cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Politics, Tradition, History: Rabbinic Judaism and the Eighteenth-Century Struggle for Civil Equality*

Sometime in the early summer of 1782, Moses Mendelssohn received word that a pamphlet, entitled Das Forschen nach Licht und Recht (The Searching for Light and Right) and signed only as “S***,” was being prepared for publication. Enunciating the concerns of an Enlightenment-minded Christian writer, this pamphlet explicitly challenged Mendelssohn to clarify two issues of public interest: his increasingly outspoken advocacy for the civil admission of Jews into Prussian society, and the future shape of Judaism within a modern tolerant state. For Mendelssohn, the impending publication of the pamphlet was disconcerting because it insisted on linking his personal religious integrity to the broader political debate over civil integration. Given that his political campaign on behalf of his coreligionists was predicated upon the removal of confessional considerations from the public realm, this particular linkage became a source of no small irritation. Mendelssohn, however, quickly determined that the challenge could not be left unanswered. Indeed, it was in response to this tract and its appended postscript that Mendelssohn penned Jerusalem, his most articulate and enduring statement on religious tolerance and political equality.
“A Fly in the Ointment”: African American Male Preservice Teachers' Experiences With Stereotype Threat in Teacher Education

This study draws from a larger phenomenological study on African American academic persistence and career aspirations in education. This article highlights three African American males’ experiences...
Heat Transfer Characteristics of Melting Ice Spheres Under Forced and Mixed Convection

An experimental investigation is conducted to characterize melting and heat transfer during convective melting of an ice sphere in horizontally flowing water. The shape changes of melting ice spheres with time at different velocities and supply temperatures of water and at different initial ice temperatures are recorded using a digital video camcorder From the recorded images, the time variations of local melting rate, local heat transfer coefficient and local Nusselt number at various angular positions are obtained. The effects of water temperature and velocity on these local parameters are analyzed and the total melting rate and average heat transfer coefficient are determined. Guided by a shape factor characterizing the particle shape variation, an empirical correlation for average Nusselt number in convective melting of a solid particle is obtained. The experimental results provide important particle-level information needed to improve the accuracy of numerical models for convective melting of a single particle or packed particles
Hazards of power supplies.

Abstract Electrophoretic power supplies which are not isolated from the power lines are an unnecessary lethal hazard. Their use should be discouraged.
Calculated scan characteristics of a large spherical reflector antenna

A previously published numerical method to calculate the radiation properties of parabolic reflectors has been modified to also include very large spherical reflectors. The method has been verified by comparing the calculated and the measured results for a 120-wavelength spherical reflector.
Recommending source code examples via API call usages and documentation

Online source code repositories contain software projects that already implement certain requirements that developers must fulfill. Programmers can reuse code from these existing projects if they can find relevant code without significant effort. We propose a new method to recommend source code examples to developers by querying against Application Programming Interface (API) calls and their documentations that are fused with structural information about the code. We conducted an empirical evaluation that suggests that our approach is lightweight and accurate.
A Power in the North? The Percies in the Fifteenth Century

M. E. James, in his writings on northern England in the fifteenth century, describes a society in which good government was dependent in Northumberland and the East Riding of Yorkshire upon the Percies, in Westmorland upon the Cliffords, in Cumberland upon the Dacres, and in Lancashire upon the Stanleys.1 The dominant individual in northern society was Henry Percy, fourth earl of Northumberland, whose influence as 'the most powerful nobleman in England'2 existed along the whole length of the border, and was based upon extensive estates in Cumberland, Northumberland, and Yorkshire.3 'The rule of law and loyalty to such a remote authority as the Crown had no deep roots.'4 It was only the change in dynasties which significantly altered the avenues of power. Henry Tudor created 'a new immediacy'5 in royal power in the north, with the consequence that contact between the court and the leading gentry families became more frequent. A Crown interest began to take shape where aristocratic influence had so far been unchallenged.6 James contends that the power of the Percy earls of Northumberland was so great that both Henry VII and Henry VIII sought 'to prune the excessive influence of the family'.7 This was begun during the lifetime of the fourth earl who, while 'a vice-regal figure in the north, holding the great offices of King's lieutenant and warden of the East and Middle Marches, was nevertheless removed by Henry VII from the rule of the West March and Berwick'.8 The first Tudor was less ready than the Plantagenets to rule the north through great families and by balancing one magnate against another. Instead, he wanted 'to make the royal presence directly felt'.9 Henry could succeed only if he had sufficient local support, which 'meant the intrusion of the royal power into the web of alliance and dependence which bound the northern gentry to the great houses'." The
Some Isonemal Fabrics on Polyhedral Surfaces

The motivation for the mathematics presented here should really be viewed as originating with the practitioners of the weaver’s craft. The catalyst that resulted in this particular effort, however, was some recent work of Branko Grunbaum and G. C. Shephard [4,5]. They have carefully analyzed certain geometric objects which represent an idealization of woven fabrics in the plane and their investigations lead, among other things, to remarkable theorems concerning the number and nature of the different kinds of what they call “isonemal”1 fabrics in the plane. They have posed many open problems. The models described and pictured here (see Plates A-E, following page 120) were the result of my investigating one of their problems. The resulting models were a joy to discover and are truly beautiful to behold, but as so frequently happens in mathematics, as the existence of the answer to the original question was unveiled other similar questions seemed to spring forth. And herein lies the major difficulty involved with presenting such embryonic material. It is tempting (and, of course, desirable in the long run) to attack the problem with a great deal of mathematical rigor and preciseness (a) because it will certainly yield to that kind of discussion and (b) because there are beautiful and psychologically satisfying results. I will choose not to do that here because I believe that it is beneficial for the reader to observe first some of the natural beauty and surprise that is felt when viewing these models for the first time (unencumbered by technical detail). My second reason is that I wish, right now, to write an article—not a book.
HOMOLOGOUS-SERUM HEPATITIS FOLLOWING THE USE OF REFRIGERATED BONE-BANK BONE

1. Homologous-serum hepatitis is a form of human hepatitis produced by the parenteral inoculation of human blood or its products containing the appropriate virus. 2. It has been estimated that as little as 1 per cent. of one cubic centimeter of contaminated blood is sufficient to introduce the disease into the recipient. Simple acupuncture has been known to transmit the disease through a contaminated needle. 3. It is reasonable to assume that the usual amount of bone used in any bone-grafting procedure will contain more than the minimum of blood required for transmission. 4. It has been shown that the properties of the offending virus allow it to survive the usual storage methods of refrigeration or immersion in merthiolate for a time well beyond that during which bank bone is routinely stored. 5. The same precautions as in selecting blood donors should be exercised in selecting bone donors. 6. Surgeons who utilize stored bone should be conversant with any newly discovered method whereby the presence of the hepatitis virus can be determined in a prospective donor of either blood or bone in any easy and practical way.
Layout and Highlighting in On-Line Information

Sixty subjects were shown online information similar to commercially marketed microcomputer software. Information content was held constant across experimental groups, while the following layout features are manipulated: multicolor and monochrome highlighting; single and two-column arrangement of text; and short, medium and long text lines. Eye movement of some subjects was monitored by an eyecamera system; and keystroke errors were monitored for other subjects. Response speed was monitored for all subjects.
Bugging the Strict Vegan

Entomophagy—eating insects—is getting a lot of attention these days. However, strict vegans are often uncomfortable with entomophagy based on some version of the precautionary principle: if you aren’t sure that a being isn’t sentient, then you should treat it as though it is. But not only do precautionary principle-based arguments against entomophagy fail, they seem to support the opposite conclusion: strict vegans ought to eat bugs.
Cell and Molecular Mechanisms of Increased Intrahepatic Resistance and Hemodynamic Correlates

The intrahepatic circulatory system consists of three major microvascular components, including: (1) the terminal portal venule (TPV) and hepatic arteriole; (2) the sinusoids (corresponding to the capillary bed); and (3) the terminal hepatic venule (THV). Each of the functional units in theory represents a putative resistance site. The major pre- and postsinusoidal components have been presumed to reflect contraction of vascular smooth muscle cells (TPV and THV). At the sinusoidal level, the major cellular components include endothelial cells and stellate cells, either of which could have a regulatory role. Dynamic changes in endothelial fenestrae have been demonstrated, and raise the possibility that sinusoidal endothelial cells could be involved in blood flow regulation (1). From an ultrastructural standpoint, stellate cells possess long and extensive cytoplasmic processes that essentially encircle many if not all sinusoidal endothelial cells (2,3). This anatomic relationship in the sinusoid suggests that stellate cells function as liver-specific pericytes (pericytes are smooth muscle-like cells that are felt to control capillary blood flow in a wide variety of tissues (4).
Development of Alkyne-Containing Pyrazolopyrimidines To Overcome Drug Resistance of Bcr-Abl Kinase

Despite the success of imatinib at inhibiting Bcr-Abl and treating chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), resistance to the therapy occurs over time in patients. In particular, the resistance to imatinib caused by the gatekeeper mutation T315I in Bcr-Abl remains a challenge in the clinic. Inspired by the successful development of ponatinib to curb drug resistance, we hypothesize that the incorporation of an alkyne linker in other heterocyclic scaffolds can also achieve potent inhibition of Bcr-Abl(T315I) by allowing for simultaneous occupancy of both the active site and the allosteric pocket in the Abl kinase domain. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and characterization of a series of alkyne-containing pyrazolopyrimidines as Bcr-Abl inhibitors. Our results demonstrate that some alkyne-containing pyrazolopyrimidines potently inhibit not only Abl(T315I) in vitro but also Bcr-Abl(T315I) in cells. These pyrazolopyrimidines can serve as lead compounds for future development of novel targeted therapy to overcome drug resistance of CML.
Neck Circumference-Height Ratio as a Predictor of Sleep Related Breathing Disorder in Children and Adults

Study Objectives:While neck circumference (NC) is a useful predictor of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults, childhood OSA is difficult to predict clinically. We utilized the neck circumference...
Attenuation of Pulmonary Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Adenosine A2B Receptor Antagonism.

Background Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major source of morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation. We previously demonstrated a proinflammatory role of adenosine A 2B receptor (A 2B R) in lung IR injury. The current study tests the hypothesis that A 2B R antagonism is protective of ischemic lungs after in vivo reperfusion or ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP). Methods Mice underwent lung IR with or without administration of ATL802, a selective A 2B R antagonist. A murine model of EVLP was also used to evaluate rehabilitation of donation after circulatory death (DCD) lungs. DCD lungs underwent ischemia, cold preservation, and EVLP with Steen solution with or without ATL802. A549 human type 2 alveolar epithelial cells were exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) (3 hours/1 hour) with or without ATL802 treatment. Cytokines were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and culture media by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Results After IR, ATL802 treatment significantly improved lung function (increased pulmonary compliance and reduced airway resistance and pulmonary artery pressure) and significantly attenuated proinflammatory cytokine production, neutrophil infiltration, vascular permeability, and edema. ATL802 also significantly improved the function of DCD lungs after EVLP (increased compliance and reduced pulmonary artery pressure). After HR, A549 cells exhibited robust production of interleukin (IL)-8, a potent neutrophil chemokine, which was significantly attenuated by ATL802. Conclusions These results demonstrate that A 2B R antagonism attenuates lung IRI and augments reconditioning of DCD lungs by EVLP. The protective effects of ATL802 may involve targeting A 2B Rs on alveolar epithelial cells to prevent IL-8 production. A 2B R may be a novel therapeutic target for mitigating IRI to increase the success of lung transplantation.
An Improved Harris Corner Detection Method Based on FPGA

A method for applying FPGA to realize the Harris corner extraction is proposed,aiming to overcome its slow process rate in video analysis system based on corner feature,and by taking full account of the FPGA processors structure and Harris corner detection algorithm theory,the algorithm is further improved,and finally simulated.The simulation result shows that the novel algorithm could raise the real-time performance of the system under the conditions of ensuring the completeness and accuracy of corner extraction,and at the same time greatly simplify the system structure and reduce the overhead of system hardware resource.This novel algorithm is very easy in implementation and of fairly strong practical value.
A Critique of Ryberg's “The Argument from Overpopulation”

This article refutes an essay in which Ryberg rejects the notion that a definition of overpopulation can be used to justify population-reducing policies. Because Rybergs arguments fail to refer to the support capacity of environments they impede development of solutions to overpopulation which is the root of human suffering. Rybergs argument distinguishes moral from factual claims and holds that empirical evidence cannot refute ethical judgments. Ryberg is able to conclude that overpopulation is simply a matter of definition because he assumes that ethics is a logical nonempirical discipline. Because Ryberg labels as normative the statements that the earth is overpopulated and that population size ought to be reduced he mistakenly believes the problem to be whether overpopulation entails population-reducing policies. However the statement that the earth is overpopulated is factual not normative. At the moment overpopulated areas are "kept afloat" by surpluses from underpopulated areas. Natural resources are finite and per capita quotas decrease as population increases. Most industrialized nations vastly exceed the carrying capacity of their national boundaries and this carrying capacity is also an empirical fact. Because the quantity of material resources at any given time is fixed the ability of humans to limit population size and consumption to sustainable levels will determine our moral options.
CDI Systems Are Stably Maintained by a Cell-Contact Mediated Surveillance Mechanism

Contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) systems are widespread amongst Gram-negative bacteria where they play important roles in inter-cellular competition and biofilm formation. CDI+ bacteria use cell-surface CdiA proteins to bind neighboring bacteria and deliver C-terminal toxin domains. CDI+ cells also express CdiI immunity proteins that specifically neutralize toxins delivered from adjacent siblings. Genomic analyses indicate that cdi loci are commonly found on plasmids and genomic islands, suggesting that these Type 5 secretion systems are spread through horizontal gene transfer. Here, we examine whether CDI toxin and immunity activities serve to stabilize mobile genetic elements using a minimal F plasmid that fails to partition properly during cell division. This F plasmid is lost from Escherichia coli populations within 50 cell generations, but is maintained in ~60% of the cells after 100 generations when the plasmid carries the cdi gene cluster from E. coli strain EC93. By contrast, the ccdAB "plasmid addiction" module normally found on F exerts only a modest stabilizing effect. cdi-dependent plasmid stabilization requires the BamA receptor for CdiA, suggesting that plasmid-free daughter cells are inhibited by siblings that retain the CDI+ plasmid. In support of this model, the CDI+ F plasmid is lost rapidly from cells that carry an additional cdiI immunity gene on a separate plasmid. These results indicate that plasmid stabilization occurs through elimination of non-immune cells arising in the population via plasmid loss. Thus, genetic stabilization reflects a strong selection for immunity to CDI. After long-term passage for more than 300 generations, CDI+ plasmids acquire mutations that increase copy number and result in 100% carriage in the population. Together, these results show that CDI stabilizes genetic elements through a toxin-mediated surveillance mechanism in which cells that lose the CDI system are detected and eliminated by their siblings.
Asymptotic behaviour of solutions to the Korteweg-deVries-Burgers system

Abstract We consider the large time behaviour of solutions ot the Korteweg-deVries-Burgers system of equations to obtain lower and upper bounds for the rates of decay of the solution. These decay rates extend the work of Amick et al. [1], where the scalar case was considered and that of Zhang Linghai [8]. An important tool in the analysis is the so called Fourier Splitting method developed by M. E. Schonbek for obtaining algebraic upper bounds for the solution to the system of parabolic conservation laws. This tool was later used to establish algebraic upper and lower bounds for the Navier Stokes and Magneto Hydrodynamic equations. The lower bounds show that in the far field the behaviour of the solutions to the KdVB system and those of the heat system are very different. This behaviour is believed to be due to the nonlinearity and not to the dispersive nature of the equation, since such behaviour is also present in non-dispersive systems like the Navier-Stokes and the Magneto-Hydrodynamic equations.
The Application of Gas-Lubricated Bearings to a Miniature Helium Expansion Turbine

In the production of refrigeration at liquid-helium temperatures, the use of an expansion engine or turbine eliminates the need for liquid-hydrogen precooling which would otherwise be required to precool helium below the inversion point prior to expansion through a valve. The extra complication introduced by the expander is usually justified by the elimination of the explosion and fire hazard associated with liquid hydrogen. In small machines it is customary to use an expansion engine because of the high speeds required of a turbine expander. These high turbine speeds are beyond the speed and life limits of conventional rolling element bearings. However, this limitation does not apply to gas-lubricated bearings. In a properly designed gas bearing the shaft can be maintained in a position of stable equilibrium so that it never touches the surface of the bearing. Thus, there is no rubbing friction and no wear; consequently, the bearing life should be indefinite and only the strength of the material limits the speed of a shaft supported on gas-lubricated bearings.
Comparison of Reading Levels of Pharmacy Students and Reading Level of Primary Literature

Objectives: The project purpose was to evaluate pharmacy students’ reading levels using the Nelson-Denney Reading Test (NDRT) and compare these results with the reading level of primary literature to investigate incongruities between student’s comprehension ability and the readability level of assigned reading in the curriculum. Methods: The NDRT was administered to first- through third-year student pharmacists to determine grade equivalents (GE) for vocabulary and reading comprehension. Twenty articles previously identified as Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters (POEMs) were analyzed to determine the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Gunning-Fog Score. Student demographics, information regarding language spoken, and reading habits, were also assessed. Pearson product moment correlations, t-tests, ANOVA, and descriptive statistics were used to assess relationships between demographic data and NDRT scores. Results: One hundred students participated. The mean NDRT total grade equivalent (±SD) was 16.95 ± 2.1 (median = 17.3). NDRT grade equivalents were statistically different for students with different racial or ethnic backgrounds (t(98)=3.74, p=0.026), English as a second language (ESL) students (t(98)=5.19, p=0.021), and students that read works of fiction for pleasure (t(98)=4.31, p=0.002). The average Gunning-Fog Score for all primary literature articles was 11.48, with the introduction section being the most complex. The average Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level was 17.04, with the results section scoring the lowest average grade level. Implications: While the overall reading grade level of our pharmacy students suggests that they are capable of comprehending reading assigned in the pharmacy curriculum, minority students and students for whom English is a second language may struggle with comprehending complex text. Conflict of Interest We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received), employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties. Type: Original Research
Understanding Users: The Extensions of Expectant Systems

This paper provides an ethnographic understanding of users in the Persian blogosphere through the framework of the carnivalesque. The repertoire of concepts provided by the carnivalesque draws attention to (1) the significance of the material, (2) the dynamic, transforming nature of things, and (3) the possibility of upsetting hierarchies. Drawing upon these insights, ethnographic evidence in this paper suggests that in the Persian blogosphere the material expression of thoughts at times precedes thoughts themselves. The same thoughts may then in turn be used by bloggers in transforming selves. The materiality of the tools bloggers use also contributes to self-fashioning in the Persian blogosphere as the formal properties of blogging services turn users into the instruments of their functionality. Blogs in this sense are expectant systems that demand specific intervention from users so they can function. As such, this paper in the tradition of the carnivalesque playfully turns McLuhan's famous formulation of media as the “extension of man” on its head by arguing that users can likewise be understood as extensions of expectant systems.
Detecting student emotions in computer-enabled classrooms

Affect detection is a key component of intelligent educational interfaces that can respond to the affective states of students. We use computer vision, learning analytics, and machine learning to detect students' affect in the real-world environment of a school computer lab that contained as many as thirty students at a time. Students moved around, gestured, and talked to each other, making the task quite difficult. Despite these challenges, we were moderately successful at detecting boredom, confusion, delight, frustration, and engaged concentration in a manner that generalized across students, time, and demographics. Our model was applicable 98% of the time despite operating on noisy real-world data.
Thermostatistics of small nonlinear systems: Poissonian athermal bath

We extend an earlier study [W. A. M. Morgado and S. M. Duarte Queiros, Phys. Rev. E 90, 022110 (2014)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.90.022110] to the case of a small system subject to nonlinear interaction and in contact with an athermal shot-noise reservoir. We first focus on steady state properties, namely, on the impact of the singular measure of the reservoir in the steady state energy. We introduce the concept of temperatures of higher order, which aim to represent the effect produced by the cumulants of the noise of order larger than 2 in the form of sources of energy of higher order and new response functions such as high-order specific heats that zero out when the system is thermal or linear. Afterwards, we study the effect of the nature of the noise in the heat and energy fluxes and determine asymptotic expressions for its large deviation functions. Finally, by analyzing the probabilistics of the injected power, we verify that the exponential form of its fluctuation relation is only asymptotically valid, whereas in the thermal case it is valid for the injected power at all times.
Diaphragmatic eventration presenting as a recurrent diaphragmatic hernia

Diaphragmatic eventration is an uncommon condition, usually discovered incidentally in asymptomatic patients. Even in symptomatic patients, the diagnosis can be challenging and should be considered among the differential diagnoses of diaphragmatic hernia. The correct diagnosis can often only be made in surgery. We describe the case of a 31-year-old patient with diaphragmatic eventration that was misdiagnosed as a recurrent congenital diaphragmatic hernia and review the corresponding literature.
Genetic Transformation in Arachis hypogaea L. (Peanut)

Peanut or groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important food and oil legume crop grown in the warmer areas of all six continents. Commercial production occurs primarily in India, China, the United States, and Africa, as well as in South America, where peanut is believed to have originated. In the United States, peanut represents a total economic output across peanut related industries of approximately 6 billion dollars (Ozias-Akins et al. 1993). Production can be severely limited by a number of diseases caused by virus (peanut stripe, tomato spotted wilt) and fungi (leaf spots: Cerospora arachidicola, Cerosporidium personatum; rust: Puccinia arachidis; white mold: Sclerotium rolfsii), as well as insect damage. Substantial losses occur due to boring and pod damage caused by Lesser Cornstalk Borer (R. Lynch, pers. commun.). Perhaps the most pressing challenge to the peanut industry is the susceptibility of seeds to the toxigenic fungus Aspergillusflavis or parasiticus, which invades peanut seeds, particularly those exposed to improper storage and conditions and/or mechanical damage, to produce aflatoxins, which are potent carcinogenic metabolites.
Metabolic Aspects of Hernia Disease

Modern herniology began during the golden age of anatomy (1750–1850), the underlying assumption then being that the tissues lining the various abdominal defects were normal and would stay that way. Causation was attributed to a mechanical disparity between visceral pressure and the resistance of the musculature. Cooper1 (1804) not only described the transversalis fascia and its role in preventing groin herniation, but listed factors which increase intra-abdominal pressure: cough, obesity, constipation, pregnancy, ascites, and unusual exertion such as heavy lifting. The strength of the abdominal wall was considered to be diminished by congenital deficiency, debility, or aging. Rupture of the peritoneum or abdominal musculature (Galen)la was disproved as a significant factor by dissection and the fact that trauma, unless massive, did not result in herniation.
Seref Turen Performance and Risk Analysis of Islamic Banks: The Case of Bahrain Islamic Bank

I have some general as well as specific comments on this paper. My general comments are concerned with the paper’s overall theme and its conclusion while my specific remarks encompass my views on its methodology and the data. Let me begin with my general comments. For an objective comparison of the performance of two or more economic institutions it is essential that one identifies samples from the two populations on the basis of a similar set of economic, legal, institutional and operational criteria. In my judgement the Islamic and the Western type of financial institution are quite different. Therefore, their performance outcomes are not quite comparable. I feel this way primarily because in performing of the two significantly important banking functions namely, raising and lending capital as well as many other operational characteristics, Islamic and Western banks represent two distinct and very different types of financial organizations. The author has also recognized the distinction between the two in the following statement “The risk level of an Islamic bank is the combined effect of the three new statues governing the operation of the institutions, namely deposit holders are replaced by equity holders, interest payments to depositors are converted into profit and loss sharing and loans to customers are transformed into capital participation ” (p. 12).
Trans-retinal cellular imaging with multimodal adaptive optics

Adaptive optics (AO), when coupled to different imaging modalities, has enabled resolution of various cell types across the entire retinal depth in the living human eye. Extraction of information from retinal cells is optimal when their optical properties, structure, and physiology are matched to the unique capabilities of each imaging modality. Despite the earlier success of multimodal AO (mAO) approaches, the full capabilities of the individual imaging modalities were often diminished rather than enhanced when integrated into multimodal platforms. Furthermore, many mAO designs added unnecessary complexity, making clinical translation difficult. In this study, we present a novel mAO system that combines two complementary approaches, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), in one instrument using a simplified optical design, flexible alternation of scanning modes, and independent focus control. The mAO system imaging performance was demonstrated by visualization of cells in their mosaic arrangement across the full depth of the retina in three human subjects, including microglia, nerve fiber bundles, retinal ganglion cells and axons, and capillaries in the inner retina and foveal cones, peripheral rods, and retinal pigment epithelial cells in the outer retina. Multimodal AO is a powerful tool to capture the most complete picture of retinal health.
Stigmatizing attitudes toward persons with psoriasis among laypersons and medical students

Background Perceived stigma among patients with psoriasis contributes to poor quality of life. Objective To determine the prevalence and predictors of stigmatizing attitudes toward persons with psoriasis among laypersons and medical trainees. Methods Laypersons were recruited from Amazon.com's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) (n = 198). Additionally, 187 medical students were recruited via e-mail. Participants completed an online survey in which they viewed images of persons with visible psoriasis. Participants reported their desire to socially avoid the persons in the images, their emotional responses to the persons in the images, and their endorsement of psoriasis-related stereotypes and myths. Results MTurk participants endorsed social avoidance items such as not wanting to shake hands with (39.4%) or have the persons in the images in their home (32.3%). Participants stereotyped persons with psoriasis as contagious (27.3%) and endorsed the myth that psoriasis is not a serious disease (26.8%). Linear regression analyses showed that having heard of or knowing someone with psoriasis predicted fewer stigmatizing attitudes (P Limitations Self-report, single-institution study. Conclusion Stigmatizing views of persons with psoriasis are prevalent among people in the United States. Educational campaigns for the public and medical trainees may reduce stigma toward persons with psoriasis.
Determining the Number of Latent Factors in Statistical Multi-Relational Learning

Statistical relational learning is primarily concerned with learning and inferring relationships between entities in large-scale knowledge graphs. Nickel et al. (2011) proposed a RESCAL tensor factorization model for statistical relational learning, which achieves better or at least comparable results on common benchmark data sets when compared to other state-of-the-art methods. Given a positive integer s, RESCAL computes an s-dimensional latent vector for each entity. The latent factors can be further used for solving relational learning tasks, such as collective classification, collective entity resolution and link-based clustering. The focus of this paper is to determine the number of latent factors in the RESCAL model. Due to the structure of the RESCAL model, its log-likelihood function is not concave. As a result, the corresponding maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) may not be consistent. Nonetheless, we design a specific pseudometric, prove the consistency of the MLEs under this pseudometric and establish its rate of convergence. Based on these results, we propose a general class of information criteria and prove their model selection consistencies when the number of relations is either bounded or diverges at a proper rate of the number of entities. Simulations and real data examples show that our proposed information criteria have good finite sample properties.
A randomized trial comparing the efficacy and safety of treating patients with type 2 diabetes and highly elevated HbA1c levels with basal-bolus insulin or a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist plus basal insulin: The SIMPLE study.

Aim To compare the efficacy and safety of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP1RA) plus basal insulin versus basal-bolus insulin treatment in patients with very uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods The SIMPLE study was a 6-month pragmatic, randomized, open-label trial testing the effectiveness of two approaches to treat patients with type 2 diabetes and HbA1c ≥10%. We randomized patients to detemir plus liraglutide or detemir plus aspart (before each meal). The primary endpoint was change in HbA1c; changes in body weight, insulin dose, hypoglycaemia and diabetes-related quality-of-life were secondary outcomes. Results We randomized 120 participants aged 47.4 ± 9.5 years, Hispanic 40%, African American 42%, diabetes duration 10 [25th-75th percentile (6 to 15)] years, body mass index 37.2 ± 10.3 kg/m2 . HbA1c decreased more with GLP1RA plus basal insulin [12.2% (95% CI 11.8% to 12.6%) to 8.1% (95% CI 7.4% to 8.7%)] compared with basal-bolus insulin [11.8% (95% CI 11.5% to 12.2%) to 8.8% (95% CI 88.1% to 9.55%)]; estimated treatment difference (ETD) of -1.1% (95% CI -2.0% to -0.1%) (non-inferiority margin 0.4% and P = .0001, superiority P = .026). Compared with basal-bolus insulin, treatment with GLP1RA plus basal insulin led to a body weight ETD of -3.7 kg (95% CI -5.8 to -1.5; P = .001), fewer patients experiencing hypoglycaemia [66.1% vs 35.2% (P = .002)], and greater improvements in general/current health perception, treatment satisfaction, and fear of hypoglycaemia, while taking a lower total daily dose of insulin [estimated treatment ratio 0.68 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.84)]. Conclusions In patients with HbA1c ≥10% treatment with GLP1RA plus basal insulin, compared with basal-bolus insulin, resulted in better glycaemic control and body weight, lower insulin dosage and hypoglycaemia, and improved quality of life. This treatment strategy is an effective and safe alternative to a basal-bolus insulin regimen.
Morbidity and mortality in a national cohort of pediatric patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

10062Background: Despite significant advances in diagnosing and treating hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in the pediatric population, survival remains low and the extent of disease morbidi...
Neurotoxic astrocytes express the D-serine synthesizing enzyme, serine racemase, in Alzheimer's disease

Although β-amyloid plaques are a well-recognized hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology, no drugs reducing amyloid burden have shown efficacy in clinical trials, suggesting that once AD symptoms emerge, disease progression becomes independent of Aβ production. Reactive astrocytes are another neuropathological feature of AD, where there is an emergence of neurotoxic (A1) reactive astrocytes. We find that serine racemase (SR), the neuronal enzyme that produces the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) co-agonist d-serine, is robustly expressed in A1-reactive neurotoxic astrocytes in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex of AD subjects and an AD rat model. Furthermore, we observe intracellular signaling changes consistent with increased extra-synaptic NMDAR activation, excitotoxicity and decreased neuronal survival. Thus, reducing neurotoxic d-serine release from A1 inflammatory astrocytes could have therapeutic benefit for mild to advanced AD, when anti-amyloid strategies are ineffective.
Developing Smart Supply Chain Management Systems Using Google Trend’s Search Data: A Case Study

Future manufacturing companies require smarter solutions to compete in the economy. Smart supply chain management systems are one of the most effective solutions. Use of previous information can help companies to predict the demands of the market and react in an agile manner to sudden changes. Google receives over 63,000 searches per second on any given day. This huge amount of data provides us with the opportunities to investigate researches in multiple subjects and extract useful information from the raw data that is available through Google Trend. In this research, we investigate the possible relationships between searches that are made in Google for two manufacturing capability terms, namely, Precision Machining (PM) and Electric Discharge Machining (EDM). Time-series oriented research is conducted on these two datasets in order to find the dynamics characteristics as well as interesting hidden relationships between these two search items to help us build a smarter supply chain management system. Two different methods namely ARMA and ARMAV models are be applied to fit a representative model to these datasets. The order of the both models are evaluated based on AIC statistic. In addition, multiple seasonal trends are detected in the datasets. Finally, Using ARMA model, we predict the datasets for one-step ahead in order to validate our models. Recognition of seasonalities and correlations between two datasets could lead to better prediction and smarter supply chain creation and management.
Diurnal Effects of Regional Soil Moisture Anomalies on the Great Plains Low-Level Jet

AbstractThe Great Plains (GP) low-level jet (GPLLJ) contributes to GP warm season water resources (precipitation), wind resources, and severe weather outbreaks. Past research has shown that synopti...
Evangelical Devotionals and Bible Studies of The Pilgrim’s Progress: Fidelity or Bibliolatry?:

I examine contemporary evangelical Bible studies and devotionals devoted to John Bunyan’s 1678 spiritual classic The Pilgrim’s Progress. Focusing on treatments of Bunyan’s Vanity Fair sequence, I a...
Making It Up As He Goes: Trump’s Improvisational Rhetoric and the Hyper-Rhetorical Presidency

Trump disregards the norms of presidential communication by regularly speaking or tweeting off-the-cuff with seemingly little forethought or editorial input. As White House administrations institutionalized presidential speechwriting and strategic communications over the past century, meticulously-crafted rhetoric became the norm. Trump’s improvisational rhetoric is the antithesis of the highly-professionalized, disciplined approach to political communication we have come to expect from the presidency. This essay takes the position that his reliance on improvisational rhetoric is more than a matter of communication; it is a matter of governance. Trump regularly uses improvised communication to make important policy decisions. In doing so, the president conflates rhetoric and governance, presenting his personal decisions to tweet or speak as policy actions taken by the United States government. It is tempting to discount the president’s propensity for policy-oriented improvisational rhetoric as a Trump-specific phenomenon that will exit the White House with him. However, the tendency to collapse the distinction between rhetoric and governing is not anomalous feature of the modern presidency. To illuminate the dynamics that have long normalized the “not normal," this essay develops the construct of the “hyper-rhetorical presidency” by outlining four theses that situate presidential rhetoric within the broader landscape of contemporary American politics. Taken together, these dynamics contextualize and explain Trump’s reliance on improvisational rhetoric as a reflection of an increasingly distorted political order and dysfunctional system of governance.
Artificial intelligence and the interplay between tumor and immunity

Abstract Digital pathology image analysis and deep learning can be utilized to quantify and characterize nuanced interactions between cancer and the immune system. Recent advances in deep learning and artificial intelligence in Pathomics data have led to the development of methods and techniques that augment and empower qualitative traditional diagnostic histopathologic evaluation in order to substantially accelerate cancer research. Emerging digital pathology and deep learning applications can (1) stratify patient management through data-driven insights into cancer, (2) identify relevant biomarkers to predict clinical outcomes and treatment response, (3) enhance our collective understanding of cancer biology to motivate the utilization of novel therapeutic approaches. This chapter introduces and describes a selected set of novel Pathomics-based deep learning methods that have been developed to classify and reproducibly quantify the interplay between tumor cells and the immune response in the tumor microenvironment.
Bioinspired robotic exoskeleton for endotracheal intubation

Abstract Airway management is a priority to any caregiver in a trauma scenario. The current clinical gold standard for airway securement is endotracheal intubation (ETI), which involves placement of an endotracheal tube into patient tracheas and pneumatically expanding a cuff for securement. Incorrect performance of this delicate and complex procedure poses significant risks to patients, as excessive force and leverage during insertion can damage sensitive airway tissues, especially when performed by less-skilled providers or executed in difficult airway situations. The present study investigated the development of a bioinspired mechanical platform termed the Digital Extenders, which is capable of augmenting a provider’s reach for ETI. A prototype that could apply an output force of at least 20 N was designed for comparative analysis versus current clinical approaches. Performance analysis studies utilized an innovative instrumented mannequin model to compare force employed during intubation with the Digital Extenders versus direct laryngoscopy and digital intubation. Resulting data showed that there is an important reduction in applied force at the base of the tongue using the novel Digital Extenders platform; such a reduction of applied force is important in enabling the provider to secure the airway, causing less trauma to the patient. In addition, the use of the Digital Extender protects the provider’s digits from patient bite reactions typical from intubation when the patient is not sufficiently sedated. These study results motivate continued development of the Digital Extenders as a less traumatic approach to ETI. Future consideration may investigate challenges in mannequins’ biomimicry of physiological properties.
Hydrogen Peroxide Production by Streptococcus pneumoniae Results in Alpha-hemolysis by Oxidation of Oxy-hemoglobin to Met-hemoglobin.

ABSTRACT Streptococcus pneumoniae and other streptococci produce a greenish halo on blood agar plates referred to as alpha-hemolysis. This phenotype is utilized by clinical microbiology laboratories to report culture findings of alpha-hemolytic streptococci, including S. pneumoniae, and other bacteria. The alpha-hemolysis halo on blood agar plates has been related to the hemolytic activity of pneumococcal pneumolysin (Ply) or, to a lesser extent, to lysis of erythrocytes by S. pneumoniae-produced hydrogen peroxide. We investigated the molecular basis of the alpha-hemolysis halo produced by S. pneumoniae. Wild-type strains TIGR4, D39, R6, and EF3030 and isogenic derivative Δply mutants produced similar alpha-hemolytic halos on blood agar plates, while cultures of hydrogen peroxide knockout ΔspxB ΔlctO mutants lacked this characteristic halo. Moreover, in the presence of catalase, the alpha-hemolysis halo was absent in cultures of the wild-type (wt) and Δply mutant strains. Spectroscopic studies demonstrated that culture supernatants of TIGR4 released hemoglobin-bound heme (heme-hemoglobin) from erythrocytes and oxidized oxy-hemoglobin to met-hemoglobin within 30 min of incubation. As expected, given Ply hemolytic activity and that hydrogen peroxide contributes to the release of Ply, TIGR4Δply and ΔspxB ΔlctO isogenic mutants had significantly decreased release of heme-hemoglobin from erythrocytes. However, TIGR4Δply that produces hydrogen peroxide oxidized oxy-hemoglobin to met-hemoglobin, whereas TIGR4ΔspxB ΔlctO failed to produce oxidation of oxy-hemoglobin. Studies conducted with all other wt strains and isogenic mutants resulted in similar findings. We demonstrated that the so-called alpha-hemolysis halo is caused by the oxidation of oxy-hemoglobin (Fe+2) to a non-oxygen-binding met-hemoglobin (Fe+3) by S. pneumoniae-produced hydrogen peroxide. IMPORTANCE There is a misconception that alpha-hemolysis observed on blood agar plate cultures of Streptococcus pneumoniae and other alpha-hemolytic streptococci is produced by a hemolysin or, alternatively, by lysis of erythrocytes caused by hydrogen peroxide. We noticed in the course of our investigations that wild-type S. pneumoniae strains and hemolysin (e.g., pneumolysin) knockout mutants produced the alpha-hemolytic halo on blood agar plates. In contrast, hydrogen peroxide-defective mutants prepared in four different strains lacked the characteristic alpha-hemolysis halo. We also demonstrated that wild-type strains and pneumolysin mutants oxidized oxy-hemoglobin to met-hemoglobin. Hydrogen peroxide knockout mutants, however, failed to oxidize oxy-hemoglobin. Therefore, the greenish halo formed on cultures of S. pneumoniae and other so-called alpha-hemolytic streptococci is caused by the oxidation of oxy-hemoglobin produced by hydrogen peroxide. Oxidation of oxy-hemoglobin to the nonbinding oxygen form, met-hemoglobin, might occur in the lungs during pneumococcal pneumonia.