cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between an individual housing-based socioeconomic index and inconsistent self-reporting of health conditions: a prospective cohort study in the Mayo Clinic Biobank.

Objective Using surveys to collect self-reported information on health and disease is commonly used in clinical practice and epidemiological research. However, the inconsistency of self-reported information collected longitudinally in repeated surveys is not well investigated. We aimed to investigate whether a socioeconomic status based on current housing characteristics, HOUsing-based SocioEconomic Status (HOUSES) index linking current address information to real estate property data, is associated with inconsistent self-reporting. Study setting and participants We performed a prospective cohort study using the Mayo Clinic Biobank (MCB) participants who resided in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, at the time of enrolment between 2009 and 2013, and were invited for a 4-year follow-up survey (n=11 717). Primary and secondary outcome measures Using repeated survey data collected at the baseline and 4 years later, the primary outcome was the inconsistency in survey results when reporting prevalent diseases, defined by reporting to have ‘ever’ been diagnosed with a given disease in the baseline survey but reported ‘never’ in the follow-up survey. Secondary outcome was the response rate for the 4-year follow-up survey. Results Among the MCB participants invited for the 4-year follow-up survey, 8508/11 717 (73%) responded to the survey. Forty-three per cent had at least one inconsistent self-reported disease. Lower HOUSES was associated with higher inconsistency rates, and the association remained significant after pertinent characteristics such as age and perceived general health (OR=1.46; 95% CI 1.17 to 1.84 for the lowest compared with the highest HOUSES decile). HOUSES was also associated with lower response rate for the follow-up survey (56% vs 77% for the lowest vs the highest HOUSES decile). Conclusion This study demonstrates the importance of using the HOUSES index that reflects current SES when using self-reporting through repeated surveys, as the HOUSES index at baseline survey was inversely associated with inconsistent self-report and the response rate for the follow-up survey.
Higher education in a vacuum: stress and reform in Ecuador

Ecuador‘s higher education system mirrors that of other Latin American countries in its many internal and external stresses. It also provides an opportunity to view a reform process occurring in a vacuum of central government influence and authority, one whose direction is largely set by the universities in response to perceived stresses. Those stresses arise from the differentiation of the system in the last decade, questions about the role of higher education in Ecuador, and the absence of governmental direction. Changes in higher education in Ecuador must be examined in the context of higher education‘s role in development. The paper notes the case for the importance of higher education and the new theoretical support for higher education that endogenous growth models provide. It then examines the self-generated reform process which is occurring in Ecuador in the areas of teaching, of student access and of university finance. The final issue addressed is the relation between these changes, with their important implications for transforming the higher education system, and the development needs of Ecuador. There are many positive elements to the reform process which will contribute to development. However, until the government policy vacuum is filled, their potential benefit will remain only partially realized.
James Howell, Cavalier nuptial literature, and the Marriage Act of 1653

In August 1653, Cromwell’s Nominated Assembly passed into law “An Act touching Marriages and the Registring thereof”, which sought to reform and standardize English marriage laws by replacing the c...
Grading the Quality of ISIS Videos: A Metric for Assessing the Technical Sophistication of Digital Video Propaganda

This article offers a method for systematically grading the quality of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) videos based on technical production criteria. Using this method revealed moments when ...
Decomposing the constituent oscillatory dynamics underlying mismatch negativity generation in schizophrenia: Distinct relationships to clinical and cognitive functioning.

Abstract Abnormalities in early auditory information processing (EAIP) contribute to higher-order deficits in cognition and psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia. A passive auditory oddball paradigm is commonly used to evoke event-related potential (ERP) measures of EAIP reflecting auditory sensory registration and deviance detection, including mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a responses. MMN and P3a have been extensively studied in healthy subjects and neuropsychiatric patient populations and are increasingly used as translational biomarkers in the development of novel therapeutics. Despite widespread use, relatively few studies have examined the constituent oscillatory elements and the extent to which sensory registration and deviance detection represent distinct or intercorrelated processes. This study aimed to determine the factor structure and clinical correlates of these oscillatory measures in schizophrenia patients (n = 706) and healthy comparison subjects (n = 615) who underwent clinical, cognitive, and functional characterization and EEG testing via their participation in the Consortium of Genomics in Schizophrenia (COGS-2) study. Results revealed significant deficits in theta-band (4-7 Hz) evoked power and phase locking in patients. Exploratory factor analyses of both ERP and oscillatory measures revealed two dissociable factors reflecting sensory registration and deviance detection. While each factor shared a significant correlation with social cognition, the deviance detection factor had a unique relationship to multiple cognitive and clinical domains. Results support the continued advancement of functionally relevant oscillatory measures underlying EAIP in the development of precognitive therapeutics.
An Interprofessional Education Pilot Program on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Improves Student Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes

Background Recent efforts to prepare healthcare professionals to care for patients/clients with substance use problems have incorporated SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) into graduate education programs. No research has examined the benefits and methods of an SBIRT interprofessional education approach for behavioral health graduate students and medical residents. This pilot study examined the implementation of an interprofessional curriculum on SBIRT to improve attitudes, abilities, skills, and knowledge of learners planned by faculty from multiple professions at a state university. Methods Faculty in Counseling, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Nursing and Social Work departments collaborated to develop an interprofessional curriculum delivered through a small-group and active learning approach. Seventy-one residents and graduate students participated. Pre- and post-training surveys measured self-perceived attitudes, abilities, and skills along with objectively measured knowledge. Analysis examined pre- to post-training changes in scores. Results Pre-training surveys yielded an 89% response rate; post-training, 85%. Self-perceived attitudes did not change significantly, except a 20% increase in how rewarded learners felt while working with patients/clients with alcohol/drug use disorders (P < .01). Compared to baseline, there was a statistically significant increase in all items of self-perceived ability (P<.01) and all items of self-perceived communication skills (P<=.04). Knowledge mean scores also increased significantly (P < .001) across both primary care and behavioral health learner groups. Conclusions Interprofessional training in SBIRT produced improvements in ability, skills, knowledge, and some attitudes. Such programs may inform providers who care for patients/clients with substance use problems, thus improving their competence and personal experience.
Visual-Syntactic Text Format: Improving Adolescent Literacy

Seventh- and 8th-grade students in a within-teacher randomized control study read from visual-syntactic formatted text for 44 min per week over the course of 1 year. On the annual state assessment, we found small statistically significant improvements on the overall English Language Arts scaled score (ES = 0.05, p < .05) and the writing assessment (ES = 0.07, p < .01) for the treatment group compared to the control group. We found no interactions between gifted, special education, or English learner classification and treatment status on the effect on overall English Language Arts score, but our categorical and subgroup analyses showed that the use of visual-syntactic text formatting provided a modest benefit to middle school students who were near or at grade level in the prior school year.
Currency stability using blockchain technology

Abstract To date, cryptocurrency prices are volatile and many cryptocurrency developers have adopted ad hoc approaches to stabilize their cryptocurrency price. When these currencies are not 100% backed by other valued assets, part of their price volatility may arise from self-fulfilling expectations of a speculative attack (as in Obstfeld (1996)). We show that an exchange rate policy, which is less than 100% backed and dynamically adjusts in response to traders’ conversion demand eliminates speculative attacks while, under some conditions, preserving much of the desired exchange rate stability. This dynamic exchange rate policy admits a great deal of discretion to and requires commitment by the party implementing the policy. We demonstrate how to implement this policy using the Ethereum network—a smart contract blockchain environment—and how this implementation yields commitment to the policy.
Neighbourhood context and binge drinking from adolescence into early adulthood in a US national cohort

Background Underage binge drinking is a serious health concern that is likely influenced by the neighbourhood environment. However, longitudinal evidence has been limited and few studies have examined time-varying neighbourhood factors and demographic subgroup variation. Methods We investigated neighbourhood influences and binge drinking in a national cohort of US 10th grade students at four times (2010-2014; n = 2745). We estimated odds ratios (OR) for past 30-day binge drinking associated with neighbourhood disadvantage, personal and property crime (quartiles), and number of liquor, beer and wine stores within 5 km, and then evaluated whether neighbourhood associations differ by age, sex and race/ethnicity. Results Neighbourhood disadvantage was associated with binge drinking before 18 [OR = 1.54; 95% confidence interval (1.14, 2.08)], but not after 18 years of age. Property crime in neighbourhoods was associated with a higher odds of binge drinking [OR = 1.54 (0.96, 2.45)], an association that was stronger in early adulthood [4th vs 1st quartile: OR = 1.77 (1.04, 3.03)] and among Whites [4th vs 1st quartile: OR = 2.46 (1.03, 5.90)]. Higher density of liquor stores predicted binge drinking among Blacks [1-10 stores vs none: OR = 4.31 (1.50, 12.36)] whereas higher density of beer/wine stores predicted binge drinking among Whites [one vs none for beer: OR = 2.21 (1.06, 4.60); for wine: OR = 2.04 (1.04, 4.03)]. Conclusions Neighbourhood conditions, particularly those related to economic circumstances, crime and alcohol outlet density, were related to binge drinking among young adults, but associations varied across age and individual characteristics.
On White Racial Ignorance and Releasing the Ethic of Control: A Reflection on the 2018 Annual Meeting of the REA

In response to the events of the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Religious Education Association, the author reflects on white racial ignorance as the inability to read racialized situations with nuance...
Congress and the People’s Contest: The Conduct of the Civil War: edited by Paul Finkelman and Donald R. Kennon, Athens: Ohio University Press, 2018, Pp. 256, $55.00 (hbk), $29.95 (pbk), ISBN 9780821423042, ISBN 9780821423059

Congress was not in session when South Carolinians, having already severed their compact with the federal union, began firing on Fort Sumter in April 1861. Members of the 37th Congress had been ele...
Dual-Energy Computed Tomography in Thoracic Imaging-Current Practices and Utility: Survey of the Society of Thoracic Radiology.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the current practice patterns of utilization of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in thoracic imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this IRB-approved study, the URL link for an anonymous 26-question survey was sent by email to all the members of the Society of Thoracic Radiology (STR). Survey questions focused on the practice type, case volume, DECT scanner availability, common indications, image types, and perceived utility of DECT. Study data were collected and managed using SurveyMonkey tools and analyzed with χ tests. RESULTS The survey response rate was 11% (104/962). DECT was available in 75% of respondents' institutions, with 90% of these having 1 to 5 DECT scanners (P<0.001). Seventy percent performed 1 to 500 DECT chest CTs per month (P<0.001). Dual-source was the most common DECT scanner (81%) (P=0.239). DECT was opted depending on the clinical indication in 89% (P=0.433). The technologist reconstructs the additional DECT images in 75% of instances (P<0.001). Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) was the most common indication of DECT (53%) (P=0.006), while chronic PE was considered the most valuable use of DECT (33%) (P<0.001). Iodine map was the most commonly used DECT image (53%) (P<0.001) followed by low-energy virtual monoenergetic image (VMI) (29%). For VMI, 50 keV was the most commonly used energy level for improving vascular contrast (43%) (P=0.048), whereas 120 keV was the most commonly used energy in VMI for decreasing artifacts (25%) (P=0.027). CONCLUSIONS There is wide variability on the utilization of DECT in thoracic imaging. PE is perceived to be the most valuable utility of DECT, and iodine map is considered the most valuable DECT image.
Spinal Radiofrequency Ablation Combined with Cement Augmentation for Painful Spinal Vertebral Metastasis: A Single-Center Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND The spine is the most common site of skeletal metastatic disease. Vertebral body metastases (VBM) can cause crippling pain, fractures, and spinal cord compression. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique that has proven to be a safe method of targeted tissue destruction. Studies have shown that RFA combined with cement vertebral augmentation is safe and effective and has been associated with significant improvements in pain and quality of life. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was continued evaluation of the safety and efficacy of this technique. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort. SETTING A single academic medical center. METHODS Patients undergoing RFA with cement vertebral augmentation for a painful thoracic or lumbar VBM were eligible for inclusion. Additional inclusion criteria included pain concordant with a metastatic lesion on cross-sectional imaging, aged 18 years or older, and considered candidates for spinal tumor ablation by the operating physician. Patients with vertebral metastatic disease in the cervical spine or patients with spinal cord compression from posterior tumor extension were excluded. Ablation within each VBM was performed using a bipolar radiofrequency probe with an extensible electrode and available articulation, permitting vertebral body navigation percutaneously. Patients were evaluated at baseline, 3 days, one week, one month, and 3 months using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General 7 (FACT-G7) to assess pain and quality-of-life, respectively. A one-sample t test was performed, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess changes in average NRS-11 and FACT-G7 scores. RESULTS A total of 30 patients met inclusion criteria and underwent RFA of one or more VBM. Patients with 13 different primary cancers types underwent treatment. Patients received RFA to either one (n = 26; 87%) or 2 vertebral body levels (n = 4; 13%). Of the 34 levels, 13 were thoracic vertebra (38%) and 21 were lumbar vertebra (62%). Average NRS-11 scores decreased from a baseline of 5.77 to 4.65 (3 days; P = 0.16), 3.33 (one week; P < 0.01), 2.64 (one month; P < 0.01), and 2.61 (3 months; P < 0.01). FACT-G7 increased from a baseline average of 13.0 to 14.7 (3 days; P = 0.13), 14.69 (one week; P = 0.15), 14.04 (one month; P = 0.35), and 15.11 (3 months; P = 0.07). No major adverse events were reported. LIMITATIONS A heterogeneous patient population, small sample size, and potential confounders of concurrent variable adjuvant therapies were limitations. Additionally, most patients received both cement augmentation and targeted RFA, making it difficult to distinguish independent analgesic benefits of the therapies. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that minimally invasive targeted RFA with cement augmentation of spinal metastatic lesions is an effective treatment for patients with VBM. KEY WORDS Cancer, cancer pain, spinal metastasis, radiofrequency ablation, tumor ablation, cement augmentation.
STEM Professional Development for Youth Workers: Results of a Triangulated Study

To increase the quality of informal science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning opportunities, many youth development professionals working in out-of-school time (OST) programs need professional development focused on facilitating these types of activities. Nebraska Extension developed an open-access repository of resources that support an ongoing, blended approach to STEM professional development for youth workers. The current study evaluated the impact on staff, programs, and youth achieved by implementing Click2Science resources in sites at a large youth serving organization. Data sources included site or program director/coordinator and frontline staff perceptions about their experiences during the professional development events, observations of staff facilitating STEM learning with youth, and youth interest in STEM. Findings demonstrated an increase in STEM program quality, as measured by the Dimensions of Success (DoS) Observational Tool (n.d.). Site or program director/coordinators and frontline staff found the professional development eye-opening and user friendly, and noted increased youth engagement following the intervention. Youth reported positive perceptions of STEM learning experiences. Triangulation of these three sources confirmed the promising utility and effectiveness of this professional development approach. Further research is needed to extend the preliminary findings and support the case for increased investment in STEM professional development for youth development professionals.
Increased Smad3 and reduced Smad2 levels mediate the functional switch of TGF-β from growth suppressor to growth and metastasis promoter through TMEPAI/PMEPA1 in triple negative breast cancer

Screening of several TNBC cell lines showed altered Smad2 and Smad3 protein levels compared to normal mammary epithelial cells, suggesting the possibility that it could play an important role in the escape of cancer cells from TGF-β mediated growth inhibition. To assess the functional relevance of these endogenous molecules, Smad2 or Smad3 expression was knocked down individually and assessed their effects on pro-oncogenic properties of TGF-β. Smad3 deficiency reduced growth and invasion capacity of breast cancer cells in comparison to Smad2 which had no effect. Smad3 deficiency was also found to be associated with a reduction in the expressions of TMEPAI/PMEPA1 and EMT inducing transcription factors, E-Cadherin and increased expression of cell cycle inhibitors and Vimentin. On the other hand, Smad2 deficiency had opposite effect on these regulators. Interestingly, the decreased growth, invasion and associated gene expressions were largely reversed by overexpressing TMEPAI in Smad3 knockdown cells, suggesting that Smad3-TMEPAI axis may be involved in subverting growth suppressive effects of TGF-β into growth promotion. Similarly, altered levels of Smad proteins and TMEPAI were also noted in primary TNBC tumor tissues. Analysis of the existing databases provided additional support in terms of TMEPAI and Smad2 expression impacting the survival of TNBC patients. Taken together, our data demonstrate a novel role for Smad3 in cancer transformation and cancer progression through TMEPAI and further suggest that selective targeting of TGF-β-Smad3-TMEPAI axis may be beneficial in triple negative breast cancer therapy and prevention.
A Simple Onlay Sellar Reconstruction Does Not Increase the Risk of Postoperative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak in Well-Selected Patients.

Objective A variety of endonasal sellar repair techniques have been described; many of which are complex, expensive, and carry potential morbidity but are felt to be necessary to prevent postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. We propose an effective, technically simple repair for select sellar defects utilizing an onlay of regenerated oxidized cellulose. Design Retrospective review of patients from a single neurosurgeon who underwent endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma and sellar reconstruction with only an onlay of regenerated oxidized cellulose. Patients were selected for this repair technique based on the absence of: (1) intraoperative identification of a CSF leak, (2) patulous diaphragm (expanded diaphragm sella herniating to or through sellar floor defect), and (3) other prohibiting comorbidities. Setting The present study was conducted at a tertiary care center. Participants In this study, pituitary adenoma patients were the participants. Outcome Measures Main outcome measure of the study is postoperative CSF leak. Results A total of 172 patients were identified. Of these, 153 were initial resections of pituitary adenomas. Gross total resection was achieved in 142 (82.6%) cases. Average tumor size was 2.2 ± 1.1 cm. Average tumor volume was 10.4 ± 19.8 cm3. No patients had intraoperative CSF leaks. All cases were repaired with only an onlay of regenerated oxidized cellulose. There were two postoperative CSF leaks (1.16%). Pre and postoperative SNOT-22 scores were 12.9 ± 11.9 and 14.3 ± 14.9 (p = 0.796), respectively. Conclusion The use of an onlay of regenerated oxidized cellulose alone is an effective repair technique for select sellar defects. This technique does not result in increased postoperative CSF leak rates and avoids the higher relative cost and potential morbidity associated with more complex, multilayered closures.
Advancing Social Justice Training through a Difficult Dialogue Initiative: Reflections From Facilitators and Participants:

Our society continues to be plagued with rampant acts of racism, sexism, xenophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and hate crimes. More so than ever before, engaging in difficult dialogues across differe...
Short Communication: Quantifying and Correcting for Pre-AssayCO 2 Loss in Short-Term Carbon Mineralization Assays

Abstract. The active fraction of soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important component of soil health and often is quickly assessed as the amount of CO2 released by re-wetting dried soils in short-term (24–72 h) assays. However, soils can lose carbon (C) as they dry and if soil samples vary in moisture content at sampling, differential C loss during the pre-assay dry-down period may complicate interpretations of C availability. We examined pre-assay CO2 loss and its influence on apparent C availability in the same soil at initial moisture contents of 30, 50, and 70 % water-filled pore space (WFPS). We found that 50 and 70 % WFPS treatments lost more C during drying than those in the 30 % WFPS treatment, which led to a 26–32 % underestimate of C availability in wetter soil. We developed a soil-specific correction factor to account for these initial soil moisture effects. Future C mineralization studies may benefit from similar corrections.
South Africa's Constitutional Court: Enabling Democracy and Promoting Law in the Transition from Apartheid

South Africa's Constitutional Court is a product of the country's democratic transition away from Apartheid in the early 1990s. The democratic transition was achieved through a two-stage process of constitutional change. In the first stage an 'interim' constitution was adopted and a democratic election held to both elect a new government as well as legislative body whose two houses met jointly to form a Constitutional Assembly that produced a 'final' Constitution for post-apartheid South Africa. This two-stage process was facilitated by an agreement to adopt a set of Constitutional Principles that would be attached as a schedule to the negotiated 'interim' Constitution providing the framework within which the democratically-elected Constitutional Assembly would formulate a 'final' Constitution. While the new constitutions both introduced extensive bills of rights as a response to the country's history of colonialism and apartheid, the Constitutional Principles promised those who would loose power in a democratic election that their fundamental concerns would still be addressed in the final constitutional dispensation. It was in order to guarantee this outcome that the negotiating parties agreed that there would be a Constitutional Court and that it would serve the unique function of certifying whether the 'final' constitution produced by the Constitutional Assembly was in conformity with the parameters set by the Constitutional Principles.
Aegis+: A Context-aware Platform-independent Security Framework for Smart Home Systems

The introduction of modern Smart Home Systems (SHSs) is redefining the way we perform everyday activities. Today, myriad SHS applications and the devices they control are widely available to users. Specifically, users can easily download and install the apps from vendor-specific app markets, or develop their own, to effectively implement their SHS solutions. However, despite their benefits, app-based SHSs unfold diverse security risks. Several attacks have already been reported to SHSs and current security solutions only consider smart home devices and apps individually to detect malicious actions, rather than the context of the SHS as a whole. Thus, the current security solutions applied to SHSs cannot capture user activities and sensor-device-user interactions in a holistic fashion. To address these limitations, in this article, we introduce Aegis+, a novel context-aware platform-independent security framework to detect malicious behavior in an SHS. Specifically, Aegis+ observes the states of the connected smart home entities (sensors and devices) for different user activities and usage patterns in an SHS and builds a contextual model to differentiate between malicious and benign behavior. We evaluated the efficacy and performance of Aegis+ in multiple smart home settings (i.e., single bedroom, double bedroom, duplex) and platforms (i.e., Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa) where real users perform day-to-day activities using real SHS devices. We also measured the performance of Aegis+ against five different malicious behaviors. Our detailed evaluation shows that Aegis+ can detect malicious behavior in SHS with high accuracy (over 95%) and secure the SHS regardless of the smart home layout and platforms, device configurations, installed apps, controller devices, and enforced user policies. Finally, Aegis+ yields minimum overhead to the SHS, ensuring effective deployability in real-life smart environments.
HIV Injection Risk Behaviors among HIV-Negative People Who Inject Drugs Experiencing Homelessness, 23 U.S. Cities.

Despite recent declines in numbers of people who inject drugs (PWID) diagnosed with HIV, clusters of HIV among PWID are ongoing, especially among PWID experiencing homelessness. Using data from the...
Conditions Influencing the Intensity of the 3 Π- 1 Σ Cameron Bands of CO

Conditions influencing the intensity of the $^{3}\ensuremath{\Pi}\ensuremath{-}^{1}\ensuremath{\Sigma}$ Cameron bands of CO in emission have been studied in detail in the electrodeless ring discharge. The bands are intense in a large discharge tube at a pressure of about 0.005 mm or less. Under these conditions the mean free time between collisions of CO molecules is 2.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ sec. from which the lifetime of the $^{3}\mathrm{II}$ state is estimated as about ten microseconds. Marked increases of intensity relative to that of other band systems in the same spectral region are produced by increasing the energy of the discharge and by lowering the pressure. This indicates that the excitation function of the Cameron system differs significantly from those of the systems with which it is compared.
Extendibility of PVD barrier/seed for BEOL Cu metallization

The paper describes a new physical vapor deposition (PVD) metallization scheme that shows a better extendibility for future technology nodes as compared to the conventional scheme. In addition to reducing the thicknesses of both the diffusion barrier and the copper seed layer (Yang, C.-C. et al., MRS Adv. Metallization Conf., p.213, 2004), this new scheme also features a sacrificial process (also called barrier-first process) (Alers, G., IEEE Int. Interconnect Technology Conf., 2003), a via-punch through process (Edelstein, D. et al., IEEE Int. Reliability Physics Symp., p.316, 2004; Kuma, N. et al., MRS Adv. Metallization Conf, p.247, 2004) and a simultaneous preclean with a metal neutral deposition process (Yang et al., US Patent 6,784,105, 2004; Uzoh, C. et al., US Patents 5,930,669, 1999; 5,933,753, 1999; 6,429,519, 2002). Significant metal line and via contact resistance decrease was observed with equal or better reliability. The impact of a sputter etch integration scheme on electrical yield and reliability is also reported. The new sputter scheme decreases contact resistance at the via/interconnect interface and can offset the one resulting from dimension scaling and thus extends PVD metallization usefulness for future technologies.
Using the Arduino Uno to teach digital control of power electronics

There has been tremendous growth in digital control of power converters, and yet many power electronics students have limited experience with embedded systems. The Arduino Uno is an excellent learning platform for embedded programming, but has limited capabilities using the standard libraries. This work explores the use of the Arduino Uno for power electronics applications. With some extra libraries or with direct access to a few registers, the Arduino Uno can support switching frequencies around 100 kHz, suitable for an educational environment. Implementation of key features, such as PWM and analog-to-digital converters, is discussed, along with an example experiment.
Learning intermediate concepts in constructing a hierarchical knowledge base

In expert systems, hierarchical reasoning can provide better accuracy and understandability. Here, we develop a method of learning hierarchical knowledge from a case library, in which each training instance is described by low level features and high level concepts (e.g., manifestations and diseases) but not by intermediate concepts (e.g., disease states). Learning intermediate knowledge involves exploiting the old partial intermediate knowledge or creating new intermediate concepts by observing the relationship between the low level features and high level concepts. Experiments in the domain of diagnosing causes of jaundice validate the method.
Bringing Mathematics Education into the Algorithmic Age

We began from the observation that most of our students find algorithms easy and natural and proofs difficult and obscure, and are totally unaware of the close relationship between algorithms and proofs. This observation led to the hypothesis that pan of the problem lay in the fact that the students had been bom into the algorithmic age, which their mathematics courses had largely yet to enter. This paper explores various ways in which mathematics courses can be made more algorithmic, both in style and in content. Particular attention will be paid to the term non-computable function, which will be seen as oxymoronic. An algorithmic explanation will be developed, particularly for the busy beaver function. We shall also give an algorithmic analysis of Cantor's diagonal method.
Families Coping with Natural Disasters: Lessons from Wildfires and Tornados

Even though parents are the most significant socialization influence during childhood, there has been little study of how parents model and promote their children's adaptive coping in natural disasters. In-depth semi-structured interviews of 56 parents whose families were evacuated from their homes due to wildfires (n = 24, San Diego County, California, October 2007) or multiple deadly tornados (n = 32, Tennessee towns of Lafayette in Macon County and Gallatin in Sumner County, February 2008) were conducted within four days of each disaster. The current study assessed prior and current disaster exposure levels and parents' reports of preparedness or problem solving, emotion regulation, social support, distraction, religious, and family-level coping activities with their children in response to each disaster. By examining parents' rich and complex responses to their disaster experiences, we lay the foundation for the development of models of parental socialization of children's coping effectively during di...
Abstract 1991: Axl overexpression drives migration and invasion in colon cancer

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) of the TAM family have been described as oncogenes. Axl and Mertk, two members of the TAM family, are also potent negative regulators of the inflammatory response. Inflammation is an enabling characteristic of cancer hallmarks and can promote tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Genetic ablation of Axl and Mertk in mice, results in heightened inflammation in the gut and increased susceptibility to inflammation-driven colon cancer (azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate treatment paradigm). We sought to understand the role of Axl and Mertk, individually, in colon cancer cells to identify the key TAM oncogene in this disease. Here we show that Axl, but not Mertk, was highly expressed and correlated with grade of metastatic colon cancer. Silencing Axl expression in RKO-AS45-1 and HCT116 colon cancer cells had no significant effect on proliferation and survival, but markedly decreased migration and invasion. R428, a selective Axl small molecule inhibitor, also drastically reduced migration in these colon cancer cell lines. Analyses of Axl knockout mice revealed that single, genetic ablation of this TAM RTK does not increase susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis, in contrast to that observed in Axl and Mertk double knockout mice. These results are consistent with a redundant function of Axl and Mer in the regulation of the inflammatory response. Our findings suggest that the selective targeting of Axl in colon cancer might disable the oncogenic function of TAM RTKs, while sparing the protective, anti-inflammatory function of this RTK family in this disease. Citation Format: Diana J. Uribe, Lidia Bosurgi, Nicola Gagliani, Leonel Joannas, Adam Watson, Jesse D. Martinez, Carla V. Rothlin, Sourav Ghosh. Axl overexpression drives migration and invasion in colon cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1991. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1991
Statistical Inference of Stochastic Optimization Problems

We discuss in this paper statistical inference of Monte Carlo simulation based approximations of stochastic optimization problems, where the “true” objective function, and probably some of the constraints, are estimated, typically by averaging a random sample. The classical maximum likelihood estimation can be considered in that framework. Recently statistical analysis of such methods has been motivated by a development of simulation based optimization techniques. We investigate asymptotic properties of the optimal value and an optimal solution of the corresponding Monte Carlo simulation approximations by employing the so-called Delta method, and discuss some examples.
Spontaneous mutational effects on reproductive traits of Arabidopsis thaliana

A study of spontaneous mutation in Arabidopsis thaliana was initiated from a single inbred Columbia founder; 120 lines were established and advanced 17 generations by single-seed descent. Here, we report an assay of reproductive traits in a random set of 40 lines from generations 8 and 17, grown together at the same time with plants representing generation 0. For three reproductive traits, mean number of seeds per fruit, number of fruits, and dry mass of the infructescence, the means did not differ significantly among generations. Nevertheless, by generation 17, significant divergence among lines was detected for each trait, indicating accumulation of mutations in some lines. Standardized measures of mutational variance accord with those obtained for other organisms. These findings suggest that the distribution of mutational effects for these traits is approximately symmetric, in contrast to the usual assumption that mutations have predominantly negative effects on traits directly related to fitness. Because distinct generations were grown contemporaneously, each line was represented by three sublines, and seeds were equal in age, these estimates are free of potentially substantial sources of bias. The finding of an approximately symmetric distribution of mutational effects invalidates the standard approach for inferring properties of spontaneous mutation and necessitates further development of more general approaches that avoid restrictions on the distribution of mutational effects.
Integrating DNA methylation dynamics into a framework for understanding epigenetic codes.

Genomic function is dictated by a combination of DNA sequence and the molecular mechanisms controlling access to genetic information. Access to DNA can be determined by the interpretation of covalent modifications that influence the packaging of DNA into chromatin, including DNA methylation and histone modifications. These modifications are believed to be forms of “epigenetic codes” that exist in discernable combinations that reflect cellular phenotype. Although DNA methylation is known to play important roles in gene regulation and genomic function, its contribution to the encoding of epigenetic information is just beginning to emerge. Here we discuss paradigms associated with the various components of DNA methylation/demethylation and recent advances in the understanding of its dynamic regulation in the genome, integrating these mechanisms into a framework to explain how DNA methylation could contribute to epigenetic codes.
Effect of eight antiviral drugs on the reactivation of herpes simplex virus in explant cultures of latently infected mouse trigeminal ganglia.

The effect of several antiviral drugs on the reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1 in explant cultures of latently infected mouse trigeminal ganglia was investigated. Phosphonoacetate and phosphonoformate, which act directly on the virus-induced DNA polymerase, require a drug concentration of 400 μg/ml for the inhibition of virus reactivation in latently infected ganglia. Arabinosyladenine and arabinosyladenine mono-phosphate, which are phosphorylated to triphosphates by cellular enzymes and inhibit virus synthesis either by blocking the DNA polymerase or by incorporation into viral DNA, require a concentration of only 100 μg/ml for the inhibition of the reactivation process. Drugs that are phosphorylated by the virus-induced thymidine kinase, such as acyclovir, arabinosylthymine, bromovinyldeoxyuridine, and three fluorinated pyrimidine nucleosides require the lowest drug concentrations for complete inhibition of virus reactivation in latently infected ganglia explant cultures. Our data suggest that the inhibition of virus reactivation is dependent not only on drug concentration, but also on the number of latently infected neurons in the ganglia.
Sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1) gene expression is regulated by members of the NFI transcription factors in human breast cancer cells.

Sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1) gene expression is tissue specific, with little to no expression in normal breast epithelia. Expression in breast tumors has been documented, but the transcriptional regulation of SULT1A1 in human breast tissue is poorly understood. We identified Nuclear Factor I (NFI) as a transcription factor family involved in the regulation of SULT1A1 expression. Transcription Factor Activation Profiling Plate Array assay was used to identify the possible transcription factors that regulate the gene expression of SULT1A1 in normal breast MCF-10A cells and breast cancer ZR-75-1 cells. Expression levels of NFI-C and SULT1A1 were determined by real-time RT-PCR using total RNA isolated from 84 human liver samples. Expression levels of SULT1A1, NFI-A, NFI-B, NFI-C, and NFI-X were also determined in different human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T-47D, ZR-75-1, and MDA-MB-231), in the transformed human epithelial cell line MCF-10A, and in ZR-75-1 cells that were transfected with siRNAs directed against NFI-A, NFI-B, NFI-C, or NFI-X for 48 h. The copy numbers of SULT1A1 in cell lines ZR-75-1, MCF-7, T-47D, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-10A were determined using a pre-designed Custom Plus TaqMan® Copy Number kit from Life Technologies. In normal human liver samples, SULT1A1 mRNA level was positively associated with NFI-C. In different human breast cancer and normal epithelial cell lines, SULT1A1 expression was positively correlated with NFI-B and NFI-C. SULT1A1 expression was decreased 41% and 61% in ZR-75-1 cells treated with siRNAs against NFI-A and NFI-C respectively. SULT1A1 gene expression was higher in cells containing more than one SULT1A1 copy numbers. Our data suggests that SULT1A1 expression is regulated by NFI, as well as SULT1A1 copy number variation in human breast cancer cell lines. These data provide a mechanistic basis for the differential expression of SULT1A1 in different tissues and different physiological states of disease.
Preferential utilization of the most JH-proximal VH gene segments in pre-B-cell lines.

The most JH-proximal VH gene segments are used highly preferentially to form VHDJH rearrangements in pre-B-cell lines. This result demonstrates that the rate at which immunoglobulin VH gene segments recombine is influenced by their chromosomal organization, and that the initial repertoire ofVH genes expressed in pre-B cells is strikingly different from that seen in mature populations.
Water and Solute Active Transport Through Model Epidermis: Contribution of Electrodiffusion

As part of a research program focusing on the role of human skin as a transport barrier, we formulate a coarse-grained model of the epidermis consisting of free extracellular water, live cells, and inert extracellular matrix subject to the coupling between molecular diffusive flux and electrokinetic flux (or electrodiffusion, as expressed by the Nernst-Planck equation). This polyphasic mathematical model accounts for active transport of physiologically-relevant solutes across the membrane of the live cells (keratinocytes), diffusion in the extracellular matrix and redistribution of water. The volume of the cell phase is regulated by the fluxes of water and Na+ , K+ and Cl− ions across the cell membrane and is controlled according to the time-delay scheme introduced in the model of Hernandez & Cristina (1998). Computing the transient response of a 100 μm-thick viable epidermis layer exposed to a hyposmotic shock reveals that accounting for the electrokinetic flux in the extracellular domain has negligible effect on the results. This result suggests that a significant simplification of the model can be made in terms of decoupling the extracellular variation of the electrostatic field from the diffusion problem during the study of complex transepidermal transport.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Triggers Autophagy

Eukaryotic cells have evolved strategies to respond to stress conditions. For example, autophagy in yeast is primarily a response to the stress of nutrient limitation. Autophagy is a catabolic process for the degradation and recycling of cytosolic, long lived, or aggregated proteins and excess or defective organelles. In this study, we demonstrate a new pathway for the induction of autophagy. In the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), accumulation of misfolded proteins causes stress and activates the unfolded protein response to induce the expression of chaperones and proteins involved in the recovery process. ER stress stimulated the assembly of the pre-autophagosomal structure. In addition, autophagosome formation and transport to the vacuole were stimulated in an Atg protein-dependent manner. Finally, Atg1 kinase activity reflects both the nutritional status and autophagic state of the cell; starvation-induced autophagy results in increased Atg1 kinase activity. We found that Atg1 had high kinase activity during ER stress-induced autophagy. Together, these results indicate that ER stress can induce an autophagic response.
Real parts of vector-meson scattering amplitudes

The determination of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$-photon coupling constant by photoproduction from complex nuclei can be brought into agreement with other determinations by invoking a real part of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$-nucleon scattering amplitude, thus determining the magnitude of the real part. A similar analysis with $\ensuremath{\phi}$ mesons is possible with available data.
Should patients with challenging anatomy be offered endovascular aneurysm repair

Abstract Objectives Treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm is controversial in patients at high physiologic risk for open repair and high anatomic risk for endovascular repair. We compared outcome in patients at high risk because of anatomy (short or angulated neck), severe occlusive disease, or bilateral iliac aneurysms (group A) with outcome in patients at low risk (group B). Material and methods Patients at high anatomic risk who underwent treatment between October 1998 and March 2002 with the Zenith endovascular graft (group A) were compared with patients at low anatomic risk enrolled in a prospective multicenter trial (group B). Variables compared included overall mortality, need for secondary interventions, development of endoleak, and change in aneurysm sac diameter. The χ 2 test, Student t test, and proportions analysis were used to assess the data. Results Data for 493 patients (group A, 141; group B, 352) were evaluated. Mean follow-up was 9 months (range, 1-24 months). Perioperative mortality was similar for groups A and B (0.7% vs 1%). Frequency of endoleak was higher in patients with high-risk anatomy (25% vs 11%), but not significantly so ( P > .06). The rate of aneurysm shrinkage, even in the absence of endoleak, was slower in group A ( P Conclusions In physiologically challenged patients at higher anatomic risk for endovascular aneurysm repair, initial mortality rate is similar to that in patients at lower risk. Short-term technical results are acceptable. Decreased long-term survival (largely unrelated to the procedure), slightly higher frequency of endoleak, and a lower rate of sac shrinkage may temper enthusiasm for endovascular repair in this subgroup. Risks of repairing aneurysms in this patient population must be viewed in the context of expected results of intervention or medical observation.