cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Fish Oil on Heart Rate in Humans A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background— The effect of fish oil on heart rate (HR), a major risk factor for sudden death, is not well established. We calculated this effect in a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in humans. Methods and Results— Randomized trials of fish oil that evaluated HR were identified through MEDLINE (1966 through January 2005), hand-searching of references, and contact with investigators for unpublished results. Two investigators independently extracted trial data. A pooled estimate was calculated from random-effects meta-analysis. Predefined stratified meta-analyses and meta-regression were used to explore potential heterogeneity. Of 197 identified articles, 30 met inclusion criteria. Evidence for publication bias was not present. In the overall pooled estimate, fish oil decreased HR by 1.6 bpm (95% CI, 0.6 to 2.5; P=0.002) compared with placebo. Between-trial heterogeneity was evident (Q test, P<0.001). Fish oil reduced HR by 2.5 bpm (P<0.001) in trials with baseline HR ≥69 ...
Abstract P6-07-03: An exhaustive algorithm for detecting copy number aberrations and large structural variants in whole-genome mate-pair sequencing data

Objectives and Rationale: Structural variants (SV) including large copy number aberrations (CNV), translocations, inversions, and large insertions and deletions (INDEL) play a critical role in tumorigenesis and progression. In fact, we now know that tumors can be categorized according to the size of mutations harbored. In several cancers, including ovarian and breast cancer, the large structural mutations, rather than single site mutations, play a dominate role in tumor etiology. Therefore, it9s critical to implement reliable algorithm for the detection of structural variants in DNA sequencing data. Mate-pair sequencing is a protocol specifically implemented for detection of the whole-genome level structural variants. It requires less sequencing depth therefor is cost effective, and enables the detection of CNVs, translocations, and inversions simultaneously. However, so far there has been no reliable bioinformatics pipeline for the analyses of the mate-pair sequencing data. Methods: Our novel algorithm, the SnowShoes-SV, is an exhaustive search algorithm designed specifically for mate-pair DNA sequencing data analyses. It calls the SVs based on disconcordant read pairs. The false SVs are filtered according to the following criteria: (i) the number of the supporting read pairs; (ii) the lack of reads from control data that implicate SV at the same region; (iii) the mappability and uniqueness of the region based on data from the ENCODE project; (iv) consistencies of the mapping orientations of the supporting read pairs; (v) the similar sizes between sequencing library and the two end read clusters. Results: Using a set of samples previously genotyped by aCGH, the SnowShoes-SV successfully detected all known CNVs and other SVs. It also identified copy number neutral translocations and inversions previously not identified by aCGH. In addition, the algorithm nominated novel SVs which are to be validated by PCR. Conclusions: SnowShoes-SV is a highly sensitive and specific algorithm for SV detection from the mate-pair DNA sequencing data. Citation Format: Yan W Asmann, Chen Wang, Brian M Necela, Xianfeng Chen, Jean-Pierre A Kocher, Matthew J Maurer, Thomas M Habermann, Susan L Slager, Andrew L Feldman, Anne J Novak, James R Cerhan, Edith A Perez, E Aubrey Thompson. An exhaustive algorithm for detecting copy number aberrations and large structural variants in whole-genome mate-pair sequencing data [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-07-03.
The NAIC Model Investment Law: A Missed Opportunity

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) currently has a once-in-a-generation opportunity: to start with a clean slate and write a "model investment law" (MIL) that would provide detailed guidance for the 50 state insurance regulatory authorities. If written sensibly, this model law could enhance the safety and soundness of insurance companies, while allowing them the necessary flexibility to compete efficiently in the ever-widening markets for financial services -- in the U.S. and abroad. Alas, the draft that the NAIC staff has produced thus far has largely missed this opportunity. The draft law adopts a "pigeon-hole" approach that addresses categories of risk assets (and activities) on a stand-alone basis, ignoring portfolio effects and the potential for offsetting interactions among the categories. It ignores most of the basic lessons of modern finance theory. It ignores the existence (and wisdom) of the risk-based capital (RBC) requirements promulgated by the NAIC. It undermines, rather than strengthens, the proper goal of safety-and-soundness regulation: to preserve the solvency and long-run financial strength of the regulated institutions. The NAIC still has the opportunity to withdraw its draft and start over. By doing so, it could preserve this unique opportunity and pursue a sensible path of safety-and-soundness regulation. This paper will expand on these themes.
Design Standards in Zoning Ordinances

This is the fourth chapter in a book, Designing Planned Communities (2010), that reviews the concepts and ideas that go into the design of planned communities, and explores how local governments can encourage and provide for their good design through land-use regulation. Design standards can be included in the planned community ordinance, where they function as one of the standards local governments consider when they review planned community projects. Such standards in planned community ordinances present a different legal problem than design standards in advisory plans, guidelines, and manuals. Design standards in ordinances are regulatory, and compliance with these standards is a condition to project approval. A constitutional problem may arise, however, if the design standards contain qualitative terms such as “harmonious,” “creative,” or “innovative,” which courts may find unconstitutionally vague. There is no way around the constitutionality problem if only words are used to set forth a standard because all descriptive words are ambiguous and indeterminate. There is no language “fix” that can solve this problem. This chapter provides examples of design standards that use indeterminate terms that may make the standards vulnerable to constitutional objection. Selecting these standards for discussion was done intentionally, partly because plans, guidelines, and manuals can help give meaning to indeterminate standards, and partly because the constitutional objections are not as serious as many imagine. At the same time, local governments may not opt out of this problem by declining to have any standards for planned communities. A review without standards of planned community projects is an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power. The entire book can be downloaded by going to the author's profile on Washington University Law School's website.
Jim Jarmusch: music, words and noise

Among media scholars, cultural historians and film critics, the 1980s are often dismissed as a period of bloated blockbuster aesthetics, Reaganist/Thatcherite politics and greed-is-good myopia. Occ...
Target tracking using multiple unmanned aerial vehicles: Graph theoretic nonlinear control approach:

This paper develops a cooperative controller for multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with application to target tracking. The cooperation between the UAVs is established based on an algebraic graph connection and the target information is provided externally by pinning it into a subset of the network. A backstepping-like technique is employed to design a consensus-based controller for each UAV in order to achieve target tracking in 3-D. The proposed controller computes commanded signals for the speed, flight path angle, and heading angle to track the target. The paper considers both the cases of fixed and dynamically changing communication topologies. It is shown that target tracking is achieved for fixed connection topology, if the graph has a directed spanning tree; and for the dynamically changing topology, if the union of the graphs over finite time intervals has a directed spanning tree. The system’s stability is shown using a Lyapunov function-based approach for these cases. All tracking errors...
Seismic and Geotechnical Site Characterizations at Four Earthquake Strong Motion Sites in Washington State

As part of on going program for generating maps addressing geologic site effects in Washington, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Division of Geology and Earth Resources (DGER) drilled 30-meter-deep geotechnical boreholes at four strong-motion sites operated by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN). Invasive (soil sampling, Standard Penetration Test (SPT) and downhole seismic) and noninvasive (Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves, (MASW)) methods were used to determine shear-wave velocity profiles, specifically for the top 100 feet of soil column, at each of these strong motion sites. The boreholes were logged for visual soil classification and SPTs, and selected soil samples were tested in the laboratory to obtain plasticity and gradation values. In addition, S-and P-waves generated at the surface were received by a 3-component geophone placed at 1-m intervals in each borehole. Then the borehole sites were later surveyed by using MASW method to estimate the Vs profiles at each borehole site. The MASW survey shows a very good correlation with the downhole S-velocity profiles. SPT blow counts are consistent with soil conditions in the Puget Sound area. Site classes E, D-E, D, C-D and C, as described in the International Building Codes (IBC 2006), were determined by using average shear-wave velocities and SPT blow count values to 30 meters (~100 feet) of soil column of the four boreholes. An updateable geospatial database incorporating shear-wave data and velocities, borehole geotechnical information (soil samples and their laboratory tests, SPT blow counts, etc.) will be generated and periodically updated. This database will directly be available through the DGER‘s interactive mapping service for end users such as federal and local government agencies, urban planning and emergency response groups and seismic networks, such as PNSN.
Measuring the “Unmeasurable” Approaches to Assessing the Nature and Extent of Product Counterfeiting

Due to its considerable negative consequences, product counterfeiting is a global problem that is a growing concern for consumers, government entities, law enforcement, and businesses. Unfortunatel...
Glucagon is the key factor in the development of diabetes

Glucagon plays important roles in normal glucose homeostasis and in metabolic abnormalities, particularly diabetes. Glucagon excess, rather than insulin deficiency, is essential for the development of diabetes for several reasons. Glucagon increases hepatic glucose and ketone production, the catabolic features of insulin deficiency. Hyperglucagonaemia is present in every form of diabetes. Beta cell destruction in glucagon receptor null mice does not cause diabetes unless mice are administered adenovirus encoding the glucagon receptor. In rodent studies the glucagon suppressors leptin and glucagon receptor antibody suppressed all catabolic manifestations of diabetes during insulin deficiency. Insulin prevents hyperglycaemia; however, insulin monotherapy cannot cure diabetes such that non-diabetic glucose homeostasis is achieved. Glucose-responsive beta cells normally regulate alpha cells, and diminished insulin action on alpha cells will favour hypersecretion of glucagon by the alpha cells, thus altering the insulin:glucagon ratio. Treating diabetes by suppression of glucagon, with leptin or antibody against the glucagon receptor, normalised glucose level (without glycaemic volatility) and HbA1c. Glucagon suppression also improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. If these results can be translated to humans, suppression of glucagon action will represent a step forward in the treatment of diabetes. This review summarises a presentation given at the 'Novel data on glucagon' symposium at the 2015 annual meeting of the EASD. It is accompanied by two other reviews on topics from this symposium (by Mona Abraham and Tony Lam, DOI: 10.1007/s00125-016-3950-3 , and by Russell Miller and Morris Birnbaum, DOI: 10.1007/s00125-016-3955-y ) and an overview by the Session Chair, Isabel Valverde (DOI: 10.1007/s00125-016-3946-z ).
Associations Between Depression and Obesity in Parents and Their Late-Adolescent Offspring: A Community-Based Study.

Objective Major depressive disorder (MDD) and obesity are associated within individuals, but little is known about the association between MDD and obesity within families. We hypothesized that parental MDD would predict increased risk for adolescent obesity and that parental obesity would predict increased risk for adolescent MDD. Methods Participants were drawn from the community-based Minnesota Twin Family Study (N = 7307; 17 years old: n = 3774). Parents and their 17-year-old offspring were assessed for MDD using a structured diagnostic interview, and direct assessments of height and weight were conducted (and diagnoses of obesity were derived from these measurements). Results Parental MDD was associated with offspring obesity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24-2.46). ORs representing the risk associated with maternal and paternal MDD were similar (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.02-1.92; OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 0.88-2.20, respectively). This parental effect remained significant when adjusting for parental obesity and offspring MDD (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.18-2.37). Maternal obesity was associated with increased risk for MDD in offspring (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.06-1.64), but paternal obesity was associated with decreased risk for MDD among offspring (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.54-0.91). These effects remained significant when adjusting for parental MDD and offspring obesity (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.07-1.73; OR = 0.65, CI = 0.49-0.87, respectively). There were no differences in these findings by offspring sex (p values for all tests of a sex interaction term > .374). Conclusions We found general support for hypothesized cross-disorder associations between MDD and obesity in parents and offspring, suggesting that a shared etiology may underlie these associations. Contrary to prediction, paternal obesity was associated with decreased risk for offspring MDD, a finding that requires further investigation.
Community Structure of the Phytoplankton in the Three Gorges Reservoir after the Third Period of Sluice

Surveys on the phytoplankton communities in the Three Gorges Reservoir were carried out in January,April,July,October,2007.A total of 164 plankton species belonging to 7 phyla were identified,among which,Bacillariphyta(48.78%)and Chlorophyta(31.70%)were dominant.Other 5 phyla were only representing 19.52%.The dominant species were Asterionella formsa,Synedra acus,Melosira granulate,Pandorina morum,Microcystis aeruginosa,Ceratium hirundinella,Peridiniopsis sp.As the seasons changed,the variation of phytoplankton was obvious.The quantity species was the most in the autumn(101)and the least(68)in the winter.Annual chang of the standing stock in main stream was obviously lower than that in the branch.In the main stream,the standing stock was the highest in the spring(the mean density was 27.75×104 ind./L,and the mean biomass was 0.88 mg/L),and the lowest in the summer(the mean density was 6.97×104 ind./L,and the mean biomass was 0.25 mg/L);In the branch,the standing corp was the highest in the summer(the mean density was 269.30×104 ind./L,and the mean biomass was 6.75 mg/L),and the lowest in the winter(the mean density was 48.88×104 ind./L,and the mean biomass was 1.33 mg/L).The mean Shannon-Wiener diversity in the main stream was 1.84,and the variation was autumnwintersummerspring.The mean Shannon-Wiener diversity in the branch was 1.95,and the variation was summerwinterautumnspring.
Analysis on the endemic situation of schistosomiasis in the national surveillance site in Hubei province(2010)

Objective To analyze the endemic situation of schistosomiasis in the national surveillance sites in Hubei province in 2009,and understand the endemic status of schistosomiasis transmission in Hubei,so as to provide basis for establishing prevention and control program.Methods Surveillance was carried out in 16 national surveillance sites in Hubei province according to the national surveillance protocol.Data statistics and analysis were processed by SPSS 12.0.Results In the 16 surveillance sites,the infection rate of residents was 0.89%,the infection rate of cattle was 1.41%,snail density was 0.324 0/0.11 m2,the density of positive snail was 0.000 19/0.11 m2 and snail infection rate was 0.059%.The endemic indices of 2009 were lower than those of the past four years.Conclusions The infection rate of residents and cattle continuously declined in the 16 surveillance sites,while the infection rate of snail was still very high.Therefore,the measure for snail control should be enhanced,and the quality of molluscicide must be improved to prevent the relapse of the endemic.
A Xenopus homebox gene defines dorsal-ventral domains in the developing brain

One of the distinguishing features of vertebrate development is the elaboration of the anterior neural plate into forebrain and midbrain, yet little is known about the early tissue interactions that regulate pattern formation in this region or the genes that mediate these interactions. As an initial step toward analyzing the process of regionalization in the anterior-most region of the brain, we have screened an anterior neural cDNA library for homeobox clones and have identified one which we have called XeNK-2 (Xenopus NK-2) because of its homology to the NK-2 family of homeobox genes. From neurula stages, when XeNK-2 is first detectable, through hatching stages, XeNK-2 mRNA is expressed primarily in the anterior region of the brain. By swimming tadpole stages, XeNK-2 expression resolves into a set of bands positioned at the forebrain-midbrain and the midbrain-hindbrain boundaries, after which XeNK-2 transcripts are no longer detectable. In addition to localized expression along the anterior-posterior axis, XeNK-2 may also play a role in the process of regionalization along the dorsal-ventral axis of the developing brain. At all stages examined, XeNK-2 mRNA is restricted to a pair of stripes that are bilaterally symmetrical in the ventral-lateral region of the brain. To begin to identify the tissue interactions that are required for the proper spatial and temporal localization of XeNK-2, we have performed a series of explant experiments. Consistent with earlier work showing that the A/P axis is not fixed at mid-gastrula stages, we show that XeNK-2 expression is activated when assayed in gastrula stage explants taken from any region along the entire A/P axis and that the tissue interactions necessary to localize XeNK-2 along the A/P axis are not completed until later neurula stages.
Comparative Study of the Predictions of Four Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes Turbulence Models Applied to a Richtmyer–Meshkov Instability Experiment

Turbulent mixing resulting from Richtmyer–Meshkov instability induced by shocks traversing perturbed material interfaces has an important effect on the hydrodynamic evolution of many high-energy-density and astrophysical flows, including inertial confinement fusion (ICF), shock tube and laser experiments, and supernovae. In many of these applications, the evolving interfaces and mixing layers are also reshocked by a shock reflected from a boundary (e.g., the endwall of a shock tube test section) or from the origin (e.g., in an ICF target). Reshock imparts additional energy into the mixing layer, enhancing the production of turbulence, and resulting in mixing over a wider region.
Developmental Outcomes of Children of Homeless Substance-Abusing Mothers

AbstractThis study evaluated the impact ofan extended shelter-based child development/family therapy intervention, called Building Blocks, on the development of children of substance- abusing homeless mothers. The homeless children had greater than expected percentages ofdevelopmental deficits in a number of the developmental domains. Those children who participated in the extended child development/family therapy services were one fourth as likely to have a developmental deficit at 12 months compared to children who did not receive these services. Interventions must be intensive and long-term to improve the developmental outcomes of children with multiple risks ofpoverty, homelessness, and family substance abuse.
Do Students Know What They Know? Exploring the Accuracy of Students' Self-Assessments.

Introductory students are not able to predict which questions they are able to answer correctly.
The Leader’s Role in Helping Organizational Members Deal with Loss, Grief, and Mourning

The goals of this chapter are to: Discuss the importance of loss, grief and mourning in the organizational member’s reactions to what must be given up from previous approaches in order to adapt to practices that are new and often filled with anxiety on personal and organizational levels Describe a series of typical reactions of health care providers and other organizational members as they confront the anticipation and realities of a new and unwanted health care delivery system, exemplified by managed care Provide suggested approaches for leaders to facilitate the adaptation of organizational members to a new system of care, emphasizing the importance of psychological processes related to loss, grief and mourning
CHAPTER I – The Linear Model and Instrumental Variables Estimators

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the linear model and instrumental variables estimators. It presents the tools and concepts needed to study the behavior of econometric estimators and test statistics in large samples. Attention is directed to estimation and inference in the framework of a linear model. The properties of existence, unbiasedness, normality, and efficiency of an estimator are the small sample analogs of the properties that are discussed in the chapter. Almost all econometric estimators can be viewed as solutions to an optimization problem. The chapter presents the properties of the generalized least squares estimator. The chapter presents a theorem in which efficiency can be obtained by transforming the model back to a form in which the ordinary least squares (OLS) gives the efficient estimator, in a case in which Ω is known. However, if Ω is unknown, this transformation is not immediately available.
Association between HER2/neu overexpression and calcifications in breast cancer

579 Background: HER-2/neu overexpression is an important parameter that influences prognosis and treatment for breast cancer. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between HER-2/...
Secondary Ammonium Agonists Make Dual Cation-π Interactions in α4β2 Nicotinic Receptors

A cation-π interaction between the ammonium group of an agonist and a conserved tryptophan termed TrpB is a near universal feature of agonist binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). TrpB is one of five residues that form the aromatic box of the agonist binding site, and for the prototype agonists ACh and nicotine, only TrpB makes a functional cation-π interaction. We report that, in addition to TrpB, a significant cation-π interaction is made to a second aromatic, TyrC2, by the agonists metanicotine, TC299423, varenicline, and nornicotine. A common structural feature of these agonists, and a distinction from ACh and nicotine, is a protonated secondary amine that provides the cation for the cation-π interaction. These results indicate a distinction in binding modes between agonists with subtly different structures that may provide guidance for the development of subtype-selective agonists of nAChRs.
Global functions of extracellular, transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of organic solute transporter β-subunit

Transport of bile acids across the basolateral membrane of the intestinal enterocyte is carried out by the organic solute transporter (Ost) composed of a seven-transmembrane domain (TMD) subunit (Ostα) and an ancillary single TMD subunit (Ostβ). Although previous investigations have demonstrated the importance of the TMD of Ostβ for its activity, further studies were conducted to assess the contributions of other regions of the Ostβ subunit. Transport activity was retained when Ostβ was truncated to contain only the TMD with 15 additional residues on each side and co-expressed with Ostα, whereas shorter fragments were inactive. To probe the broader functions of Ostβ segments, chimeric proteins were constructed in which N-terminal, TMD or C-terminal regions of Ostβ were fused to corresponding regions of receptor activity-modifying protein (RAMP1), a single TMD protein required by several seven-TMD G-protein-coupled receptors including the calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR). Ostβ/RAMP1 chimeras were expressed with Ostα and CLR. As expected, replacing the Ostβ TMD abolished transport activity; however, replacing either the entire N-terminal or entire C-terminal domain of Ostβ with RAMP1 sequences did not prevent plasma membrane localization or the ability to support [3H]taurocholate uptake. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that the C-terminus of Ostβ is a previously unrecognized site of interaction with Ostα. All chimeras containing N-terminal RAMP1 segments allowed co-expressed CLR to respond to agonists with strong increases in cyclic AMP. These results provide new insights into the structure and function of the heteromeric Ost transporter complex.
Resilience in the U.S. Air Force: A Factor Analysis of Two Resilience Scales

ABSTRACTResilience among military populations is critical to symptom prevention and research. The authors examine the factor structure of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the Dispositional Resilience Scale used to measure resilience and hardiness among U.S. Airmen. Data for this study comes from the 2013 Community Assessment Survey (N = 45,634). The sample was randomly divided into exploratory (n = 22,693) and confirmatory (n = 22,941) factor analyses subsets, subsequently used to test the factor structure of each scale. Neither instrument fully performed as anticipated according to the literature, suggesting the need for additional research into the unique challenges of accurately measuring resilience and hardiness among U.S. Airmen.
Using the coq theorem prover to verify complex data structure invariants

While automated static analysis tools can find many useful software bugs, there are still bugs that are beyond the reach of these tools. Most large software systems have complex data structures with complex invariants, and many bugs can be traced to code that does not maintain these invariants. These invariants cannot be easily inferred by automated tools. One must use an interactive system in which developers first enter these invariants to document their software and then use a theorem prover to verify their correctness.We describe the PEDANTIC framework for verifying the correctness of C-like programs using the Coq theorem prover. PEDANTIC is designed to prove invariants over complex dynamic data structures such as inter-referencing trees and linked lists. The language for the invariants is based on separation logic. The PEDANTIC tactic library has been constructed to allow program verifications to be done with reasonably compact proofs.We have completed the verification of a tree traversal program. We are currently working on the verification of a C implementation of the DPLL algorithm in order to demonstrate the utility of the framework on more complex programs. Verifying programs using an interactive theorem prover is quite tedious. We discuss work being done to improve proof development productivity.
High-Content Optical Codes for Protecting Rapid Diagnostic Tests from Counterfeiting.

Warnings and reports on counterfeit diagnostic devices are released several times a year by regulators and public health agencies. Unfortunately, mishandling, altering, and counterfeiting point-of-care diagnostics (POCDs) and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) is lucrative, relatively simple and can lead to devastating consequences. Here, we demonstrate how to implement optical security codes in silicon- and nitrocellulose-based flow paths for device authentication using a smartphone. The codes are created by inkjet spotting inks directly on nitrocellulose or on micropillars. Codes containing up to 32 elements per mm2 and 8 colors can encode as many as 1045 combinations. Codes on silicon micropillars can be erased by setting a continuous flow path across the entire array of code elements or for nitrocellulose by simply wicking a liquid across the code. Static or labile code elements can further be formed on nitrocellulose to create a hidden code using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or glycerol additives to the in...
Metabolic Changes of Brain Developmental Venous Anomalies on 18F-FDG-PET

Rationale and Objectives To determine the metabolic effects of developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) and to correlate those effects with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective review of MRI and brain 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) examinations in subjects with DVAs. Conventional MRI was used to determine DVA number, location, size, and associated parenchymal findings such as atrophy, hemorrhage, cavernoma, capillary telangiectasia, cortical dysplasia/polymicrogyria, and white matter signal abnormality. Qualitative and quantitative measures of relative metabolism in the drainage territory of the DVA were measured on 18F-FDG-PET. Results Fifty-four subjects with 57 DVAs were included in the analysis. 38% were associated with qualitative and quantitative metabolic abnormalities on 18F-FDG-PET, with decreased metabolism in the parenchyma surrounding all but one of these DVAs. DVAs draining gray matter were significantly more likely to be hypometabolic than those draining only white matter, suggesting that the metabolic effects of DVAs may be underestimated on 18F-FDG-PET. Conclusion Altered metabolism is seen in the drainage territory of a significant proportion of DVAs, suggesting that these anomalies are vascular lesions with abnormal physiologic features.
Nonlinear, model-based microphone array speech enhancement

In this chapter we address the limitations of current approaches to using microphone arrays for speech acquisition and advocate the development of multichannel techniques which employ non-traditional processing and an explicit model of the speech signal. The goal is to combine the advantages of spatial filtering achieved through beamforming with knowledge of the desired time-series attributes and intuitive nonlinear processing. We then offer a multi-channel algorithm which incorporates these principles. The enhanced speech is synthesized using a linear predictive filter. The excitation signal is computed from a nonlinear wavelet-domain process. It uses extrema clustering of the multi-channel speech data to discriminate portions of the linear prediction residual produced by the desired speech signal from those due to multi path effects and uncorrelated noise. The algorithm is shown to be capable of identifying and attenuating reverberant portions of the speech signal and reducing the effects of additive noise.
Process Improvement Methods and Tools

The productivity of its transformational processes (i.e., production systems) has an enormous impact on the firm’s ability to deliver quality products and services to consumers. External customers rarely see a company’s production systems and in most cases are not interested in its details. However, being able to get the products and services, they desire in a timely fashion greatly affects consumer perceptions of those products and services. Even if the product or service is perceived as being of good quality, the inconvenience of not getting it in a timely fashion reduces the customer’s since of value and often causes dissatisfaction. With respect to internal customers, the higher the effectiveness and efficiency of the production systems, the greater their sense of value and perception of quality.
Seven factors predict a delayed diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis.

Introduction: Diagnostic delay of cardiac amyloidosis (CAm) continues to challenge clinicians. We investigated features associated with delay and ascertained if a diagnostic delay had negative impl...
Bioethics and the law: Should courts be allowed to make end of life decisions? Reflections on the Charlie Gard and Alfie Evans controversies

Summary This article will examine whether courts should have the power to decide to withdraw life-sustaining treatment over the objection of surrogate decision-makers. In doing so, I consider the ways in which giving courts this power might be better for individual patients, but worse for family members and other stakeholders who must live on after the patient's death. I also examine some of the cultural and historical reasons that handing such power over to courts or other government agencies may be seen as unthinkable in the United States, namely, moral transgressions like the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments, which have given the public significant reasons to be wary of government intervention in healthcare and life-or-death decisions. Drawing on the Charlie Gard and Alfie Evans cases, bioethical theory, political philosophy, and my experiences as a clinical ethicist, I conclude that courts should not have the power to withdraw life-sustaining treatment over surrogate objection in most cases because doing so creates significant chaos, fear, and distress in patients and their families, and that taking positive stances on end of life issues violates the principles of liberal democracy, under which intimate decisions about the unknown should be left to patients and their surrogates. Unless surrogates are preventing a patient who is very likely to be physically suffering or who wishes to die from doing so, giving courts such power is likely to create significant moral distress that could be avoided or solved by facilitating transparent communication.
Developing a healthcare dataset information resource (DIR) based on Semantic Web

The right dataset is essential to obtain the right insights in data science; therefore, it is important for data scientists to have a good understanding of the availability of relevant datasets as well as the content, structure, and existing analyses of these datasets. While a number of efforts are underway to integrate the large amount and variety of datasets, the lack of an information resource that focuses on specific needs of target users of datasets has existed as a problem for years. To address this gap, we have developed a Dataset Information Resource (DIR), using a user-oriented approach, which gathers relevant dataset knowledge for specific user types. In the present version, we specifically address the challenges of entry-level data scientists in learning to identify, understand, and analyze major datasets in healthcare. We emphasize that the DIR does not contain actual data from the datasets but aims to provide comprehensive knowledge about the datasets and their analyses. The DIR leverages Semantic Web technologies and the W3C Dataset Description Profile as the standard for knowledge integration and representation. To extract tailored knowledge for target users, we have developed methods for manual extractions from dataset documentations as well as semi-automatic extractions from related publications, using natural language processing (NLP)-based approaches. A semantic query component is available for knowledge retrieval, and a parameterized question-answering functionality is provided to facilitate the ease of search. The DIR prototype is composed of four major components—dataset metadata and related knowledge, search modules, question answering for frequently-asked questions, and blogs. The current implementation includes information on 12 commonly used large and complex healthcare datasets. The initial usage evaluation based on health informatics novices indicates that the DIR is helpful and beginner-friendly. We have developed a novel user-oriented DIR that provides dataset knowledge specialized for target user groups. Knowledge about datasets is effectively represented in the Semantic Web. At this initial stage, the DIR has already been able to provide sophisticated and relevant knowledge of 12 datasets to help entry health informacians learn healthcare data analysis using suitable datasets. Further development of both content and function levels is underway.
HiCOO: hierarchical storage of sparse tensors

This paper proposes a new storage format for sparse tensors, called Hierarchical COOrdinate (HiCOO; pronounced: "haiku"). It derives from coordinate (COO) format, arguably the de facto standard for general sparse tensor storage. HiCOO improves upon COO by compressing the indices in units of sparse tensor blocks, with the goals of preserving the "mode-agnostic" simplicity of COO while reducing the bytes needed to represent the tensor and promoting data locality. We evaluate HiCOO by implementing a single-node, multicore-parallel version of the matricized tensor-times-Khatri-Rao product (MTTKRP) operation, which is the most expensive computational core in the widely used CANDECOMP/PARAFAC decomposition (CPD) algorithm. This MTTKRP implementation achieves up to 23.0X (6.8X on average) speedup over COO format and up to 15.6X (3.1X on average) speedup over another state-of-the-art format, compressed sparse fiber (CSF), by using less or comparable storage of them. When used within CPD, we also observe speedups against COO- and CSF-based implementations.
miR-222 represses expression of zipcode binding protein-1 and phospholipase C-γ1 in intestinal epithelial cells.

Both zipcode binding protein-1 (ZBP1) and phospholipase C-γ1 (PLCγ1) are intimately involved in many aspects of early intestinal mucosal repair after acute injury, but the exact mechanisms that con...
Myeloid malignancies with somatic GATA2 mutations can be associated with an immunodeficiency phenotype.

Germline mutations in GATA2 are associated with a complex immunodeficiency and cancer predisposition syndrome. Somatic GATA2mut in myeloid malignancies may impart a similar phenotype. We reviewed adult patients with a diagnosis of GATA2mut hematological malignancy who were referred to our HHMC for genetic testing, and identified to have somatic GATA2mut. Nine patients with a median age of 63 years were included. Six patients (66.7%) were males. Atypical CML and acute myeloid leukemia were the most common initial presentation. The median overall VAF was 47.14%. Monocytopenia was pronounced when the GATA2mut involved the C-terminal ZFD. GATA2 N-terminal ZFD mutations tend to be co-mutated with biCEBPAmut. Unlike germline GATA2 mutations, monocytopenia associated with somatic GATA2 mutations often resolved at remission. We concluded that similar to germline GATA2 mutations, a subset of somatic GATA2 mutations can impart a germline phenotype.
The Ocean Observatories Initiative

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) is an integrated network that enables scientific investigation of interlinked physical, chemical, biological and geological processes throughout the global ocean. With near real-time data delivery via a common Cyberinfrastructure, the OOI instruments two contrasting ocean systems at three scales. The Regional Cabled Array instruments a tectonic plate and overlying ocean in the northeast Pacific, providing a permanent electro-optical cable connecting multiple seafloor nodes that provide high power and bandwidth to seafloor sensors and moorings with instrumented wire crawlers, all with speed-of-light interactive capabilities. Coastal arrays include the Pioneer Array, a relocatable system currently quantifying the New England shelf-break front, and the Endurance Array, a fixed system off Washington and Oregon with connections to the Regional Cabled Array. The Global Arrays host deep-ocean moorings and gliders to provide interdisciplinary measurements of the water column, mesoscale variability, and air-sea fluxes at critical high latitude locations. The OOI has unique aspects relevant to the international ocean observing community. The OOI uses common sensor types, verification protocols, and data formats across multiple platform types in diverse oceanographic regimes. OOI observing is sustained, with initial deployment in 2013 and 25 years of operation planned. The OOI is distributed among sites selected for scientific relevance based on community input and linked by important oceanographic processes. Scientific highlights include real-time observations of a submarine volcanic eruption, time-series observations of methane bubble plumes from Southern Hydrate Ridge off Oregon, observations of anomalous low-salinity pulses off Oregon, discovery of new mechanisms for intrusions of the Gulf Stream onto the shelf in the Middle Atlantic Bight, documentation of deep winter convection in the Irminger Sea, and observations of extreme surface forcing at the most southerly surface mooring in the world ocean.
Activating KRAS mutations in arteriovenous malformations of the brain: frequency and clinicopathologic correlation.

Summary Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) of the brain are considered congenital. Most AVMs are presumably sporadic; however, rare familial cases occur and they may be observed in certain genetic disorders. We sought to determine the frequency of KRAS mutations and their association with clinicopathologic characteristics. We searched our neuropathology database from 2014–2017 for resected AVMs of the brain or dura mater. Twenty-one AVMs were tested (12 females, 9 males; average age: 32 years). KRAS mutations were found in 6/21 cases (28.5%). Five mutations were p.G12 V, and one p.G12C. The KRAS-mutant group contained 4 females and 2 males, with an average age of 28 years, compared to 34 years in the non-mutant group (P = .54). The average AVM size in the KRAS-mutant group was 3.9 cm, compared to 3.1 cm in the non-mutant group (P = .52). There were no histologic differences between KRAS-mutant and non-mutant cases. In summary, KRAS mutations occur in almost one-third of brain AVMs. KRAS p.G12 V was the most common mutation identified. We also demonstrate the first reported instance of a KRAS p.G12C mutation in a brain AVM. The mean age of patients with KRAS-mutant AVMs was lower than the non-mutant group, and the mean size larger. Histologic characteristics were equally distributed between KRAS-mutant and non-mutant groups.
Belowground microbial communities respond to water deficit and are shaped by decades of maize hybrid breeding

Root-associated microbial communities are important for maintaining agricultural productivity. However, belowground microbial community response to drought in temperate maize agroecosystems, as well as how these responses to water-stress are shaped by host genotype are poorly understood. Ten maize hybrids (six newer and four older) were grown in a replicated field trial. The endosphere, rhizosphere and soil bacterial and archaeal communities were sampled and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Sampling was done at two developmental stages in a water-limited environment with and without supplemental irrigation. Significant shifts in microbial community composition (β-diversity) were measured between two sampling times during the season, in well-watered and water-stressed conditions and in newer and older generation maize hybrids. The microbial community diversity within samples (α-diversity) was not affected by drought stress or host factors. The phyla Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were more abundant in the rhizosphere of newer hybrids under water stress. These results highlight the importance of temporal variation, environmental stress and plant genetics as influenced by breeding history in shaping the composition of root associated microbial communities. These insights may provide new approaches to the improvement of crop stress tolerance through optimizing microbial communities.
The invention of radical reactions. Part 39. The reaction of white phosphorus with carbon-centered radicals. An improved procedure for the synthesis of phosphonic acids and further mechanistic insights

Abstract White phosphorus in tetrahydrofuran under argon reacts in a long radical chain reaction with carbon radicals derived from Barton PTOC esters. The reaction is initiated by traces of oxygen and strongly inhibited by TEMPO. From the duration of the induction period the chain length can be measured as approximately one million. Each P 4 molecule can add up to two carbon radicals. Oxidation of the adducts provides a convenient synthesis of phosphonic acids in high yield. With H 2 O 2 at 0°C oxidation to the appropriate phosphinic acids is fast. For sensitive natural products the further transformation to phosphonic acids is best carried out at room temperature with an excess of SO 2 . In this way even linoleic acid can be converted to the corresponding phosphonic acid in good yield without any attack on the skipped diene unit. TEMPO is also remarkable for its stabilization of white phosphorus in solution when exposed to oxygen. Likewise an ordinary phosphine, like tributyl phosphine, is also stabilized by small amounts of TEMPO.
The Use of Published Articles With Questionable Conclusions in a Research Methods Course

Reading and critiquing journal articles is a way in which instructors can promote learning and critical thought among students, particularly in the undergraduate research methods course. However, a...
Fraïssé limits of limit groups

Abstract We modify the notion of a Fraisse class and show that various interesting classes of groups, notably the class of nonabelian limit groups and the class of finitely generated elementary free groups, admit Fraisse limits. Furthermore, we rediscover Lyndon's Z [ t ] -exponential completions of countable torsion-free CSA groups, as Fraisse limits with respect to extensions of centralizers.
STRETCH: In-Memory Storage with Autoscaling for Cluster Computing

IoT enabled devices and observational instruments continuously generate voluminous data. A large portion of these datasets are delivered with the associated geospatial locations. The increased volumes of geospatial data, alongside the emerging geospatial services, pose computational challenges for large-scale geospatial analytics. We have designed and implemented STRETCH, an in-memory distributed geospatial storage that preserves spatial proximity and enables proactive autoscaling for frequently accessed data. STRETCH stores data with a delayed data dispersion scheme that incrementally adds data nodes to the storage system. STRETCH is built on Apache Spark and Ignite and interacts with them at runtime.
Auto-encoding a Knowledge Graph Using a Deep Belief Network: A Random Fields Perspective

We started with a knowledge graph of connected entities and descriptive properties of those entities, from which, a hierarchical representation of the knowledge graph is derived. Using a graphical, energy-based neural network, we are able to show that the structure of the hierarchy can be internally captured by the neural network, which allows for efficient output of the underlying equilibrium distribution from which the data are drawn.
Write Like a Spy: Using U.S. Intelligence Guidelines to Reinforce the Lessons of Predictive Legal Writing

Legal writing professors often turn to non-legal examples to complement the things we teach in our courses. This Article explores another, direct analog for teaching predictive legal analysis and communication: the standards governing how national intelligence reports are prepared. Legal writing faculty can use these guidelines in a number of ways to reinforce key legal writing lessons and to help students reflect on their professional obligations toward their clients.