cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Handling Alters Aggression and "Loser" Effect Formation in "Drosophila Melanogaster".

In Drosophila, prior fighting experience influences the outcome of later contests: losing a fight increases the probability of losing second contests, thereby revealing "loser" effects that involve learning and memory. In these experiments, to generate and quantify the behavioral changes observed as consequences of losing fights, we developed a new behavioral arena that eliminates handling. We compared two commonly used fly handling procedures with this new chamber and demonstrated that handling influences aggressive behavior and prevents "loser" effect formation. In addition, we induced and observed novel aspects of learning associated with aggression such as the formation of robust winner effects.
An increase in renal dopamine does not stimulate natriuresis after fava bean ingestion

Background: Fava beans (Vicia faba) contain dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa), and their ingestion may increase dopamine stores. Renal dopamine regulates blood pressure and blood volume via a natriuretic effect. Objective: The objective was to determine the relation between dietary fava beans, plasma and urinary catechols, and urinary sodium excretion in 13 healthy volunteers. Design: Catechol and sodium data were compared by using a longitudinal design in which all participants consumed a fixed-sodium study diet on day 1 and the fixed-sodium diet plus fava beans on day 2. Blood was sampled at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after a meal, and 3 consecutive 4-h urine samples were collected. Results: Mean (±SD) plasma dopa was significantly greater 1 h after fava bean consumption (11,670 ± 5440 compared with 1705 ± 530 pg/mL; P = 0.001) and remained elevated at 6 h. Plasma dopamine increased nearly 15-fold during this period. Fava bean consumption also increased urinary dopamine excretion to 306 ± 116, 360 ± 235, and 159 ± 111 μg/4-h urine sample compared with 45 ± 21, 54 ± 29, and 44 ± 17 μg in the 3 consecutive 4-h samples after the control diet (P ≤ 0.005). These substantial increases in plasma and urinary dopa and dopamine were unexpectedly associated with decreased urinary sodium. Conclusion: The failure of fava bean consumption to provoke natriuresis may indicate that dopa concentrations in commercially available beans do not raise renal dopamine sufficiently to stimulate sodium excretion, at least when beans are added to a moderate-sodium diet in healthy volunteers. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01064739","term_id":"NCT01064739"}}NCT01064739.
Temporal variability of optical properties in a shallow, eutrophic estuary: Seasonal and interannual variability

Abstract We monitored inherent optical properties in a turbid, eutrophic estuary to determine the factors affecting the temporal variability in water clarity. Time series of absorption and scattering coefficients were measured at 1-h intervals for nearly 2 years. The seasonal pattern in weekly averaged absorption and scattering coefficients in each year was driven primarily by changes in the particulate matter of both biogenic and mineral origin. Temporal patterns in particulate absorption and scattering resulted from identifiable events that differed in relative magnitude between the 2 years: a spring bloom was followed by a transient “clear-water” phase, followed by increases in non-algal particulate matter to a late-summer maximum, and rapid declines of all parameters in late fall. Interannual variability in the spring bloom was governed by timing and magnitude of nutrient inputs from the watershed, while major patterns in summer variability of both organic and inorganic particulate matter appeared to follow the general cycle of biological activity in the system.
Observations of Energetic High-Wavenumber Internal Waves in the Kuroshio

Abstract Intense and spatially coherent shear layers were detected in and under the Kuroshio in an April 2000 survey in the East China Sea. The sloping layers, revealed by shipboard Doppler sonars on the R/V Roger Revelle, appeared to cross isopycnal surfaces. Except in a small region near the Kuroshio shelfbreak front, the rms finescale shear associated with the layers significantly exceeded the geostrophic shear. An April 2002 follow-on cruise was organized to establish whether these motions were propagating internal waves. Shipboard and lowered ADCPs were both operated from the R/V Melville. In addition to CTD-sonar transects, a 30-h time series of currents and shear was obtained in the core of the Kuroshio near the island of Kyushu, Japan. The shear structures were indeed found to be propagating, with both up- and down-going internal wave motions present. In comparison with the nearby open ocean, the finescale (<160 m) vertical shear variance is increased by a factor of 3 in the Kuroshio and by a fact...
Case of Severe Hyponatremia Managed with Normal Saline

Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte abnormality in hospitalized patients whose symptoms can often overlap with those of other pre-existing conditions. Failure to recognize and correctly treat Hyponatremia can result in permanent neurological damage or death. We report a case of a 16-year-old boy with a past TBI who presented with severe Hyponatremia (serum sodium <120) and minimal symptoms. The patient was admitted for Hyponatremia (110 mEq/L), Hypokalemia (2.5 mEq/L) and ARF (Cr 3.53mg/dl) with stable vitals and unremarkable physical exam. The patient was placed on 115cc/hr D5 NS with a goal correction rate of 0.5mEq/hr. Fluid and potassium infusion were appropriately titrated based on frequent electrolyte checks. Sodium was 137mEq/L and ARF resolved on discharge. We propose that normal saline can be used to gradually correct Hyponatremia without the risk of permanent neurologic damage associated with rapid correction using hypertonic saline. The rate of infusion should not solely rely on sodium deficit calculators, rather, clinical judgment and frequent lab checks. Unless the patient has signs and symptoms of encephalopathy, normal saline infusion should be the fluid of choice with a goal of correction no more than 10-12 mEq/day.
Enabling earthworm-like soft robot development using bioinspired IPMC-scissor lift actuation structures: Design, locomotion simulation and experimental validation

The paper parents our recent development on the earthworm-like soft robot. The robot is designed through combination of smart electro-active polymer (EAP) materials and the efficient expandable structure. The employed EAP material, called ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) that can directly provide the actuation to the expendable scissor-lift structure, so as to enable the robot to mimic locomotion mechanism of the earthworm. To reach the goal of the project, in this paper, we firstly developed a high performance IPMC driver for the IPMC actuators embedded in the mimicking robot system, and then based on the proposed three 2-D earthwormlike locomotion structures that consist of different complex forms of IPMC actuators and expendable lift-scissor structures, several peristaltic motion behavior simulations were conducted in order to compare the locomotion advantages of three designed soft robot structures. In addition, preliminary experimental results on one of designed structures are demonstrated and all simulation and experimental results validate the feasibility and effectiveness of our biomimetic design. Ongoing work is focusing on the dynamic modeling and control of the more segmented and dimensional earthworm-like robot using the designed actuation mechanism.
Rapid Chemical Vapor Deposition of Yba2cu3ox Coatings

A rapid, controllable process for CVD of superconducting Yba2Cu30x has been developed. The new process relies on slowly feeding and pneumatically transporting powdered solid reagents directly into the CVD furnace; vaporizers are not used. Deposition rates two orders of magnitude greater than those achievable by reagent sublimation have been obtained using a powder feed mixture of Y, Ba, and Cu tmhd complexes (tmhd is tetramethylheptanedionate). Potentially, the process is applicable to thermally unstable, less volatile, lower cost reagents such as the acetylacetonates.
Boron Diffusion in Si and Si1−xGex

Boron diffusion in in-situ doped Si and strained Si1−xGex (x < 0.20) epitaxial layers, subjected to inert-ambient furnace annealing, was investigated as a function of temperature (T = 750 °C - 850 °C). Boron diffusivity parameters were extracted from SUPREM IV, a process simulation program. We observed slower B diffusion in strained Si1−xGex relative to that in Si for B concentration levels ranging from 2×1017 to 3×1019 cm−3. Using relaxed graded Si1−xGex as “substrates”, we also characterized B diffusion in relaxed Si1−xGex (x < 0.60) at T = 800 °C. We propose a reaction of mobile B atoms pairing with Ge atoms to model the slower B diffusion in both fully strained and relaxed Si1−xGex.
Long-term evaluation of the porcine xenograft bioprosthesis

The principal advantage of bioprosthetic cardiac valves, as compared to mechanical valve substitutes, consists of relative freedom from embolic complications and anticoagulant-related morbidity and mortality. However, the long-term durability of presently available bioprostheses has not been documented fully. This report provides follow-up data on 1.285 patients (557 aortic [AVR], 561 mitral [MVR], and 167 aortic-mitral [AVR-MVR] replacements) who received Hancock xenograft valves at Stanford University Medical Center between 1971 and 1978. The total follow-up duration is 2,740 patient-years, with a maximum follow-up of 7 3 years. Two hundred patients have been followed for more than 4 years and 66 for more than 5 years. Actuarial survival (±SEM) for AVR patients was 77% ± 4% at 4 years, for MVR patients 72% ± 3% at 5 years, and for AVR-MVR patients 73% ± 4% at 4 years. Linearized morbidity and mortality were computed as percent per patient-year (see Table VI). Long-term anticoagulation was maintained in 10% of AVR patients and 31% of MVR patients (usually because of severe atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta, anatomic left atrial abnormalities, or persistent atrial arrhythmias), accounting for the small incidence of anticoagulant-related morbidity and mortality reported. Actuarial probability (±SEM) of remaining free of thromboembolism for AVR patients is 95% ± 2% at 4 years, for MVR patients 92% ± 2% at 5 years, and for AVR-MVR patients 96% ± 2% at 4 years. The actuarial probability of remaining free of valve dysfunction for AVR patients is 95% ± 2%, for MVR patients 93% ± 2%, and for AVR-MVR patients 95% ± 3% at 4, 5, and 4 years respectively. These current data over an extended follow-up interval indicate that the Hancock xenograft valve continues to perform satisfactorily in terms of bioprosthesis-related morbidity and mortality and, in particular, has shown no propensity for late failure due to leaflet tissue disruption.
Global Alignment of Protein-Protein Interaction Networks: A Survey

In this paper, we survey algorithms that perform global alignment of networks or graphs. Global network alignment aligns two or more given networks to find the best mapping from nodes in one network to nodes in other networks. Since graphs are a common method of data representation, graph alignment has become important with many significant applications. Protein-protein interactions can be modeled as networks and aligning these networks of protein interactions has many applications in biological research. In this survey, we review algorithms for global pairwise alignment highlighting various proposed approaches, and classify them based on their methodology. Evaluation metrics that are used to measure the quality of the resulting alignments are also surveyed. We discuss and present a comparison between selected aligners on the same datasets and evaluate using the same evaluation metrics. Finally, a quick overview of the most popular databases of protein interaction networks is presented focusing on datasets that have been used recently.
Abstract 4537: Hexavalent chromium induces H4K16 hypoacetylation by NUPR1-mediated inactivation of histone acetyltransferase hMOF

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a well-established carcinogen linked to respiratory cancer and has been found at half of US toxic waste sites. In spite of considerable research efforts, the mechanism of Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis remains largely unknown. A growing body of evidence suggests that Cr is capable of inducing epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA. Acetylation of histone lysine residues neutralizes the positive charge from their side chains and decreases the affinity between histone tails and DNA, which subsequently leads to increased DNA accessibility and transcriptional activation in the gene promoter region. However, the effect of Cr(VI) on histone acetylation is still not clear. Here, we report that BEAS-2B cells exposed to 5 or 10 uM of Cr(VI) for 24 hours resulted in a striking and dose dependent decrease in H4K16ac. Co-treatment with Cr(VI) and Benzo(a)pyrene diolepoxide (BPDE) induced further decrease in H4K16ac. Cr (VI) transformed cells showed considerable decrease in H4K16ac compared to the control cells, which further indicates the correlation between Cr(VI) exposure and hypoacetylation of H4K16. H4K16 acetylation is known as an important determinant in higher-order chromatin structure and active gene expression. Male Absent on the First gene (MOF) is a H4K16 specific acetyltransferase. Our results indicate that Cr(VI) exposure significantly reduced MOF activity while its expression levels remained the same, thus suggesting that Cr(VI) may affect MOF activity rather than its expression. Moreover, Nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1), a MOF inhibitor, was increased in Cr(VI)-exposed cells. Depletion of NUPR1 in cells by small RNA interference rescued Cr(VI)- reduced H4K16ac. Together, our results indicate that Cr(VI) inhibits MOF activity through inducing NUPR1 expression which subsequently leads to H4K16 hypoacetylation. Since hypoacetylation of H4K16 is a known hallmark of human cancer, the results from our study presents strong evidence supporting the role of H4K16 hypoacetylation in chromium carcinogenesis. . Citation Format: Qiao Yi Chen, Xiaoru Zhang, Thomas Kluz, Max Costa, Hong Sun. Hexavalent chromium induces H4K16 hypoacetylation by NUPR1-mediated inactivation of histone acetyltransferase hMOF. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4537.
Efficiency Estimation of U.S. Commercial Banking: A Stochastic Frontier Approach Using Gibbs Sampling

Banking cost or X-efficiency is dependent upon the frontier analysis method used to measure the efficient frontier. Parametric methods require estimation of a composite error model where the bank's efficiency parameter is a portion of the bank's deviation from the cost frontier of the banking cost function. In this article Bayesian-based Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods, specifically the Gibbs sampler supplemented by data augmentation, are used for the first time to estimate the cost efficiency of a sample of U.S. commercial banks. Sampling-based computational methods are shown to provide a straightforward and reasonable approach to determining bank cost efficiency. Additionally, such new analytical capabilities provide summary statistics for statistical testing previously beyond the scope of classical methods.
Magnetophoretic transistors in a tri-axial magnetic field.

The ability to direct and sort individual biological and non-biological particles into spatially addressable locations is fundamentally important to the emerging field of single cell biology. Towards this goal, we demonstrate a new class of magnetophoretic transistors, which can switch single magnetically labeled cells and magnetic beads between different paths in a microfluidic chamber. Compared with prior work on magnetophoretic transistors driven by a two-dimensional in-plane rotating field, the addition of a vertical magnetic field bias provides significant advantages in preventing the formation of particle clumps and in better replicating the operating principles of circuits in general. However, the three-dimensional driving field requires a complete redesign of the magnetic track geometry and switching electrodes. We have solved this problem by developing several types of transistor geometries which can switch particles between two different tracks by either presenting a local energy barrier or by repelling magnetic objects away from a given track, hereby denoted as “barrier” and “repulsion” transistors, respectively. For both types of transistors, we observe complete switching of magnetic objects with currents of ∼40 mA, which is consistent over a range of particle sizes (8–15 μm). The switching efficiency was also tested at various magnetic field strengths (50–90 Oe) and driving frequencies (0.1–0.6 Hz); however, we again found that the device performance only weakly depended on these parameters. These findings support the use of these novel transistor geometries to form circuit architectures in which cells can be placed in defined locations and retrieved on demand.
Charcot–Marie–Tooth Disease and Regional Anesthesia: Is Perioperative Neuraxial Analgesia Really Contraindicated?

A 65-year-old male is scheduled for a 3-h open cholecystectomy and hemicolectomy. His electronic medical records are sparse. After meeting the patient in the preoperative holding area and discussing his case with the surgical service, you learn that the patient has had multiple abdominal surgeries for small bowel obstruction of unknown origin. Three years ago, Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease was diagnosed. He has early leg fatigue and difficulty walking and usually requires a wheelchair. The cardiologists who evaluated him preoperatively did not recommend cardiac testing in preparation for surgery because his cardiac risk is low. A review of the computed tomography (CT) scan shows many abdominal adhesions encasing the transverse colon, cecum, and gallbladder, and extensive fibrous tissue that may indicate subacute small bowel obstruction. During an open lysis of adhesions performed two-and-a-half years ago, the patient was given an epidural, which offered excellent pain relief.
The antineoplastic drug, trastuzumab, dysregulates metabolism in iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes.

The targeted ERBB2 therapy, trastuzumab, has had a tremendous impact on management of patients with HER2+ breast cancer, leading to development and increased use of further HER2 targeted therapies. The major clinical side effect is cardiotoxicity but the mechanism is largely unknown. On the basis that gene expression is known to be altered in multiple models of heart failure, we examined differential gene expression of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes treated at day 11 with the ERBB2 targeted monoclonal antibody, trastuzumab for 48 h and the small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor of EGFR and ERBB2. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on four replicates from each group (48 h untreated, 48 h trastuzumab and 48 h lapatinib) and differential gene expression analyses were performed on each treatment group relative to untreated cardiomyocytes. 517 and 1358 genes were differentially expressed, p < 0.05, respectively in cardiomyocytes treated with trastuzumab and lapatinib. Gene ontology analyses revealed in cardiomyocytes treated with trastuzumab, significant down-regulation of genes involved in small molecule metabolism (p = 3.22 × 10−9) and cholesterol (p = 0.01) and sterol (p = 0.03) processing. We next measured glucose uptake and lactate production in iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes 13 days post-plating, treated with trastuzumab up to 96 h. We observed significantly decreased glucose uptake from the media of iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes treated with trastuzumab as early as 24 h (p = 0.001) and consistently up to 96 h (p = 0.03). Our study suggests dysregulation of cardiac gene expression and metabolism as key elements of ERBB2 signaling that could potentially be early biomarkers of cardiotoxicity.
Testing for racial bias in business credit scores

We develop a novel empirical test of racial bias based on comparisons between forward-looking, expectations-based credit scores and backward-looking, repayment-history-based credit scores. We then test for racial bias using confidential-access data from the Kauffman Firm Survey. Businesses founded by disadvantaged minorities have much lower average business credit scores, but these scores show no evidence of racial bias. If anything, forward-looking credit-score models under-predict the rate of payment delinquency among minority-owned businesses.
Managing Cultural Diversity at U.S. Construction Sites: Hispanic Workers' Perspectives

AbstractCommunication on construction sites is crucial for improving overall construction performance. Cultural barriers influence the clarity of communication between construction supervisors and ...
Development of high-speed camera hardware and software package to evaluate real-time electric seed meter accuracy of a variable rate planter.

Abstract Electric drive seed metering systems have become common for planting row-crop seed to accommodate increased machine size and planting speeds and to allow individual row unit-control that enable site-specific planting for spatially sensitive areas and contour farming. Seed singulation (a measurement of singulated seeds, misses, and multiples) is critical requirement when adopting high speed planting. However, current planting controllers fail to indicate whether singulation errors occurred due to operator-based behaviors such as speed changes, headland operation, point rows and contour farming at varying speed transitions (accelerations/decelerations). Therefore this study was conducted to understand a seed metering system’s ability to singulate seed under typical scenarios with specific objectives to (1) quantify electric seed metering accuracy using high-speed imaging and (2) identify machine operating states that impact seeding accuracy. A Horsch Maestro 24.30 planter was sent commands to plant at constant speeds of 7.2, 9.7, 12.0 kph while accelerating/decelerating at 2.4 and 4.8 kph/s from/to a stop and between speeds. The planter was sent commands to plant around contours at varying radii (20, 40, 80, 150 m) at varying speeds (i.e., 0, 2.4, 4.8, 6.4, 7.2, 9.7, 12.1, 12.9, 14.5, 16.1 kph). Simulations were conducted at two rates (44,550 and 89,110 seeds ha−1). A high-speed imaging system was developed using LabVIEW to record real-time seed meter singulation at 300 frames/s by combining planting machine states with seed tube sensor data and vision based seed measurements to quantify single count seeds, misses, and multiples. When planting from 2.4 kph to 16.1 kph, results showed an average singulation of 98.45% where errors nearly doubled with fast accelerations and decelerations and abrupt changes such as a shift during headland turns. Overall, planting above 1250 seeds per minute resulted in an increased number of singulation errors. The vision based measurements were within 0.8 ± 0.2% of the commercial seed tube sensors. The seed per minute value which provided optimal seed singulation can be used as a control parameter by technology users and manufactures to select optimal operating parameters to achieve target singulation rates. The methodology provided optimal machine conditions and operator behaviors to achieve a target percent singulation by identifying scenarios which increase singulation by minimizing misses and multiples.
The Myth and Reality of Financial Machine Learning (Presentation Slides)

In recent years, Machine Learning (ML) has been able to master tasks that until now only a few human experts could perform. Some of the most successful hedge funds in history apply ML every day. However, myths about Financial ML have proliferated: a) The Sisyphus paradigm is applicable to ML, b) ML is a black-box, c) Generic ML solutions work in Finance, d) Traditional quants know about ML, e) There are many ML Portfolio Managers. In this presentation we will review the rationale behind those claims. Additional details can be found at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3104847.
Using prescription claims to detect aberrant behaviors with opioids: comparison and validation of 5 algorithms.

Objective Compare and validate 5 algorithms to detect aberrant behavior with opioids: Opioid Misuse Score, Controlled Substance-Patterns of Utilization Requiring Evaluation (CS-PURE), Overutilization Monitoring System, Katz, and Cepeda algorithms. Study design and setting We identified new prescription opioid users from 2 insurance databases: Medicaid (2000-2006) and Clinformatics Data Mart (CDM; 2004-2013). Patients were followed 1 year, and aberrant opioid behavior was defined according to each algorithm, using Cohen's kappa to assess agreement. Risk differences were calculated comparing risk of opioid-related adverse events for identified aberrant and nonaberrant users. Results About 3.8 million Medicaid and 4.3 million CDM patients initiated prescription opioid use. Algorithms flagged potential aberrant behavior in 0.02% to 12.8% of initiators in Medicaid and 0.01% to 7.9% of initiators in CDM. Cohen's kappa values were poor to moderate (0.00 to 0.50 in Medicaid; 0.00 to 0.30 in CDM). Algorithms varied substantially in their ability to predict opioid-related adverse events; the Overutilization Monitoring System had the highest risk differences between aberrant and nonaberrant users (14.0% in Medicaid; 13.4% in CDM), and the Katz algorithm had the lowest (0.96% in Medicaid; 0.47% in CDM). Conclusions In 2 large databases, algorithms applied to prescription data had varying accuracy in identifying increased risk of adverse opioid-related events.
Three Stages of Constitution: Historical Changes in the Ontological Status of the Scientific Object

In this paper, I muse very briefly on realism and constructivism not simply as conceptual or philosophical alternatives in the interpretation of the relation between theoretical knowledge and its object, but rather as philosophical articulations of historically different modes of scientific practice, in which the relations between knower and known are in fact different.
Automatic graph-based method for localization of cochlear implant electrode arrays in clinical CT with sub-voxel accuracy.

Abstract Cochlear implants (CIs) are neural prosthetics that provide a sense of sound to people who experience severe to profound hearing loss. Recent studies have demonstrated a correlation between hearing outcomes and intra-cochlear locations of CI electrodes. Our group has been conducting investigations on this correlation and has been developing an image-guided cochlear implant programming (IGCIP) system to program CI devices to improve hearing outcomes. One crucial step that has not been automated in IGCIP is the localization of CI electrodes in clinical CTs. Existing methods for CI electrode localization do not generalize well on large-scale datasets of clinical CTs implanted with different brands of CI arrays. In this paper, we propose a novel method for localizing different brands of CI electrodes in clinical CTs. We firstly generate the candidate electrode positions at sub-voxel resolution in a whole head CT by thresholding an up-sampled feature image and voxel-thinning the result. Then, we use a graph-based path-finding algorithm to find a fixed-length path that consists of a subset of the candidates as the localization result. Validation on a large-scale dataset of clinical CTs shows that our proposed method outperforms the state-of-art CI electrode localization methods and achieves a mean error of 0.12 mm when compared to expert manual localization results. This represents a crucial step in translating IGCIP from the laboratory to large-scale clinical use.
Human Allotypes and Genetic Dogma

Publisher Summary This chapter describes human allotypes and genetic dogma. The γ-chains of human IgG occur in four immunological subclasses that have been shown to differ in their primary sequences. It has been also demonstrated that except for Gm (8) and Gm (9), a Gm antigen is confined to a single γ chain subtype. These observations led to the postulate that there is a gene for each subtype (multiple loci) and that the Gm antigens associated with a subtype are determined by the gene for the subtype. This attractive hypothesis follows from the widely accepted aphorism of current genetic dogma, one gene-one polypeptide chain. At the time of its proposal in 1964 and until very recently, the association between the immunological subtype and some Gm antigens was the sole evidence in its support
Preparation of neurotensin analogs with a novel pro-tyr replacement

Abstract Synthesis of novel Neurotensin (NT) 9–13 analogs is described. The Pro-Tyr sequence of NT (9–13) was replaced with a 1-m-aminophenyl-1-benzyl urea template, substituting two amino acids with a simple substituted urea linkage.
Electronic Health Record–Based Strategy to Promote Medication Adherence Among Patients With Diabetes: Longitudinal Observational Study

Background: Poor medication adherence is common; however, few mechanisms exist in clinical practice to monitor how patients take medications in outpatient settings. Objective: This study aimed to pilot test the Electronic Medication Complete Communication (EMC2) strategy, a low-cost, sustainable approach that uses functionalities within the electronic health record to promote outpatient medication adherence and safety. Methods: The EMC2 strategy was implemented in 2 academic practices for 14 higher-risk diabetes medications. The strategy included: (1) clinical decision support alerts to prompt provider counseling on medication risks, (2) low-literacy medication summaries for patients, (3) a portal-based questionnaire to monitor outpatient medication use, and (4) clinical outreach for identified concerns. We recruited adult patients with diabetes who were prescribed a higher-risk diabetes medication. Participants completed baseline and 2-week interviews to assess receipt of, and satisfaction with, intervention components. Results: A total of 100 patients were enrolled; 90 completed the 2-week interview. Patients were racially diverse, 30.0% (30/100) had a high school education or less, and 40.0% (40/100) had limited literacy skills. About a quarter (28/100) did not have a portal account; socioeconomic disparities were noted in account ownership by income and education. Among patients with a portal account, 58% (42/72) completed the questionnaire; 21 of the 42 patients reported concerns warranting clinical follow-up. Of these, 17 were contacted by the clinic or had their issue resolved within 24 hours. Most patients (33/38, 89%) who completed the portal questionnaire and follow-up interview reported high levels of satisfaction (score of 8 or greater on a scale of 1-10). Conclusions: Findings suggest that the EMC2 strategy can be reliably implemented and delivered to patients, with high levels of satisfaction. Disparities in portal use may restrict intervention reach. Although the EMC2 strategy can be implemented with minimal impact on clinic workflow, future trials are needed to evaluate its effectiveness to promote adherence and safety.
Iterative, multiplexed CRISPR-mediated gene editing for functional analysis of complex protease gene clusters

Elucidation of gene function by reverse genetics in animal models frequently is complicated by the functional redundancy of homologous genes. This obstacle often is compounded by the tight clustering of homologous genes, which precludes the generation of multigene-deficient animals through standard interbreeding of single-deficient animals. Here, we describe an iterative, multiplexed CRISPR-based approach for simultaneous gene editing in the complex seven-member human airway trypsin-like protease/differentially expressed in a squamous cell carcinoma (HAT/DESC) cluster of membrane-anchored serine proteases. Through four cycles of targeting, we generated a library of 18 unique congenic mouse strains lacking combinations of HAT/DESC proteases, including a mouse strain deficient in all seven proteases. Using this library, we demonstrate that HAT/DESC proteases are dispensable for term development, postnatal health, and fertility and that the recently described function of the HAT-like 4 protease in epidermal barrier formation is unique among all HAT/DESC proteases. The study demonstrates the potential of iterative, multiplexed CRISPR-mediated gene editing for functional analysis of multigene clusters, and it provides a large array of new congenic mouse strains for the study of HAT/DESC proteases in physiological and in pathophysiological processes.
Power estimation of flapping foil energy harvesters using vortex impulse theory

Abstract This study explores the feasibility of using the vortex impulse approach, based on experimentally generated velocity fields to estimate the energy harvesting performance of a sinusoidally flapping foil. Phase-resolved, two-component particle image velocimetry measurements are conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel to capture the flow field surrounding the flapping foil at reduced frequencies of k = f c / U ∞ = 0.06–0.16, pitching amplitude of θ 0 = 75 ∘ and heaving amplitude of h 0 / c = 0.6 . The model results show that for the conditions tested, a maximum energy harvesting efficiency of 25% is attained near k = 0.14 , agreeing very well with published numerical and experimental results in both accuracy and general trend. The vortex impulse method identifies key contributions to the transient power production from both linear and angular momentum effects. The efficiency reduction at larger values of reduced frequencies is shown to be a result of the reduced power output from the angular momentum. Further, the impulse formulation is decomposed into contributions from positive and negative vorticity in the flow and is used to better understand the fluid dynamic mechanisms responsible for producing a peak in energy harvesting performance at k = 0.14 . At the larger k values, there is a reduction of the advective time scales of the leading edge vortex (LEV) formation. Consequently, the LEV that is shed during the previous half cycle interacts with the foil at the current half cycle resulting in a large negative pitching power due to the reversed direction of the kinematic motion. This vortex capture process significantly decreases the total cycle averaged power output and energy harvesting efficiency. These results show the link between the kinematic motion and LEV time scales that affect the overall power production.
The Spread of Disinformation on the Web: An Examination of Memes on Social Networking

Social media has become a potent vector for political disinformation and propaganda, often spread by malicious actors such as trolls or even foreign intelligence services, as famously occurred during the 2016 United States election. However, what makes social media a particularly potent vector for disinformation is not so much the behavior of malicious actors themselves, but rather, ordinary users, who play a vital role in spreading and magnifying this disinformation. In order to understand and combat the spread of disinformation, we conduct two surveys examining the patterns of user behavior in sharing different types of disinformation. The first survey classifies a variety of image memes based on user reaction and interpretation. The second survey will be evaluating user behavior toward those memes with additional measures in place to assess the personality and trait affect of users. The goal is to help understand how ordinary social media users behave in regards to political propaganda and disinformation.
Factors Affecting the Likelihood of a Hospitalization Following a Diabetes‐Related Emergency Department Visit: A Regional and Urban‐Rural Analysis

Background The objective of this study is to examine place-based and individual-level predictors of diabetes-related hospitalizations that stem from emergency department (ED) visits. Methods We conducted a pooled cross-sectional analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) for 2009 to 2014 to identify ED-initiated hospitalizations that were driven by the need for diabetes care. The odds of an ED-initiated diabetes-related hospitalization were assessed for the United States as a whole and separately for each census region. Results Nationally, residents of noncore areas (odds ratio [OR] 1.10; CI 1.08, 1.12), the South (OR 8.03; CI 6.84, 9.42), Blacks (OR 2.49; CI 2.47, 2.52), Hispanics (OR 2.32; CI 2.29, 2.35), Asians or Pacific Islanders (OR 1.20; CI 1.16, 1.23), Native Americans (OR 2.18; CI 2.10, 2.27), and the uninsured (OR 2.14; CI 2.11, 2.27) were significantly more likely to experience an ED-initiated hospitalization for diabetes care. Census region-stratified models showed that noncore residents of the South (OR 1.17; CI 1.14, 1.20) and Midwest (OR 1.06; CI 1.02, 1.11) had higher odds of a diabetes-related ED-initiated hospitalization. Conclusions As continued efforts are made to reduce place-based disparities in diabetes care and management, targeted focus should be placed on residents of noncore areas in the South and Midwest, racial and ethnic minorities, as well as the uninsured population.
The comparative effectiveness of biologic agents among non-hispanic black (NHB) patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Preliminary results of a SEER-medicare analysis.

e19059Background: Biologic agents (bevacizumab, cetuximab, panitumumab) have improved the overall survival (OS) of patients with mCRC. However, clinical trials are plagued by low representation of ...
Fetal membrane extracellular vesicle profiling reveals distinct pathways induced by infection and inflammation in vitro.

Problem Fetal inflammatory signals can be propagated to maternal tissues to initiate labor via exosomes (extracellular vesicles; 30-150 nm). We tested the hypothesis that fetal membrane cells exposed to infectious and inflammatory mediators associated with preterm birth (PTB) produce exosomes with distinct protein cargo contents indicative of underlying pathobiology. Methods of study Fetal membrane explants (FM) as well as primary amnion epithelial (AEC) and mesenchymal cells (AMC), and chorion cells (CC) from term deliveries were maintained in normal conditions (control) or exposed to LPS 100 ng/mL or TNF-α 50 ng/mL for 48 hours. Exosomes were isolated from media by differential centrifugation and size exclusion chromatography and characterized using cryo-electron microscopy (morphology), nanoparticle tracking analysis (size and quantity), Western blot (markers), and mass spectroscopy (cargo proteins). Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) determined pathways indicated by differentially expressed proteins. Results Irrespective of source or treatment, exosomes were spherical, had similar size, quantities, and markers (ALIX, CD63, and CD81). However, exosome cargo proteins were different between FM and individual fetal membrane cell-derived exosomes in response to treatments. Several common proteins were seen; however, there are several unique proteins expressed by exosomes from different cell types in response to distinct stimuli indicative of unique pathways and physiological functions in cells. Conclusions We demonstrate collective tissue and independent cell response reflected in exosomes in response to infectious and inflammatory stimuli. These cargoes determined underlying physiology and their potential in enhancing inflammation in a paracrine fashion.
Pathogen Interference: Targeting Virulence Factors to Tackle Intracellular Microbes.

Infections with Salmonella enterica pose a challenge for antibiotic treatment. In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Tsai et al. use a chemical genomics approach to identify dephostatin as an inhibitor of intracellular Salmonella virulence in vitro and in vivo by targeting the two-component systems SsrA-SsrB and PmrB-PmrA.
Managing Epidemics in Ancestral Yorùbá Towns and Cities: "Sacred Groves" as Isolation Sites.

The COVID-19 pandemic is firing up our imagination about how to account for the past epidemics in archaeological contexts. This essay is a reflection on some of the historical cases of epidemic outbreaks in Yoruba history, and what we can learn from social memory, oral traditions, and recent eyewitness accounts on how microbial attacks were managed in ancestral Yoruba urban centers. Malignant microbes usually thrive in the kind of settlement configurations-dense towns and cities-that supported the preferred sociopolitical organization among the Yoruba for over a millennium. Sacred groves were incorporated into the ancestral Yoruba urban planning. They served many roles, including as isolation centers for managing epidemic outbreaks. Such isolation sites are difficult to identify in archaeological contexts without the aid of historical sources. However, contemplating how these special spaces were embedded in the past Yoruba cultural lives could broaden our imagination of social regeneration processes in times of crisis (e.g., infectious disease).
A SURVEY OF "RANDOM" WAVE GENERATION TECHNIQUES

Techniques of producing waves in hydraulic models and laboratory flumes have evolved from the simple electrical-mechanical technique of some 15 years ago, to the present sophisticated hydraulic-electric servo systems, controlled by on-line computers and capable of producing a large number of different types of sea states. An accurate definition of the required sea state has become very important, since it has been shown that different types of wave trains, although all having the same significant wave heights and periods, can produce large differences in the results of model tests. Even a specification of the input spectrum, including all relevant spectral parameters, is not sufficient. The occurrance of wave groups, for instance, has to be defined separately. Table 1 illustrates which sea state parameters (A-E) need to be defined and controlled in the laboratory for different types of model studies (1-9). This is just shown as an example, and does not pretend to be a definitive statement. There exists presently a great variety of different techniques and methods to produce irregular waves and there is no assurance that testing the same model in different laboratories will give similar results. As a first step to address this problem, it was thought to be useful to determine the variety (or perhaps similarity) of all laboratory wave generation systems presently used. A discussion with representatives of a number of hydraulics laboratories and ship towing tanks in the spring of 1979 led to the organisation of a survey of wave generation and analysis systems. The results of the survey are shown in the same format as the questionnaire. A list of all institutes which participated is also included.
Virtual Motor Torque Sensing for Multirotor Propulsion Systems

This letter presents a method to sense motor torque of multirotors in steady state, without additional torque sensors by using the measured input voltage, throttle setting and rotational speed. Torque, rotational speed and current of a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor with electronic speed controller (ESC) are measured on a setup using seven different propeller sizes as torque loads, seven input voltages and 20 throttle settings. The resulting rotational speed, torque and current are measured to create a data set spanning the feasible operating range of this motor with speed controller. A novel model for a BLDC motor with ESC based on only four parameters is proposed and trained on the data of only one propeller as torque load and the data without torque load. This model results in torque errors less than $\text{0.01 Nm}$ or 4.6% of the data set range for 90% of the data set. For the highest accuracy, the whole data set is re-mapped into a practical 3D lookup table using local fits and results in torque errors less than $\text{0.005 Nm}$ or 2.3% of the data set range for 90% of the data set. This method can be used for system identification, control design, system monitoring and benchmarking.
Designing effective reproductive management programs for lactating dairy cows

A proactive, systematic, and consistent reproductive management program conducted by committed personnel that prioritizes attention to detail usually leads to successful reproductive performance of the dairy herd, regardless of the approach and the level of technology utilized. Programs aimed at maximizing the insemination of cows after a detected estrus can be successful; however, they should be coupled with a synchronization of ovulation protocol for timed artificial insemination (TAI) to assure timely insemination of all cows. Synchronization of ovulation protocols to increase the fertility of first as well as second and subsequent TAI services are available, and can be successfully implemented by dairy farms. Dairy farms seeking to optimize reproductive performance of their herds need to carefully evaluate the resources, personnel, and time available to implement a reproductive management program.
Care of Children with DiGeorge Before and After Cultured Thymus Tissue Implantation

Children with complete DiGeorge anomaly (cDGA) have congenital athymia plus a myriad of other challenging clinical conditions. The term cDGA encompasses children with congenital athymia secondary to 22q11.2DS, CHARGE syndrome (coloboma, heart defects, choanal atresia, growth or mental retardation, genital abnormalities, and ear abnormalities and/or deafness), and other genetic abnormalities. Some children have no known genetic defects. Since 1993, more than 100 children with congenital athymia have been treated with cultured thymus tissue implantation (CTTI). Naive T cells develop approximately 6 to 12 months after CTTI. Most of the children had significant comorbidities such as heart disease, hypoparathyroidism, and infections requiring complex clinical care post cultured thymus tissue implantation (CTTI). The purpose of this guidance is to assist multidisciplinary teams in caring for children with cDGA both before and after CTTI. Thirty-one specialists, in addition to the authors, were asked to share their experience in caring for children with cDGA at Duke University Health System, before and after CTTI. These specialists included physicians, nurses, dentists, therapists, and dieticians. The goal of a multidisciplinary approach is to have children in the best possible condition for receiving CTTI and provide optimal care post CTTI through development of naive T cells and beyond. The CTT (cultured thymus tissue) must be protected from high doses of steroids which can damage CTT. Organs must be protected from adverse effects of immunosuppression. Creating a multidisciplinary team and a detailed plan of care for children with cDGA is important for optimal outcomes.