cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract LB-131: In vivo chromosomal engineering with the CRISPR/Cas9 model: a new frontier for mouse modeling

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Introduction: Chromosomal rearrangements are often detected in several types of cancer and result in expression of aberrant genes with oncogenic functions. In spite of their importance in tumor formation, modeling such rearrangements has been proven challenging and requires heavy and long germline manipulation. Purpose of the study: in this study we propose to induce chromosomal rearrangements in vivo by delivering the CRISPR/Cas9 system making use of viral vectors. Experimental procedures: for in vitro studies we transfected NIH/3T3 cells with plasmids expressing the Cas9 protein and the specific sgRNA. For in vivo delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to the lung of adult mice we made use of Adenoviral vectors containing the Cas9 and two sgRNAs expressed under the control of two independent U6 promoters. Imaging of the lungs was performed with μCT scan. Results: two sgRNAs to direct the endonuclease Cas9 to the intron 19 of Alk and the intron 14 of Eml4 to induce the Eml4-Alk inversion were designed to induce Eml4-Alk inversion, detected in a subset of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Co-delivery of the sgRNAs and the Cas9 resulted in the expected rearrangements, indicating that two sgRNAs and the endonuclease are sufficient to induce chromosomal rearrangements in vitro. For in vivo delivery to the lung of adult mice, we generated an adenoviral system for the concomitant delivery of the Cas9 and the two sgRNAs (Ad-EA) or the Cas9 alone (Ad-Cas9). Within 8 weeks post-infection with Ad-EA, mice developed lung adenomas while mice infected with Ad-Cas9 were tumor free. All the tumors carried the genomic inversion Eml4-Alk and were negative for p63 and positive for TTF-1 resembling the histological feature of NSCLC. Finally we tested the sensitivity of the tumors to the ALK/MET inhibitor crizotinib, used in therapy for the treatment of ALK+ NSCLC. Radiological and histological analysis showed in all cases tumor regression, indicating that our CRISPR-induced mouse model closely resembles human NSCLC. Conclusion: In conclusion the strategy here presented expands significantly our possibility of modeling cancers driven by chromosomal rearrangements and represents an opportunity to test novel targeted therapies and thee mechanisms leading to drug resistance. Citation Format: Danilo Maddalo. In vivo chromosomal engineering with the CRISPR/Cas9 model: a new frontier for mouse modeling. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-131. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-131
Glycan Alteration Imparts Cellular Resistance to a Membrane-Lytic Anticancer Peptide

Although resistance toward small-molecule chemotherapeutics has been well studied, the potential of tumor cells to avoid destruction by membrane-lytic compounds remains unexplored. Anticancer peptides (ACPs) are a class of such agents that disrupt tumor cell membranes through rapid and non-stereospecific mechanisms, encouraging the perception that cellular resistance toward ACPs is unlikely to occur. We demonstrate that eukaryotic cells can, indeed, develop resistance to the model oncolytic peptide SVS-1, which preferentially disrupts the membranes of cancer cells. Utilizing fission yeast as a model organism, we show that ACP resistance is largely controlled through the loss of cell-surface anionic saccharides. A similar mechanism was discovered in mammalian cancer cells where removal of negatively charged sialic acid residues directly transformed SVS-1-sensitive cell lines into resistant phenotypes. These results demonstrate that changes in cell-surface glycosylation play a major role in tumor cell resistance toward oncolytic peptides.
Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD in the United States: Update by Gender and Race

Objective: The aim of this article is to update ADHD diagnosis/treatment trends by age, gender, and race. Method: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data were obtained for 2008-2009 to 2012-2013. Physician office visits including ADHD diagnosis and pharmacotherapy were measured per 1,000 population and per 1,000 office visits overall, and by demographic group. Logistic regression models controlled for demographics, psychiatric comorbidities, insurance type, and time period. Interactions of time, demographics, comorbidities, and insurance type were tested. Results: Diagnoses of ADHD increased by 36% in adults and 18% in youth, and diagnosis + drug by 29% in female and 10% in male youths. ADHD diagnosis was 77% less likely among Black than White adults but 24% more likely among Black than White youths in 2012-2013. Conduct disorder (CD) in youths multiplied odds of diagnosis + drug by 3.31; interaction of Black race × CD by 3.78. Conclusion: Upward trends in ADHD diagnosis and treatment have continued but vary markedly by group. Studies of undertreatment/overtreatment are needed.
Change in Percentages of Adults With Overweight or Obesity Trying to Lose Weight, 1988-2014.

Socially acceptable body weight is increasing.1 If more individuals who are overweight or obese are satisfied with their weight, fewer might be motivated to lose unhealthy weight. This study assessed the trend in the percentage of adults who were overweight or obese and trying to lose weight during 3 periods from 1988 through 2014. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), an ongoing, stratified, multistage probability sample of the US noninstitutionalized population designed to represent the health and nutritional status of the general population. A strength of NHANES is that the sampling approaches, interviews, and physical examination methods are standardized across surveys and have been published extensively elsewhere.2 NHANES protocol was approved by the National Center for Health Statistics institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained.2 The current analysis was categorized as exempt by the Georgia Southern University institutional review board.
Roles of Non-coding RNAs During Herpesvirus Infection

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play essential roles in multiple aspects of the life cycles of herpesviruses and contribute to lifelong persistence of herpesviruses within their respective hosts. In this chapter, we discuss the types of ncRNAs produced by the different herpesvirus families during infection, some of the cellular ncRNAs manipulated by these viruses, and the overall contributions of ncRNAs to the viral life cycle, influence on the host environment, and pathogenesis.
Phenomenology: A Viewing

I wish to begin and end with an irrelevancy. In the autobiographical statement that appears in the recent volume in the Library of Living Philosophers devoted to his thought, Karl Jaspers contrasts his experience living the life of a physician (he began as a psychiatrist) with that of his life as a philosopher. Regarding his colleagues in both professions, he writes: The memory of the intellectual fellowship of our hospital in Heidelberg has accompanied me throughout my entire life. My later work was quite independent and was undertaken at my own risk ... without contact with any professional group. The comparison enabled me to measure how diffused, artificial, and unreal is the professional association of teachers of philosophy, no matter how often its representatives may meet each other in congresses or express themselves in journals and books.1
Acculturation Influences Postpartum Eating, Activity, and Weight Retention in Low-Income Hispanic Women.

Background Low-income Hispanic women experience elevated rates of high postpartum weight retention (PPWR), which is an independent risk factor for lifetime obesity. Sociocultural factors might play an important role among Hispanic women; however, very few studies have examined this association. Objective The purpose of our study was to examine the associations between acculturation and maternal diet, physical activity, and PPWR. Design This is a cross-sectional study of baseline data from 282 Hispanic women participating in the FitMoms/Mamas Activas study, a randomized controlled trial examining the impact of primarily an internet-based weight control program, in reducing PPWR among low-income women. We performed multivariable linear regression to examine the association of acculturation with diet quality, physical activity, and PPWR at study entry. Results A total of 213 (76%) women had acculturation scores reflecting Mexican orientation or bicultural orientation, whereas 69 (24%) had scores that represented assimilation to Anglo culture. Women who were more acculturated had lower intakes of fruits and vegetables, lower HEI scores, and lower physical activity levels than women who were less acculturated (p Conclusion Higher acculturation was associated with poorer diet and physical activity behaviors and greater PPWR.
The Human Factor Quality of the Workforce in Achieving and Maintaining Global Competitiveness

The presentation in this chapter concentrates on the human factor quality of the workforce and its long-term implications for achieving and maintaining global competitiveness. With this view in perspective, the contents of this chapter maintain that the fashioning, implementation, and aggressive enforcement of diverse management rules and human resources (HR) laws do not necessarily bring about the achievement and maintenance of the global competiveness of any business organizations. With this background in perspective, the reader is guided to gain a much deeper understanding that if the owners, managers, leaders, and the various categories of employees are to achieve and maintain global competitiveness, it is imperative that they channel many more of their scarce financial, effort, energy, and time resources (FEET) into more human factor-based education programs that lead to the development of the diverse human factor-based acumen of the workforce. It is argued further that anyone who denies this truth will definitely jeopardize the opportunities the company’s labor force requires to excel in everything they are able to do to achieve and sustain the global competitiveness of the business organization.
Biochemical and cellular properties of insulin receptor signalling

The mechanism of insulin action is a central theme in biology and medicine. In addition to the rather rare condition of insulin deficiency caused by autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells, genetic and acquired abnormalities of insulin action underlie the far more common conditions of type 2 diabetes, obesity and insulin resistance. The latter predisposes to diseases ranging from hypertension to Alzheimer disease and cancer. Hence, understanding the biochemical and cellular properties of insulin receptor signalling is arguably a priority in biomedical research. In the past decade, major progress has led to the delineation of mechanisms of glucose transport, lipid synthesis, storage and mobilization. In addition to direct effects of insulin on signalling kinases and metabolic enzymes, the discovery of mechanisms of insulin-regulated gene transcription has led to a reassessment of the general principles of insulin action. These advances will accelerate the discovery of new treatment modalities for diabetes.
Mechanisms of ischemic mitral insufficiency and their surgical correction

The function of the mitral valve is dependent on the precise interaction of cusps, chordae, ventricular base, and the posterior ventricular wall. For closure to take place with or without atrial contraction, a vortex forms behind the anterior cusp and moves it posteriorly, and the ventricular muscle starts to develop tension. With this the ventricular pressure rises, reversing the diastolic forward flow of blood through the orifice. Closure occurs after systole has started, just before the aortic valve opens. The normal annulus narrows, bringing the posterior cusp nearer to the anterior cusp and the posterior left ventricular wall shortens allowing the cusps to rise to the plane of the atrioventricular ring. A small puff of regurgitation occurs as the cusps close. Most of this is blood displaced by the cusps as their contact progresses from a touching of the free edges to contact over a substantial area [2, 3].
Understanding information sharing about rare diseases: an evaluation of the NIH's website on AATD

ABSTRACTIntroduction: People with rare diseases have difficulty accessing high quality information about their conditions, which impedes their ability to be engaged patients. Federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have created websites to disseminate disease-related information. This study explored how people with a rare disease – Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD) – evaluated the NIH's website on AATD and how participants’ evaluation, genetic determinism, and spirituality predicted their intentions to share the website with others.Method: Participants (N = 153) living with AATD made comments about the NIH's website on the disease, and completed a survey about their perceptions of the information, individual characteristics, and intentions to share the NIH website.Results: Qualitative analyses highlighted that participants wanted to access to more complete, high quality, and interesting information on AATD on a more user-friendly website. Quantitative analyses showed that part...
Numerical Prediction of Convection

The governing conservation equations contain seven dimensionless parameters that determine the heat transfer characteristics of the superposed fluid-porous layer system. They are the heater-to-base length ratio, δ, the porous layer-to-total height ratio, η, the overall aspect ratio, A, the Darcy number, Da, the fluid Prandtl number, Pr, the solid-to-fluid conductivity ratio, λ, and the overall Rayleigh number, Ra. To present a thorough parametric analysis of the problem, the effect of each parameter on the flow and temperature fields and on overall heat transfer coefficients is discussed in this chapter.
Aftermath A.D. 696—Late 7th and Early 8th Century Special Deposits and Elite Main Plaza Burials at Buenavista del Cayo, Western Belize: A Study in Classic Maya “Historical Archaeology”

ABSTRACTBetween 1984 and 1989, a number of depositional contexts were excavated at the Classic Maya center/site of Buenavista del Cayo in the upper Belize Valley that appeared to be products of sudden cessations of activity or architectural “terminations” dating to sometime in the late 7th to mid-8th century. Ceramic furnishings also linked at least two elite status burials on the Central Plaza of the site to these deposits. Conjunctive analysis of the deposits, burials, and their contents together with applicable epigraphic history recorded at a nearby major city, Naranjo, suggests that they are the result of and directly reflect successful military action by Naranjo against Buenavista in a.d. 696. An examination of the contexts and epigraphic history concerned; the archaeological grounds for linking the two; and the rich, composite understanding of the deposits and their behavioral, cultural, and historical significance illustrate the rewards and advantages of 21st century Maya archaeology’s new paradig...
Managing Migration in a Globalizing World: A Conference Report

The 6 th Migration Conference (TMC 2018) held in Lisbon in June 2018 featured hundreds of presentations on various aspects of international migration, including why people move, their experiences crossing borders and settling abroad, and the efforts of national governments and international organizations to improve the management of migration (See Tilbe and Topaloglu, 2018). Many young researchers presented case studies of how particular groups were faring in host societies, including Portugal. Keynote speakers included leading academics such as Joaquin Arango from Complutense University Madrid, Pedro Calado, Portugal’s High Commissioner for Migration The and Michelle Leighton, Chief of the Labour Migration Branch of the International Labour Organization.
What Is the Domain of Corporate Law

Judges, legislators, practitioners, and scholars all conduct their work based on some working conception of what "corporate law" is. Strangely, however, the question of what this conceptual vessel actually contains is seldom asked, let alone answered with any specificity. This article investigates the domain of corporate law - that is, the scope, content, and boundaries of the field. In so doing, the article aims to illuminate why it is that defining the field with any precision has been so difficult, and what such insights have to tell us about corporate law's nature and significance. The article first explores the general challenges faced in any project of legal taxonomy, focusing on the inherent tension between internal and external views of law and the dynamic relationship between legal doctrine and social context. Through that lens, the analysis turns to extant modes of defining corporate law as a field - including frameworks emphasizing core constituencies, core features, and core theories, respectively - as well as our increasing resort to the related though distinct "corporate governance" concept. In light of the strengths and limitations of these frameworks, the article ultimately turns to contextual and historical dynamics that foreclose a single stable conception of corporate law's domain across all places and times. Failure to appreciate these dynamics obscures critical drivers of difference across jurisdictions and narrows our sense of the possible at home. Strategic definition of the "corporation" may cloak contestable normative claims with an air of inevitability, burying the conclusion in the premise and thereby taking off the table propositions that ought to remain contestable. Similarly, assignment of a particular form of regulatory problem to one legal field or another - perhaps "corporate law," but perhaps something else - may impact how we think about the values at stake, the menu of regulatory options, and who possesses regulatory competence. The article provides examples from the United States and other jurisdictions that illustrate the taxonomic limitations and challenges discussed - a comparative approach that I consider warranted in light of the universalizing thrust of much contemporary corporate law literature. The goal is to promote recognition of corporate law's contingency, and to argue that this is a feature rather than a bug - a capacity for dynamism that allows the corporate form and corporate law to respond to social and economic needs that may differ markedly from one jurisdiction to another, and change markedly within a given jurisdiction over time.
Prenatal lead exposure impacts cross-hemispheric and long-range connectivity in the human fetal brain.

Lead represents a highly prevalent metal toxicant with potential to alter human biology in lasting ways. A population segment that is particularly vulnerable to the negative consequences of lead exposure is the human fetus, as exposure events occurring before birth are linked to varied and long-ranging negative health and behavioral outcomes. An area that has yet to be addressed is the potential that lead exposure during pregnancy alters brain development even before an individual is born. Here, we combine prenatal lead exposure information extracted from newborn bloodspots with the human fetal brain functional MRI data to assess whether neural network connectivity differs between lead-exposed and lead-naive fetuses. We found that neural connectivity patterns differed in lead-exposed and comparison groups such that fetuses that were not exposed demonstrated stronger age-related increases in cross-hemispheric connectivity, while the lead-exposed group demonstrated stronger age-related increases in posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) to lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) connectivity. These are the first results to demonstrate metal toxicant-related alterations in human fetal neural connectivity. Remarkably, the findings point to alterations in systems that support higher-order cognitive and regulatory functions. Objectives for future work are to replicate these results in larger samples and to test the possibility that these alterations may account for significant variation in future child cognitive and behavioral outcomes.
HYPERTENSION IN MILD TO MODERATE CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEPRESSION, AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER OF A PREDOMINANTLY MIDDLE-AGED POPULATION

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence in the United States is estimated to be 15%. The most common causes of CKD are hypertension and diabetes. There is limited research regarding mental health and CKD. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between mild to moderate CKD and
Self-Assembled Bilayers as an Anchoring Strategy: Catalysts, Chromophores, and Chromophore-Catalyst Assemblies.

Anchoring strategies for immobilization of molecular catalysts, chromophores, and chromophore-catalyst assemblies on electrode surfaces play an important role in solar energy conversion devices suc...
A Comparative Foreign Relations Law Agenda: Opportunities and Challenges

International law is generally understood to be made up of the rules that states accept as binding in their relations with one another. But international law is the product not only of a political and legal process that takes place between states — as this common understanding implies — but also of processes that take place within them. And yet to date there has been remarkably little cross-national work examining the role of domestic politics and law in the creation of treaties and other international law. Part of the reason for this gap is the difficulty of conducting cross-national studies of foreign relations law on a large scale. To the extent there have been comparative studies done of foreign relations law, they have been largely limited to relatively small-scale case studies. More comprehensive examination of the differences across nations in the ways in which they make international commitments is rare. This chapter aims to contribute to an emerging conversation about how best to carry out a more comprehensive examination of differences between states in the law governing their engagement in the world around them. It maps out five areas that offer opportunities and challenges for the study of comparative foreign relations law. First, the choice of methodology, whether quantitative or qualitative. Second, the under-representation of certain states in existing foreign relations scholarship. Third, the domestic political and institutional structures that shape the interplay between the legislative, executive, and judicial functions within states. Fourth, the role of geopolitics. Fifth, the chapter sounds a cautionary note about approaching international law through domestic law.
Reducing risks during natural disasters with optimal resource allocation by multi-agent optimization

Natural disasters are notable for the high costs associated with responding to and recovering from them. In this paper we address the issue of critical resources allocation during natural disaster, that incorporates the level of importance of the effected region and cost parameter. Our risk reducing model can be applied to online stochastic environments in the domain of natural disasters. The framework achieves more efficient resource allocation in response to dynamic events and is applicable to problems where disaster evolves alongside the response efforts.
An Alternative Signature Design Using L1 Principal Components for Spread-Spectrum Steganography

As methods for detecting hidden data evolve, there exits an ever increasing need to develop new steganographic solutions. This paper introduces novel spread spectrum (SS) and improved spread spectrum (ISS) multimedia data embedding techniques using L 1 principal component signatures. The design presented performs well in terms of bit error rate and the structural similarity index metric.
Postpartum aortic dissection diagnosed by point-of-care ultrasound in the emergency department: A case study.

Abstract Aortic dissection is a rare but clinically significant cause of chest pain in the emergency department (ED). While classic risk factors include advanced age, male sex, and tobacco use, pregnancy is also an independent and easily overlooked risk factor. Aortic dissection carries both high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Point-of-care ultrasound is increasingly employed in the ED and has been shown to be useful in the evaluation of abdominal aortic pathologies. We present a case in which abdominal aortic ultrasound was utilized in the diagnosis of an acute Stanford type B aortic dissection in a recently postpartum patient.
Performance evaluation of porous asphalt mixture enhanced with high dosages of cured carbon fiber composite materials

Abstract This study used newly-developed fiber-shaped reinforcement elements from cured carbon fiber composite materials (CCFCMs), which were produced from accumulated manufacturing scraps from aerospace manufacturing operation with no current reuse. Previous laboratory and field works have demonstrated a prominent performance for porous asphalt (PA) mixtures enhanced by fiber-shaped CCFCMs at the dosage of 0.05% by weight of the mixture. This study assessed higher dosages (0.15%, 0.30%, and 0.45%) of CCFCMs on the strength and durability of PA mixtures. The results showed that the fiber-shaped CCFCMs helped to stabilize asphalt binder during production and facilitate water infiltration. The addition of high dosages of CCFCMs improved ductility and cracking resistance, but compromised indirect tensile strength. Based on the tested dosages in this and previous studies, the recommended maximum dosage of processed CCFCMs used in PA mixtures is 0.15%.
Well-Being of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Providers and Staff During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the New York and New Jersey Epicenter.

PURPOSE:The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the well-being of healthcare workers to varying degrees. The aim of the current study was to investigate how the pandemic has affected the b...
High rates of return to play and work follow knee extensor tendon ruptures but low rate of return to pre-injury level of play.

Extensor mechanism ruptures (EMR) of the knee are rare but debilitating injuries that always require surgery to restore knee function. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature to ascertain the rate of return to play following patellar or quadriceps tendon ruptures. A systematic literature search was conducted based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, using the EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases. Inclusion criteria consisted of clinical studies reporting on return to play after patellar or quadriceps tendon repair. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of SPSS. Our review found 48 studies including 1135 cases meeting our inclusion criteria. There were 33 studies including 757 patellar tendon (PT) repairs, and 18 studies including 378 quadriceps tendon (QT) repairs. The overall rate of return to play for PT repairs was 88.9%, with 80.8% returning to the same level of play. The overall rate of return to play for QT repairs was 89.8%, with 70.0% returning to the same level of play. Among professional athletes, the overall rate of return to play after PT repair and QT repair was 76.9% and 70.9%, respectively. Following PT repair, 95.8% were able to return to work, and following QT repair, 95.9% were able to return to work. The overall rate of return to play was high following both PT and QT repairs. Moreover, a high percentage of those patients were able to return to their pre-operative level of sport with a low risk for re-rupture. Level IV.
Young Sexual Minority Adolescent Experiences of Self-expression and Isolation on Social Media: Cross-sectional Survey Study.

Background: Early adolescent years are marked by pervasive self- and peer-regulation regarding gender and sexuality norms, which can affect the mental well-being of sexual minority youth. During this developmental period, social media use is also emerging as a dominant mode of communication with peers, allowing for both risk and resilient behaviors that can impact well-being. Objective: This exploratory study aims to examine how sexual minorities in middle school use social media, who they are connected to and for what purposes, and the associations between these behaviors and mental well-being compared with their heterosexual peers. Methods: In our cross-sectional survey study of 1033 early adolescents aged between 10 and 16 years (average age 12.7, SD 1.21 years) from 4 middle school sites in the Northeastern United States, we conducted an exploratory study comparing sexual minorities (212/873, 24.3% of sample with known sexual orientation) with their heterosexual peers (n=661), obtaining an 84.46% (1033/1223; total possible) response rate. Results: Sexual minorities reported having smaller networks on their favorite social media website (β=−.57; P<.001), less often responded positively when friends shared good news (β=−.35; P=.002), and less often tried to make friends feel better when they shared bad news (β=−.30; P=.01). However, sexual minorities more often reported joining a group or web-based community to make themselves feel less alone (β=.28; P=.003), unlike heterosexual youth. Sexual minorities had higher averages of loneliness and social isolation (β=.19; P<.001) than heterosexual students. Sexual minorities were also twice as likely to have tried to harm themselves in the past (β=.81; odds ratio [OR] 2.24, 95% CI 1.64-3.06; P<.001) and were more likely to have symptoms that reached the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression definition of depression (β=.15; OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.08-1.25; P<.001). About 39.1% (83/212) of sexual minorities had no one to talk to about their sexual orientation. Sexual minorities were 1.5 times more likely to have joined a social media website their parents would disapprove (β=.41; OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.14-1.97; P=.004) and more likely to report seeing videos related to self-harm (β=.33; OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.06-1.83; P=.02) on the web than heterosexual youth. Conclusions: Given previous reports of supportive and safe web-based spaces for sexual minority youth, our findings demonstrated that sexual minority youth prefer to maintain small, close-knit web-based communities (apart from their families) to express themselves, particularly when reaching out to web-based communities to reduce loneliness. Future longitudinal studies could determine any bidirectional influences of mental well-being and social media use in sexual minorities during this difficult developmental period.
Academic, social, and cultural learning in the French #bac2018 Twitter hashtag.

Despite the continued use of social media in educational contexts, there remains skepticism about whether platforms like Twitter can actually contribute to learning. In this paper, we argue that such skepticism is based on an overly narrow conception of learning that focuses on academic performance and disregards other manifestations. To advance this argument, we document use of the #bac2018 Twitter hashtag in the month leading up to the 2018 baccalaureat exams (the “bac”), which are significant not only for their role in the French educational system but also for their connections with broader French society and culture. We found that participants engaged in sharing notes; slacking, doubting, and fearing; requesting retweets; preferring topics; complaining; connecting with bac heritage and experience; joking; and showing awareness of time. In keeping with the significance of the bac, we found that these practices within the #bac2018 hashtag were associated with not only academic learning but also social and cultural practices that are significant despite their absence from any formal curriculum. These findings underline the complexity and richness that characterizes learning—especially in digital contexts.
D-Dimererhöhung bei akutem Brustschmerz: Lungenembolie oder Aortendissektion?

Der akute Brustschmerz ist derzeit in Deutschland die haufigste Notfallsituation, die zur Einweisung in die Klinik fuhrt. Wichtige Differentialdiagnosen sind dabei neben dem ST-Hebungsinfarkt (STEMI), der Nicht-ST-Hebungsinfarkt (NSTEMI), die Lungenembolie und die Aortendissektion. Wahrend der ST-Hebungsinfarkt (STEMI) rasch im EKG erkannt werden kann, bedarf es fur die Diagnosestellung der anderen, genannten Erkrankungen weiterer Diagnostikschritte. Neben bewahrten, bildgebenden Verfahren wie Echokardiographie (transthorakal und transosophageal) und Computertomographie (CT) spielen auch bestimmte Laborparameter wie das Troponin I (TNI) und die D-Dimere eine Rolle. Ein positives Troponin definiert nicht nur den Nicht-ST-Hebungsinfarkt, sondern hat bei Vorliegen einer Lungenembolie als Hinweis auf eine Rechtsbelastung auch eine prognostische Bedeutung [2, 8, 10]. Die Bestimmung der D-Dimere wird bisher vor allem bei klinischem Verdacht auf Vorliegen einer Lungenembolie durchgefuhrt. Bei einer Sensitivitat von 98% und einer Spezifitat von 39% schliest ein normaler D-Dimerspiegel eine Lungenembolie weitgehend aus [6, 17]. Bisher weniger bekannt ist die Tatsache, dass auch bei der akuten Aortendissektion regelhaft ein positiver DDimerwert zu erwarten ist. So zeigte sich in einer Arbeit, die im Rahmen einer Dissertation durchgefuhrt wurde, dass von 26 Patienten mit akuter Aortendissektion 24 Patienten bei Aufnahme einen positiven D-Dimerwert hatten [14]. Dies entspricht einer Sensitivitat von 92% und liegt damit nur unwesentlich unter der Sensitivitat (98%) bei der Lungenembolie. Bei Patienten mit akutem Brustschmerz und zunachst nicht eindeutiger Diagnose erscheint es sinnvoll die D-Dimere mitzubestimmen, um bei positivem Befund mit Nachdruck nach einer akuten Aortendissektion zu suchen, die ansonsten unentdeckt geblieben ware. Dies um so mehr, da laut Literatur [11, 18] die Letalitat der unentdeckten akuten Aortendissektion bei 60% liegt. Bei richtiger Diagnose und Einleitung der erforderlichen Therapiemasnahmen dagegen uberleben mehr als 90% der Patienten mit akuter Aortendissektion [11, 18]. Bei positivem D-Dimer nicht nur an die Lungenembolie, sondern auch an die Aortendissektion zu denken, konnte daher dazu beitragen die Sterblichkeit bei der akuten Aortendissektion zu reduzieren.
Angular trispectrum of the cosmic microwave background

We study the general properties of the cosmic microwave background temperature four-point function, specifically its harmonic analogue, the angular trispectrum, and illustrate its utility in finding optimal quadratic statistics through the weak gravitational lensing effect. We determine the general form of the trispectrum, under the assumptions of rotational, permutation, and parity invariance, its estimators on the sky, and their Gaussian noise properties. The signal-to-noise in the trispectrum can be highly configuration dependent and any quadratic statistic used to compress the information to a manageable two-point level must be carefully chosen. Through a systematic study, we determine that for the case of lensing a specific statistic, the divergence of a filtered temperature-weighted temperature-gradient map contains the maximal signal-to-noise and reduces the variance of estimates of the large-scale convergence power spectrum by over an order of magnitude over previous gradient-gradient techniques. The total signal-to-noise for lensing with the Planck satellite is of order 60 for a fiducial cold dark matter model with a cosmological constant $(\ensuremath{\Lambda}\mathrm{CDM}).$
Characterizing errors on qubit operations via iterative randomized benchmarking

With improved gate calibrations reducing unitary errors, we achieve a benchmarked single-qubit gate fidelity of $0.9995\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0002$ with superconducting qubits in a circuit quantum electrodynamics system. We present a method for distinguishing between unitary and nonunitary errors in quantum gates by interleaving repetitions of a target gate within a randomized benchmarking sequence. The benchmarking fidelity decays quadratically with the number of interleaved gates for unitary errors but linearly for nonunitary errors, allowing us to separate systematic coherent errors from decoherent effects. With this protocol, we show that the fidelity of the gates is not limited by unitary errors.
The Losses from Trade Restrictions: Policy Dynamics with Firm Selection and Endogenous Markup

In this paper, I explore the aggregate effects of trade restrictions in a two-country, dynamic, general equilibrium (DGE) model with firm selection and variable adjustment of markup. As a response to the trade collapse in the global crisis of 2008 and 2009, temporary trade restrictions have emerged in several countries. With analyzing the dynamics of a negative macroeconomic shock in the home economy first, and the subsequent introduction of trade restrictions in the foreign economy second, I show that both economies are in a worse position than they were during the economic downturn. The follow-ups to the recession and trade restrictions are investigated through three mechanisms: (1) variable markup as a new avenue of increasing competitive pressure for producers (e.g. more competitive firms lower their markups); (2) average individual firms' specific productivity cut-off, which induces their optimum export choice (e.g. an increase in the export productivity cut-off means exporting becomes more difficult than before.); and (3) the movement of international relative prices (e.g. the real exchange rate and terms of trade).
Forensic assessment instruments and techniques

Assessment and evaluation is a key component of the identity and practice of clinical psychologists. The majority of assessment activity in which psychologists engage is best described as therapeutic assessment—psychological evaluation that is conducted to facilitate or inform decision making about treatment and other types of interventions. In contrast, forensic assessment is conducted during or in anticipation of litigation, for the purpose of providing legal decision makers or others with information about aspects of the examinee's psychological functioning that are relevant to some issue that is in dispute. Many commentators, when discussing this issue, distinguish between “clinical assessment” and “forensic assessment” (or between clinical activities and forensic activities). Such terminology is potentially misleading, however, insofar as all forensic assessment is clinical in nature, and it is psychologists' clinical expertise that leads to the court to seek input and opinions from them. Keywords: forensic assessment; psychological assessment; forensic psychology; law and psychology
Hydrodynamics of Surface Irrigation—Advanced Phase

The Saint-Venant equations governing gradually varied, unsteady flow in an open channel with seepage are put into characteristic form and solved numerically in finite steps along the irregular network formed by the characteristic lines using a simple predictor-corrector scheme. The infiltration into the soil is assumed to depend solely upon contact time between water and soil. In the regions of substantial curvature of the characteristic lines, step size is reduced to preserve accuracy. Near the very front of the advancing stream, where the forward and backward characteristics curve extremely sharply and merge with their envelope, the wave-front trajectory, the numerical approximations to the characteristic equations break down and are replaced by the assumption that water velocity is independent of the distance coordinate and equals front-propagation speed.
Baroclinic Instability over a Slope. Part II: Finite-Amplitude Theory

Abstract Baroclinic instability of a circular current is modified by the presence of a unidirectional bottom slope.An analytical theory is developed for the slightly unstable flow regime over a weak slope. The presence of theslope creates azimuthal sidebands n∓ to the basic azimuthal wavenumber n, of the instability. The interaction of the sidebands with the slope causes a decrease in the stability of the flow compared with that inthe case with a flat bottom. The interaction of the sidebands with the primary baroclinic wave produces atime-independent asymmetric current. In addition, the basic wave self-interaction produces a time-independent current which flows up the slope and generates asymmetric vorticity. This latter effect is predominant when the Rossby radius of deformation is much smaller than the radius of the basic current.
Charons 36 to 40: multi enzyone, high capacity, recombination deficient replacement vectors with polylinkers and ploystuffers

New phage lambda based cloning vectors, Charons 36-40, have been constructed which allow cloning of large (up to 24 kb) DNA fragments with up to sixteen cloning enzymes. Several of these could not be used previously with lambda vectors. Clones produced with these vectors can be propagated under recombination deficient conditions. A novel polystuffer method has been developed that permits vector arms to be purified by simple precipitation and which allows reliable identification of clones that have reincorporated any part of the stuffer. Three of the vectors are available with amber mutations in essential genes.
Effect of Boundary-Layer Bleed Hole Inclination Angle and Scaling on Flow Coefficient Behavior

Phase II data results of the Fundamental Inlet Bleed Experiments study at NASA Glenn Research Center are presented which include flow coefficient behavior for 21 bleed hole configurations. The bleed configurations are all round holes with hole diameters ranging from 0.795 to 6.35 mm, hole inclination angles from 20deg to 90deg, and thickness-to-diameter ratios from 0.25 to 2.0. All configurations were tested at a unit Reynolds number of 2.46 10(exp 7)/m and at discrete local Mach numbers of 1.33, 1.62, 1.98, 2.46, and 2.92. Interactions between the design parameters of hole diameter, hole inclination angle, and thickness-to-diameter as well as the interactions between the flow parameters of pressure ratio and Mach number upon the flow coefficient are examined, and a preliminary statistical model is proposed. An existing correlation is also examined with respect to this data.
Sampling and Testing Latex-Modified Concrete for Permeability to Chloride Ion

The overall experience with latex-modified concrete (LMC) overlays constructed with Types I-II, III, and K cements and rapid set cement continues to be good. The most frequent problem with LMC since the late 1990s has been the high incidence of LMC samples failing the permeability test (AASHTO T277) when done at an early age. Approximately one-third of the field-prepared specimens fail because they have permeability values > 1,500 coulombs. Research was done to determine the cause and significance of the failing early-age LMC permeability test results and to recommend changes in practice. The approach included testing of specimens prepared in the laboratory, specimens prepared in the field, and cores from three bridge overlays that had failing early-age test results for field-prepared specimens. Results indicate that the permeability of LMC decreases as the concrete ages. LMC that meets the specification with the exception of early-age permeability should have a very low permeability at later age regardle...
Application of blazed gratings for determination of equivalent primary azimuthal aberrations

Aberrations are determined from wafers exposed using a test reticle having blazed gratings with orientations from 0 to 337.5 degrees in increments of 22.5 degrees. The image of the phase grating is micro stepped thorough focus on the surface of high absorption photoresist. A second blanket exposure is applied to the latent images to make the developed resist images have a surface relief linearly related to the aerial image intensity. The first order diffraction efficiency of this surface grating is directly propagational to the first harmonic of the surface relief. This diffraction efficiency is recorded as a digitized dark- field image and processed to evalute the aberrations. These images are simulated and matched to those recorded in the photoresist by adjusting the aberrations to achieve a best match. The primary azimuthal aberration contributions are separated by Fourier analysis into coma, astigmatism, 3 leaf clover, etc. and laser used to indicate lens quality. Several grating frequencies are required to separate higher order components of each azimuthal aberration. Only one grating frequency is used in the data reported here and all orders of each azimuthal aberration are lumped into equivalent primary azimuthal aberrations.
Navigation system design for the Mariner Jupiter/Saturn Mission.

The Mariner Jupiter/Saturn Mission is described with emphasis on the navigation problems arising in attempting a Jupiter/Saturn swingby mission which includes close encounters with one or more of the natural satellites of each planet. The navigation system being designed to solve these problems is described. This system includes sub-systems for precision trajectory correction. Earth-based radiometric data, and onboard star/satellite measurements via employment of the science-imaging TV sub-system. Total system performance is discussed as measured against the mission's inherent navigation goals.
Land Management in the Anthropocene: Is History Still Relevant?: Incorporating Historical Ecology and Climate Change Into Land Management; Lansdowne, Virginia, 22–25 April 2008

Ecological restoration, conservation, and land management are often based on comparisons with reference sites or time periods, which are assumed to represent “natural” or “properly functioning” conditions. Such reference conditions can provide a vision of the conservation or management goal and a means to measure progress toward that vision. Although historical ecology has been used successfully to guide resource management in many parts of the world, the continuing relevance of history is now being questioned. Some scientists doubt that lessons from the past can inform management in what may be a dramatically different future, given profound climate change, accelerated land use, and an onslaught of plant and animal invasions.
Early screening for autism spectrum disorders: A primer for social work practice

Abstract Early identification of autism spectrum disorders has been demonstrated to result in material benefits to children, their families, and society by reducing problem behaviors, improving academic achievement and school outcomes, and increasing social participation. Early intervention also reduces the costs and associated morbidity of autism spectrum disorders across the life span. Despite significant advances in the ability of screening tools to detect autism spectrum disorders in young children, previous research has found that most children are not identified until they are in school, and past the age at which early intervention services are most beneficial. Social workers, given their presence across a wide range of service settings, are uniquely positioned to identify preschool children with autism spectrum disorders and refer them for additional diagnostic services and evidence-based interventions. In this paper, a basic primer on autism spectrum disorders is provided, along with descriptions of the various screening tools appropriate for children ages 3 and younger that social workers can implement in their own practice settings. Policy and practice implications are discussed.