cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Making induction manifest in modular ACL2

ACL2, a Common Lisp-based language for programming and theorem proving, has enjoyed industrial success despite lacking modern language features such as a module system. In previous work, we equipped ACL2 with modules, interfaces, and explicit linking and measured our system with a series of experiments. One experiment revealed a serious lack of expressivity; the interfaces cannot describe the induction schemes necessary to reason about exported functions with nontrivial patterns of recursion.In this paper we revise our language, Modular ACL2, to overcome this weakness. The first novelty is the inclusion of manifest function definitions in interfaces from which ACL2 can infer induction schemes. The second novelty consists of the first proofs of soundness and expressivity for Modular ACL2; we also reaffirm the usefulness of our system with updated benchmarks.
Effector form design for 1DOF planar actuation

Given a desired function for an effector, what is its appropriate shape? This paper formulates mechanical function as a product of both effector's shape and motion, and, assuming a fixed motion model, explores the role of shape in satisfying it. We assume that the desired mechanical function is expressed as a set of constraints on the geometry of contact, and develop the tools for transforming these constraints into an effector shape. A previous paper [1] addressed the special case of revolute or prismatic fingers. This paper develops the more general case, including all smooth 1DOF planar mechanisms. The technique is illustrated with the design of finger shapes to improve the stability of a planar grasp of an object.
Graduate theses—an index of graduate work in speech, XIX

(1952). Graduate theses—an index of graduate work in speech, XIX. Speech Monographs: Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 204-234.
Interactions of lipopolysaccharide with neutrophils in blood via CD14.

The functional characteristics of neutrophils are exceedingly sensitive to physiological conditions as well as the details of isolation. Exposure to lipopolysac- charide (LPS) or even contamination of the isolating me- dia with traces of LPS is known to play an important role in regulating cell function and expression of receptors. Because of the suspected role of CD14 as a receptor for LPS, we used anti-CD14 monoclonal antibodies both to identify CD14 in the cell surface of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and to inhibit functional changes elicited by LPS. Cytometric techniques were used to investigate the regulation of CD14 and CR3 on the neutrophil cell sur- face in whole blood to minimize any effects of isolation. In whole blood neutrophils express low levels of formyl peptide receptor, CD14, and CR3, which increase sub- stantially in response to formyl peptide and LPS. The in- creases in CR3 and CD14 occurred in parallel and were independent of protein synthesis and tumor necrosis fac- tor (TNF) production. The increase in CR3 was inhibited by antibodies MY4, 3C10, and 28C5 against CD14. These findings are consistent with the notion that in blood the observed receptor up-regulation is in direct response to the action of LPS on neutrophils through CD14 and does not require products from macrophages such as TNF or the production of C5a from the plasma. J. Leukoc. Biol. 53: 518-524; 1993.
Removal of Cu (II) and Pb (II) from aqueous solution using engineered iron oxide nanoparticles

Nano-sized Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 were synthesized using a precipitation method. The nanomaterials were tested as adsorbents for the removal of both Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions. The nanomaterials were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction to determine both the phase and the average grain size of the synthesized nanomaterials. Batch pH studies were performed to determine the optimum binding pH for both the Cu2+ and Pb2+ to the synthesized nanomaterials. The optimum binding was observed to occur at pH 4 and above. Time dependency studies for Cu2+ and Pb2+ showed the binding occurred within the first five minutes of contact and remained constant up to 2 hours of contact. Isotherm studies were utilized to determine the binding capacity of each of the nanomaterials for Cu2+ and Pb2+. The binding capacity of Fe3O4 with Cu2+ and Pb2+ were 37.04 mg/g and 166.67 mg/g, respectively. The binding capacities of the Fe2O3 nanomaterials with Cu2+ and Pb2+ were determined to be 19.61 mg/g and 47.62 mg/g, respectively. In addition, interference studies showed no significant reduction in the binding of either Cu2+ or Pb2+ to the Fe3O4 or Fe2O3 nanomaterials in the presence of solutions containing the individual ions Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ or a solution consisting of a combination of all the aforementioned cations in one solution.
Pathology of the Trachea and Central Bronchi

A wide variety of disorders can affect the trachea and central bronchi. Computed tomography is the imaging modality of choice in the evaluation of tracheobronchial disease. Tracheobronchial abnormalities are sometimes incidentally detected on routine imaging or when imaging is performed for another reason. Abnormalities of the tracheobronchial tree, however, can be easily missed because they can be subtle. Furthermore, because symptoms in patients with tracheobronchial disorders often overlap symptoms of lung disease, radiologists may focus their attention on the lungs and overlook the tracheobronchial tree. In this article, we review a wide range of tracheobronchial diseases with emphasis on their computed tomographic appearances.
Change in parent-child conflict and the HPA-axis: Where should we be looking and for how long?

Abstract Objective Salivary cortisol is increasingly used as a longitudinal indicator of change in neuroendocrine regulation and as a predictor of health outcomes in youth. The purpose of this study was to describe which indices of HPA-axis functioning are sensitive to changes in parent-child conflict over a three week period and to explore the time course under which these changes can be measured. Methods Youth (n = 47; ages 8–13) completed daily diaries of their conflict with parents for 56 days. On days 17–18 and 38–39, youth contributed saliva samples upon waking, 30-minutes post-waking, afternoon, and bedtime. We assessed change in average diurnal HPA-axis functioning between day 17–18 and day 38–39 as a function of the slopes of change in parent-child conflict over 3 weeks. Results Increasing parent-child conflict was positively associated with concurrent increases in total cortisol output (AUCg), flattening of the diurnal slope, and increases in cortisol at bedtime, but not with change in the cortisol awakening response (CAR). Further, associations between parent-child conflict and both AUCg and bedtime cortisol were observed with at least 14 days of daily diary reporting, whereas any additional ratings of conflict beyond 3 days of daily diaries did not improve model fit for changes in diurnal slope. Conclusions This study demonstrates the within-subject up-regulation of the HPA-axis across three weeks in a healthy sample of youth exposed to natural increases in family conflict. In particular, cortisol at bedtime may be the HPA-axis index that is most sensitive to change over time in parent-child conflict, above and beyond conflict occurring that day. Further, when testing associations between family stressors and diurnal cortisol, the optimal schedule for assessing parent-child conflict varies for different indices of HPA-axis functioning.
Shortest Expected Length Confidence Interval for the Power of the t-Test

Tarasinska (2005) considered a method to construct the shortest length confidence interval on the power of the t-test using a confidence interval for the population standard deviation in the non centrality parameter. Gilliland and Li (2008) used simulations to show that this confidence interval has less than the nominal coverage, particularly in small samples. We propose to find the shortest expected length confidence interval for the power of the t-test by accounting for the variation in the sample standard deviation, and provide the necessary constants for its implementation for some selected sample and shift sizes. It is seen that the proposed interval is reasonably robust to the specification of the population standard deviation and maintains the nominal coverage.
Mechanistic investigation into the role of aluminum diffusion in the oxidation behavior of cryomilled NiCrAlY bond coat

High temperature oxidation behavior of the bond coat layer is a critical factor that controls the failure mechanism of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Previous work reveald that TBCs with cryomilled NiCrAlY bond coats exhibited an improved oxidation behavior compared to equivalent TBCs with conventional bond coats. The cryomilled NiCrAlY bond coats contributed to a slower growth rate of thermally grown oxides (TGO) with a final thinner thickness and enhanced homogeneity in TGO composition. To better understand the improved oxidation behavior, a mechanistic investigation based on diffusion theory and quantum mechanics is performed to elucidate the role of aluminum diffusion in the oxidation behavior and how the microstructural features of the cryomilled NiCrAlY bond coats, i e, the creation of a thermally stable, uniform distribution of ultrafine Al-rich oxide dispersoids, affect the diffusion kinetics of Al and the migration of free electrons. It is revealed that these Al-rich oxide dispersoids result in a uniform diffusion of Al and slow migration of free electrons within the NiCrAlY bond coat, consequently leading to the improved oxidation behavior.
How to Continue Being a Professor, Regardless

This short story, the text of which is juxtaposed with brief quotations from academic articles, is in the tradition of “How to Be an Other Woman” by Lorrie Moore and This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz. It suggests how to keep dancing after the music has stopped, metaphorically speaking.
Simulation of a Radar System

The paper discusses simulation model of a new radar system,describes key technologies in the system development.The system can carry out real-time generation,control,measurement and display of target to perform the functional and operation simulated training of the radar.Effect of the simulation is highly realistic.
Study of the Single-Event Effect of SOI NMOSFET by 3-D Simulation

As the scaling down of the device,the ratio of sensitive area to single-event effect is increasing compared to active area.It's important to study the mechanism of the sensitive area of device structure.This paper uses 3-D TCAD software to simulate SOI NMOSFET,analyze the sensitive area.And conclude that the reverse bias drain junction compel the electronic-hole pairs to separate,the electronics are collected immediately by drain and a very shot time drain current is generated.The holes are drift and accumulate in body area to force the electrostatic potential to increase,then the parasitic npn transistor is on,a relative long time drain current is established.Therefore effective body contact can extract the holes accumulated in the body area,suppress the electrostatic potential to increase,decrease the drain current.
Analysising the result between HIV antibody screening laboratories in Liuzhou

Objective To evaluate the level of test and standardize management in HIV antibody screening laboratories in Liuzhou city in order to promote them to improve their whole test ability and reduce the error in the routine detection. Methods Having 36 HIV antibody screening laboratories joined the examination. Them using the method of ELISA to detect these blind samples (QC001,QC002,QC003,QC004,QC005),then returned the result to us. Result The results of blind samples showed that the coincidence rates all were 100% but the QC005 was 97.2%. Analysising the quantitative testing results showed that CV value was fluctuant greatly ,shows that the HIV antibody screening laboratory quality control should be improved. Conclusion The overall quality of the HIV screening laboratories in Liuzhou city is satifactory but need to enhance in the quality control.
Factors predicting hospitalization after operative treatment for gastric carcinoma in patients older than 70 years

Background Variable reports exist about the early and long-term outcome after operative treatment for gastric carcinoma in the elderly. This study was designed to describe perioperative morbidity and factors influencing the length of hospitalization in patients older than 70 years of age in a tertiary care cancer center. Methods Patient information for a 10-year period, between July 1985 and July 1995, was obtained through a prospective database and chart review. Complications and length of stay were tabulated. Patient-, disease-, and treatment-related factors and their influence on outcome were compared by univariate and multivariate analysis using nonparametric product-limit models. Results Of 385 patients aged 71 years or older with gastric adenocarcinoma, 310 underwent resection. Postoperative complications occurred in 47.1 percent. Infectious complications predominated, most frequently involving intra-abdominal and pulmonary sites. Perioperative mortality was 7.1 percent. The median postoperative length of stay was 13 days (95 percent confidence interval 12 to 14 days; 25th percentile, 10 days; 75th percentile, 20 days). Factors independently predicting an increased duration of stay were presence of any complications, the type of resection, site of the primary carcinoma, and presence of postoperative infection. Complications added 30.4 percent of total patient days, or an average of 11.5 hospital days per patient with a complication. Although patients with postoperative complications had inferior overall and disease-specific survival, this was not an independent prognostic variable. Compared with patients younger than 70 years of age, elderly patients had a significantly increased hospital stay. Conclusions The single most important factor leading to increased length of hospitalization is the occurrence of any complication. Although complicated by higher morbidity and mortality, the resection of gastric carcinoma in elderly patients can be performed relatively safely and leads to survival that is comparable to younger patients. The findings support careful patient selection and optimal preparation of elderly patients undergoing resection for gastric carcinoma.
MIND: A Design Machine — Conceptual Framework

We define ICAD (Intelligent Computer Aided Design) as the instantiation of the interactive relation between designer and a variable, category-based, extendible machine, based on a parallel configuration of Intelligent Processors. The paper provides an outline of a computational design theory, followed by a set of observations and recommendations as specifications for an ICAD system. Issues of methodology and configuration conclude the conceptual analysis. In place of ‘expert systems for design,’ implemented as partial solutions to the design problem within limited domains, we propose ‘expert systems of design,’ meta-expert systems containing knowledge of the design process. Expert systems of design can be built using current technology, and can be used to organize and guide the development of conventional, domain-specific, expert systems modules. The design team is the metaphor around which we developed the conceptual model of a multifunctional intelligent design (MIND) machine.
Fielding a Sense and Avoid Capability for Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Policy, Standards, Technology, and Safety Modeling

Unrestricted access to civil airspace requires the ability to see-and-avoid other aircraft. While an on-board pilot normally provides this capability, unmanned aircraft systems must develop an alte...
Professor Lester F. Eastman

A brief biography of Professor Lester F. Eastman is given highlighting his professional achievements. Professor Eastman is one of the world leaders in the physics and technology of compound semiconductor materials and devices. He has invented, fabricated, and investigated many novel semiconductor materials and devices, and his work on so many occasions has resulted in breakthroughs enabling important practical applications. The best solid-state device groups have followed his ideas with great success, and his former students and associates work in leadership positions in hundreds of leading companies, research laboratories and Universities in the United States and around the globe.
Shape Discrimination Using the Tongue: Implications for a Visual-to-Tactile Sensory Substitution Device

Sensory substitution devices have the potential to provide individuals with visual impairments with more information about their environments, which may help them recognize objects and achieve more independence in their daily lives. However, many of these devices may require extensive training and might be limited in the amount of information that they can convey. We tested the effectiveness and assessed some of the limitations of the BrainPort device, which provides stimulation through a 20 × 20 electrode grid array on the tongue. Across five experiments, including one with blind individuals, we found that subjects were unable to accurately discriminate between simple shapes as well as different line orientations that were briefly presented on the tongue, even after 300 trials of practice with the device. These experiments indicate that such a minimal training regimen with the BrainPort is not sufficient for object recognition, raising serious concerns about the usability of this device without extensive training.
The Greek Alphabet

Below is a table of the Greek letters most used by mathematicians. The recommended pronunciation of these letters as symbols in an academic context, listed in the third column, is that of classical, not modern, Greek.
Abstract 2225: c-Myc and Frizzled 8 play a major role in the regulation of cancer stem cells and drug resistance in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) studies have shown that neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery was effective in the minority of women, whereas the majority that had a residual tumor had a relatively poor outcome. We have previously shown that cisplatin plus TRAIL treatment was most effective compared to PARP -inhibitors, pacliotaxol, dacelotaxol or cisplatin alone in TNBC cells. To identify the mechanism by which residual cancer cells survive chemotherapy, we initially performed gene expression profiling using the CRL2335 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cells before and after treatment with cisplatin plus TRAIL. Gene expression prolife revealed that cisplatin plus TRAIL significantly inhibited major signaling pathways related with cancer stem cells (CSCs) such as Notch, Hedgehog, TGFβ and most of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling when compared with untreated control group. However, residual cells after cisplatin plus TRAIL treatment showed a significant increase in the expression of Frizzled 8 (FZD8 -one of the Wnt receptors) and c-Myc. In vivo, animal studies indicate that cisplatin plus TRAIL treatments predominantly eliminated non-cancer stem cells (non-CSCs), as demonstrated by whole-body fluorescent imaging of mice injected with mammosphere-forming CRL2335 cells that were stably transfected with dsRed. This led to CSCs enrichment in residual tumors, as confirmed by immunostaining for CSC markers. Increase in FZD8 and c-Myc expression was also observed in residual tumors following treatment with cisplatin and TRAIL. In this study, we have found that c-Myc overexpression increased FZD8 expression, and its downstream signaling and together protect the cells from drug mediated cell death compared to vector transfected cells. c-Myc over-expressing cells do not show increased mammosphere formation; the numbers of CSCs per mammosphere are much higher compared to vector transfected controls. CDK inhibitor (dinaciclib) enhanced the cell death in c-Myc over expressing non-CSCs with minimal effect on CSCs. Inhibition of c-Myc using siRNA reduced c-Myc, FZD-8 and CSCs and enhanced sensitivity of cells to cisplatin plus TRAIL. Taken together, our findings suggest that c-Myc may play a major role in mediating CSC survival and resistance to chemotherapy, making it a potential target to enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy in patients with TNBC. Citation Format: Shuping Yin, Vino T. Cheriyan, Arun K. Rishi, Kaladhar B. Reddy. c-Myc and Frizzled 8 play a major role in the regulation of cancer stem cells and drug resistance in triple-negative breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2225. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2225
Making sense of metacommunities: dispelling the mythology of a metacommunity typology.

Metacommunity ecology has rapidly become a dominant framework through which ecologists understand the natural world. Unfortunately, persistent misunderstandings regarding metacommunity theory and the methods for evaluating hypotheses based on the theory are common in the ecological literature. Since its beginnings, four major paradigms—species sorting, mass effects, neutrality, and patch dynamics—have been associated with metacommunity ecology. The Big 4 have been misconstrued to represent the complete set of metacommunity dynamics. As a result, many investigators attempt to evaluate community assembly processes as strictly belonging to one of the Big 4 types, rather than embracing the full scope of metacommunity theory. The Big 4 were never intended to represent the entire spectrum of metacommunity dynamics and were rather examples of historical paradigms that fit within the new framework. We argue that perpetuation of the Big 4 typology hurts community ecology and we encourage researchers to embrace the full inference space of metacommunity theory. A related, but distinct issue is that the technique of variation partitioning is often used to evaluate the dynamics of metacommunities. This methodology has produced its own set of misunderstandings, some of which are directly a product of the Big 4 typology and others which are simply the product of poor study design or statistical artefacts. However, variation partitioning is a potentially powerful technique when used appropriately and we identify several strategies for successful utilization of variation partitioning.
Common Dimensional Reward Deficits Across Mood and Psychotic Disorders: A Connectome-Wide Association Study

Objective:Anhedonia is central to multiple psychiatric disorders and causes substantial disability. A dimensional conceptualization posits that anhedonia severity is related to a transdiagnostic continuum of reward deficits in specific neural networks. Previous functional connectivity studies related to anhedonia have focused on case-control comparisons in specific disorders, using region-specific seed-based analyses. Here, the authors explore the entire functional connectome in relation to reward responsivity across a population of adults with heterogeneous psychopathology.Method:In a sample of 225 adults from five diagnostic groups (major depressive disorder, N=32; bipolar disorder, N=50; schizophrenia, N=51; psychosis risk, N=39; and healthy control subjects, N=53), the authors conducted a connectome-wide analysis examining the relationship between a dimensional measure of reward responsivity (the reward sensitivity subscale of the Behavioral Activation Scale) and resting-state functional connectivity ...
Exterior statistics based boundary conditions for establishing statistically equivalent representative volume elements of statistically nonhomogeneous elastic microstructures

Abstract The exterior statistics-based boundary conditions or ESBCs have been developed as optimally effective boundary conditions that can be applied to statistically equivalent representative volume elements or SERVEs of heterogeneous microstructures for predicting homogenized response functions in Ghosh and Kubair (2016). However the initial development was for nonuniform, but statistically homogeneous microstructures with no localized features like clustering. In this case, the radial distribution function S2(r) is adequate for the statistically informed Green’s functions needed for the development of ESBCs. However, when the microstructure includes statistical inhomogeneities in the form of fiber clusters or matrix-rich regions, the distance-based radial distribution function becomes ineffective. This paper overcomes this shortcoming by introducing the joint, distance (radial) and orientation-based two-point correlation functions S2(r, θ) in the statistically informed Green’s functions needed for the ESBCs. The efficacy of the ESBCs is illustrated through validation simulations that compare its results with those generated by affine transformation based displacement and periodicity boundary conditions. Additionally, comparisons are made with the statistical volume elements or SVE methods. It is concluded that the simulations with ESBCs prescribed on the SERVEs have a definite advantage over other methods in defining optimal sized SERVEs without any iteration.
Development of a flight qualified Ka-band multi-chip module for the solar probe plus mission

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (JHU/APL) has developed a flight qualified, hermetically sealed, I/Q modulator Ka-band Multi-chip Module (MCM). Prototypes of this device have been developed over the years, but Solar Probe Plus (SPP) will be the first mission to use a flight qualified version of the MCM. This MCM enables a first for a deep-space mission: primary science data downlink with simultaneous data and navigation over Ka-band. SPP will also be the first JHU/APL mission to use Ka-band for downlink. The MCM contains three gallium arsenide (GaAs) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) die, two of which are commercial off the shelf (COTS) parts, and the third is a custom die designed at JHU/APL. The MCM takes an X-band input, multiplies the signal up to Ka-band, modulates I/Q data directly onto the Ka-band carrier and outputs a signal in the +10dBm range, capable of driving an external SSPA or TWTA. Improvements made over previous prototype designs include a revision of the custom I/Q modulator MMIC on a different foundry process, development of automatic wire-bonding for large quantity (>30) flight unit assembly, test automation, and a novel calibration routine to create a linear I/Q space. All flight units went through a NASA approved screening and qualification process. A full lot of 30 MCM units were screened and qualified, producing 12 usable flight units, of which 2 were selected to be used in the 2 flight Frontier Radios on the Solar Probe Plus mission.
Twitter Activity Associated With U.S. News and World Report Reputation Scores for Urology Departments.

Objective To analyze the association between US urology department Twitter presence and U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) reputation scores, to examine the content, informational value, and intended audience of these platforms, and to identify objectives for Twitter use. Materials and Methods We identified Twitter accounts for urology departments scored in the 2016-2017 USNWR. Correlation coefficients were calculated between Twitter metrics (number of followers, following, tweets, and Klout influence scores) with USNWR reputation scores. We also performed a detailed content analysis of urology department tweets during a 6-month period to characterize the content. Finally, we distributed a survey to the urology department accounts via Twitter, inquiring who administers the content, and their objectives for Twitter use. Results Among 42 scored urology departments with Twitter accounts, the median number of followers, following, and tweets were 337, 193, and 115, respectively. All of these Twitter metrics had a statistically significant positive correlation with reputation scores ( P Conclusion There is statistically significant correlation between Twitter activity and USNWR reputation scores for urology departments. Our results suggest that Twitter provides a novel mechanism for urology departments to communicate about academic and educational topics, and social media engagement can enhance reputation.
Evaluation of simple geochemical indicators of aeolian sand provenance: Late Quaternary dune fields of North America revisited

Abstract Dune fields of Quaternary age occupy large areas of the world's arid and semiarid regions. Despite this, there has been surprisingly little work done on understanding dune sediment provenance, in part because many techniques are time-consuming, prone to operator error, experimental, highly specialized, expensive, or require sophisticated instrumentation. Provenance of dune sand using K/Rb and K/Ba values in K-feldspar in aeolian sands of the arid and semiarid regions of North America is tested here. Results indicate that K/Rb and K/Ba can distinguish different river sands that are sediment sources for dunes and dune fields themselves have distinctive K/Rb and K/Ba compositions. Over the Basin and Range and Great Plains regions of North America, the hypothesized sediment sources of dune fields are reviewed and assessed using K/Rb and K/Ba values in dune sands and in hypothesized source sediments. In some cases, the origins of dunes assessed in this manner are consistent with previous studies and in others, dune fields are found to have a more complex origin than previously thought. Use of K/Rb and K/Ba for provenance studies is a robust method that is inexpensive, rapid, and highly reproducible. It exploits one of the most common minerals found in dune sand, K-feldspar. The method avoids the problem of using simple concentrations of key elements that may be subject to interpretative bias due to changes in mineralogical maturity of Quaternary dune fields that occur over time.
A novel chemoradiation targeting stem and nonstem pancreatic cancer cells by repurposing disulfiram.

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a 5-year relative survival rate of 8% and is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer death by 2030, underscoring the urgency to develop new strategies to improve current therapeutic modalities for PDAC. Targeting pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs), which are resistant to radiation and chemotherapy, is a promising strategy. A novel approach which can be readily clinically translated is to repurpose disulfiram (DSF), a drug for treating alcoholism, to target PCSCs. Chemoradiation or the combination of chemotherapy agents FOLFIRINOX, currently standard care for PDAC, can increase stemness in some established or primary PDAC cell lines. However, DSF in the presence of exogenously or endogenously supplied copper (Cu), when combined with chemotherapy or chemoradiation, targets both PCSCs and nonstem PDAC cells. Previously, we demonstrated that DSF/Cu effectively targets breast cancer stem cells in the context of fractionated radiation (FIR) by inhibiting the NF-κB–stemness gene pathway. Therefore, the hypothesis that PCSCs can be effectively targeted by incorporating DSF/Cu into the standard chemoradiation regimen consisting of 5-FU and FIR was investigated and found to be effective in vitro in targeting PCSCs, identified as either ALDHbright or CD24+/CD44+/ESA+ or sphere-forming cells, as well as nonstem PDAC cells. In vivo, the combination of IR+5-FU+DSF/Cu was more effective (72.46%) than either IR+5-FU (30.32%) or IR+FOLFIRINOX therapy (43.04%) in inhibiting growth of the mouse Panc02 tumor. These encouraging results provide a solid foundation for clinical trials to improve the outcomes of the current standard chemoradiation therapy regimen for PDAC.
The Efficacy of Biologic Therapy for the Management of Palmoplantar Psoriasis and Palmoplantar Pustulosis: A Systematic Review.

Palmoplantar psoriasis (PP) and palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) are diseases affecting the hands and/or feet that can cause marked physical discomfort and functional disability. The tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab, the interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitors ixekizumab and secukinumab, and the IL-23 or IL-12/IL-23 inhibitors guselkumab and ustekinumab have been well studied for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Less is known about the efficacy and safety of these agents for the treatment of PP (hyperkeratotic and pustular forms) and PPP. The aim of this review was to investigate the efficacy of biologic therapy for the treatment of hyperkeratotic PP, pustular PP, and PPP. A systematic search of the medical electronic databases (Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library) was conducted to identify studies or case reports which both used biologic therapy for the treatment of hyperkeratotic PP, pustular PP, and PPP and reported treatment outcomes. The systematic search identified 579 published articles, of which 44 were included in the analysis. Seven of the articles involved randomized placebo-controlled trials, two were open label trials, and the remaining were cohort studies, case series, or case reports. In the randomized controlled trials on the treatment of hyperkeratotic PP, adalimumab, guselkumab, infliximab, ixekizumab, and secukinumab each demonstrated superiority to placebo at 16, 16, 14, 12, and 12 or 16 weeks, respectively (p 0.05), although an open label study demonstrated that four of five patients on a therapeutic regimen of ustekinumab 90 mg achieved clinical clearance at 16 weeks. For the treatment of PPP, etanercept and ustekinumab 45 mg were not superior to placebo at 12 and 16 weeks, respectively (p > 0.05). A combined analysis of studies for hyperkeratotic PP demonstrated that 94.7%, 90.0%, 82.5%, 89.1%, and 86.7% of patients experienced an improvement of at least 50% upon treatment with adalimumab, guselkumab, ixekizumab, secukinumab, and ustekinumab, respectively. In a combined analysis of case reports examining PPP, infliximab showed the greatest efficacy at 100.0% clinical improvement of patients from case reports, followed by ustekinumab at 58.8% clinical improvement. Few serious adverse events were reported, but several were reported in patients treated with infliximab or secukinumab. Biologic therapy is effective and well-tolerated for the treatment of hyperkeratotic PP, but less data are available on the treatment of pustular PP or PPP. Adalimumab, guselkumab, ixekizumab, secukinumab, and ustekinumab all showed > 80% efficacy for the treatment of hyperkeratotic PP, while infliximab and ustekinumab showed moderate efficacy for the treatment of pustular PP, and infliximab was the most efficacious treatment for PPP.
Effects of Low Temperature Plasmas on Proteins

When operated in an environment containing oxygen and nitrogen low temperature atmospheric pressure plasmas generate copious amounts of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. These species can be transported to react with biological matter and induce cellular effects ranging from inactivation to proliferation, depending on the operating conditions. Although much work has been done on the cellular level (prokaryotes and eukaryotes), very little and mostly preliminary experiments were carried out on biomolecules, such as proteins. Proteins, which are chains of amino acids, are involved in almost all cellular functions. Therefore it is crucial to elucidate the effect of plasma on proteins and their structures. Here, some of the few investigations done on this subject are briefly reviewed. Only few select proteins have been investigated so far and the understanding of the biochemistry induced by plasma on the molecular level remains quite limited.
Group 1 and 2 Metals

Abstract Despite their highly electropositive character and almost universally mono- or divalent metal centers, the coordination compounds of the alkali (Group 1; lithium to francium) and alkaline earth (Group 2; beryllium to radium) elements display remarkable diversity. The change in radius from Li+ to Cs+ is nearly three-fold, and from Be2 + to Ba2 + nearly six-fold, and there is a correspondingly large range of coordination numbers and structural types known – from monomers to 3D coordination polymers. Widely used sterically bulky ligands have greatly improved the solubility and modified the reactivity of Group 1 and 2 compounds, and computations have increasingly been used to describe their metal-ligand bonding, which often cannot be limited to simple electrostatic analysis, but must also include dispersion effects, cation–π interactions and in some cases the involvement of metal d orbitals.
Modeling PpIX effective light fluence at depths into the skin for PDT dose comparison.

Abstract Background Daylight-activated PDT has seen increased support in recent years as a treatment method for actinic keratosis and other non-melanoma skin cancers. The inherent variability observed in broad-spectrum light used in this methodology makes it difficult to plan and monitor light dose, or compare to lamp light doses. Methods The present study expands on the commonly used PpIX-weighted effective surface irradiance metric by introducing a Monte Carlo method for estimating effective fluence rates into depths of the skin. The fluence rates are compared between multiple broadband and narrowband sources that have been reported in previous studies, and an effective total fluence for various treatment times is reported. A dynamic estimate of PpIX concentration produced during pro-drug incubation and treatment is used with the fluence estimates to calculate a photodynamic dose. Results Even when there is up to a 5x reduction between the effective surface irradiance of the broadband light sources, the effective fluence below 250 μm depth is predicted to be relatively equivalent. An effective threshold fluence value (0. 70 J e f f / c m 2 ) is introduced based on a meta-analysis of previously published ALA-PpIX induced cell death. This was combined with a threshold PpIX concentration (50 nM) to define a threshold photodynamic dose of 0.035 u M J e f f / c m 2 . Conclusions The threshold was used to generate lookup tables to prescribe minimal treatment times to achieve depth-dependent cytotoxic effect based on incubation times and irradiance values for each light source.
Abstract IA27: Tumor suppressor and tumor maintenance genes

Cancer arises through an evolutionary process whereby normal cells acquire mutations that erode growth controls, leading to the expansion of aberrantly proliferating cells. Such mutations activate oncogenes or inactivate tumor suppressors, each bestowing new capabilities to emerging tumors. Still, cancer is not an inevitable consequence of mutation but is instead kept in check by intrinsic tumor-suppressor programs activated in damaged cells. Accordingly, our laboratory studies such mechanisms in order to reveal key regulatory nodes controlling basic cellular processes and to identify the strategies nature uses to combat cancer. More recently, our interests have expanded to explore the action of tumor maintenance genes---those genes needed to sustain the proliferation and survival of malignant cancer cells---with the goal of identifying cancer vulnerabilities and therapeutic targets. Our approach combines powerful mouse models, genetics, and genomics in a coordinated manner that allows us to study tumor suppressor and tumor maintenance networks in a comprehensive way. Recent efforts to combine these tools towards the production of flexible and accurate mouse models and their subsequent use to identify and characterize tumor suppressor and tumor maintenance genes will be discussed. Citation Format: Scott W. Lowe. Tumor suppressor and tumor maintenance genes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR International Conference held in cooperation with the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) on Translational Cancer Medicine; May 4-6, 2017; Sao Paulo, Brazil. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(1_Suppl):Abstract nr IA27.
Salient Factors for Student Success Gained through a Learning Frameworks Course

Learning frameworks courses represent a recent manifestation of higher education’s effort to support undergraduate students’ learning success. These courses offer students the theoretical underpinn...
Conspecific olfactory preferences and interspecific divergence in odor cues in a chickadee hybrid zone.

Understanding how mating cues promote reproductive isolation upon secondary contact is important in describing the speciation process in animals. Divergent chemical cues have been shown to act in reproductive isolation across many animal taxa. However, such cues have been overlooked in avian speciation, particularly in passerines, in favor of more traditional signals such as song and plumage. Here, we aim to test the potential for odor to act as a mate choice cue, and therefore contribute to premating reproductive isolation between the black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina chickadee (P. carolinensis) in eastern Pennsylvania hybrid zone populations. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we document significant species differences in uropygial gland oil chemistry, especially in the ratio of ester to nonester compounds. We also show significant preferences for conspecific over heterospecific odor cues in wild chickadees using a Y-maze design. Our results suggest that odor may be an overlooked but important mating cue in these chickadees, potentially promoting premating reproductive isolation. We further discuss several promising avenues for future research in songbird olfactory communication and speciation.
APOE ε4-specific associations of VEGF gene family expression with cognitive aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Literature suggests vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) is protective among those at highest risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele carriers represent a highly susceptible population for cognitive decline, and VEGF may confer distinct protection among APOE-e4 carriers. We evaluated interactions between cortical expression of 10 VEGF gene family members and APOE-e4 genotype to clarify which VEGF genes modify the association between APOE-e4 and cognitive decline. Data were obtained from the Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project (N = 531). Linear regression assessed interactions on global cognition. VEGF genes NRP1 and VEGFA interacted with APOE-e4 on cognitive performance (p.fdr
Incidence and Risk Factors for Acute and Chronic Kidney Injury after Adult Cord Blood Transplantation

ABSTRACT Although cord blood transplantation (CBT) extends allograft access, patient comorbidities, chemoradiation, and nephrotoxic medications all contribute to acute kidney injury (AKI) risk. We analyzed AKI in adult myeloablative CBT recipients who underwent transplantation from 2006 to 2017 for hematologic malignancies using cyclosporine A (CSA)/mycophenolate mofetil immunosuppression. Maximum grades of AKI were calculated using Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (grade 1, 1.5 to
PI-RADS Versions 2 and 2.1: Interobserver Agreement and Diagnostic Performance in Peripheral and Transition Zone Lesions Among Six Radiologists.

BACKGROUND. PI-RADS version 2.1 (v2.1) modifications primarily address transition zone (TZ) interpretation. The revisions also impact peripheral zone (PZ) interpretation, which has received less at...
Chronic Hindbrain Administration of Oxytocin Elicits Weight Loss in Male Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Previous studies indicate that oxytocin (OT) administration reduces body weight in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese (DIO) rodents through both reductions in food intake and increases in energy exp...
Performance Characteristics of the BlueField-2 SmartNIC.

High-performance computing (HPC) researchers have long envisioned scenarios where application workflows could be improved through the use of programmable processing elements embedded in the network fabric. Recently, vendors have introduced programmable Smart Network Interface Cards (SmartNICs) that enable computations to be offloaded to the edge of the network. There is great interest in both the HPC and high-performance data analytics communities in understanding the roles these devices may play in the data paths of upcoming systems. This paper focuses on characterizing both the networking and computing aspects of NVIDIA's new BlueField-2 SmartNIC when used in an Ethernet environment. For the networking evaluation we conducted multiple transfer experiments between processors located at the host, the SmartNIC, and a remote host. These tests illuminate how much processing headroom is available on the SmartNIC during transfers. For the computing evaluation we used the stress-ng benchmark to compare the BlueField-2 to other servers and place realistic bounds on the types of offload operations that are appropriate for the hardware. Our findings from this work indicate that while the BlueField-2 provides a flexible means of processing data at the network's edge, great care must be taken to not overwhelm the hardware. While the host can easily saturate the network link, the SmartNIC's embedded processors may not have enough computing resources to sustain more than half the expected bandwidth when using kernel-space packet processing. From a computational perspective, encryption operations, memory operations under contention, and on-card IPC operations on the SmartNIC perform significantly better than the general-purpose servers used for comparisons in our experiments. Therefore, applications that mainly focus on these operations may be good candidates for offloading to the SmartNIC.
Does Discipline Decrease Police Misconduct? Evidence from Chicago Civilian Allegations

Reformers are calling for greater oversight of police behavior, in part through enhanced use of civilian complaints. However, others counter that greater oversight could chill effective policing. We assess police officer response to administrative determinations of misconduct. Using Chicago data, we find strong evidence that a sustained allegation reduces that officer’s future misconduct. We find no evidence that this effect is driven by incapacitation, such as assignment to desk duty, or by officer disengagement. We conclude that our findings are most consistent with improved officer conduct, in part from oversight and officer concerns over promotion, salary, and desirable assignments.
When migrating stars fail to shine: Individual performance depends largely on the organization as a whole

Purpose – Explores the myth of talent portability and offers implications for human resources.Design/methodology/approach – Summarizes the research on whether star performance can be maintained when performers move to new firms.Findings – Advances the view that performance is largely dependent upon organizational context and, as such, does not transfer to new firms as well as is hoped.Practical implications – Reasons that organizations should focus on developing talent internally while also taking steps to retain that talent.Social implications – Reveals how organizations – and so, indirectly, society as a whole – can benefit to the maximum from their top talent.Originality/value – Contends that organizations should abandon recruiting as a primary strategy for acquiring talent. Shows human‐resource managers how to leverage this research to develop and retain talent.
RNA motifs that determine specificity between a viral replicase and its promoter

The 3' end of brome mosaic virus RNA contains a tRNA-like sequence that directs its RNA synthesis. A stem loop structure in this sequence, stem loop C (SLC), was investigated using NMR, and correlated with its ability to direct RNA synthesis by its replicase. SLC consists of two discrete domains, a flexible stem with an internal loop and a rigid stem containing a 5'-AUA-3' triloop. Efficient RNA synthesis requires the sequence on only one side of the flexible stem and a specific compact conformation of the triloop. A high resolution structure of the triloop places the 5' adenine out in solution, and the 3' adenine within the triloop, held tightly through stacking and unusual hydrogen bonds. This high resolution structure of an RNA promoter from a (+)-strand RNA virus provides new insights into how the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase binds to the RNA to initiate synthesis.