cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hyperinsulinemia and Cognitive Decline in a Middle-Aged Cohort

OBJECTIVE —Determining modifiable risks factors for cognitive decline and dementia are a public health priority as we seek to prevent dementia. Type 2 diabetes and related disorders such as hyperinsulinemia increase with aging and are increasing in the U.S. population. Our objective was to determine whether hyperinsulinemia is associated with cognitive decline among middle-aged adults without type 2 diabetes, dementia, or stroke in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Middle-aged adults (aged 45–64 years at baseline) in the ARIC cohort had fasting insulin and glucose assessed between 1987 and 1989. Subjects with dementia, type 2 diabetes, or stroke at baseline were excluded from analysis. Three tests of cognitive function available at baseline and 6 years later were delayed word recall (DWR), digit symbol subtest (DSS), and first letter word fluency (WF). Cross-sectional comparisons and linear regression models were computed for cognitive tests at baseline and change in cognitive test scores to determine whether cognitive function was associated with two measures of insulin resistance, fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Linear regression models controlled for age, sex, race, marital status, education level, smoking status, alcohol use, depression, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. RESULTS —In unadjusted and adjusted analyses, hyperinsulinemia based on fasting insulin and HOMA at baseline was associated with significantly lower baseline DWR, DSS, and WF scores and a greater decline over 6 years in DWR and WF. CONCLUSIONS —Insulin resistance is a potentially modifiable midlife risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia.
Structural determinants of monohydroxylated bile acids to activate β1 subunit-containing BK channels

Lithocholate (LC) (10–300 μM) in physiological solution is sensed by vascular myocyte large conductance, calcium- and voltage-gated potassium (BK) channel β1 accessory subunits, leading to channel activation and arterial dilation. However, the structural features in steroid and target that determine LC action are unknown. We tested LC and close analogs on BK channel (pore-forming cbv1+β1 subunits) activity using the product of the number of functional ion channels in the membrane patch (N) and the open channel probability (Po). LC (5β-cholanic acid-3α-ol), 5α-cholanic acid-3α-ol, and 5β-cholanic acid-3β-ol increased NPo (EC50 ∼45 μM). At maximal increase in NPo, LC increased NPo by 180%, whereas 5α-cholanic acid-3α-ol and 5β-cholanic acid-3β-ol raised NPo by 40%. Thus, the α-hydroxyl and the cis A-B ring junction are both required for robust channel potentiation. Lacking both features, 5α-cholanic acid-3β-ol and 5-cholenic acid-3β-ol were inactive. Three-dimensional structures show that only LC displays a bean shape with clear-cut convex and concave hemispheres; 5α-cholanic acid-3α-ol and 5β-cholanic acid-3β-ol partially matched LC shape, and 5α-cholanic acid-3β-ol and 5-cholenic acid-3β-ol did not. Increasing polarity in steroid rings (5β-cholanic acid-3α-sulfate) or reducing polarity in lateral chain (5β-cholanic acid 3α-ol methyl ester) rendered poorly active compounds, consistent with steroid insertion between β1 and bilayer lipids, with the steroid-charged tail near the aqueous phase. Molecular dynamics identified two regions in β1 transmembrane domain 2 that meet unique requirements for bonding with the LC concave hemisphere, where the steroid functional groups are located.
The Human TREX2 3′ → 5′-Exonuclease Structure Suggests a Mechanism for Efficient Nonprocessive DNA Catalysis

The 3′ → 5′-exonucleases process DNA ends in many DNA repair pathways of human cells. Determination of the human TREX2 structure is the first of a dimeric 3′-deoxyribonuclease and indicates how this highly efficient nonprocessive enzyme removes nucleotides at DNA 3′ termini. Symmetry in the TREX2 dimer positions the active sites at opposite outer edges providing open access for the DNA. Adjacent to each active site is a flexible region containing three arginines positioned appropriately to bind DNA and to control its entry into the active site. Mutation of these three arginines to alanines reduces the DNA binding capacity by ∼100-fold with no effect on catalysis. The human TREX2 catalytic residues overlay with the bacterial DnaQ family of 3′-exonucleases confirming the structural conservation of the catalytic sites despite limited sequence identity, and mutations of these residues decrease the still measurable activity by ∼105-fold, confirming their catalytic role.
Improving the security of wireless LANs by managing 802.1x disassociation

802.1x is a security protocol based on the frame structure of 802.11. It attempts to provide strong authentication, access control, and WEP (wired equivalent privacy) key management for wireless LANs. Unfortunately, 802.1x misses its goals in access control denial-of-service attacks. Currently, there are no IEEE approved ways to solve this security hole. We propose a central manager, not only to take the responsibility of an authentication server, but also to add functionality to prevent denial of service attacks. We also analyze how the 802.11 MAC layer protocol works with our solution.
Seeing the Soul

1. ‘“But aren't you saying that all that happens is that he moans, and that there is nothing behind it?” I am saying that there is nothing behind the moaning ’ (‘Notes for Lectures on “Private Experience” and “Sense Data”’, The Philosophical Review , July 1968, 302). This passage seems to me to epitomize a conception of the mind and its relation to the body found in the later work of Wittgenstein. It will be convenient to write as if this is his view of the mind. He suggests elsewhere that he is not advancing philosophical theses in his later work; so maybe this view is not a philosophical thesis in some relevant sense; or maybe Wittgenstein is not wholly consistent; or maybe he puts it forward only dialectically, and in other philosophical contexts would have espoused other views of the mind as much as he espouses this one. In any case, what does this one amount to? ‘There is nothing behind the moaning.’ What does this mean?
LQG-based tracking of multiple fluorescent particles in two-dimensions in a confocal microscope

This paper describes a scheme to track multiple fluorescent particles diffusing in two dimensions. Fluorescence intensities are measured using a scanning-stage confocal setup. We develop a combined model for the position of the particles and the dynamics of the piezo-stage and design a linear-quadratic-Gaussian controller to drive the overall estimation error to zero. The scheme is illustrated through simulation.
Dynamics of Context-Dependent Recall: An Examination of Internal and External Context Change.

Retrieval dynamics in context-dependent recall were explored via manipulations of external and internal context in two experiments. Participants were tested in either the same or different context as the material was learned in and correct recalls, errors, and recall latency measures were examined. In both experiments changes in context resulted in fewer correct items being recalled than when context remained the same. However, the context change manipulation did not affect the number or type of recall errors or recall latency in either experiment. These results are consistent with the notion that changes in context result in a reduction in the associative strengths of items because there are fewer overlapping contextual features between encoded features and features present at test. Other potential mechanisms of context-dependent recall effects are discussed.
Thermal crosstalk in 4 x 4 vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays

We measured thermal crosstalk in 4/spl times/4 VCSEL arrays with a 30-/spl mu/m pitch between devices. The effective thermal resistance of laser diodes in two-dimensional (2-D) arrays is about 50% higher than that of single elements. The output power of the lasers is fairly temperature insensitive under constant voltage operation. From experiments we inferred values for the average thermal conductivity of AlAs-GaAs Bragg reflectors. We found anisotropy in the effective thermal conductivity with numbers of 0.28 W/(cmK) and 0.35 W/(cmK) for the transverse and lateral direction, respectively.
Synthetic vegetation: An ecosystem prosthesis

In this paper, an entirely novel, theoretical restoration/conservation tool will be described. This tool will take the form of self-sustaining ‘synthetic vegetation’ designed, through the use of solar energy, to generate Oxygen through the electrolysis of water and sequester CO2 in a disposable form through the formation of Carbonic acid amongst other things; in short simulate many of the major functions of living vegetation. The environmental role of synthetic vegetation as a terrestrial ecosystem ‘prosthesis’ is evaluated with a Carbon acquisition calculation and a cost benefit analysis reviewing the benefits of utilization in the context of material costs. It is proposed that synthetic vegetation could greatly aid in conservation by regenerating degraded environments and speeding up the process of restoration.
Interactions among environmental drivers: Community responses to changing nutrients and dissolved organic carbon

Biological communities are frequently exposed to environmental changes that cause measurable responses in properties of the community (hereafter called environmental drivers). Predicting how communities respond to changing environmental drivers is a fundamental goal of ecology. Making predictions, however, can be very difficult, particularly when multiple environmental drivers change simultaneously and there are interactions among the drivers. We investigated the effects of the interaction between changes in nutrient loading and changes in colored dissolved organic matter (measured as dissolved organic carbon, DOC) on the dynamics of phytoplankton communities over a 7-yr period. In 1991, Long Lake, a small seepage lake in northern Michigan, was divided vertically, from sediment surface to water surface, with plastic curtains as part of a whole-lake experiment. The accompanying changes in hydrology led to increases in DOC concentration in one of the basins. Nutrients were added to both basins from 1993 to 1997, causing dramatic changes in phytoplankton community composition. We used multivariate autoregressive models to help interpret the patterns of phytoplankton community composition observed during the experiment. DOC and nutrient addition had diverse effects on phytoplankton: some taxonomic and morphological groups were directly affected by the changes in DOC and nutrients, whereas other groups experienced indirect effects via their interactions with groups that were directly affected. Model results suggest that there was an interaction between the effects of DOC and nutrients for many groups of phytoplankton, such that differences in DOC concentration accounted for differences between basins in response to nutrient addition. The effects of DOC can be explained by changes in physical structure (e.g., thermocline depth and transparency) and water chemistry (e.g., pH) that accompanied changes in DOC concentration. The interaction between DOC and nutrients suggests that predicting community responses to multiple drivers cannot be achieved by simply adding up the effects of single drivers.
Ion-thruster propellant utilization

The evaluation and understanding of maximum propellant utilization, with mercury used as the propellant are presented. The primary-electron region in the ion chamber of a bombardment thruster is analyzed at maximum utilization. The results of this analysis, as well as experimental data from a range of ion-chamber configurations, show a nearly constant loss rate for unionized propellant at maximum utilization over a wide range of total propellant flow rate. The discharge loss level of 1000 eV/ion was used as a definition of maximum utilization, but the exact level of this definition has no effect on the qualitative results and little effect on the quantitative results. There are obvious design applications for the results of this investigation, but the results are particularly significant whenever efficient throttled operation is required.
Application fault tolerance with Armor middleware

Many current approaches to software-implemented fault tolerance (SIFT) rely on process replication, which is often prohibitively expensive for practical use due to its high performance overhead and cost. The adaptive reconfigurable mobile objects of reliability (Armor) middleware architecture offers a scalable low-overhead way to provide high-dependability services to applications. It uses coordinated multithreaded processes to manage redundant resources across interconnected nodes, detect errors in user applications and infrastructural components, and provide failure recovery. The authors describe the experiences and lessons learned in deploying Armor in several diverse fields.
Three dimensional computed tomographic imaging in planning the surgical approach for redo cardiac surgery after coronary revascularization.

Objective: Reoperative cardiac surgery after previous coronary artery bypass grafting represents a surgical challenge due to the potential for injury to patent coronary grafts, aorta or right ventricle. Standard preoperative imaging using a coronary angiogram and chest radiograph (CXR) often results in inaccurate assessment of mediastinal anatomy. We aimed to evaluate 3D volume rendered computed tomographic imaging as an adjunct to standard preoperative assessment of patients requiring cardiac surgery in whom coronary artery revascularization had been performed in the past. Methods: Between January 2003 and January 2004, 33 patients with previous coronary revascularization referred for reoperative cardiac surgery underwent preoperative 3D CT imaging in order to optimize the surgical approach. The mean age in this patient population was 72G8 years. The combined evaluation of CXR and conventional angiography offered incomplete insight into pertinent mediastinal topography in 85% of patients (28/33). Results: The correlations for distances of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending artery (LAD) graft from the midline and posterior sternum obtained by CT angiography (CTA) and CXR were poor, RZ0.56 and 0.49, respectively. The correlation coefficients for distances between the right ventricle and the aorta to the sternum obtained by the same methods were similarly marginal, 0.58 and 0.48, respectively. The correlation coefficients for distances between the LIMA to LAD, circumflex and right coronary artery grafts from the midline obtained by CTA and conventional angiography were 0.54, K0.13 and 0.43, respectively. In seven patients (21%) the surgical strategy was modified based on the location of patent grafts in the mediastinum. The hospital mortality was 17% (5/29). Intraoperative injuries to vital structures were encountered in two patients (7%). No injuries to patent LIMA or the aorta were encountered. Conclusions: The 3D CT imaging technique is useful in defining the optimal surgical strategy for reoperative cardiac surgery. We found that CTA is superior to CXR and conventional angiography in defining the position of patent grafts and vital structures in relation to the midline and posterior sternum. Preoperative mapping of patent coronary grafts and other vital mediastinal structures reduces the morbidity of the reoperation through modification of surgical approaches. Q 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Adaptive lattice bilinear filters

This paper presents two fast least-squares lattice algorithms for adaptive nonlinear filters equipped with bilinear system models. Bilinear models are attractive for adaptive filtering applications because they can approximate a large class of nonlinear systems adequately and usually with considerable parsimony in the number of coefficients required. The lattice filter formulation transforms the nonlinear filtering problem into an equivalent multichannel linear filtering problem and then uses multichannel lattice filtering algorithms to solve the nonlinear filtering problem. The first of the two approaches is an equation-error algorithm that uses the measured desired response signal directly to compute the adaptive filter outputs. This method is conceptually very simple however it will result in biased system models in the presence of measurement noise. The second approach is an approximate least-squares output-error solution. In this case the past samples of the output of the adaptive system itself are used to produce the filter output at the current time. This approach is expected to reduce the effect of measurement noise on the behavior of the system. Results of several experiments that demonstrate and compare the properties of the adaptive bilinear filters are also presented in the paper.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nevi and Inflammatory Skin Diseases

Cutaneous infl ammatory processes can be coincidental with melanocytic nevi. The dermatoses that repeatedly affect and alter melanocytic nevi are spongiotic dermatitis (e.g., allergic contact dermatitis), lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, psoriasis, pityriasis rosea, and erythema multiforme. Erythema multiforme (and similar entities) and epidermolysis bullosa also seem able to induce the appearance of new nevi.
Stra Cor Membrane, a Bioplastic Skin Substitute

The historical background describing development of Stra Cor membranes is outlined. Wound healing is related to the properties desired in an ideal bridging cover. Results from clinical application of StraCor II membranes to wounds of the lower extremities are described.
Good Days for Children

“What are good days for children from nursery school through the elementary grades?” In answer to this, seven educators collaborated to plan and write and others contributed anecdotes and photos.
Classical theory of Lorentz vector fields

This paper analyses several problems inherent in the theory of vector fields. The first part deals with the separation of the Lorentz vector field into spin-1 and spin-0 parts; it is observed that the latter enters thek-space expansions of the energy-momentum vector, the charge and the angular momentum tensor with an additional minus sign, when compared with the ordinary scalar field. Consequently, the energy is not positive definite, and a prescription is given to overcome this difficulty. The theory is then extended to include interactions with the electromagnetic field, and a brief discussion of its quantization follows.
A sheet of coffee: an event-related brain potential study of the processing of classifier-noun sequences in English and Mandarin

ABSTRACTComprehension of classifier-noun sequences was examined in separate studies in English and Mandarin by comparing event-related brain potential (ERP) responses to classifier-noun matches (a sheet of paper) and mismatches (a sheet of coffee) embedded in sentences. One goal was to determine which ERP components are sensitive to such mismatches, as a clue about the nature of the underlying combinatorial processes. Another goal was to examine effects of classifier constraint strength (a piece of … vs. a sheet of … ) on anticipation of a subsequent noun. Results were similar in the two languages, which is remarkable given substantial differences between them in classifier usage. In both languages, nouns evoked larger N400s in mismatching classifier-noun sequences, suggesting that combinatorial processing was primarily semantic, and general classifiers evoked a larger sustained frontal negativity than specific classifiers starting 200 milliseconds after classifier onset, reflecting effects of constraint...
Psychotherapy with children and adolescents. Still relevant in the 1980s

The background of psychotherapy is discussed along with fundamental theory and indications for dynamic therapy. Dynamic psychotherapy is defined, and steps for its implementation are described.
Squeezing of optical solitons

Optical solitons are pulses that propagate in optical fibers without temporal or spectral distortion, owing to balancing of the second-order dispersion of the refractive index by nonlinear self-phase modulation induced by the intensity-dependent refractive index. Classically, this stationary, distortion-free propagation requires only the proper choice of pulse width and shape for a given pulse energy. However, quantum mechanical zero-point fluctuations of the amplitude and phase of the optical pulse limit the precision with which this pulse shape can be produced. These quantum fluctuations do not undergo stationary propagation but, rather, evolve because of dispersion and self-phase modulation, As a soliton pulse propagates, this zero-point or vacuum noise associated with the pulse evolves into squeezed noise owing to self-phase modulation in the fiber.1,2
Spatially resolvable phase conjugate thresholding system

In many classes of coherent optical processor that employ feedback or iterative optical algorithms, such as associative memories, a thresholding system is required that preserves the spatial distribution of the input Image information. Moreover, in certain architectures, an additional requirement is that the processed information be retroreturned for subsequent iterations. In principle, an array of thresholding, or self-pumped, phase conjugate mirrors (i.e., without transverse beam overlap), can satisfy these needs.
Chronic warming stimulates growth of marsh grasses more than mangroves in a coastal wetland ecotone

Increasing temperatures and a reduction in the frequency and severity of freezing events have been linked to species distribution shifts. Across the globe, mangrove ranges are expanding toward higher latitudes, likely due to diminishing frequency of freezing events associated with climate change. Continued warming will alter coastal wetland plant dynamics both above- and belowground, potentially altering plant capacity to keep up with sea level rise. We conducted an in situ warming experiment, in northeast Florida, to determine how increased temperature (+2°C) influences co-occurring mangrove and salt marsh plants. Warming was achieved using passive warming with three treatment levels (ambient, shade control, warmed). Avicennia germinans, the black mangrove, exhibited no differences in growth or height due to experimental warming, but displayed a warming-induced increase in leaf production (48%). Surprisingly, Distichlis spicata, the dominant salt marsh grass, increased in biomass (53% in 2013 and 70% in 2014), density (41%) and height (18%) with warming during summer months. Warming decreased plant root mass at depth and changed abundances of anaerobic bacterial taxa. Even while the poleward shift of mangroves is clearly controlled by the occurrences of severe freezes, chronic warming between these freeze events may slow the progression of mangrove dominance within ecotones.
Impact of treatment year on survival and adverse effects in patients with cervical cancer and paraortic lymph node metastases treated with definitive extended-field radiation therapy

Abstract Purpose Treatment for locoregionally advanced cervical cancer has changed dramatically since 2000. In that year, delivery of radiation therapy with concurrent chemotherapy became standard, and in the early 2000s, use of intensity modulated RT (IMRT) and positron emission tomography (PET) became more prevalent. We sought to determine the impact of these changes on disease-specific survival (DSS) and treatment-related adverse effects in patients with cervical cancer with para-aortic lymph node (PAN) metastases treated with definitive extended-field radiation therapy. Methods and materials We reviewed the medical records of 103 patients with cervical cancer with PAN metastases treated with curative intent at our institution during 2000 to 2013. DSS, disease control in PANs, and treatment-associated adverse effects were compared between patient groups defined by treatment year. Results The 5-year DSS rate was 23% (95% confidence interval, 9%-38%) for the 34 patients treated from 2000 to 2004, and 47% (95% confidence interval, 36%-59%) for the 69 patients treated from 2005 to 2013 ( P = .005). Factors associated with improved DSS included concurrent chemoradiation ( P = .001), baseline PET imaging ( P = .01), and treatment of PANs with IMRT ( P = .02). Only 3 patients (4%) treated from 2005 to 2013 versus 6 patients (18%) treated from 2000 to 2004 had recurrence in PANs ( P = .03). Most recurrences in patients treated from 2005 to 2013 were at distant sites. The crude rate of grade 3 or higher late treatment-related adverse effects was 17%; of the 18 patients who developed serious adverse effects, 8 were being treated for recurrent disease at the time. Adverse effects most frequently involved the gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems. Conclusions Outcomes for patients with cervical cancer with PAN metastases have improved concurrently with advances in treatment, including PET and IMRT. Future studies should focus on ways to improve systemic treatments and reduce late adverse effects without compromising local control.
Genetic Control of Immune Responsiveness: A Dynamic Interplay Between Genes, Cells and Molecules

The immune system is one of the most intricate of all bodily systems, paralleling in many respects the endocrine system in terms of the multiplicity of functions required of it for maintaining homeostasis and integrity of each individual’s health. Both systems exert control over discrete functions at great distances within the body by virtue of circulating components capable of performing their role(s) at sites quite removed from their point of origin, and in this sense they display a level of versatility not found in most other multicellular organ systems. They differ, however, in one important respect: the endocrine system encompasses several distinct endocrine organs each endowed with specific, and limited, functional capabilities; each organ is comprised of distinctive cell types and architecture, and the complexity of the system itself stems from the intricate communications network existing among these organs (and their respective target tissues) mediated in large part by the hormonal products generally unique to each of them. In contrast, the immune system consists of relatively few distinct organs— i.e. thymus, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes— which are composed of relatively few distinct cell types. Although it is true that there are numerous lymph nodes throughout the body, each one is generally structured in much the same manner as all the rest and appear to owe their multiplicity to the strategic nature of their different locations more so than any differences in general function.
Apparent Viscosity of Milk and Cultured Yogurt Thermally Treated by UHT and Vat Systems

Apparent viscosity of ultra-high-temperature (UHT) treated milk and of yogurt prepared from this milk was studied and compared to that of vat-treated milk and yogurt. UHT-treated milks (149 C, 3.3 sec) had an apparent viscosity of 2.3 to 2.7 cp, while the apparent viscosity of vat-treated milks (63 C and 82 C, 30 min) ranged from 1.9 to 2.0 cp. The apparent viscosity of unheated (raw) milk was 1.7 cp. The apparent viscosity of yogurt prepared from UHT-treated milk became nearly constant at 0.8 cp after 14 min of shearing, while the apparent viscosity of yogurts prepared from vat-treated milks ranged from 1.8 to 3.8 cp under the same conditions. All yogurts exhibited thixotrophic behavior.
A Domain-Specific Language for Software-Defined Radio

Software-defined radio (SDR) is a demanding domain; real-world wireless protocols require high data rates and low latency. Existing SDR platforms, typically based on FPGAs, provide the necessary substrate for meeting these requirements, but the high-level tools available to program them are not capable of fully exploiting the underlying hardware to meet rigorous performance requirements. Ziria [11] demonstrated that a high-level language can compete in this demanding space, but its design was ad-hoc and overly influenced by the needs of the compiler writer since its surface language does double duty as the compiler’s intermediate language.
A Generalization of the Angle Doubling Formulas for Trigonometric Functions

SummaryThe angle doubling formula sin 2θ = 2 sin θ cos θ for the sine function is well known. By replacing the cosine in this formula with sin (π/2 - θ), we see that sin 2θ can be written as the product of two sine functions where the second sine function is obtained from the basic sine function by only using a phase shift of the angle θ and a reflection about the horizontal axis. In this paper, we will show that, for any natural number n, sin nθ can be written as the product of n sine functions involving only phase shifts of the angle θ and a possible reflection about the horizontal axis. Similar formulas will be derived for the cosine and tangent functions.
Impact of the National Writing Project's College-Ready Writers Program in High-Need Rural Districts

ABSTRACTBy 2013, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had adopted college- and career-ready standards in English language arts and mathematics, placing a greater emphasis on argument writing to prepare students for life after high school. Solving the specific problem of how to help teachers teach to new standards for argument writing as well as the broader problem of improving teaching and learning requires continued efforts to understand how to support teachers in making substantial changes in instruction. This paper reports on a district-randomized controlled trial of the National Writing Project's College-Ready Writers Program (CRWP), implemented in high-need rural districts in 10 states, testing one instance of professional development paired with supporting curricular resources and a formative assessment tool designed to shift instruction to align with the new college- and career-ready standards in English language arts classes in Grades 7–10. Researchers randomly assigned 44 rural districts ei...
Mapping emotional disorders at the finest level: Convergent validity and joint structure based on alternative measures

Abstract Background Traditional categorization of emotional disorders suffers from within-disorder heterogeneity and excessive comorbidity. Quantitative nosology instead proposes grouping homogenous components of these disorders within a higher order internalizing dimension. However, the precise number, composition, and hierarchical structure of these components remains unclear and varies based on assessment tools. Methods The present study jointly examined two assessment systems with the broadest coverage of homogeneous emotional disorder components—the revised Interview for Mood and Anxiety Symptoms (IMAS-R) and the self-report-based expanded version of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS-II)—to map their convergent and discriminant validity and joint structure in outpatient (N = 426) and treated student (N = 306) samples. Results Results identified 33 non-redundant components of emotional disorders. Most demonstrated strong convergent and discriminant validity between these two instruments. However, the IMAS-R provided more detailed and differentiated characterization of the content subsumed within three IDAS-II scales, and seven of the 33 components were unique to one measure or the other. Joint analysis of scales from both measures supported a four factor (i.e., distress, fear, OCD, mania) mid-level structure of emotional disorders. Conclusions Using multiple measures, methods, and samples, the present study provided evidence for the validity of core lower order components of the internalizing dimension and suggested they cluster into as many as four distinct factors reflecting distress, fear, OCD, and mania.
Diabetes mellitus: Cardiovascular and renal benefits of SGLT2 inhibition: insights from CANVAS

Inhibitors of renal sodium/glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) are new anti-hyperglycaemic drugs that reduce proximal tubular glucose and sodium reabsorption. The Canagliflozin Cardiovascular Assessment Study (CANVAS) Program is the second major trial to demonstrate beneficial effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on the kidney and cardiovascular system in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Foreword for the Special Issue on Impact of Technology Advances on ESD Design

Technology advances continue to pose significant challenges to electrostatic discharge (ESD) design, despite ESD being a mature and overall understood topic.
The Federalization of Corporate Governance

This book focuses on a very timely subject: the federalization of corporate governance. From both historical and contemporary perspectives, the book addresses the federalization of corporate governance in the United States. Although the states traditionally have regulated the sphere of corporate governance—encompassing the relations among and between the subject corporation, its directors, its officers, its stockholders, and other stakeholders—federal law today impacts the governance of publicly-traded companies to a greater degree than ever before in U.S. history. This book thus focuses on the evolution and development of corporate governance from a federal law perspective from the commencement of the twentieth century to the present. The book examines the tension between state company law and federal law, historically analyzes the federal developments, explains the ramifications of the federal legislation enacted during the past two decades, and recommends corrective measures that should be implemented. The book accordingly provides an original, historical, and contemporary analysis of the federalization of corporate governance—a subject that impacts this country’s economic well-being in a very fundamental way.
Current Renewed Interest in Personal Document Research

Personal document research has early historical ties to the social work profession but has long been neglected. The method stresses personal involvement and understanding in contrast to the quantit...
Echolocation Ontogeny in Bats

The ontogeny of echolocation in bats has received relatively little attention. Some bats do not hear at birth and are incapable of emitting the high frequency sounds necessary for accurate echolocation. No bat can fly at birth. Even bats born in a relatively advanced state, with the ability to hear and emit ultrasounds, still must learn to fly and correlate their outgoing pulses and returning echoes in a three-dimensional world before they are weaned. A study of echolocation ontogeny must integrate physiology, morphology, and behavior. The emission of short, high frequency sounds depends on the development of laryngeal musculature, but these ultrasonic pulses are of little value if the auditory system cannot process them or if the animal cannot maintain the high body temperatures necessary for ultrasonic hearing. All these systems develop simultaneously, and we have yet to assess the role of learning versus maturation in echolocation ontogeny. Our understanding of echolocation in adult bats can be enhanced through knowledge of how this complex sensory system develops.
Childhood Abuse and Adulthood IPV, Depression, and High-Risk Drinking in Latinas

Little is known about relationships between child maltreatment and adulthood intimate partner violence (IPV), depression, and risky drinking in Latinas. 548 Latinas in a sexual health randomized co...
arcasHLA: high resolution HLA typing from RNA seq

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) locus makes up the major compatibility complex (MHC) and plays a critical role in host response to disease, including cancers and autoimmune disorders. In the clinical setting, HLA typing is necessary for determining tissue compatibility. Recent improvements in the quality and accessibility of next-generation sequencing have made HLA typing from standard short-read data practical. However, this task remains challenging given the high level of polymorphism and homology between the HLA genes. HLA typing from RNA sequencing is further complicated by post-transcriptional splicing and bias due to amplification. Here, we present arcasHLA: a fast and accurate in silico tool that infers HLA genotypes from RNA sequencing data. Our tool outperforms established tools on the gold-standard benchmark dataset for HLA typing in terms of both accuracy and speed, with an accuracy rate of 100% at two field precision for MHC class I genes, and over 99.7% for MHC class II. Importantly, arcasHLA takes as its input pre-aligned BAM files, and outputs three-field resolution for all HLA genes in less than 2 minutes. Finally, we discuss evaluate the performance of our tool on a new biological dataset of 447 single-end total RNA samples from nasopharyngeal swabs, and establish the applicability of arcasHLA in metatranscriptome studies. arcasHLA is available at https://github.com/RabadanLab/arcasHLA.
Cradle to site Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of natural vs conventional building materials: A case study on cob earthen material

Abstract Cob is an earthen building material that offers a minimally processed, low carbon, and locally available alternative to conventional building materials and methods. This paper provides a framework for a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) from an embodied perspective of energy and air emissions, using cob earthen wall construction as well as benchmark wall assemblies of concrete masonry and wood frame. The results of the study show that cob production requires only 18–38% energy and reduces 75–82% of global climate change impacts when compared to conventional materials. Significantly, the embodied environmental impacts of cob were shown to be lower than conventional materials in all aspects. Further, sensitivity analysis shows that impacts can be further reduced by maximizing the use of local materials.
siQ-ChIP:A reverse-engineered quantitative framework for ChIP-sequencing

Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by next-generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) is a key technique for mapping the distribution and relative abundance of histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) and chromatin-associated factors across genomes. There is a perceived challenge regarding the ability to quantitatively plot ChIP-seq data, and as such, approaches making use of exogenous additives, or "spike-ins" have recently been developed. Relying on the fact that the IP step of ChIP-seq is a competitive binding reaction, we present a quantitative framework for ChIP-seq analysis that circumvents the need to modify standard sample preparation pipelines with spike-in reagents. We also introduce a visualization technique that, when paired with our formal developments, produces a much more rich characterization of sequencing data.
Deoxyribonucleotide salvage falls short in whole animals

Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) catalyzes the first committed reaction in DNA synthesis. Most of what we know about RNR regulation comes from studies with cultured cells and with purified proteins. In this study, Tran et al. use Cre-Lox technology to inactivate RNR large subunit expression in heart and skeletal muscle of mouse embryos. Analysis of these mutants paints a picture of dNTP regulation in whole animals quite different from that seen in studies of purified proteins and cultured cells.
Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis: the Mayo Clinic experience (1980-2017).

Objectives Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis (MRH), a rare histiocytic disease that can mimic other rheumatic conditions, may be associated with cancer and other autoimmune disorders. To better understand the disorder and its other associations, we aimed to evaluate clinical correlates and outcomes of all patients with MRH seen at Mayo Clinic, Rochester between 1980 and 2017. Methods A retrospective medical record review was conducted to identify all patients with MRH between 1 January 1980 and 30 April 2017. Results We identified 24 patients with biopsy-proven MRH (58% female, 75% Caucasian, median age at diagnosis 52 years, median follow-up of 2.3 years). All patients had cutaneous and articular involvement; 23 (96%) patients had papulonodular skin lesions (87% periungual and dorsal hand) and seven (30%) mucosal nodules; and 22 (92%) patients had arthralgias, 21 (88%) joint effusions and 13 (54%) synovitis. Most frequently used therapies included corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and bisphosphonates. Biologics were used in four patients. Nine patients had symptomatic resolution at 1 year and 12 partial improvement. Radiological findings included erosive changes in three (60%) patients and arthritis mutilans in two patients (40%). Twenty-nine per cent of patients had a concomitant autoimmune disease and 25% malignancy including melanoma, endometrial, peritoneal and lung carcinoma. The 5-year survival rate was 85% (95% CI: 74, 100%). Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the largest single-centre series of patients with MRH highlighting the rarity of the condition and an unmet need for treatment options that can allow sustained disease remission. It also highlights the need for a high vigilance for malignancy and autoimmune diseases.
Hair Loss in Lichen Planopilaris and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia: Not Always Irreversible

Introduction We present 2 cases in which typically irreversible lichen planopilaris (LPP) and frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) showed signs of reversal. Case presentation A 27-year-old Caucasian man presented with hair loss and intense pruritus on the vertex scalp for 4 years with biopsy-proven LPP and having failed multiple pharmacologic modalities. Six months after adding oral tofacitinib and later dapsone, he demonstrated reduced scalp visibility, evidence of crown and vertex hair regrowth, and elimination of itch. A 45-year-old premenopausal Hispanic woman presented with eyebrow loss for 3.75 years and hair loss for 9 months with biopsy-proven FFA. After beginning oral finasteride and hydroxychloroquine, triamcinolone injections, and topical minoxidil, she initially worsened over 11 months but subsequently improved over 6 months, demonstrating hair and eyebrow regrowth, reduction in glabella-hairline distance, and new absence of frontal hair line hyperkeratosis and inflammation. Discussion/conclusion Cicatricial alopecia involves inflammation with JAK-STAT upregulation. We report a positive clinical response in LPP to tofacitinib, a JAK1/3 inhibitor, and dapsone, an anti-neutrophilic agent. FFA is believed to involve autoimmune and/or hormonal processes. Here we report a positive clinical response to androgenic and immune modulators.
Timely Integration of Protective Factors: Impacts on Children’s Health and Behavioral Outcomes among Families Investigated for Maltreatment

Child maltreatment and involvement in the child welfare system are linked to numerous adverse health and behavioral outcomes for children. However, there is some variability in children’s health, suggesting that protective factors may attenuate child maltreatment risks. Specific protective factors, such as social support networks and receipt of health services, may be important for children in the child welfare system. Further study is needed on how these protective factors can mitigate salient risks associated with child welfare involvement, including caregiver substance use, mental health, and physical health that are linked to children’s long-term health and behavioral outcomes. Using the National Survey for Child and Adolescent Well-Being II (NSCAW II) dataset (N = 5872), this longitudinal study uses three successive step-wise multiple and ordered logistic regression models to investigate the relative effects of the timing of social supports and receipt of health services in the relationship between exposure to caregiver risk characteristics and children’s internalizing and externalizing problems, and health outcome among children investigated for maltreatment. Results revealed social support mitigated effects of poor physical and mental health on children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors in wave 1 and mitigated poor physical health on internalizing behaviors at wave 3. Social support also mitigated effects of poor mental health on children’s health outcomes at wave 1. Results suggest the need for timely and responsive health services in the child welfare system.
Current status of pinnipeds phylogeny based on molecular and morphological data

The disagreement surrounding the relationship within pinnipeds as well as their phylogenetic affinities still remains unresolved. Molecular-based studies neglect significant morphological data and ...
A Lightweight Memory Access Pattern Obfuscation Framework for NVM

Emerging Non-Volatile Memories (NVMs) are entering the mainstream market. With attractive performance, high density, and near-zero idle power, emerging NVMs are promising contenders to build future memory systems. On the other hand, their limited write endurance ( $10^6$ 10 6 to $10^8$ 10 8 write cycles) and enabling data remanence attacks remain as main challenges that could hinder the wide adoption of NVMs in many sectors. With the limited write-endurance of NVMs, implementing major security primitives, such as Oblivious RAM (ORAM) for memory access pattern obfuscation, become more challenging due to a massive extra-write operation demand, which will exacerbate the write endurance problem. Wear-leveling techniques aim at mitigating the endurance problem of NVM by shuffling locations and continuously changing the mappings of memory addresses to the actual memory cells. However, such wear-leveling techniques do not provide the access pattern obfuscation for security. In this letter, we propose a lightweight memory access pattern obfuscation framework for NVM, called O-NVM, a novel design that achieves both wear-leveling and obfuscation with an appealing level of performance and security (obfuscation) guarantees. Our experimental results show that the NVM's lifetime can be improved by $4-125\times$ 4 - 125 × , and the randomness of address access patterns can achieve the passing rate of statistics tests over 99 percent.
“More Helpful than Hurtful”? Information, Technology, and Uncertainty in Outdoor Recreation

As information and communication technologies approach ubiquity, the need to examine their role in leisure contexts increases. Using data generated with Appalachian Trail (AT) long-distance hikers ...