cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Promiscuous behaviour in the steroid hormone receptor superfamily

he biological activities of the various steroid hormones are remarkably diverse, ranging from subtle effects on brain develop- ment to therapeutic effects on dry skin. Although their spectrum of effects defies summarization, the past several years have seen the refinement of a long-standing, widely accepted general model for their mechanism of action. In this scheme, a particular steroid hor- mone crosses the cell membrane and binds specifically to an intra- cellular receptor protein. This binding results in the 'activation' of the hormone/receptor complexes, which then recognize and bind to a specific DNA sequence found near genes that are regulated by the particular hormone. This DNA- bound receptor complex causes changes in the rate of transcrip- tion of such hormone-responsive genes. All of the direct effects of the hormone are assumed to be the consequences of such changes .a gene expression, though the overall response to a given hor- mone certainly includes secondary effects which follow the primary response. This article briefly de- scribes some recent, unexpected results which appear to pose prob- lems for this simple model, and discusses some ways in which the problems might be resolved. Major support for the model has come from comparisons of the deduced amino acid sequences of a group of receptor proteins which is now called the steroid receptor superfamily (recently reviewed in Refs 1, 2). The members of this family include not only the steroid receptors but also receptors for thyroid hormone, vitamin D, retin- oic acid and, presumably, other ligands. These proteins share a limited amount of direct amino acid sequence similarity and a strongly conserved common structure. As shown in Fig. 1, such receptors have three domains. The general role of the non-conserved amino- terminal domain is uncertain. The highly conserved central domain binds to the specific sites in DNA. The carboxy-terminal domain, which binds the hormone or other ligand, shows low but significant levels of similarity over all the members of the family, with much higher levels between various
Nitric oxide inhibits potassium transport in the rat distal colon

The effect of the nitric oxide (NO) pathway on K+ (measured using 86Rb) transport in adult rat distal colon was investigated in muscle-stripped segments of colons mounted in Ussing chambers. When a...
Induced Flow from Serpentine Plasma Actuators Acting in Quiescent Air

This paper presents experimental measurements performed on a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator with the electrodes in a serpentine design. Such a configuration induces a local pinching or local spreading of the fluid as one follows along the span of the actuator. In this work the serpentine configuration is constructed from patterned circular arcs. The influence of applied voltage on the induced flow field is studied. To quantify these effects, stereo particle image velocimetry (PIV) is used to generate time averaged, spatially resolved measurements of the detailed flow structure. The three components of the velocity vector are measured along both spanwise and streamwise cuts. These slices are then reconstructed to provide a 3D view of the induced flow field. The results for the induced flow fields are also compared with 2D PIV measurements made on a standard linear DBD actuator.
Estimating and interpreting FST: The impact of rare variants

In a pair of seminal papers, Sewall Wright and Gustave Malecot introduced FST as a measure of structure in natural populations. In the decades that followed, a number of papers provided differing definitions, estimation methods, and interpretations beyond Wright's. While this diversity in methods has enabled many studies in genetics, it has also in- troduced confusion regarding how to estimate FST from available data. Considering this confusion, wide variation in published estimates of FST for pairs of HapMap populations is a cause for concern. These estimates changed—in some cases more than twofold—when comparing estimates from genotyping arrays to those from sequence data. Indeed, changes in FST from sequencing data might be expected due to population genetic factors affecting rare variants. While rare variants do influence the result, we show that this is largely through differences in estimation methods. Correcting for this yields estimates of FST that are much more concordant between sequence and genotype data. These differences relate to three specific issues: (1) estimating FST for a single SNP, (2) combining estimates of FST across multiple SNPs, and (3) selecting the set of SNPs used in the computation. Changes in each of these aspects of estimation may result in FST estimates that are highly divergent from one another. Here, we clarify these issues and propose solutions. (Supplemental material is available for this article.)
Correction for bias of models with lognormal distributed variables in absence of original data.

The logarithmic transformation of the dependent variables for models developed using regression analysis induces bias that should be corrected, regardless its magnitude. The simplest correction for bias was proposed by Sprugel (1983), which basically multiplies the back-transformed estimates with the constant value of exponential of half the variance of the errors of the logarithmically transformed variable. While this correction is fast and easy to implement does not supplies estimates of the variability existing in the original data. Consequently, a procedure based on generated data was developed to provide unbiased estimates for both attribute of interest and variability existing along the model. The procedure reveals that valid estimates can be obtained if large number of values is generated (e.g., 5000 values/x). The procedures supplies accurate estimates for the attribute of interest and its variability, but encounters significant data processing difficulties for models with more than one predictor variable. Nevertheless, irrespective the number of predictor of variables and magnitude of the correction factor computed by Sprugel, the estimates determined using logarithmic transformations should be corrected for bias, to avoid cumulated errors or chaotic effects associated with nonlinear models.
Scientific Communication, Ethical Argument, and Public Policy*

The paper argues that ethical discourse is intimately involved in the research literature of social science, and especially of political science, but is relegated to a subsidiary position. It therefore shares some of the vagueness, flexibility, and potential self-contradiction of the discourse of everyday life, rather than being sharpened by rational criticism. The norms governing scientific discourse provide not only for empirical testing, but also for rational criticism in the formulation of theories; an analogous type of criticism is shared by legal discourse. Some of the norms of scientific communication may be transferred to ethics by the specification of rules for ethical argument, requiring that arguments derive from previously specified, clear and consistent “ethical hypotheses.” Within such rules, ethical systems formulated by social scientists and philosophers may be compared critically. Systems amenable to such comparison include those of welfare economics, cost-benefit analysis, and formal democratic theory. The discourse embodying this argument and criticism is particularly appropriate within the normative tradition of political science. Its possible benefits include clarity about our valuations; communication among disciplines that enlarges the perspectives of each discipline; and a more independent, self-conscious examination within the university of the criteria for policy formation.
Medial Longitudinal Arch Deformation during Walking and Stair Navigation While Carrying Loads

Background:Understanding the biomechanics of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) may provide insights into injury risk and prevention, as well as function of the arch-supporting structures. Our understanding of MLA deformation is currently limited to sit-to-stand, walking, and running.Material and Methods:Three-dimensional deformation of the MLA of the right foot was characterized in 17 healthy participants during several simulated activities of daily living. MLA deformation was quantified by both changes in arch length and navicular displacement during the stance phase of three motions: walking, stair ascent, and stair descent. Three levels of load were also evaluated: no load, a front load (13.6 kg), and a backpack load (13.6 kg). Force platforms and an eight-camera motion capture system were used to collect relevant lower extremity kinetic and kinematic data.Results:Motion type had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on navicular displacement and arch length elongation with navicular displacement being grea...
Similarities and Differences Between “Proactive” and “Passive” Stress-Coping Rats in Responses to Sucrose, NaCl, Citric Acid, and Quinine

A stress-coping style describes a set of behavioral and physiological measures that characterize an individual’s response to stressful stimuli. It would follow that different stress-coping styles are associated with differential sensitivity for taste stimuli. Animals with stress-coping characteristics better suited to an environment in which new foods are more frequently encountered may show enhanced orosensitivity to cues that signal toxins and/or nutritional value. Here, rats were categorized as “proactive” or “passive” based on results from a defensive burying test. Next, the brief-access taste procedure was used to compare unconditioned licking responses to a concentration array of compounds that humans describe as “sweet” (sucrose), “salty” (NaCl), “sour” (citric acid), and “bitter” (quinine) across the 2 groups. Both groups displayed concentration-dependent lick responses to sucrose, NaCl, citric acid, and quinine. The passive group initiated significantly fewer trials to sucrose than the proactive rats, but the groups did not significantly differ in trial initiation for the other 3 test compounds. Thus, differences in food intake, body weight, and glucose homeostasis between the stress-coping styles are not likely driven by alterations in orosensory responsivity. However, the current findings lend support to the hypothesis that the 2 groups differ in reward-related signaling mechanisms.
Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy Natural History Study: Standardization of Testing Procedures and Reliability of Measurements

Background and Purpose. The natural history of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) has not been studied prospectively. Knowledge of the natural progression of any disease provides essential information for the design of clinical trials. We present a protocol for the study of the natural history of FSHD using quantitative muscle testing (QMT), manual muscle testing (MMT), and functional testing. Subjects. Thirty-two persons with FSHD (mean age=36.1 years, SD=9.6, range=17–49) and 32 age- and gender-matched volunteer controls (mean age=35.8 years, SD=8.0, range=23–50) served as subjects. Methods. Using standardized testing procedures, we examined intrarater reliability of the MMT, QMT, and functional testing measurements in both groups. We also examined interrater reliability in 7 subjects with FSHD. Eighteen muscle groups were tested for each subject using QMT and MMT. Results. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values ranged from .86 to .99 for intrarater reliability and from .86 to .99 for interrater reliability of QMT measurements. Weighted kappa values of .81 to .98 for intrarater reliability and .50 to 1.00 for interrater reliability were obtained for MMT measurements. Intrarater ICCs for various functional testing measures ranged from .60 to .97. In addition, the comparability of the two QMT machines used in the study was demonstrated by testing the same set of volunteer controls on each machine's linear force transducer (ICC=.89–.98). Conclusion and Discussion. We conclude that this standardized testing protocol produces reliable measurements of muscle strength and functional ability in subjects with FSHD.
Spectrum shaping of OFDM-based cognitive radio signals

In this paper, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) spectrum shaping using various techniques to reduce Adjacent Channel Interference (ACI) is investigated. The trade-offs between interference level and spectral efficiency, power consumption, and computational complexity are discussed. Simulation results along with detailed analysis showing the advantages and disadvantages of each technique are presented.
Physical Exercise and Transplantation

The Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (a division of the World Health Organization, WHO) in 2009 reported that an estimated 104,650 transplants were performed in 89 countries (72,100 kidney, 21,175 liver, 5405 heart, 3650 lung, 2320 pancreas). This number represents an increase of 4% since 2008 but less than 10% of the global need.
Stabilisation of premature infants in the delivery room with nasal high flow

Objective This was a pilot study to determine the feasibility of using nasal high flow (nHF) (also known as heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula) for stabilisation of babies born at <30 weeks gestation in the delivery room (DR) and transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Design Observational study. Setting Single-centre NICU. Patients Infants born at <30 weeks gestation. Interventions Stabilisation and transfer to NICU using nHF. Main outcome measures Feasibility of stabilisation as defined by successful transfer and clinical measures of stability at admission to NICU including oxygen requirement, temperature, requirement for surfactant and inotrope use within 72 h of delivery. Results Twenty-eight babies were enrolled after written parental consent had been obtained. 25/28 were successfully stabilised in the DR and transferred to the NICU on nHF. The average admission temperature for babies transferred on nHF was 36.9°C and the average inspired oxygen at admission was 29%. Less than half (48%) required surfactant and 60% were still on nHF 72 h after admission. 1 baby received inotropes. Conclusions Our study suggests that using nHF for stabilisation of premature infants in the DR and subsequent transfer to NICU is feasible. Clinical trial registration number NCT01991886.
General surface geometric structures and their applications

Geometric structures are natural structures of surfaces, which enable different geometries to be defined on the surfaces coherently and allow general planar algorithmic constructions to be generalized onto the surfaces directly. For example, all oriented surfaces have conformal structure. We can generalize planar texture mapping, texture synthesis, remeshing and mapping algorithms to surfaces based on their conformal structure without angle distortion. Also polar form splines with planar domains can be generalized to manifold splines on the surfaces which admit affine structure and are equipped with affine geometry. This work presents theoretically rigorous and practically efficient methods for computing general surface geometric structures, including conformal structure, affine structure, hyperbolic structure, real projective structure, and spherical structure. The powerful tool we used is discrete surface Ricci flow. We generalized surface Ricci flow from continuous to discrete setting, and designed a series of algorithms to compute discrete surfaces Ricci flow, which includes discrete Euclidean Ricci flow, discrete hyperbolic Ricci flow, and discrete spherical Ricci flow. We applied surface geometric structures computed from discrete surface Ricci flow to computer graphics, medical imaging, geometric modeling, and computer vision. We compute globally conformal parametrization for surfaces of general topologies, with less area distortion and control of both the number and location of singularity points; we conformally flatten colon surfaces onto plane, which enhances the navigation of virtual colonoscopy system; we design N-RoSy field on general surfaces based on flat metric induced from surfaces’ conformal structure; we construct manifold spline with single singularity using surface affine structure, which achieves the theoretical minimum of the singularity number; we combine manifold spline and T-spline to polycube T-spline by building polycube map of surface which naturally induces surface affine structure; we compute shape space for general surfaces, where Surfaces are indexed and classified by their conformal structure.
Comparison of Pyrylium and Thiopyrylium Photooxidants in Metal-Free Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

Systematically varied pyrylium and thiopyrylium photo-oxidants have been evaluated in the metal-free ring-opening-metathesis polymerization (MF-ROMP) of norbornene. Across the series, we observed higher conversion into polynorbornene from thiopyrylium species in comparison with pyrylium salts that were otherwise similarly functionalized. Additionally, more electron-rich photo-oxidants (i.e., weaker oxidants) correlated with higher conversions.
High-frequency prospects of 2D nanomaterials for flexible nanoelectronics from baseband to sub-THz devices

We report on the state of the art sub-μm length (L) flexible two dimensional radio frequency thin film transistors operating in the velocity saturation regime for achieving maximum carrier transport or under high-field. We realize large-area monolayer MoS2 on flexible polyimide with 5 GHz cut-off frequency (fT), a record value for flexible synthesized transitional metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). For higher frequency devices, flexible black phosphorus (BP) RF TFT is demonstrated for the first time with fT ∼ 17.5 GHz for L = 0.5 μm, yielding vsat ∼ 5.5 × 106 cm/s. In addition, for flexible sub-THz nanosystem front-ends, we have achieved record 100 GHz graphene TFTs (vsat ∼ 8.8 × 106 cm/s) on flexible glass, 56% higher than that of graphene TFTs on polymeric substrates.
THE RESPONSE TO SELECTION FOR FAST LARVAL DEVELOPMENT IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER AND ITS EFFECT ON ADULT WEIGHT: AN EXAMPLE OF A FITNESS TRADE-OFF

A selection experiment using Drosophila melanogaster revealed a strong trade-off between adult weight and larval development time (LDT), supporting the view that antagonistic pleiotropy for these two fitness traits determines mean adult size. Two experimental lines of flies were selected for a shorter LDT (measured from egg laying to pupation). After 15 generations LDT was reduced by an average of 7.9%. The response appeared to be controlled primarily by autosomal loci. A correlated response to the selection was a reduction in adult dry weight: individuals from the selected populations were on average 15.1% lighter than the controls. The lighter females of the selected lines showed a 35% drop in fecundity, but no change in longevity. Thus, there is no direct relationship between LDT and adult longevity. The genetic correlation between weight and LDT, as measured from their joint response to selection, was 0.86. Although there was weak evidence for dominance in LDT, there was none for weight, making it unlikely that selection acting on this antagonistic pleiotropy could lead to a stable polymorphism. In all lines, sex differences in weight violated expectations based on intrasex genetic correlations: Females, being larger than males, ought to require a longer LDT, whereas there was a slight trend in the opposite direction. Because the sexual dimorphism in size was not significantly altered by selection, it appears that the controlling loci are either invariant or have very limited pleiotropic effect on developmental time. It is suggested that they probably control some intrinsic, energy-intensive developmental process in males.
Dietary mercury has no observable effects on thyroid-mediated processes and fitness-related traits in wood frogs.

Mercury (Hg) is a neurotoxicant known to cause developmental and behavioral abnormalities in vertebrates. Increasing evidence suggests that Hg can also disrupt endocrine functions and endocrine-dependent processes. For example, dietary Hg has been shown to delay tail resorption during metamorphic climax in amphibians, a process mediated by thyroid hormones. However, a direct link between Hg, hormone disruption, and developmental delays in amphibians has not been explored. Therefore, we examined the effects of dietary Hg (0.01, 2.5, and 10 μg/g total Hg, dry wt) on thyroid hormone concentrations, development, growth, performance, and survival of wood frogs (Rana sylvatica). Tadpoles accumulated Hg in a concentration-dependent manner; total Hg concentrations in tadpoles at the beginning of metamorphic climax (Gosner stage 42) were 0.03, 1.06, 3.54 μg/g, dry wt, for control, low, and high Hg diets, respectively. During metamorphic climax, tadpoles eliminated 35% of the inorganic Hg from their tissues but ret...
An Archaeological Survey of Knollcreek Subdivision, Northeast San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

During June 1984, the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, conducted a pedestrian survey of the ISS-acre Knollcreek subdivision in northeast Bexar County for Nash Phillips/Copus, I nco A 1 though no p reh i stor; c cu 1 tu ra 1 resou rces were found, two h; stori c sites (41 BX 263 and 41 BX 264) with standing features were recorded. However, these structural remains are not considered significant cultural resources and therefore not eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.
Partitioning of lung tissue response and inhomogeneous airway constriction at the airway opening.

Suki, Bela, Huichin Yuan, Qin Zhang, and Kenneth R. Lutchen. Partitioning of lung tissue response and inhomogeneous airway constriction at the airway opening. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(4): 1349–1359, 1997.—During a bronchial challenge, much of the observed response of lung tissues is an artifactual consequence of inhomogeneous airway constriction. Inhomogeneities, in the sense of time constant inequalities, are an inherently linear phenomenon. Conversely, if lung tissues respond to a bronchoagonist, they become more nonlinear. On the basis of these distinct responses, we present an approach to separate real tissue changes from airway inhomogeneities. We developed a lung model that includes airway inhomogeneities in the form of a continuous distribution of airway resistances and nonlinear viscoelastic tissues. Because time domain data are dominated by nonlinearities, whereas frequency domain data are most sensitive to inhomogeneities, we apply a combined time-frequency domain identification scheme. This model w...
Extended Aromatic and Heteroaromatic Ring Systems in the Chalcone–Flavanone Molecular Switch Scaffold

Previous work on the o-hydroxychalcone/flavanone molecular switching scaffold showed that simple substitutions alter the pH range in which rapid interconversion occurs. Herein, more impactful structural modifications were performed via alteration of the characteristic phenyl rings to alternative aromatic systems. It was determined that the scaffold was still viable after these changes and that the range of accessible midpoint pH values was markedly increased. To further explore the switch’s scope, scaffolds able to have multiple switching events were also investigated.
Contextual Computing

Display Omitted The door to doctor time plays a large role in Emergency Department crowding.This time is also one of the criteria for assessment of Meaningful Use (MU).Current manual documentation methods for assessing time are imprecise.Sensor-based methods offer a more precise and efficient measure of this time.Automatic collection of time data lessens cognitive load of physicians. Hospital Emergency Departments (EDs) frequently experience crowding. One of the factors that contributes to this crowding is the door to doctor time, which is the time from a patients registration to when the patient is first seen by a physician. This is also one of the Meaningful Use (MU) performance measures that emergency departments report to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Current documentation methods for this measure are inaccurate due to the imprecision in manual data collection. We describe a method for automatically (in real time) and more accurately documenting the door to physician time. Using sensor-based technology, the distance between the physician and the computer is calculated by using the single board computers installed in patient rooms that log each time a Bluetooth signal is seen from a device that the physicians carry. This distance is compared automatically with the accepted room radius to determine if the physicians are present in the room at the time logged to provide greater precision. The logged times, accurate to the second, were compared with physicians handwritten times, showing automatic recordings to be more precise. This real time automatic method will free the physician from extra cognitive load of manually recording data. This method for evaluation of performance is generic and can be used in any other setting outside the ED, and for purposes other than measuring physician time.
Aromatic–Aromatic Interactions Enable α-Helix to β-Sheet Transition of Peptides to Form Supramolecular Hydrogels

Isolated short peptides usually are unable to maintain their original secondary structures due to the lack of the restriction from proteins. Here we show that two complementary pentapeptides from a β-sheet motif of a protein, being connected to an aromatic motif (i.e., pyrene) at their C-terminal, self-assemble to form β-sheet like structures upon mixing. Besides enabling the self-assembly to result in supramolecular hydrogels upon mixing, aromatic–aromatic interactions promote the pentapeptides transform from α-helix to β-sheet conformation. As the first example of using aromatic–aromatic interactions to mimic the conformational restriction in a protein, this work illustrates a bioinspired way to generate peptide nanofibers with predefined secondary structures of the peptides by a rational design using protein structures as the blueprint.
Ethical Issues for Autonomous Trading Agents

The rapid advancement of algorithmic trading has demonstrated the success of AI automation, as well as gaps in our understanding of the implications of this technology proliferation. We explore ethical issues in the context of autonomous trading agents, both to address problems in this domain and as a case study for regulating autonomous agents more generally. We argue that increasingly competent trading agents will be capable of initiative at wider levels, necessitating clarification of ethical and legal boundaries, and corresponding development of norms and enforcement capability.
Survey of Cyber Security Challenges and Solutions in Smart Grids

The smart grid is the new iteration of the power gridthat merges communication technology amongst othertechnological advances, with the aim of providing reliable andefficient services. With the known and potential risksassociated with communication networks, and with thepotential catastrophic effects of the grid failure, assuredsecurity of the smart grid is at the forefront of cyber securityresearch. We present a survey of recent advances anddiscussions on smart grid cyber security. The main focus of oursurvey is on the entire grid instead of specific components, aswe aim at painting the big picture as to the state-of-the-art oncyber security of the smart grid. Our survey identifies bothsuccessfully adopted solutions and shortfalls that remain to beaddressed. The approach taken by this paper is an importantstep towards developing secure solutions for the smart grid.
Growth Hormone’s Effect on Adipose Tissue: Quality versus Quantity

Obesity is an excessive accumulation or expansion of adipose tissue (AT) due to an increase in either the size and/or number of its characteristic cell type, the adipocyte. As one of the most significant public health problems of our time, obesity and its associated metabolic complications have demanded that attention be given to finding effective therapeutic options aimed at reducing adiposity or the metabolic dysfunction associated with its accumulation. Growth hormone (GH) has therapeutic potential due to its potent lipolytic effect and resultant ability to reduce AT mass while preserving lean body mass. However, AT and its resident adipocytes are significantly more dynamic and elaborate than once thought and require one not to use the reduction in absolute mass as a readout of efficacy alone. Paradoxically, therapies that reduce GH action may ultimately prove to be healthier, in part because GH also possesses potent anti-insulin activities along with concerns that GH may promote the growth of certain cancers. This review will briefly summarize some of the newer complexities of AT relevant to GH action and describe the current understanding of how GH influences this tissue using data from both humans and mice. We will conclude by considering the therapeutic use of GH or GH antagonists in obesity, as well as important gaps in knowledge regarding GH and AT.
Spinal Cord Injury Disrupts Resting-State Networks in the Human Brain.

Abstract Despite 253,000 spinal cord injury (SCI) patients in the United States, little is known about how SCI affects brain networks. Spinal MRI provides only structural information with no insight into functional connectivity. Resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI) quantifies network connectivity through the identification of resting-state networks (RSNs) and allows detection of functionally relevant changes during disease. Given the robust network of spinal cord afferents to the brain, we hypothesized that SCI produces meaningful changes in brain RSNs. RS-fMRIs and functional assessments were performed on 10 SCI subjects. Blood oxygen-dependent RS-fMRI sequences were acquired. Seed-based correlation mapping was performed using five RSNs: default-mode (DMN), dorsal-attention (DAN), salience (SAL), control (CON), and somatomotor (SMN). RSNs were compared with normal control subjects using false-discovery rate-corrected two way t tests. SCI reduced brain network connectivity within the SAL, SMN, and DMN a...
The Distribution of Dissolved and Particulate Mo and V along the U.S. GEOTRACES East Pacific Zonal Transect (GP16): The Roles of Oxides and Biogenic Particles In Their Distributions In the Oxygen Deficient Zone and the Hydrothermal Plume

Abstract Molybdenum (Mo) and (V) vanadium are under-studied elements in the ocean due to their largely conservative natures. Thus, no detailed ocean sections of these elements exist although previous reports do suggest possible anomalies in their distributions due to biological, redox, or sorptive processes. Here we present the first detailed ocean sections of dissolved and particulate Mo and V, obtained as part of the 2013 U.S. GP16 GEOTRACES East Pacific Zonal Transect (EPZT) from Peru to Tahiti. Similar to previous work, the distribution of dissolved Mo was largely conservative, while dissolved V showed a ~ 5% depletion in the upper waters. For dissolved Mo, a small number of samples showed significantly depleted concentrations which, in most cases, gradually increased with time after samples were acidified. This implies the original sample had experienced a partial change in speciation of dissolved Mo from the predominant molybdate to another, as yet, unknown form. In the oxygen deficient zone (ODZ) off the Peru margin, depleted dissolved Mo and V in a few samples corresponded with the nitrite maximum, suggesting the possible involvement of both elements in the nitrogen cycle. Particulate Mo and V enrichments in the ODZ are likely indicative of scavenging by Fe oxyhydroxides and/or biogenic particles. In near surface waters close to the Peru margin, dissolved Mo and V concentrations slightly decreased with increasing total chlorophyll a, suggesting the removal of both elements by biological uptake and/or adsorption onto biogenic particles. In contrast to previous reports that removal to reducing coastal/estuarine sediments resulted in surface water depletion of dissolved V, there is no evidence from the EPZT section that this process plays a strong role in the development of the ~ 5% dissolved V depletion in the surface ocean. Additionally, dissolved V and Mo depletions were seen in some hydrothermal plume waters above the ridge crest, likely due to adsorption onto Fe/Mn oxides and suggesting that these plume waters are a net sink for these two elements. Associations of ridge crest particulate Mo and V with the particulate Mn and Fe carrier phases suggests V was largely scavenged by Fe oxyhydroxides while Mo was likely scavenged by both Fe oxyhydroxides and Mn oxides. Away from the ridge crest, depletions of dissolved V and Mo are seen along the boundaries of the far field hydrothermal plume, though the reasons for this remain obscure. Future studies of these elements could benefit from determination of speciation as well as increased focus on margin areas.
Leaf-Smoothed Hierarchical Softmax for Ordinal Prediction

We propose a new approach to conditional probability estimation for ordinal labels. First, we present a specialized hierarchical softmax variant inspired by k-d trees that leverages the inherent spatial structure of (potentially-multivariate) ordinal labels. We then adapt ideas from signal processing on noisy graphs to develop a novel regularizer for such hierarchical softmax models. Both our tree structure and regularizer independently boost the sample efficiency of a deep learning model across a series of simulation studies. Furthermore, the combination of these two techniques produces additive gains and the model does not suffer from the pathologies of other approaches in the literature. We validate our approach empirically on a suite of real-world datasets, in some cases reducing the error by nearly half in comparison to other popular methods in the literature. Our results demonstrate that our method is a powerful new modeling technique for conditional probability estimation of ordinal labels, especially in the low-to-mid sample size regimes such as those often found in biological and other physical sciences.
Effectiveness and safety of oral anticoagulants in patients with sickle cell disease and venous thromboembolism: a retrospective cohort study

Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience initial and recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) more commonly and at a younger age than the general population, and it confers a higher mortality for patients with SCD. However, limited evidence is available to guide anticoagulant use for VTE treatment in this population. The primary objective of this study is to characterize the effectiveness and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) and warfarin for VTE treatment among patients with SCD. This single-center retrospective study includes adult patients with SCD who were diagnosed with VTE. Data was obtained from review of electronic health records for the 6 months after VTE diagnosis. Among the 22 patients treated initially with a DOAC, 6 (27%) developed recurrent VTE, none experienced major bleeding, and 3 (14%) experienced clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB). Similarly, of 15 patients initially treated with warfarin, 3 (20%) developed a recurrent VTE, 1 (7%) experienced major bleeding, and 2 (13%) experienced CRNMB. Twelve patients received more than one oral anticoagulant during the study period, most commonly due to a recurrent VTE, concern for non-adherence, or subtherapeutic INR. Overall, the incidence of VTE recurrence and bleeding events were similar between groups, but occurred at a higher rate than those found in major clinical trials of anticoagulant agents. Prescribers should continue to individualize therapeutic decision-making regarding oral anticoagulant therapy for VTE treatment for individuals with SCD based on patient-specific factors and anticipated ability to adhere to the drug regimen or required monitoring.
Immune checkpoint blockade in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: is it ready for prime time?

Esophageal cancer is a lethal disease with limited treatment options, particularly in the metastatic setting. While the incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has declined worldwide, it remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Asia, Africa and South America (1). In contrast to esophageal adenocarcinoma, which develops in the lower esophagus and is related to gastric reflux and Barrett’s esophagus, ESCC occurs in the upper/mid esophagus and is associated with tobacco and alcohol use (2). Despite their differences, a common feature of both ESCC and adenocarcinoma is the presence of chronic inflammation and an abundance of tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes and other immune cell populations.
ANOTHER "LETHAL TRIAD"-RISK FACTORS FOR VIOLENT INJURY AND LONG-TERM MORTALITY AMONG ADULT VICTIMS OF VIOLENT INJURY.

Abstract Background Mental illness, substance abuse, and poverty are risk factors for violent injury, and violent injury is a risk factor for early mortality that can be attenuated through hospital-based violence intervention programs. Most of these programs focus on victims under the age of 30 years. Little is known about risk factors or long-term mortality among older victims of violent injury. Objectives To explore the prevalence of risk factors for violent injury among younger (age Methods Adults with violent injuries were enrolled between 2001 and 2004. Demographic and injury data were recorded on enrollment. Ten-year mortality rates were measured. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were used to compare older and younger subjects. Results Among 541 subjects, 70% were over age 30. The overall 10-year mortality rate was 15%, and was much higher than in the age-matched general population in both age groups. Risk factors for violent injury including mental illness, substance abuse, and poverty were prevalent, especially among older subjects, and were each independently associated with increased risk of long-term mortality. Conclusion Mental illness, substance abuse, and poverty constitute a “lethal triad” that is associated with an increased risk of long-term mortality among victims of violent injury, including both younger adults and those over age 30 years. Both groups may benefit from targeted risk-reduction efforts. Emergency department visits offer an invaluable opportunity to engage these vulnerable patients.
Could the Use of Acoustic Reflexes Prior to Administering Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAEs) Affect the Results of DPOAEs

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate whether acoustic reflex threshold testing before administration of distortion product otoacoustic emissions can affect the results of the distort...
Harnessing Digital Media to Promote Health and Research.

In 2009, the American Heart Association created the 2020 Impact Goals, aspiring to improve cardiovascular health for Americans by 20% while reducing death from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20%.1 These goals hinge on changing health behaviors (eg, diet, exercise, smoking) and health factors (eg, blood pressure, blood glucose) that are themselves dependent on behaviors. In the intervening years since 2009, there have been drastic changes in the way we obtain information, communicate, and consume goods. In 2009, the iPhone was 2 years old, and the Apple app store had just been launched. Twitter and Facebook were about to take off and since then have seen a >1000% increase in users. Meanwhile, the sharing economy was born, with the founding of Uber in 2009. As we near 2020 and the next set of American Heart Association Impact Goals, it is an opportune time to examine how digital media enabled trends (Figure) from the past decade may influence research and policy approaches. Figure. Three digital media-enabled trends that influence health and research. One notable trend is the surge in social media use over the past decade. Public sharing of information over social media has created a vast wealth of data that can be accessed for health-related data mining and predictive analytics. Social media users are surprisingly diverse—≈70% of US adults use social media. Although social media users skew younger, more than one-third of US adults ≥65 years of age also use social media.2 These …
Genetic, Metabolic, and Biochemical Aspects of the Porphyrias

The human porphyrias comprise a group of inherited and acquired disorders characterized by aberrations in activities of specific enzymes of the heme biosynthetic pathway. The nosology, natural history, and clinical characteristics of these diseases have been well reviewed by others (Taddeini and Watson, 1968; Dean, 1971; Tschudy and Lamon, 1980; Meyer and Schmid, 1978) and will be described in this review only to the extent that the biochemistry and genetics of these disorders seem to bear on their clinical presentations.
On Plücker coordinates of a perfectly oriented planar network

Let $G$ be a perfectly oriented planar graph. Postnikov's boundary measurement construction provides a rational map from the set of positive weight functions on the edges of $G$ onto the appropriate totally nonnegative Grassmann cell. We establish an explicit combinatorial formula for Postnikov's map by expressing each Plucker coordinate of the image as a ratio of two polynomials in the edge weights, with positive integer coefficients. These polynomials are weight generating functions for certain subsets of edges in $G$.
Quantity of Motion: The Origin and Function of the Cartesian Conservation Principle

This chapter picks up the story, began in the previous two chapters, concerning the complex and varied role of Descartes’ conservation law for the “quantity of motion” (size times speed), the numerical measure of “force” that, he believes, is conserved in all bodily interactions. After presenting the historical development of this concept in Descartes’ work, this chapter will explore in more detail various problematical aspects of Descartes’ conservation principle noted in chapter 3 and 4; namely, its largely neglected “dual role” as a measure of both durational motion and instantaneous “tendencies towards motion”. Overall, an underlying non-local, or “holistic”, element of quantity of motion (largely derived from his statics) will be revealed as central to a full understanding of the conservation principle’s conceptual development and intended operation. This insight into the function of the Cartesian conservation principle will not only be of use in responding to some of the criticisms of Descartes’ physics aimed at its overall consistency, such as Alan Nelson’s recent allegations, but will also provide a potentially powerful means of constructing a successful Cartesian spacetime, as will be later demonstrated in Part III (chapter 6).
Modeling Conditional Distributions of Facies from Seismic Using Neural Nets

We present a general, flexible, and fast neural network approach to the modeling of a conditional distribution of a discrete random variable, given a continuous or discrete random vector. Although many more applications of the neural net technique could be envisioned, the aim is to apply the developed methodology to the integration of seismic data into reservoir models. Many geostatistical methods for integrating seismic data rely on a screening assumption of further away seismic events by the colocated seismic datum. Such assumption makes the task of modeling cross-covariances and local conditional distributions much easier. In many cases, however, the seismic data exhibit distinct and locally varying spatial patterns of continuity related to geological events such as channels, shale bodies, or fractures. The previous screening assumption prevents recognizing and hence utilizing these patterns of seismic data. In this paper we propose to relate seismic data to facies or petrophysical properties through a colocated window of seismic information instead of the single colocated seismic datum. The variation of seismic data from one window to another is accounted for. Several examples demonstrate that using such a window improves the predictive power of seismic data.
Malignant Skin Neoplasms and Associated Conditions

There are many types of cutaneous malignant neoplasms and associated conditions that can involve the head and neck regions. This chapter reviews the characteristic clinicopathological and imaging findings of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, cutaneous lymphomas, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, Kaposi sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, sebaceous carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, angiosarcoma, and metastases.
Who Owns Haiti?: People, Power, and Sovereignty edited by Robert Maguire and Scott Freeman

Maguire, Robert, and Scott Freeman, eds. Who Owns Haiti?: People, Power, and Sovereignty . Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2017.
Determination of 3D scattered radiation distributions from the Zubal Phantom as a function of LAO/RAO and CRA/CAU gantry angulation

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the scattered radiation distribution in the interventional procedure room varies with changes in cranial / caudal (CRA/CAU) and right anterior oblique / left anterior oblique (RAO/LAO) gantry angulation of a C-Arm fluoroscopic system to aid in staff dose management. The primary x-ray beam of a Toshiba Infinix fluoroscopy machine was modeled using EGSnrc (DOSXYZnrc) Monte Carlo code and the scattered radiation distributions were calculated using 5 x 109 photons incident on the Zubal computational phantom. The Zubal phantom is derived from a CT scan of an average adult male and is anthropomorphic with internal organs. The results show that substantial changes in the scatter dose are possible for the interventionalist next to the table with Cranial/Caudal and RAO/LAO angle variations. For frontal projections the largest change with CRA/CAU angle occurs below the table height, increasing by 50% at the position of the interventionalist next to the table for a 30 degree cranial angulation compared to a caudal angulation for a beam directed toward the abdomen. The scattered radiation distribution also is shown to change with different body regions such as the chest and abdomen. A library of 3D scatter dose-rate distributions is being developed to be implemented in a scatter display system for increased staff awareness of dose levels during procedures.