cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduced complexity Volterra models for nonlinear system identification

A broad class of nonlinear systems and filters can be modeled by the Volterra series representation. However, its practical use in nonlinear system identification is sometimes limited due to the large number of parameters associated with the Volterra filter’s structure. The parametric complexity also complicates design procedures based upon such a model. This limitation for system identification is addressed in this paper using a fixed pole expansion technique (FPET) within the Volterra model structure. The FPET approach employs orthonormal basis functions derived from fixed (real or complex) pole locations to expand the Volterra kernels and reduce the number of estimated parameters. That the performance of FPET can considerably reduce the number of estimated parameters is demonstrated by a digital satellite channel example in which we use the proposed method to identify the channel dynamics. Furthermore, a gradient-descent procedure that adaptively selects the pole locations in the FPET structure is developed.
Instrumentation for Infrared Astronomy

Over the last 10 years infrared astronomy from 2 µm to 1000 µm has blossomed into a major field of observational astrophysics. This development would have been impossible without two major technical advances. First, extremely sensitive detectors have been developed and become available for astronomical applications. As detector sensitivity increased, the new astrophysical problems that could be explored as a consequence spurred on concomitant instrument sophistication. Secondly, and also motivated by the first development, major groups have expended much effort in building and operating telescopes above most or all of the earth's atmosphere, in order to circumvent its opacity and emission throughout the range. As wavelengths longer than 30 µm became available to observers, it became clear (cf the review article by Neugebauer, Becklin & Hyland 1971) that many sources are unexpectedly bright in that previously inaccessible wavelength region. This also provided impetus to improve the selection of available instrumentation.
Successful Isavuconazole therapy in a patient with acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis and acquired immune deficiency syndrome

Abstract Objectives To report a case of acute invasive Mucorales rhinosinusitis in a patient with acquired immune deficiency syndrome and diabetes mellitus. To provide a literature review on the role of Isavuconazole in the management of invasive Mucorales rhinosinusitis. Methods A literature review was conducted on August 9, 2015 using PubMed database. The keywords isavuconazole and invasive fungal rhinosinusitis were employed to identify original scientific manuscripts that describe the use of Isavuconazole in patients with invasive fungal rhinosinusitis or rhinocerebral mucormycosis. Results The initial search yielded 35 articles with only 1 article (case report) describing the clinical use of Isavuconazole in a patient with invasive Mucorales rhinosinusitis. Conclusions Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis is a rare, life-threatening infection with mortality rates reported to range from 30–83%. Successful treatment depends on early surgical debridement, systemic anti-fungal therapy, and correction of predisposing conditions. Isavuconazole (Cresemba), a newly approved antifungal, is safe and clinically effective in treating invasive mucormycosis. This important new therapy should be considered for patients with invasive Mucorales rhinosinusitis that is refractory or intolerant to Amphotericin B.
Local Option Sales Taxes as a Tool to Reduce Property Taxes: An Examination of LOSTs and their Effect on Property Tax Burdens and Own Source Revenue

The relationship between local option sales taxes (LOSTs) and property taxes and own source revenue is not well understood in the literature. This may be in part due to the aggregated nature of the data which fails to capture different motivations for adoption of LOSTs (Sjoquist, Walker, and Wallace 2005). Using county level data from thirty-five states, I find that LOSTs reduce property tax burden and increase own source revenue in some circumstances. When aggregating the data, my results are consistent with previous studies (Jung 2001; Sjoquist, Walker, and Wallace 2005). The primary contribution of the research presented is that I distinguish between two types of counties that use their LOST revenue differently. The first type of county uses LOST revenue to both reduce property tax burden and increase own source revenue, whereas the second type of counties use LOST revenue exclusively to increase their own source revenue. This research is the first step in bridging the LOST literature with the tax mix choice literature.
Review: Las Vegas Studio: Images from the Archives of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown

Las Vegas Studio: Images from the Archives of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown . Museum im Bellpark, Kriens, Switzerland, 23 November 2008–8 March 2009; Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Frankfurt, 27 March-5 May 2009; Yale School of Architecture, New Haven, Connecticut, 29 October 2009–5 February 2010; The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 21 March-20 June 2010; Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, Chicago, 28 October 2010–19 February 2011 In the entryway to the Albert F. Madlener House, Chicago, home to the Graham Foundation for the Advanced Study of the Fine Arts, the shock of the new arrived by special delivery from forty years ago. A young Denise Scott Brown was shown peering through the lens of her camera, reflected in the mirrored facade of the Los Angeles Silver Shop in 1968. The misty, silvery-green-toned image cast into our own time the figures of a new public realm that was just coming into being in the 1960s. Curated by Hilar Stadler and Martino Stierli, with the collaboration of Peter Fischli, Las Vegas Studio comprised some 100 photographs, two large diagrams, six films, and two slide shows from the Yale University studio held by Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour in 1968. In addition, the show presented half a dozen layout pages of the original Learning from Las Vegas book, published in 1972, and assorted other photos of what Melvin Webber called the "non-place urban realm"—an emerging southwestern style of urbanism in cities such as Houston and Los Angeles. The exhibition's photographs, mostly soft-focus enlargements of slides taken by the studio participants, were presented in slim white square-profile frames. Their arrangement claimed, initially, more attention than their contents. Set off against the Madlener …
Defining phenotypes and cancer risk in hyperplastic polyposis syndrome.

BACKGROUND:Hyperplastic polyposis syndrome is a rare syndrome of colorectal cancer predisposition. Patterns of inheritance of hyperplastic polyposis syndrome are not obvious and the clinical definition is relatively arbitrary. We hypothesize that there are multiple phenotypes included in what is cur
Characterization of the AWARE 40 wide-field-of-view visible imager

High-resolution, wide-field-of-view photography has undergone substantial improvements since the advent of multiscale lens design. Here, we present and evaluate a multiscale camera capable of a 10 μrad instantaneous field of view over a 36° field of view. We experimentally verify this camera’s optical performance at the individual microcamera level and report a 2.4 gigapixel panorama stitched from five snapshots. The results are consistent with the use of parallel camera arrays to produce scalable imagery at a substantial resolution range.
Cyclic variation in the mule deer thymus.

SummaryThymus glands from a series of fawn, yearling, and adult female mule deer, collected on the National Bison Range, Moiese, Mont., varied in volume with the season. The thymus reached its lowest volume during the winter months (Dec.-Feb.)
Abstract 1589: LKB1 overexpression regulates DNA repair pathway and sensitivity to radiation in LKB1 mutant non-small cell lung cancer cell lines .

Background: LKB1 is a serine/threonine kinase which is mutated in 20-30% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC).In general, DNA repair pathway activation leads cellular resistant to DNA damaging agents. The loss of LKB1 leads NSCLC to be more invasive and resistant to DNA damage based therapies. We hypothesize that loss of LKB1 may contribute to DNA damage response. We investigated LKB1- mediated signaling pathways by stably overexpressing LKB1 in its mutated NSCLC cell lines, A549 and H460. Methods: Expression of 139 proteins was analyzed by reverse phase protein array (RPPA) in LKB1 overexpressing cell lines along with the appropriate vector control lines. Differences in protein expression at baseline in clones with LKB1 versus clones with vector control were assessed by unpaired T-test with Welch9s correction. Ionizing radiation sensitivity (reproductive cell death) was assessed by clonogenic cell survival assay (CSA). Results: LKB1 overexpression in A549 and H460 showed a significant downregulation of genes involved in DNA damage and repair pathway, such as RAD50 (1.4-fold relative expression, p Citation Format: Chao Yang, Uma Giri, Maria Angelica Cortez, Jayanthi Gudikote, YouHong Fan, Lixia Diao, Lauren A. Byers, John V. Heymach. LKB1 overexpression regulates DNA repair pathway and sensitivity to radiation in LKB1 mutant non-small cell lung cancer cell lines . [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1589. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1589
Predictive biomarkers and companion diagnostics. The future of immunohistochemistry: "in situ proteomics," or just a "stain"?

A ‘companion diagnostic’ is a test for a predictive biomarker, that classifies patients (tumors) into responders and non-responders, for a specified therapeutic agent. Companion diagnostics are designated as Class III medical devices by the FDA, because the test result equates directly to administration of a drug. Testing for HER2 expression was approved by the FDA in 1998, and served as the prototype for using immunohistochemistry (IHC) as the basis for a companion diagnostic. However, over four decades IHC has primarily been employed in a broad range of ‘special stains’, for identification and classification cells and tumors in FFPE (formalin fixed paraffin embedded) tissues. During the long use of IHC as a ‘special stain’ we have acquired some very bad habits, changing protocols, concentrations, incubation times, retrieval methods, or reagents, to achieve the perception of a ‘good’ stain, that ‘pleases the eye’ of the user pathologist. While this approach may be acceptable for IHC stains, it is a recipe for disaster when transferred to companion diagnostics, where quantification and absolute reproducibility are required. In the context of companion diagnostics the IHC method should be regarded as an assay, not simply a stain. Elevating IHC to a true immunoassay will necessitate a much more rigorous approach to performance, reproducibility and control. The ultimate goal is to supplement morphologic judgment with precise measurement of proteins in tissues and in individual cells, ‘in situ proteomics’ as it were.
A Computer-Assisted Competency Tracking System for Training School Media Specialists

The school media specialist must have broad knowledge and competence in a wide range of media services and be able to interrelate media content to the educational process. He or she must function as an educator and know, support, and help develop the educational goals of the school and community. The certification of professional media personnel is based upon the premise that the candidate for certification has achieved a required level of proficiency. This paper describes a prototype management information system for tracking students through a competency-based program. It provides faculty, advisors, and students with information about the educational and professional background of students, courses they have taken, and competencies passed as a result.
Attitudes of medical residents toward the dying patient in a general hospital.

This report examines the reactions of 120 medical residents to terminal illness. It also explores their own feelings about death and their frustration when faced with a dying patient: “If I cannot cure, what is there left for me to do?” It is recommended that the problems of management of the dying patient be given special attention in the senior year of medical school. The ability to recognize his own psychologic feelings about death helps the young physician to be a better doctor.
Alicia W. Peters. Responding to Human Trafficking: Sex, Gender, and Culture in the Law

Alicia Peters’ balanced ethnography, based on her interviews and participant observation in New York City and Washington, DC with the social services and criminal justice professionals who attempt ...
194 ERYTHROPOIETIN LIMITS ACUTE ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION LUNG INJURY

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a potent cytoprotective cytokine that has been shown to reduce acute ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in the brain, spinal cord, heart, liver and kidney independent of its hematopoietic effects. Although it may have other mechanisms of action, up-regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and NO production by the vascular endothelium appears to be important. We tested whether human recombinant EPO (rhEPO) would protect against acute lung I/R injury of 90 min left hilar clamping followed by 4 hr of reperfusion in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. Three groups of 5 rats were studied: a) CONT- thoracotomy but no I/R injury, b) I/R injury, and c) I/R injury plus 24 hr pretreatment with 5000 units/kg rhEPO. Gas exchange, hemodynamics, exhaled nitric oxide, and serum LDH were measured before and after 4 hr of reperfusion. Changes in lung wet to dry weight ratio and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BAL) protein, neutrophils (PMN) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were assessed. (Table) EPO increased exhaled NO before the I/R protocol by almost 4-fold; 1.6 vs. 6.3 parts per billion (P ≤ 0.01). These findings of roughly 50-90% reduction in a variety of injury parameters demonstrate that EPO is effective in limiting acute lung I/R injury and that it may do so by increasing NO production.
Complications of Inguinal Hernial Repair

The complications specific to inguinal hernioplasty are addressed with an emphasis on their incidence, importance to the patient, and avoidance, if possible. The major portion of this article discusses ischemic orchitis, as this complication may be very disappointing to the patient if it results in testicular atrophy.
Regional Quality Groups Enhance Effectiveness of Vascular Quality Initiative

The Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI)® is a national collaborative of regional quality groups that collect and analyze data to improve vascular health care. The Southern California Vascular Outcomes Improvement Collaborative (So Cal VOICe) is the regional quality group for southern California. Initial quality initiatives chosen by the So Cal VOICe are preoperative and discharge antiplatelet and statin therapy and vascular access guidance during percutaneous endovascular procedures. The objective of this study is to examine the influence of the regional quality group structure on the effectiveness of the So Cal VOICe. Data are entered by each institution into a cloud-based data collection and reporting system. So Cal VOICe data from January 2011 to July 2014 was analyzed in 6-month intervals. Preoperative statin and antiplatelet use increased from 58.87 to 71.81 per cent (P = 0.0082) and 60.8 to 78.38 per cent (P < 0.0001), respectively. Discharge statin and antiplatelet use increased from 69.09 to 80.37 per cent (P = 0.0037) and 80.47 to 88.11 per cent (P = 0.0148), respectively. Vascular access guidance improved from 32.89 to 76.23 per cent (P < 0.0001). Our results demonstrate the unique regional quality group structure of the VQI® improves compliance with selected process measures in the So Cal VOICe. Continued data collection will determine the impact of these process improvements on long-term patient outcomes.
Physical examination of the patient with pain

Abstract This chapter highlights the importance of a systematic, targeted, physical examination in the evaluation of patients with pain and describes each of the components in detail. General observations are made as soon as the practitioner encounters the patient and are followed by an assessment of their mental status before delving into the musculoskeletal portion of the examination. This includes inspection, palpation, and range-of-motion testing. Next the neurologic portion of the examination is performed and involves strength, sensation, and reflex testing. Finally targeted provocative maneuvers are performed before integrating the findings in the context of the history to generate a differential diagnosis.
Diffusion in FCC Co-rich Co-Al-W Alloys at 900 and 1000 °C

Diffusion couple experiments between various Co-rich face centered cubic (FCC) alloys in the Co-W-Al ternary system have been conducted at 900 and 1000 °C. Diffusion coefficients have been extracted for the Co-W binary and for ternary alloys at compositions where the diffusion paths cross. In addition, a least squares method has been utilized to optimize diffusion mobility parameters using DICTRA simulations to best fit the experimental concentration versus distance curves. Predictions of the diffusion matrix using the refined mobility database are in good agreement with the values obtained at the diffusion path crossing points.
Factors Affecting Thrombopoietin Production from Bone Marrow Stromal Cells.

Abstract Thrombopoietin (TPO) is the primary regulator of megakaryopoiesis and therefore also the most important determinant of the number of platelets in circulation. The regulation of TPO blood concentration is complex, with at least a significant component mediated by removal and degradation of the hormone by the mature circulating platelet mass. In this way, if the production of TPO were fixed, when the number of platelets rises, an increased amount of TPO is removed from the plasma, resulting in an inverse relationship between platelet counts and TPO concentration. However, several studies hint at the existence of additional mechanisms in which TPO production is altered in response to physiological and pathologic conditions. We, and others, have previously reported that TPO mRNA is increased in the bone marrow of mice or humans after either immune- or radiation-mediated thrombocytopenia, although hepatic levels remain unchanged by this manipulation. To further explore the mechanism(s) of this effect, we utilized in vitro marrow stromal cell models to study the effects of blood proteins on TPO production. As an initial hypothesis we determined if platelet-derived proteins in serum might suppress TPO production from both a marrow stromal cell line, OP9, or primary murine marrow stromal cells derived from long-term hematopoietic cultures. As assessed by quantitative RT-PCR we found that TPO mRNA levels increase a mean of 2.8-fold±0.7 (n = 3) twelve hours following the removal of serum from the culture. Similar results were obtained from primary murine marrow stromal cells; TPO mRNA levels rose a mean of 2.9-fold±0.9 (n = 4) within sixteen hours of serum deprivation. In contrast, TPO transcript levels were unaffected by the same manipulation of serum in the hepatocyte cell line HEPA1c1c7. As the removal of serum might have induced a stress response in the cells, we tested whether other cell stressors might mimic this response; we found that neither UV irradiation nor treatment with toxic metals such as nickel, cobalt, or cadmium produced any rise in TPO mRNA in marrow stromal cells. Furthermore, to test whether a cell cycle arrest triggered by serum deprivation might mediate these effects, we treated stromal cells with cell cycle inhibitors, but failed to find any affect on TPO transcript levels in stromal cells. Further biochemical fractionation of serum suggested that one or more distinct proteins is responsible for this effect, demonstrated by the ability of both ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion exchange chromatography to partition the suppressive effects of serum. However, the active agent in serum is not TPO itself, as the addition of 150 ng/ml of the pure hormone did not suppress stromal cell TPO transcript levels. Knowledge of this novel regulatory mechanism should be useful in treating platelet disorders and perhaps also during stem cell transplantation, a setting in which TPO is known to play a vital role.
Immersing Teacher Candidates in Experiential Learning: Cohorts, Learning Communities, and Mentoring

In this article, we present three models of teacher preparation programs that immersed their candidates in experiential learning aimed at bringing together theory and practice. We identify the key components that can be generalized from studying such programs, examine factors that led to their dismantling, and propose a potentially more sustainable model.┬a
High-power, high-gain, subnanosecond-risetime amplification with electron beam - pn junction active devices

The principles of operation and performance limitations of a class of high-performance electron beam -- pn junction active devices are discussed. The primary assumptions are that (1) the beam diode is designed so that carrier generation and transport occur entirely in a region of high electric field, (2) carrier pairs are created near one edge of the beam diode by the electron bombardment, (3) carriers traverse the depletion region with a constant drift velocity, and (4) the beam diode is connected to a real load impedance, such as a reflectionless transmission line.
A physical manifestation of interfacial roughness pitfalls in assessing dielectric TDDB lifetimes

A practical model of physically interpreting electrical responses was proposed to quantify the enhancement effects of local electrical fields along the complex poly-oxide-poly interfaces. In revealing the unique test polarity dependence of breakdown voltage and IV characteristics, the excellent agreement between TCAD simulations and measurements have fully validated the existence of locally enhanced fields. As a result, the reliability pitfalls, i.e., the artificially alternated model-fitting parameters, have been manifested for the first time in assessing the TDDB lifetimes under locally enhanced electrical fields due to the interfacial roughness.
Black phosphorus avalanche photodetector

The strong light-matter interaction of atomically-thin layered black phosphorus (BP) has attracted great attention recently. Exfoliated few-layer and monolayer BP flakes have a layer-tunable direct bandgap that varies from 2.0 eV for monolayer to 0.3 eV for bulk, which makes BP a very promising optoelectronic material in the visible and telecom wavelengths [1-3]. The high mobility of BP devices suggested its utilization as an active material of an avalanche photodetector (APD). Recently, APDs utilizing two-dimensional (2D) materials such as transition-metal dichalcogenides (e.g. MoS 2 ) and layered III-VI semiconductors (e.g. InSe) have been demonstrated [4,5]. Both of these 2D materials possess wide bandgaps that discourage their usage in the infrared [6,7]. The successful demonstration of waveguide-integrated BP photodetector working at 1.55 μm wavelength [1] has stimulated the pursuit of high-performance BP APDs. In this work, we report on the first 2D material-based BP APD featuring high external quantum efficiency (EQE) and avalanche gain. These results provide strong evidence that BP is a promising material for high-performance optical communication and imaging systems.
Agent-based modeling framework for simulation of complex adaptive mechanisms underlying household water conservation technology adoption

Using new technologies to maintain, construct, and reuse naturally created products like asphalt, soils, and water can reserve the environment (Baqersad et. al 2017, 2016). The objective of this study was to specify and model the behavior of households regarding the installation of water conservation technology and evaluate strategies that could potentially increase water conservation technology adoption at the household level. In particular, this study created an agent-based modeling framework in order to understand various factors and dynamic behaviors affecting the adoption of water conservation technology by households. The model captures various demographic characteristics, household attributes, social network influence, and pricing policies; and then evaluates their influence simultaneously on household decisions in adoption of water conservation technology. The application of the proposed simulation model was demonstrated in a case study of the City of Miami Beach. The simulation results identified the intersectional effects of various factors in household water conservation technology adoption and also investigated the scenario landscape of the adoptions that can inform policy formulation and planning.
Testing in a Computer Technology Course: An Investigation of Equivalency in Performance Between Online and Paper and Pencil Methods

With high demands on curriculum coverage within the classroom, career and technical education teachers are in need of an efficient method to conduct assessment activities without lessening their impact or purpose. Test administration is one type of activity that can be proctored. The integration of technology into the classroom is now affordable and realistic for most educational institutions. One of the latest technological advances that has potential to impact education is online testing.
Home-Based, Therapist-Assisted, Therapy for Young Children With Primary Complex Motor Stereotypies.

Abstract Background Complex motor stereotypies (CMS) typically begin before age three years and include rhythmic, repetitive, fixed movements that last for seconds to minutes and can be interrupted with distraction. Objective We evaluated the effectiveness of a home-based, parent-provided therapy accompanied by scheduled telephone calls with a therapist, in five- to seven-year old children with primary CMS. Methods Eligible families received an instructional digital versatile disk (DVD) written instructions, and scheduled telephone contacts with a therapist at baseline (DVD receipt), one, three, and eight weeks later. At each call, parents completed outcome measures and received feedback. Outcome scales Stereotypy Severity Scale (SSS) Motor and Impairment scales and a Stereotypy Linear Analogue Scale (SLAS) were also completed via the Iinternet (REDCap)—at screening, one and two months post-baseline call. At study conclusion, participants were divided into an intent-to-treat (ITT; had at least one call) or a lost-to-follow-up (LTF) group. Results Thirty-eight children (mean = 6 years ± 11 months) were enrolled. The LTF group (n = 14) had significantly higher scores than the ITT (n = 24) group on all attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ratings (P Conclusions Home-based, parent-administered behavioral therapy supplemented by telephone contact with a therapist is effective in reducing complex motor stereotypies in children.
Is 30-Day Posthospitalization Mortality Lower Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities?: A Reexamination.

Background Multiple studies have reported that risk-adjusted rates of 30-day mortality after hospitalization for an acute condition are lower among blacks compared with whites. Objective To examine if previously reported lower mortality for minorities, relative to whites, is accounted for by adjustment for do-not-resuscitate status, potentially unconfirmed admission diagnosis, and differential risk of hospitalization. Research design Using inpatient discharge and vital status data for patients aged 18 and older in California, we examined all admissions from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 for acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, pneumonia, acute stroke, gastrointestinal bleed, and hip fracture and estimated relative risk of mortality for Hispanics, non-Hispanic blacks, non-Hispanic Asians, and non-Hispanic whites. Multiple mortality measures were examined: inpatient, 30-, 90-, and 180 day. Adding census data we estimated population risks of hospitalization and hospitalization with inpatient death. Results Across all mortality outcomes, blacks had lower mortality rate, relative to whites even after exclusion of patients with do-not-resuscitate status and potentially unconfirmed diagnosis. Compared with whites, the population risk of hospitalization was 80% higher and risk of hospitalization with inpatient mortality was 30% higher among blacks. Among Hispanics and Asians, disparities varied with mortality measure. Conclusions Lower risk of posthospitalization mortality among blacks, relative to whites, may be associated with higher rate of hospitalizations and differences in unobserved patient acuity. Disparities for Hispanics and Asians, relative to whites, vary with the mortality measure used.
Sulfone reagents in organic synthesis: VI. Sulfonyl- and silyl-substituted hydrocarbons as versatile carbanion precursors in organic synthesis☆

Abstract The basic organometallic chemistry of β-silyl-substituted acetylenic, vinylic and alkyl sulfones has been investigated, with attention being given to metallation, carbometallation and the chemical reduction of carbon—carbon unsaturation. 2-Trimethylsilylvinyl and 2-trimethylsilylalkyl sulfones underwent smooth and stereoselective lithiation with RLi on the carbon α to the sulfonyl group. Carbometallation of vinyl sulfones could be achieved with RMgX or LiCuR2, but acetylenic sulfones carbometallated smoothly only with LiCuR2; with RMgX or RLi, these acetylenes underwent alkyldesulfonylation. The utility in synthesis of these metallo derivatives of sulfonyl-silyl-hydrocarbons is discussed and their value in elaborating carbon skeletons is illustrated for the preparation of alkenes, allenes, carbocycles and stereo-defined vinyl sulfones.
Report on a Round Table: “Music of the Spheres”

A Round Table was held with the participation of three distinguished panelists from Venezuela, artist Jacobo Borges, composer Diana Arismendi and art historian Irene McKinstry de Guinand, specially invited for that purpose. Also participating were three representatives from the School on Astrobiology. The purpose of the discussion was to attempt to link the arts with science and to address the question: Would other intelligence also exhibit artistic creativity?
Respiratory Patterning and Arterial Oxygenation during Sleep in Laryngectomised Patients

Previous studies (Gardner, 1983; Gardner and Meah, 1985) showed that laryngectomised subjects at quiet rest, in comparison with a matched control group, had more rapid expiratory flow with a slightly prolonged expiratory time resulting in extended end-expiratory pauses. In some subjects these amounted to frank apnea despite full wakefulness, and expiratory time was often excessively variable. These subjects breathed through chronic tracheostomies with significant loss of upper airway resistance and the more rapid expiratory flow was consistent with a passive response to this loss.
In-Cell NMR within Budding Yeast Reveals Cytoplasmic Masking of Hydrophobic Residues of FG Repeats.

Abstract In-cell NMR spectroscopy is a powerful tool to determine the properties of proteins and nucleic acids within living cells. In-cell NMR can give site-specific measurements of interactions, modifications, and dynamics as well as their modulation by the cellular environment. In-cell NMR requires selective incorporation of heavy isotopes into a protein of interest, either through the introduction of exogenously produced protein to a cell’s interior or the selective overexpression of a protein. We developed conditions to allow the use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which was chosen because of its genetic tractability, as a eukaryotic expression system for in-cell NMR. We demonstrate this technique using a fragment of S. cerevisiae Nsp1, an FG Nup. FG Nups are intrinsically disordered proteins containing phenylalanine (F)-glycine (G) repeats and form the selective barrier within the nuclear pore complex. Yeast FG Nups have previously been shown to be maintained in a highly dynamic state within living bacteria as measured by in-cell NMR. Interactions thought to stabilize this dynamic state are also present in the protein’s native organism, although site specificity of interaction is different between the two cytosols.
Diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism: practical clinical perspectives.

Primary aldosteronism (PA), the most common form of secondary hypertension, can be either surgically cured or treated with targeted pharmacotherapy. PA is frequently undiagnosed and untreated, leading to aldosterone-specific cardiovascular morbidity and nephrotoxicity. Thus, clinicians should perform case detection testing for PA at least once in all patients with hypertension. Confirmatory testing is indicated in most patients with positive case detection testing results. The next step is to determine whether patients with confirmed PA have a disease that can be cured with surgery or whether it should be treated medically; this step is guided by computed tomography scan of the adrenal glands and adrenal venous sampling. With appropriate surgical expertise, laparoscopic unilateral adrenalectomy is safe, efficient and curative in patients with unilateral adrenal disease. In patients who have bilateral aldosterone hypersecretion, the optimal management is a low-sodium diet and lifelong treatment with a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist administered at a dosage to maintain a high-normal serum potassium concentration without the aid of oral potassium supplements.
Abstract 467: Lipid Phosphate Phosphatase 3 in Smooth Muscle Cells Suppresses the Development of Atherosclerosis

Lipid phosphate phosphatase3 (LPP3) encoded by the PPAP2B gene, is an integral membrane enzyme that degrades bioactive lysophospholipids including lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), sphingosine-1-phospha...
Increasing carbon footprint of grain crop production in the US Western Corn Belt

Global agriculture is challenged to increase soil carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing products for an increasing population. Growing crop production could be achieved through higher yield per hectare (i.e. intensive farming) or more hectares (extensive farming), which however, have different ecological and environmental consequences. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that expanding cropland for additional production may lead to loss of vegetation and soil carbon, and threaten the survival of wildlife. New concerns about the impacts of extensive farming have been raised for the US Corn Belt, one of the world's most productive regions, as cropland has rapidly expanded northwestward unto grasslands and wetlands in recent years. Here we used a process-based ecosystem model to distinguish and quantify how natural drivers as well as intensive and extensive farming practices have altered grain production, soil carbon storage, and agricultural carbon footprint in the US Western Corn Belt since 1980. Compared to the period 1980–2005, we found that cropland expansion more than tripled in the most recent decade (2006–2016), becoming a significant factor contributing to growing grain production. Land use change in this period led to a soil carbon loss of 90.8 ± 14.7 Tg (1 Tg = 1012 g). As a result, grain production in this region shifted from carbon neutral to a carbon loss of 2.3 kg C kg−1 grain produced. The enlarging negative carbon footprint (ΔC/ΔP) indicates the major role that cropland expansion has had on the carbon cost of grain production in this region. Therefore, we should be more cautious to pursue high crop production through agricultural cropland conversion, particularly in those carbon-rich soils.
Spanish in a global key

ABSTRACTThis essay explores the possibilities and potential pitfalls of the Global Hispanophone by placing this emergent category in dialogue with recent developments in Hispanic studies and with o...
An Aldol-Based Approach to the Asymmetric Synthesis of l-Callipeltose, the Deoxyamino Sugar of l-Callipeltoside A

The l-callipeltose subunit of l-callipeltoside A has been synthesized in 10 steps and 13% overall yield from d-threonine. The key steps are a highly diastereoselective Felkin anti aldol addition to a methyl ketone and a selective methylation of a secondary alcohol in the presence of a secondary carbamate.
Abstract 2070: Exploration of markers of synergistic lethality of PARP and PI3K-Akt-mTOR inhibitors in women's cancers

Introduction: The objective was to identify molecular mechanisms and protein networks involved in synthetic lethality as well as mechanisms of adaptive changes to the combination of olaparib (O) combined with inhibitors of the PI3K-AKT axis. Methods: 110 patients with recurrent ovarian, endometrial, and triple negative breast cancer were treated with a combination of O and vistusertib (V) or capivasertib (C) (mTORC1/2 and AKT inhibitors, respectively). We have previously reported durable clinical efficacy of these combinations, regardless of BRCA status. Tumor samples were collected pre-treatment and 30 days post-treatment and reverse-phase protein array (RPPA) was performed. Baseline expression was assessed and change in expression was calculated. Bioinformatics and statistical methods were developed to assess activity of signaling pathways. Pathway scores were determined based on the expression of sets of proteins known to be involved in a specific pathway, including PI3K, RAS/RAF, and DNA damage repair. Association between protein expression and treatment efficacy was determined. Results: We analyzed a total of 55 paired samples from patients treated with O/V (n=25) and O/C (n=30). These included 20 endometrial (37% PR, 31.5% SD, 31.5% PD), 21 ovarian (10% PR, 55% SD, 35% PD) and 14 triple negative breast (15% PR, 23% SD, 62% PD) tumors. Response to O/V was associated with low pre-treatment mTOR pathway activity and led to altered immune activity based on decreased CD4 and PD1 expression. Resistance to O/V was associated with high pre-treatment cell proliferation (high CCNB1, CDK1 and PLK1 protein expression). In contrast, response to O/C was associated with adaptive responses indicated by decreased mTOR activity and induction of the DNA damage checkpoint (high phospho-CHK1, -WEE1 and -CDC2). Resistance was associated with high pre-treatment RTK activity levels (high phospho-HER3, -EGFR, -IGFR, -MET) and AKT-independent activation of mTOR in the on-treatment samples. Conclusion: Analysis of pre- and on-treatment samples from responders and non-responders to PARP and PI3K pathway combination therapy identified biomarkers of patients likely to benefit from therapy and helps to understand molecular mechanisms involved in response and resistance to these drug combinations. Citation Format: Marilyne Labrie, Zhenlin Ju, Jennifer K. Litton, Tae-Beom Kim, Sanghoon Lee, Ken Chen, Pamela T. Soliman, Michael Frumovitz, Larissa A. Meyer, Stacy Moulder, Amir A. Jazaeri, Karen H. Lu, Anil K. Sood, Robert L. Coleman, Gordon B. Mills, Shannon N. Westin. Exploration of markers of synergistic lethality of PARP and PI3K-Akt-mTOR inhibitors in women9s cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2070.
Aluminum Nanocubes Have Sharp Corners.

Of the many plasmonic nanoparticle geometries that have been synthesized, nanocubes have been of particular interest for creating nanocavities, facilitating plasmon coupling, and enhancing phenomena dependent upon local electromagnetic fields. Here we report the straightforward colloidal synthesis of single-crystalline {100} terminated Al nanocubes by decomposing AlH3 with Tebbe’s reagent in tetrahydrofuran. The size and shape of the Al nanocubes is controlled by the reaction time and the ratio of AlH3 to Tebbe’s reagent, which, together with reaction temperature, establish kinetic control over Al nanocube growth. Al nanocubes possess strong localized field enhancements at their sharp corners and resonances highly amenable to coupling with metallic substrates. Their native oxide surface renders them extremely air stable. Chemically synthesized Al nanocubes provide an earth-abundant alternative to noble metal nanocubes for plasmonics and nanophotonics applications.
Preliminary Psychometrics for the Executive Function Challenge Task: A Novel, “Hot” Flexibility, and Planning Task for Youth

OBJECTIVE Executive functions (EF) drive health and educational outcomes and therefore are increasingly common treatment targets. Most treatment trials rely on questionnaires to capture meaningful change because ecologically valid, pediatric performance-based EF tasks are lacking. The Executive Function Challenge Task (EFCT) is a standardized, treatment-sensitive, objective measure which assesses flexibility and planning in the context of provocative social interactions, making it a "hot" EF task. METHOD We investigate the structure, reliability, and validity of the EFCT in youth with autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder; n = 129), or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with flexibility problems (n = 93), and typically developing (TD; n = 52) youth. RESULTS The EFCT can be coded reliably, has a two-factor structure (flexibility and planning), and adequate internal consistency and consistency across forms. Unlike a traditional performance-based EF task (verbal fluency), it shows significant correlations with parent-reported EF, indicating ecological validity. EFCT performance distinguishes youth with known EF problems from TD youth and is not significantly related to visual pattern recognition, or social communication/understanding in autistic children. CONCLUSIONS The EFCT demonstrates adequate reliability and validity and may provide developmentally appropriate, treatment-sensitive, and ecologically valid assessment of "hot" EF in youth. It can be administered in controlled settings by masked administrators.
Hepatitis C-Positive Donors in Cardiac Transplantation: Problems and Opportunities.

With the growing need for donor hearts and longer transplant waiting lists, there is a growing interest in expanding the donor pool by reconsidering previously excluded donor candidates. There has been an increase in solid organ availability due to drug overdose deaths in the setting of the recent opioid epidemic. However, these donors often have transmissible infections such as hepatitis C. In this review, we discuss the challenges associated with heart transplantation from hepatitis C–infected donors as well as the recent advancements that are making the use of these organs possible. With the introduction and widespread use of nucleic acid testing (NAT), the ability to distinguish viremic donors and those that have cleared the virus has become a reality. In addition, with the emergence of direct antiviral agents, there is an increase in data showing the short-term outcomes and success of hepatitis C treatment for recipients of viremic donor hearts. As techniques to distinguish donor hepatitis C infection status and successful treatments emerge, the percentage of accepted hepatitis C donor hearts is increasing. A number of studies showing success with hepatitis C organ transplants present a promising new avenue for organ procurement essential to meet the increasing demand for donor hearts.
VIBRANT: automated recovery, annotation and curation of microbial viruses, and evaluation of viral community function from genomic sequences.

Viruses are central to microbial community structure in all environments. The ability to generate large metagenomic assemblies of mixed microbial and viral sequences provides the opportunity to tease apart complex microbiome dynamics, but these analyses are currently limited by the tools available for analyses of viral genomes and assessing their metabolic impacts on microbiomes. Here we present VIBRANT, the first method to utilize a hybrid machine learning and protein similarity approach that is not reliant on sequence features for automated recovery and annotation of viruses, determination of genome quality and completeness, and characterization of viral community function from metagenomic assemblies. VIBRANT uses neural networks of protein signatures and a newly developed v-score metric that circumvents traditional boundaries to maximize identification of lytic viral genomes and integrated proviruses, including highly diverse viruses. VIBRANT highlights viral auxiliary metabolic genes and metabolic pathways, thereby serving as a user-friendly platform for evaluating viral community function. VIBRANT was trained and validated on reference virus datasets as well as microbiome and virome data. VIBRANT showed superior performance in recovering higher quality viruses and concurrently reduced the false identification of non-viral genome fragments in comparison to other virus identification programs, specifically VirSorter, VirFinder, and MARVEL. When applied to 120,834 metagenome-derived viral sequences representing several human and natural environments, VIBRANT recovered an average of 94% of the viruses, whereas VirFinder, VirSorter, and MARVEL achieved less powerful performance, averaging 48%, 87%, and 71%, respectively. Similarly, VIBRANT identified more total viral sequence and proteins when applied to real metagenomes. When compared to PHASTER, Prophage Hunter, and VirSorter for the ability to extract integrated provirus regions from host scaffolds, VIBRANT performed comparably and even identified proviruses that the other programs did not. To demonstrate applications of VIBRANT, we studied viromes associated with Crohn’s disease to show that specific viral groups, namely Enterobacteriales-like viruses, as well as putative dysbiosis associated viral proteins are more abundant compared to healthy individuals, providing a possible viral link to maintenance of diseased states. The ability to accurately recover viruses and explore viral impacts on microbial community metabolism will greatly advance our understanding of microbiomes, host-microbe interactions, and ecosystem dynamics.
The Sorry State of Mathematics Teacher Education.

Xhe concern I express in this polemic is a simple but important one: Education programs for mathematics teachers are not only below any reasonably acceptable standard, but they are getting steadily worse! As a complex society makes ever increasing demands upon the scientific competence of its citizens, colleges are providing teachers of mathematics with an inadequate preparation to do their job. While mathematicians and classroom teachers are work-
Methodology for binary detection analysis of inkjet-printed optical sensors for chemical detection

We have developed inkjet-printed surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors that are specifically designed to work with field portable Raman analyzers for the detection of chemical and biological agents (Tay et al. in J Raman Spectrosc, 2020). These SERS sensors are inkjet-printed on filter paper or fabric substrates. They are flexible and lightweight and provide point-of-sampling capabilities that other rigid planar SERS substrates lack. Conventionally, performance of a SERS substrate is characterized by its enhancement factor which is defined as the ratio of the normalized SERS to normal Raman intensity. This is an inadequate measure for a chemical/biological sensor. The performance of a chemical/biological sensor is best characterized by its sensitivity, probability of true positive detection, false positive rate, and its response time. The sensor using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) captures the performance trade-off between all these factors. Here, we outline the application of ROC analysis to the SERS sensors. This can be applied for all SERS sensors but we will focus its use with the printed SERS sensor. Specifically, the use of printed SERS sensor for the detection of fentanyl, a common opioid found in illicit drug, analyzed with ROC concept is demonstrated.