cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
T-cell--depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation followed by donor lymphocyte infusion in patients with multiple myeloma: induction of graft-versus-myeloma effect.

Previous trials of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have demonstrated high response rates but also high transplantation-related mortality (TRM) and high relapse rates. Exploitation of this strategy remains of interest because donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) can induce a potent graft-versus-myeloma (GVM) effect. CD6 T-cell–depleted allogeneic BMT was combined with prophylactic CD4+ DLI administered 6 to 9 months after BMT in an effort to reduce TRM and to induce a GVM response after BMT. Twenty-four patients with matched sibling donors and chemotherapy-sensitive disease underwent BMT. CD6 T-cell depletion of donor bone marrow was the sole method of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. GVHD after BMT was minimal, 1 (4%) grade III and 4 (17%) grade II GVHD. Fourteen patients received DLI, 3 in complete response and 11 with persistent disease after BMT. Significant GVM responses were noted after DLI in 10 patients with persistent disease, resulting in 6 complete responses and 4 partial responses. After DLI, 50% of patients developed acute (≥ II) or extensive chronic GVHD. Two-year estimated overall survival and current progression-free survival (PFS) for all 24 patients is 55% and 42%, respectively. The 14 patients receiving DLI had an improved 2-year current PFS (65%) when compared with a historical cohort of MM patients who underwent CD6-depleted BMT survived 6 months with no GVHD and did not receive DLI (41%) ( P = .13). Although this study suggests that prophylactic DLI induces significant GVM responses after allogeneic BMT, only 58% of patients were able to receive DLI despite T-cell–depleted BMT. Therefore, less toxic transplantation strategies are needed to allow a higher proportion of patients to receive DLI and the benefit from the GVM effect after transplantation.
Democracy, War and Expansion through Historical Lenses:

This article examines various implications of democratic peace theory in both the contemporary era and in Greece during the Peloponnesian War era. It considers the evidence for various hypotheses i...
Creep of Polycrystalline MgO and MgO‐Fe2O3 Solid Solutions at High Temperatures

Polycrystalline MgO and MgO-Fe2O3 solid solutions (0.10 to 8.08 wt% Fe2O3) were fabricated to almost theoretical density by vacuum hot-pressing. Specimens were creep-tested in air under four-point dead-load conditions between 1000° and 1400°C at stresses between 50 and 550 kg/cm2. Steady-state creep was never achieved in the experiments, which sometimes lasted more than 50 h. The strain rate vs time (t) data were described by an equation of the form =c1/(t+C2)p, which is consistent with the assumptions that creep occurs at least in part by a “viscous” mechanism and that grain growth occurs simultaneously. Doping MgO with Fe2O3 enhanced the viscous contributions to creep and inhibited the nonviscous ones. Creep rates in these specimens increased with increasing Fe2O3 additions. The occurrence of simultaneous grain growth during the high-temperature creep of magnesiowustite (i.e. MgO-Fe2O3 solid solutions) was used in establishing the strain rate vs grain size dependence. The results of this study are consistent with a transition between grain boundary and lattice diffusion mechanisms as the grain size increases (4 to 44 μan). The creep of polycrystalline MgO is a mixed process in that viscous and nonviscous (dislocation) contributions are present.
Speeding up NGB with distributed file streaming framework

Grid computing provides a very rich environment for scientific calculations. In addition to the challenges it provides, it also offers new opportunities for optimization. In this paper we have utilized DFS (distributed file streaming) framework to speed up NAS grid benchmark workflows. By studying I/O patterns of NGB codes we have identified program locations where it is possible to overlap computation and data workflow phases. By integrating DFS into NGB, we demonstrate a useful method of improving overall workflow efficiency by streaming the output of the current process to make an input of the following stage, reducing a workflow to a series of distributed producer consumer stages. DFS framework eliminates file transfers and in the process makes process scheduling more efficient, leading to overall performance improvements in the turnaround time for HC (helical chain) data flow graph under Globus grid environment with the embedded DFS over the original version of the benchmark.
Tracking organ overlap for a constrained non-rigid registration algorithm

This paper tracks organ (prostate, rectum, bladder) overlap in a constrained non-rigid registration (NRR) algorithm to register computed tomographic (CT) images used in external beam prostate radiotherapy. The local motion of the organs is described by a hierarchical multi-resolution FFD based on cubic B-splines. Registration is achieved by minimizing a cost function which is a combination of three functions representing the overlap of the critical organs, image similarity and smoothness of the transformation. The constrained NRR algorithm generated better registration results when compared to an unconstrained NRR algorithm.
BIOREACTOR DESIGN GEOMETRY EFFECTS ON NITRATE REMOVAL

Denitrification bioreactors for nitrate removal in agricultural drainage have recently gained attention for their low cost and effectiveness. While research continues to investigate the optimal sizing of these systems, little work has been done on the optimal design geometry (Length to width ratio and cross sectional shape). To address this lack, pilot-scale (1/10th scale) work performed in Iowa during the summer of 2009 explored three shapes of potential bioreactor designs. The objective was to study the nitrate removal effectiveness of each design at various retention times. The pilot bioreactors had a standard volume (0.71 m3) and depth (0.61 m) and different dimensions of 0.76 m x 1.5 m (rectangle), 0.38 m x 3.0 m (channel), and 1.5 m x 1.2 m (trapezoidal). Steady state experiments consisted of the bioreactors being allowed to run at a given retention time for several days/weeks before being changed to a different retention time. A hydrograph flush experiment simulated a drainage hydrograph moving through the bioreactor over the course of a few days. Preliminary results indicated little significant difference between the designs though the channel design seems to provide the most consistent results between the two experiments. Further analysis of this data is expected to guide future full-scale denitrification bioreactor designs.
Compositional heterogeneity in the bottom 1000 kilometers of earth's mantle : Toward a hybrid convection model

Tomographic imaging indicates that slabs of subducted lithosphere can sink deep into Earth's lower mantle. The view that convective flow is stratified at 660-kilometer depth and preserves a relatively pristine lower mantle is therefore not tenable. However, a range of geophysical evidence indicates that compositionally distinct, hence convectively isolated, mantle domains may exist in the bottom 1000 kilometers of the mantle. Survival of these domains, which are perhaps related to local iron enrichment and silicate-to-oxide transformations, implies that mantle convection is more complex than envisaged by conventional end-member flow models.
Prolactin causes increased turnover of dopamine in 10-day-old rat median eminence.

The present work examines the ability of prolactin to enter the CNS of the rat and effect its feedback stimulation of dopamine release prior to the appearance of prolactin receptors in choroid plexus (i.e., 10 days postnatal). An inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase was used to allow the assessment of dopamine turnover separate from synthesis and transport of the amine. Chronic but not acute hyperprolactinemia resulted in increased dopamine release relative to vehicle-treated controls, as shown by diminished fluorescence intensity in the median eminence. These results indicate that activation of the prolactin short-loop feedback system occurs by 10 days postnatal, prior to the appearance of prolactin receptors at the choroid plexus.
Purification and Properties of Glutamate Kinases Required for l-Proline and l-Glutamine Biosynthesis in Brevibacterium flavum

Glutamate kinase activity was separated into two different protein fractions, i.e. glutamate kinase I and II, through the purification of twice carried out ammonium sulfate fractionation and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, and both specific activities were raised nearly ten times higher. Each kinase was found to catalyze kinase reaction stoichiometrically. The optimum pH range of both kinases was between 7.5 and 8.0. The Km value of kinase I and II for l-glutamatic acid were 1.7 × 10−2 m and 3.1 × 10−2 m respectively. Both kinases were specific for only l-glutamic acid, and formed l-glutamine from l-glutamic acid by the addition of ammonium ion instead of NH2OH. No effect of l-proline on either kinase was detected. l-Glutamine markedly inhibited kinase II competitively with l-glutamic acid. Kinase I catalyzes the so-called forward transfer reaction more effectively than kinase II, whereas kinase II catalyzes the reverse transfer reaction four times effectively. Kinase II seems to be more closely rel...
A simple transporting and maintenance medium for Mycoplasma synoviae.

Abstract A simple technique for preserving and transporting Mycoplasma synoviae, which involves suspending the cells in a 20 percent glycerol medium, is described.
Reactions of Boron Oxide and BnOmH + Cluster Ions with Water

Reactions of BnOm+ and BnOmH+ clusters (n ≤ 3, m ≤ 4) with D2O have been studied over a collision energy range from 0.1 to 10 eV (center of mass). The reactivity and product branching are found to ...
Synthesis and in vitro biological evaluation of carbonyl group-containing analogues for σ1 receptors.

To identify the ligands for σ1 receptors that are potent and selective, analogues of prezamicol and trozamicol scaffolds of carbonyl-containing vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) inhibitors were explored. Of the 23 analogues synthesized and tested, 5 displayed very high affinity for σ1 (Ki = 0.48–4.05 nM) and high selectivity for σ1 relative to σ2 receptors (σ1/σ2 selectivity of >749-fold). Four of the five compounds (14a, 14b, 14c, and 14e) showed very low affinity for VAChT (Ki > 290 nM), and the fifth compound (14g) showed moderate affinity for VAChT (Ki = 44.2 nM). The compound [1′-(4-fluorobenzyl)-3′-hydroxy[1,4′]bipiperidinyl-4-yl]-(4-fluorophenyl)methanone (14a) displayed very high affinity and selectivity for σ1 receptor (Ki = 0.48 nM, σ1/σ2 > 3600). All four of these most promising compounds (14a, 14b, 14c, and 14e) can be radiosynthesized with fluorine-18 or carbon-11, which will allow further evaluation of their properties as PET probes for imaging σ1 receptor in vivo.
Glucocorticoid Fast Feedback Inhibition of Stress-Induced ACTH Secretion in the Male Rat: Rate Independence and Stress-State Resistance

Normal glucocorticoid secretion is critical for physiological and mental health. Glucocorticoid secretion is dynamically regulated by glucocorticoid-negative feedback; however, the mechanisms of that feedback process are poorly understood. We assessed the temporal characteristics of glucocorticoid-negative feedback in vivo using a procedure for drug infusions and serial blood collection in unanesthetized rats that produced a minimal disruption of basal ACTH plasma levels. We compared the negative feedback effectiveness present when stress onset coincides with corticosterone's (CORT) rapidly rising phase (30 sec pretreatment), high plateau phase (15 min pretreatment), or restored basal phase (60 min pretreatment) as well as effectiveness when CORT infusion occurs after the onset of stress (5 min poststress onset). CORT treatment prior to stress onset acted remarkably fast (within 30 sec) to suppress stress-induced ACTH secretion. Furthermore, fast feedback induction did not require rapid increases in CORT ...
Part-Time Work and Physical Activity in American High School Students.

OBJECTIVE To compare physical activity (PA) in American high school students who work part-time with those who do not work. METHODS Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2006 (n = 791). Work status was self-reported and PA was measured using accelerometers. RESULTS In males, adjusted for age, race, and poverty-income ratio, workers averaged greater counts per minute, less sedentary time, and greater moderate-to-vigorous PA compared with nonworkers. In females, workers and nonworkers had similar counts per minute, whereas nonworkers had somewhat greater moderate-to-vigorous PA. There was a work-by-school status interaction on sedentary time (P = 0.021), whereby work was associated with less sedentary time among students not on break from school. CONCLUSIONS In American high school students, work is associated with greater PA in males and a different composition of PA in females.
An Online Collaborative Environment for Sharing Visual Culture

AbstractThis article provides a rationale for using affordances of online photo galleries and social networking technologies to promote collaborative interpretations of visual culture. We describe an online photo gallery designed to enhance visual literacy and understanding of visual culture via (a) efficient display for sharing visuals, (b) navigation through visuals without biasing the consumer regarding interpretation, and (c) categorization of visuals according to cultural messages they convey to the consumer. The gallery enables students to discuss the visuals by submitting their interpretations, reading others ' interpretations, and offering evolving interpretations. We describe applications in the context of two university courses.
Placental Insufficiency or Dysfunction

Placental insufficiency or dysfunction could be responsible for insufficient oxygenation during fetal life or at birth. Poor blood flow at the level of the placenta or poor perfusion may result in anoxia (lack of oxygenation) or ischemia (poor flow) or both, causing CO2 retention and, if prolonged, metabolic acidosis.
Period-1 Motions in a Quadratic Nonlinear Oscillator

Analytical solutions for period-1 motions in a periodically forced, quadratic nonlinear oscillator are presented through the Fourier series solutions with finite harmonic terms, and the stability and bifurcation analyses of the corresponding period-1 motions are carried out. The parameter map for excitation amplitude and frequency is developed for different period-1 motions. For a better understanding of complex period-1 motions in such a quadratic nonlinear oscillator, trajectories and amplitude spectrums are illustrated numerically.
Experiencing Misgendered Pronouns: A Classroom Activity to Encourage Empathy

How can teachers help students understand the importance of gender pronouns for transgender and gender-nonconforming people? This article presents a gender pronoun reversal activity that simulates the experience of being verbally misgendered. Students followed up on the activity by posting reflections on an online class discussion board. The activity promoted empathy among cisgender students for transgender people and reflexivity regarding the social boundaries of gender identity. Empathy and reflexivity were common responses among students enrolled in Sociology of Diversity and Sociology of Gender at a large research university in the northeast. We present the activity, including preparation and follow-up along with an analysis of student responses.
Sochi 2014 Olympics on Twitter: Perspectives of hosts and guests

Abstract Mega sports events create multiple benefits for the host country but can also bring into focus the political and social problems. This study provides a comprehensive description of the public discourse about Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics on Twitter in two languages, Russian and English. The former represents the perspective of hosts and the latter – that of the guests. The study traces the temporal dynamics of the most salient issues and conducts sentiment analysis of public attitudes. It also examines whether sentiments toward the Games changed as the event unfolded, that is, whether the event succeeded in creating a more positive image of the Games. It was found that while the positive attitudes expressed in the tweets about the Sochi Olympics improved throughout the course of the Games, this improvement was practically significant only for the hosts' segment of the sample, with much smaller improvement in the guests’ segment.
Empire's End: Transnational Connections in the Hispanic World

How does one identify the end of an empire, and how does the process of imperial demise inscribe itself on history and cultural production? What are the intellectual and disciplinary points of tens...
Machine-learning quantum mechanics: Solving quantum mechanics problems using radial basis function networks

In this article, machine-learning methods are used to solve quantum mechanics problems. The radial basis function network in a discrete basis is used as the variational wave function for the ground state of a quantum system. Variational Monte Carlo (VMC) calculations are carried out for some simple Hamiltonians. The results are in good agreement with theoretical values. The smallest eigenvalue of a Hermitian matrix can also be acquired using VMC calculations. Results are provided to demonstrate that machine-learning techniques are capable of solving quantum mechanical problems.
Towards Understanding Trust Through Computational Cognitive Modeling

Trust is a vital component of human society. Without trust, we would all have to continuously focus on survival, i.e., our physical security and the daily finding of food and water. With trust, we developed the division of labor that allowed us to sleep safely and develop a complex society. However, the concept of trust is very defused and not described operationally, i.e., in terms of the mechanisms by which we build, maintain, and decide to trust. There is now evidence that trust has a biological foundation [1]. That brain imaging data shows that some of the regions of our brain associated with trust are part of our high-level reasoning but others are deep within the brain. Like emotions, deep brain processes are typically fast, unconscious, and unexplainable. My hypothesis is that trust is based on cognitive mechanisms, likely the brain's slow and fast processes [2]. This talk focuses on a computational cognitive modeling approach to developing and understanding the mechanisms of trust in humans. The approach to investigating the mechanisms of trust is the use of computational cognitive modeling, specifically ACT-R [3]. Cognitive modeling is the development of declarative and procedural knowledge that “runs” on a cognitive architecture and produces outputs/behaviors comparable to those of humans. The result of this work will be an ACT-R model replicating human behavior on trust and explaining possible mechanisms of trust. However, the ACT-R system is intended to model rational behavior. Therefore, I will be also discussing mechanisms not normally considered to be “rational” [2]. Knowing the mechanisms associated with trust will allow a principled approach to developing intelligent systems we can and will trust.
Publisher's Note: "Differential voltage amplification from ferroelectric negative capacitance" [Appl. Phys. Lett. 111, 253501 (2017)]

Author(s): Khan, Asif I; Hoffmann, Michael; Chatterjee, Korok; Lu, Zhongyuan; Xu, Ruijuan; Serrao, Claudy; Smith, Samuel; Martin, Lane W; Hu, Chenming; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy; Salahuddin, Sayeef
Imaging of Pulmonary Vascular Diseases

Imaging is a crucial element in the diagnosis of pulmonary vascular disease, and it is used most often for two purposes: to diagnose or exclude pulmonary embolism (PE), and to make an evaluation for the presence and severity of cardiac dysfunction. For the latter, the main tool is the chest radiograph and the focus is the pulmonary arterial vascular pattern. For the former, there has been a dramatic progression over the last decade from the use of ventilation–perfusion lung scintigraphy combined with leg ultrasound and/or catheter pulmonary angiography, to the use of multislice CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). The role of imaging for other pulmonary vascular abnormalities is limited. The aim of this chapter is to review the relevant imaging modalities and their utility in specific clinical conditions.
Stabilization of Discrete-Time Linear Systems With an Unknown Time-Varying Delay by Switched Low-Gain Feedback

In this note, we investigate the stabilization of discrete-time linear systems with an unknown time-varying delay. Existing literature on the stabilization of time-delay systems require some knowledge, such as an upper bound, of the delay. In this paper, by proposing a switched low-gain feedback control law, we are able to achieve asymptotic stabilization of the system without any knowledge of the delay. In addition, the proposed switched low-gain feedback law also significantly improves the closed-loop system performance in terms of overshoot and convergence speed in comparison with the traditional fixed gain design. Simulation study illustrates the effectiveness of our theoretical results.
Scaling laws for dynamical plasma phenomena

A scaling and similarity technique is a useful tool for developing and testing reduced models of complex phenomena, including plasma phenomena. In this paper, similarity and scaling arguments will be applied to highly dynamical systems where the plasma is evolving from some initial to some final state, which may differ dramatically from each other in size and plasma parameters. A question then arises whether, in order to better understand the behavior of one such system, is it possible to create another system, possibly much smaller (or larger) than the original one, but whose evolution would accurately replicate that of the original one, from its initial to its final state. This would allow a researcher, by an experimental study of this second system, to make confident predictions about the behavior of the first one (which may be otherwise inaccessible, as is the case of some astrophysical objects, or too expensive and hard to diagnose, as in the case of fusion applications of pulsed plasma systems, or for other reasons). The scaling and similarity techniques for dynamical plasma systems will be presented as a set of case studies of problems from various domains of plasma physics, including collisional and collisionless plasmas. Among the results discussed are similar for MHD systems with an emphasis on high-energy-density laboratory astrophysics, interference between collisionless and collisional phenomena in the context of shock physics, and similarity for liner-imploded plasmas.A scaling and similarity technique is a useful tool for developing and testing reduced models of complex phenomena, including plasma phenomena. In this paper, similarity and scaling arguments will be applied to highly dynamical systems where the plasma is evolving from some initial to some final state, which may differ dramatically from each other in size and plasma parameters. A question then arises whether, in order to better understand the behavior of one such system, is it possible to create another system, possibly much smaller (or larger) than the original one, but whose evolution would accurately replicate that of the original one, from its initial to its final state. This would allow a researcher, by an experimental study of this second system, to make confident predictions about the behavior of the first one (which may be otherwise inaccessible, as is the case of some astrophysical objects, or too expensive and hard to diagnose, as in the case of fusion applications of pulsed plasma systems, or f...
Novel Cannulation Technique for Temporary Right Ventricular Assist Device After LVAD Placement

Right ventricular failure is a life-threatening complication of left ventricular assist device implantation. Increasingly, right ventricular assist devices are used for compensation of postoperative right heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Currently, right ventricular assist device placement is limited by the need for delayed sternal closure, return to the operating room for removal, or restricted mobility due to a femoral venous catheter. We describe a novel technique for the placement of an extracorporeal centrifugal pump for right ventricular support that does not rely on femoral central venous access and can be discontinued in the intensive care unit after weaning of right ventricular support.
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants in emergency medical services who billed independently, 2012–2016

Abstract Objective As nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) become an integral part of delivering emergency medical services, we examined the involvement of NPs and PAs who billed independently in emergency departments (EDs). Methods We used Medicare provider utilization and payment data from 2012 to 2016 to conduct a retrospective analysis. We examined the changes in the number of each clinician type who billed independently for four common emergency services (CPT codes: 99282-5), the change in their service volume, and the change in their average number of services billed. Results Between 2012 and 2016, the proportion of NPs and PAs billing independently increased from 18% to 22% for ED visits of low severity (99282), 23% to 29% for visits with moderate severity (99283), 21% to 27% for visits with high severity (99284), 18% to 24% for visit with the highest severity (99285), and 23% to 29% across all four services. The proportion of services provided by emergency physicians decreased from 66% to 63% across all four services, and from 11% to 9% for internists and family physicians. The number of NPs, PAs billing independently, and emergency physicians increased by 65%, 35% and 12% respectively. Conclusions NPs and PAs are increasingly billing emergency services of all levels of severity, independent of physicians. This trend is driven by a growing number of NPs and PAs independently billing services, despite a relatively stable number of emergency physicians (excepting the decline in rural areas), and diminished involvement of family physicians and internists in EDs.
Effects of Rifaximin on Circulating Aged Neutrophils in Sickle Cell Disease

Methods of treatment of sickle cell disease are based on the administration of the antibiotic compound rifaximin.
The Role of Genetic Variant rs13266634 in SLC30A8/ZnT8 in Post-Operative Hyperglycemia after Major Abdominal Surgery.

Context Following major surgery, post-operative hyperglycemia (POHG) is associated with suboptimal outcomes, among diabetics and non-diabetics. A specific genetic variant, rs13266634 (c.973C>T; p.ARG325TRP) in zinc transporter SLC30A8/ZnT8, is associated with protection against Type-2 Diabetes, suggesting it may be actionable for predicting and preventing POHG. Objective To determine independent and mediated influences of a genetic variant on POHG in patients undergoing a model major operation, complex abdominal ventral hernia repair (cVHR). Patients and methods For 110 patients (mean BMI 34.9±5.8, T2D history 28%) undergoing cVHR at a tertiary referral center (January 2012 to March 2017), multivariate regression was used to correlate the rs13266634 variant to pre-operative clinical, laboratory and imaging-based indices of liver steatosis and central abdominal adiposity to POHG. Causal Mediation Analysis (CMA) was used to determine direct and mediated contributions of SLC30A8/ZnT8 status to POHG. Results Variant rs13266634 was present in 61 patients (55.4%). In univariate models, when compared to patients with rs13266634, the homozygous wild-genotype (C/C, n=49) was associated with significantly higher risks of POHG (OR= 0.30 95%CI =0.14, 0.67, P=0.0038). Multivariate regression indicated that the association was independent (OR= 0.39 95%CI 0.15-0.97, p=0.040). In addition, CMA suggested that rs13266634 protects against POHG directly and indirectly through its influence on liver steatosis and central adiposity. Conclusions In medically complex patients undergoing major operations, the rs13266634 variant protects against POHG and its associated outcomes, through independent and mediated contributions. In C/C patients undergoing major operations, SLC30A8/ZnT8 may prove useful to stratify risk of POHG and potentially as a therapeutic target.
Probabilistic models for quality control in environmental sensor networks

Networks of distributed, remote sensors are providing ecological scientists with a view of our environment that is unprecedented in detail. However, these networks are subject to harsh conditions, which lead to malfunctions in individual sensors and failures in network communications. This behavior manifests as corrupt or missing measurements in the data. Consequently, before the data can be used in ecological models, future experiments, or even policy decisions, it must be quality controlled (QC’d) to flag affected measurements and impute corrected values. This dissertation describes a probabilistic modeling approach for real-time automated QC that exploits the spatial and temporal correlations in the data to distinguish sensor failures from valid observations. The model adapts to a site by learning a Bayesian network structure that captures spatial relationships among sensors, and then extends this structure to a dynamic Bayesian network to incorporate temporal correlations. The final QC model contains both discrete and continuous variables, which makes inference intractable for large sensor networks. Consequently, we examine the performance of three approximate methods for inference in this probabilistic framework. Two of these algorithms represent contemporary approaches to inference in hybrid models, while the third is a greedy search-based method of our own design. We demonstrate the results of these algorithms on synthetic datasets and real environmental sensor data gathered from an ecological sensor network located in western Oregon. Our results suggest that we can improve performance over networks with less sensors that use exhaustive asynchronic inference by including additional sensors and applying approximate algorithms.
DETECTION OF FISSIONABLE MATERIALS IN URINE

Abstract A relatively rapid, sensitive method for the determination of uranium or plutonium in urine has been developed. The technique is neutron activation analysis; the reaction involved is (n, fission) and the detection is based on the radiochemical extraction of 132Te. 132Te was chosen since it has a high fission yield, reasonable half-life and cannot be made directly by single neutron capture on any stable tellurium in the sample. A comparison of the sensitivity of this method with one in which the uranium or plutonium is chemically separated from the urine and α-counted is given in the Table.
Late fMRI Response Components Are Altered in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Disrupted cortical neural inhibition has been hypothesized to be a primary contributor to the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This hypothesis predicts that ASD will be associated with an increase in neural responses. We tested this prediction by comparing fMRI response magnitudes to simultaneous visual, auditory, and motor stimulation in ASD and neurotypical (NT) individuals. No increases in the initial transient response in any brain region were observed in ASD, suggesting that there is no increase in overall cortical neural excitability. Most notably, there were widespread fMRI magnitude increases in the ASD response following stimulation offset, approximately 6-8 s after the termination of sensory and motor stimulation. In some regions, the higher fMRI offset response in ASD could be attributed to a lack of an "undershoot"-an often observed feature of fMRI responses believed to reflect inhibitory processing. Offset response magnitude was associated with reaction times (RT) in the NT group and may explain an overall reduced RT in the ASD group. Overall, our results suggest that increases in neural responsiveness are present in ASD but are confined to specific components of the neural response, are particularly strong following stimulation offset, and are linked to differences in RT.
Neurocognitive vulnerability to youth suicidal behavior.

Neurocognitive deficits have been associated with suicidal behavior in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD), but it is unclear if similar impairments are linked to youth suicidal behavior. This study compared neurocognitive functioning in suicidal and non-suicidal youth with a lifetime history of MDD and explored whether neurocognitive functioning predicted future suicide attempts. Neurocognition was examined using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) and Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) in 309 youths ages 12-15 (117 suicide attempters; 132 suicidal ideators; 60 never-suicidal). Prospective analyses included 284 youths (41 youth with a future attempt; 243 without a future attempt). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) yielded a significant group-by-sex interaction effect [Wilks' Λ = 0.901, F (16, 560) = 1.87, p = .021] for the primary neurocognitive outcomes, guiding the decision to stratify the sample by sex. Female suicide attempters and ideators were slower to respond correctly to both positive and negative emotion words than never-suicidal controls on tests of affective bias. Male suicide attempters and ideators made significantly more total and between errors than never-suicidal subjects. Exploratory analyses found that total commission errors on the Affective Go/No-Go (AGN) test significantly predicted future suicide attempts in females, and that higher strategy scores on Spatial Working Memory (SWM) tests predicted future male attempts. Study findings identified sex-specific neurocognitive deficits that differentiate suicidal and non-suicidal youth with histories of MDD. Extended longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the temporal association between neurocognitive impairments and suicidal behavior and frame targets for early preventive interventions.
Handicraft, Design, and Art

This chapter touches on three main topics in Bishan’s practices: handicraft, design and art. The author discusses the trend of anti-urbanization in China in recent years: People go to the countryside for vacation or settlement in order to find the memory deposited there and discover the forgotten handicraft; However, there is a danger that the handicraft is becoming a new luxury which extracted from its original practical function. The author reviews the Arts and Crafts Movement led by William Morris in Britain and the Mingei Movement advocated by Yanagi Sōetsu in Japan, and emphasized from the Marxist point of view that the real handicraft renaissance can only be realized when the handicrafts made by laborers are available to themselves. When writing on design, the author points out: When the regenerated capitalism devours the natural resources, destroys the living environment, squeezes the laborers and exhausts the social energy, designers should activate more ethical consumers through their designs, and bring environmental ethics, social justice and fair trade into people’s consumption behavior to maintain the “whole earth community.” When talking about art, the author reviews various public art practices since the world entered the post-Cold War era in 1989, especially the development of “socially engaged art,” summarizes their characteristics of “de-authorization” and “de-aestheticization,” emphasizes their interaction with ordinary people, and those art projects that can mobilize people’s participation so as to jointly build a better community and a better society. All these thoughts had become the dominant principles in the Bishan Project.
Clinicopathologic correlation is essential for diagnosis of metastatic aggressive variant prostate carcinoma: A series of two cases

A subset of patients with castrate resistant prostate cancer, may evolve into androgen receptor-independent phenotype, clinically characterized by low serum levels of prostate-specific antigen and rapidly progressive disease course, referred to as aggressive variant prostate carcinoma (AVPCa). Essentially, a clinical diagnosis, the increasing incidence has highlighted the need to identify potential targeted therapy options which needs tissue from primary or metastatic site. We present a series of 2 metastatic carcinomas of prostate origin with clinical features and molecular signature of AVPCa. The biopsies of metastatic sites revealed a carcinoma with squamous and neuroendocrine differentiation in one case and the second case showed an adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation. Both tumors were negative for prostate-specific markers and positive for neuroendocrine markers. The morphologic heterogeneity and inconsistent immunohistochemistry of AVPCa at the site of metastasis emphasizes the role of interdisciplinary diagnostic approach to confirm prostate origin in this subset of tumors.
Slowing the Spread of COVID-19: Review of “Social Distancing” Interventions Deployed by Public Transit in the United States and Canada

This paper presents a review of social distancing measures deployed by transit agencies in the United States and Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic and discusses how specific operators across the two countries have implemented changes. Challenges and impacts on their operations are also provided. Social distancing is one of the community mitigation measures traditionally implemented during influenza pandemics and the novel coronavirus pandemic. Research has shown that social distancing is effective in containing the spread of disease. This is applicable to the current situation with the novel coronavirus, given the lack of effective vaccines and treatments in the United States and Canada in the first eight months of the pandemic. Moreover, social distancing is particularly useful in settings where community transmission is substantial. Directives for social distancing were issued in several states and public transit operators were charged with how to provide for physical distance of six feet between passengers on their property including physical infrastructure such as station buildings and rolling infrastructure (rolling stock) including trains, subway cars and buses. Operational changes were also required due to physical distancing, e.g. adding train cars to provide for opportunities to physically distance on the train. Examples of some measures discussed in this research includes taping off every other seat on buses, increasing the total length of trains by adding cars, separating bus drivers from passengers with plastic sheeting, rear door boarding, etc. This research also analyzes long-term impacts for transit operators and challenges to encourage passengers to return to public transit after lockdown requirements ordered by government officials are lifted. A section on the policies that are being explored by government to continue to sustain public transportation is also included.
DBQ: Document-based Quarantine

This paper presents how one school and one special library handled the first months of quarantine and remote teaching and learning as COVID-19 hit the United States in spring 2020. While teaching with archives has long been a part of the professional discourse within the archival and special collections community, changes in methodology in teaching remotely and modifications to the Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) exam’s document-based question (DBQ) called for experimentation and innovation. The collaboration between APUSH teachers at Woodbridge Senior High School in Virginia and the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania provided one solution to preparing students for the modified AP exam. The authors of this paper explore the background and context of the work of teachers and archivists, describe the actions taken in spring 2020, and analyze the results and impact. Lessons learned and future opportunities for collaboration are then examined. The paper concludes with a proposal that similar relationships and activities are not just possible but also beneficial for all involved.
Male Allies at Work: Gender-Equality Supportive Men Reduce Negative Underrepresentation Effects Among Women:

Does commitment to allyship from a dominant group member cue identity-safety for women in male-dominated environments? We examine this question by assessing women’s perceptions of workplaces that i...
The oncogenic role of meiosis-specific Aurora kinase C in mitotic cells.

Abstract Aberrant expression of meiosis-specific genes in cancer has recently emerged as a driver of some cancer formation. Aurora kinase C (AURKC) is a member of the Aurora kinase family of proteins known to regulate chromosome segregation during cell divisions. AURKC is normally expressed in meiotic cells; however, elevated levels of AURKC mRNA and protein are frequently measured in cancer cells. To understand the function of AURKC in cancer cells, expression was induced in noncancerous, human retina pigmented epithelial cells. While AURKC expression did not alter cell proliferation over 72 h, it did increase cell migration and anchorage independent growth in soft agar suggesting an oncogenic role in mitotically dividing cells. To evaluate AURKC as a potential therapeutic target, a frameshift mutation in the gene was introduced in U2OS osteosarcoma cells using CRISPR-Cas9 technology resulting in a premature stop codon. Cancer cells lacking AURKC displayed no change in cell proliferation over 72 h but did migrate less and formed fewer colonies in soft agar. Whole transcriptome sequencing analysis uncovered over 400 differentially expressed genes in U2OS cells with and without AURKC. GO analysis revealed alterations in proteinaceous extracellular matrix genes including COL1A1. These data indicate that therapeutics targeting AURKC could decrease cancer cell metastasis and disease progression. Because AURKC is transcriptionally silenced in normal mitotic cells, its disruption could specifically target cancer cells limiting the toxic side effects associated with current therapeutics.
Our Latest Time of Trial

2020 was a year defined by disaster and unrest, from impeachment to war to wildfires to a global pandemic to protest movements arising in the United States in response to police violence. This brief article reflects on Robert Bellah's concept of American Civil Religion, particularly his focus on three times of trial. I argue that the nation's second time of trial, the Civil War and the struggle over whether American democracy would truly include all Americans, is not truly in the past. American Civil Religion is undergirded by a system of white supremacy, and the systems which exist to supposedly instill norms of equality and justice are broken. A host of issues exists on the periphery, while the pressing need is an acceptance of the fact that American Civil Religion is rotten at its core. The historical narrative on which American Civil Religion rests fails to unite because it fails to truly be a history of the American people writ large. Whether we are in fact living through a new time of trial or not, it is nonetheless the case that the United States has arrived at a moment which demands a national and civil religious reckoning.
ISU design projects. A new instrument for shaping global space policy

Abstract The author argues that students attending the International Space University (ISU) are becoming a force to be reckoned with in space activities thanks to their enthusiasm, dedication and their Design Projects tackling major technological issues. This article reviews previous projects, before focusing on those of 1993 and 1994, and analyses whether they can be seen as agents for change in space policy making. Key ‘selling points’ are the ‘students’ non-rigid approach to thinking and doing, their refusal to believe in the intractability of any problem and the appeal their novel coalition may have for political leaders.
Collection of Information about Publicly Traded Firms: Theory and Evidence

Abstract This paper develops a model of information collection about publicly traded firms in an economy. The supply noise is modeled as the variability of liquidity-motivated trading in the shares of the firm. The paper theoretically examines the influence of various firm characteristics on the amount of information collected about a firm and on the marginal information content of announcements made by it. Empirical work focuses on the marginal information content of quarterly earnings announcements made by firms. The empirical results are generally consistent with the model's predictions.
Metal silicon interfacial reactions in SOI

A radius of curvature technique has been employed to measure the in-plane biaxial stress in the superficial silicon layer and the buried oxide layer in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. The wafer was processed by the separation by implanted oxygen (SIMOX) method. The stresses with and without the formation of TiSi/sub 2/ are presented.
Thymosin β4 and cardiac protection: implication in inflammation and fibrosis

Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) is a ubiquitous protein with diverse biological functions. The effecter molecules targeted by Tβ4 in cardiac protection remain unknown. We summarize previously published work showing that treatment with Tβ4 in the myocardial infarction setting improves cardiac function by activating Akt phosphorylation, promoting the ILK-Pinch-Parvin complex, and suppressing NF-κB and collagen synthesis. In the presence of Wortmannin, Tβ4 showed minimal cardiac protection. In vitro findings revealed that pretreatment with Tβ4 resulted in reduction of intracellular ROS in the cardiac fibroblasts and was associated with increased expression of antioxidant enzymes, reduction of Bax/Bcl(2) ratio, and attenuation of profibrotic genes. Silencing of Cu/Zn-SOD, catalase, and Bcl(2) genes abrogated the protective effect of Tβ4. Our findings suggest that Tβ4 improves cardiac function by enhancing Akt and ILK activation and suppressing NF-κB activity and collagen synthesis. Furthermore, Tβ4 selectively upregulates catalase, Cu/Zn-SOD, and Bcl(2), thereby protecting cardiac fibroblasts from H(2)O(2) -induced oxidative damage. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the signaling pathway(s) involved in the cardiac protection afforded by Tβ4.
Benchmarking real-time distributed object management systems for evolvable and adaptable command and control applications

The paper describes benchmarking for evolvable and adaptable real time command and control systems. MITRE's Evolvable Real-Time C3 initiative developed an approach that would enable current real time systems to evolve into the systems of the future. We designed and implemented an infrastructure and data manager so that various applications could be hosted on the infrastructure. Then we completed a follow-on effort to design flexible adaptable distributed object management systems for command and control (C2) systems. Such an adaptable system would switch scheduling algorithms, policies, and protocols depending on the need and the environment. Both initiatives were carried out for the United States Air Force. One of the key contributions of the work is the investigation of real time features for distributed object management systems. Partly as a result of our work we are now seeing various real time distributed object management products being developed. In selecting a real time distributed object management systems, we need to analyze various criteria. Therefore, we need benchmarking studies for real time distributed object management systems. Although benchmarking systems such as Hartstone and Distributed Hartstone have been developed for middleware systems, these systems are not developed specifically for distributed object based middleware. Since much of our work is heavily based on distributed objects, we developed benchmarking systems by adapting the Hartstone system. The paper describes our efforts in developing benchmarks.