cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Cytokines in the Pathogenesis of Monoclonal Gammopathies

Objective To review data that postulate a role for cytokines and oncogenes in the pathogenesis of monoclonal gammopathies. Design Published studies that provide evidence of the clinical progression of normal B cells to monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to active myeloma are discussed. Results On the basis of mouse plasmacytoma models, increased expression of c- myc in B lymphocytes may be the initial oncogenic event that leads to MGUS in humans. Over time, this monoclonal sub-population may acquire additional genetic abnormalities, such as aberrant interleukin (IL) 1β expression. Because IL 1β has potent osteoclast activating factor activity, increased production of IL 1β by monoclonal plasma cells may be the genetic event responsible for the progression of MGUS to myeloma. The in vivo plasma cell labeling index (proliferative rate) is the most powerful prognostic factor in patients with myeloma. The proliferative compartment observed in myeloma may parallel normal B-cell development because cytoplasmic immunoglobulin-positive cells with the ability to proliferate exist normally. With continued progression of disease, the ratio of proliferating monoclonal plasmablasts to nonproliferating monoclonal plasma cells may increase under the influence of cytokines such as IL 6. Conclusion A more complete understanding of the basic biologic features of myeloma should lead to innovative therapies in the future.
Abstract B124: A prospective study of one-carbon metabolism biomarkers and risk of renal cell carcinoma.

B124 Background Folate and other one-carbon nutrients have been hypothesized to play a role in carcinogenesis. No studies have examined biomarkers for nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism and risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods We conducted a nested case-control study within the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study, a prospective study of Finnish male smokers aged 50-69 years. The Finnish population does not have mandatory folic acid fortification of the food supply. Prediagnostic folate, pyridoxal 5-phosphate (vitamin B6), vitamin B12, cysteine, riboflavin and homocysteine concentrations were measured in fasting serum from 224 incident RCC cases and 224 controls. Controls were alive and cancer-free at date of case diagnosis, and were matched to cases on age and date of baseline serum collection. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for smoking, body mass index, leisure physical activity, and dietary intake of fat, protein, methionine, and energy. Results Subjects with clinically deficient folate status (≤3ng/ml) had a significantly increased RCC risk compared to subjects with adequate status (>3 ng/ml) (OR=1.68, 95% CI 1.06-2.65). When analyzed in quartiles, serum folate also was inversely associated with RCC (highest vs. lowest quartile, OR=0.67, 95% CI 0.37-1.20, P-trend=0.19). The other one-carbon metabolism biomarkers were not associated with RCC risk. An analysis that included all biomarkers showed a non-significant reduced risk for the a priori expected lowest risk profile (above the median in all biomarkers and below the median for homocysteine) compared to all other subjects (OR=0.24, CI 0.05-1.13). Restricting the analysis to cases diagnosed after at least two years of follow-up did not appreciably change the risk estimates. Conclusions Our study in male smokers suggests that inadequate folate status may be associated with an increased risk of renal cell carcinoma. This suggestive association with RCC warrants further exploration in other epidemiologic studies that include women and non-smokers. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):B124.
A 50-Year Journey to Cure Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

The 50th anniversary of Seminars in Hematology coincides with the 50th anniversary of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and both milestones are inexorably linked to studies contributing to the cure of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We thought it fitting, therefore, to mark these events by traveling back in time to point out some of the achievements, institutions, study groups, and individuals that have made cure of childhood ALL a reality. In many instances, progress was driven by new ideas, while in others it was driven by new experimental tools that allowed more precise assessment of the biology of leukemic blasts and their utility in selecting therapy. We also discuss a number of contemporary advances that point the way to exciting future directions. Whatever pathways are taken, a clear challenge will be to use emerging genome-based or immunologic-based treatment options in ways that will enhance, rather than duplicate or compromise, recent gains in outcome with classic cytotoxic chemotherapy. The theme of this journey serves as a reminder of the chief ingredient of any research directed to a catastrophic disease such as ALL. It is the audacity of a small group of investigators who confronted a childhood cancer with the goal of cure, not palliation, as their mindset.
Shadowing in urban environments with microcellular or peer-to-peer links

This paper revisits the modeling of shadowing in urban microcells, putting particular emphasis on the impact of street canyons. We argue that a categoriztion of links according to dominant propagation effects (line-of-sight, single diffraction, multiple diffraction) more accurately reproduces not only shadowing variance, but also the autocorrelation behaviour. This hypothesis is supported and quantified by ray launching simulations from downtown Los Angeles. A generic model and simulation methodology are also provided.
Whether "Slip-Mode Conductance" Occurs

Excitable cells rely on selective ionic conductances for electrical signaling. The work of Hodgkin and Huxley ([1][1]) propelled the modern dissection of the mechanisms of selectivity. Their formulation postulated two independent sets of ionic conductances, Na+ and K+, whose relative permeabilities
Therapeutic Angiogenesis: The Pros and Cons and the Future

Despite the improvements in medical, surgical and endovascular therapies, vascular disease is still a significant, critical clinical problem. The advances in understanding the mechanisms of neovascularization and the accumulated experiences of successful therapeutic application in animal models have raised expectations for therapeutic angiogenesis as a promising treatment option. However, the large, double-blinded, controlled clinical trials using therapeutic agent in the form of protein, naked DNA or viral gene therapy have failed to show clinical benefit. Nevertheless, by this time, cell based therapeutic angiogenesis has raised a promising option for the treatment of ischemic diseases. This article summarizes the essential preclinical research and major clinical trials on therapeutic angiogenesis, and it deals with several issues related to the failure of the clinical trials. Future directions in the realm of therapeutic angiogenesis are also described with focusing on cell based therapy. (Korean Circ J 2008;38:73-79)
Constacyclic Codes of Length $2^s$ Over Galois Extension Rings of ${\BBF}_{2}+u{\BBF}_2$

We study all constacyclic codes of length 2s over GR(Rfr,m), the Galois extension ring of dimension m of the ring Rfr=F2+uF2. The units of the ring GR(Rfr,m) are of the forms alpha, and alpha+ubeta, where alpha, beta are nonzero elements of F2m, which correspond to 2 m(2m-1) such constacyclic codes. First, the structure and Hamming distances of (1+ugamma)-constacyclic codes are established. We then classify all cyclic codes of length 2s over GR(Rfr,m), and obtain a formula for the number of those cyclic codes, as well as the number of codewords in each code. Finally, one-to-one correspondences between cyclic and alpha-constacyclic codes, as well as (1+ugamma)-constacyclic and (alpha+ubeta) -constacyclic codes are provided via ring isomorphisms, that allow us to carry over the results about cyclic and (1+ugamma)-constacyclic accordingly to all constacyclic codes of length 2s over GR(Rfr,m).
LDPC codes for binary asymmetric channels

In this paper we examine the use of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes in binary asymmetric channels. The problem is interesting since in some types of binary input fading multiple access channels (MAC) without channel state information (CSI), which use the successive decoding scheme, some of the users may experience asymmetric channels. It is well known that the successive decoder is a set of single user decoders and since there is no CSI at the receiver, the corresponding single user channels may be asymmetric in general. In that case the rate of interest of the user with the asymmetric channel is achieved by an unbalanced input distribution of the binary input. We are interested in constructing LDPC codes for these channels that approach the desired rate tuple in the capacity region. A convenient way of making the output distribution unbalanced is by introducing a mapper at the output of the encoder. Here we explain the method of mapping and its effect on the iterative decoding and derive closed form expressions for the upper bound of the probability of error.
A Unified Algorithm for Analysis and Simulation of Planar Four-Bar Motions Defined With R- and P-Joints

This paper presents a single, unified and efficient algorithm for animating the motions of the coupler of all four-bar mechanisms formed with revolute (R) and prismatic (P) joints. This is achieved without having to formulate and solve the loop closure equation associated with each type of four-bar linkages separately. In our previous paper on four-bar linkage synthesis, we map the planar displacements from Cartesian to image space using planar quaternion. Given a set of image points that represent planar displacements, the problem of synthesizing a planar four-bar linkage is reduced to finding a pencil of Generalized- or G-manifolds that best fit the image points in the least squares sense. The three planar dyads associated with Generalized G-manifolds are RR, PR and RP which could construct six types of four-bar mechanisms. In this paper, we show that the same unified formulation for linkage synthesis leads to a unified algorithm for linkage analysis and simulation as well. Both the unified synthesis and analysis algorithms have been implemented on Apple’s iOS platform.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN AMBLYPYGIDS, AND A REASSESSMENT OF ARACHNID SOCIAL PATTERNS

Abstract Aggregation, extended mother-offspring-sibling interactions, and complex social behaviors are extremely rare among arachnids. We report and quantify for the first time in Amblypygi prolonged mother-offspring-sibling associations, active aggregation, and frequent “amicable” (tolerant, nonaggressive) tactile interactions in two species: Phrynus marginemaculatus C.L. Koch 1840 (Phrynidae) and Damon diadema (Simon, 1876) (Phrynichidae). Sociality is characterized by frequent contact and tolerance, and infrequent agonism until sexual maturity in D. diadema and into adulthood in P. marginemaculatus. We experimentally examined potential benefits and costs affecting aggregation: risk of predation, preferred habitats and prey availability. Only increased predation risk decreased nearest-neighbor distances and increased maternal vigilance. Individuals aggregated on a variety of surface textures and locations that varied daily, rather than aggregating only on preferred microhabitats. Manipulation of prey ab...
Remission induction in acute myelogenous leukemia using cytosine arabinoside synchronization: A southwest oncology group study

The use of cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) infused at kinetically suggested intervals is reported in 40 pediatric patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and its subtypes. Response was observed in 17 of the 34 evaluable patients. However, the severe, often fatal effects of the regimen prevent its recommendation as a standard induction regimen in AML in children.
Axioms for the outcomes of negotiation in matrix games

Abstract Suppose that we are given the payoff matrix for a game G of perfect information but with no side-payments. We seek to study the likely results if rational players negotiate a settlement involving only pure strategies. Axioms are presented for the set X(G) of payoff vectors that might actually occur under these idealized circumstances. We also present a formal negotiation process analogous to the rules in the Theory of Moves that realizes such a set X(G). The process shows that the axioms are consistent and therefore provide a possible indication of what should be simultaneously attainable by negotiation. Such a result could also provide a guide to arbitration. Among these axioms are Pareto-optimality of the payoff vectors in X(G) and natural properties with respect to nontriviality, lower bounds, symmetry, strong dominance, floors, and default reduction. Examples show that X(G) can be readily calculated, by hand in the case of 2 by 2 matrices, or on the computer in more complicated cases. The procedures work for any finite number of players.
Six-fold improvement in nanotopography sensing via temperature control of a heated atomic force microscope cantilever

Heated atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilevers can be used to thermally sense the nanotopography of a surface. Previous reports show that cantilever nanotopography sensitivity can be increased by either modifying the cantilever design or by increasing the operating temperature of the cantilever. This article describes six-fold improvement to cantilever sensitivity by using control mechanisms to maintain either constant cantilever electrical resistance, cantilever dissipated power, or the voltage across the circuit. Topographical imaging was performed on a 20nm tall silicon calibration grating under each of these control schemes. The topographies obtained by the laser-deflection and the thermal signal corresponding to each control mechanism were compared. The thermal nanotopography sensitivity is improved by as much as 570% by controlling cantilever resistance and 345% by controlling power supply to the cantilever. Overall, the topography sensitivity using heated cantilevers is 500 times greater than that using similarly sized piezoresistive cantilevers.
LONG‐TERM MAPPED QUADRATS FROM KANSAS PRAIRIE: DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOR HERBACEOUS PLANTS

Demographic data will play a central role in testing current theories in plant ecology and forecasting the effects of global change. However, long-term data on vital rates are very limited, especially for species in herbaceous plant communities. Here we present a data set that has great potential to increase our understanding of plant demographic processes. Every year from 1932 to 1972, researchers in Hays, Kansas (USA), mapped all individual plants in a series of 1-m2 quadrats in a mixed grass prairie. The rare combination of temporal extent and fine spatial resolution makes it possible to follow individual herbaceous plants (or genets) through time and to answer questions such as: How does individual survival and recruitment vary with precipitation and temperature? How are these relationships modified by interactions with neighboring conspecifics and heterospecifics? The data set includes the digitized maps in Arc Export format, a tabular, nonspatial version of the entire data set, descriptive informati...
Use of commercial freezers to control cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), in organic garbanzo beans.

Abstract One California processor of organic garbanzo beans (Cicer arietinum L.), unable to use chemical fumigants, relies on 30-d storage at −18°C to disinfest product of the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (F). To determine whether the storage period may be shortened, the most cold-tolerant life stage of the cowpea weevil was identified. Laboratory studies showed that the egg stage was most tolerant to −18°C and that adults were most susceptible. To examine the efficacy of cold storage disinfestation, bags of black-eyed peas, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., infested with cowpea weevil eggs were buried within garbanzo bean bins placed in a commercial cold storage facility kept at approximately −18°C and removed after 7, 14, and 21 d. Survival was highest in eggs located at the center of the bins and coincided with the slowest cooling rate. Although temperatures within the bins did not reach −18°C until after 14–19 d, egg mortality was estimated to be >98% after just 7 d of exposure. Complete mortal...
Some types and covers for quaternionic hermitian groups

ABSTRACTWe determine reducibility points for a certain family of induced representations for quaternionic hermitian and anti-hermitian groups over a p-adic field. We do this via Bushnell and Kutzko’s method of types and covers.
MiR-31 and miR-128 regulates poliovirus receptor-related 4 mediated measles virus infectivity in tumors.

Oncolytic measles virus strains are currently being evaluated in several clinical trials, as a promising novel oncolytic platform. Poliovirus receptor-related 4 (PVRL4) was recently identified as a potent measles virus (MV) receptor; however, its regulation is not yet understood. Increased levels of PVRL4 protein were observed in cell membrane, cytoplasm and nuclei of glioblastoma, breast and ovarian tumor clinical samples with no significant change in PVRL4 mRNA levels in glioblastoma and breast cancer compared with their corresponding control samples, suggesting that PVRL4 is likely post-transcriptionally regulated. Therefore, we sought to investigate the potential role of miRNAs in PVRL4 regulation and thus MV infectivity. We demonstrated that miR-31 and miR-128 can bind to the 3′UTR of PVRL4 and decrease PVRL4 levels while anti-miR-31/128 increase PVRL4 levels suggesting that PVRL4 is miRNA targeted. Furthermore, miR-31/128 expression levels were down-regulated in glioblastoma and breast tumor samples and showed significant negative correlations with PVRL4 levels. Infection with an MV strain that exclusively utilizes PVRL4 as its receptor showed that over-expression of miR-31/128 decreases MV infectivity while inhibition of the respective miRNAs via anti-miRs increase MV infectivity and reduce tumor size in mouse xenograft models of glioblastoma, breast and ovarian cancer. Additionally, miR-128 levels showed significant correlations with MV infection and in vivo anti-tumor effect, while MV infection increased miR-31 expression and thereby contributed to the observed decrease in PVRL4 levels. This study suggests that PVRL4 is post-transcriptionally regulated by miR-128 and miR-31 and harbors possible miRNA targets that could modulate MV infectivity and in turn enhance MV based oncolytic therapeutic strategies.
T Cell Calcium Mobilization Study (Flow Cytometry)

Antigen recognition and activation of T cell receptor (TCR) triggers transient calcium release from intracellular compartments and subsequent sustained calcium influx through cell surface Icrac channels. Sustained elevation of the cytoplasmic calcium level activates many calcium-dependent enzymes and transcription factors, which are essential for T cell activation and function. This protocol uses non-ratiometric dyes, in combination with flow cytometry, to monitor TCR-triggered calcium changes over time, and is a simple assay to examine the existence of T cell calcium mobilization defects in transgenic mice.
Impact of oil composition on formation and stability of emulsions produced by spontaneous emulsification

ABSTRACTIn this study, triglycerides of different chain lengths were mixed with paraffin oil, and their effectiveness in forming emulsions produced by spontaneous emulsification upon the addition of water was investigated. The emulsion droplet size exhibited a similar trend as a function of the triglyceride/paraffin oil composition for medium-chain (MCTs) (C8–C10) and long-chain (C18) triglycerides (LCTs). However, emulsions formulated with MCTs and LCTs have a much smaller droplet size (about 50 nm) than emulsions based upon short-chain (C4) triglycerides (SCTs). The addition of SCTs resulted in droplet sizes around 800 nm and the emulsions formed were very unstable. The droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and emulsion stability of these systems will be described as a function of the oil phase composition.
Embedded borderings: making new geographies of centrality

ABSTRACTEmbedded borderings: making new geographies of centrality. Territory, Politics, Governance. The organizing thesis posits the emergence of specific operational spaces that recur in country after country but are not necessarily framed by national or international law, or by visible legal markers, even as they use particular national institutions such as laws and courts. These operational spaces contribute to the making of cross-border geographies that include only parts of national territories, often excluding most of the pertinent ‘sovereign territory’ that houses them. These operational spaces look like they belong to those countries as they are marked by thick territorial insertions: whether it is financial centres with their massive concentrations of buildings, or human rights activists tracking tortured bodies in prisons or abandoned fields. Yet, they are in fact tightly bordered territorial fragments that keep out what they do not want in. This specificity holds even for actors operating withi...
Self-powered system-on-chip for substrate computing and ultrasonic communications

Substrate computing refers to a paradigm where sensing, computing, communications, energy scavenging and energy storage functions are seamlessly integrated within a substrate. The substrate could be a part of an aircraft wing or a chassis of the car and the computing, communications and energy scavenging functions could be implemented using self-powered devices embedded inside the substrate. In this paper we present the design of a CMOS transceiver that could be used for through-substrate communications using ultrasonic pulses. The transceiver comprises of three piezoelectric interfaces, one of which is used for harvesting and regulating energy from mechanical vibrations in the substrate and the other two interfaces are used for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic pulses. We present measurement results using prototypes of the transceiver fabricated in a 0.5-μm CMOS process integrated with piezoelectric transducers that are attached to a segment of an aluminum wing. The results demonstrate the energy-harvesting, regulation functionalities along with the bi-directional telemetry functions needed to implement a complete transceiver for substrate computing.
First-Order Hinge-by-Hinge Analysis

As described in Chapter 1, the first-order hinge-by-hinge analysis is a series of elastic analyses. First, an elastic analysis is performed on the original structure. When the maximum moment in the structure reaches the plastic moment capacity of a member, a plastic hinge is formed at the point of maximum moment. For further loading, the plastic hinge in this member is replaced by a real hinge leading to a new but simpler structure. Next, an elastic analysis is again performed on this new structure. The process of performing an elastic analysis on the current structure to locate a new plastic hinge and then obtaining a newer structure by replacing this new plastic hinge with a real hinge is continued until a sufficient number of plastic hinges are formed to transform the structure into a failure mechanism.
The cybernetics thought collective project: Using computational methods to reveal intellectual context in archival material

This paper discusses “The Cybernetics Thought Collective: A History of Science and Technology Portal Project,” a collaborative effort among four institutions that maintain archival records vital to the exploration of cybernetic history — the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the American Philosophical Society, the British Library, and MIT. With recent grant funding from the NEH, the multi-institutional team is developing a prototype web-portal and analysis-engine to provide access to archival material related to the development of the field of cybernetics, which influenced the development of modern computing and provided a common language to articulate similar questions about behavior across disciplines — regardless of whether the subject of study was animal, machine, or social group. The project is also enabling the digitization of the personal archives of four founders of cybernetics — Heinz von Foerster, W. Ross Ashby, Warren S. McCulloch, and Norbert Wiener. Using computational methods based on advanced machine-learning algorithms to yield network and entity relationships maps from the digitized texts, this project seeks to create access to archival material that enables humanities scholars to better understand the development of cybernetic ideas and to enable scientists and engineers to reuse and access cybernetic data.
Fallopian tube tumorigenesis and clinical implications for ovarian cancer risk-reduction.

Abstract Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of gynecologic cancer death among American women. Prevention is the only proven approach to reduce the incidence of the disease. Oral contraception, tubal ligation, and risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (rrBSO) for high-risk groups are all established risk reduction strategies. This paradigm is changing as recent biologic studies suggest that many ovarian cancers, especially high-grade serous ovarian cancers, originate in the distal end of the fallopian tube rather than the ovarian surface epithelium. A putative precursor lesion has been identified called the serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC). Theoretically, removal of the fallopian tubes alone may prevent these lesions and prevent overt disease. Opportunistic salpingectomy during benign gynecologic surgery appears to be safe and may offer some protection from ovarian cancer without compromising ovarian endocrine function. Despite a lack of evidence for efficacy, several professional societies now recommend this approach for average-risk women. Whether salpingectomy can also serve as a temporizing measure to delay risk-reducing oophorectomy in women with a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer remains to be seen. Several ongoing non-randomized clinical trials will test the feasibility of this approach. Therefore, the societal impact of increasing salpingectomy rates on ovarian cancer incidence will be an area of intense focus for the next 10–20 years.
Orogastric tube placement in extremely low birth weight infants

Background: Traditionally, orogastric tube (OGt) length of insertion is determined by nose-earlobe-xyphoid (NEX) measurement. Although radiography is the gold standard for verification of placement, scarce data are available for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. Objective: To correlate OGt placement in ELBW infants with its position in the gastrointestinal tract by radiography and to establish clinical correlates with gastrointestinal perforations. Design/methods: Retrospective evaluation of 290 ELBW infants. The 1st (n = 290) and 2nd (n = 273) radiographs following OGt placement were evaluated. Diaphragm and OGt were referenced to the level of the 10th thoracic vertebra (T10). The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) was presumed to be at T9. Results: Most (86%) OGt were placed during the first three days of life. OGt pores and the stomach were visible in 37% and 40% of the cases respectively. The diaphragm was noted to be at T8 (14%), T9 (43%), T10 (41%) & T11 (2%). On the first radiograph, OGt were in the esophagus (4%), in the duodenum (3%), straight in the stomach (8%) and diagonal in the stomach (85%). Of all 563 radiographs evaluated, 502 (89%) OGt were diagonal in the stomach, extending below the LES for a median 3 cm (0.7-4.9 cm). In the 225 radiographs where the stomach could be visualized, the median distance from T10 to the OGt tip was 2.8 cm (1-5) while that from T10 to the greater curvature was 3.1 cm (1-5). Clinical correlates: There were 21 cases of necrotizing enterocolitis (15 of them with perforation) and 7 cases of spontaneous intestinal perforation. None of them were temporally or anatomically linked to OGt placement. Conclusions: Radiological verification of OGt placement is possible. The unpredictable level of the diaphragm, the poor visibility of OGt pores and the often gasless stomach can make radiological verification difficult. Determining OGt insertion length in ELBW infants by the NEX method results in appropriate intragastric placement in 85% of the cases. 1. Background
Formulation and Solution Procedure

The purpose of this chapter is to derive the finite element equations for the determination of temperature distribution within a conducting body. The basic unknown in heat transfer problems is temperature, similar to displacement in stress analysis problems. The knowledge of temperature distribution within a body is useful in computing the heat added to or removed from a body. Furthermore, if a heated body is not permitted to expand freely in all the directions, some stresses are developed inside the body. The magnitude of these thermal stresses influences the design of devices such as boilers, steam turbines, and jet engines. The first step in calculating the thermal stresses is to determine the temperature distribution within the body. The finite element equations are derived for the determination of temperature distribution within a conducting body either by minimizing a suitable functional using a variational (Rayleigh-Ritz) approach or from the governing differential equation using a weighted residual (Galerkin) approach. The chapter also summarizes the basic equations of heat transfer namely the energy balance and rate equations.
Exploring Boundaries Around the Safe Use of Advanced Materials: A Prospective Product-Based Case Studies Approach

Engineered nanomaterials have been a focus of intense interest since the late 1990s, but in their simplest form they are just one example of an increasing array of advanced materials currently being researched, developed, and incorporated into a diverse range of products. These represent increasingly complex “designer materials” that are enabling the development of novel products and providing new solutions to the many pressing challenges that individuals, and society as a whole, are facing. However, their novelty raises important questions surrounding potential short- and long-term health and environmental impact. Without systematic approaches to addressing the potential health and environmental risks presented by advanced materials more generally, there is a danger of unforeseen impacts from naive development and use at one end of the spectrum, and lost opportunities through over-cautious development driven by fear of unknown risks at the other. Rather, approaches are needed that guide the responsible use of advanced materials that minimize potential risks, while enabling the social, environmental, and economic benefits to be fully realized.
Medication Counts for Adults with Heart Failure do not Differ According to Functional Impairment

Background Patients with CHF take a large number of medications. High medication burden (i.e. polypharmacy) is associated with adverse outcomes, especially among those with impairments in activities of daily living (ADLs). Whether CHF patients with ADL impairment have lower medication burden is unknown. Objective To compare the number of medications taken by adults with CHF according to the presence of ADL impairment. Methods We examined adults aged ≥50 years old with self-reported CHF from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) (2003-2014), cross-sectional surveys that produce national estimates of adult non-institutionalized United States civilians. ADL impairments were defined as impairments in transferring, eating, and/or dressing. To determine the independent association between ADL impairment and medication count, we performed sequential Poisson multivariable regression analyses, guided by the Andersen health care utilization model of predisposing, enabling, and need factors. We first determined the crude association between ADL impairment and medication count and then sequentially added predisposing factors, enabling factors, comorbidity count, other need factors, and lastly healthcare utilization factors. Results We studied 947 participants, which represented a non-institutionalized adult population in the USA of approximately 4.6 million adults with CHF. The mean age was 70 years, the mean medication count was 7.2 [95 % CI (6.8 - 7.5)], and 74% were on ≥5 medications (i.e., polypharmacy). In a crude model, ADL impairment was associated with a 23% increase in medication count. Upon the addition of comorbidity to the model, this association was no longer present ( Table 1 ). In the fully adjusted model, ADL impairment was not independently associated with medication count. These findings were similar for those with ≥3 hospitalizations in the prior year, declining health status, and cognitive impairment. Conclusion After adjusting for confounders including comorbidity, adults with CHF and ADL impairment took just as many medications as those with CHF and no ADL impairment even after accounting for recurrent hospitalizations, declining health, and cognitive impairment. This suggests that providers may not sufficiently consider functional status and/or prognosis when prescribing medications to adults with CHF, and thus may be unnecessarily exposing a large number of individuals to an increased risk for adverse outcomes.
French Cartesian Scholasticism: Remarks on Descartes and the First Cartesians

I address two questions prompted by the discussion in Roger Ariew’s Descartes and the First Cartesians. The first is whether the sort of scholasticization of Cartesianism to which First Cartesians ...
Atatürk’s Middle East: representations in the construction of state identity

The main argument of this paper is that Turkey had close relations with Middle Eastern states during the Ataturk period, which is contrary to the literature that claims the opposite because of Turk...
Muscle Cramps Do Not Improve With Correction of Vitamin D Insufficiency.

Background Minimal treatment options exist for idiopathic muscle cramps. Objective We evaluated whether correction of vitamin D insufficiency relieved muscle cramps in postmenopausal women. Methods We conducted a post hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at a single academic medical center in the Midwest to evaluate the benefits of treating vitamin D insufficiency. Two hundred thirty postmenopausal women participated. Eligible women were ≤75 years old, 5 years past menopause or oophorectomy, or ≥60 years if they had previously undergone hysterectomy without oophorectomy. Women had vitamin D insufficiency at baseline (25-hydroxyvitamin D 14-27 ng/mL). We excluded subjects with a glomerular filtration rate Interventions for clinical trials Participants completed food diaries, laboratory studies, and functional tests including the Timed Up and Go test, Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, Health Assessment Questionnaire (a measure of disability), and pain scores. Subjects recorded muscle cramp frequency and severity using a standardized form at 6 visits over 1 year. Results During the trial, over half of participants (n=121, 53%) reported muscle cramps. Despite unequivocal vitamin D repletion, vitamin D had no effect on muscle cramps. Pain levels, disability, and dietary potassium predicted presence of cramps. Serum albumin and physical activity were inversely associated with, and disability was positively associated with, severity of muscle cramps. Conclusions Further studies are needed to evaluate the link between pain, disability, dietary potassium intake, and muscle cramps.
Understanding nao: A Chinese “image event”

It was 1 am on September 2, 2018. A Chinese tourist, Mr. Zeng, and his elderly parents arrived at a hotel in Stockholm and tried to check in. After being told that their booking would only take eff...
Accuracy of Thermodynamic Databases for Hydroxyapatite Dissolution Constant

Discrepancies have been noted in the solubility constant values of calcium phosphate minerals between various databases employed in widely used aqueous speciation calculation software programs. Thi...
The association between short-term residential black carbon concentration on blood pressure in a general population sample.

Background Exposure to black carbon indoors may be associated with blood pressure; however, evidence is limited to vulnerable subpopulations and highly exposed individuals. Our objective was to explore the relationship between indoor black carbon at various exposure windows on resting blood pressure in a general population sample. Methods Black carbon was measured in the home of 76 individuals aged 10-71 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Exposure was measured every 1 minute for up to 120 hours using an AE51 microaethalometer. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were measured at the conclusion of exposure monitoring. Results In adjusted models, at all exposure windows, increasing black carbon was associated with increased systolic blood pressure. The period 0-72 hours prior to blood pressure measurement showed the strongest effect; a 1 μg/m3 increase in black carbon was associated with a 7.55 mm Hg (P = .02) increase in systolic blood pressure. The relationship was stronger in participants reporting doctor-diagnosed hypertension (β = 6.47 vs β = 3.27). Black carbon was not associated with diastolic blood pressure. Conclusion Increasing black carbon concentration indoors is positively associated with increasing systolic blood pressure with the most relevant exposure window being 0-72 hours prior to blood pressure measurement. Individuals with hypertension may be a more susceptible population.
Machine learning with random subspace ensembles identifies antimicrobial resistance determinants from pan-genomes of three pathogens

The evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a persistent threat to global public health. Sequencing efforts have already yielded genome sequences for thousands of resistant microbial isolates and require robust computational tools to systematically elucidate the genetic basis for AMR. Here, we present a generalizable machine learning workflow for identifying genetic features driving AMR based on constructing reference strain-agnostic pan-genomes and training random subspace ensembles (RSEs). This workflow was applied to the resistance profiles of 14 antimicrobials across three urgent threat pathogens encompassing 288 Staphylococcus aureus, 456 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 1588 Escherichia coli genomes. We find that feature selection by RSE detects known AMR associations more reliably than common statistical tests and previous ensemble approaches, identifying a total of 45 known AMR-conferring genes and alleles across the three organisms, as well as 25 candidate associations backed by domain-level annotations. Furthermore, we find that results from the RSE approach are consistent with existing understanding of fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance due to mutations in the main drug targets, gyrA and parC, in all three organisms, and suggest the mutational landscape of those genes with respect to FQ resistance is simple. As larger datasets become available, we expect this approach to more reliably predict AMR determinants for a wider range of microbial pathogens.
Homophones facilitate lexical development in a second language

Abstract This study examined how previously learned words affect the acquisition of new words in a second language (L2). Twenty L1 English adults in a second semester L2 Mandarin Chinese class performed a three-day word learning experiment involving 10 tonal monosyllabic minimal pairs (e.g., ku4 ‘warehouse’ – ku1 ‘to cry’). Half of the words were homophonous with previously learned words, while the other half were not. Half of the words contained syllables with high token frequencies, while the other half contained syllables with low token frequencies. Daily training included self-paced sound-image associations presented via headphones and computer, followed by a 4-alternative-forced-choice word identification task. A naming task was included on Day 3. On Day 1, participants showed a facilitative homophone effect: new words that were homophonous with previously learned words were more accurately identified than those that were not homophonous. On Day 2 and 3, new words that were homophonous with previously learned words were recognized faster than those that were not homophonous. Syllable token frequency did not affect accuracy or response time; neither homophone status nor syllable token frequency affected naming accuracy. Thus, previously acquired phonological and lexical information can positively affect L2 lexical development.
Electrically Driven Hot-carrier Generation and Above-threshold Light Emission in Plasmonic Tunnel Junctions

Above-threshold light emission from plasmonic tunnel junctions, when emitted photons have energies significantly higher than the energy scale of incident electrons, has attracted much recent intere...
Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Admissions: Implications to Diversify the Workforce:

The purpose of this survey study was to describe screening and admission processes and considerations for graduate speech-language pathology (SLP) programs, with an eye for how programs consider cu...
Seattle’s Public Library, Libraries for All: “To Bring People, Information, and Ideas Together to Enrich Lives and Build Community”

Designed by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus from OMA and LMN architecture firm, the Seattle Central Library is the main branch of Seattle’s public library system. Their mission established the goal “to bring people, information, and ideas together to enrich the lives and build community.” This chapter will provide the history of the Seattle Public Library and offer background information on the circumstances that lead to its re-design and construction such as the design considerations and its function. The chapter will focus on what kind of image the city of Seattle wanted to produce through the concept of public library developed in its main branch. A general overview of Seattle’s Public Library influential design, management, programs, and services will be provided. The way in which the area where the library is located will also be analyzed within the context of urban development initiatives set in motion to develop the area.
Is there a gender gap in our responses to a gender pay gap? An experiment

A significant amount of academic work has gone into trying to identify and quantify the importance of the key sources of the significant and persistent gender pay gap that exists. However, far less...
Icosahedral clusters in Cu100-xZrx (x=32,34,36,38.2,40 at.%) metallic glasses near the peak of glass-forming ability (x=36): A balance between population and encaging strength

Abstract Understanding the origin of glass-forming ability (GFA) is important for the discovery or development of new metallic glasses (MGs). It is well known that the GFA in Cu–Zr binary MGs is sensitive to the composition and possesses a peak around Cu64Zr36 (at.%). The reason for this, however, is still not fully understood due to the complexity of the physics behind glass formation. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations and statistics to study the structure and particularly the atomic energy state of the supercooled liquid and glass phases in the Cu100-xZrx (x = 32, 34, 36, 38.2, 40 at.%) alloy series. We show that the shell atoms of icosahedral clusters (the most dominant cluster type) in all these alloys have significantly lower (by > 1 eV/atom) potential energy than the core atoms. With rising Zr-content, the core–shell energy difference of the icosahedral clusters increases, making these clusters more strongly encaged and harder to break before or during crystallization. This effect counteracts the decrease in the population of the icosahedral clusters that has been noticed in previous studies. The net result of the interplay between these two factors can be represented by the product of the fraction of icosahedral shell-atoms and the core-shell energy difference, which exhibits a maximum at 36% Zr where the highest GFA has been observed. These findings provide new insights into the origin and peaking behavior of the GFA in this important binary bulk MG system, which could facilitate the search for the best glass-forming compositions in other alloy systems.
Introduction: Symposium on the Work of Ruth Grant

The contributions to this symposium were written to honor and examine the work of Ruth Grant. Grant is a political theorist who recently retired from the Department of Political Science at Duke Uni...
A Functional Data Analysis Approach to Registering and Identifying Trends of Gulf Hurricane Wind Speed

Hurricanes are a destructive, inevitable force of nature. They have demolished entire cities and have left long-lasting effects on the world. In this paper we take statistical approach to hurricanes using Functional Data Analysis (FDA). Our data for this project consists of 10 Gulf of Mexico hurricanes obtained from the National Hurricane Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We analyze the wind speed of the 10 hurricanes using traditional FDA methodologies such as, functional B-splines, 1st and 2nd derivative, residual analysis from a co-variate model, and outlier detection using functional box-plots. We conclude that Gulf hurricane's wind speed, when modeled using functional data analysis methods, have similar behavior during the beginning and end of their life-cycle that allow for a identification of outlier hurricanes. Furthermore, we discover that the wind speed during the middle of the observed hurricanes' life-cycle is inconsistent and volatile, exacerbated by the length of a hurricane's life. Our novel FDA approach to hurricane analysis can serve as a useful insight to understanding the nature of Gulf Hurricanes wind speed.
How Private is Machine Learning

A machine learning model is private if it doesn't reveal (too much) about its training data. This three-part talk examines to what extent current networks are private. Standard models are not private. We develop an attack that extracts rare training examples (for example, individual people's names, phone numbers, or addresses) out of GPT-2, a language model trained on gigabytes of text from the Internet [2]. As a result there is a clear need for training models with privacy-preserving techniques. We show that InstaHide, a recent candidate, is not private. We develop a complete break of this scheme and can again recover verbatim inputs [1]. Fortunately, there exists provably-correct "differentiallyprivate" training that guarantees no adversary could ever succeed at the above attacks. We develop techniques to that allow us to empirically evaluate the privacy offered by such schemes, and find they may be more private than can be proven formally [3].