cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF SYMBIONTS FROM THE PULMONATE SNAIL BIOMPHALARIA GLABRATA IN BRAZIL

The icthyosporean, Capsaspora owczarzaki, a known predator of Schistosoma mansoni sporocysts in vitro, is more prevalent in laboratory-reared strains of the intermediate snail host, Biomphalaria glabrata resistant to S. mansoni, than from the susceptible M line strain. We examined whether B. glabrata resistant to the NIH-PR-1 strain of S. mansoni from 2 regions in Brazil were also host to C. owczarzaki. Symbiont presence was examined using hemolymph culturing and nested polymerase chain reaction of snail genomic DNA with primers designed to specifically amplify sequences from relatives of the Icthyosporea. All B. glabrata of the resistant Salvador strain from the laboratory of Dr. Lobato Paraense in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (n = 46) tested negative for symbionts. Three of 18 semiresistant 10-R2 B. glabrata from the laboratory of Dr. Barbosa in Recife, Brazil tested positive for C. owczarzaki. Another icthyosporean, Anurofeca sp., was identified from 1, 10-R2 snail and from 2 of 12 field-collected B. glabrata from Praia do Forte Orange, Ilha de Itamaraca. Snails from 2 other sites, Hotel Colibri, Pontezinha and Praia do Sossego, Ilha de Itamaraca, were negative for Anurofeca. Two genera of ciliates were also identified. Paruroleptus sp. was found in 4, 10-R2 snails and Trichodina sp. was identified in 2 field-collected snails from Praia do Forte Orange and Praia do Sossego.
Advances in Longitudinal Research Methodology

. Issues in longitudinal research in geropsychology are identified. Advances in longitudinal research methodology are illustrated by summarising three symposium contributions. Tjorborn Svensson discussed whether biographical retrospective data can be conceptualised as a longitudinal inquiry, and what the kind of design would be that one would want to apply given a positive answer to the question. Scott Hofer treated the topic of subject attrition in longitudinal studies within the more general framework of contemporary missing data analysis. Christoph Rott addressed the issue of variability within and across individuals. Using the example of the Bonn Longitudinal Study (BOLSA), he showed how model misspecifications can circumvent limitations of the designs using an age-cohort-period model. He also incorporated adjustments for attrition and substitution of an event definition for calendar time.
An ontology-driven architecture for flexible workflow execution

Workflow management systems usually interpret a workflow definition rigidly. However, there are real life situations where users should be allowed to deviate from the prescribed static workflow definition for various reasons, including lack of information and unavailability of the required resources. To flexibilize workflow execution, this paper proposes mechanisms that allow execution to proceed in the presence of incomplete information, by adopting presuppositions, and in the presence of negative information, by suggesting execution alternatives. This paper also presents an architecture for the workflow system, which is driven by ontologies that capture semantic relationships between workflows, resources and users.
Recovery point selection on a reverse binary tree task model

An analysis is conducted of the complexity of placing recovery points where the computation is modeled as a reverse binary tree task model. The objective is to minimize the expected computation time of a program in the presence of faults. The method can be extended to an arbitrary reverse tree model. For uniprocessor systems, an optimal placement algorithm is proposed. For multiprocessor systems, a procedure for computing their performance is described. Since no closed form solution is available, an alternative measurement is proposed that has a closed form formula. On the basis of this formula, algorithms are devised for solving the recovery point placement problem. The estimated formula can be extended to include communication delays where the algorithm devised still applies. >
Effects of white-tailed deer on populations of an understory forb in fragmented deciduous forests.

The effects of grazing by white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) on populations of Trillium spp. were examined in remnant, old-growth patches of the highly fragmented Big Woods forest ecosystem in south- eastern Minnesota. We conducted three separate studies involving an exclosure experiment, transplant exper- iments, and comparisons of Trillium populations among study sites. The highest grazing intensity was ob- served where deer occurred at high overwinter concentrations ( z 25-35/km 2 ); significantly lower grazing intensities occurred at low overwinter density ( z 5-10/km 2 ). Deer focused their grazing on large, reproduc- tive plants; at sites with high deer density, Trillium population structure was skewed toward small plants, and deer consistently caused over 50% reduction in reproduction during the growing season. Protection of indi- vidual plants from deer for two growing seasons resulted in dramatically increased flowering rates and sig- nificantly greater leaf area compared to control plants. No significant impact of current-year herbivory on re- production in the following year was detected. Nevertheless, flowering rates at one site with high overwinter deer densities for at least the past 5 years suggest that the cumulative effects of grazing over several years can reduce reproduction in subsequent years. Transplant experiments with Trillium grandiflorum also showed that deer had significant effects on growth and reproduction where deer occur at high density. Our results suggest that changes in landscape structure and local deer abundance have altered plant-deer relationships such that grazing can lead to the local extirpation of sensitive forbs such as Trillium spp. As a result, active, long-term management of deer at low densities appears necessary for the conservation and restoration of fragmented forest communities in eastern North America.
Mitochondrial dynamics regulate neointima formation

This editorial refers to ‘Decreasing mitochondrial fission diminishes vascular smooth muscle cell migration and ameliorates intimal hyperplasia’ by L. Wang et al. , pp. 272–283. Imagine that you were asked to give a lecture on mitochondria. You may want to make a slide to show what a mitochondrion looks like, and for that, you might go to a public website to get images of mitochondria. What you find in such sites are nice drawings, many of which look like a klomp. This stereotypical image of the organelle is based on the two-dimensional electron micrographs of thin sections. When one looks at mitochondria in live cells under a microscope, they come in all shapes and lengths; although their diameter appears to be more uniform (roughly 1 µm). What impresses a viewer is their dynamic nature: they move about within cells, often along microtubules, but more importantly, they change their length and shape. It is now known that short mitochondria are formed from long mitochondria through a process called fission, and long ones by fusion of small mitochondria. Fusion and fission of mitochondria are not random processes but are …
Fleischner Lecture. Imaging the respiratory system in the first few years after discovery of the X-ray: contributions of Francis H. Williams, M.D.

Imaging of the respiratory system developed with exceptional rapidity in North America during the spring of 1896, after Roentgen's discovery of X-rays in November 1895, largely because of the efforts of a unique physicians, Francis H. Williams. With great zeal, this pioneer used fluoroscopy for early detection of tuberculosis and other life-threatening chest disorders. By the summer of 1896, he had accumulated more than 100 volumes containing tracings of clinical chest fluoroscopy. As a result of his extensive clinical experience, his dedication to patients' welfare, and his sense of scientific inquiry, several inventions and many landmark clinical observations were made in the first few years after the discovery of the X-ray. These included (1) the invention of a "densitometer" for standardized measurements of relative X-ray attenuation of the lung, (2) the invention of a "seehear" device to correlate auscultative findings and fluoroscopic observations, (3) the recognition that fluoroscopy was more accur...
A Non-negative Matrix Tri-factorization Approach to Sentiment Classification with Lexical Prior Knowledge

Sentiment classification refers to the task of automatically identifying whether a given piece of text expresses positive or negative opinion towards a subject at hand. The proliferation of user-generated web content such as blogs, discussion forums and online review sites has made it possible to perform large-scale mining of public opinion. Sentiment modeling is thus becoming a critical component of market intelligence and social media technologies that aim to tap into the collective wisdom of crowds. In this paper, we consider the problem of learning high-quality sentiment models with minimal manual supervision. We propose a novel approach to learn from lexical prior knowledge in the form of domain-independent sentiment-laden terms, in conjunction with domain-dependent unlabeled data and a few labeled documents. Our model is based on a constrained non-negative tri-factorization of the term-document matrix which can be implemented using simple update rules. Extensive experimental studies demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on a variety of real-world sentiment prediction tasks.
Oviposition Choice by the Black Walnut Curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): A Ten-Year Study

Immature insects that develop within plant structures entirely of their parent’s choosing are dependent on those parents to select suitable hosts. Weevils that develop within tree fruits are an obvious example of this situation. We examined oviposition choice by the black walnut curculio, Conotrachelus retentus (Say), in a walnut plantation setting for 10 yr, focusing on the effects of cluster size on oviposition. The percentage of nut clusters with curculio oviposition did not differ significantly among cluster sizes, although the percentage of individual nuts destroyed was significantly lower in single nuts compared with two-nut clusters. Our data support the hypothesis that the curculio behaves as though the nut cluster was the ecological unit for oviposition, as do other weevils such as the pecan weevil.
An efficient variable length coding scheme for an IID source

In this article we examine a scheme that uses two alternating Huffman codes to encode a discrete independent and identically distributed source with a dominant symbol. One Huffman code encodes the length of runs of the dominant symbol, the other encodes the remaining symbols. We call this combined strategy alternating runlength Huffman (ARH) coding. This is a popular scheme, used for example in the efficient pyramid image coder (EPIC) subband coding algorithm. Since the runlengths of the dominant symbol are geometrically distributed, they can be encoded using the Huffman codes identified by Golomb (1966) and later generalized by Gallager and Van Voorhis (1975). This runlength encoding allows the most likely symbol to be encoded using less than one bit per sample, providing a simple method for overcoming a drawback of prefix codes-that the redundancy approaches one as the largest symbol probability P approaches one. For ARH coding, the redundancy approaches zero as P approaches one. Comparing the average code rate of ARH with direct Huffman coding we find that: 1. If P 0.618, ARH is more efficient than Huffman coding. We give examples of applying ARH coding to some specific sources.
Dynamics of competition between incumbent and emerging network technologies

The Internet is by all accounts an incredible success, but in spite or maybe because of this success, its deficiencies have come under increasing scrutiny and triggered calls for new architectures to succeed it. Those architectures will, however, face a formidable incumbent in the Internet, and their ability to ultimately replace it is likely to depend equally on technical superiority as on economic factors. The goal of this paper is to start developing models that can help provide a quantitative understanding of a competition between the Internet and a new system, and show what factors affect it most strongly. A model for the adoption of competing network technologies by individual users is formulated and solved. It accounts for both the intrinsic value of each technology and the positive externalities derived from their respective numbers of adopters. Using this model, different configurations are explored and possible outcomes characterized. More importantly, configurations are identified where small differences in the attributes of either technology can lead to vastly different results. The paper provides initial results that can help identify parameters that significantly affect the likelihood of success of new network technologies.
The Consumer Life Cycle

The field of consumer education needs conceptual frameworks to organize the growing body of existing knowledge and to point to needed research. The use of the familiar life cycle variable for this purpose is proposed. Generalizations, based upon a review of the literature, are offered about the characteristics, typical product and service purchases, marketplace concepts and knowledge, marketplace skills, typical marketplace problems and level of resources of different life cycle stage categories.
New Perspectives on the Tractatus

A Philosopher writes a book about ontology and the philosophy of language. That is, the first parts of his book talk explicitly about ontology; the latter parts, explicitly about language. And there are some propositions which are about both. It is a difficult book, and would-be commentators cast about for some way to approach it. In most cases, they will resolve their quandaries by plunging in at the beginning and doggedly making their respective ways to the end. But some may notice that the book as a whole is dominated by one key idea. And that, in turn, may lead them to reflect that perhaps it might prove more edifying to begin with language.
Cytoplasmic poly(A) binding protein-1 binds to genomically encoded sequences within mammalian mRNAs

The functions of the major mammalian cytoplasmic poly(A) binding protein, PABPC1, have been characterized predominantly in the context of its binding to the 3' poly(A) tails of mRNAs. These interactions play important roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation by enhancing translation and mRNA stability. Here, we performed transcriptome-wide CLIP-seq analysis to identify additional PABPC1 binding sites within genomically encoded mRNA sequences that may impact on gene regulation. From this analysis, we found that PABPC1 binds directly to the canonical polyadenylation signal in thousands of mRNAs in the mouse transcriptome. PABPC1 binding also maps to translation initiation and termination sites bracketing open reading frames, exemplified most dramatically in replication-dependent histone mRNAs. Additionally, a more restricted subset of PABPC1 interaction sites comprised A-rich sequences within the 5' UTRs of mRNAs, including Pabpc1 mRNA itself. Functional analyses revealed that these PABPC1 interactions in the 5' UTR mediate both auto- and trans-regulatory translational control. In total, these findings reveal a repertoire of PABPC1 binding that is substantially broader than previously recognized with a corresponding potential to impact and coordinate post-transcriptional controls critical to a broad array of cellular functions.
Generalized Adjoint for Physical Processes with Parameterized Discontinuities. Part III: Multiple Threshold Conditions

The generalized adjoint is extended to special situations in which the concerned switches are triggered simultaneously by more than one threshold condition. It is shown that the involved threshold conditions can be combined into a single threshold condition represented by the envelope of the involved threshold surfaces in the space constituted by model variables and time. This envelope is piecewise smooth, and the concerned switch point is a nonsmooth point on the envelope at the intersection of the involved threshold surfaces. When the concerned switch point is perturbed along different sectors (formed by the involved threshold surfaces) on the envelope surface, different threshold conditions should be used in the tangent linear and adjoint matching conditions. This complicates the tangent linearization and the backward adjoint integration. Four basic types of situations are examined and illustrated by using simple examples, showing how the generalized adjoint can be extended to these complicated situations.
A Decentralized Scheduling Algorithm for Time Synchronized Channel Hopping

Time Synchronized Channel Hopping (TSCH) is an existing medium access control scheme which enables robust communication through channel hopping and high data rates through synchronization. It is based on a time-slotted architecture, and its correct functioning depends on a schedule which is typically computed by a central node. This paper presents, to our knowledge, the first scheduling algorithm for TSCH networks which both is distributed and which copes with a mobile nodes.
The linear mode revisited

Although there are obvious design relationships between the linear-mode textiles from Ocucaje, Paracas, and Nasca, the techniques used to make them have some interesting variations, which help to illuminate the cultural interactions that produced these pieces. The analysis focuses on examples from the collection of The Textile Museum in Washington, many of which are previously unpublished. An evaluation of the variations, including color schemes, from the point of view not only of their geographic origin but also of the chronology and settlement patterns, provides some interpretive insights on this complex but fascinating period.
Permutations and Combination Locks

(1995). Permutations and Combination Locks. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 68, No. 4, pp. 243-253.
Orthodoxy and Dissent in Hinduism’s Meditative Traditions: A Critical Tantric Politics?

AbstractHindu philosophy and its associated meditative traditions have historically been characterized as renunciatory and world-negating, producing an ethic of political passivity, quietism, and indifference. In contrast, I demonstrate here that both the orthodox systems of Hindu philosophy and the heterodox Tantric tradition have been enlisted in service of a variety of socio-political commitments and projects, within and outside India. The more important question is whether these traditions inspire the ossification of conventional hierarchies or the emergence of radical, emancipatory, or liberatory commitments. I argue here that Tantra, a dissident tradition of thought and practice, contains a progressive potential for critiquing and subverting the hierarchical, masculinist politics of gender, sexuality, and caste in contemporary India.
Sex differences in cardiovascular ageing

Despite recent progress in identifying and narrowing the gaps in cardiovascular outcomes between men and women, general understanding of how and why cardiovascular disease presentations differ between the sexes remains limited. Sex-specific patterns of cardiac and vascular ageing play an important role and, in fact, begin very early in life. Differences between the sexes in patterns of age-related cardiac remodelling are associated with the relatively greater prevalence in women than in men of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Similarly, sex variation in how vascular structure and function change with ageing contributes to differences between men and women in how coronary artery disease manifests typically or atypically over the adult life course. Both hormonal and non-hormonal factors underlie sex differences in cardiovascular ageing and the development of age-related disease. The midlife withdrawal of endogenous oestrogen appears to augment the age-related increase in cardiovascular risk seen in postmenopausal compared with premenopausal women. However, when compared with intrinsic biological differences between men and women that are present throughout life, this menopausal transition may not be as substantial an actor in determining cardiovascular outcomes.
A CRITIQUE OF RESNIK'S MATHEMATICAL REALISM

This paper attempts to motivate skepticism about the reality of mathematical objects. The aim of the paper is not to provide a general critique of mathematical realism, but to demonstrate the insufficiency of the arguments advanced by Michael Resnik. I argue that Resnik’s use of the concept of immanent truth is inconsistent with the treatment of mathematical objects as ontologically and epistemically continuous with the objects posited by the natural sciences. In addition, Resnik’s structuralist program, and his denial of relational properties, is incompatible with a realist metaphysics about mathematical objects.
Emergence of Azole Resistance in Aspergillus

Resistance to the azole antifungals itraconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole in Aspergillus species is a growing concern. This is especially alarming for A. fumigatus, where acquired resistance has been documented in patients with invasive disease caused by this species that were exposed to these agents, as well as in azole-naive individuals. The primary mechanisms of resistance that have been described in clinical strains include different point mutations in the CYP51A gene, which encodes the enzyme responsible for converting lanosterol to ergosterol via demethylation. Some resistant isolates also contain a tandem repeat in the promoter region of this gene that causes increased expression. These mutations, including TR34/L98H and TR46/Y121F/T289A have also been found in the environment in several areas of the world and have been demonstrated to cause resistance to azole fungicides used in agriculture, thus raising the concern of environmental spread of resistance. Treatment options are limited in patients with infections caused by azole-resistant isolates and include amphotericin B formulations or combination therapy involving an echinocandin. However, there are few clinical data available to help guide therapy, and infections caused by resistant A. fumigatus isolates have been reported to have high mortality rates.
Heparin-binding peptide as a novel affinity tag for purification of recombinant proteins

Purification of recombinant proteins constitutes a significant part of the downstream processing in biopharmaceutical industries. Major costs involved in the production of bio-therapeutics mainly depend on the number of purification steps used during the downstream process. Affinity chromatography is a widely used method for the purification of recombinant proteins expressed in different expression host platforms. Recombinant protein purification is achieved by fusing appropriate affinity tags to either N- or C- terminus of the target recombinant proteins. Currently available protein/peptide affinity tags have proved quite useful in the purification of recombinant proteins. However, these affinity tags suffer from specific limitations in their use under different conditions of purification. In this study, we have designed a novel 34-amino acid heparin-binding affinity tag (HB-tag) for the purification of recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) cells. HB-tag fused recombinant proteins were overexpressed in E. coli in high yields. A one-step heparin-Sepharose-based affinity chromatography protocol was developed to purify HB-fused recombinant proteins to homogeneity using a simple sodium chloride step gradient elution. The HB-tag has also been shown to facilitate the purification of target recombinant proteins from their 8 M urea denatured state(s). The HB-tag has been demonstrated to be successfully released from the fusion protein by an appropriate protease treatment to obtain the recombinant target protein(s) in high yields. Results of the two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy experiments indicate that the purified recombinant target protein(s) exist in the native conformation. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the HB-peptide sequence, exhibited high binding specificity and sensitivity to the HB-fused recombinant proteins (∼10 ng) in different crude cell extracts obtained from diverse expression hosts. In our opinion, the HB-tag provides a cost-effective, rapid, and reliable avenue for the purification of recombinant proteins in heterologous hosts.
Patient-oriented dietetic information system. II. Compiling a computerized nutrient data bank.

A food composition table covering as many as 63 nutrients for 3,600 food items has been compiled and stored in a computer data bank. The system is available for use by others.
Identité, Intertextualité et Langues Nationales dans Les Bouts de bois de Dieu d’Ousmane Sembène

(2008). Identite, Intertextualite et Langues Nationales dans Les Bouts de bois de Dieu d’Ousmane Sembene. Journal of the African Literature Association: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 91-110.
Statistical Analysis of Network Data

Over the past decade, the study of so-called “complex networks” — that is, network-based representations of complex systems — has taken the sciences by storm. Researchers from biology to physics, from economics to mathematics, and from computer science to sociology, are more and more involved with the collection, modeling and analysis of networkindexed data. With this enthusiastic embrace of networks across the disciplines comes a multitude of statistical challenges of all sorts — many of them decidedly non-trivial. In this short course, we will cover a brief overview of the foundations common to the statistical analysis of network data across the disciplines, from a statistical perspective, in the context of topics like network summary and visualization, network sampling, network modeling and inference, and network processes. Concepts will be illustrated drawing on examples frombioinformatics, computer network traffic analysis, neuroscience, and social networks.
Soapbox Rebellion: The Hobo Orator Union and the Free Speech Fights of the Industrial Workers of the World, 1909–1916

Matthew May begins his closing chapter of Soapbox Rebellion: The Hobo Orator Union and the Free Speech Fights of the Industrial Workers of the World, 1909–1916 by disclosing what his passionate pre...
A Modern Extension — Vickrey and Mirrlees

David Ricardo and Henry George had proposed a tax that was designed to prevent the distortion of factor or commodity prices. However, both Great Minds had acknowledged that monopolies can equally distort the economy. Frank Ramsey had demonstrated how a commodity tax on the product of monopolies can also enhance public finances while simultaneously correcting some monopoly distortions. However, Henry George’s 100% land tax proved impossible to implement politically, while Ramsey’s tax, by contrast, was difficult to implement economically.
Introduction to a General Theory of Boundary Values

1. Introduction - Basic Definitions 1.1. What Should a General Notion of Boundary Value Be? 1.2. Definition of Strong Boundary Value (Global Case) 1.3. Remarks on Smooth (Not Real Analytic) Boundaries 1.4. Analytic Functionals 1.5. Analytic Functional as Boundary Values 1.6. Some Basic Properties of Analytic Functionals 1.7. Hyperfunctions 1.8. Limits 2. Theory of Boundary Values on the Unit Disc 2.1. Functions \(u(t,\theta )\) That Have Strong Boundary Values (Along t = 0) 2.2. Boundary Values of Holomorphic Functions on the Unit Disc 2.3. Independence on the Defining Function 2.4. The Role of Subharmonicity (Illustrated Here by Discussing the Independence on the Space of Test Functions) 3. The Hahn Banach Theorem in the Theory of Analytic Functionals 3.1. A Hahn Banach Theorem 3.2. Some Comments 3.3. The Notion of Good Compact Set 3.4. The Case of Non-Stein Manifolds 4. Spectral Theory 5. Non-linear Paley Wiener Theory and Local Theory of Boundary Values 5.1. The Paley Wiener Theory 5.2. Application 5.3. Application to a Local Theory of Boundary Values References
Sensitivity of the model error parameter specification in weak-constraint four-dimensional variational data assimilation

Abstract This article presents the mathematical framework to evaluate the sensitivity of a forecast error aspect to the input parameters of a weak-constraint four-dimensional variational data assimilation system (w4D-Var DAS), extending the established theory from strong-constraint 4D-Var. Emphasis is placed on the derivation of the equations for evaluating the forecast sensitivity to parameters in the DAS representation of the model error statistics, including bias, standard deviation, and correlation structure. A novel adjoint-based procedure for adaptive tuning of the specified model error covariance matrix is introduced. Results from numerical convergence tests establish the validity of the model error sensitivity equations. Preliminary experiments providing a proof-of-concept are performed using the Lorenz multi-scale model to illustrate the theoretical concepts and potential benefits for practical applications.
Fuel Cell Temperature Control With a Precombustor in SOFC Gas Turbine Hybrids During Load Changes

The use of high temperature fuel cells, such as Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), for power generation is considered a very efficient and clean solution to conservation of energy resources. When the ...
Auditory Displays: If They are so Useful, Why are they Turned Off?:

Pilots often turn off the auditory displays which are provided to improve their performance (Weiner, 1977; Veitengruber, Boucek, & Smith, 1977). The intensity of the auditory display is often cited...
A Unified Framework for Trapdoor-Permutation-Based Sequential Aggregate Signatures

We give a framework for trapdoor-permutation-based sequential aggregate signatures (SAS) that unifies and simplifies prior work and leads to new results. The framework is based on ideal ciphers over large domains, which have recently been shown to be realizable in the random oracle model. The basic idea is to replace the random oracle in the full-domain-hash signature scheme with an ideal cipher. Each signer in sequence applies the ideal cipher, keyed by the message, to the output of the previous signer, and then inverts the trapdoor permutation on the result. We obtain different variants of the scheme by varying additional keying material in the ideal cipher and making different assumptions on the trapdoor permutation. In particular, we obtain the first scheme with lazy verification and signature size independent of the number of signers that does not rely on bilinear pairings.
Genetic Vulnerability of GPCRs: A Call to Action.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the targets for many drugs, but the response shows interindividual variability. The ‘one-drug-fits-all' approach has been challenged by evidence showing multiple human genetic variants of GPCRs. Identification and characterization of GPCR variants must be undertaken for rational, personalized, and economically sound prescribing practices.
Motivation for and Evaluation of the First Tensor Processing Unit

The first-generation tensor processing unit (TPU) runs deep neural network (DNN) inference 15-30 times faster with 30-80 times better energy efficiency than contemporary CPUs and GPUs in similar semiconductor technologies. This domain-specific architecture (DSA) is a custom chip that has been deployed in Google datacenters since 2015, where it serves billions of people.
There and Back and There Again: Notes on a Professional Journey

There are myriad constraints and beacons that guide one’s career. This chapter maps the twisting path of a faculty developer who was simultaneously bound and enabled by family needs, career expectations, and commitments to social change. While the journey is unique, it highlights various ways one can make meaningful change with a doctorate.
UNT-SimpRank: Systems for Lexical Simplification Ranking

This paper presents three systems that took part in the lexical simplification task at SEMEVAL 2012. Speculating on what the concept of simplicity might mean for a word, the systems apply different approaches to rank the given candidate lists. One of the systems performs second-best (statistically significant) and another one performs third-best out of 9 systems and 3 baselines. Notably, the third-best system is very close to the second-best, and at the same time much more resource-light in comparison.
Lipid Metabolism in Zebrafish

Forward genetics is an unbiased methodology to discover new genes or functions of genes. At the present, the zebrafish is one of the few vertebrate systems where large-scale forward genetic studies are practical. Fluorescent lipid labeling of zebrafish larvae derived from families created from ENU-mutagenized fish enabled us to perform a large scale in vivo screen to identify mutants with perturbed lipid processing. With the aid of the zebrafish genome project, positional cloning of mutated genes with abnormal lipid metabolism can be accelerated. MO- and gripNA-based transient gene silencing is feasible in zebrafish embryos and provides a reverse genetic screening strategy to search for important lipid regulators. The advantages of using zebrafish as a vertebrate model to study lipid metabolism include its rapid external development and its optical clarity that enables the monitoring of biological processes. Large scale, high-throughput drug screening in vivo, especially for drugs that inhibit lipid absorption, can be easily achieved in this model. These zebrafish-based assays are important tools to understand aspects of lipid biology with significant clinical implications.
UMBC-FEVER: Claim verification using Semantic Lexical Resources

We describe our use of the system in the 2018 FEVER shared task. The system employed a frame-based information retrieval approach to select Wikipedia sentences providing evidence and used a two-layer multilayer perceptron to classify a claim as correct or not. Our submission achieved a score of 0.3966 on the Evidence F1 metric with accuracy of 44.79%, and FEVER score of 0.2628 F1 points.
Relations Satisfied by Point Vortex Equilibria with Strength Ratio −2

Relations satisfied by the roots of the Loutsenko sequence of polynomials are derived. These roots are known to correspond to families of stationary and uniformly translating point vortices with two vortex strengths in ratio −2. The relations are analogous to those satisfied by the roots of the Adler–Moser polynomials, corresponding to equilibria with ratio −1. The proof uses an analysis of the differential equation that these polynomial pairs satisfy.
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Skull Base: Response to Radiation Therapy and Outcomes in a Retrospective Case Series

Objectives The main purpose of this article is to examine a single-center cohort of patients with nasopharyngeal adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) for pathologic features, skull base invasion, overall survival, and disease-free survival, with a focus on response to proton beam radiation therapy. Design, Setting, and Participants Single-center institutional cancer registry was used to retrospectively identify and analyze outcomes for 12 patients treated for ACC of the nasopharynx from 2000 to 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcomes included 5-year overall survival and locoregional control. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 12.0 (STATACorp, College Station, Texas, United States). Spearman's rank order correlation was used for ordinal, monotonic variables with p-values Results Twelve patients with ACC of the nasopharynx were included. All patients presented with advanced disease and were treated with primary radiation therapy, typically proton beam therapy. Only two underwent a surgical attempt at resection. A majority of cases had a cribriform growth pattern. The 5-year survival was 75% and rate of locoregional control rate at 5 years was 50%, comparable to other ACC cohort studies that included earlier stage tumors in various subsites that were surgically resected. Conclusions Although ACC is traditionally noted to be radioresistant, ACC of the nasopharynx was responsive to radiotherapy in our cohort, despite advanced stage and skull base invasion. Reasons for this improved survival are unclear and suggest the need for further pathologic and genetic characterization of nasopharyngeal ACC.
Cropping systems: ecology and management

ABSTRACT Judicious choice and management of cropping systems can minimize NO3--N contamination of ground water. Spatial and temporal patterns of crop N absorption should match those of N availability. Niche breadth and overlap of interplanted and sequential crops should be characterized to maximize use of available N. Nitrogen use efficiency in monocrops can be improved by appropriate planting geometry and date, tillage, irrigation management, and cultivar selection. Cover cropping, mixed cropping, and interannual crop rotation have proved useful in many environments, but inclusion of legumes in these systems odes not always reduce NO3--N losses. Multiple cropping systems require careful management, especially on irrigated sands. The use of deeply rooted crops like alfalfa in semiarid regions to reduce accumulations of subsoil NO3--N needs further evaluation under more humid conditions. Substitution of symbiotically-fixed N2 or animal manures for commercial fertilizer-N will not necessarily reduce NO3--N losses, but extent of ground water contamination by symbiotically-fixed N is not known. Future development of cropping systems should attempt to control space-dependent (e.g., soil type or landscape position) and time-dependent NO3--N losses from the root zone.
Role of Mitochondria in Cardiovascular Comorbidities Associated with Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract The importance of the heart has been recognized by many civilizations, without even knowing its physiological importance to the human body. Ancient Egyptians recognized the value of the heart by making it the only organ left inside the body during mummification. They believed that the heart is the center of intelligence and feeling, and the mummified person would need it in the afterlife. With the advancement of science, we have come to realize that without a heart, life cannot exist. The heart beats every second of our lives-two and a half million times during an average lifespan. It does not rest, pumping ~ 280 L of blood every hour in adults. As a result of this continued pumping of blood, the heart produces and consumes about 30 kg of ATP every single day.
NASKAH DRAMA DALAM BAYANGAN TUHAN KARYA ARIFIN C. NOER SEBAGAI IDE PENCIPTAAN KARYA DESAIN KOMUNIKASI VISUAL

Dalam Bayangan Tuhan (Interogasi 1) adalah naskah drama karya Arifi n C. Noer yang menghadirkan gagasan, pemikiran, karakter khas, dan memotret problematika kehidupan masyarakat Indonesia. Karakter khas, gaya ungkap yang unik, dan permasalahan yang selalu aktual menjadi daya tarik tersendiri. Penciptaan karya desain komunikasi visual menggali sekaligus memanfaatkan esensi naskah ini sebagai ide penciptaan. Tujuan penciptaan karya desain komunikasi visual ini adalah (1) menggali dan mengolah ide penciptaan maupun bentuk visual dari naskah Dalam Bayangan Tuhan; (2) membentuk konsep dan visualisasi karya desain yang bersumber dari naskah Dalam Bayangan Tuhan. Metode yang digunakan sebagai proses penciptaan adalah observasi, improvisasi, dan visualisasi. Nilai yang dieksplorasi melalui penafsiran mengenai masalah sosial budaya dan aspek kemanusiaan. Delapan karya ini menampilkan objek lingkungan, human interest (manusia), dan benda di sekitar kehidupan sehari-hari. Berdasarkan hasil penciptaan dan pemaparan visualisasi karya dapat diperoleh: (1) konsep yang diolah menjadi karya tersebut menghasilkan lima buah poster yang berjudul “Wajah Kita”; “Dua Warna”; “Peta Permainan”; “Membersihkan Bumi, Membersihkan Hati”; “Bukan Profesi Profesional”; “Menggali Sumur Pengetahuan”. Dua karya berupa video pesan layanan masyarakat berjudul “Sang Merah Putih” dan “Wedhus”. (2) pesan-pesan dan nilai estetis yang terkandung dapat disimpulkan: a) Naskah Drama karya Arifi n C. Noer khususnya Dalam Bayangan Tuhan mengekspresikan gagasan, menyentuh pemikiran, sikap kritis, dan menyuarakan berbagai hal tentang kehidupan manusia Indonesia; b) karya-karya ini menyampaikan persoalan kemiskinan, kesenjangan sosial, nasionalisme, pendidikan, kearifan lokal, dan nilai sosial kemasyarakatan yang terfokus terhadap nilai kemanusiaan; c) sikap Arifi n C. Noer yang humanis khususnya dalam karya ini menjadi pembelajaran membangun dan mencintai bangsa Indonesia dengan menumbuhkan kepedulian sosial bagi kemajuan masyarakat. Kata kunci: Naskah Drama Dalam Bayangan Tuhan, ide penciptaan, karya desain komunikasi visual, pesan sosial dan nilai kemanusiaan
Immature Platelet Fraction Is Associated with JAK2 V617F Mutation and Features of Advanced Disease in Myelofibrosis

Abstract Introduction: The Immature Platelet Fraction (IPF) is a generally available hematological parameter, identifying a portion of "young" and hemostatically more active platelets, typically increasing in presence of thrombocytopenia. A high IPF has been associated with JAK2 mutation and increased risk of thrombosis in patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocytemia (ET). However its significance has never been explored in patient with myelofibrosis (MF). Methods: IPF was measured using the Sysmex XN-Series analyzer; an IPF greater than 6.2% was defined high, in accordance with previous studies. Categorical and continuous variables were compared using the χ2 or Fisher exact tests, and the Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. Logistic regression was used for multivariable analysis of categorical variable. Survival was calculated using the method of Kaplan and Meier, and univariable comparisons were made using the log-rank test. All p-values Results. One hundred and forty-two sequential unselected patients with MF were included in the study; baseline characteristics at time of IPF measurement are shown in the Table. Seventy (49%) patients had a high IPF. Factors associated with high IPF on univariate analysis were elevated white blood count (p=0.04), elevated peripheral blasts (p=0.04), low platelet count ( Discussion. Similarly to PV and ET, also in patient with MF high IPF associates with JAK-2 mutation, suggesting an interaction between the JAK-STAT pathway and platelet activation in these patients; in addition, high IPF associates with markers of advanced disease, such as elevated peripheral blasts, low platelets and previous exposure to therapy. Longer follow-up is needed to assess the impact of IPF on the risk of thrombosis and transformation, and survival. Download : Download high-res image (146KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Verstovsek: Geron: Research Funding; Pfizer: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; CTI BioPharma Corp: Research Funding; NS Pharma: Research Funding; Lilly Oncology: Research Funding; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; Roche: Research Funding; Incyte Corporation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Galena BioPharma: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Gilead: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding.
Molecular imaging of extracellular matrix proteins with targeted probes using magnetic resonance imaging

The extracellular matrix (ECM) consists of proteins and carbohydrates that supports different biological structures and processes such as tissue development, elasticity, and preservation of organ structure. Diseases involving inflammation, fibrosis, tumor invasion, and injury are all attributed to the transition of the ECM from homeostasis to remodeling, which can significantly change the biochemical and biomechanical features of ECM components. While contrast agents have played an indispensable role in facilitating clinical diagnosis of diseases using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there is a strong need to develop novel biomarker-targeted imaging probes for in vivo visualization of biological processes and pathological alterations at a cellular and molecular level, for both early diagnosis and monitoring drug treatment. Herein, we will first review the pathological accumulation and characterization of ECM proteins recognized as important molecular features of diseases. Developments in MRI probes targeting ECM proteins such as collagen, fibronectin, and elastin via conjugation of existing contrast agents to targeting moieties and their applications to various diseases, are also reviewed. We have also reviewed our progress in the development of collagen-targeted protein MRI contrast agent with significant improvement in relaxivity and metal binding specificity, and their applications in early detection of fibrosis and metastatic cancer. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > in vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Peptide-Based Structures Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Protein and Virus-Based Structures.
Free Anterolateral Thigh Versus Vastus Lateralis Muscle Flaps for Coverage of Lower Extremity Defects in Chronic Wounds.

Introduction The thigh has been called the reconstructive warehouse. The anterolateral thigh (ALT) and vastus lateralis (VL) flaps are popular options for free tissue transfer in lower extremity reconstruction. We sought to review the largest experience of these flaps in the chronic wound population. Methods We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent lower extremity reconstruction using ALT or VL flaps by a single surgeon between 2012 and 2018. Results Fifty ALT and 34 VL flaps were identified. Comorbidities were similar between groups with the exception of body mass index (ALT, 26.8; VL, 30.1; P = 0.0121). There was also a significant difference rate of independent ambulation preoperatively (ALT, 98.0%; VL, 85.3%; P = 0.0375). An adjunct was needed for recipient site coverage in 31.5% (19/50) of ALT patients and 100% (34/34) of VL patients. Of the patients who received skin grafts, delayed placement was more frequent in the ALT (53.3%) versus VL cohort (18.2%) (P = 0.0192). Median graft take and the rate of skin graft revision were not statistically different. Flap success rates were similar: ALT, 92.0%; and VL, 94.1%. Overall complication rates were not significantly different: ALT, 26.0%; and VL, 38.2%. Infectious complications were also comparable. Subsequent debulking procedures were performed on 8.0% of ALT flaps and 11.8% VL flaps (P = 0.7092). Limb salvage rates were similar between both cohorts (ALT, 82.0%; VL, 88.2%). Ambulation rate was significantly higher for the ALT cohort at 92.0% compared with 73.5% for the VL cohort (P = 0.0216). Median follow-up was similar for both groups. Conclusions We present the largest comparison study of ALT and VL flaps in lower extremity salvage. Complication rates, flap success, and limb salvage were similar between the 2 cohorts. Despite a high prevalence of osteomyelitis in both cohorts, there was no difference in infectious complications. Although the need for skin grafting remains an inherent disadvantage of the VL flap, a significant proportion of ALT recipients also needed an adjunct for recipient site coverage. Ambulation rate was significantly greater in the ALT group. However, flap type was no longer significant for ambulation when controlling for preoperative ambulatory status.