cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract #834: c-Met: a prognostic factor and potential therapeutic target for complex karyotype soft tissue sarcoma

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO Objectives: There is a crucial need to develop better prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for the management of complex karyotype soft tissue sarcoma (STS). These tumors harbor a dismal prognosis due to their significant metastatic propensity. STS metastasis involves cell migration and invasion. Accordingly, we sought to investigate the role of the c-Met tyrosine kinase in STS migration and invasion as well as its prognostic value in these tumors. Methods: c-Met, HGF, and phospho-c-Met expression were IHC evaluated in a > 400 diverse histology complex karyotype STS specimen TMA. WB analysis was used to evaluate c-Met, activated c-Met, and activated c-Met downstream signaling AKT and ERK in human STS cell lines. Migration and invasion assays were utilized to assess the effect of c-Met activation; the c-Met tyrosine kinase inhibitor, PHA665752, anti-c-Met specific siRNA, the PI-3K inhibitor (LY-290042), and the MEK inhibitor (UO126), were evaluated for their effect on STS migration and invasion in response to HGF. A focused oligoarray was used to identify gene expression changes in STS cells in response to HGF. Results were confirmed via qRT-PCR. Results: Activated c-Met, total c-Met, and HGF were expressed at varying levels in human STS specimens. Initial statistical analysis of MPNST (a STS histological subtype) samples identified a statistically significant correlation between activated-c-Met expression and poor patient outcome (HR-2.3, p<0.001). STS cell lines highly expressed c-Met, which was undetectable in normal human fibroblasts. HGF stimulation induced c-Met phosphorylation and downstream ERK and AKT1 and AKT3 signaling. c-Met activation resulted in significantly increased STS motility and invasion. c-Met blockade abrogated the HGF-induced downstream signaling and STS migration/invasion. AKT inhibition (but not ERK inhibition) blocked HGF-induced migration and invasion. HGF induced the expression of several pro-migration and invasion genes. Conclusion: Human STS tumors and cell lines express the c-Met receptor which, upon activation, results in increased STS migration and invasion, at least partially via activation of AKT signaling. Inhibition of c-Met-mediated signaling could impair STS metastatic capacity, and therefore merits further consideration as a potential STS therapeutic target. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 834.
Application of micro-robots for building carbon fiber trusses

Using diamagnetic micro-manipulation, micro-robots (∼10 mm in size) with specialized end-effectors are able to grasp and manipulate small light weight (∼mg) carbon fiber elements to construct macroscopic cubic carbon fiber trusses (∼1000 parts and 300 mm long) that can achieve mechanical crush performances surpassing those of commercially available aluminum honey combs. Employing low cost micro-robots and end-effectors allows the implementation of both parallelization and new functionality without the need for expensive fixed tooling. We demonstrate this concept by modifying the micro-robot end effectors to build carbon fiber octet trusses and carbon fiber trusses with integrated electronics.
Design and Evaluation of Illumina MiSeq-Compatible, 18S rRNA Gene-Specific Primers for Improved Characterization of Mixed Phototrophic Communities

ABSTRACT The use of high-throughput sequencing technologies with the 16S rRNA gene for characterization of bacterial and archaeal communities has become routine. However, the adoption of sequencing methods for eukaryotes has been slow, despite their significance to natural and engineered systems. There are large variations among the target genes used for amplicon sequencing, and for the 18S rRNA gene, there is no consensus on which hypervariable region provides the most suitable representation of diversity. Additionally, it is unclear how much PCR/sequencing bias affects the depiction of community structure using current primers. The present study amplified the V4 and V8-V9 regions from seven microalgal mock communities as well as eukaryotic communities from freshwater, coastal, and wastewater samples to examine the effect of PCR/sequencing bias on community structure and membership. We found that degeneracies on the 3′ end of the current V4-specific primers impact read length and mean relative abundance. Furthermore, the PCR/sequencing error is markedly higher for GC-rich members than for communities with balanced GC content. Importantly, the V4 region failed to reliably capture 2 of the 12 mock community members, and the V8-V9 hypervariable region more accurately represents mean relative abundance and alpha and beta diversity. Overall, the V4 and V8-V9 regions show similar community representations over freshwater, coastal, and wastewater environments, but specific samples show markedly different communities. These results indicate that multiple primer sets may be advantageous for gaining a more complete understanding of community structure and highlight the importance of including mock communities composed of species of interest. IMPORTANCE The quantification of error associated with community representation by amplicon sequencing is a critical challenge that is often ignored. When target genes are amplified using currently available primers, differential amplification efficiencies result in inaccurate estimates of community structure. The extent to which amplification bias affects community representation and the accuracy with which different gene targets represent community structure are not known. As a result, there is no consensus on which region provides the most suitable representation of diversity for eukaryotes. This study determined the accuracy with which commonly used 18S rRNA gene primer sets represent community structure and identified particular biases related to PCR amplification and Illumina MiSeq sequencing in order to more accurately study eukaryotic microbial communities.
Blood flow directs arterial-venous remodeling through Notch activation and endothelial cell migration

Arteries and veins are lined by arterial and venous endothelial cells (ECs), which are functionally different. During embryonic development, vascular remodeling transforms some arteries into veins and because arterial and venous embryonic ECs have the plasticity to transdifferentiate into each other, suggests that the transformation of arteries to veins may be accompanied by trans-differentiation of ECs. Here, we show that transformation of arterial intersegmental vessels (aISVs) into veins occurs without trans-differentiation, by the displacement of arterial ECs by venous ECs and requires normal blood flow. At the same time, the establishment of blood flow prevents neighboring aISVs from transforming into veins by the upregulation of Notch signaling in these aISVs. Here, we propose that through these two processes, blood flow facilitates the transformation of the all-arterial trunk vasculature into a functional vascular network with near equal numbers of arteries and veins.
Characterization of Human IgG1 Fc Region Stability and Aggregation Propensity

Monoclonal therapeutic antibodies (MAb) are highly valued for their efficacy in treating ailments ranging from arthritis to cancer. Unrivaled specificity and infrequent adverse effects benefit patients in ways traditional small molecule therapeutics cannot. However, formation of aggregates during expression, purification, or storage as a drug substance can lead to product loss and increased immunogenicity. Glycans present on the antibodies also contribute to both aggregation propensity and antibody effector functions. Understanding the importance of glycans in aggregation and protein function is important in limiting costs and maximizing therapeutic efficacy. Antibodies are comprised of two heavy chains and two light chains, and regions are alternatively classified into Fab (fragment antigen binding) and Fc (fragment crystallizable) regions. Only heavy chain subunits exist in the Fc region and remain constant between MAbs of the same isotype (commonly human IgG1). Uniformity of Fc regions between antibodies allows for creation of fusion proteins containing an Fc region that facilitates affinity purification using a standardized protocol. The Fc region is N-glycosylated at Asn-297, and glycoform identities drive effector functions via interactions with specific Fcγ receptors (FcγRs). We have utilized mammalian cells to express the human IgG1 Fc region and will present initial studies on efforts to purify and characterize the aggregation propensity and stability of this antibody fragment under controlled stress conditions (e.g. thermal, mechanical, etc.). Data collected from these conditions has potential applications in building and modifying protein stability models and could improve the rational design of future recombinant therapeutic antibodies.
Cerebellar Purkinje Cells Generate Highly Correlated Spontaneous Slow-Rate Fluctuations

Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PC) fire action potentials at high, sustained rates. Changes in spike rate that last a few tens of milliseconds encode sensory and behavioral events. Here we investigated spontaneous fluctuations of PC simple spike rate at a slow time scale of the order of 1 s. Simultaneous recordings from pairs of PCs that were aligned either along the sagittal or transversal axis of the cerebellar cortex revealed that simple spike rate fluctuations at the 1 s time scale were highly correlated. Each pair of PCs had either a predominantly positive or negative slow-rate correlation, with negative correlations observed only in PC pairs aligned along the transversal axis. Slow-rate correlations were independent of faster rate changes that were correlated with fluid licking behavior. Simultaneous recordings from PCs and cerebellar nuclear (CN) neurons showed that slow-rate fluctuations in PC and CN activity were also highly correlated, but their correlations continually alternated between periods of positive and negative correlation. The functional significance of this new aspect of cerebellar spike activity remains to be determined. Correlated slow-rate fluctuations seem too slow to be involved in the real-time control of ongoing behavior. However, slow-rate fluctuations of PCs converging on the same CN neuron are likely to modulate the excitability of the CN neuron, thus introduce a possible slow modulation of cerebellar output activity.
Exploring assistive technology use to support cognition in college students with histories of mild traumatic brain injury.

AbstractPurpose: College students with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) may experience chronic cognitive deficits necessitating use of external supports for daily task completion. The purpose of this study was to explore cognitive support system selection and use by students with histories of mTBI when completing novel prospective memory tasks.Materials and methods: We implemented a multiple case study, sequential explanatory mixed-methods design with three participants. Participants completed four experimental phases: (1) background history collection, cognitive assessment completion, pre-trial interview, and selection of two external supports for trial phase use; (2) trial Phase 1 (i.e., 10-days); (3) trial Phase 2 (i.e., 10 days); and (4) post-trial exit interview. We examined participants’ support type and characteristic preferences and evaluated task execution accuracy when implementing differing supports.Results: Participants expressed both collective and unique cognitive aid preferences before tr...
Three-dimensional studies of neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the rat: II. Environment of perikarya and proximal parts of their branches

Lateral geniculate neurons were investigated with respect to the environment of perikarya and proximal branches using two- and three-dimensional analysis by electron microscopy. Two cells were completely analysed and reconstructed with regard to specialized neuronal contacts. No branches without α-cytomembranes could be found projecting from the perikaryon. A descriptive nomenclature was adopted for the different types of processes and contacts observed. Perikarya appeared to contact far less neuronal knobs than proximal branches. The neuronal knobs were preferentially grouped with particularly high concentrations on spines. Quantitative observations established that no clear ultrastructural differentiation of neuronal knobs into special groups could be made on this material. Specialized neuronal contacts of type V (vesicle-related) all appeared similar in ultrastructure. On the average, 30 % of the contact surface of the neuronal knobs was specialized, often in several patches. Specialized neuronal contacts V were observed between V processes and perikarya or other V processes, as were spines on perikarya and proximal neuron branches. No spine apparatuses could be found. Specialized neuronal contacts of type S (with symmetrical membrane specialization) were observed between no-V processes and perikarya, V processes or other no-V processes. The perikarya were otherwise invested by extensive cellular sheets, that were interpreted to be glial. This investment covered at least 80 % of the surface of the perikaryon, the rest mainly involved specialized neuronal contacts. A minute extracellular space was estimated for the perikaryon, but relatively more for the branches. It was primarily occuping “seams” between meeting cellular processes at the surface.
Fixation Strategy Using Sequential Intraoperative Examination Under Anesthesia for Unstable Lateral Compression Pelvic Ring Injuries Reliably Predicts Union with Minimal Displacement.

Background Examination under anesthesia (EUA) has been used to identify pelvic instability. Surgeons may utilize percutaneous methods for posterior and anterior pelvic ring stabilization. We developed an intraoperative strategy whereby posterior fixation is performed, with reassessment using sequential EUA to determine the need for anterior fixation. Our aim in the current study was to evaluate whether this strategy reliably results in union with minimal displacement. Methods This was a multicenter retrospective study involving adult patients with closed lateral compression (LC) pelvic ring injuries treated during the period of 2013 to 2016. Included were patients who underwent percutaneous pelvic fixation based on sequential EUA. Data points included patient demographics, injury and fixation details, and displacement as observed on follow-up radiographs. Results Complete documentation was available for 74 patients (mean age, 41 years). The mean duration of follow was 11 months. Fifty-three of the patients had LC-1 injuries, 19 had LC-2 injuries, and 2 had LC-3 injuries. Twenty-five (47.2%) of the 53 patients with LC-1 and 11 (57.9%) of the 19 patients with LC-2 injuries did not undergo anterior fixation on the basis of the algorithm. The 36 LC-1 or LC-2 patients who underwent combined anterior and posterior fixation had no measurable displacement at union. Of the 36 LC-1 or LC-2 patients with no anterior fixation, 27 with unilateral rami fractures had no measurable displacement at union. The remaining 9 LC-1 or LC-2 cases with no anterior fixation had bilateral superior and inferior rami fractures; each of these patients demonstrated displacement (mean, 7.5 mm; range, 5 to 12 mm) within 6 weeks of fixation that remained until union. All patients had protected weight-bearing for 12 weeks. Conclusions A fixation strategy based on sequential intraoperative EUA reliably results in union with minimal displacement for unstable LC pelvic ring injuries. Injuries requiring combined anterior and posterior fixation healed with no displacement. Those without anterior fixation and a unilateral ramus fracture healed with no displacement. In the presence of bilateral rami fractures, even with a negative finding on sequential EUA, the pelvis healed with 7.5 mm average displacement. Surgeons may consider anterior fixation to prevent this displacement. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
A Novel Series Arc Fault Detection Method using Sparks in DC Microgrids with Buck Converter Interface

With the increasingly prevalent application of dc systems, protection of such systems has become an important research focus. Given that many dc systems are augmented with buck converter interfaces, this paper proposes a novel method of series fault detection. Instead of exploiting the signatures of an arc, the proposed method detects a fault by sensing the intermittent discharges at the beginning of the fault which are caused by the high input capacitance of the interface. In this paper, the characteristics of such phenomena are investigated and a detection algorithm utilizing spark signatures, as well as crosscorrelation, is proposed. Experimental validation is designed and conducted on a scaled down dc microgrid with a constant power load (CPL) and the detection is achieved with Arduino Uno and Udoo X86. The results show that the proposed method detects sparks in a timely and accurate manner.
Rapid Organizational Change Through Servant Leadership

A change in administration at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, created an opportunity for the library to achieve a much-needed shift in culture. The college’s library used the six servant leadership themes for team effectiveness identified by Irving and Longbotham (engaging in honest self-evaluation; communicating with clarity; fostering collaboration; supporting and resourcing; providing accountability; and valuing and appreciating) as a road map for organizational change. By focusing on making changes associated with each of these themes in step-like increments, library staff were able to revitalize and reform services and space to increase usage, expand the library’s physical and virtual footprint, better meet the needs of the campus community and solidify the library as “the place” to receive help on campus.
NIMH MonkeyLogic: Behavioral control and data acquisition in MATLAB.

Abstract Background Computerized control of behavioral paradigms is an essential element of neurobehavioral studies, especially physiological recording studies that require sub-millisecond precision. Few software solutions provide a simple, flexible environment to create and run these applications. MonkeyLogic, a MATLAB-based package, was developed to meet these needs, but faces a performance crisis and obsolescence due to changes in MATLAB itself. New method Here we report a complete redesign and rewrite of MonkeyLogic, now NIMH MonkeyLogic, that natively supports the latest 64-bit MATLAB on the Windows platform. Major layers of the underlying real-time hardware control were removed and replaced by custom toolboxes: NIMH DAQ Toolbox and MonkeyLogic Graphics Library. The redesign resolves undesirable delays in data transfers and limitations in graphics capabilities. Results NIMH MonkeyLogic is essentially a new product. It provides a powerful new scripting framework, has dramatic speed enhancements and provides major new graphics abilities. Comparison with existing method NIMH MonkeyLogic is fully backward compatible with earlier task scripts, but with better temporal precision. It provides more input device options, superior graphics and a new real-time closed-loop programming model. Because NIMH MonkeyLogic requires no commercial toolbox and has a reduced hardware requirement, implementation costs are substantially reduced. Conclusion NIMH MonkeyLogic is a versatile, powerful, up-to-date tool for controlling a wide range of experiments. It is freely available from https://monkeylogic.nimh.nih.gov/ .
Device Design and Material Considerations of Ovonic Threshold Switch (OTS) for Cross-point MRAM Array

We explore design space considerations of an ovonic threshold switch (OTS) for successful read operations in cross-point magnetic random access memory (MRAM) arrays through array-level SPICE simulations. We reveal that an appropriate threshold voltage (V th ) of the OTS considering the voltage matching with the MRAM should be used to achieve a reasonable read voltage margin. In addition, a low off-current of the OTS is required to prevent sneak-path currents, which ensures a sufficient read-out current ratio in large arrays. Based on a survey of recent literature on the OTS, we discuss how the desirable parameters can be achieved from material engineering perspective.
Developing a phone-based measure of impairment after acute oral ∆ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol

Background:Acute consumption of cannabis or its primary psychoactive ingredient ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol has been shown to impair memory, reaction time, time perception, and attention. However, it i...
Concerning ecclesiology: Four barriers preventing insider movement contextualization from producing biblical churches:

Contextualization is a topic of utmost importance in the field of missiology. Over the past several years, the missiological world has debated the merits of one particular approach to contextualiza...
Detection of germline variants using expanded multigene panels in patients with localized pancreatic cancer

Abstract Background Current guidelines recommend genetic testing for all patients with pancreatic cancer (PC). Methods Patients with localized PC who received neoadjuvant therapy between 2009 and 2018 were identified. Genetic consultation (including personal and family history of cancer), genetic testing, and variant data were abstracted. Results Of 510 patients identified, 163 (32%) underwent genetic counseling and genetic testing was performed in 127 (25%). Patients who underwent genetic testing were younger (median age: 63 vs. 67, p = 0.01). Multi-gene testing was performed in 114 (90%) of 127 patients, targeted gene testing was performed in 8 (6%), and not specified in 5 (4%). Of 127 patients who underwent genetic testing, 20 (16%) had pathogenic (P)/likely pathogenic (LP) variants, observed in ATM (n = 7/105,7%), CHEK2 (n = 3/98, 3%), BRCA1 (n = 2/117, 2%), BRCA2 (n = 2/122, 2%), PALB2 (n = 1/115, 1%), MUTYH (n = 1/98, 1%), CDKN2A (n = 1/94, 1%), STK11 (n = 1/97, 1%), NBN (n = 1/98, 1%), and MSH6 (n = 1/97, 1%). Of 20 patients with either a P/LP variant, nine (45%) had a prior cancer, three (15%) had a first-degree relative with PC, and six (30%) had an any-degree relative with PC. Conclusion Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were identified in 16% of patients who underwent genetic testing, 60% of which occurred in the homologous recombination pathway.
Long-term anticoagulant therapy; further experiences.

Experience with long-term anticoagulant therapy during the past seven years has been summarized. This report is based on the records of 227 individuals treated as private or outpatient clinic patients for from four weeks to seven years. Where adequate laboratory facilities are available outpatient long-term therapy may be satisfactorily controlled by physicians familiar with the use of anticoagulant drugs. Their correct use will lessen the incidence of thromboembolic episodes in patients who have previously suffered from such complications.
"You'll See": Younger Women Interviewing Older Women in Qualitative Research.

Understanding the co-construction of the interview process between older adult research participants and relatively younger interviewers requires a nuanced analysis of positioning, reflexivity, and power within interviewing dynamics, accounting for differences in historical context and lived experience. Guided by a feminist life span approach, this study examined interviewing dynamics between a younger woman interviewer and older women research participants, ages 57-93 (mean = 65.3), in two qualitative studies completed five years apart. Four themes emerged: 1) contrasting experiences drew explicit attention to discrepancies in historical context, age, and life experience between participants and the interviewer. Similarities often arose in the theme of 2) invoking expertise in which participants oriented to or invoked their own expertise in their life story and experiences and the interviewer's expertise in research, sexuality studies, and social services. Participants enacted 3) demonstrating care, by prioritizing the researcher's goals, offering advice, and expressing hopes for younger generations. Finally, 4) the participants and researcher used distinctive conversational strategies when addressing challenging or sensitive topics. This paper contributes a needed analysis of age-related dynamics in qualitative research as well as indicating potential strategies to inform reflexive cross-generational conversations in gerontological research and practice more broadly.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression increases with age in patients requiring mechanical ventilation.

Abstract Mortality due to Covid-19 is highly associated with advanced age, owing in large part to severe lower respiratory tract infection. SARS-CoV-2 utilizes the host ACE2 receptor for infection. Whether ACE2 abundance in the lung contributes to age-associated vulnerability is currently unknown. We set out to characterize the RNA and protein expression profiles of ACE2 in aging human lung in the context of phenotypic parameters likely to affect lung physiology. Examining publicly available RNA sequencing data, we discovered that mechanical ventilation is a critical variable affecting lung ACE2 levels. Therefore, we investigated ACE2 protein abundance in patients either requiring mechanical ventilation or spontaneously breathing. ACE2 distribution and expression were determined in archival lung samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Tissues were selected from the specimen inventory at a large teaching hospital collected between 2010-2020. Twelve samples were chosen from patients receiving mechanical ventilation for acute hypoxic respiratory failure (AHRF). Twenty samples were selected from patients not requiring ventilation. We compared samples across age, ranging from 40-83 years old in the ventilated cohort and 14-80 years old in the non-ventilated cohort. Within the alveolated parenchyma, ACE2 expression is predominantly observed in type II pneumocytes (or alveolar type II / AT2 cells) and alveolar macrophages. All 12 samples from our ventilated cohort showed histologic features of diffuse alveolar damage including reactive, proliferating AT2 cells. In these cases, ACE2 was strongly upregulated with age when normalized to lung area (p = 0.004) or cellularity (p = 0.003), associated with prominent expression in AT2 cells. In non-ventilated individuals, AT2 cell reactive changes were not observed and ACE2 expression did not change with age when normalized to lung area (p = 0.231) or cellularity (p = 0.349). Additionally, we observed prominent pulmonary endothelial ACE2 expression in 2 patients on either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). In summary, ACE2 expression increases with age in the setting of alveolar damage observed in patients on mechanical ventilation, providing a potential mechanism for higher Covid-19 mortality in the elderly.
Affordable Upgrades of Complex Systems: A Multilevel, Performance-Based Approach

A modeling and methodological approach to complex system decision making is proposed. A system is modeled as a multilevel network whose components interact and decisions on affordable upgrades of the components are to be made under uncertainty. The system is studied within a framework of overall performance analysis in a range of exogenous environments and in the presence of random inputs. The methodology makes use of stochastic analysis and multiple-criteria decision analysis. An illustrative example of upgrading an idealized industrial production system with complete computations is included.
Impact of Frailty on Outcomes Following Spine Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Analysis of 668 Patients.

BACKGROUND With an aging population, elderly patients with multiple comorbidities are more frequently undergoing spine surgery and may be at increased risk for complications. Objective measurement of frailty may predict the incidence of postoperative adverse events. OBJECTIVE To investigate the associations between preoperative frailty and postoperative spine surgery outcomes including mortality, length of stay, readmission, surgical site infection, and venous thromboembolic disease. METHODS As part of a system-wide quality improvement initiative, frailty assessment was added to the routine assessment of patients considering spine surgery beginning in July 2016. Frailty was assessed with the Risk Analysis Index (RAI), and patients were categorized as nonfrail (RAI 0-29) or prefrail/frail (RAI ≥ 30). Comparisons between nonfrail and prefrail/frail patients were analyzed using Fisher's exact test for categorical data or by Wilcoxon rank sum tests for continuous data. RESULTS From August 2016 through September 2018, 668 patients (age of 59.5 ± 13.3 yr) had a preoperative RAI score recorded and underwent scheduled spine surgery. Prefrail and frail patients suffered comparatively higher rates of mortality at 90 d (1.9% vs 0.2%, P < .05) and 1 yr (5.1% vs 1.2%, P < .01) from the procedure date. They also had longer in-hospital length of stay (LOS) (3.9 d ± 3.6 vs 3.1 d ± 2.8, P < .001) and higher rates of 60 d (14.6% vs 8.2%, P < .05) and 90 d (15.8% vs 9.8%, P < .05) readmissions. CONCLUSION Preoperative frailty, as measured by the RAI, was associated with an increased risk of readmission and 90-d and 1-yr mortality following spine surgery. The RAI can be used to stratify spine patients and inform preoperative surgical decision making.
Dignity, Inequality, and Stereotypes

In Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court held that same-sex marriage bans violate the Equal Protection Clause because they subordinate: they send the message that lesbians, gays, and bisexuals are inferior to heterosexuals. Moreover, same-sex marriage bans unequally deny LGB individuals the liberty to make fundamental decisions about identity and self. These two conjoined themes — anti-subordination and pro-liberty — comprise the two pillars of equal dignity that anchor Obergefell’s holding, and are in fact central to Equal Protection’s very meaning.Anti-subordination and pro-liberty themes are on display in the Equal Protection’s anti-stereotyping doctrine. In sex discrimination cases, courts reject state stereotyping when it perpetuates ideas about men’s and women’s roles and reinforces women’s inferior social status. In transgender and sexual orientation discrimination cases, courts have begun to protect LGBT individuals from state demands for conformity to normative stereotypes about how to be a man or woman. This Article suggests that governmental stereotyping denies equal dignity when it subordinates a group and denies individuals the liberty to be and express who they are.Accordingly, stereotyping is not wrong in of itself; how the government uses stereotypes determines whether state action violates the Equal Protection Clause. For example, the government may productively take normative and statistical stereotypes into account to prevent individual disparate treatment or wholesale group exclusion from opportunities and civic duties. Counterintuitively, a broad definition of stereotyping can sometimes promote, rather than deny, equal dignity. There is a risk, of course, that any state reliance on stereotypes essentializes identity. But an absolute stereotyping prohibition exacerbates certain forms of race, sex, and sexual orientation blindness. Groups are important, and the government requires some flexibility to address group-based needs.
P005. Patient Satisfaction with Virtual Heart Failure Care in the Bronx During the Initial COVID-19 Surge

Background At the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an urgent need to limit the exposure of patients (pts) to SARS-CoV-2, including areas within outpatient medical offices. Nevertheless, high risk heart failure (HF) pts continued to require close management. To overcome this predicament, at our institution pts were asked to stay at home and engage in virtual HF visits (VHFVs) via telephone or video, in lieu of in-office visits (IOVs). Objective The purpose of this abstract is to report patient satisfaction with VHFVs during the initial 30 day surge of COVID 19, compared to their satisfaction with IOVs over the preceding 3 months. Methods The Montefiore- Einstein Heart Failure service cares for over 4,000 pts who predominantly reside within the Bronx borough, and represent a vulnerable, urban, low socioeconomic population. Our team includes 12 providers consisting of both NPs and MDs. On 3/17/20 all non-urgent IOVs were stopped, and as a work around a virtual platform was created within our electronic medical record system (EPIC) to facilitate VHFVs. As of April 1st, all IOVs were converted to VHFVs, with few exceptions. We retrospectively identified all HF pts (N=502) who engaged in VHFVs (N=609) during the month of April, 2020. Those pts who also had IOVs within the preceding 90 days made up the survey cohort (N=283). A patient satisfaction survey was created in English and Spanish, using a 5 point Likert Scale. The survey was administered by phone, in the subjects' native language. Results The survey was completed by 117 of the 283 eligible subjects (41%), with clinical characteristics as described (Table 1). In 5 of 8 categories of patient satisfaction, pts indicated that they preferred IOVs to VHFVs (Figure 1). IOVs and VHFV were equally ranked in regard to the scheduled appointment time, and also how well pts were listened to and understood by the clinician. Only the convenience of VHFVs was favored more. Nevertheless, 90% of pts were willing to have another VHFV if necessary. Conclusion Even in the setting of a pandemic and despite the convenience (of time, cost and travel), pts overall tended to prefer IOVs to VHFVs, yet remained open to engaging in future VHFV if necessary. Given the unique situation of the COVID-19 surge during the conduct of this survey, the results may not reflect patient satisfaction during ordinary times.
A longitudinal analysis of green infrastructure conditions in Coastal Texan cities

Abstract Green Infrastructure (GI) has gained attention as a strategy for minimizing flood damage and enhancing ecological services in developed and developing areas. Previous studies have investigated the positive effects of GI, focusing primarily on how the amount of GI impacts flood mitigation, but not its shape, connectivity, or quantity. Further, these studies have been mostly based on a single time period and not longitudinal. This paper explores GI conditions in high and low flood risk coastal Texan cities over time to identify the longitudinal effects of GI, controlling for a set of socio-economic, climate/biophysical, and development variables. The research examined sixty-eight coastal Texan cities of over 10,000 in population from 2001 to 2016, conducting spatial panel data models developed in 5-year intervals. Multiple landscape indices measuring size, shape, isolation, and connectivity of GI were used to measure its quantity and condition. Results indicate that GI conditions, especially amount and connectivity levels, appear to be improving in low-risk cities while worsening in high-risk cities. For control variables, a reduction in imperviousness was found to be more effective in managing GI quantity and landscape conditions in low-risk cities than in high-risk cities. These results suggest that planners should enhance efforts to improve current GI conditions, specifically in high flood risk cities. Additionally, conservation policies and transfer of development rights should be examined together with imperviousness regulations to increase current GI conditions.
Post-infection pulmonary sequelae after COVID-19 among patients with lung transplantation.

Background There is limited data on outcomes among lung transplant (LT) patients who survive Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods Any single or bilateral LT patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between March 1, 2020, to February 15, 2021 (n = 54) and survived the acute illness were included (final n = 44). Each patient completed at least 3 months of follow-up (median: 4.5; range 3-12 months) after their index hospitalization for COVID-19. The primary endpoint was a significant loss of lung functions (defined as > 10% decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) or forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 ) on two spirometries, at least 3 weeks apart compared to the pre-infection baseline). Results A majority of the COVID-19 survivors had persistent parenchymal opacities (n = 29, 65.9%) on post-infection CT chest. Patients had significantly impaired functional status, with the majority reporting residual disabilities (Karnofsky performance scale score of 70% or worse; n = 32, 72.7%). A significant loss of lung function was observed among 18 patients (40.9%). Three patients met the criteria for new chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) following COVID-19 (5.6%), with all three demonstrating restrictive allograft syndrome phenotype. An absolute lymphocyte count 150 ng/ml at the time of hospital discharge was independently associated with significant lung function loss. Conclusions A significant proportion of COVID-19 survivors suffer persistent allograft injury. Low absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) and elevated ferritin levels at the conclusion of the hospital course may provide useful prognostic information and form the basis of a customized strategy for ongoing monitoring and management of allograft dysfunction. Tweet Twitter handle: @AmitBangaMD Lung transplant patients who survive COVID-19 suffer significant morbidity with persistent pulmonary opacities, loss of lung functions, and functional deficits. Residual elevation of the inflammatory markers is predictive.
Identification of a Functional Cysteine Essential for the Activity of Guinea Pig Liver Transglutaminase

Inactivation of transglutaminase by 14C-iodoacetamide is accompanied by a proportional uptake of 14C-carbamidomethyl. Incorporation of 1 mole of this group per mole of enzyme results in complete inactivation. Proteolytic digestion of 14C-carbamidomethyl-labeled enzyme yields two related radioactive peptides containing the S-(14C-carbamidomethyl)cysteinyl residue. The amino acid sequences of these peptides have been determined as Gly-Gln-S-(carbamidomethyl)cysteine-Trp and Tyr-Gly-Gln-S-(carbamidomethyl)cysteine-Trp.
Adaptive Control of a Class of Multivariable Nonlinear Systems and Convergence Analysis

This paper is concerned with adaptive control of a class of multivariable nonlinear systems which can be characterized by a stochastic multivariable Hammerstein model whose linear part possesses an arbitrary interactor matrix. A simple suboptimal control law is derived which provides an efficient way to the control of the multivariable Hammerstein model systems whose linear part is not necessarily minimum phase. A direct adaptation scheme is presented to implement the control law and the global convergence of the algorithm is established.
Multiple perspective interactive video

Crucial to the transformation of computers into intelligent multimedia systems is the ability to access, manipulate and manage visual information. In particular, video data is becoming a prevalent source of such information. Our Multiple Perspective Interactive Video (MPI-Video), project integrates a variety of visual computing operations with modeling and interaction techniques, to extract, synthesize and manage dynamic representations of scenes observed from multiple perspectives. Automatic and semi-automatic analysis of video data from multiple cameras is performed. This analysis is used to build a three-dimensional model of the environment monitored by the cameras. MPI- Video has applications in a variety of areas including the development of immersive video for telepresence systems, traffic monitoring and control and the analysis of physical performances, e.g. sports and dance. This video presents an overview of MPI- Video along with demonstrations of two MPI-Video prototypes developed in the Visual Computing Lab. Further details on MPI- Video are described by Jain and Wakimoto in [Jain and Wakimoto, 1995] and in our technical report [Kelly et al., 1995]
PinPoint: localizing interfering radios

This paper presents PinPoint, a technique for localizing rogue interfering radios that adhere to standard protocols in the inhospitable ISM band without any cooperation from the interfering radio. PinPoint is designed to be incrementally deployed on top of existing 802.11 WLAN infrastructure, and used by network administrators to identify and troubleshoot sources of interference which may be disrupting the network. PinPoint's key contribution is a novel algorithm that accurately computes the line of sight angle of arrival (AoA) and cyclic signal strength indicator (CSSI) of the target interfering signal at all APs, even when the line of sight (LoS) component is buried by stronger multipath components, interference and noise. PinPoint leverages this algorithm to design an optimization technique, which can localize interfering radios and simultaneously identify the type of interference. Unlike several localization techniques which require extensive pre-deployment calibration (e.g. RF-Fingerprinting), PinPoint requires very little calibration by the network administrator, and uses a novel algorithm to self-initialize its bearings, even if the locations of some AP are initially unknown and are oriented randomly. We implement PinPoint on WARP software radios and deploy in an indoor testbed spanning an entire floor of our department. We compare PinPoint with the best known prior RSSI [8, 11] and MUSIC-AoA based approaches and show that PinPoint achieves a median localization error of 0.97 meters, which is around three times lower compared to the RSSI [8, 11] and MUSIC-AoA based approaches.
Specific immunotherapy: One size does not fit all

Two clinical trials testing an altered peptide ligand (APL) in multiple sclerosis report seemingly contradictory results. Immunologic analysis shows that the biological effects of APLs extend far beyond what was initially envisioned, raising important issues for the development of this type of therapy (pages 1167–1175 & 1176–1182 ).
Localized methods for protein interaction prediction

Identification of protein-protein interactions is important for drug design and the treatment of diseases. We propose a novel threading algorithm, LTHREADER, which generates accurate local sequence-structure alignments and integrates various statistical scores and experimental binding data to predict interactions. LTHREADER uses a profile of secondary structure and solvent accessibility predictions with residue contact maps to guide and constrain alignments. Using a decision tree classifier and low-throughput experimental data for training, it combines information inferred from statistical interaction potentials, energy functions, correlated mutations and conserved residue pairs to predict likely interactions. The significance of predicted interactions is evaluated using the scores for randomized binding surfaces within each family. We first apply our method to cytokines, which play a central role in the development of many diseases including cancer and inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. We tested our approach on two representative families from different structural classes (all-alpha and all-beta proteins) of cytokines. In comparison with the state-of-the-art threader RAPTOR, LTHREADER generates on average 20% more accurate alignments of interacting residues and shows dramatic improvement in prediction accuracy over existing methods. To further improve alignment accuracy for all PPI families, we also introduce the program CMAPi, a two-dimensional dynamic programming algorithm that, given a pair of protein complexes, optimally aligns the contact maps of their interfaces. We demonstrate the efficacy of our algorithm on complexes from PPI families listed in the SCOPPI database and from highly divergent cytokine families. In comparison to existing techniques, CMAPi generates more accurate alignments of interacting residues within families of interacting proteins, especially for sequences with low similarity. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Angiotensinase activity of dipeptidyl aminopeptidase I (cathepsin C) of rat liver.

Abstract Dipeptidyl aminopeptidase I (cathepsin C) purified from rat liver was shown to have marked angiotensinase activity arising from its ability to catalyze the rapid removal of two dipeptide fragments, in succession, from the NH2 terminus of a variety of angiotensin II analogues. The most rapid rates of degradation were observed on Asn1-angiotensin II (Hypertensin, Ciba), angiotensin II (bovine), and Ile5-angiotensin II (human). Kinetic studies with the first (Km = 0.44 mm) and the last (Km = 0.34 mm) showed essentially the same turnover number (5220 min-1) for the removal of the first dipeptide at pH 5.0 and 37°. The Km for α-Asp-Arg-β-naphthylamide (a model, fluorogenic substrate) was 0.31 mm. Unnatural, biologically active analogues such as β-Asp1-angiotensin II and α-d-Asp1-angiotensin II were also degraded, although at lower rates. No action was detected on Asn1, d-Arg2-angiotensin II. The degradation of Asn1-angiotensin II and Ile5-angiotensin II by dipeptidyl amino-peptidase I was pronounced over a wide range of pH (3 to 7.5) with a maximum between pH 5 and 6. About 20% of the (pH 7.3) activity of the purified enzyme was manifested when added to rat blood plasma that did not contain added Cl- and —SH activators. The predominant products and course of angiotensin II degradation at pH 5.5 by isolated rat liver lysosomes were identical with those produced by purified dipeptidyl aminopeptidase I, thereby demonstrating that this enzyme is probably the major contributor to the angiotensinase activity of liver lysosomes.
AN INVESTIGATION OF SERIAL CHOICE REACTION TIME AS THE BASIS FOR AN ALCOHOL INTERLOCK

The studies reported herein investigate the feasibility of using a serial choice reaction time (SCRT) task as the basis for an alcohol ignition interlock. The two measures of performance used are the total time to complete the task plus the number of errors (TTC), and the number of response times exceeding 1.1 s duration plus the number of errors (PS). Both measures are found to increase in proportion to the square of the blood alcohol level (BAL) with the PS measure increasing more rapidly. A sequential criteria task that minimized task duration (less than 7 s) is proposed. This task would reject approximately 30% of the subjects at 0.10% BAL while only failing 1% when sober. SCRT tasks show promise as a basis for an ignition interlock. It was concluded that additional work is indicated.