cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some US Food and Drug Administration Perspectives on Data Mining for Pediatric Safety Assessment

Abstract Background: The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) large spontaneous reporting database contains >110,000 voluntary reports of adverse drug events (ADEs) observed during postmarketing pediatric practice and submitted to the FDA by manufacturers, health care providers, or consumers. These reports may provide evidence about known or unknown harm associated with single or combination drug treatments in pediatric patients. We recently implemented new Bayesian data mining tools to evaluate >2 million reports stored in this database to help systematically identify safety signals that appear with unexpectedly high frequency. Objective: The purpose of this paper was to describe the current status of the application of Bayesian data mining tools to screen pediatric reports of ADEs submitted spontaneously to the FDA. Methods: We applied DuMouchel's empirical Bayesian data mining algorithms to the FDA's spontaneous reporting database. These methods circumvent the lack of exposure denominators in passive surveillance data. The first method implemented, the Gamma-Poisson Shrinkage model (GPS) computer program, detects higher-than-expected associations between drugs and adverse events. The method currently being used, the updated GPS program implemented in a software program called MGPS, adjusts for the multiplicity of drugs and events per record in the data reported after October 1997 and generalizes to multiple combinations of drugs and events (eg, triples, quadruples) that occur together in reports with unexpectedly high frequency. MGPS also identifies how much these unusually frequent itemsets can be explained by pairwise associations. For this article, we used the MGPS program to analyze pairwise, higher-than-expected associations between drugs and adverse events in pediatric reports. Results: We illustrate the potential of the data mining techniques to improve the early detection and analysis of new adverse events involving unusually frequent drug-event pairs in pediatric reports and to verify the significance of known ADEs. Conclusions: New data mining techniques help skilled safety evaluators and epidemiologists at the FDA analyze reports of pediatric ADEs submitted to the FDA spontaneously. These tools are not intended to replace current pharmacovigilance techniques but to enhance them. In the near future, these techniques should facilitate our study of potential drug interactions, a serious problem for pediatric patients requiring complicated medication regimens.
A compact, closed-form solution for the optimum, ideal wind turbine

The classical momentum solution for the optimum induced-flow distribution of a wind turbine in the presence of wake swirl can be found in many textbooks. This standard derivation consists of two momentum balances (one for axial momentum and one for angular momentum), which are combined into a formula for power coefficient in terms of induction factors. Numerical procedures then give the proper induction factors for the optimum inflow distribution at any radial station; and this, in turn, gives the best possible power coefficient for an ideal wind turbine. The present development offers a more straightforward derivation of the optimum turbine. The final formulas give the identical conditions for the ideal wind turbine as do the classical solutions—but with several important differences in the derivation and in the form of the results. First, only one momentum balance is required (the other being redundant). Second, the solution is provided in a compact, closed form for both the induction factors and the minimum power—rather than in terms of a numerical process. Third, the solution eliminates the singularities that are present in current published solutions. Fourth, this new approach also makes possible a closed-form solution for the optimum chord distribution in the presence of wake rotation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pancreatectomy for non-pancreatic malignancies results in improved survival after R0 resection

Pancreatectomy has a high morbidity but remains the only chance of cure for pancreatic cancer. Its efficacy for non-pancreatic malignancies is less clear. We reviewed our experience with pancreatectomy for non-pancreatic malignancies to determine outcomes and identify predictors of survival. The records of patients who underwent pancreatectomy for non-pancreatic malignancies between 1990 and 2005 were reviewed. Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using log-rank analysis. Cox proportional hazards was used to identify predictors of survival. 29 patients (18 M/11 F) with a mean age of 59.9 years (range 29–86) underwent pancreatectomy for non-pancreatic malignancies. 19 (66%) primary malignancies were GI in origin. Most operations were undertaken with curative intent (76%), whereas the remainder was for symptom palliation. Pancreatectomy was completed for metastatic disease in 7 patients (24%) or en bloc to achieve negative margins in 22 patients (76%). Complete (i.e., R0) resection was achieved in 17 (59%). Perioperative mortality was 3%. Median follow-up was 15 months (range 7–172). Median overall survival was 12 months with 1-year survival of 48%. Significant predictors of improved survival by univariate analysis were R0 resection, non-GI primary, and pancreatic metastasectomy (vs. en bloc resection). Only R0 resection was predictive of long-term survival by multivariate analysis (median 21 months vs. 6). Pancreatic resection for non-pancreatic malignancies can be completed with minimal mortality. However, incomplete resection results in poor overall survival. Pancreatectomy for non-pancreatic malignancies should only be undertaken if complete resection is possible.
GROW: a new resource for teaching and learning

Using three core areas of civil engineering as an information base, the geotechnical, rock and water resources digital library (GROW) promotes wide-spread access to an envisioned larger collection of quality civil engineering information and resources that will provide the knowledge base to make citizens more informed about their built-environment. A unique focus of the collection is the attention paid to creating and identifying highly interactive resources that allow the user to engage in active learning of civil engineering systems and concepts. This learning is further supported by the abundant collection of additional materials harvested and reviewed for the digital library collection.
Transport of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Pseudoviruses across the Blood-Brain Barrier: Role of Envelope Proteins and Adsorptive Endocytosis

Blood-borne human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to induce brain dysfunction. How HIV-1 crosses the BBB is unclear. Most work has focused on the ability of infected immune cells to cross the BBB, with less attention devoted to the study of free virus. Since the HIV-1 coat glycoprotein gp120 can cross the BBB, we postulated that gp120 might be key in determining whether free virus can cross the BBB. We used radioactive virions which do (Env+) or do not (Env-) bear the envelope proteins to characterize the ability of HIV-1 to be taken up by the murine BBB. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that the envelope proteins are key to the uptake of free virus and that uptake was enhanced by wheat germ agglutinin, strongly suggesting that the envelope proteins induce viral adsorptive endocytosis and transcytosis in brain endothelia. Capillary depletion showed that Env+ virus completely crossed the vascular BBB to enter the parenchyma of the brain. Virus also entered the cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting passage across the choroid plexus as well. About 0.22% of the intravenously injected dose was taken up per g of brain. In vitro studies showed that postinternalization membrane cohesion (membrane binding not reversed with acid wash or cell lysis) was a regulated event. Intact virus was recovered from the brain endothelial cytosol and was effluxed from the endothelial cells. These results show that free HIV-1 can cross the BBB by an event related to adsorptive endocytosis and mediated by the envelope proteins.
Effect of Oxygen and Nitrogen Doping on Mechanical Properties of Silicon Using Nanoindentation

The effects of oxygen and nitrogen on the mechanical properties of Czochralski (CZ) and float zone silicon have been studied using nano-indentation. Nitrogen free FZ Si exhibited low hardness of 6.49 GPa and elastic modulus of 104 GPa. When doped with 2×10 15 cm −3 nitrogen, FZ Si hardness and elastic modulus increased to 8.2 and 182 GPa, respectively. In the near-surface denuded zone of N-doped CZ Si (N-CZ) the hardness correlates well with the O and N profiles. Distinct high hardness points, found in the O- and N- rich subsurface region, were attributed to precipitates. Nano-scratch tests of N-CZ Si confirmed the existence of hard phases, mostly small precipitates, whose density, estimated to be 2×10 13 cm −3 , is in the range of previously suggested nuclei density in as-grown N-CZ silicon.
Endocrine refresher course 2001: modern medical curricula.

Medical education is constantly undergoing revision and renewal in attempts to ensure appropriate depth and breadth of knowledge of basic and clinical sciences as well as provide an environment that encourages life-long learning and integrative reasoning skills. An overview of the most recent
Acidic and basic troponin T isoforms in mature fast-twitch skeletal muscle and effect on contractility

Developmentally regulated alternative RNA splicing generates distinct classes of acidic and basic troponin T (TnT) isoforms. In fast-twitch skeletal muscles, an acidic-to-basic TnT isoform switch e...
Effectiveness of Conservation Measures in Reducing Runoff and Soil Loss Under Different Magnitude–Frequency Storms at Plot and Catchment Scales in the Semi-arid Agricultural Landscape

In this study, multi-year stormflow data collected at both catchment and plot scales on an event basis were used to evaluate the efficiency of conservation. At the catchment scale, soil loss from YDG, an agricultural catchment with no conservation measures, was compared with that from CZG, an agricultural catchment with an implementation of a range of conservation measures. With an increase of storm recurrence intervals in the order of 20 years, the mean event sediment yield was 639, 1721, 5779, 15191, 19627, and 47924 t/km(2) in YDG, and was 244, 767, 3077, 4679, 8388, and 15868 t/km(2) in CZG, which represented a reduction effectiveness of 61.8, 55.4, 46.7, 69.2, 57.2, and 66.8 %, respectively. Storm events with recurrence intervals greater than 2 years contributed about two-thirds of the total runoff and sediment in both YDG and CZG catchments. At the plot scale, soil loss from one cultivated slopeland was compared with that from five conservation plots. The mean event soil loss was 1622 t/km(2) on the cultivated slopeland, in comparison to 27.7 t/km(2) on the woodland plot, 213 t/km(2) on the grassland plot, 467 t/km(2) on the alfalfa plot, 236 t/km(2) on the terraceland plot, and 642 t/km(2) on the earthbank plot. Soil loss per unit area from all the plots was significantly less than that from the catchments for storms of all categories of recurrence intervals.
OFFICE GYNECOLOGY FOR THE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, PART I Vaginitis, the Papanicolaou Smear, Contraception, and Postmenopausal Estrogen Replacement

Many routine gynecologic problems can be managed easily in the primary care physician's office. Most cases of vaginitis are due to one of several organisms that are easy to diagnose and treat with information from the history, physical examination, and wet mount. The technique of performing a Papanicolaou smear and the interpretation of results are described, as are various methods of birth control and their efficacies and risks. Last, the risks and benefits of estrogen replacement therapy and modalities for beginning therapy are discussed.
Fitness-AUC bandit adaptive strategy selection vs. the probability matching one within differential evolution: an empirical comparison on the bbob-2010 noiseless testbed

The choice of which of the available strategies should be used within the Differential Evolution algorithm for a given problem is not trivial, besides being problem-dependent and very sensitive with relation to the algorithm performance. This decision can be made in an autonomous way, by the use of the Adaptive Strategy Selection paradigm, that continuously selects which strategy should be used for the next offspring generation, based on the performance achieved by each of the available ones on the current optimization process, i.e., while solving the problem. In this paper, we use the BBOB-2010 noiseless benchmarking suite to better empirically validate a comparison-based technique recently proposed to do so, the Fitness-based Area-Under-Curve Bandit [4], referred to as F-AUC-Bandit. It is compared with another recently proposed approach that uses Probability Matching technique based on the relative fitness improvements, referred to as PM-AdapSS-DE [7].
An Exporatory Examination of Racial Bias in Measures of Consumer Socialization

The problem of racial bias in measurement has achieved great attention with respect to I.Q. and other achievement tests, and, more recently, in social scientific measurement as well. The advancement of knowledge through research requires that valid measures be used. However, differential validity, i.e. differences in validity across groups, is rarely assessed by marketers. This paper provides a discussion of the problem of racial bias in marketing-related measures and demonstrates a method of testing for bias.
Famililism and welfare regimes: Poverty, employment, and family policies

While many nations lay a claim to supporting "family values", these values may be interpreted in a variety of ways. How do nations support families, particularly families with children? What strategies do different nations take, and how do these strategies lead to different outcomes? In this paper, we show how different combinations of policies that support family caregiving and those that de-familialize caregiving lead to significantly different outcomes. We show that nations with stronger levels of both kinds of policies have lower poverty levels than those with weaker levels of these policies, but that strong levels of policies that support family caregiving and weak levels of de-familializing policies have more varied results, with higher levels of poverty, particularly for families headed by single mothers. In addition, this research illustrates significant variation among "continental Conservative" countries, and suggests the importance of a less static approach to welfare state regimes, which also fully recognizes the centrality of gender relations to labor market and welfare state policies.
Trends in Literature About Emerging Adulthood Review of Empirical Studies

The body of knowledge related to emerging adulthood has grown in the past decade. This study surveyed published empirical research studies on emerging adulthood, from 2000 to April 2015, using Academic Search Complete and PsycINFO databases and references from The Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood website resources. These studies (N = 1,334) consisted of peer-reviewed journal articles reporting on empirical research. This study adds to the current knowledge base for the field of emerging adulthood by providing a critical examination of the main topics, the methods, current research trends, and the most prolific authors and publishing outlets in the field. Implications from these results support emerging adulthood as a global and cross-cultural developmental period and field of study. Additionally, results reveal current research trends and expose the need for significant future research to further expand the emerging adulthood knowledge base.
Maintaining integrity: How nurses navigate boundaries in pediatric palliative care

Abstract Purpose To explore how nurses manage personal and professional boundaries in caring for seriously ill children and their families. Design and methods Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, a convenience sample of 18 registered nurses from four practice sites was interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Results Nurses across the sites engaged in a process of maintaining integrity whereby they integrated two competing, yet essential, aspects of their nursing role – behaving professionally and connecting personally. When skillful in both aspects, nurses were satisfied that they provided high-quality, family-centered care to children and families within a clearly defined therapeutic relationship. At times, tension existed between these two aspects and nurses attempted to mitigate the tension. Unsuccessful mitigation attempts led to compromised integrity characterized by specific behavioral and emotional indicators. Successfully mitigating the tension with strategies that prioritized their own needs and healing, nurses eventually restored integrity. Maintaining integrity involved a continuous effort to preserve completeness of both oneself and one's nursing practice. Conclusions Study findings provide a theoretical conceptualization to describe the process nurses use in navigating boundaries and contribute to an understanding for how this specialized area of care impacts health care providers. Practice Implications Work environments can better address the challenges of navigating boundaries through offering resources and support for nurses' emotional responses to caring for seriously ill children. Future research can further refine and expand the theoretical conceptualization of maintaining integrity presented in this paper and its potential applicability to other nursing specialties.
Investors 1 - Accountants 0

Rizvana Zameeruddin of Northeastern Illinois University examines provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that directly affect corporate tax departments and tax professionals employed by public companies.
DNA consensus sequence motif for binding response regulator PhoP, a virulence regulator of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis has reemerged as a serious threat to human health because of the increasing prevalence of drug-resistant strains and synergetic infection with HIV, prompting an urgent need for new and more efficient treatments. The PhoP-PhoR two-component system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis plays an important role in the virulence of the pathogen and thus represents a potential drug target. To study the mechanism of gene transcription regulation by response regulator PhoP, we identified a high-affinity DNA sequence for PhoP binding using systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. The sequence contains a direct repeat of two 7 bp motifs separated by a 4 bp spacer, TCACAGC(N4)TCACAGC. The specificity of the direct-repeat sequence for PhoP binding was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. PhoP binds to the direct repeat as a dimer in a highly cooperative manner. We found many genes previously identified to be regulated by PhoP that contain the direct-repeat motif in their promoter sequences. Synthetic DNA fragments at the putative promoter-binding sites bind PhoP with variable affinity, which is related to the number of mismatches in the 7 bp motifs, the positions of the mismatches, and the spacer and flanking sequences. Phosphorylation of PhoP increases the affinity but does not change the specificity of DNA binding. Overall, our results confirm the direct-repeat sequence as the consensus motif for PhoP binding and thus pave the way for identification of PhoP directly regulated genes in different mycobacterial genomes.
Feasibility and clinical impact of sharing patient-reported symptom toxicities and performance status with clinical investigators during a phase 2 cancer treatment trial.

Background:Clinicians can miss up to half of patients’ symptomatic toxicities in cancer clinical trials and routine practice. Although patient-reported outcome questionnaires have been developed to capture this information, it is unclear whether clinicians will make use of patient-reported outcomes to inform their own toxicity documentation, or to prompt symptom management activities.Methods:44 lung cancer patients that participated in a phase 2 treatment trial self-reported 13 symptomatic toxicities derived from the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and Karnofsky Performance Status via tablet computers in waiting areas immediately preceding scheduled visits. During visits, clinicians viewed patients’ self-reported toxicity and performance status ratings on a computer interface and could agree or disagree/reassign grades (“shared” reporting). Agreement of clinicians with patient-reported grades was tabulated, and compared using weighted kappa statistics. Clinical a...
Preoperative macular spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in patients considering advanced-technology intraocular lenses for cataract surgery

Purpose To evaluate spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) as a strategy for identifying occult macular disease preoperatively in patients scheduled for cataract surgery with implantation of an advanced-technology intraocular lens (IOL). Setting Private practice, Danbury, Connecticut, USA. Design Retrospective consecutive case series. Methods Macular SD-OCT scans were performed on all patients scheduled for cataract surgery and Restor multifocal or toric IOL implantation over a 6-month period. All scans were reviewed for abnormalities of the retina, retinal pigment epithelium, or vitreomacular interface. For subgroup analysis, the following health information was collected: age, sex, smoking history, hypertension, heart disease, hyperlipidemia or hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes. Results Two hundred sixty-five consecutive scans from 149 patients were obtained. Macular pathology was found in 35 eyes (13.2%). The most common condition was age-related macular degeneration in 15 eyes (5.66%) followed by idiopathic epiretinal membrane in 11 eyes (4.15%). Ischemic atrophy from previously undiagnosed retinal vascular pathology was found in 5 eyes (1.89%) and edema in 3 eyes (1.13%). A subgroup analysis found a higher incidence of macular pathology in patients with a history of heart disease (30.6%, P Conclusion Preoperative macular SD-OCT scanning was effective in identifying patients at risk for compromised visual outcomes after advanced-technology IOL surgery. Financial Disclosure None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Central Venous Catheterization With and Without Ultrasound Guidance

Central venous catheters are the most ubiquitously placed device in the critical care environment. With an estimated 500,000 catheters placed per year in the United States alone, this procedure is an integral part of the practice of the competent critical care clinician. With known complications such as bleeding, vascular injury, or pneumothorax, there has been a push in recent times to more safely conduct placement of central venous catheters in an expeditious manner. Procedural ultrasound is a key modality in clinical practice which has mitigated these risks and improved quality of care. In this chapter, we explore the history of the central venous catheter, indications, complications, and the use of ultrasound in clinical applications.
Pancreatic stellate cell secreted IL-6 stimulates STAT3 dependent invasiveness of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer cells

// Nagaraj S. Nagathihalli 1 , Jason A. Castellanos 2 , Michael N. VanSaun 1 , Xizi Dai 1 , Mahogany Ambrose 3 , Qiaozhi Guo 4 , Yanhua Xiong 2 , Nipun B. Merchant 1 1 Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, Florida, USA 2 Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA 3 Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, USA 4 Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA Correspondence to: Nipun B. Merchant, email: nmerchant@med.miami.edu Keywords: pancreatic stellate cells, IL-6, STAT3, PanIN, pancreatic cancer Received: January 06, 2016 Accepted: August 22, 2016 Published: September 01, 2016 ABSTRACT Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a dynamic tumor supported by several stromal elements such as pancreatic stellate cells (PSC). Significant crosstalk exists between PSCs and tumor cells to stimulate oncogenic signaling and malignant progression of PDAC. However, how PSCs activate intercellular signaling in PDAC cells remains to be elucidated. We have previously shown that activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling is a key component in the progression of pancreatic neoplasia. We hypothesize that PSC secreted IL-6 activates STAT3 signaling to promote PanIN progression to PDAC. Human PDAC and mouse PanIN cells were treated with PSC-conditioned media (PSC-CM), and phospho- and total-STAT3 levels by immunoblot analysis were determined. IL-6 was quantified in PSC-CM and cell invasion and colony formation assays were performed in the presence or absence of a neutralizing IL-6 antibody and the JAK/STAT3 inhibitor AZD1480. Serum from Ptf1a Cre/+ ;LSL-Kras G12D/+ ;Tgfbr2 flox/flox’ (PKT) and LSL-Kras G12D/+ ; Trp53 R172H/+ ; Pdx1 Cre/+ (KPC) mice demonstrated increased levels of IL-6 compared to serum from non-PDAC bearing KC and PK mice. PSC secreted IL-6 activated STAT3 signaling in noninvasive, precursor PanIN cells as well as PDAC cells, resulting in enhanced cell invasion and colony formation in both cell types. There was a significant positive linear correlation between IL-6 concentration and the ratio of phosphorylated STAT3/total STAT3. IL-6 neutralization or STAT3 inhibition attenuated PSC-CM induced activation of STAT3 signaling and tumorigenicity. These data provide evidence that PSCs are directly involved in promoting the progression of PanINs towards invasive carcinoma. This study demonstrates a novel role of PSC secreted IL-6 in transitioning noninvasive pancreatic precursor cells into invasive PDAC through the activation of STAT3 signaling.
Assessing Dodd-Frank

This is an edited transcript of the proceedings of the Yale Law School Center for the Study of Corporate Law’s Weil, Gotshal & Manges Roundtable on Assessing Dodd-Frank, which was held on April 1, 2011. The roundtable was jointly sponsored with the Yale Law & Business Society and Yale Journal on Regulation, and brought together policymakers, legal practitioners, members of the financial community, and academics from finance, economics and law to discuss the principal legislative response to the financial crisis. The roundtable consisted of four panel sessions. The first session, “Overview,” was introduced by Robert Post, Dean and Sol & Lillian Goldman Professor of Law, Yale Law School. Panelists were Viral V. Acharya, Professor of Finance, New York University Stern School of Business; John Geanakoplos, James Tobin Professor of Economics, Yale University; Gary B. Gorton, Frederick Frank Class of 1954 Professor of Management and Finance, Yale School of Management; and Lawrence S. Makow, Partner, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Roberta Romano, Sterling Professor of Law and Center Director, moderated. The second session addressed, “‘Too Big to Fail’ and the New Resolution Authority.” Panelists were Thomas C. Baxter, Jr., General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Legal Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Jeffrey N. Gordon, Alfred W. Bressler Professor of Law, Columbia Law School, Randall D. Guynn, Head, Financial Institutions Group, Davis Polk & Wardwell; and Andrew Metrick, Deputy Dean for Faculty Development, Theodore Nierenberg Professor of Corporate Governance, Professor of Finance and Faculty Director of the Millstein Center for Corporate Governance, Yale School of Management. Alan Schwartz, Sterling Professor of Law, Yale Law School, moderated.The third session considered “Housing and Mortgage Reform.” Panelists were Christopher J. Mayer, Senior Vice Dean and Paul Milstein Professor of Real Estate, Finance & Economics Division, Columbia Business School; Robert J. Shiller, Arthur M. Okun Professor of Economics, Yale University; Susan M. Wachter, Richard B. Worley Professor of Financial Management and Professor of Real Estate and Finance, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School; and Peter J. Wallison, Arthur F. Burns Fellow in Financial Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute and Member, Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission. The moderator was Robert C. Ellickson, Walter E. Meyer Professor of Property and Urban Law, Yale Law School. The fourth session, “Assessment,” had the following panelists: Michael S. Barr, Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School and former U.S. Department of Treasury Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions; H. Rodgin Cohen, Senior Chairman, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP; Eugene A. Ludwig, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Promontory Financial Group LLC and former Comptroller of the Currency; and Jonathan R. Macey, Sam Harris Professor of Corporate Law, Corporate Finance, and Securities Law, Yale Law School. The panel was moderated by Shyam Sunder, James L. Frank Professor of Accounting, Economics, and Finance, Yale School of Management.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy in an adult patient with poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.

A previously healthy 32-year-old man presented to the hospital with cough, sore throat, facial swelling and intermittent fever for 1 week. Initial physical examination revealed blood pressure of 160/98 mm Hg, erythematous throat, bilateral periorbital swelling, right basilar crackles and no neurological abnormalities. Laboratory tests were remarkable for leucocytosis (13 320 cell/mm3), hyperkalaemia (5.2 mmoL/L), azotemia (Cr 2 mg/dL), haematuria (urine red blood cells of 50–100 cells/high power field) and proteinuria (urine protein/creatine ratio >7 g/gCr). Chest X-ray showed right lower lobe pneumonia with parapneumonic effusion. The patient was admitted for community-acquired pneumonia, non-oliguric acute kidney injury and nephritic syndrome. Later, antistreptolysin O was found to be elevated …
Twenty-First-Century Climate in CMIP5 Simulations: Implications for Snow and Water Yield across the Contiguous United States

AbstractFor 14 alternative climate futures, water yield and snow water equivalent (SWE) throughout the contiguous United States (CONUS) were projected over the twenty-first century using the Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC). The futures correspond to climate projections from seven CMIP5 models each forced by two representative concentration pathways for greenhouse gases (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). With both RCPs, decreases in water yields are projected for roughly two-thirds of the CONUS, and in 60% of that area—mainly at more northern latitudes, where the greatest temperature increases are expected—this occurs despite projected increases in precipitation. The greatest relative decreases in yield are projected for the southern Great Plains and the Southwest, where temperature and precipitation changes combine to decrease yield. Snow accumulation is projected to decrease almost everywhere by the latter half of the century, with the time of peak SWE in some basins projected to occur up to 2 months earlie...
APPLICATION OF SOFTMAX REGRESSION AND ITS VALIDATION FOR SPECTRAL-BASED LAND COVER MAPPING

Abstract. The presented Softmax Regression classifier is a generalization of logistic regression. It is used for multi-class classification, where classes are mutually exclusive. Implemented in a classification framework, it provides a flexible approach to customize a classification process. Traditional classification is focused with classifiers that can only be applied on the same dataset. The Softmax Regression classifier can be created and trained on a reference dataset using spectral and spatial information and then applied to similar data multiple times. We present the general workflow of Softmax Regression classification as part of a case study that is based on attribute images derived from hyperspectral airborne and elevation imagery.
Folding sticky elastica: dynamics and reversibility of folds in Langmuir monolayers

Lipid monolayers at the air/water interface are often subject to large mechanical stresses when compressed laterally. For large enough compression they fold in the out-of-plane direction to relax stress. The repetitive folding and unfolding of lung surfactant monolayers during breathing plays a critical role in conserving monolayer material at the air/water interface lining the lung. Although the mechanisms behind the folding have been explored recently, relatively little information exists regarding the implications of folding dynamics on the long-term stability of the monolayer. We address this question by investigating the dynamical effect of folding rate in a lipid monolayer containing nano-particles, using a combination of analytic theory, simulation and experiment. We find that the presence of adsorbed particles are essential for monolayer rupture during unfolding. These particles act as linkers pinning the folds shut. The rate of folding affects reversibility as well. We construct a reversibility phase diagram spanned by the compression period and the size of the adsorbed particles showing the complex interaction of fold morphology, particle diffusion, and linker unbinding that results in reversible or irreversible folding.
Abstract 131: Quantification of in vivo Placental Oxygenation Using Ultrasound-guided Spectral Photoacoustic Imaging

Preeclampsia, linked to abnormal placental development and ischemia, is a major cause of fetal and maternal death. Currently, the only cure is high-risk preterm delivery. Although clinical therapies to regulate the symptoms of preeclampsia—mean arterial pressure and proteinuria—it is unknown whether these therapeutics restore placental blood flow and reduce ischemia. We are developing ultrasound-guided spectral photoacoustic imaging to quantify placental ischemia and characterize therapeutic response. Ultrasound imaging is the preferred imaging modality to monitor pregnancy due to its safety, low cost, and mobility. Similar to ultrasound, photoacoustic imaging can provide co-registered images of tissue function. In these studies, pregnant SWV mice were imaged longitudinally from E12.5 to 18.5 using a Vevo LAZR small animal imaging system. Algorithms were developed to correlate the spectral photoacoustic data to a hemoglobin oxygenation (%sO 2 ) calibration standard—a phantom containing blood at varying partial pressures of oxygen. The phantom calibration standard deviation was 7.9% (n=3). The resulting ultrasound images were used to segment the placenta (Figure 1). An overlay of the %sO 2 on the ultrasound image maps placental variation in %sO 2 during longitudinal development. We demonstrate that our imaging method is capable of quantifying %sO2 and monitoring placental function in vivo . Future work will use our preclinical %sO2 quantification methods to characterize placental function during treatment for preeclampsia.
Athletes and the Aorta: Normal Adaptations and the Diagnosis and Management of Pathology

Over a hundred years ago, physicians first recognized that participation in regular, vigorous training resulted in enlargement of the heart. Since that time, the term “athlete’s heart” has entered the medical lexicon as a global expression encompassing the electrical, functional, and morphological adaptations that develop in response to physical training. Exercise-induced adaptations of the aorta, which is also exposed to large hemodynamic stresses during prolonged endurance exercise or resistance training, are less well recognized. Young athletes tend to have slightly larger aortas than their sedentary counterparts; however, this rarely exceeds normal ranges for the general population. A systematic approach is advised when presented with an athlete with aortic enlargement. The size of the aorta needs to be first put in the context of the athlete’s age, sex, size, and sporting endeavors; however, even in the largest young athletes, the aortic root rarely exceeds 4 cm in men or 3.4 cm in women. A comprehensive evaluation is advised which includes a detailed family history and a thorough physical examination evaluating for signs of any defined connective tissue disorder associated with aortopathy. Downstream testing is then tailored for the individual and may include further tomographic imaging, opthalmology review, and genetic testing. This should ideally be performed at a specialist center. Management of athletes with an aortopathy includes tailoring athletic activity, medical management with strict impulse control, and, in some cases, prophylactic surgery. The issue of sporting eligibility should be individualized and if disqualification is necessary, this should be undertaken by a sports cardiologist or an expert in aortic disease with experience in dealing with an athletic population.
Sonodynamic therapy using protoporphyrin IX encapsulated microbubbles inhibits tumor growth

Background: Sonodynamic therapy is a cancer treatment using drugs called “sonosensitizers” which, upon exposure to ultrasound (US), generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby causing cell death. Despite the potential of sonodynamic therapy, many ideal sonosensitizers, such as protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), are hydrophobic compounds; poor water solubility limits systemic delivery and constrains clinical translation. We hypothesized that a PpIX-loaded lipid microbubble (MB) would have advantages over PpIX alone by ultimately allowing systemic delivery and also by locally concentrating US energy for greater PpIX activation. Accordingly, we developed an efficiently PpIX-loaded MB formulation and characterized its US-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and in an in vivo tumor model. Methods: PpIX was loaded in the hydrocarbon tail region of the lipid monolayer that forms the encapsulation shell of perfluorocarbon gas-filled MBs (“MBPpIX”). Suspensions of MBPpIX or free PpIX alone were exposed to various US conditions (1 MHz, 1–8 W/cm2 spatial average pulse average intensity (I SAPA ), 1–10% duty cycle), and ROS generation was measured with Amplex Red. MB PpIX or equivalent amount of free PpIX (dissolved in DMSO, final PpIX concentration: 2.9 μM) was added to cultured squamous cell carcinoma (SCC-VII) cells, followed by US treatment for 2 min and alamarBlue Assay for viability 24 hrs post US. To evaluate anti-tumor effect in vivo, SCC-VII tumor-bearing mice received intratumoral injection of 1×108 MB PpIX , equivalent dose (18.4 μg) of PpIX only, or blank MB (“MB Blank ”), followed by 4 min of US treatment (1 MHz, I SAPA =3 W/cm2, 10% duty cycle). Tumor volume was serially imaged and quantified by high-resolution 3D US. Results: A stable MB PpIX formulation was achieved with high drug loading (mean MB diameter 1.6±0.1 μm; 184±49 μg PpIX per 109 MB). ROS was generated with MB PpIX and free PpIX, in an US-dependent manner. For both MB PpIX and free PpIX, US-dependent cytotoxicity was observed; e.g. for MB PpIX , more than 90% of SCC-VII cells were killed with US at I SAPA =2 or 4 W/cm2 and 10% duty cycle. In vivo, MB PpIX + US caused the greatest tumor growth inhibition, with doubling time (2.7±0.5 days) more prolonged compared to that for US-treated tumors injected with only PpIX (2.1±0.3 days; p=0.02) or MB Blank (1.7±0.5 days; p=0.01). Conclusions: These data indicate that in conjunction with pulsed US, MB PpIX is an effective sonodynamic therapy platform that may be superior to PpIX alone. Our findings set the stage for non-invasive sonodynamic therapy using systemic delivery of PpIX, whereby PpIX-carrying lipid MBs allow circulation of this otherwise insoluble compound, while also focusing and augmenting US energy for enhanced sonodynamic effect.
Nanoparticle Functionalization with Platelet Membrane Enables Multifactored Biological Targeting and Detection of Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease represents one of the major causes of death across the global population. Atherosclerosis, one of its most common drivers, is characterized by the gradual buildup of arterial plaque over time, which can ultimately lead to life-threatening conditions. Given the impact of the disease on public health, there is a great need for effective and noninvasive imaging modalities that can provide valuable information on its biological underpinnings during development. Here, we leverage the role of platelets in atherogenesis to design nanocarriers capable of targeting multiple biological elements relevant to plaque development. Biomimetic nanoparticles are prepared by coating platelet membrane around a synthetic nanoparticulate core, the product of which is capable of interacting with activated endothelium, foam cells, and collagen. The effects are shown to be exclusive to platelet membrane-coated nanoparticles. These biomimetic nanocarriers are not only capable of efficiently localizing to wel...
Symbols in the Strange Fruit Seeds: What “the Talk” Black Parents Have with Their Sons Tells Us About Racism

In this article, Raygine DiAquoi explores the temporality of “the talk” Black parents have with their sons, analyzing the way the messages they share with their sons about racism reflect sociohistorical changes around issues of race. Over the course of a year, DiAquoi conducted a qualitative investigation of the content of the messages seventeen families shared with their adolescent sons about discrimination. She asserts that the similarities between the conversations families have today and those had by Black families living during the pre–Brown v. Board of Education era beg critical analysis of the features of our current racial climate.
Metabolism of Diazinon in Rainbow Trout Liver Slices.

Abstract Understanding biotransformation pathways in aquatic species is an integral part of ecological risk assessment with respect to the potential bioactivation of chemicals to more toxic metabol...
Serial concatenation of reed muller and LDPC codes with low error floor

In this paper, we propose a concatenated coding scheme involving an outer Reed-Muller (RM) code and an inner Finite Field low-density parity check (LDPC) code of medium length and high rate. It lowers the error floor of inner Finite Field LDPC code. This concatenation scheme offers flexibility in design and it is easy to implement. In addition, the decoding works in a serial turbo manner and has no harmful trapping sets of size smaller than the minimum distance of the outer code. The simulation results indicate that the proposed serial concatenation can eliminate the dominant trapping sets of the inner Finite Field LDPC code.
After “the call”: a review of urban insect ecology trends from 2000–2017

A sample of the 100 most cited papers on urban insect ecology from 2000-2017 is reviewed. This period represents the time since a call for more research on urban arthropods was raised by McIntyre (2000). Only literature on urbanization and its effects on insects were examined. Most studies concentrated on habitat suitability, beetles, butterflies, and bees.
College Students’ Perceptions of Media Portrayals of Divorce

This study takes an exploratory, qualitative approach to examine college students’ perceptions about divorce in the media. Findings suggest that participants perceived both positive and negative re...
Multiple Basins of Attraction

Historically, simple models may have helped to lull some ecologists into thinking either that (i) models are useless because they do not reflect the natural world, or (ii) the natural world is highly predictable.1 Here we investigate how simple models can create unpredictable outcomes, in models of Lotka–Volterra competition, resource competition, and intraguild predation. In all cases, we get totally different outcomes, or alternative stable states, depending on different, stochastic, initial conditions.
Dialogue on Campus: An Overview of Promising Practices

Higher education institutions are recognizing the value of dialogue in engaging diverse perspectives and experiences while providing the necessary skills and knowledge for students to become effective citizens. Colleges and universities are incorporating the theory and practice of dialogue across different dimensions of the curriculum, co-curriculum, pedagogy, and administration and governance. Examples include nation-wide intergroup dialogue programs, community standards processes in residence halls, and institution-wide decision making on curricula. Seen as a whole, these and other examples provide a vision for a comprehensive approach to integrating dialogue on campuses.
Simple and accurate trend tests using a permutation approximation

Permutation is an attractive approach to assess association between two vectors x and y, by comparing the observed statistic to the distribution induced by random permutation of one of the vectors. For a number of “standard” statistics, equivalent testing can be performed by using the sample Pearson correlation. Applications include the standard tests applied in the two-sample problem, simple linear regression, several generalized linear models, linear categorical trend tests, and rank-based association. We describe a simple approximation to the distribution of the correlation under permutation, providing accurate p-values that can be quickly computed for a variety of data types. The approximation may be especially useful in high-throughput applications in which a series of x-vectors is compared to one or more y-vectors. Simple and accurate trend tests using a permutation approximation Yi-Hui Zhou, Fred A. Wright Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina Permutation is an attractive approach to assess association between two vectors x and y, by comparing the observed statistic to the distribution induced by random permutation of one of the vectors. For a number of “standard” statistics, equivalent testing can be performed by using the sample Pearson correlation. Applications include the standard tests applied in the two-sample problem, simple linear regression, several generalized linear models, linear categorical trend tests, and rank-based association. We describe a simple approximation to the distribution of the correlation under permutation, providing accurate p-values that can be quickly computed for a variety of data types. The approximation may be especially useful in high-throughput applications in which a series of x-vectors is compared to one or more y-vectors.
Endogenous rhythms in axial length and choroidal thickness in chicks: implications for ocular growth regulation.

PURPOSE To determine whether the diurnal rhythms in axial length and choroidal thickness in the chick eye are endogenous circadian rhythms. METHODS Six chickens, 14 days of age, were put into darkness for 4 days. Beginning on the 3rd day, ocular dimensions were measured using high-frequency A-scan ultrasonography, in darkness, at 6-hour intervals over 48 hours. Five age-matched chickens reared in a normal light/dark (L/D) cycle and measured at 6-hour intervals for 5 days were controls. RESULTS The rhythms in axial length and choroidal thickness persist in constant darkness. The phases of these rhythms are approximately in antiphase to one another, similar to those of eyes in a L/D cycle; however, the peak of the rhythm in axial length occurs slightly earlier relative to that of eyes in L/D (12 PM versus 3 PM; P: < 0.05, one-tailed t-test). By the 3rd day in darkness, the rate of growth is significantly higher than that in L/D (117 versus 72 microm/24 hours; P: < 0.01), and the choroid becomes significantly thinner (159 versus 210 microm; P: < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The rhythms in axial length and choroid thickness are circadian rhythms, driven by an endogenous oscillator. The phase of the rhythm in axial length in constant darkness is slightly phase-advanced relative to eyes in L/D and thus is similar to eyes that are deprived of form vision. These findings suggest that in the absence of visual input, the eyes revert to a "default" growth state and that the similarities between the effects of constant darkness and of form deprivation suggest that deprivation may represent a type of "constant" condition.