cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The rate of colonization by macro‐invertebrates on artificial substrate samplers

SUMMARY. The influence of exposure time upon macro-invertebrate colonization on modified Hester-Dendy substrate samplers was investigated over a 60-day period. The duration of exposure affected the number of individuals, taxa and community diversity. Tlie numbers of individuals colonizing the samplers reached a maximum after 39 days and then began to decrease, due to the emergence of adult insects. Coefficients of variation for the four replicate samples retrieved each sampling day fluctuated extensively throughout the study. No tendencies toward increasing or decreasing coefficients of variation were noted with increasing time of sampler exposure. The number of taxa colonizing the samplers increased throughout the study period- The community diversity index was calculated for each sampling day and this function tended to increase throughout the same period. Tliis supports the hypothesis thai an exposure period of 6 weeks, as recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, may not always provide adequate opportunity for a truly representative community of macro-inverte brates to colonize multiplate samplers. Many of the taxa were collected in quite substantial proportions after periods of absence or extreme sparseness. This is attributed to the grov^^h of periphyton and the collection of other materials that created food and new habitats suitable for the colonization of new taxa. Investigation of the relationship between "equitability' and length of exposure revealed that equitability did not vary like diversity with increased time of exposure. . : i , • i
The potential for prebiotic chemistry in the possible cryovolcanic dome Ganesa Macula on Titan

New observations of Titan by the Cassini spacecraft suggest the presence of cryovolcanism on the surface. Cryovolcanism has important astrobiological implications, as it provides a means of exposing Titan's organics to liquid water, transforming hydrocarbons and nitriles into more evolved and oxidized prebiotic species. One possible cryovolcano – the 180 km structure Ganesa Macula – resembles the pancake domes seen on Venus by the Magellan spacecraft. To assess the potential of Ganesa Macula for prebiotic chemistry, we estimate its height using radarclinometry and other methods, and calculate the freezing timescale assuming an initially completely liquid dome. Given height constraints of ~200 m to 4 km, we find that liquid water or water–ammonia environments could be sustained in Ganesa Macula for timescales of the order of 102–105 years. These timescales open a window for prebiotic chemistry far wider than can be explored in terrestrial laboratory experiments.
THE EVALUATION OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTS: Principles, Problems, and New Developments

This article describes the use of probability in reasoning about diagnostic test results and the importance of accurate measures of test performance. Most studies of test performance are retrospective analyses of unplanned observations. Retrospective studies are likely to result in biased estimates of test performance. This article shows how to adjust for biases in the results of retrospective studies and how to design a prospective study that will accurately measure the sensitivity and specificity of a test.
Endothelial response to stress from exogenous Zn2+ resembles that of NO-mediated nitrosative stress, and is protected by MT-1 overexpression.

While nitric oxide (NO)-mediated biological interactions have been intensively studied, the underlying mechanisms of nitrosative stress with resulting pathology remain unclear. Previous studies hav...
Plaster Splinting as a Means of Reducing Elbow Flexor Spasticity: A Case Study

Plaster splinting was used to decrease severe elbow flexor spasticity in a patient with an upper motor neuron lesion. A series of plaster splints were applied over a period of several weeks that allowed elbow extension yet controlled the amount of flexion. The design of the splint was effective in reducing the spasticity, which was probably a result of the input from the golgi tendon organs in the spastic flexors. Initially, the splints were worn 24 hours a day. Later in the treatment process the wearing time was reduced to 12 hours at night only. Currently, the patient has voluntary, functional range in the impaired extremity.
Vetiver Grass ( Vetiveria zizanioides ) Oils

Abstract Vetiveria zizanioides (vetiver grass) is an evergreen, gramineous, and perennial herb, and its appearance is similar to that of lemongrass. Vetiveria zizanioides can prevent soil erosion and is also helpful in rehabilitating metal-polluted soil. In addition, V. zizanioides has also been cultivated for the production of commercially and medically valued essential oil (VZ EO). VZ EO has frequently been used as an active ingredient and fragrance in foods, aromatic products, and cosmetics. VZ EO has potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. Moreover, VZ EO is a safe and valuable food additive for flavoring syrups, ice cream, and beverages and for food preservation. Therefore, the prospective uses and applications of VZ EO in food science are fairly extensive.
Cyclic GMP and Regulation of Cyclic Nucleotide Hydrolysis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and regulation of cyclic nucleotide hydrolysis. Several of the different phosphodiesterase (PDE) isozyme families have the ability in vitro to hydrolyze cGMP. In particular, they include the CaM-dependent PDEs, the cGMP-stimulated PDEs, and the cGMP binding, cGMP-specific PDEs. Existing evidence suggests or demonstrates that in different cell types, each of these can be important determinants for the control of cGMP steady-state levels. Each of these enzymes is differentially expressed and regulated; the amount of the enzyme expressed and the mode of regulation determine the rate of rise, maximal level, rate of fall, and duration of the cGMP signal in the cell. The cGMP-stimulated PDE has the ability to decrease cAMP levels in response to cGMP and the cGMP-inhibited PDE can increase cAMP levels in response to cGMP. It is expected that in the next few years, more PDEs can be discovered and the functions of the new and existing ones can be more clearly defined.
The Effects of Web Search Engine Query Ambiguity and Results Sorting Method on User Performance and Preference

Users of Web search engines report two main problems: an insufficient number of relevant results and the mixing of relevant results with irrelevant results. Therefore, this research investigates the effects of query ambiguity and three forms of sorting search results on user performance and preference. Forty-eight Web search engine users evaluated three forms of sorting results. For each task, the query was a single term that had one, two, or three meanings. The results indicated that the preferred results sorting method was affected by the page number of the correct results. When the correct results were all located on the same page (i.e., the first page), the participants preferred the Ranking, Disambiguating, and Categories methods when the query term had one, two and three meanings, respectively. When the correct results were not on the first page, the test participants preferred the Categories sorting method for all number of query meanings.
The Electric Field Conjugation - A unified formalism for wavefront correction algorithms

This paper introduces a unified formulism to describe many of the high contrast correction methods, namely, phase conjugation, classical speckle nulling and energy minimization. This unified formalism led to the Electric Field Conjugation (EFC) algorithm.
The Four-Day/Forty-Hour Week: Who Wants It?

Attitudes toward 4/40 work schedules were studied for 1,401 mid-level exempt personnel who worked a 5/40 schedule. Significant relationships were found between 4/40 attitudes and organizational, in...
Experimental observation on attapulgite effervesce trche germicidal efficacy and toxicity

Objective:To observe the germicidal efficacy and toxicity of attapulgite effervesce troche.Methods:Suspension quantitative germicidal test and animal toxicity test were used to carry out the experimental study.Results:The average killing rate of Attapulgite effervesce troche to Staphlococcus aureus,coliform and Candida albicans from 2 min to 20 min was more than 95%.Mouse acute oral toxicity LD50 of the Attapulgite effervesce troche solution was 5000 mg/kg·bw.The 3 monthes long-term toxicity test showed that The oral dosage of 30 mg/kg(180 times of people′s daily dose),15 mg/kg(90 times of people′s daily dose),7.5 mg/kg(45 times of people′s daily dose) to rats showed no toxicity or continuous damage tendency.Conclusion:Attapulgite effervesce troche has good germicidal effect and animal test shows that it belongs to non-toxic class.
Targeted Scrum: Applying Mission Command to Agile Software Development

Software engineering and mission command are two separate but similar fields, as both are instances of complex problem solving in environments with ever changing requirements. Our research hypothesis is that modifications to agile software development based on inspirations from mission command can improve the software engineering process in terms of planning, prioritizing, and communication of software requirements and progress, as well as improving the overall software product. Targeted Scrum is a modification of Traditional Scrum based on three inspirations from Mission Command: End State, Line of Effort, and Targeting. These inspirations have led to the introduction of the Product Design Meeting and modifications of some current Scrum meetings and artifacts. We tested our research hypothesis using a semester-long undergraduate level software engineering class. Students developed two software projects, one using Traditional Scrum and the other using Targeted Scrum. We then assessed how well both methodologies assisted the software development teams in planning and developing the software architecture, prioritizing requirements, and communicating progress. We also evaluated the software product produced by both methodologies. We found that Targeted Scrum did better in assisting the software development teams in the planning and prioritization of the requirements. However, Targeted Scrum had a negligible effect on improving the software development teams external and internal communications. Finally, Targeted Scrum did not have an impact on the product quality by the top performing and worst performing teams. Targeted Scrum did assist the product quality of the teams in the middle of the performance spectrum.
Molecular genetics and cytogenetics of sarcomas.

It was only 25 years ago that the concept of cancer as a genetic disease began to gain widespread acceptance; however, molecular genetics and cytogenetics are still in their infancy. In this article, the authors touch on the tremendous amount of information that has developed in sarcoma genetics and cytogenetics.
Diagnostic radiology of the cranial base.

The skull base is a complex foundation and interface for cranial nerves, vessels, sinuses, and muscles of the head. Successful surgery here requires a good understanding of how these structures appear acquired through the use of modern diagnostic imaging techniques. This article reviews both normal anatomy and pathologic processes at the skull base.
Adaptive Data Skipping in Main-Memory Systems

As modern main-memory optimized data systems increasingly rely on fast scans, lightweight indexes that allow for data skipping play a crucial role in data filtering to reduce system I/O. Scans benefit from data skipping when the data order is sorted, semi-sorted, or comprised of clustered values. However data skipping loses effectiveness over arbitrary data distributions. Applying data skipping techniques over non-sorted data can significantly decrease query performance since the extra cost of metadata reads result in no corresponding scan performance gains. We introduce adaptive data skipping as a framework for structures and techniques that respond to a vast array of data distributions and query workloads. We reveal an adaptive zonemaps design and implementation on a main-memory column store prototype to demonstrate that adaptive data skipping has potential for 1.4X speedup.
Stability of polymeric scintillating resins developed for ultra-trace level detection of alpha- and beta-emitting radionuclides

This contribution characterizes the stability of scintillating resins for ionizing radiation detection that were synthesized with 2-(1-naphthyl)-5-phenyloxazole (α-NPO) or 2-(1-naphthyl)-4-vinyl-5-phenyloxazole (v-NPO) fluor in polystyrene (PS) or poly(4-methyl styrene) (PVT) matrices. Leaching studies of the PS and PVT resins with methyl acetate show a 60 % reduction in luminosity and 80 % reduction in detection efficiency for α-NPO samples; while v-NPO resins retained detection properties. Degradation studies indicate the nitration of PS resins and the fluors after nitric acid exposure, resulting in a 100 % reduction in optical properties; whereas PVT resins with v-NPO fluor maintained 20 % detection efficiency. Heuristics are reported for designing stable scintillating resins.
Treatment of perinatal viral infections to improve neurologic outcomes

Viral infections in the fetus or newborn often involve the central nervous system (CNS) and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Substantial progress has been made in identifying interventions decreasing adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population. This review highlights progress in treatment of important viruses affecting the CNS in these susceptible hosts, focusing on herpes simplex virus (HSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and enteroviruses. The observation that high-dose acyclovir improves mortality in neonatal HSV disease culminated decades of antiviral research for this disease. More recently, prolonged oral acyclovir was found to improve neurologic morbidity after neonatal HSV encephalitis. Ganciclovir, and more recently its oral prodrug valganciclovir, is effective in improving hearing and neurodevelopment after congenital CMV infection. Increasing evidence suggests early control of perinatal HIV infection has implications for neurocognitive functioning into school age. Lastly, the antiviral pleconaril has been studied for nearly two decades for treating severe enteroviral infections, with newer data supporting a role for this drug in neonates. Identifying common mechanisms for pathogenesis of viral CNS disease during this critical period of brain development is an important research goal, highlighted by the recent emergence of Zika virus as a potential cause of fetal neurodevelopmental abnormalities.
Precision measurement of complex permittivity and permeability by microwave cavity perturbation technique

This paper demonstrates the precision measurement of complex permittivity and permeability of several dielectric and ferrite materials through microwave cavity perturbation technique. The measurement was performed at C, X, Ku, and K band four frequency ranges. The measured results are discussed and compared with the data published in the literature.
Prediction and control of harmful point defects in thin film photovoltaics: Improving the performance of tin sulfide

Many thin-film photovoltaic materials show promising optical properties, but are limited by low minority-carrier lifetimes. Many factors can lower the carrier lifetime, including structural defects, intrinsic point defects, and extrinsic point defects from impurities. We focus on the case of tin (II) sulfide (SnS), in which point defects in particular may be lifetime-limiting. We model the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic point defects to narrow down the most likely lifetime-limiting defects to the extrinsic iron- and cobalt-on-tin substitutional defects and the sulfur vacancy. We grow material to eliminate these defects and observe over 1 order of magnitude increases in photoluminescence decay time, which is reflective of minority carrier lifetime. We believe that this kind of targeted approach towards point defect management could be applied to new thin film materials.
Hepcidin Overproduction Mediates the Anemia of Multiple Myeloma.

Hepcidin is a liver-produced protein that has been implicated in the anemia of chronic inflammatory/infectious disease. Hepcidin expression is stimulated during infection/inflammation and, by downregulating the iron exporter ferroportin, hepcidin prevents release of iron from macrophages and enterocytes. This results in a decrease in delivery of iron to maturing erythrocytes and significant anemia. Since IL-6 is the major cytokine upregulating hepcidin expression during inflammation/infection and, since high levels of IL-6 are often present in multiple myeloma (MM), we initiated the current study examining a role of hepcidin in the anemia of MM. Pretreatment urinary hepcidin levels were determined in 44 patients with stage III MM. The mean level of hepcidin (191ng/mg of creatinine) was significantly higher than normal controls (64.5ng/mg of creatinine). In contrast, patients with MGUS did not demonstrate elevated hepcidin levels. In the subset of MM patients without renal insufficiency (n=27) a marked inverse correlation was seen between hemoglobin level at diagnosis and hepcidin level (r= −0.46, p=0.014). This correlation is even more impressive because anemia in general (when not due to hepcidin overexpression) results in a decrease in hepcidin levels. These data strongly supported hepcidin upregulation as a major cause of anemia of MM. The hepcidin level also correlated with serum ferritin levels (n=28, r=0.37, p=0.048). A role for IL-6 in hepcidin upregulation was suggested by a significant correlation between hepcidin levels and C-reactive protein, an IL-6 targeted gene (n=28, r= 0.57, p=0.0012). However a correlation between hepcidin and serum IL-6 levels just missed significance (n=27, r= 0.36, p= 0.0599). Furthermore, real time PCR in vitro studies also suggested that IL-6 played a role but could not completely account for all cases of hepcidin upregulation. As compared to normal serum, sera from six MM patients (with known elevated hepcidin levels) significantly induced hepcidin RNA in a liver cell line, Hep3B. In the patients with co-existing high IL-6 levels, the serum-induced hepcidin RNA was prevented by anti-IL-6 and anti-IL6 receptor antibodies. However, in the patients with lower IL-6 levels, these blocking antibodies were unable to prevent sera-induced hepcidin RNA. Additional studies on myeloma cells isolated from marrow of a patient with high hepcidin level demonstrated an absence of hepcidin RNA in the resting or IL-6 stimulated state, indicating that the MM cells themselves do not participate in the increased production of hepcidin. These data strongly support the notion that enhanced expression of hepcidin is an important cause of the anemia of MM and suggest a role of IL-6 and other, yet to be identified, serum factors in the hepcidin upregulation.
Adjuvant chemoradiation for node-positive pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A propensity-matched analysis.

347Background: American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines recommend adjuvant chemoradiation (ACR) for margin-positive(R1) and/or node-positive (N+) pancreatic cancers. However, randomized trials and meta-analyses have have not shown superiority of ACR over AC. Methods: National Cancer Database (NCDB) was used to analyze patients with N+ and/or R1 pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent ACR or AC over a ten-year period (2004-2014). Patients who received neoadjuvant radiation, no adjuvant treatment or adjuvant radiation alone were excluded. Propensity score nearest-neighbor 1:1 matching (PSM) was performed between ACR and AC groups based on age, sex, race, insurance, comorbidities, T-stage, nodal status, margin status, grade, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 9,732 patients were eligible. After PSM two well-balanced groups of 4000 patients each were analyzed. ACR resulted in superior OS in patients with N+ and/or R1 disease as compared to AC a...
‘What is Africa to me’ now?: African-American heritage tourism in Senegambia

ABSTRACTThis article scrutinises how Afro-diasporic tourists exemplify concepts of liminality, historical memory, and racial construction while engaging in heritage tourism, and how these concepts inform the host community's perception of the visitors. It includes the results of extensive interviews with African Americans who engaged in roots or heritage tourism in Senegal and/or Gambia in 2010, and who visited the Maison des Esclaves in Goree Island and/or Juffureh Village in The Gambia. The research shows that African American tourists emerge from these encounters with various conceptions of self. Some felt more ‘African’ following their pilgrimage, while others felt a stronger attachment to their American identity. Some preferred an unfinished combination of the two, asserting a newfound appreciation for their ‘African American’ identities. Corresponding with the latter point, I revisit the ‘Double-Consciousness’ theory proposed by W.E.B. Dubois, revealing how some tourists reexamine their diasporic id...
Preliminary study of the effect of gamma irradiation on the vase life of Iridaceae Hollandica

Abstract The vase life of irises (Iridaceae Hollandica ‘Telstar’) was determined before and after gamma irradiation in the Missouri S&T Research Reactor (MSTR) at 20, 80, 457, 1060, and 1473 Gy. It was determined that vase life improves by as much as 7% for the 20 Gy irradiation. At about 100 Gy the vase life is comparable to non-irradiated flowers. Unfortunately pest control requires 200–300 Gy. At 457 Gy the vase life is about 15% shorter, and it gets worse at higher doses (30% lower vase life at 1 kGy). Gamma irradiation of irises can be a viable method of pest control, but the irradiation dose should be kept as low as possible while still achieving the phytosanitary objectives depending on the type of pest to control.
Energy, Episode, and Relationship: A Test of Communicate Bond Belong Theory

To test the communicate bond belong (CBB) theory, this investigation explores the association between communication episode and closeness, affective well-being, and social energy expenditure. Parti...
Skin Signs of Systemic Disease

The skin can be the window to systemic diseases. The presenting cutaneous symptoms and signs will lead the clinician to a more focused differential diagnosis and thus aid in the ordering of laboratory tests. In some cases, for example, lymphoma, the skin biopsy is diagnostic.
Fine-needle Aspiration Biopsy of Suspected Intraocular Tumors: The 1992 Urwick Lecture

Background: Fine-needle aspiration biopsy recently has been used as a diagnostic modality for selected intraocular tumors and simulating conditions. However, the value of fine-needle aspiration biopsy for intraocular tumors previously has not been clarified. Methods: Transocular fine-needle aspiration biopsy was performed on selected patients who had intraocular lesions that were suspected clinically to be neoplasms but in which there was diagnostic uncertainty based on noninvasive clinical evaluation. These cases were analyzed to determine accuracy, complications, and limitations of the technique. Results: Of 6500 patients referred to the Oncology Service for evaluation of possible intraocular tumor, transocular fine-needle aspiration biopsy was used clinically in 159 cases (2.4%). It proved to be a reliable diagnostic method for intraocular malignancies such as uveal melanoma, uveal metastasis, retinoblastoma, lymphoma, and leukemia. In the 140 cases (88%) in which adequate cytologic material was obtained, the sensitivity rate was 100% and the specificity rate was 98%. In 19 cases where the cytologic material was too scant to render a diagnosis, the sensitivity rate was 84% and the specificity rate was 98%. The problem of insufficient material for cytologic diagnosis has been greatly minimized with the recent use af a 22-gauge needle. The main complication was localized intraocular hemorrhage. Retinal detachment and tumor recurrence have not been observed. Conclusions: Transocular fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a safe and reliable diagnostic method for suspected intraocular tumors and inflammatory conditions in which noninvasive diagnostic modalities have failed to establish the diagnosis and in which cytologic verification of the diagnosis is necessary to institute appropriate treatment. Although the authors have had few complications with fine-needle aspiration biopsy, the technique should be reserved for selected cases where the diagnosis has not been established by less-invasive diagnostic measures.
Self-Commutated Thyristor Inverters

The classification philosophy used in this text divides all inverters into two classes—self-commutated inverters and externally commutated inverters. A self-commutated inverter is one in which the means of commutation is included within the inverter itself. This is the case for circuits including electronic power switches with turn-off capability. Thus, a bipolar transistor, GTO thyristor, or power FET inverter is self-commutated. In addition, SCR inverters which include capacitors, inductors and possibly auxiliary thyristors to provide commutation are also examples of self-commutated inverters.
The Future of Digital Computers in Medical Imaging

Digital computers are now present in virtually all Radiology departments. One of the first places they appeared was in Nuclear Medicine in the late sixties. Quantifying various physiological functions studied by nuclear techniques was the main use; imaging was a secondary consideration. Another early application of computers in Radiology departments was to handle business functions. Information systems for managing scheduling, film library functions and reporting appeared in the late sixties and early seventies.
Paralegal Students' and Paralegal Instructors' Perceptions of Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Paralegal Course Effectiveness: A Comparative Study

To improve online learning pedagogy within the field of paralegal education, this study investigated how paralegal students and paralegal instructors perceived the effectiveness of synchronous and asynchronous online paralegal courses. Survey results were analyzed using independent samples t-test and correlational analysis, and indicated that overall, paralegal students and paralegal instructors positively perceived synchronous and asynchronous online paralegal courses. Paralegal instructors reported statistically significant higher perceptions than paralegal students: (1) of instructional design and course content in synchronous online paralegal courses; and (2) of technical assistance, communication, and course content in asynchronous online paralegal courses. Instructors also reported higher perceptions of the effectiveness of universal design, online instructional design, and course content in synchronous online paralegal courses than in asynchronous online paralegal courses. Paralegal students reported higher perceptions of asynchronous online paralegal course effectiveness regarding universal design than paralegal instructors. No statistically significant differences existed between paralegal students' perceptions of the effectiveness of synchronous and asynchronous online paralegal courses. A strong, negative relationship existed between paralegal students' age and their perceptions of effective synchronous paralegal courses, which were statistically and practically significant. Statistically significant relationships existed between paralegal instructors' perceptions of effective synchronous online paralegal course and the number of courses taught by the paralegal instructor. Lastly, this study provided practical applicability and opportunities for future research.
Selection and characterization of ultrahigh potency designed ankyrin repeat protein inhibitors of C. difficile toxin B.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major nosocomial disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The pathology of CDI stems primarily from the 2 C. difficile–secreted exotoxins—toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB)—that disrupt the tight junctions between epithelial cells leading to the loss of colonic epithelial barrier function. Here, we report the engineering of a series of monomeric and dimeric designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) for the neutralization of TcdB. The best dimeric DARPin, DLD-4, inhibited TcdB with a half maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 4 pM in vitro, representing an approximately 330-fold higher potency than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved anti-TcdB monoclonal antibody bezlotoxumab in the same assay. DLD-4 also protected mice from a toxin challenge in vivo. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies revealed that the 2 constituent DARPins of DLD-4–1.4E and U3—bind the central and C-terminal regions of the delivery domain of TcdB. Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) studies showed that the DARPins 1.4E and U3 interfere with the interaction between TcdB and its receptors chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) and frizzled class receptor 2 (FZD2), respectively. Our cryo-EM studies revealed a new conformation of TcdB (both apo- and DARPin-bound at pH 7.4) in which the combined repetitive oligopeptides (CROPS) domain points away from the delivery domain. This conformation of the CROPS domain is in stark contrast to that seen in the negative-stain electron microscopy (EM) structure of TcdA and TcdB at the same pH, in which the CROPS domain bends toward and “kisses” the delivery domain. The ultrapotent anti-TcdB molecules from this study serve as candidate starting points for CDI drug development and provide new biological tools for studying the pathogenicity of C. difficile. The structural insights regarding both the “native” conformation of TcdB and the putative sites of TcdB interaction with the FZD2 receptor, in particular, should help accelerate the development of next-generation anti–C. difficile toxin therapeutics.
Clinical Reasoning: A case of acute encephalopathy and rigidity in a 30-year-old man.

A 30-year-old previously healthy right-handed man was found by his roommate lying in the shower, awake and with eyes open, but not speaking or following commands. According to the roommate, he had complained of headaches for at least 1 day prior to presentation, which was unusual for him. The patient's parents remarked that he had seemed normal while speaking the previous day. He was absent from work the day of presentation prior to being found. He had received no recent vaccinations nor had any recent illnesses. He was taken to a local emergency department.
Developing a Computational Thinking Curriculum for Multilingual Students: An Experience Report

This study discusses a NSF-funded Research Practice Partnership (RPP) to develop and pilot instructional materials for teaching computational thinking to Grades 3–5 students, with a focus on language learners. The study takes place in a U.S. school district whose percentages of Latino/a students, language learners, and low-income students are among the highest in the nation. The project is among the first to examine the linguistic and sociocultural factors that facilitate the success of multilingual students in mastering computational thinking. Utilizing principles of Design-Based Implementation Research in alignment with the RPP approach, researchers worked collaboratively with teachers and administrators to identify problems of practice in computer science education specific to the district. A broad survey of national and regional computer science initiatives was conducted to identify effective approaches for teaching computational thinking to diverse learners. As a result of this survey, the RPP identified a pathbreaking curriculum that aligns with the Computer Science Teachers Association K-12 standards to pilot in five classrooms in the first year of the RPP. The curriculum was further revised to align with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and the California English Language Development standards during a week-long summer institute. This paper describes these experiences, highlighting the integration of computational thinking into an English Language Arts curriculum as well as the linguistic scaffolding strategies utilized to better meet the needs of multilingual students. This experience report uncovers pedagogical practices of computational thinking for diverse students and identifies areas for future work.
Design and fabrication of integrated magnetic field sensing system with enhanced sensitivity

Abstract Weak magnetic field detection is always a challenging topic and sensing systems face a great challenge to be very sensitive in response to magnetic field, in the meantime, to maintain very low overall system noise. Some external auxiliary system could provide significant enhancement to overall signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) such as a magnetic flux concentrator made with soft magnetic material. In this paper, we have systematically studied and built an integrated magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensing system to meet these challenges. MTJ sensor design is optimized to achieve high zero-field sensitivity of 5% MR/Oe, which is defined by the slope of the device’s transfer loops at zero field, equivalent to 20 mV/Oe with 10 mA driving current. Both deposition conditions and fabrication techniques are optimized for magnetic flux concentrator (MFC) made of soft magnetic material to achieve a magnetic susceptibility of χ = 30,800 and a gain of 4 for a 100 nm thick prototype.
Chemical Stabilization of the HIV-1 Capsid Results in Efficient HIV-1 Reverse Transcription in vitro

ABSTRACT A defining activity of retroviruses is reverse transcription, the process during which the viral genomic RNA is converted into the double strand DNA required for virus replication. Reverse transcriptase (RT), the viral enzyme responsible for this process, was identified in 1970 by assaying permeabilized retrovirus particles for DNA synthesis in vitro. Such reactions are inefficient with only a small fraction of viral genomes being converted to full-length double strand DNA molecules, possibly owing to disruption of the structure of the viral core. Here we show that reverse transcription in purified HIV-1 cores is enhanced by the addition of the capsid-binding host cell metabolite inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6). IP6 potently enhanced full-length minus strand synthesis, as did hexacarboxybenzene (HCB) which also stabilizes the HIV-1 capsid. Both IP6 and HCB stabilized the association of the viral CA and RT proteins with HIV-1 cores. In contrast to the wild type, cores isolated from mutant HIV-1 particles containing intrinsically hyperstable capsids exhibited efficient reverse transcription in the absence of IP6, further indicating that the compound promotes reverse transcription by stabilizing the viral capsid. Our results show that stabilization of the HIV-1 capsid permits efficient reverse transcription in HIV-1 cores, providing a sensitive experimental system for analyzing the functions of viral and host cell molecules and the role of capsid disassembly (uncoating) in the process. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 infection requires reverse transcription of the viral genome. While much is known about the biochemistry of reverse transcription from simplified biochemical reactions, reverse transcription during infection takes place within a viral core. However, endogenous reverse transcription reactions using permeabilized virions or purified viral cores have been inefficient. Using viral cores purified from infectious HIV-1 particles, we show that efficient reverse transcription is achieved in vitro by addition of the capsid-stabilizing metabolite inositol hexakisphosphate. Enhancement of reverse transcription was linked to the capsid-stabilizing effect of the compound, consistent with the known requirement for an intact or semi-intact viral capsid for HIV-1 infection. Our results establish a biologically relevant system for dissecting the function of the viral capsid and its disassembly during reverse transcription. The system may also prove useful for mechanistic studies of emerging capsid-targeting antiviral drugs.
iVAE: An Improved Deep Learning Structure for EEG Signal Characterization and Reconstruction

Due to the inherent variability such as inter-users anatomical variability and the inter-systems differences, the design of new EEG-based index and a reliable model for sleep stages classification is still the main topic in sleep science. The unsupervised deep learning framework—variational autoencoder (VAE) which can capture the major characteristics of the input by imposing a Gaussian prior distribution on the latent features is suitable in EEG characterization and reconstruction. Although vanilla VAE and convolutional autoencoder (CAE) have been tried, it has yet been discussed that whether a deep structure or a multi-scale structure is more appropriate. In this paper, we constructed a shallow iVAE model, which will capture the multi-scale features of the spectrogram of EEG by replacing the main structure in encoder and decoder with the inception-like structure. By comparing with the vanilla VAE and the CAE, a more accurate reconstruction and a better classification using the latent features of the iVAE can be confirmed.
A double on the Rocs with a twist: Rocaglamide A targets multiple DEAD-box helicases to inhibit translation initiation.

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Chen et al. (2020) expand the target repertoire of rocaglamide A (RocA) to now include eIF4A2 and DDX3X, converting DEAD-box helicases into dominant-negative translation repressors. These results also highlight how cancer cell sensitivity to RocA is dependent on eIF4A and DDX3X levels.
Detection of emerging drugs involved in overdose via diachronic word embeddings of substances discussed on social media

Substances involved in overdose deaths have shifted over time and continue to undergo transition. Early detection of emerging drugs involved in overdose is a major challenge for traditional public health data systems. While novel social media data have shown promise, there is a continued need for robust natural language processing approaches that can identify emerging substances. Consequently, we developed a new metric, the relative similarity ratio, based on diachronic word embeddings to measure movement in the semantic proximity of individual substance words to 'overdose' over time. Our analysis of 64,420,376 drug-related posts made between January 2011 and December 2018 on Reddit, the largest online forum site, reveals that this approach successfully identified fentanyl, the most significant emerging substance in the overdose epidemic, >1 year earlier than traditional public health data systems. Use of diachronic word embeddings may enable improved identification of emerging substances involved in drug overdose, thereby improving the timeliness of prevention and treatment activities.
Medico-legal considerations in the context of neonatal encephalopathy and therapeutic hypothermia

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a significant complication of the peripartum period. It can lead to lifelong neurologic disabilities, including cerebral palsy, cognitive impairments, developmental delays, and epilepsy. Induced hypothermia is the first therapy, which has shown promise in improving the outcomes for neonates with moderate to severe NE following a presumed intrapartum insult. NE is also a frequent source of medical malpractice litigation. In this paper, we will review salient features of the American Tort System as it pertains to medical malpractice. We will discuss the obstetric medico-legal implications of therapeutic hypothermia and suggest a five-step approach to analyzing neonatal cases for causation, etiology, timing of occurrence, responsibility, and liability. We will close with three illustrative clinical cases.
Electronic structures and spectroscopic signatures of diiron intermediates generated by O2 activation of nonheme iron(II)-thiolate complexes.

The activation of O2 at thiolate-ligated iron(II) sites is essential to the function of numerous metalloenzymes and synthetic catalysts. Iron-thiolate bonds in the active sites of nonheme iron enzymes arise from either coordination of an endogenous cysteinate residue or binding of a deprotonated thiol-containing substrate. Examples of the latter include sulfoxide synthases, such as EgtB and OvoA, that utilize O2 to catalyze tandem S-C bond formation and S-oxygenation steps in thiohistidine biosyntheses. We recently reported the preparation of two mononuclear nonheme iron-thiolate complexes (1 and 2) that serve as structural active-site models of substrate-bound EgtB and OvoA (Dalton Trans. 2020, 49, 17745-17757). These models feature monodentate thiolate ligands and tripodal N4 ligands with mixed pyridyl/imidazolyl donors. Here, we describe the reactivity of 1 and 2 with O2 at low temperatures to give metastable intermediates (3 and 4, respectively). Characterization with multiple spectroscopic techniques (UV-vis absorption, NMR, variable-field and -temperature Mossbauer, and resonance Raman) revealed that these intermediates are thiolate-ligated iron(III) dimers with a bridging oxo ligand derived from the four-electron reduction of O2. Structural models of 3 and 4 consistent with the experimental data were generated via density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The combined experimental and computational results illuminate the geometric and electronic origins of the unique spectral features of diiron(III)-μ-oxo complexes with thiolate ligands, and the spectroscopic signatures of 3 and 4 are compared to those of closely-related diiron(III)-μ-peroxo species. Collectively, these results will assist in the identification of intermediates that appear on the O2 reaction landscapes of iron-thiolate species in both biological and synthetic environments.
Gender Shifts in the History of English: Gender and asymmetrical word histories: when boys could be girls

Introduction Contemporary question The masculine–feminine dichotomy constructed by or captured in the third-person pronouns he and she pervades the lexicon as well as the grammar of English: throughout the history of English there have been gendered pairings of words to refer to male and female human beings, both adults and children. As is often the case with open-class or content words compared to grammatical forms, the histories of words referring to men and women, boys and girls have been much less stable semantically than the pronouns over time. The appearance of the pronoun she and the borrowing of the plural th - pronoun forms are remarkable because such changes in pronouns are so rare. The appearance of boy and girl and the borrowing of numerous words such as husband, bachelor , and damsel , on the other hand, are more typical of the extraordinary amount of word borrowing that English speakers have done over time. What is more remarkable about these words for men and women, boys and girls, are the semantic shifts that so many of the words have undergone, from shifting between positive and negative meanings to shifting genders altogether. In fact, the gender-bending in the title of this chapter – “when boys could be girls” – highlights the opacity of many such semantic shifts for most Modern English speakers, as well as the fact that what is now a more symmetrical pairing of words in English ( boy and girl ) was not always so symmetrical.
BASAL METABOLIC RATE IN OBESE CHILDREN With a Note on the Basal Metabolic Rate in Dwarfs

An analysis of the results of 524 observations of the basal metabolism of 348 obese children is presented. Since only 3% of the basal metabolic rates were lower than minus 15% of the Child Research Council surface area-age standards, it is suggested that these standards can be used satisfactorily in the management of children with obesity. For reasons which are not obvious these standards do not suffice for children with dwarfism.
LABELING AND IDENTITY

This article is both a response to criticism of some of the aurhor's work on Abstract the relevance of labeling to adolescent self-conceptions and an attempt to reconcile divergent findings. Through a reanalysis of the data under question, it was found that both official labeling and self-reporred delinquency are related to delinquent self-images but that self-reported delinquency is more closely associated with such images than official labels. In an effort to reconcile divergent findings, there was some indication in the data that the impact of official labeling may vary depending on the extent of involvement in delinquency. The most pressing task regarding this issue is further study of the variable meaning of labels and sanctions in different sociocultural and group contexts.
Single-source stochastic routing

We introduce and study the following model for routing uncertain demands through a network. We are given a capacitated multicommodity flow network with a single source and multiple sinks, and demands that have known values but unknown sizes. We assume that the sizes of demands are governed by independent distributions, and that we know only the means of these distributions and an upper bound on the maximum-possible size. Demands are irrevocably routed one-by-one, and the size of a demand is unveiled only after it is routed. A routing policy is a function that selects an unrouted demand and a path for it, as a function of the residual capacity in the network. Our objective is to maximize the expected value of the demands successfully routed by our routing policy. We distinguish between safe routing policies, which never violate capacity constraints, and unsafe policies, which can attempt to route a demand on any path with strictly positive residual capacity. We design safe routing policies that obtain expected value close to that of an optimal unsafe policy in planar graphs. Unlike most previous work on similar stochastic optimization problems, our routing policies are fundamentally adaptive. Our policies iteratively solve a sequence of linear programs to guide the selection of both demands and routes.
Too Much of a Good Thing

Abstract Information overload is a problem that affects law librarians every workday. Information overload occurs when the receiver receives so much data that the receiver is unable to engage in higher levels of processing. Technology and cultural influences play a significant role in creating information overload. Law librarians are particularly susceptible to information overload due to the characteristics of their profession. We should care about information overload because it has lasting negative consequences for our profession. Even though information overload is a real problem with serious consequences, there are numerous ways to minimize information overload and its effects.
A Comparison of Achievement Gaps and Test‐Taker Characteristics on Computer‐Delivered and Paper‐Delivered Praxis I® Tests

Test providers are increasingly moving toward exclusively administering assessments by computer. Computerized testing is becoming more desirable for test takers because of increased opportunities to test, faster turnaround of individual scores, or perhaps other factors, offering potential benefits for those who may be struggling to pass licensure examinations. This report extends previous research examining 4 years of paper-based Praxis I® test data to its corresponding computerized environment with these goals: (a) determine the extent to which achievement gaps exist on computer-based (CB) Praxis I tests, (b) examine which test-taker characteristics are most associated with mode, and (c) elicit opinions from previous Praxis I test takers to understand reasons why a particular testing mode was chosen. The results contribute to the literature about Praxis® examinations and reinforce the need to understand their dynamics in the context of evaluating performance and participation gaps by demographic characteristics.