cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Goby3: A new open-source middleware for nested communication on autonomous marine vehicles

Software systems for robotics increasingly require support for robust interprocess communication with common interfaces, which has given rise to the use of “middleware” software projects. However, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have a significantly different intervehicle communication regime than other branches of robotics due to the physical realities of the ocean as a communication medium. Goby3 is a new middleware, the first specifically designed to address intervehicle, interprocess, and interthread communication on AUVs in a unified manner. Goby3 is based on C++11 and is minimally restrictive on the types that can be published and subscribed using it. A reference implementation is given that uses C++ shared pointers for interthread, ZeroMQ for interprocess, and Goby-Acomms for intervehicle communication. This implementation is shown to give similar or better performance to existing middlewares.
HER2 mutations in lung adenocarcinomas: A report from the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium.

BACKGROUND Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) mutations have been reported in lung adenocarcinomas. Herein, the authors describe the prevalence, clinical features, and outcomes associated with HER2 mutations in 1007 patients in the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium (LCMC). METHODS Patients with advanced-stage lung adenocarcinomas were enrolled to the LCMC. Tumor specimens were assessed for diagnosis and adequacy; multiplexed genotyping was performed in Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratories to examine 10 oncogenic drivers. The LCMC database was queried for patients with HER2 mutations to access demographic data, treatment history, and vital status. An exploratory analysis was performed to evaluate the survival of patients with HER2 mutations who were treated with HER2-directed therapies. RESULTS A total of 920 patients were tested for HER2 mutations; 24 patients (3%) harbored exon 20 insertion mutations (95% confidence interval, 2%-4%). One patient had a concurrent mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) amplification. The median age of the patients was 62 years, with a slight predominance of females over males (14 females vs 10 males). The majority of the patients were never-smokers (71%) and presented with advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. The median survival for patients who received HER2-targeted therapies (12 patients) was 2.1 years compared with 1.4 years for those who did not (12 patients) (P = .48). Patients with HER2 mutations were found to have inferior survival compared with the rest of the LCMC cohort with other mutations: the median survival was 3.5 years in the LCMC population receiving targeted therapy and 2.4 years for patients not receiving targeted therapy. CONCLUSIONS HER2 mutations were detected in 3% of patients with lung adenocarcinoma in the LCMC. HER2-directed therapies should be investigated in this subgroup of patients. Cancer 2017;123:4099–4105. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Archaeological Inference in Societal Modeling: Social Organization of the Bad River Phase

The Bad River Phase refers to the archaeological content of a group of 18th century Arikara villages in central South Dakota. The homogenous content and structure of the material culture reflects a...
Do sunk costs affect expert decision making? Evidence from the within-game usage of NFL running backs

The presence of the sunk-cost fallacy in expert decision making is tested by examining the within-game usage of players in the National Football League (NFL). Using the exogenous variation in compensation from the NFL’s free agency rules, we show that compensation, which is a sunk cost, significantly increases the number of rushing attempts for NFL running backs. The relationship between rushing attempts and compensation is estimated to be unit elastic. The increase in compensation from being eligible for unrestricted free agency has an equivalent effect on the number of rushing attempts as an additional 174–222 rushing yards in the previous season, which has a value of 13.9–17.8 offensive points.
War and Anxiety in 1917

In 1917 there were disturbing signs among all the First World War belligerents not only of domestic political divisions, but also of dangerous social polarisation. Through the analysis of cartoons and caricatures in the French soldiers’ up-market trench journal, La Baionnette, Jay Winter reveals social divisions and anxieties resulting from the enormous strains of total war. He also asks what the future might have been if a planned peace conference in Stockholm had taken place in 1917. Winter concludes that by 1917 two war cultures appeared: the first, dominant before 1917, focused on national solidarity and mobilisation; the second, dominant from 1917 on, focused on injustice, anxiety, anger, and resentment. These latter themes remained all too palpable in the post-war period.
Tullahoma: Terrain and Tactics in the American Civil War

In 1863 the Union commander of the Army of the Cumberland, William S. Rosecrans successfully manoeuvred the weaker Confederate Army of Gen. Braxton B. Bragg out of a strong defensive position in Middle Tennessee with little loss of life. Taking advantage of the unique mountainous topography and Bragg’s dependence on a single rail line Rosecrans was able to put his forces astride Bragg’s communications. Following after the Confederates and trying to repeat the same trick south of the Tennessee River Rosecrans allowed his corps to become separated in the mountains where they were decisively defeated at the Battle of Chickamauga. Rosecrans created the most effective mapping system developed during the Civil War.
Polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis. Related conditions with differing therapies.

PreviewPolymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritis may be different clinical presentations of the same disorder, but their therapies differ significantly. Dr Lisse discusses the clinical features, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of the two conditions.
Introduction: Regulation of Vascular Morphogenesis

Blood vessels are thought to develop according to two fundamental processes. Vasculogenesis refers chiefly to the embryonic formation of the larger vessels, which arise in situ from primordial endothelial cells, and angiogenesis, to the growth of vessels from extant vasculature that occurs during development and during remodeling in the adult. It is likely that fundamental mechanisms directing endothelial cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation apply to both processes (1).
Mason & Dixon on the Line: A Reception Study

Reviewers of Mason & Dixon were under peculiar pressure: how to deal with a novel of such scope and ambition within a brief space and early deadline? According to Walter Kirn.
Chapter 18 Chloroplast Genetic Engineering: A Novel Technology for Agricultural Biotechnology and Bio-pharmaceutical Industry

Chloroplast genetic engineering is becoming an attractive field in plant biotechnology. It offers several unique advantages, including high-level transgene expression, multi-gene engineering in a single transformation event and transgene containment by maternal inheritance, as well as lack of gene silencing, position and pleiotropic effects and undesirable foreign DNA. The hyper-expression of recombinant proteins within plastids offers a cost effective solution for using plants as bioreactors. Many transgenes have been stably integrated and expressed via the tobacco chloroplast genome to confer important agronomic traits including herbicide, insect, and disease resistance, drought and salt tolerance, and phytoremediation. Moreover, many vaccine antigens and biopharmaceutical proteins have been expressed at high levels via the chloroplast genome and their functionality has been evaluated using in vitro cell cultures as well as challenge with bacterial or viral pathogens using animal models. This technology has been extended to other crop species for the introduction of agronomic traits and production of low cost vaccine antigens and therapeutic proteins. Production of therapeutic proteins in chloroplasts eliminates the expensive fermentation technology. In addition, oral delivery of chloroplast-derived therapeutic proteins should eliminate expensive purification steps, cold storage, cold transportation and delivery via sterile needles, thereby further decreasing their cost. Apart from the successful productions of vaccines and therapeutic proteins, chloroplast technology is also a good platform for the production of industrial products. Recently this technology has been extended for the production of enzymes used in ethanol production. In this chapter, we describe the overall concept of the chloroplast technology and the current status of chloroplast-derived vaccine antigens and biopharmaceutical proteins.
HUD Housing Assistance and Levels of Physical Activity Among Low-Income Adults.

INTRODUCTION Receipt of housing assistance from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is associated with improved health among adults and lower rates of unmet medical need among adults and young children. However, it is unclear whether HUD housing assistance is associated with healthier behaviors. The objective of our study was to assess whether participation in HUD housing assistance programs is associated with increased physical activity among low-income adults. METHODS In 2017, we pooled cross-sectional data from the 2004-2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) linked to administrative records of HUD housing assistance participation. Our primary sample was low-income adults (aged ≥18; <200% of federal poverty level). Using multivariate logistic regression, we calculated the odds of being physically active (≥150 min/week of moderate-intensity activity or equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity) among current HUD housing assistance residents compared with a control group of future residents (adults who would receive assistance within the next 2 years). In a secondary analyses, we examined neighborhood socioeconomic status as a modifier and conducted a subanalysis among nonsenior adults (aged <65). RESULTS Among all low-income adults, the adjusted odds of being physically active were similar for current and future residents (odds ratio =1.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.95-1.46). Among nonseniors, current residents were more likely to be physically active than future residents (odds ratio = 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.97). Associations did not differ by neighborhood socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION Receiving HUD housing assistance is associated with being physically active among nonsenior low-income adults.
A Nonlinear Control Design to Improve the Dynamic Stability of a Multi-Machine Power System with DFIG-Based Wind Turbines

This paper proposes a nonlinear control approach for a multi-machine power system with DFIG-based wind turbines. The proposed approach aims at coordinating the design of the controllers of the doubly fed induction generator and that of the Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) device. Its main objectives are to improve the transient and voltage stability of the inter-connected system. The nonlinear approach is based on the zero dynamics technique. The effectiveness of the proposed approach was evaluated via eigenvalue analysis and transient simulations. Further assessments of its dynamic performance were performed by considering a three phase fault condition. The obtained results were compared to that of a traditional power oscillation damping (PRINT) approach. Significant improvements in the transient behavior and power stability of the inter-connected power system are among the main positive features of the proposed design.
An Institutional Perspective on Brazil’s Political Economy

This essay reviews the following works: Brazil in Transition: Beliefs, Leadership, and Institutional Change. By Lee J. Alston, Marcus Andre Melo, Bernardo Mueller, and Carlos Pereira. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016. Pp. xi + 262. $39.50 hardcover. ISBN: 9780691162911. The Political Construction of Brazil: Society, Economy, and State since Independence. By Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2016. Pp. x + 419. $85.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9781626373075. Making Brazil Work: Checking the President in a Multiparty System. By Marcus Andre Melo and Carlos Pereira. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Pp. xiii + 212. $100.00 hardcover. ISBN: 9781137310835. New Order and Progress: Development and Democracy in Brazil. Edited by Ben Ross Schneider. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. Pp. ix + 307. $31.95 paperback. ISBN: 9780190462895.
A Methodology for Allocating the Annual Revenue Requirement of a Transmission Network

We propose an allocation methodology for recovering the annual revenue requirements (ARR) of a network. The methodology adheres to the worldwide practices of allocating the ARR to either the load or both the load and generation. The allocation results in a charge for the load and/or generation buses of the network. The charge of a bus relies on the power transfer distribution factor (PTDF) associated with each transmission line of the network and thus is sensitive to the topology of the network and the location of the bus with respect to other buses. We used the IEEE 24-bus reliability test system (RTS) network for testing the proposed allocation methodology and comparing it with existing cost allocation methodologies.
Bumpy Hollow Gold Nanospheres for Theranostic Applications: Effect of Surface Morphology on Photothermal Conversion Efficiency

The combination of hollow core and rugose surface morphology is highly attractive for photoactive near-infrared (NIR) nanomaterials. Here, we present a facile pH modification to hollow gold nanosphere (HGN) synthesis to enable controlled tuning of the surface morphology from smooth to very bumpy. Unlike other methods, the synthetic protocol does not require harsh surfactants, secondary reducing agents, or organic solvents. The resultant bumpy HGNs (bHGNs) are highly monodisperse with little variation in protrusion length from particle to particle. Mechanistic studies suggest that surface rugosity is mainly controlled by the presence of free OH– ions in solution. We also present the first systematic investigation into the effect of surface morphology on the photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) of bumpy as well as smooth HGNs, with a maximum PCE reaching 99%. Although expected to have a higher scattering component, the bHGNs retain the excellent PCE of their smooth counterparts, which may be due to effi...
Analysis of Iron Requirements and Siderophore Production

This chapter describes the methods for inducing, detecting, and purifying the Legionella pneumophila siderophore. The first protocol details the methods by which L. pneumophila is cultured to facilitate production of the siderophore, rhizoferrin. This chapter then describes how to purify siderophore from culture supernatants through sequential reversed-phase/weak-anion exchange chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The next section describes assays which allow the detection of the iron-binding capability and the biological activity of the purified siderophore. Lastly, this chapter describes the growth of L. pneumophila in chemically defined liquid medium (CDM) containing various iron sources as a method to assess the iron requirements of L. pneumophila.
Drug therapy during labor and delivery, part 2

Purpose. The drug therapy of common conditions and complications during labor and delivery and the fetal and neonatal effects of this therapy are examined. Summary. The pharmacologic therapy of common conditions that occur in labor and delivery primarily involves oxytocin and prostaglandins for cervical ripening and labor induction and systemic and regional narcotic analgesics for pain. Because most medications used in women during labor and delivery do not have Food and Drug Administration-approved labeling, pharmacists should understand the benefits and limitations of medications used in the mother. Although induction and augmentation of labor and the control of pain often require drug therapy, other, less frequent, complications may occur in labor. Drug therapies for these complications include anti-infective agents to treat maternal infection and prevent neonatal diseases; antiretrovirals to reduce perinatal HIV-1 transmission from the mother to the fetus; corticosteroids to prevent fetal lung immaturity; antihypertensives to treat preeclampsia; anticonvulsants to treat eclampsia; antibiotics to prolong pregnancy and improve neonatal outcomes after premature rupture of the membranes; tocolytics for premature labor; and oxytocin, ergot alkaloids, and prostaglandin analogues for postpartum hemorrhage. The fetal and neonatal effects of therapy for the conditions that occur during labor and delivery are usually benign, but significant morbidity and mortality involving the mother, the fetus, and the newborn are ever-present risks. Conclusion. Awareness of the conditions and complications requiring drug therapy during labor and delivery will allow hospital pharmacists to make knowledgeable decisions about the rapid accessibility of critical medications in the labor and delivery unit.
Does the Mundell-Fleming Model Apply to Australia’s Economy?

Applying an extended Mundell-Fleming Model to Australia, this paper finds that expansionary fiscal policy does not affect output whereas expansionary monetary policy raises output. In addition, a higher real stock price, a lower real oil price or a lower expected inflation rate would increase output. Hence, the predictions of the Mundell-Fleming model works for Australia’s economy.
PCuAC domains from methane-oxidizing bacteria use a histidine brace to bind copper

Copper is critically important for methanotrophic bacteria because their primary metabolic enzyme, particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO), is copper-dependent. In addition to pMMO, many other copper proteins are encoded in the genomes of methanotrophs, including proteins that contain periplasmic copper-A chaperone (PCuAC) domains. Using bioinformatics analyses, we identified three distinct classes of PCuAC domain-containing proteins in methanotrophs, termed PmoF1, PmoF2, and PmoF3. PCuAC domains from other types of bacteria bind a single Cu(I) ion via an HXnMX21/22HXM motif, which is also present in PmoF3, but PmoF1 and PmoF2 lack this motif entirely. Instead, the PCuAC domains of PmoF1 and PmoF2 bind only Cu(II), and PmoF1 binds additional Cu(II) ions in a His-rich extension to its PCuAC domain. Crystal structures of the PmoF1 and PmoF2 PCuAC domains reveal that Cu(II) is coordinated by an N-terminal histidine brace HX10H motif. This binding site is distinct from those of previously characterized PCuAC domains but resembles copper centers in CopC proteins and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO) enzymes. Bioinformatics analysis of the entire PCuAC family reveals previously unappreciated diversity, including sequences that contain both the HXnMX21/22HXM and HX10H motifs, and sequences that lack either set of copper-binding ligands. These findings provide the first characterization of an additional class of copper proteins from methanotrophs, further expand the PCuAC family, and afford new insight into the biological significance of histidine brace-mediated copper coordination.
[Experimental studies on intelligence disorders in the "Durchgangs-syndrome"].

Wir untersuchten das Intelligenzverhalten wahrend des Durchgangs-Syndroms (H. H. Wieck). Dazu wurden der von F. Bocker entwickelte Syndrom-Test und der von D. Wechsler beschriebene Intelligenztest in seiner deutschen Bearbeitung (Hawie) eingesetzt. Die statistische Bearbeitung des Materials ergab uberindividuelle Charakteristica der gestorten Intelligenzfunktionen.
Some difficult Tocharian genitives

This paper discusses the Tocharian gen. sg. in B -ntse, A -s, and the gen. pl. in B -ṃts(ə), A -śśi. The PToch. gen. sg. ending *‑nsae is explained by assuming an extension of the o-stem ending *‑o-s(y)o to n‑stems, giving first *‑Cn‑əsae (with connecting *‑ə‑) and then, with regular metathesis, *‑C‑ə‑nsae, from which productive *‑nsae was extracted. The more difficult gen. pl. endings B ‑ṃts(ə) and A -śśi, which are not usually thought of as being cognate, are traced to sequences of the animate acc. pl. in *‑ns followed by a particle with Sievers variants *‑Tye (Toch. B) and *‑Tiye (Toch. A). The particle *‑T(i)ye is perhaps to be identified with the ‑se of Gk. pose ‘whither’, and thus further with the locational suffix *‑tye/o‑ of Ved. nitya- ‘own’, Hitt. appezziya- ‘hindmost’, etc.
Mathematical Commentary on Le Corbusier’s Modulor

This contribution presents mathematical comments on Le Corbusier’s scale of proportions the Modulor. The analysis covers the structure of the scale, approximation routines, errors of the geometric deduction, and the evaluation of the postulates of harmonious design.
I-MOVE: Independent Moving Objects for Velocity Estimation

We introduce I-MOVE, the first publicly available RGBD/stereo dataset for estimating velocities of independently moving objects. Velocity estimation given RGB-D data is an unsolved problem. The I-MOVE dataset provides an opportunity for generalizable velocity estimation models to be created and have their performance be accurately and fairly measured. The dataset features various outdoor and indoor scenes of single and multiple moving objects. Compared to other datasets, I-MOVE is unique because the RGB-D data and speed for each object are supplied for a variety of different settings/environments, objects, and motions. The dataset includes training and test sequences captured from four different depth camera views and three 4Kstereo setups. The data are also time-synchronized with three Doppler radars to provide the magnitude of velocity ground truth. The I-MOVE dataset includes complex scenes from moving pedestrians via walking and biking to multiple rolling objects, all captured with the seven cameras, providing over 500 Depth/Stereo videos. To access the dataset please visit www.vast.uccs.edu/imove
Introduction to the Plates

There appear to be few more hazardous occupations for the structural geologist than to attempt classification of the common minor structures of deformed rocks.* The main difficulty in arriving at a useful classification seems to be the lack of a clear-cut basis on which to classify. The relationships between even the common types of structure are poorly understood, and a purely descriptive basis of the kind favored by most geologists generally results in the separation into different classes of structures of very similar origin because of differences in appearance from place to place. Likewise, a purely genetic basis fails because we do not know how most structures are formed.
Clinicopathologic and molecular profile of Philadelphia like ALL in Hispanic population of Central Valley California.

7524Background: Philadelphia-like Acute B-ALL(PHL) are Ph negative B-ALL(PHN) with molecular signatures that mirrors Ph + B ALL. Studies have shown worse prognosis in this subtype of leukemias, but...
Open Questions in Scientific Consensus Messaging Research

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in studying and using scientific consensus messaging strategies to influence public opinion. Researchers disagree, sometimes vociferously, abou...
Gibberellin Application Improved Bunch Rot Control of Vignoles Grape, but Response to Mechanical Defoliation Varied Between Training Systems.

Late-season bunch rot causes significant crop loss for grape growers in wet and humid climates. For 3 years (2016 to 2018), we integrated prebloom mechanized defoliation (MD) in the fruit zone and ...
Ovarian function and the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in dairy cows with and without evidence of postpartum uterine disease

Uterine disease early postpartum reduces fertility during the breeding period. One potential mechanism involves the reduced functional capacity of the uterus to support pregnancy. A second potential mechanism involves damage to ovarian follicles associated with systemic inflammation. We categorized lactating Holstein cows into healthy (n = 63) and diseased (n = 39) uterus groups based on the percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in the uterine lumen during the second and third month postpartum and evaluated the functionality of their ovaries and their capacity to establish and maintain pregnancy. Cows were enrolled in a timed artificial insemination protocol (Presynch Ovsynch) so that the first artificial insemination was approximately 75 d postpartum. Ovarian follicles and corpora lutea were counted and measured using transrectal ultrasound, ovulatory responses were assessed, and luteal phase progesterone concentrations were measured. Pregnancy was detected on d 18, 20, 22, 25, 32, and 45 through chemical (d 18 to 25) or ultrasonographic methods (d 32 and 45). The percentage of cows ovulating during the Presynch period; the number, diameter, and ovulatory capacity of follicles during the Ovsynch period; and plasma progesterone concentrations following ovulation were similar for healthy and diseased cows. The initial period of pregnancy establishment (d 18 to 22) appeared to be unaffected by disease because a similar percentage of healthy and diseased cows were pregnant during this period. Embryonic loss occurred in both healthy and diseased cows after d 22. Based on a relatively small number of pregnancies (n = 30 healthy and n = 17 diseased), the cumulative embryonic loss after d 22 was greater in diseased compared with healthy cows. In short, uterine disease as defined in this study did not affect cyclicity, ovarian follicular growth, or plasma progesterone concentrations. Percentages of healthy and diseased cows that were pregnant were similar from d 18 to 22 after artificial insemination. Greater embryonic loss was observed after d 22 in diseased compared with healthy cows, but this observation was based on a small number of pregnancies and should be studied further in larger trials with greater statistical power.
Data-driven discovery of probable Alzheimer's disease and related dementia subphenotypes using electronic health records.

Introduction We sought to assess longitudinal electronic health records (EHRs) using machine learning (ML) methods to computationally derive probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related dementia subphenotypes. Methods A retrospective analysis of EHR data from a cohort of 7587 patients seen at a large, multi-specialty urban academic medical center in New York was conducted. Subphenotypes were derived using hierarchical clustering from 792 probable AD patients (cases) who had received at least one diagnosis of AD using their clinical data. The other 6795 patients, labeled as controls, were matched on age and gender with the cases and randomly selected in the ratio of 9:1. Prediction models with multiple ML algorithms were trained on this cohort using 5-fold cross-validation. XGBoost was used to rank the variable importance. Results Four subphenotypes were computationally derived. Subphenotype A (n = 273; 28.2%) had more patients with cardiovascular diseases; subphenotype B (n = 221; 27.9%) had more patients with mental health illnesses, such as depression and anxiety; patients in subphenotype C (n = 183; 23.1%) were overall older (mean (SD) age, 79.5 (5.4) years) and had the most comorbidities including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health disorders; and subphenotype D (n = 115; 14.5%) included patients who took anti-dementia drugs and had sensory problems, such as deafness and hearing impairment.The 0-year prediction model for AD risk achieved an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.764 (SD: 0.02); the 6-month model, 0.751 (SD: 0.02); the 1-year model, 0.752 (SD: 0.02); the 2-year model, 0.749 (SD: 0.03); and the 3-year model, 0.735 (SD: 0.03), respectively. Based on variable importance, the top-ranked comorbidities included depression, stroke/transient ischemic attack, hypertension, anxiety, mobility impairments, and atrial fibrillation. The top-ranked medications included anti-dementia drugs, antipsychotics, antiepileptics, and antidepressants. Conclusions Four subphenotypes were computationally derived that correlated with cardiovascular diseases and mental health illnesses. ML algorithms based on patient demographics, diagnosis, and treatment demonstrated promising results in predicting the risk of developing AD at different time points across an individual's lifespan.
Quantum oscillations in the activated conductivity in excitonic insulators: Possible application to monolayer WTe 2

A recent paper on the insulating state of monolayer $\text{W}{\text{Te}}_{2}$ reported the observation of large oscillations in the conductivity that are periodic in $1/B$, resembling quantum oscillations in metals. This remarkable observation has inspired suggestions of exotic physics such as spin-charge separation. We show that a rather more conventional but still nontrivial explanation in terms of gap modulation may be possible in a model of an excitonic insulator subject to a magnetic field.
Joint correction of attenuation and scatter in image space using deep convolutional neural networks for dedicated brain 18F-FDG PET.

Dedicated brain positron emission tomography (PET) devices can provide higher-resolution images with much lower doses compared to conventional whole-body PET systems, which is important to support PET neuroimaging and particularly useful for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. However, when a dedicated brain PET scanner does not come with a combined CT or transmission source, there is no direct solution for accurate attenuation and scatter correction, both of which are critical for quantitative PET. To address this problem, we propose joint attenuation and scatter correction (ASC) in image space for non-corrected PET (PETNC) using deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs). This approach is a one-step process, distinct from conventional methods that rely on generating attenuation maps first that are then applied to iterative scatter simulation in sinogram space. For training and validation, time-of-flight PET/MR scans and additional helical CTs were performed for 35 subjects (25/10 split for training and test dataset). A DCNN model was proposed and trained to convert PETNC to DCNN-based ASC PET (PETDCNN) directly in image space. For quantitative evaluation, uptake differences between PETDCNN and reference CT-based ASC PET (PETCT-ASC) were computed for 116 automated anatomical labels (AALs) across 10 test subjects (1160 regions in total). MR-based ASC PET (PETMR-ASC), a current clinical protocol in PET/MR imaging, was another reference for comparison. Statistical significance was assessed using a paired t test. The performance of PETDCNN was comparable to that of PETMR-ASC, in comparison to reference PETCT-ASC. The mean SUV differences (mean ± SD) from PETCT-ASC were 4.0% ± 15.4% (P < 0.001) and -4.2% ± 4.3% (P < 0.001) for PETDCNN and PETMR-ASC, respectively. The overall larger variation of PETDCNN (15.4%) was prone to the subject with the highest mean difference (48.5% ± 10.4%). The mean difference of PETDCNN excluding the subject was substantially improved to -0.8% ± 5.2% (P < 0.001), which was lower than that of PETMR-ASC (-5.07% ± 3.60%, P < 0.001). In conclusion, we demonstrated the feasibility of directly producing PET images corrected for attenuation and scatter using a DCNN (PETDCNN) from PETNC in image space without requiring conventional attenuation map generation and time-consuming scatter correction. Additionally, our DCNN-based method provides a possible alternative to MR-ASC for simultaneous PET/MRI.
Abstract 360: Metformin Confers Cardiac and Renal Protection in Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Introduction: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) affects over 600,000 Americans yearly with substantial mortality. After resuscitation, multiple system organ damage is common. Metformin has previously dem...
Political Theology, Radical Democracy, and Virtue Ethics; or Alasdair MacIntyre and the Paradoxes of a Revolutionary Consciousness

This essay analyses three concerns that arise at the intersection of ethics and politics through situating the work of Alasdair MacIntyre, particularly his conception of the relationship between Ch...
SecureRx: A blockchain-based framework for an electronic prescription system with opioids tracking

Abstract Objectives The proposed research aims at attaining several objectives. To start with, it assesses the limitations associated with the current electronic prescription systems. Accordingly, it proposes a proactive method for providing real-time monitoring to prevent overdose prescriptions. The proposed approach should ensure that health providers have access to a comprehensive dataset without state or geographical limitations. More importantly, the research aims to improve drug monitoring to enhance accountability and trust, which are central to promoting drug legitimacy. Methods A blockchain-based framework for secure, interoperable, and efficient access to prescription records. The proposed solution, SecureRx, is a web-based application developed on the Ethereum blockchain and RxCheck hub. Results Based on the evaluation results, SecureRx is functional as it allows health providers to verify patient history and make informed decisions regarding whether to prescribe opioids. The proposed solution exhibits adequate scalability and handles transactions quickly when the number of nodes is reduced. It is also robust and secure, supports HIPAA compliance, and requires minimal operational expenses. Conclusions The safe utilization of medications, especially opioids, continues to be a major problem in the United States and around the world. Part of the reason for this is the inability of health providers to access health databases for patients. Current drug prescription systems are limited in terms of tracking the usage of prescription drugs. The SecureRx framework has highlighted the potential of the record-keeping technology to nurture effective and efficient sharing of information about prescriptions while ensuring the safety and privacy of the original sources of the data.
Effects of noninherited ancestral genotypes on offspring phenotypes

It is well established that environmental exposures can modify the profile of heritable factors in an individual's germ cells, ultimately affecting the inheritance of phenotypes in descendants. Similar to exposures, an ancestor's genotype can also affect the inheritance of phenotypes across generations, sometimes in offspring who do not inherit the genetic aberration. This can occur via a variety of prenatal, in utero, or postnatal mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the evidence for this process in mammals, with a focus on examples that are potentially mediated through the germline, while also considering alternate routes of inheritance. Noninherited ancestral genotypes may influence descendant's disease risk to a much greater extent than currently appreciated, and focused evaluation of this phenomenon may reveal novel mechanisms of inheritance. Summary sentence This is a review of the evidence that non-inherited ancestral alleles can influence the phenotypes of descendants via a variety of mechanisms including germline, in utero, and postnatal processes. Graphical Abstract
Impairments in Health Functioning and Sleep Quality in Older Adults with a History of Depression

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether older adults with a history of depression show impairments in health functioning and sleep quality at a gradient between older adults with no history of depression and those with current major depression and to examine whether poor sleep quality contributes to declines in health functioning in addition to the contribution of depressive symptoms. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Three urban communities: Denver, Colorado, and Los Angeles and San Diego, California. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred community-dwelling adults aged 60 and older who were never mentally ill, 143 with a history of major or minor depressive disorder in remission, and 67 with a current depressive disorder. MEASUREMENTS: Diagnosis, Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition; health functioning (Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey); depressive symptom severity (Beck Depression Inventory); and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). RESULTS: Older adults with a history of depression showed impairments in sleep quality and had lower levels of health functioning than controls; these impairments were at a gradient with declines in those with current depression. Poor sleep quality was independently associated with declines in health perception in older adults with and without depression. CONCLUSION: These findings have important health implications for older people who have a lifetime history of depression, given evidence that poor health functioning is a risk factor for depression recurrence as well as mortality. Moreover, in view of the association between sleep quality and health status, testing of interventions that target sleep quality might identify strategies to improve health functioning in older adults.
Cannabinoid Receptors and Their Endogenous Agonist, Anandamide

Cannabinoids are a class of compound found in marijuana which have been known for their therapeutic and psychoactive properties for at least 4000 years. Isolation of the active principle in marijuana, Δ9-THC, provided the lead structure in the development of highly potent congeners which were used to probe for the mechanism of marijuana action. Cannabinoids were shown to bind to selective binding sites in brain tissue thereby regulating second messenger formation. Such studies led to the cloning of three cannabinoid receptor subtypes, CB1, CB2, and CB1A all of which belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled plasma membrane receptors. Analogous to the discovery of endogenous opiates, isolation of cannabinoid receptors provided the appropriate tool to isolate an endogenous cannabimimetic eicosanoid, anandamide, from porcine brain. Recent studies indicate that anandamide is a member of a family of fatty acid ethanolamides that may represent a novel class of lipid neurotransmitters. This review discusses recent progress in cannabinoid research with a focus on the receptors for Δ9-THC, their coupling to second messenger responses, and the endogenous lipid cannabimimetic, anandamide.
Fluorescence polarization of pyrenebutyric-bovine serum albumin and pyrenebutyric-human macroglobulin conjugates.

Abstract Pyrenebutyric acid when conjugated with proteins has a long fluorescence lifetime in the range of 100 nsec as measured both directly and indirectly. The fluorescence life-times as measured indirectly by the fluorescence depolarization of pyrenebutyric-bovine serum albumin conjugates appears to be a linear function of quantum yield. This dependence was used to predict the lifetimes of the other protein conjugates. The rotational relaxation time of the conjugate of rabbit immunoglobulin G agrees with other determinations with a different chromophore. Conjugates were prepared with human immunoglobulin M, and the measured rotational relaxation times of the conjugate before and after reduction and alkylation correlated with the molecular weights of the 2 molecules. In addition, the reduction of the conjugate is followed, and evidence is presented supporting the concept that a greatly disordered conformation is an intermediate.
Absence (Petit Mal) Seizure

Absence (petit mal) seizures are a type of generalized seizure disorder. They occur during childhood and are diagnosed on the EEG by the characteristic spike and wave pattern. They have a characteristic set of clinical symptoms. Brain circuitry between the thalamus and the cortex is involved. Treatment is aimed at controlling channel activity including the ‘T’ type calcium channel.
Osmotic properties and internal pH of isolated rat parotid secretory granules.

Secretory granules of the rat parotid have been purified rapidly by differential centrifugation in iso-osmotic sucrose. Despite low-level contamination by other organelles, this fraction is predominantly secretory granules, based on biochemical and morphological characterization. Measurements of intragranular water space show that isolated granules swell in hypo-osmotic media, and begin to release alpha-amylase and other content proteins below 250 mosM. Exposure of granules to selected anions also causes lysis, increasing in the order sulfate less than phosphate less than or equal to gluconate less than or equal to isethionate less than or equal to acetate less than or equal to chloride much less than thiocyanate. The internal pH of isolated parotid granules is approximately 6.8 as measured by the distributions of either [3H]acetate or [14C]methylamine. Varying the external medium pH from 5.0 to 8.0 results in little change in the measured internal pH. Parotid granules have a substantial internal buffering capacity, i.e. a decrease of 85-140 mM intragranular H+ is needed to raise the internal pH by 1.0 unit. Finally, results obtained using acridine orange staining suggest that the secretory granule internal pH in situ is similar to that measured in isolated granules.
Psychiatry's role in the holocaust

German psychiatrists proposed the extermination of mental patients before Hitler came to power. Then in Nazi Germany, organized psychiatry implemented involuntary eugenical sterilization and euthanasia, ultimately killing up to 100000 German mental patients. The six psychiatric euthanasia centers utilized medical professionals, fake death certificates, gas chambers disguised as showers, and the mass burning of corpses. Psychiatrists from the euthanasia program also participated in the first formalized murders in the concentration camps. Inmates were "diagnosed" on euthanasia forms and sent to the psychiatric euthanasia centers. These facilities later provided the training, personnel and technology for the larger extermination camps. Medical observers from the United States and Germany at the Nuremberg trials concluded that the holocaust might not have taken place without psychiatry. This paper summarizes psychiatric participa­ tion in events leading to the holocaust, and analyzes the underlying psychiatric principles that anticipated, encouraged, and paved the way for the Nazi extermination program. Psychiatry played a key role in the events that unfolded in Nazi Germany leading up to the mass murder of the Jews and other groups considered alien to the German state. According to many observers at the Nuremberg trials, psychiatry was the "entering wedge" [1] into the holocaust and the tragedy might not have taken place without the profession's active leadership. This paper summarizes psychiatry's role and attempts to answer the question, "What psychiatric principles could have led to these abuses?"
Detection of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in urine of infected mice: a Potential Non-invasive Diagnostic Tool for CHIKV

Background: The reemergence of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection and the spread of the virus throughout the world call for a fast, reliable, and improved laboratory diagnostic procedures. The aim of this study was to determine if CHIKV genome is present in other body fluids besides plasma as a tool for developing non-invasive diagnostic method. Methods: This study utilized a sensitive and less invasive assay that combines the specificity of immunocomplexing and the sensitivity of real-time PCR to detect CHIKV in urine and plasma of infected mice. Results: CHIKV RNA was detected by immuno-capture-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (IC-qPCR) in urine and plasma of infected mice. Viral RNA was detected in urine up to day 30, long after viral clearance in plasma. Furthermore, infectious CHIKV was detected in urine by cell-based immunofluorescence and 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) assays, suggesting the presence of infectious virus in urine. Conclusion: We demonstrate a potential non-invasive diagnostic approach that could be adapted to screen forCHIKV infection in viremic and aviremic patients using urine.
Serotonin-dependent respiratory plasticity

Serotonin initiates neuroplasticity in a number of invertebrate and vertebrate experimental models. The first report of serotonin-dependent plasticity in respiratory motor control was a long-lasting facilitation of phrenic activity following episodic stimulation of chemoafferent neurons [1], a phenomenon now known as long-term facilitation (LTF). Recent progress has contributed considerably towards an understanding of the mechanisms and manifestations of this potentially important model of respiratory plasticity. In this presentation, recent progress in understanding the mechanism of LTF will be reviewed. In all studies, we exposed awake or anesthetized Sprague Dawley rats to episodic hypoxia as an experimental model of LTF. Both awake and anesthetized rats express LTF following episodic hypoxia. Intermittent, but not continuous hypoxia elicits LTF, indicating remarkable pattern sensitivity in its underlying mechanism. Both episodic chemoafferent activation by stimulation of the carotid sinus nerve and episodic hypoxia in carotid denervated rats elicit LTF, suggesting that at least two discrete mechanisms contribute to LTF in anesthetized rats. Hypoxia-induced LTF requires serotonin receptor activation during, but not following episodic hypoxia, indicating that serotonin is necessary to initiate but not maintain LTF. Phrenic LTF following episodic hypoxia is blocked by intrathecal administration of a serotonin receptor antagonist (methysergide) or protein synthesis inhibitors (cyclohexamide, emetine) to the cervical spinal cord. On the other hand, intraspinal drug administration had no effect on hypoglossal LTF. Thus, the relevant serotonin receptors in phrenic LTF are within the spinal cord, suggesting a location within the respiratory motor nucleus itself. These observations form the basis of our working hypothesis that LTF is initiated by episodic activation of 5-HT2 receptors on respiratory motoneurons, thereby initiating a cell-signaling cascade leading to new protein synthesis. Although the specific protein(s) necessary for LTF is (are) unknown, we recently found that episodic hypoxia and LTF are associated with elevations in ventral spinal concentrations of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The elevation in BDNF following episodic hypoxia is blocked by local application of methysergide, suggesting that it may be a causal agent in LTF. Although the physiological (or pathophysiological) role of LTF is uncertain, it may reflect a general mechanism whereby intermittent activation of raphe serotonergic neurons elicits plasticity in respiratory motoneurons. Thus, the same fundamental mechanism may be operational in a number of physiological (eg. altitude or repetitive exercise) or pathophysiological (eg. lung disease or neural injury) states.
Association between anti-TNF-α therapy and interstitial lung disease.

Background Anti-TNF-α agents have been hypothesized to increase the risk of interstitial lung disease (ILD), including its most severe manifestation, pulmonary fibrosis.
Solid modeling: A new approach to freshman graphics

A new course in computer aided drafting and design at the freshman and sophomore level is currently being offered at Michigan Technological University MTU. The course is interdisciplinary in nature, with example problems taken from several engineering fields. This article discusses the course and the need for such a course in engineering education. Grading procedures and comments describing students' reactions to the course are also discussed.