cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ARE CURRENT CRITIQUES OF THE THEROPOD ORIGIN OF BIRDS SCIENCE? REBUTTAL TO FEDUCCIA (2002)

IN MY Perspectives in Ornithology essay (Prum 2002), I advocated that all ornithologists should be excited about research on the theropod origin of birds. Although I did address some criticisms of the theropod hypothesis, I spent most of the essay outlining the data in support of the theropod origin and, most exciting to me, describing the new directions in evolutionary ornithological research that have opened up as a consequence. I concluded that one of the most important frontiers in ornithological research in this century will be the establishment of a thorough scientific understanding of the evolution of avian biology in light of the theropod origin of birds. From nesting biology and physiology to behavior and locomotion, the rewards of studying ornithology as extant dinosaur biology are only just beginning to be reaped (Prum 2002). In his critique of my essay, A. Feduccia (2002) reviewed much of his previous work but also sprang a new, surprise ending. In summary, he hypothesized that birds evolved from an unknown lineage of early basal archosaurs, and that rampant convergent evolution renders the many derived morphological characters shared by birds and theropods unreliable. However, Feduccia can no longer deny the conclusive evidence that basal dromaeosaurs had feathers (Xu et al. 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003; Czerkas et al. 2002; Norell et al. 2002). In the end, he concedes that dromaeosaurs had feathers. In a rhetorical tour de force that conflicts with decades of his own work and most of his commentary, Feduccia (2002) then hypothesizes that dromaeosaurs are birds, but that the birds, now including the dromaeosaurs, still originated from some
Ego Integrity in the Lives of Older Women: A Follow-Up of Mothers From the Sears, Maccoby, and Levin (1951) Patterns of Child Rearing Study

Ego integrity, Erik Erikson’s (E. H. Erikson, 1963) concept of psychological maturity in later life and the pinnacle of 8 stages, has been one of the least studied of all his stage constructs. This paper explores the meaning of ego integrity (as assessed by C. D. Ryff & S. G. Heincke, 1983) in the lives of a sample of older women, by examining the predictors and concomitants of ego integrity (EI), using data from interviews conducted with the same women in 1951 and 1996 and a questionnaire administered in 1996. A 3-step regression model revealed that “identity” assessed in 1951 predicted generativity in 1996; the level of educational attainment and marital status were also significant predictors. In step 2, generativity alone predicted ego integrity, which in turn predicted depression. Ego integrity was associated with higher marital satisfaction in the mothers’ lives, both in the past and in the present; it was implicated in better relationships with their adult children, in the mothers’ willingness to both give and receive help, and in several dimensions of psychological well-being.
Critical Evaluation of Current Treatments in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Fluorouracil (FU) has been the mainstay of treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) for many years. However, in recent years, newer chemotherapeutic agents, particularly irinotecan (Campostar ® ; Pfizer
Green Jobs: Public Service Employment and Environmental Sustainability

Why not a Green Jobs Corps? There are obstacles, and the plan presented by this economist is controversial. But given the price paid in environmental degradation under current policies, we may have to start thinking, as they say, outside the box.
Learning Language at a Distance: An Arabic Initiative.

Abstract: This article describes an Arabic distance-learning course initiative. The most common distance-learning formats are reviewed, and justifications for offering such courses are considered. Next, the experience of instructors who have pioneered the field and some basics that need to be taken into account when developing distance-learning courses are presented. The need to adapt pedagogical practices to the distance learning environment is highlighted. Finally, certain constraints—some language-specific, others specific to the distance-learning medium—and their impact on the effectiveness of Arabic distance-learning courses are examined.
Ultra-strong light-matter interaction with mid-infrared metamaterials

We present ultra-strong light-matter interaction of a metamaterial mode and an intersubband transition for normal incidence radiation in the mid-infrared spectral region. The anti-crossed lines show a splitting of 15% of the central frequency.
Use of incentives and web-based administration for surveying student alcohol and substance use in an ethnically diverse sample

With increasing burden on schools and requirements for active parental consent, low student survey participation rates are problematic, including where ethnic minority students are often underrepresented in behavioural risk surveys. To improve parent permission rates and survey participation, incentive use (individual vs. group) and mode of survey administration (web-based vs. paper–pencil) were examined in a sample of ethnically diverse students (n = 2488) in the 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grades from eight schools in Hawai‘i. Mode of survey administration was also compared for student reporting of alcohol and other substance use and associated risk and protective factors. Classes were assigned to one of four conditions based on incentive type and route of survey administration. The group incentive was associated with a significantly higher rate of parental permission compared to individual incentive; however, it did not impact survey completion rate. Students who took the web-based version compared to the paper–pencil version of the survey were more likely to report use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in the past 12 months. The use of web-based surveys may increase reporting of sensitive behaviours such as substance use among adolescents compared to paper–pencil versions.
Locally enhanced Voronoi cell finite element model (LE‐VCFEM) for simulating evolving fracture in ductile microstructures containing inclusions

Ductile heterogeneous materials such as cast aluminum alloys undergo catastrophic failure that initiates with particle fragmentation, which evolves with void growth and coalescence in localized bands of intense plastic deformation and strain softening. The Voronoi cell finite element model (VCFEM), based on the assumed stress hybrid formulation, is unable to account for plastic strain-induced softening. To overcome this shortcoming of material softening due to plastic strain localization, this study introduces a locally enhanced VCFEM (LE-VCFEM) for modeling the very complex phenomenon of ductile failure in heterogeneous metals and alloys. In LE-VCFEM, finite deformation displacement elements are adaptively added to regions of localization in the otherwise assumed stress-based hybrid Voronoi cell finite element to locally enhance modeling capabilities for ductile fracture. Adaptive h-refinement is used for the displacement elements to improve accuracy. Damage initiation by particle cracking is triggered by a Weibull model. The nonlocal Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman model of porous plasticity is implemented in LE-VCFEM to model matrix cracking. An iterative strain update algorithm is used for the displacement elements. The LE-VCFEM code is validated by comparing with results of conventional FE codes and experiments with real materials. The effect of various microstructural morphological characteristics is also investigated.
Into the mainstream: Shifting authenticities in art

When artists who were once dubbed “primitive” find themselves operating in a freshly expanded environment, with an international clientele, new materials to work with, access to urban exhibition spaces, the counsel of culture brokers, and options for travel abroad, their response can include highly creative innovations in both the forms they produce and the interpretations they offer of their work. The new environment can sometimes even lead to adjustments in their vision of the origins and meanings of their artistic heritage. In this article, I trace the recent history of art made by Maroon men in the Guianas, following its mutation from a form of expression for internal consumption, largely as gifts for wives and lovers, to a commodity sold in an external market.
Distribution error in quantitative digital image analysis systems and its correction algorithm

One of the major sources of the coefficient of variation in quantitative digital image analysis systems is the distribution error. It is caused by uneven optical density distribution within the measuring area. In digital image analysis systems, the measuring area is an individual pixel. The distribution error would be eliminated if we could measure the average optical density within the measuring area. However, most cameras used with light microscopes measure the average transmittance of a pixel. The image analysis system then converts the measured transmittance into an optical density. If the optical density distribution within a pixel is not uniform, the average optical density converted from the measured transmittance is different from the true optical density of the pixel. The authors call this conversional distribution error (CDE). They have analyzed and characterized this error, and developed an algorithm to minimize CDE by estimating the optical density distribution within a pixel. >
Adaptive reduction of motion artifact in the electrocardiogram

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is the body-surface manifestation of the electrical potentials produced by the heart. The ECG is acquired by placing electrodes on the patient's skin. Motion artifact is the noise that results from motion of the electrode in relation to the patient's skin. Motion artifact can produce large amplitude signals in the ECG that may be misinterpreted by clinicians and automated systems resulting in misdiagnosis, prolonged procedure duration, and delayed or inappropriate treatment decisions. Motion artifact reduction is an unsolved problem because its frequency spectrum overlaps that of the ECG. This paper presents initial results of a novel approach to reducing ECG motion artifact. The hypothesis is that motion artifact can be reduced using electrode motion as the reference signal to an adaptive filter. Electrode motion was measured with two custom-developed sensors that utilized anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors and accelerometers. Motion artifact was induced by manually pushing on the electrode, pushing on the skin around the electrode, and pulling on the lead wire. Using an adaptive filter and the motion signal, the induced motion artifact was reduced in all data sets.
A rationale for planning: Implications from the economic theory of the firm

This paper undertakes the development of a foundation for a theory of why firms plan. The theory of the firm literature provides a useful starting-point and provides insight into the factors which have an effect on the planning function of the firm. Those factors include transactions costs, uncertainty and asset-specificity. The fact that some firms should not plan even in the face of uncertainty and transactions costs emphasizes the importance of the relative magnitudes of various costs and demonstrates the relevance of standard economic analysis for the study and practice of business planning. Examples illustrate the role of planning for human, financial and physical resources.
Evaluation of AMSR2 soil moisture products over the contiguous United States using in situ data from the International Soil Moisture Network

Abstract High quality soil moisture datasets are required for various environmental applications. The launch of the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) on board the Global Change Observation Mission 1—Water (GCOM-W1) in May 2012 has provided global near-surface soil moisture data, with an average revisit frequency of two days. Since AMSR2 is a new passive microwave system in operation, it is very important to evaluate the quality of AMSR2 products before widespread utilization of the data for scientific research. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive evaluation of the AMSR2 soil moisture products retrieved by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) algorithm. The evaluation was performed for a three-year period (July 2012–June 2015) over the contiguous United States. The AMSR2 soil moisture products were evaluated by comparing ascending and descending overpass products to each other as well as comparing them to in situ soil moisture observations of 598 monitoring stations obtained from the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN). The accuracy of AMSR2 soil moisture product was evaluated against several types of monitoring networks, and for different land cover types and ecoregions. Three performance metrics, including mean difference (MD), root mean squared difference (RMSD), and correlation coefficient ( R ), were used in our accuracy assessment. Our evaluation results revealed that AMSR2 soil moisture retrievals are generally lower than in situ measurements. The AMSR2 soil moisture retrievals showed the best agreement with in situ measurements over the Great Plains and the worst agreement over forested areas. This study offers insights into the suitability and reliability of AMSR2 soil moisture products for different ecoregions. Although AMSR2 soil moisture retrievals represent useful and effective measurements for some regions, further studies are required to improve the data accuracy.
Physiological Basis of Hyperkinesis Treated With Methylphenidate

The study attempted to determine the primacy of physiological arousal or motor activation levels in predicting the number of developmental problems, current symptoms, and response to methylphenidate in 12 hyperkinetic children when compared with 12 unmedicated normal controls. Auditory evoked responses (EVC) and galvanic skin conductance (GSR) gauged physiological arousal level, while the sensorimotor EEG rhythm (SMR) and electromyogram (EMG) indexed both arousal and motor activation. Before medication, hyperkinetic children differed from normal control children in showing more severe developmental amid current symptom profiles and reduced SMR. The dearth of SMR is consistent with the rhythm9s association with immobility in lower aninials. Although physiological measures failed to distinguish hyperkinetic children in general, four children consistently revealed hypoaroused physiological patterns relative to other hyperkinetic and normal control children. Low arousal characteristics included higher amplitude EVC as well as reduced GSR conductance, EMG, and SMR. Low arousal subjects also showed a history of poor sensorimotor development with the most severe current symptomatologies and benefited most from methyiphenidate. A concurrent trend toward a normalization of all physiological measures with medication is consistent with the arousal hypothesis. However, initial SMR incidence alone accurately predicted the severity of pretreatment motor symptoms and individual response to medication, suggesting a basis for these findings in motor functions.
Drivers of COTS Application Value

The growing popularity of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software has dramatically changed the way companies acquire enterprise applications, yet buying and deploying COTS software is not without risk. Given that the risks of failure are real, it is important for buyers to carefully consider the criteria used to evaluate COTS software prior to purchase. Likewise, COTS software vendors need to understand how COTS software buyers evaluate their software and what they perceive to be the drivers of COTS application value. Surprisingly, little is known about the attributes of enterprise COTS software that buyers value most, forcing most development firms to rely on educated guesses when developing such systems. In this research, we analyzed how 126 management information systems (MIS) managers evaluate key attributes of COTS software, shedding light on the characteristics of enterprise COTS software that customers value most and that vendors must focus on. Specifically, functionality and reliability emerged as the most important factors affecting the perceived value of a COTS package. Interestingly, neither vendor reputation nor ease-of-implementation was found to be significant in terms of shaping managers' perceived value of COTS packages. These findings have important implications and we introduce an enterprise COTS software analyzer that should be useful to both buyers and suppliers of COTS software.
Coupled-Mode Theory of Plasmonic Field Enhancement in Complex Metal Nanostructures

Theoretical model capable of analytical estimate of plasmonic field enhancement in complex metal structures is developed. When applied to metal nano-clusters the model predicts same order enhancement in the nano-gaps and near the tips.
Sagnac effect in superposition of vortex states in Bose-Einstein condensates

Creating vortex state superposition in Bose-Einstein Condensates (BEC) has been studied by coupling BEC with superpositions of orbital angular momentum states of light. We study the Sagnac effect occurring in superpositions of BEC vortex states.
Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD): A confirmatory factor analysis with 1442 psychiatric inpatients

Abstract Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD) is a newly proposed diagnostic entity that characterizes rapid onset suicidal intent. This study aims to confirm the factor structure of ASAD among psychiatric inpatients, and to determine the clinical utility of ASAD in predicting suicide attempt status. Overall, 1442 psychiatric inpatients completed a battery of self-report questionnaires assessing symptoms theorized to comprise the ASAD construct. Utilizing these data, a confirmatory factor analysis with a one-factor solution was performed. Regression analyses were employed to determine if the ASAD construct predicted past suicide attempts, and analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were employed to determine if ASAD symptoms differed by the presence and number of past suicide attempts. The one-factor solution indicated good fit: χ 2 (77) = 309.1, p
Selective detection and complete identification of triglycerides in cortical bone by high-resolution 1H MAS NMR spectroscopy

Using 1H-based magic angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy, we report an atomistic-level characterization of triglycerides in compact cortical bone. By suppressing contributions from immobile molecules present in bone, we show that a 1H-based constant-time uniform-sign cross-peak (CTUC) two-dimensional COSY-type experiment that correlates the chemical shifts of protons can selectively detect a mobile triglyceride layer as the main component of small lipid droplets embedded on the surface of collagen fibrils. High sensitivity and resolution afforded by this NMR approach could be potentially utilized to investigate the origin of triglycerides and their pathological roles associated with bone fractures, diseases, and aging.
Sublingual Immunotherapy for the Polyallergic Patient

Allergen immunotherapy is the only disease-modifying treatment for allergic diseases. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in liquid and tablet form has been used by clinicians in Europe for years, but has only recently gained popularity and approval in the United States. In 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration approved 3 SLIT tablets for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, with or without allergic conjunctivitis. Immunotherapy treatment strategies for the polysensitized patient vary between the United States and Europe. This variation hinges upon whether the polysensitized patient is truly polyallergic. Polysensitization is the positive response to 2 or more allergens on skin prick testing or in vitro specific-IgE testing. Polyallergy is the symptomatic clinical response to 2 or more allergens. In this review, we discuss the use of SLIT in the United States with a focus on treating the polyallergic patient with SLIT.
Teaching in the Graveyard

Japan, a nation that has prided itself on being homogeneous (Befu, 2001; Endoh, 2000), has increasingly become multiethnic and multilingual. As of 2013, the number of registered foreigners is 2,066,445 (Statistics Bureau, 2013) and this number has nearly doubled since 1991. Chinese, Koreans, Filipinos, and Brazilians are the top four nationalities in this order.
Coda: Global Romance after Shakespeare

In 2012, more than four hundred years after Martin Frobisher carried a copy of Mandeville’s Travels with him to the Arctic Circle and dramatizations of the Travels first hit theaters, Mandeville returned to the London theatrical scene. This time, however, it was on a global stage in the midst of the opening ceremonies for the games of the thirtieth Olympiad. This “Mandeville” was a wonder of a different kind, a cartoonish one-eyed mascot conjured for marketing the games to its worldwide audience. As Anthony Bale noted of these opening ceremonies, titled “Isles of Wonder” by director Danny Boyle, the spectacle drew on a range of medieval and early modern cultural resources: “it was shot through with references to the medieval and early-modern past.” Indeed, the leitmotif for the performance was Caliban’s line from The Tempest: “Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises” (3.2.130). Printed at the top of the ceremony’s program, etched on the bell that signaled the games’ opening, and called out in the voice of Kenneth Branagh, Shakespeare’s words seemed to call the “Isles of Wonder” into being.
Alcohol Withdrawal Increases Protein Kinase A Activity in the Rat Inferior Colliculus.

Background Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) signaling is a key target for the action of alcohol and may therefore play a role in the pathophysiology of alcohol withdrawal seizures (AWSs). Here, we investigated the role of PKA activity with respect to increased seizure susceptibility in rats that were subjected to alcohol withdrawal. Methods Adult male Sprague Dawley rats received 3 daily doses of ethanol (EtOH) (or vehicle) for 4 consecutive days. Rats were then tested for susceptibility to acoustically evoked AWSs 3, 24, and 48 hours after the last alcohol dose. In separate experiments, the inferior colliculus (IC) was collected at these same time points from rats subjected to alcohol withdrawal and control rats following alcohol withdrawal. PKA activity, catalytic Cα (PKACα ) protein, regulatory RIIα (PKARIIα ) protein, and RIIβ (PKARIIβ ) protein were measured in the IC. Lastly, in situ pharmacological studies were performed to evaluate whether inhibiting PKA activity in the IC suppressed AWSs. Results In the EtOH-treated group, AWSs were observed at the 24-hour time point, but not at the 3-hour or 48-hour time points. In the IC, PKA activity was significantly higher both 3 hours (i.e., before AWS susceptibility) and 24 hours after the last alcohol dose (when AWS susceptibility peaked) than in control rats. Consistent with these findings, protein levels of the PKACα subunit were significantly increased in the IC both 3 and 24 hours after the last alcohol dose. Lastly, in situ inhibition of PKA activity within the IC suppressed AWSs. Conclusions The increase in PKA activity and PKACα protein expression in the IC preceded the occurrence of AWSs, and inhibiting PKA activity within the IC suppressed acoustically evoked AWSs. Together, these findings suggest that altered PKA activity plays a key role in the pathogenesis of AWSs.
Multisensory Associative Guided Instruction Components-Spelling:

This article describes a multisensory presentation and response system for enhancing the spelling ability of dyslexic children. The unique aspect of MAGICSpell is its system of finger–letter associ...
Effective prioritization of network intrusion alerts to enhance situational awareness

Maintaining situational awareness in dynamic and complex systems, such as information and communications networks, is essential to protecting assets and increasing mission assurance. Network monitoring tools generate tremendous amounts of data, overwhelming network defenders with alerts.
School Physical Activity Programming and Gross Motor Skills in Children.

OBJECTIVE We examined the effect of a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) on gross motor skills in children. METHODS Participants were 959 children (1st-6th grade; Mean age = 9.1 ± 1.5 years; 406 girls, 553 boys) recruited from 5 low-income schools receiving a year-long CSPAP intervention. Data were collected at the beginning of the school year and at a 36-week follow-up. Gross motor skills were assessed using the Test for Gross Motor Development (3rd ed.) (TGMD-3) instrument. Multi-level mixed effects models were employed to examine the effect of CSPAP on TGMD-3 scores, testing age and sex as effect modifiers and adjusting for clustering of observations within the data structure. RESULTS There were statistically significant coefficients for time (β = 8.1, 95% CI [3.9, 12.3], p < .001) and an age × time interaction (β = -1.7, 95% CI [-2.3, -1.1], p < .001) on TGMD-3 total scores. Significant improvements were also seen for locomotor skills and ball skills sub-test scores. CONCLUSIONS Children showed improved gross motor skill scores at the end of the 36-week CSPAP that were modified by age, as younger children displayed greater improvements in TGMD-3 scores compared to older children.
Biomarker-based Assessment of Urinary Tract Infection in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

AbstractBackgroundUrinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common infection and the second leading cause of death in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. However, there is currently no consensus about the clinical criteria for UTI in SCI patients and the lack of a universal definition of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) make the diagnosis even more complex and the treatment recommendations problematic. Prompt diagnosis and timely treatment of UTI are important to prevent possible progression to sepsis. Elevated concentrations of some biomarkers may be correlated with infection and their serial measurements may be helpful to assess the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy.MethodsFifteen SCI participants were enrolled for either lower UTI, upper UTI (pyelonephritis), ABU, or control. Patients suspected of having any inflammation or infection other than UTI were excluded. Participants were monitored for their serum procalcitonin (PCT) and c-reactive protein (CRP) levels initially and every 3 days once the UTI was confirmed and antibiotics prescribed. In addition, the urine was cultured initially and every three days in patients with UTI for correlation with biomarkers. UTI/ABU was assessed by patient’s physician.ResultsBoth mean initial PCT and CRP were significantly higher in patients with lower UTI ( = 0.027 and = 0.001, respectively) and those with upper UTI ( = 0.044 and 100,000 CFU/mL. Control participants had urine cultures of ≤1,000 CFU/mL). Generally, cultures from UTI patients placed on antibiotics were negative for the organism(s) treated for during or after the completion of antibiotic therapy.ConclusionSerum concentrations of CRP and PCT may be used to aid in the early assessment of UTI in SCI patients in the absence of other sources of inflammation and/or infection. In general, CRP measurements are more pronounced than PCT measurements in patients with ABU or lower UTI. However, PCT levels elevate conspicuously in patient with pyelonephritis.Disclosures No reported disclosures.
Intraosseous Hemangioma of the Frontal Bone. Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

Intraosseous hemangiomas of the maxillofacial region are rare lesions that constitute less than 1% of all osseous tumors. A review of the literature on intraosseous hemangiomas of the skull and facial bones showed a limited number of publications, much of which were largely limited to case reports. This case report summarizes the workup and surgical treatment of a 39-year-old woman with an intraosseous hemangioma of the left frontal bone. The histology, treatment, and literature are reviewed.
Clinical Risk Factors in Thrombolysis therapy: Telestroke Versus Nontelestroke.

Background The objective of this study is to determine clinical risk factors associated with exclusion from thrombolysis in telestroke and nontelestroke settings. These risk factors may offer clues for optimization of thrombolysis therapy in acute ischemic stroke population. Materials and Methods Retrospective data of patients with acute ischemic stroke via telestroke and nontelestroke assessment were analyzed. Univariate analysis was used to compare the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) group and the no rtPA group. A stepwise binary logistic regression identified factors associated with inclusion and exclusion from rtPA in the total telestroke population and the subsets of the telestroke population. Results Telestroke patients were more likely to be directly admitted rather than being initially evaluated in the emergency department (70.3% versus 9.9%) and were also substantially more likely to receive rtPA (89.5% versus 38.5%). In the nontelestroke group, patients with acute ischemic stroke were more likely to be excluded from rtPA if they possessed higher international normalized ratios (odds ratio [OR] = 4.978 [1.503-16.488]) or had a history of congestive heart failure (OR = 2.524 [1.213-5.252]), previous stroke (OR = 2.172 [1.286-3.667]), or renal dysfunction (OR = 4.204 [1.33-13.281]). The telestroke group only had 1 variable deemed statistically significant in its association with rtPA status. Patients who were directly admitted were less likely to be excluded from receipt of rtPA (OR = .322 [.112-0.927]). Conclusions Factors associated with exclusion from rtPA in the nontelestroke setting did not exclude patients with acute ischemic stroke from thrombolysis therapy in the telestroke setting. Telestroke may offer methods for optimization of the risk–benefit ratio of rtPA, equipping clinicians to efficiently make treatment decisions.
Abstract 23: African American Women Delay in Stroke Treatment Seeking

Despite decades of research on stroke awareness and prevention targeting Americans in the U.S., research focusing on African American Woman (AAW) has remained limited. Pilot Study’s Specific Aims w...
Functions of selectins.

The selectins encompass a family of three type I transmembrane glycoproteins exclusively expressed on blood cells and vascular cells. All known functions of the selectins require the N-terminal C-type lectin domain. The lectin domains show the highest degree of homology among different species (about 72% identity) and considerable homology among the three selectins within the same species (about 52% for human selectins; Kansas 1996). All three selectins strictly require the presence of free calcium ions for ligand binding, and incubation with a chelator eliminates all selectin binding. One EGF domain follows the lectin domain, and two or more short consensus repeats are between the EGF domain and the transmembrane domain. Each domain is encoded by a separate exon, except the cytoplasmic domain, which is encoded by two exons. Complementary DNAs for all three selectins were cloned in 1989 (Bevilacqua et al. 1989; Camerini et al. 1989; Johnston et al. 1989; Siegelman et al. 1989; Tedder et al. 1989), and no new selectins have been found in the past 10 years, suggesting that this protein family consists of only three members.
Heat pulse measurement techniques for soil water flux, soil water content, and soil volumetric heat capacity

Soil water flux is an important parameter in studies of runoff, infiltration, groundwater recharge, and subsurface chemical transport. Heat pulse sensors have been proposed as promising tools for measuring soil water fluxes. To date, heat pulse methods have required cumbersome mathematical analyses to calculate soil water flux from the measured data. We present a new mathematical analysis showing that a simple linear relationship exists between soil water flux and the natural log of the ratio of the temperature increase downstream from the line heat source to the temperature increase upstream from the line heat source. The simplicity of this relationship makes heat pulse sensors an attractive option for measuring soil water fluxes. In theory, this method is valid for fluxes with magnitudes between 10"* and 10"^ m s"\ The range of measurable fluxes is defined by temperature measurement resolution at the lower end and by the assumptions used in the analysis at the higher end. * Reproduced by permission of American Geophysical Union Wang, Q., T.E. Ochsner, and R. Horton, Mathematical analysis of heat pulse signals for soil water flux determination, fPbfer gjowr. J#, 1091, doi: 10.1029/2001WR1089,2002.
Active mitochondria support osteogenic differentiation by stimulating β-catenin acetylation

Bone marrow stromal (a.k.a. mesenchymal stem) cells (BMSCs) can differentiate into osteoblasts (OBs), adipocytes, or chondrocytes. As BMSCs undergo OB differentiation, they up-regulate mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). Here, we investigated the mechanism(s) connecting mitochondrial OxPhos to OB differentiation. First, we found that treating BMSC-like C3H10T1/2 cells with an OxPhos inhibitor reduces their osteogenic potential. Interestingly, ATP levels were not reduced, as glycolysis compensated for the decreased OxPhos. Thus, mitochondria support OB differentiation not only by supplying ATP, but also by other mechanisms. To uncover these mechanisms, we stimulated OxPhos in C3H10T1/2 cells by replacing media glucose with galactose and observed that this substitution increases both OxPhos and osteogenesis even in the absence of osteoinducers. β-Catenin, an important signaling pathway in osteogenesis, was found to be responsive to OxPhos stimulation. β-Catenin activity is maintained by acetylation, and mitochondria generate the acetyl donor acetyl-CoA, which upon entering the Krebs cycle is converted to citrate capable of exiting mitochondria. Cytosolic citrate is converted back to acetyl-CoA by ATP citrate lyase (ACLY). We found that inhibiting ACLY with SB204990 (SB) reverses the galactose-induced β-catenin activity and OB differentiation. This suggested that acetylation is involved in β-catenin activation after forced OxPhos stimulation, and using immunoprecipitation, we indeed detected SB-sensitive β-catenin acetylation. Both β-catenin acetylation and activity increased during osteoinduction coincident with OxPhos activation. These findings suggest that active mitochondria support OB differentiation by promoting β-catenin acetylation and thus activity.
Spatial temporal cluster analysis to enhance awareness of disease re-emergence on a global scale

Objective The application of spatial analysis to improve the awareness and use of surveillance data. Introduction The re-emergence of an infectious disease is dependent on social, political, behavioral, and disease-specific factors. Global disease surveillance is a requisite of early detection that facilitates coordinated interventions to these events. Novel informatics tools developed from publicly available data are constantly evolving with the incorporation of new data streams. Re-emerging Infectious Disease (RED) Alert is an open-source tool designed to help analysts develop a contextual framework when planning for future events, given what has occurred in the past. Geospatial methods assist researchers in making informed decisions by incorporating the power of place to better explain the relationships between variables. Methods Disease incidence and indicator data derived for the RED Alert project were analyzed for spatial associations. Using aggregate country-level data, spatial and spatiotemporal clusters were identified in ArcMap 10.5.1. The identified clusters were then used as the outcome for a series of binary logistic regression models to determine significant covariates that help explain global hotspots. These methods will continue to evolve and be incorporated into the RED Alert decision support ecosystem to provide analysts with a global perspective on potential re-emergence. Results Hotspots of high disease incidence in relation to neighboring countries were identified for measles, cholera, dengue, and yellow fever between 2000 and 2014. Disease-specific predictors were identified using aggregate estimates from World Bank indicator dataset. Data was imputed where possible to enhance the validity of the Gi * statistic for clustering. In the future, as data streams become more readily available, hotspot modeling at a finer resolution will help to improve the precision of spatial epidemiology. Conclusions Spatial methods enhance the capability of understanding complex population and disease relationships, which in turn improves surveillance and the ability to predict re-emergence. With tools like RED Alert, public health analysts can better prepare to respond rapidly to future re-emerging disease threats.
Exploring the Design of Audio-Kinetic Graphics for Education

Creating tactile representations of visual information, especially moving images, is difficult due to a lack of available tactile computing technology and a lack of tools for authoring tactile information. To address these limitations, we developed a software framework that enables educators and other subject experts to create graphical representations that combine audio descriptions with kinetic motion. These audio-kinetic graphics can be played back using off-the-shelf computer hardware. We report on a study in which 10 educators developed content using our framework, and in which 18 people with vision impairments viewed these graphics on our output device. Our findings provide insights on how to translate knowledge of visual information to non-visual formats.
An elastoplastic mechanical constitutive model for microbially mediated cemented soils

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is an innovative bio-mediated soil improvement technique that develops cementation within originally loose and potentially collapsible soils. This method utilizes biogeochemical processes with microbes. It has the advantage of being friendly to the environment and sustainable. In spite of the current interest in the MICP technique, the mechanical modeling of MICP-treated soils is still limited. In this paper, a constitutive model for MICP-treated sands is presented. The core components of the proposed approach include: a critical state yield surface, sub-loading concepts, a mechanism to account for the MICP-induced cementation enhancement, and an evolution law to consider bonding degradation effects during shearing. The mathematical framework is presented in detail. The model is then applied to analyze recently published experiments involving MICP-treated samples, with different calcite contents, and tested under different conditions (i.e., various confining pressure and loading paths). The model was able to properly capture the main features of MICP-treated sands behavior observed in the tests. It also assisted to interpret the response of this type of soil under different loading conditions.
Associative Learning and Regional White Matter Deficits in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background: While diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) include neuroimaging biomarkers, there remains no definitive biomarker of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is a risk factor for AD that may be amenable to early intervention. Early decline in white matter (WM) integrity identified by diffusion tensor imaging is a predictor of future progression of neurodegeneration. 10 11 12 13 Objective: Identify regionally specific WM differences between individuals with MCI and those with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) and relationships with specific memory decrements. 14 15 Methods: DTI and neuropsychological data were acquired from 38 participants (23 MCI and 15 AAMI). A region of interest approach was used to evaluate regional differences between groups and correlative relationships with performance on memory tasks. 16 17 18 Results: Fornix WM had higher mean (MD), radial (DR), and axial (DA) diffusivity in MCI participants relative to AAMI. Temporal stem (TS) WM had higher MD and DR in MCI than in AAMI. In MCI, TS MD and DR varied, while fornix MD and DR was uniformly high, and in AAMI, TS MD and DR were uniformly low and fornix MD and DR varied. In MCI, TS MD and DA were inversely associated with associative learning but not list learning. 19 20 21 22 Conclusions: In addition to supporting prior evidence implicating the fornix in early AD pathology, these data implicate a profile of neurodegeneration associated with early MCI. Further, they suggest that associative learning tasks are more sensitive to early neurodegeneration and may be useful in identifying individuals at risk for AD. 23 24 25
Trust Issues in Microelectronics: The Concerns and the Countermeasures

The semiconductor industry is constantly striving to improve the performance, reliability, and cost of electronic devices. The growing complexity in the design process of microelectronics coupled with the requirement of significant investment in research and development means that there is hardly any entity in the industry that is capable of acquiring the state-of-the-art technologies for all facets of the development process across myriad niche device technologies. Therefore, for economic and practical reasons, the modern electronic supply chain relies on several different vendors that specialize in a specific area of the design and fabrication process. From a security perspective, this distributed manufacturing process violates the trust of the underlying hardware as any entity in the supply chain could maliciously modify the design. This poses a significant concern, especially for government, military applications, and consumer electronic products handling private and critical data during the acquisition of untrusted microelectronic designs and components. Hence, trust has emerged as a crucial constraint that the various steps in the microelectronic manufacturing process should consider in order to ensure that no malicious functionality exists in the hardware. In the last decade, several works have proposed steps both to establish and verify trust in microelectronics. However, not all threat models are adequately covered, and the solutions are pertinent to a limited category of devices. In this article, we present the challenges in establishing trust in today's distributed supply chain environment by discussing the attack models at each step of the manufacturing process. We also shed light on the existing solutions that try to address these threats and discuss their limitations. Finally, we elaborate on one of the existing supply chain standards where trust verification is still infeasible and identify avenues for future research.
Sara Alert: An enduring national resource to support public health monitoring &disease containment

Background Public health agencies had to respond swiftly to the novel coronavirus that emerged in 2019 (COVID-19) to try to contain the virus, which requires early identification of new cases Monitoring exposed individuals is labor intensive and available tools are often limited MITRE, a company that operates federally funded research and development centers for the U S government, rapidly developed a configurable monitoring tool that allows public health authorities to monitor potentially exposed individuals in their jurisdictions Methods A team, including public health leaders, field epidemiologists, software engineers, and health communication specialists, was quickly assembled to design and develop an open source, disease-independent monitoring tool called Sara Alert Outreach to key public health stakeholders, including partner organizations and local and state health departments, was conducted early for requirements gathering and to validate assumptions Public health law experts were consulted regarding data privacy and security Results By four weeks, a minimally viable monitoring tool was available for testing by public health partners Exposed individuals can be enrolled and reminded daily to enter a temperature and any symptoms by web or mobile interface, SMS messaging or phone Public health officials monitor and can quickly take action if symptoms consistent with COVID-19 are reported of if there is failure to report within a configurable time frame Dashboards provide insight into aggregated data appropriate to level of view Conclusions Sara Alert serves as a force multiplier that supports disease containment and allows resources to be directed where they are most needed Successful development was possible because key stakeholders across public health practice were consulted early Sara Alert is available, free, to state and local public health departments and serves as an enduring resource easily configured for the next public health emergency Key messages Sara Alert serves as a force multiplier that supports disease containment and allows resources to be directed where they are most needed Sara Alert serves as an enduring resource easily configured for the next public health emergency
A psychological intervention strengthens students’ peer social networks and promotes persistence in STEM

Retaining students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields is critical as demand for STEM graduates increases. Whereas many approaches to improve persistence target individuals' internal beliefs, skills, and traits, the intervention in this experiment strengthened students' peer social networks to help them persevere. Students in a gateway biology course were randomly assigned to complete a control or values affirmation exercise, a psychological intervention hypothesized to have positive social effects. By the end of the term, affirmed students had an estimated 29% more friends in the course on average than controls. Affirmation also prompted structural changes in students' network positions such that affirmed students were more central in the overall course friendship network. These differing social trajectories predicted STEM persistence: Affirmed students were 11.7 percentage points more likely than controls to take the next course in the bioscience sequence, an effect that was statistically mediated by students' end-of-semester friendships.
Accuracy and efficiency of guided root‐end resection using a dynamic navigation system: a human cadaver study

Aim To determine and compare the accuracy and efficiency of a dynamic navigation system (DNS) with a freehand (FH) technique when conducting root-end resection in a human cadaver model. Methodology Forty roots in cadaver heads were included and divided into two groups: DNS (n = 20) and FH (n = 20). Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of all teeth were taken. The drilling path and depth were planned virtually to using the X-guide software (X-Nav Technologies, Lansdale, PA, USA). Osteotomy and root-end resection were done under navigation in the DNS group, and freehand under the dental operating microscope in the FH group. Post-operative CBCTs were taken. Linear deviations, angular deflection, time of operation and number of mishaps were compared with determine the accuracy and efficiency. Shapiro-Wilk, one-way ANOVA and Fisher exact tests were used (P Results Linear deviations, angular deflection and operation time were significantly less in the DNS group (P 0.05). Subgroup analyses revealed that the distance of >5 mm from buccal cortical plate was significantly associated with lower accuracy, increased operation time and greater incidence of mishaps in the FH group (P Conclusions The dynamic navigation system was more accurate and more efficient in root-end resection in a cadaver model than the freehand technique. The distance of the roots from the buccal cortical plate had a significant negative impact on the accuracy and efficacy of the root-end resection procedure when using the freehand technique. The dynamic navigation system has the potential to be a safe and reliable technological addition to endodontic microsurgery.