cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A nodal link perceptron network with applications to control of a nonholonomic system

A new perceptron neural network (PNN) for functional approximation and control of a general class of nonlinear systems is introduced. The basic structure of the network along with the conditions for its exponential convergence under a suitable training law are derived. A novel discrete-time control strategy is formulated that employs the PNN for direct online estimation of the feedforward control input. The developed controller can be applied to both discrete- and continuous-time plants. Unlike most of the existing direct adaptive or learning schemes, the nonlinear plant is not assumed to be feedback linearizable. The developed controller is then applied for tracking control of a nonholonomic (free-flying) robot. The simulation results of this application demonstrate a perfect tracking performance after the network is fully trained. >
Parametric Images of Blood Flow in Oncology PET Studies Using [15O]Water

PET was used to measure tumor blood flow, which is potentially valuable for diagnosis and assessing the effects of therapy. To help visualize regional differences in blood flow and to improve the accuracy of region-of-interest placement, a parametric imaging approach was developed and compared with the standard region-of-interest method. Methods: Five patients with renal cell metastases in the thorax were studied using [15O]water and dynamic PET. To assess the reproducibility of the blood flow measurements, multiple water studies were performed on each patient. Model fitting was done on a pixel-by-pixel basis using several different formulations of the standard single-compartment model. Results: The tumors studied spanned a wide range of blood flows, varying from 0.4 to 4.2 mL/min/g. These values were generally high compared with those of most other tissues, which meant that the tumors could be readily identified in parametric images of flow. The different model formulations produced images with different characteristics, and no model was entirely valid throughout the field of view. Although tumor blood flow measured from the parametric images was largely unbiased with respect to a standard regional method, large errors were observed with certain models in regions of low flow. The most robust model throughout the field of view had only 1 free parameter and, compared with a regional method, gave rise to a flow bias of 0.3% ± 3.1% for tumor and 16% ± 11% for low-flow soft tissue (muscle plus fat). With this model, tumor blood flow was measured with an SD of 7.6% ± 4.0%. Conclusion: Parametric imaging provides a convenient way of visualizing regional changes in blood flow, which may be valuable in studies of tumor blood flow.
The Case for Tailored Prostate Cancer Screening: An NCCN Perspective

A preponderance of clinical evidence supports a significant public health benefit for screening and early detection of prostate cancer in selected men. The challenge lies in maximizing early diagnosis of potentially aggressive but curable disease while minimizing diagnosis and treatment of indolent disease. A tailored approach to population screening in appropriately counseled men, using an evidence-based strategy with judicious prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, will reduce prostate-cancer mortality yet limit overdetection of clinically insignificant disease. Use of newer biomarkers that increase specificity for prostate cancer detection, including percentage of free PSA, 4Kscore, prostate health index, prostate cancer antigen 3, and multiparametric MRI may be considered under certain circumstances.
Distal embolization after percutaneous coronary interventions: prediction, prevention, and relevance.

Atherosclerotic plaques responsible for coronary heart disease are heterogeneous in their composition, containing a variable amount of lipid, scar tissue, calcium, neovessels, inflammatory cells, and thrombotic material ([1][1]). In comparison with lesions found in stable coronary heart disease,
Multirobot Navigation Using Cooperative Teams

Mobile robots may utilize interrobot sensing and communications to improve the cooperative navigation capabilities of a group based on optimal estimation and control algorithms [12]. In this paper, we show that cooperative teaming strategies based on these principles may be used to further improve navigation. The partition of the group into virtual teams is used to optimally balance the net speed of motion with the uncertainty in navigational position. Analysis of the CNS principles for partitioned groups leads to simulation experiments in which alternative teaming strategies are evaluated based on an overall time-uncertainty cost function. The results suggest that smaller teams of robots are preferred when interrobot sensing is more accurate, since the use of other teams as position references is more effective. Similarly, a round-robin motion plan among teams yields the best compromise between speed and uncertainty. The resulting analysis and strategies are directly applicable to cooperative robot applications in which some robot subgroups adopt navigation service tasks to assist in overall navigation of the group.
Valence-bond determination of diradical character of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: from acenes to rectangular benzenoids.

The number of Kekule resonance structures in a conjugated hydrocarbon is a measure of its singlet ground state, and its number of Dewar resonance structures is a measure of the triplet contribution to its ground state. We present a 2-dimensional organized study of rectangular benzenoids having both armchair and zigzag edges that play an important role in the electronic properties of nanographene patches and strips. Analytical expressions for the number of Dewar resonance structures (DS) for select series of rectangular benzenoid hydrocarbons are presented for the first time. An index of biradical character present (BRC) in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is defined and illustrated. Biradical character is strongly influenced by zigzag edges and the presence of a diradical excised internal structure in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
The relation between species numbers and island characteristics for habitat islands in a volcanic landscape

Within the Craters of the Moon Lava Flow in southeastern Idaho are kipukas, islands of sagebrush habitat isolated by relatively barren lava. In 1979 I counted the number of species of plants, small mammals, and reptiles for a series of kipukas. The degree of isolation of a kipuka was not related to numbers of species found there; thus, these data do not support the equilibrium theory of island biogeography. For most of the study organisms lava is not a significant barrier to dispersal. Larger kipukas support larger numbers of species. For plants this relationship likely is a result of the increased topographic variety of larger kipukas, whereas for small mammal species minimum area requirements for maintaining populations are met only by larger kipukas. More distant kipukas showed increased density of small mammals possibly as a result of reduced predation. Patterns of distribution in this ecosystem are best explained, not by any all-inclusive community mechanism, but through the agglomerative contributions of a variety of population and community functions.
'Passing the Baton': The Effects of CEO Succession Planning on Firm Performance and Volatility

This paper examines the effects of incoming CEOs' years being an heir apparent (relay length) on firm post-turnover performance and volatility. I estimate heirs apparent based on non-CEO executives' promotion likelihood estimated from a set of executive characteristics. I find robust evidence that firms with longer relay attain higher post-turnover accounting performance, higher long-term stock returns, and lower volatility. Furthermore, the effects on performance are stronger for firms with more specific human capital. These results suggest the important role of relay in smoothing CEO transitions. The paper also shows that the difference between inside and outside successions as found in previous studies is fully explained by firms' relay length.
Coronary Thrombolysis: Practical Considerations

The decision to administer thrombolytic agents to patients with acute myocardial infarction requires consideration of both the potential risks and benefits of treatment. In patients treated very early (1 to 2 hours) after the onset of infarction, benefit has been established. In those presenting later, factors such as age, location of infarction, the interval from the onset of symptoms to treatment, and any risks of therapy need to be weighed. Thisarticle will review the selection of patients for treatment, the state of the art for its implementation, and for the use of adjunctive therapies.
There’s Just Not Enough Roc in the World

This case discusses the pharmacokinetic interaction between rocuronium and carbamazepine, resulting in shortened duration of neuromuscular blockade.
Reducing Newborn Office Visits and Improving Satisfaction through Parent Education and Learning Communities.

First-time parents have many questions about caring for their newborns, including concerns that are not addressed during the standard follow-up visits two days and two weeks after childbirth.1 These questions often bring the parents into the physician's office, but in many instances these visits are unnecessary and the issue could have been resolved by phone or by e-mail. In my clinical experience, parents are often annoyed when they realize that this is the case; they feel that they have wasted their time and money. At the same time, unnecessary visits increase costs and overburden physicians with visits that do not require their specialized training, leading to job dissatisfaction and burnout. Thus, the Kaiser Permanente (KP) health care system is adversely affected by these unnecessary visits. Educational programs can empower patients by teaching them when it is necessary to come in for a visit and when they can wait a situation out or try home remedies. Group education is an efficient way to educate patients and parents.2–4 It offers an opportunity for clinicians to reach more than one person at a time while providing parents the chance to learn and feel support from others in a situation similar to their own.5,6 Numerous types of pediatric office visits can be handled by inexpensive patient-education programs or parents sharing knowledge with each other. These include routine questions from new parents, particularly at key child-development milestones, and questions about newborn rashes, breastfeeding, constipation, and upper respiratory infections. At KP San Jose (formerly Santa Teresa), we conducted a pilot program targeted at parents of newborns to test the hypothesis that education, specifically group education with phone follow-up, could serve to reduce the frequency of unnecessary office visits while simultaneously increasing member satisfaction with KP's newborn care experience.
Human Capital, Skilled Immigrants, and Innovation

Prior to the 2004 immigration policy shock, innovative US firms, by acquiring human capital of skilled immigrant workers, effectively utilized an alternative to investment in the existing (domestic) human capital stock. Post-shock, firm-level innovation outcome, measured by patents and citations, declined significantly for the skilled immigrant-dependent firms. These firms responded to the policy shock by a preemptive reduction in R&D investment, retaining more of the incumbent immigrant workers to offset the reduction in new immigrant hiring, and hiring fewer workers. There has been no impact of the policy shock on the equity return for the immigrant-dependent firms around the shock.
Community Federally Qualified Health Centers as Homes for HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis: Perspectives from South Florida

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV has the potential to reduce HIV incidence in highly affected areas. The Southeastern United States is disproportionately impacted by HIV, and 3 counties in South Florida have the highest incidence of new HIV infections in the United States. This study explored the feasibility, acceptability, and uptake of PrEP in South Florida. Focus groups consisting of providers, administrators, and case managers at HIV-servicing community health centers and federally qualified health centers in South Florida reported broad support but low implementation of PrEP. Generally, participants indicated that the centers were appropriate locations for implementation. However, practical concerns and perceived limitations due to financial, insurance, and immigration status of those who would potentially benefit from the intervention were widely reported. Addressing provider concerns appears necessary for successful expansion of PrEP implementation in highly impacted areas such as South Florida.
Homosexuality in Dakar: Is the Bed the Heart of a Sexual Subculture?

In Dakar, Senegal, a bar forms a meeting place for a group of men who have sex with other men. In an original study, the author profiles this group and explains how cultural as well as economic forces shape meaning in these men’s lives. To place this study in context, the author provides a review of the anthropological literature concerning same-sex behavior in Africa. The author argues that the social formations in which men who have sex with men operate cannot explain their sexual personae, nor can sexual practices be explained by the cultural models that describe them.
In situ direct observation of toughening in isotropic nanocomposites of alumina ceramic and multiwall carbon nanotubes

Abstract Toughening of brittle ceramics by multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforcements is an attractive approach. However, in situ direct observation of crack propagation and direct toughness-curve (T-curve) measurements using sharp starter-cracks in well-controlled ceramic/MWCNTs nanocomposites are lacking. Here, fully-dense, isotropic Al2O3/10%MWCNTs nanocomposites with individually dispersed acid-treated MWCNTs are fabricated using colloidal processing and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The MWCNTs are primarily embedded within Al2O3 grain boundaries, and appear to be clamped by a large compressive residual stress of the order of −3.7 GPa. In situ-direct and ex situ characterization of crack propagation is performed, observations from which provide insights into the exceptional crack-bridging toughening mechanisms in these nanocomposites. It is revealed that random MWCNTs bridge the crack by ‘unfurling’ (or disentangling), aligning normal to the crack plane, and pulling out. It is confirmed that the MWCNTs pullout occurs primarily between the weakly bonded nested layers (‘sword-sheath’), accompanied by some helical unraveling. The T-curve (T(Δc)) measured using four-point bending on Al2O3/10%MWCNTs nanocomposite specimens containing sharp starter-cracks of various lengths (Δc) shows modest toughening, with the steady-state toughness reaching 4.6 MPa m0.5. Crack profile of a stable equilibrium crack in the Al2O3/10%MWCNTs nanocomposite is measured, and it is used to calculate the bridging-stress constitutive relation. This relation is used to calculate the T-curve independently, and it is found to compare favorably with the experimentally measured T-curve. The implications of this new understanding of toughening in isotropic ceramic/MWCNTs nanocomposites are discussed.
The evolution of breast cancer screening in the Medicare population: Clinical and economic implications.

1595 Background: Breast screening has evolved as newer approaches to mammography, ultrasound, and MRI have diffused into clinical practice. The use of these technologies and their impact on screeni...
TEATRO LATINO AMERICANO: INCURSÕES HISTÓRICAS E TEÓRICAS DAS ÚLTIMAS DÉCADAS A PARTIR DA CONTEMPORANEIDADE

RESUMO Pautado na perspectiva de que o teatro e uma pratica politica cultural, o presente artigo realiza, pelo vies historico e teorico, uma investigacao sobre o Teatro Latino Americano. A analise atravessa quatro decadas, partindo do Teatro Novo ate chegar a cultura de celebridade e a entronizacao do narcisismo na dramaturgia atual. Palavras-chave: Cultura; Historia; Teatro Politico; Arte ABSTRACT Based on the perspective that theater is a cultural political practice, this article carries out, through a historical and theoretical, an investigation about the Latin American Theater. The analysis goes through four decades, starting from the New Theater to arrive at a culture of celebrity and an entrance of narcissism in the current dramaturgy. Keywords: Culture; History; Political Theater; Art
Compass: Spatio Temporal Sentiment Analysis of US Election What Twitter Says!

With the widespread growth of various social network tools and platforms, analyzing and understanding societal response and crowd reaction to important and emerging social issues and events through social media data is increasingly an important problem. However, there are numerous challenges towards realizing this goal effectively and efficiently, due to the unstructured and noisy nature of social media data. The large volume of the underlying data also presents a fundamental challenge. Furthermore, in many application scenarios, it is often interesting, and in some cases critical, to discover patterns and trends based on geographical and/or temporal partitions, and keep track of how they will change overtime. This brings up the interesting problem of spatio-temporal sentiment analysis from large-scale social media data. This paper investigates this problem through a data science project called "US Election 2016, What Twitter Says". The objective is to discover sentiment on Twitter towards either the democratic or the republican party at US county and state levels over any arbitrary temporal intervals, using a large collection of geotagged tweets from a period of 6 months leading up to the US Presidential Election in 2016. Our results demonstrate that by integrating and developing a combination of machine learning and data management techniques, it ispossible to do this at scale with effective outcomes. The results of our project have the potential to be adapted towards solving and influencing other interesting social issues such as building neighborhood happiness and health indicators.
Rapid Calculation of Max-Min Fair Rates for Multi-Commodity Flows in Fat-Tree Networks

Max-min fairness is often used in the performance modeling of interconnection networks. Existing methods to compute max-min fair rates for multi-commodity flows have high complexity and are computationally infeasible for large networks. In this work, we show that by considering topological features, this problem can be solved efficiently for the fat-tree topology that is widely used in data centers and high performance compute clusters. Several efficient new algorithms are developed for this problem, including a parallel algorithm that can take advantage of multi-core and shared-memory architectures. Using these algorithms, we demonstrate that it is possible to find the max-min fair rate allocation for multi-commodity flows in fat-tree networks that support tens of thousands of nodes. We evaluate the run-time performance of the proposed algorithms and show improvement in orders of magnitude over the previously best known method. We further demonstrate a new application of max-min fair rate allocation that is only computationally feasible using our new algorithms.
Physiological and transcriptome analysis of heteromorphic leaves and hydrophilic roots in response to soil drying in desert Populus euphratica

Populus euphratica Olivier, which has been considered as a tree model for the study of higher plant response to abiotic stresses, survive in the desert ecosystem characterized by extreme drought stress. To survive in the harsh environmental condition the plant species have developed some plasticity such as the development of heteromorphic leaves and well-developed roots system. We investigated the physiological and molecular mechanisms enabling this species to cope with severe stress caused by drought. The heterophylly, evolved from linear to toothed-ovate shape, showed the significant difference in cuticle thickness, stomata densities, and sizes. Physiological parameters, SOD, POD, PPO, CAT activity, free proline, soluble protein and MDA contents fluctuated in response to soil drying. Gene expression profile of roots monitored at control and 4 moisture gradients regimes showed the up-regulation of 124, 130, 126 and 162 and down-regulation of 138, 251, 314, 168 DEGs, respectively. Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/ hydrolase gene (XET) up-regulated at different moisture gradients, was cloned and expressed in tobacco. The XET promoter sequence harbors the drought signaling responsive cis-elements. The promoter expression activity varies in different organs. Over-expression and knocked down transgenic tobacco plant analysis confirmed the role of XET gene in roots growth and drought resistance.
Evaluation of Iron Deficiency Anemia in a Pediatric Clinic in the Dominican Republic

Abstract Background Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia affect billions of people worldwide. Infants and young children are the most vulnerable. The Ninos Primeros en Salud pediatric clinic aims to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendation to screen all children at 12 months of age, a vital period for development and the time of greatest risk. Objectives To evaluate the clinic's performance screening for, diagnosing, and treating iron deficiency anemia; and to describe the prevalence and severity of anemia in infants and children attending a perirural clinic in the Dominican Republic. Methods A total of 293 charts were reviewed for hemoglobin tests performed between 9 and 15 months of age. If a hemoglobin screening was performed, then sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and laboratory data were collected. If blood tests revealed anemia, then the presence or absence of documented anemia diagnosis as well as the presence or absence of documented provision of iron therapy were recorded. Findings Less than one-third (87, 29.7%) of patients had a documented hemoglobin test performed in this age range. Of these, 89.6% indicated anemia and nearly half (48.6%) revealed moderate anemia. One-third (34%) of hemoglobin results revealing anemia were not accompanied by a documented diagnosis. The vast majority (86.5%) of results indicated microcytosis, yet just more than half (50.8%) of anemic patients received iron therapy. Conclusions Many children at the clinic were not screened for iron deficiency anemia during the period of highest risk. In the participants screened, iron deficiency anemia was underdiagnosed and often untreated. Anemia is a significant burden in this community—one demanding reliable screening and universal supplementation.
Electrosurgery: Part II. Technology, applications, and safety of electrosurgical devices

Electrosurgical currents can be delivered to tissue in monopolar or bipolar and monoterminal or biterminal modes, with the primary difference between these modes being their safety profiles. A monopolar electrosurgical circuit includes an active electrode and a dispersive (return) electrode, while there are 2 active electrodes in bipolar mode. In monoterminal mode, there is an active electrode, but there is no dispersive electrode connected to the patient's body and instead the earth acts as the return electrode. Biterminal mode uses a dispersive electrode connected to the patient's body, has a higher maximum power, and can be safer than monoterminal mode in certain situations. Electrosurgical units have different technologies for controlling the output power and for providing safety. A thorough understanding of these technologies helps with a better selection of the appropriate surgical generator and modes.
Applied system identification

1. Introduction. 2. Time-Domain Models. 3. Frequency-Domain Models. 4. Frequency Response Functions. 5. System Realization. 6. Observer Identification. 7. Frequency Domain System ID. 8. Observer/Controller ID. 9. Recursive Techniques. Appendix A: Fundamental Matrix Algebra. Appendix B: Random Variables and Kalman Filter. Appendix C: Data Acquisition.
Low-Field Effects and CIDNP of Biradical Reactions

The field dependence of the CIDNP effect based on the radical pair theory is discussed in terms of simple theory. Much use is made of perturbation arguments. Several experimental examples are taken from the literature and compared with theory. Next, the theory of CIDNP derived from biradical reactions is developed based on a simple model for the dynamic processes. The field dependence of the signals is discussed with the aid of experiments involving Norrish Type I cleavage of cycloalkanones. Some deficiencies of the model are pointed out. Two other reactions are also included in the discussion.
Assessing Components of Judgments in an Operational Setting

Aviation weather forecasting provides an excellent opportunity to study judgment and decision making under time pressure. Because the weather information supplied to air traffic controllers often determines traffic patterns, the timeliness of advisories can become critical. Significant weather activity increases demand on forecasters for rapid assimilation of information and rapid judgments. In addition, aviation forecasting represents an operational setting in which the only data available for analysis may be forecasts and outcomes. That is, in this setting, forecasters are working in “real time,” generating forecasts on the basis of dynamic information. In such a setting, it is inappropriate for researchers to intervene in order to introduce some type of experimental control. Yet it is just such situations that are the most representative and important regarding the effects of time pressure on judgment and decision making. Consequently, in such situations, statisticai decomposition of judgment and outcome data may be the best means of gaining insight into characteristics of performance affected by time pressure.
Abstract 1632: Suppression of EWS-FLI1 transcription using a combination therapy of mithramycin and cyclin-dependent kinase 9 inhibition

Background: Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a pediatric soft tissue tumor with a poor prognosis. ES is dependent on the presence and activity of the oncogenic transcription factor, EWS-FLI1, that dysregulates gene expression at hundreds of targets. We have previously identified mithramycin (MMA) as a potent inhibitor of EWS-FLI1 driven transcription. However, only sub-therapeutic concentrations have been achieved in pediatric patients. To maximize inhibition, we conducted an siRNA screen to identify gene targets that potentiated the effects of MMA in ES. Knock-down of several transcriptionally related genes significantly sensitized ES cells to the effects of MMA. We next developed a drug matrix screening platform to identify commercially available transcriptional inhibitors that also potentiated the effects of MMA on EWS-FLI1 driven transcription and ES cell viability. PHA-767491, a cyclin-dependent kinase 9 inhibitor (CDK9i), reverses the effect on EWS-FLI1 on several targets at both the mRNA and protein level across multiple ES cell lines when combined with MMA. Methods: We utilize matrix drug screening to identify that PHA-767491 synergizes with MMA in terms of a reduction in cell viability as measured by MTS and cell growth as measured by time-lapse microscopy. We use RT-qPCR to measure changes in gene expression across multiple well characterized targets of EWS-FLI1 driven transcription. We use western blot analysis to measure changes at the protein level for these targets as well. We then use an orthotopic xenograft mouse model to measure changes in tumor size after administration of our MMA-CDK9i combination therapy. Results: Our combination of MMA and PHA-767491 displays strong synergy as measured by Bliss-Independence. Multiple ES cell lines become unviable, with minimal effect on non-ES cells, and this effect is stable after removal of the compounds. This synergy is recapitulated as a reversal of EWS-FLI1 driven transcription across multiple targets at both the mRNA and protein levels. We are currently evaluating the combination therapy in our animal model comparing MMA-CDK9i to control or either agent alone. Importantly our MMA-CDK9i combination uses drug concentrations that are clinically achievable. Conclusions: We describe an MMA-CDK9i combination that displays excellent activity against EWS-FLI1 driven transcription. We confirmed this using multiple independent assays in both in vitro and in vivo models. We complete this work with the hope that it can eventually be translated to patients. Citation Format: Guillermo Flores, Joel Everett, Brandon Oswald, Natasha Caplen, Lee Helman, Zachary Madaj, Patrick Grohar. Suppression of EWS-FLI1 transcription using a combination therapy of mithramycin and cyclin-dependent kinase 9 inhibition [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1632.
Fascin Inhibition As a Novel Therapeeutic Strategy in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Fascin is an actin bundling protein used to form cellular projections (e.g. filipodia) involved in cell motility and invasion. Cancer cells often upregulate fascin, and in many cancer types this is associated with poor prognosis, likely due to increased invasive and metastatic potential. We have developed fascin inhibitors that prevent actin bundling and block breast cancer metastasis in mice. Here we explored the potential role of fascin inhibition in lymphoma. We have shown that fascin is upregulated in 44% of canine B-cell (n=62) and 57% of T-cell lymphoma cases (n=28), and that increased fascin expression is correlated with worse overall survival (p=0.03). B-cell lymphoma cases had a median survival time of 388 days while that of T-cell cases was 263 days. We have further shown that a fascin inhibitor, NP-G2-044, kills human and canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cells in vitro, and in vivo in mice bearing canine DLBCL xenografts, with GI50s ranging from 5 to 200uM. Animal toxicology studies (performed by Charles River Laboratories) show no hematologic or other toxicity in dogs and rats at concentrations up to 1,000 mg/kg/day for 28 days; these doses are much higher than the doses needed to achieve concentrations that kill lymphoma in vivo . Therefore, we are planning clinical studies in pet dogs with lymphoma to establish proof of principle prior to a human clinical trial. Collectively, our results demonstrate that fascin is a potential new therapeutic target in DLBCL. Disclosures Huang: Novita: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties: Cornell University and Novita Pharmaceutical has patient on the fascin described here. .
Running in Place

The Trump administration has altered perceptions of United States politics in many ways, in particular in understandings of the role and importance of campaigns, elections, parties, and voting beha...
Milk-derived miRNA profiles elucidate molecular pathways that underlie breast dysfunction in women with common genetic variants in SLC30A2

Studies in humans and pre-clinical animal models show milk-derived miRNAs reflect mammary gland function during lactation. The zinc transporter SLC30A2/ZnT2 plays a critical role in mammary gland function; ZnT2-null mice have profound defects in mammary epithelial cell (MEC) polarity and secretion, resulting in sub-optimal lactation. Non-synonymous genetic variation in SLC30A2 is common in humans, and several common ZnT2 variants are associated with changes in milk components that suggest breast dysfunction in women. To identify novel mechanisms through which dysfunction might occur, milk-derived miRNA profiles were characterized in women harboring three common genetic variants in SLC30A2 (D103E, T288S, and Exon 7). Expression of ten miRNAs differed between genotypes, and contributed to distinct spatial separation. Studies in breast milk and cultured MECs confirmed expression of ZnT2 variants alters abundance of protein levels of several predicted mRNA targets critical for breast function (PRLR, VAMP7, and SOX4). Moreover, bioinformatic analysis identified two novel gene networks that may underlie normal MEC function. Thus, we propose that genetic variation in genes critical for normal breast function such as SLC30A2 has important implications for lactation performance in women, and that milk-derived miRNAs can be used to identify novel mechanisms and for diagnostic potential.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Reduces Surgical Site Infection Rate, as well as Number and Severity of Pancreatic Fistulae after Pancreatoduodenectomy

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a major source of morbidity after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). We noted a higher than anticipated incidence of SSI in our patients undergoing PD, a...
Structure and relaxation dynamics of isolated molecular clusters

Molecules in isolated jet-cooled clusters often can undergo photoisomerization when electromically excited, giving rise to fluorescence Stokes shifts resembling those observed in condensed media. In order to understand such photoisomerization events in greater detail, the structures of different isomeric forms need to be measured precisely. This paper illustres some contemporary applications of rotational coherence spectroscopy to some structural problems of molecelar clusters, describing experimental principles and technical approaches The systems discussed involve several different kinds of interactions, ranging from nonpolar to hydrogen bonding and double-aromatic cases. The effects of vibronic excitation on rotational coherence transients of photoisomerizing aggregates are also examined.
To the Graduates: Integrity, Values, Friends

Op-ed with advice to graduates of all kinds, urging high ethical standards, work/life balance, being reflective, and seizing opportunities. Posted here because the publication reorganized its website and the link no longer works.
Attention-based generative models for de novo molecular design

Attention mechanisms have led to many breakthroughs in sequential data modeling but have yet to be incorporated into any generative algorithms for molecular design. Here we explore the impact of adding self-attention layers to generative β-VAE models and show that those with attention are able to learn a complex "molecular grammar" while improving performance on downstream tasks such as accurately sampling from the latent space ("model memory") or exploring novel chemistries not present in the training data. There is a notable relationship between a model's architecture, the structure of its latent memory and its performance during inference. We demonstrate that there is an unavoidable tradeoff between model exploration and validity that is a function of the complexity of the latent memory. However, novel sampling schemes may be used that optimize this tradeoff. We anticipate that attention will play an important role in future molecular design algorithms that can make efficient use of the detailed molecular substructures learned by the transformer.
Oxytocin for Autism Spectrum Disorder — Down, but Not Out

Autism spectrum disorder, a common neurodevelopmental disorder with onset in infancy, is characterized by deficits in social functioning and by repetitive–restrictive behaviors, such as repeated bo...
Prefrontal transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression in US military veterans - A naturalistic cohort study in the veterans health administration.

BACKGROUND Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an evidence-based treatment for pharmacoresistant major depressive disorder (MDD), however, the evidence in veterans has been mixed. To this end, VA implemented a nationwide TMS program that included evaluating clinical outcomes within a naturalistic design. TMS was hypothesized to be safe and provide clinically meaningful reductions in MDD and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. METHODS Inclusion criteria were MDD diagnosis and standard clinical TMS eligibility. Of the 770 patients enrolled between October 2017 and March 2020, 68.4% (n = 521) met threshold-level PTSD symptom criteria. Treatments generally used standard parameters (e.g., left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, 120% motor threshold, 10 Hz, 3000 pulses/treatment). Adequate dose was operationally defined as 30 sessions. MDD and PTSD symptoms were measured using the 9-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) and PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), respectively. RESULTS Of the 770 who received at least one session, TMS was associated with clinically meaningful (Cohen's d>1.0) and statistically significant (all p<.001) reductions in MDD and PTSD. Of the 340 veterans who received an adequate dose, MDD response and remission rates were 41.4% and 20%, respectively. In veterans with comorbid PTSD, 65.3% demonstrated clinically meaningful reduction and 46.1% no longer met PTSD threshold criteria after TMS. Side effects were consistent with the known safety profile of TMS. LIMITATIONS Include those inherent to retrospective observational cohort study in Veterans. CONCLUSIONS These multisite, large-scale data supports the effectiveness and safety of TMS for veterans with MDD and PTSD using standard clinical approaches.
Finding Success in Scholarship: How Physician Assistant Educators Can Overcome Barriers to Publication.

ABSTRACT Publishing scholarly work offers several benefits for physician assistants (PAs) in faculty roles. It allows them to establish expertise, disseminate knowledge, and advance their careers. However, due to a variety of barriers, PAs are often unable to build a portfolio of scholarly articles. They frequently lack the time, training, experience, and resources to complete large academic projects and navigate the complex publication process. This article offers 6 key strategies to help PAs in academic settings pursue scholarly work and achieve publication.
Endothelial Permeability in Inflammation

The electron microscopic studies of N. Simionescu and collaborators17–19 have clearly shown that the endothelium in the three basic segments of the microcirculation—arterioles, capillaries, and venules—differs in terms of ultrastructure and permeability. Segmental differences are obvious also in the inflammatory response. Indeed, those chemical mediators that increase microvascular permeability do so by affecting selectively the permeability of the venules; this was established by using a method that selectively marks leaky segments of the microcirculation, namely vascular labeling.13 A clue to this selectivity for the venules was provided by Heltianu et al. 5 who showed that the endothelium of these vessels is especially rich in histamine receptors. Another difference between capillary and venular endothelium is that the latter is able to contract in vivo under the stimulus of inflammatory mediators7; rather than reducing the caliber of the vessel, this contraction produces gaps between the endothelial cells, allowing the escape of fluid.7,14
Consequences of Formulating Quantum Mechanics on Phase Space

In this chapter, we shall discuss some of the consequences of viewing quantum mechanics from the phase space standpoint. The topics of our discussion fall naturally into five categories, the first two of which have already been partially treated. Specifically, we shall discuss (1) the classical/quantum connection, (2) the extension of quantum theory beyond the usual applications in physics, (3) (free) quantum fields from a rigorous mathematical standpoint, (4) the elimination of some of the illogical folklore appearing in the usual treatment of physics, and (5) some thoughts on a discrete quantum universe and computability. In the following chapter (other) foundational issues will be addressed.
Model Invalidation: A Connection between Robust Control and Identification

This paper begins to address the gap between the models used in robust control theory and those obtained from identification experiments by considering the connection between uncertain models and data. The model invalidation problem considered here is: given experimental data and a model with both additive noise and norm-bounded perturbations, is it possible that the model could produce the input/output data?
The molecular receptive range of an odorant receptor

An odor perception is the brain's interpretation of the activation pattern of many peripheral sensory neurons that are differentially sensitive to a wide variety of odors. The sensitivity of these neurons is determined by which of the thousand or so odor receptor proteins they express on their surface. Understanding the odor code thus requires mapping the receptive range of odorant receptors. We have adopted a pharmacological approach that uses a large and diverse pool of odorous compounds to characterize the molecular receptive field of an odor receptor. We found a high specificity for certain molecular features, but high tolerance for others—a strategy that enables the olfactory apparatus to be both highly discriminating, and able to recognize several thousand odorous compounds.
Kinetics of ligand binding to Pseudoterranova decipiens and Ascaris suum hemoglobins and to Leu-29-->Tyr sperm whale myoglobin mutant.

Abstract The kinetics of binding of O2, CO, and NO to the octameric, two-domain hemoglobins of the parasitic nematodes Pseudoterranova decipiens and Ascaris suum were determined on nanosecond and picosecond time scales using flash photolysis. The two nematode hemoglobins have very similar kinetic properties. On the picosecond time scale, they exhibit an unusual behavior in showing a geminate reaction with oxygen that is biphasic and dependent on the flash intensity. The geminate reaction with NO is also faster and more complete than for sperm whale myoglobin; however, in contrast to the O2 reaction, it is homogeneous. In addition, the oxygen dissociation rate of P. decipiens hemoglobin, 0.0035 s-1, is as low as that of A. suum hemoglobin, 0.004 s-1 (Gibson, Q. H., and Smith, M. H. (1965) Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci. 163, 206-214). A mutant of sperm whale myoglobin suggested by sequence alignment of the nematode hemoglobins, Leu-29-->Tyr, did not have kinetic properties similar to them.
Uterine cervical epithelium of fetal and immature human females in relation to estrogenic stimulation.

Abstract It has elsewhere been shown that estrogenic stimulation alters the histologic structure of the cervical squamocolumnar junction in mice. In order to determine if similar estrogen-controlled changes take place in the human, sections of cervix were examined from fetuses stimulated by maternal estrogen, and from nonstimulated immature females. Two types of junction were observed, being associated respectively with cervices showing positive and negative evidence of estrogenic stimulation. Certain histologic appearances were observed which are usually regarded as evidence that squamous metaplasia is in progress, and their existence was inversely correlated with evidence of estrogenic stimulation. It was concluded that the histologic character of the human squamocolumnar junction is determined by the level of estrogenic stimulation and that the histologic evidence usually advanced in favor of metaplasia is in fact open to more than one interpretation.
Plasma membrane vesiculation: A cellular response to injury

The shedding of plasma membrane vesicles has been shown to result from exposure of monolayer cell cultures to formaldehyde and other sulfhydryl blocking agents. Incubation of cells in concentrations of these agents as low as 5 to 10 mM for intervals as brief as fifteen minutes is effective (Scott, 1976). Plasma membrane vesiculation has been shown to be an energy-dependent process that requires Ca++ and physiological temperature. Following plasma membrane vesiculation, cell monolayers appear intact by phase microscopy and show only slight evidence of cell injury by electron microscopy. In view of these observations, the question has been raised whether plasma membrane vesiculation is compatible with continued cell growth and metabolism. The experiments described in this paper were designed to answer these questions. We pulse exposed 3T3 mouse embryo cells to concentrations of formaldehyde, between 2.5 and 250 mM, for intervals 15, 30 or 60 min. Cell momolayers were then washed in a variety of different media in an attempt to reverse the effect of formaldehyde on cells. Cell monolayers were thereafter assayed for the shedding of plasma membrane vesicles and for their ability to transport 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Cells were also replated in serum-containing medium and their ability to grow was assayed over a seven day interval. The results show an inverse relationship between the shedding of plasma membrane vesicles and the ability of the cells to transport nutrients and to grow. We interpret these data to suggest that the process of plasma membrane vesiculation results from a form of cell injury which blocks cellular metabolism and growth.
Seasonal dependence of MSTIDs obtained from 630.0 nm airglow imaging at Arecibo

[1] All-sky imaging data of 630.0 nm airglow emissions are used to study the seasonal and solar activity dependence of medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) over Arecibo, Puerto Rico (18.3° N, 66.7° W, 28° N mag lat). MSTIDs are typical F-region signatures at midlatitudes, yet limited statistical results in the American sector hindered the progress in our understanding of these dynamical structures. This study compiles data from 2002 to 2007 and shows for the first time that optically-determined MSTIDs at Arecibo present a semiannual pattern with peak occurrence at both solstices. In the Japanese longitude sector, a similar pattern has been found, but one with a main peak during local summer. This paper explains the high occurrence rate during local winter at Arecibo via E-layer/F-layer coupling and inter-hemispheric coupling, thus accounting for a consistent morphology between the two longitude sectors.
DS/CDMA successive interference cancellation

Conventional DS/CDMA detectors operate by enhancing a desired user while suppressing other users, considered as interference (multiple access interference, MAI) or noise. A different viewpoint is to consider other users not as noise but to jointly detect all users' signals (multiuser detection). This has significant potential of increasing capacity and near/far resistance. Optimal multiuser detection is, however, too complex to implement, thus motivating the search for suboptimal algorithms. Our objective is to underline the need for simplicity and to discuss what is a relatively simple form of multiuser detection (at the base station of a cellular system), successive interference cancellation. The cancellation scheme uses only components already present in a conventional detector. >
Photolysis rates in correlated overlapping cloud fields: Cloud-J 7.3c

Abstract. A new approach for modeling photolysis rates (J values) in atmospheres with fractional cloud cover has been developed and is implemented as Cloud-J – a multi-scattering eight-stream radiative transfer model for solar radiation based on Fast-J. Using observations of the vertical correlation of cloud layers, Cloud-J 7.3c provides a practical and accurate method for modeling atmospheric chemistry. The combination of the new maximum-correlated cloud groups with the integration over all cloud combinations by four quadrature atmospheres produces mean J values in an atmospheric column with root mean square (rms) errors of 4 % or less compared with 10–20 % errors using simpler approximations. Cloud-J is practical for chemistry–climate models, requiring only an average of 2.8 Fast-J calls per atmosphere vs. hundreds of calls with the correlated cloud groups, or 1 call with the simplest cloud approximations. Another improvement in modeling J values, the treatment of volatile organic compounds with pressure-dependent cross sections, is also incorporated into Cloud-J.
Bhutto and the Breakup of Pakistan. By Mohammed Yunus. (Karachi, Pakistan: Oxford University Press, 2012. Pp. 148. $20.00.)

The author of this book sheds light on the 1971 South Asian conflict that led to the breakup of Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. This is a book that makes no pretense to academic insight or...