cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectral methods for matrix rigidity with applications to size-depth tradeoffs and communication complexity

The rigidity of a matrix measures the number of entries that must be changed in order to reduce its rank below a certain value. The known lower bounds on the rigidity of explicit matrices are very weak. It is known that stronger lower bounds would have implications to complexity theory. We consider weaker forms of the rigidity problem over the complex numbers. Using spectral methods, we derive lower bounds on these variants. We then give two applications of such weaker forms. First, we show that our lower bound on a variant of rigidity implies lower bounds on size-depth tradeoffs for arithmetic circuits with bounded coefficients computing linear transformations. These bounds generalize a recent result of Nisan and Wigderson. The second application is conditional; we show that it would suffice to prove lower bounds on certain weaker forms of rigidity to conclude several separation results in communication complexity theory. Our results complement and strengthen a result of Razborov.
Can physician and patient gestalt lead to a shared decision to reduce unnecessary radiography in extremity trauma

Minor musculoskeletal injury is one of the most common presentations to the emergency department (ED). The majority (85%-90%) of those presenting for minor injury do not have a fracture [1], and presumably, many others never seek medical attention. The need to image patients with obvious signs of fracture is never in question—but it is much less clear who needs imaging when those signs are absent. This leads to considerable practice variability and, in the United States, is complicated further by the need to address patient satisfaction. The notion that patients might help risk-stratify their own case in the setting of trauma by answering the question “do you think you have anything broken?” has not been formally investigated. Querying the patient about their perception of the severity of their injury can lead to shared decision making (SDM) regarding the need for imaging and might reduce unnecessary imaging by simplifying the process for physicians and for triage nurses in departments with triage protocols. This investigation was designed to explore the utility of using both the patient's perception of the severity of their injury and the provider's perception of that severity, to help decidewhether to obtain imaging. Specifically, we hypothesized that when the patient felt they did not have a fracture or the provider predicted “b10%” likelihood, that the incidence of fracture would be extremely low.
Nonparametrics and Robust Methods

The chapters in this book have traced the origin and development of some of the major ideas and applications of statistics. A large part of this history has to do with inference about the mean of a distribution. In stating a confidence interval or testing a hypothesis about a mean based on sample data, the usual classical technique is to use the Student t-distribution. Indeed, Gosset’s discovery of this distribution in 1908 was a major step forward in the history of statistics.
Erratum: “Army ants algorithm for rare event sampling of delocalized nonadiabatic transitions by trajectory surface hopping and the estimation of sampling errors by the bootstrap method” [J. Chem. Phys. 120, 3586 (2004)]

Erratum: “Army ants algorithm for rare event sampling of delocalized nonadiabatic transitions by trajectory surface hopping and the estimation of sampling errors by the bootstrap method” [J. Chem. Phys. 120, 3586 (2004)] Shikha Nangia, Ahren W. Jasper, Thomas F. Miller III, and Donald G. Truhlara) Department of Chemistry and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455-0431, USA (Received 23 February 2016; accepted 10 March 2016; published online 6 April 2016)
Principled or Opportunist? Perceptions of Arlen Specter and His Party Switch During the 2010 Midterm Election

While the literature on party switching identifies the reasons that politicians switch parties and the negative electoral consequences of doing so, it does not adequately explore why these consequences exist. To accomplish this task the authors look at citizen responses to party switching. The authors explore perceptions of Arlen Specter and his change in party affiliation during the 2010 midterm election by using original survey data gathered from residents of Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District. The authors posit that the information environment created by the parties, candidates, interest groups, and the media during the election frames the switch as both principled and opportunistic. The authors find that partisanship plays a large role in the frame that is accepted by citizens and that those frames subsequently influence their views of the candidate’s favorability.
Hairy Cell Leukemia: A Case with B-lymphocyte Origin

To categorize the neoplastic cells in hairy cell leukemia, extensive studies were performed on peripheral blood and splenic lymphocytes from a patient with this disorder. Using purified suspensions, containing 90–100% hairy cells, these cells lacked monocytic features. Although they did adhere to glass, they did not phagocytize IgG or C3-coated erythrocytes and showed only limited capacity to ingest latex particles. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, which is elaborated by both normal and neoplastic monocytes, was not produced by the patient’s hairy cells. Many cell surface immunoglobulins were detected on cells examined immediately after separation, but following incubation in serum-free medium, there was a decrease in all markers except γ chains. After a 24-hour incubation, γ chains were identified on the surface of 95% of the cells. In addition, 90% of cells examined either immediately or after incubation showed only γ heavy chains intracellular!}. Assays of complement receptors suggested the predominance of mouse complement receptors on the neoplastic mononuclear cells. The hairy cells did not form rosettes with sheep erythrocytes and did not respond to phytohemagglutinin. By electron microscopic criteria, the leukemia cells had the structural appearance of lymphocytes. These results are consistent with the concept that, in this patient, hairy cell leukemia represents a variant of a B-cell neoplasm.
Temperament and personality as functions of age.

Age-related differences in three temperament (Trait Pleasure-displeasure, Trait Arousability, Trait-Dominance-submissiveness), and four personality (Achieving Tendency, Conformity, Shyness, Loneliness), scales were explored in three studies. Results, generally, were consistent with the hypothesis that scores on Trait Dominance and on trait measures that correlated positively with Trait Dominance (e.g., achievement) were lower for older persons. Achieving Tendency (assessed in Studies One and Three) was lower for older persons. Trait Dominance (assessed in 2 studies) was lower for older men and women in Study Two and lower for older women only in Study Three. In Study Three, two strong negative correlates of Trait Dominance (Conformity, Shyness) were higher for older women. Based on a consistent absence of age/Trait Pleasure relationships, no age-related differences in psychological adjustment-maladjustment were implied by the findings.
Therapeutic culture, authenticity and neo-liberalism:

I argue that in recent years, the therapeutic ethos and the ideal of authenticity have become aligned with distinctively neo-liberal notions of personal responsibility and self-reliance. This situa...
Technology Research on Water Quality Purification of Aquaculture in Production Base of Niu Tian Ocean

The aquaculture water quality of Niutian Ocean production base was studied and tested, the dissolved oxygen, BOD5 and Cr, Cd, Pb, Zn and other metal ion concentrations were dozens and even hundreds of times more than the fishery water quality standard(GB11607-89). The water quality was far lower than the fishery water quality standard, which greatly influenced the output and quality of Niutian Ocean aquatic products. Based on the water quality situation of Niutian Ocean and the existing aquaculture water quality purification technology, two solutions were put forward as follows: one was plant purification method, planting water bamboo and submerged plant of blades black algae and hornwort in fish ponds purified fishpond water;the other was to use a combination of water quality purification processes: net bar(grizzly)-coagulation sedimentation(PAC + PFS = 1∶1)-biofilm(biological filter, filter material of plastic)-secondary coagulation sedimentation(PAC + PFS = 1∶1)-sand filter(quartz sand)-disinfection(bleach).
Recent changes in the Norske Øer Ice Barrier, coastal Northeast Greenland

In Northeast Greenland, the Norske Oer Ice Barrier (NOIB) abuts Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden (79N) and Zachariae Isstrom (ZI), two floating outlets of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream. NOIB is an extensive region of perennially fast sea ice, which varies in size from year to year, but with complete breakup a rare event in the 20th century. It reportedly broke up in the 1950s and was seen to break up in 1997. Since 2000 the NOIB has broken up during 11 of the last 14 summers. The forcings driving the increased frequency of ice barrier breakup are poorly understood, and it is not clear if the breakup is a purely local phenomenon or an indicator of regional changes in the ocean and atmosphere. Here we use a logistic regression statistical model to show that the odds of breakup are linked to June positive degree days and July wind speeds at a nearby weather station. It is too soon to know if subtle changes detected on 79N and ZI in the last decade are connected to breakups of the NOIB but, if they are, it suggests a complex interaction between the atmosphere, ocean and outlet glaciers in this part of Greenland.
Reorganization of the Sensorimotor System after Injury

The loss of sensory inputs or motor outputs to muscles can result from peripheral injury or the loss of a limb. Parts of the sensorimotor system may also be damaged by direct injuries, such as in stroke. After several decades of experiments and clinical observation, we know now that the damaged system is not static even in adults, but it adjusts and reorganizes following damage. Some of the reorganization may be beneficial and promote the recovery of lost functions. However, some reorganization may be detrimental and result in greater impairments, and misperceptions such as phantom pain. Research has increased our understanding of brain mechanisms that lead to recovery of lost functions in the sensorimotor system after injury, and an appreciation of therapeutic procedures that can maximize the desirable changes and minimize those changes that are damaging.
Genome‐wide analysis identifies differential promoter methylation of Leprel2, Foxf1, Mmp25, Igfbp6, and Peg12 in murine tendinopathy

We have used a murine Achilles tendinopathy model to investigate whether tissue changes (such as collagen disorganization, chondroid metaplasia, and loss of tensile properties) which are broadly characteristic of human tendinopathies, are accompanied by changes in the expression of chromatin-modifying enzymes and the methylation status of promoter regions of tendon cell DNA. Tendinopathy was induced by two intra-tendinous TGF-β1 injections followed by cage activity or treadmill running for up to 28 days. Activation of DNA methyltransferases occurred at 3 days after the TGF-β1 injections and also at 14 days, but only with treadmill activity. Genome-wide Methyl Mini-Seq™ analysis identified 19 genes with differentially methylated promoters, five of which perform functions with an apparent direct relevance to tendinopathy (Leprel2, Foxf1, Mmp25, Igfbp6, and Peg12). The functions of the genes identified included collagen fiber assembly and pericellular interactions, therefore their perturbation could play a role in the characteristic disorganization of fibers in affected tendons. We postulate that a study of the functional genomics of these genes in animal and human tendon could further delineate the pathogenesis of this multi-factorial complex disease. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:947-955, 2017.
Ionic strength dependence in dilute common-ion electrolyte mixtures

The relation between the coefficients of the Harned's rule behavior and the mixing coefficients in the expression for the total excess free energy of a common-ion mixture is elucidated. The results are used to see if the strong ionic-strength dependence of theg1 coefficient is reflected in certain modified Harned's coefficients. This is the case for the system studied; moreover, in this case the experimental data are in agreement with the theoretical model calculation made previously.
Complexity of Mongolian stakeholders’ dzud preparation and response

This paper explores the ways that Mongolian pastoral-nomadic herders and supporting aid organizations anticipate, interpret, and respond to dzud, a form of winter storm that prevents livestock grazing and often results in large-scale herd deaths. Analysis is drawn from organizational reports, government speeches, and mass media that have been collected to give a complex, multi-faceted understanding of the collection, distribution, and interpretation of data pertaining to the social and scientific construction of this natural hazard. Using critical discourse analysis, this study asks how herder perspectives and needs have been incorporated into reports and action plans of international development organizations. The collected documents provide insight into the ways that knowledge is constructed, disseminated and valued among policy makers, development planners and herders. Additionally, the findings indicate disagreement between stakeholders as to when to declare a national emergency, and how to best help herders respond to the increasing frequency of dzud. While some organizations rely on traditional recovery mechanisms, others have turned to technological solutions, all aiming to assist herders in adequately responding to and recovering from one dzud before another occurs. From the analysis of policy proposals, this study aims to understand and inform the ways that international development programs, government officials, and herders work to preserve pasturelands and herding lifestyles threatened by dzud.
Methods for the Synthesis of Functionalized Pentacarboxycyclopentadienes

Protocols for the synthesis of diverse pentacarboxycyclopentadienes are described. Starting from readily available pentacarbomethoxycyclopentadiene, transesterification offers single-step access to aliphatic ester derivatives, while treatment with amines produces mono- or diamides. For less nucleophilic alcohols, an alternative procedure involving the in situ generation and esterification of a putative cyclopentadiene pentaacid chloride has been developed.
PYTHIA: Admission Control for Multi-Framework, Deadline- Driven, Big Data Workloads

Abstract-In this paper, we present PYTHIA, deadline-awareadmission control for systems that execute jobs from multiple bigdata (batch) frameworks using shared resources. PYTHIA addssupport for deadline-driven workloads in resource-constrainedcloud settings, for use by resource negotiators such as ApacheMesos or YARN. PYTHIA uses histories of job statistics toestimate the minimum number of CPUs to allocate to a job inorder for it to meet its deadline. PYTHIA admits jobs whenthese resources are available. Any job not admitted “fails fast”and wastes no resources. We implement a PYTHIA prototypeand empirically evaluate it using production YARN traces underdifferent resource constraints and deadline assignments. Ourresults show that PYTHIA is able to meet significantly moredeadlines than fair share approaches and wastes fewer cloudresources in resource-limited scenarios, for the workloads, clustersizes, and deadline assignments that we consider
Heavy Consumption of Alcohol is Not Associated With Worse Outcomes in Patients With Idiosyncratic Drug-induced Liver Injury Compared to Non-Drinkers

Background & Aims The relationship between alcohol consumption and idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is not well understood. We investigated the relationship between heavy consumption of alcohol and characteristics and outcomes of patients with DILI enrolled in the Drug-induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) prospective study. Methods We collected data from 1198 individuals with definite, highly likely, or probable DILI enrolled in the DILIN study from September 2004 through April 2016. At enrollment, all participants were asked about alcohol consumption; those with any alcohol consumption during previous 12 months were asked to complete the Skinner questionnaire to assess drinking history. Heavy consumption of alcohol was defined as more than 3 drinks, on average, per day by men or more than 2 drinks, on average, per day by women. Results Of the 601 persons who reported consuming at least 1 alcoholic drink in the preceding 12 months, 348 completed the Skinner questionnaire and 80 reported heavy consumption of alcohol. Heavy drinkers were younger (average age, 42 years) than non-drinkers (average age, 49 years) and a higher proportion were men (63% of heavy drinkers vs 35% of nondrinkers) ( P P P = .02) and higher levels of bilirubin (16.1 mg/dL vs 12.7 mg/dL in non-drinkers) ( P = .03) but there was no significant difference in liver-related death or liver transplantation between heavy drinkers (occurred in 10%) vs non-drinkers (occurred in 6%) ( P = .18). Conclusion In an analysis of data from the DILIN, we found anabolic steroids to be the most common cause of DILI in individuals who are heavy consumers of alcohol. Compared to non-drinkers, DILI was not associated with a greater proportion of liver-related deaths or liver transplantation in heavy drinkers.
“Where My Ladies At?”: Online Videos, Gender, and Science Attitudes among University Students

This study examines the impact of online videos on science attitudes that contribute to gender disparities in STEM participation. Its theoretical framework builds on research regarding media effects on science attitudes and gender schemas. In particular, it draws on social cognitive theory to argue that media models in science communication can influence audience members. A randomized experiment tested the effects of three videos from a YouTube channel, The Brain Scoop with Emily Graslie , on science interest, self-concept in science, science anxiety, perceptions of scientists, and perceptions of gender bias in science among university students. The results showed that a video in which a female communicator directly addresses sexism in science shaped university students’ positive perceptions of scientists and perceptions of gender bias in science. More broadly, the findings reinforce both the challenges in promoting equitable gender representation in STEM and the promise of using new media forms such as YouTube science channels to address these challenges.
Africa and Global Financial Institutions

Mbaku provides a critical and rigorous analysis of the often troubled relationship between Africa and global financial institutions. Mbaku shows that while African policymakers have looked to these institutions as sources of funds for industrial projects in their respective countries, these institutions’ activities in Africa have also imposed significant social, economic, political, and environmental costs on the African peoples. As well as examining the ways in which conditionalities imposed on African countries have interfered with public policy in these countries, Mbaku explores the extent to which global financial institutions have impacted political and economic development here.
Utility of calcium phosphate cement cranioplasty following supraorbital approach for tumor resection

AbstractObjective: We have previously documented the utility of calcium phosphate cement cranioplasty following retromastoid craniectomy. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate its efficacy followi...
Skull Development in Two Plethodontid Salamanders (Genus Desmognathus) with Different Life Histories

Direct development involves the loss of the free-living larval stage, such that hatchlings are miniature terrestrial juveniles that morphologically resemble adults. It has evolved independently and repeatedly in all three orders of amphibians (Duellman and Trueb, 1986;M. H. Wake, 1989) and is the predominant developmental mode among urodeles (Wake and Hanken, 1996). Plethodontids comprise about two-thirds of all urodele species, and roughly 85% of all plethodontids are direct-developing. Among plethodontids, direct development occurs outside of the female reproductive tract and is associated with the oviposition of large, yolky eggs (Collazo, 1996;Collazo and Marks, 1994;Duellman and Trueb, 1986). This derived reproductive mode has evolved independently at least twice in the family Plethodontidae, and possibly as many as five times (Wake, 1966;Duellman and Trueb, 1986). Direct development exists in both plethodontid subfamilies (Desmognathinae and Plethodontinae) and is the exclusive mode in two of the plethodontine tribes (Plethodontini and Bolitoglossini).
Clinical data exchange standards and vocabularies for messages.

Motivation for the creation of electronic data interchange (message) standards is discussed. The ISO Open Systems Interface model is described. Clinical information models, message syntax and structure, and the need for a standardized coded vocabulary are explained. The HIPAA legislation and subsequent HHS transaction recommendations are reviewed. The history and mission statements of six of the most popular message development organizations (MDOs) are summarized, and the data exchange standards developed by these organizations are listed. The organizations described include Health Level Seven (HL7), American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E31, Digital Image Communication in Medicine (DICOM), European Committee for Standardization (ComitA© EuropA©en de Normalisation), Technical Committee for Health Informatics (CEN/TC 251), the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), and Accredited Standards Committee X12 Insurance Subcommittee (X12N). The locations of Internet web sites for the six organizations are provided as resources for further information.
Why Did Employer Coverage Fall In Massachusetts After The ACA? Potential Consequences Of A Changing Employer Mandate.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) attempted to minimize disruptions to employer-sponsored insurance in part by implementing an employer mandate. Research has shown that employer coverage rates have bee...
The Analysis of Glasses, Refractories, Ceramics, and Related Materials by Atomic Spectroscopy

The analysis of glasses and refractory oxides has been simplified in recent years through the development of atomic absorption and emission spectrometers that have improved nebulizers, burners, and electronics. When these features are used in conjunction with the conventional excitation flames, readouts are sufficiently stable to allow the determination of some major constituents, viz., Si (1–11), alkalies (3,5–8,11–13), alkaline earths (3,5,7,8,10,11), and Al (3,5,7–11,14–16). The precision and accuracy are equal to those obtained by gravimetric and titrimetric methods. The resulting spectrometric procedures are usually faster than their more classical counterparts because arduous separations which also tend to increase blanks are no longer necessary prior to the introduction of the sample solution into the excitation source and its comparison with appropriate standards. Consequently, the major problems are now associated with adequate sample preparation and decomposition plus obviating spectral, physical, and chemical interferences. Some of these interferences can be eliminated through the use of chemical releasing agents and/or ionization suppressants (17,18), or high temperature argon plasmas (19–21); the latter being especially useful for the very refractory elements.
Mass Spectrometry-Based Chemical and Enzymatic Methods for Global Analysis of Protein Glycosylation

ConspectusGlycosylation is one of the most common protein modifications, and it is essential for mammalian cell survival. It often determines protein folding and trafficking, and regulates nearly every extracellular activity, including cell–cell communication and cell–matrix interactions. Aberrant protein glycosylation events are hallmarks of human diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases. Therefore, glycoproteins can serve as effective biomarkers for disease detection and targets for drug and vaccine development. Despite the importance of glycoproteins, global analysis of protein glycosylation (either glycoproteins or glycans) in complex biological samples has been a daunting task, and here we mainly focus on glycoprotein analysis using mass spectrometry (MS)-based bottom-up proteomics. Although the emergence of MS-based proteomics has provided a great opportunity to analyze glycoproteins globally, the low abundance of many glycoproteins and the heterogeneity of glycans dramatically increase the t...
Ventricular-Vascular Coupling at Rest and after Exercise Is Associated with Heart Failure Hospitalizations in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Background The ventricular-vascular coupling ratio, defined as the ratio of arterial elastance (Ea) to left ventricular end-systolic elastance (Ees), has not been examined in populations with coronary artery disease (CAD), and its association with heart failure (HF) in this population is unknown. Methods Ventricular-vascular coupling was measured at rest and after exercise using echocardiography and cuff blood pressure in 815 patients with stable CAD enrolled in the Heart and Soul Study. Adjusted Cox proportional-hazard models were used to evaluate the association between ventricular-vascular coupling and future HF hospitalizations. Results After a median of 8.9 years, 144 patients (18%) were hospitalized for HF. After multivariate adjustment, patients in the highest tertile of Ees (rest: hazard ratio [HR], 0.31 [95% CI, 0.17–0.57; P Conclusions The Ea/Ees ratio and Ees, at rest and after exercise, are strongly associated with future HF hospitalizations in patients with stable CAD and low rates of baseline HF. Ventricular-vascular coupling obtained from echocardiography shows promise as a risk assessment tool for HF in patients with CAD.
Development of a Closed-Loop Stimulator for Laryngeal Reanimation: Part 2. Device Testing in the Canine Model of Laryngeal Paralysis

Objective:Laryngeal paralysis of central or peripheral origin can potentially be treated using functional electrical stimulation (FES) of laryngeal muscles. Experiments in canines (dogs) were perfo...
The structural basis for activation of voltage sensor domains in an ion channel TPC1

Voltage sensing domains (VSDs) couple changes in transmembrane electrical potential to conformational changes that regulate ion conductance through a central channel. Positively charged amino acids inside each sensor cooperatively respond to changes in voltage. Our previous structure of a TPC1 channel captured the first example of a resting-state VSD in an intact ion channel. To generate an activated state VSD in the same channel we removed the luminal inhibitory Ca2+-binding site (Cai2+), that shifts voltage-dependent opening to more negative voltage and activation at 0 mV. Cryo-EM reveals two coexisting structures of the VSD, an intermediate state 1 that partially closes access to the cytoplasmic side, but remains occluded on the luminal side and an intermediate activated state 2 in which the cytoplasmic solvent access to the gating charges closes, while luminal access partially opens. Activation can be thought of as moving a hydrophobic insulating region of the VSD from the external side, to an alternate grouping on the internal side. This effectively moves the gating charges from the inside potential to that of the outside. Activation also requires binding of Ca2+ to a cytoplasmic site (Caa2+). An X-ray structure with Caa2+ removed and a near-atomic resolution cryo-EM structure with Cai2+ removed define how dramatic conformational changes in the cytoplasmic domains may communicate with the VSD during activation. Together four structures provide a basis for understanding the voltage dependent transition from resting to activated state, the tuning of VSD by thermodynamic stability, and this channels requirement of cytoplasmic Ca2+-ions for activation.
Evaluating and modeling rate sensitivity in advanced reactor structural materials: 316H, Gr. 91, and A617

Abstract Advanced reactor systems operate at high temperatures to achieve better thermal efficiency. During transients from lower temperatures to high operating temperatures structural metals transition from rate insensitive behavior to rate dependent behavior. In the rate dependent regime creep and plastic deformation are not separable hence requiring a unified treatment with a viscoplastic model. Several bounding design methods in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Division 5, Subsection HB, Subpart B assume a decoupled treatment of creep and plasticity so establishing the boundary of the rate insensitive regimes for advanced reactor structural materials is necessary to set limits for the use of these bounding design methods. In the rate sensitive regime new bounding methods or fully inelastic analysis are required for the design of Division 5 Class A components. During temperature transients these components may operate in both the rate insensitive and rate sensitive regions, requiring computational models that can represent both types of behavior. This work establishes criteria for material rate sensitivity and develops a new composite method for modeling constitutive response in both the rate sensitive and rate insensitive regimes for three Division 5, Class A materials: 316H austenitic stainless steel, Grade 91 ferritic-martensitic steel, and Alloy 617, a nickel-based alloy. Both the criteria and new modeling strategy apply the concept of a normalized activation energy for thermally activated mechanisms developed by Kocks, Mecking, and co-workers. This work quantifies the average rate sensitivity of the three materials from an experimental database collected from the literature. Additionally, this work develops rate sensitivity criteria and a complete model for each material that can transition between both deformation regimes and provides several example simulations demonstrating the accuracy of the models and the numerical performance of the composite modeling method.
The Tolerability and Efficacy of 4 mA Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Leg Muscle Fatigability.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modulates cortical excitability and affects a variety of outcomes. tDCS at intensities ≤2 mA is well-tolerated, but the tolerability and efficacy of tDCS at intensities >2 mA merits systematic investigation. The study objective was to determine the tolerability and effects of 4 mA tDCS on leg muscle fatigability. Thirty-one young, healthy adults underwent two randomly ordered tDCS conditions (sham, 4 mA) applied before and during an isokinetic fatigue test of the knee extensors and flexors. Subjects reported the severity of the sensations felt from tDCS. Primary outcomes were sensation tolerability and the fatigue index of the knee extensors and flexors. A repeated-measures ANOVA determined statistical significance (p 2 mA) to determine the potential benefits of increasing intensity, especially in clinical populations with decreased brain activity/excitability, is warranted.
Multimodal Imaging of Brain Activity to Investigate Walking and Mobility Decline in Older Adults (Mind in Motion Study): Hypothesis, Theory, and Methods

Age-related brain changes likely contribute to mobility impairments, but the specific mechanisms are poorly understood. Current brain measurement approaches (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), PET) are limited by inability to measure activity from the whole brain during walking. The Mind in Motion Study will use cutting edge, mobile, high-density electroencephalography (EEG). This approach relies upon innovative hardware and software to deliver three-dimensional localization of active cortical and subcortical regions with good spatial and temporal resolution during walking. Our overarching objective is to determine age-related changes in the central neural control of walking and correlate these findings with a comprehensive set of mobility outcomes (clinic-based, complex walking, and community mobility measures). Our hypothesis is that age-related walking deficits are explained in part by the Compensation Related Utilization of Neural Circuits Hypothesis (CRUNCH). CRUNCH is a well-supported model that describes the over-recruitment of brain regions exhibited by older adults in comparison to young adults, even at low levels of task complexity. CRUNCH also describes the limited brain reserve resources available with aging. These factors cause older adults to quickly reach a ceiling in brain resources when performing tasks of increasing complexity, leading to poor performance. Two hundred older adults and twenty young adults will undergo extensive baseline neuroimaging and walking assessments. Older adults will subsequently be followed for up to 3 years. Aim 1 will evaluate whether brain activity during actual walking explains mobility decline. Cross sectional and longitudinal designs will be used to study whether poorer walking performance and steeper trajectories of decline are associated with CRUNCH indices. Aim 2 is to harmonize high-density EEG during walking with fNIRS (during actual and imagined walking) and fMRI (during imagined walking). This will allow integration of CRUNCH-related hallmarks of brain activity across neuroimaging modalities, which is expected to lead to more widespread application of study findings. Aim 3 will study central and peripheral mechanisms (e.g., cerebral blood flow, brain regional volumes, and connectivity, sensory function) to explain differences in CRUNCH indices during walking. Research performed in the Mind in Motion Study will comprehensively characterize the aging brain during walking for developing new intervention targets.
Cooperative Team Strategies for Multi-Player Perimeter-Defense Games

This letter studies a variant of the multi-player reach-avoid game played between intruders and defenders with applications to perimeter defense. The intruder team tries to score by sending as many intruders as possible to the target area, while the defender team tries to minimize this score by intercepting them. Finding the optimal strategies of the game is challenging due to the high dimensionality of the joint state space. Existing works have proposed approximation methods to reduce the design of the defense strategy into assignment problems, however, they suffer from either suboptimal defender performance or computational complexity. Based on a novel decomposition method, this letter proposes a scalable (polynomial-time) assignment algorithm that accommodates cooperative behaviors and outperforms the existing defense strategies. For a certain class of initial configurations, we derive the exact score by showing that the lower bound provided by the intruder team matches the upper bound provided by the defender team, which also proves the optimality of the team strategies.
Chapter 21 – Thrombosis

Thrombosis resulting from various pathologies is the underlying cause of the majority of ischemic strokes. Hemostasis is the complex and highly regulated system that helps to maintain the integrity of blood and the vasculature. Maintenance of blood flow depends upon an intact and fully functional vascular endothelium. Thrombosis is one of the pathological consequences when the hemostatic system is activated within the circulation itself often as a result of disruption or derangements in the vascular endothelium. Although the concept dates back at least 250 years to the time of the Scottish surgeon John Hunter, the current understanding of how thrombotic events happen increasingly links inflammatory mechanisms with thrombosis.
Asymmetric Responses to Climate Change: Temperature Differentially Alters Herbivore Salivary Elicitor and Host Plant Responses to Herbivory

The effect of temperature on insect-plant interactions in the face of changing climate is complex as the plant, its herbivores and their interactions are usually affected differentially leading to an asymmetry in response. Using experimental warming and a combination of biochemical and herbivory bioassays, the effects of elevated temperatures and herbivore damage (Helicoverpa zea) on resistance and tolerance traits of Solanum lycopersicum var. Better boy (tomato), as well as herbivory performance and salivary defense elicitors were examined. Insects and plants were differentially sensitive towards warming within the experimental temperature range. Herbivore growth rate increased with temperature, whereas plants growth as well as the ability to tolerate stress measured by photosynthesis recovery and regrowth ability were compromised at the highest temperature regime. In particular, temperature influenced the caterpillars’ capacity to induce plant defenses due to changes in the amount of a salivary defense elicitor, glucose oxidase (GOX). This was further complexed by the temperature effects on plant inducibility, which was significantly enhanced at an above-optimum temperature; this paralleled with an increased plants resistance to herbivory but significantly varied between previously damaged and undamaged leaves. Elevated temperatures produced asymmetry in species’ responses and changes in the relationship among species, indicating a more complicated response under a climate change scenario.
Framing local: an analysis of framing strategies for genetically modified organism (GMO) labeling initiatives in the northeastern U.S

Criticism of biotechnology in the food system coalesced in the 2010s around calls for a mandatory genetically modified organism (GMO) label on food products in several U.S. states. We examine the s...
Work Requirements and Perceived Deservingness of Medicaid

Does an individual’s effort to acquire employer-sponsored health insurance through employment affect whether they are deserving of health insurance? Much of the current literature that examines the...
Principles of Pharmacotherapy of Seizures and Status Epilepticus

Status epilepticus is a neurological emergency with an outcome that is highly associated with the initial pharmacotherapy management that must be administered in a timely fashion. Beyond first-line therapy of status epilepticus, treatment is not guided by robust evidence. Optimal pharmacotherapy selection for individual patients is essential in the management of seizures and status epilepticus with careful evaluation of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors. With the addition of newer antiseizure agents to the market, understanding their role in the management of status epilepticus is critical. Etiology-guided therapy should be considered in certain patients with drug-induced seizures, alcohol withdrawal, or autoimmune encephalitis. Some patient populations warrant special consideration, such as pediatric, pregnant, elderly, and the critically ill. Seizure prophylaxis is indicated in select patients with acute neurological injury and should be limited to the acute postinjury period.
Distortion Effects in the Ca 40 ( d , p ) Ca 41 Reaction

A series of calculations has been carried out in which the optical-model parameters have been varied in the distorted-wave Born approximation. In this manner the theoretical ($d, p$) cross section has been obtained as a function of $V$, $W$, $R$, and $a$ for the ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{40}(d, p){\mathrm{Ca}}^{41}$ reaction. Some preliminary comments on the stripping due to the interior of the nucleus are also made. Using the results of these first calculations, an attempt is made to obtain best fits to the ($d, p$) angular distributions from four levels of ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{41}$ at 4.13- and 4.69-Mev incident energy.
The Role of Options in LongHorizon Portfolio Choice

Option pricing theory depends on the idea that an option is a redundant asset. Its payoff can be replicated by a dynamic strategy involving just the stock and riskless bonds. This leaves the odd theoretical question of what value there is for options to exist in the first place. In this article, Tan tackles this issue in a simulation of long-term equilibrium in an economy with investors who earn labor income over their lifetimes and have access to a stock index portfolio, riskless bonds but limited ability to borrow, and at-the-money calls and puts on the index. Call options provide considerable utility largely because the leverage they permit allows younger workers with future wage income but little current wealth to increase their exposure to the stock market. Put options, by contrast, add little in the context of this economy.
Efficacy and tolerability of baclofen in a U.S. community population with alcohol use disorder: a dose-response, randomized, controlled trial

Identification of new medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD) is important for improving treatment options. Baclofen, a GABAB agonist, has been identified as a potential pharmacotherapy for AUD. In a 16-week double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we investigated 30 and 90 mg/day of baclofen compared to placebo and examined effects of dose, sex, and level of pretreatment drinking. One hundred and twenty participants with DSM-IV alcohol dependence (age 46.1 (sd = 10.1) years, 51.7% male) were randomized after exclusion for unstable medical/psychiatric illness and/or dependence on drugs other than nicotine. Seventy-three participants completed the trial. A main effect of baclofen was found [%HDD (F(2,112) = 4.16, p = 0.018, d = 0.51 95%CI (0.06–0.95), 13.6 fewer HDD) and %ABST (F(2,112) = 3.68, p = 0.028, d = 0.49 95%CI (0.04–0.93), 12.9 more abstinent days)] and was driven by the 90 mg/day dose. A sex × dose interaction effect was present for both %HDD (F(2,110) = 5.48, p = 0.005) and %ABST (F(2,110) = 3.19, p = 0.045). Men showed a marginally positive effect for 90 mg/day compared to PBO (%HDD t(110) = 1.88, p = 0.063, d = 0.36 95%CI (−0.09–0.80), 15.8 fewer HDD days; %ABST t(110) = 1.68 (p = 0.096, d = 0.32 95%CI (−0.12–0.76), 15.7 more ABST)) with no effect for 30 mg/day. Women showed a positive effect for 30 mg/day (%HDD, t(110) = 3.19, p = 0.002, d = 0.61 95%CI (0.16–1.05), 26.3 fewer HDD days; %ABST t(110) = 2.73, p = 0.007, d = 0.52 95%CI (0.07–0.96), 25.4 more ABST days) with marginal effects for 90 mg/day on %ABST (p = 0.06) with drop-outs/dose reduction from sedative side-effects of 59% in women at 90 mg/day compared to 5% for men. These findings support the hypothesis that baclofen has efficacy in AUD and suggest that dose and sex be further explored as potential moderators of baclofen response and tolerability.
Gamified Nutrition Education with Mastery Learning and Spaced Repetition Theory – Can Improve Nutrition Knowledge

Background: Children often consume up to 30% of calories from snacks that are usually low in nutrient value. Over time, poor dietary choices can contribute to an increased risk of obesity and relat...
Evolutionary insights into primate skeletal gene regulation using a comparative cell culture model

The evolution of complex skeletal traits in primates was likely influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Because skeletal tissues are notoriously challenging to study using functional genomic approaches, they remain poorly characterized even in humans, let alone across multiple species. The challenges involved in obtaining functional genomic data from the skeleton, combined with the difficulty of obtaining such tissues from nonhuman apes, motivated us to consider an alternative in vitro system with which to comparatively study gene regulation in skeletal cell types. Specifically, we differentiated six human and six chimpanzee induced pluripotent stem cell lines (iPSCs) into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and subsequently into osteogenic cells (bone cells). We validated differentiation using standard methods and collected single-cell RNA sequencing data from over 100,000 cells across multiple samples and replicates at each stage of differentiation. While most genes that we examined display conserved patterns of expression across species, hundreds of genes are differentially expressed (DE) between humans and chimpanzees within and across stages of osteogenic differentiation. Some of these interspecific DE genes show functional enrichments relevant in skeletal tissue trait development. Moreover, topic modeling indicates that interspecific gene programs become more pronounced as cells mature. Overall, we propose that this in vitro model can be used to identify interspecific regulatory differences that may have contributed to skeletal trait differences between species. Author SummaryPrimates display a range of skeletal morphologies and susceptibilities to skeletal diseases, but the molecular basis of these phenotypic differences is unclear. Studies of gene expression variation in primate skeletal tissues are extremely restricted due to the ethical and practical challenges associated with collecting samples. Nevertheless, the ability to study gene regulation in primate skeletal tissues is crucial for understanding how the primate skeleton has evolved. We therefore developed a comparative primate skeletal cell culture model that allows us to access a spectrum of human and chimpanzee cell types as they differentiate from stem cells into bone cells. While most gene expression patterns are conserved across species, we also identified hundreds of differentially expressed genes between humans and chimpanzees within and across stages of differentiation. We also classified cells by osteogenic stage and identified additional interspecific differentially expressed genes which may contribute to skeletal trait differences. We anticipate that this model will be extremely useful for exploring questions related to gene regulation variation in primate bone biology and development.
Marijuana as a potential respiratory tract carcinogen: a retrospective analysis of a community hospital population.

ABSTRACTSurgical pathology reports for the last four years were scanned for patients under the age of 40 with the diagnosis of respiratory tract carcinoma. A total of ten patients were identified and subsequently investigated for a history of marijuana use. Among these, seven revealed a history for
Analysis of All Night Polysomnograms with a Graphic Spreadsheet Program

ABSTRACTComputer programs for scoring all night polysomnograms (ANPSGs) can be costly, and employ fixed methods of analysis producing numeric tables which may seem obscure to those not versed in sleep disorders. In this article we present an easier, more flexible alternative, the use of customized applications for commercial business/scientific spreadsheet programs for the microcomputer. We outline the approach used to create several such applications for Macintosh personal computers.These applications are designed so the scorer can enter data as the tracing is reviewed, entering sleep stages and events with one hand using the keyboard or mouse, leaving the other hand free. Calculations are automated using the spreadsheet scripting functions, which do not require prior knowledge of computer programming. Matrix multiplication and computational loops are used to generate summaries of sleep architecture and indices of respiratory event subtypes, as well as analyses of relationships between respiratory events...