cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamically inferring temporal properties

Model checking requires a specification of the target system's desirable properties, some of which are temporal. Formulating a temporal property of the system based on either its abstract model or implementation requires a deep understanding of its behavior and sophisticated knowledge of the chosen formalism. This has been a major impediment to documenting and verifying temporal properties. We propose a dynamic approach to automatically infer a program's temporal properties based on a set of property pattern templates. We describe a preliminary implementation of this approach, and report on our experience using it to discover interesting temporal properties of a small program.
Radiation from slot antennas on cones

Integral representations are given for the radiation field from slots on the surface of a semi-infinite conducting cone. The corresponding normal mode representations for delta function circumferential slots are evaluated numerically for various cone angles, slot positions, and azimuthal variations. Experimentally measured patterns for two finite models are reported and compared with the semi-infinite cone theory. In particular, effects due to finite cone length and finite tip radius are discussed.
Selenium and non-selenium glutathione peroxidase activities in selected ocular and non-ocular rat tissues.

Abstract Selenium (Se)-glutathione peroxidase activities were measured using H 2 O 2 as a substrate in retina, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), lens, brain, liver and testes from rats either deficient or supplemented with vitamin E and selenium for 20–30 weeks. In the supplemented rats, the RPE was found to be particularly rich in Se-glutathione peroxidase activity, being second only to liver in specific enzyme activity. Non-Se-glutathione peroxidase activities were also estimated in the same tissues utilizing an organic hydroperoxide substrate. Except for the retina and testes, only the Se-glutathione peroxidase activity could be detected to any significant extent in tissues from rats fed the supplemented diet. In rats fed the deficient diet there is a large decrease in the Se-enzyme activity for all tissues examined except brain. Except for brain and perhaps testes, tissues from deficient rats also show an increase in the fraction of non-Se-enzyme activity contributed to total glutathione peroxidase activity. For RPE and testes, the ratio of non-Se-enzyme activity to Se-enzyme activity is estimated to be about one-tenth the ratio found in other tissues examined in the deficient rats. In a previous publication ( Katz, Stone and Dratz, 1978 ) we have shown that RPE and testes from vitamin E and Se deficient rats are particularly sensitive to the accumulation of a yellow autofluorescent pigment which is thought to be indicative of lipid peroxidation. Other retinal tissues, as well as brain and liver, accumulate much less of this pigment. The relatively low ratio of non-Se-enzyme to Se-enzyme activity observed in the RPE and testes of deficient rats may be related to the apparent susceptibility of these tissues to lipid peroxidation.
Resource Use of Soilborne Streptomyces Varies with Location, Phylogeny, and Nitrogen Amendment

In this study, we explore variation in resource use among Streptomyces in prairie soils. Resource use patterns were highly variable among Streptomyces isolates and were significantly related to location, phylogeny, and nitrogen (N) amendment history. Streptomyces populations from soils less than 1 m apart differed significantly in their ability to use resources, indicating that drivers of resource use phenotypes in soil are highly localized. Variation in resource use within Streptomyces genetic groups was significantly associated with the location from which Streptomyces were isolated, suggesting that resource use is adapted to local environments. Streptomyces from soils under long-term N amendment used fewer resources and grew less efficiently than those from non-amended soils, demonstrating that N amendment selects for Streptomyces with more limited catabolic capacities. Finally, resource use among Streptomyces populations was correlated with soil carbon content and Streptomyces population densities. We hypothesize that variation in resource use among Streptomyces reflects adaptation to local resource availability and competitive species interactions in soil and that N amendments alter selection for resource use phenotypes.
Testing for Trend in North Atlantic Hurricane Activity, 1900–98

Abstract The detection of a trend in hurricane activity in the North Atlantic basin has been restricted by the incompleteness of the record prior to 1946. In an earlier paper, the complete record of U.S. landfalling hurricanes was used to extend the period of analysis back to 1930. In this paper, a further extension is made back to 1900. In doing so, the assumption in the earlier paper of an exponential linear trend is relaxed and the trend is estimated nonparametrically. The results show no significant trend in basinwide hurricane activity over the period 1900–98.
Effect Size Does Matter: The Long Road to Mechanistic Insight From Genome-Wide Association.

In the last decade, several thousand genome-wide associations (GWAs) have been described, and the technique has proven to be a remarkably robust approach to the identification of common alleles that contribute to disease phenotypes.1 However, to date, few of these highly statistically significant associations have translated into mechanistic insights.2 This translational gap is a consequence of several factors, each of which is relevant to a variable extent for any specific association. Together they conspire to prevent a reproducible trajectory from genotype to phenotype. To some degree, the translational gap has been partly obscured by the tendency to associate GWA signals with neighboring genes whose presumed function makes them appealing as candidates.3 However, the very nature of the GWA approach and emerging data on the consequences of too rapid a jump to conclusions suggest that the ‘nearest gene’ and ‘nearest appealing gene’ strategies are unlikely to offer generalizable solutions.3 Article see p 1969 Perhaps the most obvious hurdle to establishing causality is the fact that in most instances, the effect sizes at individual loci are in the range of 1.1- to 1.2-fold changes in the prevalence of disease or the magnitude of a quantitative trait.1,2 Such small effect sizes are difficult to model in experimental systems in which typical biological noise cannot be overcome even with enormous sample sizes. In many instances in which putative biology has been inferred from the study of local genes, the published observations are a consequence of loss of function or overexpression of a candidate gene and may not in any way reflect the subtle biology of the locus. The GWA study design is an efficient means of detecting linkage disequilibrium but does not allow the definition of locus boundaries.2 Indeed, so-called fine mapping may facilitate the detection …
Calorie Restriction, Exercise, and Colon Cancer Prevention: A Mechanistic Perspective

The prevalence of obesity, an established epidemiologic risk factor for many cancers (including colon cancer), has risen steadily for the past several decades in the US. Particularly alarming are the increasing rates of obesity among children, portending continuing increases in the rates of obesity and obesity-related colon cancers for many years to come. Unfortunately, the mechanisms underlying the association between obesity and colon cancer are not well understood. In particular, the effects and mechanistic targets of interventions that modulate energy balance, such as reduced calorie diets and physical activity, on the colon carcinogenesis process have not been well characterized. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a strong foundation for future mechanism-based research in this area, with a focus on key physiologic processes and pathways underlying the colon cancer preventive effects of energy balance modulation. Clearly, no single pathway accounts for all of the effects of energy balance modulation on colon cancer, and components of the insulin/IGF-1/Akt and mTOR pathways, adipokine pathways, inflammatory pathways, and the sirtuin pathway have emerged as potential energy-responsive targets. Future studies that exploit the emerging mechanistic information to target energy balance-responsive pathways through combinations of lifestyle (particularly diet and physical activity) as well as pharmacologic approaches, will facilitate the translation of this research into effective colon cancer prevention and control strategies in humans.
Inflammatory and glandular skin disease in pregnancy

A switch from cell-mediated to humoral immunity (helper T 1 [Th1] to helper T 2 [Th2] shift) during gestation plays a key role in placental immune tolerance. As a result, skin diseases that are Th2 mediated often worsen, whereas skin diseases that are Th1 mediated often improve during gestation. Also, due to fluctuations in glandular activity, skin diseases involving sebaceous and eccrine glands may flare, whereas those involving apocrine glands may improve during pregnancy. Despite these trends, inflammatory and glandular skin diseases do not always follow the predicted pattern, and courses are often diverse. We review the gestational course of inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (atopic eruption of pregnancy), psoriasis, impetigo herpetiformis, urticaria, erythema annulare centrifugum, pityriasis rosea, sarcoidosis, Sweet syndrome, and erythema nodosum, as well as glandular skin diseases, including acne vulgaris, acne rosacea, perioral dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, Fox-Fordyce disease, hyperhidrosis, and miliaria. For each of these diseases, we discuss the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and management with special consideration for maternal and fetal safety.
Central respiratory modulation of medullary sympathoexcitatory neurons in rat

The central respiratory generator exerts a modulatory influence on sympathetic nerve discharge. In cats the sympathoexcitatory neurons of the rostroventrolateral medulla (RVL) exhibit central respiratory modulation as well. Because RVL sympathoexcitatory neurons are largely responsible for the maintenance of sympathetic vasomotor tone, it is likely that the modulation of these neurons accounts for the central respiratory modulation of sympathetic discharge. In the present study experiments were performed to characterize the pattern of respiratory modulation of lumbar sympathetic nerve discharge (LSND) in the halothane-anesthetized rat. Phrenic-triggered averaging of LSND exhibited a small depression coincident with the onset of the phrenic burst followed by a large peak that was coincident with the cessation of the phrenic burst. Phrenic-triggered histograms of the activity of RVL sympathoexcitatory neurons exhibited three patterns of central respiratory modulation: inspiratory depression (I), inspiratory peak (II), and early inspiratory depression followed by a postinspiratory peak (III), a pattern that was very similar to that seen in LSND. Both nerve recording and single-unit recording experiments were performed in vagotomized rats with or without intact barosensory afferents. A comparison of the results suggested that, in the rat, the baroreflex does not modify or contribute to the central respiratory modulation of sympathetic output. Finally, a comparison was made between presumed nonadrenergic pacemaker-like neurons and putative C1 adrenergic neurons in the RVL. No differences were found in the patterns of central respiratory modulation.
PRESERVATION OF TROPICAL WOOD-INHABITING BASIDIOMYCETES

The objective of this study was to develop a method to preserve tropical wood-inhabiting basid- iomycetes in a viable state for an extended period. Storage in water, lyophilization, and cryopreservation methods of preserving tropical wood-inhabiting bas- iomycotina were compared. When tropical mycelial isolates were stored in sterile distilled water, 57% sur- vived at 4 C for 2.5 mo; 92% of the isolates survived at 15 C for 10 mo. Bulbil-, clamydospore-, and conid- ium-forming fungi survived in cold water storage and maintained excellent viability for a decade. Vegetative hypha-, bulbil-, clamydospore-, and conidium-form- ing fungi survived cryopreservation using liquid ni- trogen vapor. Only basidiomycetes that formed bul- bils, chlamydospores, or conidia survived lyophiliza- tion. We conclude that the best method for long-term preservation of tropical fungi is cryopreservation by
The Development Studies of Perioperative Period Clinical Information System

So far the informatization construction in the hospital has been constantly deepened,and HIS system has been applied widely.In view of the particularity of armaria and workflow in operating room,lots of hospitals are badly in need of matched CIS of the perioperative care.This paper presents how to offer this system to hospitals in time,and introduces functions and practical value of this system with its current application in the operating rooms at Tianjin Children's Hospital.And then,this paper reveals the trend of CIS,kinds of practical problems and equivalent solutions.
A myriad of symptoms: new approaches to optimizing palliative care of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Overview:Patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (APC) require early and frequent palliative interventions to achieve optimal quality of life for the duration of illness. Evidence-based supportive...
Effect of Dietary Sodium Intake on Intracellular Calcium in Lymphocytes of Salt-Sensitive Hypertensive Patients

High dietary Na+ raises mean arterial pressure (MAP) by more than 10% in salt-sensitive (SS) patients with essential hypertension. To test whether the rise in MAP in these patients is caused by a Na(+)-linked increase in [Ca2+]i in vascular smooth muscle cells, we measured [Ca2+]i in the lymphocytes of 14 patients with essential hypertension kept on a Na+ intake of 20 mEq/day for 9 days, and 200-mEq/day for 14 days. Nifedipine gastrointestinal transport system (GITS) (30 mg/day) was given during the last 4 days of each diet. We isolated lymphocytes on Ficoll-Hypaque gradient and measured [Ca2+]i levels using Fura-2 fluorescent dye. During low Na+ intake, there was no difference in MAP (102 +/- 3.5 v 93 +/- 3.8 mm Hg) and in lymphocytes [Ca2+]i (80 +/- 3.0 v 87 +/- 5.4 nmol/L) between the seven salt-sensitive and the seven salt-resistant patients. During high Na+ intake, MAP (92 +/- 2.8 mm Hg) and [Ca2+]i (85 +/- 6.8 nmol/L) did not change in salt-resistant patients. On the contrary, MAP (115 +/- 3.4 mm Hg) and [Ca2+]i (130 +/- 11.1 nmol/L) increased significantly (P less than .01) in the salt-sensitive patients. Nifedipine did not significantly alter MAP and [Ca2+]i in both groups of patients during low Na+ and in salt-resistant patients during high Na+ intake. On the contrary, during high Na+ intake, nifedipine decreased significantly (P less than .01) both MAP (104 +/- 2.4 mm Hg) and [Ca2+]i (89 +/- 5.7 nmol/L) in salt-sensitive patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Chromosome abnormalities at onset of complete remission are associated with worse outcome in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and an abnormal karyotype at diagnosis: CALGB 8461 (Alliance)

Achievement of complete remission is essential for long-term survival of acute myeloid leukemia patients. We evaluated the prognostic significance of cytogenetics at complete remission in 258 adults with de novo acute myeloid leukemia and abnormal pre-treatment karyotypes, treated on Cancer and Leukemia Group B front-line studies, with cytogenetic data at onset of morphological complete remission. Thirty-two patients had abnormal karyotypes at time of initial complete remission. Of these, 28 had at least 1 abnormality identified pre-treatment, and 4 acute myeloid leukemia-related abnormalities not detected pre-treatment. Two hundred and twenty-six patients had normal remission karyotypes. Patients with abnormal remission karyotypes were older (P<0.001), had lower pre-treatment white blood counts (P=0.002) and blood blast percentages (P=0.004), were less often classified as Favorable and more often as Adverse among European LeukemiaNet Genetic Groups (P<0.001), and had shorter disease-free survival (median 0.6 vs. 0.9 years; P<0.001) and overall survival (median 1.2 vs. 2.2 years; P<0.001) than patients with normal remission karyotypes. Sixteen patients with normal remission karyotypes also harbored non-clonal abnormalities unrelated to pre-treatment karyotypes. They had shorter overall survival than 210 patients with only normal metaphases (P=0.04). Forty-eight patients with any clonal or non-clonal chromosome abnormality at complete remission had worse disease-free survival (median 0.6 vs. 1.0 years; P<0.001) and overall survival (median 1.2 vs. 2.5 years; P<0.001) than 210 patients with exclusively normal metaphases. In multivariable analyses, after adjustment for age, the presence of any remission abnormality was associated with shorter disease-free survival (P=0.03) and overall survival (P=0.01). We conclude that detection of any abnormality at complete remission is an adverse prognostic factor. (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: 00048958).
Secular Trend for Recumbent Length and Stature in the Fels Longitudinal Growth Study

A voluminous literature documents the secular trend in stature in the United States over the last century (see Meredith, 1963 and 1976 for a review). Many studies compare adult stature in representative groups a generation apart (Bakwin and McLaughlin, 1964; Damon, 1974). A smaller number of studies report changes in stature attained at a given point in the growing period. While most report increases in stature at whatever age is compared, the means by which the increased adult stature is attained remains uncertain. Some have found that length at birth is increasing, while others attribute the phenomenon to an earlier and larger adolescent growth spurt. In addition, there is some speculation in more recent studies that the secular increase in adult stature is at or near an end (Damon, 1974).
“Diversity matters” continued: student learning outcomes in communication

Diversity, privilege, and social justice have received a significant amount of attention in pedagogical research (Frey & Palmer, 2014; Hendrix, Jackson, & Warren, 2003; Hendrix & Wilson, 2014; Orbe...
Auto-detection of misconnected fibers in WSS based multi-degree ROADM

Two-degree ROADM can be upgraded to next generation dynamically reconfigurable multi-degree OADM using an Nx1 Wavelength Select Switch (WSS). WSS enables routing of selected wavelengths from a (local) degree to N (remote) degrees. In a typical multi-degree configuration, WSS sitting on individual degrees are connected back-to-back. This paper describes the design of a new protocol to run over an out-of-band OSC like channel established between a pair of WSS modules. This protocol creates a control channel between local degree (East or West) and a remote degree and enables detection of human errors in physical fibre connections among WSS modules. Using proposed protocol WSS module can detect various types of misconnections and in-turn can raise alarms to inform user about the same. This paper briefly discusses design of this protocol. A four degree configuration (N=2) is chosen for the ease of illustration.
Another look at the complex dilatation

We give a new proof of the existence part of the Measurable Riemann Mapping theorem using the Cartan–Kahler theory together with well known approximation results for quasiconformal mappings.
Discovery of an Exotic Population of Thereuonema tuberculata (Chilopoda:Scutigeromorpha), the Japanese House Centipede, in Ohio, U.S.A.

The introduced house centipede Scutigera coleoptera (L.) (Scutigeromorpha: Scutigeridae) is found throughout North America and is recognized as the only scutigeromorph in most of the United States and Canada. I report on the discovery of a population of the Japanese house centipede, Thereuonema tuberculata (Wood), from a military schoolhouse building in Ohio. Thereuonema tuberculata were collected for several years. Heightened scrutiny is called for on identifications of S. coleoptera throughout North America to differentiate this species from T. tuberculata.
Structure of 39Ar.

A spherical shell-model calculation of the odd- and even-parity states of /sup 39/Ar is made in a full sdpf model space. The calculation includes absolute binding energies and energy spectra, single-neutron spectroscopic factors, and electromagnetic and beta decay observables. Agreement with experiment is fairly good. Comparison is hampered by incomplete experimental knowledge and by the presence of low-lying intruder states.
Critical Issues for Carbon Fibers

Composite materials offer a major growth market for high performance fibers. It is the reinforcing fiber which gives the composite material its superior strength and stiffness. However, many of the reinforcing fibers have deficiencies which limit the performance of the final composite material. It is vital that these deficiencies be addressed in ongoing fiber research at university and industry research laboratories. To stimulate thought on needed research, a panel discussion of these critical issues for fibers was held at the NATO Advanced Study Institute on May, 19, 1989. This first panel discussion emphasized the problems with, and opportunities for, carbon fibers.
Risk and outcomes of pulmonary fungal infection after pediatric lung transplantation

Background Prospective studies to determine associated risk factors and related outcomes for pulmonary fungal infection (PFI) after pediatric lung transplant (PLT) are lacking. Methods NIH-sponsored Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation in Children enrolled PLT candidates, collecting data prospectively for 2 years post-transplant. Demographics, signs/symptoms, radiology, pathology and microbiology were collected. Analyses evaluated for PFI-related risks and outcomes. Results In 59 PLT, pre-transplant fungal colonization occurred in 6 donors and 15 recipients. Cystic fibrosis (CF) was associated with pre-transplant colonization (P < .01). Twenty-five (42%) PLT had 26 post-transplant colonizations (median = 67 days, range = 0-750 days) with Candida (13), Aspergillus (4), mold (6) or yeast (3). Post-PLT colonization was not associated with CF, age, or pre-PLT colonization. Thirteen PFIs occurred in 10 (17%) patients, 3 proven (Candida species) and 10 probable (Candida [3], Aspergillus [3], Penicillium [3], and mold [1]). Pulmonary fungal infection was preceded by post-PLT colonization with the same organism in 4 of 13 PFI, but post-PLT colonization did not predict subsequent PFI (P = .87). Older age at transplant was a risk for PFI (P < .01). No mortality was attributed to PFI. Prophylaxis use was not associated with decreased post-PLT colonization (P = .60) or PFI (P = .48). Conclusion In PLT, PFI and fungal colonization are common but without associated mortality. Post-PLT colonization did not predict PFI. Optimal prevention strategies require additional study.
Enabling Work-Efficiency for High Performance Vertex-Centric Graph Analytics on GPUs

Massive parallel processing power of GPUs has attracted researchers to develop iterative vertex-centric graph processing frameworks for GPUs. Enabling work-efficiency in these solutions, however, is not straightforward and comes at the cost of SIMD-inefficiency and load imbalance. This paper offers techniques that overcome these challenges when processing the graph on a GPU. For a SIMD-efficient kernel operation involving gathering of neighbors and performing reduction on them, we employ an effective task expansion strategy that avoids intra-warp thread underutilization. As recording vertex activeness requires additional data structures, to attenuate the graph storage overhead on limited GPU DRAM, we introduce vertex grouping as a technique that enables trade-off between memory consumption and the work efficiency in our solution. Our experiments show that these techniques provide up to 5.46x over the recently proposed WS-VR [4] framework over multiple algorithms and inputs.
The Effect of a Behavioral Weight-Loss Intervention on Depressive Symptoms Among Latino Immigrants in a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Evidence of whether behavioral weight-loss interventions reduce depressive symptoms among Latino immigrants is limited. The effect of a behavioral weight-loss intervention on depressive symptoms was assessed using data from a clinical trial among Latino immigrants. Participants were randomized to a usual care (UC) control (n = 41), case management (CM) alone (n = 84), or CM with community health worker support (CM+CHW) (n = 82). Generalized estimating equation models were used to compare the impact of each intervention with UC. Effect modification by poverty level was further investigated. Overall, treatment groups were not significantly associated with 24-month changes in CES-D scores. Among participants below the 100% federal poverty level (FPL), those randomized to CM+CHW had 24-month CES-D scores significantly lower (Β coefficient = 0.72; 95% CI 0.55–0.93) than those in UC (p = 0.01). A behavioral weight-loss intervention providing case management and support from a CHW reduced depressive symptoms among Latino immigrants below the 100% FPL.
DNA barcoding of stoneflies (Plecoptera) in a general genetics course

DNA Barcoding is a powerful molecular biology tool for the identification of species, analysis of gene flow from within and between populations and evaluating species concepts. The process can be i...
Perioperative Antibiotics for Clean Hand Surgery: A National Study

Purpose Given that surgical site infections remain a common performance metric in assessing the quality of health care, we hypothesized that prophylactic antibiotics are overutilized in soft tissue hand surgery when antimicrobials are not indicated. Methods We studied insurance claims from the Truven MarketScan Databases to identify patients who underwent 1 of 5 outpatient hand surgery procedures: open or endoscopic carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release, de Quervain release, and wrist ganglion excision between 2009 and 2015 (n = 305,946). Hospital payment claims for preoperative intravenous antibiotics and prescriptions filled for postoperative oral antibiotics were analyzed. We examined the rate and temporal trend of prophylactic antibiotics use and identified risk factors using multivariable logistic regression. We also calculated health care expenditures related to prophylaxis. Results Prior to surgery, 13.6% (2009–2015) of patients received prophylactic intravenous antibiotics and trend analysis showed a statistically significant increase from 2009 (10.6%) to 2015 (18.3%), an increase of 72.5%. Preoperative prophylaxis was used most often prior to trigger finger release (17.5%) and least often prior to endoscopic carpal tunnel release (11.2%). Younger age, male sex, lower income, and obese patients had higher odds of receiving antibiotics. The total charge of prophylactic antibiotics medication used in this study equaled $1.6 million. Conclusions In 2015, prophylactic intravenous antibiotics were administered to nearly 1 in 5 patients prior to clean soft tissue hand surgery. Although consensus guidelines indicate prophylaxis is not indicated, their use has increased steadily in the United States from 2009 to 2015. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic II.
Interaction analysis of propagating opening mode fractures with veins using the Discrete Element Method

Abstract Cemented natural fractures (veins) in shale formations generate mechanical heterogeneities which contribute to complex hydraulic fracture network development. Lee et al. (JGR, 2015) experimentally investigated the interaction of propagating tensile fractures with calcite-filled veins in Marcellus shale using Semi-Circular Bend (SCB) tests. In this study, we investigate those experimental results with three-dimensional Discrete Element Method (DEM) modeling to gain further insight in the fracture interaction processes that generate hydraulic fracture complexity. In addition, we quantified the length of fracture diversion distance to show the effect of vein properties, including approach angle, thickness, strength, stiffness, penetration length, on fracture diversion results. The numerical results compared well with the laboratory fracture diversion results. There is a tendency towards fracture diversion as the approach angle becomes smaller and more oblique to the propagating fracture plane. As the stiffness of the vein increased, the microcrack-related damage increased and the bond breakages extended longer to either side of the main fracture path. Samples with thicker veins and increasing penetration length showed a weaker vein response; the induced fracture propagated for a longer distance in veins before kinking back into the rock matrix. In addition, the numerical model confirmed that the opening mode fracture initiated from the notch tip and the intergranular bond failure created microcracks within the vein before the approaching fracture intersected the vein. The failure mode of the bonds between discrete elements in the vein was predominantly tensile mode rather than shear.
Swallowing and Secretion Management in Neuromuscular Disease

Neuromuscular disease frequently leads to dysphagia and difficulty managing secretions. Dysphagia may lead to medical complications, such as malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, and other pulmonary complications, as well as social isolation and reduced overall quality of life. This review provides an overview of dysphagia associated with neuromuscular disease in adults, along with a concise review of swallowing assessment and intervention options.
A renaissance for autologous transplantation in follicular lymphoma

Over the decades the management of patients with follicular lymphoma, the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, has oscillated between attempts at curative therapy, watchful waiting and minimal...
HYBRID SELECTION OF VIRAL mRNA USING cDNA CLONES OF INKOO VIRUS M GENE

Publisher Summary This chapter describes an experiment to purify bunyavirus messages by cloning Inkoo virus, a member of the California Encephalitis serogroup, and using these clones to hybrid select viral mRNA. In the experiment, nucleocapsid RNA, representing full length Plus and minus strands, was purified away from cellular RNA and viral mRNA in a 20–40% CsCl gradient. Nucleocapsid bands were harvested, phenol extracted, and denatured to give the complementary genome length templates used in first strand synthesis. At the completion of first strand synthesis, the mixture was treated with base to remove RNA and the remaining DNA allowed self-annealing. Potential Inkoo clones were identified as virus specific by dot-blot analysis. Viral segment specificity was determined by the nick translation of plasmids containing viral sequences and hybridization to purified virion RNA electrophoresed on a denaturing gel and transferred to nitrocellulose. Filters were washed and bound RNA eluted by freeze thawing. Recovered RNA was then visualized by gel electrophoresis or used to program a cell-free reticulocyte translation reaction.
Robust multi-objective learning with mentor feedback

We study decision making when each action is described by a set of objectives, all of which are to be maximized. During the training phase, we have access to the actions of an outside agent (“mentor”). In the test phase, our goal is to maximally improve upon the mentor’s (unobserved) actions across all objectives. We present an algorithm with a vanishing regret compared with the optimal possible improvement, and show that our regret bound is the best possible. The bound is independent of the number of actions, and scales only as the logarithm of the number of objectives.
Liver fat, serum triglycerides and visceral adipose tissue in insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant black men with NIDDM

Objective We investigated the relationship of liver fat to visceral adipose tissue, serum triglyceride levels and glucose disposal. Design Cross-sectional, prospective. Subjects 21 lean to moderately obese black NIDDM men (mean +/- s.d. age 48.9 +/- 9.4 years, body mass index 26.3 +/- 2.4, fasting plasma glucose 104 +/- 10 mg/dl, HBA1C 4.6 +/- 0.8% and body fat 26 +/- 6%) with no evidence of liver disease or alcohol abuse. Eleven were insulin-sensitive (glucose disposal > 5.5 mg/kg/min) and ten were insulin-resistant subjects during euglycemic insulin clamps. Measurements Body composition and liver density were determined by whole body computed tomography using 22 scans. Liver fat score was defined as 100 minus the absolute liver density. Glucose disposal was measured during 1 mU/kg/min euglycemic insulin clamp with 3-3H glucose. Results Visceral adipose tissue volume was 3.54 +/- 1.87 litres. The liver fat score was 48.8 +/- 5.0 (not in the range of clinical hepatic steatosis). Glucose disposal ranged from 2.5 to 8.1 mg/kg/min. The liver fat score was correlated with visceral/total adipose tissue ratio (r = 0.65, P = 0.001) and to fasting serum triglyceride levels (r = 0.47, P = 0.032). Fasting serum triglyceride levels were related to visceral adipose tissue (r = 0.52, P = 0.016). Liver fat was inversely related to glucose disposal (r = -0.42, 1 tail P = 0.036). Conclusions In non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, liver fat may contribute to insulin resistance and be a link between visceral adipose tissue mass and serum triglyceride levels.
Characterization and localization of in vivo phospholipid methylation in the hamster testis.

AbstractAlthough previous studies have demonstrated that phospholipid methylation occurs in the testis and may be involved in Leydig cell function, phospholipid methylation in spermatogenic cells has not been characterized. In this study we describe the occurrence, time course, and localization of phospholipid methylation in the hamster testis following intratesticular injection of radioactive methyl precursor. Adult and pubertal (seven day old) hamsters were injected intratesticularly with [3H-methyl]-methionine and sacrificed 10min. to 31 hours thereafter. The testes were then removed and homogenized or dispersed into cell suspensions. Spermatogenic cell and Leydig cell enriched preparations were isolated from the dispersed cell preparations using elutriation and Percoli gradient centrifugation and assayed for methylated phospholipids and proteins. These experiments demonstrated that 1) phospholipid methylation occurs in the hamster testis at a level seven-fold greater than protein methylation, 2) the i...
The Democratic Civil-Military Relations of Austerity: Thoughts about the Past and the Present

How do defense institutions adjust to reductions in budgets amid an epoch of upheaval? This process of demobilization and retrenchment takes place amid the intensification of partisan politics in Western democracies made more toxic by an economic crisis all too similar to the 1930s. For young U.S. officers this situation burst forth without precedent.
Novel Imaging Techniques in Cardiac Ion Channel Research

Light microscopy has long been at the forefront of biological research, perhaps most significantly in the form of fluorescence microscopy. This technique, paired with the ongoing discovery and synthesis of increasingly brilliant fluorophores, allows for visualization of the internal machinations of cells with molecular specificity. However, until recently, a persistent limitation of fluorescence microscopy—the diffraction of visible light—has restricted elucidation of the subcellular organization and localization of molecules to spatial resolutions of 200–300 nanometers. The invention and implementation of several super-resolution fluorescence microscopies (SRFMs) over the last 10 years have circumvented this diffraction limit and allowed up to tenfold improvements in resolution. Applications of SRFM in cardiology research have already illuminated aspects of the cardiac nanoscale architecture which were previously unobservable, opening the door for new avenues of research. These discoveries include the sub-diffraction structure of the intercalated disk, the t-tubular network, and excitation-contraction coupling. In this chapter we will review SRFM methodologies, present some examples of their successful application in cardiac research, and discuss the techniques’ advantages, ongoing challenges, and future potential.
Engineering case reports: evaluation of a local exhaust ventilation system for controlling exposures during liquid flavoring production.

In May, 2000, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigated a cluster of eight cases of the rare lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) among individuals workin...
To Prepare Patients Better: Reimagining Advance Care Planning.

Forty-five million Americans live with one or more serious illnesses, many of which are life-limiting and marked by functional decline. Family physicians play a pivotal role in the care of these patients through their deep, longitudinal relationships.
Enhanced Efficiency Liquid Nitrogen Fertilizer Management for Corn Production

Claypan soils have a high potential for N loss, which can lower corn (Zea mays L.) yields. Field research was conducted from 2011 to 2013 in Northeast Missouri to determine corn yield, plant population, and grain quality response to N application timings (fall vs. spring) and five N sources/placements at two different N rates (84 and 168 kg·N·ha−1) on a poorly drained claypan soil. The five N source/placement systems were no-till (NT)/surface broadcast urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) (Surface UAN) or strip-till (ST)/deep banded UAN (deep UAN), NT/surface broadcast UAN plus Nitamin Nfusion (surface NF) or ST/deep banded UAN plus Nitamin Nfusion (deep NF), and ST/deep banded anhydrous ammonia (AA) (deep AA). The field trial was a split-plot randomized complete block design with four replications. Deep UAN with a fall N application produced the highest grain yield (8.12 to 9.12 Mg·ha−1) at 84 and 168 kg·N·ha−1, but it was less effective with a spring application in 2011. Fall deep AA produced the lowest grain yields (5.97 and 6.8 Mg·ha−1) in 2013 at 84 and 168 kg·N·ha−1 potentially due to wet soil conditions at the time of application. Warmer and wetter soil conditions during April-May of 2013 resulted in relatively higher grain yields compared to cooler and drier soil conditions in 2011 with all spring-applied N source/placement treatments. Extreme drought in the 2012 growing season resulted in poor corn growth. Farmers may need to consider fall N applications on claypan soils because spring N application might be riskier since corn grain yield was generally greater than or equal to spring-applied treatments.
The Oligomerization of Glucose Under Plausible Prebiotic Conditions

The prebiotic origin of polysaccharides, the largest class of biopolymers by mass in extant biology, has seldom been investigated experimentally. Herein, we report on the acid-catalyzed condensation of aqueous solutions of glucose, a model monosaccharide, under plausible prebiotic conditions employing a wet-dry (night-day) protocol with 0.01 M HCl at 50 °C. This protocol leads to the formation of oligosaccharides containing up to eight monomeric units identified by high resolution mass spectrometry. The regio- and stereochemistry of the oligomeric acetal linkages, as well as the quantitative analysis of glucose conversion, are elucidated by combining 1H, 13C and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Ten out of eleven possible acetal linkages, including α- and β- anomers, have been identified with the α- and β- 1,6-acetals being the dominant linkages observed. In addition, the acid-catalyzed oligomerization of several glucose disaccharides such as cellobiose, maltose, and gentiobiose are presented along with an accompanying comparison with the corresponding oligomerization of glucose.
A LARGE MEDIASTINAL MASS AS A RARE MIMICKER OF LATERAL ST-ELEVATION MI

A mediastinal mass as a rare mimicker ST-elevation myocardial infarction A 26-year old man, foreign visitor, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presented to the local hospital from the airport with two week of worsening dyspnea and palpitations. ECG showed sinus tachycardia with ST elevations in
Abstract 5678: Novel glucocorticoid receptor degrading bifunctional molecules as therapeutics in castration-resistant prostate cancer

While the majority of men with prostate cancer will experience modest morbidity, advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains a devastating disease with significant mortality and limited treatment options. Recently approved anti-androgen therapies such as enzalutamide have shown promising clinical responses. Unfortunately, patients frequently develop resistance to these therapies. Signaling through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) has emerged as a primary mechanism of resistance to enzalutamide in CRPC suggesting that GR is an attractive therapeutic target. However, existing small molecule antagonists of GR suffer from partial agonist activity leading to activation of a subset of GR target genes which limits their anti-tumor efficacy. To overcome this problem, we have developed bifunctional small molecules or proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) that induce potent and specific degradation of GR. Using iterative structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, we have developed a novel chemical linker that imparted superior properties to PROTACs. These novel GR PROTACs induce profound degradation of GR. Using proteomic analysis and quantification of more than 8000 proteins, we show that our GR PROTAC is highly selective for GR. GR PROTACs inhibited proliferation of enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells, have favorable pharmacokinetic properties and are active in vivo. Importantly, GR PROTACs work synergistically with enzalutamide to inhibit growth of prostate cancer xenografts in a castration-resistant mouse model of prostate cancer. Mechanistically, we identified improved suppression of AR and GR target genes in the combination of GR PROTAC and enzalutamide. More importantly, the combination was able to suppress crucial developmental pathways implicated in prostate cancer resistance to therapy and tumor dormancy. Our novel GR PROTACs highlight the power of targeted protein degradation to deliver excellent chemical probes and potentially impactful cancer therapeutics. Citation Format: James T. Link, Nicholas Blazanin, Yonathan Lissanu Deribe. Novel glucocorticoid receptor degrading bifunctional molecules as therapeutics in castration-resistant prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 5678.
Motivations to participate in hunting and angling: a comparison among preferred activities and state of residence

Motivations for hunting and fishing extend beyond harvesting game and include social, psychological, emotional, and physical benefits. We used data from a web-based questionnaire to compare relatio...
Multivariable Receding Horizon Control of Aircraft with Actuator Constraints

This paper develops a constrained Model Predictive Control (MPC) formulation for longitudinal control of a fixed wing aircraft. In order to account for the inherent coupling between the inputs and outputs, which is a characteristic of multivariable systems, multiple prediction horizons are used, i.e. one for each output. Furthermore, a novel Quadratic Programming (QP) problem is derived to solve this MPC problem, via the Primal-Dual procedure. Numerical simulations using two QP algorithms demonstrate successful tracking performance of the MPC based controller.
Superficial Siderosis: A Clinical Review

Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system results from subpial hemosiderin deposition due to chronic low-grade bleeding into the subarachnoid space. The confluent and marginal subpial hemosiderin is best appreciated on iron-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging sequences. With widespread use of magnetic resonance imaging, the disorder is increasingly being recognized, including in asymptomatic individuals. Gait ataxia, often with hearing impairment is a common clinical presentation. A clinical history of subarachnoid hemorrhage is generally not present. A macrovascular pathology is generally not causative. The most common etiology is dural disease, often dural tears. Prior or less commonly ongoing symptoms of craniospinal hypovolemia may be present. Common etiologies for dural tears include disc disease and trauma, including surgical trauma. Patients with dural tears due to herniated and calcified discs often have a ventral intraspinal fluid collection due to cerebrospinal fluid leak. A precise identification of the dural tear relies on multimodality imaging. It has been speculated that chronic bleeding from fragile blood vessels around the dural tear may be the likely underlying mechanism. Surgical correction of the bleeding source is a logical therapeutic strategy. Clinical outcomes are variable, although neuroimaging evidence of successful dural tear repair is noted. The currently available data regarding use of deferiprone in patients with superficial siderosis is insufficient to recommend its routine use in patients. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:1068-1079.
Global vulnerability of crop yields to climate change

Abstract Using a newly-available panel dataset of gridded annual crop yields in conjunction with a dynamic econometric model that distinguishes between farmers' short-run and long-run responses to weather shocks and accounts for adaptation, we investigate the risk to global crop yields from climate warming. Over broad spatial domains we observe only slight moderation of short-run impacts by farmers' long-run adjustments. In the absence of additional margins of adaptation beyond those pursued historically, projections constructed using an ensemble of 21 climate model simulations suggest that the climate change could reduce global crop yields by 3–12% by mid-century and 11–25% by century's end, under a vigorous warming scenario.
An open software environment to make spatial access metrics more accessible

This article introduces a new open software environment to support the measurement of a range of accessibility indices at scales going from the local to the national. In practice, the use of such indices has been impeded by the lack of open resources and the computational burden associated with large scale analyses. The environment consists of three parts: a new package, access, as part of the Python-based PySAL Spatial Analysis Library, a user-friendly point-and-click web implementation of the access computations, and support for the calculation of large-scale travel cost matrices, including a set of pre-computed origin-destination distance matrices for all the census tracts in the U.S. and census blocks in the 20 major cities. All three elements are open source and free to use. After motivating the development of the software environment, and situating the problem of access measurement in the literature, we briefly describe six commonly used access metrics. We then discuss in more detail the three important components of our software infrastructure. We close with an empirical illustration pertaining to access to health care providers, comparing the approach in the package to that taken in the web application.
Gunshot Wounds to the Lumbosacral Spine: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Study Design:Systematic review and meta-analysis.Objectives:Indications for surgical decompression of gunshot wounds to the lumbosacral spine are controversial and based on limited data.Methods:A s...