cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the reliability of a class of system identification techniques: insights from bootstrap theory

The estimation of structural damping from systems with unknown input can be particularly challenging but is vital to furthering the understanding of energy dissipation in structural motions. The random decrement technique and spectral analysis are commonly invoked system identification schemes for this problem. Although there is well-established theory regarding the bias and variance errors of power spectra and random decrement signatures, the theoretical error formulae give only approximate indications of errors inherent to the estimated dynamic properties. This study addresses this through a bootstrap approach to assess the quality of system identification by providing surrogate estimates of damping and natural frequency to generate useful statistics and confidence intervals.
Estimating the proportion of treatment effect explained by a surrogate marker

In this paper, we measure the extent to which a biological marker is a surrogate endpoint for a clinical event by the proportional reduction in the regression coefficient for the treatment indicator due to the inclusion of the marker in the Cox regression model. We estimate this proportion by applying the partial likelihood function to two Cox models postulated on the same failure time variable. We show that the resultant estimator is asymptotically normal with a simple variance estimator. One can construct confidence intervals for the proportion by using the direct normal approximation to the point estimator or by using Fieller's theorem. Extensive simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed methods are appropriate for practical use. We provide applications to HIV/AIDS clinical trials.
The blast response of sandwich composites with a functionally graded core and polyurea interlayer

In the present study, the dynamic behavior of two types of sandwich composites made of E-Glass Vinyl-Ester (EVE) face sheets and Corecell TM A-series foam with a polyurea interlayer was studied using a shock tube apparatus. The materials, as well as the core layer arrangements, were identical, with the only difference arising in the location of the polyurea interlayer. The foam core itself was layered based on monotonically increasing the wave impedance of the core layers, with the lowest wave impedance facing the shock loading. For configuration 1, the polyurea interlayer was placed behind the front face sheet, in front of the foam core, while in configuration 2 it was placed behind the foam core, in front of the back face sheet. A high-speed side-view camera system along with a high-speed back-view Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system was utilized to capture the real time deformation process as well as mechanisms of failure. Post mortem analysis was also carried out to evaluate the overall blast performance of these two configurations. The results indicated that applying polyurea behind the foam core and in front of the back face sheet will reduce the back face deflection, particle velocity, and in-plane strain, thus improving the overall blast performance and maintaining structural integrity.
Ribozyme suppression of endogenous thyroid hormone receptor activity in Xenopus laevis cells

Xenopus laevis is an excellent model for thyroid hormone (T3)-regulated gene expression. T3 initiates two drastically different pathways during metamorphosis: death of larval tissues and growth of adult tissues. The role that each T3 receptor (TR) isotype, α and β, plays in metamorphosis is uncertain. The X.laevis tetraploid genome limits experiments to overexpression, misexpression and dominant negative studies. Ribozymes offer an alternative by suppressing gene activity through specific mRNA reduction. It has been suggested that ribozymes will not work in X.laevis because of the organism’s intracellular environment and body temperature. In this study, we show that hammerhead ribozymes are active in vitro against transcribed TRβ message and in vivo against a TRβ–luciferase fusion protein. We next show that TRβ-targeted ribozymes can inhibit T3-induced transcription of a reporter gene in cultured X.laevis cells, using T3 response elements from two T3-responsive transcription factor genes. One has early expression kinetics in response to T3 and is proposed to be TRα regulated whereas the other has intermediate induction kinetics and thus may be partially TRβ regulated. Therefore, ribozymes are a potentially valuable tool for overcoming the limitations in this system for examining gene function in X.laevis.
Improving the MS-TDNN for word spotting

An MS-TDNN (multistate time delay neural network) version of a word spotting system has been implemented and tested on two spontaneous continuous speech databases. The state-of-the-art MS-TDNN word spotter described here has shown its strength on the RoadRally database. With improvements, it has been adapted to the much more difficult Switchboard corpus with good results. This word spotting system has proved to be a viable alternative to the much larger full-vocabulary speech recognition systems. With relatively few parameters, one is able to achieve good performance and speed on noisy, telephone-quality spontaneous recordings. >
P2PCompute: A Peer-to-peer computing system

Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks consist of nodes where the communication and data sharing is carried on directly between nodes, rather than being arbitrated by an intermediary node. Each node in such a network can act as both a client and a server. The computing power from such a network can help solve computationally complex problems that require powerful supercomputers. This research proposes P2PCompute - a viable commercial model in the P2P computing field. It harnesses existing technologies including P2P, Java, and the universal description, discovery, and integration (UDDI) registry to enable distributed processing of tasks on multiple servers. It is well-suited to the heterogeneous environment on the Internet and can lead to the development of more commercial P2P computing applications. Using this model, clients can divide their tasks into sub-tasks and request servers on the Internet to run these sub-tasks.
Activation of a procarcinogen to a mutagen by cell-free extracts of anaerobic bacteria

The Salmonella mutagenicity assay can be coupled to cell-free preparations derived from anaerobic bacteria (Clostridium perfringens and Bacteroides fragilis) to activate a procarcinogen to a mutagen. This activity is destroyed by heating and by digestion with pronase and it is sensitive to oxygen. These findings indicate that the Salmonella mutagenicity assay can be adapted to the study of the role of anaerobes in the activation of carcinogens.
When Adaptation is NOT the Option: Does the ERC Attenuate When Firms Are Less Likely to Use the Adaptation Option?

This paper considers whether the earnings response coefficient (ERC) changes when firms are unlikely to adapt resources to other uses. Hayn (1995) hypothesizes and provides evidence consistent with losses having less information content than gains. Since losses are not expected to be persistent – a key determinate in the relationship between accounting earnings and returns – market participants discount those losses when formulating the expected value of the firm and instead value it based on the adaptation option, resulting in an attenuated ERC. However, when the likelihood of the adaptation option being used is low, I predict that the ERC will not attenuate since the market will still value the firm on earnings, even though they are negative. Using a book to market (BTM) ratio above one as my proxy for a reduced likelihood of adaptation, I am able to provide evidence consistent with my hypothesis. This research combines the prior literature on the adaptation option, the ERC attenuation, and the BTM ratio.
Anterior repression of a Drosophila stripe enhancer requires three position-specific mechanisms.

The striped expression pattern of the pair-rule gene even skipped (eve) is established by five stripe-specific enhancers, each of which responds in a unique way to gradients of positional information in the early Drosophila embryo. The enhancer for eve stripe 2 (eve 2) is directly activated by the morphogens Bicoid (Bcd) and Hunchback (Hb). As these proteins are distributed throughout the anterior half of the embryo, formation of a single stripe requires that enhancer activation is prevented in all nuclei anterior to the stripe 2 position. The gap gene giant (gt) is involved in a repression mechanism that sets the anterior stripe border, but genetic removal of gt (or deletion of Gt-binding sites) causes stripe expansion only in the anterior subregion that lies adjacent to the stripe border. We identify a well-conserved sequence repeat, (GTTT)4, which is required for repression in a more anterior subregion. This site is bound specifically by Sloppy-paired 1 (Slp1), which is expressed in a gap gene-like anterior domain. Ectopic Slp1 activity is sufficient for repression of stripe 2 of the endogenous eve gene, but is not required, suggesting that it is redundant with other anterior factors. Further genetic analysis suggests that the (GTTT)4-mediated mechanism is independent of the Gt-mediated mechanism that sets the anterior stripe border, and suggests that a third mechanism, downregulation of Bcd activity by Torso, prevents activation near the anterior tip. Thus, three distinct mechanisms are required for anterior repression of a single eve enhancer, each in a specific position. Ectopic Slp1 also represses eve stripes 1 and 3 to varying degrees, and the eve 1 and eve 3+7 enhancers each contain GTTT repeats similar to the site in the eve 2 enhancer. These results suggest a common mechanism for preventing anterior activation of three different eve enhancers.
Alternation of agonists and antagonists during turtle hindlimb motor rhythms

In a variety of vertebrates, including turtle, many classical and contemporary studies of spinal cord neuronal networks generating rhythmic motor behaviors emphasize a Reciprocal Model with alternation of agonists and antagonists, alternation of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs), and reciprocal inhibition. Some studies of spinal cord neuronal networks, including some in turtle during scratch motor rhythms, describe a Balanced Model with concurrent EPSPs and IPSPs. The present report reviews turtle spinal cord studies and concludes that there is support for a Combined Model with both alternating and concurrent excitation and inhibition, that is, characteristics of both the Reciprocal and the Balanced Models, in the same spinal cord neuronal network for scratch reflex in turtle. Studies of spinal cord neuronal networks for locomotion in a variety of vertebrates also support a Combined Model.
Error Recovery: Channel Coding and Packetization

Distributed Speech Recognition (DSR) systems rely on efficient transmission of speech information from distributed clients to a centralized server. Wireless or network communication channels within DSR systems are typically noisy and bursty. Thus, DSR systems must utilize efficient Error Recovery (ER) schemes during transmission of speech information. Some ER strategies, referred to as forward error control (FEC), aim to create redundancy in the source coded bitstream to overcome the effect of channel errors, while others are designed to create spread or delay in the feature stream in order to overcome the effect of bursty channel errors. Furthermore, ER strategies may be designed as a combination of the previously described techniques. This chapter presents an array of error recovery techniques for remote speech recognition applications. This chapter is organized as follows. First, channel characterization and modeling are discussed. Next, media-specific FEC is presented for packet erasure applications, followed by a discussion on media-independent FEC techniques for bit error applications, including general linear block codes, cyclic codes, and convolutional codes. The application of unequal error protection (UEP) strategies utilizing combinations of the aforementioned FEC methods is also presented. Finally, framebased interleaving is discussed as an alternative to overcoming the effect of bursty channel erasures. The chapter concludes with examples of modern standards for channel coding strategies for distributed speech recognition (DSR). 8.1. Distributed Speech Recognition Systems Throughout this chapter various error recovery and detection techniques are discussed. It is therefore necessary to present an overview of a complete experimental DSR system, including feature extraction, a noisy channel model, and an automatic speech recognition engine at the server end (Fig. 8.1). 2 Bengt J. Borgstrom, Alexis Bernard, and Abeer Alwan Feature Extraction Source Coding Channel Coding Channel Decoding Source Decoding Speech Recognition Client Server Noisy Channel input speech
A French Teenager's Introduction To International Business Ethics

This case presents information about a French teenager who wanted to gain experience in an international business company. Several years of working in the international business arena brought experience, expertise, trials, frustrations and valuable career planning tools. Important decisions had to be made - decisions that many employees would not want to handle. Right or wrong, studying the actions of the numerous individuals involved allows readers to gain tools and action plans for dealing with real life business dilemmas.
Receptor mediation of the discriminative stimulus properties of phencyclidine and sigma-opioid agonists.

Evidence has accumulated that the discriminative stimulus effects of phencyclidine (PCP) may be transduced by a specific receptor in mammalian brain. Two major lines of evidence support this hypothesis. One is the structure-activity correlation that arylcyclohexylamine analogs of PCP have for PCP-like discriminative effects and displacement of [3H]PCP binding. The other, even stronger, evidence is that representatives of some nonarylcyclohexylamine classes of drugs are both generalized from PCP and have activity at PCP-binding sites. These include the psychotomimetic sigma-agonist opioids such as (+)-N-allylnormetazocine (NANM), the 1,3-substituted dioxolanes dexoxadrol and etoxadrol and some benz(f)isoquinolines. Early evidence suggested that there may be a complete overlap in the discriminative effects and receptor systems for PCP and sigma-agonists, and there continues to be evidence to support the commonality of these drug groups. On the other hand, binding studies with radiolabeled sigma agonists have revealed a non-PCP site. The role of this site in the behavioral actions of sigma-agonists is at present unknown. PCP analogs and other PCP-like drugs also can function as reinforcers for self-administration behavior, suggesting that the same cellular mechanisms may be responsible for both discriminative and reinforcing stimulus effects of these drugs. PCP has been shown to block many of the in vitro and in vivo effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), a putative specific agonist for a subtype of excitatory amino acid receptor. Recent evidence that NMDA antagonists are generalized from PCP in rats and pigeons provides evidence that modification of excitatory amino neurotransmission may be a physiological function of the PCP receptor and that this receptor complex may be involved in PCP’s discriminative stimulus effects.
Update on the Diagnosis and Management of Colon Ischemia

Colonic ischemia is the most common ischemic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. The condition occurs more commonly in women, and risk increases with advancing age. Presenting symptoms include abdominal pain, bowel urgency, and passage of bloody diarrhea; however, nearly one half of patients do not present with this classic triad of symptoms. Abdominal pain without bloody diarrhea or non-bloody diarrhea should raise concern for an isolated right colon pattern of ischemia. An isolated right colon distribution is associated with more severe outcomes, including need for surgical intervention and increased mortality. Patients that present with symptoms concerning for ischemia should undergo computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis with oral and IV contrast and laboratory testing. Colonoscopy should be performed in patients without evidence of peritonitis. Medical history should be obtained to identify possible etiologies of ischemia. Thrombophilia workup should be considered in young patients and those with recurrent ischemia, but is not required universally. In cases of isolated right colon ischemia, evaluation of the mesenteric vasculature is particularly important, for exclusion of concurrent acute mesenteric ischemia. Treatment of ischemic colitis is supportive in less severe cases, with intravenous fluids and bowel rest. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be initiated, and surgical consultation should be obtained in cases of severe disease, pancolonic ischemia, and isolated right colonic ischemia. Surgery should be performed for peritonitis, hemodynamic instability, or failure of non-operative management. This article will review colonic ischemia diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment.
Abstract 13: Central Sympathoinhibition Abrogates Skeletal Muscle Fibrosis, Oxidative Stress and Autonomic Dysregulation in a Mouse Model of Muscular Dystrophy

Sarcoglycan mutations cause muscular dystrophy in humans. We recently demonstrated that sarcoglycan delta deficient (Sgcd-/-) mice with muscular dystrophy exhibit autonomic dysregulation [Hypertension 2010]. We hypothesized that excessive sympathetic activity contributes to skeletal muscle pathology, decreased locomotor activity and autonomic dysregulation in young (10-12 wks) Sgcd-/- mice. The centrally-acting sympathoinhibitory drug rilmenidine (RIL) was infused into the brain of control C57BL6 and Sgcd-/- mice by osmotic pump for 7-9 wks beginning at 3 wks of age (42 ng/g/hr, ICV). Separate groups of mice were infused with saline vehicle (VEH). Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and locomotor activity were measured by telemetry. Cardiac (HR responses to propranolol) and vasomotor (BP response to ganglionic blockade) sympathetic tone were increased in VEH-treated Sgcd-/- mice, and normalized by RIL (Table). The RIL-induced sympathoinhibition in Sgcd-/- mice was accompanied by increases in baroreflex sensitivity (BRS, sequence technique), cardiovagal tone (HR response to atropine) and activity, with no change in BP (Table). RIL also decreased oxidative stress (superoxide) by 56% and fibrosis in Sgcd-/- skeletal muscle. RIL did not affect measured variables in control mice (Table). In summary, RIL-induced sympathoinhibition decreased skeletal muscle pathology, increased locomotor activity and improved autonomic regulation in young Sgcd-/- mice. The results implicate increased sympathetic activity in the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy, and suggest that targeting the brain to inhibit sympathetic activity may provide a novel therapeutic approach.
Transfamily Theory: How the Presence of Trans* Family Members Informs Gender Development in Families

The presence of a trans* family member can challenge existing theoretical notions about the development of gender in families. Emerging knowledge about trans* identities consolidates around 5 primary challenges to existing theoretical notions of gender: (a) non-dimorphic sex, (b) nonbinary gender, (c) the biological and social construction of gender, (d) gender identity development, and (e) family meaning making about transgender identity. These challenges structure an examination of hetero- and cisnormative expectations within family theory and help unpack long-standing tensions between essentialist and social constructionist views of gender development. This can play out in family theory through a recognition of the tension between upholding and decentering cisnormativity within families. This article pinpoints locations where current family theories require reexamination and expansion to accurately conceptualize the flexibility and variability of families with trans* members.
Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Bees Visiting Male-sterile and Male-fertile Sunflower Cultivars in California

Observations on the density and distribution of bees visiting two male-sterile (MS) and one male-fertile (MF) cultivar of sunflowers over a 3-yr period in commercial seed production fields in California revealed the honey bee, Apis mellifera L., to be the most abundant pollinator, making 98.9% of all visits. Honey bees were uniformly distributed across the male-sterile rows. Comparisons of bee density (mean number of bees per head) by cultivar indicated a preferential pattern of visitation in the order MS206 (1.25, 1.46, and 0.62, in three plots) > MS207 (0.18, 0.19, and 0.22) > MF207 (0.08, 0.07, and 0.07). Difference in nectar production may be a possible cause of discrimination, in addition to differences in inflorescence type, size, and color. Discrimination by honey bees may be an important limiting factor in pollination because bees confining their visits to one parent would reduce pollen flow.
Endotoxin induces cardiac HSP70 and resistance to endotoxemic myocardial depression in rats

Endotoxin (bacterial lipopolysaccharide, LPS) depresses myocardial function. However, heat shock and sublethal LPS can confer cardiac resistance to postischemic dysfunction. We hypothesized that a ...
The dementia syndromes. Distinguishing their clinical differences.

Preview Dementia is one of the most devastating illnesses that affect the elderly. The progressive decline in memory, judgment, intellectual function, and adaptive ability places an immense burden on families, healthcare providers, and communities. Because advancing age is the leading risk factor for most types of dementia, the prevalence of this tragic disorder will increase as the population ages. How can primary care physicians help?
High trans,trans Conjugated Linoleic Acid-Rich Triacylglyceride Production by Photo-Irradiation

Recent studies have shown that a 20 % trans,trans conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-rich soy oil significantly reduces heart disease and diabetes risk factors in obese rats. Furthermore, trans,trans-CLA has been reported to have superior anti-carcinogenic activity than other CLA isomers. Therefore, a more concentrated source of trans,trans-CLA oil would be highly desirable. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the yield of trans,trans-CLA isomers resulting from photo-irradiation of Tonalin® (BASF Global, Florham Park, NJ, USA) and identify trans,trans-CLA positional isomers; and (2) derive a mathematical model of kinetics of trans,trans-CLA TAG formation from Tonalin®. Fifty-five percent trans,trans-CLA rich oil was obtained in about 140 min when Tonalin® was photo-isomerized with 0.35 % iodine, which is almost three times more than is possible with photo-isomerized soy oil. Photo-isomerization of Tonalin® requires about 2 h, compared to 12 h for photo-isomerization of soy oil. This reaction is a first-order reversible reaction with the forward rate constant (k f) = 13.17 × 10−3min−1 and backward rate constant (k b) = 5.334 × 10−3min−1. The major isomers identified were trans-9,trans-11- and trans-10,trans-12-CLA.
Chapter 4 – Utilization and Metabolism of Nitrogen by Humans

This chapter discusses utilization and metabolism of nitrogen by humans. The need by humans to produce and consume food, and other agricultural products is increasing with a growing population leading to increased human demands for N to produce food and other products. Therefore, it is important to consider the impact human intake, metabolism and excretion of N-containing compounds will have on both humans and the environment. Protein was shown to be an essential source of nitrogen for humans. Other N containing compounds were shown to impact human health as well, in both potentially deleterious and beneficial ways. This chapter concludes that it is important to continue to analyze and recognize the impact that N containing compounds have on humans and the impact that will occur on the environment as the human population continues to grow.
A Unified View of Physical Processes

Everything flows. Water and air flow on the surface of the Earth, where they create the multitude of phenomena we know from everyday life. Winds can impart their motion to the water of the oceans, and in a far-away place, this motion can be picked up again through the action of the waves. These processes are maintained by the radiation pouring out from the surface of the sun; light flows from there through space, and some of it is intercepted and absorbed by our planet. Both in nature and in machines, heat is produced and transported from place to place. In electrical machines, we make electricity flow in an imitation of its flow in the atmosphere, and in reactors, chemical substances flow while at the same time undergoing change. Today, we even see life as governed by flow processes.
Is structural stigma's effect on the mortality of sexual minorities robust? A failure to replicate the results of a published study.

Abstract Background The study of stigma's influence on health has surged in recent years. Hatzenbuehler et al.’s (2014) study of structural stigma's effect on mortality revealed an average of 12 years' shorter life expectancy for sexual minorities who resided in communities thought to exhibit high levels of anti-gay prejudice, using data from the 1988–2002 administrations of the US General Social Survey linked to mortality outcome data in the 2008 National Death Index. Methods In the original study, the key predictor variable (structural stigma) led to results suggesting the profound negative influence of structural stigma on the mortality of sexual minorities. Attempts to replicate the study, in order to explore alternative hypotheses, repeatedly failed to generate the original study's key finding on structural stigma. Efforts to discern the source of the disparity in results revealed complications in the multiple imputation process for missing values of the components of structural stigma. This prompted efforts at replication using 10 different imputation approaches. Results Efforts to replicate Hatzenbuehler et al.’s (2014) key finding on structural stigma's notable influence on the premature mortality of sexual minorities, including a more refined imputation strategy than described in the original study, failed. No data imputation approach yielded parameters that supported the original study's conclusions. Alternative hypotheses, which originally motivated the present study, revealed little new information. Conclusion Ten different approaches to multiple imputation of missing data yielded none in which the effect of structural stigma on the mortality of sexual minorities was statistically significant. Minimally, the original study's structural stigma variable (and hence its key result) is so sensitive to subjective measurement decisions as to be rendered unreliable.
Salivary protein profiles for modeling breast cancer progression

Introduction: Currently, there are three major methods for creating models for studying breast cancer progression. The three methods utilize either breast cancer tumor cell lines, xenografts of cell lines and genetically engineered mice. Hence, an adjunct, in vivo model system is needed to study breast cancer tumor genesis and predictive modeling for treatment response. Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the salivary protein profiles from individuals diagnosed with breast cancer that were either HER2/neu receptor positive or negative in order to determine if altered salivary protein profiles could be used to study breast cancer progression. Methods: Two pooled saliva specimens underwent proteomic analysis. One pooled specimen was from women diagnosed with stage IIa HER2/neu-receptor-positive breast cancer patients (n =10) and the other was from women diagnosed with stage IIa HER2/neu-receptor-negative cancer patients (n = 10). The pooled samples were trypsinized and the peptides labeled with iTRAQ reagent. Specimens were analyzed using an LC-MS/MS mass spectrometer. Results: The results yielded approximately 71 differentially expressed proteins in the saliva specimens. There were 34 up-regulated proteins and 37 down-regulated proteins. The results of the study suggest salivary protein alterations secondary to HER2 receptor status. Conclusion: The preliminary findings suggest that this in vivo model system, may fill in the current gaps in our understanding of breast cancer pathogenesis, signaling pathways, the efficacy of varying chemotherapeutics, and identifying novel therapies. Most importantly, this new approach may shed new light on metastatic progression that is the principle cause of patient mortality.
Endovascular treatment of the common femoral artery in the Vascular Quality Initiative.

Objective Endovascular interventions of the common (CFA) and deep (DFA) femoral arteries are becoming more common. However, there is very little published data for guidance. Our objective was to analyze practice patterns and outcomes from these interventions. Methods The Vascular Quality Initiative (2010-2015) was queried for all endovascular interventions of the CFA and DFA. Cases that were emergent or for acute limb ischemia were excluded. Those with isolated CFA with or without DFA treatment were analyzed. Results There were 1014 patients that had either an isolated CFA intervention (946) with or without a DFA intervention (68). Average age of this isolated cohort was 67.4 ± 10.8 years, and 59% were male. Indications were claudication (67%), rest pain (16.3%), and tissue loss (16.7%). Periprocedural complications were access site hematoma (5.2%), arterial dissection (2.9%), distal embolization (0.7%), access site stenosis/occlusion (0.5%), and arterial perforation (0.6%). Thirty-day mortality was 1.6%. Survival was 92.9% at 1 year and 87.2% at 3 years. Amputation-free survival, freedom from loss of patency or death, and reintervention-free survival were 93.5%, 83%, and 87.5% at 1 year, respectively, by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariable predictors of mortality were tissue loss, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), end-stage renal disease, urgent case, and age, whereas aspirin use and non-Caucasian race were protective. Tissue loss, rest pain, COPD, end-stage renal disease, stent use, nonambulatory status, and female sex were predictive of major amputation whereas aspirin use, P2Y12 antagonist use, statin use, and initial technical success were protective. Tissue loss, case urgency and nonambulatory status predicted patency loss or death. Tissue loss, COPD, stent use, and history of prior bypass predicted reintervention. Conclusions Endovascular interventions of the CFA/DFA have a low rate of periprocedural morbidity and mortality. One-year patency is lower than historically observed for CFA endarterectomy. Stent use is associated with reinterventions and amputation. Longer-term analysis is needed to better assess durability.
Characterizing K2 Candidate Planetary Systems Orbiting Low-mass Stars. I. Classifying Low-mass Host Stars Observed during Campaigns 1–7

We present near-infrared spectra for 144 candidate planetary systems identified during Campaigns 1–7 of the NASA K2 Mission. The goal of the survey was to characterize planets orbiting low-mass stars, but our Infrared Telescope Facility/SpeX and Palomar/TripleSpec spectroscopic observations revealed that 49% of our targets were actually giant stars or hotter dwarfs reddened by interstellar extinction. For the 72 stars with spectra consistent with classification as cool dwarfs (spectral types K3–M4), we refined their stellar properties by applying empirical relations based on stars with interferometric radius measurements. Although our revised temperatures are generally consistent with those reported in the Ecliptic Plane Input Catalog (EPIC), our revised stellar radii are typically 0.13 R_⊙ (39%) larger than the EPIC values, which were based on model isochrones that have been shown to underestimate the radii of cool dwarfs. Our improved stellar characterizations will enable more efficient prioritization of K2 targets for follow-up studies.
Cardiac reprogramming factor Gata4 reduces postinfarct cardiac fibrosis through direct repression of the profibrotic mediator snail

Abstract Objective The administration of a variety of reprogramming factor cocktails has now been shown to reprogram cardiac fibroblasts into induced cardiomyocyte-like cells. However, reductions in ventricular fibrosis observed after reprogramming factor administration seem to far exceed the extent of induced cardiomyocyte-like cell generation in vivo. We investigated whether reprogramming factor administration might primarily play a role in activating antifibrotic molecular pathways. Methods Adult rat cardiac fibroblasts were infected with lentivirus encoding the transcription factors Gata4, Mef2c, or Tbx5, all 3 vectors, or a green fluorescent protein control vector. Gene and protein expression assays were performed to identify relevant antifibrotic targets of these factors. The antifibrotic effects of these factors were then investigated in a rat coronary ligation model. Results Gata4, Mef2c, or Tbx5 administration to rat cardiac fibroblasts in vitro significantly downregulated expression of Snail and the profibrotic factors connective tissue growth factor, collagen1a1, and fibronectin. Of these factors, Gata4 was shown to be the one responsible for the downregulation of the profibrotic factors and Snail (mRNA expression fold change relative to green fluorescent protein for Snail, Gata4: 0.5 ± 0.3, Mef2c: 1.3 ± 1.0, Tbx5: 0.9 ± 0.5, Gata4, Mef2c, or Tbx5: 0.6 ± 0.2, P Conclusions Gata4 administration reduces postinfarct ventricular fibrosis and improves ventricular function in a rat coronary ligation model, potentially as a result of Gata4-mediated downregulation of the profibrotic mediator Snail.
A two-dimensional analysis on high light extraction efficiency (LEE) LEDs with asymmetric microstructured substrate

This paper presents a quantitative two-dimensional (2D) analysis on high power GaN light emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated on asymmetric micro-structured substrates. It is found that the light extraction efficiency (LEE) can be substantially improved from conventional symmetric structure to asymmetric structure. The increase of LEE is mainly dedicated to the increased surface area and better randomization on the direction of transmitted/reflected light, which enhances the escaping probability after multiple reflections. This quantitative 2D analysis lays down a solid foundation for the future quantitative 3D analysis.
Greedy heuristics for client assignment problem by zones

The Client Assignment Problem is an NP-hard problem applicable to online games in which a set of clients must be satisfactorily assigned to a subset of all available servers subject to various criteria. One particular variant of that problem we have defined as Offline CAP-Z separates the game world into zones and calls for heuristics to assign zones to servers such that a minimum fraction of players achieves a connection speed faster than a threshold of game quality known as QoS. We develop novel heuristics based on bin packing to find assignments much faster than previous solutions to CAP-Z while using a comparable number of servers.
Mitigating chain-transfer and enhancing the thermal stability of co-based olefin polymerization catalysts through sterically demanding ligands

Sterically demanding Fe- and Co-based olefin polymerization catalysts 2-Fe and 2-Co bearing 2,6-bis(biphenylmethyl)-4-methylaniline substituted bis(imino)pyridine ligands were synthesized and evaluated for ethylene polymerization. The late-transition metal complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, and HRMS, while their resultant polymers were characterized by size-exclusion chromatography and 1H NMR spectroscopy. While catalyst 2-Fe was inactive, catalyst 2-Co was found to polymerize ethylene and avoid any detectable chain-transfer to aluminum events that are known to plague other Fe- and Co-based catalyst systems and to limit molecular weight. Furthermore, 2-Co displays virtually perfect thermal stability up to 80 °C and shows greatly enhanced thermal stability at 90 °C as compared to previously reported analogues. These observations are attributed to the extreme steric demand imposed by the ligand which mitigates catalyst transfer, deactivation, and decomposition reactions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3990–3995
Why we should have seen that coming: comments on Microsoft's tay "experiment," and wider implications

In this paper we examine the case of Tay, the Microsoft AI chatbot that was launched in March, 2016. After less than 24 hours, Microsoft shut down the experiment because the chatbot was generating tweets that were judged to be inappropriate since they included racist, sexist, and anti-Semitic language. We contend that the case of Tay illustrates a problem with the very nature of learning software (LS is a term that describes any software that changes its program in response to its interactions) that interacts directly with the public, and the developer's role and responsibility associated with it. We make the case that when LS interacts directly with people or indirectly via social media, the developer has additional ethical responsibilities beyond those of standard software. There is an additional burden of care.
High-Power photoconductive terahertz source enabled by three-dimensional light confinement

We present a novel photoconductive terahertz source that can generate high power and broadband terahertz radiation with high optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiency. The high optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiency is achieved by confining the optical pump photons very tightly around the radiating elements of the photoconductive source. A distributed Bragg reflector and plasmonic nanostructures are used for three-dimensional confinement of light. We experimentally demonstrate a record-high terahertz radiation power of 4 mW over a 0.1–4 THz frequency range.
Power analysis-based Hardware Trojan detection

Outsourcing of chip product chain makes hardware vulnerable to being attacked. For example, an attacker who has access to hardware fabrication process can alter the genuine hardware with the insertion of concealed hardware elements (Hardware Trojan). Therefore, microelectronic circuit Hardware Trojan detection becomes a key step of chip production. A power analysis-based power-analysis microelectronic circuit Hardware Trojan detection methodology is proposed in this paper. The detection method is implemented in 90nm CMOS process. Based on simulation results, our proposed technique can detect Hardware Trojans with areas that are 0.013% of the host-circuitry.
Fifty years of colic surgery.

Colic surgery is one of few treatments in which a veterinarian can use a skill to save an animal's life from a deadly disease within a short timeframe. Unfortunately, such success is not achieved without considerable risk for surgical failure, which is responsible for most complications in the immediate post-operative period. The last 50 years have witnessed considerable improvements in colic surgery, although a ranking of the most important ones might not meet with universal agreement. Teamwork plays a critical role in the final outcome, starting and finishing with the referring veterinarian and owner. These individuals are responsible for promptly transferring the horse to a surgical facility and then dealing with aftercare and delayed complications. The surgeon is responsible for the intervening steps, including the decision on the need for surgery, and works with the anaesthesiologist to help a metabolically challenged patient to tolerate surgery and anaesthesia. Although early referral and improved diagnostic procedures can have a positive influence on survival, perceived improvements in surgery and anaesthesia need to be reviewed with some circumspection. Although more rigorous definitions and statistical analyses used in recent studies can invalidate comparisons with older studies, complication rates appear to be on the rise, despite putative improvements in dealing with them. This trend tends to diminish the value of colic surgery through increasing costs, overreliance on post-operative pharmacological management, growing pessimism, high rates of intraoperative euthanasia, and possibly reduced long-term survival. Future efforts should address these concerns, mostly through emphasis on prompt referral, good surgical technique and reducing the cost of colic surgery to an affordable level that saves more lives.
Flight motor networks modulate primary olfactory processing in the moth Manduca sexta

Nervous systems must distinguish sensory signals derived from an animal's own movements (reafference) from environmentally derived sources (exafference). To accomplish this, motor networks producing reafference transmit motor information, via a corollary discharge circuit (CDC), to affected sensory networks, modulating sensory function during behavior. While CDCs have been described in most sensory modalities, none have been observed projecting to an olfactory pathway. In moths, two mesothoracic to deutocerebral histaminergic neurons (MDHns) project from flight sensorimotor centers in the mesothoracic neuromere to the antennal lobe (AL), where they provide the sole source of histamine (HA), but whether they represent a CDC is unknown. We demonstrate that MDHn spiking activity is positively correlated with wing-motor output and increased before bouts of motor activity, suggesting that MDHns communicate global locomotor state, rather than providing a precisely timed motor copy. Within the AL, HA application sharpened entrainment of projection neuron responses to odor stimuli embedded within simulated wing-beat-induced flows, whereas MDHn axotomy or AL HA receptor (HA-r) blockade reduced entrainment. This finding is consistent with higher-order CDCs, as the MDHns enhanced rather than filtered entrainment of AL projection neurons. Finally, HA-r blockade increased odor detection and discrimination thresholds in behavior assays. These results establish MDHns as a CDC that modulates AL temporal resolution, enhancing odor-guided behavior. MDHns thus appear to represent a higher-order CDC to an insect olfactory pathway; this CDC's unique nature highlights the importance of motor-to-sensory signaling as a context-specific mechanism that fine-tunes sensory function.
The C9orf72-interacting protein Smcr8 is a negative regulator of autoimmunity and lysosomal exocytosis

While a mutation in C9ORF72 is the most common genetic contributor to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), much remains to be learned concerning the function of the protein normally encoded at this locus. To elaborate further on functions for C9ORF72, we used quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics to identify interacting proteins in motor neurons and found that its long isoform complexes with and stabilizes SMCR8, which further enables interaction with WDR41. To study the organismal and cellular functions for this tripartite complex, we generated Smcr8 loss-of-function mutant mice and found that they developed phenotypes also observed in C9orf72 loss-of-function animals, including autoimmunity. Along with a loss of tolerance for many nervous system autoantigens, we found increased lysosomal exocytosis in Smcr8 mutant macrophages. In addition to elevated surface Lamp1 (lysosome-associated membrane protein 1) expression, we also observed enhanced secretion of lysosomal components-phenotypes that we subsequently observed in C9orf72 loss-of-function macrophages. Overall, our findings demonstrate that C9ORF72 and SMCR8 have interdependent functions in suppressing autoimmunity as well as negatively regulating lysosomal exocytosis-processes of potential importance to ALS.
An Exploratory Study of Student-Paced versus Teacher-Paced Accommodations for Large-Scale Math Tests

In this study, we examined whether a teacher-paced video (TPV) accommodation or a student-paced computer (SPC) accommodation provided differential access for students with disabilities versus their...
Abstract 388: p16/MTAP status as a model for investigating gene-environment interactions in metabolism

While the consequences of tumor suppressor gene deletions have been extensively characterized, little is known about how concurrent deletions of neighboring genes can influence the interaction of cancer cells with the environment. Using a panel of tissue-matched cancer cell lines exhibiting either wild-type or homozygous deletions of the p16 locus, metabolomics analysis showed that concurrent deletion of the proximal gene encoding the methionine salvage enzyme methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) is associated with a subtle but reproducible global shift in metabolite levels. However, MTAP status does not appear to be predictive of metabolic responsiveness to restriction of key nutrients that feed into and out of the methionine cycle. Of particular interest is the finding that cell lines exhibit remarkable heterogeneity in responsiveness to nutrient availability, seemingly independent of MTAP status or tissue of origin. Similarly, MTAP-deleted cell lines exhibit variable global metabolic reprogramming in response to acute ectopic expression of MTAP, and maintain their heterogeneous responsiveness to nutrient restriction. These findings illustrate the exceptional metabolic diversity across cancer cell lines despite similar culture conditions, demonstrating the usefulness of examining a variety of cell lines in studies of cancer cell metabolism. Citation Format: Sydney M. Sanderson, Peter Mikhael, Ziwei Dai, Jason W. Locasale. p16/MTAP status as a model for investigating gene-environment interactions in metabolism [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 388.