cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genotypic alterations in benign and malignant salivary gland tumors: Histogenetic and clinical implications

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and microsatellite instability (MI) were examined at 24 microsatellite loci in 46 primary benign and malignant salivary gland tumors. Among the 27 benign tumors, 11 (40.7%), manifested microsatellite alterations in at least one locus; of these, five (18.5%) showed LOH and four (14.8%) had microsatellite instability at two or more loci. Four of 11 pleomorphic adenomas (36.4%) had allele loss on the long arm of chromosome 8. Among the 19 malignant neoplasms examined, 10 (52.6%) and one (5.2%) had allele losses and MI, respectively, at multiple loci; three tumors showed MI at only one locus. Frequent LOH was detected at D8S166 (8q11-12), D17S799, and D17S122 (17p-17p11-2) loci, with an incidence of 40%, 37.5%, and 43%, respectively. In general, malignant neoplasms with LOH exhibited aggressive tumor characteristics. Statistically significant correlation's were found between LOH and pathologic classification (chi 2, p = 0.05), higher grade (p = 0.02), DNA aneuploidy (p = 0.005), and a proliferative index of > 6% (p = 0.005) of the malignant tumors. Carcinomas with 17p loci alterations, including two carcinomas expleomorphic adenoma with concurrent 8q LOH, showed more aggressive features. The results suggested that (a) loci on chromosome 8q may harbor a tumor suppressor gene or genes associated with the development or progression of some salivary neoplasms; (b) alterations on the short arm of chromosome 17 may represent an event related to tumor progression; and (c) tumors with LOH at multiple loci have aggressive biologic characteristics.
A test of the predicted relation describing the change in response rate with the number of intervals on an FI schedule

Two experiments, one with rats and the other with pigeons, supported the prediction that the logarithm of the rate of responding in the last fifth of a fixed interval is linearly related to the logarithm of the number of intervals to which the organism is exposed. This prediction was derived with the use of logical positivism from Hull’s law on delay of reinforcement. The support of this relation strengthens the possible role that deterministic equations can play in learning theory.
Atmospheric Guidance for Aero-Gravity Assist Using Matched Asymptotic Expansions

An atmospheric guidance algorithm to support Aero-Gravity Assist (AGA) maneuvers is developed. The AGA maneuver is divided into two phases: (i) a capture phase and (ii) an exit phase. In the capture phase the vehicle transitions to ∞ight at maximum lift-todrag ratio while protecting the spacecraft from excessive heating. The exit phase initiation and guidance are based on an approximate analytical solution to the equations of motion, obtained via the method of Matched Asymptotic Expansions (MAE). Thus, the guidance algorithm uses algebraic equations instead of difierential equations for predicting the exit state and determining the required lift. Simulation results indicate the viability of the guidance approach.
Vaccination with Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Vectored Chimeric Hemagglutinins Protects Mice against Divergent Influenza Virus Challenge Strains

UNLABELLED Seasonal influenza virus infections continue to cause significant disease each year, and there is a constant threat of the emergence of reassortant influenza strains causing a new pandemic. Available influenza vaccines are variably effective each season, are of limited scope at protecting against viruses that have undergone significant antigenic drift, and offer low protection against newly emergent pandemic strains. "Universal" influenza vaccine strategies that focus on the development of humoral immunity directed against the stalk domains of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) show promise for protecting against diverse influenza viruses. Here, we describe such a strategy that utilizes vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as a vector for chimeric hemagglutinin (cHA) antigens. This vaccination strategy is effective at generating HA stalk-specific, broadly cross-reactive serum antibodies by both intramuscular and intranasal routes of vaccination. We show that prime-boost vaccination strategies provide protection against both lethal homologous and heterosubtypic influenza challenge and that protection is significantly improved with intranasal vaccine administration. Additionally, we show that vaccination with VSV-cHAs generates greater stalk-specific and cross-reactive serum antibodies than does vaccination with VSV-vectored full-length HAs, confirming that cHA-based vaccination strategies are superior at generating stalk-specific humoral immunity. VSV-vectored influenza vaccines that express chimeric hemagglutinin antigens offer a novel means for protecting against widely diverging influenza viruses. IMPORTANCE Universal influenza vaccination strategies should be capable of protecting against a wide array of influenza viruses, and we have developed such an approach utilizing a single viral vector system. The potent antibody responses that these vaccines generate are shown to protect mice against lethal influenza challenges with highly divergent viruses. Notably, intranasal vaccination offers significantly better protection than intramuscular vaccination in a lethal virus challenge model. The results described in this study offer insights into the mechanisms by which chimeric hemagglutinin (HA)-based vaccines confer immunity, namely, that the invariant stalk of cHA antigens is superior to full-length HA antigens at inducing cross-reactive humoral immune responses and that VSV-cHA vaccine-induced protection varies by site of inoculation, and contribute to the further development of universal influenza virus vaccines.
Design of the code modulator on 10.6 μm laser beam-riding guidance instrument

Guidance weapon is playing an increasingly important role in modern war.In this paper,the fundamental theory of the laser beam-riding guidance instrument was introduced.A 10.6 μm laser code modulator using CO2 laser as laser radiation source was designed,which was used to control the high-speed aircraft.Utilizing frequency-coded modulation technique,coding method and optical coded modulation disk were proposed in order to satisfy the parameters of the guidance system.Based on the calculation on mathematics model of the off-center of the missile and the requirements of guidance control,reasonable coded frequencies were obtained.In order to satisfy the application requirement of the guidance system,the width and the quantity of the gratings in the modulator were obtained according to the frequency and dimension of the modulated disk.Each parameter was reasonably designed and capable of meeting the precision requirement of the guidance instrument.Based on a large number of experiments inside and outside,it is concluded that the system′s performance was reliable and highly sensitive.
Identification of Ill-conditioned FEP and Correction of Stability Margin

EEAC theory reveals the mechanism of how the time-varying factor affects the stability of image systems.Based on this theory,the strong time-varying of image systems caused by the inner-cluster incoherency and the phenomenon of ill-conditioned FEP(IFEP) are analyzed.Moreover,their effects on the accuracy of the transient stability analysis are studied.With this knowledge,the identification method of IFEP and the correction method of transient stability margin of stable swings are proposed for enhancing the accuracy of stability assessments in strong time-varying systems.The effectiveness and robustness of the above methods are thoroughly verified in the New England system. This research also contributes to the study on stability mechanisms of nonlinear non-autonomous systems.
Analysis on Inner Mongolia grassland ecological compensation practices

The Inner Mongolia grassland ranks first among China's five major pastoral areas,which is an important ecological defense in north China. However,Inner Mongolia grassland ecosystem has been damaged severely due to climate change and human factors. China has implemented a series of ecological projects to restore and improve grassland ecosystem. This paper analyzed the effects of Beijing and Tianjin sandstorm source control project as well as Returning grazing land to grass project in Inner Mongolia pastoral 33 counties. Based on Inner Mongolia Statistical Yearbook and relevant materials,we found that the project implementation improved ecological,economic and social benefits of Inner Mongolia pastoral area. However,some problems still existed such as low compensation standard,small compensation range,weak input and investment,single compensation subjects,backward regulatory system and other problems. In order to solve these issues,this paper put forward seven aspects of countermeasures and suggestions so as to provide a strong guarantee for the smooth implementation of subsequent grassland ecosystem projects.
Fuzzy Comprehensive Status Evaluation on Electric Energy Metering Device and Test Strategy Research

The paper analyzes the electric power metering device operation and inspection at present,and aiming at its deficiency,the necessity of comprehensive evaluation on its operation condition is put forward.From the technical level and management level,different indicators which can reflect its operation condition are selected.The tree evaluation index system is established.Combining the analytic hierarchy process(AHP) and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method,the comprehensive evaluation model of electric energy metering device is established.Through setting the index weight coefficient and the initial score of each index,the operation condition of electric energy metering device can be obtained.According to the comprehensive evaluation results,the operation condition is divided into four kinds.For each condition,different inspection strategy is put forward.Some strategy improvement measures are also proposed.
Systematic Review of the Mastacembelidae or Spiny Eels of Burma and Thailand, with Description of Two New Species of Macrognathus

Burma and Thailand are inhabited by 14 species of Mastacembelidae, eightMacrognathus and sixMastacembelus. Two new species ofMacrognathus are described from Thailand, one with rostral toothplates and one without.Mastacembelus dayi, known only from Burma, is a valid species related toM. alboguttatus;Mastacembelus favus, from Thailand and Western Malaysia, is distinct from its close relativeM. armatus.
Distribution of Cl-/HCO3- exchange and intercalated cells in rabbit cortical collecting duct

At least two cortical collecting duct (CCD) intercalated cell populations mediate HCO3- secretion and reabsorption. The present study examined the membrane location of intercalated cell Cl-/base exchange activity and the axial distribution of CCD intercalated cells. CCD were studied using in vitro microperfusion in CO2/HCO3(-)-containing solutions; intracellular pH was measured using 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein. The A-type intercalated cell (A cell) and B-type intercalated cell (B cell) were identified functionally by the absence and presence of apical Cl-/HCO3- exchange activity, respectively. When a 0 mM Cl-, 0 mM HCO3- luminal solution was used, removal of Cl- from the peritubular solution caused intracellular alkalinization in all B cells. The alkalinization required neither extracellular Na+ nor changes in membrane potential. Peritubular 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS) (10(-4) M) inhibited A cell but not B cell basolateral Cl-/base exchange activity. In comparison to studies performed with a 0 mM Cl- 0 mM HCO3- luminal solution, the use of a 0 mM Cl-, 25 mM HCO3- luminal solution inhibited both the identification and the magnitude of B cell basolateral Cl-/base exchange activity. When CCD from the inner and outer cortex were separately studied, only 7% of outer CCD intercalated cells were A cells, whereas 93% were B cells. In contrast, in the inner CCD, 58% of intercalated cells were A cells and 42% were B cells. Under stop-flow conditions, outer CCD alkalinized the luminal fluid, whereas inner CCD acidified the luminal fluid. These results indicate that all CCD intercalated cells possess basolateral Cl-/base exchange activity; however, A cell and B cell basolateral Cl-/base exchange activity differs, at least in terms of sensitivity to DIDS. Furthermore, there is axial heterogeneity in both intercalated cell type and function.
Self-Criticism and Criteria of Truth

Hegel’s defense of the possibility of self-criticism rests on two main points. First, our being conscious is fundamentally a cognitive relation to the world, whether we realize it or not. Second, our fundamental cognitive relation to the world has a certain structure that allows us to critically assess and revise our conceptions of knowledge and of the world. The task of this chapter is to document and analyze these two points. More specifically, in section II, I reconstruct Hegel’s analysis of the self-critical structure of consciousness by analyzing four points made in his discussion of commonsense realism (§IIA), noting the problem to which Hegel’s analysis responds (§§IIB and IIC), and distinguishing eight aspects of cognition as a relation between subject and object (§IID). This background then enables a reconstruction of Hegel’s criterial inference, an inference to the correspondence of a form of consciousness’ conceptions of knowledge and of the world with knowledge and the world themselves (§III). In section IV, I defend attributing a correspondence conception of truth to Hegel and explain why he has been taken to reject this conception of truth. I close in section V by noting that, even were Hegel’s criterial inference sound, it would take further measures to undo epistemically opaque metaphysical distinctions between appearance and reality and that Hegel takes such further measures. Epistemological realism must be a substantive result of his investigation and not a trivial corollary to the criteria he proposes.
Tunable Micromachined Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers

Tunable vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL) have a wide variety of potential applications in optical communications and instrumentation. To date, tunable VCSEL's have relied on temperature tumng[1-2], or external cavities[3]. The largest tuning was from a red shift induced by heating, which is undesirable.- In this paper we present, for the first time, a tunable VCSEL structure which uses a monolithic movable mirror to change the lasing wavelength. We present record tuning of 15 nm, including both red and blue shifts, using a tuning voltage of 5.7 volts.
Parental Protectiveness Mediates the Association between Parent-Perceived Child Self-Efficacy and Health Outcomes in Pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain Disorder

Previous studies have shown that parental protectiveness is associated with increased pain and disability in Functional Abdominal Pain Disorder (FAPD) but the role that perceived child self-efficacy may play remains unclear. One reason why parents may react protectively towards their child’s pain is that they perceive their child to be unable to cope or function normally while in pain (perceived low self-efficacy). This study sought to examine (a) the association between parent-perceived child pain self-efficacy and child health outcomes (symptom severity and disability); and (b) the role of parental protectiveness as a mediator of this association. Participants were 316 parents of children aged 7–12 years with FAPD. Parents completed measures of perceived child self-efficacy when in pain, their own protective responses to their child’s pain, child gastrointestinal (GI) symptom severity, and child functional disability. Parent-perceived child self-efficacy was inversely associated with parent-reported child GI symptom severity and disability, and parental protectiveness mediated these associations. These results suggest that parents who perceive their child to have low self-efficacy to cope with pain respond more protectively when they believe he/she is in pain, and this, in turn, is associated with higher levels of GI symptoms and disability in their child. This finding suggests that directly addressing parent beliefs about their child’s ability to manage pain should be included as a component of FAPD, and potentially other child treatment interventions.
Synthesis and Characterization of Backbone Degradable Azlactone-Functionalized Polymers

We report the design of reactive and degradable copolymers that contain both azlactone side chain functionality and hydrolyzable backbone ester groups. Copolymerization of the vinyl monomer 2-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone (VDMA) and the cyclic ketene acetal 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane (MDO) using conventional or reversible-deactivation radical polymerization techniques yielded copolymers and block copolymers that exhibit amine reactivity associated with poly(vinyl azlactone)s but also hydrolytic degradability associated with conventional polyesters. Our results demonstrate that control over monomer feed ratios and other parameters can be used to tune both copolymer composition (e.g., the number/ratio of azlactone and ester repeat units) and the physical properties of the resulting materials (e.g., glass transition temperatures and ability to self-assemble into nanoscale structures). Post-fabrication functionalization of reactive azlactone groups in MDO-co-VDMA copolymers by treatment with primary amines proce...
Ipilimumab with Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy: Phase I Results and Immunologic Correlates from Peripheral T Cells

Purpose: Little prospective data are available on clinical outcomes and immune correlates from combination radiation and immunotherapy. We conducted a phase I trial (NCT02239900) testing stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) with ipilimumab.Experimental Design: SABR was given either concurrently (1 day after the first dose) or sequentially (1 week after the second dose) with ipilimumab (3 mg/kg every 3 weeks for 4 doses) to five treatment groups: concurrent 50 Gy (in 4 fractions) to liver; sequential 50 Gy (in 4 fractions) to liver; concurrent 50 Gy (in 4 fractions) to lung; sequential 50 Gy (in 4 fractions) to lung; and sequential 60 Gy (in 10 fractions) to lung or liver. MTD was determined with a 3 + 3 dose de-escalation design. Immune marker expression was assessed by flow cytometry.Results: Among 35 patients who initiated ipilimumab, 2 experienced dose-limiting toxicity and 12 (34%) grade 3 toxicity. Response outside the radiation field was assessable in 31 patients. Three patients (10%) exhibited partial response and 7 (23%) experienced clinical benefit (defined as partial response or stable disease lasting ≥6 months). Clinical benefit was associated with increases in peripheral CD8+ T cells, CD8+/CD4+ T-cell ratio, and proportion of CD8+ T cells expressing 4-1BB and PD1. Liver (vs. lung) irradiation produced greater T-cell activation, reflected as increases in the proportions of peripheral T cells expressing ICOS, GITR, and 4-1BB.Conclusions: Combining SABR and ipilimumab was safe with signs of efficacy, peripheral T-cell markers may predict clinical benefit, and systemic immune activation was greater after liver irradiation. Clin Cancer Res; 23(6); 1388-96. ©2016 AACR.
NASA Langley's Formal Methods Research in Support of the Next Generation Air Transportation System

This talk will provide a brief introduction to the formal methods developed at NASA Langley and the National Institute for Aerospace (NIA) for air traffic management applications. NASA Langley's formal methods research supports the Interagency Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) effort to define and develop the 2025 Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS). The JPDO was created by the passage of the Vision 100 Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act in Dec 2003. The NGATS vision calls for a major transformation of the nation s air transportation system that will enable growth to 3 times the traffic of the current system. The transformation will require an unprecedented level of safety-critical automation used in complex procedural operations based on 4-dimensional (4D) trajectories that enable dynamic reconfiguration of airspace scalable to geographic and temporal demand. The goal of our formal methods research is to provide verification methods that can be used to insure the safety of the NGATS system. Our work has focused on the safety assessment of concepts of operation and fundamental algorithms for conflict detection and resolution (CD&R) and self- spacing in the terminal area. Formal analysis of a concept of operations is a novel area of application of formal methods. Here one must establish that a system concept involving aircraft, pilots, and ground resources is safe. The formal analysis of algorithms is a more traditional endeavor. However, the formal analysis of ATM algorithms involves reasoning about the interaction of algorithmic logic and aircraft trajectories defined over an airspace. These trajectories are described using 2D and 3D vectors and are often constrained by trigonometric relations. Thus, in many cases it has been necessary to unload the full power of an advanced theorem prover. The verification challenge is to establish that the safety-critical algorithms produce valid solutions that are guaranteed to maintain separation under all possible scenarios. Current research has assumed perfect knowledge of the location of other aircraft in the vicinity so absolute guarantees are possible, but increasingly we are relaxing the assumptions to allow incomplete, inaccurate, and/or faulty information from communication sources.
Detecting Cardiovascular Disease from Mammograms With Deep Learning

Coronary artery disease is a major cause of death in women. Breast arterial calcifications (BACs), detected inmammograms, can be useful riskmarkers associated with the disease. We investigate the feasibility of automated and accurate detection ofBACsinmammograms for risk assessment of coronary artery disease. We develop a 12-layer convolutional neural network to discriminate BAC from non-BAC and apply a pixelwise, patch-based procedure for BAC detection. To assess the performance of the system, we conduct a reader study to provide ground-truth information using the consensus of human expert radiologists. We evaluate the performance using a set of 840 full-field digital mammograms from 210 cases, using both free-responsereceiveroperatingcharacteristic (FROC) analysis and calcium mass quantification analysis. The FROC analysis shows that the deep learning approach achieves a level of detection similar to the human experts. The calcium mass quantification analysis shows that the inferred calcium mass is close to the ground truth, with a linear regression between them yielding a coefficient of determination of 96.24%. Taken together, these results suggest that deep learning can be used effectively to develop an automated system for BAC detection inmammograms to help identify and assess patients with cardiovascular risks.
Innovative behaviourbehavior modification strategies to reduce concussion risk in high school american football athletes

Objective To improve tackling and blocking techniques to reduce concussion in high school American football players, and to evaluate the program’s feasibility and acceptance. Design Clustered quasi-experimental study. Setting High schools. Participants Varsity American high school football players on three teams (two intervention; one control). Interventions All players wore in-helmet head impact accelerometers. “High-risk” intervention team players were selected and attended clinician-coach-player mentoring sessions designed to change playing technique. Accelerometer data were used for “high-risk” selection and during mentoring sessions to reinforce the technique-driven intervention. Outcome measures The change in top-of-head impacts and impacts with peak linear acceleration>60 g was compared between intervention and control subjects using linear risk models. Coaches and players completed post-season exit surveys. Main results Ninety-seven players (70 intervention; 27 control) participated. Thirteen (19%) intervention players were identified as “high risk” and received mentoring. The mentored players’ high magnitude impacts (percent>60 g) in practices dropped 1.9 percent from pre-intervention to post-intervention. There was no change in non-mentored players. In post-season surveys, mentored players “strongly agreed” (56%) or “agreed” (44%) that the study improved their playing behaviours. Among intervention team coaches, three (43%) thought the study was “very effective” in changing football player behaviours about safe play, and the remaining four (57%) thought it was “effective.” Conclusions There is growing concern head impact frequency and severity may result in neurological issues for some athletes later in life. If head impact frequency and severity can be reduced through behavioural intervention, this can have a great public health impact. Competing interests This study is funded by a grant from the National Centre for Injury Prevention and Control (Grant #R49CE002479).
Kinfolk magazine: anchoring a taste regime

Taste is a burgeoning area in consumer research and the sociology of consumption, in part because it is inextricably linked with the ever-accelerating aestheticization of the consumer subject. As J...
From couch scenes to kare kare: visual pleasure, restoration drama and feminist film

I first read Laura Mulvey’s ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ when I was a graduate student in the mid-80s and her work has been important to me ever since, perhaps surprisingly given the fact...
Teaching “Supply-Side” Social Equity in MPA Programs

The issue here examined grows out of the proposition that tax policy is the public policy that has the most pernicious effects on social equity in the United States. We hold that this proposition i...
Evaluation of in vivo and in vitro responses of endometrial adenocarcinoma to progestins.

In vivo effects of progesterone and other progestins on normal human endometrium have been evident histologically since the 1930’s (1,2). Histochemical procedures have been used to demonstrate the influence of these compounds on glycogen accumulation and secretion of proteins and carbohydrates (3). Correlation of changes in enzymatic activities and other biochemical parameters throughout the menstrual cycle have suggested specific effects of progesterone on the endometrium (4). In some cases, these putative effects could be ascertained in vivo by administering progestins to women in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycles and examining endometrial biopsies taken before the onset of the luteal phase. Experiments of this type showed that progestins increase the activity of estradiol 17s dehydrogenase (E2DH) (5) and reduce the levels of estrogen receptors (RE) in the tissue (6). The in vivo effect of progestins on endometrial E2DH activity was also noted when they were administered to postmenopausal women (7).
ATP release from the carotid bodies of DBA/2J and A/J inbred mouse strains.

The purposes of this study were to: (1) establish an effective method to measure the release of ATP from the mouse carotid body (CB) and (2) determine the release of ATP from the CB of the DBA/2 J (high hypoxic responder) and A/J (low hypoxic responder) mouse in response to hypoxia and hypercapnia. An incubation chamber was constructed utilizing a Costar® Spin-X Centrifuge Tube Filter. The filter was coated with low melting point agarose to hold 4 CBs or 4 superior cervical ganglia (SCG). Hypoxia did not increase ATP release from the CB of either strain. ATP increased in response to a normoxic/hypercapnic challenge in the DBA/2 J’s CB but not in the A/J’s CB. ATP release from the SCG was affected by neither hypoxia nor hypercapnia in both strains. Thus, we have concluded: (1) we successfully established a chamber system to measure ATP released from the mouse CB; (2) ATP may not be an excitatory neurotransmitter in the CB of these mice under hypoxia; (3) ATP may be a neurotransmitter in the CB of the DBA/2 J mouse strain during hypercapnia.
Using e-mail boosters to maintain change after brief alcohol interventions for mandated college students: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective Brief motivational interventions (BMIs) reduce drinking in the short term, but these initial effects often decay. We tested the hypothesis that theory-based e-mail boosters would promote maintenance of change after a BMI. Method Participants were students (N = 568; 72% male) who violated campus alcohol policy and were mandated to participate in an alcohol-risk-reduction program. Participants provided baseline data, received a BMI, and then completed a 1-month post-BMI survey. Next, they were randomized to receive 12 booster e-mails that contained either (a) alcohol norms or (b) structurally equivalent general health information (control). Alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences were assessed at baseline, 1, 3, 5, 8, and 12 months. Results As expected, we observed significant reductions in both consumption and consequences after the BMI (ps .05). Latent growth curve models revealed no condition effects on changes in the latent consumption variable from 1- to 12-month follow-ups (b = .01, SE = .01, p > .05). Unexpectedly, a main effect of the condition emerged for self-reported consequences (b = .03, SE = .01, p = .01); we observed more consequences after boosters containing alcohol norms than general health information. Outcomes were not moderated by sex, consumption at baseline or 1 month, or e-mail exposure, and there was no mediation by descriptive norms, injunctive norms, or peer communication. Conclusions Contrary to predictions, e-mail boosters with corrective norms content did not improve outcomes after a BMI. (PsycINFO Database Record
Why Paul’s Fabulous Body is Missing its Belly: The Rhetorical Subversion of Menenius Agrippa’s Fable in 1 Corinthians 12.12-301:

In 1 Cor. 12.12-30, Paul addresses factionalism in Corinth by rhetorically reworking the famed fable of the Members and the Belly. Whereas historiographical narratives typically depict Menenius Agr...
Social Class Matters: Rejoinder to “The Menace of Misinformation: Faculty Misstatements in Management Education and Their Consequences”:

“Faculty Misstatements in Management Education and their Consequences” is a thought-provoking article that draws attention to what information is being disseminated in business schools. The article...
Efficient rules for probabilistic assignment

Abstract We propose an algorithm to construct sd-efficient probabilistic allocations of objects. Our algorithm proceeds in discrete rounds and distributes probability shares of objects sequentially yielding two natural degrees of freedom: selection rules governing the choice of objects in each round and distribution rules governing the dispensation of probability shares. The transparent procedure tightly connects properties of the rule to these choices making it ideally suited for practical applications. First proving that the algorithm identifies all sd-efficient allocations, we apply the technique to obtain a surprising and “decentralized” representation of the serial rule. Further applications construct new sd-efficient rules.
Anthropogenic and Environmental Factors Affecting Avian Species Richness and Occurrence in an Ecological Oasis within a Desert Ecosystem

Understanding the effects of anthropogenic and environmental factors on species richness and occurrence is important for conservation. Still, comparatively fewer efforts are conducted in areas of low species richness, such as deserts. We estimated avian species richness and occurrence in response to environmental factors and anthropogenic activity in Aldesa Valley, Saudi Arabia. Because of the presence of permanent water and associated vegetation in the valley, this region is suitable to support high biodiversity. During a two-year study, we divided the valley into 40, 250 m-segments and used time area-searches from May 10 to August 10 in 2014 and 2015 to estimate bird species richness and occurrence. We used generalized linear models to assess drivers of species richness. We analyzed the local distributions of the six most commonly detected bird species: House Sparrow Passer domesticus, Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis, Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii, White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos, Palestine Sunbird Cinnyris osea, and Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus using occupancy modeling. We recorded 24 avian species belonging to 18 families and seven orders. Observed species richness was positively correlated with search duration, segment area, and extent of herbaceous coverage. Ecological covariates influential in determining occupancy varied across commonly-observed species. Tristram's Starling selected for sand areas, unlike the House Sparrow who appeared to avoid sand and rocky areas. Palestine Sunbird occupancy was positively correlated with herbaceous cover types. Species detectability was overall positively correlated with search duration. House Sparrow's detectability was negatively correlated with tree canopy area. Signs of anthropogenic activities (such as number of vehicles, people, and domestic animals) affected detectability for species differently e.g. positively for House Sparrow and negatively for Palestine Sunbird.
Spectral Microscopy Imaging System for High-Resolution and High-Speed Imaging of Fuel Sprays

Modern high-efficiency engines utilize direct injection for charge preparation at extremely high pressures. At these conditions, the scales of atomization become challenging to measure, as primary breakup occurs on the micrometer and nanosecond scales. As such, fuel sprays at these conditions have proven difficult to study via direct imaging. While high-speed cameras now exist that can shutter at tens to hundreds of nanoseconds, and long-range microscopes can be coupled to these cameras to provide high-resolution images, the resolving power of these systems is typically limited by pixel size and field of view (FOV). The large pixel sizes make the realization of the diffraction-limited optical resolution quite challenging. On the other hand, limited data throughput under high repetition rate operation limits the FOV due to reduced sensor area. Therefore, a novel measurement technique is critical to study fuel spray formation at engine-relevant conditions. In this work, we demonstrate a new high-resolution imaging technique, spectral microscopy, which aims to realize diffraction-limited imaging at effective framerates sufficient for capturing primary breakup in engine-relevant sprays. A spectral microscopy system utilizing a consumer-grade DSLR allows for significantly wider FOV with improved resolving power compared to high-speed cameras. Temporal shuttering is accomplished via separate and independently triggered back illumination sources, with wavelengths selected to overlap with the detection bands of the camera sensor's RGB filter array. The RGB detection channels act as filters to capture independently timed red, green, and blue light pulses, enabling the capture of a three consecutive images at effective framerates exceeding 20 × 106 fps. To optimize system performance, a backlit illumination system is designed to maximize light throughput, a multilens setup is created, and an image-processing algorithm is demonstrated that formulates a three-frame image from the camera sensor. The system capabilities are then demonstrated by imaging engine relevant diesel sprays. The spectral microscopy system detailed in this paper allows for micron-scale feature recognition at framerates exceeding 20 × 106 fps, thus expanding the capability for experimental research on primary breakup in fuel sprays for modern direct-injection engines.
Psychological Considerations in Pediatric Chronic Illness: Case Examples

Abstract: Despite significant gains in survival rates for pediatric patients and adolescents/young adults (AYA) with chronic illness, patients in this vulnerable age group are also at an increased risk for developing one or more adverse effects related to their disease, treatment, or maladaptive health behaviors. Maladaptive health behaviors ultimately increase the risk for developing adverse effects, including: increased rates of morbidity and mortality, impaired physical functioning, increased fatigue, obesity, increased psychological distress, and poor quality of life. With close attention including participation in preventive and therapeutic health promotion interventions, problematic health behaviors can be mitigated and ultimately prevented over time. It is well known that improved psychological functioning and adaptive coping can result in improved health status. The present paper provides four case examples illustrating various psychological interventions in pediatric chronic illness. As evidenced in the four case examples, pediatric psychologists provide comprehensive interventions for patients with acute and chronic medical conditions through the use of health promotion interventions, adherence and self-management promotion, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, medical coping, parent training, and motivational interviewing. Our case series demonstrates that for the most impactful behavior change to occur, a combination of interventions is often the most effective.
The Effects of Taxes on Labour in a Dynamic Efficiency Wage Model

This paper studies the impact of wage and employment taxes in an intertemporal efficiency wage model. Cases with fixed, linear and quadratic adjustment costs associated with job creation are considered. In general, the model shows that an increase in the employment tax leads to an increase in unemployment, reducing job creation, and has ambiguous effect on wages; whereas an increase in the wage tax reduces wages and has ambiguous impact on unemployment and job creation.
Effect of Clear vs Standard Covered Masks on Communication With Patients During Surgical Clinic Encounters: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: During the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing masks has become necessary, especially within health care. However, to our knowledge, the consequences of mask wearing on communication between surgeons and patients have not been studied. Objective: To evaluate the effects of clear vs standard covered masks on communication during surgical clinic encounters. Design: This randomized clinical trial examined communication between surgeons and their patients when surgeons wore clear vs covered masks in surgical outpatient clinics at a single academic medical center. New patients were recruited from participating surgeons' clinic schedules. Interventions: Surgeons wore either clear masks or covered masks for each clinic visit with a new patient, based on a per-visit randomization plan. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome measures included patient perceptions of (1) surgeon communication and (2) trust in surgeons, as well as (3) quantitative assessments and (4) qualitative assessments regarding patient impressions of the surgeon's mask. After the clinic encounter, patients completed a verbal survey including validated Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems questions. Additional questions involved surgeon empathy, trust, and the patient's impression of the surgeon's mask. Data were analyzed by comparing patient data in the clear vs covered groups using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests, and comments were analyzed for themes. Results: Two hundred patients were enrolled from 15 surgeons' clinics spanning 7 subspecialties. When surgeons wore a clear mask, patients rated their surgeons higher for providing understandable explanations (clear, 95 of 100 [95%] vs covered, 78 of 100 [78%]; P < .001), demonstrating empathy (clear, 99 [99%] vs covered, 85 [85%]; P < .001), and building trust (clear, 94 [94%] vs covered, 72 [72%]; P < .001). Patients preferred clear masks (clear, 100 [100%] vs covered, 72 [72%]; P < .001), citing improved surgeon communication and appreciation for visualization of the face. Conversely, 8 of 15 surgeons (53%) were unlikely to choose the clear mask over their standard covered mask. Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial demonstrates that patients prefer to see their surgeon's face. Surgeons who wore clear masks were perceived by patients to be better communicators, have more empathy, and elicit greater trust. Because masks will remain part of the health care landscape for some time, deliberate attention to preserving communication within the surgeon-patient relationship is warranted. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04595695.
A network regularized linear model to infer spatial expression pattern for single cells

Spatial gene-expression is a crucial determinant of cell fate and behavior. Recent imaging and sequencing-technology advancements have enabled scientists to develop new tools that use spatial information to measure gene-expression at close to single-cell levels. Yet, while Fluorescence In-situ Hybridization (FISH) can quantify transcript numbers at single-cell resolution, it is limited to a small number of genes. Similarly, slide-seq was designed to measure spatial-expression profiles at the single-cell level but has a relatively low gene-capture rate. And although single-cell RNA-seq enables deep cellular gene-expression profiling, it loses spatial information during sample-collection. These major limitations have stymied these methods9 broader application in the field. To overcome spatio-omics technology9s limitations and better understand spatial patterns at single-cell resolution, we designed a computation algorithm that uses glmSMA to predict cell locations by integrating scRNA-seq data with a spatial-omics reference atlas. We treated cell-mapping as a convex optimization problem by minimizing the differences between cellular-expression profiles and location-expression profiles with a L1 regularization and graph Laplacian based L2 regularization to ensure a sparse and smooth mapping. We validated the mapping results by reconstructing spatial- expression patterns of well-known marker genes in complex tissues, like the mouse cerebellum and hippocampus. We used the biological literature to verify that the reconstructed patterns can recapitulate cell-type and anatomy structures. Our work thus far shows that, together, we can use glmSMA to accurately assign single cells to their original reference-atlas locations.
A broader context for understanding amino acid alphabet optimality.

Abstract A series of prior publications has reported unusual properties of the set of genetically encoded amino acids shared by all known life. This work uses quantitative measures (descriptors) of size, charge and hydrophobicity to compare the distribution of the genetically encoded amino acids with random samples of plausible alternatives. Results show that the standard “alphabet” of amino acids established by the time of LUCA is distributed with unusual evenness over a broad range for the three, key physicochemical properties. However, different publications have used slightly different assumptions, including variations in the precise descriptors used, the set of plausible alternative molecules considered, and the format in which results have been presented. Here we consolidate these findings into a unified framework in order to clarify unusual features. We find that in general, the remarkable features of the full set of 20 genetically encoded amino acids are robust when compared with random samples drawn from a densely populated picture of plausible, alternative L-α-amino acids. In particular, the genetically encoded set is distributed across an exceptionally broad range of volumes, and distributed exceptionally evenly within a modest range of hydrophobicities. Surprisingly, range and evenness of charge (pKa) is exceptional only for the full amino acid structures, not for their sidechains - a result inconsistent with prior interpretations involving the role that amino acid sidechains play within protein sequences. In stark contrast, these remarkable features are far less clear when the prebiotically plausible subset of genetically encoded amino acids is compared with a much smaller pool of prebiotically plausible alternatives. By considering the nature of the “optimality theory” approach taken to derive these and prior insights, we suggest productive avenues for further research.
Recognition, Evaluation, and Management of Pediatric Hereditary Angioedema

ABSTRACT Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, often underrecognized genetic disorder caused by either a C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency (type 1) or mutation (type 2). This leads to overproduction of bradykinin resulting in vasodilation, vascular leakage, and transient nonpitting angioedema occurring most frequently in the face, neck, upper airway, abdomen, and/or extremities. Involvement of the tongue and laryngopharynx has been associated with asphyxiation and death. Hereditary angioedema is an autosomal-dominant condition; therefore, there is a 50% chance an offspring will inherit this disorder. Any patient presenting with isolated angioedema should be screened with a C4 measurement, as 25% of cases have no family history of HAE. All patients with HAE will have a functional deficiency of C1 esterase inhibitor. Contributors that delay the diagnosis of HAE include recognition delay by clinicians who confuse this condition with histaminergic angioedema, the disease's varied presentations, and limitations to timely testing. Pediatric emergency clinicians should be knowledgeable about how to distinguish between bradykinin- and histamine-mediated angioedema, as there are significant differences in the diagnostic testing, treatment, and clinical response between these 2 different conditions. Evidence indicates that early diagnosis and treatment of HAE reduces morbidity and mortality. Clinician recognition of the mechanistically different problems will ensure patients are appropriately referred to an expert for outpatient management.
The Effect of Whole-Body Fatigue on King-Devick Test and Balance.

Purpose Fatigue may mimic suboptimal brain functioning seen after a concussion and lead to false-positive King-Devick (K-D) scores and decreased balance. The purpose of this study was to investigate if whole-body fatigue has an effect on K-D scores or postural sway. Method A total of 38 healthy participants (20 females; age = 23.5 ± 2.63 y; height = 170 ± 0.1 cm; mass = 75.2 ± 10.3 kg) volunteered for the study. Participants completed the King-Devick (K-D) test and the modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction of Balance (mCTSIB) on the Biodex BioSwayTM Portable Balance System prior to and immediately following the completion of a fatigue protocol on a Concept2 Rower. Results Half of the participants demonstrated a positive K-D test post-fatigue. Balance scores were poorer post-fatigue. No difference was found between participants based on history of concussion. Among the participants that had a positive post-fatigue K-D test, 71% had also a worse composite sway index score (χ2 = 6.3, p = .02). Conclusions Whole-body fatigue may negatively impact a person's ability to perform the K-D test and balance assessments. It is recommended that the athlete is allowed a period of time to accommodate for the acute effects of fatigue before administering these assessments following a suspected concussion.