cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MINIMUM ENERGY STATE OF THE ONE-DIMENSIONAL COULOMB CHAIN

One-dimensional chains of laser-cooled ions have recently been confined in the fields of electromagnetic traps. This paper considers the minimum energy states of this one-dimensional (1D) form of condensed matter. Molecular dynamics simulations of the minimum energy states are compared to a density functional theory of the inhomogeneous crystal. Unlike 2D and 3D inhomogeneous Coulombic systems, where mean-field theory works well in describing the overall density variation on scales large compared to an interparticle spacing, we show that correlations are essential in determining the density of the 1D Coulomb chain. On the other hand, the long-range interactions that contribute to the mean field must also be kept.
Using an iPad2® with Systematic Instruction to Teach Shared Stories for Elementary-Aged Students with Autism.

Literacy skills are important for accessing all areas of academic content as well as for increasing quality of life. The use of shared stories to teach early literacy skills to students with extensive support needs, including students with autism, is an evidence-based practice. This project extends the research by examining the effects of systematic instruction, including constant time delay and a modified system of least prompts, paired with an iPad2® to teach grade-appropriate literature in a shared story format for students with limited verbal ability. The participants in this intervention were four elementary-aged male students with autism and limited to no verbal ability. A 10-step task analysis was developed to guide the shared story process. Results indicated that the participants were able to increase the number of independent correct responses on the task analysis from baseline to intervention. Study limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
A common familial component in lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

First-degree relatives of lung-cancer patients and of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had significantly higher age-sex-race-smoking-adjusted rates of impaired forced expiration than first-degree relatives of patients with non-pulmonary disease or community-derived comparison series (neighbourhood controls and teachers). Subclassification of the data and multiple adjustment for smoking, race, sex, and other confounding factors emphasised the consistency of the pattern. These findings strongly suggest that lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease share a common familial component other than smoking. The clinical manifestation may depend on the presence of one or more other cofactors as yet undefined.
Cardiac Autonomic Control During Simulated Driving With a Concurrent Verbal Working Memory Task

Objective: The objective of the study was to illustrate sensitivity and diagnosticity differences between cardiac measures and lane-keeping measures of driving performance. Background: Previous research suggests that physiological measures can be sensitive to the effects of driving and side task performance and diagnostic of the source of the attentional demands. We hypothesized that increases in side task difficulty would elicit physiological change without reduction of driving task performance and that the side task demands would elicit patterns of autonomic activity that map to specific attentional processing resources. Method: Separately and concurrently, thirty-two participants performed a simulated driving task and verbal working memory task (with two levels of difficulty, 0 back and 3 back) separately and concurrently. Attentional demands were assessed through physiological and performance measures. Results: Cardiac measures reflected changes in attentional demand from single- to dual-task driving with an n-back task, whereas lane-keeping measures did not. Furthermore, patterns of autonomic activity elicited by driving, n-back task, and dual-task driving with a 3-back task were consistent with our predictions about autonomic activity. Conclusion: Changes in cardiac measures without changes in lane-keeping measures provide evidence that cardiac measures can be sensitive to hidden costs in attention that do not manifest in coarse measures of driving performance. Furthermore, correct predictions regarding the patterns of autonomic activity elicited suggests that cardiac measures can serve as diagnostic tools for attention assessment. Application: Because of the demonstrated differences in sensitivity and diagnosticity, researchers should consider the use of cardiac measures in addition to driving performance measures when studying attention in a driving simulator environment.
DupTree: a program for large-scale phylogenetic analyses using gene tree parsimony

Summary: DupTree is a new software program for inferring rooted species trees from collections of gene trees using the gene tree parsimony approach. The program implements a novel algorithm that significantly improves upon the run time of standard search heuristics for gene tree parsimony, and enables the first truly genome-scale phylogenetic analyses. In addition, DupTree allows users to examine alternate rootings and to weight the reconciliation costs for gene trees. DupTree is an open source project written in C++. Availability: DupTree for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux along with a sample dataset and an on-line manual are available at
LIMIT CYCLE PIO ANALYSIS with ASYMMETRIC SATURATION

Pilot in-the-loop oscillation (PIO) or aircraft-pilo t coupling (APC) is an interaction between a pilot and aircraft that causes sustained aircraft oscillations to occur. These events can occur through a variety of flight conditions and result from the efforts of the pilot to simply maintain control of the aircraft. Since these oscillations are unexpected by the pilot, this phenomenon can be very detrimental to the handling qualities of the aircraft. Unfortunately, it is not always obvious what will cause a PIO and what measures can be taken to prevent it from happening. This paper describes a method of PIO analysis that is capable of examining multiple asymmetric nonlinearities acting simultaneously. A PIO analysis is performed using a variable stability aircraft model with nonlinearities including stick position limiting, elevator deflection limiting, and elevator rate limiting. This analysis involves the use of dual input describing functions that enable the prediction of frequency, amplitudes, and mean points of oscillation.
Unconstrained Learning: Principles for the Next Generation of Distance Education

Distance education has had a dramatic effect on learning in the last decade. While providers have experienced both academic and financial success, now is not the time to be complacent. Rather, we must begin to determine the direction of the next generation of distance education. In this chapter, three generations of distance education are outlined. The first is characterized by correspondence courses; the second is identified by early internet use; and the newly proposed third generation of distance education is characterized by an emerging technology-enabled learning space that brings to distance education a volume, depth, and breadth that eclipses early internet capacity. Ten principles for the next generation of distance education are offered, including a paradigm for learning experience design that not only incorporates sound instructional design practice but also encourages instructional designers to explore the inherent strengths of the technology-enabled space to design dynamic learning experiences.
Emergency care of severe facial injuries.

Guidelines are presented for managing the facial component of injury from when first seen by the physician up to the time of establishing definitive diagnoses and starting treatment. During the acute or emergency phase of care, the only considerations related to facial injury are airway maintenance, bleeding control, and determining whether more serious problems are present.
Midsession shifts in reward probability and the control of behavioral variability

Extensive research has shown that the variability of organismal behavior is great when contingent reinforcement is delayed, small, or improbable. This research has generally employed stable response-reinforcer relationships, and therefore is limited in its explanatory scope with respect to a dynamic environment. We conducted two experiments to investigate whether pigeons' conditioned pecking behavior shows anticipatory or perseverative patterns of behavioral variability when the reinforcement probability reliably changes within experimental sessions. In Experiment 1, three pigeons received alternating sessions in which the reinforcement probability (35% or 4.2%) was shifted at the midpoint of each session in the presence of the same discrete cue. Experiment 2 featured a similar design, but with the inclusion of a discrete visual cue that changed at the session midpoint, and thus unambiguously indicated reinforcement probability. Local reinforcement rates only reliably controlled response variability when a discrete visual cue was available. Without this, pigeons did not discriminate between trial types in the first halves of sessions, and showed evidence of perseveration of response variability following a within-session shift. Critically, this is the first experimental demonstration that the relationship between reinforcement probability and behavioral variability is moderated by another factor (i.e., trial position within a session). This study thus expands our understanding of the control of behavioral variability as a function of experiential factors.
Randomised controlled trial evaluation of Tweet2Quit: a social network quit-smoking intervention

Background We evaluated a novel Twitter-delivered intervention for smoking cessation, Tweet2Quit, which sends daily, automated communications to small, private, self-help groups to encourage high-quality, online, peer-to-peer discussions. Design A 2-group randomised controlled trial assessed the net benefit of adding a Tweet2Quit support group to a usual care control condition of nicotine patches and a cessation website. Participants Participants were 160 smokers (4 cohorts of 40/cohort), aged 18–59 years, who intended to quit smoking, used Facebook daily, texted weekly, and had mobile phones with unlimited texting. Intervention All participants received 56 days of nicotine patches, emails with links to the smokefree.gov cessation website, and instructions to set a quit date within 7 days. Additionally, Tweet2Quit participants were enrolled in 20-person, 100-day Twitter groups, and received daily discussion topics via Twitter, and daily engagement feedback via text. Measures The primary outcome was sustained abstinence at 7, 30 and 60 days post-quit date. Results Participants (mean age 35.7 years, 26.3% male, 31.2% college degree, 88.7% Caucasian) averaged 18.0 (SD=8.2) cigarettes per day and 16.8 (SD=9.8) years of smoking. Participants randomised to Tweet2Quit averaged 58.8 tweets/participant and the average tweeting duration was 47.4 days/participant. Tweet2Quit doubled sustained abstinence out to 60 days follow-up (40.0%, 26/65) versus control (20.0%, 14/70), OR=2.67, CI 1.19 to 5.99, p=0.017. Tweeting via phone predicted tweet volume, and tweet volume predicted sustained abstinence (p Conclusions Tweet2Quit was engaging and doubled sustained abstinence. Its low cost and scalability makes it viable as a global cessation treatment. Trial registration number NCT01602536.
Cognitive Consequences of Trilingualism.

Aims and objectives:The objectives of the present research were to examine the cognitive consequences of trilingualism and explain them relative to the cognitive consequences of bilingualism.Approa...
Combination of Levo-Tetrahydropalmatine and Low Dose Naltrexone: A Promising Treatment for Prevention of Cocaine Relapse

Relapse to drug use is often cited as the major obstacle in overcoming a drug addiction. Whereas relapse can occur for a myriad of reasons, it is well established that complex neuroadaptations that occur over the course of addiction are major factors. Cocaine, as a potent dopamine transporter blocker, specifically induces alterations in the dopaminergic as well as other monoaminergic neurotransmissions, which lead to cocaine abuse and dependence. Evidence also suggests that adaptations in the endogenous opioids play important roles in pathophysiology of cocaine addiction. Following this evidence, we investigated a combination medication, levo-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP) and low dose naltrexone (LDN), targeting primarily dopaminergic and endogenous opioid systems as a cocaine-relapse-prevention treatment. In the present study Wistar rats were used to assess the effects of l-THP and LDN on cocaine self-administration, drug-seeking behavior during cocaine reinstatement, spontaneous locomotion, and effects on the endogenous opioid system. We determined that the combination of l-THP and LDN reduces drug-seeking behavior during reinstatement more potently than l-THP alone. Additionally, the combination of l-THP and LDN attenuates the sedative locomotor effect induced by l-THP. Furthermore, we revealed that treatment with the combination of l-THP and LDN has an upregulatory effect on both plasma β-endorphin and hypothalamic POMC that was not observed in l-THP-treated groups. These results suggest that the combination of l-THP and LDN has great potential as an effective and well-tolerated medication for cocaine relapse prevention.
Validity of Three Genera of Flying Squirrels: Eoglaucomys, glaucomys, and Hylopetes

Ellerman (1947) reduced the genus Eoglaucomys to a subgenus of Hylopetes . Burt (1960) suggested that Glaucomys sabrinus was more closely related to Hylopetes than to Glau-comys volans . We tested these two hypotheses by examining morphological evidence of bacula, foot pads, musculature, crania (especially teeth), and postcrania (especially wrists and ankles). Our data contradict these hypotheses and support recognition of three distinct clades.
DIET AND THE PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: PHYSICIANS’ KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES

The American College of Cardiology has identified heart healthy diets as critical for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction and recommends physicians provide dietary guidance to those at risk for or with established CVD. We surveyed physicians to assess their knowledge of nutrition clinically
Peptide Self-Assembly on Cell Membranes to Induce Cell Lysis

Self-assembling into aggregates with defined structures is a common phenomenon for many peptides at high concentrations. In this study, we found that when PTP-7b (FLGALFKALSHLL), a concentration-dependent self-assembling peptide, bound to tissue cells and accumulated on cell surfaces, it migrated and self-assembled into exosome-like aggregates at certain locations on the cell membranes. Studies using confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed that peptide PTP-7b induced cell tissue damage through a new cell lysis mechanism that involved peptide self-assembly on cell surfaces, extracting lipids from cell membranes, and transporting peptides into the cytoplasm. Peptide self-assembly attributed greatly to peptide-cell interactions and thus the biological activity of a peptide. Because peptide self-assembly was a slow process, PTP-7b-induced cell lysis showed a biphasic behavior: a gradual viability decrease was followed by a rapid decline. These results suggest that peptide self-assembly could be equally as important as charge and secondary structure of a peptide in determining the anticancer and antibacterial activities of therapeutic peptides.
Denoising of MR spectroscopic imaging data using statistical selection of principal components

To evaluate a new denoising method for MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data based on selection of signal-related principal components (SSPCs) from principal components analysis (PCA). A PCA-based method was implemented for selection of signal-related PCs and denoising achieved by reconstructing the original data set utilizing only these PCs. Performance was evaluated using simulated MRSI data and two volumetric in vivo MRSIs of human brain, from a normal subject and a patient with a brain tumor, using variable signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), metabolite peak areas, Cramer-Rao bounds (CRBs) of fitted metabolite peak areas and metabolite linewidth. In simulated data, SSPC determined the correct number of signal-related PCs. For in vivo studies, the SSPC denoising resulted in improved SNRs and reduced metabolite quantification uncertainty compared to the original data and two other methods for denoising. The method also performed very well in preserving the spectral linewidth and peak areas. However, this method performs better for regions that have larger numbers of similar spectra. The proposed SSPC denoising improved the SNR and metabolite quantification uncertainty in MRSI, with minimal compromise of the spectral information, and can result in increased accuracy.
Hydraulic-electric hybrid wind turbines: Tower mass saving and energy storage capacity

Abstract This study investigates concept of introduction of a hydraulic motor in the nacelle to convert rotor shaft work into hydraulic power that is transmitted to the electric generator at ground/sea level. This combination of hydraulic and electric power generation can help simplify or even eliminate the gearbox, and significantly reduce the head weight mass that the tower needs to support. Also, this hybrid concept allows energy storage in the tower which can reduce electric generator size. The analytical technique for tower mass savings employed herein was validated and used to show that 33%–50% of the tower mass may be saved through decreased tower thickness. In addition, the hydraulic-electric generator concept is compatible with employing isothermal CAES in the tower. Analysis based on cross-over pressure for the design limit indicates that this energy storage concept provides more than 24 h of energy storage if one considers S-glass towers of 10 MW or more. To accompany the above engineering analysis, a CAPEX cost model was developed based on recent production wind turbines and system designs. The hydraulic-electric hybrid system with CAES was estimated to yield a total CAPEX savings of 17% due to a substantial decrease in generator and electrical infrastructure costs.
Common Pitfalls in the Evaluation and Management of Headache: Case-Based Learning

Although headache is one of the most common complaints that patients bring to their clinicians, few physicians feel confident about its clinical evaluation and management. Is it a problem in its own right, or the presenting symptom of a serious medical condition? Loder, Rizzoli and Burch bring a practical case-based approach to this complex ailment, highlighting specific areas of diagnostic uncertainty in headache evaluation and treatment. Each case is taken from real-world clinical practice and reviews the diagnostic and treatment process in a systematic manner, identifying common challenges and pitfalls and describing newly issued treatment guidelines. Written in a question and answer format, this concise and useful guide in the Common Pitfalls series provides a step-by-step guide for everyday clinical practice, invaluable to anyone dealing with headache on a front-line basis.
Engineering and Technology: Math and Science Meet Creativity and Design

Engineering is the discipline and art to apply technology, science and mathematics to design and realize a desired invention. The material of the chapter is explained by practical examples. Edison’s record player and its most modern version are a marvel of engineering design. The book describes how Edison’s invention has developed from recording cylinders to the well known record-discs and later, in the digital age, to compact discs (CDs) and DVDs that are written and read by use of laser light. An outlook is given how this technology could be further improved by the techniques of nano-structure- and atomic- writing and reading methods.Technology refers to the state of the art, the know-how and tool-use, at any given time. The most important knowledge and know-how of recent times relates to computers and the Internet. This chapter, therefore, describes the basic elements of computers including transistors and chips (containing millions of transistors) and how they are fabricated. Disc drives, both optical and magnetic, are shown to provide vast storage capabilities. A detailed description is given of how the personal computer (PC) uses all of these components to achieve its capability to run applications and use the cloud.The chapter covers also many other important topics of modern engineering including solar cells, light emitting diodes (LEDs) as they are used in modern TVs as well as cameras and displays (such as the computer screen). An outlook to modern nano-size engineering is also given with emphasis on the requirements that enable mass-production.
Risk Dependencies and Interactions in the Energy Market

We introduce a minimum spanning tree framework to describe the risk dependencies and interactions of both total and idiosyncratic risk in the energy sector. We apply the framework to equity and CDS spread data of 51 domestic and 116 international energy firms, both non- renewable and renewable, during 2006-2016. The exploratory, empirical results show that the higher correlations among traditional energy firms during the downside risk events are mostly explained by market and oil factors. Moreover, the market factor is stronger than the oil factor. Meanwhile, the connections between market risk and credit risk in the energy sector is significantly stronger after we eliminate the effect of the factors.
Distinct effects of Cr bulk doping and surface deposition on the chemical environment and electronic structure of the topological insulator Bi2Se3

Abstract In this report, it is shown that Cr doped into the bulk and Cr deposited on the surface of Bi2Se3 films produced by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) have strikingly different effects on both the electronic structure and chemical environment. Angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) shows that Cr doped into the bulk opens a surface state energy gap which can be seen at room temperature; much higher than the measured ferromagnetic transition temperature of ≈10 K. On the other hand, similar ARPES measurements show that the surface states remain gapless down to 15 K for films with Cr surface deposition. In addition, core-level photoemission spectroscopy of the Bi 5d, Se 3d, and Cr 3p core levels show distinct differences in the chemical environment for the two methods of Cr introduction. Surface deposition of Cr results in the formation of shoulders on the lower binding energy side for the Bi 5d peaks and two distinct Cr 3p peaks indicative of two Cr sites. These striking differences suggests an interesting possibility that better control of doping at only near surface region may offer a path to quantum anomalous Hall states at higher temperatures than reported in the literature.
Roadblocks and Detours

This chapter presents the college departure narratives of those who did not graduate from their GLCA institution. Finances, military service, and marriage were among the major contributors to attrition. These factors illustrate the ways in which these small, private colleges were very reliant on a traditional model for college enrollment and the differing effects of gender on these students’ opportunities to complete their college degrees.
Enhancing English Language Learnersâ€™ Academic Experiences: Going Beyond the Score!

The Hispanic population is rapidly growing in the United States, and with this rise the number of ELLs in public schools continues to ascend. This growth of population and the enactment of NCLB have translated into a need to implement research-based effective teaching practices to promote linguistic and academic success for ELLs. Nonetheless, despite the pledge of leaving no child behind, there are serious questions regarding school practices and the crisis becomes more apparent when it comes to analyzing the rate at which ELLs are reaching academic achievement. A minimal number of Hispanic students are able to confront hardships and achieve academic success. What happens in these childrenâ€™s lives that they surmount the adversities? Is it something their educators did? Were they lucky to have teachers who were knowledgeable of ESL instruction? What socio-cultural contexts nurtured their academic endeavors? This article explores variables that positively and negatively affect the academic achievement of ELLs and invites educators to actively seek continuous professional development that prepares them to enhance and advocate for ELLsâ€™ academic achievement.
Designing and assessing wheel/rail profiles for improved rolling contact fatigue and wear performance:

A quick survey of wheel and rail profiles used around the world reveals a huge range of options. Wheels come in cylindrical, conical, and concave variations, while rails range in shape from a very ...
The influence of human capital factors and context on women's entrepreneurship: Which matters more?

Abstract This paper explores whether human capital factors (education and perceived capabilities) or contextual factors (economic and political settings) explain differential start-up rates between men and women entrepreneurs, connecting data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) with the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap. Results show that the effects of economic participation and entrepreneurship specific human capital (perceived capabilities) both play a role influencing the start-up rates of women entrepreneurs.
The biopolitics of 'food insecurity': towards a critical political ecology of the body in studies of women's transnational migration

In this article, I utilize a political ecology of the body (PEB) approach to analyze women's transnational migration and their experiences with 'food insecurity.' I situate this analysis within a tradition of feminist political ecology, seeking to advance a 'postcolonial intersectionality' that is attentive to gender, race, and class as axes of power and difference, and also to markers of citizenship or lack thereof, including 'illegality.' I argue that the ideologies behind these axes of power obscure the very social processes in which power is constituted, those that allow an unevenness to ecological suffering, specifically at the locus of the migrant women's body. I suggest that by applying a PEB framing to analyze the personally necessary activities of eating and feeding, we are able to elucidate material and health disparities characterizing transborder ecologies. Thus, I delineate the biopolitics of 'food insecurity': a contest over nutritional resources in which migrant bodies are subjected to the disciplining techniques of neoliberal capitalism, as migrants also subvert the conditions of this environment through embodied modes of collective resistance. Keywords: political ecology of the body, feminist political ecology, intersectionality, illegal migration, food insecurity, biopolitics
Delirium Prediction using Machine Learning Models on Predictive Electronic Health Records Data

Electronic Health Records are mainly designed to record relevant patient information during their stay in the hospital for administrative purposes. They additionally provide an efficient and inexpensive source of data for medical research, such as patient outcome prediction. In this study, we used preoperative Electronic Health Records to predict postoperative delirium. We compared the performance of seven machine learning models on delirium prediction: linear models, generalized additive models, random forests, support vector machine, neural networks, and extreme gradient boosting. Among the models evaluated in this study, random forests and generalized additive model outperformed the other models in terms of the overall performance metrics for prediction of delirium, particularly with respect to sensitivity. We found that age, alcohol or drug abuse, socioeconomic status, underlying medical issue, severity of medical problem, and attending surgeon can affect the risk of delirium.
Spiking network optimized for noise robust word recognition approaches human-level performance and predicts auditory system hierarchy

The auditory neural code is resilient to acoustic variability and capable of recognizing sounds amongst competing sound sources, yet, the transformations enabling noise robust abilities are largely unknown. We report that a hierarchical spiking neural network (HSNN) trained to maximize word recognition accuracy in noise and multiple talkers approaches near human-level performance. Intriguingly, comparisons with data from auditory nerve, midbrain, thalamus and cortex reveals that the organization and nonlinear transformations of the optimal network predict several properties of the ascending auditory pathway including a sequential loss of temporal resolution, increasing sparseness and selectivity. The optimal organizational scheme is critical for noise robustness since an identical network arranged to enable high information transfer does not predict auditory pathway organization and has substantially poorer performance. Furthermore, conventional linear and nonlinear receptive field-based models fail to achieve similar noise robust performance. The findings suggest that the auditory pathway hierarchy and its sequential nonlinear feature extraction computations may form a near optimal code capable of efficiently detecting sounds in noise impoverished conditions.
Improving Adherence to Atypical Antipsychotic Agent Screening Guidelines in Pediatric Patients: A Quality Improvement Project Within an Integrated Community Mental Health Setting.

Background: Approximately 14% to 20% of children and adolescents have a mental health problem. Atypical antipsychotic agents are used to treat behavioral, emotional, and mental health problems in c...
Molybdenum(VI) Coordination in Tributyl Phosphate-Chloride based system

Fundamental coordination chemistry of Mo(VI) at its macroconcentrations in solvent extraction systems is of great importance for industrial processes that require the purification or recovery of large concentrations of Mo. The coordination of Mo(VI) in tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) from solutions of hydrochloric acid and up to 0.3 M Mo was investigated using UV, FTIR, and 31P NMR spectroscopies, as well as EXAFS. From these techniques we resolved near-neighbor atoms, speciation, structural information on the coordination environment, and thermodynamic parameters affiliated with the solvent extraction of Mo(VI) and HCl. The solvated extracted form of Mo(VI) as MoO2Cl2·2TBP was identified. High extraction yield of Mo at >5 M HCl concentration is driven by replacing HCl in the organic phase by Mo. The existence of additional organic Mo adducts is also discussed with the aid of density functional theory, however no evidence of dimeric or polymeric Mo species was found to be present in TBP.
Habitable Zone in Multi-star Systems

To calculate the boundaries of the habitable zone (HZ) in a multiple star system, it is assumed that the HZ is a region where an Earth-like planet (with similar atmospheric composition as that of Earth) and a sufficient amount of water can permanently maintain liquid water on its solid surface. The locations of the boundaries of the HZ, and therefore the capability of the planet in maintaining conditions for habitability, depend on the total flux received at the top of its atmosphere. Since the atmosphere converts stellar insolation to surface temperature, the interaction of planet atmosphere with the stellar radiation plays an important role in considering whether a planet can maintain liquid water on its surface and allow for detectable habitable conditions. This interaction strongly depends on the stellar spectral energy distribution (SED), implying that stars with different energy distributions will contribute differently to the absolute incident flux at the top of the planet’s atmosphere. To determine the contribution of a star taking into account its SED, it is necessary to define a spectral weight factor Wi(f, Ti), where i denotes the ith star, Ti is the star’s effective temperature, and f represents the atmosphere’s cloud fraction. The contribution of each star of the system to the total flux at the top of the planet’s atmosphere can be therefore written as
Wetland seed banks: implications in vegetation management

Seed distribution in the top 6 cm soil profile was examined in a wetland of the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, southeast Missouri, in 1984 and 1985. Seventeen species (Amaranthus tamariscinus, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Bidens frondosa. Carex tribuloides, Cyperus esculentus, C. iria, C^ ovularis, Digitaria filiformis, Diodia virginiana, Echinochloa crusgalli, Eleocharis obtusa, E. smallii. Hibiscus lasiocarpos, Ipornoea hederacea, Leersia oryzoides, Leptochloa panicoides, Ludwigia repens, Panicum dichotomiflorum. Polygonum hydropiperoides. and Xanthium pensylvanicum) were represented in the seed bank in 1984; three more (Carex tribuloides. Cyperus ovularis, and Hibiscus lasiocarpos) were found in 1985. Composition of the seed bank, in general, was reflective of the surface vegetation. Both quantitative and qualitative changes occurred in the seed bank during the study period. Seed quantities of seven species (Amaranthus, Ambrosia, Carex, Cyperus ovularis. Diodia. Hibiscus, and Polygonum) in 1985 were significantly different (P<.05) than those found in 1984. Also, significant differences (P<.05) were found in the number of seeds present at various depths in the soil, within the years; comparatively high number of seeds were found at 2-5 cm depth in 1984, and at 2-4 cm depth in 1985. Differences in the total number of seeds present in the top 6 era soil were non-significant between the years.
Necrotizing autoimmune myopathy with tubular aggregates.

The formation of tubular aggregates (TA) within muscle fibers has been associated with toxic, metabolic, and hereditary myopathies, congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS),1 and recently with pembrolizumab-associated myopathy.2 On electron microscopy, TA have the appearance of parallel tubules in crystalline arrangements, and are continuous extensions of the sarcotubular membrane system.1 TA have not been reported in necrotizing autoimmune myopathy associated with 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) antibodies. A 60-year-old man experienced muscle pain and cramping within 18 months of initiating statin treatment, followed by bilateral proximal lower limb and hand grip weakness that progressed over 8 months. Creatine kinase (CK) was 18,674 U/L (normal 200 units (normal < 20). The quadriceps muscle biopsy is shown in the figure. Repetitive nerve stimulation showed no decrement. Next-generation sequencing of 166 myopathy/CMS genes, including those associated with TA, demonstrated no pathogenic variants. IV immunoglobulin therapy led to clinical improvement and normalization of CK.
Global Gene Expression Changes during Arsenic Trioxide -Induced Apoptosis in Myeloma Cell Lines Expressing Mutant or w.t p53.

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia and is being tested in phase II studies in various types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. We have previously shown that ATO is a potent inducer of apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells, engaging primarily the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in cells expressing w.t. p53. In contrast, in cells expressing mutant p53, both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways are engaged. These findings were further supported by a recent study using a p53 temperature sensitive (p53Ts) mutant cell line, BRK, expressing w.t. p53 at 32°C and mutant p53 phenotype at 37°C (Akay et al. Akay et al., AACR; Abstract #5344, 2005). Furthermore, myeloma cells expressing w.t. p53 transfected with SiRNA for p53 or p21 behaved like cells with mutant p53 (Kircelli et al. ASH presentation,2005). In order to identify new genes affected by ATO we used the Affymetrix Microarray technology to compare global gene expression in IM9 myeloma cells (w.t. p53) and U266 myeloma cells (mutant p53) following 0, 1,5 and 10 hours of treatment with ATO. We found ≥2 fold increase in gene expression by Affymetrix Microarray Suite Software (MAS) in 94 genes at 5 h and 455 genes at 10 h with an increase in 134, at both 5 and 10 h of treatment. By similar analysis, 263 genes were decreased at 5 h and 679 genes were decreased at 10 h with 204 genes decreased at both time points. Similar analysis with GeneSpring (GS) software revealed an increase in 202 genes and a decrease in 233 genes at both 5 and 10 h. Combination of the 2 analysis methods yielded 90 consistent increasers and 64 consistent decreasers. A great number of these genes in whom we detected changes in this study are genes that were previously identified by us and by others using Western immunoblotting. In addition, we observed differential effect of ATO in IM9 and U266 myeloma cells in apoptosis-related genes (HRK, BID, MCL1); cell cycle-related genes (GADD45, Cyclin D1, cyclin D2 and cyclin D3); signal transduction proteins (ERK, NFkB, ATM, ATR, CHK2, TRAILR2, TNF-R5/6 and VEGF); in chaperon proteins; cyclophyllin B; SAT, ToPoIIA and others. Systematic validation of these changes on the protein levels is ongoing.
Fathering and child maltreatment: understanding the impact of fluidity in fathers’ lives

Fathers can have a significant impact on their children, yet important gaps in the fathering literature exist. Increasing knowledge of fathers in the child welfare system is important in order to i...
Planting the Seeds of Perspective Consciousness: Creating Resource Sets to Inspire Compassionate Global Citizens.

What skills are needed to view the world beyond one’s immediate reality? A deep perspective consciousness is required to live and solve complex issues within a globalized context. Cultivating the seeds of perspective consciousness roots the growth of an open-minded, humanly connected, problem-solving citizen. Literature is positioned as a powerful catalyst for the expansion of perspective, acceptance of varied lived experiences and discovery of connections between ourselves and others far removed from our reality. Educators are placed in powerful roles in which they can, with great intentionality, sow a garden of books which meaningfully expands the perspectives of citizens. The book collections, recommendations and strategies presented in this article serve as seeding packets that deeply root perspective consciousness within all learners.
Management of Pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia is one of the most common diagnoses encountered in medicine. However, pneumonia encompasses a broad range of severity and causative agents necessitating different treatments, often based on patient-specific factors rather than available culture results. Choosing the most appropriate treatments and management strategies depends on a strong understanding of the risk factors associated with various pathogens.
A Collection of More than 900 Gas Mixture Adsorption Experiments in Porous Materials from Literature Meta-Analysis

Information on mixture adsorption equilibrium is vital in developing adsorption-based separation processes. Because measuring mixture adsorption is more difficult than measuring single-component ad...
The Role of Intrinsic Signaling Pathways in Cell Proliferation

Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, and controlled cell division, or mitosis, are two highly regulated processes in the cell cycle. A balance between apoptosis and mitosis is critical for multiple...
Is it a Conference or a "Conference"? [Speaker's Corner]

Reports on the proliferation of "virtual" conferences over the last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and examines how such meetings have impacted the world of conference proceedings as was commonly experienced in a pre-COVID-19 environment.
Diagnostic challenges, best sources, and future paths for diagnoses of Beethoven's physical and mental illnesses.

Significant problems have plagued medical and musicological researchers who wish to understand the complexities of Beethoven’s physical and mental health. The most significant is a lack of detailed information on the composer’s medical and mental conditions as they appeared and progressed. Though he consistently saw well-regarded doctors from around 1800 to his death, only one wrote a detailed description and only a few left information in the conversation books. Other problems are the limited medical knowledge about certain diseases at the time (such as the causes of deafness) and treatments with no or limited effectiveness (both for deafness and liver disease, for instance). Two additional problems are the focus of this essay. The first is the fact that studying the composer’s health and diseases is a cross-disciplinary endeavor that requires specialized knowledge both of medical science and of musicological expertise into every corner of Beethoven’s biography. The second concerns acquiring a knowledge of all the available sources that have survived to document the composer’s health and a critical assessment of their value.
Charlson Comorbidity Index: An Inaccurate Predictor of Minimally Invasive Lumbar Spinal Fusion Outcomes

ABSTRACT Background: There is a scarcity of research on the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and its influence on minimum clinically important difference (MCID) achievement after minimally invasive (MIS) transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). The objective of this study is to detail the association between the CCI and attaining MCID after MIS TLIF. Methods: A prospective surgical registry was retrospectively reviewed for spine surgeries between May 2015 and February 2019. Inclusion criteria were primary or revision, 1- or 2-level MIS TLIF procedures. Patients were stratified based on CCI score: 0 points (no comorbidities), 1–2 points (mild CCI), ≥3 points (moderate CCI). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were assessed by subgroup using appropriate statistical analysis. Subgroups were analyzed with linear regression or χ2 tests for continuous or categorical variables, respectively. Subgroup scores, improvement, and MCID achievement were assessed at postoperative timepoints (eg, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year) for back and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), SF-12 Physical Composite Score (PCS), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function (PROMIS PF). Results: A total of 171 patients were included (n = 51 [no comorbidities], n = 73 [mild CCI], and n = 47 [moderate CCI]). Higher CCI patients were older and more likely to be smokers, diabetic, arthritic, hypertensive, or have a malignancy history (P Conclusions: By 1 year, regardless of the number of comorbidities, a similar proportion of patients undergoing MIS TLIF were able to achieve MCID for visual analog scale leg, SF-12 PCS, and PROMIS PF. Patients with higher comorbidities are not likely to experience a significant difference in symptom improvement. Regardless of CCI score, MIS TLIF can have a significant benefit for patients. Level of Evidence: 4. Clinical Relevance: Text.
Digital designing with programmable logic devices

(NOTE: Practical Examples are featured in each chapter. Also, each chapter ends with questions and problems.) 1. An Introduction to Programmable Logic Devices. 2. Synchronous Binary Counter Design. 3. Decision Making with Binary Counters. 4. Output Forming Logic Design. 5. Programming PLD Circuits with CUPL. 6. Design Examples Using PLDs. 7. ROM-Based Controller Architecture. 8. Microprocessor Architecture. 9. The MC68HC11 Microcontroller. 10. Address Bus Decoding and Logic Design. Appendix A: Selected PLD Architectures. Appendix B: CUPL PAL/PROM Device Library. Index.
Safety and Efficacy of Surgical Resection of Unruptured Low-grade Arteriovenous Malformations From the Modern Decade

BACKGROUND Recent studies have questioned the utility of surgical resection of unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs). OBJECTIVE We performed an assessment of outcomes and complications of surgical resection of low-grade bAVMs (Spetzler-Martin grade I or II) at a single high-volume neurosurgical center. METHODS We reviewed all unruptured low-grade bAVMs treated with surgery (with or without preoperative embolization) between January 2004 and January 2014. Stroke rate, mortality, and clinical and radiographic outcomes were examined. RESULTS Of 95 patients treated surgically, 85 (25 grade I, 60 grade II) met inclusion criteria, and all achieved radiographic cure postoperatively. Ten patients (11.8%) were lost to follow-up; the mean follow-up of the remaining 85 was 3.3 years. Three patients (3.5%) with grade II bAVMs experienced a stroke; no patients died. Although 20 patients (23.5%) had temporary postoperative neurological deficit, only 3 (3.5%) had new clinical impairment (modified Rankin Scale score ≥2) at last follow-up. Eight of the 13 patients (61.5%) with preexisting clinical impairment had improved modified Rankin Scale scores of 0 or 1; and 17 of 30 patients (56.7%) with preoperative seizures were seizure-free without antiepileptic medication postoperatively. No significant differences existed in stroke rate or clinical outcome between grades I and II patients at follow-up (Fisher exact test, P = .55 and P > .99, respectively). CONCLUSION Surgical resection of low-grade unruptured bAVMs is safe, with a high rate of improvement in functional status and seizure reduction. Although transient postoperative neurological deficit was observed in some patients, permanent treatment-related neurological morbidity was rare. ABBREVIATIONS ARUBA, A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous MalformationsbAVM, brain arteriovenous malformationmRS, modified Rankin Scale.