cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An object-oriented simulation of autonomous agents in a complex physical environment

A design for a simulation of autonomous agents acting in a physical environment is outlined. The simulation is concurrent object-oriented in design using a continuum of message passing protocols. Messages, which account for interaction between all simulation objects, are non-symbolic and tightly coupled to the methods used for their interpretation. This coupling is expressed through the use of meta-methods which constrain the relationship of classes of messages with respect to classes of methods. Modeling is endomorphic and support is provided for the construction of dynamic modeling hierarchies internal to the agent. The dispersal of messages through such a hierarchy is discussed with respect to issues of aggregation and subsumption with special attention being given to realization of reflective computation in such an architecture. >
Precipitation scatter as an interference source in communication satellite systems

Communication satellite systems operating at frequencies as high as 3 Gc are now in the active planning stage. A number of recent papers have dealt with the interference produced at the ground receiving sites of such systems by tropospheric scatter from sources below the radio horizon. However, theoretical and experimental data from the field of radar meteorology show that scattering by precipitation particles at 3 Gc can easily exceed the tropospheric scatter component by several orders of magnitude. The precipitation scatter is approximately isotropic in most cases and hence the scattering volume need not be on the Great Circle path from the interfering source to the receiver site to be effective. Minimum separations for satellite terminals and interference sources computed considering only tropospheric scatter are therefore completely inadequate to guard against precipitation scatter.
Half-integrality based algorithms for cosegmentation of images

We study the cosegmentation problem where the objective is to segment the same object (i.e., region) from a pair of images. The segmentation for each image can be cast using a partitioning/segmentation function with an additional constraint that seeks to make the histograms of the segmented regions (based on intensity and texture features) similar. Using Markov random field (MRF) energy terms for the simultaneous segmentation of the images together with histogram consistency requirements using the squared L2 (rather than L1) distance, after linearization and adjustments, yields an optimization model with some interesting combinatorial properties. We discuss these properties which are closely related to certain relaxation strategies recently introduced in computer vision. Finally, we show experimental results of the proposed approach.
Temperature-induced volatility of molecular markers in ambient airborne particulate matter

Abstract. Molecular markers are organic compounds used to represent known sources of particulate matter (PM) in statistical source apportionment studies. The utility of molecular markers depends on, among other things, their ability to represent PM volatility under realistic atmospheric conditions. We measured the particle-phase concentrations and temperature-induced volatility of commonly-used molecular markers in California's heavily polluted San Joaqin Valley. Concentrations of elemental carbon, organic carbon, levoglucosan, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were not reduced by mild (~10 K) heating. In contrast, both hopane/sterane and n -alkane concentrations were reduced, especially during the summer sampling events at the urban site. These results suggest that hopanes and steranes have effective saturation concentrations ~1 μg m −3 , and therefore can be considered semi-volatile. The volatility of an individual compound depends both on its inherent properties (primarily vapour pressure) and the interactions between itself and any potential absorbing phase. The volatility behavior of n -alkanes during the urban summer is consistent with that predicted for absorption by suberic acid (a C 8 diacid) using a group contribution modelling method. Observations can also be matched by an absorbent whose composition is based on recently-obtained high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometer factors (approximately 33% "hydrocarbon-like" and 67% oxygenated organic aerosol). The reduced evaporation of the n -alkanes, hopanes, and steranes with mild heating during rural and/or winter experiments could be explained by a more oxygenated absorbing phase along with a non-absorptive partitioning mechanism, such as adsorption to soot. This suggests that the temperature-induced volatility of large hydrocarbons in PM is most important if a relatively non-polar absorbing organic phase exists. While the activity coefficients of most organic aerosol compounds may be close to unity, the assumption of ideality for large hydrocarbons (e.g., hopanes) may result in large errors in partitioning calculations.
Endoglycan, a member of the CD34 family of sialomucins, is a ligand for the vascular selectins

The interactions of the selectin family of adhesion molecules with their ligands are essential for the initial rolling stage of leukocyte trafficking. Under inflammatory conditions, the vascular selectins, E- and P-selectin, are expressed on activated vessels and interact with carbohydrate-based ligands on the leukocyte surface. While several ligands have been characterized on human T cells, monocytes and neutrophils, there is limited information concerning ligands on B cells. Endoglycan (EG) together with CD34 and podocalyxin comprise the CD34 family of sialomucins. We found that EG, previously implicated as an L-selectin ligand on endothelial cells, was present on human B cells, T cells and peripheral blood monocytes. Upon activation of B cells, EG increased with a concurrent decrease in PSGL-1. Expression of EG on T cells remained constant under the same conditions. We further found that native EG from several sources (a B cell line, a monocyte line and human tonsils) was reactive with HECA-452, a mAb that recognizes sialyl Lewis X and related structures. Moreover, immunopurified EG from these sources was able to bind to P-selectin and where tested E-selectin. This interaction was divalent cation-dependent and required sialylation of EG. Finally, an EG construct supported slow rolling of E- and P-selectin bearing cells in a sialic acid and fucose dependent manner, and the introduction of intact EG into a B cell line facilitated rolling interactions on a P-selectin substratum. These in vitro findings indicate that EG can function as a ligand for the vascular selectins.
Heterozygosity for a surfactant protein C gene mutation associated with usual interstitial pneumonitis and cellular nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis in one kindred.

Familial pulmonary fibrosis is a heterogeneous group of interstitial lung diseases of unknown cause that is associated with multiple pathologic subsets. Mutations in the surfactant protein C (SP-C) gene (SFTPC) are associated with familial desquamative and nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis. Genetic studies in familial usual interstitial pneumonitis have been inconclusive. Using a candidate gene approach, we found a heterozygous exon 5 + 128 T→A transversion of SFTPC in a large familial pulmonary fibrosis kindred, including adults with usual interstitial pneumonitis and children with cellular nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis. The mutation is predicted to substitute a glutamine for a conserved leucine residue and may hinder processing of SP-C precursor protein. SP-C precursor protein displayed aberrant subcellular localization by immunostaining. Electron microscopy of affected lung revealed alveolar type II cell atypia, with numerous abnormal lamellar bodies. Mouse lung epithelial cells transfected w...
University education in futures studies: A Mark III survey

Abstract Following two earlier analyses (1970 and 1972), the Mark III survey of 1974 explores the extent and quality of university education in disciplines identifiable as future-oriented. The initial research revealed a somewhat stagnant situation. There is a decline in systematic futures courses at the university level, while there is now a stronger trend towards “futurisation” of conventional subjects on one hand, and to practice-oriented non-university educational activities on the other. The most significant developments appeared in long-range planning, policy studies and peace research. Representation of methodologies shows systems research as perhaps the most, and social sciences as a less important contributor. Identification of “futurism” and clarification of the concept remains the dominant problem.
Early evolution of the Bering Sea by collision of oceanic rises and North Pacific subduction zones

Three major bathymetric features exist in the Bering Sea: Shirshov Ridge, Bowers Ridge, and Umnak Plateau. New refraction data over Umnak Plateau and previous geophysical data across Bowers Ridge indicate that a thickened welt of crustal material is present beneath both features. The crustal structure is transitional between oceanic and continental types. Various models for the origin of these features have been investigated. One that has not been proposed previously assumes that the protostructures of Bowers Ridge and Umnak Plateau could have formed outside of the present Bering Sea. According to this model, before formation of the Aleutian Ridge in late Mesozoic or earliest Tertiary time, these protostructures moved into their present Bering Sea positions. Prior to the arrival of these two structures in the Bering Sea, oceanic crust was subducted along the Bering continental margin connecting Alaska and Siberia. The collision of the Umnak Plateau protostructure with the southeastern edge of the margin may have caused subduction to terminate here and move southward. The new southerly position of subduction beneath the Aleutian Ridge was therefore controlled by late Mesozoic or early Tertiary locations of Umnak Plateau, Bowers Ridge, and possibly, the north-trending Shirshov Ridge farther to the west.
The Corporate Person and Democratic Politics

This essay considers the political rights of corporations, as vested in their claim to legal personhood, and the complications such rights present to theories of democracy. While corporate personhood has generated significant debate in the field of jurisprudence, it has gone largely unnoticed in democratic theory. This article first highlights significant features in the legal theory and standing of corporate personhood. It then critically considers how well one significant current approach to democratic theory, deliberative democracy, is situated to handle corporations as entities with political rights. The essay closes by arguing that the collision between legal practices that recognize political rights of persons that may not be human individuals and political theories that presume individual human beings as the primary political subjects reveals the need for a broader conception of agency in democratic theory. Such a conception of agency would, by freeing itself of simple assumptions of human subjecti...
Making Sense of Methods and Measurement: MANOVA

In the last edition of Making Sense of Methods and Measurement, we explored three variations of analysis of variance (ANOVA) for comparing one dependent variable between more than two groups. In the final column on strategies for comparing means, we describe how to handle situations where there is more than one dependent variable using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Recall our previous examples comparing mean knowledge exam scores between groups of students who participated in different learning activities. In these examples the knowledge exam score was the only dependent variable. T-tests (two groups) and ANOVAs (three or more groups) are appropriate for comparing one dependent variable across groups. However, in educational research, we are often interested in multiple (i.e., more than one) dependent variables or learning outcomes. For example, we may be interested in how different learning activities impact clinical judgment and psychomotor skills. To evaluate each learning outcome, we would administer a specific assessment for clinical judgment and another assessment for psychomotor skills. We would then want to compare scores on each of these assessments between students who were exposed to our three different learning activities: simulation, lecture, and the computerized learning module. Fictitious data representing this example are presented in the Table. One option for comparing clinical judgment and psychomotor skills scores between students who were exposed to our three different learning activities would be to perform multiple ANOVAs. However, because our two dependent variables (clinical judgment scores and psychomotor skills scores) are likely related, we need to use a more sophisticated form of analysis. Simply performing multiple ANOVAs would increase our chances of committing a type 1 error by identifying differences that do not exist. The multivariate ANOVA or MANOVA is a more powerful way to compare groups when there are multiple dependent variables. MANOVA takes each of the dependent variables into consideration when determining if the observed differences are due to chance. These multidimensional values are called vectors and the mean vectors for each of the groups from our fictitious data in the Table are listed here:
The Augustinian “Cause of Action” in Coleridge's: Rime of the Ancient Mariner

During the period of his greatest poetic achievement Coleridge was deeply concerned with two fundamental religious questions: the origin of evil and the relation of faith and reason. To his quest for solutions which would satisfy both “head” and “heart,” the poet brought a wide knowledge of patristic writings. As Aids to Reflection shows, the most permanent and profound theological influence upon Coleridge was that of the great Platonist Church Father, St. Augustine. Evidence in Coleridge's early theological lectures, notebooks, and letters, as well as his retrospective account in the Biographia Literaria of his religious conflict at Stowey, indicates that the foundations for this later Augustinian influence were laid in the years 1795–1798.
Standards across borders: Crossborder diffusion of the arm's length standard in North America

The arm’s length standard is used by corporate income tax authorities to price international intracorporate transactions and allocate intracorporate income and expenses of multinational enterprises. In this paper, we examine the socio-historical evolution of transfer pricing regulation in North America. We develop a model of crossborder diAusion of standards, using institutional theory and the logic of embeddedness, that focuses on three components of crossborder diAusion: timing, motivation and form. Our model is then applied to the evolution and diAusion of the arm’s length standard within North America from 1917 to the present. # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
The transverse cervical artery: New origins and pathways

Most areas of the body demonstrate variations in vascular pattern with regard to origin, course, and distribution. Vascular damage is especially likely if an unexpected vascular pattern occurs in a common surgical site. The supra-clavicular region is one such site: the many types of operative procedures performed here provide ample opportunity for inadvertent discovery of such variations. Standard textbook descriptions of the subclavian artery and its proximal branches and their relationships are usually sufficient to inform the surgeon of the predominate patterns, but leave him ill-prepared for encounters with less common varieties. Previous studies, some extensive, have detailed many of these variations, but emphasis has been placed on the vascular configurations themselves, rather than on their clinical significance. The present study first reviews the common patterns and then outlines several heretofore undescribed variations in the thyrocervical trunk-transverse cervical artery complex encountered in 74 unilateral and 38 bilateral neck-shoulder specimens. Specific reference is made regarding their discovery during surgical procedures.
Endotracheal Foreign Bodies Difficulties in Diagnosis

The diagnosis of foreign body aspiration into the lower airway depends primarily on the radiographic demonstration of partial bronchial obstruc tion causing localized air trapping or atelectasis, present in 95 per cent of the cases. Endotracheal foreign bodies may often be visualized directly on high kilovoltage radiographs of the airway or by fluoroscopy. In three of the four cases presented in this report, radiologic evaluation was normal, but endo tracheal foreign bodies were subsequently demonstrated endoscopically. Foreign objects may remain in the trachea for prolonged periods of time, causing persistent coughing, wheezing, or stridor. When there is a clear history or strong suspicion of foreign body aspiration in a patient with persistent symptoms, bronchoscopy should be used for diagnosis and treatment.
Numerical modeling of time-resolved photocurrent in organic semiconductor films

We performed numerical simulations of transient photocurrents in organic thin lms, in conjunction with experiments. This enabled us to quantify the contribution of multiple charge generation pathways to charge carrier photogeneration, as well as extract parameters that characterize charge transport, in functionalized anthradithiophene (ADT-TES-F) lms prepared using two dierent deposition methods: drop casting on an untreated
A Wintertime Gulf Coast Squall Line Observed by EDOP Airborne Doppler Radar

Abstract An extensive wintertime squall line on 13 January 1995 occurring along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coastline is examined using airborne radar observations combined with conventional data analysis. Flight tracks with the ER-2 Doppler radar (EDOP) mounted on the high-altitude (20 km) ER-2 aircraft provided a unique view of the vertical structure of this line. In this paper, the authors document the squall line structure, and compare and contrast this structure with other published cases. The squall line had several prominent features that differ from previous studies: 1) the stratiform region was wide in comparison to more typical systems that are 50–100 km wide; 2) the trailing stratiform region consisted of two to three separate embedded trailing bands rather than one continuous band; 3) vertical motions in the trailing stratiform region were nearly twice as strong as previously reported values, with mean values approaching 1 m s−1 between 7- and 9-km altitude, and larger values (1.5 m s−1) in the em...
The Language: Syntax

The concept of probability to be defined here and which will lead to a resolution of the conflicts and confusions adumbrated in the last chapter will be a logical one. Most logical interpretations of probability, Carnap’s, for example, have been offered only for very simple languages. These interpretations are therefore inappropriate for languages rich enough for the expression of ordinary statistical theories and hypotheses. The claim has been, of course, that we must start somewhere, and that it is easier to start with something simple rather than with something complicated. But this is not always the case. It would be unreasonable, for example, to attempt to provide a theory of analysis exclusively in terms of integers on the grounds that integers are simpler than real numbers or sets. Somewhat analogously, I would claim that we cannot even define probability at all except in languages rich enough for the expression of statistical hypotheses, just as we cannot define a derivative except in a language rich enough to talk about real numbers. Statistical hypotheses come first; probabilities come after; and statistical inference is a matter both of statistical hypotheses and of probabilities.
Sexual Harassment in the Legal Workplace: The Impact on Job Satisfaction, Earnings, and Turnover of Female Lawyers

Using data from the American Bar Association's National Survey of Career Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction (1990), the authors estimate the incidence and impact of sexual harassment in the legal profession. Nearly two thirds of female lawyers in private practice and nearly half of those in corporate or public agency settings reported either experiencing or observing sexual harassment by male superiors, colleagues, or clients during the two years prior to the survey. Female lawyers who had experienced or observed sexual harassment by male superiors or colleagues reported lower overall job satisfaction than did those who had not, as well as a greater intention to quit. The authors speculate that employers and coworkers may sometimes be able to sexually harass female employees in ways or degrees that are not sanctionable but that induce the victims to quit.
Joint Reconstruction of Absorbed Optical Energy Density and Sound Speed Distributions in Photoacoustic Computed Tomography: A Numerical Investigation

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is a rapidly emerging bioimaging modality that seeks to reconstruct an estimate of the absorbed optical energy density within an object. Conventional PACT image reconstruction methods assume a constant speed-of-sound (SOS), which can result in image artifacts when acoustic aberrations are significant. It has been demonstrated that incorporating knowledge of an object’s SOS distribution into a PACT image reconstruction method can improve image quality. However, in many cases, the SOS distribution cannot be accurately and/or conveniently estimated prior to the PACT experiment. Because variations in the SOS distribution induce aberrations in the measured photoacoustic wavefields, certain information regarding an object’s SOS distribution is encoded in the PACT measurement data. Based on this observation, a joint reconstruction (JR) problem has been proposed in which the SOS distribution is concurrently estimated along with the sought-after absorbed optical energy density from the photoacoustic measurement data. A broad understanding of the extent to which the JR problem can be accurately and reliably solved has not been reported. In this work, a series of numerical experiments is described that elucidate some important properties of the JR problem that pertain to its practical feasibility. To accomplish this, an optimization-based formulation of the JR problem is developed that yields a nonlinear iterative algorithm that alternatively updates the two image estimates. Heuristic analytic insights into the reconstruction problem are also provided. These results confirm the ill-conditioned nature of the joint reconstruction problem that will present significant challenges for practical applications.
Synthesis of α-CN and α-CF3 N-heterocycles through tandem nucleophilic additions.

Using a readily available secondary aminoalkyne as starting material, a powerful strategy was discovered to prepare precursors of biologically important unnatural cyclic aminoacids and fluorinated ...
Inheritance of Resistance in Solanum to the Two spotted Spider Mite

A leaf-disc technique was used to evaluate 5 wild Solanum clones for resistance to Tetranychus urticae Koch. The criterion used to quantify resistance and susceptibility was the number of eggs laid by female mites on leaf discs. Five clones were bioassayed and found to vary in their resistance to T. urticae . Three crosses were made between the resistant and susceptible clones. In 2 of the crosses, susceptibility was dominant. In the third there was a lack of dominance; the hybrids were intermediate in resistance between the resistant and susceptible parents. The back cross generations in all cases indicated that several polygenes were involved in the expression of resistance and susceptibility to T. urticae . The leaf-disc technique appeared to be a rapid and accurate method of evaluating resistance to the two spotted spider mite in certain wild Solanum clones.
Risk and precautions in commercial bank's personal housing loan

It is high time that the risk of personal housing loan was possible to appear.If the commercial bank can't realize and control the potential risk brought up by the present personal housing loan,the fast expansion of personal housing loan may become a risk source that can't be ignored by the commercial bank. So,it is particularly important to know it correctly and take precautions against the risk existing in business of the present personal housing loan.In this assay,I have analyzed the type and the cause of risk from the housing loan,proposed four suggestions to prevent the risk.First,establish the system of personal credit;second,standardize the course of operating of the bank;third,advance the development of securitization of asset;finally,set up perfect insurance mechanism.
Neutrophil function as related to neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions.

Des progres recents ont ete realises dans le cadre de la comprehension des alterations tissulaires induites par les polynucleaires neutrophiles. Plusieurs recepteurs de facteurs chimiotactiques ont ete clones, leurs interactions avec les proteines G analysees et les mecanismes de leur regulation negative («down regulation») en partie elucides. La regulation negative des recepteurs des facteurs chimiotactiques semble etre utile, dans le controle des alterations induites par les neutropAiles aux tissus se trouvant dans leur voisinage. Les etudes portant sur l'adherence des neutrophiles a l'endothelium ont mis en evidence l'existence de deux classes de proteines de l'adherence: les selectines et le systeme des integrines et de leurs recepteurs
Distinguishing territorial structure from electoral adventurism: The distinct sources of static and dynamic nationalization

Estimates of static nationalization do not always reflect stark qualitative differences between parties. We use a research design oriented around a comparison of sharply different parties—the unstable Democratic Left in Ecuador and the stable Broad Front in Uruguay—to develop the distinctiveness of static and dynamic nationalization. Snapshot measures that only consider a single election suggest that both parties are poorly statically nationalized; but we show that the former case is highly statically nationalized, and that the observed territorial differences arise because it is poorly dynamically nationalized. We adopt the linear mixed modeling approach to reduce the bias in extant estimators. The approach is also informative about the sources of variance in a party's territorial support: relatively stable district attributes account for static nationalization, while features unique to the electoral cycle account for dynamic nationalization. Substantively, our study alters conclusions about parties operating in highly unstable electoral contexts.
The Four Pillars of Behavioral Paternalism

The development of new paternalism has added a whole new dimension to the increasing power and reach of the state. It creates the impression that areas of behavior which were previously in the domain of private individual behavior can be brought under the domain of state concerns with only minimal restrictions on liberty and autonomy. But this is an illusion. When serious analysis is applied to the problems of new paternalism, especially its epistemic problems, it is easy to see that the dynamic of paternalist arguments leads to the expansion of control of individual behavior.
How Many Experts

A troublesome issue in the development of intelligent systems is the question of how many experts are sufficient for knowledge elicitation or cognitive task analysis. This essay reviews the methods used in determining sample size in psychology and statistics. The review raises questions about our concepts of statistical versus practical significance. The authors present a pragmatic rule for determining the optimal sample size for knowledge elicitation and cognitive task analysis.
Molecular dynamics of stability and structures in phytochelatin complexes with Zn, Cu, Fe, Mg, and Ca: Implications for metal detoxification

Phytochelatins, or (γ-glutamyl-cysteine) n -glycine, are specialized peptides produced by plants and algae to mitigate toxic metal exposure, for instance in response to high levels of metals such as Cu, Cd, and Zn. Stability constants and structural characterization of metal–phytochelatin complexes are lacking. This information is required to gain mechanistic insights on the metal selectivity of phytochelatins. Here, we studied structural coordination and thermodynamic stability by performing molecular dynamics simulations of a fully hydrated phytochelatin molecule complexed with Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, and Cu2+. Our results predict the following decreasing order for the thermodynamic stability of the phytochelatin complexes: Zn2+ ≥ Cu2+ ≥ Fe2+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+. The favorable binding energies with Zn2+ and Cu2+ over the other metal cations can be explained by shorter binding distances and greater coordination from carboxylate and keto O atoms. Conformational rearrangement of phytochelatin following metal chelation was captured by monitoring changes in the solvent-accessible volume. Accessibility of solvent molecules to the phytochelatin structure was inversely proportional to the distance between the coordinated ligands and the chelated metal. These new findings demonstrate the influence of the metal–phytochelatin structure on the metal-binding thermodynamics and the phytochelatin conformation, both of which are important to evaluate the intracellular role of phytochelatin in mediating algal response to toxic heavy metal exposure.
Build Your Own Portfolio

Asset allocation involves the most important decisions investors can make. So, why is it buried in this chapter? Because first you must know the array of choices available for investment. We have covered dividend-growth stocks, bonds, and bond funds as well as MLPs. This places you in position to decide how much of each category is appropriate for your interests and goals. In this chapter, we look at all of the common sources of income, then we recommend stocks and bonds as the core of any investment portfolio. Table 7.1 indicates the importance of portfolio construction (from Gibson 2000, p. 13).
Sarcoidosis: Is It a Possible Trigger of Inclusion Body Myositis?

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder of unknown etiology, characterized pathologically by the presence of nonnecrotizing granulomatous inflammation in affected organs. Although skeletal muscle is involved in 50–80 percent of individuals with sarcoidosis, symptomatic myopathy has been shown to be a rare manifestation of the disease. Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is a rare acquired idiopathic inflammatory myopathy with the insidious onset of asymmetric and distal muscle weakness that characteristically involves the quadriceps, tibialis anterior, and forearm flexors. Moreover, dysphagia can be the presenting complaint in one-third of patients. Herein, we are presenting a case of 67-year-old African American female who presented with one-month history of new onset progressive dyspnea on exertion. She was diagnosed with stage IV sarcoidosis based on chest CT scan findings and transbronchial lung biopsy revealing nonnecrotizing granulomatous inflammation. Over the next three months after her diagnosis, she presented to the hospital with progressive dysphagia associated with asymmetrical distal muscle weakness. A quadriceps muscle biopsy revealed features consistent with inclusion body myositis. We are reporting this case as it may support the hypothesis of sarcoidosis being a trigger that possibly promotes the development of inclusion body myositis, leading to a very poor prognosis.
De-identification of Medical Records Through Annotation

Before medical records can be shared outside of a hospital or medical group, all of the information that identifies the patient (called protected health information, or PHI) must be removed. In this paper, we examine different methodologies for performing de-identification annotation in order to determine which is most effective at ensuring that all identifying information is removed. We used serial (i.e., multiple annotators working in succession) and parallel (i.e., multiple annotators working independently) annotation paradigms on two different corpora, one unannotated and the other pre-annotated for PHI. Our evaluation revealed that neither annotation paradigm was superior to the other, regardless of whether the corpus was pre-annotated or unannotated.
Reverse Integration Initiatives for Individuals With Serious Mental Illness

Medical progress has greatly extended the life span of individuals living in the United States, yet certain groups have lagged behind in achieving wellness and longevity. Prominent among these are individuals with serious mental illness. Because of this, various initiatives have been launched at the community, state, and national level to improve the medical care of those with serious mental illness. Many of these initiatives promote “reverse integration,” or the provision of collaborative care services in behavioral health locations. Despite significant barriers to implementation, these initiatives have shown moderate success in improving medical outcomes for those with serious mental illness, in both research and “real-life” settings. Additionally, the role of psychiatrists in addressing physical health has been explored, and there is a need for educational opportunities to optimize competency in this area. Overall, work still needs to be done before the mortality gap for those with serious mental illne...
Clopidogrel IBS Patients Have Higher Incidence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms Influenced by Age and Gender

Clopidogrel is an irreversible antagonist of P2Y12 receptors (P2Y12Rs) used as an antiplatelet drug to reduce risk of thrombosis. P2Y12Rs are expressed in gastrointestinal (GI) tract where they might regulate GI function. To evaluate if blockade of P2Y12Rs by clopidogrel is associated with higher incidence of GI symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A retrospective analysis of our institutional database was conducted for a 13-year period. IBS patients were identified, and their demographics, GI symptoms and clopidogrel therapy were collected. Logistic regression models were used to characterize symptoms in clopidogrel versus no-clopidogrel IBS-groups, adjusting for Age and Sex differences. An additional study characterized the P2Y12R distribution in human gut. The search identified 7217 IBS patients (6761 no-clopidogrel/456 clopidogrel). There were a higher proportion of patients with GI symptoms on clopidogrel (68%) compared to controls (60%, p = 0.0011) that were Females (70 vs. 60%, p = 0.0003) not Males (61 vs. 60%; p = 0.8312). In Females, clopidogrel was associated with higher incidence of GI symptoms (Age adjusted; p < 0.0001) for pain, constipation, gastroparesis (p ≤ 0.0001) and psychogenic pain (p = 0.0006). Age or Sex (adjusted models) influenced one or more GI symptoms (i.e., pain, p < 0.0001; constipation, p < 0.0001/p = 0.008; diarrhea, flatulence, p = 0.01). P2Y12R immunoreactivity was abundant in human ENS; glial-to-neuron ratio of P2Y12Rs expressed in Females ≫ Males. Irreversible blockade of P2Y12R by clopidogrel is associated with higher incidence of GI symptoms in Female IBS patients, although Age or Sex alone contributes to symptomatology. Prospective studies can determine clinical implications of P2Y12Rs in IBS.
Robot Mapping for Rescue Robots

Rescue robots operate in disaster areas where odometric information is known to be highly unreliable. This paper presents a new approach to odometry independent 2D robot mapping. Scans obtained from different robot positions are assembled to a single global map using alignment based on scan intrinsic information only, namely shape features. The approach detects geometric structures in different scans which are similar by shape and aligns the scans accordingly. The detection of shape similarity is the key to generate global maps even of highly cluttered environments and thus the proposed approach is particularly suitable for applications in the field of rescue robots.
Observation of the Marcus Inverted Region of Electron Transfer from Asymmetric Chemical Doping of Pristine (n,m) Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes.

The concept of electrical energy generation based on asymmetric chemical doping of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) papers is presented. We explore 27 small, organic, electron-acceptor molecules that are shown to tune the output open-circuit voltage (VOC) across three types of pristine SWNT papers with varying (n,m) chirality distributions. A considerable enhancement in the observed VOC, from 80 to 440 mV, is observed for SWNT/molecule acceptor pairs that have molecular volume below 120 A3 and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies centered around −0.8 eV. The electron transfer (ET) rate constants driving the VOC generation are shown to vary with the chirality-associated Marcus theory, suggesting that the energy gaps between SWNT and the LUMO of acceptor molecules dictate the ET process. When the ET rate constants and the maximum VOC are plotted versus the LUMO energy of the acceptor organic molecule, volcano-shaped dependencies, characteristic of the Marcus inverted region, are apparent ...
BLAST: Bayesian latent subgroup design for basket trials accounting for patient heterogeneity

The basket trial refers to a new type of phase II cancer trial that evaluates the therapeutic effect of a targeted agent simultaneously in patients with different types of cancer that involve the same genetic or molecular aberration. Although patients who are enrolled in the basket trial have the same molecular aberration, it is common for the targeted agent to be effective for patients with some types of cancer, but not others. We propose a Bayesian latent subgroup trial (BLAST) design to accommodate such treatment heterogeneity across cancer types. We assume that a cancer type may belong to the sensitive subgroup, which is responsive to the treatment, or the insensitive subgroup, which is not responsive to the treatment. Conditionally on the latent subgroup membership of the cancer type, we jointly model the binary treatment response and the longitudinal biomarker measurement that represents the biological activity of the targeted agent. The BLAST design makes the interim go–no‐go treatment decision in a group sequential fashion for each cancer type on the basis of accumulating data. The simulation study shows that the BLAST design outperforms existing trial designs. It yields high power to detect the treatment effect for sensitive cancer types that are responsive to the treatment and maintains a reasonable type I error rate for insensitive cancer types that are not responsive to the treatment.
Sensitization of neuroendocrine prostate cancer by RRx-001.

280Background: RRx-001 is a first-in-class dinitroazetidine nontoxic anticancer agent. Its actions include upregulation of oxidative stress, depletion of GSH and NADPH, anti-angiogenesis, epigenetic modulation and induction of viral mimicry. In a phase II clinical study (NCT02489903), RRx-001 reversed resistance to reintroduced platinum doublets in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and other tumor types. RRx001 demonstrated clinical activity with a complete metabolic response of metastatic castration-resistant neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) after treatment with RRx-001 and reintroduced platinum doublets. Here, we used a preclinical model to further investigate RRx-001 sensitization of NEPC to platinum therapy. Methods: NCI-H660 spheroids were pre-treated with 1 mM RRx-001 or vehicle prior to treatment with carboplatin or docetaxel and cell proliferation was assessed. Cells were also pre-treated with both 1 mM RRx-001 and 10 mM N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) or 1 mM Buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (BSO) to investig...
Temporal Associations Between Social Activity and Mood, Fatigue, and Pain in Older Adults With HIV: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Background: Social isolation is associated with an increased risk for mental and physical health problems, especially among older persons living with HIV (PLWH). Thus, there is a need to better understand real-time temporal associations between social activity and mood- and health-related factors in this population to inform possible future interventions. Objective: This study aims to examine real-time relationships between social activity and mood, fatigue, and pain in a sample of older PLWH. Methods: A total of 20 older PLWH, recruited from the University of California, San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program in 2016, completed smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys 5 times per day for 1 week. Participants reported their current social activity (alone vs not alone and number of social interactions) and levels of mood (sadness, happiness, and stress), fatigue, and pain. Mixed-effects regression models were used to analyze concurrent and lagged associations among social activity, mood, fatigue, and pain. Results: Participants (mean age 58.8, SD 4.3 years) reported being alone 63% of the time, on average, (SD 31.5%) during waking hours. Being alone was related to lower concurrent happiness (beta=−.300; 95% CI −.525 to −.079; P=.008). In lagged analyses, social activity predicted higher levels of fatigue later in the day (beta=−1.089; 95% CI −1.780 to −0.396; P=.002), and higher pain levels predicted being alone in the morning with a reduced likelihood of being alone as the day progressed (odds ratio 0.945, 95% CI 0.901-0.992; P=.02). Conclusions: The use of EMA elucidated a high rate of time spent alone among older PLWH. Promoting social activity despite the presence of pain or fatigue may improve happiness and psychological well-being in this population.
Glucocorticoids and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis in patients with Cushing’s syndrome and in patients taking glucocorticoids is particularly severe because of the direct suppressive effect of glucocorticoids on osteoblastic function. Knowledge of several other direct and indirect mechanisms of bone loss from excess glucocorticoids increases. Application of that knowledge has resulted in new therapeutic approaches to this important and common disorder.
West Nile Virus Encephalitis with Acute Parkinsonism Features: A Case Report and Review of Literature (P01.050)

OBJECTIVE: To present a case of West Nile encephalitis with acute Parkinsonism and to perform a literature review to identify the clinical outcome. BACKGROUND: As of October 9, 2012, a total of 4,249 cases of West Nile virus disease, including 168 deaths, have been reported to CDC. Only a small proportion ( DESIGN/METHODS: Pub med search was performed to identify published papers in English language with WNV infection with Parkinsonism features. RESULTS: Patient a 35 year old man with no prior history of movement disorder was hospitalized with generalized weakness, left hand tremor and gait difficulty. Neurological examination revealed diminished facial expression, hypophonia, mild cog wheel rigidity and left hand tremor. His gait was shuffling with reduced arm swing. MRI of the brain showed hyper intensity in FLAIR, PD and T2 sequences involving the substantia nigra, putamen on the right side and centrum semiovale. CSF analysis showed 22 WBC/mm3 (98% lymphocytes), glucose level of 61 mg/dl and a protein level of 70mg/dl. CSF culture was negative for bacteria. CSF WNV IGG and IGM were positive (4.54 and 45.59 respectively). Patient was started on Carbidopa-levadopa 25-100 mg TID for his Parkinsonism features, following which at the time of discharge there was improvement in facial expression, speech as well as gait. On literature review we could identify 7 papers with 19 patients. In one study at 8 months follow up, Parkinsonism persisted in 5/11. In another study in both the cases it was transient. CONCLUSIONS: Parkinsonism features are a rare manifestation of WNV infection. The short term outcome is variable and long term outcome studies are lacking. Though in one study the persistence of MRI findings was associated with severe persistent Parkinsonism, larger studies with longer follow up are needed to validate the observation. Disclosure: Dr. Javalkar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thomas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schwendimann has received research support from Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals.
Combining LC–MS/MS and hollow-fiber infection model for real-time quantitation of ampicillin to antimicrobial resistance

Although a marked decrease in mortality associated with bacterial infections is attributed to the discovery of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance has become a global health concern due to their misuse. A dynamic in vitro hollow-fiber system was used to study antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli using ampicillin. An LC–MS/MS assay was validated for quantitative analysis of ampicillin in Luria–Bertani broth. The assay was linear from 0.10–50.00 μg/ml. The assay met acceptance criteria for inter- and intra-assay precisions and accuracies across three quality controls. Stability of ampicillin was confirmed at three different storage conditions. In vitro data were similar to simulated plasma PK data further confirming the appropriateness of the experimental design to quantify antibiotics and study occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in real-time.
Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Diabetes Self-Management Training Class in Acute Rehabilitation.

As a chronic medical condition, diabetes mellitus affects 29.1 million individuals in the United States. Since diabetes education reduces cost, there is a need for inpatient rehabilitation faciliti...
Carbapenem versus Cefepime or Piperacillin-Tazobactam for Empiric Treatment of Bacteremia Due to Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Patients with Hematologic Malignancy

Infections with extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli are common in patients with hematologic malignancy. The utility of cefepime and piperacillin-tazobactam as empiric therapy for ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia in patients with hematologic malignancy is largely unknown. We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort review of 103 adult inpatients with leukemia and/or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) recipients with monomicrobial ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia. No association between increased 14-day mortality and empiric treatment with cefepime (8%) or piperacillin-tazobactam (0%) relative to that with carbapenems (19%) was observed (P = 0.19 and P = 0.04, respectively). This observation was consistent in multivariate Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for confounding and an inverse probability of treatment-weighted (IPTW) Cox proportional hazards model. Both fever and persistent bacteremia were more common in patients treated empirically with cefepime or piperacillin-tazobactam. Empiric treatment with cefepime or piperacillin-tazobactam did not result in increased mortality relative to that with treatment with carbapenems in patients with hematologic malignancy and ESBL-producing E. coli bacteremia, although most patients were changed to carbapenems early in treatment. However, due to prolonged fever and persistent bacteremia, their role may be limited in this patient population.