cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diabetes mellitus prevalence in patients with takotsubo syndrome: the case of the brain-heart disconnect.

Abstract Background Hyperactive autonomic nervous system (ANS) is among the postulated pathophysiologic mechanisms of takotsubo syndrome (TTS). Diabetes mellitus (DM) with its associated ANS peripheral neuropathy could exert a “protective” influence for the emergence of TTS. Methods A patient-based meta-analysis of the data obtained from all patients presented individually was carried out, focusing on age, gender, and history of hypertension (HTN) and DM. Results The prevalences of HTN and DM for all 2,342 patients, aged 61.1 ± 17.3, 85.1% female, were 37.4% and 9.5%, for patients ≥ 60 years old were 45.8% and 11.7%, and for patients ≥65 years old were 48.2% and 12.3%, correspondingly. The prevalence of DM in patients with TTS is less than half of the world's and USA's elderly populations. Conclusions Prevalence of DM in patients with TTS is lower than in the general population, suggesting that DM, may have a “protective” effect for the emergence of TTS.
Cultivating a Global Perspective through Refugee Narratives

The intention of this assignment is to use stories of refugee experience to cultivate a global perspective in the classroom. The final project of an intermediate college writing course (sophomore and junior level), this assignment asked students to research a topic related to refugee resettlement, apply ideas from course readings to that topic, and reflect on their own perspectives as readers and writers. This writing took the form of a textual analysis essay that combined primary and secondary sources grounded in library research. An emphasis on close-reading and rhetorical analysis provided students with strategies for moving between different modes of literacy (i.e. storytelling, theory, and reflection). The assignment was scaffolded throughout the semester by diverse readings that included memoir, journalist accounts, and scholarship in refugee studies. Although cultivating a global perspective with students was a central learning outcome of this assignment, the term proved difficult to define. This essay discusses how working with student writing provided some clarity on what a global perspective can mean.
Infection and Inflammatory Disorders

Cystitis is the broad term encompassing the inflammatory response of the urinary bladder to various harmful stimuli. A variety of “injuries” can cause cystitis. The most common injury is infection from various microorganisms. Noninfectious injuries—such as physical trauma (e.g., instrumentation, catheterization, and bladder stones), radiation, and chemotherapeutic agents—can also evoke a cystitis-type response. In some cases, such as interstitial cystitis, malakoplakia, and eosinophilic cystitis, the exact etiology is unclear despite distinctive manifestations and histologic features. This chapter will review the clinical manifestations and histologic features of various types of cystitis including: infectious, malakoplakia, tuberculous, schistosomal, interstitial cystitis, eosinophilic, follicular, hemorrhagic, radiation, and chemotherapy.
Kinds of Markedness

Markedness. under one conception or the other, has been a part of linguistics since the 1930s, when it was introduced by Troubetzkoy into phonological theory. The notion that it is involved in some intimate way with language acquisition can be traced back to Jakobson (1941), who, relating it primarily to phonology, developed a theory by which unmarked elements exhibit a “first in, last out” order in first language acquisition and aphasia, respectively. In recent work, this linkage has once more assumed importance, but with attention focused primarily on syntax, and informed by a quite different theory of acquisition linked to the Chomskian concept of Universal Grammar (UG). This renewed concern received expression in the 1979 volume reflecting the proceedings of the GLOW Conference in Pisa. The Theory of Markedness in Generative Grammar (Beletti, Brandi and Rizzi, 1979) and particularly in the paper by Noam Chomsky entitled “Markedness and Core Grammar,” as well as in subsequent work by Chomsky and others. More recently, there have been initial, probing attempts to extend the connection to second language (L2) as well, as exemplified in varying degrees by the papers in this section, and by papers by some of the contributors and others (see bibliography).A wide range of definitions of markedness have been expressed or implied in all of this work, and they have not always been either self-evident or unvaryingly clear.1
Suppliers of Energy: Fat

Lipids are a heterogenous group of hydrophobic compounds which have two properties in common: They are soluble in organic solvents and they have an important physiological role as structural components of living cells. Lipids have been further identified as “molecules, synthesized by biological systems which have as a major part of their structure long aliphatic hydrocarbon chains unbranched or branched, which may form carbocyclic rings and which may contain unsaturated linkages” (Davenport and Johnson, 1971).
User-experience and science-fiction in chinese, indian, and japanese films

Chinese, Indian, and Japanese science-fiction films offer different and interesting views of user-experience that can inform user-experience researchers, designers, analysts, and evaluators. The author reviews Asian contributions to science-fiction media.
Electrostrictive Strain in Low-Permittivity Dielectrics

A single-beam interferometer capable of resolving displacements on the order of 10−4 A was used to examine the field-induced displacement in several low-permittivity dielectric materials. The experimental principle and procedures of the single-beam interferometer are described in this article. The importance and the accuracy of the Maxwell stress and the thermal stress corrections are also discussed. We present in this article the field-induced strains and the apparent electrostrictive coefficients of several common dielectric materials, including Al2O3, BeO, MgO, AlN ceramics, and SiO2 glass. Under application of an electric field, these common ceramic materials become thicker in the field direction, while glasses and glass-ceramics get thinner. The magnitude of the displacements varies between 10−2 to 10−3 A under 1 MV/m electric field. By comparison, the field-induced displacements in these common electronic materials are approximately 3 to 5 orders of magnitude smaller than those observed in relaxor materials, such as PMN and PVDF, and soft polymers.
Echocardiography of the Inter-Atrial Septum

Atrial septal identification has been carried out from a right parasternal position but this technique has been limited in its utility since only a few patients are suitable for echocardiographic examination from the right side of the sternum1 . Echocardiographic recordings of the tricuspid valve often contain a thin linear echo complex deep to the valve which has, in the past, caused some confusion and resulted in the identification of this line as the ventricular septum. The purpose of this report is to identify this line as the atrial septum, based on correlations with known anatomy and by the use of intra-cardiac contrast injections, as well as to demonstrate its usefulness and application in various clinical settings. It confirms, in part, previous work done in this field in Japan2 .
Forkhead Box O (FoxO) Transcription Factors in Autophagy, Metabolic Health, and Tissue Homeostasis

As transcription factors, the forkhead box O family proteins control the expression of genes that are involved in the regulation of autophagy and metabolism. The FoxO–autophagy axis has been shown to mediate cell differentiation and tissue development. Dysregulated FoxO activity may compromise tissue development and homeostasis, concomitant with metabolic abnormalities across tissues such as liver, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and heart. In this chapter, we discuss the mechanism or pathways of FoxO transcription factors regulating autophagy and tissue integrity, and the FoxO–autophagy axis in cellular metabolism and fate determination. The evidence summarized here suggests that targeting the FoxO–autophagy axis may lead to therapeutic options for metabolic derangements and cell or tissue dysfunction.
Cross-environment activity recognition using a shared semantic vocabulary

Abstract Effectively recognizing activities in smart environments requires either matching sensors to semantic models or labeled training data from the target environment for machine learning. Combining knowledge-driven and data-driven approaches improves activity recognition (AR) by providing the benefits of each while also mitigating their challenges. In this paper we present the Semantic Cross-Environment Activity Recognition (SCEAR) system which is a novel method for creating semantic feature spaces and enables data-driven AR systems to transfer AR models across environments. We evaluate SCEAR using 22 datasets from real-world smart environments. Transferred model performance is compared to models trained in the target environment and shown to provide a 39% average per-class improvement.
Seasonal Variation in the Leaf Essential Oil Composition of Sassafras Albidum

The seasonal variation in the chemical composition of the leaf essential oil of Sassafras albidum has been analyzed by GC-MS. Three individual trees were sampled four times during the course of the...
On three-dimensional asymptotic solution, and applicability of Saint–Venant’s principle to pie-shaped wedge and end face (of a semi-infinite plate) boundary value problems

Abstract Three-dimensional asymptotic singular stress fields near the fronts of infinite wedges are presented. This investigation is devoted to establishment of rigorous conditions as to whether the presence of wedge or end face stress singularity, which depends on the prescribed boundary condition, can validate or invalidate the heuristic assumption implicit in Saint–Venant’s principle. This is accomplished by applying a general approach to the solution of canonically singular problems, based on the concept of proper boundary-value problem, the theorem of homogeneous solutions, and classification of boundary value problems (BVP) of three-dimensional elasticity theory into class S (Saint–Venant) or class N (non-Saint–Venant).
Evolution of herbivory remodels a Drosophila genome

ABSTRACT One-quarter of extant Eukaryotic species are herbivorous insects, yet the genomic basis of this extraordinary adaptive radiation is unclear. Recently-derived herbivorous species hold promise for understanding how colonization of living plant tissues shaped the evolution of herbivore genomes. Here, we characterized exceptional patterns of evolution coupled with a recent ( SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The origin of land plants >400 million years ago (mya) spurred the diversification of plant-feeding (herbivorous) insects and triggered an ongoing chemical co-evolutionary arms race. Because ancestors of most herbivorous insects first colonized plants >200 mya, the sands of time have buried evidence of how their genomes changed with their diet. We leveraged the serendipitous intersection of two genetic model systems: a close relative of yeast-feeding fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), the “wasabi fly” (Scaptomyza flava), that evolved to consume mustard plants including Arabidopsis thaliana. The yeast-to-mustard dietary transition remodeled the fly’s gene repertoire for sensing and detoxifying chemicals. Although many genes were lost, some underwent duplications that encode the most efficient detoxifying enzymes against mustard oils known from animals.
Acorn: Aggressive Result Caching in Distributed Data Processing Frameworks

Result caching is crucial to the performance of data processing systems, but two trends complicate its use. First, immutable datasets make it difficult to efficiently employ powerful result caching techniques like predicate analysis, since predicate analysis typically requires optimized query plans but generating those plans can be costly with data immutability. Second, increased support for user-defined functions (UDFs), which are treated as black boxes by query engines, hinders aggressive result caching. This paper overcomes these problems by introducing 1) a judicious adaptation of predicate analysis on analyzed query plans that avoids unnecessary query optimization, and 2) a UDF translator that transparently compiles UDFs from general purpose languages into native equivalents. We then present Acorn, a concrete implementation of these techniques in Spark SQL that provides speedups of up to 5x across multiple benchmark and real Spark graph processing workloads.
A new role for Balint groups in overcoming professional isolation and loneliness

Since its formal designation as a specialty in 1969, family medicine has embraced the concept of education in the doctor–patient relationship grounded in the principles of continuity and comprehens...
The Law of Equal Retinal Position with Equal Fixation Position

From the rule of eye movement described above it follows that every specific position of the fixation point in bifixation space corresponds to a quite specific state of contraction of specific eye muscle groups, which always occurs when the fixation of the double eye comes to Lie on the same point of the fixation space. So, if the gaze rests on a point A to the right and above in the far distance, for instance, a given shortening of the raisers and right-turners will be necessary to hold fixation there. This shortening will always occur to exactly the same degree whenever fixation returns to point A with unchanged head position after any deviation. At the same time, all other eye muscles will always show the same conditions of passive tension as long as their elastic forces are not somehow changed. Thus all other forces working on the eyeball will also be the same and will work in the same directions. It follows that not only the line of sight but also every other point of the eyeball and the retina (which is of special interest to us here) will always have the same position. Briefly, the cyclorotary orientation of the eyes will be a single valued function of the fixation position.
Maternal incarceration trajectories and the intergenerational transmission of imprisonment: A nationwide study

Abstract While children with maternal incarceration experiences have substantially higher rates of criminal justice involvement than children without maternal incarceration experiences, research on the association between maternal imprisonment and children’s criminal justice involvement reveals divergent findings. The inconsistencies are potentially attributable to the widespread use of a dichotomized maternal incarceration measure that masks different experiences across samples. This study used incarceration trajectories over the life course to determine the nature and array of maternal imprisonment histories associated with intergenerational incarceration. Using the Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities dataset (N = 881), we conducted logistic regression to examine the relationship between maternal incarceration trajectories and children’s risk of imprisonment. Findings suggested that children whose mothers followed the young-adulthood-peak trajectory had higher odds of being incarcerated than children whose mothers followed the moderate declining path. Moreover, the mother’s experiences of sexual abuse and juvenile justice involvement were significantly associated with intergenerational incarceration. This study suggests the need to use comprehensive longitudinal maternal incarceration measures to understand its consequences. Rehabilitative rather than punishment-oriented interventions for mothers may lower the odds od intergenerational incarceration. Prevention programs that target the unique challenges od mothers following the young-adulthood-peak trajectory may also interrupt intergenerational imprisonment. Moreover, criminal justice reform should consider systematic racism and socioeconomic inequalities to reduce the criminal justice involvement of children from disadvantaged communities in the US.
Childhood exposure to polluted neighborhood environments and intergenerational income mobility, teenage birth, and incarceration in the USA

This paper joins a growing body of research linking measures of the physical environment to population well-being, with a focus on neighborhood toxins. Extending a national database on the social mobility of American children growing up in over 70,000 Census tracts, we explore the association between childhood exposure to two forms of pollutants and three socioeconomic outcomes for African Americans, whites, and Latinos. We find that children who grew up in Census tracts with higher levels of traffic-related air pollution and housing-derived lead risk experienced lower adult incomes on average relative to their parents and higher likelihoods of being incarcerated as an adult or having children as teenagers, after controlling for standard socio-demographic characteristics and metropolitan-level effects. The spatial distribution of these two pollutants is surprisingly different, however, with air pollution varying mostly between regions of the country while lead risk varies dramatically between neighborhoods within the same city. Yet, each pollutant predicts the three aspects of social mobility similarly, and we show important disparities in exposure by race. Differential exposure to environmental toxins in childhood may be a contributor to racial inequality in socioeconomic outcomes among adults.
Molecular dynamics simulation of evolution of nanostructures and functional groups in glassy carbon under pyrolysis

Abstract With the continued and sustained growth of the field of carbon MEMS (C-MEMS) in several application areas, there is a corresponding increased and renewed interest in understanding the exact molecular structure of the ensuing glassy carbon (GC) material and, therefore, potential to engineer some of its key characteristics. Associated with that interest, the effects of key process parameters like temperature ramping, holding and cooling times on carbonization, the final nanostructures and – importantly – on the nature and distribution of functional groups remain to be of significant research importance to the GC community. While recent in-situ imaging approaches during the synthesis process have opened up opportunities for better understanding of these nanostructures, the 2D nature of the approaches, however, had introduced significant barriers. In this paper, therefore, we present a simulation-based approach using reactive molecular dynamics (MD) where we model the synthesis process and investigate in detail (i) the intermediate and final stages of carbonization with particular focus on GC nanostructures and (ii) formation of functional groups and the processes and parameters that drive their evolution. Our simulation captured the pyrolysis-driven synthesis process where the polymer structure degraded followed by increased carbonization and formation of flakes of 3-, 4-, membered carbon rings that further grew into graphene-type 6-member carbon rings as well as 5- and 7-member rings. These eventually evolved into a complex multi-layer 3D nanostructure consisting of connected but distinct zones of (a) dominant cage-like tubular components and (b) long chains of flat graphene-like parts rich with functional groups. Taken together, the MD simulations demonstrate that (i) holding time at the maximum temperature has the most significant effect in the formation of complex cage-like 3D nanostructures with stacked layers, (ii) the closed cage-like zones have crystallite diameter (La) in the range of 3.2 A - 9.5 A with clear and well-defined curved and stacked graphene-like sheets of stacking thickness (Lc) = 3.0 A - 3.3 A, (iii) carbonyl, ether, epoxide, hydroxyl, and alkyne groups form predominately on the edges of flat components of GC where abundant non-6 membered rings, dangling bonds, long sp carbon chains, and intermediate structures exist, and to a lesser extent on edges of vacancy defects inside cage-like zones.
Chapter 30. Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the inorganic aspects of physiological and medicinal chemistry and with the practical use of inorganic chemistry by organic chemists as a “tool” in the laboratory. The crown ethers, the cryptate or “football” ligands, and the antibiotics valinomycin, gramicidin-A, nigcricin, X-537A, monesin, enniatin B, nonactin, monactin, dinactin, and trinactin, all have the ability to form strong complexes with some specific cations and others such as NH + , silver(I), and thallous ion. They all possess or can fold up to form a large ring of 14 or more members including a more or less symmetrical arrangement of –CO–, –NH–, –O–, or –S– groups in the ring, which serve to bond to the metal. The x-ray structures of many of these and related complexes have been reported. The crown ligands hold considerable promise for use with Grignard and alkyllithium reagents for use in nonaqueous electrochemistry and for use in modifying dissolving metal reductions. In the simplest experimental systems, valinomycin and nigericin transport potassium ions across a chloroform barrier in the bottom of U-tube in response to a potassium ion concentration differential between aqueous layers in the arms of the U-tube.
Effects of Age and Training on World Wide Web Navigation Strategies

The present study examined the effects of age and type of training on efficiency and preferences in a World Wide Web search activity. Older and younger participants received a hands-on Web navigati...
Linker insertion mutagenesis of Drosophila topoisomerase II. Probing the structure of eukaryotic topoisomerase II.

Abstract The sequences of all type II DNA topoisomerases, and possibly some of their key structural features, are conserved. The N-terminal and middle regions of the eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase II are homologous to the bacterial gyrase subunits B and A, respectively, and the hydrophilic C-terminal region is more divergent among these enzymes. To gain further insights into the structure of eukaryotic topoisomerase II, we constructed 23 linker insertion mutants of Drosophila DNA topoisomerase II. These mutant proteins were expressed in a heterologous yeast system, in which we have previously demonstrated that Drosophila DNA topoisomerase II could he functionally expressed and complement yeast top2 mutations. The linker insertion mutants were characterized genetically by testing for complementation of yeast, top213 mutation at the non-permissive temperature and complementation of yeast top2 null mutation using a color sector assay. We also partially purified the mutant proteins and examined their enzymatic activity by unknotting the P4 knotted DNA. There appears to be a good correlation between the in vivo and in vitro activities. There are nine fully active, six partially active, and eight negative linker insertion mutants. All five linker insertion mutants in the C-terminal region are active and two linker insertion mutants located in the junction of the two regions homologous to gyrB/gyrA subunits are also active. In addition, we also mapped the trypsin-sensitive sites in Drosophila DNA topoisomerase II. The C-terminal region is extremely sensitive to trypsin digestion. Another major trypsin-sensitive site is located between Lys406 and Thr407, which is near the protease sites also observed in the bacterial gyrB subunit and yeast topoisomerase II. We discuss the possible structural and functional implications of these results.
Loosely Coupled Transformer Structure and Interoperability Study for EV Wireless Charging Systems

As the wireless power transfer (WPT) technology has been proved to be a convenient and reliable charging method to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles, the loosely coupled transformer structure and size are the primary and fundamental concern to design an efficient WPT system. In this paper, a double D (DD) coil and a unipolar coil are selected to conduct the study. We focus on the coil structure design to achieve the maximum coupling coefficient as well as efficiency with two situations: 1) with no misalignment, and 2) with a 75-mm door-to-door and 100-mm front-to-back misalignment at which the maximum operating capability can still be achieved. A coil size optimization process is proposed for both the DD coil and the unipolar coil configurations. The relationship between the size of the secondary (receiving) coil, which determines the weight of the pad on the vehicle, and achievable maximum efficiency is studied for both coil topologies. The interoperability between the two coil topologies is studied. The proposed transformer structures with aluminum shielding meet human exposure regulations of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines as a foundation. Finally, experiments validated the analyses.
Domestic Violence, Gun Possession, and the Importance of Context

Context is everything. A federal law prohibits those convicted of committing an act of domestic violence from possessing weapons. This term, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that this statute would apply even to those convicted of crimes that did not necessarily involve violent acts. This conclusion strains the ordinary meaning of language, but is quite consistent with a long tradition in criminal cases that favors a pro-government interpretation of a statute when the public welfare is at stake. And domestic violence, Justice Sotomayor stressed in her opinion, has reached epidemic levels, prompting Congress to get guns out of the hands of abusers. Congress in 1996 expanded existing felon-in-possession laws that forbid the possession of a firearm, or any commerce involving a firearm, by any person who has committed a “misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.” The statute defines such a misdemeanor as one involving “the use or attempted use of physical force” against a spouse, child, or similarly situated person. The Supreme Court’s opinion this term in United States v. Castleman concluded that even a misdemeanor involving only an “offensive touching” was sufficient to trigger the prohibition. Viewed entirely through the lens of the statute, this result is particularly surprising. Just four years ago, the Supreme Court interpreted another provision of this same statute and concluded that something more than a mere unwanted touching was required to satisfy the requirement of “physical force.” In 2010, the Court in Johnson v. United States interpreted another federal provision forbidding firearm possession by those with criminal records. Johnson considered whether a simple battery conviction was sufficient to enhance a defendant’s sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). The enhancement applied if a defendant possessed a firearm having previously committed three “violent felonies,” which were defined as “any crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year” that “has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another . . . .” The ACCA thus included the same “physical force” requirement as
Uppermost Devonian (Famennian) to Lower Mississippian events of the western U.S.: Stratigraphy, sedimentology, chemostratigraphy, and detrital zircon geochronology

Abstract Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian strata in Utah and Montana record global events through this important interval in Earth history. Late Famennian strata of the Beirdneau, Leatham, and Pilot Shale formations in Utah, and Three Forks and Sappington formations in Montana, record widespread deposition of generally fine-grained siliciclastic and carbonate strata. Integration of sedimentology, physical stratigraphy, chemostratigraphy, and published biostratigraphy allows for the recognition of important disconformities and regional stratigraphic patterns. These enable the reconstruction of uppermost Devonian to lowermost Mississippian depositional, tectonic, and eustatic history of the region. Carbon isotopic data allows for stratigraphic evaluation of the presence and absence of global bioevents of the Late Devonian, including the Annulata, Dasberg, and Hangenberg events, some of which are clearly recorded in hinterland deposits to the east in Colorado. While the Devonian–Mississippian boundary is also missing in our sections, a significant positive shift in δ13Ccarb in Lower Mississippian strata in Utah and Montana represents one of the largest positive δ13Ccarb isotope excursions of the Phanerozoic, linked to drawdown of atmospheric CO2 and glaciation in the Kinderhookian. Detrital zircon spectra from latest Devonian to Early Mississippian strata of Utah and Colorado include populations representing derivation from the Mazatzal and Yavapai provinces, Middle Proterozoic anorogenic granite bodies, and a small influx of Grenville and presumed Appalachian–Caledonian grains. Minor Paleoproterozoic and Late Archean peaks in Utah are likely multiple generation grains originally derived from the Peace River Arch of northwestern Canada and recycled in Ordovician rocks of Nevada. These patterns in detrital zircon geochronological data reflect, in part, changes in sediment dispersal patterns due to tectonic and eustastic variability within the Antler foreland basin during the Devonian–Mississippian boundary interval. This variability also led to irregular spatial patterns of unconformity development, as well as complicated physical stratigraphic and chemostratigraphic architecture.
New Developments in the Science of Learning: Using Research to Help Students Learn Science and Mathematics

Abstract Researchers in cognitive science are producing exciting new knowledge about how the human brain functions and how people acquire knowledge and develop understanding. At the same time, educators and policy makers are working hard to reform science and mathematics education around high standards for student learning. The interaction of these two trends has made it possible and desirable to design science curricula and instructional practices grounded in solid research about how people learn. The ultimate success of these advances depends on whether they will produce change in real learning environments. The series of papers in this special issue represent some of the best current thinking about how to accomplish that goal. Four papers (Carey, Miller, Gelman, and Schauble & Lehrer) present a range of developmental issues that are involved in effective learning. They discuss the facilitation of symbolic cognitive representation that is needed for science and mathematics. Two papers (Dunbar and Bransford et al.) identify and discuss issues of expertise and experts' learning and the supporting environments that enable scientific thinking. A set of three papers on tertiary learning (Redish, Chapman, and Larkin) round out the discussion of the development of students' scientific reasoning. A set of commentaries (Simon, Glaser, and Shulman) on the growth of scientific thought conclude the discussion.
Drug-drug interaction prediction: a Bayesian meta-analysis approach.

In drug–drug interaction (DDI) research, a two drug interaction is usually predicted by individual drug pharmacokinetics (PK). Although subject-specific drug concentration data from clinical PK studies on inhibitor/inducer or substrate's PK are not usually published, sample mean plasma drug concentrations and their standard deviations have been routinely reported. In this paper, an innovative DDI prediction method based on a three-level hierarchical Bayesian meta-analysis model is developed. The first level model is a study-specific sample mean model; the second level model is a random effect model connecting different PK studies; and all priors of PK parameters are specified in the third level model. A Monte Carlo Markov chain (MCMC) PK parameter estimation procedure is developed, and DDI prediction for a future study is conducted based on the PK models of two drugs and posterior distributions of the PK parameters. The performance of Bayesian meta-analysis in DDI prediction is demonstrated through a ketoconazole–midazolam example. The biases of DDI prediction are evaluated through statistical simulation studies. The DDI marker, ratio of area under the concentration curves, is predicted with little bias (less than 5 per cent), and its 90 per cent credible interval coverage rate is close to the nominal level. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to justify prior distribution selections. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Yelp Events: Making Bricks Without Clay?

Review based geosocial networks are online social networks centered on the location of venues and users as well as on reviews left by users for visited venues. The popularity and impact of reviews makes them an ideal tool for influencing public opinion. In this paper we study the effects of Yelp Elite events, organized for the benefit of Elite reviewers, on the image of the hosting venues. To this end, we introduce tools for identifying venues receiving abnormally large numbers of reviews in a short time and use them to detect correlations between events and hosting venues. We have implemented a browser plugin that makes users aware of Yelp event manipulations. We use data we collected from Yelp to show that Elite events have a noticeable short-term impact on the rating of hosting venues.
Biosynthesis of tunicamycin and metabolic origin of the 11-carbon dialdose sugar, tunicamine.

Abstract Tunicamycin is a reversible inhibitor of polyprenol-phosphate: N-acetylhexosamine-1-phosphate translocases and is produced by several Streptomycesspecies. We have examined tunicamycin biosynthesis, an important but poorly characterized biosynthetic pathway. Biosynthetic precursors have been identified by incorporating radioactive and stable isotopes, and by determining the labeling pattern using electrospray ionization-collision induced dissociation-mass spectrometry (ESI-CID-MS), and proton, deuterium, and C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Preparation and analysis of [uracil-5-2H]-labeled tunicamycin established the complete ESI-CID-MS fragmentation pathway for the major components of the tunicamycin complex. Competitive metabolic experiments indicate that 7 deuteriums incorporate into tunicamycin from [6,6′-2H,2H]-labeled d-glucose, 6 of which arise from d-GlcNAc and 1 from uridine and/ord-ribose. Inverse correlation NMR experiments (heteronuclear single-quantum coherence (HSQC)) of13C-labeled tunicamycin enriched fromd-[1-13C]glucose suggest that the unique tunicamine 11-carbon dialdose sugar backbone arises from a 5-carbon furanose precursor derived from uridine and a 6-carbonN-acetylamino-pyranose precursor derived from UDP-d-N-acetylglucosamine. The equivalent incorporation of 13C into both the α-1′′ and β-11′ anomeric carbons of tunicamycin supports a direct biosynthesis via 6-carbon metabolism. It also indicates that the tunicamine motif and the α-1′′-linked GlcNAc residue are both derived from the same metabolic pool of UDP-GlcNAc, without significant differential metabolic processing. A biosynthetic pathway is therefore proposed for tunicamycin for the first time: an initial formation of the 11-carbon tunicamine sugar motif from uridine and UDP-GlcNAc via uridine-5′-aldehyde and UDP-4-keto-6-ene-N-acetylhexosamine, respectively, and subsequent formation of the anomeric-to-anomeric α, β-1′′,11′-glycosidic bond.
Factors associated with early extubation after cardiac surgery in young children.

Objective Children undergoing congenital heart surgery require mechanical ventilation. We sought to identify pre- and intraoperative factors (PrO, IO) associated with successful early extubation Design and patients We performed a retrospective chart review of children Setting Pediatric intensive care unit in a children's hospital. Measurements Generalized Estimating Equation models were fit to assess the association between PrO and IO and early extubation while accounting for the correlation between surgeries performed on the same patient. Estimated odds ratios (EOR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Multivariable models were constructed using a forward selection process with inclusion criteria of p Results A total of 203 children underwent 219 surgeries; 103 (47%) children were extubated in 6 months (EOR, 6.1), absence of pulmonary hypertension (EOR, 9.1), gestational age >36 wks (EOR, 4.6), and absence of congestive heart failure (EOR, 2.4). IO variables were less likely to be associated with successful early extubation. Our model of PrO variables with multiple factors showed that presence of two factors was associated with an EOR of 4.2 for successful early extubation compared with children with zero or one factor. Presence of three and four factors was associated with an EOR of 18.0 and 76.5, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for this model is 0.816. Incision type, complex vs. simple procedure, and palliative vs. complete repair were not associated with success of early extubation. Conclusions Early extubation is possible in many very young children undergoing congenital heart surgery, with a low rate of failed extubation. The model would be improved by prospective validation with larger numbers at multiple institutions.
Gender identity and the self: I. Gender formation in general and in masculinity.

The question of the origins and vicissitudes of gender identity has been actively debated in the wake of the demise of the classical freudian formulations on sexual differentiation. Subsequently, the issues related to the development and expression of gender identity have been much discussed, with the result that our thinking about such matters has undergone significant change and we can at least persuade ourselves that we may be drawing closer to a more comprehensive and meaningful understanding of what is involved in such questions for both sexes. My purpose in this article is to try to bring some greater degree of organization and synthesis to our understanding of sexual aspects of personality functioning and to integrate this with a psychoanalytically meaningful concept of the self. In this first article I discuss some general issues pertaining to gender formation and then review developmental findings and differences related to the formation and characteristics of masculine gender identity. In the following article in this journal issue (Meissner, S.J., 2005) I review similar findings with respect to feminine and homosexual gender identity, and then attempt to integrate these understandings of gender identity with a more encompassing view of the self as synonymous with the human person, that is, of the self as an embodied and heterogeneously structured unity. My objective is to propose a more comprehensive theory of the self that makes sense in terms of psychoanalytic understanding and contributes to closing the gap between the analytic view of sexuality and the structure and functioning of the self.
Picture Processing Techniques for Interpreting Experimental Data

This paper describes the use of AI methods (in particular, rule-based and syntactic pattern recognition techniques) for signal and image interpretation. Our intention is to show how such techniques can be integrated into a research methodology for data-reduction and interpretation of massive experimental data resulting from laser relaxometry of crytallization processes. This practical example will be discussed, by first introducing the problem and then showing how artificial intelligence, in con junction with pattern-recognition techniques, were used to find solutions.
α-Tocopherol (vitamin E) stimulates cyclic AMP production in human peripheral mononuclear cells and alters immune function

α-Tocopherol, the most biologically active member of the vitamin E family of fat soluble compounds, exhibits both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Here, we show that, unlike other antioxidants, α-tocopherol stimulates the production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Inhibitor studies demonstrate that the prostaglandin EP2 and EP4 receptors and adenylyl cyclases mediate the effects of α-tocopherol on cAMP production. Additionally, we show that α-tocopherol attenuates pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production. This study provides novel evidence that α-tocopherol stimulates cAMP signaling, suggesting a mechanism of action for the immunomodulatory effects of vitamin E.
Universal critical-point amplitudes in parallel-plate geometries.

In a critical system contained between parallel plates, it is known that the magnetization and energy density profiles close to one wall are modified due to the presence of the other wall. In addition, there is a long-range force between the walls. It is shown that the ratios of the ampiltudes governing these effects are universal, and moreover, independent of the boundary conditions at either wall. Their values are proportional to the scaling dimension of the density under consideration. Results are also given for the effects of local curvature of the wall on the density profiles. These results are shown to be a consequence of the conformal invariance of the critical system.
The Psychiatry of Entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship represents among the most complex of human mental activities, requiring a multitude of higher orders of functioning, such as motivation, endurance, resiliency, confidence, intelligence, leadership, agility, creativity, and innovation. Entrepreneurs envision in their minds the possibility of a future state, and work to actualize that vision into reality. The economist Joseph Schumpeter provided key contributions to entrepreneurship theory which are still applicable today, when he introduced two fundamental ideas: that innovation drives the growth of economies and of capital markets, and the person responsible for this innovation is the entrepreneur [1]. These Schumpeterian qualities of starting a venture by innovating and having the desire to grow serve as the distinguishing characteristics that identify an entrepreneur, in contrast to those individuals who work in already-established businesses or in self-employment settings where there are no plans for scalability [2]. The rise of the Internet in the 1990s followed by the evolution in the 2000s of the next wave of innovations including mobile technology, social networking, and cloud computing has created new frontiers at the interface of health and entrepreneurial activity. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2013 United States Report estimates that in 2013, there were 25 million Americans starting up or working in new businesses, with about 13 % of the US working population doing these activities [3]. Entrepreneurship is generally recognized on the global scale as being central to the development and sustainability of economic prosperity, geopolitical stability, and improved standards of living. Understanding the mental health challenges in entrepreneurship can promote wellness both at the individual level and also grow alongside the ventures to have societal impact far beyond the scale of any single person.
Exploring the relationship between essential tremor and Parkinson's disease

Although essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are considered distinct disorders, there is overlap in some clinical features. In some PD patients, a long-standing postural tremor in the hands may precede the onset of parkinsonian features by several years or decades. Furthermore, large families with both ET and PD phenotypes have been described and autopsy studies have demonstrated Lewy body pathology in brains of ET patients. Functional neuroimaging suggests that some ET patients have dopaminergic deficit. We examine here the evidence for and against an association between ET and PD, and critically review data supporting the notion that a subset of ET patients is predisposed to developing PD.
Combination chemotherapy with bis chloroethyl nitrosourea (BCNU), vincristine and dimethyl triazeno imidazole carboxamide (DTIC) in disseminated malignant melanoma

One hundred thirty two patients with disseminated malignant melanoma were treated using a combination of BCNU, vincristine and imidazole carboxamide. A response rate of 23% was observed, while 16% had stable disease. The patients' median survival was 42 months from diagnosis and 5.3 months from the onset of treatment. These results are not significantly different from therapy with imidazole carboxamide alone. Patients on this study were observed to have a significant reduction in the number of lymphocytes in their peripheral blood (mean 1800/mm3, median 1550/mm3). Patients with lymphopenia prior to the onset of therapy (86%) had a similar response rate but a shorter median survival (4.4 months vs. 7.8 months, P = .03) than patients with normal lymphocyte levels. These findings are compatible with recent observations on the importance of host immunocompetence in patients with malignant melanoma. Eosinophil levels were not closely correlated with response, although among patients with eosinophil counts of greater than 300/mm3 (22%), a slightly higher response rate (29%) was observed (P = .13). Eosinophilia did not influence patient survival.
A stochastic training algorithm for artificial neural networks

Abstract Random optimization methods typically use Gaussian probability density functions (PDFs) to generate random search vectors. In this paper the random search technique is modified to dynamically seek out the optimal probability density function (OPDF) from which to select the search vector. To this end, the optimization problem is posed as an integral, and the theory of Monte Carlo importance function biasing is applied to determine the theoretical OPDF from which to select changes in the parameters to be optimized. The approach updates its estimate of the OPDF as more information is gained during each training cycle. The dynamic OPDF search process, combined with an adaptive stratified sampling technique, completes the modifications of the basic method. The approach is applied to layered artificial neural networks of generalized, fully interconnected, continuous perceptions and is benchmarked against the backpropagation training method.
A sparse Bayesian learning based approach to Inferring Gene Regulatory Networks

Inferring Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) from high-throughput experimental data is an important problem in Systems Biology. In this paper we present a new algorithm for the task. Our algorithm is based on a sparse Bayesian learning framework and works well with steady state gene expression data. To evaluate its performance, we compare our algorithm with two state of the art algorithms on multiple synthetic datasets. A comparison of the results shows that our approach is competitive with these two methods on small-sized networks. The paucity and noisy nature of experimental data remains an obstacle to further progress.