cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
4-1 The Influence of Crystal Structure, Orientation and Solubility on the Adhesion and Sliding Friction of Various Metal Single Crystals in Vacuum (10 −11 Torr)

Crystal structure, orientation and solubility effects on friction and adhesion of various metal single crystals in vacuum
Conceptions of sovereignty and identity economics: a Chinese-based exploration

Constructivism has proved to be a powerful tool for dissecting international legal and political phenomena, such as sovereignty. However, like the intellectual paradigms which it seeks to complement, perhaps even unrealistically to supplant, this framework possesses limited explanatory power when proponents shun ideas from other sources and refrain from engaging in theoretical bridge-building. Identity economics has the potential to bring about cross-fertilisation between divergent schools of thought and, as China’s experience selectively illustrates, place the empirical study of sovereignty on a firmer analytical footing.
A new generation of cyberinfrastructure and data services for earth system science education and research

Abstract. A revolution is underway in the role played by cyberinfrastructure and modern data services in the conduct of research and education. We live in an era of an unprecedented data volume from diverse sources, multidisciplinary analysis and synthesis, and active, learner-centered education emphasis. Complex environmental problems such as global change and water cycle transcend disciplinary and geographic boundaries, and their solution requires integrated earth system science approaches. Contemporary education strategies recommend adopting an Earth system science approach for teaching the geosciences, employing pedagogical techniques such as enquiry-based learning. The resulting transformation in geoscience education and research creates new opportunities for advancement and poses many challenges. The success of the scientific enterprise depends heavily on the availability of a state-of-the-art, robust, and flexible cyberinfrastructure, and on the timely access to quality data, products, and tools to process, manage, analyze, integrate, publish, and visualize those data. Concomittantly, rapid advances in computing, communication, and information technologies have revolutionized the provision and use of data, tools and services. The profound consequences of Moore's Law and the explosive growth of the Internet are well known. On the other hand, how other technological trends have shaped the development of data services is less well understood. For example, the advent of digital libraries, web services, open standards and protocols have been important factors in shaping a new generation of cyberinfrastructure for solving key scientific and educational problems. This paper presents a broad overview of these issues, along with a survey of key information technology trends, and discuses how those trends are enabling new approaches to applying data services for solving geoscientific problems.
Control for an autonomous bicycle

The control of nonholonomic and underactuated systems with symmetry is illustrated by the problem of controlling a bicycle. We derive a controller which, using steering and rear-wheel torque, causes a model of a riderless bicycle to recover its balance from a near fall as well as converge to a time parameterized path in the ground plane. Our construction utilizes new results for both the derivation of equations of motion for nonholonomic systems with symmetry, as well as the control of underactuated robotic systems.
Development of Computer Vision Technique for In Situ Soil Characterization

Construction and rehabilitation of highways, tunnels, and bridges require detailed information about subsurface stratigraphy. This study presents development of a new method for characterizing subsurface soil in situ using computer vision. Hardware and software systems are integrated to obtain the grain-size distribution (GSD) of subsurface soils continuously with depth and to identify small-scale subsurface anomalies. Research is being conducted in three phases. The first phase consists of measuring the GSD of detached cohesionless soil specimens in the laboratory from digital images obtained with a computer vision system (CVS). The second phase uses the CVS to develop image processing and analysis techniques to classify soil assemblies in the laboratory and identify subsurface anomalies by simulating the manner in which images will be acquired in situ. A texture analysis approach has been developed that can detect changes in stratigraphy. The technique has been successful in identifying different types of dry, uniformly graded soils. Finally, a subsurface vision probe is being designed and constructed that will capture video images at three different levels of magnification continuously with depth.
Phylogeography of Steller sea lions: relationships among climate change, effective population size, and genetic diversity

The biology of the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) has been the subject of intense scientific investigation. This is primarily due to the rapid decline of population size in the western part of the species’ range since the 1970s and the subsequent Threatened and Endangered species listings that had direct impact on the management of one of the world’s largest fisheries. The Steller sea lion has emerged as an indicator species representing the environmental health of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. In this study, to better understand the historical processes that have culminated in the extant populations of E. jubatus, a large genetic data set consisting of 3 mitochondrial regions for .1,000 individuals was analyzed from multiple phylogeographic and demographic perspectives. The results describe the role of climate change in shaping the population structure of E. jubatus. Climatically associated historical processes apparently involved differential demographic responses to ice ages (and putative glacial vicariance) dependent on population size. Ice ages during times of small effective population size promoted restricted gene flow and fragmentation, and ice ages occurring during times of large population size promoted gene flow and dispersal. These results illustrate that effective population size has a profound effect on how species respond to climate change, an observation with obvious implications for large mammals and endangered species under the present conditions of imminent anthropogenically caused climate change. In addition, the results confirm previous observations of strongly biased historic and contemporary gene flow involving dispersal from west to east. Furthermore, phylogenetic patterns in combination with available fossil data suggest the potential of an Asian origin of E. jubatus. The results of this study provide a detailed scenario for the history that has shaped contemporary populations of E. jubatus.
Focused ion beams in biology

A quiet revolution is under way in technologies used for nanoscale cellular imaging. Focused ion beams, previously restricted to the materials sciences and semiconductor fields, are rapidly becoming powerful tools for ultrastructural imaging of biological samples. Cell and tissue architecture, as preserved in plastic-embedded resin or in plunge-frozen form, can be investigated in three dimensions by scanning electron microscopy imaging of freshly created surfaces that result from the progressive removal of material using a focused ion beam. The focused ion beam can also be used as a sculpting tool to create specific specimen shapes such as lamellae or needles that can be analyzed further by transmission electron microscopy or by methods that probe chemical composition. Here we provide an in-depth primer to the application of focused ion beams in biology, including a guide to the practical aspects of using the technology, as well as selected examples of its contribution to the generation of new insights into subcellular architecture and mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions.
Ion-Current-Based Temporal Proteomic Profiling of Influenza-A-Virus-Infected Mouse Lungs Revealed Underlying Mechanisms of Altered Integrity of the Lung Microvascular Barrier

Investigation of influenza-A-virus (IAV)-infected lung proteomes will greatly promote our understanding on the virus-host crosstalk. Using a detergent-cocktail extraction and digestion procedure and a reproducible ion-current-based method, we performed the first comprehensive temporal analysis of mouse IAV infection. Mouse lung tissues at three time points post-inoculation were compared with controls (n = 4/group), and >1600 proteins were quantified without missing value in any animal. Significantly changed proteins were identified at 4 days (n = 144), 7 days (n = 695), and 10 days (n = 396) after infection, with low false altered protein rates (1.73–8.39%). Functional annotation revealed several key biological processes involved in the systemic host responses. Intriguingly, decreased levels of several cell junction proteins as well as increased levels of tissue metalloproteinase MMP9 were observed, reflecting the IAV-induced structural breakdown of lung epithelial barrier. Supporting evidence of MMP9 act...
Growth and Differentiation

The physiology of individual organisms varies a great deal more than the physiology of individual cells, regardless of their origin. Thus a mouse can develop cancer; E. coli cannot. The highest order of coherence in the “society” of many different, or differentiated, cells of a multicellular organism begins with unequal cell divisions very early in the life history of the organism. Indeed in many organisms it begins with the very first cell division of the fertilized egg.
The Insect Cookbook: Food for a Sustainable Planet

The multi-authored Insect Cookbook delves into the benefits of adding insect protein to prepared dishes and how to do so in a tasty manner. The authors collaborated with chefs, a farmer, a researcher, a storyteller, and others who encourage readers to embrace entomophagy. Various recipes with accompanying illustrations tempt readers to try new, savory plates using insects that can easily be purchased from the Internet. View this article in BioOne
Why Integrating Research and Scholarship into Dental Education Matters

Dentistry has embraced research innovation and scholarship as core values. The knowledge generated through research both informs and influences practice by paving the way for evidence-based decision making. Participation in research and scholarship is an important part of a dental student’s
Microscopic functional anatomy: Integumentary system: Chapter 17

Publisher Summary Many of the features of the fish integument can only be observed microscopically. Because there are over 20,000 living fishes, mostly higher bony fishes (teleosts), a great diversity exists in the microscopic anatomy of the integument. This chapter presents several examples from varied taxonomic groups to illustrate the variation in morphological features. As in all vertebrate epidermis, the fundamental structural unit is the epithelial cell. This is the only constant feature, as a great diversity of cell types exists in the various fish taxa. Some of these include apocrine mucous cells and a variety of other secretory cells, ionocytes, sensory cells, and wandering cells such as leukocytes. The dermis consists essentially of two sets of collagen fibers arranged in opposing geodesic spirals around the body. The dermis of most fishes is divided into two major layers. The upper (outer) layer, the stratum spongiosum or stratum laxum, is a loose network of connective tissue, whereas the lower layer, the stratum compactum, is a dense layer consisting primarily of orthogonal collagen bands. There are also specialized dermal elements such as chromatophores scales, and fin rays.
Hysteroscopy in the management of endometrial cancer.

SUMMARY Hysteroscopy thus has a definite place in the investigation of the patient with abnormal bleeding but so far has not offered significant additional information for the management of the established case of endometrial carcinoma.
The effects of methylphenidate and propranolol on the interplay between induced-anxiety and working memory

Rationale Research documents a reciprocal impact of anxiety on working memory (WM), although its strength and direction depend on factors like task difficulty. A better understanding of these factors may generate insights into cognitive mechanisms of action involved in anxiety, culminating into treatment implications. By blocking the physiological effects of anxiety, propranolol might also block anxiety interference on WM. Conversely, by improving task-directed attention, methylphenidate might reduce anxiety, or, alternatively, by improving cognitive efficiency and free up processing resources to compute anxiety.
Resistance of maize to the corn leaf aphid: a review.

The corn leaf aphid [Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch)] is a worldwide pest of maize (Zea mays L.), sorghum [Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench], barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.). Breeding efforts toward resistance to the corn leaf aphid, however, have been limited. The aphid is present every year in the U.S. and significant insect populations are associated with grain yield loss and virus transmission. All parts of the maize plant are subject to injury, although aphid infestation produces the greatest damage in the tassel, causing varying degrees of barrenness. Phenotypic and genotypic responses of land races, pure-lines, and hybrids of maize indicate that resistance to the corn leaf aphid is inherited. Inheritance of resistance, however, has been reported to be simple as well as complex across different genetic backgrounds. Additive gene effects have been found to be the predominant type of gene action. Therefore, multiple genes with large environmental influence might be involved in resistance. Climatic conditions play an important role in determining the rate of colony development and grain yield reduction. Biochemical and physical barriers to the corn leaf aphid have been successful in some cases as well as biological control through numerous aphid predators. Cultural and chemical mechanisms of control are the most common method of limiting corn leaf aphid populations. Breeding for aphid resistance in maize continues to be a challenge due to the difficulty in obtaining reliable natural infestations and the presence of genotype by environment interactions.
The Serious Business of Mommy Bloggers

As their online efforts gather attention and become revenue sources, “mom bloggers” struggle to balance commercial affirmation with authenticity.
Systematic Literature Review: Ingenious Software Project Management while narrowing the impact aspect

An enormous number of approaches regarding the project management do not reflect that impact aspect when projects got more and more innovation. The organization's key to success is more and more innovation. Although the hazards associated with innovations are increasing day by day in the projects while expectations by the customer are usually high regarding the projects. Ingenious software projects have a high degree of uncertainty in terms of threats in the projects as when more new things are to be experimented to the projects the level of uncertainty become high. So, we need a particular technique for the management of these uncertain and complex threats. Managing that innovation in software projects will be a deciding aspect in the overall outcome of the project. This research study discuss about the main impact aspect regarding the ingenious software project management keeping in view the overall finding of systematic literature review (SLR) about the ingenious software project management. The aim of this research study is the basic understanding of the factors that infect the ingenious software project management and also the understanding of the contribution to the success of the software projects.
Elbow Dislocations in Contact Sports

Elbow dislocations are more common in athletes than in the general population. Simple elbow dislocations should be managed with early range of motion and early return to sport, even with high-level contact athletes. Patients with instability on examination or with complex elbow dislocations may require surgical intervention. Overall, the outcomes after simple elbow dislocations are excellent and athletes should be able to return to play without significant limitations.
Bon-EV: an improved multiple testing procedure for controlling false discovery rates

Stability of multiple testing procedures, defined as the standard deviation of total number of discoveries, can be used as an indicator of variability of multiple testing procedures. Improving stability of multiple testing procedures can help to increase the consistency of findings from replicated experiments. Benjamini-Hochberg’s and Storey’s q-value procedures are two commonly used multiple testing procedures for controlling false discoveries in genomic studies. Storey’s q-value procedure has higher power and lower stability than Benjamini-Hochberg’s procedure. To improve upon the stability of Storey’s q-value procedure and maintain its high power in genomic data analysis, we propose a new multiple testing procedure, named Bon-EV, to control false discovery rate (FDR) based on Bonferroni’s approach. Simulation studies show that our proposed Bon-EV procedure can maintain the high power of the Storey’s q-value procedure and also result in better FDR control and higher stability than Storey’s q-value procedure for samples of large size(30 in each group) and medium size (15 in each group) for either independent, somewhat correlated, or highly correlated test statistics. When sample size is small (5 in each group), our proposed Bon-EV procedure has performance between the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure and the Storey’s q-value procedure. Examples using RNA-Seq data show that the Bon-EV procedure has higher stability than the Storey’s q-value procedure while maintaining equivalent power, and higher power than the Benjamini-Hochberg’s procedure. For medium or large sample sizes, the Bon-EV procedure has improved FDR control and stability compared with the Storey’s q-value procedure and improved power compared with the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. The Bon-EV multiple testing procedure is available as the BonEV package in R for download at https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=BonEV .
Premature Ventricular Complex Ablation in Structural Heart Disease

Frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) in patients with underlying structural heart disease, particular after myocardial infarction, can predict increased mortality. Use of antiarrhythmic medications to suppress PVCs in this setting can result in a further increase in mortality. High PVC burdens in patients with structural heart disease can cause or worsen cardiomyopathy and successful elimination of PVCs with catheter ablation can improve or, in some cases normalize, cardiac function. PVCs may also trigger more malignant ventricular arrhythmias, particularly in patients with previous myocardial infarction, and when identified can be mapped and ablated.
SOUTH FLORIDA: THE REALITY OF CHANGE AND THE PROSPECTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY: The role of global-to-local linkages in land use/land cover change in South Florida

Abstract This paper examines the land use/land cover change in South Florida from the late 19th century to the late 20th century. Its theoretical approach is derived from geographical literatures on globalization, spatial scale and ecological transition. Two research questions frame the discussion. (1) Is there evidence of top-down or bottom-up global-to-local interactions in the region? and (2) Is there evidence of an ecological transition present in the region? Evidence of the land use/land cover impacts of these global-to-local linkage shifts is developed for the region by examining the socio-economic conditions and land use/land cover changes. These interactions are studied through a review of primary and secondary reference sources. The results of the analysis indicate that local conditions and actors remain important in determining local land use/land cover change in South Florida despite a long history of non-local interventions/processes in the region. In recent years, globalization and other non-local influences may have activated local coalitions around land-use change issues.
NY-ESO-1 Specific Antibodies Are Frequently Detected in Hight-Risk Myeloma.

Abstract We have previously reported that NY-ESO-1 is especially present in high-risk multiple myeloma (MM) as defined by abnormal metaphase cytogenetics. The presence of NY-ESO1 specific antibody (ab) response is an excellent surrogate marker for the presence of a CD4+ NY-ESO-1 specific T-cell response, which is essential to priming, expanding and sustaining CD8+ NY-ESO-1 specific T-cell responses. We therefore studied the sera of 56 MM patients enrolled in our Total Therapy II protocol for the presence of specific NY-ESO-1 ab by sandwich ELISA using highly purified recombinant NY-ESO-1 protein. NY-ESO-1 RNA expression of purified MM cells was determined by gene expression profiling. NY-ESO-1 specific ab were detected in 13/39 (33%) of patients with NY-ESO-1 positive MM. In contrast, patients with NY-ESO-1 negative MM (n=27) all tested negative for NY-ESO-1 ab by ELISA, as did normal donors (n=20). Antibodies to NY-ESO-1 were present in 9/19 (47.3%) of patients who were studied with frank, NY-ESO-1 positive MM (at diagnosis, progressive disease or at relapse). All patients with progressive/relapsed MM had previously received intensive chemotherapy and/or auto-transplantation. In NY-ESO-1 positive MM patients who had a very good partial or partial response to therapy NY-ESO-1 specific ab were detected in only 4 patients of 13 tested (30.7%). In contrast, no NY-ESO-1 specific ab were detected in 7 NY-ESO-1 positive MM patients who had achieved (near) complete remission. Nine of the 13 (70%) NY-ESO-1 ab positive patients had high-risk MM as defined by abnormal metaphase cytogenetics. We conclude that the presence of NY-ESO-1 positive MM, and thus antigenic stimulation, is the principal determinant of the ability to mount a humoral response to NY-ESO-1 protein despite the presence of an immune system compromised by the immunosuppressive effects of MM or (high dose) chemotherapy. Further, NY-ESO-1 specific ab are principally found in patients with high-risk MM. The presence of spontaneous humoral immune responses to NY-ESO-1 is important since it suggests that there is a reservoir of NY-ESO-1 specific CD4+ T-cells that could be expanded and utilized for the immunotherapy of high-risk MM by vaccinating with NY-ESO-1 peptides, proteins or DNA based vaccines.
High-resolution 3D Phase Microscopy from Intensity

We present a microscope system for high-resolution complex-field tomography from intensity-only measurements with illumination angle scanning. Preliminary results using a multi-slice framework show promise in visualizing the 3D structure of a cluster of 3 µm transparent microspheres.
An investigation of consumer's choice of a healthcare facility when user-generated anecdotal information is integrated into healthcare public reports

Abstract Recently, federal agencies began providing data in healthcare public reports comparing the quality of various healthcare providers to enable consumers to make informed choices about their healthcare needs. Though there is a rise in the number of consumers searching online for hospital reports, the inadequate design of the system prevents them from completing their search. This research investigates the effect on a consumer's choice of a healthcare facility when anecdotal information is incorporated into healthcare public reports. A 2 × 3 × 2 between-subjects experimental study was conducted with 362 participants using anecdotal information, performance metrics, the phase of introduction of anecdotal information within the report and their interaction terms as predictors. The findings suggest that the nature of anecdotal information moderates the relationship between the quality of the facility based on public reports and the decision to go to that facility. The probability of choosing other hospitals was high when the hospitals presented had negative anecdotal comments. In addition, participants tend to rely on both anecdotal and public report information when making decisions about their choice of facility. However, they relied more on performance metrics when anecdotal comments were positive. The findings showed the need to integrate accurate, trustworthy user-generated comments into the reports generated by federal agencies. To further enhance the decision making and mitigate negative biases associated with the information, additional mechanisms such as summarized measures of performance metrics and reputation scores of the reviewers could be provided. Moreover, there is a need to identify better data presentation strategies to minimize the cognitive load experienced by the consumers.
Emergency Interventional Cardiology in Children

Though infrequent, the performance of an interventional cardiac procedure in an emergent setting can be lifesaving and indicated for various conditions. It is important for clinicians to assess the need to perform emergent catheterization procedures in infants and children in a timely fashion. Based on our experience and that reported in the literature, the seven most common procedures performed emergently on patients seen in the emergency department (ED) will be discussed. These procedures are pericardiocentesis, foreign body retrieval, transvenous pacing lead placement, recanalization of an acutely thrombosed modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, balloon valvuloplasty, balloon atrial septostomy, and intervention for an acute pulmonary embolism. Although most of these procedures require special technical skills, all clinicians need to be aware of their indications and treatment strategies. Timely recognition and subsequent mobilization of the interventional cardiology team are critical in achieving a successful outcome for emergent interventional procedures.
The inhibition, reactivation and mechanism of VX-, sarin-, fluoro-VX and fluoro-sarin surrogates following their interaction with HuAChE and HuBuChE

Abstract In this study, the mechanisms of HuAChE and HuBChE inhibition by Me-P(O) (OPNP) (OR) [PNP = p-nitrophenyl; R = CH2CH3, CH2CH2F, OCH(CH3)2, OCH(CH3) (CH2F)] representing surrogates and fluoro-surrogates of VX and sarin were studied by in vitro kinetics and mass spectrometry. The in vitro measures showed that the VX- and fluoro-VX surrogates were relatively strong inhibitors of HuAChE and HuBChE (ki ∼ 105-106 M−1min−1) and underwent spontaneous and 2-PAM-mediated reactivation within 30 min. The sarin surrogates were weaker inhibitors of HuAChE and HuBChE (ki ∼ 104-105 M−1min−1), and in general did not undergo spontaneous reactivation, although HuAChE adducts were partially reactivatable at 18 h using 2-PAM. The mechanism of HuAChE and HuBChE inhibition by the surrogates was determined by Q-TOF and MALDI-TOF mass spectral analyses. The surrogate-adducted proteins were trypsin digested and the active site-containing peptide bearing the OP-modified serine identified by Q-TOF as triply- and quadruply-charged ions representing the respective increase in mass of the attached OP moiety. Correspondingly, monoisotopic ions of the tryptic peptides representing the mass increase of the OP-adducted peptide was identified by MALDI-TOF. The mass spectrometry analyses validated the identity of the OP moiety attached to HuAChE or HuBChE as MeP(O) (OR)-O-serine peptides (loss of the PNP leaving group) via mechanisms consistent with those found with chemical warfare agents. MALDI-TOF MS analyses of the VX-modified peptides versus time showed a steady reduction in adduct versus parent peptide (reactivation), whereas the sarin-surrogate-modified peptides remained largely intact over the course of the experiment (24 h). Overall, the presence of a fluorine atom on the surrogate modestly altered the rate constants of inhibition and reactivation, however, the mechanism of inhibition (ejection of PNP group) did not change.
Effect of Protein Binding on Hormonal Activity of Steroids

The concept of Bennhold of a vehicle function for the plasma proteins (Chapter III) had led to early interpretations which emphasize the solubilization of the steroid hormones as an essential function of their protein interactions. However, a closer look at steroid solubilities in water and aqueous buffer systems showed that such aid for solubilization would not be required for most steroid hormones which are water-soluble at their physiological concentrations. It was then suggested (Westphal, 1955) that the unbound form of the steroid would be the species available to the reactive tissue. This implies that the protein-bound hormone is in an inactive form, and that protein binding serves a buffer and storage function; the steroid-protein complex forms a biologically inert reservoir in which the hormone circulates relatively protected from chemical and enzymatic attack which might result in structural alteration and excretion. The energy of the protein binding, however, is of such magnitude that by dissociation the steroid hormone becomes readily available as a physiologically active entity.
The non-local bootstrap: estimation of uncertainty in diffusion MRI

Diffusion MRI is a noninvasive imaging modality that allows for the estimation and visualization of white matter connectivity patterns in the human brain. However, due to the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) nature of diffusion data, deriving useful statistics from the data is adversely affected by different sources of measurement noise. This is aggravated by the fact that the sampling distribution of the statistic of interest is often complex and unknown. In situations as such, the bootstrap, due to its distribution-independent nature, is an appealing tool for the estimation of the variability of almost any statistic, without relying on complicated theoretical calculations, but purely on computer simulation. In this work, we present new bootstrap strategies for variability estimation of diffusion statistics in association with noise. In contrast to the residual bootstrap, which relies on a predetermined data model, or the repetition bootstrap, which requires repeated signal measurements, our approach, called the non-local bootstrap (NLB), is non-parametric and obviates the need for time-consuming multiple acquisitions. The key assumption of NLB is that local image structures recur in the image. We exploit this self-similarity via a multivariate non-parametric kernel regression framework for bootstrap estimation of uncertainty. Evaluation of NLB using a set of high-resolution diffusion-weighted images, with lower than usual SNR due to the small voxel size, indicates that NLB is markedly more robust to noise and results in more accurate inferences.
Electrical Coupling in Networks Containing Oscillators

Oscillatory processes are fundamental to the operation of the nervous system. Theoretical and experimental studies on the properties of oscillators and networks of oscillators (Abbott, 1991; Kopell, 1988; Kopell and Ermentrout, 1988; Rand, Cohen and Holmes, 1988; Williams et al., 1990; Wang and Rinzel, 1992) are revealing the richness that neurons with oscillatory processes confer onto the dynamics of networks. In this paper we use neurons and networks from the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion to explore the consequences of electrically coupling neurons with different intrinsic membrane properties.
The Monte Carlo Method: A Fresh Approach to Teaching Probabilistic Concepts

From our perspective a greatly increased emphasis on probability and statistics in the school curriculum of the 1980s, particu larly at the secondary school level, can be expected. The notions of chance, of varia tion, of errors of measurement, of sampling and polling, and of statistical inference are increasingly a part of the experience of liv ing in today's technological society. That mathematical methods can deal with such concepts is surely important knowledge for young people to acquire. Here and there, teachers and students are finding that these topics can indeed infuse vitality into the curriculum. The Monte Carlo method has its roots in the work of the American mathematician, Stanislaw Ulam. His work began while he was grappling with the problem of what fraction of all games of solitaire could be completed satisfactorily to the last card.
Keratophakia: Long-term Results

Thirty-three keratophakias were performed at Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, California between August 1979 and October 1982. Nineteen were primary, combined with cataract surgery; 14 were secondary, performed on aphakic eyes. Data on the 23 cases that had a minimum follow-up time of one year were analyzed by an independent observer. Best visual acuity obtained at seven months was 20/40 or better in 62% of the patients. Induced keratometric astigmatism averaged 1.0 diopter and manifest refractive astigmatism 2.0 diopters. The results of secondary keratophakia vs keratophakia combined with cataract extraction were compared. Accuracy, complication rate and final visual recovery suggest that the combined procedure is safe and effective, and that primary keratophakia does not add a significant risk to cataract surgery.
Concept Development in Urban Classroom Spaces: Dialectical Relationships, Power, and Identity

Conceptual development in science has been studied for decades with learners of all ages and for a variety of science topics, ideas, and concepts. Increasingly, scholars have presented differing views regarding what it is important to be studying about conceptual development and conceptual change, how teaching practice is/should be influencing and be influenced by research in this domain, the extent to which cognition, social interactions, and affect/emotions (could) shape conceptual development and change, the extent to which language and other modes of communication influence, or possibly constitute, concept development/ change, and whether, and the degree to which (from zero to a high degree), a variety of theoretical frameworks can be used together and inform research in this domain.
The Four-Color Problem

In 1852 Francis W. Guthrie, a graduate of University College London, posed the following question to his brother Frederick:
Investigating best practices of district-wide physical activity programmatic efforts in US schools– a mixed-methods approach

The majority of US children do not meet physical activity recommendations. Schools are an important environment for promoting physical activity in children, yet most school districts do not offer enough physical activity opportunities to meet recommendations. This study aimed to identify school districts across the country that demonstrated exemplary efforts to provide students with many physical activity opportunities and to understand the factors that facilitated their programmatic success. A total of 59 districts were identified as model districts by members of the Physical Activity and Health Innovation Collaborative, an ad hoc activity associated with the Roundtable on Obesity Solutions at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with consenting stakeholders from 23 school districts to understand physical education and activity efforts and elucidate factors that led to the success of these districts’ physical activity programming. Districts were geographically and socioeconomically diverse and varied in their administrative and funding structure. Most districts did not offer the recommended 150 or 225 min of physical activity a week through physical education alone; yet all districts offered a range of programs outside of physical education that provided additional opportunities for students to be physically active. The average number of school-based physical activity programs offered was 5.5, 3.5 and 2.1 for elementary, middle and high schools, respectively. Three overarching and broadly relevant themes were identified that were associated with successfully enhancing physical activity opportunities for students: soliciting and maintaining the support of champions, securing funding and/or tangible support, and fostering bi-directional partnerships between the district and community organizations and programs. Not only were these three themes critical for the development of physical activity opportunities, but they also remained important for the implementation, evaluation and sustainability of programs. These themes also did not differ substantially by the socioeconomic status of districts. These findings demonstrate the success of school districts across the nation in providing ample opportunities for physical activity despite considerable variability in socioeconomic status and resources. These results can inform future research and provide actionable evidence for school districts to enhance physical activity opportunities to students.
The Role of Visual Representations in Mathematical Word Problems

Abstract This chapter reviews the research on visual representations such as pictures, drawings, and diagrams and the degree to which they enhance mathematics word problem solving. Studies show that some representations are much more effective than others. However, simply adding pictures or diagrams to word problems as additional information for students to interpret is far less optimal than teaching students how to use these representations as well as giving them opportunities for practice and feedback. Once students become facile in creating or using readymade diagrams, some learning theorists suggest that cognitive load demands associated with solving complex or multistep problems are reduced. This is because students can offload the intrinsic demands of a word problem to the representation. Another potential benefit of visual representations is that they can help teach students how to discern important connections between variables, quantities, and relational terms in word problems.
Using Serum Free Light Chain (SFLC) Ratio and Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) As a Substitute For 24-Hour Urine Studies In Myeloma Patients

Background Among the standard tests for paraprotein estimation in myeloma (SPEP, immunofixation (SIFE), SFLC ratio, and 24-hour urine collection for UPEP and UIFE), 24-hour urine collection is the most cumbersome test. Previous studies evaluating its substitution with SFLC ratio and SPEP have significant limitations. Prior studies included variety of plasma cell dyscrasias, and patient heterogeneity prevailed with inclusion of both newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory myeloma (MM). We have evaluated the question of whether SFLC ratio and SPEP can substitute for 24-hour urine collection in a more homogeneous population of advanced myeloma patients, where a shift in secretion from intact immunoglobulin to SFLC (free light chain escape) is observed. Methodology We analyzed 116 patients with advanced MM that enrolled on one of several phase I clinical trials at our insititution between 08/2006-12/2012. The sensitivity of SFLC ratios, SPEP and SIFE were compared with UIFE. Subsequently, we assessed the linear relationship between SFLC dichotomized by abnormal ratio ( 1.65) vs. 24-hr paraproteinuria. Results The sensitivities of SPEP, SIFE and abnormal SFLC ratio assays were 77%, 95% and 96%, respectively. The sensitivity of SFLC+SPEP/SFLC+SIFE increased to 100%, enabling detection of paraprotein in all patients (Table 1). In our second analysis, the quantification of SFLC correlated with 24-hr urinary paraprotein estimation. With every log increase in lambda and kappa light chains, 24-hr urinary paraprotein log increased by 0.52 times (p<0.0001) and 0.53 times (p<0.0001); correlation coefficients were 0.62 and 0.6, respectively (Figure 1). Conclusions In advanced myeloma patients, SFLC ratio in combination with SPEP or SIFE detected monoclonal paraprotein in 100% of patients. In addition, there was a linear correlation between SFLC and 24-hr urinary paraprotein estimation, suggesting there may not be a need for 24-hour collection. If these data are confirmed by other groups, we may be able to eliminate this cumbersome test in advanced myeloma patients. ![Figure][1] Disclosures: Kaufman: Onyx: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy; Millenium: Consultancy; Merck: Research Funding. Gleason: Celgene: Consultancy. Heffner: Genentech: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Biotest: Honoraria, Research Funding; Onyx: Honoraria, Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Research Funding. Boise: Onyx: Consultancy. Lonial: Millennium: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy; Onyx: Consultancy. [1]: pending:yes
Could the menagerie of the gut microbiome really cure cancer? Hope or hype.

The investigational scale of the gut microbiome is expanding rapidly. In 2018, the intersection of gut microbiota and immuno-oncology received much attention. While the impact of gut microbiota on the immune system was already established, the year received an exponential expansion of microbiome’s role in the immunotherapy setting. The microbiome research pipeline is ripe for large-scale, prospective trials. Working knowledge of immune-based cancer treatments, heterogeneity in their responses and resistance mechanisms, relevant immunological and microbiological pathways and potential for gut microbiome in enhancing the responses, is critical.
An Architecture for Blockchain-Enabled Collaborative Signature-based Intrusion Detection System

Despite the promising benefits such as expanded signature databases and alert data from multiple sites, trust management and consensus building remain as challenges for a Collaborative Intrusion Detection System (CIDS) to work effectively. The blockchain technology with built-in immutability and consensus building capability provides a viable solution to the issues of CIDS. In this paper, we introduce an architecture for a blockchain-enabled signature-based collaborative IDS.
Improving Communication Between Nursing Staff and On-Call Residents via a Standardized Paging Protocol

Clear and efficient communication between nursing staff and medical providers is an essential component of healthcare delivery. At McLean Hospital, there is an inconsistency in utilization of alphanumeric paging, with many individuals communicating primarily via numeric-only pages that can cause difficulty in triaging importance of pages and lead to disruptions in care. This quality improvement project sought to improve communication between nursing staff and residents by decreasing the number of difficult to triage pages sent to the psychiatrist-on-call at a stand-alone academic psychiatric hospital. Pages were analyzed during two discrete month-long periods before and after the implementation of a standardized paging protocol, which included an updated online template asking the individual sending the page to include specific information (urgency of page, identifying information of patient, contact information, and name of sender) and dissemination of information on its use. The implementation of this protocol resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of pages that were difficult to triage (22.1 to 15.0%; p < 0.05). Examining specific units in the hospital revealed significant variation of change, with as much as 40% reduction to as large as an 11% increase in difficult to triage pages. The decrease in the percentage of difficult to triage pages suggests that a standard paging protocol can improve delivery of patient care by minimizing interruptions with low-priority pages and may improve quality of communication between nursing staff and physicians on-call, ultimately improving quality of care provided and bettering the resident learning environment.
A non-optical multiplexed PCR diagnostic platform for serotype-specific detection of dengue virus

Abstract Viable point-of-care multi-target diagnostics requires single-sample multiplexed detection in a single PCR reactor with non-optical instruments. We report an integrated multiplexed PCR chip platform with a novel ion-selective membrane sensor array that eliminates the key selectivity and sensitivity issues for multiplexed PCR, such as primer dimerization and nonspecific amplification (mis-priming). The depletion action of the ion-selective membrane renders the sensor insensitive to pH and ionic strength variation or non-specific binding, which plague the current electrochemical sensor arrays. We validate the platform with robust, sensitive and selective detection of each of the four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes, even in the presence of misprimed non-target products, with plasma samples spiked with heterogeneous RNA populations that include all the serotypes. The assay time is ∼ 90 min with a detection sensitivity of DENV RNA template down to 100 copies per mL. By replacing the optical sensing technology of RT-PCR with the membrane sensor, the platform is scalable and can allow simultaneous screening for multiple viral infections in a single sample within a single PCR reactor chip for point-of-care applications.
Black Miami's Resiliency: A Photographic Essay

Germane Barnes creates a narrative of Black Miami architecture through the medium of photography.
Rural-urban differences in estimated life expectancy associated with neighborhood-level cumulative social and environmental determinants.

Abstract Diverse neighborhood-level environmental and social impacts on health are well documented. While studies typically examine these impacts individually, examining potential health impacts from multiple sources as a whole can provide a broader context of overall neighborhood-level health impacts compared to examining each component independently. This study examined the association between cumulative neighborhood-level potential health impacts on health and expected life expectancy within neighborhoods (census tracts) across Texas using the Neighborhood Potential Health Impact Score tool. Among urban census tract neighborhoods, a difference of nearly 5 years was estimated between neighborhoods with the least health promoting cumulative health impacts compared to neighborhoods with the most health promoting cumulative health impacts. Differences were observed between rural and urban census tract neighborhoods, with rural areas having less variability in expected life expectancy associated with neighborhood-level cumulative potential health impacts compared to urban areas.
The Short-Term Effects of Tax Changes: The Role of State Dependence

Abstract This study evaluates how the state of the economy, as measured by the rate of unemployment, influences the short-term effects of tax changes on output and employment. I examine the effects of narratively identified tax changes by adopting two alternative approaches to estimating state-dependent impulse response functions that have been widely used in the recent literature. Both approaches suggest that short-term effects of tax changes on output and employment are smaller during times of higher unemployment. I argue that increased labor market slack and tighter credit conditions in contractionary periods can reduce the responsiveness of labor supply to changes in labor income taxes, resulting in smaller effects on output from tax changes.