cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rehabilitation Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears in Children: A Systematic Review.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are increasingly prevalent in the pediatric population. ACL rehabilitation is an essential component of recovery following injury and reconstruction, yet there are few explicit descriptions of pediatric-specific ACL rehabilitation protocols in the literature, especially in the context of varying treatment interventions. Our aim was to systematically review the literature on rehabilitation following ACL tears in children in order to describe common principles among different treatment options and areas of future research. Methods: Using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we performed a systematic review of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases (for the past five years) to identify detailed rehabilitation protocols described in the pediatric population following ACL rupture. When available, the following aspects of rehabilitation were extracted: “prehabilitation” (exercises prior to surgery), bracing, weight-bearing status, range of motion, strength, modalities (ice, heat, electrical stimulation, etc.), plyometrics/proprioceptive exercises, return-to-sport criteria, and suggested ACL injury-prevention programs. Results: Two hundred and two unique articles were identified. Twenty-seven articles meeting inclusion criteria with extractible rehabilitation data were included. A table, categorized by differing orthopaedic intervention, was designed to detail the components and duration of the different aspects of rehabilitation. While there are substantial differences across protocols, several trends emerged, particularly regarding weight-bearing, bracing, range of motion, and strength training. Interestingly, we found that many current protocols are based on time frame alone rather than on functional milestones; of the fourteen unique articles that addressed return-to-sport criteria by specific orthopaedic intervention, seven were based on temporal progression whereas seven also involved achievement of physical milestones. In addition, only three of the eight articles that mentioned a future ACL injury-prevention plan described a formal prevention program. Conclusion: We systematically identified, and subsequently outlined and compared, the current trends of the various components of pediatric-specific ACL rehabilitation protocols, categorized by orthopaedic intervention. Several protocols are based on time frames rather than milestones achieved, with newer protocols involving milestone-based progression. Newer protocols are also incorporating formal prevention programs. Just as skeletally immature patients require unique methods of operative fixation, so too do they require catered rehabilitation protocols. To effectively prevent re-rupture or contralateral injury, future research should focus on prospectively evaluating each component of the rehabilitation protocols described and return-to-sport criteria for young patients.
Reasons of Love: A Case Against Universalism About Practical Reason

The paper presents an argument from love against universalism about practical reason, that is, the view that an agent's practical reasons normatively supervene on the agent's circumstances. Universalism explains the different reasons you and I have by citing differences in our properties, circumstances, relationships, etc. It thus rejects the possibility that the normative differences between us are basic. But love seems to make such basic distinctions, for it gives us special reasons with regard to particular individuals as such. To establish this, I criticize Niko Kolodny's relationship theory, which accounts for reasons of love in universal terms. Then I suggest that any universalist account will fail in the same way.
Transcatheter bronchial brush and forceps biopsies. Histologic evaluation.

The histologic findings in transcatheter brush and forceps biopsies from 472 cases over a six-year period are evaluated. Diagnostic accuracy based on histologic findings was 38% and based on cytologic findings was 70%. When the two methods of examination were used, however, the overall accuracy was improved to 76%. In Hodgkin’s disease and some inflammatory processes histologic examination is essential for the diagnosis. The transcatheter biopsies under fluoroscopic control are especially useful for securing tissues from the peripherally located lesions. When possible, examination of tissue obtained by transcatheter as well as forceps biopsies is encouraged.
Developing Tomorrow's Family Practice Physicians: Adding Nutrition-Based Knowledge to the Patient Assessment and Treatment Tool Kit

Family medicine residents often receive minimal nutrition training prior to starting their residency programs. A required two-week clinical nutrition rotationwas developed to train residents to incorporate key nutrition principles from the life cycle into their medical practice. Development of the training experience was spearheaded by an endocrinologist and registered dietitian (RD), with essential manpower provided by hospital-based clinical nutrition team collaborators who assisted in designing a unique RD-led training program for first year FamilyMedicine residents. Using the American Academy of Family Practice nutrition curriculum as a guideline, the following nutrition focus areaswere selected for clinical training opportunities: generalmedicine and pediatrics, growth and nutrition, adult and pediatric diabetes, GI (gastrointestinal), oncology, renal disease and transplant, bariatrics and nutrition support. Key concepts and population specific journal articles were provided prior to the two-week rotation. During the experience, the ten residents each observed and participated in various aspects of nutrition care including: data collection and patient interviews, nutrition assessment, documentation and interdisciplinary development of patient treatment plans. Didactic components, including lectures in nutrition in the lifecycle and nutrient/drug interactions, were also provided. Participants were also required to complete online Nutrition in Medicine modules. A short anonymous survey to assess program efficacy was sent to all residents at the conclusion of the training. Survey results are pending and will be presented as a part of the final poster.
Calculating Surface Areas from a Blueprint

(1979). Calculating Surface Areas from a Blueprint. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 252-256.
The Transfiguration of the Commonplace

IN THE PRESENT STATE of the artworld, it is possible that a painting be exhibited which is merely a square of primed canvas, or a sculpture shown which consists of a box, of undistinguished carpentry, coated with a banal tan chemtone applied casually with a roller. Such works may be scored as largely empty, as indeed they are when we contrast the former with The Legend of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca, or the latter with the Apollo Belvedere. Yet the painting is not empty in the way in which a square of primed canvas, indiscernible from our work, may be: an empty canvas awaiting an Annunciation, say; or the way in which a crate indiscernible from our sculpture may be, which awaits a cargo of bric-a-brac and a bill of lading. For "empty" as applied to our works is an aesthetic and critical judgment, presupposing that its subjects are artworks already, however inscrutable may be the differences between them and objects which, since not artworks, reject such predicates as a class. Our works are titled "Untitled." This is a title of sorts rather than a mere statement of fact, as it sometimes is when an artist neglects to give his work a title and it enters the catalogue raisonne unbaptized. So are those mere objects untitled which happen not to be discernible from our works, but
Public Support for Sickle-Cell Disease Funding: Does Race Matter?

Despite the fact that sickle-cell disease (SCD) is perhaps the most “racialized” medical condition in the USA, very little is known about how “race” impacts public support for health policies related to the condition. We embedded an experiment within the 2011 Cooperative Congressional Election Study in order to assess perceptions about SCD among 1250 participants from diverse backgrounds and evaluate the extent to which these perceptions were associated with support for government spending on SCD-related benefits. We manipulated the racial phenotype of SCD advocates who requested additional government funding and asked participants to indicate how much the government should provide. Overall, participants expressed moderately positive attitudes about SCD, and there were no differences in funding support based on the race of the advocate. However, white participants supported less funding compared to nonwhite participants, even after adjusting for a number of demographic and attitudinal covariates. These findings suggest that a complex relationship between racial identification and implicit racism may shape public perceptions about SCD that negatively influences perceivers’ support for SCD-related policy.
Application of flow cytometry to rapid detection of bacteria

Flow cytometer, an advanced instrument integrating fluidics, optics, electronics, biology, immunology, etc., measures cells in suspension that flow in single-file through laser beam. Flow cytometry(FCM), as the core of flow cytometer, is a multidisciplinary technique for analysing and sorting cells or other particles. FCM can provide a multitude of information at the single-cell level, including(but not limited to) total counts, size measurements, nucleic acid content, cell viability and activity, and detection of specific bacterial groups or species. The main advantage of FCM is that it is fast, sensitive, accurate and easy to perform. Here, we briefly review the basic principle of flow cytometer, focusing on its recent applications to rapid detection of bacteria in laboratory research, industrial biotechnology, clinical diagnosis and environment assessment.
A Case of Medical Uncertainty

Medical uncertainty (i.e., not knowing how to proceed with a patient-related problem) can stem from any number of potential situations in daily clinical practice. The causes of uncertainty are many, but the feeling of stress or discomfort it creates is a familiar constant, though it may vary in intensity.
Extraanatomic bypass grafts.

Extraanatomic arterial bypass grafting is used when risk of standard operations is high because of associated disease or technical problems, in patients with ischemic lower extremities as a result of severe pulmonary or cardiac disease. Results have been good with femoro-femoral or axillo-femoral bypass.
Topology on s−1s for banach algebras

In this note we show that Quillen's S−1 S-construction on the category of finitely generated projective modules over a Banach algebra A with identity has a topological enrichment S−1Stop(Λ) and B(S−1Stop(Λ)) has the homotopy type of KOΛ × BGLtopΛ. By applying the singular complex functor, we obtain a first quadrant spectral E1p,q(Λ) = KalgqΛ(Δp), where Λ(Δp) is the ring of continuous Λ-valued functions on Δp, that converges to Ktopp + qΛ = πp + q(K0Λ × BGLtopΛ) for p + q ⩾ 0.
Detection of silicide formation in nanoscale visualization of interface electrostatics

The ability to detect localized silicide formation at a buried metal semiconductor Schottky interface is demonstrated via nanoscale measurements of the electrostatic barrier. This is accomplished by mapping the Schottky barrier height of the Cr/Si(001) interface by ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM). Monte-Carlo modeling is employed to simulate the distributions of barrier heights that include scattering of the electrons that traverse the metal layer and a distribution of electrostatic barriers at the interface. The best agreement between the model and the data is achieved when specifying two barrier heights less than 60 meV from one another instead of a singular barrier. This provides strong evidence that localized silicide formation occurs that would be difficult to observe in averaged BEEM spectra or conventional current voltage measurements.
The National Eutrophication Survey: lake characteristics and historical nutrient concentrations

Abstract. Historical ecological surveys serve as a baseline and provide context for contemporary research, yet many of these records are not preserved in a way that ensures their long-term usability. The National Eutrophication Survey (NES) database is currently only available as scans of the original reports (PDF files) with no embedded character information. This limits its searchability, machine readability, and the ability of current and future scientists to systematically evaluate its contents. The NES data were collected by the US Environmental Protection Agency between 1972 and 1975 as part of an effort to investigate eutrophication in freshwater lakes and reservoirs. Although several studies have manually transcribed small portions of the database in support of specific studies, there have been no systematic attempts to transcribe and preserve the database in its entirety. Here we use a combination of automated optical character recognition and manual quality assurance procedures to make these data available for analysis. The performance of the optical character recognition protocol was found to be linked to variation in the quality (clarity) of the original documents. For each of the four archival scanned reports, our quality assurance protocol found an error rate between 5.9 and 17 % . The goal of our approach was to strike a balance between efficiency and data quality by combining entry of data by hand with digital transcription technologies. The finished database contains information on the physical characteristics, hydrology, and water quality of about 800 lakes in the contiguous US ( Stachelek et al. , 2017 , https://doi.org/10.5063/F1639MVD ). Ultimately, this database could be combined with more recent studies to generate meta-analyses of water quality trends and spatial variation across the continental US.
Copper Tellurium Oxides - A Playground for Magnetism

Abstract A variety of copper tellurium oxide minerals are known, and many of them exhibit either unusual forms of magnetism, or potentially novel spin liquid behavior. Here, I review a number of the more interesting materials with a focus on their crystalline symmetry and, if known, the nature of their magnetism. Many of these exist (so far) in mineral form only, and most have yet to have their magnetic properties studied. This means a largely unexplored space of materials awaits our exploration.
Emotional Reactivity and Appraisal of Food in Relation to Eating Disorder Cognitions and Behaviours: Evidence to Support the Motivational Conflict Hypothesis.

Eating disorders are associated with both negative and positive emotional reactions towards food. Individual eating disorder symptoms may relate to distinct emotional responses to food, which could necessitate tailored treatments based on symptom presentation. We examined associations between eating disorder symptoms and psychophysiological responses to food versus neutral images in 87 college students [mean (SD) age = 19.70 (2.09); mean (SD) body mass index = 23.25(2.77)]. Reflexive and facial electromyography measures tapping negative emotional reactivity (startle blink reflex) and appraisal (corrugator muscle response) as well as positive emotional reactivity (postauricular reflex) and appraisal (zygomaticus muscle response) were collected. Eating disorder cognitions correlated with more corrugator activity to food versus neutral images, indicating negative appraisals of food. Binge eating was associated with increased postauricular reflex reactivity to food versus neutral images, suggesting enhanced appetitive motivation to food. The combination of cognitive eating disorder symptoms and binge eating may result in motivational conflict towards food. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Step-by-step variability of swing phase trajectory area during steady state walking at a range of speeds.

BACKGROUND Step kinematic variability has been characterized during gait using spatial and temporal kinematic characteristics. However, people can adopt different trajectory paths both between individuals and even within individuals at different speeds. Single point measures such as minimum toe clearance (MTC) and step length (SL) do not necessarily account for the multiple paths that the foot may take during the swing phase to reach the same foot fall endpoint. The purpose of this study was to test a step-by-step foot trajectory area (SBS-FTA) variability measure that is able to characterize sagittal plane foot trajectories of varying areas, and compare this measure against MTC and SL variability at different speeds. We hypothesize that the SBS-FTA variability would demonstrate increased variability with speed. Second, we hypothesize that SBS-FTA would have a stronger curvilinear fit compared with the CV and SD of SL and MTC. Third, we hypothesize SBS-FTA would be more responsive to change in the foot trajectory at a given speed compared to SL and MTC. Fourth, SBS-FTA variability would not strongly co-vary with SL and MTC variability measures since it represents a different construct related to foot trajectory area variability. METHODS We studied 15 nonimpaired individuals during walking at progressively faster speeds. We calculated SL, MTC, and SBS-FTA area. RESULTS SBS-FTA variability increased with speed, had a stronger curvilinear fit compared with the CV and SD of SL and MTC, was more responsive at a given speed, and did not strongly co-vary with SL and MTC variability measures. CONCLUSION SBS foot trajectory area variability was sensitive to change with faster speeds, captured a relationship that the majority of the other measures did not demonstrate, and did not co-vary strongly with other measures that are also components of the trajectory.
Interconnect-aware tests to complement gate-exhaustive tests

Gate-exhaustive and cell-aware tests are generated based on input patterns of cells in a design. While the tests provide thorough testing of the cells, the interconnects between them are tested only as input and output lines of cells. This paper defines cell-based faults that allow the interconnects to be tested more thoroughly within a uniform framework that only targets input patterns of cells. In contrast to a real cell that is part of the design, a dummy cell is used for defining interconnect-aware faults. Using a gate-level description of the circuit, a dummy cell contains an interconnect, an output gate of the real cell that drives it, and an input gate of the real cell that it drives. Experimental results for benchmark circuits show that many of the interconnect-aware faults are not detected accidentally by gate-exhaustive tests, and that the quality of the test set is improved by targeting interconnect-aware faults. Here, quality is measured by the numbers of detections of single stuck-at faults in a gate-level representation of the circuit.
Surgical results with severe ischemic mitral regurgitation

In a previous paper [16] we reviewed our operative experience with ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) and compared the entire group of regurgitant ischemic patients with a control population who underwent coronary artery bypass and had no mitral regurgitation (MR). Significant differences in these two populations were noted. Mean age was older for those with IMR (63 years vs 58 years for the non-reg-urgitant group). Similarly, the IMR group had a higher incidence of prior myocardial infarction (MI) (56% vs 43%), more patients with acute MI (17% vs 6%), more cardiomegaly (31% vs 5%) and more left heart failure (42% vs 6%) than the control population. Arteriographic evaluation also indicated more severe disease in the patients with IMR than those without mitral incompetence. The mean number of diseased vessels was 3.3 as compared to 2.6 and the percentage of occluded vessels and presence of wall motion abnormalities was all greater in those patients with IMR.
From Recycled Machining Waste to Useful Powders for Metal Additive Manufacturing

To fulfill the growing demand for alternative and sustainable feedstock production for metal additive manufacturing, a novel dual-stage ball milling strategy was proposed to effectively convert recycled stainless-steel machining chips to powder with desirable characteristics for metal additive manufacturing. A theoretical analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of ball size on the chips-to-powder evolution and the consequent powder morphology. To verify the viability of using the ball milled powder created from machining chips in metal additive manufacturing, single tracks have been successfully deposited via laser engineered net shaping deposition and compared to the single tracks made from gas atomized powder using identical deposition conditions. The microstructures of these single tracks exhibited adequate adhesion to the substrate, a uniform melt pool geometry, continuity, and minimal splatter. Minimal differences in grain structure were observed between the single tracks made from ball milled powder and those made from gas atomized powder.
Treatment acceptability of paradoxical interventions: the role of dissonance

ion (Dowd & Milne, 1986). A frequently used example of this pattern is a mother who verbally directs her child to come closer to her while nonverbally pushing the child away. In order to produce the pathological effect, Bateson et al. (1956) suggested that these pattems must occur repeatedly and in the context of an intense emotional relationship. When such a pattern becomes internalized, the child perceives interactions with the world as double-binds, resulting in confusion and Impaired communication abilities. Bateson et al. suggested that psychotherapy could be used to propose therapeutic double binds which could produce more effective interaction pattems. Many theorists, clinicians, and researchers in family therapy expanded on Bateson's work in devising a variety of creative techniques to deliver therapeutic double binds. The work of Milton Erickson (1959; 1964; 1965; 1973; 1977), Jay Haley (1963; 1984), Paul Watzlawick (Watzlawick, Beavin, & Jackson, 1967; Watzlawick, Weakland, & Fisch, 1974), Mara Selvini-Palazzoli (Selvinl-Palazzoli, Cecchin, Prata, and Boscolo, 1978), and Cloe Madanes (1981) are a few of the exemplar figures in family therapy who have made substantial contributions to the applications of therapeutic paradox. The family therapy field has since tumed attention toward models of therapy that advocate for more direct, open, and mutually constructive dialogical processes. Examples of these from the past decade include collaborative language systems theory (Goolishlan & Anderson, 1987,1992; Anderson & Goolishian, 1988) and narrative approaches to therapy (White & Epston, 1990). These approaches signify
Effect of guest structure on amylose-guest inclusion complexation

Abstract Amylose-guest inclusion complexes are a type of supramolecular host-guest assembly that can provide protection for and controlled release of guest molecules. The successful and efficient complexation between amylose and guest molecules is governed by factors including: guest structure and chemistry, and process method and parameters. Here we investigated the formation, crystalline structure, and thermal stability of amylose inclusion complexes with a total of ten guest molecules differing in alkyl chain length (C10 and C16), molecular shape (linear vs. branched), and functional groups (alcohol, aldehyde, carboxylic acid, and ester). Their ability to complex with amylose was evaluated using two complexation methods (partitioning from water after heating and partitioning from a DMSO/water solution), and two annealing temperatures (60 and 90 °C). The extent of complexation differed for the two methods, likely due to guest solubility and partitioning behavior in the respective solvent systems. Annealing temperature created inclusion complexes of different structure and dissociation temperature using the water approach. Here we suggest that the so-called “Form I” and “Form II” V-type amylose inclusion complexes differ in their crystal size, crystallinity and arrangement of guest molecules in the helical cavity, rather than being amorphous or crystalline as previously reported. Chain length, molecular shape, and functional groups affected the thermal stability of the inclusion complexes. Shorter chain length, unsaturation, and short branched chains formed inclusion complexes with lower dissociation temperatures. We propose the Form II as a tail-to-tail arrangement of molecules in the helices that leaves the functional groups at the helical openings. Guest compounds that either failed to form complexes from water or formed poor complexes were able to form inclusion complexes with amylose using the DMSO approach, suggesting solubility of the guest, flexibility of the amylose chain, or the partitioning of the guest between the solvent and the helix core affected complexation.
Targeting Oncogenic BRAF: Past, Present, and Future.

Identifying recurrent somatic genetic alterations of, and dependency on, the kinase BRAF has enabled a “precision medicine” paradigm to diagnose and treat BRAF-driven tumors. Although targeted kinase inhibitors against BRAF are effective in a subset of mutant BRAF tumors, resistance to the therapy inevitably emerges. In this review, we discuss BRAF biology, both in wild-type and mutant settings. We discuss the predominant BRAF mutations and we outline therapeutic strategies to block mutant BRAF and cancer growth. We highlight common mechanistic themes that underpin different classes of resistance mechanisms against BRAF-targeted therapies and discuss tumor heterogeneity and co-occurring molecular alterations as a potential source of therapy resistance. We outline promising therapy approaches to overcome these barriers to the long-term control of BRAF-driven tumors and emphasize how an extensive understanding of these themes can offer more pre-emptive, improved therapeutic strategies.
Isolation and characterization of Streptomyces bacteriophages and Streptomyces strains encoding biosynthetic arsenals

The threat to public health posed by drug-resistant bacteria is rapidly increasing, as some of healthcare’s most potent antibiotics are becoming obsolete. Approximately two-thirds of the world’s antibiotics are derived from natural products produced by Streptomyces encoded biosynthetic gene clusters . Thus, in order to identify novel gene clusters, we sequenced the genomes of four bioactive Streptomyces strains isolated from the soil in San Diego County and used Bacterial Cytological Profiling adapted for agar plate culturing in order to examine the mechanisms of bacterial inhibition exhibited by these strains. In the four strains, we identified 101 biosynthetic gene clusters. Some of these clusters were predicted to produce previously studied antibiotics; however, the known mechanisms of these molecules could not fully account for the antibacterial activity exhibited by the strains, suggesting that novel clusters might encode antibiotics. When assessed for their ability to inhibit the growth of clinically isolated pathogens, three Streptomyces strains demonstrated activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Additionally, due to the utility of bacteriophages for genetically manipulating bacterial strains via transduction, we also isolated four new phages (BartholomewSD, IceWarrior, Shawty, and TrvxScott) against S. platensis . A genomic analysis of our phages revealed nearly 200 uncharacterized proteins, including a new site-specific serine integrase that could prove to be a useful genetic tool. Sequence analysis of the Streptomyces strains identified CRISPR-Cas systems and specific spacer sequences that allowed us to predict phage host ranges. Ultimately, this study identified Streptomyces strains with the potential to produce novel chemical matter as well as integrase-encoding phages that could potentially be used to manipulate these strains.
The Effects of Strain and Estrous Cycle on Heroin- and Sucrose-Maintained Responding in Female Rats

Heroin intake decreases during the proestrus phase of the estrous cycle in female, Long-Evans rats. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine if proestrus-induced decreases in heroin intake extend across rat strains and (2) determine if proestrus-induced decreases in responding extend to a nondrug reinforcer. Female rats were implanted with intravenous catheters and trained to self-administer heroin. Estrous cycle was tracked daily for the duration of the study. During testing, Lewis, Sprague-Dawley, and Long Evans rats self-administered low (0.0025 mg/kg) and high (0.0075 mg/kg) doses of heroin (Experiment 1) and then self-administered sucrose (Experiment 2) on fixed ratio (FR1) schedules of reinforcement. Heroin intake decreased significantly during proestrus in all three rat strains under at least one dose condition; however, sucrose intake did not decrease during proestrus in any strain. These data indicate that responding maintained by heroin, but not a nondrug reinforcer, significantly decreases during proestrus in female rats and that these effects are consistent across rat strain. Keywords: opioid; proestrus; reinforcement; self-administration
Silencing PCBP2 normalizes desmoplastic stroma and improves the antitumor activity of chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer

Rationale: Dense desmoplastic stroma is a fundamental characteristic of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and comprises up to 80% of the tumor mass. Type I collagen is the major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which acts as a barrier to impede the delivery of drugs into the tumor microenvironment. While the strategy to deplete PDAC stroma has failed in clinical trials, normalization of the stroma to allow chemotherapy to kill the tumor cells in the "nest" could be a promising strategy for PDAC therapy. We hypothesize that silencing the poly(rC)-binding protein 2 (αCP2, encoded by the PCBP2 gene) leads to the destabilization and normalization of type I collagen in the PDAC stroma. Methods: We develop a micro-flow mixing method to fabricate a peptide-based core-stabilized PCBP2 siRNA nanocomplex to reverse the accumulation of type I collagen in PDAC tumor stroma. Various in vitro studies were performed to evaluate the silencing activity, cellular uptake, serum stability, and tumor penetration of the PCBP2 siRNA nanocomplex. We also investigated the penetration of small molecules in stroma-rich pancreatic cancer spheroids after the treatment with the PCBP2 siRNA nanocomplex. The anti-tumor activity of the PCBP2 siRNA nanocomplex and its combination with gemcitabine was evaluated in an orthotopic stroma-rich pancreatic cancer mouse model. Results: Silencing the PCBP2 gene using siRNA reverses the accumulation of type I collagen in human pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells. The siRNA nanocomplex significantly reduces ECM production and enhances drug penetration through desmoplastic tumor stroma. The combination of gemcitabine with the PCBP2 siRNA nanocomplex markedly suppresses the tumor progression in a desmoplastic PDAC orthotopic mouse model. Conclusion: This approach provides a new therapeutic avenue to improve the antitumor efficacy of PDAC therapies by normalizing tumor stroma using the PCBP2 siRNA nanocomplex.
Identifying key factors associated with ridesplitting adoption rate and modeling their nonlinear relationships

Abstract Ridesharing is critical for promoting transportation sustainability. As a new form of ridesharing services, ridesplitting has rarely been studied. Based on the Chicago ridesourcing trip data, this study explores how ridesplitting adoption rate (i.e., the proportion of ridesourcing trips with ridesharing authorization) varies across space and what factors are associated with these variations. We find large variations in ridesplitting adoption rates across neighborhoods (Census Tracts) and across origin–destination (Census-Tract-to-Census-Tract) pairs. Particularly, the ridesplitting adoption rate is low for airport rides. We further apply a random forest model to explore which factors are key predictors of ridesplitting adoption rate across O-D pairs and to explore their nonlinear associations. The results suggest that the socioeconomic and demographic variables collectively contribute to 68.60% of the predictive power of the model, but travel-cost variables and built-environment-related factors are also important. The most important variables associated with ridesplitting adoption are ethnic composition, median household income, education level, trip distance, and neighborhood density. We further examine the nonlinear association between neighborhood ridesplitting adoption rate and several key variables such as the percentage of white population, median household income, and neighborhood Walk Score. The revealed nonlinear patterns can help transportation professionals identify neighborhoods with the greatest potential to promote ridesplitting.
How Different Is Real Estate? A Story of Factors

How different is real estate from stocks and bonds? This paper sheds light on this question with new data and new methods. Analyzing 10,848 commercial properties from 1977 to 2017, we find that properties’ risk premiums contain systematic components that are orthogonal to a comprehensive list of stock and bond factors. We call these components real estate factors. We also find that properties in each region and property type have their own factors. The real estate factors have substantial incremental explanatory power for individual properties’ risk premiums, and properties’ attributes are related to their loadings of the real estate factors.
Clone to the rescue: a challenging case of granulomatous mycosis fungoides diagnosed by gene rearrangement studies.

Granulomatous mycosis fungoides (MF) poses multiple diagnostic challenges, which commonly delay diagnosis. The clinical morphology of the lesions mimic other granulomatous disorders. Biopsy findings of lymphocyte epidermotropism and an elevated CD4:CD8 ratio are suggestive of MF, but are not always noted.1 We present a patient with a decade-long history of progressive ulcerating plaques who was ultimately diagnosed with granulomatous MF using T-cell receptor rearrangement (TCR) studies. A 74-year-old man with a history of sun-damaged skin and stage 1A melanoma presented to dermatology clinic for an 11-year history of progressive indurated plaques on the arms, legs, face and trunk. The lesions were asymptomatic and began as pink atrophic macules on the arm that progressed into enlarging hard sclerotic plaques. Prior extensive workups at multiple institutions had been inconclusive. Four biopsies had been performed during his disease course, all of which showed dense dermal necrotising and mixed granulomatous inflammation. Mycobacterial, fungal and bacterial tissue cultures had been negative. Studies including fungal serology panels, purified protein derivative, liver function testing, complete blood count, serum protein electrophoresis and chest X-ray were unremarkable. Due to past presumed diagnoses of sarcoidosis, necrobiosis lipoidica, superficial fungal infection and granuloma annulare, he had trialled a series of ineffective treatments including high-potency topical steroids, intralesional steroids, V-beam laser, topical antifungals, topical calcineurin inhibitors, oral tetracyclines and oral dapsone. Initial examination revealed pink …
Between the Carnival and the Panopticon, on Scott Bukatman's Matters of Gravity: Special Effects and Supermen in the 20th Century

Scott Bukatman _Matters of Gravity: Special Effects and Supermen in the 20th Century_ Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press, 2003 ISBN 0-82323-3119-5 279 pp.
Maximum a posteriori probability estimation of seafloor microroughness parameters from backscatter spatial coherence

A technique is presented for the estimation of a set of parameters associated with a geologically motivated model for seafloor microroughness due to Goff and Jordan (1988). The method seeks to connect the spatial covariance of the backscattered acoustic field with the correlation properties of the seafloor by constructing the a posteriori probability density function (pdf) of the parameters that define the seafloor microroughness wavenumber spectrum. The processor maximizes the joint a posteriori probability density of the model parameter set. Due to the complexity of the probability surface, the method of simulated annealing is used to search for the globally optimum solution vector.
Worker and caller variety in three crisis centers.

Worker and caller behaviors are studied and compared in an available sample of 100 suicidal calls to three crisis intervention centers. Caller-Worker Interaction Program results were compared among the three centers. Worker and caller differences across centers were significant in 32 of 41 categories (p less than .05); using four discriminant functions, 2 of 18 hit percentages exceeded p less than .01. The verbal behaviors of workers and callers at the three centers are substantially different, leading to the conclusion that crisis intervention is dissimilarly practiced between centers but similar within them.
Direct fibrinolytic agents: biochemical attributes, preclinical foundation and clinical potential.

Summary. Direct fibrinolytics are proteolytic enzymes that degrade fibrin without requiring an intermediate step of plasminogen activation. This review summarizes the current information available for five such agents, namely, plasmin (the prototypical form), three derivatives of plasmin (mini-plasmin, micro-plasmin, and delta-plasmin), and alfimeprase, a recombinant variant of a snake venom α-fibrinogenase, fibrolase. Biochemical attributes of molecular size, fibrin binding and inhibitor neutralization are compared. Preclinical investigations that assess the potential for thrombolytic efficacy in vitro and in animal models of vascular occlusion and for hemostatic safety in animal models of bleeding are detailed. Clinical potential has been assessed in patients with peripheral arterial and graft occlusion, acute ischemic stroke, and access catheter and hemodialysis shunt occlusions. The direct fibrinolytic agents have impressive biochemical and preclinical foundations for ultimate clinical application. However, clinical trial results for micro-plasmin and alfimeprase have not measured up to their anticipated benefit. Plasmin has thus far shown encouraging hemostatic safety, but efficacy data await completion of clinical trials. Whether direct fibrinolytics will provide clinical superiority in major thrombotic disorders over currently utilized indirect fibrinolytics such as tissue plasminogen activator remains to be determined.
Scientists and Public Outreach: Participation, Motivations, and Impediments

Public funding agencies are increasingly requiring “broader impact” components in research grants. Concurrently, national educational leaders are calling for scientists to partner with educators to...
NC^k(NP) = AC^(k-1)(NP)

It is shown for any k≥1, that the closure of NP under NCk reducibility coincides with that of NP under ACk−1 reducibility, thereby giving an answer to a basic question that has been open for a long time. A similar result is shown for C=P.
Formal Modeling and Analysis of Hybrid Systems: A Case Study in Multi-robot Coordination

The design of controllers for hybrid systems (i.e. mixed discrete-continuous systems) in a systematic manner remains a challenging task. In this case study, we apply formal modeling to the design of communication and control strategies for a team of autonomous robots to attain specified goals in a coordinated manner. The model of linear hybrid automata is used to describe the high-level design, and the verification software HYTECH is used for symbolic analysis of the description. The goal of the project is to understand tradeoffs among various design alternatives by generating constraints among parameters using symbolic analysis. In this paper, we report on diffculties in modeling a team of robots using linear hybrid automata, results of analysis experiments, promise of the approach, and challenges for future research.
A regulated, ubiquitin-independent degron in IκBα

Whereas ubiquitin-dependent degrons have been characterized in some detail, how proteins may be targeted to ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation remains unclear. Here we show that IκBα contains an ubiquitin-independent degron whose activity is portable to heterologous proteins such as the globular protein GFP (green fluorescent protein) via a proteasome-dependent, ubiquitin-independent, non-lysosomal pathway. The ubiquitin-independent degradation signal resides in an 11-amino-acid sequence, which is not only sufficient but also required for IκBα's short half-life. Finally, we show that this degron's activity is regulated by the interaction with NFκB, which controls its solvent exposure, and we demonstrate that this regulation of the degron's activity is critical for IκBα's signaling functions.
Teaching Cases On Conflicts Of Interest In The Workplace: How To Avoid Ethical Dilemma

his paper presents three teaching cases on common types of conflicts of interest in the workplace: (1) fraternization (supervisor-subordinate dating), (2) nepotism, and (3) when a relative or friend is employed by a supplier or customer. These short case studies can be used in the classroom to explore the difficult issues that accompany conflicts of interest in the workplace. It is envisioned that these three cases will generate classroom discussion at a level appropriate for an undergraduate business course dealing with ethical issues caused by conflicts of interest.
Rat tail flick reflex: magnitude measurement of stimulus-response function, suppression by morphine and habituation.

1. To quantitatively investigate a nocifensive behavioral response, we developed a method to measure the magnitude of the rat's tail flick reflex and its modulation. A radial array of force transducers measured forces of tail flicks (in rostral, horizontal, and vertical planes) elicited by graded noxious radiant thermal stimulation of the conscious rat's tail, from which the overall movement vector was calculated. 2. The rostrally directed component of tail flicks was always larger than dorsal or horizontal components; the latter was usually in a preferred (left or right) direction regardless of which side of the tail was heated. Tail flick force vectors increased from 40 to 46-52 degrees C and then leveled off. Stimulus-response functions were reproducible within and across rats and were fitted by second-order polynomial functions, whose correlation coefficients were similar when the left or right side of the tail was stimulated in separate sessions (r2 = 0.408 and 0.451, respectively). The inverse latency of tail flicks also increased with temperature in a manner fitted by a second-order polynomial (r2 = 0.707, 0.553 for left and right side, respectively). 3. Systemic administration of morphine (1 or 2 mg/kg ip) usually suppressed tail flicks in an all-or-none manner; i.e., flicks at all stimulus temperatures were either totally abolished (n = 7) or unaffected (n = 5) after morphine. In three rats, 1 mg/kg morphine suppressed tail flick magnitude subtotally, reducing the slope of the linear portion of the stimulus-response function. Morphine effects were reversed by the opiate antagonist naloxone. 4. Tail flick magnitude decreased over repeated trials of 44 degrees C heat stimuli delivered to one tail site, recovered after a 15-min rest period, and decremented more quickly with subsequent stimulus repetition. The decrement was less at long (2 or 4 min) than at short (1 min) interstimulus intervals, and high (50 degrees C) than at low (44 degrees C) stimulus intensities. The reflex decrement transferred to a nearby stimulus site in some rats, and was "dishabituated" after a noxious tail pinch. These observations are consistent with habituation of the tail flick reflex. 5. This method, therefore, provides a quantitative and reproducible measure of tail flick reflex magnitude that is sensitive to morphine. The underlying neural circuitry of the tail flick reflex is discussed in relation to limb withdrawal reflexes.
A simple algorithm for constructing Szemeredi's Regularity Partition

We give a simple constructive version of Szemeredi's Regularity Lemma, based on the computation of singular values of matrices.
The Two Quantum Symmetries Associated With a Classical Symmetry

Abstract Given a classical local symmetry, it is shown how to build two associated quantum symmetries s and s . These generalized BRS and anti-BRS symmetries interchange classical and ghost fields. A direct consequence of the closure and Jacobi identities of the classical algebra are the complete nilpotency relations s 2 = s s + s s = s 2 = 0 . This nilpotency allows one to derive very simply the correct quantum lagrangian from the classical one without recourse to the Faddeev-Popov construction. A simple formal proof is given, showing that s and s are preserved by renormalization.
Toward understanding the redox properties of model chromophores from the green fluorescent protein family: an interplay between conjugation, resonance stabilization, and solvent effects.

The redox properties of model chromophores from the green fluorescent protein family are characterized computationally using density functional theory with a long-range corrected functional, the eq...
Power management strategies for The Green Hub

In this study power management strategies for a novel distribution level microgrid which is being developed at FREEDM center - Green Hub- are investigated. The Green Hub is a 12 kV distribution circuit with high level PV penetration. A large scale dispatchable distributed energy storage device (DERD) has also been added to this system to provide the additional power that is needed during islanding conditions. The high level penetration of photovoltaic (PV) units potentially necessitates new controls for both islanded and grid-connected X operation modes and smooth transition between the two modes to enable the best utilization of the microgrid resources. In this paper, state-of-the-art power management strategies have been investigated for this purpose. The Green Hub has been simulated using simpower/simulink of MATLAB, and it is used to assess the performance of the centralized control scheme considered.
mir-17-92: a polycistronic oncomir with pleiotropic functions

Neoplastic transformation is caused by accumulation of genetic lesions that ultimately convert normal cells into tumor cells with uncontrolled proliferation and survival, unlimited replicative potential, and invasive growth. Emerging evidence has highlighted the functional importance of non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), in the initiation and progression of tumor development. The mir-17-92 miRNA is among the best characterized miRNA oncogenes, whose genomic amplification or aberrant elevation are frequently observed in a variety of tumor types. Unlike protein-coding oncogenes, where one transcript produces one protein, mir-17-92 encodes a polycistronic miRNA transcript that yields six individual miRNA components. This unique gene structure, shared by many important miRNA oncogenes and tumor suppressors, underlies the unique functionality of mir-17-92 in a cell type and context-dependent manner. Recent functional dissection of mir-17-92 indicates that individual mir-17-92 components perform distinct biological functions, which collectively regulate multiple related cellular processes during development and disease. The structural complexity of mir-17-92 as a polycistronic miRNA oncogene, along with the complex mode of interactions among its components, constitutes the molecular basis for its unique functional complexity during normal and tumor development.