cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anal cytology as a predictor of anal intraepithelial neoplasia in HIV-positive men and women.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals have increased risk of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Cytologic screening is invaluable in the detection of cervical neoplasia, therefore many clinicians have adopted anal cytology as part of anal cancer screening in patients at high-risk for anal neoplasia. The purpose of this study is to determine whether anal cytology is a valuable screening test for identifying AIN in HIV+ patients. The cohort included 228 HIV+ patients who underwent anal cancer screening with collection of 318 anal cytology specimens between January 2006 and December 2009. Of this group, 74 (32.5%) patients had associated anal biopsies within a 6-month period, with a total of 89 comparison cases. The anal cytology samples were classified using the 2001 Bethesda System terminology. The sensitivity of anal cytology in detecting ASC-US, AIN 1-3 or SCC was 93%. Cytology was 88% sensitive for detecting low-grade AIN (AIN 1), but only 20% sensitive for detecting high-grade AIN (AIN 2–3) or SCC. Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance cases were distributed evenly between low- and high-grade AIN, with two cases having normal histology. Only six cases had negative cytology, all of which were associated with AIN on biopsy, for a false negative rate of 7%. Anal cytology is a good predictor of AIN, as confirmed by the high degree of sensitivity. However, there is poor correlation between the cytological and histological grade of AIN. Cytology underestimates the grade of dysplasia compared to the corresponding biopsy. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013;41:697–702. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Physician and Authority: A Historical Appraisal

As far as medicine and health care are concerned, most of us probably share the feeling that the ground is shifting under our feet. Things are changing. The litany is everywhere: for-profit hospitals, the senescence of the biomedical model, Diagnosis Related Groups, the malpractice crisis, and so on. How did we get to this pass?
Sub-nanosecond avalanche transistor drivers for low impedance pulsed power applications

Summary form only given. Ultra compact, short pulse, high voltage and current pulsers are needed for a variety of non-linear electrical and optical applications. With a fast rise time and short pulse width, these drivers are capable of producing sub-nanosecond electrical and optical pulses by gain switching semiconductor laser diodes. Gain-switching of laser diodes requires a sub-nanosecond pulser with low output impedance (5 W or less) to generate a fast (<100 ps) optical pulse. The designed pulsers also could be used for triggering photo-conductive semiconductor switches, gating high speed optical imaging systems, and providing electrical and optical sources for fast transient sensor applications. Building on concepts from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the development of pulsers based on solid state avalanche transistors was adapted to low impedances. As each successive stage is avalanched in the circuit, the amount of overvoltage increases, increasing the switching speed and improving the turn on time of the output pulse at the last stage. The output of the pulser is coupled into the load using a parallel plate charge line. The impedance and associated discharge time of this transmission line is tailored to the impedance and pulse duration requirements of the load. With the adapted circuit modifications, we have designed and evaluated a driver pulser capable of delivering 200 V DC into a 5 W load with a 250 ps risetime and a 500 ps pulsewidth. Results from transmission line, resistive, and semiconductor laser diode test loads will be presented.
The causes and consequences of sex-specific mortality in a freshwater copepod1

We studied skewed adult copepod sex ratios in two ponds in an attempt to understand the ecological causes and evolutionary consequences of this life-history phenomenon. In ponds containing populations of zooplanktivorous sunfish, female copepods suffered higher mortality rates than males, while in ponds lacking these predators, male and female mortality rates were similar. Field and laboratory experiments showed that females, especially those carrying eggs, were more visible than males and that added visibility accounted for higher predation by fish on these individuals. We calculated the cost of carrying eggs in terms of the decreased population growth rate it produces, and then estimated the magnitude of egg mortality necessary to select for the egg-carrying strategy. Eggs not carried would have to suffer at .least 58% mortality for egg carrying to evolve in the presence of selective fish predation. The response of the copepods to these strong selective pressures lies in a third direction, the production of diapausing eggs.
Inhibition of human fibroblast adhesion by cartilage surface proteoglycans

Objective. Recent studies from our laboratory have identified the nonaggregating, collagen-binding proteoglycans, fibromodulin (FM) and decorin, and fibronectin (Fn) and albumin, noncovalently bound at the articular surface of cartilage. The present studies were designed to investigate the interactions between these cartilage macromolecules and the underlying collagen matrix and their role as a barrier to cell adhesion in intact articular cartilage. Methods. Cell adhesion studies were carried out with human skin fibroblasts incubated on the articular surface of bovine cartilage explants and on collagencoated and/or Fn-coated plastic surfaces. Interactions of collagen and Fn with either FM or decorin were studied by radioimmunoassay of the same surfaces, using specific antibodies. Results. The present studies show that 1) Fn is immunologically detectable at the intact articular surface of cartilage; 2) fibroblast adhesion to Fn is inhibited by cartilage surface extract proteins and by purified FM, but not by purified decorin; 3) FM has binding affinity for Fn; 4) FM interferes with the binding of a monoclonal antibody specific for the cell-binding domain of Fn; and 5) FM and decorin inhibit collagendependent fibroblast adhesion. Conclusion. These results indicate that the small proteoglycans at the normal articular surface may act as a barrier to cell adhesion. Since protective cartilage surface proteins break down readily after the induction of acute arthritis in experimental animals, and in rheumatoid cartilage specimens, it is postulated that proteolytic degradation of the surface proteoglycans may be responsible for increasing cell adhesion to, and subsequent pannus invasion of, articular cartilage in inflammatory arthritis.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and behavioral inhibition: a meta-analytic review of the stop-signal paradigm.

Deficient behavioral inhibition (BI) processes are considered a core feature of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This meta-analytic review is the first to examine the potential influence of a wide range of subject and task variable moderator effects on BI processes—assessed by the stop-signal paradigm—in children with ADHD relative to typically developing children. Results revealed significantly slower mean reaction time (MRT), greater reaction time variability (SDRT), and slower stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) in children with ADHD relative to controls. The non-significant between-group stop-signal delay (SSD) metric, however, suggests that stop-signal reaction time differences reflect a more generalized deficit in attention/cognitive processing rather than behavioral inhibition. Several subject and task variables served as significant moderators for children’s mean reaction time.
Evolutionary divergence among lineages of the ocean sunfish family, Molidae (Tetraodontiformes)

Ocean sunfish, family Molidae, are enigmatic members of the epipelagic fauna of all tropical and temperate oceans. A study, begun in 1998, initially focused on the population genetics of Mola mola Linnaeus 1758 immediately indicated high levels of genetic divergence in the d-loop and cytochrome b mitochondrial genes. This preliminary effort was expanded to include Masturus lanceolatus Lienard 1840, Ranzania laevis Pennant 1776, and representative sequences of other Tetraodontiformes. Analysis of the sequence data confirms that there are two species in the genus Mola, Mola mola and M. ramsayi Giglioli 1883, with the latter presumed to be limited to the southern hemisphere. There is an indication of inter-ocean subdivision within both species originating 0.05–0.32 and 1.55–4.10 million years ago, respectively. Given limited sample sizes, however, the divergence estimates are minimums and the isolating mechanisms remain speculative. The systematic analysis provided strong support for the sister taxa relationship between genera Masturus and Mola and the basal position of the genus Ranzania within the family, as well as the sister group relationship of the Tetraodontiform families Tetraodontidae + Diodontidae to the Molidae.
Flow Data, Inflow/Infiltration Ratio, and Autoregressive Error Models

Sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) are a major environmental issue. One of the major factors causing SSOs is the rain-derived inflow and infiltration (RDII) to a separate sanitary sewer system. If a wastewater collection system is not well maintained, cumulative system-wide RDII could easily cause the wastewater conveyance and treatment capacity to be overwhelmed, and thus lead to SSOs. Monitoring system condition is a key component in system management. The industry’s standard approaches to system monitoring include the practice of collecting and analyzing continuous rainfall and flow data at certain key locations in the system to estimate the level of RDII. However, the writer is of the opinion that the current standard analytical methodologies of the industry can be significantly improved. This paper introduces a basic regression approach with autoregressive errors to support statistical inferences with respect to the level of RDII.
Understanding corruption and firm responses in cross-national firm-level surveys

The issue of corruption is important to politicians, citizens, and firms. Since the early 1990s, a large number of studies have sought to understand the causes and consequences of corruption employing firm-level survey data from various countries. While insightful, these analyses have largely ignored two important potential problems: nonresponse and potential false response by the firms. We argue that in politically repressive environments, firms use nonresponse and potential false response as self-protection mechanisms. Corruption is likely understated in such countries. We test our argument using the World Bank enterprise survey data of more than 44,000 firms in 72 countries for the period 2000–2005. We find that firms in countries with less press freedom are more likely to provide nonresponse and false response on the issue of corruption. Therefore ignoring these systematic biases in firms’ responses could result in serious underestimation of the severity of corruption in politically repressive countries. More important, these biases are a rich and underutilized source of information on the political constraints faced by the firms. Firm managers can better evaluate levels of corruption, not only by truthful answers to corruption questions, but also by nonresponses and false responses to such questions.
Intolerance of Uncertainty: A Common Factor in the Treatment of Emotional Disorders

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a characteristic predominantly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); however, emerging evidence indicates that IU may be a shared element of emotional disorders. Aims This study aimed to examine IU across diagnostic categories, change in IU during transdiagnostic treatment, and the relationship between change in IU and treatment outcome. Method Patients diagnosed with heterogeneous anxiety and depressive disorders received up to 18 weeks of a transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention. Patient self-reported IU and self-report and clinician-rated symptom/functioning measures were administered at pretreatment and posttreatment. Results When controlling for negative affectivity, IU correlated with measures of depressive symptoms and worry severity at pretreatment. Patients with GAD and panic disorder exhibited the highest pretreatment IU scores, yet IU scores did not differ significantly based on the presence or absence of a specific diagnosis. A significant decrease in IU was observed, and change in IU was related to reduced anxiety and depressive symptom levels at posttreatment across diagnostic categories. Discussion Change in IU can be observed across problem areas in transdiagnostic treatment and such change is correlated with treatment outcome.
P10 – 2235: Effectiveness of a corticosteroid treatment regimen of a pulse methylprednisolone followed by alternate day oral prednisolone and a review of published treatment results of corticosteroids on refractory childhood seizures

Objective To report our experience with the treatment of refractory seizures in children with epilepsies other than West and Landau-Kleffner syndrome with a new treatment regimen and to put our results in perspective with a review of original papers of all corticosteroid and ACTH treatments for refractory epileptic seizures in children. Methods In this retrospective observational study 26 children diagnosed with epilepsy with refractory seizures other than West syndrome and Landau-Kleffner syndrome were eligible for a treatment regimen consisting of three days intravenous methylprednisolone (20 mg per kilogram per day) followed by twelve weeks oral prednisolone (0.5 mg per kilogram on alternate days), followed by a taper phase. Data on efficacy and side effects were obtained. End-points were the percentage of patients that became seizure free or showed a good response (50% or more seizure reduction). Results Twenty-one patients were treated according to the protocol. Forty-three percent of the children showed a good response and 29% became seizure free. All but one patient had a relapse of seizures. Four patients had reversible adverse effects. From the data extracted from the literature we found that 52% of 155 children, that were treated with different corticosteroids showed a good response and 69% of 103 patients treated with ACTH. Conclusion Corticosteroids are a promising treatment modality in refractory seizures, but relapses are common. Results on efficacy and safety shown in this paper justify a randomized controlled trial.
Sorting Out Identities: An Educational Primer for Use with “Novel Tools for Genetic Manipulation of Follicle Stem Cells in the Drosophila Ovary Reveal an Integrin-Dependent Transition from Quiescence to Proliferation”

Organisms are made up of thousands of different cell types that must migrate, proliferate, and interact with each other to yield functional organ systems and ultimately a viable organism. A characteristic that distinguishes one cell type from another is the set of genes that it expresses. An article by Hartman et al. in the April 2015 issue of GENETICS identified methods to uniquely identify different cell populations during oogenesis, providing valuable tools for future studies. This Primer article provides background information on the Drosophila ovary as a system in which to study stem cell regulation, mechanisms for regulating gene expression, and the techniques used by Hartman et al. to identify specific cell populations and study their function.
On flipping first-semester calculus: a case study

High failure rates in calculus have plagued students, teachers, and administrators for decades, while science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programmes continue to suffer from low enrollments and high attrition. In an effort to affect this reality, some educators are ‘flipping’ (or inverting) their classrooms. By flipping, we mean administering course content outside of the classroom and replacing the traditional in-class lectures with discussion, practice, group work, and other elements of active learning. This paper presents the major results from a three-year study of a flipped, first-semester calculus course at a small, comprehensive, American university with a well-known engineering programme. The data we have collected help quantify the positive and substantial effects of our flipped calculus course on failure rates, scores on the common final exam, student opinion of calculus, teacher impact on measurable outcomes, and success in second-semester calculus. While flipping may not be suitab...
Abstract LB-69: Role of HDAC1 in epigenetic repression of E-cadherin after transient Epstein Barr virus infection

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gammaherpesvirus associated with a variety of lymphoid and epithelial tumors. Although EBV is a known tumor virus, incomplete association of EBV with any given tumor type has confounded its role in tumorigenesis. For example, only 15% of gastric carcinomas are EBV-positive compared to virtually all undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinomas. Upon entry into a cell, the viral genome is chromatinized and EBV rapidly shuts off its viral gene expression program via methylation of its viral promoters in an attempt to evade the host immune response. A similar restricted pattern of viral gene expression is present in EBV-positive tumors. We hypothesize that EBV infection of tumor cells results in virus-induced epigenetic alterations to host genes that remain after loss of the virus and may provide a selective advantage to the tumor cell. To identify virally induced epigenetic alterations, we established a transient model of infection to model the effects of viral redundancy and loss in carcinogenesis. Carcinoma cell lines were infected with recombinant EBV, passaged with selective pressure, and allowed to lose viral genomes by withdrawal of selection. Transient EBV infection of lung carcinoma cells resulted in numerous gene expression changes relative to uninfected controls suggestive of cellular epigenetic reprogramming. Two such gene expression changes, PYCARD and E-cadherin were found to be due to DNA methylation and loss of histone acetylation, respectively. To understand the mechanism behind loss of histone acetylation at the E-cadherin locus following transient EBV infection, we examined the role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in mediating the epigenetic repression. We observed an increase in total HDAC activity in our transiently infected, EBV-negative clones. Through the use of specific inhibitors, we noted class I HDACs, specifically HDAC1, was involved in the repression of E-cadherin in transiently infected clones. EBV-modulation of HDAC1 activity may lead to host epigenetic alterations that are retained after loss of the virus. Future experiments are aimed at determining the viral and cellular players responsible for the epigenetic alterations that are seen in transiently infected, EBV-negative clones. These results suggest that EBV alters cellular gene expression in a heritable fashion in formerly infected cells, while its own contribution to the oncogenic process is masked. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-69. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-69
Sterol Requirement for Zoospore Formation in the Mosquito-Parasitizing Fungus Lagenidium Giganteum

The oomycete Lagenidium giganteum, a facultative parasite of mosquito larvae, requires exogenous sterols for the genesis of zoospores when grown on defined or on usual mycological media. Growth med...
IS IT LIBMAN-SACKS ENDOCARDITIS?

Libman-Sacks Endocarditis (LSE) affects patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and positive antiphospholipid antibodies. These sterile verrucous vegetations typically affect left-sided heart valves and can cause valvular dysfunction and embolization. We present a case of a 42 year old
Editorial gatekeeping in citizen journalism

Editorial staff play an essential role as gatekeepers within professional journalism. Citizen journalism has the potential to depart from routine journalistic practices and allow for more democratic posting of unmoderated content. Nonetheless, many citizen journalism web sites do have an editorial staff and no existing research has explored the contributions of editors to citizen journalism web sites. I theorize that the editorial staff on citizen journalism sites serve as legitimating organizational structures within the larger organizational field and, as citizen gatekeepers, who enforce journalistic routines. Using a content analysis of a sample (n = 326) drawn from the largest sampling frame of English-language citizen journalism web sites based in the United States to date (n = 1958), I examine the characteristics of citizen journalism web sites with an editorial model as well as how the presence of an editorial staff is associated with the practice of journalistic routines common in professional jou...
A Universal Correlation Predicts Permeability Coefficients of Fluid- and Gel-Phase Phospholipid and Phospholipid-Cholesterol Bilayers for Arbitrary Solutes

Abstract The permeability of gel-phase phospholipids is typically about an order of magnitude lower than that of the same compositions in the fluid phase, yet a quantitative description of the ordering factors leading to this difference has been elusive. The present analysis examines these factors with particular focus on the area per phospholipid chain, A c , and its relationship to the minimum area per molecule in the crystalline state, A 0 . It is shown that fluid- and gel-phase phospholipid permeabilities can be reconciled by postulating a minimum area per chain A c,0 = 17.1 A 2 , substantially less than one would estimate by dividing the accepted value A 0 = 40.8 A 2 by 2. An extended data set of phospholipid and phospholipid-cholesterol bilayer permeability data extending over 9 orders of magnitude is analyzed and correlated according to the developed relationship ( N = 85, s = 0.3024, r 2 = 0.9332). Individual permeability values are consequently predicted to within an average deviation of 10 0.3024 or about a factor of 2. The analysis is broadly applicable in the fluid phase but is restricted to gel-phase phospholipid compositions that do not contain cholesterol. Guidance for the latter scenario is provided.
Epidemiology of severe cases of hand foot and mouth disease in Jilin province 2010

Objective To understand the epidemiology of severe cases of hand foot and mouth disease(HFMD) in Jilin province and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of HFMD.Methods Analysis was conducted on the data of severe HFMD cases in Jilin province in 2010.Chi-square test was used in the statistical analysis.Results In the 309 severe HFMD cases,231 were diagnosed in laboratory.Among them,161 were infected with EV71,34 with CoxA16,and 36 with other enterovirus.Up to 96.44% of severe HFMD cases were children under 5 years old.The male to female ratio was 1.89∶1.77.67% of severe cases were children outside child care settings.Conclusion The severe hand foot and mouth disease cases which infected by EV71 are obviously more than those by CoxA16 and other enterovirus.In order to prevent and control HFMD prevalence and outbreak,EV71 infection cases must be paid more attention in the future.Health education is necessary for the parents whose children are under 5 years old.
Exploring Workplace Resilience Through a Personality Strength Lens

Resilience research has primarily focused on occupations that undergo a significant amount of stress, such as the military or trauma teams. In response, Britt, Shen, Sinclair, Grossman, and Klieger (2016) call for “future work on resilience to expand to include a wider cross section of workers and occupations” (p. 397). We suggest that viewing resilience through a personality strength lens will facilitate this expansion. Adopting a personality strength approach to resilience will more clearly (a) link the capacity for resilience to positive adaptation in the face of a broader range of stressors beyond objectively significant adversity and (b) open up new methods of investigating the demonstration of resilience.
Population and the Struggle for the World Product

Two major themes of contemporary writing are whether the world is large or small, and whether man’s present ways of extracting his sustenance from it are efficient or not. These seemingly bland topics give rise to bitter debate.
Zeppelin Reborn in America, 1922–24

On 5 May 1921 the Allies sent Germany a harsh ultimatum, demanding immediate delivery of the two postwar DELAG dirigibles and forthright demolition of the remaining airship construction works. Schutte’s factories were already in the hands of wreckers, and now the final bell seemed to toll for the Zeppelin Company. Facing this threat, and recalling his work for the Hensley project (with those bills still unpaid), Colsman wrote in mid-June to the American military observer in Berlin, offering to build an improved LZ125 for less than a million dollars. The initial American response would in time lead to building LZ126 (later ZR3) and her notable transatlantic flight of October 1924. In the interim, however, there was almost a year’s delay until negotiations among the Allies and with the Germans were completed. So it was still a dismal time in Friedrichshafen. Early that summer Eckener flew LZ120 Bodensee to Italy, where she would function until 1928 as the Esperia. LZ121 Nordstern soon followed in delivery to the French Navy, where she remained deteriorating in the distant shadow of L72, now named Dixmude, focus of a brief and ill-starred naval scouting career. With the zeppelin hangars empty, Colsman focused on the further transformation of his industrial conglomerate to consumer goods. Eckener held his attention on dirigibles, as he nursed the lagging and interminable negotiations with Madrid for airship service to South America – a political vision of Imperial Spain revived with zeppelin galleons to carry the business wealth of the new world. Vissering was now the Zeppelin Company’s official representative to corporate America, prodding the new managers of a reorganized Goodyear Company towards prospects for airships and sponsoring Lehmann’s intermittent American visits.
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Electromechanical Behavior of REBCO Tapes

To fully characterize the electromechanical behavior of a Twisted Stacked-Tape Cable (TSTC) it is important to understand the performance of the individual REBCO tapes under various loading conditions. Numerical modeling and experimentation have been used to investigate the electromechanical characteristics of two commercially available REBCO tapes (SuperPower and SuNAM). Tension and combined tension-torsion experiments on single tapes have been continued, from prior preliminary studies, to characterize their critical current behavior and mechanical strength. Additionally, structural finite element analysis was performed on single tapes under tension and combined tension-torsion to investigate the strain dependence of the critical current. The numerical results were compared to the experimental findings for validation. The SuNAM experimental data matched the numerical model very well while the SuperPower tape experienced degradation at lower stress and strain than predicted in the model. The Superpower tape also displayed greater variability in critical current between different samples as compared with the SuNAM tape.
High-Affinity Melatonin Receptors in Mammals: Localization, G-Protein Coupling and Signal Transduction

Using radiolabeled 2-iodomelatonin ([125I]-labeled melatonin, 125I-MEL; Vakkuri et al., 1984), a potent melatonin agonist (Weaver et al., 1988), high-affinity melatonin binding sites have recently been characterized in a number of tissues by several different laboratories. High-affinity sites have equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd values) ≤ 200 pM at room temperature; Kd values in most reports are ca 40 pM. High-affinity melatonin binding sites have been demonstrated in avian, reptilian, and mammalian tissues (Dubocovich & Takahashi, 1987; Rivkees et al., 1989a; Vanecek et al., 1987; Duncan et al., 1989; Carlson et al., 1989; Weaver et al., 1989; Morgan et al., 1989c). The pharmacologic specificity of the high-affinity sites identified in these various tissues is generally in good agreement.
Work–Family Balance Self‐Efficacy's Relationship With STEM Commitment: Unexpected Gender Moderation

The number of students, particularly the number of women, completing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate degrees is insufficient to meet the U.S. demand. Thus, research investigating key predictors of STEM commitment is of high importance. Applying the Social Cognitive Model of Career Self-Management (SCCT-CSM; Lent & Brown, 2013) as a guiding framework, this study examined the relationship between work–family balance self-efficacy (WFSE) and STEM commitment as moderated by gender. The sample included 246 STEM students (106 women, 140 men) from a southeastern university. A 3-step hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated that WFSE accounted for incremental variance in STEM commitment beyond traditional social-cognitive predictors, and gender moderated the relationship between WFSE and STEM commitment. Contrary to expectations, the relationship was stronger for men than for women. Findings suggest resiliency among women, showing that they are committed to STEM regardless of low WFSE. Practical implications for university and workplace contexts are discussed.
Stability and Asymptotic Behavior of Solutions

The stability analysis for scalar boundary-value problems is extended to coupled system of two equations where the reaction function is quasimonotone. For a given steady-state solution, including the trivial solution, sufficient conditions are obtained to ensure its asymptotic stability for each type of quasimonotone reaction functions. Sufficient conditions are also given for the instability of a steady-state solution. When the reaction function is either quasimonotone nondecreasing or quasimonotone nonincreasing the monotone argument is used to show the convergence of the time-dependent solution to a steady-state solution between upper and lower solutions. This leads to the asymptotic stability of a steady-state solution in a sector when it is unique. This approach is extended to a coupled nonautonomous system where the limit of the reaction function as t → ∞ is either quasimonotone nondecreasing or quasimonotone nonincreasing. In the special case of a homogeneous Neumann boundary condition the asymptotic behavior of the solution is compared with the solution of the corresponding ordinary differential system. Most of the discussions for coupled differential equations are extended to systems that are coupled through the boundary conditions.
FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF FROST PENETRATION INTO A LANDFILL COVER THAT USES A PAPER SLUDGE BARRIER

Frost penetration is a major environmental concern in landfill design. Freezing and thawing cycles may deteriorate the permeability of the liner or cap. This paper presents a study in which the depth of frost penetration into a landfill cover that uses paper sludge as the impermeable barrier was measured using a frost measurement system. A thermistor probe measured the temperature at various depths. Although temperature measurements are important, soil resistivity measurements are required to accurately predict the freezing level, as soil resistivity increases greatly upon freezing. A conductivity probe measured the half bridge voltage between conductivity rings and a ground rod. Data were collected in data loggers. 1992-96 data collected showed that the frost level did not penetrate the paper sludge capping layer. Heavy snow cover throughout the winters decreased the depth of frost penetration by insulating the landfill. High water content in the sludge also contributed to lack of freezing.
The Future of Automotive Plants

This chapter makes the case that the outsized the imprints of future automotive plants on our landscapes demand renewed attention. We showcase efforts to reimagine the future of auto plants, arguing that their forms will be varied, ranging in scale from boutique-style facilities to mega-formations, and ranging in distribution from local to regional clustering. As changes in technology and innovation lead us to new kinds of automobiles, modes of production, and geographies of production, we look at the role that practical design and planning could play in reframing our understanding of the links between preservation, reuse, redevelopment, and the larger urban environment in old industrial cities and regions facing economic decline. We conclude by describing an industry in the midst of profound change whose impacts on the shape of the future city have yet to be fully understood.
Influenza Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase: Yin⁻Yang Proteins Coevolving to Thwart Immunity

Influenza A virions possess two surface glycoproteins—the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA)—which exert opposite functions. HA attaches virions to cells by binding to terminal sialic acid residues on glycoproteins/glycolipids to initiate the infectious cycle, while NA cleaves terminal sialic acids, releasing virions to complete the infectious cycle. Antibodies specific for HA or NA can protect experimental animals from IAV pathogenesis and drive antigenic variation in their target epitopes that impairs vaccine effectiveness in humans. Here, we review progress in understanding HA/NA co-evolution as each acquires epistatic mutations to restore viral fitness to mutants selected in the other protein by host innate or adaptive immune pressure. We also discuss recent exciting findings that antibodies to HA can function in vivo by blocking NA enzyme activity to prevent nascent virion release and enhance Fc receptor-based activation of innate immune cells.
Estimation of data adaptive minimal clinically important difference with a nonconvex optimization procedure.

Understanding the limitation of solely relying on statistical significance, researchers have proposed methods to draw biomedical conclusions based on clinical significance. The minimal clinically i...
Agreement between actigraphic and polysomnographic measures of sleep in adults with and without chronic conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Summary Wrist actigraphy (ACT) may overestimate sleep and underestimate wake, and the agreement may be lower in people with chronic conditions who often have poor sleep and low activity levels. The purpose of this systematic review is to compare the agreement between ACT and polysomnographic (PSG) measures of sleep in adults without chronic conditions and sleep complaints (healthy) and with chronic conditions. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, OVIDEMBASE, OVIDMEDLINE, OVIDPsycINFO, CENTRAL, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov , International Clinical Trials Registry, and Open Grey. We included 96 studies with a total of 4134 participants, of whom 762 (18.4) were healthy adults and 724 (17.5%) were adults with chronic conditions. Among adults with chronic conditions, ACT overestimated TST, compared to PSG [M = 22.42 min (CI 95%: 11.92, 32.91 min)] and SE [M = 5.21% (CI 95%: 1.41%–9.00%)]. ACT underestimated SOL [M = −7.70 min (CI 95%: −15.22, −0.18 min)], and WASO [M = −10.90 min (CI 95%: −26.01, 4.22 min)]. These differences were consistently larger between ACT and PSG sleep measures compared to healthy adults. Research is needed to better understand factors that influence the agreement between ACT and PSG among people with chronic conditions.
Digital Data and Knowledge Making in the Field

Using digital data collection devices in the field is now commonplace among many faculty and students. However, there is less attention to how the use of GPS units, tablets and devices transforms o...
Recycled concrete aggregate in base course applications: Review of field and laboratory investigations of leachate pH.

The prevalence of construction and demolition (C&D) waste and the concurrent demand for construction aggregate presents the opportunity to recycle C&D waste materials as substitutes for virgin aggregate. Commonly, recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is used as base course in pavement construction. Environmentally responsible applications of RCA must consider the high pH leachate and trace element leaching risks reported in the literature. This review presents the methodology, results, and limitations of existing laboratory and field investigations of RCA leachate chemistry. Long-term highway field studies of RCA leachate illustrate that an initially high leachate pH approaches neutral within approximately one to two years of construction. Conversely, laboratory investigations of RCA leachate pH using batch reactor leaching tests and column leaching tests measure consistently high leachate pH (pH > 10). The discrepancies between field and laboratory measurements of RCA leachate pH suggest that the current laboratory methodology inadequately describes leachate conditions in the field. The authors recommend that future laboratory investigations consider intermittent wetting and drying cycles, eliminate particle abrasion, employ relevant contact times, and consider additional environmental processes that reduce leachate pH such as soil acidity and carbonation.
Exploring Student Motivation in an Introductory Microcontroller Course

This research to practice full paper explores student motivation in an engineering technology program’s introductory microcontroller course. Motivation is an important factor in student success. The students enrolled in an introductory microcontroller course completed a survey designed to measure their motivation levels and the sources of that motivation. The survey instrument is based on the SIMS (Situational Motivation Scale) and is utilized to determine the student’s level of intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, external regulation, and a motivation. A statistical analysis was then conducted to explore the results of the investigation. Part of this exploration is the relationship between the students’ performance (grades) in the course versus their levels of motivation. Background information on student motivation including a brief review of motivation theory is presented, along with the survey instrument and the statistical methods utilized to analyze the results. The descriptive statistics from the investigation are presented along with a discussion of the results.
Analytical evaluation of relation between alignment and performance in service triads - Three differing contexts

Supply chain (SC) agility depends on organisational structure; customer satisfaction, and collaboration among SC actors. To understand these dimensions and their impact on supply chain performance, we have analysed three 'triadic' relationships. Examples in this research paper involve: 1) hospital buyers managing high-cost supplies with outside vendors, but influenced by its physicians; 2) specialised hospital outpatient units that need to coordinate patient flow with medical staff and attending physicians; 3) logistics service providers with assets managing its demand with external customer through an internal brokerage service. Specifically, we have analytically evaluated organisational – 'pressures' (hierarchical versus bureaucratic), 'practices' (scheduling, time-blocks) and 'structures' (captive versus autonomous) and how they influence alignment between interactions in the respective triads to ultimately affect performance, namely, lower supply expenses, balancing customer satisfaction and asset utilisation, and profitability.
Development of the Reaction Coordinate Diagram Inventory: Measuring Student Thinking and Confidence.

The Reaction Coordinate Diagram Inventory (RCDI) has been developed to measure student thinking and confidence with reaction coordinate diagrams (RCDs) and their correspondence to reaction mechanisms. The RCDI was designed using a sequential mixed-methods protocol, such that the questions and distractors in the instrument were generated based on an analysis of qualitative semi-structured interviews in which general chemistry and organic chemistry students were asked to describe the concepts embedded in the surface features of RCDs and to use the mechanistic information encoded in RCDs. The RCDI was administered to second-semester general chemistry students (n = 443), second-semester organic chemistry students (n = 227), and second-semester physical/biophysical chemistry students (n = 45). Descriptive statistics and item function are presented for each of the three samples. Qualitative and quantitative evidence for the validity and reliability of the data generated by the RCDI are also presented. Major categories of misconceptions assessed by the RCDI and data demonstrating the prevalence of these misconceptions for all three groups of students are presented.
Inappropriate Dosing of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) require dose adjustment based on specific patient characteristics, making them prone to incorrect dosing. The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of inappropriate DOAC dosing, its predictors, and corresponding outcomes in a single-center cohort of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. We reviewed all patients with AF treated at Mayo Clinic with a DOAC (Apixaban, Rivaroxaban, or Dabigatran) between 2010 and 2017. Outcomes examined were ischemic stroke /transient ischemic attack (TIA)/embolism and bleeding. 8,576 patients (mean age 69.5 ± 11.9 years, 35.1 % female, CHA2DS2-VASc 3.0±1.8) received a DOAC (38.6% apixaban, 35.8% rivaroxaban, 25.6% dabigatran). DOAC dosing was inappropriate in 1,273 (14.8%) with 1071 (12.4%) receiving an inappropriately low dose, and 202(2.4%) an inappropriately high dose. Patients prescribed inappropriate doses were older (72.4 ± 11.7 vs 69.0 ± 11.8, p <0.0001), more likely to be female (43.1% vs 33.7%, p <0.0001), had a higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (3.4 ± 1.8 vs 2.9 ± 1.8, p <0.0001) and a greater Charlson co-morbidity index (3.5 ± 3.3 vs 2.9 ± 3.2, p<0.0001). Over 1.2 ±1.6 years (median 0.5 years) follow up; there was no significant difference in the incidence of stroke and/or TIA and/or embolism and bleeding between patients who were inappropriately dosed versus appropriately dosed. In conclusion, DOAC dosing was not in compliance with current recommendations in 15% of AF patients. Patients at higher risk of stroke and/or TIA based on older age, female gender, and higher CHA2DS2-VASc score were more likely to be underdosed, but there was no significant difference in outcomes including stroke/TIA/embolism and bleeding.
A Hybrid Agent-Based Simulation and Optimization Approach for Statewide Truck Parking Capacity Expansion

Abstract Truck parking shortages are a critical concern for both the trucking industry and truck drivers in the USA. To tackle growing shortages, parking capacity expansions are needed. This paper presents a hybrid agent-based simulation and optimization approach to model truck movements and driver behaviors to determine feasible locations for truck parking facility capacity expansions across a state. The simulation model considers the driving limit and rest requirements of hours-of-service regulations set forth by the federal regulations. By leveraging observed historical truck GPS data, agent profiles are created, capturing truck trip origins, necessary stops, trip destinations, and parking behaviors. The simulation model estimates parking facility utilization over time by identifying where, when, and how long truck drivers rest. The estimated parking usage data is then fed into a maximal coverage capacitated multiple facility location optimization with multiple service model to deduce capacity expansion locations given budgetary restrictions. Ultimately the model recommends where and how many parking spaces to add to accomplish a certain level of parking overcrowding. The simulation and optimization approaches are finally integrated into a map-based, user adaptable decision support tool.
A Nearly Exact Discretization Scheme for the FitzHugh–Nagumo Model

In this paper, we apply the nearly exact discretization schemes to propose a discrete model for the FitzHugh–Nagumo model. We show that the discrete model obtained preserves the dynamics and the known features of the continuous FitzHugh–Nagumo model. We do so by performing distance-based and probability-based similarity analysis. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis is also performed to analyze the most influential parameters of the discrete system.
Enhancing Responsiveness and Resilience with Distributed Applications in the Grid

Variability in electric power systems is increasing, resulting in a need for new approaches in control. The greater variability originates from distributed energy resources and increasing demand for personalized energy choice from customers at the grid edge. This issue is further accentuated in rural communities that are seeing an increasing interest in deploying resilient microgrids. Electricity distribution systems incorporate increasing numbers of intelligent end devices, automated switchgear, and sensing and measurement devices, which are providing more visibility and potential control at the grid edge. Traditional distribution system planning and operations techniques must evolve to manage the new complexity while continuing to deliver safe, reliable, and cost-effective energy. New technologies are enabling new capabilities at the grid edge to respond to these needs. Distributed applications can deploy intelligence across the distribution grid with peer-to-peer communications and a shared data context for their local environment. These applications can cooperate to quickly respond to changing grid conditions. This enables a layered coordination framework that spans the centralized advanced distribution management system functions with wide-area visibility of the new distributed applications that are running at intelligent devices and meters throughout the distribution system. This paper describes an open-architecture, open-source system approach for large scale integration of devices and intelligence at the grid edge.
Writing to Learn: A Framework for Structuring Writing Assignments to Support Analytics Course Learning Goals

Drawing on the scholarship of writing and learning, this article motivates the use of writing assignments in analytics courses and develops a framework for instructional design that advances both w...
Schwannomatosis: Review of Diagnosis and Management

Schwannomatosis is a relatively new addition to the neurofibromatosis family of disorders. Occurring in only 1 in every 70,000 live births, it is the rarest neurofibromatosis and is characterized by the proliferation of peripheral nerve and spinal schwannomas. Genetic studies have identified SMARCB1 and LZTR1 as playing key roles in the pathogenesis of this disease. Patients most commonly present in the fourth or fifth decade of life with chronic and neuropathic pain, the medical management of which forms the core of therapy in this patient population. Surgical excision appears to have a role in the treatment of medically refractory, radicular, or neuropathic pain that is attributable to the schwannoma. At present no systemic therapies exist, and this remains an area of key interest for investigation.