cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abnormal Pulmonary Function in Adults and Children with Sickle Cell Disease.

Abstract Introduction: Chronic lung disease is a fatal complication in sickle cell disease (SCD) often undiagnosed until late stages. Early detection and treatment of risk factors may improve survival. Since asthma, pulmonary hypertension (PHT), and acute chest syndrome (ACS) are potential risk factors, in 1998, we began screening patients with history of ACS or wheezing with pulmonary function tests (PFT) and echocardiogram (echo). Methods: A chart review was completed on the 362 adults and children evaluating history of asthma, lung function (PFT) and PHT (echo, tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity ≥ 2.5). Results: PFT Findings All Ages Adults Children PHT (All Ages) Study performed 34% (124/362) 41% (95/232) 22% (29/130) Echo: 90% (111/124) Abnormal 85% (106/124) 87% (83/95) 79% (23/29) 51% (54/106) Obstructive (OBS) only 31% (33/106) 31% (26/83) 30% (7/23) 42% (14/33) Restrictive (REST) only 30% (32/106) 28% (23/83) 39%(9/23) 38% (12/32) Both OBS + REST pattern 27% (29/106) 29% (24/83) 22% (5/23) 69% (20/29) “Abnormal,” not specified 11% (12/106) 12% (10/83) 9% (2/23) 67% (8/12) DLCO 48% (45/94) 53% (42/80) 21% (3/14) 54% (26/48) Diagnosis & Treatment Clinical asthma diagnosis 13% (47/362) 14% (33/232) 11% (14/130) 43% (20/47) Receiving asthma treatment 51% (24/47) 45% (15/33) 64% (9/14) 50% (12/24) Bronchodilator only 23% (11/47) 24% (8/33) 21% (3/14) 45% (5/11) Inhaled steroid 23% (11/47) 18% (6/33) 36% (5/14) 55% (6/11) Singulair 4% (2/47) 3% (1/33) 7% (1/14) 50% (1/2) PFT suggests asthma 50% (62/124) 53% (50/95) 41% (12/29) 53% (33/62) +PFT, + asthma treatment 16% (10/62) 14% (7/50) 25% (3/12) 80% (8/10) One hundred twenty-four patients underwent PFTs, of which 111 (85%) were abnormal. Obstructive and/or restrictive disease with abnormal diffusion capacity were widespread. Of patients with an obstructive pattern, only 16% were receiving any asthma treatment. Forty-seven patients (33 adults and 14 children) were diagnosed with asthma. However, only half were receiving any treatment: 23% bronchodilators, and 23% inhaled steroids. Echo was performed on 90% of patients with PFT data. Half of all patients with abnormal PFTs, and 69% of those with obstructive/restrictive patterns, had PHT. Conclusion: While a more severe population may have been tested, this data suggests abnormal lung function is prevalent in SCD and is associated with PHT. Recent data suggests abnormal NO metabolism may link asthma and PHT in SCD. In conclusion, our data suggests patient morbidity will be decreased by regular screening with PFT and echo followed by early treatment for asthma and PHT.
Uterine sarcoma with ambiguous histomorphology: A case report

Abstract Background Leiomyosarcomas (LMS) and endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS) may display overlapping histomorphology, which may challenge diagnostic accuracy. Since LMS and ESS have vastly different clinical behavior and adjuvant therapy recommendations, accurate diagnosis is critical. Case We present the case of an 83-year-old female with postmenopausal bleeding who underwent total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for clinically atypical appearing leiomyomata. Histologically, dual populations of cells with morphologic features of low-grade ESS and high-grade spindle cell sarcoma were seen. Immunohistochemistry and molecular studies revealed the cells to be of smooth muscle derivation, rendering a diagnosis of high-grade LMS with heterogeneous morphology (stage IB). The patient received adjuvant gemcitabine plus docetaxel. She recurred 8 months after completion of chemotherapy and was transferred to hospice care. Conclusion Ancillary studies, such as immunohistochemistry and molecular testing, aid in accurate subcategorization of uterine sarcomas with ambiguous histomorphology.
Reproduction at High Altitudes

Our concern with reproduction at high altitudes has arisen from an interest in placental oxygen transfer. The mammalian fetus, encased in a thick cyst of myometrium, establishes a chain of oxygen supply for its needs and persuades its mother to supply her end of that chain with quantities of well-oxygenated blood adequate for fetal development and survival. In contrast to other nutrients (amino acids, glucose, fats) which can be provided to the fetus in adequate amounts even if maternal blood flow is greatly reduced, oxygen transfer appears to be much more nearly flow-limited even at sea level (Guyton, 1963). One can hypothecate that the nutrient most critical for fetal (and species) survival in viviparous warm-blooded animals is oxygen because it is needed nearly continuously and in substantial quantities. How is the mammalian fetus provided with its needs for this element when its mother resides at high altitude where the primary problem, even for the air-breathing adult, is to obtain an adequate supply of oxygen in an environment with lowered atmospheric oxygen tension? Oxygen supply mechanisms to the fetus may be put under stress in such circumstances, and may fail. We propose to discuss the normal chain of oxygen supply to the mammalian fetus, modifications in the chain and its component links during maternal residence at altitudes from 10,000 to 15,000 feet above sea level, and evidence relevant to the subject of reproductive failure at high altitude.
Effect of Uncertainties and Material Flow Constraints in Manufacturing Systems Control

Abstract The problem we consider here arises in large electronic and computer industries with multiple facilities that need to be coordinated in achieving production targets. There are two specific characteristics of such situations, which arise typically in computer industries with multiple levels of production and assembly:. 1. Internal uncertainties due to random yields, resulting in the output of a facility being variable; consequently, the supply to the next facility is uncertain. 2. The supply to the next stage is to be accomplished in the form of sets, i.e., fixed proportions of components of each type. This is typical of production stages that feed assembly stages. At the higher level, we consider aggregate decisions of combined component ordering and production, given supply and demand uncertainties. In the interests of exposition, we present a formulation and a solution procedure for a single critical raw material, a single finished good/item, and for a single period to illustrate the more general results. At the lower level, the objective is to make release related allocation decisions (on a faster time scale) to meet the orders resulting as a consequence of the higher level decision. To ensure smooth production, the stable component of demand is met by producing to meet an effective constant demand (in sets) plus a safety stock. The major uncertainty at this level is random yield. We consider the problem of assigning or allocating the flexible fraction of the supply/release to a given part type, so that the set completion probability for a given number of releases is maximized. The importance of the above problems stems from the following fact: these coordination and design/control problems, rather real time control of the automated factories, currently limit the performance of these multi-factory complexes in meeting demand.
Systematic fluctuations in the global seismic moment release

We revisit the significance of the increased number of great earthquakes since December 2004. Analysis of the global seismic moment release during 1918–2014 inferred from the International Seismological Centre (ISC) catalog rejects a null hypothesis of independence between earthquake seismic moments and occurrence times. Our results suggest the existence of temporal variation in the seismic moment distribution on a global scale with decreased moment release during 1975–2004 and a transition to a regime with increased moment release during the 1960s and after December 2004. We use complementary likelihood and regression analyses based on non-parametric resampling and parametric Monte Carlo simulations to construct tests powerful enough to reject the null hypothesis of independence.
Obsidian sources and distribution in Patagonia, southernmost South America

Abstract Obsidian artifacts occur in some of the earliest occupied late Pleistocene archaeological sites in Patagonia, such as Pilauco (∼15,500 cal BP) in south-central Chile, and Cerro Tres Tetas (∼12,100 cal BP) in Santa Cruz, Argentina, and they are very common in numerous early Holocene sites. Trace-element analysis of artifacts from these sites indicate long-distance (>300 to >1000 km) transport of obsidian from nine different sources. Two of these sources, Chaiten (CH) and Nevados de Sollipulli (NS), are associated with active Andean volcanoes in southern Chile. One, around Seno Otway (SO), occurs in the Miocene volcanic belt in the southernmost Andes. The six others, Portada Covunco (PC), Cerro de la Planicies/Lago Lolog (CP/LL), Sacanana (S), Telsen/Sierra Negra (T/SN), Pampa del Asador (PDA) and Cordillera Baguales (CB), occur east of the Andes in Argentina. Geologic ages of these obsidians range from 17.8 Ma (Sacanana) to recent (Chaiten). Obsidian from each of these sources is generally homogeneous and chemically distinct from all the other sources. Those from the Chilean Andes are subalkaline in composition, while those from the pampas of Argentina east of the Andes are alkaline and peralkaline. Chaiten obsidian occurs in marine culture sites along the Pacific coast as far as >400 km to the north and south of this volcano, and a few samples has been found >900 km to the southeast along the Atlantic coast, presumably transported there in a canoe. Green obsidian from Seno Otway was also exploited dominantly by marine cultures, but occurs as well in terrestrial hunter-gatherer sites such as Pali-Aike and Fell's caves, from which Junius Bird first reported, in 1938, prehistoric obsidian artifacts in Patagonia. Distinctive black and red-banded “tiger-striped” obsidian from Portada Covunco has also been transported >500 km east to the Atlantic coast, as well as west into Chile and to Mocha Island off the Pacific coast, perhaps because of its aesthetic appeal. Black alkaline obsidian from Pampa del Asador, which includes at least four chemically distinct types, has been distributed by terrestrial hunter-gatherers >800 km northeast to the Atlantic coast and south to Tierra del Fuego, as well as west into Chile. The wide distribution (>300 km) of obsidian from each of these nine sources, well beyond the range considered probable for direct procurement by Patagonian terrestrial hunter-gatherers (≤200 km), implies the possibility of a considerable amount of cultural interaction among the prehistoric peoples of Patagonia throughout the Holocene.
The management of symptomatic simple renal cysts in children

Abstract Renal cysts are being increasingly diagnosed in children due to the increasing use of ultrasound scanning (USS). Most are asymptomatic, but they may present with flank pain, haematuria, palpable mass or even urinary tract infections or urosepsis. There is a wide range of management options for symptomatic cysts, the choice of which depends on patient factors as well as surgeons' preference. In this case series, we present our experience in the management of five cases of symptomatic renal cysts which have been treated in varying ways, ranging from minimally invasive procedures to drain and sclerose the cysts, to more invasive procedures to excise and deroof the cysts.
Hirschsprung disease — integrating basic science and clinical medicine to improve outcomes

Hirschsprung disease is defined by the absence of enteric neurons at the end of the bowel. The enteric nervous system (ENS) is the intrinsic nervous system of the bowel and regulates most aspects of bowel function. When the ENS is missing, there are no neurally mediated propulsive motility patterns, and the bowel remains contracted, causing functional obstruction. Symptoms of Hirschsprung disease include constipation, vomiting, abdominal distension and growth failure. Untreated disease usually causes death in childhood because bloodstream bacterial infections occur in the context of bowel inflammation (enterocolitis) or bowel perforation. Current treatment is surgical resection of the bowel to remove or bypass regions where the ENS is missing, but many children have problems after surgery. Although the anatomy of Hirschsprung disease is simple, many clinical features remain enigmatic, and diagnosis and management remain challenging. For example, the age of presentation and the type of symptoms that occur vary dramatically among patients, even though every affected child has missing neurons in the distal bowel at birth. In this Review, basic science discoveries are linked to clinical manifestations of Hirschsprung disease, including partial penetrance, enterocolitis and genetics. Insights into disease mechanisms that might lead to new prevention, diagnostic and treatment strategies are described.
On the optimal control of a class of degradable systems modeled by semi-Markov jump linear systems

This paper studies finite-horizon optimal control of a class of degradable systems modeled by acyclic semi-Markov jump linear systems. The Cox distribution is used to Markovianize the underlying semi-Markov jump process. Control design challenges in optimal control of Markov jump linear systems with partial or no mode observation are discussed and by exhibiting a numerical example it is shown that unlike the full-mode observable case, if some jumps cannot be observed the necessary optimality condition may not be sufficient for the optimality of the linear state-feedback control law. The optimal control of an acyclic semi-Markov jump linear system is then investigated through Markovianization by Coxian models. Furthermore, some insights are provided on the problem of Cox model order reduction in order to reduce the computational complexity associated with the control design.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavata-Pārāyaṇa-Vidhi-Prakāśa : An Early Modern Poetry Workshop?

This paper focuses on a mid-eighteenth-century work by Sāvantsingh, the poet prince of Kiśangaṛh, who wrote under the pen name of Nāgarīdās and is famous as the sponsor of the Kiśangaṛhī miniatures. The text under discussion is Śrīmad-Bhāgavata-Pārāyaṇa-Vidhi-Prakāśa, “Spotlight on the Ceremonies for a Full Recitation of the Holy Bhāgavata [Purāṇa].” This work documents a religious festival where a full reading of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa took place, organized by Sāvantsingh himself in the monsoon season of the year 1742. Contrary to what the title might lead us to expect, very little attention is given to the particulars of the recitation; rather, we get a transcript of the poetry composed by courtiers for the occasion and read at the beginning and at the conclusion of the rites. I have been able to identify some of the participants in a contemporaneous miniature, thus providing us with a visual image of the poets. In this paper, I analyze how the poems respond to one another and what this tells us about early modern poetry gatherings. I argue that such gatherings share many characteristics in common with contemporaneous mushā‘irahs in what was then the new, popular medium of Urdu poetry (called Rekhtā at the time), as described in Tazkirahs.
Balancing Benefits and Obligations within the Global R&D System: The Changing Position of Japan

The growing breadth and complexity of economic relationships between the United States and Japan has affected many dimensions of their bilateral relations. U.S.-Japanese negotiations on national security issues, for example, now incorporate economic concerns, as in the co-development of the FSX fighter aircraft. Economic concerns have also become more prominent in bilateral discussions of science and technology policy. Negotiations over renewal of the U.S.-Japan Agreement on Scientific Cooperation, U.S. and Japanese participation in the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems project, and Japanese contributions to the U.S.-based Superconducting Supercollider all have been affected by the concerns of U.S. policymakers that Japanese public agencies and firms do not contribute to the global pool of scientific knowledge in proportion to the economic benefits that they derive from it. If basic research is an international “public good,” as neoclassical economic theory has it, is Japan a “free rider”?
Land and freedom: the MST, the Zapatistas and peasant alternatives to neoliberalism / The making of resistance: Brazil’s landless movement and narrative enactment

The struggle continues. And so does the writing about two of the most important social movements in contemporary Latin America, the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement (MST) and the Zapatista Army ...
Facial Masculinization Surgery and its Role in the Treatment of Gender Dysphoria.

BACKGROUND Interest in facial masculinization surgery is expected to increase as gender-affirming surgery becomes more widely accepted and available. The purpose of this study is to summarize the current literature describing operative techniques in facial masculinization surgery and provide an algorithmic approach to treating this patient population. METHODS PubMed, EMBASE, and Medline databases were queried for literature on operative techniques and outcomes of facial masculinization surgery in transgender and cisgender patients, published through July 2018. Data on patient demographics, follow-up, operative techniques, complications, and outcomes were collected. RESULTS Fifteen of the 24 identified studies met inclusion criteria. Two studies discussed the outcomes of 7 subjects (6 trans-male and 1 cis-male) who underwent facial masculinization procedures. No objective outcomes were reported in either study; however, subjects were generally satisfied and there were no complications. The remaining studies reviewed operative techniques utilized in the cisgender population. CONCLUSION A summary of considerations for each facial anatomic subunit and respective operative techniques for facial masculinization is presented. Current facial masculinization procedures in cisgender patients may be considered in the transgender patient population with favorable outcomes. However, further research is needed on techniques and objective outcome measures of facial masculinization procedures in the transgender population.
Separate membrane receptors on activated T cells determine the specificity of cell-mediated cytolysis

Publisher Summary Murine lymphoid cells sensitized against allografts express two types of cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) measured in vitro in short-term assay of 2–3 hr by 51Cr release. One type is specific against target cells carrying the sensitizing alloantigens, and the other type is nonspecific against syngeneic, allogeneic, and xenogeneic target cells and is dependent on the presence of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin A (Con A). This chapter presents several lines of evidence demonstrating that lectin-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (LDCC) and specific CMC are mediated by the same effector T-cell subpopulation: (a) treatment of immune lymphocytes with anti-θ serum and complement abrogates both types of cytotoxicity; (b) absorption of immune cells on corresponding target cell monolayers depletes the non-adherent fraction of both specific CMC and LDCC; (c) kinetics of in vivo development of cytotoxic lymphocytes parallel the kinetics observed in LDCC; (d) LDCC due to either polyclonal mitogenic activation of cytotoxic cells or antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity were ruled out; and (e) specific CMC is not augmented by lectin. In humans, normal peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) are also found to be cytotoxic to target cells in the presence of PHA or ConA. The chapter further discusses the results in murine systems, which demonstrate that a single clone of alloimmune T lymphocytes can perform specific CMC through antigen-binding receptors and nonspecific CMC through PHA and Con A receptors. By analogy to the murine system, LDCC in human PBL represents a subpopulation of activated T cells and can therefore be utilized as a marker for circulating sensitized T cells.
Chemical composition and hydrolysis of organic nitrate aerosol formed from hydroxyl and nitrate radical oxidation of α -pinene and β -pinene

Abstract. Atmospheric organic nitrate (ON) is thought to play a crucial role in the formation potential of ozone and aerosol, which are the leading air pollutants of concern across the world. Limited fundamental knowledge and understanding of the life cycles of ON currently hinder the ability to quantitatively assess its impacts on the formation of these pollutants. Although hydrolysis is currently considered an important loss mechanism of ON based on prior field measurement studies, this process for atmospherically relevant ON has not been well constrained by fundamental laboratory studies. In this comprehensive study, we investigated the chemical composition and hydrolysis process of particulate ON ( pON ) formed from the oxidation of α -pinene and β -pinene by hydroxyl ( OH ⚫ ) and nitrate radicals ( NO3 ⚫ ). For pON that undergoes hydrolysis, the hydrolysis lifetime is determined to be no more than 30 min for all systems explored. This is significantly shorter than those reported in previous chamber studies (i.e., 3–6 h ) but is consistent with the reported lifetime from bulk solution measurement studies (i.e., 0.02–8.8 h ). The discrepancy appears to stem from the choice of proxy used to estimate the hydrolysis lifetime. The measured hydrolyzable fractions of pON ( FH ) in the α -pinene + OH ⚫ , β -pinene + OH ⚫ , α -pinene + NO3 ⚫ , and β -pinene + NO3 ⚫ systems are 23 %–32 %, 27 %–34 %, 9 %–17 %, and 9 %–15 %, respectively. While a very low FH for the NO3 ⚫ oxidation system is expected based on prior studies, FH for the OH ⚫ oxidation system is surprisingly lower than predicted in past studies. Overall, the hydrolysis lifetime as well as FH obtained in this study serve as experimentally constrained parameters that are required in regional and global chemical transport models to accurately evaluate the impacts of ON on nitrogen budget and formation of ozone and aerosol.
Sex-specific prefrontal cortex dysfunction underlying opioid-induced cognitive impairment

ABSTRACT Deficits in cognitive control, whether intrinsic or arising from drug use increases relapse vulnerability and risk for out of control drug use. In susceptible populations, women tend to transition to addiction faster and experience greater difficulties remaining abstinent1,2 however, what drives this is unknown. Even when taken as prescribed, opioid-based pain therapies carry a risk of misuse and addiction. Thus, identifying adaptations responsible for reduced cognitive control and how intrinsic factors like biological sex influence risk for opioid abuse provides an opportunity to enhance relapse mitigating therapies and reduce susceptibility to opioid use disorders. Decreases in intrinsic excitability (hypoexcitability) of frontal cortex pyramidal neurons has been linked with loss of cognitive control in a variety of mental disorders, including addiction, however underlying mechanisms of this cortical dysfunction are poorly characterized. We show that self-administration of the opioid, remifentanil, causes a long-lasting decrease in ex vivo excitability but augments firing capacity of pyramidal neurons in the prelimbic cortex. This phenomenon occurs faster in females and aligns with a shift in synaptic drive towards inhibition and a significant impairment in cognitive flexibility. Further, compensating for this hypoactive state using chemogenetics protected against inflexibility that results from opiate self-administration. These data define cellular and synaptic mechanisms by which opioids and perhaps other drugs of abuse impair prefrontal function and cognitive control and have implications for sex differences in opioid addiction vulnerability.
Evolved Resistance to Partial GAPDH Inhibition Results in Loss of the Warburg Effect and in a Different State of Glycolysis

Aerobic glycolysis or the Warburg effect (WE) is characterized by increased glucose uptake and incomplete oxidation to lactate. Although the WE is ubiquitous, its biological role remains controversial, and whether glucose metabolism is functionally different during fully oxidative glycolysis or during the WE is unknown. To investigate this question, here we evolved resistance to koningic acid (KA), a natural product that specifically inhibits glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a rate-controlling glycolytic enzyme, during the WE. We found that KA-resistant cells lose the WE but continue to conduct glycolysis and surprisingly remain dependent on glucose as a carbon source and also on central carbon metabolism. Consequently, this altered state of glycolysis led to differential metabolic activity and requirements, including emergent activities in and dependences on fatty acid metabolism. These findings reveal that aerobic glycolysis is a process functionally distinct from conventional glucose metabolism and leads to distinct metabolic requirements and biological functions.
Beyond modified mean field: a case for a stochastic grain growth model

ABSTRACTWe address the basic mechanism of grain growth in two and three dimensions in single phase metallic systems. It is argued, a comprehensive grain growth model is best based on a stochastic p...
Poetry of Witness and Poetry of Commentary: Responses to the Holocaust in Russian Verse

This essay proposes two categories for understanding Holocaust poetry: the documentary and testimonial poetry of witness, written in the immediate aftermath of the event, and the lyrical and hermeneutic poetry of commentary, written at a temporal and spatial distance from it. The essay focuses on how these two modes are represented in Russian poetry written in the Soviet Union, where memory of the Holocaust was obfuscated by the regime. The essay analyzes both official and underground poets—Boris Slutsky, Ian Satunovsky, and Semen Lipkin—and shows how their verse both defines and defies the two categories, broadening our understanding of the overall relationship between the catastrophe and the poetic word.
Evaluation of amygdalin-loaded alginate-chitosan nanoparticles as biocompatible drug delivery carriers for anticancerous efficacy

Abstract Amygdalin, despite possessing anticancerous properties, has been viewed as a controversial choice due to the presence of the cyanide group. Here, we synthesise and investigate the potential of alginate–chitosan nanoparticles (ACNPs) as drug delivery agents for amygdalin encapsulation and its delivery to cancer cells. Amygdalin loaded ACNPs were made with both anionic and cationic outer layer to further investigate charge dependency on drug delivery and cytotoxicity. ACNPs encapsulating amygdalin were monodisperse, colloidally stable with ~90% drug encapsulation efficiency and were entirely made from natural materials. The nanoparticles exhibited sustained drug release for a duration of 10 h and significant swelling rates in neutral and slightly acidic environments. The ACNPs successfully adhered to porcine mucin type II when assessed for its mucoadhesion and shown to transmigrate with an average velocity of 1.68 μm/s in uncoated channels, under biomimicked flow conditions. To investigate charge dependency on drug delivery and cytotoxicity, amygdalin loaded ACNPs were made with both anionic and cationic outer layer and assessed. ACNPs demonstrated greater yet sustained anti-cancerous effect on H1299 cell lines in a dose-dependent manner than free amygdalin suggesting greater cellular uptake of the former. In conclusion, biocompatible and biodegradable alginate–chitosan nanoparticles can be used as an effective drug delivery system for sustained and controlled amygdalin release with its improved cytotoxic effect on cancerous cells while protecting normal cells and tissues.
Stigma, agency, and motherhood: Exploring the performativity of dual mother–female sex workers identities in Kathmandu, Nepal

Drawing upon the lived experiences of 35 female sex workers (FSW) in Kathmandu, Nepal, this article explores the performativity of sex work–mother dual identities. Performativity presents a way to ...
Health Disparities in Incisional Hernia Presentation : An Analysis of HCUP-NIS Years 2012-2014.

IntroductionIncisional hernias (IH) are iatrogenically created in 400 000 new patients annually. Without repair, IH-associated complications can result in major illness and death. The health dispar...
The Computational Origin of Representation

Each of our theories of mental representation provides some insight into how the mind works. However, these insights often seem incompatible, as the debates between symbolic, dynamical, emergentist, sub-symbolic, and grounded approaches to cognition attest. Mental representations—whatever they are—must share many features with each of our theories of representation, and yet there are few hypotheses about how a synthesis could be possible. Here, I develop a theory of the underpinnings of symbolic cognition that shows how sub-symbolic dynamics may give rise to higher-level cognitive representations of structures, systems of knowledge, and algorithmic processes. This theory implements a version of conceptual role semantics by positing an internal universal representation language in which learners may create mental models to capture dynamics they observe in the world. The theory formalizes one account of how truly novel conceptual content may arise, allowing us to explain how even elementary logical and computational operations may be learned from a more primitive basis. I provide an implementation that learns to represent a variety of structures, including logic, number, kinship trees, regular languages, context-free languages, domains of theories like magnetism, dominance hierarchies, list structures, quantification, and computational primitives like repetition, reversal, and recursion. This account is based on simple discrete dynamical processes that could be implemented in a variety of different physical or biological systems. In particular, I describe how the required dynamics can be directly implemented in a connectionist framework. The resulting theory provides an “assembly language” for cognition, where high-level theories of symbolic computation can be implemented in simple dynamics that themselves could be encoded in biologically plausible systems.
Usefulness of the Duke Activity Status Index to Select an Optimal Cardiovascular Exercise Stress Test Protocol.

Exercise testing represents the preferred stress modality for individuals undergoing evaluation of suspected myocardial ischemia. Patients with limited functional status may be unable to achieve an adequate exercise stress, thus influencing the diagnostic sensitivity of the results. The Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) is a clinically applicable tool to estimate exercise capacity. The purpose of the current study was to assess the utility of the DASI to identify patients unable to achieve an adequate exercise stress result. Patients referred for exercise stress testing were administered the DASI pre-exercise. Baseline characteristics and exercise variables were evaluated including DASI-metabolic equivalents (DASI-METs), peak METs, exercise time (ET), and %-predicted maximal heart rate (%PMHR). Criteria for determining adequate exercise stress was defined as ≥85%PMHR or ≥ 5-METs at peak exercise. In 608 cardiovascular stress tests performed during the study period; 314 were exercise stress. The median DASI-METs (8.4 [interquartile range; 6.7 to 9.9]) was associated with estimated peak exercise METs (R=0.50, p 7.4 to optimally predict adequate exercise stress (sensitivity=93%, specificity=71%). In conclusion, the DASI correlates with peak METs, ET, and %PMHR among patients referred for exercise testing and can be used to identify patients with an increased likelihood of an inadequate stress test result.
Validity of the 15-item five-facet mindfulness questionnaire among an ethnically diverse sample of university students.

This study examines the psychometrics of the 15-item version of the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15).An ethnically diverse sample of 538 college students participated in this study.T...
Pulmonary resection for tissue harvest in adoptive tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy: Safety and feasibility.

Background and objectives Adoptive T-cell therapies (ACTs) using expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) populations are of great interest for advanced malignancies, with promising response rates in trial settings. However, postoperative outcomes following pulmonary TIL harvest have not been widely documented, and surgeons may be hesitant to operate in the setting of widespread disease. Methods Patients who underwent pulmonary TIL harvest were identified, and postoperative outcomes were studied, including pulmonary, cardiovascular, infectious, and wound complications. Results 83 patients met inclusion criteria. Pulmonary TIL harvest was undertaken primarily via a thoracoscopy with a median operative blood loss and duration of 30 ml and 65 min, respectively. The median length of stay was 2 days. Postoperative events were rare, occurring in only five (6%) patients, including two discharged with a chest tube, one discharged with oxygen, one episode of urinary retention, and one blood transfusion. No reoperations occurred. The median time from TIL harvest to ACT infusion was 37 days. Conclusions Pulmonary TIL harvest is safe and feasible, without major postoperative events in our cohort. All patients were able to receive intended ACT infusion without delays. Therefore, thoracic surgeons should actively participate in ongoing ACT trials and aggressively seek to enroll patients on these protocols.
Total multiple scattering cross section evaluation using convolutional neural networks for forward and inverse designs of acoustic metamaterials

We design convolutional neural network models to simulate acoustic multiple scattering from cylindrical structures. The models are trained on data generated by multiple scattering theory to approximate total scattering cross section (TSCS) at different wavenumbers. In our first case study, the input of convolutional neural networks are binary images of positions of the cylinders, and the output is the TSCS, evaluated at eleven discrete values of wavenumber. We consider different planar configurations with five different numbers of cylinders ranging from 2 to 10. Our results show a good correspondence between predicted values and actual TSCS. However, we find that the training accuracy decreases as the number of scatterers increases. In a second case study, we develop convolutional autoencoder models, which take scatterer configuration images as input and, in the process of reproducing the same configurations at the output, reduces the dimensionality of the data to a small number of latent variables. We then use the latent variables in various inverse designs, producing scatterer configurations given values of TSCS. Despite its limitations the autoencoder proves to be a promising tool in searching for desired scatterer configuration without expensive computational cost.
Introducing Application Awareness Into a Unified Power Management Stack

Effective power management in a data center is critical to ensure that power delivery constraints are met while maximizing the performance of users’ workloads. Power limiting is needed in order to respond to greater-than-expected power demand. HPC sites have generally tackled this by adopting one of two approaches: (1) a system-level power management approach that is aware of the facility or site-level power requirements, but is agnostic to the application demands; OR (2) a job-level power management solution that is aware of the application design patterns and requirements, but is agnostic to the site-level power constraints. Simultaneously incorporating solutions from both domains often leads to conflicts in power management mechanisms. This, in turn, affects system stability and leads to irreproducibility of performance. To avoid this irreproducibility, HPC sites have to choose between one of the two approaches, thereby leading to missed opportunities for efficiency gains.This paper demonstrates the need for the HPC community to collaborate towards seamless integration of system-aware and application-aware power management approaches. This is achieved by proposing a new dynamic policy that inherits the benefits of both approaches from tight integration of a resource manager and a performance-aware job runtime environment. An empirical comparison of this integrated management approach against state-of-the-art solutions exposes the benefits of investing in end-to-end solutions to optimize for system-wide performance or efficiency objectives. With our proposed system–application integrated policy, we observed up to 7% reduction in system time dedicated to jobs and up to 11% savings in compute energy, compared to a baseline that is agnostic to system power and application design constraints.
Striae Distensae: Scars without Wounds.

SUMMARY Striae distensae, or stretch marks, are common linear lesions of atrophic skin characterized histologically by epidermal atrophy, absent rete ridges, and alterations in connective tissue architecture. Hormonal excess, mechanical stress, and genetic predisposition are all associated with striae distensae, but their exact pathogenesis remains unknown. Despite a multitude of options, no single treatment has yet proven effective. In this article, the authors describe an up-to-date overview of striae distensae in terms of their etiology, pathophysiology, and therapeutic options. Further research is required to better elucidate their pathophysiology and to develop targeted effective treatments.
Synthesis of Benzoquinones by Oxidation

p-Benzoquinone or quinone was discovered in 1838 as a product of the action of manganese dioxide in sulfuric acid on the natural product, quinic acid, However, benzoquinones generally prepared by the oxidation of disubstituted aromatic hydrocarbons derivatives having hydroxyl or amino groups in the ortho and para positions. The quinone results from the oxidation of hydroquinone, p-aminophenol, or p-phenylendiamine. Certain quinones are obtainable in moderate or fair yield by oxidation of starting materials containing only one hydroxyl or amino group as exemplified by the industrial production of quinine from aniline. Oxidation of phenols and amines constitutes the chief topic of discussion in this chapter. Keywords: oxidation; benzoquinones; quinones; hydroxyquinones; aminoquinones; experimental procedures; phenols; amines
Extrachorial (circumvallate) placentas in rhesus monkeys

Abstract Three single disc, circumvallate placentas associated with advanced gestation have occurred in rhesus monkeys housed in our primate colonies. Junctional relationships between trophoblastic and maternal tissues were characteristics of those usually seen in the bidiscoid placenta which results from superficial implantation of the blastocyst in the rhesus monkey. These observations of mature placentas suggest that extrachorial growth of the placenta may occur in the absence of interstitial implantation and imply that alterations in trophoblastic development occurred prior to the sixteenth day of gestation.
Ribonucleotide reductase and cell proliferation. I. Variations of ribonucleotide reductase activity with tumor growth rate in a series of rat hepatomas.

The relationship between ribonucleotide reductase and tumor growth rate was measured in a series of rat hepatomas of different growth rates. An excellent correlation was found between tumor growth rate and the specific activity of ribonucleotide reductase. Differences of 200-fold in enzyme specific activities exist between the very fast and the slow growing hepatomas. This represents the largest enhancement of any enzyme activity in these tumors. No activity was detected in either normal rat liver or liver from a tumor-bearing animal although 1/500 of the enzyme level in the rapid tumor could have been detected. The thioredoxin-thioredoxin reductase complex which serves as the hydrogen donor for this reaction was eliminated as a contributory factor for these differences in activities because this complex is found at comparable levels in both fast growing tumor and normal liver extracts. Two other enzymes involved in deoxyribonucleotide synthesis, thymidylate synthetase and thymidine kinase, did not exhibit such a close degree of correlation with tumor growth rate. Thymidylate synthetase activity was found to be less markedly enhanced with only a 15- to 20-fold difference between the slow and fast growing tumors. Thymidine kinase exhibited differences of activity of approximately 40-fold. These data, as well as other evidence, indicate that the ribonucleotide reductase reaction is a rate-limiting step in DNA synthesis and cell division and that enzyme synthesis and degradation may be involved in control of this reaction.
Nuevas epistemologías en formación del profesorado. Repensando las conexiones entre las asignaturas del campus y las experiencias de prácticas en la formación del profesorado en la universidad

En este articulo, presento uno de los problemas centrales que ha plagado las universidades y centros de educacion superior en la formacion inicial del profesorado durante muchos anos, la desconexion entre los componentes de los programas ofrecidos en el campus y la escuela. Primero, partire de mi propia experiencia como educador y administrador de maestros/as durante los ultimos treinta y tantos anos en la Universidad de Wisconsin-Madison y de la literatura para mostrar varias dimensiones de este tema. Luego, utilizando el concepto de �hibridad� y �tercer espacio�. El trabajo de crear espacios hibridos en la formacion del profesorado representa un cambio de paradigma en la epistemologia de los programas de formacion del profesorado, dado que el conocimiento academico y practico y el conocimiento que existe en la comunidad, convergen en nuevas formas menos jerarquicas del aprendizaje del profesorado.
Large format MBE HgCdTe on silicon detector development for astronomy

The Center for Detectors at Rochester Institute of Technology and Raytheon Vision Systems (RVS) are leveraging RVS capabilities to produce large format, short-wave infrared HgCdTe focal plane arrays on silicon (Si) substrate wafers. Molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) grown HgCdTe on Si can reduce detector fabrication costs dramatically, while keeping performance competitive with HgCdTe grown on CdZnTe. Reduction in detector costs will alleviate a dominant expense for observational astrophysics telescopes. This paper presents the characterization of 2.5μm cutoff MBE HgCdTe/Si detectors including pre- and post-thinning performance. Detector characteristics presented include dark current, read noise, spectral response, persistence, linearity, crosstalk probability, and analysis of material defects.
Independent Stimulation of Secretion and Protein Synthesis in Rat Parotid Gland THE INFLUENCE OF EPINEPHRINE AND DIBUTYRYL CYCLIC ADENOSINE 3',5'-MONOPHOSPHATE

Abstract The synthesis of total cellular proteins and amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) has been studied in rat parotid gland slices in relation to secretory kinetics. In unstimulated slices, incorporation of radioactive amino acids is maintained at a constant rate for at least 3 hours. In response to epinephrine (30 µm), there is a 50% increase in incorporation into trichloracetic acid-insoluble proteins and a greater than 2-fold rise of incorporation into amylase after 1 hour of incubation. Concurrently there is active secretion of amylase into the medium. If, during the subsequent decline in protein synthesis, epinephrine is again added, the incorporation again doubles but there is no change in the secretory pattern. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (2 mm) stimulates incorporation to the same extent as epinephrine. Cycloheximide, which suppresses protein synthesis to less than 10% of the control rate, does not stimulate secretion, nor does it inhibit the epinephrine-stimulated secretory response. It is concluded that epinephrine and dibutyryl cyclic AMP stimulate protein synthesis directly and independently of their effect on secretory activity.
Characterization of a novel Rochalimaea species, R. henselae sp. nov., isolated from blood of a febrile, human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient.

Isolation of a Rochalimaea-like organism from a febrile patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus was confirmed. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, together with polymerase chain reaction and restriction endonuclease length polymorphism analysis of a portion of the citrate synthase gene, demonstrated that the agent is closely related to members of the genus Rochalimaea and that the isolate is genotypically identical to the presumptive etiologic agent of bacillary angiomatosis. However, the same genotypic analyses readily differentiated the new isolate from isolates of other recognized Rochalimaea species as well as other genera of bacteria previously suggested as putative etiologic agents of bacillary angiomatosis and related syndromes. We propose that the novel species be referred to as Rochalimaea henselae sp. now. Images
Measures to control Chlamydia trachomatis infections: an assessment of new national policy guidelines.

Somewhat hidden perhaps among the barrage of publications on the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in recent months was a report on policy guidelines for prevention and control of Chlamydia trachomatis infections by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 1 This report summarizes the deliberations of an expert committee and of CDC staff members, whose task it was to outline a plan for control of this growing public health problem. The effort was worthwhile—the report provides the most up-to-date and succinct summary of the public health importance of C trachomatis infections that is currently available. It outlines the role played by C trachomatis in various disease syndromes; the numbers and economic impact of these infections; risk factors that can be used to identify high-risk groups or individuals; approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of C trachomatis infections; newer laboratory tests for diagnosis; and potential means of controlling the increasing incidence of these
Analysis and Sizing of Mars Aerobrake Structure

A cone-sphere aeroshell structure for aerobraking into Martian atmosphere is studied. Using this structural configuration, a space frame load-bearing structure is proposed. To generate this structure efficiently and to perform a variety of studies of several configurations, a mesh generator that utilizes only a few configurational parameters is developed. A finite element analysis program that analyzes space frame structures was developed. A sizing algorithm that arrives at a minimum mass configuration was developed and integrated into the finite element analysis program. A typical 135-ft-diam aerobrake configuration was analyzed and sized. The minimum mass obtained in this study using high modulus graphite/epoxy composite material members is compared with the masses obtained from two other aerobrake structures using lightweight erectable tetrahedral truss and part-spherical truss configurations. Excellent agreement for the minimum mass was obtained with the three different aerobrake structures. Also, the minimum mass using the present structure was obtained when the supports were not at the base but at about 75 percent of the base diameter.