cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hyperalimentation in cardiac surgery: A review of sixty-four patients

Over a 28 month period, 64 patients (3.1 per cent of all patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures at the Massachusetts General Hospital) received hyperalimentation therapy. These were critically ill patients, as manifested by a high over-all mortality rate of 62.5 per cent. Most of the patients were middle aged or older, with either rheumatic or coronary artery disease, and had sustained many medical and surgical complications in the postoperative period. The major indications for therapy included acute renal failure, malnutrition with evidence of poor wound healing, and inadequate oral intake secondary to central nervous system dysfunction. The beneficial effects of therapy included improved wound healing and the maintenance of an improved nutritional state under the limiting conditions of marked fluid restriction. In several patients with acute renal failure, therapy prompted salutory metabolic effects and recovery of renal function. There were no serious untoward side effects of therapy in any patient; specifically, there was no instance of catheter-related sepsis.
Cumulus Convection and Entrainment

Cumulus clouds are the visual evidence of the overturning of the atmosphere which follows the establishment of an unstable state of equilibrium. The unstable state may be created by such processes as the following: 1. The heating of the lower atmosphere through its contact with a warm surface gives rise to the cumulus clouds which appear on a summer afternoon and to the cumulus clouds which often develop when a cold air mass flows over a warmer surface. 2. The cooling of the middle troposphere may produce an unstable condition in the lower atmosphere. The nighttime cumulus which forms over oceans may be attributed, in part, to this process. 3. The saturation of a layer of convectively unstable air results in the development of convective cells. A good example of this process is the cellular pattern of the precipitation in convectively unstable air of tropical maritime origin.
Amplification of the HER-2/neu protooncogene in human endocrine tumors.

Background Amplification of HER-2/neu, a protooncogene related to the epidermal growth factor receptor, has prognostic significance in patients with breast cancer. Alterations in protooncogenes have not been determined for endocrine tumors in which prognosis is difficult to predict. We have addressed the question of whether amplification of HER-2/neu or epidermal growth factor receptor occurs in DNA from human endocrine tumor lines and have sought to characterize the HER-2/neu gene and its products in carcinoid tumors of the gut. Methods The differential polymerase chain reaction procedure was used to detect genomic amplification in DNA samples from human endocrine tumor cell lines (BON, SIM, STAN) and from paraffin-embedded samples of carcinoid tumors. Sequencing techniques were used to determine whether mutations of the transmembrane domain of HER-2/neu existed. We then further characterized the gene products (RNA and protein) in carcinoid tumors. Results Amplification of HER-2/neu was identified in all three endocrine tumor cell lines. HER-2/neu amplification was found in four of 10 carcinoid tumors of the gut; three of these four tumors were invasive or metastatic. In addition, HER-2/neu mRNA and protein were expressed in carcinoid tumors. Conclusions Amplification of the HER-2/neu protooncogene occurs in endocrine tumors of the gut; quantitation of the actual copy number may be an important prognostic determinant. The unique human endocrine cell lines, established in our laboratory, will be useful models to further examine the significance of alterations of the HER-2/neu gene in endocrine tumors.
Sandia's Z-Backlighter Laser Facility

The Z-Backlighter Laser Facility at Sandia National Laboratories was developed to enable high energy density physics experiments in conjunction with the Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratories, with an emphasis on backlighting. Since the first laser system there became operational in 2001, the facility has continually evolved to add new capability and new missions. The facility currently has several high energy laser systems including the nanosecond/multi-kilojoule Z-Beamlet Laser (ZBL), the sub-picosecond/kilojoule- class Z-Petawatt (ZPW) Laser, and the smaller nanosecond/100 J-class Chaco laser. In addition to these, the backlighting mission requires a regular stream of coated consumable optics such as debris shields and vacuum windows, which led to the development of the Sandia Optics Support Facility to support the unique high damage threshold optical coating needs described.
In situ monitoring of H and O stable isotopes in soil water reveals ecohydrologic dynamics in managed soil systems

The water cycle in urban and hydrologically managed settings is subject to perturbations that are dynamic on small spatial and temporal scales; the effects of which may be especially profound in soils. We deploy a membrane inlet-based laser spectroscopy system in conjunction with soil moisture and temperature sensors to monitor soil water dynamics and H and O stable isotope ratios (δ2H and δ18O values) in a seasonally irrigated urban-landscaped garden soil over the course of 9 months between the cessation of irrigation in the autumn and the onset of irrigation through the summer. We find that soil water δ2H and δ18O values predominately reflect seasonal precipitation and irrigation inputs. A comparison of total soil water by cryogenic extraction and mobile soil water measured by in situ water vapor probes reveals that initial infiltration events after long periods of soil drying (the autumn season in this case) emplace water into the soil matrix that is not easily replaced by, or mixed with, successive pulses of infiltrating soil water. Tree stem xylem water H and O stable isotope composition did not match that of available water sources. These findings suggest that partitioning of soil water into mobile and immobile “pools” and resulting ecohydrologic separation may occur in engineered and hydrologically managed soils and not be limited to natural settings. The laser spectroscopy method detailed here has potential to yield insights in a variety of critical zone and vadose zone studies, potential that is heightened by the simplicity and portability of the system. Highlights We develop a lightweight field deployable isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy system for measuring in situ soil water δ2H and δ18O values. Seasonal soil water δ2H and δ18O values respond to precipitation and irrigation inputs. Ecohydrologic separation between irrigation and precipitation and soil and plant stem water can occur in irrigated ecosystems. It may be possible to couple water vapor probe measurements to that of extracted water to characterize the isotopic composition of the various pools of water in soil.
Managing hereditary breast cancer risk in women with and without ovarian cancer

Abstract Current guidelines recommend that all women with ovarian cancer undergo germline genetic testing for BRCA1/2 . Increasingly, genetic testing is being performed via panels that include other genes that confer a high or moderate risk of breast cancer. In addition, many women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer are not found to have a mutation, but may have increased risk of breast cancer for which surveillance and risk reduction strategies are indicated. This review discusses how to assess and manage an increased risk of breast cancer through surveillance, preventive medications, and risk-reducing surgery. Assessing and managing the increased risk of breast cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer can be challenging. For the first few years after an ovarian cancer diagnosis, BRCA1/2 mutation carriers have a relatively low risk of breast cancer, and their prognosis is largely determined by the ovarian cancer. However, if these women remain in remission after two years, the risk of breast cancer becomes comparable with, and in some cases exceeds, their risk of ovarian cancer recurrence. For these women, breast cancer surveillance and risk reduction becomes important to their overall health. Specifically, for BRCA1/2 carriers who are diagnosed with early-stage ovarian cancer, we recommend regular breast cancer surveillance and consideration of risk reduction with medication and/or prophylactic mastectomy. For women with advanced ovarian cancer who do not achieve remission, breast cancer surveillance or prophylaxis is not of value. However, among carriers with more favorable advanced disease, it is reasonable to initiate breast cancer surveillance. Patients with less favorable advanced stage disease who achieve sustained remission (>2–5years) should also consider more aggressive strategies for breast cancer screening and prevention. For mutation carriers who remain in remission after five years, prophylactic mastectomy can be considered.
Alleviation of Multiple Asthmatic Pathologic Features with Orally Available and Subtype Selective GABAA Receptor Modulators.

We describe pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of two novel oral drug candidates for asthma. Phenolic α4β3γ2 GABAAR selective compound 1 and acidic α5β3γ2 selective GABAAR positive allosteric modulator compound 2 relaxed airway smooth muscle ex vivo and attenuated airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in a murine model of asthma. Importantly, compound 2 relaxed acetylcholine contracted human tracheal airway smooth muscle strips. Oral treatment of compounds 1 and 2 decreased eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in ovalbumin sensitized and challenged mice, thus exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, compound 1 reduced the number of lung CD4+ T lymphocytes and directly modulated their transmembrane currents by acting on GABAARs. Excellent pharmacokinetic properties were observed, including long plasma half-life (up to 15 h), oral availability, and extremely low brain distribution. In conclusion, we report the selective targeting of GABAARs expressed outside the brain and demonst...
Autologous breast reconstruction in the postbariatric patient population.

Background Over 175,000 Americans underwent bariatric surgery in 2013 alone, resulting in rapid growth of the massive weight loss population. As obesity is a known risk factor for breast cancer, plastic surgeons are increasingly challenged to reconstruct the breasts of massive weight loss patients after oncologic resection. The goal of this study is to assess the outcomes of autologous breast reconstruction in postbariatric surgery patients at a single institution. Methods Patients who underwent autologous breast reconstruction between 2008 and 2014 were identified. Those with a history of bariatric surgery were compared to those without a history of bariatric surgery. Analysis included age, ethnicity, BMI, comorbidities, flap type, operative complications, and reoperation rates. Propensity matched analysis was also conducted to control for preoperative differences between the two cohorts. Results Fourteen women underwent breast reconstruction following bariatric surgery, compared to 1,012 controls. Outcomes analysis revealed significant differences in breast revisions (1.35 vs. 0.61, P = .0055), implant placements (0.42 vs. 0.08, P = .0003), and total OR visits (2.78 vs. 1.67, P = .0007). There was no significant difference noted in delayed healing of the breast (57.4% vs. 33.7%, P = .087) or donor site (14.3% vs. 15.8%, P = 1.00). Conclusions As the rise in bariatric surgery mirrors that of obesity, an increasing amount of massive weight loss patients undergo treatment for breast cancer. We demonstrate profound differences in this patient population, particularly in regards to revision rates, which affects operative planning, patient counseling, and satisfaction.
E-Government Services and Social Media Adoption: Experience of Small Local Governments in Nebraska

Considering that social media as new tools complement existing e-government services, it is necessary to understand what types of e-government service better fit with different social media tools. However, the roles of e-government services in the adoption of social media in government are understudied. Moreover, little is known about social media use in small local governments. This research addresses these research gaps by exploring the relationship between different types of e-government service and social media adoption by small local governments. It also explores how these small local governments use social media. Drawing from e-government and social media literature, it offers hypotheses by focusing on the relationship between e-government service characteristics and the adoption of Facebook and Twitter in the context of small local government. Using original survey and census data of local governments in Nebraska, it finds that transaction services are associated with the adoption of Facebook while information services are related to the adoption of Twitter.
Custom and Habit in Physiology and the Science of Human Nature in the British Enlightenment

In this paper I show how what came to be known as “the double law of habit,” first formulated by Joseph Butler in a discussion of moral psychology in 1736, was taken up and developed by medical physiologists William Porterfield, Robert Whytt, and William Cullen as they disputed fundamental questions regarding the influence of the mind on the body, the possibility of unconscious mental processes, and the nature and extent of voluntary action. The paper shows, on a particular topic, the overlap between eighteenth-century philosophical writings on the science of human nature on the one hand, and medical writings and lectures in physiology on the other. Other early modern writers discussed in the paper include Rene Descartes, Herman Boerhaave and David Hume.
Device-Free Indoor People Counting Using Wi-Fi Channel State Information for Internet of Things

People/crowd counting is a critical technique in many people-centric Internet of Things (IoT) applications, e.g., security monitoring and energy management for smart homes. Device-free people counting systems can in general be categorized as image-based and non-image-based. Non-image-based methods have the advantages of being economical and nonintrusive, as only ambient wireless signals from off-the-shelf wireless devices such as Wi-Fi are used. In this paper, we propose a non-image- based people counting system based on the deep neural network (DNN) model using fine-grained physical-layer wireless signatures such as Wi-Fi channel state information (CSI). Only one Wi-Fi transmitter and one laptop receiver are required, and people are not required to wear or carry any equipment (i.e., device-free). A novel feature space expansion scheme that incorporates the dynamic information of CSI measurements is proposed for the DNN model to enhance its performance. Real testbed experiments showed that the proposed system can achieve as high as 88% average correct classification rate in estimating the exact number of the crowd of size up to nine people in the most general indoor scenario.
Pomeranchuk Instability of Composite Fermi Liquids.

Nematicity in quantum Hall systems has been experimentally well established at excited Landau levels. The mechanism of the symmetry breaking, however, is still unknown. Pomeranchuk instability of Fermi liquid parameter F_{l}≤-1 in the angular momentum l=2 channel has been argued to be the relevant mechanism, yet there are no definitive theoretical proofs. Here we calculate, using the variational Monte Carlo technique, Fermi liquid parameters F_{l} of the composite fermion Fermi liquid with a finite layer width. We consider F_{l} in different Landau levels n=0, 1, 2 as a function of layer width parameter η. We find that unlike the lowest Landau level, which shows no sign of Pomeranchuk instability, higher Landau levels show nematic instability below critical values of η. Furthermore, the critical value η_{c} is higher for the n=2 Landau level, which is consistent with observation of nematic order in ambient conditions only in the n=2 Landau levels. The picture emerging from our work is that approaching the true 2D limit brings half-filled higher Landau-level systems to the brink of nematic Pomeranchuk instability.
Life’s Pioneer Painters: Dorothy Seiberling and American Art in Life Magazine, 1949–1968

The majority of studies on Life tend either to treat the magazine as a monolithic entity or equate it solely with editor Henry R. Luce, often overlooking the individual contributions made by the magazine’s diverse staff of editors, journalists, photographers, and researchers. This chapter focuses on Life art editor Dorothy Seiberling’s key articles on American artists—from Jackson Pollock to Georgia O’Keeffe—and how they shaped the reception of the avant-garde in the postwar period.
Examining women's physical mobility and microfinance participation in Bangladesh: Results from a nationally representative sample

Abstract Using data from the 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, this study examined the association between physical mobility of women and their participation in microfinance, an anti-poverty empowerment program in Bangladesh. Physical mobility was operationalized by a two-item measure that assessed whether women can and if they do go out alone to seek health care. Chi squared tests and propensity score matching techniques were used to examine the association between physical mobility and microfinance participation. Results revealed that women who reported to have physical mobility were 12 percentage points more likely to participate in microfinance compared to a matched group of women who reported to not have physical mobility. In conclusion, the findings indicate that social welfare programs are successful to the extent that norms and institutions support those programs. Furthermore, it highlights the contradiction between the proliferations of empowerment programs and patriarchal social, cultural, and infrastructural barriers that prevent women from accessing such programs.
Prospective trends in quantitative mass spectrometry

Solving most analytical problems requires information about the identity of compounds in a sample and some estimate of the amounts. Mass spectrometry, alone and in combination with chromatographic techniques, often provides the most satisfactory quantitative answer in terms of specificity and sensitivity. Monitoring human populations with exposure to elevated levels of toxic chemicals illustrates the type of analytical problem the chemist can solve by using existing technologies. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is the best method for measuring the extent of environmental contamination from toxic waste sites. Mass spectral methods are often used in regulatory situations to validate routine analytical methods for biomedical measurement. Measuring isotope ratios by mass spectrometry can provide information on the origins of certain compounds, as demonstrated in tracer studies for inorganic elements and for the determination of adulteration for several natural products. These analytical techniques will become more important in quantitative studies. New, low cost mass spectrometers and computerized data systems will be used in routine studies, and developments in chromatographic interface technology will facilitate specialized instrument systems designed for particular applications. A hope for future technological development is improved source design, with increased sensitivity and the ability to use samples more efficiently.
Towards answer set prolog based architectures for intelligent agents

An important research area in the field of AI is the design of intelligent agents acting in a changing environment. Research in this area has led to development of agent architectures that support various tasks such as planning, diagnosis, learning etc. One such architecture is based on the agent repeatedly executing the observe-think-act-loop (Baral and Gelfond 2000; Kowalski and Sadri 1999). This architecture is applicable if the world including the agent and its environment is viewed as a transition diagram whose states correspond to possible physical states of the world and whose arcs are labeled by actions. A transition, h;a; 0 i, of a diagram denotes that action a in executable in state and that after the execution of a the system may move to state 0 . The diagram consists of all possible trajectories of the system. One of the approaches to describing these diagrams is a theory based on action languages - formal models of parts of natural language used for reasoning about actions and their effects (Gelfond and Lifschitz 1998). A theory in an action language (often called an action description) describes a transition diagram that contains all possible trajectories of a given dynamic system. Currently there are several action languages that are used to study different features of dynamic domains. For instance action language AL (Baral and Gelfond 2000; Turner 1997) is simply an extension of action language A (Gelfond and Lifschitz 1993) by state constraints which express causal relations between fluents - functions whose values depend on state and may change as a result of actions. The semantics of AL formalize McCarthy’s Principle of inertia which says that “Things tend to stay the same unless they are changed by actions” (McCarthy and Hayes 1969). Similarly AC (Baral and Gelfond 1997) expands A by allowing concurrent actions in the causal laws (which are prohibited in A). Another extension of AL is the action language H (Chintabathina, Gelfond, and Watson 2005) which is capable of modeling domains containing continuous processes - properties of the domain whose values change continuously with time. Semantics of this language are based on a generalization of McCain-Turner equation (McCain and Turner 1995) which allows us to define processes using state constraints. (Chintabathina, Gelfond, and Watson 2007) introduces a new action language CARD which extends both Copyright c 2008, Association for the Advancement of Artificial
Abstract IA12: The role of malignant RNA editing in leukemia stem cell generation

Deregulation of RNA processing contributes to cancer progression and drug resistance. As a major driver of coding and noncoding transcriptomic diversity, adenosine deaminase associated with RNA1 (ADAR1) induces hydrolytic deamination of adenosines (A) to inosines (I) in response to proinflammatory cytokines elicited by viral infection or malignant microenvironments. Recently, we and other groups demonstrated that enhanced A-to-I RNA editing promotes therapeutic resistance of many cancers, including myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). As a paradigm for dissecting the molecular evolution of cancer, MPNs are initiated in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by BCR-ABL1, JAK2 V617F or CALR mutation expression and transform to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a result of malignant reprogramming of progenitors into self-renewing leukemia stem cells (LSCs). With regard to the role of noncoding RNA editing in LSC evolution, ADAR1 enhances self-renewal of preleukemic progenitors in CML by impairing let-7 microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis. Moreover, ADAR1 editase activity suppresses the expression of miRNAs that regulate cell cycle, cancer progression, p53 stabilization, and WNT signaling. In addition to noncoding transcript deregulation, A-to-I editing is also observed in coding regions of stem cell regulatory transcripts, such as the sonic hedgehog transcriptional activator GLI1, and induces mis-splicing of GSK3β, thereby enhancing β-catenin activation. In summary, RNA editing research will inform the development of clinically tractable strategies for predicting and preventing LSC generation. Citation Format: Catriona H. M. Jamieson. The role of malignant RNA editing in leukemia stem cell generation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR Conference on Hematologic Malignancies: Translating Discoveries to Novel Therapies; May 6-9, 2017; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(24_Suppl):Abstract nr IA12.
"Thinking Within the Box": How Proof Models are Used to Limit the Scope of Sexual Harassment Law

Audrey DeClue brought a sexual harassment claim against her employer arising out of her employer’s failure to provide her with private, or any, restroom facilities. She was the only woman working for the power company as a linesperson, and often found herself on worksites with no restroom within walking distance. Her male counterparts seemingly had little problem with this situation; if nature called, they would simply relieve themselves wherever and whenever they needed. They took no pains to seek privacy, and, in fact, seemed to enjoy the discomfort Audrey experienced when they would urinate in her presence. These male counterparts also enjoyed looking at pornographic materials, which they kept on company trucks and brought onto company property on days the crews could not do site work due to inclement weather. They teased and harassed Audrey when she complained about the lack of restroom facilities, the unfettered urination, and the pornographic materials. Audrey alleged that the actions of her co-workers plus the company’s failure to provide her with the means to relieve herself in
Aromatic Donor–Acceptor Interaction-Based Co(III)-salen Self-Assemblies and Their Applications in Asymmetric Ring Opening of Epoxides

Aromatic donor–acceptor interaction as the driving force to assemble cooperative catalysts is described. Pyrene/naphthalenediimide functionalized Co(III)-salen complexes self-assembled into bimetallic catalysts through aromatic donor–acceptor interactions and showed high catalytic activity and selectivity in the asymmetric ring opening of various epoxides. Control experiments, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy titrations, mass spectrometry measurement, and X-ray crystal structure analysis confirmed that the catalysts assembled based on the aromatic donor–acceptor interaction, which can be a valuable noncovalent interaction in supramolecular catalyst development.
Developmental Biology: Embryos Need to Control Their Nucleotides Just Right

The maternal-to-zygotic transition in the Drosophila embryo requires accurate control of the levels of free nucleotides, arguing for an essential role of nucleotide metabolism in the regulation of the cell cycle during early embryogenesis.
Implementing electronic health record–integrated screening of patient-reported symptoms and supportive care needs in a comprehensive cancer center

Background Oncology practice can be enhanced by the integration of the assessment of patient-reported symptoms and concerns into the electronic health record (EHR) and clinical workflows. Methods Adult oncology outpatients (n = 6825) received 38,422 invitations to complete assessments through the EHR patient portal. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System computer adaptive tests were administered to assess fatigue, pain interference, physical function, depression, and anxiety. Checklists identified psychosocial, nutritional, and informational needs. In real time, assessment results were populated in the EHR, and clinicians were notified of elevated symptoms and needs. Results In all, 3521 patients (51.6%) completed 8162 assessments; approximately 55% of the responding patients completed 2 or more within 32 months. Fatigue, pain, anxiety, and depression scores were comparable to those of the general population (approximately 5% of assessments triggered clinical alerts across those domains); mean scores indicated a lower level of physical function (with severe scores prompting alerts in nearly 5% of assessments). More than half of assessments triggered an alert based on patient endorsement of supportive care needs, with the majority of those being nutritional (41.82% of assessments). Patient endorsement of supportive care needs was associated with significantly higher anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain interference scores and lower physical function scores. Patients who triggered clinical alerts tended to be younger and more recently diagnosed, to have greater comorbidities, and to be a racial/ethnic minority. Patients who triggered clinical alerts had more health care service encounters in the ensuing month. Conclusions EHR integration facilitated the assessment and reporting of patient-reported symptoms and needs within routine oncology outpatient care.
Estimating the Underlying Infant Mortality Rates for Small Populations, Even Those Reporting Zero Infant Deaths: a Case Study of 66 Local Health Areas in British Columbia

A method is presented for estimating the “underlying” infant mortality rates for areas with small populations, described and illustrated in a case study that estimates infant mortality rates for 66 of 89 local health areas in British Columbia where reported births were less than 649 in 2011, including 38 reporting zero infant deaths. The method generates non-zero infant mortality rates for all 66 districts. Although some judgment is needed with the method, it has sufficient transparency that estimates can be replicated. The results support the argument that the method can produce reasonable estimates of underlying infant mortality rates for small populations subject to high levels of stochastic variation.
How Can Law Support Development of Genomics and Precision Medicine to Advance Health Equity and Reduce Disparities

There is growing recognition that the genomic and precision medicine revolution in health care can deepen health disparities. This has produced urgent calls to prioritize inclusion of historically underrepresented populations in research and to make ge­nomic databases more inclusive. Answering the call to address health care disparities in the delivery of genomic and precision medicine requires a consideration of impor­tant, yet understudied, legal issues that have blocked progress. This article introduces a special issue of Ethnicity & Disease , which contains a series of articles that grew out of a public conference to investigate these legal issues and propose solutions. This 2018 conference at Meharry Medical College was part of an NIH-funded project on “LawSeqSM” to evaluate and improve the law of genomics in order to support appro­priate integration of genomics into clinical care. This conference was composed of pre­sentations and interactive sessions designed to specify the top legal barriers to health equity in precision medicine and stimulate potential solutions. This article synthesizes the results of those discussions. Multiple legal barriers limit broad inclusion in genomic research and the development of precision medicine to advance health equity. Problems include inadequate privacy and anti-discrimination protections for re­search participants, lack of health coverage and funding for follow-up care, failure to use law to ensure access to genomic medi­cine, and practices by research sponsors that tolerate and entrench disparities. Analysis of the legal barriers to health equity in precision medicine is essential for progress. Progressive use of law is vital to avoid worsening of health care dispari­ties. Ethn Dis. 2019; 29(Suppl 3):623-628; doi:10.18865/ed.29.S3.623
The Baltic states and the end of the Cold War

‘Estonia truly punches above its weight,’ President Obama complimented the small Baltic state in September 2014 in reference to its domestic and international achievements. The same can be said for...
Antibody Fc Glycosylation Discriminates Between Latent and Active Tuberculosis.

Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a global health problem and clinical management is complicated by difficulty in discriminating between latent infection and active disease. While M. tuberculosis-reactive antibody levels are heterogeneous, studies suggest that levels of IgG glycosylation differ between disease states. Here we extend this observation across antibody domains and M. tuberculosis specificities to define changes with the greatest resolving power. Methods Capillary electrophoretic glycan analysis was performed on bulk non-antigen-specific IgG, bulk Fc domain, bulk Fab domain, and purified protein derivative (PPD)- and Ag85A-specific IgG from subjects with latent (n = 10) and active (n = 20) tuberculosis. PPD-specific isotype/subclass, PPD-specific antibody-dependent phagocytosis, cellular cytotoxicity, and natural killer cell activation were assessed. Discriminatory potentials of antibody features were evaluated individually and by multivariate analysis. Results Parallel profiling of whole, Fc, and Fab domain-specific IgG glycosylation pointed to enhanced differential glycosylation on the Fc domain. Differential glycosylation was observed across antigen-specific antibody populations. Multivariate modeling highlighted Fc domain glycan species as the top discriminatory features, with combined PPD IgG titers and Fc domain glycans providing the highest classification accuracy. Conclusions Differential glycosylation occurs preferentially on the Fc domain, providing significant discriminatory power between different states of M. tuberculosis infection and disease.
Exploring Human-Companion Animal Interaction in Families of Children with Autism.

The study goal was to explore companion animal (CA) ownership in families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including parents’ beliefs about benefits and burdens of CAs, as well as parent stress. Participants (N = 764) completed online survey instruments anonymously. Findings revealed that parents with lower incomes perceived more benefits of CAs and their children were more strongly bonded with their CAs. Parents owning both a dog and cat perceived more benefits than those with only a dog or cat. Dog owners perceived more benefits than cat owners. Parents who perceived their CAs as providing more benefits had less stress. Provider implications are to consider recommending CAs to families of children with ASD for family benefits including lower parental stress.
Review: Engineering in situ biosensors for tracking cellular events

This review will focus on advances in the development of such biosensor in tracking cellular events with a focus on their technical novelty.
On the Size of Subsets of $$\mathbb{F}_p^n$$ F p n without p Distinct Elements Summing to Zero

Let us fix a prime p. The Erdős-Ginzburg-Ziv problem asks for the minimum integer s such that any collection of s points in the lattice ℤn contains p points whose centroid is also a lattice point in ℤn. For large n, this is essentially equivalent to asking for the maximum size of a subset of $$\mathbb{F}_p^n$$ without p distinct elements summing to zero. In this paper, we give a new upper bound for this problem for any fixed prime p ≥ 5 and large n. In particular, we prove that any subset of $$\mathbb{F}_p^n$$ without p distinct elements summing to zero has size at most $${C_p} \cdot {\left( {2\sqrt p } \right)^n}$$ , where Cp is a constant only depending on p. For p and n going to infinity, our bound is of the form p(1/2)·(1+o(1))n, whereas all previously known upper bounds were of the form p(1−o(1))n (with pn being a trivial bound). Our proof uses the so-called multi-colored sum-free theorem which is a consequence of the Croot-Lev-Pach polynomial method. This method and its consequences were already applied by Naslund as well as by Fox and the author to prove bounds for the problem studied in this paper. However, using some key new ideas, we significantly improve their bounds.
A Letter to the Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education — A Call for Review of “OkCupid Data for Introductory Statistics and Data Science Courses” by Albert Y. Kim and Adriana Escobedo-Land

As Big Data continues to rise in popularity, so does an increased need for protection against potential misuses of data. We are a group of undergraduate Statistical and Data Science major students ...
Accidental Environmentalists? Californian Demand for Teslas and Solar Panels

In the absence of a national carbon tax, household driving and electricity consumption impose social costs. Suburbanites drive more and consume more electricity than center city residents. If more suburbanites purchase electric vehicles (EV) and install solar panels, then their greenhouse gas emissions would sharply decrease. Using several data sets from California, we study the demand for electric vehicles and solar panels. We focus on the Tesla given its status as the highest quality EV. We investigate the joint distribution of the stock returns of Tesla and leading solar panel sellers to test for whether investors anticipate a complementarity in sales between these products. Finally, we use current and past vehicle quality and price data to explore trends in EV quality improvements due to industry competition between brands.Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
Cryogenic Characterization of a Superconductor Quantum-Based Microwave Reference Source for Communications and Quantum Information

We are developing a new instrument, the RF Josephson arbitrary waveform synthesizer (RF-JAWS), for communications metrology and quantum information applications. An important aspect of the RF-JAWS design is the accurate and traceable characterization of its superconducting devices. In this article, we present a procedure for characterizing microwave superconducting devices in a cryogenic RF probe station via a vector network analyzer (VNA) calibrated with a custom cryogenic calibration kit colocated with the superconducting device under test (DUT) in the cryogenic environment. By de-embedding lossy and dispersive RF interconnects linking the superconducting DUT to the measurement apparatus at room temperature, we characterize the DUT exactly at the cryogenic on-wafer reference plane. More importantly, we operate our VNA with an external modulated source and our procedure features metrology-grade multiline thru-reflect-line calibration and absolute power and phase corrections, as opposed to the more common relative scattering-parameter correction. In addition, we apply an X -parameter model to account for impedance mismatch in cryogenic Josephson microwave sources. Our techniques are also suitable for cryogenic characterization of microwave superconducting devices for solid-state quantum computers and could help to optimize the quantum-classical interfaces in these systems.
Local Hyperthermia in Combination with Chemotherapeutic Agents

It has been demonstrated that the cytotoxic effect of some chemotherapeutic agents is enhanced at elevated temperatures (Johnson and Pavelec, 1973, Hahn, 1978). As early as 1960 a clinical trial of combined hyperthermia and drug perfusions was performed on the patients with head and neck tumors (Woodhall et al, 1960). The combined use of hyperthermia and chemotherapeutic agents has been extensively studied since the early 1970s. Johnson and Pavelec (1973) demonstrated that the effect of an alkylating agent, thio-TEPA, on Chinese hamster fibroblasts was enhanced at elevated temperatures in vitro. The mechanism of this enhancement appeared to be due to an increased rate constant of alkylation at elevated temperatures. Hahn and his colleagues (1975) have demonstrated thermal enhancement of cytotoxicity of various agents and proposed additional mechanisms of thermal enhancement.
Qualitative Techniques and Tools for Measuring, Analyzing, and Simulating Software Processes

Quantitative metrics are fundamentally limited to the measurement of the values, frequency, and distribution of data or events in ways that can then be subjected to descriptive or inferential statistical analysis. When examining software processes, this means that one can measure the occurence of product characterists, process states or events, but it becomes very difficult to infer what the process and how it affected the product characteristics unless the process was previously known. Surveys, questionnaires, and online performance measures are not well-suited inslruments for building process models.
Tandem genetic duplications in phage lambda: IV. The locations of spontaneously arising tandem duplications☆

Abstract Twenty-four spontaneously arising, long DNA addition derivatives of phage lambda have been isolated by two methods (one physical, one genetic) based on phage DNA content. All are shown to contain a tandem duplication of phage DNA by a number of criteria. The location of the duplicated segment in each has been determined by electron microscopy of DNA hereroduplexes. The duplications are found to lie at random throughout the chromosome, with no preferential locations for endpoints. This rules out the possibility that duplications are formed by crossing-over at regions of homology on the phage chromosome.
Electroencephalogram coherence in children with and without autism spectrum disorders: decreased interhemispheric connectivity in autism.

Electroencephalogram coherence was measured in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and control children at baseline and while watching videos of a familiar and unfamiliar person reading a story. Coherence was measured between the left and right hemispheres of the frontal, parietal, and temporal-parietal lobes (interhemispheric) and between the frontal and parietal lobes in each hemisphere (intrahemispheric). A data-reduction technique was employed to identify the frequency (alpha) that yielded significant differences in video conditions. Children with ASD displayed reduced coherence at the alpha frequency between the left and right temporal-parietal lobes in all conditions and reduced coherence at the alpha frequency between left and right frontal lobes during baseline. No group differences in intrahemispheric coherence at the alpha frequency emerged at the chosen statistical threshold. Results suggest decreased interhemispheric connectivity in frontal and temporal-parietal regions in children with ASD compared to controls. Autism Res 2014, 7: 334–343. © 2014 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Thermodynamic properties of CaTiF5(s)

Abstract Calcium titanofluoride CaTiF 5 (s) was prepared by solid-state reaction of CaF 2 (s) with TiF 3 (s) and characterized by X-ray diffraction method. The standard molar isobaric heat capacity ( C p ,m ∘ ) of CaTiF 5 (s) was determined by a power compensated differential scanning calorimeter in the temperature from 230 K to 710 K. A solid-state galvanic cell with CaF 2 as electrolyte was used to determine the standard molar Gibbs energy of formation ( Δ f G m ∘ ) of CaTiF 5 in the temperature range from 803 K to 1005 K. The galvanic cell can be depicted as: ( - ) Pt, O 2 ( g, 101.325 kPa ) / { CaO(s) + CaF 2 ( s ) } / / CaF 2 / / { CaTiF 5 ( s ) + CaTiO 3 ( s ) } / O 2 ( g, 101.325 kPa ) ,Pt ( + ) The second law analysis of present data were carried out to derive the standard entropy S m ∘ ( 298.15 K ) and the enthalpy of formation Δ f H m ∘ ( 298.15 K ) and the values derived are 68.7 J · K −1 · mol −1 and −2848.4 kJ · mol −1 , respectively.
A new approach to stabilize time delay systems

The use of periodic sampled output feedback control for linear time delay systems is considered. The suggested design procedure contains two steps: one for eigenvalue assignment, the other for final status control. Some examples are given.
On the Road to an Entrepreneurial Economy: A Research and Policy Guide

Among the factors contributing to the success of the U.S. economy over the past decade  as reflected in the doubling of productivity growth compared to the preceding two decades  is the continued transformation of the U.S. economy toward a more entrepreneurial form of capitalism. In such a system, innovative new firms play an unusually central role in developing and commercializing the radical technologies that provide the underpinnings to whole new ways of doing things and enjoying life. In the last century, innovations which have changed the social and economic landscape in the United States and in much of the rest of the world, such as the automobile, airplane, air conditioner, the personal computer and its operating system, and, most recently, many of the leading Internet-based business models, all were commercialized by entrepreneurs. How best can this outcome be assured? For over a decade, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation has been supporting basic research into this and related questions surrounding entrepreneurship. The officers and staff of the Kauffman Foundation are in constant touch with all elements of the entrepreneurial community.
Reining in Phaëthon's Chariot: Principles for the Governance of Geoengineering

Despite decades of concern about climate change, greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase, and there is a substantial body of scientific evidence suggesting that planetary warming is occurring more rapidly and with more dramatic impacts than previously anticipated. Governments are unable to reach agreement on how to address the problem and, in many cases, are unwilling to take effective unilateral action to reduce emissions. As a result, some scientists (and governments) have begun talking seriously about the possibility of counteracting the warming effect of GHG emissions by intentionally altering fundamental planetary processes. Known as “geoengineering,” the proposals range from efforts to create algal carbon sinks by fertilizing the oceans with iron to reducing the amount of sunlight that enters the earth’s atmosphere by enhancing cloud cover, injecting light-reflecting sulfur particles into the atmosphere, or putting mirrors in space to reflect sunlight away from the planet. Although some of the suggestions are the stuff of science fiction, certain proposals offer realistic and relatively inexpensive options for offsetting the warming effect of GHG emissions. This paper argues that there is an urgent need for the international community to establish a governance framework to control geoengineering experimentation and implementation. All proposals currently under discussion are likely to have some adverse, possibly severe, impacts on ecosystems or climate. Moreover, the harm may be most severe in locations far from where the geoengineers live and work. To ensure proper consideration of environmental risks and, in particular, proper consideration of harms that may be imposed on populations other than those of the geoengineers themselves, an international governance framework is needed. Drawing on existing norms of international environmental law, the authors recommend a set of governing principles and a governance structure for making decisions concerning the deployment of geoengineering solutions to climate change.