cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-Similar Error Clusters in Communication Systems and the Concept of Conditional Stationarity

The purpose of this paper is twofold. From the viewpoint of communications engineering, it presents a model of certain random perturbations that appear to come in clusters, or bursts. This will be achieved by introducing the concept of "self-similar stochastic point process in continuous time." The resulting mechanism presents fascinating peculiarities from the mathematical viewpoint. In order to make them more palatable as well as to help in the search for further developments, the basic concept of "conditional stationarity" will be discussed in greater detail than would be strictly necessary from the viewpoint of the immediate engineering problem of errors of transmission. This work is related to an earlier "new model" due to J. M. Berger and the author; the logical structure of the theory has been further streamlined and a number of fresh consequences have been derived; the empirical fit has been further improved, while recourse to ad hoc corrective terms was made unnecessary.
Transcriptional organization of the 5.8S ribosomal RNA ristron in Xenopus laevis ribosomal DNA

Hybridization of purified, 32p-labeled 5.8S ribosomal RNA from Xenopus laevis to fragments generated from X. laevis rDNA by the restriction endonuclease, EcoRI, demonstrates that the 5.8S rRNA cistron lies within the transcribed region that links the 18S and 28S rRNA cistrons.
Adenocarcinoma complicating ulcerative colitis presenting as multiple pseudopolyp-like lesions.

A man with 9 years of ulcerative colitis presented with fever, weight loss, and a 6-cm retroperitoneal mass ocated adjacent to the transverse colon that was detected by a omputed tomography scan. Colonoscopies at year 4 and 7 of is disease revealed moderately active chronic pancolitis withut dysplasia. He was maintained on mesalamine and intermitent corticosteroids. During the previous 2 months, he experinced 10 bloody bowel movements per day, abdominal ramping, and 30-pound weight loss. On admission, physical examination revealed a thin man in mild istress with a firm mass noted in the periumbilical area. Abnormal aboratory test results included a white blood cell count of 35,000 ells/mm3, hematocrit of 28%, and a platelet count of 1,151,000 ells/mm3. A computed tomography–guided biopsy of the pericolic ass revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Colonoscopy as attempted but was aborted at the level of the descending colon ecause of abdominal pain. However, the endoscopist noted multiple olypoid lesions, which were thought to represent inflammatory seudopolyps, throughout the left colon (Figure A). The patient underwent a total proctocolectomy and end leostomy. Grossly, a 10.5-cm firm tan/white mass was present n the transverse colon (Figure B, thick arrows). The remainder of he colonic mucosa was diffusely studded with numerous preominantly sessile nodules, which ranged in size from 0.1–2 cm Figure B, thin arrows). Pathology confirmed the presence of a oorly differentiated carcinoma with mixed glandular and squaous differentiation arising in a background of diffuse chronic olitis with high-grade dysplasia. In addition, 33 lymph nodes were ositive for metastatic carcinoma (American Joint Committee on ancer stage pT4a N2b). In addition to the main tumor mass, here were numerous mucosal nodules located both proximal and istal to the main tumor (Figure C, inset and arrows). The mucosal odules were composed of metastases cytologically identical to the rimary tumor without evidence of in situ neoplasia or mural nvolvement. On the basis of this pattern of involvement, the etastases were considered to be derived from luminal passage of umor cells to inflamed portions of colon. Sporadic colon cancer often metastasizes to peritoneum, local ymph nodes, or distant organs via the blood. However, little has een published regarding mechanisms of metastasis in inflammaory bowel disease–associated colon cancer, although the process is elieved to be similar to sporadic colon cancer. Exfoliated cancer ells might also spread as a result of surgery,1 fistula,2 or inflammation caused by obstruction.3 We speculate that this is a case of luminal metastasis in ulcerative colitis–associated colon cancer that was not previously reported and might represent an additional mode of metastasis that should be considered.
Applications of multiple imputation in medical studies: from AIDS to NHANES

Rubin's multiple imputation is a three-step method for handling complex missing data, or more generally, incomplete-data problems, which arise frequently in medical studies. At the first step, m (>...
Wetland ecosystem changes after three years of phosphorus addition

ABSTRACT We used oligotrophic, P-limited herbaceous wetlands of northern Belize to assess how changes in nutrient availability impact species composition and ecosystem processes. The P, N, and NP enrichment plots were established in replicated marshes of three salinity levels to document potential salinity constraints. Addition of P or combination of N and P resulted in rapid switch from a microphyte (cyanobacterial mats, CBM) to macrophyte (Eleocharis spp., Typha domingensis) domination, while N addition did not have any impact. The switch was caused by significant changes in Eleocharis stem density and height, and consequently, the aboveground biomass, which increased from an average 120 g m−2 in control and +N plots to > 500 g m−2 in +P and +NP plots. Decreased light under the dense canopy of Eleocharis in +P and +NP plots caused significant reduction in CBM growth. Biomass of Eleocharis in +P and +NP plots decreased with increasing salinity, but salinity did not affect biomass production in control an...
AN INTEGRABLE MODEL WITH SOLITON SOLUTIONS WHICH HAVE APPLICATIONS TO TWO-DIMENSIONAL GRAVITY

The equations of motion for a theory described by a Chern–Simons type of action in two dimensions are obtained and investigated. The equation for the classical, continuous Heisenberg model is used as a form of gauge constraint to obtain a result which provides a completely integrable dynamics and which partially fixes the gauge degrees of freedom. Under a particular form of the spin connection, an integrable equation which can be analytically extended to a form of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation is obtained. Some explicit solutions are presented, and in particular a soliton solution is shown to lead to an integrable two-dimensional model of gravity.
Housing Adequacy: A Well-being Indicator for Elderly Households in Southern U.S. Communities

This study examined housing adequacy of elderly households aged 65 years and older in southern communities in the United States. Housing adequacy was considered as a well-being indicator for the elderly households. The researchers developed a model which hypothesized a relationship between selected demographic and housing variables (which represent American housing norms and restraints) and housing inadequacy. The 2011 American Housing Survey (AHS) National and Metropolitan Data were used for analysis. The results consist of statistics on the demographic and housing characteristics of the 7,675 elderly householders and the results of binary logistic regression. The results of the regression showed that elderly households in southern communities were more likely to live in inadequate housing if they had lower incomes, more household members, or low housing satisfaction; were Blacks or Hispanics or not married; or lived in housing built before the 1970s, in rural areas, or the West South Central areas, or in a smaller structure size. This analysis of the newly released 2011 AHS data is important because of its post-housing-crisis perspective.
DFT Investigation of the Mechanism and Chemical Kinetics for the Gelation of Colloidal Silica

The mechanism for the gelation reaction of colloidal silica, Si(OH)4 +Si(OH)3 (O)- ----> Si2O8H5 - + H2O, by an anionic pathway was investigated using density functional theory(DFT). Using transition state theory, the rate constants were obtained by analyzing the potential energy surface at the reactants, saddle point, and the products. In addition, reaction rate constants were investigated in the presence of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and sodium chloride (NaCl). These salts act as catalysts to induce gelation by destabilizing the double layer of colloidal silica to allow for Van der Waal interactions. Furthermore, it was observed that ammonium chloride plays an important role by initiating a hydride transfer allowing the reaction to proceed from the second transition state to the final product.
Extending object oriented control models for intelligent manufacturing systems

The Intelligent Manufacturing Research initiative at Louisiana State University has designed and implemented an object oriented control model for a simple manufacturing cell. Using object oriented programming and design has allowed the internal program structure (virtual cell space) to closely match the physical cell construction (physical cell space). This paper discusses the second phase of the cell implementation in which the existing C++ objects were implemented as autonomous units under operating system control. The operating system used is Microsoft Windows and Windows for Workgroups 3.1. Since each object is autonomous, they can assume the properties of self-monitoring agents in the system rather than simple request servers under the sole control of the calling object. Communication between objects is facilitated by the operating system using dynamic data exchange (DDE) calls or by compiling the module into dynamic link library (DLL) modules. This arrangement of system control architecture increases system autonomy, concurrency, and ease of use for a relatively small overhead penalty. >
Ear drainage after trauma.

A restrained 20 year old male driver presents after a rollover motor vehicle collision. He is repetitive after sustaining a loss of consciousness, but is a Glasco Coma Scale of 15 on arrival. He is complaining of left ear and shoulder pain. He has no focal findings other than a ruptured left tympanic membrane (Figure). Figure Classic halo sign in patient with diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid leak. A “halo” or “ring” sign, occurs when cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) mixes with blood on an absorbent surface. The blood forms a spot in the center and a lightly stained ring forms a halo around it. The halo sign is reliable for detecting CSF but not exclusive.2 Saline and water, can also form a halo sign when mixed with blood. In the setting of trauma, the halo sign may represent a basilar skull fracture. An aspirate of the fluid can be analyzed for CSF confirmation. Glucose is the usual screening test for CSF detection; however, false positives are common in diabetic patients.3 Beta-2-tranferrin, a protein found only in CSF, perilymph and aqueous humor,4 is a more reliable biomarker for CSF leakage. It is detectable outside the body for up to 7 days regardless of storage at room temperature or exposure to nasal mucosa.3 Our patient’s computerized tomography scan head and c-spine were negative for injury. The persistent fluid from his ear was positive for B-2-transferrin - confirming a CSF leak. He was admitted and observed without any further intervention.
Pharmacologic Effect of Somatostatin on Bile Formation in the Dog: Enhanced Ductular Reabsorption as the Major Mechanism of Anticholeresis

A study was carried out to define the effect of somatostatin on bile secretion using a chronic bile fistula dog preparation. Bile flow, erythritol clearance, and biliary electrolyte and lipid composition were measured under steady-state conditions during four randomized treatments: placebo, somatostatin, cimetidine, and cimetidine + somatostatin. In addition, the effect of three increasing doses of secretin was defined during each treatment. A constant cholyltaurine infusion was used to compensate for the interrupted enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. Somatostatin caused a consistent reduction in total bile flow and biliary bicarbonate output, but its effect on canalicular bile flow, as assessed by erythritol clearance, was variable. Outputs of bile acids, lecithin, and cholesterol remained unchanged during the somatostatin infusion. Because the bile/plasma ratio of erythritol concentration increased greatly during somatostatin infusion, the reduction in bile flow was attributed to enhanced ductular reabsorption (or alternatively, decreased ductular secretion) of a fluid whose calculated electrolyte composition was identical to that induced by secretin infusion in the control group. Secretin and somatostatin antagonized each other's effects: at a low dose of secretin, somatostatin caused decreased bile volume, whereas the highest dose of secretin effectively antagonized the effect of somatostatin. The anticholeretic effect of somatostatin was not due to the inhibition of endogenous secretin, since cimetidine treatment did not influence the effect of somatostatin on bile flow or bicarbonate secretion. Further, the anticholeretic effect of somatostatin was not vagally mediated, since the infusion of an anticholinergic agent did not alter the effects of somatostatin. It was concluded that, in the dog, the major effect of a pharmacologic dose of somatostatin on bile flow is an anticholeresis caused by either an enhanced ductular reabsorption or inhibition of a ductular secretion of a bicarbonate-rich electrolyte fraction of bile, and that this effect is likely to be mediated by a local effect of somatostatin on the biliary ductule. Thus, in the dog, somatostatin and secretin both evoke ductular modification of bile; however, the effects of the two hormones are exactly opposite to each other.
On the Tensile Strength of a Solid Nanowire

The present paper is concerned with the mechanical characterization of the measured tensile strength of a solid nanowire. As miniaturization is a general trend in nanotechnology, a variety of nanowires have been successfully fabricated/synthesized, including but not limited to Si, C, polymer DNA, MoSe, Au, Cu, TiC, Fe, Mo, NiAl and W. Mechanical strength is essential to maintaining the structural integrity in the multi-functional performance of those nanowires. A simple derivation in mechanics principle, without relying on tedious ab initio molecular dynamics calculations, is given which shows that the measured tensile strength contains two terms: the material’s intrinsic bond breaking strength and the surface stress (or surface tension) contribution. It further shows that as the size of the nanowire diminishes, the surface stress effect is enhanced, such that a simple functional relationship can be established in the nanscale regime: σ α 1/D where is strength and D is the diameter of the nanowire. Generally speaking, depending on the ratio of surface stress to the intrinsic strength, the apparent tensile strength can be enhanced up to one order of magnitude in the nanometer size range. In addition to the mechanical strength, the surface tension plays a role in: tension/compression asymmetry; helical shapes of a nanobelt if surface stress is anisotropic; reduced melting point; stress-induced phase transformation under free external loading conditions. These phenomena will be discussed as direct evidence of the existence of the surface stress.
Phase I/II study to evaluate the optimum dose of pegylated-interferon (PEG INTRON) in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer

16010 Background: Intraperitoneal interferon therapy has been shown to have response rates as high as 45% in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Continued exposure has also been associated with...
Progress on Covalent Inhibition of KRASG12C

Recent reports of small-molecule approaches to directly inhibit oncogenic KRAS(G12C) have invigorated the RAS research community by raising the possibility of drugging a protein that was long considered "undruggable." A new iteration of covalent compounds targeting the allosteric switch II pocket of KRAS(G12C) showed improved potency and selectivity and enabled studies demonstrating that KRAS(G12C) rapidly cycles its nucleotide substrate. This report illustrates the value of chemical probes in dissecting RAS biology and raises additional hope for development of viable pharmacologic strategies for directly targeting KRAS(G12C).
Computational study of peptide permeation through membrane: Searching for hidden slow variables.

Atomically detailed molecular dynamics trajectories in conjunction with Milestoning are used to analyse the different contributions of coarse variables to the permeation process of a small peptide (N-acetyl-l-tryptophanamide, NATA) through a 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine membrane. The peptide reverses its overall orientation as it permeates through the biological bilayer. The large change in orientation is investigated explicitly but is shown to impact the free energy landscape and permeation time only moderately. Nevertheless, a significant difference in permeation properties of the two halves of the membrane suggests the presence of other hidden slow variables. We speculate, based on calculation of the potential of mean force, that a conformational transition of NATA makes significant contribution to these differences. Other candidates for hidden slow variables may include water permeation and collective motions of phospholipids.
Abstract SY26-02: Targeting lipogenesis in EGFR-activated glioblastomas

Cancer is a disease characterized by mutational activation and enhanced dependence on oncogenic signal transduction cascades. Cancer is also characterized by major shifts in cellular metabolism, including glucose utilization and uptake, energy metabolism and lipogenesis. The molecularly circuitry linking oncogenic signal transduction cascades and therapeutically targetable metabolic circuits is only beginning to be understood. This talk will focus on glioblastoma, the most common malignant primary brain tumor of adults and one of the most lethal of all cancers. Glioblastoma is characterized by nearly universal PI3K pathway hyperactivation, including EGFR amplification and mutation. Studies leading to molecular dissection of the signaling networks linking mutated EGFR with enhanced lipogenesis will be discussed, including integration of studies performed in cell lines, in vivo models and tumor tissue from patients treated with targeted inhibitors. The talk will describe the identification of a therapeutically targetable, novel EGFR/PI3K/SREBP-1 dependent prosurvival metabolic signaling pathway, as well as recent studies linking this pathway to altered fatty acid synthesis and cholesterol homeostasis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr SY26-02. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-SY26-02
Abstract 4083: Long stress-responsive non-coding transcripts identified in a whole genome screen have altered expression in cancer

The number of non-coding transcripts (NCTs) exceeds the number of transcripts that code for protein. Their diverse and important functions are now being identified and utilized in the lab as well as in the clinic. Utilizing the Affymetrix Gene Chip Human Tiling 1.0R Array Set, we analyzed the transcription across the entire genome in both normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) alone and cells exposed to the tobacco carcinogen (4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone), NNK. We focused our efforts on the identification and function of novel long non-coding transcripts that had increased expression after exposure to NNK. We report on the identification of 12 long NNK-induced non-coding transcripts (NiTs) that are 300 nucleotides and larger in length. We first validated that these transcripts were indeed stress responsive using quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) and by Northern blot analysis revealed that these transcripts were between two and four kilobases in length. We also show using qPCR that these transcripts are more abundantly expressed in normal rapidly growing tissues or tissues that are under cellular stress. We show that there is altered expression of NiTs in a panel of lung cancer cell lines and many of these transcripts had increased expression in many breast cancer cell lines. We further analyzed one of these transcripts, NiT5 and identified it to be a 2.5 kb antisense, polyadenylated transcript by RLM-RACE and by Northern Blot analysis. Isolating nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions in BT474 cells, we identified Nit5 to be localized in the nucleus and found it to be transcribed by RNA polymerase III. NiT5 also has increased expression in breast, ovarian and cervical cancer-derived cell lines relative to normals from these three sites, but not increased expression in lung cancer cell lines. In summary, our results suggest that these novel long non-coding transcripts play an important role in stress also may play a role in cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4083.
Monitoring cerebral oxygen sufficiency in anesthesia and surgery.

Our ultimate concern in anesthesia is preserving the integrity of the brain, which is the target to which our anesthetic agents are directed and the organ most vunerable to hypoxia. Yet, so far, we have had no means of directly monitoring either the effects of anesthetic agents on the brain or its state of oxygenation.
Prevention of adenoviral acute respiratory disease in Army recruits: cost-effectiveness of a military vaccination policy.

Abstract Introduction: Since 1971 widespread vaccination has limited the number of adenoviral acute respiratory disease (ARD) outbreaks in Army recruits. Increased vaccine costs have recently threatened the continuation of the vaccination program. Methods: We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to assess the consequences of changing the year-round Army adenovirus vaccination program to (1) seasonally targeted vaccine administration (only during the high-risk period) or (2) complete discontinuation of the program from the perspective of total cost to the Army. Costs included vaccination costs and direct and indirect medical and military training costs. Health outcomes were estimated as the number of hospitalizations for ARD prevented. In the reference case, the incidence rate among unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals was 4.06 and 1.5 per 100 person weeks, respectively. Results are expressed for a cohort of 76,171 recruits. Results: In the absence of adenoviral vaccination, a projected 12,370 cases of ARD hospitalization would occur, costing $26.4 million annually. A seasonally targeted program would prevent 7,800 cases of ARD and save $16.1 million over no vaccination. Year-round immunization would not prevent any additional cases but would save $15.5 million over no vaccination. Year-round vaccination would become the cost-effective strategy if ARD incidence during the low-risk months were to increase. Conclusion: Vaccination of Army recruits by any schedule was cost-saving due to the high level of prevented disease and averted hospitalizations. Even though a seasonally targeted program provided the greatest cost-savings, year-round vaccination must remain an option due to the potential for adenoviral ARD outbreaks in the low-risk period.
Efficient Infrared-to-Visible Upconversion with Subsolar Irradiance

Third generation photovoltaics are inexpensive modules that promise power conversion efficiencies exceeding the thermodynamic Shockley–Queisser limit, perhaps by using up- or down-converters, intermediate band solar cells, tandem cells, hot carrier devices, or multiexciton generation. Here, we report the efficient upconversion of infrared to visible light at excitation densities below the solar flux. Colloidally synthesized core–shell lead sulfide–cadmium sulfide nanocrystals in combination with tetracene derivatives absorb near-infrared light and emit visible light at 560 nm with an upconversion quantum yield (QY) of 8.4 ± 1.0%, which is a factor of 4 lower than the maximum upconversion QY possible. This is achieved with 808 nm cw excitation at 3.2 mW/cm2, approximately three times lower than the available solar flux. The molecular and nanocrystal engineering here paves the way toward utilizing this hybrid upconversion platform in photovoltaics, photodetectors and photocatalysis.
The cultural dimensions of household water security: the case of Kathmandu’s stone spout systems

ABSTRACTThis article contributes knowledge to the under-studied cultural aspects of household water security through the case of Kathmandu’s ancient stone waterspouts. It asks why and how ‘traditional’ water supply systems persist as a form of water provision, and examines governance arrangements that pose challenges to these systems. It demonstrates that spout systems are critical sources of secure water supply, particularly for underserved populations. Also, the religious, cultural and social significance of spouts enables community autonomy and facilitates their persistence. However, conflicts between cultural heritage and drinking water law and policy undermine spout revitalization efforts and the entire system’s integrity.
Dread sensitivity in decisions about real and imagined electrical shocks does not vary by age

Previous research has found age differences in intertemporal choices that involve trade-offs among events or outcomes that occur at different points in time, but these findings were mostly limited to hypothetical financial and consumer choices. We examined whether age effects extend to unpleasant physical experiences that elicit states of dread which lead participants to speed up the outcomes just to get them over with. We asked participants of different ages to choose among electrical shocks that varied in timing and intensity. We also assessed affective responses as a potential mechanism behind age effects and considered other potential covariates. In Study 1, the choice task involved real outcomes and the sample consisted of younger and older adults. In Study 2, the choice task was hypothetical and the sample was an adult life span sample. Across both studies, there was no evidence of age differences in the preferred timing of shocks. Instead, dread-sensitive choices were associated with higher conscientiousness. Age effects in dread-sensitive choices remained nonsignificant even after controlling for a range of age-associated covariates. We discuss possible explanations for the lack of age effects and consider implications for applied and clinical settings. (PsycINFO Database Record
The Changing Roles of Online Deans and Department Heads in Small Private Universities.

This paper provides an overview of best practices and challenges for deans and department heads of online programmes in the ever-changing world of higher education. It concentrates on the challenges for small private universities and tertiary education institutions in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Department heads must consider new roles and innovate constantly to offset the impact of global competition in online and distance learning. These changing roles include innovation in managing programme enrolment, retention, marketing, and the creation of innovative offerings to meet student needs to prevent obsolescence. Other topics discussed include potential alternate sources of revenue, partnerships, and how service and research can lead to new opportunities for small tertiary providers.
Non-infected, but not infected dendritic cells undergo maturation in vivo following vaccinia virus infection (43.42)

Recently there has been renewed interest in poxvirus pathogenesis. Vaccinia virus (VACV) serves as a useful model for the study of poxvirus infection in vivo. Understanding how vaccinia virus generates immunity necessitates an appreciation for how this virus interacts with dendritic cells (DC), which are the most potent activators of naive T cells. A number of in vitro studies have shown that DC infected with VACV fail to undergo maturation. However, the effect of VACV infection on DC in vivo remains less defined. We have found that following intravenous administration of vaccinia virus, both CD8 + and CD8 − dendritic cells are infected. The number of infected DC peaks at 6 hours and is highly decreased by 24h postinfection. Dendritic cells infected with vaccinia virus have an immature phenotype. However, non-infected dendritic cells, both CD8 + and CD8 − subsets, show increased expression of CD80, CD86, and CD40, suggesting that there is a generalized maturation of non-infected DC. In contrast to the generalized upregulation of costimulatory molecules, cytokine analysis suggests that only a subset of these mature DC may be relevant for activation of T cells, as IL-12 production is restricted to a small percentage of cells. These findings provide new insights into the control of DC maturation in vivo following vaccinia virus infection. This work was supported by NIH grant P01 AI60642.
A BAG3 chaperone complex maintains cardiomyocyte function during proteotoxic stress

Molecular chaperones regulate quality control in the human proteome, pathways that have been implicated in many diseases, including heart failure. Mutations in the BAG3 gene, which encodes a co-chaperone protein, have been associated with heart failure due to both inherited and sporadic dilated cardiomyopathy. Familial BAG3 mutations are autosomal dominant and frequently cause truncation of the coding sequence, suggesting a heterozygous loss-of-function mechanism. However, heterozygous knockout of the murine BAG3 gene did not cause a detectable phenotype. To model BAG3 cardiomyopathy in a human system, we generated an isogenic series of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with loss-of-function mutations in BAG3. Heterozygous BAG3 mutations reduced protein expression, disrupted myofibril structure, and compromised contractile function in iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPS-CMs). BAG3-deficient iPS-CMs were particularly sensitive to further myofibril disruption and contractile dysfunction upon exposure to proteasome inhibitors known to cause cardiotoxicity. We performed affinity tagging of the endogenous BAG3 protein and mass spectrometry proteomics to further define the cardioprotective chaperone complex that BAG3 coordinates in the human heart. Our results establish a model for evaluating protein quality control pathways in human cardiomyocytes and their potential as therapeutic targets and susceptibility factors for cardiac drug toxicity.
A cross-national analysis of the association between years of implementation of opioid substitution treatments and drug-related deaths in Europe from 1995 to 2013.

Data at the individual-level provide evidence that opioid substitution treatment (OST) programs protect against mortality for opioid dependent populations. Prior research has not examined the merits of national implementation of opioid substitution programs for reducing mortality at the country-level. This study elucidates longitudinal associations between country-level implementation of opioid substitution treatment programs on mortality rates of drug related deaths (DRD) from 1995 to 2013 in 30 European nations. Cases of DRD were measured using National Definitions for each country from official sources of data. Preliminary analysis of dispersion of cases of DRD using means and variances justified use of the negative binomial regression model with a population offset. Year and country-level fixed effects negative binomial regression models investigated the association between years of implementation of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT), OST in prison, and high dose buprenorphine treatment (HDBT) implementation and mortality rates from drug related deaths after adjusting for unemployment rates, heroin seizures and per capita expenditures on health. Beta coefficients were converted to Incidence Rate Ratios (IRR) and standard errors bootstrapped using non-parametric methods to adjust for bias (SDbs). The mean mortality rate of DRD was 1.81 from 1995 to 2013. In adjusted models, each additional year of MMT (IRR = .61, SD = .04, p < .001; SDbs = .08, p < .001), prison OST (IRR = .90, SD = .01, p < .001; SDbs = .02, p < .001), and HDBT (IRR = .09, SD = .02, p < .001; SDbs = .02, p < .01) was significantly associated with lower rates of DRDs after adjusting for country and year fixed effects. Implementation of OST programs in the general population and in prison settings may have protected against mortality from drug use at the country-level in Europe from 1995 to 2013.
Evaluation of disease-free survival as an intermediate metric of overall survival in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma: A trial-level meta-analysis.

Background Overall survival (OS) is a critical endpoint in adjuvant trials but requires long durations to events and significant patient resources. In the current study, the authors assessed whether disease-free survival (DFS) can be an early clinical surrogate for OS in the adjuvant setting for localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, the authors performed a systematic literature review of PubMed and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, European Society for Medical Oncology, and ClinicalTrial.gov Web sites (1996-2016). Inclusion in the current study required randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of adjuvant systemic therapy for localized RCC after nephrectomy with ≥3 years of outcomes data. Data regarding hazard ratios (HRs) and 5-year event-free rates from Kaplan-Meier estimates were extracted. A trial-level meta-analysis correlated estimates of 5-year DFS and 5-year OS as well as treatment effects (HRs) on these endpoints, weighted by the number of DFS events. R-squared ≥ 0.7 was prespecified as being indicative of a strong correlation and the potential for surrogacy. Results Thirteen RCTs encompassing 6473 patients who were treated with a variety of systemic therapies met eligibility. Only a modest correlation was observed between 5-year DFS and 5-year OS rates (R-squared, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.67) and between treatment effects as measured by DFS and OS HRs (R-squared, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.00-0.69). Conclusions Across RCTs of adjuvant systemic therapy for localized RCC, there was no strong correlation noted between 5-year DFS and 5-year OS rates or between treatment effects on these endpoints. These results highlight the need to identify alternative and more rapid clinical or biologic endpoints to hasten drug development and improve clinical outcomes. Cancer 2018;124:925-33. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Integrative Review of the Intersection of Green Space and Neighborhood Violence

Purpose To systematically analyze evidence about the impact of green space on the perception and actual safety of residents of urban neighborhoods. Design and organizing construct Systematic review of green space and violence based on Broome review criteria. Methods One landmark study prompted the initial hand search and identification of search terms. Twenty-three quantitative, five qualitative, and two mixed-methods studies were found in the urban planning, public health, medical, and psychological literature that met the following criteria: analyzed green space and violence as factors in the perception of safety as an outcome measure, including action taken by being outside for recreation, exercise, or self-report in the survey. Findings Findings were inconsistent regarding the direct relationship between perception of safety and green space when using recreation and exercise as a proxy for perception of safety. Findings regarding perception of safety in surveys were limited but indicated a positive correlation with green space. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that the perception of safety is supported by quality, accessibility, and aesthetic dimensions of neighborhood green space, and the perception of safety is often unrelated to actual crime rates. Conclusions The science for understanding mechanisms between green space and violence as part of environmental health has been insufficiently developed and requires further study. Environmental health, including green space, is central to health promotion, and understanding is key to preventing the epidemic of violence. Clinical relevance This article provides a summary of research related to green space, violence in communities, perception of safety, and violent crime in those communities. It identifies gaps in our knowledge where future research is needed. Nurses have the opportunity to lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based interventions and policies addressing the inequality of quality and quantity of green space in the built and natural environment and related co-benefits.
Using Natural Disturbance and Portfolio Concepts to Guide Aquatic–Riparian Ecosystem Management

The U.S. Forest Service and other federal land managers are responsible for maintaining the productivity of aquatic–riparian ecosystems, the associated native biota, and the ecosystem services they provide. These public lands are important sources of water, recreation opportunities, and habitat for a suite of animals and plants, including many that are protected under the Endangered Species Act. To meet these challenges and responsibilities, recent science suggests modifying practices to provide a broader array of habitat, biological conditions, and ecosystem functions than are associated with traditional management approaches. We suggest that by linking approaches based on natural disturbance and portfolio concepts, managers can achieve a robust strategy and desired outcomes more reliably and cost effectively. Locally complex habitat conditions created by natural disturbances provide the template for biological diversity to play out provided enough time. Accordingly, natural disturbance regimes play an important role in creating and sustaining habitat and biological complexities on the landscape, and management actions can emulate natural disturbance processes at appropriate spatial and temporal scales where possible. The portfolio effect (i.e., diversity that mitigates risk) provides justification for promoting connected heterogeneous habitats that reduce the risk of synchronous large–scale population and ecosystem collapse. In this paper, we describe how disturbance and portfolio concepts fit into a broader strategy of conserving ecosystem integrity and dynamism, and provide examples of how these concepts can be used to address a wide range of management concerns. Ultimately, the outcome for populations, habitats, and landscapes depends on how well environmental change is understood, the degree to which change is appropriately addressed by natural resource managers, and on solutions that allow populations and ecosystems to persist in the presence of and be resilient to a growing scope of human influences.
The Concept of Response Time Estimation Range for Optimizing Systems Scheduled with Fixed Priority

Priority assignment is a critical issue in the design of real-time systems scheduled with fixed priority. In this paper, we consider the design optimization of a class of such real-time systems, where the schedulability of a task not only depends on the set of higher/lower priority tasks, but also on the response times of other tasks. This makes Audsley's algorithm inapplicable for finding a schedulable priority assignment, not to mention that the design optimization may also involve other metrics such as end-to-end latency in the constraints or objective. The current approaches are to either develop heuristics or use standard exhaustive search algorithms such as Branch-and-Bound (BnB). Instead, we propose a new approach that breaks through the mindset of the current approaches. Our main idea is to introduce the concept of response time estimation range, which is used in place of the actual response time of each task for evaluating the system schedulability. This allows to leverage Audsley's algorithm to generalize from an unschedulable solution to many similar ones. We develop an optimization framework that builds upon such a concept. We then apply the proposed approach to industrial designs of two use cases. One is the real-time wormhole communication in a Network-on-Chip (NoC), where a traffic flow suffers indirect interferences that depend on the response times of higher priority flows. The other is distributed systems with data-driven activation, where a task is triggered by the availability of data, hence by the completion of its immediate predecessor. Experimental results show the proposed technique typically runs several times faster than exhaustive search algorithms based on BnB or Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP).
Microbiome and Colorectal Cancer.

The trillions of microbes collectively referred to as the human microbiota inhabit the human body and establish a beneficial relationship with the host. It is clear however that dysbiosis impacting microbial diversity in the gut may lead to the development of inflammatory and malignant gastrointestinal diseases including colorectal cancer (CRC). We provide a literature review of the recent influx of information related to the alterations in gut microbiota composition that influences CRC incidence and progression. A growing body of evidence implicates altered gut microbiota in the development of CRC. Profiles of CRC-associated microbiota have been shown to differ from those in healthy subjects and bacterial phylotypes vary depending on the primary tumor location. The compositional variation in the microbial profile is not restricted to cancerous tissue however and is different between cancers of the proximal and distal colons, respectively. More recently, studies have shed light on the “driver-passenger” model for CRC wherein, driver bacteria cause inflammation, increased cell proliferation and production of genotoxic substances to contribute towards mutational acquisition associated with adenoma-carcinoma sequence. These changes facilitate gradual replacement of driver bacteria by passengers that either promote or suppress tumor progression. Significant advances have also been made in associating individual bacterial species to consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) of CRC and this remarkable development is expected to galvanize scientific community into advancing therapeutic strategies for CRC. Increasing evidence suggests a link between the intestinal microbiota and CRC development although the mechanisms through which the bacterial constituents of the microbiome contribute towards CRC are complex and yet to be fully fathomed. Thus, more exhaustive and mechanistic studies are needed to identify key interactions amongst diet, microbial community, and metabolites that help facilitate the adenoma-carcinoma sequence evolution in CRC. It is expected that development of therapeutics based on microbial association with CMS will likely facilitate the translation of molecular subtypes into the clinic for CRCs and potentially other malignancies.
Ulam Numbers of Graphs

Let G1 = (V1, E1) and G2 = (V2, E2) be two graphs having |V1| = |V2| and |E1| = |E2|. By an Ulam decomposition of order r we mean two partitions π1 = {E1,1, E1,2, …, E1,r} of E1 and π2 = {E2,1, E2,2, …, E2,r} of E2, having the properties for all 1 ≤ i ≤ r, (1) |E1,i| = |E2,i| and (2) the subgraph G[E1,i] induced by E1,i is isomorphic to the subgraph G[E2,i] induced by E2,i. In this note we generalize this concept, first introduced in 1979 by Chung et al. in Congr Numer 23:3–18, 1979.
BRITAIN FIRST AND THE UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY: SOCIAL MEDIA AND MOVEMENT-PARTY DYNAMICS*

Social movement scholars have recently turned their attention to the interactions between political parties and social movements, but little is known about how social media have impacted these rela...
Evaluation of sulfonylurea chemistries for strawberry crop safety and Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum) efficacy

POST weed control atop the bed during strawberry production is limited to hand weeding, clopyralid, and acetyl CoA carboxylase inhibitors. Identification of additional modes of action is desirable to increase available options for producers and alleviate herbicide resistance concerns. The study objective was to screen sulfonylurea herbicides for safety of strawberry coordinated with efficacy against Carolina geranium. Herbicide treatments included metsulfuron-methyl, flazasulfuron, foramsulfuron, thifensulfuron-methyl, trifloxysulfuron-sodium, and rimsulfuron. Strawberry plants were heavily damaged by all herbicides apart from foramsulfuron. Although the strawberry plant was dramatically affected by the evaluated herbicides, demonstrating strong epinasty, there were no differences in resultant biomass at 31 d after treatment (DAT) compared to controls. Carolina geranium was severely injured by metsulfuron-methyl, flazasulfuron, and thifensulfuron-methyl, and moderately injured by foramsulfuron. There were consistent reductions in biomass by 31 DAT by metsulfuron-methyl and flazasulfuron. Overall, metsulfuron-methyl and flazasulfuron are suitable candidates for Carolina geranium control in row-middles. Foramsulfuron is a suitable candidate for additional field-based screening for utility in POST use in strawberry production atop the bed. Consideration toward doses, surfactants, timings, and cultivar tolerance may be necessary to minimize injury as observed in the greenhouse (15% to 20%).
The Performance Consequences of Operational Restructurings

This study provides new evidence on the long-term performance effects of operational restructurings. While managers claim that restructurings increase the efficiency and profitability of companies, prior studies using accounting data have reached mixed conclusions regarding the post-restructuring operational effectiveness of these events. Using metrics that provide control for firm and industry performance in the absence of restructuring, and examining a time horizon extending five years subsequent to the restructuring, our results are not consistent with an improvement in operating performance resulting from restructuring after controlling for ex ante expectations of firm and industry performance.