attributing ambiguous social behavior to intentional rejection). Conversely, victims may develop a more generalized sensitivity to social pain, wherein they react negatively to a wider spectrum of social situations—even those in which they are obviously included and excluded). Participants (males = 55, females = 134) completed online surveys containing demographic, personality, and peer victimization measures. In a later session, participants came to the lab and were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: overt exclusion, ambiguous nonexclusion, and overt inclusion as part of an online ball-tossing game (Cyberball). The participants then completed self-report measures regarding their mood and experiences during the game. The results provided more support for the theoretical model that vi...
Concussions and risk within cultural contexts of play

Concussions are a type of traumatic injury caused by a jolting of the brain that disrupts normal brain function, and multiple concussions can lead to serious long-term health consequences. In this article, we examine the relationship between college students' understanding of concussions and their willingness to continue playing despite the possibility of sustaining multiple head injuries. We use a mixed-methods approach that includes participant observation, cultural domain analysis, and structured interviews. Our research finds that students hold a robust cognitive understanding of concussion yet discursively frame concussions as skeletomuscular injuries. More importantly, students affirm the importance of playing sports for themselves and others, so their decisions to risk multiple concussions must be understood within cultural and biocultural contexts of meaningful social play. We suggest that peoples' decision to risk multiple head injuries should be understood as a desire for meaningful social play rather than an uninformed health risk.
AGROBACTERIUM TUMEFACIENS-MEDIATED WHEAT TRANSFORMATION

An efficient and reproducible Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated system for wheat transformation was developed and genetically transformed wheat plants were produced using precultured immature embryos as the expiant. The embryos were inoculated with a disarmed A. tumefaciens strain C58C1 carrying a binary vector pPTN115 coding for the β-glucuronidase gene (GUS), and a selectable marker, the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene (NPT II). A. tumefaciens cell density (OD660 = 0.6) for inoculation was found to be crucial. Two hours of inoculation period and co-cultivation for 48 h was favorable for the regeneration of transgenic plants. The transformation efficiency was comparable to that obtained by microprojectile bombardment method used routinely for wheat transformation. Stable integration, expression and inheritance of transgenes were demonstrated by molecular and genetic analysis of transformants. Both marker genes, gus and nptII, were expressed and co-segregated in the T1 progeny plants. In the majority of cases, the genes showed Mendelian segregation predicted for transgene insertion at a single locus.
Detection of histidine-rich glycoprotein and fibrinogen with nickel-enzyme conjugates: Purification of rabbit HRG

Nickel-bound alkaline phosphatase and peroxidase enzymes were used to investigate nickel binding to plasma proteins. Rabbit plasma dilutions to 25,000 were positive by ELISA, while Western blot analysis showed a prominent reaction with histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG)1 and lower reaction with fibrinogen (Fgn). To confirm their identities, purified HRG and Fgn were demonstrated to react with the nickel-bound enzymes by Western analysis. With disulfide bonds reduced, HRG and Fgn α-chain reactions were demonstrated. HRG reactions were shown in other species, including human, bovine, chicken and guinea pig, demonstrating general applicability of the detection method. To enhance the purification of rabbit HRG, ammonium sulfate fractionation, immobilized metal ion chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography were optimized. Purified HRG contained trace components larger than HRG that reacted with nickel-enzymes and also with an antibody to HRG by Western analysis, confirming the trace components are related to HRG. These results demonstrate the utility of nickel-enzymes together with antibodies to detect HRG.
Therapeutic blockade of CD54 attenuates pulmonary barrier damage in T cell-induced acute lung injury

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a serious, often fatal condition without available pharmacotherapy. Although the role of innate cells in ARDS has been studied extensively, emerging ev...
Pride or prejudice?: Racial prejudice, southern heritage, and white support for the confederate battle flag

Debates about the meaning of Southern symbols such as the Confederate battle emblem are sweeping the nation. These debates typically revolve around the question of whether such symbols represent “heritage or hatred:” racially innocuous Southern pride or White prejudice against Blacks. In order to assess these competing claims, we first examine the historical reintroduction of the Confederate flag in the Deep South in the 1950s and 1960s; next, we analyze three survey datasets, including one nationally representative dataset and two probability samples of White Georgians and White South Carolinians, in order to build and assess a stronger theoretical account of the racial motivations underlying such symbols than currently exists. While our findings yield strong support for the hypothesis that prejudice against Blacks bolsters White support for Southern symbols, support for the Southern heritage hypothesis is decidedly mixed. Despite widespread denials that Southern symbols reflect racism, racial prejudice is strongly associated with support for such symbols.
Copper-doped lithium triborate (LiB3O5) crystals: A photoluminescence, thermoluminescence, and electron paramagnetic resonance study

Abstract When doped with copper ions, lithium borate materials are candidates for use in radiation dosimeters. Copper-doped lithium tetraborate (Li2B4O7) crystals have been widely studied, but little is known thus far about copper ions in lithium triborate (LiB3O5) crystals. In the present investigation, Cu+ ions (3d10) were diffused into an undoped LiB3O5 crystal at high temperature. These ions occupy both Li+ and interstitial positions in the crystal. A photoluminescence (PL) band peaking near 387 nm and a photoluminescence excitation (PLE) band peaking near 273 nm verify that a portion of these Cu+ ions are located at regular Li+ sites. After an irradiation at room temperature with x rays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra show that Cu+ ions at Li+ sites have trapped a hole and converted to Cu2+ ions (3d9) while Cu+ ions at interstitial sites have trapped an electron and converted to Cu0 atoms (3d104s1). Two distinct Cu2+ trapped-hole spectra are formed by the x rays: one due to isolated Cu2+ ions with no nearby defects and the other due to perturbed Cu2+ ions. When the x-ray-irradiated crystal is heated above room temperature, a thermoluminescence (TL) peak appears at 120 °C with a maximum in the emitted light near 630 nm. EPR shows that this TL peak occurs when trapped electrons are thermally released from interstitial Cu0 atoms. Thermal quenching above room temperature prevents the electron-hole recombination at Cu2+ ions from contributing to the TL emission.
Distributed processing across gravitational wave detector streams to determine wave orientation

A method to determine the orientation and speed of a gravitational wave is described based on a coordinate system that is oriented along the inter-detector unit vectors across a network of detectors that successively detected the wave in time. A set of normalized wave propagation constraints are determined for the successive wave traversal events through the detectors based on the time of arrival at the detectors, to estimate the orientation and speed of the wave. Distributed processing across detectors based on cross-correlation of detector streams is suggested to determine the difference in arrival times across detectors, and to determine the sequence of wave arrivals across a network of detectors. From the inter-arrival time information across detectors, the wave orientation and speed can be determined.
Impact of Clinical Guidelines on Revisits After Ambulatory Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy.

BACKGROUND:Pediatric adenotonsillectomies are common and carry known risks of potentially severe complications. Complications that require a revisit, to either the emergency department or hospital readmission, increase costs and may be tied to lower reimbursements by federal programs. In 2011 and 20
Performance of Parallel Loops using Alternative Cache Consistency Protocols on a Non-Bus Multiprocessor

In this paper we present the results of a preliminary study of the performance of parallel loops on a non-bus shared-memory multiprocessor. Parallel loops are defined to be “do” or “for” loops whose iterations are independent and can therefore be executed in parallel. These are potentially the greatest source of parallelism in a program and, therefore, it is important to demonstrate that this potential can be realized before exploring other sources of parallelism. The sources of inefficiency that can limit the parallelism are the mechanism for maintaining cache consistency and the algorithm that schedules the loops across the processors. As part of our study we examined the impact on parallel performance of two software and two hardware cache consistency techniques as well as three scheduling policies.
Issues in the Evaluation of Residential and Inpatient Treatment Programs

The funding of mental health services for children in the United States has undergone substantial modification in the 1980s. The emphasis of the current administration has been to reduce federal involvement in social services and to encourage the states to assume responsibility. As state legislatures and social service administrators have made decisions on the allocation of scarce funds, individual service providers have been required to demonstrate that their programs are accomplishing intended goals. Increasingly, funding requests have been accompanied by documentation that services are reaching the intended clients, that favorable outcomes have been experienced by these clients, and that cost-effective treatment practices have been followed.
Real-Time Mixed-Integer Optimization for Improved Economic Performance in HVAC Systems

Abstract Optimal operation of large-scale heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems requires many discrete-valued decisions. For example, in large heating and cooling plants, operators must choose which combination of equipment to activate to meet a given load. Such discrete decisions are typically made by operators using heuristics, which can lead to suboptimal performance. In this paper, we discuss how relevant HVAC decision problems can be transcribed into mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulations. We first present the general modeling framework we adopt, which is very similar to the resource task network framework adopted in chemical production scheduling. Second, we discuss a series of reformulations, including linearizations of complex unit models. Third, we present solution methods, including decomposition approaches and the employment of surrogate models to approximate the performance of the system over a long planning horizon. Finally, we demonstrate how the resulting optimization problems can be solved online in closed loop to improve system performance.
The Effects of Family-Friendly Policies and Workplace Social Support on Parenting Stress in Employed Mothers Working Nonstandard Hours

AbstractThis study examines whether family-friendly policies (childcare leave, on-site childcare, and flexible working hours) and workplace social support (supervisor and coworker support) in South...
The Scallina Grammar

In response to the challenges associated with a Coq-based extraction of readable and traceable Scala code, the Scallina project defines a grammar delimiting a common subset of Gallina and Scala along with an optimized translation strategy for programs conforming to the aforementioned grammar. The Scallina translator shows how these contributions can be transferred into a working prototype. A typical application features a user implementing a functional program in Gallina, the core language of Coq, proving this program’s correctness with regards to its specification and making use of Scallina to synthesize readable Scala components.
A Novel Sleep Stage Scoring System: Combining Expert-Based Rules with a Decision Tree Classifier

Overnight polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard tool used to characterize sleep and for diagnosing sleep disorders. PSG is a non-invasive procedure that collects various physiological data which is then scored by sleep specialists who assign a sleep stage to every 30-second window of the data according to predefined scoring rules. In this study, we aimed to automate the process of sleep stage scoring of overnight PSG data while adhering to expert-based rules. We developed an algorithm utilizing a likelihood ratio decision tree classifier and extracted features from EEG, EMG and EOG signals based on predefined rules of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Manual. Specifically, features were computed in 30-second epochs in the time and the frequency domains of the signals and used as inputs to the classifier which assigned each epoch to one of five possible stages: N3, N2, N1, REM or Wake. The algorithm was trained and tested on PSG data from 38 healthy individuals with no reported sleep disturbances. The overall scoring accuracy was 80.70% on the test set, which was comparable to the training set. Our results imply that the automatic classification is highly robust, fast, consistent with visual scoring and is highly interpretable.
Assessment of Skin Blood Flow Following Acute Intravenous Alcohol, and Association with Subjective Perceptions, in Social Drinkers.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to determine the effect of acute intravenous (IV) alcohol infusion on skin blood flow (SBF) response, measured at fingertip and earlobe, and subjective responses associated with SBF in social drinkers. METHODS Twenty-four social drinkers underwent a computer-assisted alcohol self-infusion study. SBF was measured continuously using laser Doppler flow meter, with the probe placed on the fingertip or earlobe. Perfusion recordings were collected at baseline, and at 0-minute (0 to 5 minutes), 10-minute (10 to 15 minutes), and 20-minute (20 to 25 minutes) time points during the priming phase of IV alcohol self-administration paradigm at low breath alcohol levels of approximately 30 mg%. Subjective response was measured using the Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) and Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale. RESULTS Overall SBF (collective data from both fingertip and earlobe) and SBF by each site showed significant drop at 0 minutes and then subsequent significant elevation with alcohol self-administration. Males showed higher overall SBF at baseline and 0 minutes than the females. At fingertip site, lowering in 0-minute SBF compared to baseline, and subsequent significant increase at the 10- and 20-minute SBF recordings were observed. DEQ measures of "like" and "want more" alcohol were significantly associated with 10- and 20-minute SBF recordings collected at fingertip site. CONCLUSIONS The changes in SBF following acute IV alcohol exposure are consistent with the sympathetic response of alcohol on the cardiovascular system. This acute hemodynamic effect characterizes differences in blood flow that are sensitive to relatively low levels of acute alcohol exposure. The association of subjective perceptions with the SBF response provides evidence of the psychophysiological effects of alcohol at low levels of exposure.
Evaluating the Accuracy of Mobile LiDAR for Mapping Airfield Infrastructure

Mobile wheel-based LiDAR systems are capable of collecting a dense, accurate point cloud efficiently. Such systems provide accurate geospatial information of a scene, and thus show great potential ...
Financial Stability and Monetary Policy

It is useful to distinguish between financial conditions and financial stability. Financial conditions reflect the cost of and access to funds of borrowers, households and businesses. Financial stability reflects the lack of significant financial vulnerabilities and resilience of the financial sector to shocks. Loose financial conditions for a long period of time can lead to a buildup of financial vulnerabilities that can have costly macro consequences. There also are times when the economy is recovering and the financial system is weak, and loose financial conditions support stable growth. I think the Fed could communicate that when they loosen monetary policy and financial conditions, it is to support growth and tighten the volatility of economic growth. At the same time, the Fed could communicate its thinking on whether the financial system is resilient enough that this loosening of conditions is not contributing to further vulnerabilities. For a risk management approach to conducting monetary policy, central banks need to think about more than expected growth, but also risk to that growth. Financial conditions tend to cause greater downside risks to growth than upside risks.
EDF (Erythroid Differentiation Factor = Activin A) Production in Recombinant CHO Cells

Serum-free growth and product formation by CHO/EDF (recombinant CHO cell line expressing human Erythroid Differentiation Factor=activin A)were studied. ASF-104, an autoclavable serum-free medium, was modified to give ASF-CHO, in which recombinant CHO cells showed the same growth kinetics as shown in serum supplemented medium. For evaluation of the feasibility of large-scale performance in this medium, cells were propagated in a microcarrier system and conventional suspension system. To achieve cell attachment to microcarriers without serum, pre-treatment of beads with fibronectin was found to be effective. For suspension culture, we also established useful one-step selection method to obtain anchorage-, and serum-independent sub-line of CHO/EDF. It was shown that subpopulation of the cell line could be divided into 2 groups, compact-type and diffuse-type colony forming clones. The latter clones were considered to be more adaptable to suspension culture. As ASF-CHO was found to support clonal growth of CHO cells in soft agar, an anchorage-, and serum-independent sub-clone, termed C11-5, was isolated by selecting a diffuse-type colony-forming clone in ASF-CHO soft agar. C11-5 showed the same growth rate and productivity in serum-free suspension culture as shown in serum-supplemented monolayer culture.
Welfare Maximization in Online Two-sided Marketplaces

Recent years have witnessed the rise of many successful e-commerce marketplace platforms like AirBnB, Uber/Lyft, and Upwork, where a central platform mediates economic transactions between buyers and sellers. Some common features that distinguish such marketplaces from more traditional marketplaces are search and discovery of the service providers which could result in asymmetric matching of services; sharing of a service by multiple users such as ride-sharing; and handling different preferences such as patience, desired level of service expressed by participating agents. In this talk, I will summarize our work on different welfare maximizing strategies arising out of the aforementioned scenarios.
Use of an Acellular Dermal Matrix Graft to Address a Contour Deformity in the Temporal Fossa: A Novel Application.

Cranioplasty of the frontotemporoparietal region is particularly challenging given the thin skin and musculature in this area, predisposing one to an increased risk of contour deformity and cosmetic dissatisfaction following surgery. Herein, we describe a 36-year-old male who initially presented with a gunshot wound (GSW) to the head and a right parietal skull fracture and underwent a revision of his cranioplasty procedure due to significant temporalis muscle atrophy, resulting in a sunken appearance of the right temporalis fossa following a craniectomy and multiple surgeries for hematoma evacuation. The patient underwent cranioplasty for definitive repair of his defect, and at follow-up, significant temporalis muscle atrophy resulted in a sunken appearance of the right temporalis fossa. A calcium phosphate bone substitute was used to fill the deformity, but dissolution and migration of the cement at follow-up necessitated a repeat cranioplasty procedure. Alloderm™ (Allergan Corp., Dublin, Ireland), an acellular dermal matrix derived from cadaveric skin, which has been previously used for dural repair, was successfully used in this study as a buffer between the skin and a cranioplasty implant to enhance cosmetic outcomes in a revision cranioplasty procedure following temporalis muscle atrophy.
Optimal Bounded-Collusion Secure Functional Encryption

We construct private-key and public-key functional encryption schemes in the bounded-key setting; that is, secure against adversaries that obtain an a-priori bounded number of functional keys (also known as the collusion bound).
Circular and question-begging responses to religious disagreement and debunking arguments

Disagreement and debunking arguments threaten religious belief. In this paper, I draw attention to two types of propositions and show how they reveal new ways to respond to debunking arguments and disagreement. The first type of proposition is the epistemically self-promoting proposition, which, when justifiedly believed, gives one a reason to think that one reliably believes it. Such a proposition plays a key role in my argument that some religious believers can permissibly wield an epistemically circular argument in response to certain debunking arguments. The second type of proposition is the epistemically others-demoting proposition, which, when justifiedly believed, gives one a reason to think that others are unreliable with respect to it. Such a proposition plays a key role in my argument that some religious believers can permissibly wield a question-begging argument to respond to certain types of disagreement.
Combinatorial phosphorylation modulates the structure and function of the G protein gamma subunit in yeast

Protein intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are often targets of combinatorial post-translational modifications (PTMs) that serve to regulate protein structure and/or function. Emerging evidence suggests that the N-terminal tails of G protein γ subunits − essential components of heterotrimeric G protein complexes − are intrinsically disordered, highly phosphorylated governors of G protein signaling. Here, we demonstrate that the yeast Gγ Ste18 undergoes combinatorial, multi-site phosphorylation within its N-terminal IDR. Phosphorylation at S7 is responsive to GPCR activation and osmotic stress while phosphorylation at S3 is responsive to glucose stress and is a quantitative indicator of intracellular pH. Each site is phosphorylated by a distinct set of kinases and both are also interactive, such that phosphomimicry at one site affects phosphorylation on the other. Lastly, we show that phosphorylation produces subtle yet clear changes in IDR structure and that different combinations of phosphorylation modulate the activation rate and amplitude of the scaffolded MAPK Fus3. These data place Gγ subunits among the growing list of intrinsically disordered proteins that exploit combinatorial post-translational modification to govern signaling pathway output.
La figura trágica de Moctezuma II en «Motezuma» (1784) de Bernardo María de Calzada y «Montezuma» (1755) de Federico el Grande y Carl Heinrich Graun

Hay multiples versiones dramaticas y musicales sobre Moctezuma II, el ultimo emperador de los aztecas. Me concentro aqui en dos que tratan a esta figura historica de forma tragica: la primera, una version dramatica de Bernardo Maria de Calzada, Motezuma (1784); la segunda, una version operatica, Montezuma (1755), de Federico II (el Grande), con musica de Carl Heinrich Graun. Estas dos versiones ofrecen cierta dignidad tragica a una figura enigmatica y generalmente malentendida.
Characterizing the Mobile Microtask Writing Process

The unique limitations of mobile environments make content creation and editing difficult. Microtasking—breaking down complex tasks into subtasks—requires shorter attention spans and quick interactions, making it suitable for mobile usage scenarios. Writing is an ideal process for mobile microtasking because of its many subgoals, but little is known about how writers can use this decomposition through the evolution of a document. In this paper we present findings from a controlled, week long study to characterize how writers use mobile microtasks while authoring a document. We found that writers created microtasks for editing and inserting information that generally required minimal writing. These tasks were especially well suited for mobile devices with writers completing tasks on commutes or while waiting for meetings. Writers who microtasked found it easy to interact with their document and complete tasks, writing and editing their document more overall compared to writers who instead edited their document directly on their phone.
A Formally Verified Plasma Vertical Position Control Algorithm.

Tokamak fusion reactors generate energy by using a magnetic control system to confine hot plasma in a toroidal chamber. In large reactors, incorrect implementation of plasma stabilization algorithms can result in significant physical damage to the reactor. This paper explains how a combination of formal verification and numerical simulation can be used to analyze the safety of a vertical stabilization algorithm of a tokamak fusion reactor.
Is Idiosyncratic Risk a Cost to Short-Sellers? Evidence from China

Examining the lift of the ban on short-sales in Chinese equity markets, I find that, consistent with Miller (1977), stocks that become eligible for short selling experience a decline in prices. More importantly, I find that within the first 15 days of short-selling, stocks with relatively higher idiosyncratic risk are associated with relatively less short-selling and relatively lower price declines. The documented trend in prices reverses over time so that stocks with relatively high idiosyncratic risk have lower abnormal returns after day 15. The main results are more pronounced when idiosyncratic risk is high and are robust to controls for dispersion of analyst opinions, market capitalization, and stock cross-listings. Overall, my findings prove empirical support for the idea proposed by Shleifer and Vishny (1997) that idiosyncratic risk deters arbitrageurs from taking short positions in overvalued stocks.
UNIT 18.3 Phosphoamino Acid Analysis

It is often valuable to identify the phosphorylated residue in a protein. In the case of proteins phosphorylated at serine, threonine, or tyrosine, this is readily accomplished by partial acid hydrolysis in HCl followed by two-dimensional thin-layer electrophoresis of the labeled phosphoamino acid, as described here. Phosphothreonine andphosphotyrosine are more stable to hydrolysis in alkali than are RNA andpho sphoserine. Therefore, a protocol for mild alkaline hydrolysis of protein samples is also provided to enhance the detection of phosphothreonine and phosphotyrosine. Although this procedure can be carried out with a protein eluted from a preparative gel and concentrated by trichloroacetic acid or acetone precipitation, it is most easily accomplished by transfer of the protein of interest to a PVDF membrane.
Hepatic Fat in Early Childhood Is Independently Associated With Estimated Insulin Resistance: The Healthy Start Study.

BACKGROUND Fatty liver disease is a common metabolic abnormality in adolescents with obesity but remains understudied in early childhood. OBJECTIVES To describe hepatic fat deposition in prepubertal children and examine cross-sectional associations with metabolic markers and body composition. METHODS Data were from 286 children ages 4 to 8 years old in the Healthy Start Study, a longitudinal prebirth cohort in Colorado (USA). Assessments included magnetic resonance imaging to quantify hepatic and abdominal fats, fasting blood draws to measure metabolic markers, and air displacement plethysmography to measure body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass). RESULTS The median (interquartile range) for hepatic fat was 1.65% (1.24%, 2.11%). Log-transformed hepatic fat was higher in Hispanic [mean (95% CI): 0.63 (0.52, 0.74)] vs non-Hispanic white children [0.46 (0.38, 0.53), P = 0.01] and children with overweight/obesity [0.64 (0.49, 0.79)] vs normal-weight [0.47 (0.40, 0.53), P = 0.02]. Higher log-hepatic fat was associated with higher insulin [β (95% CI): 1.47 (0.61, 2.33) uIU/mL, P = 0.001] and estimated insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment) [0.40 (0.20, 0.60), P < 0.001] in the full sample and glucose [5.53 (2.84, 8.21) mg/dL, P < 0.001] and triglycerides [10.92 (2.92,18.91) mg/dL, P = 0.008] in boys, in linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographics, maternal/perinatal confounders, and percentage body fat. Log-hepatic fat was also associated with abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue [SAT; 7.37 (1.12,13.60) mm2, P = 0.02] in unadjusted models, but this was attenuated and insignificant after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSIONS While hepatic fat was low in children 4 to 8 years old, it was independently associated with estimated insulin resistance and exhibited sex-specific associations with glucose and triglycerides, suggesting hepatic fat may be an early indicator of metabolic dysfunction in youth.
It’s not always the shunt: Microthombi formation in venous collaterals causing symptoms of shunt failure in the setting of shunted hydrocephalus

Abstract We present a patient with a history of shunted hydrocephalus due to neonatal iatrogenic thoracic venous occlusion with subsequent interval development of spontaneous thoracic venous collateral occlusion as a young adult presenting with symptoms of ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure. Though the patient’s presenting symptoms were suggestive of shunt failure in the setting of known shunt dependent hydrocephalus, specific ophthalmologic findings, including venous engorgement, retinal and subconjunctival hemorrhages as well as periorbital edema in conjunction with papilledema, led to the correct diagnosis of cranio-orbital congestion secondary to microthrombi formation in the venous collateral anomalies of her chest wall. This pathology was successfully managed with warfarin.
Recent Results in Extensions to Simultaneous Localization and Mapping

We report experimental results with bearings-only and range-only Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). In the former case, we give the initial results from a new method that extends optimal shape-from-motion to incorporate angular rate and linear acceleration data. In the latter case, we have formulated a version of the SLAM problem that presumes a moving sensor able to measure only range to landmarks in the environment. Experimental results for both are presented.
Matched Filters in Signal Demodulation

Matched filters are used for signal demodulation in digital communication systems. This article describes the time-domain and frequency-domain properties of matched filters and illustrates their optimality in the demodulation of signals corrupted by additive white Gaussian noise. Keywords: matched filters; signal demodulation
A Shape Relationship Descriptor for Radiation Therapy Planning

In this paper we address the challenge of matching patient geometry to facilitate the design of patient treatment plans in radiotherapy. To this end we propose a novel shape descriptor, the Overlap Volume Histogram, which provides a rotation and translation invariant representation of a patient's organs at risk relative to the tumor volume. Using our descriptor, it is possible to accurately identify database patients with similar constellations of organ and tumor geometries, enabling the transfer of treatment plans between patients with similar geometries. We demonstrate the utility of our method for such tasks by outperforming state of the art shape descriptors in the retrieval of patients with similar treatment plans. We also preliminarily show its potential as a quality control tool by demonstrating how it is used to identify an organ at risk whose dose can be significantly reduced.
Religious motivation for mitigating human-forced climate change: Scientifically informed, politically astute, and collaborative

Purpose – Religious organizations are among the non-government groups in the USA that are addressing climate change phenomena from their various faith perspectives and, despite the differences in their traditions and practices, are collaborating with one another to achieve their mutual goal – the establishment of policies that will mitigate the real and anticipated perils scientists are forecasting. If sufficiently motivated by their faith, informed by climate science, and politically astute, these groups may be reliable allies for climate change decision-makers to tap as they strive to achieve their mutual goal. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Focusing on the Coalition on Environment and Jewish Life, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, and Interfaith Power and Light, the author explores the diverse religious faith-based motivations underpinning their efforts, the extent to which they remain cognizant of the latest climate science, the structures through which t...
Potency and stability of LAP+FOXP3+ Tregs in control GVHD development (VAC3P.954)

Intro: We have developed previously a method to isolated bona fide Tregs from expansion cultures based on their selective surface expression of latency-associated peptide (LAP). In this study, we investigated their in vivo potency and stability using a humanized GVHD murine model. Methods: CD25+ cells isolated from PBMC via AutoMACS were stimulated with OKT3 loaded K562 aAPC expressing CD64 and CD86 in media +IL2 and rapamycin. 36h post-restimulation at wk2, the Tregs were re-isolated with antiLAP via AutoMACS. The LAP+ Tregs and LAP- nonTregs were expanded for 2wks. In vitro suppression, phenotype and TSDR demethylation were performed after 4wk expansion. CD25-depleted human PBMC were injected into NSG mice to induce xGVHD and compared with coinjection of LAP+ Tregs or LAP- nonTregs. Results: LAP+ repurification results in >85% LAP+FOXP3+ Tregs, leaving behind FOXP3- and FOXP3+ nonTregs within the LAP- population. After a total of 4wk expansion, LAP+ Tregs were >1 billion, >85% FOXP3, highly suppressive and anergic in vitro, and >95% demethylated TSDR (p<0.05). In GVHD model, PBMC alone resulted in a median survival of 29 days. The LAP+ Tregs increased median survival to 43 days (p<0.01), while the LAP- non-Tregs had a median survival of 28.5 days. Conclusions: LAP+ Tregs are highly purified, stable, and potent based on these preclinical studies. LAP+ Tregs are an ideal immunotherapeutic population for clinical trials to prevent or treat GVHD and other autoimmune diseases.
Patient preferences for treatment of metastatic breast cancer: a study of women with early-stage breast cancer.

PURPOSEThe purpose of this study was to elicit preferences for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in women with early-stage breast cancer who were given hypothetical treatment scenarios. We predicted that quality of life, demographic, and treatment variables would have an impact on patient preferences.PATIENTS AND METHODSOne hundred fifteen patients with stage 1-IIIA breast cancer were interviewed. All patients had either mastectomy or lumpectomy plus radiotherapy as primary treatment. Sixty-seven (58%) had prior adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients were given four clinical scenarios that described a woman with metastatic breast cancer who was stated to have a life expectancy of 18 months. Side effects of the treatment options were systematically varied from low (hormonal therapy) to life-threatening (high-dose experimental therapy) and were consistent with common clinical situations. Patients were asked to select which treatment, with its associated toxicity, they would accept and prefer for a 50% chan...