cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patients are well served by Collis gastroplasty when indicated.

Background Debate persists over the impact of Collis gastroplasty (CG) on outcomes after anti reflux surgery. This study analyzed operative and quality of life (QOL) outcomes from one of the largest series of laparoscopic anti reflux surgery (LARS) with CG reported to date. Methods A retrospective review was conducted to compare outcomes between patients undergoing LARS with CG versus without CG at two large centers with expertise in foregut surgery from October 2004-December 2011 and July 2012-September 2016. Demographic, perioperative, and QOL data were reviewed. Four validated surveys were used for QOL outcomes: reflux symptom index (RSI), gastroesophageal reflux disease health-related QOL (GERD-HRQL), laryngopharyngeal reflux health-related QOL (LPR-HRQL), and swallowing QOL (SWAL-QL). Results 480 patients consisted of 149 Collis vs 331 non-Collis with mean age of 66.3 vs 58.9 years (P ≤ .001), BMI of 28.6 vs 29.7 (P = .040) and ASA score of 2.4 vs 2.2 (P = .005) were included. Collis patients underwent longer duration operations (133.2 mins vs 94.2; P ≤ .001) with greater duration of hospital stay (3.1 vs 1.8; P ≤ .001). Thirty-day readmission and reoperation rates were equivalent between the two groups. Wound and non-wound related complications were also comparable. After mean 12 month follow up, QOL assessment revealed significant improvements for all patients post-surgery with comparable results between Collis and non-Collis patients. Furthermore, CG did not contribute to post-operative dysphagia, reflux, or a significant leak rate. Conclusion Patients who require a CG to address a true short esophagus during LARS have comparable operative and QOL benefits as non-Collis patients without added morbidity or mortality.
Use of intravenous epoprostenol as a treatment for the digital vasculopathy associated with the scleroderma spectrum of diseases

IntroductionIntravenous prostanoid therapy is recommended for severe systemic sclerosis-related digital vasculopathy. The evidence supporting this recommendation is limited.The aim of this study wa...
Expression of adhA from different organisms in Clostridium thermocellum.

Clostridium thermocellum is a cellulolytic anaerobic thermophile that is a promising candidate for consolidated bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels such as ethanol. It was previously shown that expressing Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum adhA in C. thermocellum increases ethanol yield.In this study, we investigated expression of adhA genes from different organisms in Clostridium thermocellum. Based on sequence identity to T. saccharolyticum adhA, we chose adhA genes from 10 other organisms: Clostridium botulinum, Methanocaldococcus bathoardescens, Thermoanaerobacterium ethanolicus, Thermoanaerobacter mathranii, Thermococcus strain AN1, Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum, Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus, Fervidobacterium nodosum, Marinitoga piezophila, and Thermotoga petrophila. All 11 adhA genes (including T. saccharolyticum adhA) were expressed in C. thermocellum and fermentation end products were analyzed. All 11 adhA genes increased C. thermocellum ethanol yield compared to the empty-vector control. C. botulinum and T. ethanolicus adhA genes generated significantly higher ethanol yield than T. saccharolyticum adhA. Our results indicated that expressing adhA is an effective method of increasing ethanol yield in wild-type C. thermocellum, and that this appears to be a general property of adhA genes.
Electromagnetic devices for next-generation wireless communication systems

In this paper, we present two microwave devices at 1 GHz for next-generation wireless communication systems. The first device is a magnet-less circulator that consists of three resonant branches connected in a delta topology and spatio-temporally modulated with 120 deg phase difference between each other. The proposed circulator is fully compatible with standard CMOS technologies and holds the promise to enable full-duplex wireless. The second device is an active microwave cloak that can mitigate the self-interference problem in massive MIMO systems. The presented cloak can achieve 10 dB scattering reduction over a 20% fractional BW, thus making it suitable for practical systems with digital or analog modulation schemes.
Analysis of cerebrovascular aneurysm treatment cost: retrospective cohort comparison of clipping, coiling, and flow diversion.

OBJECTIVEWith the continuous rise of health care costs, hospitals and health care providers must find ways to reduce costs while maintaining high-quality care. Comparing surgical and endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms may offer direction in reducing health care costs. The Value-Driven Outcomes (VDO) database at the University of Utah identifies cost drivers and tracks changes over time. In this study, the authors evaluate specific cost drivers for surgical clipping and endovascular management (i.e., coil embolization and flow diversion) of both ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms using the VDO system.METHODSThe authors retrospectively reviewed surgical and endovascular treatment of ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms from July 2011 to January 2017. Total cost (as a percentage of each patient’s cost to the system), subcategory costs, and potential cost drivers were evaluated and analyzed.RESULTSA total of 514 aneurysms in 469 patients were treated; 273 aneurysms were sur...
Accounting for the Persistence of Teenage Pregnancy

Many theories have attempted to explain the phenomenon of teenage pregnancy and to suggest preventive approaches to the problem. The present article reviews these approaches, groups them into three...
Exploring Hospitals' Use of Facebook: Thematic Analysis.

Background: Although health care organizations such as hospitals and clinics have widely embraced social media as a means to educate the community on health topics and increase patient loyalty and satisfaction, little is known about the content these organizations actually share when using social media channels. Objective: This study aimed to explore the types of content US hospitals post on their Facebook pages and how hospitals’ Facebook activities differ with regard to content types. Methods: We collected and thematically analyzed more than 1700 Facebook posts made over a 3-month period by 17 US hospitals. During the first phase, the 2 researchers coded a set of 159 posts and created an initial thematic web of content. During the second phase, the researchers coded the remaining posts and then revised, refined, and validated the initial web of content accordingly. Coding consensus was achieved on 1184 of the 1548 analyzable sampled posts (76.49%). Results: We identified a list of 13 unique health social media post themes and classified those themes into 3 thematic groups that included announcing, sharing, and recognizing activities. The most frequently used theme was sharing health information, which appeared in 35.81% (424/1184) of the posts analyzed. Such posts sought to provide health tips and advice to community members. Recognizing special days and recognizing employees were the second and third most frequently used themes, respectively, with 14.95% (177/1184) and 11.82% (140/1184) of the posts containing those themes. The frequency of these themes was surprising as the content was geared more toward stakeholders internal to the organization, although most previous literature has focused on social media as a tool to connect with external stakeholders. In addition, we found many of the posts involved more than one theme, and selected sets of themes co-occurred frequently. For example, 25.4% (45/177) of the posts recognizing special days also included content to share health information, and approximately 38% (32/85) of the posts announcing research activities also included content to share health information. Finally, we found similarities and differences between the sampled hospitals in terms of the types of content they posted more frequently on their Facebook pages. Conclusions: Hospitals use Facebook as an inexpensive way to educate people on health and wellness topics and to communicate different types of information and news to the public audience. Hospitals and clinics that are expanding their social media activities or are starting to embark on social media strategies can use the results of this study to better formulate their activities on Facebook.
Global Climate Change, Energy Subsidies and National Carbon Taxes

We are still no closer to answers on whether the buildup of “greenhouse” gases in the atmosphere could trigger a significant warming of the earth’s surface. Nor do we know with any precision what the social and economic consequences of global warming might be. Yet countries all over the world are increasingly showing a willingness to act now, rather than wait for further scientific evidence: At the June 1992 “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro, more than 150 countries signed a treaty aimed at stabilizing greenhouse gases -- mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), which is by far the largest contributor to the greenhouse effect. The UN Framework Convention on climate change specifies a series of obligations for participating countries to respond to this problem. Those obligations took effect when the Convention entered into force on 21 March 1994. Nineteen OECD countries and the European Union (EU) have ratified the treaty as of 1 May 1994 and face a later deadline to submit their climate change action plans to the Convention Secretariat. Most industrial countries have adopted national targets of stabilizing CO2 emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2000. Between January 1990 and January 1991, Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden imposed “carbon taxes” -- that is, taxes on the carbon content of fossil fuels. The European Union is considering levying a Union-wide tax on both carbon and energy in general. Many developing countries are beginning to weigh the various options, because although industrial counties account for around 43 percent of total CO2 emissions from fossil fuel consumption, the developing world is fast contributing an increasing proportion. Most industrial countries have adopted national targets of stabilizing CO2 emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2000.
Clinical Solutions: PTFE

Controlling the amount of cement used for the restoration and abutment form is a simple and effective means of reducing residual excess cement. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as “plumber’s tape,” has a thickness of close to 50 μm, and it has numerous applications in dentistry. Used as a throwaway spacer, it can limit the amount of cement applied internally within a crown, allowing the cement to be evenly spread on all walls with almost the ideal amount. Used within the abutment itself as a screw head protector, PTFE has proven antimicrobial properties. Techniques such as the PTFE “bib” protector are also described in detail.
Real-time 4d ultrasound mosaicing and visualization

Intra-cardiac 3D ultrasound imaging has enabled new minimally invasive procedures. Its narrow field of view, however, limits its efficacy in guiding beating heart procedures where geometrically complex and spatially extended moving anatomic structures are often involved. In this paper, we present a system that performs electrocardiograph gated 4D mosaicing and visualization of 3DUS volumes. Real-time operation is enabled by GPU implementation. The method is validated on phantom and porcine heart data.
CYCLOTRON-WAVE AMPLIFICATION USING SIMULTANEOUS RF COUPLING AND DC PUMPING

Parametric amplification using an electron beam as a parametric medium was studied by many researchers in the past years. Both longitudinal beam waves and transverse beam waves have been utilized, but only the fast transverse cyclotron wave provides good performance. The fast cyclotron wave was successfully used by Adler, Hrbek and Wade [1], [2] with r.f. pumping. The signal mode is a fast cyclotron wave which is actively coupled to an idler mode (also a fast cyclotron wave) by the pumping action of a high frequency transverse electric quadrupole field oscillating at twice the cyclotron frequency. Cyclotron waves can also be amplified by d. c. field pumping as pointed out by Gordon and others [3], [4]. A wave analysis showing clearly the‘processes occurring in these devices was introduced by Siegman [5], [6]. The signal mode is also a fast cyclotron wave as in the Adler-Wade tube. But the signal mode is now actively coupled to a slow cyclotron idler mode by the pumping action of a d.c. transverse electric quadrupole field. Later Wessel-Berg and BlQtekjaer studied the coupling between cyclotron waves and synchronous waves by axial symmetric and spatially periodic electrostatic or magnetostatic fields, and the coupling between two synchronous waves by d.c. electric field of straight quadrupoles [7]. [8].
A Biocatalytic Platform for Synthesis of Chiral α- Trifluoromethylated Organoborons

There are few biocatalytic transformations that produce fluorine-containing molecules prevalent in modern pharmaceuticals. To expand the scope of biocatalysis for organofluorine synthesis, we have developed an enzymatic platform for highly enantioselective carbene B-H bond insertion to yield versatile α-trifluoromethylated (α-CF3) organoborons, an important class of organofluorine molecules that contain stereogenic centers bearing both CF3 and boron groups. In contrast to current "carbene transferase" enzymes that use a limited set of simple diazo compounds as carbene precursors, this system based on Rhodothermus marinus cytochrome c (Rma cyt c) can accept a broad range of trifluorodiazo alkanes and deliver versatile chiral α-CF3 organoborons with total turnovers up to 2870 and enantiomeric ratios up to 98.5:1.5. Computational modeling reveals that this broad diazo scope is enabled by an active-site environment that directs the alkyl substituent on the heme CF3-carbene intermediate toward the solvent-exposed face, thereby allowing the protein to accommodate diazo compounds with diverse structural features.
Cavity-induced hybrid plasmon excitation for perfect infrared absorption

Photonic microcavity coupling of a subwavelength hole-disk array, a two-element metal/dielectric composite structure with enhanced extraordinary transmission, leads to 100% coupling of incident light to the cavity system and subsequent absorption. This light-funneling process arises from the temporal and spatial coupling of the broadband localized surface plasmon resonance on the coupled hole-disk array and the photonic modes of the optical cavity, which induces spectral narrowing of the perfect absorption of light. A simple nanoimprint lithography-based large-area fabrication process paves the path towards practical implementation of plasmonic cavity-based devices and sensors.
Modeling mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) oviposition

Mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), is a significant forest disturbance agent with a widespread distribution in western North America. Population success is influenced by temperatures that drive phenology and ultimately the adult emergence synchrony required to mass attack and kill host trees during outbreaks. In addition to lifestage-specific developmental rates and thresholds, oviposition timing can be a source of variance in adult emergence synchrony, and is a critical aspect of mountain pine beetle phenology. Adaptation to local climates has resulted in longer generation times in southern compared to northern populations in common gardens, and the role of oviposition rate in these differences is unclear. Oviposition rates and fecundity in a northern population have been described, although data are lacking for southern populations. We assessed southern mountain pine beetle oviposition rates and fecundity in a range of temperatures using a non-destructive technique that included frequent X-ray imaging. We found that oviposition rate and fecundity vary independently such that a female with high oviposition rate did not necessarily have high fecundity and vice versa. Observed fecundity within the 30-day experimental period was lowest at the lowest temperature, although estimated potential fecundity did not differ among temperatures. Females at varying temperatures have the potential to lay similar numbers of eggs, although it will take longer at lower temperatures. Southern mountain pine beetle reared in Pinus strobiformis Engelm. (Pinaceae) had a higher upper threshold for oviposition, a similar lower threshold, and slightly greater potential fecundity compared to a northern population reared in Pinus contorta Douglas. A comparison of modeled oviposition rates between the two populations, which could be influenced by host tree, suggests that differences in oviposition rate do not explain observed differences in total generation time. Our oviposition model will facilitate development of a phenology model for southern mountain pine beetle populations.
Teaching evidence-based medicine application: transformative concepts of information mastery that foster evidence-informed decision-making

Information mastery is an approach to applying the methods of evidence-based medicine to everyday practice. The aim of this research is to describe concepts identified by clinicians attending a 3-day course on applied evidence-based medicine that led to 'transformative learning', in which they experienced a deep, structural shift in the basic premises of thought, feelings and actions in their approach to making medical decisions. We used a qualitative approach to capture the lived experience of 12 current and 9 prior attendees of the 'information mastery' course through individual interviews, focus groups and observation. Data were thematically analysed and themes were reported. We found that current and previous attendees who seemed to undergo transformative learning identified eight concepts that constitute an information mastery approach to medical decision-making, which we grouped into two general themes. Some participants attending this course underwent transformative learning, resulting in an alternative decision-making process no longer relying on the anecdotes or guidance of others (what 'ought to work') and instead on incorporating patient-oriented outcomes based on the best evidence (what 'does work').
Reproductive Notes on Bats from the Genus Lasiurus in Louisiana

Little is known about the reproductive habits of the 4 species of bat in the genus Lasiurus that live in Louisiana. We examined reproductive notes from specimen records for the eastern red bat (L. borealis), the Seminole bat (L. seminolus), the northern yellow bat (L. intermedius), and the hoary bat (L. cinereus). We found that gestation and partuition happen between May and June for all species. Lactating and postlactating individuals and juveniles were mostly captured in late June or July. Typically, litter sizes range from 3 to 4 pups for both L. borealis and L. intermedius and from 1 to 3 pups for L. seminolus. Males for all species became scrotal in early fall between August and October, suggesting that fertilization is delayed till the spring. However, we do provide evidence that copulation may also occur in early spring for L. intermedius.
Adaptive Photographic Composition Guidance

Photographic composition is often taught as alignment with composition grids-most commonly, the rule of thirds. Professional photographers use more complex grids, like the harmonic armature, to achieve more diverse dynamic compositions. We are interested in understanding whether these complex grids are helpful to amateurs. In a formative study, we found that overlaying the harmonic armature in the camera can help less experienced photographers discover and achieve different compositions, but it can also be overwhelming due to the large number of lines. Photographers actually use subsets of lines from the armature to explain different aspects of composition. However, this occurs mainly offline to analyze existing images. We propose bringing this mental model into the camera-by adaptively highlighting relevant lines to the current scene and point of view. We describe a saliency-based algorithm for selecting these lines and present an evaluation of the system that shows that photographers found the proposed adaptive armatures helpful for capturing more well-composed images.
Disparities in Coronavirus 2019 Reported Incidence, Knowledge, and Behavior Among US Adults.

Importance Data from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the US show large differences in hospitalizations and mortality across race and geography. However, there are limited data on health information, beliefs, and behaviors that might indicate different exposure to risk. Objective To determine the association of sociodemographic characteristics with reported incidence, knowledge, and behavior regarding COVID-19 among US adults. Design, Setting, and Participants A US national survey study was conducted from March 29 to April 13, 2020, to measure differences in knowledge, beliefs, and behavior about COVID-19. The survey oversampled COVID-19 hotspot areas. The survey was conducted electronically. The criteria for inclusion were age 18 years or older and residence in the US. Data analysis was performed in April 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcomes were incidence, knowledge, and behaviors related to COVID-19 as measured by survey response. Results The survey included 5198 individuals (mean [SD] age, 48 [18] years; 2336 men [45%]; 3759 white [72%], 830 [16%] African American, and 609 [12%] Hispanic). The largest differences in COVID-19–related knowledge and behaviors were associated with race/ethnicity, sex, and age, with African American participants, men, and people younger than 55 years showing less knowledge than other groups. African American respondents were 3.5 percentage points (95% CI, 1.5 to 5.5 percentage points;P = .001) more likely than white respondents to report being infected with COVID-19, as were men compared with women (3.2 percentage points; 95% CI, 2.0 to 4.4 percentage points;P Conclusions and Relevance In this survey study of US adults, there were gaps in reported incidence of COVID-19 and knowledge regarding its spread and symptoms and social distancing behavior. More effort is needed to increase accurate information and encourage appropriate behaviors among minority communities, men, and younger people.
STUDIES ON THE LOCALIZATION OF DOPAMINERGIC AND CHOLINERGIC RECEPTORS IN THE CAROTID BODY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses studies on the localization of dopaminergic and cholinergic receptors in the carotid body. Tissues from two groups of rabbits and cats were used in this study. In one group, the carotid sinus nerves were bilaterally resected 12–15 days prior to experimentation; the other group included normal, unoperated animals. Carotid bodies were removed for binding assay from pentobarbital-anesthetized animals and cleaned of surrounding connective tissue in a Lucite chamber filled with O2-equilibrated, modified-Tyrode's solution. Tissues were incubated for 20–30 min in a waterbath-shaker at 37°C. Total and nonspecific binding for each of the ligands were determined in the absence and presence, respectively, of agents that competitively protected the receptor sites. The results show that 3H-spiroperidol binding in rabbit carotid body was concentration-dependent. Specific binding was saturable at spiroperidol concentrations above 0.38 nM, and the time course of binding at this concentration reached a plateau after 20 min of incubation. The absolute amount of nonspecific spiroperidol binding in both normal and denervated carotid bodies is comparable to that reported for human caudate nucleus.
Polymer Release Biosensors

This chapter elaborates the characteristics of polymer release biosensors. The high binding constants of the antibody–antigen reaction presents difficulties where continuous analysis is desirable. Because of this tight binding, immunoassays are discontinuous. Sensors that employ such immunoreactions must be regenerated with harsh chaotropic reagents that dissociate the antigen from the antibody. Controlled release polymers are used in drug delivery systems for the sustained release of bioactive substances. These polymers are also employed to prepare optical immunosensors. In this approach, immunoreagents incorporated into the polymers are released continuously to the tip of an optical fiber. Solution analyte diffuses into the reaction zone where an optical signal is generated. The basis for the measurement is a fluorescence energy transfer competitive assay in which labeled and solution antigens compete for a limited number of antibody binding sites. A variety of such immunosensors have been prepared for analyzing small organic molecules and large biomolecules.
Predictors of Safe Prescription Opioid Storage and Participation in Drug Take-Back Events: Results from a Statewide Survey.

Improper storage and disposal of prescribed opioids can lead to diversion or accidental poisonings. Studies of emergency department and cancer patients suggest prescription opioids are rarely stored securely or disposed of when unneeded. Safe storage and disposal practices reduce risks for others living in or visiting a household. The purpose of this study is thus to examine prescription opioid storage and participation in drug take-back events among Michigan adults. Participants (N = 702) were recruited through social media advertisements to complete an online survey in July and August 2018. Logistic regression was used to examine correlates of safe storage and disposal. 8.4% (n = 59) of participants reported always keeping opioids locked; 29.8% (n = 209) reported attending a drug take-back event. Black participants and those who believed that illegal drug use was a serious problem had greater odds of locking opioids; participants with higher levels of education or who knew someone who used heroin or misused prescription opioids had lesser odds of locking opioids. Age and race were associated with take-back event participation. Findings identify factors associated with safe prescription opioid storage/disposal and indicate safe storage/disposal seldom occurs. Education and provision of safe storage equipment should be designed for diverse ages, races/ethnicities, and levels of education. Drug take-back events not hosted by law enforcement may have broader appeal, as may those led by Black or other people of color. Wider use of drug donation boxes may facilitate increased disposal among those who do not wish to or cannot attend take-back events.
Single-Incision Rotator Cuff Repair

Arthroscopy frequently has been used to treat a variety of shoulder conditions, including rotator cuff tears. Arthroscopic techniques, when compared with open techniques, are associated with less morbidity, leading to lower complication rates, easier recovery, and improved outcomes. As technology improves, we continue to develop less invasive surgical techniques to treat rotator cuff pathology. With the development of the NanoScope (Arthrex, Naples, FL), we have the opportunity to view through a small cannula without making a standard viewing portal. This technique combines this small viewing portal with standard repair techniques through only a single lateral incision to provide a less invasive rotator cuff repair technique.
Pulmonary Function Tests May Better Predict Dyspnea-Severity in Patients with Subglottic Stenosis Compared to Clinician-Reported Stenosis.

OBJECTIVE Patients with subglottic stenosis (SGS) present with varied degree of breathing complaints. The dyspnea index (DI) is a 10-question patient-reported outcome measure designed to measure the severity of upper airway obstruction. We set out to determine whether pulmonary function tests or clinician-reported degree of stenosis best predicted DI scores. METHODS Thirty patients with SGS were retrospectively reviewed over a 6-year period. One visit from each patient was included. Data including peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), body-mass index (BMI), clinician-reported degree of stenosis, and DI scores were reviewed. Multiple linear regression was performed to determine how degree of stenosis and PEFR % predicted the variation in DI score. RESULTS PEFR % better predicted DI scores compared to degree of stenosis (partial correlation -0.32 vs 0.17). After stepwise elimination, PEFR % remained in the regression and was significantly associated with DI scores (F[1, 29] = 9.38, P = .005). BMI did not demonstrate a linear relationship with DI scores and was not included in the regression (r = -.02). The PEFR % unstandardized coefficient was -0.25 (95% CI: -0.42 to -0.08, P = .005). The model predicts that a 4% increase in the PEFR % results in a 1-point decrease in the DI score (95% CI: -1.68 to -0.32). CONCLUSION This study suggests that pulmonary function tests may be a better in-office measure to substantiate the severity of symptoms in patients with SGS.
Evidence for Lymphoid Cell Participation in Neuroendocrine Pathways

For many years, the immune system was thought to be subject only to internal regulation by subsets of lymphoid cells and their products, such as antibodies and cytokines. It is now apparent that there is also extrinsic regulation of the immune system, and the nervous and endocrine systems are intimately involved in this regulation. It is also clear that lymphocytes serve a sensory role, and after perturbation may be capable of relaying this signal to the nervous system, thus forming a reciprocal link between the immune and nervous systems (1).
Gene Splicing, the Production of Artificial DNA Constructs

The concept of manipulating phenotypic traits has been known to mankind for a longer period of time than the science of genetics itself. Selective breeding of plants and animals has been practiced for hundreds of years and has resulted in hardier forms of domestic animals and plants as well as such oddities as the various breeds of dogs. With the advent of the science of genetics, interest in this type of activity increased and broadened to include both the possibility of correcting “inborn errors of metabolism” and the possibility of a definitive eugenics program (the application of selective breeding principles to man).
Modeling Stock Order Flows and Learning Market-Making from Data

Abstract : Stock markets employ specialized traders, market-makers, designed to provide liquidity and volume to the market by constantly supplying both supply and demand. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel method for modeling the market as a dynamic system and a reinforcement learning algorithm that learns profitable market-making strategies when run on this model. The sequence of buys and sells for a particular stock, the order flow, we model as an Input-Output Hidden Markov Model fit to historical data. When combined with the dynamics of the order book, this creates a highly non-linear and difficult dynamic system. Our reinforcement learning algorithm, based on likelihood ratios, is run on this partially-observable environment. We demonstrate learning results for two separate real stocks.
MD‐2 is involved in the stimulation of matrix metalloproteinase‐1 expression by interferon‐γ and high glucose in mononuclear cells – a potential role of MD‐2 in Toll‐like receptor 4‐independent signalling

We reported recently that treatment of diabetic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice with the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist Rs-LPS, a lipopolysaccharide isolated from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, inhibited atherosclerosis. Since it is known that Rs-LPS antagonizes TLR4 by targeting TLR4 co-receptor MD-2, this finding indicates that MD-2 is a potential target for the treatment of atherosclerosis. In this study, we determined if MD-2 is involved in the gene expression regulated by signalling pathways independent of TLR4. Given that interferon-γ (IFNγ) and hyperglycaemia play key roles in atherosclerosis, we determined if MD-2 is involved in IFN-γ and high-glucose-regulated gene expression in mononuclear cells. Results showed that IFN-γ and high glucose synergistically stimulated matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1), a proteinase essential for vascular tissue remodelling and atherosclerosis, in U937 mononuclear cells, but Rs-LPS inhibited the MMP-1 stimulation. To provide more evidence for a role of MD-2 in IFN-γ-stimulated MMP-1, studies using antibodies and small interfering RNA demonstrated that MD-2 blockade or knockdown attenuated the effect of IFN-γ on MMP-1. Furthermore, studies using PCR arrays showed that MD-2 blockade had a similar effect as IFN-γ receptor blockade on the inhibition of IFN-γ-stimulated pro-inflammatory molecules. Although these findings indicate the involvement of MD-2 in IFN-γ signalling, we also observed that MD-2 was up-regulated by IFN-γ and high glucose. We found that MD-2 up-regulation by IFN-γ played an essential role in the synergistic effect of IFN-γ and LPS on MMP-1 expression. Taken together, these findings indicate that MD-2 is involved in IFN-γ signalling and IFN-γ-augmented MMP-1 up-regulation by LPS.
Molecular differentiation of the rabbit ovum: I. During oocyte maturation in vivo and in vitro

The normality of nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of rabbit oocytes, matured in vivo and in vitro, has been assessed by cytogenetic and electrophoretic criteria. The findings indicate not only that nuclear maturation in vivo and in vitro are directly comparable, but also, as observed by high-resolution, two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, (1) that both qualitative and quantitative changes in the pattern of polypeptide synthesis occur during maturation, (2) that these patterns are directly comparable in oocytes that had been matured either in vivo or in vitro, and (3) that each stage of maturation is associated with the appearance of specific polypeptides in the autoradiographic patterns. The major differences observed between oocytes matured under these two conditions are (1) that several polypeptides fail to appear in in vitro matured oocytes at the time they are detected in vivo and (2) that the synthesis of some polypeptides is prolonged in vitro compared to in vivo matured oocytes.
Hand Calculation of Safe Separation Distances Between Natural-Gas Pipelines and Boilers and Nuclear Facilities in the Hanford Site 300 Area

The U.S. Department of Energy has undertaken a project to reduce energy expenditures and improve energy system reliability in the 300 Area of the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington. This project replaced the centralized heating system with heating units for individual buildings or groups of buildings, constructed a new natural-gas distribution system to provide a fuel source for many of these units, and constructed a central control building to operate and maintain the system. The individual heating units include steam boilers that are housed in individual annex buildings located in the vicinity of a number of nuclear facilities operated by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The described analysis develops the basis for siting the package boilers and natural-gas distribution system used to supply steam to PNNL 's 300 Area nuclear facilities. Minimum separation distances that would eliminate or reduce the risks of accidental dispersal of radioactive and hazardous materials in nearby nuclear facilities were calculated based on the effects of four potential fire and explosion (detonation) scenarios involving the boiler and natural-gas distribution system. These minimum separation distances were used to support siting decisions for the boilers and natural-gas pipelines.
SWAT: A New Spliced Alignment Tool Tailored for Handling More Sequencing Errors

There are several computer programs that align mRNA with its genomic counterpart to determine exon boundaries. Though most of these programs perform such alignment efficiently and accurately, they can only tolerate a relatively small number of sequencing errors. These programs also highly depend on the GT/AG rule in finding splice sites. Both properties make them less desirable in the case of aligning EST reconstructed transcript with genomic DNA to identify splicing variants, where a lot of sequencing errors and non-canonical splice sites are expected. Using a novel heuristic algorithm, we developed a tool that can handle much more sequencing errors. Test dataset results indicated that SWAT (Sequencing-error Well-handled Alignment Tool) has a much stronger error-handling ability than Sim4 and Spidey, two other popular spliced alignment tools. In the presence of up to 10 percent randomly introduced sequencing errors, it can still give the precise number of exons and exon boundaries in most cases. The robustness of SWAT makes it a desirable tool in cases where sequencing error is a concern. A web service is freely available at http://app1.unmc.edu/swat/swat.html.
Ecological Role of Viruses in Aquatic Ecosystems

Over two decades of research have indicated that viruses play crucial roles in aquatic food webs as active constituents of the microbial loop and in the population ecology of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Over the past 5 years, there has been a sharp increase in reported aquatic virus research, notably in the areas of freshwater viral ecology, viruses of eukaryotic microorganisms and viral genetic diversity. Recent studies of the interactions between viral infection, bacterivory and grazing have demonstrated the complex dynamics of viral infection within aquatic ecosystems. These reports have helped solidify our understanding of the environmental controls on viral abundance, impacts of viral infection upon host community structure and have elucidated new roles of viruses in biogeochemical cycles – such as photosystem gene expression. Previously unrecognised groups of viruses (ribonucleic acid viruses and single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid viruses) have also been revealed as diverse and active components of marine virioplankton assemblages. Key Concepts: Viruses are the most numerically dominant organisms on earth, and their abundance varies between habitats, often according to local primary productivity. Both viral activity and bacterivory contribute significantly to bacterial mortality in aquatic ecosystems, which in turn influence global-scale biogeochemical cycles. Methodological advances, such as metagenomics and genomics, have greatly facilitated studies of marine viruses and resulted in key discoveries on viral diversity, viral–host gene transfer and viral influence on host cell physiology. Photosystem genes are common in cyanophage and are hypothesised to enhance viral production rates. Viral-induced mortality may be a key factor in controlling or terminating algal blooms. Keywords: virus; microbial loop; mortality; viriomics; diversity; aquatic
Selection of streptomyces ambofaciens mutants that produce large quantities of spiramycin and determination of optimal conditions for spiramycin production

The aim of this work was to develop a strategy to isolate a morphologically stable mutant of Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC 15154 which produced high titers of spiramycin. The rationale was to grow a nitrosoguanidine-mutated population for many generations under nonselective conditions followed by two cycles of protoplast formation and regeneration. A total of 2,400 surviving colonies were then screened for spiramycin production and subsequently checked for stability. From this experiment, strain 6-37 was isolated that produced 181 mg of spiramycin per liter and only one morphological type. The parent strain (ATCC 15154) produced 107 mg of spiramycin per liter and four morphological types. Strain 6-37 was then mutated with nitrosoguanidine, and 14,000 colonies were screened for spiramycin production. From this experiment, five strains were isolated that produced titers ranging from 187 to 373 mg of spiramycin per liter. Subsequent media and time studies with these strains resulted in a fermentation that produced 1,728 mg of spiramycin per liter.
Iron deficiency occurs frequently in children with cystic fibrosis

In adult CF patients iron deficiency (ID) is common and primarily functional due to chronic inflammation. No recent data are available on the cause of ID and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children with CF. Over the last decades onset of inflammation and pulmonary disease in children with CF is delayed by improved nutritional status. We questioned whether ID occurs in the same extent among children with CF as in adult CF patients. We therefore conducted a study to investigate the iron status of children with CF and to determine whether ID and IDA are associated with dietary iron intake, lung disease severity and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection. Clinical charts of 53 children with CF aged 0-16 were reviewed. Follow-up varied from 1 to 14 years with 343 annual observations in total. Thirty-two children (60.4%) were iron deficient in at least 1 year and ID was present in 84 of 343 observations (24.5%). In 2011 ID was present in 9 children (17.0%). Ten children (18.9%) were anemic in at least 1 year and anemia was present in 13 of 328 observations (4.0%). IDA was present in at least 1 year in 6 children (11.3%). Ferritin (Fer) was positively associated with age. Higher Fer values found in older children represent an increased state of inflammation, rather than an improved iron status, and might increase the relative contribution of functional ID. This study shows that ID is common in relatively healthy, well-nourished children with CF. The mechanism of ID in children with CF is currently unknown. A prospective study using both soluble transferrin receptor and Fer as indicators for ID will provide more insight in the incidence and causes of ID in children with CF.
Reverse Deterrence in Racial Profiling: Increased Transgressions by the Non-Profiled Group

A controlled experiment tested the possibility that racial profiling – disproportionate scrutiny of minorities by sanctioned authorities – would have “reverse deterrent” effects on the illicit behavior of members of non-profiled groups (e.g., Whites). Research participants given a task involving extremely difficult anagrams were given the opportunity to cheat. White participants randomly assigned to a condition in which two Black confederates were obtrusively singled out for scrutiny by the study administrator cheated more than Whites in a White-profiling condition and a no-profiling control condition, and more than Black participants in all three conditions. Black participants cheated at comparable levels across the three experimental conditions. The effect of the profiling was therefore a net increase in cheating.
An alternative to traditional seepage meters: Dye displacement

[1] A new seepage meter design that increases sensitivity to the small hydraulic gradients that drive submarine groundwater discharge was developed as an inexpensive alternative to traditional seepage meters. The new design replaces seepage meter bags with open-ended tubing through which the displacement of injected dye is a highly reproducible measure of discharge. Laboratory measurements, detailed mathematical modeling of groundwater flow around seepage meters, and parallel field tests of bag and dye displacement seepage meters demonstrated that the new design can improve the precision and temporal resolution of submarine groundwater discharge measurement. In parallel field tests, groundwater discharge to 15 cm diameter, bag-equipped seepage meters was half of the discharge to adjacent 15 cm diameter dye displacement seepage meters. Model results confirm that similar discrepancies, caused by groundwater diversion around bag-equipped seepage meters, may occur during the deployment of 57 cm diameter seepage meters in common field conditions. A second field deployment of 15 cm diameter dye displacement seepage meters showed saline inflow into sandy sediments at high tide and a high rate of discharge at low tide, similar to observations made with far more expensive, open flow path automated seepage meters in other studies.
Robust Controller Design for the Benchmark Problem Using the Q-Parameterization Theory

A robust controller design for the benchmark problem using the Q-parameterization theory is presented. The set of all stabilizing controllers for the system is characterized by two free parameters namely q/sub 1/ and q/sub 2/. The controller Qparameters are chosen using optimization so that performance requirements are satisfied. A fourth order stable, minimum phase controller is found to achieve rejection of the clam of impulse disturbance and a fifth order, minimum phase controller is found to achieve rejection of the class of sinusoidal disturbance. Simulation results show stability and performance robustness of the control system using the proposed controller design.
Convergence of Approximate Solutions to Some Systems of Conservative Laws: A Conjecture on the Product of the Riemann Invariants

The idea of applying the Compensated Compactness theory to hyperbolic systems of conservation laws was originated by L. Tartar [12]. He treated the scalar case (without any information on the derivatives) and proposed a strategy for the 2×2 case.
Prognostic and Predictive Values and Statistical Interactions in the Era of Targeted Treatment

The current era of targeted treatment has accelerated the interest in studying gene-treatment, gene-gene, and gene-environment interactions using statistical models in the health sciences. Interactions are incorporated into models as product terms of risk factors. The statistical significance of interactions is traditionally examined using a likelihood ratio test (LRT). Epidemiological and clinical studies also evaluate interactions in order to understand the prognostic and predictive values of genetic factors. However, it is not clear how different types and magnitudes of interaction effects are related to prognostic and predictive values. The contribution of interaction to prognostic values can be examined via improvements in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve due to the inclusion of interaction terms in the model (ΔAUC). We develop a resampling based approach to test the significance of this improvement and show that it is equivalent to LRT. Predictive values provide insights into whether carriers of genetic factors benefit from specific treatment or preventive interventions relative to noncarriers, under some definition of treatment benefit. However, there is no unique definition of the term treatment benefit. We show that ΔAUC and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) measure predictive values under two specific definitions of treatment benefit. We investigate the properties of LRT, ΔAUC, and RERI using simulations. We illustrate these approaches using published melanoma data to understand the benefits of possible intervention on sun exposure in relation to the MC1R gene. The goal is to evaluate possible interventions on sun exposure in relation to MC1R.
LISCH NODULES IN AN UNSELECTED POPULATION: PREVALENCE AND USEFULNESS AS INDICATION OF NEUROFIBROMATOSIS

LISCH NODULES IN AN UNSELECTED POPULATION: PREVALENCE AND USEFULNESS AS INDICATION OF NEUROFIBROMATOSIS