cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experience with speech sounds is not necessary for cue trading by budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)

The influence of experience with human speech sounds on speech perception in budgerigars, vocal mimics whose speech exposure can be tightly controlled in a laboratory setting, was measured. Budgerigars were divided into groups that differed in auditory exposure and then tested on a cue-trading identification paradigm with synthetic speech. Phonetic cue trading is a perceptual phenomenon observed when changes on one cue dimension are offset by changes in another cue dimension while still maintaining the same phonetic percept. The current study examined whether budgerigars would trade the cues of voice onset time (VOT) and the first formant onset frequency when identifying syllable initial stop consonants and if this would be influenced by exposure to speech sounds. There were a total of four different exposure groups: No speech exposure (completely isolated), Passive speech exposure (regular exposure to human speech), and two Speech-trained groups. After the exposure period, all budgerigars were tested for phonetic cue trading using operant conditioning procedures. Birds were trained to peck keys in response to different synthetic speech sounds that began with "d" or "t" and varied in VOT and frequency of the first formant at voicing onset. Once training performance criteria were met, budgerigars were presented with the entire intermediate series, including ambiguous sounds. Responses on these trials were used to determine which speech cues were used, if a trading relation between VOT and the onset frequency of the first formant was present, and whether speech exposure had an influence on perception. Cue trading was found in all birds and these results were largely similar to those of a group of humans. Results indicated that prior speech experience was not a requirement for cue trading by budgerigars. The results are consistent with theories that explain phonetic cue trading in terms of a rich auditory encoding of the speech signal.
Dehydration Effects on Germination of Live Oak Seed

Mature live oak, Quercus virginiana Mill., acorns were collected from four trees in Dallas, Texas, dried at 35°C (95°F) to 0 to 30% weight loss, and allowed to germinate. Drying reduced germination, but the relationship of percent germination to weight loss varied from tree to tree. In general, the smallest acorns had the lowest germination rate. Drying time was closely related to percent weight loss in all seeds. Results suggest that growers should select live oaks with larger seeds which have demonstrated high germinability.
Potential Information Loss Due to Categorization of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Frequency Distributions

A bacterial isolate's susceptibility to antimicrobial is expressed as the lowest drug concentration inhibiting its visible growth, termed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The susceptibilities of isolates from a host population at a particular time vary, with isolates with specific MICs present at different frequencies. Currently, for either clinical or monitoring purposes, an isolate is most often categorized as Susceptible, Intermediate, or Resistant to the antimicrobial by comparing its MIC to a breakpoint value. Such data categorizations are known in statistics to cause information loss compared to analyzing the underlying frequency distributions. The U.S. National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) includes foodborne bacteria at the food animal processing and retail product points. The breakpoints used to interpret the MIC values for foodborne bacteria are those relevant to clinical treatments by the antimicrobials in humans in whom the isolates were to cause infection. However, conceptually different objectives arise when inference is sought concerning changes in susceptibility/resistance across isolates of a bacterial species in host populations among different sampling points or times. For the NARMS 1996-2013 data for animal processing and retail, we determined the fraction of comparisons of susceptibility/resistance to 44 antimicrobial drugs of twelve classes of a bacterial species in a given animal host or product population where there was a significant change in the MIC frequency distributions between consecutive years or the two sampling points, while the categorization-based analyses concluded no change. The categorization-based analyses missed significant changes in 54% of the year-to-year comparisons and in 71% of the slaughter-to-retail within-year comparisons. Hence, analyses using the breakpoint-based categorizations of the MIC data may miss significant developments in the resistance distributions between the sampling points or times. Methods considering the MIC frequency distributions in their entirety may be superior for epidemiological analyses of resistance dynamics in populations.
Harassment in science is real.

As the rallying cry against sexual harassment and bullying in many fields, including academia, continues to grow, more and more victims are coming forward with their stories, reflecting how this damaging culture has been the norm across sectors for decades. Studies of women in academia report that more than half have experienced harassment. This behavior has remained obscured for many reasons: fear, resignation, and acceptance. The scientific community must recognize the difficult conversations that have started and embrace this watershed moment as an opportunity for rapid and essential cultural change.
Expanding incentives for coordinated, patient-centered care: Implications for neurologists

Historically, payment for cognitive, nonprocedural care has required provision of face-to-face evaluation and management as part of general ambulatory or inpatient care. Although non-face-to-face patient care (e.g., care via electronic means or telephone) is commonly performed and is integral to patient-centered care, appropriate reimbursement for this type of care is lacking. Beginning in 2017, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has taken a large step forward in reimbursing an increased number of cognitive care and non-face-to-face codes. CMS has also included language indicating that nonphysician providers (i.e., nurse practitioners and physician assistants) can perform many of these services independently. The 2017 and now the 2018 fee schedules thus create new payments for non-face-to-face, patient-centered services, and may allow neurologists to reach out to more patients through nonphysician providers. As health care in the United States moves toward value-based incentives, these newly supported non-face-to-face services will provide neurologists with new tools to deliver sustainable, high-value care.
Acoustoelastic MetaWall noise barriers for industrial application with simultaneous energy harvesting capability

Abstract Industrial sound barriers are designed to reduce the sound pressure (dB) on the other side of the barriers while maintaining the structural strength. Conventionally, the noise barriers are made of concrete, steel, vinyl, wood or earth mounds. In this article, alternatively, a metamaterial wall (MetaWall) is proposed for the industrial sound isolation walls. Proposed MetaWall is to achieve three principal objectives, (1) provide enhanced sound isolation capability, higher than the state of the art technologies, (2) maintain the required structural strength by design and (3) potentially use the isolated abundant noise by transforming the acoustic energy into usable electrical energy, simultaneously. Acoustic metamaterials are traditionally reported for guiding and isolating acoustic and elastic waves. In a recent report, energy harvesting using Acousto-Elastic Sonic Crystal (AESC) is proposed by trapping the wave energy inside the crystal. In this article, wave isolation and energy harvesting capabilities are fused to propose MetaWall unit bricks as an industrial building material, which is made of rubber-metal-concrete composite. A prototype of the MetaWall is designed, built, tested and analyzed by accommodating 16-unit AESC cells in a MetaWall brick. It has been found that around 60% of original acoustic energy can be filtered using the proposed MetaWall, which is higher than the state of the art methods. Next, a pair of smart materials is methodically placed in the AESC to recover/transfer the filtered acoustic energy into electric potential. A numerical study shows that the designed MetaWall prototype is capable of generating up to ∼2 mW of power against 10KΩ resistive load depending on the type of smart material used in the AESC composite while maintaining compressive strength greater than the minimum required strength 5 MPa.
Rural and Small School Principal Candidates: Perspectives of Hiring Superintendents

This article reports the results of an inquiry into the dynamics of principal selection in rural school districts in two mid-American states with high numbers of rural schools. The study focuses on two questions: (1) are rural school districts experiencing a shortage of qualified applicants for vacant principal’s positions; and (2) what professional and personal characteristics do superintendents seek in selecting principals for rural schools? Data for the study were collected through a review of the relevant research literature and interviews with superintendents of rural school districts. The study confirmed that rural school districts in these two states are in fact not experiencing a shortage of qualified principal applicants and delineates specific professional and personal characteristics superintendents seek in the principals who lead rural schools.
Family Home Businesses: Who Buys Health Insurance?

This study uses data from the Cooperative States Regional Research Project NE-167 to examine the factors that influence family home business owners in purchasing health insurance. Results indicate that net business income, full-time work, and a hospital reimbursement rate are positively related to the likelihood of buying health insurance although income from other sources is negatively related to purchasing it. Being male, a contractor, and having more education also indicates a greater probability of buying insurance. Implications for working with self-employed families are discussed.
Abstract 2352: Defining a pediatric cancer dependency map

Many children with metastatic or recurrent pediatric solid tumors continue to have poor survival, and there is an immense need to identify novel therapeutic approaches. Moreover, these cancers typically have simple genomes with limited known druggable molecular events. In order to discover new vulnerabilities in pediatric solid tumors, we have performed genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screening and deep “omic” characterization in over 60 pediatric cancer cell lines to date, including neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, Ewing sarcoma, malignant rhabdoid tumor and rhabdomyosarcoma lines, to begin defining a pediatric cancer dependency map. Global analyses of the pediatric dependency landscape have identified emerging classes of pediatric cancers, including epigenetic-driven, aberrant transcription factor-driven and receptor tyrosine kinase-driven malignancies. For example, the preferential dependencies identified in a subset of neuroblastoma, which has aberrantly high expression of the transcription factor MYCN, are highly enriched for an interconnected network of genes annotated to have transcription factor activity. In addition to the global evaluation, we have developed methods and tools for prioritizing targets for further validation within a cancer type. These tools computationally integrate the pediatric dependency data across multiple datasets to identify categories of genetic dependencies that are especially strong hits or enriched hits in a specific pediatric malignancy. As an example, the intersection of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma specific dependencies and H3-lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) profiling across MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma allowed us to identify a transcriptional core regulatory circuit (CRC) that may drive the malignant state. Furthermore, targeting transcription with the BRD4 inhibitor JQ1 and CDK7 inhibitor THZ1 caused synergistic killing of neuroblastoma cells suggesting a novel therapeutic approach to treating this disease. Thus, defining a comprehensive pediatric cancer dependency map and developing the methods and tools to prioritize vulnerabilities in different cancer types will allow us to discover both novel biology and new therapeutic opportunities in childhood malignancies. Citation Format: Neekesh V. Dharia, Clare Malone, Amanda Balboni Iniguez, Lillian Guenther, Liying Chen, Gabriela Alexe, Adam D. Durbin, Mark W. Zimmerman, Andrew Hong, Pratiti Bandopadhayay, Mariella G. Filbin, Thomas Howard, Brenton Paolella, Iris Fung, Josephine Lee, Phil Montgomery, John M. Krill-Burger, Brian J. Abraham, Jennifer Roth, David E. Root, Richard A. Young, A. Thomas Look, Rameen Beroukhim, Jesse S. Boehm, William C. Hahn, Todd R. Golub, Aviad Tsherniak, Francisca Vazquez, Kimberly Stegmaier. Defining a pediatric cancer dependency map [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 2352.
Impact of deep wind power penetration on variability at load centers

Abstract Increasingly, variable renewable energy capacity will be added distant from load centers in much of the world. How such intraregional heterogeneity in variable supply and load will impact the energy system in a deep renewable penetration scenario is studied here. Heterogeneous reliability requirements imposed by such scenarios are not well understood. Some unique geographic settings, such as the Nordic grid with weeks of pumped hydro backup, manage to circumvent this issue without significant curtailment, but most regions have yet to achieve the renewable energy levels at which the issue will arise. Using simulations of wind power expansion in New York State, we illustrate the intraregional effects by quantifying the net load, net load ramping, operating reserve and regulation requirements, and the associated distribution of infrastructure investments and ancillary services. The study finds that only at wind capacities exceeding 100% of the average statewide load does the wind-generated electricity meet significant portions of the distant demands. However, the peak net load in these areas is not reduced, requiring that dispatchable generation capacity be maintained. Moreover, the net load becomes highly variable, with large ramp rates that increase ancillary service requirements (operating reserves and frequency regulation) to ensure reliable system operation. A major finding is that the additional ancillary service requirements become more concentrated in the distant load centers. A second significant finding is that while transmission capacity upgrades greatly increase the wind-generated electricity that reaches load centers, the increased variability in that supply can exacerbate both the magnitude and heterogeneity of ancillary service requirements. These services would presumably be provided by the same local dispatchable resources that would now be operating at lower capacity factors but with higher variability. Such changes in the scale and distribution of intraregional integration measures and infrastructure investments may require new energy planning approaches and market structures to achieve anticipated future renewable energy targets.
Bilateral projections to the thalamus from individual neurons in the inferior colliculus

The medial geniculate body (MG) receives a large input from the ipsilateral inferior colliculus (IC) and a smaller but substantial input from the contralateral IC. Both crossed and uncrossed inputs comprise a large percentage of glutamatergic cells and a smaller percentage of GABAergic cells. We used double labeling with fluorescent retrograde tracers to identify individual IC cells that project bilaterally to the MGs in adult guinea pigs. We also used immunohistochemistry for glutamic acid decarboxylase to distinguish GABAergic from glutamatergic cells that project bilaterally to the MG. We found cells in the IC that contained both retrograde tracers, indicating that they project bilaterally. Across cases, the bilaterally projecting cells constituted up to 37% of the cells that project to the ipsilateral MG and up to 73% of the cells that project to the contralateral MG. GABAergic cells averaged 20% of the bilaterally-projecting population. We conclude that a population of IC cells sends branching axonal projections to innervate the MG bilaterally. Most of the neurons in this population are glutamatergic, with a minority that are GABAergic. A mixed projection, with glutamatergic cells outnumbering GABAergic cells, originates from each of the major IC subdivisions (central nucleus, dorsal cortex, and lateral cortex). The bilaterally projecting cells are likely to serve functions different from the larger unilateral projections, perhaps synchronizing activity on the two sides of the auditory brain.
Nitromethane Exposure from Tobacco Smoke and Diet in the U.S. Population: NHANES, 2007-2012.

Nitromethane is a known toxicant and suspected human carcinogen. Exposure to nitromethane in a representative sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population in the United States ≥12 years old was assessed using 2007–2012 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Nitromethane was detected in all 8000 human blood samples collected, of which 6730 were used for analyses reported here. Sample-weighted median blood nitromethane was higher among exclusive combusted tobacco users (exclusive smokers; 774 ng/L) than nonusers of tobacco products (625 ng/L). In stratified sample-weighted regression analysis, smoking 0.5 pack of cigarettes per day was associated with a statistically significant increase in blood nitromethane by 150 ng/L, and secondhand smoke exposure (serum cotinine >0.05 ng/mL and <10 ng/mL) was statistically significant with a 31.1 ng/L increase in blood nitromethane. Certain dietary sources were associated with small but statistically significant increases in blood ...
Promoting self‐management of breast and nipple pain in breastfeeding women: Protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial

The majority of women experience pain during breastfeeding initiation with few strategies to manage breast and nipple pain. In fact, women cite breast and nipple pain as among the most common reasons for breastfeeding cessation. To address this important issue, we developed a breastfeeding self-management (BSM) intervention, based on the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory Framework. In this framework, self-management is conceptualized as a process in which women use knowledge, beliefs, and social facilitation to achieve breastfeeding goals. The purpose of this longitudinal pilot randomized controlled trial was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the BSM intervention with women initiating breastfeeding. Recruitment of 60 women intending to breastfeed occurred within 48 hr of delivery and women were randomized to either the intervention or usual care group. The BSM intervention group received BSM education modules that included information of how to manage breast and nipple pain and self-management support through biweekly texting from the study nurse, and were asked to complete a daily breastfeeding journal. Primary outcomes measured at baseline, 1, 2, and 6 weeks will be used to (a) evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the BSM intervention, and (b) assess the influence of protective and risk factors of breastfeeding pain (including individual genetic polymorphisms related to pain sensitivity) on process variables for self-management of breastfeeding and breastfeeding pain, and on proximal (breastfeeding pain severity and interference, breastfeeding frequency) and distal outcomes (breastfeeding exclusivity and duration and general well-being).
Establishing 24-hour Holter reference intervals for clinically healthy puppies.

Abstract Normal Holter reference intervals have not been established for dogs Forty-four client-owned clinically healthy puppies between 12 and 51 weeks of age were prospectively studied. Age was determined by date of birth and corroborated by dental examination. Puppies were deemed healthy based on history and physical examination. Puppies with heart murmurs underwent echocardiographic examination. Dogs with physiologic heart murmurs were included. Twenty-four hour ECG recordings were obtained using a digital Holter system. The median (interquartile range) Holter minimum, average, and maximum heart rates were 51 bpm (43–60 bpm), 99 bpm (85–113 bpm), and 274 bpm (257–291 bpm), respectively. The median for ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias was 0. Ventricular and supraventricular premature complexes were identified in 4/44 (9%) and 6/44 (13%) puppies, respectively. Second degree atrioventricular block was identified in 2/44 puppies (5%). Overall, minimum, average, and maximum Holter heart rates of puppies are higher than adult dogs. The incidence of ventricular and supraventricular premature complexes in puppies is similar to adult dogs.
Secondary Trauma and Parenting Practices in Internet Crimes against Children Task Force Investigators.

Investigating cases of child pornography requires daily exposure to sexually explicit material involving children and may have negative implications on the mental well-being of those in this line of work. This study aimed to identify whether secondary traumatic stress symptoms were associated with participants’ parenting behaviors and concerns about their own children’s use of the internet. Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force workers (n = 212) completed online questionnaires measuring work exposure to sexually explicit material, secondary traumatic stress symptoms, and parenting behaviors. Professionals in this field reported a wide range of secondary trauma symptoms, and their parenting behaviors were both directly and indirectly (via secondary trauma) affected by prolonged exposure to sexually explicit material involving children. Internet monitoring behaviors were more prevalent for parents of younger children, and mothers’ parenting behaviors were more strongly associated with secondary trauma symptoms than were fathers. Results have implications for mental health and parenting services for professionals in this field.
Identifying bladder layers from H and E images using U-Net image segmentation

Identification of bladder layers is a necessary prerequisite to bladder cancer diagnosis and prognosis. We present a method of multi-class image segmentation, which can recognize Urothelium, Lamina Propria, Muscularis Propria, and Muscularis Mucosa regions from images of H&E-stained slides of bladder biopsies. This method can also recognize the difference between these layers, and regions of red blood cells, cauterized tissue, and inflamed tissue at pixel level. The segmentation is done using the U-Net deep learning paradigm, which consists of a combination of convolutional neural layers and upscaling layers to encode features from an image. The most optimal model for this task was found by training four different weight initializers and three different U-Nets of varying size and dropout on 39 whole slide images of T1 bladder biopsies. The model was visually evaluated by an experienced pathologist on an independent set of 15 slides. The pathologist gave an average score of 8.93 out of 10 for the segmentation accuracy. It only took 23 mins for the pathologist to review 15 slides. Our preliminary findings suggest that predictions of our model can minimize the time needed by pathologists to review the slides. Moreover, the method has the potential to identify the bladder layers accurately and hence can assist the pathologist with the diagnosis of T1 bladder cancer.
catena-Poly[[[aqua­copper(II)]-μ-(biphenyl-2,2′-di­carboxyl­ato)-μ-[N,N′-bis­(pyridin-4-yl)urea]] 1.25-hydrate]

In the title compound, {[Cu(C14H8O4)(C11H10N4O)(H2O)]·1.25H2O}n, the CuII cations are coordinated in a square-pyramidal fashion by trans carboxyl­ate O-atom donors from two diphenate (dip) ligands, trans pyridyl N-atom donors from two bis­(4-pyrid­yl)urea (bpu) ligands, and a ligated water mol­ecule in the apical position. [Cu(H2O)(dip)(bpu)]n coordination polymer layer motifs are oriented parallel to (\overline{1}02). These layer motifs display a standard (4,4) rectangular grid topology and stack in an AAA pattern along the a-axis direction to form the full three-dimensional crystal structure of the title compound, mediated by N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding patterns involving the water mol­ecules of crystallization.
How Shared Visual Attention Patterns of Pairs Unfold Over Time when Workload Changes

Data rich environments rely on operator collaboration to manage workload changes. This work explores the relationship between operators’ visual attention and collaborative performance during these workload changes. Percent gaze overlap and percent recurrence were calculated over time for best and worst performing pairs of participants who experienced low and high workload in an unmanned aerial vehicle command and control testbed. It was found that the best performing pairs had higher values for both metrics after workload changed. These results suggest successful collaborative performance is dependent on both continuous high levels of synchronized visual attention and coordinated sequences of visual attention. This work has the potential to inform the design of real-time technology.
Abstract PR14: A multiscale map of recurrently mutated systems in cancer

Interpreting cancer genomes requires a broad understanding of the composition and organization of cellular processes under selective pressure for mutations. Here, we integrate systematic screens for protein interaction with tumor genetic analysis to elucidate a multiscale hierarchical map of 378 protein systems recurrently altered in one or more cancer types. Diverse gene mutations converge on commonly mutated systems, from small protein complexes in specific tumor types to large molecular assemblies and organelles disrupted in most cancers. Unexpected findings include collagen structural alterations with significant prognostic value; mutations impacting the desmosome in 65% melanomas; complexes related to splicing and DNA repair; and an expanded actomyosin cluster involving PIK3CA. The map implicates 556 cancer genes, many well supported by functional assays, including canonical genes implicated in new tissues (e.g., BRCA1/2 mutations in bladder cancer). This work explains mutational heterogeneity as a collection of convergence points across scales of cell biology. This abstract is also being presented as Poster B52. Citation Format: Fan Zheng, Keiichiro Ono, Erica Silva, Danielle Swaney, Minkyu Kim, Julia Shangguan, Dexter Pratt, Xiaolin Nan, Nevan Krogan, Trey Ideker. A multiscale map of recurrently mutated systems in cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Evolving Landscape of Cancer Modeling; 2020 Mar 2-5; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(11 Suppl):Abstract nr PR14.
Experimental and numerical models of fine sediment transport by tsunamis

Abstract Tsunamis and storms can be incredibly destructive events. The direct observational record of important characteristics of these events, such as flooding height, inundation, and flow speed, is often lacking. Coupled with field data acquisition, a tremendous amount of additional information can be gained through experimental laboratory studies and by applying numerical inverse models to mud and sand deposits often associated with these events. This chapter outlines typical field and sampling approaches to study tsunami-derived deposits, common data modeling techniques for constraining/reconstructing flood conditions from resultant deposits, experimental investigations, and future directions in the field.
Changes in the Gulf Stream preceded rapid warming of the Northwest Atlantic Shelf

The Northwest Atlantic Shelf provides ecological and economic benefits along the heavily populated North American coastline and beyond. In 2009-2010, abrupt warming prompted an ecosystem shift with consequences for fisheries, yet the cause of this event is unclear. Here we use satellite altimetry and in situ measurements to show that, in 2008, the Gulf Stream migrated closer to the Tail of the Grand Banks, a shift that has persisted ever since. This change reduced the westward connectivity of the Labrador Current that otherwise supplies cold, fresh, oxygen-rich waters to the shelf. Within one year after the appearance of anomalously warm and saline water at the Tail of Grand Banks, subsurface warming progressed south-westwards. Historical observations suggest a similar sequence of events may have occurred in the 1970s. Therefore, monitoring water properties at the Tail of Grand Banks may offer predictability for shelf properties and ecosystem perturbations with substantial lead time. A northward shift of the Gulf Stream in 2008 interrupted the Labrador Current and may have contributed to abrupt warming and an ecosystem shift in the Northwest Atlantic Shelf a year later, suggest satellite altimetry and direct subsurface measurements.
Mosaicism for Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Activation in a Glioblastoma Involving Both PDGFRA Amplification and NTRK2 Fusion.

Rearrangements involving the neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) gene family have been reported in diverse tumor types, and NTRK‐targeted therapies have recently been approved. In this article, we report a case of a 26‐year‐old man with an NTRK2‐rearranged isocitrate dehydrogenase‐wild‐type glioblastoma who showed a robust but temporary response to the NTRK inhibitor larotrectinib. Rebiopsy after disease progression showed elimination of the NTRK2‐rearranged tumor cell clones, with secondary emergence of a PDGFRA‐amplified subclone. Retrospective examination of the initial biopsy material confirmed rare cells harboring PDGFRA amplification. Although mosaic amplification of multiple receptor tyrosine kinase genes in glioblastoma has been previously described, mosaicism involving a fusion gene driver event has not. This case highlights the potential efficacy of NTRK‐targeted treatment in glioblastoma and the implications of molecular heterogeneity in the setting of targeted therapy. Key Points This case highlights the efficacy of the NTRK inhibitor larotrectinib in treating NTRK‐rearranged glioblastoma. This is the first case to demonstrate mosaicism in glioblastoma involving both a fusion gene and amplification for receptor tyrosine kinases. Intratumoral heterogeneity in glioblastoma has significant implications for tumor resistance to targeted therapies.
Heterogeneous Tissue Modulus Improved Prediction of Mechanical Behavior in Osteoporotic Vertebral Cancellous Bone

The structural integrity of cancellous bone, which is essential to skeletal load-bearing capacity, is governed chiefly by apparent density, trabecular architecture, and tissue material properties. Metabolic bone disorders such as osteoporosis can affect each of these factors separately, resulting in compromised load-bearing function. While the impact of apparent density and architecture on bone mechanical behavior has been well-documented, much less is known about the influence of tissue material properties, particularly in osteoporotic bone. The goal of the present study is to isolate the influence of tissue material properties on the pre-yield mechanical response of normal and osteoporotic cancellous bone to uniaxial compression using finite element (FE) models derived from 3D micro-computed tomography images. Both average tissue material properties and the degree of tissue material heterogeneity vary between individuals. Therefore, three sets of FE models were created to study the relative importance of these two factors: 1) models with material homogeneity within and between subjects, 2) models with material homogeneity within subjects only, and 3) models with material heterogeneity within and between subjects. The results of finite element analyses were compared to data gathered from physical testing with matched conditions. For normal bone, incorporating material heterogeneity within and between subjects had no significant effect on model performance. For osteoporotic bone, incorporating material heterogeneity within subjects did not affect model performance, but models that incorporated subject-specific average material properties were significantly more accurate in replicating the results of physical testing. We conclude that, while the influence of bone apparent density and trabecular architecture on apparent stiffness are dominant in healthy bone, average material properties also play a role in osteoporotic bone. Osteoporosis is diagnosed based on apparent density alone, so our findings suggest a need to consider other patient-specific differences that may affect average tissue material properties, such a bone remodeling rate, in clinical assessments of osteoporotic bone structural integrity.
Colchicine Binding by the “Isolated” β-Monomer of Tubulin

At mole ratios of lactoperoxidase to tubulin monomers of 3-4, bovine lactoperoxidase forms 1:1 adducts with both α- and β-tubulin from rat brain, thereby separating the tubulin heterodimer into its monomers. This mixture binds colchicine normally, and we show here by direct photoaffinity labeling that the bulk of the [3H]colchicine becomes attached to β-tubulin under these conditions. When the α-tubulin has been displaced by lactoperoxidase, the ratio of label in β-tubulin to α-tubulin is increased. The amount of label in α-tubulin decreases with a corresponding appearance of label in lactoperoxidase. The rate of labeling of β-tubulin remains slow. We conclude that α-tubulin is not necessary for colchicine binding and propose a model wherein the A and C rings of colchicine bind to β-tubulin, while the B ring faces α-tubulin in the dimer.
Reactive Oxygen-dependent DNA Damage Resulting from the Oxidation of Phenolic Compounds by a Copper-Redox Cycle Mechanism

Recently, copper has been shown to be capable of mediating the activation of several xenobiotics producing reactive oxygen and other radicals. Since copper exists in the nucleus and is closely associated with chromosomes and DNA bases, in this study we have investigated whether the activation of 1,4-hydroquinone (1,4-HQ) and a variety of other phenolic compounds by copper can induce strand breaks in double-stranded phi X-174 RF I DNA (phi X-174 relaxed form I DNA). In the presence of micromolar concentrations of Cu(II), DNA strand breaks were induced by 1,4-HQ and other phenolic compounds including 4,4'-biphenol, catechol, 1,2,4-benzenetriol, 2-methoxyestradiol, 2-hydroxyestradiol, diethylstilbestrol, butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, tert-butylhydroquinone, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, eugenol, 2-acetamidophenol, and acetaminophen. Structure-activity analysis shows that in the presence of Cu(II), the DNA cleaving activity for phenolic compounds with a 1,4-hydroquinone structure, such as 1,2,4-benzenetriol and tert-butylhydroquinone is greater than those with a catechol group (catechol, 2-hydroxyestradiol and caffeic acid). Those compounds having one phenol group, such as eugenol, 2-acetamidophenol, and acetaminophen, are the least reactive. In addition, the induced DNA strand breaks could be inhibited by bathocuproinedisulfonic acid, a Cu(I)-specific chelator, or catalase indicating that a Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycle and H2O2 generation are two major determinants involved in the observed DNA damage. Using reactive oxygen scavengers, it was observed that the DNA strand breaks induced by the 1,4-HQ/Cu(II) system could not be efficiently inhibited by hydroxyl radical scavengers, but could be protected by singlet oxygen scavengers, suggesting that either singlet oxygen or a singlet oxygen-like entity, possibly a copper-peroxide complex, but not free hydroxyl radical probably plays a role in the DNA damage. The above results would suggest that macromolecule-associated copper and reactive oxygen generation may be important factors in the mechanism of 1,4-HQ and other phenolic compound-induced DNA damage in target cells.
An 8-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter based on the voltage-dependent switching probability of a Magnetic Tunnel Junction

In this work, we have experimentally demonstrated for the first time, an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) based on the unique voltage-dependent switching probability of a Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ). The switching probability was calculated by applying repetitive voltage pulses and measuring the resolved MTJ states in each sampling time window. Temperature sensitivity and MgO breakdown issues were minimized by optimizing the voltage pulse width. Circuit level techniques were utilized to improve the ADC linearity and increase the input voltage range. The proposed ADC achieves an 8-bit resolution with excellent linearity at 30 and 85°C.
Look to the East to Gain a New Perspective, Understand Cultural Differences, and Appreciate Cultural Diversity.

Childrearing and educational practices accurately reflect cultural values. Cross-cultural experiences highlight some ways attitudes about early childhood, parenting, and teaching are influenced by cultural experiences and expectations. The author's experiences in China illustrate interesting ways these programs are very different from their American counterparts. Some of the differences revolve around practices such as residential programs for young children, the nature of classroom interactions, and contrasting approaches to teaching the arts. Identifying and understanding the reasons for some of those differences can sensitize readers to broader issues of cultural pluralism and help teachers celebrate cultural diversity as they work with families from varied backgrounds.
Application of learning styles and approaches in computing sciences classes

This paper proposes a delivery methodology of computing classes aligned with the learning process as described by David Kolb and others. Class activities are expanded from the classic lecture, homework and exam cycle to a discovery, reflection, experience, abstraction, and verification cycle. A fair portion of this cycle is currently being used in the following classes: introduction to programming, intermediate programming, computer architecture and data structures. The limited results show promise.
Role of Intestinal Microflora in the Metabolism of Guanidinosuccinic Acid

Among a variety of bacteria isolated from the gastrointestinal tracts of rats and humans, only streptococci of group N are capable of degrading guanidinosuccinic acid added to their culture medium. The urinary excretion of guanidinosuccinic acid by germfree rats is greater than that of conventional rats. The excretion of this compound by gnotobiotic rats correlates with the capacity of their intestinal microflora to degrade guanidinosuccinic acid in culture. Thus, guanidinosuccinic acid excretion is low in rats infected exclusively with Streptococcus faecalis, and the excretion is not altered when germfree rats are infected with an organism unable to degrade guanidinosuccinic acid (Lactobacillus). These findings suggest that the intestinal microflora, particularly Streptococcus, play a role in the metabolism of guanidinosuccinic acid by the host.
Using factions to estimate preference intensity: Improving upon one person/one vote

In many elections, individuals are given two alternatives and are asked to indicate which of the two they prefer. These votes are then tabulated using one person/one vote and the alternative with the most votes becomes the public choice.
Nuclear Transplantation in Drosophila melanogaster

IT has been known for some time that factors in the cytoplasm of many eggs can influence the development of the cells, part of which they eventually constitute. This is most clearly seen in the case of the germ cell determinants. The removal of a particular region of the egg (the “pole plasm”) results in the absence of germ cells in the resulting animals1. We have begun an analysis of nuclear and cytoplasmic interactions in the egg of Drosophila melanogaster by means of nuclear transplantations. The advantages of Drosophila are its well described genetics and development; its disadvantages are the small size of the egg, its extreme sensitivity to minor damage to the egg membranes and the high turgor of the egg cell. Although nuclear transplantations in other animals have been fruitful2, two earlier attempts with Drosophila3,4 yielded a few differentiated larvae, but no adults. This was probably because injected eggs usually develop abnormalities which lead to early death of the embryo. We have tried to bypass this difficulty by culturing early embryonic stages in adult females and then causing them to metamorphose, a procedure developed independently by Hadorn et al.5 and Gateff and Schneiderman6. This made it possible to assess the developmental capacities of embryos from nuclear transplantations which underwent a great deal of development but would never have hatched.
Advances in heteroepitaxy of oxides on silicon

Abstract Direct epitaxy of high-quality perovskite oxides on silicon paves the way for their integration with Si microelectronics. At Motorola Labs, we have achieved heteroepitaxy of high-quality perovskite oxide films and stacks on up to 8-in. Si and silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates by using molecular beam epitaxy. Alkaline earth metals are used to remove the native oxide on Si and SOI at 720–800 °C, well below the SiO2 thermal desorption temperatures. A stable (2×1) surface structure is the critical enabling template for oxide epitaxy on silicon. Unit cell-by-unit cell growth of SrTiO3 (STO) by using co-deposition of Sr and Ti in oxygen promotes Ti oxidation and produces higher-quality films on Si, compared to a layer-by-layer flux shuttering technique, especially at the initial nucleation stage. Characteristic half-order reconstructions of the perovskite oxide surface are useful in real-time stoichiometry monitoring and control during growth while the wafers are rotating. Amorphous interfacial layer between the epitaxial oxide and silicon can be tailored by controlling the oxide growth process and parameters. Al-doping is found to expand the band gap and reduce the leakage current density in the STO films.
Nursing Student Attitudes Toward and Preferences for Working with Older Adults

A growing aging population will require nurses who prefer to work with older adults. Schools of nursing have used several strategies to improve students' attitudes, and encourage preferences for working with older adults. However, research on these strategies is inconsistent, with some programs improving students' attitudes whereas others have no effect. More recent studies have found that although attitudes have improved, working with older adults is generally the least preferred area of nursing. The purpose of this longitudinal mixed methods study is to describe and explain student nurse attitudes and preference changes over time. Eighty undergraduate nursing students were surveyed over 2 years. Students' attitudes and preference for working with older adults improved over time. However, their preference to work in nursing homes was consistently ranked last among the 10 choices for work preferences. In focus groups, students reported that the gerontological course dispelled myths about caring for older adults, and that clinical placement played a major role in influencing student work preferences.
A fast computational algorithm for simulating round-robin service

An efficient computation-based algorithm for effecting round-robin (RR) service in discrete-event simulation systems is presented. The new algorithm improves upon an older computational algorithm which itself is an improvement over naive RR scheduling currently in use in process-oriented simulation systems. The naive approach can be prohibitively expensive due to process context switch overhead. The original computational algorithm avoids much of this context switching but offers a run-time complexity of only O(n 2 ), where n is the size of the job pool. This is because the processing of each arrival and departure event requires a traversal of the entire pool. In this paper, we propose an improved algorithm which reduces run-time complexity to O(n log n) by using tree-based data structures. The expected computation to process each arrival or departure event is proportional to O(log n). Empirical evidence suggests that, except for very small size of job pool, this algorithm is considerably faster than other methods.
Probing structure and function in planar supported protein films

The development of molecular devices based on immobilized protein films is currently a very active area of research worldwide. Detailed structural and functional characterization of these films is a prerequisite to the rational development of deposition methods that product bioactive structures, but is a technically difficult challenge. Two recent thrusts in our work have been investigated of methods designed to create macroscopically ordered arrays of protein molecules, and development of new optical techniques to characterize the ensemble properties of these arrays.
Improvements in the measurement of distillation curves. 4. Application to the aviation turbine fuel Jet-A

We have recently introduced several important improvements in the measurement of distillation curves for complex fluids. The modifications to the classical measurement provide for (1) temperature a...
Multicolor fiducial laser for streak cameras and optical diagnostics for the OMEGA laser system

We present the design and preliminary experimental data for the multicolor fiducial laser to be used as a primary timing reference for UV and x-ray streak cameras on the 40-kJ UV OMEGA laser system.
THYROID FUNCTION IN NON-GH-DEFICIENT SHORT CHILDREN DURING A PLACEBO-CONTROLLED DOUBLE-BLIND TRIAL OF GH THERAPY

THYROID FUNCTION IN NON-GH-DEFICIENT SHORT CHILDREN DURING A PLACEBO-CONTROLLED DOUBLE-BLIND TRIAL OF GH THERAPY