cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulating the construction and demolition of the synaptonemal complex

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a meiosis-specific scaffold that links homologous chromosomes from end to end during meiotic prophase and is required for the formation of meiotic crossovers. Assembly of SC components is regulated by a combination of associated nonstructural proteins and post-translational modifications, such as SUMOylation, which together coordinate the timing between homologous chromosome pairing, double-strand-break formation and recombination. In addition, transcriptional and translational control mechanisms ensure the timely disassembly of the SC after crossover resolution and before chromosome segregation at anaphase I.
Research on Mobile Payment Based on LTE Networks

Mobile payment is a new business service,which has been gradually developed in recent years,and it will greatly change people's concept and patterns of consumption.However,due to various technical and non-technical reasons,the use of mobile payment is still limited to a certain extent and occasions and most consumers have not chosen mobile payment services as the main way of payment.On the other hand,LTE networks have gradually started to be deployed around the world,which will lead to a great impact on mobile networks.This article is about the research of the development trend of mobile payment services,under the conditions that LTE will be deployed.The result indicates that future mobile payment will develop rapidly along with the development of LTE network.
Determination of carbocisteine concentration in human plasma by HPLC-MS

Objective To establish a sensitive,valid and rapid high performance liquid chromatography-trap mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method for determining carbocisteine concentration in human plasma. Methods Plasma samples were pretreated by 100 mL/L perchloric acid to remove the interference protein. The supernatant was separated by reverse phase HPLC,electrospray MS was used to detect carbocisteine in plasma samples,and selective ion method of multiple reaction modes was used to determine the concentration of carbocisteine. Results The limit of detection was 0.01 μg/mL and the linear range was 0.2-200.0 μg/mL. The recovery rate was within the range of 89.2%-105.6%. Conclusion The proposed method could be used to determine carbocisteine in biological samples.
On the rational fraction approximation of function

The rational fraction approximation is introduced by fraction series, and the existing principle of Pade approximation is given at the same time, and soleness principle, in combination with the knowledge of the linear algebra, the resolution of the linear system of equations, the features of determinate, and so on, this article gives the strict evidence. It is convenient to use rational fraction to approximate the fraction f(x) , and work out the approximate function value and it is accurate.
Central nervous system infections.

The principles and clinical-anatomic correlations in the appropriate therapy of central nervous system infections are presented in order to aid the physician in the earlier suspicion of central nervous system infection and its differential diagnosis in hopes of quickening the pace of therapeutic intervention.
Discovery and Optimization of Quinazolinone-pyrrolopyrrolones as Potent and Orally Bioavailable Pan-Pim Kinase Inhibitors

The high expression of proviral insertion site of Moloney murine leukemia virus kinases (Pim-1, -2, and -3) in cancers, particularly the hematopoietic malignancies, is believed to play a role in promoting cell survival and proliferation while suppressing apoptosis. The three isoforms of Pim protein appear largely redundant in their oncogenic functions. Thus, a pan-Pim kinase inhibitor is highly desirable. However, cell active pan-Pim inhibitors have proven difficult to develop because Pim-2 has a low Km for ATP and therefore requires a very potent inhibitor to effectively block the kinase activity at cellular ATP concentrations. Herein, we report a series of quinazolinone-pyrrolopyrrolones as potent and selective pan-Pim inhibitors. In particular, compound 17 is orally efficacious in a mouse xenograft model (KMS-12 BM) of multiple myeloma, with 93% tumor growth inhibition at 50 mg/kg QD upon oral dosing.
The role of the dynein light intermediate chain in retrograde IFT and flagellar function in Chlamydomonas

The assembly of cilia and flagella depends on the activity of two microtubule motor complexes, kinesin-2 and dynein-2/1b, but the specific functions of the different subunits are poorly defined. Here we analyze Chlamydomonas strains expressing different amounts of the dynein 1b light intermediate chain (D1bLIC). Disruption of D1bLIC alters the stability of the dynein 1b complex and reduces both the frequency and velocity of retrograde intraflagellar transport (IFT), but it does not eliminate retrograde IFT. Flagellar assembly, motility, gliding, and mating are altered in a dose-dependent manner. iTRAQ-based proteomics identifies a small subset of proteins that are significantly reduced or elevated in d1blic flagella. Transformation with D1bLIC-GFP rescues the mutant phenotypes, and D1bLIC-GFP assembles into the dynein 1b complex at wild-type levels. D1bLIC-GFP is transported with anterograde IFT particles to the flagellar tip, dissociates into smaller particles, and begins processive retrograde IFT in <2 s. These studies demonstrate the role of D1bLIC in facilitating the recycling of IFT subunits and other proteins, identify new components potentially involved in the regulation of IFT, flagellar assembly, and flagellar signaling, and provide insight into the role of D1bLIC and retrograde IFT in other organisms.
Cigarette smoking causes epigenetic changes associated with cardiorenal fibrosis

Clinical studies indicate that smoking combustible cigarettes promotes progression of renal and cardiac injury, leading to functional decline in the setting of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However...
A Contingency Theory Perspective on Management Control System Design among U.S. Ante-Bellum Slave Plantations

This paper examines the management control-system design of mid-19th century U.S. slave plantations using a contingency theory framework. Large rice plantations that relied on forced labor and tidal-flow agricultural technology were very profitable for their owners. This paper presents a model that links these favorable operating results to a close fit between the control-system design and three key contingent environmental variables. Absentee owners hired managers to provide on-site oversight and periodic operational reporting. These managers relied on slave drivers to assign individualized daily tasks to the plantation's field hands and monitor their performance. Productive field slaves were rewarded with greater free time each working day. In addition, many slaves worked cooperatively with their masters to obtain better jobs outside the rice fields and cash income. Ultimately, however, it was the institution of chattel slavery that kept the slaves working in the rice fields under oppressive and unhealt...
Advanced Control Algorithm for Coal Mill

Abstract Coal mill is widely used in power plants in China. PID control is mainly used as the control method for coal mill to maintain steady boiler operation at various loads. Conventional PID control deteriorates when the load departs from the set point. Fuzzy PID control is suggested in this paper with further improvement by self-learning method. The actual application in Yantai Power Plant. Shandong Province, shows that the suggested method is simple and effective.
Chevron's Inevitability

For over thirty years, Chevron deference has been the target of criticism. Now, some judges and legislators are calling for an end to Chevron, and legal scholars are heralding the doctrine’s retreat. Chevron may be evolving, as common law often does. But claims that Chevron is in decline are overblown, and efforts to overturn Chevron in any meaningful sense are misdirected. Chevron-style deference is inevitable in the modern administrative state. The real “problem” — to the extent one sees it as such — is not Chevron but rather unhappiness with the natural consequences of congressional reliance on agencies to resolve major policy issues.
Understanding cancer survivors’ information needs and information-seeking behaviors for complementary and alternative medicine from short- to long-term survival: a mixed-methods study

Objective: The research examined complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) information-seeking behaviors and preferences from short- to long-term cancer survival, including goals, motivations, and information sources. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used with cancer survivors from the “Assessment of Patients’ Experience with Cancer Care” 2004 cohort. Data collection included a mail survey and phone interviews using the critical incident technique (CIT). Results: Seventy survivors from the 2004 study responded to the survey, and eight participated in the CIT interviews. Quantitative results showed that CAM usage did not change significantly between 2004 and 2015. The following themes emerged from the CIT: families’ and friends’ provision of the initial introduction to a CAM, use of CAM to manage the emotional and psychological impact of cancer, utilization of trained CAM practitioners, and online resources as a prominent source for CAM information. The majority of participants expressed an interest in an online information-sharing portal for CAM. Conclusion: Patients continue to use CAM well into long-term cancer survivorship. Finding trustworthy sources for information on CAM presents many challenges such as reliability of source, conflicting information on efficacy, and unknown interactions with conventional medications. Study participants expressed interest in an online portal to meet these needs through patient testimonials and linkage of claims to the scientific literature. Such a portal could also aid medical librarians and clinicians in locating and evaluating CAM information on behalf of patients.
Brain Cytochrome Oxidase

Cytochrome oxidase is a ubiquitous housekeeping enzyme that holds one of the important keys to life. As a major oxidative enzyme and an energy-generating enzyme, cytochrome oxidase serves as a reliable indicator of neurons’ oxidative capacity and energy metabolism. The tight coupling between energy metabolism and neuronal activity further enables cytochrome oxidase to serve as a sensitive metabolic marker for neuronal functional activity, which includes firing rates of neurons and slow depolarizing potentials occurring primarily in dendrites. In the past two decades, much has been learned about the heterogeneous distribution of cytochrome oxidase in neurons at the regional, laminar, cellular and subcellular levels. The local activity of cytochrome oxidase is correlated with the physiological activity of each area, cell, or subcellular compartment. Regions of high cytochrome oxidase activity are dominated by excitatory, glutamatergic synapses. Changes in the physiological activity of neurons can induce parallel changes in the activity of cytochrome oxidase in developing and adult systems. Cytochrome oxidase activity is controlled mainly by regulation of protein amount, which is regulated transcriptionally. Being bigenomically encoded, cytochrome oxidase is under complex interactive regulation of both mitochondrial and nuclear gene expression. Cytochrome oxidase subunit complementary DNAs were isolated from a murine complementary DNA library, cloned and sequenced. Transcripts from the two genomes have distinct subcellular as well as compartmental distributions suggestive of different regulatory mechanisms. Antibodies generated against subunit proteins from the two genomes also showed differential distributions among neuronal compartments. Nuclear-encoded subunits are translated exclusively in the cell bodies and are delivered intramitochondrially to distal processes. A precursor pool exists in dendrites, where further processing of nuclear-encoded subunits and holoenzyme assembly are presumably governed by local energy demands. Under normal and functionally altered states, cytochrome oxidase activity is linked more closely to transcripts and subunit proteins derived from mitochondrial than from nuclear sources. This indicates that local cytochrome oxidase activity in neurons is controlled mainly by regulation of the mitochondrial genes that encode the catalytic subunits of the enzyme.
Current Models of Pulsar Magnetospheres

Pulsar magnetospheres are filled with plasma, and the presence of plasma affects all macroscopic and microscopic properties of the magnetosphere. Although this simple fact was well known since the early days of pulsar research, the ability to quantitatively model plasma effects has emerged mainly in the last decade. This review highlights the main properties and consequences of the current models of pulsar magnetospheres (or, rather, of “magnetospheric models with currents”). The first part concentrates on the influence of plasma currents on the magnetospheric structure, while the second part discusses the emerging picture of pulsar high-energy emission in which strong magnetospheric currents make a surprising contribution.
Efficient user-guided ballot image verification

Optical scan voting systems are ubiquitous. Unfortunately, optical scan technology is vulnerable to failures that can result in miscounted votes and lost confidence. While manual counts may be able to detect these failures, counting all the ballots by hand is in many situations impractical and prohibitively expensive. In this paper, we present a novel approach for examining a large set of ballot images to verify that they were properly interpreted by the opscan system. Our system allows the user to simultaneously inspect and verify many ballot images at once. In this way, our scheme is significantly more efficient than manually recounting or inspecting ballots one at a time, providing the accuracy associated with human inspection at reduced cost. We evaluate our approach on approximately 30,000 ballots cast in the June 2008 Humboldt County Primary Election and demonstrate that our approach improves the efficiency of human verification of ballot images by an order of magnitude.
Atrial Natriuretic Factor Receptor in Adrenal Plasma Membrane: Identification by Photo-Affinity Labeling

Atrial myocytes of mammalian heart contain a peptide hormone, termed atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), which has potent natriuretic (1) and vasorelaxant activities (2,3). ANF is released into the circulation responding to blood volume expansion, where it is believed to play an important role in restoring and maintaining a constant volume/pressure of the cardiovascular system. ANF has been purified in multiple peptide of different sizes whose amino acid sequences have been determined by a number of investigators (4– 9). These peptides are apparently derived from a single precursor protein whose sequence has been deduced from the nucleotide sequence of cloned cDNA (10,11). However, the mechanism of ANF processing yet remains largely unknown.
Client Led Coaching: A Random Assignment Evaluation of the Impacts of Financial Coaching Programs

Abstract We undertake the first rigorous evaluation of financial coaching using a randomized controlled trial at two sites. We estimate both treatment uptake and treatment outcomes, including intent to treat estimates and complier average causal effects. Data are drawn from individual-level credit reporting firm records and baseline and follow-up surveys. Results indicate that financial coaching produces a number of significant effects on behaviors and outcomes related to money management, debt, savings, and perceptions of financial well-being. Most notably, at one site, financial coaching helped participants to increase their savings and credit scores, and at the other, it helped them to reduce their aggregate and delinquent debt.
Long-Term Impact of Cytomegalovirus Serologic Status on Lung Transplantation in the United States.

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been associated with poor outcomes after solid organ transplantation. The long-term impact of donor and recipient CMV serological status on lung transplant outcomes remains unclear. Accordingly, we evaluated the impact of donor and recipient CMV status on long-term patients as well as allograft survival after single (SLT) and double lung transplantation (BLT). Methods The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients was used to track all adult lung transplants in United States from May 2005 to June 2016. Patient mortality and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome were determined up to 5 years using Cox proportional hazards modeling. Additionally, landmark analysis was performed conditional on survival at 1 year. Results Compared with donor negative–recipient CMV-IgG negative (D-R-), donor positive–recipient negative (D+R-) and donor positive–recipient positive (D+R+) groups had increased mortality at 1 and 5 years after BLT, with the former demonstrating highest risk. Although mortality was not increased with CMV seropositive donors after SLT at 1 year, both D+R- and D+R+ groups demonstrated greater mortality at 5 years. Risk of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome was not affected by CMV serological status. Conditional landmark analysis confirmed that lungs from CMV seropositive donors conferred highest risk for long-term mortality. Conclusions CMV seronegative recipients undergoing either BLT or SLT from CMV seropositive donors have the highest risk of long-term mortality that extends beyond the first year. Further studies are needed to determine the causes of higher mortality observed in the CMV seronegative recipients and risks and benefits of extension of CMV prophylaxis, particularly in the high-risk group.
A descriptive profile of state Child Care and Development Fund policies in states with high populations of low-income Hispanic children

Abstract The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) serves dual goals of promoting low-income parents' employment, education, and training, and supporting parents’ use of high quality child care and education. While changes in CCDF policies have aimed to improve the accessibility and functionality of CCDF subsidies for all eligible low-income families, utilization among Hispanic families, who represent the highest growing proportion of income poor families, remains low. Our study explores the ways in which the state-level child care policy context may differentially affect utilization among Hispanic families and contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in program utilization. We use the child care accommodation model and administrative exclusion to offer an expanded conceptual framework. We consider how policies and administrative practices may interact with demographic and community characteristics common among low-income Hispanic families and impose differential learning, psychological, and compliance costs for accessing government assistance programs such as CCDF. Our analysis of the 13 states in which over 80% of the low-income Hispanic child population resides, identifies policies around eligibility, documentation requirements, receipt prioritization, and the online user experience that vary across states and may serve to either facilitate or constrain access to a child care subsidy. Implications for the design of child care policies to equitably support economic and child well-being for all eligible families are discussed.
The “Easter egg” syllabus: Using hidden content to engage online and blended classroom learners*

Course: Online or mediated communication courses.Objectives: The purpose of this activity is to provide students with a more engaging way of immersing themselves in the course material through an i...
Notes on the Complexity of Switching Networks

There are various complexity measures for switching networks and communication networks in general. These measures include, but not limited to, the number of switching components, the delay time of signal propagating through the network, the complexity of path selection algorithms, and the complexity of physically designing the network. This chapter surveys the study of the first measure, and partially the second measure. It is conceivable that the number of switching components, or the “size” of a network, affects directly the third and fourth measures.
Switching the Direction of Stem Gravitropism by Altering Two Amino Acids in AtLAZY1

From germination to flowering, gravity influences plant growth and development. A rice (Oryza sativa) mutant with a distinctly prostrate growth habit led to the discovery of a gene category that participates in the shaping of plant form by gravity. Each so-called LAZY gene includes five short regions of conserved sequence. The importance of each of these regions in the LAZY1 gene of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana; AtLAZY1) was tested by mutating each region and measuring how well transgenic expression of the resulting protein variant rescued the large inflorescence branch angle of an atlazy1 mutant. The effect of each alteration on subcellular localization was also determined. Region I was required for AtLAZY1 to reside at the plasma membrane, which is necessary for its function. Mutating region V severely disrupted function without affecting subcellular localization. Regions III and IV could be mutated without large impact on function or localization. Altering region II with two conservative amino acid substitutions (L92A/I94A) had the profound effect of switching shoot gravity responses from negative (upward bending) to positive (downward bending), resulting in a "weeping" inflorescence phenotype. Mechanical weakness of the stem was ruled out as an explanation for the downward bending. Instead, experiments demonstrated that the L92A/I94A change to AtLAZY1 reversed the auxin gradient normally established across stems by the gravity-sensing mechanism. This discovery opens up new avenues for studying how auxin gradients form across organs and new approaches for engineering plant architecture for agronomic and other practical purposes.
The Benefits of Improvisational Games in the TC Classroom

This Methodologies and Approaches piece examines the question: How do TC students perceive the value of improvisational training? Students from three workshops were surveyed about their reactions t...
Self-reported prior night's sleep quantity on baseline symptom factors and computerized neurocognitive testing in high school athletes.

Little is known regarding sleep and baseline concussion performance and symptoms in athletes. We explored the effects of self-reported prior night’s sleep quantity on baseline symptoms and computer...
Identifying and developing desirable soft skills for public service

One of the key goals of any academic program is to ensure that skills taught in the classroom apply to post-graduate employment. Failure to do so can impact an academic department’s recruitment and...
Towards reconstructing the dipteran demise of an ancient essential gene: E3 ubiquitin ligase Murine double minute

Genome studies have uncovered many examples of essential gene loss, raising the question of how ancient genes transition from essentiality to dispensability. We explored this process for the deeply conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase Murine double minute (Mdm), which is lacking in Drosophila despite the conservation of its main regulatory target, the cellular stress response gene p53. Conducting gene expression and knockdown experiments in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, we found evidence that Mdm has remained essential in insects where it is present. Using bioinformatics approaches, we confirm the absence of the Mdm gene family in Drosophila, mapping its loss to the stem lineage of schizophoran Diptera and Pipunculidae (big-headed flies), about 95–85 million years ago. Intriguingly, this gene loss event was preceded by the de novo origin of the gene Companion of reaper (Corp), a novel p53 regulatory factor that is characterized by functional similarities to vertebrate Mdm2 despite lacking E3 ubiquitin ligase protein domains. Speaking against a 1:1 compensatory gene gain/loss scenario, however, we found that hoverflies (Syrphidae) and pointed-wing flies (Lonchopteridae) possess both Mdm and Corp. This implies that the two p53 regulators have been coexisting for ~ 150 million years in select dipteran clades and for at least 50 million years in the lineage to Schizophora and Pipunculidae. Given these extensive time spans of Mdm/Corp coexistence, we speculate that the loss of Mdm in the lineage to Drosophila involved further acquisitions of compensatory gene activities besides the emergence of Corp. Combined with the previously noted reduction of an ancestral P53 contact domain in the Mdm homologs of crustaceans and insects, we conclude that the loss of the ancient Mdm gene family in flies was the outcome of incremental functional regression over long macroevolutionary time scales.
Certification and Collective Marks in the United States

Written for the Cambridge Handbook on International and Comparative Trademark Law (forthcoming), this chapter surveys US law and policy regarding certification marks and collective marks. It summarizes the current statutory framework and associated case law, then briefly posits some future policy challenges to these increasingly important tools for cross-border development and trade. Please note that current SSRN version is substantially revised from the original version posted in June 2018.
The relaxation response: Influence on psychological and physiological responses in patients with COPD.

Abstract In patients with COPD, distress is significantly prevalent and can have adverse psychological and physiological effects. The Relaxation Response Meditation Technique (RRMT), a technique that elicits the relaxation response, was developed by Dr. Herbert Benson to counter the fight-or-flight response to decrease psychological and physiological effects. Aim (1) To assess whether implementing the RRMT decreases anxiety in patients with COPD, (2) to determine whether RRMT reduces the patients' perception of breathlessness, and (3) to investigate whether RRMT improves the physiological responses of patients with COPD. Design This quasi-experimental study used a pre- and post-test design. The sample (N = 25) consisted of a single group of patients diagnosed in stages 2–4 of COPD at an outpatient pulmonary rehabilitative clinic. Methods Inferential statistics were used to determine the psychological and physiological differences pre- and post-intervention utilizing the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Modified Borg Scale, and BP, HR, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation levels. Results Results indicated a significant mean change in anxiety (p ≤ 0.001), perception of dyspnea (p ≤ 0.001), and a decrease in respiratory rate (p = .001) after implementing the RRMT. There was clinical improvement in systolic and diastolic BPs and HR. Conclusion Findings from this study support the inclusion of the RRMT as part of the pulmonary rehabilitative program to assist patients with COPD in adapting to the negative psychological and physiological responses of distress.
Stellar collisions in galactic centers: black hole growth and color gradients

We study the effects of stellar collisions, particularly on feeding massive black holes (BHs) and color gradients, in realistic galactic centers. We find that the mass released by stellar collisions is not sufficient to account for the present BH mass in galactic centers, especially in bright galaxies. This study, together with the study by Magorrian & Tremaine (1999) on tidal disruption of stars by massive BHs, implies that the material for BH growth (especially in galaxies brighter than ~10^9 Lsun) can only come from other sources, for example, the mass released by stellar evolution in the initial ~1 Gyr of the galaxy's lifetime, or the gas that sinks to the galactic center in a galaxy merger. We also analyze how the color of a stellar system is affected by collisions of stars. We find that collisions between main-sequence stars cannot cause observable color gradients in the visible bands at projected radius R>0.1" in M31, M32 and other nearby galactic centers. This result is consistent with the lack of an observable color gradient in M32 at R>0.1". At even smaller radii, the color differences caused by collisions between main-sequence stars are at most 0.08 mag at R=0.02". The averaged blueing due to stellar collisions in the region R<0.1" of M32 should not be larger than 0.06 mag in color index U-V and 0.02 mag in V-I. The observed blueing in the center of the galaxy M31 (in a 0.14"x0.14" box) must be caused by some mechanism other than collisions between main-sequence stars.
Down-Regulation of Kupffer Cell Ectoenzymes Precedes Deposition of Amyloid Protein A

Over the years, numerous theories have bee advanced to explain the pathogenesis of secondary amyloidosis. All theories have shared the concept that there is an overproduction of the precursor protein. With the recognition that the acute phase reactant serum amyloid A (SAA) is the most likely precursor of the fibrillar AA protein deposited in tissues [1–3] it seemed not farfetched to propose that oversprduction of SAA is responsible, at least in part, for the development of amyloidosis. A shortcoming of this theory is the observation that the serum level of SAA does not necessarily correlate with the amount of AA deposits, and that in some situations high levels of SAA can be maintained without any formation of fibrillar amyloid [4–6]. Therefore, additional mechanisms that have been considered are: 1) that the primary structure of the SAA molecule synthesized during stimulation is aberrant, and 2) that the cells responsible for processing SAA become impaired.
George Washington Still Leads the Way

The principles and examples of George Washington show the way for the renewal of the American Republic. Washington calls for Americans to return to truth, good character, the pursuit of the national interest, embrace of individual rights which come from God, limited government, and a rational pragmatic foreign policy.
The Role of Chance in the Census Bureau Database Reconstruction Experiment

The Census Bureau plans a new approach to disclosure control for the 2020 census that will add noise to every statistic the agency produces for places below the state level. The Bureau argues the new approach is needed because the confidentiality of census responses is threatened by “database reconstruction,” a technique for inferring individual-level responses from tabular data. The Census Bureau constructed hypothetical individual-level census responses from public 2010 tabular data and matched them to internal census records and to outside sources. The Census Bureau did not compare these results to a null model to demonstrate that their success in matching would not be expected by chance. This is analogous to conducting a clinical trial without a control group. We implement a simple simulation to assess how many matches would be expected by chance. We demonstrate that most matches reported by the Census Bureau experiment would be expected randomly. To extend the metaphor of the clinical trial, the treatment and the placebo produced similar outcomes. The database reconstruction experiment therefore fails to demonstrate a credible threat to confidentiality.
Neglected under the law: A typology of stigmatization and effective employment protections

Abstract Some groups more commonly experience negative effects from biases in the workplace than others, in part, from a lack of universal anti-discrimination protections. While strong protections exist for some groups, others are often left to rely on a patchwork of legal protections and corporate policies to guard against bias. This article draws from social identity, stigmatization, and intersectionality theories to bring attention to susceptible classes, or those individuals who are stigmatized by society but not effectively shielded against discrimination by workplace protections. This article advances the Employment Protections and Stigmatization Classification Model typology. This model provides categorization based on the level of stigmatization individuals face and the degree to which employment protections provided by various entities are effective in reducing workplace bias and discrimination. Further, it allows for consideration and comparison of stigmatized groups across time, jurisdictions, and organizations. Three stigmatized classes are offered as examples to advance further understanding of the model.
Development and Test-Item Analysis of a Freely Available 1900-Item Question Bank for Rheumatology Trainees

Background Tests composed of multiple-choice questions are an established tool to help evaluate knowledge of medical content. Within the field of rheumatology, there is an absence of free and easily-accessible sets of multiple-choice questions that have been rigorously evaluated and analyzed. Objective To develop a question bank composed of multiple-choice questions that evaluate trainee knowledge of rheumatology, as well as to investigate the psychometric properties (reliability, discrimination indices, difficulty indices) of items within the question bank. Methods Multiple-choice questions were drafted according to a strict methodology devised by the investigators. Between January and December 2020, questions were administered in sets of 20-25 questions to test-takers who were either current trainees or had recently graduated from training programs. Performance was evaluated through descriptive statistics (mean, median, range, standard deviation) and test-item statistics (difficulty index, discrimination index, reliability). Results Investigators drafted 1900 multiple choice questions within 45 sections each composed of 20 to 25 questions each. These questions were administered to 32 participants. The mean discrimination index was 0.57 (standard deviation: 0.22) and mean difficulty index was 0.38 (standard deviation: 0.23). Reliability indices for the 45 sections ranged from 0.45 to 0.85 (mean: 0.613, standard deviation: 0.09). The overall reliability index for the entire item bank was greater than 0.95. Conclusion The investigators developed a 1900-item question bank composed of items that have sufficient difficulty and discrimination indices to be used for low- and moderate-stakes settings. A rigorous methodology was employed to create the first freely-accessible reliable tool for the assessment of rheumatology knowledge. This tool can be purposed for both summative and formative evaluation in multiple settings and platforms.
Suppression of MHC class I gene expression by N-myc through enhancer inactivation

Amplification of the N-myc oncogene in human neuroblastoma is associated with increased metastatic ability. We previously found that over-expression of N-myc in rat neuroblastoma tumor cells causes a dramatic reduction in the expression of MHC class I mRNA. We show here that two distinct elements in the promoter render the MHC class I genes susceptible to N-myc-mediated suppression, one of which was identified as the MHC class I gene enhancer. Our data indicate that elevated N-myc expression is associated with reduced binding of a transcription factor that activates this enhancer. As a result, the activity of the MHC class I gene enhancer is greatly diminished. Elevated expression of the N-myc oncogene in human neuroblastomas and murine pre-B lymphoid lines also correlated with reduced factor binding to the MHC class I gene enhancer. Thus, an important effect of N-myc may be to impair the function of certain cellular enhancers by altering the levels of their cognate binding proteins.
Using a wearable computer for continuous learning and support

A wearable computer with an electronic performance support system can provide continuous learning and support to mobile workers. This system allows mobile users to ask for advice, receive instruction, access productivity tools, communicate with others, and assess their knowledge on a continuous basis. Workers can get this support when they need it, where they need it. Compared to traditional training and support, this new technique may provide substantial performance improvements. We are developing an architecture for this type of support system and are currently investigating the use of this system to help mobile factory workers perform their tasks.
Bohr the Innovator? Or Bohr the Intimidator?

Quantum Dialog The Making of a Revolution. Mara Beller. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1999. 381 pp. $35, £24.50. ISBN 0-226-04181-6. Beller argues that the success of the Copenhagen interpretation was due primarily to intimidation and abuse of authority by Bohr and his collaborators. Our reviewer believes the author's biases led her to overlook the important question of how so many people have convinced themselves that one viable interpretation was actually unique and unassailable.
Correcting bias in statistical tests for network classifier evaluation

It is difficult to directly apply conventional significance tests to compare the performance of network classification models because network data instances are not independent and identically distributed. Recent work [6] has shown that paired t-tests applied to overlapping network samples will result in unacceptably high levels (e.g., up to 50%) of Type I error (i.e., the tests lead to incorrect conclusions that models are different, when they are not). Thus, we need new strategies to accurately evaluate network classifiers. In this paper, we analyze the sources of bias (e.g. dependencies among network data instances) theoretically and propose analytical corrections to standard significance tests to reduce the Type I error rate to more acceptable levels, while maintaining reasonable levels of statistical power to detect true performance differences. We validate the effectiveness of the proposed corrections empirically on both synthetic and real networks.
Separation of geminate charge-pairs at donor–acceptor interfaces in disordered solids

Abstract Using an extension of the Onsager model of exciton dissociation in the bulk of a disordered solid, we determine the separation probability of geminate electron–hole pairs following exciton dissociation by charge-transfer at a donor–acceptor interface. The donor–acceptor interface confines the electron and hole in their respective layers, leading to charge separation with a probability that is significantly higher than predicted by bulk theory. The model explains the surprisingly high carrier collection efficiencies observed in organic donor–acceptor photovoltaic cells, and correctly predicts the voltage-dependence of the photocurrent which differs substantially from that of conventional inorganic semiconductor p–n junctions and may ultimately limit the power conversion efficiency of organic donor–acceptor photovoltaic cells.
The imaging of coeliac disease and its complications

Coeliac disease is a malabsorption syndrome in which dietary gluten damages the small bowel mucosa. Gluten contains gliadin, the primary toxic component that is primarily found in wheat, barley and rye products. The initial diagnosis of coeliac disease is usually made by endoscopic biopsy of the jejunum although sometimes imaging features can suggest the diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is made, patients need to be diet compliant and monitored for potential complications. Many complications are more common when dietary compliance is poor. Complications include intussusception (usually intermittent), ulcerative jejunitis, osteomalacia, cavitating lymph node syndrome and an increased risk of malignancies such as lymphoma, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Radiological evaluation is central in the evaluation of these complications. Imaging may assist both in the diagnosis and staging of complications as well as enabling radiological guided percutaneous biopsy for complications of coeliac disease such as lymphoma. As coeliac disease is a relatively common disorder, it is likely that most radiologists will encounter the disease and its potential complications. The aim of this review article is to discuss and illustrate the role of modern radiology in evaluating the many presentations of this complex disease.
Inhibition of Development of Both Androgen-Dependent and Androgen-Independent Pigment Cells in Scrotal Skin Dermis of the Rat by Antiandrogen Treatment during Fetal Growth

Testosterone controls the melanogenic activity of epidermal melanocytes, but not that of brown dermal pigment cells, in scrotal skin of the adult rat. The effect of prenatal treatment with the antiandrogen flutamide on the development of scrotal skin pigmentation and the male reproductive system was examined. Treatment with flutamide on days 14-20 of gestation resulted in hypospadias, the absence or only rudimentary growth of prostate and seminal vesicles, and the presence of a vagina in male offspring. The scrotal coloration of these animals was lighter than controls, an effect due to the complete absence of dermal pigment cells. There was no effect of prenatal treatment with flutamide on melanin content, morphology, and relative number of epidermal melanocytes. Thus, the administration of antiandrogen during the fetal period of androgen-induced differentiation of secondary genital organs of the male rat prevents development of the androgen-independent dermal pigment cells. It would appear, therefore, that there is a transitory period during development when the dermal pigment cells or other elements in the scrotal dermal environment which regulate their function are under androgen control.
Murders and suicide: Are they polar opposites

This article explores the relationship between suicidal and murderous desires. Freud's psychological theory and Henry and Short's sociological theory are reviewed, and empirical studies that bear on the issue are examined. There is not sufficient information as yet to confirm or disconfirm that murder and suicide are polar opposites, but suggestions are made for future research needed to answer this question. Language: en
Resting Energy Expenditure in Obese African American and Caucasian Women

FOSTER, GARY D, THOMAS A WADDEN, RENEE A VOGT. Resting energy expenditure in obese African American and Caucasian women. Obes Res. 1997;5:1-8. The prevalence of obesity among African American women approaches 50% and greatly exceeds rates for Caucasian women. In addition, black women lose less weight than white during obesity treatment and gain more weight when untreated. This study assessed resting energy expenditure (REE) and body composition in obese white (n=122) and black (n=44) women to explore the relationship between biological variables and these observed differences. REE and body composition were assessed by indirect calorimetry and densitometry, respectively, before weight loss. REE was significantly lower in black subjects (1637.6 f 236.9 kcal/d) than in white (1731.4 f 262.0) (p=0.04). REE remained significantly lower in blacks than whites after adjusting for body weight (p=0.02). REE, adjusted for fat-free mass, was also significantly lower in blacks than whites (p<O.OOOl), although the overestimation of fat-free mass by densitometry in blacks may have contributed to this finding. There were no differences between the groups in respiratory quotient. These results suggest that a decreased REE may exist in obese black women, and it may be related to the observed differences between black and white women in the prevalence of obesity and in the response to weight loss treatment. These crosssectional findings await confirmation in longitudinal studies.
Development of an algorithm for the diagnosis of otitis media.

LOOKING BACK 100 years from now, how will you judge the professional integrity of medicine in the second decade of the 21st century, more than 8 decades after Fleming discovered penicillin? Among young children, acute otitis media (AOM) has been the most frequent diagnosis for which antibiotics are prescribed. The diagnosis and management of AOM should provide a telling case study. You assume medicine had long ago mastered the treatment of AOM and persistent middle ear effusion, two of the most common acute and chronic conditions encountered in primary care settings. Indeed, society accords professional status on the basis of trust that such mastery exists and is unique to the profession. Think again. On the basis of thoughtful analysis of carefully acquired measures on substantial numbers of wellchosen subjects, Shaikh et al offer a new and parsimonious algorithm for the diagnosis of middle ear disease. The presence of tympanic membrane (TM) bulging and opacification or air–fluid level drives the distinction between ears with acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion (OME), and no effusion. The importance to predictive values of frequency distributions for AOMandOME in the validation data set is sufficiently great to require emphasis. If—and only if—these frequencies in the setting where you practice are similar to those in the validation data set, might you expect the correct classification of 99% of ears, as these investigators found. This decision rule differs from guidelines endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). AAP criteria for diagnosis of AOM include (1) history of recent onset, (2) middle ear inflammation, and (3) middle ear effusion. Middle ear inflammation, in turn, is defined as distinct TM erythema or distinct otalgia. Determining that otalgia is distinct depends on a child’s behavior, on parentprovider communication, and provider interpretation of that communication, all of which are highly variable. Reliable application of this definition seems unlikely. Interobserver reliability in differentiating indistinct from distinct erythema is also questionable. Middle ear effusion, in turn, is defined as one or more of: (1) bulging of the TM, (2) limited TM mobility, or (3) air–fluid level behind the TM. Each of these 3 observations is congruent with criteria for OME in the proposed algorithm (ie, opacification or air–fluid level), but bulging means AOM, not just OME. The singular importance of TM
PARENTING A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY: AN EXAMINATION OF RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT FATHERS.

Children with disabilities often require, more extensive family involvement and greater paternal support than other children. Yet these children are the children least likely to live with their fathers. This paper uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 from the United States to examine the association between child disability and resident and non-resident biological fathers’ supportiveness, relationship, and monitoring of their children. Regression analyses indicate significant challenges for all fathers of children with disabilities. Children of resident fathers report more positive interactions than children of non-resident fathers. However, earlier co-residence and more frequent contact significantly improve the quality, of father-youth relationships among men who do not live with their children.
DRYING GRANULAR POROUS MEDIA - THEORY AND EXPERIMENT

ABSTRACT From a general theory of drying granular porous media, we have constructed a simplified theory that consists of a set of coupled, volume-averaged transport equations for the temperature and the saturation. The theory incorporates the liquid and vapor phase continuity equations, combines the liquid, solid and vapor phase thermal energy equations into a single temperature equation and makes use of Darcy's law for the liquid phase to account for moisture transport owing to capillary action. By purely qualitative reasoning, one can show that combined heat and mass transfer theories of drying cannot provide a complete theoretical explanation of drying phenomena and a detailed comparison between theory and experiment supports this point of view. Speculation concerning the logical course of subsequent theoretical studies is provided.