cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of the Candida albicans morphogenesis regulator gene CZF1 and its regulation by Efg1p and Czf1p.

ABSTRACT The ability of Candida albicans to transit between different cellular morphologies is believed to be important for virulence. Morphological transitions occur in response to a variety of environmental signals. One such signal is encountered when cells are grown in a semisolid matrix. An important regulator of cellular morphology is the putative transcription factor CZF1. Here we demonstrate that transcription of CZF1 is responsive to growth parameters such as the temperature, carbon source, growth phase of cells, and the physical environment. In wild-type cells, a CZF1 transcript of about 4 kb was expressed when cells were grown embedded in semisolid agar medium, as well as in late exponential phase when cells were grown in liquid medium. Deletion of EFG1, a key regulator of morphogenesis, abolished CZF1 expression. Overexpression of CZF1 revealed that this gene also autoregulates its expression. Efg1p and Czf1p were shown by chromatin immunoprecipitation to act by binding to the promoter of CZF1. The coupling of environmental cues to the expression of a morphogenetic transcription factor may allow C. albicans to coordinate morphogenesis in response to specific conditions encountered in the human host.
Nesting Biology of Two Communal Bees, Euglossa imperialis and Euglossa ignita (Hymenoptera: Apidae), including Description of Larvae

The nesting biology of Euglossa (Glossura) ignita chlorosoma Cockerell and E. (G.) imperialis Cockerell is described. Both species build nests inhabited by several adult females. The cells are aggregated in a single cluster, similar in arrangement to those of a bumblebee nest. Despite superficial similarities to the social organization of bumblebee colonies, it is concluded that the nonreproductive worker caste essential to sociality is lacking in the species studied and may be absent in all of the Euglossini. Some possible reasons for the absence of sociality are given. The larvae are described and compared with those of the subgenus Euglossa and the closely related genus Euplusia .
Flexure-based Manipulator for Active Handheld Microsurgical Instrument

This paper presents the design and initial experimental results of a flexure-based parallel manipulator that is actuated by three piezoelectric stacks. The manipulator is for an active handheld tremor canceling device for microsurgery. By using flexures to approximate pin and ball joints, errors due to friction, backlash, and imperfect assemblies have been eliminated. The results show that the manipulator is capable of tracking motions similar to physiological tremor in amplitude and frequency. The workspace of the manipulator is more than 7 times larger than the tremor space in the x and y axes, and about 1.5 times larger in the z axis. One dimensional and three dimensional tracking tests had rms errors of 6.5 mum and 12.1 mum respectively
Adsorption of hydroxy-Al polycations and destabilization of illite and montmorillonite suspensions

Water-infiltration characteristics of soil can be improved by preventing clay dispersion. The present study determined the adsorption properties of hydroxy-Al polycations (Al-p) and their relation to the destabilization of clay suspensions. Al-p was synthesized and fractionated into nominal molecular weights between 104 and 5 × 104. The reactions of Al-p with Na-illite and Na-montmorillonite indicated a very strong affinity of Al-p to the clay surfaces. The maximum adsorptions of Al-p by Na-illite and Na-montmorillonite were found to be 0.37 and 1.7 mmole Al/g, and very close to the cation-exchange capacity of the two clays, suggesting that the adsorption was chiefly controlled by the mechanism of charge screening. Adsorption of Al-p increased the points of zero charge (PZCs) and the apparent points of zero salt effect (PZSEs) of illite and montmorillonite. PZSEs for both clays were 4.7 at their maximum Al-p adsorption, and PZCs ranged from 5.3 to 6.4, depending on solution ionic strength and the individual clay minerals. The differences in PZCs were probably due to outer-sphere complex formation between Al-p-treated illite and montmorillonite and the swamping electrolyte. Critical flocculation concentrations (CFCs) of Al-p for Na-illite and Na-montmorillonite were at 0.28 and 1.0 mmole Al/g, whereas zero electrophoretic mobilities were at about 0.36 and 1.67 mmole Al/g Al-p additions. Excessive addition of Al-p reversed this surface charge of clay colloids and restabilized the illite but not montmorillonite suspensions. This difference was probably due to the stronger and more extensive interparticle bridging of montmorillonite particles by Al-p than those of illite. The CFCs for the two clays were also found to be dependent on sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), pH, and ionic strength. Increases in SAR and pH significantly increased the CFC, whereas an increase in ionic strength decreased the CFC.
Who Adopts Total Quality Management (TQM): Theory and An Empirical Test

The recent emergence of total quality management (TQM) in the U.S. has spawned a great deal of interest in management circles as well as in the mass media. However, despite the growing number of firms that have adopted this management technique, few formal tests exist concerning the pattern of adoption as well as the changes that accompany the adoption of TQM. This paper contrasts models of production for TQM and non-TQM firms in order to explore reasons why some firms but not others have adopted the TQM approach to quality improvement. Predictions arising from such a comparison are tested using a unique data set that combines data on firms from three different sources. Our findings tend to support the proposed theory of systematic differences between firms that find it advantageous to adopt TQM and firms that do not. We also find evidence that firms adopting TQM experience greater growth in sales, employment, and capital stock.
Delay in Diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract Background Spinal muscular atrophy is a rare genetic disease with devastating neurodegenerative consequences. Timing of diagnosis is crucial for spinal muscular atrophy because early diagnosis may lead to early supportive care and reduction in patient and caregiver stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the published literature for diagnostic delay in spinal muscular atrophy. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed and Web of Science databases for studies published between 2000 and 2014 that listed any type of spinal muscular atrophy and without molecular, mouse, or pathology in the keywords. Mean and/or median age of onset and diagnosis and delay in diagnosis was extracted or calculated. All estimates were weighted by the number of patients and descriptive statistics are reported. Results A total of 21 studies were included in the final analysis. The weighted mean (standard deviation) ages of onset were 2.5 (0.6), 8.3 (1.6), and 39.0 (32.6) months for spinal muscular atrophy types I, II, and III, respectively, and the weighted mean (standard deviation) ages of confirmed spinal muscular atrophy genetic diagnosis were 6.3 (2.2), 20.7 (2.6), and 50.3 (12.9) months, respectively, for types I, II, and III. For studies reporting both age of onset and diagnosis, the weighted diagnostic delay was 3.6, 14.3, and 43.6 months for types I, II, and III, respectively. Conclusions Diagnostic delay is common in spinal muscular atrophy. The length of delay varied by severity (type) of spinal muscular atrophy. Further studies evaluating this delay and tools such as newborn screening are warranted to end the diagnostic delay in spinal muscular atrophy.
Existence and Formation Mechanism of the North Hawaiian Ridge Current

Available surface drifter data are analyzed to determine the characteristics of the North Hawaiian Ridge Current (NHRC) and its relation to the ocean circulation around the Hawaiian waters. The NHRC is found to exist as a mean entity along the coasts of the Hawaiian Islands. It originates as a northern branch of westward moving interior flow and flows coherently along the islands at an average speed of 0.10‐0.15 m s 21. The NHRC veers westward at the northern tip of the Hawaiian Islands, and its subsequent path is not influenced by the presence of the submerged Hawaiian Ridge. This finding does not support the theory that the NHRC is forced by westward propagating, baroclinic Rossby waves reflecting off the Hawaiian Ridge. Using a 2 ‰-layer reduced gravity model of the North Pacific, it is shown that the mean NHRC is due primarily to the mean rather than the time-varying wind forcing. The NHRC exists due to the imbalance between the interior Sverdrup transport and the net southward transport, constrained by the presence of the Hawaiian Islands. The path and transport of the observed NHRC are found to be consistent with the flow pattern proposed by this theory.
The Evolution of Global Politics

The rise and decline of world powers has attracted much scholarly attention in recent years. The theory of long cycles answers parsimoniously the question: why, in the past half millenium, have Portugal, the Dutch Republic, Britain (twice), and the United States risen to global leadership while others have failed to do so? This accounts for the success, or failure, of individual states, but to explain the entire sequence we need to employ an evolutionary paradigm that proposes that each of these long cycles is one mechanism in a spectrum of global evolutionary processes. The leadership succession is an intermediate stage in the evolution og global politics, whose next likely major phase, reaching a high point later in the 21st century, will be the gradual absorption of the informal role of global leadership, when embedded in a democratic community, into a network of more formal positions within an emerging global organization of a federalist character. The conditions of that process can now be specified.
Comparing RSRP, CQI, and SINR measurements with predictions for coordinated and uncoordinated LTE small cell networks

This paper presents results from the first measurements comparing the coverage and coverage quality of a network of coordinated LTE small cell radio points compared to a cluster of independent standalone LTE small cells. The measurements are compared to theoretical predictions and show that the coordinated small cell provides significant improvement in the overall quality of LTE coverage as measured by RSRP, SINR, CQI and MCS. The indoor measurements described in this paper were made with a new autonomous robotic system designed for making indoor wireless coverage measurements.
Base-Free Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones Using Cp*Ir(pyridinesulfonamide)Cl Precatalysts

N-(2-(Pyridin-2-yl)ethyl)benzenesulfonamide derivatives and 1,1,1-trifluoro-N-(2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethyl)methanesulfonamide (1–4), along with three-legged piano stool Cp*IrIIICl complexes (5–11) (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) bearing pyridinesulfonamide ligands with varying electronic parameters, were synthesized. These ligands and air-stable complexes were characterized by 1H and 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Precatalysts, 5–11, were assessed for transfer hydrogenation of aryl, diaryl, dialkyl, linear, cycloaliphatic, and α,β-unsaturated ketones, diones, β-ketoesters, and a biomass-derived substrate with 2-propanol, using 1 mol % precatalyst. Catalysis was also efficient using a 0.1 mol % loading. Remarkably, all catalysis experiments can be conducted in air without dried and degassed substrates, and basic additives and halide abstractors are not required for high activity in transfer hydrogenation. Control experiments and a mercury poisoning experim...
Frequency of varicella zoster virus DNA in human adrenal glands

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) becomes latent in ganglionic neurons derived from neural crest cells. Because the adrenal gland also contains medullary chromaffin cells of neural crest origin, we examined human adrenal glands and medullary chromaffin cell tumors (pheochromocytomas) for VZV and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). We found VZV, but not HSV-1, DNA in 4/63 (6 %) normal adrenal glands. No VZV transcripts or antigens were detected in the 4 VZV DNA-positive samples. No VZV or HSV-1 DNA was found in 21 pheochromocytomas.
Resonance model for the three-body states of the A=6 reactions

We present an R -matrix-based model for three-body final states that has aspects of the Faddeev approach to three-particle scattering. The model is applied to describing the nucleon spectra for breakup reactions in the A = 6 systems. Calculations using a charge-symmetric parametrization agree fairly well with the experimental data, although they indicate larger contributions from the 5 He or 5 Li ground state are necessary.
The Effects of Chemicals on the Division Rate of Cells with Especial Reference to Possible Pre-Cancerous Conditions

Three years ago one of us carried out some experiments on regeneration in single cells, using for the purpose the ciliated protozoon Uronychia transfuga St. It was found that the power of regeneration varies at different periods of cell life, being lowest immediately after division and greatest immediately prior to division. From these results the conclusion was drawn that the power of regeneration is bound up with the accumulation of some product of metabolism which reaches a condition analogous to saturation just before division and is exhausted by the process of regeneration involved in the reconstruction processes after division. This led to the further hypothesis that division itself might be bound up with the accumulation of some product of metabolism. As the central problem of cancer research is connected with the exciting cause of cell division we decided to try out the hypothesis by some direct experiments. The obvious chemicals to employ in such a test are the products of nucleo-protein breakdown, including amino acids, nucleins, and their derivatives. In the present paper we wish to present some of the results obtained in these experiments which were conducted on single-celled organisms, and on the mature tissues of peritoneal organs of rats. For many of the pure chemicals used we are indebted to the courtesy of Dr. P. A. Levene of New York, and Dr. Walter Jones of Baltimore.
Hormones and Ethics: The Joint Influence of Testosterone and Cortisol on Cheating Behavior

Very little is known about the biological basis of unethical conduct. Given the social and economic significance of dishonest behavior, a better understanding of its underlying causes and mechanism...
Management of isolated calf vein thrombosis in cancer patients

The treatment of isolated calf vein thrombosis remains widely debated. This study highlights the characteristics of isolated calf vein thrombosis in cancer patients and compares to isolated calf vein thrombosis in patients without history of cancer. Between July 2013 and April 2014, a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients with isolated calf vein thrombosis was performed recording patient risk factors, ultrasound characteristics of the thrombus, treatment modalities, long-term recurrence of venous-thromboembolism, incidence of bleeding, and mortality. Of 131 patients with isolated calf vein thrombosis, 53 (40.1%) had history of cancer. Isolated calf vein thrombosis occurred at an older age in cancer patients (66.7 vs 58.5 years, p = 0.004). The anatomical characteristics of isolated calf vein thrombosis on ultrasound were comparable in both groups. Isolated calf vein thrombosis in cancer patients was less likely to be treated with anticoagulation (60.4% vs 80.8%, p = 0.018). However, a trend t...
Foreign Trade: Foreign Trade Problems in Planned Economic Development

Economic development planning has sometimes been criticized on account of its alleged bias towards autarky. The argument has been that inadequate attention is given to the advantages of international division of labour in the framework of planned economic development. It is evident that this criticism often implies certain assumptions about the psychological propensity on the part of the people engaged in planning towards controls that can be more easily exercised within the country than in its relations with foreign countries. I am not going into this aspect of the problem. Nor am I prepared to make an issue of the often repeated argument based on the alleged conflict between the planning principle and free trade. The time in which the problem was formulated in the categorical choice of free trade or autarky belongs to the past. This is reflected in Professor Viner’s statement that there is no inherent association in principle between economic planning and the reduction of trade volume.2
Weiterbildung als kritischer Erfolgsfaktor in High-Tech-Unternehmen

Weiterbildung ist nicht irgendeine unternehmerische Aufgabe. Weiterbildung in einem High-Tech-Unternehmen ist Chefsache. Es ist mir ein Bedurfnis und ein echtes Anliegen, daruber zu sprechen.
The Tempest’s ‘Standing Water’: Echoes of Early Modern Cosmographies in Lost

In ‘Echoes of The Tempest in Tron: Legacy’ in this volume, Laura Campillo Arnaiz examines Shakespeare’s conspicuous absence from a film that draws so heavily upon the plot of The Tempest. Arnaiz argues that, once free from explicit references to Shakespeare, ‘this recycled Shakespeare gains a greater presence in the movie, [and] reaches a wider audience.’ This chapter, which also looks at a contemporary recycling of The Tempest, has similar aims and objects, but I will take a different tack. I want to draw upon recent work in geology and ecocriticism, in addition to watershed scholarship calling itself the ‘blue humanities’ — an interdisciplinary approach to historicizing the ocean and revealing how the humanities are shaped by such imaginings.2 Alongside these texts, I draw from early modern cosmographies in order to track how environmental imaginings and concerns in The Tempest are recycled within the mythic landscape of the television series Lost.
Homer and Hesiod

One of the most frustrating aspects of Homeric studies is that so little literary material outside the Homeric corpus itself survives to enhance our understanding of the cultural landscape of the period. There are many reasons, beyond chronological proximity, to draw connections between Homer and Hesiod. Since antiquity, scholars have debated the absolute and relative dating of Homer and Hesiod and the chronology of their works. The format of the contest of Homer and Hesiod in the Certamen certainly reveals a complex and puzzling agenda. This chapter considers more recent strategies for understanding the specifically literary relationship between Homer and Hesiod in their own time. Recently, in fact, a number of scholars have been arguing that, well beyond matters of diction, meter, and formula, the Works and Days was perhaps even more profoundly engaged in the Homeric tradition than the Theogony.Keywords: Certamen ; Hesiod; Homer; Theogony; Works and Days
A 0.003 mm 2 5.2 mW/tap 20 GBd inductor-less 5-tap analog RX-FFE

A 0.003 mm2 5.2 mW/tap analog receive-side feedforward equalizer (RX-FFE) is demonstrated in 40 nm CMOS for up to 20 GBd ADC-based links. The FFE is constructed entirely with analog-inverter transconductors and capacitors, avoiding the use of area-intensive inductors. The delay element is implemented as a first-order Pade approximant of an ideal delay. The equalization performance is measured to be sufficient to relax the ADC resolution requirement by 1 bit. The total power consumed is less than 26 mW with less than 9.2 nV/√Hz output noise for all configurations.
PRIVATE EQUITY , TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTMENT , AND LABOR OUTCOMES

This paper uses novel data on the employment histories of a large fraction of the US workforce to present empirical evidence that corporate technological investment has a significant impact on workers’ subsequent labor market outcomes. Exploiting leveraged buyouts as shocks to firms’ production technologies, we find that employees retained after a private equity acquisition experienced increased long run employment tenures, reductions in short run unemployment durations, and higher rates of within-occupation mobility. The evidence supports the view that private equity investment, by upgrading the technology and operations of the firm, imparts valuable and transferable human capital to retained workers. The effects are especially pronounced for workers in occupations complementary to IT-enabled work practices, and for those who are employed at the acquired firm for longer durations before exit. The findings suggest that employers’ investments in information technology are a critical determinant of human capital stock and subsequent labor outcomes for workers.
Imposed Electrical Fields And Mammalian Spinal Cord Regeneration

Applied electrical fields have been shown to influence the direction and rate of growth of nervous tissue in vivo and in situ. Applied currents have also been demonstrated to reduce the amount of degeneration of nerve fibers after severance. We have utilized indwelling stimulators within adult guinea pigs to facilitate regeneration of spinal cord white matter. Furthermore, this is associated with a recovery of spinal cord mediated behavior the Cutaneous Trunci Muscle Reflex. Clinical trials of this methodology are now nearing completion. These trials utilize naturally produced paraplegia in dogs. The results suggest applied fields may produce relevant recovery of function after acute spinal trauma.
Abstract 2864: Acetylation regulates TET2 stability and enzymatic activity

DNA methylation, one of the key epigenetic modifications in the mammalian genome, plays fundamental roles in development and disease. Although DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) have been studied intensively, our knowledge about DNA demethylation is just starting to emerge. The Ten-eleven translocation (TET) family of proteins are newly identified methylcytosine dioxygenases/demethylases that can oxidize 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), and promote DNA demethylation either passively through DNA replication, or actively via thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG)-mediated base excision repair. TET-mediated DNA demethylation has also been shown to play important roles in diverse biological processes and tumorigenesis. Human TET2 is frequently mutated in myeloid malignancies, while loss of 5hmC and TETs expressions have been broadly observed in many other cancer types. Recent studies suggested that TETs may be regulated by microRNAs and calpain proteases, but, overall, the regulation of TET activities is not well outlined. Here we show, in human ovarian cancer cells, that TET2 activity may be significantly modulated by post-translational modifications. TET2 is acetylated by p300/CBP at K110/111, and this acetylation can be reversed by HDAC1/2 and SIRT1/2 deacetylases. Acetylation increases TET2 stability by protecting it from ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation. Interestingly, DNMT1 physically associates with and stabilizes TET2 protein, and a TET2 acetylation deficient mutant (2KR) disrupts this association, indicating that acetylation of TET2 may stimulate DNMT1 binding which prevents TET2 from degradation. In addition, we show that acetylation increases TET2 enzymatic activity. Treatment of cells with HDAC inhibitors TSA/NAM, or knocking down HDAC1/2, significantly increases global 5hmC levels. Consistent with these latter observations, the 2KR mutant almost completely abolishes TET2 catalytic activity, and this mutant protein is less efficient in forming dimer with wild type TET2. Thus acetylation events may increase the activity of TET2 through enhanced dimerization of the protein. Taken together, our study reveals a novel acetylation-dependent regulatory mechanism controlling the function of TET2. Citation Format: Yang Zhang, Yi Cai, Wenbing Xie, Hariharan Easwaran, Stephen B. Baylin. Acetylation regulates TET2 stability and enzymatic activity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2864. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2864
The Therapeutic Movement Relationship in Dance/Movement Therapy: A Phenomenological Study

The therapeutic movement relationship (TMR) is central to the work of dance/movement therapists; yet, a definition of this core concept remains absent. This phenomenological study explored the meaning and essence of the TMR, as experienced by eight co-researchers who are board certified dance/movement therapists, in order to arrive at a definition. Data analysis of semi-structured interviews resulted in five textural themes that describe the essence of the TMR: (a) fundamental, foundational, and integral, (b) powerful, dimensional, and full, (c) shared presence and connection through movement, (d) creative collaboration, and (e) evidence of the TMR. In addition, three structural themes emerged that describe how the TMR is experienced: (a) presence, (b) space and time, and (c) creativity. These themes informed the creation of a definition of the TMR, which can support the teaching, learning, practice, supervision, and research of this critical component of dance/movement therapy.
DIGITAL HEALTH INTERVENTION USAGE IMPROVES WEIGHT LOSS IN A DOSE-DEPENDENT FASHION

Background: Previous data validated the benefit of digital health interventions (DHI) on weight loss in patients in cardiac rehabilitation (CR). The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that increased DHI usage associates with improved weight loss. Methods: We obtained DHI usage data
Forecaster and Emergency Manager Perspectives on Coordination and Communication with the Weather-Warned Public

ABSTRACTAccording to the National Weather Service, each year the United States experiences an average of 1,200 tornadoes that kill about sixty people and injure about 1,500. The goal of this work is to explore the warning communication process from the perspectives of the forecaster (National Weather Service) and the responder (emergency management agencies) and to identify variations and challenges in communication strategies. This research explores the priorities, perceptions, perspectives, and challenges these professionals face and identifies any variations among regions and between professions. Through two different national surveys, these professionals provide insight into the realities of disseminating warnings and meeting particular needs of the communities they serve. This work further examines the perceptions professionals have of weather understanding by the public. Tornado risk and warnings are the primary focus of this work. Findings reveal that forecasters and emergency managers lack confide...
Structural and functional characteristics of oestrogen receptor β splice variants: Implications for the ageing brain.

Estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) is a multifunctional nuclear receptor that mediates the actions of estrogenic compounds. Despite its well defined role in mediating the actions of estrogens, a substantial body of evidence demonstrates that ERβ has broad range of physiological functions that are independent of those normally attributed to estrogen signaling. These functions can, in part, be achieved by the activity of several alternatively spliced isoforms that have been identified for ERβ. This short review will describe structural differences between the ERβ splice variants that are known to be translated into proteins. Moreover, we discuss how these alternative structures contribute to functional differences in the context of both healthy and pathological conditions. This review also describes the principal factors that regulate alternative RNA splicing. The alternatively spliced isoforms of ERβ are differentially expressed according to brain region, age, and hormonal milieu underscoring the likelihood that there are precise cell-specific mechanisms that regulate ERβ alternative splicing. However, despite these correlative data, the molecular factors regulating alternative ERβ splicing in the brain remain unknown. Here, we review the basic mechanisms that regulate alternative RNA splicing and use that framework to make logical predictions about ERβ alternative splicing in the brain. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Development of a 5As-based technology-assisted weight management intervention for veterans in primary care.

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic, and its prevalence is higher among Veterans in the United States. Based on our prior research, primary care teams at a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital do not feel well-equipped to deliver effective weight management counseling and often lack sufficient time. Further, effective and intensive lifestyle-based weight management programs (e.g. VA MOVE! program) are underutilized despite implementation of systematic screening and referral at all VA sites. The 5As behavior change model (Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) is endorsed by the United States Preventive Service Task Force for use in counseling patients about weight management in primary care and reimbursed by Medicare. In this paper, we describe the iterative development of a technology-assisted intervention designed to provide primary care-based 5As counseling within Patient-Centered Medical Homes without overburdening providers/healthcare teams. Thematic analyses of prior formative work (focus groups with patients [n = 54] and key informant interviews with staff [n = 25]) helped to create a technology-assisted, health coaching intervention called Goals for Eating and Moving (GEM). To further develop the intervention, we then conducted two rounds of testing with previous formative study participants (n = 5 for Round 1, n = 5 for Round 2). Each session included usability testing of prototypes of the online GEM tool, pilot testing of 5As counseling by a Health Coach, and a post-session open-ended interview. Three main themes emerged from usability data analyses: participants’ emotional responses, tool language, and health literacy. Findings from both rounds of usability testing, pilot testing, as well as the open-ended interview data, were used to finalize protocols for the full intervention in the clinic setting to be conducted with Version 3 of the GEM tool. The use of qualitative research methods and user-centered design approaches enabled timely detection of salient issues to make iterative improvements to the intervention. Future studies will determine whether this intervention can increase enrollment in intensive weight management programs and promote clinically meaningful weight loss in both Veterans and in other patient populations and health systems.
Testing the association between physical activity and executive function skills in early childhood

Abstract This study examined the cross-sectional association between multiple aspects of objectively measured physical activity (sedentary, light, moderate to vigorous) and children’s executive function skills. Participants included 85 children, ages 3–5, who were recruited from 10 center-based preschools. On the basis of up to 5 weekdays of accelerometer data, children spent an average of 57.5% of their time in a sedentary state, 30.7% in light physical activity, and 11.8% in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Whereas individual differences in sedentary behavior and light physical activity were unrelated to executive function, contrary to study hypotheses, moderate to vigorous physical activity was inversely related to performance on executive function tasks (β = −.28, 95% CI = −.50 to −.06). Results are discussed with respect to the importance of extending evidence that links increased physical activity to executive function skills, which are based on studies involving older children and adults, to the early childhood period, as well as the design and measurement issues that should inform this work.
A Speculative Approach to the Myeloproliferative Syndromes

1. A survey of 66 cases of the myeloproliferative syndromes revealed two clinical conditions not associated specifically with this group of blood dyscrasias. 2. Of particular interest were an apparent increased incidence of diabetes mellitus, and myelofibrosis associated with scleroderma. 3. These combinations may reflect a biochemical or metabolic error which may be present in some of these patients (such as increased 5-HIAA) and which may be related to the course, progression, and symptomatology of these disorders.
Modes of Technological Change

Technological change can be induced endogenously or exogenously or by a combination of both types of factors. Endogenous technological change is caused by actions or decisions within a system or firm, usually by rational economic decisions and attempts to allocate limited available resources under the constraints of the system or firm. If the system is a firm, then constraints on endogenous technological change may be imposed by external factors such as 1. regulatory constraints imposed by government 2. institutional constraints imposed by the company or industry structure 3. market constraints imposed by competition and market share 4. financial constraints, such as a limited credit line and by internal factors such as 1. organization and internal management structure, or 2. technical or technological ability and capability.
Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells using chemical inhibition and three transcription factors.

Abstract Generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from differentiated cells has traditionally been performed by overexpressing four transcription factors: Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. However, inclusion of c-Myc in the reprogramming cocktail can lead to expansion of transformed cells that are not fully reprogrammed, and studies have demonstrated that c-Myc reactivation increases tumorigenicity in chimeras and progeny mice. Moreover, chemical inhibition of Wnt signaling has been shown to enhance reprogramming efficiency. Here, we describe a modified protocol for generating iPS cells from murine fibroblasts using chemical inhibition and overexpression of three transcription factors. Using this protocol, we observed robust conversion to iPS cells while maintaining minimal contamination of partially reprogrammed transformed colonies.
A Comprehensive Tutorial on Science DMZ

Science and engineering applications are now generating data at an unprecedented rate. From large facilities such as the Large Hadron Collider to portable DNA sequencing devices, these instruments can produce hundreds of terabytes in short periods of time. Researchers and other professionals rely on networks to transfer data between sensing locations, instruments, data storage devices, and computing systems. While general-purpose networks, also referred to as enterprise networks, are capable of transporting basic data, such as e-mails and Web content, they face numerous challenges when transferring terabyte- and petabyte-scale data. At best, transfers of science data on these networks may last days or even weeks. In response to this challenge, the Science Demilitarized Zone (Science DMZ) has been proposed. The Science DMZ is a network or a portion of a network designed to facilitate the transfer of big science data. The main elements of the Science DMZ include: 1) specialized end devices, referred to as data transfer nodes (DTNs), built for sending/receiving data at a high speed over wide area networks; 2) high-throughput, friction-free paths connecting DTNs, instruments, storage devices, and computing systems; 3) performance measurement devices to monitor end-to-end paths over multiple domains; and 4) security policies and enforcement mechanisms tailored for high-performance environments. Despite the increasingly important role of Science DMZs, the literature is still missing a guideline to provide researchers and other professionals with the knowledge to broaden the understanding and development of Science DMZs. This paper addresses this gap by presenting a comprehensive tutorial on Science DMZs. The tutorial reviews fundamental network concepts that have a large impact on Science DMZs, such as router architecture, TCP attributes, and operational security. Then, the tutorial delves into protocols and devices at different layers, from the physical cyberinfrastructure to application-layer tools and security appliances, that must be carefully considered for the optimal operation of Science DMZs. This paper also contrasts Science DMZs with general-purpose networks, and presents empirical results and use cases applicable to current and future Science DMZs.
A Flight Simulator for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flights Over Construction Job Sites

In 2015, the construction had the highest rate of fatalities among all industries in the United States. Unsafe operation of construction equipment is one of the main causes of fatal incidents. Operation, management and interactions between construction equipment and construction crews should be thoroughly regulated to minimize the risk of fatal incidents on job sites. While use of most traditional construction equipment is regulated, the construction industry has struggled with regulating new, innovative and smart equipment such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that have recently been introduced to construction job sites. In this paper, collision avoidance and spatial safety theories in construction are discussed. The bases of these theories are extended to UAV operation in order to establish the first known theory on safe use and operation of UAVs in construction. Also, basic principles of UAV flights are discussed. By applying the basic principles of UAV flights and construction spatial safety theories, a UAV flight simulator in construction environments has been developed in Unity game engine. The flight simulator is designed for UAV pilots, construction managers and safety managers, and enables users to fly a UAV within a simulated environment extracted from a BIM model. This UAV flight simulator is tested in a case study of a building currently under construction. This simulator can be used to assess UAV pilots’ capabilities, test the risks of UAV flights in any construction environment, and UAV safe flight path planning.
An update on the OpenOrbiter I mission: spacecraft redesign (Conference Presentation)

The OpenOrbiter I mission has changed significantly since its conceptualization, as the small spacecraft industry has evolved – rapidly – around it. The spacecraft design has iterated through multiple concepts as changing policies and technical realities prevented various initial design decisions from being brought to fruition. Communications licensing issues, power consumption and the physical footprint of a licensable radio and structural changes are among the many challenges that the project faced. The initial goals of the mission are reviewed and an update is provided on its current status as it heads through the final steps in preparation for launch. The mission concept and revised concept of operations are reviewed. In particular, changes to the power and communications systems are discussed. The new power system and communications systems and the impact that these have on the spacecraft and overall mission are presented and discussed in detail. The paper reviews the student learning that has occurred throughout the mission development process and the impact of the required changes and associated processes on the student learning mission objectives. It revisits the question of build versus buy, in light of the pathway taken (build), the challenges that have been encountered and the results. The paper extracts, from the program’s activities and results, lessons and best practices that can be applied by others within the small spacecraft domain. It concludes with a discussion of what the mission has demonstrated to-date, what will be demonstrated by on-orbit operations and the team’s plans for future work in this area.
Transcranial, red/near-infrared light-emitting diode therapy for chronic traumatic brain injury and poststroke aphasia: clinical studies

Abstract Transcranial photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy can treat a range of brain disorders including traumatic brain injury (TBI), poststroke aphasia, primary progressive aphasia (PPA), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) within retired, professional football players. Chronic TBI patients with closed-head injury and cognitive dysfunction received 18 outpatient treatments (3×/week) starting at 10 months to 8 years. post-TBI (MVA, sports-related, IED blast injury). Each red/near-infrared light-emitting diode (LED) cluster head (5.35 cm diameter, 500 mW, 22.2 mW/cm 2 ) was applied for 9.75 minutes (13 J/cm 2 ) to 11 scalp placements: midline from front-to-back hairline; and bilaterally on frontal, temporal, and parietal areas. Testing performed pre- and posttranscranial LED (tLED) at 1 week, 1 and 2 months after the 18th treatment, showed significant improvement on executive function and verbal memory post-tLED. Fewer posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and improved sleep were reported. Treatment of stroke patients with aphasia was also examined, and it was found to be critically important where on the head the light was placed. If the PBM was delivered ipsilateral to the stroke, the ability to name pictures significantly improved, but if the PBM was delivered to both sides of the head (including over both the left and right supplementary motor areas at the vertex of the head), the ability to name pictures worsened or remained the same. A retired professional football player (65 years old; middle linebacker; 700 tackles in college; thousands of subconcussive hits), possibly developing early CTE was treated with tPBM. Increased functional connectivity (resting-state functional-connectivity MRI scans), and clinically significant reduction in emotional outbursts, depression, improved cognition and sleep were observed. Similar improvements were also observed in a second, retired professional football player (57 year old, cornerback), who was able to discontinue two narcotic pain medications with reduced tinnitus and improved vestibular function.
Packet-Level Signatures for Smart Home Devices

mart home devices are vulnerable to passive inference attacks based on network traffic, even in the presence of encryption. In this paper, we present PINGPONG, a tool that can automatically extract packet-level signatures for device events (e.g., light bulb turning ON/OFF) from network traffic. We evaluated PINGPONG on popular smart home devices ranging from smart plugs and thermostats to cameras, voice-activated devices, and smart TVs. We were able to: (1) automatically extract previously unknown signatures that consist of simple sequences of packet lengths and directions; (2) use those signatures to detect the devices or specific events with an average recall of more than 97%; (3) show that the signatures are unique among hundreds of millions of packets of real world network traffic; (4) show that our methodology is also applicable to publicly available datasets; and (5) demonstrate its robustness in different settings: events triggered by local and remote smartphones, as well as by home automation systems.
Compression-induced hemodynamic features of tumors in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy: a longitudinal case study

A dynamic diffuse optical tomographic system, in conjunction with digital breast tomosynthesis, is used to study the hemodynamics in breast tissue under full and partial mammographic compression to evaluate tumor response to therapy.
Exposed by AIs! People Personally Witness Artificial Intelligence Exposing Personal Information and Exposing People to Undesirable Content

Do people personally witness artificial intelligence (AI) committing moral wrongs? If so, what kinds of moral wrong and what situations produce these? To address these questions, respondents select...
HPV ctDNA analysis in unresectable recurrent/metastatic oropharyngeal cancer.

6554Background: There is an increasing incidence of human papillomavirus associated (HPV+) oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). While HPV + portents improved prognosis, survival for patients with unresectab...
The Trump Administration Gets (Legal) Real(ist) On Trade Enforcement and Adjudication

This article examines briefly the views of the legal realists, and considers the Trump administration's approach to international trade dispute settlement in that context. What may at times leave trade observers puzzled may just be a practical approach to tilting the scales in the favor of the United States. The substantive rules matter and the procedural rules matter, but the judges also matter. The Trump administration recognizes the importance of the last one, and it is willing to fight to get the judges it wants.
Radial to Axillary Nerve Transfer Outcomes in Shoulder Abduction: A Systematic Review.

Background Brachial plexus and axillary nerve injuries often result in paralysis of the deltoid muscle. This can be functionally debilitating for patients and have a negative impact on their activities of daily living. In these settings, transferring the branch of the radial nerve innervating the triceps to the axillary nerve is a viable treatment option. Additional nerve transfers may be warranted. This study sought to determine the efficacy of nerve transfer procedures in the setting of brachial plexus and axillary nerve injuries and factors affecting clinical outcomes. Methods The U.S. National Library of Medicine's website "PubMed" was queried for "radial to axillary nerve transfer" and "brachial plexus nerve transfer." An initial review by two authors was performed to identify relevant articles followed by a third author validation utilizing inclusion and exclusion criteria. Individual patient outcomes were recorded and pooled for final analysis. Results Of the 80 patients, 66 (82.5%) had clinical improvement after surgical nerve transfer procedures. Significant difference in clinical improvement following nerve transfer procedures was correlated with patient age, mechanism of injury, brachial plexus vs isolated axillary nerve injuries, multiple nerve transfers vs single nerve transfers, and surgery within the first 7 months of injury. The branch of the radial nerve supplying the triceps long head showed improved clinical results compared with the branch of the radial nerve supplying the triceps medial head and anconeus. Conclusion Nerve transfers have been shown to be effective in restoring shoulder abduction in both isolated axillary nerve injuries and brachial plexus injuries.
Multilevel Cmfd Acceleration Methods for Whole Core Reactor Simulation in VERA

Ongoing efforts are being made to improve the performance of MPACT as the deterministic neutron transport solver in the Virtual Environment for Reactor Analysis (VERA). As other parts of the code have been improved, the coarse mesh finite difference method (CMFD) has come to take up a significant portion of the runtime. Multilevel-in-energy CMFD and multilevel-in-space CMFD solvers have been used to improve CMFD solver performance. A new multilevel-in-space-and-energy CMFD solver is being introduced that combines components of these two methods. W-Cycles and partial W-Cycles are being investigated to further improve the efficiency of the multilevel-in-energy CMFD solver. The performance of these methods is demonstrated on full core reactor physics problems of interest to VERA.
Palestine and the Aesthetics of the Future Impossible

This essay explores how contemporary Palestinian cultural producers—across literature, art, and film—simultaneously expose and disrupt the chronopolitics of settler occupation. It pairs Adania Shib...
Family building desires among transgender and gender expansive adolescents: a longitudinal family-level analysis

Professional societies state that Transgender and gender expansive (TGE) adolescents and their families should be counseled about future family building options prior to initiating gender affirming...