cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SensorSift: balancing sensor data privacy and utility in automated face understanding

We introduce SensorSift, a new theoretical scheme for balancing utility and privacy in smart sensor applications. At the heart of our contribution is an algorithm which transforms raw sensor data into a 'sifted' representation which minimizes exposure of user defined private attributes while maximally exposing application-requested public attributes. We envision multiple applications using the same platform, and requesting access to public attributes explicitly not known at the time of the platform creation. Support for future-defined public attributes, while still preserving the defined privacy of the private attributes, is a central challenge that we tackle.To evaluate our approach, we apply SensorSift to the PubFig dataset of celebrity face images, and study how well we can simultaneously hide and reveal various policy combinations of face attributes using machine classifiers.We find that as long as the public and private attributes are not significantly correlated, it is possible to generate a sifting transformation which reduces private attribute inferences to random guessing while maximally retaining classifier accuracy of public attributes relative to raw data (average PubLoss = .053 and PrivLoss = .075, see Figure 4). In addition, our sifting transformations led to consistent classification performance when evaluated using a set of five modern machine learning methods (linear SVM, kNearest Neighbors, Random Forests, kernel SVM, and Neural Nets).
Involvement of multiple subpopulations of human bone marrow cells in the regulation of allogeneic cellular immune responses.

Background The identity of the cells in the human bone marrow that function as effective regulators of in vitro and possibly in vivo cellular immune responses is not well established. Methods. Cell subpopulations were isolated from cadaver donor vertebral-body bone marrow cells (DBMC) by using immuno-magnetic microbeads and were tested as inhibitors (modulators) in cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) responses of normal peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with irradiated cadaver donor spleen cells. Results. Compared with spleen cells as controls, unirradiated T-cell depleted DBMC inhibited both the MLR and CML responses of allogeneic responder cells in a dose dependent manner (as in our previous reports). The inhibition was also mediated by a number of purified subpopulations including pluripotent CD34+ stem cells, and their CD34 negative early progeny of both lymphoid and myeloid lineages. These included DBMC enriched for non-T-cell lymphoid precursors (NT-LP/DBMC; i.e., DBMC depleted of CD3, CD15, and glycophorin-A positive cells) and DBMC positively selected for CD38 + , CD2 + , CD5 + , and CD1 + lymphoid cells (all were depleted of CD3 + cells) as well as CD33 + (but CD15 negative) myeloid precursors. However, positively selected CD19 + B-cells and CD15 + myeloid cells did not inhibit the MLR and CML responses. The NT-LP/DBMC that had been repeatedly stimulated with irradiated allogeneic peripheral blood lymphocytes caused the strongest inhibition of the MLR and CML responses of the same allogeneic cells with 200 times fewer modulator cells needed than uncultured DBMC (P<0.001). Flow cytometric analysis revealed that majority of cells in these cell lines had become CD3 + TcR-αβ + CD4 + and CD28 + cells. Conclusion A variety of less differentiated cells of various lineages residing in the human bone marrow are immunoregulatory in vitro. Among them, there is at least one subset that can undergo differentiation in vitro into regulatory T cells that can be maintained in long-term cultures.
Bridging between two standards for collecting information on race and ethnicity: an application to Census 2000 and vital rates.

Objectives. The 2000 Census, which provides denominators used in calculating vital statistics and other rates, allowed multiple-race responses. Many other data systems that provide numerators used in calculating rates collect only single-race data. Bridging is needed to make the numerators and denominators comparable. This report describes and evaluates the method used by the National Center for Health Statistics to bridge multiple-race responses obtained from Census 2000 to single-race categories, creating single-race population estimates that are available to the public. Methods. The authors fitted logistic regression models to multiple-race data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for 1997-2000. These fitted models, and two bridging methods previously suggested by the Office of Management and Budget, were applied to the public-use Census Modified Race Data Summary file to create single-race population estimates for the U.S. The authors also compared death rates for single-race groups calculated using these three approaches. Results. Parameter estimates differed between the NHIS models for the multiple-race groups. For example, as the percentage of multiple-race respondents in a county increased, the likelihood of stating black as a primary race increased among black/white respondents but decreased among American Indian or Alaska Native/black respondents. The inclusion of county-level contextual variables in the regression models as well as the underlying demographic differences across states led to variation in allocation percentages; for example, the allocation of black/white respondents to single-race white ranged from nearly zero to more than 50% across states. Death rates calculated using bridging via the NHIS models were similar to those calculated using other methods, except for the American Indian/Alaska Native group, which included a large proportion of multiple-race reporters. Conclusion. Many data systems do not currently allow multiple-race reporting. When such data systems are used with Census counts to produce race-specific rates, bridging methods that incorporate geographic and demographic factors may lead to better rates than methods that do not consider such factors.
Do Local Governments Interact Fiscally with Their Neighbors in a Devolved Health Care System – A Spatial Analysis of the Philippines?

The aim of this research is to better understand the effects of a decentralized health system of the Philippines on public health care expenditures by investigating determinants of local government public health spending for year 2007. Within the context of the Philippines’ decentralized health system and health externalities that arise at the individual-level and manifest at the regional level, particular emphasis is given to spatial spillovers and fiscal interactions among municipalities. The research addresses these issues in an empirical spatial econometric framework utilizing public finance local government data for the Philippines. Competition for health resources including doctors and drugs, thereby bidding up the costs of health inputs is one of the potential causes for positive fiscal spatial dependence cited in this paper. It is also anticipated that this could be an outcome of yardstick competition, where local agents strategically compete with each other by spending higher in order to be re-elected, 2007 being an election year.
Potential Underprediction of Warfarin Drug Interaction From Conventional Interaction Studies and Risk Mitigation: A Case Study With Epacadostat, an IDO1 Inhibitor

Drug-drug interaction (DDI) studies involving warfarin are typically conducted with subtherapeutic doses of warfarin to ensure the safety of volunteers. However, this approach may potentially have a systemic bias of underestimating pharmacodynamic (PD) DDI effect on warfarin at therapeutic levels of anticoagulation. We demonstrate here the utility of model-based DDI prediction for a clinically relevant warfarin regimen, using the example of epacadostat (INCB024360), the first-in-class indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 inhibitor in clinical development as a novel orally active immuno-oncological therapy. Observed data from a dedicated clinical DDI study using subtherapeutic warfarin suggested warfarin pharmacokinetics (PK), but not PD (anticoagulation), was significantly affected by concomitant epacadostat. However, subsequent PK/PD modeling and simulations indicated a clinically important DDI effect on warfarin PD at a higher baseline of the international normalization ratio (INR) and enabled recommendation of warfarin dose adjustment that is dependent on epacadostat dosing regimen and target INR.
Influence of dietary iodine on I-131 retention and distribution in the chick.

SummaryChicks fed an iodine deficient ration retained more I181 originally than did control chicks. The more rapid loss of I131 from the deficient chicks, however, was such that the I131 concentration in the deficient chicks was significantly lower than that in the normal chicks by the end of the experiment. Studies of the distribution within the body revealed that the thyroids of deficient chicks trapped a maximum of 41% of the injected dose at 2 hours and had a biological half-life of the thyroidal I131 of approximately 15 hours. Control chicks, while trapping a maximum of only 4.5% of the injected dose at 8 hours, exhibited a biological half-life of more than 96 hours. A possible explanation for the rapid disappearance of injected I131 in the deficient chicks is discussed.
Femtosecond Spectroscopy of Chemically Reactive Solids: a Methodology

An experimental methodology for recording femtosecond time-resolved observations of irreversible change in solids is described. The central problem posed is that the trime-dependent evolution must be observed on a single-shot (i.e. real-time) basis since the sample may be permanently altered after each excitation event. Preliminary demonstrations of real-time femtosecond spectroscopic observations are presented. In addition, one-shot data acquisition techniques open up the possibility of excitation intensities that greatly exceed optical damage threshholds of most samples. Since only one excitation pulse is used, cumulative damage mechanisms may be circumvented. Even if the sample is damaged in a single shot, in some cases the events of interest may be observed before damage occurs. The use of timed sequences of high-intensity excitation pulses to drive large-amplitude, coherent lattice vibrations is discussed. If successful, such large-amplitude lattice vibrations could assist crystalline chemical reactions or structural phase transitions.
Residual Mode Filter/Model Reduction Compensation and Application to F -16 Dynamic Models

Control of systems described by large -order models typically requires constructi on and use of reduced order models (ROM’s) for the purpose of feedback controller design and implementation. However, controllers based on these ROM’s can have deleterious interactions with un -modeled modes, and some sort of stability compensation is neede d, such as Residual Mode Filters (RMF’s). In this paper we expand our work on exponential closed loop stability using RMF’s for Aero Elastic Simulations. We consider the Coupled Problem of the fluid -structure interaction where the flexible structure is con sidered to be the plant to be controlled and the fluid is seen as an actuator through which the plant is controlled. Model reduction can be achieved for systems with actuator dynamics, as well as for controllers designed only using a ROM of the actuator. The RMF for the structure must be modified to account for the fluid actuator. Our applications include the control of fluid -structure interaction in a simple piston model and an F -16 flexible body dynamic model to alleviate induced vibrations.
Songs of the Fox Sparrow. I. Structure of Song and Its Comparison with Song in Other Emberizidae

Analyses of avian vocalizations have been useful in delineating avian taxonomic relationships (Lanyon 1969, Payne 1973), functions of primary song (Falls 1969) and non-song vocal signals (Crook 1969), and the development of vocal displays (Nottebohm 1972). However, for many groups of birds the data needed for comparative vocal analyses are not available. One such case is the complex of North American sparrow genera Melospiza, Zonotrichia, Junco, and Passerella considered to be closely related by Mayr and Short (1970) and Paynter (1964, 1970). Vocalizations have been described in selected species presently assigned by the A.O.U. Check-list Committee (1957) to Melospiza (Borror 1965, Harris and Lemon 1972, 1974, Mulligan 1966, Nice 1937, 1943, Stefanski and Falls 1972a, b) and Zonotrichia (Borror and Gunn 1965, Falls 1969, King 1972, Konishi 1965, Lemon and Harris 1974, Marler and Tamura 1964, Milligan 1966, Milligan and Verner 1971, Nottebohm 1969, Nottebohm and Selander 1972, Stefanski and Falls 1972a, b, Verner and Milligan 1971). Although the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) is the only representative of its genus, and is restricted both in its wintering and breeding ranges to North America, no in-depth study of its behavior has been conducted. All major investigations of Fox Sparrows have dealt with their external (Swarth 1920) and/or internal (Linsdale 1928a, b) morphology. Linsdale (1928a) compiled some records on natural history and behavior of Fox Sparrows and thought that the geographic variation in the morphology of Fox Sparrows might be correlated with the variation he thought was present in their vocal behavior, especially song. I investigated the singing of Fox Sparrows in an effort to elucidate the form, extent, and function of their variations in song. My objective is to present data describing the structure of the songs in Fox Sparrows and compare this structure with that of other species in Emberizidae (Storer 1971), most particularly those in Melospiza, Zonotrichia, and Junco.
Preparation of Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptides Derived from Enzymatic Hydrolysates of Collagen

Angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitors are very important drugs for clinical treatment of hypertension.Pepsin and trypsin were used together to prepare the hydrolysates from collagen.Ultrafiltrations(UF) with 1 kD membrane and gel filtration chromatography(GFC) with Sephadex G-15 were used to separate the hydrolysates into different components.By measuring the inhibitory activity and protein concentration of the components,two samples with the greatest inhibitory activity were selected.The samples were then taken to further separate by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography(RP-HPLC).Different components of the samples were collected.The same methods as that mentioned above were taken to screen the optimum component.After desalting and freezing drying,the molecular mass of component with the greatest inhibitory activity was determined at last.
Cyclic AMP blocks expression of the c-sis gene in tumor cells

Abstract Some human tumor cell lines express the c-sis gene, the proto-oncogene of the transforming gene v-sis, and produce platelet-derived growth factor, which may contribute to carcinogenesis by autocrine or paracrine mechanisms. Here we demonstrate that c-sis expression in some human glioma and osteosarcoma cell lines can be blocked by agents that increase cellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Forskolin, 8-bromocyclic AMP, cholera toxin, and prostaglandin E1 reduced c-sis mRNA in these cells by up to 90%. c-sis transcription rates were reduced by agents that increase cAMP; the stability of c-sis mRNA was unaffected. The possible therapeutic value of blocking the expression of tumor growth factor genes pharmacologically warrants further study.
Unconventional secretion of misfolded proteins promotes adaptation to proteasome dysfunction in mammalian cells

To safeguard proteomic integrity, cells rely on the proteasome to degrade aberrant polypeptides, but it is unclear how cells remove defective proteins that have escaped degradation owing to proteasome insufficiency or dysfunction. Here we report a pathway termed misfolding-associated protein secretion, which uses the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated deubiquitylase USP19 to preferentially export aberrant cytosolic proteins. Intriguingly, the catalytic domain of USP19 possesses an unprecedented chaperone activity, allowing recruitment of misfolded proteins to the ER surface for deubiquitylation. Deubiquitylated cargos are encapsulated into ER-associated late endosomes and secreted to the cell exterior. USP19-deficient cells cannot efficiently secrete unwanted proteins, and grow more slowly than wild-type cells following exposure to a proteasome inhibitor. Together, our findings delineate a protein quality control (PQC) pathway that, unlike degradation-based PQC mechanisms, promotes protein homeostasis by exporting misfolded proteins through an unconventional protein secretion process.
Effect of murine mast cell growth factor (c-kit proto-oncogene ligand) on colony formation by human marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Purified natural (n) and recombinant (r) murine (mu) mast cell growth factor (MGF, a c-kit ligand) were evaluated alone and in combination with r human (hu) erythropoietin (Epo), rhu granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhuGM-CSF), rhuG-CSF, and/or rhuM-CSF for effects in vitro on colony formation by multipotential (colony-forming unit-granulocyte, erythroid, monocyte, megakaryocyte [CFU-GEMM]), erythroid (burst-forming unit erythroid [BFU-E]) and granulocyte- macrophage (CFU-GM) progenitor cells from normal human bone marrow. MGF was a potent enhancing cytokine for Epo-dependent CFU-GEMM and BFU-E colony formation, stimulating more colonies and of a larger size than either rhu interleukin-3 (rhuIL-3) or rhuGM-CSF. MGF, especially at lower concentrations, also acted with rhuIL-3 or rhuGM-CSF to enhance Epo-dependent CFU-GEMM and BFU-E colony formation. MGF had little stimulating activity for CFU-GM colonies by itself, but in combination with suboptimal to optimal amounts of rhuGM-CSF enhanced the numbers and the size of CFU-GM colonies in an additive to greater than additive manner. While we did not detect an effect of MGF on CFU-G colony numbers stimulated by maximal concentrations of rhuG-CSF, MGF did enhance the size of CFU-G-derived colonies. MGF did not enhance the activity of rhuM-CSF. In a comparative assay, maximal concentrations of rmu and rhuMGF were equally effective in the enhancement of human bone marrow colony formation, but rhuMGF, in contrast to rmuMGF, did not at the concentrations tested enhance colony formation by mouse bone marrow cells. MGF effects on BFU-E, CFU-GM, and CFU-GEMM may be direct acting ones as MGF-enhanced colony formation by these cells in highly enriched progenitor cell populations of CD34 HLA-DR+ and CD34 HLA-DR+CD33- sorted cells in which greater than or equal to 1 of 2 cells was a BFU-E plus CFU-GM plus CFU-GEMM. MGF appears to be an early acting cytokine that preferentially stimulates the growth of immature hematopoietic progenitor cells.
Disruption of Mosquito Blood Meal Protein Metabolism

Abstract Blood meal protein metabolism in mosquitoes is a unique and complex process, which has not been completely explored. During a gonotrophic cycle, female mosquitoes ingest and digest a blood meal, retrieve nutrients, and excrete waste products very efficiently in order to produce viable eggs and be ready for the next blood meal. Pathway fluxes in mosquitoes are often unexpected and not predictable based on vertebrate metabolism. A comprehensive overview of the metabolism of blood meal protein amino acid carbon skeletons, the utilization of maternal energy reserves during a gonotrophic cycle, and the metabolism of ammonia produced during blood digestion is presented in this chapter. The current state of knowledge and gaps are also presented. The application of traditional and cutting-edge approaches to investigate blood meal metabolism in mosquitoes with the aim of discovering possible targets to disrupt blood feeding, digestion, and excretion is also discussed in this chapter.
Spectroscopic study of terahertz difference-frequency nonlinear susceptibility in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers

We present a detailed spectroscopic study of terahertz difference-frequency nonlinear susceptibility in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers using a room temperature broadly tunable double-Littrow external-cavity laser system. Experimental observation of optical rectification process in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers is presented for the first time.
Scaling for non-expert production: The littleton trials

This project addresses scales of production by repositioning the architect as a non-expert. The Littleton Trials consists of a series of solid wood huts designed, fabricated, assembled, and monitored 26 miles northwest of Boston in Littleton, Massachusetts. The huts are an alibi to evaluate not just the thermal performance of different solid wood construction logistics, or the forestry that presupposes them, but to design production anew through trans-scalar and non-expert forms of feedback. The buildings are only small spatially. This project makes the claim that a building can no longer be the sole scale of response to the question of building. The insights made from this project reflect a close collaboration between the members of the Decentralized Design Lab and our advisor, Kiel Moe.
Ustilago maydis, the corn smut fungus, has an unusual diploid mitotic stage

ABSTRACTUstilago maydis causes common smut disease in maize. Although pathogenic diploid strains of the fungus have been known for many years, the normal life cycle was thought to involve an extended dikaryotic stage, with nuclear fusion occurring in immature teliospores. However, microscopic examination of both living and fixed tumor material showed that nuclei fuse long before sporulation begins and that tumors are filled with uninucleate cells undergoing mitosis. Quantification of DNA in the nuclei confirmed these observations. Additionally, fungal cells from tumor material placed on nutrient agar produced colonies of diploid budding cells. Time-lapse observations showed that at least some of these colonies arose from thin-walled fungal cells rather than from immature spores. Ultrastructural examination of developing teliospores from tumors confirmed that they were uninucleate. Condensed chromatin and other structures characteristic of nuclei in prophase I of meiosis were observed. These observations s...
Prevalence and Significance of Thyroglobulin Antibodies in Pediatric Thyroid Cancer.

Context Circulating thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) can confound measurement of serum thyroglobulin and impair thyroid cancer surveillance. Few data exist on the significance of TgAb in pediatric thyroid cancer. Objective To describe the prevalence, natural history, and clinical significance of TgAb in children with thyroid cancer. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Single academic pediatric center. Patients Seventy-three consecutive children (≤18 years) with nonmedullary thyroid cancer who had serum TgAb measured within 6 months after diagnosis. Main outcome measures Prevalence and natural history of TgAb; association of TgAb status and resolution with patient and disease characteristics. Results TgAb were detected in 41% of subjects (30 of 73) and were associated with lymph node metastasis (83% vs 53%, P = 0.01) but not distant metastasis. In patients with TgAb, resolution occurred in 44% (11 of 25) over a median follow-up of 3.8 years. Median time to clear TgAb was 10.7 months, and 10 of 11 patients who cleared (91%) did so within 2 years. Resolution of TgAb was associated with lower initial TgAb level (median 4.5 vs 76 normalized units, P = 0.003). TgAb positivity at diagnosis was not independently associated with persistent or recurrent disease (odds ratio 3.20, 95% confidence interval 0.95 to 10.80, P = 0.06). Conclusions TgAb are common at diagnosis in children with thyroid cancer but resolve in nearly half of patients within 1 to 2 years. TgAb are associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis at diagnosis, but the long-term prognostic significance remains to be determined.
Pirates in West Africa and Somalia

This chapter shows how political weaknesses, economic failures and an opportunity for quick, if not easy, income have led to the rise of piracy off the Somali coast and the Gulf of Guinea. While a concerted international response eventually dealt with the Somali pirates, the Gulf of Guinea and especially the Nigerian coastline remain highly vulnerable to piracy. These violent non-state actors (VNSAs) are motivated strictly by financial interests but have been prompted by political and economic circumstances beyond their control. Pirates therefore fit perfectly in this volume on VNSAs in Africa who share a sense of opportunism and hopelessness that together have led to a particularly violent continent.
A Retrospective Analysis of the Association between Ankle Jerk and Tibial H-Reflex (P02.228)

OBJECTIVE: There are few studies which have looked at the association between the position in which the H-reflex was measured and the ankle jerk. BACKGROUND: H-reflex has been considered an electrophysiological equivalent of the ankle jerk. Few studies have assessed the association between ankle jerk and H-reflex amplitude and its latency. Prone position is considered the gold standard for measuring the H-reflex though many patients have difficulty lying prone. DESIGN/METHODS: 110 consecutive adult patients referred to the lab between 2006 and 2009 for lower limbs EDX were included. H-reflex was measured bilaterally in supine and prone positions. An ankle jerk which elicited a grading of 2+ and above on the Medical Research Council (MRC) grading scale was considered positive ankle jerk. The association between H-reflex amplitude (HRA) and latency in both position and a positive ankle jerk was assessed. The sensitivity of the supine and prone H-reflex measurements in predicting a positive ankle jerk was calculated as well. RESULTS: 110 patients (men: 51women: 59 average age: 50.5) with 109 supine studies and 100 prone studies bilaterally were included. Right supine and prone normal H-reflex latencies had the strongest correlation with positive ankle jerk (r=0.45, 0.50 respectively). Similarly left supine and prone normal H-reflex latencies showed the strongest correlation (r=0.60, 0.54 respectively). There was a significant association between supine and prone HRA and positive ankle jerk (x 2 =36.4, x 2 =35.4; p CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference between supine and prone H-reflex amplitude and positive ankle jerk. H-reflex amplitude had the strongest association with positive ankle jerk. Disclosure: Dr. Govindarajan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Salgado has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity from Belvoir Media Group as Consulting Editor of A Special Report published by the editors of Heart Advisor Cleveland Clinic STROKE: Advances in Prevention and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease.
Prescriptions Written for Opioid Pain Medication in the Veterans Health Administration Between 2000 and 2016.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify national opioid pain medication (OPM) prescribing trends within the Veterans Health Administration (VA), and assess the impact of educational campaigns introduced in 2010 and 2013. Methods We created a national cohort that documents more than 21 million patient records and 97 million outpatient OPM prescriptions covering a 17-year period. We examined OPM prescriptions in emergency departments, outpatient clinics, and inpatient settings. Results The cohort accounted for 2.5 billion outpatient clinic visits, 18.9 million emergency department visits, and 12.4 million hospital admissions. The number of OPM prescriptions peaked in 2011, when they were provided during 5% of all outpatient visits and 15% of all emergency department visits. The morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) peaked in 2014 at almost 17 billion in outpatient clinics and at 137 million in emergency departments. In 2016, OPM prescriptions were down 37% in outpatient clinics and 23% in emergency departments, and MMEs were down 30% in both settings. Prescriptions for hydrocodone and tramadol increased markedly between 2011 and 2015. OPM doses in inpatient settings continued to rise until 2015. Conclusions We used a large national cohort to study trends in OPM prescriptions within the VA. Educational efforts to reduce the number of OPM prescriptions coincided with these reductions, but were initially associated with an increase in OPM dosage, an increase in the use of tramadol and hydrocodone, and an increase in the use of OPMs in inpatient settings.
Constrained PID design & implementation: A co-simulation framework

A simulation environment is presented for tuning proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers that optimizes a performance criterion subject to various constraints. The tuning environment is cast under a simulation-based control design or co-simulation framework not requiring elaborate analytical optimization techniques or computing platforms; it is applicable to open loop stable or unstable processes; it is independent of the PID controller type; it accommodates controllers with proportional and/or derivative action on the error or process variable; and can be applied to the simultaneous tuning of PID controllers in a series or parallel cascade structure. The method can also account for robustness in response to modeling errors by including magnitude constraints on the nominal sensitivity function. Performance is demonstrated in simulation using Microsoft Excel and its Solver function in a Plug-and-Play approach. A PID design is applied to a two-tank level laboratory system to compare experimental results against the performance obtained from classical tuning methods.
Contribution to the Floristic Knowledge of the Sierra Mazateca of Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract: The Sierra Mazateca is located in the northern mountainous region of Oaxaca, Mexico, between the Valley of Tehuacan-Cuicatlan and the Gulf Coastal Plains of Veracruz. It is part of the more extensive Sierra Madre de Oaxaca, a priority region for biological research and conservation efforts because of its high levels of biodiversity. A floristic study was conducted in the highlands of the Sierra Mazateca (at altitudes of ca. 1,000–2,750 m) between September 1999 and April 2002, with the objective of producing an inventory of the vascular plants found in this region. Cloud forests are the predominant vegetation type in the highland areas, but due to widespread changes in land use, these are found in different levels of succession. This contribution presents a general description of the sampled area and a checklist of the vascular flora collected during this study that includes 648 species distributed among 136 families and 389 genera. The five most species-rich angiosperm families found in the reg...
New insights into mechanisms of immune glomerular injury.

Abstract Although glomerular disease remains the most common cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide, major advances have been made recently in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate these disorders. The nephrotic syndrome in noninflammatory lesions such as minimal change or focal sclerosis and membranous nephropathy results from disorders of the glomerular epithelial cell that can be simulated in animal models by antibodies to various epithelial cell membrane epitopes. Clarification of how these antibodies affect epithelial cells to induce a loss of glomerular barrier function should substantially improve understanding of the pathogenesis of minimal change or focal sclerosis. In membranous nephropathy, proteinuria is mediated primarily by the C5b-9 complex through similar mechanisms that also involve glomerular epithelial cells as targets. Inflammatory glomerular lesions are induced by circulating inflammatory cells or proliferating resident glomerular cells. Understanding of how these cells induce tissue injury has also evolved considerably over the past decade. Neutrophil-induced disease involves leukocyte adhesion molecules in regulating neutrophil localization; proteases, oxidants, and myeloperoxidase in mediating injury; and platelets in augmenting these processes. The activated mesangial cell exhibits altered phenotype and proliferation with the release of oxidants and proteases. Mesangial cell proliferation may be initiated by basic fibroblast growth factor and is maintained by an autocrine mechanism involving platelet-derived growth factor. Transforming growth factor beta is important in the subsequent development of sclerosis.
Computation of Ship Interaction Forces in Restricted Waters

Theoretical and computational results are presented for the interaction forces among multiple ships or bodies which are operating near to each other. These computations are made under several assumptions, the most important of which is that the free surface is rigid. An assumption usually made in the analysis of this problem is that the ships are slender, but the approach taken here is fully three-dimensional. The method is applicable to any number of arbitrarily shaped bodies in arbitrary motion in a fluid domain which may be bounded by irregular surfaces. Results are presented for the simple case of two ships passing in a canal of rectangular cross section, for which a particular Green function greatly reduced the computational effort; and for two ships passing in a canal with sloping sides, for which no such economies are available.
Antipsychotic-Related Movement Disorders: Drug-Induced Parkinsonism vs. Tardive Dyskinesia—Key Differences in Pathophysiology and Clinical Management

Drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) and tardive dyskinesia (TD) are stigmatizing movement disorders associated with exposure to dopamine receptor blocking agents such as antipsychotics, but they differ in their pathophysiology and clinical management. Treatment for one may worsen the other, and there are important diagnostic clues that assist in making an accurate assessment and instituting a rational treatment plan. A literature review was executed to identify articles relating to the presentation, pathophysiology, epidemiology, and management of DIP and TD. DIP and TD prevalence estimates range from approximately 20 to 35% among antipsychotic users, but may be higher in select populations. DIP often presents as bradykinesia and rigidity, as well as rhythmic tremor, and the majority of cases appear within hours to weeks of initiation of therapy with an antipsychotic, or if dosage of the antipsychotic is increased. TD onset is delayed, typically appearing after at least 3 months or longer of treatment, and patients will commonly present with involuntary, abnormal facial movements such as lip smacking, puckering, chewing, or tongue protrusion. DIP often resolves with discontinuation of the causative agent, but TD may be permanent. Broadly, proposed mechanisms underlying these adverse events include decreased dopamine concentrations in the nigrostriatal pathway of the striatum and dopamine hypersensitivity, for DIP and TD, respectively. Pharmacologic treatment approaches for DIP have commonly included anticholinergic agents such as benztropine; however, anticholinergic medications can make TD worse. Switching the antipsychotic medication to one with lower propensity for DIP is an option for some patients. Amantadine, a non-anticholinergic agent used for the treatment of DIP, may be preferred in patients with comorbid DIP and TD. In TD, treatment options include the new reversible vesicular monoamine 2 transporter inhibitors, valbenazine and deutetrabenazine. It is important for clinicians to be able to recognize DIP and TD in patients using antipsychotics so that they can minimize the impact of these adverse events on their patients’ quality of life. Accurate diagnosis will drive the selection of the correct treatment. Plain language summary available for this article.
Snakes and Caterpillars in Graceful Graphs

Graceful labelings use a prominent place among difference vertex labelings. In this work we present new families of graceful graphs all of them obtained applying a general substitution result. This substitution is applied here to replace some paths with some trees with a more complex structures. Two caterpillars with the same size are said to be textit{analogous} if thelarger stable sets, in both caterpillars, have the same cardinality. We studythe conditions that allow us to replace, within a gracefully labeled graph,some snakes (or paths) by analogous caterpillars, to produce a new gracefulgraph. We present five families of graphs where this replacement isfeasible, generalizing in this way some existing results: subdivided trees, first attachment trees, path-like trees, two-point union of paths, and armed crowns.
Cancer Therapy-Induced Cardiomyopathy

Modern advances in cancer treatment have resulted in a steady improvement in life expectancy in cancer patients. However, cardiovascular toxicity is one of the most devastating complications threatening to offset the substantive reductions in cancer-related morbidity and mortality that has been achieved with novel chemotherapeutic agents. Cardiologists and oncologists must collaborate closely to provide effective cancer therapy to kill cancer cells while minimizing toxicity to the cardiovascular system. Structural, functional, or biochemical indicators of cardiac injury are emerging as potential markers for early detection of cardiotoxicity. Imaging modalities such as tissue Doppler imaging, strain imaging, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging have shown promise in earlier detection of cardiotoxicity. Biomarkers such as troponin I may also play an adjunctive role in earlier recognition of cardiotoxicity and identifying high-risk patients. There have been significant advances in the understanding of the mechanisms of cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity. These new pathways have been instrumental in the testing of preventive therapies. Several agents have been investigated in their ability to protect normal cardiac tissue during cancer therapy. These include dexrazoxane, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and beta-blockers. However, further studies are warranted to clarify the efficacy, safety, and cancer treatment-related effects of these agents. Once clinical signs or symptoms of cardiac dysfunction develop, the patients should be promptly treated with standard heart failure therapy, and offending agents should be stopped. In some patients, cancer therapy may be resumed following the restoration of cardiac function. Close collaboration between the cardiologists and oncologists will herald in a new era where cancer patients will have a healthy heart to enjoy life after cancer therapy.
Acute retinal necrosis in a patient with remote severe herpes simplex encephalitis

A 60-year-old man with a history of severe herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) encephalitis 2 years prior presented with acute onset of visual loss in the left eye. Dilated funduscopic examination showed retinitis and occlusive vasculitis with retinal necrosis. PCR of the vitreous fluid was positive for HSV-1, and he was diagnosed with acute retinal necrosis (ARN) due to HSV-1. The patient was treated with intravenous acyclovir and intravitreous foscarnet for 2 weeks, followed by high dose oral valacyclovir for 2 weeks. He was subsequently placed on planned life-long suppressive valacyclovir. His case demonstrates that acute visual loss concomitant with or subsequent to HSV-1 encephalitis warrants suspicion of ARN. Prompt therapy with effective antiviral medication is necessary to reduce the risk of sight-threatening complications. Chronic suppression with oral antiviral therapy after ARN is recommended to prevent involvement of the contralateral eye, though there is no consensus on the duration and dosage of antivirals.
Variation in carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of fin and muscle tissues of Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus) and Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus)

Fin clips have been proposed as a non‐lethal and non‐invasive alternative to dorsal muscle samples in stable isotope analysis. However, potential differences in elemental composition and turnover rates can bias inferences when different tissues are combined. Here, we tested the average difference and correlation of the isotopic signature of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N between muscle and fin samples in two arge‐bodied fishes: Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus) and Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus). We found that δ¹⁵N signatures of muscle and fin tissues were strongly and positively correlated for both species, although the muscle tissue for Smallmouth Buffalo was slightly more enriched in δ15N. δ¹³C signatures of both tissues were significatively different and not strongly correlated for Longnose Gar, but similar and strongly correlated for Smallmouth Buffalo. Our results suggest that fin and muscle tissue can be combined for analyses of δ¹⁵N, but correction for higher enrichment of muscle tissue may be necessary for Smallmouth Buffalo. Conversely, combining fin and muscle tissue for analysis of δ¹³C requires more caution due to their weaker correlation and dependence of species identity.
Delayed Homelessness After Military Discharge: Examination of a Sleeper Effect.

Introduction Addressing veteran homelessness is a major federal priority, but there has been little research on the period between military discharge and homelessness. There are public concerns about new waves of homelessness among recent veterans and questions about a possible sleeper effect, that is, a delayed risk that becomes stronger with time. Methods Data from 2 national samples were analyzed: Department of Veterans Affairs administrative records of a population-based sample of 275,775 homeless Department of Veterans Affairs service users in 2000–2019 and a nationally representative community survey of 115 veterans with a history of homelessness conducted in 2018. Results In the Department of Veterans Affairs sample, the average time between discharge and homelessness was 5.5 (SD=4.2) years. In the community veteran sample, the average time between discharge and homelessness was 9.9 (SD=10.5) years. Service in Iraq and Afghanistan was significantly associated with shorter duration between discharge and homelessness. Service in Vietnam, younger age at military discharge, more chronic medical conditions, depression, and alcohol use problems were associated with longer interval between discharge and homelessness. Among homeless service users who were discharged from 2000 to 2003, the rate of homelessness doubled between 10 and 15 years after discharge. Similarly, among those discharged from 2009 to 2013, the rate of homelessness more than doubled between 2 and 5 years after discharge. Conclusions There appears to be a sleeper effect in veteran homelessness after military discharge. The primary and secondary preventions focused on chronic health conditions, and social adjustment may be needed to address homelessness among recent veterans.
The Mortality Effects of Reduced Medicaid Coverage Among International Migrants in Hawaii: 2012-2018.

Objectives. To study the impact on mortality in Hawaii from the revoked state Medicaid program coverage in March 2015 for most Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants who were nonblind, nondisa...
Magnitude Estimation of Loudness II: Loudness Perception in Presbycusic Listeners

Because clinical methods most commonly used for assessing loudness are indirect measures that require one normal or near normal ear, loudness perception has not been studied thoroughly in listeners with symmetrical hearing loss. In this investigation, loudness perception was studied in three groups of listeners: normal listeners, listeners with asymmetrical sensorineural hearing loss, and individuals with bilaterally symmetrical hearing impairment due to presbycusis. In Experiment 1, a Magnitude Estimation of Loudness (ME) technique was compared to Alternate Binaural Loudness Balance ( ABLB ) results for subjects with asymmetrical hearing impairment. Results indicate that ME and ABLB measurements produce similar evidence of abnormally rapid growth of loudness in asymmetrically impaired listeners. In Experiment 2, loudness growth in individuals with normal hearing or with presbycusic hearing impairment was determined from ME measurements. Although presbycusic subjects tended to have steeper loudness functions than normal subjects, the differences did not reach statistical significance except at 6000 Hz, suggesting that, as a group, presbycusic listeners display little, if any, recruitment of loudness.
Epilepsy in Angelman syndrome: A scoping review.

Abstract Angelman Syndrome (AS) is characterized by severe developmental delays including marked speech impairment, movement abnormalities(ataxia, tremor), and unique behaviors such as frequent laughter and is caused by dysfunctional maternal UBE3A gene (maternal 15q11-13 deletions, maternal specific UBE3A mutation, uniparental disomy, and imprinting defect). Intractable epileptic seizures since early childhood with characteristic EEG abnormalities are present in 80–90% patients with AS. Underlying pathophysiology may involve neocortical and thalamocortical hyperexcitability secondary to severe reduction of GABAergic input, as well as dysfunctional synaptic plasticity, deficient synaptogenesis, and neuronal morphological immaturity. The onset of epilepsy is most prevalent between 1 and 3 years of age; however, approximately 25% of patients developed epilepsy before one year of age. Various types of generalized seizures are most prevalent, with most common types are myoclonic and atypical absence. More than 95% of epilepsy patients may have daily seizures at least for a limited time during early childhood, and two-third patients develop disabling seizures. Fever provoked seizures, and frequent occurrence of nonconvulsive status epilepticus are two unique features. Seizures are frequently pharmacoresistant. Considering underlying prominent GABAergic dysfunction, clinicians had used AEDs that target GABAergic signaling such as valproate, phenobarbital, and clonazepam as first-line therapies for AS. However, due to the unfavorable side effect profile of these AEDs, a recent treatment approach involves priority use of levetiracetam, clobazam, topiramate, lamotrigine, ethosuximide, VNS, and carbohydrate-restricted diets. Besides symptomatic management, there has been recent progress to find a curative treatment with the following approaches: 1. Gene/protein replacement therapy (Adeno and lentiviral vector therapy to deliver a gene or secretory protein); 2. Activation of the intact but silent paternal copy of UBE3A (antisense oligonucleotide therapy and artificial transcription factors); and 3. Downstream therapies (OV101/gaboxadol, ketone supplement, novel compounds/peptides, anti-inflammatory/regenerative therapy).