cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data Preparation for Quantitative High-Resolution Electron Microscopy

Abstract: A method is described to prepare a high-resolution electron micrograph for quantitative comparison with a simulated high-resolution image. The experimental data are converted from the darkening of film used to acquire the image to units of electrons per incident electron, the same units used in the simulation. Also, distortions in the image arising from distortions in the image-forming lenses of the electron microscope are removed to improve the quality of the data. Finally, an alignment procedure is described which gives precise, pixel-by-pixel alignment of the experimental image with the simulated image. Examples of the procedure are shown to illustrate how actual data are prepared for quantitative analysis.
The Agro-Economic Setting

Southeast Asia exhibits patterns of diversity not only in its cultures, languages, and politics, but also in its levels of economic development and development paths. Until fairly recently, the majority of the countries in the region were part of colonial systems, which meant that their economies were based on the production of primary products sold to industrialized nations and so they had few manufacturing industries. Since gaining independence, a primary objective of the Southeast Asian nations has been to transform their economies from ones dominated by large, relatively poor agrarian sectors into ones driven by modern manufacturing industries. The nations of Southeast Asia, though, chose differing methods to achieve development goals and, because of varying conditions of human and physical resources, economic development efforts have resulted in contrasts both within and among the countries.
Defining the basis of an operational model for enhanced efficacy of combination therapy using an endothelin receptor antagonist and chemotherapeutic agents

A287 Background: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide present as a normal ejaculate protein that we have shown to be elevated in men with prostate adenocarcinoma. The endothelin A receptor (ET A R) subtype is the predominant ET receptor in prostate cancer and functions in cell survival, in part, through PI3-kinase signaling and subsequent Akt phosphorylation. The endothelin B receptor (ET B R) subtype is downregulated in cancer through promoter methylation. ET A R levels are further upregulated during androgen ablation as demonstrated in both an in vitro model of prostate cancer and the prostate cancer tissue of men receiving hormone ablation therapy. Aims: The present study examined the effects of combining cytotoxic drugs with the specific ET A R antagonist, ZD4054, on prostate cancer cell survival. In addition, this study examined the effects of the androgen receptor antagonist, bicalutamide (Casodex ® ), on ET-1 secretion. Methods: Human prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines were pretreated with 10 nM ZD4054 followed by different cytotoxic agents: paclitaxel, docetaxel, vinblastine, and doxorubicin (100 pM-1 µM). Survival was measured by MTT assay and apoptosis by an ELISA assay. Modulation of ET-1 secretion in prostate cancer cell lines by bicalutamide treatment (0.1-100 µM) was analyzed using an ELISA-based assay, and the effect of ZD4054 on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) secretion was assessed by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s clinical chemistry laboratory using the Tosoh assay. Immunoblot analysis was used to assess ZD4054’s effect on ET-1-induced Akt phosphorylation. Results: Treatment of PCa cells with ZD4054, in combination with either paclitaxel or docetaxel, significantly reduced proliferation compared with any treatment alone. ZD4054 also inhibited ET-1-induced Akt phosphorylation in PPC-1 cells. In androgen-sensitive PCa cell lines (LNCaP and LAPC4), androgen receptor blockade with bicalutamide significantly increased ET-1 secretion (LNCaP 2.0-fold at 1 µM; LAPC4 1.9-fold at 100 µM) compared with vehicle-treated cells, while PSA secretion did not change with ZD4054 treatment. Conclusions : This study has shown that ZD4054, in combination with taxanes, potentiates PCa cell death, in part through inhibiting ET-1-induced Akt phosphorylation. In androgen-sensitive cells, the induction of ET-1 secretion by bicalutamide treatment implies that ET-1 signaling through ET A R may be more efficiently targeted during androgen ablation to inhibit survival of androgen-refractory prostate cancer cells.
Serine/threonine protein phosphatases and regulation of K-Cl cotransport in human erythrocytes

Activation of K-Cl cotransport is associated with activation of membrane-bound serine/threonine protein phosphatases (S/T-PPases). We characterize red blood cell S/T-PPases and K-Cl cotransport act...
Abstract WP239: Stroke Mimics Treated with Thrombolysis: A Single Center Experience

Background: Recent reports suggested better outcomes associated with the drip-and-ship paradigm for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated with thrombolysis. Alternative hypothesis is a higher rate of stroke mimics (SM) among AIS treated in a non-specialized stroke centers and then transferred to comprehensive centers. Methods: Consecutive patients treated with thrombolysis according to the admission criteria were reviewed in a single comprehensive stroke center over one academic year. Information on the basic demographic, hospital complications, psychiatric diagnoses, and discharge information were collected. We also identified those who were treated in outside facility and then transferred to the tertiary center (i.e. drip-and-ship paradigm). Comparative and adjusted analysis to identify predictors for stroke mimics was performed. Results: 120 patients were treated with thrombolysis for AIS included in this analysis; 20 (16.7%) were discharged with the final diagnosis of SM; 14 of those had conversion syndrome and 6 patients had other syndromes (seizures, migraine, and hypoglycemia). Patients with SM were younger (55.6 ± 15.0 versus 69.4 ± 14.9, P = 0.0003), had a slight female preponderance (55% versus 46%; P = 0.46); and more likely to harbor a psychiatric diagnosis (45% versus 9%; P = Conclusion: Drip-and-ship paradigm and the presence of any psychiatric history predict the diagnosis of SM. None of the SM had any thrombolysis related complication and all were discharged to home. These findings may explain the superior outcomes associated with the drip-and-ship paradigm in the treatment of AIS
Concurrent breakpoints

In program debugging, reproducibility of bugs is a key requirement. Unfortunately, bugs in concurrent programs are notoriously difficult to reproduce because bugs due to concurrency happen under very specific thread schedules and the likelihood of taking such corner-case schedules during regular testing is very low. We propose concurrent breakpoints, a light-weight and programmatic way to make a concurrency bug reproducible. We describe a mechanism that helps to hit a concurrent breakpoint in a concurrent execution with high probability. We have implemented concurrent breakpoints as a light-weight library for Java and C/C++ programs. We have used the implementation to deterministically reproduce several known non-deterministic bugs in real-world concurrent Java and C/C++ programs with almost 100% probability.
Deposit Insurance Is Not Free

In this policy brief we review the theoretical argument for government-provided deposit insurance and compare it to the actual costs observed under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in the United States. Contrary to theoretical arguments, deposit insurance is not free in practice. Moreover, we offer explanations for the increasing cost of government-provided deposit insurance observed over time. We propose that economists and policy makers must consider the real costs when evaluating government-provided deposit insurance.
Engineered in India — Patent Law 2.0

To the Editor: The intellectual-property system in India has severely deteriorated, and if left unchecked, it could affect patients not only in India but across the world. The assertion by Kapczynski in her Perspective article (Aug. 8 issue)1 that India should serve as a model for others does not withstand scrutiny and does a deep disservice to patients, doctors, and biopharmaceutical innovators in India and elsewhere. Our industry is predicated on research, progress, and hope. Innovative biopharmaceutical companies invest substantial resources in complex scientific endeavors to develop treatments and cures. Such investments rely on effective, predictable, and enforceable intellectual-property protections. . . .
Supernumerary chromosomes of the Harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys megalotis.

Chromosomes were analyzed from 282 field captured and 76 laboratory specimens of the Western Harvest Mouse, Reithrodontomys megalotis. The supernumerary chromosomes found in this species varied from 0 to 7 causing a variation in diploid number of from 42 to 49 with the modal class being 2n=44. The relative frequency of various numbers varied between populations, which were taken from Arizona, California, Nebraska, New Mexico and Utah. Laboratory breeding experiments and cytological evidence indicate differences in the rate of non-disjunction is responsible for interpopulational variation. A hypothesis is suggested to explain this variation as it relates to the evolution and zoogeography of the species.
Investigation of Stress Wave Propagation in Brain Tissues Through the Use of Finite Element Method

Because axons serve as the conduit for signal transmission within the brain, research related to axon damage during brain injury has received much attention in recent years. Although myelinated axons appear as a uniform white matter, the complex structure of axons has not been thoroughly considered in the study of fundamental structural injury mechanisms. Most axons are surrounded by an insulating sheath of myelin. Furthermore, hollow tube-like microtubules provide a form of structural support as well as a means for transport within the axon. In this work, the effects of microtubule and its surrounding protein mediums inside the axon structure are considered in order to obtain a better understanding of wave propagation within the axon in an attempt to make progress in this area of brain injury modeling. By examining axial wave propagation using a simplified finite element model to represent microtubule and its surrounding proteins assembly, the impact caused by stress wave loads within the brain axon structure can be better understood. Through conducting a transient analysis as the wave propagates, some important characteristics relative to brain tissue injuries are studied.© 2010 ASME
Analysis of death cause surveillance of residents in Urumqi in 2010

Objectives To find out main death cause of residents in Urumqi,and to guide the formulation of health strategy.Methods Direct network report data of residents in Urumqi in 2010 were analyzed.Results The first three main death cause of residents in Urumqi were circulatory system disease,neoplasm and respiratory system disease.Injuries and poisioning were the forth death causes.And the fifth death cause was infectious disease.Conclusions Chronic diseases,including heart disease,neoplasms and respiratory disease,are the emphasis for disease control.Meanwhile,prevention of infectious disease shouldn't be ignored.And more attention should be paid to the death because of injuries and poisioning.
Study of the Changeable Regular Pattern of the Big Mouse Calf Intestine P94 Rept Movement

Study the influence of slowly rept movement for the big mouse calf intestine P94MRNA and protein expression,analyse its relation between quantity in motion and muscle injuring.The result shows: After the rept movement,every group of big mouse calf intestine organization appeared defferont injuring.P94MRNA and protein expression present a decline in tendency.By inference,long time rept movement can bring about of conform to P94.
A mean flow first harmonic theory for hydrodynamic instabilities

On presente une theorie generale des instabilites non lineaires dans les mouvements hydrodynamiques stationnaires
Trigeminal Neuralgia in Progressive Systemic Sclerosis

(1977). Trigeminal Neuralgia in Progressive Systemic Sclerosis. Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 61, No. 6, pp. 176-177.
6. – TERATOGENIC EFFECTS OF IN UTERO ETHANOL EXPOSURE

In its broadest sense, teratology can be viewed as the study of monstrosities, and a teratogen as an agent that causes abnormal development. Interest in malformations in both man and animals has been evident since the earliest days of recorded history, but detailed scientific studies of the phenomenon, especially with regard to ethanol, were not introduced until the early 1900's. These pioneer investigators were not interested in ethanol or alcoholism, per se, but rather were embryologists or environmental teratologists concerned with the study of developmental abnormalities. In an attempt to identify possible teratogens, a number of agents were used. As might be expected, ethanol was among them.
The extended nasoseptal flap for coverage of large cranial base defects

Background The nasoseptal flap (NSF) is commonly used to repair skull base defects via a transnasal endoscopic approach. The original description of the technique includes 2 parallel incisions that follow the sagittal plane of the septum. We describe a novel modification to the traditional NSF that allows coverage along the posterior wall of the frontal sinus. Methods In addition to the 2 sagittal incisions, a third incision is made between these coursing along the maxillary crest from the posterior edge to the midportion of the flap. This provides an extension that can be rotated further anteriorly. We report 4 adult patients with skull base defects too large and anterior to cover with a traditional NSF, on whom we successfully reconstructed with the extended flap. We also performed the technique on six cadaver heads (11 flaps) to provide average measurements of the extension. Results Our patients were successfully repaired with maintained flap survival. We were able to achieve an average of 1.9 cm, or 26.8%, of additional length on the cadaveric study. Conclusion The relaxing incision described here creates a flap that allows for reconstruction of a larger range of skull base defects.
Inference of cancer mechanisms through computational systems analysis

Large amounts of metabolomics data have been accumulated to study metabolic alterations in cancer that allow cancer cells to synthesize molecular materials necessary for cell growth and proliferation. Although metabolic reprogramming in cancer was discovered almost a century ago, the underlying biochemical mechanisms are still unclear. We show that metabolomics data can be used to infer likely biochemical mechanisms associated with cancer. The proposed inference method is data-driven and quite generic; its efficacy is demonstrated by the analysis of changes in purine metabolism of human renal cell carcinoma. The method and results are essentially unbiased and tolerate noise in the data well. The proposed method correctly identified and accurately quantified primary enzymatic alterations in cancer, and these account for over 80% of the metabolic alterations in the investigated carcinoma. Interestingly, the two primary action sites are not the most sensitive reaction steps in purine metabolism, which implies that sensitivity analysis is not a valid approach for identifying cancer targets. The proposed method exhibits statistically high precision and robustness even for analyses of moderately incomplete metabolomics data. By permitting analyses of individual metabolic profiles, the method may become a tool of personalized precision medicine.
Concurrence of extracellular vesicle enrichment and metabolic switch visualized label-free in the tumor microenvironment

Understanding the role of the tumor microenvironment in carcinogenesis has reshaped cancer research. Events at both microscopic (molecular) and macroscopic (tissue) scales have been identified in engineered tumor microenvironments involving in vitro cultures, live tissue xenografts, and transgenic animals. However, these events have not been comprehensively observed under unperturbed (authentic) conditions free of exogenous labeling or genetic modification. The lack of a suitable imaging methodology has largely limited our understanding of the complex interrelations and possible causal links involved in carcinogenesis and metastasis within the tumor microenvironment. Using multicontrast nonlinear imaging, we visualize endogenous substances in rat and human mammary tumors through their intrinsic nonlinear optical properties, and simultaneously observe angiogenesis, extracellular matrix reorganization, and non-native cell recruitment. We find that all these macroscopic events in the tumor microenvironment require concurrent enrichment of specific extracellular vesicles and a metabolic switch toward biosynthesis. This concurrence at the microscopic scale provides not only new insights into carcinogenesis and metastasis but also a potentially new strategy for cancer diagnosis, surgery, and therapeutics.
Dual echo Dixon imaging with a constrained phase signal model and graph cuts reconstruction.

Purpose The purpose of this work is to derive and demonstrate constrained-phase dual-echo Dixon imaging within a maximum likelihood framework solved with a regularized graph-cuts-guided optimization. Theory and Methods Dual-echo Dixon reconstruction is fundamentally underdetermined; however, adopting a constrained-phase signal model reduces the number of unknowns and the nonlinear problem can be solved under a maximum likelihood framework. Period shifts in the field map (manifesting as fat/water signal swaps) must also be corrected. Here, a regularized cost function promotes a smooth field map and is solved with a graph-cuts-guided greedy binary optimization. The reconstruction shown here is compared to two other prevalent Dixon reconstructions in experimental phantom and human studies. Results Reconstructed images of the water and fat signal are shown for a phantom study, and in vivo studies of foot/ankle, pelvis, and CE-MRA of the thighs. The method shown here compared favorably with the other two methods. Large field inhomogeneities on the order of 20 ppm were resolved, thereby avoiding the fat and water signal swaps present in images reconstructed with the other methods. Conclusion Constrained-phase dual-echo Dixon imaging solved with a regularized graph-cuts-guided optimization has been derived and demonstrated to successfully separate water and fat images in the presence of large magnetic field inhomogeneities. Magn Reson Med 78:2203–2215, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Feasibility and Outcomes of Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer in Older Patients

OBJECTIVES To report our maturing experience with robotic radical cystectomy as applied to an older patient population with regard to perioperative measures and pathologic outcomes. A robotic approach to radical cystectomy for bladder cancer have recently been described, but its application in an older patient population, which is often the case in bladder cancer and cystectomy, has not yet been assessed. METHODS A total of 119 patients underwent robotic cystectomy and extracorporeal urinary diversion at our institution from January 2006 through October 2009 for clinically localized bladder cancer. Owing to the patient selection early in the present series, the first 20 cases were excluded. The clinical characteristics, operative outcomes, and pathologic results of the consecutive cases were categorized by age (younger, 80 years old, were assessed. The younger versus older patients had a lower American Society of Anesthesiologists score (2.6 vs 3.0; P < .001), greater body mass index (28.2 vs 26.1; P = .008), and longer operating room time (4.8 vs 4.4 hours; P = .015). No differences were observed between the 2 groups in blood loss, time to discharge, or complication rate. Also, no significant differences were found in the surgical pathologic findings, including the organ-confined rate (62% vs 71%) and lymph node yield (19.5 vs 18.1). CONCLUSIONS Older patients do not appear to have any significant differences or compromises with regard to the perioperative and pathologic outcomes after robotic radical cystectomy. Thus, robotic radical cystectomy appears to be an appropriate surgical option for older patients.
Rights within the Social Contract: Rousseau on Punishment

A great deal of contemporary work on justifications of punishment has been pursued within the field of moral philosophy. Such inquires are typically concerned with the rightness or wrongness of punishment from the perspective of utilitarian or retributive moral theory, considered in isolation from the political question of legitimacy. In contrast to a broadly moral theory of punishment, a theory of punishment within the confines of political morality should address not only how those guilty of crimes deserve to be treated, but also the narrower question of which punishments the state rightly metes out. In this essay, I argue that we should turn to Rousseau as a guide in developing a theory of justifiable state punishment. Rousseau’s theory of the social contract, I suggest, demonstrates how a theory of political legitimacy might frame an account of punishment. Furthermore, I contend that Rousseau’s contractualism, while flawed, points the way forward for contemporary accounts of legitimate state punishment.
Reestablishing the Occurrence of the Green Alga Hormotila mucigena in North America: Kansas and Michigan

The original report of Hormotila mucigena Borzi for North America was misidentified (Wujek and Wynne, 2016). It was shown earlier to be a stage of Rufusiella insignis (Hassall) Loeblich III (1967). This branched filamentous green alga, a taxon now placed in the order Chaetophorales and originally described from Sicily, is once again reported for North America from Douglas County, Lawrence, Kansas area and Isabella County, Michigan.
The effect of employed loading mode on the mechanical cyclic stabilization of NiTi shape memory alloys

Abstract One of the effective parameters on the characteristic response of the nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloy (SMA) is the employed loading mode during the uniaxial cycling. In this study, the uniaxial tensile tests are conducted under an extended number of mechanical cycles in order to investigate the effect of force control on the pseudoelastic response of the NiTi SMA. The results which are obtained under the force control are compared with the mixed (force/displacement) control counterpart. An evolutionary stress-strain pattern is observed during the 100 cycles of mechanical loading. Additionally, it is noticed that the residual strain and mechanical hysteresis area also show an evolutionary pattern. The observed evolutionary patterns are delineated in three regimes: (i) early evolution; (ii) approach to a nearly stable stage (transient); and (iii) stabilization stage. Furthermore, the in-situ digital image correlation (DIC) is applied to receive the meso-/micro-scale full-field strain measurements. Severe strain localization is observed under force-controlled tensile test during meso-,/micro-scale DIC analysis.
Joan Didion’s memoirs: substance & style

AbstractJoan Didion’s prose style has frequently been praised but seldom analyzed for its rhetorical force. In her last two nonfiction books, The Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights, Didion’s ability to invite the readers’ identification reaches its zenith, as she figuratively places before their eyes tableaus that evoke emotion rather than argue for it. Although they have been called, and often are, “spare,” “elliptical," and “pared down,” these works are also composed of sentences as long and sophisticated as she has ever written. And just as many of her sentences delay resolution until their inevitable ends, prolonged by parenthetical asides, repetition, and repeated modification, so too does the emotional impact of these works build subtly and linger long after the final pages. Written after the sudden death of her husband (TYMT) and the illness and subsequent premature passing of her only daughter (BN), these works reflect a mature writer in the process of confronting the dissolution of personal...
Methods for Tracking Dynamically Coupled Brain-Body Activities during Natural Movement

A fundamental property of movement is its dynamically changing variability and its adaptive nature. These features seem to be connected to the cognitive control of our actions by the brain. However, it has been a challenge to connect cognitive neuroscience and movement science in developing a framework amenable to study the coupled dynamics of the brain and body during natural movements. Part of the problem has been the lack of proper sensors to probe both activities in tandem. Fortunately, contemporary advances in wireless technology with high sampling resolution have paved the way to address this challenge. In this paper, we make use of wireless wearable sensors and a new statistical platform to study the dynamic interactions of the brain, body and heart during natural walking. To examine the influence of cognitive tasks on deliberate (self-emergent), spontaneous, or inevitable (autonomic) processes, we combine the use of a metronome and specific instructions on paced breathing, while harnessing the heart signal underlying the evoked behaviors. This paper presents a new platform for the individualized behavioral analyses, which incorporates a new set of data types and visualization tools, to quantify the outcome of such experimental paradigm. We discuss our results and suggest that these new methods and paradigm may serve to unify and advance the fields of cognitive neuroscience and neuro-motor control.
Breast cancer: T-DM1 - an important agent in the history of breast cancer management.

Updated results from the EMILIA and TH3RESA trials in patients with advanced-stage HER2-positive breast cancer confirm the overall survival benefit and favourable safety profile of T-DM1 after prolonged follow-up durations. The efficacy of T-DM1 as a second or later line of treatment indicates that HER2 is a relevant therapeutic target throughout the course of the disease.
Copper(I)/NO(g) Reductive Coupling Producing a trans-Hyponitrite Bridged Dicopper(II) Complex: Redox Reversal Giving Copper(I)/NO(g) Disproportionation

A copper complex, [CuI(tmpa)(MeCN)]+, effectively reductively couples NO(g) at RT in methanol (MeOH), giving a structurally characterized hyponitrito-dicopper(II) adduct. Hydrogen-bonding from MeOH is critical for the hyponitrite complex formation and stabilization. This complex exhibits the reverse redox process in aprotic solvents, giving CuI + NO(g), leading to CuI-mediated NO(g)-disproportionation. The relationship of this chemistry to biological iron and/or copper mediated NO(g) reductive coupling to give N2O(g) is discussed.
Finite random variates using differential search trees

Differential search trees have been used for selection with replacement, and for a form of selection without replacement. We show that they can be extended to many different types of selection, both with and without replacement. In addition, virtually every aspect of a differential search tree can be modified dynamically. We provide algorithms for making these modifications. Virtually all differential search tree algorithms are straightforward and easy to implement, especially with our preferred implementation, which is both simple and efficient. Differential search tree operations are virtually all logarithmic with the exception of building the tree and dynamically adding leaves to the tree, which are both linear.
Using Social Media at National Meetings in Hematology—Optimal Use, Tips, Strategies, and Limitations

Social media has become an important tool for physicians and scientists to rapidly share information with colleagues around the world. Use of social media outlets—in particular, Twitter—has risen rapidly in recent years, and it is now customary for national hematology meetings to have thousands of participants who share photographs and textual summaries of data presentations, as well as personal insights and commentary, with virtual audiences. These messages, or “tweets,” can be specifically followed using a hashtag ontology which arose organically over the past several years in the context of medical meetings. This system facilitates communication between meeting attendees and those colleagues near and far with similar interests, thus globalizing the conversation between hematology providers, investigators, patient advocates, professional organizations, regulatory agencies, testing companies, and the pharmaceutical industry about cutting-edge developments in the field.
The Red and the Black in Latin America: Sandalio Junco and the “Negro Question” from an Afro-Latin American Perspective

During two historically unprecedented events in May–June 1929, communist and trade union organizers and intellectuals from across Latin America came together and discussed how to combat the exploit...
Expression and activities of aldo-keto oxidoreductases in Alzheimer disease.

A reactive intermediate generated by lipid peroxidation, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE), has received considerable attention as a potential effector of oxidative damage and Aβ peptide-mediated neurotoxicity in Alzheimer disease (AD). However, little is known about aldo-keto oxidoreductases, a group of enzymes that constitute a major detoxifying pathway for HNE and related reactive aldehydes in human brain. We have determined the regional, cellular, and class distribution in human brain of the 4 major aldo-keto oxidoreductases that detoxify HNE: aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH); aldose reductase; aldehyde reductase; and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Of these 4 enzymes, only ALDH and aldose reductase were expressed in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia, and midbrain; all 4 enzymes were present in cerebellum. In cerebrum and hippocampus, aldose reductase was localized to pyramidal neurons and mitochondrial class 2 ALDH was localized to glia and senile plaques. ALDH, but not aldose reductase, activity was significantly increased in temporal cortex from patients with AD compared to age-matched controls. These results suggest that in brain regions involved in AD, neurons and glia utilize different mechanisms to detoxify HNE, and that increased ALDH activity is a protective response of cerebral cortex to AD.
Parallels Between Physics and Mysticism

Several years ago Jacob Needleman reported that a physicist was attempting to “correlate and complement” modern physics with the Vedas and William Blake’s poetry, another physicist was drawing parallels between quantum mechanics and the teachings of the Tibetan lama Chogyam Trungpa, and a third physicist was correlating Hinduism and Transcendental Meditation with the principles of physics. At that time, the thesis that there are parallels between physics and mysticism (“parallelism”) was becoming a strong counterpoint to the counterculture critique of science, and to anti-science and anti-religion sentiments and movements.1 Parallelism is an important intellectual current at the interface of science and religion, theology, and mysticism. The nature of parallelism is, however, unclear. Parallelists have not reflected critically on the nature and origins of their claims. At the same time, students of science and society have not been attracted to the study of parallelism. One reason for this neglect, perhaps, is that until recently parallelism has been (a) peripheral to the mainstream history of ideas, nourished to a great extent in the literature of the occult- and pseudo-sciences, and (b) characterized by extravagant claims such as the thesis that the central ideas of modern science are presaged in the I Ching, and the argument that Einstein’s theories were anticipated by one of the Yellow Emperor’s advisors forty-five hundred years ago.2
Modulation of Immune Cells by Products of Nerves

Abbreviations: APC Antigen presenting cell, BDNF Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, cAMP Cyclic adeno sine monophosphate, CGRP Calcitonin gene related peptide, CHS Contact hypersensitivity, DC Dendritic cell, DTH Delayed type hypersensitivity, Ig Immunoglobulin, IL Interleukin, LC Langerhans cell, MHC Major histocompatibility complex, NGF Nerve growth factor, NK-1 Neurokinin-1 receptor, NK-2 Neurokinin-2 receptor, NT-3/4/5 Neurotrophin-3/4/5, PACAP Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide, SP Substance P, TNF Tumor necrosis factor, UVR Ultraviolet radiation, VIP Vasoactive intestinal peptide 5.
Pairs of Sums of Three Squares of Integers Whose Product Has the Same Property

In this article, pairs of sums of three squares of integers whose product has the same property will be divided into classes. It is possible, however, for a pair to belong to two different classes, in view of the different expressions that are sometimes possible for a given number as a sum of three squares.
Partisanship and Voter Confidence, 2000-2010

We ask, to what degree is voter confidence in the fairness and trustworthiness of election procedures driven by a respondent’s satisfaction with the outcome of an election, as opposed to more general trust in government or objective features of the polling place, such as voting technology? Using data drawn from approximately 30 national public opinion surveys conducted over the past decade, we find that there is a consistent relationship between voting for the winning candidate and the degree of confidence expressed in election administration. However, this confidence varies as a function of question wording and electoral context. Respondents are generally more confident in the quality of the vote count locally than nationally. They are responsive to electoral results at the state and national levels in forming their judgments. And, rather than being reassured by or distrustful of different types of voting machines (paper vs. DREs), respondents appear to lose confidence in elections by virtue of change itself.
Alexa's Voice Recording Behavior: A Survey of User Understanding and Awareness

The use of Amazon's virtual assistant Alexa in controlling smart home devices is on the rise. The convenience provided by an Alexaenabled device comes at the cost of Alexa service's voice recording and storage behavior, raising privacy concerns. Amazon claims to record and store voice data in the cloud only when the wake word is spoken. However, Alexa records user's voice even at times when the wake word is not used. Though short, these recordings can potentially contain a sensitive conversation between individuals. Anyone in the possession of the Amazon Alexa mobile application with which the smart device is registered, can access these recordings. This paper aims to investigate Alexa users' understanding and awareness of its voice recording and storage behavior. We conducted an Amazon Turk study on 113 Amazon Echo owners. Our results show that 91% of the participants had at-least one instance of unintended voice recording. 53.09% of our participants reported that a subset of these unlabeled recordings did not contain any voice commands. Although a majority of the participants (64.6%) were aware that Alexa stores data in Amazon cloud, the participants lacked awareness of 1) intended and unintended voice data being recorded and stored, 2) entities who can potentially access these voice recordings, and 3) voice recording deletion. Having technical/CS background did not influence the participants responses. However, the participants who were strongly concerned about privacy (fundamentalists) seemed to have a better understanding of Alexa's voice recording storage behavior.
Association of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment and Outcomes With the Day of the Week That Patients Undergo a Repair or Receive a Diagnosis.

Importance Because variation in care on weekends has been reported in many surgical fields, it is of interest if variations were noted for care patterns of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs). Objective To assess the association between modality of RRD repair and day of the week that patients receive a diagnosis or undergo RRD repair. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective claims-based cohort analysis was performed of primary RRD surgery for 38 144 commercially insured patients in the United States who received a diagnosis of incident RRD between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2016, and underwent repair within 14 days of diagnosis. Multinomial regression models were used to assess patients’ likelihood of repair with different modalities, logistic regression models were used to assess patients’ likelihood of reoperation, and linear regression models were used to assess time from diagnosis to repair. Data analysis was performed from March 9 to September 5, 2019. Exposures Day of the week that the patient received a diagnosis of RRD or underwent RRD repair. Main Outcome and Measures Modality of repair, time from diagnosis to repair, and 30-day reoperation rate. Results Among the 38 144 patients in the study (23 031 men [60.4%]; mean [SD] age at diagnosis, 56.8 [13.4] years), pneumatic retinopexy (PR) was more likely to occur when patients received a diagnosis of RRD on Friday (relative risk ratio [RRR], 1.37; 95% CI, 1.17-1.60), Saturday (RRR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.36-2.20), or Sunday (RRR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.08-2.17) compared with Wednesday. Pneumatic retinopexy was more likely to be used for surgical procedures on Friday (RRR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.33-1.80), Saturday (RRR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.61-2.56), Sunday (RRR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.55-3.35), or Monday (RRR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.46-1.98). Patients undergoing PR on Sundays were more likely to receive another procedure (PR, scleral buckle, or pars plana vitrectomy) within 30 days (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.07-2.45). An association between the need for reoperation for repairs performed via scleral buckle or pars plana vitrectomy and the day of the week of the initial repair was not identified. Patients who received a diagnosis on a Friday waited a mean of 0.28 days (95% CI, 0.20-0.36 days) longer for repair than patients who received a diagnosis on a Wednesday. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that management of RRD varies according to the day of the week that diagnosis and repair occurs, with PR disproportionately likely to be used to repair RRDs during the weekend. Ophthalmologists should be aware that these results suggest that patients undergoing PR on Sundays may be more likely to require reoperation within 30 days.
Synthesis and characterization of free-stand graphene/silver nanowire/graphene nano composite as transparent conductive film with enhanced stiffness

As-grown graphene via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has potential defects, cracks, and disordered grain boundaries induced by the synthesis and transfer process. Graphene/silver nanowire/graphene (Gr/AgNW/Gr) sandwich composite has been proposed to overcome these drawbacks significantly as the AgNW network can provide extra connections on graphene layers to enhance the stiffness and electrical conductivity. However, the existing substrate (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glass, silicon, and so on) for composite production limits its application and mechanics behavior study. In this work, a vacuum annealing method is proposed and validated to synthesize the free-stand Gr/AgNW/Gr nanocomposite film on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grids. AgNW average spacing, optical transmittance, and electrical conductivity are characterized and correlated with different AgNW concentrations. Atomic force microscope (AFM) indentation on the free-stand composite indicates that the AgNW network can increase the composite film stiffness by approximately 460% with the AgNW concentration higher than 0.6 mg/mL. Raman spectroscopy shows the existence of a graphene layer and the disturbance of the AgNW network. The proposed method provides a robust way to synthesize free-stand Gr/AgNW/Gr nanocomposite and the characterization results can be utilized to optimize the nanocomposite design for future applications.
Large Eddy Simulation of soot evolution in turbulent reacting flows: Strain-Sensitive Transport Approach for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Abstract Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) are confined to spatially intermittent regions of low scalar dissipation rates due to their slow formation chemistry. The length scales of these regions are on the order of the Kolmogorov scale or smaller, where molecular diffusion dominates over turbulent mixing irrespective of the large-scale turbulent Reynolds number. A strain-sensitivity parameter is proposed to identify such species. A Strain-Sensitive Transport Approach (SSTA) is then developed to model this differential transport in the nonpremixed flamelet equations. Specifically, the strain-sensitive species are modeled with their non-unity molecular effective Lewis numbers, while the remaining species are modeled with unity effective Lewis numbers. An a priori analysis of nonpremixed flamelet solutions reveals that the flame temperature and strain-insensitive species (e.g., major products of combustion, acetylene, etc.) profiles from the proposed SSTA closely match those from the unity effective Lewis number approach, but the mass fractions of strain-sensitive species (e.g., naphthalene) are significantly modified compared to the unity effective Lewis number approach and are consistent with Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) data. This new SSTA model is implemented within a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) framework, applied to a series of laboratory-scale turbulent nonpremixed sooting jet flames, and validated via comparisons with experimental measurements of temperature and soot volume fraction. Both the unity effective Lewis number approach and SSTA model provide temperature predictions in good agreement with the experimental data, but the non-unity molecular effective Lewis number approach overpredicts the flame length. Compared to the unity effective Lewis number approach, the spatial distribution of soot volume fraction predicted by SSTA is in better agreement with the experimental measurements in terms of the upstream growth of the soot volume fraction and the location of its peak value along the centerline, both of which strongly depend on accurate predictions of the PAH mass fraction. The maximum soot volume fraction is minimally influenced and in good agreement with the experimental measurements. Finally, with this new SSTA model, the influence of global strain rate on turbulent nonpremixed sooting jet flames is analyzed to find that, even though PAH is inversely proportional to the global strain rate, the soot volume fraction may not be inversely proportional to the global strain rate due to an increase in the acetylene surface growth rate coefficient with global strain rate.
Optimizing sampling rate of wrist-worn optical sensors for physiologic monitoring.

Introduction: Personalized medicine has exposed wearable sensors as new sources of biomedical data which are expected to accrue annual data storage costs of approximately $7.2 trillion by 2020 (>2000 exabytes). To improve the usability of wearable devices in healthcare, it is necessary to determine the minimum amount of data needed for accurate health assessment. Methods: Here, we present a generalizable optimization framework for determining the minimum necessary sampling rate for wearable sensors and apply our method to determine optimal optical blood volume pulse sampling rate. We implement t-tests, Bland–Altman analysis, and regression-based visualizations to identify optimal sampling rates of wrist-worn optical sensors. Results: We determine the optimal sampling rate of wrist-worn optical sensors for heart rate and heart rate variability monitoring to be 21–64 Hz, depending on the metric. Conclusions: Determining the optimal sampling rate allows us to compress biomedical data and reduce storage needs and financial costs. We have used optical heart rate sensors as a case study for the connection between data volumes and resource requirements to develop methodology for determining the optimal sampling rate for clinical relevance that minimizes resource utilization. This methodology is extensible to other wearable sensors.
A New Method of Pyrolysis

The usefulness of pyrolysis in gas chromatography is determined by the uniqueness and repeatability of the pattern produced and the convenience of the method. In order to produce a unique repeatable pattern, it is necessary to be able to control and repeat the factors of sample size, time and temperature of pyrolysis, sample dispersion, and atmospheric conditions in the pyrolysis chamber. Careful attention must also be given to the column system used and the operating parameters of the gas chromatograph. The results of a study directed towards repeatable and convenient pyrolysis are presented.
Nitrogen stable isotope turnover and discrimination in lizards

Rationale Nitrogen stable isotope ratio (δ15 N) processes are not well described in reptiles, which limits reliable inference of trophic and nutrient dynamics. In this study we detailed δ15 N turnover and discrimination (Δ15 N) in diverse tissues of two lizard species, and compared these results with previously published carbon data (δ13 C) to inform estimates of reptilian foraging ecology and nutrient physiology. Methods We quantified 15 N incorporation and discrimination dynamics over 360 days in blood fractions, skin, muscle, and liver of Sceloporus undulatus and Crotaphytus collaris that differed in body mass. Tissue samples were analyzed on a continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Results Δ15 N for plasma and red blood cells (RBCs) ranged between +2.7 to +3.5‰; however, skin, muscle, and liver did not equilibrate hindering estimates for these somatic tissues. 15 N turnover in plasma and RBCs ranged from 20.7 ± 4 to 303 ± 166 days among both species. Comparison witho previously published δ13 C results for these same samples showed that 15 N and 13 C incorporation patterns were uncoupled, especially during winter when hibernation physiology could have played a role. Conclusions Our results provide estimates of 15 N turnover rates and discrimination values that are essential to using and interpreting isotopes in studies of diet reconstruction, nutrient allocation, and trophic characterization in reptiles. These results also suggest that somatic tissues can be unreliable, while life history shifts in nutrient routing and metabolism potentially cause 15 N and 13 C dynamics to be decoupled.
Self-Similar Evolution of Gravitational Clustering. II. N-Body Simulations of the N = -2 Spectrum

The power spectrum P(k) ∝ kn with n = -2 is close to the shape of the measured galaxy spectrum on small scales. Unfortunately, this spectrum has proven rather difficult to simulate. Furthermore, two-dimensional simulations have suggested a breakdown of self-similar scaling for spectra with n < -1 due to divergent contributions from the coupling of long wave modes. This paper is the second (numerical) part of our investigation into nonlinear gravitational clustering of scale-free spectra, in particular, to test the scaling of the n = -2 spectrum. Using high-resolution N-body simulations, we find that the n = -2 power spectrum displays self-similar scaling. The phase shift of Fourier modes of the density show a dual scaling, self-similar scaling at early times and a scaling driven by the bulk velocity at late times. The second scaling was shown analytically to be a kinematical effect that does not affect the growth of clustering. Thus our analytical and N-body results verify that self-similarity in gravitational clustering holds for -3 < n < 1. The N-body spectrum is also compared with analytic fitting formulae, which are found to slightly underestimate the power in the nonlinear regime. The asymptotic shape of the spectrum at high k is a power law with the same slope as predicted by the stable clustering hypothesis.
Abstract P791: A Lesion-Based Toolbox to Study Ischemic Stroke in Primates

The primate cortex is a highly complex structure responsible for a variety of sophisticated tasks and behaviors including long-term memory storage, sensation, movement, and vision. However, little ...