cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Meta‐analysis: the effect of age on immunological response to hepatitis B vaccine in end‐stage renal disease

Summary Background : Patients on maintenance dialysis typically show a suboptimal immune response to hepatitis B virus vaccine compared with the non-uraemic population. A variety of inherited or acquired factors have been implicated in this diminished response. Age-associated changes in immune status may contribute to decreased vaccine efficacy in older individuals although contradictory results have been reported in individuals with normal kidney function. Aims : To evaluate the relationship between age and immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in patients with end-stage renal disease by performing a systematic review of the literature with a meta-analysis of clinical trials. Method : We used the random effects model of DerSimonian and Laird; sources of heterogeneity in effect estimates were explored by performing sensitivity analyses. Results : We identified 17 clinical trials (1800 unique patients); six (35%) were controlled studies. Pooling of study results demonstrated a significantly decreased risk of response to hepatitis B vaccine among older dialysis patients (overall risk ratio: 0.74; 95% confidence intervals: 0.70–0.79). The P-value was 0.0139 for our test of study heterogeneity. A lowered risk of response to hepatitis B vaccine persisted after exclusion of trials based on plasma-derived vaccines; it was present even when ‘older’ individuals were defined as being as 50 years (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.75–0.96) or more (cut-off 60 years RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.66–0.85). An effect of age on seroprotection rate was present in all clinical reports, irrespective of the geographic origin of the study group: Europe (RR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.70–0.83) North America (RR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.60–0.74) or other countries (RR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.71–0.97). Additional doses of vaccine did not appear to have an impact on RR of response by age. Conclusions : Our meta-analysis showed a clear association between older age and impaired response to hepatitis B virus vaccine in end-stage renal disease patients. Such a relationship is biologically plausible. Vaccination schedules with adapted vaccine doses and frequent serum testing for loss of immunity against hepatitis B virus are recommended in elderly patients on maintenance dialysis.
Clinical management of malignant hyperpyrexia

Experience with eight cases of malignant hyperpyrexia are presented. The different types are described and illustrated by clinical cases. Early recognition of this condition is the cornerstone in the successful management of the complication. Early diagnosis and methods of treatment are described.
Kinetic Energy of Tornadoes in the United States.

Tornadoes can cause catastrophic destruction. Here total kinetic energy (TKE) as a metric of destruction is computed from the fraction of the tornado path experiencing various damage levels and a characteristic wind speed for each level. The fraction of the path is obtained from a model developed for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that combines theory with empirical data. TKE is validated as a useful metric by comparing it to other indexes and loss indicators. Half of all tornadoes have TKE exceeding 62.1 GJ and a quarter have TKE exceeding 383.2 GJ. One percent of the tornadoes have TKE exceeding 31.9 TJ. April has more energy than May with fewer tornadoes; March has more energy than June with half as many tornadoes. September has the least energy but November and December have the fewest tornadoes. Alabama ranks number one in terms of tornado energy with 2.48 PJ over the period 2007–2013. TKE can be used to help better understand the changing nature of tornado activity.
Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales: Some Theoretical Issues

A number of theoretical problems exist which underline the development and implementation of behaviorally anchored rating scales in particular and all performance evaluation procedures in general. Several specific areas need additional study. It is concluded that future research should concentrate on the process of performance evaluation in the framework of a cognitive, information-processing model of the rater.
One- and two-objective approaches to an area-constrained habitat reserve site selection problem

We compare several ways to model a habitat reserve site selection problem in which an upper bound on the total area of the selected sites is included. The models are cast as optimization coverage models drawn from the location science literature. Classic covering problems typically include a constraint on the number of sites that can be selected. If potential reserve sites vary in terms of area, acquisition cost or land value, then sites need to be differentiated by these characteristics in the selection process. To address this within the optimization model, the constraint on the number of selected sites can either be replaced by one limiting the total area of the selected sites or area minimization can be incorporated as a second objective. We show that for our dataset and choice of optimization solver average solution time improves considerably when an area-constrained reserve site selection problem is modeled as a two objective rather than a single objective problem with a constraint limiting the total area of the selected sites. Computational experience is reported using a large dataset from Australia.
Closed-loop tracking control of poloidal magnetic flux profile in tokamaks

The potential operation of a tokamak fusion reactor in a highly-efficient, steady-state mode is directly related to the achievement of certain types of radial profiles for the current flowing toroidally in the reactor. The time evolution of the toroidal current profile is related to the poloidal magnetic flux profile evolution, which is modeled in cylindrical coordinates using a nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) usually referred to as the magnetic diffusion equation. In this paper, we propose a framework to solve a closed-loop, finite-time, optimal tracking control problem for the poloidal magnetic flux profile via diffusivity, interior, and boundary actuation. The proposed approach is based on reduced order modeling via proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and successive optimal control computation for a bilinear system. Simulation results illustrate the performance of the proposed controller.
Automation Bias in Intelligent Time Critical Decision Support Systems

Various levels of automation can be introduced by intelligent decision support systems, from fully automated, where the operator is completely left out of the decision process, to minimal levels of automation, where the automation only makes recommendations and the operator has the final say. For rigid tasks that require no flexibility in decision-making and with a low probability of system failure, higher levels of automation often provide the best solution. However, in time critical environments with many external and changing constraints such as air traffic control and military command and control operations, higher levels of automation are not advisable because of the risks and the complexity of both the system and the inability of the automated decision aid to be perfectly reliable. Human-in-the-loop designs, which employ automation for redundant, manual, and monotonous tasks and allow operators active participation, provide not only safety benefits, but also allow a human operator and a system to respond more flexibly to uncertain and unexpected events. However, there can be measurable costs to human performance when automation is used, such as loss of situational awareness, complacency, skill degradation, and automation bias. This paper will discuss the influence of automation bias in intelligent decision support systems, particularly those in aviation domains. Automation bias occurs in decision-making because humans have a tendency to disregard or not search for contradictory information in light of a computer-generated solution that is accepted as correct and can be exacerbated in time critical domains. Automated decision aids are designed to reduce human error but actually can cause new errors in the operation of a system if not designed with human cognitive limitations in mind.
Genetic parameters for anovulation and pregnancy loss in dairy cattle

Abstract The objectives were to estimate heritabilities and genetic variances for anovulation at ∼50 d in milk and pregnancy loss occurring between first and second pregnancy diagnoses after artificial insemination. Data were originally collected for trials on reproductive management. Anovulation data consisted of 5,818 records from 13 studies in 8 herds with an overall prevalence of 23.3%. A Bayesian approach using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods was used in mixed threshold models for both traits. The statistical model for anovulation included fixed effects [parity, herd-study-treatment, and body condition score (BCS)], covariates (inbreeding and milk yield), and random effects (sire and residual). A second statistical model included all terms in the first model except BCS. In addition, 2 bivariate, mixed sire models were used to analyze anovulation with BCS and anovulation with milk yield. The posterior mean heritability estimate for anovulation was 0.171 [posterior standard deviation (PSD)=0.052]. Correlations of anovulation with milk yield were as follows: genetic=0.168, PSD=0.187; residual=−0.046, PSD=0.022; and phenotypic=−0.036. Bivariate analysis of BCS with anovulation showed a genetic correlation (−0.301, PSD=0.177) and phenotypic correlation (−0.192, PSD=0.019). Pregnancy-loss data consisted of 3,775 records from 14 studies in 8 herds with an overall prevalence of 14.4%. Analysis of pregnancy loss used a sire–maternal grandsire threshold model with embryo survival as the subject of analysis. Independent variables consisted of fixed effects (parity and herd-study), covariates (embryo and maternal inbreeding), and random effects (sire of embryo, maternal grandsire of embryo, and residual). In addition, separate sire models were analyzed using embryo as the subject and cow as the subject of analysis. The sire–maternal grandsire model yielded a heritability for direct effect of 0.489 (PSD=0.221) and for maternal effects of 0.166 (PSD=0.113). In this study, the breeding value variance for embryo effects was 3 times the breeding value variance for maternal effects, indicating that, at the level of breeding values, the embryo's ability to survive has a greater effect on pregnancy loss than does the cow's ability to maintain the pregnancy. These results suggest that genetic improvement of reproductive performance could be enhanced by selection for fundamental measures such as abnormally long periods of postpartum anovulation and pregnancy loss. Larger studies of these traits are needed to obtain parameter estimates with greater precision.
Copper, Tungsten and Molybdenum RF Breakdown Experiments

In this study, the experimental results for tungsten and molybdenum are compared to copper under the same high field conditions (350 MV/m and 500 MV/m). The RF pulse length for all three experiments is 150 ns. Tungsten and molybdenum are both refractory metals with robust physical properties that are recognized for their high melting point, low thermal expandability, low vapour pressure, and high yield strength. The CLIC study group at CERN has conducted several accelerator experiments at 30 GHz with structures that have tungsten and molybdenum iris inserts.
Quantum-defect theory of atomic collisions and molecular vibration spectra

A quantum-defect theory of atomic collisions and molecular vibration spectra is presented. Based on the exact solutions of the Schr\"odinger equation for an attractive ${1/r}^{6}$ potential, the theory provides a systematic interpretation of molecular bound states and atom-atom scattering properties and establishes the relationship between the two. Applications to systems including ${}^{7}{\mathrm{Li}}_{2}$ and ${}^{23}{\mathrm{Na}}_{2}$ are discussed.
Submonomer synthesis of a hybrid peptoid-azapeptoid library.

We recently reported efficient conditions for the synthesis of N-azapeptoid libraries via the typical submonomer strategy of peptoid synthesis but that substitutes N-acyl hydrazides for primary ami...
The Prophet and the Engineer Meet Under the Mango Tree: Leadership, Education, and Conflict in the Southern Philippines

This essay represents an attempt to contribute to the growing body of literature on education in conflict and emergency situations by analyzing shifts in sources of authority and their influence on conceptions of leadership in the context of a decades-long armed conflict in the predominately Muslim regions of the southern Philippines. Interviews with school principals conducted in the conflict areas of Muslim Mindanao in two separate periods of field research, reveal a fluid pattern of strategic blending of authority sources in response to the conflict’s impact on social conditions. This data shows, I will argue, an evolution from patterns of leadership grounded in traditional and/or formal authority structures to a mode of leadership rooted in religious authority and aspirations of technological competence conceived as pragmatic prophetic leadership.
Phototherapy in ELBW newborns: Does it work? Is it safe? The evidence from randomized clinical trials

Abstract Phototherapy is assumed to be both effective and safe for extremely low-birth-weight infants. Our objective was to critically assess the relevant evidence from randomized trials. In the decades-old Collaborative Phototherapy Trial, phototherapy reduced serum bilirubin but not neurodevelopmental impairments. In the recent and larger Neonatal Network Trial, aggressive phototherapy compared to conservative phototherapy reduced both peak serum bilirubin (7.0 vs. 9.8 mg/dL) and profound impairment at 18–22 months adjusted age (relative risk = 0.68). However, both trials suggested that phototherapy increased deaths among the smallest infants. Conservative Bayesian analyses of ventilator-treated infants under 751 g birth weight in the Network trial identified a 99% probability of increased deaths and 99% probability of reduced profound impairment with aggressive phototherapy. Potential strategies to optimize the risk/benefit ratio in achieving low serum bilirubin levels, e.g., use of lowered irradiance levels, light-emitting diode phototherapy units, cycled phototherapy, and/or porphyrin compounds, deserve rigorous evaluation.
Sensing optical fiber installation study for crack identification using a stimulated Brillouin-based strain sensor

Stimulated Brillouin-based optical fiber sensors have been receiving increasing attention in recent times because of their ability to measure distributed strain at high spatial resolution. This study presents a methodical approach for understanding the structural behavior from measured strain distribution. A stress-transferring model, focusing on the tip of a crack in concrete, with stress transfer from the host structure to the sensing segment on the attached fiber, was investigated. The loss of information due to the limited spatial resolution of the sensor was also analyzed. An experimental study using a notched concrete prism demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed model for crack identification, allowing the study to leverage the stimulated Brillouin-based sensor to crack quantification as well as detection and localization.
Professional Boundaries in the Era of the Internet

Objective The era of the Internet presents new dilemmas in educating psychiatrists about professional boundaries. The objective of this overview is to clarify those dilemmas and offer recommendations for dealing with them.
Parkinsonism Due to Mutations in PINK1, Parkin, and DJ-1 and Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Pathways

Three genes have been identified that cause, in humans, autosomally inherited parkinsonism. These are PARK2, encoding the E3 ubiquitin ligase parkin; PINK1, a mitochondrial kinase; and PARK7, which codes for the protein DJ-1. In several experimental systems, it has been shown that all three proteins impact mitochondrial function and/or oxidative stress responses. These are probably related because mitochondria produce oxidative stress in neurons. Moreover, it is clear that there are relationships between these genes, with a single pathway linking PINK1 and parkin and a parallel relationship with DJ-1. Work in progress in the field is aimed at understanding these relationships in more depth.
EMBODIMENT AND VIRTUE IN A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

The turn to descriptive studies of ethics is inspired by the sense that our ethical theorizing needs to engage ethnography, history, and literature in order to address the full complexity of ethical life. This article examines four books that describe the cultivation of virtue in diverse cultural contexts, two concerning early China and two concerning Islam in recent years. All four emphasize the significance of embodiment, and they attend to the complex ways in which choice and agency interact with the authority of tradition. In considering these books, this article examines the relations between our academic claims concerning the self and ethics, conceptual or theoretical claims made in the elite writings of traditions, and the lived experiences of the people we study. The conclusion turns to our methodological foundations for studying these topics both comparatively and constructively.
Pollen Selection by Feral Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies in a Coastal Prairie Landscape

The collection of pollen by honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) provides valuable pollination services for many plants and the protein necessary for brood and young worker development. We collected and identified pollen gathered by feral honey bee colonies living in tree cavities in a coastal prairie landscape over the duration of 1 yr. Specific objectives included evaluating overlap in pollen use between colonies throughout the year, examining the influence of the spatial locations of the colonies on overlap in pollen use, and describing general pollen collection patterns. The feral colonies collected a wide variety of pollen types. Anemophilous (wind pollinated) pollen types were important in the fall, but entomophilous (insect pollinated) pollen types were important for the remainder of the year. Herbaceous plants and shrubs provided pollen during the spring and early summer, trees in mid- to late summer, and herbaceous plants in the fall. The pollen sources used by the feral colonies also tended to be good nectar sources. Overlap in pollen use between colonies varied throughout the year. Pollen overlap was correlated with distance for some sampling periods and not others, probably because of the way colonies select resources and the flowering phenology in the study area.
Fisetin, a phytochemical, potentiates sorafenib-induced apoptosis and abrogates tumor growth in athymic nude mice implanted with BRAF-mutated melanoma cells

Melanoma is the most deadly form of cutaneous malignancy, and its incidence rates are rising worldwide. In melanoma, constitutive activation of the BRAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) and PI3K/AKT/mTOR (PI3K) signaling pathways plays a pivotal role in cell proliferation, survival and tumorigenesis. A combination of compounds that lead to an optimal blockade of these critical signaling pathways may provide an effective strategy for prevention and treatment of melanoma. The phytochemical fisetin is known to possess anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities. We found that fisetin treatment inhibited PI3K signaling pathway in melanoma cells. Therefore, we investigated the effect of fisetin and sorafenib (an RAF inhibitor) alone and in combination on cell proliferation, apoptosis and tumor growth. Combination treatment (fisetin + sorafenib) more effectively reduced the growth of BRAF-mutated human melanoma cells at lower doses when compared to individual agents. In addition, combination treatment resulted in enhanced (i) apoptosis, (ii) cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP, (iii) expression of Bax and Bak, (iv) inhibition of Bcl2 and Mcl-1, and (v) inhibition of expression of PI3K, phosphorylation of MEK1/2, ERK1/2, AKT and mTOR. In athymic nude mice subcutaneously implanted with melanoma cells (A375 and SK-MEL-28), we found that combination therapy resulted in greater reduction of tumor growth when compared to individual agents. Furthermore, combination therapy was more effective than monotherapy in: (i) inhibition of proliferation and angiogenesis, (ii) induction of apoptosis, and (iii) inhibition of the MAPK and PI3K pathways in xenograft tumors. These data suggest that simultaneous inhibition of both these signaling pathways using combination of fisetin and sorafenib may serve as a therapeutic option for the management of melanoma.
Narrative Review of Dance-based Exercise and Its Specific Impact on Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults

Background: Depression is a chronic condition that results in considerable disability, and particularly in later life, severely impacts the life quality of the individual with this condition. The first aim of this review article was to summarize, synthesize, and evaluate the research base concerning the use of dance-based exercises on health status, in general, and secondly, specifically for reducing depressive symptoms, in older adults. A third was to provide directives for professionals who work or are likely to work with this population in the future. Methods: All English language peer reviewed publications detailing the efficacy of dance therapy as an intervention strategy for older people in general, and specifically for minimizing depression and dependence among the elderly were analyzed. Key words: dance therapy and depression were included. Databases used were Academic Search Complete, Cinahl, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Results: Collectively, this data reveal dance therapy may be useful as a rehabilitation strategy for older adults, in general, as well as for elders with varying degrees of depression, regardless of strategy employed. Conclusions: Although more research is needed, older individuals with or without chronic depression or depressive symptoms can benefit emotionally from dance based exercise participation. Geriatric clinicians can expect this form of exercise will also heighten the life quality of the older individual with depression or subclinical depression.
27 – Classification and Pathophysiologic Aspects of Respiratory Failure

Abstract Chapter 27 addresses acute and chronic respiratory failure. Respiratory failure is defined as a clinical state in which the respiratory system is not functioning adequately to keep gas exchange (i.e. blood gas values) at an acceptable level. The chapter discusses two types of respiratory failure: hypoxemic and hypercapnic respiratory failure. Because hypercapnia is often accompanied by hypoxemia, the term hypercapnic/hypoxemic respiratory failure is often used. Common causes of hypoxemic respiratory failure include severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Common causes of hypercapnic/hypoxemic respiratory failure include central nervous system depression, diseases of the respiratory muscles, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Clinical findings in patients with respiratory failure typically include dyspnea, impaired mental status, cyanosis, and headache.
Hydrocarbon Fuels Production from Hydrocracking of Soybean Oil Using Transition Metal Carbides and Nitrides Supported on ZSM-5

The effects of process parameters and Ni/Mo atomic ratio on catalytic hydrocracking of soybean oil were investigated using the carbide or nitride forms of Ni/Mo supported on ZSM-5 catalysts. Essent...
Is this case an EMTALA violation

The advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) working in the emergency department (ED) is asked to see a patient with an "eye infection." The patient has a severe retrobulbar orbital abscess requiring complex multidisciplinary specialty management and is ultimately transferred to a tertiary care center. The patient had first presented to a community ED per the recommendation of her ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. The patient was advised to leave the first ED during triage and to go to a second community ED. Although the referring physician was made aware of the recommendation to have the patient drive to another facility, the APRN questions whether this is a case of an Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) violation. This article defines EMTALA and evaluates the case.
Numerical Prediction of Flow and Heat Transfer Rates in Metal Based Microchannels Using Lattice Boltzmann Method

Metal-based Microchannel Heat Exchangers (MHEs) are of current interest due to the combination of high heat transfer performance and improved mechanical integrity. In the present work, a simple two-dimensional thermal lattice Boltzmann model without viscous heat dissipation and pressure compressible work has been developed to simulate the heat transfer phenomenon in Cu- and Al-based micro-channels. A 2D fluid-solid conjugate heat transfer problem is solved using LBM and Fluent. For the Cu specimen, the height of the channel considered was 204 μm and the top and bottom wall thickness was taken to be same as the channel height. The LBM results were compared with 3D and 2D fluent models. The study also compares the numerically computed velocity profile with the analytical results and compares the Nusselt number values predicted by LBM and Fluent with the experimental data. Owing to the simplicity of the thermal LB model, promising results were obtained from the LBM predictions.© 2008 ASME
SURVEY ON DISINFECTION STATUS OF KINDERGARTENS IN DONGTAI CITY

Objective To know disinfection status of kindergartens in Dongtai,make the appraisal,in order to improve disinfection quality.Methods Questionnaire survey and sampling examination were used to monitor the management and disinfection quality of 48 institutes in this City.Results In 48 institutes investigated,68.75% did not have the fluid water facility to wash hands,72.92% of personnel did not understand the disinfection elementary knowledge,only 22.92% kindergartens had specially disinfector for tablewares.The average disinfection qualify rate was 83.90%.Only 1 kindergarten has professional health care doctor.68.75% kindergartens do not make the morning examine for children.Conclusion The disinfection work in Jiangsu Dongtai kindergartens is not very good.The environment pollution in the kindergarten is serious.The administration of public health department should imply the intervention measure to eliminates disease of the hidden danger.
The cellular dynamics of pattern formation in the eye of Drosophila.

The establishment and early development of the ommatidial bundles in the presumptive eye of, Drosophila have been investigated using electron microscopic serial sectioning. A progression of developmental stages has been characterized. Initially simple, symmetrically constructed bundles develop into asymmetrical, more complex constructions. Computer graphic reconstruction has been used to show the three-dimensional structure of the various ommatidial bundles. Autoradiography has been used to locate the position of a region of cell division which is intimately associated with the formation of the ommatidial bundles.
Role of basement membrane collagen and elastin in the autofluorescence spectra of the colon.

Background Autofluoresence can be used to detect neoplasia in the colon. Two known fluorophores, collagen and elastin, are probably partly responsible for colonic emission spectra. Their contribution to colonic autofluorescence was investigated. Methods Autofluorescence spectra of normal, dysplastic, and malignant colonic tissue were studied by using excitation wavelengths from 280 nm to 350 nm. The wavelengths of peak emission and their widths at half maximum intensity were measured. Similar measurements were performed on collagen types I, III, IV, V, IX, and elastin. Colonic spectra were compared to those of collagen and elastin. Spectral differences between collagen types IV (basement membrane) I, III, V, and IX were studied. Results Four major emission peaks were noted whose wavelength of peak emission and full widths at half maximum intensity were independent of tissue histology. The emission spectra of type IV collagen differed markedly from that of nonbasement membrane collagens and elastin. Conclusions Type IV (basement membrane) collagen is most likely responsible for the emission peak at 365 nm. The spectra of basement membrane collagen and not other types of collagen should be used in studies of epithelial tissue spectra. Elastin did not appear to be responsible for any of the four autofluorescence peaks observed in colonic tissue.
An algorithm for fitting johnson transformations to non-normal data

A FORTRAN program which selects the estimated best-fit Johnson transformation for a set of non-normal data is presented. The parameter estimates are computed using sample percentiles, and the quali...
International faith-based organizations: An organizational analysis of Latter-day Saint Charities

ABSTRACTThis organizational analysis of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ faith-based organization, Latter-day Saint Charities, adds to the knowledge base regarding international faith-based organizations and their delivery of humanitarian and international development assistance. Qualitative data gathered from interviews with key headquarters staff describe LDS Charities’ organizational structure, guiding philosophies, and service delivery system. The role of social work strategies within faith-based international organizations as well as practice implications are discussed.
Research on power consumption weighted state machine of farmland WSN node

Wireless sensor network (WSN) plays an important role in the large scale farmland environmental monitoring. Long-term unattended monitoring with limited energy source requires extremely low power consumption. Researches mainly focused on the state transition of the wireless sensor network (WSN) nodes. More energy can be saved when each module is scheduled into the appropriate states according to the node's relative energy weights in the network. Simulation results show that the node power consumption has been significantly reduced.
The utility of ETV1, ETV4 and ETV5 RNA in-situ hybridization in the diagnosis of CIC-DUX sarcomas.

Aims A recently characterized group of undifferentiated small round cell sarcomas harbours fusions of the genes CIC and DUX4. Studies report a distinctive gene expression profile for these sarcomas, including expression of E26 transformation specific (ETS)-family protooncogenic transcription factors ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5. To test the utility of an ancillary diagnostic technique for these tumors, we evaluated chromogenic RNA in situ hybridization assays for ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5, as diagnostic adjuncts for this emerging group of highly malignant sarcomas. Methods and Results We tested 6 confirmed CIC-DUX4 sarcomas and 105 lesions in the differential, including 48 Ewing sarcomas for expression of ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5, scoring expression utilizing a previously validated scale. ETV1 and ETV4 were positive in 5/6 cases, while ETV5 was positive in 6/6. No Ewing sarcoma or other sarcoma tested, showed co-expression of these transcripts, while one ETV1, ETV4, ETV5 positive previously unclassified round cell sarcoma, was identified as harboring a CIC rearrangement by break-apart FISH. Conclusion We identified overexpression of ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5 transcripts in situ in CIC-DUX4 sarcomas using a robust assay in routine archival sections. One previously unclassified round cell sarcoma showed ETV1/4/5 positivity, and was proven to harbor a CIC rearrangement by break-apart FISH. The sensitivity and specificity observed with our in situ hybridization assay implies potential utility as an ancillary diagnostic technique, particularly when faced with limited biopsy samples. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Reação da termosfera a tempestades geomagnéticas

A termosfera e uma das camadas mais externas da atmosfera terrestre, localizada entre 90-1000 km de altitude, logo abaixo da exosfera. Composta por atomos e moleculas neutras, ou particulas neutras, a termosfera e extremamente sensivel a variacoes de energia nela depositada. Durante a ocorrencia de tempestades geomageticas, moderadas ou intensas, uma grande quantidade de energia e momentum sao depositadas em regioes de alta latitude da termosfera. O plasma, proveniente do vento solar, e energizado na magnetosfera e ao atingir a termosfera provoca o aquecimento das particulas neutras e a elevacao da camada. As perturbacoes causadas pelas tempestades geomagneticas na termosfera afetam as orbitas de satelites e outros objetos que transitam nessa regiao. Assim, o estudo de tais efeitos e extremamente importante do ponto de vista cientifico e tecnologico. Neste artigo, apresentaremos uma revisao das principais caracteristicas da termosfera durante intervalos de calmaria (sem tempestades) e intervalos de tempestade. Logo apos, discutiremos os efeitos provocados na termosfera pela tempestade geomagnetica ocorrida em 20 de novembro de 2003. Para exemplificar os efeitos causados na termosfera, apresentaremos dados de densidade de particulas neutras observados pelo acelerometro a bordo de um satelite de baixa orbita (LEO, do ingles low-Earth orbit) coletados durante aquela tempestade geomagnetica.
Active Probes for Imaging Membrane Dynamics of Live Cells with High Spatial and Temporal Resolution over Extended Time Scales and Areas.

Despite the advancement of molecular imaging techniques, there is an unmet need for probes for direct imaging of membrane dynamics of live cells. Here we report a novel type of active (or enzyme responsive) probes to directly image membrane dynamics of live cells with high spatial and temporal resolution over extended time scales and areas. Because lipid rafts enrich cholesterols and GPI-anchored enzymes (e.g., ectophosphatases), we design probes that consist of an enzymatic trigger, a fluorophore, and a cholesterol that are affinitive to the cell membrane. Being water-soluble and as the substrate of ectophosphatase, these cell compatible probes preferentially and rapidly assemble in plasma membrane, exhibit strong fluorescence, work at micromolar concentrations, and easily achieve high resolution monitoring of nanoscale heterogeneity in membranes of live cells, the release of exosomes, and the membrane dynamics of live cells. This work provides a facile means to link membrane dynamics and heterogeneity t...
Model of Individual Health Effects from Religion/Spirituality: Supporting Evidence

This chapter is the first of thirteen reviews in this volume providing a public health perspective on the empirical evidence relating religion and spirituality (R/S) to physical and mental health. This chapter emphasizes an essentially epidemiologic perspective, reviewings evidence bearing on a “generic” model of how an individual’s engagement in religion/spirituality may causally affect that individual’s health through pathways that include health behaviors, social connections and support, ability to draw upon distinctively religious/spiritual methods of coping, and mental health. In US-based and often in international and non-Western samples, R/S factors tend to correlate with healthier profiles on social connections, health behaviors, substance abuse, mental health, and psychological well-being. R/S coping is multidimensional and adds incremental predictiveness beyond measures of secular coping. Hundreds of studies link positive R/S coping to better adjustment, and negative forms of R/S coping to worse adjustment.
Using Generalization and Characterization Techniques in the Anomaly-based Detection of Web Attacks.

The custom, ad hoc nature of web applications makes learning-based anomaly detection systems a suitable approach to provide early warning about the exploitation of novel vulnerabilities. However, anomaly-based systems are known for producing a large number of false positives and for providing poor or non-existent information about the type of attack that is associated with
Avoidance Costs in Optimal Penalties

This paper develops the point that avoiding a legal prohibition is not free, but rather involves "avoidance costs" that must be considered in determining an optimal public law enforcement policy. While obvious in an organizational context, the point is completely general. In the case of individuals, there are more subtle types of avoidance costs in the form of lost opportunities for productive activity, which are difficult to observe directly but may have a very significant aggregate effect on social welfare. Therefore, the significance of avoidance costs extends to all types of potential offenders and offenses. The existing literature does not explicitly consider the problem of avoidance costs in determining optimal enforcement, and in some instances offers solutions that depend critically on the implicit assumption that avoidance costs are zero. If avoidance costs are considered, the optimal enforcement policy is affected in certain circumstances. In particular, the policy of setting expected penalties equal to the violator's gain, in order to reduce public enforcement costs, is shown to be sub-optimal even where it can be assumed that violators' gains are always less than the external harm created by the violation. More generally, the existence of avoidance costs and their dependence on the expected penalty level explains why optimal penalties always should be based on external harm, and never on the violator's gain.
Biogenic Structures of Burrowing Skinks: Neoichnology of Mabuya multifaciata (Squamata: Scincidae)

Neoichnological experiments involving a species of tropical, ground-dwelling skink, Mabuya multifasciata, demonstrate the diversity of biogenic structures produced by medium-sized lizards. Although the majority of skinks are ground dwellers or burrowers, little is known about the biogenic structures produced by this most diverse group of lizards. The documentation of biogenic structures produced by M. multifasciata will aid in the identification of trace fossils produced by skinks, help to improve the fossil record of these difficult-to-preserve animals, and allow for more complete paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Skinks were placed in terrariums filled with sediment of varying compositions and moisture content and were allowed to burrow. Open burrows were cast with plaster, photographed, measured, and statistically analyzed. The skinks produced seven distinct burrow morphologies including various ramps, U-, and J-shaped burrows. While there was no direct correlation between burrow properties and sediment properties, the burrows showed some variations due to the changes in sediment density and moisture content. The burrows had greater average complexities and tunnel heights when the sediment moisture was increased, whereas they had lower average widths and circumferences when the sediment density was increased. The data collected in this study can be directly applied to terrestrial trace fossil assemblages in tropical paleosols to better interpret their paleoecology and assess paleoenvironmental conditions.
Abdominal Wall Hernias: Introduction

Surgeons have recently re-evaluated the indications for operating on groin hernias. Elective surgery is indicated for symptomatic hernias causing pain, a large bulge, or intermittent incarceration. A recent study partially funded by the American College of Surgeons randomized 720 men with asymptomatic hernias to either operation or nonoperative management and found no difference in the complication rate relating to acute herniation between the two groups [1]. Regarding incisional ventral hernias and umbilical hernias, operation is generally indicated for symptomatic hernias, with relative contraindications including comorbidities and obesity. Cirrhosis with ascites is not a contraindication for repair of umbilical hernias and operation may lead to fewer complications than observation [2].
Prozeß-Erlebnisorientierte Psychotherapie – Ein Überblick: Teil 1

Die Prozes-erlebnisorientierte Psychotherapie ist eine neohumanistische Behandlungsform, in der versucht wird, eine kreative Verbindung zwischen einer eher klientzentrierten, echten, wertschatzenden und empathischen Beziehung und einem eher aktiven, aufgabenorientierten und prozes-direktiven Stil der Gestalt-Psychotherapie herzustellen. Diese Therapieform ist wissenschaftlich fundiert (im Sinne von Grawe 1997). Ihre Krankheitslehre wurde durch Beitrage aus der modernen psychologischen Theorie erganzt. Die Behandlung umfast eine Reihe wesentlicher therapeutischer Aufgaben, die charakterisiert sind durch spezifische Hinweise oder Zeichen auf Klientenseite, Losungsstufen, verschiedene Schritte, die ein Klient auf dem Weg zur Losung der Aufgaben durchlauft und therapeutische Interventionen, die den Klienten auf diesem Weg unterstutzen. Dieser Beitrag gibt im ersten Teil einen Uberblick uber die prozes-erlebnisorientierte Therapie einschlieslich ihrer theoretischen Grundlagen, i.e. der Emotionstheorie, des dialektischen Konstruktivismus und der Prozesorientierung sowie uber die Grundprinzipien des Behandlungsmodells.
Comparing machine learning to knowledge engineering for student behavior modeling: a case study in gaming the system

Learning analytics research has used both knowledge engineering and machine learning methods to model student behaviors within the context of digital learning environments. In this paper, we compar...
Gaps in Viral Hepatitis Awareness in the United States in a Population-based Study.

Background & Aims The benefits of highly effective therapies for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HCV infection can only be realized if infected individuals are identified and linked to care. We sought to identify gaps in awareness of diagnosis of HBV or HCV infection in a population-based sample of adults living in the United States (US). Methods Using National Health and Nutrition Examinations Surveys data, we examined factors associated with HBV and HCV awareness. Participants surveyed from 2013 through 2016, age ≥20 years, with complete serologic analyses were included. HBV and HCV infections were defined by detection of serum HBsAg and anti-HCV, respectively. The primary outcome was awareness of infection—if participants replied “yes” to the question: “Has a doctor or other health professional ever told you that you have hepatitis B or C?” Results Of 14,745 participants, 68 had HBV and 211 had HCV infection, corresponding to prevalence values of 0.7% and 1.8%, respectively. Among HBV-infected persons, 32% reported awareness, and 28% of aware persons reported treatment. Among HCV-infected persons, 49% reported awareness, 45% of aware persons were treated, and 59% of treated patients achieved a sustained virologic response. Factors associated with greater awareness in multivariable models included US citizenship, higher education, and abnormal level of alanine aminotransferase for HBV-infected participants and non-Hispanic race, income above the poverty line, not married, and history of injection drug use for HCV-infected participants. Conclusions Fewer than half of US adults with HBV or HCV infection are aware of their infection. Opportunities to increase awareness include provider education on cut-off values for abnormal level of alanine aminotransferase that should prompt screening, and expansion of existing screening interventions to under-recognized at-risk groups.
Reduced basis decomposition

Dimension reduction is often needed in the area of data mining. The goal of these methods is to map the given high-dimensional data into a low-dimensional space preserving certain properties of the initial data. There are two kinds of techniques for this purpose. The first, projective methods, builds an explicit linear projection from the high-dimensional space to the low-dimensional one. On the other hand, the nonlinear methods utilizes nonlinear and implicit mapping between the two spaces. In both cases, the methods considered in literature have usually relied on computationally very intensive matrix factorizations, frequently the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). The computational burden of SVD quickly renders these dimension reduction methods infeasible thanks to the ever-increasing sizes of the practical datasets.In this paper, we present a new decomposition strategy, Reduced Basis Decomposition (RBD), which is inspired by the Reduced Basis Method (RBM). Given X the high-dimensional data, the method approximates it by Y T ( ? X ) with Y being the low-dimensional surrogate and T the transformation matrix. Y is obtained through a greedy algorithm thus extremely efficient. In fact, it is significantly faster than SVD with comparable accuracy. T can be computed on the fly. Moreover, unlike many compression algorithms, it easily finds the mapping for an arbitrary "out-of-sample" vector and it comes with an "error indicator" certifying the accuracy of the compression. Numerical results are shown validating these claims.
Influence of Noise on Information Theoretic Causality Measures for System Identification

Parameter estimation and model order reduction (MOR) are important steps in the development of engineering models for many real-world systems. While a number of parameter estimation and MOR methods exist for linear systems, the problem is considerably more challenging for nonlinear systems. Many current algorithms applied to nonlinear systems are susceptible to convergence to local minima or overfitting of measurement data, which can lead to problems with poor model fidelity with respect to both open-loop dynamics and response to control inputs. Recently, the authors introduced a method that leverages information theoretic causality measures to identify the parametric structure of a model and remove model components which are extraneous. This algorithm is based on a particular type of conditional entropy, called causation entropy, which reveals the critical state transition functions in a nonlinear model through formation of a so-called causation entropy matrix (CEM). Previous work demonstrated that the CEM can be used to reduce the order of a nonlinear model in several practical parameter estimation problems. However, the scope of this prior work was limited and did not consider the effects of noise on system measurements. This paper provides a study of the effects of measurement noise on the accuracy of the CEM method and the efficacy of the resulting parameter estimation process. The paper also explores the significance of the numerical magnitude of the causation entropy values contained in the CEM, which leads to a deeper understanding of how the CEM can be used in model order reduction for nonlinear systems more generally. Simulation examples are provided to demonstrate these trends in the form of a coupled linear harmonic oscillator and a nonlinear pendulum on a cart.
Important Differences in Renal Disease

Renal disease in African Americans is the most dramatically different prevalence of a disorder and results in significant disability, morbidity, and mortality. As end-stage renal disease is principally a result of diabetes and hypertension, and given the increased prevalence of both in African Americans, there is at least a threefold increased occurrence of renal disease in African Americans. The excess burden of kidney disease (both diabetic and non-diabetic) has been largely explained by genetic variants in the apolipoprotein 1 gene in African Americans. African Americans make up 35 percent of all patients on chronic dialysis with diabetes as the leading cause of renal failure, and hypertension as the second most prevalent cause. This chapter will review these and other important differences.