cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alkaline-earth metal-oxide overlayers on TiO2: application toward CO2 photoreduction

Converting CO2 into valuable C1 products such as CO, methanol, and methane using photocatalysts is an attractive way to recycle atmospheric CO2 into fine chemicals and fuels. The most commonly studied photocatalyst, TiO2, however, suffers from poor initial adsorption of CO2. To overcome this problem, it has been proposed that a thin overlayer of a basic oxide might promote CO2 adsorption and thus improve the reactivity of TiO2 for photoreduction of CO2. In this work, we investigated CO2 adsorption on the (100) surfaces of a series of basic, alkaline-earth metal oxides (MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO). Using periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we found that CO2 adsorption becomes significantly more favorable in the order MgO < CaO < SrO < BaO, and we attribute this order to the more suitable lattice parameter of BaO compared to MgO. To understand the effect of a thin layer of basic oxide on TiO2 for CO2 photoreduction, SrO on TiO2 was investigated as a model system. A dramatic improvement in CO2 adsorption and activation was observed on SrO/TiO2 compared to the bare TiO2, and dissociated water was found to be thermodynamically more favorable than intact water on the SrO/TiO2 surface. A possible reaction route for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO on the bare and SrO-modified TiO2 surfaces was further investigated. Although the reaction is slightly more favorable on the TiO2 surface than on the 0.5 ML SrO-covered TiO2, the SrO half layer helps activate CO2 and favors desorption of CO, which are challenging steps for CO2 reduction on pure TiO2. Therefore, our results suggest that <1 ML SrO overlayer might be a promising candidate for further experimental exploration.
The Characteristics of Interpersonal Networks in Disaster Response

It is well established that discussion networks have meaningful consequences for a variety of sociopolitical attitudes and behavior. In this project, we explore how social structure shapes reactions to disaster; in particular, the 2010 BP oil spill. We address the questions of how networks are relied upon following community-wide disaster, and to what extent these networks mirror social structures in other domains. To examine these questions, we analyze data that experimentally vary the commonly employed discussion “name-generator” questions to see if oil spill discussants are fundamentally different from important matters discussants. Relative to “important matters” discussants, we find strong support for a specialist model in response to disaster; oil spill discussants tend to be less intimate, more knowledgeable, more active, and more talkative about the oil spill. Ultimately, this suggests a contextual basis for the formation of and reliance on discussion networks.
Interruptions of Head and Neck Radiotherapy Across Insured and Indigent Patient Populations

Purpose:Radiotherapy for head and neck cancer is a cornerstone of care, requiring 30 to 35 days of treatment over 6 to 7 weeks. Diligent patient compliance is crucial, and unplanned treatment interruptions reduce cure rates. We studied interruption rates in private carrier–insured and Medicare-insured populations versus indigent populations served by a single academic health system.Materials and Methods:A retrospective cohort study of electronic medical and billing records was performed analyzing treatment interruptions between January 2011 and December 2014. The study included 564 patients with head and neck cancer prescribed radiotherapy and referred from clinics run by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) and the Parkland Health and Hospital System (PHHS), which provides indigent care to Dallas County, Texas.Results:Three-hundred sixteen patients (56%) had a treatment break; 114 patients missed a single session, and 202 patients missed multiple treatments. Seventy percent of PHHS pati...
Computational Considerations for a Global Human Well-Being Simulation

Global scale human simulations have application in diverse fields such as economics, anthropology and marketing. The sheer number of agents, however, makes them extremely sensitive to variations in algorithmic complexity resulting in potentially prohibitive computational resource costs. In this paper we show that the computational capability of modern servers has increased to the point where billions of individual agents can be modeled on moderate institutional resources and (in a few years) on high end consumer systems. We close with the proposition of future frameworks to enable collaborative modelling of the global human population.
A Multicenter Survey of House Staff Knowledge About Sepsis and the “Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines for Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock”:

Background:We aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of resident physicians regarding sepsis in general and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines in particular.Methods:After i...
Public Understanding of Nanotechnology: How Publics Know

Most previous studies of public understanding of nanotechnology have found that very few members of the public know much about this emerging field. Such results set the expectation among scientists, regulators, industry, and science communicators that publics are largely ignorant of nanotechnology and, hence, unprepared to engage in a discussion about research priorities or regulation. However, things may not be as grim as these studies and the engagement skeptics make out. Because these studies have largely relied on survey research to determine public understanding, they have captured data that reflects only what individuals know in isolation (the condition in which they tend to answer such surveys). For precisely this reason, these studies tend to miss not only the “wisdom of the crowd” but even the collective knowledge and cooperative ways to reasoning that make up most of how people think and live their lives.
Pediatric Bicycle Helmet Legislation and Crash-Related Traumatic Brain Injury in Illinois, 1999-2009

Abstract Background Bicycling is one of the most popular forms of play and exercise for children in the US. However, over 200,000 children per year are injured in bicycle crashes, and an estimated 22,000 pediatric bicycle-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) occur annually. Bicycle helmets are known to decrease the risk of head injury, but efficacy and magnitude of the effect of helmet legislation have not been fully elucidated. Methods This was a retrospective, observational study of children aged Results A total of 3080 pediatric bicycle-related crashes were identified. Children wearing helmets were less likely to sustain a TBI, odds ratio [OR] = 0.56 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.37-0.84, P Discussion Helmet use was protective against TBI, but socioeconomic and racial disparities exist in usage. Local legislation did not appear to impact helmet usage or admissions for bicycle-related TBIs in these areas.
Influence of Foraging Adaptations on Play Activity in Red-tailed and Blue Monkeys with Comparisons to Red Colobus Monkeys

In this chapter, I addressed the following question: How does a primate’s foraging strategy affect the ability of immatures to engage in play? I discussed how diet and foraging strategy affect day range length, group activity, inter-individual spacing, and ventral clinging by infants, which in turn, influence an animal’s ability to play. Based on observations of red-tailed, blue, and red colobus monkeys, I provided evidence to support the conclusion that species adapted to diets highly dependent on arthropods engage in behaviors that inhibit both social and solitary play in primates, including persistent movement through the canopy, a long day range, wide inter-individual spacing, and extended periods of infant clinging, whereas, species that specialize on foliage engage in behaviors that facilitate play, including extended periods of adult resting and feeding, a short day range, and close inter-individual spacing.
Fatherhood alters gene expression within the MPOA

Female parenting is obligate in mammals, but fathering behavior among mammals is rare. Only 3-5% of mammalian species exhibit biparental care, including humans, and mechanisms of fathering behavior remain sparsely studied. However, in species where it does exist, paternal care is often crucial to the survivorship of offspring. The present study is the first to identify new gene targets involved in the regulation of fathering behavior in a biparental species using RNA sequencing. In order to determine the pattern of gene expression within the medial preoptic area that is specifically associated with fathering behavior, we identified differentially expressed genes in male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) that experienced one of three social conditions: virgin males, pair bonded males, and males with fathering experience. Differentially expressed genes from each comparison (i.e., Virgin vs Paired, Virgin vs Fathers, and Paired vs Fathers) were evaluated using the Gene Ontology enrichment analysis, and Kegg pathways analysis to reveal metabolic pathways associated with specific differentially expressed genes. Using these tools, we identified a group of genes that are differentially expressed in voles with different amounts of social experience. These genes are involved in a variety of processes, with particular enrichment in genes associated with immune function, metabolism, synaptic plasticity, and the remodeling of dendritic spines. The identification of these genes and processes will lead to novel insights into the biological basis of fathering behavior.
Modeling assessment of recovering iron from red mud by direct reduction: magnetic separation based on response surface methodology

Red mud, the waste generated during alumina production, contains iron and other valuable metals. To recover the iron efficiently from red mud, a three-factor five-level central composite design in response surface methodology was used to study the effects of process parameters, such as FC/O (the molar ratio of fixed carbon in coal to reducible oxygen of iron oxide in red mud), reduction temperature, reduction time, and their interaction on the iron recovery rate and total iron content in magnetic product obtained from the process of direct reduction–magnetic separation. The relevant assessment model was established. The model could predict the changing rules of iron recovery rate and total iron content in the magnetic product affected by the process parameters. The results show that the iron recovery rate is significantly influenced by three factors and reduction temperature plays the most important role. The iron recovery rate and total iron content in magnetic product could be up to 98.37 and 82.52%, respectively, under the numerically optimal process parameters condition of reduction temperature of 1400 °C, FC/O of 0.80 and reduction time of 100 min obtained by the assessment model. The predicted values are in good agreement with the experimental values.
Subcutaneous administration of Lyso-phosphatidylserine nanoparticles induces immunological tolerance towards Factor VIII in a Hemophilia A mouse model

A major complication with enzyme replacement therapy of Factor VIII (FVIII) in Hemophilia A (HA) is the development of anti-drug antibodies. Recently, we have shown that FVIII administration in the presence of heterogeneous phosphatidylserine (PS) nanoparticles derived from a natural source induces tolerance to FVIII, suggesting that PS converts an immunogen to a tolerogen. However, the specific structural features responsible for the immune-regulatory properties of PS is unclear. Identifying a specific PS species that is responsible is critical in order to further develop and optimize this nanoparticle. Further, clinical development of this lipid-based strategy requires optimization of the lipid particle that is homogeneous and synthetic. Here, we investigate the ability of mono-acylated Lyso-PS to induce hypo-responsiveness towards FVIII in HA mice. Administration of both PS and Lyso-PS FVIII significantly reduced anti-FVIII antibody responses despite rechallenge with FVIII. Additionally, the Lyso-PS-mediated effect was shown to be antigen-specific as mice responded normally against a rechallenge with an unrelated antigen, ovalbumin. Furthermore, the hypo-responsiveness observed with Lyso-PS may involve interactions with a specific PS receptor, TIM-4, along with increasing regulatory T-cells. These data indicate that using Lyso-PS allows for a more homogenous formulation in order to induce tolerance towards therapeutic proteins.
Association Rule Mining in Fuzzy Political Donor Communities

Social networks can be found in many domains. While community analysis can help users understand relationships within the network, it can be difficult to analyze the results without considerable effort. However, using the communities to partition underlying data, it is possible to use association rule mining to more easily facilitate meaningful analysis. In this paper we use a real-world dataset drawn from political campaign contributions. The network of donations is treated as a social network and fuzzy hierarchical community detection is applied to the data. The resulting communities are then analyzed with association rule mining to find distinguishing features within the resulting communities. The results show the mined rules help identify notable features for the communities and aid in understanding both shared and differing community characteristics.
Virus Assembly Antagonists from Redesigned Antibodies.

There is no reliable cure for chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). In this issue of Structure, Eren et al. (2018) show how antibody-derived proteins bind different forms of the HBV capsid protein, blocking assembly. This interaction may also affect downstream signaling. These antibody-derived molecules mark a new strategy that may ultimately contribute to a cure.
Latent trait shared-parameter mixed models for missing ecological momentary assessment data.

Latent trait shared-parameter mixed models for ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data containing missing values are developed in which data are collected in an intermittent manner. In such studies, data are often missing due to unanswered prompts. Using item response theory models, a latent trait is used to represent the missing prompts and modeled jointly with a mixed model for bivariate longitudinal outcomes. Both one- and two-parameter latent trait shared-parameter mixed models are presented. These new models offer a unique way to analyze missing EMA data with many response patterns. Here, the proposed models represent missingness via a latent trait that corresponds to the students' "ability" to respond to the prompting device. Data containing more than 10 300 observations from an EMA study involving high school students' positive and negative affects are presented. The latent trait representing missingness was a significant predictor of both positive affect and negative affect outcomes. The models are compared to a missing at random mixed model. A simulation study indicates that the proposed models can provide lower bias and increased efficiency compared to the standard missing at random approach commonly used with intermittent missing longitudinal data.
Integrity according to Whom? An Experiment of the Effects of Gender, Moral Integrity, and Behavioral Consistency on Evaluations of Leaders

Organizational stakeholders place great importance on leaders’ integrity, which, current theory indicates is a multidimensional construct. Drawing from leadership categorization theory and multidim...
The neural stem-cell marker CD24 is specifically upregulated in IDH-mutant glioma.

Abstract Background Malignant gliomas have disproportionally high morbidity and mortality. Heterozygous mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene are most common in glioma, resulting in predominantly arginine to histidine substitution at codon 132. Because IDH1R132H requires a wild-type allele to produce (D)-2-hydroxyglutarate for epigenetic reprogramming, loss of IDH1R132H heterozygosity is associated with glioma progression in an IDH1-wildtype-like phenotype. Although previous studies have reported that transgenic IDH1R132H induces the expression of nestin—a neural stem-cell marker, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Furthermore, this finding seems at odds with better outcome of IDH1R132H glioma because of a negative association of nestin with overall survival. Methods Gene expression was compared between IDH1R132H-hemizygous and IDH1R132H-heterozygous glioma cells under adherent and spheroid growth conditions. The results were validated for (D)-2-hydroxyglutarate responsiveness by pharmacologic agents, associations with DNA methylation by bioinformatic analysis, and associations with overall survival. Bisulfite DNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and pharmacological approach were used. Findings Neural stem-cell marker genes, including CD44, NES, and PROM1, are generally downregulated in IDH-mutant gliomas and IDH1R132H-heterozygous spheroid growth compared respectively with IDH-wildtype gliomas and IDH1R132H-hemizygous spheroid growth, in agreement with their negative associations with patient outcome. In contrast, CD24 is specifically upregulated and apparently associated with better survival. CD24 and NES expression respond differentially to alteration of (D)-2-hydroxyglutarate levels. CD24 upregulation is associated with histone and DNA demethylation as opposed to hypermethylation in the downregulated genes. Interpretation The better outcome of IDH-mutant glioma is orchestrated exquisitely through epigenetic reprogramming that directs bidirectional expression of neural stem-cell marker genes.
Eastern Oyster Recruitment Patterns on and Near Natural Reefs: Implications for the Design of Oyster Reef Restoration Projects

The spatial relationship between adult eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica populations and recruitment to the benthos of their offspring is not well understood. It is well established that larvae can be widely dispersed, but the relationship between dispersal potential and actual recruitment patterns across the full range of spatial scales involved remains unknown. To explore this relationship, spat collectors were deployed on and near (up to 1 km distance) three natural oyster reefs in New Hampshire in 2014 and 2015. Spat densities on the reefs and within 400 m of the reefs were nearly 10-fold higher than densities more distant. These data do not negate the potential importance of widespread dispersal and recruitment, but they do indicate a surprising level of recruitment very near their likely source. Additional research is needed in other areas to test the generality of the findings and to assess potential causal factors for the observed patterns. The overall implication for choosing sites for oyster reef restoration projects, particularly in recruitment-limited areas, is that they may need to be located much closer to spawning adults than previously thought to maximize the likelihood of adequate natural recruitment and reef development.
Insights into the CO2 Reduction Pathway through the Electrolysis of Aldehydes on Copper

Investigating the electrochemical reduction of aldehydes to alcohols provides insights into the mechanistic pathways of converting CO2 to alcohols electrochemically. In this work, both acetaldehyde...
Research and Application of Voltage Transformer Error Prediction Technology on Multi-Time Scale Data Analysis Method

The accuracy of measurement system of substation will directly affect the fairness of electric payment. Due to the influence of the environment on the transformer, the performance of transformer will decline. Performance attenuation of transformer will make electricity bill settlement abnormal, and even lead to some power grid accidents. In order to realize the monitoring of the operation state of substation measurement system and reveal the variation rule of transformer performance in the substation, this paper establishes a substation measurement data acquisition and analysis platform, proposes a transformer anomaly data monitoring method, proposes a transformer performance prediction method. The paper identifies abnormal condition of transformer and predicts operation condition of transformer through numerical modeling.
Deep learning and cross-species analysis identify the influences of sex and cannabinoid signaling on cerebellar vermis morphology

ABSTRACT The cerebellum is the only folded cortical structure present in both rodents and humans, potentially allowing mechanistic studies across species. We trained a deep convolutional neural network to predict biological sex from midline cerebellar MRI images, and identified anterior midvermis lobules and white matter as morphological determinants of sex by heatmap backpropagation. Our comparative cross species analysis shows that in mice, like in humans, the extent of anterior vermis folding and the shapes of white matter exhibit sex-dependent differences. In both species, sex and anterior vermis folding patterns influence hand/forelimb dexterity, nevertheless, neither sex nor the extent of folding are good predictors of an individual’s behavior, because the variability in performance between individuals is far greater than the differences between conditions. Finally, utilizing mice constitutively lacking CB1 cannabinoid receptors, we identify developmental cannabinoid signaling as a novel molecular mechanism limiting secondary fissure formation.
Optimizing timing of palliative care referral in platinum resistant ovarian cancer

Objectives: An exploration of clinical characteristics, palliative care involvement, and survival in platinum resistant ovarian cancer. Methods: This is a single institution retrospective study of all patients receiving chemotherapy for ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal high-grade carcinoma since 2011. Platinum resistant patients were identified based on chemotherapy regimen or provider definition, then confirmed with clinical data. Data was extracted evaluating platinum resistant treatment, time to progression, and overall survival. Palliative care and hospice referrals were recorded. Descriptive and overall survival analyses were performed. Results: Two hundred and seventy-five platinum resistant patients were identified. Of 100 charts reviewed to date, 78 patients were deceased. The median survival from time of diagnosis of platinum resistant to death was 11.4 months (range 0.5-66 months). Of the 78 deceased patients, 25 (32%) lived less than 6 months from time of diagnosis of platinum resistance (range 0.5-5.9 months), 23 (29.5%) lived 6-12 months, and 30 (38.5%) lived more than 12 months (range 12.9-66 months). Of the 25 patients who lived less than 6 months, 17 (68%) were referred to palliative care and 6 (24%) were referred directly to hospice, 3 of which were within one month of death. Of the 23 patients who lived 6-12 months, 16 (69.5%) were referred to palliative care and 6 (26%) were referred directly to hospice, 5 of which were within one month of death. Finally, of the 30 patients who lived greater than 12 months, 23 (76.7%) were referred to palliative care and 5 (16.7%) were referred directly to hospice. In 17 (57%) of the patients living greater than 12 months after platinum resistance, referral to palliative care or hospice did not happen until the 3 months prior to death (Figure 1). Of the living patients with platinum resistant disease, median survival since diagnosis is 9.8 months. Of these patients, 11 (50%) have been referred to palliative care and 11 (50%) have no documentation of palliative care referral. Data extraction and analysis is on-going, with 175 remaining charts to review. Conclusions: Diagnosis of platinum resistance is a pivotal point in ovarian cancer treatment. Survival from time of diagnosis of platinum resistance to death is limited. National recommendations encourage routine integration of palliative care within eight weeks of diagnosis of advanced cancer in order to optimize patient and caregiver outcomes. Our work found room for improvement in the timing of palliative care referrals in platinum resistant ovarian cancer patients. Even more strikingly, we found a pattern of direct referral to hospice, without palliative care referral prior, often within a month of death. This highlights a significant missed opportunity in utilization of palliative care in the months, and potentially years, leading up to the end of life. Diagnosis of platinum resistance should serve as a stimulus for involvement of palliative care services. Download : Download high-res image (179KB) Download : Download full-size image
Experiences of sexual and gender minority people living with multiple sclerosis in Northern California: An exploratory study.

Abstract Background Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals may face unique challenges in accessing quality medical care due to structural disparities, social discrimination, and lack of culturally competent healthcare. Multiple sclerosis (MS) requires complex care. Little research has been carried out at the intersection between SGM identity and MS care. Objective To identify unmet clinical and social needs in our clinical population of SGM patients with MS. Methods Patients with MS who self-identified as SGM were recruited through the UCSF MS Center and a National MS Society web post to complete a 45-minute web-based (Qualtrics) survey. The mixed qualitative and quantitative survey covered experiences with different domains of MS care, drug/alcohol use, relationship status, social support, and participation in MS and SGM communities. Results Among the 26 survey respondents, mean age was 50.2 (SD 10.6) years; gender identity was women (46%) men (38%) and genderqueer, transgender, or other (15%); sexual orientation was gay/lesbian/bisexual (35%), pansexual/queer (27%), questioning (23%), or other identity (15%). Over two thirds (69%) of respondents were partnered. Overall satisfaction with MS care was high: 79.2% participants scored ≥4/5 (somewhat or extremely satisfied); participants dissatisfied with their care cited feeling dismissed. While 87.5% felt that their SGM identities did not affect their MS care, still 30% did report feeling uncomfortable discussing their SGM identities with their clinician. Participants rated low impact of having MS on participation in SGM communities (mean 2.4/5 on Likert scale); those participants reporting higher impact cited fatigue, immobility and stigmatization of disease as primary factors. Similarly, SGM status had low effect on participation in the MS community (mean 1.4/5); higher impact was related to apprehension around identity disclosure to new groups. Identified resources that might improve MS care included more representation, inclusivity and openness from clinicians, and SGM-focused MS support groups. Discussion In this exploratory survey of the needs of SGM people living with MS in Northern California, most participants reported that they were unlikely to participate in activities in the SGM community due to MS status or symptoms, however most felt that their SGM status did not affect their MS care. Given the center's location in a hub for SGM community and activism, surveying individuals in other settings would provide greater insights into the role of community, clinical support and the experience of SGM people living with MS.
Persistent under-representation of female patients in United States trials of common vascular diseases from 2008 to 2020

Abstract Background Women have been historically under-represented in vascular surgery and cardiovascular medicine trials. The rate and change in representation of women in trials of common vascular diseases over the last decade is not understood completely. Methods We used publicly available data from ClinicalTrials.gov to evaluate trials pertaining to carotid artery stenosis (CAS), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms (TAA and AAA), and type B aortic dissections (TBAD) from 2008 to the present. We evaluated representation of women in these trials based on the participation-to-prevalence ratios (PPR), which are calculated by dividing the percentage of women among trial participants by the percentage of women in the disease population. Values of 0.8 to 1.2 reflect similar representation. Results The sex distribution was reported in all 97 trials, including 11 CAS trials, 68 PAD trials, 16 TAA/AAA trials, and 2 TBAD trials. The total number of participants in these trials was 41,622 and the median number of participants per trial was 150.5 (interquartile range [IQR], 50-252). The percentage of women in the disease population was 51.9% for CAS, 53.1% for PAD, 34.1% for TAA/AAA, and 30.9% for TBAD. Industry sources funded 76 of the trials (77.6%), and the Veterans Affairs Administration (n = 4 [4.1%]), unspecified university (n = 7 [7.1%]), and extramural sources (n = 11 [11.2%]) funded the remainder of the trials. The overall median PPR for all four diseases was 0.65 (IQR, 0.51-0.80). Women were under-represented for all four conditions studied (CAS, 0.73 [IQR, 0.62-0.96]; PAD, 0.65 [IQR, 0.53-0.77]; TAA/AAA, 0.59 [IQR, 0.38-1.20]; and TBAD, 0.74 [IQR, 0.65-0.84]). There was no significant difference in PPR among the diseases (P = .88). From 2008 to the present, there was no significant change in PPR values over time overall (r2 = 0.002; P = .70). When examined individually, PPR did not change significantly over time for any of the diseases studied (for each, r2 .45). The PPR did not vary significantly over time for any of the funding sources (for each, r2 .08). There was appropriate representation (PPR of 0.8-1.2) in a minority of trials for each disease except TBAD (CAS, 27.3%; PAD, 15.9%; TAA/AAA, 18.8%; and TBAD, 50%). Trials that were primarily funded from university sources had the highest median PPR (1.04; IQR, 0.21-1.27), followed by industry-funded (0.67; IQR, 0.54-0.81), and extramurally funded (0.60; IQR, 0.34-0.73). Studies funded by Veterans Affairs had the lowest PPR (0.02; IQR, 0.00-0.11; P = .004). Conclusions Participation of women in US trials of common vascular diseases remains low and has not improved since 2008. Therefore, the generalizability of recent trial results to women with these vascular diseases remains unknown. An improved understanding of the underlying root causes for poor female trial participation, advocacy, and education are required to improve the generalizability of trial results for female vascular patients.
Granuloma Annulare: An Updated Review of Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, and Treatment Options.

Granuloma annulare (GA) is an inflammatory granulomatous skin disease that can be localized (localized GA) or disseminated (generalized GA), with patch, perforating, and subcutaneous subtypes being less common variants of this benign condition. Recently, new research has emerged that further elucidates GA epidemiology and etiopathogenesis; importantly, new therapeutic options for GA have also been described, although there remains a paucity of randomized controlled studies. In this review, we summarize recent updates on GA epidemiology and etiopathogenesis and offer an updated review of the therapeutic options for GA currently reported in the literature. We hope that the current review galvanizes randomized controlled studies that will in turn help lead to the recommendation of evidence-based treatments for GA.
Salvage stereotactic body radiation therapy following definitive cryotherapy

Abstract Purpose Whole gland cryotherapy is a guideline approved definitive treatment for localized prostate cancer, and is being explored for partial gland ablation. However, there's a little data regarding management of cryotherapy failures. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a novel and well-established method of primary treatment for prostate cancer. Here we review salvage SBRT following cryotherapy failures. Methods and Materials A large database of patients treated with definitive SBRT was interrogated to identify those who underwent primary cryotherapy. All patients were determined to have progressive disease based on a rising PSA and/or post-cryotherapy biopsy. All patients were treated with SBRT over 5 treatment fractions using a robotic radiosurgical platform. Baseline cryotherapy characteristics and pre-and post-treatment EPIC questionnaires were analyzed. Acute and late toxicity was evaluated using the CTCAE version 5.0. Cancer outcomes following salvage SBRT were stratified by disease and treatment characteristics. Results A total of 51 patients were identified who underwent cryotherapy followed by salvage SBRT. The majority (47%) were found to have intermediate risk disease at the time of SBRT salvage and most commonly were treated with 3500 cGy in 5 fractions to the prostate and seminal vesicles. Only one grade 3+ toxicity was identified. Patient-reported quality of life metrics following SBRT salvage followed prior patterns observed in the de novo SBRT setting. With a median follow up of 40 months, 76% of the cohort demonstrated disease control. Median time to prostate cancer recurrence was 57.5 months and was predominantly seen in patients with underlying high-risk disease. Conclusions This is largest cohort of patients treated with any radiotherapy salvage following cryotherapy and the first institution to report SBRT salvage. Salvage SBRT following cryotherapy results in low rates of high-grade toxicity, acceptable changes in patient-reported quality of life, and durable rates of long-term oncological control.
ESTIMATION OF STABILITY DERIVATIVES AND INDICES OF VARIOUS SHIP FORMS, AND COMPARISON WITH EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

The analytical method of reference for estimating stability derivatives, and hence stability on course, which combines Albring's empirical modifications of simplified flow theory with low aspect-ratio wing theory, is extended to take into consideration the effects on course stability of higher aspect-ratio fins as well. The method, which has been applied in the earlier report to a family of eight hulls of 0.5 block coefficient, is tested further by application to eight Series 60 forms differing in block coefficient as well as in beam, draft, and displacement--with and without rudders; to an extreme vee modification of a Series 60 model; and to three other forms--a Mariner Class model, a destroyer, and a hopper dredge. Comparison with experimental results shows that the values of stability derivatives and indices determined by the analytical method are of the right orders of magnitude and indicate correct trends. Application to a variety of ship forms has demonstrated that the method can predict relative effects of changes in the geometry of a ship form, as well as the effects of changes in skeg and rudder area.
Formal Verification of Analog and Mixed Signal Designs in Mathematica

In this paper, we show how symbolic algebra in Mathematica can be used to formally verify analog and mixed signal designs. The verification methodology is based on combining induction and constraints solving to generate correctness for the system with respect to given properties. The methodology has the advantage of avoiding exhaustive simulation usually utilized in the verification. We illustrate this methodology by proving the stability of a ΔΣmodulator.
Two preeminent theoretical models: A proportional hazard rate analysis of recidivism

This was a three-year follow-up study of survival in the community without arrests or a parole violation of 480 male graduates of the only boot camp for adults in Arkansas. The purpose was to determine the relative viability of elements from social selection and social causation models in predicting this survival. Using a proportional hazard rate analysis, the findings indicated that elements of both models were significant predictors of survival. Attachment to caregivers, physical and sexual abuse during childhood, and various personality deficits were found to be useful predictors from the selection model, whereas beliefs, religiosity, caregiver monitoring, and various aspects of peer affiliations were predictors of survival from the causation model. Conceptual, methodological, and intervention implications of the findings were discussed.
A comparative study on the optimal combination of hybrid energy storage system for ship power systems

This paper presents a comparative study to determine the optimal combination of hybrid energy storage system used on Shipboard Power System (SPS). The hybrid energy storage comprises two or more types of energy storage elements (Batteries, Ultra-Capacitors and Flywheels). In this research work, the optimal combination of these three types is determined to minimize the voltage and frequency fluctuations caused by the connection of pulsed loads on the AC or DC sides of the system. A model for hybrid AC/DC SPS with zonal distribution architecture was built in DIgSILENT PowerFactory software. Several case studies are carried out and their results are compared and analyzed.
People watcher: a game for eliciting human-transcribed data for automated directory assistance.

Automated Directory Assistance (ADA) allows users to request telephone or address information of residential and business listings using speech recognition. Because callers often express listings differently than how they are registered in the directory, ADA systems require transcriptions of alternative phrasings for directory listings as training data, which can be costly to acquire. As such, a framework in which data can be contributed voluntarily by large numbers of Internet users has tremendous value. In this paper, we introduce People Watcher, a computer game that elicits transcribed, alternative user phrasings for directory listings while at the same time entertaining players. Data generated from the game not only overlapped actual audio transcriptions, but resulted in a statistically significant 15% relative reduction in semantic error rate when utilized for ADA. Furthermore, semantic accuracy was not statistically different than using the actual audio transcriptions.
Demand Dispersion, Metonymy and Ideal Panel Data

In a generic competitive distribution economy with “increasing dispersion,” market demand satisfies the weak axiom of revealed preference and equilibrium is unique. Increasing dispersion requires, roughly, that when the households’ incomes rise slightly their demand vectors move apart. We show how to test for it using panel data with fixed relative prices under a “structural stability” hypothesis [10]. We also show how to test for it using cross section data if the households’ demand functions and incomes are independently distributed, or under a much weaker assumption that is implied by “metonymy.” Metonymy, introduced in [6], relates the demand distribution of households with income x to the demand distribution that slightly poorer households would have if their incomes rose to x. We show that metonymy for a single population is untestable-even with ideal panel data that allow a direct test of increasing dispersion. Thus, cross section tests of increasing dispersion rely on an assumption that is not potentially falsifiable.
Fuzzy Memories: College Mascots and the Struggle to Find Appropriate Legacies of the Civil War

This article compares the controversial mascot of the University of Mississippi, Colonel Reb, with the University of Kansas Jayhawk and the University of Missouri Tiger, all three of which owe their origins to the Civil War. Using year-books, school newspapers, and other university publications, this piece examines the contexts in which the mascots were adopted, as well as the imagery surrounding their usage. The goal is to determine why Colonel Reb has become so controversial while the Jayhawk and the Tiger remain acceptable university symbols, despite the fact that both mascots were created from the guerrilla violence that occurred in Kansas and Missouri during the Civil War. Comparing the three mascots illustrates that while white supremacy has been deemed by most Americans to be part of an unacceptable past, the violence associated with guerrilla conflict has become a suitable form of entertainment for college sports fans.
SWAN: a secure wireless LAN architecture

Existing wireless LAN (WLAN) security schemes are few and product specific. While there exist some schemes for information integrity related problems, there are few standard solutions for quality of service and network health maintenance related problems in wireless networks. In this paper we propose an architecture model for secure WLAN that is generic in its design, so that it can easily be incorporated into existing systems at low cost, thus making it feasible and easy to implement. Our secure wireless LAN (SWAN) architecture first describes an admission control mechanism and deals with intrusion detection, malicious behavior detection, and maintaining quality of service and network health. We then introduce a novel infrastructure for an ad-hoc migration scheme (IAMS) to deal with denial of service (DOS) attacks on WLAN, and describe a unique traffic distribution protocol (TDP) for routing traffic when an access point is under attack, thus ensuring network survivability in the case of a DOS attack. We simulate the IAMS and the TDP using the network simulator GloMoSim.
An Investigation of Controls for Concurrent Systems by Abstract Control Languages

The behaviour of the controlled system determines the control. This concise statement summarizes our approach to the investigation of controls. Using abstract languages to define behaviour and subbehaviour we are able to describe and to study different types of control rules and properties to be realized by control like deadlock avoidance, liveness and fairness.
Tissue effects on the expression of serotonin, tyrosine hydroxylase and GABA in cultures of neurogenic cells from the neuraxis and branchial arches

The phenotypically diverse neurones of the enteric nervous system are developmentally derived from precursors that migrate to the bowel from the vagal and sacral regions of the neuraxis. In order to gain insight into the generation of enteric neuronal diversity, we examined the expression of serotonin (5-HT), tyrosine hydroxylase and GABA in vitro. In the mature avian intestine, intrinsic neurones contain 5-HT or GABA but not tyrosine hydroxylase. These markers were demonstrated immunocytochemically, singly or simultaneously. All three phenotypic markers developed in cultures of cranial, vagal or truncal neural crest when the cultures were grown in enriched medium, containing horse serum and chick embryo extract; however, 5-HT and GABA, but not tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells, also developed in cultures that were grown in partially defined medium. Tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity was seen when partially defined medium was supplemented with nerve growth factor (NGF). Cultures of branchial arches (III and IV) contained cells that displayed tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity, but not that of 5-HT- or GABA-; however, 5-HT immunoreactivity was seen when branchial arches were cocultured with aneuronal hindgut (from 4-day chick embryos). Cultures of cells from chick gut dissociated at 7 days contained tyrosine hydroxylase as well as 5-HT and GABA immunoreactivities; however, no cultures of bowel dissociated at 8 days or later expressed tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity. When neuraxial cells were cocultured with branchial arches or heart instead of gut, no 5-HT-immunoreactive cells were seen; nevertheless, the further addition of explants of gut to the heart/crest cocultures did permit the expression of 5-HT immunoreactivity. These results are consistent with the hypotheses that precursors with the potential to give rise to cells that express 5-HT, GABA and tyrosine hydroxylase are found at several levels of the neuraxis; however, the ability to express these phenotypes may be suppressed either while the crest cells are migrating (for example, 5-HT and GABA expression by crest cells passing through the branchial arches) or in their final destination (for example, tyrosine hydroxylase in the gut). This suppression may be transient and reversed by the microenvironment of the target organs.
Developing guidelines for guest faculty Honoraria: Case study

The majority of medical schools have not formalized guidelines for honoraria for guest faculty making presentations at their educational activities. Two factors are stimulating the development of guidelines: new national standards regarding financial support from commercial companies for CME activities and federal audits of university operations. In 1993, the University of Michigan Medical School produced guidelines for guest faculty making any educational presentation, including internally and externally oriented CME activities. This article describes their development. The process involved collecting data concerning current practices at the University of Michigan Medical School, at other medical schools, and at other professional schools at the University of Michigan. The guidelines present norms for a typical situation and factors for variation from that norm. These guidelines and the procedure used to develop them provide a model for other medical schools to follow in developing their own institutional guidelines.
Digital diffraction analysis enables low-cost molecular diagnostics on a smartphone

The widespread distribution of smartphones, with their integrated sensors and communication capabilities, makes them an ideal platform for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis, especially in resource-limited settings. Molecular diagnostics, however, have been difficult to implement in smartphones. We herein report a diffraction-based approach that enables molecular and cellular diagnostics. The D3 (digital diffraction diagnosis) system uses microbeads to generate unique diffraction patterns which can be acquired by smartphones and processed by a remote server. We applied the D3 platform to screen for precancerous or cancerous cells in cervical specimens and to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. The D3 assay generated readouts within 45 min and showed excellent agreement with gold-standard pathology or HPV testing, respectively. This approach could have favorable global health applications where medical access is limited or when pathology bottlenecks challenge prompt diagnostic readouts.
Parametric and nonparametric edge detection for speckle degraded images

Edge detection is useful for locating objects of interest within an image and reducing the amount of processing required for the image analysis. Methods for edge detection usually involve convolving the image with an operator designed to have a relatively high output when an edge or gradient is present. In textured or noisy images, however, the edge-detection scheme must take into account the nature of random fluctuations throughout the image to limit erroneous detections. Two statistical tests for detecting edges in images corrupted by speckle are presented. The tests are based on the nonparametric Wilcoxon two-sample test and a parametric test derived from an exponential model for the speckle. These edge detectors are presented as null hypothesis tests for determining the presence of an edge based on significant changes in the location parameters (first-order statistics) between pixel neighborhoods. The null hypothesis test formulation allows for threshold determination based on desired false-alarm probabilities. Simulation results demonstrate the ability of the nonparametric test to maintain a constant false-alarm probability under variations in the skewness of the speckle statistics, whereas superior detection probabilities are achieved with parametric tests over a broad range of statistical variations. Examples of detector performance for ultrasonic images from breast tissue are also presented and interpreted in terms of the simulation results. Conclusions are presented outlining conditions for the successful application of parametric and nonparametric techniques for edge detection using first-order statistics.