cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accelerated Failure-Time Regression Models with a Regression Model of Surviving Fraction: An Application to the Analysis of “Permanent Employment” in Japan

Abstract Accelerated failure-time regression models with an additional regression model for the surviving fraction are proposed for the analysis of events that may never occur, regardless of censoring, for some people in the population risk set. The models attempt to estimate simultaneously the effects of covariates on the acceleration/deceleration of the timing of a given event and the surviving fraction; that is, the proportion of the population for which the event never occurs. The extended family of the generalized Gamma distribution is used for the accelerated failure-time regression model; the logistic function is used for the regression model of the surviving fraction. The models are applied to the data of interfirm job mobility in Japan to assess variability in “permanent employment” among white collar and blue collar employees in firms of different sizes, independent from their variability in the timing of interfirm job separations.
TRANSFER AND TRANSITION IN THE SLA OF ASPECT: A Bidirectional Study of Learners of English and Japanese

Previous studies have shown that it is particularly diffi cult for second language (L2) learners to overcome the effects of transfer when they need to unlearn specifi c aspects of the native language in the absence of explicit input that indicates which properties of the fi rst language (L1) are ruled out by the L2 grammar (Inagaki, 2001 ; Westergaard, 2003 ; White, 1991a , 1991b ). The present study focuses on the effects of transfer in the domain of aspectual semantics through an investigation of the interpretation of the present progressive in L2 English and the imperfective marker te-iru in L2 Japanese and examines whether L2 learners can rule out interpretations available in the The research reported here is part of my dissertation work completed at the City University of New York Graduate Center in 2005. I am grateful to Gita Martohardjono and William McClure for their guidance at both early and later stages of this project as well as for many helpful discussions of the issues presented here. I thank Noriaki Yusa for hosting me at Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University in the fall of 2004 and for providing invaluable assistance and support in recruiting participants for this study. I also thank Chie Helinksi, Yukiko Katagiri, Naomi Nakada Larson, William McClure, Kyoko Selden, Robert Sukle, and John Whitman for their help in recruiting the L2 learners of Japanese. The Japanese experiment was developed in cooperation with Mamori Sugita. I thank Leigh Garrison for her help in data collection and analysis as well as Hia Datta for her artistic expertise. Various people have provided feedback at different stages of this work. I am grateful to Jose Aleman-Banon, Marcel den Dikken, Erika Troseth, Virginia Valian, Maria Luisa Zubizaretta, and the six anonymous SSLA reviewers for their helpful suggestions, which greatly
The effect of an adaptation period to soybean oil additions in the diets of young pigs.

Utilization of soybean oil (SBO) in swine starter diets and the effect of an adaptation period to SBO on performance was studied in two 4-wk experiments with pigs initially 4 to 5 wk of age. One trial was extended an additional 4 wk and apparent DE was measured during the 4th wk postweaning. Corn-soybean meal-based diets were used in which SBO was substituted for cornstarch at 2, 4 and 6% of the diet in Exp. 1 and at 3 and 6% of the diet in Exp. 2. In Exp. 2, SBO was added either initially (adaptation) or after 2 wk (no adaptation). In Exp. 1 daily gain and efficiency of feed utilization were improved (P less than .05) by adding SBO during wk 3 and 4, but not earlier. Feed intake was not affected by treatment. In Exp. 2, for the initial 4-wk postweaning period, there was no effect of SBO addition on growth rate; feed intake was depressed (P less than .05) when SBO was added at wk 3, and efficiency of feed utilization was improved (P less than .05) for pigs fed SBO without an adaptation period. The primary improvements in performance occurred in the 3rd and 4th wk postweaning, with a tendency for pigs to perform better without an adaptation period. During wk 4, pigs adapted to SBO consumed more (P less than .05) feed but tended to be less efficient (P less than .10) than nonadapted pigs. With or without adaptation, apparent DE was unaffected by SBO additions. Regardless of adaptation period, SBO additions depressed feed intake (P less than .05) and improved efficiency of feed utilization (P less than .01) for the 5- to 8-wk growing phase. In conclusion, adding SBO the first 2 wk postweaning did not improve performance; an adaptation period was not necessary for a performance response from added SBO.
Targeting the Janus-activated kinase-2-STAT3 signalling pathway in pancreatic cancer using the HSP90 inhibitor ganetespib

Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive malignancy characterised by chemoresistance. HSP90 is important for stabilisation of proteins, cell signalling and malignant growth. We hypothesised that ganetespib, an HSP90 inhibitor, can inhibit PC cell growth by interfering with multiple signalling cascades, including the Janus-activated kinase (JAK)-STAT pathway, and act synergistically with chemotherapeutic drugs. Methods The effects of ganetespib were evaluated in ASPC-1, HPAC, MIA PaCA-2 and PANC-1 cell lines using a cell proliferation assay. Effects on the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and JAK-STAT pathways were examined by Western blot. JAK2 and STAT3 were knocked down by transient transfection with JAK2 or STAT3 small interfering RNA. ASPC-1 and HPAC cell lines were tested for sensitivity to ganetespib, 5-fluorouracil/oxaliplatin, and gemcitabine/paclitaxel, alone and in combination, using an in vivo tumour xenograft model. Results Ganetespib significantly decreased cell proliferation in all tested PC cell lines. Ganetespib decreased the activation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), PI3K/AKT, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signalling molecules and diminished the activation of STAT3 in an additive manner with isolated downregulation of JAK2 expression. In animal models, ganetespib potentiated the effects of 5-fluouracil/oxaliplatin and gemcitabine/paclitaxel, as measured by tumour volume. Western blot analysis from tumours removed from animals confirmed the effects of ganetespib on PI3K/AKT, ERK and JNK pathways. Conclusions Ganetespib inhibits the growth of PC cells, an effect associated with downregulation of signalling through the JAK2-STAT3, PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways. This provides preclinical proof-of-principle that ganetespib enhances the activity of chemotherapeutic agents and warrants further evaluation in PC clinical trials.
State appropriations and undergraduate borrowing: more debt, less money

ABSTRACTWhen state appropriations decrease, public universities respond by raising tuition. Students borrow more in response to both tuition increases and appropriation cuts. This article investigates the feedback of how borrowing and tuition influence state appropriations. Using a panel data set of 450 four-year public universities from 1999 to 2012, we employ three-stage least squares techniques to control for the endogeneity between state appropriations, tuition and student borrowing. There is evidence that state policy-makers respond to increases in university tuition and student borrowing by decreasing future appropriation levels. After controlling for the effect of appropriations on tuition and borrowing, a one-dollar increase in student borrowing reduces state appropriations per student by $0.06, and a one-dollar increase in tuition results in a decrease of $0.45 in state appropriations per student. When universities increase tuition for reasons other than a reduction in state appropriations, polic...
Jim thomas

Jim Thomas, a guest editor and a long-time associate editor of Information Visualization (IVS), died in Richland, WA, on August 6, 2010 due to complications from a brain tumor. His friends and colleagues from around the world have since expressed their sadness and paid tribute to a visionary scientist in multiple public forums. For those who didn't get the chance to know Jim, I share a collection of my own memories of Jim Thomas and memories from some of his colleagues.
Investigation of single-switch short-circuit fault characteristics of a PM machine drive with a current source inverter

This paper investigates the single-switch short-circuit fault response of a permanent magnet (PM) machine drive using a current source inverter (CSI). The CSI offers some appealing advantages over conventional voltage-source inverters (VSIs) during short-circuit fault conditions originating inside the inverter. Two post-fault strategies are investigated in this paper, consisting of either: 1) turning off all of the switches; or 2) turning on all of the switches in a controlled manner. Key features associated with the machine response to both of these post-fault strategies are presented and compared, leading to the conclusion that both make it possible to protect the machine. A combination of analysis, simulation, and experimental tests has been adopted for carrying out this investigation.
Piperacillin-Tazobactam Usage at a Tertiary Pediatric Hospital: An Antimicrobial Stewardship Review

In this review of 200 charts, piperacillin-tazobactam usage was analyzed at a pediatric tertiary hospital, with an assessment of the indications for initiation, and continuation at day 3 of usage. Significant cost savings could be obtained with antibiotic stewardship audit on day 3 of antibiotic administration.
Chiral lithium diamides derived from linked N-isopropyl valinol or alaninol.

Four different chiral diamino diethers synthesized from N-isopropyl valinol or N-isopropyl alaninol were lithiated with n-butyllithium in tetrahydrofuran or diethyl ether. Crystal structures of the dilithiated diamino diethers were determined by X-ray diffraction. Three dilithiated diamino diethers including (2S,2′S)-1,1′-(butane-1,4-diylbis(oxy))bis(N-isopropylpropan-2-amine) 7, (2S,2′S)-1,1′-(pentane-1,5-diylbis(oxy))bis(N-isopropylpropan-2-amine) 8, and (2S,2′S)-1,1′-(heptane-1,7-diylbis(oxy))bis(N-isopropyl-3-methylbutan-2-amine) 9 are dimers, whereas dilithiated (2S,2′S)-1,1′-(pentane-1,5-diylbis(oxy))bis(N-isopropyl-3-methylbutan-2-amine) 10 is a monomer. The lithium atoms in all crystal structures adopt a nonequivalent coordination protocol and exist in two different environments in which one of the lithium atoms is tetra-coordinated while the other one is tri-coordinated. The solution structures of the dilithiated diamino diethers are also characterized by a variety of NMR experiments including di...
Developing Green Food Industry to Ensure the Safety of Food——Based on some experience of Guangdong province

Guangdong green food enterprise and the quantity of products are achieved great development,the basic form a pattern of the green food industry area,not only to provide safe food,but also provided the safeguard for food safety management.There are four poor external environment restricting factors,Which limits the development of green food industry,including relatively weak of industry chain,lack of government leading planning,consumer awareness and lack of four major factors,through the perfect management and service system of green food industry,strengthen the industry chain,to enhance the publicity on government planning and green food,can make the green food industry become the important pillar of Guangdong food safety guarantee.
ARE:New Conceptual Model for Social Crowd Behavior Modeling

In any simulation systems,conceptual modeling is the first step on model process.It is one of the key points on system exploiture.Aiming at the EATI(Entity,Action Task,Interaction) and EBI(Entity,Behavior,Interaction) conceptual model's fall short of describing the social domain conceptual,taking account of the Social Crowd Behavior's emergence character,combining the entity,behavior(action) into Agent,the complex network theory was used to describe peoples social structure,that's to say Agent's social relationship.Further more,in order to emphasize the environment work on the people's behavior,the thinking of intelligent environment was used to simplify the behavior model.A new conceptual model was proposed which aimed at social crowd behavior modeling,the new conceptual model composed of Agent,social Relation,and Intelligent Environment(ARE for short).After giving out ARE's based thinking,its frame,some definition and character were analyzed.
Factors Which Influence the Availability of Choline to Brain

Choline is necessary for normal function of the mammalian organism. It is a precursor for the biosynthesis of the cholinephospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC), sphingomyelin (SM), and choline plasmalogen, which are important constituents of brain membranes [for example, PC contributes eight to fifteen percent of the dry weight of brain (1)]. Free choline is readily accumulated by brain neurons which utilize it as a precursor for the biosynthesis of acetylcholine (ACh; 45). Choline acetyltransferase is not saturated with choline at normal brain concentrations of this amine (41). Therefore, the availability of free choline to neurons directly influences the synthesis of ACh (14, 15, 27). Thus, it is obvious that large numbers of choline molecules must be used by brain for both the maintenance of structural integrity and for cholinergic neurotransmission. Despite this requirement, more unesterified (free) choline leaves the brain, in vivo, than enters it (1, 2, 13, 21). This results in jugular venous levels of free choline that are higher than those of arterial blood entering brain. These concentration differences range from 1 nmol/ml in humans (3) to 1–12 nmol/ml in rats (13, 21, 37). Where does all this free choline come from?
Parental Influence on Drinking Behaviors at the Transition to College: The Mediating Role of Perceived Friends’ Approval of High-Risk Drinking

Objective: This study tested whether perceived parental approval of high-risk drinking is directly linked to alcohol-related outcomes or whether the link between perceived parental approval and these outcomes is mediated by perceived friends’ approval of high-risk drinking. Method: In fall 2009, 1,797 incoming first-year college students (49.7% female) from 142 U.S. colleges and universities completed a web-based survey before participating in an online substance use prevention program. The analytic sample included only 18- to 20-year-old freshmen students who had consumed alcohol in the past year. Students answered questions about perceived parental approval and perceived friends’ approval of high-risk drinking. They also answered questions about their alcohol use (heavy episodic drinking, risky drinking behaviors), use of self-protective strategies (to prevent drinking and driving and to moderate alcohol use), and negative alcohol-related consequences (health, academic and work, social consequences, and drinking and driving). Results: Mediation analyses controlling for the clustering of students within schools indicated that perceived parental approval was directly associated with more easily observable outcomes (e.g., academic- and work-related consequences, drinking and driving). Perceived friends’ approval significantly mediated the link between perceived parental approval and outcomes that are less easily observed (e.g., alcohol use, health consequences). Conclusions: During the transition to college, parents may influence students’ behaviors both directly (through communication) as well as indirectly (by shaping their values and whom students select as friends). Alcohol use prevention programs for students about to start college should address both parental and friend influences on alcohol use. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 77, 000–000, 2016)
Beef cooking rates and losses. Effect on fat content

Oven temperatures traditionally have been used to determine cooking time. Other factors, such as fat content of meat, also affect cooking rates, as this study shows.
Untersuchung 3: Die teilautomatisierte Realfahrt

Gegenstand dieses Kapitels ist die dritte Studie mit einem teilautomatisiert fahrenden Versuchstrager der Volkswagen Konzernforschung im realen Strasenverkehr. Ziel der Studie ist die Betrachtung der Uberwachungs- sowie Bewaltigungsleistung des Fahrers im Hochgeschwindigkeitsbereich der Autobahn sowie in Ubernahmesituationen. Dabei steht vor allem die Ubertragung der teilautomatisierten Funktion auf die Realfahrt mit den entsprechenden Bewegungsinformationen und einem realistischen Setting im Vordergrund.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells for B Cell Neoplasms: Choose the Right CAR for You

Genetic redirection of T lymphocytes allows us to unleash these potent cellular immune effectors against cancer. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are the best-in-class example that genetic engineering of T cells can lead to deep and durable responses, as has been shown in several clinical trials for CD19+ B cell malignancies. As a consequence, in the last few years, several academic institutions and commercial partners have started developing anti-CD19 CAR T cell products. Although most of these T cell products are highly effective in vivo, basic differences among them can generate different performance characteristics and thereby impact their long-term clinical outcome. Several strategies are being implemented in order to solve the current open issues of CART19 therapy: (i) increasing efficacy against indolent B cell leukemias and lymphomas, (ii) avoiding or preventing antigen-loss relapses, (iii) reducing and managing toxicity, and (iv) bringing this CART therapy to routine clinical practice. The field of CART therapies is thriving, and exciting new avenues are opening for both scientists and patients.
Abstract A1: Race has no impact on breast cancer outcome: Results of 803 patients treated at a public hospital

Introduction: African-American women (AA) have a lower incidence of breast cancer, yet a higher breast cancer mortality rate than Caucasian women (C). Whether the mortality differences are the result of more aggressive tumors in AA women or the effect of differences in socioeconomic status (SES) is debatable. A clearer understanding of the role of race requires SES to be controlled as a potential confounder, which can be achieved by evaluating outcome within a population with a high proportion of uninsured patients. Our state-run academic medical center serves as a healthcare safety net for the 715,000 uninsured residents of Louisiana. We provide compelling evidence that race is not predictive of outcome for patients with operable breast cancer. Methods: From our prospective breast cancer database which has been maintained since 1998, we examined the data for all 803 patients with stage 0 to 3 breast cancer. All patients received standard definitive surgical care as well as appropriate adjuvant treatment. Study homogeneity was maintained by standardized treatment, surveillance, and compliance protocols. Primary endpoints were cancer recurrence and death. Statistical analysis performed included Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log-rank test, Cox proportional hazard model, independent samples t-test, and chi-square test. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Sixty percent of patients were AA (N= 479 patients) and the mean follow-up time for AA and C patients was 58 months. Almost 70% of patients were classified as either free care or Medicaid. There were no significant differences in tumor size (p=0.83), nodal distribution (p=0.74), stage distribution (p=0.88), or definitive surgery performed (p=0.32) between the races. However, AA tend to be younger (p=0.003) with a higher tumor grade (p Conclusion: In a predominantly indigent population, race had no impact on breast cancer outcome. Hence, women who were treated at our academic center with a public hospital can expect to have breast cancer outcome rivaling those reported in the literature. Further study is needed to understand the elements involved in our success.
What’s a Wetland (for purposes of Clean Water Act jurisdiction)?

Following up on his campaign pledge, in January 1990 President George H. W. Bush asked his Domestic Policy Council (DPC), a group of senior advisors, to develop recommendations on implementing a policy of “no net loss” of wetlands. The DPC then embarked on a series of public meetings to solicit input and comments from various stakeholders. Obviously, a critical component to achieving the goal of “no net loss” is establishing a baseline—how many acres of wetlands remain—which naturally leads to another question: what exactly qualifies as a wetland for regulatory purposes? Did then-candidate and President Bush really mean that the federal government could and should protect all wetlands?
Heterogeneous Cadherin Expression and Multicellular Aggregate Dynamics in Ovarian Cancer Dissemination

Abstract Epithelial ovarian carcinoma spreads via shedding of cells and multicellular aggregates (MCAs) from the primary tumor into peritoneal cavity, with subsequent intraperitoneal tumor cell:mesothelial cell adhesion as a key early event in metastatic seeding. Evaluation of human tumor extracts and tissues confirms that well-differentiated ovarian tumors express abundant E-cadherin (Ecad), whereas advanced lesions exhibit upregulated N-cadherin (Ncad). Two expression patterns are observed: "mixed cadherin," in which distinct cells within the same tumor express either E- or Ncad, and "hybrid cadherin," wherein single tumor cell(s) simultaneously expresses both cadherins. We demonstrate striking cadherin-dependent differences in cell-cell interactions, MCA formation, and aggregate ultrastructure. Mesenchymal-type Ncad+ cells formed stable, highly cohesive solid spheroids, whereas Ecad+ epithelial-type cells generated loosely adhesive cell clusters covered by uniform microvilli. Generation of "mixed cadherin" MCAs using fluorescently tagged cell populations revealed preferential sorting into cadherin-dependent clusters, whereas mixing of cell lines with common cadherin profiles generated homogeneous aggregates. Recapitulation of the "hybrid cadherin" Ecad+/Ncad+ phenotype, via insertion of the CDH2 gene into Ecad+ cells, resulted in the ability to form heterogeneous clusters with Ncad+ cells, significantly enhanced adhesion to organotypic mesomimetic cultures and peritoneal explants, and increased both migration and matrix invasion. Alternatively, insertion of CDH1 gene into Ncad+ cells greatly reduced cell-to-collagen, cell-to-mesothelium, and cell-to-peritoneum adhesion. Acquisition of the hybrid cadherin phenotype resulted in altered MCA surface morphology with increased surface projections and increased cell proliferation. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that MCA cadherin composition impacts intraperitoneal cell and MCA dynamics and thereby affects ultimate metastatic success.
Activation volume vs BOLD signal change as measures of fMRI activation - Its impact on GABA - fMRI activation correlation.

Abstract Purpose To explore the relative robustness of functional MRI (fMRI) activation volume and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal change as fMRI metric, and to study the effect of relative robustness on the correlation between fMRI activation and cortical gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) in healthy controls and patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods fMRI data were acquired from healthy controls and patients with MS, with the subjects peforming self paced bilateral finger tapping in block design. GABA spectroscopy was performed with voxel placed on the area of maximum activation during fMRI. Activation volume and BOLD signal changes at primary motor cortex (M1), as well as GABA concentration were calculated for each patient. Results Activation volume correlated with BOLD signal change in healthy controls, but no such correlation was observed in patients with MS. This difference was likely the result of higher intersubject noise variance in the patient population. GABA concentration correlated with M1 activation volume in patients but not in controls, and did not correlate with any fMRI metric in patients or controls. Conclusion Our data suggest that activation volume is a more robust measure than BOLD signal change in a group with high intersubject noise variance as in patients with MS. Additionally, this study demonstrated difference in correlation behavior between GABA concentration and the 2 fMRI metrics in patients with MS, suggesting that GABA - activation volume correlation is more appropriate measure in the patient group.
Two Decades of Economic Growth and Development Policies

The macroeconomic policies adopted by the ANC have had far-reaching influence. These policies have played a significant role in the country since the 1994 election campaign. What started as a strategy of redistribution and equity during the election campaign gave way to a Western, neoliberal market-based approach with the introduction of the Growth, Employment, and Redistribution Policy (GEAR) in 1996. This chapter focuses on the influence of GEAR on economic growth and development, higher education, and the prospects for women since its inception in 1996 to today.
Non-convex Shannon entropy for photon-limited imaging

Reconstructing high-dimensional sparse signals from low-dimensional low-count photon observations is a challenging nonlinear optimization problem. In this paper, we build upon previous work on minimizing the Poisson log-likelihood and incorporate recent work on the generalized nonconvex Shannon entropy function for promoting sparsity in solutions. We explore the effectiveness of the proposed approach using numerical experiments.
Mortgage Pricing and Race: Evidence from the Northeast

The putative existence of race-based discrimination in mortgage pricing is both a scholarly and societal concern. Efforts to assess discrimination empirically, however, are typically plagued by omitted variables, which leave any evidence of discrimination open to interpretation. We take a two-pronged approach to the problem. First, we analyze a dataset comprising discretionary mortgage fees collected by brokers working for a brokerage company. Mortgage brokers are intermediaries between lenders and borrowers; they neither approve loans nor share in the risk of default. Variables that measure risk should therefore have no effect on these discretionary fees, and indeed, we show that default risk as measured by credit scores have no effect on discretionary pricing. Second, we perform a formal sensitivity analysis that quantifies the impact of potentially omitted variables. Our results suggest that minority borrowers pay more on average for mortgages than non-minorities, and that this effect persists even in the presence of unmeasured confounders.
DUE-B: Data-driven urban energy benchmarking of buildings using recursive partitioning and stochastic frontier analysis

Abstract With the world rapidly urbanizing, addressing the energy intensive urban built environment is becoming increasingly important. Cities across the United States and the world are turning to energy benchmarking as a means of understanding the relative energy efficiency of their building stock and identifying potential opportunities to reduce energy usage. Benchmarking utilizes building characteristics and energy use data to measure a building’s energy consumption against a performance baseline and derive a level of energy efficiency. Over twenty cities in the United States and many others across the world have passed laws mandating the collection and disclosure of energy use data to enable benchmarking and pinpoint potential energy saving opportunities. However, municipalities are struggling to convert this data into actionable insights and identify which buildings are prime candidates for energy efficiency interventions. Although an extensive body of work exists on benchmarking building energy performance, previous works are limited in their ability to leverage such emerging data streams and conduct analysis at the city scale. Moreover, previous methods are largely based on black-box models that limit the interpretability of results and in turn hinder the ability of policy-makers to employ such models in their policy design and decision-making processes. In this paper, we propose DUE-B, a new Data-driven Urban Energy Benchmarking methodology based on recursive partitioning and stochastic frontier analysis. To test DUE-B, we evaluate its performance using real energy and building data from over 10,000 buildings in New York City, and we compare the results to other common benchmarking models using the Kendall tau-b correlation coefficient. Results indicate that DUE-B is more robust than conventional benchmarking methods in respect to identifying subsets of efficient and inefficient buildings. Furthermore, we highlight how results from DUE-B can be utilized by municipal officials and other policy-makers to target inefficient buildings for energy efficiency interventions, incentives, and programs. Specifically, we indicate how DUE-B can be utilized by municipalities to target the most inefficient buildings for subsidized onsite energy audits and less inefficient buildings for less capital-intensive energy efficiency strategies such as incentives and educational programs. In the end, more robust benchmarking methods like DUE-B have the potential to enhance the efficacy of municipal energy efficiency programs and help transition cities to a more sustainable energy future.
Utility of Food Patch Testing in the Evaluation and Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

BackgroundIrritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder of unknown etiology.ObjectiveWe sought to investigate whether specific type 4 food allergens identified by skin patch testing, when eliminated from the diet, alleviate symptoms of IBS.MethodsIn this case series, skin patch testing was performed on 60 IBS patients using an extensive panel of type 4 food allergens after which food avoidance diets directed by the patch test results were implemented. Questionnaires assessing abdominal pain/discomfort and global improvement in IBS symptoms were used to assess one month and three or more month outcomes. ResultsThere were statistically significant improvements in abdominal pain/discomfort and in global IBS symptoms after one month and again at an average of 7.6 months of patch test-guided food avoidance.ConclusionsSustained improvement with avoidance of type 4 food allergens identified by skin patch testing suggests a role for delayed-type food hypersensitivities in the pathogenesis of some cases of IBS. A subset of patients whose IBS symptoms resolve completely may be better characterized as having a newly proposed disease, allergic contact enteritis (ACE).
With Great Data Comes Great (Theoretical) Opportunity

Is there a 'critical period' for language? Using a viral online grammar test, Hartshorne, Tenenbaum, and Pinker (2018) collected a new massive dataset on the relationship between age and language learning. Their data highlight both the importance - and the challenges - of creating quantitative theories linking 'big data' to cognitive models.
The lack of effect of tunicamycin on cilia regeneration in Tetrahymenapyriformis

Abstract Tetrahymena pyriformis cultures were starved, deciliated and incubated in a reciliation medium in the presence and absence of tunicamycin. This antibiotic was shown to have no effect on the rate of reciliation or the appearance of the organisms even when present in relatively large amounts, although cell division was blocked. A small inhibition of protein synthesis was noted in the presence of tunicamycin, but mannose incorporation was totally abolished. It was concluded that the reciliation of these organisms takes place by a mechanism that does not require the de novo synthesis of glycoprotein.
Collaborative Reader Code Division Multiple Access in the Harmonic RFID System

Reading reliability is a critical aspect in the ultrahigh-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) system when a large amount of tags are in the reading zone with complex multi-path interferences. The read failure incidences can be caused not only by the random tag position and orientation but also by the RF shadowing of other objects and tags, both of which can misalign the main lobes of the tag and reader antennas. To increase the system coverage and total read yield in practical indoor ambient, a possible solution is to employ multiple readers with overlapping reading zones. However, when the tags are within the reading zones of multiple readers, the conventional tag singulation protocol will suffer serious reader-to-reader collision (R2RC) unless the conflicting readers can agree on proper collaborative time or space division schemes. The uncertain delay of the time division multiple access and the lack of definitive time sequence can further affect the reading process, especially when the RFID system is employed for applications requiring real-time accessing, tracking, and sensing. In this paper, we introduce a collaborative reader code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol in the harmonic RFID system, which provides synchronous tag access for all readers within range. The tag can distinguish the downlink commands from multiple readers simultaneously and then formulate the response accordingly. The proposed reader CDMA is demonstrated in a simple experimental prototype to verify R2RC resolution and read yield improvement. The tworeader collaborative CDMA scheme achieved below 10−5 in the read failure rate when individual readers had 0.05 – 0.2 failure rates in the complex multi-path scenarios due to rich channel exploitation and anti-correlation in the failure incidences.
Population collapse and adaptive rescue during long‐term chemostat fermentation

Microbial fermentation is an essential process for research and industrial applications, yet our understanding of cellular dynamics during long-term fermentation is limited. Here, we report a reproducible phenomenon of abrupt population collapse followed by a rapid population rescue that was observed during long-term chemostat cultivations, for various strains of Escherichia coli in minimal media. Through genome resequencing and whole-genome transcriptional profiling of replicate runs over time, we identified that changes in the tRNA and carbon catabolic genes are the genetic basis of this phenomenon. Since current fermentation models are unable to capture the observed dynamics, we present an extended model that takes into account critical biological processes during fermentation, and we further validated carbon source predictions through forward experimentation. This study extends the predictability of current models for microbial fermentation and adds to our system-level knowledge of cellular adaptation during this crucial biotechnological process.
Identification of Human Toll-like Receptor 2-Agonistic Activity in Dihydropyridine–Quinolone Carboxamides

Using a multiplexed, reporter gene-based, high-throughput screen, we identified 9-fluoro-7-hydroxy-3-methyl-5-oxo-N-(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H,5H-pyrido[3,2,1-ij]quinoline-6-carboxamide as a TLR2 agonist. Preliminary structure-activity relationship studies on the carboxamide moiety led to the identification of analogues that induce chemokines and cytokines in a TLR2-dependent manner. These results represent new leads for the development of vaccine adjuvants.
Recommender Systems Notation: Proposed Common Notation for Teaching and Research

As the field of recommender systems has developed, authors have used a myriad of notations for describing the mathematical workings of recommendation algorithms. These notations ap-pear in research papers, books, lecture notes, blog posts, and software documentation. The dis-ciplinary diversity of the field has not contributed to consistency in notation; scholars whose home base is in information retrieval have different habits and expectations than those in ma-chine learning or human-computer interaction. In the course of years of teaching and research on recommender systems, we have seen the val-ue in adopting a consistent notation across our work. This has been particularly highlighted in our development of the Recommender Systems MOOC on Coursera (Konstan et al. 2015), as we need to explain a wide variety of algorithms and our learners are not well-served by changing notation between algorithms. In this paper, we describe the notation we have adopted in our work, along with its justification and some discussion of considered alternatives. We present this in hope that it will be useful to others writing and teaching about recommender systems. This notation has served us well for some time now, in research, online education, and traditional classroom instruction. We feel it is ready for broad use.
Bioaugmented methanol production using ammonia oxidizing bacteria in a continuous flow process

Organic compounds such as methanol are widely used for enhancing denitrification at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to meet effluent water quality permits. On the other hand, methane, which is the main feedstock for industrial methanol production, is also generated during anaerobic digestion in WWTPs, but is often flared to mitigate its greenhouse impacts. The overarching goal herein was to develop a novel continuous process for methanol production from methane using nitrifying activated sludge. The maximum AOB specific methanol production rate using hydroxylamine as electron donor was 1.61 ± 0.15 and 1.27 ± 0.15 mg-COD-CH3OH/(mg-COD-AOB*d), for hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 7.5 h and 2 h, respectively. The corresponding production rate using ammonia as electron donor was 0.31 ± 0.08 mg-COD-CH3OH/(mg-COD-AOB*d) at a HRT of 2 h. These results show that nitrifier-mediated methanol production in a continuous-flow system can enhance the efficiency of WWTPs through internal production of biomethanol for denitrification, while simultaneously minimizing wasteful biogas flaring.
Reducing effort in the U.S. American lobster (Homarus americanus) fishery to prevent North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) entanglements may support higher profits and long-term sustainability

Abstract North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) feed and migrate in areas of the inshore and offshore trap fishery for American lobster (Homarus americanus) in the Northeast U.S. In addition to a recent increase in lethal and sub-lethal interactions with Canadian snow crab gear, entanglement in both Canadian and U.S. lobster trap gear threatens the continued existence of this endangered species. The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service is considering a number of measures to prevent right whale entanglement bycatch that could impact lobster fishing effort. The U.S. lobster fishery in Maine expends approximately 7.5 times as much effort as the Canadian fishery in Lobster Fishing Area 34, where Canadian fishers catch about 3.7 times more lobster per trap than their counterparts in Maine. From 2007 to 2013 in Maine, lobster landings doubled as the number of traps fell 10.5% and landings per trap increased by about 125%. The state of Massachusetts has achieved record high landings since trap/pot seasonal closures have been implemented to protect right whales, especially within the Statistical Reporting Areas most affected by the closures. Therefore, a negative economic impact should not be assumed with effort reduction. In fact, reducing effort may serve to increase fishing profits while supporting the protection of endangered North Atlantic right whales and the long-term sustainability of the lobster fishery.
Sequential minimum risk point estimation (MRPE) methodology for a normal mean under Linex loss plus sampling cost: First-order and second-order asymptotics

We have designed a sequential minimum risk point estimation (MRPE) strategy for the unknown mean of a normal population having its variance unknown too. This is developed under a Linex loss plus li...
Phase dual-slopes for enhanced depth sensitivity in diffuse optical imaging (Conference Presentation)

We introduce a novel method to enhance the sensitivity of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to deep tissue (i.e. brain cortex, skeletal muscle, etc.) in non-invasive diffuse optical measurements. Our method relies on the collection of the phase of photon-density waves, launched by intensity-modulated light in frequency-domain NIRS, from two paired sets of multi-distance data. The two sets of data are combined into a phase dual-slope, which features a stronger sensitivity to deeper vs. superficial tissue. For typical conditions of functional NIRS, the maximum sensitivity of phase dual-slopes is at a depth of ~11 mm, which approaches the depth of cortical tissue.
KINESTHESIA: THE CREATIVE CONDITION FOR HEALTH COMMUNICATION

Kinesthesia is a universal condition. It may be understood as the creative condition for all sense and sensibility. Kinesthesia operates as an enabling mechanism of “I can” and “I cannot”. Health communication requires a reconsideration of the situated communicative body and expression found in comparative East/West wellness practices. In order to accomplish this task, the exploration of whole and healthy require a different understanding, that is, that wholeness is a process of the interaction of body’s internal environment and external environment in rhythmic interplay of healthy/unhealthy, wholly/unwholly play. The articulation of the above will see that kinesthesis is the creative condition of maintaining and restoring health. It is through a phenomenology of kinesthesia that the fundamental dimension of health communication can be established as a science. Santrauka Kinestezija – tai universali būklė. Ji gali būti suprantama kaip kūrybinė visų pojūcių ir visų jausmų sąlyga. Kinestezija veikia kaip funkcijų „As galiu“ ir „As negaliu“ derinimo mechanizmas. Sveikatos komunikacija reikalauja is naujo apsvarstyti komunikuojancio kūno būkle ir raiską, aptinkamą lyginamosiose Rytų ir Vakarų sveikatingumo praktikose. Siekiant atlikti sią užduotį, visumos ir sveikatingumo tyrimą reikia suprasti kitaip: vientisumas – tai vidinės kūno terpės ir isorinės aplinkos interakcijos procesas, vykstantis ritmiskos sveikatingumo / nesveikatingumo, visumos / nevisumos sąveikos žaismo sąlygomis. Minėtų dalykų pabrėžimas atskleidžia, kad kinestezija – tai kūrybinė sveikatos palaikymo ir atkūrimo būklė. Remiantis būtent kinestezijos fenomenologija, sveikatos komunikacija gali būti pozicionuojama kaip mokslas. Reiksminiai žodžiai: kūnas, ci, komunikacija, kūrybiskumas, kinestezija, tai ci, daiktai, vientisumas.
Subjective Socioeconomic Status and Children's Amygdala Volume: Minorities' Diminish Returns.

Considerable research has suggested that low socioeconomic status (SES) negatively influences brain structure, including but not limited to decreased amygdala volume. Considering race and ethnicity as sociological rather than biological constructs, this study was built on minorities’ diminished returns (MDRs) to test if the effects of family SES on the total amygdala volume is weaker for black and Latino children than white and non-Latino children. We borrowed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, a national multi-center brain imaging investigation of childhood brain development in the US. The total sample was 9380 9–10-year-old children. The independent variables were subjective family SES and parental education. The primary outcome was total amygdala volume. High subjective SES and parental education were independently associated with larger total amygdala size. The association between high subjective SES and larger total amygdala volume was less pronounced for black and Latino children than white and non-Latino children. For American children, family SES has unequal effects on amygdala size and function, a pattern that is consistent with MDRs. This result suggests that SES loses some of its expected effects for racial and ethnic minority families.
EVOLUTIONARY POSSIBILITIES OF DEMOCRATIZATION AND ATAVISTIC NATIONALISM: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF UNRECOGNIZED STATES

The question of how rising atavistic nationalism will affect democracies worldwide is an essential one of our time. In this paper, I focus instead on conducting a comparative historical analysis of atavistic nationalism in two unrecognized states: North Cyprus and Taiwan. I argue that the democratic crisis of our times is, in its essence, economic and has been precipitated by the failure of democracies to build domestic capacities to support democratic values. Furthermore, I posit that engaging populaces at the local political level will prove essential to preserving democracies around the world. I conclude by underlining that atavistic nationalism is indeed a significant threat to regional and global peace and requires further co-operation on trade and governance, and should be engaged at the local level. Lastly, I suggest that co-creating local cultures that will act to soften atavistic nationalism, which feeds off the perception of threats and fear.
Transposon mutagenesis for methylotrophic bacteria using Methylorubrum extorquens AM1 as a model system.

Abstract Transposon mutagenesis utilizes transposable genetic elements that integrate into a recipient genome to generate random insertion mutations which are easily identified. This forward genetic approach has proven powerful in elucidating complex processes, such as various pathways in methylotrophy. In the past decade, many methylotrophic bacteria have been shown to possess alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes that use lanthanides (Lns) as cofactors. Using Methylorubrum extorquens AM1 as a model organism, we discuss the experimental designs, protocols, and results of three transposon mutagenesis studies to identify genes involved in different aspects of Ln-dependent methanol oxidation. These studies include a selection for transposon insertions that prevent toxic intracellular formaldehyde accumulation, a fluorescence-imaging screen to identify regulatory processes for a primary Ln-dependent methanol dehydrogenase, and a phenotypic screen for genes necessary for function of a Ln-dependent ethanol dehydrogenase. We anticipate that the methods described in this chapter can be applied to understand other metabolic systems in diverse bacteria.
A Critical Disability Reading of Lermontov's "Taman'"

This paper provides a critical analysis of literary disability in Mikhail Lermontov's "Taman'," the most famous story in his semiautobiographical novel, A Hero of Our Time (1838-40). It focuses on three disabled characters: the blind boy, the deaf old woman proprietor, and the mad young woman. These characters have traditionally been treated as projections of the hero-narrator's imagination, as part of the story's Gothic aspects, or as metaphors meant to reveal something about him, thus reducing disability to a textual device. Even when central to the interpretation, disability tends to be read by Lermontov critics as figurative or counterfeit. This project aims, therefore, to reclaim the characters whose disabilities are undermined by the critical tradition. Through a contextualized close reading, it considers how these characters and the narrative events in which they are entangled shape—and ultimately unmake—Pechorin, the eponymous "hero of our time," whose perceptions of dis/ability are challenged by the events of the story he recounts. The paper finds that the depiction of disability in "Taman'" confirms some aspects of our limited historical knowledge about disability ( invalidnost' ) in nineteenth-century Russia and tells us something about conceptions of Romantic literary disability more broadly.