cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The immersed interface method for simulating prescribed motion of rigid objects in an incompressible viscous flow

In the immersed interface method, a boundary immersed in a fluid is represented as a singular force in the Navier-Stokes equations. This paper presents an explicit approach for computing the singular force to enforce prescribed motion of a rigid boundary in an incompressible viscous flow. The tangential component of the singular force is related to the surface vorticity and is calculated from the normal derivative of the velocity. The normal component of the singular force is determined from a predictor and a corrector. The predictor uses the normal derivative of the vorticity. The corrector superposes a homogeneous solution to the pressure Poisson equation to achieve the desired normal derivative of the pressure. In the current immersed interface method, the velocity and the pressure are solved using the MAC scheme with the incorporation of jump conditions induced by the singular force and a discontinuous finite body force. The body force is applied to obtain the rigid motion of the fluid enclosed by the boundary. Circular Couette flow, flow past a cylinder, and flow around flappers are simulated to test the accuracy, stability, and efficiency of the method as well as the effect of the corrector. With no stiff springs to model rigid boundaries, the method is stable at relatively high Reynolds numbers.
Determination of sample size in genome-scale RNAi screens

Motivation: For genome-scale RNAi research, it is critical to investigate sample size required for the achievement of reasonably low false negative rate (FNR) and false positive rate. Results: The analysis in this article reveals that current design of sample size contributes to the occurrence of low signal-to-noise ratio in genome-scale RNAi projects. The analysis suggests that (i) an arrangement of 16 wells per plate is acceptable and an arrangement of 20–24 wells per plate is preferable for a negative control to be used for hit selection in a primary screen without replicates; (ii) in a confirmatory screen or a primary screen with replicates, a sample size of 3 is not large enough, and there is a large reduction in FNRs when sample size increases from 3 to 4. To search a tradeoff between benefit and cost, any sample size between 4 and 11 is a reasonable choice. If the main focus is the selection of siRNAs with strong effects, a sample size of 4 or 5 is a good choice. If we want to have enough power to detect siRNAs with moderate effects, sample size needs to be 8, 9, 10 or 11. These discoveries about sample size bring insight to the design of a genome-scale RNAi screen experiment. Contact: Xiaohua_zhang@merck.com
Approximating the Equilibrium Behavior of Multi-Server Loss Systems

A procedure is given for approximating the equilibrium behavior of multi-server loss systems having distinguishable servers and multiple customer types under light to moderate traffic intensity. Calls are assumed to arrive according to independent Poisson processes for each customer type. General service time distributions which may depend on both server and customer type are allowed. For N servers, the approximation routine consists of a simple iterative procedure in N nonlinear equations. Computational experience with respect to the convergence properties of the iteration and the accuracy of the approximation is given.
Interactive magnetic resonance imaging-guided biopsy in the head and neck: initial patient experience.

Because of its excellent soft tissue resolution, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can optimize image guidance for interventional and surgical procedures. Notably, needle biopsy of head and neck lesions has been used for years, deeper lesions often requiring some form of image guidance. The closed space of diagnostic MRI scanners proves cumbersome for intervention. The authors report on the first head and neck image-guided biopsies performed in a new, investigational open configuration intraoperative MRI scanner. Vertical space between the scanner's upright coils gives access to the patient while imaging ; image acquisition is as fast as 2 sec/image. Biopsies were performed on seven patients (parotid, parapharyngeal space, second cervical vertebra); five specimens were diagnostic. Both general anesthesia and intravenous sedation were used. The procedures were without complications. Imaging provided definition of anatomy to direct needle placement. Access to the patient allowed for both percutaneous and transoral approaches. The environment of the open magnet is well suited for biopsy of the head and neck, and near real-time intraoperative MRI has promise for guiding more complex head and neck procedures. Further study should optimize the quality of the images and the interactibility of localization and targeting and fully utilize MRI's three-dimensional imaging capabilities.
Distress Responses and Self-Care Behaviors in Dementia Family Caregivers With High and Low Depressed Mood

BACKGROUND: Most caregiving intervention studies have focused on reducing caregiver depression. Little is known about how caregivers manage their own symptoms, particularly caregivers with high depressed mood. OBJECTIVES: To compare caregiving stress, health status, physical function, symptom presence and severity, and self-care behaviors in family caregivers with high and low depressed mood. STUDY DESIGN: This study used a cross-sectional design. RESULTS: Caregivers with high depressed mood reported higher levels of caregiving stress, experienced more symptoms and more symptom severity, and had more physical performance difficulty than those caregivers with low depressed mood. However, they did not report a higher rate of asking for professional help per symptom. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for developing outreach programs and coordinating information to encourage caregivers to address their own symptoms, identify services available in the community, and learn how to access them.
Stability analysis for pitchfork bifurcations of solitary waves in generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equations

Abstract Linear stability of both sign-definite (positive) and sign-indefinite solitary waves near pitchfork bifurcations is analyzed for the generalized nonlinear Schrodinger equations with arbitrary forms of nonlinearity and external potentials in arbitrary spatial dimensions. Bifurcations of linear-stability eigenvalues associated with pitchfork bifurcations are analytically calculated. Based on these eigenvalue-bifurcation formulae, linear stability of solitary waves near pitchfork bifurcations is then determined. It is shown that the base solution branch switches stability at the bifurcation point. In addition, the two bifurcated solution branches and the base branch have the opposite (same) stability when their power slopes have the same (opposite) sign. Furthermore, the stability of these solution branches can be determined almost exclusively from their power diagram (especially for positive solitary waves). These stability results are also compared with the Hamiltonian–Krein index theory, and they are shown to be consistent with each other. Lastly, various numerical examples are presented, and the numerical results confirm the analytical predictions both qualitatively and quantitatively.
On the Relationship between the Estimates of Level Models and Difference Models

This paper proves that if a linear regression model has a constant term and its disturbances have a positive-definite variance-covariance matrix, its slope coefficients have the same generalized least squares estimates as the slope coefficients of the corresponding difference model. It is also illustrated that if the original model is homogenous (i.e., with no constant term) and/or a constant term is inadvertently included in the difference model and/or the ordinary least squares estimator is adopted for the difference model, one can incur a great loss in estimation efficiency.
p68 RNA helicase is an essential human splicing factor that acts at the U1 snRNA-5' splice site duplex.

Modulation of the interaction between U1 snRNP and the 5′ splice site (5′ss) is a key event that governs 5′ss recognition and spliceosome assembly. Using the methylene blue-mediated cross-linking method (Z. R. Liu, A. M. Wilkie, M. J. Clemens, and C. W. Smith, RNA 2:611-621, 1996), a 65-kDa protein (p65) was shown to interact with the U1-5′ss duplex during spliceosome assembly (Z. R. Liu, B. Sargueil, and C. W. Smith, Mol. Cell. Biol. 18:6910-6920, 1998). In this report, p65 was identified as p68 RNA helicase and shown to be essential for in vitro pre-mRNA splicing. Depletion of endogenous p68 RNA helicase does not affect the loading of the U1 snRNP to the 5′ss during early stage of splicing. However, dissociation of the U1 from the 5′ss is largely inhibited. The data suggest that p68 RNA helicase functions in destabilizing the U1-5′ss interactions. Furthermore, depletion of p68 RNA helicase arrested spliceosome assembly at the prespliceosome stage, suggesting that p68 may play a role in the transition from prespliceosome to spliceosome.
Radiative heat transfer in segregated media

Analyse mathematique du transfert de chaleur par convection et rayonnement thermique dans des ecoulements de gaz contenant des particules solides en suspension. Etude de l'influence de la segregation des particules
An in-depth analysis of the impact of processor affinity on network performance

Previous works have shown that in general, performance can be improved by careful affinity of processes/threads to processors in a SMP system. We present a full experimental-based analysis of TCP performance under various affinity modes on SMP servers. Specifically, we made use of mechanisms and interfaces provided by the Redhat Linux-2.4.20 distribution. Best case results (from ttcp bulk-data transfers) showed that interrupt affinity alone provided a throughput gain of up to 25%, and full process and interrupt affinity can achieve gains of 29%. To understand the causes behind the gains, we have broken down the TCP stack into its fundamental logical blocks. This unique view allowed us to showcase exactly where and how affinity affects caching behavior and other architectural events. Where pertinent, we also point out places where affinity has no impact and provide explanations of such.
Dyslipidemia Prevalence, Treatment, and Control in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Gender, Ethnicity, and Coronary Artery Calcium

Background— To assess the implementation challenge facing the Third Report of the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III) of the National Cholesterol Education Program, we determined the prevalence, treatment, and control of dyslipidemia, including ethnic and gender differences, in persons free of known clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). In addition, this report provides information about the presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC) across groups defined by risk and recommendations for the use of lipid-lowering drugs. Methods and Results— The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is a multicenter cohort study of 6814 persons aged 45 to 84 years who were free of clinical CVD at baseline (2000–2002). Participants with complete fasting lipid profiles (n=6704) were evaluated for CVD risk and self-reported use of lipid-lowering therapy. CAC was assessed by CT. Drug treatment thresholds and goals were defined according to ATP III. Models were constructed to adjust for age, clinic site, risk factors, socioec...
A Physiological Systems Model for Iodine for Use in Radiation Protection

Abstract This paper summarizes the biokinetic database for iodine in the human body and proposes a biokinetic model for systemic iodine for use in dose assessments for internally deposited radioiodine. The model consolidates and extends existing physiological systems models describing three subsystems of the iodine cycle in the body: circulating inorganic iodide, thyroidal iodine (trapping and organic binding of iodide and synthesis, storage and secretion of thyroid hormones), and extrathyroidal organic iodine. Thyroidal uptake of inorganic iodide is described as a function of stable iodine intake (Y, µg day−1) and thyroidal secretion of hormonal iodine (S, µg day−1). Baseline parameter values are developed for reference adults with typical iodine intake. Compared with the current systemic biokinetic model of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for occupational intake of radioiodine, the proposed model predicts higher absorbed doses to the thyroid per unit uptake to blood for ve...
Reassessing the Role of Intra-Arterial Drug Delivery for Glioblastoma Multiforme Treatment.

Effective treatment for glioblastoma (GBM) will likely require targeted delivery of several specific pharmacological agents simultaneously. Intra-arterial (IA) delivery is one technique for targeting the tumor site with multiple agents. Although IA chemotherapy for glioblastoma (GBM) has been attempted since the 1950s, the predicted benefits remain unproven in clinical practice. This review focuses on innovative approaches to IA drug delivery in treating GBM. Guided by novel in vitro and in vivo optical measurements, newer pharmacokinetic models promise to better define the complex relationship between background cerebral blood flow and drug injection parameters. Advanced optical technologies and tracers, unique nanoparticles designs, new cellular targets, and rational drug formulations are continuously modifying the therapeutic landscape for GBM. Personalized treatment approaches are emerging; however, such tailored approaches will largely depend on effective drug delivery techniques and on the ability to simultaneously deliver multidrug regimens. These new paradigms for tumor-selective drug delivery herald dramatic improvements in the effectiveness of IA chemotherapy for GBM. Therefore, within this context of so-called “precision medicine,” the role of IA delivery for GBM is thoroughly reassessed.
Teaching Ethics using a Small-Group, PBL Format

Ethics is a key component of our first-year Introduction to Clinical Medicine-1 (ICM-1) course. ICM-1 uses a small-group, problem-based learning (PBL) format to involve groups of seven to nine students and two facilitators, one a physician and the other a non-physician, in realistic clinical problems. The course’s six cases emphasize ethics learning issues, but also include human behaviour, basic science, clinical medicine, and prevention issues. The ethics learning issues require students to identify the case’s ethical problems and to explain options to resolve the conflicts. Three ICM-1 cases use written case vignettes, and the other three cases use standardized patients (SPs). Groups meet twice for each case. In the first session, students read a case introduction, obtain data from the written case or SP, formulate learning issues, and assign research responsibilities. Between sessions, the students research the learning issues identified in session one. In the second session students present and discuss their assigned learning issues and address the case’s ethical dilemmas by planning and justifying clinical actions. Following three cases, groups write an essay discussing their learning issues and describing how they would resolve the ethics, human behaviour, clinical medicine, basic science, and prevention issues.
Directions for clinical research and genomic research into the next decade: implications for informatics.

Medical informatics is defined largely by its host disciplines in clinical and biological medicine, and to project the agenda for informatics into the next decade, the health community must envision the broad context of biomedical research. This paper is a sketch of this vision, taking into account pressures from changes in the U.S. health care system, the need for more objective information on which to base health care decisions, and the accelerating progress and clinical impact of genomics research. The lessons of modern genomics research demonstrate the power of computing and communication tools to facilitate rapid progress through the adoption of open community standards for information exchange and collaboration. While aspects of this vision are speculative, it seems clear that the core agenda for informatics must be the development of interoperating systems that can facilitate the secure gathering, interchange, and analysis of high-quality information and can gain leverage from worldwide collaboration in advancing and applying new medical knowledge.
Reliable Intraoperative Repair Nuances of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak in Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery and Review of the Literature.

Background Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak during anterior cervical spine surgery can lead to complications, including wound breakdown, meningitis, headaches, need for lumbar drain, or additional surgery. These leaks can be difficult to manage given the limited field of view and lack of deep access. Herein, we describe 8 consecutive patients who underwent intraoperative repair of CSF leak, with no postoperative evidence of wound dehiscence or drainage. Methods A retrospective review was performed on 8 cases where CSF leak was encountered during an anterior cervical spine surgery. Patients had ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, intradural disk herniation, or dural ectasia. Intraoperative repair was as follows. First, CSF was drained to low pressure, and durotomy was covered by dural substitute and sealant agent. Then the interbody graft used was manually undersized in the anteroposterior dimension to allow for expansion of the agents used. Anterior instrumentation was then performed. Finally, a wound drain was anchored to a biologic bag for shoulder level passive drainage. Results In all 8 cases, there were no cases of wound dehiscence or CSF leak using this strategy. Likewise, there was no evidence of cord compression or neurologic deficits. No meningitis or persistent headaches were reported, and there was no need for lumbar drain placement at any time postoperatively. Conclusions Once durotomy is encountered during anterior spine surgery, draining the CSF to a low pressure followed by dural substitute with a sealing agent, followed by a smaller anteroposterior size graft is an effective strategy of preventing complications in an inescapable problem.
GIA-Aneurysmorrhaphy and Dermal Detachment: A Novel Technique to Repair Arteriovenous Fistula Aneurysms.

This report describes a simplified technique for management of aneurysmal arteriovenous fistulas along with results of initial clinical experience in 12 patients. Various techniques have been described which seek to repair the arteriovenous fistula and lengthen its duration of use. Here, we introduce the GIA-aneurysmorrhaphy and dermal detachment (GADD) procedure, a novel technique which requires minimal dissection to decompress tension on the overlying skin. Transverse incisions were made proximally and distally to the aneurysmal segment, which was then bluntly dissected along its length on either side. A GIA stapler is then fired along the longitudinal axis, narrowing the lumen of the fistula and separating the aneurysm from the skin. After the operation, the arteriovenous fistulae were used continuously until death (1 patient for 12 months), until thrombosis (1 patient for 13 months), or continue to be in use (9 patients, mean patency 18 months). One patient underwent conversion to open aneurysmorrhaphy due to intraoperative fistula occlusion. Five patients resumed hemodialysis immediately, while the remaining resumed hemodialysis within 3 months. The most common complication was cellulitis (3 patients). The GADD procedure as described in this report offers an effective and low-risk option for the management of venous aneurysms with threatened skin in hemodialysis patients.
New-onset oral lichen planus and granulomatous cheilitis in a 66-year-old woman.

We report a case of a 66-year-old woman with the simultaneous onset of oral lichen planus (OLP) and granulomatous cheilitis (GC). Both diseases are relatively rare, and further investigation for systemic or environmental causes of disease is warranted in new patients with either OLP or GC. This case and reports of a so-called lichenoid and granulomatous dermatitis in the literature beg the question, is there some unifying etiologic explanation for OLP and GC?1
C/EBPα represses slow myosin heavy chain 2 gene expression in developing avian myotubes.

Abstract Background The CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBP) comprise a family of transcription factors that regulate many cellular processes. Little is known of their function during embryonic and fetal myogenesis. Slow myosin heavy chain 2 (MyHC2) is a marker of the slow avian skeletal muscle fiber type, and slow MyHC2 gene regulation involves molecular pathways that lead to muscle fiber type diversification. Methods The biological effects of C/EBPα and C/EBPβ expression were analyzed by use of a general C/EBP activity reporter and by slow MyHC2 promoter-reporter constructs transfected into specific myogenic cell lineages. The effects of C/EBPα and C/EBPβ expression were also analyzed by immunocytochemical detection of slow MyHC2. C/EBPα interaction with the slow MyHC2 promoter was assessed by electromobility shift assays. Results C/EBPα and C/EBPβ are present in embryonic fast and fast/slow avian myogenic lineages. Overexpression of C/EBPα cDNA repressed slow MyHC2 promoter activity in embryonic myotubes and in both electrically stimulated fetal myotubes. Deletion analysis of the slow MyHC2 promoter-luciferase reporter demonstrated that the transcriptional repression mediated by C/EBPα occurs within the first 222 bp upstream from exon 1 of the slow MyHC2 gene. Electromobility shift assays determined that C/EBPα can bind to a non-canonical C/EBP site within the slow MyHC2 gene, and mutation of this site reduced transcriptional repression of the slow MyHC2 gene. Conclusion C/EBPα, but not C/EBPβ, represses slow MyHC2 promoter activity via a non-canonical C/EBP binding element. General significance Members of the C/EBP family of transcription factors differentially regulate genes indicative of distinct muscle fiber types.
Reconfigurable circuit for implementation of family of 4-phase latch protocols

This paper presents a novel reconfigurable circuit capable of implementing the entire family of 4-phase latch protocols. The architecture utilizes look-up-table based reconfigurable logic structures and fixed signal paths. The implemented circuit creates a fabric to realize a variety of high speed and low power controllers for asynchronous circuits on FPGAs. The circuit is implemented on the IBM Artisan 65nm node and its performance is compared with implementations on a Xilinx Virtex-5 chip that is manufactured on a similar node. A 4× improvement in speed and 3.3× improvement in energy per cycle is achieved.
Mechanisms of Resistance in Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematopoietic cancer that is characterized by malignant plasma cell infiltration of the bone marrow and/or extramedullary sites. Multi-modality approaches including “novel agents,” traditional chemotherapy, and/or stem cell transplantation are used in MM therapy. Drug resistance, however, ultimately develops and the disease remains incurable for the vast majority of patients. In this chapter, we review both tumor cell-autonomous and non-autonomous (microenvironment-dependent) mechanisms of drug resistance. MM provides an attractive paradigm highlighting a number of current concepts and challenges in oncology. Firstly, identification of MM cancer stem cells and their unique drug resistance attributes may provide rational avenues towards MM eradication and cure. Secondly, the oligoclonal evolution of MM and alternation of “clonal tides” upon therapy challenge our current understanding of treatment responses. Thirdly, the success of MM “novel agents” provides exemplary evidence for the impact of therapies that target the immune and non-immune microenvironment. Fourthly, the rapid pace of drug approvals for MM creates an impetus for development of precision medicine strategies and biomarkers that promote efficacy and mitigate toxicity and cost. While routine cure of the disease remains the ultimate and yet unattainable prize, MM advances in the last 10–15 years have provided an astounding paradigm for the treatment of blood cancers in the modern era and have radically transformed patient outcomes.
Direct design of Doherty and Chireix PAs using a nonlinear embedding device model

Waveform engineering is commonly used to optimize the power efficiency, linearity and output power of power amplifiers (PA). In this search for the optimal waveforms, PA designers have become interested in knowing the internal mode of operation of the device at the current-source reference-planes. However given the huge search space for the input and output multi-harmonic terminations required to find the desired internal waveforms, it is much desirable to use a nonlinear embedding device model to readily obtain the required multi-harmonic voltage and current waveforms at the transistor measurement (package or extrinsic) reference-planes in order to realize the desired mode of operation at the current-source reference-planes. In this paper, examples of such designs for Doherty, Chireix and class-J amplifiers will be presented to demonstrate how this promising technique streamlines the design of such PAs.
On the Definition of Ecology

In this article I discuss the proposition that ecologists may place restrictions on the kinds of plants and animals and on the kinds of systems they consider relevant to assessing the resiliency of ecological generalizations. I argue that to restrict the extension of ecological science and its concepts in order to exclude cultivated plants, captive animals, and domesticated environments ecologists must appeal either (1) to the boundaries of their discipline; (2) to the idea that the effects of human activity are rare and unusual enough to count as ceteris paribus conditions; or (3) to the nature/culture divide. The boundaries of their discipline, however, are practical, not epistemological. The effects of human activity are ubiquitous and profound. And the nature/culture divide, as far as I know, has been infra dignitatem in the natural sciences at least since Charles Darwin and John Stuart Mill. Ecologists may reason, moreover, that organisms and systems that have the kind of history that interests them must as a result possess a kind of organization or some other general biological property that distinguishes them from those that do not. This is to commit a genetic fallacy.
Conservative Protestantism and Horizontal Stratification in Education: The Case of College Selectivity

College selectivity is associated with numerous positive life outcomes, but research on the antecedents of college selectivity, including religion, is limited-despite a long tradition of religion and stratification research. Using survey data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N=2,093) and semi-structured interviews from the National Study of Youth and Religion (N=46), we test for and seek to explain differences in the college selectivity of students from conservative Protestant (CP) religious backgrounds compared to others. Based on prior literature and theory, we hypothesize that CPs attend less selective colleges than other young adults, and that this may especially be the case among women. Our quantitative findings suggest CPs do attend less selective colleges, and the difference is greater among those with better high school GPAs. These differences vary by gender: They are nonexistent for men once background factors are controlled, but CP women attend less selective colleges-a difference that is even larger among women with higher academic ability. Our qualitative findings suggest that these differences stem from young women's different understandings of the purposes of college (general self-betterment versus human capital investment) which relate to unique strategies for balancing work and family, enacting altruism, and achieving self-satisfaction. These findings show the continued link between religion and stratification and, more broadly, culture and stratification.
Long term oncologic surveillance in Maffucci syndrome: A case report

Abstract Maffucci syndrome is a rare disorder of bone and soft tissue characterized by multiple enchondromas and hemangiomas. Patients with this disorder are at significantly increased risk for malignant transformation of the lesions; of particular note are chondrosarcomas, gliomas, ovarian tumors and other sarcomas. Additionally, patients are affected by skeletal malformations including limb length discrepancies and deformities of the hands, feet and upper and lower limbs. Because of the rarity of the condition, there is currently no consensus for long-term screening of these patients. We suggest a regimen including annual surveillance using advanced imaging and routine physical examination.
Contracts and trust: complements or substitutes?

Social preferences and third-party enforcement of formal contracts are two mechanisms that facilitate performance of an agreement. The standard argument is that formal, enforceable contracts substitute when the social preferences of trust and trustworthiness are lacking. We explore the alternative hypothesis that trust and contract enforcement are complements. We measure social preferences from both a Trust Game and a social values survey, using them as explanatory variables in a Contract Game. We find that both increased contract enforcement and high trusting preferences lead to enhanced rates of contract formation and larger investments. There is an important interaction effect, where trusting individuals enter into agreements at a greater rate and make larger investments when enforcement is greater. Thus, contracts and trust complement one another.
Biografia como método nas Relações Internacionais: uma abordagem voltada para o ensino

The pedagogy of the lecture of International Relations in Brazil is at an incipient stage. This article main objective is to contribute to the field while presenting the biographical method as an opportune manner to show undergraduate students the key concepts of the discipline
The roots of urban renaissance: Gentrification and the struggle over Harlem, by Brian D. Goldstein

Novelist Ralph Ellison wrote in the mid-1960s that New York City’s Harlem was “a slum” and “a ruin,” composed not only of the “spires and crosses of churches” but, as well, of “garbage and decay” (...
Integrating Biomarkers and Targeted Therapy Into Colorectal Cancer Management

There have been substantial advances in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) over the past 15 years. Molecular characteristics of mCRC and identification of specific mutations can serve as predictive and prognostic indicators of disease and response to targeted therapies. When incorporated into clinical decision-making, these biomarkers can serve as critical tools in personalizing therapy to ensure the best outcomes. Additional improvements in the survival of patients with mCRC will be made possible with the identification of new predictive molecular biomarkers and their evaluation using rational and innovative clinical trials.
Diffusional Dynamics of Tetraalkylphosphonium Ionic Liquid Films Measured by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is applied to investigate the diffusional dynamics of hydrophilic (Atto 590) and amphiphilic (DiD) fluorophores in a series of alkylphosphonium ionic liq...
Verified Integration of ODEs and Flows Using Differential Algebraic Methods on High-Order Taylor Models

A method is developed that allows the verified integration of ODEs based on local modeling with high-order Taylor polynomials with remainder bound. The use of such Taylor models of order n allows convenient automated verified inclusion of functional dependencies with an accuracy that scales with the (n + 1)-st order of the domain and substantially reduces blow-up.
Microglial depletion prevents extracellular matrix changes and striatal volume reduction in a model of Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease is associated with a reactive microglial response and consequent inflammation. To address the role of these cells in disease pathogenesis, we depleted microglia from R6/2 mice, a rapidly progressing model of Huntington's disease marked by behavioural impairment, mutant huntingtin (mHTT) accumulation, and early death, through colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibition (CSF1Ri) with pexidartinib (PLX3397) for the duration of disease. Although we observed an interferon gene signature in addition to downregulated neuritogenic and synaptic gene pathways with disease, overt inflammation was not evident by microglial morphology or cytokine transcript levels in R6/2 mice. Nonetheless, CSF1Ri-induced microglial elimination reduced or prevented disease-related grip strength and object recognition deficits, mHTT accumulation, astrogliosis, and striatal volume loss, the latter of which was not associated with reductions in cell number but with the extracellular accumulation of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs)-a primary component of glial scars. A concurrent loss of proteoglycan-containing perineuronal nets was also evident in R6/2 mice, and microglial elimination not only prevented this but also strikingly increased perineuronal nets in the brains of naive littermates, suggesting a new role for microglia as homeostatic regulators of perineuronal net formation and integrity.
Preoperative outpatient blood pressure variability predicts postoperative mortality, readmission and morbidity after surgery.

Abstract Background Outpatient blood pressure variability (BPV) predicts hospitalization and death in non-surgical patients independently of hypertension. We hypothesized that preoperative BPV predicts postoperative outcomes. Methods We assessed 22,233 veterans undergoing CABG, colectomy, hip replacement, pancreatectomy, carotid endarterectomy or AV-fistula with ≥10 outpatient BP’s over three preoperative years. Calculating BPV as SD of systolic or diastolic BP, we used logistic regression considering demographics, comorbidities, and pre-admission cardiovascular medications to estimate odds ratios for 90-day mortality or readmission, MI, CVA, renal failure, and wound infection, choosing the lowest 5%ile of systolic/diastolic BPV for reference. Results Covariate-adjusted ORs for adverse outcomes increased as BPV increased. For instance, the highest 5%ile of systolic BPV had covariate-adjusted ORs of 2.96 and 1.78 for 90-day mortality and readmission. Systolic and diastolic BPV trended together but affected outcomes independently. Conclusions Preoperative BPV predicts postoperative outcomes. BPV should be considered in individualized risk assessment and subgroup risk stratification.
The Impact of Drug Abuse on Organizational Performance and Policy Evaluation

Organizations in recent years have faced a variety of economic and business problems directly related to the firm’s product or service. For many organizations however, the personal problems of their employees have become a professional concern. Companies have developed programs to aid employees’ legal, medical, social, financial and personal problems. Chemical dependency, alcoholism and drug abuse, has been a major focus of many of these employee assistance programs.
The Politics of Inclusion and Exclusion: Chinese Dual-Pension Regimes in the Era of Labor Migration and Labor Informalization:

Why do some Chinese local governments include informal workers in their welfare systems while others exclude them? This article argues that local officials attempt to balance multiple, conflicting,...
Rules of Contact Inhibition of Locomotion for Cells on Suspended Nanofibers

Contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL), in which cells repolarize and move away from contact, is now established as a fundamental driving force in development, repair, and disease biology. Much of what we know of CIL stems from studies on 2D substrates that fail to provide an essential biophysical cue - the curvature of extracellular matrix fibers. We discover rules controlling outcomes of cell-cell collisions on suspended nanofibers, and show them to be profoundly different from the stereotyped CIL behavior known on 2D substrates. Two approaching cells attached to a single fiber do not repolarize upon contact but rather usually migrate past one another. Fiber geometry modulates this behavior: when cells are attached to two fibers, reducing their freedom to reorient, only one of a pair of colliding cells repolarizes on contact, leading to the cell pair migrating as a single unit. CIL outcomes also change when one cell has recently divided and moves with high speed- cells more frequently walk past each other. In collisions with division in the two-fiber geometry, we also capture rare events where a daughter cell pushes the non-dividing cell along the fibers. Our computational model of CIL in fiber geometries reproduces the core qualitative results of the experiments robustly to model parameters. Our model shows that the increased speed of post-division cells may be sufficient to explain their increased walk-past rate. Our results suggest that characterizing cell-cell interactions on flat substrates, channels, or micropatterns is not sufficient to predict interactions in a matrix - the geometry of the fiber can generate entirely new behaviors.
Chapter 6 - Quickest Change Detection

The problem of detecting changes in the statistical properties of a stochastic system and time series arises in various branches of science and engineering. It has a wide spectrum of important applications ranging from machine monitoring to biomedical signal processing. In all of these applications the observations being monitored undergo a change in distribution in response to a change or anomaly in the environment, and the goal is to detect the change as quickly as possibly, subject to false alarm constraints. In this chapter, two formulations of the quickest change detection problem, Bayesian and minimax, are introduced, and optimal or asymptotically optimal solutions to these formulations are discussed. Then some generalizations and extensions of the quickest change detection problem are described. The chapter is concluded with a discussion of applications and open issues.
Olfactory marker protein regulates refinement of the olfactory glomerular map

The olfactory glomerulus is the anatomical and functional unit of the olfactory bulb, defined by convergent input from olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axons expressing the same type of odorant receptor (OR). A key marker of mature olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) is the olfactory marker protein (OMP), whose deletion has been associated with deficits in OSN signal transduction and odor discrimination. Here, we have investigated glomerular odor responses and anatomical architecture in mice in which one or both alleles of OMP were replaced by the fluorescent synaptic activity reporter, synaptopHluorin (OMP+/- and OMP-/- mice, respectively). Functionally heterogeneous glomeruli, that is, ones with micro-domains with distinct odor responses were rare in OMP+/- mice, but occurred frequently in OMP-/- mice. Genetic targeting of single ORs revealed that these micro-domains arise from anomalous co-innervation of individual glomeruli by OSNs expressing different ORs. The glomerular mistargeting of OSNs in the absence of OMP is restricted to a local neighborhood of a few glomerular diameters. Our studies document functional heterogeneity in sensory input within individual glomeruli and uncover its anatomical correlate, revealing an unexpected role for OMP in the formation and refinement of the glomerular olfactory map.
Gatekeepers in Gifted: A Case Study of the Disproportionality of Gifted Black Youth in Elementary Programs:

Gifted identification and services, like many aspects of education, are inequitable and disproportionate in favor of White students. Obama Elementary School serves 421 students: 29% are Black and 5...
MDSCs in Liver Cancer: a critical tumor-promoting player and a potential therapeutic target

Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (~75-85%) and cholangiocarcinoma (~10-15%) account for the majority of primary liver malignancies. Patients with primary liver cancer are often diagnosed with unresectable diseases and do not respond well to current therapies. The liver is also a common site of metastasis. Liver metastasis is difficult to treat, and the prognosis is poor. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells with immunosuppressive activity. MDSCs are an important component of the tumor microenvironment and promote tumor progression through various mechanisms. MDSCs expand in both liver cancer patients and mouse liver cancer models. Importantly, MDSCs correlate with poor clinical outcomes for liver cancer patients. The tumor-promoting functions of MDSCs have also been shown in mouse liver cancer models. All these studies suggest that targeting MDSCs can potentially benefit liver cancer treatment. This review summarizes the current findings of MDSC regulation in liver cancer and related disease conditions.
Reducing the prevalence of chemical UV filters from sunscreen in aquatic environments: Regulatory, public awareness, and other considerations.

Given increasing concerns about the persistence and toxic effects of some sunscreen ingredients in aquatic ecosystems, several states, territories, and nations have banned the sale and/or possession of sunscreens containing chemicals of concern. Little is known, however, about the outcomes or effectiveness of these efforts to reduce the prevalence of toxic chemicals in coastal waters. This article reviews the state of knowledge relating to regulatory and other efforts to reduce the impact of chemical ingredients in sunscreens on aquatic ecosystems, focusing on the following questions: To what extent will local legislative restrictions on ingredients actually reduce the concentrations of chemicals in coastal waters and protect aquatic health? Do these legislative measures effectively decrease overall public use of sunscreens containing potentially harmful ingredients, or would other measures, such as local outreach programs, consumer education, or broad-scale ingredient regulation, be more effective? How might restrictions on chemical UV filters impact human health? Although it is still early to assess the outcomes of recent ingredient bans, their effectiveness is limited by the fact that legislation generally applies only to sunscreens sold within the legislating jurisdiction. Public awareness campaigns can be locally effective, but they are hindered by the absence of clear environmental labeling standards for sunscreen. Although retail and industry groups, and many dermatologists, cite concerns that sunscreen ingredient bans might lead to increased incidences of skin cancer, consumer preferences are influenced by a wide range of factors and no studies clearly document whether restrictions on chemical ingredients will cause people to use sun protection less frequently or less effectively. Until more information is available, many consider it prudent to take a precautionary approach to sunscreen regulation supported by broad-scale, consistent regulatory policies and labeling standards that limit chemical ingredients to those considered safe for human use and ecosystem health. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:982-988. © 2021 SETAC.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Older Adults

Abstract Sleep is disturbed by a range of factors across the lifespan. However, older adults experiencing disruptions in their sleep are often simultaneously contending with a range of comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions that compound the biological changes in sleep that commonly occur with age. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold-standard, nonpharmacological intervention for sleep disturbances, and is a cost-effective treatment approach that can occur in either individual or group format. It has also been shown effective in older adults with medical, psychiatric, and cognitive comorbid disorders. This review highlights the success of CBT-I with older adults, as well as studies that illustrate the use of alternative delivery methods and treatment modifications for complex clinical presentations.
An integrated methodology for fault detection, root cause diagnosis, and propagation pathway analysis in chemical process systems

Abstract Although the current research on fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) has made significant developments, there exists some challenges such as earlier fault detection with lower false alarms, accurate fault diagnosis without prior fault information, and construction of fault propagation pathway. Many articles have contributed to address one or more aforementioned challenges. However, very few of them has attempted to capture these research gaps in a unified framework. Hence, the current article presents an integrated method for process FDD and propagation pathway identification. The methodology is developed combining the early fault detection capacity of the multivariate exponentially weighted moving average principal component analysis (MEMWA-PCA) and robust diagnosis and causality representability of the Bayesian network (BN). MEWMA-PCA can generally detect the fault earlier than PCA with a lower number of false alarms. Multiple likelihood evidence-based BN updating is utilized to ensure accurate diagnosis without in-depth fault information; this BN updating mechanism is found to be superior to the conventional hard evidence-based updating technique. Additionally, for taking corrective actions effectively, fault propagation pathway can be generated using BN. The proposed method is applied to a total of ten fault cases in the benchmark Tennessee Eastman chemical process. It is observed that the developed method is robust and comprehensive compared to the existing PCA and PCA-BN-based hybrid methods.
The Evolving Role of Instagram in General Surgery Residency Programs and Keys to Successful Use in Yours: Input from an Academic, Tertiary Referral Program.

INTRODUCTION Social media has been used as a resource for the dissemination of information in the medical profession. To date, information regarding Instagram use amongst general surgery residency programs is lacking. Our study seeks to detail the use of Instagram amongst general surgery residency programs and to provide suggestions for the practical and successful use of Instagram by general surgery residency programs. METHORDS We performed a cross-sectional search of general surgery residency program Instagram accounts through June 30, 2020. Descriptive details, the pattern of Instagram use by general surgery residency programs, and the use of Instagram by general surgery residency programs over time were investigated. RESULTS Ninety-six (29.1%) of the 330 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) general surgery residency programs were identified on Instagram, of which 86 (89.6%) accounts had at least one post. Academic programs (N = 67; 77.9%) were the most common type of program to have an Instagram account (N = 67). The most popular category of posts was promotion of the residents and faculty. In terms of Instagram activity, nearly 20% of Instagram posts were made in the last three-month block of our study period. Using Pearson correlations, positive associations were found between the number of posts and number of followers (0.62, p < 0.0001), the number of posts and the number of likes (0.42, p < 0.0001) and the number of followers and the number of likes (0.78, p < 0.0001). None of these variables were significantly associated with region or program type. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first description of the use of Instagram by general surgery residency programs. Based on the pattern of use of Instagram by general surgery residency programs, we believe that there are five key elements to the successful use of Instagram by general surgery residency programs, including: Interact, Name, Promote, Utilize, and Team (INPUT).