cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Architecture of inner medullary descending and ascending vasa recta: pathways for countercurrent exchange

Pathways and densities of descending vasa recta (DVR) and ascending vasa recta (AVR) in the outer zone of the inner medulla (IM) were evaluated to better understand medullary countercurrent exchang...
Host specificity of the anti-interferon and anti-apoptosis activities of parainfluenza virus P/C gene products.

Human parainfluenza virus type 1 (HPIV-1) and Sendai virus (SeV) are highly homologous in structure and sequence, whilst maintaining distinct host ranges. These viruses express accessory proteins from their P/C gene that are known to have activities against innate immunity. The accessory proteins expressed from the P/C gene of these viruses are different. In addition to the nested set of C proteins, SeV expresses V protein from edited P mRNA, which is not expressed by HPIV-1. This study evaluated the host specificity and role of the P/C gene products in anti-interferon (IFN) and anti-apoptosis activity by characterizing a recombinant SeV, rSeVhP, in which the SeV P/C gene was replaced with that of HPIV-1. Unlike SeV, rSeVhP infection strongly activated IFN regulatory transcription factor (IRF)-3 and nuclear factor-κB, resulting in an increased level of IFN-β induction compared with SeV in murine cells. In contrast, activation of IRF-3 was not observed in rSeVhP-infected human A549 cells. rSeVhPSV, which expressed SeV V protein from an inserted gene in rSeVhP, induced less IFN-β than rSeVhP, suggesting that V contributes to the suppression of IFN production in murine cells. Furthermore, rSeVhP induced apoptotic cell death in murine but not in A549 cells. These data indicate the functional difference in P/C gene products from SeV and HPIV-1 in antagonizing IFN induction and apoptosis, which is likely to be one of the major factors for pathogenicity in specific hosts.
Strand switching of a replicative DNA helicase promoted by the E. coli primosome

Abstract The E. coli primosome assembles at an origin on a single-stranded DNA, like that of ΦX174, to promote replication of that template. Upon conversion to the duplex form, the primosome can generate a rolling circle product from this template. Rolling circle synthesis implies the transfer of the DnaB helicase from its initial loading site on the viral strand to a displaced complementary strand. Isolated primosomes promote only unit-length synthesis; supplementation with PriC, DnaC, and DnaT is necessary to reconstitute rolling circle synthesis. Rolling circle replication is sensitive to salts, whereas primosome assembly and unit-length synthesis are not. Thus, the primosome promotes two distinct reactions: assembly for first-round synthesis and strand switching for rolling circle synthesis.
An energy-efficient object discovery protocol for context-sensitive middleware for ubiquitous computing

Many ubiquitous computing applications may be context-sensitive due to the ambient environments, mobile devices, and other detectable factors. A context-sensitive middleware provides the necessary support to context-sensitive application objects to participate in spontaneous and ad hoc communications with other applications in remote devices whenever suitable contexts exist. A context-sensitive middleware can provide this support effectively if its communication subsystem, such as an Object Request Broker (ORB), can properly discover other objects in devices. This capability is usually known as object discovery protocol. An energy-efficient object discovery protocol is needed to help prolong a device's battery life because many devices in ubiquitous computing environments are battery-powered and, thus, have limited energy sources. An energy-efficient object discovery protocol, RKS, for context-sensitive middleware for ubiquitous computing is presented. RKS reduces energy consumption by reducing the amount of information that needs to be sent to remote devices to discover objects. A novel feature of RKS is that it advertises its server-objects' availability only when it detects that these servers can be activated in the current context and when it finds that the neighbor devices have some potential clients that are willing to discover objects. Analytical comparisons of the energy-consumptions are given between RKS and two other protocols for object discovery in context-sensitive middleware. Furthermore, our experimental results, based on the implementations of these protocols and RKS on a context-sensitive middleware test bed, confirm our analytical results in that the RKS conserves more energy than the other two.
Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Risk in a Cohort of Young Women

BACKGROUND Increased physical activity has been hypothesized to be a means of breast cancer prevention. We examined the associations between physical activity at two different times in life and breast cancer risk. METHODS We analyzed data from the Nurses' Health Study II, a prospective study of women aged 25-42 years in 1989. On the baseline survey, women were asked, "While in high school and between the ages 18 and 22 years, how often did you participate in strenuous physical activity at least twice a week?" We averaged answers to these two questions to develop a measure of late adolescent activity. Women were also asked at baseline to report the number of hours per week they currently spent in different nonoccupational activities. During 6 years of follow-up, we identified 372 cases of invasive breast cancer. Data were analyzed by use of multivariate pooled logistic regression to produce relative risk (RR) and confidence intervals (CIs) of being diagnosed with the disease. RESULTS Women who were more active in late adolescence were not at reduced risk of breast cancer compared with less active women. For those women who reported engaging in strenuous activity at least twice per week for 10-12 months per year in late adolescence, the RR of cancer, compared with those who never engaged in such activity, was 1.1 (95% CI = 0.8-1.6). Similarly, higher levels of recent nonoccupational physical activity were not associated with reduced risk of breast cancer (RR for > or = 7 hours of activity/week relative to < 1 hour/week = 1.1; 95% CI = 0.8-1.5). CONCLUSION Our findings do not support a link between physical activity, in late adolescence or in the recent past, and breast cancer risk among young adult women.
Home Literacy Experiences and Their Relationship to Bilingual Preschoolers' Developing English Literacy Abilities: An Initial Investigation

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between home literacy experiences and bilingual preschoolers’ early literacy outcomes. Method: Forty-three Puerto Rican mother-child dyads recruite...
A PHYLOGENY OF ARCTOSTAPHYLOS (ERICACEAE) INFERRED FROM NUCLEAR RIBOSOMAL ITS SEQUENCES

A phylogeny of Arctostaphylos (Ericaceae) was estimated using nuclear ribosomal ITS sequence data for 98 species, of which 83 were unique taxa and 15 were multiple samples of geographically widespread or morphologically variable species (A. uva-ursi, A. patula, A. pungens, A. manzanita,A. glandulosa, and A. tomentosa). Forty-four ingroup taxa shared an identical sequence. The remaining species showed pairwise substitution rates of 2.4% or less, and 17 taxa had sequences with polymorphic positions. Maximum parsimony analysis recovered a large polytomy and three small clades. Analysis of a reduced data set with the 17 polymorphic taxa removed recovered a two-clade topology with some additional resolution within each clade. Four taxa showed patterns of sequence nucleotide additivity suggesting interspecific hybrid origin. A proposed hypothesis of higher rates of nucleotide substitution in species that are obligate seeders vs. those that are facultative sprouters could not be tested due to shared sequences. Low interspecific sequence variability in the nuclear ribosomal ITS region in Arctostaphylos may be due to several factors, including recent diversification of the genus in California, long generation time between sexual reproduction events, and rapid concerted evolution of nuclear ribosomal ITS arrays in both diploids and tetraploids.
The curious case of the caramel apples

The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes causes a serious foodborne illness, particularly in infants, the elderly, and pregnant women. Food commonly harbors low levels of Listeria , but fortunately a high inoculum— around a million colony-forming units (CFU)—must be ingested to initiate disease, even in high-risk persons. However, one peculiarity of the organism is that it can reproduce at relatively cold temperatures; thus, even in properly refrigerated foods, a small Listeria contamination can grow into a big public health problem. In November 2014, a multistate Listeria outbreak was linked to an unexpected food source: caramel-coated apples. Listeria with the same DNA “fingerprint” as the human isolates was eventually found at a fruit-packing facility that supplied several caramel apple producers. Ultimately, L. monocytogenes sickened at least 35 people in 12 U.S. states and Canada, and three deaths—including one fetal loss—were directly attributed to it. At first glance, caramel apples would not seem to make an ideal substrate for Listeria growth. Apples are too acidic and caramel too dry for Listeria , which grow best in a moist, moderately acidic or neutral environment. Also, caramel is heated above 90°C for apple dipping; Listeria ’s heat tolerance is about half that. So how did this outbreak occur? In a new study, Glass et al. sought to answer that question with 144 Granny Smith apples, a commercial caramel apple dip, wooden popsicle sticks, and a cocktail of L. monocytogenes isolates, including three from the 2014 outbreak. As expected, apple flesh was acidic (pH 3.2) but had a high moisture content; the opposite was true of the caramel dip. Each apple was spiked with ~16,000 CFU of Listeria , and half of the apples had a wooden stick inserted next to the stem, while the other half did not. The apples were then dipped into hot caramel (95°C), allowed to cool, and stored in the refrigerator (7°C) or at room temperature (25°C) for up to 4 weeks. About 90% of the Listeria survived the hot-caramel dip, but no further bacterial growth was observed in refrigerated caramel apples without sticks. However, those with sticks supported an additional 2 logs of bacterial growth over 4 weeks in the refrigerator. At room temperature, the Listeria in caramel apples without sticks multiplied by 200-fold over 11 days, whereas those with sticks saw bacterial counts jump almost 4000-fold in just 3 days. The authors hypothesize that acidic apple juice tracks up along the stick to the caramel-apple interface, where it both moistens the caramel and is neutralized by it. Thus the wooden stick, so integral to the caramel apple eating experience, is the connection that helps Listeria thrive at the junction of two otherwise inhospitable environments. K. A. Glass et al. , Growth of Listeria monocytogenes within a caramel-coated apple microenvironment. mBio 6 , e01232-15 (2015). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://mbio.asm.org/content/6/5/e01232-15
Global Cancer Disparities and the Need for New Initiatives.

The field of oncology is evolving at breakneck speed. Keeping up with the latest research findings, clinical best practices, and new chemotherapy agents is challenging, even with the help of the Internet. These oncologic advances, however, are far from uniformly available, and disturbing global disparities persist. In much of the world, a diagnosis of cancer remains a death sentence, and too many patients struggle to obtain access to screening, treatment, and basic symptom management. The harsh reality is that patients' chances of dying from cancer depends largely on where they live. .
Tunneling as a Probe of Hot Electrons

At very low temperatures the inelastic collision processes (energy loss processes) for electrons in a metal are very infrequent. As a result, the electrons become thermally decoupled from the phonons and will heat up relative to the lattice as they absorb power. The subject of hot-electrons at low temperatures is of interest not only from a theoretical point of view, but also because the optimization of many types of devices requires an understanding of this effect. In particular, the effects of hot-electrons can be detrimental to the performance of low temperature SQUIDs [1] and single electron tunneling devices [2]. Alternatively, it may be possible to construct ultra-sensitive bolometric detectors based on this effect [3].
Fold conservation and proteolysis in zebrafish IRBP structure: Clues to possible enzymatic function?

Abstract Multiple functions for Interphotoreceptor Retinoid-Binding Protein (IRBP) may explain its localization in the retina, vitreous and pineal gland and association with retinitis pigmentosa and myopia. We have been engaged in uncovering the structure-function relationships of this interesting protein long thought to bind visual-cycle retinoids and fatty acids in the subretinal space. Although hydrophobic domains capable of binding such ligands have now been found, we ask what other structural domains might be present that could predict new functions? Interestingly, IRBP possesses a fold similar to C-terminal processing proteases (CTPases) but is missing the PDZ domain. Here we present structural evidence that this fold may have a role in a recently observed autoproteolytic activity of the two-module zebrafish (z) IRBP (Ghosh et al. Exp. Eye Res., 2015). When the structure of Scenedesmus obliquus D1 CTPase (D1P) is superimposed with the first module of zIRBP (z1), the PDZ domain of D1P occupies roughly the same position in the amino acid sequence as the inter-domain tether in z1, between residues P71 and P85. The catalytic triad K397, S372 and E375 of D1P is located at the inter-domain interfacial cleft, similarly as the tetrad K241, S243, D177 and T179 of z1 residues, presumed to have proteolytic function. Packing of two adjacent symmetry-related molecules within the z1 crystal show that the helix α8 penetrates the interfacial cleft underneath the inter-domain tether, forming a simple intermolecular “knot”. The full-length zIRBP is cleaved at or immediately after T309, which is located at the end of α8 and is the ninth residue of the second module z2. We propose that the helix α8 within intact zIRBP bends at P301, away from the improbable knotted fold, and positions the cleavage site T309 near the putative catalytic tetrad of the neighboring zIRBP to be proteolytically cleaved. The conservation of this functional catalytic domain suggests that possible physiological roles of IRBP as a hydrolase needs to be considered.
Design and Realization of MEMS Integrated Navigator Based on SOPC

In order to enhance the accuracy of navigation system based on MEMS( Micro Electro Mechanical System) inertial devices,an integrated navigation system,including inertial measurement unit,magnetometer,inclinometer and GPS,is presented. In this system,the FPGA chip is adopted as the navigation computer,supported by the SOPC( System on Programmable Chip) technique. Furthermore,the software of multiple sensors fusion is developed. The static navigation test indicates that the integrated navigator can improve the precision of navigation system effectively.
Advancing the Chemistry of CuWO4 for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation.

ConspectusPhotoelectrochemical (PEC) cells are an ongoing area of exploration that provide a means of converting solar energy into a storable chemical form (molecular bonds). In particular, using PEC cells to drive the water splitting reaction to obtain H2 could provide a clean and sustainable route to convert solar energy into chemical fuels. Since the discovery of catalytic water splitting on TiO2 photoelectrodes by Fujishima and Honda, significant efforts have been directed toward developing high efficiency metal oxides to use as photocatalysts for this reaction. Improving the efficiency of PEC cells requires developing chemically stable, and highly catalytic anodes for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER). This water oxidation half reaction requires four protons and four electrons coupling in two bond making steps to form O2, which limits the rate.Our group has accelerated efforts in CuWO4 as a candidate for PEC OER chemistry. Its small band gap of 2.3 eV allows for using visible light to drive OER, an...
The Management of Spermatic Cord Liposarcomas

AbstractWe review 3 cases of spermatic cord liposarcoma that have been followed for 12 months to 5 years after diagnosis. Inguinal orchiectomy rendered adequate treatment. Preoperative diagnosis of liposarcoma of the spermatic cord is unusual although gray scale sonography may be of some assistance. A review of the literature reveals that adjunctive medical or surgical treatment appears to be superfluous.
Virtual Worlds as a Regulatory Challenge: A User Perspective

Multi-User Environments offer a broad range of possibilities to experience action-oriented contexts, for example, simulations of real-world contexts, materializations of fictional contexts (e.g., the “Lord of the Rings” universe), and the co-creation of mixed virtual–real interaction spaces such as “Second Life”. The chapter elaborates the key elements of multi-user environments from a user perspective: Interactivity, mediated interpersonal communication, easy accessibility, and reflects on the motivational appeal of these characteristics. From this reconstruction of what multi-user environments “can do”, implications for effects perspectives are derived, such as the diffusion of responsibility and liability for events and actions (including potentially illegal actions) occurring in multi-user environments. The chapter builds on these considerations to point out effect issues of scientific interest, most importantly, new dimensions of copyright issues and transfer effects (stimulation or facilitation of real-world crime by virtual multi-user environments). Finally, conceptually most central themes for interdisciplinary research on legal/criminal effects of multi-user environments are discussed, namely “sense of right and wrong” in virtual versus real contexts, media literacy and prevention of transfer effects, and the legal status of virtual spaces and the actions conducted in them.
Whole genome sequence analysis of the TALLYHO/Jng mouse

The TALLYHO/Jng (TH) mouse is a polygenic model for obesity and type 2 diabetes first described in the literature in 2001. The origin of the TH strain is an outbred colony of the Theiler Original strain and mice derived from this source were selectively bred for male hyperglycemia establishing an inbred strain at The Jackson Laboratory. TH mice manifest many of the disease phenotypes observed in human obesity and type 2 diabetes. We sequenced the whole genome of TH mice maintained at Marshall University to a depth of approximately 64.8X coverage using data from three next generation sequencing runs. Genome-wide, we found approximately 4.31 million homozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 1.10 million homozygous small insertions and deletions (indels) of which 98,899 SNPs and 163,720 indels were unique to the TH strain compared to 28 previously sequenced inbred mouse strains. In order to identify potentially clinically-relevant genes, we intersected our list of SNP and indel variants with human orthologous genes in which variants were associated in GWAS studies with obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, and with genes previously shown to confer a monogenic obesity phenotype in humans, and found several candidate variants that could be functionally tested using TH mice. Further, we filtered our list of variants to those occurring in an obesity quantitative trait locus, tabw2, identified in TH mice and found a missense polymorphism in the Cidec gene and characterized this variant’s effect on protein function. We generated a complete catalog of variants in TH mice using the data from whole genome sequencing. Our findings will facilitate the identification of causal variants that underlie metabolic diseases in TH mice and will enable identification of candidate susceptibility genes for complex human obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Women and Calcium: A Love-Hate Relationship at the Center of the Heart

It has been known for thousands of years that atherosclerosis may also include vascular calcification, thus the term hardening of the arteries . Stiffening of previously elastic large arteries is strongly predictive of future cardiac events, and stiffness and medial calcification may occur
The Federal Food Service Program

The Division of Food Service, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is concerned with food safety when food is offered to consumers for consumption. This includes an estimated 600,000 institutional an...
304. Deriving Useful Data from Next-Gen Sequencing of AAV Capsid Libraries

The relatively short read lengths produced by the major Next-Gen sequencing platforms (up to 300 nt for Illumina, up to 200 nt for Ion Proton) are poorly suited for analyzing large combinatorial libraries of longer nucleotide sequences, such as those involving AAV capsid genes. Despite its much lower throughput and accuracy, the PacBio single-molecule real-time technology is currently the only option for long templates, with average read lengths of 10 to 15 kb. Using the Circular Consensus Sequencing (CCS) mode, in which template DNA fragments are circularized, allows a significant increase in accuracy due to the fact that each template is being sequenced multiple times. To interpret PacBio CCS data, we have previously reported a first version of the CapLib code, which was developed to identify variable regions in AAV combinatorial capsid libraries.DNA fragments, derived from purified DNA-containing AAV particles, 869 bp in length and including 27 variable nucleotide positions, were sequenced in CCS mode using the P6-C4 chemistry. A total of 26,897 reads were obtained, with a mean read length of 814 nt, a mean read quality of 0.9956 and a mean number of passes of 21.34. Only 5,456 reads had the correct size of 869 nt, and of these, only 1,638 had a sequence that matched the reference sequence, indicating that only 6% of reads were potentially error-free and that the vast majority had multiple insertions and deletions.In order to extract more useful information from the sequencing data, a new version of the CapLib software was developed. It is designed to correct sequencing reads in silico by assuming that constant nucleotide positions are wild-type and focusing on the detection of the variable positions. The premise was validated by Sanger sequencing of multiple clones, confirming that mutations were present only in the intended positions. Depending on the parameter values used, up to 14,000 reads could be recovered by CapLib 2.In addition to recovering PacBio CCS reads, CapLib 2 can also assemble Sanger sequencing data, translate recovered reads into protein sequences and perform detailed analyses of the dataset. It can also analyze clones resulting from directed evolution experiments and compare them with the original library.
Out-migration, social capital and the cooperative dilemma: evidence from Bulgaria’s population crisis

This study examines the effects of out-migration on social capital in sending communities. I first conceptualise social capital as the presence of social trust and engagement at the individual-leve...
Intern evaluation strategies in family medicine residency education: what is-and is not-being done.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Family medicine interns often have deficiencies that are not initially appreciated. By recognizing those growth opportunities early, programs may be able to better meet their interns' training needs. This study provides a needs assessment to ascertain what evaluation tools are being utilized by residency programs to assess their incoming interns. METHODS A questionnaire was sent to all US family medicine residency program coordinators (439 programs) via Survey Monkey© inquiring about whether intern evaluation is performed and, if so, what strategies are used. A mixed mode methodology was used: mailing with incentive, email prompts, and telephone calls. RESULTS Of 439 programs, 220 (50%) responded to the survey. Most respondents (145, 66%) think intern evaluation is needed. However, only 79 (36%) programs are actually doing intern evaluations-only 14 (6.4%) extensively. Most programs are performing simulations (81, 45%) and assessing knowledge/comfort levels (79, 36%); less than one third are considering personality/learning styles, and almost no programs are evaluating skills such as typing (three, 1.4%) and math (one, 0.5%). Many programs use evaluations to guide future planning, help with early identification of challenging learners, and to match training to the residents' needs. Several programs expressed concern about how they would use the information once obtained. CONCLUSIONS The majority of respondents agreed that a baseline intern evaluation is useful; few are actually doing it. This area is not well-described in the literature; residency programs could benefit from information sharing. The next step is to encourage interest in and implementation of such strategies.
Novel Large Sulfur Bacteria in the Metagenomes of Groundwater-Fed Chemosynthetic Microbial Mats in the Lake Huron Basin.

Little is known about large sulfur bacteria that inhabit sulfidic groundwater seeps in large lakes. To examine how geochemically relevant microbial metabolisms are partitioned among community members, we conducted metagenomic analysis of a chemosynthetic microbial mat in the Isolated Sinkhole, which is in a deep, aphotic environment of Lake Huron. For comparison, we also analyzed a white mat in an artesian fountain that is fed by groundwater similar to Isolated Sinkhole, but that sits in shallow water and is exposed to sunlight. De novo assembly and binning of metagenomic data from these two communities yielded near complete genomes and revealed representatives of two families of large sulfur bacteria. The Isolated Sinkhole community was dominated by novel members of the Beggiatoaceae that are phylogenetically intermediate between known freshwater and marine groups. Several of these Beggiatoacaeae had 16S rRNA genes that contained introns previously observed only in marine taxa. The Alpena fountain was dominated by populations closely related to Thiothrix lacustris and an SM1 euryarchaeon known to live symbiotically with Thiothrix spp. The SM1 genomic bin contained evidence of H2-based lithoautotrophy. Genomic bins of both the Thiothrix and Beggiatoacaeae contained genes for sulfur oxidation via the rDsr pathway, H2 oxidation via Ni-Fe hydrogenases, and the use of O2 and nitrate as electron acceptors. Mats at both sites also contained Deltaproteobacteria with genes for dissimilatory sulfate reduction (sat, apr, and dsr) and hydrogen oxidation (Ni-Fe hydrogenases). Overall, the microbial mats at the two sites held low-diversity microbial communities, displayed evidence of coupled sulfur cycling, and did not differ largely in their metabolic potentials, despite the environmental differences. These results show that groundwater-fed communities in an artesian fountain and in submerged sinkholes of Lake Huron are a rich source of novel large sulfur bacteria, associated heterotrophic and sulfate-reducing bacteria, and enigmatic archaea.
Changing Face of Invasive Diagnostic Testing in the Era of Cell-Free DNA

Background Screening for fetal chromosomal anomalies using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) became clinically available in 2012. Since then, it has been widely adopted by providers and pregnant women with or without risk factors for aneuploidy. Concomitantly, the use of invasive diagnostic testing has been steadily declining. Objective To determine the magnitude of decline and changes in indications for invasive prenatal testing over the past 6 years. Study Design This was an institutional review board (IRB) approved retrospective cohort study that included women who were referred to our genetic division for consultation between January 2010 and December 2015 and decided to have invasive testing. The total number of patients choosing either option was determined for each year over the entire period and grouped by following indications: advanced maternal age, abnormal maternal serum screening (MS), abnormal ultrasound finding (US), personal or family history of genetic anomaly (FH), and others. Patients, who were advanced maternal age (AMA), were offered noninvasive prenatal screening or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis in addition to routine nuchal translucency screening. The proportion of AMA patients choosing each of the three options was determined in a 6-month interval over the entire study period. Statistical analysis included logistic regression and chi-square test. Results While the number of patients receiving genetic counseling at our unit remained unchanged over the study period, the number of invasive procedures declined steadily from 429 amniocentesis (amnio) and 154 CVS in 2010 to 72 amnio and 60 CVS in 2015 (p Conclusion The use of invasive procedures to diagnose chromosomal and genetic anomalies has declined over the past years, primarily due to the availability of cfDNA testing for AMA and abnormal serum screening. The new reality is that fewer women opt for invasive procedures and do so primarily following abnormal ultrasound findings or due to a history of chromosomal or genetic anomalies. Given these trends, it is likely that future generations of maternal–fetal medicine (MFM) subspecialists will not have the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills to perform these procedures, when needed.
Criminal Victimization, Depressive Symptoms, and Behavioral Avoidance Coping in Late Adulthood: The Conditioning Role of Strong Familial Ties

This study examined the association criminal victimization has with two mental health outcomes (i.e., depressive symptoms and behavioral avoidance coping) among older adults. This study also tested whether strong familial ties condition the harmful results of victimization. This study used cross-sectional survey data from interviews conducted in Arizona and Florida with individuals 60 years and older (N = 2000). Linear regression was used to test the hypotheses. Victims reported higher depressive symptoms and greater behavioral avoidance coping. The link between victimization and depression was weaker among participants with strong attachments to their spouse and to their children. Strong spousal ties also diminished the link between criminal victimization and behavioral avoidance coping. These findings are consistent with research conducted at earlier stages of the life course. Practitioners should work with older crime victims to identify interventions that provide the types of support found in strong familial relationships.
Online stochastic optimization without distributions

This paper considers online stochastic scheduling problems where time constraints severely limit the number of optimizations which can be performed at decision time and/or in between decisions. Prior research has demonstrated that, whenever a distribution of the inputs is available for sampling, online stochatic algorithms may produce significant improvements in solution quality over oblivious approaches. However, the availability of an input distribution, although reasonable in many contexts, is too strong a requirement in a variety of applications. This paper broadens the applicability of online stochastic algorithms by relaxing this requirement and using machine learning techniques or historical data instead. In particular, it shows that machine learning techniques can be engineered to learn the distribution online, when its underlying structure is not available. Moreover, the paper presents the idea of historical sampling which provides a simple and effective way to leverage historical data in continuous and periodic online optimization. Experimental results on packet scheduling and vehicle routing indicate the potential of machine learning and historical sampling for online scheduling.
Reactor physics phenomena in additively manufactured control elements for the High Flux Isotope Reactor

Abstract Additive manufacturing is under investigation as a novel method of fabricating the control elements (CEs) of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with greater simplicity, eliminating numerous highly complex fabrication steps and thereby offering potential for significant savings in cost, time, and effort. This process yields a unique CE design with lumped absorbers, a departure from traditionally manufactured CEs with uniformly distributed absorbing material. This study undertakes a neutronics analysis of the impact of additively manufactured CEs on the HFIR core physics, seeking preliminary assessment of the feasibility of their practical use. The results of the MCNP transport simulations reveal changes in the HFIR reactor physics arising from geometric and nuclear effects. Absorber lumping in the discrete CEs yields a large volume of unpoisoned material that is not present in the homogeneous design, in turn yielding increases in free thermal flux in the CE absorbing regions and their immediate vicinity. The availability of additional free thermal neutrons in the core yields an increase in fission rate density in the fuel closest to the CEs and a corresponding increase in neutron multiplication on the order of 100 pcm. The absorption behavior exhibited by the discrete CEs is markedly different from the homogeneous CEs due to several competing effects. Self-shielding arising from absorber lumping acts to reduce the effective absorption cross section of the discrete CEs, but this effect is offset by geometric and spectral effects. The operational performance of the discrete CEs is found to be comparable to the homogeneous CEs, with only limited deficiencies in reactivity worth that are expected to be operationally recoverable via limited adjustment of the CE positions and withdrawal rate. On the whole, these results indicate that the discrete CEs perform reasonably similarly to the homogeneous CEs and appear feasible for application in HFIR. The physical phenomena identified in this study provide valuable background for follow-up design studies.
The Cylindrical Shell Loaded by a Concentrated Normal Force

This paper contains a solution to the title problem with special attention given to finding closed-form analytical representations of the solution valid within various regions of the shell surface. The analysis is based on the method of matched asymptotic expansions.
Once More, With Feeling: Reconsidering the Role of Emotion in Work

The role of emotion in the workplace has been the subject of a series of provocative studies (Hochschild, 1983; Van Maanen & Kunda, 1989). This essay locates research on organizational emotion in the larger traditions of emotion research and argues that the communicative aspects of emotion have been understudied. Existing research on the subject is divided into three themes: the emotional labor and attendant psychological costs that characterize some occupations, the use of emotional expression as a tool for the achievement of management objectives, and the role of culture in shaping the emotional lives of members. Three broad areas requiring study by communication researchers are explored. First, the substantial literature on organizational regulation of emotional display is reviewed and criticized for implicitly casting communication in the role of “emotional packaging.” Second, possibilities for studying the process of emotional interpretation are presented, with particular emphasis on the constitutive...
Nonlinear Optics of Cryogenic Liquids

Cryogenic liquids are being used as the active media for an increasing number of nonlinear optical devices. Results have been reported on stimulated Raman oscillators and amplifiers[1–4], third-harmonic generators[5], four-wave difference frequency generators[6, 7] and infrared Kerr switches.[8] Photo-acoustic and photo-refractive measurements of weak absorptions in these liquids are also a subject of current interest [9, 10], In this paper, we report third-harmonic generation (THG) and ac Kerr effect measurements which allow us to obtain the electronic nonlinearity (hyperpolarizability), the vibrational two-photon resonance nonlinearity, and the molecular reorientation contributions to the third-order susceptibilities, x(3) of the cryogenic liquids CO, O2, N2 and Ar. Measurements of the electrostrictive and absorptive coupling of a laser radiation field to the liquid hydrodynamic modes are presented. These measurements are of interest because of their implications for the efficiencies and limitations of the nonlinear optical devices. Further, the relative simplicity of these media allow many of these quantities to be calculated or extrapolated from low density gas-phase measurements for comparison with these results. This should lead to an increased understanding of liquid-state properties.
Parametric and linear parameter varying modeling and optimization of uncertain crane systems

This research investigates uncertain crane motor system unstructured, structured, and linear parameter varying uncertainty modeling, control, and optimization frameworks. The proposed approaches effectively address the uncertain or time-varying plant components that typically exhibit significant variations under normal physical operational conditions with external influence, implying a complex stabilization and performance synthesis problem with a need for sophisticated quantitative frameworks, suitable for real-time implementations, as compared to traditional proportional-integral-derivative controller implementations. The crane system motor inductor component uncertainty is modeled analytically for the proposed three frameworks by using the uncertain state-space approach and the corresponding Multi-Input Multi-Output Linear Fractional Transformation modeling is used to formulate robust optimization problems for superior tracking performances under operational disturbances. The uncertain crane controller synthesis numerical results clearly indicate the effectiveness of the proposed modeling and optimization frameworks on desired tower crane stability and performance levels.
Changing Trends in the Management of Patent Ductus Arteriosus for Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Objective To examine yearly trends of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) diagnosis and treatment in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Study Design In this retrospective cohort study of VLBW (less than 1500 g) infants between 2008 and 2014 across 134 California hospitals, we evaluated PDA diagnosis and treatment by year of …
Collective Reputation and Quality in Online Platforms

This article provides a conceptual framework to understand benefits and costs of private minimum quality standards, increasing seller reputation or warranties when there is a collective reputation for online platforms. Our framework uses a dual reputation model where consumers have a quality expectation based on the reputation of the platform and the reputation of the seller. We also analyze the benefits and costs of various types of fees associated with online platforms and find that the optimal fee structure depends on whether quality concerns or market power concerns are greater. Fees that are fixed, or only depend on quantity, increase market power, but do not hurt product quality. Therefore, they should be used if collective reputation is the main concern. Fees that depend on prices exacerbate bad quality incentives for firms, so they should only be considered if quality is not a concern for consumers. The optimal quality standard depends on the fee structure, as well as the level of compliance to that standard.
Universal Design of Waveguide Bends in Silicon-on-Insulator Photonics Platform

We propose a universal and analytic step-by-step method to calculate the optimal 90° and 180° waveguide bends (L-bends and U-bends) in silicon-on-insulator photonics platform. This approach consists of first building an analytic model of loss per unit length as a function of radius of curvature and then using a variational optimization of the bending loss. It is shown that the shape of the optimal bends is ultimately determined either by the radiation loss of tight bends if the curvature of the bend is set to eliminate mode-mismatch losses or by the sidewall roughness loss if the radius of curvature is large. Numerical results from full wave simulations and comparison of the optimal bend with the Bezier, Euler, and Hybrid Euler-Circular bend are also provided to show the validity of our approach.
Abstract 145: Isolation & Characterization of Heart-field Specific Cardiomyocytes

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived cardiovascular progenitors (CVPs) or cardiomyocytes (CMs) represent a promising candid...
The Utility of EUS-FNA to Determine Surgical Candidacy in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer after Neoadjuvant Therapy

In patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) or locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) who undergo neoadjuvant therapy, CT imaging is the standard of care for restaging. However, differentiating residual tumor from post-treatment inflammation with CT is unreliable. The diagnosis of periarterial soft tissue cuffing (PSTC) near major vessels is key to guiding resectability. The goal of this study was to assess the utility of EUS-FNA in determining the etiology of PSTC in BRPC or LAPC after neoadjuvant treatment. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients referred for EUS-FNA of PSTC following downstaging therapy for LAPC or BRPC at our tertiary medical center. Negative EUS-FNA cytology results were compared with surgical pathology after resection. Patients with positive EUS-FNA cytology results were either followed clinically or results were compared to surgical pathology if surgery was attempted despite the positive cytology. Fourteen patients were included in the study of whom four had positive cytology. Two of these patients had progression of disease, and two had attempted resection with positive surgical pathology (100% true positives). All ten patients with negative cytology underwent attempted surgical resection. Nine patients (90%) achieved negative margins, and one patient (10%) had a positive surgical margin. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of EUS-FNA for determining resectability were 80%, 100%, and 92.9%, respectively. In this series of patients with BRPC or LAPC and persistent PSTC after downstaging neoadjuvant treatment, EUS-FNA accurately determined surgical resectability and should be considered as part of the evaluation of such patients.
Feeding ecology has a stronger evolutionary influence on functional morphology than on body mass in mammals

Ecological specialization is a central driver of adaptive evolution. However, selective pressures may uniquely affect different ecomorphological traits (e.g., size and shape), complicating efforts to investigate the role of ecology in generating phenotypic diversity. Comparative studies can help remedy this issue by identifying specific relationships between ecologies and morphologies, thus elucidating functionally relevant traits. Jaw shape is a dietary correlate that offers considerable insight on mammalian evolution, but few studies have examined the influence of diet on jaw morphology across mammals. To this end, I apply phylogenetic comparative methods to mandibular measurements and dietary data for a diverse sample of mammals. Especially powerful predictors of diet are metrics that capture either the size of the angular process, which increases with greater herbivory, or the length of the posterior portion of the jaw, which decreases with greater herbivory. The size of the angular process likely reflects sizes of attached muscles that produce jaw movements needed to grind plant material. Further, I examine the impact of feeding ecology on body mass, an oft-used ecological surrogate in macroevolutionary studies. Although body mass commonly increases with evolutionary shifts to herbivory, it is outperformed by functional jaw morphology as a predictor of diet. Body mass is influenced by numerous factors beyond diet, and it may be evolutionarily labile relative to functional morphologies. This suggests that ecological diversification events may initially facilitate body mass diversification at smaller taxonomic and temporal scales, but sustained selective pressures will subsequently drive greater trait partitioning in functional morphologies.
Pregnancy Reasonably Excluded Guide (PREG) Evaluation of Pregnancy Status Before Contraceptive Procedures: Improved Availability of Same-Day Insertion.

Abstract Objective To determine whether implementation of the Pregnancy Reasonably Excluded Guide (PREG) in a primary care gynecology clinic improves access to contraceptive procedures and affects the number of urine human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) tests. Patients and Methods PREG was administered to 981 women aged 18 to 50 years (1012 visits) who were seen in a primary care gynecology clinic for contraceptive procedures from September 30, 2015, through April 30, 2018. Contraceptive procedures included insertion of an intrauterine contraceptive (IUC) or subdermal contraceptive implant. After PREG review and patient discussion, health care professional decided to perform the procedure with or without hCG measurement or to reschedule if the patient’s pregnancy status was uncertain. We collected data on the rate of same-day contraceptive procedures and the rate of hCG testing. Data from the PREG implementation period were compared with historical data from 185 women undergoing contraceptive procedures before PREG implementation. Results Measurement of hCG was performed in 53% of women before and 24.1% (224 of 1,012 visits) after PREG implementation in the primary care setting. After PREG implementation, 974 0f 1012 patients (96.2%) were eligible for a same-day contraceptive procedure. If traditional criteria, current menses, or a preexisting IUC or implant in place were required for IUC or implant insertion, only 594 patients (58.7%) would have qualified for a same-day procedure. No contraceptive procedures occurred in pregnant women. Conclusion PREG implementation allowed for same-day IUC or implant insertion in 974 women (96.2%) seen for a contraceptive procedure. Most of the women (75.9%) did not require preprocedure hCG measurement.
Fat and Cancer

In 1982 a committee of the National Academy of Sciences published a review of the state of knowledge pertinent to nutrition or diet and cancer (Committee on Diet, Nutrition and Cancer, 1982). The committee adduced a significant role for fat in cancer development and suggested, among other guidelines, that Americans reduce their intake of fats by 25% or from 40% of total calories to 30%. The data reviewed in drawing these conclusions were primarily international correlations. The most thorough correlation study was that of Armstrong and Doll (1975), who studied incidences for 14 cancers in 32 countries and for 27 cancers in 23 countries. Among environmental variables they studied in addition to foods were gross national product (GNP), physician density, population density, and use of solid and liquid energy. They found positive associations between breast and colorectal cancers and total fat consumption. They also observed strong positive associations between GNP and cancers of the colon, rectum, breast, and uterus, but not the ovary. Incidence of stomach cancer was inversely correlated with GNP, meat, animal protein, and total fat. In their conclusion they stated, “. . . it is clear that these and other correlations should be taken only as suggestions for further research and not as evidence of causation or as bases for preventive action.”