cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dietary Change Following Social Transition at Karystos, Greece

We test the null hypothesis of no change in diet, evidenced by oral health, at Karystos, Greece from the Classical to the Early Roman Period. To test this hypothesis, dental caries, abscesses, and premortem tooth loss were recorded in 106 skeletons. Sixty-four individuals had teeth for observation of dental caries, while only 60 had mandibles or maxillae to assess abscessing and premortem loss. Statistically significant differences (Kolmogorov-Smirnov) in age distributions between all samples made direct comparisons of prevalence unwise. Thus, odds ratios were calculated for variation in oral health through time, while controlling for age. Odds ratios indicate that oral health improved from the Classical to Hellenistic periods (7.46 higher risk of caries and 1.14 higher odds of abscessing in the Classical than the Hellenistic period), but declined into the Early Roman period (6.8 higher odds of dental caries, 5.5 higher odds of abscessing, and 4.77 times higher risk of premortem tooth loss in the Early Roman than the Hellenistic period). These results do not support the null hypothesis, but correlate well with the agricultural progression of Karystos. Karystos was primarily an agricultural village consisting of several dozen small farmsteads during the Classical period, at which time Karystos established colonies throughout the Mediterranean, possibly receiving tribute from these colonies. During the Roman period, Karystos transitioned to larger plantation farming, and became a major food supplier to Athens. This may have resulted in lower quality diet for the local populous. The impacts of social change on food quality will be discussed. 1 Field: Dietary Change Following Social Transition at Karystos, Greece Published by Scholarship & Creative Works @ Digital UNC, 2015
Angiotensin II Receptor Subtypes in the Human Renal Cortex and Renal Cell Carcinoma

Selective antagonists were used to determine the presence of angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor subtypes (AT1 and AT2) in normal human renal cortex and renal cell carcinoma. Normal and tumor tissues were obtained from fresh radical nephrectomy specimens in 7 patients. All patients had a patent renal artery, and the mean preoperative serum creatinine level was 1.1 mg./dl. Tissues were snap frozen and sectioned (14 microns.) for in vitro autoradiography, then incubated in 125I-Ang II (0.3 nM.), with or without unlabeled Ang II or subtype selective antagonists (1 nM. to 1 microM.), rinsed, air dried and apposed to SB-5 X-ray film for 3 to 21 days. In normal renal tissue, low densities of diffuse 125I-Ang II binding sites were observed in cortical areas containing tubules. Higher densities of binding sites occurred over glomeruli and large cortical vessels. Specific binding ranged between 60 and 90% depending on the area as determined by displacement with excess unlabeled Ang II. Specific binding in large cortical vessels was displaced by the two AT2 selective antagonists PD123177 (1 microM.) or CGP 42112A (0.01 microM.), whereas these antagonists were less effective competitors for 125I-Ang II binding in glomeruli. In contrast, the AT1 selective antagonists, DuP 753 and L-158,809 (0.1 and .01 microM., respectively), were potent competitors for glomerular, but not extraglomerular, cortical vessel binding. In the normal cortical tubulointerstitium, both AT1 and AT2 antagonists caused partial displacement of specific binding (55 +/- 12% AT1, 39 +/- 12% AT2). Low density 125I-Ang II binding was present in all tumors. Specific binding averaged 59 +/- 10% as defined by displacement with unlabeled Ang II (1 microM.). As in the normal tubulointerstitial area, each of the selective antagonists produced partial displacement of the specific binding (60 +/- 12% AT1, 31 +/- 8% AT2). In conclusion, AT1 receptors predominate in glomeruli, while AT2 binding sites predominate in large preglomerular vessels of the human renal cortex. In the normal tubulointerstitium and renal cell carcinoma, a 60%/40% mixture of AT1 to AT2 receptors exists. These findings provide a pharmacologic framework for the differential effects of Ang II receptor-mediated function in the human kidney.
The effect of bacterial contamination on neointimal hyperplasia in vascular grafts.

Neointimal hyperplasia (NH) is the most significant contributing factor to long-term vascular graft failure. Inflammation is known to be important in its development; however, the role of bacterial infection is unclear. We examined the effect of contamination with common organisms on the development of NH in expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. Thirty adult pigs were randomized into one of four groups: no infection, contamination with Staphylococcus aureus, mucin-producing Staphylococcus epidermidis, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft (6 mm x 3 cm) was placed as a common iliac artery interposition graft and was inoculated with 1-2 x 10 8 of the selected organism before closure. Grafts were explanted 6 weeks postoperatively. Microbiologic, histological, and morphometric evaluations were performed. All grafts were patent at the time of euthanasia. The mean areas of NH were 5.45 mm 2 in sterile grafts, 8.36 mm 2 in S. aureus, 7.63 mm 2 in S. epidermidis, and 11.52 mm 2 in P. aeruginosa grafts. Comparison of means via analysis of variance showed that P. aeruginosa grafts had significantly higher formation of NH than sterile grafts (P = 0.025). NH production in infected grafts appears to be organism specific and is significantly higher with P. aeruginosa than common Gram-positive organisms. Increased NH from subclinical infection may be a significant factor contributing to late graft failures.
Effect of Seismic Loading on Undrained Clay Creep

This note presents an investigation into the susceptibility of a silty clay of medium sensitivity to earthquake-induced creep. Using undisturbed samples of estuarine clay representative of the upper member of the youngest deposit underlying the body and margin of San Francisco Bay, a series of experiments was performed to determine the undrained compressive strength of the samples after seismic loading. Results are presented and conclusions described.
White matter abnormalities in long-term anabolic-androgenic steroid users: A pilot study

Abstract Recent studies of long-term anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users reported amygdala structural and functional connectivity abnormalities. We assessed white matter microstructure in the inferior-fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), a major associative bundle of the amygdala network. Diffusion weighted images acquired from 9 male long-term AAS users and 8 matched controls aged 36–51 years old were processed using a standardized pipeline (Tract-Based Spatial Statistics). Group differences were examined using linear regression with adjustment for age and current testosterone level. Compared to nonusers, AAS users exhibited significantly higher fractional anisotropy (FA) in the IFOF. Users showed markedly greater FA than nonusers on the left IFOF but only a modest, nonsignificant difference on the right IFOF. Moreover, FA was positively associated with lifetime cumulative AAS dose. Our results suggest that long-term AAS use alters IFOF white matter organization and integrity, which in turn might affect amygdala-related processes such as reward system function. Accordingly, further studies are needed to replicate findings in larger subject groups to determine the functional significance of the FA abnormality.
Analytical method development and pharmacokinetics studies with parthenolide (NSC 157035) and a water-soluble analog (NSC 734325)

4184 Purpose. Parthenolide (PT, NSC 157035), a sesquiterpene lactone found in extracts of the medicinal plant feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) used as an herbal medication for a variety of inflammatory diseases, has been found to possess potent cytotoxicity against breast, prostate, pancreas, NSCLC, and bladder tumor cell lines with IC50 values of 1-10 μM. LC-1 (NSC 734325), is a water-soluble analog of parthenolide. The purpose of this study was to develop a highly sensitive LC-MS assay for the analysis of PT and LC-1 in plasma and to characterize their pharmacokinetics in mice. Methods. A triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with electrospray (ESI) ionization was used for quantification. Plasma (0.1 ml) was spiked with PT or LC-1 and the internal standard, hesperetin. The compounds were extracted with ethyl acetate and separated on a BetaBasic C8 column, using isocratic elution. ESI LC-MS/MS with positive ion selected reaction monitor (MRM) mode with ion transitions at m/z 249.4-231.0 and 302.2-302.2 for PT and hesperetin, respectively, was used for PT analysis, while transitions at m/z 294.4-58.0 for LC-1 and 302.2-153.0 for hesperetin were used for LC-1 assay. Assay validation was performed. Pharmacokinetics (PK) of PT in CD1F2 mice was studied following i.v. administration at 4 mg/kg, while PK of LC-1 was studied at 10 mg/kg i.v. Results. Limits of quantification (LOQs) for PT and LC-1 were found to be 2 ng/ml (4.9 nM) and 0.5 ng/ml (1.2 nM), respectively, in mouse plasma. Linearity was demonstrated between LOQ to 1000 ng/ml for both. For PT, the within-day coefficients of variation (CVs) were found to be 13.8%, 8.2%, and 5.6% at 2, 100, and 1000 ng/ml (n=6). For LC-1, the within-day CVs were 7.8%, 6.2%, and 1.4% at 1, 100, and 1000 ng/ml (n=6). The PT between-day CVs were 14.4, 9.1, and 5.5%, respectively, (n=6) and the same respective values for LC-1 were 11.23, 11.28 and 2.3% (n=6). Plasma protein-binding of PT was 75-80% at low μM range. Plasma PT peak levels were ∼0.1 μΜ and levels were detectable for at least 24 h (0.017 μΜ). The broad shape of the AUC and the low and variable plasma levels suggest that PT may have precipitated upon injection and become trapped in vascular beds. In contrast, the PK of LC-1 was found to conform to a two-compartment model with an initial half-life of 22 min and a terminal half-life of 2.87 h. The peak plasma concentration of LC-1 was about 13 μM and levels fell to ∼0.03 μM at 8 h. Total body clearance was 2.8 L/h/kg at 10 mg/kg and protein-binding was 90-92%. Conclusion. The ESI LC-MS/MS was developed and shown useful in quantifying PT and LC-1 in plasma with low nM sensitivity. PT and LC-1 display very different PK behaviors, with the soluble analog producing a larger AUC relative to dose and a smooth biexponential elimination from plasma. In support of RAID Appl 267 (Christopher Sweeney, Indiana University) by NCI-NO1-CM-07019.
RUSSIAN SIBERIA: AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH

The Russian conquest of Siberia was one of the great feats of history, bringing almost one-tenth of the landmass of the world under the control of the Russian Empire. This paper proposes a framework for examining the role of Siberia in the development of the Russian state and the evolution of the world economy from the sixteenth to early twentieth century. This study supports the contention that, rather than representing an interesting aside in the annals of European imperialism, Russian colonization of Siberia was not only affected by European colonialism and the European-based capitalist world economy, but, in fact, was part of it Moreover, the conquest and consolidation of Siberia is viewed as a “series of changing geographies,” over space and time, as it was affected by and in turn affected the rise of Russian nationalism and the development of European capitalism. The three-part framework for analysis suggested in this study employs (1) a world-systems model, (2) a multi-disciplinary approach, and (3...
Rock Wrens preferentially use song types that improve long distance signal transmission during natural singing bouts

When animals are capable of producing variable signals they may preferentially use some signal types over others. Among songbirds, individuals are known to alter song type form and usage patterns in contest and mating situations, but studies have not examined how song choice improves signal efficacy during broadcast song. For this study we investigated rock wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) song type use rates during natural singing bouts. We tested three hypotheses for adaptive song use during broadcast song: 1) birds improve signal content by increasing the use of high quality songs, 2) birds optimize for signal propagation by preferentially using songs that transmit well, and 3) birds maintain energy by reducing the use of costly songs. The study included 19,058 songs sung by 12 individuals, each of which had a measured song repertoire of between 52 and 117 song types which were produced at highly variable rates. Results indicated that rock wrens did not preferentially sing song types with shorter durations or fewer frequency switches, as would be expected if they selected song types to minimize delivery costs. They also did not favor songs with more rapid trills or more frequency switches, as would be expected if they adjusted song use primarily to indicate quality. Focal birds did preferentially sing significantly longer songs with lower bandwidths, lower frequencies, and slower trill rates. Results suggest that natural broadcast singing patterns are shaped more by the benefits of long distance transmission than by the benefits of advertising performance ability or the costs of song production. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Distributed discrete‐time optimization algorithms with applications to resource allocation in epidemics control

Summary This work presents and analyzes 2 novel distributed discrete-time nonlinear algorithms to solve a class of decentralized resource allocation problems. The algorithms allow an interconnected group of agents to collectively minimize a global cost function under inequality and equality constraints. Under some technical conditions, it is shown that the first proposed algorithm converges asymptotically to the desired equilibrium, while the second one converges to the solution in a practical way as long as the stepsize chosen is sufficiently small. Of particular interest is that the algorithms are designed to be robust to temporary errors in communication or computation. In addition, agents do not require global knowledge of total resources in the network or any specific procedure for initialization and the cost function is not required to be separable. The convergence of the algorithms is established via nonsmooth Lyapunov analysis. Finally, we illustrate the applicability of our strategies on a virus mitigation problem over computer and human networks.
Exploring opportunities to support mental health care using social media: A survey of social media users with mental illness.

Aim Social media holds promise for expanding the reach of mental health services, especially for young people who frequently use these popular platforms. We surveyed social media users who self-identified as having a mental illness to learn about their use of social media for mental health and to identify opportunities to augment existing mental health services. Methods We asked 240 Twitter users who self-identified in their profile as having a mental illness to participate in an online survey. The survey was in English and inquired about participants’ mental health condition, use of social media for mental health and interest in accessing mental health programs delivered through social media. Results Respondents from 10 countries completed 135 surveys. Most respondents were from the United States (54%), Canada (22%) and the United Kingdom (17%) and reported a psychiatric diagnosis of either schizophrenia spectrum disorder (27%), bipolar disorder (25%), major depressive disorder (16%) or depression (20%). Young adults age ≤35 (46%) were more likely to use Instagram (P = .002), Snapchat (P < .001) and their mobile phone for accessing social media (P < .001) compared to adults age 36 and older (53%). Most participants (85%) expressed interest in mental health programs delivered through social media, especially to promote overall health and wellbeing (72%) and for coping with mental health symptoms (90%). Conclusions This exploratory study demonstrates the feasibility of reaching social media users with mental illness and can inform efforts to leverage social media to make evidence-based mental health services more widely available to those in need.
An Atypical Case of Warfarin-Induced Skin Necrosis.

Skin necrosis is a relatively rare, potentially fatal side effect of warfarin. It is most commonly reported within 10 days of initiation of therapy in warfarin-naive patients. We report an atypical case of warfarin-induced skin necrosis upon recommencement of warfarin in a non-naive warfarin patient.
The New York State Primary Angioplasty Registry and Procedural Volume

Nam in omnibus fere minus ualent praecepta quam experimenta. [In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept.] —Marcus Fabius Quintilian, De Institutione Oratoria (II, 5, 15) ([1][1]) An 80-year-old woman is found by paramedics with crushing chest pain, a systolic blood pressure
Radiation oncology authors and reviewers prefer double-blind peer review.

We read with interest the article by Tomkins et al. (1) in PNAS. While editors of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (IJROBP), a medical journal that specializes in the use of ionizing radiation to treat cancer and other conditions, we switched from single-blind to double-blind peer review in 2011. As radiation oncology is a small specialty (4,236 full-time, board-certified radiation oncologists practicing in the United States), we suspected that many of our peer reviewers knew or suspected the authors of the manuscripts (2, 3). For 3 mo all IJROBP reviewers and one author per paper completed questionnaires regarding demographics, attitudes, and perceptions of blinding. We also … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: katherine.bennett{at}astro.org. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Hydrogel Contact Lens Water Content is Dependent on Tearfilm pH.

Introduction Based on clinical inferences, investigators theorized in situ soft lens hydration was linked to the precorneal tearfilm pH. Methods Forty-one myopic subjects at Fort Rucker, AL, USA were fitted with one of two types of extended-wear soft contact lenses, and were followed quarterly for a period of 33 mo. The anterior soft contact lens surface pH was measured in situ, while the in vitro lens water content was measured immediately after lens removal, using a hand-held refractometer on one lens, and a gravimetric means of hydration measurement on the other lens. Results The in situ pH increased logarithmically across extended wearing time, reaching an asymptote at approximately 5 d' wearing time at a pH of 7.45 ± 0.03. Lens water content was shown to similarly decrease at an inversely logarithmic rate, leveling off at 4-5 d' extended wearing time. Both means of hydration assessment correlated well with each other across days' extended wearing time (R = 0.98; p < 0.0001). Discussion A log-log dual conversion yielded significantly different linear slopes (p < 0.001), based on a multifactorial analysis of both lens types, by the pH, and by their water content. The differing ionic status of each material accentuated their varied polar attraction characteristics. Two soft lenses, identical in all patient-based parameters, could provide differing oxygen availability, as well as differing physical fits in patients of identical physical characteristics, as a result of their unique tearfilm pH differences. Conclusion The in situ hydrogel lens water content is directly dependent on the precorneal tearfilm pH.
Service, Robert The Last of the Tsars: Nicholas II and the Russian Revolution New York: Pegasus Books 416 pp., $29.95, ISBN 978–1681775012 Publication Date: September 2017

The 2017 centenary of the Russian Revolution has inspired scholars and laymen alike to reconsider the fall of the Romanov dynasty, the October Revolution, and the long-term significance of these re...
On the two-reactant one-step activation-energy asymptotics for steady, adiabatic, planar flames with Lewis numbers of unity

Aspects of predictions of activation-energy asymptotics concerning the dependence of the burning velocity on the equivalence ratio are examined here through both asymptotic analyses and numerical c...
Tax Preparer Certification and Organization Form among Uncertified Preparers Influence Client Satisfaction and Experience

ABSTRACT How does state certification (e.g., CPA, enrolled agent [EA], or attorney) and organizational form among uncertified preparers (big box “franchise” firms versus not) influence client satis...
Regression of atherosclerosis in rabbits. I. Treatment with low-fat diet, hyperoxia and hypolipidemic agents.

Abstract The regression of rabbit atherosclerosis by means of a low-fat diet and hyperoxia either alone or in combination with cholestyramine or estrogen was investigated. During the induction period of 14 weeks, moderate to severe atherosclerosis was produced in male New Zealand rabbits by feeding them a high-cholesterol diet. The rabbits were then divided into various treatment groups. During an additional 10 week regression phase, all animals except those in one group were fed a low-fat diet. Serum lipids, which increased considerably during the induction period, were reduced by all treatments but most effectively by a low-fat diet combined with cholestyramine or with hyperoxia plus cholestyramine. There was little evidence for regression of lesions resulting from a low-fat diet alone. Evidence for regression of lesions was most apparent in rabbits treated with a combination of a low-fat diet and hyperoxia with either cholestyramine and/or estrogen. These results suggest a substantial additive beneficial effect of the combined therapy.
Quality control and assessment of interpreter consistency of annual land cover reference data in an operational national monitoring program

Abstract The U.S. Geological Survey Land Change Monitoring, Assessment and Projection (USGS LCMAP) initiative is working toward a comprehensive capability to characterize land cover and land cover change using dense Landsat time series data. A suite of products including annual land cover maps and annual land cover change maps will be produced using the Landsat 4-8 data record. LCMAP products will initially be created for the conterminous United States (CONUS) and then extended to include Alaska and Hawaii. A critical component of LCMAP is the collection of reference data using the TimeSync tool, a web-based interface for manually interpreting and recording land cover from Landsat data supplemented with fine resolution imagery and other ancillary data. These reference data will be used for area estimation and validation of the LCMAP annual land cover products. Nearly 12,000 LCMAP reference sample pixels have been interpreted and a simple random subsample of these pixels has been interpreted independently by a second analyst (hereafter referred to as “duplicate interpretations”). The annual land cover reference class labels for the 1984–2016 monitoring period obtained from these duplicate interpretations are used to address the following questions: 1) How consistent are the reference class labels among interpreters overall and per class? 2) Does consistency vary by geographic region? 3) Does consistency vary as interpreters gain experience over time? 4) Does interpreter consistency change with improving availability and quality of imagery from 1984 to 2016? Overall agreement between interpreters was 88%. Class-specific agreement ranged from 46% for Disturbed to 94% for Water, with more prevalent classes (Tree Cover, Grass/Shrub and Cropland) generally having greater agreement than rare classes (Developed, Barren and Wetland). Agreement between interpreters remained approximately the same over the 12-month period during which these interpretations were completed. Increasing availability of Landsat and Google Earth fine resolution data over the 1984 to 2016 monitoring period coincided with increased interpreter consistency for the post-2000 data record. The reference data interpretation and quality assurance protocols implemented for LCMAP demonstrate the technical and practical feasibility of using the Landsat archive and intensive human interpretation to produce national, annual reference land cover data over a 30-year period. Protocols to estimate and enhance interpreter consistency are critical elements to document and ensure the quality of these reference data.
A Randomized Cross-Over Trial Comparing the Effect of Intramuscular Versus Intranasal Naloxone Reversal of Intravenous Fentanyl on Odor Detection in Working Dogs

Fentanyl is a potent opioid used clinically as a pain medication and anesthetic but has recently seen a sharp rise as an illicit street drug. The potency of fentanyl means mucous membrane exposure to a small amount of the drug can expose first responders, including working canines, to accidental overdose. Naloxone, a fast-acting opioid antagonist administered intranasally (IN) or intramuscularly (IM) is currently carried by emergency personnel in the case of accidental exposure in both humans and canines. Despite the fact that law enforcement relies heavily on the olfactory abilities of canine officers, the effects of fentanyl exposure and subsequent reversal by naloxone on the olfactory performance of canines are unknown. In a block-randomized, crossover trial, we tested the effects of IN and IM naloxone on the abilities of working dogs to recognize the odor of Universal Detection Calibrant (UDC) prior to, and two, 24, and 48 h after intravenous fentanyl sedation and naloxone reversal. No detectable influence of fentanyl sedation and naloxone reversal on the dogs' olfactory abilities was detected. We also found no difference in olfactory abilities when dogs received IN or IM naloxone. Together, results suggest no evidence that exposure to intravenous fentanyl followed by naloxone reversal impairs canine olfactory ability under these conditions.
Optical quantum memory applications in quantum communication

Optical quantum memory is a device that can store the quantum state of photons and retrieve it with high fidelity on demand. Many approaches to quantum memory have been proposed and demonstrated. Quantum memory can be used to enhance performance in many quantum communication systems and processes such as deterministic single photon sources, photon interference, measurement device independent (MDI) quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum teleportation and quantum repeaters.
Demo: A Practical Application of Visible Light Communication: Opportunistic Sharing of Encryption Keys

We present a demonstration of Jive (Joint Integration of VLC and Encryption), a novel encryption key sharing framework utilizing the emerging wireless technology Visible Light Communication (VLC). Based on the idea of transmitting data by modulating light, we are able to (1) share a secret key within a constrained physical space and (2) leverage this shared key to communicate encrypted information among co-located mobile devices. In this demonstration, we showcase our complete implementation of Jive: a VLC transmitter and a VLC receiver. Both endpoints are built using off-the-shelf components. The VLC link is used to distribute a randomly generated secret key that can only be "observed" by VLC receivers that are physically in the same space as the transmitter. Each receiver is connected over a serial connection to an Android device; we developed applications for Android that take the key from the VLC receiver and subsequently use the key to encrypt or decrypt application data. Our demo invites participants to create their own encrypted messages in the Android application and interact with the VLC prototype as it transmits encryption keys, thus illustrating our system's ability to bootstrap security among physically co-located devices.
The cybernetic eye: scientific planning in the Soviet Mikroraion

This article looks at Soviet housing construction practices from a ‘cybernetic eye’ perspective, suggesting that this total approach to planning is fundamental to understanding the spatial logic un...
Using Validated Assessments to Learn About Your Students

Computer Science now has a number of validated instruments available for measuring student knowledge or interest in computing including the Second CS1 Assessment (SCS1), The Basic Data Structures Inventory (BDSI), the Computing Attitudes Survey (CAS), and the Digital Logic CI. These instruments can be used by instructors to assess their students and/or their own teaching. They can also be used by researchers to measure students' learning or attitudes. The goal of this BOF is to help instructors and researchers gain a better understanding of how to use these instruments, whether that be to get started in education research, to compare student learning across terms/curricular revisions, or just to learn more about student misconceptions. We will begin by discussing the available instruments, their purpose, and how to obtain them. Then we will open the discussion to the group on what they would like to measure, how these instruments might work for them, and how to best employ them with their students.
Sleep Abnormalities in the Synaptopathies – SYNGAP1-related Intellectual Disability and Phelan-McDermid syndrome

ABSTRACT Neurodevelopmental disorders are frequently associated with sleep disturbances. One class of neurodevelopmental disorders, the genetic synaptopathies, is caused by mutations in genes encoding proteins found at the synapse. Mutations in these genes cause derangement of synapse development and function. We utilized a validated sleep instrument, Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) to discover what sleep abnormalities occur in individuals with two synaptopathies – Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMD) and SYNGAP1-related Intellectual Disability (SYNGAP1-ID) when compared with healthy controls. We found both PMD and SYNGAP1-ID have significant sleep abnormalities with SYNGAP1-ID having greater severity of sleep disturbance than PMD. We found that sleep disturbances were more severe for both disorders in individuals 10 years and older compared with those less than 10 years old. Individuals with either disorder were more likely to use sleep aids than healthy controls. Furthermore, review of polysomnography studies for individuals with SYNGAP1-ID revealed significant reduction in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep content and delayed REM latency demonstrating abnormalities in sleep architecture. In conclusion, sleep disturbances are a significant phenotype in the synaptopathies PMD and SYNGAP1-ID. Improved sleep is a viable clinical endpoint for future clinical trials for these neurodevelopmental disorders.
Cable Harness Design For Aerospace Platforms

Cable harness design for aerospace platforms has been, and continues to be, one of the most challenging and difficult areas for platform ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) integration. Multiple competing platform needs and requirements, all of which are diverse and are often mutually exclusive, drive cable harness design in often wildly oscillatory directions. Decisions on how cable harnesses are to be constructed must be hammered flat very early in the design process, and this leaves little room for debate or research to demonstrate one design is superior to another. Mass, volume, system complexity, change in process, component availability, manufacturing lead time, manufacturability, parallel hardware certification timelines, published documents and drawings impacted by engineering change orders, and of course cost and schedule, all compete in this fast changing and highly critical area. This presentation will attempt to highlight these competing areas to foment awareness.
Initiation of Buprenorphine/Naloxone on Rates of Discharge Against Medical Advice:

Objective: Evidence shows that patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) have an increased rate of discharge against medical advice (DAMA) as well as higher rates of hospital readmission. Therefore, ...
Municipalizing American Waterworks, 1897-1915

We consider three explanations for public ownership: public interest, regulation, and a transaction cost interpretation. We employ a large dataset containing information on the municipal acquisition of U.S. private water companies between 1897 and 1915. Those data allow us to isolate the effects of high water rates, water quality, financial difficulties, extensiveness of distribution system, and the like in determining the probability of subsequent municipal takeover of companies that were private in 1897. After controlling for such factors, we find evidence consistent with a transaction cost interpretation of municipal acquisition. We find relatively little support for regulation-based or public interest interpretations. Our evidence indicates that municipalities were unable to credibly precommit to not expropriating value from private water companies once investments were made, resulting in a rational reduction in investment in water provision by private companies. Local governments, in turn, used this rational underinvestment as a pretext for municipalizing private water companies.
Virtual Coordinate System in Unicoronal Synostosis.

We propose a landmark-based, virtual coordinate system, specifically designed for assessment of asymmetrical craniofacial anatomy associated with unicoronal synostosis. Method CT scans of 33 patients with nonsyndromic unicoronal synostosis were included. Proposed mid-sagittal plane was compared with commonly used sagittal planes: (1) nasion, sella, and basion (N-S-BA); (2) midplane of bilateral frontozygomatic sutures (midFZ); and (3) the skull gravity center plane, to evaluate reliability and validity in the assessments of the anterior and posterior skull base. Results The proposed midplane is similar to the midFZ plane in describing the direction of the anterior skull base. However, it has less bias than the N-S-BA (P < 0.001), and the gravity center planes (P < 0.001). The proposed midplane measures the direction of the posterior skull base plane, similar to the midFZ and gravity center planes, but it has less measurement deviation than the N-S-BA plane (P < 0.001). The most protrusive point on the frontal bone in unicoronal patients is contralateral to the fused suture and distant from the mid-sagittal plane by 13.93 ± 4.01 mm. In addition, it is more anteriorly positioned, by 5.32 mm (P < 0.001), when compared with the corresponding point on the synostotic side. The uppermost point of the supraorbital rim on the synostotic side is cephalic to that of the contralateral side by 4.09 mm (P < 0.001). Conclusions Prioritized orientation of an averaged Frankfort horizontal plane, followed by the location of the mid-sagittal and coronal planes, can generate a reliable and valid coordinate framework for the assessment of asymmetric skull shape in unicoronal synostosis.
Regional Neuropeptide Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease: Corticotropin-Releasing Factor and Somatostatin.

Abstract BACKGROUND: the neuropeptides most consistently reported to be altered in Alzheimer's disease are corticotropin-releasing factor and somatostatin (somatotropin-release inhibiting factor), although this has been previously assessed in a limited number of brain regions. METHODS: in order to comprehensively characterize the involvement of these two anatomically distinct neuropeptide systems in Alzheimer's disease and to determine if they are equally involved in the associated pathology, we measured the concentration of corticotropin-releasing factor and somatostatin in post-mortem brain tissue. Radioimmunoassay of 24 cortical and 13 sub-cortical brain regions from 16 cases of neuropathologically confirmed AD and 9 non-Alzheimer's disease controls were performed and significant differences in group regional neuropeptide concentrations were sought using the Student Newman-Keuls test after ANOVA. RESULTS: comparison of group mean regional neuropeptide concentrations revealed several brain regions where both peptides were decreased in Alzheimer's disease and some regions where only one of the two peptides were decreased, while still other regions exhibited no changes in either peptide. These changes were principally found in frontal and temporal cortex, with few subcortical regions exhibiting pathologic changes in peptide concentration. Regional peptide content was correlated among peptides and with duration of dementia in several brain regions. CONCLUSIONS: these data support the hypothesis that the somatostatin- and corticotropin-releasing factor containing neurons are pathologically involved in AD and that the involved neurons are limited to specific areas of the brain.
Vertical-Lift Gate Design for Ice Harbor Lock

This paper discusses the details of the design of the downstream lift gate for the Ice Harbor Lock, the justification for its selection and some of the problems encountered. Also presented in a more general way are the major features of the lock as a whole.
Relationships of perception, cognition, suggestion and operant conditioning in essential hypertension.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the relationships of perception, cognition, suggestion and operant conditioning in essential hypertension. A series of studies pertaining to several different aspects of the relationship of behavior and hypertension are reported. Exposure of hypertensive subjects to a contrived conflictual situation demonstrated a failure of the subject to fully perceive the conflict; it is suggested that this phenomenon represents a behavioral “awareness” of the hypertensive's physiological hyperreactivity. Subsequently, this observation of the apparent inability of the hypertensive to “perceive the conflict” was confirmed in a large group of hypertensive out-patients who were compared to patients with other diseases, as well as to healthy normotensive subjects. In a subsequent study, the chapter develops a similar pair of movies concerned with a dermatologic problem. The hypertensive patients now recognized the contrasting roles of the physician as easily as did the normotensives suggesting that their “failure to perceive” was specific to their own disease, namely hypertension. Taken as a whole, the work indicates new avenues for investigation of physiological and psychological mechanisms in hypertensive disease which interrelate to each other in a reversible fashion.
Survival of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Shrimp Tissue Under Various Environmental Conditions

Vibrio parahaemolyticus culture O from Gulf Coast shrimp was inoculated into whole shrimp and shrimp homogenate to determine its survival at various temperatures and pH values. Although large decreases in viable population occurred during storage for 2 days at 10 to -18 C, survivors were present even after 8 days. No significant differences were observed in the population changes of inoculated whole shrimp as compared with shrimp homogenates. Low populations (5 × 102 per ml) of V. parahaemolyticus were destroyed by heating shrimp homogenates at 60, 80, and 100 C for 1 min. With larger populations (2 × 105 per ml), some survivors were present after heating at 60 and 80 C for 15 min. None survived 1 min at 100 C. V. parahaemolyticus was very sensitive to pH values below 6.0. Cells survived for several hours in the contents of the porcine gastrointestinal tract.
Testing the ‘Pleistocene species pump’ in alpine habitats: lineage diversification of flightless ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Nebria) in relation to altitudinal zonation

95..111 Alpine species often have similar demographic responses to Pleistocene climate changes, but exhibit different spatial patterns of genetic diversity. Using a comparative phylogeographical approach, we examined the factors influencing lineage formation in three alpine carabid beetles of the genus Nebria Latreille inhabiting the California Sierra Nevada. These flightless beetles differ in altitudinal zonation and habitat preferences, but overlap spatially, have limited dispersal capacities and share life history characteristics. Species distribution modelling predicted decreasing population connectivity in relation to increasing altitudinal preferences. Diversity patterns at the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene revealed north–south genetic structure and recent population growth in all three species. The high-elevation-restricted species, Nebria ingens Horn, exhibited a deep phylogeographical split, morphological divergence and evidence of limited, unidirectional gene flow towards the south. This was supported by additional data from three nuclear genes and isolation with migration analysis. Nebria spatulata Van Dyke, inhabiting an intermediate altitudinal range, exhibited fixed morphological differences between northern and southern populations, but showed limited structure. The broadly distributed Nebria ovipennis LeConte showed less structure and lacked morphological variation. Diversification of these Nebria species supports the role of altitudinal zonation in lineage formation and is consistent with the Pleistocene species pump model. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 107, 95–111.
A spatial search framework for executing perceptions and actions in diagrammatic reasoning

Diagrammatic reasoning (DR) requires perceiving information from a diagram and modifying/creating objects in a diagram according to problem solving needs. The perceptions and actions in most DR systems are hand-coded for the specific application. The absence of a general framework for executing perceptions/actions poses as a major hindrance to using them opportunistically. Our goal is to develop a framework for executing a wide variety of specified perceptions and actions across tasks/domains without human intervention. We observe that the domain/task-specific perceptions/actions can be transformed into domain/task-independent spatial problems. In our framework, a human problem solver specifies a spatial problem as a quantified constraint satisfaction problem (QCSP) in the real domain using an open-ended vocabulary of properties, relations and actions involving three types of spatial objects - points, curves, regions. Traditional approaches solve such QCSPs by computing the equivalent quantifier-free algebraic expression, the complexity of which is inherently doubly exponential. In this paper, we investigate a domain-independent framework of spatial search for solving 2D spatial problems specified as QCSPs. The framework searches for the solution in the space of the diagram instead of in the space of algebraic equations/inequalities. We prove the correctness of our approach and show that it is more efficient than cylindrical algebraic decomposition, a well-known algebraic approach, by executing perceptions/actions in two army applications.
Knowledge of Results and Learning to Tell Time with Typically Developing 7- and 8-Year-Old Children: A Single Subject Research Design

This study investigated whether knowledge of results (KR) in the form of auditory and visual feedback was beneficial for typically developing children when learning the new task of telling time. It was hypothesized that performance would be enhanced during the phases associated with KR. Four typically developing 7- and 8-year-old children participated in this ABAB single-subject experimental design, where no KR was administered during the A phases and KR was administered during the B phases. Wilcoxon signed rank test (e.g., p < .05) and slope analyses revealed that 3 of the 4 participants significantly improved their performance during the KR phases. Therefore, KR appears to be an effective tool when teaching the skill of telling time to a normally developing child. More research is needed to establish the external validity of this learning technique and needs to be extended to children with special needs.
Genomics and the Tree of Life

The wealth of genome sequences--from more than 400 organisms to date--has enriched the evolutionary tree, but has also presented new challenges.
A Computer Control Structure for Coordination of Two Robot Arms

Research in the Robotics Laboratory in the School of Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech is concentrated on the development and implementation of a methodology for the coordinated control of two robot arms. A Unimate PUMA 550 and 560 have been selected as a base for the research experiments. The computer control hardware provided with these two units has been replaced by a custom designed three level hierarchical network of 16 computers based on the Intel 8086. This hierarchy has been designed to provide the information and communication necessary for coordinated action. The system is designed such that one robot serves as the master and moves along a prescribed path. The other robot acts as a slave and is guided along a separate path with a prescribed relationship to the position of the master. One algorithm has been tested for an elementary master-slave motion.
Managing Dynamic Changes in Multi-stage Program Generation Systems

In a multi-stage program generation (MSPG) system, a stage-s program generates a stage-s + 1 program when the values of some variables are known. We call such variables program parameters for stage-s.When program parameters for a stage change during runtime, all later-stage program objects that are generated directly or indirectly based on them need to be dynamically regenerated. We make two contributions. a) We explore a metaobject protocol called reflection across stages (RAS), which allows later-stage program objects to refer back to earlier-stage program objects they originated from. Intercessory procedures can be specified by the earlier-stage program objects to be executed at, e.g., execution of the later stage objects. b) We apply RAS to automating runtime program regeneration, so that affected later-stage programs are automatically regenerated after program parameters change.In an initial experiment, RAS incurred an overhead of 10% when program parameters are invariant. The overhead of RAS plus regeneration is amortized to zero over1.5 executions of the generated program object.
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Parity and War: Evaluations and Extensions of The War Ledger Edited by Jacek Kugler and Douglas Lemke