cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative Toxicogenomics Database: a knowledgebase and discovery tool for chemical–gene–disease networks

The Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD) is a curated database that promotes understanding about the effects of environmental chemicals on human health. Biocurators at CTD manually curate chemical–gene interactions, chemical–disease relationships and gene–disease relationships from the literature. This strategy allows data to be integrated to construct chemical–gene–disease networks. CTD is unique in numerous respects: curation focuses on environmental chemicals; interactions are manually curated; interactions are constructed using controlled vocabularies and hierarchies; additional gene attributes (such as Gene Ontology, taxonomy and KEGG pathways) are integrated; data can be viewed from the perspective of a chemical, gene or disease; results and batch queries can be downloaded and saved; and most importantly, CTD acts as both a knowledgebase (by reporting data) and a discovery tool (by generating novel inferences). Over 116 000 interactions between 3900 chemicals and 13 300 genes have been curated from 270 species, and 5900 gene–disease and 2500 chemical–disease direct relationships have been captured. By integrating these data, 350 000 gene–disease relationships and 77 000 chemical–disease relationships can be inferred. This wealth of chemical–gene–disease information yields testable hypotheses for understanding the effects of environmental chemicals on human health. CTD is freely available at http://ctd.mdibl.org.
A fundamental approach to the convergence analysis of least squares algorithms

The literature dealing with the question of convergence of the least squares (L.S.) identification algorithm [1-10] is usually utilizing the properties of the sequential estimator, e.g. the fact that the sequence of estimates is a matringale process, if the noise is an independent sequence, has been used to establish convergence in [10]. In this paper emphasis is put on the fact that the least squares estimates are obtained by minimizing a (quadratic) cost functional. Convergence results for sequence of random variables obtained by minimizing a parameterized random sequence with respect to its parameter are presented. These results in turn are utilized to establish strong convergence (w.p.l and m.s.) of the L.S. procedure under milder conditions than those in previous proofs. Landau's recursive algorithms [12-14] are shown to be variations of the L.S. and thus their convergence is also established. The self tuning regulator [19-22] is also discussed and the importance of the use of the L.S. procedure in it is demonstrated. The importance of this paper, beyond extending previous convergence results is in its approach - utilizing the foundation on which L.S. procedures are based.
Stratigraphic, sedimentologic, and dendrogeomorphic analyses of rapid floodplain formation along the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, Texas

The channel of the lower Rio Grande in the Big Bend region rapidly narrows during years of low mean and peak flow. We conducted stratigraphic, sedimentologic, and dendrogeomorphic analyses within two long floodplain trenches to precisely reconstruct the timing and processes of recent floodplain formation. We show that the channel of the Rio Grande narrowed through the oblique and vertical accretion of inset floodplains following channel-widening floods in 1978 and 1990–1991. Vertical accretion occurred at high rates, ranging from 16 to 35 cm/yr. Dendrogeomorphic analyses show that the onset of channel narrowing occurred during low-flow years when channel bars obliquely and vertically accreted fine sediment. This initial stage of accretion occurred by both bed-load and suspended-load deposition within the active channel. Vegetation became established on top of these fine-grained deposits during years of low peak flow and stabilized these developing surfaces. Subsequent deposition by moderate floods (between 1.5 and 7 yr recurrence intervals) caused additional accretion at rapid rates. Suspended-sediment deposition was dominant in the upper deposits, resulting in the formation of natural levees at the channel margins and the deposition of horizontally bedded, fining-upward deposits in the floodplain trough. Overall, channel narrowing and floodplain formation occurred through an evolution from active-channel to floodplain depositional processes. High-resolution dendrogeomorphic analyses provide the ability to specifically correlate the flow record to the onset of narrowing, the establishment of riparian vegetation, the formation of natural levees, and ultimately, the conversion of portions of the active channel to floodplains.
revolution and continuity in Santa Cruz Maya society

There are marked differences in the allocation of political roles in the leadership hierarchies of the early Santa Cruz Maya (1850–1863) and the X-Cacal Maya of 1935–1936. The explanation of these differences rests in an analysis of early factional conflict at Santa Cruz that led to revolutionary struggles during 1863–1864. This analysis suggests the need to develop more satisfactory ethnohistorically and ethnographically based models of lowland Maya political organization.
The third dimension in the primary visual cortex

Anatomical superposition of the cortical projections from the overlapping visual fields of the two eyes does not make it obvious how the disposition of objects in the third dimension is encoded. Hubel and Wiesel's demonstration that units in the primary visual cortex of the mammal respond preferentially to elongated contours of specific orientation encouraged the inquiry into whether binocular disparity might not similarly be represented as an attribute interdigitated within the orderly progression of position. When this was found to indeed be the case, this entrained a brisk research activity into the disparity of receptive fields of single units in the primary visual cortex and the influence on their response of the three-dimensional locations of outside world stimuli. That cells’ preferred orientations covered the whole gamut whereas space perception required only horizontal disparity was an apparent paradox that needed resolution. A connection with an observer's stereoscopic performance was made by the discovery that cells in the primate primary visual cortex display good tuning to the disparity in random-dot stereograms. But a wide gap still remains between the properties of these cortical units and human stereo thresholds in simple target configurations, let alone depth judgments in which perceptual and cognitive factors enter. When the neural circuits in the primary visual cortex that are involved in processing depth are eventually traced in detail they will also need to have properties that allow for the plasticity in learning and experience.
An iterative algorithm for adaptive element splitting using transition elements

Abstract A simple iterative algorithm is described to implement the ‘ h -adaptive’ convergence technique to two-dimensional elements with quadratic interpolation using transition elements. Examples of a thick cylinder, a thick walled sphere and a Boussinesq problem using piecewise quadratic transition elements are presented.
Induced temporal signatures for point-source detection

Detection of radioactive point sources is inherently divided into two regimes encompassing stationary and moving detectors. The two cases differ in their treatment of background radiation and its influence on detection sensitivity. Stationary detectors are limited by the statistical fluctuation of the background, while moving detectors may be subjected to widely and irregularly varying background radiation as a result of geographical and environmental variation. This significant systematic variation, in conjunction with the statistical variation of the background, requires a very conservative threshold in order to yield the same false-positive rate as the stationary detection case. This manuscript discusses a novel detector geometry that induces a unique time-encoded signature (TES) when exposed to point sources. The identification of temporal signatures for point sources using TES has been demonstrated and compared with the canonical method. This work demonstrates that temporal signatures mitigate systematic background variation and thus increase point-source detection in a moving detector system.
Composition of symbiotic bacteria predicts survival in Panamanian golden frogs infected with a lethal fungus

Symbiotic microbes can dramatically impact host health and fitness, and recent research in a diversity of systems suggests that different symbiont community structures may result in distinct outcomes for the host. In amphibians, some symbiotic skin bacteria produce metabolites that inhibit the growth of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a cutaneous fungal pathogen that has caused many amphibian population declines and extinctions. Treatment with beneficial bacteria (probiotics) prevents Bd infection in some amphibian species and creates optimism for conservation of species that are highly susceptible to chytridiomycosis, the disease caused by Bd. In a laboratory experiment, we used Bd-inhibitory bacteria from Bd-tolerant Panamanian amphibians in a probiotic development trial with Panamanian golden frogs, Atelopus zeteki, a species currently surviving only in captive assurance colonies. Approximately 30% of infected golden frogs survived Bd exposure by either clearing infection or maintaining low Bd loads, but this was not associated with probiotic treatment. Survival was instead related to initial composition of the skin bacterial community and metabolites present on the skin. These results suggest a strong link between the structure of these symbiotic microbial communities and amphibian host health in the face of Bd exposure and also suggest a new approach for developing amphibian probiotics.
Transforming growth factor β1 preserves endothelial function after multiple brief coronary artery occlusions and reperfusion

The objective of this investigation was to determine the effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) on endothelium-dependent relaxation in isolated epicardial coronary artery rings obtained from anesthetized dogs after multiple brief episodes of coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion in vivo. Dogs were subjected to four 5-minute periods of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion interspersed with 5 minutes of reperfusion and followed by a final 1-hour period of reperfusion. Normal left circumflex coronary arteries were used as control samples. Repetitive ischemia and reperfusion significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited the relaxation response to acetylcholine in rings preconstricted with potassium. In an additional group of dogs subjected to the same protocol, 10 micrograms of human recombinant TGF-beta 1 was infused into the left anterior descending coronary artery distal to the site of occlusion via a diagonal branch at 0.3 ml/min immediately before and during the repetitive occlusions and reperfusions. TGF-beta 1 prevented impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation after multiple brief occlusions and reperfusions. These results demonstrate a protective role for TGF-beta 1 in the endothelial injury that occurs during repeated episodes of coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion.
Content-aware resolution sequence mining for ticket routing

Ticket routing is key to the efficiency of IT problem management. Due to the complexity of many reported problems, problem tickets typically need to be routed among various expert groups, to search for the right resolver. In this paper, we study the problem of using historical ticket data to make smarter routing recommendations for new tickets, so as to improve the efficiency of ticket routing, in terms of the Mean number of Steps To Resolve (MSTR) a ticket. Previous studies on this problem have been focusing on mining ticket resolution sequences to generate more informed routing recommendations. In this work, we enhance the existing sequence-only approach by further mining the text content of tickets. Through extensive studies on real-world problem tickets, we find that neither resolution sequence nor ticket content alone is sufficient to deliver the most reduction in MSTR, while a hybrid approach that mines resolution sequences in a content-aware manner proves to be the most effective. We therefore propose such an approach that first analyzes the content of a new ticket and identifies a set of semantically relevant tickets, and then creates a weighted Markov model from the resolution sequences of these tickets to generate routing recommendations. Our experiments show that the proposed approach achieves significantly better results than both sequence-only and content-only solutions.
Sodium-Dependent Phosphate Cotransporters and Phosphate-Induced Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Redundant Roles for PiT-1 and PiT-2

Objective— Elevated serum phosphate has emerged as a major risk factor for vascular calcification. The sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter, PiT-1, was previously shown to be required for phosphate-induced osteogenic differentiation and calcification of cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), but its importance in vascular calcification in vivo and the potential role of its homologue, PiT-2, have not been determined. We investigated the in vivo requirement for PiT-1 in vascular calcification using a mouse model of chronic kidney disease and the potential compensatory role of PiT-2 using in vitro knockdown and overexpression strategies. Approach and Results— Mice with targeted deletion of PiT-1 in VSMCs were generated (PiT-1 Δ sm ). PiT-1 mRNA levels were undetectable, whereas PiT-2 mRNA levels were increased 2-fold in the vascular aortic media of PiT-1 Δsm compared with PiT-1 flox/flox control. When arterial medial calcification was induced in PiT-1 Δsm and PiT-1 flox/flox by chronic kidney disease followed by dietary phosphate loading, the degree of aortic calcification was not different between genotypes, suggesting compensation by PiT-2. Consistent with this possibility, VSMCs isolated from PiT-1 Δsm mice had no PiT-1 mRNA expression, increased PiT-2 mRNA levels, and no difference in sodium-dependent phosphate uptake or phosphate-induced matrix calcification compared with PiT-1 flox/flox VSMCs. Knockdown of PiT-2 decreased phosphate uptake and phosphate-induced calcification of PiT-1 Δsm VSMCs. Furthermore, overexpression of PiT-2 restored these parameters in human PiT-1–deficient VSMCs. Conclusions— PiT-2 can mediate phosphate uptake and calcification of VSMCs in the absence of PiT-1. Mechanistically, PiT-1 and PiT-2 seem to serve redundant roles in phosphate-induced calcification of VSMCs.
Atrophy of the soleus muscle by hindlimb unweighting

The unweighting model is a unique whole animal model that will permit the future delineation of the mechanism(s) by which gravity maintains contractile mass in postural (slow-twitch) skeletal muscl...
Limited Hepatitis B Virus Replication Space in the Chronically Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Liver

We compared the kinetics and magnitude of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-naive and chronically HCV-infected chimpanzees in whose livers type I interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression is strongly induced. HBV infection was delayed and attenuated in the HCV-infected animals, and the number of HBV-infected hepatocytes was drastically reduced. These results suggest that establishment of HBV infection and its replication space is limited by the antiviral effects of type I interferon in the chronically HCV-infected liver.
A sequential injection cold-vapor atomic absorption method for the determination of total mercury

A sequential injection (SI) method for the determination of mercury via cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry is presented. The method differs from flow injection (FI) cold vapor methods for the determination of mercury because of the simplicity of the system required for the method: one pump, one valve, a gas-liquid separator, and an atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a quartz cell. Under optimal conditions, the method has the following figures of merit: a linear ¶calibration range of 1.0 to 20 μg L–1; a detection limit of 0.46 μg L–1; and a precision of 0.90% RSD (8 μg L–1). The procedure allows for a sampling rate of one injection per 80 s (excluding sample pretreatment). Results from the determination of mercury in water and fish specimens are also presented. The figures of merit of the method are compared to two other SI methods for the determination of mercury.
Effect of oral protein loading on renal hemodynamics in human pregnancy

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and ERPF increase approximately 50% in human pregnancy. To determine if pregnant women have additional "renal reserve," inulin and p-aminohippurate clearances (Cin, CPAH) were measured in maximally hydrated women before and after a 300-g steak meal, once during late gestation, and again > or = 3 mo postpartum. Protein loading increased Cin [106 +/- 5 (SE) to 119 +/- 4 ml/min, P < 0.003], but not CPAH (587 +/- 35 to 624 +/- 32 ml/min, NS) in the nonpregnant state, but neither clearance was altered during gestation (Cin: 156 +/- 7 to 160 +/- 9.6 ml/min, NS; CPAH: 831 +/- 36 to 899 +/- 37 ml/min, NS). A natriuresis occurred only postpartum (+142 mu eq/min, P < 0.02), which could be explained by the increased GFR alone, since indexes of filtrate delivery and reabsorption (V/GFR, CH2O/GFR, CH2O/V) and fractional sodium excretion changed little. Dopamine excretion, uninfluenced by protein, did not correlate with increments in GFR. A carbohydrate meal (time controls) had no effect on the above described parameters. We make the following conclusions. If protein and pregnancy achieve hyperfiltration by similar mechanisms, these pathways appear "exhausted" in gestation. Also, oral protein loading does not measure maximal renal reserve, since basal GFR in late gestation was substantially greater than that measured after protein feeding in nonpregnant subjects.
Temporal variation in the utilization of an intertidal creek by the bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli)

A brackish-water, intertidal creek was sampled 19 times during the summer of 1976. Samples were analyzed to determine occurrence, abundance, and diversity of fish species present and to determine patterns of daily fish movement and utilization of intertidal creeks in an old rice field.
National Trends in the Management of Urethral Stricture Disease: A 14-Year Survey of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample

Abstract Introduction Urethral strictures are common in general urology practice and can initially be treated with urethral dilation or incision. Unfortunately, many patients require retreatment. Urethroplasty provides a more durable effect but may be underused. We examined national trends in the management of urethral stricture disease. Methods Using the NIS (Nationwide Inpatient Sample) database from 1998 to 2011 we identified patients with a primary or secondary admitting ICD-9 diagnosis code of 598.X (urethral stricture) and excluded patients with urethral cancer, urethritis, urethral stone, abscess or epispadias. Inpatient procedure codes were used to classify 2 treatment groups, including 1) urethral dilation/incision and 2) urethral reconstruction. Linear regression was performed to determine the change in the utilization rate of incision/dilation and urethral reconstruction per 1,000 urethral strictures with time. Results A total of 240,108 procedures were identified for 471,596 urethral stricture diagnoses upon hospital admission, including 217,869 (90.7%) for incision/dilation and 22,239 (9.3%) for urethral reconstruction/urethrostomy. Mean utilization of incision/dilation per 1,000 strictures decreased slightly by 10.74 per year (1%) (p ≤0.001). Mean utilization of urethral reconstruction increased slightly by 1.65 per year (0.17%) (p = 0.0062). For every 1 increase in urethral reconstruction there were 12 fewer urethral dilations per 1,000 urethral strictures per year. Conclusions Urethral dilation/incision continues to be the foremost management of urethral stricture disease with known high recurrence and failure rates. Patients should be referred for urethral reconstruction to optimize treatment outcomes.
Study on Grain Quality Effecting Factors and Monitoring Methods by Using Hyperspectral Data in Winter Wheat

It was studied the relationship between grain quality indicators and environmental effective factors such as genetypes, environmental factors and cultivation modes. Remote sensing offers the potential to determine rapidly the physiological conditions of wheat in wide areas, and spectral reflectance measurement at canopy scales in the field provides a promising, expeditious and nondestructive way to take gather information in a relatively wide area in a short-term duration. With development of space techniques, remote sensing will is being broadly applied in agriculture. This study has shown that there was are robust correlations between spectral index of Structure Insensitive Pigment Index(SIPI)and the ratio of carotenoid to chlorophyll a content, the leaf foliar total nitrogen constituentsconcentration and grain quality indexindicators at anthesis stage. The predictions of grain protein, dry gluten, and wet gluten content by foliar total nitrogen concentration at anthesis stage were surprisingly good, so it is feasible for forecasting grain quality indicators by hypersepectral data at anthesis stage.
Generation and Culture of Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts

In addition to leukocytes, a variety of cells also participate in the innate immune response, including endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and fibroblasts. Thus, the study of these cells is highly relevant in broadening our understanding of mechanisms that modulate innate immunity. With the rise of genetically engineered animals, it is now common to confirm in vitro data acquired using immortalized cell lines with more physiologically relevant primary cells from these animals ex vivo. Indeed, many studies exploring innate immune system function employ mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). These cells are relatively simple to generate and are a powerful tool to explore regulatory networks, examine biochemical profiling of protein complexes, and investigate novel signaling pathways associated with innate immune system signaling. Here, we provide a robust protocol to isolate, maintain, and store primary MEFs. This protocol is designed for users with minimal experience using mouse models. We have also added precautions and common pitfalls associated with these procedures.
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

UNLABELLED: Older adults with progressively worsening aortic valve stenosis are limited in their treatment options. Conventional treatment replaces the aortic valve via open-heart surgery, introducing numerous risks and increased mortality in older populations with comorbidities. In recent years, however, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (tAVI) has become a viable option for symptomatic, nonsurgical candidates. Although tAVI is available only to a select population, early randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials are offering insight into the new therapy, with promising results as this treatment continues to evolve. PURPOSE: This article examined the progression of tAVI therapies, from first-generation to third-generation devices and through 4 studies that address the utility of tAVI in symptomatic, nonsurgical candidates, in an effort to prepare nurses in the management of this newly emerging patient population. METHODS: A literature search was conducted of studies within the past 5 years that address transfemoral tAVI in adult populations. Transapical approaches were excluded. RESULTS: Early outcomes demonstrate that successful implantation can improve valvular function and patient functional status. Nurses play a critical role in patient education and monitoring both before and after tAVI. CONCLUSIONS: With increasing life expectancies and a prediction that many aging adults with aortic valve stenosis will be limited to tAVI, nurses need to gain familiarity with this novel therapy and its role in patient outcomes.
Control Centers and Airspace

This chapter discusses how the U.S. controls airspace during rocket launches (Fig. 4.1). While other countries have procedures in place to control airspace during launch events, these are not as sophisticated as those administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has developed the most advanced means of integrating launch vehicles into its national airspace system
Every Dog Has His Day: Why a Uniform Code for State Disability Education Law Will Circumvent Unjust Hurdles Inherent to the Current Structure

Education has traditionally been controlled by the state rather than federal government, but disability issues in schools are usually adjudicated in federal courts under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Although these Acts were enacted with admirable goals, they can lead to limited and procedurally complicated relief for students with disabilities. In Fry v. Napoleon Cmty. Schs., the Sixth Circuit held that an elementary school student with cerebral palsy who was denied use of her service dog at school should exhaust her administrative remedies under the IDEA despite the fact that she did not seek relief under that statute, nor was the monetary relief she sought available through that channel. This would necessitate additional years and thousands of dollars to litigate the dispute. This case exemplifies a need for simpler avenues for students battling discrimination in school settings. Because of states’ traditional control over educational matters and strong public policy in favor of protecting children with disabilities, state legislatures should enact statutes obligating schools to provide accommodations for students with disabilities and prohibiting discrimination against such students. These statutes would give students the option of seeking relief in state courts, leading to quicker, less complicated, and less expensive litigation. The most effective method for widespread reform would be to establish a uniform code, similar to the Uniform Commercial Code and the Model Penal Code. This article provides an example statute to address the substantive issue in Fry to demonstrate how a more state-driven approach could be beneficial. The article advocates for the establishment of a uniform code that aggregates statutes similar to this model.
Optimal inter-stimulus interval for paired associative stimulation with mechanical stimulation

In this paper, inter-stimulus interval (ISI) of paired associative stimulation (PAS) with mechanical stimulation was analyzed. PAS is a prominent therapeutic intervention for individuals after stroke and helps to improve limb function by strengthening excitatory synapses and inducing neural plasticity. This intervention involves repeated application of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) followed by peripheral stimulation. When responses to both stimulations are overlapped in the brain at the same time, this successful PAS is expected to induce long term potentiation (LTP) which leads to a neural plasticity phenomenon. Therefore ISI between these two stimulations is very crucial in this treatment. Instead of electrical stimulation in general PAS, mechanical stimulation was used in this study due to some promising aspects of mechanical stimulation. Long latency stretch response (LLSR) was observed in electromyography (EMG) during the PAS with mechanical stimulation, since LLSR reflects successful overlapping of two stimulations. Each subject had specific range of ISIs, or a time window, that leads to successful overlapping of paired stimulations. These time window lengths varied between 5ms and 105 ms, and within this range it can be guaranteed to obtain LLSR in EMG at least 40% among the all PAS trials. In addition, normally distributed responses within time window suggests that the optimal ISI which results in the highest number of LLSRs is the average of the time window. This result suggests that PAS with mechanical stimulation could lead to a rehabilitation effect by regaining motor functionality when the two stimulations are paired with the optimal ISI and it could provide a significant advancement in neuromodulation.
Cascading RF deflectors in compact beam spreader schemes

Abstract This paper describes beam distribution schemes based on transverse electric field radio-frequency deflectors (RFD) as fast-switching devices and provides numerical relationships between their respective frequencies and phases. The adoption of compact transverse deflecting cavities represents an ideal solution for the design of high repetition rate ( > 1 MHz), compact beam distribution systems. While directly applicable to modern FEL facilities, this approach also provides opportunities for expanding existing beam delivery systems with additional experimental areas simultaneously feeding multiple beamlines. We derive the formalism for cascading RFDs by adopting the proper choice of deflector frequencies which can generate a large variety of beam switch yard topologies. We present for reference a potential application operating at an rf frequency of 325 MHz with the comparison of three possible distinct compact rf deflectors: a superconducting rf-dipole, a normal conducting rf-dipole, and a normal conducting 4-rod design.
The Relation Between Crystal Structure and Ionic Conductivity in the NASICON Solid Solution System, Na1+xZr2SixP3−x012 (0≤x≤3)

The NASICON system is a solid solution system that can be represented by the formula Na1+xZr2SixP3−x012, with x between 0 and 3. The word NASICON is an acronym for Na super-ionic conductor and is the name given to a specific composition in the solid solution system, that with x = 2.0.
Design Space Exploration for MBC Based Generic Reconfigurable Computing Framework

This chapter describes the design space exploration for a MBC based generic reconfigurable framework. Design space exploration identifies the appropriate values for several design parameters of the framework based upon the technology node, the applications being mapped and the power and performance constraints provided to the MBC software flow. To be specific, the exploration phase determines the configuration for both compute blocks (MLBs) and the programmable interconnect. For this exploration, information regarding the variation in design overhead with varying specification for individual hardware components of the MBC framework must be provided to the software flow. The MBC software flow by itself generates an exhaustive combination of all design points ensuring that at each design point a given input application can be mapped to the MBC framework. A mapping result (power and performance) is generates for each of these design points. The user may then select one of the design points based on whether power and performance is more critical to mapping the input application.
Genetic Polymorphisms in the µ-Opioid Receptor Gene and Breast Cancer Survival

Preclinical studies suggest that endogenous opioids and/or opioid medications may contribute to tumor growth. However, endogenous and exogenous opioids have not been modulated over time in cancer patients, who often need opioids for pain control. Most of the analgesic effect of opioids occurs through the activation of the μ-opioid receptor. The most common naturally occurring genetic variation of this receptor in humans is the so-called A118G mutation. Individuals with this mutation have been shown to have a reduced analgesic response to opioid medications. In a recent study, we used this naturally occurring genetic variation to look for evidence that endogenous and/or exogenous opioids influence tumor growth in humans. We hypothesized that if opioids do influence tumor growth, then cancer patients with the A118G mutation, as a group, should have longer survivals than those without it. Using data from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, we found that, among 2,039 women diagnosed with breast cancer, the presence of A118G was associated with longer breast cancer specific survival. The protective effect of A118G was limited to invasive cases only and appeared to increase with the stage of cancer at diagnosis. This study did not assess whether opioid pain medications have any influence on cancer mortality. Moreover, the study was performed in African Americans and European Americans only, and requires replication.
Using surface waves recorded by a large mesh of three-element arrays to detect and locate disparate seismic sources

Author Posting. © The Authors, 2018. This article is posted here by permission of The Royal Astronomical Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Journal International 215 (2018): 942–958, doi:10.1093/gji/ggy316.
Rate and predictors of prescription of lumacaftor - Ivacaftor in the 18 months following approval in the United States.

Abstract Rationale Lumacaftor-ivacaftor (LUM-IVA) was approved in the US in 2015 for patients with CF aged >12 homozygous for the delF508 mutation, and patients aged 6 to 12 in 2016. Objectives To examine the rate of initial LUM-IVA prescriptions following approval. Methods We compared patients eligible for LUM-IVA in the CF Foundation Patient Registry with and without prescriptions in 2015–2016. Results 5534 (53%) eligible patients had reported prescriptions. Prescription rate in children ages 6–11 was 19% and 61% among patients ≥12 years old. Individuals ≥12 with prescriptions more likely observed among those with private insurance, clinical trial participation, ages 18–30, FEV1 Conclusions LUM-IVA uptake was less rapid than what was previously observed for ivacaftor, a CFTR modulator approved for a different population. Age, insurance status, disease severity and use of other therapies differed in those prescribed LUM-IVA in the initial post-approval period.
Developmental Genetics of the Female Reproductive Tract

Abstract Development of the female reproductive tract is a complex and dynamic process that involves a series of events, all of which are critical for proper tissue and organ differentiation, sex determination, and ultimately, continuation of the species. Any deviation from this complex orchestration of signaling pathways comes with inevitable risk for errors and abnormalities. Shortly after the fetal to embryonic transition at about 7 weeks in humans, developing urogenital ridges contain bipotential gonads that later differentiate into ovaries and testes in females and males, respectively; Mullerian (paramesonephric) ducts that differentiate into the uterus, fallopian tubes, and vagina in females; and the Wolffian (mesonephric) ducts that differentiate into the male reproductive tract. This chapter will aim to elaborate the mechanisms of the signaling or transcriptional regulation pathways when known or surmised and how errors in these pathways contribute to congenital anomalies of the female reproductive tract.
High-level synthesis with timing-sensitive information flow enforcement

Specialized hardware accelerators are being increasingly integrated into today's computer systems to achieve improved performance and energy efficiency. However, the resulting variety and complexity make it challenging to ensure the security of these accelerators. To mitigate complexity while guaranteeing security, we propose a high-level synthesis (HLS) infrastructure that incorporates static information flow analysis to enforce security policies on HLS-generated hardware accelerators. Our security-constrained HLS infrastructure is able to effectively identify both explicit and implicit information leakage. By detecting the security vulnerabilities at the behavioral level, our tool allows designers to address these vulnerabilities at an early stage of the design flow. We further propose a novel synthesis technique in HLS to eliminate timing channels in the generated accelerator. Our approach is able to remove timing channels in a verifiable manner while incurring lower performance overhead for high-security tasks on the accelerator.
INCREASING HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS FOR PATELLAR INSTABILITY: A NATIONAL DATABASE STUDY FROM 2004-2017

Background:Patellar instability refers to subluxation or dislocation of the patella out of the trochlear groove of the femur. Patellar instability is classically thought to be most common in adoles...
The Impact of Alliances on Knowledge Growth Within Firms

How do alliances lead to knowledge growth and learning for parent firms? Prior research focuses on knowledge inflows from a partner when a firm enters into an alliance. In this paper, we examine factors that enable firms to make better use of their own knowledge and capabilities as a consequence of alliances. To demonstrate the latter dimension of knowledge growth, we depart from prior research that has focused on cross citations of patents between partners, and instead a study self-citation activity. We examine the effect of four factors on self-citations, each of which reflects distinct learning mechanisms and cooperative dynamics, namely knowledge inflows from the alliance partner, knowledge outflows to the alliance partner, partner characteristics, and alliance governance. Results suggest that knowledge inflows from the partner were positively associated with changes in self-citations in alliance domains, whereas knowledge outflows to the partner had a positive impact on changes in self-citations for the smaller firm in the alliance. In contrast, firm specific knowledge possessed by the partner and equity governance had a negative impact on changes in self-citations in alliance domains. This paper develops a fuller understanding of the learning effects of alliances by highlighting that apart from better utilization of the partner's capabilities, alliances also lead to enhanced utilization of the firm's own knowledge and capabilities in further innovative activity.
Non-epileptic Seizures versus Frontal Lobe Epilepsy in an Adolescent: A Case Report.

Multiple inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations can be due to system issues, patient complexity, family dynamics, and misdiagnoses to name a few. This study highlights a diagnostically challenging case and how that, in itself, contributed to hospital admissions. Although 18 months elapsed from the time of the initial presentation to the diagnosis of non-epileptic seizures (NES), the suspicion of the diagnosis may have been made earlier by clinicians. The evidence for seizures of post-ictal confusion followed by lethargy, amnesia for the event, and response to an anti-seizure medication only could have provided a higher index of suspicion for NES. Many health care providers will argue that this will create over-diagnoses of NES and usage of anti-epileptic medications. While reviewing the literature on NES, it was noted that frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) causing psychiatric comorbidities has been poorly studied. Furthermore, this case highlights that within the field of child psychiatry, the same clinical presentation can be interpreted differently. This case helps us understand how eliciting clinical information to enable the timely ordering of imaging could help in diagnoses. This may help set up clinical guidelines for NES for the mental health providers to facilitate improvement in diagnoses and treatment.
Responsive Antibody Conjugates Enable Quantitative Determination of Intracellular Bond Degradation Rate

Degradable crosslinkers that respond to intracellular biological stimuli are a critical component of many drug delivery systems. With numerous stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems in development, it is important to quantitatively study their intracellular processing. Herein we report a framework for quantifying the rate of intracellular bond degradation in the endocytic pathway. Toward this end, we devised and synthesized a reduction-sensitive FRET-based crosslinker that can be readily conjugated to a variety of targeting ligands. This crosslinker was conjugated to trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against the HER2 receptor. We developed a model based on mass-action kinetics to describe the intracellular processing of this conjugate. The kinetic model was developed in conjunction with live-cell experiments to extract the rate constant for intracellular disulfide bond degradation. This framework may be applied to other endocytosis pathways, bond types, and cell types to quantify this fundamental degradation rate parameter.
Local Gaussian Process Features for Clinical Sensor Time Series

Time series obtained from clinical sensors such as EEG and Accelerometers often contain mixtures of complex signals that can be difficult to interpret and require advanced methods for automated analysis. In this work, we introduce a flexible and extensible method for transforming clinical time series into new, simpler features that may aid in automated analysis and interpretation. The method is based on information extracted from locally-trained Gaussian Processes. In this work, we describe the procedure, illustrate the idea on contrived data and demonstrate its effectiveness at improving existing methods for both epilepsy detection and activity classification. We show that our feature extraction technique generalizes, and can be used as a preprocessing step for arbitrary machine learning and statistical methods. We further illustrate that the techniques evaluated in our experiments form only a small subset of a very broad class of feature extraction methods on arbitrary data that might form the basis for further study.
Policies, profits, networks, or duty?: Donors’ motivations for contributing to parties and interest groups

Understanding variation in donors’ motivations for contributing to parties, interest groups, and candidates is increasingly important for fundraising success in an era in which joint fundraising co...
Parallel Ionic Liquid Semi-Packed Microfabricated Columns for Complex Gas Analysis.

The paper presents a parallel micro gas chromatography approach using three ionic liquid semipacked columns. Switching from single column to multiple parallel columns with different selectivity enh...
Cerebrovascular Event Detection Robotic System: Rob Bitt

As aging becomes one of the big issues in modern global societies, new technologies such as socially assistive robots (SAR) are being considered as an alternative care-giving approach, allowing the elderly more independence and safety. This study examines the feasibility of a novel robotic system that is capable of automatically detecting cerebrovascular events, commonly referred to as strokes, while providing friendly daily interactions. We present a robotic system named “Rob Bitt,” a stroke detection companion that continuously monitors a patient’s condition in order to detect signs of potential cere-brovascular events and implements an appropriate emergency response. The robotic system utilizes the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) protocol for cerebrovascular event detection, which is initiated when the user reports feeling unwell in addition to having abnormally high blood pressure. After completing the EMS protocol, the robotic system is capable of concluding if the user is at risk, and can be setup to call 911 for immediate assistance.
[68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI as an adjunct imaging modality for radiation treatment planning of meningiomas.

Background Meningiomas express high levels of somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2). SSTR2-targeted PET imaging with [68Ga]-DOTATATE can aid with distinguishing residual meningioma from reactive changes in the postoperative setting. We present initial dosimetric analyses, acute events, and local control data utilizing [68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI-assisted target delineation for prospectively-treated intermediate-risk meningiomas. Methods Twenty-nine patients underwent DOTATATE PET/MRI meningioma evaluation in 2019. Eight patients with 9 postoperative meningiomas met RTOG 0539 intermediate-risk criteria (recurrent WHO grade I, 1/9; WHO grade II, 8/9). Target volumes were created using DOTATATE PET/MRI to determine residual disease and received a nominal dose of 35.0 Gy over 5 fractions. For comparison, cases were recontoured and planned with MRI alone per RTOG 0539 guidelines. Mean and maximum equivalent 2 Gy doses were generated for target volumes and organs at risk (OAR) within 1 cm of the PTV and compared using Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test. Results DOTATATE PET/MRI-guided planning significantly reduced mean PTV (11.12 cm3 compared to 71.39 cm3 based on MRI alone, P < .05) and mean and max dose to the whole brain, optic nerves, and scalp. PET/MRI plans resulted in at least 50% reduction of mean and max doses to the lens, eyes, chiasm, cochlea, brainstem, and hippocampi. One patient experienced focal alopecia. There were no local recurrences at 6 months. Conclusion Incorporating DOTATATE-PET/MRI for postoperative target delineation in patients with intermediate-risk intracranial meningiomas results in PTV reduction and decreased OAR dose. Our findings warrant larger studies evaluating DOTATATE-PET/MRI in the radiotherapeutic planning of postoperative meningiomas.
The Value of the Direct Lateral Hip Radiograph in an Adult Reconstruction Practice.

Abstract The specialty evaluation of hip pain, stiffness, and/or dysfunction usually includes patient history, physical examination, and radiographic evaluation. Radiographic views of the hip are not standardized, and basic studies may include an anteroposterior pelvis, anteroposterior hip, frog lateral, and direct lateral of the hip. In this article, we discuss the importance of obtaining a direct lateral radiograph of the hip in all patients being evaluated by a specialist for hip pain and its value in hip arthroplasty care.
Intraspecies heterogeneity in microbial interactions.

Microbial interactions are increasingly recognized as an integral part of microbial physiology. Cell–cell communication mediated by quorum sensing and metabolite exchange is a formative element of microbial interactions. However, loss-of-function mutations in quorum-sensing components are common across diverse species. Furthermore, quorum sensing is modulated by small molecules and environmental conditions that may be altered in the presence of other microbial species. Recent evidence highlights how strain heterogeneity impacts microbial interactions. There is great potential for microbial interactions to act as selective pressures that influence the emergence of common mutations in quorum-sensing genes across the bacterial and fungal domains.
Long-term outcomes of patients with node-negative (N0), triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy according to stromal TILs (sTILs).

548Background: sTILs are a well-established prognostic and predictive biomarker in patients with operable TNBC receiving pre or postoperative systemic therapy. We1 and others2,3 have also shown tha...