cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell physiology at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory: a brief look back and forward

The Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL) has played important roles in the development of modern physiological concepts and tools, particularly in the fields of kidney and epithelial cell physiology. Over the last decade, MDIBL has undergone remarkable growth and evolution. This article will briefly review MDIBL's past and outline its future directions. It is hoped that this overview will renew and stimulate interest in MDIBL and, in particular, will encourage an even wider community of physiologists to participate in its ongoing growth and development.
Comparative and Correlative Neuroanatomy for the Toxicologic Pathologist

Xenobiotic-induced neuroanatomic alterations are always regarded as adverse and are commonly used to define reference doses to manage neurotoxic risk. Thus, the neuropathologist plays an essential role in evaluating potential neurotoxicants. The pathologist must be able to recognize the morphologic differences that exist among species, strains, and ages or between genders (comparative neuroanatomy) and to grasp the impact of structural damage on neural function (correlative neuroanatomy). Brain anatomy and function may be used to group the mammals used in neurotoxicity bioassays into 3 classes: rodent, carnivore, and primate. Neural function may or may not be affected by the structural divergence. Rodents are preferred for neurotoxicity assays because their reduced body size allows optimal perfusion at little cost and their smaller brain size permits screening of multiple regions using few sections. However, care must be exercised when interpreting rodent neuropathology data because the rodent paleocortex...
An SU-8 based fluidic immuno-spectroscopic lab-on-a-chip for rapid quantitative detection of biomolecules

A 30 mm-long multimode waveguide, 40 mum wide and 40 mum high, is fabricated on a silicon wafer using polymer SU-8 as the core and liquid buffer as the cladding. Antibodies are successfully immobilized on the SU-8 surface designated for binding target antigens dispersed in the buffer solution. Evanescent-wave spectroscopy is performed by exciting the fluorescently-labeled antigens, bound to the waveguide surface within its evanescence field, and measuring emission light intensity. This evanescent-wave biosensor detects specific molecular interaction; its output depends on antigen concentration with a sensitivity of 40 light counts per 1 mug/ml.
Pseudoabsence generation strategies for species distribution models.

Background: Species distribution models require selection of species, study extent and spatial unit, statistical methods, variables, and assessment metrics. If absence data are not available, another important consideration is pseudoabsence generation. Different strategies for pseudoabsence generation can produce varying spatial representation of species. Methodology: We considered model outcomes from four different strategies for generating pseudoabsences. We generating pseudoabsences randomly by 1) selection from the entire study extent, 2) a two-step process of selection first from the entire study extent, followed by selection for pseudoabsences from areas with predicted probability ,25%, 3) selection from plots surveyed without detection of species presence, 4) a two-step process of selection first for pseudoabsences from plots surveyed without detection of species presence, followed by selection for pseudoabsences from the areas with predicted probability ,25%. We used Random Forests as our statistical method and sixteen predictor variables to model tree species with at least 150 records from Forest Inventory and Analysis surveys in the Laurentian Mixed Forest province of Minnesota. Conclusions: Pseudoabsence generation strategy completely affected the area predicted as present for species distribution models and may be one of the most influential determinants of models. All the pseudoabsence strategies produced mean AUC values of at least 0.87. More importantly than accuracy metrics, the two-step strategies over-predicted species presence, due to too much environmental distance between the pseudoabsences and recorded presences, whereas models based on random pseudoabsences under-predicted species presence, due to too little environmental distance between the pseudoabsences and recorded presences. Models using pseudoabsences from surveyed plots produced a balance between areas with high and low predicted probabilities and the strongest relationship between density and area with predicted probabilities $75%. Because of imperfect accuracy assessment, the best assessment currently may be evaluation of whether the species has been sufficiently but not excessively predicted to occur.
ON THE STRUCTURAL THEORY OF II1 FACTORS OF NEGATIVELY CURVED GROUPS, II. ACTIONS BY PRODUCT GROUPS

Abstract This paper contains a series of structural results for von Neumann algebras arising from measure preserving actions by product groups on probability spaces. Expanding upon the methods used earlier by the first two authors, we obtain new examples of strongly solid factors as well as von Neumann algebras with unique or no Cartan subalgebra. For instance, we show that every II 1 factor associated with a weakly amenable group in the class S of Ozawa is strongly solid. There is also the following product version of this result: any maximal abelian ⋆ -subalgebra of any II 1 factor associated with a finite product of weakly amenable groups in the class S of Ozawa has an amenable normalizing algebra. Finally, pairing some of these results with a cocycle superrigidity result of Ioana, it follows that compact actions by finite products of lattices in S p ( n , 1 ) , n ≥ 2 , are virtually W ∗ -superrigid.
Activation of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2–Related Factor 2 Coordinates Dimethylarginine Dimethylaminohydrolase/PPAR-γ/Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Pathways That Enhance Nitric Oxide Generation in Human Glomerular Endothelial Cells

Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) degrades asymmetric dimethylarginine, which inhibits nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS). Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcriptional factor that binds to antioxidant response elements and transcribes many antioxidant genes. Because the promoters of the human DDAH-1 and DDAH-2, endothelial NOS (eNOS) and PPAR-γ genes contain 2 to 3 putative antioxidant response elements, we hypothesized that they were regulated by Nrf2/antioxidant response element. Incubation of human renal glomerular endothelial cells with the Nrf2 activator tert-butylhydroquinone (20 μmol·L(-1)) significantly (P<0.05) increased NO and activities of NOS and DDAH and decreased asymmetric dimethylarginine. It upregulated genes for hemoxygenase-1, eNOS, DDAH-1, DDAH-2, and PPAR-γ and partitioned Nrf2 into the nucleus. Knockdown of Nrf2 abolished these effects. Nrf2 bound to one antioxidant response element on DDAH-1 and DDAH-2 and PPAR-γ promoters but not to the eNOS promoter. An increased eNOS and phosphorylated eNOS (P-eNOSser-1177) expression with tert-butylhydroquinone was prevented by knockdown of PPAR-γ. Expression of Nrf2 was reduced by knockdown of PPAR-γ, whereas PPAR-γ was reduced by knockdown of Nrf2, thereby demonstrating 2-way positive interactions. Thus, Nrf2 transcribes HO-1 and other genes to reduce reactive oxygen species, and DDAH-1 and DDAH-2 to reduce asymmetric dimethylarginine and PPAR-γ to increase eNOS and its phosphorylation and activity thereby coordinating 3 pathways that enhance endothelial NO generation.
A 6100 & 14 ;C yr record of El Nino activity from the Galapagos Islands

Lithostratigrahic and mineralogic analyses of sediments from hypersaline Bainbridge Crater Lake, Galapagos Islands, provide evidence of past El Nino frequency and intensity. Laminated sediments indicate that at least 435 moderate to very strong El Nino events have occurred since 6100 14 C yr BP (~7130 cal yr BP), and that frequency and intensity of events increased at about 3000 14 C yr BP (~3100 cal yr BP). El Nino activity was present between 6100 and 4000 14 C yr BP (~4600 cal yr BP) but infrequent. The Bainbridge record indicates that there has been
Molecular analysis of t(11;19) breakpoints in childhood acute leukemias

MLL is fused to ENL or ELL in acute leukemias that contain t(ll;19)(q23;p13). Although ENL and ELL localize to chromosome 19, bands p13.3 and p13.1, respectively, these breakpoints are not always readily distinguished by standard cytogenetics. We therefore used reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays to analyze 26 cases of childhood acute leukemia containing t(11;19) to determine the frequencies of ENL and ELL involvement. All 17 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) had MLL/ENL fusion transcripts. By contrast, of the 9 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) analyzed, 6 had MLL/ENL fusions, 2 had MLL/ELL fusions, and 1 case had no RT-PCR-detectable MLL fusion mRNA. These data suggest that the majority of 11;19 translocations involve ENL, whereas involvement of ELL is relatively uncommon in childhood acute leukemia and may be restricted to AML.
Abstract 169: Smad3 Drives Cross-Talk Between TGFß and Wnt/ß-Catenin Signaling Pathways in Smooth Muscle Cells

Restenosis (neo-intimal hyperplasia) occurs in approximately 25-50% of patients undergoing arterial interventions, primarily due to the proliferation and migration of arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into the peri-luminal area. Recently, Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been shown to promote SMC proliferation and enhance neo-intimal hyperplasia but its mechanism of activation is unclear. Interestingly, Wnt/β-catenin has been shown to be activated by TGFβ in mesenchymal stem cells and fibroblasts. We have shown that TGFβ and its downstream signaling protein, Smad3, are upregulated following vascular injury and that Smad3 overexpressing SMCs display enhanced proliferation, migration, and neo-intimal hyperplasia. These results led us to hypothesize that TGFβ, through Smad3, activates Wnt/β-catenin to regulate SMC behavior following arterial injury . In primary rat SMCs, TGFβ (5ng/mL) led to β-catenin activation and relocalization from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm / nucleus within 24 hours. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results demonstrated that expression of Wnt11 (22 fold) and Wnt9a (3.9 fold) were significantly upregulated after 24 hours of TGFβ stimulation (p 300 fold) and Wnt9a (14 fold) and also stimulated significant increases in Wnt2b (41 fold), Wnt5a (2.9 fold), and Wnt4 (3.2 fold) (p<0.05, n=3) as measured by qRT-PCR. Western blot results demonstrated that the combined TGFβ/Smad3 stimulation increased β-catenin protein levels, suggesting that TGFβ activates canonical Wnt signaling leading to stabilization of β-catenin protein. In normal rat carotid arteries, β-catenin protein was undetectable via immunohistochemistry but could be seen in SMCs of the vessel media at 3 days post-balloon angioplasty and in neo-intimal cells at 7 and 14 days. Smad3 was also expressed in neo-intimal cells at 7 and 14 days post-angioplasty suggesting that TGFβ, through Smad3, is responsible for Wnt/β-Catenin activation during vascular injury. In conclusion, this work describes a novel cross-talk in SMCs between TGFβ and Wnt signaling which may provide a viable target for future anti-restenotic treatments.
Two-step C–H, C–P bond activation at an α-diimine iron dinitrogen complex

Reduction of 6-coordinate ((Ph2PPr)DI)FeBr₂ under N2 results in formation of the terminal dinitrogen complex, ((Ph2PPr)DI)FeN2. Heating this product to 75 °C allows for C-H and C-P activation of the chelate to generate the cisoid and transoid isomers of [(μ-PrPPh-κ(5)-P,N,N,Cγ,P-(Ph2PPr)DI(PrPPh))Fe]2. Mechanistic possibilities for this transformation are discussed.
Variations of quasi-resonant DC-DC converter topologies

The concept of resonant switch has been extended to generate a family of new quasi-resonant converter topologies. The converter circuits feature zero-current switching and are particularly suited for high-frequency (MHz) power-conversion applications.
Does the presence of a classmate with emotional/behavioral disabilities link to other students’ absences in kindergarten?

Abstract In recent decades, there has been a policy push for including students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Little is known, however, on the effects that this classroom compositional change may have on other students. This study focuses on the increased presence of classmates with emotional/behavioral disabilities (EBDs), as these children often exhibit behavioral disruptions. Given that classroom disruptions are associated with decreased school engagement, we tested for an association between the presence of classmates with EBDs and other students’ absences. Using a national dataset and relying on within-school variation in classrooms that do and do not have a classmate with an EBD as well as a rich set of control variables, we found that annual student absences increased when students had a classmate with an EBD. Further, the likelihood of being chronically absent was higher when students had a classmate with an EBD. Importantly, we examined what malleable factors might support inclusion for more successful classroom environments. We found an array of teacher and classroom characteristics that could create more supportive classrooms for all children. Implications for how compositional changes to inclusive classroom contexts might address all children’s needs are discussed.
Water-pressure coupling of sliding and bed deformation: II. Velocity- depth profiles

Basal motion of a glacier resting on an unconsolidated bed can arise from sliding between ice and bed, ploughing of clasts through the upper layer of the bed, pervasive deformation of the bed, or shearing across discrete planes in the bed. Theoretical analyses and limited observations of soft-bedded glaciers not dominated by supply of channelized melt water from the surface suggest that sliding will be slow if the bed contains abundant clasts in the 1–10 mm size range, and that high velocities by ploughing are unlikely though possible. Pervasive deformation usually will account for 60–100% of the basal velocity, and the strain-rate will be proportional to the basal shear stress and inversely proportional to the square or cube of the effective pressure. These hypotheses are based on results of part I in this series, and allow modeling of Ice Stream B, West Antarctica, in part III of this series.
Infrared spectroscopic characterization of hydrogen-bonded propylene oxide − ethanol and propylene oxide − 2-fluoroethanol complexes isolated in solid neon matrices

The infrared absorption spectra of hydrogen-bonded complexes of propylene oxide with either ethanol or 2-fluoroethanol have been recorded in neon matrices. Mixtures of propylene oxide and ethanol o...
Effects of Barrier Width on Spectral Response of Strained Layer Superlattices for High Efficiency Solar Cells

Characteristics of strained layer superlattices (SLS) consisting of alternating layers In x Ga 1-x As and GaAs 1-y P y are examined for use in high efficiency solar cells. The effects of SLS quantum barrier widths on tunneling probability and short circuit current are discussed through analysis of J-V and spectral response measurements. Results indicate a threshold barrier thickness for which tunneling effects are deleterious. Effect of the number of SLS periods incorporated into a p-i-n structure and maximum number of periods are presented through spectral response and CV analysis. It is demonstrated that SLS show increasing responsivity with increasing number of periods due to higher absorption. CV analysis is performed to determine zero bias depletion widths for verifying appropriate number of SLS periods and fully depleted SLS region.
A simplified augmented ovarian weight assay for follicle-stimulating hormone.

SummaryA simplified schedule for the augmented ovarian weight assay of FSH is presented. Standard amounts of FSH or unknowns are mixed with 50 IU of HCG in a total of 1.5 ml per assay rat. The rats are injected subcutaneously when 25 days old with 0.8 ml of material at 9 AM and with 0.7 ml at 4:30 PM. The animals are autopsied 48 or 54 hr after the first injection, and the ovarian weight is plotted against the dose of hormone. This method reduces the amount of handling of the animals, shortens the assay by 1 day, and increases its sensitivity.
Investigation of a Spectral-Based Surface Contact Model via Pointwise Computations

One of the outstanding issues in the analysis of contacting surfaces regards properly accounting for the multi-scale nature of the surface topography. Many treatments of surface contact, particularly those that derive from the well known Greenwood Williamson (GW) model, proceed from the basis that one can determine a representative curvature of the surface peaks (or summits) by means of computing the appropriate numerical derivative of the sampled profile data. However, as has been demonstrated over the last 20 years or so, numerical derivatives of surface data are sensitive to the lateral spacing between sampled surface points. In view of the potential ambiguity associated with such a determination of peak curvature, a number of models have been put forth that account for the fact that topographical features exist at many scales of observation. In the present work, predictions of a recently developed spectral-based model of elastic (rough) surface contact are compared to those of a deterministic numerical computation in which the equations of elasticity are solved at every nodal point of a 3D surface.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Solvent effects on hydrolysis of the phosphoenzyme intermediate in sodium- and potassium-dependent adenosine triphosphatase: correlations with stimulation of potassium-dependent p-nitrophenyl phosphatase.

Studies were undertaken to examine the effects of the solvents deuterated water (2H2O) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on the breakdown of the phosphorylated intermediate and on the K+-dependent p -nitrophenyl phosphatase activity of rat brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase. At 4° phosphoenzyme hydrolysis in the presence of K+ (0.02-0.33 mM), NH4+ (0.33 mM), or Li+ (0.33 mM) followed a biphasic time course, indicating the presence of comparatively rapid (sensitive) and slow (insensitive) components. Phosphoenzyme breakdown in the presence of 5 mM ADP exhibited similar components. However, when both ADP and K+ were added together, essentially all of the phosphoenzyme was rapidly hydrolyzed, suggesting that the K+-sensitive and ADP-sensitive components predominated. 2H2O and DMSO stimulated the rate of breakdown of the slower, insensitive component in the presence of K+ and NH4+, but not Li+. No effect of these solvents was observed in the presence of ADP. The rate of hydrolysis of the rapid component could not be determined, but the solvents appeared to have no significant effect on the amount of phosphoenzyme hydrolyzed within 1 sec. Both 2H2O and DMSO stimulated the p -nitrophenyl phosphatase activity at 4° in the presence of K+ (0.02-0.33 mM) or NH4+ (0.33 mM), but not of Li+ (0.33 mM). The stimulatory effects of 2H2O and DMSO on K+-dependent phosphoenzyme breakdown and K+-dependent p -nitrophenyl phosphatase activity appear to be related and are interpreted in terms of a solvent role of H2O in the conformation of the phosphoenzyme which modulates its interaction with K+. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The valuable help of Gregory Quarfoth and Alan Davis in this work is gratefully acknowledged.
Impact of Reimbursement Regulations on Patient Management

The Medicare End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Program has saved the lives of thousands of patients with chronic renal failure; however, the absolute cost of the program has steadily increased since its inception in 1972 and quickly exceeded all budget estimates, although the actual cost per patient has increased only 69%, which is less than half the inflation rate. Cost-containment efforts have resulted in progressive reductions in reimbursement provided by Medicare to both physicians and dialysis centers. The reimbursement amount per dialysis treatment--the largest component of ESRD expenditures--has actually decreased from $138 in 1974 to approximately $54 in 1991 when measured in constant dollars. It is likely that these reimbursement restrictions have negatively impacted the level of patient care; both mortality and morbidity rates in patients receiving chronic dialysis are increasing in the United States. This is a significant cause for concern, particularly as the mortality rates in other industrialized countries began much lower than the US rate and have continued to decline despite adding older and presumably sicker patients. Although the mortality rate may be affected by factors such as broader patient acceptance criteria, particularly the inclusion of older patients and those with serious comorbid conditions, and by an increase in transplantation rates, there is concern that a trend toward shorter dialysis times may, perhaps, result in inadequate dialysis treatment.
Phase I dose-escalation trial of ONT-380 in combination with trastuzumab in participants with brain metastases from HER2+ breast cancer.

TPS660 Background: Central nervous system (CNS) metastases remain an important cause of morbidity and death for patients diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer (BC). ONT-380 is an orally active reversi...
Early Life 1918–1943

Fred Sanger was born on August 13, 1918, in Rendcomb , Gloucestershire, England, one year after his brother Theodore (Theo) . They lived in The Old House down the hill from Rendcomb village (Fig. 2.1). The River Churn, little more than a large creek at this point, flowed by the house.
Retinal and visual cortex distance from transcranial magnetic stimulation of the vertex affects phosphene perception

Recent studies claim that the perception of flashes of light (i.e., phosphenes) can be induced by stimulation of higher visual areas, including parietal cortex, suggesting a critical role of these regions in generating visual percepts. In this study, we show that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of even the vertex can induce phosphenes, but that their neural origins are likely to be a consequence of current spread into visual areas (e.g., retina or visual cortex). After vertex stimulation, subjects with smaller head circumferences—for whom the distances from the coil to retina and visual cortex are smaller—report a two-fold increase in perceiving phosphenes. In contrast, both smaller and larger headed individuals perceived phosphenes equivalently and on nearly all trials following TMS of early visual cortex. These results demonstrate a critical role of early visual areas but not higher ones in generating visual perceptions. These findings further suggest that phosphenes perceived from TMS of the vertex or parietal cortex arise from induced activity in the retina or nearby early visual cortex and warn against the use of the vertex as a control site for TMS experiments of visual perception.
Sick-Role Legitimization

The purpose of this chapter is to consider in detail the issue of sick-role legitimization. There are three major sections to the chapter. The first provides a brief review of the sick role in light of American values and social structure, including a description of the traditional Parsonian scheme and the changes in it that have been necessitated by modifications in the health care delivery system. This section also considers the emergence of sick-role legitimization as a crucial contemporary issue in health behavior, focusing on its use as a coping response, as an avoidance mechanism, and as a justification for failure. The second section focuses on the prevalence of sick-role legitimization, including the taking of sick leave, and the receipt of medications and other visible badges of courage. In the final section we consider the major implications of sick-role legitimization: the increasing demand for it in the face of the coming physician surplus, and its effect on the stability of structural role interdependencies in highly differentiated societies.
H-Bonding Organocatalysts for the Living, Solvent-Free Ring-Opening Polymerization of Lactones: Toward an All-Lactones, All-Conditions Approach

The developing urea class of H-bond donors facilitates the solvent-free ROP of lactones at ambient and elevated temperatures, displaying enhanced rates and control versus other known organocatalysts for ROP under solvent-free conditions. The ROPs retain the characteristics of living polymerizations despite solidifying prior to full conversion, and copolymers can be accessed in a variety of architectures. One-pot block copolymerizations of lactide and valerolactone, which had previously been inaccessible in solution phase organocatalytic ROP, can be achieved under these reaction conditions, and one-pot triblock copolymers are also synthesized. For the ROP of lactide, however, thioureas remain the more effective H-bond donating class. For all (thio)urea catalysts under solvent-free conditions and in solution, the more active catalysts are generally more controlled. A rationale for these observations is proposed. The triclocarban (TCC) plus base systems are particularly attractive in the context of solvent-f...
Intratumoral pO2 measured using a new oxygen sensitive paramagnetic material, gloxy.

There is increasing evidence that tumor oxygenation is clinically important in pre-dicting tumor response to radiation, chemotherapy and/or overall prognosis (Vaupel, et al., 1989; Hall, 1988). More recently, tumor hypoxia has been implicated in promoting sur-vival of tumor cell phenotypes that are more resistant and have lost their apoptotic (self- killing) ability (Giaccia, 1996; Shrieve and Begg, 1985). A valid method for obtaining measurements of intratumor oxygen tensions repeatedly and non-invasively is therefore very desirable. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) oximetry is a recently developed technique which has the potential to provide such data. Its full use will be facilitated by the development of oxygen-sensitive materials which can be used under the various cir-cumstances in which repeated measurements of pO2 are desired.
Breast pathology and mammography BI-RADS category correlation study - A single institute experience.

Abstract Although recent technological advances, there is still discordance between mammography findings and pathologic diagnoses, especially for certain racial/ethnic populations. In this study we correlated the mammography BI-RADS categories with pathologic diagnoses, aiming to evaluate the performance of mammography in breast cancer detection in a unique poor population consisting of mostly Hispanics and African Americans. A total of 3935 female patients with a breast mammography and a subsequent breast pathology report within 90 days were retrospectively analyzed. There were 875 (22.2%) patients with a negative or probably benign mammography (BI-RADS 1, 2 and 3), and 33 (3.8%) of them had a malignant pathologic diagnosis. Patients with malignant pathologic diagnoses were older, higher in socioeconomic status (SES), and more likely to be African American or White, compared to those with non-malignant pathologic findings. They mostly presented with related symptoms (e.g. breast pain, mass or discharge) and/or family history or past history of breast cancers, which triggered secondary imaging examination and subsequent breast biopsy/excision, and eventually resulted to the diagnosis of breast cancers. In conclusion, our studies indicated that the performance of mammography is comparable in detection of breast cancers among Hispanics, African American and White populations, if it was done in the same facility. Our results also suggested that for patients with presenting symptoms, past history of breast cancer or strong family history of breast cancer, a secondary breast imaging examination may be warranted following a negative to probably benign mammography (BI-RADS 1–3).
Control and application of beam microbunching in high brightness linac-driven free electron lasers

Abstract We review physical mechanisms and driving forces behind the microbunching instability in modern free-electron lasers . Laser heater and alternative methods to fight the instability are presented and evaluated. Advanced uses of the laser heater setup for temporal and spectral controls of the FEL and for intense THz production are discussed. A recent idea of using the microbunching instability for coherent generation of UV radiation is described. Noise suppression in relativistic beams is briefly reviewed.
Understanding mean-field effects of large-population user data obfuscation in machine learning

Recently, data-based services have bloomed, because of the prevalence of online tracking, wearable computing, and the Internet of Things. However, due to privacy concerns, users may use tools to obfuscate their data, rendering these services less useful. This conflict places the service's desire for accuracy, and the users' desire for both accuracy and privacy, in contention. We propose a game-theoretic model for this conflict. By promising bounds on how much data gets collected and sold, services can incentivize users to report their data truthfully. We model this incentivization process as a Stackelberg game with the service provider as the leader. The users react to privacy promises as Stackelberg followers and interact with each other by playing a mean-field game. By representing the users as an interval on the continuum, we reduce the computational complexity of finding Nash and Stackelberg equilibriums.
Theories of Criminal Liability for Tax Evasion

This article discusses the theories under which a defendant can be found guilty for the crime of tax evasion. Either a taxpayer or an enabler can be found guilty as a principal for the crime of tax evasion. The more difficult question is the role of derivative liability -- i.e., liability, or guilt, other than as a principal can apply to the crime of tax evasion. The theories of derivative liability including aiding and abetting under 18 USC 2(a), causing under 18 USC 2(b), and Pinkerton liability for crimes committed by another person who is a co-conspirator. These questions were presented in a trilogy of recent mega tax shelter cases involving variants of the Son-of-Boss tax shelter. In these cases, the enablers were indicted, tried and convicted for tax evasion. In the first two cases, the trial judge submitted to the jury the theories of derivative liability. In the third and final case, the trial judge declined to so instruct, instinctively feeling that submitting theories of derivative liability would not assist the jury in its task. In this paper I discuss these cases and the underlying theories of liability and conclude that the trial judge in the third case got it right. Although I discuss these theories of derivative liability in a tax evasion context, the reasoning should apply in other federal criminal contexts as to crimes for which a defendant, based on his or her action, could be directly liable as a principal for the crime in question.
Assessing Game-Theoretic Explanations in the Social Sciences

Game theoretic models structure much of recent research in the social sciences. Their predominance is greatest in economics, but game theory tools have made steady inroads into political science, sociology, and other social sciences. That influence is not surprising. Game-theoretic models take the already popular rational choice accounts of agents acting in a fixed environments and then extend them to agents act in interactive environments.
A multicomponent, random walk model of transport and metabolism inside a neuron.

A model of multicomponent transport, consumption, and production of metabolites inside a neuron containing discrete mitochondria and glycolytic enzymes is developed using a random walk model of molecular transport. The ratio of anaerobic to aerobic metabolism which maximizes ATP production under normal, ischemic, and anoxic conditions is calculated. The ratio of the number of mitochondria to glycolytic enzymes which maximizes ATP under normal conditions is also calculated. Because the volume of the neuron is fixed, the sum of the number of mitochondria and glycolytic enzymes is fixed. This constraint is incorporated in the optimization process as an interior penalty function. Some of the advantages of employing the random walk technique are (1) simple stoichiometry can be used to model consumption and production of metabolites, (2) the geometry of the enzyme system and their active sites can be easily included in the model, and (3) saturation of enzymes can be more easily modeled.
Supernova Remnant Shocks in an Inhomogeneous Interstellar Medium

The inhomogeneity of the interstellar medium (ISM) has a profound effect on the propagation of the interstellar shock generated by a supernova and on the appearance of the resulting supernova remnant (SNR). Low mass supernovae produce remnants that interact with the “pristine” ISM, which has density inhomogeneities (clouds) on a wide range of scales. The shock compresses and accelerates the clouds it encounters; inside the blast wave, the clouds are hydrodynamically unstable, and mass is injected from the clouds into the intercloud medium. Embedded clouds interact thermally with the shock also, adding mass to the hot intercloud medium via thermal evaporation or subtracting it via condensation and thermal instability. Mass injection into the hot intercloud medium, whether dynamical or thermal, leads to infrared emission as dust mixes with the hot gas and is thermally sputtered. The remnants of massive supernovae interact primarily with circumstellar matter and with interstellar material which has been processed by the ionizing radiation and wind of the progenitor star. After passing through any circumstellar material which may be present, the shock encounters a cavity which tends to “muffle” the SNR. The remnants of massive supernovae therefore tell us more about the late stages of the evolution of massive stars than about the ISM.
Erythropoiesis in Fanconi's anemia

Fanconi's anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive condition in which greater than 90% of the homozygotes develop aplastic anemia. To determine the relation between erythroid progenitors and clinical status, blood and marrow mononuclear cells were cultured in methyl cellulose with erythropoietin, plus other hematopoietic growth factors, and growth in normal oxygen (20%) was compared with growth in low, physiologic oxygen (5%). Peripheral blood cultures were performed from 24 patients, and marrows from six. Patients were classified into six clinical groups. Group 1: Severe aplasia, transfused; one patient; no erythroid progenitors. Group 2: Severe, transfused, androgen unresponsive; one patient; no blood burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E). Group 3: Androgen responsive; eight patients, with decreased blood BFU-E. Group 4: Aplastic, about to start treatment; two patients; below normal numbers of colony-forming units-erythroid (CFU-E) and BFU-E. Group 5: Stable, with mild anemia, and/or thrombocytopenia, and/or macrocytosis; seven patients; with below normal numbers of blood BFU-E. Group 6: Hematologically normal; five patients; blood BFU-E low normal to normal. One marrow had normal numbers of CFU-E and BFU-E. Incubation in 5% oxygen doubled CFU-E and BFU-E only in the patients with close to normal or normal growth in 20% oxygen. Hemin and interleukin-3 increased growth slightly in those cultures where there was some growth with erythropoietin alone. Our data show that there is a correlation between current clinical status and in vitro erythropoiesis. Cultures of erythroid progenitors may also be useful predictors of hematologic prognosis in FA, although our follow-up period is too short to prove this hypothesis.
Pluralism and Together Incompatible Philosophies of Mathematics

In this chapter, the pluralist arbitrates between two philosophical positions: the extensionalist and the constructivist. Both are anti-realists of a sort. The extensionalist position is that of Quine, and is represented by Bar-Am. The constructivist position is that of Sunholm and Martin-Lof. The two merit comparison because they both give a sensitive account of the history of logic, moreover, they give much the same account. The two positions differ on their final judgment of the modern trend. The extensionalist sees progress where the constructivist sees emptiness. To draw out the differences, we shall also meet the formalist and the realist. We shall see the accord and disaccord between these positions, especially in respect of their attitude towards logic.
Closed Queueing Network Performance Models $$f{\bigl (G(V,E,N)\bigr )}$$

In this chapter, we present closed queueing network models for topological network design. We first give a brief historical perspective of the major developments in closed queueing network models and then discuss some of the important principles in modeling with closed network algorithms, the arrival theorem, aggregation, and Norton’s theorem. These algorithms are presented for their clarity and directness in the performance and optimization of queueing systems. Networks we will discuss include: Product-Form Networks: Starting from the basic exact algorithms developed by Gordon and Newell, we discuss their use and illustrate with several examples and algorithms along with their performance and optimization wherever possible. Non-product-Form Networks: General service time distributions are treated next and we present algorithms and optimizations. Because of the complexity of this problem, the focus is mostly on approximation algorithms. Blocking Networks: As in open network algorithms, blocking in closed networks is extremely complex, and we present a series of approaches for treating blocking in closed networks. Transportation and Loss Networks: Movement of goods from one queue to another in closed networks is of course very important, and we present an approach based upon state-dependent algorithms.
Speech Sound Disorder and Visual Biofeedback Intervention: A Preliminary Investigation of Treatment Intensity

A growing body of research suggests that cases of speech sound errors that have not responded to previous intervention can sometimes be eliminated through speech therapy incorporating visual biofeedback. Aside from considerations related to the specific biofeedback type, acquisition and generalization of a motor plan may be linked to treatment intensity. Several researchers have raised the possibility that inadequate dosage levels may present a significant barrier to success. Thus, the current study aimed to assess the relationship between treatment intensity and treatment outcomes. Twenty-nine articles reporting the use of visual biofeedback intervention for speech sound disorder were identified and coded for treatment intensity using the cumulative intervention index and outcomes using mean level difference scores. Findings reveal small but significant relationships between measures of treatment intensity and efficacy, which should be interpreted with caution given the preliminary nature of this review. Further research in this area is necessary, as inconsistencies in reporting intensity and outcomes across studies underscore the need for more systematic terminology and reporting methods.
Sharpening Sparse Regularizers

Non-convex penalties outperform the convex l-norm, but generally sacrifice the cost function convexity. As a middle ground, we propose a framework to design non-convex penalties that induce sparsity more effectively than the l-norm, but without sacrificing the cost function convexity. The non-smooth non-convex regularizers are constructed by subtracting from the non-smooth convex penalty its smoothed version. We propose a generalized infimal convolution smoothing smoothing technique to obtain the smoothed version. We call the proposed framework sharpening sparse regularizers (SSR) to imply its advantages compared to convex and non-convex regularizers. The SSR framework is applicable to any sparsity regularized ill-posed linear inverse problem. Furthermore, it recovers and generalizes several non-convex penalties in the literature as special cases. The SSR-RLS problem can be formulated as a saddle point problem, and solved by a scalable generalized primal-dual algorithm. The effectiveness of the SSR framework is demonstrated by numerical experiments.
Essentiality of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids for Mammalian Brain Development: A Translational Perspective

Abstract The omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) accumulates in the mammalian brain rapidly during perinatal development, and the rodent and nonhuman primate studies demonstrate that uncorrected deficits in brain DHA accrual during perinatal development lead to transient and enduring structural and functional neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Because DHA biosynthesis is inefficient in humans, increased intake of preformed DHA may be required for optimal infant brain development. This is supported by observational findings that higher maternal DHA biostatus during pregnancy is associated with enduring neurocognitive benefits in infants and children. However, evidence from controlled trials suggests that perinatal DHA supplementation does not confer additional long-term neurocognitive benefits for term-born infants or children, or infants born preterm. While extant translational evidence suggests that robust reductions in perinatal brain DHA accrual can negatively impact neurodevelopment, in the absence of robust DHA deficits human mothers do not appear to require additional DHA to achieve normal infant neurocognitive development.
Factors Associated with Older Adults' Long-Term Use of Wearable Activity Trackers.

Background: Wearable activity trackers (WATs) have the potential to improve older adults' health; yet, many adopters of WATs are not able to use them on a long-term basis. Methods: A survey was con...
Recruiting the Other as Globocop

Chapter 9 is about enlisting the female and multicultural Other in the global War on Terror, including Vin Diesel’s XXX sagas that transform his former criminality into a patriotic rogue who vanquishes international threats. The remainder of the chapter examines two female CIA agents, the first is Maya in Zero Dark Thirty, and the second is Carrie Mathison in Homeland. Their representations often engage comparisons with Bauer’s hypermasculinity, underscoring how their “difference” plays out in matters of national security. While Maya is devoid of a personal life, Mathison is plagued by mental illness, troubling links to motherhood, and issues with trust and intimacy. Both are effective agents who are often able to perform the nation, offering more progressive representations than most previous iterations, despite the customary gender-based limitations.
Can Peri-Transplant Radiation Therapy Improve Outcomes of Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Introduction Peri-transplant radiation (XRT) in Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) has been associated with improved local control. However, this has not been well established with increased use of novel agents in peri-transplant setting. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of HL patients who underwent their first ASCT between 2000 and 2018 at Karmanos Cancer Institute. Peri-transplant radiation was defined as XRT within 3-month window of ASCT. Novel agents included brentuximab, check-point inhibitors (CIs), and other targeted agents. The primary endpoint was to compare overall survival (OS) based on utilization of peri-transplant XRT and novel agents with standard salvage chemotherapy. Results From 2000-2018, there were total of 220 patients who underwent ASCT for HL. Peri-transplant XRT was used in 30 (14%) patients and was utilized similarly in patients who had ASCT before or after 2010 (13% vs 14%); novel salvage was used in 32 (15%) patients before transplant (Figure 1). There was no difference in baseline characteristics (bulky relapse, local vs systemic relapse, etc.) of patients who did or did not receive peri-transplant XRT (Table 1). Median OS of all the patients who had ASCT was 11 years [7.6-NR]. Median OS of patients who had peri-transplant XRT was not reached [9.4-NR] compared to 7.7 [5.3-NR] years for those without peri-transplant XRT [HR 0.38; 95% CI 0.15-0.96; p=0.033] (Figure 2). Median OS of patients who had novel salvage was not reached [4.3-NR] compared to 11 [7.6-NR] years for those without novel salvage [HR 1.08; 95% CI 0.43-2.72; p=0.877]. Median OS of patients who had either novel salvage or peri-transplant XRT was not reached [9.4-NR] compared to 11 years [6.5-NR] for those who had chemotherapy salvage only [HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.32-1.26; p=0.193]. In the multivariable analysis, less than CR to salvage therapy and lack of peri-transplant XRT use were associated with worse OS.There were total of 85 (39%) patients who progressed after ASCT. Median OS for those patients was 3.5 years [2.3-8.8]. In addition, the median OS for patients who received novel agent at any time after transplant was 6.9 years [2.6-NR] after relapse from ASCT compared to 2.5 years [2.2-7] for those who did not [HR 1.96; 95% CI 1-3.86; p=0.048] (Figure 3). Conclusions Peri-transplant XRT was possibly used in patients who had residual disease or other high-risk features that could not be identified due to retrospective nature of this study and, despite this, use of peri-transplant XRT was associated with modest survival benefit. Surprisingly, use of novel agents during salvage was not associated with survival benefit. Utilization of novel agents at any time after post-transplant progression was associated with OS benefit.
Shear stress response of active liquid crystal suspensions

ABSTRACTWe consider the shear stress response of suspensions of active liquid crystals in dilute regime based on a kinetic model. Perturbation analysis reveals the low shear active viscous plateau ...
An Unusual Triazole Synthesis from Aurones

Attempts to prepare azido-substituted aurones via a copper-catalyzed azidation failed to afford the desired product, but instead resulted in an unusual triazole formation reaction. Further efforts noted that copper was not required for this reaction, but simply thermal treatment with sodium azide in a polar aprotic solvent. A wide range of substitution patterns were tolerated in this reaction to afford the interesting salicyl-substituted triazoles in modest to excellent yield. While the mechanism is not yet clear, a simple elimination/cyclization pathway seems unlikely given the failure of the reaction on the corresponding thioaurones, which feature an even better thiol leaving group. Regardless, the potential utility of these easily accessible, multifunctional compounds should engender further interest and applications.
A Targeted Data-Driven Approach to Improve EHR Proficiency

Purpose: The electronic health record (EHR) has been touted as a tool to increase work efficiencies and improve quality of care yet there are concerns that EHR usage contributes to clinician fatigue and compromised care. There is a paucity of literature on provider characteristics that impact EHR proficiency. We sought to use available provider-level data to identify usage patterns and employ targeted interventions. Methods: Gathering provider-specific data from 3 sources, we first measured …
The Lived Experience of Meaningful and Meaningless Work in a Stigmatized Occupation

Experiencing meaningful work is linked to positive outcomes such as increased engagement, job satisfaction, motivation, positive work behaviors, performance, and an overall sense of well-being (e.g...