cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Iterative Carrier Frequency Offset and Channel Estimation for Underwater Acoustic OFDM Systems

This paper presents a practical low-density parity-check (LDPC) coded OFDM system designed for the underwater acoustic channel with its attendant sparse multipath channel and Doppler effects. The carrier frequency offset (CFO) and channel state information (CSI) are assumed unavailable to both to the transmitter and the receiver. Several different receiver structures are considered, all of which perform CFO/channel estimation, detection and decoding in an iterative manner. The convergence behavior of the iterative receivers and their asymptotic performance are evaluated using the extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart method. OFDM receiver performance is further evaluated through simulations and field tests in shallow water.
Severe epistaxis in patients on extracorporeal membranous oxygenator support occurrence and management.

We would like to thank Dr. Mazzeffi and colleagues (1) for the comments on our recently published article entitled “Extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) review of a lifesaving technology” (2), as well as reporting their own data regarding severe epistaxis during ECMO support. We agree that bleeding is a frequently encountered complication during ECMO support with reported rates ranging from 10-30%. Bleeding may also occur at surgical sites, cannula sites, or sites of previous invasive procedures. Intrathoracic, abdominal, or retroperitoneal hemorrhage may also occur (2). Case reports of epistaxis associated with ECMO support have been seen in the literature (3,4). Harrison et al. (5) reported 11 patients (30% of all their ECMO series) with aerodigestive bleeding. Among these, seven patients experienced nose or nasopharyngeal bleeding and a total of eight patients needed nasal packing.
Expert Review of Histologic Slides and Papanicolaou Tests in the Context of Litigation or Potential Litigation

Review of histologic sections and cytologic smears is often a key component of civil litigation in cases of alleged negligence or medical malpractice. While the outcome of such cases may hinge on the testimony of expert witnesses, determining who is qualified to serve as an expert in such cases is generally left to the court. The Board of Governors of the College of American Pathologists has adopted separate statements for review of histologic slides and Papanicolaou (Pap) tests that outline some of the issues that should be considered in this context. These guidelines were developed in an effort to ensure accuracy and fairness in expert testimony when histologic or cytologic slides are reviewed as part of litigation.
Pesticide Use and Food Safety

Surveys by the Food Marketing Institute, Vance Publishing Co., and Kansas State University, among others, have found that many consumers have become concerned about food safety. Their concern extends beyond the occurrence of natural components such as sodium or saturated fats to the presence of pesticide residues, additives, or contaminants. Fresh fruits and vegetables have come under particularly close scrutiny because of the chemicals used to control pests such as harmful insects, plant diseases, and noxious weeds. The problem is intensifying because of the emergence of new pests and of strains resistant to existing chemicals, while the development and testing of new control measures that meet safety standards is becoming more difficult and expensive. Concern is also growing about other effects of chemical pesticide use such as groundwater contamination and hazardous working conditions on farms.
Acoustic vibrations contribute to the diffuse scatter produced by ribosome crystals

The diffuse scattering pattern produced by frozen crystals of the 70S ribosome from Thermus thermophilus is as highly structured as it would be if it resulted entirely from domain-scale motions within these particles. However, the qualitative properties of the scattering pattern suggest that acoustic displacements of the crystal lattice make a major contribution to it.
Emerging proteomic technologies provide enormous and underutilized potential for brain cancer research

High-throughput technologies present immense opportunities to characterize brain cancer biology at a systems level. However, proteomic studies of brain cancers are still relatively scarce. Here we discuss the latest proteomic technologies, their application to profiling and quantitation of brain proteomes and how we expect these technologies will be applied to study brain cancer proteomes in the future. Mass spectrometry based proteomics with increased specificity, coverage and throughput will be pervasive in proteomics investigations of brain. Generated data needs to be captured by the curation of databases, and application of creative data analysis strategies is needed to provide meaningful insights into brain functions and associated pathologies. Overall, proteomics applications to brain cancers are in the earliest stages and the expanded use of these technologies holds enormous potential to improve our understanding of brain functions and pathologies.
Attribute Based Group Key Management

Attribute based systems enable fine-grained access control among a group of users each identified by a set of attributes. Secure collaborative applications need such flexible attribute based systems for managing and distributing group keys. However, current group key management schemes are not well designed to manage group keys based on the attributes of the group members. In this paper, we propose novel key management schemes that allow users whose attributes satisfy a certain access control policy to derive the group key. Our schemes efficiently support rekeying operations when the group changes due to joins or leaves of group members. During a rekey operation, the private information issued to existing members remains unaffected and only the public information is updated to change the group key. Our schemes are expressive; they are able to support any monotonic access control policy over a set of attributes. Our schemes are resistant to collusion attacks; group members are unable to pool their attributes and derive the group key which they cannot derive individually. Experimental results show that our underlying constructs are efficient and practical.
Formulas for Primes

Formulas fascinate. Not everyone, of course, and not even every mathematician, but for some an array of symbols containing an equals sign has more allure and power than the same thing expressed in any other way. The reason for this probably sprouts in one's mathematical infancy, when we discover that manipulating symbols and using formulas can actually give us answers to problems. To the immature mathematical mind it seems almost magical; it seems as if we are getting something for nothing! First loves are not forgotten, so it is no surprise that a love of formulas, conscious or not, should persist into a person's mathematical adulthood. Primes fascinate. Not everyone, of course, and not even every mathematician, but for some, contemplating their irregular but tantalizing not-quite-random march through the integers can lead to mystical experiences, or at least a desire to find some order in their chaos. Some victims of both of these fascinations look for formulas: formulas for p,, the nth prime, or formulas for ' ( n), the number of primes less than or equal to n, or formulas which give prime values exclusively. It is
Methodology for the Development of Thermodynamic Models Describing Substances That Exhibit Complex Association Interactions

This work describes a methodology for the development of a thermodynamic model describing the substances that show strong self- and cross-association interactions. The methodology is fundamentally ...
Video-SAR using higher order Taylor terms for differential range

The backprojection algorithm has several advantages over Doppler based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image formation. These advantages have made it a standard choice for video-SAR, where measurements from airborne radars are continuously received and processed into imagery. Backprojection provides higher fidelity throughout the entire image, has greater flexibility of the image and flight path orientations, and is inherently immune to geometric distortions due to plane wave assumptions. Furthermore, the parallel nature of backprojection makes it ideally suited for implementation on general purpose graphical processing units (GPUs). However, GPUs are often designed for optimum single-precision performance and relatively slow double-precision performance. Backprojection relies on computing the differential range (Afi) from every array position to every pixel, typically requiring a large number of double-precision operations. It has been suggested to exploit the first-order Taylor coefficients of AR, i.e., the far-field linear approximation, carried out using single-precision operations at the expense of significant image quality degradation. In this work we show that the single-precision, second-order Taylor approximation of AR yields a significant performance advantage over the double-precision square roots, while maintaining superior image quality. Geometric precision errors are estimated using third-order coefficients and verified numerically using simulations. SAR images are qualitatively compared using data collected by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI).
Characterization of 5-HT1 Binding Site Subtypes Labelled by [3H]-5-Hydroxytryptamine

The first radioligand used in an attempt to label receptors for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors in the CNS was [3H]-5-HT (March-banks, 1966). It was not until 1976, however, that a specific population of high-affinity, saturable binding sites in brain membranes was identified using this radioligand by Bennett and Snyder (1976). In 1979, it was determined that the binding sites labelled by [3H]-5-HT were distinct from a second class of 5-HT binding sites labelled by [3H]-spiperone (Peroutka and Snyder, 1979; Peroutka et al., 1981). The sites labelled by [3H]-5-HT were designated 5-HT1 binding sites, and initially were believed to be homogeneous.
Experimental techniques for the plastic deformation of metal foils in the electron microscope

Several investigators have found that individual dislocations are visible when suitable thin metal foils are viewed using transmission electron microscopy (1–3). The dislocations can be made to move through the films under the action of stresses, produced by the local heating effect of a high intensity electron beam. This experiment, is particularly successful when carried out with films which have a high dislocation density as produced by plastic deformation prior to the electrolytic polishing. In the present investigation a different technique is used; namely, previously undeformed films of about 1000 A in thickness are strained in the electron microscope. In this way it is possible to study the behavior of dislocations at all strains (4). In the following, the experimental aspects of such an investigation are described.
Efficiency Gains in Rank‐ordered Multinomial Logit Models

This paper considers estimation of discrete choice models when agents report their ranking of the alternatives (or some of them) rather than just the utility maximizing alternative. We investigate the parametric conditional rank-ordered Logit model. We show that conditions for identification do not change even if we observe ranking. Moreover, we fill a gap in the literature and show analytically and by Monte Carlo simulations that efficiency increases as we use additional information on the ranking.
Relation of Cognitive Proficiency to Epilepsy Focus

Investigators at Children’s Memorial Hospital/Northwestern University School of Medicine Epilepsy Center, Chicago, and Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea examined the relationship of cognitive proficiency (CP) to general intellectual ability (GA) and seizure focus by retrospective chart review of 90 children (aged 6-18 years) with epilepsy, video-EEG recording, MRI, and neuropsychological testing (WISC-IV).
A remark on non-integral p -adic slopes for modular forms

Abstract We give a sufficient condition, namely “Buzzard irregularity”, for there to exist a cuspidal eigenform which does not have integral p -adic slope.
Massive localized lymphedema of the mons: the pi-cut technique

Massive localized lymphedema (MLL) is a form of secondary lymphedema caused by obstruction of lymphatic flow seen in morbidly obese patients. Common areas for the large mass include the abdomen, suprapubic region, scrotum, and thigh. Skin changes and the sheer size cause significant morbidity. Described as a benign lymphoproliferative overgrowth, MLL if left untreated can progress to angiosarcoma. The key to resection is minimizing blood loss and the key to reconstruction is to reconstruct utilizing the principles of vulvar esthetic subunits. For hemostasis, a tourniquet is used around the base of the mass and infiltration with wetting solution is injected. Reconstruction with the “pi-cut” technique, so named because of its resemblance to the mathematical symbol of pi, allows closure along the vulvar esthetic subunits. To illustrate our surgical technique, we present a case of MLL of the mons veneris in a 53-year-old woman with a BMI (body mass index) of 78 kg/m2. The specimen weighed approximately 17.5 kg, the heaviest MLL of the mons veneris described in the literature. Our resection technique and pi-cut closure technique allowed for minimal blood loss and postoperative morbidity and an esthetic closure respecting the vulvar esthetic subunits. MLL of the mons veneris can be successfully and safely resected with an esthetic result using our technique. Level of Evidence: Level V, therapeutic study.
Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of a Thermally Buckled Aircraft Panel Using NNMs

Many thin walled structures experience a combination of static thermal stress and large amplitude dynamic loads. From a dynamic perspective, the heating can change both the linear and nonlinear properties of the system so that completely different responses may be obtained (e.g. they may snap through rather than exhibiting a simple hardening nonlinearity). This work uses the “cold modes” approach to create various reduced order models of one panel from a concept hypersonic vehicle; heating is assumed to change only the linear natural frequencies of the panel, but not the mode shapes or geometrically nonlinear effects. The resulting reduced order models are studied by computing their nonlinear normal modes and their response subject to a random dynamic pressure. The comparisons reveal that much can be inferred about the response from the nonlinear modes.
Driverless vehicle security: Challenges and future research opportunities

Abstract As self-driving vehicles become increasingly popular, new generations of attackers will seek to exploit vulnerabilities introduced by the technologies that underpin such vehicles for a range of motivations (e.g. curiosity, criminally-motivated, financially-motivated and state-sponsored). For example, vulnerabilities in self-driving vehicles may be exploited to be used in terrorist attacks such as driving into places of mass gatherings (i.e. using driverless vehicles as weapons to cause death or serious bodily injury). This survey presents a categorized summary of security methodologies developed to secure sensing, positioning, vision, and network technologies that can be equipped in driverless-vehicles. These technologies have the potential to benefit their security from tailored machine learning models. Future research opportunities are also identified.
Community climate change beliefs, awareness, and actions in the wake of the September 2013 flooding in Boulder County, Colorado

Scholars and activists alike contend that extreme weather events may provide the best opportunity for raising public awareness and perhaps even instigating action related to climate change. We explore whether the September 2013 floods were associated with local climate change beliefs and actions after the event via an in-depth case study in Boulder County, CO. Based on analysis of local newspapers and policy documents, responses from an event-specific survey, and semi-structured interviews, we show that Boulder County residents readily connected the flooding event to climate change despite competing scientific claims about the link. Moreover, while the event did not necessarily alter existing climate change beliefs, it did create a greater sense of vulnerability to and increased awareness of the risks posed by climate change. In terms of climate change action after the event, residents and policymakers appeared to place a greater emphasis on adaptation to future extreme events, with a focus on building resilience through social capital. Yet, we also uncovered a complex relationship between social capital and resilience, particularly in terms of the impact of the event on already marginalized and vulnerable populations. This study adds to a growing body of research on climate change beliefs and actions in the wake of extreme weather events.
Eroding productivity of walleye populations in northern Wisconsin lakes

Managing fisheries through rapid environmental change requires diverse approaches for identifying and adapting to novel ecological conditions. For the Wisconsin Ceded Territory, we calculated 473 a...
Large left main coronary artery aneurysm with fistula to the right atrium.

Coronary artery fistula can present as a rare congenital anomaly or can be formed after chest trauma, repeated insult to the heart by coronary angiography, endomyocardial biopsy (iatrogenic), or may be idiopathic in nature.
ZEITLUPE and the Control of Circadian Timing

The 24-h timing system known as the circadian clock regulates a wide range of physiological and developmental processes in plants. For this system to be relevant to the plant a close connection to the environment is essential.The entrainment of the central circadian pacemaker requires that the circadian system be responsive to the photocycles and thermocycles that the plant experiences each day with the rising and setting of the sun. This information is conveyed to the mechanism of a central oscillator, which sets the pace of the circadian system. One or more signaling pathways lead outward from the oscillator to control the period and phase of the various clock-controlled processes. At a molecular level the oscillator(s) is an autoregulatory transcription/translation feedback system, with one or more interlocked molecular loops ([Young and Kay 2001]).
Evidence for H (D) ordering in PdH/sub x/ (PdD/sub x/)

Resistivity, annealing, and neutron-diffraction studies of $\mathrm{Pd}{\mathrm{H}}_{x}$ and $\mathrm{Pd}{\mathrm{D}}_{x}$ provide evidence for ordering of the H and D atoms on the octhaderal interstitial sublattice. Neutron diffraction results on a Pd${\mathrm{D}}_{0.76}$ single crystal indicate that the D atoms order on the fcc interstitial lattice with every fifth (4,2,0) plane vacant and all others filled, corresponding to the ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{4}$Mo structure.
An Immobilized Protamine System for Removing Heparin in Extracorporeal Blood Circulation

Extracorporeal blood circulation (ECBC) has become one of the most frequently employed medical procedures in recent years. Approximately twenty million such procedures are performed each year. It requires heparin to provide blood compatibility. However, heparin employed in this procedure often leads to a high incidence of hemorrhagic complications. To avoid such complications, it is generally accepted in clinical practice to administer protamine, a heparin antagonist, at the conclusion of the ECBC procedure to neutralize the anticoagulant activity of heparin. Unfortunately, intravenous administration of protamine can cause adverse responses such as hypotension and shock. To date, there has been no real alternatives to control the bleeding risks associated with systemic use of heparin and the adverse effects resulting from heparin neutralization with protamine. We suggest a novel approach which would potentially control both heparin and protamine induced complications. The approach consists of placing a filter device containing immobilized protamine at the distal end of an ECBC procedure. Such a filter would remove heparin before heparin is returned to the patient.
Communicating Divine Ineffability through Paratext: How the Bible Means More than Its Words

AbstractIn this article I draw attention to a non-philosophical dimension of divine ineffability communicated as religious information through paratext, defined here as visual aspects of textual pr...
The chaperone SmgGDS-607 has a dual role, both activating and inhibiting farnesylation of small GTPases

Ras family small GTPases undergo prenylation (such as farnesylation) for proper localization to the plasma membrane, where they can initiate oncogenic signaling pathways. Small GTP-binding protein GDP-dissociation stimulator (SmgGDS) proteins are chaperones that bind and traffic small GTPases, although their exact cellular function is unknown. Initially, SmgGDS proteins were classified as guanine nucleotide exchange factors, but recent findings suggest that SmgGDS proteins also regulate prenylation of small GTPases in vivo in a substrate-selective manner. SmgGDS-607 recognizes the polybasic region and the CAAX box of several small GTPases and inhibits prenylation by impeding their entry into the geranylgeranylation pathway. Here, using recombinant and purified enzymes for prenylation and protein-binding assays, we demonstrate that SmgGDS-607 differentially regulates farnesylation of several small GTPases. SmgGDS-607 inhibited farnesylation of some proteins, such as DiRas1, by sequestering the protein and limiting modification catalyzed by protein farnesyltransferase (FTase). We found that the competitive binding affinities of the small GTPase for SmgGDS-607 and FTase dictate the extent of this inhibition. Additionally, we discovered that SmgGDS-607 increases the rate of farnesylation of HRas by enhancing product release from FTase. Our work indicates that SmgGDS-607 binds to a broad range of small GTPases and does not require a PBR for recognition. Together, these results provide mechanistic insight into SmgGDS-607–mediated regulation of farnesylation of small GTPases and suggest that SmgGDS-607 has multiple modes of substrate recognition.
Neuroadhesive protein coating improves the chronic performance of neuroelectronics in mouse brain.

Abstract Intracortical microelectrodes are being developed to both record and stimulate neurons to understand brain circuitry or restore lost functions. However, the success of these probes is hampered partly due to the inflammatory host tissue responses to implants. To minimize the foreign body reactions, L1, a brain derived neuronal specific cell adhesion molecule, has been covalently bound to the neural electrode array surface. Here we evaluated the chronic recording performance of L1-coated silicon based laminar neural electrode arrays implanted into V1m cortex of mice. The L1 coating enhanced the overall visually evoked single-unit (SU) yield and SU amplitude, as well as signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) in the mouse brain compared to the uncoated arrays across the 0–1500 μm depth. The improvement in recording is most dramatic in the hippocampus region, where the control group showed severe recording yield decrease after one week, while the L1 implants maintained a high SU yield throughout the 16 weeks. Immunohistological analysis revealed significant increases of axonal and neuronal density along with significantly lowered microglia activation around the L1 probe after 16 weeks. These results collectively confirm the effectiveness of L1 based biomimetic coating on minimizing inflammatory tissue response and improving neural recording quality and longevity. Improving chronic recording will benefit the brain-computer interface technologies and neuroscience studies involving chronic tracking of neural activities.
Glutathione S-transferase: A Candidate Gene for Berry Color in Muscadine Grapes (Vitis rotundifolia)

Abstract Muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) are a specialty crop cultivated in the southern United States. Muscadines (2n=40) belong to the Muscadinia subgenus of Vitis, while all other cultivated grape species belong to the subgenus Euvitis (2n=38). The berry color locus in muscadines has been mapped to a 0.8 Mbp region syntenic with chromosome 4 of V. vinifera. In this study, we identified glutathione S-transferase4 (GST4) as a likely candidate gene for anthocyanin transport within the berry color locus. PCR and KASP genotyping identified a single intragenic SNP (C/T) marker corresponding to a proline to leucine mutation within the muscadine GST4 (VrGST4) that differentiated black (CC and CT) from bronze (TT) muscadines in 65 breeding selections, 14 cultivars, and 320 progeny from two mapping populations. Anthocyanin profiling on a subset of the progeny indicated a dominant VrGST4 action, with no allele dosage effect on total anthocyanin content or composition of individual anthocyanins. Proanthocyanidin content was similar in the seeds of both black and bronze genotypes, and seeds had much higher VrGST3 expression and lower VrGST4 expression than skins. VrGST4 expression was higher in post-veraison berries of black muscadines compared to pre-veraison berries, but no changes in gene expression in pre- and post-veraison berries were observed in the bronze muscadine cultivar. VrMybA1 expression was higher in post-veraison berries of both black and bronze muscadines. These results suggest that berry pigmentation in muscadines is regulated by a mechanism distinct from the MybA gene cluster that is responsible for berry color variation in V. vinifera.
Neuropsychologic changes in primary hyperparathyroidism after parathyroidectomy from a dual-institution prospective study

Abstract Background The impact of parathyroidectomy on neuropsychiatric symptoms in primary hyperparathyroidism remains poorly defined. The validated scales Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 can be used to assess depression and anxiety, respectively. Our aim was to prospectively characterize the changes in neuropsychiatric symptoms after parathyroidectomy. Methods Patients undergoing parathyroidectomy and thyroidectomy (control) from two institutions between 2014 and 2019 were prospectively administered a questionnaire assessing neuropsychiatric symptoms before and after surgery. Paired t tests compared preoperative with postoperative neuropsychiatric symptoms and t tests compared differences in neuropsychiatric symptoms between parathyroidectomy and thyroidectomy. Results A total of 244 patients underwent parathyroidectomy and 161 underwent thyroidectomy. We observed improvement in neuropsychiatric symptoms after parathyroidectomy (6.2 [5.0–7.4], P Conclusion Patients undergoing parathyroidectomy showed significant improvement in neuropsychiatric symptoms after surgery. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are more prevalent in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Neuropsychiatric symptoms should be assessed in all patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and should be considered a relative indication for parathyroidectomy.
RatsPub: a webservice aided by deep learning to mine PubMed for addiction-related genes

Interpreting and integrating results from omics studies on addiction phenotypes require a comprehensive survey of the extant literature. Most often this is conducted by ad hoc queries of the PubMed database. Here, we introduce RatsPub, a literature mining web service that searches user-provided gene symbols in conjunction with a set of systematically curated keywords related to addiction, as well as results from human genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We have organized over 300 keywords into six categories forming an ontology. The literature search is conducted by querying the NIH PubMed server using a programmatic interface. Abstracts are retrieved from a local copy of the PubMed archive. The main results presented to the user are sentences containing the gene symbol and at least one keyword. These sentences are presented in the browser through an interactive graphical interface or using tables. Results are linked to the source PubMed records. GWAS results are displayed using a similar method. We wrote a natural language processing module that uses deep convolutional neural networks to distinguish sentences describing systemic stress vs cellular stress. The automated and comprehensive search strategy provided by RatsPub facilitates the integration of new discoveries from addiction omic studies with existing literature and improves analysis and modeling in the field of addiction biology. RatsPub is free and open source software. The source code of RatsPub and the link to a running instance is available at https://githhub.com/chen42/ratspub.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Triple Port Converter for Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Integration

Integrating Energy Storage (ES) with intermittent Renewable Energy Sources (RES) is critical for wide-spread adoption of RES. Such systems offer several system-level advantages such as participation in demand response programs, demand charge reduction, arbitrage to maximize time-of-use rates, and increase resilience. For efficient and cost-effective integration of ES with RES, a Multi-Port Converter (MPC) is highly desirable. An isolated Triple Active Bridge (TAB) converter for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and battery (ES) integration is discussed in this paper. Multi-objective optimization of this topology, for interfacing 10 kVA PV-ES system with 240 V AC grid, is conducted with the objectives to reduce losses and overall volume of the MPC. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is performed to validate the outcome of the analytical modeling based optimization procedure. A control scheme to manage power flow between AC grid, PV, and ES is designed, and several case scenarios are simulated to demonstrate advantages of the proposed approach in enabling high RES penetration.
Patients at a drug detoxification center share perspectives on how to increase hepatitis C treatment uptake: A qualitative study.

Abstract Background The US opioid crisis is associated with a surge in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among persons who inject drugs (PWID), and yet the uptake of HCV curative therapy among PWID is low. Purpose To explore potential solutions to overcome barriers to HCV treatment uptake among individuals at a drug detoxification center. Methods Qualitative study with in-depth interviews and thematic analysis of coded data. Results Patients (N = 24) had the following characteristics: mean age 37 years; 67 % White, 13 % Black, 8 % Latinx, 4 % Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 8 % other; 71 % with a history of injecting drugs. Most patients with a positive HCV test had not pursued treatment due to few perceived immediate consequences from a positive test and possible complications arising in a distant poorly imagined future. Active substance use was a major barrier to HCV treatment uptake because of disruptions to routine activities. In addition, re-infection after treatment was perceived as inevitable. Patients had suggestions to improve HCV treatment uptake: high-intensity wraparound care characterized by frequent interactions with supportive services; same-day/walk-in options; low-barrier access to substance use treatment; assistance with navigating the health care system; attention to immediate needs, such as housing; and the opportunity to select an approach that best fits individual circumstances. Conclusions Active substance use was a major barrier to treatment initiation. To improve uptake, affected individuals recommended that HCV treatment be integrated within substance use treatment programs. Such a model should incorporate patient education within low-barrier, high-intensity wraparound care, tailored to patients’ needs and priorities.
Mechanisms of toxic action and structure-activity relationships for organochlorine and synthetic pyrethroid insecticides.

Abstract The mechanisms and sites of action of organochlorine (DDT-types and chlorinated alicyclics) and synthetic pyrethroid insecticides are presented with discussion of symptoms, physiological effects, and selectivity. The structural requirements for toxicity are assessed, and structure-activity relationships are considered for each subclass. Lipophilicity is important for all the groups because it facilitates delivery of these neurotoxicants to the site of action in the nerve. Steric factors including molecular volume, shape, and isomeric configuration greatly influence toxicity. Electronic parameters also have been demonstrated to affect biological activity in some of the groups of insecticides, e.g., Hammett's sigma and Taft's sigma * as indicators of electronegativity. New synthetic pyrethroids continue to be developed, with varied structures and different physicochemical and biological properties.
Aiding clinical assessment of neonatal sepsis using hematological analyzer data with machine learning techniques

Introduction Early diagnosis and antibiotic administration are essential for reducing sepsis morbidity and mortality; however, diagnosis remains difficult due to complex pathogenesis and presentation. We created a machine learning model for bacterial sepsis identification in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) using hematological analyzer data. Methods Hematological analyzer data were gathered from NICU patients up to 48 hours prior to clinical evaluation for bacterial sepsis. Five models, Support Vector Machine, K-nearest-neighbors, Logistic Regression, Random Forest (RF), and Extreme Gradient boosting (XGBoost), were trained on 60 hematological and nine clinical variables for 2357 cases (1692 control, 665 septic). Clinical feature only models (nine variables) were additionally trained and compared with models including hematological variables. Feature importance was used to assess relative contributions of parameters to performance. Results The three best performing models were RF, Logistic Regression, and XGBoost. RF achieved an average accuracy of 0.74, AUC-ROC of 0.73, Sensitivity of 0.38, and Specificity of 0.88. Logistic Regression achieved an average accuracy of 0.70, AUC-ROC of 0.74, Sensitivity of 0.62, and Specificity of 0.73. XGBoost achieved an average accuracy of 0.72, AUC-ROC of 0.71, Sensitivity of 0.40, and Specificity of 0.85. All models with hematological variables had significantly stronger performance than models trained on only clinical features. Neutrophil parameters had the highest average feature importance. Conclusions Machine learning models using hematological analyzer data can classify NICU patients as sepsis positive or negative with stronger performance compared to clinical feature only models. Hematological analyzer variables could augment current sepsis classification machine learning algorithms.
Co-establishing an infrastructure for routine data collection to address disparities in infant mortality: Planning and implementation

Background Efforts to address infant mortality disparities in Ohio have historically been adversely affected by the lack of consistent data collection and infrastructure across the community-based organizations performing front-line work with expectant mothers, and there is no established template for implementing such systems in the context of diverse technological capacities and varying data collection magnitude among participating organizations. Methods Taking into account both the needs and limitations of participating community-based organizations, we created a data collection infrastructure that was refined by feedback from sponsors and the organizations to serve as both a solution to their existing needs and a template for future efforts in other settings. Results By standardizing the collected data elements across participating organizations, integration on a scale large enough to detect changes in a rare outcome such as infant mortality was made possible. Datasets generated through the use of the established infrastructure were robust enough to be matched with other records, such as Medicaid and birth records, to allow more extensive analysis. Conclusion While a consistent data collection infrastructure across multiple organizations does require buy-in at the organizational level, especially among participants with little to no existing data collection experience, an approach that relies on an understanding of existing barriers, iterative development, and feedback from sponsors and participants can lead to better coordination and sharing of information when addressing health concerns that individual organizations may struggle to quantify alone.
Prostate cancer risk stratification via non-destructive 3D pathology with deep learning-assisted gland analysis.

Prostate cancer treatment planning is largely dependent upon examination of core-needle biopsies. The microscopic architecture of the prostate glands forms the basis for prognostic grading by pathologists. Interpretation of these convoluted 3D glandular structures via visual inspection of a limited number of 2D histology sections is often unreliable, which contributes to the under- and over-treatment of patients. To improve risk assessment and treatment decisions, we have developed a workflow for non-destructive 3D pathology and computational analysis of whole prostate biopsies labeled with a rapid and inexpensive fluorescent analog of standard H&E staining. This analysis is based on interpretable glandular features and is facilitated by the development of image-translation-assisted segmentation in 3D (ITAS3D). ITAS3D is a generalizable deep-learning-based strategy that enables tissue microstructures to be volumetrically segmented in an annotation-free and objective (biomarker-based) manner without requiring immunolabeling. As a preliminary demonstration of the translational value of a computational 3D vs. a computational 2D pathology approach, we imaged 300 ex vivo biopsies extracted from 50 archived radical prostatectomy specimens, of which 118 biopsies contained cancer. The 3D glandular features in cancer biopsies were superior to corresponding 2D features for risk stratification of low- to intermediate-risk PCa patients based on their clinical biochemical recurrence (BCR) outcomes. The results of this study support the use of computational 3D pathology for guiding the clinical management of prostate cancer.
Merit Aid and the Politics of Education

Part 1: Introduction to the Politics of Merit Aid 1. Deciding Who Earns Merit Aid: A Comparative Case Study Approach 2. Public Policy Frameworks: Advocacy Coalition, Multiple Streams, and Electoral Connection Part 2: Three Episodes of Criteria Determination 3. New Mexico Lottery Success Scholarship Program 4. West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship Program 5. Tennessee HOPE Scholarship Program Part 3: Analysis of and Implications for Education Policy 6. Comparative Case Analysis: Between Episodes and Across Frameworks 7. Conclusion: A Revised Model of Merit Aid Policy Formulation. Appendix A: Population of States with Merit-Based Financial Aid Programs. Appendix B: Interview Protocol. Appendix C: Analytic Framework
Building blocks for computational models of angiogenesis

Angiogenesis or neovascularization plays a crucial role in a variety of physiological and pathological conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancer and in tissue engineering. Angiogenesis is a complex process, where emergent behavior of cells results in the formation of microvascular networks. We have begun a systematic development of computation models, starting with models of growth factor interactions with their receptors on the cell surface and the extracellular matrix, proteolysis of the matrix with matrix metalloproteinases and the associated cell signaling. We will proceed toward a physiome model of angiogenesis, i.e., a set of models spanning multiple levels of biological organization.
Partial Breeding - a method of IEC for well-structured large scale target domains

This paper proposes a method of Interactive Evolutionary Computation (IEC) for large scale target domains of which structure is well organized. In general, It is effective to divide a large problem into a number of sub-problems to solve it efficiently. For IEC tools, it becomes possible by adding a GUI-based facility for the user to indicate some part of genotype protected against random Initialization and mutation. The user can try alternative candidates only on the non-protected parts as a sub-problem through breeding process: iteration of subjective selection, mutation, and crossover. This method was invented through development of an application for musical composition support system, but it is useful for other domains, such as graphics.
Kinetic evidence for intermediate states in the unfolding of ribonuclease A. II. Kinetics of exposure to solvent of a specific dinitrophenyl group.

Abstract Recent kinetic studies of the reversible unfolding of ribonuclease A at low pH indicate that intermediate states are present (Tsong, Baldwin & Elson, 1971). The intermediates are detected by fast reactions in the millisecond time-range which accompany the slow unfolding; both reactions are measured at 286.5 nm by exposure of buried tyrosine groups. To find out whether the fast and slow processes are separate unfolding reactions that involve different tyrosine groups, or whether they are different kinetic phases of a general unfolding reaction, we have studied 41-dinitrophenyl ribonuclease A (Ettinger & Hirs, 1968). The kinetics of exposure of the single dinitrophenyl group, measured at 358 nm, are biphasic, and the rates of both the fast and slow processes agree closely with those measured by tyrosine groups at 286.5 nm. The results are consistent with the postulate that the slow process is an almost steady-state unfolding across a sequence of steps and the fast process is a transient phase involving individual steps in unfolding.
Renormalization Group Limit Cycles in Quantum Mechanical Problems

We formulate a renormalization group (RG) for the interaction parameters of the general two-body problem and show how a limit cycle emerges in the RG flow if the interaction approaches an inverse square law. This limit cycle generates a scaling structure in the energy spectrum. Our demonstration is relevant to the Efimov problem in nuclear physics where similar scaling appears.
Ascent and emplacement dynamics of obsidian lavas inferred from microlite textures

To assess the eruption and emplacement of volumetrically diverse rhyolite lavas, we measured microlite number densities and orientations from samples collected from nine lavas in Yellowstone Caldera and two from Mono Craters, USA. Microlite populations are composed of Fe-Ti oxides ± alkali feldspar ± clinopyroxene. Number densities range from 108.11 ± 0.03 to 109.45 ± 0.15 cm−3 and do not correlate with distance from the vent across individual flows and are remarkably similar between large- and small-volume lavas. Together, those observations suggest that number densities are unmodified during emplacement and that ascent rates in the conduit are similar between small domes and large lava flows. Microtextures produced by continuous decompression experiments best replicate natural textures at decompression rates of 1–2 MPa hr−1. Acicular microlites have a preferred orientation in all natural samples. Because the standard deviation of microlite orientation does not become better aligned with distance travelled, we conclude that microlites exit the conduit aligned and that strain during subaerial flow was insufficient to further align microlites. The orientations of microlite trend and plunge in near-vent samples indicate that pure shear was the dominant style of deformation in the conduit. We speculate that collapsing permeable foam(s) provides a mechanism to concurrently allow microlite formation and alignment in response to the combination of degassing and flattening by pure shear.
Live and let diet.

I wanted to lose a few pounds in anticipation of the holidays, a time of year that in the U.S. should more properly be referred to as the season of joy and gluttony. By the time you read this, many of you may want to shed your holiday pounds (and kilos). A number of sensible options were available to me: I could reduce the amount of food I ate at each meal, thereby decreasing my total caloric intake without making drastic changes to my eating habits. I could increase the amount of exercise I get each day (like most academicians, this usually consists predominantly of running from students disgruntled about their grades), thereby increasing the number of calories burned without making any changes to my eating habits. Or I could do the most sensible thing of all, namely eating a bit less and exercising more, thereby losing weight even faster while adopting a more healthy lifestyle. Being an American, I of course chose to go on a fad diet instead.
Fear and anxiety from principle to practice: Implications for when to treat youth with anxiety disorders

To the Editor: Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions, affecting as many as 1 in 10 individuals. The diagnosis of anxiety disorders peak during adolescence, a period characterized by pronounced changes in the ability to regulate emotional thoughts and behavior. These changes occur in parallel with development of frontolimbic circuitry captured by the “imbalance model” of adolescence (Figure 1A). Clarifying the nature of neurobehavioral changes during this developmental phase may provide important insight into both the etiology and treatment of anxiety disorders. Figure 1 Fear extinction learning and improvement of anxiety by age. (A) Representative illustration of frontolimbic circuitry, highlighting the earlier developing limbic areas (red) and later developing prefrontal cortex (green) suggested by the imbalance model ...
Response of caspase-independent apoptotic factors to high salt diet-induced heart failure

The role of caspase-independent apoptotic events in heart failure is largely unknown. The present study examined the response of apoptotic factors, which can function independently of caspase machinery including AIF, EndoG, and HtrA2/Omi to high salt diet-induced pathologic heart failure and exercise-induced physiologic cardiac hypertrophy. Following ~4 months of a daily diet containing 6% salt, animals developed clinical evidence of heart failure accompanied by changes in AIF, EndoG, and HtrA2/Omi. Assessment of the mitochondria-free cytosolic fraction revealed cytosolic accumulations of AIF and processed HtrA2/Omi in the failed ventricle muscles. The subcellular translocation of AIF from mitochondria to cytosol and nuclei was supported by immunofluorescent analysis using confocal microscopy. However, according to our RT-PCR analyses, AIF and EndoG mRNA were decreased, rather than elevated, in the failed heart relative to control heart. No difference in any of the measured parameters of AIF, EndoG, and HtrA2/Omi was found in the ventricle muscle of either exercise-trained or 6 weeks high salt diet fed animals compared to controls. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that caspase-independent events are involved in cardiac apoptosis during the late remodeling stage of pathologic heart failure.
Effect of Graded Intraduodenal Glucose Infusions on the Release and Physiological Action of Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is the leading candidate for gut hormonal augmentation of insulin release. The release of its subspecies (mol wt, 5000 and 7500) and the physiological action of total immunoreactive GIP (IR-GIP) were investigated during isotonic glucose infusions at 75, 225, and 465 mg/min in nine volunteers. Each dose was infused intraduodenally and iv in the same volunteer. Intestinal augmentation of insulin release occurred during the high dose intraduodenal glucose infusion (P < 0.001) but not during the lower doses. An elevation of 17–20 mg/dl in plasma glucose was required before this insulinotropic effect occurred (P < 0.001). At increments of plasma glucose above 17 mg/dl, the augmentation of gut-mediated insulin release was dependent on the degree of hyperglycemia (r = 0.81; P < 0.01). At each dose of intraduodenally administered glucose, IR-GIP was elevated within 20–40 min (P < 0.01), remaining at a steady level until the infusion was stopped. The release of IR-GIP was propo...