cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systematic drug screening identifies tractable targeted combination therapies in triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains an aggressive disease without effective targeted therapies. In this study, we addressed this challenge by testing 128 FDA-approved or investigational drugs as either single agents or in 768 pairwise drug combinations in TNBC cell lines to identify synergistic combinations tractable to clinical translation. Medium-throughput results were scrutinized and extensively analyzed for sensitivity patterns, synergy, anticancer activity and validation in low-throughput experiments. Principal component analysis revealed that a fraction of all upregulated or downregulated genes of a particular targeted pathway could partly explain cell sensitivity towards agents targeting that pathway. Combination therapies deemed immediately tractable to translation included ABT-263/crizotinib, ABT-263/paclitaxel, paclitaxel/JQ1, ABT-263/XL184 and paclitaxel/nutlin-3, all of which exhibited synergistic antiproliferative and apoptotic activity in multiple TNBC backgrounds. Mechanistic investigations of the ABT-263/crizotinib combination offering a potentially rapid path to clinic demonstrated RTK blockade, inhibition of mitogenic signaling and pro-apoptotic signal induction in basal and mesenchymal stem-like TNBC. Our findings provide preclinical proof of concept for several combination treatments of TNBC which offer near-term prospects for clinical translation.
The Feasibility of Real-Time Intraoperative Performance Assessment With SIMPL (System for Improving and Measuring Procedural Learning): Early Experience From a Multi-institutional Trial

Purpose Intraoperative performance assessment of residents is of growing interest to trainees, faculty, and accreditors. Current approaches to collect such assessments are limited by low participation rates and long delays between procedure and evaluation. We deployed an innovative, smartphone-based tool, SIMPL (System for Improving and Measuring Procedural Learning), to make real-time intraoperative performance assessment feasible for every case in which surgical trainees participate, and hypothesized that SIMPL could be feasibly integrated into surgical training programs. Methods Between September 1, 2015 and February 29, 2016, 15 U.S. general surgery residency programs were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved trial. SIMPL was made available after 70% of faculty and residents completed a 1-hour training session. Descriptive and univariate statistics analyzed multiple dimensions of feasibility, including training rates, volume of assessments, response rates/times, and dictation rates. The 20 most active residents and attendings were evaluated in greater detail. Results A total of 90% of eligible users (1267/1412) completed training. Further, 13/15 programs began using SIMPL. Totally, 6024 assessments were completed by 254 categorical general surgery residents ( n = 3555 assessments) and 259 attendings ( n = 2469 assessments), and 3762 unique operations were assessed. There was significant heterogeneity in participation within and between programs. Mean percentage (range) of users who completed ≥1, 5, and 20 assessments were 62% (21%-96%), 34% (5%-75%), and 10% (0%-32%) across all programs, and 96%, 75%, and 32% in the most active program. Overall, response rate was 70%, dictation rate was 24%, and mean response time was 12 hours. Assessments increased from 357 (September 2015) to 1146 (February 2016). The 20 most active residents each received mean 46 assessments by 10 attendings for 20 different procedures. Conclusions SIMPL can be feasibly integrated into surgical training programs to enhance the frequency and timeliness of intraoperative performance assessment. We believe SIMPL could help facilitate a national competency-based surgical training system, although local and systemic challenges still need to be addressed.
TMV in 1930: Francis O. Holmes and the Local Lesion Assay: His development of a quantitative viral assay enabled him to identify the cause of tobacco mosaic disease and led to many additional insights

In the early 20th century, viral infections were diagnosed by the process of elimination—if a disease was not caused by fungi or bacteria, the agent was likely a virus. Similarly, viruses were then being described by their shortcomings: too small to view with a light microscope, not culturable, and too small to be captured by filters.
Can Childhood Comorbidities Be Good Predictors of Functional Outcome in Adults with Tourette Syndrome? A Series of 140 Cases (P02.061)

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with Tourette syndrome (TS) often display co-morbid symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The aim of the study was to examine the factors that predict the long-term functional outcome of patients with TS, especially with co-morbid behavioral problems. BACKGROUND: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neuropsychiatric condition characterised by multiple motor and phonic tics. Comorbid behavioural problems are common, especially ADHD or OCD or both. Little is known about the long-term prognosis of TS associated with these comorbidities. DESIGN/METHODS: Retrospective chart review of over 30 years (1981- 2011). Inclusion: Cases satisfying TS core diagnostic criteria seen in pediatric neurology clinic and followed up as adult. Exclusion: other neurological findings, abnormal neuroimaging or metabolic studies. Cases were reviewed for age, sex, family history, tic characteristics, associated ADHD or OCD, level of education, occupation and marital status. The patients were divided into Group A (TS with ADHD or OCD) and Group B (TS without ADHD or OCD). Adults with education of college degree, married and employed were considered to have good functional outcome. RESULTS: Of 140 patients seen in TS clinic, 113 were males and 27 were females. Mean age of symptom onset was 8.5 years. Of all cases, 55 had mild, 71had moderate, 14 had severe tics. Group A: 95 cases (67%), mean age 8 year, 85 males. Of them 40 (42%) were college graduates, married and employed. Group B: 45 cases (33%), mean age 10 year, 28 males. Of them 16 (35%) were college graduates, married and employed. There was no statistically significant difference in functional outcome between group A and group B. CONCLUSIONS: In TS associated co-morbidities (ADD or OCD) do not predict functional outcome in adults compared to those without co-morbidities, however, further comprehensive age specific assessment of functional impairment in larger population might be necessary. Disclosure: Dr. Mainali has nothing to disclose. Dr. Velander has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lederman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Erenberg has nothing to disclose.
In vitro anti‐ LPS dose determination of ketorolac tromethamine and in vivo safety of repeated dosing in healthy horses

Flunixin meglumine (FM) is a commonly used Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in horses, but clinical efficacy is often unsatisfactory. Ketorolac tromethamine (KT) demonstrates superior efficacy compared to other NSAIDs in humans, but its anti-inflammatory effects have not been investigated in the horse. Safety of repeated dosing of KT has not been evaluated. The first objective was to conduct a dose determination study to verify that a previously described dosage of KT would inhibit Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced eicosanoid production in vitro, and to compare KT effects of this inhibition to those of FM. Then, a randomized crossover study was performed using nine healthy horses to evaluate plasma concentrations of KT and FM following IV administration. Administered dosages of KT and FM were 0.5 mg/kg and 1.1 mg/kg, respectively. Safety following six repeated doses of KT was assessed. Ketorolac tromethamine and FM suppressed LPS-induced Thromboxane B2 (TXB2 ) and Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) production in vitro for up to 12 hr. Intravenous administration produced plasma concentrations of KT and FM similar to previous reports. No adverse effects were observed. A KT dosage of 0.5 mg/kg IV inhibited LPS-induced eicosanoids in vitro, and repeated dosing for up to 3 days appears safe in healthy horses. Investigation of in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of KT is warranted.
Assessment of Response Modification Factor of Reinforced Concrete Table Top Frames Structures Subjected to Seismic Loads

In this study, the seismic performance of table-top reinforced concrete frame structure which is commonly found in large oil refineries. Nonlinear static pushover analysis is conducted to study the inelastic behaviour of these frames. The analysis accounts for their unique detailing especially to elements that contribute to energy dissipation during major seismic events. The results show that the reserve strength of structure is greater than that prescribed by the ASCE7-10 for Special reinforced concert moment frame.
Genomewide Identification of Essential Genes and Fitness Determinants of Streptococcus mutans UA159.

ABSTRACT Transposon mutagenesis coupled with next-generation DNA sequencing (Tn-seq) is a powerful tool for discovering regions of the genome that are required for the survival of bacteria in different environments. We adapted this technique to the dental caries pathogen Streptococcus mutans UA159 and identified 11% of the genome as essential, with many genes encoding products required for replication, translation, lipid metabolism, and cell wall biogenesis. Comparison of the essential genome of S. mutans UA159 with those of selected other streptococci for which such information is available revealed several metabolic pathways and genes that are required in S. mutans , but not in some Streptococcus spp. We further identified genes that are essential for sustained growth in rich or defined medium, as well as for persistence in vivo in a rodent model of oral infection. Collectively, our results provide a novel and comprehensive view of the genes required for essential processes of S. mutans , many of which could represent potential targets for therapeutics. IMPORTANCE Tooth decay (dental caries) is a common cause of pain, impaired quality of life, and tooth loss in children and adults. It begins because of a compositional change in the microorganisms that colonize the tooth surface driven by repeated and sustained carbohydrate intake. Although several bacterial species are associated with tooth decay, Streptococcus mutans is the most common cause. Therefore, it is important to identify biological processes that contribute to the survival of S. mutans in the human mouth, with the aim of disrupting the processes with antimicrobial agents. We successfully applied Tn-seq to S. mutans , discovering genes that are required for survival, growth, and persistence, both in laboratory environments and in a mouse model of tooth decay. This work highlights new avenues for the control of an important human pathogen.
Shaped-profiled and material-engineered inhomogeneous lens antennas: GO curved ray tracing and aperture fields

In this paper, we present an algorithm for tracing rays through an isotropic inhomogeneous medium with the aim to incorporate the algorithm in a lens synthesis technique based on Geometrical Optics and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The algorithm tracks the phase, amplitude, and polarization variation of the electric field along the ray, which in this case becomes a space curve. The rays are found by solving the light-ray equation numerically using the Runga-Kutta to the 4th order (RK4) algorithm. Key governing equations are summarized allowing the implementation of numerical techniques for the complete determination of GO fields. Validation of the ray paths are given by comparing the numerical results with the analytic formulation of the ray paths in an ideal Luneburg Lens Antenna. The results show good agreement.
How Useful is Travel-Based Multitasking? Evidence from Commuters in Portland, Oregon:

As research on travel-based multitasking—doing other things while traveling—becomes more common, some studies also investigate the quality or value of activity participation during travel. This ide...
Urease and the acidosis of urinary intestinal diversion.

Previous investigators have suggested that urinary tract infections with urea-splitting organisms may be a primary etiologic factor in the acidosis which is seen after urinary diversion. This study employs a model in which small intestinal segments are perfused with an artificial urine solution over a three hour period. Urease is then added in order to determine its effect on acid-base balance and net intestinal electrolyte transport. Urease created no significant increase in acid load (delta HCO3- = -7.5 +/- 2.2 for controls vs. -8.7 +/- 2.9 for urease group), but did increase the osmolality of the intestinal contents and resulted in a 24% increase in free water loss (p = .037). Analysis of sodium and chloride movement following the addition of urease to the perfusate suggests that both ammonium and bicarbonate are absorbed by the intestinal segment. Thus any acidosis resulting from increased ammonium absorption following the addition of urease appears to be offset by concomitant bicarbonate absorption. The azotemia of urinary diversion appears to be primarily the result of urea absorption, partially the result of ammonium absorption, and is not significantly increased by urease.
Bridging the gap: The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and the challenges of integrating DDR and transitional justice: Dustin Sharp

While peacebuilding is a long-term and complex endeavor, a cacophony of actors and agendas, together with a persistent tendency to focus on short-term needs at the expense of long-term priorities, stymie efforts to build lasting peace. Complex problems call for innovative and integrated interventions. The staples of post-conflict peacebuilding — including, disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR), security sector reform (SSR), rule of law initiatives, and transitional justice mechanisms ranging from prosecutions to truth commissions — are meant to serve overlapping constituencies and common purposes. In practice, however, such initiatives have often operated on separate tracks, leading to redundancy, avoidable tensions, and lost opportunities. This article focuses on the special challenges that arise out of the need to develop more integrated approaches to DDR and transitional justice and argues that the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) must play a stronger role in bringing together this and other pieces of the post-conflict puzzle. Even though the possibility of tension between transitional justice mechanisms and DDR programs cannot be eliminated, careful attention to areas of overlap should be part of innovative and integrated approaches to post-conflict peacebuilding going forward in order to advance common goals. The gains of such an approach would be modest, but worthwhile.
Recent Nonparametric Measures of Productive Efficiency

Since Farrell (1957) introduced a nonparametric method of estimating a production frontier, there have occurred three major developments in recent years for measuring productive efficiency in a nonparametric way. One is the attempt by Afriat (1972) to apply a nonparametric method for testing whether a finite body of input-output data (or, in some cases price quantity data) is consistent with an optimal production (or profit) behavior. His characterizations associate a production function with a given input output data set subject to the limitation that the production functions have a certain property e.g., quasi-concavity, monotonicity and that the data points are represented as efficent either exactly or as nearly as possible. This line of economic consistency tests has been followed up by several authors in recent times e.g., Hanoch and Rothschild (1972), Diewert and Parkan (1983) and Varian (1984). A second major attempt is by Johansen (1972) who proposed a linear programming (LP) model of deriving an industry production frontier from input output data of individual firms. By explicitly introducing a statistical distribution of the input output coefficients (i.e. the capacity distribution) and a capacity utilization function he derived the conditions under which the aggregate production frontier will have some functional forms such as Cobb-Douglas. Several authors have followed up this line of work e.g., Sato (1975), Forsund and Jansen (1985).
Kinetic Approach Extends the Analytical Measurement Range and Corrects Antigen Excess in Homogeneous Turbidimetric Immunoassays

Background: Homogeneous turbidimetric immunoassays are widely used in the clinical laboratory and offer short assay times, reduced reagent costs, and the potential for full automation. However, these assays have a limited analytical measurement range (AMR) above which antigen excess leads to falsely low estimates of the analyte concentration (i.e., the hook effect). Traditional methods for correction of antigen excess require sample dilution, compromising time and cost-efficiency. Therefore, novel methods that extend the AMR are needed. Methods: A kinetic model of a generic homogeneous turbidimetric immunoassay was built and then parameterized using a genetic algorithm. Kinetic features that could be used to extend the AMR were identified and subsequently validated with clinical data from consecutive measurements of 2 homogeneous turbidimetric immunoassays: κ serum free light chain and rheumatoid factor. Results: A novel kinetic parameter, the area under the curvature (AUCU), was derived that increases in proportion to the analyte concentration in a range beyond the AMR of conventional end point methods. When applied to clinical data, the AUCU method provided a log-linear calibration curve in the zone of antigen excess extending the AMR by >10-fold for 2 different immunoassays. Conclusions: The AUCU method detects and corrects antigen excess, extending the AMR in homogeneous turbidimetric immunoassays. The advantage of this method over conventional methods would be a reduction in the number of repeated samples, resulting in significant time and cost savings.
Contrast agent design. Some aspects on the synthesis of water soluble contrast agents of low osmolality.

All the modern radiographic contrast agents (diatrizoate, iodamide, iothalamate, metrizoate) for use in studies of the blood vessels (angiography) consist of a benzene ring, in which three hydrogen atoms have been replaced by three firmly-bound iodine atoms. In order to provide high water solubility and low toxicity one of the remaining three hydrogen atoms in the benzene ring has been replaced by a salt-forming carboxyl group while two of them have been replaced by other hydrophilic radicals, each containing a chain of one nitrogen and two to three carbon atoms. A high absorption of X-rays requires high iodine concentration and consequently the angiographic contrast agents are very concentrated solutions with osmolalities in the magnitude of 1500 to 2500 mOsm. For fast injection through narrow catheters, an angiographic contrast agent should have a low viscosity. Several of the toxic effects of angiographic contrast agents are related to their high osmolality. There is thus a need for a water-soluble contrast agent for which the ratio osmolality/iodine content is lower than for the contrast agents available today. The ratio osmolality/iodine content could be decreased if oligomers or polymers of the modern contrast agents were synthesized. However, measurements of the viscosity of such agents showed that already oligomers had a high viscosity. A discussion of physico-chemical laws gives the following conclusions. (1) The viscosity of polymeric contrast agents could be kept at a minimum if the axial ratio of the contrast medium molecule is kept as close to one as possible. (2) The synthesis of a non-electrolytic contrast agent, that does not contain any salt-forming radicals, raises the possibility of combining low osmolality with low viscosity in a water soluble contrast agent. A monomer of a non-electrolytic contrast agent could get a lower osmolality than a polymer of an electrolytic contrast agent.
Clergy Education and the Development of Emotional Intelligence: An Analysis of United Methodist Clergy in Kentucky:

Research on the emotional intelligence of United Methodist clergy in the Kentucky Annual Conference is being conducted utilizing the Emotional Quotient 2.0 (EQ-i 2.0) assessment. Over 20% of active...
Calculus-enhanced energy-first curriculum for introductory physics improves student performance locally and in downstream courses

A calculus-based introductory physics course with an energy-first curriculum improves student learning and has lasting benefits for students entering with lower math ability.
OSTEOSARCOPENIC OBESITY AND VITAMIN D IN U.S. ADULTS AGES 50 AND OLDER: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Osteosarcopenic Obesity (OSO) is the concurrent presence of obesity (excess body fat), sarcopenia (low muscle mass) and osteoporosis (low bone mineral density). Low levels of serum vitamin D (vitD) have been associated with each disease and their simultaneous presence. We examined this association in adults aged ≥50 years from the 2001-2006 survey cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (N=3791). SAS v9.4 complex survey procedures were used. Demographics and vitD status were compared across OSO components (0,1,2,3) by chi-squared tests and ANOVAs. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between vitD status and increasing number of OSO components were calculated using multinomial logistic regression (alpha=0.05). The mean age was 65.0 years (30% were older adults ≥ 65), 45.6% were female, and prevalences for obesity, osteoporosis, sarcopenia and OSO were 84.7%, 8.0%, 16.3%, and 1.8%, respectively. Additionally, 30.9% of the sample was vitD deficient. After adjusting for supplement use, and race, women with 1 or 2, and men with 1,2 or 3 OSO components were more likely to be vitD deficient than sufficient, compared to those with none [women: 2.8(1.4-5.7), 2.1(1.4-6.8), and men: 2.3 (1.5-3.6), 3.5(2.1-5.9) and 6.3(1.0-38.5), respectively]. Vitamin D status was associated with having one or two OSO components in women, and OSO and components in men, after adjusting for supplement use, sex, and race. These results suggest it is important to consider obesity, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia jointly with respect to vitamin D status in the chronic disease management of aging and older adults.
Fault-Tolerant ISOSP Solid-State Transformer for MVDC Distribution

This paper introduces a fault-tolerant solid-state transformer (SST) structure to combine the benefits of higher power density and robustness in medium-voltage DC (MVDC) electric distribution systems. A SiC-MOSFET-based 6 MW, 36/6 kV ISOSP (input series output series-parallel) modular stacked DC/DC SST is proposed using medium frequency (MF) transformer isolation. This structure renders the system with fault tolerance and the capability to operate normally even in a partial fault condition. Small-signal modeling, simulations, and Typhoon-HiL real-time system were performed to verify the operation of the converter. Experimental results from a scaled-down laboratory prototype prove the feasibility of the proposed isolated DC/DC structure and control system. Further, outcomes from 3-D finite element analysis done using COMSOL matched the 20 kHz MF transformer design used in the hardware. Overall, the proposed system can lead to significant improvement in power density in mission-critical MVDC applications such as subsea electrification.
Impacts of zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ) on isotopic niche size and niche overlap among fish species in a mesotrophic lake

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) filter feed phytoplankton and reduce available pelagic energy, potentially driving fish to use littoral energy sources in lakes. However, changes in food webs and energy flow in complex fish communities after zebra mussel establishment are poorly known. We assessed impacts of zebra mussels on fish littoral carbon use, trophic position, isotopic niche size, and isotopic niche overlap among individual fish species using δ13C and δ15N data collected before (2014) and after (2019) zebra mussel establishment in Lake Ida, MN. Isotope data were collected from 11 fish species, and from zooplankton and littoral invertebrates to estimate baseline isotope values. Mixing models were used to convert fish δ13C and δ15N into estimates of littoral carbon and trophic position, respectively. We tested whether trophic position, littoral carbon use, isotopic niche size, and isotopic niche overlap changed from 2014 to 2019 for each fish species. We found few effects on fish trophic position, but 10 out of 11 fish species increased littoral carbon use after zebra mussel establishment, with mean littoral carbon increasing from 43% before to 67% after establishment. Average isotopic niche size of individual species increased significantly (2.1-fold) post zebra mussels, and pairwise-niche overlap between species increased significantly (1.2-fold). These results indicate zebra mussels increase littoral energy dependence in the fish community, resulting in larger individual isotopic niches and increased isotopic niche overlap. These effects may increase interspecific competition among fish species and could ultimately result in reduced abundance of species less able to utilize littoral energy sources.
No-Phonon T 2 4 g − A 2 4 g Transitions of Cr 3 + in Ti O 2

Absorption and emission at 4 and 77 K are observed in Cr-doped Ti${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ consisting of two sharp no-phonon lines at 12 685 and 12 732 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, and vibronic sidebands with an integrated intensity ${10}^{4}$ times that of the no-phonon lines. In undoped Ti${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, identical spectra are observed but are a factor of 100 less intense. The center responsible for these spectra is identified as substitutional ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ by observing, in emission, a splitting of the 12 685-${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ line of 1.4 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, a value previously determined by EPR measurements. The vibronic sidebands have some structure superposed on a broad band. The vibronics are different in emission and absorption and have a lifetime of 45 \ensuremath{\mu}sec, equal to that of the no-phonon line. They are shown to be principally due to defect-induced phonons arising from the ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ defect. We argue that the spectra observed are not characteristic of the usual $^{2}E_{g}\ensuremath{-}^{4}A_{2g}$ transition, and propose that the $^{4}T_{2}$ lies lower in energy than the $^{2}E_{g}$ state. If so, the new results of this work are (1) no-phonon line emission for the $^{4}T_{2}\ensuremath{-}^{4}A_{2}$ transition and (2) defect phonon states which are different for the $^{4}A_{2}$ and $^{4}T_{2}$ states. The excitation spectrum is also presented. It shows that the excitation of the ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ emission occurs mainly by the transfer of energy from excited trapping centers rather than by direct excitation.
Invited Review: Mineral nutrition considerations for extensive sheep production systems

ABSTRACT Purpose Our purpose is to discuss contemporary and pertinent considerations related to mineral-supplementation strategies for sheep grazing marginal rangelands in extensively managed production systems. Sources Grey literature, peer-reviewed literature, and data (published and unpublished) from co-authors were used. Synthesis Precision trace-mineral nutrition of sheep that are grazing extensive production systems requires a comprehensive understanding of the sheep and the grazing environment. Generally, extensive sheep production systems are found in remote geographical regions composed of marginal rangelands not suitable for cultivated crop farming or improved forages. Sheep production is subject to the accessibility and availability of grazable forage, which may vary greatly within and across years. Sheep common to extensive systems include mostly wool-, meat-, and some hair-type sheep. Furthermore, contemporary sheep have changed with regard to mature BW, dietary intake, and prolificacy. Accordingly, it is important to consider both landscape and animal challenges when developing trace-mineral nutrition programs. Conclusions and Applications Dietary mineral heterogeneity of marginal rangelands has made precision mineral supplementation of sheep challenging. Knowledge of plant differences, plant phenology temporal changes, metabolic mineral antagonism, and soil geochemical mapping can facilitate prediction of site-specific mineral shortfalls. Furthermore, an appreciation of recent genetic improvement of sheep breeds common in extensive production systems can enable producers to accurately estimate specific mineral requirements respective of breed and production stage. Future research efforts that use contemporary sheep genotypes and emerging trace-mineral sources with site-specific environmental data are critical to further refine mineral nutrition management of sheep managed in extensive systems.
Quantization of Random Distributions under KL Divergence

Consider the problem of representing a distribution $\pi$ on a large alphabet of size $k$ up to fidelity $\varepsilon$ in Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence. Heuristically, arguing as for quadratic loss in high dimension, one expects that about $(k/2)\log(1/\varepsilon)$ bits would be required. We show this intuition is correct by proving explicit non-asymptotic bounds for the minimal average distortion when $\pi$ is randomly sampled from a symmetric Dirichlet prior on the simplex. Our method is to reduce the single-sample problem to the traditional setting of iid samples, but for a non-standard rate distortion question with the novel distortion measure $d(x, y)= x\log(x/y)$ , which we call divergence distortion. Practically, our results advocate using a $x\mapsto x^{2/3}$ compander (for small $x$ ) followed by a uniform scalar quantizer for storing large-alphabet distributions.
Propulsive performance and vortex wakes of multiple tandem foils pitching in-line

Abstract Numerical studies are presented on the propulsive performance and vortex dynamics of multiple hydrofoils pitching in an in-line configuration. The study is motivated by the quest to understand the hydrodynamics of multiple fin–fin interactions in fish swimming. Using the flow conditions (Strouhal and Reynolds numbers) obtained from a solitary pitching foil of zero net thrust, the effect of phase differences between neighboring foils on the hydrodynamic performance is examined both in position-fixed two- and three-foil systems at Reynolds number R e = 500 . It is found that the three-foil system achieves a thrust enhancement up to 118% and an efficiency enhancement up to 115% compared to the two-foil system. Correspondingly, the leading-edge vortex (LEV) and the trailing-edge vortex (TEV) of the hindmost foil combine to form a ‘2P’ wake structure behind the three-foil system with the optimal phase differences instead of a ‘2S’ wake, a coherent wake pattern observed behind the optimal two-foil system. The finding suggests that a position-fixed three-foil system can generate a ‘2P’ wake to achieve the maximum thrust production and propulsive efficiency simultaneously by deliberately choosing the undulatory phase for each foil. When increasing Reynolds number to 1000, though the maximum thrust and propulsive efficiency are not achieved simultaneously, the most efficient case still produces more thrust than most of the other cases. Besides, the study on the effects of three-dimensionality shows that when the foils have a larger aspect ratio, the three-foil system has a better hydrodynamic performance, and it follows a similar trend as the two-dimensional (2D) foil system. This work aids in the future design of high-performance underwater vehicles with multiple controlled propulsion elements.
An improved Doppler diversity technique for OFDM systems in time-varying multipath fading channels

Inter-channel interference(ICI), which results in an irreducible error floor, can be utilized as a source of Doppler diversity for OFDM systems in time-varying multipath channels. The proposed technique can enhance diversity gain by a new criterion for ICI cancellation in addition to enable the reduction of computational complexity and total detection time.
Biliary calculus associated with opisthorchiasis.

The case of a 20-year-old Laotian student with cholangitis, Gram-negative speticemia, and a large common duct stone associated with heavy infection by Opisthorchis viverrini is presented. Opisthorchis infection has been previously related to chronic cholangitis and an increased risk of hepatic malignancy. The formation of biliary stones as a result of infection with this parasite also appears to be possible.
Designing Collateral Organizations

A number of different design alternatives are distinguished according to whether each is best for addressing a well-defined or an ill-defined problem. The latter is reserved for a collateral design, one that coexists with the formal, operational design but is structured as a f1exibile, open, loose, "organic-adaptive" system of problem-solving groups. A number of key steps are presented for designing such a collateral organization so that the operational design and the collateral design will combine to sense problems, define problems, derive solutions, and imple­ ment solutions, effectively. The paper concludes with sugges­ tions for researching some of the major ideas and principles that were offered.
Contractile mechanisms of action of gastroprokinetic agents: cisapride, metoclopramide, and domperidone

We investigated the contractile mechanisms of action of three putative gastroprokinetic agents (cisapride, metoclopramide, and domperidone) on the linear phase of gastroduodenal emptying of solid meals in six healthy conscious dogs. The spatial and temporal parameters of gastric, pyloric, and duodenal contractions during the entire period of gastroduodenal emptying, during the 60-min period of drug infusion (ti), and during the postdrug infusion period (tpi) were analyzed by a computer method. Cisapride accelerated the total gastroduodenal emptying time (tfull), metoclopramide had no significant effect, and domperidone delayed the tfull. None of the drugs had a significant effect on gastroduodenal emptying during ti. Both cisapride and metoclopramide enhanced the rate of gastroduodenal emptying during tpi. Cisapride enhanced pyloric and duodenal motor activity but had no significant effect on antropyloroduodenal coordination during tfull and ti. During tpi, cisapride significantly enhanced both the pyloric and duodenal motor activity and antropyloroduodenal coordination. Metoclopramide exhibited only a few significant effects on the frequency, amplitude, duration, and area under contractions in the antrum, pylorus, and duodenum, but it enhanced antropyloroduodenal coordination during tfull and tpi. Domperidone decreased the frequency of corporeal, pyloric, and duodenal contractions and deteriorated antropyloroduodenal coordination by decreasing the frequency of contractions propagating from the antrum or the pylorus to the duodenum. Cisapride and metoclopramide, but not domperidone, increased the mean distance of propagation of duodenal contractions during tfull, ti, and tpi. We conclude that cisapride is more effective in accelerating gastroduodenal emptying because it stimulates the largest number of parameters of gastropyloroduodenal contractions that enhance gastric emptying. Most enhancement of gastric emptying rate with both cisapride and metoclopramide occurs during tpi.
Myeloid markers in adult acute lymphocytic leukemia. Correlations with patient and disease characteristics and with prognosis

Background. The expression of myeloid markers on lymphoblasts has been associated with adverse outcome in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). The purpose of the study was to analyze the experience with adults treated at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center with myeloid marker- (MY) positive ALL in relation to patient and disease characteristics, response to therapy, and prognosis. Methods. Since 1988, 64 of 162 adults (40%) with newly diagnosed ALL referred to our service had MY-positive ALL. Their characteristics and outcomes were compared with the 98 patients with MY-negative ALL. Patients were treated with the vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone (VAD) regimens. Results. Patients with MY-positive ALL were significantly older (median ages, 47 years vs. 33 years; P = 0.03), had a higher incidence of CD34 antigen expression (59% vs. 36%; P < 0.01), and a lower incidence of common acute leukemia antigen expression (50% vs. 71%; P < 0.01), serum alkaline phosphatase elevation (58% vs. 83%; P < 0.01), and thrombocytopenia at diagnosis (49% vs. 69%; P = 0.02). Myeloid marker positivity, as expected, was significantly higher in null cell ALL (82%), and significantly lower in mature B-cell ALL (17%) (P < 0.01). Forty-one of 64 MY-positive patients achieved complete remission (CR) after induction therapy compared with 76 of 98 patients MY-negative disease (CR rate 64% vs. 78%; P = 0.06). With a median follow-up of 45 months, no statistical differences were observed in remission duration or survival between MY-positive and MY-negative patients, overall, and within imunophenotypic subsets (T-cell vs. others), or among subgroups with single marker (CD13, CD14, CD33, CD34) positivity. The 3-year remission duration rates were 32% for MY-negative and 40% for MY-positive patients (P not significant), and 3-year survival rates were 26% and 31%, respectively (P not significant). Conclusions. With VAD therapy, myeloid marker positivity is not associated with significant differences in prognosis in adult ALL. Cancer 1995; 76:1564-70.
Radial diffusion and MHD particle simulations of relativistic electron transport by ULF waves in the september 1998 storm

[1] In an MHD particle simulation of the September 1998 magnetic storm the evolution of the radiation belt electron radial flux profile appears to be diffusive, and diffusion caused by ULF waves has been invoked as the probable mechanism. In order to separate adiabatic and nonadiabatic effects and to investigate the radial diffusion mechanism during this storm, in this work we solve a radial diffusion equation with ULF wave diffusion coefficients and a time-dependent outer boundary condition, and the results are compared with the phase space density of the MHD particle simulation. The diffusion coefficients include contributions from both symmetric resonance modes (ω ≈ mωd, where ω is the wave frequency, m is the azimuthal wave number, and ωd is the bounce-averaged drift frequency) and asymmetric resonance modes (ω ≈ (m ± 1)ωd). ULF wave power spectral densities are obtained from a Fourier analysis of the electric and magnetic fields of the MHD simulation and are used in calculating the radial diffusion coefficients. The asymmetric diffusion coefficients are proportional to the magnetic field asymmetry, which is also calculated from the MHD field. The resulting diffusion coefficients vary with the radial coordinate L (the Roederer L-value) and with time during different phases of the storm. The last closed drift shell defines the location of the outer boundary. Both the location of the outer boundary and the value of the phase space density at the outer boundary are time-varying. The diffusion calculation simulates a 42-hour period during the 24–26 September 1998 magnetic storm, starting just before the storm sudden commencement and ending in the late recovery phase. The differential flux calculated in the MHD particle simulation is converted to phase space density. Phase space densities in both simulations (diffusion and MHD particle) are functions of Roederer L-value for fixed first and second adiabatic invariants. The Roederer L-value is calculated using drift shell tracing in the MHD magnetic field, and particles have zero second invariant. The radial diffusion calculation reproduces the main features of the MHD particle simulation quite well. The symmetric resonance modes dominate the radial diffusion, especially in the inner and middle L region, while the asymmetric resonances are more important in the outer region. Using both symmetric and asymmetric terms gives a better result than using only one or the other and is better than using a simple power law diffusion coefficient. We find that it is important to specify the value of the phase space density on the outer boundary dynamically in order to get better agreement between the radial diffusion simulation and the MHD particle simulation.
Correlated Evolution of Female Mating Preferences and Male Color Patterns in the Guppy Poecilia reticulata

Sexual selection may explain why secondary sexual traits of males are so strongly developed in some species that they seem maladaptive. Female mate choice appears to favor the evolution of conspicuous color patterns in male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) from Trinidad, but color patterns vary strikingly among populations. According to most theory, correlated evolution of female mating preferences and preferred male traits within populations could promote this kind of divergence between populations. But mating preferences could also constrain the evolution of male traits. In some guppy populations, females discriminate among males based on variation in the extent of orange pigment in male color patterns, and populations differ significantly in the degree offemale preferences for orange area. In a comparison ofseven populations, the degree offemale preference based on orange is correlated with the population average orange area. Thus male traits and female preferences appear to be evolving in parallel.
Application of Nimbus 4 THIR 6.7-micron observations to regional and global moisture and wind field analyses.

The Nimbus 4 temperature-humidity infrared radiometer (THIR) monitors radiation in the 6.5 to 7.2-micron water vapor absorption region with a 23-km spatial resolution at the subsatellite point. Radiation monitored in this spectral region results primarily from emission in the 250 to 500-mb region of the upper troposphere. The THIR 6.7-micron observations are readily available in photofacsimile imagery form which shows very distinctive patterns associated with spatial variations in atmospheric water vapor. These radiometric observations have been combined in several instances with moisture values measured in the upper troposphere by the standard radiosonde network. In each instance, the result is a much more consistent analysis showing increased spatial detail that agrees with the radiometric observations and does not compromise the conventional data. The improved moisture analyses show relatively dry and moist tongues that are very difficult or impossible to infer from the conventional data alone.
Orientation-specific surround suppression in the primary visual cortex varies as a function of autistic tendency

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit superior performance on tasks that rely on local details in an image, and they exhibit deficits in tasks that require integration of local elements into a unified whole. These perceptual abnormalities have been proposed to underlie many of the characteristic features of ASD, but the underlying neural mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the degree to which orientation-specific surround suppression, a well-known form of contextual modulation in visual cortex, is associated with autistic tendency in neurotypical (NT) individuals. Surround suppression refers to the phenomenon that the response to a stimulus in the receptive field of a neuron is suppressed when it is surrounded by stimuli just outside the receptive field. The suppression is greatest when the center and surrounding stimuli share perceptual features such as orientation. Surround suppression underlies a number of fundamental perceptual processes that are known to be atypical in individuals with ASD, including perceptual grouping and perceptual pop-out. However, whether surround suppression in the primary visual cortex (V1) is related to autistic traits has not been directly tested before. We used fMRI to measure the neural response to a center Gabor when it was surrounded by Gabors having the same or orthogonal orientation, and calculated a suppression index (SI) for each participant that denoted the magnitude of suppression in the same vs. orthogonal conditions. SI was positively correlated with degree of autistic tendency in each individual, as measured by the Autism Quotient (AQ) scale, a questionnaire designed to assess autistic traits in the general population. Age also correlated with SI and with autistic tendency in our sample, but did not account for the correlation between SI and autistic tendency. These results suggest a reduction in orientation-specific surround suppression in V1 with increasing autistic tendency.
Incorporation of tritiated thymidine in male and female mosquitoes, Culex pipiens with particular reference to spermatogenesis☆

Abstract The progress of spermatogenesis in the mosquito Culex pipiens was observed autoradiographically after injection of tritiated thymidine. The transformation of labelled spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes into mature sperms required 10 days and 9 days respectively. Three to four days were required to form the spermatocytes, less than 1 day in meiosis and 5 more days for the transformation to the morphologically mature sperm. The implications of these observations for control by the sterile male technique are discussed. In female mosquitoes the nurse and follicle cells and the oocytes readily incorporate thymidine into DNA during ovarian diapause. The label is retained by the nurse cells for at least 22 hr after a blood meal but is lost in the later stages of vitellogenesis, probably by depolymerization.
Bromocriptine and Triac therapy for hyperthyroidism due to pituitary resistance to thyroid hormone.

Although a number of patients with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone have been treated with bromocriptine (Brc), only one previously reported patient with nontumoral TSH-mediated hyperthyroidism, presumably due to pituitary resistance to thyroid hormone (PRTH), has been successfully treated with bromocriptine (Brc). In addition, several studies suggested that the T3 analog 3,5,3'-triiodothyroacetic acid (Triac) may control hyperthyroidism in patients with PRTH. In the current study a patient with PRTH diagnosed at age 15 yr underwent separate therapeutic trials with Brc and Triac, during which time physical parameters, thyroid function tests, systolic time intervals (STI), and oxygen consumption (VO2) were measured. On Brc therapy (12.5 mg/day), heart rate decreased (108 to 72/min), TSH decreased (5.7 to 1.2 mU/L), T3 decreased (9.9 to 1.7 nmol/L), free T4 decreased (205 to 21 pmol/L), STI lengthened (left ventricular ejection time, 0.389 to 0.405 s), and VO2 did not change (164 to 162 mL/min). We...
Scavenging of reactive oxygen species by melatonin

The direct effects of the neurohormone melatonin on reactive oxygen species (ROS) were investigated. Melatonin was found to inhibit DMPO-O-2 formation in a dose-dependent manner. At the level of 1. 7+/-0.07 mM, melatonin caused 50% inhibition of EPR signal intensity of DMPO-O-2 during the reaction of xanthine and xanthine oxidase. The reaction rate constant of melatonin with O2- was found to be 1.25+/-0.07x103 M-1 s-1. However, melatonin (up to 1.2 mM) did not exhibit significant effect toward OH radical, produced by the Fenton reaction. In addition, we found no evidence for the formation of the melatonin indolyl cation radical that presumably precedes conversion of melatonin to its stable N1-acetyl-N2-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK) metabolite following sequential reactions of melatonin with O2- and OH. On the other hand, melatonin was capable of scavenging H2O2 in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50=0.5+/-0.02 mM. The reaction rate constant of melatonin with H2O2 was found to be 2.52+/-0.19x105 M-1 s-1. Furthermore, melatonin was also found to inhibit 1O2-dependent 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine oxide (TEMPO) radical formation during rose bengal photodynamic reaction. The results suggest that melatonin's antioxidant properties, in part, may involve a direct effect on scavenging of ROS.