cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patients with laparoscopically staged unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma do not require subsequent surgical biliary or gastric bypass.

Abstract Background: Laparoscopic staging is an effective and accurate means of staging pancreatic cancer. But, the frequency of subsequent surgical bypass to treat biliary or gastric obstruction in laparoscopically staged patients with unresectable adenocarcinoma is unknown. The development of biliary and gastric obstruction in patients with unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma has been reported to occur in as many as 70% and 25% of patients, respectively. Previously, staging for patients with pancreatic cancer was achieved by laparotomy and the anticipated high rate for these patients to develop obstruction led to prophylactic bypass procedures. As laparoscopic staging for pancreatic cancer becomes a standard modality, the need for prophylactic bypass procedures in these patients needs to be examined. Study Design: Analyses of laparoscopically staged patients (n = 155) with unresectable, histologically proved pancreatic adenocarcinoma, from a single institution treated between 1993–1997 were performed. The frequency of surgical bypass in a prospective cohort of patients with unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma who did not undergo open enteric or biliary bypass at the time of laparoscopic staging was determined. Results: Laparoscopic staging revealed that 40 patients had locally advanced disease and 115 had metastatic disease. Median survival for patients with locally advanced and metastatic disease was 6.2 and 7.8 months, respectively. Postlaparoscopy followup revealed that 98% (152 of 155) of these patients did not require a subsequent open surgical procedure to treat biliary or gastric obstruction. Conclusions: These results do not support the practice of routine prophylactic bypass procedures. As such, we propose that surgical biliary bypass can be advocated only for those patients with obstructive jaundice who fail endoscopic stent placement, and gastroenterostomy should be reserved for patients with confirmed gastric outlet obstruction.
DTask and LiteBody: Open Source, Standards-Based Tools for Building Web-Deployed Embodied Conversational Agents

Two tools for developing embodied conversational agents and deploying them over the world-wide web to standard web browsers are presented. DTask is a hierarchical task decomposition-based dialogue planner, based on the CEA-2018 task description language standard. LiteBody is an extensible, web-based BML renderer that runs in most contemporary web browsers with no additional software and provides a conversational virtual agent with a range of conversational nonverbal behavior adequate for many user-agent interaction applications. Together, these tools provide a complete platform for deploying web-based conversational agents, and are actively being used on two health counseling applications.
An electrothermally-actuated, dual-mode micromirror for large bi-directional scanning

We report a novel single-crystal-silicon (SCS)-based micromirror that can perform large bi-directional scans and can also generate large piston motion. The micromirror rotates over /spl plusmn/15/spl deg/ at less than 6 V dc voltage, and over /spl plusmn/43/spl deg/ (i.e., >170/spl deg/ optical scan angle) at its resonance of 2.4 kHz. A maximum vertical piston motion of 200 /spl mu/m is also achieved with this 700 /spl mu/m-by-320 /spl mu/m device. A circuit model has been developed for electrothermal behavioral simulation and design optimization. The simulation results using the circuit model match the experimental data to within 8%.
Modifying therapeutic homework for patients with personality disorders

Generalizing therapeutic gains made during therapy sessions to patients' daily lives is the most fundamental goal of psychotherapy. Assigning between-session homework is an efficient method to teach new skills and to generalize those skills to the patient's natural environment. Given the persistent, chronic, and pervasive nature of the problems presented by the individual with a personality disorder, homework is not merely recommended but is an important and essential part of the therapeutic work. This article discusses modifying homework for personality-disordered patients in the context of a literature review and case examples from the various Personality Disorder Clusters. Also offered are a number of techniques to overcome patient “resistance.” © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol/In Session 58: 513–524, 2002.
Tumoral calcinosis in multiple digits: A case report

Tumoral calcinosis usually appears in the vicinity of large joints, and its appearance in the fingers must be quite rare since no reports of such an occurrence have been found. A case report of the presence of tumoral masses of hydroxyapatite in multiple digits is presented. No causative or related metabolic or collagen-vascular disease was identified, and the patient remains in good health.
Flexible deep memory architecture aids program development

The author describes a solution to the cost and programmability problems of analog VLSI tester pattern memory design that combines high-speed random-access memory with lower-cost deep dynamic memory to provide deep pattern storage without program restrictions at a reasonable cost. One of the benefits of the deep memory design is that the high-speed ECL (emitter-coupled logic) pattern address microcontroller need only manipulate a 16000-location address space, yet it has control over memory several million locations deep. The design of the interleaved memory address controller is simplified because the memory has no looping or conditional jumping requirements. >
Tolerance of human and rat atrial muscle to hypothermia and anoxia.

Evidence is presented which strongly suggests the preservation of contractility of human atrial muscle when hypothermia of 25 to 31 C. is used during anoxia. Parallel studies were carried out on albino rat atria which gave results similar to that of the human tissue. This report adds further evidence that hypothermia is valuable in open-heart surgery when anoxic is indicated for the repair of cardiac malformations.
Rapid, Simple, Quantitative, and Highly Sensitive Antibody Detection for Lyme Disease

There is currently a need for improved serological tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of Lyme disease, an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. In the present study, we evaluated luciferase immunoprecipitation systems (LIPSs) for use for profiling of the antibody responses to a panel of B. burgdorferi proteins for the diagnosis of Lyme disease. Initially, serum samples from a cohort of patients and controls (n = 46) were used for training and were profiled by the use of 15 different B. burgdorferi antigen constructs. For the patient sera, the antibody responses to several B. burgdorferi antigens, including VlsE, flagellin (FlaB), BmpA, DbpA, and DbpB, indicated that the antigens had high levels of immunoreactivity. However, the best diagnostic performance was achieved with a synthetic protein, designated VOVO, consisting of a repeated antigenic peptide sequence, VlsE-OspC-VlsE-OspC, Analysis of an independent set of serum samples (n = 139) used for validation showed that the VOVO LIPS test had 98% sensitivity (95% confidence interval [CI], 93% to 100%; P < 0.0001) and 100% specificity (95% CI, 94% to 100%; P < 0.0001). Similarly, the C6 peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) also had 98% sensitivity (95% CI, 93% to 100%; P < 0.0001) and 98% specificity (95% CI, 90% to 100%; P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that the rates of detection of Lyme disease by the LIPS test and the C6 ELISA were not statistically different. However, the VOVO LIPS test displayed a wide dynamic range of antibody detection spanning over 10,000-fold without the need for serum dilution. These results suggest that screening by the LIPS test with VOVO and other B. burgdorferi antigens offers an efficient quantitative approach for evaluation of the antibody responses in patients with Lyme disease.
Endogenous Methanogenesis Stimulates Oxidation of Atmospheric CH4 in Alpine Tundra Soil

Experiments were done to test the hypothesis that atmospheric CH 4 oxidizers in a well-drained alpine tundra soil are supported by CH 4 production from anaerobic microsites in the soil. Soil was subjected to 22 days of anaerobic conditions with elevated H 2 and CO 2 in order to stimulate methanogenesis. This treatment stimulated subsequent atmospheric CH 4 consumption, probably by increasing soil methanogenesis. After removal from anaerobic conditions, soils emitted CH 4 for up to 6 h, then oxidized atmospheric CH 4 at 111 (±5.7) pmol (g dry weight) -1 h -1 , which was more than 3 times the rate of control soils. Further supporting our hypothesis, additions of lumazine, a highly specific inhibitor of methanogenesis, prevented the stimulation of atmospheric CH 4 oxidation by the anaerobic treatment. The method used to create anaerobic conditions with elevated H 2 and CO 2 also elevated headspace CH 4 concentrations. However, elevated CH 4 concentrations under aerobic conditions did not stimulate CH 4 oxidation as much as preexposure to H 2 and CO 2 under anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic conditions created by N 2 flushing did not stimulate atmospheric CH 4 oxidation, probably because N 2 flushing inhibited methanogenesis by removing necessary precursors for methane production. We conclude that anaerobic conditions with elevated H 2 and CO 2 stimulate atmospheric CH 4 oxidation in this dry alpine tundra soil by increasing endogenous CH 4 production. This effect was prevented by inhibiting methanogenesis, indicating the importance of endogenous CH 4 production in a CH 4 -consuming soil.
Using Hierarchical Models to Shrink Alphas and Interpret Residual Covariance in Mutual Fund Returns

We present and estimate a Bayesian Hierarchical model of mutual fund returns. In our model, a fund's alpha reflects not only that fund's return history, but also information from other fund returns. Because parameters are estimated simultaneously for all funds, we can identify common residual covariation, and extract a factor to capture it. We show that the residual co-movement cannot be fully explained by common exposure to priced risk factors; rather, it is most likely attributable to common time-varying skill or fund manager herding behavior. In contrast to earlier studies, we find significant alpha-variation across funds, even after controlling for cross-sectional variation in expenses and turnover. This finding is robust even for prior beliefs that are strongly skeptical of alpha-variation, and has market efficiency and asset allocation implications. We demonstrate the strength of Bayesian framework by using posterior simulations to calculate 95% posterior confidence intervals for the fraction of mutual funds with alphas above various thresholds. Lastly, we conduct a mean-variance portfolio choice exercise, and demonstrate that Bayesian hierarchical alphas lead to optimal portfolios with much more reasonable allocations than their conventional counterparts.
Universal cervical length screening: implementation and outcomes

Background Transvaginal measurement of cervical length (CL) has been advocated as a screening tool to prevent preterm birth, but controversy remains regarding the overall utility of universal screening. Objective We aimed to evaluate the acceptability of a universal CL screening program. Additionally we evaluated risk factors associated with declining screening and subsequent delivery outcomes of women who accepted or declined screening. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of transvaginal CL screening at a single institution from July 1, 2011, through December 31, 2014. Institutional protocol recommended transvaginal CL measurement at the time of anatomic survey between 17-23 weeks in all women with singleton, viable pregnancies, without current or planned cerclage, with patients able to opt out. Patients with CL ≤20 mm were considered to have clinically significant cervical shortening and were offered treatment. We assessed acceptance rate, risk factors for declining CL screening, and the trend of acceptance of CL screening over time. We also calculated the prevalence of CL ≤25, ≤20, and ≤15 mm, and estimated the association between CL screening and spontaneous preterm birth. Results Of 12,740 women undergoing anatomic survey during the study period, 10,871 (85.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 84.7–85.9%) underwent CL screening. Of those, 215 (2.0%) had a CL ≤25 mm and 131 (1.2%) had a CL ≤20 mm. After the first 6 months of implementation, there was no change in rates of acceptance of CL screening over time ( P for trend = .15). Women were more likely to decline CL screening if they were African American (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.17; 95% CI, 1.93–2.44), obese (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06–1.31), multiparous (aOR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.29–1.64), age Conclusion Universal CL screening was implemented successfully with 85% of women screened. Overall incidence of short cervix was low and women with significant risk factors for preterm birth were more likely to decline screening. Patients who declined CL screening were more likely to be African American, obese, multiparous, age
Considerations in the Analysis of Conventional Railway Track Support Systems

An adequate engineering analysis of conventional railway track support system (CRTSS) requires the consideration of all the major components of the track support system. Past efforts in this area have not been satisfactory because of lack of proper materials characterization and very simplified modeling of the CRTSS. A finite element model has been developed that allows determination of the instantaneous elastic response of the CRTSS. Because of the complex three-dimensional geometry, the analytical modeling was divided into two stages: a longitudinal analysis stage and a transverse analysis stage. Stress-dependent material properties of the ballast, the subballast, and the subgrade obtained from repeated load triaxial tests can be used with the finite element model. The finite element model has been validated using the measured response at Section 9 of the Kansas Test Track. Good agreement was obtained between the measured response and that calculated using the finite element model.
Gliocephalotrichum, New Combinations and A New Species

A new species of Gliocephalotrichum, G. cylindrosporum Wiley & Simmons, is described on the basis of isolates from Thailand soil and decayed vegetation. Two new combinations are proposed as G. simp...
Pasireotide and mifepristone: new options in the medical management of Cushing's disease.

ABSTRACT Objective To review and evaluate medical therapies for Cushing’s disease (CD), with an emphasis on recent clinical trial experience with pasireotide and mifepristone, and to discuss the therapeutic potential and appropriate selection of these compounds in this patient population. Methods Recently published Phase III trial data for each compound are reviewed and assessed, and relative benefits and risks are examined and compared where possible. Results Mifepristone and pasireotide are both potentially beneficial for CD patients but have greatly dissimilar mechanisms of action and adverse event (AE) profiles. Pasireotide acts at the level of the pituitary adenoma, reducing cortisol levels through inhibition of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release. However, pasireotide reduces insulin secretion and incretin hormone response and is associated with significant risk for new or worsening hyperglycemia. Mifepristone ameliorates the signs and symptoms of hypercortisolemia via glucocorticoid receptor (GR2) blockade, but this approach raises serum cortisol levels and increases risk for adrenal insufficiency (AI), hypokalemia, and endometrial thickening. While response to pasireotide can be monitored via measurements of serum, urine, or late-night salivary cortisol, evaluation of response to mifepristone is solely based on changes in clinical parameters (e.g., hyperglycemia, hypertension, body weight/composition). Conclusion Management of persistent CD is challenging, and the decision to initiate medical treatment hinges on many factors. Pasireotide may be a more attractive option for most patients due to its action at the underlying tumor and the ability to monitor biochemical responses. However, mifepristone may be more appropriate when it is necessary to avoid or minimize risk for hyperglycemiarelated complications. (Endocr Pract. 2014;20:84-93)
A bistable Rb-E2F switch underlies the restriction point.

The restriction point (R-point) marks the critical event when a mammalian cell commits to proliferation and becomes independent of growth stimulation. It is fundamental for normal differentiation and tissue homeostasis, and seems to be dysregulated in virtually all cancers1,2. Although the R-point has been linked to various activities involved in the regulation of G1–S transition of the mammalian cell cycle2,3,4,5,6, the underlying mechanism remains unclear1,7. Using single-cell measurements, we show here that the Rb–E2F pathway functions as a bistable switch to convert graded serum inputs into all-or-none E2F responses. Once turned ON by sufficient serum stimulation, E2F can memorize and maintain this ON state independently of continuous serum stimulation. We further show that, at critical concentrations and duration of serum stimulation, bistable E2F activation correlates directly with the ability of a cell to traverse the R-point.
Phase-locked laser arrays through global antenna mutual coupling

Phase locking of an array of lasers is a highly effective method in beam shaping because it increases the output power and reduces the lasing threshold. Here, we show a conceptually novel phase-locking mechanism based on ‘antenna mutual coupling’ in which laser elements interact through far-field radiations with definite phase relations. This allows a long-range global coupling among the array elements to achieve a robust phase locking in two-dimensional laser arrays. The scheme is ideal for lasers with a deep subwavelength confined cavity, such as nanolasers, whose divergent beam patterns could be used to achieve a strong coupling among the elements in the array. We demonstrated experimentally such a scheme based on subwavelength short-cavity surface-emitting lasers at terahertz frequencies. More than 37 laser elements that span over ∼8 λo were phase locked to each other, and delivered up to 6.5 mW (in a pulsed operation) single-mode radiation at ∼3 THz, with a maximum 450 mW A–1 slope efficiency and a near-diffraction-limited beam divergence. Two-dimensional arrays of short-cavity surface-emitting THz quantum cascade lasers are phase-locked to each other via mutual coupling. A directive beam on the order of 10° divergence and a maximum slope efficiency of 450 mW A−1 is achieved.
Alterations in Lipid Metabolism of Molluscs Due to Dietary Changes

There have been few studies dealing strictly with the ef f ect of diet on molluscan lipid metabolism. Considerably more inf ormation on molluscan lipid anabolism is available. Much of this information can be related to molluscan nutrition and so to the usefulness of molluscs as models for biomedical research.
ICU Management of the Potential Organ Donor: State of the Art

End-organ failure is associated with high mortality and morbidity, in addition to increased health care costs. Organ transplantation is the only definitive treatment that can improve survival and quality of life in such patients; however, due to the persistent mismatch between organ supply and demand, waiting lists continue to grow across the world. Careful intensive care management of the potential organ donor with goal-directed therapy has the potential to optimize organ function and improve donation yield.
Cardiodynamics During Pentobarbital Therapy for Acute Increased Intracranial Pressure

High dose barbiturate therapy has increasingly been employed for reduction of intracranial pressure from head injury and for cerebral protection from focal ischemia. While concern has been raised about the cardiovascular destabilizing effects of barbiturates, hemodynamic data in humans are not generally available for analysis in the setting of barbiturate administration after acute brain injury. Since we had previously experienced difficulty with hypotension during barbiturate therapy, we initiated a study of serial hemodynamics in order better to understand the pathophysiology of barbiturate induced circulatory depression and to formulate guidelines for treatment designed to prevent hypoperfusion.
Learning user-defined, domain-specific relations: a situated case study and evaluation in plant science

Although methods exist to identify well-defined relations, such as is_a or part_of, existing tools rarely support a user who wants to define new, domain-specific relations. We conducted a situated case study in plant science and introduce four new domain-specific relations that are of interest to domain scientists but have not been explored in information science. Results show that precision varies between relations and ranges from 0.73 to 0.91 for the manufacturer location category, 0.89 and 0.93 for the seed donor-bank relation, 0.29 and 0.67 for the seed origin location, and 0.32 and 0.77 for the field experiment location. The manufacturer location category recall varies from 0.91 to 0.94, the seed bank-donor location recall ranges between 0.93 and 1, the seed origin relation from 0.33 to 0.82 while the field experiment location from 0.67 to 0.83 depending on the classifier and using a combination of lexical and syntactic features in the background.
Instantaneous Cross-Correlation Analysis of Neural Ensembles with High Temporal Resolution

Antonio R. C. Paiva, Il Park, Jose C. Pŕincipe, and Justin C. Sanchez 1 Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT arpaiva@sci.utah.edu 2 Center for Perceptual System and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas, Austin, TX memming@austin.utexas.edu 3 Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL principe@cnel.ufl.edu 4 Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL jcsanchez@miami.edu
Evaluation of surface layer flux parameterizations using in-situ observations

Abstract Appropriate calculation of surface turbulent fluxes between the atmosphere and the underlying ocean/land surface is one of the major challenges in geosciences. In practice, the surface turbulent fluxes are estimated from the mean surface meteorological variables based on the bulk transfer model combined with the Monnin-Obukhov Similarity (MOS) theory. Few studies have been done to examine the extent to which such a flux parameterization can be applied to different weather and surface conditions. A novel validation method is developed in this study to evaluate the surface flux parameterization using in-situ observations collected at a station off the coast of Gulf of Mexico. The main findings are: (a) the theoretical prediction that uses MOS theory does not match well with those directly computed from the observations. (b) The largest spread in exchange coefficients is shown in strong stable conditions with calm winds. (c) Large turbulent eddies, which depend strongly on the mean flow pattern and surface conditions, tend to break the constant flux assumption in the surface layer.
Suspension- and solution-based freeze casting for porous ceramics

Freeze casting of traditional ceramic suspensions and freeze casting of preceramic polymer solutions were directly compared as methods for processing porous ceramics. Alumina and polymethylsiloxane were freeze cast with four different organic solvents (cyclooctane, cyclohexane, dioxane, and dimethyl carbonate) to obtain ceramics with ∼70% porosity. Median pore sizes were smaller for solution freeze casting than for suspension freeze casting under identical processing conditions. The pore structures, which range from foam-like to lamellar, were correlated to the Jackson α-factor of the solvent; solvents with low α-factors yielded nonfaceted pore structures, while high α-factors produced more faceted structures. Intermediate α-factors resulted in dendritic pore structures and were most sensitive to the processing method. Small suspended particles ahead of a solid–liquid interface are hypothesized to destabilize the dendrite tip in suspension freeze casting resulting in more foam-like structures. Differences in processing details were highlighted, particularly regarding the improved freezing front observation possible with solution-based freeze casting.
Reversible Heterolytic Cleavage of the H-H Bond by Molybdenum Complexes: Controlling the Dynamics of Exchange Between Proton and Hydride.

Controlling the heterolytic cleavage of the H–H bond of dihydrogen is critically important in catalytic hydrogenations and in the catalytic oxidation of H2. We show how the rate of reversible heterolytic cleavage of H2 can be controlled, spanning 4 orders of magnitude at 25 °C, from 2.1 × 103 s–1 to ≥107 s–1. Bifunctional Mo complexes, [CpMo(CO)(κ3-P2N2)]+ (P2N2 = 1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane diphosphine ligand with alkyl/aryl groups on N and P), have been developed for heterolytic cleavage of H2 into a proton and a hydride, akin to frustrated Lewis pairs. The H–H bond cleavage is enabled by the basic amine in the second coordination sphere. The products of heterolytic cleavage of H2, Mo hydride complexes bearing protonated amines, [CpMo(H)(CO)(P2N2H)]+, were characterized by spectroscopic studies and by X-ray crystallography. Variable-temperature 1H, 15N, and 2-D 1H–1H ROESY NMR spectra indicated rapid exchange of the proton and hydride. The exchange rates are in the order [CpMo(H)(CO)(PPh2NPh2H)]+...
Executing Democracy: Mass Incarceration and African-American Felon Power

The phenomenon of mass incarceration in America has generated increasing attention from scholars, activists, and policymakers, with critics condemning it as “the new Jim Crow.” Ostensibly, the policies that led to mass incarceration were intended to protect American society. Yet racial profiling and sentencing disparities in crack/powder cocaine convictions lead to disproportionately high conviction rates and disproportionately long prison terms for African-American defendants. These developments do not simply echo Jim Crow. They revive the specter of Three-Fifths Clause and what abolitionists and some Federalists once condemned as “slave power”: constitutional provisions by which the presence of slaves enhanced the political power of slave-holders. Today, mass incarceration -- in tandem with felon disenfranchisement laws and prison-based gerrymandering -- has created a similar "felon power." Black electoral power in states or regions with high incarceration rates is weakened, while that of whites in regions where prisons are located is enhanced. This paper argues that mass incarceration effectively executes black political power, and imperils the core American values of democracy, liberty, and equality.
Correlation of a Bipolar-Transistor-Based Neutron Displacement Damage Sensor Methodology With Proton Irradiations

A bipolar-transistor-based sensor technique has been used to compare silicon displacement damage from known and unknown neutron energy spectra generated in nuclear reactor and high-energy-density physics environments. The technique has been shown to yield 1-MeV(Si) equivalent neutron fluence measurements comparable to traditional neutron activation dosimetry. This paper significantly extends previous results by evaluating three types of bipolar devices utilized as displacement damage sensors at a nuclear research reactor and at a Pelletron particle accelerator. Ionizing dose effects are compensated for via comparisons with 10-keV X-ray and/or cobalt-60 gamma ray irradiations. Nonionizing energy loss calculations adequately approximate the correlations between particle and device responses and provide evidence for the use of one particle type to screen the sensitivity of the other.
AIDA: A tool for exhaustive enumeration of solutions to the quantized Frank-Bilby equation

Abstract We present a tool called Arrangement of Interface Dislocation Arrays (AIDA) for enumerating all dislocation networks that satisfy the quantized Frank-Bilby equation for any interface between cubic crystals with a single-atom basis, i.e. FCC/FCC, BCC/BCC, and FCC/BCC interfaces. The set of enumerated solutions is exhaustive in the sense that AIDA accounts for all independent combinations of symmetry operations of the neighboring crystals and it scans over combinations of Burgers vectors drawn from a predefined set of admissible vectors for each crystal. This tool may be used to deduce the range of dislocation-based representations of an interface given its crystallographic character and a predefined set of admissible Burgers vectors. It may also be used in conjunction with electron microscopy or atomistic modeling for the identification and analysis of interface defect structures.
“A Weapon to Change Modern Reality”: Action and Agitation in On Kawara's Thanatophanies, 1955–1956

In the context of 1950s Japanese aesthetic theory, On Kawara's Death Masks can be seen a tool of agitation and provocation. Through these drawings, Kawara resisted the destruction of individual tho...
Statistical Learning Theory in Practice

In this chapter we discuss the practical application of statistical learning theory: the design of learning algorithms and their use on real datasets. We review some of the most well-known methods and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. Particular emphasis is put on methods that scale well at training and testing time so that they can be used in real-life systems; we discuss their application on large-scale image and text classification tasks. Our goal is to understand what we have done right so far with the models that we have currently built, and what we are missing – that we thus have yet to invent.
On some generalizations of the split closure

Split cuts form a well-known class of valid inequalities for mixed-integer programming problems (MIP). Cook et al. (1990) showed that the split closure of a rational polyhedron P is again a polyhedron. In this paper, we extend this result from a single rational polyhedron to the union of a finite number of rational polyhedra. We also show how this result can be used to prove that some generalizations of split cuts, namely cross cuts, also yield closures that are rational polyhedra.
P048 Persistent detection of anti-hla b8 by igm and c1q testing in the post-transplant setting

A female patient presented for follow-up care approximately ten years post-cardiac transplantation. HLA antibody testing revealed multiple class I and class II donor specific antibodies (DSA), including anti-HLA A1 (MFI > 2500), DQ6, and DQ7/DQ8/DQ9 antibodies (DQ antibodies have MFIs >15,000). Per our current testing protocols, the sample was reflexed to C1q to determine if any DSAs were complement- fixing. As expected, based on antibody strength, the class II DSAs were C1q positive, while anti-HLA A1 was C1q negative. Interestingly, C1q testing revealed reactivity for anti-HLA B8 which was not previously detected by our standard IgG testing methodology. While anti-HLA B8 was not a DSA to the previous transplant, we wanted to determine the underlying cause for the positive reactivity seen with C1q testing: prozone effect or IgM? Since our laboratory routinely treats all sera tested for HLA antibodies with EDTA prior to testing, we thought prozone was unlikely as previous studies performed in our lab demonstrated the removal of this effect. Nonetheless, to rule out prozone with another method, IgG testing was repeated using a series of dilutions (Neat, 1:4, 1:16, 1:64, and 1:256). This testing did not yield positive reactivity for anti-HLA B8, and therefore prozone effect was excluded, indicating that EDTA methodology is robust to overcome prozone effect. To confirm the isotype of this antibody, IgM testing was conducted in three sera using the same assays as the IgG testing which produced positive results. In conclusion, anti-HLA B8 was determined to be complement-fixing and of the IgM isotype. Unexpectedly, our results supported the absence of an IgM-IgG isotype class switch for the period of testing performed in our lab spanning 17 months. *RLU and JJX contributed equally to this work.
The Effect of Cannabis Legalization on Substance Demand and Optimal Taxes

Cannabis advocates argue legalization will increase tax revenues. However, if legal substances are substitutes, cannabis revenues may crowd out other taxes. We document substitution between legal cannabis products and alcohol and tobacco products using detailed administrative and scanner data from Washington state. We estimate a flexible demand system for legal substances and find legalizing cannabis leads to a 9% decrease in alcohol and a 12% decrease in tobacco demand. We find the revenue-maximizing tax rates for cannabis products are above the current rates. Without considering substitution between substances the government would lose 33% of available revenue.
Differential Within and Between Effects on Prefrontal Hemodynamics of fNIRS Guided HD-tDCS

Abstract The chapter aims at analyzing the impact of noninvasive brain stimulation via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on brain activity while individuals perform a spatial working-memory task. Both an experimental group and a control group were subjected to multiple sessions of sham and actual stimulation as observed via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) of the prefrontal cortex and a finite-element analysis of current flow to this brain region, and results were recorded.
TCIRG1 Transgenic Rescue of Osteoclast Function Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from Patients with Infantile Malignant Autosomal Recessive Osteopetrosis.

Background:Osteoclasts are hematopoietic stem cell-derived multinucleated cells necessary for bone remodeling and resorption. TCIRG1 encodes a protein that is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent vacuolar proton pump required for this process. Recessive loss-of-function mutations in both copies
A MC-spiropyran for smartphone assisted reversible, selective and nanomolar level detection of formic acid in water and gas phase

ABSTRACT A p-toluenesulfonate salt of benzothiazonium (merocyanine) dye substituted with diethylamine was synthesized to act as an optical probe. The probe was characterized using FT-IR, NMR, HR-MS and examined for a response towards polar molecular and ionic species using UV-Visible, fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. The probe displayed remarkable formic acid-responsive optical and aggregation properties in distilled water and at pH 7.6 (1.0 mM HEPES). The change in color was also exploited for smartphone assisted digital colorimetric analysis of formic acid and formate ions. The formic acid response can be switched off thermally. The emission response of the probe appeared in the visible region. The receptor can also be used to detect the vapors of formic acid reversibly in air. The computational calculations based on M06-2X/6-31+G(d), M06-2X/6-31+G(d,p) and CAM-B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) methods were performed to investigate the complex formation at a molecular level. The time-dependent CAM-B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) method-based calculations were also implemented to study the observed absorption spectra of the complex.
Cell cycle control and environmental response by second messengers in Caulobacter crescentus.

Second messengers, c-di-GMP and (p)ppGpp, are vital regulatory molecules in bacteria, influencing cellular processes such as biofilm formation, transcription, virulence, quorum sensing, and proliferation. While c-di-GMP and (p)ppGpp are both synthesized from GTP molecules, they play antagonistic roles in regulating the cell cycle. In C. crescentus, c-di-GMP works as a major regulator of pole morphogenesis and cell development. It inhibits cell motility and promotes S-phase entry by inhibiting the activity of the master regulator, CtrA. Intracellular (p)ppGpp accumulates under starvation, which helps bacteria to survive under stressful conditions through regulating nucleotide levels and halting proliferation. (p)ppGpp responds to nitrogen levels through RelA-SpoT homolog enzymes, detecting glutamine concentration using a nitrogen phosphotransferase system (PTS Ntr). This work relates the guanine nucleotide-based second messenger regulatory network with the bacterial PTS Ntr system and investigates how bacteria respond to nutrient availability. We propose a mathematical model for the dynamics of c-di-GMP and (p)ppGpp in C. crescentus and analyze how the guanine nucleotide-based second messenger system responds to certain environmental changes communicated through the PTS Ntr system. Our mathematical model consists of seven ODEs describing the dynamics of nucleotides and PTS Ntr enzymes. Our simulations are consistent with experimental observations and suggest, among other predictions, that SpoT can effectively decrease c-di-GMP levels in response to nitrogen starvation just as well as it increases (p)ppGpp levels. Thus, the activity of SpoT (or its homologues in other bacterial species) can likely influence the cell cycle by influencing both c-di-GMP and (p)ppGpp. In this work, we integrate current knowledge and experimental observations from the literature to formulate a novel mathematical model. We analyze the model and demonstrate how the PTS Ntr system influences (p)ppGpp, c-di-GMP, GMP and GTP concentrations. While this model does not consider all aspects of PTS Ntr signaling, such as cross-talk with the carbon PTS system, here we present our first effort to develop a model of nutrient signaling in C. crescentus.
Interfaith Learning and Development

The purpose of this article is to introduce the theory of interfaith learning and development to the scholarly community. Building on the work of others, the authors adopted an interdisciplinary, e...
Influenza viral particles harboring the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD as a combination respiratory disease vaccine

Vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 have gained emergency FDA approval, however the breadth against emerging variants and the longevity of protection remains unknown. Post-immunization boosting may be required, perhaps on an annual basis if the virus becomes an endemic pathogen. Seasonal influenza virus vaccines are already developed every year, an undertaking made possible by a robust global vaccine production and distribution infrastructure. To create a seasonal combination vaccine targeting influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 that is also amenable to frequent reformulation, we have developed a recombinant influenza A virus (IAV) genetic platform that "reprograms" the virus to package an immunogenic domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein onto IAV particles. Vaccination with this combination vaccine elicits neutralizing antibodies and provides protection from lethal challenge with both pathogens. This technology may allow for leveraging of established influenza vaccine infrastructure to generate a cost-effective and scalable seasonal vaccine solution for both influenza and coronaviruses.
Rydberg Atom Sensors: SI Traceability, Phase Detection, Receivers, and other Unique and Unforeseen Applications

Atom-based sensors have generated a lot of attention in the past several years because of their many possible advantages over other conventional technologies. NIST and other groups have made great progress in the development of Rydberg atom-based radio-frequency (RF) E-field sensors/receivers. These sensors have the capability of measuring amplitude, polarization, and phase of the RF field. As such, various applications are beginning to emerge: SI-traceable E-field probes, power-sensors, voltage standards, receivers for communication signals (AM/FM modulated and digital phase modulation signals), and even recording musical instruments. In fact, this new atom-based technology has allowed for interesting and unforeseen applications. In this talk, I will summarize this work and discuss various applications.
Exploring Animal-Assisted Therapy for Creating Rich Communicative Environments and Targeting Communication Goals in Subacute Rehabilitation.

Purpose This study continues our research examining the use of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) for patients with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. AAT pairs an animal/handler team with a l...
The Challenges and Successes of Global Journalism Collaborations

This chapter examines global collaborations of journalists, particularly investigative journalists that have increased dramatically in the past two decades. The chapter will also look at some of the ethical issues of journalists working with nongovernmental organizations. Many of the collaborations have been led by nonprofit newsrooms, but include for-profit newsrooms, and in some cases NGOs. One of the most significant examples of global collaborations has been the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which has produced projects with hundreds of journalists and newsrooms. However, there are other collaborations occurring routinely across borders in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa, North America, and in Asia. These collaborations are much more elaborate than the use of fixers, freelancers, or correspondents. This article will examine the successes and challenges of these collaborations and how journalists from different countries and cultures have developed a common ethical groundwork through the collaborations and the Global Investigative Journalism Network and its conferences.
Mendelian disease research in the Plain populations of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Founder populations have long contributed to our knowledge of rare disease genes and phenotypes. From the pioneering work of Dr. Victor McKusick to today, research in these groups has shed light on rare recessive phenotypes, expanded the clinical spectrum of disease, and facilitated disease gene identification. Current clinical and research studies in these special groups augment the wealth of knowledge already gained, provide new insights into emerging problems such as variant interpretation and reduced penetrance, and contribute to the development of novel therapies for rare genetic diseases. Clinical developments over the past 30 years have altered the fundamental relationship with the Lancaster Plain communities: research has become more collaborative, and the knowledge imparted by these studies is now being harnessed to provide cutting-edge translational medicine to the very community of vulnerable individuals who need it most.
Distinct electrostatic frequency tuning rates for amide I and amide I' vibrations.

Amide I spectroscopy probes the backbone C=O stretch vibrations of peptides and proteins. Amide I spectra are often collected in deuterated water (D2O) since this provides a cleaner background in the Amide I frequency range; such data are often referred to as Amide I' spectra since deuteration induces changes in the mode structure, including a roughly ~10 cm−1 redshift. For biological samples, however, deuteration is often not possible. As Amide I frequency maps are increasingly applied to quantitative protein structural analysis, this raises the interesting challenge of drawing direct connections between Amide I and Amide I' data. We here analyze Amide I and Amide I' peak frequencies for a series of dipeptides and related compounds. Changes in protonation state induce large electrostatic shifts in the peak frequencies, allowing us to amass a sizable library of data points for direct Amide I/Amide I' comparison. While we find an excellent linear correlation between Amide I and Amide I' peak frequencies, the deuteration-induced shift is smaller for more red-shifted vibrations, indicating different electrostatic tuning rates in the two solvents. H2O/D2O shifts were negligible for proline-containing dipeptides that lack exchangeable amide hydrogens, indicating that the intrinsic properties of the solvent do not strongly influence the H/D shift. These findings indicate that the distinct tuning rates observed for the two vibrations arise from modifications to the intrinsic properties of the amide bond, and provide (at least for solvated dipeptides) a simple, linear "map" for translating between Amide I and Amide I' frequencies.
Word-learning trajectories influence long-term recall in children with developmental language disorder and typical development.

Abstract Introduction Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) have difficulties learning words. However, the severity of these difficulties can be reduced through word learning procedures that incorporate repeated spaced retrieval (RSR). Previous studies have shown positive outcomes with RSR but we still know very little about how learning unfolds with this procedure. In this study, we focus on the process of learning under RSR. Methods We analyze the learning data from children with DLD and with typical development (TD) from three recent studies using RSR. We fit growth curves to the trial-by-trial learning data for immediate and spaced retrieval trials and use the characteristics of children's individual word-learning trajectories to predict their long-term recall. Results We found that children in both groups demonstrated linear growth during learning, despite breaks within and across days. Success on early immediate retrieval trials promoted success on subsequent spaced retrieval trials. Children's trial-by-trial RSR learning trajectories were related to their long-term recall: both cumulative success and growth over time on the spaced retrieval trials positively predicted long-term recall. Consecutive success was also highly correlated with growth over time. Conclusions Repeated spaced retrieval supplemented with immediate retrieval trials during learning promotes long-term recall.
A Right to Do Wrong? Two Conceptions of Moral Rights

Beginning with the set of Hohfeldian elements, it is possible to design any number of molecular combinations that may come closer to approximating what we mean by a moral right than any of those elements in isolation. In the last chapter, we looked at the particular molecule favored by Choice Theory of legal rights, and considered the question whether that molecule was also distinctive of moral rights. Another common suggestion about moral rights (and moral, rather than legal, rights will be the focus of this chapter) is that a person X ’s moral right to φ is a precise bundle of Hohfeldian elements consisting of a moral claim-right against interference by Y with X ’s φing, a moral claim-right against interference by Y with X ’s not φing, coupled with X ’s moral permissions both to φ and not to φ – that is, with the absence of a moral duty either to φ or not to φ. This is to be taken as a proposed stipulation of what is to be understood by talk of a moral right. The force of such rights will be brought out (in part) by unpacking what is meant by interference. The scope of the right will be brought out by specifying the range of persons and entities Y who are duty-bound not to interfere. And the substance of the right will be the action, φing, that the right-holder has a moral option to do or omit. Further, we can pose the question of the alienability or prescriptability of a moral right as a question about what powers and liabilities exist with respect to the core bundle. The “Protected- Permission ”Conception We can call this the protected-permission conception of rights. “Permission” because a moral option – that is, a moral permission to φ and a moral permission not to φ – is at the core of the idea. “Protected” because others are duty-bound not to interfere with the right-holder’s exercise of the option. To the extent that the protected- permission conception of rights captures what is distinctive and useful about speaking of moral rights, it deserves to be thought of not as a mere stipulative definition but a reasoned reconstruction of what a moral right is.