cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Otolith Chemical Signatures to Estimate Population Connectivity of Red Snapper in the Western Gulf of Mexico

AbstractOtolith chemical signatures of Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus from six nursery regions were used to estimate the sources of recruits to four sampling regions in the western Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and to estimate whether postsettlement mixing of Red Snapper occurs between the U.S. and Mexican portions of the western Gulf. In a previous study, region-specific otolith signatures (element : Ca ratios: Ba:Ca, Mg:Ca, Mn:Ca, Sr:Ca, and Li:Ca; stable isotope delta values: δ13C and δ18O) were developed based on age-0 Red Snapper (2005–2007 year-classes) sampled from the six nursery areas. In the present study, subadult and adult Red Snapper (ages 1–3) belonging to those same year-classes were collected from four sampling regions within the western Gulf (two regions in U.S. waters; two regions along the Mexican continental shelf) during summer in 2006–2008. Left sagittal otoliths were used to age subadults and adults to the corresponding nursery year-classes, and right sagittal otoliths were cored for chem...
Racial Differences in the Effect of Stress on Health and the Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support

Objective: The current study examined racial differences in the relationship between late-life stress and health functioning and the moderating role of perceived social support (PSS) in older adults. Method: A biracial sample of community-dwelling older adults (65+) from the first two waves of the Duke University’s Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE; N = 2,952) was analyzed. Baseline levels of PSS and stress were obtained. Health status was assessed at baseline and follow-up. Results: Analyses revealed a positive effect of PSS on health functioning. There was a three-way interaction among race, stress, and PSS on health functioning. Probing the interaction, for Caucasians, PSS was beneficial at low stress, but not high stress. For African Americans, PSS had a positive effect regardless of stress level. Discussion: PSS is an important protective factor for preserving positive health in late-life; however, benefits may differ by race and intensity of stressor.
Remote sensing of the surface urban heat island and land architecture in Phoenix, Arizona: Combined effects of land composition and configuration and cadastral-demographic-economic factors

Abstract This study seeks to determine the role of land architecture—the composition and configuration of land cover—as well as cadastral–demographic–economic factors on land surface temperature (LST) and the surface urban heat island effect of Phoenix, Arizona. It employs 1 m National Agricultural Imagery Program data of land-cover with 120 m Landsat-derived land surface temperature, decomposed to 30 m, a new measure of configuration, the normalized moment of inertia, and U.S. Census data to address the question for two randomly selected samples comprising 523 and 545 residential neighborhoods (census blocks) in the city. The results indicate that, contrary to most other studies, land configuration has a stronger influence on LST than land composition. In addition, both land configuration and architecture combined with cadastral, demographic, and economic variables, capture a significant amount of explained variance in LST. The results indicate that attention to land architecture in the development of or reshaping of neighborhoods may ameliorate the summer extremes in LST.
A queer learner’s identity positioning in second language classroom discourse

This case study examines the classroom participation of a Korean queer (transgender) learner of English as a second language at a language institute for international adult students in the United States. To understand the dynamics of this learner’s participation, we focus on how she constructed gender identity and learner identity in interaction. Our analysis indicates that although the class content was not designed to elicit biographic information from students, this learner agentively managed her gender identity expression, which, at times, was met with challenge by her peers. As a second language learner, she self-positioned both as a lazy student and an effective language user – contradictory positionings that might be explained by the disconnection between the class content and the cultural capital that she sought to gain. Our study extends research on investment in second language learning by examining identity positioning in actual discourses and by linking classroom interaction and the learner’s ...
Postpartum depression screening in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: program development, implementation, and lessons learned

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this project were to describe the development of a postpartum depression screening program for mothers of infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and assess the implementation of the screening program. METHODS: Screening began at 14 days postpartum and was implemented as part of routine medical care. A nurse coordinator facilitated communication with mothers for increasing screen completion, review of critical self-harm items, and making mental health referrals. During the 18-month study period, 385 out of 793 eligible mothers completed the screen. RESULTS: Approximately 36% of mothers had a positive screen that resulted in a mental health referral and an additional 30% of mothers had screening results indicating significant symptoms. CONCLUSION: Several barriers were identified, leading to adjustments in the screening process, and ultimately recommendations for future screening programs and research. Development of a postpartum depression screening process in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit involves support, training, implementation, and coordination from administrators, medical staff, new mothers, and mental health specialists. Several predictable challenges to program development require ongoing assessment and response to these challenges. RELEVANCE: This study highlights the expanding role of the psychologist and behavioral health providers in health care to intervene as early as possible in the life of a child and family with medical complications through multidisciplinary program development and implementation, as well as key considerations for institutions initiating such a program. Language: en
Cumulative Stress and Substance Use From Early Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

Building on models of the stress process, this study examined the consequences for binge alcohol use, marijuana use, and other illicit substance use of cumulative levels of stressful life events us...
Physical and Behavioral Description of a Captive Saola, Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

Since the discovery of the saola, Pseudoryx nghetinhensis , in central Viet Nam in 1992, little has been learned about this new bovid's behavior or ecology, and its taxonomic position remains in question; some place it in the subfamily Bovinae, others in Caprinae. In January 1996, a pregnant female was captured in central Laos and placed in a nearby menagerie. This was the first adult saola seen by the outside world and provided an opportunity to gather basic information about the species. The animal survived 18 days, during which time notes were made of her morphology and behavior. Noteworthy among physical traits were size and complexity of her maxillary glands and presence of pored skin nodules corresponding to white markings on the face. The saola exhibited remarkably tame behavior among humans, but intense stereotyped reactions toward domestic dogs. Characteristics such as round pupils and presence of four mammae fell more into the pattern of Bovinae than Caprinae. Other traits such as unique development of the maxillary gland were unlike either subfamily. This was among thirteen saola known to have been captured in Viet Nam and Laos since 1994, all of which soon died except one that was released. Consequently, basic field studies of the animal's requirements should probably precede any further attempts at live capture.
Databases and In Silico Tools for Vaccine Design

In vaccine design, databases and in silico tools play different but complementary roles. Databases collect experimentally verified vaccines and vaccine components, and in silico tools provide computational methods to predict and design new vaccines and vaccine components. Vaccine-related databases include databases of vaccines and vaccine components. In the USA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains a database of licensed human vaccines, and the US Department of Agriculture keeps a database of licensed animal vaccines. Databases of vaccine clinical trials and vaccines in research also exist. The important vaccine components include vaccine antigens, vaccine adjuvants, vaccine vectors, and -vaccine preservatives. The vaccine antigens can be whole proteins or immune epitopes. Various in silico vaccine design tools are also available. The Vaccine Investigation and Online Information Network (VIOLIN; http://www.violinet.org ) is a comprehensive vaccine database and analysis system. The VIOLIN database includes various types of vaccines and vaccine components. VIOLIN also includes Vaxign, a Web-based in silico vaccine design program based on the reverse vaccinology strategy. Vaccine information and resources can be integrated with Vaccine Ontology (VO). This chapter introduces databases and in silico tools that facilitate vaccine design, especially those in the VIOLIN system.
Homicide in the Biblical World: A First Case: The Story of Cain and Abel

ONE OF the first stories in the Bible is about a homicide: Now, the man had known his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, saying, “I have acquired a male child with [the help of] the L ord .” Once again, she gave birth, [this time] to his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of sheep, and Cain became a tiller of the soil. In time, Cain brought an offering to the L ord from the fruit of the soil, and Abel, for his part, brought the choicest of the firstlings of his flock. The L ord looked with favor upon Abel and his offerings but did not look with favor upon Cain and his offerings. Cain was depressed and saddened. The L ord said to Cain, “Why are you depressed, and why are you saddened? Is it not true that whether you are good at being patient or not, sin is a demon at the door; toward you is its desire, but you control it.” Cain said to his brother Abel, and when they were in the field, Cain arose against his brother and killed him. The L ord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?” The L ord said, “What have you done? Listen, your brother's blood is crying out to me from the soil. Now, you are cursed from the soil, which has opened its mouth to take your brother's blood from your hands. When you till the soil, it will no longer yield its strength to you. […]
Druppelsgewijs naar kwaliteit van leven

Prostaatkanker is de meest voorkomende vorm van kanker bij mannen. Na een radicale prostatectomie, het verwijderen van de hele prostaat inclusief (een gedeelte van) de zaadblaasjes, ontstaat vaak urine-incontinentie. Onderzoek toont aan dat deze patienten vaak een verminderde kwaliteit van leven ervaren. Hboverpleegkundige Suzanne Graat onderzocht in hoeverre verpleegkundige interventies hierin verbetering kunnen brengen.
Calculating Watson-Crick to Hoogsteen Transition Kinetics in DNA with Langevin Dynamics and Fokker-Planck Diffusion in Reduced Configuration Space

Previous studies have shown that an important aspect of designing drugs for RNA drug targets, in particular, the transactivation response element (TAR) from HIV type 1 (HIV-1), is the determination of the thermodynamics and kinetics for WC to HG (Watson-Crick to Hoogsteen) conformation transitions. Previous work by Eunae Kim and Ioan Andricioaei successfully implemented umbrella sampling to produce a two-dimensional free energy surface for WC to HG transitions, where the two independent variables are the “flip-over” angle and “flip-out” angle of the adenine moiety undergoing the transition. The current study builds upon the work of Kim and Andricioaei by exploring the kinetics that arise from the time evolution of the probability density function of configurations, subjected to this potential energy surface. A position-dependent diffusion matrix was first calculated from the umbrella sampling data, in order to accurately describe diffusive motions in this reduced space. Next, a 2D polynomial of order 20 was fit to the energy surface, in order to obtain an analytical expression for the 2D surface. The diffusion matrix and analytical function describing the 2D surface were then used to carry out Langevin dynamics. Numerous Langevin trajectories between states were then analyzed in multiple ways, including calculating first passage time distributions between WC and HG configurations, and determination of regions in configuration space of maximum flux. In order to make the system numerically tractable for a Fokker-Planck approach to diffusion, the energy surface was also fit to a simpler 2D analytical function with a 20 term Fourier series solely in the “flip-over” dimension and a separate harmonic term approximating the “flip-out” dimension. Both approaches were utilized to determine favorable pathways for WC/HG transitions, and their respective time scales.
Persuasion and Motivational Messaging

Publisher Summary This chapter is designed to assist program planners and other intermediaries with a range of communication strategies so that what they want to achieve through these efforts has a greater likelihood of, in fact, being achieved. When thinking of communication strategies, it is vital to consider a wide range of approaches, including, but not limited to, brochures, posters, public service announcements, interviews, billboards, media campaigns, and workshops. The persuasive communication–planning model introduced in the chapter is designed to organize the thinking of program planners. The model's first step, focusing on the need and the target audience, is a basic foundation. Audience strategies vary based on a range of demographic factors, as well as a clear understanding of their needs and interests. Step two highlights the importance of gaining a solid theoretical foundation regarding what might affect the target audience, including understanding basic assumptions regarding these individuals. Third, preparing a plan for the most appropriate strategies and messages is vital. The fourth step involves developing the content, including a range of approaches useful within the context of an overall campaign. Step five addresses overall planning activities, helping to organize how and when specific strategies will be implemented. This also involves testing how well the messages and approaches resonate with the target audience. Steps six and seven involve the implementation of the activities and monitoring how they proceed as well as how they are received. These results are important, particularly because they can be helpful in identifying what is worthy of continuation and what needs refinement.
Creating Public Value: An Examination of Technological Social Enterprise

This study proposes that social enterprises address needs that are unmet by markets and government, thereby generating essential public values. I propose that social enterprises fulfill essential public value failures via the search and exploitation of new opportunities—gaps left by markets and governments. I test this proposition through an exploratory qualitative analysis of the mission statements of more than 150 technological social enterprises. The data were acquired from 20 top-ranked online website portals, cataloguing close to 800 social enterprises. In addition to having a technological focus, the vast majority of the social enterprises in the sample also served a specific target population. I present findings by positioning these enterprises in a matrix: target population by public value criteria. Results indicate that most technological social enterprises in the sample address public value failures. This study has broader implications for opportunity-seeking social entrepreneurs, academics, and evaluators interested in social impact assessment.
Current trends in lung resection for T1a non-small cell lung cancer: is lobectomy still the answer?

In light of the proposed new T1 sub-classification for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors ≤2 cm by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), there is a need to better understand the role of sublobar resection in the surgical management of early stage NSCLC (1).
Hazard Experience, Geophysical Vulnerability, and Flood Risk Perceptions in a Postdisaster City, the Case of New Orleans

This article investigates the determinants of flood risk perceptions in New Orleans, Louisiana (United States), a deltaic coastal city highly vulnerable to seasonal nuisance flooding and hurricane-induced deluges and storm surges. Few studies have investigated the influence of hazard experience, geophysical vulnerability (hazard proximity), and risk perceptions in cities undergoing postdisaster recovery and rebuilding. We use ordinal logistic regression techniques to analyze experiential, geophysical, and sociodemographic variables derived from a survey of 384 residents in seven neighborhoods. We find that residents living in neighborhoods that flooded during Hurricane Katrina exhibit higher levels of perceived risk than those residents living in neighborhoods that did not flood. In addition, findings suggest that flood risk perception is positively associated with female gender, lower income, and direct flood experiences. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of these findings for theoretical and empirical research on environmental risk, flood risk communication strategies, and flood hazards planning.
The Local Political Context of Latino Partisanship

The question of how partisanship is influenced by exogenous factors has been vigorously debated, yet this debate is less frequently noted in the literature on Latino partisanship. This study analyzes the 2006 Latino National Survey with geographic identifiers to explore how the political context of a county influences Latino partisan self-identification. There are a variety of reasons why the political environment might influence Latinos’ partisan choice. First, a substantial proportion of the adult Latino population in the United States is foreign-born, potentially lessening the influence of parental partisan socialization. Second, increased migration to areas outside the Southwest has exposed Latinos to new and different social, political, and economic environments. Using subgroup analysis, interactive logit models, and regression discontinuity, we find that the local political context influences the party attachment of Latino immigrants in predictable ways. However, for Latinos born in the United States, our analysis does not provide evidence of a causal connection between partisan environment and an individual's partisan identification.
Ease of Use and Acceptability of a Smartphone App for Young, Low-Income Mothers

The purpose of the study was to pilot test the Enhanced New Mothers Network smartphone app obtaining feedback on the ENMN app’s ease of use (clarity of functions and ease of navigation) and acceptability (participants’ level of acceptability and suggestions for improvement). A convenience sample of six adolescent, low-income mothers was recruited from two maternal health clinics in metropolitan communities in the USA and through snowballing. Investigators used written questionnaires with Likert items and open-ended questions for additional details from participants at two visits, a week apart. During and after the demonstration of the ENMN app, participants were asked verbal questions on the improvement of the ENMN app, and an investigator documented participants’ responses to questions, comments, and observations on field notes. Participants rated the ease of use (clarity of functions and ease of navigations) of the ENMN app as relatively high. Mothers expressed satisfaction in learning the ENMN app quickly and easily. Mothers’ responses were mixed regarding the acceptability of the ENMN app. Two mothers appreciated the visual results of creating their own username and avatar for the ENMN app. In contrast, some mothers reported the ENMN app should be made more visually interesting before the app is used in future studies.
Assessment of Thoracic Blood Volume by Computerized Tomography in Patients With Heart Failure and Periodic Breathing.

Abstract Background Periodic breathing (PB) is often observed in patients with HF at rest, with sleep and during exercise. However, mechanisms underlying abnormal ventilatory control are not entirely established. Methods Eleven subjects with HF (10 males, age = 69 ± 12 y) and 12 age-matched control subjects (8 males, age = 65 ± 9 y) participated in the study. PB was defined as a peak in the 0.003–0.04 Hz frequency range of the flow signal during 6 minutes of awake resting breathing. Thoracic blood volumes (Vt, thorax; Vh, heart; Vp, pulmonary), mean transit times (MTTs), and extravascular lung water (EVLW) were quantified using computerized tomography. Results PB was observed in 7 subjects with HF and was associated with worse functional status. The HF PB-present group had thoracic blood volumes nearly double those of control and HF PB-absent subjects (volumes reported as mL/m2 body surface area, P values vs control: control = 813 ± 246, HF PB-absent = 822 ± 161 P = .981, HF PB-present = 1579 ± 548 P = .002). PB was associated with longer pulmonary MTT (control = 6.7 ± 1.2 s, HF PB-absent = 6.0 ± 0.8 s, HF PB-present = 8.4 ± 1.6 s; P = .033, HF PB-present vs HF PB-absent). EVLW was not elevated in the PB group. Conclusions Subjects with HF and PB at rest have greater centralization of blood volume.
Initiation of DNA synthesis on single-stranded DNA templates in vitro promoted by the bacteriophage lambda O and P replication proteins.

The bacteriophage λ O and P protein replication initiators, in conjunction with six purified Escherichia coli replication proteins, replicate the single-stranded chromosomes of phages M13 and ΦX174 to a duplex form. Several discrete steps are involved in this DNA synthesis reaction. In an ATP-dependent step that preceeds priming, the λ O and P proteins interact with the Escherichia coli dnaJ and dnaK proteins to transfer the bacterial dnaB protein onto DNA coated with single-stranded DNA binding protein. This creates a stable prepriming intermediate, isolable by gel filtration, that is rapidly primed and replicated upon the addition of primase and DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. Each of the eight proteins required for this nonspecific single strand replication reaction also have physiological roles in the replication of the bacteriophage λ chromosome in vivo. We propose a scheme for the λ O and P protein-dependent initiation of DNA synthesis that may be relevant to strand initiation events occurring during λ DNA replication.
Edith Wharton and the Politics of Race: The Age of Experience: pragmatism, the Titanic and The Reef

In the early hours of April 15, 1912, the H. M. S. Titanic , making her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York, struck an iceberg 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, taking 1,503 people to their deaths in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic (Biel 21). Edith Wharton was in the midst of writing a new novel, The Reef . She devoted the lion's share of that spring and summer to completing the manuscript. She paused long enough that July, however, to accompany Henry James to Cliveden, the expansive Buckinghamshire estate of Waldorf and Nancy Astor. There, they met 19-year-old Madeline Astor, a Titanic survivor and recent widow whose husband, John Jacob Astor IV, had famously gone down with the doomed vessel. Although we do not have a record of what the Cliveden party discussed, it is certain that the recent disaster was on everyone's mind. Indeed, a number of Wharton's close friends were deeply distressed. James, for one, wrote to Mrs. Francis D. Millet to express his condolences for the death of her husband “in the midst of all the horrors and misery” (H. James, Letters 613). Elizabeth Cameron, a Paris hostess, told Wharton that she had received several worrisome letters from Henry Adams, who – as fate would have it – had booked passage aboard the ship's anticipated return voyage to Europe. “This Titanic blow shatters one's nerves,” Adams had written. “We can't grapple it” (Adams, Letters 535).
Cell-Free Fetal DNA Plasma Extraction and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Quantification

Isolation, quantification, and genetic analysis of circulating plasma DNA have clinical applications in prenatal diagnosis, oncology, organ transplantation, posttrauma monitoring, and infectious disease. Recent technology has allowed the rapid isolation and purification of DNA from whole blood, plasma, serum, buffy coat, tissues, stool, and urine. With the advent of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, extracted DNA not only can be easily identified to aid in clinical diagnoses, but also can be readily quantified to analyze ongoing clinical dynamics and aid in the medical prognoses of patients. Historically, identification of unique cell-free fetal DNA sequences has relied on the detection of paternally specific Y chromosome sequences owing to their relative ease in identification. However, any DNA sequence that is unique to the fetus has the potential to be amplified and quantified using real-time PCR. Our laboratory specializes in extraction of fetal DNA from maternal plasma with subsequent quantification with real-time PCR of paternally inherited sequences, such as the Y chromosome gene, SRY. The successful isolation and quantification of this DNA from plasma is dependent on three distinct protocols: plasma harvesting from whole blood, DNA extraction from cell-free plasma, and real-time PCR amplification and quantification of the SRY sequence.
FAST RAY – CONVEX POLYHEDRON INTERSECTION

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes ray-convex polyhedron intersection. The standard solution to ray–polyhedron intersection is to test the ray against each polygon and find the closest intersection, if any. If the polyhedron is convex, the ray-polyhedron test can be accelerated by considering the polyhedron to be the space inside a set of planes. This definition also drastically reduces the memory requirements for such polyhedra, as none of the vertices and their connectivities need to be stored; only the plane equations for the faces are needed. The ray-polyhedron test outlined in this chapter avoids the problems that can occur when the shared edge of two polygons is intersected by a ray, because there no longer are any edges. There is no chance of a ray “slipping through the cracks” by having its intersection point on an edge not considered being inside either polygon. The algorithm presented in the chapter is based on the ideas of Roth (1981) and Kay and Kajiya (1986). The basic idea is that each plane of the polyhedron defines a half-space: All points to one side of this space are considered inside the plane. The logical intersection of the half-spaces of all the convex polyhedron's planes is the volume defined by the polyhedron.
Battelle’s Columbus Laboratories Reactor Vessel Surveillance Service Activities

This paper describes the current methodology in use at Battelle’s Columbus Laboratories for obtaining and processing pressure vessel surveillance data, extrapolating mechanical behavior, and calculating reactor coolant pressure-temperature operating curves. Recent results from the Arkansas Nuclear One—Unit 2 (ANO-2) benchmark cavity dosimetry experiment are reported. The results indicate that it is possible to calculate the flux in ex- vessel locations with accuracies on the order of 10-15 percent. Also, end of life metallurgical predictions for the Poolside Facility (PSF) Blind Test materials are compared with experimental data.
Childhood leukemia risk in the California Power Line Study: Magnetic fields versus distance from power lines.

Abstract Pooled analyses have suggested a small increased risk of childhood leukemia associated with distance and with exposure to high magnetic fields from power transmission lines. Because magnetic fields are correlated with distance from lines, the question of whether the risk is due to magnetic fields exposure or to some other factor associated with distance from lines is unresolved. We used data from a large records-based case-control study to examine several research questions formulated to disentangle the relationships among magnetic fields, distance from high voltage lines, and childhood leukemia risk. In models examining an interaction between distance and magnetic fields exposure, we found that neither close proximity to high voltage lines alone nor exposure to high calculated fields alone were associated with childhood leukemia risk. Rather, elevated risk was confined to the group that was both very close to high voltage lines (
Current Smoking and Increased Risk of Stroke in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Device

Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of smoking status at the time of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation on clinical outcomes including all-cause mortality, readmission and stroke. Methods Retrospective data collection and analyses were performed on 350 patients implanted with LVAD at the University of Rochester Medical Rochester, NY from May 5, 2008, to June 26, 2018. Patients were stratified as current smoker (smoking within 30 days prior to LVAD implantation), former smoker and never smoker. Stroke was defined as a transient ischemic attack or cerebrovascular accident (hemorrhagic or ischemic). Results There were 43 current smokers, 190 former and 117 never smokers. Current smokers were younger (mean age 49.6 ± 11.1 years), as compared with former (58.5 ± 11.2 years) and never smokers (56.8 ± 12.2 years) p Conclusion In this single center study of patients with an LVAD, current smokers were younger and at significantly higher risk of stroke when compared with former smokers and never smokers. LVAD patients with current smoking status should be educated early on to prevent deleterious effects of smoking post LVAD implantation.
78 EXPRESSION LEVELS OF FMR-1 ISOFORMS IN MOUSE TESTIS.

Background Fragile X syndrome is the number one cause of inherited mental retardation in humans. The syndrome results from the silencing of the Fmr1 gene, which codes for the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Previous studies have identified functional domains within FMRP, including 2 KH domains and an RGG box, which bind RNA, and a nuclear export signal (NES). FMRP has been proposed to play an important function in cells as it binds brain mRNA associated with polysomes. The gene is alternatively spliced into as many as 12 different mRNA transcripts. The majority of the functional domains of FMRP are affected by alternative splicing. These alterations in FMRP structure are expected to dramatically alter the biological properties of the isoforms. Fragile X syndrome displays the most significant phenotype in the brain and testis, characterized by severe macroorchadism in the latter. To more clearly understand this phenotype, the expression levels of the six major Fmr1 transcripts were determined in whole mouse testis. Study Design and Methods To determine quantitative expression levels of the six major Fmr1 isoforms in testis samples, quantitative real-time PCR was used. Current studies under way in the Morris laboratory are using mouse as a model system to investigate the expression levels of Fmr1 in whole brain samples. They have done this by developing primers that target each of the 12 different Fmr1 isoforms separately. The data have suggested that only 6 of the 12 are expressed to a significant degree. Therefore, primers targeting these 6 isoforms were used to quantitatively characterize whole testis samples. To normalize the data obtained, a gene that has been shown to be uniformly expressed throughout the body, the mouse form of the human acidic ribosomal binding protein, was also quantized. This allowed normaliazation of the data so they may be compared with one another. Results The isoform expression profile shows isoform 8 being expressed most abundantly, followed closely by 1. In descending order of abundance were isoforms 2, 3, 7, and 9. Seven and nine were present in very low quantities and essentially indistinguishable from one another. Conclusion The testis show an isoform expression profile almost identical to that observed in the brain. Although the expression profile was similar, the absolute amounts were far lower than that observed in the brain. Future studies may look at which cells express Fmr1 in the testis to further illuminate the origins of macroorchadism in patients with fragile X syndrome.
“Playthings of the Brain”: Phantom Visions in Charles Bonnet Syndrome

Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a condition of the visually impaired, in which hallucinations - or, more appropriately, visions - of geometric patterns, people, and objects appear within the visual field. Most people with CBS are older adults, a function of increased likelihood of visual deterioration in later life, but the condition can occur at any age. Diagnostic criteria vary among professions, but generally includes awareness that the visions are not real, the absence of other accompanying sensory hallucinations, and the absence of dementia or other neurological condition. The mechanism by which the phenomenon occurs is not well understood, although some speculation exists that it is akin to phantom limb syndrome. Although there has recently been increasing awareness about the condition, many in the fields of medicine, optometry, and social work have not heard of it. As front-line providers for clients, it is important that social workers be well informed about the condition to alleviate anxiety our clients may have about expressing their experiences with the condition.
Evaluation of empirical Bayesian kriging

Abstract Using Bayesian bootstrap as the informative prior distribution is a key feature of the empirical Bayesian kriging method. We evaluate correctness of the method using two large simulation experiments. We also compare empirical Bayesian kriging performance with several popular geostatistical models implemented in R using two real datasets: the average annual precipitation in South Africa and the daytime land surface temperature satellite data. Results show that empirical Bayesian kriging performs better than other predictors, and increasingly so with data complexity.
Effects of Grain Size and Purity on the Low Temperature Cyclic Strain Degradation of Stabilizer Aluminum

Aluminum specimens of 99.99% to 99.9998% purity and with grain sizes ranging from 0.1 mm up to 2.2 mm have been mechanically and electrically tested at 4.2 K to determine strain hardening and resistivity degradation characteristics. RRR values of the fully annealed (large grained) materials range from 1,150 up to 10,400. Results show that for a cyclic strain range of ±0.001 at 4.2 K, the effects of grain size are significant when purities are greater than about 99.9995%. At purities below 99.999%, the grain size has a minimal effect on the rate of strain hardening and on resistivity degradation. Mechanisms for the observed behavior are associated with increased strain hardening rates and a reduction in the total number of point defects (vacancies) generated during the low temperature deformation.
Making the Blockly Library Accessible via Touchscreen

Block-based programming environments are a popular way to learn programming. Many of these libraries, including Scratch and MIT's App Inventor, are built on the Blockly library from Google. Unfortunately, programs built with the Blockly library are currently not accessible for people with visual impairments. We describe two designs to make the Blockly library accessible using a screen reader on a touchscreen device.
The Expanding Role of the Courts in Educational Policy: The Preschool Remedy and an Adequate Education.

Background/ContextOver the past half-century, the courts have played an increasingly important role in educational governance and decision-making. However, since the courts began to take such an ac...
Clubfoot for the primary care physician: frequently asked questions.

Purpose of review This review aims to provide primary care physicians with updates on recent literature regarding clubfoot and answer questions asked by parents and caregivers of children with clubfoot. The topics discussed include prenatal counseling, relapse after Ponseti treatment, long-term outcomes following successful treatment of clubfoot, and the effect of diagnosis and treatment on the parent or caregiver. Recent findings Clubfoot is one of the most commonly searched orthopaedic conditions on the internet by parents. There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines on clubfoot worldwide. Recent systematic reviews have identified emerging evidence of genetic and modifiable risk factors that lead to clubfoot. Patients treated by the Ponseti method show better ankle power and strength compared with those treated with surgery for residual deformity or recurrence. Summary The treatment of clubfoot is a long and involved process. Exposure to and familiarity with the Ponseti method will aid primary care physicians and parents in the optimization of children's clubfoot deformity correction using largely nonoperative management.
Capturing Structural Transitions in Surfactant Adsorption Isotherms at Solid/Solution Interfaces.

Although adsorption isotherms of surfactants are critical in determining the relationship between interfacial properties and structures of surfactants, providing quantitative predictions of the iso...
Characterizing intra-tumor heterogeneity from somatic mutations without copy-neutral assumption.

Bulk samples of the same patient are heterogeneous in nature, comprising of different subpopulations (subclones) of cancer cells. Cells in a tumor subclone are characterized by unique mutational genotype profile. Resolving tumor heterogeneity by estimating the genotypes, cellular proportions and the number of subclones present in the tumor can help in understanding cancer progression and treatment. We present a novel method, ChaClone2, to efficiently deconvolve the observed variant allele fractions (VAFs), with consideration for possible effects from copy number aberrations at the mutation loci. Our method describes a state-space formulation of the feature allocation model, deconvolving the observed VAFs from samples of the same patient into three matrices: subclonal total and variant copy numbers for mutated genes, and proportions of subclones in each sample. We describe an efficient sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) algorithm to estimate these matrices. Extensive simulation shows that the ChaClone2 yields better accuracy when compared with other state-of-the-art methods for addressing similar problem and it offers scalability to large datasets. Also, ChaClone2 features that the model parameter estimates can be refined whenever new mutation data of freshly sequenced genomic locations are available. MATLAB code and datasets are available to download at: https://github.com/moyanre/method2.
Redesigned TetR-Aptamer System To Control Gene Expression in Plasmodium falciparum

ABSTRACT One of the most powerful approaches to understanding gene function involves turning genes on and off at will and measuring the impact at the cellular or organismal level. This particularly applies to the cohort of essential genes where traditional gene knockouts are inviable. In Plasmodium falciparum, conditional control of gene expression has been achieved by using multicomponent systems in which individual modules interact with each other to regulate DNA recombination, transcription, or posttranscriptional processes. The recently devised TetR-DOZI aptamer system relies on the ligand-regulatable interaction of a protein module with synthetic RNA aptamers to control the translation of a target gene. This technique has been successfully employed to study essential genes in P. falciparum and involves the insertion of several aptamer copies into the 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs), which provide control over mRNA fate. However, aptamer repeats are prone to recombination and one or more copies can be lost from the system, resulting in a loss of control over target gene expression. We rectified this issue by redesigning the aptamer array to minimize recombination while preserving the control elements. As proof of concept, we compared the original and modified arrays for their ability to knock down the levels of a putative essential apicoplast protein (PF3D7_0815700) and demonstrated that the modified array is highly stable and efficient. This redesign will enhance the utility of a tool that is quickly becoming a favored strategy for genetic studies in P. falciparum. IMPORTANCE Malaria elimination efforts have been repeatedly hindered by the evolution and spread of multidrug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The absence of a commercially available vaccine emphasizes the need for a better understanding of Plasmodium biology in order to further translational research. This has been partly facilitated by targeted gene deletion strategies for the functional analysis of parasite genes. However, genes that are essential for parasite replication in erythrocytes are refractory to such methods, and require conditional knockdown or knockout approaches to dissect their function. One such approach is the TetR-DOZI system that employs multiple synthetic aptamers in the untranslated regions of target genes to control their expression in a tetracycline-dependent manner. Maintaining modified parasites with intact aptamer copies has been challenging since these repeats can be lost by recombination. By interspacing the aptamers with unique sequences, we created a stable genetic system that remains effective at controlling target gene expression.
Exponential Stability of Gyroscopically Stabilized Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Unstable Potential Systems Using Linear Damping

This paper shows that N-degree-of-freedom generic unstable potential systems, whose potential matrices have an even number of negative eigenvalues and which are gyroscopically stabilized, can alway...
When Treatment Doesn’t Work

Many PTSD patients will never receive treatment. Even those with ready access to excellent care will often discontinue therapy. For many, PTSD will become a chronic illness. Functional impairment and comorbid diagnoses of other psychiatric disorders and/or substance abuse can result in the loss of support systems, homelessness, and a loss of access to care. A major concern for any individual with PTSD as well as for any therapist is the increased lifetime risk of suicide, a risk greatest for those not using therapeutic services. Suicide is a problematic risk throughout the life of an individual affected by PTSD, peaking in occurrence the first year after trauma and becoming a major risk factor for mortality in late middle age. The US military is currently experiencing an epidemic of suicide that particularly affects those individuals diagnosed with PTSD. The rate is likely even higher since a significant number of those who take their own lives are concealed in the alarming number of opiate overdose deaths. Options for suicide prevention in the United States are limited based on current social and political perspectives. Complementary therapies for treating PTSD, while less successful in the short term than other approaches, offer important value when used over the long term in their emphasis on personal responsibility and the value, uniqueness, and possibility of the individual’s life.
Bias reduction and inference for electronic health record data under selection and phenotype misclassification: three case studies.

Abstract Electronic Health Records (EHR) are not designed for population-based research, but they provide access to longitudinal health information for many individuals. Many statistical methods have been proposed to account for selection bias, missing data, phenotyping errors, or other problems that arise in EHR data analysis. However, addressing multiple sources of bias simultaneously is challenging. Recently, we developed a methodological framework (R package, SAMBA) for jointly handling both selection bias and phenotype misclassification in the EHR setting that leverages external data sources. These methods assume factors related to selection and misclassification are fully observed, but these factors may be poorly understood and partially observed in practice. As a follow-up to the methodological work, we explore how these methods perform for three real-world case studies. In all three examples, we use individual patient-level data collected through the University of Michigan Health System and various external population-based data sources. In case study (a), we explore the impact of these methods on estimated associations between gender and cancer diagnosis. In case study (b), we compare corrected associations between previously identified genetic loci and age-related macular degeneration with gold standard external estimates. In case study (c), we evaluate these methods for modeling the association of COVID-19 outcomes and potential risk factors. These case studies illustrate how to utilize diverse auxiliary information to achieve less biased inference in EHR-based research.
Evaluating performance in the golf course industry using the PPP model

The golf industry in the USA has suffered from an over-saturated market for several years, due to market and demographic changes. As golf courses, both municipal and private, struggle to stay in business, it is vital that performance is evaluated to identify problem areas so that corrective actions can be taken in a timely fashion. A profit-linked performance measurement model such as the 'profitability = productivity + price recovery' (PPP) model can be very effective in performance measurement. This study utilises the PPP model to evaluate golf course performance from which lessons can be drawn for wider implementation. The PPP model generates performance results in terms of productivity, price recovery, and profitability contributions.