cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human oocyte developmental potential is predicted by mechanical properties within hours after fertilization

The causes of embryonic arrest during pre-implantation development are poorly understood. Attempts to correlate patterns of oocyte gene expression with successful embryo development have been hampered by the lack of reliable and nondestructive predictors of viability at such an early stage. Here we report that zygote viscoelastic properties can predict blastocyst formation in humans and mice within hours after fertilization, with >90% precision, 95% specificity and 75% sensitivity. We demonstrate that there are significant differences between the transcriptomes of viable and non-viable zygotes, especially in expression of genes important for oocyte maturation. In addition, we show that low-quality oocytes may undergo insufficient cortical granule release and zona-hardening, causing altered mechanics after fertilization. Our results suggest that embryo potential is largely determined by the quality and maturation of the oocyte before fertilization, and can be predicted through a minimally invasive mechanical measurement at the zygote stage.
Epidemiological Principles Applied to CER

Decision makers often struggle with how to make a decision to test everyone or not for a disease. As we all know, health-care decision making must be based on plenty of scientific evidences instead of gambling. On the other hand, any decision might have to take a certain risk because uncertainty always exists in the real world. The key question is how to understand and measure the risk of decision making.
Ruthenium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrohydroxyalkylation of Butadiene: The Role of the Formyl Hydrogen Bond in Stereochemical Control.

The catalyst generated in situ from RuH2(CO)(PPh3)3, (S)-SEGPHOS, and a chiral phosphoric acid promotes asymmetric hydrohydroxyalkylation of butadiene and affords enantioenriched α-methyl homoallylic alcohols. The observed diastereo- and enantioselectivities are determined by both the chiral phosphine and chiral phosphate ligands. Density functional theory calculations (M06/SDD-6-311G(d,p)–IEFPCM(acetone)//B3LYP/SDD-6-31G(d)) predict that the product distribution is controlled by the kinetics of carbon–carbon bond formation, and this process occurs via a closed-chair Zimmerman–Traxler-type transition structure (TS). Chiral-phosphate-dependent stereoselectivity arising from this TS is enabled through a hydrogen bond between the phosphoryl oxygen and the aldehyde formyl proton present in TADDOL-derived catalysts. This interaction is absent in the corresponding BINOL-derived systems, and the opposite diastereo- and enantioselectivity is observed. Additional factors influencing the stereochemical control are ...
Binding energy shifts for nitrogen‐containing graphene‐based electrocatalysts – experiments and DFT calculations

A detailed analysis of the physiochemical nature, thermodynamic properties, and electrochemical characterization of N motifs present in self-assembled nitrogen functionalized transition metal and nitrogen doped graphene pyrolyzed materials has been conducted in this study. First principle density-functional-theory calculations were performed to assess the thermochemistry of Fe–Nx and graphitic-N defects and to predict N1s core-level-shifts. Combining this prediction with our X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and rotating ring disk electrode experiments, we find that graphitic-N contributes significantly to hydrogen peroxide formation in oxygen reduction reactions, while materials containing nitrogen coordinated transition metal result in the complete reduction of oxygen to water. Lastly, we show how the synergy of experimental, electrochemical, and computational approaches can accelerate the accurate identification and characterization of nitrogen functionalized graphene moieties present in pyrolyzed electrocatalysts for fuel cells. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abstract PD05-02: Novel mutations in lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) as uncovered by targeted parallel sequencing

Background: LCIS has traditionally been recognized as a marker of increased risk for the subsequent development of breast cancer, of either the lobular or ductal phenotype, yet due to the incidental nature of LCIS little is known about its underlying biology. Here we describe the first report of novel mutations in LCIS using targeted exome sequencing of fresh frozen tissue samples. Methods: Fresh frozen tissue samples from patients with a prior history of LCIS undergoing therapeutic or risk-reducing mastectomy from 2003–08 were harvested and systematically reviewed to identify LCIS. Cells from individual LCIS lesions +/− associated cancers were collected by laser capture microdissection. For the purposes of this study, germline DNA (blood) and DNA from 12 unique LCIS lesions were subject to targeted parallel sequencing of exons corresponding to 230 cancer genes using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. DNA from an associated ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and/or an invasive ductal (IDC) or lobular (ILC) lesion was also available for 7 of these cases resulting in 41 samples from 12 pts for mutational analysis. Normalized (RMA) Affymetrix U133A gene expression data were also available. Results: DNA profiling reliably identified 7 somatic mutations in 5/12 LCIS samples (41.7%). Of these, 4/7 mutations were base substitutions (missense mutations); and the others included: 1 deletion; 1 silent and 1 splice-site mutation. Mutations in LCIS were identified in 5/230 cancer genes analyzed, including: PIK3CA, CDH1, NOTCH4, PREX2 and ARAF. PIK3CA and CDH1 mutations were each identified in two samples, representing 4/7 (57.1%) mutations. Specific mutations found in LCIS and their frequencies are listed (table). Among 3 LCIS-ILC pairs, one shared the G914R mutation in PIK3CA, and 1/3 LCIS-IDC pairs exhibited an identical point mutation (R373W) in the NOTCH4 gene. No shared mutations were observed in 3 LCIS-DCIS pairs. Both CDH1 mutated cases were associated with decreased e-cadherin mRNA levels when compared to non-mutated cases (mean 9.88 vs 11.01), as was the NOTCH4 mutation (mean 6.02 vs 6.47). Mutations in ARAF and PREX2 were associated with increased mRNA levels, mean 7.07 vs 6.52 and 4.82 vs 4.22, respectively. The hotspot PIK3CA mutation (E545K) was also associated with increased gene expression (mean 5.15 vs 4.64) whereas the G914R mutant was associated with decreased expression (mean 4.13 vs 4.64). Conclusions: This study represents the first targeted exon sequencing analysis of fresh frozen LCIS. Although LCIS has been regarded as a rather genetically stable lesion, somatic mutations were detected in 41.7% of lesions in this small cohort. While CDH1 mutations are expected in lobular neoplasia, this is the first report of mutations in ARAF, NOTCH4, PIK3CA and PREX2. Given the shared relevance of PIK3CA and PREX2 in the PI3K/AKT pathway, these findings suggest novel mechanisms for new chemoprevention strategies among women with LCIS. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr PD05-02.
Reaping the prevention benefits of highly active antiretroviral treatment: policy implications of HIV Prevention Trials Network 052

Purpose of reviewThis review explores the policy implications of findings from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN 052) treatment as prevention (TasP) study.Recent findingsTo date, the potential of antiretrovirals to prevent sexual transmission of HIV by infected persons has been grounded in obs
PO-43 - Differential coagulation factor expression in neuroendocrine prostate cancer (PC), metastatic castrate-resistant PC, and localized prostatic adenocarcinoma.

Introduction Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive late-stage variant of PC that is often androgen-receptor negative. Most clinicians believe the VTE rate with NEPC is higher than with standard metastatic castration-resistant PC (mCRPC), but NEPC tends to present with bulkier visceral disease and include platinum chemotherapy unlike standard PC. In many solid tumors, a more aggressive phenotype correlates with increased VTE risk and elevated expression of coagulation factors. We previously reported on the differential expression of thrombin and tissue factor (TF) in NEPC versus localized PC and benign prostate tissue with a small NEPC cohort (N = 7), which showed overexpression of prothrombin and reduced expression of TF in NEPC. Aim To compare the expression of coagulation factors of NEPC vs mCRPC (and localized PC control) in an expanded datase. Materials and Methods Fresh frozen tissue biopsies were collected and separated into three cohorts based on pathology: localized PC (N = 68), standard mCRPC (N = 32), and NEPC (N = 21). RNA was isolated and next generation paired-end mRNA sequencing was performed on Illumina Sequencers. F2 Prothrombin (F2), tissue factor (F3), carboxypeptidase (CPB2), fibrinogen (FGG, FGA), PAR-1 (F2R), and PAR-2 (F2RL1) were compared by Wilcoxon tests. Results Prothrombin had significantly higher expression in NEPC versus standard mCRPC (p Conclusions Prothrombin is reliably overexpressed in NEPC vs mCRPC and localized PC. Advanced disease (regardless of subtype) is associated with significantly higher expression of prothrombin, fibrinogen, and carboxypeptidase and lower expression of TF and PAR-2. It is possible that there may be PC-specific differences with aggressive disease associated with the thrombin axis vs the more common TF/PAR2 axis commonly seen in other advanced solid tumors. Further research is required to understand these differences in biology and resulting thrombotic and hemostatic outcomes.
Recent research on the archeology of the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding areas

Abstract This special issue of Archaeological Research in Asia brings together nine articles that reflect many of the recent trends in research on the region that is investigating the early peopling of the Tibetan Plateau and the early cultural developments that occurred in and around this region. They demonstrate that this is a vibrant, multidisciplinary field and that questions of mobility, interaction, and technological developments are being actively investigated.
The responses of onion and lily mitosis to coumarin and parasorbic acid.

1. In Allium and Lilium roots, saturated aqueous solution of coumarin produced a disruption of the metaphase typical of many benzene derivatives, viz. suppression of the spindle, splitting and shortening of the chromosomes, with retarded division of the centromere. The resultant polyploid nuclei and binucleate cells resumed division when the roots were returned to water. 2. Saturated solution of parasorbic acid slowed Allium mitosis, but caused no abnormalities. 3. Both coumarin and parasorbic acid eventually prevented the inception of mitosis, and this suppression of prophases persisted for several hours after removal of the agent. 4. The results are in agreement with prior evidence that in some configurations the benzene ring disrupts mitosis whereas the lactone ring inhibits growth.
The E. Donnall Thomas Lecture 2001. Improve the outcome of autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation

B B & M T INTRODUCTION Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) is a frequently used treatment modality for children and adult patients with hematologic malignancies and selected solid tumors. The conditions for which AHCT has been employed successfully are listed in Table 1. Note that “clinical use” is not synonymous with “established superior therapy.” In the United States, approximately 14,000 patients were treated with AHCT during the year 2000 (M.M. Horowitz, MD, oral communication, 2001). In other parts of the world where AHCT is offered to cancer patients, a similar number of patients received this treatment, according to this author’s estimate, so that last year the total number of AHCT recipients ranged from 25,000 to 35,000. Published data from numerous transplantation centers indicate that long-term disease-free survival (DFS) rates vary from approximately 20% to more than 80% depending on the patient’s remission status at the time when preparation for AHCT is begun. Relapse of the underlying disease is the major source of treatment failure. The clinical use of AHCT with all of its potential risks and side effects is justified only when 3 conditions are met: that the overall treatment approach is optimized, that patients receive treatment according to clinical research protocols, and that outcome data are reported in the scientific literature and/or to organized transplantation registries (Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant Registry in the United States [ABMT], European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation [EBMT]). Several opportunities that either singly or in combination can contribute to improved outcome results of AHCT are listed in Table 2. The following discussion is intended to demonstrate that advances made through successful translational research have led to favorable results in the area of AHCT, with treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) serving as an example.
AN APPROACH TO THE ORGANIC FACIES OF THE DAMOGUAIHE GROUP J_3 IN THE WURXUN DEPRESSION

This paper determines the relation between the KTI value and the kerogen type, presents the standard for dividing the organic facies, divides the organic facies of the Damoguaihe Group, J_3 in the Wurxun Depression, and then evaluates the type of its hydrocarbon production. The conclusion is that most of the source rocks in this area belong to the organic facies C, CD, and D, and their organic matter is mostly humic and mainly produces gas hydrocarbon in its evolution.
Titus Andronicus, hell and the elements

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the co-authored revenge tragedy Titus Andronicus (pub. 1594) as a subtly constructed space (as we read it on the page) that emphasizes its hellish torments and moral message through an oblique use of a graduated elemental scheme within it. The four elements are loosely clustered according to the act divisions of the play established in the First Folio. The play incorporates the elements according to a Virgilian–Aristotelian scheme, progressing naturally from earth to fire, and so demonstrates an intertwined dual framework of renaissance natural philosophy and religion reminiscent of classical and medieval purgatorial and hellish concepts. The elements thereby form a running and varying structural conceit that reinforces the “hellish” experience that an audience (or reader) might expect from a revenge tragedy, including George Peele’s Battle of Alcazar. When understood in this way, we see how the elemental scheme undergirding the play provides a structural moral and intellectual...
Dynamic scaling of virtual clusters with bandwidth guarantee in cloud datacenters

Network virtualization with bandwidth guarantee is essential for the performance predictability of cloud applications because of the shared multi-tenant nature of the cloud. Several virtual network abstractions have been proposed for the tenants to specify and reserve their virtual clusters with bandwidth guarantee. However, they require pre-determined fixed cluster size and bandwidth, and do not support the scaling of the cluster in size and bandwidth requirements. On the other hand, the existing works on virtual cluster scaling focus on dynamically adjusting the cluster size without considering any bandwidth guarantee targeted by current network abstractions. To fill the gap, this paper considers the problem of scaling up a virtual network abstraction with bandwidth guarantee. Efficient algorithms are proposed to find the valid allocation for the scaled cluster abstraction with optimization on the VM locality of the cluster. We also point out the case that a virtual cluster cannot be scaled without changing its original VM placement, and propose an optimal allocation algorithm that exploits the VM migration to address this issue while minimizing the total migration cost for the virtual cluster scaling. Extensive simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our algorithms.
A practical guide to establishing vaccine administration services in community pharmacies.

Objective: This article describes requisite components of a community pharmacy·based vaccine administration program and provides resources for obtaining training and materials to facilitate implementation in the pharmacy. Data Sources: Published medical literature accessed via Medline; interviews of pharmacists who initiated vaccine administration programs; government publications; professional publications including manuals and newsletters; and the resources of the Washington State Board of Pharmacy. Data Synthesis: Pharmacists in several states have initiated vaccine-administration programs for adults, adolescents, and children within their pharmacies with acceptance by patients, third party payers, and other health professionals. In some states, collaborative prescribing agreements between physicians or nurse-practitioners and pharmacists enable pharmacists to implement high-volume immunization clinics as well as individual patients services. Standardized training is available from several sources, and in most settings vaccine administration services can be implemented with low initial investment. Conclusion: Vaccine administration may soon become an integral function in community pharmacists' responsibilities for the health and well-being of patients. Acknowledgments: Many thanks to Don Downing for editorial review.
On the Asymptotic Formulation for Plates and Shells

Asymptotic integration as a systematic method for deriving plate and shell theories has been well developed. In the present note, the possibility of applying the thus derived theories to numerical analysis is discussed. Based on some practical calculations, it is shown that this analysis can at most incorporate the use of the first and second order approximation theories.
Enhancement of Speaker Identification using SID-usable speech

Most present day Speaker Identification (SID) systems focus on the speech features used for modeling the speakers without any concern for the speech being input to the system. Knowing how reliable the input speech information is can be very important and useful. The idea of SID-usable speech is to identify and extract those portions of corrupted input speech, which are more reliable for SID systems, thereby enhancing the speaker identification process. In this paper, usability in speech, with reference to speaker identification is presented which is called SID-usable speech. Here the SID system itself is used to determine those speech frames that are usable for accurate speaker identification. Two novel approaches to identify SID-usable speech frames are presented which resulted in 78% and 72% correct detection of SID-usable speech. It is also shown that SID performance can be quantified by comparing the amount of speech data required for correct identification. The amount of SID-usable speech as input was approximately 30% less than entire input data with a considerable enhancement in SID performance.
An introduction to processor-time-optimal systolic arrays

We consider computations suitable for systolic arrays, often called regular array computations or systems of uniform recurrence relations. In such computations, the tasks to be computed are viewed as the nodes of a directed acyclic graph (dag), where the data dependencies are represented as arcs. A processor-time-minimal schedule measures the minimum number of processors needed to extract the maximum parallelism from the dag. We present a technique for finding a lower bound on the number of processors needed to achieve a given schedule of an algorithm represented as a dag. The application of this technique is illustrated with a tensor product computation. We then consider the free schedule of algorithms for matrix product, Gaussian elimination, and transitive closure. For each problem, we provide a time-minimal processor schedule that meets the computed processor lower bounds, including the one for tensor product.
Abstract B107: STAT3-induced production of hyaluronan contributes to FGFR-induced migration, proliferation, and therapeutic resistance in breast cancer

Aberrant activation of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) has been linked to breast cancer growth and progression. FGFR activation in tumor cells acts through both autocrine and paracrine mechanisms to contribute to tumor growth. Our previous studies suggesting that FGFR activation leads to increased inflammation led us to evaluate the mechanisms that drive FGFR-induced inflammation in the tumor setting. We demonstrate here that FGFR activation leads to phosphorylation of STAT3 Tyr705 in a number of breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we demonstrate that phosphorylation of STAT3 Tyr705 is mediated indirectly through FGFR-induced production of IL-6 family cytokines. Using a novel in vivo model of FGFR-dependent tumor growth, we demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of STAT3 leads to decreased FGFR tumor growth. Further examination of the function of STAT3 in this model revealed that STAT3 regulates expression of hyaluronan synthase 2 (Has2) and subsequent production of the extracellular matrix component hyaluronan (HA). Increased HA production by the tumor cells was found to contribute to FGFR-induced proliferation, migration and therapeutic resistance. Finally, analysis of human breast cancer samples reveals a correlation between activated FGFR signaling and tumor-associated expression of HA. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate that FGFR activation leads to STAT3 activity, which regulates expression of Has2 and production of tumor cell-derived HA. Together, these results identify a novel pathway by which FGFR induces proinflammatory signaling pathways and modifies the microenvironment, leading to enhanced FGFR-induced tumor growth. Citation Format: Laura Bohrer, Polly Chuntova, James McCarthy, Kaylee Schwertfeger. STAT3-induced production of hyaluronan contributes to FGFR-induced migration, proliferation, and therapeutic resistance in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Breast Cancer Research: Genetics, Biology, and Clinical Applications; Oct 3-6, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2013;11(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B107.
Fatigue life of bovine meniscus under longitudinal and transverse tensile loading.

Abstract The knee meniscus is composed of a fibrous extracellular matrix that is subjected to large and repeated loads. Consequently, the meniscus is frequently torn, and a potential mechanism for failure is fatigue. The objective of this study was to measure the fatigue life of bovine meniscus when applying cyclic tensile loads either longitudinal or transverse to the principal fiber direction. Fatigue experiments consisted of cyclic loads to 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% of the predicted ultimate tensile strength until failure occurred or 20,000 cycles was reached. The fatigue data in each group was fit with a Weibull distribution to generate plots of stress level vs. cycles to failure (S-N curve). Results showed that loading transverse to the principal fiber direction gave a two-fold increase in failure strain, a three-fold increase in creep, and a nearly four-fold increase in cycles to failure (not significant), compared to loading longitudinal to the principal fiber direction. The S-N curves had strong negative correlations between the stress level and the mean cycles to failure for both loading directions, where the slope of the transverse S-N curve was 11% less than the longitudinal S-N curve (longitudinal: S=108–5.9ln(N); transverse: S=112–5.2ln(N)). Collectively, these results suggest that the non-fibrillar matrix is more resistant to fatigue failure than the collagen fibers. Results from this study are relevant to understanding the etiology of atraumatic radial and horizontal meniscal tears, and can be utilized by research groups that are working to develop meniscus implants with fatigue properties that mimic healthy tissue.
New Animal Models Reveal Stage-Specific Hematopoietic Functions for the BMP Signaling Pathway.

Genetic analyses in mouse and zebrafish demonstrate that a conserved BMP signaling pathway is essential for normal development of the embryonic vascular and hematopoietic systems. However, it has not been clear which aspects of hemato-vascular development are regulated by the pathway beyond the initial specification of embryonic mesoderm. We present new animal models for studying BMP signaling at specific stages of both embryonic and adult hematopoiesis. First, we developed approaches to modulate BMP signaling conditionally at specific stages of development in transgenic zebrafish. For this purpose we adapted the Crelox system to express a dominant-negative BMP receptor in cells derived from specific progenitor populations, with subsequent analysis of hematopoietic and vascular development using GFP reporter strains of fish. For example, we find that BMP signaling is required in LMO2+ cells for the normal development of both hematopoietic and vascular systems. Yolk sac vasculature and trunk angiogenesis are both disrupted, and primitive erythropoiesis is also impaired, when these cells express the mutant receptor. In contrast, BMP signaling is apparently no longer required in primitive erythroid cells once they have activated expression of the GATA-1 gene. In a second approach, we studied hematopoiesis in zebrafish mutants for Smad5, which is an intracellular mediator of BMP signaling. For example, homozygote piggytail (pgy) mutant embryos live until day 3–5, yet the fish have little to no blood and no circulation. Surprisingly, we find that key hematopoietic regulatory genes including GATA-1, GATA-2, SCL, and LMO2 are expressed in the pgy mutant fish, but that their patterns of expression are altered. Thus, the progenitor cells initiate a hematopoietic program but fail to differentiate. We also established adult pgy fish that carry a GATA1::GFP transgene, to facilitate the analysis of adult-stage blood cell profiles using flow cytometry. Blood cell populations were monitored under normal conditions and following phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia in wild-type and pgy/+ fish. Preliminary results indicate that pgy/+ adult fish are able to mount an erythropoietic response to hemolytic anemia. However, the kinetics are altered, specifically in the transition from the proerythroblast to the polychromatophilic erythroblast stage. In summary, we present data using novel animal models disrupted for normal BMP signaling, and demonstrate roles for this pathway at specific stages of differentiation for both embryonic and adult hematopoiesis.
Torsion/compression Testing of Grey Cast Iron for a Plasticity Model

To characterize the yield surface, combined torsion/compression experiments were conducted to help develop a plasticity model for grey cast iron. Loadings were sequential, allowing for better exploration of yield under different conditions. Hollow cylindrical specimens were machined and strain measurements were taken with multiple strain gages and verified with a digital image correlation system. With the use of effective and von Mises stresses and strains, test results produced intermediate data points for a plasticity model, such as the Johnson-Cook model. The data is shown to follow the predicted relationship qualitatively.
Demand/withdraw communication in the context of intimate partner violence: Implications for psychological outcomes

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). To clarify the influence of a dyadic conflict pattern that has previously been shown to accompany violence in romantic relationships (partner demand/self withdraw) on these mental health outcomes, we examined the associations between three forms of IPV (physical, emotional-verbal, dominance-isolation), partner demand/self withdraw, and PTSD and GAD symptoms, in a sample of 284 IPV-exposed women. Using structural equation modeling, we found significant associations between dominance-isolation IPV, partner demand/self withdraw, and clinician-assessed GAD symptoms. Associations between emotional-verbal IPV and partner demand/self withdraw were also significant. Associations for physical IPV, partner demand/self withdraw, and clinician-assessed PTSD symptoms were not statistically significant. These results underscore the need for research on the mental health outcomes associated with specific forms of IPV and the long-term psychological consequences of the conflict patterns that uniquely characterize violent relationships.
Reduced difference polynomials and self-intersection computations

Abstract A reduced difference polynomial f ( u , v ) = ( p ( u ) − p ( v ) ) / ( u − v ) may be associated with any given univariate polynomial p ( t ), t ∈ [ 0, 1 ] such that the locus f ( u , v ) = 0 identifies the pairs of distinct values u and v satisfying p ( u ) = p ( v ) . The Bernstein coefficients of f ( u, v ) on [ 0, 1 ] 2 can be determined from those of p ( t ) through a simple algorithm, and can be restricted to any subdomain of [ 0, 1 ] 2 by standard subdivision methods. By constructing the reduced difference polynomials f ( u, v ) and g ( u, v ) associated with the coordinate components of a polynomial curve r ( t ) = ( x ( t ) , y ( t ) ) , a quadtree decomposition of [ 0, 1 ] 2 guided by the variation-diminishing property yields a numerically stable scheme for isolating real solutions of the system f ( u , v ) = g ( u , v ) = 0 , which identify self-intersections of the curve r ( t ). Through the Kantorovich theorem for guaranteed convergence of Newton–Raphson iterations to a unique solution, the self-intersections can be efficiently computed to machine precision. By generalizing the reduced difference polynomial to encompass products of univariate polynomials, the method can be readily extended to compute the self-intersections of rational curves, and of the rational offsets to Pythagorean–hodograph curves.
Motor modules during adaptation to walking in a powered ankle exoskeleton

Modules of muscle recruitment can be extracted from electromyography (EMG) during motions, such as walking, running, and swimming, to identify key features of muscle coordination. These features may provide insight into gait adaptation as a result of powered assistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes (module size, module timing and weighting patterns) of surface EMG data during assisted and unassisted walking in an powered, myoelectric, ankle-foot orthosis (ankle exoskeleton). Eight healthy subjects wore bilateral ankle exoskeletons and walked at 1.2 m/s on a treadmill. In three training sessions, subjects walked for 40 min in two conditions: unpowered (10 min) and powered (30 min). During each session, we extracted modules of muscle recruitment via nonnegative matrix factorization (NNMF) from the surface EMG signals of ten muscles in the lower limb. We evaluated reconstruction quality for each muscle individually using R2 and normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE). We hypothesized that the number of modules needed to reconstruct muscle data would be the same between conditions and that there would be greater similarity in module timings than weightings. Across subjects, we found that six modules were sufficient to reconstruct the muscle data for both conditions, suggesting that the number of modules was preserved. The similarity of module timings and weightings between conditions was greater then random chance, indicating that muscle coordination was also preserved. Motor adaptation during walking in the exoskeleton was dominated by changes in the module timings rather than module weightings. The segment number and the session number were significant fixed effects in a linear mixed-effect model for the increase in R2 with time. Our results show that subjects walking in a exoskeleton preserved the number of modules and the coordination of muscles within the modules across conditions. Training (motor adaptation within the session and motor skill consolidation across sessions) led to improved consistency of the muscle patterns. Subjects adapted primarily by changing the timing of their muscle patterns rather than the weightings of muscles in the modules. The results of this study give new insight into strategies for muscle recruitment during adaptation to a powered ankle exoskeleton.
Prostaglandins and Immunoregulation

Although numerous recent studies have implicated prostaglandins in the control of the immune response, both suppressive and stimulatory effects have been reported. While our earlier studies dealing with transplantation suggested PGE compounds have potent immunosuppressive actions, our later studies, which have focused on tumor-bearing animals, have demonstrated that these compounds stimulate the immune response. This chapter will review our work on prostaglandins and immunoregulation and clarify this apparent paradox.
Use and benefits of NASA’s RECOVER for post-fire decision support

Today’s extended fire seasons and large fire footprints have prompted state and federal land-management agencies to devote increasingly large portions of their budgets to wildfire management. As fire costs continue to rise, timely and comprehensive fire information becomes increasingly critical to response and rehabilitation efforts. The NASA Rehabilitation Capability Convergence for Ecosystem Recovery (RECOVER) post-fire decision support system is a server-based application designed to rapidly provide land managers with the information needed to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation plan. This study evaluated the efficacy of RECOVER through structured interviews with land managers (n = 19) who used RECOVER and were responsible for post-fire rehabilitation efforts on over 715 000 ha of fire-affected lands. Although the benefit of better-informed decisions is difficult to quantify, the results of this study illustrate that RECOVER’s decision support capabilities provided information to land managers that either validated or altered their decisions on post-fire treatments estimated at over US$1.2 million and saved nearly 800 h of staff time by streamlining data collection as well as communication with local stakeholders and partnering agencies.
The Effect of Ergocornine on Water and Sodium Metabolism in Female Rats

Although the role of prolactin in modifying the excretion of sodium and water in mammals has not been extensively studied, the intraperitoneal (ip) administration of exogenous prolactin in the rat results in renal retention of salt and water (Lockett and Nail, 1965). These observations raise the possibility that endogenous variations in prolactin levels might conceivably influence the turnover of sodium and water in this species. We have examined this question using sexually mature female rats because of the known (Meites, Lu, Wuttke, Welsch, Nagasawa, and Quadri, 1972). The data to be presented here compares sodium and water balance prior to and during treatment with ergocornine, an alkaloid which blocks the rise in serum prolactin levels normally observed during proestrous and estrus in rats (Meites et al., 1972).
Acquired Cardiovascular Disease

This article reviews the etiology, clinical findings, and significance of diseases of the heart valves, myocardium, pericardium, and great vessels of the horse. Each valve is considered separately from the point of view of murmur production. In addition, the role of the cardiovascular system in the etiology of sudden and unexpected death is considered.
The influenza pandemic of 2009: lessons and implications.

Influenza is a moving target, which evolves in unexpected directions and is recurrent annually. The 2009 influenza A/H1N1 pandemic virus was unlike the 2009 seasonal virus strains and originated in pigs prior to infecting humans. Three strains of viruses gave rise to the pandemic virus by antigenic shift, reassortment, and recombination, which occurred in pigs as ‘mixing vessels’. The three strains of viruses had originally been derived from birds, pigs, and humans. The influenza hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) external proteins are used to categorize and group influenza viruses. The internal proteins (PB1, PB1-F2, PB2, PA, NP, M, and NS) are involved in the pathogenesis of influenza infection. A major difference between the 1918 and 2009 pandemic viruses is the lack of the pathogenic protein PB1-F2 in the 2009 pandemic strains, which was present in the more virulent 1918 pandemic strains. We provide an overview of influenza infection since 1847 and the advent of influenza vaccination since 1944. Vaccines and chemotherapy help reduce the spread of influenza, reduce morbidity and mortality, and are utilized by the global rapid-response organizations associated with the WHO. Immediate identification of impending epidemic and pandemic strains, as well as sustained vigilance and collaboration, demonstrate continued success in combating influenza.
Spectral Methods Based on Nonclassical Orthogonal Polynomials

Spectral methods for solving differential equations of boundary value type have traditionally been based on classical orthogonal polynomials such as the Chebyshev, Legendre, Laguerre, and Hermite polynomials. In this numerical study we show that methods based on nonclassical orthogonal polynomials may sometimes be more accurate. Examples include the solution of a two-point boundary value problem with a steep boundary layer and two Sturm-Liouville problems.
Depression and survival outcomes after emergency department cancer pain visits.

Objectives Pain and depression frequently co-occur in patients with cancer. Although pain is a common reason for emergency department (ED) presentation by these patients, depression frequently goes unrecognised during an ED visit. In this study, we assessed the risk for depression in patients with cancer presenting to the ED for uncontrolled pain and assessed the extent to which the risk for depression was associated with survival in this population. Methods Participants were consecutive patients with cancer taking Schedule II opioids (n=209) who presented to the ED of a tertiary cancer centre for uncontrolled pain. Risk for depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), excluding the somatic symptoms. Survival was calculated from date of ED visit to date of death/last follow-up. Results The CES-D was completed by 197 of 209 participants (94.3%); of these, 81 of 197 (41.1%) had high risk for depression (CES-D ≥10). The mean survival time for the entire sample was 318 days (SD=33), with 84 deaths. Cox proportional hazards regression modeling showed that risk for depression and disease stage (CES-D ≥10: HR=1.75, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.78, p=0.016; disease stage: HR=2.52, 95% CI 1.20 to 5.30, p Conclusions Risk for depression was prevalent and associated with survival outcomes in patients with cancer presenting to the ED with uncontrolled pain. Screening for risk for depression in the ED may identify patients who need referral for clinical assessment of depression. Diagnosis and adequate treatment could improve health outcomes and survival rates for these patients.
Shift-current bulk photovoltaic effect influenced by quasiparticle and exciton

We compute the shift-current bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) in bulk ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ and two-dimensional monochalcogenide SnSe considering quasiparticle corrections and exciton effects. We explore changes in shift-current peak position and magnitude reduction due to band renormalization. For BaTiO3, we demonstrate that shift current reduces near the band edge due to exciton effects. We find the calculated magnitude of shift current in ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_{3}$ is only half of that obtained in experiments, indicating that mechanisms other than shift current can contribute to BPVE. Additionally, we reveal that the shift current near band gap has a very small change by exciton in two-dimensional SnSe, suggesting that thin film is a feasible way to reduce the exciton effect on the shift current. These results suggest that many-body corrections are important for accurate assessments of bulk photovoltaic materials and to understand the mechanisms behind the BPVE.
An Assessment of the Radiotracer Technique for Measuring Reaeration Rates in Large River Systems

The precision of the radiotracer measurement was directly related to the amount of gas lost during the experiment. Thus, the precision is ultimately limited by an ability to follow the dye and conservative tracer, the precision of the kKr:k2 ratio, and the temperature correction θ. The measurement looses precision as velocity and/or time of passage reach definable conditions.
Adolescents in Families

Understanding the rights of adolescents requires starting with understanding the rights of their parents. Doing so is necessary because adolescents often are viewed as not having rights at all, and the rights that they do have are perceived as actually belonging to their parents. The reality is much more nuanced, but understanding the role of parents in conceptions of adolescents’ rights is the appropriate starting point for understanding the rights of adolescents. How the legal system addresses parent–child relationships shapes how it can recognize the rights of adolescents when they are both in and outside of family systems. This chapter’s constitutional cases reveal the rationales for adopting this approach. Adolescents’ rights rely on tradition, images of democracy, and conceptions of rights as well as on several practical considerations, such as parents’ being in the best position to determine their children’s best interests or understand their adolescents’ competencies. What becomes notable is the manner that the Court uses the Constitution to protect rights in families: it uses the First Amendment right to religion to protect parental rights as well as the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process clause to protect parents’ liberties. The Court does recognize that adolescents have an interest in matters affecting them, but it pervasively stops short of recognizing those interests as rights that adolescents could control independently.
Chapter 7 – Morphometric Landmarks

Publisher Summary Patterns of morphometric variation in fishes indicate differences in growth and maturation rates because body form is a product of ontogeny. Morphometric landmark methods comprise one of the two major categories of orphometric analysis, the other being outline methods. In the context of interdisciplinary stock identification, or the use of information from various approaches, morphometric analysis provides information on phenotypic stocks, groups of individuals with similar growth, mortality, and reproductive rates. The phenotypic stock definition is less conservative than the genetic stock definition because it allows for some mixing among stocks, but partial isolation is enough that geographic differences persist. Despite dependence on the environment, ontogenetic rates influence many population attributes (e.g., reproduction, fecundity, longevity, size structure) that are intimately related to population dynamics (intrinsic rate of increase, carrying capacity, productivity, resilience, and so on) and determine how each stock responds to exploitation. Therefore, for the purpose of fishery stock assessment, groups with different growth or reproductive dynamics should be modeled and managed separately, regardless of genetic homogeneity. This chapter reviews common protocols for sampling, analyzing, and interpreting variation associated with morphometric landmarks for stock identification applications.
Analysis of the constrained application protocol over quick UDP internet connection transport

Abstract Many IoT deployments rely on an access network that is characterized by densely distributed power constrained devices. Power restrictions, in turns, lead to transmission rate limitations and increased bit errors responsible of network packet loss. Among the many technologies available to deal with these issues, the Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) introduces an efficient session layer mechanism that provides, as the Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Representational State Transfer (REST) functionality. However, as opposed to HTTP that relies mostly on the transmission of TCP segments, CoAP has been standardized to support both UDP and TCP transport layers. In IoT scenarios, the CoAP transport protocol selection combined with network conditions can greatly affect overall application Quality of Service (QoS). Under HTTP, the Quick UDP Internet Connection (QUIC) protocol has been introduced as a hybrid alternative to TCP. In this paper, we analyze, model and compare the use of QUIC transport against that of both UDP and TCP in the context of CoAP traffic.
Sleep time differs among people who co-use cocaine and cannabis compared to people who only use cocaine.

Abstract Objective People who use cocaine experience numerous sleep problems and often use cannabis to mitigate these problems. However, co-using cocaine and cannabis may result in worse sleep outcomes when compared to using cocaine only. The current study examined group differences in subjective sleep outcomes among people who use cocaine and people who co-use cocaine and cannabis. Methods Participants were 82 individuals with cocaine use disorder who were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial for cocaine treatment. Sleep outcomes, assessed at baseline prior to treatment, were measured with the Saint Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire and included total sleep time, perceived sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, and daytime alertness. Analysis of covariance and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare sleep outcomes between participants with urine samples that tested positive for both cocaine and cannabis at baseline, those who tested positive for cocaine only, and those who tested negative for all drugs. Results Total reported sleep time was highest among those with a drug negative urine, followed by those with a cocaine positive urine and those who tested positive for cocaine and cannabis. There were no differences in perceived sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, or daytime alertness between groups. Conclusions People who co-use cocaine and cannabis may report reduced sleep time relative to those who only use cocaine. Co-use of cannabis may exacerbate sleep difficulties in people who use cocaine by decreasing total sleep time, although it is important to note that the groups each reported similar sleep quality. Implications for treatment and directions for future research are discussed.
להיות כמו דלוור Be Like Delaware

תקציר בעברית: דיני החברות של מדינת דלוור הפכו בשנים האחרונות לנקודת ייחוס עבור דיני החברות בארץ. הרצון "להיות כמו דלוור" בא לידי ביטוי, בין היתר, בשאיבת השראה מדוקטרינות מהותיות כגון כלל שיקול-הדעת העסקי. אלא שההבנה של איפה נמצאת נקודת הייחוס – מה משמעות "להיות כמו דלוור" – לוקה אצלנו בחסר. עקרון יסוד במשפט ההשוואתי מזהיר מפני ייבוא דוקטרינות מהותיות מבלי להביא בחשבון את ההקשר בו הן התפתחו. מטרת מאמר זה היא להאיר את ההקשר בו התפתח הדין המהותי בדלוור, ובפרט, את מארג הכללים הדיוניים הייחודי לדלוור, המשפיע על ומושפע מהכללים המהותיים. להמחשת הממשקים בין כללים מהותיים ודיוניים, המאמר מתמקד בשתי התפתחויות דרמטיות בדלוור בעשור האחרון: צמצום הביקורת השיפוטית המהותית והרחבת גילוי המסמכים המקדים. בעוד בתי המשפט בארץ מודעים היטב לשינוי בכללי הביקורת המהותית, הם מודעים פחות למגמה המקבילה של הרחבת הגילוי המקדים. החשש הוא לפיכך מייבוא חלקי מדלוור: ייבוא של חלק אחד מהחבילה של דלוור (כללים מהותיים) בלי חלקים המשלימים ומאזנים אותו (כגון זכות בעלי המניות למידע). חמושים בהבנה טובה יותר של השיטה בדלוור על יתרונותיה וחסרונותיה, נוכל להעריך מחדש מגוון סוגיות עכשוויות בדין הישראלי, כגון מתי להחיל את הגנת שיקול הדעת העסקי כבר בשלב המקדים של סילוק על הסף; מה ההיקף הרצוי של גילוי מסמכים מקדים; איזה משקל יש ליתן להמלצותיה של וועדת תביעות בלתי-תלויה על הגשה וניהול של תביעה נגזרת; ומדוע השינויים המוצעים באסדרה (רגולציה) של שוק ההון משפיעים על מודל ההתערבות השיפוטית הרצוי.