cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of rack layout on visual experience in a retail store

ABSTRACTA retail store's layout affects a shopper's visual experience and correspondingly the time spent in the store, navigation through the aisles, and allocation of attention and money across departments and categories. We show that alternate rack layouts allow for more of a rack's facing to appear in the shopper's visual field. To this end, we introduce a set of visual–spatial statistics comprised of visual measures (exposure and intensity) and spatial measures (space and aspect ratio) as a way to quantify the effect a retail layout has on a shopper's visual experience. We present both analytical and algorithmic approaches to capture the dynamics of a travelling shopper's field of regard with respect to a static rack layout. Results for the case of unidirectional shopper travel suggest that racks oriented at 30° from the direction of travel exhibit nearly 250% increase in exposure when compared to 90° racks; for bidirectional traffic, acute orientations still provide up to 150% higher exposure. Intere...
Hormones, sex, and asthma.

Abstract Objective To summarize the current literature on the sex disparity in asthma and the role of sex hormone signaling in allergic and neutrophilic airway inflammation. Data Sources PubMed and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health surveys were searched. Study Selections Clinical and epidemiologic studies in children and adults as well as animal models of asthma were included in this review. Results Compared with males, females have an increase in asthma prevalence starting around puberty, and fluctuations in hormones during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause are associated with changes in asthma symptoms. Animal studies using genetic deletions of estrogen receptors or androgen receptors have shown that estrogen signaling promotes and androgen signaling attenuates allergen-mediated type 2 airway inflammation. Furthermore, animal studies have found that ovarian hormones are important for interleukin 17A–mediated airway inflammation. Conclusion Sex hormones are important in regulating asthma pathogenesis. However, additional studies need to be conducted to further elucidate how sex hormones are initiating and driving the inflammatory response(s) in asthma. Determining these pathways will provide the foundation necessary for the development of treatment strategies and potentially new therapeutics for patients, in particular females, with asthma.
Abstract 10209: The Severity of the Metabolic Syndrome Increases over Time within Individuals, Independent of Baseline Metabolic Syndrome Status and Medication Use: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Background: Clinical significance of traditional ATP-III metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a subject of debate, possibly due to its inability to track disease progression over time. We have developed a continuous MetS severity z-score such that the relative contributions of each of the MetS components to the overall severity score vary by sex- and race/ethnicity, and thus the score changes over time with MetS components. We aim to examine how MetS severity changes over time within individuals. Methods: Changes in MetS severity score were assessed over a 12-year period (Visits 1-4) among 9,291 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, after excluding those with baseline MetS, CVD or diabetes. Age-adjusted rate of change in the MetS severity score and MetS prevalence as assessed using ATP-III MetS criteria were compared among sex- and racial/ethnic subgroups. Further, effects of age ( 60 years) and use of medications for hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia on MetS severity progression were examined. Results: MetS severity z-scores increased among 76% of participants between visits 1 and 4, with an overall increase in z-score from 0.08 (±0.77) at baseline to 0.48 (±0.96) at visit 4. The greatest progression was observed among African-American women. Baseline MetS severity z-scores predicted the time until ATP-III MetS diagnosis, with 90.2% of individuals with score of ≥1.0 (n=1,097) progressing to ATP-III MetS by visit 4. Score progression was higher among those younger ( Conclusion: The severity of metabolic derangements as measured using this sex- and race/ethnicity specific MetS z-score increases over time within individuals and predicts diagnosis of ATP-III MetS. These data may have implications for tracking MetS related risk over time within individuals.
Altruism, Scepticism, and collective decision-making in foreign-born U.S. residents in a tuberculosis vaccine trial

The current vaccine against tuberculosis, BCG, is effective when given in most TB-endemic countries at birth but has diminished efficacy against pulmonary TB after 15–20 years. As a result, new booster vaccines for adolescents and adults are being developed to realize the World Health Organization target of global elimination of TB by 2035. Multiple TB candidates thus are in active clinical development. One of these, DAR-901, is advancing in human clinical trials. These clinical trials are conducted in BCG immunized adults with and without HIV infection in order to assess safety and efficacy among the people most in need of a new vaccine. A Phase I dose escalation trial of DAR-901 in BCG-immunized adults with or without HIV infection was conducted between 2014 and 2016. This offered an unusual opportunity to qualitatively examine why foreign-born adults living in the United States – a poorly studied population – decide to participate, or not, in clinical trials. We conducted a qualitative study of individuals who were recruited to participate in this Phase I vaccine trial, interviewing those who agreed and declined to participate. We found diverse motivations for participation or refusal; varied understandings of tuberculosis and vaccines; and complex views about how ‘informed consent’ can be at odds with cultural understandings of power, authority, and medical decision-making. These dynamics included: knowledge (direct or indirect) of tuberculosis, a desire to be altruistic and simultaneous hopes for personal gain as well as concerns over what remuneration for participation could mean, the importance of personal relationships with care providers in shaping volunteerism, concerns over privacy, and evidence of how culture and history shape medical decision-making. This US-based trial, aimed at addressing a crucible global health issue, raises productive questions about the interface between altruism and scepticism regarding clinical research participation. NCT02063555 .
Managing barriers to recycling in the operating room

Abstract Background Among hospital staff, little is known concerning barriers to recycling and perception of waste in the operating room (OR), despite continued improvement in recycling programs. This study sought to identify barriers to OR recycling and implement a recycling improvement educational program. Methods A survey was administered within Mayo Clinic at four campuses. Based on survey results, a recycling improvement program was devised and implemented at a surgery center in Paradise Valley, Arizona. A cost-savings analysis was performed thereafter. Results Of 524 participants, 56.7% reported being unclear which OR items are recyclable, and 47.7% thought the greatest barrier to recycling was lack of knowledge. After implementation of the recycling educational program, cost savings of 10.3% (p = 0.004) were achieved in sharps waste disposal when compared to the previous year at the surgery center. Conclusions Addressing barriers to recycling in the OR can significantly reduce waste and save valuable healthcare dollars.
Angioscotometry with the scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Comparison of the effect of different wavelengths.

Purpose Angioscotomas are scotomata caused by vessel shadows. Their extent may be influenced by physiological and pharmacologic conditions and disease. In this study, the authors quantified angioscotomas in normal subjects using a fundus perimetry technique with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope. They further investigated the influence of two different wavelengths on scotoma depth. Methods For blue-on-yellow perimetry, the authors used two different lasers--an argon laser (lambda = 458 nm) for stimuli and a low background and a HeNE (lambda = 594 nm) for a superimposed yellow background. For red-on-red perimetry, the authors used another HeNe laser (lambda = 633 nm). Fundus illumination was provided by an infrared light. Five healthy subjects were examined. Twenty-one to 24 stimuli (200 msec duration, 0.4 degree x 0.4 degree) were presented at different intensities in randomized order in a 5 degrees x 2.5 degrees retinal test field, directly inferior and adjacent to the disk. Results The depth of scotomas caused by major vessels varied in all subjects and depended on perimetry condition. To quantify the influence of vessels on sensitivity, the authors analyzed psychometric functions for stimuli projected on the vessels and for those far from the vessels. The authors found a significant difference for targets on the vessel compared to those far, which was more pronounced for the blue-on-yellow condition. Conclusions Angioscotomas are detected better with blue targets on a yellow background than with red-on-red perimetry. The greater light absorption by hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin at short wavelengths compared to longer wavelengths is not compensated for by visual mechanisms.
Capitalism, Democracy, and Welfare

This book, first published in 2005, builds on institutionalist theory in both economics and political science to offer a general political economy framework for the study of welfare capitalism. Based on the key idea that social protection in a modern economy, both inside and outside the state, can be understood as protection of specific investments in human capital, the book offers a systematic explanation of popular preferences for redistributive spending, the economic role of political parties and electoral systems, and labor market stratification (including gender inequality). Contrary to the popular idea that competition in the global economy undermines international differences in the level of social protection, the book argues that these differences are made possible by a high international division of labor. Such a division is what allows firms to specialize in production that requires an abundant supply of workers with specific skills, and hence high demand for protection.
Phase II study of neoadjuvant checkpoint blockade in patients with surgically resectable undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and dedifferentiated liposarcoma.

Soft tissue sarcomas are a heterogeneous and rare group of solid tumors of mesenchymal origin that can arise anywhere in the body. Although surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment for patients with localized disease, disease recurrence is common and 5-year overall survival is poor (~ 65%). Both radiation therapy and conventional chemotherapy are used to reduce local and distant recurrence. However, the utility of radiation therapy is often limited by disease location (in the case of retroperitoneal sarcomas, for instance) while systemic therapy with conventional lines of chemotherapy offer limited efficacy and are often poorly tolerated and associated with significant toxicity. Within the past decade, major advances have been made in the treatment of other malignancies including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung carcinoma with the advent of immune-checkpoint inhibitors such as ipilimumab (anti-CTLA4), pembrolizumab (anti-PD1), and nivolumab (anti-PD1). The recently published SARC028 (NCT02301039), an open label, phase II, multicenter trial of pembrolizumab in patients with advanced bone and soft tissue sarcomas reported promising activity in select histologic subtypes of advanced STS, including undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and dedifferentiated liposarcoma. There is a clear need for novel and effective adjuncts in the treatment of STS. We hypothesize that immune checkpoint blockade will be effective in patients with surgically resectable primary or locally recurrent dedifferentiated liposarcoma and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma when administered in the neoadjuvant setting. The primary aim of this phase II, single-center, open label, randomized non-comparative trial is to determine the pathologic response to neoadjuvant nivolumab monotherapy and combination nivolumab/ipilimumab in patients with resectable dedifferentiated liposarcoma of the retroperitoneum or undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of the trunk or extremity treated with concurrent standard of care neoadjuvant radiation therapy. This study will help define the role of single agent anti-PD1 and combination anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD1 therapy in patients with surgically resectable dedifferentiated liposarcoma and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03307616 , registered October 12, 2017.
Immunoassay-based detection of fentanyl analogs in forensic toxicology

The abuse of fentanyl and its analogs (fentalogs) is of growing concern globally. Forensic toxicology laboratories must detect these emerging drugs in biological evidence, and immunoassay is the most widely used screening technique. In this study, the cross-reactivity of 13 fentalogs were investigated using five commercially available kits. Dose–response curves were generated using six N-acyl-substituted fentalogs (4-ANPP, acetylfentanyl, butyrylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl, isobutyrylfentanyl, valerylfentanyl), one desphenethyl fentalog (norfentanyl), two piperidine-modified [(+)-cis-3-methylfentanyl, carfentanil], and four phenethyl and piperidine substituted fentalogs (alfentanil, norcarfentanil, remifentanil, sufentanil). Cross-reactivities were estimated for each assay to determine its overall effectiveness for fentalog screening in toxicological samples. Several commercial assays were able to detect either N-acyl or piperidine-modified fentalogs, but none was capable of detecting both. Although this is an inherent disadvantage of the immunoassay approach, it arises from the diverse structural nature of the fentanyl analogs themselves.
Query Evolution

Search engine queries have evolved over the past 30 years from complex Boolean formulations to short lists of "keywords." Despite the apparent simplicity of short queries, choosing the right keywords can be difficult, and understanding user intentions is a major challenge. Techniques such as query expansion and context-based profiles have been developed to address these problems, but with limited success. Rather than trying to infer user intentions from very short queries, another approach is to improve query processing and retrieval models for long queries. In particular, query transformation is a new approach to improving search that appears to have considerable potential. In this approach, queries are transformed into one or more new queries using probabilistic models for generation or search of query archives. I will describe various transformation models and the role of a retrieval model in using these transformations. Examples will be given from applications such as collaborative question answering and forum search.
Systems immunology: Integrating multi-omics data to infer regulatory networks and hidden drivers of immunity

The immune system is a highly complex and dynamic biological system. It operates through intracellular molecular networks and intercellular (cell-cell) interaction networks. Systems immunology is an emerging discipline that applies systems biology approaches of integrating high-throughput multi-omics measurements with computational network modeling to better understand immunity at various scales. In this review, we summarize key omics technologies and computational approaches used for immunological studies at both population and single-cell levels. We highlight the hidden driver analysis based on data-driven networks and comment on the potential of translating systems immunology discoveries to immunotherapy of cancer and other human diseases.
Spatial detection characteristics of a single photon fiber photometry system for imaging neural ensembles

Single photon fiber photometry (FP) allows costeffective optical interrogation of functional neural circuits with cell type specificity in vivo. Fiber photometry collects fluorescence signals from neurons that express a calcium indicator and reports the average ensemble activity. However, the precise detection volume from which the fluorescent signal is collected remains largely unquantified. Herein we use acute brain slices to characterize and quantify the detection extent of optical fibers with different core diameters and numerical apertures in a single photon imaging setup. We found that the shape of the recorded volume of fluorescing tissue largely depends on the fiber geometry, with up to three-fold increase in the recorded volume with 50% reduction in the fiber’s numerical aperture. Moreover, the detection extent from the periphery of the fiber largely depends on the fiber’s diameter, where small diameter fibers detect approximately 50% more fluorescence from off-axis sources compared to large diameter fibers. Our results suggest that deliberate selection of optical fiber geometry is critical for correct interpretation of FP readouts from targeted neural ensembles while minimizing spurious fluorescence from adjacent non-target regions.
Spinal Cord Hemangioblastomas: Surgical Management

Spinal cord hemangioblastomas are highly vascular benign tumors that occur sporadically or in the setting of von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL). Currently, surgical resection is the treatment of choice for these tumors. Complete resection can be performed safely in most cases and is curative. Here, we review a technique for surgical resection, the functional outcomes after resection and management strategies for sporadic and VHL-associated spinal cord hemangioblastomas.
Clyomys laticeps laticeps

The largest pair of autosomes presents a large secondary constriction on the distal part of the long arm.
The Fundamental, Speculative and Macroeconomic Determinants of Variance and Skew Risk Premia in Oil Market

Using the model-independent approaches of Trolle and Schwartz (2008) and Kozhan et al (2013), we estimate the Variance Risk Premium and Skew Risk Premium for oil market. After estimation, the contribution of the paper is twofold. First, we try to figure out which variables can describe the variation in variance and skew risk premium and the risk-neutral Skewness. The results show that we are able to describe a considerable portion of the variation in all three variables using speculative and macroeconomic factors and most of the variation is being described by by the latter group of variables. We also try to capture the effect of fundamentals of oil market on these variables. The results show that the fundamentals are able to describe big portion of variation in these three variables. Second, we try to predict the return of delta-hedged and delta-vega hedged option portfolios and also oil futures return. The results show that variance risk premium is a significant predictor of delta-hedged portfolio cumulative return with a positive sign while skew risk premium can describe the cumulative return of the delta-Vega Hedged portfolio with negative sign. The results also show that both variance and skew risk premia are significant predictors of cumulative futures return with different signs.
Camp NERF: Efficacy of a Theory-Based Nutrition Education Recreation and Fitness Program Aimed at Preventing Unhealthy Weight Gain in Disadvantaged Children during Summer Months

BackgroundData indicate that school-age children, particularly disadvantaged, experience unhealthy gains in BMI at a rate two to three times as fast during the summer versus academic months. Few ef...
Prognostic score matching methods for estimating the average effect of a non-reversible binary time-dependent treatment on the survival function

In evaluating the benefit of a treatment on survival, it is often of interest to compare post-treatment survival with the survival function that would have been observed in the absence of treatment. In many practical settings, treatment is time-dependent in the sense that subjects typically begin follow-up untreated, with some going on to receive treatment at some later time point. In observational studies, treatment is not assigned at random and, therefore, may depend on various patient characteristics. We have developed semi-parametric matching methods to estimate the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) with respect to survival probability and restricted mean survival time. Matching is based on a prognostic score which reflects each patient’s death hazard in the absence of treatment. Specifically, each treated patient is matched with multiple as-yet-untreated patients with similar prognostic scores. The matched sets do not need to be of equal size, since each matched control is weighted in order to preserve risk score balancing across treated and untreated groups. After matching, we estimate the ATT non-parametrically by contrasting pre- and post-treatment weighted Nelson–Aalen survival curves. A closed-form variance is proposed and shown to work well in simulation studies. The proposed methods are applied to national organ transplant registry data.
Adaptive Real-Time Routing in Polynomial Time

We consider a recently-proposed problem on networks in which each individual link is characterized by two delay parameters: a (usually very conservative) guaranteed upper bound on the worst-case delay, and an estimate of the delay that is typically encountered, across the link. Given a source node, a destination node, and an upper bound on the end-to-end delay that can be tolerated, the objective is to determine routes that typically experience a small delay, while guaranteeing to respect the specified end-to-end upper bound under all circumstances. We show that the prior algorithm that has been proposed for this problem has super-polynomial running time, and derive polynomial time algorithms for solving the problem.
Sequence Information Channel Concatenation for Improving Camera Trap Image Burst Classification.

Camera Traps are extensively used to observe wildlife in their natural habitat without disturbing the ecosystem. This could help in the early detection of natural or human threats to animals, and help towards ecological conservation. Currently, a massive number of such camera traps have been deployed at various ecological conservation areas around the world, collecting data for decades, thereby requiring automation to detect images containing animals. Existing systems perform classification to detect if images contain animals by considering a single image. However, due to challenging scenes with animals camouflaged in their natural habitat, it sometimes becomes difficult to identify the presence of animals from merely a single image. We hypothesize that a short burst of images instead of a single image, assuming that the animal moves, makes it much easier for a human as well as a machine to detect the presence of animals. In this work, we explore a variety of approaches, and measure the impact of using short image sequences (burst of 3 images) on improving the camera trap image classification. We show that concatenating masks containing sequence information and the images from the 3-image-burst across channels, improves the ROC AUC by 20% on a test-set from unseen camera-sites, as compared to an equivalent model that learns from a single image.
Timeliness of childhood vaccinations in Armenia, 2015-2016.

Abstract Background Successful control of vaccine preventable diseases not only requires high coverage but also requires that vaccines are administered in a timely manner. Prior studies have examined the timing of vaccinations in Armenia and found that although vaccination coverage is high, children are not receiving the vaccinations in a timely manner. This study aims to further elucidate the timing and associated factors of childhood vaccinations among children in Armenia in 2015–2016. Methods Data from the Armenia Demographic and Health Survey (ADHS) from 2015 to 2016 were used to examine the timing of WHO-recommended vaccinations during the first year of life of all living children under three years of age, which included a vaccine against tuberculosis (BCG), three doses of a diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine (DTP), three doses of a polio vaccine (Pol) and a measles-containing vaccine (MCV). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess age-appropriate receipt of vaccinations. Cox proportional hazards models with a shared gamma frailty to account for clustered sampling were used to determine factors associated with timely vaccinations. Results Vaccination coverage was high ranging from 80.6% for the third dose of DTP to 98.4% for BCG, yet the proportion of children with delayed vaccinations increased with each dose in a series, with 51.9% and 48.5% having a delayed receipt of the third doses of DTP and Pol respectively. Factors associated with delayed vaccinations included female gender, certain regions of residence, previously delayed vaccinations, poorer wealth index and lower educational level of mother. There were no differences in timing of vaccinations between clusters. Conclusions Although coverage was generally high, a high proportion of children under three in Armenia experienced delays in receiving the recommended vaccinations. Continued focus on adherence to the immunization schedule is necessary to ensure optimal coverage and protection for children in Armenia from vaccine preventable diseases.
Transition metal-free domino acyl substitution/Michael addition of alkenyl Grignard reagents to lactam esters: synthesis of lactam-bearing homoallylic ketones

A solvent-controlled protocol for the direct and transition metal-free addition of alkenyl Grignard reagents to vicinally functionalized sp3-rich morpholinones has been developed, leading to the chemo and regioselective synthesis of lactam-bearing homoallylic ketones. The addition of lithium chloride proved to be essential. In cases where a new stereocenter is generated, the doubly branched homoallylic ketones are obtained in unexpectedly high diastereoselectivities. Efforts to extend the methodology to other heterosubstituted lactams revealed some important reactivity and selectivity differences.
Abstract 17120: Association of Endotoxemia and Endothelin-1 With Development of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy After Heart Transplantation

Introduction: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a leading cause of death after heart transplant (HT). Inflammation is a known cardiovascular risk factor, with gut derived endotoxemia potentia...
Can Structural Changes Fix the Supreme Court

Proposals for structural changes to the US Supreme Court have attracted attention in recent years amid a perceived “legitimacy crisis” afflicting the institution. This article first assesses whether the court is in fact facing a legitimacy crisis and then considers whether prominent reform proposals are likely to address the institutional weaknesses that reformers aim to resolve. The article concludes that key trends purportedly contributing to the crisis at the court are more ambiguous in their empirical foundations and normative implications than reformers often suggest. It also argues that prominent reform proposals—including term limits, age limits, lottery selection of justices, and explicit partisan balance requirements for court membership—are unlikely to resolve the institutional flaws that proponents perceive. It ends by suggesting a more modest (though novel) reform, which would allocate two lifetime appointments per presidential term and allow the size of the court to fluctuate within bounds.
Recursive Estimation of Three Phase Line Admittance in Electric Power Networks

Abstract Synchronized phasor measurements in power transmission and distribution networks enable real-time monitoring of voltage and currents. Such measurements can be used to monitor power flow, but also to monitor important electric parameters of the network. In this paper, it is shown how synchrophasor measurements can be used for real-time monitoring of the admittance of the connections between buses in a power network, typically the three-phase transmission or distribution lines. The objective is to formulate admittance monitoring capabilities in which changes in three-phase line admittance can be monitored in real-time and achieved by the formulation of synchrophasor-based recursive estimation techniques over short time intervals.
Improving the Timely Delivery of Antihypertensive Medication for Severe Perinatal Hypertension in Pregnancy and Postpartum.

Objective Sustained blood pressures ≥160/110 during pregnancy and the postpartum period require timely antihypertensive therapy. Hospital-level experiences outlining the efforts to improve timely delivery of care within 60 minutes have not been described. The objective of this analysis was to assess changes in care practices of an inpatient obstetrical health care team following the implementation of a quality improvement initiative for severe perinatal hypertension during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Study Design In January 2016, NorthShore University HealthSystem Evanston Hospital launched a quality improvement initiative focusing on perinatal hypertension, as part of a larger, statewide quality initiative via the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative. We performed a retrospective cohort study of all pregnant and postpartum patients with sustained severely elevated blood pressure (two severely elevated blood pressures ≤15 minutes apart) with baseline data from 2015 and data collected during the project from 2016 through 2017. Changes in clinical practice and outcomes were compared before and after the start of the project. Statistical process control charts were used to demonstrate process-behavior changes over time. Results Comparing the baseline to the last quarter of 2017, there was a significant increase in the administration of medication within 60 minutes for severe perinatal hypertension (p Conclusion Implementation of a quality improvement initiative for perinatal hypertension associated with pregnancy and postpartum improved the delivery of appropriate and timely therapy for severely elevated blood pressures and demonstrated the impact of interdisciplinary communication in the process. Key Points
Abstract IA12: Targeting KRAS-regulated metabolic activities in pancreatic cancer

One promising direction for the development of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of KRAS-driven pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) growth involves delineating the role of and mechanism for altered metabolism. KRAS-mutant PDAC is characterized by increased autophagy and macropinocytosis, processes that enhance nutrient availability that then supports the increased metabolic needs of PDAC. First, we addressed the role of KRAS in supporting autophagy-dependent PDAC growth. Surprisingly, we found that suppression of KRAS increased autophagic flux, as did pharmacologic inhibition of its effector ERK MAPK. We speculated that ERK inhibition might enhance PDAC dependence on autophagy by impairing KRAS-driven metabolic processes, and we demonstrate that either KRAS suppression or ERK inhibition decreased both glycolytic and mitochondrial functions. Furthermore, genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of autophagy synergistically enhanced ERK inhibitor-mediated antitumor activity. We conclude that concurrent inhibition of ERK and autophagy may be an effective PDAC treatment. Second, we evaluated mechanisms by which KRAS may drive macropinocytosis. These studies focused on KRAS G12R mutant PDAC. This mutation is rare in lung and colorectal cancers (~1%), yet high (~20%) in PDAC. We evaluated whether KRAS G12R is functionally distinct from the more common KRAS G12D/V mutant proteins. We found that KRAS G12D/V but not KRASG12R drives elevated macropinocytosis and that MYC is essential for this process in KRAS G12D/V but not KRAS G12R mutant PDAC. The KRAS G12R mutation uniquely disrupts interaction with a key effector, PI3K alpha, due to structural perturbations in the switch II region critical for effector interaction. Despite this defect, KRAS G12R-mutant PDAC displayed elevated macropinocytosis due to KRAS-independent PI3K gamma activity. Finally, the growth of KRAS G12R mutant PDAC in vitro and in vivo was preferentially sensitive to MEK-ERK inhibition compared to KRAS G12D/V. In summary, our elucidation of KRAS-dependent effector signaling mechanisms that drive altered metabolism identified novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of PDAC. Citation Format: Kirsten L. Bryant, G. Aaron Hobbs, Channing J. Der. Targeting KRAS-regulated metabolic activities in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Targeting RAS-Driven Cancers; 2018 Dec 9-12; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2020;18(5_Suppl):Abstract nr IA12.
Fear of missing out: A brief overview of origin, theoretical underpinnings and relationship with mental health

Fear of missing out (FoMO) is a unique term introduced in 2004 to describe a phenomenon observed on social networking sites. FoMO includes two processes; firstly, perception of missing out, followed up with a compulsive behavior to maintain these social connections. We are interested in understanding the complex construct of FoMO and its relations to the need to belong and form stable interpersonal relationships. It is associated with a range of negative life experiences and feelings, due to it being considered a problematic attachment to social media. We have provided a general review of the literature and have summarized the findings in relation to mental health, social functioning, sleep, academic performance and productivity, neuro-developmental disorders, and physical well-being. We have also discussed the treatment options available for FoMo based on cognitive behavior therapy. It imperative that new findings on FoMO are communicated to the clinical community as it has diagnostic implications and could be a confounding variable in those who do not respond to treatment as usual.
A Disequilibrium Capital Asset Pricing Model

Economic models are almost exclusively static. The models describe equilibrium, but do not tell us the path taken to reach the equilibrium. By contrast, the model of asset pricing presented here is rarely in equilibrium; when equilibrium is reached, random forces perturb the price system away from equilibrium, which is followed by the gradual restoring force of rational traders who are attempting to earn profits from the market’s miss-pricing of capital assets. Trading takes place in continuous time. The rational traders are endowed with perfect knowledge of the current value of each security. However, they face uncertainty in their market positions because in order to exploit their superior knowledge they must trade with noise traders. The market is able to “clear” through the actions of a market maker. The opportunity set for risky assets is stochastic. General as well as specific solutions to the market dynamics problem are presented. It is shown that market prices are non-negative, but not necessarily bounded from above in finite time.
Sleep in aging adults with Down syndrome and its association with Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Sleep problems are a prevalent feature of Down syndrome across the lifespan, but there is evidence that these problems increase with age in adulthood. In particular obstructive sleep apnea is highly prevalent in adults with Down syndrome, yet is often undetected and/or untreated. Adults with Down syndrome also experience a high number of nighttime awakenings, altered sleep stages, and disruptions in circadian rhythms, with some changes in sleep consistent with age-related changes in the general population, but other changes appearing to be more severe than what is typically observed with aging in adults without neurodevelopmental conditions. Further, comorbid medical conditions often make the detection of sleep problems in adults with Down syndrome difficult given their overlap in manifestations with sleep problems. There is emerging evidence of a connection between sleep disruptions and Alzheimer's disease, including recent findings of an association between fragmented sleep and a biomarker of brain beta-amyloid, in adults with Down syndrome during the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease. Treatment implications for addressing sleep problems in adults with Down syndrome and directions for advancing research on sleep in aging adults with Down syndrome are provided.
A Sexy Post a Day Brings the “Likes” Your Way: A Content Analytic Investigation of Sexualization in Fraternity Instagram Posts

Fraternities and sororities are popular organizations within university life. Even though their activities are usually secretive and protected, social media offer a chance for the public to understand these groups. In the present study, we investigated how sexualization is communicated on fraternities’ location pages on Instagram. Applying a multi-dimensional coding scheme composed of 12 sexualization variables, we analyzed 600 Greek life posts from 49 fraternities. Among the posts, we found (a) body shots, (b) revealing clothing, (c) sexualized mouths, and (d) breasts/chests to be the most frequently used sexualization cues. In addition, there was a positive association between the number of sexualization cues in a post and the number of likes the post received. The results also point to gender differences: fraternity posts portraying only women included a greater number of sexualization cues, on average, than posts showing only men or mixed genders. Also, gender of individuals in the pictures moderated the relationships between sexualized mouths/buttocks and likes. Implications for gender inequality and risks of sexualization are discussed.
The order of birational rowmotion

Various authors have studied a natural operation (under various names) on the order ideals (equivalently antichains) of a finite poset, here called \emphrowmotion. For certain posets of interest, the order of this map is much smaller than one would naively expect, and the orbits exhibit unexpected properties. In very recent work (inspired by discussions with Berenstein) Einstein and Propp describe how rowmotion can be generalized: first to the piecewise-linear setting of order polytopes, then via detropicalization to the birational setting. In the latter setting, it is no longer \empha priori clear even that birational rowmotion has finite order, and for many posets the order is infinite. However, we are able to show that birational rowmotion has the same order, p+q, for the poset P=[p]×[q] (product of two chains), as ordinary rowmotion. We also show that birational (hence ordinary) rowmotion has finite order for some other classes of posets, e.g., the upper, lower, right and left halves of the poset above, and trees having all leaves on the same level. Our methods are based on those used by Volkov to resolve the type AA (rectangular) Zamolodchikov Periodicity Conjecture.
Characterizing Soil Oxygen Conditions With A Platinum Microelectrode

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the application of polarographic principles to measure oxygen diffusion rates (ODR) in the soil water system. When a certain electrical potential is applied between the platinum electrode inserted in the soil and a reference electrode, oxygen is reduced at the platinum surface. The platinum microelectrode method of measuring soil oxygen conditions has several advantages over other methods that make it a valuable tool for field studies. One important feature is its portability as well as its inexpensiveness and simple electronic circuit. The rate of oxygen diffusion to a platinum wire that could represent a plant root is the factor measured. The chapter investigates ODR in relation to root growth for several plant species. The platinum microelectrode technique fails to properly characterize the soil oxygen conditions of relatively dry soils. This problem is most likely associated with the failure of the electrode to be completely wet. Temperature influences the ODR. The results of measurements at various soil temperatures indicate that differences in ODR are associated with the effect of temperature on oxygen solubility and diffusion coefficient.
Verification of an automotive active leveler

We analyze an active leveler designed for automotive applications. The objective of the system is to maintain the height of the car body to a fixed value, despite changes in loads and driving conditions. The objective of the paper is to propose a verification method for checking that certain design specifications, or system performances are achieved. We are able to compute exact bounds on the maximum suspension deflection for the given model of the system and road disturbance. The motivation for this work comes from the disappointing results of Stanner et al. (1997) where the problem was approached by using HYTECH. The numerical and computational complexity problems reported in the above article have their common roots in the need to fit and approximate the actual model with a linear hybrid model.
Interactions of gonadotropins with corpus luteum membranes: VII. Association of hCG-binding and adenylate cyclase activities with rabbit corpus luteum plasma-membranes

Previous studies with rat luteal cell plasma membranes indicated a dissociation of hCG binding sites and adenylate cyclase activity. The hormone binding sites were associated with a light membrane (d 1.13) fraction derived from the microvillous surface while the cyclase enzyme was associated with a heavy membrane (d 1.17) fraction derived from the basolateral surface of the cell. In this study of plasma membranes from 8-day pseudopregnant rabbit corpora lutea both hCG binding and adenylate cyclase activity were associated with a light membrane (d 1.13) fraction. No heavy membrane material was detected.
Dilated intercellular spaces and lymphocytes on biopsy relate to symptoms in erosive GERD but not NERD.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011; 33: 1202–1208 Summary Background Mechanisms of symptom perception among patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remain to be fully elucidated. Aim To correlate quantitative reflux symptom scores with microscopic oesophageal histopathology. Methods Prior to endoscopy, patients with reflux symptoms completed a validated reflux disease questionnaire (score 0–36). Erosive oesophagitis (EO) was graded using the LA classification. Oesophageal biopsies were graded 0–2 for basal cell hyperplasia, papillary elongation, dilated intercellular spaces (DIS), necrosis or erosion, eosinophils and neutrophils by a blinded gastrointestinal pathologist as previously described. Additionally, lymphocyte density was also evaluated. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were computed. Results Thirty-two EO and 21 non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) patients were prospectively enrolled. For EO vs. NERD, mean reflux symptom scores (10.7 vs. 8.8, P = 0.35) and histology scores were similar (4.29 vs. 4.25; P = 0.9). However, when symptom scores were compared with histology scores, a correlation was found in the EO group, but not in the NERD group (r = 0.34, P = 0.05 vs. r = 0.22, P = 0.36). On further analysis, DIS was associated with symptom scores in the EO group (P ≤ 0.001), but not in the NERD group (P = N.S.). Similarly, lymphocyte density was associated with symptom scores in the EO group (r = 0.56, P = 0.0009), but not in the NERD group (r = 0.002, P = 0.9). Conclusions Although mean symptom and histology scores were similar in the EO and NERD groups, a significant correlation of symptom scores with histology scores, DIS and lymphocytes was found in the former, but not in the latter. EO and NERD patients may have different symptom perception mechanisms and thus, dissimilar symptom resolution rates with acid suppression.
Evaluating impact in the ROS ecosystem

The ROS ecosystem is an interconnected web of packages, nodes and people with no efficient means to compare, assess or visualize them. We develop a set of tools consisting of various metrics, a data visualization web app, and an active monitoring system. With these tools, we measure the current state of the ecosystem as well as determine where the community should direct their efforts. We also encourage the community to provide input on potential applications, additional metrics, and further improvements to address the needs of the ROS ecosystem. We incentivize this input by gamifying community contributions to the infrastructure. Encouraging user-driven improvements to the ROS infrastructure through the use of a leaderboard and friendly competition will advance ROS development and community support far into the future.
Inhibition of eosinophilic inflammation in allergen-challenged, IL-1 receptor type 1-deficient mice is associated with reduced eosinophil rolling and adhesion on vascular endothelium.

To determine the relative in vivo importance of IL-1 release after allergen challenge to the subsequent endothelial adhesion and recruitment of eosinophils, the authors used ovalbumin sensitization and inhalation challenge to induce airway eosinophilia in IL-1 receptor type 1-deficient and control wild-type mice. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) eosinophil recruitment in IL-1 receptor type 1-deficient mice challenged with ovalbumin (24.3% ± 6.3% BAL eosinophils) was significantly reduced compared with wild-type mice (63.7% ± 2.5% BAL eosinophils). To determine whether the inhibition of eosinophil adhesion to vascular endothelium contributed to the inhibition of eosinophil recruitment in IL-1 receptor type 1-deficient mice, the authors used intravital microscopy to visualize the rolling and firm adhesion of fluorescence-labeled mouse eosinophils in the microvasculature of the allergen-challenged mouse mesentery. Eosinophil rolling, eosinophil firm adhesion to endothelium, and transmigration across endothelium (peritoneal eosinophils) were significantly inhibited in allergen-challenged IL-1 receptor type 1-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. Overall, these studies demonstrate that cytokines such as IL-1, released after allergen challenge, are important in the induction of endothelial cell adhesiveness, a prerequisite for the recruitment of circulating eosinophils. (Blood. 2000;95:263-269)
Common elements regulating gene expression in temperate and lytic bacteriophages of Lactococcus species

A phage-inducible middle promoter (P15A10) from the lytic, lactococcal bacteriophage φ31, a member of the P335 species, is located in an 888-base pair fragment near the right cohesive end. Sequence analysis revealed extensive homology (>95%) to the right cohesive ends of two temperate phages of the P335 species, φr1t and φLC3. Sequencing upstream and downstream of P15A10 showed that the high degree of homology between φ31 and φr1t continued beyond the phage promoter. With the exception of one extra open reading frame in φ31, the sequences were highly homologous (95 to 98%) between nucleotides 13448 and 16320 of the published φr1t sequence. By use of a β-galactosidase (β-Gal) gene under the control of a smaller, more tightly regulated region within the P15A10promoter, P566–888, it was established that mitomycin C induction of a lactococcal strain harboring the prophage φr1t induced the P566–888 promoter, as determined from an increase in β-Gal activity. Hybridization of nine other lactococcal strains with32P-labeled P566–888 showed that theLactococcus lactis strains C10, ML8, and NCK203 harbored sequences homologous to that of the phage-inducible promoter. Mitomycin C induced the resident prophages in all these strains and concurrently induced the P566–888 promoter, as determined from an increase in β-Gal activity. DNA restriction analysis revealed that the prophages in C10, ML8, and NCK203 had identical restriction patterns which were different from that of φr1t. In addition, DNA sequencing showed that the promoter elements in the three phages were identical to each other and to P566–888 from the lytic phage φ31. These results point to a conserved mechanism in the regulation of gene expression between the lytic phage φ31 and at least two temperate bacteriophages and provide further evidence for a link in the evolution of certain temperate phages and lytic phages.