cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internet Exchanges for Used Goods: An Empirical Analysis of Trade Patterns and Adverse Selection

The past few years have witnessed the increasing ubiquity of user-generated content on seller reputation and product condition in Internet based used-good markets. Recent theoretical models of trading and sorting in used-good markets provide testable predictions to use to examine the presence of adverse selection and trade patterns in such dynamic markets. A key aspect of such empirical analyses is to distinguish between product-level uncertainty and seller-level uncertainty, an aspect the extant literature has largely ignored. Based on a unique, 5-month panel dataset of user-generated content on used good quality and seller reputation feedback collected from Amazon, this paper examines trade patterns in online used-good markets across four product categories (PDAs, digital cameras, audio players, and laptops). Drawing on two different empirical tests and using content analysis to mine the textual feedback of seller reputations, the paper provides evidence that adverse selection continues to exist in online markets. First, it is shown that after controlling for price and other product and seller-related factors, higher quality goods take a longer time to sell compared to lower quality goods. Second, this result also holds when the relationship between sellers' reputation scores and time to sell is examined. Third, it is shown that price declines are larger for more unreliable products, and that products with higher levels of intrinsic unreliability exhibit a more negative relationship between price decline and volume of used good trade. Together, our findings suggest that despite the presence of signaling mechanisms such as reputation feedback and product condition disclosures, the information asymmetry problem between buyers and sellers persists in online markets due to both product-based and seller-based information uncertainty. No consistent evidence of substitution or complementarity effects between product-based and seller-level uncertainty are found. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Properdin levels in splenectomized persons.

SummaryProperdin titers were definitely lower in 105 splenectomized persons than in 113 normal; healthy subjects. Within the splenectomized group, there was no correlation between properdin level and age of individual, age at splenectomy, and years post-splenectomy. Properdin titers were significantly lower in splenectomized females, but the sex difference was minimal in comparison to the difference between total splenectomized and control groups. Suggestive evidence is presented that low properdin levels in splenectomized persons are related in part to absence of spleen.
Reducing errors by increasing the error rate: MLP Acoustic Modeling for Broadcast News Transcription

We describe some aspects of a Broadcast News recognition system based on hybrid HMM/MLP acoustic modeling. These include the use of novel ‘modulation spectrogram’ features which are combined with conventional models at the posterior probability level, some experiments with nonlinear segment normalization, and an investigation of the interaction of model size and training set size for an multilayer perceptron (MLP) acoustic classifier. We also report preliminary results of incorporating gender-dependence into this system. 1. Background In recent years, we and our colleagues have promoted the exploration of novel, poorly understood, but promising approaches to speech recognition [2]. While such deviations from incremental improvements might initially hurt performance, the subset of the new methods that would ultimately prove useful would not be found without such explorations. This past year, we attempted to follow this advice, while still developing a system with reasonable performance on the automatic transcription of Broadcast News speech. An additional goal was finding approaches that would work well in combination with components developed by our SPRACH partners at Cambridge and Sheffield. Finally, previous published results seemed to indicate that, while the hybrid HMM/connectionist approach was successful for moderate sized training corpora, it did not appear to take advantage of significant increases in the size of the corpus. Recently improved computational capabilities at ICSI permitted tests to determine if this was true. Given these considerations, we developed experimental Broadcast News systems that incorporated:
Lessons Learned Building TeamTrak: An Urban/Outdoor Mobile Testbed

Much research in mobile networks relies on the use of simulations for evaluation purposes. While a number of powerful simulation tools have been developed for this purpose, only recently has the need for physical implementations of mobile systems and applications been widely accepted in the literature. In recognition of this need, and to further our research objectives in the area of wireless sensor networks and mobile cooperative systems, we have built the TeamTrak mobile testbed, which gives us real-world experience with research concepts as we develop them. Additionally, results from outdoor field tests are used to further enhance the capabilities of the testbed itself.
Modeling amplitude-modulated (AM) tone encoding behavior of cochlear nucleus neurons

An attempt was made to understand the mechanisms underlying the response of the cochlear nucleus (CN) neurons, specifically the choppers, to the AM tone. The AM tone excitation via the auditory nerve fibers was modeled as a combination of DC, AC, and a zero-mean Gaussian noise current at the soma of the model neuron. The DC represents the high frequency carrier beyond the neuron's phase-locking limit and the AC represents the envelope. With a systematic variation of DC, AC, and noise amplitudes, the stellate cell models could reproduce the low-pass and band-pass modulation transfer functions (MTFs) and intrinsic oscillations (IOs). A close correlation was observed between the IO frequency and the best envelope frequency in the stellate cell models. >
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and their transmission through genetic and epigenetic mechanisms.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a group of related conditions that arise from prenatal exposure to maternal consumption of the teratogen, ethanol. It has been estimated that roughly 1% of children in the US suffer from FASD (Sampson et al., 1997), though in some world populations, such as inhabitants of some poorer regions of South Africa, the rate can climb to as high as 20% (May et al., 2013). FASD are the largest cause of mental retardation in U.S. neonates, and ironically, are entirely preventable. FASD has been linked to major changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in lifelong impairments through mental disorders, retardation, sensitivity to stress, and an impaired immune system with the related outcomes of elevated risk of cancer and other diseases. FASD arises from a complex interplay of genetic and epigenetic factors. Here, we review current literature on the topic to tease apart what is known in these areas particularly emphasizing the HPA axis dysfunction and how they tie into new studies of transgenerational inheritance in FASD.
Cognitive and Motivational Characteristics of Elementary Teachers in General Education Classrooms and in Gifted Programs

Whether teachers in general education classrooms and in gifted programs differ in their cognitive and motivational characteristics was examined in 182 elementary school teachers. The teacher characteristics examined were epistemological beliefs (beliefs about the nature of knowledge and beliefs about the nature of learning), metacognition (planning, monitoring, and strategy selection), and motivation (self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and goal orientation). Teachers in gifted programs reported more sophisticated epistemological beliefs, higher learning-goal orientation, and lower performance-goal orientation than did teachers in general education classrooms. However, perceived use of metacognitive strategies, self-efficacy, and intrinsic motivation were not different between the two groups. Teachers in general reported epistemological sophistication more in the nature of learning than in the nature of knowledge, that they use cognitive strategies more so than planning and monitoring of their activities, and that they are more learning-goal oriented than performance-goal oriented. It is suggested that more courses and trainings are needed for preservice and in-service teachers so they have opportunities to learn and self-reflect on their own characteristics.
Spotting factor (Spf) from the Spotted-dilute System in Maize Is a Member of the En/Spm Controlling Element Family

The Spotted-dilute controlling element system in maize involves an autonomous Spotting factor (Spf ), and a receptor at the r1 locus haplotype R1-r(spotted dilute2). Its relationship with other maize transposable element systems is poorly characterized. Through development of a genetic tester that carries receptors for both the Spotted-dilute and the En/Spm controlling element systems, we determined that both receptors respond equally to Spf and En/Spm and that Spf is therefore a member of the En/Spm family of controlling elements.
And The Winner Is! Corporate Life Cycle Stage as an Antecedent to CEO Selection Characteristics

This study investigates the relationship between corporate life cycle stage as a measure of the key strategic decisions facing a newly hired CEO, and the selected CEO’s demographic and biographic characteristics. Using corporate financial data from the COMPUSTAT database to measure corporate life cycle stage, and CEO profiles published in Forbes list of top paid CEOs, we tested our hypotheses regarding the relationship between corporate life cycle stage and newly hired CEOs’ age, experience, and education. As predicted, we found a significant, negative relationship between newly hired CEOs’ level of education and corporations in the mature life cycle stage. Surprisingly, and contrary to our prediction, we also found a significant, negative relationship between newly hired CEOs’ level of education and corporations in the growth life cycle stage. Furthermore, growth stage firms selected CEOs with lower levels of education than mature stage firms. In the analysis, the life cycle stage variable explains approximately 11% of the variance in the education level of selected CEOs. The results suggest that corporate life cycle stage and its associated strategic challenges can be used to predict CEO education characteristics across single and multi-business corporations of varying sizes across industries. These new findings should encourage CEOs, investment analysts, corporate directors, and research scholars to fully consider the relationship between CEO education characteristics and the life cycle stage of a firm facing a CEO succession event.
Using causal models in heterogeneous information fusion to detect terrorists

We describe basic research that uses a causal, uncertainty-sensitive computational model rooted in qualitative social science to fuse disparate pieces of threat information. It is a cognitive model going beyond rational-actor methods. Having such a model has proven useful when information is uncertain, fragmentary, indirect, soft, conflicting, and even deceptive. Inferences from fusion must then account for uncertainties about the model, the credibility of information, and the fusion methods---i.e. we must consider both structural and parametric uncertainties, including uncertainties about the uncertainties. We use a novel combination of (1) probabilistic and parametric methods, (2) alternative models and model structures, and (3) alternative fusion methods that include nonlinear algebraic combination, variants of Bayesian inference, and a new entropy-maximizing approach. Initial results are encouraging and suggest that such an analytically flexible and model-based approach to fusion can simultaneously enrich thinking, enhance threat detection, and reduce harmful false alarms.
Structure and Sequence of the Photosynthesis Gene Cluster

A natural cluster of genes containing nearly all the genetic information specifically required for photosynthesis in Rhodobacter capsulatus has been sequenced. Within this 46 kilobase pair cluster are 43 identified genes which include the coding sequences for the structural reaction center polypeptides (RC), the structural light harvest I complex (LHI), as well as the coding sequences for the enzymes required for the biosynthesis of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) and for the biosynthesis of the carotenoids, spheroidene and spheroidenone.
Abstract 3474: Connective tissue growth factor promotes tumor angiogenesis by modulating multiple angiogenic factors via binding to cystine knot motifs

Introduction Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a member of the CCN (Cyr61/CTGF/Nov) protein family, may function as both a positive and negative regulator of angiogenesis. However, the mechanism(s) underlying the regulatory behavior of CTGF is poorly understood. Here, we have undertaken a multipronged approach to provide insight into how CTGF enhances tumor angiogenesis. Methods Lewis lung carcinomas (LLC) cells were subcutaneously injected in syngeneic transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of CTGF promoter (CTGFp-GFP). Recombinant lentivirus was generated to overexpress FLAG tagged CTGF while recombinant adenovirus expressing CTGF shRNA was used to knock down CTGF expression in LLCs. The levels of CTGF mRNA were examined by RT-PCR analysis. Tumor sizes were measured within two weeks and intratumoral microvessel density was quantified by immunochemical detection of Meca-32+ blood vessels. In addition, CTGF binding proteins were identified using the yeast two-hybrid approach. Immunoprecipitation assay was performed to verify these interactions. In vitro angiogenesis activity was indicated by tubule length formation by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The migratory activity was measured in Boyden chamber assay. Activation of downstream signal effectors including cell division cycle 42 GTP binding protein (Cdc42) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 was detected in Western blotting analysis. Results CTGF was expressed in Meca-32+ endothelial cells of intratumoral vessels growing in CTGFp-GFP transgenic mice. CTGF expression was also highly induced in hypoxic cultured LLC cells. Ectopic expression of CTGF promoted LLC tumor growth (n=3) and the microvessel density. Knocking down CTGF expression in LLC tumors (n=3) inhibited the growth of LLC tumors and decreased the microvessel density compared to those with scramble shRNA. Several proangiogenic factors were identified and shown to bind CTGF via cystine knot motifs. The factors include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, von Willebrand factor (vWF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)-B and Slit3. The combination of CTGF and Slit3 together resulted in an increased tubule length and an enhanced activation of Cdc42. Elevated cell migration and enhanced activation of ERK1/2 were observed when NIH3T3 fibroblasts were cultured with both CTGF and PDGF-B proteins. Although CTGF has been shown to bind to VEGF-A and inhibits VEGF-A mediated angiogenesis, our findings demonstrate that CTGF functions in concert with angiogenic factors Slit3 and PDGF-B to promote angiogenesis.
Brood Raiding in the Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Laboratory and Field Observations

One of the first activities of minim workers in incipient fire ant nests is mutual brood raiding, the reciprocal stealing of brood from nearby incipient nests. Brood raiding was observed in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, in the laboratory and in the field. Raids were initiated by individual workers, usually from the larger nest, involved trail laying and following, and lasted from minutes to days. Aggression toward intruding workers was generally low and often absent. Workers in the losing nest occasionally raided for the intruding colony (traitor raiders). The colony with more workers was likely to win the raid. No other factors—number of queens, number or stage of brood, or minim relatedness—affected winning. Workers from the losing nest, and often queens too, defected to the winning one. In the field, reciprocal brood raiding was a major cause of incipient colony mortality. It took place along odor trails connecting various numbers of nests from a few centimeters to 20 m apart, and its effect was to aggregate the brood and workers from local populations of incipient colonies into a few locations. One brood raid lasted 38 d, with over 100 m of trail, and involved at least 80 incipient nests.
The Spider Genera Oronota and Stemmops in North America, Central America and the West Indies (Araneae: Theridiidae)

The genera reviewed in this paper are two of many groups of comb-footed spiders believed to be closely related to Theridion. These genera have heretofore been placed in different subfamilies. Although Simon (1892) expressly stated that he used artificial characters for his separation of the Theridiidae into subfamilies, most arachnologists have followed Simon's classification for lack of a better one. Archer (1950) recently attempted a revision of the Theridiidae, using as a basis for his divisions, more modern characters such as detailed anatomy of the palpus. While I am not here attempting to present an improvement of Archer's system, which does not appear to be entirely satisfactory either, there is abundant evidence that only a careful study of the male and female genitalia, particularly an examination of the shape of the embolus and the position and attachment of the various sclerites in the expanded palpus, will show some of these relationships. The eye arrangement, shape of the carapace, and abdomen are, however, of considerable aid in defining genera. Sometimes these latter characters are more conservative than the genitalia and are a better superificial indication of these relationships. An examination of one of the Australian species of Oronota, for instance, demonstrated in the prosoma and opisthosoma a surprising similarity to the American species. On the other hand, the palpus appeared quite different, indicating at first another genus. However, upon expanding the palpus by a short immersion in hot ten percent sodium hydroxide, it was found that a mere shift in the position of the embolus and slight changes in the shapes of various sclerites resulted in a superficial difference in appearance.
Development of Automatic Processing with Alphanumeric Materials

This research investigated the development of automatic processing with alphanumeric materials that are representative of those processed by operators of some complex information systems. According to automatic processing theory, consistently mapped (CM) components of complex skills can be automatized with extensive practice, such that they are performed rapidly and accurately with minimal effort. Experiment 1 compared the effects of 3200 training trials in a memory search paradigm with alphanumeric materials under CM and variably mapped (VM) conditions. Dissimilar target and distractor sets were used. The results were consistent with the development of automatic processing in the CM condition. Experiment 2 examined the effect of similar target and distractor sets on CM performance. The results of Experiment 2 indicate that target/distractor similarity significantly affected CM performance. Such similarity therefore represents an important factor to be considered in the design of training programs to supp...
Combined orthognathic distraction procedure: Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy and mandibular curvilinear distraction osteogenesis. A new technique for craniofacial management

Dentofacial deformities are traditionally treated by maxillary and mandibular osteotomies conducted separately or simultaneously. Recently, distraction osteogenesis has become an irreplaceable part of the surgical armamentarium, for its ability to induce new bone formation between the surfaces of bone segments that are gradually separated by incremental traction, along with a simultaneous expansion of the surrounding soft-tissue envelope. The aim of this article is to describe a combined surgical technique consisting of simultaneous maxillary Le Fort I advancement and mandibular surgical repositioning by means of bilateral sagittal split osteotomy with a curvilinear distractor based on a preliminary computerized presurgical prediction.
Analysis of care pathway variation patterns in patient records.

A care/clinical pathway (CP) is a standardized care process where temporal and data constraints of clinical activities are defined to ensure quality of care. In actual care practice, various situations of compliance and non-compliance with CPs can be observed. Analysis of these CP variation patterns (CPVPs) can help improve care quality and enhance decision support. In this paper, we propose an automatic method to detect CPVPs in electronic medical records (EMR), and statistically examine their correlation with patient outcomes. From each CP constraint, we first derive a CPVP tree, where each pattern is represented using first-order linear temporal logic and translated into a Buchi automaton for pattern detection. Then we identify the CPVPs that are evidently correlated with a patient outcome by examining the odds ratios. The method has been applied to a CP for congestive heart failure and real world EMR to demonstrate the effectiveness.
Older-adult marijuana users and ex-users: Comparisons of sociodemographic characteristics and mental and substance use disorders

Abstract Background The increasing numbers of older-adult marijuana users call for better understanding of their mental and substance use disorders (MSUDs). Methods Data came from the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III; N = 14,715 respondents aged 50 +). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to compare never users, past-year users, and ex-users on past-year and lifetime MSUDs. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of marijuana use patterns in the past year and during the peak use period with lifetime MSUDs. Results Of the 50+ age group, 3.9% were past-year marijuana users and 21.7% were ex-users. Past-year users did not differ from ex-users with respect to past-year or lifetime mental disorders, but they had higher risks of past-year other drug use (RRR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.63-4.55), alcohol use (RRR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.78-2.98), and tobacco/nicotine use (RRR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.50-2.34) disorders. Among past-year users, the number of joints smoked during the peak use period (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.04-1.26) and past-year use frequency (OR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.37-3.52) were significantly associated with greater odds of lifetime marijuana/other drug use disorder. Among ex-users, the number of joints smoked during the peak use period was significantly associated with any mental (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01-1.09) and marijuana and/or other drug use (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.06-1.21) disorder. Conclusions Older-adult past-year marijuana users and ex-users had similarly high risks for past-year and lifetime mental disorders, but past-year users had a higher risk for substance use disorders. Health/mental health providers should be concerned about the increasing number of older-adult long-term marijuana users with MSUDs.
Predicting Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury in Pediatric Trauma: Validation of the "Utah Score".

Abstract Risk factors for blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) may differ between children and adults, suggesting that children at low risk for BCVI after trauma receive unnecessary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and high-dose radiation. We previously developed a score for predicting pediatric BCVI based on retrospective cohort analysis. Our objective is to externally validate this prediction score with a retrospective multi-institutional cohort. We included patients who underwent CTA for traumatic cranial injury at four pediatric Level I trauma centers. Each patient in the validation cohort was scored using the “Utah Score” and classified as high or low risk. Before analysis, we defined a misclassification rate <25% as validating the Utah Score. Six hundred forty-five patients (mean age 8.6 ± 5.4 years; 63.4% males) underwent screening for BCVI via CTA. The validation cohort was 411 patients from three sites compared with the training cohort of 234 patients. Twenty-two BCVIs (5.4%) were identified ...
Headache and Brain Tumor

Headaches are exceedingly common, but most individuals who seek medical attention with headache will not have a serious underlying etiology such as a brain tumor. Brain tumors are uncommon; however, many patients with brain tumors do suffer from headaches. Generally these headaches are accompanied by other neurologic signs and symptoms. A careful clinical assessment for red flags should be undertaken when considering further work-up with neuroimaging to exclude a serious underlying condition.
Potato Tuber Length-Width Ratio Assessment Using Image Analysis

Potato tuber length to width (L/W) ratio is a critical crop trait evaluated during the development and selection of new cultivars to assess the effects of environment and management on tuber size and shape. The major challenges in manual measurement of L/W ratio are that it is labor-intensive, time consuming, and sometimes inconsistent. A high-throughput, digital image-based method for estimation of L/W ratio was developed in this study. Tests were conducted using tubers from a local retail market (red, white and russet) and from a field experiment with Payette Russet cultivar specifically designed to alter tuber size and shape. An image processing algorithm was developed to process the potato tuber images and the L/W ratio data from the images were compared to manual caliper measurements. A high accuracy in tuber L/W ratio estimation was consistently observed using image-based analysis. Among the different potato cultivars, red cultivars had a lower average accuracy in L/W ratio estimation of 94%, while other cultivars exhibited 96% and higher average accuracies.
Recent Advances in Tropical Cyclogenesis

The genesis of tropical cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons has been regarded by some as one of the most important unsolved problems in dynamical meteorology (Emanuel, 2005) and climate (Gore, 2006). From a scientific point of view, the problem is certainly a fascinating one. This article begins with a brief synopsis of the problem of tropical cyclogenesis and then presents an overview of some recent work on the tropical cyclogenesis problem by the author and his colleagues. The research reviewed here points to a unified view of the genesis and intensification process. It provides also a basis for some new tools to aid in forecasting tropical-cyclone formation.
Semi-supervised learning for genomic prediction of novel traits with small reference populations: an application to residual feed intake in dairy cattle

Genomic prediction for novel traits, which can be costly and labor-intensive to measure, is often hampered by low accuracy due to the limited size of the reference population. As an option to improve prediction accuracy, we introduced a semi-supervised learning strategy known as the self-training model, and applied this method to genomic prediction of residual feed intake (RFI) in dairy cattle. We describe a self-training model that is wrapped around a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm, which enables it to use data from animals with and without measured phenotypes. Initially, a SVM model was trained using data from 792 animals with measured RFI phenotypes. Then, the resulting SVM was used to generate self-trained phenotypes for 3000 animals for which RFI measurements were not available. Finally, the SVM model was re-trained using data from up to 3792 animals, including those with measured and self-trained RFI phenotypes. Incorporation of additional animals with self-trained phenotypes enhanced the accuracy of genomic predictions compared to that of predictions that were derived from the subset of animals with measured phenotypes. The optimal ratio of animals with self-trained phenotypes to animals with measured phenotypes (2.5, 2.0, and 1.8) and the maximum increase achieved in prediction accuracy measured as the correlation between predicted and actual RFI phenotypes (5.9, 4.1, and 2.4%) decreased as the size of the initial training set (300, 400, and 500 animals with measured phenotypes) increased. The optimal number of animals with self-trained phenotypes may be smaller when prediction accuracy is measured as the mean squared error rather than the correlation between predicted and actual RFI phenotypes. Our results demonstrate that semi-supervised learning models that incorporate self-trained phenotypes can achieve genomic prediction accuracies that are comparable to those obtained with models using larger training sets that include only animals with measured phenotypes. Semi-supervised learning can be helpful for genomic prediction of novel traits, such as RFI, for which the size of reference population is limited, in particular, when the animals to be predicted and the animals in the reference population originate from the same herd-environment.
College Students and Mobile Technology

Mobile digital technology has the potential to enable students to create space and time for their academic work. Most undergraduates have a smartphone; some also use tablet computers and ereaders for their coursework. While students appreciate laptop computers, older and heavier models are often used more like desktop computers, and not all students can afford the additional expense of a laptop. Mobile technology offers many affordances for students, especially in light of fixed barriers, and can facilitate students’ academic work in varied locations. However, this more recently developed technological model also introduces barriers that are distinctly location-based. Mobile technology requires internet access to be most useful for coursework, and access to solid, reliable wifi is not guaranteed for students, either on campus or off.
Making Home Sweet and Sturdy: Toxoplasma gondii ppGalNAc-Ts Glycosylate in Hierarchical Order and Confer Cyst Wall Rigidity

ABSTRACT The protozoan intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii forms latent cysts in the central nervous system (CNS) and persists for the lifetime of the host. This cyst is cloaked with a glycosylated structure called the cyst wall. Previously, we demonstrated that a mucin-like glycoprotein, CST1, localizes to the cyst wall and confers structural rigidity on brain cysts in a mucin-like domain-dependent manner. The mucin-like domain of CST1 is composed of 20 units of threonine-rich tandem repeats that are O- GalNAc glycosylated. A family of enzymes termed polypeptide N -acetylgalactosaminyltransferases (ppGalNAc-Ts) initiates O -GalNAc glycosylation. To identify which isoforms of ppGalNAc-Ts are responsible for the glycosylation of the CST1 mucin-like domain and to evaluate the function of each ppGalNAc-T in the overall glycosylation of the cyst wall, all five ppGalNAc-T isoforms were deleted individually from the T. gondii genome. The ppGalNAc-T2 and -T3 deletion mutants produced various glycosylation defects on the cyst wall, implying that many cyst wall glycoproteins are glycosylated by T2 and T3. Both T2 and T3 glycosylate the CST1 mucin-like domain, and this glycosylation is necessary for CST1 to confer structural rigidity on the cyst wall. We established that T2 is required for the initial glycosylation of the mucin-like domain and that T3 is responsible for the sequential glycosylation on neighboring acceptor sites, demonstrating hierarchical glycosylation by two distinct initiating and filling-in ppGalNAc-Ts in an intact organism. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects a third of the world’s population. It can cause severe congenital disease and devastating encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. We identified two glycosyltransferases, ppGalNAc-T2 and -T3, which are responsible for glycosylating cyst wall proteins in a hierarchical fashion. This glycosylation confers structural rigidity on the brain cyst. Our studies provide new insights into the mechanisms of O- GalNAc glycosylation in T. gondii .
A “Sensation of Freedom” and the Rejection of Possibility in Dubliners

In this chapter, Jim LeBlanc reconsiders several of the stories through Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist philosophy, and he looks at what has been called the spiritual paralysis of Joyce’s protagonists as an “arrest imposed from within,” which he demonstrates pervades the stories of adulthood in the collection. In “A Little Cloud,” for example, LeBlanc notes, “It is not so much Dublin that imprisons Joyce’s protagonist as it is aspects of Chandler’s own temperament—attitudes he has freely chosen,” noting that Chandler’s “You could do nothing in Dublin” is a cop-out extraordinaire and indicative of the self-imposed imprisonment of Joyce’s characters.
Decision proposals in the family conference

Abstract Objectives To explore how clinicians make decision proposals about life-sustaining treatments and to determine if certain decision proposals are more likely to lead surrogates to align with or resist the proposal. Methods We audio-recorded 36 family conferences between clinicians and surrogates and analyzed the interactions using conversation analysis (a qualitative method) and event sequence analysis (a quantitative method). Results The transitional probability of a proposal that incorporates the patient’s previously described preferences leading to alignment with the proposal was .76. The odds ratio of an aligning response in the presence of this proposal was 8.27 (95% CI 2.21, 30.97). The transitional probability of a proposal that asserts the healthcare team is going to do or not do a treatment leading to resistance was .70. The odds ratio of a resisting response in the presence of this proposal was 8.4 (95% CI 1.83, 38.53). Conclusions There is evidence to suggest that incorporating the patient’s previously described preferences into a decision proposal leads to surrogates’ alignment to those proposals. Practice implications These results strengthen the need for clinicians to engage with surrogates in shared decision making to determine the best treatment decision for the patient.
Abstract WMP25: Mean Platelet Volume as a Predictor of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Introduction: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a common platelet index that estimates average platelet size. In retrospective cohorts, MPV is reported to be higher, on average, in patients who have experienced acute cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is often associated with increased thrombogenic state due to reactive platelets resulting in delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Hypothesis: We assessed whether trends in MPV over the first 21 days after aSAH predicts occurrence of DCI. Methods: The present study enrolled a prospective cohort of 47 patients with aSAH. Clinical (HH p=0.0047) followed by a decline of 0.03fL/day (95% CI 0.02, 0.04; p=0.0006). Similar trend was not seen in those without DCI. Rate of decline in MPV were steeper among patients with HH 90% CI 0.004, 0.048, p=0.051 and 0.23fL/day; 90% CI 0.003, 0.042, p=0.06 respectively]. Conclusion: Rise in MPV during the first 3 days after aSAH with DCI followed by a decline indicates release of larger platelets after aSAH and possible association with DCI. Absence of declining trend MPV among higher clinical grade aSAH patients suggests persistence of reactive platelets in circulation.
Treating childhood traumatic brain injury with autologous stem cell therapy

Introduction Neonatal traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of developmental disorders. Autologous stem cell therapy may enhance neonatal brain plasticity towards repair of the injured neonatal brain. Areas covered The endogenous neonatal anti-inflammatory response can be enhanced through the delivery of anti-inflammatory agents. Stem cell therapy stands as a robust approach for sequestering the inflammation-induced cell death in the injured brain. Here, we discuss the use of umbilical cord blood cells and bone marrow stromal cells for acute and chronic treatment of experimental neonatal TBI. Autologous stem cell transplantation may dampen neuroinflammation. Clinical translation of this stem cell therapy will require identifying the therapeutic window post-injury and harvesting ample supply of transplantable autologous stem cells. Stem cell banking of cryopreserved cells may allow readily available transplantable cells and circumvent the unpredictable nature of neonatal TBI. Harnessing the anti-inflammatory properties of stem cells is key in combating the progressive neurodegeneration after the initial injury. Expert opinion Combination treatments, such as with hypothermia, may enhance the therapeutic effects of stem cells. Stem cell therapy has immense potential as a stand-alone or adjunctive therapy for treating neuroinflammation associated with neonatal TBI acutely and for preventing further progression of the injury.
Who witnesses The Witness? Finding witnesses in The Witness is hard and sometimes impossible

We analyze the computational complexity of the many types of pencil-and-paper-style puzzles featured in the 2016 puzzle video game The Witness. In all puzzles, the goal is to draw a path in a rectangular grid graph from a start vertex to a destination vertex. The different puzzle types place different constraints on the path: preventing some edges from being visited (broken edges); forcing some edges or vertices to be visited (hexagons); forcing some cells to have certain numbers of incident path edges (triangles); or forcing the regions formed by the path to be partially monochromatic (squares), have exactly two special cells (stars), or be singly covered by given shapes (polyominoes) and/or negatively counting shapes (antipolyominoes). We show that any one of these clue types (except the first) is enough to make path finding NP-complete ("witnesses exist but are hard to find"), even for rectangular boards. Furthermore, we show that a final clue type (antibody), which necessarily "cancels" the effect of another clue in the same region, makes path finding Sigma_2-complete ("witnesses do not exist"), even with a single antibody (combined with many anti/polyominoes), and the problem gets no harder with many antibodies.
NEUTRON STUDY OF THE BETA-TO-OMEGA INSTABILITY IN Zr0.80 Nb0.20

Neutron scattering from a single crystal of Zr-20 pct. Nb, quenched from the b.c.c. field, reveals both b.c.c. Bragg peaks and intense diffuse scattering in the vicinity of the reciprocal lattice (rel) points of the trigonal omega (ω) phase. Neutron measurements revealed the ω diffuse scattering to have a strong elastic component. Phonon linewidths are wavevector dependent and away from the zone center are too broad to be observed. The results are discussed in terms of the dynamics of the phase transition and are qualitatively related to the lattice dynamics of the transition metals.
Exploiting the environment: urban navigation as a case study

The Situated Action approach to AI emphasizes the role of the environment in the generation and control of behavior; see (Norman 1993) for an introduction. Work to date has focused mainly on activity within spatially and temporally localized environments such as kitchens and video games (Agre & Chapman 1987; Agre & Horswill 1992). How useful is this perspective when larger-scale activities are considered? I attempt to answer this question by considering some sues related to navigation in urban environments. is-
To Work, or Not to Work? The Immortal Tax Disincentives for Married Women

Among the most fundamental barriers to the aggressive participation of many married women in the work force are the disincentives for secondary income earners embedded in the federal tax code. Specifically, the current code contains a marriage penalty, which is aggravated by the progressive nature of taxation and any potential increases in income taxation. Meanwhile, child care expenses, a prerequisite for entry to the labor market, are treated inadequately. Although these immortal problems persist despite political pushes for relief, new attention to this topic is warranted given the Obama Administration’s pledge for tax law reform. If the principle to be prioritized is that married women should not face tax disincentives to pursue paid work, then the tax code must finally deal with these issues effectively.
Archaeology and Folklore of Material Culture, Ritual, and Everyday Life

Archaeologists often make distinctions between ritual material culture and everyday or utilitarian material culture. I examine this differentiation model for understanding the complex relationships among material culture, ritual, and everyday life. Using folklore recorded in Scotland in the seventeenth to twentieth centuries, I suggest another, continuum-based model, and suggest how this model can enrich archaeological understanding of the meanings and beliefs that form the cultural contexts for the artifacts, features, sites, and landscapes we study.
Microbial monotherapy with Prevotella histicola for patients with multiple sclerosis

Introduction: The gut microbiome helps to maintain a person's healthy state while perturbations in its function often leading to the development of inflammatory diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS). Consequently, gut-commensals which restore homeostasis have the potential to become novel therapeutic options for treating MS. MS patients have presented gut dysbiosis with a reduction in bacteria belonging to the Prevotella genus. Notably, increased levels of Prevotella are observed when disease-modifying therapies are used. Additionally, Prevotella histicola, an anaerobic bacterium derived from the human, can suppress disease in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a preclinical MS model. Areas covered: This review compares MS microbiome studies from different geographical regions to identify common gut bacteria. Literature on the potential use of P. histicola as a therapy for MS and the next steps for developing microbial monotherapies in MS is also discussed. Expert commentary: Recent findings presenting an inverse correlation between Prevotella and MS disease severity and ability of P. histicola to suppress disease in preclinical models suggest that P. histicola might provide an additional treatment option for MS patients. However, rigorous testing in well-designed control trials should be performed to determine the safety and efficacy P. histicola in MS patients.
Convolutional Neural Networks-Based Sea Ice Detection From TDS-1 Data

This paper presents a convolutional neural networks (CNNs)-based scheme for sea ice detection from TechDemoSat1 (TDS-1) delay-Doppler maps (DDMs). DDM images were employed as input and SIC data from passive microwave sensors were modified as targeted output. Two different CNNs were designed and tested with the full-size DDM data (128-by-20 pixels) and the further processed ones (40-by-20 pixels, and with fixed position in each image). The performance was also compared with the existing neural networks (NNs)-based method. It was found that when DDM data are adequately preprocessed CNNs and NNs share similar accuracy, otherwise the former outperforms the latter. Further conclusion was thus drawn that CNNs were more tolerant to the data format changes than NNs.
Ciência sucessora e a(s) epistemologia(s): saberes localizados

Resumo: O presente artigo e uma reflexao sobre a importância de uma nova forma de ciencia, bem como sobre possiveis eixos para uma ciencia feminista. Propoe-se, aqui, a substituicao de um fazer cientifico neo-positivista por um modelo de ciencia que entenda as formas de produzir saber oriundas de diferentes comunidades epistemicas, que adote a objetividade como saberes localizados e que, ao inves de incorporar o liberalismo, seja comprometido com a libertacao dos grupos subjugados. O modelo proposto tambem inclui um novo objetivo para a ciencia, que ao inves de buscar a lei universal do mundo, busque a traducao de diferentes realidades e permita uma relacao de accountability entre os sujeitos de pesquisa.
Surgical site infection associated with equine orthopedic internal fixation: 155 cases (2008–2016)

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of surgical site infection (SSI) after internal fixation and to identify risk factors for SSI and nonsurvival. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study. ANIMALS One hundred fifty-five horses with long bone fractures or arthrodesis treated by internal fixation at 1 hospital between 2008-2016. METHODS Signalment, diagnosis, surgical repair, surgeon, surgical time, antimicrobial use, SSI onset, bacterial identification, and adjunct treatments were recorded. Perioperative variables were analyzed to identify risk factors associated with outcomes. RESULTS Surgical-site infection was reported in 22 of 155 (14.2%) horses, which is lower than what has been previously reported (P = .003). Horses with fetlock arthrodesis or ulnar fracture were more likely to develop SSI. Local prophylactic antimicrobial therapy was associated with an increased risk of SSI. Horses with SSI were 12 times (P < .0001) less likely to survive to discharge than horses without SSI. Horses with a fetlock or carpal arthrodesis or those with radial/humeral/femoral fractures were less likely to survive. No association was identified between open fractures, open reduction and internal fixation, or surgical times and SSI. CONCLUSION The prevalence of SSI in this population was lower than what has been previously reported. Horses with fetlock or carpal arthrodesis or radial/humeral/femoral fractures were at increased risk for SSI and/or nonsurvival to discharge. A protective role of local antimicrobial therapy for SSI could not be established. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The impact of SSI on outcomes of cases of equine internal fixation remains substantial. Identification of cases at higher risk of SSI should influence surgical technique, postoperative management, and early intervention when SSI is suspected. Additional investigation is warranted regarding local antimicrobial therapy.
On the Road to a HIV Cure: Moving Beyond Berlin and London.

The Berlin patient, a famous example for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cure, had received a bone marrow transplantation with an HIV resistance mutation. The authors describe his case and others that had shown HIV control, like the Mississippi baby who was started on antiretroviral therapy very early after birth, and posttreatment controllers, like the VISCONTI cohort. Moreover, the authors outline various strategies, oftentimes informed by these individuals, that have been tried in vitro, in animal models, or in human trials, to deplete the latent reservoir, which is considered the basis of HIV persistence and the obstacle to cure.
Assessing and Treating Trauma in Detained Adolescents: A Pre–Post Within Subjects Evaluation

This investigation evaluated trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (T-F CBT) with detained male adolescents with serious offending behaviors. One hundred and seventeen youth with trauma symptoms participated in an average of twelve T-F CBT individual sessions. Trauma symptoms were assessed prior to and following treatment using the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) and a paired sample t-test was used to analyze changes from pre- to posttest. Trauma symptoms in five of the six scales (i.e., anger, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, dissociation) were significantly reduced following treatment. T-F CBT may be effective in reducing general trauma symptoms among detained adolescents; assessing and treating trauma symptoms are recommended as standard protocol in the juvenile justice system; and T-F CBT may be effective without caregiver participation.