cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
West Nile Virus Spreads Transsynaptically within the Pathways of Motor Control: Anatomical and Ultrastructural Mapping of Neuronal Virus Infection in the Primate Central Nervous System.

Background During recent West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks in the US, half of the reported cases were classified as neuroinvasive disease. WNV neuroinvasion is proposed to follow two major routes: hematogenous and/or axonal transport along the peripheral nerves. How virus spreads once within the central nervous system (CNS) remains unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings Using immunohistochemistry, we examined the expression of viral antigens in the CNS of rhesus monkeys that were intrathalamically inoculated with a wild-type WNV. The localization of WNV within the CNS was mapped to specific neuronal groups and anatomical structures. The neurological functions related to structures containing WNV-labeled neurons were reviewed and summarized. Intraneuronal localization of WNV was investigated by electron microscopy. The known anatomical connectivity of WNV-labeled neurons was used to reconstruct the directionality of WNV spread within the CNS using a connectogram design. Anatomical mapping revealed that all structures identified as containing WNV-labeled neurons belonged to the pathways of motor control. Ultrastructurally, virions were found predominantly within vesicular structures (including autophagosomes) in close vicinity to the axodendritic synapses, either at pre- or post-synaptic positions (axonal terminals and dendritic spines, respectively), strongly indicating transsynaptic spread of the virus between connected neurons. Neuronal connectivity-based reconstruction of the directionality of transsynaptic virus spread suggests that, within the CNS, WNV can utilize both anterograde and retrograde axonal transport to infect connected neurons. Conclusions/Significance This study offers a new insight into the neuropathogenesis of WNV infection in a primate model that closely mimics WNV encephalomyelitis in humans. We show that within the primate CNS, WNV primarily infects the anatomical structures and pathways responsible for the control of movement. Our findings also suggest that WNV most likely propagates within the CNS transsynaptically, by both, anterograde and retrograde axonal transport.
Microscydmus trianguliceps Franz and Pseudoeudesis sulcata Franz transferred to Afroeudesis Franz (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae)

Afroeudesis Franz was described as a subgenus of Pseudoeudesis Binaghi (Scydmaenini), with a single species from Tanzania. Recently, Afroeudesis was transferred to Glandulariini and elevated to generic rank, and the sub-Himalayan Nanoscydmus Jaloszynski was reduced to a subgenus of Afroeudesis. New surprising findings concerning Afroeudesis are presented here, extending the known geographic range of this enigmatic genus. Microscydmus trianguliceps Franz (Ivory Coast) and Pseudoeudesis sulcata Franz (SE Brazil) are transferred to Afroeudesis, each to a newly established subgenus: Eburneus subgen. n. and Eudesoides subgen. n., respectively. Afroeudesis (Eburneus) trianguliceps comb. n. and Afroeudesis (Eudesoides) sulcata comb. n. are redescribed. The genus name Eudesis is interpreted here as feminine; consequently Afroeudesis (Nanoscydmus) baoshanus is corrected to baoshana. The disjunct and possibly relict Gondwanan distribution of Afroeudesis is discussed.
Robots, Slaves, and the Paradox of the Human Condition in Isaac Asimov’s Robot Stories

Slaves and robots have in common that they are intended to obey orders. Therefore I suggest taking a close look at some of Isaac Asimov’s robot stories. Executing a program while detecting and overcoming problems and acting towards fulfillment of given instructions—all this makes a robot a perfect slave. In the same way as slave laws in the British Colonies in America were intended to keep slavery effective by confining slaves in their place, so are Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics the formal condition for the workability of a robot holding society. Asimov’s androids reveal the implicit impossibility of both robots and slaves by establishing the command structure that would be needed to keep the system working and then disassembling this structure. The Three Laws, as they are meant to guarantee protection, command, and operation, cannot possibly work with separate master/slave subjects. They are a paradoxical juxtaposition. And consequently, slavery is logically impossible.
Dissolution Failure of Solid Oral Drug Products in Field Alert Reports

From 2005 to 2014, 370 data entries of dissolution failures of solid oral drug products were assessed with respect to the solubility of drug substances, dosage forms [immediate release (IR) vs. modified release (MR)], and manufacturers (brand name vs. generic). The study results show that the solubility of drug substances does not play a significant role in dissolution failures; however, MR drug products fail dissolution tests more frequently than IR drug products. When multiple variables were analyzed simultaneously, poorly water-soluble IR drug products failed the most dissolution tests, followed by poorly soluble MR drug products and very soluble MR drug products. Interestingly, the generic drug products fail dissolution tests at an earlier time point during a stability study than the brand name drug products. Whether the dissolution failure of these solid oral drug products has any in vivo implication will require further pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, clinical, and drug safety evaluation. Food and Drug Administration is currently conducting risk-based assessment using in-house dissolution testing, physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation, and post-market surveillance tools. At the meantime, this interim report will outline a general scheme of monitoring dissolution failures of solid oral dosage forms as a pharmaceutical quality indicator.
Glomangioma of the knee with no response to sclerotherapy

Abstract Glomus tumors are rare usually benign tumors derived from a neuromyoarterial apparatus called the glomus body, which is great in number in the digits and helps to control body temperature. Glomus tumors are usually subungual; however, they have been reported in unusual locations such as viscera and other parts of the extremities. Glomangioma is a variant of glomus tumor and the two entities have minimal histologic differences. We report a case of glomangioma of the knee, which was previously diagnosed as hemangioma approximately 15years ago, and was treated multiple times with sclerotherapy. The tumor recurred each time after the sclerotherapy and started to slowly grow. Finally it was surgically excised and the diagnosis was made based on histopathology. This case demonstrates that glomus tumors should be considered in the differential diagnosis of vascular lesions which recur after sclerotherapy even in locations not typically associated with glomus tumors such as the knee. This possibility supports the benefit of surgical excision in refractory vascular lesions to support both diagnosis and more definitive treatment.
Genome Variation and Donor-Recipient Compatibility in Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Abstract Abstract SCI-12 Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after hematopoetic stem cell transplantion (HSCT) arises from differences between the genomes of donor and recipient. The fact that GVHD is common when HSCT involves HLA-identical siblings but almost never occurs when HSCT involves identical twins has long indicated that the human genome harbors histocompatibility loci outside the HLA locus. An important, unresolved question has involved what specific genomic loci might have potent effects on transplantation outcomes. Although GVHD is a disease of genome compatibility, it was until recently impossible to know all the genomic differences between any specific donor and recipient, or among the individuals in a population. 1. An ongoing revolution in genome analysis methods is making it possible to characterize genome variation almost completely. I will first describe what the complete sequencing of large numbers of human genomes in the 1000 Genomes Project is revealing about how antigen repertoire varies among the individuals in a population, or between any particular candidate donor and recipient. These results have surprising implications for research strategies to identify the genetic basis of histocompatibility barriers in human transplantation. 2. In this and earlier work, we have found a surprising number of genome polymorphisms that remove entire protein-coding genes from people's genomes. Many of these gene deletion alleles are sufficiently common that individuals inherit them from both parents and therefore lack completely an entire protein that is expressed in other individuals. The immune system of such an individual may tend to recognize epitopes encoded by that gene as alloantigens. Colleagues from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the Helsinki University Central Hospital and Finnish Red Cross, the University of Michigan, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Broad Institute recently came together to evaluate the relationship of six of these gene deletions to GVHD in clinical cohorts. We found that donor-recipient mismatch for one of these gene deletions – deletion of the UGT2B17 gene – associated in multiple clinical cohorts with the occurrence of acute GVHD after HSCT. This same gene has been found to give rise to histocompatibility antigens in individual HSCT patients, offering a molecular and cellular mechanism for its association with GVHD. 3. Finally, I will describe a strategy for identifying the genetic bases of histocompatibility barriers among individuals, based on our emerging understanding of how the human genome varies in populations. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Privacy on the Ground: Driving Corporate Behavior in the United States and Europe (Chapter 1)

Barely a week goes by without a new privacy revelation or scandal. Whether by hackers or spy agencies or social networks, violations of our personal information have shaken entire industries, corroded relations among nations, and bred distrust between democratic governments and their citizens. Polls reflect this concern, and show majorities for more, broader, and stricter regulation—to put more laws “on the books.” But there was scant evidence of how well tighter regulation actually worked “on the ground” in changing corporate (or government) behavior—until now. This paper is the Introduction from the book, Privacy on the Ground: Driving Corporate Behavior in the US and Europe, an intensive five-nation study that goes inside corporations to examine how the people charged with protecting privacy actually do their work, and what kinds of regulation effectively shape their behavior. The research yields a surprising result. The countries with more ambiguous regulation—Germany and the United States—had the strongest corporate privacy management practices, despite very different cultural and legal environments. The more rule-bound countries—like France and Spain—trended instead toward compliance processes, not embedded privacy practices. At a crucial time, when Big Data and the Internet of Things are snowballing, Privacy on the Ground helpfully searches out the best practices by corporations, provides guidance to policymakers, and offers important lessons for everyone concerned with privacy, now and in the future.
Lithic and Acoustic Stratigraphy of the Equatorial North Pacific: DOMES Sites A, B, and C

In surface sediment at the three DOMES sites in the equatorial North Pacific, the percentage of reworked fauna and the thickness of the acoustically transparent uppermost layer increases from east to west (Sites C to B to A) and the percentage of volcanogenic products decreases. On the basis of lithology and acoustic signature (3.5 kHz) this sediment can be correlated with surface sediment recovered in Deep Sea Drilling Project cores from this same area. It has been assigned to the radiolarian ooze unit of the Clipperton Ocean Formation. The underlying Marquesas Oceanic Formation, well documented in DSDP cores, was not observed in DOMES cores but was identified in the acoustic records as an acoustically transparent to weakly reflective unit. In the study area, the Clipperton Formation is commonly deeply eroded and unconformable with the sea-floor surface, but the Marquesas Formation is present everywhere and has a fairly uniform thickness.
Paper 29. Yaw Control in Waves

Results are given of a recently broadened investigation into the stability of ships in following seas, based on a theoretical study and model tests on Series 60 hull forms. The analysis is derived from perturbations to the steady yaw, sway, surge and automatic control equations. At low frequencies of encounter, corresponding to high ship speeds, it is found that significant destabilizing effects arise from the large surge forces generated by the waves, leading to broaching: stability is greatly improved by appropriate characteristics of the control system. At higher encounter frequencies, typical of lower speed ships, oscillating yaw and sway motions are induced and the rudder has little influence. The study clarifies the influences of wave encounter frequency, encounter angle, control system constants and ship configuration.
Coherent and Incoherent Scattering Mechanisms in Air-Filled Permeable Materials

Ultrasonic evaluation of porous materials can take advantage of some very specific acoustic phenomena that occur only in fluid-saturated consolidated solids of continuously connected pore structure. The most interesting feature of acoustic wave propagation in such media is the appearance of a second compressional wave, the so-called slow wave [1,2]. The slow compressional wave represents a relative motion between the fluid and the solid frame. This motion is very sensitive to the kinematic viscosity of the fluid and the dynamic permeability of the porous formation. Certain material properties such as tortuosity, permeability, porosity, and pore size, shape and surface quality are inherently connected to the porous nature of the material and can be evaluated best from the propagation properties of the slow compressional wave.
Time-on-Task Effect During Sleep Deprivation in Healthy Young Adults Is Modulated by Dopamine Transporter Genotype.

Study Objectives The time-on-task (TOT) effect and total sleep deprivation (TSD) have similar effects on neurobehavioral functioning, including increased performance instability during tasks requiring sustained attention. The TOT effect is exacerbated by TSD, suggesting potentially overlapping mechanisms. We probed these mechanisms by investigating genotype-phenotype relationships on psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) performance for 3 a-priori selected genes previously linked to the TOT effect and/or TSD: dopamine active transporter 1 (DAT1), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). Methods N = 82 healthy adults participated in 1 of 3 laboratory studies. A 10-min PVT was administered repeatedly during 38 h of TSD. We assessed changes in response time (RT) across each minute of the PVT as a function of time awake and genotype. Additionally, cumulative relative RT frequency distributions were constructed to examine changes in performance from the first to the second 5 min of the PVT as a function of genotype. Results DAT1, COMT, and TNFα were associated with differences in the build-up of the TOT effect across the 10-min PVT. DAT1 additionally modulated the interaction between TSD and the TOT effect. Subjects homozygous for the DAT1 10-repeat allele were relatively protected against TOT deficits on the PVT during TSD compared to carriers of the 9-repeat allele. Conclusions DAT1 is known to regulate dopamine reuptake and is highly expressed in the striatum. Our results implicate striatal dopamine in mechanisms involved in performance instability that appear to be common to TSD and the TOT effect. Furthermore, DAT1 may be a candidate biomarker of resilience to the build-up of performance impairment across TOT due to TSD.
Childhood Trauma Is Associated With Poorer Cognitive Performance in Older Adults

OBJECTIVE Childhood trauma is common and associated with both worse cognitive performance and disruption to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in younger adults. The extent to which these associations persist into older adulthood remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported childhood trauma in relation to cognitive performance, and the extent to which cortisol explained this association, in 2 independent samples of older adults. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, participants in the discovery sample (N = 76) consisted of older adults with a DSM-IV diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (N = 57) and age-equated psychiatrically healthy comparison subjects (N = 19) who were referred largely through primary care clinics between 2004-2006. The replication sample (N = 48) consisted of older adults with DSM-IV anxiety or depressive disorders recruited between 2012-2013. Participants were administered the Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report-Short Form and a neuropsychological assessment (primary outcome). RESULTS Across both samples, childhood trauma was significantly associated with worse performance on measures of processing speed, attention, and executive functioning. The effect of trauma exposure was stronger when general, physical, and sexual traumatic events were examined specifically (all P < .05). Childhood trauma was not associated with cortisol levels, and cortisol did not explain the association between trauma and cognitive functioning. CONCLUSIONS Self-reported traumatic events experienced in childhood are associated with poorer cognitive performance in anxious and depressed older adults. Findings demonstrate a deleterious impact of childhood trauma on brain health in old age.
Binary Decision Diagrams

Binary decision diagrams provide a data structure for representing and manipulating Boolean functions in symbolic form. They have been especially effective as the algorithmic basis for symbolic model checkers. A binary decision diagram represents a Boolean function as a directed acyclic graph, corresponding to a compressed form of decision tree. Most commonly, an ordering constraint is imposed among the occurrences of decision variables in the graph, yielding ordered binary decision diagrams (OBDD). Representing all functions as OBDDs with a common variable ordering has the advantages that (1) there is a unique, reduced representation of any function, (2) there is a simple algorithm to reduce any OBDD to the unique form for that function, and (3) there is an associated set of algorithms to implement a wide variety of operations on Boolean functions represented as OBDDs. Recent work in this area has focused on generalizations to represent larger classes of functions, as well as on scaling implementations to handle larger and more complex problems.
Insights into Magneto-Optics of Helical Conjugated Polymers.

Materials with magneto-optic (MO) properties have enabled critical fiber-optic applications and highly sensitive magnetic field sensors. While traditional MO materials are inorganic in nature, new generations of MO materials based on organic semiconducting polymers could allow increased versatility for device architectures, manufacturing options, and flexible mechanics. However, the origin of MO activity in semiconducting polymers is far from understood. In this paper, we report high MO activity observed in a chiral helical poly-3-(alkylsulfone)thiophene (P3AST), which confirms a new design for the creation of a giant Faraday effect with Verdet constants up to (7.63 ± 0.78) × 104 deg T–1 m–1 at 532 nm. We have determined that the sign of the Verdet constant and its magnitude are related to the helicity of the polymer at the measured wavelength. The Faraday rotation and the helical conformation of P3AST are modulated by thermal annealing, which is further supported by DFT calculations and MD simulations. O...
Bridging the Gulfs: Modifying an Educational Augmented Reality App to Account for Target Users’ Age Differences

This case study describes our process of modifying an augmented reality (AR) application called Spartan SR for spatial reasoning training for a different, younger user group. Originally designed for undergraduate college students, the application was modified for use by middle school students. Our modifications were designed to bridge certain gulfs of execution and evaluation in interactions with the application in ways that accounted for differences between college and middle-school students. Differences in age groups included reduced relevant prior knowledge and developmental differences in concrete versus abstract reasoning and problem solving as well as self-regulation and motivation. Using direct observation and focus group interviews, we identified modifications that seemed effective and others that needed additional refinement. Learned lessons include the need to redesign interface elements to help students navigate the Spartan SR environment; the value of introducing “real world” objects to scaffold the transition to more abstract shapes; the power of introducing elements of gamification; and the effects of various difficulty levels. These lessons led to iterative redesigns that have promise for improved user experiences at various age and learner levels.
IgE and the High-Affinity Receptor, FcεRI: The IgE-CD23 Interaction

High and low affinity receptors for IgE antibody are key molecular components of the atopic condition because they allow cells to bind IgE, conferring to the cell a sensitivity to substances in the environment. But there are many facets to the life cycle of Fc?RI and Fc?RII, beginning with events that modulate their presence on the cell surface and in the case of Fc?RII, including events which generate a soluble form of Fc?RII. This chapter will explore recent observations concerning the regulation of these receptors and regulation of immune responses by these receptors.
Rabbit IgA heavy chain genes: cloning and in vitro expression.

Southern blot analysis of rabbit germline DNA showed the rabbit genome contained at least 10 Ca genes (1). This observation was of particular interest since both mouse and human have only one and two Ca genes, respectively. Genomic blot data are consistent with studies of rabbit IgA heavy chain allotypes which suggested the existence of multiple IgA isotypes (2–4), To further examine the complexity and genetic control of rabbit IgA, we have undertaken molecular and genetic studies of the IgA heavy chains.
The Relevance of Downstep for a Phonetic Component

In this chapter, it will be shown that the study of downstep systems can shed light on the distinction between phonetic and phonological components. Downstep is particularly relevant in this respect because it involves the phonetic interpretation of phonological strings. Consider the following examples from Tiv, in which the phonetic pitch level of ga ‘not’ depends on the preceding tone: Open image in new window (1) Although phonlogically ga is the same in the both examples — linked to a H-tone — its phonetic realization is different. In (1a), ga is on the same pitch-level as a (also H-toned), while in (1b), ga is phonetically lower than a because of the intervening L-toned ver dza.
Capitalist Production and the Problem of Public Goods

We have tried to demolish socialism on the economic as well as moral fronts. Having reduced it to a phenomenon of exclusively socio-psychologi cal significance, i.e., a phenomenon for whose existence neither good economic nor good moral reasons can be found, its roots were explained in terms of aggression and the corruptive influence that a policy of divide et impera exercises on public opinion. The last chapter returned to economics in order to give the final blows to socialism by engaging in the constructive task of explaining the workings of a capitalist social order as socialism’s economically superior rival, ready for adoption at any time. In terms of con sumer evaluations, capitalism was indicated as being superior with respect to the allocation of production factors, the quality of the output of goods produced, and the preservation of values embodied in capital over time. The so-called monopoly problem allegedly associated with a pure market system was in fact demonstrated not to constitute any special problem at all. Rather, everything said about the normally more efficient functioning of capitalism is true also with respect to monopolistic producers, as long as they are indeed subject to the control of voluntary purchases or voluntary abstentions from purchases by consumers.
Van der Waals interfaces in epitaxial vertical metal/2D/3D semiconductor heterojunctions of monolayer MoS2 and GaN

A promising approach for high speed and high power electronics is to integrate two-dimensional (2D) materials with conventional electronic components such as bulk (3D) semiconductors and metals. In this study we explore a basic integration step of inserting a single monolayer MoS2 (1L-MoS2) inside a Au/p-GaN junction and elucidate how it impacts the structural and electrical properties of the junction. Epitaxial 1L-MoS2 in the form of triangle domains are grown by powder vaporization on a p-doped GaN substrate, and the Au capping layer is deposited by evaporation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the van der Waals interface indicates that 1L-MoS2 remained distinct and intact between the Au and GaN and that the Au is epitaxial to GaN only when the 1L-MoS2 is present. Quantitative TEM analyses of the van der Waals interfaces are performed and yielded the atomic plane spacings in the heterojunction. Electrical characterization of the all-epitaxial, vertical Au/1L-MoS2/p-GaN heterojunctions enables the derivations of Schottky barrier heights (SBH) and drawing of the band alignment diagram. Notably, 1L-MoS2 appears to be electronically semi-transparent, and thus can be considered as a modifier to the Au contact rather than an independent semiconductor component forming a pn-junction. The I–V analysis and our first principles calculation indicated Fermi level pinning and substantial band bending in GaN at the interface. Lastly, we illustrate how the depletion regions are formed in a bipolar junction with an ultrathin monolayer component using the calculated distribution of the charge density across the Au/1L-MoS2/GaN junction.
Treatment of Congenital Ptosis with Frontalis Suspension: A Comparison of Suspensory Materials

Abstract One hundred forty-five consecutive frontalis suspension procedures performed during the years 1976 to 1982 at the Wills Eye Hospital for the repair of congenital ptosis were reviewed. Results with nylon polyfilament cabletype suture (Supramid Extra®) as the suspensory material were compared to results with allogenic fascia lata. Forty-nine of the 121 polyfilament cable-type suture procedures (40.5%) were considered failures either because of ptosis recurrence (28.1%) or granuloma formation (12.4%). Only two of 24 (8.3%) of the fascia lata cases failed. No granuloma was associated with the use of fascia lata. The clinical and pathologic characteristics of ptosis recurrence and suture-rejection granuloma formation are discussed. Available preparations of allogenic fascia lata are reviewed and suggested as alternatives to the use of nylon polyfilament cable-type sutures for the repair of congenital ptosis.
Linear Correlations of Substituent Effects in 1H, 19F, and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr), from its inception, has provided useful and sometimes unique information about molecules. Nuclear shielding and spin-spin coupling data could lead to a complete understanding of the electronic environment of magnetic nuclei. This potential, however, has been only partly realised, primarily because theoretical interpretations of magnetic phenomena have not yet been as successful as empirical ones in providing information about the nature of electronic environments in and the transmission of electronic effects through a molecule.
Cancer-causing somatic mutations: they are neither necessary nor sufficient

For over a century, the somatic mutation theory of carcinogenesis (SMT) has been adopted by researchers as the theory of record to explain the vast bio-medical implications of the cancer disease. Central to this theory is the notion that mutated alleged cancer genes are responsible for the cancer phenotype(s). Despite generous sustained funding and unwavering research commitments, the presence and the roles of genomic mutations remain undefined and controversial. Our analysis of the merits of causatively linking mutated cancer genes and cancer phenotypes suggests that such mutations are neither necessary nor sufficient.
Chronic wasting disease detection and mortality sources in semi-protected deer population

Surveillance for wildlife diseases is essential for assessing population dynamics of ungulates, especially in free-ranging populations where infected animals are difficult to sample. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an emerging infectious disease of concern because of the potential for substantial negative effects on populations of cervids. Variability in the likelihood that CWD is detected could invalidate traditional estimators for prevalence. In some instances, deer located after death cannot be tested for infectious diseases, including CWD, because of lack of availability or condition of appropriate tissues. We used various methods to detect infectious diseases that could cause mortality for deer Odocoileus spp. residing in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, USA, and we report survival estimates for animals in this population. We included 34 monthly encounters of deer resightings and 67 mortalities. We tested live deer by tonsillar biopsy for CWD and estimated pooled prevalence (mean ± SE) at 5.6 ± 3.0% over the three-year study. Live deer potentially had exposure to several infectious diseases, including bluetongue, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, bovine viral diarrhea, West Nile virus, and malignant catarrhal fever, but no apparent morbidity or mortality from those diseases. We tested survival and influence of covariates, including age and sex, using known-fate analysis in Program MARK. Those data best supported a model with time-invariant encounter probability and an annual survival of 72.8%. Even without direct pressure from hunting within the park, average life expectancy in this population was 3.2 years. Only 68% of mortalities contained sufficient material for CWD sampling (because of predation and scavenger activity) and >42% of these were CWD-positive. These findings underscore the possible biases in postmortem surveillance estimates of disease prevalence because of potential for subclinical infected animals to be removed by predators and not tested.
Marijuana use among adolescents is associated with deleterious alterations in mature BDNF

Background: With increases in marijuana use and legalization efforts, it is imperative to establish its impact on the developing brain. Therefore, we investigated whether exposure to marijuana alters brain derived neurotropic-factor (BDNF), given its critical role in brain development and plasticity. We then examined whether onset age of cannabis use was associated with more severe changes. A single site, cohort study following 500 urban healthy American adolescents. Changes in plasma m-BDNF levels were longitudinally assessed, and a multi-method approach was implemented to ascertain marijuana use. Multivariate and general linear model (GLM) regression modeling were utilized to test the main hypothesis, controlling for confounders. Results: Group-based trajectory modeling identified four distinct groups, characterized by naive (60% control), starters (14%), chronic users (20%), and experimenting/quitters (6%). Compared to controls, those initiating marijuana use had similar pre-existent m-BDNF (1939.2 ± 221 vs. 2640.7 ± 1309 ng/ml, p=0.4) After adjusting for confounding factors, GLM analyses revealed that, compared to controls, younger adolescents increased BDNF levels when experimenting and during moderate marijuana use. Older adolescents had a steeper increase in endogenous BDNF levels, particularly when escalating use. Multivariate analyses confirmed marijuana use as a predictor of m-BDNF (p = 0.001). Conclusions: This is the first study demonstrating BDNF alterations were not a precondition. Rather, BDNF alteration was secondary to marijuana use, serving as cautionary evidence of marijuana’s deleterious effects. Findings suggest that when marijuana use escalates, the BDNF pathway becomes more deregulated. Analyses confirm that age of marijuana use onset influences the magnitude of these changes.
Visualization of Mitral Valve Tunnel Aneurysm by Transesophageal Echocardiography

We report the echocardiographic findings in a patient with a mitral valve aneurysm, probably occurring as a complication of aortic valve endocarditis. Transesophageal echocardiography showed a tunnel-shaped aneurysm of the atrial side of the anterior mitral leaflet, expanding in systole and collapsing in diastole. Transesophageal echocardiography is a useful diagnostic tool for the evaluation of mitral valve pathology.
3189 Transmitting wisdom and enhancing KL2 training through the use of exit presentations

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: -Transmit learning and wisdom from past scholars -Predispose new scholars towards a receptive attitude -Normalize struggle and failure on the road to success -Encourage a community of accomplishment and celebration -Connect the scholar METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The exit presentations were given by NCATS funded junior faculty in the CTSI KL2 Scholars Program who had graduated. All KL2 Scholars take part in the K Scholar Multidisciplinary Seminar Series that meets weekly during the academic calendar. The departed scholars returned for the presentations the following semester. The audience was made up of KL2 who had started with a later cohort, the CTSI KL2 program is a 3-year program, and newly appointed scholars. Scholars were given 12-15 minutes to cover: 1) What was learned, 2) Accomplishments on specific aims, 3) Next steps for project and career, and 4) Recommendations for other scholars. Presentations were collected and reviewed for recurring themes. Themes were grouped and quotes were included to identify nuance. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: From the 17 exit presentations, six themes were identified: 1) Don’t miss the forest for the trees (x10) – “the KL2 program helps to fill in gaps scholars don’t realize they have – it is about more than just the research project, trust in the process and let the program help keep you on track.” 2) Diversify and keep an open mind (x7) – “focus is important but diversifying research and reorganizing priorities is ok.” 3) Don’t be discouraged by failure (x6) –” perseverance is key, all success comes on the heels of many failures.” 4) Importance of building network inside and outside of Scholar program (x6) – “importance of exploring and establishing collaborations” 5) Learn to say no and yes (x5) – “protect your time but be open to opportunities” 6) Seek advice and criticism but don’t follow blindly (x4) DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The use of exit presentations for graduating KL2 Scholars is a useful tool in transmitting wisdom and enhancing subsequent KL2 cohorts. The Scholar’s experience and trajectory, share personal insights and recommendations to help other Scholars get the most out of their KL2 experience, give the community a chance to celebrate the Scholar’s accomplishments, and provide the Scholar with a sense of closure in their KL2 journey. Within the exit presentations, six common themes emerged relating to best practices on making good use of resources and guidance, and learning to interact and navigate within networks and responsibilities in a mature way. Scholars in the audience benefit from hearing the insights and advice from their predecessors. The identification of themes helps the program to understand where it adds value.
Energy balance-related factors associating with adolescent weight loss intent: evidence from the 2017 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey

The purpose of this study was to examine specific energy balance-related behaviors (sedentary behaviors, physical activity, and dietary) associating with adolescent weight loss intent using data from the 2017 US Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). This was a cross-sectional study that employed a multi-stage cluster sampling procedure to obtain a representative sample of US adolescents. The target population consisted of public and private high schoolers from grades 9 through 12. The number of sampled adolescents was 18,324 with 14,765 of the 18,324 sampled students (Mean age = 15.9 (1.3) years) submitting questionnaires with usable data (81% response rate). The outcome was intent to lose weight with specific energy-balance related behaviors examined as predictor variables. A weighted logistic regression model was employed to examine the associations between sedentary behaviors, physical activity, and dietary-related variables with weight loss intent controlling for age, sex, BMI percentile, and race/ethnicity. Variables associating with adolescent intent to lose weight included 3 or more hours of video game playing (OR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.01–1.31, p = 0.028), achieving 60 min of physical activity daily (OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.59–0.73, p < 0.001), daily breakfast consumption (OR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.67–0.87, p < 0.001) and weekly salad consumption (OR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.12–1.52, p = 0.001). Meeting physical activity guidelines and regular breakfast consumption associated with lower odds of weight loss intent and video game playing and salad consumption associated with higher odds of weight loss intent in a representative sample of US adolescents. Therefore, there is a discordance between adolescent weight loss intent and the engagement in specific energy balance-related health behaviors, particularly physical activity.
Patient Trade-Offs Related to Analgesic Use for Cancer Pain: A MaxDiff Analysis Study.

Abstract Purpose Many patients with cancer pain deviate from prescribed analgesic regimens. Our aim was to elicit the trade-offs patients make based on their beliefs about analgesic use and rank utilities (importance scores) using maximum difference (MaxDiff) scaling. We also investigated if there were unique clusters of patients based on their analgesic beliefs. Methods This was a secondary analysis of a three-month, prospective observational study. Patients (N = 207) were self-identified African Americans and Whites, >18 years, diagnosed with multiple myeloma or solid tumor, and were prescribed at least one around-the-clock analgesic for cancer pain. MaxDiff analysis allowed us to identify patients utilities. Second, a cluster analysis assisted in ranking how analgesic beliefs differed by groups. Third, clusters were described by comparing key sociodemographic and clinical variables. Results Participants’ beliefs were a significant factor in choices related to analgesic use (chi-square = 498.145, p Conclusions Our findings support tailored pain management interventions that attend to individual beliefs about cancer pain and analgesic use. Future research should explore the relationship between analgesic utilities, actual analgesic taking behaviors, and how they impact patients’ cancer pain outcomes.
Research on equivalent height compensation measurement method of UHF partial dispenser based on GTEM cell

Abstract Based on the GTEM chamber for the equivalent height detection method of UHF partial discharge tester, this paper simulates the electric field at the top of the GTEM window. The results show that the electric field strength changes significantly along the position of the top fenestration axis. This change will have a non-negligible effect on the accuracy of the UHF partial discharge equivalent height measurement. In this way, an equivalent height compensation method for the UHF partial discharge tester is proposed. The method compensates for the electric field of the reference sensor position by using the electric field of the measured sensor position as a standard. Through the comparison before and after compensation, the method can effectively improve the accuracy of the equivalent height measurement of the UHF partial discharge tester.
Plasmon drag effect pinning and molecule adsorption (Conference Presentation)

This talk will describe the recent progress in plasmon drag effect studies. Recently, we have predicted that illumination of metals by light induces a new force on electrons – which we called the spin force. This force should result in pinning of the net plasmon-induced electromotive force to an atomically thin layer at the metal interface [Durach, Noginova, Phys. Rev. B 96, 195411 (2017)]. Consequently, the plasmonic group at NIST conducted experiments that show that plasmon drag effect (light-induced current) is different in ambient air and in 10-3 Pa vacuum and depends on the molecules adsorbed at the metal interface [Strait et al, arXiv:1812.01673 (2018)], confirming our prediction about the plasmon drag pinning to the atomic layer at the metal interface. Thus our prediction of plasmon drag pinning paves way for a multitude of applications in physics, chemistry and surface science.
Carbon dots for highly effective photodynamic inactivation of multidrug-resistant bacteria

For addressing the ever increasing challenge of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections, specifically designed and prepared carbon dots (CDots) of small carbon nanoparticles with surface functionalization–passivation by oligomeric polyethylenimine were found to be readily activated by visible light to effectively and efficiently inactivate MDR bacterial strains. The inactivation was evaluated under various combinations of experimental conditions (dot concentrations, light intensities, and treatment times), with the results collectively suggesting CDots as a new class of promising agents for combating MDR bacteria. Mechanistic origins and implications of the observed strong antibacterial actions as relevant to the photoexcited state processes in CDots and the photodynamically induced cellular damages leading to the death of the bacterial cells were explored, with the results discussed.
The persistent global burden of severe acute malnutrition: Cross-country estimates, models and forecasts

Abstract Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is a leading cause of childhood disease and death. Existing SAM data are sparse and depend on point prevalence measures that underestimate its true burden. Given the significance of SAM as an indicator of humanitarian progress and a driver of human development, a forecast of its long-term burden is needed. We use UNICEF prevalence data of severe wasting for 150 countries to measure SAM prevalence and build a model that we embed in International Futures. We estimate that, in 2014, there were 28.8 million SAM cases globally among children under age five and that this will decline to 21.7 million cases by 2030, with India accounting for 52% of this reduction, and growth (from 8.1 to 9.0 million cases) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Forecasts are sensitive to uncertainty around the drivers of SAM, particularly conflict. A 0.5 s d. variation in conflict relative to the Base Case forecast yields a range of 19.5–29.3 million cases globally in 2030. We also find that the drivers of SAM are forecast to decline more slowly than traditional drivers of undernutrition. SAM will therefore account for a growing share of children under five who are undernourished in the future. This growing share of SAM cases will be heavily concentrated in societies burdened by poor governance and conflict. The future of SAM is most sensitive to uncertainty associated with the future of internal conflict.
The Term Structure of Credit Spreads: Theory and Evidence on Credit Default Swaps

Using a large data set on credit default swaps, we perform a joint analysis of the term structure of interest rates, credit spreads, and liquidity premia. We select reference companies that fall into two broad industry sectors and two broad credit rating classes. Within each sector and credit rating class, we divide the companies into two liquidity groups based on the quote updating frequency. We then study how the term structures of credit default risk premia differ across industry sectors, credit rating classes, and liquidity groups. We develop a class of dynamic term structure models that include two benchmark interest-rate factors, two credit risk factors for the high-liquidity groups, and an additional default risk factor and a liquidity risk factor that capture the difference between the two liquidity groups. We link these factors to the instantaneous benchmark interest rate and credit spread via both an affine function and a quadratic function, and compare their relative performance. We estimate the models using a three-step procedure. First, we estimate the interest-rate factor dynamics and the instantaneous interest rate function using the libor and swap rates. Second, we take the interest-rate factors and estimate the default-risk dynamics and the instantaneous credit spread function using the average credit default spreads of the high-liquidity group for each industry sector and credit rating class. Third, we identify an additional credit risk factor and a liquidity risk factor using the credit default swap spreads in the low-liquidity group. At each step, we cast the models into a state-space form and estimate the model parameters using quasi-maximum likelihood method. Estimation shows that the quadratic specifications generate better and more uniform performance across the term structure of interest rates and credit spreads. Furthermore, firms in different industry and credit rating classes have different default risk dynamics. Nevertheless, in all cases, default risks exhibit intricate dynamic interactions with the interest-rate factors. Interest-rate factors both predict the default risk and have a contemporaneous impact on it. Within each industry and credit rating class, the average credit default swap spreads for the high-liquidity group are significantly higher than for the low-liquidity group. Estimation shows that the difference is driven by both default risk and liquidity difference. The low-liquidity group has a lower default arrival rate, and also a much heavier discounting due to low liquidity.