cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study on the current situation and countermeasures for allocation of public health resource in rural areas of China.

This paper analyzed the challenges facing allocation of public health resources in rural areas of China,such as not well-funded services,not fully-covered health institutions,shortage of human resources,and structural imbalance in resource allocation.In order to improve the quality of public health services in rural areas and promote the resource-equalization in rural and urban areas,this paper came out with the following countermeasures:formulating policies preferential to influx of resources into rural areas,strengthening government's responsibility in public funding,constructing more and better public health facilities in rural areas,strengthening capacity of public health services in rural areas,adjusting the structure of resource allocation,improving the efficiency of resources utilization by urban-rural integrated management.
Copolymer Adjuvants in Malaria Vaccine Development

Protection against virulent challenge with murine Plasmodium yoelii malaria was induced by immunization with whole killed blood-stage parasites in copolymer P1004 and detoxified lipopolysaccharide as adjuvant. Similar immunization with Freund's complete adjuvant and other water-in-oil emulsions failed to protect. Protection was associated with the production of antibody of the IgG2a isotype against epitopes measured by immunofluorescence. Several formulations that did not protect elicited high antibody titers measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays or titers of other isotypes measured by indirect immunofluorescent assay. The results provide additional evidence that the adjuvants influenced both the isotype and specificity of antibody
Cloning of the porcine D1A dopamine receptor gene expressed in renal epithelial LLC-PK1 cells.

The porcine renal epithelial cell line LLC-PK1 expresses a D1 dopamine receptor coupled to stimulation of adenylyl cyclase. The molecular identity of this receptor is unknown. We isolated a partial...
Chiral gas chromatographic determination of ephedrine-type alkaloids in dietary supplements containing Má Huáng.

Ma Huang is a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the aerial parts of several Ephedra species (Ephedraceae). These plants produce (-)-ephedrine, (+)-pseudoephedrine, (-)-norephedrine, (+)-norpseudoephedrine, (-)-N-methylephedrine, and (+)-N-methylpseudoephedrine. Racemic and (-)-ephedrine, (+)-pseudoephedrine, and (+/-)-norephedrine (phenylpropanolamine) are used clinically in the United States and are largely synthetic in origin. Current interest in Ma Huang is spurred by reports describing a "thermogenic" (calorie burning) effect provided by mixtures of ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin. Products providing the key thermogenic compounds from natural sources are available as dietary supplements in retail outlets. Reports of potentially unsafe levels of the alkaloids, as well as possible fortification of Ma Huang-containing products with synthetic Ephedra alkaloids, prompted the development of a chiral gas chromatographic (GC) method that allows determination of alkaloid patterns and identification of isomerically impure synthetic alkaloids. Nine products were analyzed on a gamma-cyclodextrin capillary GC column. Identity of the alkaloids was verified by GC/mass spectrometry (MS) and GC/matrix isolation/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. No synthetic isomers were found in the dietary supplements analyzed. Three products contained only one of the ephedrine-type alkaloids. One product that listed Ma Huang as an ingredient contained no detectable ephedrine-type alkaloid. In products containing measurable quantities of these compounds, total alkaloid levels ranged from 0.3 to 56 mg/g.
Body size in (mostly) mammals: mass, speciation rates and the translation of gamma to alpha diversity on evolutionary timescales

This study tests the hypothesis that high species richness in small-bodied mammals results from higher speciation rates than in clades composed of large-bodied individuals. A right-skewed pattern i...
Incentives and algorithms for reputation systems

Reputation systems have come to play an important role in the social and economic success of the Internet. However, they are unpredictable; in particular, these systems are susceptible to "presentation bias" and malicious spam, which distort the semantics of the reputation under consideration. Therefore, reputation systems in use today can give no guarantees about the reputations assigned. The thesis of this dissertation is that the underlying economics of reputation systems can be used to meaningfully ground the notion of reputation; further, with the help of appropriate mechanisms, reputation systems can be made robust to presentation bias and malicious spam. We make a case for identifying the reputation or quality of an entity with the potential revenue (or utility) the entity generates (or may generate) for the system. The generic incentive structure, presented in this dissertation, provides incentives to users for providing useful feedback. Any inaccuracy in the system, presents an arbitrage opportunity for the users. Since this arbitrage opportunity is independent of the source of the inaccuracy, benign or malicious, we argue that the system is robust to malicious spam as well. In the setting of ranking systems, we use an idealized model (the Inspect-Utilize model) to analyze various properties of our system. Further, (under mild assumptions) our ranking algorithm, in conjunction with the incentive structure, ensures that at any given instance, the system gives the highest reward to the feedback which causes the greatest reduction in the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the feedback scores and the qualities of the entities. In other words, it is most profitable for users to leave feedback which provides the most additional information relative to the current state of the system. We generalize these mechanisms to recommender systems, to work alongside collaborative filtering techniques. The key feature here is the asymmetric treatment of feedback, which allows the users to correct errors even in the presence of inaccuracies in the model, generated using collaborative filtering techniques. We also consider reputation systems used by retail/auction websites like eBay and Amazon.com. Ballot stuffing is the phenomenon of sellers undertaking fake transactions for the sake of fraudulent positive feedbacks. We observe the importance of transaction costs in making these systems robust to ballot stuffing.
Risk of Autism Associated With Hyperbilirubinemia and Phototherapy

OBJECTIVE: Whether neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and/or phototherapy increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is unclear. We sought to quantify the risk of ASD associated with elevated total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels and with phototherapy. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study of 525 409 infants born at ≥35 weeks’ gestation in 15 Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) hospitals, 1995–2011, we obtained all TSB levels and determined which infants received phototherapy. From the KPNC Autism Registry, we identified patients with ASD diagnosed at a KPNC Autism Center, by a clinical specialist, or by a pediatrician. We calculated Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) for time to diagnosis of ASD, adjusting for confounding factors. RESULTS: Among infants in the birth cohort, 2% had at least 1 TSB level ≥20 mg/dL, and 8% received phototherapy. The rate of ASD was 13 per 1000 births. Crude analyses revealed an association between TSB ≥20 and ASD (relative risk: 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1–1.6), and between phototherapy and ASD (relative risk: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.5–1.8). After adjusting for confounders, TSB ≥20 (HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.89–1.35) and phototherapy (HR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.98–1.24) were no longer significantly associated with ASD. Independent risk factors for ASD included maternal and paternal age; maternal and paternal higher education; male sex; birth weight CONCLUSIONS: After adjustment for the effects of sociodemographic factors and birth weight, neither hyperbilirubinemia nor phototherapy was an independent risk factor for ASD.
Maintaining awareness of the focus of attention of a conversation: A robot-centric reinforcement learning approach

We explore online reinforcement learning techniques to find good policies to control the orientation of a mobile robot during social group conversations. In this scenario, we assume that the correct behavior for the robot should convey attentiveness to the focus of attention of the conversation. Thus, the robot should turn towards the speaker. Our results from tests in a simulated environment show that a new state representation that we designed for this problem can be used to find good policies for the robot. These policies can generalize across interactions with different numbers of people and can handle various levels of sensing noise.
OSMOTIC, IONIC AND NITROGENOUS-WASTE BALANCE | Osmosensing

Fishes utilize a diverse array of osmosensors to monitor salinity. Calcium is monitored by the calcium-sensing receptor, cytoskeletal strain is sensed by the Rho-guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) pathway, and changes in other cations and intracellular water activity are monitored by transient receptor potential ion channels and aquaporins. DNA and protein damage sensors contribute to osmosensing and environmental stress cross-tolerance. The ion damage cytokine model of osmosensing illustrates key features utilized for osmosensing: (1) changes in inorganic cation concentration, (2) macromolecular damage and cytoskeletal strain, and (3) changes in cytokine levels triggered locally and systemically by the first two stimuli that coordinate and synchronize osmosensing in different cells, tissues, and organs. The role of osmosensing for mitochondrion-rich cell re-differentiation and sperm motility is briefly outlined.
The Undergraduate College Education in USA: Schools with Best and Worst ROI

This study examined the ROI, total 4-year education cost, graduation rate and average loan amount for undergraduate education across schools in USA. The results indicate that students from Southwest region of USA enjoyed highest mean ROI (6.69%) along with highest median ROI (6.50%) with minimum standard deviation of 2.03% among all five regional analyzed over 20-yeasr period. Yale University reports the highest graduation rate of 98 percent in the nation. Georgia Institute of Technology (In-state) enjoyed highest ROI of 12.30 percent over 20-years period of study
Between-Year Breeding Dispersal by White-Headed Woodpeckers: A Caution About Using Color Bands to Estimate Survival

Abstract Between-year breeding dispersal has not been previously documented in White-headed Woodpeckers (Picoides albolarvatus). Therefore, resightings of color-banded adults on previous years' breeding territories have been considered a means of estimating annual adult survival. From 2013 to 2015, I observed 2 cases of between-year breeding dispersal by adult color-banded White-headed Woodpeckers in central Washington. Mean dispersal distance was 6.9 km, and both adults were successful in fledging young in their new territories. Without extensive searches outside of previous years' territories, such dispersal events could have been classified as mortalities leading to annual survival estimates that were biased low.
Observations on Mechanical Properties of Hydrogenated Vanadium

Vanadium foils and wires, either cold-worked or recrystallized, show a ductile-brittle-ductile fracture sequence with temperature. At about 150°C the hydrogenated vanadium wires are found to be ductile. At room temperature the wires show brittle fracture, and at liquid nitrogen temperature the wires are again ductile, although to a lesser extent than found at 150°C. Hydrogenated cold-rolled vanadium foils have been found to fracture in unusually straight lines along the [100] texture directions. The hydrogen content required to show this [100] texture fracture is limited to a few atomic percent in range. Hydrogen content above this range causes fracture to occur in random directions.
A perfluorometallacycloheptane complex of nickel bipyridine

Abstract Reaction of [(bpy)NiEt2] with 1,6-dibromododecafluorohexane in THF at room temperature led to [(bpy)Ni(η2-C,C-C6F12)] (1) in 13% isolated yield. Compound 1 represents the first example of a perfluorinated metallacycloheptane and a rare example of an isolable metallacycloheptane in general. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the structure of 1. Key nickel bond distances, in A, are: Ni-C6 1.903(9); Ni-C1 1.925(10); Ni-N1 2.004(7); Ni-N2 2.011(8).
POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF ECTOMYCORRHIZAL INFECTION OF CONIFER SEEDLINGS AT ALTA SKI AREA

Studying tree survival rates of conifers planted at Alta has shown that the project is struggling in terms of survival. I wanted to extend this research and see if there are any measurable benefits of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) root infection. I completed this research by harvesting small conifer specimens at Alta Ski Area, doing a series of analysis to define the health of each specimen, and then performing root analysis to determine the percent of ECM infection. Then by doing comparative analysis of these data I hoped to find that healthier plants had increased ECM infection percentages. I have not found that there is any significant connection between the two. This result leads me to believe benefits of ECM infection may be more in relation to ecosystem stability, and encourages me to ask more questions.
Increasing Body Mass Index is Associated With Worse Perioperative Outcomes and Higher Costs in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Study Design.Retrospective review.Objective.To investigate associations of obesity with outcomes and costs of adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.Summary of Background Data.Increasing body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for complications after nondeformity spine surgery, but its effect on ASD su
Prescription practice of anti-tuberculosis drugs in Yunnan, China: A clinical audit.

Objectives China has a high burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). As irrational use and inadequate dosing of anti-TB drugs may contribute to the epidemic of drug-resistant TB, we assessed the drug types and dosages prescribed in the treatment of TB cases in a representative sample of health care facilities in Yunnan. Methods We applied multistage cluster sampling using probability proportion to size to select 28 counties in Yunnan. Consecutive pulmonary TB patients were enrolled from either the TB centers of Yunnan Center of Disease Control or designated TB hospitals. Outcomes of interest included the regimen used in the treatment of new and retreatment TB patients; and the proportion of patients treated with adequate dosing of anti-TB drugs. Furthermore, we assess whether there has been reduction in the use of fluoroquinolone and second line injectables in Tuberculosis Clinical Centre (TCC) after the training activity in late 2012. Results Of 2390 TB patients enrolled, 582 (24.4%) were prescribed second line anti-TB drugs (18.0% in new cases and 60.9% in retreatment cases); 363(15.2%) prescribed a fluoroquinolone. General hospitals (adjusted odds ratio (adjOR) 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47–2.66), retreatment TB cases (adjOR 4.75, 95% CI 3.59–6.27), smear positive cases (adjOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.22–2.33), and extrapulmonary TB (adjOR 2.59, 95% CI 1.66–4.03) were significantly associated with the use of fluoroquinolones. The proportion of patients treated with fluoroquinolones decreased from 41.4% before 2013 to 13.5% after 2013 (adjOR 0.19, 95% CI 0.12–0.28) in TCC. The proportion of patients with correct, under and over dosages of isoniazid was 88.2%, 1.5%, and 10.4%, respectively; of rifampicin was 50.2%, 46.8%, and 2.9%; of pyrazinamide was 67.6%, 31.7% and 0.7%; and of ethambutol was 41.4%, 57.5%, and 1.0%. Conclusions The prescribing practice of anti-TB drugs was not standardized, findings with significant programmatic implication.
The modern fairy tale: nation branding, national identity and the Eurovision Song Contest in Estonia / Histories of public diplomacy and nation branding in the Nordic and Baltic countries: representing the periphery

What is the future of the Eurovision Song Contest – for over 60 years, an annual celebration of a shared pan-European belonging through popular music and media spectacle (in 2010 the contest motto ...
Abstract 022: Atrial Fibrillation and Cognitive Decline: The Cardiovascular Health Study

Objective. We sought to determine whether atrial fibrillation (AF) was associated with cognitive decline in the absence of stroke. Methods. We included Cardiovascular Health Study participants aged 65+ who did not have AF or prior stroke at baseline and had at least one Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) during the study. AF was identified by hospital discharge diagnoses and annual study ECGs. The 3MSE (score range 0–100) was administered annually up to nine times from 1990/91 to 1998/99. Mixed effects linear regression was used to characterize the relationship of cognitive decline with AF and age, adjusted for birth year, sex, race, education, smoking, alcohol use, diabetes, hypertension, systolic blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and heart failure. Interaction terms for AF and age variables with incident clinical stroke were used to allow estimation of cognitive decline in the absence of stroke. Results. Analyses included 5,199 participants with a mean of 6.7 3MSE scores. During follow-up 11% of participants (554 of 5,199) had AF identified. Panel A of the Figure shows mean 3MSE score trajectories for participants without AF (solid line) and after AF was identified at ages 70, 75, 80, and 85 (dashed lines). Panel B shows the trajectory for participants without AF set to zero (solid horizontal line) and differences in mean trajectories after AF was identified relative to participants without AF (dashed lines). Gray shading shows 95% CIs. Having newly-identified AF was not associated with a difference in 3MSE score relative to participants of the same age without AF. However, after AF was identified, 3MSE scores declined 2.3 points faster per five years, relative to participants without AF. For example, after AF was identified at age 80, mean 3MSE score declined 9.1 points by age 85, versus 6.8 points for participants without AF. Conclusions. In older adults without clinical stroke, the average rate of cognitive decline was greater after AF was identified.
Divine Love and the Constitution of the Self

In this response I discuss some of the key remarks and suggestions in the foregoing reviews of Paul and the Person. These include questions of methodology in interdisciplinary engagements between science and theology, the tension and connection between cosmology and the structure of the self, imitation and transformation, ontological change, the continuity and discontinuity of the self, sin and the self, and personhood as gifted and sustained by divine love.
Medial Fragments for Segmentation of Articulating Objects in Images

The Blum medial axis is known to provide a useful representation of pre-segmented shapes. Very little work to date, however, has examined its usefulness for extracting objects from natural images. We propose a method for combining fragments of the medial axis, generated from the Voronoi diagram of an edge map of a natural image, into a coherent whole. Using techniques from persistent homology and graph theory, we combine image cues with geometric cues from the medial fragments to aggregate parts of the same object into a larger whole. We demonstrate our method on images containing articulating objects, with an eye to future work applying articulation-invariant measures on the medial axis for shape matching between images.
Dating violence victimization and substance use: The role of a serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5HTTLPR).

Abstract While there is developing research on how genes moderate the effect of stressful life events on substance use, the limited research has yet to focus on specific stressors. As adolescent dating violence victimization has been linked to various substance use behaviors, the current research seeks to further examine the longitudinal outcomes of adolescent dating violence victimization and the role that genes play in moderating these effects. Specifically, using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a series of logistic and negative binomial regressions are run to analyze the direct and interactive effects of adolescent dating violence victimization and a polymorphism (5HTTLPR) in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene on both alcohol use problems and marijuana use. The results find that 5HTTLPR interacts with adolescent dating violence victimization to increase odds of marijuana use for the sample. However, the interaction between 5HTTLPR and adolescent dating violence has differential effects for males and females, suggesting sex differences regarding the susceptibility properties of 5HTTLPR. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Pediatric Cancer Immunotherapy: Opportunities and Challenges

Cancer immunotherapies, widely heralded as transformational for many adult cancer patients, are becoming viable options for selected subsets of pediatric cancer patients. Many therapies are currently being investigated, from immunomodulatory agents to adoptive cell therapy, bispecific T-cell engagers, oncolytic virotherapy, and checkpoint inhibition. One of the most exciting immunotherapies recently FDA approved is the use of CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells for pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. With this approval and others, immunotherapy for pediatric cancers is gaining traction. One of the caveats to many of these immunotherapies is the challenge of predictive biomarkers; determining which patients will respond to a given therapy is not yet possible. Much research is being focused on which biomarkers will be predictive and prognostic for these patients. Despite many benefits of immunotherapy, including less long-term side effects, some treatments are fraught with immediate side effects that range from mild to severe, although most are manageable. With few downsides and the potential for disease cures, immunotherapy in the pediatric population has the potential to move to the front-line of therapeutic options.
A SPECIFIC RADIOIMMUNOASSAY FOR 3-METHOXY-4-HYDROXYPHENYLETHYL-GLYCOL (MOPEG)

ABSTRACT Antibodies that are specific for MOPEG, the major metabolite of norepinephrine (NE) in the brain, were raised in rabbits by the injection of 3-methoxy-4-(5-carboxypentoxy)-phenylethylglycol conjugated to bovine thyroglobulin. Unlabelled MOPEG displaces H-MOPEG, and as little as 1 ng of MOPEG can be measured at an antibody dilution of 1:120. As much as 333 ng of NE, dopamine, serotonin and their major metabolites, including MOPEG-SO4, do not displace 3H-MOPEG from the antibody.
The structure of anticapsin, a new biologically active metabolite of Streptomyces griseoplanus

1. Physical and analytical data obtained on crystalline anticapsin indicated the empirical formula C9H13NO4. Spectral data (u.v., i.r. and proton magnetic resonance) and formation of l-tyrosine on hydrolysis revealed the functionalities and carbon skeleton of the new epoxy keto amino acid. 2. The optical properties of anticapsin (optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism) permitted assignment of absolute configuration to the new metabolite. 3. Treatment of anticapsin with hot methanolic hydrochloric acid followed by acetylation gave C18H19NO5, the α-alkoxycyclohexenone derivative. Analysis of the nuclear-magnetic-resonance and mass spectra of the latter allowed its structure to be determined and confirmed the assigned structure of anticapsin.
Design of Conjugated Polymers for Single Layer Light Emitting Diodes

We have shown that incorporating DBPP units into the backbone of a PPV results in significant enhancement of its solid-state PL efficiency. We have also demonstrated that introducing oxadiazole units as main-chain substitutents imparts bipolar charge-transporting properties. Combining both DBPP and oxadiazole units into a single conjugated polymer may result in a polymer exhibiting both high PL quantum efficiency and bipolar charge-transporting properties, making such a polymer a promising candidate for single-layer LED applications.
Comments on Gene Symbols and Terminology

Two questions regarding nomenclature and terminology were raised at the International Symposium on Retinal Degeneration in Sardinia. First, what are the correct symbols for identifying the cloned and/or mapped forms of inherited retinal degeneration, and, second, what are the most appropriate terms for referring to mutations and genetic variation? This commentary addresses these questions.
Body image and physical education: Reflections of individuals with visual impairments:

The purpose of this study was to examine reflections of body image development experiences in school-based physical education and sport among individuals with visual impairments. This qualitative s...
Can We Swim Yet? Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Risk Assessment of Aging Sewage in Surface Waters

This study investigated the risk of gastrointestinal illness associated with swimming in surface waters with aged sewage contamination. First, a systematic review compiled 333 first order decay rate constants (k) for human norovirus and its surrogates feline calicivirus and murine norovirus, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, and human-associated indicators in surface water. A meta-analysis investigated effects of sunlight, temperature, and water matrix on k. There was a relatively large number of k for bacterial pathogens and some human-associated indicators (n > 40), fewer for protozoans (n = 14–22), and few for human norovirus and its Caliciviridae surrogates (n = 2–4). Average k ranked: Campylobacter > human-associated markers > Salmonella> E. coli O157:H7 > norovirus and its surrogates > Giardia > Cryptosporidium. Compiled k values were used in a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to simulate gastrointestinal illness risk associated with swim...
The Impact of Math Teachers' Circle Participation: Case Studies.

The Math Teachers’ Circle (MTC) model is a widely implemented form of professional development that invites teachers to become practitioners of mathematics, thereby developing their fluency with mathematical practices. This article presents comparative case studies investigating the self-reported experiences of several MTC-participating teachers representing a range of mathematical backgrounds. Teachers’ reflections were examined through the lenses of three themes: views of mathematics, approaches to pedagogy, and professional engagement and leadership. Cross-case comparisons suggest several ways MTCs may be able to improve their support of teachers’ professional growth, for example through discussing mathematical mindsets and incorporating additional leadership opportunities.
A Comparative Analysis of Ideal Body Weight Methods for Pediatric Mechanical Ventilation.

BACKGROUND: A universal method for determining ideal body weight (IBW) for the application of appropriate tidal volumes in children on mechanical ventilation is elusive. We sought to compare 3 commonly used IBW methods for subjects between ages 2 and 20 y. METHODS: Demographic data were recorded, and the IBW was calculated based on the McLaren-Read, Moore, and body mass index methods by using growth chart data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage error between each IBW method and the actual body weight were calculated and reported as median (interquartile range). We decided a priori that a ≥10% difference between the actual body weight and IBW would be clinically important. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the actual body weight with the IBW. Bland-Altman analysis was used to assess the individual agreement of each IBW method with the actual body weight. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to detect differences among the IBW methods. RESULTS: A total of 58 subjects (36% female) were analyzed. The median (interquartile range) percent weight error between the actual body weight and calculated the IBW was 14.8% (1.9–22.1%, P = .038), 13.8% (4.6–23.4%, P = .008), and 12.0% (3.9–20.5%, P = .037); the mean biases were 2.7 (95% CI −13.4 to 18.9) kg, 3.9 (95% CI −15.1 to 22.9) kg, 3.2 (95% CI −16.7 to 23.1) kg; and the numbers of subjects who would have a clinically important error were 29 (55.7%), 29 (56.9%), and 30 (51.7%) for the McLaren-Read, Moore, and body mass index methods, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the subjects demonstrated a clinically important error between the actual body weight and the IBW. The percent error increased in subjects > 25 kg actual body weight. These data underline the importance of obtaining height measurements and calculated IBW in pediatric patients who are mechanically ventilated.
‘So like an old tale’: Staging Inheritance and the Lost Child in Shakespeare’s Romances

This chapter explores how Shakespeare’s romances interrogate the familiar socioeconomic problem of the heiress by turning to another kind of ‘norm’—the lost-child plot from Roman new comedy. In the romances, this dramatic convention enables Shakespeare to stage a comforting resolution to the problem posed by the female heir: the lost-child plot performatively mitigates the wandering represented by the heiress, thereby assuaging cultural concerns about loss of lineage through dramaturgical means. In showcasing the productive multivocality of the normative, Shakespeare’s romances are ultimately less interested in dramatizing how legal norms might be overturned than they are in staging how those norms are creatively sustained and redefined.
Herding Behavior in the Nairobi Securities Exchange

In this study, we use 2010-15 daily data stock market from the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) to investigate herding behavior among NSE market participants. We examine the impact of rising and falling markets, as well as exogenous factors such as political and regulatory instability, on herding behavior. Our findings are twofold. First, herding behavior differs by sector, moreover, each sector responds differently to rising and falling markets. Thus, failing to consider each sector separately may mask herding behavior. Second, herding behavior is most pronounced from 2013 through 2014, which was a time of both political and regulatory instability for Kenya.
Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCS) reduce the manufacturing feasibilty of gene modified T cells.

Background & Aim With the goal of improving consistency and success of manufacturing (MFG), we analyzed the composition of apheresis products collected from patients (pts) enrolled in clinical trials of engineered T cell immunotherapies. We previously reported in a small cohort of NHL pts, that T cell cultures manufactured from fresh APH of challenging products comprised of 3:1 monocyte to lymphocytes, exhibited impaired proliferation. Microscopic observation of poorly expanding cell cultures revealed the phagocytosis of T cell stimulating anti-CD3/ anti-CD28 Dynabeads by large cells, possibly of monocyte/myeloid origin. Proliferative capacity of the T cells was rescued if the APH was cryopreserved/thawed prior to manufacture. Substantial reduction in MDSC frequency, following cryopreservation/thaw, was demonstrated by flow cytometry. Alternatively, lymphocyte enrichment via elutriation of APH removed the larger myeloid cells. Here we expand analysis of the critical quality attributes of APH products to a larger cohort of patients with hematological malignancies (HM) as well as solid tumors (ST). Methods, Results & Conclusion We analyzed 300 APH from pts on 20 clinical trials focused on HM or ST. Frequencies of lymphocytes and myeloid populations were determined via size/volume distribution on Multisizer, lineage and MDSC immunophenotyping by FACS (CD3, CD45, CD11b, CD33, HLA-DR, CD14, CD15). Population doubling levels (PDL) during ex vivo expansion were calculated at day 9 of manufacture. We report an overall 94% MFG success rate with 5 PDL. 12/19 MFG failures did not produce an infusible dose with -1.34 PDL and occurred in HM APH. APH of MFG fails showed the presence of myeloid cells that were not removed prior to MFG. APH from NHL, MM, and synovial sarcoma demonstrated MDSCs by flow cytometry. Cryopreservation/thaw and/or elutriation of APH enriched T cells from 81 % to 94%, reduced myeloid population from 38% to 11%, and removed MDSCs. Small scale test expansions comparing various MFG processes on the same APH confirmed that cryopreservation and or elutriation increases clinical MFG success. Myeloid subsets in HM APH increase the risk of MFG failure. Mitigation strategies to remove the myeloid cells to enrich for the lymphocytes can be employed, including cryopreservation or elutriation of fresh APH prior to MFG. To increase MFG feasibility, studies are continuing to investigate the effects of prior treatment on APH and the mechanism of inhibition by MDSCs.
Experiments on a Recirculating Planar Crossed-Field Amplifier

The Recirculating Planar Crossed-Field Amplifier (RPCFA) has demonstrated amplification in excess of 10 dB of a ~30 kW RF signal, with 15% bandwidth. The RPCFA is the amplifying adaptation of the Recirculating Planar Magnetron (RPM) also developed at the University of Michigan. Ansys HFSS and the particle-in-cell code MAGIC were used to design a prototype. The prototype RPCFA was constructed and demonstrated transmission characteristics similar to those predicted by simulation. Sustained amplification for pulses 100's of nanoseconds in length have been observed with peak amplification as high as 16dB and greater than 1 MW of output power. The RPCFA is shown to be unsaturated at the 10's of kW RF drive at which it has been tested, suggesting higher input drive power may lead to even greater output power. The range of amplifiable frequencies implied by the transmission band is verified experimentally. The lower limit for RF drive power that can be amplified is found to be approximately 100 W. Sources of irreproducibility of microwave gain are being investigated. Injection of higher drive power up to 1 MW is planned.
Lipophilic 6-Halo-2′,3′-Dideoxypurine Nucleosides: Potential Antiretroviral Agents Targeting HIV-Associated Neurologic Disorders

In the past seven years, a number of potentially useful approaches for the therapy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have emerged.1–3 One such approach is the use of the broad family of 2′,3′-dideoxynucleosides (ddN) as therapeutic agents.4,5 3′-Azido-2′,3′dideoxythymidine (AZT or zidovudine), the first member of the dideoxynucleoside family administered to humans, has now been formally proven to reduce the morbidity and mortality of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and its related disorders.6–8 AZT has also been proven to benefit certain asymptomatic individuals infected with HIV-1 when administered in the early stages of HIV infection.9 It is worth noting that AZT has most recently been hown to be active at lower doses than that initially ministered.10,11 Two other analogs of the dideoxynucleoside family, 2′,3′-dideoxycytidine (ddC)12,13 and 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (D4T),14 have also demonstrated activity against HIV-1 in some patients in Phase I clinical trials. A purine member, 2′,3′-dideoxyinosine (ddI or didanosine), has also recently been shown to be active against HIV-1 in patients with AIDS and advanced AIDS related complex (ARC) in short-term Phase I clinical trials, although notable adverse effects including painful peripheral neuropathy and acute pancreatitis have been observed.15–17 In this regard, certain doses of ddl which can confer antiviral effects on patients have been tolerated for more than 2 years without toxicity.18 ddI is now under phase II clinical trials in several countries.
Decomposition Analysis of Spending and Price Trends for Biologic Antirheumatic Drugs in Medicare and Medicaid.

Objective Billions of public dollars are spent each year on biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), but the drivers of recent increases in biologic DMARD spending are unclear. This study was undertaken to characterize changes in total spending and unit prices for biologic DMARDs in Medicare and Medicaid programs and quantified the major sources of these spending increases. Methods We accessed drug spending data from years 2012-2016, covering all Medicare Part B (fee-for-service), Medicare Part D, and Medicaid enrollees. After calculating 5-year changes in total spending and unit prices for each biologic DMARD as well as in aggregate, we performed standard decomposition analyses to isolate 4 sources of spending growth: drug prices, uptake (number of recipients), treatment intensity (mean number of doses per claim), and treatment duration (annual number of claims per recipient), both excluding and including time-varying rebates. Results From 2012 to 2016, annual spending on public-payer claims for the 10 biologic DMARDs included in this study more than doubled ($3.8 billion to $8.6 billion), with median drug price increases of 51% in Medicare Part D (mean 54%) and 8% in Medicare Part B (mean 21%). With adjustment for general inflation, unit price increases alone accounted for 57% of the 5-year, $3.0 billion spending increase in Part D, while 37% of the spending increase was from increased uptake. Accounting for time-varying rebates, prices were still responsible for 54% of increased spending. Unit prices and spending were lower under Medicaid than under Medicare Part D, though temporal trends and contributors were similar. Conclusion Postmarket drug price changes alone account for the majority of the recent spending growth in biologic DMARDs. Policy interventions targeting price increases, particularly those under Medicare Part D plans, may help mitigate financial burdens for public payers and biologic DMARD recipients.
SELF-RATED HEALTH AS A PREDICTOR OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN OLDER ADULT INMATES

Inmates age ≥50 years (older inmates) are a rapidly growing population within the U.S. correctional system with the highest suicide rate among adult prisoners. Although depression and anxiety are strong precursors of subsequent suicide, little is known regarding factors associated with these outcomes in older inmates. To inform suicide prevention efforts in this high-risk population, we evaluated the role of older inmates’ self-rated health (SRH) in relation to depression and anxiety. We utilized data from the ongoing Aging Inmates Suicidal Ideation and Depression study (Aging INSIDE). Participants (N=175) included men age ≥50 (M=56.5, SD=6.3, range=50-79 years) from eight correctional facilities in Connecticut who completed face-to-face interviews. The outcomes, depression and anxiety, were assessed using the PHQ-9 (range 0-27) and GAD-7 (range 0-21); higher scores on each scale indicated worsening severity. SRH, operationalized as a pseudo-continuous variable (1=excellent; 5=Poor), was correlated with depression (r=0.379; p <.001) and anxiety (r=0.260; p =.001) in unadjusted analyses. Two linear regression models were conducted to determine if SRH was associated with depression and/or anxiety after controlling for age, race (white versus non-white), years of education, visitors (yes versus no), and number of chronic conditions. Increasingly worse SRH was significantly associated with more depressive symptoms (β=1.92, SE=.43, p <.001) and higher anxiety scores (β=1.41, SE=.41, p=.001). SRH explained 10.0% and 6.2% of the variance in depression and anxiety scores, respectively. SRH may be useful for identifying older inmates who are more likely to have depression or anxiety, and thus may be at higher risk for suicide.
Multi-robot Trajectory Generation for an Aerial Payload Transport System

In this work, we consider the problem of planning safe, feasible trajectories for a team of quadrotors with slung-loads operating in an obstacle-free, three-dimensional workspace. We are particularly interested in generating dynamic trajectories—trajectories where robots’ payloads are allowed to swing in accordance with the system’s natural dynamics—for fast, agile, coordinated payload transportation. This capability is applicable to tasks such as construction, where a single crane performing sequential tasks could be replaced by multiple quadrotors performing tasks in parallel for increased efficiency. We model this problem as a labeled multi-robot planning problem, where robots must navigate payloads from given start positions to fixed, non-interchangeable goal positions. Our system presents three novel challenges: (1.) Each vehicle has eight degrees-of-freedom, significantly increasing the size of the team’s joint state space. (2.) Each vehicle is a nonlinear, \(6\mathrm{th}\)-order dynamical system with four degrees of under-actuation. (3.) Each vehicle is a multi-body system. We present a safe and complete Quadratic Programming solution and validate its practicality with experiments containing up to nine quadrotors.
The Role of Marriage and Military Service on Reoffending: Race, "The Respectability Package," and the Desistance Process.

We build on prior research examining military involvement and criminal involvement by investigating the importance of acquiring the more complete “respectability package” that includes marriage as ...
EM MEMÓRIA DE ALVÉRCIO MOREIRA GOMES (1916-2003)

In 1975 Paul Dirac wrote, “Again and again, when I have been at a loss how to proceed, I have just had to wait until I have felt the mathematics lead me by the hand” [17].
RF Coils Characterization in Soil for Wireless Soil Sensing Applications

This paper presents the characterization results of RF coils in loamy soil with a goal to develop low-cost, long-life, wireless, in-situ sensing technologies for monitoring soil health to ensure future sustainable agriculture. Two types of RF coil exhibiting 6 cm-Φ / 9-turn and 12 cm-Φ / 9-turn are employed for the study. The characterization results reveal that coils maximum quality factor takes place around 1 MHz limited by the loamy soil loss. A small gap on the order of 1-2 cm between a coil and surrounding soil can help improve the quality factor significantly. Wireless power transfer efficiency estimation reveals that a sufficient amount of power can be transferred across a soil depth of 30 cm to energize an underground wireless soil sensing network. Further optimized designs are expected to achieve an enhanced performance and extended power transfer distance underground.
In vivo assessment of glutamine anaplerosis into the TCA cycle in human pre-malignant and malignant clonal plasma cells

Overexpression of c-Myc is required for the progression of pre-malignant plasma cells in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to malignant plasma cells in multiple myeloma (MM). c-Myc also increases glutamine anaplerosis into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle within cancer cells. Whether increased glutamine anaplerosis is associated with the progression of pre-malignant to malignant plasma cells is unknown. Human volunteers (N = 7) and patients with MGUS (N = 11) and MM (N = 12) were prospectively recruited to undergo an intravenous infusion of 13C-labeled glutamine followed by a bone marrow aspiration to obtain bone marrow cells and plasma. Despite notable heterogeneity, stable isotope-resolved metabolomics (SIRM) revealed that the mean 13C-labeled glutamine anaplerosis into the TCA cycle was higher in malignant compared to pre-malignant bone marrow plasma cells relative to the remainder of their paired bone marrow mononuclear cells. RNA sequencing demonstrated a higher relative mRNA expression of c-Myc and glutamine transporters such as ASCT2 and SN2 in malignant compared to pre-malignant bone marrow plasma cells. Finally, higher quantitative levels of TCA cycle intermediates in the bone marrow plasma differentiated MM from MGUS patients. Measurement of the in vivo activity of glutamine anaplerosis into the TCA cycle provides novel insight into the metabolic changes associated with the transformation of pre-malignant plasma cells in MGUS to malignant plasma cells in MM. NCT03384108 and NCT03119883
Sizing of Energy Storage Systems for Grid Inertial Response

Although the deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) alleviates several concerns related to energy, natural resources, and climate change, their lack of rotational kinetic energy is a key challenge to the stability and resilience of future power grids. Energy storage systems (ESS) hold the potential to compensate for this lack of rotational kinetic energy with virtual inertia—such a system is called a virtual synchronous generator (VSG). Determining optimal sizes of VSGs is a key factor to develop strategies that efficiently assure the capability of VSGs in maintaining the stability of future power systems. This paper proposes an approach for sizing ESS for grid inertial response in the presence of RES. Time domain simulations are used to determine the minimum inertia required by a power system to maintain its stability. A stochastic method involving Monte Carlo simulation is developed and utilized to determine the low frequency events for a given time period. A stability index is also developed to quantify the probability of occurrence of low inertia events in the system. The ESS is then sized accordingly to compensate for the lost inertia. The proposed method is demonstrated on the reduced Western System Coordinating Council 9-bus test system. The results show that VSG can compensate for the lack of rotational kinetic energy for a wide range of fault clearing times and penetration of RES.
Setting Parental Controls: Do Parents Have a Duty to Supervise Their Children's Use of the Internet?

In late 2014, the Georgia Court of Appeals issued a decision that recognized a cause of action against the parents of a teenager who posted hurtful information about another teenager on the internet. The case caught the attention of many in the media which published stories claiming the case was the first to impose a duty on parents to supervise their children's use of the internet. In this essay, I argue the case has been misinterpreted. It does not create such a duty and it does not hold that parents are liable for the conduct of their children either, which other stories covering the case have claimed. The case does recognize a possible cause of action against the parents but it does so by applying established principles of tort law to a new situation. Having said that, I also argue that one of the issues left unresolved by the court may, if addressed eventually, open the door for a new approach to certain claims.