cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enzyme–substrate relationships in the ubiquitin system: approaches for identifying substrates of ubiquitin ligases

Protein ubiquitylation is an important post-translational modification, regulating aspects of virtually every biochemical pathway in eukaryotic cells. Hundreds of enzymes participate in the conjugation and deconjugation of ubiquitin, as well as the recognition, signaling functions, and degradation of ubiquitylated proteins. Regulation of ubiquitylation is most commonly at the level of recognition of substrates by E3 ubiquitin ligases. Characterization of the network of E3–substrate relationships is a major goal and challenge in the field, as this expected to yield fundamental biological insights and opportunities for drug development. There has been remarkable success in identifying substrates for some E3 ligases, in many instances using the standard protein–protein interaction techniques (e.g., two-hybrid screens and co-immunoprecipitations paired with mass spectrometry). However, some E3s have remained refractory to characterization, while others have simply not yet been studied due to the sheer number and diversity of E3s. This review will discuss the range of tools and techniques that can be used for substrate profiling of E3 ligases.
An umbrella review of meta-analyses of interventions to improve maternal outcomes for teen mothers

Abstract The purpose of this study was to perform an umbrella review of meta-analyses of intervention studies designed to improve outcomes of pregnant or parenting teenagers. An extensive search retrieved nine reports which provided 21 meta-analyses analyses. Data were extracted by two reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR Instrument. Most effect sizes were small but high quality studies showed significant outcomes for reduced low birth weight (RR = 0.60), repeat pregnancies/births (OR = 0.47–0.62), maternal education (OR = 1.21–1.83), and maternal employment (OR = 1.26). Several parenting outcomes (parent-child teaching interaction post-intervention [SMD = −0.91] and at follow-up [SMD = −1.07], and parent-child relationship post-intervention [SMD = −0.71] and at follow-up [SMD = −0.90]) were significant, but sample sizes were very small. Many reports did not include moderator analyses. Behavioral interventions offer limited resources and occur too late to mitigate the educational and social disparities that precede teen pregnancy. Future intervention research and policies that redress the social determinants of early childbearing are recommended.
Incorporating the human touch: piloting a curriculum for patient-centered electronic health record use.

Background: Integrating electronic health records (EHRs) into clinical care can prevent physicians from focusing on patients. Despite rapid EHR adoption, few curricula teach communication skills an...
Influenza virus: 16 years’ experience of clinical epidemiologic patterns and associated infection factors in hospitalized children in Argentina

Fil: Gentile, Angela. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Ninos "Ricardo Gutierrez"; Argentina
Opening Remarks: Celebrating Western New England's 60th Anniversary: Hans Loewald's Enduring Contribution to Psychoanalysis

ABSTRACTThe introduction of the 2015 Western New England Psychoanalytic Society Spring Symposium addresses Hans Loewald as an innovator and pivotal contributor to modern psychoanalysis. The opening...
Doping stabilized Li3V2(PO4)3 cathode for high voltage, temperature enduring Li-ion batteries

Abstract Structural and stoichiometric alterations in cathode materials with high intercalation voltages have been a bottleneck for next generation lithium ion batteries. Moreover, structure damage with the slightest of temperature elevation is predominant in known cathode systems. Monoclinic Li3V2(PO4)3 (LVP) with high intercalation voltage (>4.0 V) is a potential high-power cathode for lithium ion batteries owing to extraordinary stability of the phosphate anion framework. However, severe vanadium dissolution and lattice re-arrangement remains the biggest nuisance. Modification of electron conduction pathways by doping LVP lattice with Cr3+ is studied here and the efficacy of Cr3+ to stabilize the structure is understood. Vacant d-orbital sites in Cr3+ promote de-localization of electrons suppressing disproportionation and hence vanadium dissolution resulting in improved electrochemical performance for robust cycling conditions. Significant enhancement in specific capacity retention (from 26% to 84%) and improved cycle life of 400 high power cycles was observed on doping suggesting excellent performance of the cathode at high temperature (60 °C) environments.
Clinical outcomes of anconeus interposition arthroplasty after radial head resection in native and prosthetic radial heads.

Background Radiocapitellar pathology after traumatic injury to the elbow can be challenging to treat. The anconeus interposition arthroplasty has been proposed to treat radiocapitellar or proximal radioulnar joint dysfunction and pain, or both. This study evaluated whether radial head excision (native or prosthetic), followed by an anconeus interposition arthroplasty, relieves pain and improves subjective and objective elbow function in patients with post-traumatic radiocapitellar pathology. Methods A retrospective comparative case series was performed of 50 consecutive patients who underwent a native radial head excision or radial head implant excision, followed by an anconeus interposition arthroplasty. Clinical outcome scores, range of motion, and proximal radius migration were evaluated in patients with at least 2 years of follow-up. Results Included were 23 patients (11 native and 12 prosthetic radial heads) with a mean age of 41 years. Average follow-up was 38 months. Overall, significant improvement was obtained in the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and visual analog scale scores. Range of motion significantly improved from preoperatively to postoperatively. Patients with a native radial head excision scored better on the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (76.8 vs. 56.3, P = .037) and obtained significantly more flexion postoperatively (141° vs. 123°, P = .016). Mild wrist pain developed in 3 patients, but no further intervention was required. The overall complication rate was 13%, and 5 patients required reoperation. Conclusions Anconeus interposition arthroplasty performed after radial head resection in native and prosthetic groups is a viable adjunct in the operative treatment of patients with post-traumatic radiocapitellar pathology. However, whether anconeus interposition arthroplasty alone produced the favorable clinical results of this study was difficult to determine.
Quantitation of Fluxes in the Gluconeogenic, Glycolytic, and Pentose Phosphate Pathways in Isolated Rat Hepatocytes: Energetic Considerations

For any given substrate mixture and hormonal state, a large number of factors serve to regulate the flow of metabolites along the major pathways of carbohydrate metabolism in hepatocytes. In addition to the amounts of enzymes present, these factors include the intracellular levels of various effectors such as fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, ADP, ATP, and alanine, among others, and the phosphorylation states of several key enzymes. Enzyme levels are subject to long term regulation by dietary and hormonal influences, while effector levels and the phosphorylation state of regulatory enzymes are subject to moment-to-moment changes in hormonal states. While studies on purified enzymes or on tissue homogenates have contributed enormously to our present understanding of the many factors that help regulate metabolic fluxes, a more complete understanding of in vivo regulation of intermediary metabolism requires studies on perfused liver or, in so far as they can be considered as representative of the intact liver, on isolated hepatocytes.
Defining Family in Immigration Law: Accounting for Non-Traditional Families in Citizenship by Descent

This Note addresses the definition of family in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The INA assumes a traditional view of the family, in which all parental roles lie with only two individuals. This assumption creates substantial problems when applied to non-traditional families in which parental roles may be split between many people. This Note proposes the adoption of a unified definition of family that is based on interpersonal, rather than biological, relationships. The proposed solution is consistent with existing provisions of the INA, is consistent with state family law, and provides an effective way of dealing with non-traditional families.
Push-Ups Versus Clean-Up: Preschool Teachers’ Gendered Beliefs, Expectations for Behavior, and Disciplinary Practices

Using data from observations in three U.S. preschools (nine classrooms total) and interviews with nine preschool teachers observed, the present qualitative study examines moments of gender socialization through disciplinary interactions in preschool classrooms. I ask: How do teachers’ expectations for children’s behaviors and use of disciplinary practices contribute to gender inequality in preschool? And, how do preschool teachers transmit and “do gender” through disciplinary practices and interactions? Using a grounded theory approach to data analysis, I find that in preschool, teachers discipline boys and girls differently and create gendered stories about why these differences exist. Teachers tell these gendered stories to account for, and justify, their gendered beliefs, expectations, and differential treatment of children during disciplinary interactions. Preschool teachers’ gendered beliefs are also associated with gendered disciplinary responses to children’s misbehavior in preschool classrooms. My data suggest that teachers’ gendered beliefs and expectations for behavior are related to how boys and girls are disciplined differently for engaging in the same behaviors. I argue that teachers’ gendered beliefs and gendered disciplinary interactions with children in preschool classrooms contribute to the embodiment and enforcement of gender and gender inequality in early childhood. My findings suggest that in preschool, gender differences continue to be constructed and reified as natural in young children.
Abstract 2180: Investigating lung adenocarcinoma tumor heterogeneity with single-cell mass cytometry

The lack of accuracy in predicting behavior of early detected lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) presents a major challenge to patients and their providers. Indolent tumors may be overdiagnosed and overtreated. While imaging tools may contribute to better prediction of tumor behavior, unveiling tumor heterogeneity of ADCs at the single-cell level will elucidate mechanisms of tumor progression. Mass cytometry allows us to profile tumor heterogeneity and identify cell populations driven by the activation of specific signaling pathways. We report the development of an antibody panel for mass cytometry and preliminary experiments in cancer cell lines and in ADC. ADCs were collected at the time of surgery, dissociated into suspension and cryopreserved within 24 hours. A mass cytometry antibody panel was developed, including commercially available and in-house metal conjugated antibodies. Biaxial gating or unsupervised analysis approaches SPADE and viSNE were used to compare major populations of cells. Our comprehensive antibody panel includes markers for cellular lineage (14) (immune, epithelial, mesenchymal, fibroblasts), cancer cells (3), signaling pathways (15) and quality control markers (2). The in-house conjugated antibodies (9/34) were titrated in concentrations going from 0 to 1 ug/mL using cell lines with known expression of the marker of interest. A panel of previously validated antibodies was used to gate cell populations. Signal medians of positive and negative populations and standard deviations of negative population were used to determine the stain index and the signal/noise ratio. Based on titration curves, optimal concentrations of antibody were selected for use. In the tumor studied, four cell populations were identified: endothelial cells, fibroblasts, epithelial tumor cells and leukocytes. Basal kinase activity was detected in cancer cells and infiltrating leukocytes, both exhibiting p-STAT5 activation, and cancer cells showing high p-AKT activation. Using our Marker Enrichment Modeling algorithm, we identified 3 differentially enriched subpopulations of tumor cells, as well as different leukocyte populations. These preliminary data proved mass cytometry and the panel developed are suitable tools to characterize tumor heterogeneity in lung ADC. The work in progress studying indolent and aggressive ADCs promises to identify detailed phenotypes and respective signaling pathway activation that may ultimately allow us to better predict tumor behavior and integrate this knowledge in the clinical workflow. Supported by CA196415. Citation Format: Maria-Fernanda Senosain-Ortega, Yong Zou, Deon B. Doxie, Caroline E. Roe, Jonathan M. Lehman, Jonathan M. Irish, Pierre P. Massion. Investigating lung adenocarcinoma tumor heterogeneity with single-cell mass cytometry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2180.
Short Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy in Palliation of Pediatric Malignancies: Outcomes and Toxicities.

Purpose Treatment strategies in palliation of pediatric cancer remain a significant challenge. In this study, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a short course of hypofractionated radiation therapy (RT) for metastatic or recurrent childhood tumors. Methods and Materials A total of 104 lesions in 62 pediatric patients with metastatic or recurrent cancer were treated with a short hypofractionation schedule (>1 but ≤5 fractions; ≥3 Gy per fraction) between 2007 and 2017 in our institution. The primary endpoint was local control (LC). Other endpoints included treatment response, overall survival, progression-free survival, and toxicity. Toxicities were assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v.4.0. Results The most common histologies were neuroblastoma, comprising 50 of the 104 lesions (48.1%); osteosarcoma, 17 lesions (16.4%); and Ewing sarcoma, 13 lesions (12.5%). A median total dose of 24 Gy was delivered in a median of 5 fractions. Of 104 lesions, 26 (25.0%) were treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy, 24 (23.1%) with intensity modulated RT, and 48 (46.2%) with 2-dimensional RT or 3-dimensional conformal RT. A complete or partial response was observed in 63 (60.6%) of lesions, and stable disease was observed in 34 (32.7%). At a median follow-up of 8.7 months, 21 local failures occurred (20.2%). The 1- and 2-year LC rates were 74% and 68%, respectively. LC was better for tumors without previous irradiation (83% vs 57% with previous RT; P = .004). LC rates did not differ between RT techniques or total biologically effective dose with α/β ratio of 10 (BED10) (≤30 vs >30 Gy). At the time of analysis, 38 deaths in the cohort of 62 patients (61.3%) were recorded. The 1-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 31% and 44%, respectively. Incidence of any grade ≥3 toxicity was 6.7% (7 of 104). No grade 5 events occurred. Conclusions A short hypofractionation scheme yields effective disease control and treatment response with a favorable side effect profile. Select pediatric patients with symptomatic metastases or recurrent disease can be considered for a short course of palliative RT.
An infinite Family of Non-embeddable Hadamard Designs

The parameters $2$ - $(2\lambda+2,\lambda+1,\lambda)$ are those of a residual Hadamard $2$ - $(4\lambda+3,2\lambda+1,\lambda)$ design. All $2$ - $(2\lambda+2,\lambda+1,\lambda)$ designs with $\lambda \le 4$ are embeddable. The existence of non-embeddable Hadamard $2$-designs has been determined for the cases $\lambda = 5$, $\lambda = 6$, and $\lambda = 7$. In this paper the existence of an infinite family of non-embeddable $2$ - $(2\lambda+2,\lambda+1,\lambda)$ designs, $\lambda = 3(2^m) - 1, m \ge 1$ is established.
Semiarid ecosystem sensitivity to precipitation extremes: weak evidence for vegetation constraints.

In semiarid regions, vegetation constraints on plant growth responses to precipitation (PPT) are hypothesized to place an upper limit on net primary productivity (NPP), leading to predictions of future shifts from currently defined linear to saturating NPP-PPT relationships as increases in both dry and wet PPT extremes occur. We experimentally tested this prediction by imposing a replicated gradient of growing season PPT (GSP, n = 11 levels, n = 4 replicates), ranging from the driest to wettest conditions in the 75-yr climate record, within a semiarid grassland. We focused on responses of two key ecosystem processes: aboveground NPP (ANPP) and soil respiration (Rs ). ANPP and Rs both exhibited greater relative responses to wet vs. dry GSP extremes, with a linear relationship consistently best explaining the response of both processes to GSP. However, this responsiveness to GSP peaked at moderate levels of extremity for both processes, and declined at the most extreme GSP levels, suggesting that greater sensitivity of ANPP and Rs to wet vs. dry conditions may diminish under increased magnitudes of GSP extremes. Underlying these responses was rapid plant compositional change driven by increased forb production and cover as GSP transitioned to extreme wet conditions. This compositional shift increased the magnitude of ANPP responses to wet GSP extremes, as well as the slope and variability explained in the ANPP-GSP relationship. Our findings suggest that rapid plant compositional change may act as a mediator of semiarid ecosystem responses to predicted changes in GSP extremes.
Between Revolution and the Racial Ghetto

This article revisits an historic exchange between two black ex-communists, Harold Cruse and Harry Haywood, a debate that prefigured many of the central contradictions of the black-power era. Their exchange followed Cruse’s influential 1962 essay for Studies on the Left, ‘Revolutionary Nationalism and the Afro-American’, which declared that the American Negro was a ‘subject of domestic colonialism’. Written against the prevailing liberal integrationist commitments of the civil-rights movement, his essay called for black economic and political independence, and inspired many of the younger activists who would give birth to the black-power movement. In a series of essays for the Bay Area black radical journal Soulbook, Haywood criticised Cruse’s mishandling of class politics among blacks, and his retreat from anti-capitalism. This forgotten episode is important on its own terms, for what it says about the character and limitations of left-political thinking during the sixties, and equally for understanding and contesting those commonsensical notions of African-American public life in our times which too often remain rooted in the vanished social context and political realities of the twentieth-century racial ghetto.
Bioethics in Science and Medicine: An Interview with Professor David Magnus

David Magnus, Ph.D. is Thomas A. Raffin Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Ethics, and Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University, where he directs the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics. Dr. Magnus is the former President of the Association of Bioethics Program Directors, representing the leadership of over 70 academic bioethics programs across North America. Dr. Magnus received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Stanford University, and currently co-chairs Stanford Health Care Ethics Committee which provides consultation to doctors, patients and families on a wide range of ethical issues that arise in clinical care. Dr. Magnus serves as Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Bioethics, the highest impact journal in the field and he is widely published on a range of topics, including health care reform, research ethics, end-of-life care, and genetic technology. His published work has appeared in Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, Nature Biotechnology, and Pediatrics, among other places. Along with his scholarly work, he has written a number of editorial pieces in prominent newspapers and has been quoted in Time magazine, Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, and NY Times. He has also appeared on many television shows including Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, 60 minutes, FOX news Sunday, and ABC World News. Biography adapted from and photo from David Magnus’s profiles at https://profiles.stanford.edu/david-magnus and https://publicpolicy.stanford.edu/people/david-magnus.
Professional Licensure among Civil Engineering Faculty and Related Educational Requirements

AbstractEngineering education is an important part of the professional socialization process, communicating to students the importance (or lack thereof) of professional registration and licensure. ...
Accommodation Within the Broad Structure of Voluntary Society: Buchanan and Nutter on School Segregation

Public choice theory coalesced into a school of thought in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the late 1950s and early 1960s at a time when the commonwealth was embroiled in a fight over school segregation. Until very recently, the history of segregation has not informed our understanding of the lives of the key public choice theorists in Virginia. This paper contributes to the discussion of James Buchanan and Warren Nutter’s views on school segregation by exploring neglected archival evidence that suggests Buchanan and Nutter were “moderate segregationists” or “gradualists.” Moderate segregationists accepted the Brown v. Board of Education decision against statutory segregation but believed that integration should occur gradually and at the pace of local sentiment. Buchanan and Nutter inserted themselves into the policy debate on segregation by promoting a private school tuition grant program that channeled public funds to private segregated schools. Buchanan aligned himself with the moderate segregationist views of former governor Colgate Darden, Jr., and disputed President Eisenhower’s authority to force integration in Little Rock, Arkansas. A second contribution of this paper is to provide new evidence that Warren Nutter was personally active in the private school movement in Charlottesville. In 1958, Nutter hosted a basement classroom of twenty-one white seventh graders affected by the school closings in the confrontation between the commonwealth of Virginia and the federal courts.
Growing Up Haitian in Black Miami: A Narrative in Three Acts

Jemima Pierre reflects on growing up Black in Miami and how it has shaped her intellectual pursuits.
Can a biologist fix a radio? -- Or, what I learned while studying apoptosis, (Cancer Cell. 2002 Sep;2(3):179-82).

This article by Yu. Lazebnik, “Can a Biologist Fix a Radio? — or, What I Learned while Studying Apoptosis” has already been published in English (Cancer Cell, 2002, 2, 179–182) and in Russian (Uspekhi Gerontologii, 2003, No. 12, 166–171). Nevertheless, we have undertaken its secondary publication in our journal for two reasons: first, our journal has different readers, and, second, the great significance of this manifest of Yuri Lazebnik. The author in bright and clever form shows the emerging necessity to create formalized language designed to describe complicated systems of regulation of biochemical processes in living cells. The article is published with permission of Cancer Cell and Uspekhi Gerontologii. Editor-in-Chief of Biokhimiya/Biochemistry (Moscow) V.P.Skulachev
Intraoral Herniation of a Sinonasal Polyp: An Underreported Complication of Maxillary Extraction?

Purpose The aim of the present study was to increase awareness of an underreported surgical complication by presenting the relevant findings of cases of herniated oroantral sinonasal polyp (OASNP) identified from our biopsy service and from previously reported cases. Materials and Methods The present study was a retrospective descriptive case series with a review of the reported data. Cases of OASNP were identified from our biopsy service, and the clinical, radiographic, surgical, and demographic information was retrieved. Previously reported cases of OASNP were also reviewed. Results We identified 14 cases of OASNP in our biopsy service and an additional 10 reported cases. Overall, OASNP was more prevalent in males (71%). The age range was 19 to 85 years (overall mean, 46.6 years; median, 43.5 years). OASNP typically presented as a red polypoid mass that was frequently pedunculated with a smooth or granular surface. The lesions were located on the maxillary alveolus in the molar region. The most commonly implicated tooth was a maxillary first molar (74%). In some cases, the OASNP had been mistaken for a tumor or pyogenic granuloma. Almost all were at least 1 cm in the greatest dimension, with 43% measuring at least 2 cm in size, and 1 lesion reaching 5 cm in diameter. The reported period for development of the lesion ranged from 2 days to 5 years, with 60% developing within 2 months of the extraction. All lesions had undergone surgical excision. Antibiotic use and surgical closure of the oroantral communication had been described for some of the cases. Conclusions The results from our study suggest that herniation of a sinonasal polyp through an oroantral defect could be an underreported complication of maxillary exodontia. Additional research would help to enhance our knowledge and understanding of this interesting condition.
When service calls: Public service motivation and calling as complementary concepts for public service

This study explores the distinctions between public service motivation (PSM) and the calling to public service and, specifically, how public servants describe these concepts. Using the calling and ...
Disentangling risks to an endangered fish: using a state-space life cycle model to separate natural mortality from anthropogenic losses

State-space population models are becoming a common tool to guide natural resource management, because they address the statistical challenges arising from high observation error and process variat...
Racial disparities and treatment trends among young-onset colorectal cancer patients: An analysis of a hospital cancer registry.

Abstract Background There is an increasing trend of colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality in individuals under the age of 50. The impact of age on the outcomes of CRC remains controversial. This study examined the characteristics and treatment trends of young-onset CRC by comparing patients Methods Data were retrospectively obtained from one of the largest hospital systems in Virginia. The sample included patients diagnosed with CRC from 2008 to 2016. Bivariate analyses were used to describe patients’ characteristics. Stratified and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the association between treatments and age groups in different stages at diagnosis. Results Approximately 11.6 % (n = 522) of the cohort were younger than 50 years old at diagnosis with a mean age of 42.7 (SD = 5.9) years. Compared to their older counterpart (50 and older), young-onset patients were more likely to be African American (28.7 % (n = 150) vs. 23.7 % (n = 944)), to own private insurance (68.5 % (n = 313) vs. 27.6 % (n = 1032)), to have never used tobacco products (50.4 % (n = 237) vs. 43.8 % (n = 1616)), and to be late stage at diagnosis (68.6 % (n = 358) vs. 52.5 % (n = 2090)) (all p Conclusions Findings confirmed late-stage prevalence among young-onset as well as significant demographic differences with patients’ age ≥50. This study is one of few to explore the characteristics and assess treatment of young patients with CRC using U.S hospital data. Moreover, further studies need to clarify the effects of biological properties like genetic influences and environmental factors between races on cancer patient outcomes.
Nonparametric Identification and Estimation of Distance Functions in Network Formation Models with Fixed Effects

The second chapter of the dissertation discusses the non-parametric extension of the network formation model in Toth (2018), when the researcher does not assume the functional form of the distance function. An intuitive way for the non-parametric extension is to use the parametric estimator for linear indices coupled with a series expansion. While the technique is generally applicable, it comes with the caveat that the identification of the models must be assured a priori. After demonstrating the applicability of the method on classical models of Manski (1987) and Han (1987), we prove the nonparametric identification of the distance function for the network formation model, and define the corresponding series estimator. We give a proof for consistency, and also analyze the rate of convergence.
Approach to hand posture recognition based on hand shape features for human–robot interaction

Hand segmentation is the initial step for hand posture recognition. To reduce the effect of variable illumination in hand segmentation step, a new CbCr-I component Gaussian mixture model (GMM) is proposed to detect the skin region. The hand region is selected as a region of interest from the image using the skin detection technique based on the presented CbCr-I component GMM and a new adaptive threshold. A new hand shape distribution feature described in polar coordinates is proposed to extract hand contour features to solve the false recognition problem in some shape-based methods and effectively recognize the hand posture in cases when different hand postures have the same number of outstretched fingers. A multiclass support vector machine classifier is utilized to recognize the hand posture. Experiments were carried out on our data set to verify the feasibility of the proposed method. The results showed the effectiveness of the proposed approach compared with other methods.
Are gender differences in the Big Five the same on social media as offline

Abstract Past research has found notable gender differences in the Big Five personality and that these differences may arise from cultural and ecological contexts. Social media has become part of everyday life with people constantly switching between social media and offline contexts. The present research addressed whether gender differences in the Big Five are the same between offline and social media contexts and potential explanations behind these gender differences between contexts. Across two samples of college students (total N = 943), women reported higher levels of all the Big Five personality traits than men in both contexts, except there were no significant gender differences in offline extraversion. Gender differences in extraversion and agreeableness were more pronounced on social media compared to offline. Gender differences in neuroticism were less pronounced on social media compared to offline. The findings further suggested that the amount of time spent on social media, the number of connections on social media, and public self-consciousness may serve as potential explanations for why these gender differences in personality were not the same between the two contexts. The findings from this research inform how advances in digital technology transform gender differences across contexts.
Evaluating disparities in delivery of neoadjuvant guideline-based chemoradiation for rectal cancer: A multicenter, propensity score-weighted cohort study.

Background Despite guideline recommendations, some patients still receive care inappropriate for their clinical stage of disease. Identification of factors that contribute to variation in guideline base care may help eradicate disparities in the treatment of early and locally advanced rectal cancer. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2015 was analyzed with propensity score weighting to identify factors associated with delivery and omission of neoadjuvant guideline-based chemoradiation (GBC) for those with early and locally advanced rectal cancer. Results Only 74% of patients with rectal cancer received stage-appropriate neoadjuvant chemoradiation; 4544 (88%) of those with early stage disease and 8675 (68%) in locally advanced disease. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy were not planned in 27% and 34% respectively, of those who did not receive GBC. Factors associated with receipt of non-guideline-based neoadjuvant chemoradiation were age >65 years, Medicare insurance, treatment at a community facility, West-South-Central geography, having locally advanced disease, and Charlson-Deyo score >3. Receipt of ideal guideline-based neoadjuvant chemoradiation conferred a survival benefit at 5 years. Conclusion Patient and non-patient factors contribute to disparities in guideline-based delivery of neoadjuvant chemoradiation in the treatment of rectal cancer. Identification of these risk factors are important to help standardize care and improve survival outcomes.
Predictive Ability of Pressure-Corrected Arterial Stiffness Indices: Comparison of Pulse Wave Velocity, Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI), and CAVI0.

BACKGROUND Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is blood pressure (BP)-dependent, leading to the development of the BP-corrected metrics cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and CAVI0. We aimed to assess risk prediction by heart-to-ankle PWV (haPWV), CAVI, and CAVI0 in a US population. METHODS We included 154 subjects (94.8% male; 47.7% African American) with and without heart failure (HF). Left and right haPWV, CAVI, and CAVI0 were measured with the VaSera 1500N device. We prospectively followed participants for a mean of 2.56 years for the composite endpoint death or HF-related hospital admission (DHFA). RESULTS Left and right haPWV, CAVI, and CAVI0 values did not differ significantly. In unadjusted analyses, haPWV (left standardized hazard ratio [HR]=1.51, p=0.007; right HR=1.66, p=0.003), CAVI (left HR=1.45, p=0.001; right HR=1.58, p=0.006), and CAVI0 (left HR=1.39, p=0.022; right HR=1.44, p=0.014) significantly predicted DHFA. Predictive ability showed a decreasing trend from haPWV to CAVI to CAVI0; in line with the increasing amount of BP correction in these metrics. In Cox models, right-sided metrics showed a trend towards stronger predictive ability than left-sided metrics. After adjustment for baseline HF status, the Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) risk score, and systolic BP, right haPWV (HR=1.58, p=0.025) and CAVI (HR=1.44, p=0.044), but no other stiffness metrics, remained predictive. CONCLUSIONS Although conceptually attractive, BP-corrected arterial stiffness metrics do not offer better prediction of DHFA than conventional arterial stiffness metrics, nor do they predict DHFA independently of systolic BP. Our findings support PWV as the primary arterial stiffness metric for outcome prediction.
The Factor Proportions Theory of International Trade: Empirical Results from the United States and the Philippines

This paper tests empirically whether the factor proportions of Hecksher-Ohlin theory is applicable to two countries with highly contrasting factor endowments -- the United States and the Philippines. A multi-factor model is presented which includes measures of skilled labor, technology and natural resources along with capital and labor, and incorporates a measure of net export performance that overcomes weaknesses in previously used measures. It was hoped that empirical tests of this more elaborate trade model might reconcile the paradoxical test results of the more simplistic two-factor models. The findings however, provide a few definitive guidelines in the development of a more refined empirical test
Managing the Classroom Behavior of an ADHD Preschooler: The Efficacy of a School-Home Note Intervention

The present study examined the effectiveness of home-based reinforcement for improving the classroom behavior of an ADHD preschooler. Using an ABAB design, the student received a school-home note during treatment phases of the study. The note required the teacher to evaluate behavior and parents to provide consequences at home based on these evaluations. The subject was given daily feedback in the form of a note during a morning and an afternoon period. The results showed increased attentiveness, decreased disruptiveness, and decreased activity changes in the targeted subject during treatment conditions.
Using Link Mining for Investment Decisions: Extending the Black Litterman Model

The Black Litterman (BL) model for portfolio optimization combines investors' expectations with the Markowitz framework. The BL model is designed for investors with private information or with knowledge of market behavior. In this paper I propose a method where investors' expectations are based on accounting variables, recommendations of financial analysts, and social network indicators of financial analysts and corporate directors. The results show promise when compared to those of an investor that only uses market price information. I also provide recommendations about trading strategies using the results of my model.
Epidemiology of slipped capital femoral epiphysis: a review of the literature.

From a review of the literature on the epidemiology of slipped capital femoral epiphysis it is concluded that the incidence is greatest in males around the ages of 12 to 15 years and in the females at about the ages of 10 to 13 years, that males are more susceptible than females, that the incidence is greater in Blacks than in whites, that in many localities symptoms are more likely to begin in spring and summer than in fall and winter, that familial aggregation of cases occurs more often than would be expected by chance, that the left hip is affected more frequently than the right in males but not in females, that children with slipped epiphysis are usually overweight, that there is a slight tendency for them to be tall for their age, and that they tend to have undergone slower-than-average skeletal maturation. There is some suggestion that members of low socioeconomic classes are more likely to be affected than those in higher classes, and that incidence is highest in the Midwestern, Middle Atlantic, and Southeastern states, and lowest in the Mountain and Great Plains states. Most of these risk factors have been found to play a role in either decreasing the strength of the epiphyseal plate or in increasing the amount of shearing stress to which the plate is subjected at the time it is most vulnerable.
ID: 249: Hepatic macrophage regulation of Hepatitis C virus infection

Currently, over 200 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is the leading cause of end stage liver diseases. In order to mitigate the HCV pandemic, better understanding of the immune response is critical as it determines the clinical outcome, whether the host spontaneously clears the pathogen or transitions to chronic infection. The innate immunity during acute infection is the frontline defense, which is initiated by the interaction between viral product and host Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs). The PRR recognition of infection occurs in both infected hepatocytes as well as surrounding professional innate immune cells. Hepatic macrophages reside adjacent to hepatocytes and are expected to be exposed to HCV particles as well as infected cells. To date, the role of macrophage in acute HCV infection has been poorly understood. Here, we investigated the macrophage response to acute exposure to HCV. Our results indicated that phagocytosis by macrophages plays a significant role in the clearance of HCV. In addition, we found that the phagocytosis of HCV triggers robust antiviral innate immune responses, which potently restrict the viral replication in hepatocytes. However, we also found that the macrophage provokes inflammatory responses when in contact with the infected cells. Collectively, these results suggest that the hepatic macrophage is a critical modulator of diseases presentation in both suppression of HCV infection of hepatocytes at the initial encounter and governing of hepatic inflammation thereafter. In conclusion, our results provide novel insights on the critical interplay between the hepatic macrophage and HCV.
Survival in Extreme Conditions

This article explores the psychosocial and environmental configurations that might have been responsible for an unusual situation of survival under extreme conditions. A group of 500 civilians (mostly Americans) lived 31/2 years in a Japanese internment camp in the philippines during World War II. Although conditions were very harsh, the survival rate of this group was better than expected for a comparable group under normal conditions. Discussion of available demographic, social organizational, and cultural information leads to three hypotheses that might account for this outcome.
Corn uptake of bromide under greenhouse and field conditions

Abstract Bromide (Br) has been used frequently to trace the movement of fertilizer derived nitrate (NO3) through the soil profile. Although not required for plant growth, Br is readily absorbed by plants. Consequently, the pulse of an anion tracer moving through the soil can be attenuated by actively growing plants. Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine the amount of Br absorbed by corn, and to better understand potential competitive interactions between nitrogen (N) and Br in plant uptake. Under greenhouse conditions, over 85 percent of applied Brwas recovered by corn tops. Results from both greenhouse and field experiments demonstrated that the addition of Br or Cl neither reduced yield nor inhibited N uptake. Therefore, either Br or Cl could be used in N trials without concern for competitive inhibition of N uptake. However, both experiments demonstrated that N treatments affected Br concentration in the tissue, but this difference may have been due to increased yield of N treate...
Soft-triple resonance solid-state NMR experiments for assignments of U-13C, 15N labeled peptides and proteins

The process of obtaining sequential resonance assignments for heterogeneous polypeptides and large proteins by solid-state NMR (ssNMR) is impeded by extensive spectral degeneracy in these systems. Even in these challenging cases, the cross peaks are not distributed uniformly over the entire spectral width. Instead, there exist both well-resolved single resonances and distinct groups of resonances well separated from the most crowded region of the spectrum. Here, we present a series of new triple resonance experiments that exploit the non-uniform clustering of resonances in heteronuclear correlation spectra to obtain additional resolution in the more crowded regions of a spectrum. Homonuclear and heteronuclear dipolar recoupling sequences are arranged to achieve directional transfer of coherence between neighboring residues in the peptide sequence. A frequency-selective (soft) pulse is applied to select initial polarization from a limited (and potentially) well-resolved region of the spectrum. The pre-existing resolution of one or more spins is thus utilized to obtain additional resolution in the more crowded regions of the spectrum. A new protocol to utilize these experiments for sequential resonance assignments in peptides and proteins is also demonstrated.
EFFECT OF BODY WEIGHT ON BONE AGE AND HORMONAL PARAMETERS IN CHILDREN WITH PREMATURE ADRENARCHE

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to investigate the effect of body weight on bone age (BA) and hormonal features in children with benign premature adrenarche. METHODS: We studied 221 children (175 girls, 46 boys) with premature adrenarche (pubic and/or axillary hair at 95th percentile). Children with late-onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia were excluded from study. RESULTS: Mean CA of adrenarche was 6.3 years (girls) and 7.1 years (boys). The percentages of overweight and obese children was significantly higher than those reported in the general population of children in Greece. Obese children had significantly more advanced BA compared with overweight and normal-weight children. Higher levels of DHEA-S and Δ4-A were observed in overweight and obese girls compared with normal-weight girls, whereas higher levels of DHEA-S, testosterone, and IFG-I were observed in overweight and obese boys (Table [1][1]). No statistically significant difference was observed between the 3 groups in the levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, estradiol, cholesterol, triglycerides, or high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: A higher frequency of obesity and advanced BA was observed in children with benign premature adrenarche, with a strong correlation between BA and degree of obesity. Furthermore, obese children were characterized by higher levels of adrenal androgens compared with normal-weight children. Submitted by Asteroula Papathanasiou [1]: #T1
Spatial Modeling and Variability Analysis for Modeling and Prediction of Soil and Crop Canopy Coverage Using Multispectral Imagery from an Airborne Remote Sensing System

Spatial modeling and variability analysis of soil and crop canopy coverage has been accomplished using aerial multispectral images. Multispectral imagery was acquired using an MS-4100 multispectral camera at different flight altitudes over a 40 ha cotton field. After the acquired images were geo-registered and processed, spatial relationships between the aerial images and ground-based soil conductivity and NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) measurements were estimated and compared using two spatial analysis approaches (model-driven spatial regression and data-driven geostatistics) and one non-spatial approach (multiple linear regression). Comparison of the three approaches indicated that OLS (ordinary least squares) solutions from multiple linear regression models performed worst in modeling ground-based soil conductivity and NDVI with high AIC (Akaike information criterion) (-668.3 to 2980) and BIC (Bayesian information criterion) (-642.4 to 3006) values. Spatial regression and geostatistics performed much better in modeling soil conductivity, with low AIC (2698 to 2820) and BIC (2732 to 2850) values. For modeling ground-based NDVI, the AIC and BIC values were -681.7 and -652.1, respectively, for spatial error regression and -679.8 and -646.5, respectively, for geostatistics, which were only moderate improvements over OLS (-668.3 and -642.4). Validation of the geostatistical models indicated that they could predict soil conductivity much better than the corresponding multiple linear regression models, with lower RMSE (root mean squared error) values (0.096 to 0.186, compared to 0.146 to 0.306). Results indicated that the aerial images could be used for spatial modeling and prediction, and they were informative for spatial prediction of ground soil and canopy coverage variability. The methods used for this study could help deliver baseline data for crop monitoring with remote sensing and establish a procedure for general crop management.
Group IV semiconductor nanowire arrays: different flavors of epitaxy

Epitaxy can be used to direct nanowire chemical vapor deposition and to influence the crystallographic orientation of nanowires during their nucleation and growth via the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. Under some circumstances, the influence of epitaxy competes with capillary effects and the influence of nanoparticle catalyst coarsening and surface impurities on nanowire orientation selection. We have investigated rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition of epitaxial Ge nanowires and have used it to separately study nanowire nucleation and growth. This has given important insights into deep-subeutectic Ge nanowire growth using Au catalyst particles. These Ge nanowires have also been studied as the cores in epitaxial Ge core/Si shell nanowires. We have studied the conditions under which strain driven surface roughening and dislocations formation occurs in these coaxial nanowire heterostructures. Recent results indicate that suppression of Si shell surface roughening can lead to fully strained, coherent core/shell nanowires.