cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Another Turn in the Conversation: What Does Cloze Measure?.

This study addresses a controversy in cloze testing. At issue is whether the cloze procedure measures comprehension that ranges beyond the context immediately surrounding a cloze deletion. Eight cloze passages published over the past 15 years were analyzed, using a system that (a) estimates the quantity of text required to cue closure of any one blank (Bachman, 1985) and (b) considers the linguistic category of the deleted word. The research reported here demonstrates that across the cloze tests considered, the standard fixed-ratio cloze procedure has a high level of sensitivity to intersentential ties and lexical selections, and that the kinds of language knowledge required to complete cloze tests is virtually the same from one test to the next. The implication of these findings is that the fixed-ratio cloze procedure is far from erratic in its selection of item types. This study suggests that, for deriving tests of language comprehension, the cloze procedure produces tests that are generally consistent in the ways they measure the language knowledge of examinees.
Morphology and bridging properties of (AB)n multiblock copolymers

Motivated by recent experiments (Spontak, R. J.; Smith, S. D. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 2001, 39, 947) on morphological and mechanical properties of multiblock copolymers (AB) n , we theoretically elucidate the links between microscopically determined properties, such as the bridging fraction of chains, and mechanical properties of these materials. We do this by applying self-consistent mean-field theory to determine morphological aspects such as period and interfacial width and calculate the bridging fractions.
The effect of alterations in the pituitary-thyroid axis on hypothalamic content and in vitro release of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity.

The role of somatostatin (SRIF) in the regulation of thyroid homeostasis was studied by measuring hypothalamic SRIF-like immunoreactivity (SRIF-LI) content and in vitro release in hypothyroid (T3-treated and untreated), euthyroid, and T3-treated normal rats. Hypothalamic SRIF-LI content was decreased in hypothyroid rats and was restored to euthyroid levels by T3 treatment. SRIF-LI release from hypothalami of hypothyroid rats was decreased compared to that in euthyroid controls under basal and stimulated (60 mM K+ or 10-6 M dopamine) in vitro conditions. The release of SRIF-LI from hypothalami of hypothyroid rats treated with T3 was restored to euthyroid levels. The release of SRIF-LI from normal rat hypothalami was unaffected by TRH or TSH but was stimulated by T3. These results suggest that T3 exerts its negative feedback effect on pituitary TSH release via stimulation of hypothalamic SRIF release as well as by a direct pituitary effect, and that the elevated TSH levels seen in primary hypothyroidism may...
Use of ligand-modified micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration in the selective removal of metal ions from water

Abstract Ligand-modified micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (LM-MEUF) is a membranebased separation technique which can selectively remove specific ions from an aqueous solution containing several ions of like charge. In LM-MEUF, surfactant and amphiphilic ligand are added to the contaminated water. The surfactant forms aggregates called micelles, and the ligand is selected to complex the ion of interest and to solubilize strongly in the micelles. The result is micelles containing a high fraction of the ligand and the target ion. If the surfactant is chosen to have the same charge as the target ion, other ions in solution with this same charge will not associate with the micelles, making the retention of ions by the micelles very selective. The solution is then passed through an ultrafiltration membrane with pore sizes small enough to block the passage of micelles. In this study, divalent copper is the target ion in a solution also containing divalent calcium. A cationic surfactant is used with N-n-dodecyl...
Evaluation of resistance to aflatoxin contamination in kernels of maize genotypes using a GFP-expressing Aspergillus flavus strain

Resistance or susceptibility of maize inbreds to infection by Aspergillus flavus was evaluated by the kernel screening assay. A green fluorescent protein-expressing strain of A. flavus was used to measure fungal spread and aflatoxin levels in real-time following fungal infection of kernels. Among the four inbreds tested, MI82 showed the most resistance and Ga209 the least. TZAR101 was also resistant to fungal infection, whereas Va35 was susceptible to fungal infection. However, Va35 produced lower aflatoxin levels compared to the susceptible line Ga209. Fluorescence microscopy indicated that the site of entry of the fungus into the kernel was consistently through the pedicel. Entry through the pericarp was never observed in undamaged kernels. In view of these results, incorporation or overexpression of antifungal proteins should be targeted to the pedicel and basal endosperm region in developing kernels. Once the fungus has entered through the pedicel, it spreads quickly through the open spaces between th...
The Paradox of Incomplete CD4+ Cell Count Restoration Despite Successful Antiretroviral Treatment and the Need to Start Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Early

The natural course of HIV infection is characterized by progressive and, ultimately, profound loss of CD4 T lymphocytes, the primary target of this virus that essentially infects the immune system. During peak viremia, in the acute phase of infection, CD4 cells are dramatically depleted in the gut, where the vast majority of them reside [1]. When the HIV load reaches a subsequent quasi–set point, circulating CD4 cells experience a transient recovery. However, over the course of infection, progressive CD4 cell loss leads to increasing immunodeficiency, resulting in opportunistic diseases and, finally, death [2]. CD4 cell counts, therefore, represent the principal surrogate marker for clinical symptoms and AIDSdefining illnesses. With the advent of effective antiretroviral therapy, it became clear that decreases in CD4 cell counts can be drastically reversed. After treatment initiation, the fre-
Postgraduate Training on the Health Significance of Indoor Air Quality in Hungary

Health Significance of Indoor Air Quality has been in the curriculum of the postgraduate training courses for doctors to be specialized in public health and epidemiology for almost two decades. In the frame of the postgraduate course on `Ecological architecture“ at the Technical University of Budapest it has been taught for two years. Special stress is laid upon the issues that represent current problems of high importance in the everyday public health practice related to the indoor environment. The Hungarian National Environmental Health Action Plan (NEHAP) has also been paying special attention to education relating to the indoor environment.
Chromosomal microarray analysis, or comparative genomic hybridization: A high throughput approach

Pathological copy number variants (CNVs) and point mutations are major genetic causes of hundreds of disorders. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) also known as chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) is the best available tool to detect copy number variations in chromosomal make up. We have optimized several different protocols and introduce a high-throughput approach to perform a cost-effective, fast, high-throughput and high-quality CMA. We managed to reach to high quality arrays with 17 ± 0.04 (mean ± SD, n = 90) Derivative Log Ratio (DLR) spread, a measure of array quality (<0.20 considered as excellent) for our arrays. High-throughput and high-quality arrays are gaining more attention and the current manuscript is a step forward to this increasing demand.•This manuscript introduces a low cost, fast, efficient, high throughput and high-quality aCGH protocol;•This protocol provides specific instructions and crucial detail for processing up to 24 slides which is equal to 48, 96, or 192 arrays by only one person in one day;•This manuscript is accompanied with a step-by-step video.
An Interview Reflection on “Intelligent Tutoring Goes to School in the Big City”

Our 1997 article in IJAIED reported on a study that showed that a new algebra curriculum with an embedded intelligent tutoring system (the Algebra Cognitive Tutor) dramatically enhanced high-school students’ learning. The main motivation for the study was to demonstrate that intelligent tutors that have cognitive science research embedded in them could have real impact in schools. This study was one of the first large-scale classroom evaluations of the integrated use of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) in high schools. A core challenge was figuring out how to embed this new technology into a curriculum and into the existing social context of schools. A key element of the study design was to include multiple kinds of assessments, including standardized test items and items measuring complex problem solving and use of representations. The results were powerful: “On average the 470 students in experimental classes outperformed students in comparison classes by 15 % on standardized tests and 100 % on tests targeting the [course] objectives.” We suggested that the study was evidence “that laboratory tutoring systems can be scaled up and made to work, both technically and pedagogically, in real and unforgiving settings like urban high schools.” Since this study, many more classroom studies comparing instruction that includes an ITS against business as usual have been conducted, often showing advantages for the ITS-enhanced curricula. More rigorous randomized field trials are now more commonplace, but the approach of using multiple assessments in large-scale randomized field trials has not caught on. Cognitive task analysis will remain fundamental to the success of ITSs. A key remaining question for ITS is to find out how they can be used most effectively to support open-ended problem solving, either online or offline. Given all the recent excitement around Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), it is interesting to note that our field of Artificial Intelligence in Education has been making huge, less recognized, progress with impact on millions of students and with the majority of those students finishing the course!
The Schwartzian Derivative and the Conformal Geometry of the Lorentz Hyperboloid

Let H denote the single sheeted hyperboloid with the unique (up to multiplicative constant) Lorentz metric, g, invariant under SL(2, ℝ), so g has constant non-zero curvature. We study the group Conf(H) of conformal diffeomorphisms of g, in particular the boundary behavior of the conformal factor fτ for τ ∈ Conf(H) and τ*g = fτg. We characterize those metrics in the conformal class of g which are of the form τ* g. This implies the determination of a solution of a certain hyperbolic partial differential equation by specifying boundary behavior at infinity.
VLSI Neuromorphs: Building Blocks for Neural Circuits

Our VLSI neuromorphs consist of (a) extensive dendritic trees with hyperpolarizing, depolarizing, and shunting synapses which can receive large numbers of pulsatile inputs, and (b) integrate-and-spike somas. The programmability of tree and soma dynamics, and activity-dependent soma threshold, in addition to flexible synaptic connections enables a single neuromorph to perform a variety of spike processing functions, such as discriminating spatiotemporal patterns of input spikes. Adjustment of dendritic dynamics and soma parameters allows neuromorphs to be tuned over very wide temporal frequency ranges.
Analytical period-1 motions to chaos in a two-degree-of-freedom oscillator with a hardening nonlinear spring

In this paper, obtained are analytical solutions for period-1 motions to chaos in a two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) oscillator with a nonlinear hardening spring. From the finite Fourier series transformation, a dynamical system of coefficients of the finite Fourier series is developed to determine existence, stability and bifurcations of periodic motions in such a 2-DOF nonlinear oscillator. The equilibriums of such a dynamical system of coefficients give the analytical solutions of period-m motions, and the corresponding stability and bifurcations of period-m motions are determined through the eigenvalue analysis of equilibriums. Analytical bifurcation trees of period-1 motions to chaos are presented through frequency–amplitude curves. From the frequency–amplitude curves, the harmonic effects on the periodic motions can be discussed and nonlinear behaviors of periodic motions can be determined. Displacements, velocity, and trajectories of periodic motions in the 2-DOF nonlinear oscillator are used to illustrate motion complexity, and harmonic amplitude spectrums give harmonic effects on periodic motions of the 2-DOF nonlinear oscillator. Through the analytical solutions, the complex dynamics of the 2-DOF nonlinear oscillator is studied. The analytical solutions presented herein for periodic motions in such 2-DOF systems can be used to further discuss the corresponding nonlinear behaviors, and can also be applied to engineering for design.
Sleep and Women's Health

Sex differences in sleep begin at a very early age and women report poorer sleep quality and have higher risk for insomnia than do men. Sleep may be affected by variation in reproductive hormones, stress, depression, aging, life/role transitions, and other factors. The menstrual cycle is associated with changes in circadian rhythms and sleep architecture. Menstruating women (even without significant menstrual-related complaints) often report poorer sleep quality and greater sleep disturbance during the premenstrual week compared to other times of her menstrual cycle. In addition to these sleep disturbances, women with severe premenstrual syndrome often report more disturbing dreams, sleepiness, fatigue, decreased alertness and concentration during the premenstrual phase. Sleep disturbances are also commonly reported during pregnancy and increase in frequency and duration as the pregnancy progresses. The precipitous decline in hormones and unpredictable sleep patterns of the newborn contribute to and/or exacerbate poor sleep and daytime sleepiness during the early postpartum period. Insomnia is also among the most common health complaints that are reported by perimenopausal women. Women are particularly vulnerable to developing insomnia disorder during these times of reproductive hormonal change. In this review, we present a discussion on the most relevant and recent publications on sleep across the woman's lifespan, including changes in sleep related to menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, and the menopausal transition. Treatment for sleep disturbances and insomnia disorder and special considerations for treating women will also be discussed.
Semi-Structure Routing and Analytical Frameworks for Cognitive Radio Networks

Routing is one of the most important and fundamental issues in cognitive radio networks (CRNs). However, most of the existing routing algorithms for CRNs either cannot fully take account of the spectrum dynamics or are resource aided which might introduce too much cost. Therefore, in this paper, we study to design an effective routing scheme with respect to induced latency and energy consumption for CRNs. Our main contributions are threefold. First, we propose a spectrum-aware semi-structure routing (SSR) framework which also incorporates power control for CRNs. By employing forwarding zones and routing zones , SSR can utilize the local real-time spectrum dynamics effectively and meanwhile guarantee the global routing performance. In addition, without sacrificing spectrum opportunities, SSR achieves energy efficiency by completing each data transmission with the lowest allowed working power. Second, aiming at closing the gap of lacking of analytical models for routing protocol performance [4] in CRNs, we propose a mathematical framework for SSR which includes a latency analytical model and an energy consumption analytical model. Under the dense scaling network distribution model, we demonstrate ( $i$ ) the upper bound of the induced latency and scalability of SSR; and ( $ii$ ) the optimality of SSR with respect to energy consumption, which is approximately optimal. Finally, extensive simulations are conducted to validate the performance of SSR. Simulation results indicate that SSR can utilize spectrum dynamics effectively and has better performance than state-of-the-art methods.
Improving Our Understanding of Moderation and Mediation in Strategic Management Research

We clarify differences among moderation, partial mediation, and full mediation and identify methodological problems related to moderation and mediation from a review of articles in Strategic Manage...
Some Characterizations of Absolute Continuity

Suppose now that F is a nondecreasing function of a real variable. Then we may use F to construct a Caratheodory outer measure F* and a family L(F) of measurable sets. F* will be a measure on the completely additive class L(F). (Here and in all that follows we shall assume that all nondecreasing functions F referred to are normalized so that they are continuous from the right and so that F(0) =0. This does not affect the family L(F) nor the measure F*.) If we have two such functions F1 and F2, we may talk about the absolute continuity of Fj* with respect to F2*, in the sense of Definition 1, It is frequently not pointed out that in this context Definition 1 involves certain relations between the classes L(F1) and L(F2). It is the purpose of this note to point out some of these relations. For example, if F1 is continuous, then the relation L(F2) CL(F1) is equivalent to the absolute continuity of Fj* with respect to F2* in the sense of Definition 1. We first observe that in Definition 1, we consider the measures u and v on a common completely additive class X. If we are to say that Fj* is absolutely continuous with respect to F2* in the sense of Definition 1, what should we take as X? Since BCL(F) for any nondecreasing function F (here B stands for the Borel sets), it seems natural to take X to be B. Definition 1 would then be expressed as
The Federal Loyalty Program: Background and Problems*

Since the promulgation on March 21, 1947, of Executive Order 9835 “prescribing procedures for the administration of an ‘employees’ loyalty program in the executive branch of the government,” there has been widespread discussion concerning the nature of disloyalty, its probable extent in the federal service, and the desirability of the loyalty program.One point of view, among some members of Congress and elsewhere, is that this loyalty program does not go far enough to meet what is regarded as the serious menace of foreign (that is, Russian) directed or inspired subversives in the government. A sharply contrasting attitude, also voiced by a few Congressmen and by others, is that the menace is exaggerated for various reasons and that the program constitutes a “witch hunt” aimed at liberals generally and a dangerous attack upon civil liberties. Between these two extremes are gradations of opinion accepting the principle of the program but with reservations of varying intensity as to some of its standards and procedures, and with a watchful eye on its operation and on its effect within the federal service and outside.
Three Dimensional Parallel Compressible Multi-material Flows

*** § Shock Waves and Detonation waves have been topic of cutting edge research for decades. The interaction of these waves with multi materials can result in complex wave structures in two and three dimensions. Large-scale computations are required to simulate physical phenomena involving detonation and shock waves like supernova formation, explosions and hypervelocity impact and penetration. In this paper we describe the parallel implementation of fixed Cartesian grid flow solver with moving boundaries. A higher order conservation scheme such as ENO is used for calculating the numerical fluxes and level sets are used to define the objects immersed in flow field. A Riemann solver based Ghost fluid method is used for interface treatment of embedded objects. This paper describes the methodology for parallelization with emphasis on strong shocks interacting with embedded interfaces (solid-fluid, solid-solid and fluidfluid) in three-dimensional compressible flow framework. It also explains the handling of moving boundaries in multi-processor environment and definition and treatment of ghost layer in three dimensions.
Effect of Temperature on Development and Survival of Zelus renardii

The influence of temperature on developmental rate of Zelus renardii was studied in the laboratory. Studies were made at constant temperatures of 20°, 25°, 30°, and 35°C. The highest survival rate of the nymphs and the greatest longevity of adult Z. renardii occurred at 25° C. The developmental period of each instar decreased with each increase in temperature.
A Note on Sphere Packings in High Dimension

We improve on the lower bounds for the optimal density of sphere packings. In all sufficiently large dimensions the improvement is by a factor of at least 10, 000; along a sparse sequence of dimensions ni we improve the density by roughly log log ni.
Effects of tepa and metepa on the reproductive tissues of cabbage looper moths.

Treatment of adult male Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) with tepa and metepa did not cause marked pathological changes in testicular tissues; sperm in bundles were found in samples from both treated and untreated moths. However, volumes of the testes of treated males decreased with increasing concentrations of both compounds. Also, ovaries of similarly treated females were affected, and development of ova was apparently inhibited, except that ova in late stages of development in the o’arioles were not affected. Cross sections of eggs from untreated females mated with males treated with tepa indicated that early cleavage division occurred in the eggs but that death sometimes occurred before clearcut larval differentiation was observed.
Blood culture quality improvement: A College of American Pathologists Q- probes study involving 909 institutions and 289 572 blood culture sets

. Objective.-To evaluate solitary blood culture (SBC) collections as a preanalytic quality indicator of blood culture practice. Design and Setting.-Two College of American Pathologists Q-Probes laboratory quality improvement studies involving prospective evaluation of the proportion of and reasons for SBC collections in 909 institutions. Outcome.-Reduction in the proportion of SBCs. Results.-Of 289 572 blood culture sets studied, the median proportion of SBCs per institution was 10.1% and 12.1% among adult inpatients, 25.4% and 33.3% among adult outpatients, and 89.0% and 100% among pediatric/infant patients in the first and second (follow-up) studies, respectively. The two most common reasons for not performing a second culture in adults were (1) test not indicated and (2) physician believed one was sufficient. When compared with inpatient cultures, a significantly higher proportion of outpatient SBCs were classified as not indicated (P <.0001). Among 198 institutions participating in both studies, a significant decline in SBC rates was observed in the subgroup (n = 50) that continued to monitor SBCs (P =.004). Conclusions.-Interinstitutional evaluation of solitary blood cultures provides a benchmark for quality assessment and an opportunity for performance improvement in blood culture specimen collections.
6-mercaptopurine: pharmacokinetics in animals and preliminary results in children.

For three decades 6-mercaptopurine (6MP), an analog of hypoxan-thine, has been used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Only in recent years sensitive and specific methods for the determination of 6MP and closely related drugs like 6-thioguanine (6TG) and azathioprine (AZA) have become available. The study of the pharmacokinetics of these drugs is possible now in animals and man, employing dose levels which are common in clinical practice.
The Decline of Mercy in Public Life

The virtue of mercy is widely admired, but is now marginalized in contemporary public life. Yet for centuries it held a secure place in western public discourse without implying a necessary contradiction with justice. Alex Tuckness and John M. Parrish ask how and why this changed. Examining Christian and non-Christian ancient traditions, along with Kantian and utilitarian strains of thought, they offer a persuasive account of how our perception of mercy has been transformed by Enlightenment conceptions of impartiality and equality that place justice and mercy in tension. Understanding the logic of this decline, they argue, will make it possible to promote and defend a more robust role for mercy in public life. Their study ranges from Homer to the late Enlightenment and from ancient tragedies to medieval theologies to contemporary philosophical texts, and will be valuable to readers in political philosophy, political theory, and the philosophy of law.
Electrical Stimulation of the GI Tract

Electrical stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract is an exciting field with many potential applications. Currently gastric stimulation for gastroparesis and sacral nerve stimulation for fecal incontinence are FDA approved for use in adults with only a handful of pediatric studies related to these two applications. Initial studies of electrical stimulation of the lower esophageal sphincter demonstrate great promise as a new treatment for GERD in adults, but the device is awaiting the start of an FDA trial and no pediatric studies have been performed to date.
ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES DURING ENDURANCE SPORTS: OLMSTED COUNTY EXPERIENCE

Background: Sudden death rates have been recorded for endurance sports such as long-distance running. Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) producing myocardial ischemia have been documented to account for approximate 16% of sudden death cases – with the majority of these cases being reversible by CPR/
Implications of Surface Hydration and Capillary Condensation for Strength and Stiffness of Compacted Clay

AbstractShort-ranged hydration of water on mineral surfaces and capillary condensation in larger pores influences mechanical behavior of unsaturated soil (e.g., strength, stiffness) in different wa...
High Performance Small RNA Detection with Pipelined Task Parallel Computation Model

We present efficient parallel computation models for accelerating secondary structure based RNA sequence searching tool Infernal cmsearch, which processes covariance models representing small RNA families in a serial manner with high time complexity. The proposed computation models are based on the pipelined task parallel strategy and both static and dynamic load balancing schemes are developed and used to exploit the maximum parallelism. For the dynamic load balancing, regression model based heuristic is used and tested. The computation models are implemented with Pthreads and OpenMP and tested for performance within the scope of searching Rfam bacterial small RNA families in HMP (Human Microbiome Project) gastrointestinal_track database. Our experimental results show that the proposed computation models yield 1.56\(\times \)–3.41\(\times \) speedup, depending on the versions of the models. The proposed computation models are scalable and flexible to be used with other trivial data parallel approaches.
Using Your VOICE(S): Adding Telephonic Communication to Pharmacy Education

Pharmacists utilize a myriad of communication methods to deliver patient care. One of the most prevalent communication methods is the telephone. The University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy created a novel instructional and assessment technique to enhance student pharmacist training experiences in telephonic communication within the PharmD curriculum. Conflict of Interest We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received), employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties Type: Note
A Reinvented Community: The Case of Gamcheon Culture Village

ABSTRACTThis study explores Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea, as a special case of inclusive and participatory cultural-spatial transformation by which the village was transformed fro...
THYMIC CARCINOID WITH ACTH-PRODUCING ECTOPIC CUSHING'S SYNDROME AND EMPTY SELLA.

Abstract Objective: Ectopic Cushing's syndrome secondary to thymic carcinoid is a rare disorder that may be difficult to diagnose and manage. Methods: We describe a case of severe Cushing's syndrome secondary to a large adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) producing thymic carcinoid in a patient with history of primary hyperaldosteronism. Results: A 43-year-old female with a 20 year history of an aldosterone-secreting adrenocortical adenoma status post right adrenalectomy presented with acute onset of proximal muscle weakness, swelling, facial hirsutism, and severe hypokalemia. Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome was suspected based on the sudden symptom onset and markedly elevated 24-hr urine cortisol and ACTH levels. MRI revealed an empty pituitary sella and a large (7.3 cm) mediastinal mass visible on chest CT. The mass was resected by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, resulting in resolution of symptoms and cortisol levels. Pathology assessment confirmed well-differentiated thymic carcinoid with positive ACT...
Diazepam for Outpatient Treatment of Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus in Pediatric Patients with Angelman Syndrome (P4.274)

Objective: To characterize the effectiveness and tolerability of oral diazepam for treatment of nonconvulsive status epilepticus in a cohort of patients with Angelman syndrome. Background: Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is present in multiple pediatric neurogenetic syndromes with epileptic encephalopathies. While intravenous medications are used inpatient for treatment of critical-illness related NCSE, there is no consensus on treatment of ambulatory NCSE. Up to 50% of patients with Angelman Syndrome (AS) have NCSE with myoclonic or atypical absence status. Here we report our experience in pediatric patients with AS and NCSE treated outpatient with a tapering course of oral diazepam. Design/Methods: We conducted a chart review of 104 pediatric patients seen in the AS clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital from January 2008 to March 2017, who met inclusion criteria. Response to treatment was defined as cessation of NCSE symptoms with EEG data when possible. Results: Twenty-one patients with NCSE were identified and 14 patients (10 male) with 26 episodes of NCSE were included. Mean age at NCSE episode was 5.7 years (15 months–12 years). The most common presenting symptoms were increased seizure frequency (54%), somnolence (46%), altered mental status (42%), motor regression (31%), and myoclonus (15%). Seven patients had one episode of NCSE and 7 patients had recurrent episodes (mean 2.7; range 2–4). Median diazepam treatment was 6 days (4–12 days), with a mean dose of 0.31 mg/kg/day divided over 2–3 administrations, decreased every 2 days. Six episodes required multiple courses; however, oral diazepam alone was ultimately successful in 85% (22/26) of NCSE episodes. Oral diazepam was well-tolerated with no major side effects. Conclusions: A short course of oral diazepam is well-tolerated and effective in patients with AS who have ambulatory NCSE. It may be considered prior to escalating to inpatient care in Angelman syndrome or other chronic epilepsy conditions. Disclosure: Dr. Worden has nothing to disclose. Dr. Grocott has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tourjee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thibert has nothing to disclose.
Gastric band conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass shows greater weight loss than conversion to sleeve gastrectomy: 5-year outcomes

Abstract Background Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) are often used as revisional surgeries for a failed laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB). There is debate over which procedure provides better long-term weight loss. Objective To compare the weight loss results of these 2 surgeries. Setting University hospital, United States. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of all LAGB to RYGB and LAGB to LSG surgeries performed at a single institution. Primary outcomes were change in body mass index (BMI), percent excess BMI lost, and percent weight loss. Secondary outcomes included 30-day complications and reoperations. Results The cohort included 192 conversions from LAGB to RYGB and 283 LAGB to LSG. The baseline age and BMI were similar in the 2 groups. Statistical comparisons made between the 2 groups at 24 months postconversion were significant for BMI (RYGB = 32.93, LSG = 38.34, P = .0004), percent excess BMI lost (RYGB = 57.8%, LSG = 29.3%, P Conclusion Weight loss is significantly greater for patients undergoing LAGB conversion to RYGB than LAGB to LSG. However, those undergoing LAGB conversion to RYGB had higher rates of reoperation and readmission. Patients looking for the most effective weight loss surgery after failed LAGB should be advised to have RYGB performed, while also understanding the increased risks of the procedure.
Real-life Examples

Unlike the previous chapters with the programming recipes, this chapter describes extensive real-research examples based on Java scripting. The reader will learn how to simulate data and how to use data from the real world. It will be shown how to perform a full-scale data analysis to make a first step towards extraction of knowledge about the underlying nature of data. The self-contained examples given in the following sections can provide the basis to conduct your own research.
Overview of Neurobiology

Schizophrenia is a brain disease. Indeed, at all levels (i.e., genes, molecules, cells, brain structures, circuits, physiology, and behavior), there is ample evidence of alterations in persons with schizophrenia. Yet virtually none of this information is of proven value to clinicians or researchers. Whereas a broad spectrum of neurobiological differences between individuals with and without schizophrenia has been demonstrated, two factors prevent their translation into clinically useful tools. First, neurobiological findings in schizophrenia are replicated with variable consistency, in part because of the significant heterogeneity of the disease and in part because of considerable differences in the methods employed. Thus, it is very likely that there are many “schizophrenias” with very different neurobiological underpinnings. Second, it is currently not known which of these neurobiological differences reflect a risk for developing the disease, which reflect active pathology, which reflect compensatory processes, and which reflect epiphenomena. This section focuses on neurobiological findings in schizophrenia, including those related to pathophysiology, genetics, and neuroimaging.
Late Amazonian–Aged Channel and Island Systems Located East of Olympus Mons, Mars

Abstract We mapped the northwestern Tharsis region to the east of Olympus Mons and described three distinct channel-and-island morphologies within three channel groups. Islands include irregular and streamlined islands in both lava flows and fluvial systems and residual islands in collapsed systems. We interpret these channels to have formed by a combination of tectonic, collapse, lava, and fluvial (hydrothermal) processes, which produced fissures, pits, flows, and channels with streamlined islands, respectively. This formation model is consistent with the traditional model of Martian fossae-sourced channel systems, where both lava and water were transported along these same channels, in some cases multiple times forming potential habitats. We also considered a lava flow formation model for the observed features. We determined the approximate age of the channel-forming activity to be Late Amazonian, contemporaneous with other, distinctly lava flow processes in the Tharsis region.
The proteasome as a target: How not tidying up can have toxic consequences for parasitic protozoa

With modern drug discovery technologies, there are opportunities to discover drugs that are uniquely suited for treatment of specific parasitic diseases and have few of the liabilities of older, historical medicines. In PNAS, Wyllie et al. (1) used state-of-the-art methods to identify a clinical candidate for leishmaniasis and to discover its mechanism of action. Leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic infectious disease that can have different clinical manifestations depending on the parasite species. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) (also known as kala-azar or black fever), which is caused by Leishmania donovani and Leishmania infantum , is the most severe form and marked by a swollen spleen. It is a significant cause of morbidity in areas where the insect vector, the sandfly, is present and causes up to 20,000 to 65,000 annual deaths (ref. 2 and https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/leishmaniasis). Treatments for VL are suboptimal and consist of a variety of highly toxic historical molecules that would likely not be licensed if developed today. In addition, many require long treatment times (up to 30 d), some require hospitalization, most are not orally bioavailable, and resistance to some is suspected. Miltefosine, a repurposed breast cancer medication, is one of the best treatment options but still requires long dosing regimens and shows variable efficacy against different parasites (reviewed in ref. 3). There is currently no vaccine. With a goal of finding better treatment alternatives, Wyllie et al. (1) first took a set of compounds that was active against another parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi , the etiological agent of Chagas’ disease and a cousin of Leishmania spp., and then retested these compounds in a laborious, high-content-imaging intracellular macrophage replication assay against L. donovani (4), identifying a weakly active compound that showed promise. With several modifications, they were able to turn this screening hit into a compound that was suitable for target … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: ewinzeler{at}ucsd.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Technical Project Plan for The Enhanced Thermal Conductivity of Oxide Fuels Through the Addition of High Thermal Conductivity Fibers and Microstructural Engineering

The commercial nuclear power industry is investing heavily in advanced fuels that can produce higher power levels with a higher safety margin and be produced at low cost. Although chemically stable and inexpensive to manufacture, the in-core performance of UO{sub 2} fuel is limited by its low thermal conductivity. There will be enormous financial benefits to any utility that can exploit a new type of fuel that is chemically stable, has a high thermal conductivity, and is inexpensive to manufacture. At reactor operating temperatures, UO{sub 2} has a very low thermal conductivity (<5 W/m {center_dot}K), which decreases with temperature and fuel burnup. This low thermal conductivity limits the rate at which energy can be removed from the fuel, thus limiting the total integrated reactor power. If the fuel thermal conductivity could be increased, nuclear reactors would be able to operate at higher powers and larger safety margins thus decreasing the overall cost of electricity by increasing the power output from existing reactors and decreasing the number of new electrical generating plants needed to meet base load demand. The objective of the work defined herein is to produce an advanced nuclear fuel based on the current UO{sub 2} fuel with superiormore » thermal conductivity and structural integrity that is suitable for current and future nuclear reactors, using the existing fuel fabrication infrastructure with minimal modifications. There are two separate components to the research: (1) Enhanced Thermal Conductivity (ETC) - adding high conductivity fibers to the UO{sub 2} prior to sintering, which act as conduits for moving the heat energy generated within the pellet to the outer surface, (2) Microstructural Engineering (ME) - adding second phase particulates to UO{sub 2} bodies to retard grain growth and to increase thermal conductivity, as well as improve fracture and creep resistance. Different groups will perform the laboratory work for each of these research components with some overlap in personnel. The overlapping areas primarily involve computer simulations and final testing of the fuel in a reactor. The estimated cost and duration of this project is $5,000,000 over three years.« less
Acoustic Blind Deconvolution and Source Localization in Shallow Ocean Environments

Abstract : The overall long-term goal for this project is to develop engineering tools that are useful to the Navy as it operates in uncertain, partially known, or unknown ocean environments. During the last year, this project has focused on further determining the utility of a time-reversal-based technique for blind deconvolution of recorded sounds broadcast by a remote source with emphasis on determining if and how the results might be used for classification, localization, tracking, and/or identification of remote sources in poorly known or unknown multipath waveguide environments. The long term goals of this project are: i) to determine the effectiveness of artificial time reversal (ATR) for the purposes of blind deconvolution in noisy unknown ocean sound channels, ii) to effectively apply ATR to marine mammal sounds recorded in the ocean with vertical and/or horizontal arrays, and iii) to utilize the ATR-estimated signals and ocean-sound-channel impulse responses to identify, localize, and/or track individual marine mammals (or other sound sources of interest).
Simulation and Investigation of Electrothermal Effects in Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors

We present a comprehensive physics investigation of electrothermal effects in III-V heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) via extensive Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) simulation and modeling. We show for the first time that the negative differential resistances of the common-emitter output responses in InGaP/GaAs HBTs are caused not only by the well-known carrier mobility reduction, but more importantly also by the increased base-to-emitter hole back injection, as the device temperature increases from self-heating. Both self-heating and impact ionization can cause fly-backs in the output responses under constant base-emitter voltages. We find that the fly-back behavior is due to competing processes of carrier recombination and self-heating or impact ionization induced carrier generation. These findings will allow us to understand and potentially improve the safe operating areas and circuit compact models of InGaP/GaAs HBTs.
Mentorship programs in academic libraries

Academic librarians new to the profession, or seasoned with mid-career changes, have questions and challenges as they progress in their professional careers. Often, librarians need answers and guid...
Peritoneal mesotheliomas characterized by less cell-cycle alterations and more TRAF7 alterations than malignant pleural mesotheliomas.

9059Background: While peritoneal mesotheliomas (PM) are clinically distinct from malignant pleural mesotheliomas (MPM) it is unknown if genetic alterations reflect these differences. Here we report...
Abstract P112: Elevated Blood Pressure In Conventionalized Germ-free Rats Is Coupled With Upregulation Of Kynurenic Pathway Metabolites And Central Immune Responses

Background: Recent evidence supports that metabolic dysfunction underlies hypertension. Injection of kynurenate, a metabolite of tryptophan pathway, into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothal...
Use of Natural Language Processing to Improve Identification of Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is underrecognized, undertreated, and understudied: each of these endeavors requires efficient and accurate identification of patients with PAD. Currentl...
Introduce Ladder Logic and Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) are used in many industrial and infrastructure systems to monitor input sensors and control actuators. With progressively more demand for adaptive, robust and smart systems for manufacturing, transportation, and industrial systems, the demand for engineers proficient in PLCs has been growing. However, typical engineering curriculum focuses more on fundamental principles and other applications, not covering PLCs. Employers desire and students yearn for hands-on, real-world, job read skills and proficiency. This study has explored and developed educational modules for PLCs that with further development and testing could be incorporated into engineering courses. Such modules would help student awareness, understanding and proficiency to enable contribution within a growing area of demand within the job market.
Modulatory activity of adenosine on the immune response in cord and adult blood.

Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, associated with immunosuppression. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are cells with immunosuppressive activity, present in high amounts in cord blood. Mechanisms regulating MDSC expansion are incompletely understood. Adenosine is a metabolite with immunoregulatory effects that are elevated in cord blood. Impact of adenosine on peripheral and cord blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs and CBMCs) was analysed by quantification of ectonucleotidases and adenosine receptor expression, MDSC induction from PBMCs and CBMCs, their suppressive capacity on T cell proliferation and effector enzyme expression by flow cytometry. Cord blood monocytes mainly expressed CD39, while cord blood T cells expressed CD73. Adenosine-induced MDSCs from PBMCs induced indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) expression and enhanced arginase I expression in monocytes. Concerted action of IDO and ArgI led to effective inhibition of T cell proliferation. In addition, adenosine upregulated inhibitory A3 receptors on monocytes. Adenosine acts by inducing MDSCs and upregulating inhibitory A3 receptors, probably as a mode of autoregulation. Thus, adenosine contributes to immunosuppressive status and may be a target for immunomodulation during pre- and postnatal development.
Tone deaf: Association of an auditory stimulus with predation risk by zebrafish Danio rerio does not generalize to another auditory stimulus.

Abstract Predator recognition by small fishes can be acquired when chemical alarm cues released from damaged skin (by a predator attack) are paired with a novel stimulus, such as the appearance or odor of a predator. Once learned, fish can extend recognition of risk by generalizing to associate risk with additional stimuli that are similar to the conditioned novel stimulus. Here, we trained zebrafish to associate a novel auditory stimulus with predation risk, and then tested to see if they generalize risk to all sound stimuli or whether the conditioned response is limited to the sound frequency of the conditioning stimulus. We found that zebrafish Danio rerio readily associated risk of predation with Tone 1 (285 Hz), as evidenced by reduction in activity, increased time spent near the substratum and increased shelter use, but fish conditioned to fear Tone 1 completely ignored presentation of a second tone of 762 Hz. These data suggest that generalization does not occur as easily for auditory cues as they do for olfactory and visual cues, perhaps due to differences in the properties of sensory biology or the cognitive mechanisms that process information in different sensory modalities.