cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Latino immigrants, depressive symptoms, and cognitive behavioral therapy: A systematic review

Abstract Background In order to address the needs of the growing Latino immigrant population, this study aimed to systematically review peer-reviewed articles of intervention studies that used cognitive behavioral therapy to treat depressive symptoms among Latino immigrants in the U.S. Methods We searched PsycINFO, PubMed, and Medline databases from January 1995 through July 2016 as part of a registered review protocol (PROSPERO) following PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were intervention studies that used cognitive behavioral techniques to treat depressive symptoms among a predominantly U.S. Latino immigrant sample -- or subsample with disaggregated results, and the use of standardized measures of depression. We used the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute quality assessment tools for systematic reviews to assess risk of bias. Results We identified 11 studies that met inclusion criteria. Nine of the included studies reported a reduction of depressive symptoms. Each study used a least one cultural adaptation to deliver the intervention. Using an existing content model, cultural adaptations were categorized as (a) cognitive-informational adaptations, (b) affective-motivational adaptations, and (c) environmental adaptations. Limitations Heterogeneity of articles in terms of sample size, cultural adaptations, methodological rigor, and setting limited comparability of effectiveness across studies. Conclusions Culturally adapted CBT to address depressive symptoms among Latino immigrants appears promising but further research is needed. The most commonly used cultural adaptations included language, inclusion of migration experience, and adjusting for literacy level. Study design elements and adaptations were often responsive to geographic characteristics and available resources.
Pacification and Patronage in the Maratha Deccan, 1803–1818*

This article examines pacification operations conducted by British colonial armies throughout the Maratha Deccan from 1803 to 1818. The East India Company assembled concentrations of coercive force by extending patronage to loyalist elites and mobile war bands. Military contingents from allied princely states were mobilized and combined with a policy of brokerage intended to demobilize hostile forces holed up in forts or engaged in brigandage. Pacification through a mixture of negotiations and force ensured loyalist groups a privileged place in the emerging colonial order.
Are the kids alright? Review books and the internet as the most common study resources for the general surgery clerkship

Abstract Background To define resources deemed most important to medical students on their general surgery clerkship, we evaluated their material utilization. Methods A prospective study was conducted amongst third-year medical students using a 20-item survey. Descriptive statistics were performed on the demographics. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney analyses were performed on the Likert responses (α = 0.05). Results Survey response was 69.2%. Use of review books and Internet was significantly higher compared to all other resources (p 0.05). Conclusions Resources used by students reflect access to high-yield material and increased Internet use. The Internet and review books were used more than the recommended textbook; NBME results were not affected. Understanding study habits and resource use will help guide curricular development and students' self-regulated learning.
Synthesis of Antimicrobial Poly(guanylurea)s

Bacterial infections are serious health threats. Emerging drug resistance in bacteria further poses serious challenges to the treatment options involving traditional antibiotics. Antimicrobial polymers disrupt the physical cell membrane integrity of bacteria to address the drug resistance problems. Here, we introduce a conceptually new class of antimicrobial polymers containing positively charged guanylurea backbones for enhanced antimicrobial effects. The initial structure–activity relationship studies demonstrate that poly(guanylurea piperazine)s (PGU-Ps) exhibit excellent antimicrobial activity against different types of bacteria with high selectivity. The new design concept of using a positively charged guanylurea backbone will contribute to the development of future biocompatible, specific, and selective antimicrobial polymers.
Warming Induces Significant Reprogramming of Beige, but Not Brown, Adipocyte Cellular Identity

Summary Beige and brown adipocytes generate heat in response to reductions in ambient temperature. When warmed, both beige and brown adipocytes exhibit morphological "whitening," but it is unknown whether or to what extent this represents a true shift in cellular identity. Using cell-type-specific profiling in vivo , we uncover a unique paradigm of temperature-dependent epigenomic plasticity of beige, but not brown, adipocytes, with conversion from a brown to a white chromatin state. Despite this profound shift in cellular identity, warm whitened beige adipocytes retain an epigenomic memory of prior cold exposure defined by an array of poised enhancers that prime thermogenic genes for rapid response during a second bout of cold exposure. We further show that a transcriptional cascade involving glucocorticoid receptor and Zfp423 can drive warm-induced whitening of beige adipocytes. These studies identify the epigenomic and transcriptional bases of an extraordinary example of cellular plasticity in response to environmental signals.
Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Use of Evidence-Based Concepts Following an Educational Intervention

Context: While evidence-based practice (EBP) concepts are being taught in health profession education programs, models of instruction and effectiveness of these models are not evident in athletic training. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Evidence-Based Teaching Model (EBTM) in increasing student knowledge, attitudes, and use of evidence-based concepts. Design: Within subjects design with pre- and post-test evaluations of students' knowledge, attitudes, and intended use using the researcher-developed Evidence-Based Concepts: Knowledge, Attitudes and Use (EBCKAU) survey. Setting: CAATE-accredited undergraduate programs. Participants: Eighty-two students from a stratified purposeful sample of 9 institutions were enrolled in the study, 78 students (95%) completed the knowledge portion of the survey, while 68 students (83%) fully completed the knowledge, attitudes, and use portions of the survey. Data Collection and Analysis: The EBCKAU survey was used to assess student factors relating to EBP ...
Molecular Basis and Role of Differential Cytokine Production in T Helper Cell Subsets in Immunologic Disease

T cells mediate a wide range of immunologic functions including the capacity to help B cells develop into antibody-producing cells, the capacity to increase the microbicidal action of monocytes, and the mobilization of the immune response.1 These effects depend on the expression of specific cell surface molecules known as T cell receptors, which recognize antigen in the presence of major histocompatability molecules on the surface of antigen presenting cells. 2
The creation of RICO : Law as a knowledge diffusion process

This paper uses historical content analysis to examine the developmentof the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). It is argued that certain historical events led to the definition of organized crime as an alien conspiracy and helped shape the RICO law. The theoreticalframeworks of sociology of knowledge and innovation diffusion are used to relate the development of RICO to the alien conspiracy view. Thoughtof in this context, law is the result of a knowledge creation and diffusion process. This paper demonstrates how one knowledge diffusion process (the acceptance of organized crime as a national conspiracy)affected a new knowledge creation process culminating in the RICO law.
The Search for Better Contraception

Prior to the watershed year of 1959, the Ford Foundation confined its population effort to support of demographic studies, carefully avoiding entanglement with birth control or contraception lest it offend Catholic sensibilities, particularly those of the chairman of the board, Henry Ford II. But assuring itself of Henry II’s nihil obstat, the foundation made a $1.4 million general support grant to the Population Council in March 1959 that explicitly included support for biomedical research. And in June 1959 we organized a meeting of the leading reproductive scientists of the day, who agreed that while most established researchers were adequately funded, the foundation might want to increase the supply of young scientists entering the field.
Nuclear medicine computing

Demand for the newest and most elaborate Nuclear Medicine equipment is at an all time high. Never has there been more to offer than now with such improvements as large field of view, high resolution, whole-body capability and so on. The dedicated minicomputer systems that are available to go with these latest imaging devices are equally impressive. Still, the headaches associated with putting together a full capability camera/computer system are numerous. Things just do not seem to go together the way they ought to. If we are to truly get the most value out of our new equipment, we must put tremendous work loads on our clinical staff by expecting them to use very awkward and poorly configured systems in which several complicated steps are required to produce the finished product ready for the reading room. The relatively low usage factor which most clinical Nuclear Medicine computer systems experience is not surprising when we consider the ridiculous way in which these systems are configured. It is time for a little human engineering to be introduced into the design process. Unfortunately, this proliferation of equipment is wasteful of money as well as the operator’s time. It would make more sense to consolidate the multitude of displays and controlling elements into a single console which would allow a single operator to perform all necessary data processing operations quickly and interactively.
Census 2000 Partnership and Marketing Program Evaluation

To evaluate the Census 2000 integrated marketing strategy, the Census Bureau contracted with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) to conduct a national representative sample survey. In addition to having a nationalrepresentative sample, NORC oversampled populations whichare historically undercounted in the census. Using threecross-sectional mixed mode surveys, NORC obtained baseline,pre- and post-census measures of awareness, attitudes, knowledge,and mailback intentions over the period of the census. This paperreports on some of the preliminary results from the NORC reportof the Partnership and Marketing Program (PMP) evaluation.
System and Procesor Design Effort Estimation

Design complexity is rapidly becoming a limiting factor in the design of modern high-performance digital systems. The increasing levels of design effort required to improve and implement critical processor and system structures have led to staggering design costs. As we design ever larger and more complex systems, it is becoming increasingly difficult to estimate how much time it takes to design and verify them. Novel quantitative and optimization approaches are needed to understand and deal with the limiting effects induced by design complexity, which remain for the most part hidden from the architect. To address part of these shortcomings, this work introduces μ Complexity and μPCBComplexity, a set of methodologies to measure and estimate design effort for modern processor and PCB (printed circuit board) designs.
Stochastic bi-level optimization models for efficient operating room planning

Abstract Within a hospital, the operating room (OR) department has the largest cost and revenue. Because of the aging population, the demand for surgical services has been increasing sharply in recent years. At the other hand, the rate of OR capacity expansion is lower than the rate of increasing demand. As a result, OR managers must leverage their resources by efficient OR planning. OR planning is challenging because of multiple competing\conflicting objectives such cost minimization and throughput maximization. Inherent uncertainty in the surgical procedures and patients arrivals complicate the decision making process. This increases the risk of non-realization of the system objectives. In this paper, stochastic bi-level optimization models were formulated to optimize total cost and throughput of ORs under the presence of uncertainties in patient arrivals and case times. Newsvendor model and chance-constrained optimization method were used to optimize multiple objectives under the presence of uncertainties. Using historical data, a simulation model was established to validate the results of optimization models. Using statistical process control (SPC) stability of each model was investigated. Using bi-level optimization, we addressed managerial preferences over total cost and throughput. Optimizing one objective may lead to compromise on the optimality of the other objective, which generates trade-offs. Using a trade-off balancing model, we found solutions that minimize the sum of deviations from the best solutions for both total cost and throughput. Trade-off balancing optimization models may lead to better solutions, compared to traditional multi-objective optimization models. The results of this paper are applicable to manufacturing systems, where managers face multiple objectives and uncertainties in the system.
High Burden of Palliative Care Needs of Older Adults During Emergency Major Abdominal Surgery.

Objectives To quantify preoperative illness burden in older adults undergoing emergency major abdominal surgery (EMAS), to examine the association between illness burden and postoperative outcomes, and to describe end‐of‐life care in the year after discharge. Design Retrospective study using data from Health and Retirement Study interviews linked to Medicare claims (2000–2012). Setting National population‐based dataset. Participants Medicare beneficiaries who underwent EMAS. Measurements High illness burden, defined as ≥2 of the following vulnerabilities: functional dependence, dementia, use of helpers, multimorbidity, poor prognosis, high healthcare utilization. In‐hospital outcomes were complications and mortality. Postdischarge outcomes included emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and 365‐day mortality. For individuals discharged alive who died within 365 days of surgery, outcomes included hospice use, hospitalization, ICU use, and ED use in the last 30 days of life. Multivariable regression was used to determine the association between illness burden and outcomes. Results Of 411 participants, 57% had high illness burden. More individuals with high illness burden had complications (45% vs 28% p=0.00) and in‐hospital death (20% vs 9%, p=0.00) than those without. After discharge (n=349), individuals with high illness burden experienced more ED visits (57% vs 46%, P=.04) and were more likely to die (35% vs 13%, p=0.00). Of those who died after discharge (n=86), 75% had high illness burden, median survival was 67 days (range 21–141 days), 48% enrolled in hospice, 32% died in the hospital, 23% were in the ICU in the last 30 days of life and 37% had an ED visit in the last 30 days of life. Conclusion Most older adults undergoing EMAS have preexisting high illness burden and experience high mortality and healthcare use in the year after surgery, particularly near the end of life. Concurrent surgical and palliative care may improve quality of life and end‐of‐life care in these people. J Am Geriatr Soc 66:2072–2078, 2018.
Using Temporal Awareness to Improve Distributed Problem Solving

Many distributed problem solving algorithms are designed to work in conditions where computational power and information is distributed and cannot be centralized in a timely fashion. It is interesting to note that most distributed algorithms do not consider time as an integral component of their problem solving tactics. In this study we present a new algorithm based on theDistributed Probabilistic Protocol (DPP), called mDPP, that explicitly using time and prior knowledge to determine when to act. We examined the performance of mDPP on DCSP problems and compared its result with some distributed algorithms including DSA, DBA and MGM. We show that mDPP works very well and can be used as a basis for designing future distributed algorithms.
Preparing Social Workers for the Inevitable

Despite the centrality of grief as a universal response to loss, and its prevalence in the social work domain, little empirical attention has been given to the impact of grief instruction in social work courses. This article presents results of a study examining the impact of a multimethod grief course on graduate social work students' level of death acceptance and sense of preparedness to respond to personal and professional losses. A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design was used. Findings suggest that the grief course assisted students to perceive greater competence in their knowledge, skills, and sense of preparation for working with grieving clients, and that the course increased cognitive and affective dimensions of death acceptance in students. Implications for future research and for social work education are discussed in light of the study limitations.
P106 Availability and Affordability of Yogurt in SNAP-Authorized Convenience Stores in Mississippi

Background Many Mississippians are Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligible, face high rates of food insecurity, and often live in food deserts. Compared to national data, Mississippians were more likely to be obese and reported eating fewer fruits and vegetables. Increasing healthy food availability and affordability in SNAP-authorized convenience stores (CS) may improve Mississippians’ health and eating behaviors. Objective The study objective was to examine the availability and affordability of yogurt in SNAP-authorized CS across Mississippi. Study Design, Settings, Participants This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to February 2017. Stores were identified from the United States Department of Agriculture SNAP-authorized store list (n = 3585). Approximately the same proportion of stores from each county in Mississippi was surveyed to achieve a representative sample (n = 405). Stores were categorized by number of cash registers into: CS (n = 212), grocery stores (n = 154), and supermarkets (n = 39). Trained Mississippi State University Extension Service employees (Nutrition Educators and Extension Agents) and research team members collected data using a modified Nutrition Environment Measures Survey – Corner Store (NEMS-CS). Measurable Outcome/Analysis The outcome measure is the availability and affordability of yogurt in SNAP-authorized stores in Mississippi. Availability was measured by the percent of SNAP-authorized stores reported as carrying yogurt. Affordability was measured by the average price of an individually sold, single-serving size (≤ 6oz) container of yogurt in a CS. Results Approximately 16% (n = 36) of CS, 57% (n = 91) of grocery stores, and 89% (n = 36) of supermarkets carry any form of yogurt. The average price of an individually sold, single-serving size (≤ 6oz) container of yogurt in a convenience store is $0.97. Conclusion While yogurt is a relatively affordable snack, it is not readily available in SNAP-authorized CS in Mississippi. Policy efforts should be made to promote health by increasing the availability of yogurt and other healthy foods. These findings will be used to inform future studies and pilot interventions to increase food availability for Mississippi's SNAP participants.
Implementation of a Neonatal Audit Tool to Drive Quality Initiatives.

Audit tools optimize the delivery of healthcare to patients. A network of 11 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) affiliated with a large urban pediatric care institution implemented an audit tool for use on daily patient rounds. The article reports findings collected from 2011 to 2016. Methods Primary drivers for implementation were (1) engagement from local providers; (2) identification of local improvement needs and improvement progress; (3) ability to customize audit questions based on local needs; (4) encouragement of information sharing between NICUs; and (5) improving measurable outcomes in neonatal care delivery. The Level IV NICU managed and refined a centralized process for managing site-specific tools, data analysis, and reporting. Each NICU customized the number and wording of action questions based on their needs. Answer choices were limited to "yes" or "no," which corresponded to favorable or unfavorable actions toward the patient. Users also answered, "Was action taken as a result of an unfavorable response?" Results Plan-Do-Study-Action cycles were completed to refine the tool and its implementation process. Adherence was variable among and within each network site. Across the network, 11.4% of actions tracked by the audit indicated improvement over time. Conclusion Generalized use of the Audit Tool resulted in limited optimization of care actions addressed in the NICUs. Success depended on multi-disciplinary, multi-professional teamwork, respect for local autonomy, and leadership support. Increasing the use of the Audit Tool likely depends on the team's ability to evolve the tool's intrinsic value from a reminder to a monitoring system.
Smart Room-by-Room HVAC Scheduling for Residential Savings and Comfort

HVAC systems account for a significant amount of the energy spent in residences with forced-air systems. Moreover, HVAC is a major contributor to greenhouse gas and fine particulate matter emissions. Recently, the use of sensors, wireless, microprocessors, and the Internet of Things (IoT) have been proposed to increase energy efficiency in residential buildings by controlling the duty cycle of furnaces and air-conditioners. In this paper, we propose ILPSS (Integer Linear Programming for Smart Scheduling), a novel solution for optimizing the duty cycle of the HVAC equipment and improving users’ comfort by allowing users to specify comfort levels at specific times in each room of a residence. Our proposal builds on multiple-variable, linear regression model and integer linear programming and can be run on a home IoT hub. Our experimental evaluation on a real dataset shows that our proposed solution saves energy (up to 45%) and meets users’ comfort needs, compared to commodity and current smart HVAC systems.
Cognitive function and its relationship with brain structure in myotonic dystrophy type 1

Studies have shown relationships between white matter abnormalities and cognitive dysfunction in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), but comprehensive analysis of potential structure-function relationships are lacking. Fifty adult-onset DM1 individuals (33 female) and 68 unaffected adults (45 female) completed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV) to determine the levels and patterns of intellectual functioning. Neuroimages were acquired with a 3T scanner and were processed with BrainsTools. Regional brain volumes (regions of interest, ROIs) were adjusted for inter-scanner variation and intracranial volume. Linear regression models were conducted to assess if group by ROI interaction terms significantly predicted WAIS-IV composite scores. Models were adjusted for age and sex. The DM1 group had lower Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI), Working Memory Index (WMI), and Processing Speed Index (PSI) scores than the unaffected group (PRI t(113) = -3.28, p = 0.0014; WMI t(114) = -3.49, p = 0.0007; PSI t(114) = -2.98, p = 0.0035). The group by hippocampus interaction term was significant for both PRI and PSI (PRI (t(111) = -2.82, p = 0.0057; PSI (t(112) = -2.87, p = 0.0049)). There was an inverse association between hippocampal volume and both PRI and PSI in the DM1 group (the higher the volume, the lower the intelligence quotient scores), but no such association was observed in the unaffected group. Enlarged hippocampal volume may underlie some aspects of cognitive dysfunction in adult-onset DM1, suggesting that increased volume of the hippocampus may be pathological.
Basic emotional systems and narcissistic personality features: What is the emotional core of narcissism?

Abstract It has been argued that basic emotional systems (i.e., PLAYFULNESS, SEEKING, CARING, ANGER, FEAR, and SADNESS) may play a role in shaping the development of personality. The purpose of the present research was to examine whether basic emotional systems were associated with narcissistic personality features. Across two studies (N = 1051), we examined the connections that emotional systems had with the assertive/extraverted, antagonistic/disagreeable, and vulnerable/neurotic aspects of narcissism. The results of these studies revealed that the assertive/extraverted aspect of narcissism was characterized by the presence of ANGER and positive emotions along with the relative absence of FEAR and SADNESS. In contrast, the antagonistic/disagreeable aspect of narcissism was characterized by the presence of ANGER as well as the absence of positive emotions and FEAR, whereas the vulnerable/neurotic aspect of narcissism was characterized by the presence of negative emotions and the relative absence of any positive emotions. ANGER was the only basic emotional system to be consistently associated with each aspect of narcissism which suggests that it may serve as something akin to the emotional core of narcissism. Discussion focuses on the implications of these results for our understanding of the emotional experiences of individuals with narcissistic personality features.
Postoperative Management After Pituitary Surgery

All patients should ideally be seen by an endocrinologist before admission for transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. Once admitted, hormone evaluation for cortisol status is the most important test. Depending on the preoperative cortisol adequacy, insufficiency, excess, or unknown status, perioperative and postoperative treatment with hydrocortisone is often indicated. Peri- and postoperative treatment should also include monitoring and treatment for diabetes insipidus or inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. Close monitoring of water and sodium balance is required. Finally, the patient should follow up with an endocrinologist 1–2 weeks after surgery so that pituitary hormone status can be reevaluated and proper treatment and follow-up arranged.
Aortic root valve-sparing repair and dissections in Marfans syndrome during pregnancy: A case series.

Introduction Marfan syndrome is a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the fibrillar FBN-1 gene. Aortic dissection and rupture are major causes of morbidity and mortality and are of special concern during pregnancy. Materials and methods The authors report four cases of aortic root repair with preservation of the native aortic valve that have has created a discussion between cardiothoracic surgeons, obstetricians, and gynecologists regarding the best care for Marfan syndrome patients. We present these cases here with a review of the literature. Results Surgery of the aorta and valves in Marfan syndrome is less risky than in previous eras and surgical management guidelines are generally accepted. Yet, we may be unnecessarily referring women to terminate pregnancies or to avoid pregnancy. We believe there may be alternative options for these patients. Conclusions Marfan syndrome during pregnancy can be navigated with preconception counseling, antepartum care, and close postpartum follow-up involving an appropriate multidisciplinary team.
Are orthorexia nervosa symptoms associated with deficits in inhibitory control

This study explored whether inhibitory control is associated with symptoms of orthorexia nervosa, a condition that involves substantial behavioral control in regard to healthy eating. Participants (50 women, 13 men) completed the Eating Habits Questionnaire as a measure of orthorexia symptomatology, along with computerized versions of the Go/No-Go Task, Flanker Task, and Stroop Task. Orthorexia symptomatology did not correlate with either percent error or response time for any of the three tasks (all p’s > 0.10). These results suggest that orthorexia is not associated with deficits or other differences in inhibitory control. Level V, descriptive cross-sectional study.
The Role of the Nrf2 Signaling in Obesity and Insulin Resistance

Obesity, a metabolic disorder characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue, has globally become an increasingly prevalent disease. Extensive studies have been conducted to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the development of obesity. In particular, the close association of inflammation and oxidative stress with obesity has become increasingly evident. Obesity has been shown to exhibit augmented levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines, which have been associated with the activation of pathways linked with inflammation-induced insulin resistance, a major pathological component of obesity and several other metabolic disorders. Oxidative stress, in addition to its role in stimulating adipose differentiation, which directly triggers obesity, is considered to feed into this pathway, further aggravating insulin resistance. Nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a basic leucine zipper transcription factor that is activated in response to inflammation and oxidative stress, and responds by increasing antioxidant transcription levels. Therefore, Nrf2 has emerged as a critical new target for combating insulin resistance and subsequently, obesity. However, the effects of Nrf2 on insulin resistance and obesity are controversial. This review focuses on the current state of research on the interplay of inflammation and oxidative stress in obesity, the role of the Nrf2 pathway in obesity and insulin resistance, and the potential use of Nrf2 activators for the treatment of insulin resistance.
Challenges and opportunities in molecular-level indoor surface chemistry and physics

Summary The high surface-to-volume ratio that is typical indoors makes surface chemistry and physics particularly important to the study of air quality in these environments. However, surface-mediated transformations in indoor environments are not adequately understood, largely because the surfaces involved are notoriously complex. Moreover, it is challenging to capture dynamic changes in real time and under ambient conditions. This Perspective presents a path to bridge this capability gap by reviewing recent developments in advanced instrumentation and collaborative work and discussing research opportunities that have the potential to contribute new chemical and physical insights into indoor surface processes. Mechanistic studies of idealized model surfaces and on surfaces of real-world indoor samples will help us better quantify sources and sinks of indoor air pollutants, improve the prediction of dynamic changes in indoor air quality, and open the door for the design of smart coatings or paints for controlling, mitigating, or preventing the potential negative outcomes of indoor air chemistry.
Typical achondroplasia secondary to a unique insertional variant of FGFR3 with in vitro demonstration of its effect on FGFR3 function

We describe an individual in whom clinical and radiographic features are typical for achondroplasia, but in whom the common variants of FGFR3 that result in achondroplasia are absent. Whole exome sequencing demonstrated a novel, de novo 6 base pair tandem duplication in FGFR3 that results in the insertion of Ser-Phe after position Leu324. in vitro studies showed that this variant results in aberrant dimerization, excessive spontaneous phosphorylation of FGFR3 dimers and excessive, ligand-independent tyrosine kinase activity. Together, these data suggest that this variant leads to constitutive disulfide bond-mediated dimerization, and that this, surprisingly, occurs to an extent similar to the neonatal lethal thanatophoric dysplasia type I Ser249Cys variant.
Snowpacks decrease and streamflows shift across the eastern US as winters warm.

Abstract Climate change is increasing winter temperatures across the planet, altering snowmelt hydrology. This study addresses a gap in snow research in non-alpine areas by examining changes to snow and winter and spring streamflow across most of the eastern US using daily observations from weather stations and stream gages from water years 1960–2019. These daily data were aggregated across drainage basins and classified winters with similar temperatures; differences between winters and both seasonal and annual trends were statistically quantified. Winters were classified as “warm” or “cool” in each drainage basin relative to the 60-year mean; analysis of the data indicates that warm winters occur more frequently in recent decades from an average of 0.39 to 3.96 warm winters/decade from the 1960's to the 2010's respectively. Those classifications were then used to examine changes in snowpack over the same period, which shows that warmer winters have on average 50.1 cm less annual snowfall, a reduced maximum snowpack depth by 14.4 cm, and 34 more bare ground days. These changes correlate with shifts to higher winter streamflows as well as peak basin yields that are 0.02 cm lower and occur three days earlier in warm winters. In addition to altered soil moisture and stream ecosystem dynamics, these snow and streamflow changes may have negative infrastructure and economic implications including impacts to winter tourism and agriculture.
Making Successful Decisions on Robotic Milking Technology

Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) are milking cows on over 2,500 farms around the world. There are over 150 farms in the US and over 350 in Canada using AMS. AMS has been growing exponentially since 2000. Decreased labor and increased quality of life can override the high investment costs of AMS. AMS increase management ability by collecting individual cow milk production, milk conductivity, milk clarity, cow activity and rumination data. AMS are a high level management system, not just a tool to milk cows. The increased management ability may be more important than the milking technology. The high initial capital input and high management abilities to successfully operate these systems make it imperative that dairy producers and their agri-service providers, especially lenders and bankers, have excellent education and training materials and opportunities. One objective of our ISU Dairy team is to provide the leadership and expertise in delivering and providing these materials and programs. These programs are an addition to a larger very successful ongoing program on risk management for dairy producers deciding on what milking technology best fits their farm and financial future.
Superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome and perilymphatic fistula

Publisher Summary This chapter explores that the labyrinth is normally encased in a dense layer of bone with only two points of increased compliance: the oval window and the round window. It discusses that the fractures of the bone of the labyrinthine capsule separating the inner ear from the middle ear, and mastoid or interruption of the bone or membranes, in the area of the oval or round windows can lead to a perilymphatic fistula with consequent sensorineural hearing loss and episodic vertigo. The chapter reviews the symptoms and signs in patients with superior canal dehiscence syndrome, and with perilymphatic fistula. The underlying pathophysiology has been established for superior canal dehiscence syndrome. The diagnostic tests that can be used to establish this diagnosis of superior canal dehiscence are also reviewed in this chapter. The surgical procedure used to plug the dehiscent canal in patients with debilitating symptoms is described along with a review of the outcomes of surgery. Establishing the diagnosis of perilymphatic fistula can present considerably greater dilemmas.
Graphs and Completion Problems

Some of the completion problems considered so far referred to matrices with specified entries lying about the main diagonal. It turns out that the tentative to approach similar problems for matrices with sparse specified entries leads to connections with certain classes of graphs. In this chapter we show some of these connections, especially emphasizing the role played by the chordal graphs in the extension of some of the results concerning the band matrices. Partial matrices which admit positive or contractive completions are studied in more details. Besides, it is pointed out that the Schur parameters still play a certain role in this direction.
Nonspecific date of last menstrual period: an indication of poor reproductive outcome.

Abstract Socially disadvantaged women whose medical records whowed they reported nonspecific last menstrual period dates at the first prenatal visit had a disproportionately high incidence of complications in reproduction. The complications included an increased likelihood of delivery by cesarean section and lighter, more immature infants. Nonspecific last menstrual periods were also associated with indicators of increased risk available early in pregnancy. The increased number of complications among disadvantaged women with nonspecific last menstrual period dates was not explained by prenatal vaginal bleeding or irregular menstrual periods. A possible explanation for the association appeared to be the social circumstances. Mothers who reported nonspecific last menstrual period dates tended to be mothers with more disadvantaged social circumstances. These circumstances have been found to be associated with poor reproductive outcome.
Control of Lung Cancer with Aspirin-Triggered Stimulation of Resolution

Background: Inflammation in the tumor microenvironment is now recognized as a promoter of tumor growth. While substantial epidemiological evidence suggests that the anti-inflammatory drug aspirin r...
Data layout transformation for stencil computations on short-vector SIMD architectures

Stencil computations are at the core of applications in many domains such as computational electromagnetics, image processing, and partial differential equation solvers used in a variety of scientific and engineering applications. Short-vector SIMD instruction sets such as SSE and VMX provide a promising and widely available avenue for enhancing performance on modern processors. However a fundamental memory stream alignment issue limits achieved performance with stencil computations on modern short SIMD architectures. In this paper, we propose a novel data layout transformation that avoids the stream alignment conflict, along with a static analysis technique for determining where this transformation is applicable. Significant performance increases are demonstrated for a variety of stencil codes on three modern SIMD-capable processors.
Geospace Environment Modeling 2008–2009 Challenge: Ground magnetic field perturbations

Acquiring quantitative metrics!based knowledge about the performance of various space physics modeling approaches is central for the space weather community. Quantification of the performance helps the users of the modeling products to better understand the capabilities of the models and to choose the approach that best suits their specific needs. Further, metrics!based analyses are important for addressing the differences between various modeling approaches and for measuring and guiding the progress in the field. In this paper, the metrics!based results of the ground magnetic field perturbation part of the Geospace Environment Modeling 2008 2009 Challenge are reported. Predictions made by 14 different models, including an ensemble model, are compared to geomagnetic observatory recordings from 12 different northern hemispheric locations. Five different metrics are used to quantify the model performances for four storm events. It is shown that the ranking of the models is strongly dependent on the type of metric used to evaluate the model performance. None of the models rank near or at the top systematically for all used metrics. Consequently, one cannot pick the absolute winner : the choice for the best model depends on the characteristics of the signal one is interested in. Model performances vary also from event to event. This is particularly clear for root!mean!square difference and utility metric!based analyses. Further, analyses indicate that for some of the models, increasing the global magnetohydrodynamic model spatial resolution and the inclusion of the ring current dynamics improve the models capability to generate more realistic ground magnetic field fluctuations.
Children's acquisition of spatial knowledge from verbal descriptions

In Experiment 1, groups of 6 and 7 year-old and of 8 and 9 year-old children showed very accurate memory for literal spatial and non-spatial information contained in descriptions of environments, but they generally had difficulty making spatial inferences based on such descriptions. The first indications of inference-making ability were shown by 8 and 9 year-olds on spatial inference and map placement tasks after hearing descriptions incorporating a vantage-point perspective. In Experiment 2, map placement performance by 6 and 7 year-olds was improved by a brief intervention involving spatial terminology. Overall, the findings suggest that the construction of discourse-based images of small-scale environments normally emerges around 8 or 9 years of age and is facilitated by viewer-centered vantage-point descriptions. Although cognitive resources such as working memory capability apparently constrain this construction process, relevant information in the task setting can facilitate children's performance.
Chronic antibody-mediated rejection: new diagnostic tools – clinical significance of C4d deposition and improved detection and characterization of human leucocyte antigen antibodies

Despite improvements in outcomes of solid organ transplantation (SOT), chronic deterioration of allografts remains an important problem and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality 1. With the implementation of sensitive and specific solid phase immunoassays (SPI) for identification of donor-specific anti-human leucocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSA), and with the improved understanding of the pathogenic effect of alloantibodies, it is well accepted that chronic graft loss is part of the antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) spectrum 1,2. Circulating DSAs, either present prior to transplant or developed de novo, may bind to graft endothelial cells, promoting the classical pathway of complement activation, and the inactive product C4d bound covalently to tissue, provides the ‘footprint’ of antibody-mediated allograft damage 3. Correlation between the level of DSA in the serum, C4d positivity in the biopsy and severity of microvascular damage has been shown by several investigators 4,5. However, C4d-negative biopsies with circulating DSA also showed microcirculation damage and increased expression of endothelial genes 6. A recent publication summarizes the revised Banff criteria for AMR in renal and non-renal allografts, including C4d-negative AMR 7. DSAs have been shown to promote various types of AMR, from the acute to the chronic form of rejection also termed as transplant glomerulopathy in renal, cardiac allograft vasculopathy in heart and bronchiolitis obliterans in lung transplants. Although the HLA antibodies may appear before loss of function and are highly predictive of poor outcome, there is still controversy concerning: (i) whether antibodies detected solely by highly sensitive techniques are clinically relevant, (ii) how often to monitor post-transplant and (iii) when to implement antibody removal therapies in the absence of clinical dysfunction.
Genetics of IDDM: evidence for complex inheritance with HLA.

Analysis of the Fifth Genetic Analysis Workshop (GAW5) insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) data leads to the following conclusions: (1) With a maximum-likelihood affected sib pair method, there is strong evidence for linkage with HLA and no evidence for linkage with INS, Gm, or Km. (2) Susceptibility as defined by HLA genotypes is very complex. Each DR allele has a unique susceptibility, and DR3 and DR4 haplotype associations for DR 3/4 genotypes are different from those for 3/X and 4/X. (3) Risk is substantially higher in sibships with an affected father compared to those with an affected mother. This excess cannot be attributed to transmission distortion at HLA.
Generation of an estuarine sediment plume by a tropical storm

[1] Tropical Storm Lee (2011) caused a record flood in the Susquehanna River which discharged about 6.7 million tons of suspended sediments into the Bay, an amount equal to the input of 6 average years. The flood-carried sediment produced a large sediment plume that covered one half of Chesapeake Bay with the maximum suspended sediment concentration exceeding 2500 mg L−1. Three stages were identified in the development of the sediment plume, corresponding to three dominant forcing mechanisms, i.e., river flow, estuarine circulation, and sediment settling. Most of the flood-carried sediments were deposited in the Bay within 20 days. Sands were dumped in the Susquehanna Flats with a maximum thickness of 10 cm, while fine-grained sediments were dusted over a wide area in the upper Bay with a maximum thickness of 4 cm. Long-term simulation of the post-storm period showed that a majority of the flood sediments were redistributed to accumulate in the estuarine turbidity maximum region due to flood–ebb asymmetry in tidal suspension and advection by estuarine circulation and tidal flows while the rest were transported seaward and deposited in the mid-Bay. It is estimated that the flood delivered 9 months of particulate nitrogen and over 1 year of particulate phosphorus supplies to the estuary. This catastrophic event may change the geological history and exacerbate water-quality decline in the American largest estuary.
Does economic diversity enhance regional disaster resilience

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Little research examines the effect of diversity on regional economic resilience to natural disasters. We examine whether economic diversity benefits regional economies in typical circumstances and in recovery after a natural disaster, using the case of the 1993 U.S. Midwest flood. By matching counties in the nine states affected by the flood to control counties, we isolate the influence of diversity on employment and income in normal circumstances and after a substantial shock. We found economic diversity to have mixed associations with employment and income in typical circumstances. On average, economically diverse counties tended to experience faster employment gains but slower growth in per capita income than less diverse areas. The effect of economic diversity upon resilience following a natural disaster was unambiguous. Economic diversity aided counties in weathering the downturn following the flood and sped their return to long-term patterns of employment a...
Molecular excitations and the quantum adiabatic phase for a nuclear spin

The effect of chemical shielding on the quantum adiabatic phase factor for a nuclear spin in a molecule is studied. The electronic state dependence of the shielding is shown to produce geometrical relative phase shifts among the eigenfunction components of a nonstationary electronic state. The results are illustrated for two simple systems, a prolate oscillator and asymptotically separated H2 +.