cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conversion from immediate-release to extended-release lamotrigine improves seizure control.

Abstract Background Immediate release lamotrigine (LTG-IR) dosing can be limited by peak toxicity. It is thought that peak levels are responsible for some adverse effects such as dizziness, blurred vision, double vision and unsteadiness. At the same time, trough levels may be associated with reduced seizure threshold. The use of extended release lamotrigine (LTG-XR) to replace LTG-IR will be associated with less fluctuation in drug levels-lower peak levels may reduce adverse effects and higher trough levels may improve seizure control. This hypothesis was tested by analyzing seizure control and adverse effects before and after conversion from LTG-IR to LTG-XR in patients who underwent such conversion in 2009–2011. Methods We searched our patient database to identify patients converted from LTG-IR to LTG-XR for persistent seizures or adverse effects from August 2009 until December 31, 2011. We included only patients who took LTG-IR and LTG-XR for at least 6 months each. We excluded patients with nonepileptic seizures, progressive cause of epilepsy, or not keeping a seizure record. We collected the following parameters: age at conversion, LTG-IR dose and dosing schedule, duration on that dose, LTG-XR dose and dosing schedule, LTG serum level before and after conversion, duration of LTG-XR treatment, seizure frequency before and after conversion, and change in adverse experience profile. We also recorded baseline AEDs and any AED change during the course of the analysis. Results Fifty five patients (26 female) satisfied the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Their mean age was 45 years (range 23 to 86). Ten were on LTG-IR monotherapy, 24 took LTG-IR plus one other AED, most commonly levetiracetam, and the remaining 21 took LTG-IR plus at least 2 other AEDs. The mean LTG-IR dose was 544mg/day (range 150–1100mg/day). The mean LTG-IR serum level was 11.6 (available in 53 patients-range 4.6–21mcg/ml). Twenty six patients were converted to the same dose and one patient took a mixture of LTG-XR and LTG-IR at the same total daily dose, while 21 had their dose slightly increased and 7 had their dose slightly decreased due to adverse effects. The mean serum level after conversion was 11.8 (available in 49 patients-range 2.6–21.2mcg/ml). As a result of the conversion, 26 patients (47%) experienced >50% reduction in seizure frequency. There was a 46% median reduction in seizure frequency overall. Seven patients reported improvement in adverse effects. Conclusion A conversion from LTG-IR to LTG-XR can help improve seizure control in some individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy, in addition to improving tolerability. While it is indicated in individuals experiencing peak adverse effects, it should also be considered in patients who have received incomplete seizure control from LTG-IR.
Remarks on a Foundationalist Theory of Truth

Tim Maudlin's Truth and Paradox offers a theory of truth that arises from a foundationalist picture of language.1 The picture is attractive, and Maudlin builds on it courageously (indeed, fearlessly). From the formal point of view, the theory of truth that emerges is, as Maudlin observes, nothing other than the least-fixed-point theory of Saul Kripke.2 From the philosophical point of view, however, the differences between Maudlin's and Kripke's theories are large. It is these differences that lead Maudlin to claim advantages that Kripke did not (and, I think, would not) claim for his own theory. Maudlin says that his theory demands no object-language/metalanguage distinction, that he has "developed a theory of truth for a language that can serve as its own metalanguage (191)." He promises early on (p. 4) that his theory will be "more adequate to our actual practice of reasoning about truth [than revision and other fixed-point theories]." And he claims that the language he has constructed is expressively complete (168). The foundationalist picture that underlies these striking claims is as follows. Consider a formal language L that has, apart from the usual logical resources (e.g., conjunction, negation, and quantifiers), a truth predicate T for itself. Plainly, the truth values of the sentences of L depend immediately upon the truth values of certain other sentences. Thus, the truth value of a conjunction (A & B) depends immediately upon the truth values of the conjuncts A and B, and the truth value of T('C) depends on C. In Maudlin's
Katherine Philips and “Churching”

After the May 2, 1655, death of Katherine Philips's infant son, born on April 23 that same year, she wrote two poems: “On the death of my first and dearest child, Hector Philips” and “Epitaph. On H...
Sound-Light Giblet

We describe an audiovisual live coding performance created using Gibber, a creative coding environment that runs in the browser. The performance takes advantage of novel affordances for rapidly creating music, shaders, and mappings that tie together audio and visual modalities.
Selective Doping of 4H-SiC by Aluminum/Boron Co-diffusion

Based upon graphite mask, selective aluminum/boron doping of SiC by thermal diffusion has been successfully realized in a temperature range of 1800 to 2100°C. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was used to identify the doping profiles, which showed very high aluminum concentration (5×10 19 cm −3 ) near the surface and linearly graded boron profile up to several micrometers in depth. Hall-effect measurement was also employed to obtain the carrier concentration, which showed more than 10 19 cm −3 carrier concentration at room temperature. Cathodoluminescence (CL) image clearly illustrated the locally diffused pattern. In addition, planar p-n diodes based upon this technique were fabricated and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were measured. Excellent rectification property has been obtained. Built-in voltage of 2.9 V in the formed p-n junction was obtained by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement.
Third‐Year Forage Yield Testing in Tall Fescue is Not Cost Effective

Small plot cultivar testing is an integral part of the decision-making process in agronomic research relating to release and production recommendation of cultivars. The objective was to evaluate duration of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) cultivar trials with respect to the information obtained. Tall fescue performance data from 12 states were obtained from eight different sources. Coefficients of determination were obtained from regressing three single-year and two 2-yr yields on 3-yr yield for each trial. First-year yields explained from 14 to 90% of the varition among cultivars after 3 yr of testing (...)
Extended character defect model for recognition of text from maps

Topographic maps contain a small amount of text compared to other forms of printed documents. Furthermore, the text and graphical components typically intersect with one another thus making the extraction of text a very difficult task. Creating training sets with a suitable size from the actual characters in maps would therefore require the laborious processing of many maps with similar features and the manual extraction of character samples. This paper extends the types of defects represented by Baird's document image degradation model in order to create pseudo randomly generated training sets that closely mimic the various artifacts and defects encountered in characters extracted from maps. Two Hidden Markov Models are then trained and used to recognize the text. Tests performed on extracted street labels show an improvement in performance from 88.4% when only the original Baird's model is used to a character recognition rate of 93.2% when the extended defect model is used for training.
Optimal packet scheduling for wireless video streaming with error-prone feedback

In wireless video transmission, burst packet errors generally produce more catastrophic results than equal number of isolated errors. To miniimize the playback distortion it is crucial for the sender to know the packet errors at the receiver and then optimally schedule next transmissions. Unfortunately, in practice, feedback errors result in inaccurate observations of the receiving status. In this paper, we develop an optimal scheduling framework to minimize the expected distortion by first estimating the receiving status. Then, we jointly consider the source and channel characteristics and optimally choose the packets to transmit. The optimal transmission strategy is computed through a partially observable Markov decision process. The experimental results show that the proposed framework improves the average peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) by 0.6-1.3 dB upon using a traditional system without packet scheduling. Moreover, we show that the proposed method smoothes out the bursty distortion periods and results in less fluctuating PSNR values.
The “Talking Circle” as Sociological Practice: Cultural Transformation of Chronic Disaster Impacts

Technological disasters are unique in that they result in long-term social impacts. The mitigation of such impacts is an area that has received little attention in both the disaster and the applied sociology literatures. This article presents a description of a culturally sensitive mitigation strategy, the “Talking Circle,” and its application to Alaska Natives negatively impacted by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Talking Circles are a traditional social activity for Alaska Natives and this activity was organized and implemented by members of the Village of Eyak in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The 2-day event resulted in many testimonies about personal experiences with the oil spill. Post-Talking Circle activities by Eyak Village members indicate increased cultural awareness and political mobilization. These findings suggest that this mitigation strategy promoted cultural consciousness among victims experiencing chronic disaster impacts and resulted in a “transforming activity” for the Native Village of Eyak.
Performance analysis for innovations-based detection

The innovations-based detector (IBD) is a powerful hypothesis testing method which uses autoregressive modeling to detector signals in white noise. Previous studies have determined the distribution of the IBD test statistic under the noisy-only and signal plus noise hypotheses. It is shown that the probability of detection is a function of a measure of spectral shape known as the spectral flatness measure. Using the spectral flatness measure, the detection probability can be predicted using the power spectral density of the signal plus noise. >
What is Clinical Reasoning

This paper offers a concept of clinical reasoning that differs from many of the traditional definitions of clinical reasoning in occupational therapy and the health professions in general. Here, clinical reasoning in occupational therapy is described as a largely tacit, highly imagistic, and deeply phenomenological mode of thinking. It is argued that clinical reasoning involves more than the ability to offer explicit reasons that justify clinical decisions because it is also based on tacit understanding and habitual knowledge gained through experience. Clinical reasoning also involves more than a simple application of theory, particularly theory as understood in the natural sciences, because complex clinical tasks often require that the therapist improvise a treatment approach that addresses the unique meaning of disability as it relates to a particular patient.
Renal function and mortality following cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Aims Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves outcomes in heart failure, yet selection of patients likely to have survival benefit is problematic. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important determinant of mortality in patients with congestive heart failure therefore we sought to determine the impact of CKD on mortality benefit after CRT. Methods and results All CRT device implantations in patients not on dialysis at Mayo Clinic between January 1999 and December 2005 were included. Of 482 patients, 342 (71%) had CKD (defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of ≤60 mL/min/1.73 m2) at the time of device implantation. Patients with CKD were older (71 ± 10 vs. 63 ± 14 years, P < 0.01) than patients without CKD, and more often anaemic (12.70 ± 1.73 vs. 13.24 mg/L, P < 0.01), with similar ejection fraction (22 ± 8 vs. 23 ± 8%, P = 0.32). Survival was superior in patients with normal or mild renal dysfunction compared with patients with CKD (72 vs. 57% at 3 years, P < 0.01). After multivariate analysis, CKD remained a significant predictor of poor survival following CRT. Conclusion Chronic kidney disease is common in patients undergoing CRT and associated with a higher mortality and should be considered when evaluating patients for CRT.
Molecular Genetic and Biochemical Characterization of the Vaccinia Virus I3 Protein, the Replicative Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein

ABSTRACT Vaccinia virus, the prototypic poxvirus, efficiently and faithfully replicates its ∼200-kb DNA genome within the cytoplasm of infected cells. This intracellular localization dictates that vaccinia virus encodes most, if not all, of its own DNA replication machinery. Included in the repertoire of viral replication proteins is the I3 protein, which binds to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) with great specificity and stability and has been presumed to be the replicative ssDNA binding protein (SSB). We substantiate here that I3 colocalizes with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled nascent viral genomes and that these genomes accumulate in cytoplasmic factories that are delimited by membranes derived from the endoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, we report on a structure/function analysis of I3 involving the isolation and characterization of 10 clustered charge-to-alanine mutants. These mutants were analyzed for their biochemical properties (self-interaction and DNA binding) and biological competence. Three of the mutant proteins, encoded by the I3 alleles I3-4, -5, and -7, were deficient in self-interaction and unable to support virus viability, strongly suggesting that the multimerization of I3 is biologically significant. Mutant I3-5 was also deficient in DNA binding. Additionally, we demonstrate that small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated depletion of I3 causes a significant decrease in the accumulation of progeny genomes and that this reduction diminishes the yield of infectious virus.
HOME RANGE SIZE OF BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS IN BURNED FORESTS OF SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO

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Cosmic strings and domain walls in models with Goldstone and pseudo Goldstone bosons

Topological vacuum structures are investigated in models with spontaneous breaking of exact and approximate global symmetries. The cosmological evolution of the structure is discussed. A spontaneous breaking of an exact global U(1) symmetry gives rise to vacuum strings which can produce cosmological density fluctuations leading to galaxy formation. In a simplified axion model, the vacuum structures are strings connected by domain walls. They decay before they can dominate the universe.
Fabrication, assembly, and testing of a MEMS-enabled micro gas compressor for a 4:1 pressure ratio

Abstract This study describes the fabrication, assembly, and testing of a micro gas compressor. The compressor is formed by MEMS-based check valves coupled to a Kapton membrane driven by a mechanically amplified piezoelectric actuator. The valves are surface machined on a silicon substrate using polyimide as the structural material and copper as the sacrificial material. This design allows valves with low leak rates, low compressor dead volume, and the high compressible volume required to generate the pressure levels required of numerous applications including cryogenic cooling. The assembled compressor is tested with voltages over the range of 25–180 V and frequencies over the range of 25–700 Hz. A maximum pressure ratio of 4.3:1 is found when the actuator provides a maximum displacement of 156 μm, while the maximum flow-rate through the compressor of 51 standard cubic cm per minute (sccm) is observed when the compressor is operating at its resonant frequency.
Oceanic phosphorus imbalance: Magnitude of the mid-ocean ridge flank hydrothermal sink

10 10 mol P yr 1 . This value is larger (130%) than the riverine dissolvedfluxofinorganicphosphateandisasmuchas35%of the sedimentary P sink. The concordant seawater flux (2.1 10 16 kg yr 1 ) is 65% of the riverine fluid flux and circulates a fluidvolumeequivalenttotheentireoceaninabout70,000yr. Additional sampling of seafloor springs is required to further constrain the range of calculated phosphate fluxes; nevertheless the modern phosphorus budget is clearly unbalanced with total sinks outpacing sources. INDEX TERMS: 1045 Geochemistry: Low-temperature geochemistry; 1050 Geochemistry: Marine geochemistry (4835, 4850); 3015 Marine Geology and Geophysics: Heat flow (benthic) and hydrothermal processes; 4805 Oceanography: Biological and Chemical: Biogeochemical cycles (1615); 4845 Oceanography: Biological and Chemical: Nutrients and nutrient cycling; KEYWORDS: Ridge flank, hydrothermal, phosphate, Ocean Drilling Program, geochemical cycles. Citation: Wheat, C. G., J. McManus, M. J. Mottl, and E. Giambalvo, Oceanic phosphorus imbalance: Magnitude of the mid-ocean ridge flank hydrothermal sink, Geophys. Res. Lett., 30(17), 1895, doi:10.1029/2003GL017318, 2003.
Measurement of Circulating Glucose Concentrations: The Time Is Now for Consistency among Methods and Types of Samples

Diabetes mellitus was first described in the Egyptian papyrus of Ebers in 1552 BC by people who noted the attraction of insects to the “sweet urine” of those who produced abnormal amounts and later by tasters of urine who could fashion a diagnosis by recognizing the “sweet taste”. The name “diabetes”, initially used in the 1st century AD, comes from the Greek word meaning “to pass through”. “Mellitus”, a Latin word meaning “sweet as honey”, was added in the 18th century. The first chemical tests to measure sugar in urine were developed in the early 19th century. Early in the last century, whole-blood colorimetric analyses became available to clinicians, despite complexities in the preparation and analysis of samples. The term “blood glucose” remains a prominent feature to describe the state of glycemia in patients with diabetes, whether as a fasting value, during a glucose tolerance test, or in monitoring glucose values to determine the insulin dose. Measurements of glucose in venous whole blood, capillary whole blood, or plasma still define diabetes mellitus by WHO criteria (1), with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) referring only to concentrations in plasma (2). Modern applications of glucose assays practically diverge in the diagnosis vs monitoring of treatment(s) of diabetes. Thus, diagnosis is best made in a certified laboratory with the measurement of glucose in plasma after a fast of at least 8 h (3). The benefits of relating closely monitored glucose concentrations to treatment decisions have become feasible and practical with the availability of small devices capable of measuring with precision and accuracy glucose from …
Combination therapy with BOTOX™ and fillers: the new rejuvnation paradigm

Until relatively recently, restoration of appearance by replacement of lost facial volume and muscular relaxation has been an illusory goal. With advances in the commercial availability of newer filling agents and a better understanding of the clinical esthetic effects of botulinum toxin A, remarkably sophisticated and refined results can now be achieved by using these noninvasive techniques. The combined use of BTX-A and filling agents, such as collagen and hyaluronic acid, can restore facial appearance by the dual mechanisms of reflation and relaxation. In addition, their combined use appears to increase the longevity of tissue dwell time of the filling agent. Current practices now strive to correct wrinkles by restoring volume and also relaxing the pull of muscles that create negative facial expressions such as glabellar folds, mouth frown, crow's feet, horizontal forehead lines, and perioral and cervical rhytides. As with any of the new technological innovations currently available, understanding of the differing properties of the agents used and education in optimal technique is essential to clinical and esthetic success.
Is There a Relationship Between Clozapine and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?: A Retrospective Chart Review

The emergence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms during clozapine treatment has been reported in recent case studies, yet the incidence and significance of this finding is still unclear pending reliable data from a larger sample of patients. Hospital records of 142 randomly selected inpatients started on clozapine treatment at McLean Hospital before July 1, 1992, were reviewed retrospectively. Based on a limited retrospective chart review, there were no definitive cases of patients who developed obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or whose OCD worsened as a result of clozapine treatment. Although some fluctuation of OCD symptoms may have occurred in two cases, it is unclear whether those symptoms were related to treatment with clozapine (or other psychotropic drugs) or to undulations in the natural history of OCD. No definitive relationship between OCD symptoms and clozapine treatment could be established in this limited study. Further clarification of this matter awaits outcome research using prospective methodologies.
Incidence of vitiligo in children with Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Background Limited data are available on the association between vitiligo and autoimmune thyroid disease in pediatric patients. In addition, reported studies of pediatric patients have been based on a population known to have vitiligo and subsequently evaluated for the presence of thyroid function abnormalities.
Occlusal traits and perception of orthodontic need in eighth grade students

In 1994, 1155 eight-grade students in Alachua County, Fla., were asked about self-perception of and level of concern for their occlusal status. Clinical assessments of orthodontic parameters were also recorded. Twenty-five percent of the students had a history of orthodontic treatment. Of the remaining students who had no history of orthodontic treatment, 74% reported satisfaction with the way their teeth looked, 64% expressed no perceived need for braces, and 57% were judged clinically to have optional or no orthodontic needs. Sex, soft tissue profile, overjet, anterior crowding, and molar classification were significantly associated with the perception of need for braces while race and overbite were not. Clinical judgment of orthodontic need differed significantly among levels of satisfaction with teeth. Eighth graders with no history of orthodontic treatment were generally satisfied with the appearance of their teeth and perceived less need for braces than clinicians.
Differential regulation of tight junction permeability during development of the retinal pigment epithelium.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is an epithelial region of the blood-brain barrier. During embryogenesis, permeability of the barrier gradually decreases. A culture model of RPE development re...
Politics, Democracy, and the Military: A Proposal for an Integrated Curriculum for Universities and Colleges

The past thirty years have seen a steady decline in the availability of coursework in university and college curricula that address questions and issues related to the military, its relationship to politics, and its role in society. This development is troubling for a number of reasons. First, because we live in an uncertain world, the existence of armed forces is a necessary aspect of virtually all societies. Few autonomous states have the luxury of doing without a military force of some type. Second, because of the political situation of the United States as the world’s premier power, or the only genuine super power on some accounts, the armed forces have a particularly important role to play in the formulation of U. S. foreign policy. This is not to say that U. S. foreign policy is particularly militarized. It is simply to recognize that given the global realities of the world, U. S. foreign policy and security depend upon a strong military force. Third, in terms of government expenditures of the federal budget, military spending occupies the single largest expenditure of any single department in the federal budget. As such, it has significant impact on the domestic economy as well as on foreign policy. Fourth, because of the multiplicity of opportunities that if offers, the armed forces are among the most important educational institutions in the United States. These opportunities span various types of educational programs, from vocational and skilled labor, to language proficiency, to financial support for college and post-graduate education. Fifth, at least some range of technological spin off is experienced from the development of weapons and military technologies. These often have significant economic and humane impact, as in the case of the development of radar during World War II, to give one example. Finally, citizens in a democracy need to understand the limits and the possibilities of the use of military force. Even advocates of a strong military argue that the reliance on force at inappropriate times can be self defeating and undermine the use of force in the future. Conversely, the failure to use appropriate force when required can have serious adverse and even disastrous consequences.
Methane Conversion to Syngas for Gas-to-Liquids (GTL): Is Sustainable CO2 Reuse via Dry Methane Reforming (DMR) Cost Competitive with SMR and ATR Processes?

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and is obtained as a waste via burning various forms of fuels. Syngas is an intermediate in large-scale long-chain hydrocarbon (C10–C20 alkanes and alcohols) production processes via Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis, typically to obtain high quality fuels. Thus, it is of particular interest to engineer syngas production processes for FT that can consume various combustion process waste CO2 in the process and thus partially contribute to the sustainable carbon neutral fuel synthesis. In this work, a quantitative economic comparison of five alternative processes is presented for the production of synthesis gas with a hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide ratio of 2, which is suitable for feeding to the Fischer–Tropsch gas-to-liquid process. Combinations of steam methane reforming (SMR), dry methane reforming (DMR), autothermal reforming (ATR) and reverse water gas shift (RWGS) are explored. An amine absorber/stripper system is used for carbon dioxide removal. The effects of the cost o...
The Political Incorporation of Portuguese Americans in New England: Partisan and Nonpartisan Ballots and Ethnic Populations

Abstract. After a brief examination of structural factors that have been identified in the literature as having an impact on the path of political incorporation of immigrant populations, this paper provides a succinct comparative analysis of the political incorporation of Portuguese Americans in New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, and East Providence, USA. The political integration and incorporation of Portuguese Americans has been highly successful in some of these cities, while in others the political potential of this population group has not been fully realized. This study also provides a brief, but more extensive, analysis of the election of Portuguese Americans in New Bedford, first to this city’s City Council and second to the Massachusetts Legislative Assembly. This historical study shows that Portuguese political incorporation in American society, among other factors, has been impacted by variable electoral system structures and varying ethnic population dynamics in the four cities examined.
Relational ecologies of psychotherapy: The influence of administrative attachment on therapeutic alliance

There is now vast and multi-faceted empirical literature on the impact of relational dynamics in psychotherapy, and relationality is a central theme within contemporary psychoanalytic theories. Yet, there is virtually no literature addressing the relational dynamics around outpatient psychotherapy that influence the wider therapeutic alliance, that is the relational dynamics that unfold between clients and administrative office staff in making initial contacts and appointments, completing paperwork, negotiating payment, discussing insurance coverage, working through crisis calls, and the myriad of other forms of interaction which serve to form the relational ecology of psychotherapy. Milieu therapy or the use of supportive and structured therapeutic environments has been given significant attention in inpatient settings; however, administrative relational factors or administrative staff characteristics have seemingly been ignored in outpatient psychotherapy and psychoanalysis literatures. Many outpatient ...
The influence of ultrasonic frequency on shear stress measurement using acoustoelasticity

The fundamental theory of nonlinear ultrasonics is used in the quantification of the stress states in a complex loaded structural element. Acoustoelasticity is the dependence of ultrasonic wave velocity to the stress state. In order to measure the stress a perturbation signal is introduced and the frequency shift is measured at the receiving location, however the correlation between the stress and ultrasonic signal is weak therefore precise measurement is required in order to achieve accurate results. In this paper, the effect of sensor frequency on stress measurement is investigated. Rayleigh wave penetration depth which is approximately one wavelength decreases as the selected frequency increases. In this study three frequencies (0.5, 1 and 3 MHz) are considered, and their effective penetration depth are numerically examined to find the relationship between ultrasonic wave velocity and shear stress. The experimental component of this study includes uniaxial loading of the plate while measuring ultrasoni...
Abstract PR06: Identification of metabolic dependencies in tuberous sclerosis and lymphangioleiomyomatosis

The mammalian target of rapamycin complex (mTORC1) is constitutively active in many human cancers and in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare neoplastic disease of women in which TSC2-deficient cells metastasize to the lungs, causing cystic lung destruction. LAM can lead to oxygen dependency and death in young women. Inhibition of mTORC1 has a cytostatic effect in LAM and TSC, decreasing the size of kidney and brain tumors and stabilizing lung function. Lifelong therapy appears to be required, since tumors regrow upon treatment cessation. Hyperactive mTORC1 leads to low autophagic flux, contributing to the metabolic dependencies of TSC-deficient cells. Previously we found that the survival of TSC2-deficient cells is autophagy dependent. A Phase I clinical trial is currently underway testing the combination of rapamycin and hydroxychloroquine (which inhibits autophagy) in LAM. To further define autophagy dependent cellular pathways in TSC2-deficient cells we utilized the L1000 high-throughput gene expression assay. TSC2-null patient-derived cells were treated with chloroquine (CQ, 5 uM) for 24 hrs or 72 hrs. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway is significantly induced upon CQ treatment. TSC2-deficient cells exhibit differential sensitivity to the combination of CQ and a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor supporting the L1000 finding. In parallel, we performed a high throughput synthetic lethality screen of TSC2-deficient and TSC2-expressing cells in the presence or absence of CQ. Four libraries consisting of 4,500 compounds were screened. Six compounds exhibited synergy with CQ by suppressing ATP levels in TSC2-deficient cells but not TSC2-expressing cells. Follow-up analyses of these compounds are ongoing. In conclusion we utilized gene expression profiling and a high throughput drug screen to identify genetic and chemical perturbations that act synergistically with autophagy inhibition to target TSC2-deficient cells. Abundant data suggests that TSC2-deficient cells can be exploited through their autophagy-dependent metabolic vulnerabilities. Our long-term goal is to identify novel cytocidal therapeutic strategies for clinical translation in TSC and LAM. Citation Format: Harilaos Filippakis, Damir Khabibullin, Carmen Priolo, Elizabeth P. Henske. Identification of metabolic dependencies in tuberous sclerosis and lymphangioleiomyomatosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Metabolism and Cancer; Jun 7-10, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(1_Suppl):Abstract nr PR06.
Dopa-Responsive Dystonia with Delay in Walking

A 2-year, 8-month old boy with a previous diagnosis of cerebral palsy was referred to UCSF because of “awkward” gait and “walking on the toes.”
The Roles of Interpersonal Communication in Mass Media Campaigns

Communication scholarship has witnessed an explosion of disciplinary divisions and specific topic interest groups in the past 50 years that represents either noteworthy maturation or a troubling splintering, depending on your vantage point. As a result, important intersections remain for us to explore. In this review, we seek to highlight connections between interpersonal communication and mass media campaigns by identifying related streams of research that help us to explain how and why interpersonal talk and mass media efforts routinely affect each other. In doing so, we identify three general categories of roles of interpersonal communication: (planned or unintended) media campaign outcome, mediator of media campaign effects, and moderator of campaign effects.
Now and Future Tales

The final chapter of the book is about helping the reader become more aware of the stories of medicine—both those in the past and those that are unfolding today. A good way is to read, including the ten books recommended a century ago by Osler or a more recent list presented in the book. Visiting the worldwide treasury of medical historic sites and museums will enrich your understanding of medicine. Finally, I offer some thoughts about tomorrow, such as the source of respect we healers enjoy, who will lead the new discoveries, and the courses that should be added to our medical school curricula.
Continuous Production of Discrete Plasmid DNA-Polycation Nanoparticles Using Flash Nanocomplexation

Despite successful demonstration of linear polyethyleneimine (lPEI) as an effective carrier for a wide range of gene medicine, including DNA plasmids, small interfering RNAs, mRNAs, etc., and continuous improvement of the physical properties and biological performance of the polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles prepared from lPEI and nucleic acids, there still exist major challenges to produce these nanocomplexes in a scalable manner, particularly for lPEI/DNA nanoparticles. This has significantly hindered the progress toward clinical translation of these nanoparticle-based gene medicine. Here the authors report a flash nanocomplexation (FNC) method that achieves continuous production of lPEI/plasmid DNA nanoparticles with narrow size distribution using a confined impinging jet device. The method involves the complex coacervation of negatively charged DNA plasmid and positive charged lPEI under rapid, highly dynamic, and homogeneous mixing conditions, producing polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles with narrow distribution of particle size and shape. The average number of plasmid DNA packaged per nanoparticles and its distribution are similar between the FNC method and the small-scale batch mixing method. In addition, the nanoparticles prepared by these two methods exhibit similar cell transfection efficiency. These results confirm that FNC is an effective and scalable method that can produce well-controlled lPEI/plasmid DNA nanoparticles.
Nitrogen amendment of green waste impacts microbial community, enzyme secretion and potential for lignocellulose decomposition

Microorganisms involved in biomass deconstruction are an important resource for organic waste recycling and enzymes for lignocellulose bioconversion. The goals of this study were to examine the impact of nitrogen amendment on microbial community restructuring, secretion of xylanases and endoglucanases, and potential for biomass deconstruction. Communities were cultivated aerobically at 55 °C on green waste (GW) amended with varying levels of NH4Cl. Bacterial and fungal communities were determined using 16S rRNA and ITS region gene sequencing and PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) was applied to predict relative abundance of genes involved in lignocellulose hydrolysis. Nitrogen amendment significantly increased secretion of xylanases and endoglucanases, and microbial activity; enzyme activities and cumulative respiration were greatest when nitrogen level in GW was between 4.13–4.56 wt% (g/g), but decreased with higher nitrogen levels. The microbial community shifted to one with increasing potential to decompose complex polymers as nitrogen increased with peak potential occurring between 3.79–4.45 wt% (g/g) nitrogen amendment. The results will aid in informing the management of nitrogen level to foster microbial communities capable of secreting enzymes that hydrolyze recalcitrant polymers in lignocellulose and yield rapid decomposition of green waste.
Judy Reflects on Transition Laws, Challenges, and History

Judy Freedman Fask discusses specific language and laws that define transition, disability, and transition services. She then explores how the laws might impact actual programming. Finally, she shares her work with the d/Deaf community and how that inspires and influences her current work within transition.
Multiple particle filtering for inference in the presence of state correlation of unknown mixing parameters

We present a novel Rao-Blackwellized multiple particle filtering method for inference of correlated latent states observed via nonlinear functions. We adopt a state-space framework and model the dynamic correlated states using a mixing matrix, embedded in white Gaussian noise. The critical challenges in practice are the lack of knowledge about the mixing parameters and the possibly large dimensionality of the state. We address these issues by implementing Rao-Blackwellization of the unknown parameters and adopting a divide-and-conquer approach. The former strategy amounts to marginalizing out some of the variables; the latter breaks the space of the system in subsystems, and runs a separate particle filter for each of them. The resulting Rao-Blackwellized multiple particle filtering accurately estimates the correlated latent states, as shown by the provided simulation results.
Synthesis and Characterization of Bidentate NHC-CAryl Nickel(II) Complexes: Isocyanide Insertion To Form NHC-η2-iminoacyl Complexes

A bidentate monoanionic NHC-CAryl ligand framework was synthesized, and a host of Ni(II) complexes were prepared. Addition of isocyanides to these complexes led to the formation of NHC-η2-iminoacyl nickel complexes. These complexes were characterized by a suite of spectroscopic techniques, including X-ray crystallography. The η2-iminoacyl was shown to be displaced from the nickel center with oxidant and could then be reattached with reductant.
Preparing Future Meeting Professionals: A Case Study on Teaching Hybrid Meeting Management

ABSTRACTThrough the use of focus groups, an experiential learning exercise, and postprogram reflection surveys, a multimethod case study approach is used within the area of hospitality, specifically focusing on the management of hybrid meetings. In addition to further advancing knowledge within the meeting management industry, this research highlights the value of hybrid meeting technology and identifies a template for meeting educators to better prepare students to meetings industry managers.
Enhancing searches for optimal trees using SIESTA

Many supertree estimation and multi-locus species tree estimation methods compute trees by combining trees on subsets of the species set based on some NP-hard optimization criterion. A recent approach to computing large trees has been to constrain the search space by defining a set of “allowed bipartitions”, and then use dynamic programming to find provably optimal solutions in polynomial time. Several phylogenomic estimation methods, such as ASTRAL, the MDC algorithm in PhyloNet, and FastRFS, use this approach. We present SIESTA, a method that allows the dynamic programming method to return a data structure that compactly represents all the optimal trees in the search space. As a result, SIESTA provides multiple capabilities, including: (1) counting the number of optimal trees, (2) calculating consensus trees, (3) generating a random optimal tree, and (4) annotating branches in a given optimal tree by the proportion of optimal trees it appears in. SIESTA is available in open source form on github at https://github.com/pranjalv123/SIESTA.
Seed development and germination of Miscanthus sinensis

Seed development and germination research was conducted to understand the biology of Miscanthus sinensis (Andersson). A thermogradient table was used to determine whether M. sinensis germinated better under constant or alternating temperature conditions and which temperature treatments provided the best environment for maximum seed germination percentage for the species. It was determined that M. sinensis germinated best under alternating temperatures and achieved the highest germination with a combination of 22 and 16°C for 16 and 8 h. Results from the thermogradient table experiment were used to guide the design of the second experiment. The second experiment explored the effect of temperature combinations, light, and dormancy breaking techniques on seed germination and was used to determine a base for establishing a standard germination protocol for M. sinensis. Alternating temperatures commonly used by seed laboratories (15/25, 15/30, 20/30°C for 16/ 8 h) were compared to the best germination temperature combination from the first experiment (22/16°C for 16/8 h) obtained using the thermogradient table. In addition, seeds were subjected to either 8 h of light during the period corresponding to the higher germination temperature, or 24 h of dark. The influence of dormancy breaking techniques on seed germination was also explored. A 500 mg L -1 GA3, 2000 mg L -1 KNO3, and a 5°C prechill for 7 d were compared to an untreated control. The highest germination of freshly harvested seeds was recorded when germinated using 20/30°C for 16/8 h. There was no significant difference in the germination of one-year-old seed regardless of the germination temperature treatment. Across all seed lots and years there was no significant difference in the germination percentage between seeds germinated using light and those kept in the dark. The germination percentage of seeds treated with GA3 and prechill treatments was
Pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation: similar problems, different solutions.

The number of sophisticated physical and mathematical systems that have been proposed to simulate the movement of oxygen from the environment to the cell probably equals (and may even exceed!) the number of investigators in this field. In terms of the problem with which we will deal in the next few pages, a much simpler model comes to mind. In this analogy, the integrated O2 transport to tissue is compared to a tree, in which nutrients are absorbed by finely ramified roots and transported by the sap to a similarly subdivided set of branches through which they reach the delivery site. The two ends of the chain, dissimilar as they may look, share an important requirement, namely the need for proper functional distribution: clearly the roots should not be evenly spaced, like the spokes of a wheel, but rather must be more heavily concentrated in the area where more food or water is available; likewise the sap flow must go preferentially to parts that require more nourishment.
Innate immune adaptor MyD88 deficiency prevents skin inflammation in SHARPIN-deficient mice

Mice deficient in SHANK-associated RH domain-interacting protein (SHARPIN), a component of the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC), develop a spontaneous inflammatory disorder with pathologic hallmarks similar to atopic dermatitis and psoriasis in humans. Previous studies identified the crucial role of components of the TNF and IL-1 signaling pathways in the progression of disease in SHARPIN-deficient mice. However, an innate immune adaptor or sensor that relates to the disease progression has remained unknown. In this study, we found that the genetic ablation of myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) completely rescued skin inflammation in SHARPIN-deficient (Sharpincpdm) mice. Systemic inflammation and immune cell dysregulation were partially rescued. Fibroblasts derived from SharpincpdmMyd88−⁄− mice failed to provide protection against TNF-induced cell death. SharpincpdmMyd88−⁄− mice had reduced TNF production in their skin. Furthermore, depletion of the microbiota through the oral administration of antibiotics (ABX) partially rescued both the skin inflammation and systemic inflammation, demonstrating a role for the gut microbiota in SHARPIN-deficient mice. Our findings suggest a detrimental role for the innate immune adaptor MyD88 in instigating skin inflammation in Sharpincpdm mice.
Gravitational allocation on the sphere.

Given a collection L of n points on a sphere [Formula: see text] of surface area n, a fair allocation is a partition of the sphere into n parts each of area 1, and each is associated with a distinct point of L. We show that, if the n points are chosen uniformly at random and if the partition is defined by a certain "gravitational" potential, then the expected distance between a point on the sphere and the associated point of L is [Formula: see text] We use our result to define a matching between two collections of n independent and uniform points on the sphere and prove that the expected distance between a pair of matched points is [Formula: see text], which is optimal by a result of Ajtai, Komlos, and Tusnady.
Exposure to Diabetes in Utero Is Associated with Earlier Pubertal Timing and Faster Pubertal Growth in the Offspring: The EPOCH Study

Objective To examine the associations of in utero exposure to maternal diabetes with surrogate measures of offspring pubertal timing (age at peak height velocity [APHV]) and speed of pubertal growth (peak height velocity [PHV]). Study design Data from 77 exposed and 340 unexposed youth followed from age 2 to 19 years (51% non-Hispanic white, 50% female) were analyzed using the Exploring Perinatal Outcomes among Children study, a historical prospective cohort. Maternal diabetes status was collected from obstetric records, and child heights from 2 years to current age from pediatric records. Other covariates were collected during research visits. The superimposition by translation and rotation method, using height measurements (4-52 per participant), modeled APHV and PHV. Accelerated failure time analyses were used to test whether exposure to maternal diabetes was associated with younger APHV and faster PHV. Results Adjusting for child's sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, median APHV was reached ~3 months earlier in youth exposed to maternal diabetes compared with unexposed youth (P Conclusions Our findings provide evidence that exposure to maternal diabetes in utero is associated with earlier pubertal timing and faster pubertal growth. Whether earlier puberty or faster speed of pubertal growth mediates the association between maternal diabetes exposure and later chronic disease risk remains to be studied.