cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MER-1001, a novel polymeric prodrug of camptothecin, is a potent inhibitor of LS174 and A2780 human tumor xenografts in a mouse model

781 Background and Rationale: MER-1001 is a polymeric prodrug derivative of camptothecin (CPT) in which CPT is chemically tethered to a hydrophilic, bio-degradable 60-70-kDa polymer, Fleximer (poly[1-hydroxymethylene hydroxymethyl formal], PHF). When administered intravenously, MER-1001 releases camptothecin-20-( N -succinimido-glycinate) (CPT-SI), CPT, and camptothecin-20-( N -succinamidoyl-glycinate) (CPT-SA) over an extended time period. Due to the biologically inert nature of Fleximer, MER-1001 distributes throughout the vascular space and slowly releases the prodrug CPT-SI, and to a lesser extent, CPT, over time. Initial PK measurements in animals confirm the release-limited PK of CPT and CPT-SI. Thus, in contrast to the known PK profile of CPT alone, MER-1001 (CPT+linker+PHF) releases CPT slowly and is not expected to be excreted at potentially toxic levels into the gall bladder, intestine, and urinary bladder. In addition, the dual-phase release mechanism affords a more sustained exposure to the active lactone form of CPT as the lactone ring is stabilized in prodrug CPT-SI. Both distribution and extended release are hypothesized to improve safety and efficacy over existing drugs of the same class. Experimental procedures: Nude mice bearing established tumor xenografts of human colon cancer (LS174T) were treated with MER-1001 at 56 mg/kg (of CPT equivalents) i.v. q7dx3, a molar equivalent dose of irinotecan at 94 mg/kg i.p. q7dx3, and camptothecin at 7.5 mg/kg i.v. q7dx3. In a second study, established human ovarian cancer tumors (A2780) at 70, 300, and 1100 mm 3 in nude mice were treated chronically with MER-1001 (20 mg/kg of CPT equivalents i.v., q4dx15). In both studies tumor size and time to endpoint (death or euthanasia) were measured over the course of 60 days. Summary of Data: Treatment of human colon cancer LS174T xenografts with MER-1001 as above led to tumor growth delay of 27 days (180%) and concomitant extension of time to endpoint (vs. no-treatment control) from 15 days to 42 days 13% weight loss. MER-1001 is more efficacious than comparable doses of irinotecan and camptothecin, with tumor growth delays of 104% and 49%, respectively, and median times to endpoint of 31 and 22 days, respectively. Chronic treatment of established human ovarian A2780 cancer tumors in nude mice with MER-1001 as above led to sustained inhibition of tumor growth regardless of baseline tumor size. Conclusions: MER-1001 is a potent and efficacious agent against LS174 and A2780 human tumor xenografts in nude mice.
Adaptive Manycore Architectures for Big Data Computing

This work presents a cross-layer design of an adaptive manycore architecture to address the computational needs of emerging big data applications within the technological constraints of power and reliability. From the circuits end, we present links with reconfigurable repeaters that allow single-cycle traversals across multiple hops, creating fast single-cycle paths on demand. At the microarchitecture end, we present a router with bi-directional links, unified virtual channel (VC) structure, and the ability to perform self-monitoring and self-configuration around faults. We present our vision for self-aware manycore architectures and argue that machine learning techniques are very appropriate to efficiently control various configurable on-chip resources in order to realize this vision. We provide concrete learning algorithms for core and NoC reconfiguration; and dynamic power management to improve the performance, energy-efficiency, and reliability over static designs to meet the demands of big data computing. We also discuss future challenges to push the state-of-the-art on fully adaptive manycore architectures.
The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity

“Major Strassor has been shot. Round up the usual suspects.” So commands Captain Renault (played by Claude Reins) at the end of the classic film Casablanca. Now imagine a couple in crisis following...
Stress, sleep, and the selective consolidation of emotional memories

Memory consolidation processes can be highly selective. For example, emotional aspects of events tend to be consolidated more readily than other, more neutral aspects. We first describe evidence that the sleeping brain provides an ideal environment for memory consolidation, and that active, as opposed to passive, sleep-based consolidation processes are particularly important in explaining why emotional memories are retained so well. We then briefly review evidence that elevated levels of stress support emotional memory consolidation. Finally, we propose a working model that describes why stress at encoding may set the stage for sleep to etch emotional memories in the brain on a lasting, if not permanent, basis, and we present recent data to support this model.
Debt and Adjustment: Muddling Through

The debt crisis of the 1980s officially started in August 1982 when Mexico defaulted on its commercial bank loans and led to a 'lost decade' of non-growth for developing countries in Latin America and elsewhere.. But its genesis dates to the growth of developing country debt following the oil crises of the early and late seventies. This chapter analyses the reasons for the debt crisis and the responses of the international community to the problems faced by two groups of developing countries: middle income countries heavily indebted to commercial banks and highly indebted poor countries, especially in Sub-Sahara Africa whose debt was to official donors.
Liver Transplantation: Perioperative Care and Update on Intraoperative Management

We will present some relevant concepts on the preoperative evaluation of patients with end-stage liver disease and describe some new intraoperative management strategies for liver transplantation. This review is limited to three topics: cardiac issues, pulmonary issues, and coagulation issues. While dobutamine stress echocardiography and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy are the most common screening methods for coronary artery disease, computed tomography techniques are gaining popularity although their value is still unclear. Positive screening tests should be followed by coronary angiography and revascularization. Severe valvular heart disease has to be corrected before transplantation is attempted; percutaneous techniques virtually eliminate the risk of acute hepatic failure frequently associated with cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with severe liver disease. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a viable treatment option when severe pulmonary and cardiac complications develop. Patients with severe hepatopulmonary syndrome can undergo successful liver transplantation, but portopulmonary hypertension remains challenging. Perioperative coagulation management will likely evolve with the availability of prothrombin complex concentrate and fibrinogen concentrate. Rather than trying to provide a complete discussion, we emphasize new and interesting findings with significant clinical significance.
Revisiting Blood Safety Practices Given Emerging Data about Zika Virus

Zika Virus and Blood-Product Safety The rapid emergence and dissemination of Zika virus across the Americas over the past 2 years has aroused serious concern regarding the safety of blood transfusion. The authors discuss the challenges associated with securing blood-product safety.
Independence of the product of solubility and distribution coefficient of pH.

Purpose. The relationship between the pH, solubility, and partition coefficient was investigated to show that the product of intrinsic values of solubility and partition coefficient is equal to the product of total values of solubility and distribution coefficient at different pH.
Genetic Transformation of Potato with Bacillus Thuringiensis HD 73 Cryia(C) Gene and Development of Insect Resistant Plants

Solanum tuberosum L. was transformed using an Agrobacterium tumefaciens binary vector containing DNA encoding a translational fusion between the Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (B.t.k.) HD-73 δ-endotoxin and neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPT II). Two hunded forty-three shoots were regenerated from 50 inoculated leaf explants. Putatively transformed shoots were selected based on their ability to root in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemeted with 50 mg/1 kanamycin. DNA sequences encoding NPT II were detected using the polymerase chain reaction in several plants which formed roots in the selection medium. Southern blot hybridization of total DNA isolated from greenhouse grown transformed plant demonstrated integration of the translational fusion into the plant genome. In addition, transcription of the gene fusion in the transgenic potato plant was detected by reverse transcription of mRNA followed by amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Insect assays, using tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) neonate larvae, indicated a significant reduction of leaf consumption in the transgenic plant when compared to a control potato plant (Cheng et ah., 1992). Second generation transgenic plants were grown from tubers and bioassayed against potato tubermoth (Phthorimaea operculella) and European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). Ten percent mortality mortality of potato tubermoth was observed in transgenic plants but leaf consumption of surviving larvae was almost the same as in control plants. European corn borer larvae were significantly less capable of surviving in transgenic potato than in control plants as alternative host. Preference test showed that leaf disks of transgenic plants were less preferred than the control plants by 3rd instar European corn borer after 24 hours of exposure.
Validation of automatic cochlear implant electrode localization techniques using μCTs.

Cochlear implants (CIs) are standard treatment for patients who experience sensorineural hearing loss. Although these devices have been remarkably successful at restoring hearing, it is rare that they permit to achieve natural fidelity and many patients experience poor outcomes. Our group has developed image-guided CI programming techniques (IGCIP), in which image analysis techniques are used to locate the intracochlear position of CI electrodes to determine patient-customized settings for the CI processor. Clinical studies have shown that IGCIP leads to significantly improved outcomes. A crucial step is the localization of the electrodes, and rigorously quantifying the accuracy of our algorithms requires dedicated datasets. We discuss the creation of a ground truth dataset for electrode position and its use to evaluate the accuracy of our electrode localization techniques. Our final ground truth dataset includes 30 temporal bone specimens that were each implanted with one of four different types of electrode array by an experienced CI surgeon. The arrays were localized in conventional CT images using our automatic methods and manually in high-resolution μCT images to create the ground truth. The conventional and μCT images were registered to facilitate comparison between automatic and ground truth electrode localization results. Our technique resulted in mean errors of 0.13 mm in localizing the electrodes across 30 cases. Our approach successfully permitted characterizing the accuracy of our methods, which is critical to understand their limitations for use in IGCIP.
Epigenetic meta-analysis across three civilian cohorts identifies NRG1 and HGS as blood-based biomarkers for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Aim Trauma exposure is a necessary, but not deterministic, contributor to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Epigenetic factors may distinguish between trauma-exposed individuals with versus without PTSD. Materials & methods We conducted a meta-analysis of PTSD epigenome-wide association studies in trauma-exposed cohorts drawn from civilian contexts. Whole blood-derived DNA methylation levels were analyzed in 545 study participants, drawn from the three civilian cohorts participating in the PTSD working group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. Results Two CpG sites significantly associated with current PTSD in NRG1 (cg23637605) and in HGS (cg19577098). Conclusion PTSD is associated with differential methylation, measured in blood, within HGS and NRG1 across three civilian cohorts.
Determinants of growth in HIV‐exposed and HIV‐uninfected infants in the Kabeho Study

HIV-exposed and HIV-uninfected (HEU) infants may be at increased risk of poor health and growth outcomes. We characterized infant growth trajectories in a cohort of HEU infants to identify factors associated with healthy growth. HIV-positive women participating in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programmes in Kigali, Rwanda, were followed until their infants were 2 years old. Infant anthropometrics were regularly collected. Latent class analysis was used to categorize infant growth trajectories. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of infants belonging to each growth trajectory class. On average, this population of HEU infants had moderate linear growth faltering, but only modest faltering in weight, resulting in mean weight-for-length z-score (WLZ) above the World Health Organization (WHO) median. Mean WLZ was 0.53, and mean length-for-age z-score (LAZ) was -1.14 over the first 2 years of life. We identified four unique WLZ trajectories and seven trajectories in LAZ. Low neonatal weight-for-age and a high rate of illness increased the likelihood that infants were in the lightest WLZ class. Shorter mothers were more likely to have infants with linear growth faltering. Female infants who were older at the end of exclusive breastfeeding were more likely to be in the second tallest LAZ class. In conclusion, the current WHO recommendations of Option B+ and extended breastfeeding may induce higher WLZ and lower LAZ early in infancy. However, there is considerable heterogeneity in growth patterns that is obscured by simply analysing average growth trends, necessitating the analysis of growth in subpopulations.
Do women age like whales? Integrating diverse perspectives on human menopause and postreproductive life spans

Abstract For women, menopause at around age 51 years is the ultimate step in a gradual, decades-long period of fertility loss. In ‘proximate’, physiological terms, it is a result of a finite declining pool of ovarian follicles and the accompanying decay of functional feedback pathways in the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis. In women and other female mammals, the length of the fertile life span is constrained developmentally by basic mechanisms of mammalian oocyte formation, selection, and eventual exhaustion. Reproductive aging in both women and men can be viewed as canonical aging syndromes correlated with the increasing prevalence of other aging-related diseases and disabilities. Human life expectancy rarely exceeded 25–30 years until the 1800s, and average life expectancy at birth has risen by almost 40 years since 1990, thereby also increasing the average length of women's postreproductive life span (PRLS) by 30 years or more in industrialized cultures. While there has been little rigorous comparative analysis or attempt to integrate clinical and physiological perspectives with those of comparative zoologists, many researchers have argued that midlife menopause with a long PRLS is an exceptional pattern of aging among vertebrates and an adaptation that promotes the reproductive success of older women's close genetic relatives. This review samples a range of perspectives on the origins of human menopause and PRLS and discusses strengths and pitfalls of different standpoints. It argues for a more holistic, interdisciplinary synthesis of perspectives on female reproductive aging combining physiological and epidemiological viewpoints with those from comparative physiology and evolutionary medicine.
Comparison of clozapine monitoring and adverse event management in a psychiatrist-only and a clinical pharmacist-psychiatrist collaborative clinic

Abstract Introduction In an effort to establish clinical support for providers prescribing clozapine and to help reverse the national decline in clozapine utilization, a clinical pharmacist began s...
Observational Analysis of Extratropical Cyclone Interactions with Northeast Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies

AbstractThis study examines the interaction between a Northeast Pacific upper ocean thermal anomaly and individual fall storm events between 2013-2016. In 2013, a large upper-ocean thermal anomaly ...
Abstract 3445: Mechanism, physiological and therapeutic implications of LGR-independent potentiation of WNT signaling by R-spondins

The WNT signaling pathway encodes positional information in animals, orchestrates patterning and morphogenesis during embryonic development, and promotes tissue renewal and regeneration in adults. Dysregulation of WNT signaling has been implicated in many diseases, including developmental malformations, skeletal and dental abnormalities, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and many types of cancer. Members of the R-spondin family of secreted growth factors have emerged as key regulators of WNT signaling strength. The R-spondin system is a vertebrate adaptation that may be related to the appearance of sophisticated stem cell compartments, which require exquisite control of WNT signaling. The four members of the family (R-spondin 1-4) can strongly potentiate responses to WNT ligands during development and in stem cells, but the mechanisms by which they transduce signals are not fully understood and the reasons why they produce different physiological effects are largely unknown. Unexpectedly, we discovered that R-spondins 2 and 3 can uniquely potentiate WNT signaling in cells lacking LGRs 4, 5 and 6, the principal R-spondin receptors. We determined the protein domains on R-spondins necessary and sufficient for this new mode of signaling, and showed that it is mediated by an alternative interaction with cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans. This finding is transformative because LGRs 4-6 were thought to be required to transduce all R-spondin signals and hence determine their site of action. Indeed, these LGRs are highly expressed in many stem cell compartments whose maintenance depends on potentiation of WNT signaling by R-spondins. Instead our work shows that there are two modes of signaling by R-spondins, an LGR-dependent and an LGR-independent mode, and that different R-spondins may use distinct molecular mechanisms to transduce signals in various biological contexts. Supporting our findings, recent work from another group demonstrated that during limb development, R-spondin 2 signals through an LGR-independent mechanism. Since components of the R-spondin signaling module are commonly mutated in cancer, therapeutic targeting of LGR-independent signaling deserves evaluation. I will present the results demonstrating our conclusions and discuss their implications in physiology and disease. Citation Format: Andres M. Lebensohn, Rajat Rohatgi. Mechanism, physiological and therapeutic implications of LGR-independent potentiation of WNT signaling by R-spondins [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3445.
Fuzzy gradient descent for the linear fuzzy real number system

Many problems in education, finance, and engineering design require that decisions be made under uncertainty. In these fields, Machine Learning is often used to search for patterns and information from data. To find patterns in Fuzzy Data, Fuzzy Machine Learning techniques can be used. In this paper, we focus on solving and manipulating Fuzzy Nonlinear problems in the Linear Fuzzy Real (LFR) number system using the Gradient Descent. The Gradient Descent is the most often used learning algorithm in Machine Learning. Thus, we propose the LFR Gradient Descent method for solving nonlinear equations in the LFR number system.
Self-Authenticating Traditional Domain Names

We introduce Self-Authenticating Traditional (SAT) domain names. SAT domains are traditional recognizable domains resolvable via the Domain Name System (DNS). They are also self-authenticating—they encode in the name itself a public key for authenticating the SAT domain. We present an implementation of our SAT domains for servers and a corresponding Firefox WebExtension that validates connections to them. SAT domains weave security directly into the fabric of the Web by building authentication into URLs themselves. Thus, by simply posting links to other SAT domains, a SAT site that a user trusts assures that user of the ability to make hijack-resistant connections to any of those domains. Because just the address attested in this way is sufficient for users to create a secure connection to a recognizable domain, we call this dirt simple trust. We present implemented examples of this and describe other channels to establish dirt simple trust. The public keys we embed in SAT domain names are in the format of Tor onion service keys. Specifically, a SAT domain includes the encoding of an onion service public key as a subdomain of a registered domain name. But the client can be ignorant of Tor and need not direct traffic over any onion routing network to obtain our protections. This makes SAT domains compatible with other browsers and standard routing infrastructure. Nonetheless, our extension also works in Tor Browser. We also explore systems developed and deployed by others that associate a self-authenticating domain with a traditional DNS domain using existing Web authentication mechanisms, but without building security in directly. Recently, major providers have deployed. onion alternative services to support load balancing and improved performance for Tor users. Though superficially similar to SAT domains, our analysis indicates that these alternative services are not actually self-authenticating. They also increase the effectiveness and impact of client tracking attacks acknowledged in the design of alternative services. We describe such attacks and describe another benefit of our WebExtension: it provides an interface allowing users to selectively block or permit alternative services.
Development of imaging scaffolds for cryo-electron microscopy

Following recent hardware and software developments, single particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has become one of the most popular structural biology tools. Many targets, such as viruses, large protein complexes and oligomeric membrane proteins, have been resolved to atomic resolution using single-particle cryo-EM, which relies on the accurate assignment of particle location and orientation from intrinsically noisy projection images. The same image processing procedures are more challenging for smaller proteins due to their lower signal-to-noise ratios. Consequently, though most cellular proteins are less than 50kDa, so far it has been possible to solve cryo-EM structures near that size range for only a few favorable cases. Here we highlight some of the challenges and recent efforts to break through this lower size limit by engineering large scaffolds to rigidly display multiple small proteins for imaging. Future design efforts are noted.
Using Mini-Games to Teach Cyber Issues to Social Science Students

This essay outlines a set of mini-games designed to more effectively allow political science instructors, particularly in International Relations, teach basic principles and concepts associated wit...
The vegan's dilemma

A common and convincing argument for the moral requirement of veganism is based on the widespread, severe, and unnecessary harm done to animals, the environment, and humans by the practices of animal agriculture. If this harm footprint argument succeeds in showing that producing and consuming animal products is morally impermissible, then parallel harm footprint arguments show that a vast array of modern practices are impermissible. On this first horn of the dilemma, by engaging in these practices, vegans are living immorally by their own lights. This first horn can be avoided by assuming that morality requires not minimizing harm, but only keeping the harm of our actions within some budget. On the second horn, however, we recognize that there are many ways of keeping our harm footprints within budget other than through our dietary choices. On the second horn of the vegan's dilemma, therefore, veganism is not a moral requirement.
Takayasu's Arteritis

Takayasu's arteritis is a rheumatological disorder causing inflammation of large vessels. It may affect the arteries leading to the cerebral vasculature. Patients may become symptomatic from ischemia or stroke. Treatment consists of antiplatelet agents and immunosuppression. For focal symptomatic lesions, angioplasty and stent placement or bypass may be required.
Expression of cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein in peripheral blood and lesions of patients with psoriasis

Objective To investigate the expression and distribution of cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) in peripheral blood and lesions of psoriatic patients. Methods Peripheral blood and skin samples were obtained from 30 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 20 normal controls. Flow cytometry was used to detect intracellular c-FLIP protein in peripheral T and B lymphocytes, immunohistochemistry to examine the expression of c-FLIP in lesional tissue. Results Based on the positivity rate of c-FLIP, there was a significant increase in T lymphocytes in active psoriasis compared with regressive psoriasis and normal controls (6.32%±1.17% vs 2.64%±0.74% and 2.28%±0.54%, P＜0.01 and 0.05, respectively), while no significant difference was found in B lymphocytes among these three groups (0.78%±0.16%, 0.71%±0.32%, 0.69%±0.18%, respectively, P＞0.05). The expression intensity of c-FLIP in keratinocytes was also higher in active psoriasis than in regressive psoriasis and normal controls (89.73±5.24 vs 117.40±7.50,121.58±7.93, P＜0.01 and 0.05 respectively), and there was no difference between regressive psoriasis and normal controls (P＞0.05). Conclusions c-FLIP is highly expressed in lesions and peripheral T lymphocytes of patients with active psoriasis, suggesting the possible involvement of c-FLIP in the proliferation of T lymphocytes in psoriasis. Key words: Psoriasis; Apoptosis proteins inhibitor; Apoptosis
Two-hour Observation After Liver Biopsy in Children: Clinical and Economic Outcome of a Quality Improvement Intervention.

Objective Following percutaneous liver biopsy performed at our institution on an outpatient basis, children traditionally were observed for 4 hours then discharged after verifying a stable hematocrit level. In June 2015, we adopted a quality improvement project with shorter 2-hour observation for patients with no known risks and the hematocrit test was abandoned.The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and economic outcomes of early discharge of children following liver biopsy. Methods We analyzed data on 2 groups of children who underwent ultrasound-guided nontargeted core needle liver biopsy performed on outpatient basis. Group A (100 procedures with 4-hour postprocedural observation time and hematocrit test) was compared with group B (100 procedures with 2-hour observation without hematocrit test). Results Group A consisted of 92 patients (43 boys; 49 girls) with a mean age of 11.1 years and mean weight of 52.6 kg. Group B had 92 patients (47 boys; 45 girls) with a mean age of 8.9 years and mean weight of 40.5 kg. The mean length of observation was 281 minutes (range 204-540 minutes) and 147 minutes (range 86-332 minutes) for groups A and B, respectively. The mean recovery charges were reduced by 35% per procedure in group B. The tissue obtained was sufficient for pathologic diagnosis in all procedures. There were no biopsy-related complications in either group. Conclusions Enhanced recovery with early discharge of low-risk children after 2-hour observation following percutaneous liver biopsy can be safely implemented without adversely affecting the outcome. Shorter postbiopsy observation can be cost-saving and may potentially improve patient satisfaction.
Boundary correlation function of fixed-to-free bcc operators in square-lattice Ising model

We calculate the boundary correlation function of fixed-to-free boundary condition changing operators in the square-lattice Ising model. The correlation function is expressed in four different ways using $2\times2$ block Toeplitz determinants. We show that these can be transformed into a scalar Toeplitz determinant when the size of the matrix is even. To know the asymptotic behavior of the correlation function at large distance we calculate the asymptotic behavior of this scalar Toeplitz determinant using the Szego's theorem and the Fisher-Hartwig theorem. At the critical temperature we confirm the power-law behavior of the correlation function predicted by conformal field theory.
Optimization of tuned mass damper for seismic control of submerged floating tunnel

Abstract This study presents the optimization process of a tuned mass damper (TMD) to mitigate the lateral motions and mooring tensions of a submerged floating tunnel (SFT) under seismic excitations. A time-domain hydro-elastic-simulation model is established to solve the coupled dynamics among the tunnel, TMD, and mooring lines. The wet hydro-elastic natural frequencies of the SFT with mooring are estimated. The spring and damping coefficients of TMD are optimized by using metaheuristic optimization algorithms, i.e., harmony search (HS), genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO). HS is coupled with the time-domain dynamic-simulation model to perform the iterative process of updating the coefficients by HS, running the simulation with updated coefficients, returning the results back to HS. The optimized coefficients obtained by HS are also cross-checked by using GA and PSO with the pre-established objective function, which shows consistent results. Subsequently, the effectiveness of TMD with the optimized parameters is tested for a variety of seismic conditions that can cover the most seismic magnitudes. The time histories, spectra, and statistics of SFT dynamic responses and mooring tensions are systematically analyzed and discussed. As intended, the optimized TMD effectively attenuates the resonant hydro-elastic transient motions of the SFT at its lowest lateral natural frequency. The mooring tensions are also significantly reduced by adopting the optimized TMD, especially in large earthquakes.
The Effect of Virtual Interviews and Social Media on Applicant Decision-Making During The 2020-2021 Resident Match Cycle.

Rationale and Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered the residency application and interview process. Due to social distancing concerns, residency programs have had to virtually showcase their program to applicants, many utilizing social media. Similarly, applicants have had to devise novel ways of assessing “goodness of fit”, one of the top factor's applicants use when ranking programs ( 1 ). Whether or not these attempts made an impact on an applicant's decision-making process has yet to be determined. Materials and Methods Residency candidates interviewing for a diagnostic and/or interventional radiology residency position at our institution completed an online survey. The goal of the survey was to assess the potential influence of virtual interviews, social media, and virtual events on an applicant's decision to apply to, interview at, and rank residency programs. Results 78/156 (50%) candidates completed the survey. Thirty-five percent reported applying to more programs and 58% reported accepting more interviews than they would have if interviews were not virtual. Forty-two percent reported that social media played a vital role during the application season and 71% reported using social media to learn more about the program. Sixty-nine percent attended a virtual open house, 57% of whom reported that attending the open house influenced their decision to apply to a program. Sixty-three percent reported that attending a virtual reception influenced a program's ranking. Conclusion Social media has had a growing role in the medical community, and the COVID-19 pandemic likely accelerated an inevitable shift in residency program “branding” and how applicants perceive overall “goodness of fit”.
From Chronic Wounds to Scarring: The Growing Health Care Burden of Under- and Over-Healing Wounds.

Significance: Wound healing is the largest medical market without an existing small molecule/drug treatment. Both “under-healing” (chronic wounds) and “over-healing” (scarring) cause a substantial ...
Note on odd reflections of super Yangian and Bethe ansatz

In a recent paper arXiv:2109.09462, Molev introduced analogues of the odd reflections for the super Yangian $\mathrm{Y}(\mathfrak{gl}_{m|n})$ and obtained a transition rule for the change of highest weights when the parity sequence is altered. In this note, we reproduce the results from a different point of view and discuss their relations with the fermionic reproduction procedure of the XXX-type Bethe ansatz equations introduced in arXiv:1811.11225. We give an algorithm that how the $q$-characters change under the odd reflections. We also take the chance to compute explicitly the $q$-characters of skew representations of $\mathrm{Y}(\mathfrak{gl}_{m|n})$ for arbitrary parity sequences.
Reformulation-Convexification Technique for Polynomial Programs: Design and Implementation

In Chapter 7, we discussed the design and theory of a Reformulation-Linearization Technique for solving polynomial programming problems. We now return to this class of problems, but this time, we shall focus on specific implementation issues and describe various algorithmic strategies and additional classes of RLT constraints that can be gainfully employed in enhancing the performance of an RLT-based solution procedure. For the sake of convenience, we restate below the type of polynomial programming problems considered here, as introduced in Chapter 7.
Computation of Recommender System Using Localized Regularization

Online and offline targeting and recommendations are major topics in ecommerce. The topic is treated as Matrix Completion, Missing Values and Matrix Imputations in statistics. The main goal in all of these fields is to compute the unknown (missing) values in the data matrix. In computing or recovering the unknown entries of the matrix, overfitting may happen which is due to the lack of sufficient information and thus some penalization of the objective function in the form of regularization becomes necessary. This work is based on a different view of regularization, i.e., a localized regularization technique which leads to improvement in the estimation of the missing values.
Plasma sheath modeling near an ICRF Faraday shield

Summary form only. The Vlasov-Maxwell equations in the Lorentz gauge and in the quasi-electrostatic limit have been considered on ion time scales in 4-6 dimensions (including nu ), subject to certain boundary and volume conditions. The sheath physics near a Faraday shield has been studied under this formulation. Several Faraday shield configurations, including the Perkins, TFTR, and JET shields, have been studied, focusing on scenarios and conditions affecting metallic impurity generation. >
Building Domain-Specific Taggers without Annotated (Domain) Data

Part of speech tagging is a fundamental component in many NLP systems. When taggers developed in one domain are used in another domain, the performance can degrade considerably. We present a method for developing taggers for new domains without requiring POS annotated text in the new domain. Our method involves using raw domain text and identifying related words to form a domain specific lexicon. This lexicon provides the initial lexical probabilities for EM training of an HMM model. We evaluate the method by applying it in the Biology domain and show that we achieve results that are comparable with some taggers developed for this domain.
B2 bradykinin receptor-expressing nociceptors are differentially sensitive to the microtubule-targeting agent, paclitaxel (659.3)

Paclitaxel (TAX) produces debilitating peripheral neuropathy accompanied by pain. Interestingly, patients complain more frequently of increased sensitivity to cold but not hot temperatures. Thus, we hypothesize that TAX differentially damages functional subpopulations of peripheral pain-sensing neurons (i.e. nociceptors). Here, we evaluated TAX effects on bradykinin (BK) receptor-expressing nociceptors. Paw withdrawal latency (PWL) to a heat or cold stimulus was determined following TAX treatment. PWL of TAX rats to cold was decreased, whereas PWL to heat was increased, suggesting that TAX differentially affected cold- and heat-responsive nociceptors. We then evaluated PWL to cold and heat following i.pl. BK injections. As expected, BK produced a transient cold and heat allodynia in vehicle rats. By contrast, TAX treatment reduced heat, but prolonged cold allodynia. Treatment of primary nociceptor cultures with TAX produced a time-dependent, tri-phasic effect on BK-stimulated phospholipase C activity that...
Power Window Control Location Stereotypes

A paper-and-pencil survey instrument and an operational test were used to assess stereotype strength for automobile power window controls. Control panel layout (square vs. linear) and mounting plane were examined along with stereotype differences between subjects with technical backgrounds and those with non-technical backgrounds.A total of 273 participants ranging in age from 16 to 50 completed the survey instrument which requested responses to questions about which control was expected to activate a specified window. Subject preference for a particular control configuration was also solicited. A square control layout mounted on the instrument panel exhibited the strongest stereotype (94% of consistent responses for a single pattern) although it was the least preferred (22%). A square configuration mounted on the door panel possessed the second strongest stereotype (67% and 28% of consistent responses for the top two response patterns) and the highest preference (47%). A linear configuration mounted on t...
PD-1, IL-10, IFN-γ and IL-12 form a network to regulate HIV-1-specific CD4 T Cell and antigen-presenting cell function

Background PD-1 and IL-10 blockade can restore antigen-specific T cell functions in chronic infections and cancer. However, not all subjects respond to inhibition of either pathway, the potential differences in functions restored by these interventions are unknown, and mechanistic interactions between these pathways are poorly understood. Methods We investigated 45 subjects with HIV-1 infection with different disease status. We used CFSE assays to measure proliferation of HIV-1-specific CD4 T cells and Luminex arrays to analyze IFN-g(Th1), IL-2(Th0), IL-13(Th2) and IL-12 secretion in supernatants of CD8-depleted PBMC stimulated for 48h with Gag peptide pools in the presence of isotype control antibody, anti-PD-L1 and/or anti-IL-10Ra, anti-IFN-g or anti-IL-12. We used flow cytometry to evaluate the role of IFN-g in regulating PD-L1, HLA-DR, HLA-ABC and CD86 expression by monocytes.
A NOTE ON GAIN SCORES AND THEIR INTERPRETATION IN DEVELOPMENTAL MODELS DESIGNED TO MEASURE CHANGE IN THE EARLY SCHOOL YEARS

This paper presents a strategy for measuring cognitive gains in reading during the early school years. It is argued that accurate estimates of gain scores and their appropriate interpretation requires the use of adaptive tests with multiple criterion referenced points that mark learning milestones. It is further argued that two different measures of gain are necessary because of the nonequivalence of scale score points. Empirical results are presented in support of the use of adaptive tests with multiple criteria referenced scale points for the measurement of gain.
The contribution of viral hepatitis to the burden of chronic liver disease in the United States.

The Contribution of Viral Hepatitis to the Burden of Chronic Liver Disease in the United States
Solution properties of nickel(II) tetra(4-N-methylpyridyl) porphine and the influence of acetone, pyridine and imidazole

Abstract NiTMPyP has been shown to exist in aqueous solution as an equilibrium mixture between diamagnetic, four-coordinate nickel and paramagnetic, six-coordinate nickel complexed by water molecules in the axial positions. The addition of acetone promotes the four-coordinate species while the addition of pyridine or imidazole promotes the formation of six-coordinate species which may contain no, one or two molecules of the nitrogenous base depending on the ligand concentration.
Disruption of Gypsy Moth Mating with Microencapsulated Disparlure

Broadcast applications of microencapsulated disparlure at rates of 2.5 to 15.0 grams per hectare are capable of reducing successful mating of wild gypsy moths under field conditions. In test plots, population densities were as high as 32 pairs of pupae in an area of about 700 square meters.
The cardiovascular risk of azithromycin was increased in a large observational cohort study, contradicting findings from prior randomised trials.

Commentary on: Ray WA, Murray KT, Hall K, et al. Azithromycin and the risk of cardiovascular death. N Engl J Med 2012;366:1881–90.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Azithromycin, a widely used broad-spectrum macrolide antibiotic, belongs to the same class of antibiotics as erythromycin and clarithromycin, both of which have been associated with an increased risk of potentially lethal arrhythmias. Azithromycin has generally been viewed as ‘safe’ from a cardiovascular standpoint, but recently several reports of azithromycin-associated QT interval prolongation have been published. In an effort to ascertain whether azithromycin carries any cardiovascular risk, Ray et al evaluated the effect of its use on risk of death in a large Tennessee Medicaid cohort. The cohort study included patients (aged 30–74 years who took azithromycin from 1992 to 2006 (347 795 prescriptions)). Subjects were excluded if they had life-threatening non-cardiovascular illness, history of drug abuse, residency in a … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DNew%2BEngland%2BJournal%2Bof%2BMedicine%26rft.stitle%253DNEJM%26rft.issn%253D0028-4793%26rft.aulast%253DRay%26rft.auinit1%253DW.%2BA.%26rft.volume%253D366%26rft.issue%253D20%26rft.spage%253D1881%26rft.epage%253D1890%26rft.atitle%253DAzithromycin%2Band%2Bthe%2Brisk%2Bof%2Bcardiovascular%2Bdeath.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1056%252FNEJMoa1003833%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22591294%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1056/NEJMoa1003833&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=22591294&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F18%2F3%2Fe28.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000304083000007&link_type=ISI
Morphology of Phase Separation in AIN─Al2OC and SiC─AIN Ceramics

Solid solutions in the AIN─Al2OC and SiC─AlN systems were fabricated by hot-pressing powder mixtures in graphite dies. X-ray diffraction showed the samples to be single phases of 2H structure. The samples were annealed between 1600° and 1900°C for up to 1000 h. In the SiC─AlN system, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction failed to reveal microstructural or phase changes. However, electron microscopy showed that samples had decomposed. Streaking of diffraction spots occurred along directions orthogonal to {012} planes (∼43° off the c axis), which is approximately the direction along which the elastic energy function is a minimum. The orientation-dependent Young's modulus was also a minimum along this direction. In AIN─Al2OC, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction indicated the occurrence of decomposition. The precipitates were disk-shaped with [001] orthogonal to the disks. The occurrence of decomposition along the [001] direction suggests that it is the elastically soft direction.
Extraction and Assembly of Tissue-Derived Gels for Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering

Interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) play an important role in regulating cell function. Cells cultured in, or on, three-dimensional ECM recapitulate similar features to those found in vivo that are not present in traditional two-dimensional culture. In addition, both natural and synthetic materials containing ECM components have shown promise in a number of tissue engineering applications. Current materials available for cell culture and tissue engineering do not adequately reflect the diversity of ECM composition between tissues. In this paper, a method is presented for extracting solutions of proteins and glycoproteins from soft tissues and inducing assembly of these proteins into gels. The extracts contain ECM proteins specific to the tissue source with low levels of intracellular molecules. Gels formed from the tissue-derived extracts have nanostructure similar to ECM in vivo and can be used to culture cells as both a thin substrate coating and a thick gel. This technique could be used to assemble hydrogels with varying composition depending upon the tissue source, hydrogels for three-dimensional culture, as scaffolds for tissue engineering therapies, and to study cell-matrix interactions.
Lick rate development in infant Mongolian gerbils

Lick rates in two male and two female Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were measured over a 39-day period during which the gerbils aged from 21 to 60 days. The data confirmed previous data by showing that infant lick rates differ from adult lick rates. Contrary to previous data, however, infant gerbils were found to exhibit more lick rate variability and to lick both more rapidly and more slowly than adult gerbils.
Growth of nickel ferrite thin films using pulsed-laser deposition

Abstract Epitactic thin films of nickel ferrite spinel (NiFe 2 O 4 ) have been grown on (0 0 0 1) oriented sapphire substrates using pulsed-laser deposition. Three different methods were used to produce the films. The first was direct deposition using a stoichiometric NiFe 2 O 4 target. In the other two methods, a solid-state reaction between NiO and Fe 2 O 3 was utilized to produce the spinel. In one case, the spinel was formed in situ while film growth occurred in the deposition system; in the other case, a NiO/Fe 2 O 3 heterostructure was reacted ex situ at elevated temperatures in air. The resulting ferrite films were analyzed in cross section using both conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. In general, the predominant defects found in the spinel films were twin boundaries. However, the topology of the twin boundaries in each of the three films was different. These differences were attributed to, and correlated with, the growth method and reaction processes used to produce the spinel film.
Some thoughts on quantum non-demolition measurements in biological systems

A brief review of measurement theory in quantum mechanical and biological systems is made, the concept of quantum nondemolition experiments is discussed and a possible resolution to a previous discussion on the existence of nonrepeatable experiments is presented.