cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
91 PREDICTORS OF PREMATURE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND DIFFERENTIAL LONG-TERM OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS STRATIFIED BY PRESENCE OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND CARDIAC REVASCULARIZATION

Introduction While premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) is associated with an adverse prognosis, limited data are available in the public health system population. Little is certain with respect to cardiac risk factors (CRFs), short-term mortality and long-term outcomes with or without coronary revascularization. Hence we explored the prevalence of CRFs and predictors of mortality in patients with PCAD and characterized the effect of revascularization on survival in a public health system patient cohort. Methods Data from 416 consecutive patients ≤ 40 yrs of age undergoing coronary angiography at Cook County Hospital (1993-2001) were compiled prospectively and analyzed as an open, retrospective cohort. The primary outcome measure was mortality analyzed via Kaplan-Meier analysis. Risk of CAD (defined as ≥ 50% stenosis in ≥ 1 coronary artery) by cardiac risk factors were estimated using logistic regression. Angiographic data were adjudicated by blinded film review. Results 1,444 pt-yrs of follow-up were attained. Of 416 patients, 33% (136) had premature CAD, of which 96% (131) had severe CAD (≥ 70% stenosis). The prevalence of risk factors as follows was higher than previously reported: DM 18.2%, smoking 50.9%, dyslipidemia 14.3%, family history 22.4% and hypertension 52.5%. Total mortality at 3.47 years mean follow-up was 5.8% and was higher with severe CAD (9.2% if CAD vs. 4.2% if no CAD, p = 0.044). Diabetes mellitus (O.R. 3.71 [1.13-12.2], p = 0.031) and systolic dysfunction (O.R. 3.13 [1.0-9.81], p = 0.05) each independently predicted mortality. Of the 136 patients with PCAD, 82 patients (60.3%) underwent revascularization: 48 (35.3%) PTCA, 38 (27.9%) stenting, 17 (12.5%) both PTCA and stenting, and 13 (9.6%) CABG. Of the total 12 (9.9%) deaths, there was a trend towards lower mortality in revascularized patients (8.5% vs. non-revascularized patients 12.5%, p = 0.17). Kaplan-Meier survival curves by revascularization status were clearly divergent (p value NS). Conclusions Diabetes, smoking, dyslipidemia and older age were predictive of PCAD. Diabetes and left ventricular dysfunction were independent predictors of overall mortality even after adjusting for the effect of PCAD. There was a trend towards improved survival in PCAD patients undergoing revascularization.
Efficient estimation of quasi-likelihood models using B-splines

We consider a simple yet flexible spline estimation method for quasi-likelihood models. We approximate the unknown function by B-splines and apply the Fisher scoring algorithm to compute the estimates. The spline estimate of the nonparametric component achieves the optimal rate of convergence under the smooth condition, and the estimate of the parametric part is shown to be asymptotically normal even if the variance function is misspecified. The semiparametric efficiency of the model can be established if the variance function is correctly specified. A direct and consistent variance estimation method based on the least-squares estimation is proposed. A simulation study is performed to evaluate the numerical performance of the spline estimate. The methodology is illustrated on a crab study.
Even Better than the Real Thing

My head is somewhere in between … You're the real thing Even better than the real thing. U2, “Even Better than the Real Thing” POSTMODERNITY: BEYOND THE BRUTAL SIMPLIFICATIONS OF MODERNITY As fans of the rock band U2 will recognize, I take both my title and my epigraph from the second song on U2's 1991 album, Achtung Baby . U2's lead singer, Bono, famously declared that U2 entered its “postmodern” phase with Achtung Baby . Achtung , of course, standardly translates as a command for “Attention!” – but it also literally connotes “respect” or “care” (for that to which one should have been moved to “attend” in the first place) – and in what follows I shall suggest that attending to and thinking carefully about some of the philosophical ideas and themes underlying U2's work from their “postmodern” period that begins with Achtung Baby can cast a mutually illuminating light on both U2 and “postmodernity.” In the first two sections I think primarily from Heidegger's philosophy toward U2, but, reversing this direction in the final section, my chapter concludes with an extended analysis of “Even Better than the Real Thing,” a song I take to be particularly suggestive for the post-Heideggerian attempt to think through U2, beyond the triumph of the simulacra, and toward a genuine postmodernity.
Hadoop Performance Self-Tuning Using a Fuzzy-Prediction Approach

The Apache Hadoop framework (currently known as YARN) is a widely used open-source implementation of MapReduce (MR). Manual tuning of Hadoop performance is hard and time-consuming so several self-tuning approaches have been proposed. This paper proposes an approach that avoids problems of previous self-tuning approaches based on performance models or resource usage, namely 1) need for a time-consuming training phase, typically offline, 2) unsuitability for Hadoop environments with concurrently running MR jobs, and 3) need for modification of the Hadoop framework itself. The proposed approach uses a fuzzyprediction controller for self-optimization of the number of concurrent MR jobs. The fuzzy-prediction controller learns from past and current resource usage of MR jobs and from the number of concurrent tasks. It both uses and constructs rules in real time to predict the resource usage and the number of concurrent tasks. It does not require offline training or any modification of either the MR jobs or the Hadoop framework. The predicted values are used to dynamically control the number of concurrent ApplicationMasters (AMs) (i.e., MR jobs in RUNNING state). Experimental evaluation of the proposed approach on a 7-node cluster (1 master node and 6 slave nodes) running 30-job sequences combining three different types of MR jobs (Terasort, Grep and Wordcount) showed up to 29% performance improvement over Hadoop default configurations. The new approach improves the aggregate performance of MR jobs by adjusting a single YARN parameter.
Horizontal gene transfer is more frequent with increased heterotrophy and contributes to parasite adaptation

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the transfer of genetic material across species boundaries and has been a driving force in prokaryotic evolution. HGT involving eukaryotes appears to be much less frequent, and the functional implications of HGT in eukaryotes are poorly understood. We test the hypothesis that parasitic plants, because of their intimate feeding contacts with host plant tissues, are especially prone to horizontal gene acquisition. We sought evidence of HGTs in transcriptomes of three parasitic members of Orobanchaceae, a plant family containing species spanning the full spectrum of parasitic capabilities, plus the free-living Lindenbergia. Following initial phylogenetic detection and an extensive validation procedure, 52 high-confidence horizontal transfer events were detected, often from lineages of known host plants and with an increasing number of HGT events in species with the greatest parasitic dependence. Analyses of intron sequences in putative donor and recipient lineages provide evidence for integration of genomic fragments far more often than retro-processed RNA sequences. Purifying selection predominates in functionally transferred sequences, with a small fraction of adaptively evolving sites. HGT-acquired genes are preferentially expressed in the haustorium—the organ of parasitic plants—and are strongly biased in predicted gene functions, suggesting that expression products of horizontally acquired genes are contributing to the unique adaptive feeding structure of parasitic plants.
Conformational Flexibility of HIV Vif in Complex with Host Proteins

Like many viruses, HIV hijacks the host cell's apparatus for normal protein ubiquitination and degradation, using it to eliminate antiviral proteins. Understanding how a virus recruits and targets the ubqiuitination complex is critical for developing therapeutics to prevent it. One HIV protein responsible for this hijacking is Virion infectivity factor (Vif). Vif is intrinsically disordered but loses flexibility as it binds more host proteins, a process that may be crucial for function. We are investigating the complex formed with Vif and the host proteins EloB, EloC, and CBF-beta. Using molecular dynamics simulations and NMR spectroscopy we have found that this Vif-host protein complex exhibits global dynamics and occupies alternate conformational states. We have also characterized how these motions are affected by the binding of an additional host protein, Cul5. Understanding the dynamics and conformational ensemble of the Vif-host protein complex could reveal future directions for therapeutics.
Post-fault transient stability status prediction using Grey Wolf and Particle Swarm Optimization

Two methods are introduced for predicting the voltage and rotor angle stability status of a power system instantly after a large disturbance. Generator voltages and angles gathered instantly after clearing a fault are used as inputs of Feedforward Neural Networks (FNNs) to classify stability status of a system. Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) are applied as training methods for Feedforward Neural Networks. The performance of two methods are determined by applying the two methods on the IEEE 39 bus test system. The resulting accuracy of GWO and PSO are compared. Examination showed that the applied methods can predict the stability status 30 cycles after fault clearance. It is also shown that the FNN trained with the GWO has better classification accuracy than FNN trained with PSO. Additionally, the robustness of the two methods was inspected by determining their performance in predicting stability when the network topology is changed.
Mapping post-disturbance forest landscape composition with Landsat satellite imagery

Abstract Forests worldwide are impacted by a wide variety of disturbances that are happening more frequently with more intensity than in the past due to global climate change. Forest managers, therefore, need to identify new ways to quickly and accurately predict post-disturbance forest landscape composition. We suggest the use of Landsat satellite imagery and an image processing tool to map percent canopy cover (PCC) by species and sub-canopy species counts to be used in adaptive forest management strategies. We used zero-inflated models to successfully predict PCC and sub-canopy counts (number of regenerating trees per pixel, also called biotic legacies) for 4 tree species, along with overall PCC and percent mortality, for a large portion of the Rio Grande National Forest (RGNF) in 2013. The RGNF had recently been disturbed by spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) infestation since the early 2000s and the West Fork Fire Complex in 2013. Our PCC models resulted in pseudo median differences between observed and predicted values of 0.2–6.5%, RMSE of 10.9–17.0%, and 95% confidence interval widths of 4.4–24.9%, depending on the species. The percent mortality model resulted in pseudo median differences between observed and predicted values of 1.1%, RMSE of 12.4%, and 95% confidence interval width of 4.6%. The sub-canopy PCC model resulted in a pseudo median differences between observed and predicted values of 1.3%, RMSE of 9.4%, and 95% confidence interval of 3.0%. The sub-canopy count models resulted in mean differences of 0.1–1.4 trees, RMSE of 3.0–13.4 trees, and 95% confidence interval widths of 1.1–5.0 trees, depending on species. By mapping PCC and sub-canopy counts, we have provided forest managers with knowledge of the current surviving forest (PCC) as well as the biotic legacies (sub-canopy counts) that can aid in forming hypotheses as to what the forest might become in the future, adding to the forest manager toolbox for forest management strategies. The methods described can be applied to a variety of issues within the field of disturbance ecology and, combined with change analyses, will provide forest managers with empirical evidence of current and future forest composition along with biological legacies that will impact forest regeneration.
Are Zanstra Temperatures Always Real

The classical Zanstra method compares a H Balmer line or He II λ4686 with flux from a limited region of the planetary nuclear (PNN) spectrum to obtain the central star temperature T(PNN). Long ago it was found that generally T(He II) > T(H I), a result attributed to differing optical depths at the Lyman limits of He II and H I; T(He II) often was regarded as the “real” temperature. Much attention has been paid to discordances between Zanstra temperatures and those found by other means, such as the energy-balance (EB) method, (see e.g., Preite-Martinez and Pottasch 1984).
Identity, dignity and development as trajectory: Bihar as a model for democratic progress in Nepal? Part II. Nepal’s promise

ABSTRACTPart I of this article traced the experience of India’s Bihar state as it shifted in the last decade of the twentieth century from a region dominated by landowning upper castes and plagued by entrenched poverty to one led by newly emergent middle castes. In a two-step process, these groups first attained a significant dignity and self-respect and then it became possible in the 2000s to turn to economic growth and improvement in living standards. Part II makes a case that Nepal, long suffering under conditions similar to those hobbling Bihar until recently, might follow a similar two-stage path of dignity and then development.
Uses and abuses of culture: mestizaje in the era of multiculturalism

In this article, I analyse how intercultural ideas, practices and policies inform Mexico’s current racial formation, and how racial categories and meanings are shaped under neoliberalism and the po...
Atom Selective Photochemistry with Monochromatic Soft X-Rays

While much detailed information has been obtained about the fragmentation of molecules following excitation or ionization of valence electrons, relatively little is known about corresponding phenomena involving core electrons. This paper reviews some recent research that we have done to learn about the chemical consequences of selective core electron excitation in molecules. Specifically, studies of nitrous oxide, acetone, and oxygen will be summarized, and a theory will be described that is directed at predicting which bonds in a polyatomic molecule rupture as a consequence of the multiple electron excitation accompanying decay of a core hole excited state.
Mechanism of Adhesion-Induced Regeneration/Differentiation of Oligodendrocytes

Oligodendrocytes (OLGs) synthesize and maintain central nervous system (CNS) myelin, the multilamellar membrane that enwraps axons, thereby facilitating fast nerve conduction. The advent of myelin marked an evolutionary milestone for it allowed the existence of higher organisms; at the same time, an irrevocable seal of myelin dependence was established. Any perturbation of the normal functioning of OLGs that results in dysmyelination will lead to growth arrest and death. Damage to OLGs and/or myelin resulting in demyelination will cause crippling and may result in death. Diseases affecting OLGs and/or myelin range from genetic to autoimmune, from metabolic to traumatic. The molecular mechanisms of some of these diseases have been discovered; for others, e.g., multiple sclerosis, the etiologies are still unknown. Given the dependence on myelin for normal function, the issue of myelin repair, i.e., remyelination, acquires a crucial significance. For a long time the popularly held view was that there is little to no remyelination in the CNS. This notion has now evolved; while CNS remyelination may be scanty and finite, it occurs. This raises the important question as to the origin of the remyelinating cell.
Psychological Aspects of Genetic Counseling. IX. Teaching and Counseling

The goals, philosophies, and procedures of the teaching and counseling approaches to genetic counseling are differentiated and compared. The teaching approach, inherited from academic practitioners earlier in this century, appears to remain the dominant form of contemporary practice. With the introduction of more nonphysician professionals, attempts are being made to combine a teaching model with counseling procedures. The goals of the two models are conspicuously different; one attempts to end up with an "educated" counselee whereas the other hopes to leave the latter psychologically more autonomous and functional. Both models have strengths and limitations. The teaching model is essentially a form of health education, not counseling, and, with some exceptions, tends to fulfill its goals. The strategy of teaching, however, tends to undermine the psychological self-directedness of counselees and thus interferes with the processes they need to draw on to make autonomous decisions. The strength of the counseling model is in helping counselees reach decisions and deal with the personal meaning of information. However, applying this model makes huge demands on the professional. Greater attention needs to be given by training programs to the pedagogical and counseling skills genetic counselors may need in their professional work.
Alteration of Mucin in Human Conjunctival Epithelia in Dry Eye

PURPOSE. The objective of this study was to determine whether alteration in mucins could be detected in patients with dry eye symptoms by using the monoclonal antibody HI85, which recognizes carbohydrate epitopes on mucin molecules. METHODS. Immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy was used to examine binding of HI85 antibody to conjunctival cells obtained by nitrocellulose filter paper stripping (impression cytology). Two study populations were examined. Study I included 22 patients with dry eye symptoms and 13 normal volunteers. Study II included 16 aqueous-deficient dry eye patients and 14 age-matched control subjects. RESULTS. Results of the studies demonstrated significant differences in binding patterns of H185 to conjunctival cells in normal eyes compared with those of patients with dry eye symptoms. In normal eyes, the antibody bound to apical cells in a mosaic pattern, with cells exhibiting either light, medium, or intense binding. A predominant pattern in patients with dry eye symptoms was loss of the mosaic pattern with replacement by a "starry sky" pattern in which there was a lack of apical cell binding (hence, dark sky) but increased binding to goblet cells (hence, stars in the sky). The starry sky pattern correlated with rose bengal staining. CONCLUSIONS. From these studies it is concluded that there is an alteration either in mucin distribution or mucin glycosylation on the surfaces of apical conjunctival cells in dry eye and that glycosylation of goblet cell mucins changes with the disease. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1998;39: 2602-2609)
Abstract #5332: Adiponectin-mediated inhibition of metastatic properties of breast cancer cells involves upregulation of tumor suppressor gene, LKB1 and modulation of AMPK-S6K axis.

Adiponectin is one of the most important adipocytokines secreted from adipose tissue. It is widely known as an adipocytokine with therapeutic potential for its markedly protective role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related disorders, metabolic syndrome, systemic insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease and more recently carcinogenesis. Several recent clinical studies have reported that low serum levels of adiponectin are associated with increased risk and a more aggressive phenotype (large size of tumor and increased metastasis) of breast cancer but the complex underlying molecular mechanisms have remained largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which adiponectin inhibits metastatic properties of breast cancer cells. Our results showed that adiponectin efficiently inhibited growth and migration potential of breast cancer cells. Further analysis revealed that adiponectin treatment increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and activity as evident by increased phosphorylation of downstream target of AMPK, Acetyl CoA Carboxylase (ACC). Upregulation of AMPK in response to adiponectin treatment also resulted in inhibition of mTOR activity. Intriguingly, we discovered that adiponectin up-regulates the expression of tumor suppressor gene, LKB1 in breast cancer cells. Overexpression of LKB1 in breast cancer cells further increased adiponectin-mediated phosphorylation of AMPK. Using isogenic LKB1 knockdown cell line pair, we found that LKB1 is required for adiponectin-mediated modulation of AMPK-S6K axis and more importantly, inhibition of metastatic properties of breast cancer cells. Taken together these data suggest a novel mechanism involving LKB1-AMPK-S6K axis by which adiponectin inhibits growth and migration of breast cancer cells. Our findings indicate the possibility of using adiponectin analogues to inhibit the metastatic properties of breast cancer cells. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 5332.
Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Have an Increased Incidence of Aspirin Resistance: Association of PFA-100 Closure Time with Clinical Findings.

Background: The occurrence of thrombotic events despite aspirin (ASA) therapy in patients with vascular disease has been termed ASA resistance. However, limited data are available correlating laboratory evidence of platelet function with clinical ASA resistance. The PFA-100 collagen/epinephrine (COL/EPI) cartridge can detect the ASA-induced inhibition of platelet cyclooxygenase 1 in a high shear flow environment that mimics in vivo arterial conditions. Aim: To investigate whether there is an association of PFA-100 test results with clinical ASA resistance. Methods: Peripheral blood was collected prior to angiography from 560 sequential ASA-treated patients (81 or 325 mg > 3 d). Patients receiving thienopyridines were not excluded but those receiving GPIIb-IIIa antagonists were. Patients with normal angiographic arteries ("No CAD", low probability of ASA resistance) were compared to those with angiographic CAD or a single prior CAD event and to those with multiple CAD events ("CAD" and "Repeat CAD" respectively, higher probability of ASA resistance). Citrate 3.8% anticoagulated blood was tested in the PFA-100 in duplicate using the COL/EPI test cartridge. Patients in the No CAD group were younger, more often female, and less often diabetic, hypertensive, and lipidemic than CAD or Repeat CAD patients. Results: A short (< 142 s) closure time (CT) in at least one of the duplicate PFA-100 COL/EPI cartridges occurred more frequently in CAD and Repeat CAD patients compared to No CAD patients (p < 0.05, Table). Conclusions: Failure of ASA to inhibit platelet function, as measured by the PFA-100, is associated with CAD, even in patients without prior history of CAD. The PFA-100, a shear-dependent system, may therefore be a useful test to assess the presence of ASA resistance. This test, unlike some tests for aspirin resistance, does not include ADP and therefore can be used in patients receiving thienopyridines (a frequent co-medication with aspirin). | | No CAD | CAD | Repeat CAD | |:------------------------------------:| ------ | ---- | ---------- | | *p<0.05 vs. No CAD | | PFA-100 CT < 142 s (no. of patients) | 4 | 45 | 26 | | PFA-100 CD ≥ 142 s (no. of patients) | 79 | 251 | 155 | | Total (no. of patients) | 83 | 296 | 181 | | % PFA-100 CT < 142 s | 5% | 15%* | 14%* |
Beyond one pill, once daily: current challenges of antiretroviral therapy management in the United States

Introduction: Modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) has revolutionized HIV treatment. ART regimens are now highly efficacious, well-tolerated, safe, often with one multi-drug pill, once-daily regimen...
Microbe Art Can Educate & Correct Misconceptions about Microorganisms

Microorganisms are diverse, minute, simple life-forms that generally cannot be seen by the naked eye and require the use of a microscope to be visualized. They have a great impact on all other life-forms. Their tiny size conceals them from us, engendering misunderstanding and fear due to the diseases caused by only a tiny minority of them. We conceptualized and installed an art exhibition called Tiny Enormous with the intent to educate our campus community and correct misconceptions about microorganisms. Tiny Enormous utilized a variety of artistic media, including paint, sculpture, video, and preserved plates, to display the diversity and ubiquity of microbes, and a series of infographics to illustrate key concepts and correct misconceptions. We surveyed visitors at the opening and closing receptions to examine their knowledge about, and perceptions and attitudes toward, microorganisms prior to and after visiting the exhibition. Respondents who had viewed Tiny Enormous demonstrated better knowledge of microbiological terms and concepts and self-reported increased knowledge about microorganisms compared to those who had not. Perceptions that microorganisms were harmful did not differ between subjects prior to and after visiting Tiny Enormous, possibly because of the exhibition's information about “superbugs.” Our results suggest that artistic representations of microorganisms are effective educational tools for both academic and nonacademic audiences.
Additively Manufactured, Miniature Multi-Emitter Ionic Wind Pumps

We report the design, fabrication, and characterization of the first miniature ionic wind pumps with monolithic, additively manufactured, multi-needle active electrodes. Our devices stably operate in air at atmospheric pressure and room temperature while generating a negative corona discharge. Our five-needle ionic wind pumps eject gas at 2.9 m/s and at a volumetric flow rate of 343 cm3/s, which is a threefold larger than the flow rate of a single-tip device with comparable efficiency. A model that efficiently and effectively predicts the long-timescale airflow characteristics from the computation intensive, short-timescale simulation of the corona process is presented and validated via experiments.
Are symptoms distinguishable in ovarian cancer? A nested case control study of insurance claims.

6063Background: Over 60% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed with Stage III and IV disease. The US healthcare system does not support a standard screening method for ovarian cancer. Our goal was ...
Complications Related to Lasers and Energy-Based Devices

Lasers (ablative and nonablative) and energy-based devices used in skin resurfacing and rejuvenating the periocular area may provide an excellent rehabilitative effect, but have been associated with specific complications. For example, the Er:YAG, nonablative lasers, intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, plasma resurfacing, and microfocused ultrasound have specific morbidity that should be recognized. The present work discusses complications including scar, infection, ectropion, pigmentary changes, dermatitis, acne, milia, and ocular injury, among others.
A Novel Surgical Technique for Posterior Glottic Stenosis Using a Silastic Implant.

Summary Objectives To introduce a novel surgical technique for the management of posterior glottic stenosis (PGS). Methods Literature review (PubMed 1973-2020) and case example of a patient treated with novel technique by principal investigator (R.T.S.) Results Numerous techniques for the treatment of PGS have had varying success. Our patient, a 67-year-old male with a 2-year history of posterior glottic stenosis secondary to multiple, prolonged intubations previously had been treated with several surgical and medical interventions. Three weeks following an additional endotracheal intubation, he presented to our office with PGS recurrence, exhibiting hoarseness, and shortness of breath with any physical activity. He was treated with a silastic sheet placed through a tunnel in the stenosis and sutured posteriorly as a stent. The stent was removed 3 weeks later and the remaining stenosis was divided, successfully treating our patient's PGS with long-term improvement in both respiratory and voice complaints. This led to the design of a stent to be used for this purpose. Conclusions This new surgical technique addresses a complex clinical problem and provides otolaryngologists with a minimally invasive option for the surgical treatment of PGS that offers advantages over existing techniques. The two-stage procedure should reduce the risk of recurrence, but more experience is needed. This novel implant may be a valuable tool in the treatment of select patients with mild-moderate PGS.
Finite Element Analysis and Techno-economic Modeling of Solar Silicon Molten Salt Electrolysis

A new process is presented for low-cost one-step production of pure solid silicon from natural quartzite by molten salt electrolysis. At a process temperature of 1100°C, a techno-economic model including detailed mass and energy balances estimates energy consumption below 15 kWh/kg, with operating cost of $1.74/kg and capital cost around $10,500 per t/a (tonne annually) of production capacity for a 160,000 t/a plant. Use of an inert solid oxide membrane anode results in a pure oxygen by-product and no direct emissions. Finite element analysis estimates the current density distribution and total current to inform the design of slab-shaped solid silicon cathodes.
An Exploration in Mindfulness: Classroom of Detectives:

Background/ContextThis exploratory feasibility study assesses a mindfulness program in a fifth-grade classroom. The research discussed herein was built on a previous study targeted at a specific po...
Effects of acquired vestibular pathology on the organization of mouse exploratory behavior

Rodent open field behavior is highly organized and occurs spontaneously in novel environments. This organization is disrupted in mice with vestibular pathology, suggesting vestibular signals provide important contributions to this behavior. A caveat to this interpretation is that previous studies have investigated open field behavior in adult mice with congenital vestibular dysfunction, and the observed deficits may have resulted from developmental changes instead of the lack of vestibular signals. To determine which aspects of open field behavior depend specifically on vestibular signals, mouse movement organization was examined under dark and light conditions at two time points, 1 and 2 months, after bilateral chemical labyrinthectomy. Our results show that acquired vestibular damage selectively disrupted the organization of open field behavior. Access to visual environmental cues attenuated, but did not eliminate, these significant group differences. Improvement in movement organization from the first to the second testing session was limited to progression path circuity. These observations provide evidence for the role of the vestibular system in maintaining spatial orientation and establishes a foundation to investigate neuroplasticity in brain systems that process self-movement information.
Moving voices: Tony Kushner, Journeys from the Abyss: The Holocaust and Forced Migration from the 1880s to the Present. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press 2017. xii+348pp. Notes. Bibl. Ind. £24.95 pbk, £90 hbk. ISBN 978-1-786-94063-6 pbk, 978-1-786-94062-9 hbk.

Journeys from the Abyss offers a broad historical sweep of forced migrations from the end of the nineteenth century until the present. The time period works well as the end of the nineteenth centur...
Predicting Environmental Chemical Carcinogenicity using a Hybrid Machine-Learning Approach

ABSTRACT Determining environmental chemical carcinogenicity is an urgent need as humans are increasingly exposed to these chemicals. In this study, we determined the carcinogenicity of wide variety real-life exposure chemicals in large scale. To determine chemical carcinogenicity, we have developed carcinogenicity prediction models based on the hybrid neural network (HNN) architecture. In the HNN model, we included new SMILES feature representation method, by modifying our previous 3D array representation of 1D SMILES simulated by the convolutional neural network (CNN). We used 653 molecular descriptors modeled by feed forward neural network (FFNN), and SMILES as chemical features to train the models. We have developed three types of machine learning models: binary classification models to predict chemical is a carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic, multiclass classification models to predict severity of the chemical carcinogenicity, and regression models to predict median toxic dose of the chemicals. Along with the hybrid neural network (HNN) model that we developed, Random Forest (RF), Bootstrap Aggregating (Bagging) and Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost) methods were also used for binary and multiclass classification. Regression models were developed using HNN, RF, Support Vector Regressor (SVR), Gradient Boosting (GB), Kernel Ridge (KR), Decision Tree with AdaBoost (DT), KNeighbors (KN), and a consensus method. For binary classification, our HNN model predicted with an average accuracy of 74.33% and an average AUC of 0.806, for multiclass classification, the HNN model predicted with an average accuracy of 50.58% and an average micro-AUC of 0.68, and for regression model, the consensus method achieved R2 of 0.40. The predictive performance of our models based on a highly diverse chemicals is comparable to the literature reported models that included the similar and less diverse molecules. Our models can be used in identifying the potentially carcinogenic chemicals for a wide variety of chemical classes.
Acute Extrapyramidal Side Effects from Smoked Haloperidol.

Introduction Haloperidol is a dopamine receptor antagonist used to treat patients with psychotic disorders. Especially at high doses, haloperidol carries a higher risk of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) compared to second-generation antipsychotics. Few cases of haloperidol misuse are found in the medical literature. Case Presentation. We describe a patient with schizophrenia who smoked marijuana mixed with crushed haloperidol tablets. After the smoking of cannabis and haloperidol, the patient presented to the emergency department (ED) with suicidal ideation, psychosis, and acute dystonia. With the administration of intramuscular diphenhydramine at the ED, the dystonia resolved in less than an hour. To our knowledge, this is the first report on haloperidol misuse by smoking. Conclusion Clinicians should be aware that patients might misuse prescribed antipsychotics via unconventional routes, potentially combined with other substances.
Specific licensing considerations for modified live pseudorabies vaccines in the United States.

This chapter discusses the specific licensing considerations for modified live pseudorabies vaccines in the United States. All veterinary biologics licensed in the United States—including pseudorabies vaccines—must be in compliance with the Virus Serum Toxin Act (VSTA) of 1913 as amended by the Food Security Act of 1985. Guidelines to clarify the requirements for licensing these products are found in Veterinary Services Memorandums, Notices, and General Licensing Considerations. The Center for Veterinary Biologics-Laboratory (CVB-L) provides Supplemental Assay Methods (SAM) that are the recommended protocols for conducting some of the tests required by the regulations. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 must also be considered in the licensing of any live product, particularly products produced through biotechnology. NEPA governs the release of organisms into the environment as a result of field testing and/or licensing. The establishment where the vaccine is produced must either have an establishment license or be able to qualify for an establishment license at the time the pseudorabies product license is issued.
Studies on the human aortic bifurcation. Part 2. Predilection sites of early lipid deposits in relation to preformed arterial structures.

The site of fatty streaking in the human aortic bifurcation has been re-examined in 22 specimens from persons who died suddenly between the ages of 14 and 35 years. In contrast to the earlier data of others which pointed to the predominant involvement of either lateral or medical wall, fatty streaking has been found to be localized initially along the posterior wall of the bifurcation and its daughter vessels, i.e. common iliac arteries. This localization appears to be related to a prominent development of the intima along the posterior wall of the bifurcation. The appearance of fatty streaking along this wall may also be favored by the slightly curved pattern of the human aortic bifurcation. The morphometric analysis demonstrates a greater involvement of right common iliac artery by fatty streaking as compared with the left artery. The elastic sheet covering the divider of the bifurcation was identified microscopically as another common site of an early lipid deposition in the aortic bifurcation. The early lipid infiltration of the elastic sheets is partly responsible for the diffuse reddish coloration ("blush") appearing with gross fat staining at the lateral aspects of the divider and in other affected areas.
Sustaining learning in critical domains of robotic systems

Previous research in the field of Artificial Intelligence has focused on systems that are based on basic ideas of human long-term learning. These systems are not easily applicable to critical situations for robotic systems. In risky situations robotic systems use hierarchical/instinctual memory to address these perilous situations. However, this instinctual memory is often modified over long periods of time resulting in a sustained long-term memory system that interacts with the hierarchical system. In this paper a new method to modify and create learning in hierarchical/instinctualmemory is introduced in order to create a robotic system that is more capable of surviving in critical states. This new procedure draws on Learning Theory from the field of Cognitive Psychology in order to create and maintain this learning system for robotic structures. The new system that was created was first developed by re-analyzing the basic structure of memory and learning systems previously used in robotic systems. It is composed of six basic structures-Instinctual learning, Short-term learning, Long-term learning, motor memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory/knowledge base. Motor memory closely interacts exclusively with Instinctual Learning in a bi-directional relationship. Instinctual Learning also interacts with itself. The short term learning system interacts with both short-term memory as well as short-term learning itself. Finally, the long term learning system interacts with both long-term memory/knowledge base and long term learning. Both long-term learning and long-term memory can modify instinctuallearning; instinctuallearning can also modify long-term learning. The short and long- term learning structures interact and can modify one another. All modifications take place due to the repetitiveness and/or distinctiveness of the actions specified. For example, instinctual learning is self-modifiable through repetition in certain states, and this will also modify long-term learning and the long-term knowledge base. This system creates structures to deal with particular situations, but these distinct structures are also highly interactive. This provides a means to create sustained learning in risky domains. This system will allow practical robotic systems in critical domains to learn faster. This scheme has breakthrough potential for practical robotic systems such as military defense, police and rescue situations, medical diagnostic systems and other critical domain applications.
Elastic wave velocities of peridotite KLB-1 at mantle pressures and implications for mantle velocity modeling

Compressional (VP) and shear (VS) wave velocities of a synthetic KLB-1 peridotite were measured for the first time up to 10 GPa using ultrasonic interferometry. Analysis of the P and S wave velocities yielded K0 = 123(1) GPa, K0′ = 5.1(2), G0 = 75(1) GPa, and G0′= 1.3(1) for the bulk and shear moduli and their pressure derivatives. Comparison with Voigt-Reuss-Hill (VRH) calculations based on literature elasticity data for its constituent minerals indicates that the experimentally measured P and S wave velocities, densities, bulk sound velocities, and VP/VS ratios fall close to the lower limit of VRH averages associated with the uncertainties of the mineral elasticity data. A comparison with previous modeling of mantle compositions implies that the velocities for an aggregate with the pyrolitic composition of KLB-1 are in close agreement with seismic data at the depths of the Earth's upper mantle.
A 140-Bp-Long Palindromic Sequence Induces Double-Strand Breaks during Meiosis in the Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Palindromic sequences have the potential to form hairpin or cruciform structures, which are putative substrates for several nucleases and mismatch repair enzymes. A genetic method was developed to detect such structures in vivo in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using this method we previously showed that short hairpin structures are poorly repaired by the mismatch repair system in S. cerevisiae. We show here that mismatches, when present in the stem of the hairpin structure, are not processed by the repair machinery, suggesting that they are treated differently than those in the interstrand base-paired duplex DNA. A 140-bp-long palindromic sequence, on the contrary, acts as a meiotic recombination hotspot by generating a site for a double-strand break, an initiator of meiotic recombination. We suggest that long palindromic sequences undergo cruciform extrusion more readily than short ones. This cruciform structure then acts as a substrate for structure-specific nucleases resulting in the formation of a double-strand break during meiosis in yeast. In addition, we show that residual repair of the short hairpin structure occurs in an MSH2-independent pathway.
Chapter 2 Approaches for Studying Intracellular pH Regulation in Mammalian Renal Cells

Publisher Summary All intracellular processes are pH sensitive. Thus, pH i regulation is of extreme importance for the normal functioning of the epithelial cell. In addition, controlled changes in pH i modulate transepithelial solute transport, modify biochemical or endocrinological function, or regulate cell growth and differentiation. Epithelial cells engage in the transepithelial transport of acid-base equivalents. Because the same ion transport systems involved in transepithelial acid-base transport are also involved in pH i regulation, thus, an examination of transport mechanisms affecting pH i sheds light on transepithelial transport processes that are of vital importance to the organism. This chapter focuses on the development of an optical absorbance technique to study acid–base transport in mammalian renal cells. The optical absorbance technique permits the measurement of rapid pH i changes in isolated perfused renal tubules and in single cultured cells. Applied to mammalian cells, the optical technique can identify several acid–base transport systems: (1) a luminal Na–H exchanger, (2) a basolateral Na–H exchanger, and (3) independent Na–H and Cl–HCO 3 exchangers. In addition, this optical technique is relatively easy to use. It should be of value in further studies of the transport systems already identified, and in characterizations of acid-base transport systems in other mammalian epithelia.
On the Approximability of Some Haplotyping Problems

In this paper, we study several versions of optimization problems related to haplotype reconstruction/identification. The input to the first problem is a set C 1 of haplotypes, a set C 2 of haplotypes, and a set G of genotypes. The objective is to select the minimum number of haplotypes from C 2 so that together with haplotypes in C 1 they resolve all (or the maximum number of) genotypes in G . We show that this problem has a factor-O (logn ) polynomial time approximation. We also show that this problem does not admit any approximation with a factor better than O (logn ) unless P=NP. For the corresponding reconstruction problem, i.e., when C 2 is not given, the same approximability results hold. The other versions of the haplotype identification problem are based on single individual haplotyping, including the well-known Minimum Fragment Removal (MFR) and Minimum SNP Removal (MSR), which have both shown to be APX-hard previously. We show in this paper that MFR has a polynomial time O (logn )-factor approximation. We also consider Maximum Fragment Identification (MFI), which is the complementary version of MFR; and Maximum SNP Identification (MSI), which is the complementary version of MSR. We show that, for any positive constant *** < 1, neither MFI nor MSI has a factor-n 1 *** *** polynomial time approximation algorithm unless P=NP.
The S229L colon tumor-associated variant of DNA polymerase β induces cellular transformation as a result of decreased polymerization efficiency.

DNA polymerase β (Pol β) plays a key role in base excision repair (BER) by filling in small gaps that are generated after base adducts are excised from the DNA. Pol β is mutated in a large number of colorectal tumors, and these mutations may drive carcinogenesis. In the present study, we wished to determine whether the S229L somatic Pol β variant identified in a stage 3 colorectal tumor is a driver of carcinogenesis. We show that S229L does not possess any defects in binding to either DNA or nucleotides compared with the WT enzyme, but exhibits a significant loss of polymerization efficiency, largely due to an 8-fold decrease in the polymerization rate. S229L participates in BER, but due to its lower catalytic rate, does so more slowly than WT. Expression of S229L in mammalian cells induces the accumulation of BER intermediate substrates, chromosomal aberrations, and cellular transformation. Our results are consistent with the interpretation that S229L is a driver of carcinogenesis, likely as a consequence of its slow polymerization activity during BER in vivo.
LINAC radiosurgery for intracranial cavernous malformation: 10-year experience.

Abstract Background The annual hemorrhage rate of intracranial cavernous malformation (CM) is reported to range from 0.23% to 1.1%. Because of the low hemorrhage rate, operating on a deep symptomatic lesion with or without hemorrhage is considered controversial. For the prevention of hemorrhage, radiosurgery is an alternative method, targeting smaller lesions and delivering higher doses of radiation. Linear accelerator (LINAC) radiosurgery, aside from the gamma knife (GK), is not often discussed in the treatment of CM. Patients and methods From 1995 to 2005, 30 patients presenting with hemorrhage or seizures, aged 14–79 years (mean 24.0 years) with single (27 patients) or multiple (three patients) CMs received LINAC radiosurgery at our institute. Six patients received LINAC radiosurgery following craniotomy for residual lesions revealed by the follow-up MRI. The temporal lobe was the most common site for CM in this series ( n =8), followed by the brain stem ( n =7). Thirty patients received 34 radiosurgery treatments with peripheral doses ranging from 800cGy to 2200cGy. The mean follow-up time was 59.9 months (range 1–122 months). Results One patient re-bled post-radiosurgery (0.67% in 149.75 observation-years). Two patients had asymptomatic post-LINAC edema (6.7%). Those three patients were symptom-free during the follow-up period. Conclusion We suggest that LINAC radiosurgery is a relatively safe technique for treating deep or residual CM, although the actual effectiveness for CM obliteration is not known.
Computing co-state variables for discrete event systems

By way of the solution to a long standing problem in production lines, we illustrate how to apply a well known control theoretic technique to discrete event dynamical systems.