cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting Meiotic Pathways in Human Fetal Oogenesis

Gene function prediction has proven valuable in formulating testable hypotheses. It is particularly useful for exploring biological processes that are experimentally intractable, such as meiotic initiation and progression in the human fetal ovary. In this study, we developed the first functional gene network for the human fetal ovary, HFOnet, by probabilistically integrating multiple genomic features using a naive Bayesian model. We demonstrated that this network could accurately recapture known functional connections between genes, as well as predict new connections. Our findings suggest that known meiosis- specific genes (i.e., with functions only in meiotic processes in the germ cells) make either no or a few functional connections but are highly clustered with neighbor genes. In contrast, known nonspecific meiotic genes (i.e., with functions in both meiotic and nonmeiotic processes in the germ cells and somatic cells) exhibit numerous connections but low clustering coefficients, indicating their role as central modulators of diverse pathways, including those in meiosis. We also predicted novel genes that may be involved in meiotic initiation and DNA repair. This global functional network provides a much-needed framework for exploring gene functions and pathway components in early human female meiosis that are difficult to tackle by traditional in vivo mammalian genetics. computational prediction, fetus, meiosis, naive Bayesian network, oocyte development, ovary
Proteins of the ADF/Cofilin Family: Essential Regulators of Actin Dynamics

Ubiquitous among eukaryotes, the ADF/cofilins are essential proteins responsible for the high turnover rates of actin filaments in vivo. In vertebrates, ADF and cofilin are products of different genes. Both bind to F-actin cooperatively and induce a twist in the actin filament that results in the loss of the phalloidin-binding site. This conformational change may be responsible for the enhancement of the off rate of subunits at the minus end of ADF/cofilin-decorated filaments and for the weak filament-severing activity. Binding of ADF/cofilin is competitive with tropomyosin. Other regulatory mechanisms in animal cells include binding of phosphoinositides, phosphorylation by LIM kinases on a single serine, and changes in pH. Although vertebrate ADF/cofilins contain a nuclear localization sequence, they are usually concentrated in regions containing dynamic actin pools, such as the leading edge of migrating cells and neuronal growth cones. ADF/cofilins are essential for cytokinesis, phagocytosis, fluid phase endocytosis, and other cellular processes dependent upon actin dynamics.
Effects of Two Densities of Caged Monosex Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, on Water Quality, Phytoplankton Populations, and Production When Polycultured with Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Temperate Ponds

The effects of different densities of caged Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, on water quality, phytoplankton populations, prawn, and total pond production were evaluated in freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, production ponds. The experiment consisted of three treatments with three 0.04-ha replicates each. All ponds were stocked with graded, nursed juvenile prawn (0.9 ± 0.6 g) at 69,000/ha. Control (CTL) ponds contained only prawns. Low-density polyculture (LDP) ponds also contained two cages (1 m3; 100 fish/cage) of monosex male tilapia (115.6 ± 22 g), and high-density polyculture (HDP) ponds had four cages. Total culture period was 106 d for tilapia and 114 d for prawn. Overall mean afternoon pH level was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) in polyculture ponds than in CTL ponds but did not differ (P > 0.05) between LDP and HDP. Phytoplankton biovolume was reduced in polyculture treatments. Tilapia in the LDP treatment had significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) harvest weights than in the HDP treatment. Prawn weights were higher (P ≤ 0.05) in polyculture than prawn monoculture. These data indicate that a caged tilapia/freshwater prawn polyculture system may provide pH control while maximizing pond resources in temperate areas.
Microwave spectrum of nitramide

Abstract Microwave spectra have been measured for the isotopic species NH 2 NO 2 , NHDNO 2 , and ND 2 NO 2 . The nitro-amine structure is confirmed and a non-planar conformation with inversion indicated. In all cases, the Boltzmann factor between the first two inversion levels is indistinguishable from unity and in ND 2 NO 2 the inversion is observed directly near 1 cm 1 . Structural parameters obtained are: NH = 1.005 ± 0.01A, NN = 1.427 ± 0.002A, NO = 1.206 assumed, ONO = 130°8′ ± 15′, HNH = 115°11′ ± 2°. Angle between NH 2 plane and NNO 2 plane = φ = 51°47′ ± 1°. The μ a component of the dipole moment is measured as 3.57 ± 0.05D.
Calorimetric thermal voltage converter as a wideband calculable standard of ac-dc difference

A calorimetric thermal voltage converter is used at the National Research Council of Canada as a high-frequency reference standard of the Ac-DC transfer difference. This paper describes its redesigned realization with an optimized frequency characteristic. Results presented in the paper show that it can be used as a standard of AC-DC difference in the 1 Hz to 100 MHz frequency range. The agreement between the calculated and measured AC-DC transfer differences is better than /spl plusmn/10 /spl mu/V/V at 10 MHz, and /spl plusmn/300 /spl mu/V/V at 100 MHz.
Lactobacillus endocarditis with prosthetic material: a case report on non-surgical management with corresponding literature review

Lactobacilli are rod shaped gram positive bacteria that naturally colonize the human gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts and occasionally cause disease in humans. Lactobacillus infections are found in patients who are immunocompromized or have severe comorbidities. We report Lactobacillus endocarditis in a 17-year-old adolescent girl with cardiac prosthetic material following surgical correction for complex cyanotic congenital heart disease. Accurate identification of the organism can be delayed. Despite in vivo susceptibility to vancomycin, our patient clinically failed vancomycin therapy but ultimately responded to a six-week course of penicillin, in addition to a 4-week course of clindamycin and gentamicin. She recovered without the need for surgical intervention and has been symptom free for one year. Upon review of the literature, we found that Lactobacillus endocarditis has not been reported in a pediatric patient with complex cyanotic congenital heart disease.
Quantifying the social equity of carbon mitigation strategies

Many tools that are helpful for evaluating emissions mitigation measures, such as carbon abatement cost curves, focus exclusively on cost and emissions reduction potential without quantifying the direct and indirect impacts on stakeholders. The impacts of climate change will be the most severe and immediate for billions of poor people, especially for those whose livelihoods are based on agriculture and subsistence activities and are directly dependent on weather patterns. Thus, equity and vulnerability considerations must be central to GHG emissions reduction strategies. A case study of a carbon abatement cost curve for an electricity system in two Nicaraguan rural villages is presented and is complemented with assessments based on the poverty metrics of the poverty headcount, the Gini coefficient, and the Kuznets ratios. Although these metrics are relatively easy to calculate, the study provides a general indication as to how the social impacts of mitigation strategies on the poor (whether they are in rural or urban environments, developed or developing countries) can be revealed and highlights the inequalities that are embedded in them. Further work analysing how mitigation measures affect the various more detailed povertyindices, such as the Human Development, Gender Equality, or Multidimensional Poverty indices, is needed.
An Impatient Evolutionary Algorithm With Probabilistic Tabu Search for Unified Solution of Some NP-Hard Problems in Graph and Set Theory via Clique Finding

Many graph- and set-theoretic problems, because of their tremendous application potential and theoretical appeal, have been well investigated by the researchers in complexity theory and were found to be NP-hard. Since the combinatorial complexity of these problems does not permit exhaustive searches for optimal solutions, only near-optimal solutions can be explored using either various problem-specific heuristic strategies or metaheuristic global-optimization methods, such as simulated annealing, genetic algorithms, etc. In this paper, we propose a unified evolutionary algorithm (EA) to the problems of maximum clique finding, maximum independent set, minimum vertex cover, subgraph and double subgraph isomorphism, set packing, set partitioning, and set cover. In the proposed approach, we first map these problems onto the maximum clique-finding problem (MCP), which is later solved using an evolutionary strategy. The proposed impatient EA with probabilistic tabu search (IEA-PTS) for the MCP integrates the best features of earlier successful approaches with a number of new heuristics that we developed to yield a performance that advances the state of the art in EAs for the exploration of the maximum cliques in a graph. Results of experimentation with the 37 DIMACS benchmark graphs and comparative analyses with six state-of-the-art algorithms, including two from the smaller EA community and four from the larger metaheuristics community, indicate that the IEA-PTS outperforms the EAs with respect to a Pareto-lexicographic ranking criterion and offers competitive performance on some graph instances when individually compared to the other heuristic algorithms. It has also successfully set a new benchmark on one graph instance. On another benchmark suite called Benchmarks with Hidden Optimal Solutions, IEA-PTS ranks second, after a very recent algorithm called COVER, among its peers that have experimented with this suite.
The theory of ratio scale estimation: Saaty's analytic hierarchy process

The Analytic Hierarchy Process developed by Saaty (Saaty, T. L. 1980. The Analytic Hierarchy Process. McGraw-Hill, New York.) has proven to be an extremely useful method for decision making and planning. However, some researchers in these areas have raised concerns over the theoretical basis underlying this process. This paper addresses currently debated issues concerning the theoretical foundations of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. We also illustrate through proof and through examples the validity or fallaciousness of these criticisms.
0 + 5 Vascular Surgery Residents’ Operative Experience in General Surgery: An Analysis of Operative Logs from 12 Integrated Programs

Objective Integrated (0 + 5) vascular surgery (VS) residency programs must include 24 months of training in core general surgery. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education currently does not require specific case numbers in general surgery for 0 + 5 trainees; however, program directors have structured this time to optimize operative experience. The aim of this study is to determine the case volume and type of cases that VS residents are exposed to during their core surgery training. Design Accreditation council for graduate medical education operative logs for current 0 + 5 VS residents were obtained and retrospectively reviewed to determine general surgery case volume and distribution between open and laparoscopic cases performed. Standard statistical methods were applied. Setting A total of 12 integrated VS residency programs provided operative case logs for current residents. Participants A total of 41 integrated VS residents in clinical years 2 through 5. Results During the postgraduate year-1 training year, residents participated in significantly more open than laparoscopic general surgery cases (p Conclusions 0 + 5 VS residents perform significantly more open operations than laparoscopic operations during their core surgery training. The majority of these operations are minor, nonabdominal procedures. The 0 + 5 VS residency program general surgery operative training requirements should be reevaluated and case minimums defined. The general surgery training component of 0 + 5 VS residencies may need to be restructured to meet the needs of current and future trainees.
Does the Overconfidence of the CEO Affect His Pay Structure

If board of directors know the overconfidence level of their Chief Executive Officers, the CEOs' compensation should reflect the optimal structure which aligns the CEOs' incentives with shareholders' interests. Previous literature has documented the existence of overconfident CEOs and the effect of the overconfidence on the decisions of the firm. Since overconfidence can be misconstrued as talent, however, boards may not easily recognize CEO overconfidence. Even if overconfidence is recognized, boards may not give optimal contract due to CEO entrenchment. Consistent with the theory, I find that boards do optimally set CEO compensation structure consisting of low equity to cash mix for slightly overconfident CEOs.
Proof without words: Area of a Disk is πR2

(1990). Proof without words: Area of a Disk is πR2. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 63, No. 3, pp. 188-188.
Nore1a drives Ras to flick the P53 senescence switch

RAS-induced senescence is a protective mechanism to avoid unrestricted cell growth due to aberrant mitogenic signals; however, the exact mechanism by which RAS induces senescence is not known. We recently identified a novel pathway linking RAS to p53 via NORE1A and HIPK2 that mechanistically explains how Ras induces senescence.
A Preliminary Investigation of the Relation Between Thyroid Functioning and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo in Children

Objective: To test the hypothesis that thyroid functioning would be uniquely associated with sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms but not Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4...
Variability in Oculus Pentacam tomographer measurements in patients with keratoconus.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine intertest variability of measurements taken by the Pentacam tomographer in eyes with keratoconus. METHODS Three Pentacam measurements with 1-minute intervals were taken from 101 eyes (81 keratoconus and 20 controls) from 57 patients (47 keratoconus and 10 controls) by the same examiner and under the same conditions. Keratoconus eyes were divided into 3 subgroups based on topographic astigmatism (TA). Variability in astigmatism, mean keratometry, central corneal thickness, and fixation values were compared within the patient subgroups versus normal controls. RESULTS Variability of all studied parameters (astigmatism, mean keratometry, central corneal thickness, and fixation values) increased with increasing TA in patients with keratoconus. CONCLUSIONS Pentacam measurements show increased variability in patients with keratoconus. The degree of variability correlates with TA.
Improving Predictive Power of Conjoint Analysis by Constrained Parameter Estimation

The prediction of first choice preferences by the full-profile method of conjoint analysis can be improved significantly by imposing constraints on parameters based on a priori knowledge of the ord...
A Nine-Year History of Furbearer Populations on the AEC Savannah River Plant Area

The furbearer population of the 200,000-acre SRP area was censused each November for a 9-year period, 1954–1962, and also in May, 1954–1956, beginning 2 years after evacuation of the human population and abandonment of the 33% of land area which was cultivated. Ten permanent trapline locations were established, five in the Coastal Terraces physiographic zone and five in the Aiken Plateau region. Ten No. 2 steel traps set at intervals of 0.2 mile along secondary, little-used dirt roads were operated for 7 days on each census line at each census period (total of 100 trap stations). Of 533 animals of the six principal species trapped in the November censuses, gray foxes comprised 54%, raccoons 21%, bobcats 11%, red foxes 7%, striped skunks 3% and opossums 3%. The proportion of different species was not significantly different for any of the nine censuses despite a threefold variation in numbers caught. Following the very high-density level of about 12 animals per 2-mile trapline in 1954, the numbers caught remained remarkably constant at a level of 4 to 5 per trapline for the next 8 years. The per cent positive stations index for foxes on SRP during the 8-year stable period was only slightly greater than the average index in 11 rural counties of southern Georgia and northern Florida where man and agriculture were not excluded. Animals were unevenly distributed in 1954, with more gray foxes and bobcats trapped in the terraces subregion and more red foxes on the higher elevation plateau, but there was no significant difference in the catch between the 2 regions after that year. The age structure of the gray fox population in 1954–1956 indicated that the high level of 1954 was a temporary “population explosion” in an otherwise stable population. It is suggested that: (1) the 4 principal species have fluctuated as a single ecological unit, each species responsive to the same major environmental factors; (2) the rapid natural and artificial reforestation of abandoned land had not yet affected the density of furbearers and (3) in the absence of the direct influence of man in a large and ecologically diverse area, such as the SRP reservation, natural regulatory processes can maintain a steady state in density of medium-sized predatory mammals, although occasional eruptions may be expected.
Analysis of Electrokinetic Fluid Flow in T-Shaped DNA Chips

Lab-on-chip devices promise for many novel applications concerning the transport of the liquid samples and other solutions in the order of micro-scale dimensions. One of the efficient methods for transporting fluid in the samples is through electrokinetic effects, where an electric field will be applied to charged ions such as DNA, a negatively charged ion or proteins. These ions are carried over in the microchannel by the application of electric fields through the entire solution from inlet via probe region for its detection to outlet and the determination of concentration distribution. COMSOL, commercially available multiphysics software, with its specific MEMS and Chemical Engineering modules were employed and simulated for the analysis of fluid velocity and ionic concentration throughout the channel of various shapes. The ionic fluid concentrations and velocities in the channel and at the outlet are plotted against the potential differences across the two inlets in which DNA sample was introduced from one inlet and a buffer solution was supplied from another inlet.© 2012 ASME
Motivational Differences of Swimming Participants in the Campus Environment

The purpose of this study was to assess motives of swimming participants within the university campus environment and to examine whether differences in swimmers' gender, age, affiliation status wit...
Separation of metadata and pixel data to speed DICOM tag morphing

The DICOM information model combines pixel data and metadata in single DICOM object. It is not possible to access the metadata separately from the pixel data. There are use cases where only metadata is accessed. The current DICOM object format increases the running time of those use cases. Tag morphing is one of those use cases. Tag morphing includes deletion, insertion or manipulation of one or more of the metadata attributes. It is typically used for order reconciliation on study acquisition or to localize the issuer of patient ID (IPID) and the patient ID attributes when data from one domain is transferred to a different domain. In this work, we propose using Multi-Series DICOM (MSD) objects, which separate metadata from pixel data and remove duplicate attributes, to reduce the time required for Tag Morphing. The time required to update a set of study attributes in each format is compared. The results show that the MSD format significantly reduces the time required for tag morphing.
A brief assessment of frontal and subcortical functions in dementia

A brief assessment of cognitive and motor functions associated with the frontal/subcortical system was evaluated for discriminant validity. Patients with dementia of Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease performed as well as normal control subjects on the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) but significantly worse on the Frontal/Subcortical Assessment Battery (FSAB). Discriminant function analyses yielded significantly higher rates of accurate classification with FSAB and MMSE combined than with MMSE alone. Patients with Alzheimer's disease scored significantly lower than other groups on both measures. The authors recommend the FSAB as an adjunct to the MMSE for brief assessments of patients with suspected frontal or subcortical pathology.
A nonlocal modified Poisson–Boltzmann equation and finite element solver for computing electrostatics of biomolecules

Abstract The nonlocal dielectric approach has been studied for more than forty years but only limited to water solvent until the recent work of Xie et al. (2013) [20] . As the development of this recent work, in this paper, a nonlocal modified Poisson–Boltzmann equation (NMPBE) is proposed to incorporate nonlocal dielectric effects into the classic Poisson–Boltzmann equation (PBE) for protein in ionic solvent. The focus of this paper is to present an efficient finite element algorithm and a related software package for solving NMPBE. Numerical results are reported to validate this new software package and demonstrate its high performance for protein molecules. They also show the potential of NMPBE as a better predictor of electrostatic solvation and binding free energies than PBE.
Is It Necessary to Extend a Multilevel Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion to the Upper Thoracic Spine

Study design A retrospective cohort analysis. Objective The aim of this study was to determine if there is a difference in the revision rate in patients who undergo a multilevel posterior cervical fusions ending at C7, T1, or T2-T4. Summary of background data Multilevel posterior cervical decompression and fusion is a common procedure for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy, but there is little literature available to help guide the surgeon in choosing the caudal level of a multilevel posterior cervical fusion. Methods Patients who underwent a three or more level posterior cervical fusion with at least 1 year of clinical follow-up were identified. Patients were separated into three groups on the basis of the caudal level of the fusion, C7, T1, or T2-T4, and the revision rate was determined. In addition, the C2-C7 lordosis and the C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was recorded for patients with adequate radiographic follow-up at 1 year. Results The overall revision rate was 27.8% (61/219 patients); a significant difference in the revision rates was identified between fusions terminating at C7, T1, and T2-T4 (35.3%, 18.3%, and 40.0%, P = 0.008). When additional variables were taken into account utilizing multivariate linear regression modeling, patients whose construct terminated at C7 were 2.29 (1.16-4.61) times more likely to require a revision than patients whose construct terminated at T1 (P = 0.02), but no difference between stopping at T1 and T2-T4 was identified. Conclusion Multilevel posterior cervical fusions should be extended to T1, as stopping a long construct at C7 increases the rate of revision. Level of evidence 3.
Reaction: Fundamental Science and Academic-Industrial Partnerships

Angela K. Wilson is a physical and theoretical chemist, the director of the Division of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation, and the John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Michigan State University. She is a fellow of the American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, and American Association for the Advancement of Science and a National Associate of the National Academies.
Impact of region-based faults on the connectivity of wireless networks

The last few years have seen considerable interest in the wireless networking research community in analyzing the connectivity of wireless ad-hoc networks formed by a set of nodes distributed in a two dimensional plane (deployment area) with a (i) uniform probability density function and (ii) uniform transmission range. Although several important and interesting results are known in this domain, most of the connectivity studies consider a fault-free scenario where all nodes are available for network formation and do not consider failures among nodes caused by one reason or another. In very few studies where faults are considered, they are usually considered to be random in nature, i.e., the probability of a node failing is independent of its location in the deployment area. However, such fault scenario is inadequate to capture many realistic situations where the faulty nodes are spatially correlated. This is particularly true in combat environment where an enemy bomb can destroy a subset of nodes confined to a region. In this paper we investigate the impact of region-based faults on the connectivity of wireless networks. Through analysis and simulation, we provide results relating the probability of a network being connected as transmission range and the size of fault-region are varied. If d min (G) denotes the minimum node degree of the network, we provide the analytical expression for P(d min (G) ≥ k), which represents the probability of the minimum node degree being at least k, for k = 1. Moreover, we compute P(κ(G) ≥ k), where κ(G) represents the connectivity of the graph G formed by the distribution of nodes in the deployment area and examine the relationship between P(d min (G) ≥ k) and P(κ(G) ≥ k) when k = 1.
Dappled Science in a Unified World

Science as we know it is “dappled”. Its picture of the world is a mosaic in which different aspects of the world, different systems, are represented by narrow-scope theories or models that are largely disconnected from one another. The best explanation for this disunity in our representation of the world, Nancy Cartwright has proposed, is a disunity in the world itself: rather than being governed by a small set of strict fundamental laws, events unfold according to a patchwork of principles covering different kinds of systems or segments of reality, each with something less than full omnipotence and with the possibility of anomic indeterminism at the boundaries. This paper attempts to undercut Cartwright’s argument for a dappled world by showing that the motley nature of science, both now and even at the completion of empirical inquiry, can equally well be explained by proponents of the “fundamentalist” view that the universe’s initial conditions and fundamental physical laws determine everything that ever happens.
Effects of High and Low Salt Concentration in Electrolytes at Lithium–Metal Anode Surfaces

The use of high-concentration salts in electrolyte solutions of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries has been shown to be beneficial for mitigating some effects such as polysulfide shuttle and dendrite growth at the Li metal anode. Such complex solutions have structural-, dynamical-, and reactivity-associated issues that need to be analyzed for a better understanding of the reasons behind such beneficial effects. A passivation interfacial layer known as solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) is generated during battery cycling as a result of electron transfer from the metal anode causing electrolyte decomposition. Here, using density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the salt decomposition, solvation effects, interactions among intermediate products and other species, and potential components of the SEI layer as a function of chemical nature and concentration of the salt for lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI)...
Highly Efficient, Polarization Insensitive Terahertz Metamaterial Perfect Absorber and Imaging

We demonstrate performance and characteristics of a metamaterial absorber designed for operation in the THz regime. This absorber exhibits upto 90% absorbance and shows potential for use in sensor and detector devices.
Mosaic trisomy 16: what are the obstetric and long-term childhood outcomes?

To evaluate obstetric and neonatal outcomes as well as long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes and quality of life among prenatally detected cases of mosaic trisomy (MT16) and confined placental mosaicism (CPM) for trisomy 16. We recruited participants for this cross-sectional study through an international registry of families with children diagnosed with MT16 or CPM. Parents were interviewed about expectations based on prenatal counseling as well as about actual perinatal outcomes, congenital anomalies, medical conditions, and school progress. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was assessed via the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales. Forty-four families were enrolled, and 68.2% of the children were female. Common complications were gestational hypertension (gHTN) or preeclampsia (38.1%), preterm delivery (PTD; 71.4%), cesarean delivery (CD; 73.8%), birth weight <10th percentile (73.8%), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (88.1%), and congenital anomalies (59.5%). However, 81.8% of school-aged children were entirely in mainstream classes, and median physical, psychosocial, and total HRQOL scores were high: 90.6 (34.4–100), 86.7 (35–100), and 84.8 (34.8–100), respectively (100 = optimal quality of life). Several obstetric and neonatal complications are common with pregnancies affected by MT16 or CPM. However, the majority of children demonstrate normal neurodevelopmental outcomes and high HRQOL. Genet Med advance online publication 06 April 2017
Combining Medicine and Writing: My Journey to Becoming an Editor

The typical career path for an academic physician usually includes residency, fellowship, and ultimately a faculty position with responsibilities for patient care, teaching, and research, with the expectation of that this research is eventually published. My interest in both medicine and journalism prompted me to incorporate writing, reporting, and publishing throughout my training and professional career. I am an academic physician and an associate editor for the Journal of the American Medical Association, combining these two disparate interests into an ideal job. This chapter presents the highlights of my professional path and offers advice to those who are interested in exploring a similar course.
Ultra-Wideband Lossless Cavity-Backed Vivaldi Antenna

An ultra-wideband, lossless cavity-backed Vivaldi antenna array for flush-mounting applications is proposed. Eigenmode analysis, used to investigate antenna-cavity interaction, has shown that the entire structure may resonate within the band of interest resulting in a significant degradation of antenna performance. A simple approach based on connecting the array’s edge elements in E-plane to the cavity walls is utilized to eliminate the deleterious impact of these cavity resonances. The proposed antenna is a $3\times 4$ array with three elements in E-plane and four elements in H-plane, fabricated using stacked all-metal printed circuit board technique. Resonant-free behavior with gain better than 5 dBi and VSWR <2 from 1.5 to 7.5 GHz is obtained. High-quality radiation patterns with sidelobe levels lower than 20 dB over the same bandwidth are also demonstrated. Scan performance of the proposed cavity-backed antenna is investigated in two principal planes and is shown to have similar performance compared to its free-standing counterpart.
Abstract P159: No Gender Difference in All-Cause Mortality Rates in a Cohort of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction in the US Veteran Population

Introduction: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) affects about 5% of people 65 or older, with a higher prevalence in women. Previous studies suggest that women with HFpEF may li...
Gridded Satellite (GridSat) GOES and CONUS data

Abstract. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series is operated by the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). While in operation since the mid-1970s, the current series (GOES 8–15) has been operational since 1994. This document describes the Gridded Satellite (GridSat) data, which provide GOES data in a modern format. Four steps describe the conversion of original GOES data to GridSat data: (1) temporal resampling to produce files with evenly spaced time steps, (2) spatial remapping to produce evenly spaced gridded data (0.04 ∘ latitude), (3) calibrating the original data and storing brightness temperatures for infrared (IR) channels and reflectance for the visible channel, and (4) calculating spatial variability to provide extra information that can help identify clouds. The GridSat data are provided on two separate domains: GridSat-GOES provides hourly data for the Western Hemisphere (spanning the entire GOES domain) and GridSat-CONUS covers the contiguous US (CONUS) every 15 min (dataset reference: https://doi.org/10.7289/V5HM56GM ).
Oligonucleotide Drugs for Transthyretin Amyloidosis.

In this issue of the Journal, Adams et al.1 and Benson et al.2 report the results of two randomized, double-blind, controlled trials testing the therapeutic efficacy of two different chemically mod...
Biosynthesis of canine fibrinogen: In vitro synthesis of Aα, Bβ and γ precursor chains

Abstract An mRNA fraction from dog liver translated with a rabbit reticulocyte protein synthesizing system in the presence of [35S]-methionine produces fibrinogen-related proteins which are immunoprecipitated with rabbit antiserum to dog fibrinogen. Analyses of these radioactive proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography indicate that the three fibrinogen chains (Aα, Bβ and γ) are synthesized separately as larger precursors. The putative pre Aα and pre Bβ chains were characterized by their susceptibility to treatment with thrombin and batroxobin. Thrombin degraded the pre Aα and pre Bβ chains, while batroxobin only acted on the pre Aα chain. The pre γ chain was not degraded by these enzymes.
Probability Distribution Problems Concerning Stochastic Programming Problems

Different kinds of stochastic programming models are formulated in the present mathematical programming literature. Their solutions lead to linear or non-linear deterministic programming problems. There are, however, a number of problems, mainly probability distribution problems, which remained unsolved which are nevertheless important and necessary to solve in order to be able to handle effectively these stochastic optimization problems. The main types of stochastic programming problems are the following.
ALMOST PERIODIC PROCESSES AND ALMOST PERIODIC SOLUTIONS OF EVOLUTION EQUATIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses almost periodic processes and almost periodic solutions of evolution equations. The problem of existence of almost periodic solutions of nonlinear evolution equations has been studied extensively. In most cases, the methodology is in the spirit of the classical treatment of ordinary differential equations by Amerio. The details, however, vary considerably, from case to case, in consequence of the variety of forms of partial differential equations. Because the proofs involve translates of the equation, assumptions are usually made guaranteeing the compactness of the set of translates of derivatives of the solution that seem extraneous to the problem. Almost periodic evolution equations generate the class of almost periodic processes. The chapter presents a complete analogy between these processes and almost periodic ordinary differential equations by showing that existence and uniqueness of complete trajectories with relatively compact range imply almost periodicity of these trajectories.
Anxiety and Influence: Learned Hand and the Making of a Free Speech Dissent

In this essay marking the centenary of Learned Hand's opinion in the Masses case, I attempt to identify the influence Hand had on the free speech views of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes and how that influence manifested itself in Holmes's 1919 dissent in Abrams v. United States. I also attempt to show that, in spite of that influence, Holmes's theoretical justification ultimately differed from the one Hand articulated in Masses.
Cross Pathogenicity Studies Show South Dakota Isolates of Fusarium acuminatum, F. equiseti, F. graminearum, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. solani, and F. subglutinans from Either Soybean or Corn are Pathogenic to Both Crops

In South Dakota, despite that integrated pest management options are available, Fusarium root rot is an emerging disease on soybean (Glycine max L.) and corn (Zea mays L.). Surveys were conducted a...
Abstract C67: Addressing racial disparity in colorectal cancer screening with CT colonography: Experience in an African-American cohort

Purpose: Incidence and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC) are higher among minorities, including African Americans, compared with non-Hispanic whites, and CRC screening rates for African Americans lag behind non-Hispanic whites. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate computed tomographic (CT) colonography performance and outcome measures in an African-American cohort. Materials and Methods: Institutional review board-approved and HIPAA-compliant study. Informed consent was waived. Retrospective evaluation of the African-American cohort from the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center CT colonography screening program. Colonoscopy referral rates and histologic diagnoses were evaluated. Results: CT colonography studies (n = 2,490; mean age 59.5 years [range 50-80]; 85.5% male), were performed between 2007 and 2016. The per-patient positive rate of CT colonography was 9.8% for polyps 6-9 mm, 5.4% for polyps 10-29 mm, and 1.3% for masses > 30 mm. Based on CT colonography findings and patient preference, 13.9% of patients were referred to optical colonoscopy and 2.9% were referred to CT colonography follow-up. Of patients recommended to undergo colonoscopy, 80.6% completed the procedure and colonic pathology was confirmed in 83.2% thereof. Histologic diagnoses were 221 tubular adenomas (161 6-9 mm; 60 > 10 mm), 60 tubulovillous adenomas/villous adenomas (14 6-9 mm; 46 > 10 mm), 31 hyperplastic polyps (26 6-9 mm; 5 > 10 mm), 17 adenocarcinomas (all > 10 mm), 10 adenomas with high-grade dysplasia (all > 10 mm), and 3 serrated polyps (1 6-9 mm; 2 > 10 mm). The per-patient positivity rate for patients who had optical colonoscopy (n = 279) was 71.3% for adenoma, 9.7% for hyperplastic polyp, and 6.1% for adenocarcinoma. Conclusions: CT colonography is an effective screening modality for African-American adults and could potentially improve rates of colorectal screening in African-Americans. Citation Format: Todd Fibus, Courtney C. Moreno, Elizabeth A. Krupinski, David H. Kim, Perry J. Pickhardt. Addressing racial disparity in colorectal cancer screening with CT colonography: Experience in an African-American cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr C67.
Standing in the Gap

Rural schools face the challenges of motivating and retaining students, often in the face of severe resource constraints. This paper synthesizes fifteen years of the author’s rural research on secondary students’ school-related motivation, distilling it into strategic principles for rural teachers and administrators. Effective motivational knowledge and strategies supported by both theory and research can help school staff fill the gap between potential and actual student achievement. Multi-level strategies for motivating individuals and groups include elements of classroom instructional practice, interpersonal relationships, and the broader school motivational climate including policy. By motivating students effectively, teachers and administrators can bridge the gap between what students do achieve and what they could achieve.
High-performance all-solid-state batteries enabled by salt bonding to perovskite in poly(ethylene oxide).

Flexible and low-cost poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based electrolytes are promising for all-solid-state Li-metal batteries because of their compatibility with a metallic lithium anode. However, the low room-temperature Li-ion conductivity of PEO solid electrolytes and severe lithium-dendrite growth limit their application in high-energy Li-metal batteries. Here we prepared a PEO/perovskite Li3/8Sr7/16Ta3/4Zr1/4O3 composite electrolyte with a Li-ion conductivity of 5.4 × 10−5 and 3.5 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 25 and 45 °C, respectively; the strong interaction between the F− of TFSI− (bis-trifluoromethanesulfonimide) and the surface Ta5+ of the perovskite improves the Li-ion transport at the PEO/perovskite interface. A symmetric Li/composite electrolyte/Li cell shows an excellent cyclability at a high current density up to 0.6 mA cm−2. A solid electrolyte interphase layer formed in situ between the metallic lithium anode and the composite electrolyte suppresses lithium-dendrite formation and growth. All-solid-state Li|LiFePO4 and high-voltage Li|LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 batteries with the composite electrolyte have an impressive performance with high Coulombic efficiencies, small overpotentials, and good cycling stability.
Efficacy of Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation for Overactive Bladder in Women and Men at a Safety Net Hospital.

Purpose:We investigated efficacy and compliance related to percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation in patients treated for overactive bladder at a large, urban safety net hospital.Materials and Metho...
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma B-Cells Induce Intratumoral CD4+CD25− T Cells To Express Foxp3 and Gain Regulatory Function.

We have previously shown that CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + regulatory T cells from NHL tumors suppress the function of infiltrating CD4 + T cells and cytolytic CD8 + T cells. Expression of Foxp3 has been demonstrated to be crucial to the development and function of CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells. However, the mechanistic details that drive development of Foxp3 expression in T cells, in both the normal and malignant scenario, remains to be fully elucidated. Previous studies suggest that Foxp3 expression in CD4 + CD25 − T cells can be upregulated by tolerizing stimuli such as activation through TCR, corticosteroids, estrogen, and TGF-beta. Because lymphoma B cells have been shown to induce T-cell tolerance, we postulated that lymphoma B cells may play a role in the generation of regulatory T cells by inducing Foxp3 expression in CD4 + CD25 − T cells. FoxP3 expression was initially thought to be restricted to CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cell population. However, recent literature suggests that Foxp3 may also be expressed in CD4 + CD25 − T cells. Using biopsy specimens from patients with B-cell NHL, we found that a subset, 15%, of infiltrating CD4 + CD25 − T cells express Foxp3 and are capable of suppressing the proliferation and granule production of infiltrating cytotoxic CD8 + T cells. These initial studies suggest that CD4 + CD25 − Foxp3 + T cells have regulatory function. To explore the underlying mechanism by which Foxp3 expression is regulated, we determined the effect of costimulatory signals on Foxp3 expression in CD4 + CD25 − Foxp3 − T cells. Activation with OKT3/anti-CD28 Ab as well as DC-mediated activation induced Foxp3 expression in a subset of CD4 + CD25 − T cells. We also found that the presence of lymphoma B cells during activation augmented the induction of Foxp3 expression in CD4 + CD25 − T cells and that NHL B cell-mediated Foxp3 expression was cell contact-dependent. To better understand the contribution of NHL B cells in Foxp3 expression, we explored the possibility that CD27-CD70 interaction may be involved in Foxp3 expression. Lymphoma B cells express CD70, but not B7-1 and B7-2, which have been shown to be important in protecting tumor cells from lysis and contributing to cancer pathogenesis. Ligation of CD27 by receptor cross-linking enhanced Foxp3 expression in infiltrating CD4 + CD25 − T cells in B-cell NHL. Taken together these studies reveal a novel role for NHL B cells in development of regulatory T cells. Our data show that lymphoma B cells induce expression of Foxp3 in infiltrating CD4 + CD25 − T cells and may result in development of T cells with regulatory function within the tumor microenvironment. Our results also suggest a potential role for CD27-CD70 interactions in this process. The ability of malignant B cells to drive development of regulatory T cells may be one mechanism by which lymphoma B cells protect themselves from anti-tumor immunity. (Supported in part by the Iowa/Mayo Lymphoma SPORE CA97274).
An evaluation of the host response to an interspinous process device based on a series of spine explants: Device for Intervertebral Assisted Motion (DIAM ® )

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the host response to an interspinous process device [Device for Intervertebral Assisted Motion (DIAM ® )] based on a series of nine spine explants with a mean post-operative explant time of 35 months. Methods: Explanted periprosthetic tissues were processed for histology and stained with H&E, Wright- Giemsa stain, and Oil Red O. Brightfield and polarized light microscopy were used to evaluate the host response to the device and the resultant particulate debris. The host response was graded per ASTM F981- 04. Quantitative histomorphometry was used to characterize particle size, shape, and area per ASTM F1877- 05. The presence or absence of bone resorption was also evaluated when bony tissue samples were provided. Results: Periprosthetic tissues demonstrated a non-specific foreign body response composed of macrophages and foreign body giant cells to the DIAM ® device in most of the accessions. The foreign body reaction was not the stated reason for explantation in any of the accessions. Per ASTM F981-04, a “very slight” to “mild” to “moderate” chronic inflammatory response was observed to the biomaterials and particulate, and this varied by tissue sample and accession. Particle sizes were consistent amongst the explant patients with mean particle size on the order of several microns. Osteolysis, signs of toxicity, necrosis, an immune response, and/or device related infection were not observed. Conclusions: Cyclic loading of the spine can cause wear in dynamic stabilization systems such as DIAM ® . The fabric nature of the DIAM ® device’s polyethylene terephthalate jacket coupled with the generation of polymeric particulate debris predisposes the device to a foreign body reaction consisting of macrophages and foreign body giant cells. Although not all patients are aware of symptoms associated with a foreign body reaction to a deeply implanted device, surgeons should be aware of the host response to this device.
An Examination of Dating Violence Among College Student-Athletes.

College students are at increased risk for dating violence (DV) perpetration and victimization. One group of college students who may be at elevated risk is college student-athletes. While levels o...
A 0.95 dB Insertion Loss Compact Ultra Wideband Millimeter-Wave Bandpass Filter Using 0.18 $\mu \mathrm{m}$ RF CMOS Technology

A 57 GHz ultra-wideband (UWB) bandpass filter with record low insertion loss of 0.95 dB occupying only $90 \times 90\mu \mathrm{m}^{2}$ is reported in this letter. A $0.18 \mu \mathrm{m}$ RF CMOS process using a single thick metal is used for realizing the filter. Layout optimized spiral inductors, metal-insulator-metal and inter digital capacitors are used in the design. The fabricated UWB millimeter-wave filter has a measured 3 dB bandwidth of 58 GHz with center frequency of 57 GHz. Return loss greater than 10 dB is observed through out the passband, while 20 dB return loss is seen for a significantly larger $(\geq 70\ \%)$ fraction of the passband. Excellent agreement between measured results and electromagnetic simulations is achieved. Robustness of the designed filter against CMOS process parameters is examined through monte-carlo simulations.