cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating and reporting dysphagia in trials of chemoirradiation for head-and-neck cancer.

Purpose Reporting long-term toxicities in trials of chemoirradiation (CRT) of head-and-neck cancer (HNC) has mostly been limited to observer-rated maximal Grades ≥3. We evaluated this reporting approach for dysphagia by assessing patient-reported dysphagia (PRD) and objective swallowing dysfunction through videofluoroscopy (VF) in patients with various grades of maximal observer-reported dysphagia (ORD). Methods and Materials A total of 62 HNC patients completed quality-of-life questionnaires periodically through 12 months post-CRT. Five PRD items were selected: three dysphagia-specific questions, an Eating-Domain, and "Overall Bother." They underwent VF at 3 and 12 months, and ORD (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) scoring every 2 months. We classified patients into four groups (0–3) according to maximal ORD scores documented 3–12 months post-CRT, and assessed PRD and VF summary scores in each group. Results Differences in ORD scores among the groups were considerable throughout the observation period. In contrast, PRD scores were similar between Groups 2 and 3, and variable in Group 1. VF scores were worse in Group 3 compared with 2 at 3 months but similar at 12 months. In Group 1, PRD and VF scores from 3 through 12 months were close to Groups 2 and 3 if ORD score 1 persisted, but were similar to Group 0 in patients whose ORD scores improved by 12 months. Conclusions Patients with lower maximal ORD grades, especially if persistent, had similar rates of PRD and objective dysphagia as patients with highest grades. Lower ORD grades should therefore be reported. These findings may have implications for reporting additional toxicities besides dysphagia.
Combined modality therapy of hepatic metastasis

Twenty-two patients with adenocarcinoma metastatic to the liver were treated with rapid fractionation whole-liver irradiation (1350-2100 rads in 300-rad fractions) with simultaneous intrahepatic 5-fluorouracil (10-15 mg/kg/day) and intrahepatic Adriamycin 2.5-10 mg/m2/day) as part of a Phase I-II study. Of the 21 patients who completed therapy, 19 had colorectal carcinoma and 2 had metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown origin. Objective response was judged by measurement of liver size, evaluation of liver function tests, and by liver scan or CAT scan of the liver. Ten of the 21 evaluable patients responded, yielding an overall response rate of 47.6%. The response rate in patients with colorectal carcinoma was 55% (10/19). At this time, median duration of response is 14+ weeks and median survival from onset of therapy is 15+ weeks. Hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity were tolerable. No hepatic toxicity was documented. This combined modality therapy was found to be a safe effective method for the palliation of liver metastasis.
Functional analysis of eve stripe 2 enhancer evolution in Drosophila: rules governing conservation and change

Experimental investigations of eukaryotic enhancers suggest that multiple binding sites and trans-acting regulatory factors are often required for wild-type enhancer function. Genetic analysis of the stripe 2 enhancer of even-skipped (eve), an important developmental gene in Drosophila, provides support for this view. Given the importance of even-skipped expression in early Drosophila development, it might be predicted that many structural features of the stripe 2 enhancer will be evolutionarily conserved, including the DNA sequences of protein binding sites and the spacing between them. To test this hypothesis, we compared sequences of the stripe 2 enhancer between four species of Drosophila: D. melanogaster, D. yakuba, D. erecta and D. pseudoobscura. Our analysis revealed a large number of nucleotide substitutions in regulatory protein binding sites for bicoid, hunchback, Kruppel and giant, as well as a systematic change in the size of the enhancer. Some of the binding sites in D. melanogaster are either absent or modified in other species. One functionally important bicoid-binding site in D. melanogaster appears to be recently evolved. We, therefore, investigated possible functional consequences of sequence differences among these stripe 2 enhancers by P-element-mediated transformation. This analysis revealed that the eve stripe 2 enhancer from each of the four species drove reporter gene expression at the identical time and location in D. melanogaster embryos. Double staining of native eve protein and transgene mRNA in early embryos showed that the reporter gene mimicked native eve expression and, in every case, produced sharply defined stripes at the blastoderm stage that were coincident with eve stripe 2 protein. We argue that stripe 2 eve expression in Drosophila evolution can be viewed as being under constant stabilizing selection with respect to the location of the anterior and posterior borders of the stripe. We further hypothesize that the stripe 2 enhancer is functionally robust, so that its evolution may be governed by the fixation of both slightly deleterious and adaptive mutations in regulatory protein binding sites as well as in the spacing between binding sites. This view allows for a slow but continual turnover of functionally important changes in the stripe 2 enhancer.
Associations Between Early Life Stress and Gene Methylation in Children

Children exposed to extreme stress are at heightened risk for developing mental and physical disorders. However, little is known about mechanisms underlying these associations in humans. An emerging insight is that children's social environments change gene expression, which contributes to biological vulnerabilities for behavioral problems. Epigenetic changes in the glucocorticoid receptor gene, a critical component of stress regulation, were examined in whole blood from 56 children aged 11–14 years. Children exposed to physical maltreatment had greater methylation within exon 1F in the NR3C1 promoter region of the gene compared to nonmaltreated children, including the putative NGFI-A (nerve growth factor) binding site. These results highlight molecular mechanisms linking childhood stress with biological changes that may lead to mental and physical disorders.
A Mobility Management Scheme for Wireless Mesh Networks

Current deployment of the wireless mesh networks (WMN) necessitates mobility management to support mobile clients roaming around the network without service interruption. Though Mobile IP and other previous protocols can be applied to WMNs to gain the micro-mobility as well as macro-mobility support, high signaling cost and long handoff latency problems still degrade the system performance significantly. In this paper we present a new mobility management scheme for WMNs, mesh mobility management (M3). It utilizes some WMN's features and combines the per-host routing and tunneling techniques to reduce the signaling cost as well as to shorten the handoff latency. Our analysis shows that significant benefits can be achieved from this scheme.
Small, fast analog VLSI systems for early vision processing

Describes a project to design and build prototype analog early vision systems that are remarkably low power, small, and fast. This paper briefly outlines the overall effort and describes three chips in some detail. >
Phosphorylation of Xenopus Rad1 and Hus1 Defines a Readout for ATR Activation That Is Independent of Claspin and the Rad9 Carboxy Terminus

The DNA damage checkpoint pathways sense and respond to DNA damage to ensure genomic stability. The ATR kinase is a central regulator of one such pathway and phosphorylates a number of proteins tha...
Different roles for calcium and calmodulin in phytochrome‐ and UV‐regulated expression of chalcone synthase

Summary Based on knowledge of white light-mediated gene induction events in a photomixotrophic soybean cell culture, a comparative pharmacological dissection of gene expression in response to irradiation with red and UV light was performed in order to examine the molecular basis of cross-talk between phytochrome- and UV-regulated signalling pathways. This has proved particularly interesting for the gene encoding chalcone synthase ( CHS). Whereas phytochrome control of CHS gene expression is regulated positively by cGMP and negatively by calcium and calmodulin, in UV light calcium and calmodulin appear to act as positive regulators. Results from combined red and UV irradiations indicate that the phytochrome response is activated first and that the UV photoreceptor response is activated subsequently. The apparently antagonistic functions of calcium and calmodulin may therefore be able to operate in the same cell because each response is temporally separated from the other.
Raccoon Latrine Structure and Its Potential Role in Transmission of Baylisascaris procyonis to Vertebrates

Abstract Baylisascaris procyonis, the common large roundworm of raccoons (Procyon lotor), causes clinical neurologic disease in many species of mammals and birds. Infective eggs of B. procyonis are present at raccoon latrine sites, and these sites may be important in the transmission of this parasite to syntopic small vertebrates in forested areas. We located raccoon latrines in forested sites in Indiana, sampled soil and fecal material from these locations, and examined these samples for the presence of Baylisascaris procyonis eggs. We also quantified the structural characteristics of raccoon latrines in wooded areas, compared their characteristics with randomly located sites, and classified sites based on structural features using stepwise discriminant function analysis. B. procyonis eggs were present at 14% of the raccoon latrines sampled. Latrine sites differed from randomly located sites and exhibited characteristics generally associated with treefall gaps. Most latrines were located either on logs (...
AN ALTERNATE PROOF THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL GROUP OF A PEANO CONTINUUM IS FINITELY PRESENTED IF THE GROUP IS COUNTABLE

We give an alternate proof, using coarse geometry, that if the fundamental group of a compact, connected, locally connected metric space is countable, then the fundamental group is finitely presented. This result was first proved by Katsuya Eda and the argument can be found in (5).
Effect of saturation deficit on eggs of Boophilus annulatus and B. microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)

Eggs of Boophilus annulatus (Say) and Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) were evaluated in atmospheres of 96, 75, 60, and 50% RH at 27 and 37°C providing saturation deficits from 1.07 to 23.54 mm Hg. Percent egg mass weight lost in 24, 48, 72, and 96 h and percent egg hatch were determined. Atmospheres of high saturation deficit produced high egg mass weight loss ( r = 0.97 for B. annulatus, r = 0.96 for B. microplus ) and low percent hatch ( r = −0.78 for B. annulatus, r = −0.86 for B. microplus ). Boophilus annulatus egg masses lost more weight in 96 h and produced greater egg hatch than those of B. microplus . For both species, percent egg mass weight lost in 96 h was greater at 37 than at 27°C and egg hatch was higher at 27 than at 37°C. Differences in saturation deficit level and duration were demonstrated in tick microclimates of dissimilar range vegetation types on the Rio Grande Plain. The most inhospitable microclimates for egg survival were observed in buffelgrass habitats, whereas the most hospitable microclimates were in mesquite canopied buffelgrass.
Spatial and temporal variations in the accuracy of meteorological drought indices

Meteorological drought indices are commonly calculated using data from weather stations and then interpolated to create a map of moisture conditions. These maps are used to communicate drought information to decision makers and the general public. This study analyzes five of the factors (drought index, interpolation method, seasonality, climate region, and station density) that influence the accuracy of these maps. This study compared the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) using data from the Cooperative Observer Network (COOP) and United States Historical Climatology Network (USHCN). The accuracy of the drought maps varied significantly over time and space. The most significant factor affecting the accuracy of the meteorological drought maps was seasonality. Errors were higher in regions (e.g., southeastern U.S.), and months (e.g., summer), dominated by convective precipitation. The choice of interpolation method also had an influence. We found that Ordinary Kriging (OK) performed better than Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) in all cases and therefore it was recommended for interpolating drought indices. Not surprisingly, maps that were created using more stations (COOP) were more accurate. The normalized errors of SPI and SPEI were very similar and so the choice of drought index had little impact on the accuracy of the drought maps.
Plasmoids in relativistic reconnection, from birth to adulthood: first they grow, then they go

Blobs, or quasi-spherical emission regions containing relativistic particles and magnetic fields, are often assumed ad hoc in emission models of relativistic astrophysical jets, yet their physical origin is still not well understood. Here, we employ a suite of large-scale two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations in electron-positron plasmas to demonstrate that relativistic magnetic reconnection can naturally account for the formation of quasi-spherical plasmoids filled with high-energy particles and magnetic fields. Our simulations extend to unprecedentedly long temporal and spatial scales, so we can capture the asymptotic physics independently of the initial setup. We characterize the properties of the plasmoids that are continuously generated as a self-consistent by-product of the reconnection process: they are in rough energy equipartition between particles and magnetic fields; the upper energy cutoff of the plasmoid particle spectrum is proportional to the plasmoid width w, corresponding to a Larmor radius ~0.2 w; the plasmoids grow in size at ~0.1 of the speed of light, with most of the growth happening while they are still non-relativistic (first they grow); their growth is suppressed once they get accelerated to relativistic speeds by the field line tension, up to the Alfven speed (then they go). The largest plasmoids, whose typical recurrence interval is ~2.5 L/c, reach a characteristic size w ~ 0.2 L independently of the system length L, they have nearly isotropic particle distributions and they contain the highest energy particles, whose Larmor radius is ~0.03 L. The latter can be regarded as the Hillas criterion for relativistic reconnection. We briefly discuss the implications of our results for the high-energy emission from relativistic jets and pulsar winds.
Evaluation of TW-37, a pan Bcl-2 Proteins Small-Molecule Inhibitor, Against Spectrum of Human B-Cell Lines and Patient-Derived Samples.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) tumors include a group of heterogeneous diseases with varying natural histories and responsiveness to therapy; nonetheless, overexpression of Bcl-2 protein is seen in more than 80% of NHL. Throughout the years our laboratory succeeded in establishing a panel of B-cell lines representing various maturational stages of NHL. In this study, we have utilized a structure-based strategy to design a new class of potent nonpeptidic small-molecule inhibitor (SMI) of Bcl-2 family. TW-37, a lead compound that was designed to target the BH3 binding groove of antiapopototic Bcl-2 proteins. It binds to Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Mcl-1 with K i values of 290 nM, 1110 nM and 260 nM, respectively. TW-37 showed significant antiproliferative effect against Pre-B-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (WSU-pre-B-ALL), Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma (WSU-DLCL2), Follicular Small Cleaved Cell Lymphoma (WSU-FSCCL), Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (WSU-WM) and primary cells obtained from lymphoma patients, despite variations in their anti- and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, Mcl-1, Bax, Bak, Bim, Bad, BUMA and Bok). The IC 50 for TW-37 varied from 165 nM in the WSU-FSCCL to 300 nM in WSU-DLCL2 cells. Apoptosis was independent of proliferative status or pathological classification of B-cell tumor. TW-37 was able to block Bim-Bcl-X L and Bim-Mcl-1 eterodimerization and induces apoptosis via activation of caspases -9, -3, PARP and DNA fragmentation. Although cell lines and patient samples expressed multiple Bcl-2 family proteins at various levels, TW-37 induced apoptosis was only strongly associated with Bax:Mcl-1 ratio. TW-37 administered to tumor-bearing SCID mice led to significant tumor growth inhibition (T/C), tumor growth delay (T-C) and Log 10 kill, when used at its maximum tolerated dose (40 mg/kg x 3days) via tail vein. failed to induce changes in the Bcl-2 proteins levels suggests that assessment of baseline Bcl-2 family proteins can be used to prognosticate the response to drug. These findings indicate activity of TW-37 across the spectrum of human B-cell tumors and support the concept of targeting the Bcl-2 system as a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of B-cell lymphoma.
A Distributed Cognition Perspective on Symbiotic Cognitive Systems: External Representations as a Medium for Symbiosis.

This paper offers a perspective on Symbiotic Cognitive Systems that draws on Distributed Cognition. It argues that representations are the medium of cognition, and that the external representations that are one of the foci of Distributed Cognition are critical to supporting symbiosis. The paper analyzes an instance of a symbiotic cognitive system in which hundreds of human participants – with the support of a digital system – collectively optimize a program. It discusses the roles external representations play in symbiosis, and suggest that the design of external representations that are accessible and legible to both human and digital agents is a critical part of symbiotic cognitive systems.
Integrating Building Information Modeling with Augmented Reality for Interdisciplinary Learning

Augmented Reality provides a way to enhance the classroom experience. In particular, student learning about building systems in the fields of Architecture, Civil, and Mechanical Engineering may improve, if visualization outside the classroom is provided. We propose that AR-SKOPE, an application that integrates Building Information Modelling and Augmented Reality may improve learning. This application allows students to visit specific buildings and investigate their various systems with supplementary information using a phone or tablet. We are currently testing our early prototype to conduct a semester-long study.
Synchronization bound for networks of nonlinear oscillators

Investigation of synchronization phenomena in networks of coupled nonlinear oscillators plays a pivotal role in understanding the behavior of biological and mechanical systems with oscillatory properties. We derive a general sufficient condition for synchronization of a network of nonlinear oscillators using a nonsmooth Lyapunov function, and we obtain conditions under which synchronization is guaranteed for a network of Fitzhugh-Nagumo (FN) oscillators in biologically relevant model parameter regimes. We incorporate two types of heterogeneity into our study of FN oscillators: 1) the network structure is arbitrary and 2) the oscillators have non-identical external inputs. Understanding the effects of heterogeneities on synchronization of oscillators with inputs provides a promising step toward control of key aspects of networked oscillatory systems.
Copper-Dependent DNA Scission

The 1, 10-phenanthroline-cuprous complex is a chemical nuclease which cleaves DNA in the presence of the coreactant H2O2 either as the unlinked 2:1 1, 10-phenanthroline-copper complex ((OP)2Cu+) or as the 1:1 complex (OP-Cu) linked to a targeting ligand with high affinity for a specific DNA sequence or structure (Sigman, et al., 1993; Sigman, 1996). Since our discovery of this reaction in the late “70”s (Sigman et al., 1979), our laboratory has been interested in identifying the detailed course of the scission chemistry and in exploiting its unique features to study ligand-DNA interactions. In this summary, I would like to outline recent progress made in understanding the chemical mechanism of the reaction. Then I would like to review a new approach to devising gene specific inhibitors which relies on the reactivity of this synthetic nuclease activity to define a hybridization site within the catalytically competent open-complex formed by RNA polymerase and a promoter. Finally, I would like to demonstrate that the protein targeted nuclease activity of OP-Cu provides a novel approach for investigating protein-DNA interactions.
AC stress and standard cell aging characterization to enhance reliability coverage of logic circuits

One of the major purposes of characterizing discrete device reliability is to provide reasonable margin during design phase. Prevention is always better than a cure from risk control and cost management point of view. Over the last decade, foundry has been asked to provide aging aware IP and cell library to reduce customers' product development cycle. Though these libraries were well characterized but their aging behaviors were left to designers' own judgments. To integrate aging effect into static timing analysis (STA) either for synthesis or post-simulation, one needs a fairly accurate SPICE aging model which covers AC stress [1] and gate level (or standard cell level) timing shift. This demands Si-to-Simulation comparisons which will be addressed in this paper.
Workshop: A Multi Robot Testbed for Computer Science Education and Research

The objective of this workshop is to share source code and tutorials that we developed for a multi robot testbed in order to enable participants to advance computer science education and research at their respective institutions. The testbed is built using commercially-available off the shelf components and using open source software packages. The workshop will provide participants an overview of multi robot systems and technical details underpinning the development of the testbed, including: technical specifications of the m3pi mobile robot and its capabilities, programming the LPC 1768 microcontroller, the grid navigation libraries, and the XBee-based communication libraries. We demonstrate how the testbed is being used to develop and test multi robot path planning in a grid world. We also present our initial development of a robot tracking algorithm using OpenCV.
An upper bound on the particle-laden dependency of shear stresses at solid–fluid interfaces

In modern advanced manufacturing processes, such as three-dimensional printing of electronics, fine-scale particles are added to a base fluid yielding a modified fluid. For example, in three-dimensional printing, particle-functionalized inks are created by adding particles to freely flowing solvents forming a mixture, which is then deposited onto a surface, which upon curing yields desirable solid properties, such as thermal conductivity, electrical permittivity and magnetic permeability. However, wear at solid–fluid interfaces within the machinery walls that deliver such particle-laden fluids is typically attributed to the fluid-induced shear stresses, which increase with the volume fraction of added particles. The objective of this work is to develop a rigorous strict upper bound for the tolerable volume fraction of particles that can be added, while remaining below a given stress threshold at a fluid–solid interface. To illustrate the bound’s utility, the expression is applied to a series of classical flow regimes.
A Family of Fast Spherical Registration Algorithms for Cortical Shapes

We introduce a family of fast spherical registration algorithms: a spherical fluid model and several modifications of the spherical demons algorithm introduced in [1]. Our algorithms are based on fast convolution of tangential spherical vector fields in the spectral domain. Using the vector harmonic representation of spherical fields, we derive a more principled approach for kernel smoothing via Mercer's theorem and the diffusion equation. This is a non-trivial extension of scalar spherical convolution, as the vector harmonics do not generalize directly from scalar harmonics on the sphere, as in the Euclidean case. The fluid algorithm is optimized in the Eulerian frame, leading to a very efficient optimization. Several new adaptations of the demons algorithm are presented, including compositive and diffeomorphic demons, as well as fluid-like and diffusion-like regularization. The resulting algorithms are all significantly faster than [1], while also retaining greater flexibility. Our algorithms are validated and compared using cortical surface models.
Accuracy of tobramycin levels obtained from central venous access devices in patients with cystic fibrosis is technique dependent.

Objective Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) frequently require prolonged aminoglycoside antibiotic therapy administered via central venous access devices (CVADs). Therefore, the effect of the volume of saline flush used prior to drawing blood on tobramycin levels obtained from CVADs was investigated to determine the potential for inappropriate drug dosing decisions. Patients and methods This was a prospective study comparing tobramycin levels in blood samples obtained simultaneously from CVADs and from venipuncture. Two saline flushing protocols were tested. During Phase I, CVADs were flushed with 3 mL of normal saline. The saline flush volume was increased to 10 to 20 mL during Phase II. All patients had CF and ranged in age from 10 months to 20 years. Results Twenty-eight paired peak levels were collected from 19 patients during Phase I of the study, and 30 paired samples were obtained from 20 patients using the revised collection protocol during Phase II. The median (range) peak tobramycin level obtained from CVADs using the original flushing protocol was 13.1 (3.4 to 52.0) compared to 9.5 (3.1 to 46.4) microg/mL for those drawn peripherally. Use of CVAD-obtained levels would have caused inappropriate dosing changes in 43% of cases. Increasing the saline flush volume improved the accuracy of the tobramycin levels obtained from CVADs. Median peak tobramycin levels using the modified flushing protocol were 17.3 (3.6 to 47.0) and 19.0 (3.3 to 42.1) microg/mL obtained from a CVAD or venipuncture, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient for this protocol was 0.90 (lower 95% confidence limit = 0.80). Additionally, 87% of these CVAD-obtained levels provided accurate information for clinical decision making. Conclusions Peak tobramycin levels drawn from CVADs flushed with a small flush volume are falsely elevated compared to those obtained by peripheral venipuncture. The use of a larger saline flush greatly improves the accuracy of these levels. Therefore, care should be taken to base clinical decisions on tobramycin levels obtained by peripheral venipuncture or following an appropriate large volume saline flush.
A Testing Framework for Model Transformations

As models and model transformations are elevated to first-class artifacts within the software development process, there is an increasing need to provide support for techniques and methodologies that are currently missing in modeling practice, but provided readily in other stages of the development lifecycle. Within a model transformation infrastructure, it is vital to provide foundational support for validation and verification of model transformations by investigating and constructing a testing framework focused at the modeling level, rather than source code at the implementation level. We present a framework for testing model transformations that is based on the concepts of model difference and mapping. This framework is integrated with an existing model transformation engine to provide facilities for construction of test cases, execution of test cases, comparison of the output model with the expected model, and visualization of test results. A case study in model transformation testing is presented to illustrate the feasibility of the framework.
Glacial Unconformities on the Antarctic Continental Margin, an Example from the Antarctic Peninsula

The Antarctic Peninsula margin extends from Bransfield Basin to Adelaide Island. The Peninsula is one of the most tectonically complex regions of the Antarctic continental margin. Development of the margin has been influenced by a series of ridge-trench collisions between the Pacific and Antarctic plates. Major fracture zones segment the deep sea floor. The continental shelf break averages 400 m. Foredeepened topography and a series of deeply scoured troughs dominate the bathymetry. On the inner shelf, bathymetry is extremely rugged. The Peninsula region has undergone several episodes of glacial expansion [Bart and Anderson, 1995].
Building Understanding of Instructor Feedback: Laying Groundwork for Professional and Technical Communication

This paper re-examines PTC’s basic pedagogical practices to ensure that they are grounded in data-driven research. PTC has little empirical data about how instructors align their pedagogical strategies with their goals for students’ learning, especially in PTC service courses. To do this, I outline PTC’s pedagogical goals and develop an evaluative framework to measure how well specific pedagogical practices meet those goals. I include an example of how this evaluative framework can be used to measure the effectiveness of instructor feedback on students’ resumes and cover letters. Without further examination of our teaching practices, we could be missing opportunities to engage students and improve PTC pedagogy.
Risk Factors for Eye Disorders Caused by Paclitaxel: A Retrospective Study.

Paclitaxel and nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel are known to cause adverse events of eye disorders, such as cystoid macular edema. However, at present, the risk factors remain unclear. Therefore, risk factors for eye disorders caused by paclitaxel and nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel were studied. This retrospective study targeted patients who were newly administered paclitaxel or nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel at Kyoto Okamoto Memorial Hospital between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2017. Eye disorder occurrence was defined as an event in which the pharmacist confirmed the symptoms in a patient interview and the ophthalmologist diagnosed the disorder. To analyze the risk factors, logistic regression analysis using 41 factors was performed. Of 128 subjects, 13 (10.2%) had eye disorders with symptom degrees of Grades 1 and 2. The symptoms were conjunctivitis or subconjunctival hemorrhage (3.1%), visual acuity reduction (2.3%), blurred vision and eye pain (1.6% each), eye mucus, blepharitis, stye, watering eyes, photopsia, and muscae volitantes (0.8% each). In eight patients, the conditions patients improved with spontaneously or with medication use; no improvements were observed the cases of visual acuity reduction, blurred vision, or muscae volitantes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a cumulative dose of ≥819 mg/m2 (odds ratio: 5.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.32-21.60, p=0.019) and baseline alkaline phosphatase ≥256 U/L (odds ratio: 3.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-13.70, p=0.046) were significant risk factors associated with eye disorders. In conclusion, it was determined that paclitaxel- and nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel-related eye disorders might be influenced by cumulative dose and baseline alkaline phosphatase.
EvoDesign: Designing Protein-Protein Binding Interactions Using Evolutionary Interface Profiles in Conjunction with an Optimized Physical Energy Function.

Abstract EvoDesign ( https://zhanglab.ccmb.med.umich.edu/EvoDesign ) is an online server system for protein design. The method uses evolutionary profiles to guide the sequence search simulation and demonstrated significant advantages over physics-based approaches in terms of more accurately designing proteins that adopt desired target folds. Despite the success, the previous EvoDesign program focused only on monomer protein design, which limited its ability and usefulness in terms of designing functional proteins. In this work, we propose a new EvoDesign server, which extends the principles of evolution-based design to design protein–protein interactions. Starting from a two-chain complex structure, structurally similar interfaces are identified from known protein–protein interaction databases. An interface evolutionary profile is then constructed from a multiple sequence alignment of the interface analogies, which is combined with a newly developed, atomic-level physical energy function to guide the replica-exchange Monte Carlo simulation search. The purpose of the server is to redesign the specified complex chain to increase its stability and binding affinity for the other chain in the complex. With the improved scope and accuracy of the methodology, the new EvoDesign pipeline should become a useful online tool for functional protein design and drug discovery studies.
Graphs with large rank numbers and rank numbers of subdivided stars

A -ranking of a graph is a function such that if then every path contains a vertex such that . The rank number of , denoted , is the minimum such that a -ranking exists for . It is known that given...
Agent-Based Modeling for bioenergy sustainability assessment

Abstract Woody biomass bioenergy is an important renewable alternative to conventional fossil fuels. However, the negative land-use change impacts of biomass harvesting necessary for bioenergy production can potentially outweigh its positive benefits if poorly managed. In this paper, we explain how Agent-Based Modeling (ABM), a form of computer simulation, can be used to conduct a comprehensive bioenergy sustainability assessment to identify possible gains and trade-offs necessary to develop bioenergy in regions with large numbers of private family forest owners or smallholders who own a significant share of available biomass. We discuss how ABM simulation can overcome the barriers of existing sustainability assessment tools and provide a demonstration of the sustainability assessment capabilities of an ABM using a hypothetical case study that explores the introduction of a bioenergy conversion facility in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. We conduct a series of alternative futures scenarios and compare the sustainability outcomes of three alternative policy regimes using voluntary incentive programs to encourage smallholders to harvest biomass.
Perceptions of Costa Rican agricultural employers regarding skills and competencies needed by agriculturalists

During the last decade a gap has existed between the education offered by institutions of higher education in Latin America in the agricultural sciences and the concrete needs of farmers, potential employers and society. The graduates from colleges and universities in the region are not meeting the needs of agriculturally oriented national/international companies nor the demands from small fanners. The purpose of this stody was to determine the knowledge and skills needed by Ingenieros Agrdnomos with the Licenciatura degree as perceived by their potential employers in the agriculture sector, namely private businesses, government and non­ government agencies, and international development institution in Costa Rica. A secondary purpose of the study was to provide information to the agricultural colleges and universities of Costa Rica regarding the desired exit profile of their graduates. An additional purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument which may serve as the basis for further research in other coxmtries represented by the EARTH College population. This was a descriptive research study which used the survey approach. The population of the study was comprised of entities (i.e., organizations, agencies, institutions, companies, and associations) that work in the agricultural sector in Costa Rica and are potential employers of agriculturalists in Costa Rica. Since a comprehensive list of all potential employers of agriculturalists in Costa Rica was not available it was necessary to obtain this information through a variety of sources. Two questionnaires were sent to each of
Trends, Predictors and Outcomes After Utilization of Targeted Temperature Management in Cardiac Arrest Patients With Anoxic Brain Injury.

ABSTRACT Background Targeted Temperature Management (TTM) is a class I recommendation for the management of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) patients with presumed brain injury. We aimed to study trends, predictors and outcomes in SCA patients from a nationally represented US population sample. Methods We utilized the National Inpatient Sample from years 2005 to 2014 for the purpose of our study. Patients with SCA and anoxic brain injury were selected using relevant ICD-9 codes. Data were analyzed for trends over the years and key outcomes were assessed. Logistic regression analysis was done to determine predictors of TTM utilization in our study population. Results A total of 78,465 patients with SCA and anoxic brain injury were identified from January 2005 to December 2014. Out of these, approximately 4,481 (5.7%) patients underwent TTM. Patients that underwent TTM were younger compared to patients without TTM utilization (60.67 vs. 63.27 years, P Conclusions Although TTM utilization increased over our study period, the overall application of TTM was still dismal. Factors that circumvent TTM utilization need to be addressed in future studies so more eligible patients could benefit from this life saving therapy.
Biological Influence on δ13C and Organic Composition of Nascent Sea Spray Aerosol

Elucidating the influence of oceanic biological activity on the organic composition of sea spray aerosol (SSA) is crucial to understanding marine cloud properties relevant to climate. Numerous mari...
Factors Associated With Risk of Recurrent Transient Global Amnesia.

Importance Transient global amnesia (TGA) is usually considered a benign event with a low recurrence rate. However, recurrence rates vary considerably among studies and there are no known risk factors for TGA. Objective To examine risk factors for the recurrence of TGA. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study involved medical record review of patients with isolated or recurrent TGA presenting to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, between August 1, 1992, and February 28, 2018. A total of 1491 cases were reviewed and 1044 met diagnostic inclusion criteria for TGA, with the remainder excluded owing to indeterminate or alternate diagnoses or limited information available in the medical record. Exposures Single vs recurrent episodes of TGA. Main Outcomes and Measures Demographics, precipitating factors, migraine history, imaging and electrodiagnostic findings, and family history of TGA were collected. The main outcome measure was TGA recurrence. Results Of 1044 included patients, 575 (55.1%) were male, and the mean (SD) age at inclusion was 75.0 (11.5) years. A total of 901 patients (86.3%) had a single episode of TGA and 143 (13.7%) had recurrent episodes of TGA. The 2 groups were similar in age at inclusion, sex, identifiable triggers, and duration of anterograde amnesia. The number of recurrences ranged from 1 to 9, with 137 individuals (95.8%) having 3 or fewer recurrences. The mean (SD) age at first episode of TGA was 65.2 (10.0) years for individuals with a single episode vs 58.8 (10.3) years for those with recurrent episodes (P Conclusions and Relevance This study suggests that, in this large cohort of patients with TGA, recurrent TGA was associated with earlier age at the time of first TGA episode and higher prevalence of both personal and family history of migraine compared with isolated cases. These results can be used to counsel patients about risks of recurrence and may have implications for the understanding of TGA pathophysiology.
Rapid Integration of Home Telehealth Visits Amidst COVID-19: What Do Older Adults Need to Succeed?

Objective Our objective was to identify and address patient-perceived barriers to integrating home telehealth visits. Design We used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to conduct patient needs assessments, a home telehealth pilot, and formative evaluation of the pilot. Setting Veterans Affairs geriatrics-renal clinic. Participants Patients with scheduled clinic visits from October 2019 to April 2020. Measurements We conducted an in-person needs assessment and telephone postvisit interviews. Results Through 50 needs assessments, we identified patient-perceived barriers in interest, access to care, access to technology, and confidence. A total of 34 (68%) patients were interested in completing a home telehealth visit, but fewer (32 (64%)) had access to the necessary technology or were confident (21 (42%)) that they could participate. We categorized patients into four phenotypes based on their interest and capability to complete a home telehealth visit: interested and capable, interested and incapable, uninterested and capable, and uninterested and incapable. These phenotypes allowed us to create trainings to overcome patient-perceived barriers. We completed 32 home telehealth visits and 12 postvisit interviews. Our formative evaluation showed that our pilot was successful in addressing many patient-perceived barriers. All interviewees reported that the home telehealth visits improved their well-being. Home telehealth visits saved participants an average of 166 minutes of commute time. Five participants borrowed a device from a family member, and five visits were finished via telephone. All participants successfully completed a home telehealth visit. Conclusions We identified patient-perceived barriers to home telehealth visits and classified patients into four phenotypes based on these barriers. Using principles of implementation science, our home telehealth pilot addressed these barriers, and all patients successfully completed a visit. Future study is needed to understand methods to deploy larger-scale efforts to integrate home telehealth visits into the care of older adults.
Antenatal Dietary Butyrate Supplementation Reduces Postnatal Gastrointestinal Injury in a Murine Model of Colitis

Purpose: Determine whether optimizing the antenatal diet, with either direct or indirect butyrate supplementation, reduces the severity of intestinal injury in offspring with colitis. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that has been shown to enhance intestinal barrier function, regulate intestinal mucosal immunity and reduce intestinal inflammation. Butyrate levels can be increased by ingestion of butyrate, a HF diet or certain probiotics. Therefore, we hypothesize that consuming a diet that increases butyrate levels prenatally will reduce the severity of intestinal injury in offspring with colitis. Methods: Mating pairs of C57BL/6 mice were fed either 1% butyrate, high fiber (HF) diet or probiotics with or without a …
Game On! Inspired CS Education with MakeCode Arcade

This fun filled workshop will introduce participants to game development using MakeCode Arcade (Arcade), which is suited for K-12, outreach, and CS1. Hands-on activities will provide context for interesting computing ideas, like event driven programming, the concept of state, and principles of Human-Computer Interaction. We will start with a novice-friendly, block-based programming paradigm (similar to Scratch), but also show how Arcade's environment naturally scaffolds students into text-based languages as we progress to examples in JavaScript and Python (prior experience not needed). Other introductory tools often have shortcomings for games: a) game elements, like scoring and multiplayer capabilities, can be challenging to implement and b) finished games lack features associated with "real" games, like gamepad controls. This workshop will showcase Arcade features uniquely suited for games, such as scoring primitives and sprite data types, and how games can be deployed to low-cost consoles, comparable to Nintendo's Gameboy. Participants will: 1) complete example games using game elements, 2) see Arcade's use in remote education, 3) gain insight into succinct, meaningful activities for a variety of audiences (K-12, outreach, CS1), and 4) get educators' perspectives on the pros/cons of the Arcade platform. Activities will be completed via web browsers (Chrome preferred). Deployment to hardware will be demonstrated and participants can follow along if they own hardware, but it isn't required (to acquire hardware see the 'Hardware' section of https://arcade.makecode.com/).
Diminished warming tolerance and plasticity in low-latitude populations of a marine gastropod.

Models of species response to climate change often assume that physiological traits are invariant across populations. Neglecting potential intraspecific variation may overlook the possibility that some populations are more resilient or susceptible than others, creating inaccurate predictions of climate impacts. In addition, phenotypic plasticity can contribute to trait variation and may mediate sensitivity to climate. Quantifying such forms of intraspecific variation can improve our understanding of how climate can affect ecologically important species, such as invasive predators. Here, we quantified thermal performance (tolerance, acclimation capacity, developmental traits) across seven populations of the predatory marine snail (Urosalpinx cinerea) from native Atlantic and non-native Pacific coast populations in the USA. Using common garden experiments, we assessed the effects of source population and developmental acclimation on thermal tolerance and developmental traits of F1 snails. We then estimated climate sensitivity by calculating warming tolerance (thermal tolerance - habitat temperature), using field environmental data. We report that low-latitude populations had greater thermal tolerance than their high latitude counterparts. However, these same low-latitude populations exhibited decreased thermal tolerance when exposed to environmentally realistic higher acclimation temperatures. Low-latitude native populations had the greatest climate sensitivity (habitat temperatures near thermal limits). In contrast, invasive Pacific snails had the lowest climate sensitivity, suggesting that these populations are likely to persist and drive negative impacts on native biodiversity. Developmental rate significantly increased in embryos sourced from populations with greater habitat temperature but had variable effects on clutch size and hatching success. Thus, warming can produce widely divergent responses within the same species, resulting in enhanced impacts in the non-native range and extirpation in the native range. Broadly, our results highlight how intraspecific variation can alter management decisions, as this may clarify whether management efforts should be focused on many or only a few populations.