cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Equivalence classes of functions of finite Markov chains

A matrical representation of a Markov chain consists of the initial vector and transition matrix of the chain, along with matrices that specify which observable response occurs for each state. The likelihood function based on a Markov model can be stated in a general way using the components of the model’s matrical representation. It follows directly from that statement that two models are equivalent in likelihood if they are related through matrix operations that constitute a change of basis of the matrical representation. Two necessary properties of a change matrix associating two Markov models that are members of the same equivalence class with respect to likelihood are derived. Examples are provided, involving use of the results in analyzing identifiability of Markov models, including a useful application of diagonalization that provides a connection between the problem of identifiability and the eigenvalue problem.
Romiplostim: a novel thrombopoiesis-stimulating agent.

Purpose. The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, dosage and administration, efficacy, safety, effects on quality of life, and place in therapy of romiplostim are reviewed. Summary. Romiplostim is a second- generation thrombopoietic agent that stimulates the thrombopoietin receptor and platelet production without inducing production of autoantibodies. Romiplostim, a peptibody, bears no structural resemblance to endogenous thrombopoietin, thus minimizing the risk for development of thrombopoietin autoantibodies. Clinical trials have shown that romiplostim increases platelet counts compared with placebo in both splenectomized and non-splenectomized adult patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Clinical trials with romiplostim are ongoing for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and those receiving chemotherapy for treatment of malignancies. Romiplostim may confer an increased risk of bone marrow reticulin formation or fibrosis, malignancy, thrombosis, and thrombocytopenia that is more severe than the level present before initiation of romiplostim. While all patients receiving romiplostim in clinical trials experienced at least one adverse event, most were mild to moderate in severity. The most frequent adverse effects were ecchymosis, headache, and petechiae. Romiplostim is initiated at a dosage of 1 μg/kg subcutaneously once weekly and titrated to achieve platelet counts between 50 and 200 × 109 platelets/L, with a maximum dose of 10 μg/kg. Romiplostim is only available through the manufacturer’s risk-management program. The current wholesale price of romiplostim is $1,062.50 for a single-use vial of 250 μg or $2,125 for a single-use vial of 500 μg. The extrapolated drug cost for weekly dosing for one year is approximately $55,250. Conclusion. Romiplostim is a novel thrombopoietic-stimulating agent for use in patients with chronic ITP who have not responded to other therapies.
The impact of dose on naming accuracy with persons with aphasia

Background: Although aphasia rehabilitation has been shown to be efficacious, many questions remain regarding how best to deliver treatment to maximise functional gains for persons with aphasia. Treatment-delivery variables, such as intensity and dosage, are likely to influence both behavioural and structural changes during anomia treatment. While numerous protocols have concluded that treatment intensity positively impacts functional outcomes, few studies to date have examined the role that dose plays in patient outcomes for anomia treatment.Aims: This study sought to investigate how manipulating dose of repeated confrontation naming within sessions influences naming in persons with aphasia. Repeated practice of confrontation naming, without feedback, was hypothesised to improve trained but not untrained words, to be persistent after withdrawal, and to be sensitive to the number of trials (i.e., dose) within sessions.Methods and Procedures: A single-subject ABA design, with replication across seven parti...
High severity fire and mixed conifer forest-chaparral dynamics in the southern Cascade Range, USA

Abstract Understanding how alternative vegetation types co-exist in a landscape is important in managing for biodiversity within an ecosystem. In California, mixed conifer forest is often interrupted by stands of shrubs known as montane chaparral. The development of chaparral stands following recent high severity or stand-replacing wildfires in mixed conifer forests has been well documented. Fire has been excluded from mixed conifer forests for over a century, and fuel loads are at historically high levels across much of this landscape. Despite contemporary post-fire research on mixed conifer forest, little is known about montane chaparral fire regimes or forest-chaparral dynamics in an ecosystem with a functioning fire regime. This study quantifies fire regimes in chaparral and adjacent forest and determines how chaparral responded to fire before fire exclusion in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, a park that was never logged. Chaparral stems regenerated immediately after high severity fires in the 19th and early 20th century, and stem recruitment continued until the present. Fire return intervals in chaparral were longer than in adjacent forest (25 years vs. 11 years), and chaparral fires occurred during drier, potentially more extreme conditions. The apparent maintenance of stands of chaparral by less frequent, more severe fires suggests chaparral represents a self-reinforcing alternative stable state to forest. Following fire exclusion, chaparral stands gradually converted to forest as trees progressively invaded chaparral from the forest edge. Forest developing in chaparral is denser and more fir-enriched than the adjacent forest, similar to the understory that develops beneath a pine overstory following fire exclusion. Replacement of chaparral by forest reduces mixed conifer forest landscape diversity. However, the mixture of shrubs and trees in long unburned former chaparral is likely to burn with high severity effects in a subsequent fire. Since chaparral is also establishing in recent, very large high severity burn patches, chaparral extent may be expanding in the new configuration. If the decades needed for trees to invade from forest at the edge of severe burns exceed the fire return interval, chaparral may emerge as an alternative stable state to forest. Consequently, developing management strategies to increase resilience of mixed conifer forests to altered fire regimes is a pressing management challenge.
Long-Term Survival of a Patient With Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Harboring a V600E Mutation in the BRAF Oncogene.

Long-term survival is uncommon in advanced-stage nonesmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The effect of driver mutations on the clinical course is an area of ongoing study, in particular, for less common mutations such as those occurring in the BRAF oncogene. We present the case of a 75-year-old man with no smoking history who was diagnosed with an EGFR wild-type, V600E BRAF-mutant lung adenocarcinoma. Despite presenting with disease in multiple lung lobes and progression to pleural involvement, the patient achieved ongoing survival lasting more than 9 years. The patient’s course was remarkable for an initially unclear molecular tumor profile but stable disease with erlotinib therapy despite having no mutations in the EGFR oncogene. The patient subsequently achieved a prolonged clinical and radiographic response to vemurafenib, a targeted BRAF inhibitor. Molecular profiling using nextgeneration cancer personalized profiling by deep sequencing ultimately provided an effective method for confirming the mutational status of the patient’s tumor at multiple points in his disease course. Although V600E mutations in the BRAF oncogene have not been commonly associated with long-term survival, the findings from the present case suggest that such mutations might be compatible with slow disease progression in some patients. The use of targeted therapy in the treatment of V600E BRAF-mutant NSCLC might contribute to long survival for these patients.
Immunotherapy for Pediatric Solid Tumors

Although the cure rates for pediatric and adolescent cancer continue to increase, many solid tumor malignancies continue to have overall worse outcomes when compared to acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphomas. This is especially true for metastatic or recurrent solid tumors. Immunotherapy may impact how we treat these tumors. Although the number of immunotherapy clinical trials in pediatric patients has been small compared to adults, the results are promising even in patients with advanced disease and should be explored further. In this chapter we will review the different immunotherapeutic approaches that have and are being evaluated in the pediatric oncology setting.
Investigating the surface changes of silicon in vitro within physiological environments for neurological application

Silicon has been used as one of the primary substrates for micro-machined intra-cortical neural implants (INI). The presence of various ions in the extracellular environment combined with cellular biological activity establishes a harsh, corrosive environment in the brain for INI, and as such, a long-term implant’s construction materials must be able to resist these environments. We have examined if environmental components could contribute to changes in the material, which in turn may be a contributing factor to the decreased long-term reliability in INI optimal neural recordings, which have prevented clinical use these devices for the last 4 decades. We tested silicon in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF), Dulbecco’s modified eagle medium (DMEM), and H4 cells cultured within DMEM for 96 hours at 37°C as three various physiological environments to investigate the material degradation. We have observed that Si samples immersed in only DMEM and ACSF showed very minor surface alterations. However, Si samples cultured with H4 cells exhibited a large change in surface roughness from 0.24±0.04 nm to 4.85 nm. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs showed the presence of pyramid shaped pits. Further characterization with atomic force microscope (AFM) verified this result and quantified the severe changes in the surface roughness of these samples. At this initial stage of the investigation, we are endeavoring to identify the cause of these changes to the Si surface, but based on our observations, we believe that the increased corrosion could be result of chemical products released into the surrounding environment by the cells.
Private Actors, Public Rights: Surrogate Litigation and Press Rights in a Post-Newspaper Age

By lavishing attention on the implications of diminished news-gathering for an informed society, and striking about for new business models, we have glossed over a more threatening dimension of the news-gathering crisis: the looming erosion of the legal landscape upon which newspapers and other media entities have relied to conduct effective news-gathering. Those rights are gradually disappearing. The era in which a single industry could single-handedly shoulder the costs of litigation required to preserve and enforce necessary First Amendment and statutory entitlements is gone. Law school clinics are perfectly positioned to address the void in private actors' enforcement of crucial, publicly held press rights.
Guest Editorial: Who's Afraid of Life After Death?

The evidence for an afterlife is sufficiently strong and compelling that an unbiased person ought to conclude that materialism is a false theory. Yet the academy refuses to examine the evidence, and clings to materialism as if it were a priori true, instead of a posteriori false. I suggest several explanations for the monumental failure of curiosity on the part of academia. First, there is deep confusion between the concepts of evidence and proof. Second, materialism functions as a powerful paradigm that structures the shape of scientific explanations, but is not itself open to question. The third explanation is intellectual arrogance, as the possible existence of disembodied intelligence threatens the materialistic belief that the educated human brain is the highest form of intelligence in existence. Finally, there is a social taboo against belief in an afterlife, as our whole way of life is predicated on materialism and might collapse if near-death experiences, particularly the life review, were accepted as fact.
Dynamics of Water at the Interface in Reverse Micelles: Measurements of Spectral Diffusion with Two-Dimensional Infrared Vibrational Echoes

Water dynamics inside of reverse micelles made from the surfactant Aerosol-OT (AOT) were investigated by observing spectral diffusion, orientational relaxation, and population relaxation using two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) vibrational echo spectroscopy and pump–probe experiments. The water pool sizes of the reverse micelles studied ranged in size from 5.8 to 1.7 nm in diameter. It is found that spectral diffusion, characterized by the frequency–frequency correlation function (FFCF), significantly changes as the water pool size decreases. For the larger reverse micelles (diameter 4.6 nm and larger), the 2D IR signal is composed of two spectral components: a signal from bulk-like core water, and a signal from water at the headgroup interface. Each of these signals (core water and interfacial water) is associated with a distinct FFCF. The FFCF of the interfacial water layer can be obtained using a modified center line slope (CLS) method that has been recently developed. The interfacial FFCFs for large rev...
Egg Viability and Longevity of Japanese Beetles Treated with Tepa, Apholate, and Metepa

Laboratory studies with tepa, apholate, and metepa showed that the topical application of these compounds to adults of the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, at dosages between 1.58 and 50 µg resulted in varying levels of egg infertility. Tepa Was the most effective sterilizing agent, then apholate, with metepa the least effective. Application of apholate to males and to both males and females resulted in a high degree of egg infertility, but application of the same compound solely to females did not appear to inhibit production of fertile eggs. Interchange of apholate-trcatcd and untreated males between 2 groups of untreated females resulted in production of ova with fertility dependent on whether the last mating partners of the females had been treated with the chemo-sterilant.
Parkinsonism and mental health disorders among Latino migrants

Introduction Mental health disorders and parkinsonism (mobility slowness, rigidity, rest tremor, gait instability) often co-exist. Approximately 40% of the 7-10 million people living with Parkinson's disease globally experience co-existent depression and/or anxiety. Furthermore, people treated with dopamine-blocking medications (antipsychotics, antiemetics) or those who suffer vascular, infectious, toxic, or structural brain insults may have symptoms of “secondary” parkinsonism. Objectives To describe the existence of parkinsonism among Latino immigrants with behavioral health and substance abuse problems. Methods Data from the International Latino Partnership (ILRP) gathered at primary care clinics in Boston, Madrid, and Barcelona included 4 parkinsonism screening questions. Results A total of 151 participants out of 567 (26.6%) screened positive for at least one parkinsonism question and 15 (2.6%) screened positive for all 4 questions. A small group of participants who screened positive for parkinsonism had co-existent schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, and/or exposure to lithium or valproic acid. We found that age 50+, depression, and anxiety were more often associated with people having parkinsonism ( P Conclusions Parkinsonism and behavioral health disorders co-exist among Latino immigrants in the United States and Spain. This may be related in part to exposure to dopamine-blocking medications. Future studies should focus on early detection of mental health co-morbidities among Parkinson's disease patients as well as on prevention of “secondary” parkinsonism among people living with mental health disorders.
National survey of critical-care pharmaceutical services.

The results of a national survey of critical-care pharmaceutical services are reported. A questionnaire was mailed on March 8, 1988, to 1500 of the 6800 U.S. hospitals with more than 100 beds. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: (1) critical-care pharmaceutical services; (2) critical-care clinical pharmacy activity; (3) critical-care pharmacy standards; and (4) general information on the hospital, including pharmaceutical services provided to patients who are not critically ill. A total of 613 usable questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 41%. Respondents from 124 hospitals reported having a critical-care satellite pharmacy. Critical-care beds served by satellite pharmacies were more likely to have unit dose drug distribution services than were critical-care beds not served by satellite pharmacies. The level of clinical and educational services provided to critical-care patients was significantly lower for intensive-care unit (ICU) pharmacists practicing in satellite pharmacies than it was for ICU pharmacists not associated with satellite pharmacies. There were no differences between satellite and nonsatellite ICU pharmacists in either the percentage of a typical day spent providing clinical services to critical-care patients or the percentage of critical-care patients receiving those services. Respondents expected their hospitals to add 301 full-time-equivalent critical-care pharmacists to their staffs during the next two years, for a 39% increase. Respondents strongly favored establishing 24-hour unit dose drug distribution and i.v. admixture services, providing inservice education to nurses and physicians, and providing written pharmacokinetic consultations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Diffusion of Associate Degree Nursing Programs Among U.S. Community Colleges

Examinations of the adoption and diffusion processes relative to innovations have focused on a variety of factors including the characteristics of the environment, the adoptive unit, and the innovation itself. This study explored the relationship between environmental factors, organizational characteristics, and the spread of 2-year associate degree nursing (ADN) programs among community colleges in the U.S. Data were secured from census materials, educational directories, community college catalogs, various other documents, and interviews with community college representatives. Results indicated that such factors as general population heterogeneity, change and wealth, and various measures of the need for nurses and nursing education were not useful predictors of the prevalence of ADN programs among the population of community colleges in a state. Two-year colleges that operated ADN programs were larger, wealthier, offered more occupational programs, and were more likely to be publicly controlled than were community colleges that had not adopted the ADN program feature. Analysis of case materials suggested that at the community level, hospitals and hospital-sponsored nursing schools were important factors in the community college's decision to adopt or reject the ADN program feature.
Development of Ca2+ homeostasis in epithelial cells from embryonic and neonatal intestine

The fluorescent probe fura-2 was used to assay Ca2+ levels in epithelial cell suspensions from embryonic and neonatal chick duodenum. Cell preparations maintained high viability, completely hydrolyzed fura-2/AM to fura-2, retained 92% of cellular fura-2 within the cytoplasmic compartment, and gave low autofluorescence values during assay. Fura-2 leakage from loaded cells occurred at all ages, but could be corrected for in subsequent calculations of cellular Ca2+. Cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration was 76-80 nM in cells from 14- to 16-day embryonic intestine, rose significantly to 92-98 nM at 17-20 days, and reached 209 nM at 1-day post-hatch when assayed in buffers containing 1.3 mM Ca2+. The developmental rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ was accompanied by an enhanced ability of cells to maintain a constant Ca2+ concentration at increased levels of extracellular Ca2+ and by a highly correlated rise in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Epithelial Ca2+ subsequently decreased to the "adult" value of 133-142 nM and was constant along the crypt-villus axis of neonatal intestine. These results verify that fura-2 can be used to compare baseline cytoplasmic Ca2+ values of epithelial cells from developing intestine, reveal that significant changes in Ca2+ homeostasis occur during ontogeny, and suggest that epithelial Ca2+ may modulate ALP activity during the differentiation of embryonic enterocytes.
Dramatic treatment response of cutaneous plasmablastic lymphoma in an HIV patient: a case report☆

Plasmablastic lymphoma is a variant of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, characterized by rapid progression and is associated with a poor outcome. We report a 35-year-old male with poorly controlled HIV infection and AIDS who presented with skin lesions and swelling throughout the body. Computed tomography (CT) revealed innumerable enhancing soft tissue masses within the subcutaneous soft tissues and lymphadenopathy. Plasmablastic lymphoma was diagnosed, patient was treated with chemotherapy, and post treatment CT demonstrated complete resolution. Imaging plays a key role in the diagnosis and surveillance of this disease.
Investigation of the pathogenic mechanisms in regional enteritis with in vitro lymphocyte cultures.

Lymphocytes from patients with regional enteritis were studied by an in vitro cell culture technique in the hope of finding an antigenic substance responsible for this disease. This antigen was sought in the gastrointestinal contents. Some gastrointestinal materials obtained from patients with regional enteritis and from normal individuals induce blast transformation of lymphocytes. However, no substance was found which specifically stimulated lymphocytes from patients with regional enteritis. Saline extracts of the diseased bowel taken from patients did not induce blast transformation of normal or patient lymphocytes. The immunological competence of lymphocytes from patients with regional enteritis and ulcerative colitis was also assessed. These studies, using phytohemagglutinin to stimulate lymphocytes, have demonstrated a clear cut depression in the responsiveness of cells from regional enteritis patients, while lymphocytes from patients with ulcerative colitis responded normally. This depressed responsiveness could not be transferred with serum to lymphocytes of normal subjects.
A Resource for Eliciting Student Alternative Conceptions: Examining the Adaptability of a Concept Inventory for Natural Selection at the Secondary School Level

The Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS) is an example of a research-based instrument that assesses conceptual understanding in an area that contains well-documented alternative conceptions. Much of the CINS’s use and original validation has been relegated to undergraduate settings, but the information learned from student responses on the CINS can also potentially be a useful resource for teachers at the secondary level. Because of its structure, the CINS can have a role in eliciting alternative conceptions and induce deeper conceptual understanding by having student ideas leveraged during instruction. In a first step toward this goal, the present study further investigated the CINS’s internal properties by having it administered to a group (n = 339) of students among four different biology teachers at a predominantly Latino, economically disadvantaged high school. In addition, incidences of the concept inventory’s use among the teachers’ practices were collected for support of its adaptability at the secondary level. Despite the teachers’ initial enthusiasm for the CINS’s use as an assessment tool in the present study, results from a principal components analysis demonstrate inconsistencies between the original and present validations. Results also reveal how the teachers think CINS items may be revised for future use among secondary student populations.
A Self-Plagiarism Intervention for Doctoral Students: A Qualitative Pilot Study

This purpose of this qualitative study was to gather detailed information about student perceptions of self-plagiarism and the perceived effectiveness of a brief self-plagiarism video tutorial. Semi-structured interviews (n = 7) were conducted and health sciences doctoral students were queried regarding their knowledge and perceptions of self- plagiarism. The population for this study was new doctoral students, as well as students who had committed self-plagiarism during the semester. Overall, participants reported a specific self-plagiarism intervention was more helpful in preventing self- plagiarism than a traditional plagiarism intervention and that the intervention should be included in initial program orientation. Overwhelmingly, students did not believe self- plagiarism was a serious academic offense and think they own their intellectual property and unpublished works.
Computational Thinking: Toward a Unifying Definition

This chapter reviews the current state of Computational Thinking (CT)—an idea that promotes the use of computer science concepts to enhance problem solving in various subject domains. Although millions of dollars have been spent promoting CT, our review revealed that in spite of various studies on the application of CT and the pedagogical promise, few studies have sought to operationalize the term “Computational Thinking” for curriculum or assessment. We conducted a Delphi study to gain consensus among experts in CT to formalize a definition and clarify the latent educational possibilities. The results of the Delphi study are reviewed followed by a discussion for future directions of Computational Thinking research.
The Role of Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Breast Cancer Risk and Prognosis: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Literature.

Abstract Background: Oxidative stress may play an important role in both initiation and progression of breast cancer. We conducted the first systematic epidemiologic review to summarize the published literature on oxidative stress biomarkers and breast cancer. Materials and Methods: We implemented systematic search strategies to identify published studies of oxidative stress biomarkers and (1) risk of developing breast cancer and (2) breast cancer prognosis using the PRISMA statement guidelines. Results: We identified eleven case–control studies of oxidative stress biomarkers and breast cancer. Biomarkers utilized varied and menopausal status was a key modifying factor. Across three nested case–control studies with biomarkers measured before diagnosis, one reported increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in association with 8-oxodG (DNA damage biomarker), while two (one of F2-isoprostanes and one of fluorescent oxidation products) reported inverse associations for premenopausal breast cancer only. ...
Matrix metalloproteinase collagenolysis in health and disease

The proteolytic processing of collagen (collagenolysis) is critical in development and homeostasis, but also contributes to numerous pathologies. Mammalian interstitial collagenolytic enzymes include members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family and cathepsin K. While MMPs have long been recognized for their ability to catalyze the hydrolysis of collagen, the roles of individual MMPs in physiological and pathological collagenolysis are less defined. The use of knockout and mutant animal models, which reflect human diseases, has revealed distinct collagenolytic roles for MT1-MMP and MMP-13. A better understanding of temporal and spatial collagen processing, along with the knowledge of the specific MMP involved, will ultimately lead to more effective treatments for cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular conditions, and infectious diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Matrix Metalloproteinases edited by Rafael Fridman.
Names in strange places

This paper is about how to interpret and evaluate purported evidence for predicativism about proper names. I aim to point out some underappreciated thorny issues and to offer both predicativists and non-predicativists some advice about how best to pursue their respective projects. I hope to establish three related claims: (1) that non-predicativists have to posit relatively exotic, though not entirely implausible, polysemic mechanisms to capture the range of data that predicativists have introduced (Sects. 1, 2, 3); (2) that neither referentialism nor extant versions of predicativism can offer a very plausible account of the interpretive possibilities for singular unmodified definite descriptions containing names (Sects. 4, 5); and (3) that the most plausible version of predicativism would treat bare names as non-anaphoric definite descriptions (Sects. 6, 7, 8).
Analysis of the Cost Effectiveness of Laparoscopic Pancreatoduodenectomy

Objective We sought to determine if laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) is a cost-effective alternative to open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD).
A collaborative approach to simulation development

Background Meeting employer expectations is a challenge for new nurse graduates and their nurse educators. Designing studies to collect specific data on hospital expectations and new nursing graduate deficiencies is needed. Sample Hospital-based educators and preceptors (n=13) participated in one of two focus groups, to identify problem areas. Senior nursing students (n=64) participated in simulations developed from data obtained in the sessions. Methods Audio-recorded focus groups were conducted with the goal to identify deficiencies in new graduate nurses. Recordings were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Hospital employer expectation themes identified include attending to basic patient needs, organisational skills, anticipation of risks and consequences, higher order technical skills, communication and ownership/accountability. Two simulations for senior nursing students were developed to address identified deficiencies. Conclusion Developing meaningful simulations which address deficiencies prior to graduation, in collaboration with potential employers, has the potential to lower the cost of graduate nurse orientation, improve patient outcomes, provide a greater sense of readiness to the graduate nurse and ultimately meet the needs of both the student and employer.
Regional analysis of bin aeration as an alternative to insecticidal control for post-harvest management of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.)

Abstract The objectives of this study are to 1) develop an integrated aeration and insect pest modeling system and 2) determine the potential of aeration in controlling rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), and lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), as an alternative to the use of insecticides. Grain temperature, moisture, and pest population dynamics were simulated at each layer and radial position within a storage bin using a two-dimensional aeration model coupled with an age-structured distributed-maturation insect population model. The models were parameterized and validated using data from the literature and controlled experiments. Regional analysis across major U.S. rice states suggests adult populations of both species decrease progressively towards higher latitudes mainly due to lower fall and winter temperatures, with much lower populations for lesser grain borer than for rice weevil. Increasing the target temperature for storage bin aeration from 7.2 °C to 15.6 °C more than doubled the adult populations in the southern states, but the effect in the more northerly rice states was much less due to ambient air temperatures seldom reaching the target temperature. An increase in aeration airflow rate from 0.69 to 1.38 m3/min/MT (metric ton) had a much greater impact in reducing adult populations than a decrease in the aeration target temperature. Weather variation between years within a county greatly impacted pest populations. Even in the southern states, predicted rice weevil populations under aeration exceeded 1000 adults/MT in less than half of the years. These results highlight the site-specific impact of aeration on S. oryzae and R. dominica and the need to develop cost-effective site-specific aeration and insect pest management strategies.
Actual competence, rather than perceived competence, is a better predictor of physical activity in children aged 6-9 years.

ABSTRACTThere is a limited understanding about the relative importance of perceived and actual competence on emergent physical activity levels in children and whether there is a difference in their development and strength between boys and girls.This study used a single-cohort, multiple age group design to monitor physical activity, actual motor competence (AMC) and perceived competence (PC) on four occasions over 18 months in 6-to 9-year-old boys and girls (N = 201). Physical activity was measured by 7-day daily step counts (pedometer) and activity diary. AMC was assessed by mastery of skill criteria for 4 motor skills; run, overhand throw, standing broad jump, and line walk. PC was measured with the Self Description Questionnaire-I.Linear Mixed Model analysis revealed that AMC, Gender and School significantly impacted physical activity levels longitudinally in these children. AMC made a greater contribution (9-30%) to physical activity levels than PC (0-5%), and at an earlier age in boys (7 years) than ...
SDN-Assisted adaptive streaming framework for tile-based immersive content using MPEG-DASH

Video streaming over the internet for new 3D immersive media such as Virtual Reality and 360-degree videos has drawn great attention from both consumers and researchers in recent years. One of the biggest challenges in streaming such 3D media is the high bandwidth demands. While traditional 2D video streaming is still dominating network peak traffic, new inventions are accelerating the adoption of immersive contents and devices. A new Tile-based video is introduced in both a video codec and streaming layer to reduce the transferred media size. Dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP has become one of the de facto effective adaptive streaming approaches that can fully utilize the existing physical IP network infrastructure. In this paper, we propose a tile-based streaming framework using software-defined networking. By prioritizing streaming flows, based on the region of interests, our approach can improve the user's quality of experience (QoE).
Multiple pathways of reserve simultaneously present in cognitively normal older adults.

Objective To examine neural correlates of intellectual activity underlying multiple pathways imparting reserve by testing that higher intellectual activity is associated with lower brain amyloid pathology, greater gray matter (GM) volume, and differential task-evoked brain activation levels as a function of amyloid positivity status among clinically intact older adults. Methods Eighty-two cognitively normal older adults and 46 healthy young participants underwent fMRI during task switching. All older participants completed 18F-florbetaben-PET and an individual9s amyloid positivity status was determined. To assess GM volume, T1-weighted high-resolution structural images were processed using voxel-based morphometry. As lifestyle factors, intellectual activity was estimated by a composite score of vocabulary, reading ability, and years of education. Results Across all older participants, intellectual activity was associated with lower amyloid deposition in lateral and medial frontoparietal and temporal lobes but higher amyloid deposition in superior frontal and parietal cortices, larger GM volume across widespread brain regions, and reduced brain activation during task switching. These patterns of associations, however, differed by amyloid positivity status. While the patterns of associations remained similar among amyloid-negative older adults, among amyloid-positive older adults, intellectual activity was associated with increased amyloid deposition in frontoparietal cortices and increased activation during task. Conclusions Intellectual activity simultaneously exerts both neuroprotective and compensatory effects via multiple neural pathways that promote optimal brain aging and help maintain normal cognition during amyloid accumulation.
Survey: Nash equilibria: Complexity, symmetries, and approximation

We survey recent joint work with Christos Papadimitriou and Paul Goldberg on the computational complexity of Nash equilibria. We show that finding a Nash equilibrium in normal form games is computationally intractable, but in an unusual way. It does belong to the class NP; but Nash's theorem, showing that a Nash equilibrium always exists, makes the possibility that it is also NP-complete rather unlikely. We show instead that the problem is as hard computationally as finding Brouwer fixed points, in a precise technical sense, giving rise to a new complexity class called PPAD. The existence of the Nash equilibrium was established via Brouwer's fixed-point theorem; hence, we provide a computational converse to Nash's theorem. To alleviate the negative implications of this result for the predictive power of the Nash equilibrium, it seems natural to study the complexity of approximate equilibria: an efficient approximation scheme would imply that players could in principle come arbitrarily close to a Nash equilibrium given enough time. We review recent work on computing approximate equilibria and conclude by studying how symmetries may affect the structure and approximation of Nash equilibria. Nash showed that every symmetric game has a symmetric equilibrium. We complement this theorem with a rich set of structural results for a broader, and more interesting class of games with symmetries, called anonymous games.
Coupled amidolytic assay for factor VII: its use with a clotting assay to determine the activity state of factor VII

A coupled amidolytic assay for factor VII (VII) has been developed that when used with a clotting assay for VII enables detection of activated VII. In the assay, VII in a test material determines generation of factor Xa in a mixture of purified factor X, tissue factor, and calcium; factor Xa is measured with a chromogenic substrate. Factor VII activity in the coupled amidolytic assay (VIIam) correlated well with VII activity in a one-stage clotting assay (VIIc) in 57 healthy subjects, 5 patients with hereditary VII deficiency, and 11 patients with liver disease. Activation of plasma VII by kaolin, clotting, or cold strikingly increased VIIc but not VIIam levels. Thus the ratio VIIc/VIIam (VII activity ratio) is a measure of VII activation. In 27 warfarin-treated patients the mean VII activity ratio was significantly decreased, reflecting a greater decline in VIIc than in VIIam. This probably stems from partially carboxylated VII being able to act during the 3-min incubation of the amidolytic assay but unable to act rapidly enough to affect the clotting assay. Measurement of VIIc/VIIam should enable evaluation of the activity state of VII in thrombotic disorders and in components for transfusion therapy.
Patterns of palliative care utilization among patients with end stage liver disease during end-of-life hospitalizations: A population-level analysis

Abstract Purpose To investigate the patterns and predictors of palliative care (PC) utilization across ICU- and non ICU-managed patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) during end-of-life hospitalization. Materials and methods The Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File was used to perform a retrospective, population-based cohort study of patients with ESLD and end-of-life hospitalization during 2005–2014. PC use among ICU- and non ICU-managed patients was examined. Logistic regression modeling was used to identify predictors of PC. Results We studied 30,301 patients, of which 5484 (18.1%) had reported PC and 24,174 (79.8%) were admitted to ICU. Between 2005 and 2014 PC use among ICU- and non ICU-managed patients increased from 0.5% to 32.9% and 7.1% to 47.0%, respectively, while ICU admission rate rose from 76.5% to 82.9%. PC use was reduced with rising APR-DRG illness severity (adjusted odds ratio, “extreme” vs. “minor” 0.36 [95% confidence interval, 0.24–0.54]), ICU admission (0.60 [0.55–0.65]), and use of mechanical ventilation (0.75 [0.70–0.81]). Conclusions: There was persistent gap in use of PC among ICU-managed patients with ESLD during end-of-life hospitalization. ICU utilization rose, unexpectedly, despite the increasing use of PC in this cohort, and PC utilization was, paradoxically, lower among patients with the highest need.
Spatial Conception of Activities: Settings, Identity, and Felt Experience

The “situated” perspective in the analysis and design of socio-technical systems reveals how people conceive of activities as social-interactive settings, thus relating situated cognition to themes in the philosophy of place. In the socio-technical approach to developing technology, social scientists and computer scientists ground designs of automation (e.g., software, devices, vehicles) in ethnographic studies of how people interact with each other, tools and representations (e.g., computer displays), and their environment (e.g., facilities). These studies characterize people’s activities – how they conceive of what they are doing in particular settings. A person’s understanding of activities that a physical location affords for certain socio-technical purposes – the spatial conception of activities – makes a location a meaningful place. Technical knowledge and methods (“what I am doing now”), personal identity (“who I am being now”), and behavior norms (e.g., “how well I am doing now”) co-develop in the activity setting. This paper elucidates the multi-dimensional physical, conceptual, and interactive nature of settings with examples from ethnographic studies of robotically mediated field science on Mars and analog expeditions on Earth. The felt and aesthetic experience of being in places that are Mars-like and working on Mars itself further reveals the emotional aspect of cognition that motivates and orients scientific work, exploration, and associated artistic expressions.
A Study on the Surface Composition and Migration of Materials and Their Effect on Surface Microhardness during Micro-EDM of Ti-6Al-4V

This study aims to investigate the effect of machining parameters on the surface topography and composition of Ti-6Al-4V after micro-EDM as well as the effect of elemental composition on the surface microhardness. The surface topography has been studied in terms of quality of machined surface, crater sizes, and the presence of surface defects. Statistical analysis was carried out to study the influence of micro-EDM process parameters, i.e., voltage, capacitance, discharge energy, electrode rotational speed, and the electrode coating, on the elemental composition of the machined surface. It was found that the crater size, and hence the surface finish, was dependent on the electrical parameters only, with more pronounced effect of capacitance over voltage. The 60 V and 30 pF combination resulted in crater size as small as 1 µm, whereas crater size of 12 µm was obtained using a combination of 4700 pF and 112 V. Although smaller capacitance resulted in smaller crater sizes, it also increased the chances of defects or deposition of debris on the machined surface. There was migration of material from the tool electrode, dielectric oil, and atmosphere to the workpiece surface, which influenced the surface topography, crater sizes, and surface microhardness. The effects of non-electrical parameters on the relative percentage of various elements were found to be statistically insignificant. The surface microhardness was found to increase slightly due to the surface modification after EDM. The reason for increase in surface microhardness was identified as the migration of tungsten from the tool electrode and carbon from the dielectric. The maximum surface microhardness of 455 HV was obtained at a surface composition after micro-EDM containing 7.96% C and 9.69% W, where non-machined Ti-6Al-4V surface does not have any carbon or tungsten on the surface.
The intracellular symbiont Wolbachia enhances recombination in a dose-dependent manner

Abstract Wolbachia pipientis is an intracellular alphaproteobacterium that infects 40-60% of insect species and is well known for host reproductive manipulations. Although Wolbachia are primarily maternally transmitted, evidence of horizontal transmission can be found in incongruent host-symbiont phylogenies and recent acquisitions of the same Wolbachia strain by distantly related species. Parasitoids and predator-prey interactions may indeed facilitate the transfer of Wolbachia between insect lineages but it is likely that Wolbachia are acquired via introgression in many cases. Many hypotheses exist as to explain Wolbachia prevalence and penetrance such as nutritional supplementation, protection from parasites, protection from viruses, or straight up reproductive parasitism. Using classical genetics we show that Wolbachia increase recombination in infected lineages across two genomic intervals. This increase in recombination is titer dependent as the wMelPop variant, which infects at higher load in Drosophila melanogaster, increases recombination 5% more than the wMel variant. In addition, we also show that Spiroplasma poulsonii, the other bacterial intracellular symbiont of Drosophila melanogaster, does not induce an increase in recombination. Our results suggest that Wolbachia infection specifically alters host recombination landscape in a dose dependent manner. Article Summary The ubiquitous bacterial symbiont Wolbachia is known to alter host reproduction through manipulation of host cell biology, protect from pathogens, and supplement host nutrition. In this work we show that Wolbachia specifically increases host recombination in a dose dependent manner. Flies harboring Wolbachia exhibit elevated rates of recombination across the 2nd and X chromosomes and this increase is proportional to their Wolbachia load. In contrast, another intracellular symbiont, Spiroplasma, does not lead to an increase in recombination across the intervals tested. Our results point to a specific effect of Wolbachia infection that may have a significant effect on infected insect populations.
Genomic non-redundancy of the mir-183/96/182 cluster and its requirement for hair cell maintenance

microRNAs are important regulators of gene expression. In the retina, the mir-183/96/182 cluster is of particular interest due to its robust expression and studies in which loss of the cluster caused photoreceptor degeneration. However, it is unclear which of the three miRNAs in the cluster are ultimately required in photoreceptors, whether each may have independent, contributory roles, or whether a single miRNA from the cluster compensates for the loss of another. These are important questions that will not only help us to understand the role of these particular miRNAs in the retina, but will deepen our understanding of how clustered microRNAs evolve and operate. To that end, we have developed a complete panel of single, double, and triple mir-183/96/182 mutant zebrafish. While the retinas of all mutant animals were normal, the triple mutants exhibited acute hair cell degeneration which corresponded with impaired swimming and death at a young age. By measuring the penetrance of this phenotype in each mutant line, we determine which of the three miRNAs in the cluster are necessary and/or sufficient to ensure normal hair cell development and function.