cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A miniaturized fiber-optic fluorescence analyzer for detection of Picric-acid explosive from commercial and environmental samples

Abstract Picric acid (2,4,6-Trinitrophenol) is a high-power explosive and a common environmental pollutant found in wastewaters generated from leather, pharmaceutical, and dye industries. It can form a fluorescent Meisenheimer complex with nucleophiles like N,N’-Diisopropylcarbodiimide (DPC). Based upon this unique Meisenheimer complex, a miniaturized fluorescence sensor has been designed for highly selective and sensitive detection of picric acid from environmental samples and commercial samples. The sensor probe equipped with a portable 532 nm DPSS green laser could detect picric acid concentrations as low as 100 nM (25 ppb) with excellent reproducibility. It shows promise for real time evaluation of picric acid contamination in environmental and commercial samples with excellent discrimination against other structurally related nitroaromatics. The validation results for picric acid concentrations in spiked environmental and commercial samples were in good agreement with high performance liquid chromatography analysis. The fluorescence method is simple, selective, sensitive and amenable to high throughput screening. The design of the portable sensor and its working principle has been discussed.
Self-report pain assessment tools for cognitively intact older adults: Integrative review.

Background Pain is common in older adults, but it is often underreported or undertreated partly because many consider pain to be a normal consequence of ageing. Among the plethora of available self-report pain assessment tools, there is no synthetised evidence which tools are indicated for use among cognitively intact older adults. Purpose of the study To understand documented self-report pain assessment tools that have been used among cognitively intact older adults, and to describe their characteristics including overall performance as well as studies demonstrating their use. Methods A systematic search of the indexed databases PubMed, PsycINFO and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL Plus) was conducted to identify documented self-report pain assessment tools through peer-reviewed papers, including citations from January 1990 to December 2015. Thirty-five percentage of abstracts were independently evaluated by two raters according to specific criteria. Results Among identified tools, the Iowa Pain Thermometer, the 6-point Verbal Descriptor Scale, the Numeric Rating Scale, the short form Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and the Geriatric Pain Measure (GPM) may be suitable tools for self-reported pain by cognitively intact older adults based on the statement of the literature. Only two self-report tools (the GPM and the Geriatric Painful Events Inventory) were designed specifically for older adults. Conclusions More studies are needed to evaluate pain measures' psychometric performance across different settings, racial/ethnic groups and disease categories. Since 80% of older adults have at least one chronic disease, multidimensional tools such as the GPM may need to be used more often for accurate self-report of pain. Implications for practice Examining the psychometric properties of comprehensive self-report pain assessment tools informs recommendations for the selection of tools to be used in clinical practice.
Cataloging Library Resources: An Introduction, by Marie Keen Shaw: Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017, 229 pp., Hardback ISBN: 978-1-4422-7485-3, $75.00, Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4422-7486-0, $35.00, E-book ISBN: 978-1-4422-7487-7, $33.00.

As the author states, books on cataloging and classification are rarely written specifically for support staff. The purpose of Cataloging Library Resources is to help fill this gap. As such, it has...
Discordance between self-reported contraceptive use and detection of exogenous hormones among Malawian women enrolling in a randomized clinical trial.

Abstract Objective The objective was to assess the extent of concordance between self-reported contraceptive use and the presence of contraceptive progestins in serum. Study design We evaluated self-reported contraceptive use by using radioimmunoassay to examine baseline serum levels of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and levonorgestrel (LNG) among 97 Malawian women enrolling in a contraceptive trial. Results Twelve percent (12/97) of study participants who reported no hormonal contraceptive use in the previous 6 months had either MPA or LNG detected in their serum. Conclusions The observed discordance between self-report and detection of exogenous hormones in serum indicates that caution is warranted when drawing conclusions based on self-reported contraceptive use.
PITX1 promotes chondrogenesis and myogenesis in mouse hindlimbs through conserved regulatory targets.

Abstract The PITX1 transcription factor is expressed during hindlimb development, where it plays a critical role in directing hindlimb growth and the specification of hindlimb morphology. While it is known that PITX1 regulates hindlimb formation, in part, through activation of the Tbx4 gene, other transcriptional targets remain to be elucidated. We have used a combination of ChIP-seq and RNA-seq to investigate enhancer regions and target genes that are directly regulated by PITX1 in embryonic mouse hindlimbs. In addition, we have analyzed PITX1 binding sites in hindlimbs of Anolis lizards to identify ancient PITX1 regulatory targets. We find that PITX1-bound regions in both mouse and Anolis hindlimbs are strongly associated with genes implicated in limb and skeletal system development. Gene expression analyses reveal a large number of misexpressed genes in the hindlimbs of Pitx1−/− mouse embryos. By intersecting misexpressed genes with genes that have neighboring mouse PITX1 binding sites, we identified 440 candidate targets of PITX1. Of these candidates, 68 exhibit ultra-conserved PITX1 binding events that are shared between mouse and Anolis hindlimbs. Among the ancient targets of PITX1 are important regulators of cartilage and skeletal muscle development, including Sox9 and Six1. Our data suggest that PITX1 promotes chondrogenesis and myogenesis in the hindlimb by direct regulation of several key members of the cartilage and muscle transcriptional networks.
Designing an Inclusive Intercultural Online Participatory Seminar for Higher Education Teachers and Professionals

How do we design an inclusive, collaborative online learning space to encourage deep discussion, analysis, and practical change in the pedagogical practices of present and future university teachers? How especially do we foster this engagement around “difficult” and “common sense” conversations? With these questions in mind, the authors explore their development of a relational, reflexive, dialogical, and praxis-oriented online learning space as a springboard for co-creation of intercultural teaching and learning knowledge and practice among education professionals. The authors draw on their locations as an experienced educator of future teachers and a graduate student in youth leadership, both rooted in social justice activism and interdisciplinary scholarship to discuss developing a seminar that (1) embodied its content (intercultural, inclusive learning and teaching) in praxis, (2) supported development of networked learning connections between learners, teachers, resources we collectively brought together, and (3) extended to the communities that participants entered daily as teachers and learners. This chapter details the process of co-designing such a seminar, discusses some of the pedagogical processes utilized to promote the co-production of knowledge with participants, and explores the outcomes of these efforts with participants.
Polymeric Nanoparticles for Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy is a relatively new clinical therapeutic modality that is based on three key components: photosensitizer, light, and molecular oxygen. Nanoparticles, especially targeted ones, have recently emerged as an efficient carrier of drugs or contrast agents, or multiple kinds of them, with many advantages over molecular drugs or contrast agents, especially for cancer detection and treatment. This paper describes the current status of PDT, including basic mechanisms, applications, and challenging issues in the optimization and adoption of PDT; as well as recent developments of nanoparticle-based PDT agents, their advantages, designs and examples of in vitro and in vivo applications, and demonstrations of their capability of enhancing PDT efficacy over existing molecular drug-based PDT.
Abstract 1851: Combined inhibition of PARP and the unfolded protein response synergistically reduces viability in BRCA1-mutant breast cancer cells

As single agents, small molecule inhibitors of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) have shown remarkable efficacy in BRCA1/2-mutant tumors due to their synthetic lethality in DNA damage response-deficient cells. While PARP inhibitors, such as olaparib, have gained FDA-approval for gynecological malignancies, recurrent disease remains a challenge. To identify drug combinations with the potential to improve the initial response to PARP inhibition, we carried out a high-throughput drug screen in which we examined the ability of olaparib to synergize with more than 500 small molecules in BRCA1-mutant breast cancer cells. The compounds investigated included not only conventional “anti-cancer” agents but also lesser-studied metabolic and stress-inducing drugs. All compounds were tested across 10-point dose curves using an image-based readout to avoid false positives/negatives associated with more traditional metabolic readouts of cell viability (i.e. Cell Titer Glo). This screening approach revealed that inhibition of the unfolded protein response (UPR) sensitizes breast cancer cells to PARP inhibition. We have further characterized interaction of one class of inhibitors that target IRE1 (inositol-requiring enzyme 1), which initiates adaptive responses to ER stress through unconventional mRNA splicing of the transcription factor X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1). Combining olaparib with an inhibitor of IRE1-mediated XBP1 splicing (STF-0831010) synergistically reduced cancer cell viability in BRCA1-mutant SUM149 breast cancer cells. This combination led to increased DNA damage, indicated by increased γ-H2AX staining. This study provides evidence that UPR inhibition sensitizes cells to PARP inhibition, suggesting a previously un-recognized connection between PARP inhibition and protein homeostasis. Furthermore, it identifies a potential new drug combination to increase the efficacy of PARP inhibitors in the clinic. Citation Format: Jennifer E. Endress, Isaac S. Harris, Jacob Stewart-Ornstein, Galit Lahav, Joan S. Brugge. Combined inhibition of PARP and the unfolded protein response synergistically reduces viability in BRCA1-mutant breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1851.
The Harmful Effect of Child Maltreatment on Economic Outcomes in Adulthood.

Objectives. To examine the effect of maltreatment during childhood on subsequent financial strain during adulthood and the extent to which this effect is mediated by adolescent depressive symptoms,...
Assessment of abattoir based monitoring of PRRSV using oral fluids

Abstract Various porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) regional elimination projects have been implemented in the U.S., but none have yet succeeded. In part, this reflects the need for efficient methods to monitor over time the progress of PRRSV status of participating herds. This study assessed the feasibility of monitoring PRRSV using oral fluids collected at the abattoir. A total of 36 pig lots were included in the study. On-farm oral fluid (n = 10) and serum (n = 10) collected within two days of shipment to the abattoir were used to establish the reference PRRSV status of the population. Oral fluids (n = 3 per lot) were successfully collected from 32 lots (89%) at the lairage . Three veterinary diagnostic laboratories (VDLs) tested the sera (VDL1 and VDL3: n = 316, VDL2: n = 315) and oral fluids (VDL1 and VDL3: n = 319, VDL2: n = 320) for PRRSV antibodies (ELISA) and RNA (rRT-PCR). Environmental samples (n = 64, 32 before and 32 after pigs were placed in lairage) were tested for PRRSV RNA at one VDL. All oral fluids (farm and abattoir) tested positive for PRRSV antibody at all VDLs. PRRSV positivity frequency on serum ranged from 92.4% to 94.6% among VDLs, with an overall agreement of 97.6%. RNA was detected on 1.3% to 1.9%, 8.1% to 17.7%, and 8.3% to 17.7% of sera, on-farm and abattoir oral fluids, respectively. Between-VDLs rRT-PCR agreement on sera and oral fluids (farm and abattoir) ranged from 97.8% to 99.0%, and 79.0% to 81.2%, respectively. Between-locations agreement of oral fluids varied from 31.3% to 50% depending on the VDL. This study reported the application of swine oral fluids collected at the abattoir for monitoring PRRSV, and describes the between-VDL agreement for PRRS testing of serum and oral fluid field samples.
A Multi-Level Intrusion Detection System for Wireless Sensor Networks Based on Immune Theory

The human body has been, and will continue to be, a source of inspiration for researchers across various disciplines owing to its robustness and myriad of functions. While some of these advancements include the attempt to replicate the entire body to create an artificial self, some tend to use a few characteristics and theories and build upon an artificial subsystem. In this paper, an effort is made to secure a wireless sensor network (WSN) using an immune theory technique called Danger Theory. In other words, a multi-level intrusion detection system (IDS) is designed based on the functions of various immune cells. This is realized by monitoring WSN parameters, such as energy, volume of data and frequency of data transfer and developing an output based on their weights and concentrations which is a suitable basis for IDS design in WSNs.
Reciprocity in Measuring Multimode Fiber Transmission

Characterizing the transmission matrix through multimode fibers without access to their distal end would facilitate their use as miniature endoscopes. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that reciprocity causes the double-pass transmission matrix to be transpose symmetric and complicates the retrieval of the single-pass transmission.
Exploring Multicultural Books through Predictions and Social Interactions: A Case Study with Kindergarteners in the United States.

Although previous studies have underlined the importance of social interactions, multicultural education, prediction/imagination, and bilingual/bi-literacy learning, the intersection of all these f...
Factors Associated with Reoperation in Breast-Conserving Surgery for Cancer: A Prospective Study of American Society of Breast Surgeon Members

The Disclosures in the original article are incomplete. Not included is the following information.
Designing Objectives (O)

In this chapter, I discuss the key steps involved in developing the objectives (O) for a specification. Typically, a specification exists to serve the purposes of its members; thus, it is sensible to start with O before addressing H, P, and E.
Can a Positive School Climate Promote Student Attendance? Evidence From New York City:

Nearly 15% of American students are chronically absent from school. To address absenteeism, many states have recently made chronic absence a core component of their school accountability plans. Sch...
Establishing Equitable Graduate Mentoring in Higher Education

In higher education, graduate mentoring provides students with a guide through their collegiate experience, helping them to gain research experience, professionalism, and networking opportunities pertinent to professional success. Successful mentorships, especially important for women and minority students, can increase academic satisfaction, perseverance, and retention; keep students on time to graduate; and have positive influences on future career goals. Therefore, it is the purpose of this chapter to explore current literature regarding graduate-level mentoring and to establish mentoring program recommendations with social justice and equity lenses so that the process of mentoring practices becomes one of critical consciousness. This is done within a framework of transformative learning theory to help readers understand the underlying influences and aspects that make up the structure of successful mentoring. Mentoring is discussed through both the student and faculty perspectives, considering aspects of diverse types of students, specifically women and Black minority students at public institutions. Program recommendations are made based on a multilevel mentoring model and future directions are discussed.
Putting the onus on authority: A review of obedient behavior and why we should move on

Abstract The obedience to authority domain arose in psychological research between the 1950s–1960s as a combination of interest in obedience, conformity, and compliance that expanded after Milgram's shock experiments. Each of these components compared different forms of submissive behavior as a response to authority and social pressure, but over the past fifty years the domain has merged these three components and become more centered around the shock of submissive behavior than the authority that causes it. As a result, many modern investigations use inconsistent understandings of these constructs and often leave out manipulation of the second half of the paradigm – authority. If we reintroduce the distinctions for each form of submissive behavior, we can notice patterns of how each is related to differences in authority and the systemic benefits of studying the nuances of authoritative systems. Understanding the impact of power dynamics on submissive behavior and what truly separates obedience from conformity and compliance not only allows for a more dualistic approach to this discipline, but allows the authority domain to provide insight into other domains such as education, workplace behavior, and conformity to mass media.
Quotations Add Interest and Lend Authority to Classroom Lessons.

Quotations yield the greatest insight from the fewest words. In addition to the wisdom and guidance quotations provide, teachers effectively use quotations in displays, presentations, speeches, res...
Autistic Young Adults’, Parents’, and Practitioners’ Expectations of the Transition to Adulthood:

Parental expectations are important for autistic youth during the transition to adulthood, but less is known about the expectations of other stakeholder groups. The current study examines the simil...
Bitcoin Mining to Reduce the Renewable Curtailment: A Case Study of Caiso

High energy intensity is an enduring problem for the cryptocurrencies, especially for those based on Proof-of-Work like Bitcoin. Energy demand not only comprises the largest share of the operation cost of Bitcoin mining, but also poses a considerable hindrance to the climate agenda. The present paper explores how renewable energy generation can be availed to address these challenges. The need to curtail excess production of renewable energy to maintain the balance between supply and demand and thereby avoid negative electricity prices opens possibilities for deploying renewables to meet bitcoin energy demand. Situating the Bitcoin mining machines at the generation side of solar and wind is an attractive solution to mitigate both the curtailment problem and the energy intensity problem. Here we present a case study on the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), analyzing the profitability of such a solution. Using 2018 historical data, our simulation reveals that the CAISO system will earn 5.6~48.1 million dollars net profit by selling Bitcoin without holding it. These mining machines will also absorb 50.8%~79.9% of the curtailed energy. The probability making a profit in terms of volatile bitcoin price and mining difficulty is positively correlated with the capacity factor of the mining machines. However, there is a tradeoff between the curtailment usage rate and the capacity factor of the machines. To consume more curtailed energy, the system will need to deploy more mining machines and become more sensitive to the volatility of the bitcoin price and hash rate.
Risk factors for ureteral obstruction and the diagnostic value of the "cysto-under-tension" technique at the time of uterosacral colpopexy.

The objective is to determine the incidence of ureteral obstruction and delayed ureteral injury and to identify risk factors for ureteral obstruction following uterosacral colpopexy. The secondary objective is to evaluate the diagnostic value of the “cysto-under-tension” technique, when a cystoscopy is performed prior to vaginal cuff closure with the uterosacral sutures on tension. This was a retrospective review of patients undergoing uterosacral ligament colpopexy between 2007 and 2012 with a nested case-control analysis. Patients with documented ureteral obstruction on cystoscopy or a delayed ureteral injury were identified. Cases were defined as patients with a ureteral obstruction on cystoscopy and controls as those who did not; a multivariable regression analysis was performed. A total of 551 patients underwent uterosacral ligament colpopexy. Twenty-four (4.3% [95% CI = 2.94–6.40]) patients had a ureteral obstruction on cystoscopy, and two (0.4% [95% CI = 0.09–1.31]) patients experienced a delayed ureteral injury. The “cysto-under-tension” technique was used in 40 (7.3%) cases, with a sensitivity of 50.0% (CI = 1.26–98.74) and specificity of 97.4% (CI = 86.2–99.9) to detect ureteral obstruction. On logistic regression for the case-control analysis, increased age remained associated with increased odds of ureteral obstruction (adjOR 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02–1.11) and a higher BMI had lower odds (adjOR 0.89, 95% CI = 0.79–0.98). In this large cohort study, older age was associated with higher odds of obstruction at the time of colpopexy while a higher BMI might have been protective. The “cysto-under-tension” technique overall may not be that useful in detecting ureteral obstructions but has high negative predictive value.
Preferred locations in a laser beam for photophoretic trapping of microscopic particles

Photophoresis can trap opaque microscopic particles in a focused laser beam surrounded by a gas such as air. The particle is heated by the laser, and in turn, interactions with the ambient gas provide a stabilizing force that holds the particle in a specific region of the beam. The particles can stay trapped while the beam ismoved side to side up to 2 m/s, enabling three-dimensional images to be traced out in a display application. Structure in the laser beam is associated with the trapping phenomenon, but the fundamental mechanism for stability of the trap remains mysterious. Particles prefer regions of the beam with diffraction features such as those that arise from spherical aberration. Nevertheless, the ability of near-unidirectional light, albeit light that undergoes focusing and exhibits structure, to provide a restoring force to trapped particles in the direction opposite to beam propagation needs to be explained. Through repeated trials of capturing particles in a well characterized beam, we map out the preferred locations for particle capture and correlate them with diffraction features of the beam. The specific beam locations that host trapped particles, when compared with neighboring regions that do not, can offer insight into the stability mechanism. We analyze the Poynting vector in the vicinity of trapped particles. The flow of light energy can provide important clues into the trapping mechanism.
High-Fat Diet Alters the Retinal Transcriptome in the Absence of Gut Microbiota

The relationship between retinal disease, diet, and the gut microbiome has shown increasing importance over recent years. In particular, high-fat diets (HFDs) are associated with development and progression of several retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy. However, the complex, overlapping interactions between diet, gut microbiome, and retinal homeostasis are poorly understood. Using high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) of whole retinas, we compare the retinal transcriptome from germ-free (GF) mice on a regular diet (ND) and HFD to investigate transcriptomic changes without influence of gut microbiome. After correction of raw data, 53 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 19 were upregulated and 34 were downregulated in GF-HFD mice. Key genes involved in retinal inflammation, angiogenesis, and RPE function were identified. Enrichment analysis revealed that the top 3 biological processes affected were regulation of blood vessel diameter, inflammatory response, and negative regulation of endopeptidase. Molecular functions altered include endopeptidase inhibitor activity, protease binding, and cysteine-type endopeptidase inhibitor activity. Human and mouse pathway analysis revealed that the complement and coagulation cascades are significantly affected by HFD. This study demonstrates novel data that diet can directly modulate the retinal transcriptome independently of the gut microbiome.
Snowfall‐driven mass change on the East Antarctic ice sheet

[1] An improved understanding of processes dominating the sensitive balance between mass loss primarily due to glacial discharge and mass gain through precipitation is essential for determining the future behavior of the Antarctic ice sheet and its contribution to sea level rise. While satellite observations of Antarctica indicate that West Antarctica experiences dramatic mass loss along the Antarctic Peninsula and Pine Island Glacier, East Antarctica has remained comparably stable. In this study, we describe the causes and magnitude of recent extreme precipitation events along the East Antarctic coast that led to significant regional mass accumulations that partially compensate for some of the recent global ice mass losses that contribute to global sea level rise. The gain of almost 350 Gt from 2009 to 2011 is equivalent to a decrease in global mean sea level at a rate of 0.32 mm/yr over this three-year period.
Effect of rhenium alloying on lattice dilation of the group VI-A refractory metals

Rhenium alloying effect on room temperature ductility of Cr, Mo and W, measuring lattice parameters by Debye-Scherer method
Ultrasonic Imaging with Limited‐Diffraction Beams

Limited-diffraction beams are a class of waves that may be localized in space and time. Theoretically, these beams are propagation invariant and can propagate to an infinite distance without spreading. In practice, when these beams are produced with wave sources of a finite aperture and energy, they have a very large depth of field, meaning that they can keep a small beam width over a large distance. Because of this property, limited-diffraction beams may have applications in various areas such as medical imaging and tissue characterization. In this paper, fundamentals of limited-diffraction beams are reviewed and the studies of these beams are put into a unified theoretical framework. Theory of limited-diffraction beams is further developed. New limited-diffraction solutions to Klein-Gordon Equation and Schrodinger Equation, as well as limited-diffraction solutions to these equations in confined spaces are obtained. The relationship between the transformation that converts any solutions to an (-1)-dimensional wave equation to limited-diffraction solutions of an -dimensional equation and the Lorentz transformation is clarified and extended. The transformation is also applied to the Klein-Gordon Equation. In addition, applications of limited-diffraction beams are summarized.
High performance Yb-doped double-clad optical fibers for high-power, narrow-linewidth fiber laser applications

This paper outlines recent work at Corning Incorporated on fiber composition design and fabrication of a SBS-managed, large-mode-area (LMA), Yb-doped double-clad fiber for high-power, narrow-linewidth fiber laser applications. Through a detailed theoretical analysis for the SBS threshold in optical fibers, an Aluminum/Germanium (Al/Ge) counter-graded fiber-core composition profile has been proposed and demonstrated for reducing the SBS effect, via the reduced-overlap between optical and acoustic modes in the fiber design. Such Al/Ge counter-graded-composition-profile design overcomes the limitation in a multilayer fiber-core approach, in terms of the low-loss fiber fabrication. The new compositionally SBS-managed, LMA Yb-doped double-clad laser fiber fabricated through the new design, has shown more than ~7 dB improvement in SBS threshold over the conventional LMA fiber design. The new fiber offers exceptionally low passive-loss characteristics, and has been demonstrated with uncompromised high laser efficiency for high-power, narrow-linewidth fiber laser applications.
On the Edge of the Law: The Cost of Informal Property Rights Adjudication in Kisii, Kenya

The disjuncture between public and customary law regulating property rights is a problem for capital formation and poverty alleviation across Africa. In Kenya, government efforts to establish clearly defined property rights and adjudication mechanisms have been plagued by the existence of competing processes in formal and customary law. Seeking to advance the state of knowledge regarding the enforcement of property rights in areas with overlapping legal systems, this paper will compare the costs and processes of the formal and informal methods of property rights adjudication. The focus herein is on the property rights of women, who have property rights that are often subject to dispute because of their lack of clarity. This research demonstrates that traditional or customary channels of dispute resolution have become monetized and are so expensive as to be beyond the reach of many Kenyans.
Practical considerations in the clinical application of whole-exome sequencing

Despite the exciting advent of whole-exome sequencing (WES) in medical genetics practices, the optimal interpretation of results requires further actions such as reconsidering clinical information and obtaining further laboratory testing. There are no published data to guide clinicians in this process. In a retrospective study on 93 patients who underwent clinical WES, we set out to assess and resolve these practical challenges. With the laboratories reporting a molecular diagnostic rate of 25.8%, the medical geneticists and the laboratories were 90% concordant in their interpretation of the WES results. Divergence occurred when the medical geneticist reconsidered clinical information and/or additional information regarding pathogenicity of a variant. Variants of uncertain significance were reported in 86% of patients, with 53.7% needing follow-up, such as additional laboratory tests and genotyping of family members. By layering clinical data (e.g. mode of inheritance and phenotypic fit) on to the laboratory results, we developed clinical categories for the WES results. These categories of definite diagnosis (14/93), likely diagnosis (8/93), possible diagnosis (13/93) and no diagnosis (58/93) could be used to convey results to patients uniformly. Our framework for a clinically informed interpretation of the results enhances the utility of WES within medical genetics practices.
Snubbed Landmark: Why United States v. Cruikshank (1876) Belongs at the Heart of the American Constitutional Canon

United States v. Cruikshank (1876) is an unacknowledged landmark of American constitutional jurisprudence. Cruikshank, not the far more famous Civil Rights Cases, limited the Fourteenth Amendment to protect only against state action; Cruikshank, not the notorious Slaughter-House Cases, narrowed the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to exclude rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights; Cruikshank, not the canonical Washington v. Davis, announced that the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause protected only against provably intentional race discrimination; and Cruikshank, not the Civil Rights Cases or City of Boerne v. Flores, first excepted the Fourteenth Amendment from the general principle that Congress enjoys discretion to select the means of implementing its constitutional powers. Historically, if the argument of this Article holds true, Cruikshank played a crucial role in terminating Reconstruction and launching the one-party, segregationist regime of “Jim Crow” that prevailed in the South until the 1960s. The circuit court opinion of Justice Joseph Bradley unleashed the second and decisive phase of Reconstruction-era terrorism, while the ruling of the full Court ensured its successful culmination in the “redemption” of the black-majority states. Despite its enormous jurisprudential and historical importance, however, Cruikshank has been omitted from the mainstream narrative and pedagogical canon of constitutional law. The results have been obfuscation and distortion. Unlike the Civil Rights Cases, Slaughter-House, Davis, and City of Boerne — from which students learn the principles actually announced in Cruikshank — Cruikshank lays bare the true origin of those principles in affirmative judicial intervention immunizing overtly racist terrorism against effective law enforcement. By contrast, Plessy v. Ferguson, the legal profession’s chosen focus for confession and atonement, merely let stand the legal product of a white supremacist state government that owed its existence to Cruikshank. With Cruikshank safely off stage, American law students are treated to a happy tale of progress from Plessy to Brown starring the Supreme Court as the primary protector of civil rights — a role that, ironically, the Court carved out for itself by truncating Congress’s civil rights powers in Cruikshank. Add Cruikshank, and the entire narrative shifts in ways that upset time-honored notions in the dimensions of federalism, separation of powers, popular constitutionalism, and class. For those who might be interested in teaching Cruikshank, a set of materials is appended to the article.
Rates and timing of vertical-axis block rotations across the central Sierra Nevada-Walker Lane transition in the Bodie Hills, California/Nevada

[1] We use paleomagnetic data from Tertiary volcanic rocks to address the rates and timing of vertical-axis block rotations across the central Sierra Nevada-Walker Lane transition in the Bodie Hills, California/Nevada. Samples from the Upper Miocene (∼9 Ma) Eureka Valley Tuff suggest clockwise vertical-axis block rotations between NE-striking left-lateral faults in the Bridgeport and Mono Basins. Results in the Bodie Hills suggest clockwise rotations (R ± ΔR, 95% confidence limits) of 74 ± 8° since Early to Middle Miocene (∼12–20 Ma), 42 ± 11° since Late Miocene (∼8–9 Ma), and 14 ± 10° since Pliocene (∼3 Ma) time with no detectable northward translation. The data are compatible with a relatively steady rotation rate of 5 ± 2° Ma−1 (2σ) since the Middle Miocene over the three examined timescales. The average rotation rates have probably not varied by more than a factor of two over time spans equal to half of the total time interval. Our paleomagnetic data suggest that block rotations in the region of the Mina Deflection began prior to Late Miocene time (∼9 Ma), and perhaps since the Middle Miocene if rotation rates were relatively constant. Block rotation in the Bodie Hills is similar in age and long-term average rate to rotations in the Transverse Ranges of southern California associated with early transtensional dextral shear deformation. We speculate that the age of rotations in the Bodie Hills indicates dextral shear and strain accommodation within the central Walker Lane Belt resulting from coupling of the Pacific and North America plates.
Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Striatum and Substantia Nigra in Parkinson’s Disease (I3-5D)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of aerobic exercise on the nigrostriatal system in Parkinson9s disease (PD). BACKGROUND: Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), indexes of tissue integrity on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), are abnormal in the striatum and substantia nigra in PD. DESIGN/METHODS: Sixty non-demented, independently ambulatory patients with PD (median Hoehn-Yahr stage II) enrolled in a 6-months Phase I/II study. Patients exercised (brisk walking) in community settings 45 minutes, three times per week. FA and MD measurements of putamen and caudate nucleus, and substantia nigra were obtained at baseline and after the intervention by 3 Tesla MRI. RESULTS: Forty-nine participants (81[percnt]) completed the study, exercising at a mean (95[percnt] Confidence Interval) heart rate reserve of 46.8 (44.0, 49.7) [percnt], and showed improvements (p 2 max), gait speed, parkinsonism, fatigue, mood, executive control, and quality of life measures (Uc et al., Neurology 2014; 83:413-25). DTI results were available in 40 subjects who did not show significant baseline differences compared to the rest of the sample. MD decreased in the left putamen (p 2 max correlated with left putaminal FA (r s =0.44, p s =-0.58, p s =-0.46, p s =0.40, p 2 max changes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that structural integrity of the nigrostriatal system is associated with aerobic fitness and that aerobic exercise may improve structural integrity of the striatum in PD. Study Supported by: Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation R&D Branch Merit Review Award B6261R (EYU), and by National Center for Research Resources/NIH grant UL1RR024979 (University of Iowa) Disclosure: Dr. Uc has received research support from Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Magnotta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Johnson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zarei has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cassell has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bruss has nothing to disclose. Dr. Doerschug has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thomsen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kline has nothing to disclose. Dr. Anderson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rizzo has received research support from Nissan Auto Company. Dr. Kramer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Voss has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dawson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Darling has nothing to disclose.
Endoparasite Community Differences in Sunfish (Lepomis spp.) Above and Below Coal Mine Effluent in Southern Illinois

Parasite assemblages acquired through trophic interactions in fish hosts are increasingly cited as a means to determine pollution effects on water quality and food web structure. We examined gastrointestinal parasite community changes above and below coal mine input from 597 individuals representing 3 species of sunfish: green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), bluegill (L. macrochirus), and longear sunfish (L. megalotis). Hosts were collected from 6 sites in or near the south fork of the Saline River Basin in southern Illinois in the spring and fall of 2006. Three sites received no known effluent from coal mines. An additional 3 sites received effluent termed acid mine drainage (AMD). We recovered 1,064 parasites from 12 genera. The parasite community in sunfish collected downstream nearest to the source of AMD was significantly different from 3 upstream sites. In addition, 2 sites farther downstream receiving AMD were different from 2 of 3 reference sites. However, there was also considerable variability in parasite assemblages between sites grouped as above or below coal mine effluent. Several parasite species responded to changes in water quality. Spinitectus sp. (Nematoda), which uses sensitive mayfly hosts to complete its life cycle, was less abundant at sites downstream of coal mine effluent in both green sunfish and bluegill. In contrast, 2 acanthocephalans (Neoechinorhynchus sp. and Eocollis arcanus) and a nematode (Spiroxys sp.) were found in green sunfish more frequently in areas downstream of AMD. This study further suggests metazoan parasites may be useful as indicators of water quality; however, variability among similar sites may limit their application. In addition, strong assemblage differences were found among the 3 sunfish species, suggesting variable habitat usage and potential resource partitioning among congeneric fish hosts in streams.
Study of an array of superfluid 3 He weak links

An array of 1126 identical microapertures is used as the hydrodynamic inductance in a superfluid3He Helmholtz resonator. Each aperture is 0.27 micron square, fabricated by e-beam lithography in a 0.1 micron thick SiN membrane. These dimensions are not too much larger than the superfluid coherence length and therefore, particularly at higher temperatures, an aperture might be though of as a Josephson weak link (in the sense of a Dayem bridge). The superfluid3He critical mass current, Ic, through this array has been measured over a wide range of temperatures. The results indicate that the critical current has a Ginzburg-Landau form of Ic=Ico(1-T/Tc)3/2. This temperature dependence is consistent with phase slippage (not necessarily involving vortices), at the pair breaking velocity, as the critical mechanism.
Lapped orthogonal transform coding by amplitude and group partitioning

Transform coding has been the focus of the research for image compression. In previous research, the Amplitude and Group Partitioning (AGP) coding scheme is proved to be a low complexity algorithm with higher performance, clearly one of the state-of-art transform coding techniques. However, the previous AGP is used along with the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and the discrete wavelet transform. In this paper, a different transform, the Lapped Orthogonal Transform (LOT), replaces the DCT in conjunction with the AGP. This is the first time LOT and AGP have been combined in a coding method. The definition and design of the LOT are discussed. An objective metric to measure the performance of transform, coding gain, is calculated for both the DCT and the LOT. The LOT has slightly higher coding gain than the DCT. The principles of the LOT based AGP image codec (LOT-AGP) are presented and a complete codec, encoder and decoder, is implemented in software. The performance of the LOT-AGP is compared with other block transform coding schemes: the baseline JPEG codec and the DCT based AGP image codec (DCT- AGP) by both objective evaluation and subjective evaluation. The Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) is calculated for these three coding schemes. The two AGP codecs are much better than the JPEG codec on PSNR, from about 1.7 dB to 3 dB depending on bit rate. The two AGP schemes have PSNR differences only to a small degree. Visually, the LOT-AGP has the best-reconstructed images among these three at all bit rates. In addition, the coding results of two other state-of-art progressive image codecs are cited for further comparison. One is the Set Partitioning in Hierarchical Trees (SPIHT) algorithm with a dyadic wavelet transform, and the other is Tran and Nguyen's method with the generalized LOT transform. The AGP coding and the adaptive Huffman entropy coding of LOT-AGP are less complex and the memory usage is smaller than in these two progressive codecs. Comparing these three codecs, i.e. the LOT-AGP and the two progressive codecs in PSNR small only small differences in PSNR. SPIHT has about 1 dB higher PSNR than the LOT-AGP and Tran and Nguyen's method for the test image Lena. For the test image Barbara, the PSNR of the LOT- AGP is about 0.5 dB higher than that of the SPIHT and 0.5 dB lower than that of Tran and Nguyen's method. This low- complexity and high performance codec may provide a new direction for the implementation of image compression.
A Study of Traditional Circle Games Played in Public School Kindergartens across the United States.

Two hundred and three teachers of kindergarteners in public schools, representing 35 states, reported on traditional circle games used in their classrooms. They identified three of their favorite games and indicated the frequency and duration of each. In addition, they described the major purposes for games and also what curriculum goals they accomplish. Music/movement games and racing games were the major game categories mentioned. Specifically, “Duck, Duck, Goose,” “Farmer in the Dell,” and the “Hokey Pokey” were the three most frequently identified traditional circle games named by respondents. Three times per week for twenty minutes was the most common response in regard to frequency and duration with which circle games were played. The four major purposes for playing circle games were the same as the four curriculum goals which games accomplish. These were fun, social development, physical motor development, and intellectual development. In addition, many skills necessary for academic success such as following directions, listening, paying attention, and language were described by the teachers as skills that could be developed with traditional circle games.
Sergeev's formula and the littlewood—richardson rule

We give here a direct and elementary proof of a two variable extension of the classical bideterminantal formula of Jacobi for Schur functions. This formula, due to A. Sergeev, is a new expression for the Schur function Sλ(X — Y) (λ-ring notation). We also show that this formula is intimately related to the Littlewood-Richardson rule. More precisely we show that one can be derived from the other by a very simple tableau involution. Consequently, our derivation of the Sergeev formula provides what may be the most direct and simple path to the famed Littlewood-Richardson result.
N-terminus of the photosystem II manganese stabilizing protein: Effects of sequence elongation and truncation

The importance of the N-terminal domain of manganese stabilizing protein in binding to photosystem II has been previously demonstrated [Eaton-Rye and Murata (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 977, 219−226; Odom and Bricker (1992) Biochemistry 31, 5616−5620]. In this paper, we report results from a systematic study of functional and structural consequences of N-terminal elongation and truncation of manganese stabilizing protein. Precursor manganese stabilizing protein is the unprocessed wild-type protein, which carries an N-terminal extension of 84 amino acids in the form of its chloroplastic signal peptide. Despite its increased size, this protein is able to reconstitute O2 evolution activity to levels observed with the mature, processed protein, but it also binds nonspecifically to PSII. Truncation of wild-type manganese stabilizing protein by site-directed mutagenesis to remove three N-terminal amino acids, resulting in a mutant called ΔG3M, causes no loss of activity reconstitution, but this protein also ex...
Establishing Specificity in Psychotherapy Scientifically: Design and Evidence Issues

Issues related to establishing specificity in psychotherapy are discussed. It is suggested that the null hypothesis that the specific ingredients are responsible for the benefits of psychotherapy should not be rejected unless the evidence is sufficiently inconsistent with the null hypothesis. However, generally or for specific disorders, the uniform efficacy of psychotherapeutic treatments with adults does not provide any evidence that the null hypothesis is false. As well, the relationship of the alliance and outcomes does not provide any evidence against the null and indeed provides evidence for a common-factor model of psychotherapy with adults. Additional evidence that is contrary to a specificity hypothesis is summarized.
Phase slip phenomena in superfluid helium

Abstract This article describes some recent experiments which demonstrate phenomena, in both superfluid 4 He and 3 He. that can easily be interpreted in terms of the quantum phase dynamics approach of the Josephson-Anderson (JA) equation. In one experiment, a quantized vortex filament performs a stable precession in a cylinder at a frequency given by the JA equation. In other experiments, superflow in submicron apertures exhibits discrete phase slips whose magnitude is quantized in units given by the JA equation. These discrete phase slips provide information on the nucleation processes which lead to the creation of quantized vorticity.