cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antidepressant choices in primary care: which to use first?

Doctor Hansen is a clinical assistant professor with the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Please address correspondence to: Sherri Hansen, MD, Capitol Associates, LLC, 440 Science Dr, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53711; phone 608.238.5176, ext. 307; fax 608.238.2727; e-mail sherrihansen@tds.net. INTRODUCTION The past 15 years have seen a tremendous growth in the number of new medications to treat a variety of psychiatric disorders. In 1998 fluoxetine (Prozac) was marketed in the United States and ushered in a new era of medication treatments for major depression and anxiety disorders. As of 2000, fluoxetine had reached $2 billion in United States sales and no drug marketed has received as much attention and study. Several other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were marketed soon after and their ease of use, favorable side effect profile, and safety in overdose has made them the first-line pharmacotherapy for mood and anxiety disorders. Along with the SSRIs, other antidepressants with different mechanisms of action have also been marketed and several others are in the final stages of clinical trials. Antidepressants accounted for a staggering global market of $14.5 billion in 2003 and were the third-largest category of prescription medications behind antiulcerants and cholesterol-reducing agents. Numerous choices, however, can lead to confusion over which is the best first-line medication to prescribe for a patient with a mood or anxiety disorder. Despite advances in the treatment of depression and numerous medication options, it is estimated that over 50% of patients with major depressive disorder are not prescribed an adequate dose of antidepressants or are treated not long enough to remission. Spiraling prescription drug costs and increased growth in managed care are restricting drug choices and influencing prescribing practices. The recent FDA warnings reporting the possibility of increased agitation and suicidal behavior in patients prescribed the newer antidepressants also confounds the choice of which drug to use and when. This article reviews the characteristics of the various SSRIs and other newer antidepressants and discusses indications and potential reasons for selecting one over another.
Brain Metastases from Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder

AbstractWe present our experience with 4 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and brain metastases. In all 4 cases a solitary intracranial metastasis occurred. In 3 patients this represented the first site of recurrent disease following systemic chemotherapy. Aggressive therapy of the brain metastases was instituted in 3 patients, including external beam radiation and in 2 cases surgical resection. Although all patients died only 3 died as a result of metastatic transitional cell carcinoma, including 2 who died as a direct result of intracranial disease.A review of the literature suggests an increasing incidence of brain metastases from transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with the advent of more aggressive therapy for bladder cancer, which includes radical surgery for high stage disease and combination chemotherapy. Aggressive intervention for solitary brain metastases from transitional cell carcinoma can relieve neurological dysfunction and may prolong survival.
Mental, neuropsychic, and brain patterns of defense. Neuropsychic defense continua from psychopathology to the particularly human parallel networks that are problematic for artificial intelligence.

The synthesis of psychodynamic and neuroscientific data may be advanced by the study of similarly configured specific patterns of defense along continua from the normal and neurotic mental mechanisms of defenses, through what might be termed neuropsychiatrie defenses influenced by the neurological state, to the more clearly neurological cortical reactions. These similar patterns and continua are the particularly human way brain adds its flavor of organism to mind, and the way in which all the psychodynamic mechanisms are specifically imbedded in brain. A purely psychological psychodynamics lacking this medical perspective fails to model human mental processes and reflects problems with artificial intelligence models that do not model brain. The pathological reactions that we address in psychiatry and neuropsychiatry interfere with and thereby reveal parallel processing features in (1) analogical and metaphorical thinking; (2) reduplication, redundancy, and repetitiveness; (3) self, person, and environment...
Antisense Oligonucleotides for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) are short DNA-like chemicals that bind to RNA by Watson–Crick base pairing and modulate function of the RNA. These chemicals do not cross the blood brain barrier, but may be delivered directly to the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) to achieve widespread distribution throughout the brain and spinal cord. ASO have been used to target genes associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), such as SOD1 and C9orf72 as well as miRNAs. A Phase I trial for SOD1-targeting ASO showed excellent safety and important pharmacodynamics. ASO are a promising therapeutic approach for ALS.
Deep Coverage of Global Protein Expression and Phosphorylation in Breast Tumor Cell Lines Using TMT 10-plex Isobaric Labeling

Labeling peptides with isobaric tags is a popular strategy in quantitative bottom-up proteomics. In this study, we labeled six breast tumor cell lysates (1.34 mg proteins per channel) using 10-plex tandem mass tag reagents and analyzed the samples on a Q Exactive HF Quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. We identified a total of 8,706 proteins and 28,186 phosphopeptides, including 7,394 proteins and 23,739 phosphosites common to all channels. The majority of technical replicates correlated with a R2 ≥ 0.98, indicating minimum variability was introduced after labeling. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of phosphopeptide data sets successfully classified the breast tumor samples into Her2 (epidermal growth factor receptor 2) positive and Her2 negative groups, whereas mRNA abundance did not. The tyrosine phosphorylation levels of receptor tyrosine kinases, phosphoinositide-3-kinase, protein kinase C delta, and Src homology 2, among others, were significantly higher in the Her2 positive than the Her2 negat...
Quantitative molecular fingerprinting with stimulated Raman scattering

Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) is an emerging imaging technique that enables molecular fingerprinting in complicated biological environments. Recent progresses have led to significant improvements in imaging sensitivity and specificity. Here we present technical advances in pushing the hyperspectral imaging capability of SRS and representative applications.
Fatigue of short fiber thermoplastic composites: A review of recent experimental results and analysis

Abstract Cyclic deformation and fatigue behavior of two short fiber thermoplastic composites (SFTCs) under a number of loading and environmental conditions are investigated. The considered environmental effects include those of low and elevated temperatures as well as moisture (or water absorption). Fatigue behavior is also explored under the action of non-zero mean stress (or R ratio) in addition to fully-reversed ( R = −1), as well as various cyclic loading frequencies. Material anisotropy and geometrical discontinuity effects (i.e. stress concentration) are other aspects considered in this study. Mechanisms of fatigue failure are also assessed under environmental effects. Based on experimental observations and analysis, a number of analytical and empirical models are developed for estimating fatigue behavior under different conditions. Empirical equations are presented to characterize self-heating under cyclic loading. Tsai-Hill criterion is applied to account for the effect of fiber orientation on fatigue life. Mean stress effect is corrected with several mean stress parameters and a shift factor of Arrhenius type is defined to characterize the effect of temperature on fatigue life. Two methodologies are presented to estimate fatigue properties based on tensile properties, in addition to approximation of strain-life curves based on load-controlled fatigue data. Estimation of notched fatigue behavior based on smooth (un-notched) fatigue behavior is also presented.
Atomically Precise Gold and Bimetal Nanoclusters as New Model Catalysts

Abstract This chapter summarizes the recent advances in the synthesis and catalytic application of atomically precise gold and bimetal nanoclusters. Such nanoclusters have been structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography and serve as new model catalysts for obtaining atomic/molecular level insights into the catalytic processes, including the precise size-dependent catalytic reactivity and how molecules are adsorbed and activated on the catalytic active sites, as well as the structural sensitivity of the catalyst to the reactions. While this area is still in its infancy, promising work has been reported and demonstrated the catalytic power of atomically precise nanoclusters. The reactions include catalytic oxidation, catalytic hydrogenation, carbon-carbon coupling, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. In addition, the precisely doped Au-M bimetal nanoclusters (M = Ag, Cu, Pt, Pd, etc.) provide a unique opportunity to tune the catalytic reactivity on a truly atom-by-atom basis. Overall, atomically precise nanoclusters hold great promise in the discovery of unique catalytic processes and in advancing the fundamental understanding of catalytic mechanisms at the atomic/molecular level.
Meshing, Element Types, and Element Shape Functions

Abstract In this chapter, we introduce the parameters needed to describe a node and an element. Next we emphasize the concept of using the simplest types of elements in developing a finite element mesh. We then derive, in detail, element shape functions [N] for some of the simplest 1D, 2D, and 3D elements in Cartesian coordinate system. And finally, we introduce the strain–displacement matrix [B], which is derived from the element shape functions.
Diet Quality Associated with Total Sodium Intake among US Adults Aged ≥18 Years—National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2012

Diet quality or macronutrient composition of total daily sodium intake (dNa) <2300 mg/day in the United States (US) is unknown. Using data from 2011-2014 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), we examined 24-h dietary recalls (n = 10,142) from adults aged ≥18 years and investigated how diet composition and quality are associated with dNa. Diet quality was assessed using components of macronutrients and Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI-2010). Associations were tested using linear regression analysis adjusted for total energy (kcal), age, gender, and race/ethnicity. One-day dNa in the lower quartiles were more likely reported among women, older adults (≥65 years old), and lower quartiles of total energy (kcal) (p-values ≤ 0.001). With increasing dNa, there was an increase in the mean protein, fiber, and total fat densities, while total carbohydrates densities decreased. As dNa increased, meat protein, refined grains, dairy, and total vegetables, greens and beans densities increased; while total fruit and whole fruit densities decreased. Modified HEI-2010 total score (total score without sodium component) increased as dNa increased (adjusted coefficient: 0.11, 95% confidence interval = 0.07, 0.15). Although diet quality, based on modified HEI-2010 total score, increased on days with greater dNa, there is much room for improvement with mean diet quality of about half of the optimal level.
Mechanism of Competitive Inhibition and Destabilization of Acidothermus cellulolyticus Endoglucanase 1 by Ionic Liquids

The ability of ionic liquids (ILs) to solubilize cellulose has sparked interest in their use for enzymatic biomass processing. However, this potential is yet to be realized, primarily because ILs inactivate requisite cellulases by mechanisms that are yet to be identified. We used a combination of enzymology, circular dichroism (CD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and molecular dynamics (MD) methods to investigate the molecular basis for the inactivation of the endocellulase 1 (E1) from Acidothermus cellulolyticus by the imidazolium IL 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM][Cl]). Enzymatic studies revealed that [BMIM][Cl] inactivates E1 in a biphasic manner that involves rapid, reversible inhibition, followed by slow, irreversible deactivation. Backbone NMR signals of the 40.5 kDa E1 were assigned by triple resonance NMR methods, enabling monitoring of residue-specific perturbations. 1H-15N NMR titration experiments revealed that [BMIM][Cl] binds reversibly to the E1 active site, indicating that reversible deactivation is due to competitive inhibition of substrate binding. Prolonged incubation with [BMIM][Cl] led to substantial global changes in the 1H-15N heteronuclear single quantum coherence NMR and CD spectra of E1 indicative of protein denaturation. Notably, weak interactions between [BMIM][Cl] and residues at the termini of several helices were also observed, which, together with MD simulations, suggest that E1 denaturation is promoted by [BMIM][Cl]-induced destabilization of helix capping structures. In addition to identifying determinants of E1 inactivation, our findings establish a molecular framework for engineering cellulases with improved IL compatibility.
A Study of Risk-Taking Propensities among Small Business Entrepreneurs and Managers: an Empirical Evaluation

This study investigates the risk-taking propensities of a sample of Vermont small business entrepreneurs and managers. Risk-taking propensities as measured by responses to Kogan-Wallach's risk-taki...
Overview of the Mars 2020 parachute risk reduction activity

In 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) landed safely on the surface of Mars using a supersonic Disk-Gap-Band (DGB) parachute, which was structurally qualified for flight via a subsonic wind tunnel test program. Results of the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerators (LDSD) program have called into question the methodology and principles that form the foundation of the MSL subsonic test program. LDSD discovered that quasi-static subsonic proof loading a parachute via ground testing may not provide canopy stresses that sufficiently bound the stresses experienced during a rapid supersonic inflation at Mars. Additionally, deeper scrutiny of the materials and structural margins present in previously successful supersonic DGBs indicated that the MSL parachute flew with lowest margins of any previous parachute. These factors have increased the perceived risk of reusing a heritage MSL DGB parachute design with a subsonic test program for Mars 2020. To reduce this risk, a series of risk reduction steps were initiated starting in 2016. First, two parachute assemblies have been pursued in parallel: a Build-to-Print (BTP) MSL parachute, designed and manufactured by Pioneer Aerospace Corporation, which maintains the heritage of the successful MSL parachute, and a strengthened parachute, designed and manufactured by Airborne Systems North America, which uses higher strength materials throughout the parachute assembly but maintains the same overall size as the MSL parachute. Second, each parachute system was tested in a subsonic wind tunnel to examine the canopies in their fully inflated state and assess the workmanship of each canopy. Finally, full-scale parachutes from each vendor will experience at least one supersonic inflation at Mars-relevant Mach numbers and atmospheric densities at Earth via a supersonic sounding rocket test campaign. This paper presents high-level details regarding the risk reduction strategy, the two candidate parachute configurations, the ground test program, and the supersonic flight test program, and brief results from each of the test programs.
Some Thoughts on the Interface Between User Interface Management Systems and Application Software

This paper summarizes the keynote presentation in the topical area of the relationship between user interface management systems (UIMS) and application software. K2 were asked to prepare this presentation because of our implementation experiences in a UIMS environment. Accordingly we will focus on our experiences during our implementation effort. But first, we will begin by establishing a working definition of a user interface management system. We will then discuss some desirable capabilities of UIMSs in general, and, finally, the interface to application software in the context of a sample application.
Risk-averse portfolio optimization via stochastic dominance constraints

We consider the problem of constructing a portfolio of finitely many assets whose return rates are described by a discrete joint distribution. We present a new approach to portfolio selection based on stochastic dominance. The portfolio return rate in the new model is required to stochastically dominate a random benchmark. We formulate optimality conditions and duality relations for these models and construct equivalent optimization models with utility functions. Two different formulations of the stochastic dominance constraint: primal and inverse, lead to two dual problems that involve von Neuman–Morgenstern utility functions for the primal formulation and rank dependent (or dual) utility functions for the inverse formulation. The utility functions play the roles of Lagrange multipliers associated with the dominance constraints. In this way our model provides a link between the expected utility theory and the rank dependent utility theory. We also compare our approach to models using value at risk and conditional value at risk constraints. A numerical example illustrates the new approach.
Impact of Marketing Trends on Retail Employee Perceptions of Organizational Climate, Job Satisfaction, and Job Motivation

A study was performed to determine the changes which occurred in employee perceptions of organizational climate, employee satisfaction, and motivational benefits offered by retailers during the period, 1969 to 1977. Results indicated a significant improvement in employee satisfaction, a partial improvement in employee perceptions of motivational climate, and almost no improvement in motivational benefits offered by retailers.
Legislative Malpractice in Drug-Testing Welfare Policies: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health Data

Purpose: This cross-sectional study took two theoretical persectives – legislative malpractice and evidence-based practice – to investigated whether recipients of federal welfare programs are more ...
Anti-immigration sentiment and public opinion on human trafficking

Prior research shows that anti-immigration sentiment affects public opinion about criminal justice problems and solutions. However, we know little about how these sentiments affect public opinion about human trafficking. This paper attempts to fill this gap by examining the role of anti-immigration sentiment in shaping public support for anti-trafficking efforts in the United States. Specifically, this research examines the effect of anti-immigration sentiment on the public’s understanding about vulnerabilities for human trafficking among migrant populations and corresponding support for policies directed at the protection of migrant trafficked persons. This is particularly important because public policies that safeguard migrant trafficked persons have been among the most difficult to pass despite strong support for the governmental prioritization of anti-trafficking efforts overall. Utilizing public opinion data from an original, nationally representative survey experiment of 2000 Americans, this study finds that anti-immigration sentiment (1) is associated with greater recognition of the vulnerability of immigrants to human trafficking victimization; (2) does not impact public support for a general governmental prioritization of human trafficking policies; yet (3) creates less public support for victim services for non-citizen trafficked persons; and (4) stems from differences in political views impacting support for services for immigrant victims. These findings contribute to an understanding of the role of anti-immigration sentiment in public opinion about crime and have implications for policies aimed at improving the identification of and outcomes for migrant trafficked persons.
Quantifying the sensing power of vehicle fleets.

Sensors can measure air quality, traffic congestion, and other aspects of urban environments. The fine-grained diagnostic information they provide could help urban managers to monitor a city’s health. Recently, a “drive-by” paradigm has been proposed in which sensors are deployed on third-party vehicles, enabling wide coverage at low cost. Research on drive-by sensing has mostly focused on sensor engineering, but a key question remains unexplored: How many vehicles would be required to adequately scan a city? Here, we address this question by analyzing the sensing power of a taxi fleet. Taxis, being numerous in cities, are natural hosts for the sensors. Using a ball-in-bin model in tandem with a simple model of taxi movements, we analytically determine the fraction of a city’s street network sensed by a fleet of taxis during a day. Our results agree with taxi data obtained from nine major cities and reveal that a remarkably small number of taxis can scan a large number of streets. This finding appears to be universal, indicating its applicability to cities beyond those analyzed here. Moreover, because taxis’ motion combines randomness and regularity (passengers’ destinations being random, but the routes to them being deterministic), the spreading properties of taxi fleets are unusual; in stark contrast to random walks, the stationary densities of our taxi model obey Zipf’s law, consistent with empirical taxi data. Our results have direct utility for town councilors, smart-city designers, and other urban decision makers.
Feasibility and Challenges of Microsurgical Resection of Colloid Cysts in Patients with Preexisting Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts.

Background Colloid cysts are the most common third ventricular tumor and may present with symptoms related to obstructive hydrocephalus. Although definitive endoscopic or microsurgical resection is the standard of care, patients may receive temporizing ventriculoperitoneal shunts when definitive management is deferred. Subsequent definitive treatment can be challenging because of the ventricular collapse and narrowing of the operative corridor. There is currently no literature evaluating the feasibility of definitive colloid cyst resection in patients with preexisting ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Methods We retrospectively reviewed records for patients undergoing colloid cyst resection between 2009 and 2019 to identify patients with preexisting shunts prior to surgery. Results Three patients had preexisting ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Two patients had been shunted at outside institutions where microsurgical or endoscopic resection was not available. One patient received a shunt from an outside surgeon when she was deemed a poor surgical candidate because of cardiac instability. All 3 patients underwent successful gross total colloid cyst resection via the transcallosal approach without recurrences during a mean follow-up of 4.2 years. All patients had intact cognitive and memory function and returned to work. Conclusions Surgical resection of colloid cysts is possible despite a preexisting ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Because the ventricular space may be collapsed postoperatively because of cerebrospinal fluid diversion, a transcortical route (either endoscopic or microscopic) can be complicated by a small operative corridor with reduced visibility. The transcallosal approach was safe and feasible in these cases for providing midline access with adequate visualization for complete resection despite ventricular collapse.
Delivering Post Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Vaccines in a Pediatrician's Office Versus Specialty Care Setting

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) lose their prior immunity post-allogeneic transplant and need reimmunization post-transplant. Traditionally, immunizations post-HSCT were administered at a pediatrician's office (PO), but studies in adult patients have shown compliance with re-vaccination to be low and no data exists on adherence in pediatrics. An internal audit of HSCT patients who received vaccinations at a PO revealed delays in starting vaccines when eligible, non-completion of the schedule in its entirety happened often, and there was an extended length of time for completion of the schedule. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis Through the establishment of an outpatient re-vaccination clinic (RC) within our transplant center, we aimed to: 1. Increase the percentage of patients starting re-vaccination within one month, after deemed eligible for vaccination by standard immune parameters 2. Decrease the duration of time from start to completion of immunizations as compared with retrospective data 3. Increase the proportion of patients who complete the entire re-vaccination schedule to greater than 90% A post-transplant re-immunization clinic was started at our center and prospective data was been collected for the first year of the clinic's operation (2018) and was compared to a retrospective cohort of patients who were transplanted between 2015-2017. Data collected in both periods included time from vaccine eligibility to start of re-vaccination, proportion completing the entire series, and time from start to completion of series. Findings & Interpretation 55% of post-HSCT patients who received immunizations at a PO from 2015-2017 started within one month of being immune-eligible for vaccines. This increased to 80% when patients were revaccinated through our RC (p = 0.0128).Historically, only 9% of patients re-vaccinated in a PO completed the entire series as compared with 69% completing the schedule in our RC (p Discussion & Implications Establishing a post-HSCT re-vaccination clinic in a transplant center should be considered when delivering immunizations. Time to initiation of vaccines, the proportion of patients completing vaccines, and length of time for completion of series substantially improved all three metrics when delivering vaccines in a specialty RC as compared to in a PO.
Viral growth factor- and STAT3 signaling-dependent elevation of the TCA cycle intermediate levels during vaccinia virus infection

Metabolism is a crucial frontier of host-virus interaction as viruses rely on their host cells to provide nutrients and energy for propagation. Vaccinia virus (VACV) is the prototype poxvirus. It makes intensive demands for energy and macromolecules in order to build hundreds and thousands of viral particles in a single cell within hours of infection. Our comprehensive metabolic profiling reveals profound reprogramming of cellular metabolism by VACV infection, including increased levels of the intermediates of the tri-carboxylic acid (TCA) cycle independent of glutaminolysis. By investigating the level of citrate, the first metabolite of the TCA cycle, we demonstrate that the elevation of citrate depends on VACV-encoded viral growth factor (VGF), a viral homolog of cellular epidermal growth factor. Further, the upregulation of citrate is dependent on STAT3 signaling, which is activated non-canonically at the serine727 upon VACV infection. The STAT3 activation is dependent on VGF, and VGF-dependent EGFR and MAPK signaling. Together, our study reveals a novel mechanism by which VACV manipulates cellular metabolism through a specific viral factor and by selectively activating a series of cellular signaling pathways.
Patterns of Articular Cartilage Thickness in Pediatric and Adolescent Knees: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Study.

Purpose To establish normative values for articular cartilage thickness in pediatric and adolescent knees using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and investigate for any associations with age and skeletal maturity. Methods MRI scans were analyzed in patients 7 to 18 years old without osteochondral lesions, chondral wear/pathology, intra-articular fractures, or history of knee surgery. Measurements of articular cartilage thickness at the patella (medial facet, lateral facet, median ridge), femur (medial condyle, lateral condyle, lateral trochlea), and tibia (medial plateau, lateral plateau) were made on axial, coronal, and sagittal MRI. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate mean cartilage thickness by age and sex. Analysis of variance with repeated measures, analysis of covariance, independent samples t test, and linear regression were performed to determine differences in mean cartilage thickness by anatomic location, sex, physeal status, and age, respectively. Results A total of 240 knee MRI scans were included. Articular cartilage was thickest at the patella and did not vary with age or skeletal maturity. On the femur, articular cartilage was thickest at the lateral trochlea with mean cartilage thickness of 4.4 ± 1.4 mm in male patients and 3.6 ± 1.3 mm in female patients (P < .001). Patients with open distal femoral physes had significantly thicker cartilage at the medial femoral condyle, lateral femoral condyle, and lateral trochlea compared to patients with closing/closed physes (P < .001). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant inverse association between cartilage thickness at the femur and age. Conclusions In pediatric and adolescent knees, articular cartilage is thickest at the patella, where it does not strongly correlate with age. In contrast, there is a strong inverse association between increasing age and articular cartilage thickness of the distal femoral condyles. Clinical Relevance The longitudinal reference data presented in this study can aid in pre-operative interpretation of knee cartilage under pathologic conditions in pediatric and adolescent patients.
Jelani M. Favors. Shelter in a Time of Storm: How Black Colleges Fostered Generations of Leadership and Activism . Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2019. 368p. Hardcover, $29.95 (ISBN 978-1-4696-4833-0).

Shelter in a Time of Storm by Jelani M. Favors explores the story of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and how they fostered student activism. In some ways this critical, but often overlooked, aspect of HBCU history has been part of my own understanding of the schools since childhood. I attended preschool and elementary school on the campus of South Carolina State University (SCSU), an HBCU in Orangeburg, South Carolina. My school lay in sight of Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, which was named in honor of three students—Henry Smith (19), Samuel Hammond Jr. (18), and Delano Middleton (17)—shot and killed by South Carolina Highway Patrolmen during a 1968 student protest of a segregated bowling alley. The “Orangeburg Massacre,” as it came to be known, also resulted in injuries to 28 other protesters, all students from SCSU. While the sit-ins staged by the Greensboro Four or organizations like Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) might be the most well-known example of HBCU student activism, the truth is that the tradition of protest goes back much further. For those familiar with HBCUs or those with no prior knowledge of Black colleges, Shelter provides a powerful, insightful examination of the critical role HBCUs have played in fostering generations of foot soldiers in the struggle for freedom.
Annotation-Efficient Semantic Segmentation with Shape Prior Knowledge

Deep learning methods have achieved great success on semantic segmentation in recent years. But the training typically relies on large-scale fully-annotated ground truth masks, which are difficult to obtain in practice. In this research, we study the problem of reducing the annotation cost of segmentation network training with a focus on exploring the shape prior knowledge of objects. Under the context of three applications, we study three types of shape priors. Specifically, we first exploit the implicit shape prior of curve structures to propose a weakly supervised curve structure segmentation method, and then explicitly formulate the shape prior of anatomical structures as loss functions to propose a one-shot anatomical structures segmentation network. Last, we try to generalize the shape constraint to arbitrary objects to propose a class-agnostic few-shot segmentation framework. Experiment results show that our methods could achieve comparable or better performance than fully supervised segmentation methods with less annotation costs on the studied applications.
Noise Effects in the Locking of Supermodes (Statistical Effects in Laser Modelocking)

The Adler equation of oscillator-locking [1] supplemented by noise [2] has been the subject of numerous studies. It describes the behavior of the phase of a single-mode oscillator. We present briefly the analysis of locking and noise in a multimode system, a passively modelocked laser oscillator and show that the Adler equation results for the phase of the modelocked pulse when its timing is controlled by an external drive. The analysis is of interest in its own right because it makes use of expansions in terms of properly defined eigenfunctions-- a method applicable to systems with a large number of degrees of freedom.
Cues for Diotic and Dichotic Detection of a 500-Hz Tone in Noise Vary with Hearing Loss

Hearing in noise is a challenge for all listeners, especially for those with hearing loss. This study compares cues used for detection of a low-frequency tone in noise by older listeners with and without hearing loss to those of younger listeners with normal hearing. Performance varies significantly across different reproducible, or “frozen,” masker waveforms. Analysis of these waveforms allows identification of the cues that are used for detection. This study included diotic (N0S0) and dichotic (N0Sπ) detection of a 500-Hz tone, with either narrowband or wideband masker waveforms. Both diotic and dichotic detection patterns (hit and false alarm rates) across the ensembles of noise maskers were predicted by envelope-slope cues, and diotic results were also predicted by energy cues. The relative importance of energy and envelope cues for diotic detection was explored with a roving-level paradigm that made energy cues unreliable. Most older listeners with normal hearing or mild hearing loss depended on envelope-related temporal cues, even for this low-frequency target. As hearing threshold at 500 Hz increased, the cues for diotic detection transitioned from envelope to energy cues. Diotic detection patterns for young listeners with normal hearing are best predicted by a model that combines temporal- and energy-related cues; in contrast, combining cues did not improve predictions for older listeners with or without hearing loss. Dichotic detection results for all groups of listeners were best predicted by interaural envelope cues, which significantly outperformed the classic cues based on interaural time and level differences or their optimal combination.
Catherine Malabou’s Plasticity in Translation

Translating Catherine Malabou’s La Plasticite au soir de l’ecriture: Dialectique, destruction, deconstruction (2005) for its 2009 English publication, I was struck by how suggestive Malabou’s concept of plasticity is for a reworking of conventional notions of translation. In this philosophical autobiography of her encounters with Hegel, Heidegger, and Derrida, Malabou introduces “plasticity,” suggesting that the more contemporary notion of plasticity supersede Derrida’s proposal of writing as motor scheme. Reviewing and developing Derrida’s innovative discussions of translation, this article argues that the giving, receiving, exploding, and regenerating of form described by plasticity changes change, and therefore alters the transformation that is translation. Adapting Malabou’s philosophical concept to the field of translation studies, I make a distinction between elastic translation and plastic translation, which allows us to break free of paradigms of equivalence that have for so long constrained translation theories and practice. While plasticity drives Malabou’s philosophical intervention in relation to identity and gender, it also enables a productive reconceptualization of translation, one which not only privileges seriality and generativity over narratives of nostalgia for a lost original, but which also forges connections across different identity discourses on translation.
Densification and Mechanical Properties of Reaction Sintered Al2O3‐MgO‐CaO Refractory

For the purpose to reduce the high cost and heat storage loss of Al2O3-MgO bricks used as ladle linings, Al2O3-MgO-CaO bricks with lower theoretical density were fabricated and the densification behavior as well as mechanical property of this refractory was investigated. With addition of CaO, the initial sintering temperature of Al2O3-MgO refractory was decreased from 1300 to 1100°C associated with the expansive formation of CA2, and the compressive strength was also enhanced owing to the formation of bond linkage between CA6 and spinel. At high temperature, brick with 4% CaO content showed poor sinterability with high porosity because of the formation of platelet structure of CA6 grains, whereas brick with 8% CaO content was well sintered with higher relative density but lower bulk density than Al2O3-MgO brick, indicating that the densification as well as lightweight of Al2O3-MgO refractory was effectively promoted.
Oscillation inequalities for rectangles

In this paper we extend previously obtained results on LP norm inequalities (1 < p < oo) for square functions, oscillation and variation operators, with Z actions, to the case of Zd actions. The technique involves the use of a result about vector valued maximal functions, due to Fefferman and Stein, to reduce the problem to a situation where we can apply our previous results.
Development of New Iridium Alloy for Spark Plug Electrodes

From the view of suppressing the global warming and environmental pollution, responding to the regulation of fuel consumption and exhaust gases along with lengthening the maintenance interval, are becoming more demanded. The development of a high-performance, long life spark plug has become essential in response to these demands. While improve performance (high ignitability and low required voltage), the discharge part of the spark plug needs to be reduced in size. But, in the past this has been difficult because of the limitations of platinum alloys in terms of wear. It has been difficult to achieve both smaller discharge parts and longer life. To dramatically improve wear resistance, we researched materials that are both resistant to oxidation and have a high melting point. This research resulted in our development of a new iridium alloy. Through this development we have been able to produce an iridium spark plug that surpasses the conventional platinum technology. The new iridium spark plug is now being used in high volume vehicle production. This paper is divided into the following three parts and describes the development of the new generation of iridium spark plugs. Chapter 1: Introduction The need for smaller electrode diameter and longer life spark plugs and related issues Chapter 2: Development of Electrode Materials History of the development of the new iridium alloy Chapter 3: Application in Spark Plugs 1. High-performance and maintenance free spark plugs 2. Super high-performance spark plugs CHAPTER
Proteomic evaluation of mammary glands of adult rats exposed prenatally to TCDD

4460 In 2005, an estimated 211,240 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed. With only 5–10% of breast cancer cases being attributed to hereditary causes, other causative factors must account for the high incidence of breast cancer. Hormonally active xenobiotics, due to their ability to disrupt normal endocrine signaling, may play a role in breast cancer causation. One such compound, 2,3,7,8-trichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), has been linked to reproductive abnormalities, decreased immune function, and carcinogenesis in animal models. We have previously shown that prenatal exposure to TCDD resulted in an increased incidence of mammary tumor development in a dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) model of rodent mammary cancer. Analysis of mammary gland maturation at 50 days postpartum (time of DMBA exposure) showed that prenatal exposure to TCDD altered the normal mammary gland morphology, resulting in a greater number of terminal end buds, the immature structures most susceptible for carcinogenesis, and fewer lobules, the mature structures that are least susceptible to carcinogenesis. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms responsible for these changes, we have employed the use of discovery proteomics. Pregnant dams were administered 3 ng TCDD/g BW ( n = 8) or equal volume of sesame oil/g BW ( n = 8) on day 15 post-conception. Offspring were sacrificed and mammary glands were collected 50 days post-partum. Mammary glands were homogenized and proteins were separated via two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Gel spots were matched and analyzed using Progenesis Discovery software, and the identities of differentially regulated proteins common to all gels were established by mass spectrometry. In day 50 animals, six proteins were found to be differentially regulated. Albumin and Rho GDI were found to be upregulated, and γ-fibrinogen, γ-Actin 1, RASP1, Superoxide Dismutase 1 (SOD1), and Transthyretin were down-regulated. Of particular interest is the down-regulation of SOD1. As SOD1 is involved in the detoxication of superoxide anion radicals, a down-regulation in the mammary gland could provide an environment ill-equipped to deal with subsequent free radical exposure. Without the first step of superoxide anion radical detoxication functioning at full capacity, mammary cells may be kept in a state of vulnerability, thereby increasing the possibility of cellular transformation occurring. In our model, while TCDD would not be directly causing cancer, it would be setting up a molecular environment in which the mammary gland is much more susceptible to carcinogenesis by later carcinogen exposure. Supported by NIH 1 R21, ES012326, and NIH 1 U01 ES012771.
Novel applications of external anal sphincter muscle sarcomere length to enhance the anal canal function

Background Our recent studies show that the external anal sphincter muscle (EAS) operates at a sarcomere length range which is below optimal. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that by surgically increasing sarcomere length and bringing it close to the optimal length, EAS muscle function and anal canal pressure can be enhanced. Methods Rabbits (n = 25) were anesthetized and subjected to either a sham or an EAS plication of different length by placing sutures at two locations, at a distance of 13%, 20%, 28%, or 35% of the circumferential length of the anal canal. Anal canal pressures were recorded before and after the plication. Anal canal was harvested and the EAS muscle sarcomere length was measured using laser diffraction. Key Results Electrical stimulation of the EAS muscle resulted in a stimulus-dependent increase in the anal canal pressure (mmHg) and EAS muscle stress (mN mm−2). A significant increase in maximal pressure (212 ± 13 after compared with 139 ± 22 before plication) as well as stress (166 ± 10 after as compared with 88 ± 14 before plication) was recorded at 20% plication length. Passive anal canal stress at 20% plication was not significantly different compared with the sham group. The mean sarcomere lengths with sham and 20% plication were 2.11 and 2.60 μm, respectively. Conclusions & Inferences EAS plication resulted in a length-dependent increase in EAS muscle sarcomere length with an optimal sarcomere length at 20% plication. These considerations may help guide repair of anal sphincter muscle defects in the humans.
Self-Reported HIV Antibody Testing Among Latino Urban Day Laborers

Objective To identify the characteristics of male Latino urban day laborers who self-report having tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 356 Latino day laborers, aged 18 to 40 years, who had been sexually active in the previous 12 months, from 6 day labor sites in the City of Los Angeles. Results Most of the men were single, mainly from Mexico and Guatemala, and had been employed as a day laborer for fewer than 3 years; 38% had an annual income of $4000 or less. Ninety-two percent of the men reported having sex with women only, and 8% reported a history of having sex with men and women. Forty-six percent had received an HIV test in the previous 12 months and 1 person tested positive. In univariate logistic regression analyses, day laborers who were aged 26 years or older, had more than 3 years in the United States, had more than 1 year but fewer than 5 years employed as a day laborer, and had annual incomes greater than $4000 were significantly more likely to self-report HIV testing in the previous 12 months. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, only higher annual income was found to be significantly associated with self-reported HIV testing. Discussion Interventions that target lower-income Latino day laborers are needed to promote early HIV detection. HIV detection offers individual benefits through treatment, with decreased morbidity and mortality, as well as public health benefits through decreased rates of HIV transmission in the community.
Quantitative sonographic feature analysis of clinical infant hypoxia: a pilot study.

PURPOSE To determine whether textural features derived from sonographic pixel intensities differ significantly between healthy infants and infants who have had acute clinical hypoxic episodes. METHODS Neurosonographic and calibration phantom-processed image data were evaluated prospectively from 9 infants (age range, 1 to 163 days) with at least 1 episode of hypoxia and compared with image data from a control population of 16 healthy infants (age range, 1 to 191 days). Custom software was used to make 45 textural feature measurements on 40 x 40-pixel regions of interest within brain parenchyma in the distribution of each major cerebral artery, the thalami, and the cerebellum and in a tissue-mimicking calibration phantom. Means comparison testing was followed by logistic regression to assess statistical variation between the patients and the control group. RESULTS Nine of 45 textural features showed statistically significant differences between mean values comparing the two groups. Mean gray level was the most sensitive predictor of differences between the two populations (mean gray level for healthy subjects was 46.8; mean gray level for patients was 56.3). An average of mean gray values in areas supplied by the posterior cerebral arteries and the cerebellum was even more sensitive for differentiating healthy subjects from patients. CONCLUSIONS Quantitative sonographic textural feature analysis showed differences between the brains of healthy infants and those of infants with clinical hypoxia.
Symbolic protocol analysis with an Abelian group operator or Diffie-Hellman exponentiation

We demonstrate that for any well-defined cryptographic protocol, the symbolic trace reachability problem in the presence of an Ahelian group operator (e.g., multiplication) can be reduced to solvability of a decidable system of quadratic Diophantine equations. This result enables complete, fully automated formal analysis of protocols that employ primitives such as Diffie-Hellman exponentiation, multiplication, and xor, with a bounded number of role instances, but without imposing any bounds on the size of terms created by the attacker.
Using the Access Grid as a testbed for network management research

There are many open issues in the field of network management. System data and/or operational experience can provide insight into these issues. Researchers often do not have access to such data or practical experience. To overcome this, we propose using the Access Grid as a testbed for network management research. The Access Grid is a multimedia collaboration environment that utilizes many different network technologies. We are using the Access Grid to collect data, gain operational experience and evaluate new management techniques.