cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An analog neural network chip with random weight change learning algorithm

Although researchers have been engaged in fabrication of neural network hardware, only a few networks implemented with a learning algorithm have been reported. A learning algorithm is required to be implemented on a VLSI chip because off-chip learning with a digital computer consumes too much time to be applied to many practical problems. The main obstacle to implement a learning algorithm is the complexity of the proposed algorithms. Algorithms like backpropagation include complex multiplication, summation and derivatives, which are very difficult to implement with VLSI circuits. The authors propose a new learning algorithm, which is suitable for analog implementation and implement it on a 2.2 mm/spl times/2.2 mm neural network chip with 100 weights, using the standard 2.0 /spl mu/m MOSIS process. The chips have successfully learned the XOR Gate problem.
Harmonic maps near the identity of Sn

Abstract In this expository note we discuss how to apply the inverse function theorem to prove the folklore result that on the unit n-sphere for n ≥ 3 any harmonic self-map near the identity must be an isometry.
Effect of refrigerating delayed shipments of raw ground beef on the detection of Salmonella Typhimurium.

In eight separate trials, four groups of raw ground beef samples were inoculated with 0.04 to 0.3 CFU/g of Salmonella Typhimurium (DT 104). Each group consisted of four 25-g samples (three inoculated and one uninoculated). After inoculation, these samples were shipped by overnight courier in shipping containers with ice packs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Eastern Regional Research Center, in Wyndmoor, Pa., to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Eastern Laboratory, in Athens, Ga. A total of 128 samples (32 in each of four groups) were shipped. A temperature data logger was placed inside each shipping container to record the temperature during shipping and storage. The first group of ground beef samples was analyzed within approximately 1 h of arrival. The second group of samples was left in the original containers, with a gel ice pack, for 24 h before processing. The third and fourth groups of samples were removed from the original shipping containers and stored at room temperature (21 ± 2°C) for 6 h and then in a refrigerator at 4 ± 2°C for 24 and 48 h, respectively, before analysis. The samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella according to the USDA/FSIS Microbiological Laboratory Guidebook, chapter 4.02. There was no significant difference in the presence and levels of Salmonella in ground beef among the four test groups. These data show that it is acceptable to process the late-arriving ground beef samples for the detection of Salmonella if they are kept in a refrigerator (4 ± 2°C) for 24 to 48 h or when the shipments arrive late (24 h in the container with ice pack).
Homeless and Hungry in College

I am a senior at the University of Wisconsin–Madison who is studying philosophy. I am also a disabled, first-generation, working-class, and FAFSA-independent McNair Scholar.Between 2010 and 2015, I...
Newborn Young of a Captive Manatee

from the births of two captive Florida manatees on the adaptation of its early behavior to aquatic environment, and what services its phlegmatic maternal parent performs for it (Moore, Jour. Mamm., 32: 26, 1951). It is now possible to add some further bits to this partially composed picture from another baby manatee, Trichechus manatus latirostris . It was born November 1, 1955, at Ojus, Florida, to a ten-foot, four-inch adult which had been taken locally several weeks earlier for exhibit in an admission zoological garden called Tropical Panorama. This birth was unobserved, and may have occurred any time from 5:00 P. M. October 31st until shortly before the baby was discovered about 9:00 A. M. the next day. The placenta was only partly discharged at the time of discovery, and this may suggest that the calf was no more than a few hours old then. At the same time, however, it was definitely swimming under its own power, and the mother was not observed to assist it in any way, whereas the mothers did in the two cases of newborn earlier reported. It is interesting that from the time of its discovery, the newborn young stayed down well beneath the …
FERROMAGNETISM AND CRYSTAL FIELDS IN YBINNI4

We present transport and thermodynamic measurements as a function of temperature (0.1{endash}300 K), pressure (1 bar{endash}16 kbars), and magnetic field (0{endash}600 kOe) on YbInNi{sub 4}. Ferromagnetism arises near 3 K out of a state with enhanced electronic specific-heat coefficient. Resistivity, specific-heat, and magnetization measurements imply that the ground state of YbInNi{sub 4} is a crystal-field doublet, whereas earlier neutron-scattering results suggest a ground-state quartet. We also compare YbInNi{sub 4} to YbInCu{sub 4} and intermediate alloys. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Mental Illness Stigma as a Barrier to Psychosocial Services for Cancer Patients

Empirically validated psychosocial interventions have been shown to improve adjustment and coping among cancer patients. Therefore, an emerging standard of practice is to integrate supportive services for cancer patients into the medical management of the disease. However, unanticipated barriers may negatively influence receptivity to psychosocial services. For example, among the general population, two-thirds of individuals in need of psychiatric services do not receive them. Numerous barriers have been reported that interfere with receipt of mental health services among members of the general population. In addition to access issues, stigma associated with mental illness and its treatment represents a significant barrier to care. Stigma associated with mental illness and mental health services use is an under-researched barrier to the effective management of the psychosocial sequelae of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. This article reviews the relevant literature on mental health stigma and makes recommendations for increasing access to psychosocial services for cancer patients and their families.
Studies on the relationship of gamma-aminobutyric acid-stimulated diazepam binding and the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor.

The three binding parameters [3H]muscimol binding, [3H]diazepam binding, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-stimulated [3H]diazepam binding are compared in various brain areas and in response to various protein and membrane modifying reagents. Comparison of rat forebrain and cerebellum revealed a much higher ratio of [3H]muscimol- to [3H]diazepam-binding sites in cerebellum and less GABA-stimulated [3H]diazepam binding. Both sulfhydryl reducing and alkylating agents reduced [3H]muscimol binding (decreased binding affinity), and increased GABA-stimulated [3H]diazepam binding. Triton X-100-treated membranes display an increase in both the number and affinity of [3H]muscimol-binding sites, no change in basal [3H]diazepam binding, and a decrease in GABA-stimulated [3H]diazepam binding. The observed relationship between [3H]-muscimol-binding sites and the degree of GABA-stimulated [3H]diazepam binding suggests that the high affinity muscimol-binding site is not mediating the GABA enhancement effect.
Sea ice thickness retrieval at L-band: Comparison between results from Aquarius and SMAP data

Aquarius and SMAP brightness temperature data are used to estimate sea ice thickness in the polar regions. The method is based on the inversion of a radiative transfer model for ice-covered sea. This model predicts the emission from ice-covered sea and is similar to the one used by the SMOS group. The sea ice thickness values retrieved from Aquarius and SMAP measurements using this technique are compared with the SMOS data. Since Aquarius ceased operation due to component failure on at the beginning of June 2015, while the SMAP radiometer began operating at the end of March 2015, data from April 2015 are used in the comparison. Results obtained using Aquarius and SMAP data are consistent with each other, but show a high uncertainty compared to the SMOS sea ice thickness product.
Leading corrections to local approximations II : The case with turning points

Quantum corrections to Thomas-Fermi (TF) theory are investigated for noninteracting one-dimensional fermions with known uniform semiclassical approximations to the density and kinetic energy. Their structure is analyzed, and contributions from distinct phase space regions (classically-allowed versus forbidden at the Fermi energy) are derived analytically. Universal formulas are derived for both particle numbers and energy components in each region. For example, in the semiclassical limit, exactly ${(6\ensuremath{\pi}\sqrt{3})}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of a particle leaks into the evanescent region beyond a turning point. The correct normalization of semiclassical densities is proven analytically in the semiclassical limit. Energies and densities are tested numerically in a variety of one-dimensional potentials, especially in the limit where TF theory becomes exact. The subtle relation between the pointwise accuracy of the semiclassical approximation and integrated expectation values is explored. The limitations of the semiclassical formulas are also investigated when the potential varies too rapidly. The approximations are shown to work for multiple wells, except right at the mid-phase point of the evanescent regions. The implications for density functional approximations are discussed.
Prevalence, demographic variation and psychological correlates of exposure to police victimisation in four US cities

Aims Victimisation by the police is purported to be widespread in cities in the USA, but there is limited data on police–public encounters from community samples. This is partly due to an absence of measures for assessing police violence exposure from the standpoint of civilians. As such, the demographic distribution and mental health correlates of police victimisation are poorly understood. The aims of this study were to present community-based prevalence estimates of positive policing and police victimisation based on assessment with two novel measures, and to test the hypotheses that (1) exposure to police victimisation would vary across demographic groups and (2) would be associated with depression and psychological distress. Methods The Survey of Police–Public Encounters study surveyed adults residing in four US cities to examine the prevalence, demographic distribution and psychological correlates of police victimisation. Participants (N = 1615) completed measures of psychological distress (K-6 scale), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9) and two newly constructed measures of civilian-reported police–public encounters. Both measures were developed to assess police victimisation based on the WHO domains of violence, which include physical violence (with and without a weapon, assessed separately), sexual violence (inappropriate sexual contact, including public strip searches), psychological violence (e.g., threatening, intimidating, stopping without cause, or using discriminatory slurs) and neglect (police not responding when called or responding too late). The Police Practices Inventory assesses lifetime history of exposure to positive policing and police victimisation, and the Expectations of Police Practices Scale assesses the perceived likelihood of future incidents of police victimisation. Linear regression models were used to test for associations between police–public encounters and psychological distress and depression. Results Psychological violence (18.6%) and police neglect (18.8%) were commonly reported in this sample and a substantial minority of respondents also reported more severe forms of violence, specifically physical (6.1%), sexual (2.8%) and physical with a weapon (3.3%). Police victimisation was more frequently reported by racial/ethnic minorities, males, transgender respondents and younger adults. Nearly all forms of victimisation (but not positive policing) were associated with psychological distress and depression in adjusted linear regression models. Conclusions Victimisation by police appears to be widespread, inequitably distributed across demographic groups and psychologically impactful. These findings suggest that public health efforts to both reduce the prevalence of police violence and to alleviate its psychological impact may be needed, particularly in disadvantaged urban communities.
Yeats’s Crazy Jane Talks with the Bishop

(1984). Yeats’s Crazy Jane Talks with the Bishop. The Explicator: Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 35-36.
White-matter tract abnormalities and antisocial behavior: A systematic review of diffusion tensor imaging studies across development

Antisocial behavior (AB), including aggression, violence, and theft, is thought be underpinned by abnormal functioning in networks of the brain critical to emotion processing, behavioral control, and reward-related learning. To better understand the abnormal functioning of these networks, research has begun to investigate the structural connections between brain regions implicated in AB using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which assesses white-matter tract microstructure. This systematic review integrates findings from 22 studies that examined the relationship between white-matter microstructure and AB across development. In contrast to a prior hypothesis that AB is associated with greater diffusivity specifically in the uncinate fasciculus, findings suggest that adult AB is associated with greater diffusivity across a range of white-matter tracts, including the uncinate fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, cingulum, corticospinal tract, thalamic radiations, and corpus callosum. The pattern of findings among youth studies was inconclusive with both higher and lower diffusivity found across association, commissural, and projection and thalamic tracts.
Single Cell Profiling Using Ionic Liquid Matrix-Enhanced Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry for Neuronal Cell Type Differentiation

A high-throughput single cell profiling method has been developed for matrix-enhanced-secondary ion mass spectrometry (ME-SIMS) to investigate the lipid profiles of neuronal cells. Populations of cells are dispersed onto the substrate, their locations determined using optical microscopy, and the cell locations used to guide the acquisition of SIMS spectra from the cells. Up to 2,000 cells can be assayed in one experiment at a rate of 6 s per cell. Multiple saturated and unsaturated phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and their fragments are detected and verified with tandem mass spectrometry from individual cells when ionic liquids are employed as a matrix. Optically guided single cell profiling with ME-SIMS is suitable for a range of cell sizes, from Aplysia californica neurons larger than 75 μm to 7-μm rat cerebellar neurons. ME-SIMS analysis followed by t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding of peaks in the lipid molecular mass range (m/z 700–850) distinguishes several cell types from the rat central nervo...
Intervisibility Heuristics For Computer Generated Forces

Intervisibility between entities in a Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) environment is a mandatory, computationally expensive process. A Computer Generated Forces (CGF) system must determine the intervisibility status between each of its controlled entities and each of the other entities in the simulation and it must make these determinations at frequent intervals. Previous work has focused on developing algorithms to perform intervisibility determinations as quickly as possible. In this work, the problem was approached differently. Instead of speeding each intervisibility determination, heuristics were developed for reducing the number of determinations needed, thereby reducing the computational expense of intervisibility. These results are independent of terrain representation and thereby applicable to any CGF system.
Intrinsic disorder within AKAP79 fine-tunes anchored phosphatase activity toward substrates and drug sensitivity.

Signaling molecules such as the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) activate a range of responses inside cells. The responses often involve proteins being chemically modified to change how active they are, which in turn controls specific processes happening inside the cell. One type of modification involves certain enzymes adding or removing molecules known as phosphate groups from specific proteins. For example, an enzyme called PP2B (also known as calcineurin) is able to remove phosphate groups from a variety of proteins. PP2B plays crucial roles in many different processes in animals including immune responses, nerve cell signaling and heart activity, and is the target of several medicinal drugs that suppress the immune system. Since PP2B plays so many roles in the body, these drugs often have unintended side effects. Therefore, studying how the body regulates this enzyme may help us to understand what causes these side effects. Previous studies have shown that PP2B is activated by calcium ions, which can act as signals in many different situations inside cells. A protein called AKAP79 anchors PP2B to specific locations in the cell so that it only operates where it is needed. Some evidence suggests that calcium ions affect how AKAP79 and PP2B interact, but it is not known how this works. Nygren et al. investigated how the PP2B enzyme and AKAP79 protein interact inside human cells and in cell-free systems. The experiments showed that short regions within the AKAP79 protein are responsible for binding to PP2B. These regions and the flexible structure of the entire AKAP79 protein work together to fine-tune how PP2B responds to calcium ions. In the presence of higher levels of calcium ions, another ‘auxiliary’ region of AKAP79 also binds to PP2B. This auxiliary region binds to a site on the enzyme where an immunosuppressive drug called cyclosporine can also bind. This suggests that AKAP79 binding to PP2B may affect the sensitivity of the PP2B enzyme to cyclosporine. This study demonstrates that the activity of PP2B can be precisely controlled by interactions with proteins such as AKAP79. Further work on these interactions may help develop more effective drugs that cause fewer side effects in patients.
Composing Techniques: Choreographing a Postqualitative Writing Practice:

Writing can be a (playful) practice that develops through techniques. To illustrate, I draw from the works of Erin Manning to describe how I take up techniques in both writing and dance. I then sug...
Global Clinical Trials: Study Design and Planning

While the fundamentals of good study design are the same for studies conducted in developed and developing countries, there are several considerations that must be taken into account when conducting trials in developing countries. These include clinical practice differences; genetic, dietary, and other differences in populations; regulatory differences between countries and jurisdictions; differences in facilities and training of the investigators and the site personnel; and logistical differences. At the same time, there are three key parameters in the design of a clinical trial that are important regardless of whether the studies are in developed or developing countries: endpoints, patient selection, and dosing. Awareness of the potential issues and working with the local medical director, contract research organization, or investigator during the design of the study will make the study much more likely to succeed.
Framework for control and deep reinforcement learning in traffic

Recent advances in deep reinforcement learning (RL) offer an opportunity to revisit complex traffic control problems at the level of vehicle dynamics, with the aim of learning locally optimal policies (with respect to the policy parameterization) for a variety of objectives such as matching a target velocity or minimizing fuel consumption. In this article, we present a framework called CISTAR (Customized Interface for SUMO, TraCI, and RLLab) that integrates the widely used traffic simulator SUMO with a standard deep reinforcement learning library RLLab. We create an interface allowing for easy customization of SUMO, allowing users to easily implement new controllers, heterogeneous experiments, and user-defined cost functions that depend on arbitrary state variables. We demonstrate the usage of CISTAR with several benchmark control and RL examples.
Sixth cranial nerve palsy and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia caused by vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia

Abstract Purpose To report an unusual case of vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia causing both trigeminal neuralgia and ipsilateral sixth cranial nerve palsy. Observations A patient had undergone surgical decompression of trigeminal neuralgia caused by dolichoectatic vertebral and basilar arteries years before presenting with ipsilateral sixth nerve palsy. Brain MRI showed deviant vertebrobasilar arteries that presumably now compressed the sixth cranial nerve. The unaffected left sixth cranial nerve was visible on MRI, but the affected right sixth cranial nerve was not. The central spinal fluid space in Dorello's canal on the affected side was relatively ample, suggesting atrophy of the affected sixth cranial nerve. On follow-up examination one year after presentation, the patient's diplopia was palliated with spectacle prism. Conclusions and importance This is the tenth reported case of dolichoectasia causing sixth cranial nerve palsy, but only the second to occur with dolichoectatic trigeminal neuralgia. It provides more detailed imaging that previously reported cases. Review of reported cases of dolichoectatic compression of cranial nerves indicates that vascular decompression may be effective for trigeminal neuralgia, but is not indicated for dolichoectatic sixth nerve palsy, which will resolve spontaneously or can be effectively managed with prism or eye muscle surgery.
Diffraction efficiency performance of random anti-reflecting subwavelength surface structures on prefabricated fused silica binary gratings.

Random anti-reflecting subwavelength surface structures have been reported to enhance transmission of optical windows and lenses. Specifically, for fused silica substrates, 99.9% specular transmission has been verified by various groups. Diffractive optical elements, such as gratings, also experience net Fresnel losses on both their planar and structured surfaces. We investigated the performance of prefabricated 50% duty-cycle, binary, fused silica linear gratings, with a period of 1.6 μm, before and after application of random anti-reflecting subwavelength surface structures, in order to reduce their initial Fresnel reflectivity. We compared the diffraction order directions and their efficiencies at three test wavelengths: 594, 612, and 633 nm, for both TE(s) and TM(p) incident light polarization states, under three different mountings: normal, first Bragg, and second Bragg incidence. We report transmission enhancement of the sum of all propagating grating orders for all cases tested by factors between 2% and 10%, with reduction of the respective reflected orders by similar ratios. Transmission enhancement of the −2 diffraction order at Bragg incidence suggests that the random etch has different rates between the raised and lowered linear grating topography.
Framing black boys: parent, teacher, and student narratives of the academic lives of black boys.

Abstract The discourse on Black boys tends to suggest that Black boys are in complete peril. We begin with evidence that Black boys are excelling in certain contexts (i.e., in certain states, in certain schools, and in certain courses). We then discuss the ways in which the narratives used by parents, teachers, and Black boys themselves may serve to further reinforce views that Black boys are beyond hope. Research on Black parents suggests that they tend to view their sons as vulnerable and have lower expectations for sons than for daughters. Studies of teachers show that they tend to view Black boys as unteachable, as social problems, and as scary. Research on Black boys shows that they are sometimes complicit in supporting these narratives by engaging in negative or stereotypical behavior. We also include recent research that includes counter-narratives of Black boys. We end with suggestions for future research.
Further Spectral Theorems

In this chapter, we use the spectral theorem of Chapter XVIII to give a finer theory, making sense of the expression f(A) when f is not continuous. Ultimately, one wants to use very general functions f in the context of measure theory, namely bounded measurable functions, as a corollary of what was done in Chapter XVIII. For our purposes here, we deal with an intermediate category of functions, essentially characteristic functions of intervals. These give rise to projection operators, whose formalism is important for its own sake. We also want to deal with unbounded operators as an application.
Photonic Network Architectures I: Circuit Switching

A photonic network design encompasses a wide range of details that must be considered carefully. Design details include material system, layout of components, and network arbitration mechanisms. Each detail involves several metrics including performance requirements, power constraints, scalability, and cost. Designing a photonic network which is both feasible and cost-effective is a multi-dimensional design-space problem in which all the parts are tightly coupled.
Renal Cell Carcinoma in Children

While renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most prevalent renal tumor in adults, it is extremely rare in children. The epidemiology, genetics, clinicopathologic features, treatment, and outcomes of Paediatric RCC are reviewed here. Children with RCC are typically older than children with Wilms tumor; the median age at diagnosis of RCC is 10–13 years. RCC occurs in both sporadic and familial forms. Many causative oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes have been identified, and it is now possible to identify the affected individuals and carriers by genetic testing. The most common subtype in children, the translocation-type RCC, is characterized by translocations most frequently involving the TFE3 gene on chromosome Xp11.2 or the TFEB gene on chromosome 6p21. Renal medullary carcinoma afflicts young individuals with sickle cell hemoglobinopathy. The most common symptoms of RCC are hematuria, abdominal or flank pain, and an abdominal mass. Biopsy is necessary to establish the diagnosis. Regional lymphadenopathy and vascular invasion are commonly seen. The lung and liver are the most common sites of distant metastases. Over 90% of patients with renal medullary carcinoma present with stage IV disease, 63% of patients with translocation-type RCC present with advanced disease (stage III or IV), and 39% of patients without translocation-type RCC or renal medullary carcinoma present with advanced disease. Patients with localized disease (stage I and II) could be cured by nephrectomy alone. Besides surgery, there is no established optimal treatment for childhood RCC regardless of subtype. Neither chemotherapy nor radiation therapy has demonstrated significant activity in metastatic or residual RCC. Currently, sequential single-agent therapy with targeted therapy has become the standard of care for metastatic RCC in adults, and new immunotherapy strategies are emerging. Due to the rarity of Paediatric RCC, national and international collaborations are needed to conduct research that advances our knowledge about this cancer, its biology, and treatment.
Designing, Building, and Testing the New Apparatus

With a promising set of ideas in place for the design of the new apparatus, it is time to discuss the building and testing of the new chamber, coils, and imaging systems for the new apparatus. We begin with the assembly and testing of the electrodes and their ability to reach large electric fields.
Constructively Managing Program-related Conflict In Local Churches:

Interpersonal conflict surrounding church programs is a major source of distress for both pastoral staff and lay members of evangelical churches. Such conflict, when destructive, may severely hinde...
The Conspicuity Benefits of Bicycle Taillights in Daylight

Bicyclists risk being injured or killed in crashes with motor vehicles, even during the daytime. Therefore, cyclists must help approaching drivers detect and recognize their presence. The present study examined the conspicuity benefits of bicycle taillights during the daytime. Participants’ eye movements were recorded as they searched for vulnerable road users in videos recorded from a driver’s perspective in a moving vehicle. Five of the videos contained a bicyclist who displayed one of five taillight configurations. The distance from which each participant first glanced at the bicyclist was recorded, as was the distance from which the participant pressed a button to indicate that a bicyclist was present. The results indicated that the participants first fixated on the bicyclist at a distance that was 2.7 times greater than the distance at which they responded to recognizing the bicyclist. Additionally, the bicyclist was recognized from significantly greater distances when using a flashing or steady seat post-mounted taillight than when no taillight was displayed. These findings confirm earlier research that bicycle taillights can enhance drivers’ ability to recognize bicyclists during daylight.
Myopia and anterior segment optical coherence tomography findings in laser-treated retinopathy of prematurity eyes.

Purpose To evaluate structural features and visual outcomes in eyes with a prior history of laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods Laser-treated eyes for type 1 ROP, preterm monitored eyes, and full-term control eyes were included. LogMAR conversion of Snellen best-corrected visual acuity and spherical equivalent based on cycloplegic refraction were measured in children 5-15 years of age. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to study structural features, including anterior chamber angle (ACA) in a subset of eyes. Results A total of 50 eyes of 50 patients were included (19 full-term eyes, 19 laser-treated type 1 ROP eyes, 12 preterm monitored eyes). Of these, 44 eyes had visual outcomes data, and 15 eyes had anterior segment data. There was no significant difference in sex or age at final examination between the three groups. There was no significant difference in gestational age between the laser-treated and preterm monitored groups. Compared with the full-term control group and the preterm monitored group, the laser-treated ROP group had narrower ACA and more myopic refractive error. There was a significant correlation between ACA and spherical equivalent. Conclusions Laser treatment may affect angle configuration in ROP eyes. Anterior segment OCT is an easy and useful modality that could aid in screening for visually impairing conditions such as myopia and glaucoma in children with ROP.
Chapter 66 – Infantile Spasms

West syndrome is an infantile epileptic encephalopathy with infantile spasms that are characteristic seizures associated with electrodecremental responses, hypsarrhythmia, and intellectual disabilities. There is a need to develop better therapies for West syndrome. Several rodent models of infantile spasms have been developed recently to elucidate the pathogenesis, and help identify new treatments. These are acute models, in which spasms occur only immediately after induction, and chronic models of infantile spasms that recapitulate many features of the syndrome. In this chapter, we are summarizing the main features and findings stemming from these models, as well as discuss their utility in the development of treatments for infantile spasms, other associated seizures, and their comorbidities.
Continued In-Hospital Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor and Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker Use in Hypertensive COVID-19 Patients Is Associated With Positive Clinical Outcome.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated continued and discontinued use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) during hospitalization of 614 hypertensive laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Demographics, comorbidities, vital signs, laboratory data, and ACEi/ARB usage were analyzed. To account for confounders, patients were substratified by whether they developed hypotension and acute kidney injury (AKI) during the index hospitalization. RESULTS: Mortality (22% vs 17%, Pâ >â .05) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (26% vs 12%, Pâ >â .05) rates were not significantly different between non-ACEi/ARB and ACEi/ARB groups. However, patients who continued ACEi/ARBs in the hospital had a markedly lower ICU admission rate (12% vs 26%; Pâ =â .001; odds ratio [OR]â =â 0.347; 95% confidence interval [CI], .187-.643) and mortality rate (6% vs 28%; Pâ =â .001; ORâ =â 0.215; 95% CI, .101-.455) compared to patients who discontinued ACEi/ARB. The odds ratio for mortality remained significantly lower after accounting for development of hypotension or AKI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that continued ACEi/ARB use in hypertensive COVID-19 patients yields better clinical outcomes.
Reciprocity relations in driven dissipative systems

Abstract Almost a century ago Onsager found a universal feature of all dissipative systems describing approach to thermodynamic equilibrium, the reciprocal relations. They hold for linear differential equations describing an evolution of macrovariables in vicinity of equilibrium states. It was assumed implicitly that underlying microdynamics is Hamiltonian and ergodic. The reversibility of Hamiltonian equations was one of the key features of microdynamics yielding Onsager’s relations. There are many situations where macrovariables, which are the slow parameters of microdynamics, describe, in fact, the mesoscopic phenomena. Thus, an additional course graining is to be done to get the equations of macroscopic theory. In particular, such are the problems of dislocation-mediated plasticity, where elimination of atomic degrees of freedom yields dislocation dynamics, and an additional averaging is needed to obtain the equations of macroscopic plasticity. This averaging problem is qualitatively different from the classical problems of nonequilibrium thermodynamics because the equations to be averaged are neither Hamiltonian nor ergodic, they are dissipative and irreversible. Besides, in driven systems there might be no equilibrium states. However, the basic question remains the same: Are there universal relations which the averaged equations must respect? In this paper, a positive answer to this question is given: the dependence of rates on forces must be potential in the limit of small and large forces. For small forces, this yields the relations which look quite similar to Onsager’s relations, though their origin caused by dissipative irreversible dynamics is quite different. In the limit of small forces a variational principle for dissipative potential is obtained; it reveals quite non-trivial reciprocities of macroscopic interactions. An immediate consequence of these results is the potentiality of the strain rate-stress constitutive relations in dislocation-mediated plasticity for small and large stresses. The reciprocity relations are illustrated by dislocation double-slip of a single crystal.
The prostate cancer chemopreventive effects of resveratrol in TRAMP mice

4295 According to the American Cancer Society in 2004, it is estimated that approximately 230,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, leading to 30,000 deaths. Due to the limited success of androgen deprivation in prostate cancer patients, chemoprevention studies are highly warranted. Resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic phytoestrogen present in red wine, has been shown to have many beneficial health effects including acting as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, reducing the risk of blood clots and high blood pressure, and promoting anticancer activities. It has previously been shown that resveratrol inhibits the carcinogenic process at the initiation, promotion, and progression stages in cancer cells. We hypothesized that resveratrol will exert a chemopreventive effect via regulation of sex steroid and growth factor pathways. In the current study, C57BL/6 TRAMP (Transgenic Adenocarcinoma Mouse Prostate) male offspring were fed powder AIN-76A diet supplemented with 625 mg resveratrol/kg diet, starting at 5 weeks of age. Controls received the phytoestrogen free diet, AIN 76A. Resveratrol did not significantly alter body, prostate, and testes weights or serum testosterone and estrogen concentrations in 12 and 28 week old mice. Dorsolateral and ventral prostates were dissected from 12 week old mice, and Western blot analyses or ELISA were performed to evaluate sex steroid and growth factor signaling. Histopathology was performed on the 28 week old mice. Resveratrol in the diet reduced the incidence of poorly differentiated prostatic adenocarcinoma (Grade 6 tumors) by 17%. In the dorsolateral prostate(DLP), resveratrol significantly increased androgen receptor (AR), insulin-like growth factor receptor 1 (IGF-R1) and significantly decreased insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). In contrast, in the ventral prostate, resveratrol significantly decreased androgen receptor (AR), but did not significantly alter insulin-like growth factor receptor 1 (IGF-R1) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). It has been historically reported that the rodent DLP is the most homologous to the human prostate. However, recently it was concluded by a panel of expert pathologists that no data currently exists that would defend a conclusion that one lobe of the rodent prostate is more relevant to human prostate cancer than another lobe. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to differentiate between the actions of resveratrol in the dorsolateral prostate versus the ventral prostate. The decrease in the potent growth factor, IGF-1, and the modulation of the androgen receptor pathway and insulin-like growth factor axis may provide a biochemical basis for resveratrol suppressing prostate cancer without significant toxicity. (Supported by DOD DAMD PC 17-03-1-0153)
Phenelzine and Amoxapine Inhibit Tyramine and d-Glucuronic Acid Catabolism in Clinically Significant Salmonella in A Serotype-Independent Manner

Non-typhoidal Salmonella ingeniously scavenges energy for growth from tyramine (TYR) and d-glucuronic acid (DGA), both of which occur in the host as the metabolic byproducts of the gut microbial metabolism. A critical first step in energy scavenging from TYR and DGA in Salmonella involves TYR-oxidation via TYR-oxidoreductase and production of free-DGA via β-glucuronidase (GUS)-mediated hydrolysis of d-glucuronides (conjugated form of DGA), respectively. Here, we report that Salmonella utilizes TYR and DGA as sole sources of energy in a serotype-independent manner. Using colorimetric and radiometric approaches, we report that genes SEN2971, SEN3065, and SEN2426 encode TYR-oxidoreductases. Some Salmonella serotypes produce GUS, thus can also scavenge energy from d-glucuronides. We repurposed phenelzine (monoaminoxidase-inhibitor) and amoxapine (GUS-inhibitor) to inhibit the TYR-oxidoreductases and GUS encoded by Salmonella, respectively. We show that phenelzine significantly inhibits the growth of Salmonella by inhibiting TYR-oxidoreductases SEN2971, SEN3065, and SEN2426. Similarly, amoxapine significantly inhibits the growth of Salmonella by inhibiting GUS-mediated hydrolysis of d-glucuronides. Because TYR and DGA serve as potential energy sources for Salmonella growth in vivo, the data and the novel approaches used here provides a better understanding of the role of TYR and DGA in Salmonella pathogenesis and nutritional virulence.
Modeling the Dynamics of Dense Pyroclastic Flows on Venus: Insights Into Pyroclastic Eruptions

On Venus, relatively young deposits near volcanic and coronal summits with unique radar characteristics have been proposed to be emplaced by pyroclastic density currents (PDCs). The proposed units ...
Model Reduction for Inverters with Current Limiting and Dispatchable Virtual Oscillator Control

This paper outlines reduced-order models for grid-forming virtual-oscillator-controlled inverters with nested current- and voltage-control loops, and current-limiting action for over-current protection. While a variety of model-reduction methods have been proposed to tame complexity in inverter models, previous efforts have not included the impact of current-reference limiting. In addition to acknowledging the current-limiting action, the reduced-order models we outline are tailored to networks with resistive and inductive interconnecting lines. Our analytical approach is centered on a smooth function approximation for the current-reference limiter, participation factor analysis to identify slow- and fast-varying states, and singular perturbation to systematically eliminate the fast states. Computational benefits and accuracy of the reduced-order models are benchmarked via numerical simulations that compare them to higher-order averaged and switched models.
Crisis Intervention and Coronary Bypass Patients

Earlier chapters have explained the medical procedures and psychological counseling provided for the coronary bypass patients in this study. The preceding chapter has described the research methods and instruments used in this study as well as the sample itself. This chapter presents statistical analyses of the crisis intervention counseling treatment and nontreatment control conditions.
What FutureCar MPG Levels and Technology Will be Necessary

The potential peaking of world conventional oil production and the possible imperative to reduce carbon emissions will put great pressure on vehicle manufacturers to produce more efficient vehicles, on vehicle buyers to seek them out in the marketplace, and on energy suppliers to develop new fuels and delivery systems. Four cases for stabilizing or reducing light vehicle fuel use, oil use, and/or carbon emissions over the next 50 years are presented. Case 1--Improve mpg so that the fuel use in 2020 is stabilized for the next 30 years. Case 2--Improve mpg so that by 2030 the fuel use is reduced to the 2000 level and is reduced further in subsequent years. Case 3--Case 1 plus 50% ethanol use and 50% low-carbon fuel cell vehicles by 2050. Case 4--Case 2 plus 50% ethanol use and 50% low-carbon fuel cell vehicles by 2050. The mpg targets for new cars and light trucks require that significant advances be made in developing cost-effective and very efficient vehicle technologies. With the use of alternative fuels that are low in carbon, oil use and carbon emissions can be reduced even further.
In vitro transcriptional studies of the roles of the thyroid hormone (T3) response elements and minimal promoters in T3-stimulated gene transcription.

Thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) are ligand-dependent nuclear transcription factors that are encoded by two different genes, TR alpha and TR beta, and bind to thyroid hormone response elements (TREs) in the promoters of thyroid hormone (T3)-regulated genes. Retinoid X receptors (RXRs), major members of the thyroid hormone receptor auxiliary proteins, have recently been shown to enhance the binding of TRs to TREs. We previously showed that TRs extracted from rat pituitary GH3 cells retain ligand (T3) and DNA binding specificity and stimulate rat growth hormone (rGH) promoter activity in a cell-free in vitro transcription system. In this report, we have studied further how T3 activates endogenous TRs and stimulates transcription from different TRE-containing promoters. We found that T3 (10(-8) M) selectively stimulates transcription from rGH-TRE- and TREpal-, but not ME-TRE- and F2-TRE-, containing templates in which these TREs are linked in front of the rGH minimal promoter containing only the TATA box binding protein, but not any other proximal binding protein, sequence. In contrast, only the TREpal/AdML template, in which TREpal oligonucleotide was linked in front of the adenovirus major late gene (AdML) minimal promoter, was stimulated by T3. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) demonstrates that endogenous TR complexes specifically bind to either natural or idealized TRE (rGH-TRE, TREpal, ME-TRE, and F2-TRE) oligonucleotides. To further understand these receptor-DNA complexes formed on various TREs, isoform-specific anti-receptor antisera (TR alpha, TR beta 1, TR beta 2, and RXR beta) were added in the EMSA. These antisera differentially supershifted TR.DNA complexes formed on the TREs. These data suggest either that endogenous TR isoforms and RXR beta may form different complexes on the various TREs or that TR.RXR complexes have distinct conformations when bound to the various TREs. Taken together, these data suggest that particular TREs in which specific TR.RXR complexes are formed and different minimal promoters may provide specificity in T3-mediated transcriptional stimulation of gene expression.
NEPA’s Impact Statement in the Federal Courts: A Case Study of NRDC v. Morton

To date, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), has provided an effective forum in the Federal courts for environmentalists. Besides giving conservation groups standing to bring suits, the Act as interpreted by the courts forces Government agencies to study and consider the effects of their activities on the environment. The courts have the power of judicial review of Government compliance with NEPA as two stages: first, where challenged by an individual or organization with standing, the courts have made the substantive determination as to whether or not a particular project falls within the meaning of the Act; and second, the courts have determined whether the Federal agency has adequately fulfilled the procedural requirements of the Act. Most litigation in both areas has concerned the impact statement. NRDC v. Morton is cited as an excellent example of the use of that procedural requirement as an environmentalist's tool. Guidelines were enumerated concerning the scope of alternative provisions to be included in the impact statement. Recom
Cover Song ID with Beat-Synchronous Chroma Features

• Beat tracker takes global tempo period tB (from above) as input • Beat tracking score is calculated recursively for every time sample as: SB(t) = (1 – α)O(t) + α max W(t – τp) SB(τp) O(t) is onset strength envelope from above (local match) W(t) is a log-time Gaussian window between tB/2 and 2tB centered on tB (width determines tempo tolerance) best predecessor τp is recorded for each time t largest SB near end of track is traced back for entire beat time sequence • Beat tracker came 2nd of 5 systems compared to human ground truth in MIREX06 beat tracking evaluation COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY