cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Creative Generation of Multiple Perspectives: Application to the Problem of Burmese Pythons in the Everglades

Many IS/DSS development methods advocate the inclusion of multiple perspectives during systems design activities to deal with problems more holistically. Yet, few techniques exist for generating these perspectives. This paper proposes a method for creative generation of multiple perspectives to aid designing systems for dealing with wicked problems involving multiple stakeholders. We illustrate the technique by applying it to the problem of Burmese pythons that originally were pets but were released into Florida’s Everglades. Burmese pythons have become a popular pet in many parts of the United States. When small, they are easily fed and cared for. But as they grow, reaching over 20 feet in length, growing in excess of 200 pounds, and producing as much excrement as a horse, they become much more difficult to house. Many are released into the wild. It is estimated that 30,000 pythons now inhabit the Florida Everglades. As conditions become more crowded, the reptiles are increasingly headed across the lower onethird of the U.S., which is python-friendly habitat. No one knows what might happen next…
The first four years of the Landsat 7 mission: a review

The Landsat 7 mission is making major advances in our understanding of the Earth's land and coastal oceans and the role of human activities as a force for global change. It has achieved unprecedented successes in satellite and sensor performance, mission management and operations, data acquisition and distribution, and science. In summary, the Landsat 7 satellite mission is realizing a long-held dream for the entire Landsat program: to provide continuing seasonal, global, high-resolution data for a myriad of important science and applications uses.
Rebound: scalable checkpointing for coherent shared memory

As we move to large manycores, the hardware-based global check-pointing schemes that have been proposed for small shared-memory machines do not scale. Scalability barriers include global operations, work lost to global rollback, and inefficiencies in imbalanced or I/O-intensive loads. Scalable checkpointing requires tracking inter-thread dependences and building the checkpoint and rollback operations around dynamic groups of communicating processors. To address this problem, this paper introduces Rebound, the first hardware-based scheme for coordinated local checkpointing in multiprocessors with directory based cache coherence. Rebound leverages the transactions of a directory protocol to track inter-thread dependences. In addition, it boosts checkpointing efficiency by: (i) delaying the writeback of data to safe memory at checkpoints, (ii) supporting operation with multiple checkpoints, and (iii) optimizing checkpointing at barrier synchronization. Finally, Rebound introduces distributed algorithms for checkpointing and rollback sets of processors. Simulations of parallel programs with up to 64 threads show that Rebound is scalable and has very low overhead. For 64 processors, its average performance overhead is only 2%, compared to 15% for global checkpointing.
Imploding and exploding migraine headaches: Comparison of methods to diagnose pain directionality

Background The study aims to compare methods of determining headache directionality (imploding, exploding, and/or ocular headaches) in women with migraine, investigate the concordance between physician assignment and patient self-assignment of pain directionality, and evaluate whether patients assigned their headaches to the same direction when queried using different methods. Directionality of migraine headache pain (imploding, exploding, or ocular) may reflect differences in the underlying pathogenesis of individual migraine attacks among and within individuals. Emerging evidence suggests that directionality of pain in migraine sufferers may predict response to onabotulinumtoxin A. The best method of determining headache directionality in migraine sufferers has not been systematically explored.
Consistent SpatioTemporal Estuarine Habitat Use during Emigration or Immigration of a Western Population of Gulf Sturgeon

AbstractThe spatial and seasonal occupancy by Gulf Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi was estimated using acoustically tagged fish in the Pascagoula River estuary over a 3-year period (2010–2013) and was based on 131,381 detections. Juveniles spent considerably more time in the estuary than subadults or adults, but that varied by year. Gulf Sturgeon of all size-classes entered the acoustic array earlier when stream discharge was high (2011, 2012) compared with when it was lower (2010). The difference was about 14–28 d earlier for adults and subadults but only 12–17 d for juveniles. Temporally, there were no significant differences in occupancy by year or season for adults or subadults or by year for juvenile Gulf Sturgeon, suggesting repeated patterns across the 3 years of this study. Significant and consistent spatial differences in occupancy occurred by array zone, with juveniles occupying the West zone more than the East and River zones of the acoustic array; however, occupancy in the River zone was...
Orientation of Turing-like Patterns by Morphogen Gradients and Tissue Anisotropies

Patterning of periodic stripes during development requires mechanisms to control both stripe spacing and orientation. A number of models can explain how stripe spacing is controlled, including molecular mechanisms, such as Turing's reaction-diffusion model, as well as cell-based and mechanical mechanisms. However, how stripe orientation is controlled in each of these cases is poorly understood. Here, we model stripe orientation using a simple, yet generic model of periodic patterning, with the aim of finding qualitative features of stripe orientation that are mechanism-independent. Our model predicts three qualitatively distinct classes of orientation mechanism: gradients in production rates, gradients in model parameters, and anisotropies (e.g. in diffusion or growth). We provide evidence that the results from our minimal model may also apply to more specific and complex models, revealing features of stripe orientation that may be common to a variety of biological systems.
Massively Parallel Multi-Computer Hardware=Software Structures for Learning

This paper suggests how appropriately structured hardware/software multi-computers might be built and used to explore ways that intelligent systems can evolve, learn and grow. It examines what computers are, the great variety of topologies that can be used to join large numbers of computers together into massively parallel multi-computer networks, and the great sizes that today’s and tomorrow’s micro-electronic VLSI (“very large scale integration”) technologies make feasible. Then it describes several multi-computer structures that appear to be especially appropriate as the substrate for systems that evolve, learn and grow, and begins to sketch out a system of this sort.
Coastal sand dunes as geomorphological systems

The importance of aeolian deposition is clearly shown by the size and bulk of coastal dunes. Sand dunes occur where there is a large supply of sand, a wind to move it, and a place in which it can accumulate. A dune classification is presented which takes into account the origin, internal geometry and surface geomorphology of coastal dunes. Since the main element that distinguishes coastal dunes from desert dunes is vegetation, the relative amount of vegetation may be used as a typology. Four dune types are distinguished: vegetated dunes, parabolic dunes, medanos (i.e. large sand hills devoid of vegetation), and artificially-inseminated dunes. Vegetated and medano dunes are the end members, with parabolic dunes in between. Parabolic dunes are “anchored” by vegetation, but the centre of the dunes has migrated in the down-wind direction. The artificially-inseminated dunes are formed by vegetation plantings, fencing, or other artificial means, but with natural sand accumulation around these obstacles. These now account for a very substantial portion of the world's coastal dunes.The role of wind and its relation to the internal geometry (i.e. cross-bed dip and direction) are discussed in some detail, with examples from Brazil, U.S. east and south coasts, Israel and China. Differences in these characteristics are detailed, and related to the different modes of formation of the four dune types.The role of the wind in transporting and depositing sand in coastal areas is being quantified through both wind tunnel and field transport measurements. An example from a field study along the coast of Israel illustrates the differences between desert and coastal dune transport, where the role of vegetation and beach topography must be taken into account. From the Israeli study, and others, it appears that transport in coastal dunes is reduced by one-third to one-half of that in deserts, due to these factors.Coastal dunes provide a useful, and often necessary, buffer against storm waves and the presently rising sea level. They form primarily through vertical sand accretion trapped by the sensitive dune vegetation. Provided that sufficient space exists between the high tide line and developed areas, planned dunes can be easily formed with the aid of plantings and fencing.
Biochemistry and Ultrastructure of Pelvic Floor Tissues and Organs

The pelvic floor is a complex system designed to support the pelvic organs. It relies upon the integration of muscular and connective tissue elements to do so effectively. Failure of this support apparatus leads to pelvic floor disorders (PFDs). Risk factors associated with PFDs have been well described, however the underlying pathogenesis remains obscure. A growing body of literature has indicated that a deeper understanding of the structure and function of these tissues, in particular, knowledge of their ultrastructure and biochemistry, will be necessary to make advances in the treatment and/or prevention of PFDs. Thus, the goals of this chapter are to (1) discuss the ultrastructural components of the pelvic floor musculature and connective tissue, (2) review the biochemical processes that modulate these tissues, and (3) describe what is known about the effect of pregnancy and parturition, and aging on these tissues and their component parts.
Shade tree cover criteria for non-point source pollution control in the Rainforest Alliance coffee certification program: A snapshot assessment of Costa Rica's Tarrazú coffee region

Abstract Management of non-point source pollution is of great importance in the context of coffee agriculture, as this land use often coincides with headwater streams that influence water quality at the basin scale. Sustainability certification programs, such as the Rainforest Alliance (RA), provide management guidelines that promote non-point source pollution control in coffee. One of these practices is the maintenance of shade trees within farms, required by RA at a minimum of 40% shade tree cover. Here we assess the effectiveness of this practice in Tarrazu, a high elevation coffee growing region in Costa Rica. We monitored indicators of non-point source pollution in streams with both high and low shade tree cover. Streams with High Shade Tree Cover (HSTC, N = 5 subwatersheds) had 35–55% cover, approximating or exceeding the RA recommendation of at least 40%; and streams with Low Shade Tree Cover (LSTC, N = 5 subwatersheds), had 18–31% cover. We monitored the ten study streams during the dry (April & December), transition (July), and peak (October) rainfall seasons of 2013, and compared responses using t -tests. We found support for the effectiveness of shade tree cover in controlling non-point source pollution: HSTC streams had significantly ( p = 0.042) lower mean annual turbidity and significantly ( p = 0.004) lower turbidity during the transition season. HSTC streams also had significantly ( p = 0.05) lower conductivity values during the transition period, although this trend was weaker through the year. Subwatersheds with HSTC streams were characterized by a higher percentage of RA-certified coffee than LSTC streams. Our study provides evidence of the benefits of RA shade tree cover criteria for managing water quality within high elevation tropical agro-ecosystems, especially if implemented at the watershed scale. These results contribute to our understanding of the role of agroforestry certification on tropical ecosystem conservation, and are the first account of the effectiveness of a specific coffee certification guideline on non-point source pollution control.
Biotic disturbance facilitates range shift at the trailing but not the leading edge of lodgepole pine's altitudinal distribution

Aim Climate change will alter the geographic distribution of many species, but in forest communities, long-lived trees often persist after the climate is no longer suitable for recruitment. Disturbance events may accelerate distribution shifts in forested ecosystems by removing persistent trees and creating new recruitment opportunities for species better adapted to the current climate. Here, we investigate how biological disturbances such as insect outbreaks may interact with climate change to initiate tree species range shifts. Location Southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA. Methods We compared tree and seedling data from long-term monitoring transects established in 1992–1995 and re-sampled in 2012 following a widespread mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) outbreak. Transects are located along elevational gradients at the altitudinal range margins of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). Results We found that recruitment had declined through time at the trailing edge of lodgepole pine's distribution (lower elevation range margin), where there are now many fewer seedlings compared to the leading edge (upper elevation range margin). At the trailing edge, mountain pine beetle increased mortality of mature lodgepole pines relative to background levels. This mortality was associated with an increase in recruitment of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), a lower elevation tree species. At the leading edge of lodgepole pine's distribution, overstorey mortality was associated with only a modest increase in the density of lodgepole pine seedlings (mean increase of 362 seedlings·ha−1), and instead favoured more shade-tolerant competitors (mean increase of 2182 seedlings·ha−1). Conclusion While there is some evidence that climate change is beginning to alter the altitudinal range of lodgepole pine, mountain pine beetle disturbance will likely facilitate this process only at the trailing (lower elevation) range margin. At the leading (upper elevation) range margin, range expansion may be limited by competition with trees and seedlings of species not susceptible to mountain pine beetle. A physical disturbance such as fire that can eliminate competing species may be required for the upward expansion of lodgepole pine's leading range margin. For tree species such as lodgepole pine that are affected by periodic insect outbreaks, ranges may shrink in the near term if this disturbance–climate interaction continues to drive range retractions that outpace range expansions.
Molecular Effects of Deafness Mutations in Actin

Point mutations in γ-cytoplasmic actin have been shown to cause autosomal-dominant non-syndromic early onset deafness. Of the eleven known actin mutations, two are unique in that they occur in the same residue. The mutations, K118M in one family and K118N in a second family, provide a unique opportunity to compare the effects of two dissimilar amino acid substitutions that produce a similar phenotype in humans. K118 resides in a helix that runs from from K113 to T126, and mutations that alter the position, dynamics and/or biochemistry of this helix can result in a wide range of pathologies. Using a combination of computational and experimental studies, both using yeast actin, we find that these mutations at K118 result in changes in the structure and dynamics of the DNase-I loop, alterations in the structure of the H73 loop as well as the sidechain orientations of W79 and W86, changes in nucleotide exchange rates, and significant shifts in the twist of the actin monomer. Interestingly for the case of K118N, the twist of the monomer is nearly identical to that for the F-actin protomer, and in vitro polymerization assays show that this mutation actually results in faster polymerization. Taken together, it is evident that mutations at this site give rise to a series of smaller changes that can be tolerated in vivo, but result in misregulation of actin assembly and dynamics.
Technology in the Developed Economy

Few things have been more interesting in the last decade than the revision of public attitudes toward technical innovation in the United States and other industrial countries. Until very recent times it was, in all countries, a nearly absolute social good. The word invention was, for all practical purposes, synonymous with progress. The scientist and engineer, the sources of such innovation, were prime social benefactors. The encouragement of technical innovation was a central function of the modern state.
Finite horizon linear quadratic Gaussian density regulator with Wasserstein terminal cost

We formulate and solve an optimal control problem in which a finite dimensional linear time invariant (LTI) control system steers a given Gaussian probability density function (PDF) close to another in fixed time, while minimizing the trajectory-wise expected quadratic cost. We measure the “closeness” between the actual terminal PDF and the desired terminal PDF as the squared Wasserstein distance between the two density functions, and penalize the lack of closeness as terminal cost. We find that unlike the standard linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control problem, the necessary conditions for the resulting linear quadratic Gaussian density regulator lead to nonlinear coupling between the boundary conditions of the covariance Lyapunov matrix differential equation and the covariance costate Riccati matrix differential equation. We show that the LQG control problem can be recovered as a special case of our density regulator problem, and illustrate our formulation on a numerical example.
Transverse mode profile of microcavity lasers

Microcavity lasers have many interesting aspects because of their short cavity length (~λ range) and large Fresnel number. Variety of spatial-temporal dynamics can be expected. There are some primary observations reported.1,2 We report here our recent study of electrically pumped vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL). The spatial intensity profiles of VCSEL under different pump condition were recorded and analyzed experimentally.
College and Career Ready: Preparing Students in Fitness and Health Literacy.

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts have been adopted by many states across the country in an effort to prepare students for life after high school, whether that be going to college or joining the work force. The anchor standards of the CCSS, known as the College and Career Ready Standards, describe the literacy skills of college and career-ready individuals. Physical educators, as well as classroom teachers, have a role in preparing students to be literate, independent and knowledgeable adults who are able to make informed decisions as they go through life. Students' abilities to make informed choices about their health and fitness as adults depends on the knowledge and skills developed in both physical education and the regular classroom, making collaboration between these teachers essential to college and career readiness. This article describes strategies that physical educators can use to support literacy development and promote critical thinking skills for K–12 students ...
Knock-in of Cx46 partially rescues fiber defects in lenses lacking Cx50.

Purpose Connexins 46 (Cx46) and 50 (Cx50) support lens development and homeostasis. Knockout (KO) of Cx50, but not Cx46, causes defects in lens fiber organization, F-actin enrichment, gap junction (GJ) size, ball-and-socket (BS) maturation, and GJ-associated protein distributions. To further determine the unique roles of Cx50 and Cx46, we investigated whether these defects persisted in Cx46 knock-in (Ki) lenses. Ki mice had Cx46 knocked-in to their Cx50 loci, where it was expressed under endogenous Cx50 promoters. Methods Fiber cell morphology and the distribution of lens membrane/cytoskeleton proteins from wild-type (WT), Ki, and Cx50 KO mice were visualized by immunofluorescent labeling and confocal microscopy. Results Cx46 Ki partially rescued Cx50 KO lens fiber defects. Three-week-old Ki lens fibers had typical F-actin distributions but were nonuniformly sized and disorganized. The Cx-associated proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and β-dystroglycan (βDys) no longer localized to the nuclei but remained absent from GJs. BS formed, but this occurred with lower than WT frequency. BS appeared with greater frequency in 8-week-old Ki lenses, but so did aberrant balloon-like structures similar to those in Cx50 KO lenses. Unexpectedly, 8-week-old Cx50 KO and Ki cortical lens fibers were no longer disorganized. Conclusions Cx identity is important for some aspects of fiber development (organization, Cx association with ZO-1 and βDys) but not others (F-actin enrichment). Either Cx supports BS maturation, but the sparsity of BS and presence of balloon-like structures in Ki lenses suggest that Cx50 is more capable of doing so. The partial rescue of BS structures may support the rapid growth of cortical fibers to the improved growth of Ki lenses compared to Cx50 KO lenses at young ages. Neither absence of Cx50 nor presence of Ki Cx46 affects cortical fiber cell organization by the age of 8 weeks.
Obvious Ex Post Equilibrium

Abstract I propose a new solution concept, obvious ex post (OXP) equilibrium. This is a formal standard of cognitive simplicity for mechanisms, in settings with interdependent values. Under some standard assumptions, the ascending auction has an efficient OXP equilibrium. I discuss a decision theoretic foundation for OXP mechanisms.
Dark modes and field enhancements in dielectric dimers illuminated by cylindrical vector beams

Dielectric antennas possess a complex multipolar response comprising both electric and magnetic resonances. These various modes can be selectively enhanced or suppressed using illumination beams of varying symmetries. However, such demonstrations are currently limited to single-particle antennas. Here, the authors address this issue with a theoretical study of dielectric dimer antennas illuminated by cylindrical vector beams (CVBs). They excite and study hybridized multipolar resonances in both horizontal and vertical dimer systems and show how the different beam symmetries of CVBs can selectively excite electric and magnetic modes in vertical systems, as well as couple to dark multipolar modes. The authors design an antenna system that yields unprecedented magnetic field enhancement and establishes the dielectric dimer antenna as a useful test bed for further experimental investigation.
The Early History of Polyaniline: Discovery and Origins

Prior to the discovery of its conductive properties in the 1960s, polyaniline was studied and applied as a variety of colored materials and dyes. The history of the discovery and origins of polyaniline are presented beginning with the initial oxidation of aniline by F. Ferdinand Runge in 1834 and concluding with the first electrochemical oxidation of aniline by Henry Letheby in 1862. In the process, the reports of aniline oxidation products between 1834 and 1862 are evaluated and discussed in light of modern knowledge, highlighting the various historical contributions to the current field of conjugated polymers. Finally, an initial argument for polyaniline as the first synthetic organic polymer is presented.
Properties and Evolution of White Dwarf Stars

This paper reviews the properties and evolutionary status of white dwarf stars, focusing most closely on those aspects which are likely to be of significance to understanding the ultimate fate of planetary nebulae and their central stars. White dwarf stars show a broad variety of chemical compositions. Broadly speaking, they are divided into the DA stars (with H-rich photospheres) and the non-DA stars (with He-rich photospheres), though there are a fairly large number of subtypes. The mass distribution of white dwarf stars is quite narrow, with a mean value near 0.6 and with extremes at 0.43 and 1.05. Different varieties of trace elements (such as C, N, O, Si, Ca, and Mg) are quite common. I will review several recent proposals for explaining these abundance patterns. A particularly significant question is whether processes operating while the star cools as a white dwarf can account for their variety, or whether at least part of the white dwarf phenomenology is related to events which took place when the object was a planetary nebula or even earlier.
The Cardiome Project

In this presentation the first goal is to give an idea of the broader aspects of the Physiome Project, its origins and its current state. The second goal is to give an example of the kind of approaches that will support the Physiome Project by contributing a component that is in the process of being developed into a functioning model and a database entry point: a piece of the Cardiome Project.
Editorial: advances in the therapy of atrial fibrillation: incrementally progressive but not without missteps.

Advances in the therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF) have not come easily or quickly, despite the recognized need for significantly better antiarrhythmic agents for AF termination and prevention as well as for more user-friendly anticoagulants for the prevention of emboli in patients with AF. Rather, the road has been only slowly progressive and bumpy. This manuscript will introduce the recent issues with dronedarone, the complex development story for vernakalant, and the appearance of the new oral anticoagulants. Each of these three considerations will then be explored in more depth by the invited experts for this “mini-Thematic issue” in Current Cardiology Reviews.
Psychological Research on Character as a Process in Judgment and Decision-Making and Its Potential Implications for the Character Evidence Prohibition in Anglo-American Law

Though character is an elusive construct of considerable complexity, recent research in the field of psychology has made significant inroads into unpacking the nature, function, and impact of character on judgment and decision-making. These developments may have profound implications for our system of justice by challenging the principles, policies, and purposes underlying the Anglo-American general prohibition on character evidence. At the same time, recognition of these developments by the law is a risky endeavor, and if implemented without caution, could function to the great detriment of our system of justice. By closely reviewing the psychological literature on character in conjunction with the modern rules of character evidence, this paper will suggest that despite the considerable complications recent findings in psychology pose for the model of behavior relied upon by our rules of evidence, it would be still be premature for courts or legislators to rely upon these insights to inaugurate significant reform.
Design of New Antihypertensive Drugs

Angiotensin-converting enzyme is one of the enzyme components of the renin-angiotensin system (Figure 1), the products of which play physiologically important roles in maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis and contribute to the elevation of arterial blood pressure in various hypertensive disease states.1–4 The immediate product of the action of angiotensin-converting enzyme is the octapeptide, angiotensin II, the most potent naturally occurring pressor substance known. Angiotensin III, a hepta-peptide derived from a further enzymatic cleavage of angiotensin II, is a potent stimulator of secretion of aldosterone by the adrenal cortex.5 Angiotensin-converting enzyme also plays a biologically important role in the inactivation of the potent vasodepressor peptide bradykinin.6
Polymers for information storage systems. I: Preparation and properties of highly crosslinked polydimethacrylates

Various multiethylene glycol dimethacrylates were polymerized by UV light in the presence of 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenyl-acetophenone as a photoinitiator. The ensuing highly crosslinked polydimethacrylates were characterized by thermomechanical analysis and swelling studies. The crosslinked structure was investigated and kinetic aspects of the reactions were analyzed.
Sonographic Evaluation of Superficial Peroneal Nerve Abnormalities.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to review the anatomy of the superficial peroneal nerve (SPN) and describe the sonographic appearances of various abnormalities affecting it. We performed...
Research and Application of Compensation Characteristics of DSTATCOM under Unbalanced Load

This paper introduces a Distribution Static Synchronous Compensator(DSTATCOM) used in three-phase three-wire system. Reactive harmonic detecting method of directly controlling source current is adopted. The fundamental principles of DSTATCOM of this controlling method are presented and the compensation features of unbalanced load is analyzed. The validity of this kind of DSTATCOM and compensation features of unbalanced load are proved by Matlab/Simulink.
Human complement factor H Y402H polymorphism causes an age-related macular degeneration phenotype and lipoprotein dysregulation in mice.

One of the strongest susceptibility genes for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is complement factor H (CFH); however, its impact on AMD pathobiology remains unresolved. Here, the effect of the principal AMD-risk–associated CFH variant (Y402H) on the development and progression of age-dependent AMD-like pathologies was determined in vivo. Transgenic mice expressing equal amounts of the full-length normal human CFH Y402 (CFH-Y/0) or the AMD-risk associated CFH H402 (CFH-H/H) variant on a Cfh−/− background were aged to 90 weeks and switched from normal diet (ND) to a high fat, cholesterol-enriched (HFC) diet for 8 weeks. The resulting phenotype was compared with age-matched controls maintained on ND. Remarkably, an AMD-like phenotype consisting of vision loss, increased retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) stress, and increased basal laminar deposits was detected only in aged CFH-H/H mice following the HFC diet. These changes were not observed in aged CFH-Y/0 mice or in younger (36- to 40-week-old) CFH mice of both genotypes fed either diet. Biochemical analyses of aged CFH mice after HFC diet revealed genotype-dependent changes in plasma and eyecup lipoproteins, but not complement activation, which correlated with the AMD-like phenotype in old CFH-H/H mice. Specifically, apolipoproteins B48 and A1 are elevated in the RPE/choroid of the aged CFH-H/H mice compared with age-matched control CFH-Y/0 fed a HFC diet. Hence, we demonstrate a functional consequence of the Y402H polymorphism in vivo, which promotes AMD-like pathology development and affects lipoprotein levels in aged mice. These findings support targeting lipoproteins as a viable therapeutic strategy for treating AMD.
Assessment of multimodality therapy use for extremity sarcoma in the United States.

10559 Background: National guidelines for extremity sarcoma recommend multidisciplinary consultation, but treatment approaches are not standardized. Our objectives were to (1) examine trends in the...
Abstract 132: COUP-TFII is a Novel Regulator of the TGF-β Pathway in Renal Fibrosis by Mediating the SMAD Signaling Cascade

The Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter factor II (COUP-TFII) acts as a transcriptional activator/repressor in a cell-type dependent manner. In our previous study, we have shown that under high sal...
Circle therapy for headache management: case studies

Recent findings have indicated that hypnotic interventions produce significant decrease in pain intensity. This current case studies are focused to highlight significant impact on pain management including headache. All the patients underwent a complete observation and clinical interview and only patients with psychological pain were included in the study group. For the management of headache, a novel hypnotic intervention - Circle Therapy (CT), was applied on a group of ten patients indicating their pain intensity in the range of 8-10 on subjective pain rating scale. According to rating scale, headache above 8 was considered as severe, 5-8 moderate and < 5 as mild. CT is a brief hypnotic technique limited to about 10 min. Post hypnosis ratings were also measured. The pre and post hypnosis data were recorded and analyzed by paired samples t test. Use of CT showed significant results between pre and post rating e.g. 9 ± 0.25 vs. 1 ± 0.21 (p < 0.001). This brief CT intervention provided an immediate relief from headache, however, this is limited to few case studies focusing on just headache. So, we recommend large sample studies to document the effects of CT in different types of pain. Citation: Rafiq M. Circle therapy for headache management: case studies. Anaesth pain intensive care 2020;24(1):__ DOI: https://doi.org/10.35975/apic.v24i1. Received – 28 December 2019; Reviewed – 10 January 2020; Accepted - 10 January 2020;
Impact of Boundary Heat Losses on Frontal Polymerization.

Considered as a faster and energy-efficient alternative to conventional manufacturing techniques for thermosetting polymers and composites, frontal polymerization (FP) is built on a thermal equilib...
Identification of Essential Genes with NemoProfile and Various Machine Learning Models

Genes are sequences of nucleotide in DNA that encode proteins. Essential genes are a type of genes that are critical and indispensable for an organism’s survival. Many network-based algorithms have been developed to identify essential genes. We introduce a novel approach to predict essential genes that are based on network motif profiles (NemoProfile) and various machine learning models. Experimental results show that NemoProfile is an effective data feature generated from biological networks, and balanced data is a critical factor to improve the overall performance.
Chronic Opioid Therapy: A Scoping Literature Review on Evolving Clinical and Scientific Definitions.

The management of chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) with chronic opioid therapy (COT) is controversial. There is a lack of consensus on how COT is defined resulting in unclear clinical guidance. This scoping review identifies and evaluates evolving COT definitions throughout the published clinical and scientific literature. Databases searched included PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. A total of 227 studies were identified from 8,866 studies published between January 2000 and July 2019. COT definitions were classified by pain population of application and specific dosage/duration definition parameters, with results reported according to PRISMA-ScR. Approximately half of studies defined COT as "days' supply duration >90 days" and 9.3% defined as ">120 days' supply," with other days' supply cut-off points (>30, >60, or >70) each appearing in 90 days' supply" COT definitions increased from 3.2 publications/year before 2016 to 20.7 publications/year after 2016. An increasing proportion of studies define COT as ">90 days' supply." The most recent literature trends toward shorter duration criteria, suggesting that contemporary COT definitions are increasingly conservative. PERSPECTIVE: This study summarized the most common, current definition criteria for chronic opioid therapy (COT) and recommends adoption of consistent definition criteria to be utilized in practice and research. The most recent literature trends toward shorter duration criteria overall, suggesting that COT definition criteria are increasingly stringent.
To be ‘formed’ and ‘informed’: early years’ educators’ perspectives of spirituality and its affordance in faith-based early learning centres

This investigation focussed on educators’ own personal understandings and experiences in spirituality as well as their understandings of, and practices in, promoting children’s spirituality. The co...
In vivo optical characterization of middle ear effusions associated with otitis media

Middle ear effusions (MEEs) are accumulated middle ear secretions or fluid behind the eardrum during otitis media (OM). A portable, handheld OCT system was developed to non-invasively investigate various optical scattering properties of MEEs in pediatric subjects. Furthermore, clinically relevant parameters of MEEs, including viscosity and bacterial load, were measured from the extracted MEEs after the surgical procedure to treat OM. In vivo OCT images of the middle ear prior to the surgery, OCT images of the extracted MEEs, and biological parameters were correlated to determine the relationship between the optical signatures in MEEs and the clinical findings of OM.
Predictors of Sexual Consent Communication Among Sexual Minority Cisgender and Nonbinary Young Adults During a Penetrative Sexual Encounter with a New Partner

Cisgender and nonbinary sexual minorities are at increased risk for being the victim of sexual assault. While sexual assault is influenced by a multitude of societal and interpersonal factors, misunderstandings during the external communication and interpretation of sexual consent signals likely contribute to this public health crisis. Unfortunately, initiatives aimed at educating young adults about consent negotiation draw from theory and research conducted almost exclusively with cisgender heterosexual young adults. The present study attempts to address this significant gap in the literature by exploring factors that predict consent strategies used during a first-time penetrative sexual encounter with a new partner using a sample of 228 cisgender and nonbinary sexual minority young adults. Results indicated that nonbinary status significantly predicted the use of direct verbal communication (although this association was not significant when adjusting for false discovery rate) and that sexual assertiveness was associated with more use of affirmative, direct verbal communication and less use of indirect and passive forms of consent signaling. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to improve inclusivity of sexual consent campaigns.
Missed Opportunities in Digital Investigation

A recent strategic review of policing published by the Police Foundation (Barber in The first report of the strategic review on policing in England and Wales. Police Foundation (2020) [7]) claimed that the police service in England and Wales is not equipped to meet the scale and complexity of the various challenges it faces, one of which involves the digital elements within crime investigation. Drawing upon data gathered for an MSc dissertation evaluating practices across investigators in the South of England, monthly samples from two years of serious crime investigations established that 50% of enquiries missed all digital investigative opportunities. Where a digital opportunity was identified, potential subsequent digital enquiries were missed 47% of the time. Whilst consistent with the Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) (State of Policing—The Annual Assessment of Policing in England and Wales (2018) [44]) and the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) (Mobile phone data extraction by police forces in England and Wales (2018) [55]) reports which highlight that policing capability is lagging behind modern technology and affecting public confidence; these matters will be developed and discussed leading to the conclusion that, consistent with the police foundation report, loss of public confidence will undoubtedly damage police legitimacy.
A Predictive Application Offloading Algorithm Using Small Datasets for Cloud Robotics.

Many robotic applications that are critical for robot performance require immediate feedback, hence execution time is a critical concern. Furthermore, it is common that robots come with a fixed quantity of hardware resources; if an application requires more computational resources than the robot can accommodate, its onboard execution might be extended to a degree that degrades the robot performance. Cloud computing, on the other hand, features on-demand computational resources; by enabling robots to leverage those resources, application execution time can be reduced. The key to enabling robot use of cloud computing is designing an efficient offloading algorithm that makes optimum use of the robot onboard capabilities and also forms a quick consensus on when to offload without any prior knowledge or information about the application. In this paper, we propose a predictive algorithm to anticipate the time needed to execute an application for a given application data input size with the help of a small number of previous observations. To validate the algorithm, we train it on the previous N observations, which include independent (input data size) and dependent (execution time) variables. To understand how algorithm performance varies in terms of prediction accuracy and error, we tested various N values using linear regression and a mobile robot path planning application. From our experiments and analysis, we determined the algorithm to have acceptable error and prediction accuracy when N>40.
Circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 levels are reduced in very young children with Prader-Willi syndrome independent of anthropometric parameters and nutritional status.

OBJECTIVE Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is used to evaluate growth hormone (GH) sufficiency and is decreased in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Although IGF-1 is negatively affected by body size and nutritional status, both of which are impaired in PWS children, these variables are typically not considered when assessing IGF-1 levels in these subjects. Here, we compared IGF-1 levels in PWS children to controls matched for age, sex, anthropometric parameters, and nutritional status. DESIGN/PATIENTS/MEASUREMENTS The retrospective analysis included genetically diagnosed PWS subjects (n = 65, median age; 14.0 months) and controls (n = 111, 14.3 months) matched for age, sex, anthropometric parameters (height-standard deviation score [SDS], weight-SDS, body mass index-SDS), and serum albumin levels, a marker for nutritional status. IGF-1 SDS was compared between PWS subjects and controls after adjustment for confounding variables. The GH provocation test was performed in 29 PWS subjects, and IGF-1 SDS was compared between GH-sufficient (n = 20) and GH-deficient (n = 9) subjects. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was performed to investigate the association between age and IGF-1 SDS. None had received GH or levothyroxine treatment. RESULTS After adjustment for confounding variables, IGF-1 SDS was significantly lower in PWS subjects than controls (-1.56 vs. -1.01, p = .003), while it was not different between GH-sufficient and GH-deficient PWS subjects. Correlation analysis failed to show an association between age and IGF-1 SDS both in control and PWS groups. CONCLUSIONS IGF-1 SDS is lower in very young children with PWS independent of anthropometric parameters and nutritional status, suggesting the presence of hypothalamic dysfunction of GH secretion.
Pursuing Jesuit, Catholic Identity and Mission at U.S. Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

Discussion on just what makes a university Catholic, and how a Catholic university should relate to the Church and the local bishop, date long before Ex corde Ecclesiae, and indeed go back to the early universities of Bologna, Paris, Oxford, and Cambridge, including St. Thomas Aquinas and his troubles with the Archbishop of Paris. More recently, we can cite 1949 and the establishment of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), in collaboration with the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education (Gallin, 1992, 1996; Gleason, 1995; Leahy, 1991; O’Brien, 1994; O’Keefe, 1997). Under the leadership of Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., and with the support of Pope Paul VI, IFCU evolved into an organization increasingly independent of the Congregation. This foreshadowed the tensions accompanying the development of Ex corde Ecclesiae. Meeting in Tokyo in 1965, IFCU decided to develop a document on the distinctive character of a Catholic university in the context of the recently published Vatican Council II (1965) document The Church in the Modern World. Prior to the 1968 IFCU meeting, a number of delegates met at Land O’Lakes, Wisconsin, to develop the Land O’Lakes Statement: The Nature of the Contemporary Catholic University (as cited in O’Keefe, 1997). This statement helped frame the issues that have been the basis for tensions between Church authorities and American Catholic higher education for over 40 years, especially its insistence that
Leveraging User Search Behavior to Design Personalized Browsing Interfaces for Healthcare Web Sites

Understanding and leveraging user search behavior is increasingly becoming a key component towards improving web sites functionality for the health care consumer and provider. Hence, the development and improvement of any interactive browser-based information system, such as those used by digital libraries, requires consideration of the type of individuals utilizing the system, an understanding of available content and inclusion of a way to measure user interactivity. Information systems not only need to provide useful content, they must also present content in a way that results in an efficient, effective and satisfying user experience. Functional interface design is assumed to take in consideration the overall environment of the user to support users in their search tasks. Web logs --- access logs and search logs - record user interactions with the interface, and as thus provide insight in user search behavior in a natural environment. The present study measures the usability of a digital library through an in depth analysis of the web logs. The study also leverages user interaction with the digital library to propose a use driven browsing interface to improve user interaction with the system.
Carbonic anhydrase concentration in endometrium after oral progestins

Abstract Endometrial biopsies were performed on 28 women who were taking sequential oral contraceptive tablets which employed mestranol as the estrogen and either norethindrone or DMAP (3-desoxy-6α-methyl-17α-acetoxyprogesterone) as the progestin. Endometrial carbonic anhydrase concentration was determined by a colorimetric method, and found to vary directly with the amount of progestin which had been taken.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis of the bile ducts, resulting in end-stage liver disease and reduced life expectancy. PSC primarily affects young and middle-aged men, often in association with underlying inflammatory bowel disease. The etiology of PSC includes immune-mediated components and elements of undefined nature. A cholestatic picture of liver biochemistries with elevations in serum alkaline phosphatase, nonspecific autoantibodies such as perinuclear antineutrophilic antibody, antinuclear antibodies and smooth muscle antibodies, and diffuse multifocal biliary strictures, resulting in a ‘beaded’ appearance on radiographic studies, are the hallmarks of the disease. No effective medical therapy is currently available, although clinical studies are in progress. Ursodeoxycholic acid at high doses (28 mg/kg/day to 30 mg/kg/day) is the most promising agent but is unproven so far. Liver transplantation is currently the only life-extending therapy for patients with end-stage disease, although recurrent disease can be observed in the transplanted liver. The multiple complications of PSC include pruritus, fatigue, vitamin deficiencies, metabolic bone disease, peristomal varices, bacterial cholangitis, dominant biliary strictures, gallbladder stones and polyps, and malignancy, particularly cholangiocarcinoma, which is the most lethal complication of PSC.