cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A role for histone acetylation mechanisms in adolescent alcohol exposure-induced deficits in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression and neurogenesis markers in adulthood

Binge drinking during adolescence is a risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders that can develop later in life. Histone acetylation is an important epigenetic mechanism that contributes to neurodevelopment. We investigated the effects of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure, as opposed to normal saline (AIS) exposure, on histone acetylation-mediated regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and developmental stages of neurogenesis (proliferating and immature neurons) in the hippocampus in adulthood. AIE exposure increased whole hippocampal histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity and decreased binding protein of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CBP) and histone H3-K9 acetylation levels in the CA1, CA2, and CA3 regions of the hippocampus. BDNF protein and exon IV mRNA levels in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus of AIE-exposed adult rats were decreased as compared to AIS-exposed adult rats. AIE-induced anxiety-like behaviors and deficits in histone H3 acetylation at BDNF exon IV promoter in the hippocampus during adulthood, which were reversed by treatment with the HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA). Similarly, neurogenesis was inhibited by AIE in adulthood as demonstrated by the decrease in Ki-67 and doublecortin (DCX)-positive cells in the dentate gyrus, which was normalized by TSA treatment. These results indicate that AIE exposure increases HDACs and decreases CBP levels that may be associated with a decrease in histone H3 acetylation in the hippocampus. These epigenetic changes potentially decrease BDNF expression and inhibit neurogenesis in the hippocampus that may be involved in AIE-induced behavioral abnormalities, including anxiety, in adulthood.
End-of-life matters in chronic renal failure.

Purpose of review The population considered eligible for dialysis has expanded dramatically over the past 4 decades, so that a significant proportion of patients receiving renal replacement therapy are elderly, frail and infirm. These patients have an extremely limited life expectancy and suffer from significant symptom burden, similar to patients with other end-stage organ failure or cancer. As dialysis has been offered more broadly, it is now initiated earlier than in decades past, further adding to cost and patient burden. Recent findings The trend toward more expansive and intensive care has not been corroborated by robust data. In response, an increasing number of studies has focused on establishing reasonable limits to renal replacement therapy. Multiple authors have explored the role of conservative kidney management for high-risk dialysis patients as an alternative to dialysis, which may offer similar survival and improved quality of life in certain populations. For those who chose dialysis, deferring initiation until the patient becomes symptomatic may be a reasonable. Evidence-based symptom management guidelines for dialysis patients remain largely absent, with few proven approaches. Hospice and palliative care resources remain underutilized. Summary For a subset of dialysis patients, palliative care and conservative kidney management are appropriate and underutilized. Video abstract http://links.lww.com/COSPC/A8
EFFECT OF CORTISONE, AMPUTATION, AND FOOD RESTRICTION ON GROWTH OF RAT MAXILLARY INCISORS.

SummaryObservations on rats maintained on a soft consistency diet or restricted food intake, revealed little if any effect on the eruption rate of the maxillary incisors. However, when these incisors were kept out of occlusal contact by periodic apical cutting, rate of eruption was accelerated. Cortisone treatment brought about a further increase in this accelerated rate indicating a direct effect on the mechanism or mechanisms responsible for incisor eruption or growth.
Patterns of Antibody Response in Individuals Infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Immunofluorescence and immunoblot assays were conducted on 488 sera from patients with AIDS and clinically healthy individuals at risk for infection by the human immunodeficiency virus. Of these, 360 contained antiviral antibodies, and nearly all reacted with the envelope precursor glycoprotein gp160. Sera from 103 individuals for whom a complete clinical history was available were evaluated in detail. Most sera recognized both the gp160 and the p55 gag precursor protein. Because these two antigens are found primarily in infected cells, the results suggest that this association makes them more immunogenic. A high prevalence of antibodies to the polymerase gene products (p65 and p31) and to a viral protein p48, which is not yet fully defined, was also noted. Many sera, particularly those from patients with Kaposi's sarcoma or Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, lacked antibodies to both p25 and gp41. These antibody patterns could help predict the prognosis for virus-infected individuals.
Subjective well-being and cardiometabolic health: An 8–11 year study of midlife adults

Abstract Objective Individuals who are satisfied and experience frequent positive emotions tend to have reduced risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). However, conflicting evidence exists and little research has investigated whether well-being is associated with early-warning indicators of biological risk that precede CHD. We investigated whether life satisfaction and positive emotions longitudinally predicted reduced risk of incident cardiometabolic conditions and healthier cardiometabolic risk scores, which may provide insight into underlying mechanisms and novel prevention targets. Methods Initially healthy men and women (N = 754–854) reported their baseline life satisfaction and positive emotions. During follow-up, presence of manifest cardiometabolic conditions was assessed and a separate cardiometabolic risk score was constructed from eight biomarkers. Poisson and linear regression analyses tested whether life satisfaction and positive emotions were associated with reduced incident disease risk and lower cardiometabolic risk scores 8–11 years later. Results Life satisfaction and positive emotions were each prospectively associated with reduced risk of manifest conditions, controlling for demographics and family history of CHD. Associations were attenuated for positive emotions after adjusting for depressive symptoms and for life satisfaction after adjusting for health behaviors. Life satisfaction was associated with lower cardiometabolic risk scores until adding health behaviors, but positive emotions were not (regardless of the included covariates). Conclusion Well-being, particularly life satisfaction, is associated with reduced risk for incident cardiometabolic conditions in minimally-adjusted models. However, accounting for underlying behavioral pathways attenuates the association. Low levels of life satisfaction (but not positive emotions) may also provide early warning of cardiometabolic risk prior to disease development.
173 BONE ALLOGRAFT FAILURE IN THE MUSCULOSKELETAL TUMOR SETTING: HOST IMMUNE RESPONSE TO FOREIGN HUMAN LEUKOCYTE ANTIGEN.

Purpose The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecule is a highly polymorphic gene involved in both acute and chronic rejection of large organ transplants and thought to be involved with nonunion and rejection of bone allografts. The purpose of this study was to examine if foreign HLA sensitization to a bone allograft results in graft complications. Study Methods We analyzed 86 patients9 serum using flow cytometry to detect anti-HLA class I and II IgG antibodies. We defined “major complications” as those that resulted in either the removal of the allograft or complications that showed graft nonunion. Statistical analysis included chi-square test for categorical data, and allograft survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results Of the 86 patients, 32 (37%) had a major complication resulting in the revision of the allograft union site. Graft survival was 71% at 2 years, 56% at 5 years, and 44% at 10 years, with a mean survival of 86 months. Fifty-eight patients (67%) had production of HLA class I or class II antibodies. Patients with deep infection had an increased rate of major allograft complications compared with those without a deep infection (60% vs 40%, p = .01). In the absence of infection, 93% of patients (14/15) with a negative immune response had no major complications ( p = .02). Also, 39% of patients (18/46) with a positive immune response had a major complication ( p = .02). Conclusion Infection and HLA immune response are two factors that contribute to complications, which result in nonunion with the host bone. If infection to the site can be minimized, then minimizing the immune response will also contribute to higher success rates.
Brain exams in pediatric epilepsy: PET/MRI compared to PET/CT.

419 Objectives PET/MRI offers the potential for anatomical and functional information in a single examination1. To reach its full potential, this technology will require robust attenuation correction (AC) algorithms2. The goal of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET images of the brain processed according to MR-based AC (MRAC) with that of images obtained using traditional CT-based AC (CTAC). Methods IRB approval and informed consent were obtained for this study. All patients referred for clinical FDG-PET/CT exams of the brain were prospectively recruited to undergo an additional FDG-PET acquisition on a Philips Ingenuity PET/MR system. A bootstrap power calculation was used to determine the number of patients required to detect a 10% difference in diagnostic accuracy (power: 0.8). Raw FDG-PET images were processed according to vendor-provided MRAC or CTAC algorithms. Five expert readers were blinded to the method of AC and all other clinical/imaging data. Consensus between readers at unblinded re-review of all data was considered the gold standard. Any potential difference in the accuracy of PET/MR compared to PET/CT was assessed using McNemar’s test. Cohen’s kappa was calculated to measure agreement between each reader’s interpretation of MRAC and CTAC. Results The study population comprised 35 patients referred for a diagnosis of epilepsy (mean age: 11y; range: 2-18y), with a paired PET/CT and PET/MR exam. Test characteristics of the blinded interpretation of the PET/MR and PET/CT images compared to gold standard are provided in Table 1. The accuracy of MRAC-processed images did not differ significantly from those obtained using CTAC (p>0.3). Overall, there was good intra-reader agreement between the interpretation of PET/MR and PET/CT (κ range: 0.55-0.78). Conclusions The accuracy of FDG-PET images generated by an MRAC algorithm was comparable to that of FDG-PET images processed by traditional CTAC. These results further support the use of integrated PET/MR systems in clinical practice.
Estimation on bending fatigue life of gears by considering load distribution among gear teeth

By considering factors of load distribution among gear teeth during the course of gear engagement,through carrying out interpolating correction on the journey of primitive loading of gear and rain flow count and utilizing the method of 3D finite element analysis,the influence of prediction on bending fatigue life of gear affected by load distribution among gear teeth has been probed.The result of study shows that there are rather big effects on the statistics of load spectrum of gear by considering the load distribution among gear teeth,and lowered the result of prediction on bending fatigue life of gear.
Research and Application of Sensor Identification Normalization in Smart Grid

With the construction of smart grid,the sensor technology has been applied to the power grid.It improves the intelligent operation level of power grid,,however,this new technology also brings many problems as information island and interface complication.To solve these problems,a unified sensor identification system is devised.This paper works out the unified norm of sensors based on the equipment managing norm for the power grid and worldwide sensor identification norm.Based on the norm,the paper designs a sensor identification system and explores sensor identification compressing,and proposes the scheme of the sensor identification application.The norm is interchangeable with sensor identification systems as EPC or UID,it has certain research and application value.
Development of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 superstrate devices with alternative buffer layers

Abstract Superstrate Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells are prepared in the structure SLG/TCO/buffer/CIGS/Au with CIGS deposited onto the buffer layer by a single stage co-evaporation process. Three buffer materials – CdS deposited by chemical surface deposition, ZnSe and ZnO by RF magnetron sputtering – are tested in the superstrate structure. The best cell achieves 8.6% efficiency with the ZnO buffer after light soaking and forward bias treatments. The efficiency of devices with CdS or ZnSe buffers are less than 4%. The junction formation between the absorber and buffer layers are investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. For CdS/CIGS and ZnSe/CIGS superstrate devices extensive inter-diffusion between the absorber and buffer layer under CIGS growth condition is the critical problem. For ZnO/CIGS superstrate cells GaxOy formation at the junction interface and unfavorable conduction band alignment are the main factors that limit the device performance.
Hospital evacuation in disasters: uncovering the systemic leverage using system dynamics

Our aim is to understand systemic processes that apply to hospital evacuation and patient relocation during and after a disaster. We use system dynamics to simulate hospital evacuation in such an event. System dynamics is a well-established simulation method for analysing complex social systems that include feedback. We found that the key to efficient hospital evacuation lies less in management of patient transportation and more in the ability of the receiving hospital to manage the influx of patients. The decision makers at the hospital receiving patients are most subject to feedback effects and therefore hold the most leverage in determining the rate of the evacuation. On the basis of simulation results, we develop recommendations for hospital evacuation and patient relocation. Planners, policy makers and practitioners can use the recommendations to facilitate efficient hospital evacuations.
Electronic Bladder Stimulation in the Management of Children with Myelomeningocele

Mentor electronic bladder stimulators were implanted in 8 children with myelomeningocele who were being managed successfully with intermittent catheterization. Satisfactory clinical performance was obtained in only 3 of these children. In the 5 failures urine flow was sporadic and unreliable. In 6 patients electrode lead wires broke where they entered the anterior abdominal fascia. None of the 8 units functioned more than 29 months. Many technical problems must be resolved before bladder stimulators will have a significant role in the management of children with myelomeningocele.
Awakening the Spirit

Our present era can be characterized as an “age of hedonism” that has produced a society of people who are focused on meaningless and secular fulfillment. This age has created a cycle of behavior where “the most popular response to the lack of meaning and the emptiness of life seems to be one of a highly intensified personal hedonism: an orgy of individual gratification in the form of consumerism; heavy reliance on sex, drugs, and music for release and distraction; and a never-ending pursuit of still greater heights of pleasure” (Purpel, 1989, p. 23).
Using Wi-Fi Signals to Characterize Human Gait for Identification and Activity Monitoring

Gait characterization and monitoring technologies are useful for the purposes of biometrics tracking and monitoring subjects (e.g., the elderly, at risk, and patients). Traditional techniques of measuring gait employ image processing or special sensors, which require either direct line of sight or physically attached sensors and thus, are cumbersome and costly. We propose Hoble that uses Wi-Fi signals to characterize multipath and Doppler Effect. Because of the physical property, the ubiquity, and the robustness of Wi-Fi signals, this type of sensing penetrates walls and does not require special signals or attachment of sensors to humans. In contrast to previous techniques Hoble 1) extracts features that identify individuals by their intrinsic body movement during walking without attachments to the body, 2) addresses the need to conduct real-time monitoring of individuals and detecting events such as falling, and 3) creates signatures by measuring Channel State Information (CSI), which provide high-fidelity location, movement, and identity information of human subjects. We implemented Hoble on a National Instruments (NI) Radio Frequency (RF) test-bed and conducted extensive experiments on six individuals at three locations. Our empirical results show that by applying a simple Naive Bayes classifier on the extracted features, the correct identification rate was 87%. The correct localization rate was 90%. We demonstrated line-of-sight (LoS) and with non-line-of-sight (NLoS) scenarios.
“Greening” a Familiar General Chemistry Experiment: Coffee Cup Calorimetry to Determine the Enthalpy of Neutralization of an Acid–Base Reaction and the Specific Heat Capacity of Metals

Coffee cup calorimetry, performed with calorimeters made with styrofoam coffee cups, is a familiar experiment in the general chemistry laboratory. These calorimeters are inexpensive, easy to use, and provide good insulation for most thermodynamics experiments. This paper presents the successful substitution of paper coffee cups for styrofoam cups to construct homemade calorimeters. Important modifications to the experimental protocol when using paper cup calorimeters are discussed. Data collected using calorimeters constructed from the two types of cups are presented in order to demonstrate that comparable results can be obtained for the enthalpy of neutralization of an acid–base reaction and for the heat capacities of metals. These results also compare favorably with published values. Finally, an approach to using scientific literature to help general chemistry students examine whether paper or styrofoam cups provide the “greener” option is discussed.
Heterogeneous distribution of castes/instars and behaviors in the nest of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki

This study investigated age polyethism and the frequencies of behaviors in relation to the distance from the egg cluster in nests of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, a lower termite. Juvenile colonies of C. formosanus were introduced in planar arenas and termite activity was recorded with camcorders. The results showed that there were differences in distribution of caste/instar between the royal chamber and the secondary feeding site. There was a gradient of termite distribution within the vicinity of the royal chamber, with the egg cluster as the center. A negative correlation between the number of behavioral events per individual and distance of the behavioral event from the egg cluster was found for many behaviors. However, some behaviors were positively correlated with the distance from the egg clusters in the royal chamber, implying that not all behavior frequencies were termite density dependent. Finally, most motionless termites were found near the royal chamber, presumably about to molt or recently molted. Our study confirmed the occurrence of age polyethism in C. formosanus and there was heterogeneous distribution of caste/instar and behaviors away from the egg clusters. Task division was not only instar dependent but also location dependent, although behavioral compartmentalization was not as distinct as found in higher termites. This observation suggests that the complexity of age polyethism in Coptotermes is intermediate between lower termites and higher termites, as a case of evolutionary step.
The gut-brain axis: is intestinal inflammation a silent driver of Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis?

The state of the intestinal environment can have profound effects on the activity of the central nervous system through the physiological contributions of the microbiota, regulation of intestinal barrier function, and altered activity of peripheral neurons. The common language employed for much of the gut-brain communication is the modulation of immune activity. Chronic proinflammatory immune activity is increasingly being recognized as a fundamental element of neurodegenerative disorders, and in Parkinson’s disease, inflammation in the intestine appears particularly relevant in pathogenesis. We review the evidence that intestinal dysfunction is present in Parkinson’s disease and that it may reflect the earliest manifestations of Parkinson’s disease pathology, and we link these findings to dysregulated immune activity. Based on this, we present a model for Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis in which the disorder originates in the intestine and progresses with inflammation as its underlying mechanism. More in-depth investigations into the physiological mechanisms underlying peripheral pre-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease are expected to lead to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic measures that can slow or limit progression of the disease to more advanced stages involving debilitating motor and cognitive symptoms.
A baseball game analysis by an extraction of characteristic play sequence

In baseball games, a term of momentum affecting the flow of the game is used as a mental concept. A team can feel positive momentum during a game when the first batter in an inning gets a base; the following batters get runs more easily. Regarding psychological momentum, many folk theories are widely believed among baseball people. A more quantitative approach to folk theories on baseball games is required because these are qualitatively explained without any clear basis. In this article, we statistically analyze the plays on 31 games by National Institute of Technology, Nara College (NIT-Nara) team in Japan high school baseball tournament. The verification of typical folk theories associated with some specific plays shows that these theories are not statistically significant. The playing-style is checked by means of bias on the play frequency. It is found that negative plays occurred more often than those by the opponent teams. The evaluation for the plays with «-gram frequency extracts some characteristic play sequences. These analyses revealed that NIT-Nara team is rather emotionally unstable to keep their positive momentum. Furthermore, a method for detailed investigation of the key plays driving momentum on the game is mentioned as the future problem.
Calculating Blood Pressure Based on Measured Heart Sounds

The current standard technique for blood pressure determination is by using cuff/stethoscope, which is not suited for infants or children. Even for adults such an approach yields 60% accuracy with respect to intra-arterial blood pressure measurements. Moreover, it does not allow for continuous monitoring of blood pressure over 24 h and days. In this paper, a new methodology is developed that enables one to calculate the systolic and diastolic blood pressures continuously in a non-invasive manner based on the heart beats measured from the chest of a human being. To this end, we must separate the first and second heart sounds, known as S1 and S2, from the directly measured heart sound signals. Next, the individual characteristics of S1 and S2 must be identified and correlated to the systolic and diastolic blood pressures. It is emphasized that the material properties of a human being are highly inhomogeneous, changing from one organ to another, and the speed at which the heart sound signals propagate inside a human body cannot be determined precisely. Moreover, the exact locations from which the heart sounds are originated are unknown a priori, and must be estimated. As such, the computer model developed here is semi-empirical. Yet, validation results have demonstrated that this semi-empirical computer model can produce relatively robust and accurate calculations of the systolic and diastolic blood pressures with high statistical merits.
Photon sieves for creating and identifying orbital angular momentum of light

Photon sieves for generating and identifying beams with orbital angular momentum are presented. They are diffractive optical elements (DOEs) based on a traditional Fresnel zone plate (FZP), but composed of a series of microscopic pinholes usually centered on the bright zones. Each circular hole contributes to the focusing and there are multiple possibilities for applying pupil apodization to DOEs that are not possible, and/or difficult, and/or costly compared to optical systems with conventional lenses and mirrors. We will describe in detail the basic spiral photon sieve as well as how various types of the photon sieves can be combined into one optical element for spatial beam shaping.
Response enhancement in children as a function of blocking at different distances from start and goal

Fourteen second- and third-grade boys played a game in which they attempted to fill a tube to various levels with marbles. E blocked their progress at numerous points in an attempt to assess the contributions of distance from the start, distance from the goal, and total game length on S's response of hitting a dowel following blocking. Results suggested that distance from the start is a more potent variable affecting response strength following blocking than either distance from the goal or total game length.
Scaling Expectation-Maximization for Inverse Reinforcement Learning to Multiple Robots under Occlusion

We consider inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) when portions of the expert's trajectory are occluded from the learner. For example, two experts performing tasks in close proximity may block each other from the learner's view or the learner is a robot observing mobile robots from a fixed position with limited sensor range. Previous methods mitigate this challenge by either focusing on the observed data only or by forming an expectation over the missing portion of the expert's trajectories given observed data. However, not only is the resulting optimization nonlinear and nonconvex, the space of occluded trajectories may be very large especially when multiple agents are observed over an extended time, which makes it intractable to compute the expectation. We present methods for speeding up the computation of conditional expectations by employing blocked Gibbs sampling. Challenged by a time-limited, multi-robot domain we explore various blocking schemes and demonstrate that our methods offer significantly improved performance over existing IRL techniques under occlusion.
A model for predicting individualized absolute risk of contralateral breast cancer.

1567Background: The rate of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy has been rising alarmingly in recent years even though the risk of developing Contralateral Breast Cancer (CBC) is relatively low for most women with unilateral breast cancer. Thus, there is a pressing need for educating patients on their individualized risk of CBC. For this, physicians need a prediction model to provide a quantitative risk of CBC. Methods: To address this need, we develop a CBC risk prediction model using data from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. We include women aged 18 - 89 with 1st diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and/or invasive cancer and undergoing mammography screening between 1995 and 2010. The cases are matched with controls in 1:3 ratio on year of 1st diagnosis, race, and length of follow-up. A total of 1921 cases and 5763 controls meet the eligibility criteria. The modeling steps are similar to those used in developing Gail (BCRAT) model, a popular model for estimating the risk of 1st brea...
Circulating Discourses: The Case of Agricultural Development in Tanzania

In recent years, neo-institutional sociologists, political scientists and geographers have engaged in a lively set of theoretical debates about how policy ideas move from one place to another. This paper seeks to engage with claims about global norm diffusion or policy transfer by studying policy discourses on agricultural development in the East African country of Tanzania. Using documents produced by international donors and research institutions, the Tanzanian government, and national and transnational civil society organizations; transcripts of parliamentary debates; and over 30 interviews with policy actors in Tanzania, we identify and compare three discourses that are currently circulating on African agricultural development policy: a global discourse, a dominant national discourse, and a subordinate national discourse. Based on an analysis of these discourses’ similarities and differences—and of the policy coalitions that are promoting them—we advance arguments about (a) the role of national contexts and historical legacies in shaping the diffusion of a global discourse; (b) power dynamics and political contention within the state itself; and (c) the transnational networks of both dominant and subordinate discourse coalitions.
Communication and Complexity: Negotiating Transitions in Critical Care

There is considerable truth to the old adage that successful conversation will take you very far. Of course, the proposition is more complex when applied to the healthcare system. Hospital institutions are complex structures that use a multilayered approach and employ multiple modes of communication in caring for patients including paging systems, telephones, e-mail, fax, and face-to-face interactions [1]. It is reasonable to propose that electronic health records constitute another medium of communication although a decidedly less than optimal one at this point in time. However, the patient care process in ICU relies heavily on face-to-face verbal exchange [2]. It has been reported that clinicians devote 50—60 % of clinical time to talk in ICU settings.
Potentials of Families of Unit Masses on Disjoint Jordan Curves

Let D be a bounded open set in the complex plane with connected complement, ∂D = C its boundary. When we speak of limits, convergence or approximation in D, we always mean limits, convergence or approximation which are uniform on every compact subset of D.
Aspects of Reaction Network Structure

Our aim in this chapter is to provide a vocabulary with which reaction network structure might be discussed. Although some of the terms will find use well before others, they are all intimately related. For this reason we will find it advantageous to locate their definitions in one place. At the end of the chapter, there is an appendix, in which we discuss a sense in which a reaction network can sometimes be decomposed into independent subnetworks. This is an important aspect of reaction network structure, one that belongs naturally in this chapter. Nevertheless, the discussion of the decomposition has been placed in an appendix because it is slightly more technical than the rest and is not essential to an understanding of the chapters immediately following.
Real-world experience and molecular features of response to immune checkpoint blockade in patients with recurrent small cell lung cancer.

8556Background: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is now a routine component of treatment in recurrent small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We evaluated the response to ICB in patients (pts) with recurren...
History's Ghost Haunting Vince Gilligan's New Mexico: Genre, Myth, and the New Western History in Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad's creator and producer, Vince Gilligan, depicts how the past shapes the present in ways to which the show's characters often seem blind, specifically regarding interracial violence, wh...
Imperfect Nonlinear False Data Injection Attack Against Largest Normalized Residual Test

False data injection attack is one of the most important cyber-threats to the emerging smart grid. The original perfect attack was developed for DC power flow model which is not used much in practice. A nonlinear version of the attack is also proposed and it showed that it requires real-time errorfree true values of the state variables. In reality, the true values may be difficult to achieve that leads to an imperfect attack. Even though it is known that the imperfect attack will change the norm of the residues, the probability of being detected is not analyzed in detail. In this paper, it is shown that the nonlinear imperfect attack is strong enough to bypass the bad data detection and identification methods with high probability. The efficacy of the attack is shown through simulations on IEEE 30 and 118-bus test systems.
Defining, Assessing, and Treating Adolescent Insomnia and Related Sleep Problems Including Circadian Rhythm Disorders

Young adolescent females experience significant developmental sleep changes including circadian and homeostatic changes in their sleep. They naturally develop an eveningness chronotype which tends to delay their nightly sleep and can lead to nighttime insomnia and daytime sleepiness over time. Many factors can further exacerbate symptoms of insomnia including menstrual cycle irregularities, mental health disorders, social media/technology, reduced parental control, and early school start times. The impact of chronic insomnia include cognitive impairment (memory an attention problems), metabolic dysregulation, mental health concerns, increased high-risk behavior such as substance abuse. Treatment options include elimination of exacerbating factors and behavioral treatments of insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders. In addition, external/extrinsic factors that may be impacting sleep adversely, such as cell phones, internet access and television, should be eliminated.
CHAPTER ONE – THE FOUNDATIONS OF ALGEBRA

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the fundamental task of algebra that is to abstract those properties that apply to a number system. It discusses the real number system and its properties as much of the work in algebra involves this number system. The chapter reviews some fundamentals of algebra: the meaning and use of variables; algebraic expressions and polynomial forms; factoring; and operations with rational expressions or algebraic fractions.
Clinical Probes for ROS and Oxidative Stress

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is considered as a valuable tool in the determination and characterization of free radicals in vitro and in animal models; however, its use in humans presents technical challenges. While spin traps and spin probes have their own advantages and disadvantages, there are several factors that need to be considered for the appropriateness of any possible applications, which is a topic that will be discussed in this chapter. Besides the use of exogenous probes for the detection of free radicals, several endogenous molecules are used to determine the redox status in patients using the EPR techniques. In this chapter, both endogenous and exogenous agents for clinical studies of oxidative stress will be discussed. EPR signal formation or disappearance is a measure of the extent of ROS production, but changes in the spectral profile are also exploited, such as in the case of some trityl radical probes. The mechanisms of signal formation, disappearance, or changes thereof will be mentioned in detail in this chapter along with the limitations in their applications and cautionary notes in their interpretation.
Antidumping, signaling and cheap talk

Abstract In the United States, there is evidence that domestic non-filing firms do not always support dumping/countervailing duty investigations. Absent other factors, domestic firms have an unambiguous incentive to support petitions filed by other domestic producers. We argue that in cases where the non-complainant firm is not a significant importer or exporter, the most plausible explanation is that non-support acts as a costly signal of private information. Extending the model to allow firms to engage in cheap talk, such signaling can take place even in the absence of an investigation. This result provides an explanation for the puzzling observation that fewer antidumping investigations are filed than one would expect.
Forecasting Asymmetric Unemployment Rates

Asymmetric behavior has been documented in postwar quar-terly U.S. unemployment rates. This suggests that improvement over conventional linear forecasts may be possible through the use of nonlinear time-series models. In this note an out-of-sample forecasting competition is carried out for a set of leading nonlinear time-series models. It is shown that several nonlinear forecasts do indeed dominate the linear forecast. The results are sensitive, however, to whether a stationarity-inducing transfor-mation is applied to the nonstationary unemployment rate series.
The SON RNA splicing factor is required for intracellular trafficking that promotes centriole assembly

Control of centrosome assembly is critical for cell division, intracellular trafficking and cilia. Regulation of centrosome number occurs through the precise duplication of centrioles that reside in centrosomes. Here we explored transcriptional control of centriole assembly and find that the RNA splicing factor SON is specifically required for completing procentriole assembly. Whole genome mRNA sequencing identified genes whose splicing and expression are affected by the reduction of SON, with an enrichment in genes involved in the microtubule cytoskeleton, centrosome and centriolar satellites. SON is required for the proper splicing and expression of CEP131 which encodes a major centriolar satellite protein and is required to organize the trafficking and microtubule network around the centrosomes. This study highlights the importance of the distinct microtubule trafficking network that is intimately associated with nascent centrioles and is responsible for procentriole development.
Characterization of drug binding with alpha1-acid glycoprotein in clinical samples using ultrafast affinity extraction.

Abstract Many drugs bind to serum transport proteins, which can affect both drug distribution and activity in the body. α1-Acid glycoprotein (AGP) is a key transport protein for basic and neutral drugs. Both elevated levels and altered glycosylation patterns of AGP have been seen in clinical conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study developed, optimized, and used the method of ultrafast affinity extraction (UAE) to examine whether these changes in AGP are associated with changes in the binding by some drugs to this transport protein. This approach used affinity microcolumns to capture and measure, in serum, the free fractions of several drugs known to bind AGP. These measurements were made with pooled normal control serum and serum samples from individuals with SLE. Immunoaffinity chromatography was used to obtain the content of AGP and HSA in these samples, and CE was used to examine the glycoform pattern for AGP in each serum sample. The free drug fractions measured for normal control serum ranged from 3.5 to 29.1%, in agreement with the results of ultrafiltration, and provided binding constants of ~105–106 M−1 for the given drugs with AGP at 37⁰C. Analysis of a screening set of SLE serum samples by UAE gave decreased free fractions (relative change, 12-55%) vs normal serum when spiked with the same types and amounts of drugs. These changes were related in some cases to AGP content, with some SLE samples having AGP levels 1.3- to 2.1-fold above the upper end of the normal range. In other cases, the changes in free fractions appeared to be linked to alterations in the glycoforms and binding constants of AGP, with some affinities differing by 1.2- to 1.5-fold vs normal AGP. This approach can be employed with other solute-protein systems and to investigate binding by other drugs or transport proteins directly in clinical samples.
1-D NiO nanorods pillared 2-D MnO2 nanosheets as lithium-free cathode materials for charged-state lithium batteries

Abstract Theoretically monolayer MnO2 sheets have an impressive high capacity of 616 mAh/g, but practically monolayer MnO2 sheets have poor performances due partially to monolayer restacking. In this paper, we report the preparation of three-dimensional porous NiO nanorod pillared δ-MnO2 nanosheets as integrated nanoarchitectures as lithium-free cathode materials. The as-synthesized NiO pillared δ-MnO2 nanosheets have resulted in a moderately high specific capacity of 185 mA h g−1, with more than 63% capacity retention after 200 cycles. In comparison, 2D MnO2 nanosheets without NiO pillared structures only achieved a low initial capacity of 137 mA h g−1, with just 17% capacity retention after 200 cycles. The dramatically improved electrochemical performances could be attributed to high surface areas with excellent porosity which provides more electrochemically active sites and thermodynamically favorable insertion pathways for the lithium ions. Our results reveal that insertion of pillars is a promising strategy to explore in order to mitigate the restacking issues and achieve electrochemical performances close to theoretical values for monolayer MnO2.
Novel Predictive Markers on Computed Tomography for Predicting Early Epidural Hematoma Growth in Pediatric Patients.

Objective Epidural hematoma (EDH), most often caused by rupture of the middle meningeal artery secondary to head trauma with fracture of the temporal bone, is a potentially fatal condition that can lead to elevated intracranial pressure, herniation, and death within hours following the inciting traumatic incident, unless surgical evacuation is accomplished. Several markers have been found to be associated with hematoma expansion in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients, including: the CT Blend Sign, Swirl Sign, and Black Hole Sign. This study aims to examine these markers, along with intradural air close to or in the region of an EDH and/or close to a significant fracture, fractures involving the skull base, and complicated (i.e., comminuted or displaced) fractures for possible associations to EDH growth in the pediatric population. Predicting hematoma growth is a crucial part of patient management, as surgery can be a life-saving intervention. Methods Scans from all pediatric patients with EDH from 2012 to 2019 across two separate health systems were examined and measurements were taken to determine whether these additional factors are of predictive value. Specifications such as length, transverse, and height measurements were taken from CT images. Statistical Analysis The average percent change in the hematoma measurements was used to determine which predictive factors were associated with a “noteworthy increase,” namely, an increase of greater than 25%. Additionally, the average percent change in hematoma size was evaluated for patients whose original imaging showed either all three CT signs or intradural air in all three specified locations. Results Most of the proposed markers were associated with EDH growth in this cohort. The established CT signs were also supported. This is notable, as most of the research on these signs has been in adult populations rather than pediatric. Conclusions Adding these novel imaging signs could aid in the decision to operate on versus observe PEDH patients, thereby preventing unnecessary procedures or preserving brain function quickly when surgery is indicated. This study serves as a starting point for several other investigations into the validity of the proposed markers as well as a reevaluation of the current signs in the pediatric population.
Oil, Democracy, and Development in Africa

1. Oil, democracy, and development in Africa 2. Historic paths: colonialism and its legacies 3. Oil companies: corporate strategies and profits 4. Economic growth and phases of production 5. Resource revenues, corruption, and contracts 6. Machine politics, oil, and democracy 7. Conclusion: oil, democracy, and development in Africa.
Market efficiency, spot metals prices and cointegration

Abstract This paper investigates the efficiency of three primary metals markets in the USA using both static cointegration and dynamic error correction tests. The spot prices of lead, tin and zinc over the period January 1964 to December 1987 have served as the basis of the analysis. The results show that spot prices for lead and both tin and zinc are cointegrated at the 1% level. This means that these markets are not efficient in the semistrong form sense since casuality must run in at least one direction. There is also evidence of a weaker (in a statistical sense) cointegrating relationship between the spot prices for tin and zinc.
Chapter 4 Analysis of programmable molecular electronic systems

Publisher Summary Amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) can be used to transmit information in molecular wires usingmolecular vibrations with a power dissipation of ∼50nW when working at 1 Tbps. These kinds of vibrational movements are at the range of terahertz. The vibrational modes can not only be excited by an electromagnetic wave, but can also be detected using infrared (IR) spectroscopy or Raman spectroscopy if their movements cause changes in the electrostatic dipole (IR active) or in polarizability (Raman active). When the signal is transferred using molecular vibrational modes, the atoms vibrate to a certain position, which may introduce a change in the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) distribution of the whole molecular system. This change is subsequently transferred through vibronics. Thus, by proper programming, the hundreds of molecules inside the nanocell can be viewed as signal-processing devices. If information is transmitted using vibronics, the power dissipation can be evaluated from the energy that excites and keeps the molecular wire to vibrate.
Improving quality of service for MIL-STD-188-220C

Quality of service (QoS) is an important component for the military communication networks. QoS for combat network radios can be critical for the efficiency and, indeed, the survival of a mission and its personnel. The implementation of QoS for the combat network radio networks and the tactical Internet is largely restricted to the utilization of priority (generally referred to as precedence in the fire support (FS) community). QoS for MIL-STD-188-220C is generally implemented in the data link layer using media access control (MAC) algorithms. A legitimate criticism of MIL-STD-188-220B/C in terms of implementing QoS is its restriction to three levels of precedence. An important consequence of the current implementation of QoS for the most urgent and time critical messages such as check-fires is that they are just another urgent message in terms of network access for all MIL-STD-188-220C MAC algorithms. The time criticality of these types of messages is obvious but even if there is a near universal requirement not to use urgent precedence messages, with current MAC implementations, urgent does not adequately provide the QoS needed for the almost immediate delivery of such messages. This paper presents two techniques for significantly improving the QoS performance for these most time critical messages. One additional level of precedence can be added to MIL-STD188-220C that improves the performance at all precedence levels. The study assumes a benign fully connected network. The paper discusses how the methodology used in this study could be applied to other communication systems.