cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Principles and problems of transfusion in sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with red blood cell (RBC) abnormalities and moderate to severe anemia, and blood transfusion is naturally a mainstay of treatment. However, transfusion therapy for SCD may incur special and distinctive adverse effects. Thus, it is important to understand the indications for and goals of transfusion therapy and to be aware of the potential side effects of therapy. Years of unsystematic clinical observations, followed by more carefully designed and in some cases randomized studies, have contributed substantially to our knowledge of transfusion therapy in SCD. However, much remains unknown and areas of controversy persist. In addition, serologic barriers pose enduring roadblocks to the optimization of transfusion therapy for patients with SCD, and the syndrome of massive hemolytic transfusion reactions and hyperhemolysis in SCD persists as a life-threatening complication for which appropriate clinical management is not yet defined.
Standardised removal and sectioning locations for shovelnose sturgeon fin rays

Fin rays are a common structure used in age and growth analyses, but many inconsistencies exist regarding removal and processing methodology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate precision of age estimates obtained from shovelnose sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (Rafinesque) fin rays sectioned at different locations. Fin rays were examined from 203 shovelnose sturgeon sampled from Pools 9, 13 and 14 of the Mississippi River. Three readers provided age estimates for sections acquired from five locations along fin rays to determine the optimum location for removing and sectioning fin rays. Precision and readability were generally greater for fin ray sections close to the articulating process on the fin ray (i.e. proximal) and decreased as sections approached the tip (i.e. distal). Based on these results, it is recommended that scientists remove shovelnose sturgeon fin rays at the articulating process and section immediately distal to the conspicuous curve in the fin ray close to the articulating process of the ray.
Heritability of Ventilatory Function in Smoking and Nonsmoking New Mexico Hispanics

Familial aggregation of ventilatory function has been described in several populations, but the effects of age and cigarette smoking on the extent of aggregation have not been well characterized. We used data from a survey of a Hispanic population in New Mexico to obtain estimates of heritability for FVC and FEV1 as percentages of predicted value. Product-moment correlations for FVC of spouse pairs were 0.18 (n = 90 pairs) if neither smoked, 0.013 (n = 45 pairs) if only the wife smoked, 0.18 (n = 118 pairs) if only the husband smoked, and −0.04 (n = 83 pairs) if both smoked. Correlations for FEV1 of spouse pairs were similar. Because parent-child correlations did not vary with sex, we calculated product-moment correlations from the pooled data. The parent-child correlations for nonsmoking parents with nonsmoking children 6 to 17 yr of age and living in the same house were 0.16 (n = 335 pairs) and 0.17 for FVC and FEV1, respectively. For parents whose children were 25 yr of age or older, the parent-child c...
Operating room internship program: a collaborative project.

Schools of nursing provide today’s nursing students with minimal exposure to perioperative nursing. Perioperative educators agree that preparing the graduate nurse to practice competently requires a great deal of time, energy, and effort. Most operating rooms (OR) must either hire experienced staff nurses or prepare their own staff. The nursing staff in our operating room formed a planning committee to develop a perioperative nurse internship program. One important feature of that program was to provide the opportunity for novice nurses to work with expert nurses in support of advancing their clinical practice in the perioperative area. The OR Internship Program was offered to new graduate nurses, and viewed as a competitive recruitment strategy in a community where many new graduates sought positions in academic medical centers. With the help and cooperation of the Director of the affiliated School of Nursing, the Perioperative Clinical Services Director met with the students prior to graduation to discuss the opportunities for a career in the operating room. Significant interest from the students validated the plan to offer an educational program for new nurses that would supplement their educational exposure to the perioperative clinical area. Based on the standards of the Association of perioperative Nurses (AORN), a curriculum was devel-
A Probabilistic Assessment of Household Exposures to MTBE from Drinking Water

The oxygenate methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) has been added to reformulated gasoline in the U.S. to meet national ambient air quality standards. Although MTBE has provided significant health benefits in terms of reduced criteria and toxic air pollutants, detections of MTBE in some groundwater and drinking water sources have raised concerns about potential environmental contamination and human exposures. In this paper, we examine the frequency and concentration of MTBE detections in drinking water sources in California from 1995 to 1999, and provide a preliminary analysis of the distribution of household exposures to MTBE from water-related activities. Using published data on the toxicity and possible cancer hazard posed by MTBE, we estimate the likely cancer and non-cancer risks for the general population in California from past and potential future MTBE exposures. More highly exposed subgroups were also addressed. Our findings indicate that less than 2% of all sampled drinking water sources in Califo...
On distribution and limits of information dissemination latency and speed in mobile cognitive radio networks

Dissemination latency and speed are central to the applications of cognitive radio networks, which have become an important component of current communication infrastructure. In this paper, we investigate the distributions and limits of information dissemination latency and speed in a cognitive radio network where licensed users (primary users) are static and cognitive radio users (secondary users) are mobile. We show that the dissemination latency depends on the stationary spatial distribution and mobility capability α (characterizing the region that a mobile secondary user can reach) of secondary users. Given any stationary spatial distribution, we find that there exists a critical value on α, below which the latency and speed are heavy-tailed and above which the right tails of their distribution are bounded by Gamma random variables. We further show that as the network grows to infinity, the latency asymptotically scales linearly with the “distance” (characterized by transmission hops or Euclidean distance) between the source and the destination. Our results are validated through simulations.
Immunoglobulin A production by human colostral cells: quantitative aspects.

Similar to peripheral blood, human colostrum contains soluble host defense factors and immunologically active leukocytes. While these cells have been characterized with respect to morphology (1), surface markers (2) and some functional aspects (3,4), little is known about their role in the protection of the mammary gland or the recipient infant. Colostral leukocytes consist largely of macrophages and lymphocytes, both thymic dependent (T) and independent (B). However, unlike B lymphocytes from blood, those found in colostrum appear to be programmed toward production of antibodies of the IgA class (4) with specificity for antigens frequently encountered at mucosal surfaces (5). Further indication of the specificity of the antibody from colostral cells was derived from our study of oral immunization of pregnant women with a non-pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli (6). Utilizing a hemolysis-in-gel technique, we demonstrated the rapid appearance in human milk of cells secreting IgA antibody against the 0 antigen of the immunogen. Two further findings of this study provoked the present investigation. First, the appearance of antibody within the colostral leukocytes was not consistently accompanied by a rise in the level of secretory IgA (s-IgA) antibodies in colostral whey (5,6).
Evaluation of swallow function after tongue cancer treatment using real-time magnetic resonance imaging: a pilot study.

Importance Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the advantage of imaging swallow function at any anatomical level without changing the position of patient, which can provide detailed information than modified barium swallow, by far the gold standard of swallow evaluation. Objective To investigate the use of real-time MRI in the evaluation of swallow function of patients with tongue cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants Real-time MRI experiments were performed on a Signa Excite HD 1.5-T scanner (GE Healthcare), with gradients capable of 40-mT/m (milli-Tesla per meter) amplitudes and 150-mT/m/ms (mT/m per millisecond) slew rates. The sequence used was spiral fast gradient echo sequence. Four men with base of tongue or oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma and 3 age-matched healthy men with normal swallowing participated in the experiment. Interventions Real-time MRI of the midsagittal plane was collected during swallowing. Coronal planes between the oral tongue and base of tongue and through the middle of the larynx were collected from 1 of the patients. Main Outcomes and Measures Oral transit time, pharyngeal transit time, submental muscle length change, and the distance change between the hyoid bone and anterior boundary of the thyroid cartilage were measured frame by frame during swallowing. Results All the measurable oral transit and pharyngeal transit times of the patients with cancer were significantly longer than the ones of the healthy participants. The changes in submental muscle length and the distance between the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage happened in concert for all 60 normal swallows; however, the pattern differed for each patient with cancer. To our knowledge, the coronal view of the tongue and larynx revealed information that has not been previously reported. Conclusions and Relevance This study has demonstrated the potential of real-time MRI to reveal critical information beyond the capacity of traditional videofluoroscopy. Further investigation is needed to fully consider the technique, procedure, and standard scope of applying MRI to evaluate swallow function of patients with cancer in research and clinic practice.
Preserving Electronic Scholarship for the Future: An Overview of LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, Portico, CHORUS, and the Keepers Registry

Electronic resources are becoming the backbone of many library collections. Electronic journals in particular have become the default format for most periodical literature in all fields of scholarship. The mission of librarians, the publishing industry, and nonprofit organizations is to ensure that electronic scholarship remains accessible to future generations in an affordable and sustainable manner. The focus for the first edition of “In Layman's Terms” is on LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, CHORUS, Portico, and the Keepers Registry, five initiatives dedicated to the preservation and to the perpetual access of electronic scholarship. It includes a brief history of each initiative. It looks at their missions and their different roles in preserving and providing access to electronic resources and the benefits and costs in joining them and being involved with them. It identifies the relationships among these initiatives.
A 21st Century Imperative: integrating intercultural competence in Tuning

Given the increasing demand for interculturally competent graduates and employees, it is incumbent upon the Tuning community to incorporate intercultural competence into Tuning Frameworks. With the growing diversity in the world today, beyond national diversity, intercultural competence cuts across disciplines, subjects, and contexts. This essay highlights the first research-based definition and framework of intercultural competence which can be translated into any subject and context and makes the case for why intercultural competence must be embedded into Tuning Frameworks around the world.
CubeSat Three Axis Simulator(CubeTAS)

CubeSat three axis simulator(CubeTAS) is a CubeSat-scale simulator. To simulate frictionless microgravity environment for the ground test, CubeTAS is supported by a spherical air bearing, and bottom half is covered with aluminum hemisphere. The system is automatically balanced with sliding masses only using a new balancing algorithm. Inclinometers and stepper motors are used for automatic balancing. Attitude estimation is done with the measurements of a sun sensor and an inertial measurement unit(IMU). Reaction wheels and magnetic coils are installed for attitude control. To support the operation of CubeTAS , Helmholtz coil structure is installed around CubeTAS to simulate earth magnetic eld, and Phasespace impulse camera system provides reference attitude with high accuracy.
On the Accuracy of Timoshenko's Beam Theory

The deflection and rotation which appear in Timoshenko's beam theory may be defined either (a) in terms of the deflection and rotation of the centroidal element of a cross-section or (b) in terms of average values over the cross-section. By consideration of an example for which a theoretically exact solution is available it is shown that the Timoshenko equations may be much more accurate if the latter definition is adopted. The example considered is the vibration of a simply-supported beam of narrow rectangular cross-section. The accuracy of the Timoshenko theory depends on the slenderness ratio of the beam, but even when the depth of the beam is equal to the length the Timoshenko theory differs from the exact solution by less than 3.5% provided definition (b) is adopted. Far larger errors occur if definition (a) is used, the most serious error being associated not with shear deformation but with the moment-curvature relation.
The Research Development of Water-Swellable Rubber

The mechanism of water absorption and the preparation methods of water-swellable rubber(WSR)were introduced.The modification progress and the prospects of its applications were also described.
Hydrogen Ion and Carbon Dioxide Content of the Oviductal Fluid of the Rhesus Monkey (Macaca Mulatta)

The pH in the oviduct lumen of adult female rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) during the menstrual cycle was measured by means of miniaturized pH electrodes. Two types were used: one was a flexible electrode 1.4 mm in diameter; the other was a rigid electrode 0.8 mm in diameter. The same results were obtained with both types. For PCO2 measurements, the pH electrodes was converted to a Severinghaus tyep electrode covered with a Teflon membrane. During the follicular phase, the pH remains constant in the range 7.1 to 7.3. In association with ovulation, there is a sudden increase in the pH to the range 7.5 to 7.8. The pH remains high through the luteal phase. The PCO2 values obtained showed no evident changes with day of cycle. The range of values estimated was wide because of drift in electrode calibration, with the average level about 89 Torr, compared with 40 Torr for blood. At the average pH of 7.2 in the follicular phase, this value of PCO2 corresponds to 35 mM HCO3-; at the average pH of 7.6 of the secretory phase, this value corresponds to 90 mM HCO3-. This increase in pH and HCO3- after ovulation would be expected to enhance dispersal of corona cells during fertilization and to provide a favorable environment for the developing embryo.
Time Dependent Heterodimer Formation Leads to Inhibition of HIV Protease Activity

The protease encoded by the human immunodefiency virus (HIV) is a homodimer as determined by X-ray crystallographic (Navia et al., 1989, Wlodawer et al., 1989) and biochemical analysis (Meek et al., 1989). A four-stranded antiparallel s-sheet generated by interdigitating N-and C-termini of the monomers dominates the dimer interface. This s-sheet is partially stabilized by intersubunit backbone H-bonds of alternate amino acids from each of the four strands.
Interleukin-7 and lymphopoiesis: biological and clinical implications.

IL-7 was identified in 1988 following an intensive search for bone-marrow stromal cell growth factors involved in early steps of B-cell genesis [1]. The role of IL-7 has since been expanded to include functions as a thymocyte growth factor and a pre-T-cell differentiation factor, as well as an activation factor for monocytes and macrophages, NK cells, cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL’s), and lymphokine-activated killer cell (LAK) activity. Several preclinical studies in mice predict that IL-7 may be of use in antitumor therapy and acceleration of lymphoid recovery in lymphopenic patients. In addition, IL-7 appears to hold promise in enhancing antimicrobial responses. This chapter describes in detail the current status of IL-7 as a regulator of lymphopoiesis and effector cell function, and the potential therapeutic implications of the IL-7 preclinical studies performed in mice.
A Relevance Rule Organizing Responsive Behavior During One Type of Institutional Extended Telling

ABSTRACTMore research is needed on the organization of mid-telling sequential environments wherein the normal turn-taking rules for speaker transition are typically suspended. While there is research on the type, function, and consequences of recipients’ vocalized responses, we know less about bodily responsive behavior (e.g., nodding) and even less about how responses (or lack thereof) are organized around turn constructional unit boundaries. Using conversation analysis of face-to-face data captured by multiple, participant perspective camera angles, this article addresses these issues by documenting a relevance rule that organizes responsive behavior during international students’ problem presentations to university advisors. Data are in American English.
Who’s adopting the smarter lunchroom approach? Individual characteristics of innovative food service directors

Abstract School cafeterias and, subsequently, food service directors (FSDs) play a vital role in feeding children in the U.S. This study investigates which FSDs with different characteristics and organizational affiliations are most willing to embrace and implement new programs in their cafeterias. In 2014 we surveyed a representative sample of 8143 school FSDs across the U.S. regarding their knowledge and use of innovative methods that encourage children to select healthy food options. Nearly all of the surveyed FSDs (93%) are aware of behavioral strategies to promote healthier eating in school lunchrooms, and nearly 93% report having made at least one change in their lunchroom. Male FSDs are more likely to be aware of new programs, though they are less likely to adopt them relative to female FSDs. In addition, membership in a professional organization increases awareness as well as the number of changes made by 0.14 (p The findings highlight the importance of participation in professional associations which provide career-building activities for school FSDs increasing awareness and adoption of innovative approaches to motivate children to eat the nutritious foods. Given these findings, there is reason for policy makers and school districts to consider allocating funds to encourage FSDs to engage more fully in professional association meetings and activities.
Holocene carbonate record of Lake Kivu reflects the history of hydrothermal activity.

The sediment record of Lake Kivu reveals a complex volcanogenic and climatic Holocene history. Investigation of the inorganic carbonate record dates the onset of carbonate deposition in the mid-Holocene in Kivu’s deep northern and eastern basins and identifies conditions enabling deposition. The magnitude and timing of carbonate-rich sedimentation is not so much controlled by climate but, instead, linked strongly to hydrothermal activity in the basin. Sublacustrine springs supply the vast majority of the calcium and carbonate ions required for supersaturation with respect to aragonite. This major hydrothermal activity that permanently stratifies Lake Kivu today was initiated ∼3,100 y before present (3.1 ka), when carbonate-rich sediments first appeared in the Holocene record. Aragonite is the dominant CaCO3 mineral present in the lake deposits. Both δ13C and δ18O of the aragonite are enriched above the expected kinetic fractionation of meteoric waters, suggesting a volcanogenic influence on the formation waters. Repeated major fluctuations in the carbonate record after 3.1 ka therefore most likely reflect the historical variation in hydrothermal inputs.
Developing an activity-based trip generation model for small/medium size planning agencies

ABSTRACTThe primary shortcoming of traditional four-step models is that they cannot capture derived travel demand behaviors. However, travel demand modeling (TDM) is an essential input for urban transportation planning. TDM needs to be highly precise and accurate by integrating the accurate base year estimation along with suitable alternatives. Currently, activity-based models (ABMs) have been developed mostly for large metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), whereas smaller/medium-sized MPOs typically lack these models. The main reason for this disparity in ABM development is the complexity of the models and the cost and data requirements needed. We posit however that smaller MPOs could develop ABMs from traditional travel surveys. Therefore, the specific aim of this paper is to develop a probabilistic home-based destination activity trip generation model considering travel time behavior. Results show that the developed model can significantly capture the actual number of trip generations.
Abstract 5795: Functional and mechanistic interrogation of BET Bromodomain degraders for the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), a lethal disease primarily driven by androgen receptor (AR) signaling, results in approximately 30,000 annual deaths in the U.S. While the AR is necessary for the function, survival, and differentiation of normal prostatic tissue, AR function and signaling shift from tumor suppressive to tumor promoting during prostate carcinogenesis. Surgical or chemical castration targeting the AR signaling axis has been the mainstay of prostate cancer (PCa) treatment. Unfortunately, despite castration, PCa will inevitably progress into castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in which AR remains an important oncogene. Current CRPC therapeutics, such as second-generation AR antagonists, elicit only temporary responses and patients eventually succumb to the disease. Therefore, new therapeutics against the AR axis in CRPC are urgently needed. One such novel strategy for targeting the AR-pathway and inhibiting the growth of CRPC has been the use of bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) protein inhibitors such a JQ1, which disrupt AR and oncogenic c-MYC transcriptional activity. While BET inhibitors may seem to be attractive candidate drugs for clinical translation, their off-target effects, such as binding to other proteins, toxicity, and the rapid development of treatment resistance, limit their translation. However, a new class of molecules that target BET proteins through proteasomal degradation can improve efficacy and specificity over standard inhibitors. Based on our preliminary findings, we have hypothesized that pharmacologic BET degradation represents an important advance in CRPC treatment and may provide a novel therapeutic strategy that can enhance efficacy and disrupt resistance to AR-targeted therapy. Utilizing prostate cancer cell lines, organoids, and patient derived xenografts, we performed RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, and proteomic studies to assay the effects of BET inhibitors and degrader compounds in preclinical models. These inhibitors affected AR-positive prostate cancer cells preferentially over AR-negative cells, and proteomic and genomic mechanistic studies confirmed the disruption of oncogenic AR and MYC signaling both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, we are developing highly potent, small molecules that lead to the proteasomal-degradation of BET proteins. With optimized in vivo properties, BET degraders promise to be a novel potential therapeutic strategy for patients with mCRPC. Citation Format: Steven Kregel, Rohit Malik, Irfan A. Asangani, Ester Fernandez-Salas, Kari Wilder-Romans, Xia Jiang, Thekkelnaycke Rajendiran, Xuhong Cao, Corey Speers, Shaomeng Wang, Arul M. Chinnaiyan. Functional and mechanistic interrogation of BET Bromodomain degraders for the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer [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 5795.
Surgical Decompression for Chiari Malformation Type I: An Age-Based Outcomes Study Based on the Chicago Chiari Outcome Scale.

Background There is currently inadequate evidence on the efficacy of surgical decompression for Chiari malformation type I (CM1) in different age groups of patients. In this study, we compared postoperative outcomes across 3 different age groups using the Chicago Chiari Outcome Scale (CCOS). Methods A total of 144 patients who underwent Chiari decompression at our institution between 2008 and 2014 were divided into 3 groups: group A, children age 0–18 years; group B, younger adults age 19–40 years; and group C, older adults, age 41+ years. Patient outcomes were assigned a numerical value based on the CCOS and subjected to statistical analysis. Direct comparisons were made across the 3 age groups. Results The mean overall score was 14.0 over a mean follow-up of 27.2 months. All 3 groups demonstrated clinical improvement following Chiari decompression; however, group A demonstrated significantly better postoperative improvements than groups B and C in total CCOS scores (7.8% and 12.2%, respectively; P Conclusions A direct comparison among the age groups revealed a negative age effect on surgical decompression outcomes in CM1 patients. Children performed significantly better than younger and older adults. This finding supports early surgical intervention for symptomatic pediatric patients to achieve long-term surgical benefit.
Flow optimizer architecture designs in high powered computing coolant chambers

With the ever increasing trend of cramming more transistors on the silicon and the consequential increase in the thermal design power, combined with stacked die and multiple die configurations inside the package footprint, optimized coolant chambers becomes an imperative design need to remove heat efficiently from the silicon. Liquid cooling is investigated to efficiently meet the challenges of high heat loads on several different fin geometries, lowering thermal resistance, and lower noise. Branching flow evenly inside the coolant chamber is vital for optimal performance of the chamber. In this paper, we present computational investigations for improving the thermal performance of a liquid-cooled chamber by optimizing the coolant flow inside the chamber with the aid of novel symmetric baffles strategically located at the inlet and outlet. Flow animation visualization from CFD simulations also show that the baffle introduces turbulence inside the liquid-cooled chamber eliminating stagnant zones especially in the corners. A numerical conjugate convection in the channel and conduction on the fin plate/substrate heat transfer model was developed and setup to run for seven different fin geometries using Ansys Icepak CFD solver. A k-e model was used to predict the turbulent flow and heat transfer through all the different finned coolant chamber. A new type of miniaturized fin, based on the NACA-0020 airfoil is introduced as a staggered array of pin fin configuration inside liquid cooled chambers and computationally investigated at several inlet velocities ranging from 0.5 m/s to 3.0 m/s (2000 ≤ Re ≤ 12,000) characterizing the variation of surface Nusselt number with Reynolds number. Surface Nusselt number, a dimensionless heat transfer coefficient is investigated along the surfaces of all the fins to predict the convective cooling capability of the fins being considered. Simulation results reveal that NACA-0020 airfoil fin structure with a 0.23 airfoil thickness-to chord length ratio, has the best performance compared against all the other fins investigated in this study. The findings from this investigation can improve thermal performance of liquid cooled heat sinks across a wide range of package powers.
UV Screening in Native and Non-native Plant Species in the Tropical Alpine: Implications for Climate Change-Driven Migration of Species to Higher Elevations

Ongoing changes in Earth's climate are shifting the elevation ranges of many plant species with non-native species often experiencing greater expansion into higher elevations than native species. These climate change-induced shifts in distributions inevitably expose plants to novel biotic and abiotic environments, including altered solar ultraviolet (UV)-B (280-315 nm) radiation regimes. Do the greater migration potentials of non-native species into higher elevations imply that they have more effective UV-protective mechanisms than native species? In this study, we surveyed leaf epidermal UV-A transmittance (TUV A) in a diversity of plant species representing different growth forms to test whether native and non-native species growing above 2800 m elevation on Mauna Kea, Hawaii differed in their UV screening capabilities. We further compared the degree to which TUV A varied along an elevation gradient in the native shrub Vaccinium reticulatum and the introduced forb Verbascum thapsus to evaluate whether these species differed in their abilities to adjust their levels of UV screening in response to elevation changes in UV-B. For plants growing in the Mauna Kea alpine/upper subalpine, we found that adaxial TUV A, measured with a UVA-PAM fluorometer, varied significantly among species but did not differ between native (mean = 6.0%; n = 8) and non-native (mean = 5.8%; n = 11) species. When data were pooled across native and non-native taxa, we also found no significant effect of growth form on TUV A, though woody plants (shrubs and trees) were represented solely by native species whereas herbaceous growth forms (grasses and forbs) were dominated by non-native species. Along an elevation gradient spanning 2600-3800 m, TUV A was variable (mean range = 6.0-11.2%) and strongly correlated with elevation and relative biologically effective UV-B in the exotic V. thapsus; however, TUV A was consistently low (3%) and did not vary with elevation in the native V. reticulatum. Results indicate that high levels of UV protection occur in both native and non-native species in this high UV-B tropical alpine environment, and that flexibility in UV screening is a mechanism employed by some, but not all species to cope with varying solar UV-B exposures along elevation gradients.
Maximum likelihood non-linear transformation for environment adaptation in speech recognition.

Abstract In this paper, we describe an adaptation method for speechrecognition systems that is based on a piecewise-linear approx-imation to a non-linear transformation of the feature space.The method extends a previously proposed non-linear trans-formation (NLT) technique by making the transformation func-tion more sophisticated (piecewise-linear instead of piecewise-constant), and by computing the transformation to maximizethe likelihood of the adaptation data given its transcription (in-stead of just matching the global statistics of the test and train-ing data). This method also differs from other linear techniques(such as MLLR, linear feature space transforms, etc.) in twoways - ﬁrst, the computed transformation is non-linear, second,the tying structure of the transformation depends not on the pho-netic class but rather on the location in the feature space. Exper-imental results show that the method performs well for the caseof limited adaptation data, and the performance gains appear tobe additive to those provided by MLLR - yielding upto 3.4%relative improvement over MLLR.
Psychological Ownership in Hoarding

This chapter examines hoarding behavior through the lens of consumer behavior as an extreme form of psychological ownership. The phenomenon of hoarding analyzed in context of psychological ownership theory reveals connections between the intense emotional attachment to possessions that characterizes hoarding and the motivations for psychological ownership. In addition, applying psychological ownership theory to existing knowledge of consumer disposition practices offers insights into encouraging disposition. An integrated framework emerges for understanding both difficulties with disposition and ways to encourage disposition.
Motivating Factors for Latinas Earning a Family Studies Baccalaureate Degree at a University Extended Campus

The researchers studied motivating factors of Latinas studying at a university extended campus. Using mixed-methods, the following research question was investigated: What cultural, familial, and f...
Are the Fed's Stress Test Results Predictable?

Regulatory stress tests have become a key tool for setting bank capital levels. Publicly disclosed results for four rounds of stress tests suggest that as the stress testing process has evolved, its outcomes have become more predictable and therefore arguably less informative. In particular, projected stress losses in the 2013 and 2014 stress tests are nearly perfectly correlated for bank holding companies that participated in both rounds. We also compare projected losses across different scenarios used in the 2014 stress test and find surprisingly high correlations for outcomes grouped by bank or by loan category. We discuss potential implications of these patterns for the further development and application of stress testing.
Energetics of Hibernation in Woodchucks (Marmota monax)

Woodchucks hibernate singly with a daily mass loss of 5.2 7g and a specific mass loss (DML) of 1.94. Woodchucks have a higher metabolism than yellow-bellied marmots, who also hibernate singly. Woodchucks allocate a greater percentage of time and energy to euthermy, spend less time torpid and save less energy during hibernation than do yellow-bellied marmots, and save about the same amount of energy as alpine marmots. Woodchucks rely on a combination of large body size and a short hibernation period as the major hibernation strategy whereas the yellow-bellied marmot is energetically more efficient and the alpine marmot utilizes social thermoregulation.
MAPT (Tau) expression is a biomarker for an increased rate of survival for low‑grade glioma

The association of MAPT (Tau) with various tauopathies and other neurological disorders has long been established. However, the role of microtubule‑associated protein Tau (MAPT) expression in brain cancer is largely unknown. To determine whether MAPT expression is related to low‑grade glioma (LGG) survival rates, RNASeq data representing samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were assessed. Results revealed that high expression of the MAPT gene is very strongly associated with increased overall and disease‑free survival in LGG but not in breast cancer or melanoma. No such association was apparent for either amyloid precursor protein or α‑synuclein gene expression. The expression levels of particular apoptosis‑ and pro‑proliferative‑effector genes were consistent with the Tau‑associated increased survival rates. It has been well established that the Tau protein plays a neurodegenerative role, and in this study we identified, for the first time, a potential cell apoptosis function that Tau may play in cancers of the central nervous system.
Characterization of Chitosan Film

Chitosan [(1-4)-2 amino-2-deoxy-β-D glucan] is deacetylated chitin usually in various degrees of deacetylation and depolymerization. The removal of some or all of the acetyl groups from the chitin liberates amine groups, thus imparting the polycationic nature to the polymer (Muzzarelli, 1977). The cationic and amine containing nature make the chitosan a novel polymer belonging to the group the potential of which has not yet been exploited industrially.
Unique α-synuclein pathology within the amygdala in Lewy body dementia: implications for disease initiation and progression.

The protein α-synuclein (αsyn) forms pathologic aggregates in a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Lewy body dementia (LBD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is unclear why diseases such as LBD may develop widespread αsyn pathology, while in Alzheimer’s disease with amygdala restricted Lewy bodies (AD/ALB) the αsyn aggregates remain localized. The amygdala contains αsyn aggregates in both LBD and in AD/ALB; to understand why αsyn pathology continues to progress in LBD but not in AD/ALB, tissue from the amygdala and other regions were obtained from 14 cases of LBD, 9 cases of AD/ALB, and 4 controls for immunohistochemical and biochemical characterization. Utilizing a panel of previously characterized αsyn antibodies, numerous unique pathologies differentiating LBD and AD/ALB were revealed; particularly the presence of dense neuropil αsyn aggregates, astrocytic αsyn, and αsyn-containing dystrophic neurites within senile plaques. Within LBD, these unique pathologies were predominantly present within the amygdala. Biochemically, the amygdala in LBD prominently contained specific carboxy-truncated forms of αsyn which are highly prone to aggregate, suggesting that the amygdala may be prone to initiate development of αsyn pathology. Similar to carboxy-truncated αsyn, it was demonstrated herein that the presence of aggregation prone A53T αsyn is sufficient to drive misfolding of wild-type αsyn in human disease. Overall, this study identifies within the amygdala in LBD the presence of unique strain-like variation in αsyn pathology that may be a determinant of disease progression.
Evidence Relating Health Care Provider Burnout and Quality of Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background Whether health care provider burnout contributes to lower quality of patient care is unclear. Purpose To estimate the overall relationship between burnout and quality of care and to evaluate whether published studies provide exaggerated estimates of this relationship. Data sources MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Health and Psychosocial Instruments (EBSCO), Mental Measurements Yearbook (EBSCO), EMBASE (Elsevier), and Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), with no language restrictions, from inception through 28 May 2019. Study selection Peer-reviewed publications, in any language, quantifying health care provider burnout in relation to quality of patient care. Data extraction 2 reviewers independently selected studies, extracted measures of association of burnout and quality of care, and assessed potential bias by using the Ioannidis (excess significance) and Egger (small-study effect) tests. Data synthesis A total of 11 703 citations were identified, from which 123 publications with 142 study populations encompassing 241 553 health care providers were selected. Quality-of-care outcomes were grouped into 5 categories: best practices (n = 14), communication (n = 5), medical errors (n = 32), patient outcomes (n = 17), and quality and safety (n = 74). Relations between burnout and quality of care were highly heterogeneous (I2 = 93.4% to 98.8%). Of 114 unique burnout-quality combinations, 58 indicated burnout related to poor-quality care, 6 indicated burnout related to high-quality care, and 50 showed no significant effect. Excess significance was apparent (73% of studies observed vs. 62% predicted to have statistically significant results; P = 0.011). This indicator of potential bias was most prominent for the least-rigorous quality measures of best practices and quality and safety. Limitation Studies were primarily observational; neither causality nor directionality could be determined. Conclusion Burnout in health care professionals frequently is associated with poor-quality care in the published literature. The true effect size may be smaller than reported. Future studies should prespecify outcomes to reduce the risk for exaggerated effect size estimates. Primary funding source Stanford Maternal and Child Health Research Institute.
Involving family members in exposure therapy for children and adolescents

Abstract Involving families in exposure-based treatment may enhance outcomes. This chapter reviews research on family characteristics that have been linked to youth anxiety and are conceptually or empirically relevant to treatment outcomes, namely family psychopathology, modeling and verbal transfer of information, parental overcontrol, family accommodation and rescue behavior, parental cognitions about child anxiety, family functioning, and caregiver strain/family burden. Evidence-based recommendations for integrating families in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth anxiety/obsessive-compulsive disorder from assessment through termination are then offered, with an emphasis on targeting family processes most likely to interfere with exposure.
Computationally-Light Metrics to Quantify Link Stability in Mobile Sensor Networks

We propose three innovative location and mobility-independent computationally-light metrics to quantify the stability of links in mobile sensor networks (MSNs). The proposed metrics (Normalized Neighbor Degree: NND, One Hop Two Hop Neighbors: OTH, and Fraction of Shared and Unshared Neighbors: FSU) are computed on the egocentric network of an edge and the hypothesis is that larger the extent of shared neighborhood between the end vertices of an edge, larger the stability (lifetime) of the link in the MSN. The computation times of all the three metrics are about 15–40 times lower than the computation times of the bipartivity index (BPI) and algebraic connectivity (ALGC) metrics that were adapted from Network Science in an earlier research to quantify link stability in MSNs. The lifetimes of the DG trees obtained with the proposed computationally-light link stability metrics are appreciably larger or comparable to that of the ALGC and BPI-based DG trees.
Young people’s judgments about respecting and violating human rights

Abstract The research examined with in depth clinical interviews (N = 48), how adolescents aged 13–17, and young adults aged 18–25 reasoned about human rights. Participants were presented with general questions about human rights and four contextualized situations in which violations of human rights occur. Results showed that adolescents and young adults judged and reasoned similarly about human rights in response to general questions, but there was more variation in judgments and justifications about specific situations involving violations of human rights. Within specific contexts individuals consider different aspects of situations and balance or coordinate them in coming to decisions. However, all ages approached the general issue of human rights, and their violations, primarily from a moral perspective and to a lesser extent from the perspectives of societal organization and cultural practices. Less agreement, and less moral reasoning, was found in reference to punishment of human rights violations.
Ultraviolet absorption cross-section measurements of shock-heated O2 from 2,000–8,400 K using a tunable laser

Abstract Accurate spectroscopic modeling is critical when measuring time-resolved, state-specific chemical kinetics of diatomic molecules. Here, a spectroscopic model (Stanford model) was developed to accurately simulate oxygen absorption cross-sections in the Schumann-Runge system for non-equilibrium conditions. Cross-sections of shock-heated oxygen (O2) have been measured using a picosecond pulsed ultraviolet (UV) laser, and the viability of two spectroscopic models has been demonstrated. Measurements were taken behind reflected shocks in 2% and 5% O2 in argon (Ar) mixtures around 211.2 nm and 236.9 nm up to initial post-reflected shock temperatures of 10,700 K. Cross-sections were plotted against vibrational temperature and compared to calculated cross-sections from the Stanford model and the Adjusted Spectrum model. Vibrational temperatures for cross-section measurements were calculated for plateaus and peaks in experimental absorbances using a Bethe-Teller relaxation model up to 6,000 K and a steady-state approach above 6,000 K. Vibrational temperatures calculated using the steady-state approach were 3–5% higher than coupled vibration-dissociation (CVD) calculations. The experimental cross-sections agree to within 15% of the Stanford model for both wavelength regimes.
Identity Authentication of OSA Patients Using Microwave Doppler radar and Machine Learning Classifiers

Non-contact home-based sleep monitoring will bring a paradigm shift to diagnosis and treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as it can facilitate easier access to specialized care in order to reach a much boarder set of patients. However, current remote unattended sleep studies are mostly contact sensor based and test results are sometimes falsified by sleep-critical job holders (driver, airline pilots) due to fear of potential job loss. In this work, we investigated identity authentication of patients with OSA symptoms based on extracting respiratory features (peak power spectral density, packing density and linear envelop error) from radar captured paradoxical breathing patterns in a small-scale clinical sleep study integrating three different machine learning classifiers (Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), Random forest). The proposed OSA-based authentication method was tested and validated for five OSA patients with 93.75% accuracy using KNN classifier which outperformed other classifiers.
Making the business case for sustainable manufacturing in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises: A systems decision making approach

Abstract Understanding the dynamic relations of complex behaviors in manufacturing systems and actively engaging with manufacturers, especially small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMEs), in sustainability efforts is key to the long-term success of industry and the natural environment. This study addresses this urgent need by advancing the understanding of the dynamic linkages between environmental safety and health practices of SMMEs and their impacts on economic performance. It aims to make a business case for enhanced sustainability practices by establishing a systems framework to map and analyze the interconnections between technical, environmental, social, and economic performance metrics at the operation, shopfloor, and enterprise levels. The framework systemically integrates system dynamics and sustainability assessment methods including life cycle costing, life cycle assessment, and safety and health assessment. Realization of this framework through analytical tools enables manufacturing researchers and engineering managers to gain further understanding of the linkages among economic, environmental, and social activities in manufacturing systems. It also can guide sustainability practitioners in building business cases for making strategic and tactical decisions. A case study for a metal processing manufacturer was conducted to demonstrate the application of the framework and to test several hypotheses that emerged during the research. The case study corroborated the hypothesis that manufacturing sustainability decision making is enhanced if there is a greater understanding of the dynamic interconnections among the various aspects of sustainability. Based on the results of this research, manufacturers are provided with an integrated approach to transit from implementing reactive sustainability policies to developing systemic practices that will improve worker well-being, while achieving cleaner production at lower cost.