cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Bonding of Benzene and C60 to a Metal Cluster: Ru3(CO)9(μ3-η2,η 2,η2-C6H6) and Ru3(CO)9(μ3-η2,η2,η2-C60)

The electron distributions and bonding in Ru3(CO)9(μ3-η2,η2,η2-C6H6) and Ru3(CO)9(μ3-η2,η2,η2-C60) are examined via electronic structure calculations in order to compare the nature of ligation of benzene and buckminsterfullerene to the common Ru3(CO)9 inorganic cluster. A fragment orbital approach, which is aided by the relatively high symmetry that these molecules possess, reveals important features of the electronic structures of these two systems. Reported crystal structures show that both benzene and C60 are geometrically distorted when bound to the metal cluster fragment, and our ab initio calculations indicate that the energies of these distortions are similar. The experimental Ru–Cfullerene bond lengths are shorter than the corresponding Ru–Cbenzene distances and the Ru–Ru bond lengths are longer in the fullerene-bound cluster than for the benzene-ligated cluster. Also, the carbonyl stretching frequencies are slightly higher for Ru3(CO)9(μ3-η2,η2,η2-C60) than for Ru3(CO)9(μ3-η2,η2,η2-C6H6). As a whole, these observations suggest that electron density is being pulled away from the metal centers and CO ligands to form stronger Ru–Cfullerene than Ru–Cbenzene bonds. Fenske-Hall molecular orbital calculations show that an important interaction is donation of electron density in the metal–metal bonds to empty orbitals of C60 and C6H6. Bonds to the metal cluster that result from this interaction are the second highest occupied orbitals of both systems. A larger amount of density is donated to C60 than to C6H6, thus accounting for the longer metal–metal bonds in the fullerene-bound cluster. The principal metal–arene bonding modes are the same in both systems, but the more band-like electronic structure of the fullerene (i.e., the greater number density of donor and acceptor orbitals in a given energy region) as compared to C6H6 permits a greater degree of electron flow and stronger bonding between the Ru3(CO)9 and C60 fragments. Of significance to the reduction chemistry of M3(CO)9(μ3-η2,η2,η2-C60) molecules, the HOMO is largely localized on the metal–carbonyl fragment and the LUMO is largely localized on the C60 portion of the molecule. The localized C60 character of the LUMO is consistent with the similarity of the first two reductions of this class of molecules to the first two reductions of free C60. The set of orbitals above the LUMO shows partial delocalization (in an antibonding sense) to the metal fragment, thus accounting for the relative ease of the third reduction of this class of molecules compared to the third reduction of free C60.
Fast Simulation of Lipid Vesicle Deformation Using Spherical Harmonic Approximation.

Lipid vesicles appear ubiquitously in biological systems. Understanding how the mechanical and intermolecular interactions deform vesicle membranes is a fundamental question in biophysics. In this article we develop a fast algorithm to compute the surface configurations of lipid vesicles by introducing surface harmonic functions to approximate themembrane surface. This parameterization allows an analytical computation of the membrane curvature energy and its gradient for the efficient minimization of the curvature energy using a nonlinear conjugate gradient method. Our approach drastically reduces the degrees of freedom for approximating the membrane surfaces compared to the previously developed finite element and finite difference methods. Vesicle deformations with a reduced volume larger than 0.65 can be well approximated by using as small as 49 surface harmonic functions. The method thus has a great potential to reduce the computational expense of tracking multiple vesicles which deform for their interaction with external fields.
Abstract 2384: CD151-integrin complexes suppress ovarian tumor growth by repressing slug-mediated emt and canonical wnt signaling

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA The majority of human ovarian cancer is diagnosed in the late, metastatic stages and is highly resistant to current chemotherapies. The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the malignancy of ovarian cancer remain poorly understood. We report a surprising functional link between CD151-α31 integrin complexes and the malignancy of serous ovarian cancer. Analyses of clinical specimens indicate that CD151 expression is significantly reduced or diminished in approximately 90% of metastatic lesions, while it remains detectable in >40% of primary ovarian tumors. These observations suggest a putative tumor-suppressing role of CD151 in ovarian cancer. Indeed, our analyses with multiple ovarian cancer cell lines show that knocking down CD151 or α3β1 integrin markedly enhances tumor cell proliferation, growth and ascites production in nude mice. These changes are accompanied by impaired cell-cell contacts and aberrant expression of E-cadherin, Mucin 5AC and fibronectin, largely reminiscent of an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like change. Importantly, Slug, a master regulator of EMT, is markedly elevated upon CD151 removal. Knocking down Slug partially restores CD151-α3β1 integrin complex-dependent suppression of cell proliferation. Moreover, disruption of these adhesion protein complexes is accompanied by a concomitant activation of canonical Wnt signaling, including elevated levels of β-catenin and Axin-2 as well as resistance to the inhibition in β-catenin-dependent transcription complexes. Taken together, our study demonstrates that CD151-α3β1 integrin complexes suppress ovarian cancer malignancy by repressing Slug-mediated EMT and canonical Wnt signaling. Citation Format: Xiuwei H. Yang. CD151-integrin complexes suppress ovarian tumor growth by repressing slug-mediated emt and canonical wnt signaling. [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 2384. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2384
Abstract 511: Rictor/mTORC2 drives formation, progression and therapeutic resistance of HER2-amplified breast cancers

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA The phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway is aberrantly activated in nearly 60% of breast cancers, through HER2 amplification, PIK3CA mutation, PTEN inactivation, and other alterations. The mTOR complexes mTORC1 and mTORC2 operate as activators (mTORC2) or effectors (mTORC1) of Akt. We found that mRNA upregulation in the mTORC2 cofactors RICTOR and MAPKAP1 correlated with poor survival in breast cancer patients, while upregulation in the mTORC1 cofactor RPTOR did not. Genomic gains of RICTOR and MAPKAP1 occurred more frequently in breast cancers with PI3K pathway alterations than genomic RPTOR gains. Importantly, Rictor protein levels were increased in invasive over non-invasive breast tumors, while Raptor levels were not. RICTOR gene ablation in a transgenic mouse model of HER2-amplified breast cancer delayed tumorigenesis and decreased lung metastasis, Akt-S473 phosphorylation, cell growth and survival. In human HER2-amplified breast cancer cells, Rictor loss, but not Raptor loss, decreased Akt-S473 phosphorylation, reducing cell survival and motility/invasion. Interestingly, Rictor/mTORC2 loss or treatment with a dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor improved lapatinib-induced cell killing in parental and lapatinib-resistant tumor cells to a greater extent than mTORC1 inhibition. Akt re-activation rescued cell survival, but not motility/invasion, in Rictor-depleted cells. However, Rictor loss caused accumulation of the Rac inhibitor RhoGDI2, thus impairing Rac1-dependent invasion. We conclude that HER2-amplified breast cancers use Rictor/mTORC2 to drive Akt-mediated cell survival and Rac1-mediated cellular invasion. These studies support additional studies into mTORC2-specific inhibitors. Citation Format: Meghan M. Morrison, Bayley Jones, Violeta Sanchez, Monica V. Estrada, Donna Hicks, Michelle Williams, Dana Brantley-Sieders, Rebecca Cook. Rictor/mTORC2 drives formation, progression and therapeutic resistance of HER2-amplified breast cancers. [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 511. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-511
A Quasi Exact Solution Approach for Scheduling Enhanced Coal Bed Methane Production Through CO2 Injection

The purpose of this research is to provide an easily accessible, effective and efficient solution method for the profit-maximization scheduling problem for CO2-enhanced coal bed methane (ECBM) production. ECBM has been a mature technology which can further extend the value of the unminable coal mines. The total profit of the production is based on the revenue generated by the methane produced as well as CO2 credits earned from the carbon market, and the production cost of the methane along with the CO2 operational cost. This scheduling problem is formulated as a nonlinear optimization program which includes bilinear terms in the constraints due to the modeling of physical reactions. In this paper, we use a quasi exact solution technique to solve the problem, where bilinear terms are eliminated by a discretization and linearization procedure. The original problem is then transformed to a mixed integer linear program with binary variables representing the discretization of the continuous fractional variables involved in those nonlinear constraints. This approach is yielding an equivalent program when enough binary variables are used. Numerical experiments show that this method can be easily implemented and yield almost exact solutions in reasonable computational times.
Sustainable network design for multi-purpose pellet processing depots under biomass supply uncertainty

Abstract This study develops a two-stage stochastic mixed-integer programming model to manage multi-purpose pellet processing depots under feedstock supply uncertainty. The proposed optimization model would help to minimize cost and mitigate emissions from the supply chain network. We consider three alternative Biomass Processing and Densification Depot (BPDD) technologies; namely, conventional pellet processing, high moisture pellet processing, and ammonia fiber expansion. These three technologies pre-process/pre-treat and densify different types of biomass into more highly densified intermediate products for different markets in order to improve movability and overall supply network performance in terms of costs and emissions. A hybrid decomposition algorithm was developed that combines Sample Average Approximation with an enhanced Progressive Hedging (PH) algorithm to solve this challenging NP -hard problem. Some heuristics such as Rolling Horizon (RH) heuristic, variable fixing technique were later applied to further enhance the PH algorithm. Mississippi and Alabama were selected as a testing ground and ArcGIS was employed to visualize and validate the modeling results. The results of the analysis reveal promising insights that could lead to recommendations to help decision makers achieve a more cost-effective environmentally-friendly supply chain network.
cGMP-Mediated Inhibition of cAMP Degradation Stimulates Renin Secretion Without Affecting Renal Hemodynamics.

P100 The stimulatory second messenger for renin is cAMP, which is degraded by phosphodiesterase (PDE)-3. PDE-3 is inhibited by cGMP, while PDE-5 degrades cGMP. We hypothesized that if endogenous cGMP was increased, it could inhibit PDE-3, increasing cAMP, and stimulating renin. We used the selective PDE-5 inhibitor Zaprinast at a dose we determined would not change either blood pressure or renal blood flow (RBF). In inactin-anesthetized rats, renin secretion rate (RSR) was determined by collecting arterial and renal venous blood while measuring RBF before and 75 min after administering 20 mg/kg bw Zaprinast (n=9) ip, or vehicle (n=7). Blood pressure before and after Zaprinast was unchanged at 102 ±2 and 98 ±2 mmHg, respectively, similar to vehicle controls (107 ±3 to 105 ±4 mmHg). RBF was unchanged by either Zaprinast (5.57 ±0.38 to 5.77 ±0.41 ml/min/gkw) or vehicle (6.21 ±0.47 to 6.25 ±0.42 ml/min/gkw). Zaprinast increased RSR 6-fold (from 2.95 ±1.74 to 17.62 ±5.46 ng Ang1/hr/min, p p mol/min (p p mol/min). Thus, inhibition of cGMP degradation by the PDE-5 inhibitor Zaprinast increased endogenous cGMP (as reflected in excretion) and also stimulated renin secretion, despite not significantly changing renal hemodynamics. These data suggest that endogenous cGMP may indirectly regulate renin through its direct effect on cAMP degradation.
Cholesterol: the debate should be terminated

Here, I offer personal perspectives on cholesterol homeostasis that reflect my belief that certain aspects of the debate have been overstated.-Nathan, D. G. Cholesterol: the debate should be terminated.
Molecular-Level Insights into Oxygen Reduction Catalysis by Graphite-Conjugated Active Sites

Using a combination of experimental and computational investigations, we assemble a consistent mechanistic model for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at molecularly well-defined graphite-conjugated catalyst (GCC) active sites featuring aryl-pyridinium moieties (N+-GCC). ORR catalysis at glassy carbon surfaces modified with N+-GCC fragments displays near-first-order dependence in O2 partial pressure and near-zero-order dependence on electrolyte pH. Tafel analysis suggests an equilibrium one-electron transfer process followed by a rate-limiting chemical step at modest overpotentials that transitions to a rate-limiting electron transfer sequence at higher overpotentials. Finite-cluster computational modeling of the N+-GCC active site reveals preferential O2 adsorption at electrophilic carbons alpha to the pyridinium moiety. Together, the experimental and computational data indicate that ORR proceeds via a proton-decoupled O2 activation sequence involving either concerted or stepwise electron transfer and ...
Psychometric evidence of body composition as a multidimensional trait in college students

Body composition (BC) assessment is often conducted using one of several different field techniques, which individually are considered valid tests. Anecdotal evidence has suggested, however, that some individuals may rank relatively high when assessed by one method and relatively low when assessed by another method. This inconsistency would indicate that BC assessments have poor convergent validity. The purpose of this study was to examine the convergent validity of common BC assessments using a norm-referenced approach. A total of 67 college students participated in this measurement study and had their BC assessed by each of three different tests: percent body fat (PBF) by skinfold technique (PBFSF), waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI). Two different statistical procedures were used to evaluate convergent validity of the three BC assessments. First, Cohen’s weighted kappas were calculated using quartiles of each BC measure. This analysis utilized three different 4 x 4 tables from all BC measure pairs. Second, Bland and Altman limits of agreement (LOA) plots were constructed on all pairs after T-score transformation of each measure. Mean (SD) values of PBFSF (%), WC (cm), and BMI (kg/m2) were 12.3 (5.0), 87.0 (8.3), 26.8 (3.5) and 23.3 (7.0), 77.1 (8.8), 24.8 (3.2) for males and females, respectively. Simple kappas showed poor agreement across the three pairs of BC assessments and ranged from .14 to .17. The weighted kappas improved to fair agreement and ranged from .32 to .38. None of the three LOA plots showed systematic bias toward a method. However, 95% LOA were wide for PBFSF vs. WC (± 28.9), BMI vs. PBFSF (± 25.9), and BMI vs. WC (± 12.3). Results of this measurement study indicate that common BC assessments have poor convergent validity among college students. These results further indicate that BC may be a multidimensional trait, requiring a specific test depending on the specific trait of interest.
Caring for Computers: How Russian Data Scientists Refashion Their Laptops

Most people who live in knowledge economies spend a lot of time on their computers. For citizens of late capitalism, work and play alike increasingly take place at the interface of body and keyboar...
Training candidate selection for effective out-of-set rejection in robust open-set language identification

Research in open-set language identification (LID) generally focuses on in-set language modeling versus out-of-set (OOS) language rejection. However, unknown/OOS language rejection is essential for effective speech and language pre-processing. To address this, an approach for OOS language selection is proposed. Using probe OOS data, three effective OOS candidate selection methods are developed for universal OOS language coverage. The selected OOS candidates are expected to reflect the entire OOS language space for the state-of-the-art i-vector LID system followed by a Gaussian back-end. Two front-end feature selection strategies are proposed: (i) unsupervised k-means clustering and (ii) complementary candidate selection. Also, (iii) general candidate selection is proposed according to language relationship explored at the score level. All methods are evaluated on a large-scale corpus (LRE-09) containing 40 languages. The proposed selection methods reduce OOS training data diversity by 86% while achieving ...
Cholecystokinin Receptor-Targeted Polyplex Nanoparticle Inhibits Growth and Metastasis of Pancreatic Cancer.

Background & Aims Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains the most aggressive malignancy with the lowest 5-year survival rate of all cancers in part owing to the lack of tumor-specific therapy and the rapid metastatic nature of this cancer. The gastrointestinal peptide gastrin is a trophic peptide that stimulates growth of PDAC in an autocrine fashion by interaction with the cholecystokinin receptor that is overexpressed in this malignancy. Methods We developed a therapeutic novel polyplex nanoparticle (NP) that selectively targets the cholecystokinin receptor on PDAC. The NP was characterized in vitro and stability testing was performed in human blood. The effects of the target-specific NP loaded with gastrin small interfering RNA (siRNA) was compared with an untargeted NP and with an NP loaded with a scrambled siRNA in vitro and in 2 orthotopic models of PDAC. A polymerase chain reaction metastasis array examined differentially expressed genes from control tumors compared with tumors of mice treated with the targeted polyplex NP. Results The polyplex NP forms a micelle that safely delivers specific gastrin siRNA to the tumor without off-target toxicity. Consistent with these findings, cellular uptake was confirmed only with the targeted fluorescently labeled NP by confocal microscopy in vitro and by IVIS fluorescent based imaging in mice bearing orthotopic pancreatic cancers but not found with untargeted NPs. Tumor uptake and release of the gastrin siRNA NP was verified by decreased cellular gastrin gene expression by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and peptide expression by immunohistochemistry. Growth of PDAC was inhibited in a dose-related fashion in cell culture and in vivo. The targeted NP therapy completely blocked tumor metastasis and altered tumor-specific genes. Conclusions Our polyplex nanoparticle platform establishes both a strong foundation for the development of receptor-targeted therapeutics and a unique approach for the delivery of siRNA in vivo, thus warranting further exploration of this approach in other types of cancers.
An activation pathway governs cell wall polymerization by a bacterial morphogenic machine

Cell elongation in rod-shaped bacteria is mediated by the Rod system, a conserved morphogenic complex that spatially controls cell wall (CW) assembly. In Escherichia coli, alterations in a CW synthase component of the system called PBP2 were identified that overcome other inactivating defects. Rod system activity was stimulated in the suppressors in vivo, and purified synthase complexes with these changes showed more robust CW synthesis in vitro. Polymerization of the actin- like MreB component of the Rod system was also found to be enhanced in cells with the activated synthase. The results suggest an activation pathway governing Rod system function in which PBP2 conformation plays a central role in stimulating both CW glycan polymerization by its partner RodA and the formation of cytoskeletal filaments of MreB to orient CW assembly. An analogous activation pathway involving similar enzymatic components is likely responsible for controlling CW synthesis by the division machinery.
Presidential Cabinet Formation: Causes and Consequences

From the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s, Nelson W. Polsby identified and analyzed patterns of presidential cabinet formation. Initially, he contrasted the level of political experience found in President Nixon’s first and final cabinets. He interpreted a declining reliance on politically-experienced cabinet appointees as a systematic presidential effort to centralize administrative policy-making. Subsequently, Polsby discerned three and later five strategies presidents employ in assembling cabinets, finding in each an approach to the challenges of governing. He employed this framework to assess President Carter’s first cabinet, and he found in Carter’s choices a portent of a preference for administrative over political solutions to policy questions. This paper updates Polsby’s research by examining levels of political experience in the first and final cabinets assembled by presidents over the past four decades, from Nixon to Obama. It also categorizes these cabinets with regard to the alternative approaches advanced by Polsby. The Nixonian precedent, shifting away from more politically-experienced department heads over the president’s term in office, has not proved normative. George W. Bush most closely approximated it. Neither has the Carter strategy been widely emulated. Changes in the political landscape have arguably altered the climate of expectations regarding causes and consequences of presidential cabinet formation.
“Us versus them”: The return of populist rhetoric on the stage of world politics

Things that happen in the United States also tend to become virulent after a while in the Old World. The topic of the query for identity that is prevalent in all parts of the Occident is no exception. In the US, the debate about the fabric of the country which is perceived to be steadfast in the Anglo- Saxon tradition revolves around migration from the Hispanic world.Published online: 31 October 2018
Uniparental disomy causing Myoclonus Dystonia Syndrome associated with Russell Silver Syndrome: a case report (P6.033)

Objective: Not applicable Background: Russell Silver Syndrome (RSS) is a condition characterized by prenatal and postnatal growth restriction and dysmorphic features, most often caused by hypomethylation of the paternal imprinting center 1 of chromosome 11p15.5 or maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 7 (mUPD7). Myoclonus Dystonia Syndrome (MDS) is associated with autosomal dominant mutations in the epsilon-sarcoglycan gene (SGCE) on chromosome 7q21.3. We describe MDS due to mUPD7 associated with RSS, rather than SGCE mutation. Design/Methods: An 18-year-old right-handed female with a history of RSS presented for evaluation of abnormal involuntary movements. She had a history of intrauterine growth retardation, and low weight and height ( nd percentile at birth) with preserved head circumference. At age 13, she developed generalized body jerks and a few years later, generalized dystonia. Neuroimaging and family history were unremarkable. On examination, she had dysmorphic features consistent with RSS, short arms, clinodactyly, and cafe-au-lait spots on the trunk. Neurological examination showed generalized, action-induced myoclonus and dystonic posturing affecting the neck, trunk, and extremities. SNP array showed two segments of homozygosity on chromosome 7, suggesting uniparental disomy. Results: RSS is associated with mUPD7 in 10% of cases 1 . MDS is associated with autosomal dominant loss-of-function mutations in SGCE on chromosome 7q21.3, a maternally imprinted gene. MDS shows variable penetrance as a result of imprinting with methylation of the maternal allele resulting in expression of only the paternal allele 2,3 . This is the 5 th reported case of a patient with clinical features of both disorders and genetic analysis showing UPD7 3–7 . We hypothesize that mUPD7 causing RSS may lead to MDS phenotype due to lack of expression of SGCE in the absence of paternal allele. Conclusions: MDS may be associated with RSS due to mUPD7. Individuals with MDS and short stature should be evaluated for RSS. Individuals with RSS and mUPD7 should be assessed for MDS. Disclosure: Dr. Shpiner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Moore has nothing to disclose.
Effect of viscous dissipation and Joule heating on MHD radiative tangent hyperbolic nanofluid with convective and slip conditions

The forthright intention of this communication is to scrutinize the effect of variable thermal conductivity and thermal radiation on the magnetohydrodynamic tangent hyperbolic fluid in the presence of nanoparticles past a stretching sheet. For heat and mass transport phenomena, the collective stimulus of slip and convective conditions with the internal heating, viscous dissipation and Joule heating have been taken into account. The boundary layer equations of two-dimensional tangent hyperbolic nanofluid have been established with the help of boundary layer approximations. With the assistance of appropriate similarity transformation, the governing set of PDEs are rendered into the coupled nonlinear ODEs. The solution of the resulting ODEs is obtained with the help of the shooting technique. Furthermore, an authentication of the computed results is obtained through benchmark with the previously reported cases. The influence of various pertinent parameters on the velocity, temperature and concentration profiles has been analyzed graphically and discussed. The physical behavior of the velocity, temperature concentration, skin friction coefficient, the Nusselt and the Sherwood numbers have been investigated diagrammatically for various pertinent parameters. It is observed that the velocity profile is declined for the growing values of the Weissenberg number and the power law index, whereas the thermal and concentration fields are observed to enhanced for the same parameters. Our analysis depicts that the temperature and the concentration profiles are enhanced for the slip parameter and the Eckert number.
Development of algorithms for embedding ‘Fake News’ detection into social media platforms (Conference Presentation)

Combatting the intentional injection of misinformation is an ongoing battle at the forefront of modern social media. Misinformation can be difficult for even human reviewers to detect and the costs of and time delay associated with human review are prohibitive. To help combat the problem, an algorithm to classify the accuracy of content could be integrated directly into social media platforms if it achieved a threshold accuracy to be trusted by the general public. This paper proposes a hierarchy of trained and pre-trained neural networks for the classification of news articles as fake or real. Since datasets available for fake news are limited, training a network solely with the fundamental data would be challenging. In the solution presented, the lead net relies on a hierarchy of pre-trained subnets to assemble a set of high-level features to use as inputs in classification. The advantage lies in that the subnets can be trained on other datasets for which more information is available. For example, a subnet may be able to recognize equivocation and flag its occurrence in an article. The lead net can then account for equivocation in its final fake or real classification. Some of the high-level inputs are generated with methods other than neural networks. The lead net also accounts for general information associated with the articles such as average word length, number of nouns, number of semicolons, date and more. The technique of using externally trained subnets fed into a lead net could be extended to other domains.
A Comparison of Group Contingencies for Increasing Spelling Performance Among Sixth Grade Students

The effects of independent, interdependent, and dependent group contingencies in increasing spelling performance of two classes of sixth-grade students were compared using an alternating treatments...
100-340GHz Spatially Multiplexed Communications: IC, Transceiver, and Link Design

We describe the opportunities, and the research challenges, presented in the development of 100-340GHz wireless communications and imaging systems. In such links, short wavelengths permit massive spatial multiplexing both for network nodes and point-point links. 100-340GHz imaging systems can provide tens of thousands of image pixels and ~0.10 angular resolution from small apertures, supporting foul-weather driving and aviation.
A Bioinformatic Analysis of Integrative Mobile Genetic Elements Highlights Their Role in Bacterial Adaptation

Summary Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) contribute to bacterial adaptation and evolution; however, high-throughput, unbiased MGE detection remains challenging. We describe MGEfinder, a bioinformatic toolbox that identifies integrative MGEs and their insertion sites by using short-read sequencing data. MGEfinder identifies the genomic site of each MGE insertion and infers the identity of the inserted sequence. We apply MGEfinder to 12,374 sequenced isolates of 9 prevalent bacterial pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, and identify thousands of MGEs, including candidate insertion sequences, conjugative transposons, and prophage elements. The MGE repertoire and insertion rates vary across species, and integration sites often cluster near genes related to antibiotic resistance, virulence, and pathogenicity. MGE insertions likely contribute to antibiotic resistance in laboratory experiments and clinical isolates. Additionally, we identified thousands of mobility genes, a subset of which have unknown function opening avenues for exploration. Future application of MGEfinder to commensal bacteria will further illuminate bacterial adaptation and evolution.
Eosinophilic vs. Neutrophilic Asthma

Understanding the molecular mechanisms and heterogeneity of asthma has allowed the discovery of two distinct endotypes based on the mechanisms driving the underlying airway inflammation: eosinophilic asthma, a subtype of T2-high asthma, and neutrophilic asthma, a subtype of non-T2 asthma or T2-low asthma. In this review, we highlight the current knowledge about the immunopathology of these distinct subtypes and their clinical and therapeutic implications. The intricate interplay of immune pathways has been recently evaluated in both eosinophilic and neutrophilic asthma. The delineation of signaling molecules and cytokines in the eosinophilic pathway has led to the identification of biomarkers that can guide in diagnosing and prognosticating patients and the advent of several targeted biologic therapies. However, the mechanisms of neutrophilic asthma are still not well understood and constitute an unmet need and a therapeutic challenge especially that patients with this type of asthma are often characterized by severe and refractory disease. The understanding of the heterogeneity of asthma profiles and the fundamental inflammatory pathways driving airway inflammation helped in stratifying the disease into distinct endotypes and phenotypes. Recognizing the diverseness of the disease helped in understanding the varying response to treatment options and accounting for the shift in treatment paradigms from a “one size fits all” approach to targeted personalized medicine mostly in eosinophilic asthma. Knowledge gaps exist in the understanding of the pathophysiology of neutrophilic asthma with further studies needed to elucidate its pathogenesis and to develop more effective therapy to target this subgroup of patients with more resistant disease.
Finck, Franz Nikolaus (1867–1910)

During a short, but richly productive, academic career, Franz Nikolaus Finck (1867–1910) studied and published on a broad spectrum of languages including Irish Gaelic, Armenian, and Romani, as well as Caucasian, Polynesian, and Bantu idioms. He advocated field work on unwritten languages in addition to the traditional philological approach to linguistic scholarship. He was an early influence on the study of language typology, and as his thought developed, he published several works dealing with aspects of this area.
Detection and Compensation of Inter-turn Short Circuit in Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines with 2-level Voltage Source Inverter

This paper evaluates the feasibility of implementing the detection and compensation of an inter-turn short circuit (ISC) in an interior permanent magnet synchronous machine fed by a 2-level voltage source inverter (VSI). The proposed method detects the ISC fault using a current observer capable of detecting a specific disturbance related to the ISC. Once the ISC is detected, the possibility of compensating for an ISC is evaluated. With a 2-level VSI, the options for fault compensation are somewhat limited; however, a significant reduction in the fault current can be achieved by adequately injecting d-axis current to cancel out the magnetic flux from the permanent magnet. In this paper, proof of concept of ISC detection and failure path current reduction with d-axis current injection is shown through experimental measurements. Then, the feasibility of post-fault operation is analyzed using an ISC model validated through FEA.
Chronic opioid use after laryngeal cancer treatment.

Background Survivors of head and neck cancer may be at increased risk for chronic opioid use and questions remain about risk factors. Methods Retrospective study of patients with laryngeal cancer prescribed opioids utilizing the Truven Health Marketscan database. Patients had laryngeal cancer, underwent treatment, filled an opioid prescription, and were enrolled in this private insurance plan 1 year prior to and after treatment. Results In this study, 7484 patients were included; 17.2% developed chronic opioid use, defined as consecutive opioid fills at least 90 days after treatment cessation. Early opioid use (OR = 3.607, 95% CI [3.125-4.163]), tobacco use (OR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.117-1.467]), median morphine milligram equivalent (MME; OR = 1.001, 95% CI [1.000-1.0001]), and radiation alone (OR = 1.435, 95% CI [1.199-1.717]) were predictive of chronic opioid use. Conclusions Nearly one in five patients prescribed opioids during treatment developed chronic use. Providers should discuss the risk of chronic opioid use, set expectations for opioid weaning, and consider adjunct pain regimens to develop effective pain management strategies.
Comparison of direct surgical cost for humeral shaft fracture fixation: open reduction internal fixation versus intramedullary nailing.

Background and/or Hypothesis Prior literature has supported similar complication rates and outcomes for humeral shaft fractures treated with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) with a plate/screw construct versus intramedullary nailing (IMN). The purpose of this study is to determine whether surgical encounter total direct costs (SETDCs) differ between ORIF and IMN for these fractures. Methods Adult patients (≥ 18 years) treated for isolated humeral shaft fractures by ORIF or IMN between June 18, 2014 and June 17, 2019 at a single tertiary academic center were available for inclusion. SETDCs for ORIF and IMN groups, obtained through our institution's information technology value tool, were adjusted to 2019 US dollars and converted to relative costs per institutional policy. SETDCs for ORIF and IMN were compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results Demographic factors did not differ between ORIF and IMN cohorts with the exception of age (mean of 18.6 years older for IMN; P < .001) and American Society of Anesthesiologist class (higher for IMN; P = .029). Substantial cost variation was observed among the 39 included ORIF and 21 IMN cases. Costs pertaining to operating room utilization (P = .77), implants (P = .64), and the recovery room (P = .27) were similar for ORIF and IMN, whereas supply costs were significantly greater for IMN with a median (interquartile range) of 0.21 (0.17 ∼ 0.28), more than twice the supply costs of ORIF (0.09 [0.05 ∼ 0.13], P < .001). The SETDC of IMN was significantly greater than that of ORIF (median [interquartile range]:1.00 [0.9 to 1.13] vs. 0.83 [0.71∼1.05], respectively; P = .047). Discussion and/or Conclusion Our study found that the SETDC for humeral shaft fracture fixation was greater for IMN than for ORIF, although patient cohorts differed significantly with respect to age and the American Society of Anesthesiologist class. Surgeons should take these findings into consideration when consenting patients with humeral shaft fractures for the appropriate fixation type.
Survival of Commercial Dairy Cows after Digit Amputation or Arthrodesis Surgery

Common digit diseases, such as sole ulcers, sole abscesses, foot rot and white line disease may become complicated by extensive corium and laminae tissue necrosis, leading to deep sepsis of the digit. Septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint constitutes 3 to 10% of all hoof conditions. Deep infection of the digit causes severe lameness and, in herds with high incidence oflameness, economic losses from this condition may be significant. Digit amputation is the standard treatment for deep sepsis of the bovine foot in the field. It is reported that cows that had digit amputation were retained in the herd for an average of 13 months, while cows that had arthrodesis surgery were retained for an average of 18 months. However, there were no control cows in those studies with which to compare the survival time. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of digit amputation and arthrodesis surgery on survival.
Chapter 56 Rural Financial Markets in Developing Countries

Abstract This review examines portions of the vast literature on rural financial markets and household behavior in the face of risk and uncertainty and limited commitment. In addition to examining household strategies and bilateral contracting we place particular emphasis on studying the important role of financial intermediaries, competition and regulation in shaping the changing structure and organization of rural markets. Our goal is to provide a framework within which the evolution of financial intermediation in rural economies can be understood.
The future of ASET and electroneurodiagnostic technology.

ABSTRACT.The electroneurodiagnostics of the future will unfold from key factors that contribute to the growth and maturation of specialized diagnostic technologies in health care. Our unique business portfolio is the collection of services that make up electroneurodiagnostic technology. More than 100 years after Hans Berger first described EEG, electroencephalography may recapture the attention and imagination of research fourfold. And the attention that our profession directs toward education, professional growth, utilization of the technology, relating to the transdisciplinary team, and research will be our stake in the ground to become the pre-eminent diagnostic technology in the future. There is clear strategic direction for the American Society of Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists. Inc. (ASET) because the society is fundamentally interlaced with the architecture of electroneurodiagnostic technology and neuroscience.
Protein Synthesis in Neurons

Neurons are immensely complex cells whose morphology and physiology underpin our cognition. Achieving proper neuronal connections during development, as well as eliciting appropriate responses to environmental stimuli in the adult, requires precisely regulated protein synthesis. To meet these requirements, neurons have adapted regulatory mechanisms that act at every step in the process of producing functional proteins. Many of these mechanisms target messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-binding proteins and ribosomal subunits to regulate translational initiation. These mechanisms are especially concentrated at synapses, where they act to transform transient electrical signals into lasting functional modifications that are a basis for learning and memory. Misregulated synaptic protein synthesis contributes to several human cognitive changes including addiction, fragile X syndrome and autism. Key Concepts: Neurons exhibit extensive and compartmentalised arbours of axons and dendrites, which place unique demands on the timing and location of protein synthesis. Growth cones are specialised structures that guide developing axons and dendrites to their targets. Extracellular guidance cues regulate local protein synthesis in growth cones to guide axons and dendrites to their destination. Forming new memories requires protein synthesis during specific time intervals after learning. In the adult brain, neurons rapidly communicate through specialised contacts called synapses. The strength of communication at a synapse can be modified as a function of its past use. These changes are mediated, in part, by the local protein synthesis at the synapse. Biochemical networks called signal transduction pathways convert specific patterns of synaptic transmissions into new protein synthesis. Ribosomal and RNA-binding proteins are common targets of these pathways. Alterations of neuronal protein synthesis in humans can cause a variety of behavioural, cognitive and memory deficits. Keywords: protein synthesis; neuron; translation; synapse; fragile X
Social Norms, Spatial Dependence, and Children's Activities: Evidence from India

After controlling for a wide range of determinants of children's participation in work, school, and idleness, we examine whether or not there exists spatial dependence in children's activities in neighboring Indian districts. We find that correlation among neighboring districts' observables and unobservables play a significant role in determining the proportion of children who attend school, work, and are idle in a district. We attribute a large part of spatially correlated unobservables to common social attitudes, beliefs, and norms with respect to children's activities in neighboring districts.
Culture and Cognition

We review evidence for the mutual interdependence of cultural and cognitive processes. Some cognitive content, assumed by many psychologists to be infinitely variable, appears to be universal, including theories of mechanics, biology, and mind. These domain-specific theories constrain the diversity of human thought and the range of cultures possible. On the other hand, many cognitive processes assumed to be universal are highly susceptible to cultural variation. We consider recent developments regarding cultural variation in mathematical and folkbiological reasoning, deductive reasoning in traditional societies, as well as the linguistic relativity hypothesis, field dependence, and situated cognition. We then examine recent research on marked cultural differences in holistic vs. analytic modes of reasoning primarily between East Asian and Western cultures. Keywords: Culture; folkbiology; holistic thinking; language and thought; logical reasoning; mathematical thinking
Politics, Markets, and Dispute Resolution

In bringing economic analysis to bear on whether a dispute is settled without trial, the presumed institutional setting is typically one of private property where the parties are residual claimants to their legal expenses. Many disputes, however, are between private and public parties. In these disputes there is a conflict between substantive rationalities because public parties are not residual claimants. Just as the substantive content of action can vary depending on whether the actor operates within a context of private or common property, so can the substance of dispute settlement vary. While a public actor cannot pocket legal expenses that are saved through settlement, the expenses of trial can serve as an investment in pursuing future political ambitions.
Zirconium tungstate (ZrW/sub 2/O/sub 8/)-based micromachined negative thermal-expansion thin films

Negative expansion materials are relatively rare but promise to be particularly useful in designing thermally sensitive mechanical devices. Although negative thermal expansion (NTE) in bulk materials such as ZrW/sub 2/O/sub 8/ has been extensively studied, this paper reports the first deposition of a NTE material thin film. ZrW/sub x/O/sub y/ films were deposited by electron beam evaporation and reactive cosputtering. The films were processed and patterned for various microstructures. The coefficients of thermal expansion of the deposited thin films were determined by measuring the change in curvature with temperature. It was found that evaporated films but not sputtered films, which were denser than the evaporated films, exhibited NTE. It was also found that NTE behavior occurred across a variety of stoichiometries. Since crystalline ZrW/sub 2/O/sub 8/ and thin film ZrW/sub x/O/sub y/ both have low densities and show negative expansion, it is speculated that similar physical mechanisms, as discussed in the text, are at work. Further, since the deposition conditions of a thin film can often be changed to control density, it is speculated that a wider variety of thin films than bulk crystals might be made to have NTE.
Toward genuine continuity of life and mind

The strong continuity thesis was introduced into the artificial life literature in 1994, [5], but since then has not received the attention and further development it merits. In this paper, I explain why if we are to identify genuine continuity between life and mind, a shift in perspective is needed from thinking about living and minded things and processes, to thinking about Life itself and Mind itself. I describe both life and mind as self-preserving processes and argue that this notion accounts for their purported continuity, drawing on research in embedded and embodied cognition to make my case. I then respond to Peter Godfrey-Smith’s observation that any view on which thought requires language is inconsistent with the strong continuity thesis by arguing that although such a view of thought might be rendered consistent with the thesis, a dynamic systems approach to cognition, i.e., one wherein thought is language-independent, is much more conducive to identifying genuine life-mind continuity.
Effects of flooding on pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) growth and survivorship1

Abstract Craine S. I. and Orians C. M. (Tufts University, Medford, Mass.). Effects of flooding on pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) growth and survivorship. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 133(2): 289–296. 2006.—Pitch pines (Pinus rigida Mill.) colonize the shores of Cape Cod coastal plain ponds in periods of low water and, once established, inhibit the growth of resident herbaceous species, including rare endemics. The effects of flooding on P. rigida may vary with plant age and may be affected by previous exposure to flooded conditions. To determine the effects of flooding on pitch pine survivorship, we performed three sets of experiments. First, we examined the effects of relative flood depth—root flooding versus total submersion—on three-month-old seedlings. Second, we determined whether prior exposure to root flooding enhanced subsequent survivorship in flooded conditions one year later. Lastly, we compared the effects of root flooding on pines of different ages—three months, 15 months, and five years. We found th...