cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Repercussions of Realignment: United States–China Interdependence and Exchange Rate Politics

Analysts generally believe that a weaker currency primarily benefits a country's manufacturing and primary goods sectors. However, many of these industries—and the elected officials who represent them—frequently oppose legislation designed to combat the dollar's overvaluation relative to the Chinese yuan. I argue that legislators hesitate to take aggressive action on the exchange rate issue because doing so could lead to a disruption of the broader United States–China economic relationship. The threat of an economic conflict emerges as a particularly important consideration in the context of currency bills, where proposed legislation is linked to trade policy and other areas of international economic regulation. A Bayesian statistical analysis of legislative behavior on two recent exchange rate bills in the US Congress provides overall support for my hypotheses. Legislators with ties to business interests that rely heavily on the Chinese economy were more likely to oppose the bills, while the strongest support came from legislators representing import-competing domestic producers. The results highlight the ways that economic interdependence shapes bilateral exchange rate politics in particular, and United States–China interactions more generally.
Promoters, Co-Carcinogens and Inhibitors of Pulmonary Carcinogenesis in Mice: An Overview

A single dose of a given carcinogen reproducibly induces a characteristic number of lung tumors in a particular mouse strain. By varying the time when a noncarcinogenic, tumor-modulatory agent is administered relative to the time of carcinogen treatment, a researcher can independently study the effects of this agent on the initiation, promotion, or progression stages of tumorigeneSeveral dozen compounds reportedly modulate lung tumor formation (Table 1). Most of the agents that have been administered before or simultaneous with the carcinogen inhibit initiation. Since many of these modulatory agents can induce the biosynthesis of mixed function oxidases, their likely target is the metabolism of carcinogens. These agents may interfere with metabolic activation of the carcinogen and/or enhance detoxification, thereby preventing a deleterious interaction between a chemically reactive carcinogen and DNA [l]. Another way to perturb initiation is by altering cellular responsiveness to the carcinogen (e.g., by modifying DNA repair or the proliferative status of the target cell). The co-carcinogenic agents listed in Table 1 induce regenerative hyperplasia following lung injury [2], which may be the mechanism of their tumor enhancement. Noncarcinogens administered after the carcinogen affect the growth of initiated cells, possibly by disrupting regulatory interactions between normal and initiated cell populations [3]. This behavior is probably epigenetic or nonmutational and is therefore reversible. The site of action-either tumor initiation or the growth of initiated cells-for s1s.
'As for Prophecies, They Will Come To an End': 2 Peter, Paul and Plutarch On 'the Obsolescence of Oracles'

Christianity began as a religious movement alive with prophetic activity. As a counterpoint to the Christian affirmation of prophecy, the issue of cessation of prophetic activity is addressed in the New Testament. Paul and the author of 2 Peter responded to a growing climate of skepticism of their day concerning the validity of prophetic speech and other forms of divination. A number of biblical texts should be read against that background, including Paul's statement about the cessation of the charismata. Despite the general approbation of the belief in divine communication, the ancient question remained whether the oracles and other forms of divination had any abiding validity.
Multimedia Cases of Practice: On-line Learning Opportunities For School Leaders

Computer-based multimedia technologies have great potential for providing rich learning opportunities for school leaders in the context of their work. One promising avenue is the development of hypertext narratives of practice that can capture and communicate the complexities of exemplary leadership practice. This paper discusses the construction and user-testing of a multimedia narrative of practice based on Breakfast Club, an innovative program intended to develop a professional community in an urban elementary school. First, the paper develops an account of professional expertise that suggests the practical wisdom of school leaders needs to be represented in context. Multimedia cases of practice that represent such wisdom begin with the programs school leaders design to alter the instructional programs of their schools. Second, the paper describes the development of a question-based multimedia case of practice designed around the questions that school leaders are likely to ask about new programs in order to facilitate their own understanding. Finally, the paper offers an analysis of a round of user-testing with fourteen school leaders conducted to refine and rebuild the multimedia narrative.
Unusual clinical course of Graves' thyrotoxicosis and concomitant sarcoidosis: case report and review of literature.

Objective: To report a case of Graves' disease with concomitant sarcoidosis involving the thyroid gland.Methods: We present the clinical, laboratory, imaging, and pathologic findings and describe the clinical course of a patient with Graves' disease and sarcoidosis, who was unresponsive to propylthiouracil and radioiodine treatment.Results: A 23-year-old woman presented with thyrotoxicosis and a large goiter. Laboratory studies and findings on thyroid uptake and scan were consistent with Graves' disease. She was also found to have hilar lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Despite treatment with antithyroid drugs and radioiodine therapy, her hyperthyroidism persisted. Surgical resection of the thyroid gland and 2 lymph nodes disclosed noncaseating granulomas, consistent with sarcoid.Conclusion: Autoimmune endocrinopathies and, less commonly, thyroid autoimmune disease have been reported in patients with sarcoidosis. Similarities exist in the pathogenesis of these two conditions. Concomitant sarcoidosis...
Treg Depletion in Non-Human Primates Using a Novel Diphtheria Toxin-Based Anti-Human CCR4 Immunotoxin

Regulatory T cells (Treg) play an important role in modulating the immune response and has attracted increasing attention in diverse fields such as cancer treatment, transplantation and autoimmune diseases. CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) is expressed on the majority of Tregs, especially on effector Tregs. Recently we have developed a diphtheria-toxin based anti-human CCR4 immunotoxin for depleting CCR4(+) cells in vivo. In this study, we demonstrated that the anti-human CCR4 immunotoxin bound and depleted monkey CCR4(+) cells in vitro. We also demonstrated that the immunotoxin bound to the CCR4(+)Foxp3(+) monkey Tregs in vitro. In vivo studies performed in two naive cynomolgus monkeys revealed 78-89% CCR4(+)Foxp3(+) Treg depletion in peripheral blood lasting approximately 10 days. In lymph nodes, 89-96% CCR4(+)Foxp3(+) Tregs were depleted. No effect was observed in other cell populations including CD8(+) T cells, other CD4(+) T cells, B cells and NK cells. To our knowledge, this is the first agent that effectively depleted non-human primate (NHP) Tregs. This immunotoxin has potential to deplete effector Tregs for combined cancer treatment.
Modeling Protracted Drought,Collateral Natural Disaster,and Human Responses in the Andes

Michael E.Moseley develops an adaptational perspective in discussing,through archaeology,the economic and demographic ramifications of long-term drought and concurrent natural disasters in the Andes.He aims to explore the implications for major cultural changes in the linkages between protracted disaster,such as drought,concomitant increased vulnerability,and the concurrence of sudden-onset disasters such as earthquakes.
To-Get Her Forever: A Man Hater's Right to Same-Sex Marriage

Not all same-sex partners are born homosexual. Many people in same-sex relationships are born homosexual, but some choose same-sex relationships. Biologically heterosexual women can choose to live in same-sex relationships with other women: lesbians, bisexuals, transsexuals, or heterosexuals. There are many reasons why a woman might want to marry another woman. A heterosexual person may choose a same-sex relationship because her life partner is her platonic best friend, or because her options for binary coupling are subpar. A woman may use a same-sex relationship as a tool to make a political statement about patriarchy. A woman may become involved in a same-sex relationship as a result of psychological trauma. Biologically heterosexual women may use same-sex relationships to satisfy their desires to couple in a stable environment; as a statement about women, family, and society; or as a coping mechanism to heal the abuse suffered during a previous heterosexual relationship. This article will argue that case law should be applied in a novel, yet just, manner that finds that heterosexual women’s fundamental right to marry includes marriage to other heterosexual women under substantive due process. It will argue that heterosexual women have the right to freely express a political statement against patriarchy by entering into same-sex marriages, and that psychologically disabled people who choose same-sex coping strategies must be treated equally to mentally healthy heterosexuals or psychologically disabled heteronormative individuals under the equal protection clause. Before arriving at the brass tacks of the above arguments in Sections III, IV, and V respectively, this article will first explain its purpose in endeavoring to attack binary marriage in support of same-sex marriage.
PERFORMANCE ON THE FACTS ON AGING QUIZ 2 BY UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN COMMUNICATIVE DISORDERS

The Facts on Aging Quiz 2 was given to 20 undergraduate majors in communicative disorders, 20 first-semester graduate students, and 20 final-semester graduate students. All groups scored barely above the guessing level, suggesting that the facts on aging are not being learned through an infusion approach as students progress through their training.
Unraveling the mechanisms of synapse formation and axon regeneration: the awesome power of C. elegans genetics

Since Caenorhabditis elegans was chosen as a model organism by Sydney Brenner in 1960's, genetic studies in this organism have been instrumental in discovering the function of genes and in deciphering molecular signaling network. The small size of the organism and the simple nervous system enable the complete reconstruction of the first connectome. The stereotypic developmental program and the anatomical reproducibility of synaptic connections provide a blueprint to dissect the mechanisms underlying synapse formation. Recent technological innovation using laser surgery of single axons and in vivo imaging has also made C. elegans a new model for axon regeneration. Importantly, genes regulating synaptogenesis and axon regeneration are highly conserved in function across animal phyla. This mini-review will summarize the main approaches and the key findings in understanding the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of the nervous system. The impact of such findings underscores the awesome power of C. elegans genetics.
Elevated Linoleic Acid (A Pro-Inflammatory PUFA) and Liver Injury in a Treatment Naive HIV-HCV Co-Infected Alcohol Dependent Patient

HIV and HCV co-infection is a unique disease condition, and medical management of such condition is difficult due to severity and systemic complications. Added with heavy alcohol drinking, risk of liver injury increases due to several pro-inflammatory responses that subsequently get involved with alcohol metabolism. Elevated levels of fatty acids have been reported both in viral infections as well as alcoholic liver disease though such investigations have not addressed the adverse event with dual viral infection of HIV and HCV along with heavy drinking. This case report of a patient with excessive alcohol drinking and first time diagnosis of HIV and HCV dual infection, elaborating concurrent alteration in Linoleic Acid (LA) levels and pro-inflammatory shift in ω-6/ω-3 ratio along with the elevations in liver injury markers. Elevated LA has been recently studied extensively for its role in alcoholic liver disease; and in the present case, we also found it to be clinically relevant to liver injury.
Ultrasonography for Placenta Previa

Placenta previa is a condition in which the placenta covers the internal cervical os. It is the leading cause of antepartum hemorrhage. There are four grades of the condition:
Role of CD4+ T Cells in the Pathophysiology of Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Although the precise etiology of MS remains unclear, CD4 + T cells have been proposed to play not only effector but also regulatory roles in MS. CD4 + T cells can be divided into four subsets: pro-inflammatory helper T (Th) 1 and Th17 cells, anti-inflammatory Th2 cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs). The roles of CD4 + T cells in MS have been clarified by either “loss-of-function” or “gain-of-function” methods, which have been carried out mainly in autoimmune and viral models of MS: experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infection, respectively. Observations in MS patients were consistent with the mechanisms found in the MS models, that is, increased pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17 activity is associated with disease exacerbation, while anti-inflammatory Th2 cells and Tregs appear to play a protective role.
The Coverage of Saudi Arabia in the “Introduction to Sociology” U.S. Textbooks between 2001 and 2015

This article discusses the coverage of Saudi Arabia in “introduction to sociology” textbooks in the context of two variables — the September 11, 2001 attack, and globalization. The study covers 24 major textbooks, all published between 2001 and 2015. The textbooks were chosen with the help and consultation of many colleagues in numerous sociology departments throughout various parts of the United States. Also, the publishers of sociology textbooks were consulted throughout the process of selection. The method of investigation was content analysis which relied heavily upon studying the content of the text. The findings were organized in the following subsections: Islam; the Wahhabi version of Islam; Politics; September 11th and Bin Laden; Women in Saudi Arabia; Human Rights and Civil Rights Abuses; Social Media; Miscellaneous Positive or neutral comments on Saudi Arabia; Visual Sociology; and closing remarks. The finding of the article is more or less negative, as textbooks rarely mentioned positive things about Saudi Arabia.
Biomarkers for the Early Detection and Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease

The recent failures of potential disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may reflect the fact that the enrolled participants in clinical trials are already too advanced to derive a clinical benefit. Thus, well-validated biomarkers for the early detection and accurate diagnosis of the preclinical stages of AD will be crucial for therapeutic advancement. The combinatorial use of biomarkers derived from biological fluids, such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), with advanced molecular imaging and neuropsychological testing may eventually achieve the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity necessary to identify people in the earliest stages of the disease when drug modification is most likely possible. In this regard, positive amyloid or tau tracer retention on positron emission tomography imaging, low CSF concentrations of the amyloid-β 1-42 peptide, high CSF concentrations in total tau and phospho-tau, mesial temporal lobe atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging, and temporoparietal/precuneus hypometabolism or hypoperfusion on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography have all emerged as biomarkers for the progression to AD. However, the ultimate AD biomarker panel will likely involve the inclusion of novel CSF and blood biomarkers more precisely associated with confirmed pathophysiologic mechanisms to improve its reliability for detecting preclinical AD. This review highlights advancements in biological fluid and imaging biomarkers that are moving the field towards achieving the goal of a preclinical detection of AD.
Adhesion mechanisms of curli subunit CsgA to abiotic surfaces

Curli fibers are functional amyloids that play a key role in biofilm structure and adhesion to various surfaces. Strong bioinspired adhesives comprising curli fibers have recently been created; however, the mechanisms curli uses to attach onto abiotic surfaces are still uncharacterized. Toward a materials-by-design approach for curli-based adhesives and multifunctional materials, we examine curli subunit adsorption onto graphene and silica surfaces through atomistic simulation. We find that both structural features and sequence influence adhesive strength, enabling the CsgA subunit to adhere strongly to both polar and nonpolar surfaces. Specifically, flexible regions facilitate adhesion to both surfaces, charged and polar residues (Arg, Lys, and Gln) enable strong interactions with silica, and six-carbon aromatic rings (Tyr and Phe) adsorb strongly to graphene. We find that adsorption not only lowers molecular mobility but also leads to loss of secondary structure, factors that must be well balanced for effective surface attachment. Both events appear to propagate through the CsgA structure as correlated motion between clusters of residues, often H-bonded between rows on adjacent β strands. To quantify this, we present a correlation analysis approach to detecting collective motion between residue groups. We find that certain clusters of residues have a higher impact on the stability of the rest of the protein structure, often polar and bulky groups within the helix core. These findings lend insight into bacterial adhesion mechanisms and reveal strategies for theory-driven design of engineered curli fibers that harness point mutations and conjugates for stronger adhesion.
VizGen: accelerating visual computing prototypes in dynamic languages

This paper introduces a novel domain-specific compiler, which translates visual computing programs written in dynamic languages to highly efficient code. We define "dynamic" languages as those such as Python and MATLAB, which feature dynamic typing and flexible array operations. Such language features can be useful for rapid prototyping, however, the dynamic computation model introduces significant overheads in program execution time. We introduce a compiler framework for accelerating visual computing programs, such as graphics and vision programs, written in generalpurpose dynamic languages. Our compiler allows substantial performance gains (frequently orders of magnitude) over general compilers for dynamic languages by specializing the compiler for visual computation. Specifically, our compiler takes advantage of three key properties of visual computing programs, which permit optimizations: (1) many array data structures have small, constant, or bounded size, (2) many operations on visual data are supported in hardware or are embarrassingly parallel, and (3) humans are not sensitive to small numerical errors in visual outputs due to changing floating-point precisions. Our compiler integrates program transformations that have been described previously, and improves existing transformations to handle visual programs that perform complicated array computations. In particular, we show that dependent type analysis can be used to infer sizes and guide optimizations for many small-sized array operations that arise in visual programs. Programmers who are not experts on visual computation can use our compiler to produce more efficient Python programs than if they write manually parallelized C, with fewer lines of application logic.
The Psychosocial Levels System: A New Rating Scale to Identify and Assess Emotional Difficulties During Bone Marrow Transplantation

The "Psychosocial Levels System" assesses patients on three gradations of intensity: Level 1 (mild/minimal); Level 2 (moderate); and Level 3 (severe), taking into account past psychiatric history, quality of family and social support, prior coping history, coping with disease and treatment, quality of affect, proneness to anticipatory problems, and mental status. Based on initial psychiatric interviews, 42 BMT patients were rated by the authors. Results showed strong and significant concordance amongst raters. Retrospective global "level" ratings assigned by each patient's liaison therapist were highly concordant with the record-review generated ratings by the authors, emphasizing the significant convergent validity of the system.
High Surface Area NanoCOT Catalysts on Ni Foam Framework for Efficient Water Electrolysis

We report high surface area NanoCOT catalytic materials built on porous nickel foam for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of complete water splitting. Ni foam was coated with NanoCOT, a highly active material containing carbon, oxygen, and titanium. NanoCOT is synthesized and deposited on Ni foam from facile carbon thermal modification of Fe3+ treated P25 TiO2 nanoparticles in an atmosphere of methane, hydrogen, and nitrogen. Both the cathode and anode are prepared on Ni foam due to its high surface area and open 3D network structure. An alloy of NiMoZn was electrodeposited on Ni foam for HER. In addition to NanoCOT, electrodeposition of amorphous FeOOH was used to promote the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on nickel foam in this study. The enhanced catalytic activities of the as-synthesized electrodes than previously reported NanoCOT electrode on planer substrate are attributed to the nanostructured COT electrode material and high surface area of Ni foam.
Trends and Patterns of Concealed Handgun License Applications: A Multistate Analysis:

Recent waves of legislation have made it much easier for gun owners to obtain a Concealed Handgun License (CHL) and thereby carry their guns in public except when explicitly prohibited. Because dat...
Initial investigation into the optimal dose ratio of conjugated estrogens and bazedoxifene: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 dose-finding study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to explore dose-related endometrial effects of conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene (CE/BZA). METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, phase 2 study, 408 nonhysterectomized, symptomatic (with hot flushes [HFs]) postmenopausal women received ≥1 dose of CE 0.3 or 0.625 mg alone or with BZA 5, 10, or 20 mg/d; placebo; BZA 5 mg/d alone; or CE 0.625 mg with medroxyprogesterone acetate 2.5 mg/d for 84 days. The primary outcome was endometrial thickness on transvaginal ultrasound. HF frequency and severity based on diaries were key secondary outcomes. RESULTS CE 0.625 mg alone increased endometrial thickness compared with placebo (mean 5.5 vs 2.95 mm, P < 0.001); BZA countered this in a dose-related manner such that average thickness with the addition of BZA 5, 10, and 20 mg was 5.99, 4.33, and 3.54 mm, respectively. On average, endometrium was significantly less thick with CE 0.625 mg/BZA 20 mg than CE 0.625 mg (P < 0.001) and CE 0.3 mg/BZA 20 mg versus CE 0.3 mg (2.94 vs 3.92 mm, P < 0.05); endometrial thickness was similar to placebo with CE 0.625 mg/BZA 20 mg. Lower BZA doses failed to reduce endometrial thickness relative to the same dose of CE alone. Regimens containing CE 0.625 mg reduced HF frequency and severity versus placebo; CE 0.3 mg with BZA 10 or 20 mg was ineffective. CONCLUSIONS BZA ≥20 mg is needed to counter endometrial growth resulting from treatment with CE 0.3 or 0.625 mg. CE 0.3 mg inadequately controls HFs if given with BZA 20 mg.
Predictability of irritative voiding symptoms following photoselective laser vaporization of the prostate.

BACKGROUND Photoselective laser vaporization of the prostate (PVP) is recognized as an alternative for the surgical management of BPH. Our experience suggests a higher incidence of persistent irritative symptoms than expected. Characteristics of our population were evaluated to determine whether postoperative symptomatology could be predicted. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed those patients who underwent PVP at our institution between June 2004 and February 2006. Lower urinary tract symptoms as measured by the American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUA-SI) score and quality of life (QoL) score were recorded. In addition, peak urinary flow rate (Qmax) and ultrasound prostate volumes were also measured. PVP was performed using an 80 W KTP side-firing laser (LaserScope, San Jose, CA). Total energy used was recorded. AUA-SI score, QoL and Qmax were monitored at 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS Twenty-nine men were evaluated retrospectively. Their mean AUA-SI score, prostate volume and energy used were 17.8, 49.8 cm3 and 96.8 kJ respectively. At 1 month, 34 % complained of significant urgency, frequency and dysuria. Anticholinergic therapy was initiated in six patients. At 6 months, the number of patients complaining of symptoms decreased to 17% and five of the six patients were no longer requiring therapy. An association between finasteride therapy prior to PVP and post-operative symptoms was identified. In our series, 70% of those patients experiencing persistent symptoms had been managed with finasteride. No association between irritative voiding symptoms, laser energy utilized and volume of treated prostate gland was observed. However, a statistically significant association was noted between persistent irritative voiding symptoms and both lower preoperative AUA-SI scores and preoperative use of finasteride. CONCLUSIONS Although a therapeutic benefit is observed following PVP, persistent irritative voiding symptoms are not uncommon. Lower preoperative AUA-SI scores and treatment with finasteride appear to be associated with bothersome postoperative symptoms. This information can be used to effectively select candidates and to counsel those patients with regard to both the therapeutic objective and expectations related to this procedure.
Acquisition and Use of Mathematical Skills by a Linguistic Chimpanzee

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of acquisition and use of mathematical skills by a linguistic chimpanzee. As of summer, 1976, Lana has demonstrated her competence in answering more and less questions directed toward discrete numbers of variable sizes of washers. As surface area and mass were randomly varied in the selection of the washers on any trial, Lana was only consistently rewarded for correctly labeling number. Lana's high test performance at the 89% level also suggested that number was the cue to which she was responding, especially as her errors occurred on the ratios with large numbers of washers or on the ratios with very similar component portions. The results from the two control tests further suggested that Lana was making her responses based on number of washers. Future mathematical research with Lana includes teaching her the names of precise numbers and the ordinal relationships involved among the numbers 1–10. It is conceivable that mental number manipulation in terms of summing (addition) might already be in Lana's repertoire of mathematical skills. If it is not, it is probable that such operations as addition, subtraction, and intersection can be taught to her as these operations have their correlates in environmental actions and linguistic operations. As Lana is also a language project chimpanzee, it may be possible to delimit the meanings involved in the linguistic operations of and by the mathematical operations of addition and intersection.
Hierarchies of Models in Reactive Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the hierarchies of models in reactive systems. Taylor's asymptotic models are good for times longer than a2/2D. For the reactive case, this poses a limitation as asymptotics is useful only if too much of the reaction has not taken place, for example, if no more than 10% of the reactant is to be consumed, k must be less than D/10a. The use of time-dependent effective coefficients is not very satisfactory as their behavior, before they are constant, depends on the initial conditions. Fife's asymptotic method is more revealing and there is a need for direct computation with an adaptation of some numerical or approximative technique. The need for direct computation with multiple reactions is greater. The asymptotic method is suspected as the same set of exponentials does not necessarily dominate for each concentration. Johns and DeGance's Taylorian equivalent is a reasonable approximation for weak reactions; however, it needs to be proven in more general cases.
Enhanced directional scattering by core-shell microspheres

Highly directional scatterers are designed using coreshell microspheres. Their structural parameters are optimized analytically by genetic algorithm to optimize directional scattering, and the results are verified by finite difference time domain calculations. Using such optimized directional scatterers, the front-to-back ratio and directivity of a dipoleis enhanced to 9 and 4.4 respectively.
Space-time scattering network for electromagnetic inverse design and tomography

Maxwell equations generally explain the propagation of light through an arbitrary medium by using wave mechanics. However, scientific evidence since Newton suggest a discrete interpretation of light more generally explains its nature. This interpretation lends itself well to the discrete form of computer simulation. While current simulations attempt to discretize Maxwell equations, we present an inherently discrete physical model of light propagation that naturally forms a causal space-time scattering network (STSN). STSN has the topology of neural networks, inverse design and tomography based on STSN can be readily implemented in a variety of software and hardware that are optimized for deep learning. Also, STSN inherently includes the physics of light propagation, and hence the number of unknown weights in STSN is at a minimum. We show this property leads to orders of magnitude smaller number of unknown weights, and a much faster convergence, compared with inverse design methods using conventional neural networks. In addition, the intrinsic presence of space-time fabric in STSN allows time-dependent inverse design and tomography. We show examples of the fast convergence of STSN in predicting time-dependent index profiles while avoiding approximations typically used.
Genetic Structure of the Big Summit Herd and Neighboring Wild Horse Populations Inhabiting Herd Management Areas of Oregon

Feral horses roaming North America are distinct not only because of their acclimatization to the wild but also because of their diversified ancestry. The wild horses inhabiting the Ochoco National Forest near Prineville, Oregon, are one of the remaining wild mustang herds and are protected by the Wild Horse and Burro Acts of 1971 and 1978. With deterioration of their rangeland, drought, vegetation conditions, human encroachment, fencing off of grazing lands, competition with wildlife, and other livestock grazing on public lands, a critical balance between conserving the natural ecology of rangelands and protecting and managing the wild horses needs to be monitored. Supplementing traditional visual censuses with genetic analyses can enhance management and conservation efforts because DNA analyses provide insight into the genetic fitness and inbreeding status of the population. The objective of this study was to provide a genetic analysis using noninvasive sample collection methods to assess the genetic health of this small herd and to determine their genetic fitness. A total of 52 individuals from the Big Summit wild horse herd and adjacent herd management areas (HMAs) were genotyped for 17 short tandem repeat (STR) loci, mtDNA haplogroups, and major histocompatibility complex STR loci. Cluster analysis exhibited an admixed population with discernable contribution from Iberian ancestry, the major influence coming from Andalusian and Lusitano breeds. The deficiency of hetero zygosity, a deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, together with a positive inbreeding coefficient for the neutral STRs in the Big Summit population suggested a parallel to an “island population” phenomenon leading to loss of genetic diversity within the herd. These findings improve understanding of the genetic structure of feral herds from different HMAs, which in turn will enable enhanced conservation and management strategies.
Optimization of Electric Discharge Machining Based Processes

The results of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) are characterized through many parameters. These include, material removal rate, surface finish, geometrical accuracy, tool wear, and kerf width. The three main types of EDM, wire, sinker, and micro EDM all have similar characteristics in relation to input parameters and their effects on the results. The typical EDM system is too complex to accurately model the effect of all the parameters together. Therefore, it is necessary to create an optimization algorithm to predict the results of specific input parameters. Various techniques such as Taguchi robust design, grey relational analysis, desirability, genetic algorithm, and neural network etc. have been used for optimization of EDM based processes. This chapter first briefly introduces all the aforementioned optimization processes and comprehensively discusses their implementation and effect for optimization of EDM based processes.
CBFA2/RUNX1 Regulates Human Platelet 12-Lipoxygenase: Studies in Runx1 Haplodeficiency.

Abstract Core binding factor 2 (CBFA2), also known as AML1 and RUNX1, is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of genes involved in hematopoiesis, through highly conserved DNA binding region, called RUNT homology domain (RHD). We have previously reported a patient with a mutation (haplodeficiency) in the conserved region of RUNX1/CBFA2 associated with mild thrombocytopenia and impaired platelet function. Expression profiling of patient platelets revealed ∼5 fold decreased mRNA expression of 12-lipoxygenase (12-LO, gene ALOX12) (Sun L. et al. J Thromb Haemost , 5:146–154, 2006). 12-LO catalyzes 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) production from arachidonic acid (AA) upon platelet activation. We have performed studies to determine whether ALOX-12 is regulated by CBFA2. We studied 12-HETE production in patient platelets and the regulation of ALOX-12 by CBFA2 in human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells treated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) to induce megakaryocytic (MK) transformation. 12-HETE production was decreased in patient platelets in response to 10 U/ml of thrombin (19.5 ng/10 8 platelets, normal subjects: range 29–306, n=9) and 100 μM of arachidonic acid (5.4, normal subjects: 67– 442, n=10). Three CBFA2 consensus binding sites were identified (−1498/−1493, −708/−70, −526/−521 from ATG) by computer analysis within 2 kb of ALOX-12 5′ upstream region. The binding site at −1489 is a 13nt palindromic sequence with two CBFA2 motifs. The other two CBFA2 binding sites at −708 and −526 bp overlap AP2 binding sites. Luciferase reporter studies in HEL cells using a construct carrying ∼ 1600 bp of 5′ upstream region indicate a greater than 10 fold increase in activity in PMA treated HEL cells relative to untreated cells. Truncation at − 873 bp in PMA-treated HEL cells resulted in a ∼10 fold decrease in activity with only minimal decreases with truncations at −705 or −438 to delete the other CBFA2 binding sites. Mutation of each of the putative CBFA2 binding sites individually resulted in 5–10 fold decrease in activity. Gel shift studies using a 30-mer probe (−1507/−1478) and PMA-treated HEL extracts revealed specific protein binding that was eliminated by CBFA2 antibody and by mutating CBFA2 site from TGGGGT to TGCATT. Specific protein binding was observed with probes containing putative CBFA2 sites at −708 and −526, but it was not altered by the antibody. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis using HEL cells demonstrated (PCR amplification) in vivo binding of CBFA2 to ALOX-12 promoter in the region −1507/−1478 but not the other two sites. Conclusions: CBFA2 haplodeficiency is associated with decreased platelet 12-HETE production and 12-LO activity. ALOX-12 is regulated by CBFA2 in megakaryocytes/platelets. These findings are important because of the role of 12-lipoxygenase in platelet arachidonate metabolism and function.
Deep Bayesian Reward Learning from Preferences.

Bayesian inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) methods are ideal for safe imitation learning, as they allow a learning agent to reason about reward uncertainty and the safety of a learned policy. However, Bayesian IRL is computationally intractable for high-dimensional problems because each sample from the posterior requires solving an entire Markov Decision Process (MDP). While there exist non-Bayesian deep IRL methods, these methods typically infer point estimates of reward functions, precluding rigorous safety and uncertainty analysis. We propose Bayesian Reward Extrapolation (B-REX), a highly efficient, preference-based Bayesian reward learning algorithm that scales to high-dimensional, visual control tasks. Our approach uses successor feature representations and preferences over demonstrations to efficiently generate samples from the posterior distribution over the demonstrator's reward function without requiring an MDP solver. Using samples from the posterior, we demonstrate how to calculate high-confidence bounds on policy performance in the imitation learning setting, in which the ground-truth reward function is unknown. We evaluate our proposed approach on the task of learning to play Atari games via imitation learning from pixel inputs, with no access to the game score. We demonstrate that B-REX learns imitation policies that are competitive with a state-of-the-art deep imitation learning method that only learns a point estimate of the reward function. Furthermore, we demonstrate that samples from the posterior generated via B-REX can be used to compute high-confidence performance bounds for a variety of evaluation policies. We show that high-confidence performance bounds are useful for accurately ranking different evaluation policies when the reward function is unknown. We also demonstrate that high-confidence performance bounds may be useful for detecting reward hacking.
‘The shadow of her wings’: Respectability politics and the self-narration of geography:

In engagement with Natalie Oswin’s essay, ‘An Other Geography’, I argue that despite the Southern turn in urban studies, the epistemologies and methodologies of inquiry remain more or less untouche...
Novel Translocation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Case Report and Review of Risk-Stratification and Induction Chemotherapy in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Identification of chromosomal abnormalities in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has contributed substantially to our current understanding of the molecular pathogenesis underlying leukemogenesis, and risk-stratification based on molecular abnormalities both influences treatment strategies and aids in determining prognosis. While over 300 established mutations have been documented in AML, the enhanced availability of genetic analysis and the increase in awareness of uncommon chromosomal translocations have made it possible for rare, apparently unique translocations to become recognized and to ultimately gain prognostic significance. Hence, we present a case of AML with a novel, balanced 2;12 translocation involving breakpoints previously undescribed. Although the patient required second induction, first remission was ultimately achieved. While the prognostic significance of this translocation is not fully elucidated, it is our hope that documentation of this patient's presentation will help to characterize the significance of a yet undefined cytogenetic abnormality in AML.
EphrinA1-Fc Attenuates Ventricular Remodeling and Dysfunction in Chronically Nonreperfused WT but not EphA2-R-M mice.

Background: EphrinA1-Fc abolishes acute I/R injury and attenuates nonreperfused cardiac injury 4 days after permanent occlusion in mice. The goal of this study was to assess the capacity of a single intramyocardial administration of ephrinA1-Fc at the time of coronary artery ligation, to determine the degree to which early salvage effects translate to reduced adverse remodeling after 4 weeks of nonreperfused myocardial infarction (MI) in wild-type B6 and EphA2-R-M (EphA2 receptor null) mice. Methods: At 4 weeks post-MI, echocardiography, histologic and immunohistochemical analyses of B6 mouse hearts were performed. Primary mouse cardiac fibroblasts (FBs) isolated from B6 mice cultured in the presence of low and high dose ephrinA1-Fc, both with and without pro-fibrotic TGF-β stimulation and Western blots, were probed for relative expression of remodeling proteins MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1, in addition to DDR2 and (p)SMAD2/3/totalSMAD2/3. Results: EphrinA1-Fc preserved a significant degree of contractile function, decreased adverse left ventricular remodeling, attenuated excessive compensatory hypertrophy, and decreased interstitial fibrosis in wild-type (WT) B6 mouse hearts. In contrast, most of these parameters were poorer in ephrinA1-Fc-treated EphA2-R-M mice. Of note, fibrosis was proportionately decreased, implying that other EphA receptor(s) are more important in regulating the pro-fibrotic response. Primary FBs showed disparate alteration of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1, as well as DDR2 and p-SMAD2/3/totalSMAD2/3, which indicates that matrix remodeling and cardiac fibrosis in the injured heart are influenced by ephrinA1-Fc. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the capacity of a single administration of ephrinA1-Fc at the onset of injury to attenuate long-term nonreperfused post-MI ventricular remodeling that results in progressive heart failure, and the important role of EphA2 in mitigating the deleterious effects.
An Approach to Automatically Label & Order Brain Activity/Component Maps

Abstract Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a brain imaging technique which provides detailed in-sights into brain function and its disruption in various brain disorders. fMRI data can be analyzed using data-driven or region-of-interest based methods. The data-driven analysis of brain activity maps involves several steps, the first of which is identifying whether the maps capture what might be interpreted as intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) or artifacts. This is followed by linking the ICNs to known anatomical and/or functional parcellations. Optionally, as in the study of functional network connectivity (FNC), rearranging the connectivity graph is also necessary for systematic interpretation. Here we present a toolbox that automates all these processes under minimal or no supervision with high accuracy. We provide a pretrained cross-validated elastic-net regularized general linear model for the noisecloud toolbox to separate the ICNs from artifacts. We include several well-known anatomical and functional parcellations from which researchers can choose to label the activity maps. Finally, we integrate a method for maximizing the within-domain modularity to generate a more systematically structured FNC matrix. We improve upon and integrate existing techniques and new methods to design this toolbox which can take care of all the above needs. Specifically, we show that our pretrained model achieves 89% accuracy and 100% precision at classifying ICNs from artifacts in a validation dataset. Researchers are generating brain imaging data and analyzing brain activity at an ever-increasing rate. The Autolabeller toolbox can help automate such analyses for faster and reproducible research.
“New” State Actors and Conflict-Affected States: Confronting Violence, Shifting Ambitions, and Adjusting Principles

Over the past couple of decades, “new” state actors such as Brazil, China, Russia, India, Turkey and countries of the Arab Gulf among others, have been playing an increasingly prominent role in assistance provision to conflict-affected states. Skeptical of the liberal peacebuilding model, they have emphasized supporting economic development and avoided promoting political reforms, viewing them as too interventionist in domestic affairs of conflict-affected states. Rather, they have emphasized solidarity, cooperation, mutual support, respect for state sovereignty and are committed to non-intervention norms. However, the foreign policies of “new” state actors have been far from static. This article argues that these norms mask more complex relationships between “new” state actors and conflict-affected states. Historically, the “new” actors have tended to adhere less to non-intervention norm in their immediate neighborhood. Now, as they have become more deeply engaged with countries emerging out of violent conflict, have come to aspire to playing more prominent global roles, and the competition between them has risen, their adherence to principles of non-interference has come under strain and to policy shifts regarding issues of peace and security.
Hypoxia Activates Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) via EGFR Activation in Human Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cells

We have previously shown that hypoxia-induced proliferation of human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (hPMVEC) depends on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mediated arginase II induc...
Chapter 23 Future directions: The case for a “law of the atmosphere”

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the need for a law of the atmosphere. International policies for managing the global atmosphere have evolved in an ad hoc and piecemeal manner. The atmosphere is one of the very few examples of a true global commons in that it is a domain that is beyond the exclusive jurisdiction of any one nation, but one that all nations may use for their own purposes. Concerns can be addressed by adopting an incremental approach that would begin with a general framework law that deals with basic declaratory principles. Marvin Soroos has suggested taking the first step toward developing a comprehensive law of the atmosphere based on a declaration on the atmosphere, etc. couched in terms of general principles rather than specific obligations. However, to have a meaningful impact, more would be needed to be done. It would be required to take the subsequent steps toward treaty harmonization by imbedding existing agreements and ongoing negotiations, such as those on transboundary air pollution, ozone depletion, and climate change, within the umbrella of the principles espoused in the framework law. The proposed incremental approach would, over time, systematically mature into binding legal provisions encompassing the general declaratory principles, as well as any imbedded conventions.
Efficient classification from multiple heterogeneous databases

With the fast expansion of computer networks, it is inevitable to study data mining on heterogeneous databases. In this paper we propose MDBM, an accurate and efficient approach for classification on multiple heterogeneous databases. We propose a regression-based method for predicting the usefulness of inter-database links that serve as bridges for information transfer, because such links are automatically detected and may or may not be useful or even valid. Because of the high cost of inter-database communication, MDBM employs a new strategy for cross-database classification, which finds and performs actions with high benefit-to-cost ratios. The experiments show that MDBM achieves high accuracy in cross-database classification, with much higher efficiency than previous approaches.