cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to HRH

Prince Charles’ Editorial1 is helpful in furthering our understanding of his advocacy, but more clarification is necessary if his wise words are not to result in the antipathy which greeted his speech to the BMA in 1982, and to which he makes reference. He tells us ‘For many years I have advocated an integrated approach to medicine and health. By integrated medicine, I mean the kind of care that integrates the best of new technology and current knowledge with ancient wisdom. More specifically, perhaps, it is an approach to care of the patient which includes mind, body and spirit and which maximizes the potential of conventional, lifestyle and complementary approaches in the process of healing.’ The Prince should be invited to clarify to which ‘ancient wisdom’ he refers. That the sun goes round the earth? That illness is due to imbalance of four humours? There is no question clinicians should be caring and demonstrate compassion. But that does not require progressive modern medicine to ‘integrate’ in any sense with alternative medical systems. ‘Complementary approaches’ such as homeopathy, Reiki and a variety of systems to activate ‘vital forces’ as spoken of by Prince Charles are not needed to complete conventional treatments. They are alternatives to evidence-based modern medicine. The best of ancient wisdom is already incorporated into ‘medicine’. To integrate medicine with systems for which there is no plausible evidence-base would do a disservice to patients – and to tax-payers expected to foot the bill. No doubt patients feel better after a constructive therapeutic encounter with an empathic practitioner. As Lord Darzi has emphasized in his commentary on evidence-based medicine evidence of effectiveness of all medical practice is expected to be robust, and withstand critical scrutiny.2 That is the way forward for medicine.
Strain gages for long-term high-temperature strain measurement

The capabilities of resistance and capacitance strain gages for use in the temperature range of 1100–1400°F for durations up to 10,000 h are reviewed. Characteristics are given in summary and tabular form along with a list of references. Resistance strain gages offer some capability under these conditions, but the newer capacitance gages show promise for both laboratory and field use at high temperatures.
Lessons from the Greeks and Computers

Two very different modes of thought, reflected in the passages above, have pervaded mathematics since its early beginning. They have developed in parallel over the years, with varying degrees of independence, enhancing and opposing each other, uniting and dividing mathematics right up to the present day. With a few notable exceptions, the mathematicians of antiquity worked in the discrete mode. Using methods and arguments which were finite in nature, these early mathematicians were able to solve many classical problems of geometry (for example, determining the perimeter and area of plane polygonal regions or the surface area and volume of regular polyhedra). With the introduction of the calculus in the seventeenth century, mathematicians began to work in what could be called the continuous mode. They developed ways in which to deal with infinite sets (both countable and uncountable) and infinitesimal quantities; these led to solutions of more general problems (for example, finding the area and perimeter of plane regions with curved boundaries or summing an infinite set of numbers). As we shall see, the two modes needn't be used in exclusion of each other; rather, they may be coordinated in very powerful ways. When the exact solution of a discrete problem is known, it may be used to generate a sequence of approximations to a related continuous problem. The "exact" solution of the continuous problem can then often be obtained as the limit of such a sequence of approximations. Although this approach can be exceedingly useful for analytic considerations, it often yields little numerical information about the answer. Today, we have come full circle-with the computer dominating the field of mathematical computation, we have returned to an emphasis on discrete methods. We have learned lessons from the Greeks, and improved on their techniques. Probably the most distinguished and widely considered problem of early mathematics was the calculation of 77. We will look at the way in which ancient mathematicians, particularly the Greeks, approached this problem and the solutions which they found. Their methods will then be compared with the methods which are used today to solve similar problems on a computer. Both the similarities and improvements will be discussed.
Phenylserine studies. IV. Biochemical activity of o- and p-fluorophenylserine.

SummaryThe o- and p-fluoro- analogues of phenylserine have been synthesized and tested for their inhibitory effects on bacterial growth. Only p-fluorophenylserine inhibits the growth of Escherichia coli, and its action is reversed by phenylalanine, tryptophan, and to a limited extent, tyrosine. These results seem to emphasize the existence of a phenylalanine-tryptophan metabolic interconversion in bacteria.
Non-HLA barriers to unrelated donor stem cell transplantation

A prospective survey involving 544 searches of the US National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry was conducted to identify reasons why many patients who have apparent HLA-matched donors do not proceed to transplant. Coordinators at NMDP transplant centers, patients and referring physicians were surveyed shortly after the initial search, and follow-up surveys were sent to the coordinators as the search was ongoing. The death of the patient, worsening of the patient's medical condition and length of the search process were the most commonly cited barriers to transplantation. Other times a decision was made not to transplant through the NMDP due to the use of a donor from another source, a preference for chemotherapy or immunotherapy, hesitancy on the part of the transplant physician or patient, or because the patient did not require a transplant. Responses differed between U.S. and international cases. An unrelated donor outside the NMDP was the most common reason cited by international coordinators (46%), whereas the death of the patient was the most common reason among US coordinators (13%). The death of the patient was the second most common reason cited by international coordinators at 9%. Financial problems were listed by 41% of US coordinators as a potential barrier at the time of initial search, but only 5% indicated this as an actual barrier on a follow-up survey. Finances were cited as the most important reason 3% of the time overall, and 6% for African Americans and Asian/Pacific Islanders.
A comparative study on two preparations of urinary human chorionic gonadotrophins for controlled ovarian stimulation

Objective To compare efficacy and safety of two commercial urinary human chorionic gonadotrophin preparations(profasi(r) and pregnyl(r)) in controlled ovarian stimulation.Methods patient charts of 134 infertile patients undergone IVF treatment with controlled ovarian stimulation(67 in profasi group and 67 in pregnyl group) were reviewed.The efficacy parameters such as number of oocytes retrieved,the number of matured oocytes,clinical pregnancy rate and incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome(OHSS) were compared.Results There were no differences in the number of oocytes retrieved(profasi 12.36±6.72 vs pregnyl 12.84±6.5),the number of matured oocytes(10.36±5.63 vs 10.33±5.58),clinical pregnancy rate(51.56% vs 52.46%),and the incidence of OHSS(4.48% vs 5.97%).Conclusion The two preparations of urinary human chorionic gonadotrophins are equally effective and safe for controlled ovarian stimulation in IVF treatment and there are not significant differences between them in influence on IVF success rate.
Investigation on Drinking Behaviors among Inhabitants Aged 15 Years and Over in Xuzhou City

[Objective]To understand the drinking behaviors of different populations in Xuzhou city,provide the scientific evidence for making the intervention measures. [Methods]From June to December in 2008,the representative samples were selected by multi-stage stratified random sampling,and inhabitants aged 15 years and over were investigated with unified questionnaire. [Results]44 791 people were investigated,10 400(23.21%) of them came from city and 34 391(76.79%) came from countryside.21 524(48.05%) people were male,and 23 267(51.95%) were female.The drinking rate of population aged 15 and over was 15.64%,and the standardized drinking rate was 16.53%.35.95% of drinker drank almost everyday.The drinking rate of male inhabitants(30.13%) was higher than that of female inhabitants(2.23%) significantly(P0.01).The drinking rate of urban inhabitants(16.46%) was higher than that of rural inhabitants(15.39%) significantly(χ2=6.94,P0.01).Among drinkers aged 15 years and over,the average age of beginning to drink was 20.45±0.48 years,and that of male inhabitants was earlier than that of female inhabitants(P0.01).The average alcohol consumption was(132.5±3.5)g per day,and that of male drinkers was higher than that of female drinkers significantly(P0.05).The main type of wine was liquor,which accounted for 68.67%.There were significant differences in the drinking rate among populations with different education levels,occupations and incomes. [Conclusion]To strengthen the intervention and health education in the male population under 40 years old with higher education level and income is the key point of lowering drinking rate among inhabitants in Xuzhou city.
Theoretical estimation of the eigenfrequencies of 2-D resonant sedimentary basins: Numerical computations and analytic approximations to the elastic problem

Abstract This paper describes theoretical computations of the dynamic response of the ground to strong earthquakes using both finite-element methods and analytic formulas based upon asymptotic approximations. We use the approximate formulas to calculate the predominant frequency of ground motion at the surface of sediment-filled valleys or 2-D sedimentary basins and compare the results with full-wave numerical results. We find that analytic approximations can be used to obtain good estimates for the fundamental and vertical overtone eigenfrequencies, i.e., for those ray eigentrajectories confined by the modal caustics to the neighborhood of the observation site. We show that, in general, the distribution of eigenfrequencies of resonant sedimentary basins can be understood in terms of the basin9s geometry, specifically, the curvatures of the sediment/rock interface determine both the eigenfrequency distribution and the kind of dispersion (normal or anomalous) of surface waves trapped in the basin. To appropriately account for the effect of dispersion, a new formulation is proposed that is of more general validity than the asymptotic approximations. All computations are performed in the time domain, and synthetic seismograms are constructed that illustrate the interference process leading to resonance. The scope of this paper is limited to the elastic response of 2-D basins and exclusively to SH waves.
Numerical Studies of an Area-Preserving Mapping

Publisher Summary This chapter presents some numerical studies of an area-preserving mapping. The equatorial plane is a surface of section for the flow governed by the Hamiltonian. In a typical orbit, the particle crosses the equatorial plane in the northerly direction; it penetrates to certain latitude and then gets reflected back, penetrating to certain latitude below the equator. To determine the qualitative nature of the section map Σ for those orbits that penetrate close to the singularity, one must first determine the nature of the flow near the singularity r = 0. Near the singularity, for z > 0, the flow on each constant energy surface is topologically equivalent to the orbits of the system of differential equations. The mapping M 1 is a model for the flow when the particle starts in the equatorial plane, goes north, and then comes back, while the mapping M 2 is a model for the flow when the particle starts in the equatorial plane, goes south, and then returns to the equatorial plane.
Saphenous vein graft lesions: Are second-generation drug-eluting stents better?

Key Points Long-term outcomes were similar in patients treated with first- or second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) for saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions. Patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction as a result of occluded SVG may derive some benefit from the use of second- versus first-generation DES Randomized clinical trials are needed to determine whether newer DES types including those with bioabsorbable polymer or scaffolds offer a distinct advantage in the treatment of SVG lesions.
Reliability and Survival Analysis

The remaining chapters contain dozens of computational probability applications using APPL. The applications range in complexity from brief examples to results and algorithms requiring long derivations. This chapter surveys some applications in reliability and the closely-related field of survival analysis.
ON THE FUNCTION OF HEXURONIC ACID IN THE RESPIRATION OF THE CABBAGE LEAF

In the fall of 1929, Szent-Gyorgyi was invited to continue his work on "hexuronic acid" at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. There he was able to isolate a larger quantity of the substance (thanks to ready access to fresh adrenal glands from the nearby slaughterhouses) and run further experiments with it.
Can p40 (Polyclonal) Replace p63 (Clone 4A4) in the Cytologic Diagnosis of Pulmonary Non-Small Cell Carcinoma?

Objectives Differentiating squamous cell carcinoma from adenocarcinoma (ACA) in cytology specimens can be challenging. Recent literature showed p40 had higher specificity than p63 for this purpose. Methods We identified 190 cytology cases with p40 (polyclonal) and p63 (monoclonal clone 4A4) immunohistochemistry, including specimens from fine-needle aspirations (FNAs) and effusions. Results ACAs of lung origin stained for p40 and p63 in 21% and 20% of cases, respectively, regardless of specimen site. Among lung FNAs of primary pulmonary ACAs (n = 42), 14% were positive for p40 and 24% were positive for p63. Of the 20 pulmonary ACAs in effusions, more cases showed p40 positivity (40%) compared with FNAs, whereas p63 were positive in 15%. Among metastatic ACAs from other sites (n = 14), more cases were positive for p40 than p63. Conclusions Polyclonal p40 yields a level of false positivity in ACAs similar to p63, which is highest in effusions and is not limited to lung origin.
Inverse uncertainty quantification of TRACE physical model parameters using sparse gird stochastic collocation surrogate model

Abstract Within the BEPU (Best Estimate plus Uncertainty) methodology uncertainties must be quantified in order to prove that the investigated design remains within acceptance criteria. For best-estimate system thermal-hydraulics codes like TRACE and RELAP5, significant uncertainties come from the closure laws which are used to describe transfer terms in the balance equations. The accuracy and uncertainty information of these correlations are usually unknown to the code users, which results in the user simply ignoring or describing them using expert opinion or personal judgment during uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. The purpose of this paper is to replace such ad-hoc expert judgment of the uncertainty information of TRACE physical model parameters with inverse Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) based on OECD/NRC BWR Full-size Fine-Mesh Bundle Tests (BFBT) benchmark steady-state void fraction data. Inverse UQ seeks statistical descriptions of the physical model random input parameters that are consistent with the experimental data. Inverse UQ always captures the uncertainty of its estimates rather than merely determining point estimates of the best-fit input parameters. Bayesian analysis is used to establish the inverse UQ problems based on experimental data, with systematic and rigorously derived surrogate models based on Sparse Gird Stochastic Collocation (SGSC). Global sensitivity analysis including Sobol' indices and correlation coefficients are used to identify the important TRACE input parameters. Several adaptive Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling techniques are investigated and implemented to explore the posterior probability density functions. This research solves the problem of lack of uncertainty information for TRACE physical model parameters for the closure relations. The quantified uncertainties are necessary for future uncertainty and sensitivity study of TRACE code in nuclear reactor system design and safety analysis.
Operational Hedging through Dual-Sourcing under Capacity Uncertainty

This paper studies a periodic-review dual-sourcing inventory system with demand and supply capacity uncertainty. Compared with dual-sourcing models with deterministic supply capacities, a challenge here is that the objective functions in the dynamic programming recursions are not convex in the ordering quantities. To address this challenge, a powerful transformation technique is developed which converts a non- convex minimization problem to an equivalent convex minimization problem. In addition, the transformation preserves L\-convexity, allowing one to derive structural properties of the optimal policies for the dual-sourcing problem with random supply capacity. Dual-index policies are shown to be optimal under certain conditions. The effects of supply capacity uncertainties on the system performance are investigated.
Unintentional and Sequential Lead Exposure from a Ceramic Mug and Maca ( Lepidium meyenii )

Although the incidence of lead poisoning has decreased in the USA over the last 30 years, human exposures to lead-containing products are still reported. We present a case of unintentional lead exposure from a store-bought ceramic mug and a nutritional supplement. A 32-year-old female was found to have a whole blood lead concentration of 44 μg/dL. Evaluation of her home, occupation, and hobbies initially did not identify a source of lead exposure. Further investigation revealed that the likely etiology of the exposure was lead leaching from a ceramic mug used by the patient to drink hot lemon water while she was pregnant. She stopped drinking from the mug and her blood lead levels decreased, but increased a year later after she began to ingest a maca root powder supplement. Upon discontinuation of maca root powder ingestion, her blood lead levels decreased further. Over time, the acidity and heat of the hot lemon water used in the ceramic mug enhanced the breakdown of its leaded glaze. Maca powder, which is available as a nutritional supplement and is used to treat fatigue and enhance fertility, may contain lead and other minerals. Consumers, particularly women of childbearing age, and their physicians should be aware that imported products available from commercial retailers and internet vendors may contain significant amounts of lead.
Sandstone-Body Variability in the Medial–Distal Part of an Ancient Distributive Fluvial System, Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation, Utah, U.S.A.

Abstract Plan-view exposures of the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation in central Utah provide unique insights into the characteristics of fluvial sandstone bodies associated with ancient distributive fluvial systems (DFS). Here, we use field-based observations and data from an unmanned aerial vehicle and structure-from-motion photogrammetry to document and interpret sandstone bodies across a 10 km2 area from the medial–distal portion of the Salt Wash DFS. We divide the fluvial sandstone bodies into four distinct groups: very narrow, narrow, and medium-width sandstone bodies, as well as an additional classification of “other” sandstones. Very narrow sandstone bodies are 100 m) and poorly exposed. The sandstone bodies record a portion of the DFS that was occupied by fluvial channels with multiple orientations, sizes, and plan-view morphologies, similar to the variety of channels observed on modern DFS. Because the fluvial deposits are composed of distinct sandstone-body types, mean values from the combined data set tend to obscure important aspects of the depositional history. Cyclical deposits in the Salt Wash Member suggest that autogenic processes were important in this region, consistent with modern DFS. Overall, DFS depositional models derived from regional-scale studies provide an excellent framework for interpreting DFS strata. However, smaller-scale details of these deposits, particularly the variability in sandstone body orientations, are not addressed by existing models.
Physiological Modelling and the Effect Site

Traditional pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modelling is based on a concept introduced by Segre1 more than thirty years ago: the concentration in the plasma compartment, C(t), of a mammillary compartmental model is linked to the time course of the pharmacological effect, E(t), via a simple first order delay (time constant τ = 1/k eo) determining a hypothetical concentration-time curve at the effect site [biophase level, C B (t)] and a static, nonlinear C B (t) -effect relationship (figure 1).
Modern Analysis for Complex and Nonlinear Unsteady Flows in Turbomachinery

The field of turbomachinery is undergoing major advances in aeroelasticity, and this chapter provides an overview of these new developments in the key enabling methodology of unsteady aerodynamic modeling. Also see the earlier discussions in Chaps. 8 and 9.
Navigated Total Knee Arthroplasty and the ORTHOsoft Navitrack System

Introduction The Navitrack® TotalKneeTM (Orthosoft, Montreal, Quebec, Canada) imageless application from ORTHOsoft allows the surgeon to determine mechanical and rotational axis of a patient’s leg during total knee replacement surgery. The Navitrack TotalKnee imageless application does not require any CT images prior to surgery nor does it require any intra-operative fluoroscopy images. All required data is registered with the system intra-operatively. As with most systems available today, this system continues to evolve with regard to software applications, instrumentation and workstation design.
Energetics and Cancer: Exploring a Road Less Traveled

As the number of individuals who are overweight or obese continues to increase in a worldwide epidemic of positive energy imbalance, identification of the mechanisms that account for the effects of energetics on the development of cancer becomes increasingly important. In this brief review, attention is directed to the contributions of extracellular mediators and intracellular energy-sensing mechanisms to the regulation of the carcinogenic process. The signaling pathways regulated by intracellular energy sensors are integrally linked to pathways that communicate to the intracellular milieu, information about effects of the host’s energy status on the extracellular environment. Thus, the effects of energetics on cancer are likely to be accounted for by interactions among systemic factors, manifest in plasma concentrations of hormones, growth factors, and various cytokines including those arising from adipose and skeletal muscle tissues, and direct and indirect effects of energetic status on intracellular energy messengers and the proteins that detect changes in their concentrations. Collectively, the pathways regulated by energy status exert effects on cell survival/proliferation, cell death (apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis), tissue blood supply (vasculogenesis and angiogenesis), and resistance to metabolic stress, processes that are misregulated during the development of cancer.
Las transferencias intergeneracionales y la desigualdad socioeconómica en Brasil: un análisis inicial

El presente estudio analiza estas interacciones en Brasil. Se desprende que la importancia de las transferencias familiares es mayor para los ninos, particularmente para los de los hogares con mas recursos economicos. Los ninos de los hogares mas pobres dependen mucho mas de las transferencias publicas. El consumo de las personas mayores, en todos los grupos socioeconomicos, depende en gran parte de las transferencias publicas. Se muestra, asimismo, que los ninos pobres reciben la menor cantidad de transferencias publicas y privadas, al menos en el corte transversal. Las diferencias entre los grupos de edad, en cuanto al acceso al poder politico y su influencia sobre la determinacion de los grupos socioeconomicos que se benefician de los mismos programas, pueden ayudar a explicar esos resultados. En el estudio se entregan importantes elementos para comprender como las diferencias entre los grupos socioeconomicos con respecto a las transferencias intergeneracionales resultan utiles para explicar el ciclo vicioso de la desigualdad y la pobreza en Brasil.
Salinity Reversal and Water Freshening in the Eagle Ford Shale, Texas, USA

Effective, considerate shale play water management supports operations and protects the environment. A parameter often overlooked is total dissolved solids (TDS) of produced water from the formation. Knowledge of TDS is important to meet these dual goals. Subsurface TDS typically increases with depth. However, produced-water samples from the Eagle Ford Shale show a strong TDS decrease by a factor of ∼10 with increasing well depth (∼200 000 ppm at ∼2.5 km to 18 000 ppm at ∼3.6 km). Water stable isotopes strongly suggest that the low TDS is not due to dilution by meteoric water. Rather, we attribute the change to smectite-to-illite conversion, in which the smectite interlayer water is released into the pore space. Depth, temperature, and other related indicators (source for K, excess silica) support such a mechanism. In addition, water-isotope patterns and 87Sr/86Sr ratios suggest a conversion operating with limited contributions external to the shale. Order-of-magnitude calculations show that the 8% of mix...
A new dimensionless number for thermoelectric generator performance

Abstract Thermoelectric generators (TEG) convert heat into electricity and offer a green option for renewable energy generation. The Thomson effect has been proven to impact the overall performance of TEGs negatively but is ignored in the widely-used formula for TEG maximum efficiency calculation. In this study, a new dimensionless number called the Ury number (Ur) is introduced to capture the influence of the Thomson effect on TEG power output and maximum efficiency. Ur is defined as the ratio between the Thomson coefficient and the Seebeck coefficient. It is found that as Ur increases both TEG output power and maximum efficiency decrease. Ur combined with the device figure of merit, ZT, can better dictate the overall performance of a TEG.
Structure and Structural Analysis

Chapter 1 pointed out that the idea of structure will be employed as a guideline for constructing a cognitive system useful in forming mental models of social systems and ecological fields. This statement is meant to point to the fact that a generalized conception of structure as a mental construct used with reference to a variety of phenomenological targets, in this case, will be used to guide thought with respect to complex systems of social behavior. As a conceptualization, structure may be regarded as a generalized cognitive system in and of itself, independent of the phenomenon to which it is applied. This cognitive system consists of a complex interrelated set of subelements that, taken together, guide the mind in creating mental images of a variety of objects.
Same-day discharge is not associated with increased readmissions or complications after thyroid operations.

Abstract Background Overnight hospitalization after thyroid surgery has been a widely adopted practice because of the concern for complications such as hypocalcemia and hematoma. Same-day discharge, however, has become popular in recent years. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Targeted Thyroidectomy database (2016–2017) was used to identify patients who underwent thyroid resections. A 1:1 propensity score matching was used to match patients who were discharged on postoperative day 0 and those discharged on postoperative days 1 or 2. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess the association between discharge timing and postoperative outcomes. Results Of the 10,502 patients, 2,776 (26.4%) were discharged on postoperative day 0, and 7,726 (73.6%) were discharged on postoperative days 1 or 2. After propensity score matching, 1,977 matched pairs were created. In this matched cohort, the rates of readmission were similar when comparing patients discharged on postoperative day 0 with those discharged on postoperative days 1 or 2 (odds ratio 1.26, 95% confidence interval 0.78–2.05). Likewise, no differences were observed in the rates of surgical site infection, clinically severe hypocalcemia, neck hematoma, or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Conclusion In a national cohort of patients undergoing thyroid surgery, same-day discharge was not associated with greater rates of readmission or complications when compared with discharge 1 or 2 days after thyroid surgery.
Economic Sector Employment, Human Capital, and Poverty among Mexican Immigrants in Chicago

This study analyzes connections between poverty and economic sector of employment in relation to Human Capital Theory among Mexican immigrants in Chicago and Cook County. The results show the likel...
Anxiety and threat-related attentional biases in adolescents with fragile X syndrome.

BACKGROUND Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a single-gene disorder highly associated with anxiety; however, measuring anxiety symptoms in FXS and other neurogenetic syndromes is challenged by common limitations in language, self-awareness and cognitive skills required for many traditional assessment tasks. Prior studies have documented group-level differences in threat-related attentional biases, assessed via eye tracking, in FXS and non-FXS groups. The present study built on this work to test whether attentional biases correspond to clinical features of anxiety among adolescents and young adults with FXS. METHODS Participants included 21 male adolescents with FXS ages 15-20 years who completed an adapted eye-tracking task that measured attentional bias towards fearful faces of varied emotional intensity. RESULTS Among participants without anxiety disorders, attentional bias towards fear increased across age, similar to non-FXS paediatric anxiety samples. In contrast, participants with anxiety disorders exhibited greater stability in fear-related attentional biases across age. Across analyses, subtle fear stimuli were more sensitive to within-group anxiety variability than full-intensity stimuli. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide novel evidence that although threat-related attentional biases may correspond with anxiety outcomes in FXS, these associations are complex and vary across developmental and task factors. Future studies are needed to characterise these associations in more robust longitudinal samples, informing whether and how eye-tracking tasks might be optimised to reliably predict and track anxiety in FXS.
Accident Prediction Accuracy Assessment for Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Using Random Forest Algorithm Compared with Decision Tree

ABSTRACT Safety is a major concern of transportation planners and engineers in their design of highway rail grade crossings (HRGCs). Safety agencies rely on prediction models to allocate their crossing safety improvement resources. The prediction accuracy performance of those models is under-researched. This paper performs model forecasting accuracy comparison analysis for a proposed random forest method. Compared with the decision tree, the random forest method is capable of improving unbalanced data forecasting performance because of its bootstrap characteristic, which is a common resampling method to handle imbalanced data. Data imbalance is frequently encountered in safety analysis, where the use of inadequate performance metrics, such as accuracy, and specificity, will lead to overestimated generalization results. That is because the model/classifiers tend to predict the dominant class, non-crash class, in the area of safety analysis. The proposed random forest method is evaluated by various prediction performance measurements and compared with the decision tree. Results show that the random forest method dramatically improves the prediction accuracy without providing additional false negative predictions or false positive predictions which are known as false alarms.
Chapter 12 – Symbiosis

The more we learn about nature, the more symbiosis seems ubiquitous. The most dramatic examples of symbiosis as a factor in evolution are those cases of endosymbiosis wherein prokaryotic organisms have become regular “inhabitants” of eukaryotic cells, with the now well-established case of mitochondria and chloroplasts having descended from prokaryotes being the major examples. Recently, several other cases have come to light in a variety of more limited groups such as certain clams and insects. Almost certainly more examples will turn up with more study. The more normal, classic examples of parasitism and mutualism typically illustrate several coevolved aspects of the species involved, so these too have had diverse and widespread effects on nature and evolution in general.
Dosimetric impact of switching from AAA to Acuros dose-to-water and dose-to-medium for RapidArc plans of nasopharyngeal carcinomas.

Abstract Purpose This work aims to evaluate the dosimetric consequences of replacing the Anisotropic Analytical Algorithm (AAA) by Acuros XB (AXB), dose-to-water (Dw) or dose-to-medium (Dm), for RapidArc plans of nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC). Materials and Methods Seventeen NPC plans created with AAA (v15.6) were recalculated with AXB (v15.6) Dw and Dm. The dose–volume parameters to the planning target volumes (PTV) and relevant organs at risk (OAR) were compared. The high dose PTV was divided into bone, air and tissue components and the comparison was performed for each of them. Results AXB Dw revealed no significant differences in the PTVs compared to AAA. Lower values were observed to spinal cord, brainstem, oral cavity and parotids (0.5% to 2.3%), and higher values to cochleas (up to 5.4%) and mandible (up to 6.7%). AXB Dm predicted lower values than AAA for all PTVs and OARs (2.0% to 6.1%). For the bone PTV subvolume, AXB Dw and Dm predicted respectively higher (2.4%) and lower (2.2% to 3.4%) values. No significant differences were noted in air. AXB predicted lower values than AAA in soft tissues (0.4% to 1.6%). The largest difference was found to the mandible V60Gy parameter, with median differences of 6.7% for AXB Dw and −6.0% for AXB Dm. Conclusion Significant dose differences are expected when switching from AAA to AXB in NPC cases. The dose prescriptions and the tolerance limits for some OARs, especially those of high density, may need to be adjusted depending on the selected dose calculation algorithm and reporting mode.
Spontaneous Mutation Rates

There is a long-standing interest in the study of mutations—from the quest to enhance evolutionary inference related to the genetic underpinnings of disease, to the improvement of our understanding of the chronology of human evolution, to characterizing relationships between species. There is substantial uncertainty in historical estimates obtained from indirect methods: classical genetic approaches, going back to Haldane’s work in 1935 that utilized information from incidence of genetic disorders; and phylogenetic approaches, based on Kimura’s observation that under neutrality the mutation rate is equal to the rate of divergence. However, recent advances in high-throughput sequencing have made it possible to estimate mutation rates directly from parent-offspring trios and multigenerational pedigrees. Moreover, the combination of mutation accumulation studies with high-throughput sequencing has led to nearly complete, largely unbiased insights into the genome-wide spontaneous mutation rate in several experimentally tractable organisms. This chapter will focus on the basic concepts underlying the different methods used to estimate spontaneous mutation rates and will summarize current knowledge regarding the evolution of mutation rates across taxa.
IL-33 is produced by colon fibroblasts and differentially regulated in acute and chronic murine colitis

IL-33 is upregulated in ulcerative colitis and has a protective role in chemically-induced acute murine colitis. We aimed to determine whether IL-33 influences Il10−/− chronic colitis and its cellular source in health and during colitis. Il10−/−Il33−/− and Il10−/−Il33+/+ littermates developed colitis of similar severity. Colon Il33 was induced in WT and Il10−/− mice exposed to DSS, but not in unchallenged Il10−/− mice with colitis. Il33-citrine reporter mice showed that Il33-citrine colocalized with α-smooth muscle actin+ myofibroblasts and vimentin+ fibroblasts in WT mice. Citrine+CD74+CD90hi inflammatory fibroblasts were increased with DSS treatment. IL-1β induced Il33 expression in colon myofibroblasts, but colon Il33 expression did not differ between DSS-treated WT and Il1r1−/− mice. In conclusion, deficiency of IL-33 does not alter the severity of chronic colitis in Il10−/− mice. Induction of Il33 upon DSS exposure in WT and Il10−/− mice, but not in unchallenged Il10−/− mice, suggests epithelial injury induces colon IL-33. Fibroblasts are the primary colonic source of IL-33 and IL-33-expressing CD90hiCD74+ fibroblasts are increased during DSS-induced colitis. IL-1β induces Il33 in colon myofibroblasts in vitro, but signaling through the IL-1R1 is not necessary for induction of IL-33 in DSS-induced colitis.
155 Referral Hospital Uterine Torsions

Although uterine torsion has been reported in all of the domestic species, it is a condition that is more likely to be encountered by bovine practitioners. The anatomical features of the gravid bovine uterus undoubtedly play a major role, just as the anatomy of the equine gastro-intestinal tract predisposes the horse to colic. Literature on the topic is sparse and the etiology of the condition is open to speculation.
The Effect of Hypoxia on Aging Diaphragm Muscle Following Life-Long Satellite Cell Ablation

Satellite cells, or muscle stem cells, are absolutely required for skeletal muscle regeneration, but their role during adult muscle hypertrophy, regrowth, and maintenance has recently been challeng...
TGF-β blockade reduces mortality and metabolic changes in a validated murine model of pancreatic cancer cachexia

Cancer cachexia is a debilitating condition characterized by a combination of anorexia, muscle wasting, weight loss, and malnutrition. This condition affects an overwhelming majority of patients with pancreatic cancer and is a primary cause of cancer-related death. However, few, if any, effective therapies exist for both treatment and prevention of this syndrome. In order to develop novel therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer cachexia, appropriate animal models are necessary. In this study, we developed and validated a syngeneic, metastatic, murine model of pancreatic cancer cachexia. Using our model, we investigated the ability of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) blockade to mitigate the metabolic changes associated with cachexia. We found that TGF-β inhibition using the anti-TGF-β antibody 1D11.16.8 significantly improved overall mortality, weight loss, fat mass, lean body mass, bone mineral density, and skeletal muscle proteolysis in mice harboring advanced pancreatic cancer. Other immunotherapeutic strategies we employed were not effective. Collectively, we validated a simplified but useful model of pancreatic cancer cachexia to investigate immunologic treatment strategies. In addition, we showed that TGF-β inhibition can decrease the metabolic changes associated with cancer cachexia and improve overall survival.
Polymer Fluid Mechanics

Publisher Summary Polymeric liquids consists of high-molecular weight polymers or “macromolecules'’ in the form of polymer solutions or polymer melts. This chapter provides one of the most ubiquitous examples of the viscoelastic or non-Newtonian liquid and discusses certain developments in the mechanics of viscoelastic fluids, as typified by polymeric liquids. The term “mechanics” embodies both the underlying rheology, in the form of mechanical constitutive theories or models, and dynamics, as represented by the phenomena of fluid motion and the governing field equations of continuum mechanics. The chapter focuses on developments in the continuum and microstructural theory of polymer-fluid rheology and, to a lesser extent, in the fluid dynamics. The emphasis is on continuum mechanics, and, except insofar as they relate grossly to the characteristic departures from classical (Newtonian) fluid behavior, there is little said about the chemical structure and molecular physics of polymers. The objectives are to trace the progress in the selected avenues of research and to summarize and evaluate certain ideas and methods that appear to be in need of refinement or are most promising for further development. Several extensions of existing methods and some original results are presented.
From university wide outcomes to course embedded assessment of CS1

This paper discusses the implementation of course embedded assessment in CS 1. Each programming assignment is assessed using criteria that are linked to course objectives. These course objectives are linked to Computer Science degree outcomes which are linked to University Wide Outcomes. The results of student surveys of CS1/CS2 are given along with the results of the course embedded assessment of programming assignments.
Ligand promiscuity through the eyes of the aminoglycoside N3 acetyltransferase IIa

Aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AGMEs) are expressed in many pathogenic bacteria and cause resistance to aminoglycoside (AG) antibiotics. Remarkably, the substrate promiscuity of AGMEs is quite variable. The molecular basis for such ligand promiscuity is largely unknown as there is not an obvious link between amino acid sequence or structure and the antibiotic profiles of AGMEs. To address this issue, this article presents the first kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of one of the least promiscuous AGMEs, the AG N3 acetyltransferase-IIa (AAC-IIa) and its comparison to two highly promiscuous AGMEs, the AG N3-acetyltransferase-IIIb (AAC-IIIb) and the AG phosphotransferase(3′)-IIIa (APH). Despite having similar antibiotic selectivities, AAC-IIIb and APH catalyze different reactions and share no homology to one another. AAC-IIa and AAC-IIIb catalyze the same reaction and are very similar in both amino acid sequence and structure. However, they demonstrate strong differences in their substrate profiles and kinetic and thermodynamic properties. AAC-IIa and APH are also polar opposites in terms of ligand promiscuity but share no sequence or apparent structural homology. However, they both are highly dynamic and may even contain disordered segments and both adopt well-defined conformations when AGs are bound. Contrary to this AAC-IIIb maintains a well-defined structure even in apo form. Data presented herein suggest that the antibiotic promiscuity of AGMEs may be determined neither by the flexibility of the protein nor the size of the active site cavity alone but strongly modulated or controlled by the effects of the cosubstrate on the dynamic and thermodynamic properties of the enzyme.
A Theory of Self- Nonself Discrimination.

1) Induction of humoral antibody formation involves the obligatory recognition of two determinants on an antigen, one by the receptor antibody of the antigen-sensitive cell and the other by carrier antibody (associative interaction). 2) Paralysis of antibody formation involves the obligatory recognition of only one determinant by the receptor antibody of the antigen-sensitive cell; that is, a nonimmunogenic molecule (a hapten) can paralyze antigen-sensitive cells. 3) There is competition between paralysis and induction at the level of the antigen-sensitive cell. 4) The mechanisms of low- and high-zone paralysis, and maintenance of the unresponsive state, are identical. 5) High-zone paralysis occurs when both the carrier antibody and the receptor antibody are saturated, so that associated interactions cannot take place. 6) The mechanisms of paralysis and induction for the carrier-antigen-sensitive cell are identical to those for the humoral-antigen-sensitive cell. 7) The formation of carrier-antigen-sensitive cells is thymus-dependent, whereas humoral-antigen-sensitive cells are derived from bone marrow. Since carrier antibody is required for induction, all antigens are thymus-dependent. 8) The interaction of antigen with the receptor antibody on an antigen-sensitive cell results in a conformational change in an invariant region of the receptor and consequently paralyzes the cell. As the receptor is probably identical to the induced antibody, all antibody molecules are expected to be able to undergo a conformational change on binding a hapten. The obligatory associated recognition by way of carrier antibody (inductive signal) involves a conformational change in the carrier antibody, leading to a second signal to the antigen-sensitive cell. 9) The foregoing requirements provide an explanation for self-nonself discrimination. Tolerance to self-antigens involves a specific deletion in the activity of both the humoral- and the carrier-antigen-sensitive cells.
Principled Monitoring of Distributed Agents for Detection of Coordination Failure

There is a very rich variety of systems of autonomous agents, be it software or robotic agents. In particular, multi-agent systems can include agents that may be part of a team and need to coordinate their actions during their distributed task execution. This coordination requires an agent to observe, i.e., to monitor, the other agents in order to detect a possible coordination failure of the team. Several researchers have addressed the problem of monitoring for single or multiple agent systems and have contributed successful, but mainly application-specific, approaches. In this paper, we aim at contributing a unifying, domain-independent statement of the distributed multi-agent monitoring problem. We define the problem in terms of a pre-defined desirable joint state and an observation-state mapping. Given a concrete joint observation during execution, we show how an agent can detect a possible coordination failure by processing the observation-state mapping and the desirable joint state. To illustrate the generality of our formalism, one of the main contributions of the paper, we represent several previously studied examples within our formalism. We note that basic failure detection algorithms can be computationally expensive. We further contribute an efficient method for failure detection that builds upon an off-line compilation of the principled relations introduced. We show empirical results that demonstrate this effectiveness.