cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subunit-specific desensitization of heteromeric kainate receptors

Kainate receptor subunits can form functional channels as homomers of GluK1, GluK2 or GluK3, or as heteromeric combinations with each other or incorporating GluK4 or GluK5 subunits. However, GluK4 and GluK5 cannot form functional channels by themselves. Incorporation of GluK4 or GluK5 into a heteromeric complex increases glutamate apparent affinity and also enables receptor activation by the agonist AMPA. Utilizing two-electrode voltage clamp of Xenopus oocytes injected with cRNA encoding kainate receptor subunits, we have observed that heteromeric channels composed of GluK2/GluK4 and GluK2/GluK5 have steady state concentration-response curves that were bell-shaped in response to either glutamate or AMPA. By contrast, homomeric GluK2 channels exhibited a monophasic steady state concentration-response curve that simply plateaued at high glutamate concentrations. By fitting several specific Markov models to GluK2/GluK4 heteromeric and GluK2 homomeric concentration-response data, we have determined that: (a) two strikingly different agonist binding affinities exist; (b) the high-affinity binding site leads to channel opening; and (c) the low-affinity agonist binding site leads to strong desensitization after agonist binding. Model parameters also approximate the onset and recovery kinetics of desensitization observed for macroscopic currents measured from HEK-293 cells expressing GluK2 and GluK4 subunits. The GluK2(E738D) mutation lowers the steady state apparent affinity for glutamate by 9000-fold in comparison to GluK2 homomeric wildtype receptors. When this mutant subunit was expressed with GluK4, the rising phase of the glutamate steady state concentration-response curve overlapped with the wildtype curve, whereas the declining phase was right-shifted toward lower affinity. Taken together, these data are consistent with a scheme whereby high-affinity agonist binding to a non-desensitizing GluK4 subunit opens the heteromeric channel, whereas low-affinity agonist binding to GluK2 desensitizes the whole channel complex.
Pathogenic and Antigenic Properties of Phylogenetically Distinct Reassortant H3N2 Swine Influenza Viruses Cocirculating in the United States

Swine influenza is an acute respiratory disease caused by type A influenza viruses. Before 1998, swine influenza virus isolates in the United States were mainly of the classical H1N1 lineage. Since then, phylogenetically distinct reassortant H3N2 viruses have been identified as respiratory pathogens in pigs on U.S. farms. The H3N2 viruses presently circulating in the U.S. swine population are triple reassortants containing avian-like (PA and PB2), swine-like (M, NP, and NS), and human-like (HA, NA, and PB1) gene segments. Recent sequence data show that the triple reassortants have acquired at least three distinct H3 molecules from human influenza viruses and thus form three distinct phylogenetic clusters (I to III). In this study we analyzed the antigenic and pathogenic properties of viruses belonging to each of these clusters. Hemagglutination inhibition and neutralization assays that used hyperimmune sera obtained from caesarian-derived, colostrum-deprived pigs revealed that H3N2 cluster I and cluster III viruses share common epitopes, whereas a cluster II virus showed only limited cross-reactivity. H3N2 viruses from each of the three clusters were able to induce clinical signs of disease and associated lesions upon intratracheal inoculation into seronegative pigs. There were, however, differences in the severity of lesions between individual strains even within one antigenic cluster. A correlation between the severity of disease and pig age was observed. These data highlight the increased diversity of swine influenza viruses in the United States and would indicate that surveillance should be intensified to determine the most suitable vaccine components.
The turbulent boundary layer over a wall with progressive surface waves

Turbulent boundary layer interaction with wavy wall in wind tunnel, discussing wall pressure drag and surface waves interaction
Usp5 links suppression of p53 and FAS levels in melanoma to the BRAF pathway.

Usp5 is a deubiquitinase (DUB) previously shown to regulate unanchored polyubiquitin (Ub) chains, p53 transcriptional activity and double-strand DNA repair. In BRAF mutant melanoma cells, Usp5 activity was suppressed by BRAF inhibitor (vemurafenib) in sensitive but not in acquired or intrinsically resistant cells. Usp5 knockdown overcame acquired vemurafenib resistance and sensitized BRAF and NRAS mutant melanoma cells to apoptosis initiated by MEK inhibitor, cytokines or DNA-damaging agents. Knockdown and overexpression studies demonstrated that Usp5 regulates p53 (and p73) levels and alters cell growth and cell cycle distribution associated with p21 induction. Usp5 also regulates the intrinsic apoptotic pathway by modulating p53-dependent FAS expression. A small molecule DUB inhibitor (EOAI3402143) phenocopied the FAS induction and apoptotic sensitization of Usp5 knockdown and fully blocked melanoma tumor growth in mice. Overall, our results demonstrate that BRAF activates Usp5 to suppress cell cycle checkpoint control and apoptosis by blocking p53 and FAS induction; all of which can be restored by small molecule-mediated Usp5 inhibition. These results suggest that Usp5 inhibition can provide an alternate approach in recovery of diminished p53 (or p73) function in melanoma and can add to the targeted therapies already used in the treatment of melanoma.
Tempering Glass with Modulated Cooling Schedules

Modulated quenching is a variant of the tempering process that gives one independent control over the strength and fracture characteristics of glass. Thus the strength of nondicing “heat-strengthened” glass can be raised to that of “fully tempered” glass. Conversely, the break pattern of glass having the strength of fully tempered glass can be made to range from nondicing to fine dicing.
Theme-Based Information Literacy Instruction

Theme-based library and information literacy instruction offers an innovative, challenging, and timely approach to teaching credit library courses. This mode of instruction creates a learning environment that enhances student engagement and expands the teaching repertoire of library instruction faculty. Two practical examples of this methodology are discussed.
Strategies to Improve Medication Adherence Reported by Diabetes Patients and Caregivers: Results of a Taking Control of Your Diabetes Survey

BACKGROUND:Published studies assessing specific methods that patients with diabetes and their caregivers perceive as helpful means of increasing medication adherence are lacking.OBJECTIVE:To determine methods that patients with diabetes and their caregivers have used to improve medication adherence, investigate the perceived helpfulness of these methods, and identify motivating factors and medication characteristics that may positively influence adherence.METHODS:A cross-sectional survey was distributed to patients with diabetes and caregivers of patients with diabetes at the 11th annual Taking Control of Your Diabetes conference in October 2005 at the San Diego Convention Center. Outcome measures were self-reported medication adherence, perceived helpfulness of methods employed to improve adherence, motivating factors that may improve adherence, and medication characteristics that may improve adherence.RESULTS:A total of 524 (40.5% response rate) questionnaires were included in the final analysis, 357 fr...
Convenient preparation of 2‐benzoxazolinones with 1,1‐carbonyldiimidazole

A convenient and general preparation of 2-benzoxazolinones from 2-aminophenols with 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole is described. Included is a discussion of a much improved synthesis of the reproductive-stimulant 6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (6-MBOA) that utilizes this procedure.
Maya: a simulation platform for distributed shared memories

Maya is a simulation platform for evaluating the performance of parallel programs on parallel architectures. It allows the rapid prototyping of memory protocols with varying degrees of coherence and facilitates the study of the impact of these protocols on application programs. The design of Maya and its simulation mechanism are discussed. Performance results on architectural simulation with different memory coherence protocols are presented. Parallel discrete event simulation techniques are adopted for the execution-driven simulation of parallel architectures.
Mapping Novel Pancreatic Islet Genes to Human Chromosomes

A strategy was developed to generate expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from human pancreatic islet gene products using differential display of mRNA. Screening of over 2,000 cDNA amplification products identified 42 cDNAs that were preferentially expressed in pancreatic islets relative to exocrine tissue. Public database analysis showed that 29 (69%) corresponded to novel genes, in contrast with only 66 of 250 (26.4%) cDNA clones randomly selected from a human islet library. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and/or Northern analysis of RNA from multiple tissues confirmed that expression was enhanced in human islet cell RNA for 11 of 15 tested cDNAs. Sequencetagged sites developed from 19 islet cDNAs were used to map these genes to human chromosomes using a combination of monochromosomal somatic-cell hybrids, genome-wide radiation hybrids, and mega–yeast artificial chromosome analysis. These results indicate that this PCR-based cDNA selection strategy yields information on a distinct subset of pancreatic islet transcribed sequences, which complements ongoing human EST identification efforts based on random cDNA selection. These mapped ESTs may be used to assist in the positional cloning of diabetes susceptibility genes.
Interannual Variability of Summertime Convective Cloudiness and Precipitation in the Central Andes Derived from ISCCP-B3 Data

The interannual variability of austral summer [December‐January‐February‐March (DJFM)] convective activity and precipitation in the central Andes (158‐308S) is investigated between 1983 and 1999 based on in situ rain gauge measurements, International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) reduced radiance satellite data (the B3 dataset), and National Centers for Environmental Prediction‐National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP‐NCAR) reanalysis data. Twice-daily ISCCP-B3 calibrated infrared data, corrected for limb-darkening effects and representing equivalent blackbody temperatures Tb emitted by clouds are used to derive seasonal composites of fractional cold cloud coverage F*. Comparison of in situ rain gauge measurements with F* show a good correlation when a temperature threshold Tb 5 240 K is used to derive F*. A rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) applied to the seasonal estimates of F* yielded three spatially separated modes of convective activity in the south, northwest, and northeast of the central Andes. Results indicate that precipitation variability in the central Andes shows less spatial coherence than previously thought, with many years showing an antiphasing of wet/dry conditions between the northern and southern part of the study area. Regression analyses confirm the crucial role of both intensity and location of upper-air circulation anomalies with easterly wind anomalies favoring wet conditions, and westerly winds producing dry conditions. Two different forcing mechanisms are identified as main causes of upper-air zonal wind anomalies in the northern and southern part of the central Andes, respectively. Easterly wind anomalies during wet summers in the northern part are in geostrophic balance with reduced meridional baroclinicity due to low-latitude (midlatitude) cooling (warming), consistent with earlier studies. Farther to the south, easterly wind anomalies during wet summers are the result of an upper-air anticyclonic anomaly centered over southeastern South America, leading to a relaxation of the upper-air westerly winds and episodic easterly transport of humid air toward the subtropical Andes. This pattern is similar to one of the leading modes of intraseasonal variability, related to extratropical Rossby wave dispersion and modulation of the position of the Bolivian high. Correlation analysis of F* with near-surface specific humidity reveals that humidity variations in the lowlands to the east are not relevant on interannual time scales for the more humid northern part of the Altiplano. In the southern Altiplano, however, there is a significant correlation between convective activity and precipitation at high elevation and the low-level humidity content to the southeast of the Andes.
Racial and ethnic differences in preference-based health status measure.

Objective: To document the racial and ethnic differences in individuals' perception of their general health status assessed by preferencebased measures.Methods: Using the 2003 Medical Expenditure P...
Secured optical fiber communication using polarization restoration technique and channel characterization

Optical fiber channels are used as media to transfer the information globally. This paper presents an implementation of a novel procedure using which a secured communication between two parties can be carried out using polarized beam of light over an optical fiber. The paper presents the experimental results obtained of the procedure in the lab environment and a security analysis of the same. It is observed that polarization state of a light pulse cannot be retained as it travels over an optical fiber because of the birefringence phenomenon. Multiple environmental factors such as pressure, vibration, temperature, etc. also add a non-linearity to the birefringence of an optical fiber leading towards an unpredictable polarization state changes over the course of an optical fiber. The proposed procedure helps the receiving party to successfully retrieve the data in the form of a polarization state transmitted by the sending party without having any knowledge about the state of polarization at the transmitting end. The paper also explains an added layer of security the procedure provides to the communicating parties to make it difficult for an adversary to fetch the data being transferred. The proposed system does not depend on the wavelength of the light being used, nor does it depend upon the type of the optical fiber used for the communication. Using this procedure, multiple bits of secured information can be sent over an optical fiber in a single polarized pulse and retrieved at the receiving end, also known as Polarization Shift Keying .
Pricing Options on Traded Assets Under Stochastic Interest Rates and Volatility: A Binomial Approach

A number of papers have investigated the pricing of options on traded assets when the interest rate or the volatility of the underlying is assumed to be stochastic. This article extends the work by using the binomial technology to price options where it is assumed that, in addition to the underlying, both interest rates and volatility may be stochastic. We use the transformations of Nelson and Ramaswamy (1990) and Hilliard and Schwartz (1996) to obtain a set of three diffusions with unit volatility. Thus, the tree recombines in a simple binomial pattern for each of the state variables so that each node branches to a set of eight nodes. Joint probabilities, possibly depending on pairwise correlations, are given for each of the possible jumps. Numerical methods for computing the *Greeks* are also developed.
Grip Force Control Capabilities of Older Adults, Revisited

This cross-sectional study examined the effects of age on the dynamic coordination and control of grip force with external force applied with a simulated hand tool. Grip force coordination capabilities were hypothesized to decline with age in light of previous studies examining simple lift and static hold maneuvers with a precision grip. Subjects performed a force-matching task in which dynamic forces were applied with the simulated tool. Subjects were given visual feedback regarding the applied force magnitude but not the grip force magnitude. Grip force control efficiency was measured by the ratio of grip to applied force and the degree of parallel modulation in grip force with respect to applied force. The measures of grip force control efficiency revealed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the younger (<64 years) and older (65+ years) subject groups. Older adults, when prudently screened for visual and motor impairments, performed equivalently to younger adults in terms of gri...
Product Characteristics and Marketing Strategy

There is real need for increasingly rigorous generalizations and analytical models of the behavior of the elements in any given marketing system.The model presented here provides a means of predict...
Resistance of Six Wood Products Used in Paneling to Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Six wood products used in wall paneling were tested for resistance to feeding damage by the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes fiavipes (Kollar). Alaska-cedar, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (D. Don) Spach, fiber without wax and resin treatments normally used in paneling production was not a preferred food source in choice tests where all 6 wood products plus pine, Pinus palustris Mill., were simultaneously provided. However, the same nontreated Alaska-cedar fiber sustained severe damage when provided as the only food source in no-choice tests. Nontreated fiber of western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg., and hardboard and hardboard paneling made from a mixture of western hemlock and Douglas-fir. Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, sustained significant feeding damage in both choice and no-choice feeding tests. Pressed paneling mats made from Alaska-cedar or western hemlock exhibited antifeedant properties. Waxes, resins, and additives used in manufacturing these mats imparted resistance to R. fiavipes .
Vibrational Analysis of Unitized Curvilinearly Stiffened Composite Panels Subjected to In-plane Loads

Integrated and bonded unitized stiffened composite structures are increasingly being considered for application in aircraft wing and fuselage panels design aimed to increase the local panel’s stiffness and to reduce the total structural weight. Panels in the wing skins and fuselage are generally subjected to in-plane normal axial and shear loads. This paper presents an efficient finite element approach to study the vibration response of a stiffened composite panel attached with curved composite stiffeners in the presence of the in-plane axial and shear loads. A first-order shear-deformable theory is employed for modeling the response of both the panel and the stiffeners. Displacement compatibility conditions are imposed at the panelstiffener interfaces. First, both the convergence and validation studies related to the free vibration modes of the curvilinearly stiffened, isotropic panels, and stiffened composite panels have been conducted. Next, we study the vibration responses of the stiffened composite panels with arbitrarily shaped composite stiffeners in the presence of the in-plane uniform biaxial and shear loads. Several parametric studies are conducted to investigate the influence of the stiffener shape including the stiffener geometric curvature and the stiffener placement, the stiffener depth ratio (height-towidth ratio) and the in-plane load factor on the panel vibrational response.
Sedating medications and undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea: physician determinants and patient consequences.

BACKGROUND: Sedative medications may be inadvertently prescribed to patients with undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and may worsen daytime sleepiness. STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine whether patients with undiagnosed OSA were prescribed sedative medications and whether such prescriptions increased the risk for traffic accidents. A secondary objective was to determine physician characteristics associated with such prescription practices. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. Telephone interviews of patients and physicians. INTERVENTION: None. PATIENTS: One hundred fifty-one consecutive patients at a sleep laboratory. RESULTS: Forty-one of 137 (30%) patients with undiagnosed OSA had received prescriptions for sedating medications. Regression analysis identified self-report of sleepiness while driving (p = .05) and prescription for risperidone as independent risk factors for motor vehicle accidents (p = .005), while prescription of any sedative (excluding risperidone) tended to be associated with accidents (p =.10). In patients with severe OSA, prescription of sedating medications was associated with a greater risk for motor vehicle accidents than those without such prescriptions (relative risk = 2.6; p = .04). In patients with prescription for sedating medications (n = 41), the apnea-hypopnea index was directly proportional to the risk for motor vehicle accidents (r2 = 0.26; p = .001) suggesting a 'dose effect' of severity of sleep-disordered breathing on risk for accidents. Physicians who did not usually treat patients with sleep disorders were more likely to prescribe sedatives to patients with undiagnosed OSA than were physicians with such expertise: neurologist, pulmonologist, or psychiatrist (52% vs 10%; relative risk = 5.2; p = .02) CONCLUSION: Prescription of sedating medications may increase the risk of road accidents in patients with undiagnosed severe OSA, and such prescription practices are less likely to occur in physicians with expertise in sleep medicine. Language: en
Surveillance onFoodborne Pathogens in Mianyang City,2012-2014

Objective To understand the contamination status of foodborne pathogens in food of Mianyang city in Sichuan province,and to provide scientific basis to control and reduce foodborne diseases.Methods Fourteen kind of foods in Mianyang city from 2012-2014 were collected,and 9categories of foodborne pathogens were separated and identified.Results A taotal of 792 samples were detected and 57 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected in 56 samples,the overall detection rate was 7.07%and the detection rate of 2012,2013 and 2014year was 8.61%(31/360),8.25%(17/206),3.54%(8/226),respectively.Seven classes had different degree of foodborne pathogenic bacteria contamination in food,and the detection rate of infant formula food was 23.07%.The detection rate in milk and dairy products was13.33%,and that in bottled drinking water and direct drinking water was 12.50%.Six kinds of foodborne pathogens were detected,Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the highest detection rate(12.5%),followed by the Bacillus cereus(10.00%)and Enterobacter sakazakii(6.15%),Listeria monocytogenes(3.23%),staphylococcus aureus(1.01%)and Salmonella(0.58%).E.coli bacterium O157,Shigella,Vibrio parahaemolyticus were negative in samples.Conclusion Different levels of foodborne pathogenic bacteria pollution are detected in food in Mianyang city.Infant formula food,milk and dairy products,bottled drinking water and direct drinking water is the projecting food,and the primary foodborne pathogenic bacteria in food are Pseudomonas aeruginosa,the Bacillus cereus and Enterobacter sakazakii.Relevant departments should take effective measures to assure food safety.
Bovine Papillomavirus DNA and S100 Profiles in Sarcoids and Other Cutaneous Spindle Cell Tumors in Horses

Histopathologic differentiation between deep dermal or subcuticular equine sarcoids (ie, nodular sarcoids) and other spindle cell tumors in the dermis and subcutis such as peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) can be challenging based on morphologic criteria alone. It has been proposed that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for bovine papillomavirus (BPV) DNA and S100 immunohistochemistry be used as diagnostic tests to separate equine sarcoids from PNSTs. We reviewed 197 skin-associated spindle cell tumors (ie, soft tissue sarcomas), including PNSTs and sarcoids, received at the University of Florida between 1995 and 2013 and performed BPV PCR and S100 immunohistochemistry on archived paraffin-embedded tissues. We found that BPV DNA was demonstrable in 70% of the sarcoids, 59% of the PNSTs, 37% of the fibrosarcomas, and 22% of other tumors (myxosarcomas, fibromas, and other sarcomas) diagnosed on histomorphologic characteristics. Positive S100 staining was only seen in 12 tumors in the study (5 fibrosarcomas, 3 sarcoids, 2 PNSTs, and 2 other sarcomas). The results demonstrate that BPV is associated with many skin-associated spindle cell soft tissue tumors in horses in addition to sarcoids. S100 was rarely expressed in equine soft tissue sarcomas in the skin but was expressed in many tumor types, including PNSTs and sarcoids. Because 41% of the PNSTs classified by histomorphology in this study were BPV negative and 94% were S100 negative, it is reasonable to classify these as soft tissue sarcomas with nerve sheath tumor histomorphology rather than as either PNSTs or sarcoids.
‘To the Last Round’: the Defense of Hong Kong, 1948–50

The advance of the Peoples’ Liberation Army into South China in 1949 posed a potential threat to Hong Kong. The British government followed a two track approach to counter this threat. Its first move was to send an infantry division as a deterrent against attack, which also signified the government’s secret determination that it would go to war with China over Hong Kong. Its second move was to seek some level of accommodation with the Chinese Communists in order to limit its long-term military liability to Hong Kong. The British hoped that in according early recognition to the People’s Republic of China it could preserve their extensive trade interests and assure the continued economic viability of a British Hong Kong. But they also hoped that by ‘keeping a foot in the door’ they would be able to exploit any possible Sino-Soviet split. These hopes were dashed by Chinese moves against British and other Western businesses, but also by Britain’s own actions in the ‘Amethyst affair’ and in its refusal to back the People’s Republic’s assumption of the Chinese chair in the United Nations Security Council.
Conclusion: Patterns of Change in Advanced Western Democracies

This book has explored the changing bases of identity and community in the West. Identification with class and religion declined after World War II and was partially replaced by Inglehart’ s post-materialism. Over the last 30 years, wages have decreased in relative to productivity, denying both the worker of income and the state of tax revenues. The recession, with its high unemployment and reduced tax collections, has contributed to an economic stagnation and government austerity that, in turn, have contributed to a decline in tolerance, especially toward a Muslim sub-culture. This economic crisis has also contributed to Euroskepticism, doubts about the wisdom of the elite-led European Union. The party systems of Western democracies have accommodated these social and cultural changes in part by moving toward the American model of broad, ideologically diffuse parties. Change is inexorable, posing a challenge to the values of the West.
Thermal inactivation and growth of Listeria monocytogenes during production and storage of caramel apples

Abstract During the fall of 2014, commercially produced pre-packaged caramel apples were linked to 35 cases of listeriosis in 12 states. In response, this study aimed to assess 1) the reduction of different outbreak and non-outbreak strains of Listeria monocytogenes during caramel dipping of apples, and 2) subsequent growth of the apple outbreak strains within caramel apples during storage at 22 and 4 °C. In aim 1, three unwaxed Jonathan apples were dip-inoculated with three different 4-strain L. monocytogenes cocktails (apple outbreak, unrelated outbreak or unrelated environmental) at ∼8 log CFU/apple, dried for 1 h, dipped for 5 s in caramel at 82, 88, 93 or 99 °C, cooled for 1 h at room temperature and assessed for survivors. In aim 2, Jonathan apples were spot-inoculated with the apple outbreak cocktail (∼3 log CFU/apple) at the stem juncture, dried for 1 h, pushed onto wooden sticks, and dipped in caramel at 82 °C. During storage at 4 and 22 °C for 28 and 14 days, respectively, four different apple sections (top, middle, bottom and core) were cut from three apples, homogenized and plated for Listeria. After dipping apples in caramel at 82 and 99 °C, the apple outbreak, unrelated outbreak and environmental Listeria strains decreased 2.0 ± 0.6 and 2.7 ± 0.1, 1.8 ± 0.3 and 2.6 + 0.1 , and 1.7 ± 0.1 and 2.9 ± 0.2 logs, respectively, with the environmental cocktail significantly less heat resistant (P
Patterns of Care for Patients With Early-Stage Glottic Cancer Undergoing Definitive Radiation Therapy: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

Abstract Purpose To characterize practice patterns, including temporal trends, in fractionation schedules among patients in the United States undergoing definitive radiotherapy for early-stage glottic cancer and to compare overall survival outcomes between fractionation schedules. Methods and Materials We queried the National Cancer Database for patients with TisN0M0, T1N0M0, or T2N0M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx diagnosed between 2004 and 2012 and undergoing definitive radiotherapy. Dose per fraction was calculated to define cohorts undergoing conventional fractionation (CFxn) and hypofractionation (HFxn). Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of receiving HFxn, and Cox regression was used to determine predictors of mortality. One-to-one propensity-score matching (PSM) was then employed to compare survival between fractionation schedules. Results 10,539 patients were included, with 6,576 undergoing CFxn and 3,963 undergoing HFxn. T1 patients comprised a majority of each cohort. Use of HFxn increased significantly over the period studied ( p p =0.008), a finding redemonstrated on univariate Cox regression among a well-matched PSM cohort (HR 0.88, 95%CI 0.80-0.96, p =0.003). Subgroup Cox multivariate analysis demonstrated a significant survival advantage with HFxn among T1 patients (HR 0.90, 95%CI 0.81-0.99; p =0.042), but a nonsignificant benefit among those with Tis (HR 0.86, 95%CI 0.57-1.30; p =0.472) or T2 disease (HR 0.88, 95%CI 0.76-1.02; p =0.099). Conclusions Utilization of HFxn is increasing and is associated with improved survival over CFxn. Our findings support the broadened use of HFxn for patients with early-stage glottic cancer undergoing definitive radiotherapy.
Optimal Bridge Displacement Controlled by Train Speed on Real-Time

This paper aims to present a controller to optimize the lateral bridge displacement by controlling the speed of the train passing over it. The controller assumed for this purpose is a Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) controller. The results will be simulated based on and compared to the actual bridge displacement measured on the bridge during a train passing event.
Comparison of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system hysterectomy and endometrial ablation for heavy menstrual bleeding in a decision analysis model.

Background A better understanding of the relative risks and benefits of common treatment options for abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) can help providers and patients to make balanced, evidence-based decisions. Objectives To provide comparative estimates of clinical outcomes after placement of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), ablation, or hysterectomy for AUB. Search strategy A PubMED search was done using combinations of search terms related to abnormal uterine bleeding, LNG-IUS, hysterectomy, endometrial ablation, cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness, and quality-adjusted life years. Selection criteria Full articles published in 2006–2016 available in English comparing at least two treatment modalities of interest among women of reproductive age with AUB were included. Data collection and analysis A decision tree was generated to compare clinical outcomes in a hypothetical cohort of 100 000 premenopausal women with nonmalignant AUB. We evaluated complications, mortality, and treatment outcomes over a 5-year period, calculated cumulative quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and conducted probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Main results Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system had the highest number of QALYs (406 920), followed by hysterectomy (403 466), non-resectoscopic ablation (399 244), and resectoscopic ablation (395 827). Ablation had more treatment failures and complications than LNG-IUS and hysterectomy. Findings were robust in probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system and hysterectomy outperformed endometrial ablation for treatment of AUB.
Development of Statistical Models to Predict Medical Student Performance on the USMLE Step 1 as a Catalyst for Deployment of Student Services

The purpose of this study was to explore whether useful regression models could be developed to predict student performance on the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, using pre-matriculation data and student performance outcomes available as early in the curriculum as possible. Additionally, we sought to determine if we could establish a model by which we could identify students who may need supplemental instruction early in the curriculum. Regression modeling revealed that a fairly strong predictive relationship exists when combining certain internally developed summative assessments and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) with pre-matriculation variables. However, in our best regression model, > 40% of the overall variance in Step 1 scores could not be explained by the model. As a consequence, we propose using this type of modeling to facilitate timely deployment of student services to support individual students who are struggling. Future studies will focus on understanding what additional human factors fill this gap including student motivation, affect, and the factors that help students become “expert learners” (e.g., interactions with senior students, identification of test preparation materials).
EAaaS: Edge Analytics as a Service

In the Internet of Things (IoT) era, with ubiquitous remote sensing devices and other diverse data sources, nearly everything can forward voluminous data continuously, in real-time, which drives demand to perform real-time analytics on uninterrupted IoT data flows. The typical resultant approach is a cloud-centered architecture providing an analytic service for real-time IoT data processing. However, a cloud-centered IoT analytic service cannot guarantee real-time responsiveness has a high-fee pay-as-you-go business model, and opens data privacy concerns. Hence, it becomes rational to shift analytic workloads to the edge and provide a management service for edge analysis. Existing work on providing edge analytics as a service encountered challenges such as lacking a lightweight way to compose IoT applications based on multiple service providers, lacking a flexible and unified way to define domain-specific analytic logic, and maintaining efficiency when processing data on a resource-limited edge. This paper presents EAaaS, a scalable analytic service for enabling real-time edge analytics in IoT scenarios. In this work, we propose a unified rule-based analytic model to ease user's programming efforts in specifying rule-based analytic logic. Moreover, we also designed and implemented a high performance edge engine to apply rule-based analytic on incoming device data streams. To simplify the access to EAaaS service, a group of RESTful web interfaces is also designed for edge analytic management on cloud and flexible composition with external services. EAaaS is implemented as a part of IBM Watson IoT Platform, which is a cloud service for elementary IoT application development on IBM Bluemix cloud announced by IBM recently. We have conducted proof of correctness (PoC) of EAaaS with customers from boat racing in the U.S. and collected valuable feedback from customers for further enhancement of EAaaS’s flexibility and usability
Considering Culture: A Review of Pediatric Behavioral Intervention Research in Type 1 Diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) incidence in youth is growing across all racial/ethnic backgrounds, with the most marked increase in African-American youth under 5. Underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities are at an increased risk for health complications. This review focuses on the reported disparities, demographics of samples in behavioral interventions, and study design considerations. Recruitment data from two ongoing behavioral intervention trials for young children with T1D are presented to compare enrolled/non-enrolled individuals and to discuss culturally appropriate study design considerations. Data were compared to the demographics of children (ages 1–6) with T1D in the clinic populations from the recruitment sites. Enrolling a representative sample and designing culturally appropriate behavioral interventions are important for generalizability, yet there is a gap between the individuals participating in T1D research and those who are most negatively affected by T1D. Suggestions are offered for ways to expand inclusion of diverse samples in behavioral intervention research in T1D.
Semi-supervised normalized embeddings for land-use classification from multiple view data

Land-use classification from multiple data sources is an important problem in remote sensing. Data fusion algorithms like Semi-Supervised Manifold Alignment (SSMA) and Manifold Alignment with Schroedinger Eigenmaps (SEMA) use spectral and/or spatial features from multispectral, multimodal imagery to project each data source into a common latent space in which classification can be performed. However, in order for these algorithms to be well-posed, they require an expert user to either directly identify pairwise dissimilarities in the data or to identify class labels for a subset of points from which pairwise dissimilarities can be derived. In this paper, we propose a related data fusion technique, which we refer to as Semi-Supervised Normalized Embeddings (SSNE). SSNE is defined by modifying the SSMA/SEMA objective functions to incorporate an extra normalization term that enables a latent space to be well-defined even when no pairwise-dissimilarities are provided. Using publicly available data from the 2017 IEEE GRSS Data Fusion Contest, we show that SSNE enables similar land-use classification performance to SSMA/SEMA in scenarios where pairwise dissimilarities are available, but that unlike SSMA/SEMA, it also enables land-use classification in other scenarios.
Abstract B28: Development of estrogen-dependent and estrogen receptor-negative cervical cancer in HPV transgenic mice

Estradiol (E2) and human papillomavirus (HPV) cooperate to cause cervical cancer. The role of estrogen receptor α (ERα) in cervical cancer has been underappreciated. Chronic treatment with E2 promotes the development of cervical cancer in K14E7 transgenic mice expressing HPV16 E7 oncoprotein. In the present study, we bred K14E7 to mice with conditional ablation of Esr1 (ERα-coding gene) in the cervical epithelial cells (Wnt7aCre/Esr1f/f; Esr1ed/ed). We found that E2 promoted the development of ERα cervical cancer in K14E7/Esr1ed/ed mice. In addition, proliferation and apoptotic indices of ERα cancer in K14E7/Esr1ed/ed mice were similar to those of ERα+ cancer in K14E7/Esr1f/f mice. We also found that E2 increased the epithelium thickness and epithelial cell proliferation in the cervix of Esr1ed/ed mice. Our published results have demonstrated that deletion of Esr1 in the cervical stroma promotes the regression of cervical precancer lesions in K14E7 mice. In patients, ERα is expressed in the cancer stroma but not cancer epithelial cells. These observations support that stromal ERα, rather than epithelial ERα, mainly mediates oncogenic E2 signaling for cervical cancer. They also suggest that stromal ERα might be an effective therapeutic target for cervical cancer. Note: This abstract was not presented at the conference. Citation Format: Jieun Son, Sang-Hyuk Chung. Development of estrogen-dependent and estrogen receptor-negative cervical cancer in HPV transgenic mice [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Modeling Cancer in Mice: Technology, Biology, and Beyond; 2017 Sep 24-27; Orlando, Florida. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B28.
Alternative Entropies in Operator Algebras

Entropy was successfully extended to the non-commutative world of operator algebras in the form of an entropy of states, based on which a dynamical entropy, generalizing Kolmogorov’s entropy invariant, was developed in work of Connes-Stormer [2] and Connes-Narnhofer-Thirring [3] (for a recent different approach to the Connes-Narnhofer-Thirring entropy, see [9]). At this stage of the theory, besides an important program of extending facts about entropy from the commutative to the noncommutative, one may also begin to look at certain further specifically noncommutative questions like relating entropy to other purely noncommutative invariants and understanding what form the theory should take in view of the fact that in noncommutative probability theory various types of independence are possible. We will focus on these latter kind of questions in the next three sections of this paper: (1) Dynamical entropy and perturbation invariants k j (τ). (2) Dynamical entropy and approximation. (3) Entropy of random variables in the free noncommutative probability context.
11 – Women's Fecundability and Factors Affecting It

The description of fecundability began with demographers and has only recently been addressed by epidemiologists and anthropologists. The available data suggest that fecundability may vary widely among populations. Differences between natural fertility populations (populations in which contraception is not used to limit family size) and contracepting populations appear to be much smaller than variability within each group. Some differences in fecundability probably reflect different study designs and methodology, but known determinants of fecundability also differ among populations. No study has systematically tried to compare fecundability estimates among populations by adjusting for differences in age, frequency of intercourse, and prevalence of Chlamydia and gonorrhea. This chapter discusses in detail the various factors that affect women's fecundability. Some of these factors are frequency and timing of sexual intercourse, age, lactation, nutrition and exercise, and obesity and body weight distribution. Some lifestyle factors like cigarette smoking also affect fecundability. Cigarette smoking was first linked with reduced fecundability in a Danish study in 1983, and the relationship was investigated in several studies during the subsequent decade with most studies finding adverse effects. Alcohol drinking also was linked to reduced fecundability in the 1983 Danish study. Though very heavy drinking has clear adverse effects on fecundability, studies of moderate alcohol consumption have shown little consistency.
Pituitary Gland and Sellar Lesions

Table 9.1 summarizes the differential diagnostic considerations when one is confronted with a lesion located in the pituitary gland or sellar area.
An accelerated experimental design algorithm

An efficient algorithm is presented for generating D-optimal designs. The usual sequential D-optimal design algorithm embodies the principle of the greedy algorithm of combinatorial optimization. It is shown that a sufficient condition for applying the accelerated greedy algorithm of M. Minoux to the design problem is satisfied. The actual implementation of the accelerated sequential design algorithm is based on a more general sufficient condition. This allows the evaluation of quadratic forms to replace determinant evaluations. A heap type data structure provides additional efficiency. While the standard sequential design algorithm requires a number of basis function evaluations proportional to the number of iterations, the accelerated design algorithm computation is proportional to a much smaller sum of coefficients.
Space Station Nitrogen Supply System Based on Stored Chemicals

The Space Station atmosphere is to have an 'earth-like' composition, and nitrogen is to be routinely supplied to replace losses. The required nitrogen is to be provided by an innovative method, involving a catalytic dissociation of liquid N2H4 and separation of the product nitrogen and hydrogen mixture. The considered technique of nitrogen storage and resupply has several advantages in comparison to methods using either cryogenic liquid or high pressure nitrogen. One advantage is related to savings with respect to launch weight, while a second advantage is provided by the obtained hydrogen which is available for other uses within the Space Station.
Opioid prescription and postoperative outcomes in pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To determine if the amount of opioid prescribed and postoperative outcomes after adenotonsillectomy changed following implementation of mandated opioid consent forms. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. METHODS Patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy 6 months before and after implementation of mandated opioid consent forms at a tertiary-care pediatric hospital were studied. Demographics, operative data, weight-based opioid dosage, and postoperative outcome measures, including nursing calls, emergency department (ED) visits, hospital readmission, and bleed rates, were collected and analyzed. RESULTS Of 300 patients, opioid prescription was provided for 211 patients (70.3%), 112 preconsent (74.7%) and 99 postconsent (66.0%). Mean (standard deviation) total opioid prescribed (milligrams/kilogram) was significantly higher preconsent 4.8 (5.6) than postconsent 3.2 (4.7), (P = .003). There were no differences between number of nursing calls (P = .134) or ED visits (P = .083). Interestingly, preconsent patients had more hospital readmission for pain/dehydration (odds ratio OR: 368, P = .016) and bleeding concerns (OR: 244, P = .003). CONCLUSIONS A mandated consent form prior to opioid prescription was associated with decreased overall opioid prescription without resultant increase in postoperative complications in pediatric patients. These data provide support for minimizing opioid prescription on a systems-based level. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 129:1477-1481, 2019.
Survival of acid stress adapted cells of Listeria monocytogenes serotypes 1/2a and 4b in commonly used disinfectants in broth and water models

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the survival of acid stress adapted Listeria monocytogenes Bug600 and ScottA cells in various lethal concentrations of disinfectants in broth and water models. Acid stress adapted cells had significantly greater survival than the non-adapted cells in lethal concentrations of hydrochloric acid, lactic acid, and acetic acid in tryptic soy broth containing yeast extract (TSBYE). Also, acid stress adaptation protected L. monocytogenes cells against lethal sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH) and ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH). Increased tolerance to lethal concentrations of ethanol and isopropanol was also observed after acid stress adaptation. Acid stress adapted cells also exhibited higher survival in two quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC-1 and QAC-2). Acid stress adapted cells were more susceptible to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) inactivation. Similar survival patterns were observed for the acid stress adapted and non-adapted cells in both water and broth models, suggesting that the impact of acid adaptation on L. monocytogenes survival in disinfectants was not altered due to the presence of nutrients. Overall, these findings indicate that oxidative based agents are the best choice to decontaminate the food contact surface where acid stress adapted L. monocytogenes cells may be present.
Specimen records for North American Lepidoptera (Insecta) in the Oregon State Arthropod Collection. Zyganoidea: Zygaenidae, Latreille 1809, Limacodidae, Moore 1879, Dalcericae Dyar, 1898 and Megalopygidae Herrich-Schäffer, 1855

A dataset for North American specimens in the holdings of the Oregon State Arthropod Collection is presented. Details about the metadata an some basic summary of the contents are presented. The dataset itself, in the form of a text file (csv formatting) is provided in the supplemental file materials.