cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DiffECC: Improving SSD Read Performance Using Differentiated Error Correction Coding Schemes

This paper presents a cross-layer co-design approach to reduce SSD read response latency. The key is to cohesively exploit the NAND ???ash memory device write speed vs. raw storage reliability trade-off at the physical layer and run-time data access workload variation at the system level. Leveraging run-time data access workload variation, we can opportunistically slow down NAND ???ash memory write speed and hence improve NAND ???ash memory raw storage reliability. This naturally enables an opportunistic use of weaker error correction schemes that can directly reduce SSD read access latency. We develop a disk-level scheduling scheme to effectively smooth the write workload in order to maximize the occurrence of run-time opportunistic NAND ???ash memory write slow down. Using 2 bits/cell NAND ???ash memory with BCH-based error correction correction as a test vehicle, we carry out extensive simulations over various workloads and demonstrate that this developed cross-layer co-design solution can reduce the average SSD read latency by up to 96%.
An fMRI investigation of the cultural specificity of music memory

This study explored the role of culture in shaping music perception and memory. We tested the hypothesis that listeners demonstrate different patterns of activation associated with music processingparticularly right frontal cortexwhen encoding and retrieving culturally familiar and unfamiliar stimuli, with the latter evoking broader activation consistent with more complex memory tasks. Subjects (n = 16) were right-handed adults born and raised in the USA (n = 8) or Turkey (n = 8) with minimal music training. Using fMRI procedures, we scanned subjects during two tasks: (i) listening to novel musical examples from their own culture and an unfamiliar culture and (ii) identifying which among a series of brief excerpts were taken from the longer examples. Both groups were more successful remembering music of their home culture. We found greater activation for culturally unfamiliar music listening in the left cerebellar region, right angular gyrus, posterior precuneus and right middle frontal area extending into the inferior frontal cortex. Subjects demonstrated greater activation in the cingulate gyrus and right lingual gyrus when engaged in recall of culturally unfamiliar music. This study provides evidence for the influence of culture on music perception and memory performance at both a behavioral and neurological level.
Renin Exists in Human Adrenal Tissue

Readily detectable levels of renin activity were demonstrated in human adrenal tissues. This activity was inhibited by specific antibody raised against pure renin, indicating that it was not due to the nonspecific action of proteases. The renin activity was predominantly in the cortex rather than in the medulla of the adrenal. An adrenal gland that was surgically removed from a patient with Cushing’s disease and had high renin activity was used for further characterization of the enzyme. It shared many biochemical features with kidney renin, such as molecular weight, isoelectric point, glycoprotein nature, optimum pH of enzyme activity, affinity to pepstatin, and the presence of trypsin-activatable inactive renin. The lack of correlation between PRA and the adrenal renin, and the particulate localization of the subcellular distribution of adrenal renin suggested its local origin rather than contamination or contribution of the plasma enzyme.
Digoxin and other cardiac glycosides inhibit HIF-1α synthesis and block tumor growth

A library of drugs that are in clinical trials or use was screened for inhibitors of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1). Twenty drugs inhibited HIF-1-dependent gene transcription by >88% at a concentration of 0.4 μM. Eleven of these drugs were cardiac glycosides, including digoxin, ouabain, and proscillaridin A, which inhibited HIF-1α protein synthesis and expression of HIF-1 target genes in cancer cells. Digoxin administration increased latency and decreased growth of tumor xenografts, whereas treatment of established tumors resulted in growth arrest within one week. Enforced expression of HIF-1α by transfection was not inhibited by digoxin, and xenografts derived from these cells were resistant to the anti-tumor effects of digoxin, demonstrating that HIF-1 is a critical target of digoxin for cancer therapy.
Association of Soy and Fiber Consumption with the Risk of Endometrial Cancer

The authors conducted a case-control study among the multi-ethnic population of Hawaii to examine the role of dietary soy, fiber, and related foods and nutrients on the risk of endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer cases (n = 332) diagnosed between 1985 and 1993 were identified from the five main ethnic groups in the state (Japanese, Caucasian, Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and Chinese) through the rapid-reporting system of the Hawaii Tumor Registry. Population controls (n = 511) were selected randomly from lists of female Oahu residents and matched to cases on age (+/-2.5 years) and ethnicity. All subjects were interviewed using a diet history questionnaire that included over 250 food items. Non-dietary risk factors for endometrial cancer included nulliparity, never using oral contraceptives, fertility drug use, use of unopposed estrogens, a history of diabetes mellitus or hypertension, and a high Quetelet's index (kg/cm2). Energy intake from fat, but not from other sources, was positively associated with the risk of endometrial cancer. The authors also found a positive, monotonic relation of fat intake with the odds ratios for endometrial cancer after adjustment for energy intake. The consumption of fiber, but not starch, was inversely related to risk after adjustment for energy intake and other confounders. Similar inverse gradients in the odds ratios were obtained for crude fiber, non-starch polysaccharide, and dietary fiber. Sources of fiber, including cereal and vegetable and fruit fiber, were associated with a 29-46% reduction in risk for women in the highest quartiles of consumption. Vitamin A and possibly vitamin C, but not vitamin E, were also inversely associated with endometrial cancer, although trends were not strong. High consumption of soy products and other legumes was associated with a decreased risk of endometrial cancer (p for trend = 0.01; odds ratio = 0.46, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.83) for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of soy intake. Similar reductions in risk were found for increased consumption of other sources of phytoestrogens such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and seaweeds. Ethnic-specific analyses were generally consistent with these results. The observed dietary associations appeared to be largely independent of other risk factors, although the effects of soy and legumes on risk were limited to women who were never pregnant or who had never used unopposed estrogens. These data suggest that plant-based diets low in calories from fat, high in fiber, and rich in legumes (especially soybeans), whole grain foods, vegetables, and fruits reduce the risk of endometrial cancer. These dietary associations may explain in part the reduced rates of uterine cancer in Asian countries compared with those in the United States.
Treating trichotillomania across the lifespan.

Ithasbecomeincreasinglyclearthatchildhoodonset trichotillomania has significant ramifications. Children with this disorder have high levels of psychiatric comorbidity (particularly with anxiety and depression), and evidence suggests a significant impact on psychosocial functioning. 1 Unfortunately, our knowledge about the phenomenology and effective treatment of trichotillomania in children is limited. Existing community survey data have confirmed this fact. In a survey of 133 families who had a child with trichotillomania, only 66% had sought treatment, and when they did so, what they received was not based on empirical evidence and the treatments were not perceived to be effective. 1 For example,
Indel-Associated Mutation Rate Varies with Mating System in Flowering Plants

A recently proposed mutational mechanism, indel-associated mutation (IDAM), posits that heterozygous insertions/ deletions (indels) increase the point mutation rate at nearby nucleotides due to errors during meiosis. This mechanism could have especially dynamic consequences for the evolution of plant genomes, because the high degree of variation in the rate of self-fertilization among plant species causes differences in the heterozygosity of alleles, including indel alleles, segregating in plant species. In this study, we investigated the consequences of IDAM for species differing in mating system using both forward population genetic simulations and genomewide DNA resequencing data from Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, and Oryza rufipogon. Simulations of different levels of selfing suggest that the effect of IDAM on surrounding nucleotide diversity should decrease with increasing selfing rate. Further simulations incorporating selfing rates and the time of onset of selfing suggest that the time since the switch to selfing also affects patterns of nucleotide diversity due to IDAM. Population genetic analyses of A. thaliana and Oryza DNA sequence data sets empirically confirmed our simulation results, revealing the strongest effect of IDAM in the outcrossing O. rufipogon, a weaker effect in the recently evolved selfer O. sativa, and the weakest effect in the relatively ancient selfer A. thaliana. These results support the novel idea that differences in life history, such as the level of selfing, can affect the per-individual mutation rate among species.
GEORGE ELIOT, THE POETESS AS PROPHET

GEORGE ELIOT FELT A WELL-KNOWN ambivalence toward “feminine” writing. “Silly Novels by Lady Novelists” (1856) mocks the “composite order of feminine fatuity” that characterizes her contemporaries' fiction (Writings 296). “Woman in France: Madame de Sable” (1854) maintains that “[w]ith a few remarkable exceptions, our own feminine literature is made up of books which could have been better written by men” (Writings 37). And “The Natural History of German Life” (1856) claims that feminine influence weakens the visual arts: “even those among our painters … who are far above the effeminate feebleness of ‘Keepsake’ style, treat their subjects under the direct influence of traditions and prepossessions rather than of direct observation” (Writings 261). Given such evidence, it is not surprising that Isobel Armstrong hesitates to include Eliot in an important essay on the mid-Victorian poetess tradition, cautioning that “George Eliot … did not willingly associate herself with the ‘feminine’ tradition” (“Music” 370).
Life Tables for the Forest Tent Caterpillar

Nine sample plots were established in 1967 in northern Minnesota in areas that had epizootic population levels of the forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria Hubner (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae). The plots were at least 1 mile apart and each consisted of 5 acres or more of 90–100% trembling aspen, Populus tremidoides Michx. Sampling techniques using the tree as the major unit are described. The 1st life tables and survivorship histograms for the forest tent caterpillar are presented. The survival rate during the egg and pupal stages differed considerably in 1968 and 1969. The differences in egg survival are attributed to fluctuations in rates of death of fully developed 1st-stage larvae within eggs; they ranged from 39% in 1968 to 3% in 1969. Egg parasitization and infertility were 7–10 and 1–3%, respectively, showing no important changes from year to year. The differences in pupal survival resulted from fluctuations in rates of pupal parasitization, mostly by Sarcophaga aldrichi Parker; from 74% in 1968 to 50% in 1969. Generation mortality was 99.3 and 97.8% in 1968 and 1969, respectively. Generation survival equations by plots for 1968 and 1969 are presented.
Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated Expression of Thyroid Hormone Receptor Isoforms-α1 and -β1 Improves Contractile Function in Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy

Pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy leads to decreased contractile performance, frequently progressing to heart failure. Cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure can be accompanied by the so-called sick thyroid syndrome, resulting in decreased serum T(3) levels along with decreased expression of thyroid hormone receptors (TRalpha1 and TRbeta1) and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA). Because the binding of T(3) occupied receptors to the thyroid response elements in the SERCA promotor can increase gene expression, we wanted to determine whether increasing TR expression in the hypertrophied heart could also improve SERCA expression and cardiac function. Mice subjected to aortic constriction to generate pressure overload-induced hypertrophy were also subjected to gene therapy using adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing either TRalpha1 or TRbeta1, with LacZ expressing AAV serving as control. After 8 wk of aortic constriction, a similar degree of hypertrophy was observed in all three groups; however, mice treated with TRalpha1 or TRbeta1 showed improved contractile function. Administration of a physiological dose of T(3) increased serum T(3) levels only into the lower range of normal. This T(3) dose, with or without AAV TR treatment, did not result in any significant increase in contractile performance. Calcium transients measured in isolated myocytes also exhibited an enhanced rate of decay associated with TRalpha1 or TRbeta1 treatment. Western blot analysis showed increased SERCA expression in the TRalpha1- or TRbeta1-treated groups relative to the LacZ-treated control group. These results demonstrate that increasing TR expression in the hypertrophied heart is associated with an improvement in contractile function and increased SERCA expression.
Probability density of irradiance scintillations for strong path-integrated refractive turbulence

A new probability-density function (PDF) is proposed for irradiance scintillations in the case of strong scintillation (i.e., irradiance variance decreases with further increases in path-averaged refractive-index turbulence). This new PDF is named the log-normally modulated exponential PDF. This PDF is compared with experimental PDF’s of both irradiance and photon counts obtained from atmospheric laser propagation; the agreement is excellent (superior to that of the K PDF). Receiver–aperture-averaged irradiance is shown to be log normal for sufficiently large apertures. Comparison of moments of measured irradiance with theoretical moments shows that the moment comparison method of testing irradiance statistics can be very misleading because of the limitations of receivers and the sensitivity of high-order moments to very large irradiances.
High School Students' Critical Evaluation of Scientific Resources on the World Wide Web

This research explores a new web-based curriculum idea, that of having students write and publish critical web ‘‘reviews’’ of scientific resources as a means of both practicing critical evaluation of web resources, and of making an authentic value-added contribution to the web. This paper presents content analyses of selected sections of 63 web reviews published by eleventh grade students in a project-based science class. Two aspects of critical evaluation are focused upon: summarization of content and evaluation of credibility. Content analyses show that student summaries were usually accurate, but had room for improvement especially in areas of comprehensiveness and level of detail. An ideal model of a content review is developed from analysis of a second set of reviews. When asked to evaluate credibility, students struggled to identify scientific evidence of claims in web resources, but analysis of web documents shows that this is often because such evidence is missing. Students could accurately determine the publishing source of web documents, but challenges arose in identifying potential biases. Recommendations for future iterations of this curriculum idea are presented throughout. A companion paper that will appear in this journal will examine how student reviews serve the function of social filtering on the web.
Early Permian Carbonitidae (Ostracoda): ontogeny, affinity, environment and systematics

Abstract. An assemblage of four Carbonita species was deposited with charophytes, lungfishes and lysorophids in a lenticular mudstone from a Cisuralian freshwater pond deposit from the lowest Permian. Samples contained few adult Carbonita, indicating perhaps a stressed and unstable environment. Two species new to science, C. ovata n. sp. and C. triangulata n. sp., occur together with C. evelinae and C. pungens. Morphological characters of these Carbonita suggest an affinity with the Healdioidea, marine taxa that are probably ancestral to the Carbonitidae. The muscle-scar patterns of Carbonitidae, which comprise closely grouped circular bundles of secondary muscle scars, resemble closely those of Healdioidea and not those of Cypridoidea and Cytheroidea, whose muscle scars are fewer and spaced further apart. The muscle-scar pattern of C. pungens, described here for the first time, is a circular scar with an ascertainable pattern of secondary scars. C. pungens and species of Darwinula are morphologically similar, but study of additional specimens of C. pungens with better-preserved muscle scars is essential to determine their evolutionary affinity.
Early Reticulocytosis and Anemia Are Associated with Abnormal and Conditional Transcranial Doppler Velocities in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia.

Objective To improve prediction of sickle cell anemia severity at an early age, we evaluated whether absolute reticulocyte count (ARC) or hemoglobin (Hb) levels during early infancy (2-6 months of age) in patients with sickle cell anemia predict the risk of later developing an abnormal (abTCD) or conditional (cdTCD) Transcranial Doppler (TCD). Study design We used chart review to identify 121 consecutive patients who underwent TCD screening and had steady state ARC and Hb levels recorded between 2 and 6 months of age. Cox regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between ARC, Hb levels, and risk of developing cdTCD/abTCD over time. Results Mean ARC in early infancy was highest and mean Hb lowest in those children with abTCDs and cdTCDs. Cox regression analysis revealed that those subjects with an ARC ≥200 K/μL in early infancy had nearly 3 times the risk of having an abTCD/cdTCD than the group with an ARC Conclusions These data suggest that both elevated ARC and low baseline Hb during early infancy are associated with an increased risk of developing a cdTCD or abTCD later in childhood.
Intended and Achieved Competitive Priorities: Measures, Frequencies, and Financial Impact

Using data collected from managers in a sample of manufacturing plants, parallel sets of variables representing intended performance and achieved performance are factor analyzed to see if they break out in a similar way. For each competitive priority identified as a factor (latent construct), a frequency table is constructed showing how intended and actual competitive priorities match up in practice. Finally, an overall performance measure is overlaid onto the frequency matrix showing how competitive priorities ╌ both intended and realized ╌ affect a firm’s bottom-line financial performance.
Time-resolved x-ray diffraction of GaAs with a 20-fs, laser-driven plasma source

Laboratory-scale, optical pump/x-ray probe measurements are used to measure GaAs lattice dynamics following excitation with a 25-fs, 800-nm pulse.
Thermal Summation for the Development of the Navel Orangeworm in Almond (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Thermal summation studies of the development of the navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker), on almonds were carried out during 1981 and 1982. An upper developmental threshold of 34.4°C was determined from field data. New crop nuts were caged while still attached to the tree and inoculated after hullsplit with 1st-instar larvae. Mean developmental times from egg to adult when reared on new crop nuts were 424 and 427 degree-days C in 1981 and 1982, respectively. Nuts from previous years' crop (“mummies”) were also caged in the field and inoculated with 1st-instar larvae. The mean time required for navel orangeworm development on mummy almonds was 623 degree-days C.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction in Children

Objective To explore the best way to diagnose and cure the nephrosis with ureteropelvic junction obstruction(UPJO) in children.Methods The diagnosis of 26 cases of nephrosis with UPJO were confirmed by ultrasonogram and IVU examinations.All patients underwent AndersonHynes procedures.These results were analyzed and summarized.Results All the diagnosis were proved to be correct by operation and pathology examinations,the operations were carried out successfully.Twenty-four cases were followed up for 6 months to 2 years.After the operation,the hematuria,urinary frequency,abdominal mass and distention disappeared,the urine analysis was normal,all cases cured clinically.Ultrasonogram examinations showed the thickness of parenchyma increased and the large kidneys lessened.Significantly improved renal fuoction on IVU examinations was observed in the 24 cases compared with that before the operations.The ureters of 20 cases displayed well.Conclusions The combination of ultrasonogram and IVU is very effective method to diagnose UPJO in children.Anderson-Hynes technique is the best procedure to cure the UPJO.
The Cardiomyopathy Mutation, R146G Troponin I, Stabilizes the Intermediate "C" State of Regulated Actin under High- and Low-Free Ca(2+) Conditions.

The R146G mutation of troponin I (TnI) is associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in humans. Earlier data pointed to stabilization of the intermediate, C state, of actin–tropomyosin–troponin by this mutant. Because cardiac disorders appear to be linked to changes in regulated actin distributions, we determined the extent to which the R146G TnI mutant alters the distribution of states at low and high Ca2+ concentrations. We show, from measurements of the kcat for actin-activated ATPase activity at saturating Ca2+ concentrations, that R146G TnI reduced the population of the active, M, state to 25% of the wild-type level. Together with acrylodan–tropomyosin fluorescence measurements of the B state, it appeared that the C state was populated at ∼91% of the total for the R146G TnI-containing actin filaments. The C state was also more heavily populated at low Ca2+ concentrations. Acrylodan–tropomyosin fluorescence changes showed a large diminution in the inactive state value relative to the wild-type value ...
Intermediaries of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Metabolism Can Increase Fetal Hemoglobin In Vitro and In Vivo.

Propionic acid and methylmalonic acid, which are intermediaries (BCAA-I) of branched-chain amino acid (leucine, isoleucine, valine) metabolism, can up-regulate HbF during definitive erythropoiesis \[italics]in vitro[/italics] and [italics]in vivo [/italics\](Little 1995). We tested ‘proximal’ (prior to thiolester formation with Coenzyme A) BCAA-Is, which would be elevated in maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), and ‘distal’, which would be elevated in Isovaleric Acidemia (IVA) Propionic Acidemia (PA) or Methylmalonic Acidemia (MMA), for their ability to simultaneously stimulate adult erythroid differentiation and embryonic globin gene expression in an adult erythroid cell line, murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells after 96 hours in culture. Compounds and maximal concentrations (X) tested were: α-keto isocaproic acid, α−keto β−methylvaleric acid, and α−keto isovaleric acid, all at 50 mM, which are elevated in ‘proximal’ MSUD; isobutyric acid (IB), isovaleric acid (IV), methylmalonic acid, all at 50 mM, and propionate (5mM), all of which are elevated in ‘distal’ perturbations of BCAA metabolism, plus butyrate (2mM), which has been used pharmacologically to increase HbF (Atweh et al, 1999), and DMSO (adult erythroid differentiating agent in MELs). Concentration ranges were, relative to maximum, X, [X], [0.5X], [0.2X], [0.1X] and [0.01X]. RNA was analyzed by real-time PCR for murine adult alpha (α) and adult beta-major (βmaj) globin gene expression and embryonic α-type zeta (ζ) and β-type beta-H1 (βH1) and epsilon-y (eY). Only four BCAA-I compounds, plus DMSO, induced adult α−globin gene expression in MEL cells (by >100-fold, relative to uninduced). These compounds, but not DMSO, also augmented β−type embryonic globin gene expression ((βH1+eY)/(β−total))*100, as shown: propionate (5mM) 24%, butyrate (1 mM) 8% (2mM) 10%, IBA (25 mM) 5%, IVA (5 mM) 9% and (10mM) 13%. Samples from 10 individuals with ‘proximal’ abnormalities in BCAA-I (n=4, median age 5.5 years) due to MSUD and ‘distal’ abnormalities in BCAA-I (n=6, median age 6 years) due to IVA, PA, and MMA were examined by HPLC for % HbF. All patients were under good metabolic control at evaluation; mean Hgb (g/dL) was 13.1±0.9 in ‘proximal’ (MSUD) patients, and 12.2±1.6 in patients with distal perturbations in BCAA metabolism (p=n.s.). HbF was 0.9±0.3% (one beta-thalassemia excluded) and 0.2±0.4%(p 5% of total β−type chains, were present in 3 of 5 patients with distal BCAA-I (p<.05). Our data show that, as predicted by MEL cells [italics]in vitro[/italics], a subset of metabolic intermediaries can up-regulate fetal globin gene expression in non-anemic patients with endogenous elevations in BCAA-I due to inborn metabolic errors. Gγ, which predominates during normal fetal life, may be most affected by these compounds.
A randomized controlled trial of ibandronate for the prevention of bone loss following allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

7029 Background: Bone mineral density (BMD) loss occurs rapidly within the first year following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT), which can lead to fractures. Nonpharmacologic prophylaxis measures are inadequate in preventing bone loss following alloHCT and the effect of ibandronate has not been evaluated. Methods: We performed a phase 3 single-center open-label randomized controlled trial of intravenous ibandronate to prevent BMD loss in adult recipients of alloHCT at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The treatment group received 3 mg of intravenous ibandronate over 15–30 seconds starting within 45 days of alloHCT and at 3, 6, and 9 months after alloHCT. All patients received daily calcium (500 mg) and daily vitamin D (400 IU) oral supplements twice daily for 12 months. We compared changes in BMD in the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip at 6 and 12 months following alloHCT relative to baseline between treatment and control groups. Results: Of 414 patie...
Fluid flow in UV nanoimprint lithography with patterned templates

Abstract Fluid flow in UV nanoimprint lithography with patterned template is simulated to study the effect of pattern directionality on droplet merging, throughput and defectivity. Flow in high density patterns is simulated by using an anisotropic permeability. A method to calculate the permeability for templates with line and space patterns is presented. It is found that the directionality of the pattern results in anisotropic spreading of the droplets. The droplets flow faster in the direction of the pattern resulting in channelized unfilled regions. These regions fill slowly because the permeability in the direction normal to the patterns is low. A modified hexagonal arrangement for droplet dispensing is proposed in which the filling time is lower than square and hexagonal droplet arrangements. Simulations are carried out with different multi-patterned template and droplet dispensing schemes. Dispensing droplets such that their volume is sufficient to fill the features locally is found to be the optimum dispensing scheme to minimize filling time.
Condensed-matter physics: Return of the itinerant electron.

The ‘electron gas’ is an important model of the electrons in a solid. Its properties depend on the electron density, and it has long been suspected that at low densities the electrons would be susceptible to magnetic ordering. The difficulty of producing a dilute electron gas in the lab has now been overcome, and magnetic polarization has been observed at unexpectedly high temperatures.
Yup'ik identity and socioeconomic status are associated with child consumption of traditional food and weight in rural Yup'ik communities.

ABSTRACTObjective: In remote, Alaska Native communities, traditional foods remain a significant source of essential nutrients and appear to protect against the development of chronic diseases. Relatively low intake of traditional foods among Alaska Native children is therefore of concern. The aim of this study was to identify household and parental predictors of child traditional food (TF) consumption and weight in remote Yup’ik communities of Alaska.Design: Children (10–18 years old) and parents in two communities (populations <500) were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. Intake of traditional foods among children and parents was estimated from two-24 h recalls using NDS-R. Weight and height were measured and BMI calculated. Sociodemographic factors, including income and education, were collected from parents. A partial least square path modeling analysis and bootstrapping were performed to identify predictors of child TF consumption and weight.Results: Parental intake of traditional f...
Coarse-grained simulations of conformational changes in the multidrug efflux transporter AcrB

The multidrug resistance (MDR) system actively pumps antibiotics out of cells causing serious health problems. During the pumping, AcrB (one of the key components of MDR) undergoes a series of large-scale and proton-motive conformational changes. Capturing the conformational changes through all-atom simulations is challenging. Here, we implement a hybrid coarse-grained force field to investigate the conformational changes of AcrB in the porter domain under different protonation states of Asp407/Asp408 in the trans-membrane domain. Our results show that protonation of Asp408 in monomer III (extrusion) stabilizes the asymmetric structure of AcrB; deprotonation of Asp408 induces clear opening of the entrance and closing of the exit leading to the transition from extrusion to access state. The structural changes in the porter domain of AcrB are strongly coupled with the proton translocation stoichiometry in the trans-membrane domain. Moreover, our simulations support the postulation that AcrB should adopt the symmetric resting state in a substrate-free situation.
Diagnostics Modules for Tokamak Disruption Experiments

Diagnostic modules equipped with various sensors can provide useful information on key parameters for disruption events, e.g. energy deposition, vapor shielding effect, plasma pressure and force distribution. The modules are, basically, DIMES samples (Divertor Materials Evaluation System) equipped with sensors, coupled to digitizing units and interfaced to a data acquisition system. The DIMES samples are part of the lower diverter diagnostics on the DIII-D tokamak. Three top-cap prototype diagnostics modules have been designed and fabricated. The initial testing and calibration have been performed using the SIRENS plasma gun at an energy deposition of 1 to 12 MJ/m{sup 2} over 0.1 to 1.0 ms, with a plasma pressure >100 MPa.
Melanopsin Shows Its (Contrast-)Sensitive Side.

Melanopsin is a photopigment expressed by certain types of retinal ganglion cells that mediate non-image-forming visual functions, such as circadian photoentrainment. In this issue of Neuron, Sonoda et al. (2018) reveal how melanopsin also regulates the sensitivity of conventional image-forming vision.
Multi-instrumental approach with archival research to study the Norwich textile industry in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries: the example of a Norwich pattern book dated c. 1790–1793

Merchant-manufacturers in Norwich, a major centre for textile production in England, used pattern books and pattern cards containing swatches of worsted and worsted mixed with other yarns to facilitate sales and trade. Studying such well-preserved and dated materials provides valuable information that can translate into informed decisions for the care of Norwich textile collections. Using a Norwich pattern book from Winterthur Museum’s Special Collections dated c. 1790–1793, we report the first stage of a substantial study that combines spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques with archival research. A combination of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC–PDA) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) allowed for identification of characteristic mordants like iron and tin salts; and dyes, like quercitron, native to North America. In addition, a combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) allowed for partial identification of the glazed finish in some textiles as a natural gum. Setting the foundations for future conservation and conservation science work, our research contributes to the care of these important and beautiful textiles, by providing scientific evidence for humidity and/or light sensitive constituent materials.
Integrative/Hybrid Methods Structural Biology: Role of Macromolecular Crystallography

Macromolecular crystallography has been central to the emergence and development of structural biology as a scientific discipline. Approximately 90% of the more than 138,000 three-dimensional structures currently available in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) archive, the single, global open access data resource for macromolecular structure data, were determined using X-ray crystallography. MX, the enormous variety of PDB structures of proteins, DNA, and RNA, and computational models derived therefrom will be central to the growth of integrative or hybrid (I/H) methods structural studies of macromolecular assemblies and other complex biological systems.
Using Variability as a Guiding Principle to Reduce Latency in Web Applications via OS Profiling

Request latency is a critical metric in determining the usability of web services. The latency of a request includes service time - the time when the request is being actively serviced - and waiting time - the time when the request is waiting to be served. Most existing works aim to reduce request latency by focusing on reducing the mean service time (that is, shortening the critical path). In this paper, we explore an alternative approach to reducing latency - using variability as a guiding principle when designing web services. By tracking the service time variability of the request as it traverses across software layers within the user and kernel space of the web server, we identify the most critical stages of request processing. We then determine control knobs in the OS and application, such as thread scheduling and request batching, that regulate the variability in these stages, and demonstrate that tuning these specific knobs can significantly improve end-to-end request latency. Our experimental results with Memcached and Apache web server under different request rates, including real-world traces, show that this alternative approach can reduce mean and tail latency by 30-50%.
Altitudinal gradients fail to predict fungal symbiont responses to warming.

Climate change is shifting altitudinal species ranges, with potential to disrupt species interactions. Altitudinal gradient studies and warming experiments can both increase understanding of climate effects on species interactions, but few studies have used both together to improve predictions. We examined whether plant-fungal symbioses responded similarly to altitude and 23 yr of experimental warming. Root- and leaf-associated fungi, which can mediate plants' climate sensitivity, responded divergently to elevation vs. warming. Fungal colonization, diversity, and composition varied with altitude, but climate variables were generally weak predictors; other factors such as host plant identity, plant community composition, or edaphic variables likely drive fungal altitudinal distributions. Manipulated warming altered fungal colonization, but not composition or diversity. Leaf symbionts were more sensitive to climate and experimental warming than root symbionts. Altitudinal patterns and responses to warming differed among host plant species and fungal groups, indicating that predicting climate effects on symbioses will require tracking both host and symbiont identities. Combining experimental and observational methods can yield valuable insight into how climate change may alter plant-symbiont interactions, but our results indicate that altitude does not always serve as an adequate proxy for warming effects on fungal symbionts of plants.
FRONTAL ALPHA ASYMMETRY IN YOUTH AT CLINICAL HIGH-RISK FOR PSYCHOSIS.

Negative symptoms are highly predictive of whether individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) develop a psychotic disorder. However, little is known about pathophysiological mechanisms underlying negative symptoms during this period. The current study examined neurophysiological mechanisms underlying negative symptoms in CHR individuals using electroencephalography frontal alpha asymmetry power, a biomarker of approach and avoidance motivation. People with schizophrenia display abnormal patterns of frontal alpha asymmetry indicative of reduced approach motivation. However, it is unknown whether similar abnormalities occur in CHR youth that predict negative symptoms. Results indicated that CHR and healthy controls did not differ in frontal alpha asymmetry scores. However, in CHR youth, frontal alpha asymmetry was inversely correlated with the motivation and pleasure dimension of negative symptoms, which was accounted for by mood symptoms. Findings suggest that depression contributes to reduced approach motivation in CHR youth that manifests clinically as negative symptoms.
The psychological status of phonological analyses

This paper casts doubt on the psychological relevance of many phonological analyses. There are four reasons for this: 1) theoretical adequacy does not necessarily imply psychological significance; 2) most approaches are nonempirical in that they are not subject to potential spatiotemporal falsification; 3) phonological analyses are estab­ lished with little or no recourse to the speakers of the language via experimental psy­ chology; 4) the limited base of evidence which most analyses are founded on is further cause for skepticism.
Refining the predictive variables in the "Surgical Risk Preoperative Assessment System" (SURPAS): a descriptive analysis.

The Surgical Risk Preoperative Assessment System (SURPAS) is a parsimonious set of models providing accurate preoperative prediction of common adverse outcomes for individual patients. However, focus groups with surgeons and patients have developed a list of questions about and recommendations for how to further improve SURPAS’s usability and usefulness. Eight issues were systematically evaluated to improve SURPAS. The eight issues were divided into three groups: concerns to be addressed through further analysis of the database; addition of features to the SURPAS tool; and the collection of additional outcomes. Standard multiple logistic regression analysis was performed using the 2005–2015 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Participant Use File (ACS NSQIP PUF) to refine models: substitution of the preoperative sepsis variable with a procedure-related risk variable; testing of an indicator variable for multiple concurrent procedure codes in complex operations; and addition of outcomes to increase clinical applicability. Automated risk documentation in the electronic health record and a patient handout and supporting documentation were developed. Long term functional outcomes were considered. Model discrimination and calibration improved when preoperative sepsis was replaced with a procedure-related risk variable. Addition of an indicator variable for multiple concurrent procedures did not significantly improve the models. Models were developed for a revised set of eleven adverse postoperative outcomes that separated bleeding/transfusion from the cardiac outcomes, UTI from the other infection outcomes, and added a predictive model for unplanned readmission. Automated documentation of risk assessment in the electronic health record, visual displays of risk for providers and patients and an “About” section describing the development of the tool were developed and implemented. Long term functional outcomes were considered to be beyond the scope of the current SURPAS tool. Refinements to SURPAS were successful in improving the accuracy of the models, while reducing manual entry to five of the eight variables. Adding a predictor variable to indicate a complex operation with multiple current procedure codes did not improve the accuracy of the models. We developed graphical displays of risk for providers and patients, including a take-home handout and automated documentation of risk in the electronic health record. These improvements should facilitate easier implementation of SURPAS.
Behavioral health service utilization: Trends in utilization within a patient-centered medical home for low-income children and women.

Background: Behavioral health (BH) problems frequently present in primary care settings. Despite high intervention needs, the majority of low-income, racially/ethnically diverse children and women do not receive necessary care. The current study examined utilization of BH care among low-income, racially/ethnically diverse pediatric and obstetric patients receiving services in an integrated patient-centered medical home (the Center) compared to patients receiving services in traditional settings. Methods: A retrospective review was performed on all consecutive Texas Children's Health Plan (TCHP) patients who received outpatient BH services between 2015 and 2017. Children and woman who utilized BH services at the Center were compared against those who utilized BH services via a traditional sitting outside the Center. Results: A total of 54,612 were identified. Of those, 3,559 (6.5%) patients were seen at the Center and 51,053 (93.5%) patients were seen in the traditional setting. A larger proportion of pregnant/postpartum women and African American and Hispanic/Latino children and women utilized BH services in the PCMH compared to the traditional setting. Results also indicated higher levels of BH service use for patients with behavior problems or anxiety disorders, and increased use of services provided by doctoral level psychologists in the PCMH. Conclusion: Findings support the benefit of integrated BH services in PCMH models for engaging traditionally marginalized populations in BH care.
Fabrication of OMT-Coupled Kinetic Inductance Detector for CMB Detection

Future cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments, including the large scale ground-based Stage Four CMB Experiment (CMB-S4), satellites, and balloons, aim to map the CMB to an unprecedented precision in order to answer several key questions in cosmology. However, to reach the target noise sensitivity, more than 100,000 detectors will be needed. Arrays of kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) are a promising alternative for experiments that require large number of detectors due to the intrinsic multiplexing capabilities. We present the fabrication procedure for a prototype planar orthomode transducer (OMT)-coupled multi-color KID array optimized for 220/270 GHz frequency bands. These devices are made from silicon-on-insulator wafers to provide a low-loss substrate for the KIDs. The OMT couples the two polarizations of light from a wide-band feedhorn to separate Nb/SiN/Nb microstrip lines, which are then coupled to Al/Nb lumped-element KIDs (LEKIDs). The silicon on the backside of the OMT is etched away using deep reactive ion etch to release the OMT membrane to enable operation over a wide bandwidth. Finally, the buried oxide is removed underneath the KID capacitors in order to minimize two-level system noise and loss mitigation. We achieved a good yield (> 80%) on our prototype devices.
Coding and Testing Incubation

As current datasets do not code for incubation and we thus cannot yet test the explanatory power of incubation on conflict duration, a novel methodology for operationalizing and coding incubation is introduced. A logit model is used to test the explanatory power of the new variable on a large-N dataset of insurgent organizations. Predictions involving several other scenarios of interest are likewise estimated statistically.
Real-time Congestion Prevention in Modern Distribution Power Systems via Demand Response of Smart Homes

Modernization of distribution power systems is accompanied with 1) higher integration of wind turbine distributed generation (WTDG) and photovoltaic DG (PVDG) units as rooftop DGs or small power plants operated by private owners in de-regulated markets, 2) massive utilization of electric vehicles (EVs) in smart cities, and 3) extensive demand response (DR) services offered by smart homes. This paper proposes a systematic framework for modern distribution networks operation where DG aggregators (DGAGs), EV aggregators (EVAGs), and demand response aggregators (DRAGs) are motivated to contribute to real-time congestion prevention via greater local generation, flexible platform for charging schedule, and non-firm load curtailment, respectively. Moreover, a realistic mechanism is developed for microgrid operators (MGOs) to 1) relieve the system operator (SO) from the pressure of centralized congestion management and 2) optimally utilize the assets of each microgrid to prevent congestions in a decentralized manner. The performance of the proposed scheme is validated on an unbalanced distribution system containing 4 microgrids, 250 EVs, 31 WTDGs, 54 PVDGs, and 140 smart homes with DR contract.
Does Earlier Cannulation With Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Adult Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Decrease Duration of Artificial Mechanical Ventilation?

BACKGROUND Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by an acute, diffuse, inflammatory lung injury, leading to increased alveolar capillary permeability, increased lung weight, and loss of aerated lung tissue (Fan, Brodie, & Slutsky, 2018). Primary treatment for ARDS is artificial mechanical ventilation (AMV) (Wu, Huang, Wu, Wang, & Lin, 2016). Given recent advances in technology, the use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) to treat severe ARDS is growing rapidly (Combes et al., 2014). OBJECTIVE This 49-month quantitative, retrospective inpatient EMR chart review compared if cannulation with VV-ECMO up to and including 48 hours of admission and diagnosis in adult patients 30 to 65 years of age diagnosed with ARDS, decreased duration on AMV, as compared to participants who were cannulated after 48 hours of admission and diagnosis with ARDS. METHODS A total of 110 participants were identified as receiving VV-ECMO during the study timeframe. Of the 58 participants who met all inclusion criteria, 39 participants were cannulated for VV-ECMO within 48 hours of admission and diagnosis with ARDS, and 19 participants were cannulated with VV-ECMO after 48 hours of admission and diagnosis with ARDS. RESULTS Data collected identified no statistically significant (p < 0.579) difference in length of days on AMV between participant groups. CONCLUSIONS Further studies are needed to determine if earlier initiation of VV-ECMO in adult patients with ARDS decrease time on AMV. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Although the results related to length of time on AMV did not produce statistical significance, the decreased duration of AMV in the participants who were cannulated within 48 hours (21 days vs. 27 days) may support several benefits associated with this participant population including increased knowledge of healthcare providers, decreased lung injury, earlier discharge which decreases hospital and patient cost, ability for patients to communicate sooner, decreased risk of pulmonary infection, decreased length of stay, decreased cost, and improved patient and family satisfaction.