cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Doom as an interface for process management

This paper explores a novel interface to a system administration task. Instead of creating an interface de novo for the task, the author modified a popular computer game, Doom, to perform useful work. The game was chosen for its appeal to the target audience of system administrators. The implementation described is not a mature application, but it illustrates important points about user interfaces and our relationship with computers. The applications relies on a computer game vernacular rather than the simulations of physical reality found in typical navigable virtual environments. Using a computer game vocabulary may broaden an application's audience by providing sn intuitive environment for children and non-technical users. In addition, the application highlights the adversarial relationships that exist in a computer and suggests a new resource allocation scheme.
Enteral glutamine supplementation in critically ill patients with burn injuries: a retrospective case-control evaluation.

Study Objectives. To evaluate the clinical application of enteral glutamine supplementation in critically ill patients and compare the frequency of nosocomial infections in these patients with a historical control group in a burn intensive care unit (BICU), and to assess lengths of stay in the hospital and BICU, mortality rates, and safety profile of glutamine. Design. Retrospective case-control descriptive study. Setting. A university-affiliated hospital BICU. Patients. Seventeen patients receiving enteral glutamine supplementation and 15 historical control patients who were admitted to the BICU for thermal burn injuries from January 1, 2001-September 30, 2004. Measurements and Main Results. Data for patients receiving enteral glutamine supplementation were identified through the pharmacy database, and data for the control patients were identified through the BICU patient registry. No significant differences were noted in baseline characteristics or nutritional parameters and outcomes between the two groups. The mean daily dose and duration of glutamine were 0.52 g/kg and 21.6 days, respectively. The mean number of infections/patient between the glutamine and control groups was similar (2.47 and 2.73, respectively) as was the number of gram-negative infections (1.29 and 1.20, respectively). Bloodstream infections occurred more frequently in the glutamine group (24 vs 8 patients, p=0.0006); however, cellulitis (4 vs 11, p=0.05) and pneumonia (9 vs 15, p=0.15) occurred less often. For the glutamine group versus control group, BICU length of stay (17.9 vs 15.3 days, p=NS), hospital length of stay (32.3 vs 26 days, p=NS), and mortality rates (0% vs 6.7%, p=NS) were similar between groups. No adverse events were attributed to glutamine supplementation. Conclusion. Enteral glutamine supplementation was not associated with a change in the cumulative rate of infectious complications compared with the control group, but this was attributed to more cases of bloodstream infections and fewer cases of pneumonia and cellulitis in the glutamine group. Large, prospective, randomized trials designed to detect small but clinically relevant outcomes are needed to definitively determine the effect of enteral glutamine supplementation in the BICU population.
Lamotrigine--an effective mood stabilizer?

OBJECTIVE:To review the literature regarding the use of lamotrigine as a mood stabilizer, and to discuss its efficacy in treating this condition.DATA SOURCES:Data were obtained from MEDLINE, Micromedex, and Cochrane collaboration searches from January 1985 to July 1998.DATA SUMMARY:There are insufficient data to confirm that lamotrigine is an effective mood stabilizer. There are no controlled studies, and the current evidence is from case studies and open trials. Furthermore, only one study shows any evidence of effectiveness in the manic phase, although this may be because the data tend to relate to a treatment-refractory population.CONCLUSIONS:From the current evidence, lamotrigine cannot be recommended as a mood stabilizer except when conventional therapies have failed.
Genome-level expression profiles in pediatric septic shock indicate a role for altered zinc homeostasis in poor outcome

Human septic shock involves multiple genome-level perturbations. We have conducted microarray analyses in children with septic shock within 24 h of intensive care unit admission, using whole blood-...
Sensitivity and Specificity of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Scanning by High-Resolution Melting Analysis

Background: Screening for heterozygous sequence changes in PCR products, also known as “mutation scanning”, is an important tool for genetic research and clinical applications. Conventional methods require a separation step. Methods: We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of homogeneous scanning, using a saturating DNA dye and high-resolution melting. Heterozygous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection was studied in three different sequence backgrounds of 40%, 50%, and 60% GC content. PCR products of 50 –1000 bp were generated in the presence of LCGreen TM I. After fluorescence normalization and temperature overlay, melting curve shape was used to judge the presence or absence of heterozygotes among 1632 cases. Results: For PCR products of 300 bp or less, all 280 heterozygous and 296 wild-type cases were correctly called without error. In 672 cases between 400 and 1000 bp with the mutation centered, the sensitivity and specificity were 96.1% and 99.4%, respectively. When the sequence background and product size with the greatest error rate were used, the sensitivity of off-center SNPs (384 cases) was 95.6% with a specificity of 99.4%. Most false negatives occurred with SNPs that were compared with an A or T wild type sequence. Conclusions: High-resolution melting analysis with the dye LCGreen I identifies heterozygous single-base changes in PCR products with a sensitivity and specificity comparable or superior to nonhomogeneous techniques. The error rate of scanning depends on the PCR product size and the type of base change, but not on the position of the SNP. The technique requires only PCR
Genetic benefits of a female mating preference in gray tree frogs are context-dependent.

Abstract “Good genes” models of sexual selection predict that male courtship displays can advertise genetic quality and that, by mating with males with extreme displays, females can obtain genetic benefits for their offspring. However, because the relative performance of different genotypes can vary across environments, these genetic benefits may depend on the environmental context; in which case, static mating preferences may not be adaptive. To better understand how selection acts on the preference that female gray tree frogs (Hyla versicolor) express for long advertisement calls, I tested for genetic benefits in two realistic natural environments, by comparing the performance of half-sibling offspring sired by males with long versus short calls. Tadpoles from twelve such maternal half-sibships were raised in enclosures in their natal pond at two densities. In the low-density treatment, offspring of long-call males were larger at metamorphosis than were offspring of short-call males, whereas in the high...
Previous cesarean section and the risk of postpartum maternal complications and adverse neonatal outcomes in future pregnancies

Objective: To assess maternal postpartum and neonatal outcomes associated with previous method of delivery.
Mapping An Internal-External (I-E) Matrix Using Traditional And Extended Matrix Concepts

Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) and External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrices allow an organization to visualize their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats while a Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) utilizes critical success factors to allow an organization to compare itself to competitors. Capps and Glissmeyer (2012) proposed an extension of the EFE and IFE concepts to an External Competitive Profile Matrix (ECPM) and an Internal Competitive Profile Matrix (ICPM) which provides greater insight in understanding the external and internal categories to which an organization must attend. The authors of this paper extend the observations of Capps and Glissmeyer (2012) by suggesting that visual mapping of the ECPM and ICPM, in a manner similar on the Internal-External (I-E) matrix, would enable greater comparative understanding of the relative strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the respective companies.
Eternal Life: A Phenomenological Exploration from the Perspective of Edith Stein’s Description of Person and Community

Edith Stein opens Finite and Eternal Being with the note that her work is prepared by a learner for fellow learners. In this spirit, I plan to provide some thoughts about eternal life, drawing primarily from Finite and Eternal Being but with references to On the Problem of Empathy and Philosophy of Psychology and the Humanities. I conclude that the spirit of one who has taken up him- or herself continues to carry the possibility of forming new relationships in a widening community.
Abstract 2861: High-level amplification of chromosome 9p24 targeting PD-L1 and JAK2 correlates with worse DFS and OS in triple negative breast cancer

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Introduction: Overexpression and amplification of PD-L1 has been reported in a subset of cancers, including lymphoma, and gastric cancer. We have recently described amplification of chromosome 9p24 targeting PD-L1 in a subset of triple negative breast cancers (TNBC), as well as 1-3% of colorectal carcinomas and glioblastomas. The clinical impact of these amplifications is not known. Methods: Tumor samples from 41 subjects with TNBC were evaluated for copy number aberrations. We performed DNA-based flow cytometry to sort nuclei from diploid, tetraploid, and aneuploid populations of tumor cells. The genomes of each sorted tumor cell population were then interrogated with oligonucleotide CGH arrays. Copy number intervals were identified and their genomic boundaries mapped using a step gram algorithm. Clinical data was available on 36 of 45 (80%) patients. Results: A recurring top ranked high level (log2ratio >1) amplicon that spanned 9p24.1 was detected in 12/41 (29.3%) of TNBCs. In contrast this amplicon was absent in ER+ (n = 8) and Her2+ (N = 15) breast tumors. The shortest region of overlap (SRO) spanned 777 kb and always included the PD-1 ligands PD-L1, PD-L2, and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) loci, termed the “PDJ” amplicon. Additional genes in this amplicon include RCL1, MIR101-2, INSL6, INSL4, RLN2, RLN1, and C9orf46. The height of the PDJ amplicon included mean log2ratios of >4, consistent with genomic drivers such as Her2 and Myc. Patients with PD-L1 amplification (n = 8) were noted to have larger tumors (mean 3.9 vs. 1.9 cm, p = 0.04) and a higher incidence of lymph node metastases (75% vs. 26%, p = 0.01). Lymphocytic infiltration was only noted in 4 patients, all without PDJ amplification. Almost all patients received chemotherapy after definitive surgical therapy. The recurrence rate at 5 years was 62.5% in the PDJ amplified patients, and 25% in the unamplified patients (p = 0.02). Overall survival at 5 years was 37.5% in the PDJ amplified patients, compared with 78.2% in the unamplified patients (p = 0.02). Conclusion: We identified a focal amplification of chromosome 9p24.1 involving PD-L1, PD-L2, and JAK2 in a significant proportion of TNBCs. The high level of amplification and inverse correlation with survival suggests that the PDJ amplicon is a genetic driver event in these cancers, and warrants confirmation in larger studies. Citation Format: Karen S. Anderson, Christine L. Klassen, Amylou C. Dueck, Ann E. McCullough, Donald W. Northfelt, Mariacarla Andreozzi, Barbara A. Pockaj, Michael T. Barrett. High-level amplification of chromosome 9p24 targeting PD-L1 and JAK2 correlates with worse DFS and OS in triple negative breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2861. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2861
A reinterpretation of the Wagendrift Quarry, Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal Province, and its implications for Karoo Basin Paleogeography

The South African Karoo Basin preserves a continental record across the Permian/Triassic Boundary in which both plant and vertebrate fossil assemblages may co-occur. The Upper Permian part of the Beaufort Group, a shallow-water fluvial succession spans this boundary. The Estcourt Formation previously was interpreted to be part of this group representing shallow bay fill, the result of overbank deposition. This interpretation implies that sedimentation occurred along the margins of a large, shallowing basin during the Late Permian. Recent work in a series of outcrops at Wagendrift Dam, near the town of Estcourt, requires a reinterpretation of this setting. Three outcrops consist of eight facies, six of which are characteristic of a submarine turbidite system. Basal-most massively bedded sandstones, interpreted as submarine channel deposits are overlain by millimeter-scale, fining upwards couplets of siltstone to mudstone that are distal turbidite in origin. Millimeter-scale bedding is undisturbed and bioturbation is limited, indicating deposition within a low oxygen zone. Ripple cross laminated and ball-and-pillow sandstones, overlain by a finer, massive siltstone are indicative of more proximal turbidites, which is further supported by the presence of large, localized olistoliths (slump blocks) in which internal bedding is preserved. Millimeter-to-centimeter scale upwards-fining successions of planar to ripple cross laminated beds of coarser (fine sand, coarse silt) sedimentary rocks overlain by finer siltstone represent a continuation of proximal turbidite conditions. Thick, ripple-bedded sandstones cap the section, representing a major change in depositional setting into a turbidite fan channel system. The sedimentological characteristics of this succession suggest that although these rocks are assigned to the Latest Permian Beaufort Group, they are, in fact, part of the Ecca Group. Palynomorphs recovered from the quarry are of Late Permian age and consist of taeniate and non-taeniate bisaccate pollen, and spores. Assignment of the assemblage, based on partial canonical correspondence analysis, places the Wagendrift palynoflora in the lower part of Aitken’s Biozone VI (Volkrust Formation; Wujiapingian). These results indicate that turbidite sedimentation similar to that in the southern and western part of the basin persisted into the Late Permian of KwaZulu-Natal.
Postremission therapy in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia: an opportunity for new drug development

Postremission therapy in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia: an opportunity for new drug development
Spatial computing

Knowing where you are in space and time promises a deeper understanding of neighbors, ecosystems, and the environment.
Advances in non-metallocene IVB group metal catalysts for olefin polymerization

This paper reviews the advances in non-metallocene ⅣB group metal catalysts for olefin polymerization according to the type of ligands,including amidos,ketimides,pyrazoles,and phenoxyimine. The effects of steric structure and electronic effect of ligands on catalytic activity,polymer structure and molecular weight of the polymer are discussed. The merits of highly active non-metallocene ⅣB group metal catalysts for olefin polymerization are summarized.
Pathogenic analysis of infants and children with diarrhea in Jiangbei District of Ningbo City

Objective:To learn the pathogenic components and epidemic situation of infants and children with diarrhea in Jiangbei District,Ningbo City;to provide grounds for preventive measures of diarrhea.Methods:Collect 265 samples of feces of infants and children with diarrhea in Jiangbei District through 2007 to 2008,Culturing six major intestinal pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella,Shigella,Comma bacillus,E.coli O157:H7.Then apply the method of ELISA for instant detection of rotavirus;apply the method of PAGE to detect nucleic acid of rotavirus;apply the method of PT-PCR to amplify and detect rotavirus.Results: Wo strains of bacterial are detected among 265 samples,with infection rate of 0.75%.Respectively 86 and 84 samples are detected positive with rotavirus by methods of ELISA and PT-PCR,with positive rates 33.21% and 31.70% respectively,displaying no statistic differentiation.Rotavirus detected by PAGE method all fall into group A rotavirus.No combined infection of bacterial and virus is found.Positive rate of rotavirus among diarrhea patients under the age of 2 is 78.57%.Conclusion:Rotavirus is the major pathogen causing diarrhea among infants and children in Jiangbei District,especially group A rotavirus.Children less than 2 years old fall into vulnerable population against rotavirus infection.We should strengthen monitoring against rotavirus among children suffering diarrhea.
Designing online tools for informal communication: balancing information integration and sociality

In studies of computer-supported cooperative work, researchers naturally focus on the tasks that people complete together, so as to create innovative tool designs for task-based collaboration. For instance, emergency response planners may be offered a map-based visual display to coordinate crisis information and resources; a medical team may collaborate through online annotations or edits to an electronic patient record. However, now that social media have blossomed in support of diverse online interaction, we are better positioned to study the role of informal communication as an element of collaborative work. More than a decade ago, Bonnie Nardi and her colleagues theorized about the "outeraction" that humans use to establish and maintain the social connections that provide an important backdrop for emergent collaborative goals and activities. Building from such ideas, our research lab has been studying the use of online text communication to augment or enhance the primary collaboration goals of a group. In this talk I draw from several scenario-based design research projects that have explored how relatively simple text communication tools might enable two potential benefits of informal communication -- the integration of task-relevant information across time, persons and contexts; and feelings of social connections to other group members. After discussing the design lessons learned from these research projects, I conclude with a discussion of more general prospects for enhancing collaborative work with informal communication tools.
Curriculum for Students with Autism

For many years research on the nature of autism and teaching methods has overshadowed the development of effective curriculum. Nevertheless, a valuable body of knowledge is available that offers pr...
SU-F-SPS-07: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Findings in Early-Phase Psychosis

Purpose: Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder characterized by disordered thoughts, abnormal social behaviors, flat affect, and auditory or visual hallucinations. The current study aims to investigate alterations in brain metabolism in patients near the onset of psychosis (early-phase psychosis, EPP), to characterize abnormalities during the early stages of schizophrenia. To this end, we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) to measure metabolite levels and subsequently monitor the effect of treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Methods: Here we report on the cross-sectional comparison at the baseline scan between 13 healthy controls (mean age = 21.5 yrs) and 28 EPP patients (mean age = 23.9 yrs), within three years of psychotic illness onset. Metabolite levels of glutamine + glutamate (Glx), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cre), and myo-inositol (mI) were measured on a Siemens 3T whole-body scanner with MRS voxels placed in the frontal lobe (size = 2×2×2 cm3; TE = 30ms; TA = 4min). Metabolite levels were quantified using LCModel V6.2-0R, scaled to the internal water signal, and reported in institutional units (i.u.). Comparison of NAA, Cre and Glx levels between the two groups was performed using two-tailed unpaired t-tests. Results: A significant decrease of Glx concentration in FEP patients was found (patients: 4.1±1.4 i.u.; controls: 5.2 ± 0.2 i.u.; p=0.04). No significant differences were found at baseline in Cre nor NAA concentrations. Conclusion: Significant decreases in Glx were observed in the frontal lobe of the FEP patients. This decrease supports prior research on schizophrenia in similar cortical regions. The alteration in frontal Glx levels may be involved in the behavioral and cognitive abnormalities. Future steps include investigating the effect of NAC vs. placebo treatment on reversing this decrease in Glx in EPP patients over a 12-month period. This project is supported by the Stanley Medical Research Institute.
On practical challenges of decomposition-based hybrid forecasting algorithms for wind speed and solar irradiation

Abstract This paper presents a comprehensive analysis on practical challenges of empirical mode decomposition (EMD) based algorithms on wind speed and solar irradiation forecasts that have been largely neglected in literature, and proposes an alternative approach to mitigate such challenges. Specifically, the challenges are: (1) Decomposed sub-series are very sensitive to the original time series data. That is, sub-series of the new time series, consisting of the original one plus a limit number of new data samples, may significantly differ from those used in training forecasting models. In turn, forecasting models established by original sub-series may not be suitable for newly decomposed sub-series and have to be trained more frequently; and (2) Key environmental factors usually play a critical role in non-decomposition based methods for forecasting wind speed and solar irradiation. However, it is difficult to incorporate such critical environmental factors into forecasting models of individual decomposed sub-series, because the correlation between the original data and environmental factors is lost after decomposition. Numerical case studies on wind speed and solar irradiation forecasting show that the performance of existing EMD-based forecasting methods could be worse than the non-decomposition based forecasting model, and are not effective in practical cases. Finally, the approximated forecasting model based on EMD is proposed to mitigate the challenges and achieve better forecasting results than existing EMD-based forecasting algorithms and the non-decomposition based forecasting models on practical wind speed and solar irradiation forecasting cases.
Spatial Bayesian surveillance for small area case event data

There has been little development of surveillance procedures for epidemiological data with fine spatial resolution such as case events at residential address locations. This is often due to difficulties of access when confidentiality of medical records is an issue. However, when such data are available, it is important to be able to affect an appropriate analysis strategy. We propose a model for point events in the context of prospective surveillance based on conditional logistic modeling. A weighted conditional autoregressive model is developed for irregular lattices to account for distance effects, and a Dirichlet tessellation is adopted to define the neighborhood structure. Localized clustering diagnostics are compared including the proposed local Kullback-Leibler information criterion. A simulation study is conducted to examine the surveillance and detection methods, and a data example is provided of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma data in South Carolina.
Cultural Methods and Soil Nutrient Status in Low and High Input Agricultural Systems, as They Affect Rhizoctonia Species

For the purpose of this chapter, low-input crops are defined as crops receiving limited or no synthetic external inputs in the form of pesticides and fertilizers. However, they do receive regular inputs of organic amendments in the form of cover crops, compost or manure to maintain soil fertility, high levels of activity by the soil microflora and fauna, and a good soil structure. Low-input crops are typically grown in organic or biological and integrated farming systems (National Research Council, 1989). Organic or biological farming systems are defined as systems where synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are not used. Instead, biological and cultural methods of pest and disease control are emphasized (National Research Council, 1989). Integrated farming systems may apply pesticides and fertilizers but at a reduced rate compared to conventional farming systems. High-input crops are considered to be crops that receive pesticides and fertilizers as currently used in conventional farming systems. Organic amendments are usually not applied (except in areas with excess manure). In addition to these differences in organic and synthetic inputs, organic and integrated farming systems often differ from conventional farming systems in their tillage operations. On many organic and integrated farms, minimum- tillage practices are utilized, i.e., soil cultivation to a depth of about 15 cm instead of 30 cm or more on conventional farms (El Titi and Landes, 1990). On the other hand, no-till practices are more commonly used on currnet conventional farms because of the need for some tillage for weed control on organic farms. Finally, crop rotations are often longer and spatial diversity greater in organic and integrated farming systems than in conventional farming systems (van Bruggen, 1995).
Polymer ligand–induced autonomous sorting and reversible phase separation in binary particle blends

The tethering of ligands to nanoparticles has emerged as an important strategy to control interactions and organization in particle assembly structures. We demonstrate that ligand interactions in mixtures of polymer-tethered nanoparticles (which are modified with distinct types of polymer chains) can impart upper or lower critical solution temperature (UCST/LCST)-type phase behavior on binary particle mixtures in analogy to the phase behavior of the corresponding linear polymer blends. Therefore, cooling (or heating) of polymer-tethered particle blends with appropriate architecture to temperatures below (or above) the UCST (or LCST) results in the organization of the individual particle constituents into monotype microdomain structures. The shape (bicontinuous or island-type) and lengthscale of particle microdomains can be tuned by variation of the composition and thermal process conditions. Thermal cycling of LCST particle brush blends through the critical temperature enables the reversible growth and dissolution of monoparticle domain structures. The ability to autonomously and reversibly organize multicomponent particle mixtures into monotype microdomain structures could enable transformative advances in the high-throughput fabrication of solid films with tailored and mutable structures and properties that play an important role in a range of nanoparticle-based material technologies.
Hot Cell Tensile Testing of Neutron Irradiated Additively Manufactured Type 316L Stainless Steel

Westinghouse began additively manufactured (AM) materials research activities in 2012 to support development of advanced fuel related components. The initial objective of this work has been the fabrication and delivery of a lead test component to a Westinghouse nuclear utility customer for in-reactor insertion for a limited number of fuel cycles. It is generally recognized that a key criterion for the implementation of AM components would be a thorough understanding of the material response to neutron irradiation. Several alloys were AM fabricated, heat treated, neutron irradiated, and extensively evaluated both in the as-printed condition and in the printed and irradiated condition. Irradiation of AM miniature tensile specimens was performed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Nuclear Research Reactor to 0.8 dpa at 300 °C (572 °F). Although extensive laboratory testing was performed on these materials, this paper specifically summarizes the results from room and elevated temperature tensile testing of unirradiated and irradiated AM 316L. Testing of the miniature tensile specimens was performed inside a hot cell utilizing in-cell digital image correlation (DIC) and advanced video extensometry (AVE). Additional AM alloys are currently being irradiated in the MIT reactor to higher dpa values. The first of these samples will be shipped and subsequently tested in 2017.
Gastral drumming: a nest-based food-recruitment signal in a social wasp

Many social insect species produce signals that either recruit foragers to a specific food source or simply activate more nestmates to become foragers. Both are means of enhancing resource exploitation by increasing the number of individuals devoted to gathering profitable resources. Gastral drumming (GD) has been documented in several species of yellowjackets and hornets (Vespidae: Vespinae). It has been hypothesized that it is a hunger signal, but there is little empirical evidence to support this claim. An alternative hypothesis is that GD recruits workers to forage for food. Here, we report the results of a test between the hunger-signal and food-recruitment hypotheses in the German yellowjacket wasp, Vespula germanica. We show that the rate of performance of GD decreased when colonies were deprived of food and increased when supplemental food was provided. Playback of GD caused increased rates of (1) movement in the nest, (2) trophallaxis, and (3) worker departures from the nest. Together, these results support the conclusion that GD is not a hunger signal as previously asserted but instead is a nest-based food-recruitment signal, the first to be reported for a social wasp.
Feedback and Behavioral Intervention in Residential Energy and Resource Use: a Review

A proliferation of research has emerged in the last 20 years, and especially in the last 5 years, on how to effectively engage inhabitants in energy and resource saving behaviors in the residential context. Such conservation behavior is critically important in addressing climate change and other associated energy impacts. However, feedback and behavioral interventions face challenges in motivating behavioral change that stem from individual and social psychological factors, as well as broader social and economic problems such as split incentives. We provide an overview of energy intervention research focusing on (1) different forms of intervention across contexts, (2) combined effects of intervention strategies, (3) consideration of residential demographics and individual characteristics, and (4) additional considerations for successful interventions. Our review demonstrates that there is significant variation in success across interventions, and that the context, decision structures, and combinatory choices can dramatically affect an intervention. Interventions that combine feedback, motivation, high engagement, and goal setting with well-designed and frequent communication are usually more effective.
Power System State Estimation Under Model Uncertainty

This paper considers the general state estimation in power systems when the system model is not fully known. Model uncertainty might be caused by lack of full information about the network model, or by unpredicted disruptions or changes to the grid topology, model, or parameters. This paper focuses on a setting for state estimation in which besides the nominal model, the system might follow a group of alternative models. Including alternative possibilities for the system model, introduces a new dimension to state estimation. Specifically, the state estimator needs to detect whether the system model has deviated from its nominal model, and if it is deemed to have deviated, then also isolate the actual model. These estimation, detection, and isolation decisions are inherently coupled due to the fact that isolating the true model is never perfect (due to noisy measurements), the effect of which transcends the isolation process, and affects the estimation routine as well. This paper establishes the fundamental interplay between the detection, isolation, and estimation routines, designs the optimal attendant rules, and provides an algorithm for implementing these rules in a unified framework. The optimal framework is applied to the IEEE 14-bus system model and IEEE 118-bus model, and the performance is compared against the existing relevant approaches.
A SNP Genetic Map for Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Pacific white shrimp are of particular economic importance to the global shrimp aquaculture industry. We utilized the limited public sequence information, mainly genetic markers called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and expressed sequence tags, to discover markers for the construction of the first SNP genetic map for Pacific white shrimp. In total, 1344 putative SNPs were discovered, and out of 825 SNPs genotyped, 418 SNP markers from 347 contigs were mapped onto 45 sex-averaged linkage groups, with approximate coverage of 2071 and 2130 cM for the female and male maps, respectively. Comparative mapping to model organisms, Daphnia pulex and Drosophila melanogaster, revealed extensive rearrangement of genome architecture for L. vannamei, and that L. vannamei was more related to Daphnia pulex. This SNP genetic map lays the foundation for future shrimp genomics studies, especially the identification of genetic markers or regions for economically important traits.
Magnetism in Amorphous Zr-Cu(Fe), Zr-Cu(Gd), and Nb-Ni(Fe)

Magnetic properties of amorphous and crystalline Zr40Cu60-xFex, amorphous Zr40Cu54Gd6, and amorphous Nb50Ni50-xFex alloys are described, and the nature of the magnetic coupling in these alloys is discussed. None of these alloys exhibit spin-glass phenomena. There are localized magnetic moments on the Fe and Gd atoms and these lead to ferromagnetism in Zr40Cu48Fe12 and Zr40Cu54Gd6. The Nb50Ni50-xFex system shows some spin clustering effects but no magnetic order up to x = 10.
Target-specific co-transmission of acetylcholine and GABA from a subset of cortical VIP+ interneurons

The modulation of cortex by acetylcholine (ACh) is typically thought to originate from long-range projections arising in the basal forebrain. However, a subset of VIP interneurons express ChAT, the synthetic enzyme for ACh, and are a potential local source of cortical ACh. Which neurotransmitters these VIP/ChAT interneurons (VCINs) release is unclear, and which post-synaptic cell types these transmitters target is not known. Using quantitative molecular analysis of VCIN pre-synaptic terminals, we show expression of the molecular machinery to release both ACh and GABA, with ACh release restricted to a subset of boutons. A systematic survey of potential post-synaptic cell types shows that VCINs release GABA primarily onto other inhibitory interneuron subtypes, while ACh neurotransmission is notably sparse, with most ACh release onto layer 1 interneurons and other VCINs. Therefore, VCINs are an alternative source of cortical ACh signaling that supplement GABA-mediated disinhibition with highly targeted excitation through ACh.
Inhibition of ricin A-chain (RTA) catalytic activity by a viral genome-linked protein (VPg).

Abstract Ricin is a plant derived protein toxin produced by the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis). The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classifies ricin as a Category B biological agent. Currently, there is neither an effective vaccine that can be used to protect against ricin exposure nor a therapeutic to reverse the effects once exposed. Here we quantitatively characterize interactions between catalytic ricin A-chain (RTA) and a viral genome-linked protein (VPg) from turnip mosaic virus (TuMV). VPg and its N-terminal truncated variant, VPg1–110, bind to RTA and abolish ricin's catalytic depurination of 28S rRNA in vitro and in a cell-free rabbit reticulocyte translational system. RTA and VPg bind in a 1 to 1 stoichiometric ratio, and their binding affinity increases ten-fold as temperature elevates (5 °C to 37 °C). RTA-VPg binary complex formation is enthalpically driven and favored by entropy, resulting in an overall favorable energy, ΔG = −136.8 kJ/mol. Molecular modeling supports our experimental observations and predicts a major contribution of electrostatic interactions, suggesting an allosteric mechanism of downregulation of RTA activity through conformational changes in RTA structure, and/or disruption of binding with the ribosomal stalk. Fluorescence anisotropy studies show that heat affects the rate constant and the activation energy for the RTA-VPg complex, Ea = −62.1 kJ/mol. The thermodynamic and kinetic findings presented here are an initial lead study with promising results and provides a rational approach for synthesis of therapeutic peptides that successfully eliminate toxicity of ricin, and other cytotoxic RIPs.
A Daily Diary Investigation of the Defective Self Model Among College Students With Recent Self-Injury

Abstract The Defective Self Model of self-injury (Hooley, Ho, Slater, & Lockshin, 2010) asserts that individuals choose to self-injure to gratify the desire for self-punishment associated with a self-critical cognitive style. Specifically, self-injury is used to regulate negative self-directed thoughts and emotions and is made accessible via the belief that the individual deserves punishment. This study sought to test primary assumptions of the Defective Self Model using a 2-week daily diary protocol. It was hypothesized that trait self-criticism would predict daily self-injury urge intensity and behaviors directly, as well as indirectly, through daily thoughts about deserving punishment. We also posited that guilt would predict self-injury urge intensity and behaviors beyond sadness, hostility, and fear. Support for primary hypotheses was mixed. Self-criticism did not directly predict self-injury outcomes, but did indirectly predict urge intensity through daily thoughts about punishment. Daily guilt predicted self-injury urge intensity beyond daily sadness, hostility and fear and was the only type of negative affect associated with self-injury behavior. Results are primarily contextualized through a social cognitive lens in which self-injury urge is precipitated by the activation of a self-critical schema in daily life. Alternatively, self-criticism may serve as a gateway to initial self-injury but lack the sensitivity to predict individual self-injury episodes. Treatments designed to reduce self-critical thoughts and bolster self-compassion may decrease self-injury urge intensity, thereby affecting the frequency of self-injury episodes.
From MyCS to our CS: lessons and assessments from a district-wide middle-school CS pilot

In 2015--16, San Francisco Unified School District (SF) piloted MyCS, a middle-years CS curriculum, in half of its middle schools. This unexpected launch naturally led to diverging curricula, and the summer after the pilot, SF's and MyCS's stewards convened for a week of feedback, PD, and planning. This paper highlights the curricular refinements, assessment results, and institutional changes that came from this curricular divergence and subsequent reconciliation. The data analyzed include teacher- and district-feedback, along with an analysis of over 3000 surveys from SF's pilot implementation. Though accidental, this experiment suggests that substantial benefits can come from independently co-evolving (branching) and then reconciling (merging) curricula. When merged, those otherwise independent branches create a community both stronger and more invested, in practice and in agency, for all MyCS stakeholders.
High-Speed AFM directly visualizes conformational dynamics of the HIV-Vif protein complex

Viral infectivity factor (Vif) is a protein that is essential for the replication of the HIV-1 virus. The key function of Vif is to disrupt the antiviral activity of APOBEC3 proteins, which mutate viral nucleic acids. Inside the cell, Vif binds to the host cell proteins Elongin-C, Elongin-B, and CBF-, forming a four-protein complex called VCBC. The structure of VCBC in complex with the Cullin5 (Cul5) protein has been solved by X-ray crystallography, and recently, using molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, the dynamics of VCBC and VCBC-Cul5 complexes were characterized. Here, we applied time-lapse high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) to visualize the conformational changes of the VCBC complex. We determined the three most favorable conformations of the VCBC complex, which we identified as triangle, dumbbell, and globular structures. In addition, we characterized the dynamics of each of these structures. While our data show a very dynamic behavior for all these structures, we found the triangle and dumbbell structures to be the most dynamic. These findings provide insight into the structure and dynamics of the VCBC complex and support further research into the improvement of HIV treatment, as Vif is essential for virus survival in the cell.
Learning to Read through Machine Teaching

Learning to read words aloud is a major step towards becoming a reader. Many children struggle with the task because of the inconsistencies of English spelling-sound correspondences. Curricula vary enormously in how these patterns are taught. Children are nonetheless expected to master the system in limited time (by grade 4). We used a cognitively interesting neural network architecture to examine whether the sequence of learning trials could be structured to facilitate learning. This is a hard combinatorial optimization problem even for a modest number of learning trials (e.g., 10K). We show how this sequence optimization problem can be posed as optimizing over a time varying distribution i.e., defining probability distributions over words at different steps in training. We then use stochastic gradient descent to find an optimal time-varying distribution and a corresponding optimal training sequence. We observed significant improvement on generalization accuracy compared to baseline conditions (random sequences; sequences biased by word frequency). These findings suggest an approach to improving learning outcomes in domains where performance depends on ability to generalize beyond limited training experience.
Environmental tobacco smoke and cancer risk, a prospective cohort study in a Chinese population

Few prospective cohort studies have investigated associations between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and other cancer sites, in addition to lung cancer. We assessed these associations in a population-based prospective cohort study started from 2008 to 2011 with average of 9.1 years of follow-up, in Minhang district, Shanghai, China. The study included a total of 23,415 participants (8388 men, 15,027 women) and 205,515 person-years. Epidemiological data were collected by a standardized questionnaire including ETS exposure. Newly diagnosed patients with primary cancers and deaths were identified by record linkage system with the Shanghai Cancer Registry and Shanghai Vital Statistics. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusting for potential confounders. During the study period, a total of 1462 patients with diagnoses of primary cancers were identified. Among all participants and non-smokers, ETS was associated with an increased risk of all smoking-related cancers (all: adjusted HR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.05-1.43 and non-smokers: 1.24, 1.02-1.49), lung cancer (1.29, 0.98-1.71 and 1.27, 0.91-1.77), and stomach cancer (1.86, 1.21-2.85 and 1.75, 1.05-2.91), respectively. Furthermore, associations for lung and stomach cancers were the strongest among non-smoking females. The joint effects of both ETS and active smoking were strongest for all cancers, all smoking-related cancers, lung cancer, and stomach cancer. No clear interactions were observed. These results suggest that ETS exposure may increase the risk of smoking-related cancers in a Chinese population. Further studies on the relationship between ETS exposure and specific cancer sites are warranted to replicate our findings.
Ly-alpha/H-alpha Ratio of Singly Ionized Helium in Quasars

He II Ly-alpha 304/H-alpha 1640 emission lines are mainly produced by recombination, and their canonical ratio of about 10 may be a sensitive reddening indicator. We obtain the high S/N optical spectra of two quasars and combine them with the far-UV spectra that show the He II 304 emission. For HS 1700+64, the He II 1640 emission is not detected, and an upper limit to it sets the ratio greater than 20. For Q0302-003, the ratio is very low, on the order of unity. The most plausible cause for such a low ratio is extinction in the EUV band by very fine grains of dust. Q0302-003 has a prominent narrow component of FWHM ~ 2000 km/s in its major emission lines, and it appears that reddening is associated only with the line-emitting region. We suggest that the geometry of the line-emitting region in high-z quasars resembles that in the low-luminosity active galaxies, with the presence of dust mostly in the outer part.
Bridging the Gap Between Desktop and Mobile Devices.

As cell phones have adapted to becoming personalized computers, the functionality of these two different devices has converged. Conversely, the way people interact with these two platforms is vastly different. With much less space, different controls, and lower specifications, mobile interface design looks and feels significantly different than that of desktop devices. This paper aims to analyze what makes UI design for desktop applications different from mobile devices and how developers can ease this transition when porting from one device to another. The results of a survey found that computing power was a large factor in which device users chose for a particular task, while screen size was not quite as important. Through identifying differences in these applications and suggesting solutions, the awkward transition from bulky, powerful devices to the small screens of everyday mobile devices can be alleviated.
What we learned in the development of a third-year medical student curricular project.

The application of continuous systems improvement in medical education can provide actionable information for curriculum development, improvement, and future planning (as reported by Bowe and Armstrong, Acad Med 92:585–92, 2017). After receiving a medical education grant, we developed a curriculum to teach medical students how to use quality improvement (QI) to address health disparities in vulnerable populations. During the process of developing and implementing this curriculum, we learned several lessons. One of the major surprises was that our proposed project work took much longer to complete than anticipated. This was mainly because we did not have the right team assembled from the beginning. Specifically, we were missing a team member with evaluation expertise, and therefore we did not devise a systematic process for evaluation and assessment. Without periodic checks or timely assessments built into our curriculum design, we received feedback from students after it was too late to implement changes. We realized that our initial research design had some methodological flaws, which we later rectified. We encountered additional technical challenges during the curriculum implementation. We struggled with various online learning platforms. Through this, we learned the importance of being knowledgeable upfront about the features of learning platforms and adaptable to changing educational technologies. We also learned our curriculum could and should evolve to meet the needs of our learners and faculty. Moving forward, we realize the benefit of applying a quality improvement process to our curriculum development and implementation, which will help us to continuously transform medical education for future health care needs.
Catalytic Mechanism of Human Ten-Eleven Translocation-2 (TET2) Enzyme: Effects of Conformational Changes, Electric Field, and Mutations

Ten-eleven translocation (TET) family of enzymes are non-heme Fe(II)- and 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenases that perform oxidation of the methyl group of the 5-methylcytosine (5mC) on DNA. ...