cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Once a navegante, always a navegante: Latino men sustain their roles as lay health advisors to promote general and sexual health to their social network

Little is known about the sustainability of male- and men's health-focused lay health advisors. HoMBReS Por un Cambio was a community-level social network intervention designed to improve sexual health among Latino men who were members of soccer teams. During the year after the intervention implementation, lay health advisors (Navegantes) continued to promote sexual health; over 84% (16 of the 19) Navegantes conducted 9 of 10 primary health promotion activities. Describing where to get condoms was the activity that the most Navegantes reported having conducted. Navegantes had broad reach with their social networks, although the number of Navegantes that conducted each activity differed across the categories of social network members (soccer teammates, nonteammates, and women). Results suggest that HIV-related health disparities may be addressed through lay health advisor interventions because they are sustained after the intervention ends and reach large numbers of community members.
Progressive Oxidation of Selected Particles of Carbon Black: Further Evidence for a New Microstructural Model

Abstract A new technique is described for following the effects of successive increments of oxidative attack upon the same particles of carbon black. Oxidation was carried out under controlled conditions outside of the microscope, followed by electron micrography of selected grid areas. Electron micrographs show that normal thermal and furnace blacks generally oxidize from the inside out, forming capsules of unchanged external dimensions. Differences in rate of oxidation of individual particles are observed with thermal blacks; these rates are, however, independent of particle size. In agreement with earlier evidence, graphitized thermal blacks oxidize from the outside in. Strong support is given for a new “concentric crystallite” model of carbon black microstructure. On the basis of this model, slippage of rubber molecules on the surface of carbon black can be readily understood.
Abstract P6-15-01: A comparative analysis of primary tumor resection in men and women with stage IV breast cancer

Background: Primary tumor resection (PTR) for metastatic female breast cancer continues to be debated. Given the rarity of male breast cancer, treatment paradigms for female breast cancer are extended to the management of male breast cancer. Whether the role of PTR in men with metastatic breast cancer is similar to that in women remains unclear. We sought to compare these two populations using a large, national database. Methods: All patients with Stage IV breast cancer between the years 1988-2011 in the SEER database were identified. Uni and multivariate descriptive and survival analyses were performed. Results: A total of 41,601 patients with stage IV breast cancer were identified; 98.9% (n=41,162) females, 1.1% (n=439) males. On average, female patients were younger (63 vs. 66y) and more often White (78 vs. 74%), p≤0.02. Tumors in male patients were more likely to be hormonally positive, with varying breakdown of T and N-stages and histologic subtypes as compared to tumors in females, p≤0.05. Males were more likely to undergo PTR (51 vs.40%, p Conclusion: Regardless of gender, patients with metastatic breast cancer who underwent primary tumor resection had a significant improvement in DSS. Factors associated with DSS varied between male and female patients, but the reasons for this difference are unclear. A well designed randomized trial including both genders will help determine the utility of PTR in stage IV breast cancer patients. Citation Format: Nasreen A Vohra, Swapnil D Kachare, Timothy L Fitzgerald, Jan H Wong, Mahvish Muzaffar. A comparative analysis of primary tumor resection in men and women with stage IV breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-15-01.
Somatic mutations in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ are rare events in human cancer cells

BACKGROUND Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) is a nuclear hormone receptor activated after binding a lipophilic ligand, such as naturally occurring 15dPGJ2. There is striking evidence that PPAR-gamma activation leads not only to an increase in insulin sensitivity, but also to tumor cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. A growing number of diabetes mellitus II patients currently benefit from treatment with synthetic PPAR-gamma agonists, the thiazolidinediones (TZDs), which sensitize peripheral cells towards insulin. Furthermore, some TZDs are undergoing clinical investigations for the treatment of malignant diseases. Therefore, detailed information on the frequency of genetic alterations of PPAR-gamma in malignant tumor cells is necessary. MATERIAL/METHODS PPAR-gamma DNA of 33 histologically different tumor cells was isolated, purified, and all coding regions were separately amplified by PCR. The coding exons were then analyzed by single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) and bidirectional DNA sequencing. RESULTS In five breast cancer brain metastasis samples from patients and 28 cancer cell lines derived from lymphoma, glioblastoma, and breast carcinoma we found only one coding region shift in exon 5b of the glioblastoma U373 DNA. This silent mutation does not lead to a change in amino acid alignment. No further polymorphisms, including those which have already been described, could be detected in any other sample. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that somatic mutations in the PPAR gene are exceedingly rare events in malignant tumor cells. This makes PPAR-gamma more unlikely to act as a tumor suppressor gene, making it a stable and suitable target for TZD biological cancer therapy.
What Would Jesus Buy: American Religious Consumption in the 21st Century

This article examines an important and understudied part of the sociological study of religion: consumption of religious materials. We use data from the Baylor Religion Survey and present an initial look at which Americans read the Left Behind series, viewed The Passion of the Christ, or purchased religious paraphernalia such as “What Would Jesus Do” bracelets. Drawing on cultural consumption and religious capital research we explore class, demographic, and religious influences on consumption patterns. We find some support for each of these perspectives, which suggests that religious consumption is not a subset of cultural consumption nor of religious practice but is some combination of both.
Optically Actuated MEMS Deformable Mirror Device

We propose a new design, fabrication procedures and the operating theory for a very low-power optically actuated deformable mirror device. The deformable mirror consists of an array of AlGaAs PIN photo detectors bonded onto a transparent substrate, a thin film resistor, and a suspended membrane
The Creative Learning Environment

The chapter is the description of the teaching experiment designed to integrate cognitive and affective components of learning, supported by self-regulating learning practices, whose objective has been the reversal of the culture of failure through the development of student ownership of learning and enjoyment of mathematics.
User-generated branding via social media: An examination of six running brands

Abstract The increased global popularity of social media has led many consumer brands to increasingly turn to consumer-to-consumer marketing methods in recent years. One such method, user-generated branding (UGB), is defined as “the strategic and operative management of brand related user-generated content (UGC) to achieve brand goals” (Burmann & Arnhold, 2009, p. 66). Other disciplines have identified potential benefits of UGB such as cost effectiveness, the ability to track consumers, and immediate feedback regarding a brand and its products or services (Burmann, 2010). Hambrick and Kang (2015) also posited that UGB might be effective in developing stronger relationships between brands and consumers and eliciting greater engagement with consumers on social media. This study sought to fill the gap on UGB research within the sport management field. Utilising Porter’s (1985) generic strategies as a theoretical framework, the Instagram accounts of six purposefully selected running brands were examined to determine to what extent brands utilised user-generated content on their Instagram accounts and whether differences existed in audience engagement based on the type of content posted. A quantitative content analysis method was employed, and results indicated that those brands utilising a differentiation strategy and posts with an overt focus on the product or brand were most successful in eliciting engagement from followers. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed in greater detail in the paper.
Convergence analysis of GrDHP-based optimal control for discrete-time nonlinear system

Adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) has been investigated for its new architectures, algorithms and applications for years. Recently, the goal representation (Gr) design has been demonstrated with promising results to improve ADP control performance from certain perspectives. This paper is focused on the theoretical analysis of the goal representation dual heuristic dynamic programming (GrDHP). Starting from the general formulation of the GrDHP design, we provide the iterative algorithm for this method. The corresponding convergence analysis is showed in terms of the internal reinforcement signal, the performance index, and their derivatives. Our analysis assumes that the system is controllable and stabilizable. Then, neural-network-based implementation of this method is presented. Simulation study validates the theoretical analysis of this paper and also shows the effectiveness of the GrDHP method.
Impact of temporal variations on the performance and reliability of configurable ring oscillator PUF

Physical Unclonable Functions (PUF) offer promising solution to security problems. A PUF is a die-specific random probabilistic function that is unique for every instance of the die. PUFs derive their randomness from the uncontrolled random manufacturing process variations in the IC. Apart from spatial variation or process variation, ICs are affected by temporal variation. In this work, we study the effects of aging, temperature, and voltage variation on configurable Ring Oscillator (RO) PUF. It is observed that the uniqueness of the ROPUF is not affected to a great extent, where the inter-chip HD is found to be 45.9% which is closer to the ideal value of 50%. The intra-chip HD of PUF degrades with aging with a value ranging between 2.34%–4.21%, so the reproducibility is 96.7%. Also, the ROs are found to be sensitive to temperature and voltage variations. Bit flips occur due to temperature and voltage variations but only when the frequency difference in the RO comparison pair is 1.5 MHz for temperature variation and 1 MHz for voltage variation.
An overview of the environmental, economic, and material developments of the solar and wind sources coupled with the energy storage systems

Summary There is a constant growth in energy consumption and consequently energy generation around the world. During the recent decades, renewable energy sources took heed of scientists and policy makers as a remedy for substituting traditional sources. Wind and photovoltaic (PV) are the least reliable sources because of their dependence on wind speed and irradiance and therefore their intermittent nature. Energy storage systems are usually coupled with these sources to increase the reliability of the hybrid system. Environmental effects are one of the biggest concerns associated with the renewable energy sources. This study summarizes the last and most important environmental and economic analysis of a grid-connected hybrid network consisting of wind turbine, PV panels, and energy storage systems. Focusing on environmental aspects, this paper reviews land efficiency, shaded analysis of wind turbines and PV panels, greenhouse gas emission, wastes of wind turbine and PV panels' components, fossil fuel consumption, wildlife, sensitive ecosystems, health benefits, and so on. A cost analysis of the energy generated by a hybrid system has been discussed. Furthermore, this study reviews the latest technologies for materials that have been used for solar PV manufacturing. This paper can help to make a right decision considering all aspects of installing a hybrid system. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Domain Five Observation Instrument: A Competency-Based Coach Evaluation Tool

The Domain Five Observation Instrument (DFOI) is a competency-based observation instrument recommended for sport leaders or researchers who wish to evaluate coaches' instructional behaviors. The DFOI includes 10 behavior categories and four timed categories that encompass 34 observable instructional benchmarks outlined in domain five of the National Standards for Sport Coaches. The DFOI stands apart from other competency-based observation tools in that it 1) focuses on coaches' instructional behaviors, 2) is based on Domain 5 (“Teaching and Communication”) of the National Standards for Sport Coaches, and 3) can be used by both sport program leaders and researchers.
Premedical special master's programs increase USMLE STEP1 scores and improve residency placements.

The effectiveness of Special Master’s Programs (SMPs) in benefiting a potential medical student’s career beyond admission into an MD-program is largely unknown. This study aims to evaluate the role of SMPs, if any, in affecting the performance and outcomes of students during their medical school career. This study analyzed anonymous surveys of students and residents from the University of Toledo. The data analysis is used to evaluate a student’s academic performance before, during and after medical school. Measured metrics included: MCAT Scores, undergraduate GPA, USMLE STEP 1 scores, participation in research, number of research publications, and residency placement. Of 500 people surveyed 164 medical students or residents responded. Based on their responses, the respondents were divided into traditional (non-SMP) and SMP groups. As anticipated, MCAT scores (SMP: 29.82 vs. traditional 31.10) are significantly (p<0.05) different between the two groups. Interestingly, there is no significant difference in USMLE STEP 1 scores (SMP: 232.7 vs. traditional: 233.8) and when normalized relative to MCAT scores, USMLE STEP 1 scores for SMP-students are significantly (p<0.05) higher than their traditional counterparts (p<0.05). Additionally, SMP-students did not outperform the traditional students with regards to research publications. But, they did demonstrate a significant (p<0.05) proclivity towards surgical residencies when compared to the traditional students. Overall, our results highlight that SMPs potentiate USMLE STEP 1 performance and competitive residency-placements for its students.
Sexual function before and after nonsurgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Objectives (1) to describe sexual function in women seeking treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI); (2) to compare the impact on sexual function of three SUI treatments; and (3) to investigate whether non-surgical treatment of SUI is associated with improved sexual function.
Fuzzy-Valued Similarity Measures

The assessment of the similarity or compatibility analyzes common features or properties and encapsulates the degree of compatibility in a predetermined format. In the preceding chapters, the measurement of the compatibility of fuzzy sets has been scalar-valued. The summarization of similarity as fuzzy sets rather than single numbers was suggested by Dubois and Prade [63] and is analogous to the use of fuzzy truth values in reasoning with linguistic variables as discussed in the preceding chapter.
Exceptional or Expendable? How Economic and Strategic Interests Undermine Democracy, Humanitarianism, and Human Rights in US Economic Aid Allocation

Advancing democracy and respect for human rights is central to our foreign policy. It is what our history and our values demand.1 —National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice We partner to end extreme ...
RWW 2019-Five Colocated Conferences, Five Special Features [From the Guest Editor's Desk]

Wireless technologies form a fundamental pillar of modern-day life, making it possible for us to easily and rapidly interact with individuals and businesses locally as well as halfway around the world. The world is data hungry. But it is not just humans contributing to this demand. With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of Space, and 5G technologies, what were once passive, inanimate objects are now participating in the conversation. Moreover, progress is being made on all levels, ranging from the emergence of competing semiconductor technologies to innovations in front-end topologies and systems. It is an exciting time to be a microwave engineer!
Gibbs Samplers for Logistic Item Response Models via the Pólya–Gamma Distribution: A Computationally Efficient Data-Augmentation Strategy

Fully Bayesian estimation of item response theory models with logistic link functions suffers from low computational efficiency due to posterior density functions that do not have known forms. To improve algorithmic computational efficiency, this paper proposes a Bayesian estimation method by adopting a new data-augmentation strategy in uni- and multidimensional IRT models. The strategy is based on the Polya-Gamma family of distributions which provides a closed-form posterior distribution for logistic-based models. In this paper, an overview of Polya-Gamma distributions is described within a logistic regression framework. In addition, we provide details about deriving conditional distributions of IRT, incorporating Polya-Gamma distributions into the conditional distributions for Bayesian samplers' construction, and random drawing from the samplers such that a faster convergence can be achieved. Simulation studies and applications to real datasets were conducted to demonstrate the efficiency and utility of the proposed method.
The Philosophy of the Mandala

The mandala is a polysemantic term referring to several distinct yet interrelated architectural and imperial concepts. In addition to this com plexity, however, the mandala’s multivalency is further compounded by layers of nineteenth- and twentieth-century interpretations that have added reductionistic Jungian associations and/or anachronistic Orientalist expectations onto the image. This essay attempts to strip away such accretions and assumptions. It calls for the recognition of the variety and distinctiveness of early Japanese mandalas and aims to resuscitate the role of the mandala in picturing, but not necessarily producing, enlightenment. As a result, this essay will attempt to return to basics and reconsider two key types of Japanese Buddhist mandalas on their own terms. Specifically, it will provide an iconographic and doctrinal analysis of the eighth-century Taima mandala (J. Taima mandara 当麻曼荼羅) of Amitābha/Amitāyus Buddha (J. Amida nyorai 阿弥陀如来) in his Pure Land of the Western Paradise. It will also examine the famous pair of ninth-century Two-World mandalas (J. Ryōkai mandara 両界曼荼羅), which depict the Diamond and the Womb World aspects of Mahāvairocana Buddha (J. Dainichi nyorai 大日如来), the cosmic buddha of great light who illumines all equally. The essay concludes with a final reflection on the Taima and Two-World mandalas, as both are unique examples and emblematic models for two distinct Japanese Buddhist worldviews.
Ian L. McHarg: an illustrated chronology of his life

An illustrated chronology follows Ian McHarg’s life from Clydebank, Scotland, UK to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Key personal, professional, and academic events are noted.
Neurochemical abnormalities in patients with type 1 Gaucher disease on standard of care therapy.

Type 1 Gaucher disease (GD1), a glycosphingolipid storage disorder caused by deficient activity of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase, is classically considered non-neuronopathic. However, current evidence challenges this view. Multiple studies show that mutations in GBA1 gene and decreased glucocerebrosidase activity are associated with increased risk for Parkinson disease. We tested the hypothesis that subjects with GD1 will show neurochemical abnormalities consistent with cerebral involvement. We performed Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy at 7 T to quantify neurochemical profiles in participants with GD1 (n = 12) who are on stable therapy. Age and gender matched healthy participants served as controls (n = 13). Neurochemical profiles were obtained from parietal white matter (PWM), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and putamen. Further, in the GD1 group, the neurochemical profiles were compared between individuals with and without a single L444P allele. We observed significantly lower levels of key neuronal markers, N-acetylaspartate, γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate and glutamate-to-glutamine ratio in PCC of participants with GD1 compared to healthy controls (P < .015). Glutamate concentration was also lower in the putamen in GD1 (P = .01). Glucose + taurine concentration was significantly higher in PWM (P = .04). Interestingly, individuals without L444P had significantly lower aspartate and N-acetylaspartylglutamate in PCC (both P < .001), although this group was 7 years younger than those with an L444P allele. This study demonstrates neurochemical abnormalities in individuals with GD1, for which clinical and prognostic significance remains to be determined. Further studies in a larger cohort are required to confirm an association of neurochemical levels with mutation status and glucocerebrosidase structure and function. SYNOPSIS: Ultrahigh field magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals abnormalities in neurochemical profiles in patients with GD1 compared to matched healthy controls.
Poster: Towards Understanding Novice Behaviors and Mental Effort in Code Puzzles

Code puzzles are a popular way to introduce young learners to computer programming. Managing cognitive load can lead to more effective learning, but it is unknown what levels of cognitive load should be maintained for successful learning in code puzzle systems. In this paper, we find that successful learners follow a trend of lower cognitive load, and we suggest guiding users towards this trend before introducing more difficult tasks. We then quantify puzzle-solving experiences into 7 principal components and explain their relationship with cognitive load and how they may be able to be used to improve the learning experience.
The Cerrena unicolor BCC306 - new potent producer of lignin-modifying enzymes

In this study, the nutritional requirements of Cerrena unicolor BCC306 providing enhanced production of lignin-modifying enzymes have been elucidated in the submerged fermentation of plant raw materials. Mandarin peels followed by the wheat bran and pomegranate residues manifold enhanced laccase production. All tested lignocellulosic materials 2-6-fold stimulated secretion of phenol red oxidizing manganese peroxidase (MnP610) as compared with the control medium, only mandarin peels more than 3-fold increased the Mn oxidizing manganese peroxidase (MnP270) activity whereas addition of pomegranate or wheat straw 5- and 11-fold decreased this enzyme activity, respectively. Mandarin peels and pomegranate ensured accumulation of appreciated levels of extracellular lignin peroxidase (LiP). Variation of mandarin peels concentration from 0 to 6% revealed that the higher was the growth substrate concentration the higher was enzyme activity. Supplementation of mandarin peels-based medium with an additional nitrogen source (20 mM N) favored of laccase secretion, none of them increased MnP610 activity and only peptone and casein hydrolysate enhanced the MnP270 activity. The highest LiP activity was revealed during the fungus cultivation in the medium supplemented with KNO3 as an additional nitrogen source. Cultivation of C. unicolor 306 in 7 L laboratory fermenter resulted in accumulation of 302.4 U/mL laccase, 4.9 U/mL MnP270, 0.96 U/mL of MnP610, and 0.29 U/mL LiP indicating that this fungus is a good candidate for scaled up production of LME for different biotechnological applications.
An Empirical Exploration of Local Ordering Pre-training for Structured Prediction

Recently, pre-training contextualized encoders with language model (LM) objectives has been shown an effective semi-supervised method for structured prediction. In this work, we empirically explore an alternative pre-training method for contextualized encoders. Instead of predicting words in LMs, we “mask out” and predict word order information, with a local ordering strategy and word-selecting objectives. With evaluations on three typical structured prediction tasks (dependency parsing, POS tagging, and NER) over four languages (English, Finnish, Czech, and Italian), we show that our method is consistently beneficial. We further conduct detailed error analysis, including one that examines a specific type of parsing error where the head is misidentified. The results show that pre-trained contextual encoders can bring improvements in a structured way, suggesting that they may be able to capture higher-order patterns and feature combinations from unlabeled data.
Design and testing of fluorescence-guided endoscopic biopsy assessment at the bedside

Clinical detection of premalignant lesions often requires labeling with molecular probes. In the gastrointestinal tract, most cancers originate in epithelial layers which are interrogated using topically-applied probes with conjugated fluorescence dyes. As part of clinical trials using fluorescence peptide probes, we have developed two different instruments that rapidly image the biopsy at the bedside before fixation. These multimodal images (visible light reflectance and near infrared fluorescence) provide verification that the targeted lesion was sampled, and provide feedback to the clinician at the bedside for any follow-up procedure. Performance of these two prototypes are compared for fluorescence sensitivity and multimodal image quality.
Scaling concepts in ’omics: nuclear lamin-B scales with tumor growth and predicts poor prognosis, whereas fibrosis can be pro-survival

Spatiotemporal relationships between genes expressed in tissues likely reflect physicochemical principles that range from stoichiometric interactions to co-organized fractals with characteristic scaling. For key structural factors within the nucleus and extracellular matrix (ECM), gene-gene power laws are found to be characteristic across several tumor types in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and across single-cell RNA-seq data. The nuclear filament LMNB1 scales with many tumor-elevated proliferation genes that predict poor survival in liver cancer, and cell line experiments show LMNB1 regulates cancer cell cycle. Also high in the liver, lung, and breast tumors studied here are the main fibrosis-associated collagens, COL1A1 and COL1A2, that scale stoichiometrically with each other and super-stoichiometrically with a pan-cancer fibrosis gene set. However, high fibrosis predicts prolonged survival of patients undergoing therapy and does not correlate with LMNB1. Single-cell RNA-seq data also reveal scaling consistent with the pan-cancer power laws obtained from bulk tissue, allowing new power law relations to be predicted. Lastly, although noisy data frustrate weak scaling, concepts such as stoichiometric scaling highlight a simple, internal consistency check to qualify expression data. ClassificationApplied Physical Sciences (major) and Cell Biology (minor) Significance StatementNon-linear scaling analyses pervade polymer physics and chemistry and conceivably provide new insight into polymeric assemblies of genes expressed in tissues as well as co-regulated gene sets. Fractal scaling and stoichiometric scaling are among the gene-gene power law results identified here for key structural polymers in nuclei or extracellular matrix in human cancer data. Among nuclear envelope factors that might scale with DNA mass, only one nuclear filament scales with tumor proliferation and predicts poor survival in some cancer types. Collagen-1 scales with fibrosis and also tends to increase in multiple tumor types, but patients in therapy surprisingly survive longest with the highest levels of fibrosis, consistent with a therapeutic response.
Allied Land Command

Allied Land Command or LANDCOM is responsible for synchronizing ground power allocated to NATO. Moreover, it looks to the types of forces necessary for forced entry operations to the indefinite sustainment of full-spectrum operations. These events include being ready to execute the likes of humanitarian relief operations, peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and all the way up to traditional combat. What’s more is that it does not just focus on ground power (light infantry, mechanized infantry, armor, airborne, and air assault formations), but also looks at medical units (hospitals), engineers, signals support, and logistics (fuel, supply, ground transportation, and more). This chapter conducts a deeper dive into this component command. The focus will also draw attention to the NATO show-of-force exercises in Eastern Europe to hedge against Russia’s bellicose behavior in the region (Jakobsen 2019, 294).
The Use of Computer Navigation and Robotic Technology in Complex Total Knee Arthroplasty.

» The potential benefits of computer-assisted surgical (CAS) navigation and robotic total knee arthroplasty (TKA) systems, such as increased reliability of restoring the mechanical axis, fewer outliers, more rapid hospital discharge, less physical therapy requirements, decreased blood loss, and decreased revision rates, have led to their application not only in primary cases but also in complex cases such as preoperative deformity and revision. » Early evidence demonstrates that CAS navigation may help to improve alignment in complex cases of femoral and tibial deformity and in cases of femoral bowing. » Data regarding deformity correction with robotic systems are similar to CAS navigation with regard to alignment, but are more limited. There are also scant data regarding revision cases and cases of previous intramedullary canal instrumentation. » Concerns remain regarding cost, learning curves, and operative times. There are potential long-term cost savings associated with a decrease in revisions and readmissions that require additional investigation. » Early evidence for the use of these emerging technologies for deformity correction and revision cases is promising, but their impact on long-term functional outcomes remains to be demonstrated. Additional well-designed comparative studies are warranted.
Effects of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Fluoxetine on Developing Neural Circuits in a Model of the Human Fetal Cortex

The developing prenatal brain is particularly susceptible to environmental disturbances. During prenatal brain development, synapses form between neurons, resulting in neural circuits that support complex cognitive functions. In utero exposure to environmental factors such as pharmaceuticals that alter the process of synapse formation increases the risk of neurodevelopmental abnormalities. However, there is a lack of research into how specific environmental factors directly impact the developing neural circuitry of the human brain. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are commonly used throughout pregnancy to treat depression, yet their impact on the developing fetal brain remains unclear. Recently, human brain models have provided unprecedented access to the critical window of prenatal brain development. In the present study, we used human neurons and cortical spheroids to determine whether the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine alters neurite and synapse formation and the development of spontaneous activity within neural circuits. We demonstrate that cortical spheroids express serotonin transporter, thus recapitulating the early developmental expression of serotonin transporter associated with cortical pyramidal neurons. Cortical spheroids also appropriately express serotonin receptors, such as synaptic 5-HT2A and glial 5-HT5A. To determine whether fluoxetine can affect developing neural circuits independent of serotonergic innervation from the dorsal and medial raphe nuclei, we treated cortical neurons and spheroids with fluoxetine. Fluoxetine alters neurite formation in a dose-dependent fashion. Intriguingly, in cortical spheroids, neither acute nor chronic fluoxetine significantly altered excitatory synapse formation. However, only acute, but not chronic fluoxetine exposure altered inhibitory synaptogenesis. Finally, fluoxetine reversibly suppresses neuronal activity in a dose-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that fluoxetine can acutely alter synaptic function in developing neural circuits, but the effects were not long-lasting. This work provides a foundation for future studies to combine serotonergic innervation with cortical spheroids and assess the contributions of fluoxetine-induced alterations in serotonin levels to brain development.
“Not Your Typical Student”: The Social Construction of the “First-Generation” College Student

This study challenges the idea that classifying students as first generation is necessarily empowering or helpful for students. The analysis reveals how one college’s discursive construction of the first-generation category benefits the institution at the expense of the students who are classified as such. Using in-depth interviews with staff and first-generation students, along with observation of events aimed at these students, I analyze the discourse about first-generation college students at a selective college and students’ reactions to that discourse. I argue that power operates through the first-generation category by serving the following institutional interests: (1) helping the school to instill a strong sense of institutional identity within first-generation students and (2) providing first-generation students with a hybrid social class identity that discourages them from developing a critical social class awareness. The analysis reveals an institutional discourse about first-generation students that portrays them as academically deficient and in need of cultural transformation. This discourse discourages students from organizing around social class issues by pushing them along an individualist pathway, which is embedded in the meritocratic ideal of individual achievement and neoliberal discouragement of collective class action.
Isomorphism Theorems: Markov Processes, Gaussian Processes and Beyond

We begin with some introductory material on Gaussian processes and Markov processes and then study in turn the isomorphism theorems of Dynkin, Eisenbaum and the generalized second Ray-Knight theorem. In each case we give a proof and a sample application. We then introduce loop soups and permanental processes, the ingredients we use to develop an isomorphism theorem for non-symmetric Markov processes. Along the way we gain new insight into the reason that Gaussian processes appear in the isomorphism theorems in the symmetric case. Having developed some general material on Poisson processes in Sect. 7, we make use of it in the next two sections. Section 8 contains an excursion theory proof of the generalized second Ray-Knight theorem, and Sect. 9 explains a similar theorem for random interlacements. Up till this point proofs use the method of moments. In Sect. 10 we explain how to prove these theorems using the method of Laplace transforms.
Modeling considerations for simulation of flow in bedrock channels

Numerical models have become popular tools for exploring flow patterns in rivers. These include step-backwater models based on the one-dimensional energy equation, but two- and three-dimensional models based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are also becoming more widely available with advances in computer technology and in software design. Bedrock channels are often characterized by unsteady, turbulent flow conditions that pose a serious challenge for modeling; this paper provides a short introduction to the different classes of flow models that are available, and identifies some of the questions that need to be addressed in applying these models in bedrock channels. Case studies using both one- and two-dimensional flow models are provided to illustrate how the models perform in different geomorphic settings and to suggest how the models may be applied both for reconstruction of past flows and for predicting selected aspects of the flow field.
Why On Earth Do People Use Bitcoin

Bitcoin is making near-daily headlines, whether about its volatile exchange rate, the regulatory issues is raises, or its criminal associations. As the public becomes familiar with the idea of virtual currencies, many people struggle to understand why users exchange government-backed (“real”) currencies for Bitcoin. This paper explores the appeal and danger of investing in Bitcoin for speculative gain, for moral purposes, for its spending power, and for its criminal applications.
Photoreceptor encoding of supersaturating light stimuli in salamander retina

In the dark-adapted salamander retina, spikes could be elicited from rods under normal physiological conditions. Spike activity was observed in rods during the recovery phase of the response to saturating light. These action potentials were calcium spikes, blocked by cadmium and L-type calcium channel blockers. In response to light stimuli that saturate the rod peak response, calcium action potentials occurred with a delay that depended on light intensity, with stronger light increasing spike latency. Therefore, these spikes encode rod visual information at light intensities beyond rod saturation. Postsynaptic currents of similar time course were observed in second and third order neurones. Since rods exposed to brighter light stimuli produced more delayed spike activity, these signals might contribute to negative afterimages.
Amino-terminal Sequence Analysis of Proteins Purified on a Nanomole Scale by Gel Electrophoresis

Abstract A simple, rapid, manual technique is described for determining the amino-terminal amino acid sequence of proteins on a nanomole scale. In this modification of the 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl-Edman degradation, inorganic carriers permit convenient manipulation of small amounts of protein, and use of the detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate throughout the procedure maintains protein solubility. Nanomole quantities of pure protein for such sequence analysis are readily isolated from multicomponent systems by analytical scale polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Proteins are recovered quantitatively from the gel by elution. The method is therefore suitable for characterization of the proteins derived from multichain enzymes and viruses.
Demethylation of Methyl Aryl Ethers: 4‐Ethoxy‐3‐Hydroxybenzaldehyde

Demethylation of methyl aryl ethers: 4-ethoxy-3-hydroxybenzaldehyde reactant: 5.0 g. (0.028 mole) of 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde reactant: 5.0 ml. (0.029 mole) of diphenylphosphine intermediate: 5.0 g. (0.022 mole) of 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde ethylene acetal product: 4-hydroxy-3-ethoxybenzaldehyde Keywords: acetal (and thioacetal) formation; cleavage, dealkylation; hydrolysis, miscellaneous; assay methods, for butyllithium, with 2-butanol, menthol, 2-pentanol, or 2-propanol, 1,10-phenanthroline indicator; diphenylphosphine, preparation of; 4-ethoxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde; triethylamine; diphenylphosphine, pyrophoric
Endocytosis: Is dynamin a ‘blue collar’ or ‘white collar’ worker?

The GTPase dynamin clearly plays an important role in endocytosis, but precisely how has been controversial. Some recent results support the view that dynamin uses GTP hydrolysis physically to drive vesiculation; others support the view that dynamin acts as a classical G protein 'switch'. Perhaps both views are correct.
A NEW DYSMORPHIC SYNDROME WITH CNS, RENAL AND SKELETAL ABNORMALITIES

We report a patient with a syndrome of distinctive facial, ocular, CNS, skeletal, and renal abnormalities. His past history was remarkable for congenital cataracts, marked developmental delay, and moderately severe scoliosis. A convulsive disorder was recognized at 18 years of age. Numerous fractures with poor healing began occurring at age 23. He subsequently developed evidence of progressive kidney disease leading to death from renal failure at age 32. Dysmorphic features when seen shortly before his demise included a fleshy face, a bulbous, upturned nose, large tongue, short neck, severe scoliosis, short limbs with small hands and feet, short, broad digits, and clinodactyly. Renal pathology revealed a tubulointerstitial nephritis similar to that seen in Jeune's asphyxiating thoracic dysplasia, Alstrom's syndrome or nail-patella syndrome, as well as a prominent mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis but clinical features were not consistent with any of these disorders. Other autopsy abnormalities included neuromigrational brain defects and diffuse markedly softened bones with multiple foci of apparent healing. An older brother was reported to have had the same phenotype, but died at age 13 years without an autopsy. An otherwise negative family history suggests either autosomal recessive or X-linked inheritance. We suggest that this may be a distinctive and previously unrecognized disorder.
Vaginal erosion, sinus formation, and ischiorectal abscess following transobturator tape: ObTape implantation

A 50-year-old woman was referred for evaluation with an 8-month history of intermittent malodorous vaginal discharge initially noted 2 months after placement of a transobturator tape for stress urinary incontinence. Evaluation revealed erosion of the tape through the vaginal wall with a sinus tract associated with an ischiorectal abscess. Surgical removal of the tape with excision of the sinus tract, drain placement, and antibiotic therapy was needed for complete resolution of the symptoms. Infectious complications need to be considered when counseling women prior to synthetic sling placement. A high index of suspicion, meticulous sub- and periurethral inspection, along with aggressive surgical management are required to treat an infected draining abscess following synthetic transobturator sling placement.
The role of neutrophil myeloperoxidase in models of lung tumor development

Chronic inflammation plays a key tumor-promoting role in lung cancer. Our previous studies in mice demonstrated that neutrophils are critical mediators of tumor promotion in methylcholanthrene (MCA)-initiated, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)-promoted lung carcinogenesis. In the present study we investigated the role of neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in this inflammation promoted model. Increased levels of MPO protein and activity were present in the lungs of mice administered BHT. Treatment of mice with N-acetyl lysyltyrosylcysteine amide (KYC), a novel tripeptide inhibitor of MPO, during the inflammatory stage reduced tumor burden. In a separate tumor model, KYC treatment of a Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) tumor graft in mice had no effect on tumor growth, however, mice genetically deficient in MPO had significantly reduced LLC tumor growth. Our observations suggest that MPO catalytic activity is critical during the early stages of tumor development. However, during the later stages of tumor progression, MPO expression independent of catalytic activity appears to be required. Our studies advocate for the use of MPO inhibitors in a lung cancer prevention setting.
Gene therapy strategies in glaucoma and application for steroid-induced hypertension

Gene therapy of the eye has a high potential of becoming the preferred treatment of a number of eye diseases. Because of its easy accessibility, all the tissues of the eye can be reached and genetically manipulated with nowadays standard gene delivery technologies. Gene therapy offers the possibility to do both, correct a genetic defect by replacing the mutated or missing gene and that of using genes as drugs. Gene drugs would be more specific and would have a longer duration of action and less toxicity than conventional drugs. Examples of both applications are beginning to emerge. Using gene replacement, vision has been restored in several patients of Leber congenital amaurosis (Maguire et al., 2009). Some gene drugs, such as siRNA, are currently in clinical trials to silence angiogenic factors in macular degeneration (Campa and Harding, 2011). In this manuscript we first give a short overview of the basics of gene therapy in the eye and then review the ongoing preclinical studies in our laboratory for the gene-drug treatment of steroid-induced ocular hypertension.
Estimating Individual Developmental Functions: Methods and Their Assumptions

This article introduces developmentalists to methods for estimating individual developmental functions from longitudinal data in a multilevel analysis. Quantitative growth curve models for estimating the developmental functions from various types of longitudinal data are discussed in the context of both an investigator's assumptions about individual development on the attribute and the design characteristics of the prospective study. General linear and inherently nonlinear models that estimate population, individual, and prototypic growth curves are illustrated and contrasted when they are fit to speech development data.
Effect of Phytohemagglutinin on Skin Allograft Survival in Mice.

SummaryThe effect of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on skin allograft survival in mice of two strains, DBA/2 and C57Bl/6J has been studied. The administration of PHA prior to grafting significantly increased graft survival time in both strains. No increase in survival was observed if PHA was given 24 hours after grafting. Likewise no differences were observed in second set skin graft survival between PHA treated mice and untreated controls. No toxic effects of PHA were noted in any of the treated mice at. the dosages and times of administration used.
Electrical characterization of gan metal oxide semiconductor diode using Sc2O3 as the gate oxide

GaN metal oxide semiconductor diodes were demonstrated utilizing Sc 2 O 3 as the gate oxide. Sc 2 O 3 was grown at 100°C on MOCVD grown n-GaN layers in a molecular beam epitaxy system, using a scandium elemental source and an electron cyclotron resonance oxygen plasma. Ar/Cl 2 based discharges were used to remove Sc 2 O 3 , to expose the underlying n-GaN for ohmic metal deposition in an inductively coupled plasma system. Electron beam deposited Ti/Al/Pt/Au and Pt/Au were utilized as ohmic and gate metallizations, respectively. An interface trap density of 5 X 10 1 1 eV - 1 cm - 2 was obtained with the Terman method. Conductance-voltage measurements were also used to estimate the interface trap density and a slightly higher value was obtained as compared to the Terman method. Results of capacitance measurements at elevated temperature (up to 300°C) indicated the presence of deep states near the interface.